cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carotenoid Absorption from Salad and Salsa by Humans Is Enhanced by the Addition of Avocado or Avocado Oil

Dietary lipids are hypothesized to be an important factor for carotenoid bioavailability. However, most carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables are low in lipids. The objective of this study was to assess whether the addition of avocado fruit as a lipid source enhances carotenoid absorption in humans. Healthy subjects (n = 11/study) were recruited for 2 crossover, postprandial studies. The effect of avocado addition (150 g) to salsa on lycopene and beta-carotene absorption was examined in Study 1, and the absorption of lutein, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene from salad in Study 2. Furthermore, the effects of avocado dose (75 vs. 150 g containing 12 vs. 24 g lipid, respectively) and of lipid source (avocado fruit vs. avocado oil) on carotenoid absorption were examined in Study 2. Intact carotenoids were quantified in the plasma triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein (TRL) fraction during the 9.5 h after consumption of the test meal and expressed as baseline-corrected area under the concentration-vs.-time curve (AUC). The addition of avocado to salsa enhanced lycopene and beta-carotene absorption (P < 0.003), resulting in 4.4 and 2.6 times the mean AUC after intake of avocado-free salsa, respectively. In Study 2, supplementing 150 g avocado or 24 g avocado oil to salad similarly enhanced alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and lutein absorption (P < 0.01), resulting in 7.2, 15.3, and 5.1 times the mean AUC after intake of avocado-free salad, respectively (150 g avocado). Neither the avocado dose nor the lipid source affected carotenoid absorption. In conclusion, adding avocado fruit can significantly enhance carotenoid absorption from salad and salsa, which is attributed primarily to the lipids present in avocado.
Quantitative model for determining incentive/disincentive amounts through schedule simulations

One groundbreaking way of expediting any construction is to offer contractors a monetary incentive. To be effective, the incentive amount should be larger than the contractor's additional cost (CAC) for expediting construction time. Yet, estimating the CAC poses a major challenge because contractors are reluctant to disclose their profit information. This study introduces a quantitative model that estimates realistic CACs through schedule simulations on four different resource usage levels. An innovative and reliable tool called Construction Analysis for Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies (CA4PRS) was used for the simulation. Using CA4PRS, a set of contractors' time-cost tradeoff data was created and a linear regression analysis was performed to predict the CAC growth rate and to analyze how this interacts with the agency's specified schedule goal. The robustness of the proposed model was also validated through a case study. This model can assist decision-makers to make better decisions when estimating optimal incentive amounts.
Erbb4 Signaling in the Mammary Gland Is Required for Lobuloalveolar Development and Stat5 Activation during Lactation

Signaling by members of the epidermal growth factor receptor family plays an important role in breast development and breast cancer. Earlier work suggested that one of these receptors, ErbB4, is coupled to unique responses in this tissue. To determine the function of ErbB4 signaling in the normal mouse mammary gland, we inactivated ErbB4 signaling by expressing a COOH terminally deleted dominant-negative allele of ErbB4 (ErbB4ΔIC) as a transgene in the mammary gland. Despite the expression of ErbB4ΔIC from puberty through later stages of mammary development, an ErbB4ΔIC-specific phenotype was not observed until mid-lactation. At 12-d postpartum, lobuloalveoli expressing ErbB4ΔIC protein were condensed and lacked normal lumenal lactation products. In these lobuloalveoli, β-casein mRNA, detected by in situ hybridization, was normal. However, whey acidic protein mRNA was reduced, and α-lactalbumin mRNA was undetectable. Stat5 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in ErbB4ΔIC-expressing tissue. However, Stat5 was not phosphorylated at Y694 and was, therefore, probably inactive. When expressed transiently in 293T cells, ErbB4 induced phosphorylation of Stat5. This phosphorylation required an intact Stat5 SH2 domain. In summary, our results demonstrate that ErbB4 signaling is necessary for mammary terminal differentiation and Stat5 activation at mid-lactation.
Experiments on Deliberation Equilibria in Auctions

Auctions are useful mechanisms for allocating items (goods, tasks, resources, etc.) in multiagent systems. The bulk of auction theory assumes that the bidders know their own valuations for items a priori. However, in many applications the bidders need to expend significant effort (computational or information gathering) to determine their valuations. This leads to the possibility of complex strategic behavior as agents may have incentive to not only use resources to determine their own valuations, but may also attempt to determine the valuations of competing bidders. It has been shown that given any commonly used auction protocol, it is theoretically possible to construct special instances such that this strategic deliberation occurs.We study the prevalence of strategic deliberating in order to determine whether it is merely of theoretical interest or if it is an issue which arises in practice. Using anytime algorithms and performance-profile-tree-based deliberation control in different real-world problem domains, and the deliberation equilibrium solution concept, we show that strategic deliberation does occur in practice whenever there is a certain amount of asymmetry between the agents.
A Procedure for Determining the Thermal Diffusivity of Materials

The thermal diffusivity of a solid material can be determined using pairs of identi cal specimens prepared for a thermal conductivity determination in a Guarded Hot Plate apparatus (ASTM C-177). Sp...
Power reduction by varying sampling rate

The rate at which a digital signal processing (DSP) system operates depends on the highest frequency component in the input signal. DSP applications must sample their inputs at a frequency at least twice the highest frequency in the input signal (i.e., the Nyquist rate) to accurately reproduce the signal. Typically a fixed sampling rate, guaranteed to always be high enough, is used. However, an input signal may have periods when the signal has little high frequency content as well as periods of silence. When the input signal has no perceptible high frequency components, the system can reduce its sampling rate, thereby reducing the number of samples processed per second, allowing the CPU speed to be scaled down without reducing output quality. This paper describes how to reduce power consumption in DSP applications by varying the amount of processing based on the input signal, and reports results of experiments with a prototype implementation. Experiments with a prototype show that when the system performs little processing, the added overhead of the variable sampling rate technique increased power consumption. When the system performs more processing, 18 FIR filters per frame, the power consumption was reduced to 40 % of the power required for a static sampling rate, while not reducing sound quality.
Ionotropic glutamate receptor modulation preferentially affects NMDA receptor expression in rat hippocampus.

Electrophysiological data suggest that alterations in the function of one glutamate receptor subtype may affect the function of other subtypes. Further, previous studies have demonstrated that NMDA receptor antagonists affect NMDA and kainate receptor expression in rat hippocampus. In order to address the mutual regulation of NMDA, AMPA, and kainate receptor expression in rat hippocampus, we conducted two experiments examining the effects of NMDA and non-NMDA glutamate receptor modulators on NMDA, AMPA, and kainate receptor expression using in situ hybridization and receptor autoradiography. NMDA receptor expression was preferentially affected by systemic treatments, as all drugs significantly altered [(3)H]MK-801 binding, and several drugs increased [(3)H]ifenprodil binding. GYKI52466 and aniracetam treatments resulted in changes in both [(3)H]ifenprodil binding and NR2B mRNA levels, consistent with the association of this subunit and binding site in vitro. There were more modest effects on AMPA and kainate receptor expression, even by direct antagonists. Together, these data suggest that ionotropic glutamate receptors interact at the level of expression. These data also suggest that drug regimens targeting one ionotropic glutamate receptor subtype may indirectly affect other subtypes, potentially producing unwanted side effects.
Correlation and QED for Highly Charged-IONS

This is the first in a series of lectures on correlation and QED effects in highly-charged ions. The aim of these lectures is to describe recent many-body calculations of the structure of such ions, to demonstrate that these calculations can be carried out to sufficiently high accuracy that QED corrections can be uncovered, to review recent MBPT calculations of energy levels of many-electron ions, and to compare the resulting calculations with experiment.
Development in the Arts: Drawing and Music

This chapter reviews the development of the comprehension and production of drawing and music, focusing on typical development in the absence of formal training. For each art form, the following questions are considered: What does an investigation into the evolutionary roots of this art form tell us? What historical, theoretical, and methodological approaches have been taken in the study of this art form? What are the major milestones in the development of comprehension and production of this art form? For both drawing and music, one of the most enduring and provocative questions in the developmental study of the arts is discussed: whether development improves linearly with age, or whether some artistic abilities decline with age or are U-shaped, with young children responding more like adult artists than older children. This question is far more acute with respect to the arts than for logical, mathematical, scientific, or moral reasoning, where linear development is the normal expectation. Keywords: absolute pitch; aesthetic; artistic; drawing; expression; melody; music; notation; perception; pictures; representation; rhythm
Anxiety and its disorders as risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors: A meta-analytic review

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are highly prevalent public health problems with devastating consequences. There is an urgent need to improve our understanding of risk factors for suicide to identify effective intervention targets. The aim of this meta-analysis was to examine the magnitude and clinical utility of anxiety and its disorders as risk factors for suicide ideation, attempts, and deaths. We conducted a literature search through December 2014; of the 65 articles meeting our inclusion criteria, we extracted 180 cases in which an anxiety-specific variable was used to longitudinally predict a suicide-related outcome. Results indicated that anxiety is a statistically significant, yet weak, predictor of suicide ideation (OR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.18, 1.88) and attempts (OR=1.64, 95% CI: 1.47, 1.83), but not deaths (OR=1.01, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.18). The strongest associations were observed for PTSD. Estimates were reduced after accounting for publication bias, and diagnostic accuracy analyses indicated acceptable specificity but poor sensitivity. Overall, the extant literature suggests that anxiety and its disorders, at least when these constructs are measured in isolation and as trait-like constructs, are relatively weak predictors of suicidal thoughts and behaviors over long follow-up periods. Implications for future research priorities are discussed.
AT&T... &T? Examining Innovation and Competition Policy in Light of the Failed AT&T T-Mobile Merger

The AT&T T-Mobile merger was met with great resistance from competitors, consumers, and regulators alike. Within the narrow confines of an FCC spectrum transfer proceeding, thousands of interested parties submitted tens of thousands of pages of legal and economic argument against the merger. This paper examines the strength of those arguments, and argues that critics often erroneously conflated policy conducive to innovation with policy conducive to competition when evidence suggests these two concepts are dependent on different policy stimuli. The paper explains the distinctions, and clarifies some of the arguments against the merger to better reflect the economic data which should appropriately drive this debate.
Tuition Inflation, Prepayment Programs, and the Mispricing of Tuition Prepayment Contracts

Twenty-two states and a consortium of more than 250 private colleges have designed tuition prepayment contracts to help families manage their tuition inflation risk exposure by prepaying the future cost of college. Nine of these states have either suspended enrollments (one temporarily) or terminated their plans, and at least 12 programs are balance-sheet insolvent. This paper analyzes college tuition inflation, describes tuition prepayment contracts, and develops a contingent-claims model to price them. The model allows for the adverse selection risk that program sponsors face, the moral hazard risk that contract purchasers bear, and the large discontinuous jumps that characterize tuition inflation especially in recent years. I find that the contracts in the largest, most popular public (Florida and Michigan) and private (Independent 529 Plan) programs are mispriced. The Florida and Independent 529 Plan contracts are underpriced, and Michigan's contracts are underpriced for the youngest beneficiaries and overpriced for the oldest beneficiaries even after allowing for adverse selection risk. Florida and Michigan have reduced their underpricing in the last three years, which coincide with public universities in many states announcing large jumps in tuition in response to cutbacks in state subsidies for higher education.
Agricultural impacts: Mapping future crop geographies

Modelled patterns of climate change impacts on sub-Saharan agriculture provide a detailed picture of the space- and timescales of change. They reveal hotspots where crop cultivation may disappear entirely, but also large areas where current or substitute crops will remain viable through this century.
Theoretical Investigation of Phase Stability in Non-Magnetic Copper-Nickel Alloys

The phase stability of non magnetic Cu-Ni alloys is studied within a tight binding framework. Densities of states, enthalpies of mixing and ultimately the phase diagram are computed and compared to experimental data.
Protein extract as a surrogate mother.

Residents in psychiatric training, while being the least experienced clinicians, are faced with treating some of the more severely ill patients. This case study presents a complicated patient for w...
PSA Velocity in Risk Stratification of Prostate Cancer.

Since the introduction of widespread prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based prostate cancer screening, several markers have been employed to aid in detection of prostate cancer. The change in PSA level over time, PSA velocity (PSAV), is such a marker that may improve specificity; however, its role as an adjunct to PSA is controversial. Some prior studies have shown that a PSAV provides independent predictive information for estimating prostate cancer risk1 and a PSAV threshold of 0.35 to 0.4 ng/mL/year has been associated with the likelihood of insignificant prostate cancer, suggesting that PSAV may increase specificity for identifying patients with clinically significant disease.2,3 Conversely, other studies have shown that PSAV has limited value4 and biopsying men with high PSAV but no other indication would lead to a large number of additional prostate biopsies.5 Recently, Orsted and colleagues6 and Wallner and associates7 evaluated the value of PSAV as an adjunct marker to PSA, its role in predicting aggressive disease, and improving classification of prostate cancer risk and mortality.
Intrauterine pregnancy following endometrial ablation.

BACKGROUND: Only five pregnancies have been reported after endometrial ablation by resectoscopic endometrial resection, for a rate of 0.7% on the basis of three series. CASE: Endometrial ablation was performed using a roller-ball electrode on a 37-year-old woman who had menorrhagia and dysmenorrhea. She subsequently conceived but experienced a missed abortion. CONCLUSION: Pregnancy is a rare occurrence following endometrial ablation. The effect of endometrial ablation on pregnancy outcome is unknown.
Non-Proprietary Autonomy and Contemporary Television Writing

Writers frequently insist that they are the true authors of television, and that they rather than executives endow television with whatever “quality” it might have. Their claims offer two different accounts of value. One insists that while management generates profits from the hard work of its employees, it adds no real economic value. The second insists that writers alone create a project’s aesthetic value; they produce better work when left alone to do what they do best. Writers often affiliate with labor, as the all source of economic value, to render more secure their claim to the aesthetic approbation, or prestige, now attached to television. However much writers support the efforts of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) to fight for better conditions for writers, in other words, their persistent identification with labor also pays a different kind of dividend: in asserting their antagonism toward studio and network creative control, writers assert their autonomy and, therefore, their claim to respect as true authors of a creative medium worthy of respect, even though writers neither own the copyrights in their work nor control the uses made of their writing. Identifying with labor, in short, allows writers to set themselves against corporate interference in the name of art. The beliefs about labor invoked by the 32 working television writers whom we interviewed for this article therefore possess a significant plasticity. Writers are labor in a way that sets them apart from management, even as they acknowledge their difference from others within the industry who have stronger claims to being labor. Writers are labor, in legal terms, because their employers possess the contractual right to demand revisions of their work. Although that right signals writers’ subservience to network and studio and their lack of autonomy as employees, it also makes available a longstanding and venerable antagonism between labor and management, which serves as the basis of the writer’s literary autonomy.
Short-term caloric restriction in db/db mice improves myocardial function and increases high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin

Abstract Background Obesity and metabolic syndrome lead to the development of metabolic heart disease (MHD) that is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), diastolic dysfunction, and increased mitochondrial ROS. Caloric restriction (CR) is a nutritional intervention that protects against obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Healthy adipose tissue is cardioprotective via releasing adipokines such as adiponectin. We tested the hypothesis that CR can ameliorate MHD and it is associated with improved adipose tissue function as reflected by increased circulating levels of high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in db/db mice. Methods Genetically obese db/db and lean db/ + male mice were fed either ad libitum or subjected to 30% CR for 5weeks. At the end of the study period, echocardiography was carried out to assess diastolic function. Blood, heart, and epididymal fat pads were harvested for mitochondrial study, ELISA, and Western blot analyses. Results CR reversed the development of LVH, prevented diastolic dysfunction, and decreased cardiac mitochondrial H 2 O 2 in db/db ( vs. ad lib ) mice. These beneficial effects on the heart were associated with increased circulating level of HMW adiponectin. Furthermore, CR increased AMPK and eNOS activation in white adipose tissue of db/db mice, but not in the heart. Conclusions These findings indicate that even short-term CR protects the heart from MHD. Whether the beneficial effects of CR on the heart could be related to the improved adipose tissue function warrants future investigation.
Parallel programming at NASA/NAS

This paper describes parallel programming at NASA. After extensive survey and evaluation, we have decided to focus our design and development effort on tools that assist debugging and performance optimization, and tools that help data alignment and distribution. Meanwhile, we are actively participating programming language design and standardization. The Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation (NAS) Program at NASA Ames Research Center is a path-finder for high performance computing and communication at NASA. It has been providing vector-oriented supercomputers such as CRAY X-MP, YMP, and CRAY 2 for many years. In a few years, NAS will provide massively parallel computers in addition to traditional supercomputers for solving computational aeroscience grand challenge problems. NAS currently has an Intel iPSC/860, Paragon, CM5, CRAY C-90, and CRAY Y-MP with more massively parallel machines under consideration for procurement. >
Cathy H.C. Hsu – a role model

For me, to craft a portrait of Dr. Cathy H. C. Hsu, a leader in our field, is no small task. Cathy is a Chair Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s (PolyU) School of Hotel and Tourism...
Immobility in Intraspecific Encounters: Cockfights and the Evolution of “Animal Hypnosis”

Immobility responses were observed in 33 of 86 cockfights. The responses were topographically similar to restraint-induced tonic immobility (“animal hypnosis”). The responses were proportionately more common in longer fights, indicating that fatigue and exhaustion may increase the probability of occurrence. Film analysis showed that immobile animals tended to be attacked less frequently than nonimmobile animals, suggesting a possible function for the behavior. These observations show that immobility may function in intra-as well as interspecific encounters. A possible evolutionary relationship between submissive postures and TI is discussed, as well as the hypothesis that exhaustion resulting from encounters with other animals was important in the evolution of TI. Data on fight length and survivorship also are presented.
Epithelioid Sarcoma Presenting as a Benign Foot Ulcer

Background:Epithelioid sarcomas are rare mesenchymal tumours that infrequently present to dermatologists. The often banal spindle and polygonal cell histology can mimic granulomas.Objective:Our aim...
Characterization of Small-Molecule Scaffolds That Bind to the Shigella Type III Secretion System Protein IpaD

Many pathogens such as Shigella and other bacteria assemble the type III secretion system (T3SS) nanoinjector to inject virulence proteins into their target cells to cause infectious diseases in humans. The rise of drug resistance among pathogens that rely on the T3SS for infectivity, plus the dearth of new antibiotics require alternative strategies in developing new antibiotics. The Shigella T3SS tip protein IpaD is an attractive target for developing anti-infectives because of its essential role in virulence and its exposure on the bacterial surface. Currently, the only known small molecules that bind to IpaD are bile salt sterols. In this study we identified four new small-molecule scaffolds that bind to IpaD, based on the methylquinoline, pyrrolidine-aniline, hydroxyindole, and morpholinoaniline scaffolds. NMR mapping revealed potential hotspots in IpaD for binding small molecules. These scaffolds can be used as building blocks in developing small-molecule inhibitors of IpaD that could lead to new anti-infectives.
Phosphopeptide enrichment with cross-linked Os(II)(dmebpy)2 Cl-derivatized acrylamide and vinylimidazole copolymer

Rationale Reversible phosphorylation of proteins catalyzed by kinases and phosphatases plays a key regulatory role in intracellular biological processes. Protein phosphorylation profiling is still a challenge due to its low stoichiometry, diversity of phosphorylated protein forms, and dynamic nature of phosphorylation states. Mass spectrometry (MS) has been widely used for the characterization of protein phosphorylation, due to its high sensitivity and MS/MS sequencing capability. However, the low abundance and ionization efficiency of phosphorylated peptides and interference from their non-phosphorylated counterparts and other peptides in the enzymatic digests of proteins complicate the localization of phosphorylation sites in liquid chromatography (LC)/MS analysis. So the enrichment of phosphopeptides from the digests is often required before LC/MS. Immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) and metal oxide affinity chromatography (MOAC) are the two most commonly used enrichment techniques for phosphopeptides prior to MS analysis. Methods Cross-linked Os(II)(4,4’-dimethyl-2,2’-bipyridine)2Cl-derivatized acrylamide and vinylimidazole copolymer were applied for the enrichment of phosphopeptides. Results Under neutral loading buffer conditions phosphopeptides bind on the Os-polymer without nonspecific binding of acidic peptides. Differential binding of monophosphorylated and multiply phosphorylated peptides can be achieved under different concentrations of imidazole. Sequential elution of bound phosphopeptides can be obtained with elution buffers of different pH values below 3. The loading buffers with imidazole can be aqueous or 7/3 H2O/ACN. Once phosphopeptides bind onto the Os-polymer, washing with water, 0.1% acetic acid (pH ~ 3) or 1/1 H2O/ACN 0.05% acetic acid (pH ~3) does not elute phosphopeptides. The Os-polymer does not show bias of binding and elution toward phosphopeptide standards with singly, doubly and triply phosphorylated sites. Conclusions Cross-linked Os(II)(dimethylbipyridine)2Cl-derivatized poly(acrylamide)-poly(vinylimidazole) copolymer is proven to be a new efficient IMAC resin for phosphopeptide enrichment and shows some unique properties for differential binding and sequential elution of phosphopeptides. It could become a better alternative to traditional IMAC and TiO2 for phosphopeptide enrichment.
Social connectedness, stressful life events, and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors among young adults.

Abstract Objectives Preventing self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) is particularly challenging on commuter campuses, given lower social cohesion and higher levels of stress than among traditional college populations. The present study examined the relationship between stressful life events (SLEs) and risk for different forms of SITBs, along with the potential buffering role of social connectedness, in a diverse sample of young adults from a commuter college. Methods Participants were 1712 (81% female; 61% racial/ethnic minority; 20% sexual minority) undergraduate and graduate students from a public commuter college in New York City. Participants completed an anonymous survey that inquired about lifetime and recent (past 12 months) history of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), along with social connectedness and lifetime history of SLEs. Results Lower levels of social connectedness and exposure to a higher number of SLEs were associated with engaging in SITBs in the past year, particularly both suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injury. However, social connectedness did not buffer against the impact of SLEs on SITBs. Limitations Data are cross-sectional, limiting conclusions about directionality, and females were overrepresented. Conclusions Identifying ways to increase social connectedness on diverse commuter campuses may help decrease risk of SITBs. However, it may not buffer against the impact of SLEs on risk of SITBs. Future studies should examine contextual variables (e.g., type and timing of social support) that may play a role in protecting against SITBs, particularly for those with a history of adversity.
Minimizing age-of-information in multi-hop wireless networks

Timely exchange of information over multi-hop wireless networks is gaining increasing relevance with growing interests in applications such as internet of things (IoT) and autonomous vehicular networks. Age-of-information (AoI) is a recently proposed performance metric that measures information freshness at the destination node. AoI at a destination node is the time since last update was received. We study AoI for multi-hop networks with general interference constraints with R source-destination pairs, and derive simple stationary policies in which links are activated according to a stationary probability distribution. We first consider a line network with a single source-destination pair, and characterize AoI as a convex function of link activation rates. We then use this result to obtain the optimal policy, in the class of stationary policies, for multi-hop network, with several source-destination pairs. We prove an important separation principle, which says that the optimal scheduling policy for the multi-hop problem can be obtained by solving an equivalent problem in which all source-destination pairs are single-hop away.
The Influence of Friends and Psychosocial Factors on Physical Activity and Screen Time in Normal and Overweight Adolescents: A Mixed-Methods Analysis:

Background:Understanding factors that influence physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior is crucial to develop interventions to improve adolescents’ health-related behaviors.Purpose:To compare...
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy: Techniques of Removal and Replacement

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is now an established means of establishing enteral access for alimentation. Little of the literature has focused on the indications for and means by which replacement gastrostomy devices may be used. It is the intent of this article to deal with this issue.
“Enthusiasm and Mutual Confidence”: Campus Life at State Normal Schools, 1870s–1900s

This chapter focuses on student organizations and the social sphere at state normal schools from the 1870s through the 1900s. The majority of normal-school students, or “normalites,” were female, members of racial/ethnic minority groups, and/or from the lower end of the social-class scale. While these students generally missed out on the fraternity and sorority life and culture of many universities, they created a vibrant campus life at normal schools. After briefly outlining normalites’ backgrounds, Ogren demonstrates how campus life at state normal schools enhanced students’ intellectual and professional growth, welcomed all students into middle-class society, and invited women students into public life. The enthusiastic and mutually confident student life at state normal schools contradicted the rigid system at private colleges and flagship universities.
Abstract 1592: Bladder cancer circulating tumor cell concentration fluctuates in the absence of systemic therapy or surgery

Background: "Liquid biopsies" such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) aim to monitor response to therapy or provide a noninvasive measure of disease progression. In bladder cancer, it is not known to what extent CTC counts fluctuate over time during the same treatment phase (in the absence of systemic therapy or surgery). Understanding the baseline variation in CTC counts is a crucial step towards defining what constitutes a meaningful change in CTC detection. Here, we collected peripheral blood (PB) samples from metastatic bladder cancer patients with replicates from the same date and at multiple time points over different days. Methods: 3 replicate PB samples (A, B, C) were collected on Day 1 from 5 metastatic bladder cancer patients. On Days 2 and 3, PB was collected from 80% (n=4/5) patients. The median CTC count of the 3 replicates from Day 1 was used. Each PB was processed with the AccuCyte® system to isolate and transfer the buffy coat onto 8 slides. Slides were stained with DAPI (nuclear), anti-pan-cytokeratin and anti-EpCAM (epithelial), and anti-CD45/CD66b/CD34/CD14/CD11b (white blood cell) antibodies. Slides were scanned and analyzed using the CyteFinder® system, an assay validated to have high recovery (greater than 80%) and sensitivity for detecting individual CTCs (DAPI positive, epithelial-marker positive, and white blood cell marker negative). Results: For replicate samples, the range of CTC counts/7.5 mL PB for Patient 1 was 70 (A=43, B=102, C=32), Patient 2 was 5 (A=6, B=2, C=1), Patient 3 was 1 (A=1, B=0, C=0), Patient 4 was 2 (A=2, B=4, C=2), and Patient 5 was 1 (A=1, B=1, C=0). The median of the ranges (70, 5, 1, 2, 1) was 2 CTCs/7.5 mL PB. For PB collected on different days, the range of CTC counts for Patient 1 was 192 (43, 170, 235), Patient 2 was 11 (2, 13, 5), Patient 3 was 3 (0, 3, 3), and Patient 4 was 4 (2, 5, 6). The median of the ranges (192, 11, 3, 4) was 7 CTCs/7.5 mL PB. Conclusion: While the median fluctuations of 2 and 7 CTCs/7.5 mL PB were low, in certain cases we did detect considerable variation in CTC count from sample to sample and from day to day. Ongoing work is necessary to study the natural fluctuation in CTC counts and the heterogeneity of blood CTC concentration from moment to moment. Given the many challenges of CTC detection, ctDNA may emerge as the preferred liquid biopsy in bladder cancer. Citation Format: Stephanie A. Glavaris, Heather J. Chalfin, Megan H. Fong, Eric Christenson, A. Karim Ahmed, Emily A. Caruso, John Shin, Michael Johnson, Liang Dong, Michael A. Gorin, Trinity J. Bivalacqua, Kenneth J. Pienta, Noah Hahn, David McConkey. Bladder cancer circulating tumor cell concentration fluctuates in the absence of systemic therapy or surgery [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1592.
Successful demonstration of simultaneous PET/MR Imaging with a RF-penetrable PET insert

The integration of PET’s ability to visualize and quantify molecular signatures and MRI’s excellent anatomical information shows great promise to be a powerful tool for disease characterization. However, the high cost of simultaneous PET/MRI has limited its availability. To address this problem, we have developed an RF-penetrable PET insert that can be placed in the bore of any MRI system without requiring modifications to the latter. The PET insert consists of 16 PET detector modules within Faraday cages in a 32 cm inner diameter ring pattern with small gaps. These gaps, along with electro-optical signal transmission technology that allows the PET insert to electrically float relative to the MRI RF ground, enable RF fields to pass through the PET ring with some attenuation. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of the RF-penetrable PET insert placed inside a 3T MR system using the body coils for the RF transmit/receive coil. We analyzed the transmit and receive penetration of the RF fields by acquiring B1 maps and MR images. When the PET insert was placed inside the MRI bore, compared to the case with no PET insert, the mean B1 field amplitude (transmitted RF field) was attenuated by -3.47 dB. The SNR (received MR signal) was attenuated by similar factors of -3.4 dB and -3.9 dB with GRE and FSE sequences, respectively. In addition, we acquired simultaneous PET/MR images. The PET images acquired inside the MRI bore were equivalent to those acquired outside the MR system. We have shown that the RF-penetrable PET technology allows the RF field of an MR body coil to penetrate into the field-of-view, enabling acquisition of simultaneous PET/MR images via a PET insert, without modification to the MR system.
A Sacred Duty: Nationalist and Anti-Imperial Activisms in Buenos Aires, 1916-1930:

The Southern Atlantic city of Buenos Aires emerged a critical hub of radical political activism between 1916 and 1930 at a time when the influence of anarchist activists waned and organized labor often worked with the Radical Civic Union presidents. Whether based in or passing through this city, activists and exiles, partisans, and pretenders pursued various strategies to achieve revolutionary change, raise funds for causes, assure sovereignty, control the public narrative, and network with like-minded individuals and groups. These agitators created webs of associations throughout the Atlantic world in the process. These networks were vital in fashioning enduring transnational connections, strategies of resistance, shared discourses, and symbolic registers that framed how nationalist and anti-imperial interactions were understood. This article focuses on Irish republicans, Catalan nationalists, and Arab anti-colonialists and their interactions with Argentine agitators, sympathizers, and various state acto...
Oligomerization versus polymerization of Te(x)(n-) in the polytelluride compound BaBiTe3. Structural characterization, electronic structure, and thermoelectric properties

The compound BaBiTe3 was prepared by the reaction of Ba/Bi/Te at over 700 °C in either K2Te4 or BaTe3 flux and was recrystallized in a Ba/BaTe3 flux. The black rod-shaped polycrystalline material crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P212121 (no. 19) with a = 4.6077(2) A, b = 17.0437(8) A, c = 18.2997(8) A, V = 1437.1(2) A3, Z = 8, and dcalc = 6.74 g/cm3. Number with Fo2 > 3σ(Fo)2 3373, number of variables 92, and sin (θ/λ) < 0.7. The final R/Rw = 4.55/5.61%. The structure is BaBiSe3 type and may be described as layers made up from interdigitating columnar [Bi4Te10(Te2)]∞ “herring-bone” shaped segments. Ba2+ ions are in distorted tri-capped trigonal prismatic sites between the layers. From band structure calculations, a formal charge distribution taking into account the occurrence of short-bonding Te···Te contacts in the structure can be written as Ba2+4Bi3+4Te2-8Te1-4. The electrical conductivity, thermopower, thermal lattice conductivity, and infrared absorption properties of this material sugges...
Implanted sensors to measure pH and other analytes with x-ray readout (Conference Presentation)

X-ray imaging is well-suited for deep tissue analysis, and is routinely used in medical diagnosis, but is normally blind to local biochemical signals. Here we describe simple passive implantable sensors that can report local chemical concentrations (e.g. pH), which are important for detecting and studying infection and other diseases or conditions. The sensors contain hydrogels with chemically-responsive swelling; the chemical concentration is determined using an X-ray to measure the position of radio-opaque markers in embedded in the hydrogel. For example, to measure local pH near the surface of an orthopedic plate, a sensor containing a polyacrylic acid hydrogel was attached to the plate. The hydrogel displayed a pH-dependent swelling, expanding approximately and moving an embedded radio-opaque tungsten marker. The sensor was calibrated in standard pH buffers and tested during bacterial growth in culture. Its response was negligibly affected by changes in temperature and sodium chloride concentration within the normal physiological range. Radiographic measurements were also performed in cadaveric tissue with the sensor attached to an implanted orthopedic plate fixed to a tibia. Pin position readings varied by 100 µm between observers surveying the same radiographs, corresponding to 0.065 pH unit precision in the range pH 4-8 (1.5 mm/pH unit). We are expanding the approach to other analytes (infection markers and mechanical strain sensors to track bone heaing), miniaturized injectable sensors, and imaging at multiple locations. Acknowledgement: This research was supported by the following grants: NSF CHE1255535, NIH NIGMS 5P20GM103444-07, NIH 1R21EB019709-01A1, and NIH NIAMS R01 AR070305-01.
Police officer wellness

Abstract The need for defined wellness programs within the law enforcement community is clear. What is unclear, however, is a thorough understanding of how wellness is defined. The challenges inherent in the policing profession are unique to most careers, requiring that individual and organizational approaches to wellness meet an elite standard. To understand wellness begins with an historical review of what once constituted being well and how that designation has changed over time from a hedonistic to a holistic perspective of service. Reaching beyond the traditionally-accepted picture of physical wellness, this chapter dives into five types of capital that provide a well-rounded picture of wellness: human capital, spiritual capital, social capital, economic capital, and psychological capital. In each category, wellness is experienced in the act of realizing small wins, reaching goals, and a mindset of stretching self beyond a current state of satisfaction and toward a future state of achievement. Establishing wellness is largely an individual endeavor, requiring a concerted effort toward self-awareness and development. As such, no two wellness plans are identical. However, departments interested in applying wellness standards can integrate individual wellness plans into personnel training and evaluation initiatives. Combining personal growth with professional standards serves two critical needs: officer wellness and cultural wellness. Each is essential to the law enforcement officer's mission.
Modified early warning score-based clinical decision support: cost impact and clinical outcomes in sepsis

Objective The objective of this study was to assess the clinical and financial impact of a quality improvement project that utilized a modified Early Warning Score (mEWS)-based clinical decision support intervention targeting early recognition of sepsis decompensation. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective, interrupted time series study on all adult patients who received a diagnosis of sepsis and were exposed to an acute care floor with the intervention. Primary outcomes (total direct cost, length of stay [LOS], and mortality) were aggregated for each study month for the post-intervention period (March 1, 2016-February 28, 2017, n = 2118 visits) and compared to the pre-intervention period (November 1, 2014-October 31, 2015, n = 1546 visits). Results The intervention was associated with a decrease in median total direct cost and hospital LOS by 23% (P = .047) and .63 days (P = .059), respectively. There was no significant change in mortality. Discussion The implementation of an mEWS-based clinical decision support system in eight acute care floors at an academic medical center was associated with reduced total direct cost and LOS for patients hospitalized with sepsis. This was seen without an associated increase in intensive care unit utilization or broad-spectrum antibiotic use. Conclusion An automated sepsis decompensation detection system has the potential to improve clinical and financial outcomes such as LOS and total direct cost. Further evaluation is needed to validate generalizability and to understand the relative importance of individual elements of the intervention.
Disarming the Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes predictable, annual outbreaks of respiratory tract disease in temperate as well as tropical climates around the globe. Infants in the first 6 months of life...
Krüppel-like factor/specificity protein evolution in the Spiralia and the implications for cephalopod visual system novelties.

The cephalopod visual system is an exquisite example of convergence in biological complexity. However, we have little understanding of the genetic and molecular mechanisms underpinning its elaboration. The generation of new genetic material is considered a significant contributor to the evolution of biological novelty. We sought to understand if this mechanism may be contributing to cephalopod-specific visual system novelties. Specifically, we identified duplications in the Kruppel-like factor/specificity protein (KLF/SP) sub-family of C2H2 zinc-finger transcription factors in the squid Doryteuthis pealeii. We cloned and analysed gene expression of the KLF/SP family, including two paralogs of the DpSP6-9 gene. These duplicates showed overlapping expression domains but one paralog showed unique expression in the developing squid lens, suggesting a neofunctionalization of DpSP6-9a. To better understand this neofunctionalization, we performed a thorough phylogenetic analysis of SP6-9 orthologues in the Spiralia. We find multiple duplications and losses of the SP6-9 gene throughout spiralian lineages and at least one cephalopod-specific duplication. This work supports the hypothesis that gene duplication and neofunctionalization contribute to novel traits like the cephalopod image-forming eye and to the diversity found within Spiralia.
Beneficial relations between species & the moral responsibility of wondering

Some concepts within the development theory known as the ‘capabilities approach’ can articulate multi-species justice. To do so, they should begin with ‘biocentric wonder’ and its correlate, the ‘b...
Traumatic Bronchobiliary Fistula: Image Correlation with HIDA and SPECT/CT

1151 Objectives: The objective of this presentation is to describe the pathophysiological and diagnostic elements of a traumatic bronchobiliary fistula and its correlation with various imaging modalities, including hepatobiliary (HIDA) scintigraphy and SPECT/CT. Methods: Hepatobiliary scintigraphy was initially obtained with injection of 4.4 mCi of Tc-99m mebrofenin to assess for extrahepatic biliary leak. These findings were confirmed with SPECT/CT of the lower chest and upper abdomen. Follow up analysis of sputum for any biliary contents, post-radiotracer injection, was obtained using a single static image from the gamma camera. Results: HIDA images obtained demonstrated normal flow to the liver, with an expected photopenic area on the liver dome correlating with known gunshot wound tract. Gallbladder was not visualized within 60 minutes; however, abnormal accumulation of radiotracer was seen on the dome of the liver. SPECT/CT was obtained for further evaluation and demonstrated abnormal radiotracer accumulation within the gunshot wound tract through the liver, extending to the right lung base. Correlation with physical exam showed leakage of suspected bile to the skin surface in the right posterolateral chest wall. Sputum analysis with the gamma camera demonstrated increased radiotracer activity that confirmed the suspected bronchobiliary fistula. Conclusion: The first documented case of a bronchobiliary fistula was in 1850 in a patient with hydatid cyst disease. Today, the majority of these fistulas are mechanical (bile duct obstruction) or infectious (abscess) in nature. However, bronchobiliary fistulas have been described as a rare and unusual complication of traumatic thoracoabdominal wounds. Clinical symptoms, including biliptysis, are usually sufficient to make the diagnosis. Diagnostic imaging is most often attained regardless to assess the full extent of trauma. CT, MRCP, and ERCP are the most widely used diagnostic methods to assess for bronchobiliary fistulas. CT may be able to show indirect evidence of these fistulas, such as subphrenic fluid collection, diaphragmatic discontinuity, and bronchiectasis. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy, however, is most reliable in detecting even small bronchobiliary fistulas by including information regarding the pathophysiology of bile excretion. SPECT/CT can be used following hepatobiliary scintigraphy to confirm these suspicions. These two methods provide the most practical, non-invasive evaluation into the anatomy and function of the biliary system, including rare pathology, such as traumatic fistula formation.
QCD at Finite Chemical Potential

In this chapter we discuss current methods to extend the QCD equation of state and transition temperature to finite chemical potential. Due to the sign problem, direct simulations are not currently possible and are replaced by approximated methods, which allow to expand the observables to small values of the chemical potential. We introduce the Taylor expansion and imaginary chemical potential simulation methods, and discuss the most recent results on the QCD equation of state and transition line extended to finite μB. We also discuss current limits on the position of the QCD critical point from first principles.