cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survival of Tetrahymena pyriformis and Paramecium aurelia Following Freezing

SYNOPSIS. Tetrahymena pyriformis strains E, A-136 31C and IMT II survived freezing in 10% dimethylsulfoxide when the temperature was lowered to freezing at 4.5 C/min. Survival was then obtained for at least 128 days by lowering the temperature rapidly to 95°C. Of the 3 strains, T. pyriformis IMT II was most resistant to the effects of freezing. Its volume averaged about half that of either of the other strains and may have contributed to the differences in survival. In addition to differences among strains, a medium relatively low in the concentration of nutrients, a culture nearing peak population, and a rate of cooling of 4.5 C/min, all gave best survival. Paramecium aurelia regained motility after being frozen in 6 to 7.5% dimethylsulfoxide for as long as 7 days at either –27 or –196 C, but cultures were obtained only after storage for 20 min at –27 C. A concentration of 6 to 7.5% dimethyl-sulfoxide, cooling at 4.5 C/min, and culture media containing Aerobacter aerogenes or composed of a commercially available composition were all required for survival of P. aurelia.
Structure-Independent Parallel Platform for Nonlinear Analyses of General Real-Scale RC Structures under Cyclic Loading

AbstractNotwithstanding powerful computational simulation methodologies available today, there remain significant challenges: the plane-section assumption of popular fiber models, the scale limitations of sophisticated microscopic methodologies such as particle-lattice models, and the difficulty in describing structural damage in actual physical terms. Here, the authors validated a structure-independent parallel platform that tackles these challenges. Nonlinearity is captured by novel microphysical mechanisms: a multidirectional smeared crack model, a tribology-inspired three-dimensional (3D) interlocking model, a topological transition-based steel bar model that captures progressive buckling, and a general confinement model exploiting nonlocal information (i.e., mesh-objective proximity to adjacent reinforcements and boundaries). These innovative features are made possible by virtue of optimized parallel algorithms. The validation and application span a variety of RC elements: columns with a hollow or so...
Effects of verrucarin A and roridin A, macrocyclic trichothecene mycotoxins, on the murine immune system.

Abstract Verrucarin A (Ver A) and roridin A (Ror A), macrocyclic trichothecene mycotoxins, were examined for their immunomodulatory effects. Both mycotoxins were administered intraperitoneally at 0.35 mg/kg ( 1 2 the LD 50 ) in CD-1 mice. Lymphocyte proliferation was studied on days 2, 4 and 7 after animals were dosed with Ver A. After day 2, no significant differences in [3H]thymidine (3H-TdR) incorporation were observed using concanavalin A (Con A), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), pokeweed mitogen (PWM) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). On day 4 DNA synthesis induced by Con A, PHA and PWM was increased significantly. On day 7, PHA stimulation increased (p
Gelation of protein isolates extracted from tilapia light muscle by pH shift processing

The gelation properties of protein isolates extracted from tilapia muscle with acid and alkali-aided processing were compared to washed tilapia muscle. Gels were prepared with and without the addition of 2% NaCl (w/w) slightly above neutral pH and gelation properties and gel quality were determined using various procedures. Hardness and elasticity of gels as assessed by torsion testing was improved using 2% NaCl (w/w) compared to treatments without salt. Small strain oscillatory testing showed that storage modulus (G′) of gel pastes prior to thermal gelation was significantly higher in the absence of salt, while smaller differences were seen after thermal gelation. Small strain oscillatory tests demonstrated a different gel forming mechanism for acid and alkali treated proteins compared to washed muscle. Fold tests demonstrated that acid treated proteins and washed muscle had significantly lower gel quality compared to alkali treated proteins. Addition of salt in gels improved gel water-holding capacity for acid and alkali treated proteins. Overall, the acid treated proteins exhibited poorer gelling ability compared to alkali treated proteins. Total content of SH-groups was measured before and after gelation and S–S bonding did not explain the difference in gel forming ability of different treatments. The results indicate that the alkali-aided process can be used to produce high quality protein gels from tilapia muscle suitable for manufacturing of imitation seafood products.
The Forecaster's Dilemma

Influential forecasts occur when the forecast itself determines whether the forecast is tested. New product sales forecasts are often influential because a low forecast may cause a firm not to launch a new product so that actual sales are never observed. This paper considers a dilemma we face as influential forecasters. Our client requests an unbiased forecast but pressures sometimes exist to provide a bias forecast. From theoretical and empirical perspectives, we discuss the impact of these pressures on the quality of forecasts. We find that: • Noninfluential forecasts, generally, create no pressure for statistically biased forecasts. • As influence increases, the pressures increase. • When our forecasts eliminate alternatives, e.g., product designs, advertising campaigns, not all forecasts are tested. • Not validating all forecasts causes two effects: Survivor's Curse and Prophet's Fear. • Survivor's Curse makes statistically unbiased forecasts appear optimistic i.e., overestimate actual sales because, often, only optimistic forecasts are tested. • Forecasts appearing statistically unbiased or pessimistic might cause concern. Perhaps, some failures are justified. • Prophet's Fear encourages pessimistic forecasts because these forecasts cause hidden opportunity losses while optimistic forecasts cause observable actual losses. • Tested forecasts may appear completely unbiased despite a pessimistic pre-launch bias. • Although no perfect solution exists, clients may lessen bias with experimentation and by seeking more accurate forecasts. Forecasters may lessen bias with forecasts conditioned on launching and by seeking more accurate forecasts.
Iron supplementation in early childhood: health benefits and risks

The prevalence of iron deficiency among infants and young children living in developing countries is high. Because of its chemical properties--namely, its oxidative potential--iron functions in several biological systems that are crucial to human health. Iron, which is not easily eliminated from the body, can also cause harm through oxidative stress, interference with the absorption or metabolism of other nutrients, and suppression of critical enzymatic activities. We reviewed 26 randomized controlled trials of preventive, oral iron supplementation in young children (aged 0-59 mo) living in developing countries to ascertain the associated health benefits and risks. The outcomes investigated were anemia, development, growth, morbidity, and mortality. Initial hemoglobin concentrations and iron status were considered as effect modifiers, although few studies included such subgroup analyses. Among iron-deficient or anemic children, hemoglobin concentrations were improved with iron supplementation. Reductions in cognitive and motor development deficits were observed in iron-deficient or anemic children, particularly with longer-duration, lower-dose regimens. With iron supplementation, weight gains were adversely affected in iron-replete children; the effects on height were inconclusive. Most studies found no effect on morbidity, although few had sample sizes or study designs that were adequate for drawing conclusions. In a malaria-endemic population of Zanzibar, significant increases in serious adverse events were associated with iron supplementation, whereas, in Nepal, no effects on mortality in young children were found. More research is needed in populations affected by HIV and tuberculosis. Iron supplementation in preventive programs may need to be targeted through identification of iron-deficient children.
STATCOM Operation with Saturable Transformer Under Single Line to Ground Power System Faults

The STATCOM (synchronous static compensator) based on voltage source converter (VSC) is used for voltage regulation in transmission and distribution systems. The STATCOM can rapidly supply dynamic VARs required during system faults for voltage support. The "emergency PWM" strategy developed in this paper can prevent over-current and transformer saturation in the VSC during and after single line to ground system faults, and also meet the strict requirements of STATCOM losses and total system loss penalty. Simulation results are presented for a 48-pulse VSC based plusmn140 MVAR STATCOM connected to a 2-bus power system to validate the "emergency PWM" strategy to prevent VSC over-current and transformer saturation and to supply required reactive power under a single-line to ground (SLG) system faults. The proposed "emergency PWM" strategy is explained in terms of positive and negative sequence voltage for the system bus voltage and STATCOM generated voltage.
Breakdown characteristics of nitrogen in partial vacuum under pulsed electric fields of kHz range

This work presents the breakdown characteristics of nitrogen in partial vacuum conditions under pulsed electric fields at 50 kHz to 200 kHz. Results of breakdown events are discussed and compared with the results of helium breakdown under similar conditions.
Whose numbers count? Probing discrepant evidence on transgenic cotton in the Warangal district of India

A B S T R A C T The relationship between poverty and transgenic agricultural crops has created a global rift in develop- ment studies. Some, but not all, questions in this debate should be amenable to empirical treatment. Field studies have generated divergent numbers on yields and other agronomic outcomes. Studies from India come to diametrically opposed findings about Bt cotton: either the technology is scale-neutral and prof- itable for farmers of all size classes, or produces rural catastrophe - reaching the characterization 'genoci- dal' in one prominent critique. This essay suggests a method learned from field investigation of data volatility across studies in the most controversial district in India. The method involves a multi-discipli- nary team concentrating on plausible mechanisms for data distortion at the field level. Interpolating among studies and field results, this essay concludes that widespread reports of 'the failure of Bt cotton in India' - on agronomic, economic and environmental grounds - are not sustainable scientifically but do have plausible origins in methodology and in interests connected to the contentious politics around 'GMOs' globally.
Image expansion by non-orthogonal wavelets for optimal template matching

Presents a novel approach for template recognition by signal expansion into a set of nonorthogonal template-similar basis functions (wavelets). It is shown that expansion matching is a special case of the general nonorthogonal expansion and is equivalent to 'restoration' of undegraded images. Matching by expansion is quite robust in conditions of noise, superposition and severe occultation. Expansion matching also maximizes a new and more practically defined discriminative signal-to-noise ratio (DSNR). It is proved that maximizing the DSNR is equivalent to minimum squared error restoration by Wiener filters. Experimental comparisons with the widely used correlation matching (matched filtering), show that expansion matching yields much higher DSNR. >
Role of the General Clinical Research Center in teaching clinical management.

During the 1950s, there was a need to bring the discoveries of basic science to the bedside by supporting clinical investigation in the universities in a specific and systematic way. Under the leardership of James Shannon at the National Institutes of Health. Senator Lister Hill in the Congress, and influential advocates of clinical research like Elliot V. Newman, the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) program was established «to provide a carefully controlled research environment, centered around patients, where physicians and scientists can define and attempt to conquer unsolved disease problems affecting humans»
A METHOD FOR THE RAPID DETERMINATION OF PHOSPHATE IN FRESH PLANT TISSUES.

Little work has been done on the distribution of phosphate phosphorus in living plants. The colorimetric method worked out by Fiske and Subbarow (2) for phosphate in animal substances should be equally good when applied to an appropriate solution from plant tissues. Preliminary trials showed that the solution of plant tissue must not be made alkaline, since phosphate was precipitated in alkaline solution. However, satisfactory solutions were obtained by using a weak acid solution and a suitable quantity of powdered charcoal or carbon black. The procedure and results follow.
Performance of vapor-fed direct dimethyl ether fuel cell utilizing high temperature polybenzimidazole polymer electrolyte membrane

Abstract There is increasing interest in dimethyl ether (DME) as a synthetic fuel. It has present-day relevance and introduces an effective path forward as an energy-dense, low-pressure hydrogen carrier/storage fuel for fuel cells with applications in transportation, stationary, and portable power. Direct reaction DME fuel cells have particular relevance to portable power. This study presents the performance of the vapor-fed direct reaction of DME using high temperature Polybenzimidazole (PBI) Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM). Catalyzed PBI membrane utilized a Pt/Ru black anode and a Pt/C supported cathode. Performance was evaluated from temperatures of 180 °C–210 °C and at pressures from 100 kPa to 300 kPa. A strong performance correlation was observed in this study for these temperatures and pressures. A peak power density of 50 mW cm −2 was achieved at 180 °C without back pressure, whereas, an increase to 129 mW cm −2 was achieved at 210 °C at 300 kPa pressure. The performance of high temperature PBI PEMFCs with direct vapor-fed DME are investigated with emphasis on the critical variables of cell operation; temperature, back pressure, and humidity.
Mimicry attacks on host-based intrusion detection systems

We examine several host-based anomaly detection systems and study their security against evasion attacks. First, we introduce the notion of a mimicry attack, which allows a sophisticated attacker to cloak their intrusion to avoid detection by the IDS. Then, we develop a theoretical framework for evaluating the security of an IDS against mimicry attacks. We show how to break the security of one published IDS with these methods, and we experimentally confirm the power of mimicry attacks by giving a worked example of an attack on a concrete IDS implementation. We conclude with a call for further research on intrusion detection from both attacker's and defender's viewpoints.
The Penn State Child Cohort: Diagnostic Criteria and Possible Etiologic Factors of Sleep Apnea Based on Objective Clinical Outcomes

The mechanisms for sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in children are complex and share many of the etiologic risk factors with adults. Professionals who evaluate and treat children with SDB should be cognizant of comorbid risk factors associated with this disorder. Cardiovascular risk is a primary risk factor for SDB in children as in adults. Waist circumference and BMI are the consistent independent risk factors across several thresholds of severity of SDB. This finding suggests that, in children as in adults, metabolic and inflammatory factors may be an important mechanism in the development of SDB, implying that adenotonsillectomy may not always be the best first line treatment. Nasal abnormalities (eg, chronic sinusitis/rhinitis) were significant risk factors in children with milder SDB, suggesting that the evaluation and treatment of these abnormalities might be beneficial for this category of patients. Future research is indicated to confirm these findings, especially in children with moderate to severe SDB.
On Location Learning: Authentic Applied Science with Networked Augmented Realities

The learning of science can be made more like the practice of science through authentic simulated experiences. We have created a networked handheld Augmented Reality environment that combines the authentic role-playing of Augmented Realities and the underlying models of Participatory Simulations. This game, known as Outbreak @ The Institute, is played across a university campus where players take on the roles of doctors, medical technicians, and public health experts to contain a disease outbreak. Players can interact with virtual characters and employ virtual diagnostic tests and medicines. They are challenged to identify the source and prevent the spread of an infectious disease that can spread among real and/or virtual characters according to an underlying model. In this paper, we report on data from three high school classes who played the game. We investigate students’ perception of the authenticity of the game in terms of their personal embodiment in the game, their experience playing different roles, and their understanding of the dynamic model underlying the game.
The OmpU outer membrane protein, a potential adherence factor of Vibrio cholerae

Expression of the OmpU outer membrane protein of Vibrio cholerae is positively regulated by toxR, which also regulates critical virulence factors such as cholera toxin and the toxin-coregulated pilus colonization factor. In this study, we have characterized the 38-kDa OmpU protein and investigated its role in the adhesion of V. cholerae to mammalian cells. The amino-terminal sequence of OmpU has similarity with the sequences of Haemophilus influenzae HMW1 and HMW2 adhesins, which, in turn, also have similarity with the sequence of Bordetella pertussis filamentous hemagglutinin. A monoclonal antibody directed against FHA recognized both V. cholerae OmpU and Escherichia coli OmpA, and polyclonal anti-OmpU antibodies recognized FHA and E. coli OmpA, suggesting the existence of common epitopes among these proteins. OmpU was strongly recognized by convalescent-phase serum from volunteers experimentally infected with virulent V. cholerae strains, indicating that OmpU is immunogenic and produced in vivo. OmpU selectively bound to fibronectin and to an arginine-glycine-asparagine (RGD) tripeptide but not to other matrix glycoproteins tested such as collagen or laminin. Antibodies directed against OmpU or their F(ab)2 fragments completely inhibited adhesion of several V. cholerae strains to HeLa, HEp-2, Caco-2, and Henle 407 epithelial cells and also inhibited intestinal colonization and conferred protection in newborn mice against both biotypes (El Tor and classical) of V. cholerae O1. Collectively, these data indicate that OmpU has adhesive properties which may play a role in the pathogenesis of cholera.
Value of information in dam remediation decision-making

The process of improving the safety of existing dams involves design, cost, construction, and reliability considerations. Often, several possible remedial actions are available. For the purpose of selecting the optimal remedial action, complete knowledge about the pertinent parameters, i.e. those parameters affecting the decision, is needed. Unfortunately, such a complete knowledge is seldom available, as natural and parameter uncertainty is always present. Thus, a certain degree of risk is virtually unavoidable in any decision. This paper presents a methodological approach using decision theory, for deriving the optimal dam safety improvement measure. Of particular interest is the value of perfect information about specific parameters which affect the expected performance of different decisions. The computation of this value allows the allocation of resources for the enhancement of the expected outcome of the optimal remediation measure. >
Metabolism of Ischemic Cardiac Muscle

The aerobic metabolism of homogenates of normal and ischemic left ventricle was compared in dogs at various time intervals (15 min. to 24 hours) after high ligation of the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery. Glucose and fructose-1,6-diphosphate were used as substrates. The injured tissue was taken from the posterior papillary muscle (PP) and the non-ischemic tissue from the anterior superior septum (LV). Both oxygen consumption and organic phosphorus (Δ organic phosphorus) were slightly decreased in PP at 15 and 30 min. after ligation. Between 30 and 60 min., there was a sharp decrease in oxygen consumption and Δ organic phosphorus falling to 40 to 50 per cent of control values at 60 min. A further decrease was observed at 180 min., and at 24 hours there was a complete loss of oxidative metabolism in the PP. A striking increase in organic phosphorus metabolism and oxygen consumption was observed in the non-ischemic portion of the myocardium 60 and 180 min. after ligation.
Bryostatin 1 and UCN-01 Potentiate 1-β-d-Arabinofuranosylcytosine-Induced Apoptosis in Human Myeloid Leukemia Cells through Disparate Mechanisms

The effects of the PKC activator and down-regulator bryostatin 1 and the PKC and Chk1 inhibitor 7-hydroxystaurosporine (UCN-01) were compared with respect to potentiation of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C)-induced apoptosis in human myelomonocytic leukemia cells (U937). Whereas bryostatin 1 and UCN-01 both markedly enhanced ara-C-induced mitochondrial injury (e.g., cytochrome c and Smac/DIABLO release, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential), caspase activation, and apoptosis, ectopic expression of an N-terminal loop-deleted Bcl-2 mutant protein protected cells from ara-C/UCN-01- but not ara-C/bryostatin 1-mediated lethality. Conversely, ectopic expression of CrmA or dominant-negative caspase-8 abrogated potentiation of ara-C-mediated apoptosis by bryostatin 1 but not by UCN-01. Exposure of cells to ara-C and bryostatin 1 (but not UCN-01) resulted in sustained release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha; moreover, potentiation of ara-C lethality by bryostatin 1 (but not by UCN-01) was reversed by coadministration of TNF soluble receptors or the selective PKC inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide (1 microM). Finally, similar events were observed in the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60. Together, these findings suggest that potentiation of ara-C lethality in human myeloid leukemia cells by bryostatin 1 but not UCN-01 involves activation of the extrinsic, receptor-mediated apoptotic pathway, and represents a consequence of bryostatin 1-mediated release of TNF-alpha. They also argue that the mechanism by which bryostatin 1 promotes ara-C-induced mitochondrial injury, caspase activation, and apoptosis involves factors other than or in addition to PKC down-regulation or modulation of Bcl-2 phosphorylation status.
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Klaus Joachim Zülch In Memoriam

Human progress is related to continuous discovery of new horizons by countless scientific workers who contribute their share of effort, though each differing in abilities and style. Some workers are brilliant “breakthrough” types, explosively opening new vistas of science, whereas others, more unassuming, through their consistent, high quality work provide firm launching pads for other explorers to surge forward. I believe, Klaus Joachim Zulch belonged to this latter category.
Mechanisms of Protein Kinase PKR-Mediated Amplification of Beta Interferon Induction by C Protein-Deficient Measles Virus

The measles virus P gene products V and C antagonize the host interferon (IFN) response, blocking both IFN signaling and production. Using Moraten vaccine strain-derived measles virus and isogenic mutants deficient for either V or C protein production (V ko and C ko , respectively), we observed that the C ko virus was a potent inducer of IFN-β, while induction by V ko virus was an order of magnitude lower than that by the C ko virus. The parental recombinant Moraten virus did not significantly induce IFN-β. The enhanced IFN-inducing capacity of the C ko virus correlated with an enhanced activation of IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3), NF-κB, and ATF-2 in C ko -infected compared to V ko or parental virus-infected cells. Furthermore, protein kinase PKR and mitochondrial adapter IPS-1 were required for maximal C ko -mediated IFN-β induction, which correlated with the PKR-mediated enhancement of mitogen-activated protein kinase and NF-κB activation. Our results reveal multiple consequences of C protein expression and document an important function for PKR as an enhancer of IFN-β induction during measles virus infection.
Effects of humor production, humor receptivity, and physical attractiveness on partner desirability.

This study examined women’s and men’s preferences for humor production and humor receptivity in long-term and short-term relationships, and how these factors interact with physical attractiveness to influence desirability. Undergraduates viewed photographs of the opposite sex individuals who were high or low in physical attractiveness, along with vignettes varying in humor production and receptivity. Participants rated physical attractiveness and desirability for long-term and short-term relationships. The main findings were that individuals desired partners who were high in humor production and receptivity, though the effects were particularly pronounced for women judging long-term relationships. Moreover, humor production was more important than receptivity for women’s ratings of male desirability. Notably, we also found that ratings of physical attractiveness were influenced by the humor conditions. These results are discussed in terms of the fitness indicator, interest indicator, and encryption hypotheses of the evolutionary functions of humor.
mKlf7, a potential transcriptional regulator of TrkA nerve growth factor receptor expression in sensory and sympathetic neurons

Development of the nervous system relies on stringent regulation of genes that are crucial to this process. TrkA, the receptor for nerve growth factor (NGF), is tightly regulated during embryonic development and is essential for the survival and differentiation of neural crest-derived sensory and sympathetic neurons. We have previously identified a mouse TrkA enhancer and have characterized several cis regulatory elements that are important for appropriate TrkA expression in vivo. We now report the cloning of a novel gene encoding a Kruppel-like factor from a mouse dorsal root ganglion expression library. This Kruppel-like factor, named mKlf7, binds specifically to an Ikaros core binding element that is crucial for in vivo TrkA enhancer function. Using in situ hybridization, we demonstrate that mKlf7 is coexpressed with TrkA in sensory and sympathetic neurons during embryogenesis and in adulthood. These data are consistent with the idea that mKlf7 may directly regulate TrkA gene expression in the peripheral nervous system.
The Garifuna in Central America

So-called “Carib” populations have inhabited three major areas of the New World tropics (Map 1). South American Caribs, the most prominent aboriginal family north of the Amazon, consist of several widely distributed, but linguistically related, tribes, such as the Galibi of the Guyana coast and the Yukpa of the Colombian—Venezuelan borderlands. Today they number approximately 25,000 (Basso, 1977). Caribs who migrated from the mainland onto the Lesser Antilles a few centuries before the arrival of the Europeans, in spite of acquiring the language of the Arawak Indians of the islands (Taylor, 1951;Durbin, 1977), eventually became known as the Island Caribs (Rouse, 1948). After two centuries of European depredations, they were confined to only two islands, Dominica and St. Vincent, where even now small remnant populations live: about 2000 on the Reserve in Dominica (Layng, 1976) and nearly 2000 in 11 villages on St. Vincent (Gullick, 1975). A third Carib population descended from the St. Vincentian group currently lives in Central America. These are known in the English language literature as Black Caribs, but perhaps more properly should be labeled Garifuna, the name by which they know themselves. Other names often attached to the group are morenos, Trujillianos, Vincentinos, and Karif.
ORFEUS-SPAS II Extreme-Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of Canis Majoris (B2 II)

We report on extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) spectroscopic observations of the B bright giant Canis Majoris made during the ORFEUS-SPAS II mission. We assess the performance of the instrument in the EUV and find that the effective area is roughly 3 times that of the Extreme-Ultraviolet Explorer long-wavelength spectrometer and that the spectral resolution is λ/Δλ ≈ 1250. We identify most of the features, qualitatively compare different models, and examine the wind-broadened O V and Si IV lines, which display blue-edge velocities up to 800 km s−1.
Is tolerance really teaching

Kline succeeds in demonstrating the value of an approach that integrates information from various scientific and social disciplines, but her framework does not uniformly provide clarity. Specifically, inclusion of situations in which knowledgeable individuals do not actively donate information is misguided. Passive tolerance by demonstrators should continue to be excluded from definitions of teaching, in order to focus on situations in which selection has favored behaviors that are specifically geared to promoting learning in others.
Effect of Functionalized Nanomaterials on the Rheology of Borate Cross-Linked Guar Gum

This study provides an insight into the effect of incorporating nanoparticles on the rheology of fracturing fluids. Vapor grown carbon fibers (VGCFs) are first coated with silica and subsequently functionalized with octadecyltrichlorosilane groups. These coated and functionalized fibers are then added to a fracturing fluid gel. XPS and rheological measurements are performed to understand the interactions and effects of VGCFs coated with silica and functionalized with silane group on the viscosity and storage modulus of the fracturing gels at three different pHs: 8.6, 9.3, and 10.3. The addition of the ODS−SiO2−VGCF to the guar gels exhibits an interaction with the gels only at a lower pH than typically used for fracturing fluids. While the presence of ODS−SiO2−VGCF minimally increases the storage modulus of the guar gels, under shear-induced conditions, gels which contain ODS−SiO2−VGCF behave similarly to the plain guar gels, displaying no permanent damage to the gels under the applied shear. The presence...
Why Labor Should Support Class-Based Affirmative Action

In the press, debates over affirmative action in higher education pit liberals (who support taking race into account in admissions) and conservatives (who oppose it). But there is a third way on the issue—affirmative action based on class, rather than race—which is far more progressive than our current system of racial preferences. As the U.S. Supreme Court curtails the ability of universities to count skin color in admissions, the class-based approach is quickly gaining ground. This is a development that organized labor ought to cheer.
A cross-sectional survey of medical and pharmacy students in West Virginia regarding the definition and associated consequences of polypharmacy

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to examine the difference in perceptions of polypharmacy and its consequences among medical students and pharmacy students in West Virginia. Methods Current medical and pharmacy students in West Virginia completed an anonymous online survey in Qualtrics. A follow-up reminder e-mail was sent one month after the initial e-mail inviting students to participate in the survey. Results The response rate was 17.5% for medical students and 11.8% for pharmacy students. Approximately 68% of students had heard of the term polypharmacy (68.37%, n = 134). Of those who had heard of the term polypharmacy, the most common definition was "patient taking more than five medications" (86.57%, n = 116). The most common consequence of polypharmacy among the students was "risk of side effects" (95.52%, n = 128). Conclusion This study found many areas of agreement between medical and pharmacy students regarding the definition of polypharmacy, but there were also some differences. Polypharmacy should have one distinct definition to reduce confusion regarding the term.
No Love for Children: Reciprocity, Science, and Engagement in the Study of Child Sex Trafficking

The following article recounts our struggles in New York City and Atlantic City, New Jersey between 2008 and 2012 to conduct finely grained, intersubjectively engaged, and ethical empirical research into the lives of sex worker minors while adhering to contemporary laws and research protocols governing child sex trafficking that dictate reticence, aloofness, and avoidance by adults who are not licensed authorities or trained professionals. We argue that these laws and protocols systematically impede the type of engaged, ethical, situated, and contextually nuanced research that is necessary to developing effective and appropriate evidence-based policy. In contrast to this regime of fear and avoidance, we argue for the “personhood” of mature minors and the need for a science that is ethically engaged with that personhood, rather than built around protecting their childhood and instantiating their victimhood.
Q-Switched Alexandrite Laser-induced Chrysiasis

Background Chyriasis is an uncommon side effect that occurs in patients who are receiving prolonged treatment with either intravenous or intramuscular gold as a distinctive blue-gray pigmentation of light-exposed skin. Laser-induced chrysiasis is a rarely described phenomenon in individuals who have received systemic gold and are subsequently treated with a Q-switched laser. Purpose To describe the characteristics of patients with laser-induced chrysiasis. Methods The authors describe a 60-year-old woman who developed chrysiasis at Q-switched alexandrite laser treatment sites. They also reviewed the medical literature using PubMed, searching the terms chrysiasis, gold, and laser-induced. Patient reports and previous reviews of these subjects were critically assessed and the salient features are presented. Results Including the authors' patient, laser-induced chrysiasis has been described in five Caucasian arthritis patients (4 women and 1 man); most of the patients had received more than 8g of systemic gold therapy during a period of 3 to 13 years. Gold therapy was still occurring or had been discontinued as long as 26 years prior to laser treatment. All of the patients immediately developed blue macules at the Q-switched laser treatment site. Resolution of the dyschromia occurred in a 70-year-old woman after two treatment sessions with a long-pulsed ruby laser and the authors' patient after a sequential series of laser sessions using a long-pulsed alexandrite laser, followed by a nonablative fractional laser and an ablative carbon dioxide laser. Conclusion Laser-induced chrysiasis has been observed following treatment with Q-switched lasers in patients who are receiving or have previously been treated with systemic gold. It can occur decades after treatment with gold has been discontinued. Therefore, inquiry regarding a prior history of treatment with gold-particularly in older patients with arthritis-should be considered prior to treatment with a Q-switched laser. Also, treatment with a long-pulsed laser should be entertained in patients with either idiopathic or laser-induced chrysiasis. (JClinAesthetDermatol. 2015;8(9):48-53.) Chrysiasis is a distinctive blue-gray pigmentation of light exposed skin occurring in individuals who are receiving parenteral gold therapy.1 The 755nm Q-switched alexandrite laser is effective for the treatment of facial lentigines since the melanin granules absorb a high proportion of the laser energy and other chromophores offer little competitive absorption.2 The authors describe a woman who developed chrysiasis at Q-switched alexandrite laser treatment sites and whose dyschromia was successfully treated with a sequential series of laser sessions using a long-pulsed alexandrite laser, followed by a nonablative fractional laser and an ablative carbon dioxide laser.
Assessing prescriptive improvements to a system's cyber security and resilience

In the process of creating new capabilities, and improving the efficiency of existing operational processes, as a society, we have become dependent on information and communications technology (ICT). ICT is now integral to almost every aspect of our daily activities. The detrimental impact of these ICT dependencies, however, is that business operations become susceptible to possible impacts from cyber incidents. Protecting ICT from cyber incident effects or reducing their impacts on operational activities has become a problem of national importance. Concomitantly, there is an escalating imperative to identify and minimize operational cyber risk. In almost all circumstances, we are interested in achieving operational resilience: the ability for systems to continue to fulfil their intended purpose in the face of actual or potential cyber incidents. Achieving such resilience almost always must be pursued in a resource limited environment, where there is a need to justify the costs and resources needed. Unfortunately most current definitions of resilience are qualitative ones. If resilience is defined in a qualitative rather than quantitative way there is little in the way of prescriptive advice that can be offered to increase resilience. To address this deficiency we use a quantitative definition of resilience and apply it in a game theory inspired approach that considers multiple cyber attacker moves ahead. This allows us to assess defender actions as a portfolio analysis to identify a prescriptive selection of the best employment of security and resilience methods to use.
Activation of hepatic proliferation-associated transcription factors by lipopolysaccharide

Background. The hepatic acute-phase response is the result of reprogamming of gene expression in the liver. Similar acute-phase responses occur in regenerating liver after partial hepatectomy and are preceded by increases in the expression of a set of transcriptional regulatory proteins that are encoded by immediate-early genes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether acute systemic inflammation after lipopolysaccharide injection induces hepatic immediate-early genes that are induced by partial hepatectomy
The Guard Cell Chloroplast: Properties and Function

Chloroplasts are a predominant feature of guard cells, with the orchid genus Paphiopedilum constituting the only documented exception to that invariance (1). Hypotheses on roles of the guard cell chloroplast (GC Ch) in stomatal movements have recurred in the history of stomatal physiology: Von Mohl (2) in 1856, Shaw and Maclachlan (3) in 1954, and Hsiao (4) in 1976 are a few examples. Despite these trends, a conclusive elucidation of the function of GC Ch in stomatal movements remains elusive and contemporary stomatal physiologists have often considered the GC Ch unimportant or dispensable for stomatal function. This paper reviews current information on the GC Ch, including unpublished findings from our laboratory that point to a capacity for photosynthetic carbon fixation in guard cells. We also reevaluate the function of GC Ch on stomatal movements and on the coupling between stomatal conductance and mesophyll photosynthesis.
Transgender Population Size in the United States: a Meta-Regression of Population-Based Probability Samples.

Background. Transgender individuals have a gender identity that differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. The population size of transgender individuals in the United States is not well-known, in part because official records, including the US Census, do not include data on gender identity. Population surveys today more often collect transgender-inclusive gender-identity data, and secular trends in culture and the media have created a somewhat more favorable environment for transgender people.Objectives. To estimate the current population size of transgender individuals in the United States and evaluate any trend over time.Search methods. In June and July 2016, we searched PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Web of Science for national surveys, as well as “gray” literature, through an Internet search. We limited the search to 2006 through 2016.Selection criteria. We selected population-based surveys that used probability sampling and included self-reported transge...
Barriers to patients’ understanding of prognosis in advanced cancer.

24 Background: An informed decision requires good communication between the patient and their oncologist in regards to diagnosis and prognosis, especially in patients with terminal cancer. This discussion entails education about their disease, treatment options, and potential outcomes. The purpose of this study was to assess advanced-stage cancer oncology patients’ comprehension of their disease, treatment options and goals of therapy. Methods: Subjects included patients with a diagnosis of metastatic cancer with an option for palliative or life extending chemotherapy in an out-patient office at Drexel University College of Medicine. Outpatient office charts were reviewed to identify eligible patients. All subjects consented to participate. Participation included completing a 34-item questionnaire about comprehension of their cancer, satisfaction, perception of their physician interaction regarding disease education and potential barriers to patient understanding. Results: 52 patients analyzed to date: 1 ...
The Judicial Role Orientation

This work offers a theoretically grounded and empirically tested answer to an enduring puzzle in the study of judicial behavior: Why are some judges motivated by what they see as good law while other judges are motivated by what they see as good policy? Though this work is specifically concerned with judicial decision–making, it follows from a puzzle ever present in the social sciences: Why do individuals who occupy the same position behave differently? To inform theoretical development, this chapter begins by speaking about this larger puzzle and attempts by other social scientists to answer it. Next, puzzles within political science are discussed, first from the field of legislative politics and then within the field of immediate interest, judicial politics. Finally, adopting and building on the extant literature, the chapter offers a theoretical framework to answer this puzzle of judicial behavior.
Rescuing Troves of Data to Tackle Emerging Mosquito-Borne Diseases

According to the World Health Organization, every year more than a billion people are infected with vector-borne diseases worldwide. There are no vaccines for most vector-borne diseases. Vector control, therefore, is often the only way to prevent outbreaks. Despite the major impact of vectors on human health, knowledge gaps exist regarding their natural population dynamics. Even the most basic information, such as spatiotemporal abundance, is not available. Mosquitoes transmit malaria and the viruses causing Yellow Fever, West Nile, Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika in the Americas. The Americas have a long history of mosquito control efforts, including the unsustained but successful Aedes aegypti eradication initiative. In the US, municipalities have independently created agencies for mosquito control and monitoring. We propose that the ensemble of US mosquito control agencies can, and should, be used to develop a national, and potentially international, system for Cross-Scale Vector Monitoring and Control (CSVMaC), in which local level monitoring and control efforts are cross-linked by unified real-time data streaming to build the data capital needed to gain a mechanistic understanding of vector population dynamics. Vectors, and the pathogens they transmit, know no jurisdictions. The vision of CSVMaC is, therefore, to provide data for (i) the general study of mosquito ecology and (ii) to inform vector control during epidemics/outbreaks that impact multiple jurisdictions (i.e., counties, states, etc.). We reveal >1000 mosquito control agencies in the US with enormous troves of data that are hidden among many data silos. For CSVMaC, we propose the creation of a nationally-coordinated open-access database to collate mosquito data. The database would provide scientific and public health communities with highly resolved spatiotemporal data on arboviral disease vectors, empowering new interventions and insights while leveraging pre-existing human efforts, operational infrastructure, and investments already funded by taxpayers.
How to Make a Token System Fail

A token system was instituted in an adjustment class of six third and fourth graders. The aim of the study was to examine aspects of token systems critical in making them effective. The results ind...
The association of length of hospital stay with readmission after elective pancreatic resection.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to identify if prolonged length of hospital stay was protective for certain post-discharge complications requiring readmission after pancreatectomy. METHODS Patients undergoing elective pancreatectomy from 2012 to 2013 were identified in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP). Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to elucidate the association of length of hospital stay (LOS), in-hospital complications, and post-discharge complications with 30-day hospital readmission. RESULTS Mean LOS for the readmitted versus not readmitted cohort was 9.01 and 10.36, respectively (P < 0.001). Approximately half of hospital readmissions occur within 7 days of discharge from the hospital. The readmission rate (after hospital discharge) for patients with any in-hospital complication was 13.2%. On the other hand, the readmission rate for patients with any post-discharge complication was 70.8%. Readmission rates were above 85% for patients with the following post-discharge complications: organ/space surgical site infection (SSI), pneumonia, ventilator dependence greater than 48 h, progressive renal insufficiency, sepsis, and septic shock. In a multivariate logistic regression model, prolonged LOS reduced the odds of any post-discharge complication requiring readmission (OR = 0.68, P = 0.01). Specifically, prolonged LOS reduced the odds of a post-discharge organ/space SSI requiring readmission (OR = 0.72, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION Readmission after pancreatectomy primarily occurs due to a new post-discharge event. Furthermore, increased LOS is protective for readmission for post-pancreatectomy complications, particularly those due to post-discharge organ space SSIs. Our findings suggest that solely focusing on reducing LOS in pancreatectomy may lead to the unintended consequence of increasing readmission rates.
On the Stirling Distribution of the First Kind

A distribution of probabilities at positive integers t = n, n+1, …, proportional to F(t , n) θt/t!, 0 < θ < 1, is called the Stirling distribution of the first kind (SDFK) with parameters n and θ. The distribution is so named because it depends upon F(t , n), the Stirling numbers of the first kind. Patil and Wani (1965) have shown that the SDFK is the distribution of the sum of n independent and identically distributed random variables following the logarithmic series distribution. In this paper, some alternative derivations of the Patil and Wani’s result are given to further study the probabilistic structure of the SDFK. We show that with respect to the parameter n, the convolution of two independent SDFK’s is again a SDFK. Exact as well as approximate expressions of the distribution function of the SDFK are derived. Recurrence relations among the moments and the cumulants of the SDFK follow easily once we recognize that the distribution is a member of the class of power series distributions. Also, the minimum variance unbiased estimator of the probability function at any given point is derived. Several results of Patil and Wani (1965) follow as particular cases of ours when n = 1. If only θ is to be estimated, an easy graphical method is sketched to estimate it.