cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toxicity of linalool to life stages of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae), and its efficacy in carpet and on animals.

The toxicity of linalool to eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults of the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) was determined. In vitro, linalool was equally active against eggs and adults; the larvae were least susceptible. Linalool killed eggs, larvae, and pupae in carpet squares; treatment of eggs with a 1.0% emulsion and treatment of larvae or pupae with a 5.0% emulsion prevented all adult emergence. Fleas were eliminated from cats treated with dips of 1.0% linalool and of 0.5% linalool with synergist. Linalool acts rapidly on adult fleas and its activity is synergized by piperonyl butoxide. Because linalool has low vertebrate toxicity and is active against all life stages of the flea, it has major potential for use in control programs for C. felis.
Effects of Deforestation of Slopes

The creep and stability of slopes before and after logging have been analyzed. The following effects of vegetation were included in the theory: (1) The root system provides mechanical reinforcement of the soil; (2) vegetation provides a vertical surcharge; (3) wind in trees causes surface shears and moments; and (4) soil moistures content and water level are modified. It has been found that immediately after log removal the reduction in the overburden decreases the creep rate. Also, this reduction and the drop in wind loading increases the slope stability. The immediate effect of deforestation is, therefore, favorable, but adverse effects become evident when the root system decays and when a drop in evapotranspiration causes a rise in the water table.
A low DC, self-clocking, two-color transmission code for optical communications

A new self-clocking channel code is demonstrated and compared to other codes used in digital communication systems. The new code requires two channels and is best suited for wavelength-multiplexed optical fiber transmission systems. An experimental demonstration of the proposed code in a fiber-optic communication link is reported and the code performance is analyzed.
Intra-industry effects of negative stock price surprises

We find that a pronounced stock price decline of one firm yields negative valuation effects for industry rivals, on average. We test whether the impact is conditioned on a measure of default likelihood of rivals derived from the option pricing framework. The stock price contagion effects are more pronounced for rivals with the greatest default likelihood. The contagion effects are also conditioned on the degree of the surprise, characteristics of the firm experiencing the negative surprise (such as its relative size), characteristics of the rival firms (such as their similarity to the firm experiencing the negative surprise), and characteristics of the corresponding industry (such as degree of concentration). The sensitivity of industry rivals and portfolios to negative stock price surprises changes during the 2007–2008 financial crisis, which may be because stocks had already been priced to reflect pessimistic outlooks, or because the market anticipated restructuring or government intervention that could prevent the collapse of firms with the greatest default likelihood.
Specificity of anti-DNA antibodies in SLE—I. Definition and gross specificity of antibody populations in human SLE plasma

Abstract Populations of anti-DNA antibodies in two SLE plasma were defined based on their patterns of reactivity in inhibition assays with single and double-stranded DNA as well as mono- and oligonucleotides. Two populations ofanti-DNA antibodies were seen in both plasma tested. The first population reacted specifically with ssDNA and was inhibited by relatively low concentrations of free nucleotides indicating that it recognized the nucleotide bases in ssDNA. The second population bound both ss and ds calf thymus DNA with apparent equal affinity. The cross-reactive anti-DNA antibodies were inhibited by mononucleotides (at high concentrations) and by single-stranded oligonuclcotides (average length tetranucleotides). For one of the plasma tested (PS). pBR322 plasmid DNA (54% G + C) was a significantly more effective inhibitor than calf thymus DNA (39% G + C). These results suggested that nucleotide bases contributed to dsDNA binding by cross-reactive anti-DNA antibodies.
PATTERNS OF STUDENT INTERACTION IN CLARK-TROW SUBGROUPS

Previous research on the Clark-Trow model has failed to provide evidence on whether students classified into the same Clark-Trow subgroup interact with one another or are even aware of their common orientation. Yet, this is a basic tenet of claims that these subgroups operate as campus subcultures. This study investigated whether students who self-select into the same Clark-Trow subgroup interact significantly more often with each other than they do with members of the other three subgroups. The results tend to disconfirm expectations based on the Clark-Trow model and suggest these subgroups do not operate as student subcultures.
Analysis Strapdown Navigation Using Quaternions

A brief review of the theory of strapdown inertial navigation is presented in which the attitude of the sensor box with respect to inertial space is represented by the four-parameter quaternion vector. . A 4X4 matrix R is defined which aids in relating quaternions to direction cosines and facilitates interpretation of the equations for error propagation, which are also derived. In the interpretation, it is shown that the error in the quaternion vector causes aor-(correctable) scale factor error and an equivalent tilt vector error that propagates the same way as the platform tilt vector in a gimbaled system.
Reduced endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis and impaired unfolded protein response in TRPC3-deficient M1 macrophages.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a prominent mechanism of macrophage apoptosis in advanced atherosclerotic lesions. Recent studies from our laboratory showed that advanced atherosclerotic plaques in Apoe−/− mice with bone marrow deficiency of the calcium-permeable channel Transient Receptor Potential Canonical 3 (TRPC3) are characterized by reduced areas of necrosis and fewer apoptotic macrophages than animals transplanted with Trpc3+/+ bone marrow. In vitro, proinflammatory M1 but not anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages derived from Trpc3−/−Apoe−/− animals exhibited reduced ER stress-induced apoptosis. However, whether this was due to a specific effect of TRPC3 deficiency on macrophage ER stress signaling remained to be determined. In the present work we used polarized macrophages derived from mice with macrophage-specific deficiency of TRPC3 to examine the expression level of ER stress markers and the activation status of some typical mediators of macrophage apoptosis. We found that the reduced susceptibility of TRPC3-deficient M1 macrophages to ER stress-induced apoptosis correlates with an impaired unfolded protein response (UPR), reduced mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis, and reduced activation of the proapoptotic molecules calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1. Notably, none of these pathways was altered in TRPC3-deficient M2 macrophages. These findings show for the first time an obligatory requirement for a member of the TRPC family of cation channels in ER stress-induced apoptosis in macrophages, underscoring a rather selective role of the TRPC3 channel on mechanisms related to the UPR signaling in M1 macrophages.
Prion-like transmission of neuronal huntingtin aggregates to phagocytic glia in the Drosophila brain

The brain has a limited capacity to self-protect against protein aggregate-associated pathology, and mounting evidence supports a role for phagocytic glia in this process. We have established a Drosophila model to investigate the role of phagocytic glia in clearance of neuronal mutant huntingtin (Htt) aggregates associated with Huntington disease. We find that glia regulate steady-state numbers of Htt aggregates expressed in neurons through a clearance mechanism that requires the glial scavenger receptor Draper and downstream phagocytic engulfment machinery. Remarkably, some of these engulfed neuronal Htt aggregates effect prion-like conversion of soluble, wild-type Htt in the glial cytoplasm. We provide genetic evidence that this conversion depends strictly on the Draper signalling pathway, unveiling a previously unanticipated role for phagocytosis in transfer of pathogenic protein aggregates in an intact brain. These results suggest a potential mechanism by which phagocytic glia contribute to both protein aggregate-related neuroprotection and pathogenesis in neurodegenerative disease.
Control of smooth muscle cell proliferation by psoralen photochemotherapy

Abstract Purpose: Restenosis after balloon angioplasty or the intimal hyperplasia occurring at distal anastomoses of bypass grafts severely limits the long-term therapy for peripheral vascular disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the application of psoralen photochemotherapy with ultraviolet A (UVA)—activated 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) to suppress smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation in vitro by the formation of 8-MOP-DNA monoadducts and interstrand cross-links to inhibit DNA synthesis. Methods: Bovine aorta SMC (2 × 10 4 /cm 2 ) were treated with 8-MOP (0 to 1000 ng/ml) for 30 minutes, followed by UVA (2 joule/cm 2 ) to determine the dose of 8-MOP and UVA that inhibits SMC proliferation. Results: The results show that 8-MOP in the range 30 to 1000 ng/ml in combination with 2 joule/cm 2 UVA inhibited SMC proliferation by 40% to 60% 3 days after treatment. In time course studies the growth of SMC treated with 100 ng/ml 8-MOP and 2 joule/cm 2 UVA were monitored over 5 days, and this regimen was found to be cytostatic. SMC viability was confirmed by trypan blue exclusion. Conclusions: Our studies suggest that 8-MOP/UVA photochemotherapy may represent a novel approach to the control of localized SMC proliferation. (J VASC SURG 1993;17:1010-8.)
Cytoskeletal role in protection of the failing heart by β-adrenergic blockade

Formation of a dense microtubule network that impedes cardiac contraction and intracellular transport occurs in severe pressure overload hypertrophy. This process is highly dynamic, since microtubule depolymerization causes striking improvement in contractile function. A molecular etiology for this cytoskeletal alteration has been defined in terms of type 1 and type 2A phosphatase-dependent site-specific dephosphorylation of the predominant myocardial microtubule-associated protein (MAP)4, which then decorates and stabilizes microtubules. This persistent phosphatase activation is dependent upon ongoing upstream activity of p21-activated kinase-1, or Pak1. Because cardiac β-adrenergic activity is markedly and continuously increased in decompensated hypertrophy, and because β-adrenergic activation of cardiac Pak1 and phosphatases has been demonstrated, we asked here whether the highly maladaptive cardiac microtubule phenotype seen in pathological hypertrophy is based on β-adrenergic overdrive and thus could be reversed by β-adrenergic blockade. The data in this study, which were designed to answer this question, show that such is the case; that is, β1- (but not β2-) adrenergic input activates this pathway, which consists of Pak1 activation, increased phosphatase activity, MAP4 dephosphorylation, and thus the stabilization of a dense microtubule network. These data were gathered in a feline model of severe right ventricular (RV) pressure overload hypertrophy in response to tight pulmonary artery banding (PAB) in which a stable, twofold increase in RV mass is reached by 2 wk after pressure overloading. After 2 wk of hypertrophy induction, these PAB cats during the following 2 wk either had no further treatment or had β-adrenergic blockade. The pathological microtubule phenotype and the severe RV cellular contractile dysfunction otherwise seen in this model of RV hypertrophy (PAB No Treatment) was reversed in the treated (PAB β-Blockade) cats. Thus these data provide both a specific etiology and a specific remedy for the abnormal microtubule network found in some forms of pathological cardiac hypertrophy.
Detection of gamma ray polarization using a 3-D position-sensitive CdZnTe detector

When a polarized gamma ray photon undergoes a Compton scatter, the probability for the photon to scatter at a fixed scattering angle depends on the azimuthal angle. The polarization of incident gamma rays can be measured using this effect by observing the angular distribution of scatters. Room-temperature 3-dimensional position-sensitive CdZnTe detectors can provide good energy resolution as well as positions of interactions, allowing these detectors to perform Compton imaging and polarization detection simultaneously. In this paper, we demonstrate that an 11/spl times/11 pixellated 15/spl times/15/spl times/10 mm/sup 3/ CdZnTe detector with 3-D position sensing capability can be an effective instrument to detect the polarization of incident gamma rays.
Towards a comprehensive regional water policy model for the Texas High Plains

A 19 county, 50-year dynamic economic optimization model of irrigated crop production is linked to a detailed hydrology model for purposes of improving policy estimates of economic cost and associated water saving of groundwater conservation management policies. Spatial and temporal desegregation, allows planners to target specific areas and improve the accuracy of benefit-cost policy estimates.
EMBA Integration: From Rhetoric To Practice

For the modern business world, business education needs to molt from the cocoon of discipline silos to the integrated business education model to train the next generation of managers. Upper management problems are rarely silo specific. Managers do things right, but leaders do the right things; and executive programs exist to build business leaders. MBA programs usually get the “business” portion of this goal right, but often do not institutionalize the “leaders” part well. This article chronicles the experiences of a major EMBA program.
Recombinant production of TEV cleaved human parathyroid hormone

The parathyroid hormone, PTH, is responsible for calcium and phosphate ion homeostasis in the body. The first 34 amino acids of the peptide maintain the biological activity of the hormone and is currently marketed for calcium imbalance disorders. Although several methods for the production of recombinant PTH(1-34) have been reported, most involve the use of cleavage conditions that result in a modified peptide or unfavorable side products. Herein, we detail the recombinant production of (15) N-enriched human parathyroid hormone, (15) N PTH(1-34), generated via a plasmid vector that gives reasonable yield, low-cost protease cleavage (leaving the native N-terminal serine in its amino form), and purification by affinity and size exclusion chromatography. We characterize the product by multidimensional, heteronuclear NMR, circular dichroism, and LC/MS.
Restricted colored permutations and Chebyshev polynomials

Several authors have examined connections between restricted permutations and Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind. In this paper we prove analogues of these results for colored permutations. First we define a distinguished set of length two and length three patterns, which contains only 312 when just one color is used. Then we give a recursive procedure for computing the generating function for the colored permutations which avoid this distinguished set and any set of additional patterns, which we use to find a new set of signed permutations counted by the Catalan numbers and a new set of signed permutations counted by the large Schroder numbers. We go on to use this result to compute the generating functions for colored permutations which avoid our distinguished set and any layered permutation with three or fewer layers. We express these generating functions in terms of Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind and we show that they are special cases of generating functions for involutions which avoid 3412 and a layered permutation.
Particulate δ15N in laminated marine sediments as a proxy for mixing between the California Undercurrent and the California Current: A proof of concept

The measurements of particulate δ15N in coastal marine laminated sediments provide a high-resolution proxy for fluctuations in the intensity of denitrification in the water column. In the eastern tropical North Pacific oxygen minimum zone, this denitrification signal is transported northward by the California Undercurrent, thus serving as a tracer of ocean circulation. This is verified through comparisons between salinity in the thermocline off Southern California (Santa Monica Basin) and the difference between δ15Nsed within age equivalent sediments from a southern (Pescadero Slope) and northern (Santa Monica Basin) site. Trends in this parameter, Δδ15Nsed, relate to Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) phase changes between 1900 and 1990. We hypothesize that the decline in Δδ15Nsed during warm PDO phases is due to a strengthening of the California Undercurrent transporting 15N-enriched nitrate from the eastern tropical North Pacific northward. The deviation from this trend after 1990 suggests recent changes in circulation and/or California Current water nutrient biogeochemistry.
Body mass index and fat mass are the primary correlates of insulin resistance in nondiabetic stage 3–4 chronic kidney disease patients

Background: Insulin resistance has been noted in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The determinants of insulin resistance have not been well-studied in CKD patients. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the degree and determinants of insulin resistance in persons without diabetes but with stage 3–4 CKD. Design: Demographic characteristics, metabolic hormones, and inflammatorymarkersweremeasuredin95nonobesestage3–4CKD patients without prior diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and 36 control subjects without CKD. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was measured by using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study equation. Insulin resistance was measured with the use of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Results: After age and sex adjustments, HOMA-IR scores were significantly and positively correlated with body mass index (BMI) and percentage body fat. After control for age, race, adiponectin concentrations, sex, and eGFR in a multivariate regression model, BMI remained as the only significant predictor of insulin resistance (standardized regression coefficient 0.55; P 0.001). When substituted for BMI, percentage body fat also was an independent predictor of insulin resistance. The prevalence of abnormal HOMA did not differ significantly between CKD patients (98%) and BMImatched control subjects (94%). Conclusion: Whereas insulin resistance is highly prevalent in stage 3–4 CKD, the primary determinant of insulin resistance in this population is BMI, specifically, fat mass. Am J Clin Nutr 2007; 86:1642–8.
A Small-Molecule Oxocarbazate Inhibitor of Human Cathepsin L Blocks Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Ebola Pseudotype Virus Infection into Human Embryonic Kidney 293T cells

A tetrahydroquinoline oxocarbazate (PubChem CID 23631927) was tested as an inhibitor of human cathepsin L (EC 3.4.22.15) and as an entry blocker of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus and Ebola pseudotype virus. In the cathepsin L inhibition assay, the oxocarbazate caused a time-dependent 17-fold drop in IC(50) from 6.9 nM (no preincubation) to 0.4 nM (4-h preincubation). Slowly reversible inhibition was demonstrated in a dilution assay. A transient kinetic analysis using a single-step competitive inhibition model provided rate constants of k(on) = 153,000 M(-1)s(-1) and k(off) = 4.40 x 10(-5) s(-1) (K(i) = 0.29 nM). The compound also displayed cathepsin L/B selectivity of >700-fold and was nontoxic to human aortic endothelial cells at 100 muM. The oxocarbazate and a related thiocarbazate (PubChem CID 16725315) were tested in a SARS coronavirus (CoV) and Ebola virus-pseudotype infection assay with the oxocarbazate but not the thiocarbazate, demonstrating activity in blocking both SARS-CoV (IC(50) = 273 +/- 49 nM) and Ebola virus (IC(50) = 193 +/- 39 nM) entry into human embryonic kidney 293T cells. To trace the intracellular action of the inhibitors with intracellular cathepsin L, the activity-based probe biotin-Lys-C5 alkyl linker-Tyr-Leu-epoxide (DCG-04) was used to label the active site of cysteine proteases in 293T lysates. The reduction in active cathepsin L in inhibitor-treated cells correlated well with the observed potency of inhibitors observed in the virus pseudotype infection assay. Overall, the oxocarbazate CID 23631927 was a subnanomolar, slow-binding, reversible inhibitor of human cathepsin L that blocked SARS-CoV and Ebola pseudotype virus entry in human cells.
HEPATOMA IN UGANDA: A Study in Geographic Pathology

Abstract The incidence of hepatoma in Uganda was studied over a 3-year period, 1964-66. 403 cases were collected from the Kampala Cancer Registry, the Makerere biopsy service, and personal visits to hospitals around the country. The age peak was 35-45 years, and the male-female ratio was 3.3 to 1. Tribal rates indicated a significantly higher incidence in the immigrants of the Bantu tribes from Rwanda and Burundi and 2 Nilohamitic tribes of the North-East than in neighbouring and racially related tribes. Rates in other Bantu, Nilotic, and Nilohamitic tribes were remarkably similar, despite different dietary patterns and other ecological variables. Among possible environmental factors, fungal contamination with carcinogenic metabolites, known to occur in significant amounts, is suggested as a factor contributing to the high incidence of hepatoma.
A high speed KDL-RAM file system for parallel computers

The design, implementation, and performance of a main memory file system are presented. The implementation is based on a two-stage abstract parallel processing model. The objective of this model is to maximize throughput and minimize response time. To maximize throughput, lock structures, access structures, and shared variables are distributed among the shared memories. A novel approach based on hash-based parallel accesses is used. The effect of lock conflict is minimized by an optimistic locking protocol. Analytical models are developed for hot spot memory accesses, distributed data accesses, and space-versus-time tradeoffs for fast accesses to records. On the basis of the performance results of these models, a high-speed KDL-RAM (key accessed, dynamically reconfigurable, distributed locked random-access memory) file system has been implemented on the Butterfly PLUS Parallel Processor. Various performance results of this system are given. It is shown that the performance improvement of this system is considerably better than BBN's Butterfly RAMFile system on the Butterfly PLUS Parallel Processor. >
Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Policies Among American Indian Tribes in Washington State

Study Objective American Indians experience high rates of cervical cancer, which is preventable by vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV). We sought information on funding, barriers, education, and policies regarding HPV vaccination from clinics that serve tribal members in the Pacific Northwest.
A CMOS 140-mW fourth-order continuous-time low-pass filter stabilized with a class AB common-mode feedback operating at 550 MHz

A 550-MHz linear-phase low-pass continuous-time filter is described. The operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) is based on complementary differential pairs in order to achieve high-frequency operation. A common-mode feedback (CMFB) based on a Class AB amplifier with improved stability at high frequencies is introduced. Results for the stand alone OTA show a unity gain frequency of 1 GHz while the excess phase is less than 5/spl deg/. The filter is based on G/sub m/-C biquads and achieves IM3 <-40 dB for a two-tone input signal of -10 dBm each. The power consumption of the fourth-order filter is 140 mW from supply voltages of /spl plusmn/1.65 V. The chip was fabricated in a standard 0.35-/spl mu/m CMOS technology.
Dependence Concepts for Stochastic Processes

Dependence concepts are a relatively recent development in multivariate distribution theory. They allow dependence to be incorporated into a problem without requiring specific model assumptions, and define classes of multivariate distributions with useful properties. It is not apparent that related notions have also evolved in the theory and applications of stochastic processes. Multivariate concepts and stochastic process concepts, however, have had no influence on each other. In this paper an overview is presented of the work in stochastic processes that is analogous to multivariate dependence concepts.
Country report. Kenya.

Kenya has an estimated population of 27 million GNP per capita of US$300 and life expectancy of 54 years. Levels of mortality have declined in the country since it became independent in 1963 but Kenya still claims one of the highest rates of population growth in the world. The high population growth rate has affected the general socioeconomic status of the country. Malaria acute respiratory infections diarrhea and AIDS are the most important causes of morbidity and mortality. An inequitable and partial distribution of health services lack of adequate public information and education about health underfunding in key areas of promotive and preventive health services mismanagement of public health services public sector budgetary constraints in the financing of health facility and service expansion shortages of drugs and vaccines and a high infant mortality rate are other factors which affect the populations health status. National health policy is to increase the emphasis upon maternal and child health and family planning services increase health service coverage and accessibility in rural areas further consolidate urban and rural curative and preventive/promotive services and reduce the population growth rate to 3.0% by 1994. Central strategy is to strengthen community-based health care as a basic component of primary health care in which community participation in environmental health activities and the prevention of disease are the major foci as contained in national policies and goals. Nongovernmental organizations (NGO) will launch health initiatives and there will be AIDS programs. Closer collaboration with NGOs has also strengthened the foci with health promotion programs targeted at specific community groups. Networks such as Kenyas Health Education Network bring together professionals involved in health promotion to share experiences and expertise.
The Minnesota Study of Physical Education and Related Activities

(1937). The Minnesota Study of Physical Education and Related Activities. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 8, No. 7, pp. 418-448.
Constructing the dead: Retrospective sensemaking in eulogies

Eulogies serve a sensemaking function of identity construction--both for the deceased and for the survivors. This work examines the communicative construction of identity in eulogies and shows how eulogia discourse affirms and reconstructs our relational identity through communication. The article extends scholarship on eulogies by using relational communication theories to investigate how eulogic discourse functions as identity construction, considering eulogies of ordinary people, and exploring the gendered nature of eulogies. We discuss how eulogies are specific ritualized forms of communication in which the bereaved focus on self-identity as they articulate their experience of grief.
Dynamic Hardware Monitors for Network Processor Protection

The importance of the Internet for society is increasing. To ensure a functional Internet, its routers need to operate correctly. However, the need for router flexibility has led to the use of software-programmable network processors in routers, which exposes these systems to data plane attacks. Recently, hardware monitors have been introduced into network processors to verify the expected behavior of processor cores at run time. If instruction-level execution deviates from the expected sequence, an attack is identified, triggering processor core recovery efforts. In this manuscript, we describe a scalable network processor monitoring system that supports the reallocation of hardware monitors to processor cores in response to workload changes. The scalability of our monitoring architecture is demonstrated using theoretical models, simulation, and router system-level experiments implemented on an FPGA-based hardware platform. For a system with four processor cores and six monitors, the monitors result in a 6 percent logic and 38 percent memory bit overhead versus the processor’s core logic and instruction storage. No slowdown of system throughput due to monitoring is reported.
Wafer-Scale Laser Pantography: IV. Physics of Direct Laser-Writing Micron-Dimension Transistors

The processes involved in the fabrication of micron-dimension transistors and small-scale integrated circuits using only the technique of direct laser-writing by localized pyrolytic surface reactions are discussed. New experimental findings in the deposition of tungsten by silicon. surface reduction of tungsten hexafluoride and doped polysilicon are presented. The techniques used to fabricate laser beam-written n-MOSFET’s are being extended to make unipolar JFET’s and bipolar lateral pnp transistors.
Laser-Optical and X-Ray Characterization of an Operating High-Voltage Piezoelectric Transformer in Multiple Vibrational Modes

A crystal of lithium niobate was configured for use as a longitudinal-mode piezoelectric transformer (PT). An electron gun was coupled to the transformer to allow for controlled release of charge to the high-voltage terminal of the PT. An electron tube extracted a beam from a thermionic emission source, and cylindrical optics focused the beam to a 2-mm spot at the PT output. Two diagnostic methods were used to measure the operation of the PT: bremsstrahlung X-ray spectroscopy and laser-optical interrogation. Both diagnostics showed that the PT is able to process up to 1.5 $\mu \text{A}$ of current at 20-kV output in a continuous mode. The laser-optical method was also used to compare the mechanical stress, electric field, and developed voltage between the fundamental and secondary harmonic resonance modes.
Catechol-O-methyltransferase association with hemoglobin A1c.

Aims Catecholamines have metabolic effects on blood pressure, insulin sensitivity and blood glucose. Genetic variation in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), an enzyme that degrades catecholamines, is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD). Here we examined COMT effects on glycemic function and type 2 diabetes.
A Stable Approach for Routing Queries in Unstructured P2P Networks

Finding a document or resource in an unstructured peer-to-peer network can be an exceedingly difficult problem. In this paper we propose a query routing approach that accounts for arbitrary overlay topologies, nodes with heterogeneous processing capacity, e.g., reflecting their degree of altruism, and heterogenous class-based likelihoods of query resolution at nodes which may reflect query loads and the manner in which files/resources are distributed across the network. The approach is shown to be stabilize the query load subject to a grade of service constraint, i.e., a guarantee that queries' routes meet pre-specified class-based bounds on their associated a priori probability of query resolution. An explicit characterization of the capacity region for such systems is given and numerically compared to that associated with random walk based searches. Simulation results further show the performance benefits, in terms of mean delay, of the proposed approach. Additional aspects associated with reducing complexity, estimating parameters, and adaptation to class-based query resolution probabilities and traffic loads are studied.
Caroténoïdes et différenciation sexuelle chezAllomyces

The inhibition by 1/100 000 diphenylamine ofγ-carotene formation in the male gametangia ofAllomyces javanicus is reported.
Physiologic Failure: Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome

Functional integrity of complex organisms (including man) requires physiological adaptation to ordinary and extraordinary stress. When stress exceeds adaptive capacity, one or more physiologic systems “fails”; without intervention, the organism dies. Clinical medicine offers system-specific supports that have proven necessary but often insufficient to promote recovery of function despite anatomic integrity and relief from the inciting stress. Either the underlying relationships of the physiological adaptive systems have been substantially altered or the depth of the basin of attraction described as multiple organ dysfunction is sufficiently deep to make escape improbable using current organ support strategies. Experimental alternative organ system support strategies that emulate healthy biological variability have accelerated recovery of dysfunctional organ systems.
Europa spacecraft configuration optimization for the solar powered vehicle

A mission to Europa has been on the minds of NASA and JPL for many years. After the Galileo mission to Jupiter in the 1990s there have been various proposals for missions to the Jovian moon. The most recent proposal, previously named the Europa Clipper, has gone through numerous iterations of spacecraft configurations on its road to becoming an official NASA project in June of 2015. Most of these configurations included options for either multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generators (MMRTGs) or solar power. In 2014, the decision was made to focus on solar arrays as the source for spacecraft power. The decision to move forward with a baseline design that utilized only solar arrays as its power system meant that some configuration choices had to be re-evaluated. Initially, a configuration was adapted to keep as much of the previous spacecraft design the same while replacing MMRTGs with solar panels. This proved to be difficult as the arrays presented a slew of new challenges that the nuclear vehicle was not optimized for. The solar arrays needed to be large due to Jupiter's substantial distance from the Sun. This meant that many of the instrument and radiator FOVs would now be obstructed, or would receive reflected light and heat from the large panels. Also, the mass of the panels meant that mounting near the bottom of the spacecraft would be sub-optimal as the wings would cause major disturbance to the vehicle as they oscillated in their deployed state. Another major, and possibly the largest, concern was the fact that as the high gain antenna pointed to Earth for communication, the Ice Penetrating Radar (IPR) would cast a large shadow on the cell-side of the array. This resulted in an estimated 10% power loss to the vehicle. On top of all this, NASA announced the selection of the instruments that would fly on the Europa mission and replace the notional instrument suite that had been used to develop and submit the project proposal. The selected instruments, while not varying widely from the notional suite, did come with a new set of challenges including a size increase over the notional package, thus requiring more room for accommodation. They also introduced new features not previously addressed by the notional package, such as a two-axis gimbal on one of the imagers. Additionally, two new instruments, an ultraviolet plume-hunting spectrograph, and an atmospheric dust analyzer we added to the payload and presented new challenges not previously covered in the proposal. Finally, additional payloads were under consideration, such as a 250kg ejectable payload that would be released at Jupiter and would accomplish flybys of some of the other Jovian moons. All of this resulted in a drastically different “family” of configurations that were capable of addressing these issues, and staying flexible to the numerous potential changes that could come. This paper discusses the details of the various configurations considered to address these items, and the configuration concepts that were selected as the baseline for moving forward with the proposal.
Complete Heart Block Complicating ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Has Not Gone Away.

Despite marked improvements in the management of acute coronary syndromes, complete atrioventricular (AV) block can still complicate acute myocardial infarction (MI) [(1)][1]. In the pre-thrombolytic era, second- or third-degree AV block was recorded in 5% to 7% of patients presenting with acute MI
Duration of use of oral cannabis extract in a cohort of pediatric epilepsy patients.

SummaryObjective Oral cannabis extracts (OCEs) are being used in the treatment of epilepsy with increasing rates in the United States following product legalization; however, no studies demonstrate clear efficacy. We evaluated the duration of use of OCEs as a measure of perceived benefit in a cohort of patients with pediatric epilepsy. Methods Retrospective chart review was performed of children and adolescents who were given OCEs for treatment of epilepsy. Results Of the 119 patients included in the analysis, 71% terminated use of their OCE product during the study period. The average length of use of OCE was 11.7 months (range 0.3–57 months). Perceived seizure benefit was the only factor associated with longer duration of treatment with OCE (p 50% reduction in seizures while on this therapy. Adverse events (AEs) were reported in 19% of patients, with the most common side effects being somnolence and worsening of seizures. Significance Parental report of OCE use in refractory pediatric epilepsy suggests that some families perceive benefit from this therapy; however, discontinuation of these products is common. Duration appears to be affected by logical factors, such as perceived benefit and side effect profile. Surprisingly, families of patients with Dravet syndrome terminated use of OCEs more quickly than patients with other epilepsy syndromes. Results from this study highlight the need for rigorous clinical studies to characterize the efficacy and safety of OCEs, which can inform discussions with patients and families.
Urodynamic Evaluation Following Bladder Reconstruction

Bladder reconstruction for storage or emptying failure involves augmenting the size of the native bladder or replacing it with a bladder substitute. The properties of the reconstructed bladder should resemble closely those of the “ideal” native bladder: high capacity and compliance, absence of detrusor overactivity, outlet competence, and ease of regular emptying. As in evaluations of the native bladder, urodynamics may assist in providing useful information regarding the status of the reconstruction. Available data indicate that enterocystoplasty, orthotopic neobladders, and continent catheterizable reservoirs all approach the “ideal” criteria in long-term follow-up. On the other hand, the role of urodynamics in troubleshooting the failed augment is still not well defined. While ambulatory urodynamics may one day yield valuable information, its utility remains in question.
Signet ring cell colorectal cancer: Genomic insights into a rare subpopulation of colorectal adenocarcinoma.

606Background: Colorectal signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) has been shown to be associated with advanced tumor stage at presentation and worse outcomes. Due to the rarity of this subtype, 1% of all colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC), little is known about its molecular characteristics. We aimed to characterize the molecular alterations of this subgroup. Methods: Metastatic CRC (mCRC) patients (pts) with signet ring cell (SC) histology who had tumors evaluated with next generation sequencing between February 2009 and November 2015 were reviewed. SC mCRC were classified into 2 groups; SRCC (>50% of signet cells) and adenocarcinoma (AC) with SC component. Genomic alterations, microsatellite instability (MSI) and CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) status noted in SC mCRC were compared to non-SC mCRC pts from the Assessment of Targeted Therapies Against Colorectal Cancer program at MD Anderson Cancer Center using Pearson’s χ 2 test. Results: A total of 665 mCRC pts were included in this study. 93 pts (14%) h...
Second language writing development: A research agenda

In 1998, Wolfe-Quintero, Inagaki & Kim published a monograph describing measures used in assessing writing development. Despite more recent research on linguistic development (e.g., Bulte & Housen 2012; Verspoor, Schmid & Xu 2012; Connor-Linton & Polio 2014), the volume is still a valuable resource and good starting point for anyone wanting to select measures of fluency, accuracy, and complexity for second language (L2) writing research. The volume, however, was limited to research on language development within the context of writing, and this is certainly one way to think about writing development. A recent edited volume by Manchon (2012), however, has greatly expanded conceptions of writing development showing that it involves much more that linguistic development, for example, genre knowledge (Tardy 2012) and goal setting (Cumming 2012) as well. Writing development can also focus on various aspects of the writing process and how writers’ change their approach to text production as they become more expert writers (e.g., Sasaki 2004; Nicolas-Conesa, Roca de Larios & Coyle 2014). This expansion of focus, of course, makes development more difficult to define.
Decision Making with Machine Learning in Our Modern, Data-Rich Health-Care Industry

Recent innovation in the health-care industry has given us an abundance of data with which we can compare the efficacy of alternative treatments, drugs, and other health interventions. Machine learning has proven to be particularly adept at finding intricate relationships within large datasets. In this chapter we emphasize the potential for machine learning to help us digest and use health-care data effectively. We first provide an introduction to machine learning algorithms, particularly neural network and ensemble algorithms. We then discuss machine learning applications in three areas of the health-care industry. Learning algorithms have been used within the lab as a method of automation to complement problem solving and decision making in the workplace. They have been used to compare the effectiveness of alternative interventions, such as drugs taken together. Given the rise in genomic data, they have been used to develop new treatments and drugs. Taken together, these trends suggest there is vast potential for the expanded application of these algorithms in health care.
Student Teams Studying Organizations: Connecting the Classroom Through Field Experience.

ABSTRACTEducation limited to the classroom may not connect theory to practice. From an experiential learning perspective, learning increases significantly after information has been transformed by ...
Provider-Associated Measurement Error in Routine Outcome Monitoring in Community Mental Health

Despite the strengths of routine outcome monitoring (ROM) in community mental health settings, there are a number of barriers to effective implementation of ROM, including measurement error due to provider factors (e.g., training level) and non-target client factors (i.e., client characteristics which have no meaningful relationship to the outcome of interest). In this study, ROM data from 80 client-provider dyads were examined for sources of variance due to provider factors and non-target client factors. Results indicated that provider factors and non-target client factors accounted for between 9.6 and 54% of the variance in the ROM measures. Our findings supported past research that provider characteristics impact ROM, and added the novel finding that client gender, age, diagnosis, and cognition also impact ROM. Methods to increase accuracy and utility of ROM in community mental health are discussed.
Chinese Art of The Early People’s Republic: A Transitional Period

The four image of Mao that I focus on in this book were produced between 1949 and 1953, commonly recognized as a time of transition. This period and its place within the first sixteen years of the socialist China that led to the Cultural Revolution have drawn increasing attention from scholars of modern China. Jeremy Brown and Paul Pickowicz caution against any generalizations about the time, arguing that its extraordinary complexity and diversity make it “impossible to provide a definitive answer to the question of whether the early 1950s represented a relatively peaceful ‘honeymoon’ or an ominous foreshadowing of disasters to come, a time of dashed promises and betrayed hopes” (2007: 8).
Enantioselective Functionalization of Enamides at the β-Carbon Center with Indoles

We report an enantioconvergent approach for the functionalization of enamides at the β-carbon atom, which involves a chiral Bronsted acid induced tautomerization of 2-amidoallyl into 1-amidoallyl cations. These putative reactive intermediates were produced by ionization of racemic α-hydroxy enamides with a chiral Bronsted acid and captured with substituted indoles in a highly regio- and enantioselective manner.
The Effects of Scenario Planning on Perceptions of Emotional Intelligence

This article reports the results of an exploratory research study with four organizations that participated in scenario planning. The primary research focus was to determine whether participation i...
To Intervene or Not Intervene? That Is the Question: Bystanders in the Bullying Dynamic

Bystanders are individuals who witness a bullying episode but are not directly involved as a bully or victim. Bystanders engage in three basic behaviors: (1) negative bystanders—They support the bully either with verbal encouragement or by actually engaging in the bullying; (2) passive bystanders—They do nothing and simply observe the bullying or wait until the bullying has ended and then comfort the victim; or (3) prosocial bystanders—They support the victim by confronting the bully, getting a teacher, or removing the victim from the situation. Recently, the term “upstander” has been used to describe prosocial bystanders. The current chapter provides an overview of prevalence rates of bystander presence and various bystander behavior. A discussion is provided of motivating factors behind bystander responses to bullying including individual psychology, sociometric status/popularity, and situational factors. The impact of witnessing bullying on bystanders is also discussed as well as an overview of how to increase prosocial bystander behavior.
Becoming With/In Flux: Pedagogies of Sustainment (POSt):

This article responds to the query “what do intra-active pedagogies produce?” Our experiences with intra-active pedagogies produced a productive flux for us, two graduate students. Although being w...
Update programming: a safe approach to software maintenance

Software maintenance accounts for a large portion of the software development cost, particularly the process of updating programs either to adapt for requirement change or to enhance design or efficiency. Currently, program updates are generally performed manually by programmers using text editors. This is an unreliable method because syntax and type errors are easily introduced, not to mention logic and semantic errors. The problem with this method is viewing programs on a low level, namely, as streams of characters. Rather than the textual representation, we propose to view the programs as instances of abstract data types and to update programs through programming updates in update languages. In this dissertation, we first study a specific program update problem, monadification, which is the process of automatic introduction of monads into functional programs. Later we investigate a more general problem of program updates and present an update language. We design a core calculus for the update language as well as its semantics and type system. Finally, we study the problem of generic traversals, which itself is a means of reducing the effort for software maintenance, but also serves as a basis for implementing program updates and other metaprogramming tasks.