cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Internet job hunting: A field study of applicant experiences with on‐line recruiting

This field study examines the experiences of managers and professionals searching for jobs via the Internet. Results suggest that facility with Internet navigation is significantly associated with the amount of general job searching, particularly for those who want to explore job options initially in private without fear of retribution from supervisors. The data also suggest that managers and professionals are more likely to use the Internet for job hunting when the geographical scope of the job hunt is wide, when a major salary increase is desired, and when both small and large firms are being considered as potential employers. Use of the Internet is perceived as a somewhat less effective job search strategy than personal networking, but far superior to searching for jobs through newspaper ads and “cold calling.” Major issues found to impede the effectiveness of on-line recruiting are the degree and speed of follow-up on-line applications, lack of specific and relevant job descriptions on a company's Web site, concerns about the security of personal information, and difficulty in customizing, formatting, and downloading resumes to companies' specifications. The article concludes with recommendations for improving the effectiveness of on-line recruiting. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Design Experience with an Integrated Testbed for Wireless Multimedia Computing

Current wireless technology has enabled cellular communications, untethered information access, and local area networking. However, the wireless infrastructure today allows limited services which are predominantly voice or data. This will soon change as future evolution in wireless systems will bring together a diverse set of multimedia services to the end user. In an integrated multimedia system, Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees become a critical design issue to handle the real-time voice and video together with non-realtime data traffic. Though QoS has already been explored extensively for the broadband wireline networks, its extension into the wireless domain presents a major challenge due to the rapidly varying channel condition and the mobility of the users.
Vesicoureteral reflux update: effect of prospective studies on current management.

Until recemly, management decisions regarding vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) were based on a combination of bias and scattered objective data. These data provided some information about the natural history and pathogenesis of reflux but little as 1.0 whether medical or surgical treatment was the most advantageous. Management of VUR has been based on a series of premises. These include the following: VUR disappears spontaneously in many infants and young children but if still present at puberty is much less likely to resolve’- ‘; spontaneous resolution is lessened by severe grade of VUR, but can still occur even when associated with anomalies such as duplex ureter and paraureteral diverticulumJx5; sterile VUR does not appear to cause reflux nephropathy (RN), although it may be associated with minimal abnormalities of function such as alterations in concentrating ability.h,7 An exception to this may be that patients with sterile VUR and dysfunctional voiding with elevated bladder pressure have the potential for development of hydronephrosis and its associated effects on the renal parenchyma. Longterm antibacterials are well tolerated by children”; and surgical procedures to eliminate reflux are quite effective and indeed have traditionally set a standard against which medical management is measured.“~” Within the past decade four prospective studies have yielded data that provide a measure of how accurate our biases have been. These are the Birmingham Reflux Study, iL the Reflux study of the Southwest Pediatric Nephrology Group,13 and the American and European arms of the International Reflux Stud):”
Drugs in Aggressive Behavior

The role of pharmacotherapy in the management of severe aggressive behavior in children is reviewed. An overview of the relevant literature, a discussion of methodological issues, and a description of a pilot study of the comparative efficacy of lithium, haloperidol, and chlorpromazine are presented. It is concluded that this area has not been studied systematically and that, in the future, research must be directed toward assessing the value of current and new pharmacological agents by using well-defined patient populations and attempting to identify subgroups of responders and nonresponders. Equally important are studies concerned with an evaluation of pharmacotherapy combined with psychosocial treatments. Lithium and haloperidol appear worthy of critical examination as adjuncts in the treatment of children for whom the long-term prognosis is poor. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry , 21, 2:107–117, 1982.
Plasma Androgen Concentrations and Risk of Incident Ovarian Cancer

Androgens have been implicated in increasing ovarian cancer risk; however, results from prospective studies have been inconclusive. The authors examined whether plasma concentrations of testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were associated with risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in a nested-case control study, using data from three prospective cohort studies: the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII), and the Women's Health Study (WHS). The present analysis comprised 224 cases (161 from the NHS/NHSII and 63 from the WHS) and 603 controls (matched at a ratio of 1:3 for the NHS/NHSII and 1:2 for the WHS), with follow-up of up to 14 years. Women ranged in age from 34 years to 72 years (mean age = 56 years). The authors did not observe any associations between plasma androgen levels and risk of ovarian cancer. For example, comparing the top quartile with the bottom quartile, the relative risk was 0.74 (95% confidence interval: 0.44, 1.25; p-trend = 0.34) for testosterone and 0.76 (95% confidence interval: 0.45, 1.30; p-trend = 0.65) for androstenedione. There was a suggestion that dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were inversely associated with ovarian cancer risk among postmenopausal women (for top quartile vs. bottom, relative risks were 0.65 and 0.70, respectively). Overall, these results do not support a positive association between circulating androgen levels and ovarian cancer risk.
An unexpected role of Smad4 to control autoimmunity and T cell function (BA8P.125)

Smad-dependent signaling pathway is known to mediate TGF-beta signal in non-lymphoid cells. How this pathway controls T cell function remains poorly understood. In particular, the function of Smad4 (co-Smad) in T cells is perplexing. On the contrary to the prediction that Smad4-deficient mice will pheno-copy TGF-betaR-deficient mice and develop aggressive autoimmunity, Smad4-deficient mice are phenotypically grossly normal. Two explanations may account for such observations. One is that Smad4 is dispensable for TGF-beta function in T cells. The other is that, while Smad4 is important for TGF-beta function in T cells, it is also critical to promote T cell function to offset its TGF-beta-dependent function. To test these possibilities, we generated DKO mice, where both TGF-betaR and Smad4 are deficient in T cells. Much to our surprise, Smad4 deletion rescued the lethal autoimmunity of TGF-betaR-deficient mice. DKO mice phenocopy Smad4-deficient mice. These findings suggest that the second explanation, albeit paradoxical, is correct. Further investigation revealed that, Smad4 is indeed required for TGF-beta function in T cells and, unexpectedly, it is also important to promote T cell function. These findings therefore identify a novel function of Smad4 critical for T cell function and autoimmunity. Here, we will discuss in detail these new findings and the potential underlying mechanisms.
Infrastructure for Personalized Medicine at Partners HealthCare.

Partners HealthCare Personalized Medicine (PPM) is a center within the Partners HealthCare system (founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital) whose mission is to utilize genetics and genomics to improve the care of patients in a cost effective manner. PPM consists of five interconnected components: (1) Laboratory for Molecular Medicine (LMM), a CLIA laboratory performing genetic testing for patients world-wide; (2) Translational Genomics Core (TGC), a core laboratory providing genomic platforms for Partners investigators; (3) Partners Biobank, a biobank of samples (DNA, plasma and serum) for 50,000 Consented Partners patients; (4) Biobank Portal, an IT infrastructure and viewer to bring together genotypes, samples, phenotypes (validated diagnoses, radiology, and clinical chemistry) from the electronic medical record to Partners investigators. These components are united by (5) a common IT system that brings researchers, clinicians, and patients together for optimal research and patient care.
The Christian Mystery and the Presence and Absence of God

Any display of the achievement of an outstanding thinker should register once again the eminent degree to which he possesses what Aristotle in the Nicomachean Ethics calls the “episteme and nous of objects which by their nature are most to be honored.”1 Those concerned with honoring a wise man, as wise, must attest to how well he has accomplished that “disclosure of the arche” which Aristotle in the Ethics says is the hallmark of such a person.2
E Rosetting by Leukemic Monoblasts: A Possible Mechanism

Occasional cases of acute monoblastic leukemia have been reported to have unusual immunologic properties such as the capacity to form heat stable E-rosettes, a marker usually associated with T-cell acute leukemia. This case report describes such a patient and posulates a possible mechanism for the anomalous E rosetting.
Ranking Public Policy and Administration Graduate Programs, 1995-2016 An Analysis and Discussion

In 1995, U.S. News and World Report (U.S. News) released its first ranking of public affairs master’s degree programs. The rankings have been conducted every 3 years since and have grown in importance to public policy and public administration programs. This study considers the history and background of ranking public policy and administration graduate programs, the rationale used by U.S. News, and the methodology used by U.S. News. This is followed by a longitudinal analysis of these rankings from 1995 to 2016. Findings are presented in a conceptual framework of academic rankings using concepts of equilibrium, specialization, diffusion of innovations, and institutional isomorphism. The implications of this framework and the findings of our analysis are spelled out for public affairs deans, directors, and faculty seeking to improve their ranking as well as those seeking to hold on to their present rankings.
Biomarkers in Glomerular Disease

Publisher Summary Proteomic analysis provides an additional tool to identify novel biomarkers. These novel markers can then be tested to determine their validity. In addition, combinations of biomarkers can be analyzed using statistical or informatic tools. These approaches have been used to attempt to diagnose glomerular diseases and to provide prognostic information. One of the promising techniques is capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE/MS). This approach was used to identify patterns of polypeptides that can differentiate between glomerular diseases including differentiating minimal change disease from FSGS. While the approach needs to be further validated, it provides an interesting insight into the potential of such techniques. A number of candidate markers have been identified in glomerular diseases. The most promising are markers for early prediction of flares in patients with lupus nephritis, prediction of outcome in patients with membranous nephropathy, differentiation between children with minimal change disease and FSGS and progression of IgA nephropathy. Some of these markers, such as the use of sCD80 to differentiate between children with FSGS and minimal change disease and the use of NGAL as a predictor of renal flares in lupus, may be validated to the point where they can be used clinically within the next several years. Other markers still require much validation and may ultimately not be sufficiently discriminatory to serve as useful markers. The use of discovery techniques such as proteomics may provide additional new candidate markers. Ultimately, some diseases are likely to require the use of combinations of markers in useful clinical assays.
Learning weighted distance metric from group level information and its parallel implementation

The performance of many machine learning algorithms heavily relies on the distance metrics. Usually a distance metric is learned from a training set, while other valuable information, such as group structure, is not. Samples within a short distance form a group, which may contain several classes; each sample may have partial memberships to multiple groups. The group structure exists in both training and test sets. Additionally, outliers have negative effects on a distance metric. Increasing the number of noisy samples during the learning phase may increase the negative effects of outliers. Use of weights is one way to alleviate this problem when more similar samples are given more weight. This paper introduces a learning technique for weighted-distance metric. This semi-supervised method learns labeled information from training set and identifies groups among the samples from test set to form a metric space. In the experiments, the nearest neighbors algorithm is used as a classifier. The proposed weighted-distance metric improves the classification accuracy by more than 10 %. Furthermore, parallel computing with optimized CPU and GPU code is developed to speed up the computing time. Two parallel implementations with Matlab and CUDA are compared in this research. Parallel code that uses both CPU and the GPU achieves more than 3.7 times speedup compared to the traditional CPU code in the experiments.
A Pilot Study to Examine the Conflict Handling Preferences of Health Professional Students before and after Participation in an Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) Initiative

INTRODUCTION: A hallmark of interprofessional teams is the ability to deal with conflict, thus, a fundamental component of interprofessional education is the ability to address and resolve conflict. This pilot study investigated the association between an interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) experience and the conflict handling modes of students from five health professions programs. METHODS: The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) was used to assess 88 IPECP health professions students (health management=9; nursing=19; pharmacy=36; physical therapy=12; and optometry=12). Pre- and post-intervention changes in student TKI percentiles were evaluated using paired t-tests and one-way ANCOVA. IBM SPSS 22 was used for statistical analyses with .05 as cutoff value for significance. RESULTS: After the IPECP intervention, in aggregate, participants were less likely to prefer avoiding as a means of handling conflict (t(87) = 3.43, p = .001). Using a one-way ANCOVA, degree program, (p = .016) and gender (p = .008) were significantly associated with changes in compromising handling mode percentile scores. DISCUSSION: The decrease in the avoiding percentile suggests that, post-intervention, students were more willing to engage in conflict, thus, increasing their overall preference for the more assertive and cooperative dimensions of the TKI model. CONCLUSION: Though results are preliminary, they suggest that an interactive and patient-centered IPECP may be associated with the development of effective conflict handling skills among health professions students.
More efficient, perhaps, but at what price? Pleasure and enjoyment responses to high-intensity interval exercise in low-active women with obesity

Abstract Objectives Fewer than 1.5% of women with obesity in the USA are physically active at recommended levels. High-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) has been proposed as a possible solution to the problem of low activity, based on the dual promise of accelerating the accrual of benefits while reducing the time commitment. However, concerns have been raised about the appeal and sustainability of HIIE. The purpose of this study was to compare during-exercise affective valence and post-exercise enjoyment in response to a bout of HIIE and a longer, isocaloric bout of moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE). Design Within-subjects experiment. Methods Low-active women with obesity (N = 24) completed one bout of HIIE (3-min warm-up, four 3-min intervals of recumbent cycling at 115% of Watts at the ventilatory threshold, four 2-min periods of active recovery at 85% of Watts at the ventilatory threshold, 5-min cool-down) and one bout of MICE (3-min warm-up, 25 min of recumbent cycling at 90% of Watts at the ventilatory threshold, 5-min cool-down) in counterbalanced order. The Feeling Scale (FS) was administered during exercise and the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) was administered after cool-down. Results Differences were found for both FS (condition by time interaction: p Conclusions The lower pleasure and enjoyment associated with HIIE compared to MICE underscore the importance of considering not only physiological adaptations but also the appeal and sustainability of HIIE for low-active women with obesity.
Abstract LB-266: DAXX promotes de novo lipogenesis in triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), defined by the absence of ER and PR expression and the lack of HER2 amplification, have no targeted treatment options, are highly aggressive, and exhibit poor prognosis. Identification of drivers and associated signaling pathways, particularly for TNBCs, is needed to assist the development of targeted therapies, to prolong disease-free survival, and to improve clinical outcome for cancer patients. Using high-throughput microarray-based global transcriptome profiling, we found that transcriptional regulator DAXX depletion strikingly impaired while DAXX overexpression enhanced the expression of genes in the de novo lipogenesis pathways in TNBCs cell line. Consistently, unbiased global metabolomics and lipidomics profiling by Ultra-High performance Liquid Chromatography coupled High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) also revealed that DAXX promotes de novo lipogenesis in both TNBC cell line as well as in corresponding xenograft tumors. In analyzing large number of genomic datasets including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), MolEcular Taxonomy of BReast cancer International Consortium (METABRIC), and The Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) dataset, we found that DAXX expression is significantly higher in TNBC tumor samples and cell lines, and also DAXX gene expression positively correlates with that of key lipogenesis enzymes. The role of DAXX in cancer metabolism is previously unknown. Our integrated OMICs data analysis thus indicates that DAXX promotes de novo lipogenesis in TNBC. The mechanism through which DAXX regulates lipid metabolism is being investigated in our laboratory. Overall, our study identifies a potentially important pathway driving TNBC progression and suggests potential therapeutic targets for treating this aggressive form of breast cancer that still lacks curative treatment options. Citation Format: Iqbal Mahmud, Timothy J. Garrett, Daiqing Liao. DAXX promotes de novo lipogenesis in triple-negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-266. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-LB-266
AN UNUSUAL CAUSE OF VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA STORM

Dermatomyositis (DM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) characterized by inflammation of muscles with systemic and cutaneous involvement, highly associated with breast cancer. Conduction abnormality is the most common cardiac manifestation in IIM. 51 year-old female with newly diagnosed
Evaluation of Peroxyacetic Acid for Reducing Low Levels of Salmonella on Laboratory-Inoculated and Naturally Contaminated In-Shell Hazelnuts.

ABSTRACT In-shell hazelnuts may be exposed to many sources of Salmonella during harvest and postharvest processing. Chemical sanitizers, such as peroxyacetic acid (PAA), are used by some postharvest processors in an attempt to reduce microbial loads; however, data are limited on its efficacy to reduce Salmonella on in-shell hazelnuts under conditions relevant to the industry. This study analyzed the efficacy of PAA to reduce small numbers of Salmonella on laboratory-inoculated (3.9 most probable number [MPN] per hazelnut) and naturally contaminated in-shell hazelnuts (8.2 MPN/33 g). Batches of hazelnuts (333 to 1,500 g) were agitated in water or PAA (80 or 200 ppm) for 1 min. Inoculated hazelnuts were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella on an individual nut basis. Naturally contaminated hazelnuts were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella in larger sample sizes (33 g). Water and PAA (80 ppm) were effective at reducing Salmonella contamination on laboratory-inoculated hazelnuts (untreated, 85.5% posi...
The Emergence of Private Higher Education in Vietnam: Challenges and Opportunities*

In 1986, the government of Vietnam introduced a policy termed “doi moi,” resulting in profound changes to shift the country from being a centrally planned economy to a market economy. With dramatic changes in Vietnam's economic structure resulting from doi moi, it was also essential to carry out reforms in education. One such reform was to allow for privatization to occur in education at all levels. The focus of this paper is the emergence of private higher education in Vietnam in the period following the introduction of doi moi with a special emphasis on the most recent developments in private higher education.
X-ray and debris ion spectra emanating from NIF targets

Simulations of the breakup of the NIF targets have been performed. The x-ray and debris emission are predicted and compared with generic results that were commonly used before the recent declassification. These simulations are one-dimensional, while the target is two-dimensional. The computational models are discussed in some detail, and the problems of one-dimensional simulations are acknowledged.
The Neurologic History Holds the Diagnostic Keys

Obtaining a complete history by employing a methodical, unhurried approach is the key to an accurate diagnosis. The initial focus must be on the anatomic localization which invariably determines the differential diagnosis. Paresthesias of the left leg, for example, may indicate a compressive peroneal neuropathy, lumbar radiculopathy from a herniated disk, spinal cord disease, or a right cerebral lesion. This type of diagnostic dilemma is a frequent reason to request a neurologist’s opinion. An MRI scan of the lumbar spine may be completely normal, dumbfounding the patient’s physician. Conversely, a herniated disk with nerve root compression may be treated surgically without alleviation of the patient’s symptoms which are due to a brain tumor.
Non-chemisorbed gold-sulfur binding prevails in self-assembled monolayers

Gold–thiol contacts are ubiquitous across the physical and biological sciences in connecting organic molecules to surfaces. When thiols bind to gold in self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) the fate of the hydrogen remains a subject of profound debate—with implications for our understanding of their physical properties, spectroscopic features and formation mechanism(s). Exploiting measurements of the transmission through a molecular junction, which is highly sensitive to the nature of the molecule–electrode contact, we demonstrate here that the nature of the gold–sulfur bond in SAMs can be probed via single-molecule conductance measurements. Critically, we find that SAM measurements of dithiol-terminated molecular junctions yield a significantly lower conductance than solution measurements of the same molecule. Through numerous control experiments, conductance noise analysis and transport calculations based on density functional theory, we show that the gold–sulfur bond in SAMs prepared from the solution deposition of dithiols does not have chemisorbed character, which strongly suggests that under these widely used preparation conditions the hydrogen is retained. Gold–thiol contacts are ubiquitous across the physical and biological sciences, connecting organic molecules to surfaces. Now, conductance measurements of different sulfur-bound single-molecule junctions show that thiols—in contrast to the prevailing view—are not chemisorbed on gold, which strongly suggests that the thiol hydrogen is retained.
External Verifiability of Accounting Information and Intangible Asset Transactions

Firms commonly use disaggregated accounting information to facilitate efficient contracting over intangible assets. However, reliance on accounting measures creates information asymmetries and thus a role for contract audits. Using a hand-collected sample of technology licensing agreements with royalties based on product-line revenues, I investigate how perceived weaknesses in the licensee’s accounting system and reporting flexibility affect the design of two key audit terms — (1) the scope of audit rights, and (2) penalties for adverse audit outcomes. I find that perceived weaknesses in the licensee’s reporting system lead to the granting of broader audit rights to the licensor, consistent with licensors demanding broader auditor rights when the licensee’s accounting system is believed to be less reliable. However, when the licensee has greater reporting flexibility, the contracting parties are more likely to include penalties in their agreements, consistent with the deterrence theory that penalties are a more cost-effective means to discourage intentional misreporting. Licenses covering more territory and having longer durations are associated with narrower audit scope terms, consistent with the self-enforcement theory that the greater the opportunity cost of early termination, the greater the licensee’s incentives to self-enforce. Overall, my results suggest that audit scope and penalties can improve contracting efficiency in two ways.
An 83mA 96.8% Peak Efficiency 3-Level Boost Converter with Full-Range Auto-Capacitor-Calibrating Pulse Frequency Modulation

A 3-level boost converter substantiates integration and miniaturization by enabling higher voltage operation with lower voltage technology process, i.e. 2.5V devices are implemented to generate a maximum of 5V OUT , and concurrently providing inductor size reduction. However, flying capacitor balancing across a wide load and conversion range remains a challenge. This work proposes an auto-capacitor-balancing pulse frequency modulation (ACC-PFM) controller, combining peak and valley current mode control for continuous high step-up power conversion along with full-range V OUT regulation and embedded capacitor balancing. Moreover, a proposed delay-equalized level shifter generates duty ratios with only sub-ns deviations, resolving asymmetrical rising and falling delays that induce capacitor imbalance. It ensures the full-range operation for more than 90MHz inductor current frequency. This prototype is implemented in a 65nm CMOS process with 0.28mm2active area. Measurement results show that the converter achieves $\gt7\mathrm{X}$ step-up conversion and 96.8% peak efficiency, operating from 0.3-${3.0V}_{IN}$ to 2.4-5.0V OUT with 83mA peak output current.
Metasurface-Enabled Fourier-Transform Optical Pulse Shaper

Fourier-transform pulse shaping is the most widely adopted technique for optical pulse shaping, in which shaping is achieved via parallel modulation of spatially separated frequencies without requiring an ultrafast modulator [1]. Recently, dielectric metasurfaces have emerged as a powerful technology for arbitrary control over the amplitude, phase, or polarization of light in a single, compact optical element [2,3]. Here, we offer the first experimental demonstration of femtosecond pulse shaping using a centimetre-scale silicon metasurface acting as both amplitude and phase modulation mask simultaneously. Expanding metasurfaces into the realm of time-domain manipulation will amplify the already significant impact of their application as two-dimensional wavefront shapers, and open new vistas in the field of ultrafast science and technology.
Abstract 6414: Using 3D models to test the efficacy of targeting cancer-associated fibroblast exosomes to overcome chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer

Exosomes play a critical role in promoting proliferation and survival of cancer cells. These extracellular vesicles that range in size from 30-100nm in diameter are released by many different cell types and contain proteins, nucleic acids, and micro RNAs that can modify the content and state of recipient cells. Our previous studies have shown that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which make up the bulk of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors, hypersecrete exosomes upon chemotherapy treatment. When these exosomes were taken up by surrounding cancer cells, we observed more cell proliferation and drug resistance. Considering these findings, there is clearly a need of therapeutic strategies that target exosome biogenesis and secretion. Here, we investigate the effectiveness of several compounds, including farnesyl transferase inhibitors, imidazoles, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), in blocking exosome secretion and suppressing chemoresistance in PDAC CAF and cancer cell lines. We observed decrease in exosome secretion upon ketoconazole, tipifarnib, and neticonazole treatment, using GW4869 (a neutral sphingomyelinase inhibitor) as our control. Furthermore, we established a 3D organoid model from our PDAC mouse models to better understand the impact of these drugs on exosome secretion in tumors with different genetic alterations. Together, our 2D and 3D models illuminate the potential for pharmacological targeting of exosome secretion as a treatment option that can improve the current standard-of-care treatment in PDAC. Citation Format: Chae Young Eun, Charlene DeKalb, Weikun Xiao, Xinyu Zhang, Reginald Hill. Using 3D models to test the efficacy of targeting cancer-associated fibroblast exosomes to overcome chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 6414.
Seismic Collapse Assessment of Composite Plate Shear Walls

AbstractCollapse evaluation of composite plate shear walls (C-PSWs) under seismic loading requires a reliable analytical model that can accurately capture deterioration in the strength and stiffnes...
Applying Edgewood v. Kirby to Analysis of Fundamental Rights under the Texas Constitution

State constitutions are affirmative grants of power under which both stated and implied fundamental rights can be sought. A proposed test for fundamental rights under the Texas Constitution looks at three factors: the history of the topic within the Texas Constitution and case law; the actual language used in the controlling provision; and the importance of that value to the people of Texas. The declaration of a constitutional right as fundamental certainly has implications for future relationships between the people and the government. The Edgewood v. Kirby case has the potential to change much in Texas. The case stands for another step taken by the Texas judiciary toward protecting human rights, privileges, and responsibilities stated or implied in the Texas Constitution. Although the Texas Supreme Court did not find equality of opportunity for education to be a fundamental right, the topic is still a viable issue in the case, and the door is open in the future for such a finding.
Experimental Observation of Magnetic Island Heteroclinic Bifurcation in Tokamaks.

We report empirical observations of magnetic island heteroclinic bifurcation for the first time. This behavior is observed in interacting coupled $2/1$ tearing modes in the core of a DIII-D tokamak plasma. Poincar\'e maps constrained by measured magnetic amplitudes and phasing show bifurcation from heteroclinic to homoclinic topology in the $2/1$ island as the $4/2$ relative amplitude (${R}_{4/2}$) decreases. Initially, the local electron temperature peak in the $2/1$ island splits, consistent with two $O$ points. As ${R}_{4/2}$ decreases a single peak forms, consistent with one $O$ point. These call for developing tearing stability theory and control solutions for heteroclinic islands in tokamaks.
Protocol for remapping of place cells in disease mouse models.

Summary Hippocampal place cells and entorhinal grid cells exhibit distinct spike patterns in different environments called “remapping,” and we have recently shown that remapping of place cells becomes disrupted in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Here, we describe our protocol for investigating remapping of place cells and grid cells using a custom-made electrophysiology device, with detailed descriptions and problem-solving tips for the construction and implantation of the recording device. We also provide steps for behavioral training, recording, and data analysis. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Jun et al. (2020) .
Quantile-specific heritability of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and relevance to rs1024611-disease interactions.

Abstract Background Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) concentrations are 34% to 47% heritable. Larger −2518 G/A (rs1024611) genotypes differences are reported for: 1) MCP-1 production in stimulated vs. basal cells; and 2) MCP-1 concentrations in diseased (sepsis, brain abscess, hepatitis B virus, Alzheimer’s disease, Behcet's disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus) vs. healthy patients. Those results suggest that the −2518 G/A effect size may depend on whether the phenotype is high or low relative to its distribution (quantile-dependent expressivity). Method To test whether quantile-dependent expressivity applies more broadly to genetic influences on MCP-1 concentrations, quantile-specific offspring-parent (βOP) and full-sib regression slopes (βFS) were estimated by applying quantile regression to the age- and sex-adjusted serum MCP-1 concentrations of Framingham Heart Study families. Quantile-specific heritabilities were calculated as h2 = 2βOP/(1 + rspouse) and h2={(1 + 8rspouseβFS)0.5-1}/(2rspouse)). Results Heritability (h2 ± SE) of MCP-1 concentrations increased from 0.15 ± 0.05 at the 10th percentile of the MCP-1 distribution, 0.23 ± 0.04 at the 25th, 0.32 ± 0.05 at the 50th, 0.43 ± 0.07 at the 75th, and 0.44 ± 0.07 at the 90th percentile, or an 0.0041 ± 0.0009 increase for each one-percent increment in the MCP-1 distribution (Plinear trend = 2.4 × 10−5) when estimated from βOP, and (Plinear trend = 7.7 × 10−9) when estimated from βFS. Compared to the 10th percentile, βOP-estimated h2 was 3-fold greater at the 90th percentile (Pdifference = 0.0003), and 6.9-fold greater when estimated from βFS (Pdifference = 3.3 × 10−6). Re-analysis of in vivo comparison of MCP-1 concentrations in controls vs. patients with MCP-1-elevating conditions, and in vitro studies of MCP-1 production in basal vs. stimulated cells, show rs1024611 genotypes differences that were consistent with quantile-dependent expressivity. Conclusion The heritability of circulating MCP-1 concentrations is quantile-dependent.
Corporate branding versus product branding in emerging markets

Purpose – To build a conceptual framework for the development of branding strategy from the pint of view of a Western firm entering a market in a developing economy.Design/methodology/approach – An extensive literature review brings together two research streams, market entry and branding strategy, with particular reference to corporate branding versus product branding.Findings – The choice of branding strategy is determined in the conditions under study by five antecedent factors and three moderating variables, which are expressed as a visual model and eight propositions.Practical implications – In a rapidly developing world, this framework and the literature review from which it is derived offer applicable marketing intelligence to planners of branding strategies for international markets. The eight propositions suggest fruitful directions for further academic research.Originality/value – Draws together two streams within the marketing literature in an original way, and offers a framework for the concep...
Administering the CVP

A QUICK review of the articles in this issue written by students of law reveals that a great many become involved in some way in the major substantive issues which have led to such intense political controversy in the Central Valley. In many cases, perhaps, these students would have preferred to avoid these issues, to limit themselves to matters of law which can be dealt with with more technical precision. But this does not seem to be possible with regard to the CVP; the major substantive issues are found at the very heart of most legal problems. As a student of administration and government, this author has been asked to prepare an analysis of the various proposals for administering the CVP. As passionately as his lawyer colleagues he should like to make a competent technical analysis of alternatives which would have general application to the Central Valley, but would avoid the major substantive controversies over the project-those relating to acreage limitations and distribution of power to preference customers. But like these colleagues, he has found that the substantive controversies cannot be avoided; they are so fundamental that they must of necessity pervade any analysis. Under given conditions, one type of organization will favor the opponents of acreage limitation, another the proponents; and it is for these reasons, of course, that different administrative forms have different and intense advocates. It would be sheer deception for anyone to write on forms of administration without demonstrating their intimate relations to these issues.
Sub-path protection for scalability and fast recovery in WDM mesh networks

Summary form only given. In an optical wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) network, the failure of a network element (e.g., fiber link, cross-connect, etc.) can cause the failure of several optical channels, thereby leading to large data (and revenue) loss. A significant amount of work has been done to provide protection switching in ring topologies. As networks migrate from stacked rings to meshes because of the excessive resource redundancy used in ring-based protection, mesh-structured protection schemes have been receiving increasing attention. We propose a variation of shared-path protection called sub-path protection, which minimizes the total resource usage (in terms of wavelength-links), for a given traffic demand and area partitioning, while guaranteeing fast recovery time.
Microscopic approach to shear viscosities of unitary Fermi gases above and below the superfluid transition.

Recent experiments on the shear viscosity $\ensuremath{\eta}$ in a unitary Fermi gas fail to see the theoretically predicted upturn in $\ensuremath{\eta}$ at the lower $T$. In this Letter, we compute $\ensuremath{\eta}$ in a fashion which is demonstrably consistent with conservation laws and, in the process, provide an understanding of recent experiments. We show that this disagreement with prior theories cannot be readily attributed to the trap, since (via edge effects) trap-averaged viscosities will be larger than their homogeneous counterparts. The small values of $\ensuremath{\eta}$ we find can be simply understood; they reflect the fact that the Goldstone bosons (phonons) do not couple to transverse probes such as $\ensuremath{\eta}$, and fermionic excitations, which determine the viscosity, are necessarily absent in the ground state.
Identification and characterization of a chlorate-resistant mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana with mutations in both nitrate reductase structural genes NIA1 and NIA2.

Mutant plants defective in the assimilation of nitrate can be selected by their resistance to the herbicide chlorate. In Arabidopsis thaliana, mutations at any one of nine distinct loci confer chlorate resistance. Only one of the CHL genes, CHL3, has been shown genetically to be a nitrate reductase (NR) structural gene (NIA2) even though two NR genes (NIA1 and NIA2) have been cloned from the Arabidopsis genome. Plants in which the NIA2 gene has been deleted retain only 10% of the wildtype shoot NR activity and grow normally with nitrate as the sole nitrogen source. Using mutagenized seeds from the NIA2 deletion mutant and a modified chlorate selection protocol, we have identified the first mutation in the NIA1 NR structural gene. nia1, nia2 double mutants have only 0.5% of wild-type shoot NR activity and display very poor growth on media with nitrate as the only form of nitrogen. The nial-1 mutation is a single nucleotide substitution that converts an alanine to a threonine in a highly conserved region of the molybdenum cofactor-binding domain of the NR protein. These results show that the NIA1 gene encodes a functional NR protein that contributes to the assimilation of nitrate in Arabidopsis.
A 120dB 300mW stereo audio A/D converter with 110dB THD+N

A fifth order, single-loop, multibit delta-sigma stereo audio ADC achieves 120 dB dynamic range and 110 dB THD+N while dissipating less than 300 mW of power. A feed forward path substantially reduces the signal component in the loop, enabling high dynamic range at low power levels. A second order mismatch shaper removes any nonlinearity or tones caused by element mismatch in the feedback DAC. A rough/fine input sampling scheme alleviates the loading on the input driver, improving distortion. An offset compensated switched-capacitor scheme is used in the rough buffer to avoid offset integration in AC coupled applications. Demodulation of quantization noise and delta-sigma tones is avoided by a segmented chopping technique.
Photodissociation of NO2 by Pulsed Laser Light at 6943A

Nitrogen dioxide was photodissociated using a pulsed ruby laser at 6943A. The energy of a single photon at this wavelength was equivalent to only 57% of the dissociation energy. The mechanism proposed to account for the results was the consecutive absorption of two photons, the first resulting in a short-lived excited state. The second photon is then absorbed by the excited species resulting in dissociation.
Validation and refinement of the difficult intravenous access score: a clinical prediction rule for identifying children with difficult intravenous access.

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2011; 18:1129–1134 © 2011 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Abstract Objectives: The difficult intravenous access (DIVA) score, a proportionally weighted four-variable (vein palpability, vein visibility, patient age, and history of prematurity) clinical rule, has been developed to predict failure of intravenous (IV) placement in children. This study sought to externally validate and refine the DIVA score. Methods: Patients undergoing peripheral IV placement by pediatric emergency department (ED) nurses were enrolled. The outcome of interest was defined as failure of cannulation on first attempt. Proposed refinement predictor variables include history of newborn intensive care unit (NICU) stay, operator experience characteristics (years since graduation, years of pediatric nursing experience, and IVs started per month), and skin shade. Adjusted multivariate models were constructed using logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed and areas under the curve (AUC) calculated for each model. Results: A total of 366 subjects were enrolled (mean age = 5.4 years, SD ± 5.6 years) and of them, 118 (32.2%) subjects failed the first IV attempt. The original four-variable model tested in this data set resulted in an AUC of 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.67 to 0.78). Patients with a DIVA score of 4 or greater had more than 50% likelihood of failed first IV attempt. A three-variable rule (vein palpability, vein visibility, and patient age) was evaluated and found to possess similar discriminating ability (AUC = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.67 to 0.78). Conclusions: This study validated the previously derived four-variable DIVA score. A simpler three-variable rule was as predictive of failed IV placement on first attempt as the four-variable rule. Validation in nonpediatric EDs is needed to thoroughly evaluate generalizability.
Diphtheria Toxin Repressor: Metal Ion Mediated Control of Transcription

The diphtheria toxin repressor is a metal ion–activated DNA-binding protein that prevents transcription of the diphtheria toxin gene. In its active form the repressor interacts with a semi-palindromic operator sequence as two noninteracting dimers that recognize overlapping sequences. Recognition of the sequence occurs through two base-specific interactions. The dimer binds two metal ions per monomer in its active form, only one of which is essential for DNA binding. The mechanism by which activation occurs includes the unraveling of the first turn of the N-terminal helix in an indirect interaction with the critical metal ion that allows the repressor to interact optimally with the operator sequence of the toxin gene. 3D Structure Keywords: nickel; repressor protein; diphtheria toxin repressor
INCIDENCE AND CASE FATALITY RATES FOR ACUTE APPENDICITIS IN CALIFORNIA A POPULATION-BASED STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF AGE

In 1984, 24,794 appendectomies and abscess drainage procedures were performed for acute appendicitis in California hospitals. Analysis of hospital discharge abstracts revealed age- and sex-specific incidence rates and in-hospital case fatality rates for acute appendicitis lower than previously reported. In persons aged 60 years and older, the case fatality rate for nonperforating appendicitis with appendectomy was 0.7% and for perforating appendicitis and abscess 2.4%. Surgery was delayed beyond the day of admission in 21% of persons aged 40-59 years, 29% of persons aged 60-79 years, and 47% of persons aged 80 years and over. The proportion of cases with perforation increased from 22% to 75% between ages 20 and 80 years. The population incidence of perforating appendicitis changed little after age 20 years, while the incidence of nonperforating cases declined sharply. The high proportion of appendicitis cases with perforation among the elderly may be due to the decreased incidence of nonperforating appendicitis in the elderly and not to a greater propensity for perforation, as previously proposed. Most elderly in California receive timely surgery for appendicitis and tolerate it better than previously reported. Diminished tolerance for intra-abdominal infection may be the primary determinant of the increase in case fatality with age.
Nitrogen metabolism during the oral andparenteral administration of the amino acids of hydrolyzed casein

Summary Hydrolyzed casein, consisting largely of amino acids, was givenorally to infants as the sole source of nitrogen. The amino acids, in the presence of the non-nitrogenous dietary essentials, gave positive nitrogen balances in all cases. It was also found that positive and sufficient nitrogen balances wereobtained by the intravenous administration of hydrolyzed casein together with glucose and sodium chloride. In most instances, however, there were untoward reactions, most prominently a marked elevation of body temperature. Further study is obviously required to identify and remove the cause of the febrile reactions which in our experience have limited the clinical utility of this form of intravenous nutrition.
Characterization of monosaccharides in human placental alkaline phosphatase by gas—liquid chromatography

Abstract Gas—liquid chromatography of hydrolysates of highly purified human placental alkaline phosphatase (orthophosphoric-monoester phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.1) demonstrated the presence of monosaccharide residues, mannose, galactose, glucose and fucose. This enzyme, therefore, is a sialoglycoprotein.