cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
e-Government and Cyber Security: The Role of Cyber Security Exercises

e-Government operations are increasing with citizen demand for timely and cost effective services. Security associated with individual systems is similar to many e-commerce solutions. The span of control of e-government and its impact across a community defines a system that is more than a sum of just single systems. To test security issues across the entire system requires a new method of analysis, a community based cyber security exercise. Results from recent community based exercises have provided insight into opportunities for improvement and has demonstrated the value of these events. Information gained from community based exercises permits local governmental entities to better prepare their e-government systems to serve their citizens needs. Although some actions discovered in the exercise may be difficult and resource intensive, numerous low-hanging fruit opportunities for improvement can be discovered and used to improve e-government systems.
"A calorie is a calorie" violates the second law of thermodynamics.

The principle of "a calorie is a calorie," that weight change in hypocaloric diets is independent of macronutrient composition, is widely held in the popular and technical literature, and is frequently justified by appeal to the laws of thermodynamics. We review here some aspects of thermodynamics that bear on weight loss and the effect of macronutrient composition. The focus is the so-called metabolic advantage in low-carbohydrate diets – greater weight loss compared to isocaloric diets of different composition. Two laws of thermodynamics are relevant to the systems considered in nutrition and, whereas the first law is a conservation (of energy) law, the second is a dissipation law: something (negative entropy) is lost and therefore balance is not to be expected in diet interventions. Here, we propose that a misunderstanding of the second law accounts for the controversy about the role of macronutrient effect on weight loss and we review some aspects of elementary thermodynamics. We use data in the literature to show that thermogenesis is sufficient to predict metabolic advantage. Whereas homeostasis ensures balance under many conditions, as a general principle, "a calorie is a calorie" violates the second law of thermodynamics.
Electrochemical Model for Corrosion of Conductors on Ceramic Substrates

A quantitative model for electrochemical corrosion of conductors on microelectronic substrates was developed from fundamental principles such as Faraday's and Ohm's laws. The principal parameters are properties of electrode materials, geometry, and the surface resistivity of adsorbed moistured films. The time-to-fail calculation is linearly proportional to the surface (sheet) resistivity and inversely proportional to dc voltage between electrodes. Calculations based on data from published literature are presented as examples to illustrate the model. The relationship of surface resistivity to contamination of adsorbed moisture films by anions, primarily chlorides is discussed. Experiments are described in which surface resistivity is increased greatly by conformal coatings of polymers such as silicone junction coating and a polyamideimide. The silicone was shown to be superior because of its greater resistance to delamination from the substrate in high temperature and relative humidity (RH) exposures, due to higher bonding energies.
Developing visual sensing strategies through next best view planning

We propose an approach for acquiring geometric 3D models using cameras mounted on autonomous vehicles and robots. Our method uses structure from motion techniques from computer vision to obtain the geometric structure of the scene. To achieve an efficient goal-driven resource deployment, we develop an incremental approach, which alternates between an accuracy-driven next best view determination and recursive path planning. The next best view is determined by a novel cost function that quantifies the expected contribution of future viewing configurations. A sensing path for robot motion towards the next best view is then achieved by a cost-driven recursive search of intermediate viewing configurations. We discuss some of the properties of our view cost function in the context of an iterative view planning process and present experimental results on a synthetic environment.
Rabi oscillations and Raman coherences in semiconductor quantum wells

Summary form only given. We investigate theoretically the relation between generalized Rabi oscillations involving optical transitions in three band systems and Raman coherences. The system under consideration is a conventional GaAs semiconductor quantum well in which only the lowest subband of the conduction, the heavy hole bands need to be taken into account. We consider two simultaneous, strong sub-picosecond pulses (770 fs) of opposite circular polarization, spectrally centered at the hh and the lh-excitons respectively.
Multiple Unfolding Events during Native Folding of the Tetrahymena Group I Ribozyme

Despite the ubiquitous nature of misfolded intermediates in RNA folding, little is known about their physical properties or the folding transitions that allow them to continue folding productively. Folding of the Tetrahymena group I ribozyme includes sequential accumulation of two intermediates, termed I(trap) and misfolded (M). Here, we probe the structure and folding transition of I(trap) and compare them to those of M. Hydroxyl radical and dimethyl sulfate footprinting show that both I(trap) and M are extensively structured and crudely resemble the native RNA. However, regions of the core P3-P8 domain are more exposed to solvent in I(trap) than in M. I(trap) rearranges to continue folding nearly 1000-fold faster than M, and urea accelerates folding of I(trap) much less than M. Thus, the rate-limiting transition from I(trap) requires a smaller increase in exposed surface. Mutations that disrupt peripheral tertiary contacts give large and nearly uniform increases in re-folding of M, whereas the same mutations give at most modest increases in folding from I(trap). Intriguingly, mutations within the peripheral element P5abc give 5- to 10-fold accelerations in escape from I(trap), whereas ablation of P13, which lies on the opposite surface in the native structure, near the P3-P8 domain, has no effect. Thus, the unfolding required from I(trap) appears to be local, whereas the unfolding of M appears to be global. Further, the modest effects from several mutations suggest that there are multiple pathways for escape from I(trap) and that escape is aided by loosening nearby native structural constraints, presumably to facilitate local movements of nucleotides or segments that have not formed native contacts. Overall, these and prior results suggest a model in which the global architecture and peripheral interactions of the RNA are achieved relatively early in folding. Multiple folding and re-folding events occur on the predominant pathway to the native state, with increasing native core interactions and cooperativity as folding progresses.
Force budget: I. Theory and numerical methods

A practical method is developed for calculating stresses and velocities at depth using field measurements of the geometry and surface velocity of glaciers. To do this, it is convenient to partition full stresses into lithostatic and resistive components. The horizontal gradient in vertically integrated lithostatic stress is the driving stress and it describes the horizontal action of gravity. The horizontal resistive stress gradients describe the reactions. Resistive stresses are simply related to deviatoric stresses and hence to strain-rates through a constitutive relation. A numerical scheme can be used to calculate stresses and velocities from surface velocities and slope, and from ice thickness. There is no mathematical requirement that the variations in these quantities be small.
Residual deficits from concussion as revealed by virtual time-to-contact measures of postural stability

Abstract Objective Traumatic brain injury (TBI), including mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), commonly known as a "concussion", is still one of the most puzzling neurological disorders and least understood injuries facing sport medicine and the scientific community [Cantu R. Concussion assessment Ongoing controversy. In: Slobounov S, Sebastianelli W, editors. Foundations of sport-related brain injuries. New York: Springer Press; 2006. p. 87–111.]. It was our primary objective to assess the dynamic properties of postural control in subjects prior to and after sport-related MTBI using the traditional center of pressure (COP) and virtual time-to-contact (VTC) measures. Methods We assessed 12 student-athletes prior to and 30 days after they suffered sport-related MTBI on a number of standing still and dynamic postural tasks. All subjects were clinically asymptomatic at day 30 of testing and were cleared for full sport participation based upon neurological and neuropsychological assessments, as well as clinical symptoms resolution. Results The findings showed: (1) no significant differences for any of the standard COP-based measures of postural control (i.e., 90% ellipse COP area, COP velocity and Stability Index) as a function of testing day (prior to and 30 days post-injury, p >.05); (2) no differences in terms of VTC shape, distribution and nominal values before and after concussion during standing still postural tasks regardless of vision conditions, p >.05; and (3) there were significant alterations in VTC in terms of absolute values, range of VTC at the deflection points and mode at the day 30 post-injury. Conclusions The deficits in VTC control are indicative of residual postural abnormality in subjects suffering from mild traumatic brain injuries and provide further evidence that VTC is used to regulate dynamic postural movement. Significance The results show that residual postural abnormalities in concussed individuals may be undetected using conventional research methods and the implications of this for clinical practice are discussed.
Exogenous and Endogenous Nitric Oxide but Not iNOS Inhibition Improves Function and Survival of Ischemically Injured Livers

The role of nitric oxide (NO) in liver ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains controversial and few works have shed more information regarding the effect of exogenous (EX) and/or endogenous NO (EN) under conditions of I/R of the liver. We investigated the role of exogenous and endogenous NO and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibition in liver function, neutrophil infiltration, and animal survival after liver I/R. Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to total hepatic ischemia for 90 min using an extracorporeal porto-systemic shunt. The animals were divided into five groups, including the sham porto-systemic shunt with no ischemia, the control ischemic group, the L-arginine-treated group, the sodium nitroprusside (SNP or NaNP)-treated group, and the L-N6-(1-iminoethyl) lysine hydrochloride (L-NIL) (selective iNOS inhibitor)-treated group. The animal survival was followed for 7 days. Liver injury tests, tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO), and histology were analyzed at 6 h postreperfusion. L-Arginine- and sodium nitroprusside-treated groups demonstrated significant improvement in 7 days survival in comparison to the control (20%) (p .05). Liver injury tests and histology scores in the SNP- and L-arginine-treated groups showed significant improvement when compared to the control group (p .5). We conclude that NO exogenous donors and substrates for the endogenous pathway are beneficial for the liver after severe I/R and could be important therapeutic targets to prevent damage following this phenomenon.
Alteration of nucleic acid structure and stability modulates the efficiency of minus-strand transfer mediated by the HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein

During human immunodeficiency virus type 1 minus-strand transfer, the nucleocapsid protein (NC) facilitates annealing of the complementary repeat regions at the 3′-ends of acceptor RNA and minus-strand strong-stop DNA ((-) SSDNA). In addition, NC destabilizes the highly structured complementary trans-activation response element (TAR) stem-loop (TAR DNA) at the 3′-end of (-) SSDNA and inhibits TAR-induced self-priming, a dead-end reaction that competes with minus-strand transfer. To investigate the relationship between nucleic acid secondary structure and NC function, a series of truncated (-) SSDNA and acceptor RNA constructs were used to assay minus-strand transfer and self-priming in vitro. The results were correlated with extensive enzymatic probing and mFold analysis. As the length of (-) SSDNA was decreased, self-priming increased and was highest when the DNA contained little more than TAR DNA, even if NC and acceptor were both present; in contrast, truncations within TAR DNA led to a striking reduction or elimination of self-priming. However, destabilization of TAR DNA was not sufficient for successful strand transfer: the stability of acceptor RNA was also crucial, and little or no strand transfer occurred if the RNA was highly stable. Significantly, NC may not be required for in vitro strand transfer if (-) SSDNA and acceptor RNA are small, relatively unstructured molecules with low thermodynamic stabilities. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that for efficient NC-mediated minus-strand transfer, a delicate thermodynamic balance between the RNA and DNA reactants must be maintained.
Golden-Cheeked Warbler Nest Mortality and Predators in Urban and Rural Landscapes

Abstract Predation is a major cause of nest failure for songbirds, yet information is lacking on the relative importance of predator species in different landscapes. We identified nest predators of Golden-cheeked Warblers (Dendroica chrysoparia) in an urban landscape, compared cause-specific mortality rates between urban and rural landscapes, and evaluated whether monitoring nests with cameras affected nest survival. We monitored 68 nests with cameras in Austin, Texas, during 2005, 2006, and 2008 to identify causes of mortality, including predators, in an urban landscape. The period mortality and predation rates were 0.60 (95% CI: 0.42–0.73) and 0.52 (95% CI: 0.37–0.68), respectively. We identified predators at 20 nests: Texas rat snakes (Elaphe obsoleta lindheimerii) depredated eight nests (40%), Western Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma californica) depredated six (30%), Cooper's Hawks (Accipter cooperii) depredated two (10%), fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) depredated three (15%), and fire ants (Solenopsis sp.) dep...
Imitating inscrutable enemies: learning from stochastic policy observation, retrieval and reuse

In this paper we study the topic of CBR systems learning from observations in which those observations can be represented as stochastic policies. We describe a general framework which encompasses three steps: (1) it observes agents performing actions, elicits stochastic policies representing the agents' strategies and retains these policies as cases. (2) The agent analyzes the environment and retrieves a suitable stochastic policy. (3) The agent then executes the retrieved stochastic policy, which results in the agent mimicking the previously observed agent. We implement our framework in a system called JuKeCB that observes and mimics players playing games. We present the results of three sets of experiments designed to evaluate our framework. The first experiment demonstrates that JuKeCB performs well when trained against a variety of fixed strategy opponents. The second experiment demonstrates that JuKeCB can also, after training, win against an opponent with a dynamic strategy. The final experiment demonstrates that JuKeCB can win against "new" opponents (i.e. opponents against which JuKeCB is untrained).
Interacting effects of wildfire severity and liming on nutrient cycling in a southern Appalachian wilderness area

Aims Wilderness and other natural areas are threatened by large-scale disturbances (e.g., wildfire), air pollution, climate change, exotic diseases or pests, and a combination of these stress factors (i.e., stress complexes). Linville Gorge Wilderness (LGW) is one example of a high elevation wilderness in the southern Appalachian region that has been subject to stress complexes including chronic acidic deposition and several wildfires, varying in intensity and extent. Soils in LGW are inherently acidic with low base cation concentrations and decades of acidic deposition have contributed to low pH, based saturation, and Ca:Al ratio. We hypothesized that wildfires that occurred in LGW followed by liming burned areas would accelerate the restoration of acidic, nutrient depleted soils. Because soils at LGW had extremely low concentrations of exchangeable Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ dolomitic lime was applied to further boost these cations. We evaluated the effectiveness of dolomitic lime application in restoring exchangeable Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ and subsequently increasing pH and Ca:Al ratio of soils and making Ca and Mg available to recovering vegetation. Methods Five treatment areas were established: severely burned twice (2000 & 2007) with dolomitic lime application (2xSBL); moderately burned twice with lime application (2xMBL); severely burned twice, unlimed (2xSB); moderately burned once (2000), unlimed (1xMB); and a reference area (REF; unburned, unlimed). In 2008 and 2009, we measured overstory, understory, and ground-layer vegetation; forest floor mass and nutrients; and soil and soil solution chemistry within each treatment area. Results All wildfire burned sites experienced substantial overstory mortality. However, understory biomass doubled between sample years on the most recently burned sites due to the rapid regrowth of ericaceous shrubs and prolific sprouting of deciduous trees. Burning followed by lime application (2xSBL and 2xMBL) significantly increased shallow soil solution NO3-N, but we found no soil solution NO3-N response to burning alone (2xSB and 1xMB). Surface soil base saturation and exchangeable Ca 2+ were significantly affected by liming; Ca 2+ concentrations were greater on 2xMBL and 2xSBL than 2xSB, 1xMB and REF.
Radiation pneumonitis: local dose versus [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake response in irradiated lung

Purpose: To quantify the relationship between the local radiation dose received and the posttreatment positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) [18F]2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the lung. Methods and Materials: The data from 36 patients treated for esophageal cancer with thoracic radiotherapy who underwent restaging PET/CT imaging between 4 and 12 weeks after radiotherapy completion were evaluated. Their treatment planning CT was registered with the restaging PET/CT. Using histogram analysis, the voxel average FDG-PET uptake vs. radiation dose was obtained for each case. Hierarchical linear regression models for each patient were applied to study the variation in the linear trends between cases. Deviation of the dose–response curve from a linear model was tested. Results: The median time between radiotherapy completion and FDG-PET imaging was 40 days (range, 26–70 days). The median of the mean standard uptake value in the lung that received 0–5 Gy was 0.63 (range, 0.36–1.27), 5–10 Gy was 0.77 (range, 0.40–1.35), 10–20 Gy was 0.80 (range, 0.40–1.72), and >20 Gy was 1.08 (range, 0.44–2.63). A hierarchical linear regression model of the radiation dose and normalized FDG uptake per case found an adequate fit with the linear model, and the addition of quadratic and logarithmic functions did not improve the fit. The 36 cases had a posterior mean of slopes range of 0.0048–0.069. Conclusion: The regional dose vs. radiation pneumonitis response was evaluated with FDG-PET/CT imaging. Statistical modeling found a linear relationship. The slope of this relationship varied over an order of magnitude, reflecting the range of the underlying biological response to radiation among the study population.
Alternative Measures of Managers' Performance, Controllability, and the Outcome Effect

This research examines whether alternative performance evaluation measures of managers (return of investment, sales per square foot, customer satisfaction, and employee satisfaction) with varying controllability increases or decreases the extent of the outcome effect and whether asking the evaluator to assess the evaluatee's controllability of these measures prior to the evaluation mitigates the effect. The outcome effect occurs when outcome knowledge systematically influences the evaluator's assessment of the evaluate, irrespective of the quality of his or her initial decision resulting in the outcome. The experimental results reveal that the outcome effect increased as the controllability of the retail store manager's outcome measure increased, with the increase being more for nonfinancial measures than for financial measures. The results also show that controllability assessment of the outcome measures prior to the actual evaluation reduced the outcome effect across all measures.
Energy deposition in the breast during CT scanning: quantification and implications for dose reduction

Studies suggest that dose to the breast leads to a higher lifetime attributable cancer incidence risk from a chest CT scan for women compared to men. Numerous methods have been proposed for reducing dose to the breast during CT scanning, including bismuth shielding, tube current modulation, partial-angular scanning, and reduced kVp. These methods differ in how they alter the spectrum and fluence across projection angle. This study used Monte Carlo CT simulations of a voxelized female phantom to investigate the energy (dose) deposition in the breast as a function of both photon energy and projection angle. The resulting dose deposition matrix was then used to investigate several questions regarding dose reduction to the breast: (1) Which photon energies deposit the most dose in the breast, (2) How does increased filtration compare to tube current reduction in reducing breast dose, and (3) Do reduced kVp scans reduce dose to breast, and if so, by what mechanism? The results demonstrate that while high-energy photons deposit more dose per emitted photon, the low-energy photons deposit more dose to the breast for a 120 kVp acquisition. The results also demonstrate that decreasing the tube current for the AP views to match the fluence exiting a shield deposits nearly the same dose to the breast as when using a shield (within ~1%). Finally, results suggest that the dose reduction observed during lower kVp scans is caused by reduced photon fluence rather than the elimination of high-energy photons from the beam. Overall, understanding the mechanisms of dose deposition in the breast as a function of photon energy and projection angle enables comparisons of dose reduction methods and facilitates further development of optimized dose reduction schemes.
Karl Marx Returning The Welfare State and Neo-Marxist, Corporatist and Statist Theories

Over the past two decades the prevailing postwar political theory paradigm of pluralism has been strongly challenged by other approaches, such as neo-Marxism, Corporatist theory, and a state-center...
Effects of frequency modulation on auditory averaged evoked response.

Frequency modulated signals with linear up-ramps of various durations were used to evoke electroencephalic responses in two normal hearing Ss. Stimuli were presented randomly to either the right Ni peak latency ear, the left ear, or binaurally. The Ss were seated in a sound attenuated chamber in the light with eyes open. Electroencephalic activity was recorded from an electrode on the vertex referred to the left mastoid with a ground at the forehead midline. The N1-P2 amplitude was the most prominent and it decreased as the ramp durations increased from 25 to 2000 msec. It became progressively smaller as the frequency region was increased from 0.5 kHz to 2.0 kHz and as the intensity was decreased from 60 dB to 40 dB SL. The N1 peak latency increased with an increase in ramp duration and a change from binaural to monaural stimulation. The view that transitions between two frequencies activate additional neural units was maintained. The similarity of the stimuli to speech formant transitions makes the AER e...
Guanine Excretion by the Two-Spotted Spider Mite (Tetranychus telarius (L.))

Two purines have been shown to be nitrogenous end products in arthropods, namely uric acid in insects and guanine in spiders (Prosser 1950). Blauvelt (1945) found spherical concretions in the hindgut of the two-spotted spider mite which he classed as urates. As no malpighian tubes were present, the glandular cells in the anterior lateral walls of the hindgut (plate 2, Blauvelt 1945) were described as a specialized nephritic organ for the elimination of urates. Gasser (1951), however, on the basis of solubility tests, described not only the concretions in the hindgut but also part of the black fecal pellets as containing guanine. These spherical concretions accumulate in the hindgut and are passed with the fecal pellets.
Copper(II) binding by dissolved organic matter: importance of the copper-to-dissolved organic matter ratio and implications for the biotic ligand model.

The ratio of copper to dissolved organic matter (DOM) is known to affect the strength of copper binding by DOM, but previous methods to determine the Cu2+–DOM binding strength have generally not me...
Modulated Structures in Ion Implanted Al-Fe System

The results of transmission electron microscopy studies of iron implantation into high purity aluminum foils are described. For both 50 and 100 + 50 keV incident ion energies, modulated structure has been detected in the as-implanted foils. Upon annealing at 793 K the modulated structure decomposes into the Al matrix and Al 3 Fe precipitates for the 50 keV implantation. A similar annealing treatment for the 100 + 50 keV implantation indicates that the modulated structure is more stable, although some Fe 3 Al precipitation occurs.
Comparison of Adaptive Design Space Exploration Methods Applied to S-Duct CFD Simulation

Design space exploration is an important step in the design process that enables a qualitative and quantitative understanding of physical phenomena, tradeoffs, and constraints. Additionally, design space exploration can be used to create surrogate models for later design and optimization tasks. For large design spaces that are explored with computationally expensive tools such as CFD or FEM, the design space exploration method must be efficient to obtain a good representation of the trade space with relatively few sampled design points. Several design space exploration methodologies and approaches are described in the literature, including a priori sampling approaches, adaptive methods, and multi-fidelity strategies. The main goal of the present paper is to conduct a comparison of some of these methodologies to understand their exploration behavior and efficiency when used with high fidelity and computationally expensive simulation tools. This goal is achieved by applying the methods to the same test case: a design space exploration of the internal aerodynamics of s-duct geometries to assess pressure loss performance. The aerodynamic analysis is conducted with a viscous 3-D CFD solver that allows multi-fidelity results to be easily obtained by changing the mesh density.
The Role of Social Capital in African Americans' Attempts to Reduce and Quit Cocaine Use.

Research examining substance users' recovery has focused on individual-level outcomes while paying limited attention to the contexts within which individuals are embedded, and the social processes involved in recovery.This paper examines factors underlying African American cocaine users' decisions to reduce or quit cocaine use and uses practice theory to understand how lifestyle changes and shifts in social networks facilitate access to the capital needed to change cocaine use patterns.The study, an in-depth analysis of substance-use life history interviews carried out from 2010 to 2012, included 51 currently not-in-treatment African American cocaine users in the Arkansas Mississippi Delta region. A blended inductive and deductive approach to data analysis was used to examine the socio-cultural and economic processes shaping cocaine use and recovery.The majority of participants reported at least one lifetime attempt to reduce or quit cocaine use; motivations to reduce use or quit included desires to meet social role expectations, being tired of using, and incarceration. Abstinence-supporting networks, participation in conventional activities, and religious and spiritual practices afforded access to capital, facilitating cocaine use reduction and sobriety.Interventions designed to increase connection to and support from nondrug using family and friends with access to recovery capital (e.g., employment, faith community, and education) might be ideal methods to reduce substance use among minorities in low-income, resource-poor communities.
96 cases of preventing the occurrence of hyperbilirubinemia in premature infants by early prophylaxis phototherapy

Objective: To evaluate the effects of early prophylaxis phototherapy on hyperbilirubinemia in premature infants.Methods: Ninety-six premature infants who were hospitalized in 24 hours were divided into two groups,intervention group(includes 50 premature infants who were treated by phototherapy till their hyperbilirubinemias were cured) and control group(includes another 46 premature infants who were not treated by phototherapy).The incidences of hyperbilirubinemia,the peak of serum bilirubin and jaundice days were compared between intervention group and control group.Results:The incidence of hyperbilirubinemia of intervention group and control group is 6.0% and 45.7%,respectively,The peak of serum bilirubin of intervention group(141.3±49.2 μmol/L) is significant lower than that of control group(217.5±60.1 μmol/L).And the jaundice days of intervention group and control group are 14.5±4.4 and 16.8±5.8,respectively.Conclusion: Early prophylaxis phototherapy is effective in preventing the occurrence of hyperbilirubinemia,shorten the duration of jaundice and avoid the occurrence of bilirubin encephalopathy.
The significance of the ratio in follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone in induction of multiple follicular growth

Among the patients enrolled in the Norfolk In Vitro Fertilization Program there were 32 who had been stimulated according to the basic stimulation protocol using two ampules of human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) daily. Because of their inadequate response, 23 of these 32 patients were stimulated subsequently with a combination of two ampules of "pure" follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and two ampules of hMG on cycle days 3 and 4. The remaining nine patients received four ampules of "pure" FSH only on cycle days 3 and 4. Stimulation was continued with hMG in both FSH regimens. Ten thousand units of human chorionic gonadotropin was used for final maturation. Parallel with the increase in the ratio of exogenous FSH to luteinizing hormone, an increase in oocyte recovery was observed, as well as an improvement in transfer and pregnancy rates. It was concluded that FSH enrichment had a beneficial effect in these patients.
Mining Spatial-Temporal geoMobile Data via Feature Distributional Similarity Graph

Mobile devices and networks produce abundant data that exhibit geo-spatial and temporal properties mainly driven by human behavior and activities. We refer to such data as geoMobile data. Mining such data to extract meaningful patterns that are reflective of collective user activities and behavior can benefit mobile network resource management as well as the design and operations of mobile applications and services. However, diverse feature distributions inherent in such data make such a task challenging. In this paper we advocate an approach based on advanced machine learning algorithms to transform original data matrices into a feature distributional similarity graph and extract latent patterns from complex structures of geoMobile data. Our analysis is further aided with a visualization technique. Using mobile access data records from an operational cellular carrier, we demonstrate the potentials of our proposed approach under multiple settings, and make some very interesting observations from the obtained results.
Alcohol, Cancer Genes, and Signaling Pathways

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), alcohol and its metabolite acetaldehyde, are considered to be Group 1 carcinogens, defined as an agent (or mixture) with sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans (Baan et al. 2007; Secretan et al. 2009). Both animal and in vitro studies have shown that acetaldehyde is genotoxic, capable of forming stable DNA adducts that cause DNA damage that may lead to cancer (reviewed by Brooks and Theruvathu 2005; Seitz and Stickel 2007). Although acetaldehyde is known to damage DNA, only a handful of studies have attempted to classify, on a molecular basis, tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes affected by alcohol consumption. This undertaking is often ­complicated by an inability to accurately quantify alcohol consumption in the context of identifying these molecular changes or by the presence of confounding variables such as tobacco use and viral infection in combination with alcohol use.
South Asian Women and Marriage: Experiences of a Cultural Script

Although the South Asian community is one of the largest and fastest growing immigrant populations in the country, there is a paucity of social science research about these communities. A number of authors have assumed the importance of gender, marriage, and family within South Asian diasporic culture; however, relatively little research has explored South Asian women’s lived experiences from their own perspectives or across generations. This study sought to understand how first and second generation South Asian women in the US understand their experiences of race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and diaspora. Through qualitative analysis of interviews with 30 South Asian women living in the US, I show that across generations, messages about (heterosexual) marriage emerged as central to how women understood their gendered experience and, as such, marriage and being marriageable function as a “cultural script” for middle-class South Asian womanhood. Women’s narratives elucidate some of the specific messages of this “cultural script” and everyday ways this script is indirectly and directly communicated to women within family and community interactions.
Supported transition metal nanomaterials: Nanocomposites synthesized by ionizing radiation

Abstract Nanostructures decorated with transition metal nanoparticles using ionizing radiation as a synthesis method in aqueous solutions represents a clean alternative to existing physical, chemical and physicochemical methods. Gamma irradiation of aqueous solutions generates free radicals, both oxidizing and reducing species, all distributed homogeneously. The presence of oxidant scavengers in situ during irradiation generates a highly reductive environment favoring the reduction of the metal precursors promoting seed formation and nanoparticle growth. Particle growth is controlled by addition of surfactants, polymers or various substrates, otherwise referred to as supports, which enhance the formation of well dispersed nanoparticles. Furthermore, the combination of nanoparticles with supports can offer desirable synergisms not solely presented by the substrate or nanoparticles. Thus, supported nanoparticles offer a huge diversity of applications. Among the ionizing radiation methods to synthesize nanomaterials and modify their characteristics, gamma irradiation is of growing interest and it has shown tremendous potential in morphological control and distribution of particle size by judiciously varying parameters including absorbed dose, dose rate, concentration of metal precursor, and stabilizing agents. In this work, major advances on the synthesis of supported nanoparticles through gamma irradiation are reviewed as well as the opportunities to develop and exploit new composites using gamma-rays and other accessible ionizing radiation sources such as X-rays.
Abstract 529: Phosphorylation of Thr165 within the activation loop of Nek3 kinase is necessary for its pro-migratory function in breast cancer cells

The polypeptide hormone prolactin (PRL) is increasingly recognized as contributing to the development and progression of human breast cancer. Activation of the prolactin receptor (PRLr) by PRL contributes to the growth, survival and motility of human breast cancer cells. The PRL/PRLr complex activates multiple signaling pathways, including the serine/threonine kinase, Nek3 (NIMA-related kinase 3). PRL acts as a chemoattractant for breast cancer cells, accompanied by reorganization of the cytoskeleton. However, the molecular mechanisms by which PRLr signaling contributes to the invasive breast cancer cellular phenotype is not fully understood. Nek3 [NIMA (never in mitosis gene a)-related kinase 3] is a member of the serine/threonine (S/T) Nek protein kinases. Data from our laboratory suggests that Nek3 may contribute to breast cancer pathogenesis through regulation of cell migration/invasion, apoptosis, and cytoskeletal reorganization. Therefore, targeting Nek3 in breast cancer cells represents a novel therapeutic approach to potentially improve the treatment of breast cancer. We previously demonstrated that PRL/PRLr-signaling activates Nek3, however the molecular mechanisms of Nek3 kinase activation remain to be elucidated. Therefore, to better understand the mechanism of PRL-dependent regulation of Nek3 kinase activity, we focused on determining whether Nek3 activity is regulated by phosphorylation and to identify the potential sites(s) of autophosphorylation. Through site-directed mutagenesis of Nek3 residues in the activation segment, we identified threonine residue 165 (Thr165), as a major site that regulates the catalytic activity of Nek3. In addition to being autophosphorylated in vitro, Nek3 Thr165 was also phosphorylated in response to the PRL-MEK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway in PRL-stimulated breast cancer cells. We show here that phosphorylation at Thr165 Nek3 plays an important regulatory role in cell migration and adhesion, steps that are critical in the invasive process leading to tumor metastasis. In order to test this, we expressed wild-type Nek3 and a nonphosphorylatable Nek3 mutant (T165V) in the breast cancer cell lines T47D and MCF7. We found that expression of T165V Nek3 resulted in a significant decrease in cell adhesion to the basement membrane matrix, Matrigel, while additionally inhibiting cell motility in a wound healing assay. Ongoing studies are further examining the role of Nek3 in regulating focal adhesion dynamics and cytoskeletal remodeling. Citation Format: Katherine M. Harrington, Charles V. Clevenger. Phosphorylation of Thr165 within the activation loop of Nek3 kinase is necessary for its pro-migratory function in breast cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 529. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-529
Deciding Where to Turn: A Qualitative Investigation of College Students' Helpseeking Decisions After Sexual Assault

Sexual assault is a widespread problem on college campuses that has been the subject of substantial attention in recent years (Ali, 2011; Krebs, Lindquist, Berzofsky, Shook-Sa, & Peterson, 2016). Resources designed to address the problem exist, but there is evidence that they are underutilized by survivors (Campbell, 2008). The current study used grounded theory to explore how sexual assault survivors make decisions about helpseeking. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 college sexual assault survivors to develop a theoretical model for their decision-making process. The resulting model, Deciding Where to Turn, suggests that survivors engage in three key decision points: determining if there is a problem related to the sexual assault (Do I Need Help), considering options (What Can I Do), and weighing the consequences of these options (What Will I Do). This process results in one of four behavioral choices: cope on one's own, seek support from friends/family, seek support from formal resources, or covert helpseeking, where needs are met without disclosure. Deciding Where to Turn contributes to the literature by providing a framework for understanding helpseeking decisions after sexual assault, highlighting the need to match reactions to survivor perceptions. The concept of covert helpseeking in particular adds to the way researchers and practitioners think about helpseeking. Research and practice implications are discussed.
UTILITY OF GENETIC TESTING IN INFANTS WITH ISOLATED CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE

Background: Recent advances in technology, and a greater demonstration of the genetic contributors to congenital heart disease (CHD), have resulted in an expansion of genetic screening among infants with CHD. However, the utility of this screening strategy has not been well studied. We aimed to
Near Field Scan Alignment Procedure for Electrically Large Apertures

Computational imaging at microwave frequencies has gained traction due to its potential for obtaining high-quality images with fast acquisition rates. Complex and diverse radiation patterns form the cornerstone of this approach. Electrically large antennas, such as mode-mixing cavities and metamaterial apertures, have proven to be effective platforms for generating such waveforms. Due to the complex nature of these antennas, near field scanning is often required to characterize their radiation patterns. However, accurate knowledge of the produced waveforms’ spatial distribution, with respect to the physical position of the antenna, is imperative. This relies on precise alignment between the antenna and the near field scan stage during the characterization process—a requirement that is especially cumbersome to achieve when operating at high frequencies. We present an effective method to address this problem; by introducing RF markers into the antenna the position of the antenna under test within the near field scanning setup can be obtained directly from the measurements. The proposed method is experimentally verified through comparison with measurements made using optical photogrammetry. The proposed process will find application in the alignment of computational and multistatic imaging systems, commonly used in security screening and threat detection, as well as in tiled electrically large antenna structures.
V2I Communication-Enabled Real-Time Intersection Traffic Signal Scheduling

Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications offer great opportunities for developing applications for Intelligent Transportation Systems with real-time vehicle motion and driving specific information. In this paper, we propose a system that allows an intersection traffic signal controller to adapt to the arrivals of a priority vehicle in a non-invasive manner by using real-time vehicle positions collected via V2I. Our scheduling algorithm uses the real-time positions and the intersection's historical timing data to determine a minimum-disruption timing plan that allows the priority vehicle to arrive during a green phase for its signal. The results show that the priority vehicle can achieve noticeable delay reduction with a lower level of delay increase by the other vehicles. The work demonstrates the power of vehicle-to-infrastructure communication in enhancing transportation operation by participating in traffic control.
The n→π* Interaction

ConspectusThe carbonyl group holds a prominent position in chemistry and biology not only because it allows diverse transformations but also because it supports key intermolecular interactions, including hydrogen bonding. More recently, carbonyl groups have been found to interact with a variety of nucleophiles, including other carbonyl groups, in what we have termed an n→π* interaction. In an n→π* interaction, a nucleophile donates lone-pair (n) electron density into the empty π* orbital of a nearby carbonyl group. Mixing of these orbitals releases energy, resulting in an attractive interaction. Hints of such interactions were evident in small-molecule crystal structures as early as the 1970s, but not until 2001 was the role of such interactions articulated clearly.These non-covalent interactions were first discovered during investigations into the thermostability of the proline-rich protein collagen, which achieves a robust structure despite a relatively low potential for hydrogen bonding. It was found t...
Coupling of left ventricular and aortic volume elasticity in the rabbit

Changes in volume elasticity (VE) of the left ventricle and aorta could be important for blood flow. A procedure is presented to rapidly assess VE of the left ventricle and aorta by analyzing chang...
A national resident survey about the current state of venous education in vascular surgery training programs

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to characterize U.S. vascular surgery trainees' perceptions, case numbers, and attitudes toward venous disease education, as well as their intent to incorporate it into future practice. These data will provide us with a current snapshot of postgraduate venous education from a resident's perspective. Methods Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. A 13-question survey was created and distributed to all vascular surgery residents in the United States by SurveyMonkey. Formal electronic distribution remained deidentified as the surveys were e-mailed to residents from the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery. Results Of 464 vascular surgery trainees queried, 104 (22%) responded to the survey. The majority of responders (80%) were between 25 and 34 years of age, 60% were male, and 72% were white; 91% reported that they were in an academic training program, and 57% were enrolled in an integrated vascular surgery residency program. Postgraduate years (PGYs) of training among respondents were well represented: PGY 1, 14%; PGY 2, 8%; PGY 3, 14%; PGY 4, 12%; PGY 5, 9%; PGY 6, 18%; and PGY 7, 25%. Vascular resident training experience with venous disease revealed the following: 63% performed P ≤ .02) but were relatively stable for classic 5 + 2 vascular fellows ( P ≥ .67). Integrated residents reported having received more didactic venous education than the 5 + 2 vascular surgery fellows ( P = .01). There were no differences in overall reported venous procedure volumes between groups ( P ≥ .28). The majority of trainees (82%) acknowledged that treating venous disease is part of a standard vascular surgery practice, and many (75%) indicated a desire to have increased venous training. Despite this, 59% of responders reported plans to dedicate Conclusions In this national survey-based study of vascular surgery trainees, we demonstrate a perceived weakness in venous disease case volumes and didactic education in residency. This training deficit is apparent in both integrated (0 + 5) and traditional (5 + 2) training pathways. Our data suggest that expansion of the venous disease curriculum with clear training standards is warranted and that trainees would welcome such a change.