cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The risk-free rate in heterogeneous-agent incomplete-insurance economies

Abstract Why has the average real risk-free interest rate been less than one percent? The question is motivated by the failure of a class of calibrated representative-agent economies to explain the average return to equity and risk-free debt. I construct an economy where agents experience uninsurable idiosyncratic endowment shocks and smooth consumption by holding a risk-free asset. I calibrate the economy and characterize equilibria computationally. With a borrowing constraint of one year's income, the resulting risk-free rate is more than one percent below the rate in the comparable representative-agent economy.
Multi-layered PZT/polymer composites to increase signal-to-noise ratio and resolution for medical ultrasound transducers. II. Thick film technology

For pt.I, see ibid., vol.46, no.4, p.961-71 (1999). Increasing transducer bandwidth and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is fundamental to improving the quality of medical ultrasound images. In previous work, we have proposed the use of multi-layer 1-3 PZT/polymer composites to increase both, but have encountered significant fabrication challenges. Thus, we have developed a multi-layer composite hybrid array that will not require post alignment. Starting from a 2-MHz, three-layer PZT-5H, thick film transducer designed for 1.5-D arrays, cuts are made only through the top layer and back-filled with epoxy, forming a composite layer on top of two ceramic layers. Finite element (PZFlex) simulations show that for a 2-MHz phased-array element with a single matching layer, the three-layer hybrid structure increases the pulse echo SNR by 11 dB versus a single layer PZT element and improves -6 dB pulse echo fractional bandwidth by a factor of 1.4. Composite hybrid arrays fabricated in our laboratory showed an improvement in SNR of 6 to 11 dB over a PZT control and an increase in -6 dB bandwidth by a factor of 1.1. Images from a phased-array scanner confirmed these improvements.
The Unity of Virtue

Philosophers have recently revived the study of the ancient Greek topics of virtue and the virtues—justice, honesty, temperance, friendship, courage, and so on as qualities of mind and character belonging to individual people. But one issue at the center of Greek moral theory seems to have dropped out of consideration. This is the question of the unity of virtue, the unity of the virtues. Must anyone who has one of these qualities have others of them as well, indeed all of them—all the ones that really do deserve to be counted as virtues? Even further, is there really no set of distinct and separate virtuous qualities at all, but at bottom only a single one—so that the person who has this single condition of “virtue” (and only he) is entitled also to the further descriptions “honest” and “well-controlled” and “just” and “friendly” and “courageous” and “fostering” and “supportive,” and so on, as distinguishable aspects or immediate effects of his unitary “virtue”?
Resonance enhancement of the four-wave mixing efficiency by injection locking in a fiber Bragg-grating-coupled semiconductor laser

Four-wave mixing (FWM) in semiconductor optical amplifiers has received considerable attention in recent years, both as a tool to study the high-speed dynamics of these devices, and because of its potential applications to wavelength conversion and all-optical switching. In order to optimize the performance of FWM-based devices, much effort has been devoted to improving the FWM conversion efficiency and signal-to-noise ratio. In this paper, we present a novel FWM configuration in which the converted signal frequency coincides with a mode of a subthreshold fiber Bragg-grating-coupled semiconductor laser, leading to an enhancement of the conversion efficiency of more than 20 dB.
Propagation of short optical pulses in a dielectric sphere

Propagation of optical pulses in the whispering-gallery modes of a dielectric sphere is described. The pulse duration is assumed to be small compared with the round-trip transit time so that individual pulses can be resolved. Modal dispersion is calculated from an asymptotic expression for the frequency dependence of the propagation. The possibility of soliton propagation at certain wavelengths is discussed.
Reinventing NGOs and Rethinking Alternatives in the Andes

Many Latin American nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) emerged as part of a movement committed to the idea of an alternative development that would differ from the dominant exclusionary, top-down, and often repressive forms of development. Yet today, after two or three decades of work in rural development, NGO activities appear to have had relatively little impact on dominant conceptions of development. Indeed, in the current economic and policy context, many of their alternatives appear impractical or simply obsolescent, challenging them to rethink their ideas of viable forms of alternative development, and their roles in development. In addition, their own institutional crises require them to rethink the way in which they relate to other actors and the ways in which they finance themselves. This article considers how conceptions of alternative development might be refashioned and how NGOs are beginning to reinvent themselves in order to carry forward new notions of development alternatives. It closes ...
Partial-wave resonances and the ripple structure in the Mie normalized extinction cross section

Resonances in partial waves an and bn are directly responsible for a ripple structure in the normalized extinction cross section. The distance Δx in the size parameter between two neighboring resonances is equal to a basic period of a ripple structure.
Embryonic ionizing radiation exposure results in expression alterations of genes associated with cardiovascular and neurological development, function, and disease and modified cardiovascular function in zebrafish.

The relationship between ionizing radiation (IR) and carcinogenesis is long established, but recently the association between IR and other diseases is starting to be recognized. Currently, there is limited information on the genetic mechanisms governing the role of IR in non-cancer related adverse health effects and in regards to an early developmental exposure. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to a range of IR doses (0, 1, 2, 5, 10 Gy) at 26 hours post fertilization (hpf). No significant increase in mortality or hatching rate was observed, but a significant decrease in total larval length, head length, and eye diameter was observed in the 10 Gy dose. Transcriptomic analysis was conducted at 120 hpf to compare gene expression profiles between the control and highest IR dose at which no significant differences were observed in morphological measurements (5 Gy). 253 genes with well-established function or orthology to human genes were significantly altered. Gene ontology and molecular network analysis revealed enrichment of genes associated with cardiovascular and neurological development, function, and disease. Expression of a subset of genetic targets with an emphasis on those associated with the cardiovascular system was assessed using qPCR to confirm altered expression at 5 Gy and then to investigate alterations at lower doses (1 and 2 Gy). Strong correlation between microarray and qPCR expression values was observed, but zebrafish exposed to 1 or 2 Gy resulted in a significant expression alteration in only one of these genes (LIN7B). Moreover, heart rate was analyzed through 120 hpf following IR dosing at 26 hpf. A significant decrease in heart rate was observed at 10 Gy, while a significant increase in heart rate was observed at 1, 2, and 5 Gy. Overall these findings indicate IR exposure at doses below those that induce gross morphological changes alters heart rate and expression of genes associated with cardiovascular and neurological functions.
Highly potent oxathiin carboxanilide derivatives with efficacy against nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-resistant human immunodeficiency virus isolates

The structure-activity relationships of a series of compounds related to the nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor (NNRTI) oxathiin carboxanilide have been described (R. W. Buckheit, Jr., T. L. Kinjerski, V. Fliakas-Boltz, J. D. Russell, T. L. Stup, L. A. Pallansch, W. G. Brouwer, D. C. Dao, W. A. Harrison, R. J. Schultz, J. P. Bader, and S. S. Yang, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 39:2718-2727, 1996). From these studies, the furanyl-containing analog UC10 was identified as the most potent inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication and a promising candidate for further development. Three new UC analogs (UC040, UC82, and UC781) have been determined to inhibit laboratory-derived and low-passage-number, primary virus isolates at low nanomolar concentrations in both established and fresh human cells. Each of the compounds synergistically interacted with the nucleoside analogs zidovudine, dideoxyinosine, dideoxycytosine, and lamivudine to inhibit HIV-1 replication. As a group, the UC compounds were found to be less active against viruses with the L100I, K103N, and Y181C amino acid changes in the RT and, upon in vitro selection, yielded resistant virus with the Y181C mutation in the RT. The most potent of the three new compounds, UC781, contains a furanyl side chain, similar to UC10, but differs in having an extended ether side chain instead of an oxime chain. The broad therapeutic index of UC781 (>62,000) resulted in effective inhibition of NNRTI-resistant virus isolates at high nanomolar concentrations. Furthermore, UC781 and the NNRTI costatolide were able to synergistically inhibit HIV-1 replication when used in combination, suggesting that UC781 may interact with the RT differently than the other UC analogs. The favorable anti-HIV properties of the UC compounds suggest they should be considered for further clinical development.
Effects of primary reinforcement on pigeons' initial-link responding under a concurrent chains schedule with nondifferntial terminal links.

The effect of primary reinforcement on initial-link responding under concurrent-chains schedules with nondifferential terminal links was assessed in 12 pigeons. The iniitial and terminal links were variable-interval schedules (always the same for both alternatives). The positions (left or right key) of the initial-link stimuli (red or green) were randomized while the correlation between color and food amount remained constant within each condition. The terminal-link stimuli were always presented on the center key. Except in two control groups and conditions, the terminal-link stimuli were the same color (nondifferential, blue or yellow). Over six conditions, the differences in food amont and the durations of the initial- and terminal-link schedules were manipulated. In 57 of 60 cases, birds generated choice proportions above .50 in favor of the initial-link stimlus that was correlated with the larger reinforcer. There was some indication that preference increased with shortened terminal-link durations. Because the terminal-link stimuli were nondifferential, differential responding in the initial links cannot be explained easily by conditioned reinforcement represented by the terminal-link stimuli. Thus, primiary reinforcement has a direct effect on initial-link responding in concurrent-chains schedules.
Metric projections and the differentiability of distance functions

Let M be a closed subset of a Banach space E such that the norms of both E and E* are Frechet differentiable. It is shown that the distance function d(·, M) is Frechet differentiable at a point x of E ∼ M if and only if the metric projection onto M exists and is continuous at X. If the norm of E is, moreover, uniformly Gateaux differentiable, then the metric projection is continuous at x provided the distance function is Gateaux differentiable with norm-one derivative. As a corollary, the set M is convex provided the distance function is differentiable at each point of E ∼ M. Examples are presented to show that some of our hypotheses are needed.
Stability of traveling waves in partly parabolic systems

We review recent results on stability of traveling waves in partly parabolic reaction-diffusion systems with stable or marginally stable equilibria. We explain how attention to what are apparently mathematical technicalities has led to theorems that allow one to convert spectral calculations, which are used in the sciences and engineering to study stability of a wave, into detailed, theoretically-based information about the behavior of perturbations of the wave.
Assessing the Minimally Clinically Significant Difference: Scientific Considerations, Challenges and Solutions

The scientific considerations surrounding the estimation of a minimally clinically important difference (MCID) are a myriad and challenging. There are a considerable number of hurdles to overcome. The good news is that there are solutions to virtually every one of the scientific hurdles. This paper intends to set out the issues, identify the challenges, and offer solutions so that the state of the science may move forward. The ultimate outcome of the paper may not be to provide a definitive answer for estimating the MCID in every situation, but it should provide a starting point and advice for a process or set of guidelines that may be followed toward achieving this goal. The paper begins with a brief synthesis of the literature and state of the science at the time of publication. The relationship between the process for determining MCIDs for other endpoints, such as tumor response or complete blood culture (CBC) variables, versus toxicity and QOL-related variables is described. The ultimate lessons to be learned from this exercise are: 1. There are many methods available to ascertaining an MCID. None are perfect, but all are useful. 2. All methods converge to similar answers. Supplementary information may refine answers from one or more of the methods. 3. Clinical opinion and patient subjective response should trump statistical theory. 4. A process of MCID estimation involving all approaches to produce a potential range with sensitivity analyses is the optimal solution to producing an MCID based on the most complete knowledge possible.
Memorialising May 4, 1970 at Kent State University: Reflections on Collective Memory, Public Art and Religious Criticism

This essay explores the memorialising of the famous events of 4 May 1970, in which troops of the Ohio National Guard fired on demonstrators, killing four people and injuring nine. Despite the fact that the memorialisation process began almost immediately, in photographs, in popular song, in sculpture, in commemorative plaques and events, both the memory and the meaning of the events have been bitterly contested. Through the 1970s, and into the 1980s and beyond, individuals and groups called for a proper and official memorial to be made, while at the same time others criticised any effort to memorialise the events at all. Using Kent as a case study, and comparing it with the more recent case of the memorialisation of the Twin Towers attack on 9 September 2001, this argument considers the problems of commemoration, the limits of collective memory and the place of religious art—and thus religious meaning and religious criticism—in relation to public art and collective memory. In the end it suggests that, given the controversies surrounding both memorial sites, collective or pubhc memory cannot depend on social consensus. Rather, it may rather be more fruitfully imagined, at least in American culture, as an interrogative, dialogical form of engagement, within one's self and with one's fellow citizens. On Monday 4 May 1970, at about noon on a mild Spring day, in the central common area of the campus of Kent State University (KSU), troops of the Ohio National Guard (ONG) confronted KSU students and others who were present on the campus. Some of the crowd (estimates range from a few hundred to about two thousand) on the commons that day who met the ONG troops were protesting the United States' recent expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. Some were objecting more directly to Literature & Theology © The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press 2006; all rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: joumals.permissions@oxfordjoumals.org The Author 2006. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.178 on Fri, 05 Aug 2016 05:01:05 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
Direct and indirect effects of injunctive norms on marijuana use: the role of reference groups

Objective:Little work has evaluated the relationship between injunctive norms and marijuana use. This study sought to establish whether misperceptions exist between perceived injunctive norms of typical college students and the actual approval level of the students. We also examined respondents’ perceptions of which groups (typical student, close friends, and parents) were the most and least approving of marijuana. These variables were then applied to an explanatory model to assess their relationships with marijuana use.Method:Participants were 3,753 students (61% female) randomly recruited from two West Coast campuses. Participants were asked about their own marijuana use and their own approval toward marijuana. Injunctive norms were assessed by asking respondents about their perceptions of how much other reference groups approved of marijuana.Results:Students overestimated the extent to which the typical student approves of marijuana use. A path model showed that perceived approval of both close friends...
On a theorem of hayman and stewart

Suppose f id a meromorphic function on the complex plane. Let n(r, a) be the number of solutions of f(z=a in |z| ≤ r counting multiplicity, and let n 1(r) = sup a n(r, a). If A(r, f) denotes the average of n(r, a) with respect to surface area measure as a varies over the Riemann sphere, it is shown that exists μ < e independent of f such that , thereby establishing strict inequality in an earlier result of Hayman nad Stewart.
Evaluation of aging in nanofilled polypropylene by surface discharges

Literature indicates conflicting results on improvement/degradation of electrical characteristics due to introduction of nanofillers into polymers. Since polypropylene has superior electrical, mechanical and thermal properties and has significant utility in electrical industry, this work investigates the effect of nanofiller content on the partial discharge resistance and breakdown strength of the polypropylene films with 0%, 2% and 6% organoclay nanofillers. Since the surface discharges are random in nature, the overall partial discharge behavior is quantified in terms of temporal behavior of the Weibull parameters of the partial discharge pulse amplitude spectra obtained during sample aging and analyzed within the framework of time series analysis. Experiments indicate that the partial discharge characteristics are affected by the percentage of nanofiller content. Microscopic examinations indicate that on exposure to aging by partial discharges, the defect volume decreased in nanofilled polymer and was found to be least in samples where nanofiller content was below the percolation threshold. Profilometric studies indicate that the partial discharge resistance increases with increase in filler content. Results indicate that in fresh unaged samples, the breakdown strength improves with nanofiller content. However, the reduction in breakdown strength due to aging in nanofilled samples is noticeably higher as compared to unfilled samples.
Molecular basis of 5-hydroxytryptophan synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We report for the first time that 5-hydroxytryptophan can be synthesized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by heterologously expressing prokaryotic phenylalanine 4-hydroxylase or eukaryotic tryptophan 3/5-hydroxylase, together with enhanced synthesis of MH4 or BH4 cofactors. The innate DFR1 gene in the folate synthesis pathway was found to play pivotal roles in 5-hydroxytryptophan synthesis.
Inhibiting Smad2/3 signaling in pluripotent mouse embryonic stem cells enhances endoderm formation by increasing transcriptional priming of lineage-specifying target genes.

Background Pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) offer great potential for regenerative medicine. However, efficient in vitro generation of specific desired cell types is still a challenge. We previously established that Smad2/3 signaling, essential for endoderm formation, regulates target gene expression by counteracting epigenetic repression mediated by Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2). Although this mechanism has been demonstrated during differentiation and reprogramming, little is known of its role in pluripotent cells. Results Chromatin immunoprecipitation-deep sequencing of undifferentiated mouse ESCs inhibited for Smad2/3 signaling identified Prdm14, important for protecting pluripotency, as a target gene. Although Prdm14 accumulates the normally repressive PRC2 deposited histone modification H3K27me3 under these conditions, surprisingly, expression increases. Analysis indicates that increased H3K27me3 leads to increased binding of PRC2 accessory component Jarid2 and recruitment of RNA polymerase II. Similar increases were found at the Nodal endoderm target gene Eomes but it remained unexpressed in pluripotent cells as normal. Upon differentiation, however, Eomes expression was significantly higher than in cells that had not been inhibited for signaling before differentiation. In addition, endoderm formation was markedly increased. Conclusions Blocking Smad2/3 signaling in pluripotent stem cells results in epigenetic changes that enhance the capacity for endoderm differentiation. Developmental Dynamics 245:807-815, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Survey of the Open Source Spaceflight Movement

In the last four years nearly one dozen groups have formed with the stated purpose of developing space ight systems as open source hardware. A review of the open source software movement reveals insights into what it means to develop open source hardware, and a review of the history of nineteenth century aviation connects modern open source spaceight organizations to historical precedent. Finally, a review of the current open source spaceight hardware organizations reveals a set of common challenges and opportunities.
Health-related quality of life in a community sample of preschool-age children with and without obesity

While mothers seeking obesity treatment for preschoolers report poorer child health-related quality of life (HRQOL) than mothers of healthy-weight peers, little is known about this relationship in non-clinical preschoolers. Eighty-six mothers of 3-5-year-olds completed the parent-proxy PedsQL. HRQOL scores for children with obesity and without were compared. No significant differences were found between groups for any PedsQL subscales, nor did differences reach established Minimally Clinically Important Differences. Mothers of preschoolers with obesity from the community did not report poorer HRQOL. If parents do not view their child's HRQOL as impacted by weight status, they may be unlikely to seek treatments.
Right Frontal White Matter and Tourette Syndrome

An MRI volumetric analysis of frontal and nonfrontal gray and white matter was performed in 11 boys with Tourette syndrome (TS) only, 14 with TS + ADHD, 12 with ADHD only, and 26 healthy boys, at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD.
Molecular mechanism of the intestinal biotin transport process.

Previous studies have characterized different aspects of the cellular/membrane mechanism and regulation of the intestinal uptake process of the water-soluble vitamin biotin. Little, however, is kno...
The Role of Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species in the Expression and Splicing of Nitric Oxide Receptor

Abstract Significance: Nitric oxide (NO)-dependent signaling is critical to many cellular functions and physiological processes. Soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) acts as an NO receptor and mediates the majority of NO functions. The signaling between NO and sGC is strongly altered by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Recent Advances: Besides NO scavenging, sGC is affected by oxidation/loss of sGC heme, oxidation, or nitrosation of cysteine residues and phosphorylation. Apo-sGC or sGC containing oxidized heme is targeted for degradation. sGC transcription and the stability of sGC mRNA are also affected by oxidative stress. Critical Issues: Studies cited in this review suggest the existence of compensatory processes that adapt cellular processes to diminished sGC function under conditions of short-term or moderate oxidative stress. Alternative splicing of sGC transcripts is discussed as a mechanism with the potential to both enhance and reduce sGC function. The expression of α1 isoform B, a functional and ...
Top-k Spatial Preference Query for Group Nearest Neighbor

Spatial preference query is a popular focus of the current research on spatial queries.How ever,the present spatial preference queries cannot be used in the location-based services for group users. To solve this problem,a novel type of spatial preference query,namely,Top-k spatial preference query for group nearest neighbor( TSPG) was proposed,which retrieves the kλ-subsets with the highest score through finding λ-subsets group nearest neighbors of the feature objects. Two algorithms,namely,TSPQ-G and TSPQ-G*were designed for efficient query processing. Based on the TSPQ-G,the TSPQ-G*was developed by performing spatial pruning strategies and efficient traversal strategies of feature objects index,which effectively reduces I / O cost and improves query efficiency. Experimental results on several datasets demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms for different setups.
Effects of Indole-3-Carbinol on Sodium Formaldehyde Sulfoxylate Induced Acute Toxicity and Abnormal Sperm Formation

Objective To determine the 50% lethal dose (LD50) of sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate (SFS),and the effects of indole-3-carbinol on SFS-induced abnormal sperm cell formation. Methods 50 NIH mice,fed with normal diet and water,were treated with various doses of SFS by gavage and then randomly divided into five groups. Another 50 NIH mice were fed with normal diet and 0.5% indole-3-carbinol solution for 2 days. The mice were then randomly divided into five groups and treated with 3% indole-3-carbinol solution at 1.5 hour before the administration with various doses of SFS by gavage. The signs of acute toxic symptom and death rate were recorded. The rate of abnormality of sperm cells was determined according to the method recommended by State Bureau of Standard. Results The LD50 of SFS was 8 711 mg/kg of the body weight. Results from Logistic Regression Analysis showed that pretreatment of the mice with indole-3-carbinol remarkably decreased the acute toxicity of SFS(P0.05). Indole-3-carbinol also reduced the degree of sperm abnormality. Conclusion According to the National standard,SFS is classified as a non-toxic substance. Long-term administration of indole-3-carbinol,a bioactive food component found in cruciferous vegetables,may protect SFS-induced acute toxicity and also reduce the rate of sperm abnormality induced by SFS.
Regioselectivity of the Tri-π-methane Rearrangement: Mechanistic and Exploratory Organic Photochemistry1,2

The di-π-methane rearrangement with two π-groups attached to the central “methane carbon” of the reactant and which leads to a π-substituted cyclopropane has been studied intensively. Our present r...
Intraovarian peptides. Stimulators and inhibitors of follicular growth and differentiation.

This article discusses the concept of putative intraovarian regulators and its emerging role in normal ovarian physiology. A brief list of a select group of putative intraovarian regulators is provided. It is expected that novel putative intraovarian regulators will be uncovered in the foreseeable future, adding further complexity to the ovarian life cycle.
Abstract 1989: Multiple functional implications of MYB in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most common and deadliest gynecologic malignancies in the United States, with an estimated 21,290 new cases and 14,180 deaths in 2015. Therefore, it is highly imperative to identify novel molecular targets driving OC progression, so that an effective treatment strategy can be developed against this devastating disease. In the present study, we investigated the role of MYB in OC pathogenesis. MYB/c-MYB is a cellular progenitor of v-MYB oncogenes, which encodes for a transcription factor, and confers its oncogenic activity by regulating the expression of several target genes. First, we examined the expression of MYB in clinical specimens and OC cell lines by immunohistochemical and immunoblot analysis, respectively. We observed intense staining of MYB in the tissues of all the subtypes of OC, while no or negligible staining was observed in normal ovarian tissues. Moreover, we found MYB to be expressed in all the OC cell lines examined, with its heightened expression in highly aggressive (TOV112D, SKOV3-ip) and chemo-resistant (A2780-Cip) OC cell lines. To examine the pathological significance of MYB in OC, we silenced its expression in TOV112D, SKOV3-ip and A2780-Cip OC cell lines. Functional studies demonstrate that silencing of MYB led to decrease in growth and clonogenic ability in TOV112D, SKOV3-ip and A2780-Cip cells, as compared to their scrambled sequence-transfected (Scr) control cells. Furthermore, MYB-silencing reduced motility and invasion, as well as resulted in the loss of mesenchymal and gain of epithelial markers. In addition, our data showed that TOV112D-shMYB, SKOV3-ip-shMYB and A2780-Cip-shMYB were more sensitive to cisplatin-cytotoxicity as compared to their respective controls. Altogether, our studies provide the first experimental evidence for a functional role of MYB in altered growth, malignant behavior and chemoresistance of ovarian cancer. Citation Format: Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava, Seema Singh, Arun Bhardwaj, James E. Carter, Rodney P. Rocconi, Jennifer Scalici, Ajay P. Singh. Multiple functional implications of MYB in ovarian cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1989.
Effects of α-Substitution on Mechanochromic Luminescence and Aggregation-Induced Emission of Difluoroboron β-Diketonate Dyes

Though the effects of arene substituents on difluoroboron β-diketonate (BF2bdk) mechanochromic luminescence (ML) are known, substitution at the α carbon of the dioxaborine ring has yet to be carefully investigated. Substitution at the α position can force these dyes out of a planar conformation, causing materials to take on unique aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) character. Furthermore, if ML arises from the formation of H-aggregates upon smearing, as postulated, substitution at the α position could hinder this process and influence ML. To test this hypothesis, luminescent BF2bdk derivatives containing substituents at the α position were synthesized and their optical and morphological properties were characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy, UV/vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Specifically, a difluoroboron dibenzoylethane derivative with a methyl group at the α position exhibits bright ...
Longitudinal Patterns of Emergency Department Visits: A Multistate Analysis of Medicaid Beneficiaries.

Objective The objective of this study was to examine the longitudinal patterns of emergency department (ED) visits among adult fee-for-service Medicaid. Data Sources Data were obtained from the Medicaid analytic eXtract files, Area Health Resource File, and County Health Rankings. Study Design A retrospective longitudinal study design, with four observations for each individual was used. The study population consisted of 33,393 Medicaid beneficiaries who met inclusion criteria. ED visits were time-lagged and time-varying patient-level factors were measured for each year. Time-invariant characteristics (gender and race/ethnicity) were measured in 2006. Multivariable hurdle models with logistic (ED use versus no ED use) and negative binomial regressions (ED visits among ED users) were used to analyze the ED visits over time. To account for correlation due to repeated observations, mixed effect models with robust standard errors were performed. Principal Findings In both unadjusted and adjusted analysis, the likelihood of ED use did not change from year to year (AOR = 1.00, 95 percent CI: 0.99, 1.01). Among ED users, the estimated number of ED visits increased over time (IRR = 1.01, 95 percent CI: 1.01, 1.03). Conclusions Primary care resources should be a major focus to reduce the increased burden on the EDs.
The Population of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae, Cause of Fusarium Wilt of Strawberry, in California

The objectives of this study were to investigate the structure of the population of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae in California and to evaluate methods for its detection. Fifty-nine isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae were obtained from diseased strawberry plants and their identity was confirmed by pathogenicity testing. The full nuclear ribosomal intergenic spacer (IGS) and elongation factor 1-α gene (EF-1α) were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced to elucidate phylogenetic relationships among isolates. IGS and EF-1α sequences revealed three main lineages, which corresponded to three somatic compatibility groups. Primers designed to detect F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae in Japan amplified a 239-bp product from 55 of 59 California isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae and from no nonpathogenic isolates of F. oxysporum. The sequence of this PCR product was identical to the sequence obtained from F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae isolates in Japan. Intensive sampling at two locations in California showed results of tests based on PCR and somatic compatibility to be in agreement for 97% (257 of 264) of isolates tested. Our findings revealed considerable diversity in the California population of F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae, and indications that horizontal gene transfer may have occurred.
The Use of a Student Inquiry Form for Evaluating a Course in College Hygiene

(1938). The Use of a Student Inquiry Form for Evaluating a Course in College Hygiene. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health and Physical Education: Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 154-158.
Toxicity Testing with Communities: Microcosms, Mesocosms, and Whole-System Manipulations

The field of ecotoxicology is in the early stages of a major paradigm shift driven by three interrelated forces: (1) the consideration of sustainable use of the planet, (2) the protection of ecosystem services (i.e., those ecological functions deemed useful by human society), and (3) the shift from emphasis on producing no deleterious effects to organisms and natural systems to maintaining them in robust health. This review examines present methodologies and information systems in the field of ecotoxicology and determines how suitable they are for making policy and management decisions related to the three developments just stated. Malone (1994) concluded that management of the environment to assure sustainability of its capacity to support human life is essentially a matter of managing human affairs in a manner that fosters sustainable human development. The concept of sustainable development asks whether present practices are suitable for longrange use of the planet.
The river mouth speaks: water quality as storyteller in decolonization of the Port of Tacoma

In this paper, I describe historical geographies of settler colonization and decolonization in the Port of Tacoma, Washington tideflats using the lens of biological, habitat, flow, and physico-chemical indicators of water quality. The Puyallup River empties into what is now known as the Port of Tacoma. Before the Port’s industrialization, the tideflats and bay were rich with shellfish and anadromous fish, important traditional sources of food for the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. Colonization and allotment led to severe environmental degradation and removal of the tribe from their land. Because of waste dumped by settler colonial industry, the nearshore tideflats at the Puyallup River’s mouth are now an EPA Superfund site, containing phthalates, heavy metals, pesticides, PCBs, and more. Over the years of its industrialization, the river has been channelized and the shoreline armored. In addition, for many years the City of Tacoma dumped sewage directly into the Port waterways. In the 1950 and 1960s, the Puyallup Tribe participated in the Puget Sound “Fish Wars,” forcing attention to treaty rights through off-reservation fish-ins, and leading to the 1974 Boldt Decision upholding tribal treaty rights. With the legal recourse enabled by the Boldt Decision, the Puyallup Tribe successfully sued the Port, interstate, railroad companies, polluting industry, and several cities for occupied land denoted as theirs by the Treaty of Medicine Creek. In addition, the tribe has participated in several lawsuits forcing aquatic habitat restoration and remediation efforts along the river and tideflats. I describe colonial and decolonizing processes of shaping and re-shaping the river mouth, beginning in the late 1800s, and assess changes in water quality from the mid-1800s through present day using recent data on contaminants, as well as proxies of indicator species for unavailable data from earlier eras. I use these data to understand the ways the tribe’s legal challenges to colonization have impacted the area’s environmental health. I conclude that legal affirmations of tribal sovereignty are positively associated with estuarine ecosystem health.
Performance Evaluation of Network-on-Chip-Based H.264 Video Decoders via Full System Simulation

We present a full system simulation framework for a network-on-chip (NoC)-based H.264 video decoder. By combining both the communication, i.e., the NoC and the processing, i.e., H.264 modules, components into the same simulation framework, we present for the first time the capability of simulating NoCs exercised with truly real traffic. Such a simulator can be utilized to evaluate performance metrics of systems-on-chip where the communication is done via NoCs, which are predicted to be the future communication paradigm of such systems. Because the NoC is exercised with real traffic instead of synthetic traffic such evaluations and optimizations can be more accurate and can lead to better design solutions.
Steady-State Levels of Phosphorylated Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase 1/2 Determined by Mortalin/HSPA9 and Protein Phosphatase 1 Alpha in KRAS and BRAF Tumor Cells

Although deregulation of MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity is a key feature in cancer, high-magnitude MEK/ERK activity can paradoxically induce growth inhibition. Therefore, additional mechanisms may exist to modulate MEK/ERK activity in favor of tumor cell proliferation. We previously reported that mortalin/HSPA9 can facilitate proliferation of certain KRAS and BRAF tumor cells by modulating MEK/ERK activity. In this study, we demonstrated that mortalin can regulate MEK/ERK activity via protein phosphatase 1α (PP1α). We found that PP1α inhibition increases steady-state levels of phosphorylated MEK1/2 in various tumor cells expressing B-RafV600E or K-RasG12C/D Intriguingly, coimmunoprecipitation and in vitro binding assays revealed that mortalin facilitates PP1α-mediated MEK1/2 dephosphorylation by promoting PP1α-MEK1/2 interaction in an ATP-sensitive manner. The region spanning Val482 to Glu491 in the substrate-binding cavity and the substrate lid of mortalin were necessary for these physical interactions, which is consistent with conventional heat shock protein 70 (HSP70)-client interaction mechanisms. Nevertheless, mortalin depletion did not affect cellular PP1α levels or its regulatory phosphorylation, suggesting a nonconventional role for mortalin in promoting PP1α-MEK1/2 interaction. Of note, PP1α was upregulated in human melanoma and pancreatic cancer biopsy specimens in correlation with mortalin upregulation. PP1α may therefore have a role in tumorigenesis in concert with mortalin, which affects MEK/ERK activity in tumor cells.
Determination of the valence state of copper in cubic CuMn2O4 spinel by X-ray absorption edge measurements

Abstract It cannot be determined from stoichiometry and electroneutrality considerations alone whether copper in CuMn 2 O 4 is univalent or divalent. In order to resolve this ambiguity, the energy of the X-ray K absorption edge for copper was measured in the following three compounds: CuCr 2 O 4 which is known to contain Cu 2+ ; Cu 2 O, which is known to obtain Cu + and CuMn 2 O 4 . The excitation energies measured in the solids were corrected by taking into account their electron affinities and the Coulomb potentials of copper in the solids. If it is assumed that CuMn 2 O 4 contains divalent copper, then the measurements on CuMn 2 O 4 , and CuCr 2 O 4 yield corrected values for the absorption edge which are consistent with each other within the limits of experimental error. On the other hand, if it is assumed that CuMn 2 O 4 contains univalent copper, then the measurements on CuMn 2 O 4 and Cu 2O 4 yield values which are discrepant by several times the estimated error. It is concluded that in the sample of CuMn 2 O 4 investigated, copper is predominantly divalent. New expressions for the Coulomb potentials at the ionic sites in the spinel and cuprite structures are also reported.
Paraneoplastic edematous dermatomyositis: A rare syndrome observed in a case of small cell lung cancer.

Dermatomyositis with subcutaneous edema is a rare process with few reported cases. We report a 63-year-old with lung cancer who presented with an erythematous skin rash and was found to have biopsyproven dermatomyositis. Her course was complicated by generalized edema, myalgias, muscle weakness, dysphagia, and laryngeal edema. The edema was severe and caused respiratory distress requiring intubation. The patient underwent therapy with high-dose glucocorticoids and intravenous immunoglobulin but failed treatment. Altogether, she presented as an extreme case and rare variant of dermatomyositis, known as edematous dermatomyositis. Diagnostic and treatment guidelines do not account for this variant and literature pertaining to edematous dermatomyositis is sparse. Moreover, this disease was a paraneoplastic manifestation of her small cell lung cancer, which is rarely observed. There are no cases reporting edematous dermatomyositis as a paraneoplastic manifestation of small cell lung cancer, and we highlight the high rate of morbidity and mortality in such patients.
Quantifying Sucralose in a Water-Treatment Wetlands: Service-Learning in the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory

Service-learning (SL) is an active learning approach that connects the knowledge a student acquires in the classroom to an application that benefits the community. Increasingly popular in the chemistry curriculum, service-learning is reported to provide student benefits including improved cognitive goals; increased academic, interpersonal, and leadership skills; increased ability to apply course concepts to real-world situations; and increased community engagement. For the work reported here, an analytical chemistry laboratory was modified to include a service-learning component with the goal of allowing students to apply their newly acquired analytical skills to relevant, real-world samples; to learn new analytical techniques; and to develop professional communication skills. Students implemented a study of the wastewater effluent at the Orlando Easterly Wetlands, an engineered water polishing facility that removes nutrients from treated wastewater. Students designed a sampling strategy, collected sample...
Investigating molecular conformation and packing of oxidized asphaltene molecules in presence of paraffin wax

Abstract This study investigates the effect of paraffinic wax (as a base component in many commercial rejuvenators) on the rheological and intermolecular properties of aged asphalt binder. Samples of oxidized asphalt binder doped with (1%, 3%, 5%, and 10%) paraffin wax were characterized using the rotational viscometer (RV), dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), bending beam rheometer (BBR) and direct tension test (DTT). The RV results showed an improvement trend in workability of aged binder as wax content increased. The DSR results (for a temperature range of 10–76 °C) showed lower complex modules for wax-doped specimen than control specimen. The BBR test results performed at sub-zero temperature showed that an increase of wax dosage led to higher creep stiffness modulus indicating that the asphalt binder became generally stiffer in presence of wax at low temperature. However, fracture energy measured through DTT test showed a significant reduction in presence of wax. The latter can be attributed to plausible weak secondary bonds between wax and asphaltene molecules as well as crystallization of wax molecules at low temperature within the asphalt matrix. This in turn can lead to wax crystals playing as stress localization point giving rise to crack nucleation at the wax-asphalt interface reducing overall fracture energy; it was further observed that as the wax content increased, the asphalt binder became more brittle. To further investigate the effect of wax on the molecular conformation and packing in aged asphalt binder, a molecular simulation was performed on a system of wax and oxidized asphaltene. The results of molecular simulations showed a reduction in formation of oxidized asphaltene nano-aggregates as the amount of wax increased in the wax-doped oxidized asphaltene matrix at room temperature, which was also confirmed by size exclusion chromatography. Furthermore, the radial distribution function results showed a less packed structure of oxidized asphaltene molecules in presence of wax molecules. Increasing the wax content also increased the diffusion coefficient of wax into the oxidized asphaltene matrix within a solvent medium. It was also showed that interaction energy of a dimer of oxidized asphaltene is at a lower energy state in presence of wax molecules, which suggests that wax molecules can promote dimerization of oxidized asphaltene molecules while suppressing nano-aggregates formation.
Monoclonal antibodies against loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, IgY isoforms reveal differential contributions to antibody titers and relatedness among other sea turtles.

Serum from loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, was collected from the southeast Atlantic Ocean during routine summer monitoring studies in 2017. Serum immunoglobulin IgY was purified and used to develop IgY isoform-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb). mAb LH12 was developed against the 66 kDa heavy chain of IgY, mAb LH1 was developed against the truncated heavy chain of approximately 37 kDA, and mAb LH9 was developed against the 23 kDa light chains. mAb LH9 reacts with the light chains of all sea turtles, mAb LH12 reacts with the long heavy chain of all sea turtles within the family Cheloniidae, and mAb LH1 reacts with the truncated form of IgY in both olive and Kemp's ridley turtles. Circulating IgY antibodies against three different marine bacterial pathogens were determined in 16 loggerhead samples using these mAbs. mAb LH12 detects higher titers than mAb LH1, and mAb LH9 detects the highest titers.
Brain extracellular space: some considerations on the role it plays in brain function.

The role of the extracellular space of the mammalian brain is reviewed. Special consideration is given to the question of ion accumulation in brain extracellular space. This issue is discussed in terms of the nerve theory of Hodgkin and Huxley. A brief review of this theory is included. Extracellular space is described not as a large unchanging compartment, but as a dynamic compartment in which ion concentrations are continuously changing. The consequences of some of these dynamic changes are discussedvis a vis altered brain states such as seizures and spreading depression.