cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polarized targeting of L1-CAM regulates axonal and dendritic bundling in vitro

Proper axonal and dendritic bundling is essential for the establishment of neuronal connections and the synchronization of synaptic inputs, respectively. Cell adhesion molecules of the L1-CAM (L1-cell adhesion molecule) family regulate axon guidance and fasciculation, neuron migration, dendrite morphology, and synaptic plasticity. It remains unclear how these molecules play so many different roles. Here we show that polarized axon-dendrite targeting of an avian L1-CAM protein, NgCAM (neuron-glia cell adhesion molecule), can regulate the switch of bundling of the two major compartments of rat hippocampal neurons. Using a new in-vitro model for studying neurite-neurite interactions, we found that expressed axonal NgCAM induced robust axonal bundling via the trans-homophilic interaction of immunoglobulin domains. Interestingly, dendritic bundling was induced by the dendritic targeting of NgCAM, caused by either deleting its fibronectin repeats or blocking activities of protein kinases. Consistent with the NgCAM results, expression of mouse L1-CAM also induced axonal bundling and blocking kinase activities disrupted its axonal targeting. Furthermore, the trans-homophilic interaction stabilized the bundle formation, probably through recruiting NgCAM proteins to contact sites and promoting guided axon outgrowth. Taken together, our results suggest that precise localization of L1-CAM is important for establishing proper cell-cell contacts in neural circuits.
Fluorescence-dip IR spectra of jet-cooled benzoic acid dimer in its ground and first excited singlet states.

The IR spectra of three isotopomers of the benzoic acid dimer have been recorded under jet-cooled conditions using the double resonance method of fluorescence-dip IR spectroscopy. In so doing, the spectra are assuredly due exclusively to dimers in the ground-state zero-point level at a rotational temperature of 3–5 K. Even under these conditions, the three isotopomers have remarkably broad spectra, extending from 2600 to almost 3150 cm−1. The spectra show extensive substructure consisting of some 15–20 transitions where only a single OH stretch fundamental should appear in the harmonic limit. The comparison of the undeuterated d0–d0 dimer with the ring-deuterated d5–d5 dimer tests the effect of mixing with the C–H stretches and overtones of the C–H bends. The mixed OH/OD ring-deuterated d6–d5 dimer shifts the frequency and changes the form of the OH stretch normal mode. The analogous OH stretch IR spectrum of the d0–d0 dimer out of the S1 excited-state zero-point level has also been recorded. In this case, much of the closely-spaced substructure is not apparent. What remains is a set of three bands separated from one another by about 180 cm−1. Preliminary results of model calculations of the anharmonic coupling, responsible for the broadening and substructure, are presented. These calculations indicate that it is OH stretch–OH bend coupling, rather than coupling with the intermolecular stretch, that is responsible for much of the observed structure and breadth.
Walking speed and step length asymmetry modify the energy cost of walking after stroke.

Background. A higher energy cost of walking poststroke has been linked to reduced walking performance and reduced participation in the community. Objective. To determine the contribution of postint...
Designing a Military Event Gazetteer: The Case of Parachute Operations During the French Indochina War

The study of landscapes is an important area of research in critical military geography. Historical military campaigns themselves are violent events that occur within the context of a landscape. Although the actual events are transitory, they can leave behind a tangible record in the landscape and a memory that will be interpreted by present and future generations. Many small-scale individual operations might leave no lasting imprint on the physical landscape and are only remembered in the experience of those who participated. For these less well-known events, such as operations in colonial conflicts, their existence lies in the textual documents of memoirs, military records, and literature on the history of the associated conflicts. This study explores possible methods for designing and constructing a military event gazetteer for organizing information regarding such military operations. Parachute operations during the French Indochina War were chosen for this analysis because of the role these operation...
The Chemistry of the Zinc Oxide Cure of Halobutyl

Abstract The studies described in this papier lead to certain conclusions. The crosslinking reaction of halobutyl with zinc oxide does not give rise to ether crosslinks. All the evidence indicates ...
Event-based prospective memory among veterans: The role of posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity in executing intentions

ABSTRACTObjective: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been linked with neuropsychological deficits in several areas, including attention, learning and memory, and cognitive inhibition. Although memory dysfunction is among the most commonly documented deficits associated with PTSD, our existing knowledge pertains only to retrospective memory. The current study investigated the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and event-based prospective memory (PM). Method: Forty veterans completed a computerized event-based PM task, a self-report measure of PTSD, and measures of retrospective memory. Results: Hierarchical regression analysis results revealed that PTSD symptom severity accounted for 16% of the variance in PM performance, F(3, 36) = 3.47, p < .05, after controlling for age and retrospective memory. Additionally, each of the three PTSD symptom clusters was related, to varying degrees, with PM performance. Conclusions: Results suggest that elevated PTSD symptoms may be associated with more dif...
Identification of Infants at Risk for Autism Using Multi-parameter Hierarchical White Matter Connectomes

Autism spectrum disorder ASD is a variety of developmental disorders that cause life-long communication and social deficits. However, ASD could only be diagnosed at children as early as 2 years of age, while early signs may emerge within the first year. White matter WM connectivity abnormalities have been documented in the first year of lives of ASD subjects. We introduce a novel multi-kernel support vector machine SVM framework to identify infants at high-risk for ASD at 6 months old, by utilizing the diffusion parameters derived from a hierarchical set of WM connectomes. Experiments show that the proposed method achieves an accuracy of 76%, in comparison to 70% with the best single connectome. The complementary information extracted from hierarchical networks enhances the classification performance, with the top discriminative connections consistent with other studies. Our framework provides essential imaging connectomic markers and contributes to the evaluation of ASD risks as early as 6 months.
Parallel finite-element implementation for higher-order ice-sheet models

Higher-order models represent a computationally less expensive alternative to the Stokes model for ice-sheet modeling. In this work, we develop linear and quadratic finite-element methods, implemented on parallel architectures, for the three-dimensional first-order model of Dukowicz and others (2010) that is based on the Blatter-Pattyn model, and for the depth-integrated model of Schoof and Hindmarsh (2010). We then apply our computational models to three of the ISMIP-HOM benchmark test cases (Pattyn and others, 2008). We compare results obtained from our models with those obtained using a reliable Stokes computational model, showing that our first-order model implementation produces reliable and accurate solutions for almost all characteristic length scales of the test geometries considered. Good agreement with the reference Stokes solution is also obtained by our depth-integrated model implementation in fast-sliding regimes and for medium to large length scales. We also provide a comprehensive comparison between results obtained from our first-order model implementation and implementations developed by ISMIP-HOM participants; this study shows that our implementation is at least as good as the previous ones. Finally, a comparison between linear and quadratic finite- element approximations is carried out, showing, as expected, the better accuracy of the quadratic finite-element method.
The determination of bifunctional compounds

Abstract Ethylphosphonothioic dichloride reacts selectively with bifunctional compounds containing OH, NH2 and COOH groups to form derivatives which are stable to gas chromatography. These derivatives can be determined at the low picogram level with nitrogen—phosphorus detector or with the flame photometric detector. The cyclic ethylphosphonothioic derivatives produce characteristic mass spectra with prominent molecular ions. The derivatives are suitable for identification purposes by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry and the prominent ion [M  C2H5S]+ should be useful for trace analysis by single ion monitoring.
Role of immunotherapy in allergic fungal rhinosinusitis.

Purpose of reviewOur understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) continues to evolve. This article serves to update the reader on the diagnosis and management of AFRS and pays particular attention to the recent literature regarding efficacy and safety of
The Sex Ratio in the Domestic Fowl in Relation to Size of Family

Abstract Studies on the sex ratio of the domestic fowl are of interest from the standpoint of ascertaining the normal sex ratio and the extent and causes of deviations from the normal sex ratio which may occur under varying circumstances. A determination of the cause or causes of any deviation from the normal sex ratio might lead to the possibility of modifying the sex ratio as a result of breeding practice. First, however, it is necessary to determine the nature of the normal sex ratio, meaning the mean percentage of males in the total population obtained during the normal hatching season. The most extensive data on the normal sex ratio in the domestic fowl have been contributed by Pearl (1917), who observed by a sex ratio of 48.57 ± 0.28 among various breeds. This sex ratio was determined on the basis of 10 or more chicks per family and was regarded . . .
Vitamin D immunoregulation through dendritic cells.

Vitamin D (VD3) has been linked to immunological processes, and its supplementation may have a role in treatment or prevention of diseases with underlying autoimmune or pro-inflammatory states. As initiators of the immune responses, dendritic cells (DC) are a potential target of VD3 to dampen autoimmunity and inflammation, but the role of DC in VD3-mediated immunomodulation in vivo is not understood. In addition to being targets of VD3, DC can provide a local source of bioactive VD3 for regulation of T-cell responses. Here we review existing studies that describe the tolerogenic potential of VD3 on DC, and discuss them in the context of current understanding of DC development and function. We speculate on mechanisms that might account for the potent but poorly understood tolerogenic activities of VD3 and the role of DC as both targets and sources of this hormone.
DETERMINATION OF WIND STRESS (DRAG) COEFFICIENT FOR COASTAL WATERS UNDER VARIABLE METEOROLOGICAL AND OCEANOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS

On the basis of a parametric model of wind stress (drag) coefficient over water surfaces and related experiments, objective procedures to obtain this coefficient under variable wind and wave conditions are outlined and recommended for oceanographic applications and air-sea interaction studies. Methods for both fully and non-fully developed sea conditions are given.
276 SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS-CONTAINING AUTOANTIBODIES TO TOPOISOMERASE I OR FIBRILLARIN INDUCE INTERFERON-α THROUGH ACTIVATION OF FCγ RECEPTOR AND TOLL-LIKE RECEPTOR PATHWAYS.

Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by immune activation, vascular damage, and fibrosis of the skin and/or internal organs. Patients are classified as having diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) with antibodies to topoisomerase 1 or fibrillarin or limited cutaneous (lcSSc) with antibodies to centromeric antigens (ACA). The immunopathogenic mechanisms responsible for disease are poorly defined. Objectives (1) To determine whether serum from systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients with different clinical subsets and defined autoantibodies induce interferon (IFN)-α production when exposed to antigen in the presence of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). (2) To determine the mechanisms by which IFN-α production is induced in a defined test system. Methods SSc sera containing one of three different autoantibody specificities against topoisomerase I, fibrillarin, and centromeric proteins (ACA) were cultured with a source of antigens obtained from a crude nuclear extract and added to peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures. In some experiment, inhibitors of CD32a (specific antibody), endocytosis (bafilomycin A1, chloroquine), or Toll-like receptors (IRS 661, IRS 869) were used. The produced IFN-α was measured my immunoassay. Results SSc sera containing topoisomerase I or fibrillarin but not that containing ACA induced IFN-α production statistically significantly greater than observed with normal controls in the presence of antigen. This response was decreased by blockade of CD32, the endocytic pathway, or TLR7. Conclusions The difference in IFN-α production between dcSSc sera (patients with antibodies to topoisomerase I or fibrillarin) and lcSSc (patients with ACA) suggests that production of IFN-α may be important for shedding light on the immunologic differences between dcSSc and lcSSc. In addition, the interaction of CD32 and TLRs in IFN-α production is important in revealing molecular mechanisms behind the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases characterized by autoantigens associated with nucleic acids.
Br AND Wh, B CELL ANTIGENS IN GLUTEN SENSITIVE ENTEROPATHY AND DERMATITIS HERPETIFORMIS

Fc receptor cells (B cells) are separated from other lymphocytes by their ability to adhere to antibody-antigen complexes on microcytotoxicity plates, or in a batch procedure, on petri dishes. Sera defining B cell specificities are obtained from multiparous women or from mothers of children with disease. B cell antigens in differing degrees of linkage disequilibrium with HLA are described in Amish and in random subjects. New specificities apparently present only on B cells from patients with dermatitis herpetiformis or gluten enteropathy are presented. The possibility that anti-HLA sera giving occasional unexpected reactions are really reacting with T cell antigens is discussed in the context that the subpopulation antigens are differentiation antigens and can give a new insight into the genetics and etiology of disease.
The effect of radiation therapy and hyperthermia on a human prostatic carcinoma cell line grown in athymic nude mice.

AbstractThe effect of radiation and/or hyperthermia on a human prostatic carcinoma xenograft in athymic nude mice was investigated. A human prostate carcinoma subline (1-LN-PC-3-1A) was inoculated subcutaneously in the thigh of male athymic nude mice. When tumors reached a size of approximately 200 mm.3, they were treated with either radiation (X) or hyperthermia (H) alone, or in combination (X + H). In the combined treatment, hyperthermia was delivered immediately after radiation exposure. Comparison of the time required to reach twice the tumor volume observed at the time of treatment was used to define therapeutic impact on tumor growth. The combined treatment resulted in a median tumor volume doubling time of 35.5 days, compared to 18 days and 25.5 days, respectively, for hyperthermia or radiation alone. Analysis of tumor doubling time using a proportional hazards regression indicates that under the conditions of this experiment, the effect of radiation and hyperthermia for 1-LN-PC-3-1A tumors is addi...
Is there a racial order? Comments on Emirbayer and Desmond

ABSTRACTEmirbayer and Desmond’s THE RACIAL ORDER is a heroic but ultimately quixotic effort. The work relies upon an attempted synthesis of Deweyan pragmatism and Bourdieuian social capital theory. Emirbayer and Desmond deploy an uneasy combination of approaches, insisting upon ‘reflexivity’ in sociological study of race and racism (the pragmatism dimension), and crafting a dubious taxonomy of sociological ‘fields’ where racial conflict takes shape, and in which sociologists study race as well (the social capital dimension). A chapter on ‘racial reconstruction’ proposes to apply their understanding to concrete political struggles, in pursuit of an augmented ‘racial democracy’. While the book is tremendously erudite theoretically and provides a valuable literature review, it does not advance racial theory very much. The authors are distracted by Bourdieu’s scientism and obsession with classification. Although ‘racial order’ is revealed to be a chimera, there is still much to be learned here.
Fundamentals of the Stiffness Method

The stiffness method (also known as the displacement method) is the primary method used in matrix analysis of structures. One of its advantages over the flexibility method is that it is conducive to computer programming. Once the analytical model of a structure has been defined, no further engineering decisions are required in the stiffness method in order to carry out the analysis. In this respect it differs from the flexibility method, although the two approaches have similar mathematical forms. In the flexibility method the unknown quantities are redundant actions that must be arbitrarily chosen; but in the stiffness method the unknowns are the joint displacements in the structure, which are automatically specified. Thus, in the stiffness method the number of unknowns to be calculated is the same as the degree of kinematic indeterminacy of the structure.
Polygenic Control of Carotid Atherosclerosis in a BALB/cJ × SM/J Intercross and a Combined Cross Involving Multiple Mouse Strains

Atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries is a major cause of ischemic stroke, which accounts for 85% of all stroke cases. Genetic factors contributing to carotid atherosclerosis remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to identify chromosomal regions harboring genes contributing to carotid atherosclerosis in mice. From an intercross between BALB/cJ (BALB) and SM/J (SM) apolipoprotein E-deficient (Apoe-/-) mice, 228 female F2 mice were generated and fed a "Western" diet for 12 wk. Atherosclerotic lesion sizes in the left carotid artery were quantified. Across the entire genome, 149 genetic markers were genotyped. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis revealed eight loci for carotid lesion sizes, located on chromosomes 1, 5, 12, 13, 15, 16, and 18. Combined cross-linkage analysis using data from this cross, and two previous F2 crosses derived from BALB, C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ strains, identified five significant QTL on chromosomes 5, 9, 12, and 13, and nine suggestive QTL for carotid atherosclerosis. Of them, the QTL on chromosome 12 had a high LOD score of 9.95. Bioinformatic analysis prioritized Arhgap5, Akap6, Mipol1, Clec14a, Fancm, Nin, Dact1, Rtn1, and Slc38a6 as probable candidate genes for this QTL. Atherosclerotic lesion sizes were significantly correlated with non-HDL cholesterol levels (r = 0.254; p = 0.00016) but inversely correlated with HDL cholesterol levels (r = -0.134; p = 0.049) in the current cross. Thus, we demonstrated the polygenic control of carotid atherosclerosis in mice. The correlations of carotid lesion sizes with non-HDL and HDL suggest that genetic factors exert effects on carotid atherosclerosis partially through modulation of lipoprotein homeostasis.
Size efficient big data sharing among Internet of Things devices

The Internet of Things (IoT) connects smart objects so they can share information in a network to provide context-sensitive services. The amount of shared information will increase, likely dramatically, as more and more smart objects join the network and disseminate their contextual information. In this paper, we explain how smart IoT devices can share a large amount of context information using much less storage space and communication bandwidth. We use the versatile and simple JSON format at the application interface to allow applications to define their context descriptions, but we convert this JSON format into size-efficient yet equivalent probabilistic data structures for storage or communication. The loss of schema information in the conversion is compensated for by introducing a schema summary, which incorporates a hierarchical structure, and a state machine that recovers the schema information from the relationship among elements in a summary.
Effects of soil surface roughness on interrill erosion processes and sediment particle size distribution

Abstract Soil surface roughness significantly impacts runoff and erosion under rainfall. Few previous studies on runoff generation focused on the effects of soil surface roughness on the sediment particle size distribution (PSD), which greatly affects interrill erosion and sedimentation processes. To address this issue, a rainfall-simulation experiment was conducted with treatments that included two different initial soil surface roughnesses and two rainfall intensities. Soil surface roughness was determined by using photogrammetric method. For each simulated event, runoff and sediment samples were collected at different experimental times. The effective (undispersed) PSD of each sediment sample and the ultimate (after dispersion) PSD were used to investigate the detachment and transport mechanisms involved in sediment movement. The results show that soil surface roughness significantly delayed runoff initiation, but had no significant effect on the steady runoff rate. However, a significant difference in the soil loss rate was observed between the smooth and rough soil surfaces. Sediments from smooth soil surfaces were more depleted in clay-size particles, but more enriched in sand-size particles than those from rough soil surfaces, suggesting that erosion was less selective on smooth than on rough soil surfaces. The ratio of different sizes of transported sediment to the soil matrix indicates that most of the clay was eroded in the form of aggregates, silt-size particles were transported mainly as primary particles, and sand-size particles were predominantly aggregates of finer particles. Soil surface roughness has a crucial effect on the sediment size distribution and erosion processes. Significant differences of the enrichment ratios for the effective PSD and the ultimate PSD were observed under the two soil surface roughness treatments. These findings demonstrate that we should consider each particle size separately rather than use only the total sediment discharge in assessing and modeling interrill erosion processes.
Are flash crashes caused by instabilities arising from rapid trading

Recent flash crashes have posed a puzzle for finance theory. Classical finance theory would stipulate that large pools of arbitrage capital should preclude such events. The asset flow model provides an explanation based on the finiteness of capital and motivations based on price trend. In particular, we show that a stable point of equilibrium becomes unstable upon either (i) increasing the cash of the trend based investors relative to those motivated by valuation, or (ii) decreasing the time scale for the trend based traders. In particular, as trading becomes more rapid, one has more instability. Furthermore, the "excursions" from equilibrium, which we define as the maximum deviation of the price from the curve of equilibria increase as the trend based traders focus on a shorter time scale.
Atmosphere: A Universal Cross-Cloud Communication Infrastructure

As demonstrated by the emergence of paradigms like fog computing [1] or cloud-of-clouds [2], the landscape of third-party computation is moving beyond straightforward single datacenter-based cloud computing. However, building applications that execute efficiently across data-centers and clouds is tedious due to the variety of communication abstractions provided, and variations in latencies within and between datacenters.
Applicator-Guided Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy: A New Approach to Treating Cervical Cancer

We are developing a novel radiation therapy modality, applicator-guided intensity modulated radiation therapy (AGIMRT), for gynecological cancers that provides highly conformal and accurately localized therapy. External beam therapy localized by an intracavitary applicator substitute will replace existing high-dose rate brachytherapy treatments, and the dose distributions will be generated using EVIRT dose optimization. An applicator substitute will be inserted into the patient’s vagina and uterus and a three-dimensional (3D) image study acquired using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The applicator substitute will remain implanted between imaging and treatment to spatially register the tumor and internal organs for both treatment planning and delivery and will either be rigidly attached to the couch or actively monitored. After the treatment plan is calculated the patient will be aligned to the accelerator using the applicator substitute, and after treatment delivery, the applicator substitute will be removed. The fundamental hypothesis of this modality is that the tumor and internal organ positions are spatially constrained to the applicator substitute so that when the dose distribution is aligned with the applicator substitute, it is also aligned with the tumor and critical organs.
A Dempster-Shafer Theoretic Approach to Understanding Indirect Speech Acts

Understanding Indirect Speech Acts (ISAs) is an integral function of human understanding of natural language. Recent attempts at understanding ISAs have used rule-based approaches to map utterances to deep semantics. While these approaches have been successful in handling a wide range of ISAs, they do not take into account the uncertainty associated with the utterance’s context, or the utterance itself. We present a new approach for understanding ISAs using the Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence and show how this approach increases the robustness of ISA inference by (1) accounting for uncertain implication rules and context, (2) fluidly adapting rules given new information, and (3) enabling better modeling of the beliefs of other agents.
Chapter 4 – Organic Field-Effect Transistors for Large-Area Electronics

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the field of organic thin-film field-effect transistors (OTFTs). As in traditional inorganic semiconductors, organic semiconductors function either as p-type, in which the majority charge carriers are holes, or n-type, in which the majority charge carriers are electrons. OTFTs based on conjugated polymers, oligomers, or fused aromatics are envisioned as a viable alternative to more traditional, mainstream thin-film transistors (TFTs) based on inorganic materials. Because of the relatively low mobility of organic semiconductors, OTFTs cannot rival the performance of field-effect transistors based on single-crystalline inorganic semiconductors, such as Si, Ge, and GaAs, which have charge carrier mobilities of three or more orders of magnitude higher Consequently, OTFTs are not suitable for use in applications requiring very high switching speeds. However, the unique processing characteristics and already demonstrated performance of OTFTs suggest that they can be competitive candidates for existing or novel TFT applications requiring large area coverage, low-temperature processing, structural flexibility, and especially low cost.
Social network analysis of peer effects on binge drinking among U.S. adolescents

Adolescent binge drinking is a public health challenge. The study analyzes data from Add Health, a longitudinal survey of seventh through eleventh grade students enrolled between 1995 and 1996. A stochastic actor-based model simulates the co-evolution of binge drinking and friendship connections. Selection effects play a significant role in the creation of peer clusters with similar binge drinking. Friendship nominations between two students with similar binge drinking frequency were 3.46 (95% CI: 2.38-5.01) times more likely than between otherwise identical students with differing alcohol use frequency. An adolescent who nominated binge drinkers as friends was 14% more likely to begin binge drinking than adolescents with non-binge drinking friends. The data demonstrate that strong family ties reduced the odds of adolescent binge drinking by 7%.
Lorecasting the Weather: Unhumanizing Phenomenology for Decoding the Language of Earth

If Earth were a sentient nonhuman being trying to speak to us, how would we decode the message? Until recently, phenomenology as a research approach has restricted itself to human experience, the only kind directly available to us. However, as the Big Machine worldview of reality as subject to linear operations of interlocking parts gives way to a more comprehensive, systemic understanding of the cosmos as alive and participatory, forms of knowledge abandoned by modernity rise to the surface once again. One of these is a view of the world as animated, sensitive, and reactive, a preindustrial view held by all our indigenous ancestors and by certain later alchemists, naturalists, and poets uninvested in mining and consuming a world of supposedly dead matter.
Competing for the Next Hundred Million Americans: The Uses and Abuses of Tax Increment Financing

Demographers predict that the US population will grow by one hundred million in 2050. Newcomers will settle in suburbia, particularly to the fast growing big cities of the south and west, cities in the resurgent heartland of the country, exurbia and ‘superstar cities’. Communities eager to appeal to these newcomers will use tax increment financing for public improvements such as stadiums, museums, plazas and promenades. These public improvements are often integrated into signature private redevelopment projects carefully designed to achieve environmental and planning objectives by being pedestrian-friendly, high density, and mixed use, accessible not only by automobile but public transit as well. After illustrating the beneficial use of tax increment financing, I describe six major criticisms often leveled against tax increment financing (TIF). (1) TIF helps outer suburbs lure jobs from center cities and inner suburbs; (2) TIF should be confined to seriously blighted areas and is not; (3) TIF is often used to subsidize the increased supply of retail development in markets where demand is static, achieving little except the displacement of sales from other locations; (4) cities sponsoring tax increment projects unfairly and inefficiently drain property tax revenues from other taxing entities including schools and counties; (5) There are few serious obstacles preventing local governments from sponsoring TIF projects in places that would have attracted private development anyway, or bestowing subsidies greater than necessary upon firms agreeing to locate in marginal areas; and (6) Many local governments don’t bother to analyze whether TIF projects are net tax revenue producers or assess periodically whether actual yields match initial projections.
Employing Systems Biology to Quantify Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling in Time and Space

Environmental cues received by plasma membrane receptors are processed and encoded into complex spatiotemporal response patterns of protein phosphorylation networks, which generate signaling specificity. The emerging synergistic, experimental computational approach is presented, which provides insights into the intricate relationships between stimuli and cellular responses. Computational models reveal how positive and negative feedback circuits and other kinetic mechanisms enable signaling networks to amplify signals, reduce noise, and generate complex nonlinear responses, including oscillations, ultrasensitive switches, and discontinuous bistable dynamics; and many of these predictions have been verified experimentally. The analysis of the spatial signaling dynamics highlights an important distinction between electronic and living circuitry and shows how intriguing signaling phenomena are brought about by the heterogeneous cellular architecture and diffusion. Spatial gradients of signaling activities emerge as hallmarks of living cells. These gradients guide pivotal physiological processes, such as cell motility and mitosis, but also impose a need for facilitated signal propagation, which involves trafficking of endosomes and signaling complexes along microtubules and traveling waves of phosphorylated kinases.
Newer aspects of inflammatory bowel disease and its cutaneous manifestations: a selective review

Idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) denotes several types of gastrointestinal disorders characterized by protracted inflammation of the large or small bowel, and a tendency toward relapse or recurrence. The two major groups of IBD are identified as chronic nonspecific ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Extraintestinal manifestations of IBD are diverse and may antedate, occur with, or postdate the onset of the disease process itself. Cutaneous diseases such as erythema nodosum or pyoderma gangrenosum are not infrequent, and test the clinician's ability to recognize the underlying bowel pathology and institute appropriate treatment. This selective review will address the immunological pathogenesis of IBD, new or rarely reported skin markers in IBD, drug therapy and side effects, zinc deficiency, management of osteotomy patients, and cutaneous cancer complicating IBD. Although the prognosis of IBD has improved, the role of the dermatologist as a consultant remains invaluable in reducing the attendant cutaneous morbidity.
Glucocorticoid-induced CREB activation and myostatin expression in C2C12 myotubes involves phosphodiesterase-3/4 signaling.

Abstract Muscle atrophy in metabolic conditions like chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes are associated with glucocorticoid production, dysfunctional insulin/Akt/FoxO3 signaling and increased myostatin expression. We recently found that CREB, a transcription factor proposed to regulate myostatin expression, is highly phosphorylated in some wasting conditions. Based on a novel Akt-PDE3/4 signaling paradigm, we hypothesized that reduced Akt signaling contributes to CREB activation and myostatin expression. C2C12 myotubes were incubated with dexamethasone (Dex), an atrophy-inducing synthetic glucocorticoid. Akt/CREB signaling and myostatin expression were evaluated by immunoblot and qPCR analyses. Inhibitors of Akt, phosphodiesterase (PDE)-3/4, and protein kinase A (PKA) signaling were used to test our hypothesis. Incubating myotubes with Dex for 3–24 h inhibited Akt phosphorylation and enhanced CREB phosphorylation as well as myostatin mRNA and protein. Inhibition of PI3K/Akt signaling with LY294002 similarly increased CREB phosphorylation. Isobutyl-methylxanthine (IBMX, a pan PDE inhibitor), milrinone (PDE3 inhibitor) and rolipram (PDE4 inhibitor) augmented CREB phosphorylation and myostatin expression. Inhibition of protein kinase A by PKI reverted Dex- or IBMX-induced CREB phosphorylation and myostatin expression. Our study provides evidence supporting a newly identified mechanism by which a glucocorticoid-related reduction in Akt signaling contributes to myostatin expression via CREB activation.
Abstract IA19: Emerging genetic mechanisms in undifferentiated round cell sarcomas

Undifferentiated round cell sarcomas (URCS) occurring in pediatric and young adults are defined by a primitive morphology reminiscent of Ewing sarcoma, but lack the canonical EWSR1-ETS gene fusion. More than >90% of EWSR1 -negative URCS are instead characterized by either a CIC-DUX4 fusion or a genetic abnormality involving BCOR . The latter group includes intra-chromosomal paracentric inversions ( BCOR-CCNB3 ), inter-chromosomal fusions ( BCOR-MAML3 ), or BCOR internal tandem duplications ( ITD ). Irrespective of their variable mechanism for dysregulation, the tumors share a similar phenotype and a BCOR upregulation at transcriptional and protein levels. In contrast, CIC-DUX4 URCS are characterized by a distinct transcriptional upregulation of PEA3 transcription factors (ETV1/4/5). For practical and treatment purposes, URCS have been regarded as “Ewing sarcoma-like” and have been managed similarly to the Ewing sarcoma family of tumors, despite their poor chemotherapy responses and aggressive clinical behavior. Alternatively these tumors are grouped by default in an “undifferentiated sarcoma category,” with their clinical management being often biased. Despite the wide spectrum of genetic abnormalities, the unifying concept is that the various gene partners or ITDs disrupt the C-terminal repressor domains of both CIC and BCOR, resulting in an oncogenic transcriptional activation of target genes. In URCS with BCOR ITD, the ITD sequences located at the C-terminal may affect the PUFD domain conformation of the BCOR protein, which might interfere with PCGF1 binding and thus could affect the PRC1-related epigenetic modifications. Citation Format: Cristina Antonescu. Emerging genetic mechanisms in undifferentiated round cell sarcomas [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Conference on Advances in Sarcomas: From Basic Science to Clinical Translation; May 16-19, 2017; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(2_Suppl):Abstract nr IA19.
Effect of Temperature on the Release of Proterometra macrostoma (Trematoda: Digenea) Cercariae from Their Snail Intermediate Host, Pleurocera semicarinata (Gastropoda: Pleuroceridae) at North Elkhorn Creek, Kentucky

The effect of temperature on cercarial release has been well documented for several digenean species; however, there have been no prior studies assessing shedding of cercariae from snails infected with the azygiid, Proterometra macrostoma. Snails, Pleurocera semicarinata, were collected at the Lemon's Mill site on North Elkhorn Creek in Scott County, Kentucky during June and July 2016. Snails shedding cercariae (n = 453) were assigned to temperature treatments (10, 13, 15, 18, 20, 25, and 30°C) that were within the range of previously reported seasonal water temperatures at North Elkhorn Creek. Snails were acclimated to experimental temperatures for 3 d. Cercarial counts were then made at 0900 h daily over the next 7 d, and the average 7-d cercarial release was calculated for each snail. The minimum emergence threshold temperature for Pr. macrostoma cercarial release was determined to be approximately 13°C, whereas the minimum development threshold temperature was between 10 and 12°C. Notably, cercarial release increased with temperature up to 25°C, but declined at 30°C. Q10 values calculated from 10°C intervals were greatest at the lowest (13–23°C) temperature interval (Q10 = 16.1), and declined at the higher (15–25 and 20–30°C) intervals (Q10 = 4.3 and Q10 = 1.8, respectively). Snail survivorship within combined replicates ranged from 87.1 to 100% over the 10-d experiment, with the lowest survivorship observed at 30°C. These results are discussed with regard to climate change and global warming.
Enzyme immunoassay determination of atrazine degradation in soil: Moisture, sterilization, and storage effects

Abstract Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) microtiter plate analysis was used to quantify atrazine (2‐chloro‐4‐ethylamino‐6‐isopropylamino‐1,3,5 triazine), fortified at 0, 50, and 500 or 549 ng/g, to Baxter and Maury silt loam soil sampled in 1965 and 1991. In the first experiment, aged soils (sampled in 1965 and stored air‐dried) were fortified with atrazine and then incubated in the dark at 0, 75, 150, 225 and 300 g/kg moisture for 15, 80, 154, and 289 d. In a second experiment, fresh soils were fortified with atrazine and incubated in the dark at 0, 150, and 300 g/kg moisture for 9, 15, 35, 55, 83, and 145 d. One half of the treatments in the second experiment were sterilized with 497 ng/g HgCl2. Twenty milliliters of acetonitrile: water (9: 1) was used to extract 4 or 5 g of soil by vortex mixing at each sampling date. The soil extract was diluted, 80 μl incubated with antibody‐coated wells, and color development read using a microtiter plate reader. Recovery of atrazine from soil was 98% 5 d after fortificati...
Examining the role of a brief online alcohol use risk feedback on accessing information about available treatment resources for alcohol issues.

Abstract Research suggests college-aged young adults are hesitant to seek treatment for alcohol use disorder and highlights barriers contributing to a gap in treatment utilization. One barrier to treatment utilization is the lack of information about available treatment resources. Motivated by the literature on web-based screening and brief interventions (eSBIs), the current study examined whether providing a brief online feedback of one's alcohol use risk severity will make college students more likely to access information about available treatment options for alcohol-related issues. College students (N = 724) who responded to the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test ( Babor, Higgins-Biddle, Saunders, & Monteiro, 2001 ) were randomly assigned to receive a brief online feedback on their alcohol use risk or to a no-feedback condition. Overall, only 20% of all participants opted to view available treatment services for alcohol issues. Participants in the feedback group (15%) were significantly less likely to view information for available services compared to the no-feedback group (24%). A significant feedback condition x stigma interaction effect was found, such that those with average and high stigma towards substance use scores were less likely to view treatment information when provided feedback. Without a thorough discussion of individual risks and without the safeguards against psychological reactance present in eSBIs, providing college students with brief online feedback about their alcohol use risk severity made them less likely to access information concerning available on-campus mental health resources for alcohol issues. On the other hand, improving help-seeking attitudes could help increase treatment utilization.
Radial resonance captures in 238U metal rods and spatial resonance production of 239Pu in uranium-oxide fuels

Precise calculation of radial distribution of resonance region capture in {sup 238}U metal rods and for partially enriched uranium-oxide fuels is important for current and proposed water-moderated power reactors. Advanced core designs for pressurized and boiling water reactors have considered resonance region in-core generation of {sup 239}Pu as a means of extending core operating cycles between refuelings. The calculations of detailed spatial resonance captures are beyond the scope of multigroup codes used for practical reactor core design because of the broad resonance energy groups required. Group average resonance capture cross-section parameters employed may conserve total neutron captures, but the spatial detail is washed out. A simplified method is presented that enables direct calculation of resonance region spatial captures in fuel moderator lattices. The validity of the method is confirmed by comparison with published experimental measurements for epicadmium capture with radial distance from the moderator-fuel interface for metal uranium rods from 0.8 to 5.0 cm in diameter. A method is illustrated for spatial resonance capture in partially enriched uranium-oxide fuel rods, and the spatial complexity of {sup 239}Pu production during conversion of {sup 238}U in the resonance region is discussed. Although the products of the conversion chain can be precisely definedmore » geometrically with operating time, their spatial concentrations cannot be calculated with the accuracy required to determine net production of {sup 239}Pu.« less
What is at the core of OCD? A network analysis of selected obsessive-compulsive symptoms and beliefs.

Abstract Background Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a heterogeneous condition that consists of distinct subtypes, and identification of its core symptoms may inform how to best conceptualize the heterogeneity. Accordingly, we used network analysis to evaluate which symptoms (and associations between symptoms) are most central to OCD symptoms and beliefs. Methods Participants consisted of a combined sample of adults with a primary diagnosis of OCD (N = 150), those with other primary diagnoses (N = 114), and an unselected nonclinical sample (N = 310). Network analysis was used to identify the most central symptoms (nodes) and associations between symptoms (edges) assessed by the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised and the Obsessional Beliefs Questionnaire-44. Results The most central symptoms in the network were negative appraisals of intrusive thoughts (i.e., Having intrusive thoughts means I'm out of control). Some of the strongest associations between symptoms were also observed for those pertaining to intrusive thoughts and their negative appraisal. Furthermore, central symptoms in the network predicted depression and anxiety (over and above peripheral symptoms) among those with a primary diagnosis of OCD, but not the severity of OCD symptoms. Limitations The approach was exploratory rather than experimental and relied solely on self-report measures of OCD symptoms and beliefs. Conclusions Negative appraisals of intrusive thoughts were the most central symptoms in the OCD network, and they uniquely predict co-occurring symptoms of anxiety and depression, suggesting that these symptoms should be prioritized in theoretical and treatment models of OCD.
Precision Injection Molding of Thermoplastics

The paper reviews the state of the art of injection molding. The tolerances in terms of shrinkage and warpage are reviewed for major plastic resins. The molding process is discussed in terms of flow orientation and control of melt and machine parameters to achieve good properties and dimensions. The paper looks at automatic process control for precision parts. The use of microprocessor control is reviewed. The paper will discuss both ram velocity control and melt pressure control. The use of such a control unit in the molding of high quality optical polyurethane lenses is described. The use of computer modeling and computer aided design in the simulation of molded plastics is described from a commercial viewpoint. Also, the role of cooling of the part and the feasibility of the proposed part is described. Finally, the paper describes the need for rheological and thermodynamic data that are required for the computer modeling.
Lower Extremity Escharotomy and Fasciotomy

This chapter describes the surgical procedure for upper extremity escharotomy and fasciotomy. The text includes an introduction that outlines the indications, risks, alternatives, essential steps, needed equipment, and variations in technique for the procedure in question. This is followed by a template operative dictation, which provides the reader with an operative report, such as that found in a patient chart or electronic medical record. A description is provided of the following critical concepts for this procedure: for escharotomy, incisions extend completely through the eschar to the level of subcutaneous fat for adequate release and ensuring complete release of constricting muscle fascia for fasciotomies.