cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative assessment of iridium oxide and platinum alloy wires using an in vitro glial scar assay

The long-term effect of chronically implanted electrodes is the formation of a glial scar. Therefore, it is imperative to assess the biocompatibility of materials before employing them in neural electrode fabrication. Platinum alloy and iridium oxide have been identified as good candidates as neural electrode biomaterials due to their mechanical and electrical properties, however, effect of glial scar formation for these two materials is lacking. In this study, we applied a glial scarring assay to observe the cellular reactivity to platinum alloy and iridium oxide wires in order to assess the biocompatibility based on previously defined characteristics. Through real-time PCR, immunostaining and imaging techniques, we will advance the understanding of the biocompatibility of these materials. Results of this study demonstrate iridium oxide wires exhibited a more significant reactive response as compared to platinum alloy wires. Cells cultured with platinum alloy wires had less GFAP gene expression, lower average GFAP intensity, and smaller glial scar thickness. Collectively, these results indicated that platinum alloy wires were more biocompatible than the iridium oxide wires.
Management of adult hydrocephalus with ventriculoperitoneal shunts: long-term single-institution experience.

Background Ventriculoperitoneal shunting is the most widely used neurosurgical procedure for the management of hydrocephalus. Objective To evaluate our long-term single-institution experience in the management of adult hydrocephalus patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunts. Methods Adult patients who underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement for hydrocephalus from October 1990 to October 2009 were included. Medical charts, operative reports, imaging studies, and clinical follow-up evaluations were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively for clinical outcome in adult hydrocephalus patients. Results A total of 683 adult patients were included in the study. The most common etiologies of hydrocephalus include idiopathic (29%), tumors and cysts (20%), postcraniotomy (13%), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (13%). The overall shunt failure rate was 32%, and the majority (74%) of shunt revisions occurred within the first 6 months. The median time to first shunt revision was 9.31 months. Etiology of hydrocephalus showed a significant impact on the incidence of shunt revision/failure and on the median time to shunt revision. Similarly, the type of hydrocephalus had a significant effect on the incidence of shunt failure and the median time to shunt revision. Conclusion A large proportion of patients (32%) experience shunt failure after shunt placement for hydrocephalus. Although the overall incidence of shunt revision was comparable to previously reported studies, the fact that a large proportion of adult populations with shunt placement experience shunt failure is a concern.
Tree Free Utility Based Multicast in DTNs

Delay Tolerant Networks (DTNs) are a class of net-works characterized by intermittent connectivity, long delays and non-contemporaneous end to end paths. Internet protocols will not work in these environments and special protocols must be developed to serve them. Often nodes in these networks are battery operated and have limited shared band-width so network transmissions must be kept to a minimum for long lasting and consistent operation of the network. Multicast protocols can be used to reduce transmissions while also reducing bandwidth usage. The mobility and frequent network topology changes in DTNs makes it hard to develop tree based multicast protocols, this paper proposes a protocol that does not use multicast trees, but places all destination addresses in the header and forwards multicast messages according to underlying routing protocol.
Multiproduct, Multicriteria Model for Supplier Selection with Product Life-Cycle Considerations

In industrial purchasing contexts firms often procure a set of products from the same suppliers to benefit from economies of scale and scope. These products are often at different stages of their respective product life cycles (PLCs). Firms consider multiple criteria in purchasing such products, and the relative importance of these criteria varies depending on the PLC stage of a given product. Therefore, a firm should select suppliers and choose sourcing arrangements such that product requirements across multiple criteria are satisfied over time. The extant models in sourcing literature for evaluating and selecting suppliers for a portfolio of products have not considered this important and practical issue faced by firms. This article proposes a mathematical model that effectively addresses this issue and contributes to the sourcing literature by demonstrating an approach for optimally selecting suppliers and supplier bids given the relative importance of multiple criteria across multiple products over their PLC. The application of the model on a hypothetical data set illustrates the strategic and tactical significance of such considerations.
Determination of electric dipole moment in molecular excited states by flourescence in electric field

Abstract The intensity and anisotropy of fluorescence induced by static external electric field at a general orientation are studied based on the simplified model of optical transition for a frozen random system. Formulas are explicitly derived for four different polarizations of the incident light in such a system. Angular distributions of the emission intensity and the emission change due to external electric field are tabulated.
Interconnecting a weak AC system to an HVDC link with a hybrid inverter

Abstract To overcome the weaknesses of the conventional HVDC converter for weak AC system applications, the concept of the hybrid inverter has been introduced recently. Because of its unique characteristics, the hybrid inverter not only can implement the existing control methods but also can support the development of more innovative control strategies. This paper reports the major results of a study that investigated the performance of an HVDC link interconnected to a weak AC system with a hybrid inverter using an unconventional control scheme. The results show that the hybrid inverter improves the overall DC/AC system behavior and is effective in operating an HVDC link into a weak AC system.
Abstract B24: When promotores and advanced technology meet: A qualitative analysis of promotores’ use of advanced technologies to increase colorectal cancer screening among South Texas Latinos

Advanced multimedia technologies can be used to tailor health messages, but promotores (lay health workers for Spanish speakers) rarely use these tools. Health messages intended to increase colorectal cancer screening among medically underserved Latinos in South Texas were delivered by promotores using a “usual practice” modality (flipchart and video) or a tailored, interactive modality via a computer. Using ethnographic methods, we observed promotor training and promotor delivery of the intervention, and conducted semi-structured, open-ended interviews with five promotores to assess the differences between the two technological modalities, and benefits and challenges of each. Findings reveal crosscutting benefits of the two modalities relating to cultural fit, as well as differing ways the two modalities acted as an aid or a burden to promotor/participant communication. This study makes significant contribution to the understudied area of combining the effective health promotion strategy of lay health workers with advanced multimedia technologies to increase cancer screening among Latinos. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):B24.
Basking Ecology of the Yellow-Blotched Sawback (Graptemys flavimaculata), an Imperiled Turtle Species of the Pascagoula River System, Mississippi, United States

Abstract Basking is an understudied aspect of turtle biology, especially considering how frequent and observable it is in some species. Researchers have suggested many physiological roles that basking likely fulfills in turtles. We documented seasonal basking behavior of the yellow-blotched sawback (Graptemys flavimaculata) on the Leaf River, a tributary of the Pascagoula River in southeastern Mississippi. We used binoculars and a spotting scope to determine G. flavimaculata individual- and population-level basking patterns throughout the main active months (April–October) and across the daily activity period; we also describe a new method to determine population basking percentage that may be useful for future aquatic turtle surveys. We found distinct differences in individual- and population-level basking behavior across months, sexes, and the daily activity period. We also documented differences in basking structures used between the sexes but found little correlation between population-level basking a...
Evidence of Self-Organized Criticality in Dry Sliding Friction

This letter presents experimental results on unlubricated friction, which suggests that stick-slip is described by self-organized criticality (SOC). The data, obtained with a pin-on-disc tribometer examines the variation of the friction force as a function of time-or sliding distance. This is the first time that standard tribological equipment has been used to examine the possibility of SOC. The materials were matching pins and discs of aluminium loaded with 250, 500 and 1000 g masses, and matching M50 steel couples loaded with a 1000 g mass. An analysis of the data shows that the probability distribution of slip sizes follows a power law. We perform a careful analysis of all the properties, beyond the two just mentioned, which are required to imply the presence of SOC. Our data strongly support the existence of SOC for stick-slip in dry sliding friction.
Rapid analysis of proteins and peptides by reversed-phase chromatography with polymeric micropellicular sorbents

Peptides and proteins were separated by reversed-phase chromatography on a 30 x 4.6 mm I.D. column packed with non-porous crosslinked polystyrene particles having a mean particle diameter of 3 micron and a rugulose surface. The polymeric support did swell slightly in organic solvents, but the estimated 5-8% change in particle diameter did not adversely affect the efficiency of the column which was used repeatedly with gradient elution from water to organic solvent under conditions typically employed in reversed-phase chromatography. In these experiments, the pH of the eluent was varied in a wide range in order to compare the effect of acidic and alkaline eluents on the separation of protein and complex peptide mixtures. The column showed no deterioration even after extensive exposure to alkaline mobile phases. The retention behavior of sixteen proteins having widely different pI values was studied as a function of the eluent pH. The chromatographic system exhibited large selectivity differences upon changing the pH of the eluent from 2 to 11. Analytical information about peptide and protein mixtures could therefore be enhanced by using eluents at the pH extremes. At the pH extremes of 2 and 11 peak sharpness and protein mass recovery were found to be superior to those obtained with neutral eluents. Usually the column temperature was held at 80 degrees C and typical analysis times ranged from 30 s to 10 min as illustrated by chromatograms of protein mixtures and by peptide maps. With regular use under such conditions the column showed no deterioration after three months.
Saint Boniface and the Eccentrics

Of all the dissidents with which Saint Boniface, the “Apostle of the Germans” in the eighth century, had to deal, those whom the sources reveal the most clearly are Aldebert and Clement, the former representing an eccentricity much in the manner of the later and more famous Tanchelm, the latter representing the reactionary resistance of the lax clergy to moral reform. Though these heretics have often received mention, 1 no one has seen fit to study them closely, doubtless owing to the mistaken prejudice that any instance of heresy in this early period must have been isolated and of little general significance. We may now see that they are in many ways representative of eighth century heresy as a whole.
LC-MS/MS Analysis of Cerebrospinal Fluid Metabolites in the Pterin Biosynthetic Pathway

The analysis of (6R)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) and neopterin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is often used to identify defects in the pterin biosynthetic pathway affecting monoamine metabolism that can lead to pediatric neurotransmitter diseases. Low levels of BH4 and neopterin alone may not be sufficient to determine the defect, and further testing is often required. We have developed a sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for determination of BH4, 7,8-dihydrobiopterin (BH2), neopterin, and sepiapterin in CSF, which provides a more comprehensive evaluation of the pterin pathway. The method utilizes labeled stable isotopes as internal standards and allows for a fast 10-minute analysis by LC/MS/MS over a linear working range of 3 to 200 nmol/L. Total analytical imprecision is less than 14.4% for all pterin metabolites. Accuracy for BH4 and neopterin was determined by comparing data obtained by an alternative method using HPLC with EC and fluorescence detection. Excellent correlation was demonstrated for BH4 (r = 0.9646, 1/slope = 0.9397; n = 28; concentration range 3 to 63 nmol/L) and neopterin (r = 0.9919, 1/slope = 0.9539; n = 13; concentration range 5 to 240 nmol/L). CSF specimens from patients diagnosed with inborn errors of sepiapterin reductase (SR), 6-pyruvoyl-tetrahydropterin synthase (PTPS), dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR), and guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase (GTPCH) have been analyzed, and distinct pterin metabolite patterns were consistent with the initial diagnosis. This method differentiates patients with DHPR and SR deficiency from other pterin defects (GTPCH and PTPS) and will be useful for the diagnosis of specific defects in the pterin biosynthetic pathway.
Robust topologies for optimal power distribution in passive, fiber optic local communication networks

A mathematical model for power distribution that allows computation of the minimum power delivered between any transmitter-receiver pair is described for five robust topologies. A description of the network components is given. The mathematical model is analyzed in order to determine general desirable and undesirable characteristics for the topologies. Samples of both qualitative and quantitative results of this model are given. The results show that of the robust topologies studied, the fully connected mesh, with the appropriate number of nodes, provides the best power distribution and therefore supports the most users. Mathematical analysis proves that within the class of topologies described by circulant, symmetric matrices, the fully connected mesh performs best. >
DClusterE: A Framework for Evaluating and Understanding Document Clustering Using Visualization

Over the last decade, document clustering, as one of the key tasks in information organization and navigation, has been widely studied. Many algorithms have been developed for addressing various challenges in document clustering and for improving clustering performance. However, relatively few research efforts have been reported on evaluating and understanding document clustering results. In this article, we present DClusterE, a comprehensive and effective framework for document clustering evaluation and understanding using information visualization. DClusterE integrates cluster validation with user interactions and offers rich visualization tools for users to examine document clustering results from multiple perspectives. In particular, through informative views including force-directed layout view, matrix view, and cluster view, DClusterE provides not only different aspects of document inter/intra-clustering structures, but also the corresponding relationship between clustering results and the ground truth. Additionally, DClusterE supports general user interactions such as zoom in/out, browsing, and interactive access of the documents at different levels. Two new techniques are proposed to implement DClusterE: (1) A novel multiplicative update algorithm (MUA) for matrix reordering to generate narrow-banded (or clustered) nonzero patterns from documents. Combined with coarse seriation, MUA is able to provide better visualization of the cluster structures. (2) A Mallows-distance-based algorithm for establishing the relationship between the clustering results and the ground truth, which serves as the basis for coloring schemes. Experiments and user studies are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of DClusterE.
Signature Function for Predicting Resonant and Attenuant Population 2-cycles

Populations are either enhanced via resonant cycles or suppressed via attenuant cycles by periodic environments. We develop a signature function for predicting the response of discretely reproducing populations to 2-periodic fluctuations of both a characteristic of the environment (carrying capacity), and a characteristic of the population (inherent growth rate). Our signature function is the sign of a weighted sum of the relative strengths of the oscillations of the carrying capacity and the demographic characteristic. Periodic environments are deleterious for populations when the signature function is negative. However, positive signature functions signal favorable environments. We compute the signature functions of six classical discrete-time single species population models, and use the functions to determine regions in parameter space that are either favorable or detrimental to the populations. The two-parameter classical models include the Ricker, Beverton-Holt, Logistic, and Maynard Smith models.
An analysis of the association of gastroenteric lesions with chronic wasting syndrome of marmosets.

Retrospective pathology data from necropsies of 162 marmosets, Suguinus oedi- pus, were studied to determine the nature of chronic wasting syndrome, a poorly defined entity associated with a high mortality rate in many marmoset colonies. Paraffin sections of the gastroenteric organs of 116 of these marmosets were re-examined in detail; lesions were identified, quantitated, and analyzed with a method of multiple chi-square testing for possible associations between fidings. Five distinct disease entities were identified: prosthenorchosis, amebiasis, paramyxovirus disease, sepsis, and chronic colitis. Lesions of several of these often occurred in the same monkey, and all but the first were associated with cachexia. Lesions of chronic colitis were crypt abscesses, mononuclear and polymorphonuclear infiltration of the lamina propria, epithelial cell atypia, karyorrhexis, and lymphoid hyperplasia. The cause of chronic colitis was not identified, nor was any explanation found for weight loss and increased susceptibility to disease.
Quantitative comparison of the microscopic anatomy of the human ACL femoral and tibial entheses

The femoral enthesis of the human anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is known to be more susceptible to injury than the tibial enthesis. To determine whether anatomic differences might help explain this difference, we quantified the microscopic appearance of both entheses in 15 unembalmed knee specimens using light microscopy, toluidine blue stain and image analysis. The amount of calcified fibrocartilage and uncalcified fibrocartilage, and the ligament entheseal attachment angle were then compared between the femoral and tibial entheses via linear mixed-effects models. The results showed marked differences in anatomy between the two entheses. The femoral enthesis exhibited a 3.9-fold more acute ligament attachment angle than the tibial enthesis (p<0.001), a 43% greater calcified fibrocartilage tissue area (p<0.001), and a 226% greater uncalcified fibrocartilage depth (p<0.001), with the latter differences being particularly pronounced in the central region. We conclude that the ACL femoral enthesis has more fibrocartilage and a more acute ligament attachment angle than the tibial enthesis, which provides insight into why it is more vulnerable to failure.
No More Gasping for Air with GSPE

If you eat grape seeds, vines will grow in your stomach, or so says an old wives’ tale. Although eating some seeds may be harmful, researchers are now discovering that health benefits of eating grapes may actually come from their seeds. In fact, proanthocyanidins found in the grape seeds have greater antioxidant activity than other well-known antioxidants like vitamins C and E. Recent research has supported the important role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of asthma, which affects some 22 million Americans. Indeed, severe asthma and enhanced oxidative stress have been linked to steroid insensitivity, persistent inflammation, and airway remodeling, all of which result in decreased lung function. Lee et al. further investigated the connection between oxidative stress and asthma severity by examining whether grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) has a therapeutic effect on allergic airway inflammation in acute and chronic murine models of asthma. The authors found that GSPE treatment reduced airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, and oxidative stress. In addition, airway fibrosis, one of the most important components of airway remodeling in asthma, was reduced in the GSPE-treated chronic asthma model as compared with controls. The results of this study suggest that GSPE may be effective in reducing the inflammation and alleviating airway remodeling, probably because of its antioxidant properties. Although further animal and clinical studies are needed to confirm these findings and clearly identify the mechanism of GSPE effects, this study illustrates a novel therapeutic potential of GSPE in asthma. T. Lee et al ., Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract attenuates allergic inflammation in murine models of asthma. J. Clin. Immunol., 27 July 2012 (10.1007/s10875-012-9742-8). [[PubMed]][1] [1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22836658
Plasmin deficiency leads to fibrin accumulation and a compromised inflammatory response in the mouse brain

Summary. Background: Excess fibrin in blood vessels is cleared by plasmin, the key proteolytic enzyme in fibrinolysis. Neurological disorders and head trauma can result in the disruption of the neurovasculature and the entry of fibrin and other blood components into the brain, which may contribute to further neurological dysfunction. Objectives: While chronic fibrin deposition is often implicated in neurological disorders, the pathological contributions attributable specifically to fibrin have been difficult to ascertain. An animal model that spontaneously acquires fibrin deposits could allow researchers to better understand the impact of fibrin in neurological disorders. Methods: Brains of plasminogen (plg)- and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)-deficient mice were examined and characterized with regard to fibrin accumulation, vascular and neuronal health, and inflammation. Furthermore, the inflammatory response following intrahippocampal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection was compared between plg � /� and wild type (WT) mice. Results and Conclusions: Both plg � /� and tPA � /� mice exhibited brain parenchymal fibrin deposits that appear to result from reduced neurovascular integrity. Markers of neuronal health and inflammation were not significantly affected by proximity to the vascular lesions. A compromised neuroinflammatory response was also observed in plg � /� compared to WT mice following intrahippocampal LPS injection. These results demonstrate that fibrin does not affect neuronal health in the absence of inflammation and suggest that plasmin may be necessary for a normal neuroinflammatory response in the mouse
Who Are the Darfurians? Arab and African Identities, Violence and External Engagement

This article examines processes of identity formation in Darfur, now part of the Republic of Sudan, over the last four centuries. The basic story is of four overlapping processes of identity formation, each of them primarily associated with a different period in the region's history: namely, the 'Sudanic identities' associated with the Dar Fur sultanate, Islamic identities, the administrative tribalism associated with the twentieth-century Sudanese state, and the recent polarization of 'Arab' and 'African' identities, associated with new forms of external intrusion and internal violence. It is a story that emphasizes the much-neglected east-west axis of Sudanese identity, arguably as important as the north-south axis, and redeems the neglect of Darfur as a separate and important locus for state formation in northern Sudan, paralleling and competing with the Nile Valley states. It focuses on the incapacity of both the modern Sudanese state and international actors to comprehend the singularities of Darfur, accusing much Sudanese historiography of 'Nilocentrism', namely, the use of analytical terms derived from the experience of the Nile Valley to apply to Darfur.
Ornithine carbamoyltransferase deficiency

The death of Jesse Gelsinger on 17 September 1999 had major effects on the gene therapy community. It brought to a halt a gene therapy clinical trial at the Institute of Human Gene Therapy, University of Pennsylvania, USA and brought to a wider audience the potential clinical problems associated with this technology.1 In addition a number of clinicians became aware of Jesse's genetic disorder, ornithine carbamoyltransferase deficiency (OCTD, McKusick 311250), for the first time. OCTD is the most common disorder of ureagenesis (prevalence 1/40 000) and is inherited as an X linked trait. The OCT gene is located on the short arm of the X chromosome (Xp21.1) and over 150 mutations have been found in OCTD families. There are no common mutations and defects include gross deletions, missense and splicing mutations, as well as small insertions and deletions.2 3 The importance of detecting mutations within families lies primarily with accurate carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis, as biochemical and enzymatic methods of detection are less reliable. In addition, as enzyme activity is not expressed in either amniocytes or chorion villus biopsy material, prenatal testing had to rely on invasive fetal liver biopsy until DNA methods became available. In certain families knowledge of the mutation may help with disease prediction.4 Although our understanding of OCTD has increased greatly over recent years our abilities to treat the severe variants of this disorder remain limited. Figure 1 shows a simplified version of the urea cycle. Figure 1 The urea cycle. CPS, carbamyl phosphate synthetase; OTC, ornithine transcarbamylase; AS, argininosuccinic acid synthetase; AL, argininosuccinic acid lyase; A, arginase; *waste nitrogen molecules. Ammonia is an extremely toxic molecule and organisms have evolved a number of different ways of excreting this waste product of protein metabolism. Where water is abundant (for example, fish) ammonia is directly excreted …
Reaction chemistry of CuInSe/sub 2/ formation by selenization using elemental Se

Selenization of Cu-In layers with elemental Se at temperatures of 150/spl deg/C to 650/spl deg/C was performed to evaluate the reaction chemistry leading to the formation of CuInSe/sub 2/ films for solar cells. Chemical reaction pathways for Cu-In precursors to form single phase CuInSe/sub 2/ were deduced from the detailed analysis of intermediate phases by X-ray diffractometry and a phenomenological reaction model is proposed. Based on this model, high temperature selenization with no loss of In was demonstrated indicating the importance of thermal history during the selenization processes. >
Faculty Resistance to Change

John Tagg's article in the March/April issue of Change was nothing short of brilliant. I circulated it widely among my colleagues, and we summarized its main points in our newsletter, pointing any ...
Using Photo-Electronic Erosion Pins for Measuring Bed Elevation Changes in the Swash Zone

Abstract Photo-Electronic Erosion Pins (PEEPs) can be used to measure short-term fluctuations in swash zone (foreshore) profiles. Because the sensors depend upon ambient light for the detection of bed elevation change, their signal indicates false changes during swash inundation. A method is presented to mitigate this source of noise and to allow a reconstruction of bed changes at swash frequencies. The protocol is illustrated with a sample data set.
Harmonic Grammars for Formal Languages

Basic connectionist principles imply that grammars should take the form of systems of parallel soft constraints defining an optimization problem the solutions to which are the well-formed structures in the language. Such Harmonic Grammars have been successfully applied to a number of problems in the theory of natural languages. Here it is shown that formal languages too can be specified by Harmonic Grammars, rather than by conventional serial rewrite rule systems.
A tunable impedance surface performing as a reconfigurable beam steering reflector

We describe a reconfigurable microwave surface that performs as a new kind of beam steering reflector. The surface is textured with an array of tiny resonators, which provide a frequency-dependent surface impedance. By tuning the individual resonators, the surface impedance, and thus the reflection coefficient phase, can be varied as a function of position across the reflector. Using a reflection phase gradient, the surface can steer a reflected beam. As an example, we have built a simple mechanically tuned surface in which physical motion of only 1/100 wavelength generates a sufficient phase gradient to steer a reflected beam by /spl plusmn/16 degrees. To steer to greater angles, the surface can be configured as an artificial microwave grating, capable of /spl plusmn/38 degrees of beam steering. The concept of the tunable impedance surface demonstrated here can be extended to electrically controlled structures, which would permit more elaborate reflection phase patterns, and provide more capabilities, such as the ability to focus or steer multiple beams.
Intrinsic Requirement for the Vitamin D Receptor in the Development of CD8αα-Expressing T Cells

Vitamin D and vitamin D receptor (VDR) deficiency results in severe symptoms of experimental inflammatory bowel disease in several different models. The intraepithelial lymphocytes of the small intestine contain large numbers of CD8αα(+) T cells that have been shown to suppress the immune response to Ags found there. In this study, we determined the role of the VDR in the development of CD8αα(+) T cells. There are fewer total numbers of TCRαβ(+) T cells in the gut of VDR knockout (KO) mice, and that reduction was largely in the CD8αα(+) TCRαβ(+) cells. Conversely TCRγδ(+) T cells were normal in the VDR KO mice. The thymic precursors of CD8αα(+) TCRαβ(+) cells (triple-positive for CD4, CD8αα, and CD8αβ) were reduced and less mature in VDR KO mice. In addition, VDR KO mice had a higher frequency of the CD8αα(+) TCRαβ(+) precursors (double-negative [DN] TCRαβ(+) T cells) in the gut. The proliferation rates of the DN TCRαβ(+) gut T cells were less in the VDR KO compared with those in wild type. Low proliferation of DN TCRαβ(+) T cells was a result of the very low expression of the IL-15R in this population of cells in the absence of the VDR. Bone marrow transplantation showed that the defect in VDR KO CD8αα(+) TCRαβ(+) cells was cell intrinsic. Decreased maturation and proliferation of CD8αα(+) TCRαβ(+) cells in VDR KO mice results in fewer functional CD8αα(+) TCRαβ(+) T cells, which likely explains the increased inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract of VDR KO and vitamin D-deficient mice.
A deliberately insecure RDF-based Semantic Web application framework for teaching SPARQL/SPARUL injection attacks and defense mechanisms

SemWebGoat is a deliberately insecure learning framework for software developers.This work provides an analysis and categorization of SPARQL and SPARUL injection attacks.This research contributes interactive lessons to teach good programming practices and defensive techniques.Developers are mostly unaware of vulnerabilities in RDF-based web applications. The Semantic Web uses the Resource Description Framework (RDF) and the Simple Protocol and Query/Update Languages (SPARQL/SPARUL) as standardized logical data representation and manipulation models allowing machines to directly interpret data on the Web. As Semantic Web applications grow increasingly popular, new and challenging security threats emerge. Semantic query languages owing to their flexible nature introduce new vulnerabilities if secure programming practices are not followed. This makes them prone to both existing attacks such as command injection as well as novel attacks, making it necessary for application developers to understand the security risks involved when developing and deploying semantic applications. In this research, we have analyzed and categorized the possible SPARQL/SPARUL injection attacks to which semantic applications are vulnerable. Moreover, we have developed a deliberately insecure RDF-based Semantic Web application, called SemWebGoat - inspired by the open source vulnerable web application, WebGoat - which offers a realistic teaching and learning environment for exploiting SPARQL/SPARUL oriented injection vulnerabilities. With the aim of teaching both developers and web administrators the art of protecting their Semantic Web applications, we have implemented web application firewall (WAF) rules using the popular open-source firewall - ModSecurity - and extended some penetration testing tools to detect and mitigate SPARQL/SPARUL injections. For the evaluation, we conducted a user study to determine the usability of SemWebGoat attack lessons as well as a detection rate and false alarm analysis of our proposed firewall rules based on OWASP top-ten attack dataset. The results of the user study conclude that web developers are not normally familiar with the injection vulnerabilities demonstrated. The positive test results of our ModSecurity rule set show that it a suitable defense mechanism for protecting vulnerable Semantic Web application against injection attacks.
Summary and Future Directions

We described a variety of search and retrieval approaches, most of which primarily focused on improving the accuracy of information retrieval engines. Unlike other search and retrieval domains, e.g., traditional relational databases, the accuracy of retrieval is not constant. That is, in the traditional relational database domain all techniques result in perfect accuracy. Hence, the main concern, in terms of performance evaluation, is the overall system throughput and the individual query performance.
J. John Sepkoski Jr. (1948-1999)

With Jack Sepkoski's sudden death from heart failure on May 1, 1999, paleontology lost one of its most important figures. In his 25–year career, Jack published more than 70 research articles, 15 of them in this journal, and an equal number of reviews, commentaries, and abstracts. He co-edited Paleobiology (1983–86), received the Schuchert Award (1983), and served as President of the Paleontological Society (1995–96). In 1997, he was elected to the Polish Academy of Sciences and in the same year received the Medal of the University of Helsinki. Further recognition would surely have followed but for his untimely death.
Decline of the Endangered Morro Bay Kangaroo Rat in California

Abstract The Morro Bay kangaroo rat Dipodomys heermanni morroensis occurs in the vicinity of Morro Bay (specifically in and near Los Osos) in western San Luis Obispo County in coastal central Calif...
Combining Genetic Profiles and Energy Expenditure Measurements to Guide Weight Loss Management Programs

In our present era of widespread obesity, it is without doubt we are all well acquainted with dietary struggles faced by our patients, friends, and family members as they follow the latest commercialized trend trying earnestly to shed those extra pounds. To state the obvious, dieting to achieve permanent weight loss is hard, requiring diligence, a sound plan, and proper support to succeed. But is this all it takes? We hear many stories expressing long-term commitment to well-planned diets that have been assembled by trained nutritionists and dieticians. And of course, encouragement is readily offered by family and friends. Yet, in spite of these well intentioned pursuits, dieting largely fails, often with the added consequence of rebounding to an even greater weight than pre-diet measures. This leads to expressions of anger, frustration, resignation, and confusion. Besides the physical toll, the effect on emotional well-being is inevitable and very often poorly addressed. Perhaps we need to look at this problem from a different perspective; as Albert Einstein taught us, we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking that created them.
Fracking the Unconventional Energy Response to Climate Change: Implications for the Real Estate Industry

Climate change caused by human activity is well established from scientific, economic, social and legal perspectives. Production of energy to meet human needs has been identified as the main source of Greenhouse Gas (BHG) emissions of CO2 that causes climate change.Yet energy is something real estate and transactional attorneys know little about. Just as transactional /business lawyers are not expected to know federal tax law, but are expected to know enough to ask the right questions from tax attorneys to structure a transaction, transactional attorneys need to know the basics of energy sources, regulation and the second order effects of energy generation and production. The 14th Kratovil Conference on Real Estate Law & Practice focused on "Fracking, Energy Sources, Climate Change & Real Estate" for the symposium issue of the John Marshall Law Review. This article is part of the symposium issue. It provides basic information about sources of energy including coal, oil, natural gas-collectively known as fossil fuels and renewables that do not cause CO2 emissions. Fracking or Fracturing is the unconventional fossil fuel that produces reduced GHG emissions but that may have other second order effects. Part I considers implications of evidence that climate change is principally due to human activity.Part II looks at the relatively new business of fracking, which relets the successes of innovation and the limits of this relatively new industry. Part III provides a primer of basic real property law about land that may be suitable for fracking or that may be affected by fracking. Separation of ownership between surface and sub-surface mineral rights is achieved by contract, leases and government intervention. Yet regulation of privately owned real estate and fracking is by state and local government, rather than federal law. Part IV reviews the three categories of risks associated with fracking: environmental, social and economic in the context of implications for those owning, developing, financing, leasing and using real estate. Part V provides a conclusion: may questions remain on the real estate implications of fracking.
Determinants of Utilization of Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation in Hospitals: Key Technical and Nontechnical Issues

Positive pressure noninvasive ventilation (NIV) has become widely accepted as the first-line treatment of respiratory distress and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. NIV has evolved over time to become part of the first-line management in a number of other respiratory conditions, but utilization is variable among medical facilities. This chapter highlights aspects of care that contribute to NIV utilization.
Big Government Conservatism, Expanding and Reframing Food Stamps: George W. Bush, Welfare Reform and the 2002 Farm Bill

George W. Bush was elected to the presidency in 2000 with a vision of compassionate conservatism. Attention has been devoted to his supply side fiscal policy and his expansionist foreign policy. However, less attention has been devoted to his social policy, particularly his expansion of the Food Stamp program. The 2002 Farm Bill, espoused and advocated by George W. Bush, expanded access to Food Stamps and restored eligibility to immigrants. In this chapter, I argue the Food Stamp expansion allowed George W. Bush to express his compassionate conservatism by examining the way he framed support of the program around traditional conservative themes such as the deserving poor and the need to reduce government waste and regulation.
Diane Piccitto, Blake’s Drama, Theatre, Performance and Identity in the Illuminated Books and Michael Farrell, Blake and the Methodists

Review by Mark Crosby (Kansas State University) of Diane Piccitto, Blake’s Drama, Theatre, Performance and Identity in the Illuminated Books. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2014. Pp. vii + 241. £55. ISBN 9781137378002 and Michael Farrell, Blake and the Methodists . Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2014. Pp. x + 259. £55. ISBN 9781137455499.
GROWTH OF SALMONELLAE IN SKIMMILK WHICH CONTAINS ANTIBIOTICS1

Portions of sterile skimmilk were fortified with 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 unit of penicillin; 1.0, 10, and 100 μg streptomycin; and 0.1, 1.0, and 10 μg tetracycline per milliliter. Such skimmilks were inoculated with salmonellae, incubated at 21 or 37 C, and tested with the plate count at 3-hr intervals during an 18-hr incubation. As much as 1.0 unit of penicillin per milliliter of skimmilk had little, if any, inhibitory effect on Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella newbrunswick, Salmonella dublin, or Salmonella heidelberg at either temperature. Streptomycin, at concentrations of 1.0 and 10 μg per milliliter failed to inhibit growth of S. typhimurium or S. newbrunswick at either temperature. Presence of 100 μg streptomycin per milliliter of skimmilk markedly inhibited S. newbrunswick at both temperatures and S. typhimurium at 21 C and completely inhibited the latter bacterium at 37 C. Neither of the salmonellae were inhibited by 0.1 μg tetracycline per milliliter of skimmilk but both bacteria were somewhat inhibi...
The Effect of Breakfast Protein Source on Postprandial Hunger and Glucose Response in Women

Currently, there is debate as to what the macronutrient composition of breakfast should be for optimal health. Studies have shown that subjects who eat a breakfast high in protein (PRO) stay fuller...
KRAS-dependent suppression of MYC enhances the sensitivity of cancer cells to cytotoxic agents.

// Irene Ischenko 1 , Jizu Zhi 2 , Michael J. Hayman 1 , Oleksi Petrenko 1 1 Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA 2 Department of Pathology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA Correspondence to: Oleksi Petrenko, email: alexei.petrenko@stonybrook.edu Michael J. Hayman, email: michael.hayman@stonybrook.edu Keywords: NSCLC, KRAS, MYC, MAPK, cytotoxicity Received: September 13, 2016 Accepted: December 26, 2016 Published: February 01, 2017 ABSTRACT KRAS is the most commonly mutated oncogene, frequently associated with some of the deadliest forms of cancer. However, the need for potent and specific KRAS inhibitors remains unmet. Here, we evaluated the effects of selected cytotoxic agents on oncogenic KRAS signaling and drug response. The data provided new insights into the functional interaction between the KRAS and MYC pathways and revealed key differences between WT and mutant KRAS expressing cells. Systematic investigation of non-small cell lung cancer cell lines revealed that KRAS mutation can paradoxically increase the sensitivity of cells to cytotoxic agents. We identify MYC as a key regulator of the cellular stress responses and tumor cell viability as MYC expression was suppressed in drug-sensitive but not resistant cells. Furthermore, this suppression was driven by hyperactive KRAS/MAPK signaling. Our findings support a direct link between MYC and cancer cell viability, and raise the possibility that inactivation of MYC may be an effective therapeutic strategy for KRAS mutant tumors across various cancer types.
Ultrasonic longitudinal waves to monitor the integration of titanium rods with host bone

Osseointegrated prostheses which integrate the prosthesis directly to the limb bone are being developed for patients that are unable to wear traditional socket prostheses. While osseointegration of the prosthesis offers amputees improvement in their quality of life, there remains a need to better understand the integration process that occurs between the bone and the prosthesis. Quantification of the degree of integration is important to track the recuperation process of the amputee, guide physical therapy regimes, and to identify when the state of integration may change (due to damage to the bone). This study explores the development of an assessment strategy for quantitatively assessing the degree of integration between an osseointegrated prosthesis and host bone. Specifically, the strategy utilizes a titanium rod prosthesis as a waveguide with guided waves used to assess the degree of integration. By controlling waveforms launched by piezoelectric wafers bonded on the percutaneous tip of the prosthesis, body waves are introduced into the waveguide with wave reflections at the boneprosthesis interface recorded by the same array. Changes in wave energy are correlated to changes at the contact interface between the titanium rod and the bone material. Both simulation and experimental tests are presented in this paper. Experimental testing is performed using a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) host because the elastic modulus and density of HDPE are close to that of human and animal bone. Results indicate high sensitivity of the longitudinal wave energy to rod penetration depth and confinement stress issued by the host bone.
Abstract 496: Competition Between Filamin and Kindlin-2 Regulates Integrin Activation

Cell migration and adhesion during hemostasis, angiogenesis and inflammation are dynamically regulated by integrin heterodimeric adhesion receptors. Their interactions with cytosolic proteins, filamin (FLN), talin (TLN) and Kindlin (Kn2) enable them to convey intracellular signals (inside-out-signaling) to the external environment by engaging extracellular matrix ligands. While TLN and Kn2 activate integrins, FLN inhibits cell migration. TLN and Kn2 bind to membrane-proximal and -distal NPxY motifs of β integrin cytoplasmic tails (CTs), respectively, and an integrin binding site for FLN resides in between these two sequences. Competition between TLN and FLN regulates integrin activation, but it is unknown if FLN and Kn2 compete and regulate integrin inside-out signaling. This competition was tested using αIIbβ3 (platelet-specific) and β7 (lymphocyte-specific; strong FLN binder) integrins in multiple cell types. siRNA depletion of FLNA in K562 cells stably expressing αIIbβ3 integrin (K562-αIIbβ3) significantly enhanced PAC-1 (specific for activated αIIbβ3) binding compared to control siRNA, demonstrating its effect on β3 activation. In pulldown assays using GST-β3 CT, Kn2 bound β3 in CHO lysates transfected with Kn2, either alone or with FLN repeat 21; however, FLN binding to β3 CT was observed only when FLN repeat 21 was expressed alone. Under similar conditions using GST-β7 CT, FLN-β7 interaction was not perturbed by Kn2. This was more pronounced in endothelial cell lysates where GST-β7 CT bound endogenous FLNA but not Kn2. Weak talin-β7 CT binding in this assay was noted. Moreover, in K562-αIIbβ3 cells, exogenous Kn2 overcame the suppressive effect of FLN on αIIbβ3 activation. Overall, our data shows that FLN inhibits β3 integrin function, and competition between FLN and Kn2 can indeed regulate integrin activation.
Impact of e-SiGe S/D processes on FinFET PFET TDDB reliability

The impact of source/drain e-SiGe process engineering on time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) on core PFETs fabricated with bulk FinFET technology is evaluated. It is observed that thicker e-SiGe buffer layer improves the PFETs TDDB. Electrical and physical analysis revealed that with thinner buffer layer, Ge atoms migrate to gate dielectric and accelerate the breakdown mechanisms due to poor surface roughness and stoichiometry. In addition, the process optimization of pre-baking of e-SiGe trench can also improve the TDDB even for relatively thinner buffer layer.