cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discrimination, Stress, and Acculturation among Dominican Immigrant Women.

Researchers have well established the association between discriminatory experiences, life chances, and mental health outcomes among Latino/as, especially among Mexican Americans. However, few studies have focused on the impact of stress or the moderating effects of low acculturation levels among recent immigrants, such as Dominicans. Using the transactional stress model, the present community-based study examines the relationship between discrimination and stress, and whether this association varies by low acculturation levels in a sample of 246 Dominican women. Results indicate a positive relationship between major racist events (e.g., job-related discrimination), everyday discrimination (e.g., not receiving services in a store), and stress levels. Furthermore, low acculturation moderated the impact that discriminatory experiences had on the stress level of Dominican women. Implications for further research on discrimination and stress among Dominican immigrants are discussed.
Use of the crown competition factor concept to select clones and spacings for short-rotation woody crops

Plantation spacing and rotation age are interrelated critical factors in optimizing production of short-rotation woody crops (SRWC). Different genotypes have different spacing and rotation-age optima. I have developed a method for estimating the optimum for new Populus clones based on a modification of the crown competition factor (CCF) concept, which was originally developed for conventional forestry practices with older trees. Measurements of as few as 100 trees of a new clone over a relatively short time period could be used to predict the optimum spacing and rotation age combinations for that clone. The technique could also be used to quantify basic differences in crown architecture and yield physiology among genotypes. One set of at least 20 trees is planted at an open-grown spacing and measured annually for crown and basal stem diameters. The regression of crown diameter on stem diameter is used to calculate the land area that would be occupied per open-grown tree at various stem diameters. This allows prediction of the spacing needed to reach the minimum density for maximum stand growth at a given age or stem size. A second set of 80 measurement trees is planted in a closely spaced set of Nelder arcs to force overstocking within the first few years of growth. Productivity measurements on these trees establish the upper limit on CCF for maximum stand growth. The data are then used to calculate the best spacing and rotation age combination for a new clone. Application of this model may lead to a better understanding of the productive advantages of the sylleptic branch habit, different branch angles and seasonal growth rates, different carbon allocation strategies, and responses to competition.
Proposal for realizing Majorana fermions in chains of magnetic atoms on a superconductor

We propose an easy-to-build easy-to-detect scheme for realizing Majorana fermions at the ends of a chain of magnetic atoms on the surface of a superconductor. Model calculations show that such chains can be easily tuned between trivial and topological ground states. In the latter, spatially resolved spectroscopy can be used to probe the Majorana fermion end states. Decoupled Majorana bound states can form even in short magnetic chains consisting of only tens of atoms. We propose scanning tunneling microscopy as the ideal technique to fabricate such systems and to probe their topological properties.
A hierarchical and contextual model for aerial image understanding

In this paper we present a novel method for parsing aerial images with a hierarchical and contextual model learned in a statistical framework. We learn hierarchies at the scene and object levels to handle the difficult task of representing scene elements at different scales and add contextual constraints to resolve ambiguities in the scene interpretation. This allows the model to rule out inconsistent detections, like cars on trees, and to verify low probability detections based on their local context, such as small cars in parking lots. We also present a two-step algorithm for parsing aerial images that first detects object-level elements like trees and parking lots using color histograms and bag-of-words models, and objects like roofs and roads using compositional boosting, a powerful method for finding image structures. We then activate the top-down scene model to prune false positives from the first stage. We learn this scene model in a minimax entropy framework and show unique samples from our prior model, which capture the layout of scene objects. We present experiments showing that hierarchical and contextual information greatly reduces the number of false positives in our results.
Design, Modeling and Control of a Novel Architecture for Automatic Transmissions

University of Minnesota M.S. thesis. June 2013. Major: Mechanical Engineering. Advisor:Zongxuan Sun. 1 computer file (PDF); vii, 66 pages, appendix A.
Treatment of complex superficial femoral artery lesions with PolarCath cryoplasty.

Use of cryoplasty in patients with severely symptomatic (Rutherford category ≥3) superficial femoral artery (SFA) disease has not been systematically evaluated. From August 2006 to October 2007, 27 consecutive, severely symptomatic patients with 39 lesions in 36 limbs underwent SFA cryoplasty using the PolarCath at 2 centers. Mean age was 74 ± 12 years and 48% were men; 41% had diabetes, 59% had coronary artery disease, and 61% had complex lesions (ostial, calcified, chronic total occlusion, in-stent restenosis, or length ≥150 mm). Adjunctive stenting was required after cryoplasty in 11 of 39 lesions. Immediate procedural success was 100%. After a mean follow-up of 1.2 ± 0.7 years, primary patencies were 67% overall, 75% in the cryoplasty-only group (28 lesions), and 46% in the group requiring adjunctive stent placements. Symptom improvement by ≥1 Rutherford category was seen in 31 (86%) limbs from a mean baseline Rutherford category of 3.16 ± 0.56 to 1.14 ± 1.12 (p
What Constitutes a Healthy Communal Marriage and Why Relationship Stage Matters

The authors take a position that high-quality marriages are best defined in terms of theoretically grounded sets of intra- and interpersonal processes that promote both individuals' mental and physical health and the health of their relationship. On the basis of a long-standing research program on communal and exchange relationships, they set forth one set of marital processes, those surrounding the provision of mutual responsiveness, that contribute to marital quality. Then they add an important caveat: Relationship stage matters. They present a model of three additional relationship processes (strategic self-presentation, self-protection, partner evaluation), each of which is proposed to be healthy and normative during relationship initiation but harmful to individuals and relationship functioning if it does not diminish or disappear following marital commitment.
Retinoids and Carnosol Suppress Cyclooxygenase-2 Transcription by CREB-binding Protein/p300-dependent and -independent Mechanisms

Treatment with retinoic acid (RA) or carnosol, two structurally unrelated compounds with anticancer properties, inhibited phorbol ester (PMA)-mediated induction of activator protein-1 (AP-1) activity and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in human mammary epithelial cells. The induction of COX-2 transcription by PMA was mediated by increased binding of AP-1 to the cyclic AMP response element (CRE) of the COX-2 promoter. Inhibition of the histone acetyltransferase activity of CREB- binding protein (CBP)/p300 blocked the induction of COX-2 by PMA. Treatment with carnosol but not RA blocked increased binding of AP-1 to the COX-2 promoter. Because AP-1 binding was unaffected by RA, we investigated whether RA inhibited COX-2 transcription via effects on the coactivator CBP/p300. Treatment with RA stimulated an interaction between RA receptor-alpha and CBP/p300; a corresponding decrease in the interaction between CBP/p300 and c-Jun was observed. Importantly, overexpressing CBP/p300 or dominant-negative RA receptor-alpha relieved the suppressive effect of RA on PMA-mediated stimulation of the COX-2 promoter. To elucidate the mechanism by which carnosol inhibited COX-2 transcription, its effects on protein kinase C (PKC) signaling were determined. Carnosol but not RA inhibited the activation of PKC, ERK1/2, p38, and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase. Overexpressing c-Jun but not CBP/p300 reversed the suppressive effect of carnosol on PMA-mediated stimulation of COX-2 promoter activity. Thus, RA acted by a receptor-dependent mechanism to limit the amount of CBP/p300 that was available for AP-1-mediated induction of COX-2. By contrast, carnosol inhibited the induction of COX-2 by blocking PKC signaling and thereby the binding of AP-1 to the CRE of the COX-2 promoter. Taken together, these results show that small molecules can block the activation of COX-2 transcription by distinct mechanisms.
The importance of a single G in the hairpin loop of the iron responsive element (IRE) in ferritin mRNA for structure: an NMR spectroscopy study

Noncoding sequences regulate the function of mRNA and DNA. In animal mRNAs, iron responsive elements (IREs) regulate the synthesis of proteins for iron storage, uptake and red cell heme formation. Folding of the IRE was indicated previously by reactivity with chemical and enzymatic probes. 1H- and 31P-NMR spectra now confirm the IRE folding; an atypical 31P-spectrum, differential accessibility of imino protons to solvents, multiple long-range NOEs and heat stable subdomains were observed. Biphasic hyperchromic transitions occurred (52 and 73 degrees C). A G-C base pair occurs in the hairpin loop (HL) (based on dimethylsulfate, RNAse T1 previously used, and changes in NMR imino proton resonances typical of G-C base pairs after G/A substitution). Mutation of the hairpin loop also decreased temperature stability and changed the 31P-NMR spectrum; regulation and protein (IRP) binding were previously shown to change. Alteration of IRE structure shown by NMR spectroscopy, occurred at temperatures used in studies of IRE function, explaining loss of IRP binding. The effect of the HL mutation on the IRE emphasizes the importance of HL structure in other mRNAs, viral RNAs (e.g. HIV-TAR), and ribozymes.
Selenium (IV) Selective Electrode

Abstract A selenium ion selective electrode is described in which the active ingredient is A liquid membrane consisting of A saturated solution of 3, 3′ -diaminobenzidine in hexane. An analytically useful potential change occurs from 10−4 to 1010−3 M selenium(IV) at pH 2. 5. The electrode shows fairly good selectivity for selenium over other ions.
Volume H/sup -/ ion source development at LAMPF

One method of increasing the intensity of the LAMPF proton Storage Ring is to use a brighter H/sup -/ ion source. To develop such a source, the performance of the small LBL dipole filter and the BNL toroidal filter volume H/sup -/ sources are being investigated. Results of testing a new high-duty-factor design of the BNL toroidal filter volume source are discussed. Results of experiments to reduce the electron to H/sup -/ ratio and modulate the beam intensity in the small LBL source are presented. >
Effect of Insecticides on Tiphia vernalis (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae) Oviposition and Survival of Progeny to Cocoon Stage When Parasitizing Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Larvae

Abstract The effect of insecticides on oviposition of Tiphia vernalis Rohwer and subsequent survival of parasitoid progeny to the cocoon stage was determined in the laboratory by using larval Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, as the host. Insecticides tested were imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, halofenozide, chlorpyrifos, and carbaryl at labeled rates. Female T. vernalis were allowed 2 d to parasitize P. japonica larvae after the parasitoids had received a 4-d exposure to insecticide-treated soil. Another group of female T. vernalis were allowed 2 d to parasitize P. japonica larvae that had been exposed to insecticide-treated soil for 3–4 d. Percentage of parasitism of P. japonica larvae in these trials after exposure of adult parasitoids to carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, halofenozide, or imidacloprid-treated soil (23.3–50.0%) or adult parasitoids to chlorpyrifos, halofenozide, or imidacloprid-treated grubs (33.0–56.7%) was not negatively affected relative to the control treatment (21.7–54.2%). A third grou...
A Memory Model of Emotion

For a number of years, four theories of depression have predominated in the psychological literature: Peter Lewinsohn’s (1974) behavioral theory, Martin Seligman’s (1974) learned helplessness theory, Lynn Rehm’s (1977) self-control model, and Aaron Beck’s (1972) cognitive theory. These theories have been influential in generating new research and new findings have influenced the theorists to revise and update their theories. For the most part these revisions have been in the direction of adopting more cognitive approaches.
A New Name for Alpine Populations of Hesperia colorado (Scudder) (Hesperiidae, Hesperiinae) in Colorado

ABSTRACT. A reevaluation of the lectotype and type locality of Pamphila (=Hesperia) colorado Scudder indicates that populations in Colorado which were described as Hesperia comma oroplata Scott (=H. colorado oroplata) are synonymous. Based on an examination of numerous specimens, a new subspecies is described for alpine (mainly above timberline) populations in Colorado, which were previously attributed to the nominotypical subspecies. Patterns of geographic variation observed among subspecies of H. Colorado in Colorado and bordering states are also reviewed.
Adhesion of an axisymmetric elastic body: ranges of validity of monomial approximations and a transition model.

Abstract The Johnson–Kendall–Roberts and the Maugis models have been used to model the adhesion of spherical elastic bodies (represented by paraboloids). Recent work has investigated adhesion of higher-order monomial shapes. These results differ significantly from those of paraboloids. Given that any practical shape will not be “exactly” either a paraboloid or a higher-order monomial, the question arises as to the ranges of validity of these models and what is the requirement, if any, for a transition model. In this investigation the ranges of validity of these models are established by considering a two-term transition model. Furthermore the need for using this transition model is shown to depend not only on the geometry of the bodies but also on material properties.
What 'Assault' on American Companies?

In this letter to the editor I argue that the reason that U.S. entities appear to be disproportionately targeted by current EU state aid investigations is because U.S. entities seek more advance tax rulings than their foreign counterparts. I also argue that no U.S. interests are harmed by the EU investigations.
Amblypygids: Model Organisms for the Study of Arthropod Navigation Mechanisms in Complex Environments?

Navigation is an ideal behavioral model for the study of sensory system integration and the neural substrates associated with complex behavior. For this broader purpose, however, it may be profitable to develop new model systems that are both tractable and sufficiently complex to ensure that information derived from a single sensory modality and path integration are inadequate to locate a goal. Here, we discuss some recent discoveries related to navigation by amblypygids, nocturnal arachnids that inhabit the tropics and sub-tropics. Nocturnal displacement experiments under the cover of a tropical rainforest reveal that these animals possess navigational abilities that are reminiscent, albeit on a smaller spatial scale, of true-navigating vertebrates. Specialized legs, called antenniform legs, which possess hundreds of olfactory and tactile sensory hairs, and vision appear to be involved. These animals also have enormous mushroom bodies, higher-order brain regions that, in insects, integrate contextual cues and may be involved in spatial memory. In amblypygids, the complexity of a nocturnal rainforest may impose navigational challenges that favor the integration of information derived from multimodal cues. Moreover, the movement of these animals is easily studied in the laboratory and putative neural integration sites of sensory information can be manipulated. Thus, amblypygids could serve as a model system for the discovery of neural substrates associated with a unique and potentially sophisticated navigational capability. The diversity of habitats in which amblypygids are found also offers an opportunity for comparative studies of sensory integration and ecological selection pressures on navigation mechanisms.
Carbon-13 NMR of Polymers

Abstract Recent advances in 13C NMR spectroscopy instrumentation are causing an almost-explosive flurry of activity in organic molecular structure studies. This is the most powerful molecular structure tool to come upon the scene since proton NMR, and it will undoubtedly surpass the latter in importance. There are several reasons for this: (a) The l3C chemical shifts cover a range of about 300 ppm compared to only about 12 ppm for proton chemical shifts, i.e., there are more “boxes” in which to display the same information (b) 13C chemical shifts are much more sensitive to steric environment than proton chemical shifts. Thus two carbon nuclei whose local environments are comparable might have relatively large chemical shift differences. These shift differences depend primarily upon the local π-electron density, whereas proton shifts are more strongly influenced by neighboring bond anisotropy shielding effects [1,2]. (c) 13C spectra are simpler to interpret because all spin-spin interactions can be removed...
Behavioral effects of isolation in the rat

Male albino rats were raised either invidually (N = 13) or in groups (N = 12) from weaning at 21 days of age until they were tested at 111 days of age. Experimenter ratings and a “timidity” test showed the isolated Ss to be more emotional than group-raised Ss. No significant differences were found on startle or activity tests.
Biosynthesis of the Tetramic Acids Sch210971 and Sch210972

A biosynthetic pathway to fungal polyketide-nonribosomal peptide natural products, Sch210971 (1a) and Sch210972 (1b) from Hapsidospora irregularis, was characterized by reconstitution and heterologous expression in Fusarium heterosporum. Using genetic, biochemical, and feeding experiments, we show that the incorporated amino acid 4-hydroxyl-4-methyl glutamate (HMG) is synthesized by an aldolase, probably using pyruvate as the precursor.
An interactive tool for ROI extraction and compression on whole slide images

In this paper, we presented an integrated graphical user interface (GUI) tool, which supports interactive regions of interest (ROIs) extraction from whole slide imagery and provides lossless compression of the ROIs extracted, leading to over 40 times compression on the original image. As a case study to demonstrate the usefulness of this tool, we applied a simple block-matching technique to detect malaria infected cells from a whole slide image based on a template provided by the user, who can control the percentage of the extracted pixels by varying the acceptable similarity threshold. The tool allowed us to conduct a comparative study on the efficiencies of several compression methods (including Bzip2, Winzip and Shape-Adaptive JPEG 2000) on image subsets that are continuously variable. This case study provides new insights into the interactions between the geometry of ROIs and the amount of compression achievable on medical images.
La Seguridad Privada En Guatemala: El Caso De La Supervisión Y El Control (Private Security in Guatemala: The Case of Supervision and Control)

Spanish Abstract: A finales de los anos setenta y principios de los ochenta, Guatemala, El Salvador y Nicaragua fueron escenario de una serie de conflictos internos, en gran parte como resultado de las desigualdades economicas y sociales, y de regimenes politicos represivos, alimentados por las politicas de las grandes superpotencias de la epoca. Despues de la firma de los acuerdos de paz en 1996, la presencia de empresas de seguridad privada en Guatemala se ha incrementado en forma significativa en relacion con el ambiente de inseguridad y la demanda de proteccion por parte de la sociedad en general. La prestacion del servicio de seguridad por el sector privado constituye un reto al papel del Estado como protagonista principal de los asuntos de salvaguardia y garante del amparo fisico y patrimonial de los ciudadanos. En ausencia de un sistema legal eficiente o de una estructura regulatoria, estas actividades del sector privado plantean el tema de la legalidad, legitimidad y entrega de cuentas en la esfera de la politica de seguridad. Este ensayo tiene como objetivo analizar el estado del control y la supervision del sector privado en el ambito de la seguridad publica de Guatemala. English Abstract: In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua underwent a series of internal conflicts, largely as a result of economic and social inequalities and repressive political regimes, fueled by the policies of the two main superpowers at the time. Since 1996 when the peace agreements were signed the presence of private security companies in Guatemala has increased significantly, given the climate of insecurity and demand for protection by society at large. The provision of security by the private sector is challenging the state’s role as the main actor responsable for the security and safety of citizens and the protection of their assets. In the absence of an efficient legal system or regulatory structure, these private sector activities raise issues of legality, legitimacy, and accountability in the area of security policy. This paper seeks to analyze the state of control and supervision of the private sector in the field of public security in Guatemala.
Molecular deposition of a macrocyclic cobalt catalyst on TiO2 nanoparticles

Abstract Hybrid photocatalysts consisting of molecular catalysts and solid-state surfaces have demonstrated great potential as robust and efficient systems in solar fuel production. Based on our prior work, we synthesized hybrid photocatalysts by depositing a macrocyclic Co(III) complex on three different TiO 2 nanomaterials via a microwave method. The hybrid photocatalysts were tested in CO 2 reduction and were thoroughly characterized with spectroscopic (UV–vis, FTIR and EPR) and microscopic (TEM) techniques. The presence of terminal OH groups on TiO 2 surfaces was essential for the molecular deposition of catalytically active Co(III) sites. On a TiO 2 material without such terminal OH groups, the Co(III) complex formed amorphous aggregates, which hindered interfacial electron transfer from photoactivated TiO 2 to the surface molecular complex. EPR studies further revealed important information regarding the coordination geometry and interaction with CO 2 of surface cobalt sites in the hybrid photocatalysts.
Use of a Nonexercise Estimate for Prestroke Peak Vo 2 During the Acute Stroke Hospital Stay

PURPOSE For individuals with acute stroke, it is difficult to conduct an exercise test to assess peak oxygen consumption (peak Vo2). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to use a clinically feasible tool for assessing prestroke peak Vo2 using a nonexercise estimation equation to test whether estimated prestroke peak Vo2 was related to the functional outcome measures at discharge from the hospital in individuals after an acute stroke. We hypothesized that the estimated prestroke peak Vo2 would be significantly related to discharge Physical Performance Test (PPT), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and lower extremity Fugl-Meyer (LEFM) assessment. METHODS Estimated prestroke peak Vo2 was calculated using a previously validated prediction equation using the following variables: body mass index, age, sex, resting heart rate, and a self-reported measure of physical activity. Outcome measures were assessed 4 days after enrollment or immediately before discharge (whichever occurred first). RESULTS Thirty-four participants (mean age = 56.0, SD = 12.6 years; 20 men) with acute stroke were enrolled within 48 hours of admission. For all individuals, mean estimated prestroke peak Vo2 was 27.3 (SD = 7.4) mL·kg-1·min-1 and had a weak, nonsignificant relationship with the PPT (r = 0.19; P = .28), 6MWT (r = 0.10; P = .56), and LEFM (r = 0.32; P = .06). However, when considering sex, women, but not men, had a significant relationship with LEFM (r = 0.73; P = .005) and moderate but nonsignificant relationship with PPT (r = 0.53; P = .06) and 6MWT (r = 0.47; P = .10). CONCLUSIONS Within 48 hours of stroke admission, we were able to administer a nonexercise equation to estimate prestroke peak Vo2. For the entire sample, functional measures conducted at discharge were not related to estimated prestroke peak Vo2. However, when considering sex, the relationship between prestroke Vo2 and the functional measures was strengthened.
Abstract LB-096: Induction of systemic immunity through single-site intratumoral CD40 activation and checkpoint blockade eradicates melanoma in the brain

Background: Melanoma brain metastases (MBM) are a rapidly growing clinical problem with up to 60% of melanoma patients developing MBM over the course of their disease. Locoregional treatment with surgery, radiotherapy, radiosurgery, and newer drug classes such as checkpoint inhibitors and targeted agents against BRAF-mutation melanoma have shown limited effectiveness against MBM (Lancet 2015; 16: e486-97). MBM patients continue to have poor clinical outcomes and life expectancies of only 3-7 months. Thus, there is a significant unmet need for effective therapies for MBM patients. Direct intratumoral administration of a non-replicating adenovirus encoding a CD40-targeting chimeric immunostimulatory protein (ISF35) leads to generation of potent melanoma-specific T cells. When combined with checkpoint inhibitors, ISF35 generates synergistic systemic anti-melanoma immunity that eradicates both injected and uninjected distant melanoma with 40% of mice cured using a B16 model. Based on this evidence of systemic activity, we hypothesized that ISF35/checkpoint inhibitors combination treatment may have systemic activity against MBM. Methods: A MBM mouse model was developed using luciferase-expressing B16 (B16-Luc). B16-Luc cells were subcutaneously (s.c.) implanted in the right flank of C57BL/6 mice 12 days prior to treatment. B16-Luc cells were then injected into the brain four days prior to treatment. Following tumor establishment at both sites, ISF35 was injected intratumorally in the right flank tumor on days 0, 4, 9, and 14. Simultaneously, anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies were systemically administered. Results: Intratumoral administration of ISF35 in combination with anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 significantly increased (p Conclusions: These results suggest ISF35 may improve the effectiveness of checkpoint inhibitors therapy for metastatic melanoma, including in the brain. Citation Format: Manisha Singh, Christina Vianden, Adi Diab, Patrick Hwu, Willem W. Overwijk. Induction of systemic immunity through single-site intratumoral CD40 activation and checkpoint blockade eradicates melanoma in the brain. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-096.
Direct and indirect effects of shifting rainfall on soil microbial respiration and enzyme activity in a semi-arid system

Higher interannual precipitation variability is predicted for Southern California’s shrub-dominated systems, promoting soil moisture variation and changing community composition. We asked if soil microbial responses to rainfall regime will depend on litter inputs; showing direct effects of altered precipitation through soil moisture and indirect effects resulting from shifting litter inputs. Soils were collected from a 2-year field rainfall manipulation experiment. Under lab conditions soils were subjected to high or low moisture pulses with litter amendments from native and exotic species in all combinations. Soil respiration was higher with larger water pulses, but rose over time in low pulse treatments (direct response). Litter additions from exotic species promoted greater respiration, and results were stronger under higher soil moisture (indirect response). Extracellular enzyme activities generally were higher with exotic litter and under high moisture pulses. Those involved in N-cycling had much larger increases activity for the exotic litter addition - high moisture pulse scenarios compared to other treatments. Our results indicate the potential for microbial acclimation to drought conditions over short timescales and that below-ground processes are sensitive to direct and indirect effects of shifting rainfall regimes, especially where invasion is promoted by future climate change.
Emerging Infectious Disease: A Computational Multi-agent Model

In today's global society there exists a need to understand and predict the behavior of vector-borne diseases. With globalization, human groups tend to interact with other groups that can have one or multiple types of viruses. Currently, there are many mathematical models for studying patterns of emerging infectious diseases. These mathematical models are based on differential equations and can become unmanageable due to many parameters involved. With this in mind, we design and implement a simple spatial computational multi-agent model that can be used as a tool to analyze and predict the behavior of emerging infectious diseases. Our novel computational agent-based model integrated with evolution and phylogeny to simulate and understand emerging infectious diseases, which enables us to prevent or control outbreaks of infectious diseases in an effective and timely manner. Our multi-agent spatial-temporal model contributes to epidemiology, public health and computational simulation in several folds: First, our simulation offers an effective way to train public policy decision-makers who will respond to emergent outbreaks of infectious diseases in an appropriately and timely manner. Second, our model has the potential to aid real-time disease control and decision making. Third, our model uniquely takes evolution of viruses into account. Evolution of viruses means their genomic DNA/RNA sequence can mutate and compete for subpopulations of hosts (human, birds/pets). Our implementation provides graphical representation of the results by conducting a set of experiments under various settings.
Role of the Chemokine Receptor CXCR4 in Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia.

Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (WM) is characterized by the presence of lymphoplasmacytic cells in the bone marrow, and often in the lymph nodes. The mechanisms by which cells migrate/home to the bone marrow are poorly understood. The chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand SDF-1 have been implicated in the migration and homing of lymphocytes. The objective of this study was to begin to identify the role of CXCR4 in WM. Paraffin embedded tissues were obtained after informed consent from 10 bone marrow samples of asymptomatic WM/monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) (n=5) and symptomatic WM (n=5). Four normal bone marrow samples were obtained for control. CXCR4 expression was determined using anti-CXCR4 antibody (Affinity Bioreagents, Golden, CO) 1:200 dilution for 16hrs, and a scale of 0–3+ was used to determine relative expression in the lymphocytes. Anti-CD20 antibody was used to determine the presence of lymphocytes in the samples. To determine whether the receptor is functional, migration was performed with the WM cell line (WSU-WM, kind gift from Dr. Al-Khatib, Wayne State University) and using a transwell migration assay (Costar, Corning, NY) with serial dilutions of SDF-1 (10-100nM). Comparison between the asymptomatic and symptomatic WM groups was performed by c2 test, and Mann-Whitney test, as appropriate. The baseline patient characteristics are displayed in table 1. CXCR4 expression was present on the surface of scattered lymphocytes in the normal bone marrow (median expression 1+). The expression of CXCR4 was increased in the asymptomatic/MGUS cases of WM (median expression 2+). In contrast, CXCR4 expression was downregulated in 4/5 cases of symptomatic WM specifically all the ones with extensive involvement of the bone marrow with lymphoplasmacytic cells (median expression 0). SDF-1 induced a bell- shaped response of migration in the WM cells with the maximal migration occurring at 1-10nM SDF-1. SDF-1 1-10nM induced 340% increase in migration as compared to untreated cells. However, high doses of SDF-1 100nM did not induce any migration as compared to untreated cells indicating inhibition of migration in response to high doses of SDF-1. In summary, we demonstrate that the CXCR4 receptor is functional and induces migration indicating that it plays a role in the migration of WM cells to the bone marrow. In addition, we demonstrate that CXCR4 expression is downregulated in WM with high infiltration of cells in the bone marrow as compared to those with minimal infiltration. These results may be due to the high level of SDF-1 in the bone marrow that induce downregulation of CXCR4. High levels of SDF-1 may downregulate the receptor and inhibit migration in order to confine the cells within the bone marrow. Supported in part by an ASH scholar award and the RFW.
The Long-Gap Esophageal Atresia Problem

The repair of the most common form of esophageal atresia (EA) with a tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) from the lower esophageal segment to the trachea is often a pediatric surgeon’s favorite operation. Beginning with a fatal lesion if untreated, the repair requires skill and judgment, and, as an added bonus, the long-term outlook may be essentially normal. For the majority of EA/TEF infants, the operative result is entirely satisfactory and pleases both the families and the surgeon.
The Impact of Childhood Deprivation on Employees’ Capacity to Perform at Work and Organizational Well‐Being

This article raises awareness and offers a conceptual framework for the effects of childhood deprivation on adult employees’ performance, as well as organizational and societal well-being. It provides a comprehensive set of physiological and psychological development-related variables on childhood deprivation with propositions and practical implication. By examining the nature and causes of childhood deprivation, emotional limitations associated with adult workers’ disruptive attitude, behavior, and performance can be better interpreted and improved.
A history of the electron with no holes

Somewhat for convenience, the simplistic answer to the question "who discovered the electron, and when?" is usually given as "J J Thomson, in 1897". That was the year that Sir Joseph John Thomson carried out his famous cathode-ray experiments at Cambridge, which yielded a value for m/e, the ratio between the mass and charge of his "corpuscles". He obtained a value that was independent of the nature of the gas in the cathode-ray tube, and that was very small compared with the value already known for hydrogen ions in electrolysis.
Examining the processes involved in the design of journalistic information graphics: an exploratory study

AbstractJournalism students aspiring to become designers and graphics editors within the American news industry are routinely trained to produce information graphics (infographics) but to date ther...
Enantioselective counter-anions in photoredox catalysis: the asymmetric cation radical Diels-Alder reaction.

Abstract Control of absolute stereochemistry in radical and ion radical transformations is a major challenge in synthetic chemistry. Herein, we report the design of a photoredox catalyst system comprised of an oxidizing pyrilium salt bearing a chiral N-triflyl phosphoramide anion. This class of chiral organic photoredox catalysts is able to catalyze the formation of cation radical-mediated Diels-Alder transformations in up to 75:25 e.r. in both intramolecular and intermolecular examples.
Evolving coal-fired power plant carbon dioxide emission rate intensities on U.S. electricity operating systems

For many years, coal-fired power plant generation comprised the largest share of electricity in the U.S. power sector. While natural gas plants now constitute a greater portion of the total, coal is projected to remain a shrinking but significant component of U.S. electricity production. Natural gas-fired technologies are dispatchable and versatile generation sources, but the recent and anticipated growth of wind and solar technologies will add non-dispatchable, intermittent power generation sources to U.S. electricity grids. Numerous emissions-related benefits arise from the deployment of these technologies, but they must coexist with coal plants, many of which run most efficiently under baseload operating procedures. Historical monthly emissions data has been analyzed on a sample of coal plants to show how modified coal operations have affected plant emission rates, as measured by carbon dioxide emitted per unit of electricity output. Statistically significant correlations between plant capacity factors and emission rate intensity have been observed by the majority of the sample, showing a worsening under more sporadic operations. Since nearly all of the coal plants in the sample are generating less electricity, determining the emissions impact of operational decisions will assist policymakers as they seek to minimize total system emissions without severe disruptions to electricity cost and service reliability.
Comparative Neuroethology of Startle, Rapid Escape, and Giant Fiber-Mediated Responses

In this chapter I will explore the relationship between startle responses, rapid escape responses, and behaviors that are mediated by giant fibers. Are these independent, overlapping, or coextensive sets? It might be thought on superficial perusal of this book that it seems to support a view of these categories as being nearly universal, even if not quite coextensive. In their 1939 book The Startle Pattern, Landis and Hunt implied that this form of response seems confined to mammals. I will argue that all three categories are very ancient and widely distributed but by no means universal, and that they are in fact partially overlapping sets. This will require a brief survey of the animal kingdom with respect to criteria for each of the three categories of response. Hopefully, we will arrive at preferred usages for the terms and clear the air for conclusions about congruence of the three sets. This is no quibble over words, but an essential step toward the goal of contributing some well worked out examples of neuroethology—the adequate accounting for behavior in neural terms. The selection of papers in this book on a special class of behaviors is relevant not only to neuroethology but, as I will point out, to general neurobiology as well.
"The case of Ellen West": medical ethics on the threshold of anorexia nervosa

The case of Ellen West was published before anorexia nervosa was conceived as a clinical entity and previous to the birth of bioethics. This study seeks to understand the moral issues that Binswanger followed according to traditional medical ethics. Three dimensions are outstanding: formation of a firm pact based on trust, prudent judgments and virtues as personal excellences, which shaped the psychotherapeutic dialogue. In addition, he respected the professional secrecy, communication of alternative therapies and a dialogue based on saying and uncovering the truth. The final suicide was foreseen but he respected it as a choice of a project of existence although failed.
Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIP)

The idea of using multi-quantum well (MQW) structures to detect infrared radiation can be explained by using the basic principles of quantum mechanics. The quantum well is equivalent to the well known particle in a box problem in quantum mechanics, which can be solved by the time independent Schrodinger equation. Solutions to this problem involve the Eigen-values that describe the energy levels inside the quantum well in which the particle is allowed to exist. The position of the energy levels is primarily determined by the quantum well dimensions such as height and width. The chapter discusses quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIP) that utilize the photo excitation of the electron (hole) between the ground state and the first excited state in the conduction band quantum well. The quantum well structure is designed so that these photo-excited carriers can escape from the quantum well and be collected as photocurrent. In addition to larger intersub-band oscillator strength, these detectors afford greater flexibility than extrinsically doped semiconductor infrared detectors because the wavelength of the peak response and cutoff can be continuously tailored by varying layer thickness and barrier composition.
Enhanced Ultrasonographic Definition of Pelvic Anatomy by Instillation of Intraperitoneal Fluid

Visualization of the tubo-ovarian complex is very difficult by conventional sonography. The ovaries are seldom well outlined except when enlarged. The fallopian tube is seen only when pathologically involved; then, it is often inseparable from surrounding organs. In addition, a retrouterine mass is difficult to separate from the uterus or other adjacent structures. We have approached the study of this area by instilling intraperitoneal fluid and simultaneously filling the urinary bladder. To pre-empt clinical objections to intraperitoneal puncture, female patients from the dialysis unit were studied, since they already had cannular access to the peritoneum.
Nutrient Export in Relation to Land Use

Nutrient yield of land surface will be considered here in relation to land use. The central information base for this purpose is the representative watershed program, in which nutrient loss was measured for individual small watersheds dominated by particular land uses. The names and locations of the representative watersheds are shown in Figure 54. The watersheds represent eight different land uses: undisturbed (background), roads, interstate highways, residential development on sewer (nonpoint component), urban development on sewer (nonpoint component), residential development on septic, ski areas, and Climax Molybdenum operations. The nutrient yields from these representative watersheds are considered in sequence below. For each of the watershed types except the undisturbed type, the background nutrient yield is subtracted from the total yield and the residual is related quantitatively to the intensity of land use by some index such as the number of persons per unit area or the percentage of affected area. After the nonpoint sources have been treated in this way, consideration is given to the contributions per capita from small and large point sources (wastewater treatment plants).
Networking Research - A Reflection in the Middle Years

Abstract Networking is no longer a new area of computer science and engineering – it has matured as a discipline and the major infrastructure it supports, the Internet, is long past being primarily a research artifact. I believe that we should consider ourselves as the civil engineers of the Internet, primarily helping to understand and improve a vast and critical infrastructure. This implies that implementing changes takes decades, not conference cycles, and that implementation is largely driven by compatibility with existing infrastructure and considerations of cost effectiveness, where resources that research focuses on, such as bandwidth and compute cycles, often play a much smaller role than limited organizational capacity for change. Telecommunications carriers, in particular, have become akin to airlines, largely operating equipment designed by others, with emphasis on marketing, not innovation. Even more than in other engineering disciplines, standards matter, whether set by standards bodies or dominant players. Given the multi-year time frames of standards and the limited willingness of national funding bodies to support standardization work, this makes research impact harder, as does the increasing complexity of cellular networks and barriers to entry that shut out most researchers from contributing to large parts of commercial mobile networks.
Explaining the number of rebel groups in civil wars

ABSTRACTWhy do multiple rebel groups form in some civil wars but not others? Since 1946, only half of all civil wars were fought by a single rebel group; the rest were fought by multiple groups. Th...
Optimizing process economics and operational safety via economic MPC using barrier functions and recurrent neural network models

Abstract In the present work, a control Lyapunov-barrier function (CLBF)-based economic model predictive control (EMPC) system is designed to optimize process economics, and ensure stability and operational safety simultaneously based on a prediction model using an ensemble of recurrent neural network (RNN) models. As accurate first-principles models are not available for many industrial processes, RNN models are utilized in this work to approximate the dynamics of a general class of nonlinear systems in an operating region. The ensemble of RNN models are incorporated in the design of CLBF-EMPC, under which guaranteed closed-loop stability and process operational safety are achieved for the nonlinear systems with two types of unsafe regions, i.e., bounded and unbounded sets. The application of the proposed RNN-based CLBF-EMPC method is demonstrated through a chemical process example with the case studies of a bounded and an of unbounded unsafe region, respectively.
Unintegrated HIV-1 DNAs are loaded with core and linker histones and transcriptionally silenced

Upon delivery into the nucleus of the host cell, linear double-stranded retroviral DNAs are either integrated into the host genome to form the provirus or act as a target of the DNA damage response and become circularized. Little is known about the chromatinization status of the unintegrated retroviral DNAs of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). In this study, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation to investigate the nature of unintegrated HIV-1 DNAs and discovered that core histones, the histone variant H3.3, and H1 linker histones are all deposited onto extrachromosomal HIV-1 DNA. We performed a time-course analysis and determined that the loading of core and linker histones occurred early after virus application. H3.3 and H1 linker histones were also found to be loaded onto unintegrated DNAs of the Moloney murine leukemia virus. The unintegrated retroviral DNAs are potently silenced, and we provide evidence that the suppression of extrachromosomal HIV-1 DNA is histone-related. Unintegrated DNAs were marked by posttranslational histone modifications characteristic of transcriptionally inactive genes: high levels of H3K9 trimethylation and low levels of H3 acetylation. These findings reveal insights into the nature of unintegrated retroviral DNAs.