cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Involvement of erythropoietin in retinal ischemic preconditioning.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the role of erythropoietin in retinal ischemic preconditioning (IPC). Methods: Rats were subjected to retinal ischemia after IPC. Electroretinography assessed functional recovery after ischemia; retinal sections were examined to determine loss of retinal ganglion cells, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling was used to assess apoptosis. Levels of downstream mediators were measured in retinal homogenates by Western blotting. To assess the involvement of erythropoietin in IPC, Western blotting was used to measure levels of erythropoietin and its receptor (EPO-R) in retinal homogenates after IPC. To examine erythropoietin's role in IPC, the impact of blocking erythropoietin via intravitreal injection of soluble EPO-R (sEPO-R) before IPC was studied. Results: Erythropoietin levels did not change after IPC, but EPO-R increased. Intravitreal injection of sEPO-R significantly attenuated both the functional and histologic neuroprotection produced by IPC in comparison to control injection of denatured sEPO-R. Apoptotic damage after ischemia was enhanced in the sEPO-R-treated retinas as indicated by fluorescent terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling. Phosphorylated extracellular-signal-regulated kinase and heat shock protein 27, but not protein kinase B, upregulated in denatured sEPO-R-treated retinae, were attenuated in eyes injected with sEPO-R. Conclusions: These results indicate that EPO-R upregulation is a critical component of the functional, histologic, and anti-apoptotic protective effect of IPC on ischemia in the retina and that several downstream effectors may be involved in the neuroprotective actions of erythropoietin.
Toluene diisocyanate pulmonary disease: Immunopharmacologic and mecholyl challenge studies

Selected workers exhibiting clinical "sensitivity" to toluene diiosocyanate (TDI) (wheezing, cough, and dyspnea upon entering a TDI-containing area) were studied for : (1) in vitro TDI-induced leukocyte histamine release; (2) determination of cyclic 3',5' adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels of lymphocytes exposed to TDI; (3) effect of TDI on the isoproterenol-induced increase of lymphocyte cAMP levels: and (4) acetyl-beta-methylcholine (mecholyl) inhalation challenge. TDI did not induce histamine release from leukocytes of "sensitive" or "nonsensitive" individuals, nor were lymphocyte cAMP levels affected by in vitro TDI exposure, TDI did, however, diminish in vitro stimulation of cAMP by isoproterenol. This effect, seen with cells of "sensitive" and "nonsensitive" individuals, appeared to be dose-dependent; there were no significant differences between the two groups. When challenged with mecholyl, 7 of 10 "sensitive" but only 1 of 10 "nonsensitive" individuals showed a greater than 20% decrease in FEV1. These results suggest that TDI-induced obstructive airways disorders may be associated with altered beta-adrenergic function.
Characterization of a ferredoxin:NADP+ oxidoreductase from a nonphotosynthetic plant tissue

A flavoprotein with properties similar to those of ferredoxin:NADP+ oxidoreductases found in the leaves of higher plants has been purified to apparent homogeneity from bean sprouts, a nonphotosynthetic plant tissue. The absorbance and circular dichroism spectra of the bean sprout protein are similar to those of spinach leaf ferredoxin:NADP+ oxidoreductase and an antibody raised against the spinach enzyme recognized the bean sprout enzyme. The bean sprout enzyme catalyzed ferredoxin-dependent electron transfer from NADPH to equine cytochrome c at a high rate but, unlike the spinach enzyme, exhibited little NADPH to 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol diaphorase activity. The bean sprout enzyme forms a 1:1 electrostatically stabilized complex with ferredoxins isolated from either bean sprouts or spinach leaves.
Micromachined endovascularly-implantable wireless aneurysm pressure sensors: from concept to clinic

Passive wireless pressure sensors, originally developed for use in harsh environments, have been adapted for use in the human body. The application of these sensors is as monitors of endovascularly repaired abdominal aortic aneurysms. For this application, the devices must be permanently implanted deep within the body and be functional for the remainder of the patient's life. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) manufacturing technologies have been utilized to fabricate sensors with sizes and form factors suitable for endovascular delivery and permanent implantation. The sensors are interrogated with an external measurement antenna and a real-time waveform of the pressure environment is extracted. This paper reports the development and clinical demonstration of these sensors.
The Strategic Management of Technological Innovation

This article presents a review of the book “The Strategic Management of Technological Innovation,” edited by Ray Loveridge and Martin Pitt.
Z-MAC: a hybrid MAC for wireless sensor networks

This paper presents the design, implementation and performance evaluation of a hybrid MAC protocol, called Z-MAC, for wireless sensor networks that combines the strengths of TDMA and CSMA while offsetting their weaknesses. Like CSMA, Z-MAC achieves high channel utilization and low latency under low contention and like TDMA, achieves high channel utilization under high contention and reduces collision among two-hop neighbors at a low cost. A distinctive feature of Z-MAC is that its performance is robust to synchronization errors, slot assignment failures, and time-varying channel conditions; in the worst case, its performance always falls back to that of CSMA. Z-MAC is implemented in TinyOS.
Anticoagulation for continuous renal replacement therapy.

Abstract Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) has emerged as the preferred dialysis modality for critically ill patients with acute kidney injury, particularly those with hemodynamic instability. Anticoagulation is necessary for effective delivery of CRRT, but this requirement can also present challenges, as many critically ill patients with sepsis and inflammation already have a higher risk of bleeding as well as clotting. Without anticoagulation, CRRT filter and circuit survival are diminished, and therapy becomes less helpful. Heparins are presently the most commonly used anticoagulants worldwide for CRRT. They are widely available and can be easily monitored, but disadvantages include risks of hemorrhage, heparin resistance, and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). Because of the potential side effects of heparin, alternative methods of anticoagulation have been investigated, including regional heparin/protamine, low molecular weight heparins, heparinoids, thrombin antagonists (hirudin and argatroban), regional citrate, and platelet inhibiting agents (prostacyclin and nafamostat). Each of these techniques has unique advantages and disadvantages, and anticoagulation for CRRT should be adapted to the patient's characteristics and institution's experience. Of the alternative methods, citrate anticoagulation is gaining wider acceptance with the development of simplified and safer protocols.
Strategies for accelerating forward and backprojection in list-mode OSEM PET reconstruction using GPUs

Image reconstruction for the ECAT HRRT PET scanner with MOLAR is computationally demanding and requires a computer cluster for reasonable run times. Parallel computing using GPUs and CUDA offers a means to accelerate MOLAR. However, forward and backprojection operations present unique challenges that must be overcome to achieve acceptable speedup. In this study we implement GPU-accelerated versions of MOLAR's forward projection, backprojection and algorithm update modules and compare their performance to CPU-only versions. During this implementation we optimized the GPU thread configurations for each of these modules separately, along with a hybrid forward-backprojection module that is used for algorithm updates. We also numerically evaluated the reconstruction results to assess the impact of floating-point to integer conversions dictated by the GPU architecture. We found forward projection to be 41 times faster than the CPU-only code, while backprojection was 20 times faster. We found the optimal thread configurations always assigned 64 threads to a thread block, but with different distributions across the nested indexing loops within each module. These results show that MOLAR's forward and backprojection modules can be adequately accelerated to make the MOLAR reconstruction package much more efficient.
Effects of Intensive Counseling on Client Outcome in a Methadone Maintenance Program

This program evaluation examines intensification of rehabilitation services in an existing Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program (MMTP). The investigation includes a description of initial organizational problems, of the strategy and tactics used, and of formal and informal forces used to implement specific changes. Data specific to counseling services and client treatment goals were gathered and analyzed over a 14-month period of time for 35 MMTP clients. The tendency of the variables to increase over the 14-month time period was significant (p <. 05). The following trends were found: (1) clients' dosage of methadone reduced over time, (2) clients' progressed toward drug-free life-style changes over time, and (3) the intensification of counseling was associated with a reduction of the frequency of chemical abuse of clients.
Short note: Are electron-transport and electron-transfer involved in intracellular signaling?

In this paper, the possibility of electron-transfer and subsequent electron transport across membrane proteins (ion channels) is studied with respect to the ion channel function. The electronic properties of the ionic channel protein interface with the electrolytes, and the properties of the same ion channel protein as a solid-state biopolymer are used as the physical basis to explain these elementary charge transport phenomena. It is proposed that, by means of the occurrence of those two processes, there can be electrons participating in the activation of the G-proteins and subsequent intracellular signaling. As another example, the same analysis is used to propose the involvement of electrons in the neuromodulation of the ionic channels.
Functional significance of conserved amino acid residues

A systematic study of single amino acid substitutions in bacteriophage T4 lysozyme permitted a test of the concept that conserved amino acid residues are more functionally important than nonconserved residues. Substitutions of amino acid residues that are conserved among five bacteriophage-encoded lysozymes were found to lead more frequently to loss of function than substitutions of nonconserved residues. Of 163 residues tested, only 74 (45%) are sensitive to at least one substitution; however, all 14 residues that are fully conserved are sensitive to substitutions. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Scalable feature selection, classification and signature generation for organizing large text databases into hierarchical topic taxonomies

We explore how to organize large text databases hierarchically by topic to aid better searching, browsing and filtering. Many corpora, such as internet directories, digital libraries, and patent databases are manually organized into topic hierarchies, also called taxonomies. Similar to indices for relational data, taxonomies make search and access more efficient. However, the exponential growth in the volume of on-line textual information makes it nearly impossible to maintain such taxonomic organization for large, fast-changing corpora by hand. We describe an automatic system that starts with a small sample of the corpus in which topics have been assigned by hand, and then updates the database with new documents as the corpus grows, assigning topics to these new documents with high speed and accuracy. To do this, we use techniques from statistical pattern recognition to efficiently separate the feature words, or discriminants, from thenoise words at each node of the taxonomy. Using these, we build a multilevel classifier. At each node, this classifier can ignore the large number of “noise” words in a document. Thus, the classifier has a small model size and is very fast. Owing to the use of context-sensitive features, the classifier is very accurate. As a by-product, we can compute for each document a set of terms that occur significantly more often in it than in the classes to which it belongs. We describe the design and implementation of our system, stressing how to exploit standard, efficient relational operations like sorts and joins. We report on experiences with the Reuters newswire benchmark, the US patent database, and web document samples from Yahoo!. We discuss applications where our system can improve searching and filtering capabilities.
Aurora-B/AIM-1 Regulates the Dynamic Behavior of HP1α at the G2–M Transition

Heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) plays an important role in heterochromatin formation and undergoes large-scale, progressive dissociation from heterochromatin in prophase cells. However, the mechanisms regulating the dynamic behavior of HP1 are poorly understood. In this study, the role of Aurora-B was investigated with respect to the dynamic behavior of HP1alpha. Mammalian Aurora-B, AIM-1, colocalizes with HP1alpha to the heterochromatin in G2. Depletion of Aurora-B/AIM-1 inhibited dissociation of HP1alpha from the chromosome arms at the G2-M transition. In addition, depletion of INCENP led to aberrant cellular localization of Aurora-B/AIM-1, but it did not affect heterochromatin targeting of HP1alpha. It was proposed in the binary switch hypothesis that phosphorylation of histone H3 at Ser-10 negatively regulates the binding of HP1alpha to the adjacent methylated Lys-9. However, Aurora-B/AIM-1-mediated phosphorylation of H3 induced dissociation of the HP1alpha chromodomain but not of the intact protein in vitro, indicating that the center and/or C-terminal domain of HP1alpha interferes with the effect of H3 phosphorylation on HP1alpha dissociation. Interestingly, Lys-9 methyltransferase SUV39H1 is abnormally localized together along the metaphase chromosome arms in Aurora-B/AIM-1-depleted cells. In conclusion, these results showed that Aurora-B/AIM-1 is necessary for regulated histone modifications involved in binding of HP1alpha by the N terminus of histone H3 during mitosis.
Unravelling the physics of size-dependent dislocation-mediated plasticity

Size-affected dislocation-mediated plasticity is important in a wide range of materials and technologies. Here we develop a generalized size-dependent dislocation-based model that predicts strength as a function of crystal/grain size and the dislocation density. Threedimensional (3D) discrete dislocation dynamics (DDD) simulations reveal the existence of a well-defined relationship between strength and dislocation microstructure at all length scales for both single crystals and polycrystalline materials. The results predict a transition from dislocation-source strengthening to forest-dominated strengthening at a size-dependent critical dislocation density. It is also shown that the Hall–Petch relationship can be physically interpreted by coupling with an appropriate kinetic equation of the evolution of the dislocation density in polycrystals. The model is shown to be in remarkable agreement with experiments. This work presents a micro-mechanistic framework to predict and interpret strength sizescale effects, and provides an avenue towards performing multiscale simulations without ad hoc assumptions.
Imaging visual recognition: PET and fMRI studies of the functional anatomy of human visual recognition

Until recently, the neural bases of visual object recognition in humans could be studied only by the use of brain-damaged subjects with naturally occurring lesions. Functional neuroimaging has given us the capability of studying visual recognition in the normal human brain. In the past ten years a number of PET and fMRI studies have attempted to isolate the neural substrates of human visual recognition. We have reviewed these studies and compared their conclusions regarding the anatomical locations of visual recognition processing in the human brain. The outcome was disappointing, revealing a wide range of locations. Our attempts to reduce the scatter by subgrouping the studies according to different task and stimulus properties were not successful. We discuss possible reasons for the lack of agreement among studies, including differences in the kinds of information yielded by lesion and imaging studies, and issues in the design and analysis of functional neuroimaging experiments. We conclude with a review of a more recent approach to the neuroimaging of human visual recognition, in which the effects of recognizing different types of visual stimuli are compared directly. With these experimental designs neuroimaging yields more replicable results, which also accord better with the known effects of lesions.
Reply to Pancheva, Panchev, and Pancheva

to the editor: We thank Pancheva and colleagues (4) for their interest in our study investigating the association between maximal aerobic capacity and cerebrovascular reactivity. In this study, we measured cerebral blood flow velocity during resting conditions through the middle cerebral artery (MCA), where little dilation is expected with a hypercapnic stimulus. In our group of older healthy adults, we found that greater maximal aerobic capacity was positively associated with the ability of the MCA to increase blood flow velocity in response to hypercapnia. Although we believe this finding has relevance to cognition, we are not able to confirm that aerobic exercise necessarily improves cognitive function (all subjects were screened for potential cognitive dysfunction using a standard battery of tests). We presume that the microvasculature is responding to CO2 and is responsible for increasing blood flow. Regular exercise may help protect the microvasculature so that it can respond to CO2 and increased neural activity. Pancheva and colleagues bring up an excellent point regarding the potential for capillary pumps in controlling blood flow to the brain, particularly in relation to exercise and exercise training. Our interpretation follows the conventional physiological data demonstrating the contribution of prostaglandins to blood flow regulation in both animals and humans, but we believe there are distinct mechanisms of CO2-mediated vasodilation and prostaglandin-mediated vasodilation. However, our study is unable to distinguish the exact mechanism underlying the association between aerobic capacity and cerebrovascular reactivity. The interaction between the capillaries and red blood cells (RBCs) is of great importance in the regulation of blood flow in any vascular bed. As Pancheva and colleagues have described, RBC rigidity and the functioning of capillary pumps may contribute to blood flow regulation (3). Aging likely increases RBC rigidity, yet it is unclear if RBC rigidity is affected by regular exercise, at least in middle-aged adults (2). RBC quality may be under-recognized in many human physiology studies. Additionally, it is unknown if regular exercise or endurance training in aging humans modifies capillary pump function. It is well accepted that exercise training induces angiogenesis and increases capillary density within the cortex (1). Such structural changes to the framework (capillary size or number), especially in aged animals with reduced capillarity, will certainly affect the regulation of cerebral blood flow. In our human physiology studies, investigating capillary pumps is not possible. Therefore, the role of capillary pumps in vivo, and how they fit into the currently accepted explanation for exercise-induced changes in the brain, needs to be elucidated.
Sequence dependent conformations of glycidyl methacrylate/butyl methacrylate copolymers in the gas phase

Sequence dependent conformations of a series of glycidyl methacrylate/butyl methacrylate (GMA/BMA) copolymers cationized by sodium were analyzed in the gas phase using ion mobility methods. GMA and BMA have the same nominal mass but vary in exact mass by 0.036 Da (CH4 versus O). Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) was used to form Na + (GMA/BMA) copolymer ions and their collision cross-sections were measured in helium using ion mobility methods. The copolymer sequences from Na + (GMA/BMA)3 to Na + (GMA/BMA)5 (i.e. for the trimer to the pentamer) were studied. Analysis by molecular mechanics/dynamics indicates that each copolymer (regardless of sequence) forms a ring around the sodium ions due to Na + /oxygen electrostatic interactions. However, the structures vary in size, since the epoxy oxygen atoms in the glycidyl groups are attracted to the sodium ions while the carbon-composed butyl groups are not. This allows copolymers with more GMA segments to fold tighter (more spherically) around the sodium ion and have smaller cross-sections than copolymers with a larger amount of BMA segments in the sequence. Due to this cross-sectional difference, the GMA/BMA sequence compositions of the trimer and tetramer could be quantified. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Challenges in the Management of Prostate Cancer

An estimated 32,000 American men will die of prostate cancer this year. Local prostate cancer may be successfully treated by radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy. Advanced cases may necessitate the use of hormonal ablation with bilateral orchiectomy, an approach that is regarded as the gold standard of therapy but not always the preferred treatment of patients. Oestrogen therapy is an alternative but is associated with side effects, such as hot flushes and gynaecomastia, which frequently lead to treatment cessation
Antioxidant Defense Mechanisms in Parasitic Protozoa

Many of the parasitic protozoa, such as Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia, Trypanosoma, Leishmania, and Plasmodium, are considered to be anaerobes because they can be grown in vitro only under conditions of reduced oxygen tension. However, these parasitic protozoa have been found to be aerotolerant or microaerophilic, and also to consume oxygen to a certain extent. Furthermore, these organisms are highly susceptible to exogenous reactive oxygen species, such as hydrogen peroxide. They must, therefore, detoxify both oxygen and free radical products of enzymatic reactions. However, they lack some or all of the usual antioxidant defense mechanisms present in aerobic or other aerotolerant cells, such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione, and the glutathione-recycling enzymes glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. Instead, they possess alternative mechanisms for detoxification similar to those known to exist in certain prokaryotes. Although the functional aspects of these alternative mechanisms are yet to be understood completely, they could provide new insights into the biochemical peculiarities of these enigmatic pathogens.
Los intérpretes generales de Yucatán: hombres entre dos mundos

Este articulo se centra en un tipo importante de intermediarios en el Yucatan colonial, los interpretes generales del Juzgado Privado de Indios de Yucatan. Desde la epoca de Gaspar Antonio Chi en 1580 hasta la desaparicion de esta corte en la decada de 1820, estos hombres mediaron directamente en disputas de propiedades, quejas contra las autoridades, y tradujeron decretos inicialmente publicados en espanol para la mayoria maya hablante de la provincia. Sus actividades demuestran que Yucatan poseyo un alto numero de individuos que dominaron tanto el maya como el espanol hasta finales del periodo colonial. Ademas, la cantidad de individuos calificados sirviendo extraoficialmente como interpretes durante finales del siglo dieciocho, y el sorprendente numero de no-mayas que necesitaron sus servicios, muestran tambien que el periodo colonial fue una epoca en la que el maya se extendio como lenguaje predominante en Yucatan, en lugar de una epoca de declive para ese idioma.
The Effect of Formal Advance Notice and Justification on Internet Monitoring Fairness: Much About Nothing?

Considerable discussion stresses the importance of implementing employee monitoring systems in ways that enhance perceived fairness. Less attention focuses on the organizational context in which such systems are implemented. A longitudinal field experiment examined the effects of advance notice, justification, and trust on employee reactions to Internet monitoring. Results indicate that formal characteristics of monitoring implementation were less important than organizational climate in determining employee reactions. Neither advance notice nor justification significantly affected perceptions of monitoring fairness. In contrast, trust significantly influenced these perceptions, which in turn positively affected employees' job attitudes.
Alveolar macrophage activation is a key initiation signal for acute lung ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Lung ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a biphasic inflammatory process. Previous studies indicate that the later phase is neutrophil-dependent and that alveolar macrophages (AMs) likely contribu...
Measurement of Gas Temperature and the Radiation Compensating Thermocouple

Abstract The achievement of a high degree of accuracy in gas temperature measurement has been a problem in many investigations. The theory of such measurement is presented together with an analysis of a device known as the Radiation Compensating Thermocouple, which is designed to cancel out errors from the radiation environment inherent in other systems of measurement. The mathematical concepts and results of experimental work are included. Results of tests provided data on the errors of air temperature measurement with single thermocouples used without shields and proved that carefully fabricated Radiation Compensated Thermocouples measure the true air temperature with very small errors.
Advances in analytical technologies for environmental protection and public safety

Due to the increased threats of chemical and biological agents of injury by terrorist organizations, a significant effort is underway to develop tools that can be used to detect and effectively combat chemical and biochemical toxins. In addition to the right mix of policies and training of medical personnel on how to recognize symptoms of biochemical warfare agents, the major success in combating terrorism still lies in the prevention, early detection and the efficient and timely response using reliable analytical technologies and powerful therapies for minimizing the effects in the event of an attack. The public and regulatory agencies expect reliable methodologies and devices for public security. Today's systems are too bulky or slow to meet the “detect-to-warn” needs for first responders such as soldiers and medical personnel. This paper presents the challenges in monitoring technologies for warfare agents and other toxins. It provides an overview of how advances in environmental analytical methodologies could be adapted to design reliable sensors for public safety and environmental surveillance. The paths to designing sensors that meet the needs of today's measurement challenges are analyzed using examples of novel sensors, autonomous cell-based toxicity monitoring, ‘Lab-on-a-Chip’ devices and conventional environmental analytical techniques. Finally, in order to ensure that the public and legal authorities are provided with quality data to make informed decisions, guidelines are provided for assessing data quality and quality assurance using the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) methodologies.
Examination of the Surface Energy Budget: A Comparison of Eddy Correlation and Bowen Ratio Measurement Systems

Abstract A reliable method for monitoring the surface energy budget is critical to the development and validation of numerical models and remote sensing algorithms. Unfortunately, closure of the energy budget remains difficult to achieve among measurement systems. Reasons for nonclosure still are not clearly understood, and, until recently, few long-term datasets were available to address this issue of nonclosure. This contribution examined 108 days of a year dataset collected from collocated eddy correlation (EC) and Bowen ratio (BR) systems. Differences between systems were examined across seasonal and diurnal cycles to better understand nonclosure of the energy budget. Closure by the EC system was observed to vary with season and with time of day, primarily as a function of latent heat flux. Furthermore, the EC and BR methods partitioned energy differently, with the EC system favoring latent heat flux and the BR system favoring sensible heat flux. Instrument error, surface heterogeneity, and the theore...
Shopping for Rights: Gays, Lesbians, and Visibility Politics

Published in the 1998 Symposium issue of the University of Denver, this article explores the politics of visibility implicit in the relationship between the "gay market" and social movement activism. First, it examines the political function of consumer visibility for queers, and it challenges the liberal equation that visibility (realized through mainstream marketplace accommodation) equals enhanced political strength for queers. Second, this article evaluates the commodification of lesbian and gay culture in recent mainstream advertisements. How do multinational corporations such as American Express and Anheuser-Busch manipulate representations of gay and lesbian life in order to achieve gay and lesbian consumer loyalty? What is the impact of cultural commodification? To explore these points further, I draw examples from San Francisco's lesbian and gay history, specifically the 1961 formation of the San Francisco Tavern Guild. The Tavern Guild used queer economic resources in the 1960s to achieve limited political alliances and expanded civil rights for lesbians and gay men without relying on a politic of mainstream visibility. The example of the Tavern Guild questions whether mainstream visibility is necessary for economic power to translate into political strength. Moreover, it questions whether the commodification explicit in mainstream advertising contributes to gay and lesbian political power. By observing the impact of cultural commodification and posing alternative uses of queer economic power, this article suggests new ways of thinking about the relationship between queer consumption, political subjectivity, and civil rights protections.
Making dataset ingest decisions: a data archive's appraisal and selection system implementation

Within data repositories and archives, evaluation guidelines and criteria used to appraise and select an object for ingest can have crucial impact on the subsequent curation workflow. The decisions made during the appraisal and selection process can greatly affect the compatibility, effectiveness, and cohesiveness of the data and resources that are made available by repositories and archives. This poster presents the motivations and objectives for creating the Research Data Archive Dataset Appraisal and Selection System at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. An overview of the analysis process that was used to determine the system implementation requirements will also be provided. Additionally, features and capabilities of the current system will be presented along with the summary of the functions that are under consideration for the next phase of implementation. The poster concludes with the discussion on the benefits of such a system to any repository or archive that aims to provide data stewardship for longevity.
Seven-Fold Coordinated MgSe at 202 GPa

Energy-dispersive x-ray diffraction studies at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source were made to 202 GPa on MgSe which was found to undergo a phase transformation from the rocksalt to the seven-fold coordinated FeSi (or AuBe) structure with new peaks clearly evident at 99 GPa and internal position parameters continuing to change to the highest pressure. This is the first phase transition observed in the three magnesium chalcogenides which have the rocksalt structure at atmospheric pressure (MgSe, MgS and MgO) and may have important implications for transitions of MgO and MgS. The internal atomic positions u and w were accurately obtained as a function of pressure. This is the first accurate determination of internal atom positions above one megabar and above two megabars . The equation of state over the entire range obeyed a Birch equation with Bo = 62. 8± 1. 6 GPa and Bo' = 4. 1 ± 0. 1.
Seasonal variations of outlet glacier terminus position in Greenland

Many of Greenland’s marine-terminating outlet glaciers have undergone rapid retreat in the past decade, accompanied by accelerated flow and dynamic thinning. Superimposed on this pattern of retreat, these glaciers undergo seasonal variations in terminus position, corresponding roughly to wintertime advance and summertime retreat. We compiled near-daily time series of terminus position for five of Greenland’s largest outlet glaciers (Daugaard Jensen, Kangerdlugssuaq and Helheim glaciers in East Greenland, and Jakobshavn Isbrae and Rink Isbrae in West Greenland) using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite imagery. There are spatial differences in the timing of the onset of seasonal retreat among all the glaciers in our study, as well as variability in terminus behavior for individual glaciers from year to year. We examine whether this spatial and temporal variability is linked to above-freezing air temperatures or high sea surface temperatures, but find no simple relationship. Instead, we hypothesize that terminus geometry (ice thickness, subglacial topography, fjord bathymetry) exerts an important control on the response of marine-terminating glaciers to climate perturbations. Models for predicting outlet glacier response to climate change need to include this complex interaction between geometry and environmental forcing.
Efficacy on Edaravone combination Oxiracetam in the treatment of massive cerebral infarction

Objective To discuss efficacy on Edaravone combination Oxiracetam in the treatment of massive cerebral infarction. Methods 95 cases of massive cerebral infarction from May to December 2014 were randomly divided into two groups.The control group was given Oxiracetam Injection 4.0 g,intravenously twice daily on the basis of conventional therapy plus.Study group was added Edaravone Injection 30 mg,intravenously day 1 time on the basis of the control group.The treatment lasted 14 d.The clinical effect,recovery of neurological function were observed and compared between two groups before and after treatment.And the level of serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) were observed. Resluts The clinical total effective rate of study group was significantly higher than the control group(93.62% vs 62.50%),the difference was statistically significant(P 0.05).After treatment,NIHSS scores decreased,BI score significantly increased in the two groups,but in the study group was more significantly than the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P 0.05).The levels of hs-CRP,TNF-α in the study group reduced more obvious than the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P 0.05). Conclusion The efficacy on Edaravone combination Oxiracetam in the treatment of massive cerebral infarction is significant.It can significantly improve neurological function and improve their daily living skills,reduce inflammation,and thus improve prognosis.
Infarct Scar. Living Tissue

Heart failure, a worldwide health problem, is most commonly due to ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) with previous myocardial infarction(s). Herein, insights into the infarct scar as living tissue (and which resembles heart valve leaflets) are reviewed. This includes: a) its population of persistent, metabolically active myofibroblasts, whose elaboration of angiotensin II regulates (via AT1 receptor-ligand binding) their production of TGF-β1 and, in turn, type I fibrillar collagen; b) its neovasculature, which nourishes these fibroblast-like cells; and c) its contractile tonus. Scar tissue myofibroblasts regulate the accumulation of collagen found at sites remote to the infarct and it is this interstitial fibrosis that represents a major component to the adverse structural remodeling seen in ICM. The management of heart failure due to ICM therefore needs to take into account the behavior of infarct scar myofibroblasts.
Top-down control of methane emission and nitrogen cycling by waterfowl.

Aquatic herbivores impose top-down control on the structure of wetland ecosystems, but the biogeochemical consequences of herbivory on methane (CH4) and nitrogen (N) are poorly known. To investigate the top-down effects of waterfowl on wetland biogeochemistry we implemented exclosure experiments in a major waterfowl overwintering wetland in the Southeastern U.S. over two growing seasons. We found that herbivory inhibited the oxidation of CH4, leading to a mean increase in emission by 230% over control plots, and prevented nitrification, as indicated by low nitrate availability and undetectable emissions of nitrous oxide. Herbivory reduced belowground biomass of macrophytes, retarding the subsequent spring emergence of aerenchymous stems, effectively starving wetland soils of oxygen necessary for CH4 oxidation and nitrification. The recognition that important populations of aquatic herbivores may influence the capacity for wetlands to emit greenhouse gases and cycle N is particularly salient in the context of climate change and nutrient pollution mitigation goals. For example, our results suggest that: 1) annual emissions of 23 Gg of CH4 y−1 from ~57,000 ha of publicly owned waterfowl impoundments in the Southeastern U.S. could be tripled by overgrazing, and that 2) waterfowl impoundments may export as much N as agricultural fields. We discuss potential implications for habitat management in the context of historic wetland loss and waterfowl population recovery. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Genome and methylome of the oleaginous diatom Cyclotella cryptica reveal genetic flexibility toward a high lipid phenotype

Improvement in the performance of eukaryotic microalgae for biofuel and bioproduct production is largely dependent on characterization of metabolic mechanisms within the cell. The marine diatom Cyclotella cryptica, which was originally identified in the Aquatic Species Program, is a promising strain of microalgae for large-scale production of biofuel and bioproducts, such as omega-3 fatty acids. We sequenced the nuclear genome and methylome of this oleaginous diatom to identify the genetic traits that enable substantial accumulation of triacylglycerol. The genome is comprised of highly methylated repetitive sequence, which does not significantly change under silicon starved lipid induction, and data further suggests the primary role of DNA methylation is to suppress DNA transposition. Annotation of pivotal glycolytic, lipid metabolism, and carbohydrate degradation processes reveal an expanded enzyme repertoire in C. cryptica that would allow for an increased metabolic capacity toward triacylglycerol production. Identification of previously unidentified genes, including those involved in carbon transport and chitin metabolism, provide potential targets for genetic manipulation of carbon flux to further increase its lipid phenotype. New genetic tools were developed, bringing this organism on a par with other microalgae in terms of genetic manipulation and characterization approaches. Functional annotation and detailed cross-species comparison of key carbon rich processes in C. cryptica highlights the importance of enzymatic subcellular compartmentation for regulation of carbon flux, which is often overlooked in photosynthetic microeukaryotes. The availability of the genome sequence, as well as advanced genetic manipulation tools enable further development of this organism for deployment in large-scale production systems.
Complaints box as a measurement of quality improvement in Institute of Health Science Faletehan, Indonesia

One of indicators in quality improvement in private college was student's satisfaction. Whether or not student satisfies to the college, complaints box can be uses as a tool of it. The purpose of this study was to report the student complaints box that has been used as a tool of quality improvement in Institute of Health Science (IHS) Faletehan, Indonesia. The student complaints from December 2014 to October 2016 have been gathered. All complaints were written by student in a blank of submission form with the requirement of student number as identity (ID). Total of 250 complaints were collected and were investigated by a single trained staff member of the Quality Assurance (QA) Department of IHS Faletehan, who reviewed statements related to the complaints. Each complaint was classified as operational, educational, and student service-related. In analyzing process, data were re-written and were analyzed by using QDA Miner Lite. Here we present the total 250 complaints of student that addressed on the individual, unit and organizational levels. This study showed that the sustainable of quality improvement in IHS Faletehan is effective through complaints box.
Disability Benefit Take-Up and Local Labor Market Conditions

Exploiting county-level variation in oil-producing areas from shocks to world oil and gas prices, we study how local labor market conditions affect disability take-up. We extend well-known previous work using a similar research design by analyzing a different price shock, a larger, more representative set of labor markets, and a more recent period marked by skyrocketing disability payments. Our estimated elasticity for SSDI payments with respect to earnings of -0.29 is surprisingly similar to earlier findings. Our preferred SSI elasticity estimate of -0.16 is smaller than previous findings, but we show that SSI programmatic changes explain most of the difference. JEL Codes: J0, H0
Effect of Temperature Thresholds on Modeled Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Population Dynamics.

Dynamic simulation models provide vector abundance estimates using only meteorological data. However, model outcomes may heavily depend on the assumptions used to parameterize them. We conducted a sensitivity analysis for a model of Aedes aegypti (L.) abundance using weather data from two locations where this vector is established, La Margarita, Puerto Rico and Tucson, Arizona. We tested the effect of simplifying temperature-dependent development and mortality rates and of changing development and mortality thresholds as compared with baselines estimated using biophysical models. The simplified development and mortality rates had limited effect on abundance estimates in either location. However, in Tucson, where the vector is established but has not transmitted viruses, a difference of 5 °C resulted in populations either surviving or collapsing in the hot Arizona mid-summer, depending on the temperature thresholds. We find three important implications of the observed sensitivity to temperature thresholds. First, this analysis indicates the need for better estimates of the temperature tolerance thresholds to refine entomologic risk mapping for disease vectors. Second, our results highlight the importance of extreme temperatures on vector survival at the marginal areas of this vector's distribution. Finally, the model suggests that adaptation to warmer temperatures may shift regions of pathogen transmission.
Artemis Controls (a)

Avion Chemicals has approached Artemis Controls regarding the purchase of an Artemis smart valve to manage the highly volatile phenol in its production process. Although an existing valve could be used, discussions lead to the possibility of designing a new and potentially much improved valve. Time, engineering, and software constraints make the valve-redesign project a risky endeavor. The tension between delivering the old valve and developing the new valve is centered on the marketing opportunity and financial risk. The A case decision can be structured with a basic decision diagram, but the analysis cannot be completed because likelihood statements are presented as “weasel words.” In addition to the alternatives presented in the case, students might propose several risk-reducing possibilities: delivering the standard valve if the new valve is only moderately successful, delivering the standard valve if the software development is extended, reframing the price structure for the resultant new valve, and proposing a contingent contract with the software developer.The A case is a modification of “Orion Controls (A)” (UVA-QA-0480). The probability statements of Orion have been replaced by the weasel words of Artemis. This modification allows the discussion to be less “numbers” oriented, more structural, and more strategic. Excerpt UVA-QA-0756 Nov. 30, 2010 Artemis Controls (A) Even though the hiking trip to Shenandoah National Park was intended to be a restful interlude in his frenetic work pace, Nathan Armstrong, head of marketing at Artemis Controls (Artemis), found his mind wandering to his recent conversation with Andre Gide, executive vice president of Avion Chemicals (Avion). Contract discussions with Gide, who was responsible for worldwide corporate safety programs at Avion, had taken an interesting turn. Gide had initially contacted Artemis to place an order for 50 of Artemis's Model SV44A-10 smart-valve systems to manage the phenol flows at Avion's nine chemical plants worldwide. Their conversation, however, had led to the possibility that Artemis would develop an improved model for Avion at a substantially increased price. The new system that Gide wanted would require an improvement in the flow-sensing-and-control part of the existing valve system to allow for real-time information processing and dynamic responses to changes in process states. In addition, the new system would require substantial improvement in valve capability to enable quick changes in valve-gate positions. Because of the dynamic nature of the real-time information flow, these improved valve systems would need to respond to instruction changes far more rapidly than the existing model could. The Avion Contract . . .
Submillimeter Wavelength Scattering From Random Rough Surfaces

We describe bistatic scattering measurements on eight reference targets constructed from Al2O3 grit of various sizes embedded in an absorptive epoxy matrix. These samples’ surface topographies were measured using focus-variation microscopy, and their autocorrelation lengths and root-mean-square (RMS) roughness levels were extracted. Bistatic scattering measurements were then performed in the principal plane over the 325–500 GHz range and at 650 GHz, using either a vector network analyzer or a narrow band source and detector, respectively, in both s- and p -polarizations, and at incidence angles of 25°, 45°, and 65°. The samples’ RMS roughness levels cover the range of 36–280 μ m, corresponding to $0.040 . Their autocorrelation lengths cover the range of $0.086 , generally shorter than the samples in most previous studies. The measurements of bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) include regimes of both diffuse scattering and specular reflectance. The measurements were compared to two ab initio rough-surface scattering theories: the modified integral equation method (IEM-B) and the Generalized Harvey–Shack (GHS) model. There are no adjustable free parameters in these comparisons, but other important shortcomings exist and are described for both theories. Although there are several individual cases where either the IEM or the GHS theory (or both) provide an excellent match to measurement, their overall agreement with measurement across the entire dataset is poor. In addition, the diffuse BRDF in each bistatic scan has been fitted to a Lambertian (constant) dependence on scattering angle, and a purely empirical model has been developed for the dependence of the Lambertian scattering on frequency, roughness, polarization, and incidence angle. Across the entire dataset, this empirical model provides the best match to measurement, and can be used for reliable phenomenology studies of submillimeter imaging or wireless telecommunication.