cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Soil carbon and nitrogen erosion in forested catchments: implications for erosion-induced terrestrial carbon sequestration

Abstract. Lateral movement of organic matter (OM) due to erosion is now considered an important flux term in terrestrial carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) budgets, yet most published studies on the role of erosion focus on agricultural or grassland ecosystems. To date, little information is available on the rate and nature of OM eroded from forest ecosystems. We present annual sediment composition and yield, for water years 2005–2011, from eight catchments in the southern part of the Sierra Nevada, California. Sediment was compared to soil at three different landform positions from the source slopes to determine if there is selective transport of organic matter or different mineral particle size classes. Sediment export varied from 0.4 to 177 kg ha−1, while export of C in sediment was between 0.025 and 4.2 kg C ha−1 and export of N in sediment was between 0.001 and 0.04 kg N ha−1. Sediment yield and composition showed high interannual variation. In our study catchments, erosion laterally mobilized OM-rich litter material and topsoil, some of which enters streams owing to the catchment topography where steep slopes border stream channels. Annual lateral sediment export was positively and strongly correlated with stream discharge, while C and N concentrations were both negatively correlated with stream discharge; hence, C : N ratios were not strongly correlated to sediment yield. Our results suggest that stream discharge, more than sediment source, is a primary factor controlling the magnitude of C and N export from upland forest catchments. The OM-rich nature of eroded sediment raises important questions about the fate of the eroded OM. If a large fraction of the soil organic matter (SOM) eroded from forest ecosystems is lost during transport or after deposition, the contribution of forest ecosystems to the erosion-induced C sink is likely to be small (compared to croplands and grasslands).
A Novel Bayesian Parameter Mapping Method for Estimating the Parameters of an Underlying Scientific Model

Population-parameter mapping (PPM) is a method for estimating the parameters of latent scientific models that describe the statistical likelihood function. The PPM method involves a Bayesian inference in terms of the statistical parameters and the mapping from the statistical parameter space to the parameter space of the latent scientific parameters, and obtains a model coherence estimate, P(coh). The P(coh) statistic can be valuable for designing experiments, comparing competing models, and can be helpful in redesigning flawed models. Examples are provided where greater estimation precision was found for small sample sizes for the PPM point estimates relative to the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE).
Global Microwave Satellite Observations of Sea Surface Temperature for Numerical Weather Prediction and Climate Research

Abstract Obtaining global sea surface temperature (SST) fields for the ocean boundary condition in numerical weather prediction (NWP) models and for climate research has long been problematic. Historically, such fields have been constructed by a blending of in situ observations from ships and buoys and satellite infrared observations from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) that has been operational on NOAA satellites since November 1981. The resolution of these global SST fields is limited by the sparse coverage of in situ observations in many areas of the World Ocean and cloud contamination of AVHRR observations, which can exceed 75% over the subpolar oceans. As clouds and aerosols are essentially transparent to microwave radiation, satellite microwave observations can greatly improve the sampling and resolution of global SST fields. The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer on the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua satellite (AMSR-E) is providing the first highly accurate and glob...
Clay Mineral Studies of the Lower Permian Havensville Shale in Kansas and Oklahoma

Analyses of samples of the Havensville Shale, collected from six localities in Kansas and northern Oklahoma, showed that the distribution of clay minerals and chemical variations in the clay minerals were related to changes in the sedimentary facies. The major clay minerals assemblages were: (1) illite, mixed-layer illite—montmorillonite, and regularly interstratified chlorite-vermiculite in the shaly facies of northern and central Kansas, (2) montmorillonite, illite and mixed-layer illite-montmorillonite in the calcareous shale and algal limestone facies of southern Kansas, and (3) kaolinite, illite and mixed-layer illite—montmorillonite in the sandy facies of northern Oklahoma. Differential settling and transportation of clay detritus were the major factors in the pattern of distribution of the clay minerals. Regional differences were noted in the abundance of 2m illite polymorphs, the K/Rb ratio and the illite 001/002 intensity ratio. Some structural variations and chemical differences among the clay minerals were consequences of modifications during deposition in different environments and diagenesis.
Spectral mixture analysis of simulated thermal infrared spectrometry data: An initial temperature estimate bounded TESSMA search approach

At sensor thermal infrared (TIR) radiation varies depending on the temperature and emissivity of surface materials and the modifying impact of atmospheric absorption and emission. TIR imaging spectrometry often involves extracting temperature, emissivity, and/or surface composition, which are useful in diverse studies ranging from climatology to land use analyses. A two-stage application of temperature emissivity separation (TES) using spectral mixture analysis (SMA) or TESSMA, was employed to characterize isothermal mixtures on a subpixel basis. This two-stage approach first uses the relationship between a virtual cold endmember fraction and surface temperature to extract initial image temperature estimates. Second, an isothermal SMA application searches the region within the maximum temperature error range of the initial estimate, selecting the best subpixel spectral mixture fit. Work presented includes characterizations of synthetically generated temperature and constituent mixture gradient test images, and a discussion of errors associated with selecting temperature search ranges 25% and 75% smaller than the initial temperature calculation error range. Results using this two-stage approach indicate improved overall temperature estimates, constituent estimates, and constituent fraction estimates using simulated TIR data.
Carbon addition interacts with water availability to reduce invasive forb establishment in a semi-arid grassland

Increases in nitrogen (N) availability can favor fast-growing invasive species over slow- growing native species. One way to reduce N availability is to add labile carbon (C) to the soil, which can lead to microbial immobilization of plant available N. This method has been used, with widely varying degrees of success, to both study and control plant invasions. One reason that C addition might not work as expected is that N is not always the limiting resource for plant growth. For example, if plant growth is limited by water, changes in N availability might have little effect on invasion. Here I ask whether effects of C addition on N availability, resident plant biomass, and invasion depend on water availability in semi-arid mixedgrass prairie. Six invasive species were seeded into plots treated with a factorial combination of water (ambient or added) and N (?C, control or ?N). Carbon addition reduced capture of mineral N by resin probes (by an average of 73%), and reduced biomass of resident species (from 336 g m -2 to 203 g m -2 ), both with and without added water. In contrast, because there was little invasion in ambient-water plots, C addition reduced invasion only in added-water plots. Given added water, C addition reduced biomass of Centau- rea diffusa by 95%, and prevented invasion by Gypsophila paniculata and Linaria dalmatica. Mech- anisms by which C addition reduced invasion varied by species, with added C reducing the growth of individual C. diffusa plants, but reducing numbers of G. paniculata and L. dalmatica individuals.
Restriction endonuclease analysis using HhaI and HpaII to discriminate among group B Pasteurella multocida associated with haemorrhagic septicaemia

The purpose of this study was to improve and standardise restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) for discriminating isolates of serogroup B Pasteurella multocida associated with haemorrhagic septicaemia in wild and domestic animals and to create a reference database that can be used for epidemiological studies. Two techniques for extraction and isolation of chromosomal DNA were compared, a DNAzol1 method and an enzymic lysis followed by a two-phase partition method. No differences were observed between DNA fingerprint profiles with either technique; however, the former technique was faster and easier to perform. P. multocida isolated from different animals in different countries representing serotypes B:2, B:3, B:3,4 and B:4 were subjected to REA with HhaI and HpaII endonucleases. Forty-eight fingerprint profiles were distinguished among 222 isolates when only HhaI was used. By combining the data from REA with HhaI and HpaII used separately, 88 different groups could be distinguished among the same isolates. Following digestion with HhaI and electrophoresis, the DNA of all serotype B:2 isolates produced fingerprint profiles characterised by two trailing bands at ∼8.4–7.1 kb which have not been observed in any other serotypes of P. multocida. Passage of three serotype B:2 isolates on laboratory media or two serotype B:2 isolates through mice did not result in a change of DNA fingerprint profile detectable by REA. The findings with 59 isolates from Sri Lanka showed that REA was highly discriminative in determining the genetic diversity of serotype B:2 P. multocida in an area where haemorrhagic septicaemia is endemic.
Female Heliothis subflexa (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Sex Pheromone: Chemistry and Congeneric Comparisons

Chemical, chromatographic, and mass spectral analyses of the heptane extracts of excised female Heliothis subflexa ovipositors showed that the females produce 11 compounds that are analgous to known Heliothis spp. sex pheromones. Seven of these compounds have been previously identified from female H. virescens . In addition to these seven, female H. subflexa produce the (Z)-isomers of 7-, 9-, and 11-hexadecen-1-ol acetate and 1-hexadecanol acetate. The ratio of (Z)-11-hexadecenal to (2)-9- hexadecenal found in H. subflexa was significantly different from ratios found in other female Heliothis spp. Chromatographic analyses of the heptane extracts of the ovipositors of F1 females resulting from the H. subflexa (♀) × H. virescens (♂) cross and female progeny form F1 hybrid females backcrossed 34 times to H. virescens showed that they both produce a blend of pheromonal compounds that is qualitatively and quantitatively similar to compounds produced by H. virescens females. Field and laboratory behavioral studies indicated that the C16 acetates and the ratio of (Z)-11-hexadecenal: (Z)-9- hexadecenal secreted by female H. subflexa play significant roles in the maintentance of the specificity of the female H. subflexa pheromonal signal.
Memory System Support for Irregular Applications

Because irregular applications have unpredictable memory access patterns, their performance is dominated by memory behavior. The Impulse configurable memory controller will enable significant performance improvements for irregular applications, because it can be configured to optimize memory accesses on an application-by-application basis. In this paper we describe the optimizations that the Impulse controller supports for sparse matrix-vector product, an important computational kernel, and outline the transformations that the compiler and runtime system must perform to exploit these optimizations.
Tritium suicide selection identifies proteins involved in the uptake and intracellular transport of sterols in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Sterol transport between the plasma membrane (PM) and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) occurs by a nonvesicular mechanism that is poorly understood. To identify proteins required for this process, we isolated Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants with defects in sterol transport. We used Upc2-1 cells that have the ability to take up sterols under aerobic conditions and exploited the observation that intracellular accumulation of exogenously supplied [ 3 H]cholesterol in the form of [ 3 H]cholesteryl ester requires an intact PM-ER sterol transport pathway. Upc2-1 cells were mutagenized using a transposon library, incubated with [ 3 H]cholesterol, and subjected to tritium suicide selection to isolate mutants with a decreased ability to accumulate [ 3 H]cholesterol. Many of the mutants had defects in the expression and trafficking of Aus1 and Pdr11, PM-localized ABC transporters that are required for sterol uptake. Through characterization of one of the mutants, a new role was uncovered for the transcription factor Mot3 in controlling expression of Aus1 and Pdr11. A number of mutants had transposon insertions in the uncharacterized Ydr051c gene, which we now refer to as DET1 (decreased ergosterol transport). These mutants expressed Aus1 and Pdr11 normally but were severely defective in the ability to accumulate exogenously supplied cholesterol. The transport of newly synthesized sterols from the ER to the PM was also defective in det1 cells. These data indicate that the cytoplasmic protein encoded by DET1 is involved in intracellular sterol transport.
The effect of using online tutors on the self-efficacy of learners

We conducted a study to evaluate the effect of using software tutors on the self-efficacy of students — in particular, whether the type of activity covered by the software tutor correlated with any improvement in self-efficacy after using the tutor along the levels of Bloom's taxonomy; and whether any differential effects could be observed in the improvement of self-efficacy among the sexes and racial groups. The study was conducted over four semesters using two different software tutors. The collected data was analyzed using paired sample t-test and 2 × 2 ANOVA for three different sets of students — those who used the tutor, those who needed to use the tutor and those who learned one or more concepts by using the tutor. We found that if a significant difference was found among taxonomic levels of self-efficacy after using a software tutor, the improvement was statistically significantly greater on the taxonomic level directly relevant to the topic/activity of the tutor than any other level on Bloom's taxonomy except comprehension. Such a difference was found at least among those who actually learned one or more concepts using the tutor, if not everyone who used the tutor. In most cases, the improvement in self-efficacy resulting from the use of the software tutor was indistinguishable across sexes and racial groups.
FGFR1 Amplification in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung with Correlation of Primary and Metastatic Tumor Status

Background: The FGFR1 gene can be amplified in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (SqCC). The aim of this study was to compare FGFR1 status with stage and matched primaries with metastases. Methods: Cases with FGFR1 fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) testing performed from 2000 to 2013 were evaluated for amplification status and clinicopathologic features. Results: Of the 336 cases tested by FGFR1 FISH, 52 (15%) were positive for amplification. Eight (13%) of 60 N0 cases and eight (17%) of 46 N1 or N2 cases were amplified, with no statistically significant difference. Of the 24 cases with matched primary and metastatic tumors, 22 (92%) were synchronous and one (4%) had discordant amplification. Conclusions: Frequency of FGFR1 amplification is similar in SqCC with and without lymph node metastases, but status in metastatic sites may be discordant from the primary in a small subset of cases, which may affect the decision to perform testing of metastatic SqCCs.
Endothelial p110γPI3K mediates endothelial regeneration and vascular repair after inflammatory vascular injury

Background The integrity of endothelial monolayer is a sine qua non for vascular homeostasis and maintenance of tissue-fluid balance. However, little is known about the signaling pathways regulating regeneration of the endothelial barrier after inflammatory vascular injury. Methods and results Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we demonstrated that endothelial regeneration selectively requires activation of p110γPI3K signaling, which thereby mediates the expression of the endothelial reparative transcription factor Forkhead box M1 (FoxM1). We observed that FoxM1 induction in the pulmonary vasculature was inhibited in mice treated with a p110γ-selective inhibitor and in Pik3cg(-/-) mice after lipopolysaccharide challenge. Pik3cg(-/-) mice exhibited persistent lung inflammation induced by sepsis and sustained increase in vascular permeability. Restoration of expression of either p110γ or FoxM1 in pulmonary endothelial cells of Pik3cg(-/-) mice restored endothelial regeneration and normalized the defective vascular repair program. We also observed diminished expression of p110γ in pulmonary vascular endothelial cells of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, suggesting that impaired p110γ-FoxM1 vascular repair signaling pathway is a critical factor in persistent leaky lung microvessels and edema formation in the disease. Conclusions We identify p110γ as the critical mediator of endothelial regeneration and vascular repair after sepsis-induced inflammatory injury. Thus, activation of p110γ-FoxM1 endothelial regeneration may represent a novel strategy for the treatment of inflammatory vascular diseases.
Victims, Not Criminals: Exempting and Immunizing Children Subjected to Sex Trafficking from Prosecution for Prostitution

Over the years the sale of human beings has surpassed the illegal sale of arms and is expected to surpass the illegal sale of drugs soon. It is a major issue in the United States with up to 300,000 children in danger of entering the commercial child sex trade. Even though there are many states with some protective laws, there are many states with no laws in place to protect the children from bring prosecuted for prostitution, even though they are victims of sex trafficking. This article argues for reform to protect these children from prosecution. It argues that children under the age of consent should be understood to be exempt from prosecution for prostitution because they cannot consent to sex and therefore they cannot commit the crime. Just like a child cannot assist in her own statutory rape, she cannot sell her own statutory rape. It further argues that minors above the legal age of consent should be given immunity through a rebuttable presumption that they are victims of sex trafficking.
Queering the Colonial Borderlands: A Historiography

This paper charts influences that have contributed toward a greater receptivity for topics involving sexuality, how they have facilitated a more open discussion, and how they have helped shape historians' willingness to look at these issues directly. It analyzes how scholars have addressed gender variance in the 19th and 20th Century Northern Colonial Mexican borderlands. Oftentimes, this topic is addressed by looking at masculinity, as well as the concept of “manliness” and the gendered landscape to explore the silences or what has not been written. This paper shows how various scholars have addressed various issues of homosexuality or issues that would have facilitated the subordination and social control of sexuality as well as how their hypotheses have advanced this argument. Oftentimes, what is not said or written or implied that goes against the sexual mores of a period, are as important. We need to look at the topic from using a critical lens that interrogates and subverts.
Abstract WMP9: Impact of Collateral Blood Flow on Clinical Presentation, Diffusion and Perfusion Imaging, Infarct Growth and Clinical Outcome in the DEFUSE 2 Trial

Objective: To determine the relationships between angiographic collaterals and diffusion/perfusion imaging, subsequent infarct growth and clinical outcomes in DEFUSE 2 study patients. Methods: Patients undergoing endovascular therapy within 12 hours of stroke onset were prospectively enrolled. Only patients with a TICI score of 0, 1 and ICA/M1 occlusion at baseline were included in this analysis. A blinded reader assigned a collateral score using a previously described 5 point scale, from 0 (no collateral flow) to 4 (complete/rapid collaterals to entire ischemic territory). Analysis was dichotomized to poor flow (0-2) versus good flow (3-4). Collateral score was correlated with baseline NIHSS, DWI volume, PWI volume (Tmax > 6), TICI reperfusion, infarct growth and mRS at day 90. Results: Sixty patients had TICI 0, 1 ICA/M1 occlusions and adequate angiographic images to evaluate collaterals. Baseline NIHSS correlated with collateral score (p=0.002). Median NIHSS for patients with poor collateral flow (0-2) was 18 (IQR, 13-22) versus 14 (10-17) for those with good flow (3-4), p=0.025. Baseline T max > 6 volume correlated with collateral score (p=0.002). Median volume of tissue at risk (T max > 6) in those with poor collateral flow was 115 ml (IQR, 74-136) versus 82 (51-109) with good flow, p=0.012. Collateral score did not correlate with baseline DWI volume. TICI reperfusion (0-3) correlated with collateral score (p=0.027). Patients with poor collateral flow had 29% TICI 2b-3 reperfusion versus 65.5% with good flow, p=0.009. Those with poor reperfusion (TICI 0-2a) showed a trend to more infarct growth with poor collaterals, 92 ml (52-194) [mean (IQR)] versus 36 ml (14-106) with good collaterals, p=0.06. Patients with poor collaterals who reperfused (TICI 2b-3) were still likely to have a mRS 0-2 at 90 days compared to those without reperfusion; OR 12 (95% CI, 1.6-98). Conclusion: Collaterals correlate with baseline clinical stroke severity and the PWI volume. In addition, good collaterals correlate with higher rates of reperfusion (TICI 2b-3). When patients do not reperfuse, good collaterals appear to limit infarct growth.
Bullying Perpetration and Victimization as Externalizing and Internalizing Pathways: A Retrospective Study Linking Parenting Styles and Self-Esteem to Depression, Alcohol Use, and Alcohol-Related Problems

ABSTRACTBackground: Emerging research suggests significant positive associations between bullying and substance use behaviors. However, these studies typically focused either on the link between substance use and bullying perpetration or victimization, and few have conceptualized bullying perpetration and/or victimization as mediators. Objective: In this study, we simultaneously tested past bullying perpetration and victimization as mediational pathways from retrospective report of parenting styles and global self-esteem to current depressive symptoms, alcohol use, and alcohol-related problems. Methods: Data were collected from a college sample of 419 drinkers. Mediation effects were conducted using a bias-corrected bootstrap technique within a structural equation modeling framework. Results: Two-path mediation analyses indicated that mother and father authoritativeness were protective against bully victimization and depression through higher self-esteem. Conversely, having a permissive or authoritarian m...
Osteopontin—A Master Regulator of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Osteopontin (OPN) plays an important functional role in both physiologic and pathologic states. OPN is implicated in the progression of fibrosis, cancer, and metastatic disease in several organ systems. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), first described in embryology, is increasingly being recognized as a significant contributor to fibrotic phenotypes and tumor progression. Several well-established transcription factors regulate EMT and are conserved across tissue types and organ systems, including TWIST, zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox (ZEB), and SNAIL-family members. Recent literature points to an important relationship between OPN and EMT, implicating OPN as a key regulatory component of EMT programs. In this review, OPN’s interplay with traditional EMT activators, both directly and indirectly, will be discussed. Also, OPN’s ability to restructure the tissue and tumor microenvironment to indirectly modify EMT will be reviewed. Together, these diverse pathways demonstrate that OPN is able to modulate EMT and provide new targets for directing therapeutics.
CO2 Adsorption on Carbon Models of Organic Constituents of Gas Shale and Coal

Imperfections of the organic matrix in coal and gas shales are modeled using defective and defect-free graphene surfaces to represent the structural heterogeneity and related chemical nature of these complex systems. Based upon previous experimental investigations that have validated the stability and existence of defect sites in graphene, plane-wave electronic density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed to investigate the mechanisms of CO2 adsorption. The interactions of CO2 with different surfaces have been compared, and the physisorption energy of CO2 on the defective graphene adsorption site with one carbon atom missing (monovacancy) is approximately 4 times as strong as that on a perfect defect-free graphene surface, specifically, with a physisorption energy of ∼210 meV on the monovacancy site compared to ∼50 meV on a perfect graphene surface. The energy associated with the chemisorption of CO2 on the monovacancy site is substantially stronger at ∼1.72 eV. Bader charge, density o...
Simulation Methods for Formable Crust Skins of Digital Clay Human-Computer Interface Devices

Digital clay represents a new type of 3-D human-computer interface device that enables tactile and haptic interactions. The digital clay surface is computer controlled and can be commanded to acquire a wide variety of desired shapes, or be deformed by the user in a manner similar to that of real clay. In this paper, we present one digital clay architecture that utilizes a “formable crust” surface and a set of actuators that can deform the crust according to user manipulations or under computer control. The crust behavior is based on an array of spherical joints. Rather than manufacturing a crust with spherical joints, we propose a crust design with arrays of unit cells that have links and compliant revolute joints that is based on spherical geometry. A series of formable crust models is presented that capture the behavior of the crust when the user is actively forming shapes. Algorithms are presented for computing resultant crust shapes. Simulation results are presented and analyzed. All algorithms have computational complexity that scales with the cube of the number of unit cells in the crust. It is shown that real-time response of a formable crust digital clay device is possible, if simplified models are utilized.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
From Detrimental to Beneficial Constituents in Foods: Tracking the Publication Trends in JAFC

A large part of the research focus on food constituents in the 20th century was toward health-detrimental contaminants-pathogens, toxins, chemical residues, and some food additives. This is reflected in the publications in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and other journals. This era witnessed the formation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the rise and fall of DDT and other synthetic chemicals, as well as a number of artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and coloring/flavoring agents that attracted consumer and government attention. During the past 25 years or so, the emphasis in food chemistry and biochemistry has trended more toward health-beneficial chemicals in foods, as their examination yields information on naturally occurring components-polyphenolic antioxidants, unsaturated fatty acids, soluble fibers, and many other classes of constituents that may ward off chronic diseases. This perspective addresses the changes in emphases in published research to the present and trends that indicate the directions that food chemistry/biochemistry and related sciences might follow in the future.
Modification of the tandem reactive centres of human inter-α-trypsin inhibitor with butanedione and cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II)

Human inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (I alpha I) is a plasma proteinase inhibitor active against cathepsin G, leucocyte elastase, trypsin and chymotrypsin. It owes its broad inhibitory specificity to tandem Kunitz-type inhibitory domains within an N-terminal region. Sequence studies suggest that the reactive-centre residues critical for inhibition are methionine and arginine. Reaction of I alpha I with the arginine-modifying reagent butane-2,3-dione afforded partial loss of inhibitory activity against both cathepsin G and elastase but complete loss of activity against trypsin and chymotrypsin. Reaction of I alpha I with the methionine-modifying reagent cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) resulted in partial loss of activity against cathepsin G and elastase but did not affect inhibition of either trypsin or chymotrypsin. Employment of both reagents eliminated inhibition of cathepsin G and elastase. These findings suggest that both cathepsin G and elastase are inhibited at either of the reactive centres of I alpha I. Trypsin and chymotrypsin, however, appear to be inhibited exclusively at the arginine reactive centre.
A new protocol for three-axis static alternating field demagnetization of rocks

Static three-axis alternating field (AF) demagnetization is the most common method regularly implemented for removing magnetic components of rock samples. This method is so widely used that one of its main limitations, the acquisition of gyroremanence (GRM), is often not accounted for or even discussed. The presence of GRM likely interferes more than is recognized in accurate determination of the most stable remanence. The accepted method proposed by Dankers and Zijderveld (1981) for excluding GRM affected measurements requires nearly triple the amount of lab work, and by consequence, is almost never regularly implemented on large batches of samples. Here, we present a laboratory procedure and subsequent analysis (SI method) that removes the effects of GRM in static AF demagnetization without requiring extra laboratory work. This paper, therefore, describes a new standard protocol for efficient static AF demagnetization of rocks.
Unproductive Entrepreneurship in U.S. Military Contracting

U.S. military contracting has been plagued by systematic corruption, fraud, and waste during both times of peace and war. These outcomes result from the inherent features of the U.S. military sector which incentivize unproductive entrepreneurship. The military sector is characterized by an entangled network of government bureaus and private firms whose existence is dependent on continued government spending. These realities, coupled with dysfunctional procurement processes, reward unproductive behaviors during peacetime. During wartime these incentives are intensified, as significant emergency resources are injected into an already defective contracting system. Together, these factors create a magnetic force which attracts unproductive entrepreneurs like bees to honey. The recent experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq illustrate these dynamics.
A Method of Observing Acoustic Scattering and Absorption By Fish Schools Using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

A method for observing acoustic scattering due to reflection/refraction by a fish aggregation and absorption caused by sound propagation through a fish aggregation using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) is presented in this paper, and the merits and challenges of the method are discussed. Results from an experiment conducted off Cape Hatteras, NC, USA, in May 2012 are used to illustrate this experimental technique. Results from the oceanographic and acoustic data collected are presented along with discussions on directions for future research and how to further improve this technique.
Reactor Fuel Burnup Calculations in the LASER Code

A modified version of the LASER computer code is constructed by using Gear’s method for isotopic burnup calculations. It is noted that the original version of the LASER code (as supplied recently b...
Eat, breathe, ROS: controlling stem cell fate through metabolism.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Research reveals cardiac regeneration exists at levels previously deemed unattainable. Clinical trials using stem cells demonstrate promising cardiomyogenic and regenerative potential but insufficient contractile recovery. Incomplete understanding of the biology of administered cells likely contributes to inconsistent patient outcomes. Metabolism is a core component of many well-characterized stem cell types, and metabolic changes fundamentally alter stem cell fate from self-renewal to lineage commitment, and vice versa. However, the metabolism of stem cells currently studied for cardiac regeneration remains incompletely understood.Areas covered: Key metabolic features of stem cells are reviewed and unique stem cell metabolic characteristics are discussed. Metabolic changes altering stem cell fate are considered from quiescence and self-renewal to lineage commitment. Key metabolic concepts are applied toward examining cardiac regeneration through stem cell-based approaches, and clini...
DifferentialEquations.jl – A Performant and Feature-Rich Ecosystem for Solving Differential Equations in Julia

DifferentialEquations.jl is a package for solving differential equations in Julia. It covers discrete equations (function maps, discrete stochastic (Gillespie/Markov) simulations), ordinary differential equations, stochastic differential equations, algebraic differential equations, delay differential equations, hybrid differential equations, jump diffusions, and (stochastic) partial differential equations. Through extensive use of multiple dispatch, metaprogramming, plot recipes, foreign function interfaces (FFI), and call-overloading, DifferentialEquations.jl offers a unified user interface to solve and analyze various forms of differential equations while not sacrificing features or performance. Many modern features are integrated into the solvers, such as allowing arbitrary user-defined number systems for high-precision and arithmetic with physical units, built-in multithreading and parallelism, and symbolic calculation of Jacobians. Integrated into the package is an algorithm testing and benchmarking suite to both ensure accuracy and serve as an easy way for researchers to develop and distribute their own methods. Together, these features build a highly extendable suite which is feature-rich and highly performant. Funding statement: This work was partially supported by NIH grants P50GM76516 and R01GM107264 and NSF grants DMS1562176 and DMS1161621. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. DGE-1321846, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine via the Ford Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health Award T32 EB009418. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.
Comparison of good days and sick days of school-age children with cancer reflected through their drawings

Childhood cancer disrupts children’s daily life experiences. Eliciting children’s perspectives regarding their life experiences during cancer treatment can be challenging. The purpose of this study was to characterize elementary school-age children’s “good days” and “sick days” through their drawings. This study used draw-and-tell interviews, a developmentally sensitive arts-based technique that supports children’s recall and communication of information, facilitating a deeper understanding of children’s personal interpretation and meaning of a given phenomenon of interest. Children were asked to draw pictures representing both a “good day” and a “sick day.” Following completion of each drawing, research team members used a semi-structured interview guide to elicit children’s explanations of their pictures. Content analysis techniques were used to descriptively characterize children’s drawings followed by thematic analysis to identify commonalities. Participants were 27 children 6.33–12.83 years of age (mean 9.16 years; SD = 1.9) receiving treatment for cancer. “Good day” and “sick day” pictures were similar with regards to the presence of the child, the inclusion of other individuals, and the type of art medium used. Children’s pictures characterized “good days” as being happy, outside in sunny weather, and engaged in activities. In contrast, “sick days” were characterized as feeling sad, lying down or reclining, and experiencing illness-related symptoms. Children’s drawings illustrate their capacity to provide rich personal data related to their “good days” and “sick days.” Incorporating arts-based strategies in the clinical setting may provide a child-centric strategy to understand the child’s perspective and direct interventions.
IMPACT OF HUSK TYPE AND SPECIES OF INFESTING INSECTS ON AFLATOXIN CONTAMINATION IN PREHARVEST CORN AT TIFTON, GEORGIA

The use of plants that resist insects has been suggested as a potential means of reducing aflatoxin contamination in some crops. Dent corn, Zea mays L., germplasm possessing the characteristic of a relatively tight, complete husk cover and germplasm possessing the characteristic of a relatively loose, incomplete husk cover on the ear were evaluated for 3 years at Tifton, GA, for aflatoxin contamination. In two of the three test years, corn ears with tight, complete husk cover sustained significantly lower mean amounts of aflatoxin than ears with loose, incomplete husk cover following artificial inoculation with Aspergillus flavus Link spores. Ears hand-infested with maize weevils, Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky), sustained significantly higher amounts of aflatoxin (329 ng·g−1) than ears infested with fall armyworms, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), (80 ng·g−1), European corn borers, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), (71 ng·g−1), or corn earworms Heliothis zea (Boddie) (60 ng·g−1). Overall, ears in the che...
Vesicular uptake of macromolecules by human placental amniotic epithelial cells.

Abstract Introduction Studies in animal models have shown that unidirectional vesicular transport of amniotic fluid across the amnion plays a primary role in regulating amniotic fluid volume. Our objective was to explore vesicle type, vesicular uptake and intracellular distribution of vesicles in human amnion cells using high- and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. Methods Placental amnion was obtained at cesarean section and amnion cells were prepared and cultured. At 20%–50% confluence, the cells were incubated with fluorophore conjugated macromolecules for 1–30 min at 22 °C or 37 °C. Fluorophore labeled macromolecules were selected as markers of receptor-mediated caveolar and clathrin-coated vesicular uptake as well as non-specific endocytosis. After fluorophore treatment, the cells were fixed, imaged and vesicles counted using Imaris ® software. Results Vesicular uptake displayed first order saturation kinetics with half saturation times averaging 1.3 min at 37 °C compared to 4.9 min at 22 °C, with non-specific endocytotic uptake being more rapid at both temperatures. There was extensive cell-to-cell variability in uptake rate. Under super-resolution microscopy, the pattern of intracellular spatial distribution was distinct for each macromolecule. Co-localization of fluorescently labeled macromolecules was very low at vesicular dimensions. Conclusions In human placental amnion cells, 1) vesicular uptake of macromolecules is rapid, consistent with the concept that vesicular transcytosis across the amnion plays a role in the regulation of amniotic fluid volume; 2) uptake is temperature dependent and variable among individual cells; 3) the unique intracellular distributions suggest distinct functions for each vesicle type; 4) non-receptor mediated vesicular uptake may be a primary vesicular uptake mechanism.
Abstract 4899: The small molecule cathepsin L and K inhibitor KGP-94 impairs the metastatic phenotype of osteosarcoma cells

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone cancer and primarily affects adolescents between the ages 10-20 years old. Today, OS remains the second leading cause of cancer-related death for patients in this age group. With current therapy, the 5-year survival for patients with clinically metastatic disease has remained unchanged at 20% since the early 1970s. There is a significant need for novel therapies that will increase overall survival for patients with metastatic OS. Proteases secreted within the tumor microenvironment enable primary tumor development and potentiate the ability of OS cells to metastasize. Typically, cysteine proteases under normal physiologic conditions function primarily within the lysosome to facilitate protein cell turnover. During tumorigenesis, Cathepsin L (CTSL) is secreted into the tumor environment by the tumor. CTSL secretion potentiates metastasis through its regulation of cell motility, extracellular matrix degradation, angiogenesis, and bone remodeling. Cathepsin K (CTSK) is overexpressed in OS and is secreted during bone remodeling by osteoclast to degrade the bone matrix. The bone environment is hypoxic which induces proteomic changes that enable OS cells to survive in a nutrient deprived environment and increase CTSL/CTSK secretion by the tumor cells. The goal of these studies was to determine if CTSL/CTSK inhibition via KPG-94 (3-bromophenyl-3-hydroxyphenyl-ketone thiosemicarbazone) could decrease the metastatic phenotype of human osteosarcoma cells under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The Hu09 cell line has been characterized as an osteoblastic cell line with the potential to grow orthotopically in vivo. Hu09 and its metastatic sublines Hu09-L6 and Hu09-M112 have been characterized to low and high metastatic capacity, respectively. Treatment with KGP-94 at 10 and 25 uM effectively decreases cell motility and invasion of Hu09 and its metastatic sublines under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Our results demonstrate that dual CTSL/CTSK inhibition is effective at decreasing two signature methods of measuring metastasis: 1) cell motility and 2) invasiveness. Targeting CTSL/CTSK may provide a novel therapeutic approach for patients with metastatic OS. Citation Format: Henrietta Fasanya, Dietmar Siemann. The small molecule cathepsin L and K inhibitor KGP-94 impairs the metastatic phenotype of osteosarcoma cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4899. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4899
Universal near-field spin properties of polarized and chiral dipoles

Universal spin-momentum locking of light dictates the direction of transverse spin in the evanescent waves. The coupling between the guided modes of a waveguide and radiating dipoles is also governed by universal spin-momentum locking phenomenon. The spin of the dipole determines the direction of propagation of the coupled wave in the waveguide. We experimentally investigate the radiation behavior of circular and chiral dipoles near a tapered optical fiber. We show that the intrinsic chirality of a chiral dipole plays the role of the spin of a circular dipole in coupling to the modes of an optical fiber.
The People’s Two Bodies: An Alternative Perspective on Populism and Elitism:

Inspired by the late medieval doctrine of the King’s Two Bodies, the idea of the People’s Two Bodies has been so far used lightly by scholars, mostly to point out a supposed contradiction in our sh...
Targeting Therapy Resistance: When Glutamine Catabolism Becomes Essential

Identifying contexts in which cancer cells become addicted to specific nutrients is critical for developing targeted metabolic therapies. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Momcilovic et al. report that suppressed glycolysis following mTOR inhibition is countered by adaptive glutamine catabolism in lung squamous cell carcinoma, sensitizing tumors to glutaminase inhibition.
Analysis of Dependencies

The general overview of frameworks and best practices of cyber resilience assessments provided in the previous chapter is now followed by the chapter that focuses more specifically on methodologies that use the concept of cyber dependencies. A cyber dependency is a connection between two components, such that these components’ functions depend on one another and loss of any one of them degrades the performance of the system as a whole. Such dependencies must be identified and understood as part of a cyber resilience assessment. This chapter describes two related methodologies that help identify and quantify the impact of the loss of cyber dependencies. One relies on a facilitated survey and dependency curve analysis and helps an organization understand its resiliency to the loss of a dependency. That methodology incorporates the ability of an organization to withstand a loss through backup (recovery) methods and assess its resiliency over time. Another methodology helps an organization consider the indirect dependencies that can cause cascading failures if not sufficiently addressed through protective measures. However, that methodology does not incorporate protective measures such as redundancy or consider the possibility that the loss of a dependency might not have an immediate impact.
Keldysh Formalism and the Landauer Approach

Much of the theoretical work on two-terminal quantum devices such as resonant tunneling diodes is based on the tunneling formula(1–3) (see also Chapter 7): $$\begin{array}{*{20}c} {\tilde I\left( E \right)\, = \,\left( {e/h} \right)T\left( E \right)\left[ {f_0 \left( {E - e\mu _1 } \right) - f_0 \left( {E - e\mu _2 } \right)} \right]} \\ {I\, = \,\int {dE\,\tilde I\left( E \right)} } \\ \end{array}$$ (8.1.1) where T(E) is the total transmission through the device summed over all available input channels at the energy E; f 0 is the Fermi-Dirac function and μ1, μ2 are the electrochemical potentials at the two contacts. Equation (8.1.1) allows us to calculate the terminal current I in response to an applied bias V A = μ1 − μ2, if we can compute the transmission T(E) between the contacts.
Cinnamon and Immune Actions: Potential Role in Tristetraprolin-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases

Inflammatory diseases place a heavy burden on the American health care system. Tristetraprolin, a zinc-dependent mRNA binding protein decreases the stability of mRNAS coding for some proinflammatory cytokines. Tristetraprolin-deficient mice develop a profound inflammatory syndrome. Tristetraprolin is a potential cancer therapy due to its control of vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA stability. Cinnamon extract stimulates the expression of antiinflammatory tristetraprolin. Bioactive compound(s) in cinnamon extract define its molecular mechanisms. Cinnamon is potentially important in tristetraprolin-mediated inflammatory diseases.
Nonimmunologic Binding of Horseradish Peroxidase to Hepatitis B Surface Antigen: A Possible Source of Error in Immunohistochemistry

In the process of establishing the specificity of direct immunoperoxidase staining of liver tissue for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), an affinity of free horseradish peroxidase (HRP) for HBsAg in hepatocytes (ground-glass cells) was found. Of 95 patients, the horseradish peroxidase reaction was only positive in the livers of the 35 who were chronically HBsAg seropositive and not in the livers from 60 control patients with alcoholic cirrhosis who were HBsAg seronegative. Comparison studies using the orcein technic and immunoperoxidase methods confirmed the observation that both free horseradish peroxidase (not conjugated to an antibody) and HRP conjugated to an antibody unrelated to HBsAg had an affinity to the cytoplasm of hepatocytes containing HBsAg. The precise nature of this affinity is not known, but it is probably due to a reaction between an activated carbohydrate moiety of horseradish peroxidase and the free amino group of HBsAG.