cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The contribution of the S-phase checkpoint genes MEC1 and SGS1 to genome stability maintenance in Candida albicans.

Genome rearrangements, a common feature of Candida albicans isolates, are often associated with the acquisition of antifungal drug resistance. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, perturbations in the S-phase checkpoints result in the same sort of Gross Chromosomal Rearrangements (GCRs) observed in C. albicans. Several proteins are involved in the S. cerevisiae cell cycle checkpoints, including Mec1p, a protein kinase of the PIKK (phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase-like kinase) family and the central player in the DNA damage checkpoint. Sgs1p, the ortholog of BLM, the Bloom’s syndrome gene, is a RecQ-related DNA helicase; cells from BLM patients are characterized by an increase in genome instability. Yeast strains bearing deletions in MEC1 or SGS1 are viable (in contrast to the inviability seen with loss of MEC1 in S. cerevisiae) but the different deletion mutants have significantly different phenotypes. The mec1Δ/Δ colonies have a wild-type colony morphology, while the sgs1Δ/Δ mutants are slow-growing, producing wrinkled colonies with pseudohyphal-like cells. The mec1Δ/Δ mutants are only sensitive to ethylmethane sulfonate (EMS), methylmethane sulfonate (MMS), and hydroxyurea (HU) but the sgs1Δ/Δ mutants exhibit a high sensitivity to all DNA-damaging agents tested. In an assay for chromosome 1 integrity, the mec1Δ/Δ mutants exhibit an increase in genome instability; no change was observed in the sgs1Δ/Δ mutants. Finally, loss of MEC1 does not affect sensitivity to the antifungal drug fluconazole, while loss of SGS1 leads to an increased susceptibility to fluconazole. Neither deletion elevated the level of antifungal drug resistance acquisition.
Analysis of heterojunction bipolar transistor/resonant tunneling diode logic for low-power and high-speed digital applications

A high-speed digital logic family based on heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) and resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) is proposed. The negative differential resistance of RTDs is used to significantly decrease the static power dissipation. SPICE simulations indicate that propagation delay time below 150 ps at 0.09-mW static power per gate should be obtainable. >
NusEye: designing for social navigation in syndicated content

The design of NusEye, an online system for social navigation in syndicated content is presented. NusEye is an information system for syndicated content which is extended to support the collaborative activity of users, also known as social navigation. Dourish and Chalmers (1994) define social navigation as provoking a user to move through an information space guided by the activity of others in that space. NusEye augments syndicated content with social navigation. NusEye allows users to apply ad-hoc keywords, or tags, to sources of Web syndicated information. Applied tags are visible to all users in the system. NusEye can identify the most popular tags and Webfeeds. The entire community benefits from the aggregation and collective tagging efforts of each individual by being able to search tags and/or users in order to find new Webfeed sources. Furthermore, NusEye offers special content analysis based on keyword tags. Users can apply various dynamically updated analyses on the content generated by groups of sources. The major points of design include the selection of an interface in which social communities and networks can form from the use of tags, content analysis that is beneficial for syndicated content, and the presentation of analysis results. A prototype version of NusEye has been built and is currently being used to test and explore the concept of social navigation in syndicated content.
Merit Pay and Music Education: A Motivation Perspective

Recently, state and federal legislators have emphasized teacher quality in their efforts to improve public education. Many reformers believe that merit pay may prove invaluable in attracting highly qualified educators to the workforce and retaining them, as well as in improving students’ test scores. While merit pay's ability to recruit and retain great teachers is as yet unproven, recent studies have found little evidence that merit pay improves students’ test scores. The following article seeks to inform merit pay policies by offering insight from research in educational psychology and outlining possible implications for music education.
Parametric study of flow around rectangular prisms using LES

Abstract A parametric study concerning the flow around rectangular prisms of different aspect ratios (1 : 1, 1 : 1.5, 1 : 2, 1 : 3, 1 : 4) is conducted numerically at a Reynolds number of 105. The Navier–Stokes equations in the large eddy simulation (LES) framework are solved using a finite volume method. The Smagorinsky closure model is used for representing the subgrid scale viscosity. The simulated results clearly demonstrate the influence of the aspect ratio on the velocity field around prisms. Flow reattachment is observed in the mean flow for prisms with aspect ratios of 1 : 3 and 1 : 4. This trend in the mean velocity field is corroborated by the mean and RMS distribution of pressure over the prism surface. The numerical results show a good agreement with the available experimental data.
Quasi-Monte Carlo methods in cash flow testing simulations

What actuaries call cash flow testing is a large-scale simulation pitting a company's current policy obligation against future earnings based on interest rates. While life contingency issues associated with contract payoff are a mainstay of the actuarial sciences, modeling the random fluctuations of US Treasury rates is less studied. Furthermore, applying standard simulation techniques, such as the Monte Carlo method, to actual multi-billion dollar companies produce a simulation that can be computationally prohibitive. In practice, only hundreds of sample paths can be considered, not the usual hundreds of thousands one might expect for a simulation of this complexity. Hence, insurance companies have a desire to accelerate the convergence of the estimation procedure. The paper reports the results of cash flow testing simulations performed for Conseco L.L.C. using so-called quasi-Monte Carlo techniques. In these, pseudo-random number generation is replaced with deterministic low discrepancy sequences. It was found that by judicious choice of subsequences, that the quasi-Monte Carlo method provided a consistently tighter estimate than the traditional methods for a fixed, small number of sample paths. The techniques used to select these subsequences are discussed.
Abstract families of length-preserving processors

A ''length-preserving processor'', is in essence a nondeterministic linear bounded automaton with auxiliary storage. Length-preserving processors are partitioned into classes according to their methods of handling storage, and each class is termed an ''abstract family of length-preserving processors'' (AFLP). The smallest AFLP, i.e. the family of linear bounded automata, and the family of context-sensitive languages defined by it are characterized as the smallest families having certain containment and closure properties. These properties motivate the definition of an ''abstract family of length-preserving operations,'' (AFLO), and a ''closed abstract, family of languages'' (closed AFL). Every AFLP computes an AFLO and each of a broad class of storage-bounded subfamilies of an AFLP computes an AFLO or a <
An introduction to combined Fourier–wavelet transform and its application to convectively coupled equatorial waves

Convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs) are major sources of tropical day-to-day variability. The majority of CCEWs-related studies for the past decade or so have based their analyses, in one form or another, on the Fourier-based space–time spectral analysis method developed by Wheeler and Kiladis (WK). Like other atmospheric and oceanic phenomena, however, CCEWs exhibit pronounced nonstationarity, which the conventional Fourier-based method has difficulty elucidating. The purpose of this study is to introduce an analysis method that is able to describe the time-varying spectral features of CCEWs. The method is based on a transform, referred to as the combined Fourier–wavelet transform (CFWT), defined as a combination of the Fourier transform in space (longitude) and wavelet transform in time, providing an instantaneous space–time spectrum at any given time. The elaboration made on how to display the CFWT spectrum in a manner analogous to the conventional method (i.e., as a function of zonal wavenumber and frequency) and how to estimate the background noise spectrum renders the method more practically feasible. As a practical example, this study analyzes 3-hourly cloud archive user service (CLAUS) cloudiness data for 23 years. The CFWT and WK methods exhibit a remarkable level of agreement in the distributions of climatological-mean space–time spectra over a wide range of space–time scales ranging in time from several hours to several tens of days, indicating the instantaneous CFWT spectrum provides a reasonable snapshot. The usefulness of the capability to localize space–time spectra in time is demonstrated through examinations of the annual cycle, interannual variability, and a case study.
Specificity of Prediction Requests: Evidence for the Differential Effects of Self-Prophecy on Commitment to a Health Assessment

Modification of behavior is an important goal for organizations desiring to improve the healthfulness of a society. Unfortunately, many strategies used to affect health-related behaviors (e.g., health beliefs model) are relatively complex and sometimes difficult to apply. A strategy potentially more useful for achieving such behavior change is self-prophecy a simple technique requiring people to predict their future behavior, which in turn yields an increased probability of performing the behavior in a socially desirable manner. In the current research, we test the capacity of self-prophecy to influence people's commitment to a health and fitness assessment. In addition, we explore an under-researched issue regarding the application of self-prophecy; namely, does specificity of the prediction request impact the effectiveness of self-prophecy?
The effects of air quality regulations on the location decisions of pollution-intensive manufacturing plants

This research examines the effects of the 1977 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) on the location decisions of pollution-intensive manufacturing plants. We develop a panel data set to analyze plant births of polluting manufacturers over time as a function county-level attainment status of the federal standard for ozone pollution. We find that more stringent county-level environmental regulations impact pollution-intensive capital flows through deterring new plant births. We also find that the impact of stricter regulations varies by pollution-intensity of manufacturers, with results suggesting that federal guidelines have a greater impact on high pollution intensive manufacturers than more moderate polluters.
What is Not Yet Cultivating the Imagination

In this column, the author describes imaginative capacities that encourage imaginative thinking and creating anew. Concepts from the nursing theory of humanbecoming are presented to further explore the applicability of focusing on cultivating the imagination in nursing curricula. A nursing seminar is proposed, entitled What Is Not Yet, that could foster the creative potential of nurse leaders.
Acute abdominal pain in the pediatric emergency department: a case of right lower quadrant wandering spleen that acutely torsed.

A 16-year-old Asian girl presents with her mother to a community pediatric Emergency Department with acute right lower quadrant abdominal pain for 2 days. She rated the pain as mild to moderate in severity that continued to persist with some nausea, but denied any vomiting, fevers, trauma, or any recent illness. She had no significant medical or surgical history. Her heart rate was 59 beats/min, blood pressure was 102/62 mm Hg, respiratory rate was 16 breaths/min, and temperature was 37.0 C. She had obvious voluntary guarding to the right lower quadrant, no appreciable masses, and was without peritoneal signs. The patient’s white blood cell count was 20.6 K/uL with an absolute neutrophil count of 15,000. A computed tomography scan was ordered to rule out appendicitis; however, it demonstrated an inverted spleen in the right lower quadrant with abrupt vascular cut-off with a spleen that did not enhance (Figure 1). The patient was urgently transferred to the quaternary care center for definitive pediatric surgical management. The pediatric surgery team opted for urgent diagnostic laparoscopic evaluation, noting the spleen to be in the right lower pelvis with a torsed pedicle around 720 degrees, which the surgeon commented was ‘‘a very abnormal vascular pedicle.’’ The pedicle was de-torsed, however, there was no return of perfusion and ultimately
Grass weed interference and nitrogen accumulation in no-tillage corn

Abstract No-tillage field studies were conducted in 1999 and 2000 at Columbia, MO, to determine the interaction of grass weed interference and side-dressed N fertilization on corn and weed growth, corn yield, and the N content of the soil and plant biomass at various intervals early in the growing season and at harvest. Ammonium nitrate (112 kg N ha−1) was applied before planting. A herbicide was applied to the entire experimental area before planting to control winter vegetation and to reduce broadleaf weed emergence. A mixture of large crabgrass, giant foxtail, and barnyardgrass was allowed to reinfest the experiment after corn planting and was sprayed with glyphosate when the weeds were 8, 15, 23, or 31 cm tall. Each removal date treatment was duplicated; one series received 45 kg N ha−1 side-dressed when the corn was approximately 60 cm tall, and the other series received no additional N. Corn dry weight and the N content of the corn biomass early in the growing season were similar between the weed-fr...
Understanding the traveling behavior of Muslims in the United States

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of Islamic beliefs and practices on leisure and travel behavior of Muslims in Clemson, South Carolina. With the increase of Muslims in the USA, from both conversion and immigration, it is important to examine the effects of their religion on leisure and travel behavior. Design/methodology/approach – Using the grounded theory approach, semi-structured interviews with six Muslim men and six Muslim women of different nationalities were conducted in English in the local Mosque of Clemson, South Carolina, in the fall of 2011. Findings – The results provide some evidence that Islamic beliefs and behavioral practices influence leisure and travel behavior of Muslims in the USA. The study identifies seven major themes that play an important role in determining leisure and travel behavior of Muslims in Clemson. These are the importance of mosques, traveling with a Mohram, Hijab and a dress code for men and women, drinking alcohol and being in places wh...
Integrating PCR Theory and Bioinformatics into a Research-oriented Primer Design Exercise

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a conceptually difficult technique that embodies many fundamental biological processes. Traditionally, students have struggled to analyze PCR results due to an incomplete understanding of the biological concepts (theory) of DNA replication and strand complementarity. Here we describe the design of a novel research-oriented exercise that prepares students to design DNA primers for PCR. Our exercise design includes broad and specific learning goals and assessments of student performance and perceptions. We developed this interactive Primer Design Exercise using the principles of scientific teaching to enhance student understanding of the theory behind PCR and provide practice in designing PCR primers to amplify DNA. In the end, the students were more poised to troubleshoot problems that arose in real experiments using PCR. In addition, students had the opportunity to utilize several bioinformatics tools to gain an increased understanding of primer quality, directionality, and specificity. In the course of this study many misconceptions about DNA replication during PCR and the need for primer specificity were identified and addressed. Students were receptive to the new materials and the majority achieved the learning goals.
Model for Ion Collision Rate and Kinetic Equation

A model for the collision rate of an impurity ion in a plasma is formulated by extending a corresponding model for velocity and electric field correlation functions. All dynamical effects of the plasma are represented by its electric field at the impurity, which is then given a simple stochastic description. The simplest example allows complete determination of the collision rate and solution to the associated kinetic equation.
MAINTAINING EFFECTIVENESS AMID DOWNSIZING AND DECLINE IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

The amount of cutback, downsizing, and decline in U.S. higher education is at unprecedented levels and equals the prevalence of downsizing in the corporate sector. Because the consequence of downsizing in the private sector is often negative, the question arises: Does financial decline and downsizing in higher education also lead to organizational ineffectiveness? This study of 334 colleges and universities found that institutions with declining resources are as effective as institutions with abundant resources. Institutions that develop attributes labeled "the dirty dozen," however, perform less effectively. Implications for managing under conditions of fiscal stress are discussed.
CMOS-ASIC life-predictions from test-coupon data

Establishes the design and test requirements for test structures fabricated in test coupons and demonstrates the use of test structure data in predicting the lifetime of long-life application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Data acquired from three CMOS reliability hazards, i.e., metal electromigration, hot carriers, and oxide breakdown, were used to calculate the cumulative-failure time dependence of CMOS ASICs. The experimental design required that test structures be replicated enough times on a wafer so that the structures can be stressed at three stress points, thus providing failure model parameters and their statistical distributions. >
Molecular weight determination of plasmid DNA using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Ionization and molecular weight (MW) determination of megadalton size plasmid DNA has been achieved using electrospray ionization (ESI) with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry. DNA molecules were shown to remain intact through electrospray ionization by collection on a specially prepared surface, followed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Individual highly charged ions of plasmid DNA produced by ESI were trapped in an FTICR cell for up to several hours and reacted with acetic acid to induce charge state shifts. Measurements of mass-to-charge ratios for these multiple peaks arising from charge state shifting give MW measurements of individual ions with an average accuracy of 0.2%. The MW distribution was obtained by measurements for a number of individual ions from the same sample [plasmid DNA: pGEM-5S MW(cal) = 1.946 MDa], yielding a MW(obs) of 1.95 +/- 0.07 MDa for ions clustered in the vicinity of the expected MW.
A Robust Force Controller for an SRM Based Electromechanical Brake System

In this paper, we propose a robust nonlinear force controller for a switched reluctance motor (SRM) electromechanical brake system which is a promising replacement for hydraulic brakes in the automotive industry. A detailed model of the motor including current dependent inductance coefficients is used. The load exerted on the motor by the caliper may be modeled as a spring; however, the actual load model is taken to be an unknown nonlinear function of position to allow for uncertainties in the model. Hence, the developed controller works for a wide variety of loads including brake systems. The controller is designed using backstepping and incorporates a novel voltage commutation scheme. The controller does not require knowledge of the mechanical parameters of the motor and the functional forms of the relationships among the motor position, the brake force, and the motor load torque. Moreover, the controller provides significant robustness to uncertainty in the inductances. Furthermore, practical current and voltage constraints are addressed. The performance and robustness of the controller are demonstrated through simulation studies.
Teen Drivers’ Perceptions of Inattention and Cell Phone Use While Driving

Objective: Inattention to the roadway, including cell phone use while driving (cell phone calls, sending and reading texts, mobile app use, and Internet use), is a critical problem for teen drivers and increases risk for crashes. Effective behavioral interventions for teens are needed in order to decrease teen driver inattention related to cell phone use while driving. However, teens’ perceptions of mobile device use while driving is a necessary component for theoretically driven behavior change interventions. The purpose of this study was to describe teen drivers’ perceptions of cell phone use while driving in order to inform future interventions to reduce risky driving.Methods: We conducted 7 focus groups with a total of 30 teen drivers, ages 16–18, licensed for ≤1 year in Pennsylvania. The focus group interview guide and analysis were based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, identifying the attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and norms about inattention to the roadway. Directed descriptive content...
Representation of Binaural Spatial Cues in Field L of the Barn Owl Forebrain

Cohen, Yale E. and Eric I. Knudsen. Representation of binaural spatial cues in Field L of the barn owl forebrain. J. Neurophysiol. 79: 879–890, 1998. This study examined the representation of spati...
Stresses and Displacements in Nonlinear Soil Media

A method is presented for determining the vertical stresses and displacements in semi-infinite nonlinear soil media under circular loaded areas. The soil is assumed to be incompressible with an elastic modulus varying with the state of the stresses. The medium is arbitrarily divided into seven layers in which the stresses and displacements are determined by a high speed computer using Burmister's layered theory and the principle of successive approximations. The results of this study reveal that the nonlinear behavior of soils has a relatively small effect on stresses but a large effect on displacements. This may explain why Boussinesq's solution of stresses based on linear theory has been applied to soils with great success even though soils themselves are basically nonlinear. Because the differences in stresses between linear and nonlinear theory are not too significant, the displacement in a nonlinear medium can be estimated by a simplified method based on Boussinesq's stress distribution. It is found that this simplified method checks closely with the method presented, especially at large radial distances.
The Specter of a Lesbian Supreme Court Justice: Problems of Identity in Lesbian Legal Theorizing

With the renewed interest in a lesbian (or gay) United States Supreme Court Justice, this article – originally published in 1993 – looks at sexual identity and identity politics. It begins thusly: “To start with, we need a lesbian on the Supreme Court.” It was the summer of 1992, the last summer of the Reagan-Bush regime, although the demise of that era was far from certain. I was being interviewed by a gay and lesbian magazine for a feature article about the Supreme Court. I was staying in Provincetown, a place renowned for its lesbian/gay culture, surrounded by lesbians of every ilk. My opinion was solicited as a constitutional scholar and expert on lesbian legal issues and theories. While lesbians appear in periodicals, on the streets, and in legal theories, not one lesbian has appeared as a United States Supreme Court Justice, ever. So, when the interviewer asked me a general question about changing the United States Supreme Court, I replied that we should start with the appointment of a lesbian.
Comparative Toxicity of Selected Insecticides to Laboratory-reared and Field-collected Face Flies (Diptera: Muscidae)

Susceptibilities of laboratory-reared and field-collected Musca autumnalis L. to several pyrethroids (permethrin [Ectiban, Atroban], flucythrinate, fenvalerate, and cypermethrin), organophosphates (crotoxyphos, dichlorvos, tetrachlorvinphos, coumaphos, and malathion), chlorinated hydrocarbons (dioxathion, toxaphene, and methoxychlor), and the carbamate bendiocarb were compared. The homogeneous response of the field population to treatment with methoxychlor suggested resistance. The resistance index (LD50 field strain ÷ LD50 laboratory strain) for the field population treated with methoxychlor was 4.06; indices of the field population treated with the other insecticides ranged from 1.00 to 1.83.
Microbial Synthesis of Pinene

The volumetric heating values of today’s biofuels are too low to power energy-intensive aircraft, rockets, and missiles. Recently, pinene dimers were shown to have a volumetric heating value simila...
Effects of buried insulator-sensor interface on the lateral conduction of high fill factor aSi:H imagers

The pixel cross-talk is investigated in two-dimensional amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) imager arrays based on the new high fill factor design. In this configuration a continuous a-Si:H sensor extends over the whole surface of the imager, and a buried insulator material with low dielectric constant is used to separate the sensor from the underlying active matrix readout circuit. We find that the lateral conduction between neighboring pixels is mainly determined by the quality of the buried insulator-sensor interface, rather than the specific buried material itself. Minimum cross-talk values below 1% are obtained for different insulator materials including silicon oxynitride and thicker polymer based resins. The quality of this interface also affects trapping and recombination of the photogenerated carriers, influencing important imager properties such as sensitivity and image lag.
Corporate Human Rights Responsibilities

This article begins with a discussion of why one should be concerned or at least interested in the human rights conduct of corporations. Hence, the first part of the article presents a couple of historical and current situations which require attention and standard-setting. The second part focuses on past efforts of international law and particularly international human rights law to deal with such nonstate actors as corporations. The third part discusses five major attributes of the U.N. Human Rights Norms which built upon the previous efforts to deal with the human rights conduct of corporations. The fourth part traces the process by which the Norms were prepared and are now being considered by the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. The fifth part identifies three principal issues raised by the opponents to the Norms. And the article concludes with an account of how the Norms are already being used by businesses, mutual funds, and others.
Review: Restorative Justice: Adults and Emerging Practice by Jane Bolitho, Jasmine Bruce and Gail Mason (eds)

Review(s) of: Restorative justice: Adults and emerging practice, by Jane Bolitho, Jasmine Bruce and Gail Mason (eds), Institute of Criminology Press, 2012, 272pp (ISBN 9781742102894).
Gardner's syndrome: Report of case

This case graphically illustrates the dental clinician's role in the diagnosis of Gardner's syndrome. Findings in the head and neck in this case led to discovery of the disease. Because of the high incidence of malignant transformation, surgery of the lower intestinal tract is done to remove any polypoid lesions. Normal-appearing tissue from which carcinoma might arise is also removed. Because of the usual occurrence of head and neck lesions in Gardner's syndrome, the clinician can make a major contribution in the diagnosis of this uncommon, but important, disease.
Fluorometric Studies of Biologically Important Molecular Complexes

Fluorometry has been extensively employed in studies involving molecular complexes because of its exceptional sensitivity and time resolution. Molecular complexation is widespread in nature; indeed, it is through that process that biopolymers such as DNA and enzymes are assembled and carry out their functions. Covalent binding holds together strong complexes, while hydrogen-bonding, charge-transfer, electrostatic, and hydrophobic interactions are mainly responsible for the stability of weaker complexes. Some high-molecular-weight complexes contain fluorescent building blocks that report on their immediate environment; e.g., proteins contain tryptophan and tyrosine fluorescent amino acid residues. Other biomolecules may be labeled with fluorophores by forming noncovalent or covalent complexes. Time-resolved and time-integrated fluorometric investigations of these systems yield information pertaining to the following: (a) the polarity and fluidity of the microenvironment of the emitter, (b) the occurrence of structural fluctuations in the biomolecule within the time span of light emission, (c) the occurrence of excited-state time-dependent interactions between the emitter and the solvent or neighboring chemical groups of the biomolecule, (d) the overall shape and dimensions of the biomolecule, (e) and the exchange of excitation energy between the emitter and other components of the biomolecule.
Staffing Strategies for Maintenance of Critical Software Systems at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Context: The Mission Design and Navigation Software Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) maintains mission critical software systems. We have good empirical data and models for maintenance demand---when defects will occur, how many and how severe they will be, and how much effort is needed to address them. However, determining the level of staffing needed to address maintenance issues is an ongoing challenge and is often done ad-hoc. There are two common strategies are (1) reactive - add/remove staff as needed to respond to maintenance issues, and (2) capacitive - retain a given staff size to address issues as they occur, proactively address issues and prevent defects.Goal: To use our empirical models for maintenance demand to address the issue of staffing from a risk perspective.Method: We develop a staffing model that allows us to simulate large numbers of maintenance histories. From these histories we examine the risks posed to the institution as a function of the staffing available to address issues as they arise.Results: We find that the model developed matches our intuition. There is a "sweet spot" in staffing levels that allows issues to be addressed in a timely fashion. Below that level the institution experiences substantial risk; staffing above that level does little to improve the institutions risk exposure.Conclusion: The models developed provide tools that, for the first time, allow us to quantitatively discuss the level of staffing needed to ensure that we can meet the time constrained demands for maintenance on mission critical systems and thereby determine staffing budgets that ensure mission success.
Volatile organic compounds emitted by filamentous fungi isolated from flooded homes after Hurricane Sandy show toxicity in a Drosophila bioassay

Superstorm Sandy provided an opportunity to study filamentous fungi (molds) associated with winter storm damage. We collected 36 morphologically distinct fungal isolates from flooded buildings. By combining traditional morphological and cultural characters with an analysis of ITS sequences (the fungal DNA barcode), we identified 24 fungal species that belong to eight genera: Penicillium (11 species), Fusarium (four species), Aspergillus (three species), Trichoderma (two species), and one species each of Metarhizium, Mucor, Pestalotiopsis, and Umbelopsis. Then, we used a Drosophila larval assay to assess possible toxicity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by these molds. When cultured in a shared atmosphere with growing cultures of molds isolated after Hurricane Sandy, larval toxicity ranged from 15 to 80%. VOCs from Aspergillus niger 129B were the most toxic yielding 80% mortality to Drosophila after 12 days. The VOCs from Trichoderma longibrachiatum 117, Mucor racemosus 138a, and Metarhizium anisopliae 124 were relatively non-toxigenic. A preliminary analysis of VOCs was conducted using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry from two of the most toxic, two of the least toxic, and two species of intermediate toxicity. The more toxic molds produced higher concentrations of 1-octen-3-ol, 3-octanone, 3-octanol, 2-octen-1-ol, and 2-nonanone; while the less toxic molds produced more 3-methyl-1-butanol and 2-methyl-1-propanol, or an overall lower amount of volatiles. Our data support the hypothesis that at certain concentrations, some VOCs emitted by indoor molds are toxigenic.
Total Gastrectomy for Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer at a Single Center: Postsurgical Outcomes in 41 Patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe postoperative outcomes of total gastrectomy at our institution for patients with hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC). Background: HDGC, which is mainly caused by germline mutations in the E-cadherin gene (CDH1), renders a lifetime risk of gastric cancer of up to 70%, prompting a recommendation for prophylactic total gastrectomy. Methods: A prospective gastric cancer database identified 41 patients with CDH1 mutation who underwent total gastrectomy during 2005 to 2015. Perioperative, histopathologic, and long-term data were collected. Results: Of the 41 patients undergoing total gastrectomy, median age was 47 years (range 20 to 71). There were 14 men and 27 women, with 25 open operations and 16 minimally invasive operations. Median length of stay was 7 days (range 4 to 50). In total, 11 patients (27%) experienced a complication requiring intervention, and there was 1 peri-operative mortality (2.5%). Thirty-five patients (85%) demonstrated 1 or more foci of intramucosal signet ring cell gastric cancer in the examined specimen. At 16 months median follow-up, the median weight loss was 4.7 kg (15% of preoperative weight). By 6 to 12 months postoperatively, weight patterns stabilized. Overall outcome was reported to be “as expected” by 40% of patients and “better than expected” by 45%. Patient-reported outcomes were similar to those of other patients undergoing total gastrectomy. Conclusion: Total gastrectomy should be considered for all CDH1 mutation carriers because of the high risk of invasive diffuse-type gastric cancer and lack of reliable surveillance options. Although most patients have durable weight loss after total gastrectomy, weights stabilize at about 6 to 12 months postoperatively, and patients report outcomes as being good to better than their preoperative expectations. No patients have developed gastric cancer recurrence after resections.
Wilhelmy balance characterization beyond contact angles: Differentiating leaching from nanosurface reorganization and optimizing surface modification

Abstract Over and above measurements of contact angles, this article provides examples from our work that emphasize unexpected wetting behavior using the Wilhelmy Plate (WP) method. These findings either would not have been noticed by conventional sessile drop methods or might have been dismissed due to deviations associated with measurements or sample-to-sample variations in surface composition. The examples chosen for this article include: (1) Wilhelmy plate force distance curves providing a sensitive measure for the detection of leaching or diffusion of species from polydimethylsiloxane elastomeric coatings, (2) A Dynamic Contact Angle (DCA) investigation of a polyurethane to establish whether changes in CAs vs immersion time were due to leaching of substances that changed the surface tension of water or to nanosurface reorganization of polymer chains, (3) Changing network formation conditions that give low or high receding contact angles (θR) and “sticky or slippery” wetting of water drops on a widely used Sylgard 184 silicone coating as well as the impact of θR on ice adhesion and (4) Polymer surface modification for introducing special functionality via a modifier is shown to depend on a balance of miscibility and immiscibility that resulted in an unexpected “more is less” dependence on concentration for a fluorous modifier and a condensation cured silicone.
Geographic and Hospital Variation in Cost of Lumbar Laminectomy and Lumbar Fusion for Degenerative Conditions

BACKGROUND Spinal surgery costs vary significantly across hospitals and regions, but there is insufficient understanding of what drives this variation. OBJECTIVE To examine the factors underlying the cost variation for lumbar laminectomy/discectomy and lumbar fusions. METHODS We obtained patient information (age, gender, race, severity of illness, risk of mortality, population of county of residence, median zipcode income, insurance status, elective vs nonelective admission, length of stay) and hospital data (region, hospital type, bed size, wage index) for all patients who underwent lumbar laminectomy/discectomy (n = 181 267) or lumbar fusions (n = 433 364) for degenerative conditions in the 2001 to 2013 National Inpatient Sample database. We performed unadjusted and adjusted analyses to determine which factors affect cost. RESULTS Mean costs for lumbar laminectomy/discectomy and lumbar fusion increased from $8316 and $21 473 in 2001 (in inflation-adjusted 2013 dollars), to $11 405 and $29 438, respectively, in 2013. There was significant regional variation in cost, with the West being the most expensive region across all years and showing the steepest increase in cost over time. After adjusting for patient and hospital factors, the West was 23% more expensive than the Northeast for lumbar laminectomy/discectomy, and 25% more expensive than the Northeast for lumbar fusion ( P < .01). Higher wage index, smaller hospital bed size, and rural/urban nonteaching hospital type were also associated with higher cost for lumbar laminectomy/discectomy and fusion ( P < .01). CONCLUSION After adjusting for patient factors and wage index, the Western region, hospitals with smaller bed sizes, and rural/urban nonteaching hospitals were associated with higher costs for lumbar laminectomy/discectomy and lumbar fusion.
"They said "be careful'": sexual health communication sources and messages for adolescent girls living with perintally-acquired HIV infection.

ABSTRACTDue to advances in highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART), children “who perinatally acquired HIV infection” (PHIV+) in the United States have been reaching adolescence and adulthood in large numbers. As youth PHIV + become sexually active it is important to understand their sources of sexual health information and the messages communicated by those sources to safeguard their sexual health and that of their partners. This paper explores sexual health communication for adolescent girls PHIV + in comparison to adolescent girls who were exposed but did not acquire HIV perinatally (PHIV−) to understand how HIV infection influences the sexual health communication needs of the former. A convenience sample size of 30 (20 PHIV + and 10 PHIV−, mean age 14.5) girls completed survey and participated in a 45–90 min developmentally appropriate semi-structured interview. The interviews aimed to elicit the girls’ sources of sexual health communication, the sexual health messages they receive, their comfo...
Cultigen Chenopods in the Americas: A Hemispherical Perspective

In this chapter, we summarize recent contributions made by archaeologists and researchers in other disciplines toward understanding the many factors involved in the domestication of Chenopodium berlandieri in North America and Chenopodium quinoa in South America. We focus on studies of seed morphology and molecular genetics, which have aided in clarifying the trajectories of domestication for both species. The comparison of these trajectories allows us to examine the similarities and differences in the evolutionary, economic, social, and political processes that contributed not only to their domestication but the roles they played in the later agricultural and sociopolitical systems in their respective regions. The eastern North American cultigen chenopod eventually lost its role as a key component of pre-Columbian agricultural systems, whereas quinoa flourished in the Andes and has attained global super-food status today. Still, both of these crops constituted food that was central to and inseparable from considerations of identity, status, ritual, exchange, and sociopolitical life. An appreciation of chenopods as important foods in each region allows us to reflect upon their diverse evolutionary pathways and the significance of individual foods and broader cuisines within regional histories.
Breast cancer risk reduction among patients with DCIS.

1562 Background: The incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has dramatically increased with widespread mammographic screening. Although risk of recurrence of DCIS is low, it is associated wit...
Abstract IA19: PARP trapping and Schlafen 11

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPIs) kill cancer cells by trapping PARP1 and PARP2. Talazoparib, the most potent PARP inhibitor (PARPI), exhibits remarkable selectivity among the NCI-60 cancer cell lines beyond BRCA inactivation. Our genomic analyses reveal high correlation between response to talazoparib and Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) expression. Causality was established in four isogenic SLFN11-positive and -negative cell lines and extended to olaparib. Response to the talazoparib-temozolomide combination was also driven by SLFN11 and validated in 36 small cell lung cancer cell lines, and in xenograft models. Resistance in SLFN11-deficient cells was caused neither by impaired drug penetration nor by activation of homologous recombination. Rather, SLFN11 induced irreversible and lethal replication inhibition, which was independent of ATR-mediated S-phase checkpoint. The resistance to PARPIs by SLFN11 inactivation was overcome by ATR inhibition, mechanistically because SLFN11-deficient cells solely rely on ATR activation for their survival under PARPI treatment. Our study reveals that SLFN11 inactivation, which is common (~45%) in cancer cells, is a novel and dominant resistance determinant to PARPIs. Citation Format: Yves Pommier, Junko Murai. PARP trapping and Schlafen 11 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on DNA Repair: Tumor Development and Therapeutic Response; 2016 Nov 2-5; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2017;15(4_Suppl):Abstract nr IA19.
Monte Carlo Simulation of Coherence Propagation through Scattering Media

Traditional Monte Carlo (MC) technique of photon transport in random medium is able to describe only single point properties. Here we propose the method of extending MC to simulate two-point property, spatial coherence.
Management and Care of Older Offenders with Mental Illness (OOMI) in the Criminal Justice System

The proportion of older adults over 50 entering the criminal justice system as offenders has been rising for over a decade, making this group the fastest-growing inmate population in the United States. Without proper training in relation to specific challenges and needs as pertaining to this group—including a basic understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse, trauma, and mental health problems, as well as major neurocognitive disorders (e.g., dementia)—encounters between criminal justice actors and older offenders could result in detainment, injury, or even death. Given the vulnerability of older adults for a myriad of reasons including unique physical, psychological, social, and gerontological needs, the provision of trauma-informed and cross-disciplinary treatment services in both community and institutionalized settings is critical for more effective outcomes.
The Conformal Laplacian on Spheres and Hyperbolas via Clifford Analysis

Using Clifford analysis we shall present a factorization of the Laplacian acting on functions defined on domains on spheres. This factorization leads us to investigate properties of a first order differential operator on the sphere, and to determine a Cauchy integral formula for functions annihilated by this operator. We determine a conformai covariance for both the operator and the integral over the sphere and we pull back the operator and representaion formula via a Cayley transformation to obtain similar results onR n-1. The differential operator that we use is different from the spherical Dirac operator introduced by Cnops and Malonek. We use the integral formula to construct a Poisson formula markedly like the one for upper half space. We use this Poisson formula to solve the Dirichlet problems on a hemisphere. Furthermore we show that the factorization gives rise to two seperate Green’s type formulas for solutions to our conformai Laplace equation.
Neutronic Fluctuation Analysis as a Characterizing Vehicle for Two-Phase Flow

An exploration of flow regime characterization using measurements of the neutron fluctuations induced by a gasliquid flow passing through a nuclear reactor core has reached a developmental plateau that permits a quantitative evaluation of the method, Albrecht et al. (1982), Crowe et al. (1977). It has been demonstrated that many significant properties of the flow can be determined by analysis of the induced neutronic fluctuations. These characteristics have been categorized as propagation, structure, and dynamics of the flow, Albrecht et al. (1982c).
What’s Right and What’s Wrong with the Density-Gradient Expansions for the Exchange and Correlation Energies?

In a system of slowly-varying electron density, the exchange and correlation hole surrounding an electron nay be expanded in gradients of the density. The zero-order term of this expansion, the local density approximation, satisfies important properties of the exact hole: The density of the exchange hole is everywhere negative, and integrates to a deficit of one electron, while the density of the correlation hole integrates to zero. Here the second-order term of the expansion is shown to improve the description of the hole near the electron, at the cost of worsening the description far away and violating these exact properties. The gradient expansion may be used to improve upon the local density approximation for the energy of a real system with long-range interactions, but only after this expansion has been appropriately cut off. The cut-off or generalized gradient approximation, which involves only the local density and its first derivative, provides qualitative and quantitative information about many-body effects in inhomogeneous systems.
Impact of Temperature Variation on Fuel Economy of Electric Vehicles and Energy Saving by using Compensation Control

For electric vehicle (EV),the performance of widely used interior permanent magnet (IPM) machines is influenced by temperature variation, and the influence could be profound. During temperature variation, torque accuracy as well as the efficiency of IPM machine degrade without compensation control, which will further lead to higher energy consumption and worse fuel economy of the EV. In this paper, the impact of temperature variation on the energy consumption and fuel economy of a baseline IPM machine designed for EV application will be analyzed. Additionally, energy saving and fuel economyimprovement of a proposed compensation control algorithm are shown.