cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
‘Insofar as the Ruby Wine Seduces Them’: Cultural Strategies for Selling Wine in Inter-war Burgundy

Burgundians developed new cultural strategies to market their wines during the inter-war years. Regional leaders, cultural intermediaries and the wine industry collaborated to overcome overproduction, prohibition and foreign as well as regional competition by exploiting the concept of terroir to develop a repertoire of popular festivals such as the Gastronomic Fair of Dijon, the Paulee of Meursault, Saint Vincent parades, an annual wine auction at the Hospice in Beaune and a Burgundian Pavilion at the 1937 World's Fair in Paris. These drew attention to the unique qualities of their wines and suggested how they might be best consumed. This aggressive marketing strategy was so successful that it became a model for French agricultural products promoted through the systeme d'appelation d'origine controlee. The result united natural resources, historical memory, marketing strategies and cultural performance into an imaginative and enduring form of commercial regionalism.
Building a theoretical framework for intercultural communication in technical communication pedagogy

In order to understand cultural differences and be able to function in an international environment, technical communication students need complex conceptual frameworks that are up to the task of helping them succeed in such environments. Building these theoretical frameworks from the perspective of technical communicators' needs is a daunting but necessary task. Theories that can inform this process come out of several fields including international management, speech communication, and anthropology. These theories can be organized by the underlying assumptions about culture-whether culture is seen as dimensional, learnable, or interactional. The paper presents a variety of intercultural communication frameworks that can help us begin the process of forming a coherent theoretical base for technical communicators which provides a flexible and comprehensive framework to accommodate a sophisticated understanding of intercultural communication in the technical communication classroom, and thus help prepare students for the global workplace.
Forced, unbounded shear flows

Abstract Slight amounts of forcing have traditionally been used in fluid-mechanic stability experiments. It was usually assumed that forcing provided a regular disturbance above the background noise--making the subsequent development easier to follow--but did not otherwise alter the physical process. Recently it has begun to be appreciated that even small amounts of forcing can have a significant influence, not only upon the instability, but upon the resulting turbulent flow. The present paper will document the effects of forcing for several typical unbounded shear flows having engineering application. The results are illustrative, and for further discussion an extensive review can be found in Ho and Huerre 1 .
Monitoring insect pests in retail stores by trapping and spatial analysis.

Stored-product insects are a perennial problem in retail stores, where they damage and contaminate susceptible merchandise such as food products and animal feed. Historically, pest management in these stores has relied heavily on chemical insecticides, but environmental and health issues have dictated use of safer methods, and these require better monitoring. A monitoring procedure that employs an array of moth and beetle traps combined with spatial (contour) analysis of trap catch was tested in three department stores and two pet stores. The rate of capture increased with the level of infestation but was essentially constant over 4- to 5-d trapping periods. Contour analysis effectively located foci of infestation and reflected population changes produced by applications of the insect growth regulator (S)-hydroprene. The most abundant insects were Plodia interpunctella (Hubner), Lasioderma serricorne (F.), Oryzaephilus mercator (Fauvel), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), and Cryptolestes pusillus (Schonherr). The results indicate that contour analysis of trap counts provides a useful monitoring tool for management of storage pests in retail stores. It identifies trouble spots and permits selection, timing, and precision targeting of control measures to achieve maximum pest suppression with minimum pesticide risk. It permits managers and pest control operators to visualize pest problems over an entire store, to monitor changes over time, and to evaluate the effectiveness of control intervention. The contour maps themselves, along with records of control applications and stock rotation, provide permanent documentation of pest problems and the effectiveness of pest management procedures.
Policy Selection Based on a Markov Model with Fuzzy Transition Probabilities

In this article we consider a situation in which an item e.g., some type of equipment can be in one of several states defined in terms of the attributes of the item. Some states are desirable and some are not. The goal is to take some action designed to improve the state of the item. A policy is a rule defining what action to take depending upon the state that the item currently occupies. Thus, we encounter a situation that can be modeled by a finite state Markov chain. However, due to uncertainty concerning the effectiveness of any course of action, precise transition probabilities are replaced with linguistic terms. Thus, the matrix of transition probabilities is fuzzy. For the same reason, the initial state probability vector can also be fuzzy. Furthermore, associated with each course of action is a cost that may in part depend on the ultimate outcome of the action taken. Again, due to uncertainty, costs may also be expressed linguistically causing the cost matrix to be fuzzy. The methodology described here establishes a procedure for associating a fuzzy expected cost with each policy. Then, after defuzzification, the policy with the smallest expected cost is selected.
Staying Afloat. Risk and Uncertainty in Spanish Atlantic World Trade, 1760–1820

In Staying Afloat. Risk and Uncertainty in Spanish Atlantic World Trade, 1760–1820, Jeremy Baskes challenges commonly held understandings of Spanish trade regulations by emphasizing the centrality ...
Influence of cortical plasma transit-time on p-aminohippurate extraction during induced renal vasodilatation in anaesthetized dogs.

1. The influence of intrarenal blood-flow distribution and plasma transit-time through the renal cortex on the reduction in p -aminohippurate (PAH) extraction (EPAH) induced by renal vasodilator agents was evaluated in anaesthetized dogs by an indicator-dilution technique. 2. Increases in renal blood flow during graded intravenous iso-osmotic saline or hyperosmotic mannitol infusions and during renal arterial infusions of acetylcholine or prostaglandin E1 were consistently associated with reduced EPAH. 3. The cortical fraction of renal blood-flow increased during vasodilatation induced by saline or acetylcholine but was unchanged during mannitol or prostaglandin infusions. Cortical blood volume (CBV) increased with saline infusion but was reduced with mannitol. Changes in CBV with acetylcholine and prostaglandin E 1 were insignificant. No correlation could be found between changes in EPAH and changes in intrarenal blood flow distribution. 4. A high degree of correlation ( r = 0·81) was noted between EPAH and the simultaneously determined mean cortical plasma transit-time. A significant correlation existed with pooled data for all infusions as well as with individual drug infusions. 5. We interpret these data to indicate that a shortened transit-time of plasma through the cortex, indicative of an increased velocity of cortical plasma flow, is the most important determinant of the lowering of EPAH during renal vasodilatation.
Analysis of Interactive Conflict Resolution Tool Usage in a Mixed Equipage Environment

A human-in-the-loop simulation was conducted that examined separation assurance concepts in varying levels of traffic density with mixtures of aircraft equipage and automation. This paper's analysis focuses on one of the experimental conditions in which traffic levels were approximately fifty percent higher than today, and approximately fifty percent of the traffic within the test area were equipped with data communications (data comm) capabilities. The other fifty percent of the aircraft required control by voice much like today. Within this environment, the air traffic controller participants were provided access to tools and automation designed to support the primary task of separation assurance that are currently unavailable. Two tools were selected for analysis in this paper: 1) a pre-probed altitude fly-out menu that provided instant feedback of conflict probe results for a range of altitudes, and 2) an interactive auto resolver that provided on-demand access to an automation-generated conflict resolution trajectory. Although encouraged, use of the support tools was not required; the participants were free to use the tools as they saw fit, and they were also free to accept, reject, or modify the resolutions offered by the automation. This mode of interaction provided a unique opportunity to examine exactly when and how these tools were used, as well as how acceptable the resolutions were. Results showed that the participants used the pre-probed altitude fly-out menu in 14% of conflict cases and preferred to use it in a strategic timeframe on data comm equipped and level flight aircraft. The interactive auto resolver was also used in a primarily strategic timeframe on 22% of conflicts and that their preference was to use it on conflicts involving data comm equipped aircraft as well. Of the 258 resolutions displayed, 46% were implemented and 54% were not. The auto resolver was rated highly by participants in terms of confidence and preference. Factors such as aircraft equipage, ownership, and location of predicted separation loss appeared to play a role in the decision of controllers to accept or reject the auto resolver's resolutions.
Laboratory evaluation of compounds to determine juvenile hormone activity against the stable fly.

Of 29 materials (11 juvenile hormone analogues, 9 potential chemosterilants, and 9 plant extracts), a series of 6 related juvenile hormone analogues when applied topically at rates as low as 0.001 μg had morphogenetic activity against pupae of Stomoxys calcilrans (L.). Chemosterilants and extracts of Pinus mugo Turra, Taxus balcata L., Picea glauca (Moench) Voss, A bies holophylla Maxim., and Phragmites communis Trill had no morphogenetic effects. The active analogues also affected larval and adult stages of the stable fly hut not the egg stage; three severely inhibited fertility when applied topically to newly eclosed adults.
Standing for the Environment

Although the U.S. Supreme Court's recent tightening of standing rules in environmental cases will undoubtedly cause problems for environmental plaintiffs, it may produce some surprising benefits for organizations that opposed the changes. By requiring plaintiffs to demonstrate more directly and concretely that they have been "injured in fact," the recently invigorated rules may force environmental lawyers to think more seriously about how environmental problems actually harm human beings. This more careful consideration could, in turn, significantly assist environmental plaintiffs in building and presenting compelling cases in court and could tranform the approaches they take outside of court to solving environmental problems. To illustrate these claims, the Article presents a case study comparing a litigation approach with little focus on the human diimension inherent in the injury-in-fact standard with an approach that makes the human dimension a centerpiece of the case.
High TC Superconductor Fibers from Metallo-Organic Precursors

Homogeneous solution for Y-Ba-Cu-0 superconductor was prepared from yttrium i-propoxide, barium i-propoxide, and copper ethylhexanoate. The solution was converted to a resin-like material and was readily dissolved in organic solvents. The resin possesses a cohesive property in a number of solvents, such as benzene and xylene. Single-phase superconducting YBa2Cu307_x fibers have been continuously spun from the viscous solution. Controlled amounts of Y2BaCu05 phase in the fibers were made possible by slight adjustments in the solution compositions. Partial substitution of copper ethylhexanoate with copper trifluoroacetate prevents barium carbonate formation In the fiber during curing and organic pyrolysis.
Perceived Social Support and the Voluntary, Mixed, or Pressured Use of Mental Health Services:

The network-episode model of service utilization and self-labeling theory underscore the importance of significant others in averting or prompting individuals’ entry into mental health treatment. D...
Evaluating Determinants via Generating Functions

(1991). Evaluating Determinants via Generating Functions. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 45-53.
The Design and Fabrication of Magneto-Optic Recording Materials

A review of the relationships between film composition, deposition process and properties of sputtered amorphous rare earth-transition metal thin films for magneto-optical recording applications is given. It is shown that to maximize Kerr rotation, anisotropy, corrosion resistance and reflectivity, the sputtering conditions should be selected to produce Zone T featureless microstructure. Although equivalent properties may be achieved with either RF diode or DC magnetron sputtering, DC magnetron sputtering is preferred for manufacturing because of higher deposition rates and lower substrate temperatures. To maximize magnetooptic effects, alloys of Fe and Co should be used as the transition metal. It is shown that perpendicular anisotropy, coercivity, compensation temperature and Curie temperature may be adjusted over a wide range through careful selection of rare earth constituents and Fe/Co ratio. Systematic data on the dependences of the magnetic properties on film composition are given.
Cardiovascular risk in patients with alopecia areata (AA): A propensity-matched retrospective analysis

Background The cardiovascular risk of patients with alopecia areata (AA) is not well characterized, with limited studies evaluating the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and ischemic stroke. Objective We sought to determine the risk for patients with AA to develop subsequent stroke and AMI. Methods We conducted propensity-matched retrospective analysis between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2010, from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA. A comprehensive research patient data repository search was done for International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code 704.01 and cases were verified using a natural language processing program. Propensity score matching was used to identify controls for AA cases based on age, race, gender, smoking status, and history of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Results We identified 1377 cases of AA matched with 4131 controls. Patients with AA had decreased odds for developing stroke (odds ratio 0.39, 95% CI 0.18-0.87) and a trend toward decreased risk of AMI (odds ratio 0.91, 95% CI 0.59-1.39). Limitations This was a retrospective study using a clinical database. Conclusion Patients with AA had decreased risk for stroke and AMI, although not statistically significant. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings in other AA cohorts and to elucidate a potential mechanism.
Gonorrhea Epidemic Characteristics in Dongling District of Shenyang City during 2004—2008

[Objective]To understand the epidemic characteristic of gonorrhea in Dongling District of Shenyang City, and provide evidence for developing control plan and evaluating gonorrhea control effect.[Methods]The descriptive epidemiology method was adopted to analyze gonorrhea epidemiological data.[Results] During 2004-2008, annual incidence of gonorrhea was 13.86/100,000 in average in Dongling District of Shenyang City; incidence peak was not obvious in seasonal distribution. The ratio of male to female was 3.43 ∶1; 20～44 years age group accounted for 72.22%.[Conclusion]Health propaganda should be strengthened, comprehensive intervention should be implemented to reduce the risk of transmission of gonorrhea.
Developing MR probes for molecular imaging.

Abstract Molecular imaging plays an important role in the era of personalized medicine, especially with recent advances in magnetic resonance (MR) probes. While the first generation of these probes focused on maximizing contrast enhancement, a second generation of probes has been developed to improve the accumulation within specific tissues or pathologies, and the newest generation of agents is also designed to report on changes in physiological status and has been termed “smart” agents. This represents a paradigm switch from the previously commercialized gadolinium and iron oxide probes to probes with new capabilities, and leads to new challenges as scanner hardware needs to be adapted for detecting these probes. In this chapter, we highlight the unique features for all five different categories of MR probes, including the emerging chemical exchange saturation transfer, 19 F, and hyperpolarized probes, and describe the key physical properties and features motivating their design. As part of this comparison, the strengths and weaknesses of each category are discussed.
Abstract 4048: Stem cell properties of normal human keratinocytes influence transformation responses to HPV16

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the primary cause of cervical cancer. While HPV infection is very common, cervical cancer is a rare outcome. Why some women develop cervical cancer and others do not is not well understood, but likely involves host cell-specific factors and a woman9s ability to get rid of HPV-infected cells. We have previously reported marked variability of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in normal human epidermal tissue from different individuals and demonstrated that increased immortalization by HPV16 E6 and E7 oncogenes correlated with lower basal levels of EGFR. We now report a significantly greater transformation response in stem cell-like keratinocytes after transfection with the full length HPV16 genome. Primary normal human keratinocyte strains (NHKc) from 59 individuals were cultured in 3-D anchorage-free suspension to assess spheroid forming ability and to determine resistance to anchorage-independent cell death. Only about 40% of NHKc strains survived and formed spheroids in 3-D culture and grew when plated back in monolayers as spheroid-derived NHKc (SD-NHKc). Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis found that SD-NHKc were enriched in cells expressing known keratinocyte stem cell markers: low levels of EGFR and high levels of integrin α6, while spheroid-non forming strains (SNF-NHKc) had dramatically reduced numbers of EGFR lo /ITGα6 hi cells. Isolation and cultivation of EGFR lo /ITGα6 hi keratinocytes isolated from primary monolayer NHKc cultures revealed this cell population to behave like SD-NHKc with respect to anchorage-independent survival, proliferative potential, cell morphology, and clonogenicity. Upon transfection with HPV16 DNA, most NHKc strains acquired anchorage-independence and exhibited increased expression of EGFR. Importantly, EGFR lo /ITGα6 hi keratinocytes and SD-NHKc displayed exuberant growth responses after transfection with HPV16 DNA and significantly higher transformation efficiency by HPV16. In contrast, SNF-NHKc grew more sluggishly and were relatively resistant to HPV16-mediated immortalization. Our study indicates that stem cell-like keratinocytes are preferentially transformed by HPV16 DNA and that stemness is a phenotypic determinant of susceptibility to HPV16-mediated transformation in primary human keratinocytes. Citation Format: Yvon Woappi, Kim E. Creek, Lucia Pirisi. Stem cell properties of normal human keratinocytes influence transformation responses to HPV16. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4048.
Change-effects analysis for effective testing and validation of evolving software

The constant modification of software during its life cycle poses many challenges for developers and testers because changes might not behave as expected or may introduce erroneous side effects. For those reasons, it is of critical importance to analyze, test, and validate software every time it changes. The most common method for validating modified software is regression testing, which identifies differences in the behavior of software caused by changes and determines the correctness of those differences. Most research to this date has focused on the efficiency of regression testing by selecting and prioritizing existing test cases affected by changes. However, little attention has been given to finding whether the test suite adequately tests the effects of changes (i.e., behavior differences in the modified software) and which of those effects are missed during testing. In practice, it is necessary to augment the test suite to exercise the untested effects. The thesis of this research is that the effects of changes on software behavior can be computed with enough precision to help testers analyze the consequences of changes and augment their test suites. To demonstrate this thesis, this dissertation uses novel insights to develop a fundamental understanding of how changes affect the behavior of software. Based on these foundations, the dissertation defines and studies new techniques that detect these effects in cost-effective ways. These techniques support test-suite augmentation by (1) identifying the effects of individual changes that should be tested, (2) identifying the combined effects of multiple changes that occur during testing, and (3) optimizing the computation of these effects.
HURRICANES, CROPS, AND CAPITAL: THE METEOROLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF American EMPIRE IN THE WEST INDIES

This article examines the mutually reinforcing imperatives of government science, capitalism, and American empire through a history of the U.S. Weather Bureau's West Indian weather service at the turn of the twentieth century. The original impetus for expanding American meteorological infrastructure into the Caribbean in 1898 was to protect naval vessels from hurricanes, but what began as a measure of military security became, within a year, an instrument of economic expansion that extracted climatological data and produced agricultural reports for American investors. This article argues that the West Indian weather service was a project of imperial meteorology that sought to impose a rational scientific and bureaucratic order on a region that American officials considered racially and culturally inferior, yet relied on the labor of local observers and Cuban meteorological experts in order to do so. Weather reporting networks are examined as a material and symbolic extension of American technoscientific power into the Caribbean and as a knowledge infrastructure that linked the production of agricultural commodities in Cuba and Puerto Rico to the world of commodity exchange in the United States.
Clinical use of PI3K inhibitors in B-cell lymphoid malignancies: today and tomorrow.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: PI3K inhibitors are an important new therapeutic option for the treatment of relapsed and refractory B-cell lymphoid malignancies. Idelalisib is a PI3Kδ inhibitor that has been approved for the treatment of lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the relapsed/refractory setting, and several other PI3K inhibitors are being developed targeting other isoforms of the PI3K enzyme, which results in distinct toxicities and variable efficacy in the clinical setting.Areas covered: We provide a general overview of PI3K inhibitors, recommended applications, and the mechanism and management of toxicities. We further review trials, ongoing and completed, leading to the approval of idelalisib as well other PI3K inhibitors currently in development. Articles were obtained from PubMed, and abstracts were searched for the past 5 years from the websites for ASCO, ASH, EHA, and ICML/Lugano.Expert commentary: PI3K inhibitors provide an important and powerful pharmacologic tool in the armamentarium a...
Multigene panels in Ashkenazi Jewish patients yield high rates of actionable mutations in multiple non-BRCA cancer-associated genes.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the results of multigene panel testing among Ashkenazi Jewish compared with non-Ashkenazi Jewish patients. Methods We reviewed the medical records for all patients who underwent multigene panel testing and targeted BRCA1/2 testing at a single institution between 6/2013–1/2015. Clinical actionability for identified pathogenic mutations was characterized based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines and consensus statements and expert opinion for genes not addressed by these guidelines. Results Four hundred and fifty-four patients underwent multigene panel screening, including 138 Ashkenazi Jewish patients. The median patient age was fifty-two years. Three hundred and fifty-four patients (78%) had a personal history of cancer. Two hundred and fifty-one patients had breast cancer, 49, ovarian cancer, 26, uterine cancer and 20, colorectal cancer. We identified 62 mutations in 56 patients and 291 variants of uncertain significance in 196 patients. Among the 56 patients with mutations, 51 (91%) had actionable mutations. Twenty mutations were identified by multigene panels among Ashkenazi Jewish patients, 18 of which were in genes other than BRCA1/2 . A review of targeted BRCA1/ 2 testing performed over the same study period included 103 patients and identified six mutations in BRCA1/ 2, all of which occurred in Ashkenazi Jewish patients. Among all Ashkenazi Jewish patients undergoing genetic testing, 25/183 (14%) had a mutation, 24/25 of which were actionable (96%) and 17/25 patients (68%) had mutations in non BRCA1/ 2 genes. Conclusions With the rapid acceptance of multigene panels there is a pressing need to understand how this testing will affect patient management. While traditionally many Ashkenazi Jewish patients have undergone targeted BRCA1/2 testing, our data suggest consideration of multigene panels in this population as the majority of the results are clinically actionable and often in genes other than BRCA1/2 .
Poverty in Ukraine: Development, Validity and Reliability of a New Measure of Financial Strain for Young Adults

The purpose of this paper was to develop a valid and reliable measure of financial strain for use with college-attending young adults in Ukraine. The newly developed measure represents an alternative approach to currently used objective measures of poverty and economic hardship. Objective measures are not adequate or applicable for use with Ukrainian young adults who are mainly dependent on their families for economic support. Financial strain was conceptualized as the financial adjustments that young adults have to make to meet their basic housing, food and clothing needs. Items were generated to capture the construct of financial strain, and content validity of the scale was assessed. Exploratory factor analysis strongly supported the unidimensional nature of the scale. In addition, findings from simultaneous multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses indicated configural, metric and factor invariance of the measure across the southern and central regions of Ukraine. The new measure of financial strain was positively correlated with emotional distress and violence against romantic partners, indicating good predictive validity. The scale also showed good internal consistency. We suggest that the new measure is appropriate to use with young adults in other Eastern European countries in transition.
A −89-dBc IMD3 DAC Sub-System in a 465-MHz BW CT Delta-Sigma ADC Using a Power and Area Efficient Calibration Technique

This brief presents a power and area efficient way to measure the feedback DAC static mismatch error in a multi-bit continuous-time delta-sigma modulator. By sequentially forcing each DAC element output in the designed scheme, the mismatch errors among DAC elements can be measured digitally using the ADC itself. The measured errors are then corrected using a two-parameter calibration DAC that tracks temperature variations. An ADC test chip is fabricated in 28-nm CMOS process and it demonstrates IMD3 <−89 dBc with two −9-dBFS tones at 180/190 MHz at room temperature, and 8 dB variation across −10 °C to 120 °C.
A Novel Aza-MBP Altered Peptide Ligand for the Treatment of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Myelin basic protein (MBP) is a major target of T cells in lesions of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Interactions between the major histocompatibility complex II containing antigenic peptides and the T cell receptor activate CD4+ T cells that perpetuate EAE and MS. Previously reported data has shown that treating with an altered peptide ligand (APL) in which the normal antigenic peptide sequence of MBP has been slightly changed at T cell contact positions is helpful in reducing disease in both rodents and humans. The use of natural peptides, which are susceptible to protease degradation, requires high concentrations that can create hypersensitivity reactions. Our hypothesis is that APL containing aza substitutions, CH(R)-N- > N(R)N, could lead to improved protease resistance, reduced clinical disease scores, and a shift in T cell profile. In this study, several aza-APLs and control peptides were synthesized and screened for the best aza-APL candidate (3aza-APL) based on dissociation half time from major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, induction of IL-2 response, and resistance to degradation by proteases. The efficacy was then tested in vivo. Results indicate that 3aza-APL is superior to currently available APLs in terms of protease resistance and disease suppression in EAE mice. The 3aza-APL induced anti-inflammatory immune responses by altering key transcription factors and cytokine genes which regulate T cell subpopulations. These data suggest that the novel 3aza-APL has increased protease resistance property and is effective in reducing clinical and physiological signs of disease in EAE animals.
Suffering in Advanced Cancer: A Randomized Control Trial of a Narrative Intervention

Abstract Background: Advanced cancer can erode patients' wellbeing. Narrative interventions have improved patients' wellbeing, but might not be feasible for widespread implementation. Objectives: (1) Test the effects of miLivingStory, a telephone-based life review and illness narrative intervention with online resources and social networking, on community-dwelling advanced cancer patients' wellbeing. (2) Explore intervention use and satisfaction. Patients and Setting: Stage III or IV cancer patients having completed initial therapy were randomized to miLivingStory or to an active control group, miOwnResources. Data and Analysis: Primary outcomes measured at baseline, two and four months included subscales for the FACIT-Sp peace and meaning and the POMS-SF depressed, anxious, and angry mood, scored on 0–4-point Likert scales. Linear mixed modeling, controlling for baseline primary outcome scores, tested for group comparisons of repeated outcome measures. Pairwise comparisons tested for within- and between-...
Timing and frequency synchronization using ZCZ sequences for multi-cell OFDM systems

In this paper, we propose a complete solution using zero-correlation zone (ZCZ) sequences for timing and frequency synchronization in multi-cell orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. The proposed scheme consists of the following operations: coarse timing synchronization, fractional carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation and compensation, and joint integer CFO estimation and fine timing synchronization. The ZCZ sequences from the same family set are designed as the training symbols applied to adjacent cells. Due to the perfect autocorrelation and cross-correlation properties of the ZCZ sequences within a certain correlation zone, the inter-cell interference (ICI) of the training symbols can be effectively mitigated by utilizing a time-domain (TD) correlation based synchronization scheme. Simulation results show that the proposed synchronization scheme using ZCZ sequences can effectively mitigate the inter-cell interference and thus improve the synchronization accuracy especially when the mobile stations (MSs) are on the cell boundary.
The computational form of craving is a selective multiplication of economic value

Craving is thought to be a specific desire state that biases choice toward the desired object, be it chocolate or drugs. A vast majority of people report having experienced craving of some kind. In its pathological form craving contributes to health outcomes in addiction and obesity. Yet despite its ubiquity and clinical relevance we still lack a basic neurocomputational understanding of craving. Here, using an instantaneous measure of subjective valuation and selective cue exposure, we identify a behavioral signature of a food craving-like state and advance a computational framework for understanding how this state might transform valuation to bias choice. We find desire induced by exposure to a specific high-calorie, high-fat/sugar snack good is expressed in subjects' momentary willingness to pay for this good. This effect is selective but not exclusive to the exposed good; rather, we find it generalizes to nonexposed goods in proportion to their subjective attribute similarity to the exposed ones. A second manipulation of reward size (number of snack units available for purchase) further suggested that a multiplicative gain mechanism supports the transformation of valuation during laboratory craving. These findings help explain how real-world food craving can result in behaviors inconsistent with preferences expressed in the absence of craving and open a path for the computational modeling of craving-like phenomena using a simple and repeatable experimental tool for assessing subjective states in economic terms.
Aging male loons make a terminal investment in territory defense

Animals that senesce experience a decline in residual reproductive value (RRV), such that old individuals can expect reduced breeding success compared to young ones. According to life history theory, animals with low RRV, which thus have less to lose, should shift resources away from self-maintenance and towards reproduction, an expectation called terminal investment. In a population of common loons whose survival and territorial behavior were measured throughout life, males 14 years and older exhibited clear senescence, as they showed lower survival, reduced body mass, and far greater susceptibility to territorial eviction than younger males. While older males invested no more effort than young males in feeding or protecting their chicks, they increased territorial yodeling by 35%, showed more aggression towards territorial intruders, and, following eviction from original territories, resettled with great frequency on vacant, unproductive territories nearby. Our findings thus provide support for terminal investment in territorial behavior. Hyper-aggressive behavior by old, declining males might explain the unusual occurrence of lethal combat for territories in this species. Life history theory holds that animals that decline with age should invest less energy in staying alive and more in reproduction when they become old, because they have less to lose in doing so. Evidence for such terminal investment, however, is scanty. We measured rates of survival and territorial behavior in a known-age population of common loons and found that males, but not females, suffered a decrease in survival rate and ability to hold a territory after age 14. At the same time, territorial males older than 14 behaved more aggressively and were more apt to give a territorial yodel call towards territorial intruders. Hence, our study appears a rare example of terminal investment in aggressive behavior, whereby old, declining males cling desperately to their territories in hopes of producing a few more offspring before they die.
Dynamic Response of Wheelchair Cushions

The International Organization for Standardization proposed tests which investigate the properties of wheelchair cushions (ISO 16840-2). Cushions’ abilities to reduce impact loading on tissues and to help maintain postural stability are examined in the impact damping test (IDT). The ISO test reports the number of rebounds greater than 10% of the peak impact acceleration and the ratio of the second to first rebound acceleration in order to determine the damping properties. We performed IDTs on three different wheelchair cushions: 3” elastic foam (EF), 3” viscoelastic foam (VEF), and a 3” laminar cushion (LC); a viscous fluid bladder on the top of an elastic foam. The LC had two rebounds greater than 10 % of the peak acceleration while the EF and VEF had one. The LC had highest ratio (0.48) followed by the EF (0.29) and the VEF (0.25). According to ISO, these results indicate that EF and VEF dampen impacts quicker than LC and have superior abilities to help maintain postural stability. Based upon this analysis, three critical issues about the ISO IDT have been identified. The first is the ISO should incorporate impact magnitude in the analysis, since impact loading on tissues is a stated purpose. The second is the ISO should use impact instead of rebound accelerations. Results show that nonlinear responses are evident in rebounds in all three cushions. The third issue is that oscillation from impact is not a simple second order damped harmonic. Analysis showed that three to five natural frequencies are embedded in the damped harmonic oscillation, so simple ratios of accelerations do not represent the damping properties of cushions. In conclusion, the ISO IDT should utilize impact accelerations and employ more complex analysis to better characterize the damping properties of wheelchair cushions.
Evaluation of Cost Savings and Perceptions of an Open Textbook in a Community College Science Course

Open textbooks are free, online resources that can replace traditional textbooks and save students money. The costs of traditional textbooks continue to increase, and this can particularly affect at-risk, low-income students. Few studies have analyzed student perceptions of open textbooks and how they influence academic achievement, but the emerging trend is positive. In the present study, I assessed student perceptions of an open textbook and calculated the subsequent cost savings. Although there were some limitations to my study, such as a low sample size, my results closely mirror previous studies in that most students had favorable opinions of the open textbook and would prefer to use them over traditional textbooks. The average cost savings per student was $81 for one course, determined using a novel method that does not assume all students buy new textbooks. These savings were likely important to the students, the majority of whom worked five hours or more and have received Pell Grants or other tuition waivers.
Perspective from grad school: So what are you up to now?

Sometimes the most annoying thing about being a grad student is that “student” is a misnomer. Grad school is so different from the typical school experience that family and friends can’t wrap their...
Living in Food Deserts and Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease.

Background Food deserts (FDs), defined as low‐income communities with limited access to healthy food, are a growing public health concern. We evaluated the impact of living in FDs on incident cardi...
Examining persistence of acute environmental enrichment-induced anti-sucrose craving effects in rats.

A single, overnight (acute) environmental enrichment (EE; a large environment with conspecifics and novel objects) experience robustly decreases sucrose consumption (taking) and responsiveness to sucrose-paired cues (seeking) in rats. Persisting effects of acute EE on sucrose seeking and taking have not yet been identified. In the present study, rats were trained to self-administer a 10% sucrose solution paired with a compound tone + light stimulus for 10 days in 2-h sessions. We then examined the persistence of acute EE effects at reducing sucrose seeking and taking in a 12-h test immediately following acute EE (Exp. 1), or for 7 days with daily 1-h tests immediately following acute EE, or after a 24-h delay (Exp. 2). We also examined the persistence of acute EE effects on sucrose taking in rats responding on a PR schedule in 7 daily sessions following acute EE (Exp. 3). We found that acute EE was effective at reducing responding for both sucrose and a sucrose-paired cue, persisting throughout the 12-h test (Exp. 1). A reduction in sucrose seeking persisted for 24 h and a reduction in sucrose taking persisted for 72 h following acute EE plus a 24-h delay prior to testing (Exp. 2). Decreased PR responding for sucrose was observed following acute EE; this reduction persisted for 48 h (Exp. 3). These findings indicate that acute exposure to EE has persisting effects at reducing sucrose seeking and taking in rats. Acute EE may have translational value as a non-pharmacological intervention to curb sucrose craving.
Incorporating Ester Functionality within a Solid-State [2 + 2] Cycloaddition Reaction Based Upon Halogen Bonding Interactions

The formation of cocrystals based upon 1,4-diiodoperchlorobenzene (C6I2Cl4) as a halogen bond donor along with a series of isomeric pyridine vinyl esters, namely, (E)-methyl-3-(pyridine-X-yl)prop-2...
Psorophora columbiae (Dyar & Knab), Dark rice field mosquito

Organism fact sheet for the mosquito, Psorophora columbiae (Dyar & Knab). Fact sheet includes a general overview of the organism, synonymy in nomenclature, current known US distribution, descriptions, life cycle, biology, medical/veterinary importance, and management. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1265 Also available on the Featured Creatures website: http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/AQUATIC/Psorophora_columbiae.html
OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY GUIDED THERAPY ON A 47 YEAR OLD MALE WITH CARDIAC ARREST

Coronary plaque erosion is an important cause of acute coronary syndrome. Recent studies have found a relatively low use of intracoronary imaging. This may lead to an underestimation of the incidence of plaque erosion and calcific nodules in acute coronary syndromes (ACS). A 47-year-old male with
AUTOMATIC SEGMENTATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR STRUCTURES IMAGED ON CARDIAC COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY USING DEEP LEARNING

The quantitative assessment of structures from Cardiac Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) usually requires manual segmentation and adjustment which can be time-consuming. We used Deep Learning to segment the proximal ascending and descending aorta (PAA, DA), superior and inferior vena cavae (SVC
Detection of neopterin in the urine of captive and wild platyrrhines

Non-invasive biomarkers can facilitate health assessments in wild primate populations by reducing the need for direct access to animals. Neopterin is a biomarker that is a product of the cell-mediated immune response, with high levels being indicative of poor survival expectations in some cases. The measurement of urinary neopterin concentration (UNC) has been validated as a method for monitoring cell-mediated immune system activation in multiple catarrhine species, but to date there is no study testing its utility in the urine of platyrrhine species. In this study, we collected urine samples across three platyrrhine families including small captive populations of Leontopithecus rosalia and Pithecia pithecia, and larger wild populations of Leontocebus weddelli, Saguinus imperator, Alouatta seniculus, and Plecturocebus toppini, to evaluate a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the measurement of urinary neopterin in platyrrhines. Our results revealed measured UNC fell within the sensitivity range of the assay in all urine samples collected from captive and wild platyrrhine study species via commercial ELISA, and results from several dilutions met expectations. We found significant differences in the mean UNC across all study species. Most notably, we observed higher UNC in the wild population of L. weddelli which is known to have two filarial nematode infections compared to S. imperator, which only have one. Our study confirms that neopterin is measurable via commercial ELISA in urine collected from captive and wild individuals of six genera of platyrrhines across three different families. These findings promote the future utility of UNC as a promising biomarker for field primatologists conducting research in Latin America to non-invasively evaluate cell-mediated immune system activation from urine.
Complexity of Multiparty Computation Problems: The Case of 2-Party Symmetric Secure Function Evaluation.

In symmetric secure function evaluation (SSFE), Alice has an input x, Bob has an input y, and both parties wish to securely compute f(x, y). We show several new results classifying the feasibility of securely implementing these functions in several security settings. Namely, we give new alternate characterizations of the functions that have (statistically) secure protocols against passive and active (standalone), computationally unbounded adversaries. We also show a strict, infinite hierarchy of complexity for SSFE functions with respect to universally composable security against unbounded adversaries. That is, there exists a sequence of functions f1, f2, . . . such that there exists a UC-secure protocol for fi in the fj-hybrid world if and only if i ≤ j. The main new technical tool that unifies our unrealizability results is a powerful protocol simulation theorem, which may be of independent interest. Essentially, in any adversarial setting (UC, standalone, or passive), f is securely realizable if and only if a very simple (deterministic) “canonical” protocol for f achieves the desired security. Thus, to show that f is unrealizable, one need simply demonstrate a single attack on a single simple protocol.