cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Light assisted drying (LAD) for protein stabilization: optimization of laser processing parameters

In this study, a novel light-based processing method to create an amorphous trehalose matrix for the stabilization of proteins is discussed. Near-IR radiation is used to remove water from samples, leaving behind an amorphous solid with embedded protein. This method has potential applications in the stabilization of protein-based therapeutics and diagnostics that are becoming widely used in the treatment and diagnosis of a variety of diseases. Freeze-drying or freezing are currently the standard for the preservation of proteins, but these methods are expensive and can be challenging in some environments due to a lack of available infrastructure. Light-assisted drying offers a relatively inexpensive method for drying samples. Proteins suspended in a trehalose solution are dehydrated using near-infrared laser light. The laser radiation speeds drying and as water is removed the sugar forms a protective matrix. The goal of this study is to determine processing parameters that result in fast processing times and low end moisture contents (EMC), while maintaining the functionality of embedded proteins. We compare the effect of changing processing wavelength, power and resulting sample temperature, and substrate material on the EMC for two NIR laser sources (1064 nm and 1850 nm). The 1850 nm laser resulted in the lowest EMC (0.1836±0.09 gH2O/gDryWeight) after 10 minutes of processing on borosilicate glass microfiber paper. This suggests a storage temperature of ~3°C.
Impact of high-end radio functionality in wireless mobile ad hoc networks

Recent accomplishments in link-level and radio technologies have significantly improved the performance of wireless links. Wireless mobile ad hoc networks, however, typically only take limited advantage of these enhancements. In this paper, we extend a medium access control (MAC) protocol and ad hoc routing protocol to take advantage of radios offering multi-user interference cancellation and direct sequence spread spectrum, by encouraging multiple simultaneous connections and adaptively changing the coding rate on a per-packet basis. The impact of these extensions at the network-level is investigated using simulation. Results indicate that both the network throughput and delay improve significantly over a non-persistent CSMA MAC protocol in many scenarios of interest.
HIV-positive Kaposi sarcoma and immune checkpoint blockade.

63Title: HIV-Positive Kaposi Sarcoma and Immune Checkpoint Blockade Background: Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is an incurable, virally mediated malignancy arising in HIV-positive patients. We report the first observations on the safety and efficacy of checkpoint blockade in these patients. Methods: We identified eight evaluable patients with HIV-related Kaposi sarcoma who received ≥1 dose of checkpoint blockade. Data on demographics, treatment efficacy, and the effects on immune function (HIV and HHV8 viral load, CD4 count) and toxicity were curated. Results: Median age was 45.5 years (range, 38-63); all men; median, one prior regimen; all were treated with nivolumab 3mg/kg IV days 1 and 14 of each 28-day cycle. PD-L1 expression was assessed retrospectively and was low in 3 out of 4 patients with available data. All patients were receiving anti-retroviral therapy. The majority (75%) had preserved CD4 count and undetectable HIV viral load (Table). The response rate (RR) was 62.5% (5 of 8 patients) with 1 complete re...
Physician Multisite Practicing: Impact on Access to Care.

Background Physician multisite practicing may affect access to care. However, study measuring the degree of multisite practicing is generally lacking. This study aimed to describe physician multisite practicing patterns in Georgia and to assess its impact on access to care. Methods Using data from the Georgia Medicaid Management Information System, the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile, and the US Census, mean number of practice sites per physician was calculated. Counts of sites per physician were then modeled in a negative binomial regression. Local differences in spatial accessibility were assessed based on single-site verse multisite practice locations. Results Among 20,116 physicians (mean age, 49.4 years; 30.5% female) in Georgia, 63.2% reported multiple practice sites. The average practice sites per physician was 3.3 overall, 2.6 for primary care physicians, and 3.6 for other physicians. Younger age, male sex, and practicing in group practice setting were associated with a higher number of practice sites per physician. Spatial accessibility index changed substantially when controlling for multiple practice sites. Conclusions Physician multisite practicing was prevalent and affected geographic access to care. More research and investment into health workforce information infrastructure seem warranted to accommodate changing physician practice patterns in data collection and dissemination.
Cultural history analysis and professional humility: historical context and social work practice

This article explores the importance of history context to the cultural humility of the social work profession. Four graduate student reflections on history context using simplified cultural histor...
Material Properties and Transport Physics

At present, most power semiconductor devices are manufactured using silicon as the base material. Both unipolar and bipolar devices have been successfully developed from silicon to serve a very broad range of applications. As shown in the previous chapter, the resistance of the drift region in power devices can be drastically reduced by replacing silicon with wide bandgap semiconductors. Although some effort was undertaken in the 1980s to develop power devices from gallium arsenide, interest in this technology has dwindled because it is much more promising to make the power devices from silicon carbide. For this reason, the relevant properties for silicon carbide are included with those for silicon in this chapter for the purposes of comparison and design. Analytical expressions that can model these properties are provided to facilitate the analysis of power device structures.
Glutamine phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase.

Publisher Summary Glutamate assays are compromised by the presence of glutaminase activity in crude preparations, but this is not a problem with purified preparations of amidotransferase. Assay of pyrophosphate is insensitive, but this assay has been used with addition of a basal level of inorganic pyrophosphate. Assay of phosphoribosylamine is complex and involves preparation of other enzymes. Only the spectrophotometric assay of glutamate with glutamate dehydrogenase and 3-acetylpyridine nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (3-AcPyNAD) lends itself to continuous kinetic measurement of activity. It has been found that the initial phases of the PP-ribose-P amidotransferase reaction are non-linear when determined with enzymatic or radiochemical assays of glutamate in consecutive aliquots of the reaction mixture. The lag of the reaction reflects the conversion of inactive to active enzyme by PP-ribose-P and Mg2+.
POSSIBLE ANTIGEN SPECIFIC T CELL HELP IN POKEWEED MITOGEN STIMULATED HUMAN PERIPHERAL BLOOD CELL CULTURES

ABSTRACT Limiting dilution analyses using human T and B cells from the peripheral blood of individuals recently (2 to 6 weeks) boosted with a combination of diptheria and tetanus toxoids were performed in order to investigate the specificity of T cell help during in . vitro poke-weed mitogen (PWM) stimulation. Limiting dilutions using B cells were first performed in order to determine the number of potential Ig producing B cells of a variety of specificities activated by PWM induced T cell stimulation. The precursor frequency for total IgG production was 1.3 × 10 −3 with approximately 10% of the B cells directed against tetanus toxoid and 3% directed against diptheria toxoid two weeks after boosting. Limiting numbers of irradiated T cells were then added to an excess of B cells and their ability to help IgG anti-tetanus toxoid (Tet-IgG) and IgG anti-diptheria toxoid (Dip-IgG) antibody production were compared. The helper activity for the Tet-IgG did not dilute out in parallel with help for Dip-IgG. Wells were observed at limiting dilutions of added helper T cells which produced only Tet-IgG or Dip-IgG but not both even though sufficient potential specific IgG producing B cells for each antigen were present.
Monte Carlo Algorithms and Asymptotic Problems in Nonlinear Filtering

We are concerned with numerically feasible approximations to nonlinear filtering problems, which are of interest over a very long time interval. The cost of concern is the pathwise error per unit time. In [4], it was shown, under reasonable conditions, that (as time, noise bandwidth, process and filter approximation, etc.) go to their limit in any way at all, the limit of the pathwise average costs per unit time is what one gets with the optimal filter. When good approximations cannot be constructed due to excessive computational requirements, approximations based on random sampling methods (or, perhaps, combinations of sampling and analytical methods) become attractive. Extensions of the previous work to a wide class of such algorithms is dealt with, with similar results. For brevity, we confine ourselves to discrete time, but the same results hold for the continuous time case [5].
Long-Range Order and Deformation Radius Effects in 2-D Turbulence

The most prominent feature of a 2-D flow excited at a small scale l f is an inverse cascade, i.e. creation of large-scale motions from small-scale eddies. While in an infinite system with no external fields this process lasts forever, in a finite system of size L ≫ l f , energy eventually starts accumulating at L (“condensation”) and the energy spectrum becomes steeper, thus slowing down the inverse cascade. For a flow in an external field (including rotation, stratification, and magnetic fields), where a substantial part of the energy goes into waves, the inverse cascade often slows down after waves of the scale of the deformation radius L R , determined by the external field, are created. In these systems the energy spectrum first steepens at scale O(L R ), and then slowly larger motions are generated due to energy leakage through the “shield” at L R . The basic questions are: What are the dominant structures in this phenomenon? If structures exist, how are they distributed in physical space? Can the flow achieve a stable or a quasistationary configuration? We attempt to give at least partial answers to these questions.
Modeling of the Brain for Injury Simulation and Prevention

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health issue affecting 1.7 million people annually in the United States. Approximately 50,000 deaths were related to TBI each year [1] and at least 5.3 million Americans are living with TBI-related disabilities [2]. The most common causes of TBI include violent assaults, transportation-associated incidents, construction, and sports-related events [3]. As little can be done to reverse the initial brain damage caused by trauma, preventing TBI from happening and stabilizing a TBI victim to prevent further injury are two key areas of research. A better understanding of the causation and mechanisms of TBI can provide advancement in both areas.
Stereotype Threat and Gender Differences in Biology

Stereotype threat theory (STT) presents a potential explanation for differences in achievement in math and science for women. Specifically, STT postulates that the perceived risk of confirming a negative stereotype about an individual’s identity group acts as a psychological burden that negatively impacts performance. This study is the third in a series of studies examining the impact of ST on gender differences in science. The present study tested the impact of stereotype threat (ST) on gender differences in biology achievement, self-efficacy, motivation, and domain identification using a four-group, quasi-experimental design. 83 introductory-level college biology students were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 ST conditions including an explicit ST condition, an implicit ST condition, a reverse ST condition, and a nullified ST condition. Results indicated that there were no gender differences by ST condition; however, overall, the women identified more with the field.
A Compact Beam-Forming Network for Switched-Beam Arrays

A Butler-matrix-inspired beam-forming network has been developed to provide phasing for a switched-beam 2×2 element antenna array. The network uses an arrangement of double-box quadrature hybrids to achieve wide instantaneous bandwidth in a small, planar form factor. The planar feed structure has been designed to integrate with an array aperture to form a low-profile array stackup.
Inhibition of the Prostaglandin EP-1 Receptor in Periosteum Progenitor Cells Enhances Osteoblast Differentiation and Fracture Repair.

Fracture healing is a complex and integrated process that involves mesenchymal progenitor cell (MPC) recruitment, proliferation and differentiation that eventually results in bone regeneration. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is an important regulator of bone metabolism and has an anabolic effect on fracture healing. Prior work from our laboratory showed EP1−/− mice have enhanced fracture healing, stronger cortical bones, higher trabecular bone volume and increased in vivo bone formation. We also showed that bone marrow MSCs from EP1−/− mice exhibit increased osteoblastic differentiation in vitro. In this study we investigate the changes in the periosteal derived MPCs (PDMPCs), which are crucial for fracture repair, upon EP1 deletion. EP1−/− PDMPCs exhibit increased numbers of total (CFU-F) and osteoblastic colonies (CFU-O) as well as enhanced osteoblastic and chondrogenic differentiation. Moreover, we tested the possible therapeutic application of a specific EP1 receptor antagonist to accelerate fracture repair. Our findings showed that EP1 antagonist administration to wild type mice in the early stages of repair similarly resulted in enhanced CFU-F, CFU-O, and osteoblast differentiation in PDMPCs and resulted in enhanced fracture callus formation at 10 days post fracture and increased bone volume and improved biomechanical healing of femur fractures at 21 days post fracture.
MiR‐1253 exerts tumor‐suppressive effects in medulloblastoma via inhibition of CDK6 and CD276 (B7‐H3)

Of the four primary subgroups of medulloblastoma, the most frequent cytogenetic abnormality, i17q, distinguishes Groups 3 and 4 which carry the highest mortality; haploinsufficiency of 17p13.3 is a marker for particularly poor prognosis. At the terminal end of this locus lies miR-1253, a brain-enriched microRNA that regulates bone morphogenic proteins during cerebellar development. We hypothesized miR-1253 confers novel tumor-suppressive properties in medulloblastoma. Using two different cohorts of medulloblastoma samples, we first studied the expression and methylation profiles of miR-1253. We then explored the anti-tumorigenic properties of miR-1253, in parallel with a biochemical analysis of apoptosis and proliferation, and isolated oncogenic targets using high-throughput screening. Deregulation of miR-1253 expression was noted, both in medulloblastoma clinical samples and cell lines, by epigenetic silencing via hypermethylation; specific de-methylation of miR-1253 not only resulted in rapid recovery of expression but also a sharp decline in tumor cell proliferation and target gene expression. Expression restoration also led to a reduction in tumor cell virulence, concomitant with activation of apoptotic pathways, cell cycle arrest and reduction of markers of proliferation. We identified two oncogenic targets of miR-1253, CDK6 and CD276, whose silencing replicated the negative trophic effects of miR-1253. These data reveal novel tumor-suppressive properties for miR-1253, i.e., (i) loss of expression via epigenetic silencing; (ii) negative trophic effects on tumor aggressiveness; and (iii) downregulation of oncogenic targets.
The efficacy of Citrus tristeza virus as a vector for virus induced gene silencing in Huanglongbing-affected citrus

Huanglongbing (HLB) is the most damaging disease in citrus. It is caused by the putative bacterium, “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” and is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri. Unfortunately, no cure has been found or effective control strategy established for the combat of this disease. Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) was employed successfully for virus induced gene silencing system (VIGS). Previous studies reported the successful use of citrus mediated CTV-based VIGS against D. citri; however, the system was not tested in “Ca. L. asiaticus”-infected citrus. In addition, very little is known about the interaction between CTV and “Ca. L. asiaticus”. Herein, this relationship was explored by infiltrating citrus plants with CTV carrying a truncated phytoene desaturase gene (pds) as a reporter gene. Repressing pds in citrus causes a photo-bleached leaf phenotype. These plants were then graft-inoculated with budwood from “Ca. L. asiaticus”-infected plants. A strong photo-bleaching phenotype indicates that the CTV is present and actively replicating, whereas a weak leaf phenotype indicates reduced or absent virus titer. After infection with “Ca. L. asiaticus”, the leaf-bleaching phenotype gradually became reduced, and the HLB symptoms increased. After three years, the photo-bleaching phenotype was completely absent, while HLB symptoms were fully pronounced. Subsequently, CTV titer was dramatically reduced while “Ca. L. asiaticus” titer increased. In addition, the gene expression of pds was increased indicating a deficit in the RNA interference. On the other hand, enhancing the nutrition of CTV-tPDS plants magnified the photo-bleaching phenotype and diminished the symptoms in HLB-infected plants. Taken together, combining enhanced nutritional programs with the use of CTV as a VIGS vector to target D. citri by citrus mediated RNAi may prolong its efficacy in the fight against HLB. The long-term success of CTV-based VIGS technology is contingent on the balance of power favoring the CTV, rather than the HLB bacterial pathogen, “Ca. L. asiaticus”.
An Explicit Scheme to Represent the Bidirectional Hydrologic Exchanges Between the Vadose Zone, Phreatic Aquifer, and River

Understanding groundwater storage variations as a result of effects from both the vadose zone and the river is of critical importance in the hydraulically connected surface‐subsurface system. In this study, we present a novel Bidirectional Exchange Scheme in Surface and Subsurface (BE3S) that represents bidirectional exchanges between the vadose zone, phreatic aquifer, and river. The approach enables explicit representations of each flow regime while conserving mass, and successfully yields solutions of the coupled system for multiple temporal resolutions. We test the scheme by comparing the BE3S‐derived outputs against other models and corresponding observational data. We apply the scheme to simulate hydrologic states in a reach of the Brazos River in Southeast Texas, such as soil moisture content, groundwater level, and river stage as well as net subsurface discharge fluxes. Good agreements between the simulated and observed data for all the components show the suitability of the proposed scheme in modeling the bidirectional flows and exchanges. We also assess how the bidirectional hydrologic exchanges are affected by adjacent flow domains. We find that vertical percolation is significantly affected by unsaturated soil thickness, resulting in the spatial variability of vertical percolation across sloping topography. Hilltop‐to‐valley convergent groundwater flow is also found to impede vertical percolation in river valleys due to shallow water table while facilitating percolation in the hilltops. The capability of the presented scheme that accounts for the topographically driven lateral groundwater flow and drainage dynamics provides the potential to enhance the representation of the surface‐subsurface system in Earth System Models (ESMs).
Manometry is Useful Prior to Bariatric Surgery

Esophageal motor disorders are common in patients with morbid obesity. The most detailed objective evaluation of esophageal function involves esophageal manometry testing. Bariatric surgery impacts esophageal motility including peristalsis and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure. Preoperative manometry is useful in surgical planning if there exists concern for underlying esophageal dysmotility. As gastric banding appears to impair LES relaxation, this procedure should be performed judiciously in patients with underlying abnormal peristalsis. Sleeve gastrectomy in patients with a hypotensive LES should be performed with caution, although existing data is limited on how this impacts outcomes. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass has been found to lead to the least functional impairment of the LES and esophageal peristalsis.
A spatiotemporal model for dynamic RO simulations

Abstract A spatiotemporal model is developed for dynamic simulations of RO desalination. The model explicitly accounts for pressure drop, concentration polarization and axial dispersion along the pressure vessels. A detailed numerical method, which is based on orthogonal collocation on finite elements in the spatial domain, is presented to solve the coupled partial differential equations (PDEs) in the model. Two examples, RO with periodic feed flow reversal and membrane flushing with/without permeation flux in batch operations, are used to demonstrate the applications of the proposed model. The simulation indicates that salt concentration overshoots during feed flow reversal. For batch operations, flushing efficacy is significantly improved if permeate flux is turned off during the flushing period.
Contraceptive Use Among Adolescents With and Without Disabilities.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study is to assess contraceptive use at last intercourse among adolescent girls with and without disabilities. Methods Data were from the 2015 and 2017 Oregon Healthy Teens survey, a state-wide representative sample of 11th grade students. Among respondents at risk for unplanned pregnancy (n = 3,702), we estimated the prevalence of contraceptive method used at last intercourse—including intrauterine device, implant, Depo-Provera, oral contraceptive pills, patch, ring, condoms, withdrawal, and emergency contraception—by disability status. We used multivariable Poisson regression to measure the association between disability status and use of any contraceptive. Results Girls with disabilities were more likely to report having had intercourse compared to girls without disabilities (49.2% vs. 37.4%). Girls with disabilities were less likely to use oral contraceptive pills (32.8% vs. 36.6%) or condoms (51.9% vs. 59.7%) compared to their non-disabled peers. After adjusting for demographic factors, 92.3% of girls with disabilities reported using any contraceptive method compared to 94.7% of girls without a disability (adjusted prevalence difference −2.6%, 95% CI −.26%, −4.9%; adjusted prevalence ratio .97, 95% CI .95–1.00, p = .03). Conclusions We observed high levels of contraceptive use among Oregon high school girls. Still, girls with disabilities were slightly less likely to report contraceptive use compared to their non-disabled peers. Given the high proportion of teens with disabilities who are sexually active, the magnitude of the difference in contraceptive use could be of concern on a national scale and further research is warranted.
A new IFORM-Rosenblatt framework for calculation of environmental contours

Abstract Environmental contours are useful for designing and assessing risk to offshore structures. The Inverse First-Order Reliability Method (IFORM) and the Rosenblatt transformation are widely used to calculate environmental contours but have several challenges. In this approach, the conditional distribution is often expressed in a parametric form with parameters defined as functions of the independent variable. The distribution should be accurate for both extreme and frequently occurring values, for both the dependent and independent variables, and this is a challenging requirement for complex datasets. A new IFORM-Rosenblatt framework is proposed here to overcome this challenge. The framework includes a method to approximate a distribution with a complex form, including parametric, empirical, and mixed parametric/empirical forms, using a reduced set of parameters that are designed to prioritize accuracy for the quantiles of the distribution that contribute to the contour and a set of metrics to evaluate the goodness-of-fit of the resulting contour. A hindcast dataset is used as an example to calculate the 50-year contour using the proposed framework and a traditional approach. The proposed framework is demonstrated to generate accurate contours, although it requires more parameters and is more complex than conventional approaches.
Distribution System State Estimation Sensitivity to Errors in Phase Connections

High penetration of distributed energy resources presents challenges for monitoring and control of power distribution systems. Some of these problems might be solved through accurate monitoring of distribution systems, such as what can be achieved with distribution system state estimation (DSSE). With the recent large-scale deployment of advanced metering infrastructure associated with existing SCADA measurements, DSSE may become a reality in many utilities. In this paper, we present a sensitivity analysis of DSSE with respect to phase mislabeling of single-phase service transformers, another class of errors distribution system operators are faced with regularly. The results show DSSE is more robust to phase label errors than a power flow-based technique, which would allow distribution engineers to more accurately capture the impacts and benefits of distributed PV.
Organophosphorus Anticholinesterase-Induced Epileptiform Activity in the Hippocampus

In the study of epileptogenesis, the pharmacological induction of convulsant activity has provided important information regarding the cellular events involved in the production of abnormal electrical discharges. This research approach has benefited from the advent of in vitro central nervous system (CNS) tissue slices and the use of microelectrode recording techniques (Yamamoto, 1972). Synchronous repetitive discharges induced by the drugs examined thus far are the characteristic features of the epileptiform activity recorded in vivo and in vitro. These discharges are considered to be correlated with abnormal interictal electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings (Ayala et al., 1973). The corresponding intracellular event is comprised of a series of action potentials superimposed on an envelope of depolarization. This envelope of depolarization was termed the paroxysmal depolarizing shift (PDS) by Matsumoto and Ajmone Marson (196M) in characterizing penicillin-induced discharges in vivo. Recent studies have shown that the event underlying the drug-induced PDS is a net excitatory response produced by a synchronous synaptic input (Johnston and Brown, 1981; Lebeda et al., 1982).
Research issues in manufacturing flexibility-an invited review paper for ICRA 2000 symposium on flexibility

This paper is a review of flexibility issues in manufacturing. It covers strategies and approaches across the spectrum of product development, manufacturing, and distribution, showing different objectives of flexibility, such as design, manufacturing, and customization, along with approaches that have been suggested by researchers or implemented in industry.
VLSI chip for ray tracing bicubic patches

A VLSI chip for ray tracing bicubic patches in Bezier form is explored. The purpose of the chip is to calculate the intersection point of a ray with the bicubic patch to a specified level of accuracy, returning the location of the intersection on the patch and on the ray. This is done by computing the intersection of the ray with a bounding volume of the patch and repeatedly subdividing the patch until the bounding volume of subpatches hit by the ray is smaller than the accuracy requirement. There are two operating modes, one in which only the nearest intersection is found and another in which all intersections are found. This algorithm correctly handles rays tangentially intersecting a planar patch and ray intersections at a silhouette edge of the patch. Estimates indicate that such a chip could be implemented in 2 micron NMOS and could compute patch/ray intersections at the rate of one every 15 microseconds for patches that are prescaled and specified to 12 bits fixed point for each of the x, y and z components. A version capable of handling 24 bit patches could compute patch/ray intersections at the rate of one every 140 microseconds. Images drawn using a software version of the algorithm are presented and discussed.
TRADE, MERCHANT CAPITAL, INDUSTRIAL CAPITAL, AND BLOCKED CAPITALIST DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY STATE ECONOMIES

Trade, for many archaeologists, is the a society employs to maintain or its relations and linkages with outside world. They also see trade as motor of social and political-economic leading to and culminating the rise of civilization and the states. , by focusing on distribution of raw materials and, typically the nature of trade rather than the social that underlie the circulation of ., they rarely treat category itself as problematic.
First Protein Crystallography Experiments on a Synchrotron

My story started in the winter of 1973/1974. I was a graduate student at UCLA, my thesis work was going nowhere, and my wife was expecting a baby in the early summer, while we had no health insurance that would pay for this happy event. It was clearly time to find a place other than Los Angeles to continue work in protein crystallography. Since I wanted to study crystal structure of the nerve growth factor (NGF), and the West Coast expert in that field was Eric Shooter at Stanford, I asked him if he would be willing to accept me as a postdoc. He was, but had no funds. However, somehow he contacted Keith Hodgson and the two of them managed to find some money, to the best of my recollection in the Department of Psychiatry. Although Keith agreed to let me work on the structure of NGF and a few other proteins, he stipulated that my primary objective should be to help in setting up the first in the world beamline devoted to the use of synchrotron radiation for single-crystal diffraction from protein crystals. ...
A sequential recommendation approach for interactive personalized story generation

In story-based games or other interactive story systems, a Drama Manager is an omniscient agent that acts to bring about a particular sequence of plot points for the user to experience. We present a Drama Manager that uses player modeling to personalize the user's story according to his or her storytelling preferences. In order to deliver personalized stories, a Drama Manager must make decisions on not only which plot points to be included into the unfolding story but also the optimal sequence of the events the user should experience. A prefix based collaborative filtering algorithm based on users' structural feedback is proposed to address the sequential selection problem. We demonstrate our system on a simple interactive story generation system based on choose-your-own-adventure stories to evaluate our algorithms. Results on human users and simulated users show that our Drama Manager is capable of capturing users' preference and generating personalized stories with high accuracy.
Go Back to Texas, Gas Bastards! How a Newcomer Population of Itinerant Energy Workers Manage Dirty Work Stigma in the Marcellus Shale Region

The present study examines how itinerant energy workers in the Marcellus Shale region reject stigmatizing labels and construct a positive, work-related identity around sociopositive actions. Qualitative interviews (n = 22) with employees at one contract drilling company are the primary data collection method. Participants use several protective techniques to manage the dirty work stigma that they perceive Marcellus Shale residents ascribe to their work and project onto them. By reframing, recalibrating, and refocusing stigma onto personal and environmental safety, oil-field workers reinforce their preferred self-identities. A social weighting technique allows workers to condemn those community residents who condemn them. This study expands knowledge on how the dirty work label fosters occupational communities within natural resource-based labor, while complementing boomtown studies that focus almost exclusively on community residents.
The Role of Parent Feedback and Vehicle Status on Supervised Driving in the Minnesota Teen Driver Study

This paper provides a brief quantitative and qualitative examination of supervised driving among teens in three study groups of the Minnesota Teen Driver Study. A Control group (N=92) served as the baseline comparison group against which the effects of two treatments were examined. The first treatment group received in-vehicle coaching about risky driving via a Teen Driver Support System (Partial TDSS), whereas the second treatment group received the invehicle coaching from the same system, which also reported monitored risky behaviors back to parents (Full TDSS). Overall, there were significant differences in the average number of miles driven by teens in the study groups. Average mileage driven also differed depending on vehicle status (shared vs. unshared). Teens in the Control and Partial TDSS groups who did not share a vehicle drove significantly more miles than teens in the Full TDSS group. Supervised driving patterns across the study groups as well as for shared versus unshared vehicles were also different. In general, the presence of parent feedback appeared to mediate how frequently teens were supervised throughout the study, regardless of vehicle status. However, parents, in general, allowed their teens to drive more frequently in risky conditions at the end of the study compared to the beginning.
The impact of addiction medications on treatment outcomes for persons with co-occurring PTSD and opioid use disorders

Background and Objectives Previous research has been inconclusive about whether adding psychosocial treatment to medication assisted treatment (MAT) improves outcomes for patients with co-occurring psychiatric and opioid use disorders. This study evaluated the impact of MAT and psychosocial therapies on treatment outcomes for patients with co-occurring opioid use disorders and PTSD. Methods Patients meeting criteria for PTSD and substance use disorders were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions: Standard Care (SC) alone, Integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT) plus SC, or Individual Addiction Counseling (IAC) plus SC. Substance use and psychiatric symptoms were assessed at baseline and 6 months. Only patients with opioid use disorders were included in the present analyses (n = 126). Two-way ANOVAS and logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between treatment conditions and MAT, for substance use and psychiatric outcomes. Results MAT patients receiving ICBT had significantly decreased odds of a positive urine drug screen, compared to non-MAT patients receiving SC alone (OR = .07, 95% CI = .01, .81, p = .03). For PTSD symptoms, a significant MAT by psychosocial treatment condition interaction demonstrated that MAT patients had comparable declines in PTSD symptoms regardless of psychosocial treatment type (F(2, 88) = 4.74, p = .011). Non-MAT patients in ICBT had significantly larger reductions in PTSD. Conclusions and Scientific Significance For patients with co-occurring opioid use disorders and PTSD, MAT plus ICBT is associated with more significant improvement in substance use. For non-MAT patients, ICBT is most beneficial for PTSD symptoms. (Am J Addict 2015;XX:1–10)
Comments and criticism. Point: Belief, understanding, and the teaching of evolution

Educators typically think that one teaches evolution to develop students' conceptual understanding of evolution. It is assumed that if students understand evolution they will believe it. From a constructivist perspective it can be argued that understanding and belief, though related, are distinct concepts and that each is a potential goal for instruction. Though there are good reasons why belief should not be an instructional goal, achieving conceptual understanding requires that issues of belief be addressed. The point is that students are not likely to gain much understanding of something that they dismiss outright as unbelievable. What counts as believable for an individual rests on that person's worldview. This article argues that instruction on evolution can profitably begin with a dialogue on what counts as believable based on a study of the cultural history of Darwinism. The purpose of this strategy is to create in the classroom a shared meaning that certain fundamental questions are worth discussing and that the biological principles of evolution can contribute to that discussion.
Electromagnetic wave propagation in (bianisotropic) magnetoelectric materials

The propagation of electromagnetic plane waves in linear magnetoelectric materials is studied. The wave equation is derived as a generalized two-dimensional eigenvalue problem, and a method of calculating the propagating wave modes is presented. An analytic dispersion relation for general bianisotropic materials is given. Additionally, an analytic model is presented, which decomposes electric and magnetic fields into coupled and uncoupled components. This model provides a methodology for characterizing the coupled field parameters in terms of the polarizations induced by cross-coupling effects in magnetoelectric materials. From this formulation, the interactions of applied fields in magnetoelectric materials are contrasted with conventional material counterparts. This is then used to characterize the fields in terms of polarizations induced by the uncoupled components and cross-coupling parameters. Reciprocal and nonreciprocal configurations of magnetoelectric materials are identified. The similarities an...
TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS IN AN ISOTROPIC TURBULENT FLOW

Abstract An attempt is made to see what the results of the application of the methods of Heisenberg are to isotropic temperature fluctuations in a stationary isotropic turbulence, under the restriction that temperature differences are too small to have any effect on the velocity field. The power spectrum for temperature fluctuations, thus deduced, degenerates to those obtained previously by Corrsin at two extremes-i.e., in intermediate and highest wave number ranges. The shape of the correlation function is also derived and compared with the experimental results of Shiotani. Finally, the thermal microscale and the size of the smallest eddies are expressed in terms of the turbulent Reynolds number and Peclet number or the fluid Prandtl number.
Parental Cardiovascular Disease as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease in Middle-aged Adults: A Prospective Study of Parents and Offspring

ContextWhether parental cardiovascular disease confers increased risk independent of other risk factors remains controversial. Prior studies relied on offspring report, without complete validation of parental events.ObjectiveTo determine whether parental cardiovascular disease predicts offspring events independent of traditional risk factors, using a prospective design for both parents and offspring, and uniform criteria to validate events.DesignInception cohort study.SettingFramingham Heart Study, a US population-based epidemiologic cohort begun in 1948 with the offspring cohort established in 1971.ParticipantsAll Framingham Offspring Study participants (aged ≥30 years) who were free of cardiovascular disease and both parents in the original Framingham cohort.Main Outcome MeasuresWe examined the association of parental cardiovascular disease with 8-year risk of offspring cardiovascular disease, using pooled logistic regression.ResultsAmong 2302 men and women (mean age, 44 years), 164 men and 79 women had cardiovascular events during follow-up. Compared with participants with no parental cardiovascular disease, those with at least 1 parent with premature cardiovascular disease (onset age <55 years in father, <65 years in mother) had greater risk for events, with age-adjusted odds ratios of 2.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-4.1) for men and 2.3 (95% CI, 1.3-4.3) for women. Multivariable adjustment resulted in odds ratios of 2.0 (95% CI, 1.2-3.1) for men and 1.7 (95% CI, 0.9-3.1) for women. Nonpremature parental cardiovascular disease and parental coronary disease were weaker predictors. Addition of parental information aided in discriminating event rates, notably among offspring with intermediate levels of cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as intermediate predicted multivariable risk.ConclusionsUsing validated events, we found that parental cardiovascular disease independently predicted future offspring events in middle-aged adults. Addition of parental information may help clinicians and patients with primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, when treatment decisions may be difficult in patients at intermediate risk based on levels of single or multiple risk factors. These data also support further research into genetic determinants of cardiovascular risk.
The effects of English training abroad on labor market outcomes in Korea

Abstract This study examines the effects of English training abroad (hereafter ETA) on labor market outcomes in South Korea. ETA has become increasingly popular in many non-English speaking countries and refers to short-term language study training abroad where students spend anywhere from 6 months to 2 years taking language courses at an educational institutions. In this article, I conduct survival analysis and quantile regression using data from the 2007 Korea Employment Information Service's Graduate Occupational Mobility Survey. This study finds that although the average effects of ETA seem to be modest as most prior research has indicated, ETA does appear to have substantial positive effects on getting a good job and earning higher wages. ETA proved especially helpful for those who did not attend elite colleges. That is, ETA is a useful tool for students with weaker formal education (often non-elite students) to supplement their educational credentials. Based on these findings, I conclude that ETA has a substantial impact on labor market outcomes in South Korea. This means that labor market opportunities are strongly determined by an individual's socioeconomic background, as the cost of participation in ETA presents a barrier to entry for individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Identification and comparative analysis of drought-associated microRNAs in two cowpea genotypes

Background: Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an important crop in arid and semi-arid regions and is a good model for studying drought tolerance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to play critical roles in plant stress responses, but drought-associated miRNAs have not been identified in cowpea. In addition, it is not understood how miRNAs might contribute to different capacities of drought tolerance in different cowpea genotypes. Results: We generated deep sequencing small RNA reads from two cowpea genotypes (CB46, drought-sensitive, and IT93K503-1, drought-tolerant) that grew under well-watered and drought stress conditions. We mapped small RNA reads to cowpea genomic sequences and identified 157 miRNA genes that belong to 89 families. Among 44 drought-associated miRNAs, 30 were upregulated in drought condition and 14 were downregulated. Although miRNA expression was in general consistent in two genotypes, we found that nine miRNAs were predominantly or exclusively expressed in one of the two genotypes and that 11 miRNAs were drought-regulated in only one genotype, but not the other. Conclusions: These results suggest that miRNAs may play important roles in drought tolerance in cowpea and may be a key factor in determining the level of drought tolerance in different cowpea genotypes.
Perceived exertion associated with breathing hyperoxic mixtures during submaximal work

The effect of an enriched inspired oxygen concentration on perceived exertion (RPE) was investigated while running at two submaximal treadmill loads. Twelve males (VO2 max = 49.3 ml/kg-min) worked at 50% and 80% VO2 max, breathing either air or 80% O2-20% N2 in random order using a single blind technique. Subjects were evaluated while running for 10 min and during a 20 min recovery. Heart rate (HR), ventilation (VE), respiration rate (RR), tidal volume (VT) and RPE were measured before, during and after work. Blood lactate was measured 1 min after work. Oxygen concentration did not statistically affect HR, VE, RR or VT during exercise or recovery. At both loads, RPE at the end of exercise was significantly reduced breathing the hyperoxic mixture. At 50% VO2 max, mean RPE decreased from 11.2 breathing room air to 9.6 breathing 80% O2 and, 80% VO2 max, from 13.8 to 11.7 (P less than 0.01). Blood lactates were significantly reduced breathing 80% O2; from 23.4 mg to 13.3 at 50% VO2 max and from 55.5 to 36.5 at 80% VO2 max (P less than 0.01). The RPE correlated with lactate (r=0.64) at the end of work. Results indicate that during moderate and heavy work RPE is significantly affected by the inspired O2 concentration and there is a significant relationship between RPE and blood lactate.
Genetic Strategies of Tumor Suppression

The evaluation of the cancer cell is a complex multigene process. Tumor suppressor genes that are lost or inactivated, as well as genes that are overexpressed, play key roles in tumor progression. The identification of overexpressed genes has been expedited by the presence of transforming genes in some animal retroviruses. However, tumor suppressor genes have been difficult to identify and isolate because of their loss or inactivation during tumorigenesis. By a variety of methods, summarized in this review, a few tumor suppressors have been cloned and characterized, and many more have been recognized indirectly. The general finding at this time is that the same tumor suppressors (and oncogenes) are found associated with many different tumors, that several different altered genes are found typically in the same tumors, and that other oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes seem to be characteristically altered in particular tumor types as well. Functions of tumor suppressor genes include the control of normal cell activities such as proliferation and differentiation as well as senescence, which is a special kind of differentiation in which cells lose their ability to divide. The genetic basis of senescence and identification of genes involved in overcoming senescence, leading to immortalization (i.e., indefinite growth potential), are important areas of current investigation. Our laboratory is engaged in senescence/immortalization studies as a result of our discovery that normal human mammary epithelial cells can be immortalized by DNA of the human papilloma virus. These new studies are summarized here.
Solvability of perturbed elliptic equations with critical growth exponent for the gradient

Sur un domaine borne ΩCR N on considere le probleme de Dirichlet A(u)+G(u)=f, u/ ∂Ω =0, ou A(u):=∑ t=1 N (−1)D i A i (x,u,D(u)) definit un operateur pseudomonotone d'un espace de Sobolev H 0 1,p (Ω) dans son espace dual et la perturbation G(u)=g(x,u,D(u)) satisfait une condition de croissance