cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of butorphanol versus dexmedetomidine sedation on intradermal allergen and histamine responses in dogs with atopic dermatitis

Background Sedation is commonly used during intradermal testing (IDT). Morphine and its derivatives have long been avoided because of their histamine-releasing effects. Hypothesis/objectives Butorphanol, an opioid agonist/antagonist, will not adversely affect IDT in dogs. Animals Ten client-owned dogs diagnosed with atopic dermatitis. Methods Dogs were randomized to be sedated with butorphanol (0.4 mg/kg) or dexmedetomidine (5 μg/kg). Routine IDT along with intradermal injections of various dilutions of histamine were performed on the lateral thorax, followed 7 days later by the alternative sedative and IDT on the opposite side. The injection sites were subjectively scored and objectively measured by one investigator, blinded to the sedatives, and compared between groups. Results When the mean wheal diameters from the objective measurements of all antigens, including saline and histamine dilutions, were compared, butorphanol was associated with significantly smaller reactions than dexmedetomidine (P = 0.0001). There was a high level of agreement between sedatives when positive reactions subjectively scored as ≥3+ were compared (κ = 0.91). When mean wheal diameters of histamine at concentrations of 1:100,000, 1:400,000, 1:1,600,000 and 1:6,400,000 were compared, there were no significant differences between sedative types. Moreover, the percentage agreement when comparing subjective interpretation of all histamine dilutions between sedations was high (κ = 0.90). However, there was only 69% agreement beyond chance when objective and subjective interpretations of all antigens were compared between sedative groups. Conclusions Although butorphanol resulted in significantly smaller wheal size in comparison to dexmedetomidine, it did not affect the overall subjective interpretation of the results of IDT.
A new alligator-clip compound for molecular electronics

We used the B3LYP flavor of density functional calculations to study new alligator-clip compounds for molecular electronics with platinum electrodes. First, with commonly used S-based linkage molecule 3-methyl-1,2-dithiolane (MDTL) we find that after chemisorption on Pt(1 1 1) the most stable structure is ring-opened with a binding energy of 32.44 kcal/mol. Among several alternative alligator-clip compounds we find that P-based molecules lead to much higher binding energies. For the ring-closed structure of 3-methyl-1,2-diphospholane (MDPL) a binding energy of 47.72 kcal/mol was calculated and even 54.88 kcal/mol for the ring-opened molecule. Thus, MDPL provides a more stable link to the metal surface and might increase the conductance. 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A Framework for Understanding Grocery Purchasing in a Low-Income Urban Environment:

Research demonstrates that food desert environments limit low-income shoppers' ability to purchase healthy foods, thereby increasing their likelihood of diet-related illnesses. We sought to understand how individuals in an urban American food desert make grocery-purchasing decisions, and specifically why unhealthy purchases arise. Analysis is based on ethnographic data from participant observation, 37 in-depth interviews, and three focus groups with low-income, primarily African American shoppers with children. We found participants had detailed knowledge of and preference for healthy foods, but the obligation to consistently provide food for their families required them to apply specific decision criteria which, combined with structural qualities of the supermarket environment, increased unhealthy purchases and decreased healthy purchases. Applying situated cognition theory, we constructed an emic model explaining this widely shared grocery-purchasing decision process and its implications. This context-specific understanding of behavior suggests that multifaceted, system-level approaches to intervention are needed to increase healthy purchasing in food deserts.
High intensity radiated field (HIRF) penetration in helicopters

Modern military and civilian aircraft use digital systems to control life-critical functions such as the engines, sensors, fuel systems and actuators. These digital flight control systems are vulnerable to external phenomena such as cosmic radiation, lightning, or high-intensity radiated fields (HIRF). Modern integrated circuits with higher densities and speed are more sensitive to HIRF. Also, composite materials, despite their advantages in strength, weight and cost, provide less shielding than aluminium. Because of these factors, the need to avoid digital upsets of electronic systems exposed to HIRF has become of great interest to industry and government agencies. Numerical simulation of HIRF penetration into a composite NASA scale helicopter model through the cockpit window was performed.
Linear A–B and AA–BB polyamides with backbone aryl, alkyl, and alkenyl units

Synthese et caracterisation de polyamides derives de l'acide cinnamique (amino), de l'acide propionique (aminophenyl). Polycondensation de diacides (aromatique et aliphatique) et de diamines aromatiques
New method for light-shift elimination

We present a new method to eliminate the light shift in atomic frequency standards and other optical pumping systems. This method uses only frequency modulation of a radio frequency or microwave source in order to simultaneously lock the source frequency to an atomic resonance and lock the pumping light to eliminate the light shift. In contrast, conventional stabilization of both sources requires two individual modulation schemes and feedback loops, adding complexity. Our method kills two birds with one stone. The method uses fewer additional components and offers improved performance, reduced cost, and easier miniaturization than previous methods. In particular, few modifications are required for implementation in conventional vapor-cell atomic clocks. We believe this technique will be useful for atomic frequency standards and other optical pumping systems that experience the light shift.
An investigation into REIT performance persistency

Using equity real estate investment trust (EREIT) returns from the CRSP/Ziman REITs database, portfolios of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are ranked based on past performance and evaluated for persistence in future years using various performance measurement models. After adjusting for risk with Carhart’s (1997) 4‐factor model, we find no evidence of persistence. However, we do find strong evidence of performance reversal with two‐year and three‐year lagged return periods and holding periods. The results suggest investors tend to overreact based on long‐term performance records. Thus investors seem to take a much longer period of time to formulate an opinion regarding a REIT’s performance record than previously assumed by earlier researchers.
Design of diffractive optical elements for optical signal processing

The design of diffractive optical elements is presented in light of the special needs of signal processing applications. Three applications are considered: correlation filter design for limited-modulation spatial light modulators, diffractive conical lens design for a scale-space processor, and hybrid lens design to correct for chromatic aberration and to provide stable thermal behavior. >
Lifestyles and domestic energy consumption : strategic options for encouraging sustainable energy consumption

Increases in chlorinated and brominated halocarbons are believed to be responsible for the depletion of stratospheric ozone observed over much of the globe in the past decade or so. Ozone depletion is in turn believed to lead to a negative radiative forcing, tending to cool the stratosphere and the surface. We show that the increasing atmospheric concentrations of ozone-depleting halocarbons and onset of related ozone depletion likely led to a negative forcing of the climate system in the 1980s that slowed significantly the rate of change of total anthropogenic radiative forcing due to the combined effect of all greenhouse gases over that decade. Within the next decade, emissions of these halocarbons are expected to rapidly decrease, with corresponding impacts on ozone and radiative forcing. As the emissions of ozone-depleting gases are reduced and eventually phased out, the rate of ozone depletion is expected to decrease and eventually reverse. All other things being equal, we show that the change from deepening ozone depletion in the 1980s to ozone increases in the future should lead to a pronounced increase in the decadal rate of change of anthropogenic greenhouse forcing of the next few decades, perhaps to levels unprecedented in this century.
A Novel Deterministic-Stochastic Crossover Method for Simulating Biochemical Networks

Computational systems biology is largely driven by mathematical modeling and simulation of biochemical networks, via continuous deterministic methods or discrete event stochastic methods. Although, the deterministic methods are efficient in predicting the macroscopic behavior of a system, they are severely limited by their inability to represent the stochastic effects of random molecular fluctuations at lower concentration. In this work, we have presented a novel method for simulating biochemical networks based on a deterministic solution with a modification that permits the incorporation of stochastic effects. To demonstrate the feasibility of our approach, we have tested our method on two previously reported biochemical networks. The results, while staying true to their deterministic form, also reflect the stochastic effects of random fluctuations that are dominant as the system transitions into a lower concentration. This ability to adapt to a concentration gradient makes this method particularly attractive for systems biology based applications.
First order latitude effects in the solar wind

The Weber-Davis model of the solar wind is generalized to include the effects of latitude. The principal assumptions of perfect electrical conductivity, rotational symmetry, a polytropic relation between pressure and density, and a flow aligned magnetic field in a system rotating with the Sun, are retained. The original three dimensional magnetohydrodynamic flow problem is reduced to a two dimensional hydrodynamic flow problem. The solution at 1 Au is most sensitive to a latitudinal dependence in the coronal boundary temperature and least sensitive to a latitudinal dependence in the magnetic field magnitude. A solution obtained for an approximate dipolar variation in the coronal magnetic field magnitude predicts that the latitudinal flow is initially toward the equator due to magnetic channeling; however, this effect is rapidly overcome and the latitudinal flow at 1 Au is toward the pole and not significantly different from the solution for constant boundary conditions.
Evaluating a Rapid On-Farm Nutrient Determination Model for Use in Implementing Nutrient Management Plans

Government regulatory agencies recommend nutrient management plans (NMPs) for animal operations to reduce non-point source pollution. These plans require manure analysis for total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP), and use indices to determine nutrient availability. This study evaluated a rapid on-farm method to predict TN and TP concentrations of swine slurries. A field investigation based on this rapid assessment procedure was used to evaluate the effect of a NMP on corn yield and soil fertility. Manure grab samples were collected to validate the rapid on-farm model for predicting TN and TP. A corn crop was raised on two phosphorus (P) soil test levels (medium and excessive) using three randomized complete blocks with two replications of three treatments. Rapid on-farm models were accurate (P ≤ 0.05) for predicting manure TN and TP. The rapid model manure application rate produced grain yields that were significantly higher than inorganic-N fertilization treatments (13,000 kg ha−1 versus 9,000 kg ha−1) (P ≤ 0.05). Potassium chloride extractable soil P and ammonium were not significantly different (P ≥ 0.05) in manure treatments compared with the inorganic-N treatment. Analysis of ear leaf N, P, and K and grain yields demonstrated that the rapid model manure application developed by a NMP met crop requirements.
Information Relaxations, Duality, and Convex Stochastic Dynamic Programs

We consider the information relaxation approach for calculating performance bounds for stochastic dynamic programs DPs. This approach generates performance bounds by solving problems with relaxed nonanticipativity constraints and a penalty that punishes violations of these nonanticipativity constraints. In this paper, we study DPs that have a convex structure and consider gradient penalties that are based on first-order linear approximations of approximate value functions. When used with perfect information relaxations, these penalties lead to subproblems that are deterministic convex optimization problems. We show that these gradient penalties can, in theory, provide tight bounds for convex DPs and can be used to improve on bounds provided by other relaxations, such as Lagrangian relaxation bounds. Finally, we apply these results in two example applications: first, a network revenue management problem that describes an airline trying to manage seat capacity on its flights; and second, an inventory management problem with lead times and lost sales. These are challenging problems of significant practical interest. In both examples, we compute performance bounds using information relaxations with gradient penalties and find that some relatively easy-to-compute heuristic policies are nearly optimal.
Nested Codes with Multiple Interpretations

This paper proposes a new approach to channel code design for wireless network applications. The resulting nested codes can be decoded at different effective rates by different receivers ? rates that depend on the prior knowledge possessed by each receiver; we say these codes have multiple interpretations. We have identified several applications in wireless networks where this property is useful. Specific nested code constructions as well as efficient soft and hard decision decoding algorithms are described. The concept of a nested code with multiple interpretations provides flexibility in the design of error protection schemes for multi-terminal wireless networks.
A spatio-temporal nonparametric Bayesian variable selection model of fMRI data for clustering correlated time courses

In this paper we present a novel wavelet-based Bayesian nonparametric regression model for the analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Our goal is to provide a joint analytical framework that allows to detect regions of the brain which exhibit neuronal activity in response to a stimulus and, simultaneously, infer the association, or clustering, of spatially remote voxels that exhibit fMRI time series with similar characteristics. We start by modeling the data with a hemodynamic response function (HRF) with a voxel-dependent shape parameter. We detect regions of the brain activated in response to a given stimulus by using mixture priors with a spike at zero on the coefficients of the regression model. We account for the complex spatial correlation structure of the brain by using a Markov random field (MRF) prior on the parameters guiding the selection of the activated voxels, therefore capturing correlation among nearby voxels. In order to infer association of the voxel time courses, we assume correlated errors, in particular long memory, and exploit the whitening properties of discrete wavelet transforms. Furthermore, we achieve clustering of the voxels by imposing a Dirichlet process (DP) prior on the parameters of the long memory process. For inference, we use Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling techniques that combine Metropolis-Hastings schemes employed in Bayesian variable selection with sampling algorithms for nonparametric DP models. We explore the performance of the proposed model on simulated data, with both block- and event-related design, and on real fMRI data.
Context for specific episodes of marital violence: Gender and severity of violence differences

The present study was designed to evaluate the context of marital violence through husbands' and wives' accounts of the worst violent episode in the year prior to assessment. The primary objective was to examine severity (mild or severe) and gender (husbands or wives) differences in reports of the worst episode of marital aggression using a functional analysis conceptualization. That is, within the specific episode, current stressors, setting events, outcome, and function of aggressive behavior(s) and victimization experiences were evaluated. Sixty-two couples, who presented for marital treatment over a three year period and also reported at least one episode of physical aggression in the past year, participated. In most cases, marital aggression appeared to reflect an outgrowth of conflict between both partners. However, wives consistently reported that their aggressive husbands had engaged in more psychological coercion and aggression than they as a marital conflict escalated to physical violence. Further, there was a tendency for wives to use severe physical aggression in self-defense more often than husbands.
Mandatory Radiation Safety Training for Fluoroscopy Imaging: A Quality Improvement Priority or Unnecessary Oversight?

The interventional cardiologist practices internal medicine, cardiology, and critical care medicine in the setting of multiple, often complex, patient care scenarios. Beyond the cognitive challenges, significant technical skills are required, covering a wide range of equipment options necessary for
Soul Power: Edith Stein’s Meta-Phenomenological Construction of the Human Soul

This essay will elucidate briefly the primary hermeneutical channels through which Edith Stein presents the human soul: (1) the form of the body; (2) the inner life of the person; (3) the substantial image of God the Father; and (4) a spiritual vessel (vas spirituale). Her account of the soul will be traced through her hybrid methodology in order to examine the relevance of her conceptions for today. The brazened claims of the Neo-atheist camp, e.g., Dawkins, Hitchens and Harris, will be countered directly on grounds of intellectual insufficiency and a truncated anthropology. I argue that Stein submits an integral and holistic anatomy of the human person—body, soul, and spirit—which is formative for a contemporary interdisciplinary inquiry into the question, what is it to be human?
Federalism(s)'s Forms and Norms: Contesting Rights, De-Essentializing Jurisdictional Divides, and Temporizing Accommodations

My interest is in the sources of identity and norms in federations and the methods for mediating conflicts. In contrast to many accounts of federalism, which assume the stability of the political units that constitute a federation and which posit that subject matter authority flows either to the central government or to its subunits, I argue that the domains of authority are not fixed but renegotiated as conflicts emerge about the import of rights and the content of jurisdictional allocations. Federalisms regularly create mediating mechanisms, including what I term “discounts” — temporizing accommodations in which either the rights claimed or the subunit’s identity is given less than full weight. What costs or benefits those accommodations impose depends on future events, such as providing a wider berth for rights’ dilution or a subunit’s willingness to provide protections it initially rejected. Moreover, the relevant actors in federalism are more than the state and its subunits. Translocal organizations of government actors (TOGAs) have created a web of connections that require enlarging the focus beyond grids of horizontal and vertical authority to capture the diverse arenas generating and homogenizing policies. Once the “who” of federalism is no longer limited to the federal government and its subunits, the federalist virtues of voice, exit, autonomy, and diversity become more difficult to realize. Further, once jurisdictional powers are understood not to be essentially fixed, and discounts are acknowledged as undervaluing some rights or subunit identity in an effort to moderate conflicts, the importance of social and political movements comes to the fore in shaping the boundaries of permissible accommodations and the doctrines that result.
Myeloid Growth Factor Therapy for Prophylaxis of Febrile Neutropenia in Non-Myeloid Malignancies: Appropriate Doses and Schedules

Myeloid growth factors (MGFs) are used for the prophylaxis of febrile neutropenia and maintenance of scheduled dose delivery in the treatment of patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy. To spare cost and for patient convenience, in adults MGFs are used at schedules, doses, and durations that differ from the approved prescribing information of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These variations include rounding doses to convenient sizes, fewer days of treatment, a shorter interval between cycles, and same-day administration with chemotherapy. Some of these variations are supported by clinical trial results and practice guidelines.
The Life and Science of Raymond P. Kesner

Raymond Pierre Kesner is a pioneer in the neurobiology of learning and memory and has been an inspirational leader throughout his career. He is an exceptional researcher, an independent thinker, and a wonderful mentor. This chapter is based on personal interviews with Ray, as well as presentations at the Festschrift Conference held in his honor in January 2013. It provides a biographical and historical context to his professional career. The major factors and events that influenced him are described with an emphasis on his social environment: family, mentors, colleagues, and students. This tribute is for you Ray, for your extraordinary contributions to the discipline and to your many devotees.
Transferable Intermolecular Potential Models for a Broad Range of Organic Compounds

Vapor pressure and liquid density are used to characterize step potentials for fluorinated, chlorinated, brominated, and iodinated hydrocarbons, along with a variety other compounds, bringing the transferable database to 339 training compounds, 112 of which are added in this manuscript, and 25 “validation” compounds. The potentials were characterized by four-step potentials consistent with those of previous studies for the SPEADMD model. Vapor pressure deviations average near 10 % for most compounds in the training set and near 40 % for the validation set. Higher deviations appear in the validation set for compounds in which multiple functionalities are located in close proximity, indicating sensitivity to the transferability assumption in these cases. Deviations in liquid density approach 4 %, despite the large shifts in density caused by the relatively heavy halogenated atoms. The availability of transferable potentials for so many compounds sets the stage for systematic studies of phase behavior over a...
Non-Infectious Peri-Electrode Edema and Contrast Enhancement Following Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery.

Background Dramatic radiographic abnormalities seen after electrode placement (DRAAEP) in deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery is rare and it has not been associated with infection or hemorrhage. It has consisted of peri-electrode low-attenuation signals on CT scans and extensive T2-hyperintense signals without associated contrast enhancement (CE) on MRI scans. Objective Report on the management of a patient with Parkinson's disease (PD) presenting with a seizure and findings of DRAAEP with positive CE 12 days after the placement of a subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS electrode. Methods Head CT and contrasted brain MRI scans were completed on presentation. Standard laboratory work up was obtained to evaluate for infection. Operative exploration deep to the burr-hole site surrounding the electrode was performed and cultures were obtained. Serial contrasted MRI scans were completed to determine the abnormal signal duration. Results A MRI revealed extensive T2-hyperintensity and positive CE concentrated around the burr-hole site surrounding the electrode. Intraoperative exploration revealed no evidence of infection and electrode revision was avoided. There was near resolution of the abnormal T2 signal and CE at six weeks from detection. The patient remained without signs of intracranial infection and responded well to DBS. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of DRAAEP with positive gadolinium enhancement. Despite the extensive contrast enhancement, these DRAAEP appear to remain benign transient events that, in the absence of clinical signs of infection or neurologic decline, may warrant no further aggressive intervention such as hardware removal.
Notes on Galápagos grenadiers (Pisces, Gadiformes, Macrouridae), with the description of a new species of Coryphaenoides

Two unusual specimens of the grenadier genus Coryphaenoides were collected by the deep-submersible vehicle Johnson Sea-Link off the Galapagos. Unlike any other member of the genus, the snout in these specimens was rounded, non-protruding, naked anteriorly and ventrally, with no tubercular scales marking the terminal and lateral angles. They are herein described as Coryphaenoides gypsochilus. Additional specimens of grenadiers were procured by the Johnson Sea-Link, including the second and third specimens of Nezumia ventralis and the first record of Caelorinchus canus from these waters. Three species and one subspecies of Galapagos grenadiers are endemic.
Design Strategies and Applications of Biomaterials and Devices for Hernia Repair

Hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide, with a multi-billion dollar global market. Implant design remains a critical challenge for the successful repair and prevention of recurrent hernias, and despite significant progress, there is no ideal mesh for every surgery. This review summarizes the evolution of prostheses design toward successful hernia repair beginning with a description of the anatomy of the disease and the classifications of hernias. Next, the major milestones in implant design are discussed. Commonly encountered complications and strategies to minimize these adverse effects are described, followed by a thorough description of the implant characteristics necessary for successful repair. Finally, available implants are categorized and their advantages and limitations elucidated, including non-absorbable and absorbable (synthetic and biologically derived) prostheses, composite prostheses, and coated prostheses. This review not only summarizes the state of the art in hernia repair, but also suggests future research directions toward improved hernia repair utilizing novel materials and fabrication methods.
Managing Human Resources Simulation

"The name of the game is Managing Human Resources Simulation. This simulation is a set of connected case studies situated within the Human Resources function, and occurring over time. This approach corresponds to the learner-centered model referred to as â€œProblem-Based Learningâ€ or PBL. Participants learn to analyze information, solve problems by applying what theyâ€™ve learned in the course, and then assess their results. This means that while they are making decisions and analyzing outcomes, participants are â€œdiscoveringâ€ the cause and effect relationships that are true for HRM and the organization in the simulated company. This simulation may be used effectively in a university course that surveys HRM, a capstone integration of an HRM major or minor, a graduate course that surveys HRM, or an organizational training program on human capital decision-making. The game can be played in-class, entirely online, or with a combination of in-class and online approaches. "
Plexogenic Pulmonary Hypertension of Unknown Origin. What's New?

Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension of unknown origin, also called primary pulmonary hypertension (i.e. there is no associated heart or lung disease), comprises three different pathological entities: (i) pulmonary veno-occlusive disease, (ii) recurrent thromboembolic or thrombotic pulmonary disease and (iii) plexogenic pulmonary hypertension (PPH) [1, 2]. The last-named is characterized by predominant involvement of small pulmonary arteries which has three distinctive characteristics: (i) concentric ‘onion-like’ intimal fibrosis, (ii) fibrinoid necrosis of the wall of some arteries occasionally associated with an organized or organizing thrombus, and (iii) dilated side-branches whose wall is often reduced to a single elastic lamina and is lined interiorly by cellular proliferation showing a ‘plexiform’ arrangement. This review is concerned with primary PPH and drug-induced PPH [3] as opposed to PPH complicating post-tricuspid cardiac shunts, although the actual sequence of events leading to remodelling of pulmonary vessels is better known in the latter than in the former. Since a recent exhaustive review is available [3], we shall concentrate on the role of vasodilatator treatment in PPH and the present understanding of cause(s) of PPH.
Memory, the Media and NATO: Information Intervention in Bosnia-Hercegovina

If collective or social memory is power, then those engaged in the contest for control will seek to manage its production. One of the most important ways in which public or national memories have been nourished, shaped and limited in the twentieth century has been through broadcasting and, in the period since the late 1950s, more specifically through television. Television is one of the prime means by which to establish what Timothy Snyder in his chapter calls 'sovereignty over memory', and to provide both a national framework for collective memory and to shape individual memories of national events. In this chapter, I want to explore an important episode in the management of memory as an instrument of conflict prevention or resolution, namely the role played, in Bosnia-Hercegovina in the late 1990s, by the US-led NATO Stabilization Force (Sfor) and the Office of the High Representative (OHR). As Ilana R. Bet-EI shows in her chapter, the Bosnian context was one in which, for generations and centuries, memories were articulated, projected and raised as flags of combat. Television gave a whole new force to such articulations. This book chapter is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers/54 6 Memory, the media and NATO: information intervention in Bosnia-Hercegovina
Improving whitening filter design using broadband snapshots

Traditional methods of source enumeration are derived assuming a white noise background and large amounts of data to estimate a sample covariance matrix. Recently source enumeration methods based on random matrix theory (RMT) have shown better performance than traditional methods when the data sets are small. In the presence of colored noise, a common approach is to whiten the data prior to applying the source estimator. The design of a whitening filter typically requires large amounts of training data, which can be difficult to obtain in practice. This paper presents a method to increase the available training data by using snapshots from neighboring frequency bins. Simulations demonstrate the performance improvement for two RMT-based source enumeration algorithms when broadband snapshots are used. The simulation environment models the colored noise due to distant shipping received by vertical arrays operating in the deep ocean.
Flavoperidol as a novel therapeutic agent for bladder cancer.

357Background: Bladder cancer (CaB) is the 4th most common cancer among men in the US but receives substantially less research resources than many other cancer types. There has been little change to the management of bladder cancer over the past 25 years. Quantitative high throughput screening (qHTS) of representative cancer lines with oncology drugs may identify new treatments or re-purpose already existing therapies for different disease. We utilized this technique to identify new therapies in three primary bladder lines (RT4, T24, and UMUC3) and their metastatic lines (T24T, SLT3 and FL3 for T24 and LUL-2 for UMUC3). Methods: We screened 8 bladder cancer cell lines (including RT4, T24, and UMUC3) against 1,912 oncology drugs using a 48 hour cell proliferation assay with an ATP−based readout to determine activity and potency of compounds in a dose response manner. One of the candidate drugs inhibitory in all cell lines tested is flavopiridol, a pan CDK inhibitor. We further characterized the mechanism o...
Abstract 23: Foxd1+ Stromal Cells, the Required Progenitors for Kidney Vascular Development

The mechanisms underlying the establishment, assembly and maintenance of the renal blood vessels are poorly understood. We have previously suggested using detailed lineage tracing that renal stromal cells, characterized by their early and transient expression of the transcription factor Foxd1 , give rise to the entirety of the mural cell layer of the renal arterial tree and mesangial cells. Mural cells as defined here exclude endothelial cells, which we identified as having a separate precursor, the renal hemangioblast. To define whether Foxd1 cells are the required essential progenitor or whether their role as such could be assumed by other cell types, we used the cre-lox system to generate mice expressing diphtheria toxin subunit A in Foxd1+ cells ( Foxd1-DTA mice ) which resulted in animals with selective ablation of Foxd1+ cells. Kidneys from Foxd1-DTA embryos had a significantly reduced complement of arterial mural cells, lacking smooth muscle cells, perivascular fibroblasts, renin cells and mesangial cells. Interestingly, the few vessels that remained were also abnormal: they originated underneath the kidney capsule and elongated towards the center of the kidney rather than radiating outward from the center of the kidney. In addition, ablation of Foxd1 cells resulted in significantly delayed nephrogenesis and reduction in glomerular number. In conjunction with our previous data showing a similar phenotype upon global deletion of the Foxd1 ,gene, this illustrates the central role of Foxd1 and the cells that express it during early development. We conclude that Foxd1 stromal cells are the required progenitors for the establishment of the mural cells of the kidney arterioles and (via Foxd1 expression) for the proper origin and orientation of the kidney vessels.
Using monkey hand exoskeleton to explore finger passive joint movement response in primary motor cortex

While neurons in primary motor cortex (M1) have been shown to respond to sensory stimuli, exploration of this phenomenon has proven challenging. Accurate and repeatable presentation of sensory inputs is difficult. Here, we describe a novel paradigm to study response to joint motion and fingertip force. We employed a custom exoskeleton to drive index finger metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP) of a macaque to follow sinusoid trajectories at 4 different frequencies (0.2, 0.5, 1, 2Hz) and 2 movement ranges (68.4, 34.2 degrees). We highlight results of a specific M1 unit that displayed sensitivity to direction (more active during flexion than extension), frequency (greater firing rate at higher frequencies), and movement amplitude (higher rate at larger amplitude). Joint movement trajectories were accurately reconstructed from this single unit with mean R2 =0.64 ± 0.13. The exoskeleton holds promise for examination of sensory feedback. In addition, it can be used as an external device controlled by a brain-machine interface (BMI) system. The proprioceptive related units in M1 may contribute to improving BMI control performance.
Integrating Primary Sources, Artifacts, and Museum Visits into the Primary Years Programme Inquiry Curriculum in an International Baccalaureate Elementary Setting

Questions remain about inquiry instruction, while research confirms that using primary sources can aid students’ inquiry learning processes. This study questioned: “How do second grade teachers at an International Baccalaureate Organization/IBO language immersion setting incorporate inquiry methods in instructional practices?”; “How does training in the use of primary sources, artifacts, and museum visits shape second grade teachers’ instructional practice?” A Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources grant supported this university-school social studies partnership which accessed artifacts, primary sources, and a national archives and museum. Data sources in this mixed methods study were from the SAMPI Inquiry Observation Instrument, interviews, and observations in French and Spanish language settings. Analysis revealed teachers appropriating inquiry learning via museum/archives visits and using primary sources in a study of the content areas of history and geography of the French and Spanish Colonial fur trade era, leading to subsequent integration of primary sources and learning kits in the school network’s inquiry curriculum design process.
The Mockingbird's Brief

By comparing the texts of Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman and To Kill a Mockingbird, this article explores what Harper Lee ultimately wanted to say in To Kill a Mockingbird, and why she said it the way that she did. The article’s thesis is that To Kill a Mockingbird can be understood as the “brief” written to make the case that Go Set a Watchman attempted to state: the massive resistance movement of the 1950’s was wrong. This article examines the rhetorical situation Harper Lee confronted as she wrote Go Set a Watchman and then transformed it into To Kill a Mockingbird. This situation is defined by considering Harper Lee and her upbringing, her audience in the Deep South, and the need to speak to that audience as the White Citizens’ Council movement took hold in the region. Go Set a Watchman was Lee’s first attempt to respond to the rhetorical situation posed by the Council movement’s purposes, methods, and rhetoric. In that work, Lee responded to this situation with a raw, morality-based counterargument to the Council movement. This argument had little chance of success, as segregationists at that time regarded themselves to be on the moral side of history. Thus, this article examines how To Kill a Mockingbird works as “the Mockingbird’s brief.” If published in the 1950’s, Go Set a Watchman’s morality argument might have had traction with Southern moderates, but was unlikely to persuade segregationists. Yet, legal developments in desegregation litigation indicated that segregationists were willing to at least pay lip service to fairness principles. Thus, Harper Lee used the reworking of Go Set a Watchman into To Kill a Mockingbird to seize the rhetorical situation with a fairness argument calculated to win over her audience. The shift to fairness, which at first blush might be perceived as ducking segregationists’ punches, actually was a shift to greater effectiveness for the time and place for which Lee wrote. This article concludes that Lee’s rhetorical strategy with To Kill a Mockingbird was effective. Ultimately, Harper Lee held a kind of reverse mirror up to segregationists by remaking her Atticus into a man who embodied what southern law and lawyers could be, if guided by fairness principles.
Cervical cancer among Hispanic women: assessing the impact on farmworkers.

The purpose of this paper was to review the literature on Hispanic populations to outline: 1) demographics; 2) general health status; 3) cervical cancer incidence and mortality; 4) Pap smear screening rates; and 5) barriers to preventive care services. The methods: MEDLINE, Med66, Med75, and Med85 files, from 1966 to 1999, were searched for key words Hispanic health, cervical cancer and Hispanics, cervical cancer and Mexico, migrants and health, agricultural occupational health, farmworkers and cancer, and farmworker health. AGRICOLA (1982–98) was searched for key words farmworker health, agricultural workers and health, and agriculture and cancer. The results show that Hispanic immigrant women may have cervical cancer incidence rates ranging between the California rates for 1991–93 (19.8/100,000) and for Mexico in 1990 (115–220 per 100,000). Mortality rates for the same periods were 3.9/100,000 and 16.11/100,000 respectively. While survey results report Hispanic Pap smear rates above 70%, these surveys count urban women who do not share the barriers to care experienced by poor rural Hispanics. Since validated self-reports of survey responses are 20–50% lower than reported lower rates and Pap smear screening persist in Hispanic Pap evaluations and are reflected in higher morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer. That targeted community interventions have been successful in raising Pap smear rates among poor Spanish-speaking women. Such interventions should be a priority for preventive health care policy and practice.
Negative Capacitance Carbon Nanotube FETs

As continued scaling of silicon FETs grows increasingly challenging, alternative paths for improving digital system energy efficiency are being pursued. These paths include replacing the transistor channel with emerging nanomaterials (such as carbon nanotubes), as well as utilizing negative capacitance effects in ferroelectric materials in the FET gate stack, e.g., to improve sub-threshold slope beyond the 60 mV/decade limit. However, which path provides the largest energy efficiency benefits—and whether these multiple paths can be combined to achieve additional energy efficiency benefits—is still unclear. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the first negative capacitance carbon nanotube FETs (CNFETs), combining the benefits of both carbon nanotube channels and negative capacitance effects. We demonstrate negative capacitance CNFETs, achieving sub-60 mV/decade sub-threshold slope with an average sub-threshold slope of 55 mV/decade at room temperature. The average ON-current ( ${I}_{ \mathrm{ON}}$ ) of these negative capacitance CNFETs improves by $2.1\times $ versus baseline CNFETs, (i.e., without negative capacitance) for the same OFF-current ( ${I}_{ \mathrm{OFF}}$ ). This work demonstrates a promising path forward for future generations of energy-efficient electronic systems.
Effects of group-based educational songwriting on craving in patients on a detoxification unit: A cluster-randomized effectiveness study:

Psychosocial methods for reducing craving are essential for people with substance use disorders. Although songwriting is a commonly-used music therapy intervention for people with addictions, there...
A mechanistic model of fast pyrolysis of hemicellulose

Hemicellulose is one of the major components of lignocellulosic biomass, which is an abundant source of renewable carbon on the Earth and has potential for the production of renewable drop-in transportation fuels and multiple commodity chemicals. In this work, a structure for hemicellulose extracted from corn stover was proposed to capture the experimentally characterized structural properties. A mechanistic model for hemicellulose pyrolysis was constructed based on the reaction family approach that we used for cellulose pyrolysis before. The model described the decomposition of hemicellulose chains, reactions of intermediates, and formation of a range of low molecular weight products (LMWPs) at the mechanistic level and specified rate constants for all the reactions in the network. Overall, 504 reactions of 114 species were included in the mechanistic model for fast pyrolysis of extracted hemicellulose. The mechanistic model closely matched experimental yields of various products with mass yield ≥1 wt%. Modeling results show that both the degree of polymerization and the polydispersity index of hemicellulose have an insignificant effect on the pyrolysis product distribution. Then, the mechanistic model of extracted hemicellulose is further extended to simulate the fast pyrolysis of native hemicellulose. Comparison of the model results showed that fast pyrolysis of native hemicellulose from corn stalk yielded more char, gaseous species, acetol, and much more acetic acid than that of extracted hemicellulose from corn stover, while yielding less 1,2-anhydroxylopyranose, 1,2;3,4-dianhydroxylopyranose and glycolaldehyde.
Reducing False Rain in Satellite Precipitation Products Using Cloudsat Cloud Classification Maps and Modis Multi-spectral Images

Because clouds play important roles in producing precipitation and in Earth’s radiative balance, they are a key element in studies of weather and climate, water and energy cycles, and hydrologic analysis. Low clouds have an important effect on cooling the Earth, as they reflect sunlight back to space. High, thin clouds have the opposite effect, allowing incoming sunshine to pass through but trapping heat that is trying to escape from earth. Improving our understanding of cloud structures is the main step in global climate studies and precipitation algorithm development.
Keynote Address — The Army Looks at Biomechanics

My purpose here is to discuss the Army Materiel Command’s interest in bio-mechanics. I should make it clear at the outset that I am speaking only for the Army Materiel Command and not for the Army as a whole. Although the biomechanical approach is relatively new to the Army Materiel Command, the Army’s Medical Service has been engaged in a closely related effort under the heading of biomedical engineering. This includes the remarkable developments in prosthetic devices and the mechanical heart pump. In connection with the heart pump, I’m sure that most of you know that the physical scientists and engineers of the Army Material Command’s Harry Diamond Laboratories, working closely with the Army Surgeon General’s medical personnel, designed and engineered this highly successful device, employing the fluid amplification technology pioneered by the Harry Diamond Laboratories.
Porous Crystals Provide Potable Water from Air.

A metal−organic framework-based device harvests water from dry air, running on solar energy.
Optimal Energy scheduling of an off-grid renewable system used for typical residential households

Demand side management (DSM) is the conventional load scheduling method aimed at minimizing electricity costs This paper aims to present an approach for demand side management for a group of residential homes which can be used in response to day-ahead electricity price signal, and to maximize the usage of the power generated. This work is a dual-scenario case study of four households that are participants in a DSM program on a single feeder line. In the first scenario, each of the four households has local PV generation. In the second scenario, PV generation is provided only by other non-participant households on the same feeder. Simulation results confirm that the proposed scheduling algorithm can effectively reflect and affect user’s energy consumption behavior and achieve the optimal time of electricity usage. For practical consideration, we have also taken into consideration the impact of PV generation on the total electricity cost. Analysis shows that application of higher penalty factors can significantly improve the PV utilization efficiency while reducing fluctuations in the voltage profile for the entire system. The impact of applying a DSM algorithm on the total power losses of the feeder is also studied in this paper. The proposed solution is implemented based on the Clonal Selection Algorithm (CSA).