cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of acute and repeated chlordimeform treatment on rat hepatic microsomal drug metabolizing enzymes.

The effect of chlordimeform (CDM) treatment on the hepatic microsomal drug metabolizing enzymes was examined in male and female rats following either acute or repeated treatment. After acute administration of chlordimeform (100 mg/kg, i.p., 1 hour before killing) differential effects were observed in various parameters of the hepatic microsomal mixed function oxidase system with significant decreases in ethylmorphine metabolism, cytochrome P-450 content, NADPH cytochrome c reductase, and in the spectral binding of hexobarbital and aniline while no changes were found in the metabolism of aniline or p-nitroanisole. Durations of zoxazolamine-induced paralysis and pentobarbital-induced hypnosis were increased significantly after acute CDM administration. Following repeated administration of CDM (75 mg/kg, i.p., for 4 days) to adult male rats, a decrease was observed in zoxazolamine-induced paralysis time while pentobarbital-induced hypnosis was not altered. Metabolism studies using isolated hepatic microsomal fractions showed a decreased rate of biotransformation of ethylmorphine and aniline while the activity of p-nitroanisole O-demethylase was not changed. No differences were found in cytochrome P-450 levels whereas microsomal spectral binding of hexobarbital was reduced while that of aniline was not affected. Following acute or repeated administration of CDM to adult female rats, decreases in the hepatic microsomal metabolism of aniline, but not ethylmorphine or p-nitroanisole, were observed. Addition of CDM to microsomal suspensions yielded a Type I binding curve.
What is a Hybrid

EVERY year, when discussing questions of genetics with my classes, I am compelled to explain that the text-book uses the word hybrid in a very loose way, including heterozygous individuals of all kinds. According to this common usage, the world is full of hybrids, and all human beings are hybrids. I suggest that it would be more convenient to restrict the name hybrid to crosses between species. Crosses between variations or mutants are mongrels, but it may be better to use a more technical or international word, and I suggest “heterogene”.
Prognostic importance of wall motion abnormalities in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

Patients with extensive regional wall motion abnormalities are predisposed to development of ventricular tachyarrhythmia. The prognostic effect of this in patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) is not known. Echocardiographic left ventricular systolic indexes, wall motion score index (WMSI), and extent of regional akinesia in 140 patients (65 ± 10 years old; 92% men) with an ICD and CAD were studied. Arrhythmic events requiring ICD therapy and causing death (n = 41, 29%) were recorded over a mean follow-up of 1.4 ± 0.8 years. Left ventricular basal fractional shortening, ejection fraction, global WMSI, and extent of akinesia, especially in the inferoposterior regions of a right coronary artery territory, were univariate predictors (all p values
Recyclable hydrotalcite catalysts for alcohol imination via acceptorless dehydrogenation

Here we report that hydrotalcite-like materials (HTs) are active heterogeneous catalysts for alcohol imination, which proceeds through acceptorless alcohol dehydrogenation. The catalytic activity of a series of Mg–Al hydrotalcites doped with Fe3+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Cr3+ and Cu2+ is dependent on their composition, and Fe : Mg : Al HT yields up to 92% imine under mild conditions. Impregnation of Fe : Mg : Al HT with Pd0 resulted in an enhancement of activity for acceptorless dehydrogenation, but a decrease in the isolated yield of imine in a loading-dependent manner. This is attributed to the Pd loading-dependent retention of imine and aldehyde on the catalysts. The substrate scope for alcohol imination and recyclability of the catalysts is discussed.
Food security and land use deforestation in northern Guatemala

Abstract Peten, Guatemala is a lowland tropical frontier that has experienced substantial in-migration and deforestation in recent decades. Efforts to curb deforestation in Peten must be based on a better understanding of farmer strategies and the factors that drive them. This paper outlines some key findings that emerged through a detailed study of these strategies and factors. In particular it discusses the important influence of food security concerns on household strategies, as well as farmers’ growing interest in agricultural intensification, mainly in response to the reduction in the area of forest land available for swidden agriculture. The types of intensification strategies being turned to vary considerably, both among communities/sub-regions, and among households, due to differences in factors that influence the economic feasibility of particular activities. Peten farmers are more concerned about conserving forest than is commonly recognized. However, their ability to reduce pressure on forested areas through adoption of more intensive practices is constrained by weak market conditions and prices, poor agricultural services, low levels of farmer organization, and poverty.
Affect biases memory of location: Evidence for the spatial representation of affect

Orientational metaphors that associate good with up and bad with down illustrate that spatial terms can be used to describe positivity and negativity. The present work examined how the association between valence and verticality influences memory for the locations of emotionally evocative stimuli. In two spatial memory experiments, participants viewed positive and negative images from the International Affective Picture System in various locations and then reproduced each image's location from memory. Results indicated that memories of location are influenced by stimulus valence, such that positive items are biased upward relative to negative items. A third experiment extended these results to yearbook photos that had been paired with positive or negative behavioural descriptions. The findings suggest that affective responses evoke spatial representations, leading to systematic biases in spatial memory.
Eyes Absent Mediates Cross-Talk between Retinal Determination Genes and the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling Pathway

Eyes absent (eya) encodes a member of a network of nuclear transcription factors that promotes eye development in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Despite extensive studies, the molecular mechanisms whereby cell-cell signaling pathways coordinate the function of this retinal determination gene network remain unknown. Here, we report that Drosophila Eya function is positively regulated by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-mediated phosphorylation and that this regulation extends to developmental contexts independent of eye determination. In vivo genetic analyses, together with in vitro kinase assay results, demonstrate that Eya is a substrate for extracellular signal-regulated kinase, the MAPK acting downstream in the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling pathway. Thus, phosphorylation of Eya appears to provide a direct regulatory link between the RTK/Ras/MAPK signaling cascade and the retinal determination gene network.
40 years of neutrino physics

Abstract Wolfgang Pauli and Enrico Fermi pioneered the hypothesis and characteristics of the weak interaction and the elementary particle called the neutrino. Since its discovery some forty years ago the neutrino has been shown to be a fundamental constituent of matter with a surprisingly rich, and in very many ways unexpected, set of characteristics ranging from basic roles in the generation of energy in the sun to supernovae.
Correlation of continuous-wave Doppler assessment of chronic aortic regurgitation with hemodynamics and angiography.

Fifteen patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) were studied by cardiac catheterization and continuous-wave (CW) Doppler echocardiography. The slope of the AR CW Doppler signal was higher in patients with severe AR (5.7 ± 2.1 m/s2) than in those with moderate (2.5 ± 1.3 m/s2) or mild (1.8 ± 0.7 m/s2) AR (p 24 mm Hg) elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure were significantly different (1.9 ± 0.6, 3.3 ± 1.2 and 7.1 ± 0.4 m/s2, respectively, p <0.05). Patients with severe AR had shorter pressure half-times than those with mild AR (283 ± 141 vs 820 ± 393 ms, p <0.05). There was a significant correlation between the slope and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (r = 0.80, p <0.001) and a weaker inverse correlation between pressure half-time and left ventricular enddiastolic pressure (r = −0.59, p <0.05). The enddiastolic pressure gradient estimated from CW Doppler using a simplified Bernoulli equation correlated poorly with the catheter measured gradient (r = 0.59, p <0.02). The slope of the CW Doppler signal is a better predictor of severity than pressure half-time and is affected by left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in addition to angiographic severity of AR.
Fish biorobotics: kinematics and hydrodynamics of self-propulsion

As a result of years of research on the comparative biomechanics and physiology of moving through water, biologists and engineers have made considerable progress in understanding how animals moving underwater use their muscles to power movement, in describing body and appendage motion during propulsion, and in conducting experimental and computational analyses of fluid movement and attendant forces. But it is clear that substantial future progress in understanding aquatic propulsion will require new lines of attack. Recent years have seen the advent of one such new avenue that promises to greatly broaden the scope of intellectual opportunity available to researchers: the use of biorobotic models. In this paper we discuss, using aquatic propulsion in fishes as our focal example, how using robotic models can lead to new insights in the study of aquatic propulsion. We use two examples: (1) pectoral fin function, and (2) hydrodynamic interactions between dorsal and caudal fins. Pectoral fin function is characterized by considerable deformation of individual fin rays, as well as spanwise (along the length) and chordwise (across the fin) deformation and area change. The pectoral fin can generate thrust on both the outstroke and instroke. A robotic model of the pectoral fin replicates this result, and demonstrates the effect of altering stroke kinematics on the pattern of force production. The soft dorsal fin of fishes sheds a distinct vortex wake that dramatically alters incoming flow to the tail: the dorsal fin and caudal fin act as dual flapping foils in series. This design can be replicated with a dual-foil flapping robotic device that demonstrates this phenomenon and allows examination of regions of the flapping performance space not available to fishes. We show how the robotic flapping foil device can also be used to better understand the significance of flexible propulsive surfaces for locomotor performance. Finally we emphasize the utility of self-propelled robotic devices as a means of understanding how locomotor forces are generated, and review different conceptual designs for robotic models of aquatic propulsion.
Modeling of Gαs and Gαi Regulation of Human Type V and VI Adenylyl Cyclase

We examined the kinetics of Galpha(s) and Galpha(i) regulation of human type V and type VI adenylyl cyclase (AC V and AC VI) in order to better model interactions between AC and its regulators. Activation of AC VI by Galpha(s) displayed classical Michaelis-Menten kinetics, whereas AC V activation by Galpha(s) was cooperative with a Hill coefficient of 1.4. The basal activity of human AC V, but not that of AC VI, was inhibited by Galpha(i). Both enzymes showed greater inhibition by Galpha(i) at low Galpha(s) concentrations; however, human AC V was activated by Galpha(i) at high Galpha(s) concentrations. Neither regulator had an effect on the K(m) for Mg-ATP. Mutations made within the Galpha(s) binding pocket of AC V (N1090D) and VI (F1078S) displayed 6- and 14-fold greater EC(50) values for Galpha(s) activation but had no effect on Galpha(i) inhibition of basal activity or K(m) for Mg-ATP. Galpha(s)-stimulated AC VI-F1078S was not significantly inhibited by Galpha(i), despite normal inhibition by Galpha(i) upon forskolin stimulation. Mechanistic models for Galpha(s) and Galpha(i) regulation of AC V and VI were derived to describe these results. Our models are consistent with previous studies, predicting a decrease in affinity of Galpha(i) in the presence of Galpha(s). For AC VI, Galpha(s) is required for inhibition but not binding by Galpha(i). For AC V, binding of two molecules of Galpha(s) and Galpha(i) to an AC dimer are required to fully describe the data. These models highlight the differences between AC V and VI and the complex interactions with two important regulators.
Novel Platelet and Vascular Roles for Immunoreceptor Signaling

The immunoreceptor signaling pathway has classically been defined by its role in mediating intracellular signals downstream of immune receptors on circulating cells, but recent studies have revealed new and unexpected roles for this pathway in vascular biology. In platelets the immunoreceptor signaling pathway is coupled to 2 structurally distinct platelet collagen receptors, glycoprotein VI and integrin α2β1, and is required for the activation of platelets after exposure to vessel wall collagen during plaque rupture. During vascular development immunoreceptor signaling is required for proper formation of the lymphatic system, a role that has revealed the contribution of hematopoietic endothelial progenitors to that process. In conjunction with the identification of new biological roles in vascular cell types, new molecular mechanisms of activating this signaling pathway have been discovered, including activation by integrins and immunoreceptor tyrosine activation motifs (ITAMs) on receptors that do not function as part of the immune response. Here we discuss some of these recent findings and their implications for vascular biology and the treatment of human vascular diseases.
A Simple Warm-Pool Displacement ENSO Model

Abstract The authors derive analytical and numerical solutions to a simple model of the zonal displacement of the western equatorial Pacific warm pool. The model is based on a single variable x(t), the anomalous displacement of the eastern edge (28.5°C isotherm) of the warm pool. Although the physics differs, this model has a similar mathematical form to the delayed oscillator ENSO model. As in delayed oscillator models, although the wave-propagation time delay is crucial to the existence and period of the oscillation, the oscillation period is also critically dependent on the relative importance of the growth rate of the instability and the negative feedback. Consequently, the period of the oscillation can be several times the wave propagation time. Unlike delayed oscillator models, the wave propagation time delay is dependent on x(t) since the wave’s propagation time depends on the distance of the edge of the warm pool from the ocean boundaries. If the wave propagation delay time is approximated as a co...
Mercurimetric Method for Salt Determination in Butter and New Cheese

Accurate determinations of the salt content of dairy products are important because of the effect which salt has upon the flavor and quality of these products. The chlorine content of fresh milk is often used as a basis for judging the quality and detecting physiological abnormalities of milk at the intake in market milk plants. The Volhard and Kohman methods are generally used for making chloride determinations of dairy products. Several investigators have recommended making modifications of these methods on the basis that it is difficult to detect the point of neutralization in the titration technique used. This allows considerable latitude for interpretation of results and it is not unusual for the results obtained from different laboratories to vary widely.
Synthesis and characterization of magnetite (Fe3O4)—Polyvinyl alcohol‐based nanocomposites and study of superparamagnetism

The aim of this investigation was to design iron oxide containing nanocomposites which could display superparamagnetic behavior and thus find application in biomedical and allied fields. To achieve the proposed objectives methyl methacrylate was polymerized by a redox system comprising of metabisulphite and persulphate in the immediate presence of a crosslinker, N,N′-methylene bis acrylamide and a preformed polymer, i.e., polyvinyl alcohol. Into the prepared polymer matrix nanosized magnetite (Fe3O4) particles were evenly dispersed by in situ precipitation of Fe2+/Fe3+ ions. The nanocomposite materials were characterized by techniques like FTIR, SEM, TEM, XRD, and DSC. The magnetic behavior of nanocomposites and bulk magnetite particles was studied under varying applied magnetic fields and their superparamagnetic property was examined. The iron-oxide polymer nanocomposites were also studied for microhardness. POLYM. COMPOS., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Modeling human perceptual decision-making using an artificial neural network

Computer-based graphical displays are increasingly used as aids to human decision-makers. However, effective use of this new technology requires an understanding of the perceptual components of decision skill. As a step toward meeting this need, a model of skilled human decision-making using dynamic, graphically displayed information is presented. The model uses the backpropagation architecture to describe how skilled decision-makers might become increasingly attuned to highly diagnostic features of a graphically displayed decision task. The proposed model is consistent with recent psychological research suggesting that decision-makers develop a 'trained eye' through experience. Results comparing the performance of the model with the performance of subjects in a laboratory experiment suggest that the model provides a promising approach for the study of decision skill. >
The correction of scattered-electron spectra for radiative effects

Abstract The distortions caused by the effects of nuclear and thick-target bremsstrahlung on the spectrum of scattered electrons obscure the actual elastic and inelastic cross sections. A method whereby the spectrum can be systematically corrected for these effects is presented. The method uses previous theoretical calculations of the radiative probabilities and employs an iterative technique for step by step correction of the spectrum. Uncertainties due to statistical errors in the measurement propagate through such a calculation. A formulation in which the uncertainties can be explicitly calculated is presented. Corrections to the calculations due to effects such as the change in cross section with change in electron energy are discussed. Special problems associated with the applications of digital computers to this technique are described.
A 200 MHz elliptic OTA-C filter in GaAs technology

Design consideration for fully integrated continuous-time filters operating at very high frequencies are presented. The OTA was designed in TriQuint's 1 mu m GaAs depletion-mode technology; the design considerations include frequency response, linearity, output impedance, tunability, stability of the common-mode output signal, temperature and wire inductances. In order to obtain the highest possible frequency response, the frequency limitations caused by the parasitic parameters are emphasized. As a result, an OTA with 7 GHz -3 dB frequency and very small parasitics, and a filter with 200 MHz cut-off frequency are designed. >
Learning by Helping? Undergraduate Communication Outcomes Associated With Training or Service-Learning Experiences:

This study investigated communication outcomes after training or applied service-learning experiences. Pre-practicum trainees learned active listening skills over 10 weeks. Practicum students were ...
Fidelity and dispersal in the pond-breeding amphibian, Ambystoma opacum: Implications for spatio-temporal population dynamics and conservation

The spatio-temporal dynamics of amphibian populations and the models that describe them are largely influenced by the frequency of dispersal among breeding sites; however, dispersal has rarely been addressed rigorously in empirical studies. In a 7-year landscape-level investigation, we monitored breeding populations of marbled salamanders (Ambystoma opacum) among 14 seasonal ponds in western Massachusetts, USA, to quantify dispersal probabilities and distances. Emerging juveniles (n = 11,168) received cohort marks and adults (n = 5560 capture events) were photographed for individual identification using computer-aided dorsal pattern analysis. We found that 91.0% of first-time breeders returned to natal ponds to breed and 96.4% of experienced breeders maintained breeding site fidelity through multiple seasons. These findings confirm a high level of philopatry in this species and the prominence of local factors in determining local population trends. However, the remaining survivors dispersed to other ponds, with several individuals exceeding distances of 1000 m. Though breeding populations were clearly subdivided, dispersal at these rates may offset effects of genetic drift and inbreeding depression by increasing effective population size (through the aggregation of breeding populations). Outward dispersal probabilities were higher at ponds with small breeding populations and inward dispersal was biased toward larger populations, suggesting that salamanders were cueing to the presence of other individuals and/or to unmeasured habitat characteristics. Our findings suggest that small and dynamic local populations may operate inter dependently in a metapopulation context. Effective conservation strategies targeting these and similarly structured amphibian populations must address landscape-level processes (e.g., dispersal) as well as local demographic factors.
How Employees’ Prior Affiliations Constrain Organizational Network Change A Study of U.S. Venture Capital and Private Equity

This paper investigates how organizations’ reliance on employees’ prior educational and employment affiliations for both employment relationships and interorganizational relationships contributes to inertia in organizational networks. Analyses of data from U.S. venture capital and private equity firms support the theory I develop. First, increasing differences in educational prestige decrease both interpersonal co-employment rates and interorganizational co-investment rates. Second, two individuals who share a prior educational or a prior employment affiliation are more likely to be employed by the same organization than are two individuals who do not share such an affiliation. Third, the likelihood of two organizations forming a co-investment relationship increases with the number of prior educational or employment affiliations shared by their employees. I propose that these tendencies stabilize advantaged organizations’ positions and limit disadvantaged organizations’ positional mobility, thereby constr...
Logical diagnosis solutions must drive yield improvement

The author discusses automated production-worthy solutions for high-volume manufacturing. He suggests that Design for Test (DFT) techniques such as scan (particularly full scan) provide design hooks that enable more effective solutions, while advances in realistic defect behavior modeling and simulation are improving both the accuracy and the ability to localize more difficult defect types. Given a real commitment and a significant investment in research and development, the logic diagnosis problem is promising.
Three-Dimensional Asymmetrical Modeling of Rapid Thermal Annealing of Silicon Wafers

We have developed an analytical tool to predict temperature variations occuring both across the wafer and down the thermal cycles, based on very simple 3-dimensional physical models depicting the heat transfer processes taking place during a typical rapid thermal processing (RTP) step. This model takes into account the convective and the radiative heat losses along with the thermal conduction within the wafer. An hybrid control volume formulation has been used to solve the heat conduction equation to yield numerical solutions of temperature variation, both on and within the wafer. The effect of ambient gas flow direction and the related asymmetric convective heat loss on the temperature non-uniformity across the wafer at different stages of the thermal cycle is well analyzed. Finally, the temperature non-uniformity across a wafer patterned with oxide is examined.
Failure mode investigation of high power multi-mode InGaAs-AlGaAs strained quantum well lasers using time-resolved EL and EBIC techniques

We report our failure mode investigation of high power multi-mode InGaAs-AlGaAs strained quantum well (QW) lasers using time-resolved electroluminescence (EL) and electron beam induced current (EBIC) techniques.
Liquid Crystal Optics For Laser Systems

We present an overview of the development of laser optics utilizing liquid crystals. Devices discussed include wave plates, circular polarizers, optical isolators, laser blocking notch filters and laser beam apodizers. Issues addressed include fabrication methods and laser damage resistance.
Teaching technical writing from a distance

The article briefly reviews the history of continuing education, particularly as it relates to the University of Kansas. It then discusses the writer's own experiences teaching technical writing from a distance to students enrolled in a correspondence course (English 362t: Technical Writing), through the University of Kansas. Finally, it introduces more promising, interactive models and raises questions related to the future "ownership" of distance education technical writing courses.
Measuring and Modeling the Power Consumption of Energy-Efficient FPGA Coprocessors for GEMM and FFT

In this paper we analyze the power consumption and energy efficiency of general matrix-matrix multiplication (GEMM) and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) implemented as streaming applications for an FPGA-based coprocessor card. The power consumption is measured with internal voltage sensors and the power draw is broken down onto the systems components in order to classify the energy consumed by the processor cores, the memory, the I/O links and the FPGA card. We present an abstract model that allows for estimating the power consumption of FPGA accelerators on the system level and validate the model using the measured kernels. The performance and energy consumption is compared against optimized multi-threaded software running on the POWER7 host CPUs. Our experimental results show that the accelerator can improve the energy efficiency by an order of magnitude when the computations can be undertaken in a fixed point format. Using floating point data, the gain in energy-efficiency was measured as up to 30 % for the double precision GEMM accelerator and up to 5 × for a 1k complex FFT.
Solubilization in Aqueous Micellar Systems

Solubilization in micellar systems is intimately associated with the nature of micelle formation itself and the structure and properties of the solubilized species. Solubilization and micelle-water distribu­tion equilibria and the effect of solubilization on monomer-micelle equilibria, the critical micellization concentration, and micellar size distributions, in­cluding the sphere-to-rod transition, are reviewed. The location and distribution of solubilized species inside the micelle are examined with emphasis on a recently formulated two-state model of solubilization postulating an equilibrium distribution between a ‘dissolved state’ associated with the hydrocarbon core and an ‘adsorbed state’ arising out of the sur­face (interfacial) activity of the solubilizate dis­solved in the micelle. The solubilization capacities of micelles for solubilizates of different structures are examined. It is shown that the two-state model provides a ready explanation of the apparently anomalous high solubilities of slightly polar substances in micelles as compared to those of aliphatic hydrocar­bons. The role of the Laplace pressure due to the curved interface of micelles in affecting the solvent power of the hydrocarbon core is examined. It is shown that the Laplace pressure effect gives a quali­tative, and in some cases, semiquantitative account of observed solubilities of hydrocarbons in micelles.
Virtual Blinds: Finding Online Privacy in Offline Precedents

A person in a building shows a desire for privacy by pulling her blinds shut or closing her curtains. Otherwise, she cannot complain when her neighbor sees her undressing from the window, or when a policeman looks up from the street and sees her marijuana plants. In the online context, can we find an analogy to these privacy blinds? Or is the window legally bare because of the nature of the internet?This Article argues that by analyzing the privacy given to communications in the offline context, and in particular, by analyzing case law recognizing privacy in an otherwise public place when the individual engages in affirmative efforts to ensure her privacy, the law can find a sensible foundation for recognizing privacy online. This Article proposes a framework that incorporates the following factors in the reasonable expectations of privacy context. First is the existence of a user agreement or employer policy governing the use of the specific communication mechanism or providing for monitoring of that use. Second is the extent to which third parties have access to or protect the communications. The third factor is the notice given to the user of the user agreement, employer policy, or practice of giving access to or protection from third parties. Finally, the fourth factor is the availability and use of privacy enhancing controls which increase the likelihood of the communication being protected from disclosure to people other than the chosen recipient(s), including but not limited to (a) passwords, (b) encryption technology, (c) network configuration, and (d) privacy settings limiting disclosure to certain people.Courts can adapt this test to a civil tort or Fourth Amendment context, to employment and non-employment cases, and to statutory privacy claims. It is a logical evolution from the practical factors that courts have looked at in offline cases — like closing doors and securing lockers — and it is consistent with the growing weight of authority that finds a reasonable expectation of privacy in online communications where the Internet user avails herself of privacy ensuring measures.
Tetrabromobisphenol A and hexabromocyclododecane alter secretion of IL-1β from human immune cells

AbstractTetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), flame retardant compounds used in epoxy resin circuit boards and upholstery, contaminate the environment and are found in human serum. Lymphocytes and monocytes are immune cells that, among other functions, secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, an important regulator of immune responsiveness and tissue growth and repair. Thus, if its levels are dysregulated, loss of proper immune function and increased invasiveness of tumors could ensue. This study examines whether exposures to varying concentrations (0.05–5.0 μM) of TBBPA and HBCD for 24 h, 48 h and 6 days interfere with the ability of immune cells to secrete IL-1β. The immune cell preparations examined were human natural killer (NK) cells, monocyte-depleted (MD) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MD-PBMC) and PBMC. Both increased and decreased secretion of IL-1β from all three types of cell preparation were seen with TBBPA exposures and were dependent on ...
Social Penetration Theory

Social penetration theory describes the role of disclosure in relationship development, focusing specifically on how self-disclosure functions in developing relationships. The onion model serves as a framework for describing the process of social penetration. In developing relationships, people use self-disclosure to increase intimacy including through breadth, depth, and the norm of reciprocity. Social penetration progresses through several stages to develop relationships. The theory also incorporates rewards and costs in relation to social penetration and has influenced the development of a number of theories in relationship development and information management. Keywords: communication theory; interpersonal communication; relational communication
Anti-cancer strategy of transitional cell carcinoma of bladder based on induction of different types of programmed cell deaths

Current treatment for advanced malignancy of the bladder cancer relies on combination chemotherapeutic agent regimens. In these patients chemotherapeutic resistance emerges in the form of an aggressive subpopulation of tumor cells even if there has been a good initial response. The majority of chemotherapeutic agents target mitotic cancer cells by inducing DNA damage pathways or altering cell cycle regulation. Drug resistance often arises from the remaining post-mitotic cancer cells, which can be further targeted by triggering the intrinsic apoptotic, autophagic, or necrotic pathways. If the death pathway could be activated extrinsically, there would be the potential for a synergistic toxic effect on tumor cells. In addition, if the death pathway was identified as being nonfunctional for any of the reasons outlined, the restoration of function could reactivate the immune system anti-tumor response. Current strategy is to decipher the complexities of death pathways in order to identify key effector molecules and their function. As their mechanisms have been elucidated, so has the knowledge that aberrations can occur at many points along the pathway, interfering with normal function. This has fueled exciting new research attempts to engineer novel therapeutic options.
The Significance of Intracerebral Hematoma Location on the Risk of Tentorial Herniation and Clinical Outcome

Intracrebral hematomas (ICH) may occur following head trauma (Diaz et al. 1979, Soloniuk et al. 1986), or spontaneously, due to as variety of mechanisms (Ojemann and Heros 1983, Ott et al. 1974, Paillas and Alliez 1973, Ropper and Davis 1980). The clinical presentation of ICH usually includes the sudden onset of headache, focal neurological deficits and depression of the level of consciousness (Fisher et al. 1965, Ojemann and Heros 1983, Ott et al. 1974, Paillas and Alliez 1973, Ropper and Davis 1980). A small number of patients with either post-traumatic or spontaneous (Diaz et al. 1979, Fisher et al. 1965, Ojemann and Heros 1983, Ott et al. 1974, Soloniuk et al. 1986). ICH may develop signs of brainstem compression, which markedly worsens the prognosis for recovery (Fisher et al. 1965, Ojemann and Heros 1983, Ott et al. 1974, Soloniuk et al. 1986).
Reduced-Reference Quality Assessment Based on the Entropy of DWT Coefficients of Locally Weighted Gradient Magnitudes

Perceptual image quality assessment (IQA) attempts to use computational models to estimate the image quality in accordance with subjective evaluations. Reduced-reference IQA (RRIQA) methods make use of partial information or features extracted from the reference image for estimating the quality of distorted images. Finding a balance between the number of RR features and accuracy of the estimated image quality is essential and important in IQA. In this paper, we propose a training-free low-cost RRIQA method that requires a very small number of RR features (six RR features). The proposed RRIQA algorithm is based on the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) of locally weighted gradient magnitudes. We apply human visual system’s contrast sensitivity and neighborhood gradient information to weight the gradient magnitudes in a locally adaptive manner. The RR features are computed by measuring the entropy of each DWT subband, for each scale, and pooling the subband entropies along all orientations, resulting in $L$ RR features (one average entropy per scale) for an $L$ -level DWT. Extensive experiments performed on seven large-scale benchmark databases demonstrate that the proposed RRIQA method delivers highly competitive performance as compared with the state-of-the-art RRIQA models as well as full reference ones for both natural and texture images. The MATLAB source code of REDLOG and the evaluation results are publicly available online at https://http://lab.engineering.asu.edu/ivulab/software/redlog/ .
Thermal characterization of nanoporous 'black silicon' surfaces

In this work we characterize the thermal conductivity properties of nanoprous ‘black silicon’ (bSi). We fabricate the nanoporous bSi using the metal assisted chemical etching (MACE) process utilizing silver (Ag) metal as the etch catalyst. The MACE process steps include (i) electroless deposition of Ag nanoparticles on the Si surface using silver nitrate (AgNO3) and hydrofluoric acid (HF), and (ii) a wet etch in a solution of HF and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The resulting porosity of bSi is dependent on the ratio of the concentration of HF to (HF + H2O2); the ratio is denoted as rho (ρ). We find that as etch time of bSi increases the thermal conductivity of Si increases as well. We also analyze the absorption of the bSi samples by measuring the transmission and reflection using IR spectroscopy. This study enables improved understanding of nanoporous bSi surfaces and how they affect the solar cell performance due to the porous structures’ thermal properties.
The racial implications of the effects of parental incarceration on intergenerational mobility

This review focuses on adverse effects of parental incarceration disproportionately experienced by minority youth. Mass incarceration has not been just the widespread removal of individual social isolates and deviants from society, but has also been the removal of parents and family members from homes and communities. First, this review discusses the racial implications of a vast and multidimensional, punitive and stigmatizing, criminal justice system. The review then focuses on the intergenerational effects of mass incarceration that limit intergenerational mobility, such as the reduced educational attainment of those experiencing parental incarceration. Using existing literature in the field, the review highlights the workings of intergenerational transmissions of stigma and strain in the production of disadvantage for children of incarcerated parents. Finally, the need for more restorative forms of justice is discussed.
On the Etiology of Listening Difficulties in Noise Despite Clinically Normal Audiograms.

Many people with difficulties following conversations in noisy settings have “clinically normal” audiograms, that is, tone thresholds better than 20 dB HL from 0.1 to 8 kHz. This review summarizes the possible causes of such difficulties, and examines established as well as promising new psychoacoustic and electrophysiologic approaches to differentiate between them. Deficits at the level of the auditory periphery are possible even if thresholds remain around 0 dB HL, and become probable when they reach 10 to 20 dB HL. Extending the audiogram beyond 8 kHz can identify early signs of noise-induced trauma to the vulnerable basal turn of the cochlea, and might point to “hidden” losses at lower frequencies that could compromise speech reception in noise. Listening difficulties can also be a consequence of impaired central auditory processing, resulting from lesions affecting the auditory brainstem or cortex, or from abnormal patterns of sound input during developmental sensitive periods and even in adulthood. Such auditory processing disorders should be distinguished from (cognitive) linguistic deficits, and from problems with attention or working memory that may not be specific to the auditory modality. Improved diagnosis of the causes of listening difficulties in noise should lead to better treatment outcomes, by optimizing auditory training procedures to the specific deficits of individual patients, for example.
Giant exchange bias and its angular dependence in Co/CoO core-shell nanowire assemblies

Abstract The exchange-bias field (HEB) and its angular dependence are systematically investigated in Co/CoO core-shell nanowire assemblies (∼15 nm in diameter and ∼200 nm in length) consisting of single-crystalline Co core and polycrystalline CoO shell. Giant exchange-bias field (HEB) up to 2.4 kOe is observed below a blocking temperature (TEB ∼150 K) in the aligned Co/CoO nanowire assemblies. It is also found that there is an angular dependence between the HEB and the applied magnetization direction. The HEB showed a peak at 30° between the applied field and the nanowire aligned direction, which may be attributed to the noncollinear spin orientations at the interface between the ferromagnetic core and the antiferromagnetic shell. This behavior is quantitatively supported by an analytical calculation based on Stoner–Wohlfarth model. This study underlines the importance of the competing magnetic anisotropies at the interface of Co/CoO core-shell nanowires.
SeleCon: Scalable IoT Device Selection and Control Using Hand Gestures

Although different interaction modalities have been proposed in the field of human-computer interface (HCI), only a few of these techniques could reach the end users because of scalability and usability issues. Given the popularity and the growing number of IoT devices, selecting one out of many devices becomes a hurdle in a typical smarthome environment. Therefore, an easy-to-learn, scalable, and non-intrusive interaction modality has to be explored. In this paper, we propose a pointing approach to interact with devices, as pointing is arguably a natural way for device selection. We introduce SeleCon for device selection and control which uses an ultra-wideband (UWB) equipped smartwatch. To interact with a device in our system, people can point to the device to select it then draw a hand gesture in the air to specify a control action. To this end, SeleCon employs inertial sensors for pointing gesture detection and a UWB transceiver for identifying the selected device from ranging measurements. Furthermore, SeleCon supports an alphabet of gestures that can be used for controlling the selected devices. We performed our experiment in a 9m-by-10m lab space with eight deployed devices. The results demonstrate that SeleCon can achieve 84.5% accuracy for device selection and 97% accuracy for hand gesture recognition. We also show that SeleCon is power efficient to sustain daily use by turning off the UWB transceiver, when a user's wrist is stationary.
Surgical readmission and survival in women with ovarian cancer: Are short-term quality metrics incentivizing decreased long-term survival?

Abstract Objectives To determine the association between treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) or primary debulking surgery (PDS) and readmission after surgical hospitalization as well as overall survival among women with stage IIIC epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Methods We identified incident cases of stage IIIC EOC treated with both chemotherapy and surgery in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from 2006 to 2012. 30-day readmissions were categorized as planned or unplanned. Log binomial models were used to estimate risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Survival analysis was performed using cox proportional hazards models. Results We identified 20,853 women with stage IIIC EOC. 15.6% ( n =3242) were treated with NACT and 11.6% ( n =2427) were readmitted within 30days of surgery, 59% ( n =1421) were unplanned. NACT was associated with a 48% reduction in the risk of any readmission (aRR 0.52 95%CI 0.45–0.60) compared to PDS with adjustment for age, race, insurance, histology, year of diagnosis, and Charlson co-morbidity index score. However, in the same population, receipt of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was also associated with a 33% increase in the rate of death (HR 1.33 95%CI 1.29–1.40) with adjustment for the same factors. Conclusions Among women with stage IIIC EOC, NACT is associated with both decreased rates of readmission and decreased survival compared to PDS. While selection bias may account for some of the observed differences in survival, the current focus on short-term hospital-wide quality metrics, such as postoperative readmission, in the ovarian cancer population, may be creating incentives inconsistent with long-term goals.
Radical Maquettes as Models of Radical Enzymes

A most interesting development in recent years is the number of redox proteins that have been recognized to employ amino acids, including tyrosine, tryptophan, cysteine, glycine and derivative thereof, as redox cofactors [1]. The use of sidechains as endogenous cofactors raises the question as to how these amino acids specifically are targeted for redox chemistry. One theme emerging for the systems studied thus far is the presence of a metal site in the immediate vicinity of the redox-active sidechain that generates the oxidizing potential necessary to form the radical, which, in turn, reacts with the substrate. Photosystem II in oxygenic photosynthesis provides an exception as a light-activated chlorophyll complex, P680, oxidizes two nearby tyrosines, denoted Yz and YD in which the former is directly involved in water oxidation [2,3]. Redox-active sidechains change their pK values dramatically upon oxidation and in several systems, coupled deprotonation and reprotonation reactions are part of the catalytic cycle. This suggests protein-mediated mechanisms to allow a directional flow of protons during the redox reactions. In recent models for the water-oxidizing process, for example, redox-induced proton exchange at Yz has been proposed to serve as the device by which the product protons are delivered from the catalytic site and towards the thylakoid lumen [2–4]. In some enzymes, the radical is confined and directed towards local chemistry. In other systems, such as the ribonucleotide reductase enzymes involved in DNA synthesis, the initial radical is generated at a position remote from the site of catalysis and radical migration is involved in substrate turnover [1].
HIV-1 Unspliced RNA Expression Induces Innate Immune Activation in Macrophages

Low-levels of type I interferons (IFN-I) are thought to be a driving force for immune activation and T cell exhaustion in HIV-1 infected individuals on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), though the causative mechanisms for persistent IFN-I signaling have remained unclear. Here, we show Rev-CRM1 dependent nuclear export and peripheral membrane association of intron-containing HIV-1 unspliced RNA (usRNA), independent of primary viral sequence or viral protein expression, is subject to sensing, and results in IFN-I-dependent pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages. Our findings suggest that persistent expression of HIV-1 usRNA in macrophages contributes to chronic immune activation and that use of HIV RNA expression inhibitors as adjunct therapy might abrogate aberrant inflammation and restore immune function in HIV-infected individuals on HAART.