cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Removability of singular sets of harmonic maps

It is proved that a harmonic map with small energy and the monotonicity property is smooth if its singular set is rectifiable and has a finite uniform density; moreover, the monotonicity property holds if the singular set has a lower dimension or its gradient has higher integrability. This work generalizes the results in [CL, DF, LG12], which were proved under the assumption that the singular sets are isolated points or smooth submanifolds.
Tough, transparent heat‐ and flame‐resistant thermoplastics via silicone block‐modified bisphenol fluorenone polycarbonate

Bisphenol fluorenone carbonate–dimethylsiloxane block polymers have been synthesized by interfacial condensation of phosgene with various mixtures of BPF-endcapped silicone oligomers and free BPF or its monosodium salt. The multisequence block polymers described here contain 7% to 27% silicone consisting of blocks of number-average degree of polymerization 10 to 40. Cast films are clear and colorless. Two glass temperatures are evident in each resin, one at about −100°C for the silicone microdomains and one at temperatures as high as 275°C for the polycarbonate matrix. While BPF polycarbonate is brittle, block polymers with as little as 10% silicone yield by shear deformation before breaking. Ultimate elongations are increased by preorientation at silicone contents above 15%. At temperatures far removed from BPF carbonate domain Tg's, both modulus and yield stress decrease with increasing silicone content, independent of block length, in a manner rationalized quantitatively by hard phase–soft phase continuum models. Ultimate tensile elongation, impact toughness, and plane strain stress intensity factors increase with silicone content, through a stress whitening mechanism. At higher silicone contents, shear deformation enhances tensile elongation and impact toughness. Heat distortion temperatures of 200°C or more are achieved. Flame resistance exceeds that of any known nonhalogenated resin. The resins are extrudable and injection moldable with only minor changes in color, transparency, and strength properties. Resins with 15% to 20% silicone can have a balance of properties that makes them attractive as tough, transparent heat- and flame- resistant engineering plastics.
Third-Province Effects on Inbound FDI: Evidence from Chinese Provinces

The literature of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) determinants is broad and deep. However, no previous research has formally considered spatial linkages of regions implied by the strategies of Multi-National Enterprises (MNEs) inside a country. Inspired by the recent FDI theories emphasizing third-country effects, this research explores MNE strategies within China and the implied spatial linkages of Chinese provinces in receiving FDI. The spatial econometric estimations reveal the existence of third-province effects. The empirical evidence shows that spatial effects should not be neglected in studies of FDI determinants within a country; furthermore, hypotheses on spatial linkages cannot be rigidly borrowed from FDI theories.
Multiresolution stochastic imaging of satellite oceanographic altimetric data

Large data assimilation problems present a number of challenges, many of which the authors' multiscale estimation framework is capable of addressing. They demonstrate the application of their estimation framework to an oceanographic data assimilation problem of considerable interest: the smoothing of Topex/Poseidon ocean altimetric data. they produce surface estimates and error statistics on a 512/spl times/512 grid in one minute on a Sparc-10. Using a generic surface reconstruction problem they demonstrate alternative uses of the multiscale framework: higher order state models, combining estimates from an ensemble of trees, and overlapping tree models. >
Ensuring privacy for e-health services

The growth of the Internet has been accompanied by the growth of e-health services (e.g. online medical advice, online pharmacies). This proliferation of services and the increasing regulatory and legal requirements for personal privacy have fueled the need to protect the personal privacy of service users. Existing approaches for privacy protection such as access control are predicated on the e-service provider having possession and control over the user's personal data. In this paper, we propose a new approach to protecting personal privacy for e-health services: keeping possession and control over the user's personally identifiable information in the hands of the user as much as possible. Our approach can also be characterized as distributing personally identifiable information only on a "need to know" basis.
The Supplementary-Fired Exhaust-Heated Cycle for Coal, Wood and Refuse-Derived Fuel

An analysis is presented of a system that would enable refuse-derived fuel (RDF) (produced from, principally, paper) or other biomass (for example wood chips) or coal to be burned cleanly in a highly efficient gas turbine system of a size that would match the needs of many communities (a solid waste flow of 1000–3000 tons per day). The system consists of a gas turbine engine with two principal and several minor additions. The principal additions are a combustor to burn the RDF at approximately atmospheric pressure in the hot turbine exhaust flow and a high-temperature heat exchanger to transfer heat from this stream to the compressed air leaving the compressor. A design-point thermal efficiency of 55–60 per cent and high off-design efficiencies are predicted for the most favourable configuration with components designed for the purpose. About half the heat input would come from the RDF and half from conventional gas turbine liquid or gas fuel.In this paper the possible alternative configurations of such a...
Intimate Partner Violence and Men's Health

The effects of violence on health range from subtle clinical morbidities to overt injury and death. Globally, violence results in 1.6 million deaths annually; violence-related deaths result from suicides, homicides, and armed conflicts. Men are much more likely to be victims and perpetrators of lethal violence than are women. Men are disproportionately victims of violencerelated deaths: homicide rates of men are more than three times higher than for women, and rates of suicide for men are nearly twice as high as for women [1]. Men commit the overwhelming majority of homicides in the United States. Violence-related death rates vary with age and method: the burden of homicide deaths cluster in young-adult age groups and suicide rates increase with age. Ongoing patterns of violence that result in negative health-related outcomes include interpersonal violence and, as a subset, domestic violence. The Family Violence Prevention Fund defines domestic violence as a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors that may include inflicted physical injury, psychological abuse, sexual assault, progressive social isolation, stalking, deprivation, intimidation, and threats [2]. Domestic violence encompasses elder abuse, child-maltreatment, and intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV behaviors are perpetrated by someone who is, was, or wishes to be involved in an intimate or dating relationship with an adult or adolescent. IPV behaviors are aimed at establishing control by one partner over the other. This article will focus on the health effects and a primary care response to men affected by IPV.
SSCT: A Simple Sequential Spectrum Sensing Scheme for Cognitive Radio

Cognitive radio that supports a secondary and opportunistic access to licensed spectrum shows great potential to dramatically improve spectrum utilization. Spectrum sensing performed by secondary users to detect unoccupied spectrum bands, is a key enabling technique for cognitive radio. This paper proposes a truncated sequential spectrum sensing scheme, namely the sequential shifted chi-square test (SSCT). The SSCT has a simple test statistic and does not rely on any deterministic knowledge about primary signals. As figures of merit, the exact false-alarm probability is derived, and the miss-detection probability as well as the average sample number (ASN) are evaluated by using a numerical integration algorithm. Corroborating numerical examples show that, in comparison with fixed-sample size detection schemes such as energy detection, the SSCT delivers considerable reduction on the ASN while maintaining a comparable detection performance.
Modeling the effects of obesity and weight gain on PSA velocity.

BACKGROUND Hemodilution theory states that higher blood volume in obese men effectively dilutes circulating PSA levels resulting in lower PSA test results. Here we apply hemodilution theory to model the effect of weight gain on PSA velocity. METHODS Hemodilution formulas were used to model PSA velocity for a series of plausible scenarios in which initial weight and weight gain were varied. The formulas were also applied to published summary data on weight, weight change and PSA velocity from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT). RESULTS Under hemodilution theory, PSA velocity is understood to be influenced by total circulating PSA mass (ng of PSA) and BMI at the initial test and total circulating PSA mass and BMI at the subsequent test. PSA velocity in a man with a stable BMI of 35 is estimated to be 13% lower than in a man with a stable BMI of 25. A gain of 4 BMI units is predicted to attenuate PSA velocity by as much as 25%. When applied to summary data from the PCPT, the formulas estimate that a 10 pound weight gain causes a −0.028 ng/ml change in PSA, which closely matches PCPT results where a 10 pound weight gain caused a −0.024 ng/ml change in PSA. We provide software to implement the hemodilution formulas to model PSA velocity for different weights and changes in weight through time (http://www.eheintl.com/psa.jsp). CONCLUSION Stable obesity and weight gain both independently attenuate PSA velocity, potentially obscuring clinically relevant changes in circulating PSA. Prostate 69: 1573–1578, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Negative Feedback Effects of Gonadal Steroids Are Preserved with Aging in Postmenopausal Women

There is now evidence for alterations in the neuroendocrine control of the reproductive axis with aging, but its sensitivity to gonadal steroid negative feedback remains controversial. To examine the independent effect of age and gonadal steroid negative feedback, younger (45–55 yr; n = 7) and older (70–80 yr; n = 6) postmenopausal women (PMW) were studied at baseline on no HRT, after 1 month of transdermal estrogen (50 μg/d; E) and again after a further month of E and 7 d of transvaginal progesterone (P) (100 mg bid; E + P). At each admission, blood was sampled every 5 min for 8 h for measurement of gonadotropin free α-subunit (FAS), which was used as a marker of GnRH pulse frequency. LH and FSH were measured in pooled samples. Midfollicular and midluteal phase levels of E2 and P were achieved during the E and E + P treatments and were not different between younger and older PMW. There was a negative feedback effect of E and E + P on mean LH (P < 0.0001) and an additional effect of age (P < 0.003), with ...
Helicobacters are indigenous to the human stomach: Duodenal ulceration is due to changes in gastric microecology in the modern era

Peptic ulcer disease has been considered to be a “disease of civilisation”.1 Yet Helicobacter pylori , which now is believed to play a critical role in this illness,2 3 has probably been part of the human biota since time immemorial,4 and peptic (especially duodenal) ulceration seems to have become epidemic in humans at a time when H pylori was loosening its firm grip on the human stomach. These phenomena seem contradictory. It is the aim of this paper to describe the elements of the apparent paradox, and to consider several alternative explanations. Resolution of this question has substantial implications for human medicine. The human body is the home of countless microbes5which usually are called the “normal flora”. Indigenous biota is a better term than normal flora, since bacteria are not plants,6 and normal is difficult to define. The major habitats of the indigenous biota include the gastrointestinal and upper respiratory tracts, the vagina, and the skin, and each niche shares several characteristics (table 1). In each locale, multiple different ecological niches are present. For example, the lumen of the colon is characterised by notable variation in redox potential, and each niche has predominant organisms. The predominant biota of the skin is anaerobic,7 a phenomenon that indicates the multiplicity of ecological niches present. The indigenous biota is acquired early in life, and there often is a succession of organisms as local microenvironments change. Examples of this phenomenon include the changes in the colonic and oral biota accompanying weaning and the eruption of teeth, respectively.8 The biota are numerous, with 103 to 1011 organisms per gram at each site. The colonising microbes are diverse. Bacteria predominate, but fungi and protozoans also are present. In several locales, many different species are present, although …
The DBA.2 Mouse Is Susceptible to Disease following Infection with a Broad, but Limited, Range of Influenza A and B Viruses

We assessed the relative susceptibilities to disease of the DBA.2 and C57BL/6 mouse models upon infection with a range of influenza A and B viruses. DBA.2 mice were more susceptible to disease upon inoculation with human H1N1 influenza A virus strains, several swine influenza viruses, and influenza B viruses but were not overtly susceptible to infection with human seasonal H3N2 strains. Hemagglutination inhibition and immunoglobulin isotype profiling indicated that DBA.2 and C57BL/6 mice generate comparable humoral responses upon equivalent 50% mouse lethal dose (MLD50) challenges with influenza virus. Our data demonstrate the utility of DBA.2 mice for the elucidation of influenza virus pathogenicity determinants and the testing of influenza vaccines.
Genes expressed in the Drosophila head reveal a role for fat cells in sex‐specific physiology

The downstream effectors of the Drosophila sex determination cascade are mostly unknown and thought to mediate all aspects of sexual differentiation, physiology and behavior. Here, we employed serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) to identify male and female effectors expressed in the head, and report 46 sex-biased genes (>4-fold/P < 0.01). We characterized four novel, male- or female-specific genes and found that all are expressed mainly in the fat cells in the head. Tsx (turn on sex-specificity), sxe1 and sxe2 (sex-specific enzyme 1/2) are expressed in males, but not females, and are dependent on the known sex determination pathway, specifically transformer (tra) and its downstream target doublesex (dsx). Female-specific expression of the fourth gene, fit (female-specific independent of transformer), is not controlled by tra and dsx, suggesting an alternative pathway for the regulation of some effector genes. Our results indicate that fat cells in the head express sex-specific effectors, thereby generating distinct physiological conditions in the male and female head. We suggest that these differences have consequences on the male and female brain by modulating sex-specific neuronal processes.
Individual recognition from periodic activity using hidden Markov models

We present a method for recognizing individuals from their walking and running gait. The method is based on Hu moments of the motion segmentation in each frame. Periodicity is detected in such a sequence of feature vectors by minimizing the sum of squared differences, and the individual is recognized from the feature vector sequence using hidden Markov models. Comparisons are made to earlier periodicity detection approaches and to earlier individual recognition approaches. Experiments show the successful recognition of individuals (and their gait) in frontoparallel sequences.
Hotel Management Contracts – Past and Present

Conceived as a relatively simple arrangement that allowed international expansion by hotel chain operators without the risk of real estate ownership, the management contract has become an intricate...
Mathematics learning in Japanese, Chinese, and American classrooms.

It might at first glance seem misguided to study cultural differences in learning by focusing on schools. Indeed, the surface features of school mathematics are more similar than different when compared across cultures, and even classrooms in different cultures appear to resemble one another in many respects. Yet schooling is a cultural institution, and more detailed analysis reveals the subtle and pervasive effects of culture as it impinges on children's learning of school mathematics – in the curriculum, in the organization and functioning of the classroom, and in the beliefs and attitudes about learning mathematics that prevail among parents and teachers. In this chapter, we will present some of what we have learned about the classrooms in which children learn mathematics in Japan, Taiwan, and the United States. The decision to compare mathematics learning in Asian and American classrooms is, of course, not arbitrary. We have known for some time now that American secondary school students compare poorly on tests of mathematics achievement with students from many other countries, but especially with students from Japan (Husen, 1967; McKnight and others, 1987; Travers and others, 1985). More recently, Asian-American differences in achievement have been found to exist as early as kindergarten and to be dramatic by the time children reach fifth grade. Stevenson, Lee, and Stigler (1986), for example, studied children from representative samples of fifth-grade classrooms in Sendai, Japan; Taipei, Taiwan; and Minneapolis, USA.
An ovenless electromigration test system environment using test chips with on-chip heating and computer controlled testing

An electromigration test environment and test chip has been developed that permits standard ASTM electromigration testing to be conducted without the use of an oven or high-temperature rated test fixtures. More accurate temperature control is possible while simultaneously permitting multiple acceleration factors (temperature/current) to be running at the same time. On the research side, it is possible to reanalyze the resistance history data to select appropriate failure criteria and to optically monitor the electromigration tests in progress to observe formation of hillocks and voids as the test progresses. In a production application it permits higher test temperatures to reduce testing time without the associated high cost of high-temperature test fixtures. >
Breeding Wheat for Improved Milling and Baking Quality

Abstract The molecular determinants of flour functionality and the targeted end-uses for flour define the methods used for improving wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) quality. We review major biochemical systems (gluten, grain hardness, starch, pentosans, lipids, and pigments) affecting wheat milling and baking quality. In early segregating generations (Fj to F4), breeding programs select for the basic criteria that define a market class (e.g., grain hardness, color, kernel shape, and gluten strength). When desired and possible, improvement of highly heritable traits (e.g., PPO, GBSS mutations, and glutenin sub-units) in early generations is practiced through selection for desired seed or molecular phenotype. In advanced generations (F5 to cultivar release), bake tests and rheological measures identify breeding lines fitting the subtle characteristics of a market class. Breeding programs favor rapid measures of end-use quality to rank breeding lines for relative end-use quality rather than time consuming proto...
NATA Education Think Tank Highlights

The following is a brief review of selected topics discussed on the NATA Think Tank Educator Forum. Only NATA members can access the archived messages and discussions. To view this forum, go to http://forum.nata.org/thinktanks (login required).
Systematic analyses of odd-odd nuclei in mass 160 region

Recent development of large arrays of gamma-made it possible for detailed studies of nuclear structure topics that were difficult or impossible in the past. One such subject is the systematic study of odd-odd nuclei at high angular momentum. Recent experimental data on a number of odd-odd holmium, thulium and lutetium nuclei show interesting, yet previously unobserved phenomena. Systematics of signature-dependent excitation energies and transition probabilities for these odd-odd nuclei indicate strong influence of the odd neutron and proton on the nuclear shape. A systematic analysis of band crossing frequencies reveals an anomaly that is difficult to understand in terms of current theoretical models. These phenomena show that odd-odd nuclei carry rich nuclear structure information, and a coherent theoretical model is needed in order to interpret these new data.
Inactivation of Aflatoxin M1 in Milk Using Hydrogen Peroxide and Hydrogen Peroxide plus Riboflavin or Lactoperoxidase

Use of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), H2O2 plus riboflavin (Rib.) and H2O2 plus lactoperoxidase (LPO) to inactivate aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in naturally contaminated raw whole milk was examined. Effectiveness of treatments was evaluated by determining percent of AFM1 inactivation, using thin-layer chromatography and fluorodensitometry. Inactivation values ranged from 0 to 98%. Maximum inactivation (98%) was obtained using 1% H2O2 plus 0.5 mM Rib. (30°C, 30 min) followed by heating at 63°C for 30 min. Eighty-five percent of measurable AFM1 was eliminated when 5 units of LPO plus 0.1% H2O2 (4°C for 3 d) were used. Singlet oxygen and/or hypochlorous acid are two reactive species that may be involved in mechanisms responsible for inactivation of AFM1.
Were the Rumors About the Death of Incremental Costing Greatly Exaggerated

The legislative and administrative history of Section 263A, the uniform capitalization rules, seemed to require that the indirect cost must be allocated to self-constructed assets. However, in Anschutz Company v. Commissioner, TCM 2006-40, the Tax Court concluded that was not the case. The taxpayer was laying optical cable beside railroad tracks for customers. The company found that it could simultaneously install its own cable, and although the value of the lines was uncertain the marginal costs were so small that it was worth the risk. The Tax Court reasoned that because the management decision to install the company-owned lines was based on the low incremental cost that the incremental costing was a reasonable. Moreover, the court found that its conclusion was not contrary to the regulations, based on a strained interpretation of the cost accounting procedures in the uniform capitalization regulations.
C/EBPβ in bone marrow is essential for diet induced inflammation, cholesterol balance, and atherosclerosis.

Background and Objective Atherosclerosis is both a chronic inflammatory disease and a lipid metabolism disorder. C/EBPβ is well documented for its role in the development of hematopoietic cells and integration of lipid metabolism. However, C/EBPβ's role in atherosclerotic progression has not been examined. We assessed the impact of hematopoietic CEBPβ deletion in ApoE−/− mice on hyperlipidemia, inflammatory responses and lesion formation in the aorta.
The effect of strain rate and heat developed during deformation on the stress-strain curve of plastics

Polymethylmethacrylate, cellulose acetate butyrate, polypropylene and nylon 6–6 have been characterized in compression at various strain rates from 10−4 s−1 to 103 s−1 at room temperature. A medium strain-rate machine and a split-Hopkinson-bar apparatus are used in conducting the experiments. The temperature rise developed during deformation is also measured by using a thermocouple. All four materials tested definitely show a viscous effect at the beginning of the deformation and a plastic flow follows thereafter. Test results also indicate that the temperature rise developed during deformation cannot be neglected in determining the dynamic response of those materials investigated in this study.
Association Between NEDD4L Gene and Sodium Lithium Countertransport

BACKGROUND Sodium lithium countertransport (SLC) is an intermediate phenotype of essential hypertension. The aim of this study was to identify candidate genes for SLC by a strategy of combining gene expression profiling and linkage analysis, and to examine the association between the candidate gene and SLC as well as hypertension. METHODS In order to identify SLC-related genes, the top 1% of the genes that were differentially expressed between high- and low-SLC groups in a gene expression microarray were compared with published SLC/hypertension gene linkage maps so as to identify regions of overlap. The association between the genetic variation in the candidate gene and the SLC and blood pressure phenotypes were further assessed in the Rochester Family Heart Study (RFHS) involving 1,815 individuals of European ancestry, belonging to 252 pedigrees. RESULTS Based on gene expression profiling and evidence from genome-wide linkage analysis, and in the light of its potential biochemical function, E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase NEDD4-like (NEDD4L) was identified as being both a positional and a functional candidate gene for SLC. The difference in expressions of NEDD4L between the high- and low-SLC groups was confirmed by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) analysis. After adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI), four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in NEDD4L were found to be associated with SLC (P ≤ 0.05). Further, haplotype analysis revealed that, after correction for multiple testing, one of the haplotypes (H2) was still significantly (P = 0.006) associated with SLC. CONCLUSIONS The strategy of combining gene expression profiling and linkage analysis successfully guided us in identifying NEDD4L as a candidate gene involved in regulating SLC activity. Variations in the NEDD4L gene are associated with SLC activity.
A continuous spectrophotometric assay and nonlinear kinetic analysis of methionine γ-lyase catalysis

In this article, we present a new, easy-to-implement assay for methionine γ-lyase (MGL)-catalyzed γ-elimination reactions of l-methionine and its analogues that produce α-ketobutyrate (α-KB) as product. The assay employs ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry to continuously monitor the rate of formation of α-KB by its absorbance at 315 nm. We also employ a nonlinear data analysis method that obviates the need for an "initial slope" determination, which can introduce errors when the progress curves are nonlinear. The spectrophotometric assay is validated through product analysis by (1)H NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), which showed that under the conditions of study l-methionine (l-met) and l-methionine sulfone (l-met sulfone) substrates were converted to α-KB product with greater than 99% yield. Using this assay method, we determined for the first time the Michaelis-Menten parameters for a recombinant form of MGL from Porphyromonas gingivalis, obtaining respective kcat and Km values of 328 ± 8 min(-1) and 1.2 ± 0.1 mM for l-met γ-elimination and 2048 ± 59 min(-1) and 38 ± 2 mM for l-met sulfone γ-elimination reactions. We envisage that this assay method will be useful for determining the activity of MGL γ-elimination reactions that produce α-KB as the end product.
Glycerolipid biosynthesis in porcine adipose tissue in vitro: effect of adiposity and depot site.

To compare genetic differences in glycerolipid biosynthesis, rates were determined in s.c. adipose tissue of lean and obese pigs at 28, 60 and 110 d of age. To compare depot-specific differences, glycerolipid biosynthetic rates were determined in outer s.c., middle s.c., perirenal and omental adipose tissues obtained from 105-kg contemporary pigs. Rates were determined with a 700 x g infranatant fraction of an adipose tissue homogenate by measuring glycerophosphate incorporation into total lipids (mostly phosphatidic acid) during 4 min. This assay represents entrance of substrates into the glycerolipid synthesis pathway or glycerophosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) activity. Rates measured for 60 min represent maximal synthesis of glycerolipid (more triacylglycerol than phosphatidic acid) or lipid synthesis capacity (LSC). Adipocyte diameter and volume were greater for adipose tissue of obese than of lean pigs both at 60 and 110 d. When expressed per cell, activity of GPAT and LSC were similar for lean and obese pigs at 28 d. At 60 d and 110 d, LSC was greater for obese than for lean pigs; GPAT activity was greater at 60 but not at 110 d in obese than in lean pigs. Expressed on a cell basis, GPAT activity was highest in omental and outer s.c., intermediate in perirenal and lowest in middle s.c. adipose tissue depots. Lipid synthesis capacity was highest in perirenal and lowest in outer and middle s.c. depots. Our results indicate that the LSC assay was more closely related to the accretion of fat in vivo than to GPAT activity.
Formalization of Computational Human Behavior Models for Contextual Persuasive Technology

In theory, Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions JiTAIs are a persuasive technology which promise to empower personal behavioral goals by optimizing treatments to situational context and user behaviors. This paper outlines open challenges facing the development of JiTAIs and discusses the use of modeling as a common ground between behavioral scientists designing interventions and software engineers building applications. We propose that Computational Human Behavior Modeling CHBM has the potential to 1 help create better behavioral theories, 2 enable real-time ideographic intervention optimization, and 3 facilitate more robust data analysis techniques. First, a small set of definitions are presented to clarify ambiguities and mismatches in terminology between these two areas. Next, existing modeling concepts are used to formalize a modeling paradigm designed to fit the needs JiTAI development methodology. Last, potential benefits and open challenges of this modeling paradigm are highlighted through examination of the model-development methodology, run-time user modeling, and model-based data analysis.
Allergens stimulate store-operated calcium entry and cytokine production in airway epithelial cells.

Aberrant immune responses to environmental allergens including insect allergens from house dust mites and cockroaches contribute to allergic inflammatory diseases such as asthma in susceptible individuals. Airway epithelial cells (AECs) play a critical role in this process by sensing the proteolytic activity of allergens via protease-activated receptors (PAR2) to initiate inflammatory and immune responses in the airway. Elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ is an important signaling event in this process, yet the fundamental mechanism by which allergens induce Ca2+ elevations in AECs remains poorly understood. Here we find that extracts from dust mite and cockroach induce sustained Ca2+ elevations in AECs through the activation of Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels encoded by Orai1 and STIM1. CRAC channel activation occurs, at least in part, through allergen mediated stimulation of PAR2 receptors. The ensuing Ca2+ entry then activates NFAT/calcineurin signaling to induce transcriptional production of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8. These findings highlight a key role for CRAC channels as regulators of allergen induced inflammatory responses in the airway.
Sensory attributes shaping consumers’ willingness-to-pay for newly developed processed meat products with natural compounds and a reduced level of nitrite

Abstract While innovation to improve processed meat products (PMPs) is promising, sensory characteristics remain the key factor shaping consumers’ preference and purchase decisions. These two studies employed a non-hypothetical and novel analytical approach to study how sensory attributes influence consumers’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for new PMPs with added natural compounds and a reduced level of nitrite. Vickrey’s second-price experimental auctions were organised with conventional and the new PMPs. Study 1 was in Belgium (n = 208) with cooked sausage; Study 2 was in the Netherlands (n = 107) with cooked ham. Elastic net (EN) regularised regression models and regression trees were used to assess determinants of WTP under data constraints. Overall, WTP was positively influenced by a higher overall liking, appearance familiarity and a better colour, and negatively influenced by a stronger experience of aftertaste and darker colour. The order effect of tasting and information provision was opposite in the two studies. The study with cooked sausage also showed a positive effect of a better texture and taste, and a negative effect of a too weak intensity of meat taste on WTP. The study with cooked ham indicated a positive effect of a better smell, stronger salty taste and less dry texture, and a negative effect of a too strong intensity of meat smell on WTP. Whereas Just-About-Right (JAR) scales are widely applied in consumer research to identify optimal sensory attribute levels, both studies revealed that JAR ratings do not necessarily translate into a higher WTP. These studies yield recommendations for consumer-driven food product research and development.
Effects of submerged zone, media aging, and antecedent dry period on the performance of biochar-amended biofilters in removing fecal indicators and nutrients from natural stormwater

Abstract Biochar has demonstrated promising performance as an amendment to biofilter soil media in removing fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) from simulated stormwater. However, there is no study that investigates its efficacy in treating natural stormwater runoff. Additional information, including the effects of antecedent dry period, microbial biofilm, and presence of a saturation zone on the performance of biochar-augmented biofilters are needed to inform their field implementation. This study uses laboratory column experiments to monitor FIB (enterococci and Escherichia coli ) and nutrient removal capacity of biochar-amended biofilters for 140 days using natural stormwater. Our study also investigates the effects of antecedent dry days (ADD) and the presence of a saturation zone (SZ) on the performance of lab-scale biochar-amended biofilters. The results suggest insignificant influence of the ADD and SZ on FIB removal performance, however biofilters with a SZ perform significantly better in removing nitrate-nitrogen compared to those without a SZ. In addition, it appears that the presence of biofilm augments nutrient removal capacity but reduces FIB removal capacity. Our observations indicate that biochar-amended biofilters are able to treat (to comply with recreational water quality standard for FIB) urban stormwater runoff for the duration of the experiment. Nitrate- and ammonium-nitrogen removal in the biologically aged biofilters is found to be 50–60% while the total dissolved phosphorus and the organic nitrogen removal is 20–30%. Our results inform full-scale design of biochar-amended biofilters in order to meet the total maximum daily load (TMDL) and municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permitting requirement for FIB and nutrients.
Proactive Approach for the Prevention of DDoS Attacks in Cloud Computing Environments

Contemporary security systems attempt to provide protection against distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks; however, they mostly use a variety of computing and hardware resources for load distribution and request delays. As a result, ordinary users and website visitors experience timeouts, captchas, and low-speed connections. In this paper, we propose a highly inventive multilayer system for protection against DDoS in the cloud that utilizes Threat Intelligence techniques and a proactive approach to detect traffic behavior anomalies. The first layer of the model analyzes the source IP address in the header of incoming traffic packets and the second layer analyzes the speed of requests and calculates the threshold of the attack speed. If an attack remains undetected, the incoming traffic packets are analyzed against the behavior patterns in the third layer. The fourth layer reduces the traffic load by dispatching the traffic to the proxy, if required, and the fifth layer establishes the need for port hopping between the proxy and the target website if the attack targets a specific web-application. A series of experiments were performed and the results demonstrate that this multilayer approach can detect and mitigate DDoS attacks from a variety of known and unknown sources.
Is levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel over- or under-utilized? A review of current evidence.

Levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) is one of the alternative treatment options for advanced Parkinson disease (PD) patients who experience motor fluctuations and insufficient control of their symptoms despite optimized combinations of oral medications. LCIG is continuously infused through a portable pump into the proximal small intestine, and has been proven to reduce “off” time as well as increase “on” time without significantly worsening troublesome dyskinesias. In addition, growing data also suggest improvement in some non-motor symptoms and the patient’s quality of life. The most common side effects of LCIG are procedural/device-related complications which can be frequent, especially within the first month of device placement, but generally mild and transient in nature. Interestingly, despite its clear efficacy and general safety and tolerability, it has not been utilized by providers to the same extent as other advanced therapies, such as deep brain stimulation surgery (DBS). In this review article, we discuss the evidence supporting LCIG’s efficacy, safety, adverse effects, tolerability, cost-effectiveness as well as potential contraindications. Furthermore, we also re-evaluate LCIG’s indications, utilization and potential limitations.
Steep Sub-Boltzmann Switching in AlGaN/GaN Phase-FETs With ALD VO 2

We report the first demonstration of ultralow leakage AlGaN/GaN MOS-HEMTs on silicon substrates loaded at the source with atomic layer deposition (ALD)-grown VO2 metal–insulator transition (MIT) material resistors. The resulting GaN phase-transition FET (phase-FET) shows steep sub-Boltzmann switching in its transfer characteristics in both sweep directions with slopes of ~9.9 and ~28.2 mV/decade at 60 °C. The control MOS-HEMTs and the phase-FETs show more than 12-order on/off ratio with ultralow off-state leakage. Because of the MIT, the drain current and the transconductance also show unconventional behavior. This first demonstration of ultralow leakage steep switching in GaN phase-FETs using integration-friendly ALD VO2 opens the door to introducing new functionalities in nitride low-power digital devices, microwave circuits, photonic devices, and power electronics in the GaN-on-silicon platform.
One Design for the Account Planning Curriculum

The VCU Adcenter is a two-year advertising master's degree program sponsored by the School of Mass Communications at Virginia Commonwealth University. The program was launched in the Fall of 1996 with concentrations in account management, art direction, and copy writing
Function Spaces for Sampling Expansions

In this chapter, we consider a variety of Hilbert and Banach spaces that admit sampling expansions \(f(t) = \sum\nolimits_{n=1}^{\infty }f({t}_{n}){S}_{n}(t)\), where {S n } n=1 ∞ is a family of functions that depend on the sampling points {t n } n=1 ∞ but not on the function f. Those function spaces, that arise in connection with sampling expansions, include reproducing kernel spaces, Sobolev spaces, Wiener amalgam space, shift-invariant spaces, translation-invariant spaces, and spaces modeling signals with finite rate of innovation. Representative sampling theorems are presented for signals in each of these spaces. The chapter also includes recent results on nonlinear sampling of signals with finite rate of innovation, convolution sampling on Banach spaces, and certain foundational issues in sampling expansions.
“Balloon Undilatable” CTOs

“Balloon undilatable” chronic total occlusions (CTOs) are lesions that do not expand in spite of multiple balloon inflations. Such lesions can be approached in an algorithmic fashion. First, high-pressure balloon inflations are performed using non-compliant balloons. Second, one or more “buddy” wires are inserted and balloon inflation is repeated. Third, the lesion is dilated with an Angiosculpt or a cutting balloon, provided that such balloons can be delivered across the lesion. Fourth, laser atherectomy is performed. Fifth, rotational atherectomy is attempted. Sixth, if all other strategies fail to dilate the lesion, subintimal lesion crossing is attempted.
MicroRNAs in stem cells and cancer stem cells

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to play a role in the development, cell division, proliferation, maintenance, and differentiation of stem cells (embryonic and adult) and in tumorigenesis, cancer cell migration, and metastasis, and this list continues to grow. In this chapter, we review various aspects of miRNA biology, including its biogenesis and miRNA–protein complexes. We will look at the recent development into the mechanism of its functions and the role of miRNA in stem cells and various cancers. We discuss some of the open questions in the field and the prospect of a potential role of miRNAs in cancer or tumor-initiating stem cells. We also comment on budding but promising therapeutic application of miRNAs in pathological scenario. Understanding this layer of regulation by miRNA will uncover many interesting avenues in future in learning the biology of life.
Ocular manifestations of Sjögren's syndrome: keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

As part of the triad of Sjogren's syndrome (SS), keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) can be found in virtually all SS patients. This term emphasizes not only the reduced tear production but also the pathologic changes in the epithelial cells of the ocular surface. The symptoms of dry eye may vary from one patient to another depending on the severity of dryness, the ability of the diminished tear film to moisten the ocular surface, and the patient's tolerance for ocular discomfort. Treatment of the dry eyes is remarkably effective, and most patients benefit from moisturizing eyedrops to replace their own deficient tears. Major issues include the pathogenesis of decreased tear flow and ocular surface disturbances, as well as the roles of wound healing agents and anti-inflammatory medications in KCS therapy.
Sex bias in rhinology research.

BACKGROUND Analysis of general surgery literature has revealed noteworthy sex bias and underreporting. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of sex bias and underreporting in rhinology. METHODS All articles in 2016 issues of Rhinology, the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy (AJRA), and the International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology (IFAR) were reviewed. Of 369 articles, 248 met inclusion criteria. Excluded studies were cadaveric, meta-analysis/review, and editorial. Data collected included study type, demographics, and sex-based statistical analysis. RESULTS There were 202 clinical and 46 basic science/translational studies. From 188 of 202 clinical studies with known sex, 1 included participants of a single sex. Sex matching >50% (SM50 ) was found in 81.9%, and 55.9% performed sex-based statistical analysis. Domestic clinical studies performed sex-based analysis more frequently than international (54.9% vs 44.4%) and exhibited a higher rate of SM50 (84.5% vs 80.3%), though these differences were not statistically significant. For basic/translational studies, 54.5% (24/44) provided sex breakdown. Among these, 29.2% included 1 sex, and 8.3% performed sex-based analysis. Of 10 using animals, 70.0% utilized 1 sex. The remaining 30.0% did not report sex. None of 4 cell line studies reported cell sex. Less than half (46.2%) of domestic and 56.3% of international studies reported sex breakdown; 7.7% of domestic and 3.0% of international studies performed sex-based analysis. CONCLUSION Although sex may impact outcomes, research without sex reporting and analysis is prevalent, particularly among basic science/translational studies. Future research must account for sex in demographics and analysis to best inform evidence-based clinical guidelines.
Racial and Ethnic Minority Mental Health Advocacy: Strategies for Addressing Racism

The past few years have witnessed increased discussion of physician and health advocacy. This chapter discusses the concept of the physician as an advocate in addressing issues of race and racism in the field of psychiatry. The authors argue that physician advocacy is necessary for addressing multiple forms of racism and the ways in which racism shapes disparate health and health care outcomes. The chapter reviews definitions of clinician advocacy and traces historical examples of advocacy within the field of psychiatry. A multidisciplinary framework of anthropology, sociology, and psychiatry is employed to examine race and racism in the field of psychiatry. Finally, specific strategies to address racism are provided, including strategies pertaining to curricula, training, and research. Ultimately, there is a need to advocate beyond the needs of the individual patient, and the field of psychiatry and the broader field of medicine need more systemic and robust forms of advocacy to address racism.
Enabling Positive Social Capital in Organizations.

This chapter identifies and elaborates organizational practices and social mechanisms that create and sustain positive social capital in work organizations. It adds to the understanding of positive relationships at work by considering the resource-producing capabilities of high-quality connections (HQCs) and reciprocity. The chapter shows how two forms of positive social capital expand the capacities of both individuals and groups. HQCs are connections made between two people that are marked by vitality, mutuality and positive regard. Reciprocity can be present in varying degrees, and it can involve varying numbers of people. Basic reciprocity involves the exchange of resources between two people. Further, the chapter identifies key enablers of each form of positive social capital. Finally, it articulates the underlying mechanisms (motivation and opportunity structures) linking enablers and outcomes.
Mobile Testbed for Video-Rate Multistatic Microwave Imaging Array

A mobile testbed capable of real-time (10 Hz) standoff microwave imaging for concealed threat detection is presented. The system samples a scene with a 1m x 1m multistatic switched antenna array operating at 24–29 GHz. It constructs images on a cost-effective processor at video rate, through the use of Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) imaging. Design and operation of the testbed are discussed, and representative experimental images are presented.
Calcium-Binding Proteins in Degenerative and Cancer-Related Diseases of the Eye

Calcium-binding proteins purportedly are involved in a variety of human pathologies, but the supporting evidence often is circumstantial. In contrast, studies of visual function have provided clear examples of how defects in either the expression or function of a calcium-binding protein can manifest as a human disease (Polans et al., 1996).
Determination of reactive mass transfer coefficients for CO2 absorption predictions

Absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) by solvents is an important process in many practical applications such as capture of greenhouse gases from flue gas, gas processing in the chemical and petroleum...