cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taenia taeniaeformis: inactivation of metacestodes by gossypol in vitro.

Abstract Gossypol, a natural biphenyl compound inhibits Taenia taeniaeformis metacestode development in vivo . In this paper, the direct effect of gossypol on metacestodes was examined. Within 24 hr of incubation at 37 °C in ⩾10 −5 M gossypol, shedding of the tegument from the surface of the metacestodes was observed. There was a significant decrease in [ 3 H]thymidine uptake by T. taeniaeformis in ⩾10 −5 M gossypol. In addition, NADH lactate dehydrogenase activity of metacestodes was significantly inhibited in ⩾10 −5 M gossypol. Thus, gossypol has a direct inhibitory effect on T. taeniaeformis metacestodes in vitro .
Adaptive Learning Optical Symbolic Processor

Partitioning of an object into N parts and the use of M filters with different output patterns are used to produce an NM digit symbolic encoding of the input object. The rule based system and techniques to update partitions of the object are emphasized in this paper. Three-dimensional aspect-invariant, shift-invariant and distortion-invariant pattern recognition data are considered and provided to demonstrate the usefulness of this technique for adaptive image processing.
Dose requirements in stereoradiography

ABSTRACT Stereoscopic viewing of radiographic images is advantageous in reducing ambiguity due to background anatomicnoise. This advantage is usually considered to be balanced by doubling the dose required for acquisition of astereo image pair. In the case of a quantum-noise limited detector, detection theory suggests a possible decrease of the dose by half. We tested this assumption by a series of contrast-detail observer experiments, using phantom images acquired over a range of exposures. The number of visible details, the effective reduction ofthe dose, and the effective decrease in the threshold SNR were compared for the acquired images viewed mono-and stereoscopically. Experimental results support our hypothesis for the images acquired at lower exposures.The quantum noise is more evident in the lower exposure images, corresponding to the quantum noise limiteddetection case. With increasing exposure, the observed dose benefit of stereoradiography decreased, but wasalways positive. Potential reasons for the reduced benefit observed with higher exposures are discussed.Keywords: Digital radiography, stereoradiographic technique, dose, observer study, human perception.
Abstract 1368: Fragment-based design, synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of novel PDK1 inhibitors

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL The PDK1 is a monomeric serine/threonine kinase and a promising oncology target of significant current interest for drug development due to its central role in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. It phosphorylates highly conserved Ser or Thr residues in the activation loop of several AGC super family kinases including PKC, SGK, PKB/Akt, p70S6K, and PDK-1 itself. Approximately, 40-50% of all tumors involve mutations in the PTEN protein, which results in elevated levels of PIP3 and enhanced activation of PKB/AKT, p70S6K, and SGK. It has been proposed that inhibitors of PDK-1 could provide a valuable therapeutic approach to targeting cancer, particularly those with PTEN deficiencies. Using a fragment-based design strategy, we screened a collection of 1100 low molecular weight (< 250 MW) fragments against the PDK1 kinase and identified 9 fragments with moderate inhibitory activity against PDK1 (IC50 values from 45-82 μM). Of these fragments, those based off of a 5-Br,4-I-1H-indazol-3-amine scaffold seemed the most promising based on initial activity and in keeping with the “rule of 3” for fragment-based drug design. Subsequent molecular docking studies using a crystal structure of PDK1 allowed for the structural rationalization of how these fragments bound in the ATP-binding pocket (hydrogen bonding to S160/A162 hinge residues) and provided insight for further optimization. Concurrently, we carried out scaffold-hopping searches at 2-site points for hydrophobic and solvent pocket fragments. With the addition of one fused heterocyclic ring, the potency increased to 8.8 and 10.9 μM. Our systematic fragment based workflow led to the preparation of target molecules in 4 steps beginning with the condensation, cyclization, and reduction and finally installing the hydrophobic binding site fragments under normal amide coupling. Subsequent SAR and follow-up screening led to the discovery of HCI-1680, a potent PDK1 inhibitor with an IC50 of 97 nM. Additional productive interactions sites with PDK1 were introduced to further improve both biochemical and cellular activities in panel of cancer cells. In cell-based assays HCI-1680 demonstrated enhanced activity in PTEN-deficient cell lines compared to PTEN-wild type lines. HCI-1680 and additional compounds from this series were also shown to inhibit the activation of AKT and other downstream signaling molecules. Kinase selectivity profiling, additional cell-based assays, and animal studies are ongoing. The details of these studies will be presented. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1368. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1368
Taking care: Understanding the roles of caregiver and being cared for in a kindergarten classroom:

Despite concerns about the importance of teachers learning to care for their students, most teacher education programs do not utilize relational pedagogy and place little emphasis on caring. In the...
Optimal recovery sequencing for enhanced resilience and service restoration in transportation networks

Critical infrastructure resilience has become a national priority for the US Department of Homeland Security. Rapid and efficient restoration of service in damaged transportation networks is a key area of focus. The intent of this paper is to formulate a bi-level optimisation model for network recovery and to demonstrate a solution approach for that optimisation model. The lower-level problem involves solving for network flows, while the upper-level problem identifies the optimal recovery modes and sequences, using tools from the literature on multi-mode project scheduling problems. Application and advantages of this method are demonstrated through two examples.
Estimating Maximum Pressures and Dissociation of Nitrous Oxide Induced by THPP Based Initiators

Experiments are performed in a 100 cm 3 isochoric test vessel to investigate the extent of nitrous oxide dissociation. The dissociation is induced by the discharge of titanium hydride potassium perchlorate (THPP) based pyrotechnic initiators into gas mixtures composed of 20/70/10 nitrous oxide, argon and helium, respectively. A shell model originally developed to estimate the dissociation of nitrous oxide when heated by zirconium potassium perchlorate (ZPP) based initiators is applied to this work. The original shell model incorporates a modified transient pressure predictive model (MTPPM) in order to describe the amount and rate of energy transferred from burning THPP particles to the nitrous oxide gas mixture. Validity of the shell model is established through comparison of experimental data and model predictions for maximum pressures and extent of nitrous dissociation over initial densities ranging between 0.026 and 0.205 g/cm 3 . Further validation is also provided through a comparison between model predictions and experimental data for the transient pressure response of the gas mixture for the specific density cases: 0.026 g/cm 3 , 0.142 g/cm 3 and 0.205 3 . The shell model is shown to accurately predict the maximum pressures and extent of nitrous dissociation over the initial densities of interest.
Airway-Rehydrating Agents for the Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis: Past, Present, and Future

ObjectiveTo review and evaluate airway-rehydrating agents used for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF).Data Sources:Literature was retrieved through MEDLINE (1977-August 2010), Cochrane Library, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1977-August 2010). Search terms used included hypertonic saline, inhaled mannitol, denufosol, Moli 1901, lancovutide, and cystic fibrosis. Reference citations from selected articles were reviewed.Study Selection And Data Extraction:All articles published in English identified from the data sources were evaluated for inclusion. Clinical trials in humans and relevant review articles were evaluated for each airway-rehydrating agent,Data Synthesis:Use of airway-rehydrating agents for the treatment of CF is an expanding area. Hypertonic saline (7% NaCl) is currently the only commercially available airway-rehydrating agent recommended for chronic therapy in patients with CF and is being evaluated in younger patients. Inhaled mannitol is an investigational dry-powder inhalati...
Asymptotically Independent Markov Sampling: A New Markov Chain Monte Carlo Scheme for Bayesian Interference

In Bayesian statistics, many problems can be expressed as the evaluation of the expectation of a quantity of interest with respect to the posterior distribution. Standard Monte Carlo method is often not applicable because the encountered posterior distributions cannot be sampled directly. In this case, the most popular strategies are the importance sampling method, Markov chain Monte Carlo, and annealing. In this paper, we introduce a new scheme for Bayesian inference, called Asymptotically Independent Markov Sampling (AIMS), which is based on the above methods. We derive important ergodic properties of AIMS. In particular, it is shown that, under certain conditions, the AIMS algorithm produces a uniformly ergodic Markov chain. The choice of the free parameters of the algorithm is discussed and recommendations are provided for this choice, both theoretically and heuristically based. The efficiency of AIMS is demonstrated with three numerical examples, which include both multimodal and higher-dimensional target posterior distributions.
Additive effect of TAp63 deficiency on the adrenocortical dysplasia (acd) phenotype

Adrenocortical dysplasia (acd) is a spontaneous autosomal recessive mouse mutation exhibiting caudal truncation, vertebral segmentation defects, hydronephrosis, limb hypoplasia, and perinatal lethality. Acd encodes TPP1, a component of the shelterin complex that maintains telomere integrity, and consequently acd mutant mice have telomere dysfunction and genomic instability. We previously showed that apoptosis is the primary mechanism causing the acd skeletal phenotype, and that p53 deficiency rescues the skeletal defects of the acd phenotype but has no effect on the perinatal lethality. The Trp63 gene encodes multiple isoforms, which play a role in proliferation, apoptosis, and stem/progenitor cell maintenance. Different p63 isoforms exhibit both proapoptotic (TAp63) and antiapoptotic (ΔNp63) functions. We hypothesized that deficiency of proapoptotic TAp63 isoforms might rescue the acd skeletal phenotype, similar to our previous observations with deficiency of p53. Mice heterozygous for a null allele of TAp63 were crossed to heterozygous acd mice to determine the effect of TAp63 deficiency on the acd mutant phenotype. In contrast to our results with the acd × p53 cross, skeletal anomalies were not rescued by deficiency of TAp63. In fact, the limb and vertebral anomalies observed in double-mutant embryos were more severe than those of embryos with the acd mutation alone, demonstrating a dose-dependent effect. These studies suggest that TAp63 isoforms do not facilitate p53-like apoptosis during development in response to acd-mediated telomere dysfunction and are consistent with the proposed roles of TAp63 in maintaining genomic stability.
The human prenatal sex ratio: A major surprise

Two remarkably consistent and poorly understood features of human biology are the slightly male-biased sex ratio at birth and the female survival advantage throughout life. These patterns appear across geography and time wherever reliable birth and death records are available (1, 2). The slight male bias, typically ∼51.3% of live births, is so consistent (Fig. 1A) that when birth sex ratios deviate much from it, suspicions are aroused of sex-specific abortion or infanticide (3, 4). Putting together the birth sex ratio bias and the female survival advantage (5), we expect a monotonically declining sex ratio from birth to death, which is exactly what we find across cultures and across historical epochs (Fig. 1B). By age 100 y, there are three to four women for every surviving man, and by the extraordinary age of 110 y, 95% of the survivors are women. Note, however, that until later life the sex ratio does not stray far from 50:50, an observation that would gladden the heart of evolutionary biologist, Sir Ronald Fisher, who argued that natural selection should favor equal parental expenditure—a delightfully vague phrase—in males and females (6). Fisher assumed, as have many since then, that the human sex ratio at conception is even more male-biased than the sex ratio at birth, and there were some good reasons to assume this. First, males are less likely than females to survive from birth to age 5 y in all countries with reliable records (5). Therefore, extrapolating backward suggests a more male-biased sex ratio in utero. Second, male babies born at very low body weight are less likely to survive than females born at the same weight (7). Finally, up to 70% of babies spontaneously aborted early in gestation are male (8). Thus, given this evidence that males are more susceptible to death—that is more frail—both before and after birth, the question wasn’t so much whether the sex ratio at conception was male-biased, but exactly how dramatic that bias was. Therefore, it comes as something of a surprise when, in by far the most comprehensive analysis of prenatal sex ratios ever performed, Orzack et al. (9) report in PNAS that the sex ratio at conception is not significantly different from 50:50.
Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of the assembly of filamentous biomacromolecules by the dimer addition mechanism

In cells, several important biomacromolecules form oligomers through a dimer addition mechanism. Rate equations based on mean field approximations are usually employed to describe the assembly process. However, such equations often require multiple assumptions that mask some detailed changes of the biomolecular configurations during aggregations. Here, we present a kinetic Monte Carlo simulation scheme to account for the diffusion and rotation of dimers on two-dimensional hexagonal lattices while naturally including the stochastic features. We investigate the effects of the interaction energy between dimers, the diffusion coefficient and the concentration of dimers on the aggregation by dimer addition mechanism. Our simulations identified unusual double-S shape evolutions of aggregation kinetics, which are probably associated with the formation of metastable clusters.
Superfit Combinational Elusive Bug Detection

Software that has been well tested and analyzed may fail unpredictably when a certain combination of conditions occurs. In bounded exhaustive testing (BET) all combinations are tested on reduced versions of a problem/application with the idea that bugs associated with combinations for full versions of a program may also show up when combinations are tested for the reduced version. In previous work, a class oriented JUnit framework approach to BET was introduced, along with the idea of a BET test pattern. In this paper we considered the application of BET to system testing, using an extension of the FIT (framework for integrated testing) framework called SuperFIT. This approach is described along with a simple example of the application of a SuperFIT test generation tool.
Cell Array Width and Height Minimization

In this chapter, we extend our layout theory to arrays of two or more cells. We first define a practical cell-array layout style and present an algorithm HRMTrailTrace that generates cell arrays optimal in width and height in our layout style. We prove this optimality claim and present experimental results to substantiate it [MH91].
Ice Cream Components Prepared With Ultrafiltration And Reverse Osmosis Membranes

Ice cream manufacturers now have the option of using membrane-based units rather than flash evaporation towers to concentrate milk. This study investigates the manufacture of ice cream using different membrane methods and compares the oricesses to the current industry practice.
Translating theoretical logics across borders: organizational characteristics, structural mechanisms and contextual factors in international alliances

In this essay, I critically review the 2006 JIBS Decade Award article by Lyles and Salk ‘Knowledge acquisition from foreign parents in international joint ventures (IJVs): An empirical examination in the Hungarian context’. This article develops theoretical arguments and empirically tests a two-stage research question: (1) What are the organizational characteristics and structural mechanisms between IJV parents that influence knowledge acquisition from the foreign parent, and (2) what is the relationship between knowledge acquisition and performance in Hungarian IJVs? The most important contribution is the focus on both the antecedents and the consequences of knowledge acquisition in IJVs. I also discuss subsequent research that draws heavily on the conceptual or empirical findings of the 2006 JIBS Decade Award paper. I conclude by suggesting areas of future research in the field of knowledge transfer, organizational learning and international strategic alliances.
Intraurethral muscle-derived cell injections increase leak point pressure in a rat model of intrinsic sphincter deficiency.

Abstract Objectives To determine whether allogenic muscle-derived cells (MDCs) could restore sphincter function in rats with intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD). ISD denotes a malfunction of the urethral sphincter. Methods ISD was produced in 25 adult female Sprague-Dawley rats by cauterizing tissues lateral to the mid-urethra. One week after cauterization, 1.5 × 10 6 MDCs, genetically engineered for beta-galactosidase expression, was injected into the mid-urethra in 16 rats. Another 9 rats were injected with Hanks' balanced salt solution after cauterization. As a control, 9 normal rats underwent a sham operation. Sphincter function was studied using the vertical tilt table/intravesical pressure clamp technique to measure leak point pressures (LPPs). The fate of the MDCs was assessed using LacZ staining. Results The injection of MDCs increased the LPP without affecting bladder function. The mean LPP of the control rats 2, 4, and 6 weeks after the sham operation was 49.8 ± 1.3, 51.2 ± 1.5, and 51.6 ± 2.0 cm H 2 O, respectively. The mean LPP of the rats 2, 4, and 6 weeks after cauterization and Hanks' balanced salt solution injection was 17.2 ± 1.4, 26.9 ± 1.9, and 25.5 ± 1.3 cm H 2 O, respectively. The mean LPP of the rats 2, 4, and 6 weeks after cauterization and MDC injection was 38.2 ± 2.2, 43.1 ± 2.6, and 51.5 ± 0.9 cm H 2 O, respectively. LacZ staining confirmed that MDC had integrated within the striated muscle layer of the cauterized urethra. Conclusions The injection of intraurethral MDCs improved sphincter function in rats with ISD and may provide an attractive alternative to current treatments.
Sample size for FDR-control in microarray data analysis

Summary: We consider identifying differentially expressing genes between two patient groups using microarray experiment. We propose a sample size calculation method for a specified number of true rejections while controlling the false discovery rate at a desired level. Input parameters for the sample size calculation include the allocation proportion in each group, the number of genes in each array, the number of differentially expressing genes and the effect sizes among the differentially expressing genes. We have a closed-form sample size formula if the projected effect sizes are equal among differentially expressing genes. Otherwise, our method requires a numerical method to solve an equation. Simulation studies are conducted to show that the calculated sample sizes are accurate in practical settings. The proposed method is demonstrated with a realstudy. Contact: jung005@mc.duke.edu
Development of Microsatellites for Population Genetic Analyses of Tabanus nigrovittatus (Diptera: Tabanidae)

ABSTRACT The greenhead horse fly, Tabanus nigrovittatus Macquart (Diptera: Tabanidae), is frequently found in coastal marshes of the Eastern United States. The females are autogenous (i.e., able to develop eggs without a bloodmeal), but they become a considerable pest to both humans and animals when they pursue a source of blood protein to produce additional eggs. In this study, we identified microsatellite markers to provide first insight into the population genetic structure of this notorious pest species. Because no prior genomic information was available for T. nigrovittatus,weused direct shotgun pyrosequencing technology to characterize microsatellite loci. Approximately 10% of the 105,634 short sequence reads generated from random genome sampling contained microsatellites with at least four repeats of di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, and hexamers. Primers were designed for 36 different microsatellite loci with di-, tri-, and tetramer repeat units. After optimization, 20 primer pairs yielded consistent PCR...
Community robustness in discrete-time periodic environments

Abstract The influence of seasonal environmental variation on species coexistence is an ecologically important factor. Its two aspects are how seasonal variation contributes to coexistence mechanisms, and, given a seasonally varying coexistence pattern, how sensitive that coexistence is to nonstationary external influences (such as climate change). Here we develop a formula for calculating the robustness of discrete-time periodic dynamics. Robustness is defined as the sensitivity of the position of the cycle in phase space to varying model parameters. Though the results are different, the main biological conclusions are in line with those from a similar study concerning continuous-time cycles ( Barabas et al., 2012a ): species segregation in the timing of resource use or predator avoidance increases community robustness in a way that is analogous to the effects of resource partitioning. We also connect this formalism with the widely used and successful framework of Chesson (1994) , demonstrating that the merging of these two perspectives yields simplified expressions for robustness more amenable to analytical treatment. As an example, we apply our results to a two-cycle in a model of two competing annual plants with seedbanks, using our formulas to calculate the range of parameters that allow for the coexistence of the competitors. This helps us understand which components of the environmental variation the coexistence is sensitive to; in our case, the model is fairly robust against changing seed survival, moderately so against changing the variance in seed germination, and quite sensitive to changing the mean seed germination rates.
Neural network for dynamic human motion prediction

Successful use of artificial neural network (ANN) to simulate human model motion.Experimentation results of using ANN to simulate the tasks of walking and jumping.The use of ANN reduces the simulation time from 1-40?min to a fraction of a second. Digital human models (DHMs) are critical for improved designs, injury prevention, and a better understanding of human behavior. Although many capabilities in the field are maturing, there are still opportunities for improvement, especially in motion prediction. Thus, this work investigates the use of an artificial neural network (ANN), specifically a general regression neural network (GRNN), to provide real-time computation of DHM motion prediction, where the underlying optimization problems are large and computationally complex. In initial experimentation, a GRNN is used successfully to simulate walking and jumping on a box while using physics-based human simulations as training data. Compared to direct computational simulations of dynamic motion, use of GRNN reduces the calculation time for each predicted motion from 1-40?min to a fraction of a second with no noticeable reduction in accuracy. This work lays the foundation for studying the effects of changes to training regiments on human performance.
Energy management at the distribution grid using a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

Abstract In 2008, the State of Hawaii initiated a clean energy initiative that set an ultimate goal of 70% clean energy by 2030 (40% from renewable energy and 30% from energy efficiency). A controllable Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs) can be used to manage intermittent renewable resources on a power system to address both circuit and system level issues. Simulation and experimental results of applying a novel algorithm for the charging and discharging of a BESS are presented, using actual grid data for controlling a BESS for the purpose of peak load shaving, power curve smoothing, and voltage regulation of a distribution transformer. Two optimization objectives for peak shaving are presented in which proposed load forecasting methods are used. The application of a BESS for voltage regulation is examined and analyzed with different tests, and the observed results are discussed.
Characterization of mRNA transcripts and organization of human SP-A1 and SP-A2 genes

In the present study, we have characterized the mRNA transcripts and intron-exon organization of the human surfactant protein (SP)A1 and SP-A2 genes. By primer extension analysis of mRNA isolated from human fetal lung explants using an oligonucleotide primer to exon II (as delineated in the SP-A1 gene), a minimum of nine primer extended transcripts was observed. Rapid amplification of cDNA ends was used to amplify the primer extended transcripts for sequence analysis. Sequence analysis of 47 full-length primer extended cDNAs and comparison with the sequences of the genes encoding SP-A1 and SP-A2 revealed four different classes of transcripts of the SP-A2 gene and five different classes of transcripts of the gene encoding SP-A1. A major difference between SP-A2 and SP-A1 mRNA transcripts is that SP-A2 transcripts are always comprised of sequences contained within six exons; the extra exon in SP-A2 (exon II of VI) encodes additional 5'-untranslated sequence and is located between exons I and II of SP-A1. By contrast, the majority of transcripts of the SP-A1 gene are comprised of sequences contained within five exons. In the cases of both SP-A1 and SP-A2 genes, a small proportion of the mRNA transcripts contain sequences present in alternate exons. In addition, the majority of the SP-A1 mRNA transcripts are initiated 5 bp downstream of the transcription initiation site of SP-A2. In our companion paper [McCormick and Mendelson. Am. J. Physiol. 266 (Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol. 10): L367-L374, 1994], we report that the SP-A1 and SP-A2 genes are differentially regulated during development and by adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate and glucocorticoids in human fetal lung in culture.
The Political and Economic Results in June 2013

In June 2013, the ruble was slightly devaluated with a view to increasing ruble budget revenues amid slow-down in economic growth. A. Ulyukayev was appointed a new Minister of Economic Development, replacing A. Belousov, which most probably means an attempt to observe moderation in government spending. President Putin admitted the need to limit growth in monopolized tariffs within inflation rate and carry over a part of military expenditures for better times. A new privatization program approved by the Russian Government was actual announcement to refuse to privatize large property (except for Rostelecom, Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo international airports, ROSNANO, Aeroflot) to the extent that privatization means gaining control over such property by a private owner. However, the previous program failed to be implemented, being just an attempt of political promotion, therefore no serious deterioration in a new reality can be observed. The arrest of Makhachkala mayor S. Amirov in Daghestan was an evidence of that the state is seriously determined to combat civil servants and ethnic tribes who have relations with terrorist underworld.
Breaking with Anthropocentrism: Genesis 1

In Chapter 3, I briefly explore various interpretations of the imago Dei and delineate arguments in favor of at least a functional dimension of it. In this chapter I revisit these arguments mainly for the sake of connecting humanity’s bearing of the imago to the dietary allowances that God offers in Genesis 1:29–30. This task requires an inquiry into the context of the imago within the first chapter of Genesis. More specifically, it includes an examination of the particular God (Elohim) whose image humanity bears. An exegetical consideration of verses 29 and 30 (but especially verse 29) in conjunction with this examination yields an in-text interpretation of the content of the imago. Finally, comparing this interpretation of the original content of the imago with the re-creation narrative of Genesis 9:1–3, I argue that the nature of the image of God shifts in such a manner that its functional dimension is difficult to trace back to Elohim. In fact, the functional reign of humanity as depicted in Genesis 9 aligns more easily with the imago Marduk - the violent Babylonian deity of the Enuma Elish — than the imago Elohim.
LLNL Results from CALIBAN-PROSPERO Nuclear Accident Dosimetry Experiments in September 2014

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) uses thin neutron activation foils, sulfur, and threshold energy shielding to determine neutron component doses and the total dose from neutrons in the event of a nuclear criticality accident. The dosimeter also uses a DOELAP accredited Panasonic UD-810 (Panasonic Industrial Devices Sales Company of America, 2 Riverfront Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102, U.S.A.) thermoluminescent dosimetery system (TLD) for determining the gamma component of the total dose. LLNL has participated in three international intercomparisons of nuclear accident dosimeters. In October 2009, LLNL participated in an exercise at the French Commissariat a l’energie atomique et aux energies alternatives (Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission- CEA) Research Center at Valduc utilizing the SILENE reactor (Hickman, et.al. 2010). In September 2010, LLNL participated in a second intercomparison at CEA Valduc, this time with exposures at the CALIBAN reactor (Hickman et al. 2011). This paper discusses LLNL’s results of a third intercomparison hosted by the French Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety- IRSN) with exposures at two CEA Valduc reactors (CALIBAN and PROSPERO) in September 2014. Comparison results between the three participating facilities is presented elsewhere (Chevallier 2015; Duluc 2015).
Coding for improved focusing of ultrasound, and an application to neurostimulation

Focused ultrasound has been known to be able to do neurostimulation for many decades. Almost all ultrasound stimulation systems in this context, however, use the "phased-array" technique where phases of multiple transducers are aligned so they interfere constructively at the desired location. This paper explores the advantage of modulating ultrasound waves using pseudo-random sequences using a linear arrangement of transducers.
Approximating Optimal Trading Strategies Under Parameter Uncertainty: A Monte Carlo Approach

This paper considers the problem of a capital-limited investor with log utility who has the opportunity to invest in a security that follows a parametric price process. While the investor knows the form of the process, the exact parameter values are not known and must be inferred by observing the evolution of the security's price over time. The paper describes an investment approach based on Monte Carlo simulations and particle filters that allows the investor to approximate an optimal trading strategy while explicitly incorporating parameter uncertainty into the investment decision. The approach is applicable to any model and to single or synthetic securities.
Thermal Effects During Microwave Plasma Sintering of Ceramics

A variety of ceramic materials have been heated in various microwave excited plasmas at reduced pressures. Temperatures were measured by optical fiber thermometry. Specimen heating was accomplished by direct contact with the plasma, as well as direct coupling with the microwave energy, although the latter was screened heavily by the plasma. Higher specimen temperatures were achieved in polyatomic gases which have greater reactional enthalpy. In general, insulating materials achieved higher temperatures than semiconducting or covalently bonded materials.
Centrosomal clustering contributes to chromosomal instability and cancer

Cells assemble mitotic spindles during each round of division to insure accurate segregation of their duplicated genome. In animal cells, stereotypical spindles have two poles, each containing one centrosome, from which microtubules are nucleated. By contrast, many cancer cells often contain more than two centrosomes and form transient multipolar spindle structures with more than two poles. In order to divide and produce viable progeny, the multipolar spindle intermediate must be reshaped into a pseudo-bipolar structure via a process called centrosomal clustering. Pseudo-bipolar spindles appear to function normally during mitosis, but they occasionally give rise to aneuploid and transformed daughter cells. Agents that inhibit centrosomal clustering might therefore work as a potential cancer therapy, specifically targeting mitosis in supernumerary centrosome-containing cells.
Effect of Metal Substrate Nanometer Topography on Osteoblast Metabolic Activities

Surgeons and bioengineers have continuously been challenged by implant failure. Many of these engineers and surgeons trace implant failure to poor osseointegration (the bonding of an orthopedic implant to juxtaposed bone) and to the inability of implants to match the physical properties of surrounding bone. Researchers have recently shown that nanostructured materials (or materials with fundamental length scales less than 100 nm) enhance cell functions pertinent to effectively regenerating the tissue of numerous organs. Specifically, in a recent study, researchers demonstrated that metal surfaces utilizing low-micron to nanophase topography fostered increased adhesion of osteoblasts, the cells that create the matrix of bone. In this study, Ti, Ti6Al4V, and CoCrMo alloys were investigated, and these alloys were identical to current orthopedic implant alloys except for surface topography. The objective of this in vitro research was to determine whether these same nanophase metal surfaces not only foster osteoblast adhesion but also increase osteoblast metabolic activities leading to bone regeneration. Light microscopy and Energy Dispersion Spectroscopy (EDS) were used to verify the presence of calcium and phosphorous deposition by osteoblasts cultured on the metal substrates. Results indicated that both calcium and phosphorous are being deposited on several of the metal substrates. More importantly, compared to conventional metals, results provided the first evidence that more calcium and phosphorous was deposited by osteoblasts cultured on respective nanophase metals (Ti, Ti6Al4V, and CoCrMo). Nanophase CoCrMo had the most calcium and phosphorous minerals deposited by osteoblasts compared to any other metal substrate. Thus, the results of this study continue to provide evidence for the use of nanophase metals for the design of the next generation of more successful orthopedic implants.
Financing hospitality projects using the EB-5 program

Starting with the 2008 recession, many projects have stalled or been cancelled due to a lack of financing. Banks have become risk adverse and equity investors, wanting to ensure that their investments pay-off, have demanded high rates of return on these projects. Even as the economy recovers slowly, funding for projects remains difficult to find. Owing to the lack of financing since the financial crisis in 2008, funding available through EB-5 visas caught the attention of hospitality projects and in particular small hotel developers and demand for this type of funding has been increasing. In this case study we present the mechanics of EB-5 funding, discuss how to structure a project and show the value of using this type of funding for hospitality projects, specifically by analysing the proposed construction of a Hilton Garden Inn in California.
Sequence determinants spanning -35 motif and AT-rich spacer region impacting Ehrlichia chaffeensis Sigma 70-dependent promoter activity of two differentially expressed p28 outer membrane protein genes

Ehrlichia chaffeensis is an obligate intracellular tick-borne bacterium which causes the disease, human monocytic ehrlichiosis. Ehrlichia chaffeensis contains only two sigma factors, σ32 and σ70. It is difficult to study E. chaffeensis gene regulation due to lack of a transformation system. We developed an Escherichia coli-based transcription system to study E. chaffeensis transcriptional regulation. An E. coli strain with its σ70 repressed with trp promoter is used to express E. chaffeensis σ70. The E. coli system and our previously established in vitro transcription system were used to map transcriptional differences of two Ehrlichia genes encoding p28-outer membrane proteins 14 and 19. We mapped the -10 and -35 motifs and the AT rich spacers located between the two motifs by performing detailed mutational analysis. Mutations within the -35 motif of the genes impacted transcription differently, while -10 motif deletions had no impact. The AT-rich spacers also contributed to transcriptional differences. We further demonstrated that the domain 4.2 of E. chaffeensis σ70 is important for regulating promoter activity and the deletion of region 1.1 of E. chaffeensis σ70 causes enhancement of the promoter activity. This is the first study defining the promoters of two closely related E. chaffeensis genes.
Non-Compartmental and Compartmental Approaches to Pharmacokinetic Data Analysis

The evaluation of pharmacokinetic parameters is an essential part of understanding how drugs function in the body. To estimate these parameters, studies are undertaken in which time-dependent measurements are collected. These studies can be conducted in animals at the preclinical level, through all stages of clinical trials, and can be data rich or sparse. No matter what the situation, there must be some common means by which to communicate the experimental results and summarize key features of a drug’s properties. Pharmacokinetic parameters serve this purpose. Thus, in the field of pharmacokinetics, the definitions and formulas for the parameters must be agreed upon, and the methods used to calculate them understood. This understanding includes assumptions and domains of validity, for the utility of the parameter values depends upon them. This chapter examines the assumptions and domains of validity for the two commonly used methods of pharmacokinetic modeling analysis – non-compartmental and compartmental. Compartmental models have been presented in earlier chapters. This chapter will expand upon this, and compare the two methods.
Abnormal eye movement behavior during reading in Parkinson's disease

Abstract Introduction Reading difficulties are common in Parkinson's disease (PD) but not well studied. We report a case of reading difficulties in a 40-year-old man with 6-year history of PD on dopamine replacement therapy. Methods We performed detailed neuro-ophthalmic examination and assessment of reading with and without infrared oculography. Results Clinical examination revealed visual acuity of 20/20, no evidence of vision loss, and normal eye movement and ocular alignment with normal saccades, pursuit, and normal convergence. During King-Devick test, a rapid number reading task performed on a book, patient had normal number reading speed. More detailed study of number and word reading using infrared oculography revealed that while this patient had normal speed and eye movement behavior during number reading, he had dramatic slowing and eye movement abnormality during word reading. The slower reading speed during word reading was due to increased number of progressive saccades, smaller saccade amplitudes, increased number of regressive saccades, and longer fixation durations. Conclusions This case nicely illustrated the importance of comprehensive neuro-ophthalmic evaluations in Parkinson's disease and shows that reading difficulties can arise even when there is good visual acuity, ocular motor abilities necessary to read, and accommodation. In this case, reading difficulty was due to higher order ocular motor planning or cognitive abilities involved in word reading since the patient had no difficulty with ocular motor planning while reading numbers. These findings may have important implications towards our understanding of PD and can serve to spark further research in this important area.
Determination and Mental Causation

Yablo suggests that we can understand the possibility of mental causation by supposing that mental properties determine physical properties, in the classic sense of determination according to which red determines scarlet. Determinates and their determinables do not compete for causal relevance, so if mental and physical properties are related as determinable and determinates, they should not compete for causal relevance either. I argue that this solution won't work. I first construct a more adequate account of determination than that provided by Yablo. I then consider two common accounts of the mental, token identity theories and dispositional theories, and argue that on neither do mental and physical properties satisfy the requirements for determination.
NOESY-Like 2D-IR Spectroscopy Reveals Non-Gaussian Dynamics.

We have identified an unexpected signature of non-Gaussian dynamics in a conventional 2D IR measurement on a system with rapid intermolecular vibrational energy transfer. In a ternary mixture of the CO2 reduction photocatalyst, ReCl(bpy)(CO)3, NaSCN, and THF solvent, preferential association between the metal carbonyl catalyst and the NaSCN ion pairs facilitates intermolecular energy transfer on a few picoseconds time scale. Monitoring the cross peak between the highest frequency metal carbonyl band and the CN bands of NaSCN contact ion pairs, we find a striking time evolution of the cross-peak position on the detection axis. This frequency shift, which is due to spectral diffusion following intermolecular energy transfer, occurs with a time scale that is distinct from either the donor or acceptor spectral diffusion measured simultaneously. We argue that the energy transfer, a second-order Forster process, effectively increases the dimensionality of the 2D-IR spectroscopy and thus enables sensitivity to n...
Boundary Lubrication of Ceramic Materials by Soft Metallic Coatings and Synthetic Oil

Boundary lubrication of metallic materials often relies on surface reaction-generated films. This approach is intrinsically more difficult for ceramic materials because of their relatively lower chemical reactivity. The present study investigates the viability of boundary lubrication of ceramics by the use of a thin soft metallic film as a boundary film. Lubrication of Si3N4 and ZrO2 ceramics with coatings of Ag or Au prepared by Ion-Beam-Assisted Deposition (IBAD) and a polyol ester-based synthetic oil (with proprietary additives) was investigated. Through this method, the friction coefficient during sliding contact of ceramics was reduced (as low as 0.05) to the level that is obtained in most boundary-lubricated situations. Furthermore, wear was virtually eliminated. The method was found to be effective from room temperature up to 250°C.
Pseudo-tree construction heuristics for DCOPs with variable communication times

Empirical evaluations of DCOP algorithms are typically done in simulation and under the assumption that the communication times between all pairs of agents are identical, which is unrealistic in many real-world applications. In this abstract, we incorporate non-uniform communication times in the default DCOP model and propose heuristics that exploit these communication times to speed up DCOP algorithms that operate on pseudo-trees.
Keeping up Her Geography: Women's Writing and Geocultural Space in Early Twentieth-Century U.S. Literature and Culture

Recently, literary critics and some historians have argued that to use the language of separate spheres is to "mistake fiction for reality." However, the tendency in this criticism is to ignore the work of feminist political theorists who argue that a range of ideologies of the public and private consistently work to mask gender inequalities. In Keeping Up Her Geography, Tanya Ann Kenedy argues that these inequalities are shaped by multiple, but interconnected, spatial constructions of the public and private in US culture. Moreover, the early twentieth century when key spatial concepts - the nation, the urban, the regional, and the domestic - were being redefined is a pivotal era for understanding how the public-private binary remains tenaciously central to the defining of gender. Keeping Up Her Geography shows that this is the case in a range of literary and cultural contexts: in feminist speeches at the World's Columbian Exposition, in middle-class women's urban reform texts, in southern writer Ellen Glasgow's novels, and in the autobiographical narratives of Zora Neale Hurston and Agnes Smedley.
Phase II Study of Bortezomib in Combination with Cyclophosphamide and Rituximab for Relapsed or Refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Background Relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) has a poor prognosis. The best outcome is achieved in patients who have a partial or complete response to salvage treatment and proceed to allogeneic stem cell transplant. Patients and methods Twenty-one patients were given a combination regimen of bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab at MD Anderson Cancer Center as part of a single-arm, prospective, open-label phase II clinical trial. The median age was 66 years, with a median number of prior treatments of three. Sixty-seven percent had failed intensive chemoimmunotherapy and 43% were intermediate/high risk according to the MCL international prognostic index score, with a median Ki-67 proliferation index of 45% in those who were tested. Results The rates of overall and complete response achieved were 74% and 42%, respectively, with median progression-free and overall survivals of 9 months and 36.4 months, respectively. The regimen's toxicity profile was acceptable; only 25% of the cycles resulted in grade 3 or 4 neutropenia or thrombocytopenia, and only 3% of cycles produced grade 3-4 fatigue. There were no episodes of grade 3-4 neuropathy. Conclusion The combination of bortezomib with cyclophosphamide and rituximab is an effective and well-tolerated regimen in patients with relapsed/refractory MCL. Because of its low toxicity, future combinations of this regimen with other promising drugs that have different mechanisms of action offer a realistic possibility that may improve outcomes for patients who have MCL. The Oncologist 2017;22:549-553 IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The combination of bortezomib with cyclophosphamide and rituximab represents an additional effective novel salvage regimen for mantle cell lymphoma. This combination adds to the growing list of treatment options available for patients with mantle cell lymphoma.