cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Highly Localized Plasma Formation in Air Using Space-time Focusing of mJ Ultrafast Pulses

Space-time focusing of spatially-chirped Ti:Sapphire laser pulses is used to generate a plasma in air axially localized to 28x less than the confocal parameter, suppressing filamentation on the way to the focus.
Optimal Resonance Frequency Detuning Switch Trigger Determination Using Measurable Response Characteristics

For systems experiencing transient vibration associated with passage through resonance, resonance frequency detuning (RFD) offers a source of vibration reduction by altering the stiffness state of the structure as the swept excitation frequency approaches any resonance frequency. The peak response dynamics and overall maximum amplitude reduction is governed by the sweep rate, modal damping ratio, electromechanical coupling coefficient, and the point at which this stiffness switch occurs, and the optimal switch trigger has been established when all system information is readily available. This study investigates a method of determining the optimal switch trigger using only the open-circuit piezoelectric voltage time response. For the purposes of simulation, a curve fit is employed and a subsequent optimal trigger control law is extracted. This empirical control law agrees well with and produces comparable response to that of the optimal control determined using perfect and complete knowledge of the system.
Improve the Prediction Accuracy of Naïve Bayes Classifier with Association Rule Mining

Nowadays, big data contains infinite business opportunities. Companies begin to analyze their data to predict their potential customers and business decisions using Naive Bayes Classifier, Association Rule Mining, Decision Tree and other famous algorithms. An accurate classification result may help companies leading in its industry. Companies seek to find feasible business intelligences to obtain reliable prediction results. In this paper we propose an association rule mining to improve Naive Bayes Classifier. Naive Bayes Classifier is one of the famous algorithm in big data classification but based on an independent assumptions between features. Association rule mining is popular and useful for discovering relations between inputs in big data analysis. We use bank marketing data set to illustrate in this work. In general, this work is helpful to all the business data set.
Shared white matter alterations across emotional disorders: A voxel-based meta-analysis of fractional anisotropy

Abstract Background White matter (WM) integrity may represent a shared biomarker for emotional disorders (ED). Aims: To identify transdiagnostic biomarkers of reduced WM by meta-analysis of findings across multiple EDs. Method Web of Science was searched systematically for studies of whole brain analysis of fractional anisotropy (FA) in adults with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder compared with a healthy control (HC) group. Peak MNI coordinates were extracted from 37 studies of voxel-based analysis (892 HC and 962 with ED) and meta-analyzed using seed-based d Mapping (SDM) Version 4.31. Separate meta-analyses were also conducted for each disorder. Results In the transdiagnostic meta-analysis, reduced FA was identified in ED studies compared to HCs in the left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, forceps minor, uncinate fasciculus, anterior thalamic radiation, superior corona radiata, bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculi, and cerebellum. Disorder-specific meta-analyses revealed the OCD group had the most similarities in reduced FA to other EDs, with every cluster of reduced FA overlapping with at least one other diagnosis. The PTSD group was the most distinct, with no clusters of reduced FA overlapping with any other diagnosis. The BD group were the only disorder to show increased FA in any region, and showed a more bilateral pattern of WM changes, compared to the other groups which tended to demonstrate a left lateralized pattern of FA reductions. Conclusions Distinct diagnostic categories of ED show commonalities in WM tracts with reduced FA when compared to HC, which links brain networks involved in cognitive and affective processing. This meta-analysis facilitates an increased understanding of the biological markers that are shared by these ED.
Black Lives Matter in Information Literacy

The institutional racism addressed by the Black Lives Matter movement is encoded in many of the structures of academia, including academic libraries. As a librarian who teaches information literacy, I ask students to think about which voices are represented in the scholarly literature, make explicit the implicit biases of the way scholarly materials are organized in the library and research databases, and examine the way their own biases affect their evaluations of information. In this article, I examine some of the ways racism is build into the structure of the library and describe ways I teach students to recognize inequities in the sources they rely on for college level research.
Human capital matters: Market valuation of firm investments in training and the role of complementary assets

Research summary: This article empirically examines the economic value to firms of investing in the training of their employees and firm-level factors that influence how much the firms benefit. Event study methodology is used to obtain a measure of the economic impact of information regarding a firm's human capital management investments and policies. Subsequent regression analyses are then used to test hypotheses regarding possible complementary relationships between firm-level factors and human capital investments. Results provide robust support for the proposition that effective investments in human capital and training matter, and that these human capital investments are more impactful when combined with complementary assets of R&D, physical capital, and advertising investments. Managerial summary: Do firm investments in training and the development of employee human capital matter with regard to financial performance? We find that, yes, these investments do matter. Our results show that managers who view employee human capital as an asset to be invested in and developed can expect to outperform those who view it as a cost to be minimized. In addition, we find that these human capital investments will be of even greater economic value to firms when they have made complementary investments in R&D, physical capital, and advertising. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enteroviruses infect human enteroids and induce antiviral signaling in a cell lineage-specific manner

Enteroviruses are among the most common viral infectious agents of humans and are primarily transmitted by the fecal-oral route. However, the events associated with enterovirus infections of the human gastrointestinal tract remain largely unknown. Here, we used stem cell-derived enteroids from human small intestines to study enterovirus infections of the intestinal epithelium. We found that enteroids were susceptible to infection by diverse enteroviruses, including echovirus 11 (E11), coxsackievirus B (CVB), and enterovirus 71 (EV71), and that contrary to an immortalized intestinal cell line, enteroids induced antiviral and inflammatory signaling pathways in response to infection in a virus-specific manner. Furthermore, using the Notch inhibitor dibenzazepine (DBZ) to drive cellular differentiation into secretory cell lineages, we show that although goblet cells resist E11 infection, enteroendocrine cells are permissive, suggesting that enteroviruses infect specific cell populations in the human intestine. Taken together, our studies provide insights into enterovirus infections of the human intestine, which could lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets and/or strategies to prevent or treat infections by these highly clinically relevant viruses.
Low Temperature Reduction of Hematite in Red-Mud to Magnetite

Red-mud, the residue generated from the Bayers processing of bauxite ore in Jamaica was subjected to a low temperature reduction process. Hematite (~60 m%) was reduced to magnetite employing a gas based mixture of CO, CO2 and N2 as a diluent. Extensive thermodynamic study was conducted to identify the stability region for magnetite. ‘Optimal conditions’ for the gas-phase reduction were determined to be: a processing temperature of 540 °C ± 10 °C, partial pressures CO(g) and CO2(g) each of 0.070 atm (bar) ± 0.001 atm (bar)/inert diluent-gas: N2(g), for a conversion-time of 30 min. Mathematical model for reduction based on unidirectional diffusion is also formulated in this paper.
Valuing environmental impacts of mercury emissions from gold mining: Dollar per troy ounce estimates for twelve open-pit, small-scale, and artisanal mining sites

Abstract Mercury is a toxic pollutant that distributes globally once emitted into the air. Mercury emission is the primary environmental impact of small-scale and artisanal gold mining, which are responsible for nearly half of anthropogenic mercury emissions each year. Considering that small-scale, artisanal, and formal gold mining are linked by the global gold price, this analysis evaluates the question - In dollar terms, what is the difference in mercury emission impact, per ounce of gold production, from these three forms of mining? To answer this question, a calibrated benefit transfer approach is employed to apply environmental valuation literature estimates (of mercury's impact on global earnings) to twelve gold mining sites around the world. The results indicate a mean impact range of
The Origins of Academic Chemical Engineering

The origins of chemical engineering can be linked to the industrial revolution of the 18th and 19th century in Europe and the United States (1–4) and the sociopolitical changes following the 1848 revolution in France and Germany (5–6). No doubt one can claim that chemical engineering was practiced even by the ancient Greeks and Romans when they were making soap or wine, or treating ores in Lavrion or Sicily.
Effectiveness of Infliximab in Treating Selected Cases of Sarcoidosis

There is no cure for sarcoidosis. Corticosteroids are universally used for suppressing the progressive and harmful granulomatous inflammation. Unfortunately, many patients develop intolerable side effects that become more of a problem than the disease. In such situation, a number of alternative drugs, including immunosuppressives (azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate), immune modulators (pentoxyphylline, thalidomide), non-cytotoxic anti-inflammatory agents (chloroquine, hydroxy-chloroquine), and radiation have been used. These agents are not consistently effective and can have serious side effects. Thus, the search for an ideal drug to control and cure sarcoidosis continues. Recent studies have shown that tumor necrosis factor-alpha plays an important role in perpetuating the granulomatous inflammation. Infliximab, a tumor necrosis factor antagonist, blocks the effect of tumor necrosis factor and exerts a beneficial effect. The following describes my experience in treating patients with multisystem sarcoidosis with Infliximab.
Dietary Specifications to Meet Nutritional Needs

This chapter focuses on the dietary specifications to meet nutritional needs. We all eat; we are motivated to eat by many different stimuli that range from seeing the time on the clock to meeting someone and to noting growling, uncomfortable feeling at the beltline. We eat for many reasons completely unrelated to the body's need for food. We not only eat without plan but also make the choice of food to eat by chance. Conscious planning for food to comprise the daily meals and snacks must take precedence as the simplest form of learning about applied nutrition. To aid in this learning, several food promotion organizations have designed schemes for planning meals that assure adequate food intake. One cannot go wrong as long as one uses a systematic and conscious selection of food based on the nutrient requirements of the people involved. A periodic computation of the nutrient content of this systematic and rational choice of food helps to assure the diner that his daily food intake meets the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) as established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council (NRC) in the United States. The chapter reviews the devices that are used to plan and judge the adequacy of dietary intake. It further analyzes everyday food guides to nutrition, the recommended dietary allowances, the role of dietary supplements in nutrition, and dietary analysis as a tool in education and research.
Building blocks for bispecific and trispecific antibodies

Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs), which target two antigens or epitopes, incorporate the specificities and properties of two distinct monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) into a single molecule. As such, BsAbs can elicit synergistic activities and provide the capacity for enhanced therapeutic efficacy and/or safety compared to what can be achieved with conventional monospecific IgGs. There are many building block formats to generate BsAbs and Trispecific antibodies (TsAbs) based on combining the antigen recognition domains of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). This review describes the many and varied antibody-based building blocks used to achieve multivalency and multispecificity. These diverse building blocks provide opportunities to tailor the design of BsAbs and TsAbs to match the desired applications.
Improving the sensitivity of X-ray microanalysis in the analytical electron microscope.

Abstract A study of the influence of experimental parameters on the sensitivity of x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy in the analytical electron microscope from 20–200 kV is conducted. Optimization of conditions in the next generation of aberration corrected AEM instrument coupled with an array configuration of SDD detectors can potentially yield a 10–20 fold improvement over older Si(Li) systems still in use today.
Data-intensive Undergraduate Research Project Informs to Advance Healthcare Analytics

The overarching framework for incorporating informatics into the Wesley College (Wesley) undergraduate curriculum was to teach emerging information technologies that prepared undergraduates for complex high-demand work environments. Federal and State support helped implement Wesley’s undergraduate Informatics Certificate and Minor programs. Both programs require project-based coursework in Applied Statistics, SAS Programming, and Geo-spatial Analysis (ArcGIS). In 2015, the State of Obesity listed the obesity ranges for all 50 US States to be between 21-36%. Yet, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mortality records show significantly lower obesity-related death-rates for states with very high obesity-rates. This study highlights the disparities in the reported obesity-related death-rates (specified by an ICD-10 E66 diagnosis code) and the obesity-rate percentages recorded for all 50 US States. Using CDC mortality-rate data, the available obesity-rate information, and ArcGIS, we created choropleth maps for all US States. Visual and statistical analysis shows considerable disparities in the obesity-related death-rate record-keeping amongst the 50 US States. For example, in 2015, Vermont with the sixth lowest obesity-rate had the highest reported obesity-related death-rate. In contrast, Alabama had the fifth highest adult obesity-rate in the nation, yet, it had a very low age-adjusted mortality-rate. Such disparities make comparative analysis difficult.
Abstract WP288: Impact of Prehospital LVO Tools on the Delay of Care and Redistribution of Patients between Primary and Comprehensive Stroke Centers

Introduction: Several tools have been developed aimed at predicting large vessel occlusion (LVO) in the prehospital setting. If these tools are used to bypass Alteplase-but-not-thrombectomy-capable...
Collaboration in Environmental Conflict Management and Decision-Making: Comparing Best Practices With Insights From Collaborative Learning Work

For much of the past three decades, when environmental or natural resource conflicts have emerged, diverse parties (government agencies, stakeholder organizations, and citizens) have often sought an alternative to adversarial battles. They have turned to collaboration, and in so doing, have attempted to work through conflicts to find common ground and make sound decisions. And in so doing their experiences have given rise to the development of “best practices” for conducting collaborative work. This essay considers three sets of best practices for collaboration and compares through practices with the authors’ twenty-seven years of Collaborative Learning fieldwork. When insights from Collaborative Learning projects are combined with a collective set of best practices, eighteen areas emerge to guide collaborative efforts.
Constraints on stellar evolution from white dwarf asteroseismology

High mass and low mass stars follow a similar evolution until the inert core phase that follows the end of the core helium burning stage. In particular, one common phase of stellar evolution is the alpha capture reaction that turns carbon into oxygen in the core. We can obtain constraints on this reaction rate by studying the remnants of low mass stars, as this is the ultimate reaction that occurs in their core. We also present results that allow us to test the time dependent calculations of diffusion in dense interiors.
NON-DESTRUCTIVE EVALUATION OF MATRIX CRACKS IN FIBER-REINFORCED COMPOSITES BY LEAKY LAMB WAVES

Leaky Lamb waves have been used for the non-destructive evaluation of fiber-reinforced composites. Two fundamental acoustic properties of the Lamb waves, namely, the wavespeed and attenuation have been measured. Stiffness is deduced from the wavespeed. The damage mode selected for this study is matrix cracking. Matrix cracks are introduced in the cross-ply laminate by static loading. Wavespeed and attenuation are measured after each damage state. As expected, the in-plane stiffness decreases and the attenuation increases as the damage increases. It was observed that the stiffness reduction was dependent on the stacking sequence while the attenuation was dependent on the scattering cross-section of the cracks, k1a.
A Conservative Approach for Analysis of Noninferiority Trials With Missing Data and Subject Noncompliance

Noninferiority clinical trials aim to show an experimental treatment is therapeutically no worse than standard of care, particularly if the new treatment is preferred for reasons such as cost, conv...
Expansion Tube Freestream Disturbance Measurements using a Focused Laser Differential Interferometer

A focused laser differential interferometer (FLDI) is applied to Caltech's Hypervelocity Expansion Tube (HET). FLDI is shown to be sensitive enough to make high-bandwidth measurements of flow features at low-density conditions. The freestream disturbance level is quantified as a function of the sound speed ratio across the primary contact surface. This is done to experimentally investigate whether the freestream disturbances obey the acoustic wave theory proposed by Paull and Stalker. It is found that disturbance magnitudes generally decrease with reductions in this sound speed ratio, as predicted by the theory, but some anomalous results are observed that suggest additional controlling parameters beyond the acoustic model.
A comparison between the open-ended coaxial probe method and the parallel plate method for measuring the dielectric properties of low-moisture foods

Abstract The dielectric properties of reference materials (deionized water and heptane) and selected low-moisture foods (ground black pepper, all-purpose bleached wheat flour, non-fat milk powder, and whole milk powder) were measured with the open-ended coaxial probe (OECP) and parallel plate (PP) methods from 20 to 60 °C and in the frequency ranges of 5 MHz to 3 GHz for OECP and 5–30 MHz for PP. Overall, the PP method was more accurate at measuring the dielectric properties of the reference materials than the OECP method. Notably, the OECP deviated from expected values below 200 MHz or when the magnitudes of the dielectric properties were small. As for the food products, the OECP and PP data sets were interpolated well with a modified power law model at lower temperatures when the OECP data below 200 MHz were excluded. However, the OECP data largely deviated from PP data at higher temperatures. The results suggest that the PP method may be preferable if the frequencies of interest are below 200 MHz or if the dielectric properties are expected to be small in magnitude.
A Sense of Belonging

A Sense of Belonging In this Graphic Perspective, an eager Black medical student wonders how she can compete when, lacking the generational privilege held by many White students, she is behind from...
Evaluation of VSPAERO Analysis Capabilities for Conceptual Design of Aircraft with Propeller-Blown Wings

Advancements in electric propulsion and the emergence of Advanced Air Mobility are driving the evolution of new aircraft designs. Since electric propulsion enables flexibility in propeller location, there is an increasing need for reliable, quick analyses of propeller-airframe interactions during the conceptual design phase. Many existing analysis tools capable of accurately modeling propeller-airframe interactions are computationally expensive and require a high level of expertise and significant time investment for setup. VSPAERO is a NASA-developed, open source, computational analysis tool that runs a Vortex-Lattice Method (VLM) solver and is targeted at conceptual design. This paper assesses the applicability of the VSPAERO VLM in the conceptual design phase by comparing VSPAERO predictions to predictions by OVERFLOW, a Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Computational Fluid Dynamics solver, and RoBIN, another VLM tool. The paper details the modeling, meshing, and analysis techniques used within VSPAERO. Analyses were performed for a wing in isolation, a propeller in isolation, and then for two propeller-blown wing configurations: one with a propeller located at the midspan and another with a propeller located at the wingtip. The propeller was modeled both as an actuator disk and as rotating blades.
Psychosocial Determinants of HIV Stigma among Men Who Have Sex with Men in San Francisco, California.

Background: Stigma and discrimination are major challenges faced by people living with HIV (PLWH), and stigma continues to be prevalent among PLWH. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 584 men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV between July 2018 and December 2020, designed to better understand which demographic and behavioral characteristics of MSM living with HIV in San Francisco, California are associated with experience of stigma, so that programs and initiatives can be tailored appropriately to minimize HIV stigma’s impacts. Methods: This analysis was conducted with data from San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) encompassing services from multiple different locations in San Francisco. Data about the level of HIV-related stigma experienced were collected through a single question incorporated into programmatic data collection forms at SFAF as part of the client record stored in SFAF’s electronic health record. We performed linear regression to determine the associations between self-reported experiences of HIV stigma and other characteristics among MSM living with HIV. Results: HIV stigma was low overall among MSM living with HIV who are actively engaged in HIV care in San Francisco; however, it was significantly higher for the age groups of 13–29 years (adjusted risk difference (ARD): 0.251, 95% CI: 0.012, 0.489) and 30–49 years (ARD: 0.205, 95% CI: 0.042, 0.367) when compared to the age group of 50 years and older, as well as people who were homeless (ARD: 0.844, 95% CI: 0.120, 1.568), unstably housed (ARD: 0.326, 95% CI: 0.109, 0.543) and/or having mental health concerns (ARD: 0.309, 95% CI: 0.075, 0.544), controlling for race, injection history, and viral load. Conclusions: These findings highlight an opportunity to develop culturally, socially, and racially appropriate interventions to reduce HIV stigma among MSM living with HIV, particularly for younger men and those struggling with housing stability and/or mental health.
How public interest and concerns about autonomous vehicles change over time: A study of repeated cross-sectional travel survey data of the Puget Sound Region in the Northwest United States

Abstract A growing number of research attempts have been made to enhance our knowledge about the characteristics of the potential early Autonomous Vehicle (AV) adopters. However, little is known about whether the public attitudes towards AVs change over time and how. With a multiyear cross-sectional travel survey data of the Puget Sound Region that encompasses the Seattle metropolitan area, we analyzed the fractions of population with various levels of interest and concerns regarding AVs. A two-part model combining a binary logit model and a partial proportional odds model was utilized to investigate the change of individuals’ positions on AVs over time, controlling for their socio-demographic characteristics, travel behavior characteristics, and built environment attributes. We find that the percentage of population unfamiliar with AVs has declined over the years, which is probably due to a greater exposure to the information about AVs. All other variables being equal, individuals’ interest in AVs has not changed over time while their concerns have increased across time. The findings suggest that information campaigns or educational programs that introduce the advantages of AV adoption with a focus on the safety aspects of AVs could potentially alter public attitudes, which could help achieve greater market penetration.
Dose-dependent kinetics of all-trams-retinoic acid in rats:Plasma levels and excretion into bile, urine, and faeces

Abstract Plasma concentration-time curves for all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) after 0.015.0.25 or 5 mg/kg, i.V., deviated from first-order kinetics in the rat. Within 10 min after the i.v. infusion, a rapid, dose-dependent decrease in RA concentration was observed (slope steepest at the lowest dose). During a secondary phase of slower decline, the times required to halve the RA concentration after 0.015, 0.25 and 5 mg/kg were 40, 65 and 120 min respectively. At later times, the concentration-time curves for all three dose levels assumed a fast rate of decline (half-life about 19 min at the lower dose). The dose-dependent kinetics of RA in plasma were not due to enterohepatic recirculation of RA, since RA levels in plasma were not lower in rats with biliary fistulas given comparable doses. In contrast, circulating levels of RA metabolites remained elevated for several hours and were significantly diminished by interruption of the enterohepatic circulation. After a dose of [10-3H]RA, the rate of biliary excretion of radiolabeled material was initially slower after 5 mg/kg RA than after 0.015 mg/kg RA. Within the first 24 hr, however, approximately the same proportion of both doses appeared in bile. All-trans-retinoyl-β-glucuronide is only a minor biliary metabolite of RA. Glucuronidation of RA was dose-dependent, since the percentage of total biliary metabolites represented by all-trans-retinoyl-β-glucuronide increased with increasing dose. Renal excretion of RA and its metabolites was significantly decreased by interruption of the enterohepatic circulation. The percentage of dose excreted in the urine decreased with increasing dose.
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS AND HUMAN BLADDER CANCER: Preliminary Results

3010 patients with cancer of the urinary bladder and 5783 controls drawn from the general population of ten geographic areas of the U.S.A. were interviewed. Subjects who reported over having used artificial sweeteners or artificially sweetened foods or beverages showed no elevation in risk. However, positive associations between various measures of use of artificial sweeteners and risk of bladder cancer were seen in several subgroups. Inconsistencies in the data suggest that the positive associations may be due to chance, but it is noteworthy that the subgroups were those chosen, a priori, to test hypotheses derived from laboratory experiments.
Optimization of an Image-Guided Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization Model in Mice

The mouse model of laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) has been used in studies of the exudative form of age-related macular degeneration using both the conventional slit lamp and a new image-guided laser system. A standardized protocol is needed for consistent results using this model, which has been lacking. We optimized details of laser-induced CNV using the image-guided laser photocoagulation system. Four lesions with similar size were consistently applied per eye at approximately double the disc diameter away from the optic nerve, using different laser power levels, and mice of various ages and genders. After 7 days, the mice were sacrificed and retinal pigment epithelium/choroid/sclera was flat-mounted, stained with Isolectin B4, and imaged. Quantification of the area of the laser-induced lesions was performed using an established and constant threshold. Exclusion criteria are described that were necessary for reliable data analysis of the laser-induced CNV lesions. The CNV lesion area was proportional to the laser power levels. Mice at 12-16 weeks of age developed more severe CNV than those at 6-8 weeks of age, and the gender difference was only significant in mice at 12-16 weeks of age, but not in those at 6-8 weeks of age. Dietary intake of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid reduced laser-induced CNV in mice. Taken together, laser-induced CNV lesions can be easily and consistently applied using the image-guided laser platform. Mice at 6-8 weeks of age are ideal for the laser-induced CNV model.
Detection of geothermal anomalies using Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) thermal infrared images at Bradys Hot Springs, Nevada, USA

Abstract Surface temperature anomalies associated with geothermal activity at Bradys Hot Springs, Churchill County, Nevada were mapped using Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) thermal infrared (TIR) image data. In order to highlight subsurface contributions of geothermal heat, the ASTER images were processed to minimize temperature variations caused by the diurnal heating effects of the sun. Surface temperature variations caused by changes in albedo were corrected with visible and near-infrared ASTER bands, and a 10-meter-smoothed Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was used to correct for topographic slope effects. Field measurements of ground surface temperatures made over 24-hour periods were used to design a thermal inertia correction incorporating day and night thermal infrared images. In the resulting processed image, background temperature variations were reduced 30–50% without reducing the intensity of geothermal anomalies, thus making it easier to distinguish geothermal activity from ‘false’ anomalies caused by non-thermal springs, topographic effects, and variable rock, soil, and vegetation compositions.
A combined assay for the rapid preliminary detection of structural retroviruses

Summary This report describes the use of equilibrium gradients, RNA dependent DNA polymerase assays and electron microscopy (EM) in a combined assay for the rapid preliminary detection of intact retroviruses in crude preparations. Positive combined assays of platelets from preleukemic patients corresponded with karyotypic abnormalities found in these patients. Reconstruction experiments with Rauscher Leukemia Virus added to buffer or disrupted mouse spleen demonstrated the ease of detecting 10 9 or greater particles/g crude tissue, and the effects of buffer or added protein.
Influence of Water on Spatial Excitation Behavior in the DCP

Spatially resolved excitation temperatures and electron densities in the direct-current plasma (DCP) have been measured as a function of the amount of water introduced to the plasma. Both the excitation temperature and the electron density increase with the quantity of water introduced. The increase in these parameters is large for very low water introduction rates, but slows as the amount of water introduced is increased. A plateau is reached where the amount of water introduced no longer affects the electron concentration or excitation temperature. This plateau is reached at a water introduction rate significantly less than that normally used for routine analytical work.
The effect of heat upon the interaction between aminoglycosides and semi-synthetic penicillins in human serum: a consideration for HIV infectious serum.

We conducted 2 experiments to study the effect of heat on the interaction between aminogiycosides and semi-synthetic penicillins in human serum. In one experiment, human serum spiked with either gentamicin or tobramycin at a concentration of 4.7 mg/l plus carbenicillin, ticarcillin, piperacillin, mezlocillin, or azlocillin at concentrations of either 50 mg/l or 150 mg/l was subjected to a 30-min, 56°C waterbath incubation. In the second experiment, randomly selected sera from patients receiving either gentamicin or tobramycin were also heat-treated. Iwo methods, the Abbott TDx and the Syva Emit, were used for each amino-glycoside assay. The difference between pre- and post-heat treatment aminoglycoside concentration was <10% in approximately 92% of the patient sera and in 93% of the spiked sera containing an aminoglycoside plus a semi-synthetic penicillin at 50 mg/l. For sera spiked with an aminoglycoside plus a semi-synthetic penicillin at 150 mg/l, post-heat treatment concentrations were 5–19% lower tha...
Assessment of mesoscale eddy parameterizations for a single‐basin coarse‐resolution ocean model

[1] In this study we explore the ability of three parameterization schemes to represent mesoscale eddies' effects in a single, idealized ocean basin. We first carry out an eddy-resolving simulation with an ocean general circulation model (GCM). The three schemes tested are the traditional Fickian diffusion and the Green-Stone (GS) and Gent-McWilliams (GM) parameterizations. Evaluation of the divergence of the eddy heat flux from the reference simulation in the time-averaged thermal balance shows that eddies contribute significantly to the balance only in a geographically limited area adjacent to the western boundary around the separation point of the midlatitude jet. For this region, diagnostic tests are carried out comparing the local properties of the eddy heat flux evaluated from the fine-resolution eddy-resolving reference simulation with the parameterized fluxes diagnosed according to the three schemes. Evaluation of the Fickian diffusion shows that the components of the eddy heat flux are not down the temperature gradient in about half of the domain. The GS parameterization is assessed by examining the relative orientation of the isopycnal surface and the eddy heat flux vector. The relative orientation falls outside the range implicitly assumed by the GS parameterization in about half of the domain. Similarly, the GM scheme simulates the wrong sign for the divergence of the eddy heat flux in about half of the domain. Comparison of the divergences predicted with the schemes in the most energetic subdomain of the western region shows that all of them have some skill but does not identify any one scheme as being superior to the others, and two of them, GS and GM, fail in the western boundary current by predicting the wrong sign of the divergence. The incorrect orientation of the eddy heat flux vector in the test of the GS scheme implies that mean flow kinetic energy is an important source of eddy energy, and this is a likely reason why the GS and GM schemes do not do better. We carry out a further assessment of the parameterization schemes by implementing them in an ocean GCM in coarse-resolution experiments, thus mimicking the actual procedure used in climate simulations. All the parameterization schemes can be tuned to reproduce with some accuracy some of the climatological diagnostic quantities, hence their relative success in climatological coarse-resolution simulations. However, once again, no one scheme is noticeably better than the others. We note that our results only apply to parameterizations of eddies generated in western boundary currents and their extensions.
L-Malate dehydrogenase activity and protein synthesis in sea urchin embryos.

Abstract Actinomycin D did not markedly inhibit protein synthesis in early sea urchin embryos but did inhibit protein synthesis after the early blastula stage. The specific activities and electrophoretic patterns of the l -malate dehydrogenase of embryos grown in the presence of actinomycin D as much as 22 hours were not different from those of untreated embryos. Puromycin inhibited cell division, embryonic development, and the incorporation of amino acid into protein, but was without effect on the specific activity or electrophoretic pattern of l -malate dehydrogenase. Thus, the malate dehydrogenase present in unfertilized sea urchin eggs appears to be stable during early embryonic development and differentiation.
Software reuse: from library to factory

Systematic software reuse is a key business strategy that software managers can employ to dramatically improve their software development processes, to decrease time-to-market and costs, and to improve product quality. Effective reuse requires much more than just code and library technology. We have learned that careful consideration must be given to people, process, and technology. One approach to the systematic integration of these three elements is the concept of the software factory. At Hewlett-Packard Co., we have initiated a multifaceted corporate reuse program to help introduce the best practices of systematic reuse into the company, complemented by multidisciplinary research to investigate and develop better methods for domain-specific, reuse-based software engineering. This essay discusses our experiences. Key aspects include domain-specific kits, business modeling, organization design, and technology infrastructure for a flexible software factory.
Abstract 3410: Inhibitors of Skp2 E3ligase stabilize nuclear p27kip1for regain of growth regulation in cancer.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC In many human cancers, the tumor suppressor, p27kip1 (p27), a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor critical to cell cycle arrest, undergoes perpetual ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation by the E3 ligase complex SCF-Skp2/Cks1 and/or cytoplasmic mislocalization; lack of nuclear p27 causes aberrant cell cycle progression and cytoplasmic p27 can mediate cell migration/metastasis. We previously showed that estrogen (E2) induces Skp2-dependent degradation of p27 and cell proliferation in primary endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) and endometrial carcinoma (ECA) cell lines (e.g., ECC-1) suggesting a pathogenic mechanism for type I endometrial carcinoma (ECA), an estrogen (E2)-linked cancer. The current studies show that treatment of ECC-1 cells with small molecule inhibitors of Skp2/Cks1 E3 ligase activity (Skp2E3LIs) increase protein levels of p27, increase p27 half-life by 6 hours and inhibit cell proliferation (IC50 10μM). Two of five SKP2E3LIs, designated as C2 and C20 specifically increase p27 in the nucleus while decreasing p27 in the cytoplasm in both ECC-1 cells and primary ECA cells. In addition, C2 and C20 prevent both E2-induced proliferation and degradation of nuclear p27. These data suggest that Skp2E3LIs can function in the nucleus to prevent E2-induced degradation of p27 in primary ECA cells to regain growth control by directly blocking p27 ubiquitylation and subsequent degradation. Skp2E3LIs enable a chemical biology approach to understanding the functional significance of the ubiquitin pathway in p27-mediated cell cycle regulation and importantly, are the first specific proteasome inhibitors that pharmacologically target the binding interaction between the E3ligase, SCF-Skp2/Cks1 and p27 to prevent its ubiquitylation and subsequent degradation. These targeted inhibitors represent a major therapeutic advancement over general proteasome inhibitors for cancers characterized by SCF-Skp2/Cks1-mediated destruction of p27. Citation Format: Savvas C. Pavlides, Kuang-Tzu Huang, Lily Wu, Bo R. Rueda, Stephanie V. Blank, Khushbakhat R. Mittal, Timothy Cardozo, Leslie I. Gold. Inhibitors of Skp2 E3ligase stabilize nuclear p27kip1 for regain of growth regulation in cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3410. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3410
The Effects of Symbol Product Relevance and Religiosity on Consumer Perceptions of Christian Symbols in Advertising

Abstract This research supports and extends the theoretical foundation of relevant associative linkages via examination of the effects of Christian cues or symbols on relevant and irrelevant symbol product ad evaluations. Results indicate that a relevant Christian symbol product linkage supports the basic premises of associative linkage theory with significant positive ad evaluative efficacy (Aad, Ab, and PI) while an irrelevant Christian symbol product linkage has a significant negative impact on ad evaluative efficacy. In addition, the study also indicates that religiosity and gender of the respondent has a significant moderating impact on the evaluation of an ad that has a Christian symbol under relevant symbol product linkage conditions. Moreover, and possibly most significantly, the interaction effect between relevancy and religiosity indicates that this interplay combines to significantly affect the diagnostic efficacy of the ad for relevant symbol product linkages. Overall, results indicate the nee...
Sliding behavior of metallic glass: Part I. Experimental investigations

The unlubricated sliding characteristics of zirconium-based bulk metallic glass disks have been examined in vacuum and in air using sliders made from the same material or from a hard bearing steel (52100). The pin-on-disk test system allowed collection of debris, monitoring of the friction force and, using a Kelvin probe, in situ detection of changes in the structure and chemical composition of the disk surface. Post-test characterization included microhardness testing, X-ray diffraction, SEM and EDS. Examination of worn surfaces, cross-sections and debris confirmed the importance of plastic deformation, material transfer and environmental interactions. When devitrified material was tested, sliding processes caused the near-surface material to re-amorphize. Results from sliding of bulk metallic glass specimens were compared with those from related experiments involving crystalline metals and alloys. Although bulk metallic glasses are reported to have only limited ductility in tensile tests, the friction coefficients and worn surfaces of these materials are typical of ductile materials.
A Young Protoplanetary Disk in the Bok Globule CB 26

We present subarcsecond resolution millimeter-wave images of a circumstellar disk in the Bok globule CB 26. The presence of an edge-on disk is confirmed by the dust continuum morphology and the velocity field of 13CO emission, which displays a Keplerian rotation pattern about an axis perpendicular to the long axis of the dust emission. We deduce a mass of ~0.3 M☉ for the obscured central star. The disk is optically thick at millimeter wavelengths inside 120 AU, has a symmetric 20° warp beyond 120 AU, an outer radius of ~200 AU, and a mass of at least 0.1 M☉. We suggest that the CB 26 system is in an intermediate stage between deeply embedded protostellar accretion disks and the more evolved, perhaps protoplanetary, disks around T Tauri stars.
H2S Biogenesis by Human Cystathionine γ-Lyase Leads to the Novel Sulfur Metabolites Lanthionine and Homolanthionine and Is Responsive to the Grade of Hyperhomocysteinemia

Although there is a growing recognition of the significance of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as a biological signaling molecule involved in vascular and nervous system functions, its biogenesis and regulation are poorly understood. It is widely assumed that desulfhydration of cysteine is the major source of H2S in mammals and is catalyzed by the transsulfuration pathway enzymes, cystathionine β-synthase and cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE). In this study, we demonstrate that the profligacy of human CSE results in a variety of reactions that generate H2S from cysteine and homocysteine. The γ-replacement reaction, which condenses two molecules of homocysteine, yields H2S and a novel biomarker, homolanthionine, which has been reported in urine of homocystinuric patients, whereas a β-replacement reaction, which condenses two molecules of cysteine, generates lanthionine. Kinetic simulations at physiologically relevant concentrations of cysteine and homocysteine, reveal that the α,β-elimination of cysteine accounts for ∼70% of H2S generation. However, the relative importance of homocysteine-derived H2S increases progressively with the grade of hyperhomocysteinemia, and under conditions of severely elevated homocysteine (200 μm), the α,γ-elimination and γ-replacement reactions of homocysteine together are predicted to account for ∼90% of H2S generation by CSE. Excessive H2S production in hyperhomocysteinemia may contribute to the associated cardiovascular pathology.
A review of discriminant analysis in high dimensions

Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is among the most classical classification techniques, while it continues to be a popular and important classifier in practice. However, the advancement of science and technology brings the new challenge of high-dimensional datasets, where the dimension can be in thousands. In such datasets, LDA is inapplicable. Recently, statisticians have devoted many efforts to creating high-dimensional LDA methods. These methods typically perform variable selection via regularization techniques. Various theoretical results, algorithms, and empirical results support the application of these methods. In this review, we provide a brief description of difficulties in extending LDA and present some successful proposals. WIREs Comput Stat 2013, 5:190–197. doi: 10.1002/wics.1257 Conflict of interest: The author has declared no conflicts of interest for this article.
Algebraic varieties in the symmetric algebra

We describe a procedure for constructing a broad class of projective algebraic varieties in the various summands of the symmetric algebraS( V), where V is a finite dimensional vector space whose underlying scalar field is algebraically closed and of characteristic zero. In many cases we are able to give alternate characterizations of these varieties that involve simple canonical forms.
The Media Spectacle of Columbine: Alienated Youth as an Object of Fear

Although youth violence and “delinquency” have frequently generated fear of alienated youth in American life, especially since the 1950s, the media coverage of the Columbine shootings reconstructed youth alienation in novel ways, generating a new fear and reality of “alien” youth. Analysis of both print and television media shows that following Columbine, school shooters have come to stand for an entire constellation of threats and troubles now ostensibly emanating from the very lifeworlds of formerly harmless White suburban youth. These lifeworlds have been typically framed in terms of alienation: as new forms of adolescent estrangement from parents, schools, and the major institutions and dominant culture of American life.