cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Visualization and Quantification of Thermally Induced Porosity Alteration of Immature Source Rock Using X-ray Computed Tomography

This paper summarizes results of a successful laboratory investigation to visualize and quantify pyrolysis-induced porosity evolution of Uinta Basin organic-rich source rock using X-ray computed tomography (CT). Combining CT imaging techniques with a radio-opaque gas as a pore contrast fluid allowed for the description of porosity changes within source rock rather than limiting quantification to a single bulk value, as obtained by conventional porosity measurement techniques. The porosity of the immature and thermally matured rock sample, a Green River oil shale, increased from 9 to 25% as a result of kerogen conversion and delamination. Porosity distributions of immature samples showed unimodal behavior, whereas matured samples displayed multimodal characteristics. These new measurements indicate that porosity evolution during maturation is not well-described by bulk measurements.
Inhibition of HIV-1 Gag-membrane interactions by specific RNAs

HIV-1 particle assembly, which occurs at the plasma membrane (PM) of cells, is driven by the viral polyprotein Gag. Gag recognizes phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2], a PM-specific phospholipid, via the highly basic region (HBR) in its N-terminal matrix (MA) domain. The HBR is also known to bind to RNA. We have previously shown, using an in vitro liposome binding assay, that RNA inhibits Gag binding to membranes that lack PI(4,5)P2 If this RNA block is removed by RNase treatment, Gag can bind nonspecifically to other negatively charged membranes. In an effort to identify the RNA species that confer this inhibition of Gag membrane binding, we have tested the impact of purified RNAs on Gag interactions with negatively charged liposomes lacking PI(4,5)P2 We found that some tRNA species and RNAs containing stem-loop 1 of the psi region in the 5' untranslated region of the HIV-1 genome impose inhibition of Gag binding to membranes lacking PI(4,5)P2 In contrast, a specific subset of tRNAs, as well as an RNA sequence previously selected in vitro for MA binding, failed to suppress Gag-membrane interactions. Furthermore, switching the identity of charged residues in the HBR did not diminish the susceptibility of Gag-liposome binding for each of the RNAs tested, while deletion of most of the NC domain abrogates the inhibition of membrane binding mediated by the RNAs that are inhibitory to WT Gag-liposome binding. These results support a model in which NC facilitates binding of RNA to MA and thereby promotes RNA-based inhibition of Gag-membrane binding.
An investigational analysis of W-shaped engineering hybrid fiber composites utilizing steel and boron carbide

ABSTRACTAs engineering demands increase, ordinary conventional materials cannot satisfy requirements in the 21st Century. Hybrid ceramic/metal matrix engineering composites introduce original design concepts which surpass criteria and enhance design standards, particularly when utilized within civil and thermal engineering applications. The selection of boron carbide, B4C, in civil engineering applications displays unique property values, including flexural rigidity and stresses, and when infused with select A992 structural steel allows secondary opportunities for complex and diverse engineering applications. This article investigates an overview of boron carbide fibers and its steel matrix (SB4C) with conventional steel, focusing on flexural rigidity and stresses. The flexural rigidity of laminated boron carbide fibers with W-shaped structural steel members is also observed. A civil engineering application based on flexural rigidity of a basic and a laminated SB4C member is discussed as well. The investi...
How Modern Biological Taxonomy Sheds Light on the Incarnation

One question asked repeatedly in the history of Christology is the following: given that the incarnation was God’ s chosen method of redeeming us, why did God become human by the cooperation of the Blessed Virgin Mary? Why not just create a human body and soul ex nihilo and simultaneously with that creation have God the Son assume this new instance of human nature? In answer, Augustine for instance ( De Trinitate , bk. 13, ch. 18) argues that the latter option would have been a legitimate means of incarnation, but that it was not as fitting as the method actually employed. Aquinas agrees ( Summa Theologica IIIa, q. 4, art. 6). By contrast, John of Damascus ( De Fide Orthodoxa , bk. 3, ch. 12) seems to think that the ex nihilo option would not have constituted a genuine assumption of human nature, such that redemption required the cooperation of the Theotokos. I argue that insights provided by contemporary biology support St. John ’ s perspective, insofar as modern biological taxonomy suggests that lineal descent is a necessary condition for belonging to a species. As such, to take on a genuinely human nature God had to enter into the existing human lineage; creating a new ‘human’ body and soul ex nihilo would not have sufficed.
Perspectives in psychology

Some of the dangers of translating rules for testing the null hypothesis into absolutistic criteria for the acceptability of scientific evidence have been discussed. Rules so used take the place of events and other determiners of investigation molding the course of psychology. An attitude of tentativeness still needs to be maintained with positive findings. Replications are to be encouraged. Negative findings provide information and need a more favorable audience among psychologists—if only for the reason that prejudices against their publication (by both editors and investigators) tend to perpetuate a false conclusion based upon rejection of the null hypothesis when it should have been accepted. Judicious consideration and communication of negative findings seem necessary for the development of our science.
A New Approach to Model Reduction Based on System Output Information Structure

Abstract A new approach to model reduction based on the utilization of the existing output information structure is proposed. The technique leads to a new system representation called the Generalized Hessenberg Representation (GHR). A numerical algorithm for obtaining the GHR is given. An example illustrates the use of the GHR for model reduction. The development and application of a generalized QL algorithm for model reduction based on the GHR are given. Its usefulness for model reduction is shown by an illustrative example.
Board Declassification and Firm Value: Have Shareholders and Boards Really Destroyed Billionsin Value?

This paper analyzes the wave of board destaggering that has occurred over the past fifteen years. Other studies have concluded that the result of this phenomenon has been a substantial destruction of firm value, purportedly caused by re-orienting management from a long-term to short-term focus. We conclude that these results reflect a spurious correlation. We find, first, that board destaggering has occurred disproportionately among firms of very large market capitalization and, second, that firms with very large market capitalization also experienced disproportionate and unrelated relative drops in Tobin’s Q over the period in which destaggering has occurred. The association between destaggering and the drop in Tobin’s Q becomes statistically insignificant once one compares destaggering firms with other firms of similar market capitalization. We analyze the claim that board destaggering is especially costly for firms with high R&D, and similarly find that once one takes account of unrelated differential fluctuations in Q among high- and low-R&D firms, there is no evidence that destaggering a board reduces the value of high-R&D firms. From a methodological perspective, our analysis suggests that corporate governance studies using difference-in-differences or within-firm designs should take account of the possibility that differential secular trends in asset prices may confound their results.
Broadband conductor-backed coplanar waveguide to double-sided parallel strip line transition at millimeter wave

This paper introduces a broadband conductor-backed coplanar waveguide (CBCPW) to double-sided parallel strip line (DSPSL) transition structure. The performance is demonstrated in a back-to-back (B2B) configuration on 0.127 mm thick FR408 with relative permittivity of 3.75 and loss tangent of 0.018. AWR AXIEM and ANSYS HFSS simulations have been used to optimize all the structures. Simulation and measurement results indicate the transition structure has a 10 dB bandwidth from 24 to 105 GHz. A single dipole and 12 — element array operating at 73 GHz are realized with this transition. The simulation and measurement results are in good agreement and demonstrate the application potential of this transition due to its simple structure and low cost features.
DERIVATIVES AND DEBT: THE MARKET AS GOD AND MARKETING AS PROSELYTIZING

Most religions have images of their gods or spirits. There is often a preferred “veronica” or true image. The function of images is, according to the Catholic Church, to provide a focus for contemplation and the reflection of faith (McCrone, 1996). Often the image of the sacred is shrouded from human view, destructive to gaze upon or an imperfect reflection. Aspects of divinity are often perceived by some peoples in the spread of a disease through a population or its natural history in the signs and symptoms it creates in a body. Here we see an image of the god of capitalism (Figure 1). We can produce it from a variety of data, on the value of stock, prices of a variety of goods and services, and other means. But in general, the image is very similar. It traces the behavior of man’s faith in the value of his creations and in his future wealth. It is the single most important representation of the health of the world economy. In a Durkheimian sense, it gives as a representation of the sum total of society’s active mood and reflects, as some economists have said, the attitude and character of humanity. In a sociobiological sense, it represents the pushing and shoving of the actors involved, each trying to capture a greater share of the wealth available now and in the future, like ants (described by E.O. Wilson, 1976) trying to individually seize a piece of food, their common actions can be argued to be a tide of social consequence increasing the fitness of all concerned as they result in the arrival of the food in the nest. Objects of wealth and prestige motivate people to action in modern society and it has long been held in economic debates that contracts and money were modern phenomenon. In Figure 3 we see an image of Chinese “knife money” and its evolution to coinage (“Pu” money was earlier), cerca 700 BCE perhaps to CE 680. Figure 2 is the acknowledgement of a loan from CE 122 in Egypt from a woman, Tamystha to Heraclides, a man. This is a check of sorts undermining the idea that checks were invented in the 17 th century by the Dutch as receipts for gold. And in Figure 4 are images of tunny fish of Cyzicus and Cowrie Shells, Dentalium shells, Wampum and a coin of Thurii, all are pre-modern examples of money.
Weighted partition identities and applications

We obtain interesting new identities for the classical partition functions of Euler, Gauss and Rogers-Ramanujan by attaching multiplicative weights given by the gaps between parts. In some cases the weights are powers of 2 and yield information about the underlying partition function modulo powers of 2. Such weighted identities have important applications including a new interpretation for Jacobi’s Triple Product Identity and a combinatorial correspondence for a deep partition theorem of Gollnitz.
Space-based Observation of Offshore Strong Wind for Electric Power Generation

To optimize the deployment of offshore wind farms for electric power generation, the geographical and seasonal distributions of strong wind over global oceans were examined using nine years of equivalent neutral winds measured by a space-based scatterometer. The relation between scatterometer measurement and surface wind vector is explained. The dependence of wind strength on height and stability is examined. Near-shore locations of strong wind are identified.
Effects of Aspartame Ingestion on Large Neutral Amino Acids and Monoamine Neurotransmitters in the Central Nervous System

The acute ingestion of aspartame in large doses by rats leads to rapid increments in serum tyrosine and phenylalanine levels. Such increments should enhance the uptakes of these amino acids into brain and also antagonize the entry into brain of other large neutral amino acids. This article reviews evidence that such amino acid effects do occur in brain following aspartame ingestion by rats and then evaluates their impact on the rates of synthesis of the monoamine neurotransmitters.
The Mean Sea Level of the Gulf Stream Estimated from Satellite Altimetric and Infrared Data

Altimeters aboard satellites such as Seasat and Geosat, flying around 700 km above sea level, measure sea level at a rate of one sample averaged over approximately 6.7 km every second. Such sampling has yielded unprecented coverage in deep water where tide gages cannot be placed and in ocean regions where weather discourages ship presence, at a rate 1400 times faster than a ship carrying a gravimeter (although the satellite has somewhat less alongtrack resolution for gravity than a ship does). These data have been applied to a wide variety of geophysical and oceanographic applications (e.g., Douglas et al., 1987).
Eine neue Anordnung zum Erzeugen thermischer Gasströmungen und zum Messen von Radiometerkräften

Mit einer elektromagnetischen Mikrowaage wurden bei niedrigen Drucken an Probekorpern, die einem Temperaturgradienten ausgesetzt waren, Radiometerkrafte gemessen, die — verglichen mit der Wageempfindlichkeit — sehr gros waren. Diese Krafte lassen sich mit Hilfe der in der Literatur vorhandenen theoretischen Ansatze nicht ausreichend beschreiben. Die Krafte wurden in einem Druckbereich zwischen 10–5 und 100 Torr in Abhangigkeit von der Gasart, den Temperaturverhaltnissen, den Abmessungen der Anordnung und der fur die Probekorper verwendeten Materialien und Formen gemessen. Es werden Gleichungen angegeben, die die Messungen fur die beiden Grenzfalle “mittlere freie Weglange gros bzw. klein gegenuber den inneren Abmessungen des Gerats” mit ausreichender Genauigkeit beschreiben. Da die Krafte stark druckabhangig sind, wird als Anwendung ein Druckmesgerat vorgeschlagen, das in Kombination mit einer Auftriebsmessung den Bereich von 10–6 Torr bis Atmospharendruck kontinuierlich uberdeckt.
Antibiotic Molecular Design Using Multi-Objective Optimization

Abstract This project aims to design a novel drug molecule via a computer aided molecular design approach to treat the bacterial infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii. Research is acutely needed to develop novel therapies to treat resistant infections. A. baumannii, a pathogen causing infections such as pneumonia and bacteremia is on the highest priority. In order to treat this pathogen, a molecular design problem is formulated with pazufloxacin as a starting point. This multi-optimization problem has two objectives: minimizing MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) and maximizing the LD-50 value. Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSAR) are created based on 3D-MoRSE descriptors and are used to predict these properties. The optimization problem is formulated using a multi-objective format in order to discover the trade-offs between various solutions. It includes both objectives as well as the structural feasibility constraints, resulting in a multi-objective, mixed integer non-linear program (MINLP). Because of the large number of potential chemical structures and the uncertainty in the structure-property correlations, stochastic algorithms are preferred to solve the resulting MINLP. The problem was solved using a stochastic algorithm, artificial bee colony (ABC), to find a set of near-optimal solutions, corresponding to novel candidate antibiotics. ABC’s use of swarm intelligence provides a breadth of information which can be applied to the evaluation of pareto-optimal surface.
It’s All about Me (or Us): Facebook Post Frequency & Focus as Related to Narcissism

Research on associations between narcissism and social media use has produced mixed results. This is, we assert, due to the variety of ways in which social media use has been measured. We use a new measure of social media posting frequency as well as a content analysis of users’ (N = 380) Facebook status updates that distinguishes between messages that focus attention exclusively on the user and messages that include other users at the center of attention. We find a positive association between narcissism and posting frequency as well as a negative association between narcissism and posting other-focused messages. This is the first study to find evidence of a link between narcissism and the focus of social media posts, furthering understanding of the psychological underpinnings of various types of online self-expression.
CHI 2010 engineering community SIG: the role of engineering work in CHI

The Engineering Community faces a number of serious challenges around its role in the larger CHI community and its contribution to CHI-sponsored conferences. This SIG is its forum to identify key issues and begin developing positions to address them.
Spin dynamics of antiferromagnetically coupled bilayers-the case of Cr2TeO6.

Understanding the dynamics of interacting quantum spins has been one of the active areas of condensed matter physics research. Recently, extensive inelastic neutron scattering measurements have been carried out in an interesting class of systems, Cr2(Te, W, Mo)O6. These systems consist of bilayers of Cr3+ spins (S = 3/2) with strong antiferromagnetic inter-bilayer coupling (J) and tuneable intra-bilayer coupling (j) from ferro (for W and Mo) to antiferro (for Te). In the limit when [Formula: see text], the system reduces to weakly interacting quantum spin-3/2 dimers. In this paper, we discuss the low-temperature magnetic properties of Cr2TeO6 systems where both intra-layer and inter-layer exchange couplings are antiferromagnetic, i.e. [Formula: see text]. Using linear spin-wave theory we obtain the magnon dispersion, sublattice magnetization, two-magnon density of states, and longitudinal spin-spin correlation function.
δ13C records from fish fossils as paleo-indicators of ecosystem responses to lake levels in the Plio-Pleistocene lakes of Tugen Hills, Kenya

Abstract The carbon isotopic ratios of organic matter in fish fossils from diatomites and other lake beds in the HSPDP drill core from Tugen Hills, Kenya (2.56–3.29 Ma) reflect trophic resource uses and can indicate the dietary habitats of fish in the paleolake. This information offers insight into how fish communities responded to lake-level fluctuations during the Plio-Pleistocene in the East African Rift Valley. We have compared this record with fish fossil isotopes from both a previously published study of a Lake Malawi drill core (139 ka - present) and core top (modern ca 1978) samples collected at the water/sediment boundary from Lake Turkana (Kenya) of known environmental provenance. Both the Lake Malawi drill core fossils (−7.2‰ to −27.5‰ VPDB) and modern Lake Turkana samples (−16‰ to −24.6‰ VPDB) have δ13C values indicating a mix of near-shore and deep-water pelagic species. In contrast, the δ13C values for the Tugen Hills core fossils vary only between −20‰ and −27‰ VPDB. The absence of δ13C values greater than −19‰ suggests none of these fossils are derived from near-shore benthic habitats. The lack of shallow water, benthic lacustrine fish fossils through the Tugen Hills lake cycles may indicate that the rate of change from low-lake stands to deeper lake phases was very rapid, and shallow water communities were not established for long enough to leave a fish fossil record at the core site. These results strongly suggest that lake-level responses to climate variability in the Baringo Basin of the East African Rift were very abrupt during the Plio-Pleistocene transition.
New atomic data of O/2+/

New atomic data are tabulated for the ion O(2+). Collision strengths are calculated for several energies of the exciting electron. The populations of the levels of O(2+) are calculated as a function of electron density under conditions appropriate for the solar atmosphere. The available solar data are compared with theoretical predictions of relative line intensities.
From Islamists to Muslim Democrats: The Case of Tunisia’s Ennahda

What drives some Islamists to become “Muslim Democrats,” downplaying religion and accepting secular democracy? This article hypothesizes that one channel of ideological change is migration to secular democracies. Drawing on an ideal point analysis of parliamentary votes from the Tunisian Islamist movement Ennahda, I find that MPs who had lived in secular democracies held more liberal voting records than their counterparts who had lived only in Tunisia. In particular, they were more likely to defend freedom of conscience and to vote against enshrining Islamic law in the constitution. Interviews with several of these MPs demonstrate that they recognize a causal effect of their experiences abroad on their ideologies, and provide support for three distinct mechanisms by which this effect may have occurred: socialization, intergroup contact, and political learning.
A Rare Cooccurrence of Tillaux-Chaput and Volkmann Fracture in an Adolescent Male: A Case Report.

Introduction Tillaux-Chaput fractures and Volkmann fractures rarely occur together in adolescent patients despite the common occurrence of ankle injuries in adolescent athletics. This particular injury has not previously been well documented in literature. Case report This article describes the cooccurrence of these two fracture types in a 16-year-old male who suffered significant blunt trauma during a football game resulting in a loss of consciousness and a severe left ankle injury. History and physical examination necessitated radiographs confirming a Salter-Harris IV fracture of the left distal tibial concerning for a Tillaux-Chaput fracture. Computed tomography scans were taken to confirm the full extent of the injury. These images revealed a fracture of the left distal tibia that involved the posterior tibial metaphysis extending into the tibial plafond with no significant step-off and an avulsion fracture of the anterolateral tibial epiphysis that was laterally and anteriorly displaced. Conclusion The fracture was treated surgically with close follow-up and physical therapy. Due to the complexity of this injury, long-term follow-up is indicated to prevent fear of use after injury and monitor appropriate healing to lower the risk of post-traumatic arthritis.
Cultivating Epistemic Disobedience: Exploring the Possibilities of a Decolonial Practice-Based Teacher Education:

Even as momentum builds for critical, culturally sustaining, and decolonial approaches to pedagogy, curriculum, and teacher education, efforts in practice-based teacher education remain epistemical...
Hyperperfect numbers

A new formula for hyperperfect numbers is demonstrated and new examples of hyperperfect numbers are given.
Designing Myeloid Gene Panels.

Context.— Next-generation sequencing studies are increasingly used in the evaluation of suspected chronic myeloid neoplasms (CMNs), but there is wide variability among laboratories in the genes analyzed for this purpose. Recently, the Association for Molecular Pathology CMN working group recommended a core 34-gene set as a minimum target list for evaluation of CMNs. This list was recommended based on literature review, and its diagnostic yield in clinical practice is unknown. Objective.— To determine the diagnostic yield of the core 34 genes and assess the potential impact of including selected additional genes. Design.— We retrospectively reviewed 185 patients with known or suspected CMNs tested using a 62-gene next-generation sequencing panel that included all 34 core genes. Results.— The Association for Molecular Pathology's core 34 genes had a diagnostic yield of 158 of 185 (85.4%) to detect at least 1 variant with strong/potential clinical significance and 107 of 185 (57.8%) to detect at least 2 such variants. The 62-gene panel had a diagnostic yield of 160 of 185 (86.5%) and 112 of 185 (60.5%), respectively. Variants of unknown significance were identified in 49 of 185 (26.5%) using the core 34 genes versus 76 of 185 (41.1%) using the 62-gene panel. Conclusions.— This study demonstrates that the Association for Molecular Pathology-recommended core 34-gene set has a high diagnostic yield in CMNs. Inclusion of selected additional genes slightly increases the rate of abnormal results, while also increasing the detection of variants of unknown significance. We recommend inclusion of CUX1, DDX41, ETNK1, RIT1, and SUZ12 in addition to the Association for Molecular Pathology's 34-gene core set for routine evaluation of CMNs.
The Cambridge History of Religions in the Ancient World

Volume 1. From the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic Era: Introduction Marvin A. Sweeney Part I. Mesopotamia and the Near East: 1. Sumerian religion Graham Cunningham 2. Assyrian and Babylonian religions Tammi J. Schneider 3. Hittite religion Gary Beckman 4. Zoroastrianism P. Oktor Skaervo 5. Syro-Canaanite religions: a construct of metaphors David Wright 6. Ancient Israelite and Judean religions Marvin A. Sweeney Part II. Egypt and North Africa: 7. Egyptian religion Denise M. Doxey 8. Phoenician and Punic religion Philip C. Schmitz Part III. Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean: 9. Minoan religion Nanno Marinatos 10. Mycenaean religion Ian Rutherford 11. Religion in the Greek world, c.750-400 BCE Emily Kearns Part IV. The Western Mediterranean and Europe: 12. Etruscan religion Nancy T. de Grummond 13. Archaic Roman religion through the Early Republic Jorg Rupke 14. Celtic religion in western and central Europe Dorothy Watts Suggestions for further reading. Volume 2. From the Hellenistic Era to Late Antiquity: Introduction William Adler Part I. Iran and the Near East: 1. Religion in Iran: the Parthian and Sassanian periods (247 BCE-654 CE) Albert de Jong 2. Creating local religious identities in the Roman Near East Ted Kaizer 3. Judaism in Palestine in the Hellenistic-Roman periods Esther Eshel and Michael E. Stone 4. Post-70 Judaism in Judaea and the Near East Hayim Lapin 5. Christianity in Syria Sidney H. Griffith Part II. Egypt and North Africa: 6. Traditional religion in Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt Francoise Dunand 7. Judaism in Egypt Joseph Meleze Modrzejewski 8. Ancient Egyptian Christianity Jacques van der Vliet 9. Cult and belief in Punic and Roman Africa Brent Shaw 10. Christianity in Roman Africa Robin M. Jensen Part III. Greece and Asia Minor: 11. Religions of Greece and Asia Minor Lynn E. Roller 12. Judaism in Asia Minor Pieter W. van der Horst 13. Christianity in Asia Minor: observations on the epigraphy Frank R. Trombley Part IV. Italy, Roman Gaul, and Spain: 14. Roman religion: cult and belief in Rome and Italy Michele Salzman 15. Judaism in Italy and the West Giancarlo Lacerenza 16. Christianity in Italy Dennis Trout 17. Religions and cities in Roman Gaul (first to fourth centuries CE) William van Andringa 18. Christianity in Gaul William Klingshirn 19. Religions of Roman Spain Michael Kulikowski Suggestions for further reading Maps.
Mechanism of Hyperammonemia in an Experimental Model of Propionic Acidemia

We have reported (J. Clin. Invest. 66:484, 1980) that rats injected with 10–20 mmol/kg of propionate develop severe hyperammonemia following amino acid loads, while acetate has no such effect. The mechanism was shown to be an impairment in the rise in N-acetylglutamate (AGA) and secondarily in carbamyl phosphate synthetase that normally follows amino acid loads. In order to determine whether this failure of AGA synthesis was caused (1) by competitive inhibition of AGA synthetase by propionyl CoA and/or methylmalonyl CoA or (2) by depletion of acetyl CoA, one of the substrates for AGA synthesis, ethanol in doses of 0.1 to 5 mmoles/kg was given with propionate or acetate. The hyperammonemia was attenuated or prevented, and AGA levels were restored towards normal. Acetyl CoA levels were also restored towards normal, while unidentified medium chain thioesters changed little. Thus these results support mechanism (1) rather than (2) as the cause of hyperammonemia in propionic acidemia.
Characterizing the Na + /K + Pump

By the early 1940s, new kinds of experiments had revealed that some cations were not distributed passively across cell membranes and that membranes were not absolutely impermeable to them. Extensive studies of muscle, red blood cells, axons, and epithelia supported proposals for membrane pumps actively extruding Na+. Through the 1950s—the period considered here—the implications of these proposals were developed, with details added and capabilities revised. The focus here is on how new experiments were devised to clarify issues and to examine mechanistic models, but I will begin with a serendipitous discovery that provided a crucial experimental tool for further studies.
TH-AB-BRB-03: Automated Complexity Analysis of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy Plans

Purpose: Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans can become excessively complex with little additional dosimetric benefit due to the degenerative nature of inverse planning. Our goal is to improve the efficiency and quality of the VMAT planning process through the use of an automated complexity metric script. Methods: A metric that quantifies the complexity of VMAT plans by evaluating individual segment modulation was developed at our institution. This metric finds the ratio of the MLC leaf side length over aperture area for each control point, and calculates an MU-weighted average of all controls points in the plan. A plug-in script was created to enable use of the metric within our commercial treatment planning system. The script calculates the complexity metric and then compares it to metrics from previous clinical VMAT plans, all of which have passed patient specific pre-treatment quality assurance. To set a threshold complexity value, we used the complexity metric script to analyze 517 clinical VMAT plans created in 2013–14 that passed QA (composite analysis, 95% of points passing 4%/1mm) and 57 that failed QA. This threshold was optimized based on the resulting true and false positive rates. Results: With the clinically set threshold, the complexity metric has a true positive rate of 44% for identifying plans that failed QA with a corresponding false positive rate of 6%. The false positives correspond to highly modulated plans, which may benefit from being reoptimized even though they initially passed patient specific QA. Conclusion: Our in-house complexity metric script has the ability to streamline the VMAT planning and treatment process by alerting the planner when overly complex plans are generated. Those plans can be reoptimized before pre-treatment QA is performed to attempt to reduce the plan complexity and therefore improve the plan delivery accuracy. This project was supported in part by P01CA059827.
Present Status and Future Perspectives for Personality and Family Assessment

The personal and the social intertwine inextricably. In a 2011 paper published in the European Journal of Personality, a group of psychological scientists note that when we talk about an individual’s personality, part of what we are talking about is how that individual interacts with others. Furthermore, the scientists write, “social relationships would not be such a challenging part of our lives if all people were equal in how they act, think, and feel”—that is, if all people were equal in their personalities (p. 90). Over time, social experiences play an important role in shaping personality, and personality shapes social experiences too.
Singular Perturbation Analysis of a Distributed Parameter Model of Flexible Manipulators

The effect of flexure on the rigid body motion of flexible link manipulators is considered through singular perturbation methods. It is shown that the dynamics of flexible manipulators can be resolved into rigid and flexible modes when a small parameter embedded in the model vanishes. The coupling of the flexure and the rigid modes is investigated by appealing to the higher order terms in the expansion. The model used is the nonlinear integropartial differential equation resulting from the extended Hamiltonian principle. Analysis of this model yields more insight and simplifies generation of the higher order terms that represent the coupling between the rigid and the flexure modes as compared to a finite-dimensional approximation of the model. Finally, asymptotic perturbation techniques are utilized to generate a composite control law.
Abstract 16195: Inverse Relationship Between Inflammation and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: The Henry Ford Hospital ExercIse Testing Project (FIT Project)

Introduction: High sensitivity-C reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a measure of the degree of inflammation and has been associated with risk of coronary artery disease. Hypothesis: Hs-CRP is independently inversely associated with cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Methods: This is a cross sectional study of patients without heart failure or known coronary artery disease underwent graded exercise stress test in Henry Ford Health System (Detroit) according to Bruce protocol and CRF was estimated as peak metabolic equivalents (METs). Hs-CRP was dichotomized by 75th percentile and the relationship between CRF and hs-CRP was assessed by unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression model for age, sex, race, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, smoking, total cholesterol, HDL, aspirin use, statin use and obesity. Results: A total of 4381 patients (mean age 54±11 years, 58% male, 79% whites) were analyzed. The 75th percentile of hs-CRP was 4.2 mg/L. Mean hs-CRP was higher in women, blacks, hypertensives, diabetics, smokers, and obese patients. In unadjusted analysis, CRF was inversely associated with highest quartile of hs-CRP (OR per 1 MET increase in CRF 0.82; 95% CI 0.81 - 0.84, p <0.0001). In multiple logistic regression model, CRF remained inversely associated with hs-CRP (OR per 1 MET increase in CRF 0.83; 95% CI 0.80 - 0.86, p 12 METS) compared to individuals with poor exercise capacity (<6 METS) had a 47% lower risk of having highest quartile of hs-CRP (OR 0.53; 95% CI 0.46 - 0.62, p <0.0001). Mean hs-CRP level decreased with increasing category of CRF (figure). There was a negative linear relationship between log transformed hs-CRP and peak METs achieved (r = -0.32, p<0.0001). Conclusions: In conclusion, exercise capacity, as measured by estimated Mets, was associated with reduced inflammation as measured by hs-CRP. The underlying pathophysiology between hs-CRP and CRF warrants further investigation. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Kingmakers: The Invention of the Modern Middle East – By Karl E. Meyer and Shareen Blair Brysac

This work by the husband‐and‐wife journalist team of Karl E. Meyer and Shareen Blair Brysac follows up on their earlier study of Western intervention in the region of Central Asia, Tournament of Sh...
Asynchronous Data Retrieval from an Object-Oriented Database

We present an object-oriented semantic database model which, similar to other object-oriented systems, combines the virtues of four concepts: the functional data model, a property inheritance hierarchy, abstract data types and message-driven computation. The main emphasis is on the last of these four concepts. We describe generic procedures that permit queries to be processed in a purely message-driven manner. A database is represented as a network of nodes and directed arcs, in which each node is a logical processing element, capable of communicating with other nodes by exchanging messages. This eliminates the need for shared memory and for centralized control during query processing. Hence, the model is suitable for implementation on a multiprocessor computer architecture, consisting of large numbers of loosely coupled processing elements.
Impact of Tricuspid Regurgitation on the Success of Atrioventricular Node Ablation for Rate Control in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: The Node Blast Study

Atrioventricular node (AVN) ablation is an effective treatment for symptomatic patients with atrial arrhythmias who are refractory to rhythm and rate control strategies where optimal ventricular rate control is desired. There are limited data on the predictors of failure of AVN ablation. Our objective was to identify the predictors of failure of AVN ablation. This is an observational single-center study of consecutive patients who underwent AVN ablation in a large academic center. Baseline characteristics, procedural variables, and outcomes of AVN ablation were collected. AVN "ablation failure" was defined as resumption of AVN conduction resulting in recurrence of either rapid ventricular response or suboptimal biventricular pacing. A total of 247 patients drug refractory AF who underwent AVN ablation at our center with a mean age of 71 ± 12 years with 46% being males were included. Ablation failure was seen in 11 (4.5%) patients. There were no statistical differences between patients with "ablation failure" versus "ablation success" in any of the baseline clinical variables. Patients with moderate-to-severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) were much more likely to have ablation failure than those with ablation success (8 [73%] vs 65 [27%]; p = 0.003). All 11 patients with ablation failure had a successful redo procedure, 9 with right and 2 with the left sided approach. On multivariate analysis, presence of moderate-to-severe TR was found to be the only predictor of failure of AVN ablation (odds ratio 9.1, confidence interval 1.99 to 42.22, p = 0.004). In conclusion, moderate-to-severe TR is a strong and independent predictor of failure of AVN ablation.
Recent Research on Story Grammars

Publisher Summary One of the powerful research tools developed in the past decade for the study of comprehension is the use of story grammars to analyze the structure of texts and to explore the story schemata that are derived from story structure. The success of this work, which has come to be known as the “story-grammar approach,” stems in large part from the capability of a story grammar to parse stories into consistently occurring, meaningful parts. This type of analysis has been a boon to the studies of comprehension and memory because it allows a principled way of comparing different stories and different populations. When texts and subject protocols were analyzed by means of a story grammar, surprising regularities in psychological functioning were uncovered. This work showed a close relationship to other studies on a variety of types of schemata that regulate human processing. This chapter summarizes some of the early research based on the story-grammar approach and clarifies some confusion that attended it. In particular, people have not always understood the relationship between a story grammar and a story schema, nor have they distinguished clearly between a schema as explicit knowledge and as implicit knowledge. Finally, the chapter describes some more recent work that is important for understanding these distinctions.
Fatty acid binding protein 5 promotes metastatic potential of triple negative breast cancer cells through enhancing epidermal growth factor receptor stability.

// Catherine A. Powell 1 , Mohd W. Nasser 1 , Helong Zhao 1 , Jacob C. Wochna 1 , Xiaoli Zhang 2 , Charles Shapiro 3 , Konstantin Shilo 1 and Ramesh K. Ganju 1 1 Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA 2 Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA 3 Tisch Cancer Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA Correspondence to: Ramesh K. Ganju, email: // Keywords : Fatty acid binding protein 5, triple negative breast cancer, epidermal growth factor receptor, protein degradation, metastasis Received : December 16, 2014 Accepted : January 12, 2015 Published : January 31, 2015 Abstract Fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5), an intracellular lipid binding protein, has been shown to play a role in various cancers, including breast cancer. However, FABP5 and its role in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) have not been studied. We show FABP5 protein expression correlates with TNBC, high grade tumors, and worse disease-free survival in a tissue microarray containing 423 breast cancer patient samples. High FABP5 expression significantly correlates with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in these samples. Decreased tumor growth and lung metastasis were observed in FABP5 -/- mice othotopically injected with murine breast cancer cells. FABP5 loss in TNBC tumor cells inhibited motility and invasion. Mechanistic studies revealed that FABP5 knockdown in TNBC cells results in decreased EGFR expression and FABP5 is important for EGF-induced metastatic signaling. Loss of FABP5 leads to proteasomal targeting of EGFR. Our studies show that FABP5 has a role in both host and tumor cell during breast cancer progression. These findings suggest that FABP5 mediates its enhanced effect on TNBC metastasis, in part, through EGFR, by inhibiting EGFR proteasomal degradation. These studies show, for the first time, a correlation between FABP5 and EGFR in enhancing TNBC metastasis through a novel mechanism.
Economic Depreciation and Invariant Valuation: A Constructive Proof of the Samuelson Theorem

I elaborate on Samuelson’s (1964) result that a tax on capital income will leave asset values unaffected by the marginal rates of their holders if “economic” depreciation is allowed as a deduction in computing taxable income, extended by Fane (1987) to an economy with state-contingent securities, and by Lyon (1990) to the case of time-varying marginal rates. Those papers leave unexplained why, with economic depreciation, economic agents in a taxable environment should act as if they were (in Lyon’s words) discounting all pre-tax “cash receipts . . . at the pre-tax interest rate.” In discrete time, I formulate a constructive proof of Samuelson’s result, which, drawing on the insight that economic depreciation induces pure accrual taxation, shows that the impact of income taxation on the accrual of value and on discounting exactly offset one another in every period. That is why taxpayers behave as though they were discounting pre-tax cash flows.
A fresh understanding of the stereochemical behavior of glycosylases: structural distinction of "inverting" (2-MCO-type) versus "retaining" (1-MCO-type) enzymes.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses about the stereochemical behavior of glycosylases. In the traditional view, the catalytic groups of an individual glycosylase act always to invert (or always to retain) substrate configuration, and possibly do so by effecting single (or double) nucleophilic displacements. Glycosyl fluorides of appropriate structure and anomeric configuration serve as substrates for diverse glycosylases, and the catalyzed reactions usually are closely similar in kind and in rate to those promoted with the enzyme's best substrates. Yet, on occasion, large departures from this closeness do occur. Thus, alpha-amylases, which usually are thought of as lacking significant glycosyl transferring ability, convert α-maltosyl fluoride to malto-oligsaccharides in great preference to hydrolyzing this substrate, demonstrating that alpha-amylases have a large latent potential for glycosyl transfer. Glucoamylase hydrolyzes α- D -glucosyl fluoride much faster than it cleaves the nonreducing-end D -glucosyl group from maltosaccharides, suggesting that the release of the bulky residual saccharide may perhaps limit the latter substrate's rate of hydrolysis. The chapter describes the extraordinary catalytic abilities of glycosylases and presents X-ray findings that support catalytic group versatility and identify the structures controlling stereochemical outcome. It also explains the relation of stereochemical behavior to catalytic mechanism.
A constructive test for integrability of semi-discrete systems

Abstract The Estabrook-Wahlquist method for establishing the integrability of partial differential equations is extended to semi-discrete (lattice) systems. If successful, the method constructs the linear eigenvalue problem associated with the equation.
Nutrition of Paramecium: A Fatty Acid Requirement

SYNOPSIS. Paramecia, in a nearly defined axenic medium, require a specific fatty acid and a “protein” factor for growth and survival. The fatty acid requirement was readily satisfied by stearic acid or oleic acid. The saturated acids, arachidic (C20) and one preparation of palmitic (C16), had lower growth activity than did stearic acid. The unsaturated fatty acids palmitoleic (C16Δ9), linoleic (C18Δ9,12), linolenic (C18Δ9,12,15), and arachidonir (C20Δ5,8,11,14) and the saturated fatty acids of C14 through C6. myristic, lauric, capric, caprylic and caproic, were inactive. A few other fatty acid-containing compounds. i.e., esters, were also tested for growth-promoting activity, with concordant results. The “protein” factor has not been completely characterized; a nondialyzable protein-containing fraction from yeast or crystalline ovalbumin provided it. Hydrolysis products of these substances were inactive. A possible role of the ovalbumin as a carrier for fatty acids is discussed.
From Scientific Work to Organizational Leadership: Predictors of Management Aspiration among Technical Personnel

Abstract Movement into management is often difficult for the technical or scientific employee who may lack the motivation needed to succeed in management. The present study identified specific motivational factors that distinguish those individuals who aspire to management from those who do not. An intranet survey study was conducted within a scientific research institute. Results showed that those who aspire to enter management tend to be higher on motivation for power and influence, desire for upward mobility, motivation for security and respect, and need for dominance. We discuss how these findings can inform human resource and organizational strategies for dealing with technical personnel who wish to enter management positions.
Ultrasound grayscale image compression with JPEG and wavelet techniques

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of lossy compression on grayscale ultrasound images to determine how much compression can be applied while still maintaining images that are acceptable for diagnostic purposes. The study considered how the acquisition technique (video frame-grabber versus directly acquired in digital form) influences how much compression can be applied. For directly acquired digital images, the study considered how text (that is burned into the image) affects the compressibility of the image. The lossy compression techniques that were considered include JPEG and a Wavelet algorithm using set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT).