cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of surface roughness on low-cycle fatigue behavior of type 304 stainless steel

The effects of surface roughness on the low-cycle fatigue life of Type 304 stainless steel at 593°C in air have been investigated. It is observed that, at a strain rate of 4 × 10−3 s−1 and a total strain range of 1 pct, the fatigue life (Nf cycles) decreases with an increase in surface roughness. Information on crack growthvs strain cycles has been generated, as a function of surface roughness, by the measurement of striation spacing on fractured surfaces of specimens tested to failure. Crack propagation follows the Ina ∞N (wherea is the crack length afterN strain cycles) relation for longer specimen fatigue lives (Nf > 2700 cycles) and departs from Ina ∞N for shorter fatigue lives. A quantitative estimate is made of the number of cycles No(r) to generate a crack length equal to 0.1 mm (≈ 1 grain diam). The initial surface roughness significantly affects only the initiation component of specimen life time. The effect of roughness on crack initiation is described byN0(R) = 1012R−0.21, whereR is the surface roughness (root-mean-square value) in microns.
Nonlinear response - A time domain approach

The present paper reviews the basic concepts of nonlinear response of panels to surface flow and acoustic pressures, simulation of random processes, time domain solutions and the Monte Carlo Method. Applications of this procedure to the orbit-on-demand space vehicles, acoustic fatigue and composite materials are discussed. Numerical examples are included for a variety of nonlinear problems to illustrate the applicability of this method.
Purification and characterization of glucose dehydrogenase from a heterotrophically grown blue-green alga.

NADP- and NAD-dependent glucose dehydrogenase was partially purified from a dark-grown blue-green alga (endophytic Nostoc strain MAC). Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis established that a single protein possessed dual activity for either NADP or NAD. No other electron acceptor substituted for pyridine nucleotides and no evidence for a flavin prosthetic group was found. Although the Km for NADP was 8.8 μm and for NAD 328 μm, the enzyme was equally active with NAD or NADP at saturating levels of substrates. The enzyme was similar to previously described glucose dehydrogenase in that it had a high Km for glucose (18-20 mm at 35 C) and an alkaline pH optimum of 7.6 to 9.4.
Plants as regional indicators of Great Lakes coastal wetland health

In this paper we explore the potential for developing plant-based indicators for key dimensions of wetland stress, including 1) hydrologic flow modification (through water-level regulation and diking), 2) water quality degradation (through nutrient loading and sedimentation), and 3) ecological structural breakdown or physical degradation. Based on a review of the literature, we identify species or species groups that potentially function as indicators of individual dimensions of anthropogenic stress and propose floristic metrics for monitoring wetland health. We then examine the utility of these metrics for evaluating wetland disturbance at both regional and local scales, utilizing a database of wetland sites spanning the entire U.S. Great Lakes shoreline. We conclude that multiple dimensions of wetland disturbance can be measured based on coverage values of key aquatic plants.
Estimating Variance Components from Sparse Data Matrices in Large-Scale Educational Assessments

In generalizability theory studies in large-scale testing contexts, sometimes a facet is very sparsely crossed with the object of measurement. For example, when assessments are scored by human raters, it may not be practical to have every rater score all students. Sometimes the scoring is systematically designed such that the raters are consistently grouped throughout the scoring, so that the data can be analyzed as raters nested within teams. Other times, rater pairs are randomly assigned for each student, such that each rater is paired with many other raters at different times. One possibility for this scenario is to treat the data as if raters were nested within students. Because the raters are not truly independent across all students, the resulting variance components could be somewhat biased. This study illustrates how the bias will tend to be small in large-scale studies.
Posttraumatic stress symptoms and smoking among World Trade Center disaster responders: A longitudinal investigation

Abstract Purpose The current longitudinal study examined posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity in relation to smoking abstinence and reduction over time among responders to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster. Method Participants were 763 police and 1881 non-traditional (e.g., construction workers) WTC responders who reported being smokers at an initial examination obtained between July 2002 and July 2011 at the WTC Health Program (WTC-HP). WTC responders were reassessed, on average, 2.5 years later. Results For police WTC responders, higher levels of WTC-related PTSD symptoms at the initial visit were associated with a decreased likelihood of smoking abstinence (OR = 0.98, p = .002) and with decreased smoking reduction ( β = −.06, p = .012) at the follow-up visit. WTC-related PTSD symptom severity was not related to likelihood of smoking abstinence or change in number of cigarettes smoked among non-traditional responders. Post hoc analyses suggested that for police, hyperarousal PTSD symptoms were predictive of decreased abstinence likelihood at the follow-up visit (OR = 0.56, p = .006). Discussion The present findings suggest that PTSD symptoms may be differentially related to smoking behavior among police and non-traditional WTC responders in a naturalistic, longitudinal investigation. Future work may benefit from exploring further which aspects of PTSD (as compared to each other and to common variance) explain smoking maintenance.
Associations of benign prostatic hyperplasia with prostate cancer: the debate continues.

In the current issue of European Urology, Orsted and colleagues present a large cohort analysis investigating the association of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with prostate cancer (PCa) [1]. Utilizing data from five national registries, the authors examined the entire Danish male population from 1980 through 2006. They defined clinical BPH as hospitalization, surgery, or initiation of medical therapy (a-adrenergic receptor antagonists or 5a-reductase inhibitors [5-ARIs]) and calculated PCa incidence and mortality for each of these definitions. The analytic cohort contained more than 3 million men with a median age of 72 yr at diagnosis of PCa. Age-matched cohort studies were utilized to correct for influence of age and calendar year on PCa incidence. Men with clinical BPH were more likely to be diagnosed with PCa compared with those without clinical BPH: Adjusted hazards ratios for PCa incidence were 3.04 for BPH hospitalization, 2.60 for BPH surgery, 4.49 for a-adrenergic receptor antagonist use, and 2.54 for 5-ARI use. The authors concluded that clinical BPH was associated with a two-fold to three-fold increased risk of subsequent PCa diagnosis and that these men were two to eight times
Serrate and Notch specify cell fates in the heart field by suppressing cardiomyogenesis

Notch signaling mediates numerous developmental cell fate decisions in organisms ranging from flies to humans, resulting in the generation of multiple cell types from equipotential precursors. In this paper, we present evidence that activation of Notch by its ligand Serrate apportions myogenic and non-myogenic cell fates within the early Xenopus heart field. The crescent-shaped field of heart mesoderm is specified initially as cardiomyogenic. While the ventral region of the field forms the myocardial tube, the dorsolateral portions lose myogenic potency and form the dorsal mesocardium and pericardial roof (Raffin, M., Leong, L. M., Rones, M. S., Sparrow, D., Mohun, T. and Mercola, M. (2000) Dev. Biol., 218, 326-340). The local interactions that establish or maintain the distinct myocardial and non-myocardial domains have never been described. Here we show that Xenopus Notch1 (Xotch) and Serrate1 are expressed in overlapping patterns in the early heart field. Conditional activation or inhibition of the Notch pathway with inducible dominant negative or active forms of the RBP-J/Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)] transcription factor indicated that activation of Notch feeds back on Serrate1 gene expression to localize transcripts more dorsolaterally than those of Notch1, with overlap in the region of the developing mesocardium. Moreover, Notch pathway activation decreased myocardial gene expression and increased expression of a marker of the mesocardium and pericardial roof, whereas inhibition of Notch signaling had the opposite effect. Activation or inhibition of Notch also regulated contribution of individual cells to the myocardium. Importantly, expression of Nkx2. 5 and Gata4 remained largely unaffected, indicating that Notch signaling functions downstream of heart field specification. We conclude that Notch signaling through Su(H) suppresses cardiomyogenesis and that this activity is essential for the correct specification of myocardial and non-myocardial cell fates.
Process improvement dynamics under constrained resources: managing the work harder versus work smarter balance

This paper considers the problem of managing process improvement when resources are constrained. The paper develops a system dynamics model that formalizes the critical interaction between first- and second-order improvements as options for governing production. Both first- and second-order improvement are effective in boosting short-term organizational performance, whereas only second-order improvement builds sustainable capability. Analytical results characterize the optimal trade-off between these options (working harder and working smarter). Simulation results show how pressuring the workforce to work harder can set off a vicious cycle of deteriorating process capability that squeezes out improvement activity. Results also highlight the key role of process capability as a form of organizational slack and demonstrate tipping points in the dynamics of process improvement. By moving from causal loops to a simulating model, this paper provides an example of how formal quantitative modeling can lead to important insights not discovered with causal loop diagramming alone. Copyright © 2012 System Dynamics Society.
Model-based feedback control of autonomous underwater gliders

We describe the development of feedback control for autonomous underwater gliders. Feedback is introduced to make the glider motion robust to disturbances and uncertainty. Our focus is on buoyancy-propelled, fixed-wing gliders with attitude controlled by means of active internal mass redistribution. We derive a nonlinear dynamic model of a nominal glider complete with hydrodynamic forces and coupling between the vehicle and the movable internal mass. We use this model to study stability and controllability of glide paths and to derive feedback control laws. For our analysis, we restrict to motion in the vertical plane and consider linear control laws. For illustration, we apply our methodology to a model of our own laboratory-scale underwater glider.
Buffer management and flow control in the Credit Net ATM host interface

Among the many benefits of ATM networking are the potential for connections with negotiated quality-of-service (QoS) guarantees and application-specific data management at network endpoints. We describe the architecture of a PCI bus host adapter for OC-3 and OC-12 ATM, focusing on challenges in the areas of buffer management and flow control, since these are vital to realizing the bandwidth and QoS potential of ATM endpoint hosts.
Pilot and Feasibility Studies: Application in Music Therapy Research

Background Pilot studies are an important step in the research process and are used to examine research methods and procedures before a larger trial is attempted. Pilot studies provide the researcher an opportunity to determine feasibility of study procedures and generate initial data in previously unstudied areas. Objective The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the design characteristics of a pilot study, including generation of research questions, corresponding methods for analysis, and reporting of outcomes. Methods This article reviews core characteristics of pilot research, addresses misconceptions and misuse of the term pilot, and provides practical guidelines for the design and reporting of pilot studies. Conclusions Pilot research offers a unique opportunity for researchers to test study procedures before conducting a larger study. The well-designed pilot study can advance future research by increasing the likelihood of a successful and informative study.
Potassium in Dog Ventricular Muscle: Kinetic Studies of Distribution and Effects of Varying Frequency of Contraction and Potassium Concentration of Perfusate

Four phases (0 to 3) were defined kinetically for potassium in the dog papillary muscle when perfused arterially for four to five hours with solution containing 4 mM/liter K+. Total tissue K+ fell from 91.1±1.99 to 41.0±1.06 mmoles/liter after three hours perfusion. It then remained stable during the period when kinetic studies were done. The mean rate constant λ (min-1), potassium content (mmoles/liter tissue water) and suggested origin of each phase are respectively: (phase 0) λ = 3.2, 0.3, vascular; (phase 1) λ1 = 0.65, 2.06, interstitial; (phase 2) λ2 = 0.0139, 39.3, intracellular; (phase 3) λ3 < 0.004, <0.5, origin unknown. Alteration of K+ concentration in perfusing fluid produced significant changes in the intracellular exchange rate of K+. This was in marked contrast to increments in frequency of contraction which had no effect on the overall exchangeability of intracellular potassium. Increases in rate, however, were associated with a transient net loss of intracellular K+. This loss continued if the active tension of the muscle declined and if contracture progressed. The loss ceased if muscle function remained stable during continued increased frequency of contraction. A positive tension staircase was approximately proportional to the net K+ loss. The net K+ loss was 0.93 mmole/liter tissue water in nine muscles in which a mean 27 beats/min rate increment was introduced for a mean of 16 minutes. This represented 2.4% of intracellular K+. A significant time lag was found before the net K+ loss reached a maximum rate and began to decline. This is compared with the previously demonstrated transient net increment in Ca++ uptake that accompanies increased frequency of contraction. These ionic movements are consistent with the theory that Na+ movements in and out of a "specialized membrane region" are related to Ca++ movements and thereby influence the control of myocardial contractility.
Statistical Estimation and Adaptation for Visual Compensation in Object Tracking

The multi-modal tracking model in [1] enables the on-the-fly error compensation with low complexity by adopting acoustic sensors for the main tracking task and visual sensors for correcting possible tracking errors. The visual compensation process in the model is indispensable to the accurate tracking task in a dynamic object movement. This article proposes an algorithm to approximate the successful visual compensation rate appearing in the multi-modal tracking system. The acoustic sampling interval of the object signal and the random occurrence of transmission delays of multi-modal data are critical to the compensation process. Therefore, by using the two key factors as parameters, the algorithm called SEA can estimate the successful visual compensation of a tracking system. After we build up a tracking system, it is required to maintain the system at a certain level of tracking accuracy. This task can be done by controlling the aforementioned parameters since the visual compensation influences the track...
The MerR-Like Regulator BrlR Impairs Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Tolerance to Colistin by Repressing PhoPQ

While the MerR-like transcriptional regulator BrlR has been demonstrated to contribute to Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm tolerance to antimicrobial agents known as multidrug efflux pump substrates, the role of BrlR in resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAP), which is based on reduced outer membrane susceptibility, is not known. Here, we demonstrate that inactivation of brlR coincided with increased resistance of P. aeruginosa to colistin, while overexpression of brlR resulted in increased susceptibility. brlR expression correlated with reduced transcript abundances of phoP, phoQ, pmrA, pmrB, and arnC. Inactivation of pmrA and pmrB had no effect on the susceptibility of P. aeruginosa biofilms to colistin, while inactivation of phoP and phoQ rendered biofilms more susceptible than the wild type. The susceptibility phenotype of ΔphoP biofilms to colistin was comparable to that of P. aeruginosa biofilms overexpressing brlR. BrlR was found to directly bind to oprH promoter DNA of the oprH-phoPQ operon. BrlR reciprocally contributed to colistin and tobramycin resistance in P. aeruginosa PAO1 and CF clinical isolates, with overexpression of brlR resulting in increased tobramycin MICs and increased tobramycin resistance but decreased colistin MICs and increased colistin susceptibility. The opposite trend was observed upon brlR inactivation. The difference in susceptibility to colistin and tobramycin was eliminated by combination treatment of biofilms with both antibiotics. Our findings establish BrlR as an unusual member of the MerR family, as it not only functions as a multidrug transport activator, but also acts as a repressor of phoPQ expression, thus suppressing colistin resistance.
An Evaluation of Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP) Performance for VoIP

The Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP) is an Internet standards-track security profile for RTP used to provide confidentiality, integrity and replay protection for RTP traffic. We study the performance of SRTP when it is used to secure VoIP conversations. Experiments are conducted using snom and Twinkle softphones running on Windows and Linux platforms respectively and a bare PC softphone running with no operating system installed to provide a baseline. Pre-defined SRTP transforms based on AES counter mode encryption with a 128-bit key and HMAC-SHA-1 with a 32-bit authentication tag, as well as 192 and 256-bit AES keys and an 80-bit authentication tag are tested. Measurement of internal processing times for each operation in the SRTP protocol indicates that authentication processing is more expensive than encryption regardless of key or tag size. A comparison of jitter and delta (packet interarrival time) for secured and unsecured VoIP traffic reveals that the addition of SRTP protection to VoIP traffic over RTP has a negligible effect on voice quality. VoIP throughput with SRTP is about 2% more than with RTP alone since the insignificant increase in delay is offset by the small increase in packet size.
Mesenchymal stem cells remain of host origin even a long time after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell or bone marrow transplantation.

Objective Plasticity of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) has gained major interest in stem cell research. In order to investigate whether HSC may differentiate into mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), we assessed chimerism in peripheral blood (PB), mononuclear cell fractions (MNC) of bone marrow, and MSC derived from bone marrow (BM) from 27 up to 4225 days after allogeneic transplantation. Patients and methods We applied fluorescence in situ hybridization using X/Y gene probes in sex-mismatched and STR-PCR in sex-matched patients. MSC could have been generated in 27 of 55 bone marrow samples derived from 20 patients. Fifteen patients received peripheral blood stem cell transplants (PBSCT), including CD34-selected PBSCT in two. Five patients received bone marrow. Results While all patients had chimerism in PB and MNC of the BM, in all but one patient BM-derived MSC were of recipient origin. This single patient showed reproducibly MSC of donor origin in a frequency of 1% after having received a CD34-selected PBSCT. Looking at graft collections, MSCs were easily generated from BM specimens, while no MSC could be derived from PBSC samples. Conclusion Even though HSC have been found to differentiate into a variety of nonhematological cell types, they usually do not differentiate into MSC after allogeneic transplantation.
Staying Put: The Endeavors and Wisdoms of Farmers in Twenty-first-century Sustainable Agriculture

Throughout the twentieth century, food production in America drastically changed in conjunction with social and historical events. The ramifications of America’s agricultural endeavors are evident ...
Effects of Daily Rinses Using Sodium Fluoride and Organic Fluorides on Rat Caries

The organic fluorides, alexidine dihydrofluoride and amine fluoride, provided greater protection against caries than sodium fluoride when used as a daily mouthrinse in rats. Alexidine dihydrochloride also provided significant caries restriction.
IL-17A produced by αβ T cells drives airway hyper-responsiveness in mice and enhances mouse and human airway smooth muscle contraction.

Emerging evidence suggests that the T helper 17 (T H 17) subset of ab T cells contributes to the development of allergic asthma. In this study, we found that mice lacking the avb8 integrin on dendritic cells did not generate T H 17 cells in the lung and were protected from airway hyper-responsiveness in response to house dust mite and ovalbumin sensitization and challenge. Because loss of T H 17 cells inhibited airway narrowing without any obvious effects on airway inflammation or epithelial morphology, we examined the direct effects of T H 17 cytokines on mouse and human airway smooth muscle function. Interleukin-17A (IL-17A), but not IL-17F or IL-22, enhanced contractile force generation of airway smooth muscle through an IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA)–IL-17RC, nuclear factor k light-chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB)–ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA)–Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) signaling cascade. Mice lacking integrin avb8 on dendritic cells showed impaired activation of this pathway after ovalbumin sensitization and challenge, and the diminished contraction of the tracheal rings in these mice was reversed by IL-17A. These data indicate that the IL-17A produced by T H 17 cells contributes to allergen-induced airway hyper-responsiveness through direct effects on airway smooth muscle.
Using Computer-Assisted Language Learning in an American Sign Language course

Currently, there is a trend at educational institutions around the country to utilize technology in online or web-enhanced instruction. While there is a need to explore the effects of technology incorporated into courses for second language acquisition (SLA), faculty have yet to utilize the full potential of technology resources and integrate them into American Sign Language (ASL) courses and learning laboratories. Technology has the potential to connect new language learners to remote language experts using language laboratories. Further exploration and development of ASL computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and the use of non-traditional camera angles is needed. For this pilot study, three technology tools were provided to assist hearing students. While findings of this research indicate that the use of CALL did not produce a statistically significant impact on the exam scores of students in the experimental group, multimedia tools were developed that have not been previously utilized in ASL instr...
Scaling of SOI FinFETs down to fin width of 4 nm for the 10nm technology node

Using a novel replacement gate SOI FinFET device structure, we have fabricated FinFETs with fin width (D Fin ) of 4nm, fin pitch (FP) of 40nm, and gate length (L G ) of 20nm. With this structure, we have achieved arrays of thousands of fins for D Fin down to 4nm with robust yield and structural integrity. We observe performance degradation, increased variability, and V T shift as D Fin is reduced. Capacitance measurements agree with quantum confinement behavior which has been predicted to pose a fundamental limit to scaling FinFETs below 10nm L G .
The Sensitivity of the Numerical Simulation of the Southwest Monsoon Boundary Layer to the Choice of PBL Turbulence Parameterization in MM5

Summertime convection over Arizona typically begins in the early afternoon and continues into the night. This suggests that the evolution of the daytime planetary boundary layer is important to the development of Arizona convection. If numerical models are to provide useful guidance for forecasting convection during the monsoon, then the planetary boundary layer must be simulated as accurately as possible through utilization of the appropriate physical parameterizations. This study examines the most appropriate Pennsylvania State University‐National Center for Atmospheric Research fifth-generation Mesoscale Model (MM5) planetary boundary layer parameterization(s) for deterministic and ensemble modeling of the monsoon. The four MM5 planetary boundary layer parameterizations tested are the Blackadar, Burk‐Thompson, Eta, and medium-range forecast (MRF) schemes. The Blackadar and MRF planetary boundary layer schemes correctly predict the development of the deep, monsoon planetary boundary layer, and consequently do a better job of predicting the convective available potential energy and downdraft convective available potential energy, but not the convective inhibition. Because the convective inhibition is not accurately predicted, it is possible that the MM5’s ability to initiate or ‘‘trigger’’ convection might be a limiting factor in the model’s ability to produce accurate quantitative precipitation forecasts during the monsoon. Since the MM5 planetary boundary layer predicted by the Burk‐Thompson and Eta schemes does not accurately reproduce the basic structure of the monsoon planetary boundary layer, their inclusion in a mixed physics ensemble is discussed.
Abstract IA21: Combination treatments that include PI3K-inhibitors for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer

Alterations in the PI3K pathway are highly prevalent in triple-negative breast and high grade ovarian cancer, including BRCA1- and BRCA2-related disease. On the cellular level, loss of BRCA1 increases genomic instability and reliance on single strand break repair, hence creating an opportunity to treat BRCA-related TNBC or OC with PARP-inhibitors. In addition, loss of BRCA1 and/or p53 lead to relaxation of negative feed-back loops in mitogenic signaling, resulting in highly proliferative malignancies. For these reasons PARP-inhibitor Olaparib and PI3K-inhibitor NVP-BKM120 were tested in combination and found to be synergistic in mouse models of BRCA1-related BC. Surprisingly, PI3K-inhibition enhanced a DNA damage phenotype, caused by a profound decrease in DNA synthesis that could be observed after treatment with NVP-BKM120 in vivo and in vitro. The decrease in DNA synthesis was due to reduced Nucleoside synthesis resulting from a block in glycolysis that led to a drop in flux through the non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway. In a preclinical mouse model (K14-Cre BRCA1f/fp53f/f), the combination of NVP-BKM120 and Olaparib could induce complete remissions, while PI3K-inhibitor alone marginally slowed disease progression and PARP-inhibitor alone stabilized the disease. This concept was translated into a clinical trial: BKM120/Olaparib for Triple Negative Breast Cancer or High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (NCT01623349; PI: Ursula Matulonis). Dose escalation for this study and accrual to an extension cohort at the MTD (NVP-BKM120 50 mg once a day in combination with Olaparib 300 mg twice a day) have been completed and a second dose escalation arm with NVP-BYL719 and Olaparib is ongoing. Citation Format: Gerburg M. Wulf, Ashish Juvekar, Costas M. Lyssiotis, Hai Hu, Kim Baek, Sina Yadegarynia, Ralph Scully, Eric Winer, John Asara, Lewis C. Cantley, Ursula Matulonis. Combination treatments that include PI3K-inhibitors for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Targeting the PI3K-mTOR Network in Cancer; Sep 14-17, 2014; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(7 Suppl):Abstract nr IA21.
New Drugs for the Prevention and Treatment of Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) continues to be a significant threat to the patient with acute leukemia. Early studies of children with leukemia before 1977 showed 20% would develop PCP during the first two years of chemotherapy [1]. At this point trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) was found to be effective chemoprophylaxis for this disease and has made a major impact on the incidence of PCP in many cancer centers and in patients immunocompromised with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Nevertheless, PCP continues to be a serious complication of modern anticancer therapy. A recent report from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center showed no change in the attack rate for PCP in leukemia patients at that institution over the past 25 years and an increase in the incidence of PCP in patients with brain tumors during the most recent 12-year period [3].
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-Induced Transformation and EBV Genome Reorganization in Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines Established from Patients with AIDS Following Enhancement with Chemical Carcinogens

Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) separated from patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are a relevant model to study chemical carcinogen-EBV synergism, due to the high degree of EBV reactivation and potential for EBV-associated malignant lymphomas in patients with AIDS. To better understand chemical carcinogen-EBV synergism at a molecular level, we examined the organization of the terminal region of EBV genome carried by lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) established from patients with AIDS. For this study we chose LCLs established from PBLs treated with either of two chemical carcinogens with different mechanisms of action, N-methyl-N’-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). From an analysis of the EcoR1 Dhet terminal region, we found the majority of the LCLs established spontaneously to be clonal in origin, but individual lineages established from the same patient often carried EBV episomal circular forms of the genome with varying numbers of fused 500-base pair terminal repeats.
PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF INSULIN-ASSOCIATED HYPOGLYCEMIA IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS

Objective: To determine whether appropriate therapeutic changes in insulin doses are made to prevent and manage insulin-associated hypoglycemic events in non–critically ill hospitalized patients. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in hospitalized adults on medical or surgical floors with insulin-associated hypoglycemia, excluding treatment with insulin infusions, insulin pumps, and parenteral nutrition. The first hypoglycemic event after 48 hours of admission was the index event. Over the 1-year study period, a total of 457 insulin-associated hypoglycemic events were included as index events. Results: An indication for an insulin dose adjustment was identified in 32 and 42% of patients on day −2 and day −1, respectively, before the index hypoglycemic event, of which 35 and 55%, respectively, had an insulin dose reduction ≥10%. Following the hypoglycemic event, 44% of patients had an insulin dose reduction of ≥20%. Therapeutic reduction of the total daily insulin dose by ≥20% was associated wi...
On Breeds, Tricks, and Age: The Case of Small Business Growth and Market Choice Strategy

This study explores the strategic growth plans and outcomes of twenty-two small businesses located in an economically disadvantaged area in the U.S. Our sample of firms is provide unique insight in that these companies were not fast-growing, equity-backed new ventures. Instead, the companies we analyzed were what could be characterized as “asperational average joes” - slower growth organizations which have professed a desire and strategic intent at the highest management level to grow — and in many cases grow rapidly. While analyzing the growth choices of small businesses, it still remains to be seen what influences a certain firm to select a certain method of growth. Our research helps extend the limited body of knowledge in this area. Specifically, we investigate the role of strategic growth planning in guiding the firm towards its growth aspirations.
The Red Atlantic: American Indigenes and the Making of the Modern World, 1000–1927. By Jace Weaver. (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2014. Pp. xiv, 340. $29.95.)

This study reflects the author's frustration with, and reply to, Atlantic world histories that neglect or overlook the impact of American indigenes. Inspired by Paul Gilroy's The Black Atlantic, he...
Phospholipid regulation of the nuclear receptor superfamily.

Abstract Nuclear receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors whose diverse biological functions are classically regulated by cholesterol-based small molecules. Over the past few decades, a growing body of evidence has demonstrated that phospholipids and other similar amphipathic molecules can also specifically bind and functionally regulate the activity of certain nuclear receptors, suggesting a critical role for these non-cholesterol-based molecules in transcriptional regulation. Phosphatidylcholines, phosphoinositides and sphingolipids are a few of the many phospholipid like molecules shown to quite specifically regulate nuclear receptors in mouse models, cell lines and in vitro. More recent evidence has also shown that certain nuclear receptors can “present” a bound phospholipid headgroup to key lipid signaling enzymes, which can then modify the phospholipid headgroup with very unique kinetic properties. Here, we review the broad array of phospholipid/nuclear receptor interactions, from the perspective of the chemical nature of the phospholipid, and the cellular abundance of the phospholipid. We also view the data in the light of well established paradigms for phospholipid mediated transcriptional regulation, as well as newer models of how phospholipids might effect transcription in the acute regulation of complex nuclear signaling pathways. Thus, this review provides novel insight into the new, non-membrane associated roles nuclear phospholipids play in regulating complex nuclear events, centered on the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors.
Panoramas and Vistas: New Directions in Writing Instruction -: Introduction

In the eight years since The Clearing House published its last special issue on writing and writing instruction, the field of rhetoric and composition has grown extensively. Not only have many more...
Dense Vessels Simulating Thrombosis on Nonenhanced CT

A normal appearance of hyperdense vessels, whether arterial or venous, can occur on nonenhanced CT (NECT) for several reasons. This appearance can represent a true increase in density, or it can be artifactual. Notably, there is a correlation between the hemoconcentration of whole blood and the density on NECT. Hence, higher hemoglobin and/or higher hematocrit levels may lead to relatively hyperdense vessels diffusely on NECT, which is most commonly due to frank dehydration in patients without stroke symptoms presenting to the emergency room. Thus, higher hemoconcentrations can lead to a hyperdense appearance of the arteries and dural sinuses, whether due to a relative polycythemia, which can occur with decreased fluid intake or fluid loss or with a higher hematocrit, such as that occurring normally in newborns. Because newborns do have some risk for venous thrombosis, it is occasionally necessary to implement contrast-enhanced MR venography (CEMRV) or CT venography (CTV) to exclude venous thrombosis. Also, artifactual vascular hyperdensity can occur unilaterally or bilaterally at the skull base as a result of artifacts from beam hardening (decreased penetration in areas of dense bones or metal), patient motion, or volume averaging (such as the middle cerebral artery volume averaged with adjacent cerebrum or subarachnoid space).
Can democratic states justify restricting the rights of persons with mental illness? Presumption of competence, voting, and gun rights

ABSTRACTIn this paper, I scrutinize the practical and normative justifications for the semi-citizenship of persons with mental illness through a comparative examination of the voting and gun rights restrictions that are often applied to them in democratic states. Informed by Judith Failer’s work on civil commitment, I argue that rights restrictions should not be bundled together in unrelated groupings nor should they be justified through problematic efforts to predict and assess the risk of future violent behavior. Instead, I argue for an approach that presumes the competence of all to exercise rights while at the same time acknowledging that all rights holders – not just those who experience severe mental illness, would benefit from the availability of supported and substituted ways of holding rights when necessary. I elaborate this argument by showing how many of the current approaches to limiting the voting and gun rights of persons with mental illness are normatively suspect. I argue that redressing t...
Performance and self-consistency of the generalized dielectric dependent hybrid functional

We analyze the performance of the recently proposed screened exchange constant functional (SX) (Brawand et al. Phys. Rev. X 2016, 6, 041002) on the GW100 test set, and we discuss results obtained at different levels of self-consistency. The SX functional is a generalization of dielectric dependent hybrid functionals to finite systems; it is nonempirical and depends on the average screening of the exchange interaction. We compare results for ionization potentials obtained with SX to those of CCSD(T) calculations and experiments, and we find excellent agreement, on par with recent state of the art methods based on many body perturbation theory. Applying SX perturbatively to correct PBE eigenvalues yields improved results in most cases, except for ionic molecules, for which wave function self-consistency is instead crucial. Calculations where wave functions and the screened exchange constant (αSX) are determined self-consistently, and those where αSX is fixed to the value determined within PBE, yield results...
Epigenetics in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is a disease with a poor prognosis and little progress has been made to improve treatment. It is now recognized that there are several histotypes of ovarian cancer, each with distinct epidemiologic and genomic characteristics. Cancer therapy is moving beyond classical chemotherapy to include epigenetic approaches. Epigenetics is the dynamic regulation of gene expression by DNA methylation and histone post translational modification in response to environmental cues. Improvement in technology to study DNA methylation has enabled a more agnostic approach and, with larger samples sets, has begun to unravel how epigenetics contributes to the etiology, response to chemotherapy and prognosis in of ovarian cancer. Investigations into histone modifications in ovarian cancer are more nascent. Much more is needed to be done to fully realize the potential that epigenetics holds for ovarian cancer clinical care.
Norovirus Infection in Older Adults Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Opportunities for Prevention and Control

Norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis. In older adults, it is responsible for an estimated 3.7 million illnesses; 320,000 outpatient visits; 69,000 emergency department visits; 39,000 hospitalizations; and 960 deaths annually in the United States. Older adults are particularly at risk for severe outcomes, including prolonged symptoms and death. Long-term care facilities and hospitals are the most common settings for norovirus outbreaks in developed countries. Diagnostic platforms are expanding. Several norovirus vaccines in clinical trials have the potential to reap benefits. This review summarizes current knowledge on norovirus infection in older adults.
Length Scale and Aging Effect on the Mechanical Properties of a 63Sn-37Pb Solder Alloy

In this work, uniaxial tensile testing of a 63Sn-37Pb alloy with different specimen sizes and aging conditions had been carried out. Although the stress-strain responses of different specimen sizes and aging conditions differs, the ultimate strength of the specimens with 16 hours, 100 C aging are similar for the sizes tested. The specimens with 25 days, 100 C aging have different stress-strain response with different sizes, and have a lower ultimate strength and higher failure strain compared to 16 hours, 100 C aging specimens.
Leukostasis: Management to Prevent Crisis in Acute Leukemia .

Background Hyperleukocytosis, a peripheral white blood cell count greater than 100,000/mm3,is most commonly seen in patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. Leukostasis is a reduction in blood flow related to hyperviscosity. Hyperleukocytosis, causing leukostasis, is an oncologic emergency and requires an exacting assessment and rapid response with appropriate intervention to prevent morbidity and mortality in the first week after diagnosis. Objectives The objectives of this article are to equip oncology nurse to identify patients with hyperleukocytosis and to provide nursing interventions that will ensure safe, quality care. Methods A case study is used to demonstrate key concepts that are critical in early assessment, identification, and treatment of patients with leukostasis. . Findings Oncology nurses well versed in the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management of leukostasis can make a significant contribution to the safe management of patients with cancer.
Overexpression of a conserved HSP40 chaperone reduces toxicity of several neurodegenerative disease proteins

TDP-43 and FUS are DNA/RNA binding proteins associated with neuronal inclusions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. Other neurodegenerative diseases are also characterized by neuronal protein aggregates, e.g. Huntington's disease, associated with polyglutamine (polyQ) expansions in the protein huntingtin. Here we discuss our recent paper establishing similarities between aggregates of TDP-43 that have short glutamine and asparagine (Q/N)-rich modules and are soluble in detergents, with those of polyQ and PIN4C that have large Q/N-rich domains and are detergent-insoluble. We also present new, similar data for FUS. Together, we show that like overexpression of polyQ or PIN4C, overexpression of FUS or TDP-43 causes inhibition of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) and toxicity, both of which are mitigated by overexpression of the Hsp40 chaperone Sis1. Also, in all cases toxicity is enhanced by the [PIN+] prion. In addition, we show that the Sis1 mammalian homolog DNAJBI reduces toxicity arising from overexpressed FUS and TDP-43 respectively in human embryonic kidney cells and primary rodent neurons. The common properties of these proteins suggest that heterologous aggregates may enhance the toxicity of a variety of disease-related aggregating proteins, and further that chaperones and the UPS may be key therapeutic targets for diseases characterized by protein inclusions.
The Carbon Connection (2007)

H aving seen pictures of the devastation did not prepare me for the reality of New Orleans. Mile after mile of wrecked houses, demolished cars, piles of debris, twisted and downed trees, and dried mud everywhere. We stopped every so often to look into abandoned houses in the ninth ward and along the shore of Lake Pontchartrain to see things close up: mud lines on the walls, overturned furniture, moldy clothes still hanging in closets, broken toys, a lens from a pair of glasses … once cherished and useful objects rendered into junk. Each house with a red circle painted on the front to indicate results of the search for bodies. Some houses showed the signs of desperation: holes punched through ceilings as people tried to escape rising water. The smell of musty decay was everywhere, overlaid with an oily stench. Despair hung like Spanish moss in the dank, hot July air.
Thiol-Epoxy "Click" Chemistry to Engineer Cytocompatible PEG-Based Hydrogel for siRNA-Mediated Osteogenesis of hMSCs.

Thiol-epoxy “click” chemistry is employed for the first time to engineer a new cytocompatible PEG-based hydrogel system in aqueous media with the ability to encapsulate human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and control their fate for tissue regeneration. Cells were easily encapsulated into the hydrogels and exhibited high cell viability over 4 weeks of culture regardless of the presence of siRNA, complexed with polyethylenimine (PEI) in the form of siRNA/PEI nanocomplexes, indicating the biocompatibility of the developed hydrogel. Loading pro-osteogenic siNoggin in the hydrogel significantly enhanced the osteogenesis of encapsulated hMSCs, demonstrating the potential application of this system in tissue engineering.
RESPIRATORY DYSFUNCTION IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE

The parkinsonian syndromes include idiopathic Parkinson's disease, parkinsonian syndromes secondary to several known causative agents, and parkinsonian syndromes associated with more widespread CNS lesions and extensive neurologic deficits. They constitute movement disorders with a similar constellation of symptoms: rigidity, tremor, bradykinesia, gait impairment, and postural instability. All of the parkinsonian syndromes are associated with excess morbidity and mortality from respiratory causes, and all can produce the pattern of pulmonary function impairment consistent with neuromuscular disease. In addition, the parkinsonian syndromes can produce upper airway obstruction and abnormalities of ventilatory control, both of which can be life-threatening in those with MSA. The medications used to treat these disorders can also produce respiratory disease. A syndrome of L-dopa-induced respiratory dysfunction has been described, which may be a heterogeneic disorder of choreiform movements of the respiratory muscles, rigidity-akinesis of the respiratory muscles, or abnormal central control of ventilation, all related to the drug. In addition, the ergot-derived dopamine agonists can cause pleural and pulmonary fibrosis.