cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a Pest Management Program on Alfalfa Grown for Seed

A pest management program on alfalfa raised for seed in Washington was developed during 1953–72. Major components include an integrated trichlorfon-predator control system for Iygus bugs, Lygus hesperus Knight and L. elisus Van Duzee, and a demeton-parasite- predator system against the aphids Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) and Macro-siphum creelii Davis. Basic selection pressure which led to development of this program was the hazard of insecticides to the essential pollinators Megachile rotundata (F.) and Nomia melanderi Cockerell.
Abstract 878: DNA methylation, isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation, and survival in glioma

Although much is known about molecular and chromosomal characteristics that distinguish glioma histologic subtypes, DNA methylation patterns of gliomas and their association with mutation of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) genes has only recently begun to be investigated. We measured DNA methylation of glioblastomas, astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, oligoastrocytomas, ependymomas, and pilocytic astrocytomas (n = 131) from the Brain Tumor Research Center at UCSF, as well as non-tumor brain tissues (n = 7), with the Illumina GoldenGate methylation array. Methylation data were subjected to recursively partitioned mixture modeling (RPMM) to derive methylation classes. Next, differential DNA methylation between tumor and non-tumor was assessed. RPMM was again used to model methylation data for tumors with IDH mutation data (n = 95). Associations between IDH mutation and survival were also examined. Among all gliomas (n = 131), RPMM resulted in eleven methylation classes, and there was a statistically significant association between methylation class and glioma histologic subtype (P −16 ). Comparing non-tumor brain tissues to gliomas to investigate differential methylation, glioblastomas showed a low ratio of hyper- to hypomethylated loci (ratio = 1.3) compared with the ratio for astrocytomas, oligoastrocytomas, and oligodendrogliomas (ratios = 3.7, 7.6, and 9.7, respectively). Ependymomas had increased hypomethylation (ratio = 0.3). These ratios were significantly different across glioma subtypes (Permutation P −9 ); in lower-grade tumors (P = .01); in tumors with TP53 mutation (P = .06); and in younger patients (P = .0009). In addition, patients whose tumors harbored mutant IDH had significantly improved survival (HR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.10 to 0.72). In tumors with available IDH mutation data, RPMM resulted in nine methylation classes, methylation class was significantly associated with IDH mutation (P = 3.0 × 10 −16 ), and this association remained significant when controlling for patient age and tumor histology (likelihood ratio P Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 878. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-878
Effectiveness of Deploying Single Gene Resistances in Wheat for Controlling Damage by the Hessian Fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

Discussions and simulation models have been used by others to develop strategies for deploying genes in wheat ( Triticum spp. ) for resistance to the Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say). Effects of deploying genes one at a time in sequence and redeploying a gene after a 10-yr absence from the commercial crop in Indiana during 1955–1989 are presented. Three genes, H3, H6 , and H5 , were deployed in 1955, 1962, and 1971, respectively, and H6 was redeployed in 1981. A reduction in infestation levels of Hessian fly occurred for 6–8 yr after each deployment. Redeployment of H6 , after a 10-yr absence in commercial use, was highly effective. Other methods of deploying resistance genes in conjunction with cultural practices should be considered for control of Hessian fly. When considering the pyramiding of genes for resistance, one must evaluate the time required to develop new productive cultivars. Efficient methods to determine that all of the pyramided genes are present in a line are important for the successful use of pyramided genes. Wheat cultivars are seldom grown for more than 8–10 yr, but the same pyramided genes might be used in subsequent cultivars.
Determination of Acid Red G in deli meats by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Establish an analytical method of Acid Red G in cooked meats by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry cooked, Acid Red G in cooked meat was extracted by ethylate-ammonia solution and purified by polyamide, analyzed with cooked, The standard curve showed good linearity in the range of 1~100 ng/mL, the LOD was 5×10-9 g, the average recovery was between 87.5%~92.4%. This method is suitable for analysis of Acid Red G in cooked meats.
Abstract IA07: Targeting checkpoint signaling and DNA repair in ovarian cancer.

DNA damage and replication stress activate the ATR-Chk1 checkpoint signaling pathway in which ATR phosphorylates multiple substrates including the kinase Chk1. The ATR-Chk1 signaling pathway regulates DNA repair and cell cycle arrest and promotes the survival of tumor cells exposed to genotoxic chemotherapies. Accordingly, the ATR-Chk1 pathway has emerged as an attractive therapeutic target to increase the antitumor activities of chemotherapy agents, and selective ATR and Chk1 inhibitors have been developed. However, it remains unclear whether ATR and Chk1 inhibition are equally effective with genotoxic chemotherapies that have different mechanisms of action. Here, we compared ATR versus Chk1 inhibition in ovarian cancer cells exposed to agents (cisplatin, topotecan, gemcitabine, and PARP inhibitor) with different mechanisms of action that are used to treat this disease. We found that Chk1 inhibition selectively sensitized to gemcitabine, whereas ATR inhibition broadly sensitized to all chemotherapy agents. Importantly, ATR inhibition also robustly sensitized to PARP inhibitors even in cells with defective HR. These findings suggest that combining ATR inhibitors with these chemotherapy agents may a viable therapeutic strategy in HR-proficient and-deficient tumors. Citation Format: Larry M. Karnitz. Targeting checkpoint signaling and DNA repair in ovarian cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Ovarian Cancer Research: Exploiting Vulnerabilities; Oct 17-20, 2015; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2016;22(2 Suppl):Abstract nr IA07.
Abstract PL05-01: Inflammatory mediators, tumor microenvironment, and progression of colorectal cancer

Population studies and experimental observations indicate that chronic inflammation and diet are risk factors for colorectal cancer (CRC). The mechanisms by which these factors contribute to the development of cancer are poorly understood. A large body of work has shown that use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce the relative risk for developing colorectal cancer (CRC) by up to 40-50%. NSAIDs exert some of their anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects by targeting cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2). Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a pro-inflammatory mediator that promotes colorectal cancer progression. The aim of our present study was to determine the underlying mechanisms by which PGE2 affects progression of CRC. We have found a novel function of pro-inflammatory PGE2 in regulating DNA methylation in colorectal cancer. Our in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that PGE2 treatment silenced certain tumor suppressors and DNA repair genes such as CDKN2B (p15), CNR1, MGMT, and MLH1 by enhancing CpG island methylation of their promoter via inducing DNMT1 and DNMT3B expression. We also found that a demethylating agent inhibited the effect of PGE2 on promoting tumor growth in a mouse model of colorectal cancer, indicating that PGE2 accelerates tumor growth via regulating DNA methylation. Furthermore, combined treatment of Apcmin/+ mice with inhibitors of COX-2 and DNA methylation has more effectively anti-tumor effects than either single agent alone. To further determine the clinical relevance of our in vitro and in vivo results, we examine the relationship between COX-2 expression, PGE2 levels, DNMT1/3b expression, CpG island methylation status and expression of these tumor suppressors and DNA repair genes in human colorectal carcinomas. The levels of COX-2 and PGE2 positively correlated with DNMT1 and DNMT3B expression in these human colorectal cancer specimens. Importantly, the PGE2 levels as well as COX-2, DNMT1, and DNMT3B expression are also positively associated with the CpG island methylation in the promoters of these tumor suppressors and DNA repair genes. We also observed a specific type of immune cells (MDSCs) attracted to the tumor microenvironment by the presence of PGE2. Citation Format: Raymond N. DuBois. Inflammatory mediators, tumor microenvironment, and progression of colorectal cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr PL05-01.
Diastolic function in the heterotopic rat heart transplant model. Effects of edema, ischemia, and rejection.

Decreased systolic ventricular function and compliance and increased left ventricular edema and mass have been demonstrated in cardiac allograft rejection. Whether decreased left ventricular compliance in rejection is caused by myocardial edema has not been examined, and compliance in the Ono-Lindsey model has not been reported. Heterotopic rat abdominal cardiac transplantation was performed in ACI isografts (n = 24) and in ACI to Lewis allografts (n = 24). Subgroups were studied on posttransplantation days O, 1, 3, and 5 (each n = 6). Both transplanted hearts and native hearts were arrested with potassium for the assessment of myocardial water content, heart weight, and the left ventricular pressure-volume relation. In transplanted hearts, myocardial water content did not change in isografts but increased on posttransplantation day 5 in allografts (81.1 % on posttransplantation day 5 versus 76.1 % on day O, 77.2 % on day 1, and 77.5 % on day 3, p
Abstract 2506: Coronary Spasm Occurs in Coronary Artery with Diffuse Intima Thickeing without Lipd and/or Calcification:Evaluation with Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography

Coronary spasm (CS) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many kinds of ischemic heart disease. However, morphological characteristics of coronary artery of CS remain unknown. We evaluated 37 patients with coronary spastic angina (CSA) who underwent diagnostic acetylcholine (ACh) provocation test, and 2 acute coronary syndrome patients suspected to have severe CS. The intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed after complete dilatation of coronary artery in all patients and additionally performed during ACh-induced CS in 4 patients. Based on the ACh provocation test, 23 patients who developed CS and ischemic ECG changes were diagnosed as coronary spastic angina (CSA), and other 14 patients without CS were referred as CS-negative patients. CS-negative patients were further divided into 2 sub-groups according to the lipid and/or calcification content in coronary arterial wall by OCT findings. Intravascular OCT revealed most coronary segments with ACh-induced CS had homogenous intima thickening, and quantitative OCT analysis showed that CS-positive segments had significantly larger intima area compared with CS-negative segments without lipid and/or calcification (2.73±0.07 vs. 1.36±0.06 mm 2 , P 2 , P
Privacy in the Cloud: Anonymous Tax Preparation

We present a distributed tax preparation application as an example of anonymous processing in the cloud where processing units are interconnected anonymously via intermediaries. This example uses the double-locked box which was used in the anonymous credit card in the 1990s. However, unlike the anonymous credit card our application automates the distribution of the double-locked boxes and the connection of involved participants with minimal user interaction. We also introduce an entropy-based metric. As processing units are compromised, loss of anonymity is measured using this entropy metric.
Supported metallocene polymerization catalysis

Zirconocene supported on alumina or magnesium chloride exhibits modest olefin polymerization activity but not when it is supported directly on silica. The surface silanol as well as siloxane groups must be passivated with appropriate reagents. A very active and stereospecific supported catalyst was obtained by first reacting silica with methylalumoxane and bisphenol A before the impregnation of the ansa-zirconocene precursor. The main difference between a homogeneous and supported catalyst is that at the same gross amount of metallocene, the net concentration of it in the pores of a support material is several orders of magnitude greater than it exists in solution thus the rate of deactivation in the former case is correspondingly faster than in the latter. Most other supported metallocene catalysts based on supports such as zeolites, cyclodextrin, polymeric MAO, synthetic polymers, etc., are poor in olefin polymerization for this and other reasons discussed.
Science, Utility and Maritime Power: Samuel Bentham in Russia, 1779–91

Roger Morriss provides a glimpse into the life of a bright young man who, in the late eighteenth century, travelled and worked in Russia. The book is divided into three parts (science, utility and ...
HABITAT EXPLORER: Designing Educational Games for Collaborative Learning on Interactive Surfaces

Data science is an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of computer science, mathematics, and subject matter expertise with the purpose to gain insights from relatively large sets of data. With elementary school age children as the target audience, we developed an educational collaborative game, Habitat Explorer for the MultiTaction display to introduce users to the core data science cycle components of data collection, exploration, and visualization. Users capture "sea creatures" in a collection jar, sort their collection into a data table, and then are able to create a bar chart visualization using their data. These components are interspersed with questions assessing user comprehension of the simple biological and data science concepts introduced during the game. The main goal of this research is to understand the potential of multi-touch displays to facilitate data science education with future aims to develop more complicated data exploration applications.
The Enduring Toltecs: History and Truth During the Aztec-to-Colonial Transition at Tula, Hidalgo

Tula, Hidalgo, was an important early Postclassic city that dominated much of central Mexico as well as adjacent regions to its north and west. For many decades, Tula was thought to be the city that early colonial documents referred to as “Tollan,” or “place of the reeds.” It is clear that the Aztec Empire, a later civilization that dominated a much larger area, revered Tollan and connected themselves to the city and its people, the Toltecs, in various ways. Recent research has questioned whether Tula was indeed the Tollan that the Aztecs revered; instead, Tollan may have been a concept that referred to all of the great civilizations that preceded the Aztecs. These two perspectives, which I frame as the “single Tollan/many Tollans” debate, have important consequences for our understanding of the early Postclassic period as well as colonial configurations of power. I argue that to understand the Aztecs’ relationships with their past, and the colonial consequences of those relationships, it is important to shift away from questions of truth. Instead, I concentrate on historical narratives and the social, material, and biological effects that they produced, including the early and late Aztec interventions at Tula. I argue that Jorge Acosta’s data provide evidence for an Early Aztec period termination ritual and a Late Aztec period New Fire ceremony that ushered in a new population boom at Tula. In turn, these connections allowed for the unprecedented rise of the Moctezuma family during the colonial period. This evidence forms part of a broader argument that the two sides of the Tula debate are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they both form part of attempts to control, claim, and revere the past in the inherently unstable fields of power that characterized the late Postclassic and early colonial periods in central Mexico.
Affine Algebras and Strong Interaction Theories

A new infinite parameter symmetry, the Kac-Moody Lie algebras, appears in several different connections with theories of the strong Interactions. Its explicit representation in terms of the dual string is reviewed here in simple language. A nonlocal nonlinear realization of a subalgebra of the affine algebras on the self-dual class of solutions of the Yang Mills theory is also reviewed. It is remarked that this structure occurs naturally in a Kaluza-Klein search for the new symmetry on the full gauge theory. The existence of the same invariance in these different models of the hadrons may serve to unify the descriptions and lead to solvability in the nonperturbative regime.
The Heart in the Glass Jar: Love Letters, Bodies, and the Law in Mexico. By William E. French. (Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 2015. Pp. ix, 296. $35.00.)

This cultural history of love and courtship in late nineteenth‐ and early twentieth‐century Mexico provides a brilliant supplement and corrective to Uruguayan literary critic Angel Rama's classic 1...
Shielding Technique for Planar Matrix Transformers to Suppress Common-Mode EMI Noise and Improve Efficiency

Isolated high output current dc/dc converters are critical for power supplies in information technology industries. LLC converters with a matrix transformer are suitable for these applications due to their high efficiency and high power density. By pushing switching frequency up to MHz with GaN devices, planar matrix transformers with printed circuit board (PCB) windings are advantageous over conventional transformer designs, but the large interwinding capacitance of the PCB windings provides a critical coupling path for common-mode (CM) noise. In order to analyze the CM noise, the interwinding capacitance of the PCB windings is analyzed, and a related CM noise model is provided in this paper. To suppress the CM noise, shielding layers can automatically be inserted into the PCB windings between the primary and secondary windings in the fabrication process. This paper proposes a novel shielding technique, in which half of the shielding serve as the primary winding. The proposed shielding technique not only suppresses CM noise but improves the efficiency as well. The proposed shielding is verified by experiments on 1-MHz 400 V/12 V 800-W LLC converters with a peak efficiency of 97.7% and a power density of 900 W/in3. The proposed shielding reduces CM noise by 30 dB and improves full-load efficiency by 0.2%.
Abstract P321: Insulin Resistance is Associated with Incident Coronary Heart Disease but Not Stroke Among African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study

Background: The association between the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and CVD varies by race/ethnicity and is often non-existent or weaker in African Americans (AAs). Triglyceride levels (110-149 mg/dl) below the current metabolic syndrome threshold are associated with insulin resistance in AAs, suggesting that the McAuley index (MA index ), based on insulin and triglycerides, may predict CHD and stroke better than HOMA-IR. We investigated this association in the Jackson Heart Study, a large longitudinal cohort of AAs. Methods: Insulin resistance was estimated for 3565 participants without diabetes and CVD at baseline using the MA index (exp [2.63-0.28 In(insulin in mU/l) - 0.31 In(triglycerides in mmol/l)]) and its association with incident CHD and stroke (composite outcome) was compared against that of the HOMA-IR index. A lower MA index and higher HOMA-IR are indicative of insulin resistance. Cox regression analysis was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for incident CHD and stroke, individually and as a composite. Results: There were 158 events (89 CHD-only, 58 stroke-only, and 11 CHD/stroke) over a median follow-up of 8.4 years. After adjustment for demographic factors, the risk of the composite outcome decreased with each SD increase in the MA index (HR 0.80; 95% CI: 0.67 - 0.96), with no attenuation following further control for CHD and stroke risk factors. When considered individually, the MA index was associated with CHD (HR 0.71, 95% CI: 0.55 - 0.92), but not stroke (HR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.74 - 1.25) risk. The log(HOMA-IR)-CHD association was comparable to that observed with the MA index (Table 1). For both indices, an association was present in men, but not in women (P interaction = 0.01 and 0.2 for log(HOMA-IR) and MA index , respectively). Conclusions: The performance of the MA index in predicting CHD and stroke risk in AAs is comparable to the widely used HOMA-IR index. Our findings suggest a role of insulin resistance in CHD but not stroke risk in this population.
Limits to Resolution of CW STED Microscopy

Abstract We report a systematic theoretical and experimental study of the limits to spatial resolution for stimulated emission depletion (STED) superresolution fluorescence microscopy using continuous wave (CW) laser beams. We develop a theoretical framework for CW STED imaging from point fluorescent emitters and calculate the dependence of 2D spatial resolution on the power of the CW excitation (pump) beam, as well as the power, contrast, and polarization of the CW STED “doughnut” beam. We perform CW STED experiments on (non-bleaching) nitrogen vacancy (NV) color centers in diamond and find good agreement with the theoretical expressions for CW STED spatial resolution. Our results will aid the optimization and application of CW STED microscopy in both the physical and life sciences.
Design of high performance help desk application and its implementation results

The primary purpose of this paper is to discuss the design and implementation of an automated help desk application called "Remote Expert System To Optimize Repair Efficiency" (RESTORE) currently deployed in the IBM Corporation at Rochester, Minnesota. It was designed in 1992 mainly to enhance the support of AS/400 business computer systems. In order to familiarize those readers with the topics being discussed, an overview of the product support strategy will be provided as a part of the introduction. The RESTORE application is one of the most successful implementations of Knowledge Based Systems (KBS) and Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) technology in IBM history. It is currently deployed and used very successfully in AS/400 product support, saving tens of millions of dollars in support cost each year. This complex system was designed with a blackboard architecture to enable the use of mUltiple knowledge sources. These knowledge sources include several rule-based subsystems and a large case-based subsystem, all tied together with a blackboard control module. This innovative design takes advantage of the strength of KBS and CBR by using the concept of blackboard architecture that allows these knowledge-based subsystems to coexist and contribute. This paper will discuss the design of the overall RESTORE system along with its successful implementation
A hospitality management department's participation in a university partners program with IBM

(1995). A Hospitality Management Department's Participation in a University Partners Program with IBM. Hospitality & Tourism Educator: Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 45-46.
Creating Comprehensive Educational Experiences for the 21st Century Ph.D.

What does having a Ph.D. say about you or about your accomplishments? The current process for obtaining a Ph.D. confirms that you can follow directions and complete a task, can pass courses and a comprehensive and/or qualifying exam, can conduct independent research, and can one´s research findings. But what else does it say? Does having a Ph.D. mean you are a good teacher, advisor, mentor, grant writer, or independent thinker? Does it mean you are ready to guide the next generation of Ph.D.´s? Upon graduation, there is variability in the skills demonstrated by new Ph.D.s? Whose responsibility is it to train Ph.D. recipients in areas in which they are weak? Does this responsibility rest on the major professor, the dissertation committee, the department, or the institution?
Relationship between cold-induced thermoregulation and spontaneous rapid body weight loss of aging F344 rats

We previously showed that, although cold-induced thermoregulation is attenuated in 26-mo-old male Fischer 344 (F344) rats, not all rats this age exhibit the same degree of cold-exposed hypothermia or diminished brown adipose tissue nonshivering thermogenic capacity. Examination of this heterogeneity suggested the hypothesis that it was associated with a difference in the physiological state between aged rats that were maintaining stable body weight versus those showing the rapid weight loss often occurring near the end of the rat's natural life span. To test this, we acutely exposed male F344 rats to cold (4 h at 6 degrees C) beginning at 24 mo of age. This exposure was weekly for the first 2 wk and then on alternate weeks as long as the rat's body weight was stable. If body weight progressively declined for 3-5 consecutive days, the rat's response to the acute cold exposure was again measured, as was that of two additional rats not displaying this rapid loss in body weight. If body temperature decreased during the cold exposure to intraperitoneal temperatures < or = 32.5 degrees C, the rat was killed with pentobarbital sodium and interscapular brown adipose tissue was removed. One of the age-matched controls was also killed at this time. The age at which body weight showed a spontaneous rapid decline ranged from 24.5 to 29 mos. All eight rats displaying spontaneous rapid weight loss had significant hypothermia during the acute cold exposure, whereas none of the eight weight-stable rats did. The development of hypothermia in the spontaneous rapid weight loss group was not, in general, observed before their weight loss. The weight loss and hypothermia were associated with lower levels of brown fat uncoupling protein and significant changes in body fat and protein. These data suggest that the development of senescence-related hypothermia occurs rapidly and is not a simple function of chronological age or the median life span of the animals. Furthermore, these data imply that the rate of aging in terms of maintenance of thermoregulatory homeostasis has both a gradual and rapid component, the latter being associated with a different physiological state than the former.
Quantitative and Qualitative Aspects of Steady State Erythropoiesis Induced in Protein-Starved Rats by Long-Term Erythropoietin Injection

Protein starvation nearly arrested erythropoiesis in rats, and the red cell mass decreased during a period of 32 days from 4.0 to 2.5 ml. Protein-starved rats, injected daily with 1.8 units of rabbit erythropoietin, had reticulocyte counts within the normal range, and their cell mass increased during the same period to 4.26 ml., as compared to 4.52 ml. in normal controls. Red cell indices, Price-Jones curve and osmotic fragility were normal on blood obtained from erythropoietin-treated groups. Differential counts on their erythroid marrow composition were not significantly different from those in normal rats. It is concluded therefore that daily injection of 1.8 units of rabbit erythropoietin induced, over a period of 32 days, a steady state erythropoiesis which, on the basis of the parameters studied, could not be distinguished from that in normal rats. No evidence of a shortened lifespan of cells formed in response to erythropoietin was found after either random (Cr51) or cohort (Fe59) labeling. Random labeled (Cr51) cells from untreated protein-starved rats had significantly shorter chromate survival times than cells from normal or erythropoietin-treated rats. The difference is attributed to the altered age distribution in their red cell population.
Reaction Synthesis of TiAl-TiB2 Metal Matrix Composites

The objective of this study was to define and develop measurable processing parameters to guide the synthesis, design and characterization of reaction-synthesized TiAl-TiB2 composites.Measurements of energy release during the high temperature self propagating reaction between Ti, Al, and B were used to determine the effects of environment (air or helium), atomic percent Al, and volume percent TiB2 on the reactivity of the sample.Experimental results were compared to theoretical models developed using published thermodynamic data in order to inspect the adiabatic nature of the reaction.The compositions tested were those of Ti-50Al + 30, 40 and 50 volume percent TiB2 , Ti-43Al + 30, 40 and 50 volume percent TiB2 , and Ti-35Al + 30, 40 and 50 volume percent TiB2 .Experimental results showed that compositions tested in a helium atmosphere provided inconsistent results in both ignition temperature and heat of reaction that were counterintuitive to trends predicted by the theoretical models.Experimental results of compositions tested in an air atmosphere provided better consistency in ignition temperature, along with considerably higher heats of reaction which were much closer to predicted values.These results qualitatively followed the trends produced by the theoretical models.
Trends of Co-Morbid Depression in Hospitalized Patients with Failed Back Surgery Syndrome: An Analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample.

Co-morbid depression has been associated with poor outcomes following spine surgery and worsening of low back pain symptoms leading to failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS). Given the increasing focus of healthcare utilization and value-based care, it is essential to understand the demographic and economic data surrounding co-morbid depression amongst patients with FBSS. Our study investigated the NIS database for FBSS patients who had co-morbid depression (ICD-9 CM codes 300.4, 301.12, 309.0, 309.1, 311; ICD-10 M96.1) between 2011 and 2015 across 44 states. We obtained demographic and economic data such as age, sex, ethnicity, location, number of in-patient procedures, hospital length of stay, cost of hospital stay, and frequency of routine discharge dispositions. The NIS database represents approximately a 20% sample of discharges from hospitals in the United States. These data are weighted to provide national estimates for the total United States population. National administrative databases (NADs) like National Inpatient Sample (NIS) are a common source of data for spine procedures. This database is appealing to investigators because of ease of data access and large patient sample. The NIS database is a de-identified database that consists of a collection of billing and diagnostic codes used by participating hospitals with the goal of quality control, population monitoring, and tracking procedures. The NIS does not require institutional review board (IRB) approval or exempt determination. Between 2011 and 2015, a total number of 115,976 patients with FBSS were identified. Of these patients, about 23,425 had co-morbid depression. The rate of co-morbid depression in 2015 was 23% with the lowest reported rate being 20% in 2011. Females and Caucasians had consistently higher rates of co-morbid depression compared to males and other ethnic groups respectively. The average length of stay for patients with co-morbid depression fluctuated between 2011 and 2015, with the highest reported at 4.81 days in 2015. The number of procedures increased steadily from 2011 to 2015 with a dip in 2013. The highest number of procedures was reported as 3.94 in 2015. The mean total hospital charges remained stable over time with the largest change being the decrease from 2011 (mean $93,939; 95% CI $80,064–$107,815) to 2012 (mean 82,603; 95% CI $75,127–$90,079). Additionally, patients with FBSS and co-morbid depression were more often discharged home than home with healthcare or to another healthcare facility. The occurrence of co-morbid depression in hospitalized patients with FBSS increased from 20% in 2011 to 23% in 2015. While direct hospital costs and length of stay remained relatively stable, the number of inpatient procedures performed trended upwards. The exact etiology for this increase in depression prevalence is unknown; additional studies are needed to shed further insight.
Abstract WP280: Sleep Apnea Screening is Uncommon After Stroke

Introduction: Sleep apnea (SA) predicts poor functional outcome and mortality after stroke. Minority populations, including Mexican Americans (MAs), have worse outcomes after stroke than non-Hispan...
Antegrade fenestration and re-entry: The legacy continues

Subintimal guidewire entry during antegrade wiring attempts can be approached with various techniques, such as: (a) withdraw and redirect the guidewire; (b) parallel wire technique; (c) re-entry using the Stingray system or guidewires; or (d) using the retrograde approach Antegrade fenestration and re-entry is a creative novel technique for antegrade re-entry that uses balloon angioplasty at the distal cap to create fenestrations between the false lumen and the distal true lumen, followed by advancement of a soft-polymer jacketed guidewire through the fenestrations to achieve distal true lumen re-entry Antegrade fenestration and re-entry is an intuitive, simple, and low-cost technique, but balloon inflation may cause subintimal hematoma that could hinder re-entry. Additional study is needed to refine how antegrade fenestration and re-entry should optimally be performed and to better understand its strengths and shortcomings.
Pharmacological Interventions in Gambling Disorder

The current chapter covers pharmacological treatments for gambling disorder (GD). We discuss the role of opioid antagonists, glutaminergic drugs (NAC, memantine, topiramate), antidepressants, and other medications that have been investigated. Mechanisms of action and current evidence are examined.
Obesity "complements" preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a devastating adverse outcome of pregnancy. Characterized by maternal hypertension, PE, when left untreated, can result in death of both mother and baby. The cause of PE remain...
Wafer-Scale TaO x Device Variability and Implications for Neuromorphic Computing Applications

Scaling arrays of non-volatile memory devices from academic demonstrations to reliable, manufacturable systems requires a better understanding of variability at array and wafer-scale levels. CrossSim models the accuracy of neural networks implemented on an analog resistive memory accelerator using the cycle-to-cycle variability of a single device. In this work, we extend this modeling tool to account for device-to-device variation in a realistic way, and evaluate the impact of this reliability issue in the context of neuromorphic online learning tasks.
Classification: Bringing Order with Concepts

Classification is the quintessential core of knowledge organization. Like encyclopedism, classification is a response to the impetus to create, expose, or impose order on that which is known. But leaving behind the explanatory capacity of an encyclopedia or even the definitive aspects of taxonomy, classification relies on structure to reveal the relationships that govern an ontological reality. In classification all of the tools of knowledge organization come into play: the point of view provided by epistemology is revealed in the interplay between facets of comprehended ontology, semantic power is provided by the concepts enumerated and yet often is unfettered by language through the use of symbolic notation thus yielding potentially the ultimate interoperability, and syntax is provided by the overall structure of the classification, and in particular by syndetic structure, which links the components.
Dogs with osteosarcoma have altered pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory cytokine profiles

Background Current advances in immunotherapy are an exciting area of study in canine osteosarcoma (OSA). The objective of this study was to determine the immune response in dogs with osteosarcoma by measuring stimulated leukocyte production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 and TNF and IL-6 to IL-10 ratios. Methods Whole blood was collected from dogs with osteosarcoma receiving non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, n = 11), dogs with osteosarcoma not receiving NSAIDs (n = 14) and healthy dogs (n = 5). Results No difference in TNF production was found among healthy and OSA dogs regardless of NSAID administration following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (p = .410), lipoteichoic acid (LTA) (p = .693) or PBS (p = .120). Leukocyte IL-6 production was greater in all dogs with OSA after stimulation with LPS (p = .015), LTA (p = .014) and PBS (p = .034) with no difference between OSA dogs receiving NSAIDs and those not. No differences in IL-10 were found among healthy controls and dogs with OSA regardless of NSAID use. There was no difference among groups for LPS-stimulated TNF to IL-10 ratios (p = .407). For LTA-stimulated leukocytes, the TNF to IL-10 ratio was lower in dogs with OSA than in healthy dogs (p = .031) with no difference between OSA NSAID dogs compared to OSA non-NSAID dogs (p = .059). No differences were found in LPS (p = .310)- or LTA (p = .265)-stimulated leukocyte IL-6 to IL-10 production ratios among groups. Conclusions Dogs with osteosarcoma have an altered pro- and anti-inflammatory immunologic profile compared to healthy dogs regardless of NSAID use. Further study is indicated to determine the potential prognostic and therapeutic implications of these findings.
Smart Home Technology Adoption and Learning

Smart home products continue to rise in popularity but have yet to achieve widespread adoption. There is little research on how the general population perceives benefits of different smart home devices beyond general surveys. Using a living laboratory of five solar houses that we equipped with a range of smart home devices, we assessed how university student residents learn about, use, and gain interest in adopting this smart home technology. Analysis of data confirms that users find lifestyle benefits to be the most important motivators for adopting smart home technology. Yet without training in using that technology these benefits do not outweigh the risks associated with learning to operate that technology.
Creating the Land of Lincoln: The History and Constitutions of Illinois, 1778-1870

Review of: "Creating the Land of Lincoln: The History and Constitutions of Illinois, 1778-1870" by Frank Cicero Jr.
Non Profit Housing Providers: Can They Survive the 'Devolution Revolution'?

This article examines the potential of nonprofit housing providers to participate effectively in housing programs linked to the welfare reform self-sufficiency movement. It reviews proposals for housing reforms which address expanded roles for nonprofit housing providers. With actual experiences of nonprofits as a framework, it explains their organizational patterns. Further, the article explores the supportive services and incentive programs commonly included in self-sufficiency programs employed by nonprofits and suggests modifications to such programs to improve upward mobility for participants. The authors acknowledge that self-sufficiency plans are not for everyone, and suggests alternative schemes for serving those segments of the population which are not likely to benefit from these programs. After reviewing the housing continuum from shelter through transitional housing to permanent housing, with special emphasis on the traditional role nonprofits have played, the authors propose a three part housing strategy that emphasizes responsibility, rather than self-sufficiency, as the standard for continuing housing assistance. The article concludes with the argument that nonprofits need greater regulatory flexibility to enable them to reach their potential.
Virus expression detection reveals RNA-sequencing contamination in TCGA

Contamination of reagents and cross contamination across samples is a long-recognized issue in molecular biology laboratories. While often innocuous, contamination can lead to inaccurate results. Cantalupo et al., for example, found HeLa-derived human papillomavirus 18 (H-HPV18) in several of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA-sequencing samples. This work motivated us to assess a greater number of samples and determine the origin of possible contaminations using viral sequences. To detect viruses with high specificity, we developed the publicly available workflow, VirDetect, that detects virus and laboratory vector sequences in RNA-seq samples. We applied VirDetect to 9143 RNA-seq samples sequenced at one TCGA sequencing center (28/33 cancer types) over 5 years. We confirmed that H-HPV18 was present in many samples and determined that viral transcripts from H-HPV18 significantly co-occurred with those from xenotropic mouse leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV). Using laboratory metadata and viral transcription, we determined that the likely contaminant was a pool of cell lines known as the “common reference”, which was sequenced alongside TCGA RNA-seq samples as a control to monitor quality across technology transitions (i.e. microarray to GAII to HiSeq), and to link RNA-seq to previous generation microarrays that standardly used the “common reference”. One of the cell lines in the pool was a laboratory isolate of MCF-7, which we discovered was infected with XMRV; another constituent of the pool was likely HeLa cells. Altogether, this indicates a multi-step contamination process. First, MCF-7 was infected with an XMRV. Second, this infected cell line was added to a pool of cell lines, which contained HeLa. Finally, RNA from this pool of cell lines contaminated several TCGA tumor samples most-likely during library construction. Thus, these human tumors with H-HPV or XMRV reads were likely not infected with H-HPV 18 or XMRV.
Insolation forcing of sub-lacustrine debris flows – Could monsoon intensification have played a role? Eocene lacustrine Green River Formation, Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado

Abstract Mudstone breccias deposited by debris flows in the lacustrine Green River Formation of the Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado, may not represent random and unpredictable events as previously thought. Spectral analysis of mudstone breccia beds in the Wolfridge Minerals John Savage #24-1 basin center core reveals a record of short eccentricity (94.58 kyr), obliquity (50.78 kyr and 39.26 kyr), and precession (21.85 kyr and 18.56 kyr). Of particular interest to this investigation are the records of eccentricity and precession, together which indicate that insolation forcing of monsoons occurred every ~18–21 kyr, and that every ~94 kyr, insolation maxima exceeded a threshold of 528 W/m2, resulting in more significant monsoon amplification. Strengthened monsoon activity would have led to an increase in precipitation and runoff delivered to the lake. This increase in inflow resulted in lake-level rise which, in turn, decreased basin slope stability and triggered periodic sub-lacustrine debris flows that deposited the mudstone breccias.
Regulation of DNA Binding and High Order Oligomerization of the DnaB Helicase Loader

DnaB is an essential primosomal protein that coloads the replicative helicase in many Gram-positive bacteria, including several human pathogens. Although DnaB is tetrameric in solution, it is from a protein family whose members can oligomerize into large complexes when exposed to DNA. It is currently unknown how DNA binding by DnaB is regulated or how these interactions induce changes in its oligomeric state. Here, we investigated DNA binding by DnaB from Bacillus subtilis and the critical human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus We found that B. subtilis DnaB binds double-stranded DNA as a tetramer; however, M13mp18 single-stranded DNA induces high-order oligomerization. Mutating a conserved motif at the C-terminal end of DnaB stimulates single-stranded DNA binding, suggesting that conformational changes in this region regulate DNA substrate preferences. S. aureus DnaB could also be induced to form high-order oligomers with either M13mp18 or PhiX174 single-stranded DNA. Therefore, oligomeric shifts in DnaB are tightly controlled and this activity is conserved between B. subtilis and a pathogenic species.IMPORTANCE DnaB is a replicative helicase loader involved in initiating DNA replication in many bacterial species. We investigated the binding preferences of DnaB for its DNA substrate and determined that the C-terminal end of the protein plays a critical role in controlling DNA interactions. Furthermore, we found that DNA binding in general did not trigger changes to the oligomeric state of DnaB, but rather, certain types of single-stranded DNA substrates specifically induced DnaB to self-assemble into a large complex. This indicates that the structure of DNA itself is an important regulatory element that influences the behavior of DnaB. Importantly, these observations held for both Bacillus subtilis and the pathogenic species Staphylococcus aureus, demonstrating conserved biochemical functions of DnaB in these species.
Gradient stretching to produce variable aspect ratio colloidal ellipsoids

Abstract Developing reliable synthetic methods for producing shape-anisotropic polymer colloids is essential for their use in novel functional materials. In designing such materials from ellipsoidal particles, it is often necessary to screen a wide range of particle sizes and aspect ratios to appropriately understand how microscopic particle characteristics dictate macroscopic material response. Here, we describe a technique to simultaneously produce a broad range of aspect ratio polymer ellipsoid samples from a single synthetic step. The technique extends the traditional film-stretching approach to create ellipsoids by introducing a gradient in strain and film cooling, which results in varying degrees of particle stretching. We empirically calibrate the device such that the final particle elongation may be predicted from the film characteristics, enabling the selective harvesting of ellipsoids with desired dimensions and which can be isolated by aspect ratio. The method is applied successfully to a wide range of seed particle diameters (500 nm – 10 μm) and enables the rapid synthesis of variable aspect ratio particles for systematic studies of anisotropic particles.
Same-day discharge for pediatric laparoscopic gastrostomy

Abstract Background Laparoscopic gastrostomy is a common procedure in children. We developed a same-day discharge (SDD) protocol for laparoscopic button gastrostomy. Methods We performed a prospective observational study of children undergoing laparoscopic button gastrostomy and were eligible for SDD from August 2017–September 2019. Patients were eligible if: 1) the family was comfortable with eliminating overnight admission and were suitable candidates for outpatient surgery (absence of major co-morbidities), 2) they were not undergoing additional procedures requiring admission, and 3) they received pre-operative education. Results Sixty-two patients who underwent laparoscopic button gastrostomy were eligible for SDD. The median age was 2.1 years [IQR 0.9–4.1], and the median weight was 10.5 kg [IQR 7.6–15.5]. Forty-one (66%) were previously nasogastric fed. The median operative time was 22 min [IQR 16–29]. The median time to initiation of feeds was 4.4 h [IQR 3.4–5.5]. Fifty-one (82%) were discharged the same day with a median length of stay of 9 h [IQR 7–10]. Eleven were admitted, most commonly for further teaching. Eleven SDD patients were seen in the emergency room Conclusion Same-day discharge following laparoscopic gastrostomy is safe and feasible for select pediatric patients who undergo pre-operative education. The SDD pathway results in a low admission rate and relatively low ER visits. Type of study Prospective Observational Study. Level of Evidence Level II.