cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cinnamic Aldehyde Inhibits PDGF-Induced Migration and Proliferation of Smooth Muscle Cells, and Neointimal Hyperplasia in Diabetic Rats

Introduction Patients with Diabetes Mellitus have a higher risk of developing peripheral arterial and cardiovascular disease, which is partially attributed to inflammation, increased reactive oxygen species, and endothelial cell dysfunction. Nrf2 (NF-E2-related factor 2) plays a key role in protecting against environmental stress by inducing expression of detoxification and antioxidant enzymes. Cinnamic aldehyde (CA) is a small molecule Nrf2 activator. Our goal is to assess the protective effect of CA against diabetes-induced vascular damage. We hypothesize that CA will activate the Nrf2 pathway, inhibit proliferation and migration of diabetic vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro, as well as protect against restenosis in vivo after carotid balloon injury in Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rats. Methods Arterial smooth muscle cells from ZDF rats (D-SMC) were isolated and cultured in high glucose medium. The effect of CA at different concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, 50, and 100 μM) on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced cell proliferation was assessed by the MTT assay and by counting viable cells. Cell migration was evaluated following CA treatment via the scratch assay. A Muse-based assay was used to determine the effect of 100 μM CA on the cell cycle. Nrf2 translocation was studied by Western blotting of the nuclear fraction, and immunofluorescence after CA treatment (100 μM). Sulforaphane (4 μM) was used as a positive control. 10 week-old ZDF rats were fed a high fat diet for one month to induce diabetes. The balloon carotid injury model was performed with or without periadventitial application of CA (100 μM in 150 μl of Pluronic gel). Two weeks after surgery the carotids were harvested for morphometric analysis. Results CA (100 μM) inhibited PDGF-induced cell proliferation of D-SMC by 50%, assessed by both MTT (P Conclusion These data show that CA has a protective effect, inhibiting proliferation and migration of diabetic arterial smooth muscle cells. CA also has a protective effect in vivo inhibiting the development of neointimal hyperplasia. This inhibition suggests that CA could afford protection against vascular restenosis in diabetic arteries after vascular interventions.
Place-Based Education for Environmental Behavior: A 'Funds of Knowledge' and Social Capital Approach.

AbstractIn this paper we suggest that a new theoretical framework is needed within environmental education in the discussion of rural, underserved communities in Latin America. We argue that a community-resources approach, comprised of funds of knowledge and social capital, should be incorporated into contemporary research on place- and community-based education and environmental behavior. The model we present builds upon previous research in the areas of education, anthropology, social capital, and environmental education. These perspectives are discussed in accordance with their relevance to high school students in one of the most bio-diverse regions of Central America: the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. In this context, we suggest that promoting environmental behavior is both contextualized by and dependent upon social and community interactions, or ‘mediations,’ after Lev S. Vygotsky. We believe that the framework presented here may contribute to increased socio-economic, academic, and environmental ben...
Two-Year Operational Evaluation of a Consumer Electronics-Based Data Acquisition System for Equipment Monitoring

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has performed a 2-year evaluation of the performance of an in-house developed consumer electronics-based data acquisition system (DAS). The main advantage of this approach compared to conventional instrumentation grade systems is cost; instrument grade data acquisition systems average costs range from $800 to $2000 per channel compared to a range of $200 – 400 per channel for a consumer electronics-based system.
Expression of metabolic enzymes as predictors of prognosis in patients with aggressive primary brain cancers.

e13529Background: Aggressive primary brain cancers like glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are metabolically active tumors. We hypothesis that abnormalexpression of metabolic enzymes may be useful in pr...
Components of a Flipped Classroom Influencing Student Success in an Undergraduate Business Statistics Course

ABSTRACTAn instructor transformed an undergraduate business statistics course over 10 semesters from a traditional lecture course to a flipped classroom course. The researcher used a linear mixed model to explore the effectiveness of the evolution on student success as measured by exam performance. The results provide guidance to successfully implement a flipped classroom course. The largest improvements were achieved by replacing face-to-face lecture with active learning exercises and using quizzes to verify student engagement with offline materials. Using conditional release of course materials to encourage homework completion also provided a significant benefit to students who missed class often.
A stochastic vortex structure method for interacting particles in turbulent shear flows

In a recent study, we have proposed a new synthetic turbulence method based on stochastic vortex structures (SVSs), and we have demonstrated that this method can accurately predict particle transport, collision, and agglomeration in homogeneous, isotropic turbulence in comparison to direct numerical simulation results. The current paper extends the SVS method to non-homogeneous, anisotropic turbulence. The key element of this extension is a new inversion procedure, by which the vortex initial orientation can be set so as to generate a prescribed Reynolds stress field. After validating this inversion procedure for simple problems, we apply the SVS method to the problem of interacting particle transport by a turbulent planar jet. Measures of the turbulent flow and of particle dispersion, clustering, and collision obtained by the new SVS simulations are shown to compare well with direct numerical simulation results. The influence of different numerical parameters, such as number of vortices and vortex lifeti...
Engineering effect equivalence enabled transfer learning

Engineering effect equivalence (EEE) reflects the fact that different engineering factors generate the same effect on the final product quality. For example, in CNC machining process, the deviations of the machine tool and the fixture may induce the same machining error on the final product. Building a quality prediction model for an engineering process (e.g., CNC machining and additive manufacturing) with multiple engineering factors usually requires a large amount of training data. Utilizing EEE, this paper explores the similarity among multiple manufacturing processes to establish engineering-driven transfer learning, which greatly improves the performance of modeling and prediction of process variations/quality for those engineering factors having only a limited amount of training data. The method has been demonstrated by a machining case study.
Machine Learning Approach to Short-Term Traffic Congestion Prediction in a Connected Environment

Traffic congestion is a complex phenomenon triggered by a combination of multiple interacting factors. One of the main factors is the disturbances caused by individual vehicles, which cannot be ide...
Measurement of oxygen in the microcirculation using phosphorescence quenching microscopy.

According to the classical concept of Krogh, O2 is delivered to the tissues solely by capillaries and intra-capillary resistance to O2 diffusion is negligible. Over the past three decades longitudinal PO2 and SO2 gradients in arterioles have been observed with a transmural PO2 gradient in small arterioles of only 1–2 mmHg. Application of phosphorescence quenching microscopy to measurements of PO2 in arterioles of the rat mesentery by Tsai et al. (1998) found a large transmural PO2 in these arterioles. That led to the provocative conclusion that the arteriolar wall is the major sink for O2 in the microcirculation. Our studies indicate that many of these results can be explained by photo-activated O2 consumption following phosphor excitation, combined with a large excitation area and high frequency of flash excitation. We have developed the basic principles for phosphorescence quenching microscopy including the need to use a small excitation area, a low excitation frequency and a scanning excitation for stationary samples.
Twenty-five-Year Follow-up of Short-term Cancer Research Trainees at the University of Alabama at Birmingham: a Brief Report.

Long-term follow-up is needed to evaluate the impact of short-term cancer research programs on the career trajectories of medical and graduate students. Participation in these programs may be crucial in fostering the next generation of cancer research scientists. This report presents the career outcomes and research productivity of 77 medical and public health students with 25 years of tracking data following their participation in a summer cancer research training program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in 1990–1998. Of 64 summer trainees with contact information, complete survey responses were received from 55 (86.0%) individuals. Over half reported clinical care of cancer patients and 18.2% stated that they were engaged in cancer research. Literature searches confirmed that 23.4% (18/77) of trainees have published cancer research papers. Future studies should explore the optimal timing of short-term post-baccalaureate academic cancer training experiences to identify participant characteristics and institutional factors that influence career choices and determine research productivity.
Targeting Root Cause by Systemic scAAV9-hIDS Gene Delivery: Functional Correction and Reversal of Severe MPS II in Mice

No treatment is available to address the neurological need and reversibility of MPS II. We developed a scAAV9-hIDS vector to deliver the human iduronate-2-sulfatase gene and test it in mouse model. We treated MPS II mice at different disease stages with an intravenous injection of scAAV9-mCMV-hIDS at different doses. The treatments led to rapid and persistent restoration of IDS activity and the reduction of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) throughout the CNS and somatic tissues in all cohorts. Importantly, the vector treatment at up to age 6 months improved behavior performance in the Morris water maze and normalized the survival. Notably, vector treatment at age 9 months also resulted in persistent rIDS expression and GAG clearance in MPS II mice, and the majority of these animals survived within the normal range of lifespan. Notably, the vector delivery did not result in any observable adverse events or detectable systemic toxicity in any treated animal groups. We believe that we have developed a safe and effective gene therapy for treating MPS II, which led to recent IND approval for a phase 1/2 clinical trial in MPS II patients, further supporting the extended potential of the demonstrated systemic rAAV9 gene delivery platform for broad disease targets.
A Unified Account of Three Uses of Dou

This paper gives a unified account of the distributive, occasion andcumulative readings of dou in the framework of event semantics, the last of whichis rarely discussed in the literature. Previous analyses on dou will be shown tohave difficulties capturing the cumulative reading (Lin 1998; Liu 2017). Following Champollion's analysis of distance distributive items, I analyze dou as a distributorover events. What's inside the scope of dou is the description of the subevents and what's outside the scope of dou is the description of the mereological sum event.This analysis can capture the three uses of dou and adds dou to the category ofdistance distributive items surveyed in Champollion (2016).
Evaluation of the Effects of Computerized Nurse Charting.

Abstract At LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, development and implementation of a Nursing Information System has been underway for the last seven years. The current endeavor is implementation of computer charting at the bedside. A most important aspect of this gradual implementation is evaluation of the effects of this change in charting method and behavior. This study investigates the differences in three areas before and after implementation of computerized charting; nursing time distribution, nurse attitudes toward computerization, and compliance with charting standards. Computerization brings hopes of time savings for the nurse so more time is spent with the patient, positive attitudes towards computer use, and an increase in the quality of charting and its relationship to the plan of care for the patient. The results of this study point towards positive changes in these areas.
Statistical analysis of a self-seeded x-ray free-electron laser in the presence of the microbunching instability

Self-seeding is one of the most promising methods to improve the longitudinal coherence and spectral purity of free-electron lasers (FELs). Measurements of the multishot-averaged, soft x-ray self-seeding spectrum at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) FEL often have a pedestal-like distribution around the seeded wavelength. In this paper, a theoretical model based on the mechanism of spectral sideband generation is developed to explain the statistical behavior of the seed and pedestal. The model is in good agreement with statistical analysis of numerical FEL simulations and experimental measurements that show that pedestal fluctuations reflect the level of long-wavelength microbunching structures in the beam, and are driven by fluctuations of the seed.
Small B-Cell Lymphomas With and Without Plasmacytic Differentiation

Among all mature B-cell neoplasms, the group of small B-cell lymphomas with or without plasmacytic differentiation encompasses several subtypes in which the neoplastic cells constitute a clonal population of predominantly small lymphocytes. Depending on the specific subtype, these lymphomas may show varying degrees of plasmacytic differentiation. Each subtype in this group is characterized by distinct clinical, morphologic, immunophenotypic, and genetic features which are important for precise diagnosis and classification. The majority of these lymphomas are lymph node based; however, extranodal sites such as bone marrow, peripheral blood, and spleen are frequently involved. Precise classification is crucial given their distinct clinical behavior. For example, mantle cell lymphoma is an aggressive disease that often requires therapy, whereas patients with other small B-cell lymphoma subtypes generally have an indolent clinical course and may survive for many years without therapy. With recent advances in molecular genetics, new knowledge about the biology of these diseases has contributed to the development of more refined diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic schemes, many of which have been incorporated in the 2017 revised 4th edition of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) classification of hematopoietic tumors. This chapter will focus on the common small mature B-cell lymphomas providing a practical approach for diagnosis and classification.
Differentiation syndrome during ivosidenib treatment with immunohistochemistry showing isocitrate dehydrogenase R132H mutation.

We report a case of differentiation syndrome in a patient receiving the IDH1 inhibitor ivosidenib, with skin biopsy showing isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) R132H-mutated leukemia cutis. A 72-year-old man with IDH1-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML), status-post allogeneic cell transplantation, on ivosidenib for six months, was admitted for culture-negative neutropenic fever, pink and purpuric plaques and patches on the legs, abdomen and back, edema, hypotension, and shortness of breath. Skin biopsy revealed an infiltrate of atypical, immature, myeloperoxidase-positive mononuclear cells compatible with leukemia cutis or Sweet syndrome. Although dermal edema and interstitial neutrophilic infiltrate with karyorrhexis characteristic of Sweet syndrome were not seen, the atypical cells lacked expression of CD117 and CD34, which were expressed in the original leukemia. Additional immunohistochemical staining of suspected blasts was strongly positive for IDH1 R132H, suggesting a diagnosis of leukemia cutis. As the immunophenotype of blasts in skin infiltrates can significantly differ from the immunophenotype seen in blood and bone marrow, this case demonstrates that mutation-specific antibodies such as anti-IDH1 R132H may be useful to help distinguish malignant from non-malignant infiltrates in the skin. Furthermore, differentiation syndrome may demonstrate histologic features of leukemia cutis on skin biopsy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Assessing Age-Friendly Community Progress: What Have We Learned?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities has grown steadily over the past decade across the United States. The age-friendly model calls for a five-year process of continuous improvement across the stages of engagement, planning, action and measurement, culminating in an evaluation of age-friendly progress. However surprisingly little is known regarding American age-friendly communities' accomplishments to date. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We utilized content analysis to assess the progress reported by American age-friendly communities (n = 30) that joined by end of year 2015 using the Age-Friendly Community Evidence-based Tool with expanded program evaluation measures including health equity as defined by the World Health Organization. We employed deductive analytic techniques to assess reported community performance in eleven thematic areas across the range of structures and processes that characterize age-friendly efforts. RESULTS We found strong evidence in the areas of leadership and governance, harnessed resources, application of age-friendly framework and in multisector collaboration as well as reported provisions. All of the communities reported health equity aims, particularly in promoting accessible physical environments and social inclusion efforts. Our analysis further revealed relatively moderate evidence of older adult involvement and weak performance in the monitoring and reporting of evaluative findings as well as overall summation and dissemination plans. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS We conclude by synthesizing the overall performance reported by the age-friendly communities, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses. We also offer suggestions to enhance evaluative efforts and advance the dissemination of age-friendly community progress.
Difficulty of Care: Aligning Tax and Health Care Policy for Family Caregiving

In the United States millions of people live with disabilities, many of whom require assistance with activities of daily life to remain in their homes and communities. However, financial support for this assistance is limited. Many caregivers forgo working outside the home in order to provide care to a family member. And while state and federal programs provide some compensation for caregiving, caregivers frequently face problems including poverty, lack of health insurance, lack of Social Security and Medicare credits, and lack of retirement savings. Our nation’s paltry support for caregiving threatens the practical ability of people with disabilities to choose community integration over institutional living. This Essay examines the little-known and little-used “difficulty of care” gross income exclusion under I.R.C. § 131 as a possible vehicle to improve this picture. While § 131 originated as an exclusion for foster payments, it was reinterpreted in IRS Notice 2014-7 to apply to contemporary programs for in-home services and supports. Unfortunately, the impact of this reinterpretation was complicated and hotly contested. This Essay juxtaposes the evolution of home and community-based health care services, the Affordable Care Act, and the evolution of tax expenditures for low-income taxpayers to explain how the tax and health care systems collided in the aftermath of Notice 2014-7. This Essay reveals tensions and contradictions between tax and health care policy, informed by case examples and by ground-level considerations of program administration. It suggests that a gross income exclusion is an ineffective means to implement policy preferences and that policymakers should undertake a broader examination of the interactions between health and tax provisions when considering financial supports for caregiving. Finally, the Essay offers preliminary considerations for redesigning tax supports for caregiving, both to better reflect the values of dignity and autonomy that underlie home-based services, and to prevent unintended harm to low-income families.
Cryptic introgressions contribute to transgressive segregation for early blight resistance in tomato

We identified cryptic early blight resistance introgressions in tomato breeding lines and demonstrated efficient genotypic selection for resistance in the context of a tomato breeding program. Early blight is a widespread and problematic disease affecting tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum). Caused by the fungal pathogen Alternaria linariae (syn. A. tomatophila), symptoms include lesions on tomato stems, fruit, and foliage, often resulting in yield losses. Breeding tomatoes with genetic resistance would enhance production sustainability. Using cross-market breeding populations, we identified several quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with early blight resistance. Early blight resistance putatively derived from ‘Campbell 1943′ was confirmed in modern fresh market tomato breeding lines. This resistance offered substantial protection against early blight stem lesions (collar rot) and moderate protection from defoliation. A distinctive and potentially novel form of early blight foliar resistance was discovered in a processing tomato breeding line and is probably derived from S. pimpinellifolium via ‘Hawaii 7998’. Additional field trials validated the three most promising large-effect QTL, EB-1.2, EB-5, and EB-9. Resistance effects for EB-5 and EB-9 were consistent across breeding populations and environments, while EB-1.2’s effect was population specific. Using genome-wide marker-assisted backcrossing, we developed fresh market tomato lines that were near-isogenic for early blight QTL. Resistance in these lines was largely mediated by just two QTL, EB-5 and EB-9, that together captured 49.0 and 68.7% of the defoliation and stem lesion variance, respectively. Our work showcases the value of mining cryptic introgressions in tomato lines, and across market classes, for use as additional sources of disease resistance.
BMI modifies the association between dietary intake and serum levels of PCBs

Abstract Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of persistent organic pollutants that are carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and endocrine disrupting in humans. Although diet is the primary source of exposure, there is no consensus on the association between dietary intake and serum PCBs. Additionally, body mass index (BMI) – with its inverse association with serum PCBs – may play a role in the association, which has never been studied. Therefore, we aimed to examine the association between dietary intake and serum levels of PCBs, and whether the association was modified by BMI. We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2004, including 1531 participants. We estimated dietary intake of PCBs using the 24-hour diet recall, USDA Food Composition Intake Database, and PCB content in foods from the Canada Total Diet Study. Serum PCBs were measured by high-resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HRGC-HRMS). We used linear regression to examine the associations of dietary PCB intake with serum levels of seven PCB congeners and six PCB metrics. Further, we explored the role of BMI in the associations. We found that participants who were older and non-Hispanic tended to have a higher serum level of ∑37-PCB. In addition, we observed positive associations between dietary intake and serum PCBs for: PCB 105, 118, 126, 138 + 158, and 153 (P value ranges 0.005–0.03); seven PCB indicators (P value = 0.03) and the sum of 37 PCBs (P value = 0.04). Furthermore, we observed an effect modification by BMI (P for interaction = 0.01 for ∑37-PCBs), with stronger associations in underweight or normal-weight individuals, and no association in overweight and obese individuals. In conclusion, within a cross-sectional, nationally representative sample of the US population, dietary PCB intake was positively associated with serum PCBs and the association was modified by BMI. Additional studies are warranted to replicate and confirm this effect modification.
Pro Re Nata Antihypertensive Medications and Adverse Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients: A Propensity-Matched Cohort Study

Physicians routinely order blood pressure (BP) medications on an as needed basis or pro re nata to control BPs in hospitalized patients. We hypothesized that treatment of inpatients, who do not have a hypertensive emergency, with the use of antihypertensive medication on an as needed basis could lead to adverse outcomes. Four thousand two hundred nineteen patients who received BP medications on an as needed basis in addition to scheduled antihypertensive medications were matched 1:1 using propensity matching to those who received only scheduled BP medications. Compared with the propensity-matched cohort, patients who received antihypertensive medications on an as needed basis were more likely to experience abrupt lowering of systolic BPs (odds ratio, 2.05 [95% CI, 1.56-2.71], P<0.001), acute kidney injury (odds ratio, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.09-1.42], P=0.002), and ischemic stroke (odds ratio, 8.5 [95% CI, 1.96-36.79]; P<0.001). The use of as needed antihypertensive medication was also associated with increased in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 2.36 [95% CI, 1.26-4.41]; P=0.001) and an increase in the median length of stay (4.7 versus 2.9 days; P<0.001). In addition, ischemic events were more likely in those who had an abrupt drop in BPs, and the risk was increased in proportion to the number of doses of as needed BP medications administered. The use of as needed antihypertensive medication is associated with an abrupt drop in BPs, increased risk of ischemic events, in-hospital mortality, and longer length of stay. We suggest that the routine use of as needed antihypertensive medication should be discouraged.
Removal of instrumentation for postoperative spine infection: systematic review.

Objective Currently, no consensus exists as to whether patients who develop infection of the surgical site after undergoing instrumented fusion should have their implants removed at the time of wound debridement. Instrumentation removal may eliminate a potential infection nidus, but removal may also destabilize the patient's spine. The authors sought to summarize the existing evidence by systematically reviewing published studies that compare outcomes between patients undergoing wound washout and instrumentation removal with outcomes of patients undergoing wound washout alone. The primary objectives were to determine 1) whether instrumentation removal from an infected wound facilitates infection clearance and lowers morbidity, and 2) whether the chronicity of the underlying infection affects the decision to remove instrumentation. Methods PRISMA guidelines were used to review the PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases to identify studies that compared patients with implants removed and patients with implants retained. Outcomes of interest included mortality, rate of repeat wound washout, and loss of correction. Results Fifteen articles were included. Of 878 patients examined in these studies, 292 (33%) had instrumentation removed. Patient populations were highly heterogeneous, and outcome data were limited. Available data suggested that rates of reoperation, pseudarthrosis, and death were higher in patients who underwent instrumentation removal at the time of initial washout. Three studies recommended that instrumentation be uniformly removed at the time of wound washout. Five studies favored retaining the original instrumentation. Six studies favored retention in early infections but removal in late infections. Conclusions The data on this topic remain heterogeneous and low in quality. Retention may be preferred in the setting of early infection, when the risk of underlying spine instability is still high and the risk of mature biofilm formation on the implants is low. However, late infections likely favor instrumentation removal. Higher-quality evidence from large, multicenter, prospective studies is needed to reach generalizable conclusions capable of guiding clinical practice.
¿Ser o parecer?: otras masculinidades en Púrpura de Ana García Bergua

The Latin American space contains the most diverse versions in its literature regarding the construction of masculinity, where each writer and each region conceive sexuality in a particular way in front of an imaginary marked by the ideal of the «macho». With Purpura, Ana Garcia Bergua marks an important guideline and offers us her own transgressive version of male sexuality in Mexico. In this work, I focus on the poetics of the writer to demonstrate a relationship between discourses such as gender, modernity, race, class, and power that are concatenated to the construction of the identity of the main character, the identity that is represented through the body and the desire. In the same way, I propose to the novel as a reading that challenges gender studies and opens new discussions about the homosexual desire represented in the male body.
Reproductive Epidemiology of Dioxins

Dioxin [for purposes of this chapter defined as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin (TCDD)] has been dubiously hailed as “one of the most perplexing and potentially dangerous chemicals ever to pollute the environment.”1 It is a ubiquitous contaminant, produced as an unwanted by-product during the manufacture of many industrial and agricultural chemicals, as well as from incineration of municipal waste. It is believed that ingestion of contaminated food is the most likely source of dioxin exposure for the general population.1–2
Iterative Selection Using Orthogonal Regression Techniques

High dimensional data are nowadays encountered in various branches of science. Variable selection techniques play a key role in analyzing high dimensional data. Generally two approaches for variable selection in the high dimensional data setting are considered—forward selection methods and penalization methods. In the former, variables are introduced in the model one at a time depending on their ability to explain variation and the procedure is terminated at some stage following some stopping rule. In penalization techniques such as the least absolute selection and shrinkage operator (LASSO), as optimization procedure is carried out with an added carefully chosen penalty function, so that the solutions have a sparse structure. Recently, the idea of penalized forward selection has been introduced. The motivation comes from the fact that the penalization techniques like the LASSO give rise to closed form expressions when used in one dimension, just like the least square estimator. Hence one can repeat such a procedure in a forward selection setting until it converges. The resulting procedure selects sparser models than comparable methods without compromising on predictive power. However, when the regressor is high dimensional, it is typical that many predictors are highly correlated. We show that in such situations, it is possible to improve stability and computational efficiency of the procedure further by introducing an orthogonalization step. At each selection step, variables potentially available to be selected in the model are screened on the basis of their correlation with variables already in the model, thus preventing unnecessary duplication. The new strategy, called the Selection Technique in Orthogonalized Regression Models (STORM), turns out to be extremely successful in reducing the model dimension further and also leads to improved predicting power. We also consider an aggressive version of the STORM, where a potential predictor will be permanently removed from further consideration if its regression coefficient is estimated as zero at any stage. We shall carry out a detailed simulation study to compare the newly proposed method with existing ones and analyze a real dataset.  2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 6: 557-564, 2013
Human MRP3 transporter: identification of the 5′-flanking region, genomic organization and alternative splice variants

In humans, at least six members of the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) family are thought to exist. Here we report the molecular cloning of two splice variants of MRP3 from human liver. In addition, MRP3 genomic organization including the 5'-flanking region and a major portion of the MRP3 intron-exon organization are identified and characterized.
Aerocapture and aeroassisted orbital transfer - A high performance leverage space technology

Single pass aerocapture and aeroassisted orbital transfer designs are discussed for modifying spacecraft orbits using planetary atmospheres. Aerodynamic drag can be used to shift a hyperbolic flyby trajectory to a planetary orbit by having the spacecraft altering its in-plane L/D ratio to maintain constant drag until the desired velocity is attained. The spacecraft would then move out of the atmosphere, sometimes with a small propulsive assist. Sample missions to Uranus, Jupiter, and Titan are mentioned, with mission scenarios commencing with a Shuttle launch. Biconic-shaped spacecraft are cited as having the best L/D for insertion accuracy, a low hypersonic ballistic coefficient, and volumeric efficiency. Aeroassisted orbital transfer involves atmospheric braking in order to shed velocity on a return trip from higher orbits. No decision has yet been made as to the spacecraft shape, but calculations indicate that aeroassist braking before return to LEO for rendezvous with the Shuttle has the potential for the lowest cost/mass to GEO of any delivery system currently under consideration.
Separation and Properties of Two Kinds of Simian Virus 40 Late Transcription Complexes

Simian virus 40 (SV40) transcription complexes were labeled in cells with 3-min pulses of [(3)H]uridine 48 h after infection and were extracted from nuclei in isotonic buffer or in a buffer containing Sarkosyl. In sucrose gradients, the labeled complexes sedimented faster than both free RNA and most SV40 nucleoproteins. Most of the pulse-labeled nascent RNA hybridized to the entire late region of SV40, remained bound to viral DNA in Cs(2)SO(4) gradients, and ranged in size from a few nucleotides to about 5,000 nucleotides, with a peak at about 700. In contrast, the SV40-associated RNA polymerase activity in the same preparations sedimented near the major peak of SV40 nucleoproteins and was clearly separated from the transcription complexes bearing pulse-labeled nascent RNA. The two kinds of transcription complexes were released from isolated nuclei at different rates. Complexes bearing pulse-labeled RNA were released immediately when the nuclei were agitated in a Dounce homogenizer in isotonic buffer, whereas most of the complexes bearing RNA polymerase active in vitro were released more slowly, during subsequent incubation of the nuclei at 0 degrees C. Since the complexes bearing pulse-labeled nascent RNA were virtually inactive in vitro, the blocked complexes described by Laub et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77:3297-3301, 1980) probably account for almost all the SV40-associated RNA polymerase activity studied previously by many investigators. New procedures must be developed to preserve the activity of the pulse-labeled complexes if the many advantages of the SV40 system for studying transcription by nucleoprotein complexes in vitro are to be realized fully.
Isolated Stenosis of a Persistent Hypoglossal Artery Visualized at 3D CT Angiography

The persistent hypoglossal artery is a rare perseverance of an embryonic vessel connecting the anterior and posterior circulations and is generally considered to be an incidental finding. This is a case of a patient with an atherosclerotic narrowing at the origin of the persistent hypoglossal artery seen at 3D CT angiography. The pertinent findings and clinical implications of this anomalous vessel are discussed.
The effect of silicon purity on Spheral Solar cell processing and performance

The development of the Spheral Solar Technology in the past has focused on utilizing metallurgical grade silicon (MG-Si) to grow crystalline silicon spheres and bonding these into aluminum foil to form a flexible solar cell. The process for growing the spheres inherently purifies the silicon through both gettering and directional solidification. A study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of other grades of silicon on the performance of the solar cells. A secondary goal was to identify grades of silicon that may be low cost because they are not currently in use in the industry (due to high levels of contamination that render them unsuitable for conventional crystal growth). Impurity levels in the various grades were analyzed and solar cells were fabricated. The results of this study reveal improved performance over previously reported efficiencies on MG-Si and the identification of some low-cost grades of silicon that are uniquely suitable for the Spheral Solar process.
The Generation of '72: Latin America's Forced Global Citizens

This collection aims to both affirm and move-beyond the primary readings presented by Goic, Shaw, and Avelar. It presents an attempt to update theoretical approaches to the Generation of ’72 and to explore how its collective aesthetics holds up, as dictatorships give way to neoliberal democracies. The list of authors presented here is not meant to be a rigid schematic, but rather a jumping off point. Many authors have come and gone from this volume’s short list. Our goal is not to define, canonize, and exclude but, along with the greatly talented scholars that have agreed to contribute to this collection, to add to the growing conversation on contemporary Latin American letters. With that in mind, the authors that comprise the Generation of ’72 and receive criticism in this collection consist of Luisa Valenzuela (1938), Antonio Skarmeta (1940), Ricardo Piglia (1941), Cristina Peri Rossi (1941), Ariel Dorfman (1942), Fernando Vallejo (1942), Osvaldo Soriano (1943), Reinaldo Arenas (1943), Diamela Eltit (1949), and Cesar Aira (1949).
Room-temperature operation of a YBaCuO microbolometer

Linear arrays of 40 X 40 micrometers 2 to 60 X 60 micrometers 2 microbolometers utilizing a semiconducting YBaCuO thin film as the IR sensitive material were fabricated and tested. This material displays a high temperature coefficient of resistance at room temperature, which makes it very attractive as an uncooled IR detector. The compatibility of semiconducting YBaCuO with Si micromachining techniques and CMOS technology and its ease of fabrication into thin films is attractive to the fabrication of inexpensive, high performance infrared detectors and imaging arrays. The room temperature responsivity, Rv, of the detectors was measured using 100 Hz chopped broad band infrared radiation to be as high as 104 V/W at 0.8 (mu) A current bias, providing a detectivity of 107 cm Hz1/2/W. The thermal conductance, G, of the isolation structure was measured to be a relatively high 10-5 W/K which limited the responsivity of the detector. Since Rv varies as 1/G, the responsivity and hence detectivity may be increased by up to two orders of magnitude by improving the thermal isolation. Zero bias responsivity was also observed on the structures, which was interpreted as pyroelectric IR detection. This was confirmed with independent pyroelectric current measurements.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Intercapillary distances and capillary reserve in right and left ventricles: significance for control of tissue po2.

Distances between capillaries perfused with erythrocytes were measured by stopmotion microcinematography in rat hearts beating in situ. In 18 animals mean intercapillary distance (ICD) was 14.44 μm in the left ventricle and 15.47 μm in the right. These values correspond to about 2815 and 2530 perfused capillaries/mm2. respectively. The difference in ICD is statistically significant. Calculations indicate that the shorter diffusion path in the working left ventricle has a significant effect on O2 transport. On the other hand, minimum ICD is longer and maximum capillary density is smaller in the left ventricle. Thus a larger fraction of the available capillaries is utilized in the normal, working left ventricle. The estimated capillary reserve is 750/mm2 in the left ventricle and 1500/mm2 in the right. The shorter ICD in the beating left ventricle appears to reflect control of coronary precapillary sphincters by local tissue pO2.
Media Influence on Drive for Thinness and Drive for Muscularity

The present study investigated relationships between media influence (exposure, self-comparison to media ideals and internalization of media messages, societal pressure to have the perfect body, using media as a source of information about how to achieve a certain body ideal) and drive for thinness and drive for muscularity in 311 male and female undergraduates at a university in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. We hypothesized that drive for thinness and drive for muscularity in both women and men would relate to body comparison/internalization, societal pressure, use of media for information, magazine consumption and television viewing. We also expected television and magazines would have different influences on men and women’s drive for muscularity and drive for thinness. Finally, we hypothesized that societal pressure and using media as a source of information would mediate the relation between media exposure (number of magazines read, hours of television watched) and drive for thinness and drive for muscularity in women and men. Students completed surveys on-line. Results revealed using media as a source of information on how to attain the ideal body mediates the relationship between drive for thinness and media exposure in women. Overall, it seems that media and the internalization of general/non-athletic body ideals may have an impact on drive for thinness in both men and women. Similarly, internalization of athletic body ideals may relate to drive for muscularity in both collegiate men and women in the U.S. Implications for counselors were discussed.
Active depth extraction using image streams

The computation of 3D structure from motion using a monocular sequence of images in the paradigm of active vision is presented in this paper. Robotic tasks such as navigation, manipulation, and object recognition all require 3D description of scene. The 3D description for these tasks varies in resolution, accuracy, robustness, range, and time. For a robotic system capable of performing a wide range of applications, it must have the ability to actively control the imaging parameters so that a 3D description sufficient enough for that task is generated. In the approach presented here, the 3D structure is determined in two steps. In the first step, based on the analysis of the spatial and the temporal gradients of an image stream, a characterization of 3D information in terms of camera displacements which result in a fixed disparity, is obtained. In the second step, extrapolated disparity values between the first and last frame of the image stream, are refined using normalized cross-correlation. The length of the image stream, interframe camera displacement, and the disparity value are actively controlled to obtain the 3D structure of desired quality. This approach has been implemented on a pipeline based computing environment to provide a real-time performance. Extensive experiments have been conducted to verify the performance and capabilities of this approach.
Parallel adaptive mesh generation and decomposition

An important class of methodologies for the parallel processing of computational models defined on some discrete geometric data structures (i.e. meshes, grids) is the so calledgeometry decomposition or splitting approach. Compared to the sequential processing of such models, the geometry splitting parallel methodology requires an additional computational phase. It consists of the decomposition of the associated geometric data structure into a number of balancedsubdomains that satisfy a number of conditions that ensure the load balancing and minimum communication requirement of the underlying computations on a parallel hardware platform. It is well known that the implementation of the mesh decomposition phase requires the solution of a computationally intensive problem. For this reason several fast heuristics have been proposed. In this paper we explore a decomposition approach which is part of a parallel adaptive finite element mesh procedure. The proposed integrated approach consists of five steps. It starts with a coarse background mesh that isoptimally decomposed by applying well known heuristics. Then, the initial mesh is refined in each subdomain after linking the new boundaries introduced by its decomposition. Finally, the decomposition of the new refined mesh is improved so that it satisfies the objectives and conditions of the mesh decomposition problem. Extensive experimentation indicates the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed parallel mesh and decomposition approach.
Time preferences for products and attributes and the adoption of technologydriven consumer durable innovations

In this paper, consumers' time preferences for technology-driven consumer durable innovations are examined. We calculate from survey data rates of time preference for products and product attributes. Several propositions related to these constructs are empirically tested. The results show that, over subjects, the product rate is different from the economic discount rate which captures time preferences for money, that product rates of time preference vary by individual, by product and over time, and that attribute level rates of time preference may vary by attribute.
Synthesis and mass spectra of 4-O-acetyl-1,5-anhydro-2,3,6-tri-O-ethyl-d-glucitol and the positional isomers of 4-O-acetyl-1,5-anhydro-di-O-ethyl-O-methyl-d-glucitol and 4-O-acetyl-1,5-anhydro-O-ethyl-di-O-methyl-d-glucitol☆

Abstract Reductive cleavage of fully methylated, partially O -ethylated cellulose or fully ethylated, partially O -methylated cellulose and subsequent acetylation had previously been shown to produce 4- O -acetyl-1,5-anhydro-2,3,6-tri- O -methyl-, -6- O -ethyl-2,3-di- O -methyl-, -3- O -ethyl-2,6-di- O -methyl-, -2- O -ethyl-3,6-di- O -methyl-, -2,3-di- O -ethyl-6- O -methyl-, -2,6-di- O -ethyl-3- O -methyl-, -3,6-di- O -ethyl-2- O -methyl-, and-2,3,6-tri- O -ethyl- d -glucitol. Described herein is the independent synthesis of these derivatives, except for the first (which had been reported); and their 1 H-n.m.r. spectra, chemical-ionization (NH 3 ) mass spectra, and electron-impact mass spectra are tabulated.