cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trypanosoma brucei RNA Editing: Coupled Cycles of U Deletion Reveal Processive Activity of the Editing Complex

RNA editing in Trypanosoma brucei is posttranscriptional uridylate removal/addition, generally at vast numbers of pre-mRNA sites, but to date, only single editing cycles have been examined in vitro. We here demonstrate achieving sequential cycles of U deletion in vitro, with editing products confirmed by sequence analysis. Notably, the subsequent editing cycle is much more efficient and occurs far more rapidly than single editing cycles; plus, it has different recognition requirements. This indicates that the editing complex acts in a concerted manner and does not dissociate from the RNA substrate between these cycles. Furthermore, the multicycle substrate exhibits editing that is unexpected from a strictly 3′-to-5′ progression, reminiscent of the unexpected editing that has been shown to occur frequently in T. brucei mRNAs edited in vivo. This unexpected editing is most likely due to alternate mRNA:guide RNA (gRNA) alignment forming a hyphenated anchor; its having only a 2-bp proximal duplex helps explain the prevalence of unexpected editing in vivo. Such unexpected editing was not previously reported in vitro, presumably because the common use of artificially tight mRNA:gRNA base pairing precludes alternate alignments. The multicycle editing and unexpected editing presented in this paper bring in vitro reactions closer to reproducing the in vivo editing process.
High quality p-type Ag-doped ZnO thin films achieved under elevated growth temperatures

By correlating the effects of substrate temperature, oxygen pressure and laser energy on the electrical and microstructural properties of Ag-doped ZnO films grown on a sapphire (0001) substrate, p-type conductivity is achieved under various substrate temperatures in the wide range of 250–750 °C. All of the samples were deposited by pulsed-laser deposition under various designed conditions. Hall measurements indicate that the best conductivity is achieved in Ag–ZnO films under a substrate temperature of 500 °C, a partial oxygen pressure of 250–300 mTorr and laser energy between 330 and 345 mJ. The hole-carrier concentration is 2.29 × 1018 cm−3, the resistivity is 0.9 Ω cm and the mobility is 3.03 cm2 V−1 s−1. Transmission-electron microscopy (TEM) studies on the p-type films reveal similar microstructural properties to one another, but different properties to that of the n-type films deposited at the same temperatures with different deposition parameters.
The Design of Contracts and Remedies for Breach

In the first part of this article, (hypothetical) contracts providing for all possible uncertain contingencies are considered. In the next part, contracts providing for only some contingencies are examined and are shown to be advantageous, due both to difficulties that could arise in making and enforcing contingent terms and to the presence of implicit substitutes for them. In the following, major part of the article, two of these substitutes for contingent terms are analyzed: remedies for breach, and the opportunity for renegotiation; the existence of both is demonstrated to induce parties to behave approximately as they would under detailed contracts.
Cross-Function and Same-Function Alliances: How Does Alliance Structure Affect the Behavior of Partnering Firms?

Firms collaborate to develop and deliver new products. These collaborations vary in terms of the similarity of the competencies that partnering firms bring to the alliance. In same-function alliances, partnering firms have similar competencies, whereas in cross-function alliances, partners have very different competencies. On examining managers' view of these alliances, we find that, on average, same-function alliances are expected to perform better than cross-function alliances, holding fixed the level of inputs. A game-theoretic analysis shows that this apprehension about cross-function alliances is consistent with a Pareto-inferior equilibrium. A Pareto-superior equilibrium, however, suggests that partners in cross-function alliances may invest more in their alliances than those in same-function alliances. It is also often believed that increasing the number of partnering firms is not conducive for collaborative effort. Our analysis shows that this belief is correct for same-function alliances, but not for cross-function alliances. We test these equilibrium predictions in an experiment where we exogenously vary the type of alliance and the number of partnering firms. The experimental results lend support for the Pareto-superior equilibrium. Partners in cross-function alliances invested more than their counterparts in same-function alliances, and this difference in investment levels increased with the number of partnering firms. We extend our model to consider alliances where firms have an opportunity to learn from their partners and later leverage this knowledge outside the scope of their alliance. Though such learning increases the resources committed by alliance partners in the learning phase, it decreases investment in the subsequent competition and also dampens the overall investment across the two stages. In addition, an increase in interalliance competition decreases investments in the focal alliance but increases investment in the competition outside the scope of the alliance.
Distributions and Trends of Death and Destruction from Hurricanes in the United States, 1900-2008

Because annual death and destruction from hurricanes in the United States can vary by > 4 orders of magnitude, common log- arithms are convenient measures. If the data are stratified into years when at least one major hurricane (maximum winds > 49 m=s) made landfall and those without a major-hurricane-landfall, logarithmic mortality and damage in both subsets appear to be normally distributed. Combined log-normal distributions accurately represent the data. From 1900 through 2008, total hurricane mortality decreased with a halving time of 26 years. Consistent with previous analyses, historical damage normalized for population growth, increasing individual wealth, and inflation did not exhibit significant trends in either subset. Comparison between the complete 1900-2008 record and a truncated version spanning 1900-2000 shows that the effects of hurricanes since 2000, especially Katrina, doubled the expected loss of life and increased the expected damage by 10%, consistent with the relatively large statistical uncertainty in estimation of the model parameters. In the context of the model, the expected frequency of disasters that cause > $100 billion in damage is approximately three times a century and for those that claim > 1;000 lives is approximately once a century. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)NH.1527-6996.0000046. © 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
Simulation and Optimization of a Concentrated Photovoltaic System

Reported here is the development, using results of analysis and experiments, and optimisation of a numerical model for a concentrated photovoltaic system. Models for the two major components of the system (cooling system and receiver) are developed separately from one another and then linked to simulate the performance for the entire system. The model is linked to yearly weather data and the optimization routines included in MATLAB are then used to select the input parameters (pump size, number of radiators, fan speed, etc.) which maximise the solar to electrical conversion efficiency of the system.
Coactivation of Delayed-Action Vulcanization. Part I. Polymeric, Nonmigratory Cure Coactivators for Accelerated Sulfur Vulcanization

Abstract Rubbery vinylpyridine-butadiene copolymers, containing 20–65% by weight of vinylpyridine monomer units, are effective coactivators of vulcanization for TBBS-accelerated sulfur-vulcanized SBR. In addition to emulsion SBR, the new co-activator has been evaluated in copositions of solution SBR, BR, NR, and various blends. The co-activator is active in all of the compositions which contain butadiene-derived synthetic rubber. This includes blends such as SBR/BR, solution-SBR/BR, SBR/NR, BR/NR, SBR/BR/NR, etc. There is little or no activity in which NR is the only polymer. The most efficacious copolymers contain between 30 and 60% 2-vinylpyridine. The incorporation of such a copolymer into an unvulcanized butadiene-derived rubber mix can give a substantial increase in the rate of crosslink formation with only a minimum loss of scorch resistance. Since the polymeric coactivators are very high in molecular weight, it can be at least tentatively concluded that they will not migrate from one component stoc...
Students' Activity Focus in Online Asynchronous Peer Learning Forums

This qualitative study explores how using Peer Learning Forums (PLF) in an online asynchronous computer programming course can be analyzed to derive information about Student Activity Focus (SAF) for adult Information Technology students. Three instruments are proposed to assist instructors classify questions posted by students on these forums, obtain easy quantitative measures of their SAF, and use it to gain a better understanding of the type of learning barriers they are encountering. In addition, we also look at the difference in SAF between passing and failing students based on their exam performance. The PLF learning activity and the classification instruments are easily adaptable to other disciplines or courses and allow instructors and students alike to gain a better understanding of what kind of participation is helpful in online asynchronous discussion forums.
Microchip lasers

Microchip lasers are made of a simple slice of solid-state laser material, coated on both sides, and pumped with a diode laser. This geometry forms a particularly simple laser cavity. The cavity, which is otherwise on the edge of stability, is made stable by thermal and gain-related effects, producing a high quality TEM/sub 00/ laser beam. The simplicity leads to ease of mass-manufacture and low cost. The short length encourages single-frequency operation, and the short cavity decay time can allow the generation of short pulses. The extension of these ideas to involve additional intracavity components has allowed the demonstration of "simple" lasers that operate in an actively or passively Q-switched mode, lasers that are frequency agile, and CW and pulsed lasers that are frequency shifted into the visible and other spectral ranges. One part of our work has been in investigating the cavity stability mechanisms of these lasers. These can be thermally-related involving a distributed thermal lens through dn/dT effects or involving thermal expansion of the pumped face, or they can be gain-related involving elements of gain guiding or changes in refractive index associated with the spatially dependent gain. Such effects are strongly dependent on the gain material used. Under certain conditions we have observed a form of self-Q-switching in Nd:YVO/sub 4/ microchip lasers, which our experiments and modelling suggest is associated with spatial variation of the gain and how this impacts on the guiding of different longitudinal modes.
Studies on the role of a humoral sodium-transport inhibitor and the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V) in experimental low-renin hypertension.

Summary 1. Recent studies in our laboratory suggest that Na+,K+-dependent-ATPase and Na+-K+ pump activities are reduced in cardiovascular muscle of animals with experimental low-renin hypertension. 2. We here show that these abnormalities are associated with a heat-stable ouabain-like agent in the plasma. 3. In the volume-expanded rat, an anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V) lesion decreases the level of the ouabain-like humoral factor and increases vascular Na+-K+ pump activity. These findings suggest that the humoral ouabainlike factor originates in or is influenced by the AV3V area of the brain and may help to explain why the AV3V lesion prevents or reverses one-kidney renal and one-kidney, DOCA-salt hypertension in rats.
Differential Extent of Opportunity Among Executives and Lower Managers

Presents a study which discussed the factors associated with career development and opportunities among executives and lower managers. Methodology and study groups; Limitations of the study; Results and discussion; Summary and implications.
Mineralization of Multilayer Hydrogels as a Model for Mineralization of Bone

Extrusion freeform fabrication is a 3-D layerwise writing technique for forming objects directly under the control of a CAD program. This method is one of a family of rapid prototyping methods which include stereolithography, selective laser sintering and fused deposition modeling. This system can be used to build shapes, layer by layer, from hydrogels of agarose, polyacrylamide or other cross-linked water-soluble acrylic polymers. Mineralization can be induced in these gels by building a part with alternating layers of gels containing calcium and carbonate or phosphate that can be formed into stacks which then mineralize by cross-diffusion. The write head can be conceived of as a cell which delivers the appropriate minerals to a site within a swollen gel matrix. This diffusive mineralization process can thus be compared with bone mineralization. The gel structure controls the morphology of the mineral. The site of mineralization is controlled by osmotic forces which localize most of the mineral in whichever zone has the higher ionic strength. The mineral content, expressed as a fraction of the polymer content, is similar to that of bone but the water content is much higher than in bone. This raises the question of what process drives the water exclusion during bone mineralization.
IGCC Power Plant Dispatch Using Infinite-Horizon Economic Model Predictive Control

The Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) possesses many benefits over traditional power generation plants, ranging from increased efficiency to flex-fuel and carbon capture opportunities. A lesser-known benefit of the IGCC configuration is the ability to load track electricity market demands. The idea being that process modifications to enable dispatch capabilities will allow for a time-shift of power production away from periods of low energy value to periods of high value. The work begins with an illustration of Economic Model Predictive Control (EMPC) as a vehicle to exploit dispatch capabilities by pursuing the objective of maximizing revenue directly. However, implementation of EMPC can result in unexpected and, at times, pathological closed-loop behavior, including inventory creep and bang–bang actuation. To address these issues, an infinite-horizon version of EMPC is developed and shown to avoid many of the performance issues observed in the finite-horizon version. The paper concludes with...
Effect Assessment on Smoking Control Intervention in Hospitals of Zhenjiang City, 2011

Objective This study was to assess the effect of smoking control during the tobacco-free campaign in hospitals of Zhenjiang City, 2011. Methods Random sampling method was used to select 7 hospitals of second class or above for smoking control intervention. Before and after the intervention, the environment of the hospital settings was inspected, and the medical personnel and patients were surveyed to assess the effect of intervention. Results After the intervention, the percentage of hospital units that deliver smoke-free pamphlets and set designated outdoor smoking areas increased from 85.7% to 100.0%; no-smoking signs were posted in all critical areas in the hospitals. More patients paid attention to no-smoking signs and tobacco control pamphlets, and took initiative to encourage smokers to quit smoking. In contrast, less patients smelled smoke. After the intervention, less medical staff smoked and more quitted or planned to quit smoking. The percentage of hospitals complying with tobacco-free regulations increased from 56.8% to 71.0% after the intervention. Percentage of medical staff who support tobacco-free environment increased from 84.5% to 94.5. Conclusion The effect of tobacco-free campaign is evident. However, smoking indoors still exists. Long-term effort should be paid to consolidate the achievement of tobacco-free environment.
Bilateral Dislocation of Rear Tip Extenders from the Inflatable Penile Prosthesis

Abstract Rear tip extenders have been developed recently for placement at the base of the cylinders of the inflatable penile prosthesis. These are designed to diminish the chance of the cylinder tube rubbing on and subsequently perforating through the expandable portion of the penile prosthesis cylinder. We report a case in which spontaneous dislodgement of the rear tip extenders from the cylinders of the inflatable penile prosthesis occurred.
The Righteous Among the Nations of the World: An Exploration of Free-Choice Learning

The purpose of this study was to explore how learners make meaning of their experiences at exhibits depicting narratives of the Polish Righteous Among the Nations of the World, free-choice learning...
Investigating the Effective Fracture Toughness of Heterogeneous Materials

Heterogeneous materials are ubiquitous in nature, and are increasingly being engineered to obtain desirable mechanical properties. Naturally, the bulk properties of a heterogeneous material can be different from those of its constituents. Thus, one needs to determine its overall or effective properties. For some of these properties, like effective elastic modulus, the characterization is well-known, while for other such as effective fracture toughness, it is a matter of ongoing research. In this paper, we present a method to measure the effective fracture toughness. For the method, we apply a time-dependent displacement condition called the surfing boundary condition. This boundary condition leads the crack to propagate steadily macroscopically but in an unconstrained manner microscopically. We then use the grid method, a non-contact full-field displacement measurement technique, to obtain the displacement gradient. With this field, we compute the macroscopic energy release rate via the area J-integral. Finally, we interpret the effective toughness as the peak of the energy release rate. Using this method, we investigate the influence of heterogeneity on effective fracture toughness. We find that the effective toughness can be enhanced due to the heterogeneity. Consequently, engineered heterogeneity may provide a means to improve fracture toughness in solids.
Developing Students' Understanding of Industrially Relevant Economic and Life Cycle Assessments.

Training future leaders to understand life cycle assessment data is critical for effective research, business, and sociopolitical decision-making. However, the technical nature of these life cycle reports often makes them challenging for students and other nonexperts to comprehend. Therefore, we outline here the key takeaways from recent economic and life cycle assessments for three major commodity chemicals—ethylene, ethylene oxide, and terephthalic acid—that are precursors for plastics, synthetic fibers, and many other consumer products. The five lessons and 10 discussion prompts (provided in the Supporting Information) serve as useful teaching tools for introductory chemistry and chemical engineering courses.
Surgical hip dislocation through a direct lateral approach: A cadaveric study of vascular danger zones.

Abstract Objective There is limited information on the potential danger to the vascularity of the femoral head during surgical dislocation of the hip using the direct lateral approach. The objective of this study was to investigate the topographical anatomy of the medial femoral circumflex artery (MFCA), the primary source of blood supply to the femoral head, in relationship to the direct lateral approach. Methods Seven unembalmed cadaver hips had dye injection into either the profunda femoris artery or the MFCA. Surgical hip dislocation was then performed through a direct lateral approach, noting the danger zones to the MFCA branches during each step of the exposure. Results None of the MFCA branches were found to cross the anterior surgical field superficial to the capsule. The deep (main) branch of the MFCA pierced the inferior capsule at the level of the lesser trochanter after emerging posterior to iliopsoas tendon. Ascending branches up the medial femoral neck were identified at this level. The deep branch then coursed posteriorly terminating in a variable number of vessels ascending the posterior femoral neck. Dislocation of the femoral head did not stretch or alter the course of the deep branch of the MFCA. Conclusion Safe surgical hip dislocation preserving the MFCA can be performed though a direct lateral approach as long as the inferomedial portion of the anterior capsule is preserved (main branch of the MFCA pierces the capsule at this level). Extracapsular injury is possible from inadvertent dissection at the level of the lesser trochanter or aggressive retraction on the iliopsoas. The posterior capsule should be left intact and instrumentation around the posterior neck should be avoided.
Self-care difficulties and reliance on support among vulnerable middle-aged and older adults with chronic conditions: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Objectives Chronic conditions are pervasive among middle-aged and older adults. This study identified: (1) factors associated with participants reporting difficulties self-managing their chronic condition(s); and (2) factors associated with participants’ reliance on external sources for ongoing help and support to improve their health and manage their health conditions. Study design Cross-sectional data were collected using the National Council on Aging Chronic Care Survey, a nationally representative telephone survey of adults aged 45 years and older with at least one chronic condition. Main outcome measures Self-care difficulties among middle-aged and older adults with one or more chronic conditions and factors associated with reliance on ongoing help and support were examined. Results Among 731 middle-aged and older adults with one or more chronic conditions, 31% of participants reported their health condition(s) made it difficult for them to care for themselves. Participants who were Hispanic (OR = 3.08, P = 0.009), had three or more chronic conditions (OR = 3.05, P Conclusions Simultaneously considering patients’ disease profiles, patient characteristics, difficulties managing their chronic conditions at home, and interactions with the healthcare system can inform tailored approaches and strategies to enhance patient education and resource identification, and can support service linkages.
Direct measurement of free and esterified cholesterol mass in differentiated human podocytes: A TLC and enzymatic assay-based method

Esterified cholesterol content is often lower than free cholesterol content in biological systems and thus the determination of the esterified cholesterol content of cells is often challenging. Traditional methods use enzymatic assays in which an indirect measurement of the esterified cholesterol content is obtained by subtracting the measurements of the free from the total cholesterol content. However, this approach fails in the case where the total cholesterol content of cells is unchanged while the ratio of free to esterified cholesterol changes such that total and free cholesterol content are very similar and thus the difference may fall within the background noise of the enzymatic assay. To overcome this challenge, we here describe a method that utilizes a TLC-based technique to isolate esterified cholesterol. Isolated esterified cholesterol can then be measured using traditional enzymatic methods. Therefore, this method provides a practical and more sensitive assay to measure esterified cholesterol content in cellular extracts.
Magnesium, Copper and Cobalt

Magnesium, copper and cobalt are essential micronutrients for Brucella strains, but relatively little is known about how the brucellae acquire the levels of these metals they need and avoid their toxicity. This chapter will review the information that is available in the literature and can be derived from surveys of currently available genome sequences regarding magnesium, copper and cobalt homeostasis in Brucella.
Isolation of Live Fibroblasts by Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting

Flow cytometry is a powerful tool in cell biology in that it allows real-time characterization of cellular phenotypes. Additionally, through the process of fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), living cells can be isolated for future in vitro experiments, including single cell analysis. Here we describe the isolation of live fibroblasts from the dermis of the skin in mice using FACS. This method circumvents the need for ex vivo expansion in cell culture, which can alter phenotypic and functional characteristics of cells.
A simple potentiometric titration method for estimation of maleic anhydride in high molecular weight styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer

Abstract A potentiometric titration method for estimation of maleic anhydride content in high molecular weight styrene maleic anhydride copolymer was developed. The method involves reaction of maleic anhydride with aniline to convert anhydride to monoacid, which was then titrated with an organic base namely alcoholic tetra-butylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH). The misperception over end-point detection by color indicators was circumvented in this method by potentiometric end-point detection. The method is accurate, repeatable and easy to implement.
Self-Consistent Modeling of Constraint Release in a Single-Chain Mean-Field Slip-Link Model

A new implementation of constraint dynamics for the discrete slip-link model (DSM), which is statistically consistent with sliding dynamics of the chain, is proposed. The DSM agrees with linear viscoelastic (LVE) data for linear monodisperse entangled polymer melts at least as well as state-of-the-art tube models. The agreement with data can be obtained by fitting only two parameters, β and τ K that arc independent of the molecular weight of the polymer. However, because the theory exists on a more-detailed level of description, it contains fewer assumptions than do existing tube models and assumptions of the latter may be examined. Several fundamental differences between DSM and tube models are revealed. For example. Rouse motion is an inappropriate realization of constraint dynamics in the slip-link picture. Moreover, the chain relaxation by sliding dynamics for the DSM is significantly different from the fraction of survived entanglements multiplied by the plateau modulus, whereas the tube model assumes that these are equivalent at long times. These two differences effectively cancel one another. Moreover, they could result in different bidisperse LVE predictions. On the other hand, several other assumptions made in tube theories are confirmed by the DSM results. Finally, model comparisons with experimental data exposed some limitations in the experiments.
Evolutionary biogeography and tectonic history of the ghost moth families Hepialidae, Mnesarchaeidae, and Palaeosetidae in the Southwest Pacific (Lepidoptera: Exoporia)

The biogeographic history of Exoporia (Lepidoptera) in the Southwest Pacific is reconstructed for genera and species that show distributional boundaries corresponding to tectonic structures in the region. Correlations with tectonic formations of Mesozoic origin such as the Whitsunday Volcanic Province and Otway-Bass-Gippsland Basin system in Australia, the Vitiaz Fracture Zone in northern Melanesia, and the Western Province-Eastern Province boundary, Waitaki Fault Zone, and Waihemo Fault Zone of New Zealand are presented as evidence of an East Gondwana origin for genera and species before the geological separation of Australia and New Zealand. The correlated boundaries also suggest that many extant species retain at least parts of their original East Gondwana distribution ranges. The presence of Exoporia on the northern Melanesian Arc, New Caledonia, and New Zealand is attributed to the tectonic isolation of these areas when East Gondwana expanded into the Pacific following retreat of the Pacific Plate subduction zone. Local endemism of Mnesarchaeidae in New Zealand is interpreted as the result of an original vicariance from a widespread ancestor ('Exoporia') resulting in two allopatric descendants -a narrowly distributed Mnesarchoidea and a widely distributed Hepialoidea. The current overlap of these two groups in New Zealand is explained as the result of subsequent range expansion by the Hepialoidea prior to geological fragmentation of East Gondwana. The potential impact of Cretaceous geography on modern distributions is also considered for Exoporia in southern Africa and northern America. Along with lateral displacement of Exoporia, tectonic processes also contributed to the origin of high elevation endemics through a process of passive tectonic uplift.
When Should Postoperative Radiochemotherapy Be Performed

Postoperative radiochemotherapy is recommended for patients with resected stage II-III rectal cancer who did not receive preoperative therapy. In this setting, postoperative radiochemotherapy has been shown to improve local control compared to observation but is associated with higher local recurrence, increased surgical complications, and no opportunity to improve the rate of sphincter preservation compared to preoperative therapy. The extent to which modern adjuvant chemotherapy may attenuate previously reported recurrence risks and applicability of data for patients with low-risk stage II disease following total mesorectal excision is unknown.
Applying Decision Analysis to Transfusion Medicine in the Real World to Improve Transfusion Safety

When faced with a direct threat, the appropriate response is usually fairly clear. One can learn a pattern of response from such an experience, of course, and that learning may or not be adaptive. When applied to a situation that is truly different from the initial threat, the response may no longer be appropriate apd the outcome may not be truly what is desired.
Maintaining Religious Identity in the Wake of Interfaith Dialogue

This Open Access Master's Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the CGU Student Scholarship at Scholarship @ Claremont. It has been accepted for inclusion in CGU Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholarship @ Claremont. For more information, please contact scholarship@cuc.claremont.edu. Recommended Citation Crist, Teresa A., "Maintaining Religious Identity in the Wake of Interfaith Dialogue" (2014). CGU Theses & Dissertations. Paper 90. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/90
Abstract 2115: An authenticated in vitro model for prostate microenvironment studies utilizing prostate epithelial cells and stromal-derived cells

Prostate cancer remains one of the most common cancers diagnosed in men and one of the leading causes of cancer death in men. Tumor development and progression have been shown to be highly influenced not simply by the genetic makeup of a cell, but by its surrounding stroma, particularly fibroblasts. It has been demonstrated that prostate cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs, which are located marginal to the prostate tumor), differ from prostate normal-associated fibroblast (NAFs, which are located distal to the prostate tumor), on their contribution to tumor progression. However, human prostate cancer in-vitro model systems have focused largely on prostate cancer epithelial cells exclusively. A need exists for a more physiologically relevant human cell model system to study prostate cancer progression within the context of its tumor microenvironment. In this study, we utilized prostate cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), prostate normal-associated fibroblasts (NAFs) and normal prostate epithelial (PrE) cells; all three lines were immortalized by hTERT (human telomerase reverse transcriptase) alone and they were continuously passaged for at least 15 passages without any indications of a decrease in growth rate. All cell lines express appropriate specific cell lineage markers for either fibroblasts or epithelial cells. Fibroblasts expressed TE7 and alpha smooth muscle actin (a-SMA), while prostate epithelial cells expressed cytokeratin 5, low levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) and high levels of p63 throughout their continuous passage; all characteristics in accord with their primary cell counterparts. Next, cell proliferation was measured for various prostate-derived epithelial cells under the influence of CAFs and NAFs cells. Normal prostate epithelial cell proliferation was inhibited and produced a visible morphological change in the cells in the presence of CAFs or CAF-conditioned medium. Meanwhile, the effects of stromal cells on prostate cancer cells was cell line dependent, demonstrating both promotion and inhibition of growth of selected cancer cells. Surprisingly, both CAFs and NAFs promoted cancer cell growth, but CAFs promoted a greater increase in cell proliferation than NAFs in some cancer cell lines. This study demonstrates that these three hTERT immortalized cells from human prostate are a valuable model system for the study of prostate cancer cell progression and tumor micro environment studies. Citation Format: Luis G. Rodriguez, Russell E. McDaniel, Xiangshan Zhao, Chaozhong Zou. An authenticated in vitro model for prostate microenvironment studies utilizing prostate epithelial cells and stromal-derived cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2115.
A Fragment-Based Mechanistic Kinetic Modeling Framework for Complex Systems

There is great interest in developing chemical kinetic models with predictive power. A predictive kinetic model maintains high fidelity to the true chemistry usually via a full-detail molecule representation which distinguishes all the molecules and isomers. Unfortunately such full-detail representation quickly becomes intractable for large molecules because the number of isomers grows very rapidly with size. Several less detailed representations have been developed, including the popular Structure-Oriented Lumping (SOL) method, which allow one to model larger molecules. In this paper we first examine scalability for two existing representations (full-detail and SOL) and propose a new modeling methodology tailored for heavy systems: fragment-based modeling, which promises the best scalability. We show via a case study of heavy molecule pyrolysis that the new approach creates a much smaller reaction network but with similar prediction accuracy on feedstock conversion and products’ molecular weight distribu...
Comparison of pharmacy students' perceptions and attitudes toward spirometry first-hand experience versus paper-based active learning.

Abstract Background and purpose Spirometry is often technically challenging for patients. Previous studies have demonstrated the potential benefits of spirometry in the community pharmacy setting. This study compared pharmacy students' perceptions and attitudes toward performing spirometry, as well as implementing spirometry in clinics and community pharmacies through experiencing spirometry first-hand versus completing paper-based active learning exercises. Educational activity and setting First-year (N = 102) and second-year (N = 70) pharmacy students were provided with the same pre-class materials to learn about the spirometry process. During class, first-year (P1) students performed spirometry tests, while second-year (P2) students completed paper-based active learning exercises about spirometry without performing the test. A survey was provided to each group at the end of the class to: (1) compare students’ perception of the difficulty of performing spirometry, and (2) identify patient, clinic, and pharmacy barriers to implementing spirometry testing. Findings P1 students perceived performing spirometry as significantly more difficult compared to P2 students. Both P1 and P2 students perceived correct posture and breathing technique, and patient discomfort as the most difficult parts of performing spirometry. Significantly more P1 students (91.1%) perceived spirometry as a “helpful and noninvasive tool to screen for pulmonary diseases” than P2 students (54.1%). Summary Students who experienced spirometry perceived it to be more difficult than those who completed paper-based active learning exercises. Incorporating spirometry into a pharmacy curriculum could be an opportunity to increase students’ insight of the difficulty of performing spirometry and their appreciation for the clinical services pharmacists can provide.
Raiding and Warfare in Early Farming Villages of the Sonoran Desert

The archaeological record of the precolumbian Southwest US and Northwest Mexico contains a wide variety of evidence for violence and warfare. We examined osteological evidence for trauma from the s...
Ka Band FEM Design Comparison with 45nm RFSOI CMOS and High Performance SiGe BiCMOS

45nm RFSOI NFET has similar F T /F max as high performance 130nm SiGe NPN and they are both potentially suitable for Ka Band FEM applications. In this paper, we evaluated the Ka band LNA, SPDT, and PA based on both processes. A 28GHz LNA designed with 45nm RFSOI does present a lower noise figure advantage of about 1.4dB compared to ~2dB noise figure of a LNA designed with SiGe NPN. For SPDT, due to low parasitic capacitance in SOI process, based on traditional stack solution, RFSOI process shows about 1dB IL advantage compared with SPDT designed with a bulk SiGe BiCMOS process. While in the high performance SiGe process, a transmission line based SPDT or other advanced topology can get better performance than traditional stack solution with larger area. For PA’s, the SiGe device has higher breakdown voltage than a single FET in 45nm CMOS process, so from power density point of view, SiGe has higher power density. But the SOI process provides the stack solution, so the RFSOI overall output power of a single PA without power combination is similar to one designed with the SiGe NPN.
Energy Savings & Resiliency with Closed Loop Platform Automation

This demo showcases the advancements made through utilizing OPNFV Barometer project by introducing local and remote corrective action frameworks with industry standard cloud native orchestrators like Kubernetes, monitoring agents like Collectd, Time Series Database (TSDB) like Prometheus and InfluxDB for widely adopted NFV use cases of Virtual Border Network Gateway (vBNG) and Virtual Cable Modem Termination Systems (vCMTS). Leveraging advanced platform reliability and adaptive power saving telemetry, the demo provides methodologies in to identifying the platform capabilities & provision them for optimal run time power savings and reliability. The two part demo showcases in part one, automated memory fault detection and swap over of vBNG containers to hot stand by containers via local corrective action, while part two showcases adaptive power control of containerized vCMTS workload across multiple compute nodes, essentially providing closed loop platform automation.
Teaching Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Students to Read the Land through an Inquiry-Oriented Community Tour

AbstractTeacher practices created experiences for students to guide their inquiry by creating opportunities to gather data through field notes. Students examined their county and gathered data from...
Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Plus Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder and Severe Injection-related Infections

In a pilot randomized trial in persons with opioid use disorder hospitalized with injection-related infections, an innovative care model combining outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy with buprenorphine treatment had similar clinical and drug use outcomes to usual care (inpatient intravenous antibiotic completion) and shortened hospital length of stay by 23.5 days. Clinical trials registration NCT03048643.
Nucleophilic addition of benzylboronates to activated ketones

A method has been developed for the addition of benzylboronic acid pinacol ester to activated ketones including trifluoromethyl ketones in good yields. The use of DABCO as an additive was found to enhance the rate and efficiency of this reaction. In reactions of ketones with a second carbonyl group present such as an ester or amide, good chemoselectivity for the ketone was observed. Competition experiments suggest an electrophile relative reactivity order of CF2H ketone > CF3 ketone > aldehyde under these reaction conditions.
Nudging Urban Food Pantry Users in Utah Toward Healthier Choices.

Purpose. To evaluate the impact of a nudge program on food pantry clients’ self-reported selection and use of healthy foods. Method. A convenience sample of clients of six urban food pantries in Ut...
Pembrolizumab for management of patients with NSCLC and brain metastases: long-term results and biomarker analysis from a non-randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial.

Summary Background We did a phase 2 trial of pembrolizumab in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or melanoma with untreated brain metastases to determine the activity of PD-1 blockade in the CNS. Interim results were previously published, and we now report an updated analysis of the full NSCLC cohort. Methods This was an open-label, phase 2 study of patients from the Yale Cancer Center (CT, USA). Eligible patients were at least 18 years of age with stage IV NSCLC with at least one brain metastasis 5–20 mm in size, not previously treated or progressing after previous radiotherapy, no neurological symptoms or corticosteroid requirement, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status less than two. Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) criteria was used to evaluate CNS disease; systemic disease was not required for participation. Patients were treated with pembrolizumab 10 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks. Patients were in two cohorts: cohort 1 was for those with PD-L1 expression of at least 1% and cohort 2 was patients with PD-L1 less than 1% or unevaluable. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving a brain metastasis response (partial response or complete response, according to mRECIST). All treated patients were analysed for response and safety endpoints. This study is closed to accrual and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT02085070 . Findings Between March 31, 2014, and May 21, 2018, 42 patients were treated. Median follow-up was 8·3 months (IQR 4·5–26·2). 11 (29·7% [95% CI 15·9–47·0]) of 37 patients in cohort 1 had a brain metastasis response. There were no responses in cohort 2. Grade 3–4 adverse events related to treatment included two patients with pneumonitis, and one each with constitutional symptoms, colitis, adrenal insufficiency, hyperglycaemia, and hypokalaemia. Treatment-related serious adverse events occurred in six (14%) of 42 patients and were pneumonitis (n=2), acute kidney injury, colitis, hypokalaemia, and adrenal insufficiency (n=1 each). There were no treatment-related deaths. Interpretation Pembrolizumab has activity in brain metastases from NSCLC with PD-L1 expression at least 1% and is safe in selected patients with untreated brain metastases. Further investigation of immunotherapy in patients with CNS disease from NSCLC is warranted. Funding Merck and the Yale Cancer Center.
Regulation of olfactory associative memory by the circadian clock output signal Pigment-dispersing factor (PDF)

Dissociation between the output of the circadian clock and external environmental cues is a major cause of human cognitive dysfunction. While the effects of ablation of the molecular clock on memory have been studied in many systems, little has been done to test the role of specific clock circuit output signals. To address this gap, we examined the effects of mutation of Pigment-dispersing factor (Pdf) and its receptor, Pdfr on associative memory in male and female Drosophila. Loss of PDF signaling significantly decreases the ability to form associative memory. Appetitive short-term memory (STM), which in wildtype is time-of-day (TOD)-independent, is decreased across the day by mutation of Pdf or Pdfr, but more substantially in the morning than in the evening. This defect is due to PDFR expression in adult neurons outside the core clock circuit and the mushroom body Kenyon cells. The acquisition of a TOD difference in mutants implies the existence of multiple oscillators that act to normalize memory formation across the day for appetitive processes. Interestingly, aversive STM requires PDF but not PDFR, suggesting that there are valence-specific pathways downstream of PDF that regulate memory formation. These data argue that the circadian clock uses circuit-specific and molecularly diverse output pathways to enhance the ability of animals to optimize responses to changing conditions.
CHAPTER SEVEN – FORMAL DYNAMICS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the development of basic formalism for participator dynamics. It highlights the concept of action kernel at a level of generality. Intuitively, an action kernel describes how a participator, at a given moment of reference time, changes perspective in response to a channeling. This change depends, in part, on the perspective of the participator. In the case of a symmetric framework, the group action is used to define the notion of asymmetric action kernel. When considering collectively a closed system of participators and assuming some regularity to the distribution of channelings, it is possible to canonically associate certain Markov chains to the system. These Markov chains contain complete information about the extended semantics for each potential manifestation of the participators. Participators are individuated instantaneously by their perspectives, and it is natural to suppose that the channeling affinities depend, at least in part, on these perspectives. This idea suggests that channeling affinity is attached somehow to an environment supported by a reflexive framework, wherein it describes mutual perceptual accessibility or informational conductivity between pairs of perspectives. In symmetric frameworks, the affinity might depend only on the difference of perspectives.
Perioperative nursing of children patients in PICU during fiberoptic bronchoscopy

Objective To explore the perioperative nursing experience during the application of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in PICU,in order to improve nursing processes and advocate excellent nursing service.Methods Considering the features of children' s anatomy and physiology and severe heart and lung diseases,1088 clinical diagnosis and treatment documents of 848 children patients cured in our hospital were reviewed and analyzed so as to summarize the essentials and process of perioperative nursing.Results There were no serious complications and other adverse consequences in all of 848 children patients.77％ (651/848) children patients who were diagnosed with severe pneumonia according to the preoperative clinical symptoms and imaging were cured or got better by using lung lavage on fiberoptic bronchoscopy and others clinical treatment,the foreign bodies of 5％ (45/848) children patients were successftlly removed; and There were no any stents loss or displacement in all children patients.There were the transient decrease in heart rate,the phenomenon that SpO2 decreased to 80％ or less and facial cyanosis in 14％ (119/848) children patients when operating fiberoptic bronchoscopy,and these children patients had no serious consequences and achieved remission of symptoms after immediately exiting fiberoptic bronchoscopy by doctors under the nurses reminds who detected these abnormalities in time.Conclusions Sufficient,proper,and scientific perioperative nursing plays an important role in reducing operative risk,postoperative complications as well as reducing operation time. Key words: Intensive care unit; Department of pediatrics; Perioperative nursing; Fiberoptic bronchoscopy