cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potential Role of Gas Hydrate Decomposition in Generating Submarine Slope Failures

Gas hydrate decomposition is hypothesized to be a factor in generating weakness in continental margin sediments that may help explain some of the observed patterns of continental margin sediment instability. The processes associated with formation and decomposition of gas hydrate can cause the strengthening of sediments in which gas hydrate grow and the weakening of sediments in which gas hydrate decomposes. The weakened sediments may form horizons along which the potential for sediment failure is increased. While a causal relationship between slope failures and gas hydrate decomposition has not been proven, a number of empirical observations support their potential connection.
The Clinical and Economic Burden of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) will be the dominant and most impactful liver disease for the next generation. As the obesity and diabetes epidemic continues and the general populations in most industrialized countries become older, NAFLD and its progressive subtype nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) will have a significant clinical and economic impact on society, both in the USA and globally. This manuscript provides a review of recently published articles that detail the impact of NAFLD and NASH. Overall, the literature shows that NAFLD is the most common liver disease globally, and that NASH is poised to become one of the dominant drivers of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Decompensated cirrhosis due to NASH will soon be the leading indication for liver transplantation. Costs increase significantly as patients progress to later stages of liver disease. Overall, the annual direct medical costs related to NAFLD are estimated to be near $100 billion in the USA and over €35 billion in Europe. The price tag almost triples if indirect costs are included. The global impact of NAFLD and NASH is projected to increase, with a 178% increase in liver-related deaths by 2030. The clinical and economic impact of NAFLD and NASH will be immense in the upcoming decades. This highlights the great need for better screening, surveillance, linkage to care, risk stratification, and treatment options.
A Real-Time Lag-One Coherence Tool for Adaptive Imagmg

Ultrasound imaging is the product of numerous pulse sequence and processing design choices, but it is impossible to optimize for every clinical imaging case with a single set of parameters. Many sonographers do not take advantage of even the limited set of controls provided to them during an exam. We have demonstrated that lag-one coherence (LOC), an aperture-domain signal quality metric, reflects image quality in the presence of in vivo clutter effects. This feedback could be useful in adaptively selecting patient-and view-specific optimal parameters. Increased system bandwidth and computing power now make it possible to estimate LOC in real-time. We demonstrate a Verasonics-based platform for real-time temporal correlation and spatial coherence estimation during B-mode imaging at 18 frames per second. Demonstrations of abdominal and cardiac imaging under varying common scanning conditions are presented using the tool.
Controlling Metal-to-Oxygen Ratios via M═O Bond Cleavage in Polyoxovanadate Alkoxide Clusters.

In this manuscript, we further investigate the use of Lindqvist polyoxovanadate alkoxide (POV–alkoxide) clusters as homogeneous molecular models of reducible metal oxides (RMO), focusing on the structural and electronic consequences of forming one or two oxygen-deficient sites. We demonstrate the reactivity of a neutral POV–alkoxide cluster, [V6O7(OCH3)12]0, with a reductant, revealing routes for controlling metal-to-oxygen ratios in self-assembled polynuclear ensembles through post-synthetic modification. The outlook of this science is bolstered by the fact that, in both cases, O-atom removal reveals reduced V ions at the surface of the cluster. Extending our entry into small-molecule activation mediated by surface defect sites, we report the reactivity of mono- and divacant clusters with a model substrate, tert-butyl isocyanide, demonstrating the electronic consequences of small-molecule coordination to reduced ions in RMO materials.
Unscheduled DNA Synthesis in Mammalian Germ Cells—Its Potential Use in Mutagenicity Testing

The first evidence for unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in mammalian somatic cells was provided by Rasmussen and Painter(1) when they demonstrated that radiation induced the uptake of labeled thymidine into the DNA of non-S-phase HeLa and Chinese hamster cells grown in culture. Later, Kofman-Alfaro and Chandley,(2) also using m vitro procedures, were able to demonstrate UDS in spermatogenic cells of mice that had been exposed to X-rays or UV. Similar findings were observed after in vitro UV exposure of rat germ cells(3) and of human germ cells.(4)
Discretionary Disclosure Complexity: New Predictions and Evidence from Index Funds

Do managers attempt to obfuscate weak performance with complex disclosures? A significant challenge in addressing this question is controlling for non-discretionary disclosure complexity driven by the underlying firm and its economic transactions. We examine the “manager obfuscation” hypothesis in the context of homogenous S&P 500 index funds. This allows us to hold non-discretionary complexity (e.g., investments and risks) largely constant in order to examine how funds’ disclosure choices covary with net performance (as measured by expenses or, equivalently, post-expense returns). We have three findings that are relevant to both the mutual fund and corporate disclosure literatures. First, funds with weaker net performance have more complex disclosures, which is compelling evidence of managerial obfuscation. Second, funds obfuscate weak performance by ex ante creating unnecessarily complex within-fund class structures. This indicates that seemingly non-discretionary firm characteristics may be part of a discretionary obfuscation strategy. Third, we find that funds simultaneously choose both their expenses and complexity, which is a departure from most studies’ assumption that managers choose disclosure complexity to obfuscate non-discretionary poor performance.
TYPE B AORTIC DISSECTION PATIENTS SHOULD BE SCREENED FOR POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

Stanford type B aortic dissection (TBAD) is a life-threatening condition in both the acute and chronic phases with a mortality of 30-40% within 5 years. A large proportion of patients with cardiovascular disease including myocardial infarction and type A dissection screen positive for posttraumatic
Stroke in pediatric ventricular assist device patients-a pedimacs registry analysis.

BACKGROUND Cerebralvascular accidents (CVA) are common complications of pediatric ventricular assist devices (VADs). We employed the Pediatric Interagency Registry for Mechanical Circulatory Support (Pedimacs) to investigate rates, risk factors, and outcomes of CVA in pediatric patients supported on VAD. METHODS Analysis of Pedimacs (September 2012-June 2019) data to determine rates of all neurologic events and specifically CVA. Risk factors were determined by a multiphase parametric hazard model. Outcomes of patients with CVA were compared with patients without CVA. RESULTS We included 662 patients in our analysis. In total, 87 CVA events occurred in 71 patients (10.7%). The proportion of patients with CVA was highest in the paracorporeal pulsatile group (16.9%) followed by the paracorporeal continuous group (10.4%). However, the rate of CVA was lower in the paracorporeal pulsatile group compared to the paracorporeal continuous group (6.4 vs 11.1 events/100 patient months), which reflects differences in support duration. Ascites, higher patient profile groups, and implants within small volume centers were associated with the occurrence of CVA. Our analysis found that the recent era (i.e., June 2017), and intracorporeal continuous implants were protective. Mortality was higher in patients following a CVA diagnosis compared to those without a CVA diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS CVA continues to be a problem in pediatric VAD support, though the overall percent is now <11%. Data from the most recent era are encouraging, but CVA is still significantly associated with mortality. Future efforts should focus on pre-implant and early support periods.
The impact on cognitive development of a self-contained exploratory and technology-rich course on the physics of light and sound

Abstract The impact of student cognitive features and performance of a self-contained course (integrating theory and laboratory work) on the physics of light and sound was the subject of this investigation. Groups of undergraduate physics students were divided into three categories: those taking a course dealing predominantly with light (optics), those dealing with sound (acoustics), and those dealing with both topics (wave motion). The results show that an integrated or combined approach to the understanding of wave phenomena where both topics are simultaneously emphasized is superior to studying either acoustics or optics separately. In addition, unlike what is found in most introductory physics instruction, the self-contained structure of all three courses, consisting of exploratory rather than confirmatory experiences, leads to more meaningful learning of the physics of waves.
Development of a Gene Delivery System Composed of a Cell-Penetrating Peptide and a Nontoxic Polymer

Major concerns have arisen with respect to using viral vectors for gene therapies. Collateral effects include cancer resistance, development of new cancers, and even systemic deaths. For this reaso...
The effects of verbal and imaginal worry on panic symptoms during an interoceptive exposure task

Previous research has documented the inhibitory effects of worry on cardiovascular reactivity to subsequently presented fear-relevant stimuli. Although theoretical assertions point to the verbal-linguistic (as opposed to imagery-based) nature of worry as the cause of these inhibitory effects, extant research investigating the effects of worrisome thinking on subsequent anxiety-eliciting tasks has not isolated the verbal-linguistic nature of worry as the active ingredient in its suppressive effects on arousal. Furthermore, prior research has not examined the potential effects of worry on maintenance of panic symptoms. In this study, participants high in anxiety sensitivity were asked to engage in verbal worry, imaginal worry, or relaxation prior to each of three repeated presentations of an interoceptive exposure task. Relaxation was associated with lower initial subjective fear that remained low across repeated exposures, and related stable sympathetic arousal (and decreased heart rate) over time. Imagery-based worry was associated with moderate initial subjective fear that was sustained across repeated exposures, and sympathetic arousal (and heart rate) that was likewise stable over time. However, verbal worry was associated with high initial subjective fear that was sustained over time, but sympathetic arousal (and heart rate) that decreased across repeated exposures. Thus, verbal worry was uniquely associated with a lack of synchronous response systems and maintenance of anxious meaning over time. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
Bioprinting on Live Tissue for Investigating Cancer Cell Dynamics

A challenge in cancer research is the lack of physiologically responsive in vitro models that enable tracking of cancer cells in tissue-like environments. A model that enables real-time investigati...
A study of carbon emissions and energy consumption of wind power generation in the Panhandle of Texas

It has been established that the carbon emissions of wind power depends on several factors, most importantly, the size, manufacturing location, operating location, and life expectancy of the turbine. However, there is significant variation in carbon emissions of wind power generation reported in the literature. This makes it necessary to study the emissions of a windmill of a given size operating in a given location. In this paper, we study the carbon intensity and energy intensity of wind generation from a Nordex 1.3 megawatts (MW) wind turbine located in the Panhandle of Texas. Our model has three components: (a) lifetime power generation model which uses Typical Meteorological Year 3 data from National Renewable Energy Laboratory, (b) process analysis model for raw materials used in manufacturing of the wind turbine, and (c) environmentally extended input–output analysis model for all other steps involved in the life cycle analysis of the windmill, including manufacturing, transportation, installation, operation, and maintenance of windmills. Our results show that a 1.3 MW windmill operating for 20 years in the Panhandle of Texas, generates 467 terra-Joules (TJ) of electricity while consuming 25.58 TJ of energy and producing 1870.52 million-grams (Mg) of CO2. The resulting carbon emission intensity of this turbine is estimated to be 14.45 gCO2/kWh. In 2019, the U.S. generated about 286.6 billion kWh of its electricity from the wind which amounts to 4.12 million ton (MT) of annual emissions and will increase substantially as deeper levels of wind generation is achieved in the next several decades.
Evaluating the role of insecticidal seed treatment and refuge for managing soybean aphid virulence.

BACKGROUND Managing insect virulence can extend the durability of host-plant resistant crops. Genetically modified resistant crops continue to be successful because of insect-resistant management strategies that delay resistance such as multiple toxins and a susceptible refuge. These strategies may also be useful for host-plant resistant crops, but more research is needed on their applicability. We investigated the interaction between a susceptible refuge and an insecticidal seed treatment to manage virulence in the soybean aphid. We tested four scenarios of an insecticidal seed treatment (plus an untreated control) in a microcosm containing 25% aphid-susceptible (refuge) and 75% aphid-resistant soybeans. Independent cohorts of plants were infested every week with avirulent and virulent aphids at equal frequencies. We used a molecular marker to estimate the change in virulence frequency across different plant maturities (from 7 to 42 days after planting). RESULTS The presence of an insecticidal seed treatment on either the susceptible or resistant soybean decreased the overall population size of the soybean aphid. However, the insecticidal seed treatment impacted both virulent and avirulent aphids similarly, and only altered frequencies in favor of virulence when the sole susceptible plant (i.e., refuge) was treated. CONCLUSION Under our experimental conditions, the frequency of avirulent aphids persisted with the use of a refuge. Although an insecticidal seed treatment decreased the overall aphid population size, it did not appear to benefit virulence management. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
THE ROLE OF AGRARIAN REFORM COOPERATIVES IN THE COTTON MARKETING IN EL-BEHARA GOVERNORTE

cotton and its products occupy a prominent place in Egyptian economy especially in aspects like production, industrialization, consumption and foreign trade. Marketing of cotton in Egypt is surrounded with a lot of problems, especially in light of the inability of domestic production to meet the needs of the domestic textile industry of short staple cotton. Thus cotton imports are growing rapidly in order to cover this deficit. Marketing systems are characterized with low efficiency and poor performance. This study attempts to analyze the cotton marketing system in order to determine the nature of the marketing problems and their ramifications on both producers and consumers of Egyptian cotton. In addition the study spells out the roles of different intermediaries and concludes with possible recommendations that could help improve the cotton marketing system. The study focuses on the role of the Agrarian Reform Cooperatives in marketing the cotton crop of small farmers that benefit from the laws of agrarian reform laws that were issued in the 1950s and 1960s. The study relied on secondary data as well as on primary data that were collected using a structured questionnaire. El-Behara governorate was chosen to conduct thefield study because it has the largest number of Agrarian Reform Cooperatives nationwide. The questionnaire covered 100 small farmers from different regions in the governorate. The results of the field study shows that the most prevalent marketing problems facing cotton farmers in the agrarian reform cooperatives are: the low price of cotton; high production costs and the long distance between the marketing collection centers and the cotton fields and consequently high transportation costs. In fact the study reveals that the Agrarian Reform Cooperatives have no role whatsoever in marketing the cotton crop.
A Rare Case of Spontaneous Arachnoid Cyst Rupture Presenting as Right Hemiplegia and Expressive Aphasia in a Pediatric Patient (4627)

Objective: NA Background: Arachnoid cysts (ACs) are relatively common developmental anomalies, which are frequently diagnosed incidentally by intracranial imaging in pediatric patients. 1 The majority are asymptomatic with rare cases of rupture resulting in a subdural hematoma or subdural hygroma typically presenting with localized headache, behavioral changes, or ataxia. 2 Design/Methods: Case report Results: We present the case of an eleven-year-old boy with a known history of a large previously asymptomatic AC presenting with acute onset of right facial droop, hemiplegia, and expressive aphasia. Shortly after arrival to the emergency department he had complete resolution of right-sided hemiplegia but developed headache, nausea, and had persistent word-finding difficulties. Prior to symptom onset while in class at school, there is an absence of reported jerking movements, headache, photophobia, fever, or trauma. At the time of neurology consultation, physical exam was notable of mildly delayed cognitive processing but was otherwise unremarkable. The patient underwent MRI scan of the brain which revealed left convexity subdural hematohygroma and perirolandic cortex edema resulting from ruptured left frontoparietal AC. Head and neck MRA were normal. He was evaluated by neurosurgery and managed expectantly. He recovered uneventfully and was discharged two days after presentation remaining asymptomatic on subsequent visits. Conclusions: There are case reports for traumatic cyst rupture, but spontaneous cyst rupture is rare. However, mostly they have presented with headaches and nonspecific neurological findings. To our knowledge, this is the first case of spontaneous AC rupture presenting with acute onset of focal neurological signs. This could have either resulted from the mass effect of fluid from rupture or vasospasm caused by the release of proteinaceous fluid. Disclosure: Dr. Majors has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tareen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Puri has nothing to disclose.
Leverage Regulation and Market Structure: A Structural Model of the UK Mortgage Market

I develop a structural model of mortgage demand and lender competition to study how leverage regulation a ffects the equilibrium in the UK mortgage market. Using variation in risk-weighted capital requirements jointly across lenders and mortgages with di fferential loan-to-values, I show that a one-percentage-point increase in risk-weighted capital requirements increases lenders' marginal cost of originating mortgages by about 26 basis points (11 percent) for the average mortgage product. I use the estimated model to study proposed leverage regulations. Counterfactual analyses show that large lenders exploit a regulatory cost advantage, which increases concentration of mortgage originations by about 20 percent, and suggest that banning high loan-to-value mortgages may reduce large lenders' equity bu er.
Modeling First Year Stop Out of Kalamazoo Promise Scholars: Mapping Influences of Socioeconomic Advantage and Pre-College Performance to College Performance and Persistence:

The Kalamazoo Promise (KPromise) is amongst the most well-known and generous tuition-free policies. This study advances the understanding of Promise student performance and persistence. We used a w...
Bayesian prediction of geomagnetic storms: Wind data, 1996-2010

The feature-based Bayesian method previously developed by Chen et al. (1996, 1997) to predict the occurrence, severity, and duration of large geomagnetic storms has been run on a daily basis on the Wind/Magnetic Fields Investigation (MFI) data from January 1996 until March 2010. The algorithm uses as input real-time solar wind magnetic field data obtained at the L1 Lagrange point, and the output is the probability prediction of the magnetic field structure of the upstream solar wind that has yet to arrive, and its geoeffectiveness, where geoeffectiveness is measured by the traditional Dst index. The performance characteristics of the method are evaluated using a four-level contingency table: nonstorm disturbances (−80 nT < Dst ≤ − 50 nT), weak storms (−120 nT < Dst ≤ − 80 nT), moderate storms (−160 nT < Dst ≤ − 120 nT), and strong storms (Dst ≤ − 160 nT). It is found that the greater the level of disturbances, the more accurate the prediction is. With moderate and strong storms combined, the algorithm correctly predicted 30 out of 37 storms (81%). The false negatives are caused by solar wind structures with short durations (≲ 1–2 hrs) of strong southward magnetic field (say, Bz ≲ −30 nT), which are sparsely represented in the probability distribution functions constructed using prior solar wind data (OMNI data set from 1973–1981). The algorithm does not predict the storm onset time, but the results of the present and previous tests show that the average warning time ranges from a few hours to a maximum of 10–15 hours.
The Indian Militia and Description of the Indies – By Captain Bernardo de Vargas Machuca

Bernardo de Vargas Machuca published this treatise—part guide to counterinsurgent warfare and military medicine, part description of New World flora, fauna, and geography—in Spain in 1599. He was p...
Government versus Opposition at the Polls: How Governing Status Affects the Impact of Policy Positions

We argue that governing status affects how voters react to extreme versus moderate policy positions. Being in government forces parties to compromise and to accept ideologically unappealing choices as the best among available alternatives. Steady exposure to government parties in this role and frequent policy compromise by governing parties lead voters to discount the positions of parties when they are in government. Hence, government parties do better in elections when they offset this discounting by taking relatively extreme positions. The relative absence of this discounting dynamic for opposition parties, on the other hand, means that they perform better by taking more moderate positions, as the standard Downsian model would predict. We present evidence from national elections in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, 1971–2005, to support this claim.
What are Hazardous Materials

A hazardous material is any biological, chemical, or physical element or compound with a potential to cause harm either by itself or through interaction with other factors. The threat to human health and the environment is due to the toxic, corrosive, ignitable, explosive, or chemically reactive nature of the material categorized as hazardous. Hazardous materials can be characterized as a carcinogen, developmental hazard, acute toxicant, chronic toxicant, and/or radioactive depending on the regulatory body involved. Depending on the dose and the route and duration of exposure, a hazardous material is capable of inducing reactions in tissues causing cell damage, sickness, or death. The quantitative likelihood that an exposure will produce damage is called a risk, that is, a conditional probability of experiencing harm, its likelihoods, and severity of the harm. Risk assessments can estimate the probability and magnitude of a specific hazard for specific conditions for both humans and the organisms (fish, birds, and other living things) in the environment. Keywords: chemical hazard; toxicity; hazardous material; carcinogen; reactivity; corrosivity; ignitability
Multifunctional neuroprobes with integrated chemical and electrical neural interfaces

This paper summarizes ongoing efforts in our laboratory to develop next-generation implantable neuroprobe systems that have closely integrated chemical and electrical neural interfaces. The MEMS-based neuroprobe consists of a silicon or polymer substrate having multiple metal sites for electrical recording and/or stimulation and one or more microchannels for fluid delivery. A chronoamperometric chemical sensor is achieved by selectively coating metal sites with an ion selective membrane. This multifunctional neuroprobe system provides a novel technology for establishing chronic and controllable chemical and electrical interfaces to targeted areas of the brain and spinal cord.
Professions and Institutions

The relationship between institutions and professions has been defined by neo-institutional theory since the 1990s. However, the abandonment of Keynesian economics and the rise of neoliberal ideology have changed the relationship between the normative and technical environments in the professions. The emphasis by old institutional theory on how best to organize different spheres of activity presents a way forward for social scientists and policymakers who are uncomfortable with unbridled free markets as the sole normative force in professional life. Keywords: industry, work, and employment; institutions; work
Fermentation of d-Xylose and l-Arabinose to Ethanol by Erwinia chrysanthemi.

Erwinia spp. are gram-negative facultative anaerobes within the family Enterobacteriacae which possess several desirable traits for the conversion of pentose sugars to ethanol, such as the ability to ferment a broad range of carbohydrates and the ease with which they can be genetically modified. Twenty-eight strains of Erwinia carotovora and E. chrysanthemi were screened for the ability to ferment d-xylose to ethanol. E. chrysanthemi B374 was chosen for further study on the basis of its superior (4%) ethanol tolerance. We have characterized the fermentation of d-xylose and l-arabinose by the wild type and mutants which bear plasmids containing the pyruvate decarboxylase gene from Zymomonas mobilis. Expression of the gene markedly increased the yields of ethanol (from 0.7 up to 1.45 mol/mol of xylose) and decreased the yields of formate, acetate, and lactate. However, the cells with pyruvate decarboxylase grew only one-fourth as fast as the wild type and tolerated only 2% ethanol. Alcohol tolerance was stimulated by the addition of yeast extract to the growth medium. Xylose catabolism was characterized by a high saturation constant Ks (4.5 mM).
Individual Differences in Social Dominance Orientation Predict Support for the Use of Cognitive Ability Tests

This study investigates the personality processes involved in the debate surrounding the use of cognitive ability tests in college admissions. In Study 1, 108 undergraduates (Mage = 18.88 years, 60 women, 80 Whites) completed measures of social dominance orientation (SDO), testing self-efficacy, and attitudes regarding the use of cognitive ability tests in college admissions; SAT/ACT scores were collected from the registrar. Sixty-seven undergraduates (Mage = 19.06 years, 39 women, 49 Whites) completed the same measures in Study 2, along with measures of endorsement of commonly presented arguments about test use. In Study 3, 321 American adults (Mage = 35.58 years, 180 women, 251 Whites) completed the same measures used in Study 2; half were provided with facts about race and validity issues surrounding cognitive ability tests. Individual differences in SDO significantly predicted support for the use of cognitive ability tests in all samples, after controlling for SAT/ACT scores and test self-efficacy and also among participants who read facts about cognitive ability tests. Moreover, arguments for and against test use mediated this effect. The present study sheds new light on an old debate by demonstrating that individual differences in beliefs about hierarchy play a key role in attitudes toward cognitive ability test use.
Abstract 1692: Antibody-drug conjugates to target cell surface TACE-cleaved amphiregulin in breast cancer

Approximately 70% of breast cancer cases are Estrogen Receptor (ER) positive. In many cases, these patients are well-served by endocrine therapies such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, however the emergence of endocrine-resistant disease in up to 40% of these patients is a major clinical concern. This necessitates treatment with more toxic chemotherapies which are often successful at delaying tumor progression, but are not curative. Recent work from our group and others has demonstrated that Amphiregulin, an Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) ligand, is a critical effector of ER signaling in both normal development and breast cancer pathogenesis, and is expressed in both endocrine-sensitive and endocrine-resistant breast cancer. Like other EGFR ligands, Amphiregulin is proteolytically processed at the cell surface to release a soluble EGFR-binding signaling domain and a residual cell-associated stalk. In this project, we are developing antibodies that selectively recognize the residual transmembrane Amphiregulin cleavage product with the goal of developing antibody-drug conjugates with which to selectively target tumor cells with high levels of Amphiregulin shedding. We have generated six humanized antibodies that recognize the cell-associated neo-epitope revealed following the TACE-mediated proteolytic release of Amphiregulin. Using both flow Cytometry and immunofluorescence, we demonstrate that these antibodies selectively recognize cleaved over full-length Amphiregulin in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cells. Conjugation of these antibodies with a pH-sensitive dye, pHrodo, demonstrates robust and rapid antibody internalization in live cells. Conjugation of these antibodies with monomethyl auristatin E results in the disruption of the microtubule network of breast cancer cells followed by cell death. We propose that these agents may have utility in the treatment of breast and other cancers in which Amphiregulin expression and processing play a prominent role. This study is supported by the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program (W81XWH-14-1-0294). Citation Format: Edmund C. Jenkins, Kelly S. Levano, Eric H. Jung, Matthew Levy, Paraic A. Kenny. Antibody-drug conjugates to target cell surface TACE-cleaved amphiregulin in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1692. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1692
Optimizing Experimental Design Using the House Mouse (Mus Musculus L.) as a Model for Determining Grain Feeding Preferences

There is little research evaluating flavor preferences among wheat varieties. We previously demonstrated that mice exert very strong preferences when given binary mixtures of wheat varieties. We plan to utilize mice to identify wheat genes associated with flavor, and then relate this back to human preferences. Here we explore the effects of experimental design including the number of days (from 1 to 4) and number of mice (from 2 to 15) in order to identify designs that provide significant statistical inferences while minimizing requirements for labor and animals. When mice expressed a significant preference between 2 wheat varieties, increasing the number of days (for a given number of mice) increased the significance level (decreased P-values) for their preference, as expected, but with diminishing benefit as more days were added. However, increasing the number of mice (for a given number of days) provided a more dramatic log-linear decrease in P-values and thus increased statistical power. In conclusion, when evaluating mouse feeding preferences in binary mixtures of grain, an efficient experimental design would emphasize fewer days rather than fewer animals thus shortening the experiment duration and reducing the overall requirement for labor and animals.
Policies to Promote the Community Use of Schools A Review of State Recreational User Statutes

CONTEXT: Concern over liability is a barrier to allowing community use of school property for the purpose of engaging in active sport and recreational activities. Recreational user statutes have the potential to limit liability for public schools when use occurs outside of regular school hours, reduce the fear of liability among school administrators, and increase opportunities for access to school facilities for recreation and physical activity by community members. The purpose of this study was to examine the applicability of recreational user statutes to public schools when the use of school facilities for recreational purposes would occur outside of regular school hours. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A review of recreational user statutes from all 50 states was conducted in 2007 and 2009. Characteristics of those statutes from states with laws potentially applicable to public school recreation and sport facilities were described in detail. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Forty-two states had recreational user statutes that would potentially offer protection from liability for public schools. Protected activities listed in state statutes were summer sports (n=2); winter sports (n=22); athletic competition (n=1); sporting events and activities (n=1); exercise (n=4); and any other outdoor sport, game, or recreational activity (n=2). Specific protected physical activities listed were playing on playground equipment (n=1); running/jogging (n=2); roller-skating and rollerblading (n=4); skateboarding (n=2); disc golf (n=1); and bicycling (n=16). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests the need for further statutory liability protections for public schools, and immunity provisions that target activities conducive to physical activity, common on school grounds, and popular among community residents. It further suggests that empirical studies be conducted to examine school administrator's perceptions relevant to liability as a potential barrier to opening school sport and recreational facilities to members of the community outside of regular school hours. Language: en
Factors Affecting the Palatability of Poultry with Emphasis on Histological Post-mortem Changes

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the literature relating to the different factors concerned with quality of poultry in which quality comparisons are made from subjective ratings or objective tests for one or more of the factors or sensations which determine good eating quality. The palatability factors most often used for comparison of quality are aroma, flavor, texture, tenderness, and juiciness. For the convenience of discussing factors influencing quality, the type of bird, the breed, the feed, the degree of finish, the distribution of fat in the carcass, the percentage edible meat, and the age or maturity in relation to quality or palatability have been discussed. Under handling or processing are discussed the practices which have for their aim the retention, during subsequent distribution and storage, of the quality obtained in production. This includes the manner of killing, whether starved or full-fed prior to killing, thoroughness of bleeding, whether the carcass is drawn or left undrawn for storage, chilled rapidly or slowly, the aging of the carcass, the temperature of storage, the freezing, canning, or smoking, the packaging for processing, and the time and temperature of storage after processing.
A grid connected PV micro-inverter with optimized battery storage utilization

Photovoltaic (PV) installations on the residential scale have been increasing tremendously and projected to continue to do so. Battery energy storage at the residential level has also become critical due to the increased adoption of residential scale PV. This paper proposes a new micro-inverter topology with integrated energy storage for PV applications. The proposed topology has a structure similar to that of a flying capacitor multilevel inverter, with reduced switch count. This provides advantages such as design simplicity while being more cost effective than existing topologies. A unique control scheme is also proposed in this paper, which mitigates PV intermittencies while also optimizing battery utilization. The proposed topology and control technique are verified by simulation for a residential scale micro-inverter rated 230 W. The simulation results validate the micro-inverter operation and the control methodology.
Electron transfer during the oxidation of ammonia by the chemolithotrophic bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea.

Abstract The combined action of ammonia monooxygenase, AMO, (NH3+2e−+O2→NH2OH) and hydroxylamine oxidoreductase, HAO, (NH2OH+H2O→HNO2+4e−+4H+) accounts for ammonia oxidation in Nitrosomonas europaea. Pathways for electrons from HAO to O2, nitrite, NO, H2O2 or AMO are reviewed and some recent advances described. The membrane cytochrome cM552 is proposed to participate in the path between HAO and ubiquinone. A bc1 complex is shown to mediate between ubiquinol and the terminal oxidase and is shown to be downstream of HAO. A novel, red, low-potential, periplasmic copper protein, nitrosocyanin, is introduced. Possible mechanisms for the inhibition of ammonia oxidation in cells by protonophores are summarized. Genes for nitrite- and NO-reductase but not N2O or nitrate reductase are present in the genome of Nitrosomonas. Nitrite reductase is not repressed by growth on O2; the flux of nitrite reduction is controlled at the substrate level.
Certain substituted thiobisacetimides and corresponding sulfones.

Hypnotics and anticonvulsants such as barbiturates, hydantoinates, monoureides, and oxazolidiones all contain the functional group RR'C─CONH —, where R represents an alkyl or aryl group. The purpose of this work was to attempt to prepare a heterocyclic compound containing sulfur as well as the functional group so characteristic of hypnotics and anticonvulsants. Thiobisacetimide [S(CH2CO)2NH] was prepared as the parent heterocycle and the syntheses of the following alkyl and aryl substituted derivatives and intermediates are described: (a) N-phenylthiobisacetimide, (b) N-benzoylthiobisacetimide, (c) sulfonylbisacetimide, (d) N-phenylsulfonylbisacetimide, (e) α,α′-thiobispropionimide, (f) α,α′-thiobis-n-butyrimide, (g) N-phenyl-α,α′-thiobis-n-butyrimide, (h) α,α′-thiobisisobutyrimide, (i)α,α′-sulfonylbisisobutyrimide, (j) N-methyl-α,α′-sulfonylbisisobutyrimide, and (k) N-methyl-α,α′-thiobisisobutyrimide. A total of seventeen compounds is reported.
The antecedents to micro-lending as corporate strategy

Organisations have been actively involved in adapting to the changing political, economic and social environments and implementing business strategies for business survival and increased profitability. This paper highlights the role of microlending as a successful business strategy to deal with the environmental uncertainties of all kind. It presents the origin of micro lending and its growth as a strategic tool to achieve competitive advantage. Using the current literature analysis and interpretation and review of corporate practices, this paper provides the antecedents for successful micro lending adoption in multinational organisations. It also provides a figurative schema and suggests research hypothesis on the antecedents for microlending adoption and its success as a strategic tool for enhanced organisational performance.
Angles of vision : Enhancing perception in qualitative research

This article develops the idea of consciously using different lenses for the purpose of expanding the perceptual efficacy of the researcher. Lenses provide a means of opening into or looking into. They alert and arouse us to mobilize resources of interest, energy, time, and attention. To be so mobilized is to foreground and background what is out there and thus to construct what is available to see. The author assumes that although researchers always use one or another lens while engaged in the process of observation, they can learn to see in unexpected but useful ways if they are aware of a range of possible focal points. Nine such focal points are developed in this article.
Transonic flow about lifting configurations.

A transonic flow solution is presented for configurations with span-to-length ratios of order one. The angles of attack are sufficiently large to produce lift effects that are either dominant or comparable to the thickness effects. The analysis is performed with the aid of the method of matched asymptotic expansions. The results obtained are compared with data reported by Cheng and Hafez (1972).
The Molecular Biology of Euglena gracilis. VII. Inorganic Requirements for a Minimal Culture Medium

SYNOPSIS. A culture medium for Euglena gracilis Z has been devised so that each compound is present in minimal concentration to support rapid growth resulting in high cell population. Trace metal contaminations of the glutamic acid substrate were determined by spark-source mass spectrometry. The incorporation of radio -Zn, -Mn, -Ca, and -Cl was followed and the cell composition in this medium was determined.
Variation in Susceptibility to Henneguya ictaluri Infection by Two Species of Catfish and Their Hybrid Cross

Abstract Proliferative gill disease (PGD) in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus is caused by the myxozoan parasite Henneguya ictaluri. There is no effective treatment for PGD, and mortalities can exceed 50% in severe outbreaks. One approach to controlling losses would be to utilize a less susceptible ictalurid species in pond culture; alternatively, one could identify the traits that convey resistance and exploit them in a selective breeding program. Challenge studies have found less severe inflammatory responses in the gill tissue of blue catfish I. furcatus and fewer mortalities than in channel catfish. However, it remains unclear whether infection and subsequent plasmodial development progress the same way in the two species. To investigate this, we compared the dynamics of H. ictaluri infection in blue catfish, channel catfish, and channel catfish × blue catfish hybrids in continuous long-term (5–7-d) and short-term (24-h) pond challenges. After long-term challenge, 66.2% of the channel catfish and 6...
TRAINING EFFECTS OF ONE ACADEMIC YEAR ON THE INSTRUCTIONAL VALUES OF MA STUDENTS IN CONFLUENT EDUCATION AND TEACHER EDUCATION: A SECOND FOLLOW-UP STUDY '

Summary.-A third srudy of he effect of one year's training on the same 20 MA students in Confluent Education as in a previous study one showed the same significant increases in scores measuring Affecuve Bias, Personal Growth Orientation, and general humanistic instructional values compared to similar measures of 20 MA students in Teacher Education. The latter scored significantly lower than Confluent students both before and after training. In two previous papers Shapiro (1995, in press) reported that after one academic year, students in the MA program in Confluent (humanistic) Education increased their scores on instruments measuring humanistic instructional values s~gnd~cantly more than MAS in Counsehg Psychology at UCSB (Fall 1982 to Sprmg 1983). Subscales of Affective Bias and Personal Growth advocacy and the over-all humanistic Orientation to Learning (Shapiro, 1985) constituted these measures. The current analysis compared changes on the same scales taken by 20 students in Confluent Education with those of 20 students in Teacher Education, including Elementary and Secondary programs. Again it was expected that a special Confluent subculture reinforced humanistic approaches to education, which were originally significantly stronger than those of the two comparison groups. Method.-This study replicated the method of Shapiro's first follow-up study done in 1984 (in press). It includes the same subscales and over-all measures of Orientation to Learning and the same 20 Confluent students (12 women, 8 men), this time compared to 20 current students in Teacher Education (16 women, 4 men). Results.-Tables 1 and 2 indicate statistically significant initial differences which increased after one academic year's instruction. These results tend to confirm the findings of the two prior studes as well as several other similar studes (Shapiro, 1985). Apparently, a strongly Confluent-humanistic subculture has been established and scores were significantly different from those of other programs in the UCSB Graduate School of Education.
Optical reflectance spectroscopy to differentiate benign from malignant renal tumors at surgery.

Objectives Optical reflectance spectrophotometry (ORS) is part of a group of novel techniques that have demonstrated promise for the assessment and differentiation of various solid tumors. In this study, we evaluated the ability of ORS to differentiate malignant from benign kidney tumors at surgery. Methods From January to April 2007, we completed optical spectroscopy measurements (OSM) at several standardized tumoral and normal parenchymal locations immediately after specimen removal during radical or partial nephrectomy. The depth of tissue penetration with our specific probe was 1 mm. We compared the slopes of the optical reflectance curves between 630- and 900-nm wavelengths and assessed the correlation between benign and malignant tumors. Results There were 8 partial and 13 radical nephrectomies for 6 benign (oncocytomas) and 15 malignant (14 clear cell and 1 papillary) tumors. Overall, benign and malignant OSM slopes were significantly different ( P = .005). In the near-infrared region, there was excellent correlation among benign ( r = .99) and malignant OSM ( r = .97). On the contrary, there was a poor correlation coefficient when we compared benign and malignant tumors ( r = .49). Conclusions Optical reflectance spectrophotometry may be a novel real-time method to distinguish malignant from benign tumors in vivo. However, we performed these pilot study measurements immediately after specimen removal, and therefore expansion to in situ assessments is necessary.
Measuring the Effect of Moisture on Asphalt–Aggregate Bond with the Bitumen Bond Strength Test

Understanding moisture damage mechanisms in asphalt pavements and evaluating the right combination of materials that are resistant to moisture damage are important. Moisture damage is the loss of strength or stiffness in asphalt mixtures caused by a combination of mechanical loading and moisture. Many test methods have been developed to evaluate loss of adhesion and cohesion in binders. However, a simple procedure to address moisture damage in the asphalt-aggregate interface is not available. The feasibility of the newly developed bitumen bond strength (BBS) test for moisture damage characterization was investigated. An experimental matrix that included various binders, modifications, and aggregates to account for the chemical and physical conditions in the aggregate-asphalt interface was completed. A statistical analysis was performed to verify reproducibility of the BBS test. The results indicated that the bond strength of asphalt-aggregate systems was highly dependent on modification and moisture expos...
International financial integration and risk sharing among countries: A production-based approach

Abstract This paper develops a production-based model for analyzing a role of asset trade in pooling risks among countries and provides new evidence for the international consumption-output puzzle and risk sharing among countries. Efficient risk sharing rules among countries are the same as the conditions for full financial integration. Input prices and interest rates as well as technology shocks are found to be the driving variables for cross-country output co-movements. The international correlation puzzle reflects an inability to account for production risk sharing among countries in previous studies. The degree of international risk sharing is substantial relative to earlier estimates, which is largely realized from pooling production risks rather than consumption risks among countries.