cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of proteome rebalancing and sulfur nutrition on the accumulation of methionine rich δ-zein in transgenic soybeans

Expression of heterologous methionine-rich proteins to increase the overall sulfur amino acid content of soybean seeds has been only marginally successful, presumably due to low accumulation of transgenes in soybeans or due to gene silencing. Proteome rebalancing of seed proteins has been shown to promote the accumulation of foreign proteins. In this study, we have utilized RNAi technology to suppress the expression of the β-conglycinin, the abundant 7S seed storage proteins of soybean. Western blot and 2D-gel analysis revealed that β-conglycinin knockdown line (SAM) failed to accumulate the α', α, and β-subunits of β-conglycinin. The proteome rebalanced SAM retained the normal overall protein and oil content similar to that of wild-type soybean. We also generated transgenic soybean lines expressing methionine-rich 11 kDa δ-zein under the control of either the glycinin or β-conglycinin promoter. The introgression of the 11 kDa δ-zein into β-conglycinin knockdown line did not enhance the accumulation of the 11 kDa δ-zein. However, when the same plants were grown in sulfur-rich medium, we observed 3- to 16-fold increased accumulation of the 11 kDa δ-zein. Transmission electron microscopy observation revealed that seeds grown in sulfur-rich medium contained numerous endoplasmic reticulum derived protein bodies. Our findings suggest that sulfur availability, not proteome rebalancing, is needed for high-level accumulation of heterologous methionine-rich proteins in soybean seeds.
Visual Stimuli for Traumatic Memories: An Academic and Personal Memoir

In this article, the author takes the subject-position as a survivor of father—daughter incest whose memories of her dissociated childhood traumatic experiences were triggered by viewing specific installations in the At Home: A Kentucky Project With Judy Chicago and Donald Woodman (2001-2002). The author shows how art functions as a ritualized site for witnessing trauma that can assist in individual recovery. She incorporated variety of trauma theories based on her scholarly understanding as well as personal experience of having experienced posttraumatic stress disorder. This study demonstrates that a viewer not only brings his or her own experiences and preknowledge to a work of art, thereby constructing its meaning, but that the work of art can act as a cue for the return of traumatic remembrance, becoming an agent on the viewer’s emotional and personal journey.
Modifiable Risk Factors for Nursing Home-Acquired Pneumonia

Background. This study sought to identify modifiable risk factors for pneumonia in elderly nursing home residents.Methods. A cohort of 613 elderly residents (age, >65 years) of 5 nursing homes in the New Haven, Connecticut, area was followed-up prospectively from February 2001 through March 2003. The primary outcome was radiographically documented pneumonia within a 12-month surveillance period. Baseline modifiable risk factors were evaluated for their independent association with pneumonia.Results. Of 613 elderly nursing home residents, 131 (21%) died, and an additional 112 (18%) developed a radiographically documented case of pneumonia during the 12-month surveillance period. Among the 9 candidate modifiable risk factors that were evaluated individually in Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for covariates (i.e., nursing home facility, age, race, coexisting conditions, and immobility), inadequate oral care (hazard ratio [HR], 1.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06–2.35; P = .024) and swallowing difficulty (HR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.04–2.62; P = .033) were associated with pneumonia. When modifiable risk factors were evaluated simultaneously in the same Cox proportional hazards model, inadequate oral care (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.04–2.30; P = .030) and swallowing difficulty (HR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.02–2.55; P = .043) remained independently associated with pneumonia, adjusting for the same covariates. Calculation of population-based attributable fractions showed that 21% of all cases of pneumonia in our cohort could have been avoided if inadequate oral care and swallowing difficulty were not present.Conclusions. Two biologically plausible and modifiable risk factors increased the risk of pneumonia in elderly nursing home residents. These results provide a framework for the development and testing of a targeted pneumonia prevention strategy.
Anreize in der postmortalen Organspende: Belohnte Spendebereitschaft

Allen Anstrengungen zur Erhohung des Organaufkommens zum Trotz besteht in Deutschland und anderswo ein stetig wachsender Organmangel. Im vorliegenden Artikel wird eine Moglichkeit vorgestellt, die Zahl der verfugbaren Organe zu erhohen: moderate finanzielle Anreize fur die Postmortalspende. Es werden verschiedene Anreizmodelle dargestellt und zentrale ethische Argumente fur und wider ihre Einfuhrung diskutiert. Zu diesen gehoren Gerechtigkeitsuberlegungen, die Sorge um ausreichende Freiwilligkeit potentieller Organspender, die Gefahr einer Schadigung des individuellen und gesellschaftlichen Altruismus sowie die Ablehnung von kommerzialisierten Vorgangen in der Medizin. Es wird aufgezeigt, dass die Argumente gegen die im Artikel vorgestellten Formen moderater finanzieller Anreize nicht verfangen. Im Ausblick wird fur eine sorgfaltig geplante Pilotforschung zu Anreizmodellen in der postmortalen Organspende pladiert.
Techno-economic feasibly and environmental impact of wireless power transfer roadway electrification

Integration of wireless power transfer (WPT) systems in roadways and vehicles represents a promising alternative to traditional internal combustion transportation systems. The economic feasibility and environmental impact of WPT applied to the transportation system is evaluated through the development of engineering system models. For a 20% penetration, results show a 20% reduction in air pollutants, 10% reduction in energy use and CO 2 emissions and a societal level payback (defined as total cost of ownership savings compared to a traditional vehicle equal to roadway infrastructure) of 3 years. The modeled system covers 86% of all traffic in the US, impacts 40% of all roadways and shifts $180 billion per year from oil production to jobs in local power generation and development, construction, and maintenance of electrified roadways and new electric vehicles. Results on model sensitivity to energy prices, payback as a function of penetration, and trucking vs light duty use will be presented.
Facing Plato's cave: viewing the shadows of grammatical competence: commentary on learnability and linguistic performance by Ken Drozd

CT in particular, not in linguistics, a field which is fundamentally and rightfully ambivalent about its standing as a behavioural science, considering its relation to mathematics and formal theory as well as to sociolinguistics (Lust, Flynn, Foley & Chien, 1999). C&T also deserve credit for their appreciation of the importance of what children do NOT do (constraints) in language, and attempts to empirically verify such.
Value of two-dimensional echocardiographic detection of incomplete mitral leaflet closure

The echocardiographic pattern of incomplete mitral leaflet closure (IMLC) is reported to be present in about 90% of patients with acute myocardial infarction and new onset of mitral regurgitation. To determine the significance of this echocardiographic sign, we retrieved all echocardiograms containing this abnormality from a file of 1200 consecutive echocardiograms. Seventy-three echocardiograms manifested IMLC. We also studied a control group consisting of 52 patients without IMLC, but who were matched with the IMLC group with respect to a range of left ventricular (LV) diameters at end diastole and fractional shortening. The following was found in the control group: fewer wall motion abnormalities per patient, less frequent mitral “B bumps”, and a smaller VL end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) (p < 0.05 for each comparison). By logistic regrossion, the variable most important to the probability of having IMLC was the presence of mitral valve “B bumps”. We conclude that: (1) elevated left ventricular filling pressure is associated with IMLC and (2) IMLC is not specific for the subset of patients with papillary muscle dysfunction due to acute myocardial infarction. Rather, IMLC is commonly seen in association with dilated, usually ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Effects of Preparation Time for Two Quantitative Measures of Narrative Production

Summary.-Narratives are important for language assessment at the level of discourse. To investigare the effect of preparation rime narratives were collected from 19 third graders, 19 eighth graders, and 19 college students. In one condition, all subjects saw a picture and told a story; in a second one they saw a picture and were instructed to wait for 1 min. before tehng a story. Students also generated a story without a picture and with no instructions to wait. Measures of narrative length and mean length of communication unit were analyzed to assess the effects of preparation time. Narratives produced under the Instructions to Wait condiuon were longer and their mean length of communication unit was longer than narratives produced under the No Instructions to Wait condition, for all 3 age groups. Narratives generated without picture stimuli, however, were longer than those produced under either picture condition. Clinical implications for those who work with children with language and learning disabilities are discussed.
Bandlimited image extrapolation with faster convergence

The Gerchberg-Papoulis (GP) algorithm has been widely discussed in the literature in connection with band-limited or space-limited image extrapolation. Despite its seemingly superior noise-resistant properties over earlier superresolution schemes, the GP algorithm generally exhibits very slow convergence thereby making the choice of starting point critical. We discuss how additional a priori information, such as the low-pass projection of the image (LPI), can be incorporated in the algorithm to decrease the initial error between the starting point of the recursion and the true signal. We also investigate how convergence rates might be improved by (1) using the LPI in each iteration to achieve a double per cycle correction, and (2) applying adaptive thresholding. Somewhat surprisingly, it was found that using the LPI had only a minor effect on the rate of convergence. On the other hand, when combined with adaptive thresholding the use of the LPI both significantly reduced the starting point error and improved the rate of convergence.
Syntactic preferences for robust parsing with semantic preferences

Using constraints in robust parsing seems to have what we call "robust parsing paradox". Preference Semantics and Connectionism both offered a promising approach to this problem. However, Preference Semantics has not addressed the problem of how to make full use of syntactic constraints, and Connectionism has some inherent difficulties of its own which prevent it producing a practical system. In this paper we are proposing a method to add syntactic preferences to the Preference Semantics paradigm while maintaining its fundamental philosophy. It will be shown that syntactic preferences can be coded as a set of weights associated with the set of symbolically manipulatable rules of a new grammar formalism. The syntactic preferences such coded can be easily used to compute with semantic preferences. With the help of some techniques borrowed from Connectionism, these weights can be adjusted through training.
CORRIDORS CAUSE DIFFERENTIAL SEED PREDATION

Corridors that connect disjunct populations are heavily debated in conser- vation, largely because the effects of corridors have rarely been evaluated by replicated, large-scale studies. Using large-scale experimental landscapes, we found that, in addition to documented positive effects, corridors also have negative impacts on bird-dispersed plants by affecting seed predation, and that overall predation is a function of the seeds' primary consumer (rodents or arthropods). Both large-seeded Prunus serotina and small-seeded Rubus allegheniensis experienced greater predation in connected patches. However, P. serotina experienced significantly less seed predation compared to R. allegheniensis in unconnected patches, due to decreased impacts of rodent seed predators on this large-seeded species. Viewed in light of previous evidence that corridors have beneficial impacts by increasing pollination and seed dispersal, this work demonstrates that corridors may have both positive and negative effects for the same plant species at different life stages. More- over, these effects may differentially affect plant species within the same community: seeds primarily consumed by rodents suffer less predation in unconnected patches. By shifting the impact of rodent and arthropod seed predators, corridors constructed for plant conser- vation could lead to shifts in the seed bank.
North American Studies Centers: An Overview

Area studies in the United States were created during the Cold War. In 1957, the Soviet Union announced the launch of Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite. This focused international attention to the emergence of sophisticated technologies and international security threats, and the U.S. government responded by investing more in science and foreign languages. The National Defense Education Act (NDEA) was signed into law by President Eisenhower in 1958. Title VI of the NDEA, entitled “Language Development,” would provide federal funding to build foreign language and area studies programs at U.S. universities. Title VI was composed of two parts: Part A, entitled “Centers and Research and Studies” which authorized three programs: Centers, Fellowships, and Research and Studies and Part B, “Language Institutes.” Initial funding began in academic year 1959–60 when US$3.5 million was appropriated with US$500,000 going to Centers and Fellowships, and the remaining US$2.5 million allocated to Research and Studies. In 1972, Title VI began providing grants to assist postsecondary institutions in internationalizing their curricula. Title VI supports ten programs: National Resource Centers (NRCs); Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS); International Research and Studies (IRS), the Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program (UISFL); the Business and International Education Program (BIE); Centers for International Business Education (CIBEs); Language Resource Centers (IRCs); American Overseas Research Centers (AORCs); the Institute for International Public Policy (IIPP); and the Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information
INNOCENTS LOST: Proportional Sentencing and the Paradox of Collateral Damage

Retributive restrictions are principles of justice according to which what a criminal deserves on account of his individual conduct and character restricts how states are morally permitted to treat him. The main arguments offered in defense of retributive restrictions involve thought experiments in which the state punishes the innocent, a practice known as telishment. In order to derive retributive restrictions from the wrongness of telishment, one must engage in moral argument from generalization. I show how generalization arguments of the same form can be used subversively to derive morally unacceptable conclusions from other scenarios in which the state intentionally inflicts undeserved coercion. For example, our considered moral convictions approve of punishment policies that inflict collateral damage, such as the ubiquitous policy of excluding the family members of inmates from prison facilities outside visiting hours. I present a generalization argument for the conclusion that these policies are seriously unjust. If we firmly believe that these policies are not unjust, then we should put less stock in generalization arguments. We should not use them to support retributive restrictions. This conclusion has broad implications for the theory and practice of criminal justice.
Interfacial precipitation in titania-doped diphasic mullite gels

Interfacial precipitation in sol-gel derived, titania-doped diphasic mullite gels was investigated using conventional and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Rutile, anatase, and brookite precipitated on the interface between {110} planes of mullite and glass pockets in the sintered body. The formation of brookite may be attributable to the Si- and Al-rich environment during precipitation. Each polymorph of titania has a unique morphology and orientation relationship with mullite. Brookite exhibits a truncated pill box shape, and anatase displays a vermicular morphology. Quenching experiments suggest that the precipitates grow and undergo phase transformations during cooling.
Transition-state discrimination by adenosine deaminase from Aspergillus oryzae

Abstract Adenosine deaminase from Aspergillus oryzae resembles mammalian adenosine deaminases in its ability to catalyze the hydrolytic removal of many substituents from C-6, and in the chirality at C-6 of the active isomer of the transition-state-analogue inhibitor 6-hydroxymethyl-1,6-dihydropurine ribonucleoside. The 5′-OH group of adenosine has been round to contribute a factor of 5 · 104 to transition-state stabilization by calf intestinal adenosine deaminase, and crystallographic observations suggest that a zinc-histidine “bridge” is formed between the 6-OH and the 5′-OH groups of the substrate in the transition state for its deamination. The present paper describes experiments indicating that this bridge is not present during the action of adenosine deaminase from Aspergillus oryzae. We find (1), that the fungal enzyme catalyzes deamination of adenosine and 5′-deoxyadenosine with k cat /K m values that are almost identical; (2), that the K i value of the transition-state-analogue inhibitor 2′-deoxycoformycin is much higher for the fungal enzyme (2.7 · 10-9 M) than for the mammalian enzyme ( 2 · 10 −12 M ) and (3), that this difference in binding affinities arises mainly from a difference in rates of enzyme-inhibitor association. Thus, the onset of inhibition was markedly slower for the fungal enzyme (k on = 1.3 · 10 4 M −1 s −1 ) than for the calf intestinal enzyme (k on = 2.6 · 10 6 M −1 s −1 ) . Effects of chelating agents and divalent cations suggest that the fungal enzyme, like other deaminases for adenosine and cytidine, contains essential zinc.
Docosahexaenoic acid selectively inhibits plasma membrane targeting of lipidated proteins

Membrane localization of lipidated cytosolic signaling proteins is mediated by interactions between specific lipid anchors and membranes, but little is known about the regulatory role of membrane composition in lipidated protein membrane targeting. Here, using green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimeras and quantitative fluorescence microscopy in living mouse colonocytes, we show that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) with membrane lipid-modifying properties, selectively inhibits plasma membrane (PM) targeting and increases the endomembrane localization of lipidated proteins that are cytoplasmic cargo in the exocytic pathway, without affecting the exocytic pathway itself. DHA selectivity seems to be dictated by the protein trafficking route, independent of the functional state of proteins and the location and composition of membrane anchors. DHA enrichment in cell membranes was required to elicit the inhibitory effect. These data reveal that membrane lipid composition influences cell signaling by modulating intracellular trafficking and localization of membrane proteins, providing a potential molecular mechanism for the documented health benefits of DHA.
Gender Equality in the Age of Academic Capitalism: Cassandra and Pollyanna Interpret University Restructuring

This paper explores the intersections of gender equality politics with liberal and neoliberal reform projects in universities. Ongoing struggles over governance of higher education provide the context to assess the challenges and opportunities gender equality advocates find in both academic capitalism and globalizing liberal modernity. Focusing on how diversity management and gender mainstreaming enter higher education systems, we use the claims raised about accountability and excellence in universities to highlight how seeking gender equality reforms neither simply co-opts feminist concerns to neoliberal projects, as Cassandra warns, nor supports an idealized form of global humanism, as Pollyanna hopes.
Climate Change in Four News Magazines: 1989-2009

This longitudinal study examined how four news magazines, The Economist from Great Britain, Mclean’s of Canada, and two American publications, Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report, portrayed climate change during six separate years, four years apart, a 20-year-period (1989-2009), focusing on what frames were used, did they change over time, and were their differences by publication. Major findings are that the publications did not differ from each other, but all four eventually eliminated the term “greenhouse effect” in favor of climate change to go along with global warming. The magazines also changed from their initial episodic, or isolated theme-oriented story structure to a broader, and more connected, thematic form. The dominant frame throughout the 20 years was political. The scientific frame diminished over time and the ecological-meteorological virtually disappeared.
Large-Area Arrays of WSi Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors

We report on a 160 μm × 160 μm free-space-coupled array of WSi superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) developed for the ground receiver of a deep-space optical communication system.
Methyl Chloride Reactions on Lithiated Carbon Nanotubes: Lithium as Both Reactant and Catalyst

Recent experimental work has shown that CH3Cl reacts with lithiated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) at low temperatures. The reaction was shown to be irreversible, resulting in the cleavage of the C—Cl bond and the formation of a bond between CH3 and the SWNT. We have computed the reaction mechanism of CH3Cl with lithiated SWNTs from density functional theory and here present detailed reaction pathways for reactions both inside and outside the nanotubes. Our calculations show that the consumption of CH3Cl proceeds by a two-step reaction pathway and that at least two Li atoms are needed to dissociate CH3Cl at an appreciable rate at the low temperatures of the experiments; one Li atom is consumed to form LiCl, and the second Li atom acts as a catalyst to lower the energy of the first step of the reaction. The catalytic Li lowers the energy of both the transition state and the intermediate state in the reaction. This mechanism of an alkali metal acting catalytically to stabilize a radical intermediate...
Diversity Policies in the Media Marketplace: A Review of Studies of Minority Ownership, Employment, and Content

Achieving diversity has long been a goal of U.S. communications policy. However, the diversity and minority preferences governing the Federal Communications Commission’s broadcast ownership policies have been challenged on the basis of doubts concerning the assumed nexus of minority ownership, a diverse workforce, and content: the triangle . Acknowledging the lack of consensus regarding whether the triangle actually exists, this article reviews previous studies (the majority of which adopted quantitative methods) and suggests some support for the nexus. Building on prior scholarship, this article suggests that future studies can adopt qualitative methods to provide explanations for the nexus by investigating broadcast station stakeholders, content, and the audience, and systematically collect longitudinal, industry-wide datasets to establish causal inferences of ownership, employment, and content.
Clinical analysis of internal medicine disease complicated with intussusception in the pediatric department

Objective To analyze the reasons of internal medicine disease complicated with intussusception in the pediatric department. Methods The clinical data of children with internal medicine disease complicated with intussusceptionin in our hospital from pediatric department were analyzed. Results Fourteen cases of children who were given the X-ray air enema reduction were successfully cured and 2 cases of children were cured by the surgical operation. Conclusion We should pay attention to iatrogenic intussusception caused by adverse drug reactions. In order to reduce adverse drug reaction, so as to avoid complicated with intussusception, the basic method is remove the gastrointestinal spasm.
Sketch of the Theory of Nomic Probability

It has often been supposed that probability can be used to throw light on epistemology and the structure of epistemic justification. For reasons I will not pursue here, I do not think that can work. But I do think that the converse can work. That is, by appealing to a fairly sophisticated epistemol­ogy proceeding in terms of prima facie reasons and defeaters, one can make sense of objective probability concepts. The details of this are presented in a number of recent articles, and will be presented in full in a future book. My purpose here is to give a brief sketch of the theory of nomic probability.(See “Notes” at end of paper.)
Possessing London: The Yellow Book’s Women Writers

While the domestic interior became a site freighted with ideological meaning in the mid-Victorian period, it was not the only location wherein Victorians attempted to reclaim a rigidly-defined social space.1 Londoners also attempted to make sense of the urban world that surrounded them. In the fin de siecle city, the jumble of the street and the uncontrollable mix and crush of people became of paramount importance to those who inhabited it. Urban spaces were socially constituted not simply through literal location, but through the actors that moved through those sites, both displaying themselves and looking at others. Pierre Bourdieu explains that social reality is an ensemble of invisible relations between perceptions, actions, and social structures which we call classes.2 This chapter focuses on the way in which Bourdieu’s triumvirate of interactions is represented through women’s fiction in this moment of social fluidity. George Egerton, Charlotte Mew, and Evelyn Sharp — three notable women writers of the avant-garde periodical Yellow Book — bear witness to the dramatic shifts in gender identities occurring in late nineteenth-century London. Their fictive representations of men failing to define women and women, conversely, redefining themselves in the spaces of the city are facilitated by the form of the short story.
Aspergillus oryzae α-amylase supplementation on rumen volatile fatty acid profile and relative abundance of mRNA associated with nutrient absorption in ruminal and duodenal tissue from beef steers

ABSTRACT The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of Aspergillus oryzae α-amylase (AAM) supplementation on rumen VFA profile and relative abundance of mRNA associated with nutrient absorption in ruminal and duodenal tissue from beef steers. Nine crossbred beef steers (BW 622 ± 50 kg), fitted with rumen and duodenal fistulas, were used in this experiment. Steers were housed in individual stanchions and fed a high-concentrate finishing diet (6% forage NDF) twice daily for 8 d. Treatments included (1) control (corn meal; n = 5) and (2) AAM (fungal α-amylase 750 units/g; n = 4). Dietary treatment supplements were manufactured before each feeding by mixing 3 g of α-amylase or corn meal into 150 g of dried distillers grains for the morning feeding and 2 g of α-amylase or corn meal into 100 g of dried distillers grains for the afternoon feeding. Supplements were applied as a top dress for every feeding and thoroughly mixed by hand. On d 5, rumen fluid samples were obtained every 4 h for 24 h and analyzed for VFA. On d 9, rumen papillae and duodenal mucosal tissue samples were collected. Total tissue RNA was extracted for real-time PCR analysis. Sodium/potassium ATPase pump α1; glucose transporter 2 and 5; putative anion transporter isoform 1; sodium/hydrogen antiporter isoforms 1, 2, and 3; 3-hydroxy 3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase isoform 2; downregulated in adenoma; monocarboxylate cotransporter isoform 1; and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase mRNA were tested. No treatment differences (P > 0.21) were detected for any of the genes analyzed in ruminal or duodenal tissue. Concentrations of VFA and the acetate-to-propionate ratio did not differ (P > 0.22) among treatments. However, the acetate-to-propionate ratio and molar percentages of butyrate were numerically greater (P = 0.17) in AAM steers compared with controls. Under the conditions of this experiment, AAM supplementation had no effect on relative expression of mRNA associated with nutrient absorption and minimal effects on molar proportions of VFA.
The impact of student teaching experience on pre-service teachers’ readiness for technology integration: A mixed methods study with growth curve modeling

Adopting a two-phase explanatory sequential mixed methods research design, the current study examined the impact of student teaching experiences on pre-service teachers’ readiness for technology integration. In phase-1 of quantitative investigation, 2-level growth curve models were fitted using online repeated measures survey data collected from 68 pre-service teachers doing their student teaching. The results revealed significant progress in readiness for technology integration during student teaching and significant variability in individual change trajectories of readiness for technology integration. Two dummy variables, prior-teaching (0 = “having no prior teaching experience”; 1 = “having prior teaching experience”) and grade-level (0 = “elementary level”; 1 = “secondary level”), were identified as significant in predicting the shape of individual change trajectories of readiness for technology integration. In phase-2 of qualitative investigation, follow-up interview data were collected from 11 pre-service teachers among those who participated in the online surveys. The interview data was analyzed both deductively and inductively yielding clues and insights for interpreting and understanding the quantitative results from phase-1. Based on its quantitative and qualitative results, this study made recommendations for future technology integration research and for improving pre-service teachers’ technology use experience during student teaching.
Proteasome Chymotrypsin-Like Activity in Plasma Is a Major Predictor of Outcome in Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome Patients with Normal Karyotype.

Cytogenetic abnormalities are currently the most important predictors of response and clinical outcome for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or advanced-stage myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). However, clinical outcomes of patients in each cytogenetic subgroup are very heterogeneous, and additional biological markers are needed to improve disease management. Most of the recently reported biomarkers, especially in patients with normal karyotypes, provide marginal value for predicting behavior or require significant and technically difficult procedures, such as gene expression profiling. We assessed the utility of measuring proteasome chymotrypsin-like (Ch-L) activity in plasma, using fluorogenic kinetic assays, to predict response and overall survival of patients with AML (N=174) and advanced-stage MDS (N=52); results from AML and MDS patients were pooled for all analyses after demonstrating similar findings. In a univariate logistic regression model, significant predictors of response were age group (< vs ≥70 years; odds ratio [OR]=1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.06, 3.48), cytogenetics (OR=2.20; 95% CI=1.28, 3.78), BUN as a continuous variable (OR=1.04, 95% CI=1.01, 1.07), and Ch-L activity as a continuous variable (OR=1.41, 95% CI=1.14, 1.76) (all P<0.01). Ch-L activity as continuous variable, cytogenetics, and age group remained independent predictors of response in a multivariate logistic regression model. A univariate Cox regression model identified the following as predictors of overall survival: cytogenetics (hazard ratio [HR]=2.30, 95% CI=1.70, 3.13), beta-2 microglobulin as a continuous variable (HR=1.07, 95% CI=1.04, 1.10), age (< vs ≥70 years; HR=1.92, 95% CI=1.51, 2.89), performance status (HR=1.65, 95% CI=1.51, 3.03), BUN as a continuous variable (HR=1.04, 95% CI=1.03, 1.06), and Ch-L activity as a continuous variable (HR=1.41, 95% CI=1.11, 1.33) (all P<0.01). However, in multivariate Cox regression models only cytogenetics, age, performance status, and BUN and Ch-L activity as continuous variables were independent predictors of overall survival; these factors were also independent predictors of event-free survival. In patients with normal karyotype (N=83), Ch-L activity as a continuous variable was a strong predictor of survival (P<0.001), independent of age grouping, performance status, and BUN. In conclusion, these findings indicate that measuring plasma Ch-L activity provides a powerful biomarker for predicting clinical behavior in patients with AML and advanced-stage MDS. Although dichotomizing patients using cut-off points for Ch-L activity demonstrated significant survival differences between groups (not shown), Ch-L as a continuous variable was a more powerful predictor and could be incorporated into a nomogram-based model to stratify AML and advanced-stage MDS patients for potential new therapeutic approaches. Further studies are needed to confirm the clinical value of such a nomogram.
ADAMTS13 Levels Support Hypothesis of Distinct Mechanistic Pathways for Early Versus Late-Onset of Thienopyridine-Associated Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP).

Background: Ticlopidine and clopidogrel, thienopyridine derivatives used for cerebrovascular events and coronary artery syndromes, are the first and third most common causes of drug-related TTP reported to the FDA. Ticlopine-associated TTP has been characterized as having later onset, having higher relapse rates, and being more responsive to plasmapheresis—findings associated with ADAMTS13-deficiency. Based on a limited number of ADAMTS13 measurements, Moake (NEJM 2002) and Bennett (NEJM 2000) speculated that antibody-mediated ADAMTS13-deficiency appeared to be the cause of both ticlopidine- and clopidogrel-associated TTP. Methods: Clinical and ADAMTS13 laboratory data for TTP associated with ticlopidine (n=116 and 12 cases, respectively) and clopidogrel (n= 46 and 7 cases, respectively) were reviewed. Results: Clinical Evaluation: Mortality of ticlopidine-associated TTP was 34.5%. Mortality of clopidogrel-associated TTP was 22.2%. Overall moretlaity rate was 31%. Among 162 thienopyridine-associated TTP cases, late-onset TTP (89% of the cases) occurred after > 5 days of thienopyridine use and was 4-times more common with ticlopidine than clopidogrel. Early onset TTP (11% of the cases) occurred within 5-days of thienopyridine initiation and was 4-times less common with ticlopidine than clopidogrel. Laboratory Evaluation: Among 12-ticlopidine and 7-clopidogrel-associated TTP patients, laboratory assays prior to plasmapheresis identified severe ADAMTS13 deficiency 3.3-fold more often with ticlopidine (92% versus 29%, p Conclusions: Contrary to previously proposed mechanistic hypotheses, thienopyridine-associated TTP appears to manifest as an ADAMTS13-deficiency mediated syndrome (primarily with > 5 days of ticlopidine) that has occasional relapses and an ADAMTS13-normal syndrome (primarily with
Investigation of representing hysteresis in macroscopic models of two-phase flow in porous media using intermediate scale experimental data.

Incorporating hysteresis into models is important to accurately capture the two phase flow behavior when porous media systems undergo cycles of drainage and imbibition such as in the cases of injection and post-injection redistribution of CO2 during geological CO2 storage (GCS). In the traditional model of two-phase flow, existing constitutive models that parameterize the hysteresis associated with these processes are generally based on the empirical relationships. This manuscript presents development and testing of mathematical hysteretic capillary pressure—saturation—relative permeability models with the objective of more accurately representing the redistribution of the fluids after injection. The constitutive models are developed by relating macroscopic variables to basic physics of two-phase capillary displacements at pore-scale and void space distribution properties. The modeling approach with the developed constitutive models with and without hysteresis as input is tested against some intermediate-scale flow cell experiments to test the ability of the models to represent movement and capillary trapping of immiscible fluids under macroscopically homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions. The hysteretic two-phase flow model predicted the overall plume migration and distribution during and post injection reasonably well and represented the postinjection behavior of the plume more accurately than the nonhysteretic models. Based on the results in this study, neglecting hysteresis in the constitutive models of the traditional two-phase flow theory can seriously overpredict or underpredict the injected fluid distribution during post-injection under both homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions, depending on the selected value of the residual saturation in the nonhysteretic models.
A high power density power factor correction front end based on a 7-level flying capacitor multilevel converter

This paper presents a power factor correction (PFC) front end based on a 7-level flying capacitor multilevel (FCML) boost converter. The operation of the FCML converter is introduced to illustrate its benefits in terms of efficiency and power density. Compared to conventional 2-level boost converter design, the proposed 7-level FCML converter features the use of low-voltage-rating transistors and a high effective switching frequency. These characteristics of FCML converter lead to drastic reduction in the filter inductor size while maintaining high efficiency and small heat sink volume, and thus significantly improve the power density. On the other hand, the small inductance imposes unique challenges in the implementation of the PFC control. In this work, a digital control implementation is presented to overcome these challenges. A hardware prototype is designed for universal AC input (90 Vac to 265 Vac), 400 V DC output and 1.3 kW power rating, and its performance has been experimentally demonstrated.
Towards "Full Containerization" in Containerized Network Function Virtualization

With exploding traffic stuffing existing network infra-structure, today's telecommunication and cloud service providers resort to Network Function Virtualization (NFV) for greater agility and economics. Pioneer service provider such as AT&T proposes to adopt container in NFV to achieve shorter Virtualized Network Function (VNF) provisioning time and better runtime performance. However, we characterize typical NFV work-loads on the containers and find that the performance is unsatisfactory. We observe that the shared host OS net-work stack is the main bottleneck, where the traffic flow processing involves a large amount of intermediate memory buffers and results in significant last level cache pollution. Existing OS memory allocation policies fail to exploit the locality and data sharing information among buffers. In this paper, we propose NetContainer, a software framework that achieves fine-grained hardware resource management for containerized NFV platform. NetContainer employs a cache access overheads guided page coloring scheme to coordinately address the inter-flow cache access overheads and intra-flow cache access overheads. It maps the memory buffer pages that manifest low cache access overheads (across a flow or among the flows) to the same last level cache partition. NetContainer exploits a footprint theory based method to estimate the cache access overheads and a Min-Cost Max-Flow model to guide the memory buffer mappings. We implement the NetContainer in Linux kernel and extensively evaluate it with real NFV workloads. Exper-imental results show that NetContainer outperforms conventional page coloring-based memory allocator by 48% in terms of successful call rate.
The Role of Sediment Dynamics for Inorganic Accretion Patterns in Southern California’s Mediterranean-Climate Salt Marshes

Salt marsh resilience to sea-level rise depends on marsh plain elevation, tidal range, subsurface processes, as well as surface accretion, of which suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) is a critical component. However, spatial and temporal patterns of inorganic sedimentation are poorly quantified within and across Salicornia pacifica (pickleweed)-dominated marshes. We compared vertical accretion rates and re-examined previously published suspended-sediment patterns during dry-weather periods at Seal Beach Wetlands, which is characterized by a mix of Spartina foliosa (cordgrass) and pickleweed, and for Mugu Lagoon, where cordgrass is rare. Mugu Lagoon occurs higher in the tidal frame and receives terrigenous sediment from an adjacent creek. Feldspar marker horizons were established in winter 2013–2014 to measure accretion. Accretion rates at Seal Beach Wetlands and Mugu Lagoon were 6 ± 0.5 mm/year (mean ± SE) and 2 ± 0.3 mm/year. Also, the estimated sediment flux (g/year) across the random feldspar plots was 3.5 times higher at Seal Beach Wetlands. At Mugu Lagoon, accretion was higher near creeks, although not statistically significant. Dry-weather SSC showed similar concentrations at transect locations across sites. During wet weather, however, SSC at Mugu Lagoon increased at all locations, with concentrations decaying farther than 8 m from tidal creek edge. Based on these results from Mugu Lagoon, we conclude accretion patterns are set by infrequent large flooding events in systems where there is a watershed sediment source. Higher accretion rates at Seal Beach Wetlands may be linked to lower-marsh elevations, and thus more frequent inundation, compared with Mugu Lagoon.
Affirming Race, Diversity, and Equity Through Black and Latinx Students’ Lived Experiences:

Immediately after President Obama’s successful campaign, many hypothesized that the United States had entered a post-racial era. This study uses critical race theory to examine how high-achieving B...
Simulation and analysis of γ-Ni cellular growth during laser powder deposition of Ni-based superalloys

Abstract Cellular or dendritic microstructures that result as a function of additive manufacturing solidification conditions in a Ni-based melt pool are simulated in the present work using three-dimensional phase-field simulations. A macroscopic thermal model is used to obtain the temperature gradient G and the solidification velocity V which are provided as inputs to the phase-field model. We extract the cell spacings, cell core compositions, and cell tip as well as mushy zone temperatures from the simulated microstructures as a function of V. Cell spacings are compared with different scaling laws that correlate to the solidification conditions and approximated by G - m V - n . Cell core compositions are compared with the analytical solutions of a dendrite growth theory and found to be in good agreement. Through analysis of the mushy zone, we extract a characteristic bridging plane, where the primary γ phase coalesces across the intercellular liquid channels at a γ fraction between 0.6 and 0.7. The temperature and the γ fraction in this plane are found to decrease with increasing V. The simulated microstructural features are significant as they can be used as inputs for the simulation of subsequent heat treatment processes.
Bistable Black Electrochromic Windows Based on the Reversible Metal Electrodeposition of Bi and Cu

Optically tunable windows based on reversible metal electrodeposition are an exciting alternative to static lighting control methods such as blinds and shades. In this Letter, we study reversible Bi/Cu electrodeposition on Pt-modified transparent conducting electrodes for electrochromic applications. Spectroelectrochemical measurements combined with scanning electron microscopy images indicate that the electrolytic Bi:Cu ratio drastically affects the electrode switching speed and electrodeposit morphology, which we propose is due to the galvanic displacement of Bi by Cu+. These findings allow us to construct 25 cm2 black dynamic windows with reversibly tunable transmission at fast switching speeds. This rapid cycling can be maintained over 1000 cycles without degradation in contrast or uniformity. Finally, the Bi–Cu windows consume no power to maintain either their transparency or opacity, making them promising candidates for energy-efficient devices. Their combination of fast switching, color neutrality,...
Studies on free erythrocyte protoporphyrin, plasma iron and plasma copper in normal and anemic subjects.

1. A total of 108 erythrocyte protoporphyrin determinations has been made in 66 normal individuals. The geometric mean ± standard error of the mean was 31 (26-38). 2. A total of 196 determinations of plasma iron in 92 normal individuals was made. The mean ± standard error of the mean was 104.7 ± 3.4 µg per cent. 3. In a total of 150 determinations of plasma copper in 105 normal individuals, the mean ± standard error of the mean was 118.6 ± 1.2. µg per cent. 4. No significant difference in plasma iron was noted between the sexes but in females the plasma copper was significantly higher and the erythrocyte protoporphyrin slightly higher than in males. 5. Erythrocyte protoporphyrin, plasma iron, and plasma copper determinations have been made in over 112 patients with a variety of clinical conditions associated with anemia. In general, it was found that in pernicious anemia in relapse the erythrocyte protoporphyrin values were normal, the plasma iron normal or high and the plasma copper usually normal. Anemia due to iron deficiency as well as the anemia of infection were accompanied by high values for erythrocyte protoporphyrin, hypoferremia and hypcrcupremia. In nephritis with anemia the erythrocyte protoporphyrin was generally increased, the plasma iron low or normal and the plasma copper increased. Anemia associated with lymph node disorders or leukemia was accompanied by a normal or high EP, a low or normal plasma iron and an increase in plasma copper. Thalassemia major was found to be accompanied by both hypercupremia and hyperferremia; in thalassemia minor the serum iron values were normal although hypercupremia was found. Hyperferremia was noted in aplastic anemia. In cases of plumbism the erythrocyte protoporphyrin was markedly increased. Hypocupremia was noted only twice, in one patient with severe nephritis and hypoalbuminemia and in one patient with hemochromatosis. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS For samples of plasma from patients with thalassemia we are indebted to Drs. W. N. Valentine, Rochester, N. Y., P. Sturgeon, Los Angeles, and L. K. Diamond, Boston. The following gave valuable technical assistance: Misses Mary Iles, Betty Tatting and Wanda Worth.