cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stormwater Best Management Practices: Green Infra-structure in Rural Communities

Drainage systems in the US are largely characterized by complex systems of underground pipes, like combined sewage systems designed to collect both stormwater runoff and domestic waste products, and other structural features. Not only have such systems been demonstrated to be economically inefficient, combined sewage overflows significantly jeopardize the ecological integrity of the surrounding environments. As climate change catalyzes more frequent extreme weather events, periods of heavy rainfall will continue to overwhelm rural drainage systems, thus compromising water quality. Since the passing of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System in 1972, rural areas across the US have been taking a more integrated approach to the stormwater problem: best management practices. When utilized in combination with structural features, green infrastructure, a method that integrates the natural and built environments, is a promising alternative to current strategies. The goal of this paper is to synthesize the extant literature into a comprehensive reference for those interested in sustainable, smart solutions to widespread stormwater issues throughout the US.
Master Ward Identity for Nonlocal Symmetries in D=2 Principal Chiral Models

We derive, in path integral approach, the (anomalous) master Ward identity associated with an infinite set of nonlocal conservation laws in two-dimensional principal chiral models
Phase II study of pembrolizumab plus capecitabine and bevacizumab in microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): Interim analysis.

77Background: MSS mCRC rarely responds to pembrolizumab monotherapy, but capecitabine and bevacizumab may induce immune-stimulatory effects. This study evaluates the safety, tolerability and prelim...
Color transparency and the proton form factor: Evidence for the Feynman mechanism

A recent experiment by D. Bhetuwal et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 082301 (2021)] used the $(e,{e}^{\ensuremath{'}}p)$ reaction on $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ to search for the effects of color transparency (the absence of final-state interactions). Color transparency was said to be ruled out. Observing the effects of color transparency depends on the ability of a putative point-like-configuration (PLC), formed in a high-momentum transfer coherent reaction, to escape the nucleus without expanding its size. We study the expansion aspect of color transparency using superconformal baryon-meson symmetry and light-front holographic QCD. A new formalism is obtained and used to analyze the recent experiment. The resulting conclusion is that effects of expansion would not be sufficiently significant in causing final-state interactions to occur. Therefore, we conclude that a PLC was not formed. This means that the Feynman mechanism involving virtual photon absorption on a single high-momentum quark is responsible for the high-momentum electromagnetic form factor of the proton.
The Brigher Side of Financial Risk: Financial Risk Tolerance and Wealth

Investors who accept a greater degree of financial risk expect to benefit from higher returns and greater wealth over time. This study explores the relationship between net worth and net financial assets and risk tolerance using data from the 1998 Survey of Consumer Finances. Willingness to take financial risk is associated with a significantly higher net worth for the whole sample, and for samples within age groups. Risk tolerance among those over 65 is among the strongest predictors of a higher net worth.
Adaptive Robust Pole Placement - An Alternate Approach

This paper proposes an alternate approach for adaptive robust control of linear systems with structured, wide-ranging parametric uncertainties. The overall scheme consists of two steps; namely, off-line design of a robust observer for the partial states of the system, and design of an on-line adaptive pole placement scheme. It is shown that by using this approach, both direct as well as indirect adaptive pole placement can be achieved. Proofs of stability of the schemes are also given.
Is a Basketball Free-throw Sequence Nonrandom? A Group Exercise for Undergraduate Statistics Students

I describe a group exercise that I give to my undergraduate biostatistics class. The exercise involves analyzing a series of 200 consecutive basketball free-throw attempts to determine whether ther...
Verification failures: what to do when things go wrong

Every integrated circuit is released with latent bugs. The damage and risk implied by an escaped bug ranges from almost imperceptible to potential tragedy; unfortunately it is impossible to discern within this range before a bug has been exposed and analyzed. While the past few decades have witnessed significant efforts to improve verification methodology for hardware systems, these efforts have been far outstripped by the massive complexity of modern digital designs, leading to product releases for which an always smaller fraction of system's states has been verified. The news of escaped bugs in large market designs and/or safety critical domains is alarming because of safety and cost implications (due to replacements, lawsuits, etc.). This talk presents our solutions to solve the verification challenge, such that users of future designs can be assured that their devices can operate completely free of bugs. We attack the problem both at designtime, by presenting techniques to boost the fraction of the state space that can be verified before tape-out, and after deployment in the field, discussing novel solutions which can correct escaped bugs after a system has been shipped. Our ultimate vision for this technology is to make hardware as malleable as software.
Evaluation of new cathepsin B inhibitors (585.2)

Cathepsin B, a cysteine protease that naturally occurs in human cells, is primarily responsible in protein degradation and bone resorption. However, Cathepsin B has been observed in excessive concentrations in patients suffering from certain cancers, as well as Alzheimer's Disease. Though the direct involvement of Cathepsin B within these cells is not currently known, the potential medical benefits of reducing Cathepsin B activities on these cells are promising. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the activity of 5 new synthetic inhibitors of Cathepsin B and to observe the effectiveness of each inhibitor by determining their half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50). Effectiveness of each inhibitor was determined by the enzyme's ability to cleave the chromogenic substrate, N-Carbobenzoxy-L-Phenylalanyl-Arginine-4-nitroanilide hydrochloride. The activity of the enzyme was observed at 405 nm over a span of 3 minutes. A dose-response curve was then constructed to interpret the results. The benefi...
Live Health Assessment in a Virtual Class: Eliminating Educational Burdens for Rural Distance Learners

Online nursing education presents challenges for educators. Demonstrating and testing skills acquisition in a nontraditional face to face format is difficult. The Learning Exchange Reverse Demonstration (LERD) Model provides a mechanism that allows students in an online setting to demonstrate skills acquisition with real time faculty feedback, increased student satisfaction, and measureable learned outcomes. A sample consisting of online rural RN- BSN students who utilized the LERD Model was compared to a traditional face to face RN-BSN sample. Both groups were completing the same Health Assessment course. Questionnaires distributed to both groups after completion of the Health Assessment course indicated that the rural students were very satisfied with the LERD Model experience, had less travel and time off work expenses, and achievement of learning outcomes was equal to or greater than those in the traditional face to face format. Although initial expenses are required for the LERD Model, once instituted this model offers a viable alternative to the traditional face to face format that in today’s world of online learning is not always possible or practical. This method could allow rural students the opportunity to continue their nursing education while remaining in their communities, thus insuring needed health care will continue in rural areas. Key words: online learning, student satisfaction, nursing education, rural nursing innovations
The National Center for Small-Angle Scattering Research

The National Center for Small-Angle Scattering Research is a user-dedicated facility supported by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy under an interagency agreement. The two main facilities available to users are the NSF constructed 30-m small-angle neutron scattering instrument (SANS) and the 10-m DOE constructed small-angle x-ray scattering camera (SAXS). Test measurements carried out on ATPase in H2O and in D2O buffer indicate that the SANS facility is capable of providing meaningful data on a wide variety of biological systems. Details of work carried out on the instrument by Uberbacher, Olins, and Bunick, on the binding of HMG proteins to nucleosomes, are presented in a separate poster. (Research sponsored by the National Science Foundation under interagency agreement No. 40-637-77 under Union Carbide Corporation contract W-7405-ENG-26 with the U.S. Department of Energy.)
The Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO ® ) Program: Fourteen Years of Progress

Background:The Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO®) program is a highly structured, evidence-based, two-day course designed to provide healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to manage the emergency conditions that can occur during childbirth.Objectives:To document the number of ALSO®-trained clinicians and instructors in the United States and internationally and to promote ALSO® training among prehospital and disaster medicine professionals.Methods:Records maintained by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) for each country where ALSO® is taught were reviewed for: (1) the years and locations of the ALSO® courses; (2) the number of ALSO®-trained caregivers; and (3) the number of ALSO® instructors.Results:Between 1991 and 2005, 54,071 ALSO®-trained caregivers and 2,251 instructors have completed provider and instructor ALSO® courses in 25 countries. Of these, 17,755 caregivers and 1,220 instructors are from outside the United States.Conclusion:The ALSO® program is a popular, multi-disciplinary course for preparing maternity caregivers to manage obstetric emergencies. Limited evidence suggests it can be effective and efficient in enhancing the knowledge and skills of prehospital and disaster medicine clinicians. Hong Kong provides a model in which emergency physicians have taken the lead in promoting the ALSO® course. As the ALSO® program expands, additional research is needed to assess its impact on educational and health outcomes.
Possibility expectation and its decision making algorithm

Both the theory and a decision making algorithm for a variation of the fuzzy integral are presented. This integral is based on a possibility measure where it is not required that the measure of the universe by unity. A training algorithm for the possibility densities in a pattern recognition application is also presented. The algorithm was run on the IRIS data set and the results compared to results for the Bayesian classifier. >
Effects of T-2 mycotoxin on gastrointestinal tissues: A Review of in vivo and in vitro models

T-2 mycotoxin, a trichothecene, is the principal toxic component ofFusarium sp. Agricultural products and food are frequently contaminated with this toxin. Various animal models have been used to determine its metabolic fate, rate of excretion, and distribution. A modulation effect on cell-mediated immunity and alterations in gastrointestinal propulsion have been demonstrated. The toxin has been shown to produce some similar pathologic alterations in various animal species studied. The consistent alteration appears to mainly affect mitotic cells of the gastrointestinal tract and the lymphoid system. A host of bioassay systems are now being used as alternative methods to the use of animals for testing of the mycotoxin. These tests may accurately assess and define the role of the subject-toxin interactions following consumption of T-2 mycotoxin contaminated food sources. T-2 mycotoxin, as observed above within vivo andin vitro models, promotes a chemically-induced change in structure and function of affected gastrointestinal cells from a transient and reversible aberration in a single enzymatic reaction to cell death. Regardless of the end point measured, the toxic response brought about in cells appears to involve the interactions of virtually all subcellular processes—membrane transport and permeability, chemical metabolism, DNA function, and energy production/expenditure—as cells attempt to maintain their functional integrity while disposing of the toxicant. The variation in the quality of the toxic response with dose suggests that more cellular processes are perturbed as the chemical dose is increased.
Evaluation of Radio influence voltages in fluorescent lighting systems

The problem of radio interference caused by the proximity of fluorescent lighting systems is discussed. Means of evaluating the effectiveness of noise suppression schemes are described.
Cyclic nucleotide-induced termination of vitellogenin uptake by Hyalophora cecropia follicles

Abstract Endocytosis of vitellogenin by isolated follicles of Hyalophora cecropia terminated after membrane-permeable analogs of cAMP or cGMP were added to the culture medium. Depending on the concentration of the analog, a lag period of 30 min to 3 h preceded termination. Forskolin and IBMX both stimulated a rise in endogenous cAMP, and this also induced termination, as did pharmacological activation of the cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases PKA and PKG. Inhibitors of PKA or PKG protected follicles from the corresponding cyclic nucleotide effect. When cAMP or cGMP was added to homogenates of vitellogenic follicles, a 32 kDa polypeptide was phosphorylated; inhibition of PKA, prevented phosphorylation of this protein. The rate of vitellogenin uptake did not accelerate significantly when PKA or PKG was inhibited in culture, which suggests that these kinases are normally inactive or operating below threshold during the several days of vitellogenesis. They seem thus not to be involved in the steady-state modulation of protein upake. A more likely function of this control pathway in follicle development would be to trigger the termination of vitellogenesis, which normally occurs spontaneously in follicles of this species as they reach a length of 2 mm.
Micromechanical Model for Simulating the Fracture Process of Rock

A micromechanical model is proposed to study the deformation and failure process of rock based on knowledge of heterogeneity of rock at the mesoscopic level. In this numerical model, the heterogeneity of rock at the mesoscopic level is considered by assuming the material properties in rock conform to the Weibull distribution. Elastic damage mechanics is used to describe the constitutive law of meso-level elements, the finite element method is employed as the basic stress analysis tool and the maximum tensile strain criterion as well as the Mohr-Coulomb criterion is utilized as the damage threshold. A simple method, similar to a smeared crack model, is used for tracing the crack propagation process and interaction of multiple cracks. Based on this model, a numerical simulation program named Rock Failure Process Analysis Code (RFPA) is developed. The influence of parameters that include the Weibull distribution parameters, constitutive parameters of meso-level elements and number of elements in the numerical model, are discussed in detail. It is shown that the homogeneity index is the most important factor to simulate material failure with this model. This model is able to capture the complete mechanical responses of rock, which includes the crack patterns associated with different loading stages and loading conditions, localization of deformation, stress redistribution and failure process. The numerical simulation of rock specimens under a variety of static loading conditions is presented, and the results compare well with experimental results.
Uncertainty quantification in transcranial magnetic stimulation via high-dimensional model representation

A computational framework for uncertainty quantification in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is presented. The framework leverages high-dimensional model representations (HDMRs), which approximate observables (i.e., quantities of interest such as electric (E) fields induced inside targeted cortical regions) via series of iteratively constructed component functions involving only the most significant random variables (i.e., parameters that characterize the uncertainty in a TMS setup such as the position and orientation of TMS coils, as well as the size, shape, and conductivity of the head tissue). The component functions of HDMR expansions are approximated via a multielement probabilistic collocation (ME-PC) method. While approximating each component function, a quasi-static finite-difference simulator is used to compute observables at integration/collocation points dictated by the ME-PC method. The proposed framework requires far fewer simulations than traditional Monte Carlo methods for providing highly accurate statistical information (e.g., the mean and standard deviation) about the observables. The efficiency and accuracy of the proposed framework are demonstrated via its application to the statistical characterization of E-fields generated by TMS inside cortical regions of an MRI-derived realistic head model. Numerical results show that while uncertainties in tissue conductivities have negligible effects on TMS operation, variations in coil position/orientation and brain size significantly affect the induced E-fields. Our numerical results have several implications for the use of TMS during depression therapy: 1) uncertainty in the coil position and orientation may reduce the response rates of patients; 2) practitioners should favor targets on the crest of a gyrus to obtain maximal stimulation; and 3) an increasing scalp-to-cortex distance reduces the magnitude of E-fields on the surface and inside the cortex.
Design and performance of a high-force piezoelectric inchworm motor

A linear inchworm motor was developed for applications in adaptive, conformable structures for flow control. The device is compact (82 X 57 X 13 mm), and capable of unlimited displacement and high force actuation (150 N). The static holding force is 350 N. Four piezoceramic stack elements (two for clamping and two for extension) are integrated into the actuator, which is cut from a single block of titanium alloy. Actuation is in the form of a steel shaft pushed through a precision tolerance hole in the device. Unlimited displacements are achieved by repetitively advancing and clamping the steel shaft. Although each step is only on the order of 10 microns, a step rate of 100 Hz results in a speed of 1 mm/s. Since the input voltage can readily control the step size, positioning on the sub-micron level is possible.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Respiratory Control: Loss in Mitochondria from Diseased Plants

Mitochondria from healthy oat seedlings oxidized succinate with good respiratory control and high ratios of adenosine diphosphate to oxygen. After treatment with victorin, the pathotoxin responsible for symptoms of Victoria blight of oats, susceptible seedlings yielded mitochondria with little respiratory control and lower ratios of adenosine diphosphate to oxygen. No such effects were obtained with victorin-treated resistant seedlings or when victorin was added directly to mitochondria from healthy susceptible or resistant plants. These data indicate that victorin-induced disease results in a reduction in efficiency of the energy-generating system of isolated mitochondria.
Natural gesture in descriptive monologues

Gesture plays a prominent role in human-human interaction, and it offers promise as a new modality for human-computer interaction. However, our understanding of gesture is still at an early stage. This study explores gesture in natural interaction and describes how the presence of a display can affect the use of gesture. We identify common gesturing behaviors that, if accommodated, may improve the naturalness and usability of gestural user interfaces.
The analytical completeness of Dzhaparidze's polymodal logics

Abstract The bimodal provability logics of analysis (second-order arithmetic) for ordinary provability and provability by (unrestricted application of) the ω-rule are shown to be fragments of certain ‘polymodal’ logics introduced by G.K. Dzhaparidze. In addition to modal axiom schemes expressing Lob's theorem for the two kinds of provability, the logics treated here contain a scheme expressing that if a statement is consistent, then the statement that it is consistent is provable by the ω-rule.
Vector-coupling coefficients for slpmdnfq configurations

Abstract A computer program has been written to generate vector-coupling coefficients for any electron configuration consisting of any combination of s, p, d, and f open shells. The results are useful for atomic self-consistent-field calculations.
Interaction of signal word and colour on warning labels: differences in perceived hazard and behavioural compliance

Previous research has examined the connoted hazard of various colour and signal words separately. The purpose of the present research was to examine the interaction of signal words and colours. Two separate experiments examined the influence of colour on perceptions of hazard and on compliance to printed warnings. In experiment 1, a sample of 30 undergraduates rated the perceived hazard of signal words printed in specific hazard colours. Results indicated that the level of hazard varied as a function of the signal word and the colour in which it was presented. Of the colours used, red conveyed the highest level of perceived hazard followed by orange, black, green and blue. More importantly, it was noted that a signal word such as DEADLY connoted less hazard when printed in green than in red ink. Experiment 2 examined the effect of colour on compliance with printed warnings. Sixty-five undergraduates interacted with a pool-water test kit and a two-part adhesive. The warning on each product was factorial for colour (i.e. red, green and black). Behavioural compliance was assessed by indicating if subjects donned protective gloves as directed by the warning. The data indicated that warnings printed in red resulted in a higher proportion of compliant behaviour than green and black combined. Implications for warning design are discussed.
Issues Related to HCI Application of Fitts's Law

Taking Fitts's law as a premise—that is, movement time is a linear function of an appropriate index of difficulty—we explore three issues related to the collection and reporting of these data from the perspective of application within human–computer interaction. The central question involved two design choices. Whether results obtained using blocked target conditions are representative of performance in situations in which, as is often the case, target conditions vary from movement to movement and how this difference depends on whether discrete or serial continuous movements are studied. Although varied target conditions led to longer movement times, the effect was additive, was surprisingly small, and did not depend on whether the movements were discrete or serial. This suggests that evaluating devices or designs using blocked data may be acceptable. With Zhai 2004 we argue against the practice of reporting throughput as a one-dimensional summary for published comparisons of devices or designs. Also questioned is whether analyses using an accuracy-adjusted index of difficulty are appropriate in all design applications.
Efficacy of a single dose of an otic ivermectin preparation or selamectin for the treatment of Otodectes cynotis infestation in naturally infected cats

Otodectes cynotis infestation is common in kittens housed in crowded environments like animal shelters. It is unknown how rapidly O cynotis is killed within the first 72h of treatment with currently available products. Kittens ≥4 weeks of age with live O cynotis in both ears (AU) were administered 0.5ml of 0.01% ivermectin otic suspension (Acarexx; Idexx Pharmaceuticals) once, AU or selamectin (Revolution; Pfizer Animal Health) once, on the skin following the manufacturer's instructions. Repeat microscopic examination was performed on individual ears based on a randomization schedule during the 72h after treatment. There was no evidence of toxicity with either drug and administration of 0.01% ivermectin significantly reduced the time to live mite-free status compared to selamectin. Both drugs have an effect against O cynotis as early as 10-12h after administration with an increasing effect over time.
ELECTROSTATIC POTENTIALS IN RHODOPSEUDOMONAS VIRIDIS REACTION CENTERS : IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DRIVING FORCE AND DIRECTIONALITY OF ELECTRON TRANSFER

Finite difference solutions to the Poisson equation are used to characterize electrostatic interactions in reaction centers from Rhodopseudomonas viridis. A sizable potential gradient resulting primarily from charged amino acid side chains is found in the protein. This static field favors the observed electron transfers from the primary donor (P) along the L branch of the protein via the bacteriochlorophyll monomer (BL) toward the bacteriopheophytin electron acceptor (HL). The effect of the field is to favor electron transfer to BL by approximately 0.4 eV and to HL by approximately 0.8 eV. The electric field along the M branch is significantly smaller, thus providing a straightforward explanation for the directionality of electron transfer. The large static field in the protein appears to be necessary to overcome the intrinsic cost of charge separation in a low dielectric medium. Electrostatic potentials were calculated for the protein in uniform low dielectric medium and for the protein surrounded by wat...
Nose-Only Inhalation System Using the Fluidized-Bed Generation System for Coexposures to Carbon Black and Formaldehyde

AbstractThe purpose of this research was to develop a nose-only inhalation toxicology system for exposing animals to carbon black and formaldehyde—both individually and in combination. This study discusses the modifications necessary to use a fluidized-bed generator to generate carbon black in the concentration range of 0.5–20 mg/m3 with a mass median aerodynamic diameter of approximately 2.5 μm. The specific recommendations involve changing the size and placement of the delivery and overflow tubes as well as installing a motorized ball valve to automate delivery of premixed bed material and carbon black to the generator. The inhalation chamber was modified from a previously published design. By using a cyclone preclassifier to remove the nonrespirable fraction of the aerosol and a laminar flow element to reduce inlet vortic-ity, it was possible to obtain a uniform chamber concentration with less than ±25% overall variation. The formaldehyde generation system produced stable concentrations in the range of...
THE PROKARYOTE-TO-EUKARYOTE TRANSITION REFLECTED IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE V/F/A-ATPASE CATALYTIC AND PROTEOLIPID SUBUNITS

Changes in the primary and quarternary structure of vacuolar and archaeal type ATPases that accompany the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition are analyzed. The gene encoding the vacuolar-type proteolipid of the V-ATPase from Giardia lamblia is reported. Giardia has a typical vacuolar ATPase as observed from the common motifs shared between its proteolipid subunit and other eukaryotic vacuolar ATPases, suggesting that the former enzyme works as a hydrolase in this primitive eukaryote. The phylogenetic analyses of the V-ATPase catalytic subunit and the front and back halves of the proteolipid subunit placed Giardia as the deepest branch within the eukaryotes. Our phylogenetic analysis indicated that at least two independent duplication and fusion events gave rise to the larger proteolipid type found in eukaryotes and in Methanococcus. The spatial distribution of the conserved residues among the vacuolar-type proteolipids suggest a zipper-type interaction among the transmembrane helices and surrounding subunits of the V-ATPase complex. Important residues involved in the function of the F-ATP synthase proteolipid have been replaced during evolution in the V-proteolipid, but in some cases retained in the archaeal A-ATPase. Their possible implication in the evolution of V/F/A-ATPases is discussed.
Anatomical adaptations to xeric conditions in Maihuenia (Cactaceae), a relictual, leaf-bearing cactus

and Pereskia, constitute Pereskioideae, the subfamily of Cactaceae with the greatest number of relictual features, but the two genera differ strongly in habit and ecological adaptations. Plants of Maihuenia occur in extremely xeric regions of Patagonia and are small cushion plants with reduced, terete leaves and soft, slightly succulent trunks. Plants of Pereskia occur only in mesic or slightly arid regions and are leafy trees with hard, woody trunks and thin, broad leaves. Maihuenias have many more anatomical adaptations to arid conditions than do pereskias: maihuenias lack sclerenchyma in their phloem and cortex (M. poeppigii also lacks xylem sclerenchyma and can contract during drought); their wood consists of vessels, axial parenchyma, and wide-band tracheids and can store water as well as minimize embolism damage; one species channelizes water flow by producing intraxylary bark; and at least some stem-based photosynthesis occurs because maihuenias have small patches of persistent stem epidermis that bears stomata and overlies a small amount of aerenchymatous chlorenchyma. Pereskias lack all these features. Although closely related, maihuenias have fewer relictual features than do pereskias, and plants of Pereskia probably are more similar to the ancestral cacti.
High-contrast imaging with Keck adaptive optics and OSIRIS

While more than 200 extrasolar planets have been discovered using indirect techniques, the direct detection of this class of object has remained at the sensitivity limits of ground based observatories. The development of improved adaptive optics systems and high contrast instruments has increased the sensitivity to extrasolar planets. We present high contrast results from the OSIRIS infrared lenslet-based integral field spectrograph (IFS) operating behind the Keck II adaptive optics (AO) system. OSIRIS spatially samples the Keck PSF at the diffraction limit, while providing a spectral resolution of 3800 for each spaxel. The OSIRIS integral field sampling simultaneously monitors the PSF over a broad band (20%), and this sampling is used to identify and suppress speckle diffraction features. The high-contrast sensitivity of Keck II AO near-infrared IFS (OSIRIS) and near-infrared imager (NIRC2) are compared.
Changes in Continence and Health-Related Quality of Life After Curative Treatment and Watchful Waiting of Prostate Cancer

Objectives To investigate the long-term changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL), continence, and sexual function after curative therapy (CT) and watchful waiting (WW) for prostate cancer. Methods A self-reported questionnaire of HRQOL and continence was administered to patients with prostate cancer who were candidates for CT and WW. The questionnaire was re-administered during follow-up. The pretreatment and posttreatment HRQOL burden scores were compared and correlated with the treatment, continence, and sexual function. Results Of the 61 patients, 41 chose CT (26 chose prostatectomy and 15 radiotherapy). The average follow-up for the CT patients was 24.3 ± 13.3 months. The pretreatment incontinence score was 0.38 ± 0.9 and the HRQOL burden score was 16.3 ± 8.8 (CT versus WW, P = 0.55). On follow-up, 23 (56%) of 41 CT patients were continent. The HRQOL burden score after treatment was similar between the CT and WW patients (20.4 ± 9.6 versus 18.4 ± 9.0, P = 0.45). The continent patients had a significantly lower HRQOL burden compared with the post-CT incontinent patients (17.41 ± 7.4 versus 24.2 ± 10.8, P = 0.02). The HRQOL burden score after treatment for CT patients who maintained sexual activity and CT patients who lost their sexual activity was similar ( P = 0.28). Conclusions The HRQOL after CT of prostate cancer was related to patients’ self-perception of continence. Incontinence, either urinary or fecal, was associated with an increased self-reported HRQOL burden, although reduced sexual function was not associated with such a change. The WW patients maintain their HRQOL. Separating the continent and incontinent patients during the analysis of the posttreatment HRQOL brought to light the adverse outcomes associated with post-CT incontinence.
Ascorbic acid accumulation in plated human neutrophils

Ascorbic acid uptake was investigated in isolated, plated human neutrophils using high-performance liquid chromatography with coulometric electrochemical detection. Freshly isolated neutrophils contained 1.3 mM ascorbic acid and accumulated significantly greater amounts when physiologic concentrations of the vitamin were present in the extracellular buffer. In several different buffers uptake was dependent on the presence of calcium and magnesium. Under these conditions, scintillation spectrometry of [14C]ascorbic acid in conjunction with high-performance liquid chromatography was suited for measuring ascorbic acid transport.
Retinoic acid induces activin receptor IIB mRNA in F9 embryonal carcinoma cells

Mouse embryonal carcinoma F9 cells are pluripotent stem cells and differentiate into primitive endodermal cells upon treatment with retinoic acid (RA). We have recently shown that in F9 cells RA regulates gene expression of activin receptor type II (ActR-II), whose ligand is a potent differentiation agent. The present study examined the regulation of the newly cloned activin receptor type IIB (ActR-IIB) gene by RA. F9 cells expressed equal amounts of three ActR-IIB transcripts of 8.0, 7.5 and 4.0 kb. Both 9-cis-RA (c-RA) and all-trans-RA (t-RA) induced ActR-IIB gene expression in a dose-dependent manner. At 10(-9) M c-RA exerted no effect, while 10(-5) M c-RA increased the 8.0 kb ActR-IIB transcript about sevenfold. In contrast, t-RA induced the 8.0 kb ActR-IIB transcript fivefold at 10(-9) M and up to eightfold at 10(-5) M. The inductive effect on the 8.0 kb transcript was greater than that on the 7.5 kb transcript, and was least effective on the 4.0 kb transcript, suggesting that these three mRNA isoforms may originate from different promoters. Both cycloheximide and actinomycin D inhibited the inductive effect of t-RA on ActR-IIB gene expression, in contrast to ActR-II whose gene expression was not suppressed by cycloheximide but abolished by actinomycin D. Thus, endodermal differentiation of F9 cells is associated with activation of ActR-IIB gene and the mechanisms involved in the regulation of ActR-II and IIB gene expression are different.
Correlation between microstructure and hydrogenolysis activity and selectivity of noble metal catalyst particles

Abstract Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) gives direct observation of the shapes, phases, and locations of catalyst particles down to atomic dimensions. We have used TEM to correlate catalyst particle microstructure with reactivity and selectivity in alkane hydrogenolysis on Rh, Pt, Ir, Ru, and Ni supported on SiO2 by determining microreactor kinetics following either heating strongly in H2 at 600°C (annealed) or oxidation in O2 followed by low temperature reduction in H2 to reform metal particles (oxidized). In these experiments we examine the same catalyst repeatedly after these treatments, and thus effects due to loading or treatment differences are excluded. Ethane hydrogenolysis activities are found to vary by up to 104 depending on oxidation or annealing pretreatment, and these changes are reversible in that catalysts can be cycled many times between these pretreatments. Selectivities and activation energies are also found to vary significantly with these treatments, showing that treatment alters the structure of the surface, not just the surface area. TEM shows that high temperature oxidation followed by low temperature reduction in H2 transforms all particles from single crystal metals (typically 100A diameter) into tiny clusters of metal particles (typically 10A diameter) and that these microstructures are stable indefinitely under reaction conditions, 180–260°C. Similar results are also reported for Rh-Ce/SiO2 catalysts, but the large microstructure change observed in TEM causes only a slight enhancement in activity.
Syntheses of terminally functionalized polyisobutylene derivatives using diazonium salts

A new strategy for the synthesis of end-functionalized polyisobutylene (PIB) oligomers is detailed. Commercially available vinyl-terminated PIB oligomers were modified to form aniline-terminated PIB via an aromatic electrophilic substitution reaction. The PIB-bound aryl amines so formed were then converted into diazonium salts using isopentyl nitrite and an acid in methylene chloride. These salts served as versatile intermediates in synthetic reactions affording azo dye-containing PIB derivatives and other terminally-functionalized PIB derivatives not readily available by other reactions. The advantages and limitations of various name reactions including diazo couplings, Sandmeyer reactions, dediazoniations, and Heck reactions are discussed. The kinetics of polar substitution reactions at the termini of these nonpolar oligomers and the effects of solvent on these reactions were also examined. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011
Factorial Validity of an Instrument Designed to Assess Staff Training Needs in an Ethnically and Culturally Diverse School District

The factorial validity of a 55 item instrument designed for use in a recently desegregated school district to assess staff needs as a basis for training was investigated. The instrument was designed to help determine needs in five areas: (1) multicultural awareness, (2) instructional leadership, (3) discipline strategies, (4) communication skills, and (5) instructional strategies. It was administered to 204 elementary school teachers and principals from the district. In a principal components factor analysis of the intercorrelation of item responses followed by varimax rotation, five empirical factors were identified which correspond to the five hypothesized categories of items. Therefore, the instrument appeared useful for determination of levels of five different needs, for training of school staff, and for assessment of the effectiveness of training programs intended to meet the five needs categories represented by the instrument.
1 Gaucher's disease: past, present and future

A patient with what is now known as Gaucher's disease was first described by P. C. E. Gaucher in 1882. Fifty years later, Aghion reported that patients with this condition accumulated a sphingoglycolipid called glucocerebroside. Considerably more time was required for the demonstration by Brady and co-workers in 1964 that Gaucher's disease was due to reduced activity of a β-glucosidase called glucocerebrosidase. This information provided the basis for the development of reliable diagnostic tests, detection of most of the carriers of this disorder and the prenatal diagnosis of this condition. Evidence was presented in 1990 and 1991 indicating the highly beneficial effects of enzyme replacement therapy in patients with Gaucher's disease. Gene therapy for Gaucher's disease was initiated in 1995. While little indication of success was obtained in this inaugural attempt, it is expected that improvements in this technology will provide a permanent cure for patients with this disorder.
De novo asymmetric synthesis and biological evaluation of the trisaccharide portion of PI-080 and vineomycin B2.

A highly enantio- and diastereoselective synthesis of an α-l-aculose, α-l-rhodinose, and β-d-olivose trisaccharide is described. The key transformations include the palladium-catalyzed glycosylatio...
Oxidation kinetics of the top atomic layer of Al(100) from angle resolved SIMS

Abstract A method, based on angle resolved SIMS (ARSIMS) measurements of the Al+ azimuthal angle distribution, is developed for determining the disordering kinetics of Al atoms in the top atomic layer of Al(100) during oxygen adsorption. Since the surface disordering is caused by amorphous oxide formation, the method is applied to investigate the kinetics of amorphous oxide formation selectively at the top atomic Al(100) layer. The measured disordering kinetics, in combination with the results of our previous ARSIMS, AES and LEED studies indicate that amorphous oxide formation on Al(100) is induced by random adsorption of oxygen onto ordered surface regions that locally contain some minimum coverage of chemisorbed oxygen. Our results argue against the island growth model of oxide formation on Al(100).
Rapid Deployment of Internet-Connected Environmental Monitoring Devices

Advances in electronic sensing and monitoring systems and the growth of the communications infrastructure have enabled users to gain immediate access to information and interaction with physical devices. To facilitate the uploading, viewing, and sharing of data via the internet, while avoiding the complexities and expense of creating personal web servers, a number of service providers have created websites offering free data hosting and viewing capabilities. Simple setup and configuration routines and available application programming interfaces allow users to quickly and easily interface sensing and monitoring devices to the internet. To demonstrate the ease and feasibility of deploying internet-connected devices, an urban landscape environmental monitoring system, consisting of two wireless field sensing systems and a wireless central receiver, was developed. The field-data sensing units consisted of Arduino microcontroller platforms, sensors, and Xbee radio modems, while the receiver consisted of an Arduino microcontroller, Xbee radio, and Ethernet module connected to an internet modem. The receiver collected and stored data from the wireless transmitters, and uploaded the data to the Xively Cloud Services data hosting and sharing website. Real-time and archived sensor data were then made available for public viewing via the internet and a web browser. Data-sharing services such as Xively provide rapid and convenient means of developing internet-accessible data-collection and viewing applications, enabling enhanced access to the Internet of Things.
Abstract 3034: Integrin αvβ3 drives Slug activation and stemness in the pregnant and neoplastic mammary gland

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA While integrin αvβ3 expression is linked to breast cancer progression its role in epithelial development is unclear. Here, we show that αvβ3 plays a critical role in adult mammary stem cells (MaSCs) during pregnancy. While αvβ3 is a luminal progenitor marker in the virgin gland, we noted increased αvβ3 expression in MaSCs at mid-pregnancy. Accordingly, mice lacking αvβ3 or expressing a signaling deficient receptor showed defective mammary gland morphogenesis during pregnancy. This was associated with decreased MaSC expansion, clonogenicity and expression of Slug, a master regulator of MaSCs. Surprisingly, αvβ3 deficient mice displayed normal development of the virgin gland with no effect on luminal progenitors. TGFβ2, but not RANKL, induced αvβ3 leading to Slug nuclear accumulation and MaSC clonogenicity. In human breast cancer cells, αvβ3 was necessary and sufficient for Slug activation and tumorsphere formation. Thus, pregnancy-associated MaSCs require a TGFβ2/αvβ3/Slug pathway, which may also contribute to breast cancer progression. Citation Format: Jay S. Desgrosellier, Jacqueline Lesperance, Laetitia Seguin, Sanford J. Shattil, David A. Cheresh. Integrin αvβ3 drives Slug activation and stemness in the pregnant and neoplastic mammary gland. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3034. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3034
Effects of modified gas atmosphere packaging on pork loin colour, display life and drip loss

Abstract Boneless loins from both sides of 20 pig carcasses were divided into five sections each and assigned equally to five packaging treatments: 100 % CO2; 50 % CO2/50 % N2; 25 % CO2/ 75 % N2; 25 % CO2/65 % N2/10 % O2 and vacuum. Loin sections were packaged in bags of low O2 permeability, then stored in darkness at 1 °C for up to 22 days. Retail chops were cut from the sections and displayed in oxygen-permeable film under light at 3 °C for 3 additional days. The O2 concentrations in packages with nominally anoxic atmospheres were 0.1–0.4 %. Sections stored in 25 % CO2/65 % N2/10 % O2 had more surface greying and greening, stronger off-odour and psychrotropic counts after storage were more than one log10 higher compared to sections from the other four treatments. Displayed chops from sections stored in 25 % CO2/65 % N2/10 % O2 also had greying/greening at an outer layer of the chops. Off-odour of chops was most pronounced for treatments with 10 % O2 and vacuum. Drip loss from loin sections was highest for those in 100 % CO2 (4.2 %) and lowest for those in vacuum (3.2 %). In conclusion, storage in CO2 or CO 2 N 2 atmospheres benefitted the overall shelf life of pork.
Lipopolysaccharide and High-Molecular-Weight Polysaccharide Serotypes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The serotype distribution of bacteremic and nonbacteremic clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in relation to the Fisher immunotyping scheme, the International Antigenic Typing System (IATS), and high-molecular-weight polysaccharide determinants was investigated. Of 281 bacteremic isolates, 273 (97.2%) were serotyped by one of the seven IATS specificities that correspond to a Fisher lipopolysaccharide/high-molecular-weight polysaccharide specificity. In contrast, these seven serotypes accounted for only 68.5% of the 124 nonbacteremic clinical isolates. Review of the reported serotype distribution of P. aeruginosa isolates in Europe further supported the finding of a limited serotype distribution among bacteremic clinical isolates. Fifteen of the 17 IATS serotypes were found among all of the strains of P. aeruginosa serotyped, an indication that most of the IATS serotypes are present in the United States. Thus, only certain lipopolysaccharide immunotypes of P. aeruginosa occur as clinical bacteremic isolates, and a multivalent, high-molecular-weight polysaccharide vaccine directed at the lipopolysaccharide type determinants of P. aeruginosa has potential usefulness.
The Yale School Development Program Process, Outcomes, and Policy Implications

The plight of urban education in America continues to evoke considerable concern among many educators, policymakers, and average citizens. Urban schools whose populations are disproportionately minority continue to experience high rates of failure despite the many school improvement efforts of the past three decades. The most effective strategies are those that address the socioemotional and psycho-educational needs of children. The linkage between school programs and communities, including families must be strengthened The School Development Program of the Yale Child Study Center has been successful in improving urban schools because of its emphasis on systemic change, child development, and parent involvement.