cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
One Hundred Fifty Years of Change in Forest Bird Breeding Habitat: Estimates of Species Distributions

Evaluating bird population trends requires baseline data. In North America the earliest population data available are those from the late 1960s. Forest conditions in the northern Great Lake states (U.S.A.), however, have undergone succession since the region was originally cut over around the turn of the twentieth century, and it is expected that bird populations have undergone concomitant change. We propose pre-Euro- American settlement as an alternative baseline for assessing changes in bird populations. We evaluated the amount, quality, and distribution of breeding bird habitat during the mid-1800s and early 1990s for three forest birds: the Pine Warbler ( Dendroica pinus), Blackburnian Warbler ( D. fusca), and Black-throated Green Warbler ( D. virens). We constructed models of bird and habitat relationships based on literature review and regional data sets of bird abundance and applied these models to widely available vegetation data. Original public-land survey records represented historical habitat conditions, and a combination of forest inventory and national land-cover data represented current conditions. We assessed model robustness by comparing current habitat distribution to actual breeding bird locations from the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas. The model showed little change in the overall amount of Pine Warbler habitat, whereas both the Blackburnian Warber and the Black-throated Green Warbler have experienced substantial habitat losses. For the species we examined, habitat quality has degraded since presettlement and the spatial distribution of habitat shifted among ecoregions, with range expansion accompanying forest incursion into previously open habitats or the replacement of native forests with pine plantations. Sources of habitat loss and degradation include loss of conifers and loss of large trees. Using widely available data sources in a habitat suitability model framework, our method provides a long-term analysis of change in bird habitat and a presettlement baseline for assessing current conservation priority.
A Non-Invasive Quarry Mapping System

Abstract The meter-grid system, using spikes hammered into the quarry floor as grid nodes, is a common way to map paleontological and archaeological excavations. This method is invasive to the fossil-bearing horizon and can damage or even destroy buried specimens. This potential is greatest when the site is characterized by high bone concentrations, and/or specimen/matrix friability. A new portable mapping system based on a floating-grid was developed to circumvent these problems. This system also is well suited for excavations with uneven quarry floors. The floating-grid system extends over a quarry using retractable wires and mobile posts. It employs a mapping square that hangs from wires extended from a back wall or rebar posts.
Use of Force and Home Safety: An Impact Assessment of Oklahoma’s Stand Your Ground Law

ABSTRACTSubsequent to Florida’s enactment of the first castle doctrine law in 2005, no less than 22 additional states have passed some sort of legislation that allows civilians to use deadly force to protect their property from violent and nonviolent offenders. Given the pervasiveness of these legislative acts, it becomes increasing important to find out whether or not they achieve their manifest goal of reducing the amount of crime within a jurisdiction. Toward this end, we employ interrupted time series modeling techniques to assess the impact of Oklahoma’s Stand Your Ground Law on the number of residential and non-residential burglaries. The findings indicate that while the legislative initiative achieved its manifest goal of reducing the number of residential burglaries, it simultaneously had the unintended consequence of increasing the number of non-residential burglaries.
Managing Work and Family: The Decision to Outsource Child Care in Families Engaged in Family-Owned Businesses

This study investigates the decision to outsource child care among families involved in family-owned businesses. A management framework is used to examine the impact of inputs to the decision (i.e., goals and resources) and level of management activity (i.e., planning and implementing) in these families as predictors of the choice to outsource child care. The data are a sub-sample of the data from a project entitled, “Family Businesses: Interaction in Work and Family Spheres” (Winter, Fitzgerald, Heck, Haynes, & Danes, 1998) undertaken in 1997. Study findings indicate that household managers who work in the family business are less likely to outsource child care compared to those who work outside the family business. More educated household managers purchased more, and managers in larger families fewer hours of child care. Female household managers purchased significantly fewer hours of child care compared to their male counterparts.
Abstract 2: Extensive Collateral Recruitment after Intravenous Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke is Associated with Symptomatic Intracranial Haemorrhage

Background: Various collateral channels are recruited to provide alternative pathways in acute ischemic stroke (AIS), however the relationship with patient outcomes remain unclear. We compared various existing methods of scoring collaterals on the pre-treatment and day-2 computed tomographic angiogram (CTA) of the brain in thrombolyzed AIS patients. Methods: We included 115 consecutive patients in whom CTA was performed both pre-tPA and on day-2. Intracranial collaterals were evaluated by 2 independent neuroradiologists using 4 existing and one modified method- Miteff’s system (grades middle cerebral artery (MCA) collateral branches with respect to sylvian fissure); Maas system (compares collaterals in affected hemisphere against the contralatral side); Modified Tan’s scale (collaterals in 50% or more of MCA territory classified as good); and 20-point collateral grading scale by Alberta Stroke Program Early CT score (ASPECTS) methodology. For the modified scoring system we adapted ASPECTS methodology into...
Patterns of turnover in Middle and Upper Ordovician brachiopods of the Eastern United States; a test of coordinated stasis

A compilation of species occurrences in a chronostratigraphic framework of depositional sequences from a 250,000 km2 area in the eastern United States is used to test for coordinated stasis in Middle and Upper Ordovician articulate brachiopods. Two rapid pulses of turnover in brachiopod species separate three periods of relatively lower turnover (ecologic-evolutionary [EE] subunits) that range from 3 to 9 m.y. in duration. Turnover within these EE subunits is characterized by high levels of percent species origination (ca. 60%) and percent species extinction (ca. 80%) and low levels of percent species persistence (<10%), all of which fall outside the range reported for coordinated stasis. Turnover between EE subunits is characterized by low levels of percent species holdover and percent species carryover (ca. 10% or less) and is consistent with coordinated stasis, although turnover pulses are driven largely by pulses in either extinction or origination, and not by pulses in both, as reported for coordinated stasis. Taken together, although these data display a marked bimodality in turnover, high levels of turnover within EE subunits is inconsistent with a pattern of coordinated stasis. Turnover rates within these EE subunits are much higher than previous global estimates for Cambro-Ordovician brachiopods or Phanerozoic marine species and indicate that local extirpation and migration play a significant role in regional biodiversity dynamics. Despite the high level of turnover observed within these EE subunits, some level of ecologic stability occurs because abundant genera persist throughout entire EE subunits. Ordovician species in this study behaved relatively independently of other taxa and were not tightly integrated as suggested by the broadly overlapping taxon abundance curves, the shifting habitat preference of some taxa, the piecemeal turnover between EE subunits, and the continuous creation of new species associations due to background levels of turnover within EE subunits. Turnover within EE subunits was associated with relatively stable or only mildly fluctuating environments. Rapid turnover between EE subunits was caused by extreme perturbations to the regional or possibly global ocean-climate system.
Sterol Ester Formation by Rat Liver Cell Fractions.

SummaryRat liver homogenates were fractionated into mitochondria, microsomes and soluble fraction. Cholesterol-4-C14 was found to be esterified in sytems containing whole homogenate, mitochondria plus soluble fraction, microsomes plus soluble fraction and soluble fraction alone. Virtually no esterifying activity was obtained in the presence of heated soluble fraction. A stimulatory effect of DPN on sterol ester formation was noted. The findings suggest that different parts of the liver cell possess the capability of forming sterol esters.
Paulownia Tree Trials in Eastern Kansas

Paulownia [Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.)], one of the fastest growing trees (Larson, 1981), has been grown in the southern United States for commercial production. Other names include princess tree, royal paulownia, and empress tree. It is a member of the Bignonia family and has enormous sized leaves (Johnson, 1973; Carpenter and Graves, 1981). This species was introduced into the USA in the early 1830's and has escaped cultivation in many areas and now proliferates throughout much of the southeast. It originally came from mainland China and is grown extensively in Japan, which is now the largest consumer of this commercial wood species. It is a short grown (rotation) species that is harvested at about 12 years. The United States exports large amounts of paulownia wood to Japan where it has been used for centuries primarily for furniture, which accounts for 75% of all imported logs. Wooden chests of drawers termed Tansu are made from this wood and nearly every Japanese home would have a Tansu of solid paulownia (Larson, 1981). It is a light wood, and chemical and physical properties indicate that it is not desirable for pulping, but good only for specialty wood products (Lee, 1981; Olson and Carpenter, 1985). Trees grow exceedingly fast on a variety of sites including hard, relatively infertile soils (Beckjord and McIntosh, 1983). Much has been written about nursery production and plantation culture of this species in the southeastern eastern United States (Stringer, 1986; Beckjord, 1982), but its potential in other areas has not been studied. This report presents a summary of our efforts to evaluate the suitability of establishing paulownia at four locations and its limit of latitude in the eastern part of Kansas.
A Perspective on Computer Music

It is a pleasure to be part of this 20th anniversary celebration of Computer Music Journal. The Journal has great significance to me and to many readers because it was our first introduction to the field of computer music. I saw a copy of Volume 1, No. 1 at an activities fair at Rice University where I was an undergraduate. I wrote for a subscription and back issues, and received a handwritten note from none other than founding editor, John Snell, explaining that my subscription would start with No. 1, as No. 2 was not yet in print. This was an exciting time. Microprocessors were just becoming available and digital synthesizers were beginning to appear, although nothing had reached the consumer market. Julius Smith was also at Rice, and we played in a band together. As a freshman, I met a graduate student who had invented "Karplus-Strong" plucked-string synthesis years before the well-known publication (Karplus and Strong 1983). He used a Digital Equipment Corp. PDP-11 minicomputer attached to a vector graphics display. The x and y deflection signals were diverted to a stereo amplifier to form a makeshift computer music system. The grad student had it playing two-part inventions in real time with very nice harpsichord-like timbres. This was perhaps the first "physical model" synthesis system. Computer Music Journal played a critical role in disseminating ideas from research, in fighting the isolation that comes from working in a small interdisciplinary area, and in defining the emerging field of computer music. While many of the early practitioners received their introduction to computer music through courses and residencies, many of us "learned the ropes" from the Journal's pages. Computer Music Journal is still a major resource in the field, even with the advent of new journals and conference proceedings. Where Were We?
Dynamic contrast optical coherence tomography: quantitative measurement of microvascular transit-time distributions in vivo(Conference Presentation)

Transit time is a fundamental microcirculatory parameter that is critical in determining oxygen delivery from capillaries to surrounding tissue. Recently, it was demonstrated theoretically that capillary transit-time heterogeneity potentially leads to non-uniform oxygen extraction in micro-domains. However, in spite of its importance, capillary transit-time distribution has been challenging to quantify comprehensively and efficiently at the microscopic level. Here, we introduce a method, called Dynamic Contrast Optical Coherence Tomography (DyC-OCT), based on dynamic cross-sectional OCT imaging of the kinetics of an intravascular tracer during its passage through the field-of-view. DyC-OCT is used to quantitatively measure the transit-time distribution in microvascular networks in cross-section at the single-capillary level. Transit-time metrics are derived from analysis of the temporal characteristics of the dynamic scattering signal, related to tracer concentration, using indicator-dilution theory. Since DyC-OCT does not require calibration of the optical focus, quantitative accuracy is achieved even deep in highly scattering brain tissue where the focal spot degrades. After direct validation of DyC-OCT against the dilution curves measured using a fluorescent plasma label in the surface pial vessels of a mouse brain, imaged through a thinned-skull, glass coverslip-reinforced cranial window, the laminar transit-time distribution was investigated in microvasculature across the entire depth of the mouse somatosensory cortex. Laminar trends were identified, with the earliest transit times in the middle cortical layers, and the lowest heterogeneity in cortical layer 4. The new DyC-OCT technique affords a novel perspective of microvascular networks, with the unique capability of performing simultaneous measurements of transit-time distributions across cortical laminae.
81 INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RESTRICTION ALTERS HISTONE CODE ALONG THE RAT HEPATIC INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR 1 LOCUS.

Objective Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) alters insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels in humans. IGF-1 messenger ribonucleic acid levels in day 0 IUGR rat liver are reduced to 25% in males and 40% in females compared with controls. In humans and rats, IGF-1 expression involves epigenetic regulation, including the use of different promoters, alternative exon splicing, and transcription termination. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is mediated in part by changes to chromatin structure due to post-translational modifications of histones (histone code). We hypothesized that the histone code associated with the IGF-1 gene is vulnerable to uteroplacental insufficiency and subsequent IUGR, leading to alterations in IGF-1 expression. Methods IUGR rats were generated by bilateral uterine artery ligation of pregnant e19 dams. Cesarean section was performed at term (day 0) and liver was harvested. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was performed with acetyl-K9/H3, acetyl-K14/H3, me2-K4/H3, me3-K4/H3, me3-K9/H3, and me3-K36/H3 antibodies at a resolution of 500 to 2,000 bp on control and IUGR day 0 rat livers. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify promoters P1 and P2, exon 5, proximal 3′ UTR, and distal 3′ UTR. An intergenic sequence 230 kb 3′ of IGF-1 gene was used as internal control. Results Along the IGF-1 gene, acetyl-K9/H3, me2-K4/H3, and me3-K4/H3 were greatest at the P2 region, whereas me3-K36/H3 accumulated within the body and toward the downstream region of the gene. Me3-K9/H3 distributed evenly along the IGF-1 gene. IUGR significantly increased acetyl-K14/H3 along the entire IGF-1 locus in female day 0 rat liver, whereas acetyl-K9/H3 was not affected in either males or females. IUGR significantly increased me2-K4/H3 at P1, P2, and exon 5 in the male day 0 rat liver but unaltered in females. Me3-K4/H3 was significantly increased at P1 in female day 0 IUGR rat liver, whereas there was no change in males. Me3- K9/H3 was not influenced by IUGR in both genders. IUGR significantly decreased me3- K36/H3 at all the five sites in females and at P2 in males. Conclusion The hepatic IGF-1 gene shows unique patterns of histone H3 covalent modifications. Uteroplacental insufficiency and subsequent IUGR alter these patterns across the IGF-1 locus in a gender-specific manner. Speculation We speculate that gender-specific differences in the IGF-1 histone code may be, in part, responsible for phenotypic differences between male and female IUGR individuals.
Binding and Functional Properties of Alpha1 Drenoceptors in Different Regions of the Human Prostate

Abstract The objective of the present study was to determine the density and functional properties of alpha 1 adrenoceptors in different regions of the human prostate. Binding and functional studies were performed on eight different topographical regions of the prostate. The contractile response (gm. force/mm. 2 cross-sectional area [CSA]) was determined at varying concentrations of phenylephrine, and saturation experiments were performed at seven different concentrations of 125 I-Heat. The maximal response to phenylephrine (E max ) ranged from 0.067 to 0.272 gm. force/mm. 2 The CSA and the EC 50 ranged from 25 to 41 μΜ. The differences between EC 50 and E max were not significantly different among the eight prostatic regions. A 1.8-fold difference between the E max for peripheral and central regions of the prostate was statistically significant (p = 0.04). The equilibrium dissociation constant (K d ) of 125 I-Heat and the receptor density B max were determined from the Scatchard plots. The mean K d and B max ranged from 0.15 to 0.26 nM. and 0.30 to 0.72 fmol. per mg. wet weight, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between mean K d and mean B max for the eight prostatic regions. The 1.7-fold difference between central and peripheral mean B max was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). A direct relationship was not observed between phenylephrine mean E max and mean B max . The present study demonstrates regional differences of the binding and functional properties of prostatic alpha 1 adrenoceptors in the human prostate. These regional differences must be taken into account when investigating the pharmacologic and physiologic properties of the prostate.
Introductory Remarks at the Beginning of Session III

It is, of course, especially appropriate that Professor Roughton, to whom this conference is dedicated, discovered along with Meldrum in 1933 the very interesting metalloenzyme which we will be discussing this morning. Fortunately, Dr. John Kernohan, who has worked with Professor Roughton on a number of important kinetic studies of red cell carbonic anhydrase is here to present some of his recent work on the activity of this enzyme. Little does he know, however, that the real reason I asked him to come here from Dundee was that I thought he might be influential in procuring some blood for me from a certain elusive denizen of a certain renowed Scottish loch. Its red cells should contain a very interesting carbonic anhydrase.
A Taxonomy of Classical Randomized Experiments

INTRODUCTION In this chapter we introduce four specific examples of classical randomized assignment mechanisms, and we relate these examples to the general taxonomy of assignment mechanisms described in the previous chapter. The four examples, Bernoulli trials, completely randomized experiments, stratified randomized experiments (randomized blocks), and paired randomized experiments, all satisfy the four criteria necessary for assignment mechanisms to be classified as classical randomized experiments. These criteria, as discussed in more detail in Chapter 3, require that the assignment mechanism ( i ) is individualistic , with the dependence on values of covariates and potential outcomes for other units limited; ( ii ) is probabilistic – each experimental unit has a positive probability of being assigned to the active treatment and a positive probability of being assigned to the control treatment; ( iii ) is unconfounded – that is, given covariates, does not depend on potential outcomes; and ( iv ) has a known functional form that is controlled by the researcher. The key difference between the four types of classical randomized experiments we consider in this chapter is in the set of assignment vectors W (the N -dimensional vector with elements W i ∈ {0, 1}) with positive probability. Let the set of all possible values be denoted by W = {0, 1} N , with cardinality 2 N , and let the subset of values for W with positive probability be denoted by W + . In the first example of randomized experiments, Bernoulli trials, each of the 2 N possible vectors W defining the treatment assignments of the full population of size N has positive probability. However, such trials put positive probability on assignments in which all units receive the same treatment, thereby compromising our ability to draw credible and precise inferences regarding the causal effect of one treatment versus another from the resulting data. The remaining three types of classical randomized experiments impose increasingly restrictive sets of conditions on the set W + of values of W with positive probability.
Classroom Observations and Effects of Reading Interventions for Students at Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

This study investigated the effects of small-group reading interventions, implemented within a schoolwide positive behavior support model, on elementary students with and without risk for emotional...
Unsupervised single-cell analysis in triple-negative breast cancer: A case study

This paper demonstrates an unsupervised learning approach to identify genes with significant differential expression across single-cell subpopulations induced by therapeutic treatment. Identifying this set of genes makes it possible to use well-established bioinformatics approaches such as pathway analysis to establish their biological relevance. Then, a biologist can use his/her prior knowledge to investigate in the laboratory, a few particular candidates among the subset of genes overlapping with relevant pathways. Due to the large size of the human genome and limitations in cost and skilled resources, biologists benefit from analytical methods combined with pathway analysis to design laboratory experiments focusing on only a few significant genes. As an example, we show how model-based unsupervised methods can identify a small set of genes (1% of the genome) that have significant differential expression in single-cells and are also highly correlated to pathways (p-value < 1E − 7) with anticancer effects driven by the antidiabetic drug metformin. Further analysis of genes on these relevant pathways reveal three candidate genes previously implicated in several anticancer mechanisms in other cancers, not driven by metformin. Identification of these genes can help biologists and clinicians design laboratory experiments to establish the molecular mechanisms of metformin in triple-negative breast cancer. In a domain where there is no prior knowledge of small biologically significant data, we demonstrate that careful data-driven methods can infer such significant small data to explain biological mechanisms.
Benzene Destruction in Direct Current Atmospheric Pressure Air Glow Discharges

Chemical and semiconductor industries are using volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as toluene, xylene, trichloro-ethylene (TCE), trichloroethane (TCA), benzene, and acetone as solvents and for substrate cleaning [1]. However, the use of VOCs poses considerable health hazards. For example, inhalation of toluene with concentrations of 600 ppm for more than eight hours causes headache and dizziness [2]. Benzene is carcinogenic at long term exposure [2].
A novel fragment in stress-induced phosphoprotein 1 (STIP1) with inhibitory effects on cancer cells.

e13594 Background: STIP1, a co-chaperone of HSP90 and HSP70, is involved in multiple cellular functions, including protein folding, transcription, RNA splicing, signal transduction, and cell cycle ...
BenchLab: an open testbed for realistic benchmarking of web applications

Web applications have evolved from serving static content to dynamically generating Web pages. Web 2.0 applications include JavaScript and AJAX technologies that manage increasingly complex interactions between the client and the Web server. Traditional benchmarks rely on browser emulators that mimic the basic network functionality of real Web browsers but cannot emulate the more complex interactions. Moreover, experiments are typically conducted on LANs, which fail to capture real latencies perceived by users geographically distributed on the Internet. To address these issues, we propose BenchLab, an open testbed that uses real Web browsers to measure the performance of Web applications. We show why using real browsers is important for benchmarking modern Web applications such as Wikibooks and demonstrate geographically distributed load injection for modern Web applications.
Synaptic state matching: a dynamical architecture for predictive internal representation and feature perception

Here we consider the possibility that a fundamental function of sensory cortex is the generation of an internal simulation of sensory environment in real-time. A logical elaboration of this idea leads to a dynamical neural architecture that oscillates between two fundamental network states, one driven by external input, and the other by recurrent synaptic drive in the absence of sensory input. Synaptic strength is modified by a proposed synaptic state matching (SSM) process that ensures equivalence of spike statistics between the two network states. Remarkably, SSM, operating locally at individual synapses, generates accurate and stable network-level predictive internal representations, enabling pattern completion and unsupervised feature detection from noisy sensory input. SSM is a biologically plausible substrate for learning and memory because it brings together sequence learning, feature detection, synaptic homeostasis, and network oscillations under a single parsimonious computational framework. Beyond its utility as a potential model of cortical computation, artificial networks based on this principle have remarkable capacity for internalizing dynamical systems, making them useful in a variety of application domains including time-series prediction and machine intelligence.
Teachers as Learners: Developing Professionalism Feedback Skills via Observed Structured Teaching Encounters

This Conversations Starter article presents a selected research abstract from the 2017 Association of American Medical Colleges Southern Region Group on Educational Affairs annual spring meeting. The abstract is paired with the integrative commentary of 4 experts who shared their thoughts stimulated by the study. These thoughts explore the value of the Observed Structured Teaching Encounter in providing structured opportunities for medical students to engage with the complexities of providing peer feedback on professionalism.
Introduction to Special Issue: Disciplinary Perspectives on Climate Change and Conflict

Researchers from five social science disciplines—anthropology, criminology, economics, geography, and political science—review the literature on climate change and conflict, focusing on the contributions since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Fifth Assessment Report. These authors find little evidence for direct pathways from climate change to violence, especially for group-level violence and armed conflict. However, there is stronger evidence for indirect effects in agricultural and other vulnerable settings and for exacerbating ongoing violence rather than initiating new violence. The authors also emphasize the importance of governance and institutions, adaptive capacity, and potential cooperative behavior in moderating violence. Looking across disciplines and employing the full range of research synthesis tools can improve the characterization and communication of the evidence. Focusing on interactions of climate mitigation and adaptation policies with conflict as well as opportunities for peace building can provide more actionable research for the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report.
A skull-mounted robotic headframe for a neurosurgical robot

This paper presents the development of a skull-mounted robotic headframe for intracranial neurosurgery. The headframe is primarily comprised of a pedestal, a Stewart platform, and a linear actuation module interfacing with a mesoscale neurosurgical robot. In addition to kinematic modeling, motion planning is carried out for neurosurgical procedures using the headframe. Due to the symmetric neurosurgical robot and the insertion and retraction motion of the linear actuation module, the headframe includes kinematic redundancy and it is utilized to enhance the positioning accuracy of the system. In this paper, several simulations are conducted to evaluate the headframe workspace, followed by an experimental study of the positioning error of the neurosurgical robot and a proof-of-concept demonstration of the headframe interfacing with the neurosurgical robot.
Leptospira: Molecular Detection of Pathogenic Species in Natural Sources

This protocol describes a method for the rapid detection of leptospiral DNA in environmental water. In summary, the DNA is extracted from water samples and tested in a TaqMan-based real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for the presence of lipl32, a gene that is present only in pathogenic Leptospira spp. The gene target used in this assay is important in that it only detects pathogenic leptospires and not the saprophytic leptospires that may be present in environmental samples. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Patient perspectives about bariatric surgery unveil experiences, education, satisfaction, and recommendations for improvement

Abstract Background Following bariatric surgery, up to 35% of patients struggle with strict regimens and experience weight recidivism within 2 years [1–5]. Accredited weight management centers (WMC) must provide educational programs and support patients in lifestyle changes before and after surgery. Educational programs, however, may not be evidence-based or patient-centered and may vary in curriculum, approach, and educator type [6]. Objective To obtain patient descriptions about the weight loss surgery (WLS) experience, including education, satisfaction, and recommendations for improvement. Setting Participants were recruited from a university hospital–based WMC in Pennsylvania. Methods This qualitative descriptive study used purposive sampling and inductive content analysis. Results A NEW ME-VERSION 2.0 , encompassed themes from semistructured interviews with 11 participants (36% male). Theme 1: Programming and Tools, explained how individuals undergoing WLS found support through educational programming. Theme 2: Updates and Upgrades, identified issues surrounding quality of life and challenges before and after surgery. Theme 3: Lessons Learned and Future Considerations, identified satisfaction levels and recommendations for improving the WLS experience. Participants reported positive experiences, acknowledging educational programs and extensive WMC resources, yet also offered recommendations for improving educational programming. Conclusion Patient narratives provided evidence about the WLS experience. Achievement of weight goals, adherence to rules, and improved health status contributed to perceptions of WLS success. Participants encouraged educators to identify expected outcomes of educational programming, monitor holistic transformations, foster peer support, and use technology in WMC programming. Results also validated the need for the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program's education requirement (standard 5.1). Future educational research could help develop best practices in WLS patient education and assess associations between education and clinical outcomes.
Antibiotic and Anti-inflammatory Therapy of Acne

Particularly since the introduction of tetracycline, antibiotics have remained a major component of the treatment of the more severe forms of inflammatory acne. While many systemic antibiotics have been used, tetracycline and erythromycin have been the dominant agents. Their mechanisms of action, indications, and complications are discussed. Also included are sections on minocycline, corticosteroids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents.
Ovulen 21® (Searle)

Ovulen 21 is a combination oral contraceptive preparation. It acts mainly through the mechanism of gonadotropin suppression due to the estrogenic and progestational activity of the constitutents. The predominant effect of estrogen is to inhibit secretion of FSH, while continued action of progesterone (related, but not equated to progestins) is to inhibit LH. Alterations in the genital tract, such as changes in the cervical mucus and the endometrium, may also contribute to the contraceptive effectiveness.
Aggregation of recombinant bovine granulocyte colony stimulating factor in solution.

Aggregation of recombinant bovine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rbG-CSF) was examined by the techniques of size exclusion chromatography (SEC), multiangle laser light scattering (MALS), and SDS-PAGE. Solutions of rbG-CSF in different buffers and pH were exposed to an elevated temperature of 50°C to induce aggregation. The formation of noncovalent soluble aggregates with molecular weight in the millions of Daltons was observed when a solution of rbG-CSF at pH 2.9 was exposed to 50°C. Precipitated protein was the main product of rbG-CSF aggregation in citrate and phosphate buffers at a pH greater than 4. It was demonstrated that precipitant was a mixture of covalent and noncovalent aggregates. The ratio of covalent to noncovalent binding increased with increase in pH of the protein solution. The covalent binding that occurred was primarily due to disulfide linkages via intermolecular disulfide scrambling as demonstrated by SDS-PAGE.
Dependence of the multipole moments, static polarizabilities, and static hyperpolarizabilities of the hydrogen molecule on the H-H separation in the ground singlet state.

In this work, we provide values for the quadrupole moment Θ, the hexadecapole moment Φ, the dipole polarizability α, the quadrupole polarizability C, the dipole-octopole polarizability E, the second dipole hyperpolarizability γ, and the dipole-dipole-quadrupole hyperpolarizability B for the hydrogen molecule in the ground singlet state, evaluated by finite-field configuration interaction singles and doubles (CISD) and coupled-cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) methods for 26 different H–H separations r, ranging from 0.567 a.u. to 10.0 a.u. Results obtained with various large correlation-consistent basis sets are compared at the vibrationally averaged bond length r0 in the ground state. Results over the full range of r values are presented at the CISD/d-aug-cc-pV6Z level for all of the independent components of the property tensors. In general, our values agree well with previous ab initio results of high accuracy for the ranges of H–H distances that have been treated in common. To our knowledge, for H2 in the ground state, our results are the first to be reported in the literature for Φ for r > 7.0 a.u., γ and B for r > 6.0 a.u., and C and E for any H–H separation outside a narrow range around the potential minimum. Quantum Monte Carlo values of Θ have been given previously for H–H distances out to 10.0 a.u., but the statistical error is relatively large for r > 7.0 a.u. At the larger r values in this work, αxx and αzz show the expected functional forms, to leading order in r−1. As r increases further, Θ and Φ vanish, while α, γ, and the components of B converge to twice the isolated-atom values. Components of C and E diverge as r increases. Vibrationally averaged values of the properties are reported for all of the bound states (vibrational quantum numbers υ = 0–14) with rotational quantum numbers J = 0–3.In this work, we provide values for the quadrupole moment Θ, the hexadecapole moment Φ, the dipole polarizability α, the quadrupole polarizability C, the dipole-octopole polarizability E, the second dipole hyperpolarizability γ, and the dipole-dipole-quadrupole hyperpolarizability B for the hydrogen molecule in the ground singlet state, evaluated by finite-field configuration interaction singles and doubles (CISD) and coupled-cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) methods for 26 different H–H separations r, ranging from 0.567 a.u. to 10.0 a.u. Results obtained with various large correlation-consistent basis sets are compared at the vibrationally averaged bond length r0 in the ground state. Results over the full range of r values are presented at the CISD/d-aug-cc-pV6Z level for all of the independent components of the property tensors. In general, our values agree well with previous ab initio results of high accuracy for the ranges of H–H distances that have been treated in common. To our knowledge, for H2 in...
The RNA Export Factor ALY1 Enables Genome-Wide RNA-Directed DNA Methylation

RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) is a set of mechanisms by which transcriptionally repressive DNA and histone methylation are targeted to viruses, transposable elements, and some transgenes. We identified an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutant in which all forms of RdDM are deficient, leading to transcriptional activation of some transposable elements and the inability to initiate transgene silencing. The corresponding gene, ALY1, encodes an RNA binding nuclear export protein. Arabidopsis ALY proteins function together to export many messenger RNAs (mRNAs), but we found that ALY1 is unique among this family for its ability to enable RdDM. Through the identification of ALY1 direct targets via RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing, coupled with mRNA sequencing of nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions, we identified mRNAs of known RdDM factors that fail to efficiently export from the nucleus in aly1 mutants. We found that loss of RdDM in aly1 is a result of deficient nuclear export of the ARGONAUTE6 mRNA and subsequent decreases in ARGONAUTE6 protein, a key effector of RdDM. One aly1 allele was more severe due to an additional loss of RNA Polymerase V function, which is also necessary for RdDM. Together, our data reconcile the broad role of ALY1 in mRNA export with the specific loss of RdDM through the activities of ARGONAUTE6 and RNA Polymerase V.
1H-MRS Quantitation of Age-Dependent Taurine Changes in Mouse Brain.

A mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease demonstrates reduced beta-amyloid levels in the whole brain, associated with a gain of hippocampal memory, after drinking taurine-enriched water; this suggests that a taurine supplement could be a promising treatment for cognitive deficit. The objective of this study is to establish a methodology for quantifying taurine in the whole brain, taking advantage of the rapid development of non-invasive imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Single-voxel proton MRS was used to obtain quantifiable taurine peaks at 3.25 and 3.43 ppm. Quantitative MRS results were obtained in C57BL/6 mice of various age groups: 4, 11, 18, and 27 months old. Compared with the 4-month-old group, taurine levels dropped significantly only at 27 months of age (p = 0.03). However, a significant decrease of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) in the brain was observed at both 18 and 27 months (p = 0.03 and p = 0.02). In addition, MRS-measured taurine level is highly correlated with hippocampal volume (r = 0.95). These results suggest that decreased taurine levels in the brain could be used as biomarkers for hippocampal changes and are fully translatable into putative cognitive loss in both animal models and human studies without the ex vivo approach.
Designing near-infrared electro-optical devices from the SrTiO3/LaAlO3 materials system

While the SrTiO3/LaAlO3 materials system has garnered intense research interest over the past decade owing to the discovery of a two-dimensional electron gas at the interface of these two band insulators, recent reports have focused on its optical properties. The silicon-compatibility of the SrTiO3/LaAlO3 system, together with its large conduction band offset and the ability to confine charge carriers in SrTiO3 quantum wells, makes it a potential candidate for use in a wide range of integrated photonics applications. Here, we present numerical simulations of the electrical, optical, and electro-optical performance of silicon-integrated SrTiO3/LaAlO3 electro-optical devices utilizing the quantum-confined Stark effect to electro-optically tune intersubband absorptions occurring at near-infrared optical wavelengths. We discuss optimal design parameters for the fabrication of experimentally realizable devices and attempt to minimize the energy consumption of a SrTiO3/LaAlO3 electro-optic modulator while maximizing performance. We predict modulation energies on the order of tens of pJ/bit for the proposed device. Our results indicate the feasibility of producing SrTiO3/LaAlO3-based integrated electro-optical devices using existing thin film growth and semiconductor processing techniques.
"The Community Helped Me:" Community Cohesion and Environmental Concerns in Personal Assessments of Post-Disaster Recovery.

This study investigates long-term appraisals of community recovery after a major environmental disaster. Specifically, we conducted a survey of 351 individuals living in coastal counties in Alabama...
Dynamic Data-Driven Digital Twin Modeling

The digitization of manufacturing systems is at the crux of the next industrial revolutions. The digital representation of the “physical twin,” also known as the “digital twin,” will help in maintaining the process quality effectively by allowing easy visualization and incorporation of cognitive capability in the system. In this chapter, we will tackle two issues regarding the digital twin: (1) modeling the digital twin by extracting information from the side-channel emissions, and (2) making sure that the digital twin is up-to-date (or “alive”). We will first analyze various analog emissions to figure out if they behave as side-channels, informing about the various states of both cyber and physical domains. Then, we will present a dynamic data-driven application system enabled digital twin, which is able to check if it is the most up-to-date version of the physical twin.
Physical properties and cookie-making performance of oleogels prepared with crude and refined soybean oil: a comparative study.

The objective of this research was to fabricate crude soybean oil oleogels (CSO) using β-sitosterol (BS) and/or monoacylglycerol (MAG) and compare their role with that of refined soybean oil oleogels (RSO) in cookie making. Both crude and refined soybean oil oleogels were formed with BS or MAG, or the combination of both (1 : 1) at a fixed concentration of 10 wt%. The thermal behavior of the oleogels was measured using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The crystal structure and morphology of the oleogels were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and polarized light microscopy (PLM). The hardness of the oleogel and commercial vegetable shortening was compared using a texture analyzer. The characteristics of cookies made with the oleogels were compared with those of cookies made with commercial vegetable shortening. Overall, the incorporation of BS and/or MAG into crude and refined soybean oil can produce oleogels with solid-like properties. Refined soybean oil formed stronger and firmer oleogels as compared to crude soybean oil. RSO structured by BS presented branched fiber-like, elongated plate-like, and needle-like crystals while the same oil gelled by MAG contained spherulite crystals. RSO made with the combination of BS and MAG displayed crystal morphologies from both BS and MAG. The same crystal morphologies were observed in CSO with lower quantities. Comparing the quality of cookies made with the oleogels and commercial vegetable shortening, equal or better performance of both RSO and CSO in terms of weight, thickness, width, spread ratio, and hardness of cookies than that of commercial vegetable shortening was observed. By combining the results of the physical characterization and cookie making performance, it can be concluded that both crude and refined soybean oleogels could resemble commercial shortening, which offers the possibility of using oleogels to replace shortening in the baking industry.
Abstract P3-06-14: Inhibition of PRKCQ enhances chemosensitivity of triple negative breast cancer by regulating EMT and Bim

Background/Rationale: While some patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) achieve long-term remission with standard-of-care chemotherapy, many have cancers that are chemotherapy resistant, putting them at risk for metastatic recurrence. There is also a lack of targeted therapies for TNBC, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies for this subtype. PRKCQ, a member of the novel protein kinase C family, is preferentially expressed in TNBC compared to other breast cancer subtypes and we previously reported that PRKCQ expression is sufficient to promote oncogenic activities (growth-factor independent growth, anoikis resistance and migration). In addition, PRKCQ suppression inhibits growth of TNBC tumor xenografts. We sought to determine if PRKCQ expression modulation impacts sensitivity of triple negative breast cancer cells to standard of care chemotherapy and whether PRKCQ inhibition could be a strategy to enhance chemosensitivity of drug-resistant TNBC. Methods: We determined the effects of modulating PRKCQ expression, using PRKCQ cDNA or shRNA vectors, on sensitivity of TNBC cells to the apoptotic effects of standard-of-care chemotherapy, including those cancers that are relatively chemotherapy resistant at baseline. We also determined the mechanisms by which PRKCQ regulates sensitivity to chemotherapy. Results: Increased PRKCQ expression in non-transformed MCF-10A breast epithelial cells promotes resistance to the apoptosis-inducing effects of Doxorubicin or Paclitaxel treatment. These effects are dependent on PRKCQ kinase activity as a catalytically inactive PRKCQ failed to promote resistance. Downregulation of PRKCQ or inhibition of its kinase activity enhanced sensitivity of TNBC cells to chemotherapy. PRKCQ impacts chemotherapy sensitivity of TNBC by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and expression of Bim, a pro-apoptotic Bcl2 family protein. Conclusions. PRKCQ promotes resistance of TNBC to standard of care chemotherapies by promoting EMT and suppressing pro-apoptotic Bim. Inhibiting PRKCQ expression or activity sensitizes TNBC cells to chemotherapy and could be an effective strategy to overcome chemotherapy resistance of a subset of triple negative breast cancers, thereby improving patient outcomes. Citation Format: Hanna Yoko Irie, Jessica H. Byerly, Elisa R. Port. Inhibition of PRKCQ enhances chemosensitivity of triple negative breast cancer by regulating EMT and Bim [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-06-14.