cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deriving therapies for children with primary CNS tumors using pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation of cerebral microdialysis data

The treatment of children with primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors continues to be a challenge despite recent advances in technology and diagnostics. In this overview, we describe our approach for identifying and evaluating active anticancer drugs through a process that enables rational translation from the lab to the clinic. The preclinical approach we discuss uses tumor subgroup-specific models of pediatric CNS tumors, cerebral microdialysis sampling of tumor extracellular fluid (tECF), and pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation to overcome challenges that currently hinder researchers in this field. This approach involves performing extensive systemic (plasma) and target site (CNS tumor) pharmacokinetic studies. Pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation of the data derived from these studies are then used to inform future decisions regarding drug administration, including dosage and schedule. Here, we also present how our approach was used to examine two FDA approved drugs, simvastatin and pemetrexed, as candidates for new therapies for pediatric CNS tumors. We determined that due to unfavorable pharmacokinetic characteristics and insufficient concentrations in tumor tissue in a mouse model of ependymoma, simvastatin would not be efficacious in further preclinical trials. In contrast to simvastatin, pemetrexed was advanced to preclinical efficacy studies after our studies determined that plasma exposures were similar to those in humans treated at similar tolerable dosages and adequate unbound concentrations were found in tumor tissue of medulloblastoma-bearing mice. Generally speaking, the high clinical failure rates for CNS drug candidates can be partially explained by the fact that therapies are often moved into clinical trials without extensive and rational preclinical studies to optimize the transition. Our approach addresses this limitation by using pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modeling of data generated from appropriate in vivo models to support the rational testing and usage of innovative therapies in children with CNS tumors.
Clinical Implications of Current Findings in Neurodevelopment

Research in the last decade has advanced our knowledge about biological factors underlying neurodevelopmental processes in childhood. Genetic research has gone beyond mapping the human genome to identifying epigenetic factors and explicating gene-environment interactions. Biological markers of vulnerability to specific disorders have been identified. The functions of and interactions between neuroanatomic regions have been illuminated by new imaging and other noninvasive techniques, such as EEG, event-related potentials, and functional magnetic resonance imaging, that allow us to link earliest signs of disorders to neurological changes. This article provides an overview of current findings in neurodevelopment, and discusses diagnostic factors, prevention and intervention, and clinical implications.
Publishing in Scientific Journals: We're Not Just Talking to Ourselves Anymore

Increasingly, psychological research is part of the integrative science that spans multiple disciplines, but variable publication standards undermine some of the integrative progress that might otherwise be made. Word limits for articles, norms for shorter reviews (which would improve turnaround time), electronic availability, and appropriate marketing of research will bring psychology closer to the central role it could play in integrative science.
Excimer laser ablation of single crystal 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC wafers

A 248 nm, 23 ns pulsed excimer laser was used to compare the ablation characteristics of single crystal wafers of the polytypes 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC over a wide range of energy fluence (0.8–25 J cm−2). Photothermal models based on Beer–Lambert equation using thermal diffusivity and absorption coefficient, energy balance, and heat transfer were presented to predict the ablation mechanisms. Micromachining of trenches was demonstrated at 7 J cm−2 to demonstrate the potential of UV laser ablation. Results indicate that the ablation process is characterized by two well-defined threshold fluences: (a) decomposition threshold ~1 J cm−2 and (b) melting threshold ~1.5 J cm−2 for both polytypes. Contrary to the modeling expectations, the ablation rates were lower and did not increase rapidly with energy fluence. Four types of ablation mechanisms—chemical decomposition, vaporization, explosive boiling, and plasma shielding—either singly or in combination occur as a function of energy fluence. The predictions of photothermal models were not in good agreement with the experimental data implying that a complex interplay among various physical phenomena occurs during ablation. Micromachined trench exhibited ripple patterns, microcracks and recast layers, most of which could be eliminated by a subsequent chemical cleaning process. It is concluded that excimer laser ablation is an effective but slow material removal process for SiC wafers compared to other lasers such as 1064 nm Nd:YAG.
Rate equation for locally time-averaged dynamics in weakly damped systems

We consider the density matrix for weakly damped quantum oscillators. It is proved that the locally time-averaged density matrix derived from the full density matrix satisfies a closed set of equations, which reduce under specified conditions to population rate equations. Rate coefficients in these equations include contributions from collision-induced transitions and internal collisionless transitions explicitly arranged as sequential processes. We compare solutions of the new rate equations with the full density matrix for a four-level driven system. It is shown that despite some notable success in matching locally time-averaged quantities by extending the Wilcox-Lamb formalism to the weak-damping limit, the new equations are more naturally suited for this limit. In contrast with the Wilcox-Lamb formalism, we show that the new equations give a representation of the local time average whose accuracy is limited only by the degree of time-scale separation between collisions and internal dynamics.
Reversible stepwise negative regulation of CYP1A1 in cultured rat epidermal cells

Abstract When serially passaged, rat epidermal keratinocytes lose the inducibility of CYP1A1 gene expression in response to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure. In present experiments, loss of CYP1A1 inducibility occurred in a stepwise fashion, with some keratinocyte lines progressing through a transiently inducible state before becoming completely uninducible. The negative regulation occurred at the level of transcription, but the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway appeared fully functional. Transient and stable transfection of uninducible cells with reporter constructs containing up to 4.2 kb of the CYP1A1 5′-flanking region resulted in a TCDD-inducible increase in luciferase activity, despite no induction of the endogenous gene. Co-treatment with protein synthesis inhibitors and TCDD restored responsiveness of the endogenous CYP1A1 gene, indicating that the negative regulation was reversible and likely mediated by a labile protein. Together, these results demonstrate a novel mechanism of CYP1A1 transcriptional repression that does not involve any previously reported negative regulatory elements for CYP1A1.
Lateral Ge/SiGe/Si Hetero-Channel p-Type MOSFETs

To further device scaling, a new hetero-channel MOS device is considered. A novel Ge/SiGe/Si lateral hetero-channel p- FET that can significantly reduce band-to-band tunnelling (BTBT) leakage, retain high current drivability, and good electrostatics is introduced in this paper. Through detailed BTBT model in PDE simulators the on-current and off current in p- FETs are analyzed. The simulation results show one-order of magnitude reduction (>20) in minimum off current and high drive current. Lateral hetero-channel p-FET provides a promising solution for future highly scaled CMOS technology. Index Terms — SiGe; field effect transistor; BTBT leakage; device scaling
Top-K aggregation over a large graph using shared-nothing systems

Analyzing large graphs is crucial to a variety of application domains, like personalized recommendations in social networks, search engines, communication networks, computational biology, etc. In these domains, there is a need to process aggregation queries over large graphs. Existing approaches for aggregation are not suitable for large graphs, as they involve multi-way relational joins over gigantic tables or repeated multiplications of large matrices. In this paper, we consider top-K aggregation queries that involve identifying top-K nodes with highest aggregate values over their h-hop neighbors. We propose algorithms for processing such queries over large graphs in a shared nothing environment. Using the notion of graph partitioning, we propose an update-based algorithm that minimizes network overhead by propagating updates in the neighborhood information. The algorithm partitions a graph across a number of processing nodes, and uses an iterative join algorithm within each node. We present a hybrid scheme to further reduce the network overhead during a few initial iterations. We develop a baseline algorithm based on distributed joins. Our experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms in reducing the aggregation time and in scaling the aggregation computation over a number of distributed hosts.
Algebraic query languages on temporal databases with multiple time granularities

This paper investigates algebraic query languages on temporal databases. The data model used is a multidimensional extension of the temporal modules introduced in [WJS95]. In a multidimensional temporal module, every non-temporal fact has a timestamp that is a set of n-ary tuples of time points. A temporal module has a set of timestamped facts and has an associated temporal granularity (or temporal type), and a temporal database is a set of multidimensional temporal modules with possibly different temporal types. Temporal algebras are proposed on this database model. Example queries and results of the paper show that the algebras are rather expressive. The operations of the algebras are organized into two groups: snapshot-wise operations and timestamp operations. Snapshot-wise operations are extensions of the traditional relational algebra operations, while timestamp operations are extensions of first-order mappings from timestamps to timestamps. Multiple temporal types are only dealt with by these timestamp operations. Hierarchies of algebras are defined in terms of the dimensions of the temporal modules in the intermediate results. The symbol TALG k is used to denote all the algebra queries whose input, output and intermediate modules are of dimensions at mostm, n and k, respectively. (Most temporal algebras proposed in the literature are in TALG 1 .) Equivalent hierarchies TCALC m;n k are defined in a calculus query language that is formulated by using a first-order logic with linear order. The addition of aggregation functions into the algebras is also studied. This work was partly supported by the NSF grant IRI-9409769 and also by an ARPA grant, administered by the Office of Naval Research under grant number N0014-92-J-4038.
Emergency Operating Centre Response to Media Blame Assignation: A CaseStudy of an Emergent EOC

A three‐person field team devoted four days to gathering data in Andover, Kansas, USA, after a tornado devastated the Golden Spur Mobile Home Park on 26 April 1991. They sought to assess the extent to which the media′s reporting of the local emergency management team′s response to the disaster influenced the team′s subsequent decisions. The researchers functioned as participant observers in the emergency operating centre (EOC), informally interviewed principal EOC members and media personnel, and obtained copies of media news stories (television and newspaper) which reported on the organizational response to the disaster. Assesses the observation and interview data as well as the content analysis of the news stories and suggests that the EOC team devoted a considerable portion of their time to responding to the negative press they received centring around two issues: pre‐impact warning and post‐impact debris clearance. Some of the media′s news stories sought to engage in blame assignation. The EOC members...
CMOS Programmable Gain Distributed Amplifier With 0.5-dB Gain Steps

A new CMOS programmable gain distributed amplifier with 0.5-dB gain steps is fabricated in a 130-nm process. The circuit is designed to demonstrate broadband (>;1 decade) programmable gains with excellent matching and high isolation for use in RF integrated-circuit testing. The measured slope of S21 loss is approximately 3 dB/decade over frequencies from 0.8 to 9 GHz where input and output return losses are better than roughly 10 dB; the measured input 1-dB compression point and third-order intermodulation intercept point at 2.78 GHz for the maximum 2.5-dB gain is 1 and 12.5 dBm, respectively. The measured noise figure is below 9.5 dB at 9 GHz. The circuit consumes approximately 40 mW total from 3.1-V analog and 1.5-V digital supplies.
Quantifying submarine hydrothermal fluxes

Many oceanographers believe that the chemical fluxes associated with deep sea hydrothermal processes are large and geochemically important, but quantifying these fluxes is proving difficult. Seawater-basalt exchange takes place in high-temperature hydrothermal systems at the very axis of seafloor spreading, as observed at the Galapagos Spreading Center [Corliss et al., 1979], and the East Pacific Rise at 13°N and 21°N [Michard et al. 1982; RISE Project Group, 1980]. It also takes place in the lower temperature hydrothermal systems, which are ubiquitous on the flanks of mid-ocean ridges, until sedimentation, and void-filling in basalt, seal the hydrothermal systems at crustal ages between 10 and 80 m.y. [e.g., Anderson et al., 1977].
Settler Farmers and Coerced African Labour in Southern Rhodesia, 1936–46

This paper contributes to a growing body of literature on the socio-economic impact of the Second World War on Africa. The focus is on the inter-relationship between the state, settler farmers and African labour in Southern Rhodesia. The war presented an opportunity for undercapitalized European farmers to enlist state support in securing African labour that they could not obtain through market forces alone. Historically, these farmers depended heavily on a supply of cheap labour from the Native Reserves and from the colonies to the north, especially Nyasaland. But the opportunities for Africans to sell their labour in other sectors of the Southern Rhodesian economy and in the Union of South Africa, or to at least determine the timing and length of their entry into wage employment, meant that settler farmers seldom obtained an adequate supply of labour. Demands for increased food production, a wartime agrarian crisis and a diminished supply of external labour all combined to ensure that the state capitulated in the face of requests for Africans to be conscripted into working for Europeans as a contribution to the Imperial war effort. The resulting mobilization of thousands of African labourers under the Compulsory Native Labour Act (1942), which emerged as the prize of the farmers' campaign for coerced labour, corrects earlier scholarship on Southern Rhodesia which asserted that state intervention in securing labour supplies was of importance only up to the 1920s. The paper also shows that Africans did not remain passive before measures aimed at coercing them into producing value for settler farmers.
Indistinguishability and correlations of photons generated by quantum emitters undergoing spectral diffusion

Photon-based quantum information processing is based on manipulating multi photon interference. We focus on the Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) dip in the photon coincidence rate which provides a direct measure of interference of indistinguishable photons linked to their Bose statistics. The effect has been first observed with entangled photons generated by parametric down conversion and then extended to independent emitters. Fluctuations caused by coupling between emitters and a bath can erode the interference which causes the dip. Here we show how the magnitude and shape of the HOM dip is affected by spectral diffusion induced by coupling to a brownian oscillator bath. Conditions for maintaining and controlling the interference are specified.
Influence of genetic background on daily running-wheel activity differs with aging.

In humans, physical activity declines with age. We tested the hypothesis that genetic background and age interact to determine daily wheel-running physical activity patterns in mice. Five female mi...
Oxygen-17 cross-polarization nmr spectroscopy of inorganic solids

Abstract We have obtained 17 O nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of a variety of 17 O-labeled solids (Mg(OH) 2 , Ca(OH) 2 , boehmite (AlO(OH)), talc (Mg 3 Si 4 O 10 (OH) 2 ), (C 6 H 5 ) 3 SiOH, and amorphous SiO 2 ) using high-field static and “magic-angle” sample spinning techniques, together with 1 H cross polarization and dipolar decoupling. Our results show that large cross-polarization enhancements can be obtained and that reliable second-order quadrupolar powder lineshapes can be observed under cross-polarization conditions. We have also investigated the dynamics of cross polarization for several samples, including measurements of cross-relaxation rates and 1 H and 17 O rotating-frame spin-lattice relaxation times. We show that rapid 17 O rotating-frame spin-lattice relaxation reduces the cross-polarization enhancement in some cases and that differences in cross-relaxation rates can be used to “edit” spectra by selectively enhancing protonated oxygen resonances (in general, hydroxide versus oxide ions, in inorganic solids). When applied to high surface area metal oxides such as amorphous silica, this selectivity enables the observation of resonances from surface hydroxyl groups that are difficult to detect by conventional 17 O NMR. Overall, the cross-polarization approach appears to have considerable utility for aiding in the interpretation of 17 O NMR spectra of complex inorganic solids.
How causal probabilities might fit into our objectively indeterministic world

We suggest a rigorous theory of how objective single-case transition probabilities fit into our world. The theory combines indeterminism and relativity in the “branching space–times” pattern, and relies on the existing theory of causae causantes (originating causes). Its fundamental suggestion is that (at least in simple cases) the probabilities of all transitions can be computed from the basic probabilities attributed individually to their originating causes. The theory explains when and how one can reasonably infer from the probabilities of one “chance set-up” to the probabilities of another such set-up that is located far away.
Analysis and design of RNA sequencing experiments for identifying RNA editing and other single-nucleotide variants

RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) technologies hold enormous promise for novel discoveries in genomics and transcriptomics. In the past year, a surge of reports has analyzed RNA-Seq data to gain a global view of the RNA editome. Opposing results have been presented, giving rise to extensive debate surrounding one of the first such studies in which a daunting list of all 12 types of RNA-DNA differences (RDDs) were identified. Although a consensus is forming that some of the initial "paradigm-shifting" results of this study may be questionable, recent reports on this topic differed in terms of the number and relative abundance of each type of RDD. Many outstanding issues exist, most importantly, the choice of bioinformatic approaches. Here we discuss the critical data analysis and experimental design issues of such studies to enable improved systematic investigation of the largely unexplored frontier of single-nucleotide variants in RNA.
Transients of fluorescence polarization in skeletal muscle fibers labeled with rhodamine on the regulatory light chain.

Abstract Structural changes of the myosin heads were correlated with mechanical events in the cross-bridge cycle by measuring fluorescence polarization signals at high time resolution from rhodamine probes bound to myosin regulatory light chains in skeletal muscle fibers. Motions of the cross-bridges were partially synchronized either by applying quick length changes to the fibers during active contractions or by activating the fibers from rigor by photolysis of caged ATP in the presence of Ca2+. With fibers in rigor, the fluorescence polarization values indicate that the probe dipoles are quite well ordered and are directed away from the muscle fiber axis. After photorelease of ATP from caged ATP, changes in polarization signals are consistent with broadening of the distribution of probe orientations. The signal deflections occur when ATP binds to actomyosin or when the cross-bridges detach, but the orientational distribution changes surprisingly little during active force development. In contrast, when staircases of quick releases are applied to labeled fibers during active contractions, the fluorescence polarization signals suggest a concerted rotation of the probes. The results indicate that the light chain region of myosin tilts during the quick release and/or during the tension recovery phase within the next few ms.
Comprehension of Prescription Drug Information: Overview of A Research Program

Both patients and healthcare professionals must understand information about prescription drugs to help them use medications in a safe and effective manner. However drug information materials can be difficult to understand – they can be long, detailed, technical, and complex. Comprehension problems can increase the chances that ineffective treatment or medication errors will occur. This paper presents an overview of a largescale research program on how people understand drug information, especially benefits and risks. It describes basic cognitive principles used to evaluate drug information and shows ways to make it easier to understand and use. Two key concepts underlie this work, cognitive accessibility and alternative representations. They are described and illustrated with sample experiments on comprehension of pharmacy leaflets, TV ads, medication schedules, and side effects.
"Murder mystery" for student practice of pulmonary physiology calculations.

We have developed an exercise designed to give students practice calculating arterial O2 content, O2 delivery, physiological dead space, dead space and alveolar ventilation, and alveolar partial pressure of O2 and CO2. The exercise is in the form of a "murder mystery" in which students are required to make these calculations to identify the murderer.
Abstract TMP69: Endoglin Deficiency Exacerbates Ischemic Brain Injury

Background and Objective: Endoglin (Eng) deficiency causes hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) and impairs myocardial repair. Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in HHT patients are associated with a high incidence of paradoxical embolism in the cerebral circulation and ischemic brain injury. We hypothesized that Eng deficiency exacerbates ischemic brain injury. Methods: Eng heterozygous ( Eng +/- ) mice and wild type (WT) mice underwent permanent distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO). Infarct volume and CD68 + cells were quantified 3 days and vascular density was determined 60 days after pMCAO. Behavior was assessed by corner test and adhesive removal test at 3, 15, 30 and 60 days after pMCAO. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (Mmp9) and Notch1 expression in bone marrow (BM)-derived macrophages from Eng +/- and WT were analyzed using real-time RT-PCR. Results: Eng +/- mice had a larger Infarct volume than WT mice (22±6% of the affected hemisphere vs. 16±6%, p=0.04). Eng +/- mice had longer adhesive-removal time (p + cells in the peri-infarct area at 3 days after pMCAO (370±80 vs 338±44 cells/mm 2 , p=0.37), but Eng +/- mice had lower peri-infarct vessel density (417±69 vs 490±52 vessels/mm 2 , p=0.05) at 60 days after pMCAO. Up-regulation of Mmp9 and Notch1 expression in response to VEGF was attenuated in Eng +/- BM-derived macrophages. Conclusions: Endoglin deficiency exacerbated brain injury and behavior dysfunction in mice after pMCAO and was associated with reduced angiogenesis. Although macrophage homing was not affected, reduced expression of two angiogenic-related genes, Mmp9 and Notch1 , by Eng +/- BM-derived macrophages suggests a potential role of these cells in recovery from an ischemic injury.
Hodgkin’s Disease

The current classification of the so-called lymphomata into Hodgkin’s disease, lymphosarcoma, and reticulum cell sarcoma is modern. Any historical or scientific review of the subject rightfully begins with a discussion of Hodgkin’s original paper entitled “On Some Morbid Appearances of the Absorbent Glands and Spleen” published in 1832. This classical report describes the clinical and gross pathologic findings in a group of patients whose symptomatology presented striking similarities; notably enlargement of peripheral lymph nodes in the neck, the axillae, and the groin and, frequently, enlargement of the mediastinal nodes. In addition, the patients had enlargement of the spleen and, less commonly, of the liver. Postmortem examination of several subjects revealed pathologic changes of the same nature. In Hodgkin’s observations on the clinical course and progress of the disease, one notes the emergence of a common pattern that was presented by several of the patients.
Assessing Combinational Drug Efficacy in Cancer Cells by Using Image-based Dynamic Response Analysis

The landscape of translational research has been shifting toward drug combination therapies. Pairing of drugs allows for more types of drug interaction with cells. In order to accurately and comprehensively assess combinational drug efficacy, analytical methods capable of recognizing these alternative reactions will be required to prioritize those drug candidates having better chances of delivering appreciable therapeutic benefits. Traditional efficacy measures are primarily based on the “extent” of drug inhibition, which is the percentage of cells being killed after drug exposure. Here, we introduce a second dimension of evaluation criterion, speed of killing, based on a live cell imaging assay. This dynamic response trajectory approach takes advantage of both “extent” and “speed” information and uncovers synergisms that would otherwise be missed, while also generating hypotheses regarding important mechanistic modes of drug action.
Complexity, Diminishing Marginal Returns, and Serial Mesopotamian Fragmentation

Following up on an earlier paper demonstrating statistically significant relationships between measures of recurring political-economic crises (hinterland incursions, trade collapses, economic contractions, and regime transitions) and a measure of climate deterioration (the interaction of falling Tigris-Euphrates river levels and years of warming/ drying), the inter-relationships among these variables are examined more closely for the 34001000 bce period. Theoretically focused on a test of Tainters diminishing marginal return theory of societal collapse, additional indicators are introduced encompassing population (urban population size, urban popula-tion growth rate) as a proxy for diminishing marginal returns, two measures of centralization/ fragmentation (including imperial size), and the indicators used for the climate interaction term in the earlier paper. The multivariate logit outcome for interactions among and between the 11 variables reinforces the earlier findings linking climate deterioration to political-economic crises, extends the climate deterioration linkage to fragmentation and population decline, and finds relatively strong support for the Tainter derived expectation that diminishing marginal returns and fragmentation are closely linked but that both are less closely linked to recurring political-economic crises than might otherwise have been anticipated.
Molecular Assemblies in Asphaltenes and Their High-Temperature Coke Products. 2. Levels of Molecular Organization

An initial electron crystallographic investigation of the molecular organization of coke, described in a previous report, attempted to understand how long- or short-range order (i.e., mutual orientation beyond or below approximately 10 μm) found, respectively, in sponge and shot coke, might be detected. Signs of local nucleation were found at very small selected area diameters (e.g., 0.25–1.25 μm) with a test case based on the microcarbon residue test (MCRT), made on a sponge coke-forming sweet vacuum tower bottoms (VTB) feed. In MCRT experiments on sweet VTB, a 490 °C annealing temperature was used instead of the 500 °C employed in our earlier study. At 5 min annealing time, electron diffraction patterns revealed the formation of small nuclei within a 0.25 μm diameter. The smallest detected arcing of (002) reflection, found at 5 min annealing time, persists for all longer annealing times; only the distribution of these angles decreased. At a 5-fold increase of selected area diameter (1.25 μm), and at sui...
Haltere-Like Optoelectromechanical Gyroscope

We report an optoelectromechanical vibratory gyroscope inspired by halteres of dipteran flies. The gyroscope utilizes optical displacement sensing to achieve a Brownian-motion-limited displacement sensitivity without mechanical resonant amplification in the sense mode. This yields a threefold difference between the resonance frequencies of the drive and sense modes, corresponding to a theoretical bandwidth of over 200 Hz, without compromising the sensitivity. Our measurements show a noise-equivalent rotation rate of 3°/h/Hz $^{\mathrm {1/2}}$ under atmospheric-pressure conditions.
Student Perspectives on Academic Accommodations

AbstractThe active involvement of secondary school students with high-incidence disabilities (HI) in instructional accommodations is essential to both enacting the accommodations and to the accommodations effectiveness. Very little is known about students with HI’s knowledge about instructional accommodations, experiences with them, or opinions on effective practices. A focus group study was conducted with 10 high school students with HI. A content analysis (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2009) revealed they are unaware of how their accommodations are identified, and that they typically are not directly taught to use them. The students explained how accommodations are usually provided in the classroom, including the ways they signal need, and offered their suggestions for more effective practices, which included responding to fairness and potential embarrassment. Their comments also revealed their beliefs and practices for self-advocating for accommodations.
Sensitivities of Extreme Precipitation to Global Warming Are Lower over Mountains than over Oceans and Plains

AbstractClimate-model simulations predict an intensification of extreme precipitation in almost all areas of the world under global warming. Local variations in the magnitude of this intensification are evident in these simulations, but most previous efforts to understand the factors responsible for the changes in extreme precipitation focused on zonal averages and neglected zonal variations, leading to uncertainties in the understanding and estimation of regional responses. Here the spatial heterogeneity of the warming-induced response of midlatitude extreme precipitation is studied in climate-model simulations with idealized orography on the western margins of otherwise flat continents. It is shown that the sensitivity of extreme precipitation to warming (i.e., its fractional rate of increase in intensity with global-mean surface temperature) is ~3% K−1 lower over the mountains than the oceans and plains. This difference in sensitivity is primarily produced by differences in the dynamics governing verti...
The Politics of Spanking Children: Ideology, Context, and Framing Effects on Attitudes toward Corporal Punishment

Recent events related to male domestic violence and child abuse among prominent professional athletes with have raised questions about the public views acts of physical violence. While most of the public considers any form of male violence against women socially unacceptable, spanking children is a commonly accepted, and strongly supported, form of punishment for children. Such a discrepancy in perceived acceptability raises question about how adults process information about domestic violence and corporal punishment. The research analyzes data from a survey experiment testing whether asking about male domestic violence (“man hitting woman”) prior to corporal punishment effects opinions on the latter; and whether framing the corporal punishment question in a gender consistent way (“father spank daughter”) or not (“parents spank child”) further alters opinion. Results show that context and framing both reduce support for corporal punishment. The strongest context effects occur among liberals, with small but statistically significant framing effects occurring among conservatives. The results suggest that political discourse about domestic violence, especially heightening gender norms, can alter how the public thinks about the practice of spanking children.
Organic scintillator detector response simulations with DRiFT

Abstract This work presents the organic scintillation simulation capabilities of DRiFT, a post-processing Detector Response Function Toolkit for MCNP ® output. DRiFT is used to create realistic scintillation detector response functions to incident neutron and gamma mixed-field radiation. As a post-processing tool, DRiFT leverages the extensively validated radiation transport capabilities of MCNP ® 6 , which also provides the ability to simulate complex sources and geometries. DRiFT is designed to be flexible, it allows the user to specify scintillator material, PMT type, applied PMT voltage, and quenching data used in simulations. The toolkit's capabilities, which include the generation of pulse shape discrimination plots and full-energy detector spectra, are demonstrated in a comparison of measured and simulated neutron contributions from 252Cf and PuBe, and photon spectra from 22Na and 228Th sources. DRiFT reproduced energy resolution effects observed in EJ-301 measurements through the inclusion of scintillation yield variances, photon transport noise, and PMT photocathode and multiplication noise.
Reverse engineering using blending and adaptive shape evolution

We propose a method for reverse engineering that is based on the use of topologically adaptive deformable models. The technique is based on a shape representation scheme which allows two shapes to be combined into a single model. The desired regions of the two shapes are selected, and then merged together forming a blended shape. For reconstruction, blending is incorporated into a deformable model framework. The model automatically adapts to the data, blending when necessary. Hierarchical blending allows multiple blends of a shape to occur, forming an evolution from the initial shape of a sphere to the final shape. Blending also allows the insertion of a hole between arbitrary locations. The models used are globally defined, making the recovered shape a natural symbolic description. We present reconstruction experiments involving shapes of various topologies.
Accurate and Independent Measurement of Volume and Hemoglobin Concentration of Individual Red Cells by Laser Light Scattering

Cell volume (MCV) and hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) are the red cell indices used to characterize the blood of patients with anemia. Since the introduction of flow cytometric methods for the measurement of these indices, it has generally been assumed that the values derived by these instruments are accurate. However, it has recently been shown that a number of cellular factors, including alterations in cellular deformability, can lead to inaccurate measurement of cell volume by these automated instruments. Because cell hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit are computed from the measured values of cell volume, accuracy of these indices is also compromised by inaccurate determination of cell volume. A recently developed experimental flow cytometric method based on laser light scattering, which can independently measure volume and hemoglobin concentration, has been used in the present study to measure MCV and MCHC of density-fractionated normal and sickle red cells, hydrated and dehydrated normal red cells, and various pathologic cells. We found that the new method accurately measures both volume and hemoglobin concentrations over a wide range of MCV (30 to 120 fL) and MCHC (27 to 45 g/dL) values. This is in contrast to currently available methods in which hemoglobin concentration values are accurately measured over a more limited range (27 to 35 g/dL). In addition, as the experimental method independently measures volume and hemoglobin concentration of individual red cells, it allowed us to generate histograms of volume and hemoglobin concentration distribution and derive coefficient of variation for volume distribution and standard deviation of hemoglobin concentration distribution. We have been able to document that volume and hemoglobin concentration distributions can vary independently of each other in pathologic red cell samples.
Renal Dysfunction Does Not Affect Clinical Response in Multiple Myeloma (MM) Patients Treated with Bortezomib-Based Regimens.

Background: Renal dysfunction is a common consequence of MM. Patients can present with varying degrees of renal impairment during the course of their disease. Clinical management of these patients remains a challenge and the role of newer agents like bortezomib is still being defined in them. We have previously reported on the safety and efficacy of bortezomib in MM patients with advanced renal failure requiring dialysis. Here we further evaluate if varying degree of renal dysfunction as determined by the National Kidney Foundation’s Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (NKF K/DOQI), adversely affects the clinical outcome of bortezomib-based therapies. Methods: All MM patients treated with bortezomib or bortezomib-based therapies were evaluable for this analysis. Response to treatment was classified as per EBMT criteria. Renal function stratification was done for all the patients based on NKF K/DOQI guideline stages as per glomerular filteration rate (GFR; ml/min/1.73 m 2 ). Stages 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were defined as GFR ≥ 90, 60–89, 30–59, 15–29, and Results: Sixty six consecutive patients were evaluable. Amongst these, 32 (48.5%) were females and 34 (51.5%) males with a median age of 59.5 years (range 40–82 years). Fifty five (83%) patients had advanced MM; stage > I as per Durie-Salmon (DS) criteria. Eligible patients had either relapsed/refractory disease (n=33) or were previously untreated (n=33). NKF K/DOQI renal function stages were 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in 9 (13.6%), 29 (44%), 22 (33.4%), 3 (4.5%) and 3 (4.5%) patients, respectively. Clinical response observed was complete remission (CR) in 8 (12%), partial remission (PR) in 25 (38%), stable disease (SD) in 27 (41%) and progressive disease (PD) in 6 (9%) patients. There was no significant association between renal function and patient age (p = 0.0808; 95% CI -0.0246, 0.4367), DS stage (p = 0.1722; 95% CI -0.0806, 0.4744), Ig type (p = 0.5288), untreated vs. relapsed/refractory disease (p = 0.1352), or response to treatment (p = 0.5292; 95% CI -0.1601, 0.3114). Conclusions: In this paper we investigated the correlation of NKF K/DOQI renal function stage in myeloma patients with clinical response to bortezomib. We noted that patients treated with bortezomib-based therapies experienced similar clinical benefit irrespective of the NKF K/DOQI renal function stage. These findings further support our previous observation that bortezomib is an effective therapeutic option for MM patients with renal dysfunction.
Anxiety in Patients Treated with Hemodialysis

Anxiety is a common yet frequently overlooked psychiatric symptom in patients with ESRD treated with hemodialysis (HD). Anxiety is characterized by disruptive feelings of uncertainty, dread, and fearfulness. A variety of common medical complaints may be manifestations of an anxiety disorder, including palpitations, tremors, indigestion, numbness/tingling, nervousness, shortness of breath, diaphoresis, and fear. It is essential for the clinician to rule out specific medical conditions, including cardiovascular, pulmonary, and neurologic diseases, before ascribing these symptoms to an anxiety disorder. In addition, there is considerable overlap between the symptoms of anxiety and those of depression and uremia. This psychiatric condition has a significant adverse impact on patients’ perception of quality of life. Little is known regarding the prevalence and impact of anxiety disorders in patients with ESRD treated with HD; however, many of the seemingly irrational behaviors of patients, or behaviors which place them in conflict with staff and physicians, such as behavioral noncompliance, may be the expression of an underlying anxiety disorder. In this review, we present three clinical vignettes, highlighting the impact of anxiety disorders in patients with ESRD treated with HD.
Genome Editing with Targetable Nucleases

For decades, genome engineering relied on techniques that took years to master, required the generation of large and often complex DNA constructs containing selection markers, and could be applied to only a few organisms. However, the ease and efficiency of current technologies to edit genomes are unprecedented. With the advent of targetable nucleases, most notably the CRISPR-Cas9 technology, genomes of all species are now easily accessible to modifications. This advance has provided countless opportunities not only to further our understanding of gene functions and disease mechanisms but also to correct disease-causing mutations, modify crops and livestock, and perhaps modify our environment. This chapter discusses the advances in genome-editing technologies and their current and future applications.
“Keep that in mind…You’re Gonna go to College”: Family Influence on the College Going Processes of Black and Latino High School Boys

This article highlights the voices of two 11th grade boys of color (one Black and one Latino), attending one U.S. urban charter school, as they describe the various ways their families supported their college going efforts. This study finds that these participants were equipped with what the author conceptualizes as college going familial capital, which describes the rich knowledge, information, inspiration and resources students of color gain from their families (nuclear, extended, and fictive kin), transferred through lessons, values, practices, and beliefs, that serve as rationale, motivation, and support for securing postsecondary educational attainment. College going familial capital was encompassed in the ways the families of participants valued college for economic betterment and emphasized its importance to participants from an early age. College going familial capital was gained when participants assessed the experiences of various family members when they considered the role of college in their own lives. Implications suggest that as educators support the collegiate aspirations of Black and Latino boys, they should consider and employ students’ already existing college going familial capital.
A brief history of sound & image media

The idea of capturing sound memories and combining them with images may appear exotic when applied to photography. However, these notions have been evident in different forms from the very inception of the modern mass media. Furthermore, the technological elements for handling different kinds of sound and image data are all readily available today.
Identity and Membership: Deriving Legitimacy and Political Agency through State, Community and Transnational Identities

This chapter discusses the role that identities and subject formation play in aiding the Chin and Acehnese with their cross-border political activities. Migrants often have several identities and indeed utilise these multi-levelled and overlapping identities as a means of survival and as a way to gain access to certain privileges and benefits that come with membership, with either state or non-state entities as this chapter shows through various case studies.
Public health research priorities to address US human trafficking

The article discusses the author's call for U.S. public health research to prioritize the issue of human trafficking prevention, and it mentions America's Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and the various investigations into suspected human trafficking that were opened by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the nation's Department of Justice in fiscal year 2015. The health consequences of human trafficking are examined, along with reproductive health and mental health.
Eosinophilic variant of eccrine porocarcinoma of the scalp: Case report and review of the literature

Porocarcinoma is a rare malignant neoplasm of the acrosyringium with metastatic potential that most commonly presents on the acral skin in older adults (mean age = 72 years). We present the case of a 43-year-old woman who developed a rapidly growing de novo porocarcinoma on the scalp with an unusual oncocytic appearance. The tumor consisted of benign eccrine poroma that arose from the epidermis and broad pushing borders with minimal cytological atypia but ample eosinophilic cytoplasm with numerous mitotic figures. Although some tumors may appear deceptively bland, the histologic recognition of pushing/infiltrative borders and mitotic figures are helpful to make the appropriate diagnosis of carcinoma. This lesion was treated with Mohs micrographic surgery and the patient remained free of recurrence after more than 2 years. It is important to recognize the eosinophilic variants of eccrine porocarcinoma because it can histologically mimic a squamous cell carcinoma.
Heat transfer measurment in water based nanofluids

Abstract Nanofluids are a class of heat transport fluids created by suspending nano-scaled metallic or nonmetallic particles into a base fluid. Some experimental investigations have revealed that the nanofluids have remarkably higher thermal conductivities than those of conventional pure fluids and are more suited for practical application than the existing techniques of heat transfer enhancement using millimeter and/or micrometer-sized particles in fluids. Use of nanoparticles reduces pressure drop, system wear, and overall mass of the system leading to a reduction in costs over existing enhancement techniques. The focus of this study is to determine the role of nanoparticle motion in the enhancement of the overall heat transfer coefficient of a nanofluid at different nanoparticle loadings. The enhancement of the heat transfer coefficient is determined experimentally by dispersing CuO nanoparticles (40 nm) with different particle loadings (0.25 wt% and 1 wt%) into water and then flowing the resulting nanofluid through a heated copper tube. The experimental results illustrated that numerous factors including Reynolds number and particle concentration are all capable of impacting the enhancement ratio. To further explain the impact of these variables on the hydrodynamic and thermal parameters of a nanofluid, we developed a CFD model using a Eulerian-Lagrangian approach to study the nature of both the laminar and turbulent flow fields of the fluid phase as well as kinematic and dynamic motion of the dispersed nanoparticles. The main goal is to provide additional information about the fluid and particle dynamics to explain the observed behavior in the experimentally observed trends of the heat transfer coefficient enhancement relative to both nanoparticle concentrations and fluid flow behavior. Our results indicate that heat transfer enhancement significantly depends on particle motion within the system and is highly dependent upon the position of nanoparticles relative to the tube wall.