cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metal Oxide Nanowire and Thin-Film-Based Gas Sensors for Chemical Warfare Simulants Detection

This work concerns with metal oxide (MOX) gas sensors based on nanowires and thin films. We focus on chemical warfare agents (CWAs) detection to compare these materials from the functional point-of-view. We work with different chemicals including simulants for Sarin nerve agents, vescicant gases, cyanide agents, and analytes such as ethanol, acetone, ammonia, and carbon monoxide that can be produced by everyday activities causing false alarms. Explorative data analysis has been used to demonstrate the different sensing performances of nanowires and thin films. Within the chosen application, our analysis reveal that the introduction of nanowires inside the array composed by thin films can improve its sensing capability. Cyanide simulants have been detected at concentrations close to 1 ppm, lower than the Immediately Dangerous for Life and Health (IDLH) value of the respective warfare agent. Higher sensitivity has been obtained to simulants for Sarin and vescicant gases, which have been detected at concentrations close or even lower than 100 ppb. Results demonstrate the suitability of the proposed array to selectively detect CWA simulants with respect to some compounds produced by everyday activities.
Use of stannous fluoride for indirect pulp capping

The effectiveness of a 10% stannous fluoride solution was compared with that of a calcium hydroxide preparation for indirect pulp capping of deciduous and permanent teeth. A new procedure of indirect pulp capping with use of a five-minute application of a 10% stannous fluoride solution to the carious dentin was compared with a more conventional method with use of a calcium hydroxide preparation. Twenty-five deciduous and 39 permanent teeth were used. Indirect pulp capping can be successfully performed for carefully selected teeth with use of either method. The use of the stannous fluoride has two advantages; teeth treated with stannous fluoride showed harder remineralized dentin and greater radiodensity than teeth treated with calcium hydroxide. Other factors that contributed to the success of indirect pulp capping treatment include the adequacy of the seal of the temporary-intermediate restoration, the thoroughness and care of caries excavation, and sufficient time to permit secondary dentin formation and remineralization after the initial appointment.
Conservation of passively dispersed organisms in the context of habitat degradation and destruction

Summary Passively dispersed species, such as many plant species, rely on abiotic forces to achieve movement. Despite the fact that such species form the base of many terrestrial and oceanic food webs, these species are often overlooked by conservation management plans because it is assumed that they are dispersed easily and widely, and therefore are relatively unthreatened by anthropogenic influences in comparison with poorly dispersing species. To quantify the threat presented by habitat degradation and destruction to passively dispersed species, we present a theoretical population model of passively dispersed organisms that incorporates the effects of increased dispersal-associated mortality. We examine how the effects of habitat degradation and destruction depend on species’ dispersal tactics, specifically: highly dispersive, highly retentive or spatially biased. Contrary to prevailing intuition, highly dispersive species may suffer the strongest absolute negative demographic effects in the face of changes in human-modified landscapes. These results suggest that passively dispersed organisms may be more threatened by landscape modification than previously thought, and should be more carefully considered in plans for conservation and management. Synthesis and applications. Since passively dispersed species cannot choose their ultimate settling location, they are therefore less likely to arrive at suitable habitat in landscapes that are degraded or destroyed. If we do not understand the implications for population dynamics of demographic costs of dispersal in fragmented landscapes, we may fail to predict declines of apparently widespread species, including many wind-dispersed plants and insects, benthic invertebrates and airborne microbes. Conservation and management plans should consider loss of propagules to unsuitable habitat for highly dispersive as well as poorly dispersive species, to avoid potential errors.
Atomic Force Microscopy Investigation of Fibroblasts Infected withWild-Type and Mutant Murine Leukemia Virus (MuLV)

NIH 3T3 cells were infected in culture with the oncogenic retrovirus, mouse leukemia virus (MuLV), and studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Cells fixed with glutaraldehyde alone, and those postfixed with osmium tetroxide, were imaged under ethanol according to procedures that largely preserved their structures. With glutaraldehyde fixation alone, the lipid bilayer was removed and maturing virions were seen emerging from the cytoskeletal matrix. With osmium tetroxide postfixation, the lipid bilayer was maintained and virions were observable still attached to the cell surfaces. The virions on the cell surfaces were imaged at high resolution and considerable detail of the arrangement of protein assemblies on their surfaces was evident. Infected cells were also labeled with primary antibodies against the virus env surface protein, followed by secondary antibodies conjugated with colloidal gold particles. Other 3T3 cells in culture were infected with MuLV containing a mutation in the gPr80(gag) gene. Those cells were observed by AFM not to produce normal MuLV on their surfaces, or at best, only at very low levels. The cell surfaces, however, became covered with tubelike structures that appear to result from a failure of the virions to properly undergo morphogenesis, and to fail in budding completely from the cell's surfaces.
The prevalence of exercise-induced bronchospasm among US Army recruits and its effects on physical performance.

Study objectives To measure the prevalence of exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) and to determine its effect on the physical performance response to training in otherwise healthy young adults. Design Observational, retrospective study. Setting Fort Jackson, SC, May to July 1998. Participants One hundred thirty-seven ethnically diverse US Army recruits undergoing an 8-week Army basic training course. Measurements and results Subjects underwent exercise challenge testing at the end of basic training to evaluate for EIB (defined as a decrease in FEV 1 of ≥ 15%, 1 or 10 min after running to peak oxygen uptake on a treadmill). Those subjects who were unable to run to peak oxygen uptake, or who were unable to perform two baseline FEV 1 maneuvers the results of which were within 5% of each other, were excluded from analysis. We measured peak oxygen uptake on a treadmill and the scores achieved on the components of the US Army physical fitness test (APFT). Of 137 subjects, 121 (58 men and 63 women) met our inclusion criteria. Eight subjects (7%) had EIB. Subjects who experienced EIB and unaffected control subjects both showed statistically significant gains in performance on the APFT events during basic training. At the end of basic training, peak oxygen uptake levels and APFT event scores were not significantly different between subjects with EIB and unaffected control subjects. Conclusions Seven percent of the US Army recruits who were tested had EIB, but this did not hinder their physical performance gains during basic training. EIB per se should not be an absolute reason to exclude individuals from employment in jobs with heavy physical demands.
Missing Idaho arc: Transpressional modification of the 87Sr/86Sr transition on the western edge of the Idaho batholith

The North American Cordillera is characterized by subduction-related Mesozoic batholiths with voluminous middle Cretaceous plutonism. In the Cordillera, the Idaho batholith is anomalous, containing only a narrow (<10 km) band of middle Cretaceous plutons on its extreme western margin. These plutons are spatially coincident with the Late Cretaceous, crustal-scale, dextral transpressional western Idaho shear zone. Finite strain analysis indicates that there is significant east-west shortening in the western Idaho shear zone. A reconstruction using isotopic variations as strain markers, and comparing them to the undeformed middle Cretaceous Sierra Nevada batholith, results in a middle Cretaceous magmatic arc in western Idaho similar in width (∼85– 100 km) to other sections of the Cordilleran magmatic arc. The tectonic implications include: (1) a full magmatic arc existed in Idaho in the middle Cretaceous prior to Late Cretaceous deformation; (2) the currently sharp 87Sr/86Sr transition in western Idaho represents structural modification of the batholith after emplacement (i.e., the steep isotopic gradient results from deformation); and (3) as a result of Late Cretaceous shortening in the western Idaho shear zone, the main part of the Idaho batholith (i.e., post–ca. 90 Ma) intruded farther eastward into thick North American lithosphere. Consequently, the main part of the Idaho batholith has a stronger continental signature than the other coastal batholiths.
Shedding light on an extremophile lifestyle through transcriptomics

Summary • The tropical intertidal ecosystem is defined by trees – mangroves – which are adapted to an extreme and extremely variable environment. The genetic basis underlying these adaptations is, however, virtually unknown. Based on advances in pyrosequencing, we present here the first transcriptome analysis for plants for which no prior genomic information was available. We selected the mangroves Rhizophora mangle (Rhizophoraceae) and Heritiera littoralis (Malvaceae) as ecologically important extremophiles employing markedly different physiological and life-history strategies for survival and dominance in this extreme environment. • For maximal representation of conditional transcripts, mRNA was obtained from a variety of developmental stages, tissues types, and habitats. For each species, a normalized cDNA library of pooled mRNAs was analysed using GSFLX pyrosequencing. • A total of 537 635 sequences were assembled de novo and annotated as > 13 000 distinct gene models for each species. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) orthology annotations highlighted remarkable similarities in the mangrove transcriptome profiles, which differed substantially from the model plants Arabidopsis and Populus. • Similarities in the two species suggest a unique mangrove lifestyle overarching the effects of transcriptome size, habitat, tissue type, developmental stage, and biogeographic and phylogenetic differences between them.
Programmable Photonic Microwave Filters Monolithically Integrated in InP–InGaAsP

We demonstrate an integrated programmable photonic filter structure capable of producing bandpass filters with both tunable passband bandwidth and center frequency. Such filters could provide dynamic pre-filtering of very wide bandwidth analog microwave signals, essential to the next generation RF-front ends. The photonic filter is constructed from an array of uncoupled identical filter stages, each reconfigurable as a zero or a pole using an asymmetrical Mach-Zenhder Interferometer (MZI) structure with feedback. Integrated on a standard InP-InGaAsP material platform, semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) and current injected phase modulators (PMs) are used to rapidly adjust the individual pole and zero locations, thereby reconfiguring the overall filter function. In this paper, we demonstrate cascaded filter structures with up to four filter stages, capable of producing a variety of higher order filters. Demonstrated filters have a free spectral range (FSR) of 23.5 or 47 GHz. A center frequency tunability over 28 GHz is demonstrated for a 2nd order bandpass filter, and a passband tunability of 1.9-5.4 GHz with stopband rejection >; 32 dB using 3rd and 4th order filters. Finally, the linearity of our active filters is investigated; a preliminary spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) of 86.3 dB* Hz2/3 is obtained. However, we believe this number can be improved significantly by optimizing the design.
Dancing with the Devil

Jose Limon. Dancing with the Devil: Society and Cultural Poetics in Mexican-American South Texas. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1994. xii. 240 pp. (Honorable Mention, Victor Turner Competition for Ethnographic Writing, 1995.)
The Chemistry of Supernova 1987A

Approximately 170,000 years ago the core of a blue supergiant star in the Large Magellanic Cloud collapsed and the star exploded, becoming a supernova. The light from the supernova reached the earth on Febuary 23, 1987 and the supernova was named SN1987A. It is the brightest supernova since the invention of the telescope providing a unique opportunity to bring to bear the full power of modern astronomical equipment to study the expanding nebula. SN1987A is only the second supernova for which the progenitor star has been observed. It is the first supernova to be observed in all wavelength bands: radio, infrared, optical, ultraviolet, X-ray and γ-ray, and it is the first supernova from which neutrinos have been detected.
Bombesin-mediated AP-1 activation in a human gastric cancer (SIIA).

Background. Bombesin, a gut tetradecapeptide homologous to the mammalian gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), stimulates the growth of the human gastric cancer line SIIA through specific GRP receptors (GRP-Rs); the cellular mechanisms are not known. The purpose of our study was to (1) confirm functional GRP-R in SIIA and (2) determine whether bombesin alters the expression and binding activity of the AP-1 transcription factors, c-jun and jun-B. Methods. SIIA cells were treated with bombesin, and intracellular calcium mobilization was measured by means of fura-2 spectrofluorometry. To assess changes in c-jun and jun-B, RNA and protein were extracted for Northern and Western blots, respectively; nuclear protein was extracted for gel mobility shifts to determine AP-1 binding activity. Results. SIIA cells mobilized intracellular calcium in response to bombesin, exhibiting a functional cell-surface GRP-R. Bombesin treatment increased expression of both c-jun and jun-B mRNA by 0.5 hours, with maximal expression at 1 hour; concomitant increases in steady-state levels of c-Jun and JunB protein were identified. Moreover, bombesin increased binding of the AP-1 proteins as shown by gel shifts. Conclusions. The SIIA human gastric cancer possesses functional GRP-R coupled to the calcium second messenger pathway. Further, bombesin stimulates expression of c-jun and jun-B mRNA and protein and increases binding activity of AP-1 proteins. Delineating the cellular pathways involved in bombesin-mediated gene activation with provide important insights into the mechanisms responsible for normal and neoplastic gut growth.
Investigating the transition to agriculture.

Because understanding the transition to food production is fundamentally an exercise in dietary reconstruction, research designs that incorporate multiple lines of evidence provide the most rigorous tests. An approach is advocated that evaluates multiple lines of evidence critically, verifying one indicator by one or more different ones. Theoretical and methodological issues arising from presentations/exchanges during the “State University of New York Conversation in the Discipline: The Origins of Agriculture” are discussed.
Innovation at the Food and Drug Administration's Device Center⁎

Each year, millions of American patients benefit from innovative medical devices that reduce suffering, treat previously untreatable conditions, extend lives, and improve public health. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is committed to assuring that patients have timely access to important new
Disclosure of Long-Term Business Value: What Matters?

Sustained and superior performance depends, in part, on effective measurement, management and disclosure of traditional financial metrics. There are many other metrics such as those used to evaluate environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance; resource efficiency; business model resilience; innovative capacity; brand strength and corporate culture that can be just as informative on how a business is creating value. There is a lot to be said for building a business that outperforms on these metrics — especially when competitors miss, ignore or simply misunderstand how they can drive business value and growth opportunities. CFOs, with their unique, cross-functional vantage point, need to consider more than their results for the next quarter and a wider range of stakeholders — customers, suppliers, consumers, employees, non-governmental organizations and communities — that play an important role in an organization’s success. This research takes an in-depth look at how companies determine materiality in the ESG context, and discusses the challenges managers face and how these impact what type of data is disclosed. Today, most companies who measure these nontraditional metrics disclose most of the information in a separate sustainability report — yet this is likely to change. The challenge faced by all public and private companies is how to determine what information to disclose. Many companies are trying to apply the principle of materiality from traditional financial reporting to this new set of performance metrics, but this remains difficult terrain because there is little hands-on guidance about precisely what to do. Simply put, managers have neither the tools nor the approach to make these decisions efficiently and rigorously. The result is data that is difficult to use for making business decisions, both inside a company and externally. Materiality determination is one of the most complicated ESG-related decisions for senior management, which faces considerable uncertainty related to ESG topics. With limited resources at hand, managers should choose a small set of material performance indicators that inform on valuation impacts and consistently report data and should focus less on trying to satisfy every one of the company’s stakeholders. Furthermore, ESG materiality determination need not be a qualitative “finger to the wind” exercise. We believe that decision science methods have the potential to put corporate leaders and CFOs in a stronger position to use the intelligence that is gained from all key stakeholders using a structured approach to stakeholder engagement; and make strategic choices, including capital budgeting decisions. More importantly, the result is quantitative and based upon fundamental insights into how complex decisions are made.
Comparison of Three Insect Sampling Methods in Sweetpotato Foliage in Mississippi

Three sampling methods—sweep-net, hand-vacuum modified from a leaf vacuum/blower, and a wheeled, blower-vacuum designed to blow insects from the foliage into the vacuum port of a leaf vacuum—were compared as methods for sampling insects in sweetpotatoes, Ipomoea batatas L. Results of the 4-yr study at 2 locations in Mississippi showed that the number of insects collected by the blower-vacuum method was lower than the number collected by the other 2 methods. Although results differed with different insect species, the numbers of insects collected in hand-vacuum samples were usually greater than or equal to those collected in sweep-net samples during the first few weeks after planting, but less than those in sweep-net samples late in the season. Based upon these results, sweep-nets are the preferred method for season-long sampling of insects in sweetpotatoes.
Aging and multiple sclerosis

The life expectancy and average age of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) have increased significantly during the last two decades. The introduction of disease-modifying therapies and a better delineation and understanding of the superimposed comorbidities often diagnosed in MS patients are probably the most important factors accountable for the increase in aging MS population worldwide. Healthcare teams must therefore address the problems arising due to advancing age superimposed on this chronic neurologic disease. In this review, we focus on the physiology of aging, its effects on MS disease course, and the pathological and immunological changes associated with aging and disease progression. Additionally, we discuss the common comorbidities that occur in aging persons with MS that may arise either as a result of the aging process or from relentless chronic MS disease progression as well as the challenges on differentiating the two processes for a more appropriate therapeutic approach.
Asymmetric transcription during post-germinative development of Bacillus subtilis spores.

Abstract The relative transcription from L and H strands of Bacillus subtilis DNA during consecutive stages of spore outgrowth was determined and compared to the transcription pattern during log-phase growth of vegetative cells. Pulses of [ 3 H]uridine were administered during early, middle and late outgrowth phases of germination and the RNAs isolated. The asymmetry ratio of H L as determined by hybridization at saturating RNA DNA inputs showed a gradual decrease. During the period studied (10–90 and 90–160 min post-induction), about 50 and 35%, respectively, of the radioactive RNA consisted of ribosomal RNA transcripts. The decrease in the H L asymmetry ratio was due predominantly to the appearance and accumulation of L strand transcripts and not to either changes in the quantity of H strand transcripts nor to fluctuation in the rate of rRNA synthesis.
Harnessing Mode Conversion for Spurious Mode Suppression in AlN Laterally Vibrating Resonators

This paper reports on a spurious mode suppression technique for S0 mode aluminum nitride (AlN) laterally vibrating resonators. The technique utilizes a notch in the resonator body to convert spurious asymmetrical (A0) modes into the intended S0 mode vibration. Finite-element analyses were employed to theoretically investigate the mode conversion from A0 mode to S0 mode, and identify the optimal notch configuration. The technique has been experimentally validated to simultaneously eradicate the A0 spurious mode and enhance the S0 mode electromechanical coupling ( $k_{t}^{2}$ ) for the monolithically integrated resonators over a wide frequency range ( $100\sim 600$ MHz). It is a crucial technology development, because the spurious modes are a major bottleneck obstructing the deployment of single-chip multi-frequency AlN resonators as a commercially viable solution for radio frequency front-end filtering. [2015-0295]
Investigate on IgG antibody of Measles in Health crowd of Huhehaot city from 2009 to 2012

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the immune status of measles amongst healthy people in Hohhot in 2009-2012 and provide the basis for improving population immunity. Methods We used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) to detect 1 125 human serum IgG antibody of measles in Hohhot City, including randomly selected Xinchen District, Huimin District, Horinger County, Togtoh County samples in 2009 and Yuquan District, Tumed Left Banner, Wuchuan County ones in 2010 and Xinchen District, Huimin District, Horinger County, Togtoh County ones in 2011 and Yuquan District, Saihan District, Tumed Left Banner, Qingshuihe County ones in 2012. Results There were 1026 measles IgG antibody positive serums samples in 1 125 ones and the antibody positive rate was 91.2%. The measles IgG antibody positive rate among three aspects of the age, year and gender was not significantly different. Conclusion The measles IgG antibody positive rate reached a high level. Thus, a wide range of measles outbreak in Hohhot is impossible.
The Politics of Absence: The Longue Durée of State–Peasant Interactions in the Siin (Senegal), 1850s–1930s

Historical anthropology has transformed our understanding of colonialisms, by portraying a complex archipelago of social worlds rife with ambiguities, cultural intertwinings, and unstable power fields. While these “tensions of empire” were often played out on material terrains, one may wonder the extent to which they are manifested in archaeological situations. Using textual and material archives, this essay examines the intersection of colonial policy and local practice in Siin (Senegal) during the colonial period. These encounters produced complex materialities and social strategies that offer glimpses into the subjectivities, plural experiences, possibilities, and contradictions fashioned in the region under French colonial rule. The chapter confronts material traces left of past political landscapes with clues scattered across written documents, ethnographies, and oral memory to interrogate the mutual constitution of “the State” and subject populations, and, more broadly, the nature and historicity of colonial power in Senegal. It seeks to elucidate the workings, limitations, and ambiguity of state practices and political authority in relation to African communities’ capacity to elude or ignore colonial injunctions, while accounting for the combined influence of the state and market forces to frame the social possibilities and sensibilities of local populations, to turn them (not always deliberately) into the artisans of their own rule.
Participatory Youth Culture: Young Children as Media and MOC Makers in a Post-millennial Mode

This chapter looks to early childhood learning that is informed by and presented through an understanding of the convergence of contemporary networked digital technologies and young children’s digital lives as media makers. Very young learners have at their disposal a vast media landscape that, when compared with earlier media forms, allows for unprecedented opportunities for making, engagement, and interaction. These opportunities are often accompanied by challenges to notions of creativity, originality, and appropriateness for young children. Online, fan-based media also allow for forms of collaboration between children and adults that challenge traditional modes of mentorship, parenting, and pedagogy. As artists and art educators who work with young children and youth, the authors present observations and analyses of young children working in out-of-school settings, creating traditional artwork, composing digital games, and constructing interactive vignettes that can inform the in-school practices of educators in multiple disciplines who work with young children.
The Performance of Linear Algebra Algorithms on Intel Parallel Supercomputers

Intel manufactures distributed memory, message passing, parallel supercomputers. This paper discusses the performance of various linear algebra algorithms on such computers.
Sample Preparation of Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) Tissue for Proteomic Analyses

A sample preparation procedure has been developed to prepare Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) tissues for proteomic profiling. Protocols have been established for processing FFPE sections on slides, including deparaffinization, rehydration, protein extraction, and enzymatic digestion, all using in-house developed and optimized buffers and techniques. These methods are practical and allow for parallel sample processing. The efficiency of protein extraction from FFPE tissue is comparable to the results from fresh or frozen tissue. The prepared samples can be directly coupled to a wide range of proteomic technologies, including isobaric labeling and on-line multidimensional chromatography. Comprehensive proteomic profiling of prepared FFPE tissue was performed using a fully automated tandem multidimensional liquid chromatography (LC) system coupled with on-line electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS): LC/LC-MS/MS. Routinely around 4,000 unique proteins of high confidence could be identified from 100 μg of extracted protein. The method presented here will be valuable for others who plan to analyze FFPE tissues.
Design and expected performance of a thermal neutron imaging facility at the N. C. State University PULSTAR reactor

A thermal neutron imaging facility has been set up at the North Carolina State University PULSTAR reactor. The PULSTAR is an open pool type light water moderated 1-MWth research reactor with six beam tubes. The present facility is set up on beam tube # 5 of the reactor. The facility is intended to have radiographic and tomographic capabilities. The design of the neutron collimator was performed using MCNP5. The collimator includes a 4-inch bismuth filter followed by a 6-inch single-crystal sapphire filter. Thermal neutron scattering cross-section libraries for sapphire and bismuth were generated and used in the MCNP simulation of the system. Based on the current design, the L/D of the facility ranges between 100 and 150. The neutron flux can be varied from 1.8times106 to 7times106 n/cm2-sec with a Cd-ratio of ~450. The resolution of the system for different imaging media was also estimated and found to be ~30 mum for conventional radiography films and ~110 mum for digital image plates. Initial radiographs using film and image plates are presented. According to ASTM standards, the imaging facility achieves a beam quality classification of IA
CO 2 content of andesitic melts at graphite-saturated upper mantle conditions with implications for redox state of oceanic basalt source regions and remobilization of reduced carbon from subducted eclogite

We have performed experiments to determine the effects of pressure, temperature and oxygen fugacity on the CO2 contents in nominally anhydrous andesitic melts at graphite saturation. The andesite composition was specifically chosen to match a low-degree partial melt composition that is generated from MORB-like eclogite in the convective, oceanic upper mantle. Experiments were performed at 1–3 GPa, 1375–1550 °C, and fO2 of FMQ −3.2 to FMQ −2.3 and the resulting experimental glasses were analyzed for CO2 and H2O contents using FTIR and SIMS. Experimental results were used to develop a thermodynamic model to predict CO2 content of nominally anhydrous andesitic melts at graphite saturation. Fitting of experimental data returned thermodynamic parameters for dissolution of CO2 as molecular CO2: ln(K0) = −21.79 ± 0.04, ΔV0 = 32.91 ± 0.65 cm3mol−1, ΔH0 = 107 ± 21 kJ mol−1, and dissolution of CO2 as CO32−: ln(K0) = −21.38 ± 0.08, ΔV0 = 30.66 ± 1.33 cm3 mol−1, ΔH0 = 42 ± 37 kJ mol−1, where K0 is the equilibrium constant at some reference pressure and temperature, ΔV0 is the volume change of reaction, and ΔH0 is the enthalpy change of reaction. The thermodynamic model was used along with trace element partition coefficients to calculate the CO2 contents and CO2/Nb ratios resulting from the mixing of a depleted MORB and the partial melt of a graphite-saturated eclogite. Comparison with natural MORB and OIB data suggests that the CO2 contents and CO2/Nb ratios of CO2-enriched oceanic basalts cannot be produced by mixing with partial melts of graphite-saturated eclogite. Instead, they must be produced by melting of a source containing carbonate. This result places a lower bound on the oxygen fugacity for the source region of these CO2-enriched basalts, and suggests that fO2 measurements made on cratonic xenoliths may not be applicable to the convecting upper mantle. CO2-depleted basalts, on the other hand, are consistent with mixing between depleted MORB and partial melts of a graphite-saturated eclogite. Furthermore, calculations suggest that eclogite can remain saturated in graphite in the convecting upper mantle, acting as a reservoir for C.
Abstract 3: Vascular Smooth Muscle ADAM17 is Critical for End-organ Damage but not Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion in Mice

A metalloprotease, ADAM17, mediates EGF receptor (EGFR) activation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) by angiotensin II (Ang II) leading to hypertrophy. dnADAM17 prevents vascular neointimal hyperplasia. To test if vascular ADAM17 silencing has any therapeutic potential against hypertension, we evaluated Ang II-induced end-organ damage as well as hypertension in ADAM17 flox/flox mice bred with sm22α Cre mice (Cre+/-). Upon Ang II infusion (1 μg/kg/min) for 2 weeks, control Cre-/- mice showed phenotypes of cardiac hypertrophy; HW/BW ratio (mg/g: 12.1±1.6 vs 6.2±0.4 p
Moving alcohol prevention research forward—Part II: new directions grounded in community‐based system dynamics modeling

Background and aims Given the complexity of factors contributing to alcohol misuse, appropriate epistemologies and methodologies are needed to understand and intervene meaningfully. We aimed to (1) provide an overview of computational modeling methodologies, with an emphasis on system dynamics modeling; (2) explain how community-based system dynamics modeling can forge new directions in alcohol prevention research; and (3) present a primer on how to build alcohol misuse simulation models using system dynamics modeling, with an emphasis on stakeholder involvement, data sources and model validation. Throughout, we use alcohol misuse among college students in the United States as a heuristic example for demonstrating these methodologies. Methods System dynamics modeling employs a top–down aggregate approach to understanding dynamically complex problems. Its three foundational properties—stocks, flows and feedbacks—capture non-linearity, time-delayed effects and other system characteristics. As a methodological choice, system dynamics modeling is amenable to participatory approaches; in particular, community-based system dynamics modeling has been used to build impactful models for addressing dynamically complex problems. Results The process of community-based system dynamics modeling consists of numerous stages: (1) creating model boundary charts, behavior-over-time-graphs and preliminary system dynamics models using group model-building techniques; (2) model formulation; (3) model calibration; (4) model testing and validation; and (5) model simulation using learning-laboratory techniques. Conclusions Community-based system dynamics modeling can provide powerful tools for policy and intervention decisions that can result ultimately in sustainable changes in research and action in alcohol misuse prevention.
Measuring costs related to spine surgery

Abstract Treatment of spinal pathology is a significant contributor to the current rise in health care spending in the United States. To maximize value, the cost of spine care must be analyzed to assess for any inefficiencies. In parallel, outcomes must be tracked to ensure that any potential cost reductions do not have a negative impact on the efficacy of treatments. This article focuses on three primary topics in spinal care. We will begin with a general review of cost analysis methods, highlight specific drivers of cost, and finally offer broad solutions to help improve the value of spine care.
Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling of Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived SCGB3A2+ Airway Epithelium

Lung epithelial lineages have been difficult to maintain in pure form in vitro, and lineage-specific reporters have proven invaluable for monitoring their emergence from cultured pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). However, reporter constructs for tracking proximal airway lineages generated from PSCs have not been previously available, limiting the characterization of these cells. Here, we engineer mouse and human PSC lines carrying airway secretory lineage reporters that facilitate the tracking, purification, and profiling of this lung subtype. Through bulk and single-cell-based global transcriptomic profiling, we find PSC-derived airway secretory cells are susceptible to phenotypic plasticity exemplified by the tendency to co-express both a proximal airway secretory program as well as an alveolar type 2 cell program, which can be minimized by inhibiting endogenous Wnt signaling. Our results provide global profiles of engineered lung cell fates, a guide for improving their directed differentiation, and a human model of the developing airway.
Lionel Robbins and Scarcity

Disturbed by what he considered to be a lack of central focus to the work of practicing economists, Lionel Robbins dismissed a number of competing definitions for economics offered by economists for being flawed in one way or another, mainly in terms of their general applicability to all that economists do. He proposed that across economists’ various investigations, one concern was at the foundation of all economic inquiries, the inevitable conflict that emerges whenever the available resources could not satisfy all demands. He argued that in order for people to achieve maximum welfare, they had to choose and behave “purposively.” Along the way, Robbins excluded matters of valuations as outside the domain of economics, and put such matters within psychology, which he considered a lesser discipline. He also opined against laboratory experimentation, because laboratories were artificial environments, intentionally so, for developing economic generalizations.
“I Found a Fit”: Doctoral Student Narratives of Coming to a Theoretical Home in a Qualitative Research Class

A critical aspect of learning qualitative research methodology in a doctoral program is to develop deep knowledge of the theoretical frameworks informing one’s research. An in-depth reading of those theories is necessary for them to be used to inform and guide dissertation research. Based in narrative inquiry, this study examined the journeys of 18 novice qualitative researchers as they came to understand theory and develop a theoretical home to inform their doctoral research. Findings include 1) the emotional concerns, uncertainty, and confusion when asked to engage with theory and theoretical frameworks to inform their research for the first time; 2) supports and strategies used to engage deeply with theories; and 3) students’ use of metaphors to describe their relationships with theories over the course of their doctoral studies as they came to a “theoretical home”. Implications for doctoral training in qualitative research include the need to engage pedagogically with students around the complexities and messiness of the role of theory in research.
Events as Recurrables

It is philosophically important to discover the essential nature of events.1 Events are important to philosophers as well as to plain men. Some philosophers claim that the terms of a causal relation are events. Some ask whether we perceive events in the way we perceive chairs. Others say that some events ought to occur. And of course others say that there are no events: that is, that the true ontology denies that events exist.
Effects of contextual socioeconomic stressors on adolescents: Mediation and moderation by marital and parent -child relationships

This study presents different methods of longitudinal data analysis used to model continuity and change in family research. Innovative modeling techniques such as autoregressive models, cross-lagged models, latent growth curves, interlocking growth trajectories, latent class growth analysis, and general mixture modeling are used to model the mechanisms in the family stress model. According to the family stress paradigm, negative stressors such as economic stress, work-related stress, and negative life events lead to poor mental health in parents, negatively impact the marital relationship, and undermine effective parenting. In turn, poor parental mental health, marital distress, and ineffective parenting are expected to have a cumulative negative impact on adolescent well-being. The purpose of this study is to explore the mechanisms through which contextual socioeconomic stressors may negatively impact parental and adolescent mental health and undermine effective parenting skills among single-parent mothers. It was expected that the negative effects of these distal stressors on children are mediated through their parents. In addition, this study investigates the possible role of spousal support from the single-mothers’ former spouse as moderator of these contextual stressors. Specifically, it was expected that a positive relationship with the former spouse will significantly buffer the effects of these negative stressors on parenting and on the mental health of the single mothers and their adolescent children. The implications of such findings would be that the benefits of positive spousal support may not be limited to married couples. Rather, divorced parents may also benefit from receiving support from their former spouses, particularly in the form of supportive parenting. Hence, the long-term outlook on the well-being and parenting effectiveness of divorced singleparents does not necessarily have to be as bleak as many make it out to be.
Targeting the cell cycle for cancer therapy in rhabdomyosarcoma.

10535Background: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is an aggressive malignancy of childhood with a poor prognosis in patients with metastatic or recurrent disease. Inhibitors of Wee1 kinase and heat shock pro...
Medical marijuana legalization and associated illicit drug use and prescription medication misuse among adolescents in the U.S.

Abstract Background Use of illicit drugs and misuse of prescription medications among U.S. adolescents have been major public health issues. As over half of the states have implemented medical marijuana laws (MMLs), it is unclear if MML implementation is associated with use of illicit drugs and misuse of prescription medications among adolescents. Methods This study used data from the 2013–2014 National Survey of Drug Use and Health and included adolescents aged 12–18 with a total of 26,826 participants after the propensity-score matching used to reduce selection bias between states that had and had not implemented MML. Seven logistic regressions were conducted to examine MML implementation and associated use of illicit drugs (including cocaine/crack, heroin, hallucinogens, and inhalants) and misuse of prescription medications (including pain relievers, tranquilizers/sedatives, and stimulants), controlling for sociodemographics and use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. Results Adolescents residing in the states that had legalized medical marijuana were more likely to use cocaine/crack and heroin in the past 12 months (OR = 1.63, 2.61, respectively; both ps Conclusions The study findings suggest that for the states that have implemented MML, policy and educational interventions should as well be implemented to prevent not only marijuana use but also use of other harder drugs such as cocaine/crack and heroin among adolescents. States that have yet implemented MML should consider the possible associations between MML implementation and use of other illicit drugs when legislating MML.
Gene Regulatory Networks: Current Updates and Applications in Plant Biology

Gene networks offer a strong perspective for better understanding of gene functions associated with complex biological traits. A gene regulatory network (GRN) is comprised of the regulatory elements which interact together to regulate the transcriptional and translational processes within the cell. GRNs involve the network of genes and proteins and molecular interactions that regulate those genes and proteins. GRNs govern the way a plant responds to various environmental cues. Thus, GRNs are the key to understand the interaction between the plant’s genotype and environment. Elucidation of plant GRNs is important for plant resistance and adaptability under external environmental stressors. Serious attempts are being made to characterize these GRNs and modulate them in order to get the desired trait in crop plants. In this chapter, we will discuss the structure, recent advances, and factors influencing the GRNs under various environmental stresses and major challenges for future researches.
Characterization and Potential Applications of Dog Natural Killer Cells in Cancer Immunotherapy

Natural killer (NK) cells of the innate immune system are a key focus of research within the field of immuno-oncology based on their ability to recognize and eliminate malignant cells without prior sensitization or priming. However, barriers have arisen in the effective translation of NK cells to the clinic, in part because of critical species differences between mice and humans. Companion animals, especially dogs, are valuable species for overcoming many of these barriers, as dogs develop spontaneous tumors in the setting of an intact immune system, and the genetic and epigenetic factors that underlie oncogenesis appear to be similar between dogs and humans. Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge for dog NK cells, including cell surface marker phenotype, key NK genes and genetic regulation, similarities and differences of dog NK cells to other mammals, especially human and mouse, expression of canonical inhibitory and activating receptors, ex vivo expansion techniques, and current and future clinical applications. While dog NK cells are not as well described as those in humans and mice, the knowledge of the field is increasing and clinical applications in dogs can potentially advance the field of human NK biology and therapy. Better characterization is needed to truly understand the similarities and differences of dog NK cells with mouse and human. This will allow for the canine model to speed clinical translation of NK immunotherapy studies and overcome key barriers in the optimization of NK cancer immunotherapy, including trafficking, longevity, and maximal in vivo support.
Dynamic congestion pricing for ridesourcing traffic: a simulation optimization approach

Despite the documented benefits of ridesourcing services, recent studies show that they can slow down traffic in the densest cities significantly. To implement congestion pricing policies upon those vehicles, regulators need to estimate the degree of congestion effect. This paper studies simulation-based approaches to address the two technical challenges arising from the representation of system dynamics and the optimization for congestion price mechanisms. To estimate the traffic state, we use a metamodel representation for traffic flow and a numerical method for data interpolation. To reduce the burden of replicating evaluation in stochastic optimization, we use a simulation optimization approach to compute the optimal congestion price. This data-driven approach can potentially be extended to solve large-scale congestion pricing problems with unobservable states.
Genetic interactions and transcriptomics implicate fission yeast CTD prolyl isomerase Pin1 as an agent of RNA 3' processing and transcription termination that functions via its effects on CTD phosphatase Ssu72

The phosphorylation pattern of Pol2 CTD Y1S2P3T4S5P6S7 repeats comprises an informational code coordinating transcription and RNA processing. cis-trans isomerization of CTD prolines expands the scope of the code in ways that are not well understood. Here we address this issue via analysis of fission yeast peptidyl-prolyl isomerase Pin1. A pin1Δ allele that does not affect growth per se is lethal in the absence of cleavage-polyadenylation factor (CPF) subunits Ppn1 and Swd22 and elicits growth defects absent CPF subunits Ctf1 and Dis2 and termination factor Rhn1. Whereas CTD S2A, T4A, and S7A mutants thrive in combination with pin1Δ, a Y1F mutant does not, nor do CTD mutants in which half the Pro3 or Pro6 residues are replaced by alanine. Phosphate-acquisition genes pho1, pho84 and tgp1 are repressed by upstream lncRNAs and are sensitive to changes in lncRNA 3' processing/termination. pin1Δ hyper-represses PHO gene expression and erases the de-repressive effect of CTD-S7A. Transcriptional profiling delineated sets of 56 and 22 protein-coding genes that are down-regulated and up-regulated in pin1Δ cells, respectively, 77% and 100% of which are downregulated/upregulated when the cis-proline-dependent Ssu72 CTD phosphatase is inactivated. Our results implicate Pin1 as a positive effector of 3' processing/termination that acts via Ssu72.