cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An FPGA-based wireless network capstone project

This paper describes a senior-level ECE capstone project in which students design, implement, and debug a wireless network using FPGAs with a small amount of attached circuitry. The project requires students to design the physical and media access control layers of a protocol based on IEEE 802.11, but simplified to make it feasible in a semester-long course. Specifically, the physical layer uses a VHF link with Bipolar Phase Shift Keying that can be implemented using the FPGA and a small analog front end. The protocol implements the basic Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance mechanism of IEEE 802.11 while leaving out more advanced features. The resulting project requires that students learn the concepts of the design process, apply their knowledge of several different ECE topics, and implement a complex design.
Primary Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection: Review of Pathogenesis and Early Treatment Intervention in Humans and Animal Retrovirus Infections

Primary human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection can present clinically as the abrupt onset of a febrile illness resembling acute mononucleosis. The symptoms coincide with high titers of culturable plasma viremia, cell-associated virus, and antigenemia, which rapidly decrease coincident with the emergence of detectable HIV-specific antibody and HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. This article reviews the human and animal model data on the virologic and immunologic events that occur during primary HIV-1 and animal retrovirus infections, evaluates the prophylactic treatment experience of retrovirus infections in the animal model, and provides a plausible rationale for treatment intervention of primary HIV-1 infection in humans. Recent work delineating the pathogenesis of primary HIV-1 infection provides insight into the major mechanisms of viral dissemination and host immune response. The results from retrovirus-infected animal models treated with antiviral agents suggests that therapy at the time of viral dissemination may be an effective strategy that may modify disease progression. Clinical trials to evaluate this approach are in progress.
Evaluation of growth, cell proliferation, and cell death in bovine corpora lutea throughout the estrous cycle.

To evaluate the kinetics of luteal growth, bovine CL were obtained from four stages (stage I, Days 1-4; stage II, Days 5-10; stage III, Days 11-17; stage IV, Days 18-21) of the estrous cycle, and luteal fresh weight as well as DNA, protein, and progesterone contents was determined. To evaluate the relative rate of cell proliferation, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA; a specific marker for cell proliferation) was immunolocalized in paraffin-embedded luteal tissue sections. To evaluate the relative rate of cell death, nucleosomal fragmentation of DNA (a specific marker for apoptosis) was detected by agarose gel electrophoresis and also by histochemical localization in paraffin-embedded luteal tissue sections. Luteal fresh weight and DNA, protein, and progesterone contents increased (p < 0.01) from stage I to stage II, were similar between stages II and III, and then decreased (p < 0.01) from stage III to stage IV. The ratio of protein to DNA (an index of average cell size) was similar for stages I, II, and III and then decreased (p < 0.01) at stage IV. For stage I (corpora hemorrhagica), most proliferating (PCNA-positive) cells were located in or around the core of the tissue infoldings (presumably thecal-derived areas), whereas relatively few proliferating cells were located at the periphery of the tissue infoldings (presumably granulosa-derived areas). For stages II, III, and IV, the majority of proliferating cells appeared to be small cells (i.e., small parenchymal cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells). The labeling index (LI; percentage of cells that were PCNA-positive) was greatest at stage I (20.3 +/- 1.1%); it then decreased (p < 0.01) by stage II and was similar at stages II, III, and IV (3.4 +/- 1.1%). Apoptosis, as determined by evaluation of nucleosomal DNA fragmentation by agarose gel electrophoresis and in situ localization, was detectable only at stage IV. These data demonstrate that luteal growth from stage I to stage II resulted from cell proliferation as shown by a high LI at stage I, accompanied by increased luteal DNA content but no change in average cell size, and by similar protein: DNA ratios. Luteal regression from stage III to stage IV was primarily associated with cell deletion and decreased cell size as shown by a decrease in luteal DNA content and the appearance of apoptosis along with a decrease in the luteal protein: DNA ratio.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Constructal multi-scale cylinders in cross-flow

Abstract This paper reports a new concept for maximizing heat transfer density in assemblies of cylinders in cross-flow: the use of cylinders of several sizes, and the optimal placement of each cylinder in the assembly. The heat transfer is by laminar forced convection with specified overall pressure difference. The resulting flow structure has multiple scales that are distributed nonuniformly through the available volume. Smaller cylinders are placed closer to the entrance to the assembly, in the wedge-shaped flow regions occupied by fluid that has not yet been used for heat transfer. The paper reports the optimized flow architectures and performance for structures with 1, 2 and 3 cylinder sizes, which correspond to structures with 1, 2 and 4 degrees of freedom. The heat transfer rate density increases (with diminishing returns) as the optimized structure becomes more complex. The optimized cylinder diameters are relatively robust, i.e., insensitive to changes in complexity and flow regime (pressure difference). The optimized spacings decrease monotonically as the driving pressure difference increases. The multi-scale flow architectures optimized in this paper have features and qualities similar to tree-shaped (dendritic) designs, where the length scales are numerous, hierarchically organized, and nonuniformly distributed through the available space.
Comparison of the Sachs-Wolfe effect for Gaussian and non-Gaussian fluctuations.

A consequence of non-Gaussian perturbations on the Sachs-Wolfe effect is studied. For a particular power spectrum, predicted Sachs-Wolfe effects are calculated for two cases: a Gaussian (random phase) configuration and a specific kind of non-Gaussian configuration. We obtain the result that the Sachs-Wolfe effect for the latter case is smaller when each temperature fluctuation is properly normalized with respect to the corresponding mass fluctuation $(\frac{\ensuremath{\delta}M}{M})(R)$. The physical explanation and the generality of the result are discussed.
Flight and Oviposition Behavior of the Adult Maritime Ringlet (Coenonympha nipisiquit McDunnough) Females in Response to Microhabitat

Maritime ringlet butterflies (Coenonympha nipisiquit McDunnough), an endangered species in Canada, inhabit salt marshes, which consist of microhabitat mosaics with varied larval survival rate. These microhabitats may influence the movement and reproductive behaviors of females, which in turn may affect population dynamics. I recorded behaviors and locations of females every minute with a GPS rover and calculated their move lengths and turning angles. Move lengths did not change in response to microhabitats, although turning angles became larger near bodies of water with sparse vegetation. Females spent a longer time in one location and oviposited more often where the principal larval host, Spartina patens (Aiton) Muhl., is abundant, regardless of larval survival rate. Older females tended to initiate flight more readily than younger females and spent more time flying and nectaring. Younger females were more fecund and spent a longer time at one location. Because young females tend to be less mobile and more fecund, the majority of oviposition should take place near eclosion sites. However, some eggs will be laid away from microhabitats favorable to larval survival when older females become mobile and move out of their natal microhabitats. Because it seems to have little potential to colonize new habitat on its own, monitoring population dynamics and habitat quality will be crucial for the persistence and recovery of this rare species.
Integrating indigenous knowledge into appropriate technology development and implementation

Appropriate Technology (AT) implementation should foster community empowerment and sustainability. Successful implementation requires community engagement throughout - technology conceptualization, development, implementation, assessment and impact evaluation. Development professionals should be sensitive to socio-cultural context and respect local knowledge, part of the Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS). IKS developed prior to modern scientific knowledge systems (MSKS), which followed colonization and “western” education. IKS are diverse, spanning ancient India, China, and the African continent. IKS encompass agriculture, food processing and preservation, water, health, and other aspects of life. IKS, context-specific intellectual resources, must be integrated into AT identification and evaluation, and directly engage the community. We examine selected IKS for agriculture, food processing and water, with examples from Sudan and India, where IKS has contributed to sustainable development. For the most pa...
Regeneration: Stem cells make the bowel nervous

In Hirschsprung disease, the enteric nervous system (ENS) is missing from the distal bowel. It emerges that postnatal transplantation of stem-cell-derived ENS precursors can prevent death in a mouse model of the disease. See Letter p.105 The enteric nervous system (ENS) is essential to normal gut function and works to some extent independently from other neuronal circuits. Lorenz Studer and colleagues have developed a differentiation protocol for human pluripotent stem cells to obtain ENS progenitors and a range of neurons found in the ENS. They show that these can migrate and graft to the gut of a chick embryo and adult mouse colon, including in a mouse model of Hirschsprung disease, in which they observe a functional rescue. The authors also show that ENS precursors derived from patients affected by Hirschsprung disease can be used to screen for drugs that can modulate the properties of these cells.
Fabrication of Nitric Oxide-Releasing Porous Polyurethane Membranes-Coated Needle-type Implantable Glucose Biosensors

The active release of pharmaceutical agents and the use of porous sensor membranes represent the two most promising strategies for addressing the poor tissue biocompatibility of implantable glucose biosensors. Herein, we describe the combination of these approaches to create nitric oxide (NO)-releasing porous fiber mat-modified sensor membranes. An electrospinning method was used to directly modify needle-type glucose biosensors with the NO donor-loaded fibers. The resulting NO-releasing fiber mat (540 ± 139 nm fiber diameter, 94.1 ± 3.7% porosity) released ∼100 nmol of NO per mg of polyurethane over 6 h while maintaining a porous structure without leaching of the NO donor, even in serum. The porous fiber membrane did not influence the analytical performance of the biosensor when ≤50 μm thick.
THE RELATION BETWEEN MODE OF REPRODUCTION AND EXTENT OF SPECIATION IN WOODY GENERA OF THE CALIFORNIA CHAPARRAL.

The winter-rain, summer-drought rhythm of the California climate has been conducive to a seasonal recurrence of fire in vegetation o-f diverse character. Forests, shrublands and grasslands are fire-prone during the dry season, which extends from May to November. The frequency of fire in the extensive California pine forests has been ascertained through use of fire-scars dated by ring-counts in wood of veteran pines that escaped destruction. Over a period of 2 centuries from 1685 to 1889 there were 28 years marked by extensive fires, recurring at intervals of about 5 to, 10 years (Show and Kotok, 1924). Because of the more complete destruction of above-ground parts, the method of counting rings is inappropriate for establishing a long chronology of the many devastating fires that have swept the treeless shrublands of the chaparral. Most of the standing crop of chaparral dates from the last fire, usually a very recent event. Nevertheless, much indirect evidence obtained from studies of California chaparral indicates a greater probability of recurrent fire in the more inflammable shrublands than in forest; an extensive literature on the subject exists (see review by Shantz, 1947; also Sampson, 1944; Wells, 1962; Muller et al., 1968). The fire-induced cycle of destruction and regeneration is probably as old as the chaparral itself, which goes, back in the fossil record at least to the Miocene (Axelrod, 1958).
HIV-1 RNA in plasma and genital tract secretions in women infected with HIV-1.

To assess antiretroviral therapy, all compartments, including the genital tract, need to be evaluated. HIV-1 RNA was quantified in whole cervicovaginal lavage fluid (CVL) and plasma of 56 women and in the cellular and supernatant fractions of 27 of these women. Overall, we detected HIV-1 RNA in 59% of whole CVL samples and in 61% and 44% of cellular and supernatant fractions of the subset of women, respectively. Detectability of HIV-1 RNA in CVL increased with increasing level of plasma RNA in both unfractionated and cell-associated CVL components (p = .0004 and .002, respectively), but not in the cell-free fraction (p = .29). Mean HIV-1 RNA levels in CVL increased with decreasing CD4 counts (p = .002,) and with increasing plasma HIV-1 RNA (p 50,000 copies/ml of plasma RNA (OR, 25.2; 95% CI, 3.2-554; p = .01). Treatment did not seem to affect RNA detection in CVL after adjusting for plasma RNA and CD4. In conclusion, we found that detectability and level of CVL RNA were closely associated with the cellular fraction of genital secretions in women and strongly correlated with the level of plasma RNA and CD4. Genital tract secretions may need to be tested in the assessment of treatment efficacy and this can easily be accomplished with this rapid and easy procedure using whole CVL.
Competitive sorp-desorption of zinc and cadmium in purple soil

Sorption character of zinc and cadmium in three kinds of purple soil and two kinds of clay miller were studied. In neutral purple soil the sorption character of zinc and cadmium were similar, the isothernal sorption of zinc and cadmium conformed to the Langmuir equation; their maximum sorption quantities were 147.9 and 104.7mg/kg respectively, their sorption kinetic processes were rapid first and followed slow in accordance with one order kinetic equation and Elovich equation; the sorption quantity of the slow sorption section was close to that of difficult sorption and belong to deep layer and special sorption’s. Correlation analyses showed CEC was related markedly to the maximum sorption quantity of zinc and cadmium. This indicated the sorption mechanism of purple soil on zinc and cadmium was controlled by exchangeable sorption. When Zn, Cd existed together, the speed and the quantity of sorption lowered, showing their competition of sorption place, and the competition obeyed the mass law, high concentration dominated the competition, zinc of high concentration restrained the sorption of cadmium obviously, complete threshold index of soil heavy metals should take complex pollution into account.
Abstract 36: Functional characterization of ERBB2 mutations and response to targeted therapies

Amplification of HER2 (ERBB2) has been well characterized as an oncogenic driver, but only recently have mutations in ERBB2 also been shown to have activating and tumorigenic potential. We sought to characterize a large number of ERBB2 mutations seen in sequencing data from patients at MSKCC as well as the cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics, and determine the therapeutic response of these mutations to HER2 targeted therapies. HER2 is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase that is responsible for regulating cell growth and proliferation, among other cell processes. The ERBB2 gene is amplified in approximately 25% of breast cancers and in this disease, HER2 directed therapies are now a component of standard care. More recently, ERBB2 mutations were identified in a variety of cancers, most commonly cancers of the urinary tract but also at lower frequency in cancers of the breast, stomach, colon and lung, among others. Recent data has shown that select ERBB2 mutations activate HER kinase signaling and promote anchorage independent growth in vitro and tumor formation in mice. However, only a small number of ERBB2 mutations have been reported and biologically characterized as oncogenic in preclinical models. Moreover, the therapeutic impact of ERBB2 mutations has not been validated. To screen for activating potential of a large number of ERBB2 mutations, cells were transiently transfected to express ERBB2 mutants generated using site-directed mutagenesis. Expression of several mutations led to increased receptor activation and downstream signaling, as determined by levels of phosphorylated HER2, AKT, ERK, and S6 protein, whereas other mutations had little impact on activity compared to a wild type HER2 control. Stable cell lines were then generated to express the activating mutations and tested for transforming ability in soft agar. Mutations promoted colony formation, with certain mutations producing more colonies. Cells were also grown in the presence of the dual EGFR/HER2 inhibitor, neratinib. While certain mutations were more sensitive to lower doses of neratinib, addition of neratinib at higher doses abrogated colony formation in soft agar for all mutations. While a number of ERRB2 mutations have been shown to have tumorigenic potential, not all mutations respond similarly to HER2 targeted therapies. We hope to create an annotated database of alterations so that in the future, patients can be screened for specific mutations to minimize ineffective and unnecessary treatment options. Citation Format: Hannah Johnsen, Aphrothiti Hanrahan, Alexis Jones, David Solit. Functional characterization of ERBB2 mutations and response to targeted therapies. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Integrating Clinical Genomics and Cancer Therapy; Jun 13-16, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2016;22(1_Suppl):Abstract nr 36.
The role of measurement time on the universal crossover from $$1/f$$1/f to non-$$1/f$$1/f noise behavior

Noise of stochastic processes whose spectral density scales at low frequencies, $$f$$f, as $$1/f$$1/f appears in such diverse systems that it is considered universal. However, there have been a small number of instances from completely unrelated fields, e.g., the fluctuations of the human heartbeat or vortices in superconductors, in which spectral densities have been observed to cross over from a $$1/f$$1/f to a non-$$1/f$$1/f behavior at even lower frequencies. Here, we show that such crossover must be universal, and can be accounted for by the memory of initial conditions and the relaxation processes present in any physical system. When the smallest frequency allowed by the experimental observation time, $$\omega _{obs}$$?obs, is larger than the smallest relaxation frequency, $$\varOmega _{min}$$Ωmin, a $$1/f$$1/f spectral density is obtained. Conversely, when $$\omega _{obs}<\varOmega _{min}$$?obs<Ωmin we predict that the spectral density of any stochastic process should exhibit a crossover from $$1/f$$1/f to a different, integrable functional form provided there is enough time for experimental observations. This crossover also provides a convenient tool to measure the lowest relaxation frequency of a physical system.
Contextualizing Mnemonic Phrase Passwords

Our society depends on password-based authentication methods for accessing valuable information. However, the use of weak passwords is placing us at risk. Cyber security systems encourage users to employ strong passwords often by increasing requirements. Unfortunately, using a strong password requires more cognitive effort. This increase in effort pushes users to find workarounds that directly harm security. The paradox between security and usability has often resulted in simply blaming users rather than seeking a Human-Centered Design perspective. We introduce a strategy for developing strong passwords that embed contextual cues within mnemonic phrase passwords. Using this strategy participants were able to create strong passwords and better remember them compared with a traditional mnemonic strategy.
Pena-Shokeir Syndrome

An infant with Pena-Shokeir syndrome born to a cocaine using mother is reported from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.
Child Abuse—A Review of Inflicted Intraoral, Esophageal, and Abdominal Visceral Injuries

Abstract Recognizing the clinical presentation of a child with abusive injuries is crucial. This review article gives an updated summary on inflicted intraoral, esophageal, and abdominal visceral injuries, including current recommendations on recognition, evaluation, screening value, and management of at risk children. Physical abuse should be suspected in precruising infants with intraoral injuries. When sexual abuse is suspected, referral to specialized centers equipped to conduct comprehensive examination and forensic testing by an experienced provider adhering to chain of evidence protocol is recommended. Abdominal trauma is the second most common cause of death in children who have been abused. The diagnosis and management of these injuries require careful consideration. Routine screening hepatic transaminases should be guided by the age of child and clinical scenario. A definitive confirmatory computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis should be performed for those with transaminase levels more than 80 IU/L, or in all concerning cases with history and examination consistent with abusive abdominal trauma.
Distributionally robust appointment scheduling with moment-based ambiguity set

We study appointment scheduling under random service duration with unknown distributions. Given a sequence of appointments arriving at a single server, we assign their planned arrival time to minimize the expected total waiting time, while using a chance constraint to restrict the probability of server overtime. We consider a distributionally robust formulation based on an ambiguity set that uses the first two moments, and derive an approximate semidefinite programming model. We conduct computational studies by testing outpatient treatment scheduling instances.
Controlling a wheelchair by gesture movements and wearable technology

This work describes preliminary work to model the control of a wheelchair individuals who are unable to move his/her legs and/or hands, but can use their eyes. The pattern of the eye movements will be detected and mapped to different control commands that are sent to the Embedded System, which directs the wheels accordingly.
Incidence and Outcomes of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the incidence and magnitude of impact of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) on outcomes of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve placement (TAVR). The impact of HIT on procedural outcomes after cardiac surgery has been described. We sought to investigate the incidence and outcomes of HIT after TAVR using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. We identified patients who underwent TAVR from 2011 to 2014. The primary outcome was the effect of HIT on inpatient mortality. Secondary outcomes included perioperative thromboembolic complications and ensuing sequelae. We also examined the length of hospital stay and hospital cost. Hierarchical mixed-effects models tested the association between HIT and main outcomes, adjusted by patient- and hospital-level characteristics. Among 33,790 patients who underwent TAVR (46.1% women and 81.4 ± 8.5 years old), the cumulative incidence of HIT was 0.49% (95% CI 0.4% to 0.6%). After adjusting for patient- and hospital-level characteristics, in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the TAVR group with HIT (odds ratio [OR] 5.6, 95% CI 2.0 to 15.6, p = 0.001). Venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolism (OR 6.3, 95% CI 1.4 to 28.8, p = 0.01) and acute kidney injury (OR 6.1, 95% CI 2.8 to 13.1, p <0.001) were significantly associated with HIT. Patients who developed HIT also had a longer hospital stay (p <0.001) with the median hospital cost of 68,168 USD versus 50, 494 USD for the group without HIT (p <0.001). In conclusion, among patient who underwent TAVR, HIT was associated with higher risk of in-hospital mortality, venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolism, acute kidney injury, prolonged hospital stay, and increased cost.
Single crystal birefringent lens interferometers: application to FINCH super resolution microscopy and other applications

Fresnel Incoherent Correlation Holography (FINCH) is a self-referenced holographic imaging technique that possesses the additional advantage of inherent super-resolution at up to twice the performance of classical methods. The key aspect of FINCH is its differentially-focusing polarization-based coincident beam splitting system. In order to achieve the maximum possible optical quality, it is necessary to avoid loss, aliasing and other quantization artifacts in hologram forming optics that have been previously used. Birefringent crystal inline interferometers are the first analog all optical lens devices that do not need electrical control that produce holograms which are free of quantization errors and other aberrations. A simple bifocal lens interferometer constructed from α-BBO birefringent crystal creates holograms in a FINCH configuration that produce super resolution microscopic images with optical clarity that is at least equivalent to and obtained faster than more complex structured illumination methods.
Examination of the Modified Somatic Perception Questionnaire (MSPQ) in a large sample of credible and noncredible patients referred for neuropsychological testing.

AbstractObjective: The current study evaluated MSPQ sensitivity to noncredible PVT performance in the context of external incentive, and examined MSPQ false positive rates in noncompensation-seeking neuropsychology patients; and investigated effects of ethnicity/culture, gender, and somatoform diagnosis on MSPQ scores, and relationships with PVT and MMPI-2-RF data. Method: MSPQ scores were compared in credible (n = 110) and noncredible (n = 153) neuropsychology referrals. Results: Noncredible patients scored higher than credible patients. When the credible group was divided into those with somatoform orientation (n = 39) versus those without (n = 71), the credible nonsomatoform group scored lower than the other two groups, who did not differ from each other. MSPQ elevations were found in ethnic minorities, and in individuals who learned English as a second language or concurrently with another language. MSPQ elevations were also associated with chronic systemic diseases, neurologic illness, and substance ...
How Well Do Auctions Discover the Price of Cattle

FARMERS began selling cattle and calves at organized auctions in the United States more than a century ago.2 Since then, regularly scheduled auction sales have become one of the five major types of market outlets for livestock. The remaining four types are (a) packers buying direct from farmers, (b) local dealers including truckers, concentration yards, commission men, shipping associations, etc., (c) commission men trading at terminal and public stockyards, and (d) farmers trading directly with other farmers.
Will comments change your opinion? The persuasion effects of online comments and heuristic cues in crisis communication

The emergence of online communication reflects a shift in communication practitioners’ roles, with more emphasis on interactive features in news such as writing online comments and clicking “like” on such comments. A 2 (consistency: consistent crisis responsibility attribution between online news and online comments vs. inconsistent responsibility attribution) × 2 (heuristic cues: high vs. low number of “likes” clicked) mixed subject design was tested on N = 389 samples. The findings of this study showed that participants tended to attribute less crisis responsibility and held an improved regard of reputation towards a corporation when they read online comments defending the corporation compared to when participants only read the news. Our findings suggest corporate communication practitioners should acknowledge the role of online comments that could motivate people to attribute crisis responsibility in a positive direction.
"But You Promised": Methods to Improve Crowd Engagement In Non-Ground Truth Tasks.

Crowdsourcing platforms were initially designed to recruit people to perform tasks that were simple cognitively but difficult for computers. One challenge in these settings is to identify an incentive mechanism for motivating workers to complete tasks and do high-quality work. Previous research has studied the use of financial incentive mechanisms and social comparison as motivators. These mechanisms can only be applied to ground truth tasks, tasks for which there is an objective performance scale. In this paper, we define and compare three innovative methods for improving worker engagement on non-ground truth tasks drawing on a psychological theory of commitment. The three methods are similar in asking participants to promise they will complete a task, but they differ in terms of how the commitment is made. In the first method, participants commit by signing a contract; in the second, by listening to a recording; in the third, by recording a personal commitment. The last two methods significantly improved the task completion rate when compared to two baseline conditions. The methods we propose can be implemented simply, can be used for any task, and do not affect participants' behavior other than by improving their engagement.
On the Need of Security Standards in Big Data Information Flow

Big Data has become increasingly popular due to its ability to deliver information and optimize current business, health, economic, and research processes. Even though the use of Big Data spans over multiple industries, there is still a lack of security standards and regulations surrounding what data can be captured and how it can be used. This absence of laws and regulations surrounding Big Data security has potentially led to many data breaches. Since there are many participants within the Big Data information flow, each one needs to be further inspected to determine what security measures should be implemented at each stage to prevent these data breaches from occurring. The objective of this position paper is to point out the need for practical security standards in Big Data information flow. In particular, we identify which security standards should be applied at each stage of the Big Data information flow to ensure the privacy and security of valuable and sensitive data.
The Role of Chondrogenic Factors in Differentiation of Bone Marrow Stromal Cells to the Cartilage Lineage

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) are an established cell choice for cartilage repair because they are easily harvested, expanded, and differentiated into a cartilage phenotype characterized by aggrecan and type II collagen production. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and Dexamethasone (Dex) all influence the process of chondrogenesis. Although difficult challenges remain for optimizing the use of BMSCs for cartilage tissue engineering, in vitro culture systems present an excellent opportunity for studying chondrogenesis and understanding how progenitor cells respond to their biological, chemical, and mechanical microenvironment.
Budesonide affects allergic mucociliary dysfunction

Airway inflammation characterized by neutrophils and free elastase contributes to allergic mucociliary dysfunction. Glucocorticosteroids are the most important anti-inflammatory agents used in the ...
Abstract 15949: High Intensity Interval Training is Superior to Continuous Training and Reverses RV Remodeling and Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Pulmonary Hypertension

Exercise appears to have overall benefit in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); however, studies to date indicate little effect on the elevated pulmonary pressure or RV hypertrophy (RVH) and dysfunction associated with the disease. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is reported to be superior to the more customary prolonged continuous exercise training (CExT) protocol for chronic heart failure but has not been tested for PAH. Therefore, we investigated impact of a 6 wk HIIT vs. CExT treadmill program in a monocrotaline rat model of mild PAH (MCT, 40 mg/kg) on indicators of disease progression. Methods: Treadmill training was performed 5x/wk in male Sprague-Dawley MCT rats (250-300g), following a protocol of either HIIT (5 cycles of 2 min at ~90% VO 2 reserve [VO 2 R] + 3 min at 30% VO 2 R; n=8), or low intensity CExT (60 min at 50% VO 2 R; n=7). Statistical analysis was performed by one-way ANOVA. Results: MCT-induced decrements in VO 2 max were ameliorated by both HIIT and CExT (p during running, via novel implantable telemetry (DSI), were obtained serially at pre- and 2, 4, 6, and 8 wks post-MCT, and revealed ‘surges’ in RVSP during HIIT, vs. a steady RVSP pattern during CExT. Pulmonary eNOS (per immunoblotting) was increased (p
Immigration in the 2000s: Immigration Reform, Executive Orders, and Evangelical Leadership

This chapter examines the role of evangelical elites and advocacy groups in the immigration debates of the past two decades, noting a considerable increase in white evangelical activism in favor of comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), a persistent Latino elite involvement, and scattered, but increasing efforts by African and Asian-American activists. Here we make use of recent scholarship, journalistic coverage, and personal interviews with key evangelical leaders. We begin with a history of immigration policymaking in the 2000s. Then we explore why many evangelical elites have increased their activities in favor of CIR, highlighting the leadership of organizations like the National Association of Evangelicals/World Relief, the Evangelical Immigration Table, and Hispanic evangelical organizations. We also consider the growing role and activism of African-American and Asian evangelicals. Pro-CIR evangelical elites have become a de facto ally of mainline Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish advocacy groups, which tend to favor liberal immigration policies. At the same time, a minority of white evangelical elites who favor restrictive immigration policies has become increasingly vocal since Donald Trump’s ascent.
Superlatives across domains: Evidence from degree achievements in Southern Aymara

This papers proposes that Southern Aymara, an understudied Andean language, has a verbal superlative degree morpheme, namely, -su, that combines with degree achievements. I illustrate this with verbs with -cha, a suffix that derives degree achievements, to which -su attaches. I show that sentences with the verbal superlative -su have absolute and relative readings, which is similar to sentences with adjectival superlatives (as has beed discussed for English). I further show that relative readings arise when the verbal superlative interacts with focus. I propose that verbal superlatives involve comparison of degree-event pairs.
Preclinical evaluation of AMG 160, a next-generation bispecific T cell engager (BiTE) targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen PSMA for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

301Background: mCRPC is a disease of high unmet medical need, especially for patients who fail novel hormonal therapies and chemotherapy. BiTE molecules provide an off the shelf therapy that activa...
Petrogenic history of volcaniclastic carbonates from Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles

Two formations on Curacao contain abundant volcaniclastic materials within a carbonate rock, the Neogene Seroe Domi formation, and the quaternary lower coral terrace. These two formations have clasts of Curacao lava formation of various sizes and degrees of diagenetic alteration. This study hypothesizes that the alteration of clasts of the Curacao lava formation liberates Mg ions into diagenetic fluids that contribute to: (1) the dolomitization of the Seroe Domi formation and/or (2) microbial precipitation of magnesium-rich carbonate mineral phases. Textural, petrographic, mineralogic, and elemental data indicate that the unaltered material of the lower terrace contains Mg-rich mineral phases that are missing in the older, altered Seroe Domi rocks. These results suggest that carbonate rocks with mafic detrital materials are possible environments for Mg enrichment that may lead to the formation of Mg-rich carbonate mineral phases.
Mechanism and Physiological Role of Epidermal Amino Acid Transport in Marine Bivalves

The tissues of marine bivalves are rich in free amino acid (FAA), and the regulation of the cellular concentrations of these solutes appears to be linked with isoosmotic volume regulation (Gilles 1979). In epidermal tissues, such as the cells of the gill, the concentration of amino acid often exceeds 70 mmol kg-1 wet weight, separated from surrounding seawater by a single plasma membrane. It is, therefore, reasonable that exchanges of amino acid between the gill and the environment could play an important role in the maintenance of cellular FAA concentrations, and consequently in overall solute balance and cell volume regulation in these animals.
Carotenoid Production by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa in Batch and Fed-Batch Fermentation Using Agroindustrial Byproducts

Carotenoids are natural pigments that can be produced through biotechnological processes. However, the costs are relatively high and can be minimized by using lower-cost substrates as alternative nutrient sources. The fed-batch fermentation is one of the techniques used to obtain a high biomass concentration and/or maximum production. Thus, the aim of this work is to produce carotenoids in batch and fed-batch fermentation with the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa CCT 7688 using agroindustrial byproducts in the culture medium. Carotenoid production was increased using experimental designs, which modified the concentration of the agroindustrial medium. In batch production the highest concentrations of total carotenoids (1248.5 μg/L) and biomass (7.9 g/L) were obtained in the medium containing 70 g/L sugar cane molasses and 3.4 g/L corn steep liquor at 25 °C and 180 rpm in 168 h, demonstrating an increase of 17% when compared to the standard yeast malt medium (1200 μg/L). In the fed-batch production, different feeding strategies were tested with 30 g/L sugar cane molasses and 6.5 g/L corn steep liquor, reaching a total carotenoid production of 3726 μg/L and biomass concentration of 16 g/L. Therefore, the strategy of the fed-batch process resulted in an increase in the carotenoid production of approx. 400% compared to that in the batch process (740.3 μg/L). Thus, the R. mucilaginosa strain has the potential to produce carotenoids in agroindustrial medium.
2019 Texas Estates & Trust Codes with Commentary

This document contains the Texas Estates Code and the Texas Trusts Code (and related Property Code provisions) showing all changes made by the Regular Session of the 2019 Texas Legislature. The changes, most of which take effect on September 1, 2019, are shown in red-lined format for easy comparison of the prior and new versions of the statutes. Also included are charts converting Probate Code to Estates Code sections and Estates Code to Probate Code sections. I have included commentary entitled Statutes in Context to many sections. These annotations provide background information, explanations, and citations to key cases which should assist you in identifying the significance of the statutes and how they operate.
Mitigating Incorrect Perception of Distance in Virtual Reality through Personalized Rendering Manipulation

Viewers of virtual reality appear to have an incorrect sense of space when performing blind directed-action tasks, such as blind walking or blind throwing. It has been shown that various manipulations can influence this incorrect sense of space, and that the degree of misperception varies by person. It follows that one could measure the degree of misperception an individual experiences and generate some manipulation to correct for it, though it is not clear that correct behavior in a specific blind directed action task leads to correct behavior in all tasks in general. In this work, we evaluate the effectiveness of correcting perceived distance in virtual reality by first measuring individual perceived distance through blind throwing, then manipulating sense of space using a vertex shader to make things appear more or less distant, to a degree personalized to the individual's perceived distance. Two variants of the manipulation are explored. The effects of these personalized manipulations are first evaluated when performing the same blind throwing task used to calibrate the manipulation. Then, in order to observe the effects of the manipulation on dissimilar tasks, participants perform two perceptual matching tasks which allow full visual feedback as objects, or the participants themselves, move through space.
Programming effects of maternal and gestational obesity on offspring metabolism and metabolic inflammation.

With the increasing prevalence of obesity in women of reproductive age there is a need to understand the ramifications of this on offspring. The purpose of this study is to investigate the programming effects of maternal obesity during preconception and the preconception/gestational period on adiposity and adipose tissue inflammation in offspring using an animal model. Adult female C57Bl/6J mice were assigned either normal diet, high fat diet (HFD) prior to pregnancy, or HFD prior to and through pregnancy. Some offspring were maintained on normal diet while others started HFD later in life. Offspring were assessed for body composition and metabolic responses. Lipid storing tissues were evaluated for expansion and inflammation. Male offspring from the preconception group had the greatest weight gain, most subcutaneous adipose tissue, and largest liver mass when introduced to postnatal HFD. Male offspring of the preconception/gestation group had worsened glucose tolerance and an increase in resident (CD11c−) adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) when exposed to postnatal HFD. Female offspring had no significant difference in any parameter between the diet treatment groups. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that prenatal and pregnancy windows have independent programming effects on offspring. Preconception exposure affects body composition and adiposity while gestation exposure affects metabolism and tissue immune cell phenotypes.
Biosurfactants, natural alternatives to synthetic surfactants: Physicochemical properties and applications

Abstract Biosurfactants comprise a wide array of amphiphilic molecules synthesized by plants, animals, and microbes. The synthesis route dictates their molecular characteristics, leading to broad structural diversity and ensuing functional properties. We focus here on low molecular weight (LMW) and high molecular weight (HMW) biosurfactants of microbial origin. These are environmentally safe and biodegradable, making them attractive candidates for applications spanning cosmetics to oil recovery. Biosurfactants spontaneously adsorb at various interfaces and self-assemble in aqueous solution, resulting in useful physicochemical properties such as decreased surface and interfacial tension, low critical micellization concentrations (CMCs), and ability to solubilize hydrophobic compounds. This review highlights the relationships between biosurfactant molecular composition, structure, and their interfacial behavior. It also describes how environmental factors such as temperature, pH, and ionic strength can impact physicochemical properties and self-assembly behavior of biosurfactant-containing solutions and dispersions. Comparison between biosurfactants and their synthetic counterparts are drawn to illustrate differences in their structure-property relationships and potential benefits. Knowledge of biosurfactant properties organized along these lines is useful for those seeking to formulate so-called green or natural products with novel and useful properties.
Comparison of Deep learning models on time series forecasting : a case study of Dissolved Oxygen Prediction.

Deep learning has achieved impressive prediction performance in the field of sequence learning recently. Dissolved oxygen prediction, as a kind of time-series forecasting, is suitable for this technique. Although many researchers have developed hybrid models or variant models based on deep learning techniques, there is no comprehensive and sound comparison among the deep learning models in this field currently. Plus, most previous studies focused on one-step forecasting by using a small data set. As the convenient access to high-frequency data, this paper compares multi-step deep learning forecasting by using walk-forward validation. Specifically, we test Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Temporal Convolutional Network (TCN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), Bidirectional Recurrent Neural Network (BiRNN) based on the real-time data recorded automatically at a fixed observation point in the Yangtze River from 2012 to 2016. By comparing the average accumulated statistical metrics of root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and coefficient of determination in each time step, We find for multi-step time series forecasting, the average performance of each time step does not decrease linearly. GRU outperforms other models with significant advantages.
Using Data from Randomized Trials to Assess the Likely Generalizability of Educational Treatment-Effect Estimates from Regression Discontinuity Designs

This article assesses the likely generalizability of educational treatment-effect estimates from regression discontinuity designs (RDDs) when treatment assignment is based on academic pretest score...
Hispanic Population Growth and Black–White Inequality: Changing Demographics, Changing Social Positions?

Social scientists assert that the growth and redistribution of the Hispanic population has altered local racial and economic dynamics in the United States. Yet, comparably little work tests this perspective. We develop hypotheses based on two key sets of theories—the shifting racial/ethnic color line and (im)migrant incorporation into labor markets—to guide our analysis of the relationship between changing Hispanic population concentration and changes in black–white economic inequality. Our first-differenced analysis draws on county-level data from the 1990 and 2000 decennial Census, the US Department of Agriculture, and CQ Press Voting and Elections Collection. In addition to assessing black–white disparities in income, poverty, and unemployment, we test whether the relationship of interest is more or less pronounced in new destinations. When shifts in Hispanic concentration are associated with changes in black and white economic outcomes, we find improved outcomes for blacks (e.g., lower unemployment and poverty rates) but modestly diminished outcomes for whites. There is some evidence that these patterns result in declining black–white inequality in both new and established destinations; however, the declines are small and exclusive to unemployment and poverty outcomes. Results ultimately suggest limited structural changes as they relate to black–white economic inequality during this period.