cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preventing Unintended Pregnancy Among Young Sexually Active Women: Recognizing the Role of Violence, Self-Esteem, and Depressive Symptoms on Use of Contraception.

Abstract Objectives: Ineffective contraceptive use among young sexually active women is extremely prevalent and poses a significant risk for unintended pregnancy (UP). Ineffective contraception involves the use of the withdrawal method or the inconsistent use of other types of contraception (i.e., condoms and birth control pills). This investigation examined violence exposure and psychological factors related to ineffective contraceptive use among young sexually active women. Materials and Methods: Young, nonpregnant sexually active women (n = 315) were recruited from an urban family planning clinic in 2013 to participate in a longitudinal study. Tablet-based surveys measured childhood violence, community-level violence, intimate partner violence, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem. Follow-up surveys measured type and consistency of contraception used 9 months later. Multivariate logistic regression models assessed violence and psychological risk factors as main effects and moderators related to ineffec...
An electronic notebook for physical system simulation

A scientist who sets up and runs experiments typically keeps notes of this process in a lab notebook. A scientist who runs computer simulations should be no different. Experiments and simulations both require a set-up process which should be documented along with the results of the experiment or simulation. The documentation is important for knowing and understanding what was attempted, what took place, and how to reproduce it in the future. Modern simulations of physical systems have become more complex due in part to larger computational resources and increased understanding of physical systems. These simulations may be performed by combining the results from multiple computer codes. The machines that these simulations are executed on are often massively parallel/distributed systems. The output result of one of these simulations can be a terabyte of data and can require months of computing. All of these things contribute to the difficulty of keeping a useful record of the process of setting up and executing a simulation for a physical system. An electronic notebook for physical system simulations has been designed to help document the set up and execution process. Much of the documenting is done automatically by the simulation rather than the scientist running the simulation. The simulation knows what codes, data, software libraries, and versions thereof it is drawing together. All of these pieces of information become documented in the electronic notebook. The electronic notebook is designed with and uses the eXtensible Markup Language (XML). XML facilitates the representation, storage, interchange, and further use of the documented information.
Empathy and Malleability of Bias: An Exploratory Study of News Stories' Effects

This study explored the effects of news stories about Blacks and Native Americans on implicit attitudes toward these groups. Participants took the Implicit Associations Test (IAT) before and after reading news stories about either successful or unsuccessful minority members. The results suggest that, in some circumstances, news stories can decrease negative implicit attitudes, and that the effects are more pronounced on female than male participants. Intergroup contact and empathy are discussed as possible moderators.
Ethical and Competent Practice in Applied Behavior Analysis: Perspective, Requirements, and Dilemmas

Abstract The ethical and competent practice of applied behavior analysis requires multiple complex professional repertoires. The central concepts of ethics and competency are placed in historical perspective to fully explore the background and context of the social, regulatory, and professional standards that influence the professional code of ethics and generally accepted standards of professional competency for behavior analysts. Focus is placed on the ethics code of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, as well as its interaction with regulation, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The concept of ethical dilemma is discussed as it applies to the process of aspiring to the highest ethical and competency standards. Specific guidelines are presented to assist in developing this complex professional repertoire.
Trivalent Zirconium and Hafnium Metal–Organic Frameworks for Catalytic 1,4-Dearomative Additions of Pyridines and Quinolines

We report the quantitative conversion of [MIV6(μ3-O)4(μ3-OH)4Cl12]6– nodes in the MCl2-BTC metal–organic framework into the [MIII6(μ3-O)4(μ3-ONa)4H6]6– nodes in MIIIH-BTC (M = Zr, Hf; BTC is 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate) via bimetallic reductive elimination of H2 from putative [MIV6(μ3-O)4(μ3-OH)4H12]6– nodes. The coordinatively unsaturated MIIIH centers in MIIIH-BTC are highly active and selective for 1,4-dearomative hydroboration and hydrosilylation of pyridines and quinolines. This work demonstrated the potential of secondary building unit transformation in generating electronically unique and homogeneously inaccessible single-site solid catalysts for organic synthesis.
The Impact of Large-Scale Migration on Poverty, Expenditures, and Labor Market Outcomes in Nepal

This paper studies the impact of migration on poverty, expenditures, and labor market outcomes in Nepal. Between 2001 and 2011, the share of male working age population abroad more than doubled, mostly due to young men leaving to work in Malaysia and the Persian Gulf countries. The paper studies the impact using instrumental variables as well as difference-in-difference methods. The findings show that increases in migration to Gulf-Malaysia explain 40 percent of the decline in poverty between 2001 and 2011. The estimates of the marginal propensity of consumption show that a $1 increase in remittance income increases consumption by $0.5, with the largest share going to expenditures on food. The paper also finds that migration increases school enrollment of children, particularly of girls. Furthermore, the findings show that large-scale migration in villages improves labor market outcomes for households without a migrant. An increase in village migration rates of 10 percentage points increases wages by 25 percent, and labor force participation by 4 percentage points. The participation effects are driven by increases in female participation in non-farm sectors, and increased male participation in agriculture. The wage effects are driven by higher agricultural wages for all, and higher non-farm wages for females.
Reproducing the White Bourgeois: The Sitting-Room Drama of Marina Abramović

In the late-19th-century Euro-American theatre of domestic realism, the tete-a-tete on the sitting room set was the signature convention for the staging of intimate relational exchange. Since the 1...
The X-Linked Lymphoproliferative Syndromes

The X-linked lymphoproliferative (XLP) syndromes are rare primary immunodeficiencies caused by germline mutations in SH2D1A and XIAP, which encode the proteins SAP and XIAP, respectively. Deficiencies in the XLP-associated proteins result in a shared susceptibility to develop hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and dysgammaglobulinemia. SAP-deficient patients develop HLH following primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, while XIAP-deficient patients develop HLH in response to a variety of infectious triggers. In addition to HLH, SAP deficiency is associated with the onset of non-malignant or malignant lymphoproliferative disorders and, less commonly, vasculitis and aplastic anemia. XIAP deficiency is not associated with these latter manifestations, but instead some patients develop enterocolitis. The SAP and XIAP proteins do not share structural or functional similarities, and, given the differences in disease phenotypes, SAP and XIAP deficiency appear to represent two genetically and pathologically distinct disorders of the immune system.
Aluminum Speciation: Methodology and Applications

There exists ample evidence to suggest that chemical speciation regulates Al mobility in the environment and its bioavailability and toxicity to many aquatic organisms and plant species. Several Al speciation methods are useful for providing estimates of organically and inorganically complexed Al and adequately differentiating soluble from colloidal Al components. Additionally, comprehensive geochemical speciation models can be used effectively to delimit the boundary conditions describing Al solubility and solution species distribution. Neither of these approaches, however, can provide reliable information regarding specific molecular distributions of Al. Little work has focused on Al species transformation in natural systems, yet such reactions may be the primary regulators of Al mobility in natural systems, particularly during episodic events.
Niche maintenance of germline stem cells in C. elegans males

Stem cell maintenance by niche signaling is a common theme across phylogeny. In the Caenorhabditis elegans gonad, the broad outlines of germline stem cell (GSC) regulation are the same for both sexes: GLP-1/Notch signaling from the mesenchymal Distal Tip Cell (DTC) niche maintains GSCs in the distal gonad of both sexes (AUSTIN AND KIMBLE 1987), and does so via two key stem cell regulators, SYGL-1 and LST-1 (KERSHNER et al. 2014). Most analyses of niche signaling and GSC regulation have focused on XX hermaphrodites, an essentially female sex making sperm in larvae and oocytes in adults. Here we focus on XO males, which are sexually dimorphic in all tissues, including the distal gonad. The architecture of the male niche and the cellular behavior of GSCs are sex-specific. Despite these differences, males maintain a GSC pool similar to the hermaphrodite with respect to size and cell number and the male GSC response to niche signaling is also remarkably similar.
Public values: citizens’ perspective

Drawing data from more than 2,000 US citizens, the current article focuses on empirically derived citizens’ public values. Objectives include: (1) to provide and analyse empirical data on citizens’...
Self-construal and communalism in Costa Rica: Subjective attitudes vs. implicit behavioral tendencies

Early work by Hofstede (Behavior Science Research, 18 (4), 285–305, 1983) described Costa Rica as among the most culturally collective of 52 countries studied. Later work described the people of Costa Rica as low in group orientation, an outlier compared to other Latin American populations (Oyserman et al. Psychological Bulletin, 128(1), 3–72, 2002). To examine this inconsistency, the current study assessed 69 Costa Rican university students’ responses on two well-known explicit attitude measures and one scenario measure of implicit tendencies (Kitayama et al. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97(2), 236–255, 2009) related to group orientation. Responses were compared to those of North American participants who were of European (40) and African (60) heritage. Reliability estimates varied among the measures and in the sample groups. Costa Ricans did not differ from U.S. participants in interdependent but scored higher than both US groups in independent self-construal. Their communalism scores were lower. On the measure of implicit tendencies, however, they rated themselves more similar to communal than individualistic and competitive peers, and less similar to the individualistic peer than did either group of U.S. participants. These findings complicate the question of whether Costa Rican group orientation is at odds with other Latin American populations and raise important general questions about cross group measurement of culture.
Why Low-Income Households Become Unstably Housed: Evidence From the Panel Study of Income Dynamics

Because of a severe shortage of affordable housing in the United States, an increasing number of low-income households suffer from housing instability. However, little evidence exists as to why the...
BrowStExPlus: A Tool to Aggregate IndexedDB Artifacts for Forensic Analysis

As the Internet and World Wide Web have rapidly evolved and revolutionized the applications in everyday life, it is ademanding challenge for investigators to keep up with the emerging technologies for forensic analyses. Investigating web browser usages forcriminal activities, also known as web browser forensics, is a significant part of digital forensics as crucial browsing information of the suspectcan be discovered. Particularly, in this study, an emerging web storage technology, called IndexedDB, is examined. Characteristics of Index-edDB technology in five major web browsers under three major operating systems are scrutinized. Also, top 15 US websites ranked by Alexaare investigated for their data storage in IndexedDB. User screen names, ids, and records of conversations, permissions, and image locationsare some of the data found in IndexedDB. Furthermore, BrowStEx, a proof-of-concept tool previously developed, is extended and cultivatedinto BrowStExPlus, with which aggregating IndexedDB artifacts is demonstrated.
Avian Flu School: A Training Approach to Prepare for H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Since the reemergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1 HPAI) in 2003, a panzootic that is historically unprecedented in the number of infected flocks, geographic spread, and economic consequences for agriculture has developed. The epidemic has affected a wide range of birds and mammals, including humans. The ineffective management of outbreaks, mainly due to a lack of knowledge among those involved in detection, prevention, and response, points to the need for training on H5N1 HPAI. The main challenges are the multidisciplinary approach required, the lack of experts, the need to train at all levels, and the diversity of outbreak scenarios. Avian Flu School addresses these challenges through a three-level train-the-trainer program intended to minimize the health and economic impacts of H5N1 HPAI by improving a community's ability to prevent and respond, while protecting themselves and others. The course teaches need-to-know facts using highly flexible, interactive, and relevant materials.
Am I an entrepreneur? How imposter fears hinder women entrepreneurs’ business growth

Abstract Although participation of women in entrepreneurship continues to grow, a gender-performance gap persists. While the differential inputs and values perspectives have investigated both external and internal forces that help explain this gap, neither perspective has considered an important cognitive mechanism that captures gender differences: identity. The purpose of this article is to examine the role of imposter fears in shaping entrepreneurial identity and the desire for business growth. Entrepreneurship has long been associated with masculine notions of success, which may lead women to discount themselves as ‘real’ entrepreneurs or successful in the context of these masculine norms. Our goal is to draw attention to women entrepreneurs’ imposter fears in order to understand how women think about and construct their identity as entrepreneurs and subsequently contemplate the success and growth of their ventures. We also propose mitigating factors that can disrupt gendered norms and facilitate self-efficacy for women entrepreneurs in the pursuit of business growth.
Neuropathologic correlates of amyloid and dopamine transporter imaging in Lewy body disease

Objective To develop imaging biomarkers of diseases in the Lewy body spectrum and to validate these markers against postmortem neuropathologic findings. Methods Four cognitively normal participants with Parkinson disease (PD), 4 with PD with cognitive impairments, and 10 with dementia with Lewy bodies underwent amyloid imaging with [11C]Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) and dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging with [11C]Altropane. All 18 had annual neurologic examinations. All cognitively normal participants with PD developed cognitive impairment before death. Neuropathologic examinations assessed and scored Braak Lewy bodies, Thal distribution of amyloid, Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer9s Disease neuritic amyloid plaques, Braak neurofibrillary tangles, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy, as well as total amyloid plaque burden in the superior frontal, superior parietal, occipital, and inferior temporal cortical regions. PET data were expressed as the standardized uptake value ratio with cerebellar reference. Analyses accounted for the interval between imaging and autopsy. Results All 18 patients met neuropathologic criteria for Lewy body disease; the DAT concentration was low in each case. All patients with elevated [11C]PiB retention measured in a neocortical aggregate had β-amyloid deposits at autopsy. [11C]PiB retention significantly correlated with neuritic plaque burden and with total plaque burden. [11C]PiB retention also significantly correlated with the severity of both Braak stages of neurofibrillary tangle and Lewy body scores. Neuritic plaque burden was significantly associated with neurofibrillary tangle pathology. Conclusion Antemortem [11C]Altropane PET is a sensitive measure of substantia nigra degeneration. [11C]PiB scans accurately reflect cortical amyloid deposits seen at autopsy. These findings support the use of molecular imaging in the evaluation of patients with Lewy body diseases.
STEM K-12 Outreach as the Root of Transportation Education: Experiences from the Railway Engineering Field:

Demand for graduates with rail transportation expertise remains strong in North America, particularly in engineering and technical fields. Over the past decade, various activities by the American R...
Elective neck dissection (END) and cN0 hard palate and upper gingival cancers: A National Cancer Database analysis of factors predictive of END and impact on survival.

Background and objectives The reported risk of nodal metastasis in hard palate and upper gingival squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has been inconsistent with inadequate consensus regarding the utility of neck dissection in the clinically negative (cN0) neck. Materials and methods Using the National Cancer Database, cN0 patients diagnosed with SCC of the head and neck with the subsites of the hard palate and upper gingiva were identified from 2004 to 2014. Results A total of 1830 patients were identified, and END was performed on 422 patients with cN0 tumors. Pathologically positive nodes occurred in 14% (59/422) of patients in this cohort. Higher tumor stage, academic hospital type, and large hospital volume (>28 cancer-specific cases/year) were associated with a higher likelihood of END both in univariate and multivariate analyses (P 80 years of age were less likely to receive END on multivariate analysis (OR 0.52, 0.32-0.84). No variables, including advanced T stage, predicted occult metastases. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that patients who underwent END demonstrated improved OS over an 11-year period (hazard ratio 0.75, P = .002). On subgroup analysis, this improvement was significant in patients with both stage T1 and T4 tumors. Conclusions Tumor stage, hospital type, and hospital volume were associated with higher rates of END for patients with cN0 hard palate SCC and after controlling for clinical factors, END was associated with improved overall survival.
Congenital hemangioma of the face—Value of fetal MRI with prenatal ultrasound

Abstract We report the presentation, workup, and pre/perinatal management of a fetus with a large congenital hemangioma of the face. Hemangiomas are benign vascular neoplasms frequently encountered in neonates and infants. The less common congenital variant develops in utero and can present on prenatal ultrasound with diagnostic uncertainty as well as clinical implications for delivery. The differential diagnosis for these solid vascular masses when located in the head and neck includes myofibroma, kaposiform hemangioendothelioma, teratoma, and encephalocele. Potential clinical issues relate to size and location of the mass and include airway obstruction, disruption in development or compression of the globe, invasion into the cranial vault, bleeding and ulceration, and high output heart failure. Prenatal ultrasound and MRI play an important role in the diagnosis of congenital hemangiomas and planning for delivery and immediate postnatal cares.
Personality Promotion: The Impact of Coaching and Behavioral Activation on Facet Level Personality Change and Health Outcomes

The expectancy-value theory (EVT) and the control theory both provide a framework for explaining how personality facets might be impacted. In two pilot studies, (bottoms-up interventions) were used to determine if facets of personality could change. Study one examined the impact of brief Behavioral Activation training on facets of Conscientiousness. Study two examined the impact of instructional feedback and monitoring (coaching) on facets relating to the big five personality traits. Findings showed a 5-week Behavioral Activation training increased both logical thinking and preparedness (facets of conscientiousness). Additionally, 12-weeks of coaching lead to changes in four of the big five personality traits. In both studies, these behavioral changes were significantly related to changes in emotional well-being and physical health perceptions.
Subterranean infrastructures in a sinking city: the politics of visibility in Jakarta

Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta is one of the world’s fastest sinking cities. Land subsidence, primarily caused by excessive groundwater extraction, damages infrastructure and buildings, and co...
Angiosarcoma Clinically Mimicking a Targetoid Hemosiderotic Hemangioma

Angiosarcoma is a rare malignant entity that typically presents as a rapidly progressing ecchymotic or cellulitis-like lesion with subsequent bleeding or ulceration. Atypical presentations have been described, such as cases mimicking rosacea, making the diagnosis more challenging. Due to the high rate of local recurrence, metastasis, and disease-specific mortality, early identification and treatment is critical. Here we describe a 69-year-old man with a vascular targetoid lesion clinically consistent with a targetoid hemosiderotic hemangioma (THH); however, biopsy was consistent with an angiosarcoma. Early diagnosis of this lesion resulted in prompt wide local excision and no detection of metastasis. This case report highlights the importance of thorough evaluation of new onset vascular lesions and the unique THH-like presentation of an angiosarcoma.
Analysis of time-correlated single photon detection in a multi-wavelength quantum key distribution network

We evaluate time-correlated single photon detection as a key rate enhancement technique in a wavelength-addressed, auto-compensating quantum key distribution network by calculating the network's aggregate effective key rate.
Why Can't I Find Newton's Third Law? Case Studies of Students' Use of the Web as a Science Resource

Students are increasingly using the World Wide Web (Web) as a science resource, especially to gather information on a variety of topics. The abundance of information on the Web makes it an especially tantalizing source of information, but not one without considerable risks due to its size and the inability of most Web search engines to organize and prioritize their search results. The purpose of this study was to examine searching patterns of students using the Web as a science information resource. We present cases of both successful and unsuccessful student experiences. Previous research demonstrates that domain knowledge and search expertise are particularly important in terms of students finding information on the Web. In light of these findings, we attempted to (a) provide detailed accounts of how students use the Web as a science resource, (b) illuminate how the different levels of domain knowledge, search expertise, and situational interest impact students' ability to find useful and relevant information on the Web, and (c) draw inferences about the types of tools and scaffolding needed by students when using the Web as a science resource. Detailed case descriptions of students' experiences facilitate discussion of how educators may integrate this popular information source more efficiently and effectively in their classrooms.
DTMCS with Costs and Rewards

A discrete-time Markov chain (DTMC) with an attached reward to a state occupancy or to a state transition is called a DTMC with rewards. DTMC reward models find wide applications in many stochastic systems such as inventory management and portfolio performance. This article reviews several performance measures and solution techniques commonly used in DTMC reward models. Keywords: DTMC with rewards; expected total reward; discounted rewards; average rewards
Specific gravity responses of slash and loblolly pine following mid-rotation fertilization

Wood quality attributes were examined in six stands of slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii) and loblolly pine (P. taeda L.) in the lower Coastal Plain of Georgia and Florida. Several plots comprised each stand, and each plot was divided so that it received three fertilizer treatments: a control treatment with herbaceous weed control at planting and brush control at mid-rotation only (control); 45 kg ha � 1 N + 56 kg ha � 1 P + herbaceous weed control at planting and 224 kg ha � 1 N + 45 kg ha � 1 P+brush control at mid-rotation (fertilizer with N at planting); and 56 kg ha � 1 P + herbaceous weed control at planting and 224 kg ha � 1 N + 45 kg ha � 1 P + brush control at mid-rotation (fertilizer without N at planting). Ring width, ring earlywood specific gravity (SG), ring latewood SG, whole ring SG, and ring percent latewood were measured on each of seven trees. Of these measurements, this study focused mainly on the properties related to SG. Examination of the rings showed that latewood SG was significantly lower in trees treated with fertilizers with and without N at planting in the two to three years following fertilization, but that latewood SG gradually returned to a level similar to the control. Fertilizer without N at planting may also have had a brief negative effect on earlywood SG following midrotation fertilization, but it was not as clear or lasting as the effect on latewood SG. Additionally, although slash and loblolly pine appear to differ in the developmental patterns of these SG properties, there were no significant differences in how these patterns interacted with treatment. This study demonstrated that fertilization treatments have similar short-term effects on the SG of slash and loblolly pines, particularly in latewood, but the trees will return to a SG pattern consistent with unfertilized trees within two or three years.
The endorsement of irrational beliefs in a general clinical population

Burgess' Attitude and Belief Scale, a measure of Ellis' irrational beliefs, was administered to a large sample of outpatients. All 13 subscales demonstrate very adequate internal consistency. A factor analysis yielded one factor accounting for 83% of the variance, which was labeled “irrationality”. Clients endorsed “focused” items more than “overgeneralized” items, “self-referential items more than “non-self-referential” items, and “preferential” items more than “irrational” items. Clients also received higher scores on the irrational process of demandingness than they did on the irrational process of awfulizing, self-worth and low frustration tolerance. The results were consistent with new formulations in Rational-Emotive theory. Suggestions were made for the construction of measures of irrational beliefs.
Mode III fracture behavior of laminated composite with edge crack in torsion

Abstract A three-dimensional (3-D) finite element analysis was performed on a [90,(+45/−45)n,(−45/+45)n,90]s class of laminated composites under the edge crack torsion (ECT) test configuration. Finite element delamination models were established and formulas for calculating the Mode III fracture toughness from 3-D finite element models were developed. The relations between the interlaminar fracture behavior and various configuration parameters were investigated and the effects of point loads, ends, geometry, Mode II interference, and friction were evaluated. Results showed that with proper selection of ECT specimen configuration and layup, the delamination could grow in pure Mode III in the middle region of the specimen. Specimen end effect played an important role in the ECT test. A Mode II component occurred in the end regions but it did not interfere significantly with the Mode III delamination state. Specimen dimension ratio, layup, and crack length exhibited significant effect on the interlaminar fracture behavior and the calculated strain energy release rates. However, friction between crackfaces was found to have negligible effect on the interlaminar properties.
Glucocorticoid regulation of lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus replication in macrophages

Lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) is a macrophage-tropic arterivirus which generally causes a persistent viremic infection in mice. LDV replication in vivo seems to be primarily regulated by the extent and dynamics of a virus-permissive macrophage population. Previous studies have shown that glucocorticoid treatment of chronically LDV-infected mice transiently increases viremia 10-100-fold, apparently by increasing the productive infection of macrophages. We have further investigated this phenomenon by comparing the effect of dexamethasone on the in vivo and in vitro replication of two LDV quasispecies that differ in sensitivity to immune control by the host. The single neutralizing epitope of LDV-P is flanked by two N-glycans that impair its immunogenicity and render LDV-P resistant to antibody neutralization. In contrast, replication of the neuropathogenic mutant LDV-C is suppressed by antibody neutralization because its epitope lacks the two protective N-glycans. Dexamethasone treatment of mice 16 h prior to LDV-P infection, or of chronically LDV-P infected mice, stimulated viremia 10-100-fold, which correlated with an increase of LDV permissive macrophages in the peritoneum and increased LDV infected cells in the spleen, respectively. The increase in viremia occurred in the absence of changes in total anti-LDV and neutralizing antibodies. The results indicate that increased viremia was due to increased availability of LDV permissive macrophages, and that during a chronic LDV-P infection virus replication is strictly limited by the rate of regeneration of permissive macrophages. In contrast, dexamethasone treatment had no significant effect on the level of viremia in chronically LDV-C infected mice, consistent with the view that LDV-C replication is primarily restricted by antibody neutralization and not by a lack of permissive macrophages. beta-Glucan, the receptor of which is induced on macrophages by dexamethasone treatment, had no effect on the LDV permissiveness of macrophages.
Effects of mannitol and dextran on interstitial pulmonary edema

Abstract Pulmonary interstitial edema in the isogravimetric perfused canine lung produced by venous constriction results in decreased compliance and pulmonary venous PO 2 , and increased pulmonary capillary pressure. Release of venous constriction is associated with further deterioration in pulmonary venous PO 2 , and no improvement in lung weight or compliance although PC i returns toward normal. Addition of 15 grams LMW dextran minimizes the fall in PVO 2 and shows less perivascular edema microscopically, but does not otherwise differ from untreated controls. In contrast, deleterious effects are noted after the addition of 1.5 grams mannitol shown by marked weight gain, increased PC i , decreased PVO 2 , and decreased compliance. In addition, electron microscopy shows focal endothelial cell damage and more marked perivascular space edema. The adverse effects of mannitol may relate to its smaller molecular weight facilitating entry into the interstitial space.
Exposure to multiple sensory cues as a juvenile affects adult female mate preferences in wolf spiders

Experience is known to influence female mating in a variety of vertebrate animals; however, the effects of experience on mate choice have been less well-studied in invertebrates. In a series of recent studies conducted on spiders, it was shown that females develop preferences for novel, artificially modified male phenotypes when exposed to them as juveniles. However, because Schizocosa wolf spiders are known to respond to multiple sensory cues in mate choice, concerns have been raised about the use of nail polish to modify male visual phenotypes. Here we attempted to repeat the earlier experiment, but address effects of chemical versus visual learning separately, using the wolf spider species Schizocosa rovneri. Results indicate that exposure to novel visual/chemical male phenotypes influenced adult female mate preference for visual and to some extent chemical phenotypes, but in this case, females avoided familiar male phenotypes and preferred those to which they had not been exposed. Our results suggest that female mate preferences may be based on more factors than previously recognized, and that experience may reinforce behavioural isolation of species by increasing avoidance of mating with visually or chemically distinct male phenotypes.
Polyamide 66 as a cryogenic dielectric

Abstract Improvements in superconductor and cryogenic technologies enable novel power apparatus, e.g., cables, transformers, fault current limiters, generators, it etc., with better device characteristics than their conventional counterparts. In these applications electrical insulation materials play an important role in system weight, footprint (size), and voltage level. The trend in the electrical insulation material selection has been to adapt or to employ conventional insulation materials to these new systems. However, at low temperatures, thermal contraction and loss of mechanical strength in many materials make them unsuitable for superconducting power applications. In this paper, a widely used commercial material was characterized as a potential cryogenic dielectric. The material is used in “oven bags” which is a heat-resistant polyamide (nylon) used in cooking (produced by Reynolds ® , Richmond, VA, USA). It is first characterized by Fourier transform infrared and X-ray diffraction techniques and determined to be composed of polyamide 66 (PA66) polymer. Secondly the complex dielectric permittivity and dielectric breakdown strength of the PA66 films are investigated. The dielectric data are then compared with data reported in the literature. A comparison of dielectric strength with a widely used high-temperature superconductor electrical insulation material, polypropylene-laminated paper ( PPLP ™ a product of Sumitomo Electric Industries, Japan), is provided. It is observed that the statistical analysis of the PA66 films yields 1% failure probability at 127 kV mm - 1 ; this value is approximately 46 kV mm - 1 higher than PPLP ™ . Comparison of the mechanical properties of PA and PPLP ™ indicates that PA66 has low storage and loss moduli than PPLP ™ . It is concluded that PA66 may be a good candidate for cryogenic applications. Finally, a summary of dielectric properties of some of the commercial tape insulation materials and various polymers is also provided.
A systematic evaluation of the lagged effects of spatiotemporally relative surface weather types on wintertime cardiovascular-related mortality across 19 US cities

Previous research using varying methods has shown that the day-to-day variability in cardiovascular (CV)-related mortality is correlated with a number of different meteorological variables, though these relationships can vary geographically. This research systematically examines the relationship between anomalous winter CV-related mortality and geographically and seasonally relative multivariate surface weather types derived from a recently developed gridded weather typing classification (GWTC) for cities in varying climate regions of the United States of America (USA). Results indicate that for all locations examined, during winter, a dry and cool (DC) weather type is significantly related to increased CV-related mortality, especially in the 2 weeks immediately after it occurs, with no apparent mortality displacement. Across the USA as a whole, the peak of this relationship is a 4.1% increase in CV-related mortality at a lag of 3 days. Spike days in CV-related mortality show similar trends, being over 50% more likely 2 to 4 days after the DC type occurs. A humid and warm (HW) weather type exhibited a significant and opposite relationship to that of DC. While these results for DC and HW were statistically significant at every location examined, the magnitudes were larger in the warmer locations. Among other weather types, Warm Front Passages (WFP) were also related to significant increases in CV-related mortality, especially 1 day after they occurred. Though this link was much more varied geographically than results found with DC or HW, it suggests that sequences of multiple DC days followed by WFP may result in increased CV-related mortality.
A Specific Inhibitor of TGF-β Receptor Kinase, SB-431542, as a Potent Antitumor Agent for Human Cancers

Small molecule inhibitors of signaling pathways have proven to be extremely useful for the development of therapeutic strategies for human cancers. Blocking the tumor-promoting effects of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in advanced stage carcinogenesis provides a potentially interesting drug target for therapeutic intervention. Although very few TGF-β receptor kinase inhibitors (TRKI) are now emerging in preclinical studies, nothing is known about how these inhibitors might regulate the tumor-suppressive or tumor-promoting effects of TGF-β, or when these inhibitors might be useful for treatment during cancer progression. We have investigated the potential of TRKI in new therapeutic approaches in preclinical models. Here, we demonstrate that the TRKI, SB-431542, inhibits TGF-β-induced transcription, gene expression, apoptosis, and growth suppression. We have observed that SB-431542 attenuates the tumor-promoting effects of TGF-β, including TGF-β-induced EMT, cell motility, migration and invasion, and vascular endothelial growth factor secretion in human cancer cell lines. Interestingly, SB-431542 induces anchorage independent growth of cells that are growth-inhibited by TGF-β, whereas it reduces colony formation by cells that are growth-promoted by TGF-β. However, SB-431542 has no effect on a cell line that failed to respond to TGF-β. This represents a novel potential application of these inhibitors as therapeutic agents for human cancers with the goal of blocking tumor invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis, when tumors are refractory to TGF-β-induced tumor-suppressor functions but responsive to tumor-promoting effects of TGF-β.
SU‐E‐J‐02: GPU‐Accelerated Polyenergetic DRR Generation Based On Data Parallelism and Task Parallelism with a Dispatcher Using OpenCL: Effect of the Numbers of Tasks and Energies

Purpose: To improve the performance of parallel processing of multi‐energetic digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR) generation using a task‐overlap strategy on heterogeneous platforms. Methods: A segmented 512 ×512 ×223 head‐neck phantom was used to generate 512 ×512 polyenergetic DRR based on Mohan4 and Mohan6 spectrums containing 16 and 24 energy bins, respectively. The DRR formation for each energy bin comprises three steps: (1) phantom conversion, (2) line integral and (3) exponential and weighting of projection. The parallel computing ecosystem consisted of one 8‐core CPU and one general purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU). We used Open Computing Language (OpenCL) to decompose the low‐degree parallel and serial workloads into multiple tasks on CPU using task parallelism, and partition the high‐degree parallel workloads on GPGPU using data parallelism. Two sequential task partitions for the first DRR formation were tested: (A) Step1 as Task1 on CPU, Step2 as Task2 on GPU and Step3 as Task3 on CPU; and (B) Step1 as Task1 on CPU and Step2 and Step3 as Task2 on GPU. The subsequent DRR generation does not need Step 1 so Step1 as Task1 was excluded in each partition. A task‐overlap method driven by a dispatcher was also implemented using regular single‐threaded host program to further improve the performance. Results: For the first DRR formation and Partition A, the task‐overlap strategy was 5.8 and 6.5 times faster than sequential method for 16‐energy‐bin Mohan4 and 24‐energy‐bin Mohan6 spectrums, respectively. For Partition B, the speedup of the task‐overlap strategy was 5.2 and 5.5 times for Mohan4 and Mohan6 spectrums, respectively. For the following DRR formation, the speedups were 1.16 and 1.165 times in two‐task scenario for Mohan4 and Mohan6 spectrums. Conclusion: The task‐overlap strategy significantly improves the performance for parallel processing of multi‐energetic DRR generation. The parallelism is increased when more energies and tasks are driven by the dispatcher.
Tissue reaction to pure and impregnated silastic.

Abstract In experiments on rats, silver-impregnated silastic implants into muscle evoked the same degree of reaction as plain silastic and barium-impregnated silastic. Silver- and barium-silastic intracaval implants also produced comparable degrees of reaction and did not cause caval thrombosis. These findings, coupled with satisfactory clinical experience in the use of silver-silastic catheters, lead the authors to recommend the use of these catheters for caval intravenous alimentation and ventriculoatrial shunts, as their dense radioopacity facilitates radiographic monitoring.
Hepatitis C Therapy: Other Players in the Game

Therapies in addition to the direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) under evaluation for chronic hepatitis C include host targets such as cyclophilin inhibitors and immunomodulators. Both passive and therapeutic vaccines hold promise for the future. Although the numbers of drug categories and individual agents are increasing, only a handful of the non-DAAs seem to be ready to move on to phase III trials. New interferon agents are in development, and ribavirin variants are still under consideration. The role of the other players in the overall armamentarium against hepatitis C virus is still evolving.
Growth and characterization of single crystal Ga2O3 nanowires and nano-ribbons for sensing applications

The growth of monoclinic Ga 2 O 3 nanowires, nano-ribbons and nano-sheets has been investigated. Results indicate that high quality single crystal nanowires can be grown at 900°C using an Au catalyst, while single crystal nano-ribbons and nano-sheets require no metal catalyst for growth. Since bulk Ga 2 O 3 is a promising material for high temperature sensing, Ga 2 O 3 nanowires and nano-ribbons may prove to enhance the sensing capability due to the high surface area. We have investigated the nature of defects in this material using Electron Spin Resonance, in as grown material, as well as under annealing in a reducing gas (H 2 ) at various high temperatures. Results indicate the presence of an oxygen deficiency in the material, resulting in a conduction electron signal that becomes enhanced with annealing. An alternate use of these nanowires for sensing applications will also be presented, involving Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.
ESR and crystallization studies of iron-free xanthine oxidase

Abstract Low iron-containing xanthine oxidase (0.3 mole iron/mole protein) was crystallized. The physical features of these crystals are quite different from those obtained from native enzyme (8 moles/Fe/mole protein). Upon removal of iron from the enzyme, the ESR intensity drops in half to a limiting value corresponding to 0.3 mole Fe 2+ calculated, which corresponds to chemically analyzed iron of 0.3 mole/mole protein. There is no essential change in the absorption spectra upon removal of iron nor any appreciable change in activity. It appears from these results that the iron is probably not essential in the xanthine:O 2 oxidoreductase activity.
WAMR: An adaptive wavelet method for the simulation of compressible reacting flow. Part II. The parallel algorithm

Abstract The Wavelet Adaptive Multiresolution Representation (WAMR) algorithm is parallelized using a domain decomposition approach suitable to a wide range of distributed-memory parallel architectures. The method is applied to the solution of two unsteady, compressible, reactive flow problems and includes detailed diffusive transport and chemical kinetics models. The first problem is a cellular detonation in a hydrogen–oxygen–argon mixture. The second problem corresponds to the ignition and combustion of a hydrogen bubble by a shock wave in air. In both cases, results agree favorably with previous computational results.
Novel single nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotypes within the bovine CXCR2 gene

The objectives of this study were to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and resulting haplotypes in the bovine CXCR2 gene. A 311-bp segment of the bovine CXCR2 gene was amplified and sequenced. Five SNPs at positions 612, 684, 777, 858, and 861 were expressed in both Holstein and Jersey dairy cattle. Four SNPs resulted in synonymous substitutions, while a non-synonymous switch at position 777 (G→C) resulted in a glutamine to histidine substitution at amino acid residue 245. Strong linkage disequilibrium was exhibited for both breeds among all five loci (P<0.001). Both allele and genotype frequencies differed significantly with respect to breed at four of the five loci (P<0.001). The five polymorphisms generated ten distinct haplotypes. Six haplotypes were common between the two breeds, while Holsteins and Jerseys each uniquely expressed two haplotypes. Of the six common haplotypes, two represented 83% of the Jersey population; whereas four of these haplotypes represented 95% of the Holstein population.
Synthesis of a cholera toxin B subunit-rotavirus NSP4 fusion protein in potato

To increase the efficacy of the small amounts of therapeutic protein generally synthesized in transformed plants, we investigated the feasibility of producing a fusion protein in potato capable of targeting a therapeutic protein to a specific organ in the body. An enterocyte-targeted rotavirus fusion gene was constructed by linking the gene encoding the cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) to a DNA fragment encoding an epitope of the rotavirus enterotoxin protein (NSP4). Solanum tuberosum plants carrying a plant expression vector harboring the fusion gene were generated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated in vivo transformation methods. Immunoblot analysis of transformed tubers indicated the presence of the CTB-NSP4 fusion protein oligomers that retained enterocyte receptor GM1 ganglioside binding affinity. The CTB-NSP4 fusion protein multimers were synthesized in the range of 0.01–0.1% of the total soluble tuber protein.