cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acquisition of responsiveness to chemical carcinogens by rodent embryo fibroblasts expressing high levels of the c-myc proto-oncogene.

We investigated the ability of overexpression of the c-myc proto-oncogene to potentiate in vitro transformation by model chemical carcinogens. A mouse c-myc gene was introduced to C3H 10T1/2 and Rat 6 embryo fibroblast cell lines via a retroviral vector containing the gene for neomycin resistance. Our present work extends previous findings by showing that individual vectored C3H 10T1/2 clones have enhanced (twofold to sevenfold) sensitivity to benzo[a]pyrene (BP) and N-methyl-N-nitro-N′-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). Rat 6 clones acquiring the c-myc gene display various degrees of altered morphology. They form orderly but densely packed cells, grow to higher saturation density, and yield microcolonies in soft agar. The degree of altered growth properties is directly correlated with the level of c-myc expression. Transient exposure of c-myc-expressing clones to BP and MNNG induced the formation of distinct, large colonies in soft agar, whereas the untreated cells formed microcolonies and the parental Rat 6 cells remained single cells in soft agar. We also demonstrated that the degree of responsiveness to chemical carcinogens of the clones correlates with their ability to form microcolonies in soft agar. These cells overexpressing c-myc may be used as a model system to study the interaction between oncogenes and chemical carcinogens in the process of multistage carcinogenesis. © 1992 Wiley-List, Inc.
Self- and mutual-admittances of wire antennas in terms of characteristic modes

Particularly simple quadratic forms are derived for the self- and mutual-admittances of delta gaps in thin wire structures in terms of the characteristic currents of the structures. Results based on these forms are found to be in substantial agreement with those derived by other methods.
Consumption of Oxygen in Sea Water under Controlled Laboratory Conditions

DURING a recent hydrographical cruise of the Atlantis, the oxygen consumption in samples of water taken from eighteen levels between surface and 4,600 metres depth at Station 2886 (32° 19 N., 65° 59 W. ; June 19, 1937) was determined under controlled laboratory conditions. Two glass bottles (with ground-glass stoppers) were filled from each of the Nansen water bottles as soon as they were brought on deck ; one set of eighteen samples was stored at a temperature of 11° in an electric refrigerator and the other set at a temperature of 24° in the laboratory. After ten days of storage in darkness, oxygen contents of the two sets of samples were determined and subtractions of these values from initial oxygen contents of the samples gave results we have termed oxygen consumption.
The restriction point and control of cell proliferation

Research over the past two decades has defined a window of time in the early/mid G1 phase of the cell cycle during which mammalian cells are responsive to extracellular signals. Recent evidence indicates that this period ends with the phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein, enabling the cells to pass through the restriction point at the end of mid G1 phase and to commit to completing the remaining phases of the growth cycle.
p18INK4c and p27KIP1 are required for cell cycle arrest of differentiated myotubes

Myogenic differentiation is characterized by permanent and irreversible cell cycle withdrawal and increased resistance to apoptosis. These functions correlate with changes in expression and activity of several cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, including p18, p21, and p27. In this study, we examined the requirements for p18, p21, and p27 in initiating growth arrest in multinucleated myotubes under differentiation conditions and in maintaining terminal arrest upon restimulation of differentiated myotubes with mitogenic signals. Under differentiation conditions, only p27(-/-) or p18(-/-)p27(-/-) myotubes are capable of reentering the cell cycle and synthesizing DNA at a very low frequency. Escape from cell cycle arrest was significantly greater in p18(-/-)p27(-/-) myotubes than in p27(-/-) myotubes. Stimulation of differentiated cultures with a mitogen-rich growth medium enhances p18(-/-)p27(-/-) myotube proliferation to encompass approximately half of the nuclei. p18(-/-)p21(-/-) and p21(-/-)p27(-/-) myotubes remain terminally arrested. Nuclei within individual restimulated p18(-/-)p27(-/-) myotubes can be found in all phases of the cell cycle, and a myotube can be multiphasic without any obvious deleterious effects. Increasing the time of differentiation or serum stimulation of p18(-/-)p27(-/-) myotubes neither increases the proliferation index of the myotube nuclei, nor does it alter the percentage of nuclei in each of the cell cycle phases. During the first 24 h of serum stimulation, the p18(-/-)p27(-/-) myotube nuclei that escape G0 arrest will rearrest in either S or G2 phase, without either mitosis or endoreplication. Apoptosis is increased in restimulated p18(-/-)p27(-/-) myotube nuclei, but is not specific for any cell cycle phase. These results suggest a collaborative role for p18 and p27 in initiating and maintaining G0 arrest during myogenic differentiation. While p18 and p27 appear to be essential in initiating G0 arrest in a proportion of postmitotic myotube nuclei, there must be another cell cycle inhibitor protein that functions with p18 and p27 in maintaining terminal arrest. We propose that the combined rate-limiting expressions of p18, p27, and this other inhibitor determine whether the myotube nuclei will remain postmitotic, or reenter the cell cycle, and if the nuclei escape G0 arrest, in which phase of the cell cycle the nuclei will ultimately rearrest.
Cell-Free Translation of Maternal Messenger RNA from Sea Urchin Eggs

Abstract The template activity of RNA extracted from unfertilized sea urchin eggs was demonstrated in a cell-free translation system, and, for the first time, specific proteins were identified among the products. All messenger RNA activity is recovered, under the conditions used, from the postribosomal supernatant. Histones, among many other proteins, were identified specifically as products of this “maternal” messenger RNA.
L ∞ blind deconvolution for the generalized AR model

Applying the convex cost function L ∞ to the blind deconvolution of general non-minimum phase AR(u) models is studied. A simple and realizable constraint is proposed for the L∞ deconvolution. With this constraint, except for a gain, the model parameter is the unique solution of the L ∞ deconvolution. The strong consistency of the estimator of the model parameter defined by the sample version of L ∞ norm is presented. An algorithm is suggested for the iterative computation of the estimator. Simulation examples show the proposed approach works well for apprepriate blind equalization problems.
The predictive value of young and old links in a social network

Recent studies show that vertex similarity measures are good at predicting link formation over the near term, but are less effective in predicting over the long term. This indicates that, generally, as links age, their degree of influence diminishes. However, few papers have systematically studied this phenomenon. In this paper, we apply a supervised learning approach to study age as a factor for link formation. Experiments on several real-world datasets show that younger links are more informative than older ones in predicting the formation of new links. Since older links become less useful, it might be appropriate to remove them when studying network evolution. Several previously observed network properties and network evolution phenomena, such as "the number of edges grows super-linearly in the number of nodes" and "the diameter is decreasing as the network grows", may need to be reconsidered under a dynamic network model where old, inactive links are removed.
Reference idempotency analysis: a framework for optimizing speculative execution

Recent proposals for multithreaded architectures allow threads with unknown dependences to execute speculatively in parallel. These architectures use hardware speculative storage to buffer uncertain data, track data dependences and roll back incorrect executions. Because all memory references access the speculative storage, current proposals implement this storage using small memory structures for fast access. The limited capacity of the speculative storage causes considerable performance loss due to speculative storage overflow whenever a thread's speculative state exceeds the storage capacity. Larger threads exacerbate the overflow problem but are preferable to smaller threads, as larger threads uncover more parallelism.In this paper, we discover a new program property called memory reference idempotency. Idempotent references need not be tracked in the speculative storage, and instead can directly access non-speculative storage (i.e., the conventional memory hierarchy). Thus, we reduce the demand for speculative storage space. We define a formal framework for reference idempotency and present a novel compiler-assisted speculative execution model. We prove the necessary and sufficient conditions for reference idempotency using our model. We present a compiler algorithm to label idempotent memory references for the hardware. Experimental results show that for our benchmarks, over 60% of the references in non-parallelizable program sections are idempotent.
Do Managers Always Know Better? Relative Accuracy of Management and Analyst Forecasts

We examine the relative accuracy of management and analyst forecasts of annual EPS. We predict and find that analysts’ information advantage resides at the macroeconomic level. They provide more accurate earnings forecasts than management when a firm’s fortunes move in concert with macroeconomic factors such as gross domestic product and energy costs. In contrast, we predict and find that management’s information advantage resides at the firm level. Their forecasts are more accurate than analysts’ when management’s actions, which affect reported earnings, are difficult to anticipate by outsiders, such as when the firm’s inventories are abnormally high, the firm has excess capacity, or is experiencing a loss. While analysts are commonly viewed as industry specialists, we fail to find evidence that analysts have an information advantage over managers at the industry level. The two have comparable abilities to forecast earnings for firms with revenues or earnings that are more synchronous with their industries.
Determinate bounds of design parameters for critical connectivity in wireless multi-hop line networks

Connectivity is a crucial performance parameter for wireless multi-hop networks, which is affected by factors like the communication radius, the node density as well as the link quality. In this paper, we solve the critical communication radius problem in wireless multi-hop line networks with unstable links. Specifically, we deduce determinate upper and lower bounds of the critical radius, and validate them by extensive simulations. The range of the critical radius for a line network of n nodes with link connection probability p is ln n/n ≤ r c ≤ 2 ln n/np.
Good citizens in poor-quality relationships: Idiosyncratic deals as a substitute for relationship quality

Idiosyncratic deals (“i-deals”) are special arrangements that individuals negotiate with their employers. This study investigates the link between i-deals and organizational citizenship behavior (O...
Precursors of professionalism of business graduates: implications for business education and the profession

Business education may need an overhaul when it comes to training students to become socially responsible managers and professionals, evidenced by the prevalence of questionable practices of corporate agents trained by the present educational system. In this regard, this study relies on frameworks of professionalism as defined by scholars (Brint, 1996; Freidson, 2001; Imse, 1962) to examine the values and attitudes of business students as they graduate but before joining their profession. The study used survey responses of senior-level undergraduate students, from over 100 colleges in the US, collected by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) across two academic years 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. Survey responses from the College Senior Survey (CSS) database formed a nationally representative sample for testing the research questions. This research utilized business students' factor scores derived from a prior confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using the same CSS dataset to compare business students' factor scores with those of students from other academic majors (Nino, 2013). The CFA constructs below were modeled to validate their position in an overall framework of students’ precursors of professionalism at the end of their undergraduate education (Nino, 2013). The four precursors of professionalism used for comparison were as follows: “autonomy of judgment,” “desire for expertise,” “self-concept,” and “social-agency.” The results revealed that business students differ significantly from other students in college in three of the four categories testing for professionalism.
Testing independence when the form of the bivariate distribution is unspecified

We address the problem of testing for independence between X and Y in two situations. In the first we assume that the joint distribution of X and Y is unknown but the observations on X and Y are identifiable. In the second case we assume that the distribution of (X, Y) is exchangeable. Here we consider both when (X, Y) are identifiable and when they are not. We illustrate applications to the testing of independence in DNA databases and in twin studies.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Contamination Monitoring Instrumentation

AbstractContamination from plumes of solid rocket motors has been suspect over the years for theanomalous temperature behavior of many spacecraft systems and subsystems. The presence ofcontamination only can be determined positively when the vehicle is manned, returned toEarth, or by incontrovertible instrument response. An instrument package has been designedand fabricated to monitor any condensible contamination that occurs during the ignition and burn of a TE -M- 364 -15 apogee kick motor. The results of this experiment will be particularlymeaningful to those concerned with modeling the flow fields and subsequent contamination ef-fects of solid rocket motors on critical spacecraft surfaces or on the optics of scientificexperiments.IntroductionThe Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA) have a requirement for a booster system to transfer their spacecraft from low -Earthorbit, after deployment from the space shuttle, into high or geosynchronous altitudes.
Modeling three-dimensional scatterers using a coupled finite element-integral equation formulation

Finite-element modeling has proven useful for accurately simulating scattered or radiated fields from complex three-dimensional objects whose geometry varies on the scale of a fraction of a wavelength. To practically compute a solution to exterior problems, the domain must be truncated at some finite surface where the Sommerfeld radiation condition is enforced, either approximately or exactly. This paper outlines a method that couples three-dimensional finite-element solutions interior to a bounding surface with an efficient integral equation solution that exactly enforces the Sommerfeld radiation condition. The general formulation and the main features of the discretized problem are first briefly outlined. Results for far and near fields are presented for geometries where an analytic solution exists and compared with exact solutions to establish the accuracy of the model. Results are also presented for objects that do not allow an analytic solution, and are compared with other calculations and/or measurements.
Fomepizole: A Critical Assessment of Current Dosing Recommendations

Fomepizole, 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP), is a competitive antagonist of alcohol dehydrogenase with a binding affinity >8000 times that of ethanol. The drug is currently labeled by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of adult patients with known or suspected ethylene glycol or methanol poisoning. Fomepizole's wide therapeutic dose range and safety profile confer several advantages over standard ethanol therapy for the treatment of toxic alcohol exposures, including the lack of ethanol-associated side effects. Published data and data obtained from the drug's manufacturer implies that the dose escalation after 48 hours is to compensate for fomepizole-induced increased body clearance resulting from autoinduction of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) drug metabolizing enzyme CYP2E1. However, we were unable to identify any evidence of fomepizole's metabolism occurring via CYP2E1 in humans while the data most frequently cited as evidence for induction do not appear to support this claim. Based on this data along with the apparent zero-order kinetics, the current dose increase recommendations may be unnecessary and considering the safety margin described for fomepizole, an extremely conservative constant higher dose administered every 12 hours would appear to assure efficacy and tolerability. Despite the evidence, dose changes should only be implemented after careful clinical trials.
Applications of a Turf Surrogate Surface Sampling Technique in Measuring Mercury Dry Deposition in Florida, USA

Atmospheric deposition of mercury (Hg) is a major process that contributes mercury loadings in ecosystems resulting in the bioaccumulation of mercury in fish and other wildlife that has prompted public health concerns. Although methods for measuring mercury that is wet deposited have been well studied, there are limited established methods for directly measuring dry deposition of atmospheric mercury. A new method using a turf surrogate surface (TSS) technique was developed to address limitations in published dry deposition collection methods. This method was deployed on a large scale for the first time during measurement intensives conducted as part of a Hg Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) project in Florida, USA. Wet and dry deposition of mercury were measured at 15 sites in Florida in 2009 and 11 sites in 2010. The dry deposition of mercury measured during the month-long intensives ranged from 0.6 µg/m 2 to 2.1 µg/m 2 . Wet deposition of mercury measured during the month-long intensives ranged from 1.5 µg/m 2 to 6.9 µg/m 2 . A North- South spatial gradient was observed for wet deposition of mercury; however, dry deposition of mercury displayed more general variability.
The Evolution of Obstruction Induced Overactive Bladder Symptoms Following Urethrolysis for Female Bladder Outlet Obstruction

Purpose: Bladder outlet obstruction following stress incontinence surgery may present as a spectrum of lower urinary tract symptoms. We evaluated the prevalence and impact of persistent overactive bladder symptoms following urethrolysis for iatrogenic bladder outlet obstruction.Materials and Methods: In a retrospective review we identified 40 patients who underwent urethrolysis. All patients underwent a standardized urological evaluation. Patients identified with genitourinary erosion, neurogenic bladder dysfunction and preexisting overactive bladder were excluded. Urethrolysis outcomes were determined by subjective bladder symptoms and objective parameters. Validated questionnaires were completed to assess symptom bother, patient satisfaction and quality of life. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata®, version 9.0.Results: A total of 40 patients were included in the study with a mean ± SD followup of 13 ± 11 months (range 3 to 38). Of the patients 34 patients presented with obstructive symptoms...
Quaternion based computed-torque and feed-forward tracking controllers for a space robot

This paper presents both a quaternion based computed-torque trajectory tracking controller and a feed-forward trajectory tracking controller for a two-link space robot. First, the general form of the dynamical equations for a space robot modeled with quaternions is presented. The computed-torque controller is then presented and the stability of the resulting closed-loop system is analyzed via the second method of Lyapunov. This is followed by a discussion of the feed-forward controller. Tracking simulations are then presented and analyzed.
Decomposition approach to unit commitment with reactive constraints

The authors propose an efficient algorithm for considering reactive power and voltage constraints in unit commitment. The inclusion of these reactive constraints in unit commitment will ensure enough commitment of real power and a feasible distribution of reactive power in power systems. Because the problem is a large mixed-integer programming and has a two-level hierarchical structure, the Benders decomposition method is used. Using decomposition, the master problem solves unit commitment and the subproblem examines reactive power and voltage constraints every hour to test the feasibility of the unit commitment solution. In the case of infeasibility, a proper constraint (Benders cut) is introduced and placed in the master problem for rescheduling the units. The iterative process provides a minimum cost solution for generation scheduling while satisfying reactive constraints. Test examples on the modified IEEE 30 bus system are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the method.
A climatic basis for microrefugia: the influence of terrain on climate

There is compelling evidence from glacial and interglacial periods of the Quaternary of the utilization of microrefugia. Microrefugia are sites that support locally favorable climates amidst unfavorable regional climates, which allow populations of species to persist outside of their main distributions. Knowledge of the location of microrefugia has important implications for climate change research as it will influence our understanding of the spatial distribution of species through time, their patterns of genetic diversity, and potential dispersal rates in response to climate shifts. Indeed, the implications of microrefugia are profound and yet we know surprisingly little about their climatic basis; what climatic processes can support their subsistence, where they may occur, their climatic traits, and the relevance of these locations for climate change research. Here I examine the climatic basis for microrefugia and assert that the interaction between regional advective influences and local terrain influences will define the distribution and nature of microrefugia. I review the climatic processes that can support their subsistence and from this climatic basis: (1) infer traits of the spatial distribution of microrefugia and how this may change through time; (2) review assertions about their landscape position and what it can tell us about regional climates; and (3) demonstrate an approach to forecasting where microrefugia may occur in the future. This synthesis highlights the importance of landscape physiography in shaping the adaptive response of biota to climate change.
Evidence of prolonged aragonite undersaturations in the bottom waters of the southern Bering Sea shelf from autonomous sensors

Abstract The southeastern shelf of the Bering Sea is a dynamic area that experiences seasonal variability in primary production and remineralization of organic matter, both of which control the carbon biogeochemistry of the water column. Surface-water partial pressure of carbon dioxide ( p CO 2 ) is greatly reduced in summer by biological production, which increases carbonate mineral saturation states ( Ω ). In contrast, the export of large quantities of organic matter from surface blooms drives an active remineralization loop that sharply increases p CO 2 near the bottom, lowering pH and suppressing Ω . New observations from moored biogeochemical sensors in 2011 showed that seasonal net community production lowers surface-water p CO 2 , causing large gradients between the ocean and atmosphere that are sustained throughout the summer, confirming that these waters likely remain supersaturated with respect to aragonite throughout the open water season. On the other hand, moored sensors deployed near the bottom showed that p CO 2 levels exceed 500 μatm by early June and remain at these high levels well into the autumn months, indicating that the bottom waters are likely continuously undersaturated in aragonite for at least several months during each year. Only a small fraction of the increased p CO 2 can currently be attributed to the intrusion of anthropogenic CO 2 from the atmosphere, while the majority is due to natural respiration processes. The biological impacts, along with the timing and duration of these undersaturation events, could play a role in the development of larval and juvenile calcifiers in the region and will change as anthropogenic CO 2 concentrations continue to rise.
A 1.1 GHz 12 $\mu$ A/Mb-Leakage SRAM Design in 65 nm Ultra-Low-Power CMOS Technology With Integrated Leakage Reduction for Mobile Applications

A low-power, high-speed SRAM macro is designed in a 65 nm ultra-low-power (ULP) logic technology for mobile applications. The 65 nm strained silicon technology improves transistor performance/leakage tradeoff, which is essential to achieve fast SRAM access speed at substantially low operating voltage and standby leakage. The 1 Mb SRAM macro features a 0.667 mum2 low-leakage memory cell and can operate over a wide range of supply voltages from 1.2 V to 0.5 V. It achieves operating frequency of 1.1 GHz and 250 MHz at 1.2 V and 0.7 V, respectively. The SRAM leakage is reduced to 12 muA/Mb at the data retention voltage of 0.5 V. The measured bitcell leakage from the SRAM array is ~2 pA/bit at retention voltage with integrated leakage reduction schemes.
Non-invasive characterization of the area-at-risk using magnetic resonance imaging in chronic ischaemia.

Aims We investigated the performance of quantitative stress perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a basis for identifying and characterizing the area-at-risk subtending a chronic coronary artery (CA) stenosis. Methods and results Pigs underwent a percutaneous copper-coated stent implantation in the circumflex CA ( n = 11) or a sham operation ( n = 5). After 6 weeks, angiography and MRI were performed including cine (rest, low- and high-dose dobutamine stress), dual-bolus first-pass perfusion (rest and adenosine stress), and contrast-enhanced imaging to quantify myocardial infarction (MI). Myocardial blood flow (MBF) was quantified based on Fermi-model deconvolution and compared with microsphere measurements. On the basis of Evan's blue staining, MBF thresholds to define the area-at-risk were determined by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. CA stenosis was 94 ± 7% and infarct size (IS) 7.3 ± 3.1% of left ventricular mass. Segmental thresholds of hyperaemic MBF yielded the best performance for detecting area-at-risk. There was a good correlation between MRI and microsphere perfusion ( r 2 = 0.84, P 50% infarcted (MI++) segments. MBF was reduced in at-risk vs. remote segments at rest (non-MI, 0.50 ± 0.21; MI+, 0.47 ± 0.14; MI++, 0.42 ± 0.14; remote, 0.84 ± 0.25 mL/min/g) and during stress (non-MI, 0.69 ± 0.09; MI+, 0.66 ± 0.14; MI++, 0.51 ± 0.11; remote, 1.70 ± 0.36 mL/min/g). Segmental wall thickening showed different responses to stress (remote, progressive increase during incremental stress; non-MI, increase at low-dose and discontinued at high-dose; MI+, initial increase and decrease at high-dose; MI++, progressive decrease). Conclusion Quantitative hyperaemic perfusion MRI accurately defines segments in the area-at-risk in chronic ischaemia, which present with different functional response to stress related to segmental IS.
Self-patch integrals in transient electromagnetic scattering

The self-patch integrals that arise in the integral equations of electromagnetic scattering are evaluated analytically for general orthogonal coordinate systems to first order in the linear size of the patch. There are terms that contain spatial derivatives of the surface fields, and these terms may not be negligible. Although the formulas are derived for transient waves, the same integrals appear for monochromatic waves.
On the Hamming distance properties of group codes

Under certain mild conditions, the minimum Hamming distance D of an (N, K, D) group code C over a non-abelian group G is bounded by D N/2. Consequently, there exists no (N, K, N-K+1) group code C over an non-abelian group G if 1 >
A Conserved Suppressor Mutation in a Tryptophan Auxotroph Results in Dysregulation of Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal Synthesis

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common nosocomial pathogen that relies on three cell-to-cell signals to regulate multiple virulence factors. The Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS; 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4-quinolone) is one of these signals, and it is known to be important for P. aeruginosa pathogenesis. PQS is synthesized in a multistep reaction that condenses anthranilate and a fatty acid. In P. aeruginosa, anthranilate is produced via the kynurenine pathway and two separate anthranilate synthases, TrpEG and PhnAB, the latter of which is important for PQS synthesis. Others have previously shown that a P. aeruginosa tryptophan auxotroph could grow on tryptophan-depleted medium with a frequency of 10(-5) to 10(-6). These revertants produced more pyocyanin and had increased levels of phnA transcript. In this study, we constructed similar tryptophan auxotroph revertants and found that the reversion resulted from a synonymous G-to-A nucleotide mutation within pqsC. This change resulted in increased pyocyanin and decreased PQS, along with an increase in the level of the pqsD, pqsE, and phnAB transcripts. Reporter fusion and reverse transcriptase PCR studies indicated that a novel transcript containing pqsD, pqsE, and phnAB occurs in these revertants, and quantitative real-time PCR experiments suggested that the same transcript appears in the wild-type strain under nutrient-limiting conditions. These results imply that the PQS biosynthetic operon can produce an internal transcript that increases anthranilate production and greatly elevates the expression of the PQS signal response protein PqsE. This suggests a novel mechanism to ensure the production of both anthranilate and PQS-controlled virulence factors.
FINANCIAL, ACADEMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON THE RETENTION AND GRADUATION OF STUDENTS

Regression analysis was used to study retention and graduation for the fall 1996 entering class of students at a midwestern research extensive university (n = 3,610; 44% female, 8% minority, 77% in-state). Logistic regression was used to predict the likelihood of a student being retained for each of four years, and the outcome of graduation at the end of years four, five, and six. Odds ratios were employed to provide insight into the relative contribution of demographic characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity, in-state residency), ability (high school rank, high school rank 2 , ACT score), environmental (university athlete, university honors program, first-generation student, entering college), and financial aid data (gift, loan, and work-study) characteristics.
Spectral Elements: Adaptivity and Applications in Fluid Dynamics

At the heart of all numerical methods for solving mathematical problems lies the requirement that numerical errors be computed, estimated, or at least bounded in some way. Except for the simplest cases, i.e. linear problems or benchmark cases with known solutions, this is done in a refinement study by systematically varying some parameter related to the accuracy of the numerical method. For example, in structured algorithms like regular finite differences and spectral methods the accuracy of the solution is governed by a single parameter: the mesh spacing, h, or the order of the approximating functions, N. Refinement is easy: just change the single parameter. For the sake of analogy, we compare this to finding the minimum of a function in 1-dimension that only decreases in one direction.
Electron attachment to (H2O)2Arn clusters

The neutral and negatively charged (H 2 O) 2 Ar n , n = 1-14, clusters are investigated theoretically by use of a polarizable model potential together, in the case of the anionic clusters, with a Drude-model approach to incorporate dispersion interactions between the excess electron and the argon atoms and water molecules. The (H 2 O) 2 Ar 1 1 and (H 2 O) 2 -Ar 1 2 clusters are predicted to be "magic numbers", with their high stability being a result of their global minima adopting icosahedral-like structures. On the basis of these results, a mechanism for formation of the anions is proposed. In addition, the rapid falloff in intensity of the n ≥ 7 anionic clusters in the observed mass spectrum and the absence of observable signal for the n = 10 cluster are accounted for.
Retrospective data suggests that the higher prevalence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in individuals with type 2 diabetes is mediated by hypertension

OBJECTIVE Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) has been linked to comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension. However, the relationship between type 2 diabetes (DM) and BPPV is unclear. The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the relationship between DM and BPPV in the presence of known contributors like age, gender and hypertension. METHODS A retrospective review of the records of 3933 individuals was categorized by the specific vestibular diagnosis and for the presence of type 2 DM and hypertension. As the prevalence of BPPV was higher in people with type 2 DM compared to those without DM, multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify variables predictive of BPPV. The relationship between type 2 DM, hypertension and BPPV was analyzed using mediation analysis. RESULTS BPPV was seen in 46% of individuals with type 2 DM, compared to 37% of individuals without DM (p< 0.001). Forty two percent of the association between type 2 DM and BPPV was mediated by hypertension, and supported hypertension as a complete mediator in the relationship between type 2 DM and BPPV. CONCLUSIONS Hypertension may provide the mediating pathway by which diabetes affects the vestibular system. Individuals with complaints of dizziness, with comorbidities including hypertension and diabetes, may benefit from a screening for BPPV.
Life History and Development of Pseudoscymnus tsugae (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), a New Predator of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Homoptera: Adelgidae)

The life history and development of the coccinellid Pseudoscymnus tsugae sp. nov. Sasaji & McClure from Japan is described. Both larva and adult feed on all stages of the hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand, a serious pest of eastern and Carolina hemlock in eastern United States. There are 4 larval instars, a prepupa, and pupa. Total development time from hatch to adult emergence required 29.8 d at 20°C and 17.9 d at 25°C. Incubation time was 10.3 d at 20°C and 6.7 d at 25°C. At 14-21.5°C, males matured at 30 d and females at 31.8 d with a preoviposition period of ≈35 d. At 25°C, males matured at 18.8 d, whereas the female preoviposition period was shortened to 22.4 d. In the laboratory, mean longevity was 162.9 d and 125.6 d for females and males, respectively, with individuals of both sexes that lived >300 d. The mean lifetime fecundity was 279.9 eggs with a maximum of 513 eggs over a mean oviposition period of 14 wk. The mean sex ratio in the laboratory is ≈1:1. P. tsugae displays facultative diapause and is capable of producing successive generations in the laboratory when its prey is available, indicating its excellent potential for mass rearing as a biological control agent of A. tsugae .
41 EFFECT OF CONCOMITANT HYPOLIPIDEMIC THERAPY ON THE TRIGLYCERIDE-LOWERING EFFECT OF FISH OIL.

Background Fish oil supplements are administered for treatment of hypertriglyceridemia, frequently in combination with other lipid-lowering agents. Given the presence of overlapping mechanisms of action of N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids with that of other lipid-lowering agents, in particular fibrates, the efficacy of fish oil may be diminished with concomitant administration of other lipid-lowering agents. Objective To determine the efficacy (primarily triglyceride lowering) of fish oil supplements when co-administered with other lipid-lowering agents versus that of fish oil alone. Design/Setting Retrospective chart review. Outpatient clinics of large Gov. HMO (VA, Memphis). Patients Representative population of veterans attending outpatient clinics with active prescription for fish oil supplements at the time of survey, who had lipid profiles prior to and following initiation of fish oil. Results Over 500 individuals receiving fish oil supplements were identified. Of these, 94 individual patients had the required information available and were therefore evaluable for this study. Forty-eight were receiving fish oil alone and 46 had fish oil added to another hypolipidemic agent(s) (statin, fibrate, niacin). The average dose of fish oil administered in both groups was relatively low (3.2 and 3.3 grams per day in fish oil only and fish oil added groups), indicating use of relatively low doses of fish oil in many patients. Despite this, fish oil therapy effectively reduced triglyceride and to an equal extent in the fish oil only and fish oil added groups (228% versus 224% respectively, p = .24). Analysis of triglyceride response by type of lipid-lowering agent administered showed no significant attenuation of fish oil efficacy with concomitant administration of statin, niacin, or fibrate. Limitations A limited number of evaluable cases were identified. The study was not prospective or randomized. A limited effect of other hypolipidemic agents on triglyceride response to fish oil supplements may have gone undetected; however, the present study supports the hypothesis that fish oil supplements are effective when added to other hypolipidemic agents. Conclusions Fish oil supplements effectively reduce plasma triglyceride when administered alone or with concomitant lipid-lowering therapy. Submaximal doses of fish oil supplements are frequently used in this outpatient practice setting, thereby limiting the benefit gained.
Rough set based power grid security analysis

Based on rough set,the basic concepts of related affects of rough set theory and its attributes reduction algorithm are proposed.By configuring the related affect matrix of the attributes and arousing with the attributes affects,we can delete the redundant attributes and get the reduction set which can reflect the mutual affect among the attributes.By using decision tables,the proposed algorithm can form the fault decision rules and serve the power grid fault diagnosis.
A Novel Benchmark RGBD Dataset for Dormant Apple Trees and Its Application to Automatic Pruning

Dormant pruning is a necessary procedure in the field of specialty crop production. In order to mitigate the need of huge labor, automation of this pruning process has become a topic of utmost importance in the field of horticulture. 3D modeling and reconstruction is a major step in such robotics precision agriculture. In this paper, we introduce a new public dataset which can be used for reconstructing dormant apple trees. Our dataset comprises of 9 different apple trees in both indoor and outdoor evironment. The images are collected using a portable Kinect2 sensor. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first publicly available dataset for the application like 3D modeling of dormant trees. We hope that the dataset will provide the entire research community working towards mechanizing dormant pruning a baseline benchmark for evaluating different 3D reconstruction and modeling algorithms.
Turning points and dialectical interpretations of immigrant experiences in the United States

This study examined immigrant socialization into the American culture using dialectical theory and turning point analysis. Using a revised version of the Retrospective Interview Technique (RIT) and questionnaire data, we asked 53 immigrants to the U.S. to recall turning point events since first arrival into this country. Following in‐depth questions about the turning point events, a questionnaire was administered that asked participants to rate six dialectical contradictions according to their importance for each turning point type. Turning point types identified tended to cluster around the issues of education, social relationships, cultural impressions, employment, travel, health and safety, and housing. Results from ratings of dialectical themes revealed that the openness versus closedness and predictability versus novelty themes were rated as significantly more important than other themes across all turning point types. Additional analysis revealed no significant differences among participants categor...
Development of VHF (240–270 MHz) antennas for SoOp (signal of opportunity) receiver for 6U Cubesat platforms

The main goal of this research is to design, fabricate, and test deployable VHF antennas for 6U Cubesat platforms to enable validation of root zone soil moisture (RZSM) estimation algorithms for signal of opportunity (SoOp) remote sensing over the 240–270MHz frequency band. The proposed work provides a strong foundation for establishing a technology development path for maturing a truly global direct surface soil moisture (SM) and RZSM measurement system (Figure 1) over a variety of land covers with limited density restrictions. In SoOp methodology, signals transmitted by already existing transmitters (known as transmitters of opportunity, in this case the Military Satellite Communication (MilSatCom) System's UHF Follow-On program) are utilized to measure properties of reflecting targets by recording reflected signals using a simple passive microwave receiver.
Density ratio model for multivariate outcomes

The Density Ratio Model is a semi-parametric regression model which allows analysis of data from any exponential family without making a parametric distribution assumption. For univariate outcomes several authors have shown desirable properties of this model including robustness to mis-specification and efficiency of the estimators within a suitable class. In this paper we consider analysis of multivariate outcomes with this model, where each marginal distribution is from an exponential family. We show that the model successfully analyzes data from mixed outcome types (continuous, integer, binary), providing valid tests of the joint effects of covariates. Furthermore, for continuous outcomes we provide a bootstrap technique which correctly estimates the underlying marginal regression parameters and provides appropriate coverage probabilities without specifying the covariance structure. The methods are demonstrated via simulation studies and analysis of healthcare data.
Earth as a Planet: Surface and Interior

The surface of the Earth is perhaps the most geochemically diverse and dynamic among the planetary surfaces of our solar system. The unifying theme of the Earth's surficial system is water, which, in its various phases, transfers and dissipates solar, mechanical, chemical, and biological energy throughout global land and submarine terrestrial landscapes. The Earth's surface is a window to its interior, manifests various atmospheric processes over time, and has borne the scars of impacts by meteors, comets, and asteroids over billions of years. In comparison with other planets, the interior of the Earth can be studied in unprecedented detail via seismic waves and electromagnetic disturbances that are affected by its interior domains and their activity. Thus, through such geophysical manifestations, we have come to better understand its internal structure and composition in increasing detail. Over geological time, the earth's crustal plates have been inexorably rearranged by this highly mobile interior, resulting in one of the most dynamic surfaces in the solar system. Indeed, environmental stresses caused by such crustal reshuffling may be an important driver of biological evolution. Finally, by virtue of our intimate knowledge of its surface and interior, the Earth is a crucial yardstick by which we measure and interpret the processes, internal structure, and overall histories of other planets in this solar system—and of other planets around other stars.
GATA6 Plays an Important Role in the Induction of Human Definitive Endoderm, Development of the Pancreas, and Functionality of Pancreatic β Cells.

Induced pluripotent stem cells were created from a pancreas agenesis patient with a mutation in GATA6. Using genome-editing technology, additional stem cell lines with mutations in both GATA6 alleles were generated and demonstrated a severe block in definitive endoderm induction, which could be rescued by re-expression of several different GATA family members. Using the endodermal progenitor stem cell culture system to bypass the developmental block at the endoderm stage, cell lines with mutations in one or both GATA6 alleles could be differentiated into β-like cells but with reduced efficiency. Use of suboptimal doses of retinoic acid during pancreas specification revealed a more severe phenotype, more closely mimicking the patient’s disease. GATA6 mutant β-like cells fail to secrete insulin upon glucose stimulation and demonstrate defective insulin processing. These data show that GATA6 plays a critical role in endoderm and pancreas specification and β-like cell functionality in humans.
Estimating development resilience: A conditional moments-based approach

Abstract Despite significant spending on ‘resilience’ by international development agencies, no theory-based method for estimating or measuring development resilience has yet been developed. This paper introduces an econometric strategy for estimating individual or household-level development resilience from panel data. Estimation of multiple conditional moments of a welfare function—itself specified to permit potentially nonlinear path dynamics—enables the computation and forecasting of individual-specific conditional probabilities of satisfying a normative minimum standard of living. We then develop a decomposable resilience measure that enables aggregation of the individual-specific estimates to targetable subpopulation- and population-level measures. We illustrate the method empirically using household panel data from pastoralist communities in northern Kenya. The results demonstrate the method and its potential for targeting resilience-building interventions.
Oil in 20th century Brazil: Energy Dependence in the Second World War

Abstract In August 1942, Brazil joined the Allied Forces in World War II. Part of the agreement was that the United States would help develop heavy industries in the country, mainly steel and oil. By that time, roughly 90% of Brazil's oil was imported from the US, a fact that had a direct impact on the oil scenario of the country. The war effort meant that fuel was redirected to military use, which generated great restrictions to civilian consumption. In the face of scarcity, thousands of Brazilians wrote the National Petroleum Council to request fuel quotas and traffic licenses. In doing so, they also shared the reasons why they needed gasoline, diesel, kerosene and other oil products. Such letters provide valuable insight into the Brazilian social landscape of the period, how people used different oil products and the meanings of progress and modernity they attributed to the access and consumption of such products. It is a moment that marks the deep fossil dependence that underpins this ideal of modernity - connecting, in the same arc, human activity and creativity, the use of machines and fossil fuels, seen as indispensable to bring about the desired progress of a modern nation.