cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lyα Heating of Inhomogeneous High-redshift Intergalactic Medium

The intergalactic medium (IGM) prior to the epoch of reionization consists mostly of neutral hydrogen gas. Lyman-α (Lyα) photons produced by early stars resonantly scatter off hydrogen atoms, causing energy exchange between the radiation field and the gas. This interaction results in moderate heating of the gas due to the recoil of the atoms upon scattering, which is of great interest for future studies of the pre-reionization IGM in the H I 21 cm line. We investigate the effect of this Lyα heating in the IGM with linear density, temperature, and velocity perturbations. Perturbations smaller than the diffusion length of photons could be damped due to heat conduction by Lyα photons. The scale at which damping occurs and the strength of this effect depend on various properties of the gas, the flux of Lyα photons, and the way in which photon frequencies are redistributed upon scattering. To find the relevant length scale and the extent to which Lyα heating affects perturbations, we calculate the gas heating rates by numerically solving linearized Boltzmann equations in which scattering is treated by the Fokker-Planck approximation. We find that (1) perturbations add a small correction to the gas heating rate, and (2) the damping of temperature perturbations occurs at scales with comoving wavenumber k ≳ 10^4 Mpc^(–1), which are much smaller than the Jeans scale and thus unlikely to substantially affect the observed 21 cm signal.
QuickStart: An Upfront Client-Based Design Advisor for Parallel Data Warehouses

QuickStart is a tool to automate the physical design of data warehouses for HP's Neoview system. It has been researched and prototyped at HP Labs with close interaction from Neoview design experts. It embodies heuristics and best practices of the experts to search for candidate physical features and uses cost calculations to recommend the features that result in good designs. It has some unique characteristics that differentiate it from other physical design advisors. In particular, it is the only advisor that is client-based, does not require a DBMS server installation and can work off a laptop by simply connecting to the customers' flat files. Another unique characteristic of QuickStart is that it provides the rationale for its recommendations.
OntoMate: a text-mining tool aiding curation at the Rat Genome Database.

The Rat Genome Database (RGD) is the premier repository of rat genomic, genetic and physiologic data. Converting data from free text in the scientific literature to a structured format is one of the main tasks of all model organism databases. RGD spends considerable effort manually curating gene, Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) and strain information. The rapidly growing volume of biomedical literature and the active research in the biological natural language processing (bioNLP) community have given RGD the impetus to adopt text-mining tools to improve curation efficiency. Recently, RGD has initiated a project to use OntoMate, an ontology-driven, concept-based literature search engine developed at RGD, as a replacement for the PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pubmed) search engine in the gene curation workflow. OntoMate tags abstracts with gene names, gene mutations, organism name and most of the 16 ontologies/vocabularies used at RGD. All terms/entities tagged to an abstract are listed with the abstract in the search results. All listed terms are linked both to data entry boxes and a term browser in the curation tool. OntoMate also provides user-activated filters for species, date and other parameters relevant to the literature search. Using the system for literature search and import has streamlined the process compared to using PubMed. The system was built with a scalable and open architecture, including features specifically designed to accelerate the RGD gene curation process. With the use of bioNLP tools, RGD has added more automation to its curation workflow. Database URL: http://rgd.mcw.edu
When 1st And 3rd Converge: A Border Region Framework

The U.S.-Mexico border region is unique in its social, legal, economic, political, and technological dynamics. Therefore, professionals moving from the interior of the U.S. or Mexico (or from other countries) into the borderland region experience cross-cultural adjustment issues similar to those of expatriates. A quasi-expatriating model that takes into consideration the domestic adjustment and international expatriate adjustment literature addresses the unique adjustment dimensions that professional individuals experience in the US-Mexico border region.
Synthesis and characterization of multiwalled carbon nanotube reinforced ultra high molecular weight polyethylene composite by electrostatic spraying technique

In the present work, multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) reinforced UHMWPE composite films were prepared by electrostatic spraying followed by consolidation. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry studies showed a decrease in the crystallinity of UHMWPE due to the nature of the fabrication process as well as addition of MWNT. Tensile test showed an 82% increase in the Young’s modulus, decrease in stress to failure from 14.3 to 12.4 MPa and strain to failure from 3.9% to 1.4% due to 5% addition of MWNT. Raman spectra showed the presence of compressive stresses in the nanotubes. Fracture surface showed presence of pullout like phenomena in the MWNT reinforced film. � 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Business and Politics: A Critical Appraisal of Political Science*

For all the talk and all the public curiosity about the relations between business and politics, there is a remarkable dearth of studies on the subject. What is written is more likely to come from the pen of a sociologist, an historian, a lawyer, or an economist than from a political scientist. One would suppose that the role of business, particularly big business, in the political system would be a matter of central concern to political scientists. And so it may be. But those who write about it are men like Adolph Berle, a lawyer, C. Wright Mills, a sociologist, and Robert Brady, an economist; nor can political scientists legitimately lay claim to Peter Drucker, whose professional training and interests in business antedated his academic position as a teacher of political science.
Flannery O'Connor: Writing a Theology of Disabled Humanity Timothy J. Basselin. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2013.

Flannery O'Connor: Writing a Theology of Disabled Humanity Timothy J. Basselin. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2013.Timothy J. Basselin's Flannery O'Connor: Writing a Theology of Disabled Humanity is a captivating work which explores Flannery O'Connor's fiction from a perspective of disability studies and a theology of disability. Throughout the book, Basselin presents a compelling argument for the influence O'Connor's illness played in molding her writing and discusses how her perceptions of good, evil, sickness, and limitations enhanced her uniqueness as a writer.The text is structured into four primary chapters covering topics ranging from how the authentic grotesque manifests itself in her fiction to the inherent conflicts that existed between O'Connor's perspectives and that of society's modern Enlightenment-de rived philosophies. Some of the O'Connor works specifically examined include A Good Man is Hard to Find, A Temple of the Holy Ghost, Everything That Rises Must Converge, Good Country People, Habit of Being, Parker's Back, Revelation, The Displaced Person, The Enduring Chill, The Lame Shall Enter First, The River, and The Violent Bear It Away.The book also features a tasteful postscript section in which Basselin elaborates on some of the challenges he encountered when incorporating disability studies language into the text. The attention devoted to expounding on the difficulties of this task alludes to his impressive ability to address sensitive, philosophical issues with the tactfulness and care they require. Flowever, much like O'Connor, Basselin does not shy away from making bold, declarative points to support his theories and does a commendable job of thoroughly supporting his assessments with necessary literature.Aesthetically, the book's cover is quite attractive with an engaging design featuring a picture of a young O'Connor immersed in reading a publication with which she assumes a contemplative, if not disturbed, expression. Fier furrowed brow interestingly emits a discernible tension present in her examination of the publication, which is a visual readers may identify as particularly foretelling to the inquisitorial spirit she was known to have exhibited throughout her life. The book itself seems relatively slight when considering the extensive body of literature available on O'Connor as well as the wealth of information published on disability studies. However, upon delving into the beginning paragraphs, it quickly becomes apparent this resource takes full advantage of its allotted pages by treating readers with clear and purposeful writing.From the opening pages, Basselin intricately sows stories of O'Connor's childhood, life experiences, and family relationships to form a foundation upon which he discusses her struggle with lupus and the substantial impact her limitations had on developing her ideologies and writing. …
Remarks on Gravitational Sources

We show that, due to quantum fluctuations of the spacetime metric, any source of observable static gravitational fields is a classical object. We also show that, at the classical level, the gravitational mass of any system of finite volume is equal to its inertial mass in general only after time averaging.
Performance of Orthogonal Fingerprinting Codes Under Worst-Case Noise

We study the effect of the noise distribution on the error probability of the detection test when a class of randomly rotated spherical fingerprints is used. The detection test is performed by a focused correlation detector, and the spherical codes studied here form a randomized orthogonal constellation. The colluders create a noise-free forgery by uniform averaging of their individual copies, and then add a noise sequence to form the actual forgery. We derive the noise distribution that maximizes the error probability of the detector under average and almost-sure distortion constraints. Moreover, we characterize the noise distribution that minimizes the decoder's error exponent under a large-deviations distortion constraint.
Ovarian cancer cachexia--surgical interactions.

Abstract The woman with advanced ovarian carcinoma presents unusual risks for complications of cancer therapy. The combined effects of mechanical disruption of gastrointestinal function and the metabolic demand of large tumor burden can produce severe nutritional depletion. The additional stress of extensive surgery may exceed the capacity of the host to meet demands for wound healing and control of infection. Isotonic dextrose infusion inhibits the physiologic adaptation of the host to surgical injury and contributes to postoperative morbidity. Fourteen patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma at high risk for postoperative complications received total parenteral nutrition with hypertonic glucose and essential amino acids. Their hospital course compares favorably with that of two other groups receiving isotonic glucose—11 retrospective high-risk controls and 3 concurrent low-risk patients. We conclude that total parenteral nutrition is a safe and cost-effective means of reducing morbidity and mortality after extensive surgery for selected, high-risk patients with Stage III or IV ovarian carcinoma.
A single-center expansion for H2+ wavefunctions

A single-center expansion for the wavefunction of an electron in the field of two identical fixed nuclei is investigated using hydrogen-atom-like bound state wavefunctions. Inversion symmetry is used, and for a truncated basis set an upper bound on the energy is obtained. This method is exact for zero and infinite nuclear separations, and the H2+ ground state electronic energy eigenvalue is obtained to within 0.4%.
Irradiance Measurements in the Upper Ocean

Abstract Observations were made of downward solar radiation as a function of depth during an experiment in the North Pacific (35°N, 155°W). The irradiance meter employed was sensitive to solar radiation of wavelength 400–1000 nm arriving from above at a horizontal surface. Because of selective absorption of the short and long wavelengths, the irradiance decreases much faster than exponential in the upper few meters, falling to one-third of the incident value between 2 and 3 m depth. Below 10 m the decrease was exponential at a rate characteristic of moderately clear water of Type IA. Neglecting one case having low sun altitude, the observations are well represented by the expression I/I0=Rez/ζ1+(1−R)ezζ2, where I is the irradiance at depth −z, I0 is the irradiance at the surface less reflected solar radiation, R=0.62, ζ1 and ζ2 are attenuation lengths equal to 1.5 and 20 m, respectively, and z is the vertical space coordinate, positive upward with the origin at mean sea level. The depth at which the irrad...
Attributes of a Breeding Population of Peregrine Falcons Associated with Reservoirs on the Colorado River

Abstract We describe results from a comprehensive effort to survey and monitor Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) breeding in Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA) from 2006–2010. We identified 37 breeding territories, and the annual occupancy rate averaged 94%. Pooled over time, breeding success was 72%, and average reproductive output was 1.8 young per nesting attempt. The closest distance between eyries from neighboring territories was 1.2 km; the lowest annual mean nearest-neighbor distance (NND) was 6.3 km. No relationship was apparent between NND and breeding success or reproductive output. Nesting attempts occurred twice as often in eyries with a north-facing (68%) aspect than in eyries with a south-facing (32%) aspect. Pairs using south-facing eyries began incubating 5 d earlier than those using north-facing eyries, although the difference was not statistically significant. On a finer scale, pairs most commonly selected northwest-facing eyries (45% of nesting attempts), despite experiencing...
FM Global Reduced-Commodity Testing

A reduced-commodity test was developed by FM Global that captured the flammability characteristics inherent in a rack storage fire while limiting the total quantity of test commodity to approximately one pallet load per test due to the significant costs, as previously discussed.
Instrumentation in Ultrasound

Ultrasound (US) has become a common diagnostic tool for surgeons in both the outpatient clinic and operating room. Modern cart-based and portable ultrasound machines aid in simple interventions, such as fine-needle biopsies, to complex cases, which require the full real-time imaging of the anatomy in the operative setting. The knowledge of the common knobology and instrumentation, as well as the basic terminology and jargon of the modern sonography and ultrasound machines, is very important to be understood by the surgeons in training and practice. Herein, we would like to provide basic information on the knobology and instrumentation of the modern ultrasound machines and depict common controls and their utilization in images.
The Confrontation Clause after Crawford v. Washington

The paper discusses the Confrontation Clause in light of the Crawford v. Washington decision, and addresses the following questions: When Does the Clause Apply? How Can the Clause Be Satisfied? How Does the Confrontation Clause Relate to the Hearsay Rule? What If the Hearsay Evidence is Nontestimonial? What Did Crawford and Davis HoId as to Whether a Statement isTestimonial or Nontestimonial? How Did the Maryland Court of Appeals Interpret Crawford in Snowden? What About "Business Records" of the State? How Are Prosecutors and Domestic Violence Victim-Advocates Likely to Adapt to these Charges? Forfeiture of Right to Object? How Can We Analyze Whether Statements Outside the Holdings of Crawford and Davis are Testimonial?
Lawyers in National Policymaking

Previous research on lawyers engaged in politics analyzed a sample of those who represented conservative or libertarian organizations in the late 1990s. The data examined here deal with organizations and lawyers drawn from the full range of American politics - right, left, and center - and focus on a set of policy initiatives in 2004 and 2005. We find that women were overrepresented among lawyers representing liberal activist organizations and strikingly underrepresented among those serving social conservatives. Lawyers for the latter were also much less likely to have prestigious academic credentials than were those serving liberal activists. Moreover, organizations speaking for social and religious conservatives had few ties to other interest groups in the measures used here - joint participation in litigation or in legislative testimony, overlap in boards of directors or advisors, and use of the same lobbying firm. Overall, the network of organizations was sparsely connected. There are, however, two sectors within the network where connections were dense. The first is a cluster of social and religious conservatives; the second and larger sector is a set of businesses and trade associations. Unlike the social conservatives, however, the businesses are not only connected to each other but are well-integrated into the overall system, with many links that provide potential for communication to other sectors. Liberal groups are less densely connected, while having several alternative paths to other parts of the network.
Using Future Information to Reduce Waiting Times in the Emergency Department via Diversion

The development of predictive models in healthcare settings has been growing; one such area is the prediction of patient arrivals to the emergency department (ED). The general premise behind these works is that such models may be used to help manage an ED that consistently faces high congestion. In this work, we propose a class of proactive policies that utilize future information of potential patient arrivals to effectively manage admissions into an ED while reducing waiting times for patients who are eventually treated. Instead of the standard strategy of waiting for queues to build before diverting patients, the proposed policy utilizes the predictions to identify when congestion is going to increase and proactively diverts patients before things get “too bad.” We demonstrate that the proposed policy provides delay improvements over standard policies used in practice. We also consider the impact of errors in the information provided by the predictive models and find that even with noisy predictions, ou...
Technological Elements of Circular Economy and the Principles of 6R-Based Closed-loop Material Flow in Sustainable Manufacturing

Abstract At the current alarming growth rate of the world's consumption, the linear economy model of creating products, using these products, and then disposing of them, with no consideration of the environmental, societal and economic impacts and consequences, is a flawed manufacturing approach that is unsustainable. Therefore, envisioning a future where nothing is wasted; a future where every “waste” becomes an asset, and no value goes unrecovered; a future where all products at the end of their primary use are recovered and either reused, remanufactured, or recycled for multiple generations, has become more than a reality, but a necessity. This emerging concept of circular economy, although gaining attention, lacks a technological perspective for effective implementation. This paper presents the principles of sustainable manufacturing to serve as the basis, and to provide the technological elements to ensure the creation of a circular economy. 6R-based technological elements are identified and shown as essential ingredients for achieving economic growth, environmental protection and societal benefits. Also presented is a case study with application that shows the life cycle cost benefits. An outlook for future research is then presented.
Small-Angle Scattering from Disordered Systems

A general discussion of scattering from disordered materials is presented. The parameters which characterize structure are illustrated in real-space and are also identified in the reciprocal-space profile measured in a scattering experiment. Scattering from fractal objects is described in detail. To illustrate the interpretation of scattering data, the growth and structure of fumed silica is discussed. The flame growth of silica is explained in terms of monomer-cluster ballistic polymerization in the early stages and diffusion-limited aerosol aggregation in the latter stages.
Ecological Site-Scale Hydrologic Response in a Semiarid Rangeland Watershed ☆

ABSTRACT Rangelands, due to their large expanse, are responsible for processing a significant portion of freshwater in the western United States. Rangeland managers are in need of methods to quantify hydrologic processes and scientifically based decision tools to effectively manage water resources under growing populations and a changing climate. The ecological site (ES) concept provides a useful framework to study complex rangeland hydrological processes in order to parameterize these tools. Traditionally, rangeland hydrology has been studied at the plot and watershed scale. ESs are intermediate-scale land units considered to have homogeneous site characteristics, which allow for mapping the spatial variability of hydrologic processes at a higher resolution compared with a lumped watershed approach. We conducted 20 variable-intensity rainfall simulation experimental runs using the Walnut Gulch Rainfall Simulator to characterize the hydrologic response of four different ESs in the Upper Crow Creek Watersh...
Veto Bargaining: Explaining the Patterns

As children, most of us delighted in Rudyard Kipling's “just-so” stories. Kipling began with a simple fact, for example, elephants have long noses. Then he made up a fanciful story to explain it: perhaps a crocodile stretched an elephant's nose and the trait was passed down to other elephants. Just so! In the previous chapter, I began with some simple facts, and then made up a causal mechanism to explain them. The three facts were: vetoes actually occur, veto chains are relatively common, and concessions often occur over the course of a chain. The first model failed to generate any of these patterns, but it supplied a useful framework for additional thought. The override model can generate the first and second patterns, but not the third. The sequential veto bargaining (SVB) model can generate all three. Are the override and SVB models merely just-so stories? Or do they capture something real about the dynamics of interbranch bargaining? How can we tell? To answer this question I rely on the criteria outlined toward the end of Chapter 3. As indicated there, a sine qua non for a good model is an ability to explain empirical puzzles it was not designed to explain. Table 2.12, which I reproduce in separate tables throughout this chapter, is filled with empirical puzzles that go well beyond the three “stylized facts.” For example, why does the probability of a veto increase with legislative significance during divided government, but not during unified government? Why are veto chains short? Why don't any of the covariates predict the success of an override attempt, once the decision to attempt an override is made? Can the models explain these facts?
Occupational Imbalance and Lifestyle Rebalancing: Occupational Transitions Experienced by 1st-Year MOT Students

Date Presented 4/8/2016A phenomenological design examined how 1st-yr MOT students perceive changes in occupational roles, patterns, and routines and what strategies they use to adapt to these changes. The three themes that emerged were occupational imbalance, lifestyle rebalancing, and developing ne
No contribution of lifestyle and environmental exposures to gender discrepancy of liver disease severity in chronic hepatitis b infection: Observations from the Haimen City cohort.

Background Previous studies have noted significant gender difference in the risk of liver cancer among hepatitis B chronic infection patients. Some indicated that it might be due to lifestyle-related differences. This paper tests whether or not such a gender discrepancy among the chronic hepatitis B population is confounded by lifestyle and environment related exposures. Methods We retrieved a sample of 1863 participants from a prospective cohort in Haimen City, China in 2003. Liver disease severity was categorized as “normal”, “mild”, “moderate”, and “severe” based on a clinical diagnosis. Lifestyle and environmental exposures were measured by questionnaires. We used factor analysis and individual variables to represent lifestyle and environmental exposures. We applied the cumulative logit models to estimate the effect of gender on liver disease severity and how it was impacted by lifestyle and environmental exposures. Results Gender and HBeAg positivity were independent risk factors for more severe liver disease. Compared to females, males were 2.08 times as likely to develop more severe liver disease (95% CI: 1.66–2.61). Participants who were HBeAg positivite were 2.19 times (95% CI: 1.61–2.96) as likely to develop more severe liver disease compared to those who were negative. Controlling for lifestyle and environmental exposures did not change these estimations. Conclusions Males in the HBV infected population have an increased risk of severe liver disease. This gender effect is independent of the lifestyle and environmental exposures addressed in this study. Our findings support the hypothesis that gender discrepancies in HCC risk are attributable to intrinsic differences between males and females.
Legal Issues: Google, Success and the European Union

With 110 million hits (in 0.16 seconds), Google is a popular news topic in all respects. The big stories of the day are the launch of Google’s new wireless service–described in one report as “game-changing”–and the an update to its mobile search algorithms that will prioritize mobile-friendly websites in presenting results to searches conducted on mobile devices–described by a couple of commentators as “mobilegeddon” and “phonepocolypse” Superlatives and hyperbolic comments seem to accompany stories about Google. With a market capitalization of over $300 billion (sometimes approaching $400 billion), Google is one of the most highly valued companies in the world, ahead of long-time firms such as General Electric, Wal-Mart and Boeing, and battling neck-and-neck with Berkshire-Hathaway and Microsoft. All of this from a company that began in a garage office barely 16 years ago. Growth like that doesn’t come without rubbing a few people the wrong way and Google has run into more than its share of public relations and legal challenges over the years. The latest such legal challenge was next on the list of news topics on my search, charges that Google’s search results and its Android mobile operating system violate the European Union’s antitrust laws.
Modeling gas permeability and diffusivity in HAB-6FDA polyimide and its thermally rearranged analogs

Abstract Gas permeability in HAB-6FDA polyimide and its thermally rearranged analogs was described using a thermodynamic model based on the non-equilibrium lattice fluid (NELF) theory. This study is part of an ongoing effort to describe gas sorption and transport behavior of TR polymers theoretically. Hydrogen, nitrogen and methane permeability over a broad range of pressures (up to 32 atm) and temperatures (−10 to 50 °C) was calculated with one adjustable parameter at each temperature, i.e., the infinite dilution mobility coefficient. For highly soluble, swelling gases, such as CO2, matrix plasticization was accounted for by a second adjustable parameter, the plasticization factor, which describes the dependence of penetrant mobility on concentration. Model parameters correlate with membrane structure and gas properties. At fixed temperature, the infinite dilution mobility correlates with penetrant critical volume and polymer fractional free volume. For each penetrant, the temperature dependence of infinite dilution mobility is described by the Arrhenius law. Based on the modeling results, unique separation performance of TR polymers is a manifestation of their strong size-sieving ability. Finally, diffusion coefficients and ideal selectivities were predicted with no adjustable parameters.
Association of Cost Sharing With Use of Home Health Services Among Medicare Advantage Enrollees.

Importance Several policy proposals advocate introducing copayments for home health care in the Medicare program. To our knowledge, no prior studies have assessed this cost-containment strategy. Objective To determine the association of home health copayments with use of home health services. Design, Setting, and Participants A difference-in-differences case-control study of 18 Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that introduced copayments for home health care between 2007 and 2011 and 18 concurrent control MA plans. The study included 135 302 enrollees in plans that introduced copayment and 155 892 enrollees in matched control plans. Exposures Introduction of copayments for home health care between 2007 and 2011. Main Outcomes and Measures Proportion of enrollees receiving home health care, annual numbers of home health episodes, and days receiving home health care. Results Copayments for home health visits ranged from $5 to $20 per visit, which were estimated to be associated with $165 (interquartile range [IQR], $45-$180) to $660 (IQR, $180-$720) in out-of-pocket spending for the average user of home health care. The increased copayment for home health care was not associated with the proportion of enrollees receiving home health care (adjusted difference-in-differences, −0.15 percentage points; 95% CI, −0.38 to 0.09), the number of home health episodes per user (adjusted difference-in-differences, 0.01; 95% CI, −0.01 to 0.03), and home health days per user (adjusted difference-in-differences, −0.19; 95% CI, −3.02 to 2.64). In both intervention and control plans and across all levels of copayments, we observed higher disenrollment rates among enrollees with greater baseline use of home health care. Conclusions and Relevance We found no evidence that imposing copayments reduced the use of home health services among older adults. More intensive use of home health services was associated with increased rates of disenrollment in MA plans. The findings raise questions about the potential effectiveness of this cost-containment strategy.
How Should Integrity Preservation and Professional Growth Be Balanced during Trainees' Professionalization?

Medical students’ professionalization would benefit from case-based ethics education, which might help students revise beliefs that lead to moral distress.
Unravelling the interplay of sphingolipids and TGF-β signaling in the human corneal stroma

Purpose To delineate the role of Sphingolipids (SPLs) in the human cornea and their cross-talks with transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) in order to develop novel, non-invasive therapies. Methods Human corneal fibroblasts (HCFs) were harvested from healthy donors, stimulated with Vitamin C to promote extracellular matrix assembly, treated with exogenous sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) or sphingosine kinase inhibitor 2 (SPHK I2) and isolated after 4 weeks for further analysis. Results Data showed that S1P led to a significant decrease in cellular migration where SPHK I2 just delayed it for 24h. Significant modulation of the sphingolipid pathway was also noted. Sphingosine kinase-1 (SphK1) was significantly downregulated upon exogenous stimulation with S1P at a concentration of 5μM and Sphingosine kinase-2 (SphK2) was also significantly downregulated at concentrations of 0.01μM, 0.1μM, and 5μM; whereas no effects were observed upon stimulation with SPHK I2. S1PR3 was significantly downregulated by 0.1μM and 5μM S1P and upregulated by 5μM and 10μM SPHK I2. Furthermore, both S1P and SPHK I2 regulated corneal fibrosis markers such as alpha-smooth muscle actin, collagen I, III, and V. We also investigated the interplay between two TGF-β isoforms and S1P/SPHK I2 treatments and found that TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 were both significantly upregulated with the 0.1μM S1P but were significantly downregulated with the 5μM S1P concentration. When TGF-β1 was compared directly to TGF-β3 expression, we observed that TGF-β3 was significantly downregulated compared to TGF-β1 in the 5μM concentration of S1P. No changes were observed upon SPHK I2 treatment. Conclusion Our study delineates the role of sphingolipids in the human cornea and highlights their different activities based on the cell/tissue type.
Bayesian Occam's Razor Is a Razor of the People

Occam's razor-the idea that all else being equal, we should pick the simpler hypothesis-plays a prominent role in ordinary and scientific inference. But why are simpler hypotheses better? One attractive hypothesis known as Bayesian Occam's razor (BOR) is that more complex hypotheses tend to be more flexible-they can accommodate a wider range of possible data-and that flexibility is automatically penalized by Bayesian inference. In two experiments, we provide evidence that people's intuitive probabilistic and explanatory judgments follow the prescriptions of BOR. In particular, people's judgments are consistent with the two most distinctive characteristics of BOR: They penalize hypotheses as a function not only of their numbers of free parameters but also as a function of the size of the parameter space, and they penalize those hypotheses even when their parameters can be "tuned" to fit the data better than comparatively simpler hypotheses.
Debaters of the bedchamber: China reexamines ancient sexual practices

This article takes note of the revival of interest in China in the ancient art of the bedchamber (fangzhongshu). We survey traditional Chinese sex culture, the textual sources of the bedchamber arts, the development of sexology as an academic discipline, and a synopsis of the theory and practice of the art of the bedchamber itself. We present the various views, pro and con, regarding these practices as they are being debated today in academic journals, advice columns, talk shows, and online forums. Finally, we review the roles of Western scholars in reviving the topic in China and Chinese masters in transmitting the art to the West. Formally an aspect of elite culture, like poetry and calligraphy, the art of the bedchamber has reemerged today in the context of cultural nationalism and an exploration of Chinese identity. Moreover, universal literacy and media penetration have democratized the discourse to include the voices of women and ordinary citizens.
First In Vivo Test of Thermoembolization: Turning Tissue Against Itself Using Transcatheter Chemistry in a Porcine Model

Embolotherapies are commonly used for management of primary liver cancer. Explant studies of treated livers, however, reveal an untreated tumor in a high fraction of cases. To improve on this, we propose a new concept referred to as thermoembolization. In this technique, the embolic material reacts in local tissues. Highly localized heat energy is released simultaneously with the generation of acid in the target vascular bed. Combined with ischemia, this should provide a multiplexed attack. We report herein our initial results testing the feasibility of this method in vivo. Institutional approval was obtained, and three outbred swine were treated in a segmental hepatic artery branch (right or left medial lobe) with thermoembolic material (100, 400, or 500 µL). Solutions (2 or 4 mol/L) of an acid chloride were made using ethiodized oil as the vehicle. Animals were housed overnight, scanned by CT, and euthanized. Necropsy samples of treated tissue were obtained for histologic analysis. All animals survived the procedure. Vascular stasis occurred rapidly in all cases despite the small volumes used. The lower concentration (2 mol/L) penetrated more distally than the 4 mol/L solution. At CT the following day, vascular casts of ethiodized oil were observed, indicating recanalization had not occurred. Histology specimens demonstrated coagulative necrosis centered on the vessel lumen extending for several hundred microns with a peripheral inflammatory infiltrate. Thermoembolization is a new technique for embolization with initial promise. However, results indicate much work must be done to optimize the technique.
Role of enhanced solubility in esterification of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid with ethylene glycol at reduced temperatures: energy efficient synthesis of poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate)

Poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PEF) has garnered considerable industrial and academic interest as a renewable alternative to traditional polyesters due to its superior barrier and thermal properties. While efforts for the industrial scale production of PEF from 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and ethylene glycol (EG) are underway, most of the published literature on PEF follows the conventional terephthalic acid (TPA) based polyester synthesis protocol. In this study, we reveal for the first time that the solubility of FDCA is an order of magnitude higher in EG compared to that in TPA at the process temperatures. The enhanced solubility of FDCA in EG results in improved esterification kinetics especially at temperatures from 180–210 °C to yield complete end group conversion. We further demonstrate that it is advantageous to perform the direct esterification step of PEF synthesis in a lower temperature range than that in previous reports reducing the potential side reactions in addition to cost and energy savings at the industrial scale. This work can provide new insights into the sustainable synthesis of FDCA-based polyesters for bio-based packaging.
Hydration of Proteins and Polypeptides

Publisher Summary This chapter describes many of the techniques employed to study water–macromolecules interactions, their general usefulness, points out areas of mutual support and contradiction. The chapter also presents hydration of other macromolecules and the hydration of small molecules. Four broadly based approaches to operational definitions of hydration include—(1) preferential hydration, (2) hydrodynamic hydration, (3) structural hydration, and (4) low temperature hydration. The use of high resolution X-ray and neutron diffraction data on protein crystals provides an independent approach for estimation of hydration. The chapter presents several proposals for predicting protein hydration based on the amino acid composition of the protein; however, the two main questions concerned include—whether ionic groups are more hydrated than other polar groups, and whether the amide and peptide functions are hydrated or not. Low pH, and to a much smaller degree, high pH should dehydrate proteins. Intermolecular association via ionic mechanisms should be strongly dehydrating; whereas hydrophobic interactions should not have much effect on hydration levels. Although, there is a presumption that both the enthalpy and the entropy are negative for the process of adding water molecules to isolated proteins, which are maintained in their native conformations, but there is no unequivocal evidence for this.
Data for: Genuine Economic Progress in the United States: a Fifty State Study and Comparative Assessment

Abstract The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) was designed to reveal the economic, social, and environmental trade-offs associated with conventional economic growth as traditionally measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Although originally designed for use at the national scale, an interest has developed in the United States in a state-level uptake of the GPI to inform and guide policy. This study presents the first fifty-state estimate for U.S. GPI in order to address questions over its design, implementation, and ultimate potential as a tool to guide state-level economic policy. Following a review of the current state of analysis and critique of GPI, we provide an overview of methodology and database development. Results are then presented, including discussion of lessons learned through a fifty-state application. The paper concludes with suggestions for further research and next steps to consolidating a consistent methodology.
Assistive Technology and Mathematics: What Is There and Where Can We Go in Special Education.

Technology is a natural part of education for all students across a variety of subjects, including mathematics, as educators work to prepare students for tomorrow's work force and align their curri...
Nuclear Outlines and Nomenclature

The identification of thalamic nuclei was based on the cytoarchitecture and the available data on the topography of their subcortical connections. The outlines of the nuclei outside the ventral tier, for example the midline nuclei, were based solely on the cytoarchitecture as described by Olszewski (1952) and also by Ilinsky and KultasIlinsky (1987). The ventral tier nuclei include the regions that receive motor-related and somatosensory afferents. The topographic relationships of the subcortical afferents in the ventral tier are more obvious in the sagittal section plane as the major afferent-receiving zones are arranged back to front from the anterior to the posterior pole of the thalamus with a limited co-presence in the coronal plane (Asanuma et al., 1983a,b; Ilinsky and Kultas-Ilinsky, 1987; Ilinsky et al., 1993). At the same time the adjacent afferent zones interdigitize profusely. This interdigitation is difficult to detect in the coronal plane but is quite obvious in the sagittal plane (Ilinsky et al., 1993). In the process of the atlas preparation the initial outlines of the ventral tier nuclei were very detailed and closely followed these extremely wavy boundaries. However, this amount of the detail became an impediment in 3D computer reconstructions and, therefore, the original outlines were edited to smooth out the contours. Nonetheless, the degree of the interdigitation retained in the atlas is still significant and is expressed by intrusions of the colors of the adjacent nuclei into one other. This is especially impressive in the coronal section plane.
Disparities in Systemic Treatment Use in Advanced-stage Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer by Source of Health Insurance

Background: Management of advanced-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has changed significantly over the past two decades with the development of numerous systemic treatments, including targeted therapies. However, a high proportion of advanced-stage patients are untreated. The role that health insurance plays in receipt of systemic treatments is unclear. Methods: Using California Cancer Registry data (2012–2014), we developed multivariable Poisson regression models to assess the independent effect of health insurance type on systemic treatment utilization among patients with stage IV NSCLC. Systemic treatment information was manually abstracted from treatment text fields. Results: A total of 17,310 patients were evaluated. Patients with Medicaid/other public insurance were significantly less likely to receive any systemic treatments [risk ratio (RR), 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.75–0.82], bevacizumab combinations (RR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.45–0.71), or tyrosine kinase inhibitors (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.60–0.82) compared with the privately insured. Patients with Medicare or dual Medicare–Medicaid insurance were not significantly different from the privately insured in their likelihood of receiving systemic treatments. Conclusions: Substantial disparities in the use of systemic treatments for stage IV NSCLC exist by source of health insurance in California. Patients with Medicaid/other public insurance were significantly less likely to receive systemic treatments compared with their privately insured counterparts. Impact: Source of health insurance influences care received. Further research is warranted to better understand barriers to treatment that patients with Medicaid face.
Inflammatory biomarkers, geriatric assessment, and treatment outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia.

Abstract Objectives To investigate changes in inflammatory biomarkers during induction therapy for older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and their associations with geriatric assessment (GA) measures and outcomes. Methods This was a single institution ancillary study to a prospective observational study (N = 20 consecutive adults aged ≥60 with newly diagnosed AML who received induction chemotherapy). Biomarkers (Interleukin-6 [IL-6], IL-6 soluble receptor [IL-6 sR], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNFα], TNFα soluble receptor 1 [TNFα sR1], interleukin-3 [IL-3], C-reactive protein [CRP]) were collected at start of induction, weekly for three weeks, and post-induction and were compared over time using paired t-tests. GA was administered at baseline and post-induction, and correlated with biomarker levels using Spearman correlations. Survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier and compared by categorized biomarker level using Wilcoxon tests. Results Biomarker levels were stable during induction, except for CRP and IL-6 sR. Declines in objectively measured physical function [Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB); r = 0.71, p Conclusion Among older adults with AML, the relationships between TNFα sR1, CRP, and IL-6 sR with change in physical and emotional health during treatment warrants further investigation.
Identifying Patients with Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an increasingly common esophageal disorder that presents with symptoms similar to those seen in patients with GERD, including dysphagia, heartburn, and atypical chest pain. The diagnosis is confirmed by EGD and esophageal mucosal biopsies demonstrating an elevated number of intraepithelial eosinophils. Treatment strategies include diet modification, oral topical steroid therapy, and proton pump inhibitors. Endoscopic balloon dilation is used to treat esophageal remodeling and structuring that can result from long-standing EoE. There is no role for surgical intervention.
Trissolcus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) Causes Low Levels of Parasitism in Three North American Pentatomids Under Field Conditions.

Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead), an Asian parasitoid of Halyomorpha halys (Stal) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), was first detected in North America in 2014. Although testing in quarantine facilities as a candidate for classical biological control is ongoing, adventive populations have appeared in multiple sites in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Extensive laboratory testing of T. japonicus against other North American pentatomids and H. halys has revealed a higher rate of parasitism of H. halys, but not complete host specificity. However, laboratory tests are necessarily artificial, in which many host finding and acceptance cues may be circumvented. We offered sentinel egg masses of three native pentatomid (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) pest species (Chinavia hilaris (Say), Euschistus conspersus Uhler, and Chlorochroa ligata (Say)) in a field paired-host assay in an area with a well-established adventive population of T. japonicus near Vancouver, WA. Overall, 67% of the H. halys egg masses were parasitized by T. japonicus during the 2-yr study. Despite the 'worst case' scenario for a field test (close proximity of the paired egg masses), the rate of parasitism (% eggs producing adult wasps) on all three native species was significantly less (0.4-8%) than that on H. halys eggs (77%). The levels of successful parasitism of T. japonicus of the three species are C. hilaris > E. conspersus > C. ligata. The potential impact of T. japonicus on these pentatomids is probably minimal.