cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trophic effects of androgen: receptor expression and the survival of laryngeal motor neurons after axotomy.

To determine whether changes in androgen receptor (AR) expression are associated with trophic actions of androgens, we have examined the laryngeal motor nucleus (N. IX‐X) of Xenopus laevis 1 and 5 months after section of the laryngeal nerve. In situ hybridization was used to recognize cells expressing mRNA for the Xenopus AR and bromodeoxyuridine to assess cell proliferation. In addition, the total number of cells was determined in untreated and dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-treated animals after 5 months of axotomy. After 1 month of axotomy, the number of AR mRNA-expressing cells in N. IX‐X is 1.8-fold higher than in the intact side. Androgen upregulates expression of AR mRNA in N. IX‐X on both the intact and the axotomized sides, suggesting that the increase is independent of contact with muscle. Neither the axotomy- nor the androgen-induced increase in number of cells expressing AR mRNA is attributable to cell proliferation. Five months after axotomy, both the total number of cells and the number of AR mRNA-expressing cells are severely decreased in the axotomized N. IX‐X. DHT treatment mitigates the cell loss in N. IX‐X induced by prolonged axotomy; the effect includes maintenance of AR mRNA-expressing cells. Gonadally intact males have more cells in the axotomized N. IX‐X than castrated animals, suggesting that androgen acts at physiological levels as a trophic hormone. Axotomy-induced upregulation of AR expression may facilitate the trophic actions of androgens.
Coworker Informal Work Accommodations to Family: Scale Development and Validation

Drawing on research regarding the utility of coworker support in mitigating work/ family conflict, the authors developed a scale to measure Coworker-enacted Informal Work Accommodations to Family (C-IWAF). C-IWAF differs from coworker support in that it describes actual behaviors coworkers engage in to help one another deal with incompatible work and family demands. Results based on a sample of 390 working caregivers provide support for the independence of C-IWAF from other forms of coworker support. Analyses of the factor structure obtained for this instrument indicate that C-IWAF is composed of six unique factors: child care assistance, facilitating telework, continuing work modification, short-term work modification, helping behavior, and deviating behavior. Implications of these results for research and practice are discussed.
Computer keyswitch force–displacement characteristics affect muscle activity patterns during index finger tapping

Abstract This study examined the effect of computer keyboard keyswitch design on muscle activity patterns during finger tapping. In a repeated-measures laboratory experiment, six participants tapped with their index fingers on five isolated keyswitch designs with varying force–displacement characteristics that provided pairwise comparisons for the design factors of (1) activation force (0.31N vs. 0.59N; 0.55N vs. 0.93N), (2) key travel (2.5mm vs. 3.5mm), and (3) shape of the force–displacement curve as realized through buckling-spring vs. rubber-dome switch designs. A load cell underneath the keyswitch measured vertical fingertip forces, and intramuscular fine wire EMG electrodes measured muscle activity patterns of two intrinsic (first lumbricalis, first dorsal interossei) and three extrinsic (flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus, and extensor digitorum communis) index finger muscles. The amplitude of muscle activity for the first dorsal interossei increased 25.9% with larger activation forces, but not for the extrinsic muscles. The amplitude of muscle activity for the first lumbricalis and the duration of muscle activities for the first dorsal interossei and both extrinsic flexor muscles decreased up to 40.4% with longer key travel. The amplitude of muscle activity in the first dorsal interossei increased 36.6% and the duration of muscle activity for all muscles, except flexor digitorum profundus, decreased up to 49.1% with the buckling-spring design relative to the rubber-dome design. These findings suggest that simply changing the force–displacement characteristics of a keyswitch changes the dynamic loading of the muscles, especially in the intrinsic muscles, during keyboard work.
Validating MOVES PM2.5 Emission Factor Empirically by Considering Accumulative Emissions Effect

Estimating the short-term PM2.5 emission factor is a critical subject in analyzing the PM2.5 emission impact of traffic activities and population exposure level to the vehicle emission in the ambience of roadways that bear heavy-duty traffic. In applications of the Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) model, finding out an effective way to validate the MOVES model with respect to short-term emission estimation remains a challenge to practitioners. In order to address this issue, the PM2.5 emission factor in 1-minute intervals is estimated by the MOVES model based on the observed traffic data. On the other hand, the realistic emission factor (or termed as the ground-truth factor) is determined from the monitored minute-by-minute PM2.5 concentration data and its concurrent meteorological data. The validation procedure is undertaken by comparing the estimated emission factor with the ground-truth factor data. The testing result indicates a major inconsistency in the existence of the two datasets. The ground-truth emission factor is found to be about 30 to 50 times larger than the MOVES result. The inconsistency is possibly caused due to neglect of the accumulative effect of the traffic emissions over time. To overcome such an underestimation issue in application of the MOVES model, a modeling methodology is developed in the presented study to take into account the accumulative emission effect. The result from the case study shows a significant increase in the accuracy of estimating the short-term PM2.5 emission factor. The presented modeling methodology lays out a great foundation to develop a computing tool to improve the MOVES estimations.
The Formulation of Nonburning Elastomer Compounds

Abstract In this investigation the flammability of 34 polymers was evaluated in 68 compounds; 28 flame retardants were tested in 275 compounds. Only two of 34 polymers evaluated as black-filled compositions were nonburning in the initial screening, five were self-extinguishing, and the rest were completely combustible. Twenty-three of the 32 combustible and self-extinguishing polymers were reformulated into nonburning polymers by the addition of two flame retardants—antimony oxide and either Chlorowax 70 or Dechlorane 515 (Table XIII). Frequently a plasticizer was required. If Chlorowax is compatible with the polymer, it often acts as a plasticizer. Fyrol FR—2 was the only other plasticizer found to be compatible with most polymers and permitting them to retain their nonburning classification.
'Fiat Panis' – Let There Be Bread (But Who Will Pay for it?) – United States and United Kingdom Laws, Policies and Conduct of Humanitarian and Civic Assistance (HCA) Missions Since the 1990s

The cataclysmic events of past decades have included numerous man-made and natural disasters, regional wars, and other humanitarian crises precipitating single and multi-state foreign interventions and “military operations other than war.” For this reason, legal scholars, practitioners, and those generally in the humanitarian assistance field, should have a firm understanding of humanitarian assistance as an evolving concept. This is a brief primer on the legal aspects of military-based, international humanitarian and civic assistance (HCA), with an emphasis on U.K. and U.S.authorities and limitations.HCA, as a concept, must be understood within domestic and foreign policy, as well as military and non-governmental organizational contexts. These missions, aiding peoples and nations, are planned and unplanned consequences of other missions, policies, and initiatives. Numerous military missions from the past show how unplanned HCA missions arise through “mission evolution and “mission creep.”Current U.K (Parliamentary and Cabinet) and U.S. (Executive and Congressional) concerns for future military operations impact on HCA-related policies and laws. Military (and other governmental and nongovernmental organizational) doctrine and plans need to create consistent, clear, and coordinated guidelines reflecting HCA missions competing with other politico-military objectives, done with less money, and fewer assets than in the past. Based on those changing policies and realities, this article will close with six conclusions about when and how HCA missions should be conducted.
Sleep pressure score: a new index of sleep disruption in snoring children.

Study Objectives: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), as measured by objective criteria, is infrequent in snoring children despite a high prevalence of EDS-related behavioral manifestations. We hypothesized that sleep architecture and arousal indexes may be altered relative to the severity of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Design: Retrospective and prospective study. Setting: Questionnaires were distributed through sleep clinic or school program; polysomnograms were performed at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. Participants: To examine this issue, 182 children with SDB, 163 children with primary snoring, and 214 control children with a mean age of 6.9 ± 2.6 years underwent polysomnographic evaluation in the laboratory. Measurements and Results: Significant increases in slow-wave sleep (percentage of total sleep time) and decreases in rapid eye movement sleep (percentage of total sleep time) occurred in the SDB group (P < .0001). Spontaneous and respiratory arousal indexes and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) displayed negative and positive correlations, respectively, suggesting reciprocal interactions. Based on these observations, a sleep pressure score (SPS) was derived as a surrogate numeric measure for disrupted sleep homeostasis. The SPS exhibited linear increases relative to AHI, reaching a plateau at an AHI of 30 to 40 per hour of total sleep time. Furthermore, SPS values were significantly higher among African American and obese children (P <.0001). Conclusions: Sleep architecture is not preserved in children with SDB. An algorithm allowing for calculation of sleep propensity and disturbed sleep homeostasis in children who snore is proposed and may be of practical value in the assessment of sleepiness. SPS, Sleep pressure score Citation: Tauman R; O'Brien LM; Holbrook CR; Gozal D. Sleep pressure score: a new index of sleep disruption in snoring children.
Blessing, with menace?

![Figure][1] There are few topics as controversial as nuclear power and nuclear weapons. High-profile tragedies, opaque risks, and the enigmatic science at nuclear's core have produced entrenched opinions and heated disputes among scientists and laypeople alike. Craig Nelson is keenly aware
Motor Development and Movement Skill Learning

The focus of this presentation is on presenting a theoretical model of motor development that is both descriptive and explanatory. The descriptive portion centers on an hourglass heuristic depicting the typical phases and stages that normally developing individuals pass through on their journey from birth through old age. The explanatory portion utilizes an inverted triangle to depict a transactional process that occurs among the requirements of the movement task, the biology of the individual, and the conditions of the learning environment.This information is then be combined with what we know about the process of movement skill learning; namely that the learning of a new movement skill occurs in levels and stages, and can be viewed from both the cognitive state of the learner as well as the goals of the learner.Finally, we examine the role of the instructor in light of the observed level of motor development and movement skill learning on the part of the learner. The thesis here is that by taking both into account, we as teachers of movement skill can make adaptations in our behavior in terms of the teaching styles used to affect positive change in one's observed level of movement skill.
Rapid Syntheses of Dehydrodiferulates via Biomimetic Radical Coupling Reactions of Ethyl Ferulate

Dehydrodimerization of ferulates in grass cell walls provides a pathway toward cross-linking polysaccharide chains limiting the digestibility of carbohydrates by ruminant bacteria and in general affecting the utilization of grass as a renewable bioresource. Analysis of dehydrodiferulates (henceforth termed diferulates) in plant cell walls is useful in the evaluation of the quality of dairy forages as animal feeds. Therefore, there has been considerable demand for quantities of diferulates as standards for such analyses. Described here are syntheses of diferulates from ethyl ferulate via biomimetic radical coupling reactions using the copper(II)–tetramethylethylenediamine [CuCl(OH)–TMEDA] complex as oxidant or catalyst. Although CuCl(OH)–TMEDA oxidation of ethyl ferulate in acetonitrile produced mixtures composed of 8–O–4-, 8–5-, 8–8- (cyclic and noncyclic), and 5–5-coupled diferulates, a catalyzed oxidation using CuCl(OH)–TMEDA as catalyst and oxygen as an oxidant resulted in better overall yields of such...
FAST INTERPLANETARY PROPULSION USING A SPHERICAL TORUS NUCLEAR FUSION REACTOR PROPULSION SYSTEM

LWlkg respect&ely2"s4., Although contestable, it is the A conceptual. vehicle de&n enabling fast outer solar system travel was produced predicated on a. small aspect ratio sphekical torus nuclear fusion reactor. .Analysis revealed that the vehicle could deliver a 108 mt crew habitat payload to Saturn rendezvous 'in 214 days, with an initial mass in low Earth orbit of 2,640 mt. Engineering conceptual design, analysis, and assessment was performed on all major systems including payload, central truss, nuclear fusion reactor, power, magnetic nozzle, fast wave plasma' heating, tankage, startup/re-start fission reactor and battery, refrigeration, communicationS, reaction control, mission design, and space operations. Detailed fusion reactor design analysis included plasma characteristics, power balance/utilization, first wall, toroidal field coils, and heat transfer. judgment of the a&hors and m&y in the field that only a single space propulsion t&hnology exists at this time. that can reasonably be expected to offer this capability: nuclear fusion, &her magnetic or inertial cotimement. Based in part on the results of previous s&lies2,5 of the ,attributes and shortcomings of various classes of reactor 'towards space propulsion, a closed magnetic syskm was chosen for this design concept. The high power density achievable in closed systems, improved confinement, spin polarization of the fuel, density and temperature profile peaking provided a distinct advantage @ their application towards space propulsion. The small aspect ratio spherical torus was chosen to serve as the basis for the vehicle concept.
Pseudodistributed Feed Configurations for Catalytic Plate Microchannel Reactors

Catalytic plate microchannel reactors (CPRs) are one of the most successful implementations of the process intensification philosophy, and have been recognized as an important contributor in the path toward monetizing distributed natural gas resources through localized, small-scale processing. While their reduced geometric dimensions lead to well-documented energy efficiency gains and lower capital costs, they also give rise to specific control and operation challenges, particularly in terms of preventing temperature excursions and the formation of hotspots that can compromise the integrity of the reactor. In conventional reactors, such issues are typically addressed through external cooling and by judiciously distributing the feed streams along the reactor to modulate the release of reaction heat. Owing to the difficulty of implementing distributed sensors and actuators at a small scale, this solution is not readily applicable to the design and operation of microchannel reactors. As a consequence, in thi...
Sales Force Performance Satisfaction and Aspects of Relational Selling: Implications for Sales Managers

Increasingly, sales managers are faced with the challenge of implementing a relational selling effort among their sales force. Unfortunately, many of the individuals comprising a given sales force ...
The human vasculitis syndromes.

The vasculitides consist of a spectrum of clinical syndromes having in common necrotizing inflammation of the vascular system. Typical classification systems are based on both size of vessel involved and clinical gestalt. The author favors a pragmatic classification. Symptoms are manifestations of systemic inflammation and of organ ischemia secondary to inflammatory vascular occlusion. Multicenter studies suggest that the most common vasculitides do not satisfy criteria for one of the specific nosological entities and would be classified as "other" vasculitides. For those syndromes fitting a classical description (e.g., Wegener's, polyarteritis nodosa, Henoch-Schoenlein purpura), therapy is straight-forward. For those defying classification, therapy must be empirically directed at the manifestations causing symptoms.
Cross-validation: What is it and how is it used in regression?

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to explain cross-validation and describe its use in regression. Because replicability analyses are not typically employed in studies, this is a topic with which many researchers may not be familiar. As a result, researchers may not understand how to conduct cross-validation in order to evaluate the replicability of their data. This article not only explains the purpose of cross-validation, but also uses the widely available Holzinger and Swineford (1939) dataset as a heuristic example to concretely demonstrate its use. By incorporating multiple tables and examples of SPSS syntax and output, the reader is provided with additional visual examples in order to further clarify the steps involved in conducting cross-validation. A brief discussion of the limitations of cross-validation is also included. After reading this article, the reader should have a clear understanding of cross-validation, including when it is appropriate to use, and how it can be used to evaluate rep...
Verification of the skill of numerical weather prediction models in forecasting rainfall from U.S. landfalling tropical cyclones

Abstract The goal of this study is the evaluation of the skill of five state-of-the-art numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems [European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), UK Met Office (UKMO), National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), China Meteorological Administration (CMA), and Canadian Meteorological Center (CMC)] in forecasting rainfall from North Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs). Analyses focus on 15 North Atlantic TCs that made landfall along the U.S. coast over the 2007–2012 period. As reference data we use gridded rainfall provided by the Climate Prediction Center (CPC). We consider forecast lead-times up to five days. To benchmark the skill of these models, we consider rainfall estimates from one radar-based (Stage IV) and four satellite-based [Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission - Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA, both real-time and research version); Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN); the CPC MORPHing Technique (CMORPH)] rainfall products. Daily and storm total rainfall fields from each of these remote sensing products are compared to the reference data to obtain information about the range of errors we can expect from “observational data.” The skill of the NWP models is quantified: (1) by visual examination of the distribution of the errors in storm total rainfall for the different lead-times, and numerical examination of the first three moments of the error distribution; (2) relative to climatology at the daily scale. Considering these skill metrics, we conclude that the NWP models can provide skillful forecasts of TC rainfall with lead-times up to 48 h, without a consistently best or worst NWP model.
Energetic Heterocyclic N-Oxides

Heterocyclic N-oxides have been shown to be useful in energetic materials applications such as propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics. This chapter provides a survey of a variety of different heterocyclic N-oxides that have been studied for their energetic materials properties. Where possible, information such as heat of formation, density, detonation pressure (P CJ), and detonation velocity (V D ) are provided.
Internet and In-Person Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Military Personnel: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Study objectives Compare in-person and unguided Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) with a minimal contact control condition in military personnel. Methods A three-arm parallel randomized clinical trial of 100 active duty US Army personnel at Fort Hood, Texas. Internet and in-person CBTi were comparable, except for the delivery format. The control condition consisted of phone call assessments. Results Internet and in-person CBTi performed significantly better than the control condition on diary-assessed sleep efficiency (d = 0.89 and 0.53, respectively), sleep onset latency (d = -0.68 and -0.53), number of awakenings (d = -0.42 and -0.54), wake time after sleep onset (d = -0.88 and -0.50), the Insomnia Severity Index (d = -0.98 and -0.51), and the Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes About Sleep Scale (d = -1.12 and -0.54). In-person treatment was better than Internet treatment on self-reported sleep quality (d = 0.80) and dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep (d = -0.58). There were no differences on self-reported daytime sleepiness or actigraphy-assessed sleep parameters (except total sleep time; d = -0.55 to -0.60). There were technical difficulties with the Internet treatment which prevented tailored sleep restriction upward titration for some participants. Conclusions Despite the unique, sleep-disrupting occupational demands of military personnel, in-person and Internet CBTi are efficacious treatments for this population. The effect sizes for in-person were consistently better than Internet and both were similar to those found in civilians. Dissemination of CBTi should be considered for maximum individual and population benefits, possibly in a stepped-care model.
The Elusive Search for Optimal Blood Pressure Targets.

BP treatment thresholds/targets determine when to initiate treatment and to what level BP should be reduced. The Seventh Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC-7) recommended a target of 160 mmHg should, with rare exceptions, be treated. The historical threshold/target of 140/90 mmHg remains reasonable in most patients in identifying “treatable” risk, i.e., risk high enough to justify treatment and for which available treatment is effective enough to result in significant endpoint reduction. Above 140/90 mmHg, most low-to-moderate risk people should be treated and this target is also appropriate for the majority of high-risk individuals with diabetes, CKD, and/or CAD. The advisability of initiating or intensifying treatment with BPs in the 130s remains equivocal. The next steps in the search for more precise BP targets should include (1) standardization of BP measurement techniques and (2) well-designed RCTs evaluating a treatment target of SBP <130 in carefully categorized patient populations.
Sex differences in the utilization and outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis

Background Studies assessing the differential impact of sex on outcomes of aortic valve replacement (AVR) yielded conflicting results. We sought to investigate sex‐related differences in AVR utilization, patient risk profile, and in‐hospital outcomes using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Methods and Results In total, 166 809 patients (63% male and 37% female) who underwent AVR between 2003 and 2014 were identified, and 48.5% had a concomitant cardiac surgery procedure. Compared with men, women were older and had more nonatherosclerotic comorbid conditions including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obstructive pulmonary disease, atrial fibrillation/flutter, and anemia but fewer incidences of coronary and peripheral arterial disease and prior sternotomies. In‐hospital mortality was significantly higher in women (5.6% versus 4%, P P P =0.027 and 40.4% versus 33.9%, P P =0.99; 6% versus 6.3%, P =0.15; and 1.4% versus 1.3%, P =0.14, respectively). Length of stay median and interquartile range were both similar between groups (7±6 days). Rates of nonhome discharge were higher among women (27.9% versus 19.6%, P Conclusions Women have worse in‐hospital mortality following AVR compared with men. Coupled with the accumulating evidence suggesting higher magnitude of benefit of transcatheter AVR over AVR in women, women should perhaps be offered transcatheter AVR over AVR at a lower threshold than men.
Higher Order Tracking Properties of Model Reference Adaptive Control Systems

It is well known that for a linear time-invariant plant whose transfer function has relative degree $n^*$ and stable zeros, a model reference adaptive control (MRAC) system ensures that the plant output $y(t)$ asymptotically tracks the output $y_m(t)$ of a stable reference model system of the same relative degree $n^*$ : $\lim _{t \rightarrow \infty } (y(t) - y_m(t)) = 0$ . In this note, it is shown that under the same MRAC design conditions without the knowledge of the plant parameters, an MRAC system ensures that the tracking error $e(t)= y(t) - y_m(t)$ has the stronger higher order convergence property: $\lim _{t\rightarrow \infty } \frac{d^i e(t)}{d t^i} = 0$ , for $i=0,1,\ldots, n^*\text{$-$}1$ . Such a new MRAC system property leads to several new results of adaptive stabilization and tracking control using either state feedback or output feedback, as clarified in this paper.
Statistical Inference for Irregularly Observed Processes

1. Statistical Inference. Statistics is part of the methodology of science—pure and applied. It is pertinent to the various goals of science proper: explanation and understanding, prediction and control, discovery and application, justification, classification. Various writers have set down block diagrams illustrating how scientific enquiry proceeds and how statistics impinges on that process. We mention Bartlett (1967), Box (1976), Mohr (1977) and Parzen (1980). An early writerwas Kempthorne (1952) who set down (essentially) the following diagram.
Ectatic and Occlusive Diseases of the Venous Drainage System of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs) - with Emphasis on Spectacular Shrinking Neurological Deficits after Embolization.

Following presenting treatment results of 177 AVM case, the author is going to present five cases with abnormality in the Galenic venous system and two cases with abnormality in cortical veins associating with high flow cerebral AVMs. Consideration will be made on symptomatology and pathophysiologic mechanism of venous abnormalities associating with high flow cerebral AVMs.
Overview of Acid and Neutral Sphingomyelinases in Cell Signaling

Ceramide, which forms through the activation of sphingomyelinases (SMases), is as a bioactive lipid that mediates cell growth, differentiation, stress responses, and programmed cell death (apoptosis). Molecular and biochemical examinations to determine the role of these enzymes in ceramide-mediated cell signaling is possible with the recent availability of the cloned acid SMase (A-SMase) and neutral SMase (N-SMase). Here we review the recent experimental data and discuss its relevance for understanding the biochemical and molecular properties, regulation, mechanisms and roles of A-SMase and N-SMase.
Balancing Economic Utility with Civic Responsibility

The United States may be a largely monotheistic nation, but certain societal elements have nevertheless acquired god-like status. The late Neil Postman famously described this process in his provocative book, The End of Education (1995). With respect to the educational endeavor in the United States, Postman identified the largest and most powerful god as one concerned near-exclusively with economic productivity, that is, the god of economic utility. Why do we go to the trouble of providing free schools for all children? Ask any politician in the United States today and you will hear some reference to the economy. One or two of the more thoughtful politicians might add something about citizenship as an afterthought, but make no mistake about it, the common sense, and commonly-held, opinion among politicians and the general public is that schools are designed to serve society by producing youth who are equipped with the skills required by the world of work.
Cases to courses: mentored case-based training courses

This paper describes a methodology for the design of case-based, learning-by-doing training courses. The methodology was based on a course in business reengineering in which teams of trainees of varying levels of experience engaged in authentic practice in the context of a simulated business engagement.
The marine natural product Scalarin inhibits the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and autophagy in the PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cell lines.

Pancreatic cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, has a negative prognosis because metastasis occurs before symptoms manifest. Although combination therapies are showing improvements in treatment, the survival rate for pancreatic cancer five years post diagnosis is only 8%, stressing the need for new treatments. The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) has recently emerged as a chemotherapeutic target in KRAS driven pancreatic cancers both for treatment and in chemoprevention. RAGE appears to be an important regulator of inflammatory, stress and survival pathways that lead to carcinogenesis, resistance to chemotherapy, enhanced proliferation and the high metastatic potential of pancreatic cancer. RAGE expression has been demonstrated in pancreatic cancer tumors but not in adjacent epithelial tissues. Its presence is associated with increased proliferation and metastasis. In an effort to identify novel inhibitors of RAGE among our collection of marine-derived secondary metabolites, a cell-based screening assay utilizing flow cytometry was developed. This effort led to the identification of scalarin as the active compound in a marine sponge identified as Euryspongia cf. rosea. Scalarin is a sesterterpene natural product isolated previously from a different marine sponge. Scalarin reduces the levels of RAGE and inhibits autophagy in the PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cell lines. Its IC50 for cytotoxicity ranges between 20 and 30 μM in the AsPC-1, PANC-1, MIA PaCa-2 and BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cell lines. Inhibition of autophagy limits tumor growth and tumorigenesis in pancreatic cancer, making scalarin an interesting compound that may merit further study.
How do college students subjectively evaluate “blackouts”?

Abstract Blackouts (i.e., alcohol induced memory impairment) are common among college student drinkers, and they are associated with several additional harms. However, alcohol consequences are not perceived universally as negative by the students who experience them, and little is known regarding students' specific thoughts and feelings about blackouts. We conducted a series of single-gender focus groups (8 groups; 5–8 per group; n = 50, 56% female) with college student drinkers. Questions focused on: (a) their subjective evaluations of blackouts and (b) factors influencing those evaluations (i.e., what determines whether a blackout is perceived as a negative/neutral/positive experience). Verbatim transcripts were content analyzed using applied thematic analysis with NVivo software. Evaluations of blackouts were primarily negative, with some notable positive, neutral and mixed reactions. Influences on blackout evaluations included those demonstrated as influential on broader alcohol consequences in prior work (e.g., normative perceptions, social context). However, some contextual influences on evaluations that may be specific to blackouts included pre-blackout events, the objective severity (extent/length) of memory loss, what participants later learned had happened during the blackout, and whether or not they had expected to blackout. Findings provide insight into why some students are not necessarily concerned with blackout experiences.
Airborne dust fall on the California Channel Islands, U.S.A.

A thin, light-colored, silt-rich deposit covers soils of various ages on the California Channel Islands. The widespread distribution of this layer and data on its particle size distribution, particle morphology and mineralogy suggest that it is of aeolian origin. Examination of Landsat imagery indicates that the main source for aeolian dust is the western Mojave Desert when easterly Santa Ana winds prevail several times each year. Dust fall rates on San Clemente Island are in the range of about 28–31 g/m2/year and may reflect accelerated erosion of soil surfaces disturbed recently by human activity in the Mojave Desert.
Make Platform Innovation Drive Enterprise Growth

OVERVIEW:Most corporations lack a precise, operational definition of their product platforms, without which progress is difficult to achieve. With that definition, new product strategy must be recast to capture the degree to which common architectures and subsystems will be leveraged across existing and new market applications, as well as the timing of product introductions. Managers must also reconsider the financial model of the business, including investments in the development of platforms versus products, and the changes that are possible in the margins and contribution of platform-based products to profits. Perhaps most pressing are the organizational questions: How can the R&D executive best structure the organization and the processes by which groups plan and interact so as to facilitate platform development and platform-based product development? Recent efforts of IBM and other corporations to embrace platforms provide both a management and a technology paradigm.
Theorizing the Psychedelic Experience

This chapter addresses nascent discourse around psychedelics from the 1960s. It connects notions of play to earlier European and the popularity of Vedanta with thinkers like Aldous Huxley. It gives a more detailed discussion of the framing of the term “psychedelic.” As well as an account of professional psychological discourse on the uses of psychedelics during the 1960s. It shows a blend of secular humanist optimism native to the United States in the discourse.
Small-Signal Stability Analysis for Droop-Controlled Inverter-based Microgrids with Losses and Filtering

An islanded microgrid supplied by multiple distributed energy resources (DERs) often employs droop-control mechanisms for power sharing. Because microgrids do not include inertial elements, and low pass filtering of noisy measurements introduces lags in control, droop-like controllers may pose significant stability concerns. This paper aims to understand the effects of droop-control on the small-signal stability and transient response of the microgrid. Towards this goal, we present a compendium of results on the small-signal stability of droop-controlled inverter-based microgrids with heterogeneous loads, which distinguishes: (1) lossless vs. lossy networks; (2) droop mechanisms with and without filters, and (3) mesh vs. radial network topologies. Small-signal and transient characteristics are also studied using multiple simulation studies on IEEE test systems.
Epoxy and quantum dots-based nanocomposites: achievements and applications

Epoxies are thermally resilient, mechanically robust, and chemically resistant thermosetting polymers. Quantum dots are unique and exceptionally small (size in few nm) nanoparticles having exceptio...
Kronos: A 5G Scheduler for AoI Minimization Under Dynamic Channel Conditions

Age of information (AoI) is a powerful new metric to quantify the freshness of information and has gained increasing popularity in IoT applications. Existing models on AoI remain primitive and do not consider state-of-the-art transmission technologies such as 5G. They also fail to consider the impact of dynamic channel conditions. In this paper, we present Kronos, a 5G-compliant AoI scheduling algorithm that can cope with highly dynamic channel conditions. Kronos is capable of performing RB allocation and selecting MCS for each source node based on channel conditions, with the objective of minimizing long-term AoI. To meet the stringent real-time requirement for 5G, we propose a GPU-based implementation of Kronos on low-cost offthe-shelf GPUs. Through simulations and experiments, we show that Kronos can find near-optimal AoI scheduling solutions in sub-millisecond time scale. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first 5G-compliant real-time AoI scheduler that can cope with dynamic channel conditions.
Beyond reception: understanding Theodor Haecker’s Kierkegaardian authorship in the Third Reich

ABSTRACTTheodor Haecker’s translation and reception of Kierkegaard exerted a strong influence on interwar German readings of Kierkegaard. Recent scholarship has drawn renewed attention to Haecker’s...
Coordinate Rotation–Amplification in the Uncertainty and Bias in Non-orthogonal Sonic Anemometer Vertical Wind Speeds

Recent research indicates that non-orthogonal sonic anemometers underestimate vertical wind velocity and consequently eddy-covariance fluxes of mass and energy. Whether this is a general problem among all non-orthogonal sonic anemometers, including those calibrated for flow-shadowing effects, is unknown. To investigate this, we test two sonic anemometer designs, orthogonal (3Vx-probe, Applied Technologies, Inc.) and non-orthogonal (R3-50, Gill Instruments, Ltd.), in a series of field manipulation experiments featuring replicate instruments mounted in various orientations, and use a Bayesian analysis to determine the most likely posterior correction to produce equivalent measurements. The 3Vx-probe experiment was conducted on a 24-m scaffold at the Glacier Lakes Ecosystem Experiments Site (GLEES), Wyoming, USA AmeriFlux site while R3-50 anemometer experiments were conducted at the GLEES field site and on a 2.9-m scaffold at the Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado, USA. Without applying a shadowing correction to the 3Vx-probe, the posterior correction significantly increases the standard deviation of the horizontal velocity component by 5–15% (95% Bayesian credible interval) but without a significant change in the horizontal temperature flux; with the shadowing correction applied neither of these have significant changes. Similarly, for the R3-50 GLEES experiment, the standard deviation of the vertical velocity and vertical temperature flux significantly increase by 13–18% and 6–10% (95% credible intervals); results from the Pawnee experiment are contradictory and inconclusive. The reason for the underestimated vertical velocity is undetermined, though a mathematical by-product of the non-orthogonal geometry is that small systematic measurement biases can become large uncertainties in the vertical velocity. This could affect all non-orthogonal designs.
OUTCOME OF SURGICAL TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH BORDERLINE ACETABULAR DYSPLASIA: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HIP ARTHROSCOPY AND PERIACETABULAR OSTEOTOMY:

Background:Optimal treatments of patients with borderline hip dysplasia, defined as LCEA 20°-25°, is controversial. These patients can have symptomatic impingement and/or instability. The optimal t...
Direct Write of 3D Nanoscale Mesh Objects with Platinum Precursor via Focused Helium Ion Beam Induced Deposition

The next generation optical, electronic, biological, and sensing devices as well as platforms will inevitably extend their architecture into the 3rd dimension to enhance functionality. In focused ion beam induced deposition (FIBID), a helium gas field ion source can be used with an organometallic precursor gas to fabricate nanoscale structures in 3D with high-precision and smaller critical dimensions than focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID), traditional liquid metal source FIBID, or other additive manufacturing technology. In this work, we report the effect of beam current, dwell time, and pixel pitch on the resultant segment and angle growth for nanoscale 3D mesh objects. We note subtle beam heating effects, which impact the segment angle and the feature size. Additionally, we investigate the competition of material deposition and sputtering during the 3D FIBID process, with helium ion microscopy experiments and Monte Carlo simulations. Our results show complex 3D mesh structures measuring ~300 nm in the largest dimension, with individual features as small as 16 nm at full width half maximum (FWHM). These assemblies can be completed in minutes, with the underlying fabrication technology compatible with existing lithographic techniques, suggesting a higher-throughput pathway to integrating FIBID with established nanofabrication techniques.
Computer-generated pulse sequences for 1H-15N and 1Hα-13Cα separated local-field experiments.

Abstract High-resolution separated local field (SLF) experiments are employed in oriented-sample solid state NMR to measure angular-dependent heteronuclear dipolar couplings for structure determination. While traditionally these experiments have been designed analytically by determining cycles of pulses with specific phases and durations to achieve cancellation of the homonuclear dipolar terms in the average Hamiltonian, recent work has introduced a computational approach to optimizing linewidths of the 1H-15N dipolar resonances. Accelerated by GPU processors, a computer algorithm searches for the optimal parameters by simulating numerous 1H-15N NMR spectra. This approach, termed ROULETTE, showed promising results by developing a new pulse sequence (ROULETTE-1.0) exhibiting 18% sharper mean linewidths than SAMPI4 for an N-acetyl Leucine (NAL) crystal. Herein, we expand on this previous work to improve the performance of the 1H-15N SLF experiment and extend the work beyond the original approach to new SLF experiments. The new algorithm, in addition to finding pulse durations and phases, now searches for the optimal on/off application scheme of radio frequency irradiation on each channel. This constitutes true de novo optimization, effectively optimizing every aspect of a pulse sequence instead of just phases and durations. With an improved ROULETTE algorithm, we have found a new 1H-15N pulse sequence, termed ROULETTE-2.0, yielding 32% sharper mean linewidths than SAMPI4 for NAL crystal at 500 MHz 1H frequency. Whereas both SAMPI4 and ROULETTE-1.0 have a window where the rf power on the I-channel is turned off, the new pulse sequence is entirely windowless. Furthermore, the reliability of the algorithm has been greatly improved in terms of avoiding false positives, i.e. well-performing pulse sequences in silica that fail to render narrow resonances in experiment. The program has been extended to the 13Cα-1Hα SLF experiments, using a 6 subdwell architecture similar to the 1H-15N optimization. Compared to the PISEMA pulse sequence, the mean 13Cα-1Hα linewidth is 17% sharper for the new pulse sequence, termed ROULETTE-CAHA. In addition to superior performance, the work demonstrates the broad applicability of the algorithm and its adaptability to different NMR experiments and spin systems.
Spectral Phenotyping of Physiological and Anatomical Leaf Traits Related with Maize Water Status

Advancements in phenotyping techniques capable of rapidly and nondestructively detecting impacts of drought on crops are necessary to meet the 21st-century challenge of food security. Here, we describe the use of hyperspectral reflectance to predict variation in physiological and anatomical leaf traits related with water status under varying water availability in six maize (Zea mays) hybrids that differ in yield stability under drought. We also assessed relationships among traits and collections of traits with yield stability. Measurements were collected in both greenhouse and field environments, with plants exposed to different levels of water stress or to natural water availability, respectively. Leaf spectral measurements were paired with a number of physiological and anatomical reference measurements, and predictive spectral models were constructed using a partial least-squares regression approach. All traits were relatively well predicted by spectroscopic models, with external validation (i.e. by applying partial least-squares regression coefficients on a dataset distinct from the one used for calibration) goodness-of-fit (R2) ranging from 0.37 to 0.89 and normalized error ranging from 12% to 21%. Correlations between reference and predicted data were statistically similar for both greenhouse and field data. Our findings highlight the capability of vegetation spectroscopy to rapidly and nondestructively identify a number of foliar functional traits affected by drought that can be used as indicators of plant water status. Although we did not detect trait coordination with yield stability in the hybrids used in this study, expanding the range of functional traits estimated by hyperspectral data can help improve trait-based breeding approaches.
Design and Development of a SCADA Course for Engineering Undergraduates

In this paper, a design and development of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) course for senior level electrical engineering technology (EET) undergraduates have been presented. In this design, a detailed description of the course contents, laboratory experiments, project works, industry visits, and a typical assessment scheme has been presented. As of now, this ET 342 (SCADA) course has been taught successfully to EET students for 4 years every fall semester since 2016 at the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Green Bay, USA. So far, the course has been very successful in providing the students with an in-depth understanding of a SCADA system and necessary foundational concepts as well as an exposure to practical SCADA systems through several collaborated industry tours. Experiences learnt from teaching this course have also been presented in this paper. A detailed design of the ET 342 (SCADA) course has been presented in this paper such that the course could also be taught successfully to undergraduates at another academic institution in a similar engineering and/or engineering technology programs.
The Effectiveness of Microenterprise Policies in Chile: The Case of Entrepreneurship Center – ChileCompra

Microenterprise support programs (MESP) have gained popularity as a modern development policy starting in the 1980s, with an increasing number of countries adopting this strategy to enhance economic growth. However, few studies examine the effectiveness of these programs. This paper will evaluate one of these programs, Centros de Emprendimiento ChileCompra in Chile. This initiative consists of centers that provide training to entrepreneurs in business plan development, financing, and taxation to enable greater participation amongst microenterprises in the public procurement market. Using eight years of panel data on program contracts, we assess the impact of ChileCompra’s microenterprise participation component with regards to the share of the total business and the share of revenues. Initial results indicate that the program resulted in an increased share of contracts going to microenterprises at the national level, but that at the local level that results were uneven. In many cases, contrary to the policy’s goals, the share of microenterprises receiving contracts through ChileCompra declined substantially.
Interposition Technique for Pulmonary Valve Replacement

Background:Stented bioprosthesis implant at surgical pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) ideally should be 25 to 27 mm to facilitate future percutaneous PVR. This often requires accommodating 35 to 3...