cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Metabolic Modeling of Denitrifying Bacterial Growth: The Cybernetic Approach

Denitrification is a multistage reduction process converting nitrate ultimately to nitrogen gas, carried out mostly by facultative bacteria. Modeling of the denitrification process is challenging due to the complex metabolic regulation that modulates sequential formation and consumption of a series of nitrogen oxide intermediates, which serve as the final electron acceptors for denitrifying bacteria. In this work, we examined the effectiveness and accuracy of the cybernetic modeling framework in simulating the growth dynamics of denitrifying bacteria in comparison with kinetic models. In four different case studies using the literature data, we successfully simulated diauxic and triauxic growth patterns observed in anoxic and aerobic conditions, only by tuning two or three parameters. In order to understand the regulatory structure of the cybernetic model, we systematically analyzed the effect of cybernetic control variables on simulation accuracy. The results showed that the consideration of both enzyme ...
Time-delay Estimation Algorithm of Partial Discharge Ultra High Frequency Signals Based on Higher-order Cumulant

Time-delay estimation is the basis of the location algorithm for partial discharge based on time difference in substations,and it is the key to the accuracy of location.According to the higher-order statistics theory raised by Tugnait,a novel time delay estimation algorithm for partial discharge ultra-high frequency(UHF) signals is put forward based on 4-order cumulant.The algorithm substitutes high-order cumulants for the signals themselves to analyze the correlation,then the signal time delay is gained after estimating the time delay between signals.The presented method has advantages in its insensitive to Gaussian noises with unknown related characteristics.The signals of the UHF caused by partial discharge are simulated by double exponential oscillation decay function,interfered by Gaussian noises and fixed-frequency signals,meanwhile,the accuracy of the algorithm has been verified by the simulated signals.Finally the algorithm has been used to calculate the time delay of field partial discharge(PD) signals,and the sequence of the delay has been applied to substation PD location based on antenna array.The PD source location is estimated,and the locating error is less than 0.3 m.Therefore the effectiveness and practicality of the algorithm are verified.
Cor triatriatum. A case report and review of other operative cases.

Summary A case of cor triatriatum in a 13-month-old boy, correctly diagnosed preoperatively, followed by successful operation, is presented. A left thoracotomy and total cardiopulmonary bypass was used. This patient is one of the youngest, whose case is reported, who had successful correction. The clinical and diagnostic aspects and the surgical treatment are discussed. A review of other patients who had operation is included. Of the 18 reported patients in whom the diagnosis of cor triatriatum was made either preoperatively or during the operation, 17 were successfully treated by surgery. There were 8 adults (17 years to 37 years) and 10 children (2½ months to 11 years). The operative mortality rate was 5.5 per cent. This mortality rate might be further decreased if diagnosis were made earlier and operative treatment were undertaken. The 6 patients who underwent cardiac surgery with incorrect preoperative diagnosis died either during or following surgery. Cor triatriatum is an easily correctable disease, but the majority of the patients will die during the first 2 years of life unless an early diagnosis is made and correct treatment is carried out.
METABOLISM OF INSECT GROWTH REGULATORS IN ANIMALS

ABSTRACT. Compounds that selectively disrupt the normal growth and development processes of insects offer a new approach to insect control with minimal adverse environmental interactions. Studies with several insect juvenile hormone analogs have shown that these compounds are highly biodegradable in most animal species and that residues are generally rapidly excreted from the body. Results of preliminary studies in the author's laboratory with the chitin synthesis inhibitor, diflubenzuron, indicate that this compound is readily metabolized by cattle and sheep but much less so by the stable fly and housefly. Residues are not retained within tissues of the treated ruminants to any appreciable extent
Conducting Nursing Research to Advance and Inform Health Policy

The primary roles of nurse scientists in conducting health policy research are to increase knowledge in the discipline and provide evidence for informing and advancing health policies with the goal of improving the health outcomes of society. Health policy research informs, characterizes, explains, or tests hypotheses by employing a variety of research designs. Health policy research focuses on improving the access to care, the quality and cost of care, and the efficiency with which care is delivered. In this article, we explain how nurses might envision their research in a policy process framework, describe research designs that nurse researchers might use to inform and advance health policies, and provide examples of research conducted by nurse researchers to explicate key concepts in the policy process framework. Health policies are well informed and advanced when nurse researchers have a good understanding of the political process. The policy process framework provides a context for improving the focu...
Urban sprawl, population density, and crime: an examination of contemporary migration trends and crime in suburban and rural neighborhoods

This study examines the effects of urban sprawl and population density on crime in suburban and rural municipalities. It is posited that population density provides additional context to macro-level crime research, potentially impacting the vitality of neighborhoods’ social institutions. Three models were created using data from the 2000 and 2010 US Census and Uniform Crime Reports for 142 municipalities, measuring the effect of municipal characteristics and population density on violent and property crimes. The results reveal that the traditional neighborhood characteristics measured in social disorganization research provide significant explanatory power for both measures of crime at the municipal level. Population density was found to have a significant negative relationship with property crime. A discussion and future research suggestions are presented to conclude.
Perceptions of Three Gifted Hispanic and Pueblo Adults from Northern New Mexico of their own Giftedness: Social Identity, and School Retention Issues

In this phenomenological study, three gifted Hispanic and Pueblo adults from northern New Mexico were interviewed in depth. The goal was to understand how their social identities and context influenced their perceptions of giftedness and how it might have influenced their performance in school and retention in the gifted programs. The findings seem to indicate a need for early identification of these minority children and schools and programs that respect and incorporate local social and cultural values and issues into their curriculum. A lack of identifica- tion with schoolâ€™s academic values, which they feel are removed from their reality and culture, might prevent gifted Pueblo and Hispanic students from staying and being successful in school. Participants tended to explain their school achieve- ment based either on nurture or effort, rather than innate ability. This information could be useful for counselors and teachers as they advise these students. Finally, low expectations seem to be a factor preventing Hispanic and Pueblo students in the region to engage more fully in the formal educational process.
IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL LOCALIZATION OF CATECHOL-O-METHYLTRANSFERASE IN CARDIOVASCULAR TISSUES

Immunocytochemical localization of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) in cardiovascular tissues of the rat demonstrated the presence of COMT in aortic and capillary endothelial cells and in myocardial cells. Smooth muscle cells of the aorta and coronary vasculature did not stain positively for COMT. Ultrastructurally, the enzyme was found to be cytoplasmic and also associated with plasma membranes and basement membranes (external laminae - myocardial cells; basal laminae - endothelial cells) in both positive cell types.
Effectiveness of Interventions for Breast Cancer Screening in African American Women: A Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to report the results of a meta-analysis conducted on the effects of clinical trials in breast cancer screening for African American women between 1997 and 2017. DATA SOURCES Articles published in English and in the United States, between January 1997 and March 2017, were eligible for inclusion if they (1) conducted psychosocial, behavioral, or educational interventions designed to increase screening mammography rates in predominantly African American women of all ages; (2) utilized a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) design; and (3) reported quantitative screening rates following the intervention. STUDY DESIGN Randomized clinical trials on breast cancer screening in African American women, published between January 1997 and March 2017, were selected from database searches. DATA COLLECTION METHODS Data collected included effect size of screening versus comparison interventions, intervention characteristics, and a number of study characteristics to explore potential moderators. Search results yielded 327 articles, of which 14 met inclusion criteria and were included in analyses. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Findings indicated that screening interventions for African American women were significantly more likely to result in mammography than control (OR = 1.56 [95 percent CI = 1.27-1.93], p < .0001). Although no patient or study characteristics significantly moderated screening efficacy, the most effective interventions were those specifically tailored to meet the perceived risk of African American women. CONCLUSIONS Screening interventions are at least minimally effective for promoting mammography among African American women, but research in this area is limited to a small number of studies. More research is needed to enhance the efficacy of existing interventions and reduce the high morbidity and mortality rate of this underserved population.
Contemporary Outcomes of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Used as Bridge to Lung Transplantation.

Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), when used as bridge to lung transplantation, (BTT) identifies high-risk candidates. Recent advances in cannula design and patient selection fosters “awake ambulatory ECMO” as a viable option for critically ill candidates in an attempt to retard deconditioning while awaiting allografts. Methods From 2012 to 2015, 30 patients underwent ECMO as BTT. Candidacy for ECMO was determined before listing for transplant. A dual-lumen single cannula was used first in 13 of 30 patients (43%). Of the remaining 30 patients, 6 (20%) were supported with venoarterial ECMO and 11 (37%) with venovenous ECMO, with double-site cannulation in 11 (37%), and 6 of 11 converted to a dual-lumen single cannula. All ECMO patients were managed in a dedicated heart/lung failure intensive care unit, and early aggressive physical therapy, ambulation, and spontaneous breathing trials were emphasized. Results BTT was successful in 26 patients (87%). In the 19 patients with dual-lumen single cannula, 5 (26%) were successfully ambulated, and 6 (32%) achieved spontaneous ventilation. Median (25th, 75th percentile) lengths of stay in the intensive care unit and hospital were 33 days (20, 46 days) and 56 days (28, 78 days), respectively, and were 20 and 31 days, respectively, in patients successfully ambulated (intensive care unit: p = 0.5; hospital: p = 0.4). Among all patients who received a transplant, 30-day, 1-year, and 3-year survival were 92%, 85%, and 80%, respectively. Among patients undergoing primary transplants, 3-year survival was 91%. Conclusions ECMO as BTT has led to encouraging perioperative outcomes and early survival. Careful patient selection and early use of ECMO seems to allow for preservation of vitality while these critically ill candidates await donor organs, which may improve outcomes.
Abernathy, W. B. (2014). The liberated workplace: Transitioning to walden three. Atlanta, GA: Performance Management Publications

behavioral systems analysis, incentive programs, job enrichment, measurement system, walden twoWilliam Abernathy’s final book represents an attempt to distill a lifetime of endeavors into a guide e...
Enlarging Bump on the Scrotum

Extramammary Paget disease is a rare, slow-growing intraepithelial neoplasm of the skin or its underlying appendages. It more commonly affects the apocrine glands of the axilla, vulva, perianal region, scrotum, and/or penis. It often presents as a well-demarcated, thickened, erythematous, or gray-white scaly plaque with indolent growth that may become ulcerated, crusted, papillomatous, or eczematous over time. Pruritus, pain, and burning sensations are common symptoms; however, they are not appreciated by all patients. Many patients are erroneously treated for eczema for months to years before a proper diagnosis is reached. Patients presenting with chronic genital or perineal dermatitis or skin lesions that have been unresponsive to topical therapy should be biopsied for definitive diagnosis.
Youth mentoring in perspective: introduction to the special issue.

The success stories of adolescents who have overcome adversity ofteninclude descriptions of at least one inﬂuential, supportive relationship witha nonparent adult or mentor. Despite the promise of mentoring, as well asthe recent growth in volunteer programs, many questions remain concern-ing the nature and inﬂuence of mentor relationships. This special issue wasinitiated in response to what we saw as a need for scholarly perspectiveson the topic. The research touches on a wide variety of topics pertainingto mentoring relationships, illuminating its role and inﬂuence and providingrecommendations for practice. Although the characteristics of mentoringrelationships are as varied as the adolescents and mentors who enter into
Analysis and Interpretation of the Delta 180 Collision Experiment in Space

In a landmark experiment in 1986, the payload of a Delta 180 launch vehicle was made to collide with its second stage rocket. The collision produced two separate debris clouds without any significant center-of-mass cloud. The inclination and plane change angle distributions of the fragments in the two clouds exhibited Gaussian patterns, with the payload cloud having a considerably greater dispersion than the rocket cloud. Several fragments strewn between the two clouds showed some momentum transfer and hence originated from the contact area. The centers of the two clouds moved away from each other in apparent compliance with momentum conservation. The three orthogonal components of the velocity perturbations received by the fragments are calculated and the angular distributions of the fragments obtained. The total velocity perturbations could be fitted with a Maxwellian distribution whereas its components generally followed Gaussian trends. Fragments from the contact areas, including those thrown into high period orbits, generally fell outside these envelopes. A vast majority of the fragments from both clouds received velocity perturbations below the horizontal plane, thus indicating a loss of translational kinetic energy due to the fragmentation. Three preferred directions in the fragment spread in the horizontal plane suggest that the payload hit the rocket body at an angle from behind.
Localization of Drug and Neurotransmitter Receptors in Brain by Light Microscopic Autoradiography

While the word “receptor” or an equivalent term has been utilized by scientists for a hundred years or more, it is only in the past decade or so that we have learned how to identify receptors directly in biochemical experiments by binding techniques (Snyder and Bennett, 1976; Yamamura et al., 1978). Because of these advances, there has been an enormous output of information on many aspects of receptors. The broad issue that we are concerned with in this chapter is the anatomical localization of receptors and, more specifically, the autoradiographic localization of receptors.
Thorough QT/QTc in a Dish: An In Vitro Human Model That Accurately Predicts Clinical Concentration-QTc Relationships.

"Thorough QT/corrected QT (QTc)" (TQT) studies are cornerstones of clinical cardiovascular safety assessment. However, TQT studies are resource intensive, and preclinical models predictive of the threshold of regulatory concern are lacking. We hypothesized that an in vitro model using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes from a diverse sample of human subjects can serve as a "TQT study in a dish." For 10 positive and 3 negative control drugs, in vitro concentration-QTc, computed using a population Bayesian model, accurately predicted known in vivo concentration-QTc. Moreover, predictions of the percent confidence that the regulatory threshold of 10 ms QTc prolongation would be breached were also consistent with in vivo evidence. This "TQT study in a dish," consisting of a population-based iPSC-derived cardiomyocyte model and Bayesian concentration-QTc modeling, has several advantages over existing in vitro platforms, including higher throughput, lower cost, and the ability to accurately predict the in vivo concentration range below the threshold of regulatory concern.
ICME applied in the undergraduate capstone senior design sequence

Six years ago, Materials Science and Engineering at Michigan Tech embarked on a quest to integrate ICME into the undergraduate curriculum. It began with small modules within a “methods” course that preceded the 2-semester capstone project course. A holistic strategy gradually evolved over the next several years, culminating in a “Material Design” course the spring of junior year followed by industry-sponsored senior projects scoped to utilize ICME methods. The Material Design course combines experimental measurements with measurement system analysis (MSA), thermodynamic and kinetic material optimization with the design of experiments (DOE), and an overarching material design project. The course is organized with weekly module themes that require prereading, lab/modeling work and reports, and a Friday practical quiz. Along the way, students learn to keep a notebook, use Thermo-Calc and Minitab, and write a comprehensive report. All of the skills developed in “Material Design” are to be applied in the capstone project course the following semester.
An RF-to-DC Rectifier Based on Tunable Threshold Diodes

This paper proposed a Dickson RF-to-DC rectifier based on floating-gate MOS diodes with tunable threshold voltages to improve RF input sensitivity and to counter process variation in logic CMOS foundry technology. When compensation by active circuits is excluded for system reasons, prior works relied on the availability of diodes with nearly zero threshold voltage in a mixed-signal process, but was unavoidably susceptible to process variation and leakage currents at low thresholds. Our proposed rectifier can have each constituent diode tuned to its optimal threshold at the wafer testing stage to maximize the operational output voltage at various loads and to compensate device-level variations. An optimization algorithm was implemented to automatically take the output voltage as feedback for system calibration in a short duration. The measurements of the tunable-threshold rectifier show > 4dB improvement in input sensitivity compared to the rectifier built by foundry-provided zero-threshold transistors. The proposed circuits can be combined with other techniques including high- ${Q}$ impedance matching for input voltage boosting and hierarchical tandem stages for further improvement on operating conditions. With a ${Q}\,\,{=}$ 10 matching network, −26 dBm sensitivity and 22% efficiency can be achieved for about 0.5 V dc output to a $500~{k} {\Omega }$ load at 570 MHz.
Mining Relationship-Based Access Control Policies from Incomplete and Noisy Data

Relationship-based access control (ReBAC) extends attribute-based access control (ABAC) to allow policies to be expressed in terms of chains of relationships between entities. ReBAC policy mining algorithms have potential to significantly reduce the cost of migration from legacy access control systems to ReBAC, by partially automating the development of a ReBAC policy. This paper presents algorithms for mining ReBAC policies from information about entitlements together with information about entities. It presents the first such algorithms designed to handle incomplete information about entitlements, typically obtained from operation logs, and noise (errors) in information about entitlements. We present two algorithms: a greedy search guided by heuristics, and an evolutionary algorithm. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithms on several policies, including 3 large case studies.
Multi-functional CNT nanopaper polyurethane nanocomposite fabricated by ultrasonic infiltration and dip soaking processes

Abstract Carbon nanotube (CNT) nanopaper (NP) reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) multi-functional thin nanocomposites were fabricated by novel ultrasonic infiltration method and dip soaking without using any organic solvent. Uniform resin infiltration with high loading CNT (26 wt %) was achieved in the nanocomposites. The resin infiltration time was reduced to 4 s in the ultrasonic method which greatly favored full scale production. Besides multi wall carbon nanotube (MWNT) NP, hybrid NP with 10% single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) was used to improve the nanocomposite's mechanical and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding properties. The 10% SWNT NP TPU nanocomposite exhibited 2170% increase in tensile strength, and 7170% increase in Young's modulus compared to pure TPU, and reached a strain at break of 296%. Due to the high electrical conductivity and aspect ratio of SWNT, the thin hybrid NP nanocomposite (100 μm thick) demonstrated high and stable EMI shielding effectiveness (35 dB) after large deformation (100% strain extension). As coating application, the NP nanocomposites obtained 45 times improvement in sand erosion resistance, compared to glass fiber epoxy composite substrate. Micro injection molding was conducted using the NP TPU nanocomposite as raw material which indicated good process flexibility. The NP demonstrated to be a good platform to fabricate multi-functional TPU nanocomposites, with potential applications in wind energy, aerospace and automotive industries, etc.
Financial elites and European banking: historical perspectives: edited by Youssef Cassis and Giuseppe Telesca, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2019, 259 pp., $80.00 (hardback), ISBN-13: 9780198782797

Youssef Cassis and Giuseppe Telesca organised this book to kick-start new interdisciplinary historical research on financial elites in the post-Global Financial Crisis era. The nine chapters of the...
Neurologic diagnostic procedures

Abstract Neurologic diagnostic procedures are usually not used for preliminary screening of patients, except in emergency situations. This may be when a complete neurological evaluation is justified to rule out severe neurological disease, such as subarachnoid hemorrhage or stroke. Testing is guided by the evidence revealed during patient history and physical examination. Neurologic diagnostic procedures include, but are not limited to lumbar puncture, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, encephalography, cerebral catheter angiography, duplex Doppler ultrasonography, myelography, electroencephalography, and electromyography. Historically, neurologists believed that diagnosis almost always could be made by localizing a lesion, using patient history and examination. Authors still believe that localization of the lesion through examination and history is the most important step toward arriving on a correct diagnosis. With the advent of technology, however, neurologists are now more dependent on various diagnostic tests. New imagining techniques proved that localization through the neurological exam and history was not always accurate.
A Better Group Consensus Ranking via a Min-transitive Fuzzy Linear Ordering

The current fuzzy methods for determining a group consensus ranking (GCR) or, equivalently, a linear order of items of a finite set S from a given set of weighted linear orders \(\mathcal {L}= \{L_1, L_2, \ldots , L_M\}\) on S are ad hoc in nature. This is because the underlying key fuzzy relations used in determining the GCR are not min-transitive. We present here a better method for GCR based on a min-transitive fuzzy linear order on S obtained from \(\mathcal {L}\). We define a collection of probability distributions \(P_x(j), x \in S\), on the rank set \(\{1, 2, \ldots , |S|\}\) based on the linear orders \(\mathcal {L}\). The distributions \(P_x(j)\) give a min-transitive fuzzy partial order \(\mu _{\mathcal {L}}(\cdot , \cdot )\) on S, where \(\mu _{\mathcal {L}}(x, y)\) says how “left” the distribution \(P_x(\cdot )\) is to \(P_y(\cdot )\). We then extend \(\mu _{\mathcal {L}}(\cdot , \cdot )\) to a best possible min-transitive fuzzy linear order \(\mu _{\mathcal {L}}^\star (\cdot , \cdot )\) on S, which gives the desired ranking of items in S.
Anomalous Waves Triggered by Abrupt Depth Changes: Laboratory Experiments and Truncated KdV Statistical Mechanics

Recent laboratory experiments of Bolles et al. (Phys Rev Fluids 4(1):011801, 2019) demonstrate that an abrupt change in bottom topography can trigger anomalous statistics in randomized surface waves. Motivated by these observations, Majda et al. (Proc Natl Acad Sci 116(10):3982–3987, 2019) developed a theoretical framework, based on deterministic and statistical analysis of the truncated Korteweg-de Vries (TKdV) system that successfully captures key qualitative features of the experiments including the robust emergence of anomalous statistics and heightened skewness in the outgoing wavefield. Here, we extend these parallel experimental and modeling efforts with several new findings that have resulted from a synergetic interaction between the two. By precisely relating model parameters to physical ones, we calibrate the model inverse temperature to the specific conditions present in the experiments, thereby permitting a quantitative comparison. We find theoretically predicted distributions of surface displacement to match the experimental measurements with surprising detail. Prompted by the presence of surface slope in the TKdV Hamiltonian, we present new experimental measurements on surface slope statistics and compare them to model predictions. Analysis of some deterministic trajectories of TKdV elucidates the experimental length and time scales required for the statistical transition to a skewed state. Finally, the theory predicts a peculiar relationship between the outgoing displacement skewness and the change in slope variance, specifically how their ratio depends on the wave amplitude and depth ratio. New experimental measurements provide convincing evidence for this prediction.
Intersectional AI: A Study of How Information Science Students Think about Ethics and Their Impact

Recent literature has demonstrated the limited and, in some instances, waning role of ethical training in computing classes in the US. The capacity for artificial intelligence (AI) to be inequitable or harmful is well documented, yet it's an issue that continues to lack apparent urgency or effective mitigation. The question we raise in this paper is how to prepare future generations to recognize and grapple with the ethical concerns of a range of issues plaguing AI, particularly when they are combined with surveillance technologies in ways that have grave implications for social participation and restriction?from risk assessment and bail assignment in criminal justice, to public benefits distribution and access to housing and other critical resources that enable security and success within society. The US is a mecca of information and computer science (IS and CS) learning for Asian students whose experiences as minorities renders them familiar with, and vulnerable to, the societal bias that feeds AI bias. Our goal was to better understand how students who are being educated to design AI systems think about these issues, and in particular, their sensitivity to intersectional considerations that heighten risk for vulnerable groups. In this paper we report on findings from qualitative interviews with 20 graduate students, 11 from an AI class and 9 from a Data Mining class. We find that students are not predisposed to think deeply about the implications of AI design for the privacy and well-being of others unless explicitly encouraged to do so. When they do, their thinking is focused through the lens of personal identity and experience, but their reflections tend to center on bias, an intrinsic feature of design, rather than on fairness, an outcome that requires them to imagine the consequences of AI. While they are, in fact, equipped to think about fairness when prompted by discussion and by design exercises that explicitly invite consideration of intersectionality and structural inequalities, many need help to do this empathy 'work.' Notably, the students who more frequently reflect on intersectional problems related to bias and fairness are also more likely to consider the connection between model attributes and bias, and the interaction with context. Our findings suggest that experience with identity-based vulnerability promotes more analytically complex thinking about AI, lending further support to the argument that identity-related ethics should be integrated into IS and CS curriculums, rather than positioned as a stand-alone course.
Assessment of Antimicrobial Activity of Dehydrated Amniotic Membrane in Infectious Keratitis: A Small Retrospective Case Series and In Vitro Study.

PURPOSE To describe a small case series of infectious keratitis with poor visual outcomes after amniotic membrane (AM) placement and to prospectively evaluate whether AM demonstrates antibacterial activity in vitro against pathogens commonly isolated from infectious corneal ulcers. METHODS A retrospective case series and in vitro study of antibacterial activity of dehydrated AM using disk diffusion and measurement of inhibitory zones for bacterial assessment and inverted microscopy analysis for Acanthamoeba sp. growth. RESULTS Three cases of known etiology infectious keratitis are described where the clinical presentation worsened after treatment with AM. In vitro analysis of dehydrated AM, with and without a soft contact lens, demonstrated no inhibition of growth against Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Streptococcus pneumoniae. There was minimal growth inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus, although these zones of inhibition were much smaller than that surrounding the positive control. For Acanthamoeba sp., solubilized, dehydrated AM did not alter cyst density. CONCLUSIONS In an in vitro analysis, dehydrated AM did not provide evidence for a potentially clinically meaningful antibacterial effect against organisms commonly isolated from corneal ulcers.
Oral probiotic promotes indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase- and TGF-β-Producing plasmacytoid dendritic cells to initiate protection against type 1 diabetes.

Abstract Colonization factor antigen I (CFA/I) fimbria, an adhesin from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, confers protection in murine autoimmune models for type 1 diabetes (T1D), multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Although CFA/I fimbriae's initial mode of action is in a bystander or in an antigen (Ag)-independent fashion, protection is ultimately dependent upon the induction and/or activation of auto-Ag-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs). However, little is known about how protection transitions from bystander suppression to Ag-specific Tregs. Since dendritic cells (DCs) play an integral role in fate decisions for T cells becoming inflammatory or tolerogenic, the described study tests the hypothesis that Lactococcus lactis expressing CFA/I (LL-CFA/I) stimulates DCs to establish a regulatory microenvironment. To this end, bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) were infected in vitro with LL-CFA/I. Results revealed increased production of IL-10, TGF-β, and indoleamine 2,3-deoxygenase (IDO). Although co-culture of LL-CFA/I infected BMDCs with naive T cells did not promote Foxp3 expression, TNF-α and IFN-γ production was suppressed. NOD mice orally dosed with LL-CFA/I showed an increase in regulatory plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) expressing IDO and TGF-β in pancreatic lymph nodes (PaLNs) and spleen three days post-treatment. However, Tregs did not appear in the mucosal inductive sites until much later. These findings show that LL-CFA/I influences specific DC populations to establish tolerance.
The Stickup Kids: Race, Drugs, Violence, and the American Dream

Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: Becoming Stickup Kids 1. The Rise of the South Bronx and Crack 2. Crack Days: Getting Paid 3. Rikers Island: Normalizing Violence 4. The New York Boys: Tail Enders of the Crack Era 5. Crack is Dead Part II: Doing the Stickup 6. The Girl 7. Getting the Shit 8. Drug Robbery Torture 9. Splitting the Profits 10. Living the Dream: Life after a Drug Robbery Part III: Todo Tiene Su Final 11. Fallen Stars Conclusion Notes Index
A Group Technology Approach for Container Size Selection

The problem considered in this chapter is the selection of carton sizes for shipping items produced in a small batch manufacturing environment. Rather than selecting an optimum container design for each item, the problem is that of selecting a single container or a limited number of containers for the variety of items and range of order sizes that are characteristic of the particular small batch manufacturer. The focus is on two issues: cost considerations and the carton size selection method. The relevant cost factors are identified and used as the criteria for evaluating the selected carton sizes. A grouping technique is used to assist in the determination of carton sizes, and the results of the application of the methodology for a set of historical data are evaluated.
Determination of cell uptake pathways for tumor inhibitor lysyl oxidase propeptide

The lysyl oxidase propeptide (LOX-PP) is derived from pro-lysyl oxidase (Pro-LOX) by extracellular biosynthetic proteolysis. LOX-PP inhibits breast and prostate cancer xenograft tumor growth and has tumor suppressor activity. Although, several intracellular targets and molecular mechanisms of action of LOX-PP have been identified, LOX-PP uptake pathways have not been reported. Here we demonstrate that the major uptake pathway for recombinant LOX-PP (rLOX-PP) is PI3K-dependent macropinocytosis in PWR-1E, PC3, SCC9, MDA-MB-231 cell lines. A secondary pathway appears to be dynamin- and caveola dependent. The ionic properties of highly basic rLOX-PP provide buffering capacity at both high and low pHs. We suggest that the buffering capacity of rLOX-PP, which serves to limit endosomal acidification, sustains PI3K-dependent macropinocytosis in endosomes which in turn is likely to facilitate LOX-PP endosomal escape into the cytoplasm and its observed interactions with cytoplasmic targets and nuclear uptake.
Table2Graph: A Scalable Graph Construction from Relational Tables Using Map-Reduce

Identifying correlations and relationships between entities within and across different data sets (or databases) is of great importance in many domains. The data warehouse-based integration, which has been most widely practiced, is found to be inadequate to achieve such a goal. Instead we explored an alternate solution that turns multiple disparate data sources into a single heterogeneous graph model so that matching between entities across different source data would be expedited by examining their linkages in the graph. We found, however, while a graph-based model provides outstanding capabilities for this purposes, construction of one such model from relational source databases were time consuming and primarily left to ad hoc proprietary scripts. This led us to develop a reconfigurable and reusable graph construction tool that is designed to work at scale. In this paper, we introduce Table2Graph, the graph construction tool based on Map-Reduce framework over Hadoop. We also discuss results from applying Table2Graph to integrate disparate healthcare databases.
A novel method for patient-specific QTc--modeling QT-RR hysteresis.

Background: Cardiac repolarization adaptation to cycle length change is patient dependent and results in complex QT-RR hysteresis. We hypothesize that accurate patient-specific QT-RR curves and rate corrected QT values (QTc) can be derived through patient-specific modeling of hysteresis. Method and Results: Model development was supported by QT-RR observations from 1959 treadmill tests, allowing extensive exploration of the influences of autonomic function on QT adaptation to rate changes. The methodology quantifies and then removes patient-specific repolarization adaptation rates. The estimated average 95% QT confidence limit was approximately 1 msec for the studied population. The model was validated by comparing QT-RR curves derived from a submaximal exercise protocol with rapid exercise and recovery phases, characterized by high hysteresis, with QT-RR values derived from an incremental stepped protocol that held heart rate constant for 5 minutes at each stage of exercise and recovery. Conclusions: The underlying physiologic changes affecting QT dynamics during the transitions from rest to exercise to recovery are quite complex. Nevertheless, a simple patient-specific model, comprising only three parameters and based solely on the preceding history of RR intervals and trend, is sufficient to accurately model QT hysteresis over an entire exercise test for a diverse population. A brief recording of a resting ECG, combined with a short period of submaximal exercise and recovery, provides sufficient information to derive an accurate patient-specific QT-RR curve, eliminating QTc bias inherent in population-based correction formulas. Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2011;16(1):3–12
An efficient and fair polling scheme for Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a universal radio interface in the 2.45 GHz frequency band, which will enable users to connect a range of small electronic devices. Any two or more Bluetooth-enabled devices that come within range of each other can set up an ad hoc connection, called a piconet. Within a piconet, the unit that establishes the piconet becomes the master and the rest of the units act as slaves. The master sends a data or POLL packet to poll a slave and the slave responds with a packet in the next time slot. The manner in which the master polls the slaves has a significant impact on the system performance. We first discuss previously proposed polling schemes for Bluetooth. We then propose a new polling scheme called Pseudo-Random Cyclic Limited slot-Weighted Round Robin (PLsWRR) that builds on the Limited Weighted Round Robin (LWRR) scheme presented by Capone, Kapoor and Gerla (see IEEE ICC 01, Finland, June, 2001). The PLsWRR scheme has the following two important properties: (i) as in LWRR, it tries to distinguish between slaves on the basis of their "activeness", i.e., according to the traffic history. LsWRR reduces the rate of polling to less active slaves by not polling them for a certain number of slots (as opposed to cycles). This keeps the maximum time that a slave may not be polled bounded. (ii) The order in which slaves are polled in each cycle is determined in a pseudo-random manner. We show that it is very important to use a pseudo-randon ordering of slaves in a cycle and that a polling scheme that does not employ a pseudo-random ordering can easily lead to unfairness among TCP connections. We also show by means of simulations that the PLsWRR scheme performs consistently well on scenarios with different traffic sources like TCP and CBR and achieves high throughput and fairness.
Gamma-Ray Astronomy and the Holistic Galaxy

Using the results of γ-ray, millimeter wave and far infrared surveys of the galaxy, one can derive a logically consistent picture of the large scale distribution of galactic gas and cosmic rays. This picture is intrinsically tied to the overall processes of stellar birth and destruction on a galactic scale. Since it requires the balanced and coordinated use of multiwavelength studies to complete this scenario of the galaxy, it seems appropriate to refer to it as a holistic one.
Spatial variation of SNR in 2D and 3D neuro PET

A method for region of interest (ROI) evaluation for three dimensional positron emission tomography (PET) in the sinogram space is implemented, according to the fully 3D filtered back-projection algorithm. With this method, the statistical error in the image that propagates from the Poisson noise in the raw data can be computed. The signal to noise ratio (SNR) for ROI's at various locations inside a cylindrical phantom is computed from both scanner data and simulation data, and is verified via the standard deviation method through multiple measurements. As a comparison, 2D scans are also collected and similar computations carried out. Results show that the SNR increases with radius due to decreased attenuation at the edge of the phantom. For 3D scans, the SNR drops gradually for ROI's outside the central 8 cm segment of field of view (FOV) of the scanner. Also, the random events in the scans must be recorded and considered in the error computation.
Accent Scaling and Language Attitudes: Reactions to Mexican American English Speech:

The relationship between degree of accent in the English of Mexican American speakers as assessed by naive raters, and the evaluative judgments of the raters toward accented speakers was explored. Tape recordings were prepared in a prior study of nine Mexican American readers having varying degrees of accent as judged by three linguists. An Accentedness Index score was obtained for each recorded speaker from the linguists' ratings of occurrences of 18 pronunciation variables. Estimations of degree of accentedness and evaluative reactions of status and solidarity were given for the nine readers by 43 Mexican American and 37 Anglo high school students. The accent estimation scores, Accentedness Index, and status ratings were all highly correlated within speakers. Solidarity ratings given by Mexican Americans were significantly related to the Accentedness Index. As the level of accentedness increased from speaker to speaker, the naive judges gave significantly lower status ratings. There were no group differ...
Perpetrating ourselves: reading human rights and responsibility otherwise

This article argues for an expanded and more nuanced conception of the figure of the ‘perpetrator' than currently exists with respect to human rights. It examines the poetry of the diasporic Chinese-Indonesian writer Li-Young Lee and the postwar history of political violence in postcolonial Indonesia, in relation to the ethical theory of Emmanuel Levinas. By considering how relations of responsibility extend beyond individual agents of violence, to a multitude of beneficiaries, the article provides a model for how diasporic acts of literary imagination grapple with past violence, loss and repression that often remain unaddressed in more official state venues of law and politics.
Isolation and characterization of norharmane from Reticulitermes termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae).

Abstract The fluorescent alkaloid norharmane has been isolated from Reticulitermes termites and characterized by 1H NMR, UV/Vis, mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Microcoil 1H NMR spectroscopy allowed spectra to be obtained from mass-limited material, facilitating the identification of norharmane, which is the major component in termite fluorescence under UV light. Norharmane was uniformly present at ≈1 ng/mg in Reticulitermes tibialis Banks workers, soldiers, and alates; Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) workers; and Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks) workers. Some termites were observed to fluoresce with less intensity, but no differences in norharmane levels were detected. Mechanisms that may account for fluorescent differences are discussed as are the possible ecological implications of norharmane in termites.
Orthomodular posets from sesquilinear forms

In this paper, we show how to generate orthomodular posets from sesquilinear forms on a vector space.
Synthesis and evaluation of guanazole prodrugs as antineoplastic agents

Nine amide derivatives of guanazole were synthesized, and eight of them were tested for antineoplastic activity versus L1210 cells in vitro. Several of these compounds exhibited activity comparable to or greater than that of guanazole.
Lyn- and PLC-β3-dependent regulation of SHP-1 phosphorylation controls Stat5 activity and myelomonocytic leukemia-like disease

Hyperactivation of the transcription factor Stat5 leads to various leukemias. Stat5 activity is regulated by the protein phosphatase SHP-1 in a phospholipase C (PLC)-β3-dependent manner. Thus, PLC-β3-deficient mice develop myeloproliferative neoplasm, like Lyn (Src family kinase)- deficient mice. Here we show that Lyn/PLC-β3 doubly deficient lyn(-/-);PLC-β3(-/-) mice develop a Stat5-dependent, fatal myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm, similar to human chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). In hematopoietic stem cells of lyn(-/-);PLC-β3(-/-) mice that cause the CMML-like disease, phosphorylation of SHP-1 at Tyr(536) and Tyr(564) is abrogated, resulting in reduced phosphatase activity and constitutive activation of Stat5. Furthermore, SHP-1 phosphorylation at Tyr(564) by Lyn is indispensable for maximal phosphatase activity and for suppression of the CMML-like disease in these mice. On the other hand, Tyr(536) in SHP-1 can be phosphorylated by Lyn and another kinase(s) and is necessary for efficient interaction with Stat5. Therefore, we identify a novel Lyn/PLC-β3-mediated regulatory mechanism of SHP-1 and Stat5 activities.
Rabbit tooth pulp compared to 55°C mouse hot plate assay for detection of antinociceptive activity of opiate and nonopiate central analgesics

The rabbit tooth pulp (RTP) assay was compared to the 55°C mouse hot plate (MHP) assay for detecting the antinociceptive actions of carfentanil, sufentanil, fentanyl, alfentanil, meperidine, morphine, ketamine, and nefopam. Except for meperidine, all the the opioid agonists exhibited lower ED50 values (P ≤ 0.01) from RTP. Meperidine exhibited a lower value, significant at P ≤ 0.10. Rank orders of potencies were the same for both assys, with carfentanil the most and morphine the least potent. The durations of action of single equianalgesic doses were significantly longer for all six opioids when determined by the RTP compared to the MHP assay. Rank orders of duration were similar in both assys, with alfentanil the shortest and morphine the longest. Graded dose responses could not be detected for ketamine and nefopam using the MHP, but they were observed and ED50 values were obtained with the RTP assay. The results indicate that the RTP is singnificantly more sensitive than the MHP assay in detecting antinociceptive activity of six oplate and two nonopiate central analgesics.