cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A rapid prototyping environment for wireless communication embedded systems

This paper introduces a rapid prototyping methodology which overcomes important barriers in the design and implementation of digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms and systems on embedded hardware platforms, such as cellular phones. This paper describes rapid prototyping in terms of a simulation/prototype bridge and in terms of appropriate language design. The simulation/prototype bridge combines the strengths of simulation and of prototyping, allowing the designer to develop and evaluate next-generation communications systems, partly in simulation on a host computer and partly as a prototype on embedded hardware. Appropriate language design allows designers to express a communications system as a block diagram, in which each block represents an algorithm specified by a set of equations. Software tools developed for this paper implement both concepts, and have been successfully used in the development of a next-generation code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular wireless communications system.
Can decreasing smoking prevalence reduce leukemia mortality

Previous studies have demonstrated a modest association between smoking and leukemia particularly for myeloid disorders. Our objective was to examine whether changing trends in cigarette smoking prevalence nationally and within selected states parallel similar trends in mortality from leukemia. Trends in national smoking rates were correlated with trends in leukemia mortality rates obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results registry, respectively. State-specific correlations were assessed from 1984 to 2004 using smoking prevalence data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and leukemia mortality data from National Vital Statistics System. Correlations were computed using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Leukemia mortality decreased overall in the United States in parallel with decreased smoking. Analyzed on a state-specific basis, leukemia mortality decreased in states where smoking rates declined markedly but remained unchanged where smoking prevalences were relatively stable. The findings suggest that declining rates of leukemia mortality are associated with changing patterns of smoking behavior.
Status and habitats of the three African crocodiles in Liberia

A r-epr-esen-tative saim1ple of waterways in Liberia was surveyed for- cr-ocodiles, an-d all thlee species of Afiicanl crocodiles were observed. Contrary to previous r-eports, on-ly Nile crocodiles inhabit the Monr-oiovia imlan-gr-ove swamps an-d b3rackish-water- mouths of rivers; ther-e ar-e nlo slender- snlouted or clwar-f ciocodiles in these habitats. Ther-e is partitioning of habitats among the three species in LibDeria: Nile crocodiles in man-gr-ove swamllps an-d river mouths (br-ackish water); slenlder- snloiuted crocodiles in rivers tlhlouLgh rain- forest (fi-eshvwater); an-d dwarf crocodiles in small streamlls thlrou-gh r-aini for-est (fireshwater), somile en-tei-in-g the adjaceint river. Dwxarf crocodiles utilize burrows in the str-eaim- b3anlks. Nowvhere are crocodiles abun-dant, an-d there is anl appar-en-t absence of adults. AlthouLgh 400, of LibDeria is for-ested, deforestation- is occurrinlg rapidly b3y foreign- timber companlies andec slash-and- buLrni agriculture practised b3y the largely rur-al popuLlation-. Hun-tinig witll firearm-s, althiouLgh illegal, is widespread, both for sulDsisten-ce an-d commiler-cially, without con-cern- for depletion-. Manlgrove ecosystem--s nlear hulman- population- cen-tr-es are bein-g destroyed. The combinlationl of tlhe above factois has apparently depleted the crocodile populationls in Liberia.
A unified magnetic resonance imaging pharmacokinetic theory: intravascular and extracellular contrast reagents.

A fundamental reworking of pharmacokinetic theory for the use of contrast reagents (CRs) in T1-weighted MRI studies is presented. Unlike the standard model in common use, this derivation starts with the quantities measured, the intravascular, interstitial, and intracellular 1H2O signals. The time dependences of CR concentrations are introduced as perturbations of the T1 values of these. Since there is an explicit accounting for the equilibrium exchange of water molecules between tissue compartments, the approach here is a new (second) generation of the shutter-speed model (S2M). When the first-order rate constant measuring CR extravasation (Ktrans) is of sufficient magnitude, simulations presented here confirm that neglect of plasma CR, a feature of the first generation of S2M, is a valid approximation. The second S2M generation (S2M2) also automatically accommodates excursions of either or both of the two major equilibrium water exchange systems (transendothelial and transcytolemmal) into any or all possible exchange conditions, from their fast-exchange limits to their slow-exchange limits. This can happen not because the exchange kinetics themselves vary during the isothermal CR passage, but because the MR shutter speeds for these processes can vary. When Ktrans is sufficiently small, the S2M2 also naturally accounts for the hyperfine blood agent level dependent (BALD) effect that is easily detectable at high magnetic field. This can be seen for virtually all CRs in normal brain tissue and for virtually all tissues with sufficiently intravascular CRs. Thus, S2M2 represents a unified pharmacokinetic theory for intravascular and extracellular T1 contrast reagents. Magn Reson Med, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effectiveness of the 40 adolescent AIDS-risk reduction interventions: A quantitative review

Objective: (1) To review evaluations of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) prevention interventions targeting adolescents to determine whether these efforts have been effective in reducing risk behaviors. (2) To examine the relation between intervention design issues and outcomes measures. Method: A systematic review of five electronic databases and hand-searches of 11 journals, were undertaken for articles published from January 1983 through November 1995 that reported evaluations of adolescent AIDS risk-reduction interventions conducted in the United States. Outcomes examined include: improved attitudes about AIDS risk and protective behaviors, increased intention to abstain from sexual intercourse or to use condoms, and reduced sexual risk behaviors. Results: Forty studies that met preestablished inclusion criteria were found. For each outcome assessed, a majority of studies found a positive intervention impact (88% of studies assessing changes in knowledge; 58% changes in attitude, 60% changes in intention to use condoms, 73% in condom use, and 64% in decreasing number of sexual partners). Interventions that demonstrated an increase in intention to use a condom were significantly more likely to be theory-based than those that did not show any significant changes in intention (100% vs. 0%, p = .048). Interventions that increased condom use and decreased the number of sexual partners were longer in duration than those that did not improve these outcomes. Conclusions: AIDS risk reduction interventions can be effective in improving knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions and in reducing risk practices. The positive relationship between improved outcomes and several elements of intervention design underscores the need for increased focus on intervention design in future studies.
Channel acquisition for wideband CDMA signals

The scenario considered is one where a single new user is to be acquired on the reverse link by the base station, and where the channel parameters of the interfering users are known. Following a minimum mean squared error (MMSE) strategy for suppressing the multiaccess interference, the parameter estimation problem is posed in a maximum likelihood framework, To reduce complexity, the solution is implemented in two stages: first, the estimated tap delays are restricted to be at chip spacings; second, the number of taps is reduced by allowing for arbitrary spacing between them. The performance of the proposed techniques is studied through numerical simulations. It is shown that significant gains can be obtained by exploiting the structure of the interference and acquiring the channel parameters jointly.
Utility of intravenous catheters for femoral arterial cannulation in infants having complicated sternal re-entry

Objective Many children undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease have had prior operations. Reoperative sternotomy carries with it the risk of cardiac injury and the need for emergency peripheral cannulation. Unfortunately, in smaller children, many of the standard sites are occluded, stenosed, or too small for the smallest manufactured cannulas. Using a model, we evaluated the feasibility of using peripheral intravenous catheters for establishing cardiopulmonary support. Methods A model cardiopulmonary bypass circuit was created. Catheters of varying diameter and length were used to simulate arterial cannulation. With each catheter, flows were incrementally increased until a maximum arterial line pressure was achieved. Data were recorded. Results Catheter diameters increased from 24 to 14 gauge, and catheter lengths increased from 1 inch to 1.88 inches. Flow could not be established through the 24-gauge catheter without an unacceptably high arterial line pressure. From the next smallest catheter (22 gauge × 1 inch) to the largest catheter (14 gauge × 1.88 inches), maximum achievable flow rates ranged from 70 to 540 mL/min, respectively. Conclusions Peripheral arterial cannulation may be lifesaving in cases of complicated sternal re-entry in children. Intravenous catheters can be used when vessels are too small for standard cannulas. Flow rates that provide adequate support while maintaining acceptable arterial line pressures are achievable with peripheral intravenous catheters until central cannulation can be accomplished safely.
Inactivated mariner-like elements (MLE) in pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella.

We isolated multiple copies of mariner -like element (MLE) from the pink bollworm (PBW), Pectinophora gossypiella , a key lepidopteran cotton pest. Although all the MLE sequences contain multiple mutations accumulated in their transposase coding region, the consensus sequence revealed a putative ancestral transposase encoding 339 amino acid residues with a D,D(34)D motif, and 36 bp inverted terminal repeats, belonging to the cecropia subfamily, and most similar to the MLE found in Antheraea species. Examining six different pink bollworm populations, we conclude that the MLE in PBW described in this study are ancient and are undergoing the process of accumulating inactivating mutations. This conclusion is supported by the patterns of polymorphisms revealed by genomic Southern hybridization, transposable element displays, and sequences from multiple MLE.
Characterization of a Subset of the Basic-Helix-Loop-Helix-PAS Superfamily That Interacts with Components of the Dioxin Signaling Pathway

Abstract In an effort to better understand the mechanism of toxicity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, we employed an iterative search of human expressed sequence tags to identify novel basic-helix-loop-helix-PAS (bHLH-PAS) proteins that interact with either the Ah receptor (AHR) or the Ah receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT). We characterized five new “embers f the AS superfamily,” or MOPs 1-5, that are similar in size and structural organization to the AHR and ARNT. MOPs 1-4 have N-terminal bHLH and PAS domains and C-terminal variable regions. MOP5 contained the characteristic PAS domain and a variable C terminus; it is possible that the cDNA contains a bHLH domain, but the entire open reading frame has yet to be completed. Coimmunoprecipitation studies, yeast two-hybrid analysis, and transient transfection experiments demonstrated that MOP1 and MOP2 dimerize with ARNT and that these complexes are transcriptionally active at defined DNA enhancer sequences in vivo. MOP3 was found to associate with the AHR in vitro but not in vivo. This observation, coupled with the fact that MOP3 formed tighter associations with the 90-kDa heat shock protein than the human AHR, suggests that MOP3 may be a conditionally active bHLH-PAS protein that requires activation by an unknown ligand. The expression profiles of the AHR, MOP1, and MOP2 mRNAs, coupled with the observation that they all share ARNT as a common dimeric partner, suggests that the cellular pathways mediated by MOP1 and MOP2 may influence or respond to the dioxin signaling pathway.
A composite tissue-engineered trachea using sheep nasal chondrocyte and epithelial cells

This study evaluates the feasibility of producing a composite engineered tracheal equivalent composed of cylindrical cartilaginous structures with lumens lined with nasal epithelial cells. Chondrocytes and epithelial cells isolated from sheep nasal septum were cultured in Ham's F12 media. After 2 wk, chondrocyte suspensions were seeded onto a matrix of polyglycolic acid. Cell-polymer constructs were wrapped around silicon tubes and cultured in vitro for 1 wk, followed by implanting into subcutaneous pockets on the backs of nude mice. After 6 wk, epithelial cells were suspended in a hydrogel and injected into the embedded cartilaginous cylinders following removal of the silicon tube. Implants were harvested 4 wk later and analyzed. The morphology of implants resembles that of native sheep trachea. H&E staining shows the presence of mature cartilage and formation of a pseudo-stratified columnar epithelium, with a distinct interface between tissue-engineered cartilage and epithelium. Safranin-O staining shows that tissue-engineered cartilage is organized into lobules with round, angular lacunae, each containing a single chondrocyte. Proteoglycan and hydroxyproline contents are similar to native cartilage. This study demonstrates the feasibility of recreating the cartilage and epithelial portion of the trachea using tissue harvested in a single procedure. This has the potential to facilitate an autologous repair of segmental tracheal defects.
Circadian rhythms of agitation in institutionalized patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Agitation is a common problem in institutionalized patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). "Sundowning," or agitation that occurs primarily in the evening, is estimated to occur in 10-25% of nursing home patients. The current study examined circadian patterns of agitation in 85 patients with AD living in nursing homes in the San Diego, California, area. Agitation was assessed using behavioral ratings collected every 15 minutes over 3 days, and activity and light exposure data were collected continuously using Actillume recorders. A five-parameter extension of the traditional cosine function was used to describe the circadian rhythms. The mean acrophase for agitation was 14:38, although there was considerable variability in the agitation rhythms displayed by the patients. Agitation rhythms were more robust than activity rhythms. Surprisingly, only 2 patients (2.4%) were "sundowners." In general, patients were exposed to very low levels of illumination, with higher illumination during the night being associated with less robust agitation rhythms with higher rhythm minima (i.e., some agitation present throughout the day and night). Seasonality was examined; however, there were no consistent seasonal patterns found. This is the largest study to date to examine agitation rhythms using behavioral observations over multiple 24 h periods. The results suggest that, although sundowning is uncommon, agitation appears to have a strong circadian component in most patients that is related to light exposure, sleep, and medication use. Further research into the understanding of agitation rhythms is needed to examine the potential effects of interventions targeting sleep and circadian rhythms.
Improved Hydrolytic Stability and Repeatability: pH sensing with APTES-coated silicon nanowire bio-FETs.

This article addresses the hydrolytic instability issue of surface chemistry and the repeatability issue of silicon (Si) nanowire (NW) biosensors. Si multi-NWs or nanograting (NG) field-effect transistors (FETs) were fabricated using semiconductor lithographic processing techniques. Then, the NG surfaces were coated with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) via the vapor- and solution-phase methods. Their performance, including drift, stability, sensitivity, accuracy, and linearity of pH sensing, was evaluated. Sensors treated with both APTES deposition methods exhibit linear pH response with good sensitivity. Devices treated with vapor APTES show better linearity and sensitivity, and APTES-solution-coated devices are more stable with smaller drift. A hydrolysis process was developed to significantly improve the hydrolytic stability of the APTES-coated sensor surface. As a result, an accuracy of ?0.008 pH was achieved, which is comparable to or better than commercially available ion-sensitive FETs (ISFETs), whereas the sensor drift was significantly reduced for both sensors treated with vapor and solution APTES. This hydrolysis process has greatly improved the stability and repeatability of charge sensing of our Si NG bio-FETs.
“How to” and “why”:: assessing the enviro–social impacts of pesticides

Abstract A typology is proposed to distinguish among three quite different types and applications for pesticide impact assessment tools (which are also known as “pesticide risk indicators”): (1) decision support systems for farmers and other property managers; (2) “ecolabeling” or “green labeling” systems designed to influence consumer opinion and market behavior; and (3) indicators of impact and risk used by governments, industry and academia to assess policies and programs. These types are differentiated by their objectives, decision makers, factors or variables considered, arena of activity, scale and unit of analysis, handling of an economic dimension, format of results, and method or approach.
Feature-Based Software Customization: Preliminary Analysis, Formalization, and Methods

Modern software engineering practice allows us tobuild more complex software than ever before. However, onthe other hand, it causes some negative consequences such asbloatware and feature creep which have been observed in manysoftware evolution and iteration lifecycle. In this paper, we proposean approach to customizing Java bytecode by applying staticdataflow analysis and enhanced programming slicing technique. This approach allows developers to customize Java programsbased on various users' requirements or remove unnecessaryfeatures from tangled code in legacy projects. We evaluate ourapproach by conducting case studies on removing cross cuttingfeatures from real world Java programs. The results show thatour approach has the potential for practical use. Additionally, we find out that, by increasing the diversity of the software, ourapproach can help achieve moving target defense.
Lip and Perioral Trauma

The management of perioral injuries is a complex topic that must take into consideration the unique anatomy, histology, and function of the lips to best restore form and function of the mouth after injury. Basic reconstructive principles include three-layered closure for full-thickness lip lacerations. Additionally, special care is needed to ensure an aesthetic repair of the cosmetically complex and important vermillion border, philtrum, and Cupid's bow. Infraorbital and mental nerve blocks provide lip anesthesia for laceration repair without distorting crucial aesthetic landmarks. Prophylactic antibiotics are usually indicated in perioral injuries due to wound contamination with saliva. Perioral burn management is controversial; however, most lip burns can first be managed conservatively. Splinting, plasties, and other reconstructive options are available after secondary healing of perioral burns. Hypertrophic scars are common in the perioral area after trauma. The mainstays of treatment for hypertrophic scars on the lips are silicone elastomer sheeting and intralesional steroid injections. For large perioral defects, a myriad of reconstructive options are available, ranging from primary closure, cross-lip flaps, and local tissue transfer, to free tissue transfers such as radial forearm free flaps, innervated gracilis free flaps, anterolateral thigh free flaps, and osteocutaneous free flaps.
Electroconvulsive therapy for depression in Parkinson's disease: systematic review of evidence and recommendations

Aim: We performed a systematic review of evidence regarding treatment of depression in Parkinson's disease (PD) utilizing electroconvulsive therapy. Methods: The search led to the inclusion of 43 articles, mainly case reports or case series, with the largest number of patients totaling 19. Results: The analysis included 116 patients with depression and PD; depression improved in 93.1%. Where motor symptoms’ severity was reported, 83% of patients improved. Cognition did not worsen in the majority (94%). Many patients experienced delirium or transient confusion, sometimes necessitating discontinuation of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Little is known about maintenance ECT in this population. Conclusion: ECT can benefit patients suffering from PD and depression. We recommend an algorithm for treatment of depression in PD, utilizing ECT sooner rather than later.
The Participation of Nongovernmental Organizations in International Judicial Proceedings

Nongovernmental organizations are playing an increasingly important role in international litigation. This study will analyze the participation of nongovernmental organizations, primarily as amici curiae, in the proceedings of four permanent international courts: the International Court of Justice, the European Court of Justice, the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. After discussing the impact of amici in national and regional courts, it recommends that the International Court of Justice expand its acceptance of submissions from nongovernmental organizations in appropriate cases. The Court has a jurisdictional basis to do so and amici have usefully contributed to cases before other courts.
Dorsal Vein Sclerosis as a Predictor of Outcome in Penile Venous Ligation Surgery

AbstractWe studied the pathological specimens obtained from 24 impotent men who underwent proximal penile vein ligation and 6 potent men who underwent total penectomy as part of male-to-female transsexual surgery to determine if a correlation exists between venous pathology and surgical outcome. Pathology specimens, consisting of cavernosal tissue and penile veins, were independently reviewed by a single uropathologist (V. A.). The degree of vein wall thickness was carefully quantified for each patient. Venous leakage was documented by cavernosometry and cavernosography. Followup ranged from 7 to 19 months (mean 11 months).Within 6 months of the procedure 10 patients (41%) achieved rigid erections while 14 (59%) did not. Although no preoperative index could predict operative success, in the 10 patients with successful outcome histological examination of the excised vein segments revealed normal venous architecture with minimal vein wall thickness (calculated mean per cent vein wall thickness 39.4, range 1...
Assessing Surgical Training and Deliberate Practice Methods in Dermatology Residency: A Survey of Dermatology Program Directors.

Background Resident surgical education and technical skills may be enhanced with deliberate practice-based learning. Deliberate practice methods, such as simulation-based training and formal skills-based assessments, allow for trainees to repeatedly practice a defined task with expert supervision and feedback. Objective The authors sought to characterize how surgical skills are taught and assessed in dermatology residency, with an emphasis on whether deliberate practice methods are incorporated in the surgical curriculum. Materials and methods A survey was administered to program directors at 117 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved dermatology residency programs during 2013 to 2014. Results A total of 42 responses (36%) were collected. Over half of programs (57%) devote 10 to 30 hours each year to surgical didactics. Sixty-nine percent of programs use simulation models, and 62% of programs use formal assessment-guided feedback in evaluating surgical skills. Residents most commonly assume the role of primary surgeon in excisional surgery (100%) and less commonly in graft and flap reconstruction (52% and 52%, respectively). Twenty-nine percent of residents are the primary surgeons in Mohs micrographic surgery. Conclusion Dermatology residency programs are incorporating deliberate practice-based tenets in the surgical curriculum. These results provide a benchmark for programs to assess and improve the quality of dermatologic surgery training.
Brief Report: Chromosome-21 and Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

Abstract A LTHOUGH great strides have been made in the past decade in both cytogenetics and biochemical genetics, the location of genes on the 44 autosomes has remained unknown. The experiments of nature in which an additional chromosome-21 is present and where a portion of this chromosome has been deleted have provided, for the first time, a clue to the possible location of some autosomal genes. The studies of Alter and his associates 1 , 2 were the first of a series of investigations suggesting that a gene regulating the formation of leukocyte alkaline phosphatase was located on this chromosome. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 A flurry of reports has followed suggesting that genetic control of ABO blood group substances, 8 galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase 9 but not the D antigen 10 may also be located on this chromosome.
Using Anatomic Magnetic Resonance Image Information to Enhance Visualization and Interpretation of Functional Images: A Comparison of Methods Applied to Clinical Arterial Spin Labeling Images.

Functional imaging provides hemodynamic and metabolic information and is increasingly being incorporated into clinical diagnostic and research studies. Typically functional images have reduced signal-to-noise ratio and spatial resolution compared to other non-functional cross sectional images obtained as part of a routine clinical protocol. We hypothesized that enhancing visualization and interpretation of functional images with anatomic information could provide preferable quality and superior diagnostic value. In this work, we implemented five methods (frequency addition, frequency multiplication, wavelet transform, nonsubsampled contourlet transform and intensity-hue-saturation) and a newly proposed ShArpening by Local Similarity with Anatomic images (SALSA) method to enhance the visualization of functional images, while preserving the original functional contrast and quantitative signal intensity characteristics over larger spatial scales. Arterial spin labeling blood flow MR images of the brain were visualization enhanced using anatomic images with multiple contrasts. The algorithms were validated on a numerical phantom and their performance on images of brain tumor patients were assessed by quantitative metrics and neuroradiologist subjective ratings. The frequency multiplication method had the lowest residual error for preserving the original functional image contrast at larger spatial scales (55%-98% of the other methods with simulated data and 64%-86% with experimental data). It was also significantly more highly graded by the radiologists (p<;0.005 for clear brain anatomy around the tumor). Compared to other methods, the SALSA provided 11%-133% higher similarity with ground truth images in the simulation and showed just slightly lower neuroradiologist grading score. Most of these monochrome methods do not require any prior knowledge about the functional and anatomic image characteristics, except the acquired resolution. Hence, automatic implementation on clinical images should be readily feasible.
Detrending Changes the Temporal Dynamics of a Semantic Fluency Task.

Objective: To study the dynamics of clustering semantic fluency responses and switching between clusters. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of participants (N=60) in a study of patient reported outcomes who were given the Saint Louis University Mental Status test. Sixty-second animal naming tests were scored for the timing of responses as well as the clustering of responses into semantic categories. Time scores were detrended to correct for exponential exhaustion and normalize the time scale across individuals. Results: Grouped by number of responses given, low performers (1) switched between clusters fewer times than medium performers (MP) and high performers (HP). Prior to detrending, LP showed increased intracluster response times when compared to the other groups but no differences were shown in intercluster response times. After detrending, however, the difference in intracluster response times disappeared and LP showed significantly faster detrended intercluster response times compared to both MP and HP. Conclusion: Prior to detrending, slower intracluster response times appear to be driving poorer performance. When time scores are detrended, our findings suggest that LP participants have quicker intercluster response times but exhaust more quickly as well. Detrending can help describe the interplay between the structure-loss and retrieval-slowing models of declining semantic fluency by isolating the component mechanisms involved in each.
Infection: Modulation of Clostridium difficile infection by dietary zinc.

Zinc is essential for biological processes in both mammalian hosts and their microbial symbionts. Sequestration of zinc is a strategy used by mammals to protect against bacterial pathogens. A new study has demonstrated that zinc supplementation increased susceptibility and worsened disease in a mouse model of Clostridium difficile infection.
Tyrosine-Selective Functionalization for Bio-Orthogonal Cross-Linking of Engineered Protein Hydrogels

Engineered protein hydrogels have shown promise as artificial extracellular matrix materials for the 3D culture of stem cells due to the ability to decouple hydrogel biochemistry and mechanics. The modular design of these proteins allows for incorporation of various bioactive sequences to regulate cellular behavior. However, the chemistry used to cross-link the proteins into hydrogels can limit what bioactive sequences can be incorporated, in order to prevent nonspecific cross-linking within the bioactive region. Bio-orthogonal cross-linking chemistries may allow for the incorporation of any arbitrary bioactive sequence, but site-selective and scalable incorporation of bio-orthogonal reactive groups such as azides that do not rely on commonly used amine-reactive chemistry is often challenging. In response, we have optimized the reaction of an azide-bearing 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (PTAD) with engineered elastin-like proteins (ELPs) to selectively azide-functionalize tyrosine residues within the...
Borealis-2: A randomized phase II study of OGX-427 (apatorsen) plus docetaxel versus docetaxel alone in platinum-resistant metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC) (Hoosier Cancer Research Network GU12-160).

289Background: OGX-427 (apatorsen; A) is an antisense oligonucleotide that binds Heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) mRNA with synergistic effect with chemotherapy. Borealis-2 is a randomized multicenter phase 2 study of A in combination with docetaxel (D) vs. D alone in advanced UC patients (pts) after at least 1 prior platinum-based therapy. Methods: The primary objective was to determine whether D+A prolonged overall survival (OS) vs D. Patients were stratified (time from prior systemic chemotherapy; Bellmunt criteria) and randomized in a 1:1 ratio. D was administered for up to 10 cycles in both arms. OGX-427 maintenance continued in pts with no disease progression. Secondary objectives included safety, objective response, and serum levels of Hsp27. The trial design provided 90% power to detect a 33% decrease in OS hazard (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.667), with one-sided α = 0.10 after 162 deaths, and one interim futility analysis; a p-value < 0.1 would result in a positive study for the primary endpoint. Results:...
Community Disadvantage and Academic Achievement among Hispanic Adolescents: The Role of Familism

Hispanic adolescents experience disproportionately higher dropout rates at the secondary level, and their efforts tend to be further compounded by economic adversity. In considering how to meet the challenges facing this bolstering population, prior research suggests that parental investment, or familism, may increase their academic success. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to examine the association between community disadvantage, measured at the community level, and Hispanic adolescents' academic achievement, in addition to identifying the underlying mechanisms and interactive effects of familism on this association. Based on theories and previous literature, the following hypotheses were tested: (1) that community-level community disadvantage will negatively impact Hispanic adolescents' academic achievement, (2) that familism will mediate the association between community disadvantage and Hispanic adolescents' academic achievement and (3) that familism will also moderate the association between community disadvantage and Hispanic adolescents' academic achievement. Results supported the proposed hypotheses and shed light on the importance of considering the unique needs of Hispanic adolescents in the classroom. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Predicting Non-Home Discharge in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Patients: External Validation of a Predictive Model

Abstract Objective To externally validate a model predicting non-home discharge in women undergoing primary cytoreductive surgery (CRS) for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Methods Women undergoing primary CRS via laparotomy for EOC at three tertiary medical centers in an academic health system from January 2010 to December 2015 were included. Patients were excluded if they received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, had a non-epithelial malignancy, were not undergoing primary cytoreduction, or lacked documented model components. Non-home discharge included skilled nursing facility, acute rehabilitation facility, hospice, or inpatient death. The predicted probability of non-home discharge was calculated using age, pre-operative CA-125, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status as described in the previously published predictive model. Model discrimination was calculated using a concordance index and calibration curves were plotted to characterize model performance across the cohort. Results A total of 204 admissions met inclusion criteria. The overall rate of non-home discharge was 12% (95% CI 8–18%). Mean age was 60.8 years (SD 11.0). Median length of stay (LOS) was significantly longer for patients with non-home discharge (8 vs. 5 days, P Conclusions Non-home discharge can be accurately predicted using preoperative clinical variables. Use of this validated non-home discharge predictive model may facilitate preoperative patient counseling, early discharge planning, and potentially decrease cost of care.
Design and parametric analysis of a wearable dual-photoplethysmograph based system for pulse wave velocity detection

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is a term used to describe measurement of blood pressure (BP) at regular intervals and can be an important diagnostic tool, especially for hypertensive patients. Since traditional cuff-based measurement of blood pressure is not convenient for a continuous, ABPM measurement, one approach that is being explored is pulse wave velocity (PWV), which is known to be correlated with blood pressure. However, an easily wearable and reliable system has not been realized to date. In this work, we examine the feasibility and design requirements for measuring PWV using two photoplethysmography sensors placed 4 cm apart on the arm. Measurements of PWV in vivo were made with our system and we showed that PWV measurements changed in accord with induced variations in blood pressure of the subject. Furthermore, we examined the minimum requirements for the sampling rate and bit resolution for the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in our system with error in PWV measurement as the criterion. Our results show the feasibility of measuring PWV at small distances and outlined the design requirements for an ABPM device.
Exploring the self-care practices of child welfare workers: A research brief

Abstract Child welfare workers experience higher rates of vicarious trauma, workplace stress, and compassion fatigue, when compared to other social service workers. Increasingly, social service agencies, in general, and child welfare agencies, specifically, recognize the importance of self-care in assuaging these problematic employee outcomes. However, research that explicitly examines the self-care practices of child welfare workers in nominal. This study brief explores the self-care practices of child welfare workers (N = 222) in one southeastern state. Results reveal that child welfare workers only engage in self-care at moderate levels. Additionally, data suggests that variables such as health status, current financial status, and relationship status significantly impact personal and professional self-care practices, respectively. After a terse review of relevant literature, this brief will explicate findings associated with this study, and identify salient discussion points and implications for child welfare training, practice, and research.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE CATALYST PRETREATMENT ON THE SELECTIVITY OF ALCOHOL CONVERSION OVER METAL OXIDES

Most metal oxide catalysts have been found to have a different dehydrogenation-dehydration selectivity for the conversion of 2-octanol when pretreated with hydrogen than when pretreated with oxygen. In general the hydrogen pretreated sample is more selective for dehydration and also more selective in producing 1- + cis-2-alkene with little trans-2-alkene. Metal sulfide catalysts are selective dehydration catalysts but not selective for 1- + cis-2-alkene. It is proposed that there are two types of dehydration occurring: type I is selective and produces a high percentage of 1- + cis-2-alkene and type II which is not selective and produces about equal amounts of 1-, trans-2- and cis-2-alkenes.
Metal Complexes of Phthalocyanines

The special nature of the macrocycle phthalocyanine and its metal complexes has been known for over 40 years. (1–3) Since then the unique physical and chemical properties of this class of coordination compounds have been exploited from both the practical as well as the theoretical point of view. Thus, metallophthalocyanines have important uses as commercial dyes, optical and electrical materials, and catalysts. However, this review will focus primarily on the metallophthalocyanines as coordination compounds and will discuss their physical and chemical properties. Since the literature prior to 1965 is more than adequately reviewed by a monograph,(1) a brief review,(2) and a more extensive exemplary review,(3) this paper will stress work done in the past ten years or so. Unfortunately, aside from a detailed discussion of the catalytic activity of the metallophthalocyanines, no practical uses of the materials will be discussed. This, of course, is not due to perceived unimportance or to the “applied” nature of this very active phase of phthalocyanine research. It is rather a lack of space and, more importantly, a lack of the necessary expertise that leads to this exclusion.
Effect of bending and padding on the electromagnetic performance of a laser-cut fabric patch antenna:

A fabrication and characterization procedure is detailed for a flexible planar antenna integrated into textiles by interfacing thin metal-coated fabric sheets on a polyester fabric substrate. From ...
Instance Selection in the Projected High Dimensional Feature Space for SVM

Data classification is a supervised learning task where a training set with previously known information is used to construct a classifier. The classifier is then used to predict the class of unforeseen test instances. It is often beneficial to use a subset of the training set to construct the classifier, in particular when the size of the data set is large. For example, support vector machine (SVM), one of the most effective classifiers, only needs the support vectors to make the prediction. Therefore, all non-support vectors can be eliminated without affecting the classification performance. However, it is usually unknown which instances in the training set are support vectors before the training is completed. Researchers have developed different methods to delete the potential non-support vectors while retaining the likely support vectors before the training starts. This preprocessing to the training data set is often known as instance selection. Many of the instance selection methods are based on the geometry of the training samples. Measures in the original feature space are usually used. We propose to use measures in the projected high dimensional feature space for SVM since this is where the separating hyperplanes are determined. We compare the performance with some existing methods on a few benchmark data sets. The experiments show that using measures in the projected feature space may improve the classification accuracy, sometimes substantially.
Expression of an endoglucanase-cellobiohydrolase fusion protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Yarrowia lipolytica, and Lipomyces starkeyi.

The low secretion levels of cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI) in yeasts are one of the key barriers preventing yeast from directly degrading and utilizing lignocellulose. To overcome this obstacle, we have explored the approach of genetically linking an easily secreted protein to CBHI, with CBHI being the last to be folded. The Trichoderma reesei eg2 (TrEGII) gene was selected as the leading gene due to its previously demonstrated outstanding secretion in yeast. To comprehensively characterize the effects of this fusion protein, we tested this hypothesis in three industrially relevant yeasts: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Yarrowia lipolytica, and Lipomyces starkeyi. Our initial assays with the L. starkeyi secretome expressing differing TrEGII domains fused to a chimeric Talaromyces emersonii–T. reesei CBHI (TeTrCBHI) showed that the complete TrEGII enzyme, including the glycoside hydrolase (GH) 5 domain is required for increased expression level of the fusion protein when linked to CBHI. We found that this new construct (TrEGII–TeTrCBHI, Fusion 3) had an increased secretion level of at least threefold in L. starkeyi compared to the expression level of the chimeric TeTrCBHI. However, the same improvements were not observed when Fusion 3 construct was expressed in S. cerevisiae and Y. lipolytica. Digestion of pretreated corn stover with the secretomes of Y. lipolytica and L. starkeyi showed that conversion was much better using Y. lipolytica secretomes (50% versus 29%, respectively). In Y. lipolytica, TeTrCBHI performed better than the fusion construct. Furthermore, S. cerevisiae expression of Fusion 3 construct was poor and only minimal activity was observed when acting on the substrate, pNP-cellobiose. No activity was observed for the pNP-lactose substrate. Clearly, this approach is not universally applicable to all yeasts, but works in specific cases. With purified protein and soluble substrates, the exoglucanase activity of the GH7 domain embedded in the Fusion 3 construct in L. starkeyi was significantly higher than that of the GH7 domain in TeTrCBHI expressed alone. It is probable that a higher fraction of fusion construct CBHI is in an active form in Fusion 3 compared to just TeTrCBHI. We conclude that the strategy of leading TeTrCBHI expression with a linked TrEGII module significantly improved the expression of active CBHI in L. starkeyi.
On the viscosity of adhesive hard sphere dispersions: Critical scaling and the role of rigid contacts

The viscosity of colloidal dispersions is a highly sensitive function of the microstructure of the dispersion and the nature of the interactions among the particles. While the viscosity of solutions of colloidal hard spheres is well understood, the viscosity in a broader array of colloidal solutions remains poorly studied. Here, we use immersed boundary simulations to investigate the viscosity of a prototypical colloidal solution, adhesive hard spheres, which under the right conditions can percolate to form sample spanning networks. We examine how rigidity of the particle–particle contacts in these dispersions can enhance the dispersion viscosity. By rigidly constraining a fraction of the adhered particles, we establish a reaction coordinate, the extent of rigidity, along which we can track the development of a gelled state characterized by a diverging viscosity. The fraction of rigid bonds is analogous to the extent of reaction for cross-linking in chemical gels, which suggests a close connection between chemical gelation with polymers and physical gelation with adhesive hard spheres. A critical gel point is identified when particles connected by rigid bonds begin to percolate the sample. In the vicinity of critical gel point, we observe a diverging viscosity and critical scaling behavior in agreement with previous studies on adhesive hard spheres. We use these results to formulate empirical equations for the viscosity across a broad range of volume fractions as a function of the extent of rigidity. Most importantly, through these simulations, we show that rigid constraints among the bonded particles are essential to producing the large viscosities measured experimentally in dispersions of adhesive hard spheres. Hydrodynamic interactions alone are insufficient for reproducing experimental observations.
A funky rejoinder

Seven months after naming and claiming chocolate cities everywhere, Parliament Funkadelic floated above Washington, D.C. where they eventually found themselves hitting it on the one aboard the Moth...
Blending short rotation coppice poplar with wheat straw as a biorefinery feedstock in the State of Washington

Abstract To ensure an uninterrupted feedstock supply, commercial-scale cellulosic biofuel production facilities must consider using more than one type of biomass; this paper considers the use of poplar and wheat straw. Short rotation coppice poplar will be a competitive feedstock for future biorefineries because of the low cost and year-round availability. Wheat straw is seasonally available in Washington State and can potentially be added to woody biomass to fortify the feedstock supply chain when economically advantageous. In this study, blending of poplar whole-tree chips (PC) from short rotation coppice and wheat straw (WS) at the ratios of 25%/75%, 50%/50%, and 75%/25% were investigated for sugar conversion. Overall, the blends achieved up to 21% (90 kg/tonne) higher monomeric sugar yield than using PC as the sole feedstock. Economic analysis suggests that blending could be feasible for ethanol production provided WS can be obtained at a reasonable price ($60–$69/tonne). Blending of PC and WS allows feedstock flexibility and mitigates supply risks associated with biomass shortage, while maintaining a consistent process, robust product yields, and a stable product cost.