cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Numerical simulations of extratropical tropopause-penetrating convection: Sensitivities to grid resolution

Deep extratropical convection that penetrates and overshoots the altitude of the tropopause has important implications both for chemistry-climate interactions through stratosphere-troposphere exchange and for hazardous weather at the Earth's surface. In this study, the sensitivity of tropopause structure and cross-tropopause transport to the choice of numerical model resolution in simulations with explicitly resolved convection (i.e., no convective parameterization) is examined. For an observed case of overshooting convection, the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting (ARW-WRF) model is run for all possible combinations of three horizontal (3 km, 1 km, and 333.33 m) and vertical (600 m, 300 m, and 150 m) grid resolutions. Although ARW-WRF is successful in producing tropopause-penetrating convection in each case, the depth of overshooting and cross-tropopause transport are found to increase with refinement in the horizontal dimension and decrease with refinement in the vertical dimension. These results are related to changes in storm intensity and the sharpness of the tropopause, where the former is found to increase with refinement in the horizontal dimension and the latter is found to increase with refinement in the vertical dimension. Comparisons of simulated storm altitudes with those observed from ground-based radar reveal large positive biases in simulations where the horizontal resolution is fine and the vertical resolution is coarse.
International Students' Enhanced Academic Performance: Effects of Campus Resources.

This article investigates international students’ challenges, such as financial, English proficiency, loneliness/homesickness in the United States. In addition, it assesses how these students coped with such difficulties by making use of resources on campus, such as an international center, writing center, counseling center, and the student success center. Based on 344 responses, the results indicated that international students with language difficulties sought help from the writing and student success centers while those who reported financial stress and loneliness had visited the counseling center.
The Importance of Being Ernest: Commemorating Dichter's Contribution to Advertising Research

This article is a tribute to Ernest Dichter, whose introduction of motivation research (MR) left a legacy of ideas that shaped advertising practice and study in the twentieth century. His pioneering contributions included turning attention to the consumer, adapting psychoanalytic concepts to research, and using therapy techniques to analyze marketplace behavior.
Tumors of the ampulla of vater: histopathologic classification and predictors of survival.

BACKGROUND: The histology and clinical behavior of ampullary tumors vary substantially. We speculated that this might reflect the presence of two kinds of ampullary adenocarcinoma: pancreaticobiliary and intestinal. STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed patient demographics, presentation, survival (mean followup 44 months), and tumor histology for 157 consecutive ampullary tumors resected from 1989 to 2006. Histologic features were reviewed by a pathologist blinded to clinical outcomes. Survival was compared using Kaplan-Meier/Cox proportional hazards analysis. RESULTS: There were 33 benign (32 adenomas and 1 paraganglioma) and 124 malignant (118 adenocarcinomas and 6 neuroendocrine) tumors. One hundred fifteen (73%) patients underwent a Whipple procedure, 32 (20%) a local resection, and 10 (7%) a palliative operation. For adenocarcinomas, survival in univariate models was affected by jaundice, histologic grade, lymphovascular, or perineural invasion, T stage, nodal metastasis, and pancreaticobiliary subtype (p < 0.05). Size of tumor did not predict survival, nor did cribriform/papillary features, dirty necrosis, apical mucin, or nuclear atypia. In multivariate models, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, stage, and pancreaticobiliary subtype predicted survival (p < 0.05). Patients with pancreaticobiliary ampullary adenocarcinomas presented with jaundice more often than those with the intestinal kind (p = 0.01) and had worse survival. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to other factors, tumor type (intestinal versus pancreaticobiliary) had a major effect on survival in patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma. The current concept of ampullary adenocarcinoma as a unique entity, distinct from duodenal and pancreatic adenocarcinoma, might be wrong. Intestinal ampullary adenocarcinomas behaved like their duodenal counterparts, but pancreaticobiliary ones were more aggressive and behaved like pancreatic adenocarcinomas.
The Process of Change

A case-study format is used to detail the change that occurred within a community hospital obstetrical department. Theoretical background of the process of change is discussed, and practical suggestions concerning the implementation of change are given. The information presented can help staff nurses become effective change agents.
Induction of arthritis in SCID mice by T cells specific for the "shared epitope" sequence in the G3 domain of human cartilage proteoglycan.

Objective To study the immunologic function and determine the fine epitope structure of a synthetic peptide p135H (2373TTYKRRLQKRSSRHP) of the G3 domain of human cartilage proteoglycan (aggrecan), which contains a highly homologous sequence motif of the shared epitope (QKRAA), the most common sequence motif in HLA–DR4 alleles, which predispose humans to the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Synthetic p135 peptides with altered sequences were used for (hyper)immunization of arthritis-susceptible BALB/c mice and then challenged with a single dose of cartilage proteoglycan. Human p135 (p135H) and mouse p135 (p135M) synthetic peptides of the G3 domain of aggrecan were used to prime lymphocytes, which were then used for adoptive transfer of arthritis into “presensitized” SCID mice, determining cross-reactivity among p135 peptides and their analogous sequences, and generating T cell hybridomas. T cell hybridomas were also used for arthritis transfer into SCID mice and for characterizing the fine epitope structure of T cell receptor (TCR) and major histo-compatibility complex (MHC) binding sites of the immunogenic/arthritogenic p135H sequence. Results While p135H peptide-(hyper)immunized mice became sensitized, they developed arthritis only after injection of a single dose of cartilage proteoglycan aggrecan. An altered peptide sequence (p135H-AA) carrying the shared epitope motif (QKRAA) was as effective as the natural peptide p135H sequence for inducing arthritis. Mouse p135M-specific lymphocytes induced arthritis with a lower incidence, but synthetic peptides to Escherichia coli heat-shock protein (DnaJ) or HLA–DR4 allele (both having the shared epitope sequence with different flanking regions) were also positive. Fine epitope sequence recognition of an arthritogenic T cell hybridoma derived from p135H-primed lymphocyte population was determined. Interestingly, in the most central position, a basic amino acid triplet of p135H peptide was found to be the MHC-binding motif, whereas the flanking amino acids bound to the TCR. Conclusion Peptide p135H, corresponding to the peptide sequence in the G3 domain of human cartilage proteoglycan aggrecan, is immunogenic/arthritogenic in BALB/c mice. Peptide p135H includes a highly homologous motif of the shared epitope, a sequence that is overrepresented in bacterial heat-shock proteins, envelope protein of human JC polyomavirus, and numerous HLA–DR4 alleles. Since the G3 domain of cartilage proteoglycan aggrecan with the p135 sequence is “lost” during the normal metabolic turnover of cartilage proteoglycan or in pathologic conditions, an antigenoriented T cell migration into joints of presensitized (susceptible) individuals may contribute to the organ-specificity of RA.
Wetlands policy crisis: United States and United Kingdom

Abstract Drainage of interior, freshwater wetlands for conversion to crop production accounts for most of the destruction of natural wetlands in the contiguous United States and in the grazing marshes or wet meadows of the United Kingdom. Past efforts at wetlands conservation in the U.K. and the greater depletion of British wetlands provide a useful lesson for U.S. conservationists trying to strike an equitable balance between the interests of agriculture and conservation. A policy crisis exists in both countries, resulting from contradictory incentives of the central government to both drain and preserve wetlands. This conflict is worsened by the emergence of a conservative political climate that opposes government regulation, particularly in remote rural environments. Massive budget deficits discourage public spending for wetlands acquisition and public ownership. An anti-regulatory, anti-spending position favors the use of economic incentives to induce voluntary private action to conserve wetlands. This new posture follows a decade that raised public expectations of environmental conservation, reflected in progressive legislation such as the U.S. Clean Water Act of 1977 and the U.K. Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. The basis of the policy crisis and the dominant issues in the agricultural and conservation communities of both countries are delineated and compared. Issues that concern the farming sector, for example, include the level of financial returns available from preserving private wetlands, the level of government inducements to voluntary preservation and the degree of government interference in rural or countryside land use. Issues focusing the interests of the conservation sector include: government grants; subsidies and tax incentives that promote wetland conversions to agriculture; government arterial drainage schemes that create private wetland drainage opportunities; the level of commitment of public funds to wetlands protection; the mix of voluntary and compulsory measures for protection; and tailoring protection to the different kinds of wetlands or wetland activities. A general prescription for ameliorating the policy crisis is to eliminate the competition between drainage and preservation incentives of government agencies, particularly between the Departments of Agriculture and Interior in the U.S.A. and between the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Nature Conservancy Council in the U.K. This strategy should make it possible to offer adequate but affordable economic inducements to wetlands protection.
A critical analysis of application-adaptive multiple clock processors

Enabled by the continuous advancement in fabrication technology, present day synchronous microprocessors include more than 100 million transistors and have clock speeds well in excess of the 1GHz mark. Distributing a low-skew clock signal in this frequency range to all areas of a large chip is a task of growing complexity. As a solution to this problem, designers have recently suggested the use of frequency islands that are locally clocked and externally communicate using mixed timing communication schemes. Such a design style fits nicely the recently proposed concept of voltage islands that, in addition, can potentially enable fine grain dynamic power management. This paper proposes a design exploration framework for application-adaptive multiple clock processors which provides the means for analyzing and identifying the right inter-domain communication scheme and the proper granularity for the choice of voltage/frequency. In addition, the proposed design exploration framework allows for comparative analysis of newly proposed or existing application-driven dynamic power management strategies. Such a design exploration framework and accompanying results can help designers and computer architects in choosing the right design strategy for achieving better power-performance trade-offs in multiple clock high-end processors.
Quantifying the Hurricane Catastrophe Risk to Offshore Wind Power

The U.S. Department of Energy has estimated that over 50 GW of offshore wind power will be required for the United States to generate 20% of its electricity from wind. Developers are actively planning offshore wind farms along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts and several leases have been signed for offshore sites. These planned projects are in areas that are sometimes struck by hurricanes. We present a method to estimate the catastrophe risk to offshore wind power using simulated hurricanes. Using this method, we estimate the fraction of offshore wind power simultaneously offline and the cumulative damage in a region. In Texas, the most vulnerable region we studied, 10% of offshore wind power could be offline simultaneously because of hurricane damage with a 100-year return period and 6% could be destroyed in any 10-year period. We also estimate the risks to single wind farms in four representative locations; we find the risks are significant but lower than those estimated in previously published results. Much of the hurricane risk to offshore wind turbines can be mitigated by designing turbines for higher maximum wind speeds, ensuring that turbine nacelles can turn quickly to track the wind direction even when grid power is lost, and building in areas with lower risk.
The treatment of hay fever and asthma with viosterol of high potency

Abstract 1.1. A study has been made of 212 patients suffering from seasonal hay fever and asthma. Of these, 68 were treated with viosterol 10,000X and 144 were treated with viosterol and pollen injections. 2.2. Of the first group, 82.4 per cent experienced definite significant relief; 96.5 per cent of the second group had comparable degrees of relief. Thus 92 per cent of the entire series were definitely and significantly relieved. 3.3. The combined treatment of viosterol and pollen injections is more effective than either one alone. 4.4. The nature of the protective action of viosterol is undetermined, but is under further investigation. It does not seem to be related to the calcium mobilizing power of viosterol. 5.5. The optimum dose of 10,000X viosterol along with pollen injection for pollen sensitivity is between 2 and 10 drops daily, varying with the susceptibility of the individual rather than with the severity of the symptoms.
Cells on gels: smooth and skeletal muscle cell responses to substrate compliance

Cell adhesion has been recognized as being regulated by receptor-ligand interactions, but substrate compliance is emerging as an equally important determinant of adhesion, structure, and ultimately cell state. For contractile cells, such as the Smooth Muscle Cell line A7r5, spreading was investigated as a function of both adsorbed collagen and substrate compliance. Collagen levels of 10/sup 3/ng/cm/sup 2/ produce a significant short term increase in cell spreading on rigid substrates. Longer-term spreading was dependent, however, on substrate compliance (controlled by a variably crosslinked polyacrylamide gel), in which cell area increased two-fold on stiff substrates (8 kPa) versus soft gels (1 kPa). To investigate their influence on cytoskeletal function, cells transfected with GFP-actin and - paxillin were controllably peeled using a translating micropipette and a shear fluid force. F-actin remodeling on stiff surfaces caused fracturing of the cytoskeleton during peeling, with the residual actin co-localized with paxillin. Preliminary results of fluorescent AFM on F-actin also show a change in assembly that marginally translates to a change in rigidity on stiff substrates. Results were also obtained with the skeletal muscle line C2C12 and indicated only a short term dependence on substrate compliance. This study suggests that the coupling of short-term chemical signaling and long-term mechanical signaling contributes to contractile cell mechanotransduction, ultimately affecting cell remodeling.
Estimating the photorealism of images: distinguishing paintings from photographs

Automatic classification of an image as a photograph of a real-scene or as a painting is potentially useful for image retrieval and Web site filtering applications. The main contribution of the paper is the proposition of several features derived from the color, edge, and gray-scale-texture information of the image that effectively discriminate paintings from photographs. For example, we found that paintings contain significantly more pure-color edges, and that certain gray-scale-texture measurements (mean and variance of Gabor filters) are larger for photographs. Using a large set of images (12000) collected from different Web sites, the proposed features exhibit very promising classification performance (over 90%). A comparative analysis of the automatic classification results and psychophysical data is reported, suggesting that the proposed automatic classifier estimates the perceptual photorealism of a given picture.
Significance of T cell apoptosis for macrophages in HIV infection

Apoptosis is a major form of cell death in HIV infection. This review presents current ideas on the role of apoptosis in the development of AIDS. HIV may cause apoptosis either directly in individual CD4+ T cells through cellular infection and through the release of gp120 envelope protein, or indirectly by initiating systemic disturbances in the immune system. Furthermore, although apoptosis is often assumed to be a biological dead end, linear, unintegrated retroviral DNA survives apoptosis in avian leukosis virus systems. Macrophages avidly phagocytose apoptosing cells, and the viral DNA in apoptotic debris might spontaneously transfect macrophages and lead to the production of new virions. Such a hypothetical accessory infection pathway may explain why anti-HIV cytotoxic cells are unable to clear this virus from the body. Strategies directed against the "recycling" of the retroviral genomes present in apoptotic debris may ultimately have a role in the treatment of HIV infection.
A note on dry-matter intake and composition of gain of Simmental bulls and steers fed to the same weight or age

Differences in dry-matter intake and composition of gain between 35 Simmental bulls and 35 Simmental steers were examined. All bulls and 15 steers were slaughtered after 167 days on food and the remaining steers were slaughtered after 224 days. Bulls ate more food daily than steers (P 0·1). Bulls had greater estimated rates of protein accretion than steers (P < 0·001) but estimated fat accretion rates were not different. These data suggest that voluntary food intakes do not differ between bulls and steers of equal weight and indicate that bulls are leaner than steers due to greater lean tissue accumulation rather than less fat deposition.
Incorporating the value of ecological networks into cost–benefit analysis to improve spatially explicit land-use planning

Our research is based on the assumption that cost–benefit analysis facilitates efficient and effective decision-making in spatially explicit land-use planning where there are competing land uses. Land-use planning can be improved if the value of the spatial relationships between land uses can be computed sufficiently easily. In this paper, we developed an economically sound way to incorporate the spatial dimensions (size and connectedness) of ecological networks within cost–benefit analysis. The methodology computes the value of ecological networks by accounting for the essential spatial characteristics (size and configuration) of areas of natural land. This methodology can be generalised to other land uses, which we illustrate using a hypothetical case study that contains all the relevant elements. The optimal configuration of different land uses, which accounts for the value of the ecosystem network, will generate a land-use plan with the highest net benefit.
Passive locomotion of a simple articulated fish-like system in the wake of an obstacle

The behaviour of a passive system of two-dimensional linked rigid bodies in the wake of a circular cylinder at Re=100 is studied computationally. The three rigid bodies are connected by two frictionless hinges, and the system (‘fish’) is initially aligned with a streamwise axis three diameters behind the cylinder. Once flow symmetry is broken, the wake rolls up into a Karman vortex street in which the fish is stably trapped, and the passing large-scale vortices induce an undulatory shape change in the articulated system. It is found that, for certain fish lengths relative to cylinder diameter, the fish is propelled upstream toward the cylinder. Furthermore, the fish is propelled equally effectively when the hinges are locked, confirming that induced body undulation is not necessary for achieving a net thrust. An analysis of the forces on constituent bodies shows that leading-edge suction and negative skin friction on the forward portion of the fish are in competition with positive skin friction on the aft portion; propulsion is achieved when the forebody contributions dominate those on the aftbody. It is shown that the so-called ‘suction zone’ behind the cylinder that enables this passive propulsion is double the length of that without a fish present.
Introduction to nuclear physics.

Photons for counting or imaging applications in nuclear medicine result from several processes. Gamma rays are produced from excited state transitions after beta decay and electron capture. Annihilation photons result from positron decay. The de-excitation of the atom after electron capture results in the production of characteristic x rays or Auger electrons. Metastable state transitions result in gamma ray emission or internal conversion electrons. All radiopharmaceuticals used in diagnostic nuclear medicine applications are tagged with radionuclides that emit photons as a result of one of these processes.
Applications of the LMS Algorithm

The two general applications of system identification and linear prediction have been previously examined in parallel with analytical results in order to provide a physical basis for adaptive filtering. This chapter explores some additional applications to display the flexibility and versatility of adaptive methods. The applications of this chapter are by no means exhaustive, but are meant to provide more exposure to the use of adaptive signal processing. Additionally, the applications in this chapter are fairly straightforward and do not attempt to address all the specific implementation questions that are highly dependent on the specific hardware or software system used. More detailed system information can be gathered from the references listed.
Heterogeneity of clonal patterns among patches of kudzu, Pueraria montana var. lobata, an invasive plant

Background and aims Viny species are among the most serious invasive plants, and better knowledge of how vines grow to dominate landscapes is needed. Patches may contain a single genotype (i.e. genet), a competitively dominant genet or many independent but interacting genets, yet the clonal structure of vining species is often not apparent. Molecular markers can discriminate among the genetic identities of entwined vines to reveal the number and spatial distribution of genets. This study investigated how genets are spatially distributed within and among discrete patches of the invasive vine kudzu, Pueraria montana var. lobata, in the United States. It was expected that ramets of genets would be spatially clustered within patches, and that an increase in the number of genets within a patch would be associated with a decrease in the average size of each genet. Methods Six discrete kudzu patches were sampled across 2 years, and 1257 samples were genotyped at 21 polymorphic allozyme loci. Variation in genotypic and genetic diversity among patches was quantified and patterns of genet interdigitation were analysed. Key results Substantial genotypic and genetic variation occurred within and among patches. As few as ten overlapping genets spanned up to 68 m(2) in one patch, while >90 % of samples were genetically unique in another patch. Genotypic diversity within patches increased as mean clone size decreased, although spatially widespread genets did not preclude interdigitation. Eight genets were shared across ≥2 patches, suggesting that vegetative dispersal can occur among patches. Conclusions Genetically unique kudzu vines are highly interdigitated. Multiple vegetative propagules have become established in spatially discrete patches, probably through the movement of highway construction or maintenance machinery. The results suggest that common methods for controlling invasive vines (e.g. mowing) may inadvertently increase genotypic diversity. Thus, understanding vine architecture and growth has practical implications.
RoaDS — Robot and dynamics simulation for biologically-inspired multi-legged walking robots

Increasing computational power and efficient physics engines make robotic simulations popular and applied in more and more domains and scenarios. Well established simulators like GAZEBO have become an important part in robotics research. Nevertheless, non of the popular simulators addresses the needs of multi-legged walking robots. In this work, we develop an efficient and precise simulation system for multi-legged robots: RoaDS. The requirements, architecture and distributed design are presented. A series of experiments with the six-legged walking robot LAURON evaluates and confirms its high accuracy and good performance. RoaDS is a great tool to compare designs of bio-inspired robots, analyze walking patterns and improve robot walking skills.
Mass mortality of the West-Indian echinoid Diadema antillarum (Echinodermata; Echinoidea); a natural experiment in taphonomy

s with Programs, v.17(7), p.598. HAWKINS, C.M., and LEWIS, J.B., 1982, Ecological energetics of the tropical sea urchin Diadema antillarum Philippi in Barbados, West-Indies: Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, v. 15, p. 645-689. HUGHES, T. P., KELLER, B. D., JACKSON, J. B. C., and BOYLE, M.J., 1985, Mass mortality of the echinoid Diadema antillarum Philippi in Jamaica: Bulletin of Marine Science, v. 36,
Unlikely Fluctuations and Non-Equilibrium Work Theorems—A Simple Example

An exciting development in statistical mechanics has been the elucidation of a series of surprising equalities involving the work done during a nonequilibrium process. Astumian has presented an elegant example of such an equality, involving a colloidal particle undergoing Brownian motion in the presence of gravity. We analyze this example; its simplicity, and its link to geometric Brownian motion, allows us to clarify the inner workings of the equality. Our analysis explicitly shows the important role played by large, unlikely fluctuations.
Renal Vascular Complications Associated With the Percutaneous Removal of Renal Calculi

Significant immediate and delayed vascular complications occurred in 4 of 140 patients (3 per cent) undergoing percutaneous removal of renal and ureteral calculi. An understanding of renovascular anatomy, use of a safety guide wire and intraoperative availability of an angiographic balloon catheter may help to prevent and to treat bleeding problems.
Phenol red-silk tyrosine cross-linked hydrogels

Abstract Phenol red is a cytocompatible pH sensing dye that is commonly added to cell culture media, but removed from some media formulations due to its structural mimicry of estrogen. Phenol red free media is also used during live cell imaging, to avoid absorbance and fluorescence quenching of fluorophores. To overcome these complications, we developed cytocompatible and degradable phenol red-silk tyrosine cross-linked hydrogels using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Phenol red added to silk during tyrosine crosslinking accelerated di-tyrosine formation in a concentration-dependent reaction. Phenol red diffusion studies and UV–Vis spectra of phenol red-silk tyrosine hydrogels at different pHs showed altered absorption bands, confirming entrapment of dye within the hydrogel network. LC–MS of HRP-reacted phenol red and N-acetyl- l -tyrosine reaction products confirmed covalent bonds between the phenolic hydroxyl group of phenol red and tyrosine on the silk. At lower phenol red concentrations, leak-proof hydrogels which did not release phenol red were fabricated and found to be cytocompatible based on live-dead staining and alamar blue assessments of encapsulated fibroblasts. Due to the spectral overlap between phenol red absorbance at 415 nm and di-tyrosine fluorescence at 417 nm, phenol red-silk hydrogels provide both absorbance and fluorescence-based pH sensing. With an average pKa of 6.8 and good cytocompatibiltiy, phenol red-silk hydrogels are useful for pH sensing in phenol red free systems, cellular microenvironments and bioreactors. Statement of Significance Phenol red entrapped within hydrogels facilitates pH sensing in phenol red free environments. Leak-proof phenol red based pH sensors require covalent binding techniques, but are complicated due to the lack of amino or carboxyl groups on phenol red. Currently, there is no simple, reliable technique to covalently link phenol red to hydrogel matrices, for real-time pH sensing in cell culture environments. Herein, we take advantage of phenolic groups for covalent linkage of phenol red to silk tyrosine in the presence of HRP and H2O2. The novelty of the current system stems from its simplicity and the use of silk protein to create a cytocompatible, degradable sensor capable of real-time pH sensing in cell culture microenvironments.
Flüsse: Der Transport zum Ozean

Vor der Zeit von Auto und Flugzeug reiste der Mensch bevorzugt auf Flussen. Im Jahre 1803 erwarben die Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika von Frankreich das Gebiet von Louisiana. Diese ungeheuer grose Landflache von uber 2 Mio. Quadratkilometern umfasste das gesamte heutige Gebiet von Texas und Louisiana bis hinauf nach Montana und North Dakota. Im Jahre 1804 beauftragte Thomas Jefferson, der damalige Prasident der Vereinigten Staaten, Meriwether Lewis und William Clark mit der Leitung einer Expedition durch dieses neue Gebiet bis in den Westen Nordamerikas. Eines der wichtigsten Ziele war die kartenmasige Erfassung der Flusse im Westen, denn diese spielten fur die Erschliesung der unerforschten Grenzgebiete eine wichtige Rolle. Lewis und Clark entschlossen sich, den Mississippi und seine Quellflusse bis zu deren Ursprung, und von dort aus auch den westlich davon liegenden Bereich bis zum Pazifischen Ozean zu erforschen. Dabei legten sie insgesamt eine Strecke von 6000 km zuruck, uber 3200 km davon folgten sie allein dem Mississippi – und das ausschlieslich stromaufwarts.
Preservative Sensitization—Safety With and Safety Without

Preservatives serve the necessary purpose of preventing microbial contamination and maintaining cosmetic product integrity and safety; however, there are limitations to their use. Preservatives, including formaldehyde (FA) and formaldehyde releasers (FRPs), isothiazolinones, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC), methyldibromoglutaronitrile (MDBGN), parabens, thimerosal, and triclosan, are a leading cause of allergic and irritant contact dermatitis, and there is increasing evidence that some may even cause toxic effects including endocrinological effects. One approach to minimizing these effects is the use of self-preserving or preservative-free cosmetic formulations. This article will outline these preservatives, their role in cosmetics, scientific evidence for allergy and toxic effects, and potential alternatives.
Oizzu: A Bipedal Humanoid Robot Development Kit

Over the last few years we have witnessed rapid research and development in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics. One of the main reasons for this growth has been the rapid advancement in computing. This research project focuses on designing and building a humanoid robot development kit titled as Oizzu, powered by a mobile processor, with the aim of integrating the latest hardware and libraries available to provide an innovative platform for researchers and developers. We have developed a main application program which runs on Android Operating System and implements basic functionalities like speech to text, text to speech, face detection and recognition, response database and object detection. Users will be able to develop their program installed as a plug-in application, by integrating provided two-way Android Interface Definition Language (AIDL) and public class methods into their project. We deployed the proposed approach as on a humanoid robot by Kondo and the whole project was titled as Oizuu.
A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS ON MAJOR TAX REFORM: AGRICULTURE AND THE 1913 INCOME TAX LAW

Farmers have benefited from unique tax treatment since the beginning of the income tax law. This paper explores agricultural influences on the passage of the income tax in 1913, using both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The results show that agricultural interests were influential in the development and passage of tax/tariff laws. The percentage of congressmen with agricultural ties explains the strong affection for agriculture. Discussion in congressional debates and in agricultural journals was passionate and patriotic in support of equity for farmers. The quantitative analysis reveals that the percentage farm population was a significant predictor of passage of the 16th Amendment by the states and of adoption of state income taxes in the 20th century.
Investigation of the high electron affinity molecular dopant f6-tcnnq for hole-transport materials

2,2′-(perfluoronaphthalene-2,6-diylidene)dimalononitrile (F6-TCNNQ) is investigated as a molecular p-type dopant in two hole-transport materials, 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis(N,N-diphenylamino)-9,9-spirobifluorene (Spiro-TAD) and tris(4-carbazoyl-9-ylphenyl)amine (TCTA). The electron affinity of F6-TCNNQ is determined to be 5.60 eV, one of the strongest organic molecular oxidizing agents used to date in organic electronics. p-Doping is found to be effective in Spiro-TAD (ionization energy = 5.46 eV) but not in TCTA (ionization energy = 5.85 eV). Optical absorption measurements demonstrate that charge transfer is the predominant doping mechanism in Spiro-TAD:F6-TCNNQ. The host–dopant interaction also leads to a significant alteration of the host film morphology. Finally, transport measurements done on Spiro-TAD:F6-TCNNQ as a function of dopant concentration and temperature, and using a highly doped contact layer to ensure negligible hole injection barrier, lead to an accurate measurement of the film conductivity and hole-hopping activation energy.
Economic and policy factors driving adoption of institutional woody biomass heating systems in the U.S.

Abstract Abundant stocks of woody biomass that are associated with active forest management can be used as fuel for bioenergy in many applications. Though factors driving large-scale biomass use in industrial settings have been studied extensively, small-scale biomass combustion systems commonly used by institutions for heating have received less attention. A zero inflated negative binomial (ZINB) model is employed to identify economic and policy factors favorable to installation and operation of these systems. This allows us to determine the effectiveness of existing policies and identify locations where conditions offer the greatest potential for additional promotion of biomass use. Adoption is driven by heating needs, fossil fuel prices, and proximity to woody biomass resources, specifically logging residues, National Forests, and fuel treatments under the National Fire Plan.
The Politics, Promise, and Peril of Criminal Justice Reform in the Context of Mass Incarceration

Mass incarceration is an unprecedented development, one with myriad adverse consequences. Although the expansion of US penal institutions is largely a function of changes in practice and policy rather than rising crime rates, reversing this trend will nonetheless be challenging. The need for comprehensive sentencing reform is clear, but political limits on legislative remedies and the failure of the courts to notably reduce the scale, or improve conditions, of confinement render these approaches highly uncertain. In the short term, unconventional methods that do not require legislative authorization, such as electing, pressuring, and incentivizing prosecutors to reduce penal severity, may be a promising way of addressing mass incarceration. The return and revitalization of parole or other systems of post-sentence review are also crucial and may be legitimated in terms of the need to incentivize rehabilitation and prevent the unnecessary and costly incarceration of the elderly. The recent mobilization of g...
One-Year Linear Trajectories of Symptoms, Physical Functioning, Cognitive Functioning, Emotional Well-being, and Spiritual Well-being Among Patients Receiving Dialysis.

Background This study evaluated 1-year linear trajectories of patient-reported dimensions of quality of life among patients receiving dialysis. Study Design Longitudinal observational study. Setting & Participants 227 patients recruited from 12 dialysis centers. Factors Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Measurements/Outcomes Participants completed an hour-long interview monthly for 12 months. Each interview included patient-reported outcome measures of overall symptoms (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System), physical functioning (Activities of Daily Living/Instrumental Activities of Daily Living), cognitive functioning (Patient's Assessment of Own Functioning Inventory), emotional well-being (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, State Anxiety Inventory, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule), and spiritual well-being (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale). For each dimension, linear and generalized linear mixed-effects models were used. Linear trajectories of the 5 dimensions were jointly modeled as a multivariate outcome over time. Results Although dimension scores fluctuated greatly from month to month, overall symptoms, cognitive functioning, emotional well-being, and spiritual well-being improved over time. Older compared with younger participants reported higher scores across all dimensions (all P P P Limitations Study was conducted in a single region of the United States and included mostly patients with high levels of function across the dimensions of quality of life studied. Conclusions Multidimensional patient-reported quality of life varies widely from month to month regardless of whether overall trajectories improve or worsen over time. Additional research is needed to identify the best approaches to incorporate patient-reported outcome measures into dialysis care.
Development of molecular genetic approaches to study mycoplasma pathogenesis

Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion and Literature Cited. The first manuscript describes the introduction and random insertion oi'Tti4001 into M. pulmonis and has been published (Mahairas and Minion, 1989a). The second manuscript which has also been published (Mahairas and Minion, 1989b) deals with the transformation of M. pulmonis using integrative plasmids, and describes the optimal conditions for the introduction of exogenous DNA into this mycoplasma. The third manuscript discusses the genetic exchange of transposon and integrated plasmid markers in M. pulmonis and has been submitted for publication in the Journal of Bacteriology. Cao Jian is listed as a secondary author on the third manuscript an contributed by providing marked strains of M. gallisepticum and A. laidlawii. An appendix describing the isolation and purification of M. pulmonis DNA-dependent RNA polymerase is also included and follows the discussion and summary portions of this work. In addition, a current review of the literature relevant to this thesis is included as well as a General Discussion and Summary. Literature citations contained within the Literature Review and Appendix are listed in Additional Literature Cited.
Soluble human histocompatibility antigens (HLA) as potential biomarkers for early detection of non-small lung carcinoma (NSCLC).

e23061Background: Early detection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is critical for successful treatment; however, current screening methods cannot reliably distinguish between benign and malig...
Model-based network discovery of developmental and performance-related differences during risky decision-making.

Abstract Theories of adolescent neurodevelopment have largely focused on group-level descriptions of neural changes that help explain increases in risk behavior that are stereotypical of the teen years. However, because these models are concerned with describing the “average” individual, they can fail to account for important individual or within-group variability. New methodological developments now offer the possibility of accounting for both group trends and individual differences within the same modeling framework. Here we apply GIMME, a model-based approach which uses both group and individual-level information to construct functional connectivity maps, to investigate risky behavior and neural changes across development. Adolescents (N = 30, Mage = 13.22), young adults (N = 23, Mage = 19.19), and adults (N = 31, Mage = 43.93) completed a risky decision-making task during an fMRI scan, and functional networks were constructed for each individual. We took two subgrouping approaches: 1) a confirmatory approach where we searched for functional connections that distinguished between our a priori age categories, and 2) an exploratory approach where we allowed an unsupervised algorithm to sort individuals freely. Contrary to expectations, we show that age is not the most influence contributing to network configurations. The implications for developmental theories and methodologies are discussed.
The role of mobile devices in 21st-century family communication:

Use of media devices has evolved over the past 10–15 years and the resulting effects on family communication are of interest for this study. Through 26 semi-structured interviews, the authors sough...
Engineering Precision Medicine to Increase Graft-Versus-Lymphoma Activity: Hematopoietic Stem Cells Modified with Chimeric Antigen Receptors

Abstract Background: Patients with refractory or recurrent B-lineage hematological malignancies have less than 50% of chance of cure. Trials using autologous T-cells engineered with anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) have demonstrated complete remissions even in chemotherapy-resistant malignancies, but the persistence of the cells is transient, limiting efficacy. Our hypothesis is modification of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) with CAR will lead to persistent production of target-specific immune cells in multiple lineages, enhancing graft-versus-tumor activity and development of immunological memory. Design/Methods: Using CD19 as target, we generated second-generation CD28- and 4-1BB-costimulated CAR constructs for modification of human HSC for assessment in vitro and in vivo, using third-generation lentiviral vectors. Additionally, co-delivery of suicide gene systems was tested to allow ablation of gene-modified cells. Results: Gene modification of HSC with anti-CD19 CAR using lentiviral vectors did not impair differentiation or proliferation, and led to functional CAR-expressing cell progeny, at 40-50% transduction efficiency and engineered antigen-dependent cytotoxicity in myeloid, NK and T-cells. In vivo studies using humanized NSG engrafted with CAR-modified HSC demonstrated similar levels of humanization to non-modified HSC, with multilineage CAR-expressing cells present in bone marrow, spleen, blood and thymus in stable levels up to 44 weeks of life. No animals engrafted with CAR-modified HSC presented autoimmunity or inflammation. Ex vivo cells presented antigen-dependent cytotoxicity against targets. Mice engrafted with CAR-modified HSC had decreased CD19+ populations and successfully presented tumor growth inhibition and survival advantage at tumor challenge (55-60%). CAR-modified HSC led to development of T-cell effector memory and T-cell central memory phenotypes, confirming the development of long-lasting phenotypes due to directed antigen specificity. Mice humanized with gene-modified HSC presented significant ablation of gene-modified cells after treatment (p=0.002). Remaining gene-modified cells were close to background on flow cytometry and within two logs of decrease of vector copy numbers by ddPCR in mouse tissues. Conclusions: CAR modification of HSC for cancer immunotherapy is feasible. This approach can be applied to different cancers by adjusting target specificity and could be employed in the context of HSC transplantation to augment the anti-lymphoma activity. It also bears the possibility of decreased morbidity and mortality and offers alternative treatment for patients with no available sources for bone marrow transplantation, benefiting ethnic minorities. These results also give proof of principle for CAR-modified HSC regulated by suicide gene; further studies are needed to enable clinical translation. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Multiple Team Membership in Software Development Gig Work

A recent survey suggests that 10.2% of software developers work as independent contractors, freelancers, or are self-employed. Whether they fully or only partly depend on gig work for their income, or work in traditional organizations, most software developers must concurrently work on multiple projects with multiple teams across a variety of software development platforms. This creates a complex and fragmented work environment for developers. We refer to this phenomenon as Multiple Team Membership (MTM). Utilizing a multi-method study, our goal is to develop a deeper understanding of MTM in software development by first developing and then empirically testing a research framework that can contribute to the broader context of research on software development challenges in the gig economy.
A new fixed point approach for stable networks and stable marriages

Abstract In a network stability problem, the aim is to find stable configurations for a given network of boolean gates. For general networks, the problem is known to be computationally hard. Mayr and Subramanian introduced an interesting class of networks by imposing fanout restrictions at each gate, and showed that network stability on this class of networks is still sufficiently rich to express as special cases stable marriage and stable roommate problems. In this paper we study the sequential and parallel complexity of network stability on networks with restricted fanout. Our approach builds on structural properties of these networks and exposes close ties with the theory of retracts and isometric embeddings for product graphs. This structure then gives new efficient algorithms for questions of representation, enumeration, and optimization in stable matching.
Crowdfunding, Entrepreneurship, and Start-Up Finance

Crowdfunding, the collective effort to raise capital from a broad audience (primarily via the Internet), each of whom contributes a relatively meager amount, has grown exponentially in recent years. Crowdfunding is an important and contemporary topic that has implications in entrepreneurship, finance, business law – and has applications across multiple industries and categories of human behavior. Both equity and non-equity crowdfunding has proven to be productive methods of capital formation for start-ups. The equity crowdfunding provisions of The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the "JOBS" Act) offer perhaps the most promising development to the facilitation of capital formation for entrepreneurs since the Great Depression. The JOBS Act became law in April 2012 and established a regulatory foundation enabling startups and small businesses to access new capital using crowdfunding. Through this Act, Congress intended to lower regulatory barriers in order to give small companies and startups a larger pool of investors from which to raise capital. This paper presents a history of crowdfunding; discusses elements of crowdfunding and entrepreneurship; explores crowdfunding finance; the tension between U.S. securities laws and the potential for equity crowdfunding; looks at Congressional intent and what, if anything, needs to change at this point to enable equity crowdfunding to achieve and optimize its intended purpose.