cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Topology of the nervous system of Notommata copeus (Rotifera: Monogononta) revealed with anti-FMRFamide, -SCPb, and -serotonin (5-HT) immunohistochemistry

. The nervous system of the benthic freshwater rotifer, Notommata copeus, was examined using antibody probes, epifluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy, and digital imaging to highlight similarities with other monogonont rotifers. Immunoreactivity to anti-FMRFamide (Phe–Met–Arg–Phe–NH2), -SCPb (small cardioactive peptide b), and -serotonin (5-HT, 5-hydroxytryptamine) was present in the central, peripheral, and stomatogastric nervous system. Specifically, anti-FMRFamide and -SCPb staining was abundant in perikarya and neurites of the cerebral ganglion, ventrolateral nerve cords, and mastax. In addition, a single loop-like neurite was present in between the nerve cords at the posterior end of the body. Serotonergic neurites were also abundant, and highlighted several cerebral pathways that included connections to the nerve cords and possibly the mastax. Novel neural pathways were also present in the posterior trunk region, where serotonergic neurites innervated the foot and lateral body wall. The results presented herein also highlight the utility of 3D visualization software to gain further insights into the organization and architecture of the rotifer cerebral ganglion.
Image and trauma.

ArgumentIn 1980, when the diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was introduced into the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III), survivor guilt – a symptom long associated with trauma of the Holocaust and other extreme experiences – was included in the list of symptom criteria. But in the revised edition of the manual of 1987 (DSM-IIIR), survivor guilt was demoted to the status of merely an “associated feature” of the condition. Now that survivor guilt has disappeared from the official lexicon of trauma, shame has come to take its place as the emotion that most defines the traumatic state. This paper examines the rationale for the shift from survivor guilt to shame in the context of the American Psychiatric Association's revisions. It argues that the shift can be understood as yet another manifestation of the oscillation between mimetic and antimimetic theories of trauma that, I have argued in my book Trauma: A Genealogy (2000), has structured the understanding of trauma from the start.
Linking Science and Management to Mitigate Impacts of Nonnative Plants

Abstract There is great potential for integrating science and management to control or mitigate nonnative species, but such an integration faces substantial obstacles. Fundamental differences between science and management threaten the ability of scientists and managers to collaborate effectively. For example, science strives for generality, whereas management of natural resources is necessarily a site- and objective-specific endeavor. In addition, the literature on biological invasions is characterized by weak inference, relying mostly on post hoc, correlative research because of ethical and practical concerns associated with purposeful introductions. These obstacles notwithstanding, several patterns have been documented with respect to plant invasions and ecosystem processes. Unfortunately, documenting rates and patterns of spread has provided little predictive power and few clues about control strategies. It is clear, however, that predicting and controlling the spread of invasive species will require ...
Comparing taxonomic and geographic scales in the morphologic disparity of Ordovician through Early Silurian Laurentian crinoids

Interpretations of morphologic radiations and macroevolutionary patterns are dependent on a priori choices of taxonomic and geographic scales of study. The results of disparity analysis at varying taxonomic (species and genus) and geographic (regional, biofacies, and community) scales are examined in a study of Ordovician though Early Silurian crinoids. Using discrete morphologic characters, we examined the disparity of 421 crinoids from 65 Laurentian biofacies. Crinoid disparity differs when analyzed at the regional and biofacies levels. Regardless of fluctuations in regional crinoid disparity, average within-biofacies disparity was static throughout the Ordovician, deviating only during the Silurian because of the proliferation of the morphologically aberrant myelodactylid crinoids. The choice of taxonomic level does not have an effect at the biofacies level. However, at the regional level, the two taxonomic scales (genus and species) can produce different results because of variation in the number of species per genus through time and the amount of morphologic variation within individual genera. Weighting disparity by abundance provides a metric combining morphology and community structure. Average weighted disparity at the community level showed patterns similar to that of the biofacies-level disparity curve, but this metric has a greater degree of variation between biofacies. Biofacies with a low ratio of weighted to unweighted disparity display the distinctive community structure (based on aerosol filtration theory) that is often reported in crinoid assemblages.
A Compton-scattering coincidence system for light yield measurements on aliovalently-doped CeBr 3

A Compton-coincidence scintillator light yield proportionality measurement system was constructed and tested. Improved testing procedures and timing resolution have allowed the use of significantly less active excitation sources without lengthening test times or degrading data integrity. Previous methods typically required 100μCi 137Cs sources, but an increase in solid angle between source and sample as well as improved timing resolution have allowed the use of sources with activities less than 10μCi. Representative samples of BGO and NaI(Tl) were tested to validate the system against single source data in the literature. Light yield from an in-house grown, doped CeBr 3 sample was also measured.
Mechanism and Origins of Regio- and Enantioselectivities in RhI-Catalyzed Hydrogenative Couplings of 1,3-Diynes and Activated Carbonyl Partners: Intervention of a Cumulene Intermediate

The mechanism of the rhodium-catalyzed reductive coupling of 1,3-diynes and vicinal dicarbonyl compounds employing H(2) as reductant was investigated by density functional theory. Oxidative coupling through 1,4-addition of the Rh(I)-bound dicarbonyl to the conjugated diyne via a seven-membered cyclic cumulene transition state leads to exclusive formation of linear adducts. Diyne 1,4-addition is much faster than the 1,2-addition to simple alkynes. The 1,2-dicarbonyl compound is bound to rhodium in a bidentate fashion during the oxidative coupling event. The chemo-, regio-, and enantioselectivities of this reaction were investigated and are attributed to this unique 1,4-addition pathway. The close proximity of the ligand and the alkyne substituent distal to the forming C-C bond controls the regio- and enantioselectivity: coupling occurs at the sterically more demanding alkyne terminus, which minimizes nonbonded interaction with the ligand. A stereochemical model is proposed that accounts for preferential formation of the (R)-configurated coupling product when (R)-biaryl phosphine ligands are used.
Graphene-based materials for energy applications

Accelerating global energy consumption makes the development of clean and renewable alternative energy sources indispensable. Nanotechnology opens up new frontiers in materials science and engineering to meet this energy challenge by creating new materials, particularly carbon nanomaterials, for efficient energy conversion and storage. Since the Nobel Prize winning research on graphene by Geim and Novoselov, considerable efforts have been made to exploit graphene as an energy material, and tremendous progress has been achieved in developing high-performance devices for energy conversion and energy storage. This article reviews recent progress in the research and development of graphene materials for advanced energy-conversion devices, including solar cells and fuel cells, and energy-storage devices, including supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries, and discusses some challenges in this exciting field.
Broadband two-arm dual-mode dual-polarized spiral antenna

A typical mode-forming network for a four-arm spiral antenna is shown. The phasing requirements for both modes of a two-arm spiral can be obtained very simply with only a single 180deg hybrid. Assuming that dual-mode operation of a two-arm spiral is feasible, the overlapping bandwidth will be narrower than for spirals with three or more arms. This is due to the nature of the higher order modes. For an N-arm spiral excited in mode M, the desired radiation occurs where the circumference of the antenna is approximately Mlambda. If the antenna is electrically large enough, radiation can occur from higher order modes where the circumference is (M+nN)lambda, where n is an integer. In this paper, the author demonstrate that two broadband modes can be obtained with a two-arm slot spiral antenna
A Problem-Solving Workshop on Border Conflicts in Eastern Africa:

Six participants each from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya met on neutral turf and participated in a two-week workshop to search for solutions to the border disputes between Somalia and her two neighb...
Indeterminacy of reputation effects in repeated games with contracts

Abstract We study whether allowing players to sign binding contracts governing future play leads to reputation effects in repeated games with long-run players. We proceed by extending the analysis of Abreu and Pearce (2007) by allowing for the possibility that different behavioral types may not be immediately distinguishable from each other. Given any prior over behavioral types, we construct a modified prior with the same total weight on behavioral types and a larger support under which almost all efficient, feasible, and individually rational payoffs are attainable in perfect Bayesian equilibrium. Thus, whether reputation effects emerge in repeated games with contracts depends on details of the prior distribution over behavioral types other than its support.
An integral transform approach to cross-variograms modeling

This paper introduces cross-variograms modeling by integral transforms. The suggested models can be asymmetric and hence do not require shifting to produce asymmetric cross-variograms. models are capable of providing anisotropic cross-variograms over multidimensional spaces. Simultaneous modeling of the cross-variograms is stressed and a method based on factorization of the unknown model coefficients is introduced. The suggested approach enables to retain joint conditional negative definiteness of the fitted models without requiring any additional constraints. Weighted least squares criterion is used to fit models to the experimental values and iterative quadratic programming is employed to solve the obtained nonlinear programming problem. Flexibility of the approach is demonstrated by fitting models to experimental cross-variograms over one-and two-dimensional spaces.
Dimensionless parameters as design guidelines for sterilization of dead-ended tubes

Although steam-in-place (SIP) is the primary process for sterilization of bioreactors, sterilization guidelines do not exist for equipment design and little quantitative data are available concerning critical parameters such as length, diameter, and orientation of deadlegs. This study correlated microbiological sterilization data with the critical dimensionless parameters governing buoyancy driven convective flow within dead-ended tubes during SIP sterilization. These parameters were shown to be the overall Grashof number, Grov, and aspect ratio, Ar. Typical values of Grov for bioprocess equipment can range from 103 to 105, while Ar may vary from near 0 to 20 during sterilization of vertical tubes at 121 °C. Reproducible sterilization resulting in a 12 log reduction in B. stearothermophilus spores required an Ar of less than 7 when Grov was 0.7 × 105, whereas an Ar of 12 could be used when Grov was 2.8 × 105.
IEEE standard 488 (digital interface for programmable instrumentation): progress report

The configuration and use of new and more versatile ATE systems is now facilitated by the widespread application of IEEE Standard 488-1975, "Digital Interface for Programmable Instrumentation". This Standard interface scheme provides a simple yet high performance means for the interconnection of instrumentation, computers or calculators, and peripheral devices to function as automated systems. Since adoption as an IEEE Standard, the interface concepts have been applied to about 500 products from some 150 different companies on a global basis. A revised addition of this Standard is being issued this year and a draft document specifying preferred codes and formats for device dependent messages is under consideration. The availability of special LSI chips implementing the interface function hardware should further enhance the continued application of this useful Standard.
The Hasidic Tale as a Historical Source: Historiography and Methodology

A review of the discourse on Hasidic tales reveals a persistent vagueness on the crucial question of how, precisely, historians should read hagiography. Can elements of certain tales stand on their own as historical sources? After a review of the current debates about the historicity of Hasidic tales, this paper introduces several historically oriented redactors whose collections constitute a rich repository of information about events, phenomena, personalities, and what most scholars would consider historical reality. Historians can mine these texts for solid information about Hasidism during its vital phase of growth, expansion, and crystallization.
Intraoperative Echocardiography in Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery and Novel Cardiovascular Surgical Techniques

Minimally invasive cardiovascular surgery has been developed in an effort to decrease hospital length of stay and cost by decreasing pulmonary and neurologic complications, pain, chest trauma, and infection. The smaller incisions provide less direct cardiac visualization and exposure, which makes transesophageal echocardiography an essential and integral part of these innovative procedures. Transesophageal echocardiography does not obstruct the surgical field and can perform a full evaluation of the heart. This includes assessment of the aorta and great vessels, valve function, ventricular wall motion, placement of catheters and cannulae, hemodynamic monitoring, and immediate evaluation of surgical results and complications.
Cortical and Hippocampal Volume Deficits in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Summary: Purpose: To use quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods to examine the extent of volume abnormalities in the hippocampus and in extrahippocampal brain regions in localization-related epilepsy of temporal lobe origin (TLE). Methods: Hippocampal, temporal lobe, and extratemporal lobe volumes were examined with 3–mm spin-echo coronal MRI scans in patients with unilateral TLE who were candidates for temporal lobe resection. Measures were adjusted for normal variation due to intracranial volume and age based on 72 healthy male controls. Group differences between 14 male TLE [7 left TLE (LTLE), 7 right TLE (RTLE)] patients and a subset of 49 age range-matched controls were examined with analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: As compared with controls, patients with TLE had smaller temporal lobe and frontoparietal region gray matter volumes, bilaterally, smaller temporal lobe white matter volumes bilaterally, and larger ventricular volumes. In contrast to these bilateral tissue volume deficits, hippocampal volume deficits in TLE were ipsilateral to the epileptogenic temporal lobe. Conclusions: Extrahippocampal volume abnormalities were bilateral and occurred in both temporal and extra-temporal cortical regions in TLE, whereas hippocampal deficits were related to the side of the epileptogenic focus. These data suggest that brain abnormalities in TLE are not limited to the epileptogenic region.
Alternative coating technologies for metal–ceramic nanocomposite films: potential application for solar thermal absorber

Metal–ceramic nanocomposite films for solar absorbers have been obtained by electro-deposition. This coating technique uses a mixed solution of nickel nanoparticles and sub-micron alumina particles. The relative ratio of Ni-to-Al in these films is varied by tuning the concentration of nickel and alumina particles in the starting solution. Three films with different Ni/Al ratio have been prepared and characterized with X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope. Even in absence of any heat treatment, significant amount of nickel in metallic state has been found in all three samples.
L PLATE FIXATION FOR OSTEOTOMIES

It is generally acknowledged that stable fixation of osteotomies offers certain benefits, including maintenance of predictable alignment, while permitting rapid mobilization and rehabilitation. A variety of implants are available which require technical proficiency and familiarity by the surgeon for successful implantation. The ability to customize implants before or during surgery allows the surgeon critical control in a variety of situations. An L plate, which is a pre-bent dynamic compression plate (DCP), applied as a tension band with interfragmentary screws serves this purpose well.
Comparison of the vastus-splitting and median parapatellar approaches for primary total knee arthroplasty: a prospective, randomized study. Surgical technique.

To The Editor: The otherwise excellent article, “Comparison of the Vastus-Splitting and Median Parapatellar Approaches for Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective, Randomized Study. Surgical Technique” (2007;89 Suppl 2 Part 1:80-92), by Kelly et al., was marred by an error in the legend to Figure 1. The axial radiograph of the knee was mislabeled as “a Merchant radiograph of the …
Cross Plaque Neutralization of Two Antigenically Closely Related Dengue Viruses (Type 2 New Guinea C and TH-36)

SummaryDengue type 2, New Guinea “C” virus, from a case of classical dengue fever was compared with dengue TH-36, an agent antigenically closely related to it but isolated from a case of hemorrhagic fever. Cross neutralization tests by the plaque method were performed in duplicate with essentially duplicate results. These were plotted and the 50% serum end points were determined. Relative potencies for homologous and heterologous serum-virus combination were calculated. Significant differences in degrees of neutralization of the two viruses were obtained, the homologous serum and virus resulting in the highest percentage plaque reduction at every serum dilution in each experiment. It is concluded that these two viruses differ antigenically as demonstrated in relatively precise quantitative tests, confirming previous differences shown by complement fixation, immunodiffusion, and immunoelectrophoresis.
Determining the Cultural Affiliation of Terminal Late Woodland-Mississippian Hunting Stations: A Lower Ohio Valley Example:

Discriminant analysis, a multivariate statistical technique is used to clarify terminal Late Woodland-Mississippian settlement patterns in the lower Ohio Valley. Initially, the ability of this technique to recognize variation among stylistically similar populations of Yankeetown, Angel, and Caborn-Welborn triangular arrow points is tested with favorable results. These results are then used to determine the cultural affiliation of small hunting stations in the area. The data indicate that hunting station distributions are largely independent of patterns previously documented for local habitation sites and can be used to clarify settlement-subsistence relationships.
An Experimental Study of Microburst-wind Loads on Gable-roofed Building Models

Microbursts could generate strong divergent winds which are potentially dangerous for low-rise buildings. This paper studies the microburst-wind loading effects on gable-roofed houses by conducting laboratory test using a microburst simulator and two scaled house models. Pressure measurements were conducted for two models at different radial locations, with different Reynolds numbers and orientation angles. PIV measurements were also conducted corresponding to each case of the pressure measurements to help explain the underlying physics. Force coefficients were calculated by integrating the pressure around the house models. Results show that the loading effects depend on radial location, roof angle and orientation angle. Pressure fluctuations were also analyzed. Comparison with the ASCE 7-05 standard indicates that microburst-wind loading effects is different from the straightline wind, but becomes similar as the radial location moves away from the center of the microburst.
Abstract B024: Single-chain traps targeting transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) home to tumors and reduce tumor growth and metastasis by counteracting TGF-beta-mediated immunosuppression

The TGF-beta superfamily includes a large number of ligands with physiological and pathological significance. In particular, elevated TGF-beta in the tumor microenvironment markedly augments cancer progression by inducing metastasis and angiogenesis and by suppressing the immune system. Therapeutic agents targeting TGF-beta, such as antibodies or IgG-Fc-fused receptor ectodomains, have been developed, however these agents are relatively large molecules, which may restrict tumor penetration. We have computationally designed single-chain traps that are comprised of tandemly-fused TGF-beta receptor domains. These traps are approximately one third the size of monoclonal antibodies which would potentially facilitate a better tumor penetration. The homobivalent TGF-beta RII-RII traps (i.e. T22d35 and T22d60) neutralize TGF-beta isoforms 1 and 3 and the heterovalent TGF-beta RI-RII based traps (i.e. T12d and T122bt) are pan-specific and neutralize all three isoforms (TGF-beta 1, 2 and 3). Both the T22d35 and T12d trap blocked TGF-beta 1 and 3, induced epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and motility of mouse mammary tumor cells (JM01). Heterovalent T12d also blocked TGF-beta2 effects on these phenotypes. In vivo comparison of T22d35 trap and the pan-neutralizing TGF-beta antibody 1D11 indicated that T22d35 treatment but not 1D11 reduced the growth of established primary 4T1 mammary tumors, suggesting better neutralization of TGF-beta due to a better tumor penetration of the T22d35 trap (Mol. Cancer Ther. 11:1477, 2012). Trap treatment significantly increased T lymphocyte infiltration and cytotoxic activity within the tumors. Biodistribution studies demonstrated that the T22d35 trap, although eliminated rapidly from the circulating blood and other tissues (within 24 hours), localized and was retained within primary 4T1 tumors. Furthermore, a single injection of trap per week reduced 4T1 metastatic lesions by more than 80%, relative to saline controls, indicating that a short-term trap exposure in the host is sufficient to trigger long-lasting effects. Together, our results indicate that the TGF-beta traps readily home to tumors, antagonize immunosuppression and reduce metastatic spread. Citation Format: John Zwaagstra, Traian Sulea, Anne E.G. Lenferink, Jason Baardsnes, Catherine Collins, Christiane Cantin, Lucie Couture, Limei Tao, Yves Durocher, Maureen O9Connor-McCourt. Single-chain traps targeting transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) home to tumors and reduce tumor growth and metastasis by counteracting TGF-beta-mediated immunosuppression. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B024.
A Constrained Joint Setup Cost Inventory Model

AbstractIIn this paper, a method is proposed for solving the joint setup cost inventory problem with constrained warehouse space availability. The basic assumptions for the system under consideration are instantaneous replenishment of stock and no backorders. The distributions of the individual demand occurrences are unknown and are not restricted to any specific form; however, an estimate of the total planning horizon demand for each product is required. Two problems which were generated from actual industrial data and a third problem, a Poisson demand model with a queueing description of the system's operation, are analysed.
Artifactual expression of maxi-K+ channels in basolateral membrane of gallbladder epithelial cells

To patch clamp the basolateral cell membrane, sheets of Necturus gallbladder epithelium were stripped of the subepithelial tissue layers and affixed apical side down on cover slips coated with Cell-Tak [F. Wehner, L. Garretson, K. Dawson, Y. Segal, and L. Reuss. Am. J. Physiol. 258 (Cell Physiol. 27): C1159-C1164, 1990]. In 90% of the patches we observed K+ channels identical to the maxi-K+ channels previously demonstrated in the apical membrane (Y. Segal and L. Reuss. J. Gen. Physiol. 95: 791-818, 1990). To ascertain whether these channels were present in the native tissue, we carried out intracellular-microelectrode studies. We tested for activation of basolateral membrane K+ conductance by depolarization or by elevation of intracellular Ca2+ and for tetraethylammonium sensitivity of the basolateral membrane voltage and fractional resistance. The results were negative, indicating that maxi-K+ channels are not expressed in the basolateral membrane of the "intact" epithelium. Using the same intracellular-microelectrode protocol on the apical membrane, we demonstrated the presence of an apical K+ conductance attributable to maxi-K+ channels. Additional experiments revealed a Ba(2+)-sensitive basolateral K+ conductance in the native epithelium. We conclude that in the stripped preparation there is artifactual expression of maxi-K+ channels. In addition, the native basolateral membrane K+ channels either are not expressed in this preparation or have a low conductance and cannot be discerned from the background noise.
An unexpected role for RNA-sensing toll-like receptors in a murine model of DNA accrual.

OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to determine whether endosomal Toll-like receptors (TLRs) contribute to the clinical manifestation of systemic autoimmunity exhibited by mice that lack the lysosomal nuclease DNaseII. METHODS DNaseII/IFNaR double deficient mice were intercrossed with Unc93b13d/3d mice to generate DNaseII-/-mice with non-functional endosomal TLRs. The resulting triple deficient mice were evaluated for arthritis, autoantibody production, splenomegaly, and extramedullary haematopoiesis. B cells from both strains were evaluated for their capacity to respond to endogenous DNA by using small oligonucleotide based TLR9D ligands and a novel class of bifunctional anti-DNA antibodies. RESULTS Mice that fail to express DNaseII, IFNaR, and Unc93b1 still develop arthritis but do not make autoantibodies, develop splenomegaly, or exhibit extramedullary haematopoiesis. DNaseII-/- IFNaR-/- B cells can respond to synthetic ODNs, but not to endogenous dsDNA. CONCLUSIONS RNA-reactive TLRs, presumably TLR7, are required for autoantibody production, splenomegaly, and extramedullary haematopoiesis in the DNaseII-/- model of systemic autoimmunity.
Effects of high salt intake and meclofenamate on arterial pressure and renal function in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

1. The effects of prolonged high sodium intake (duration 3 months) and meclofenamate were studied in two groups of male spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats. 2. Group 1 (eight rats) received 1% NaCl in water and served as controls, and group 2 received 1% NaCl in water plus meclofenamate (3·5–4·0 mg daily). 3. Group 2 rats developed higher arterial pressure, renal vascular resistance and left ventricular weight and greater renal histological changes, with lower effective renal plasma flow, renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate, than group 1. No differences were observed between the two groups in heart rate, body weight, fluid intake, urine volume, U Na V, U K V and right ventricular weight. 4. The results suggest that the combination of high sodium intake and meclofenamate exerts a greater damaging effect on the arterial pressure and renal function of SH rats than salt alone.
Attitudes and opinions regarding confirmatory adaptive clinical trials: a mixed methods analysis from the Adaptive Designs Accelerating Promising Trials into Treatments (ADAPT-IT) project

Adaptive designs have been increasingly used in the pharmaceutical and device industries, but adoption within the academic setting has been less widespread — particularly for confirmatory phase trials. We sought to understand perceptions about understanding, acceptability, and scientific validity of adaptive clinical trials (ACTs). We used a convergent mixed methods design using survey and mini-focus group data collection procedures to elucidate attitudes and opinions among “trial community” stakeholders regarding understanding, acceptability, efficiency, scientific validity, and speed of discovery with adaptive designs. Data were collected about various aspects of ACTs using self-administered surveys (paper or Web-based) with visual analog scales (VASs) with free text responses and with mini-focus groups of key stakeholders. Participants were recruited as part of an ongoing NIH/FDA-funded research project exploring the incorporation of ACTs into an existing NIH network that focuses on confirmatory phase clinical trials in neurological emergencies. “Trial community” representatives, namely, clinical investigators, biostatisticians, NIH officials, and FDA scientists involved in the planning of four clinical trials, were eligible to participate. In addition, recent and current members of a clinical trial-oriented NIH study section were also eligible. A total of 76 stakeholders completed the survey (out of 91 who were offered it, response rate 84 %). While the VAS attitudinal data showed substantial variability across respondents about acceptability and understanding of ACTs by various constituencies, respondents perceived clinicians to be less likely to understand ACTs and that ACTs probably would increase the efficiency of discovery. Textual and focus group responses emerged into several themes that enhanced understanding of VAS attitudinal data including the following: acceptability of adaptive designs depends on constituency and situation; there is variable understanding of ACTs (limited among clinicians, perceived to be higher at FDA); views about the potential for efficiency depend on the situation and implementation. Participants also frequently mentioned a need for greater education within the academic community. Finally, the empiric, non-quantitative selection of treatments for phase III trials based on limited phase II trials was highlighted as an opportunity for improvement and a potential explanation for the high number of neutral confirmatory trials. These data show considerable variations in attitudes and beliefs about ACTs among trial community representatives. For adaptive trials to be fully considered when appropriate and for the research enterprise to realize the full potential of adaptive designs will likely require extensive experience and trust building within the trial community.
Methodological choices have predictable consequences in replicating studies on motivation to think: Commentary on Ebersole et al. (2016)

Abstract Ebersole et al. (2016) aimed to conduct a direct replication of Cacioppo, Petty, and Morris (1983, Study 1) looking for a Need for Cognition X Argument Quality interaction on attitudes in response to a persuasive message. Although this effect has been replicated in the literature a good number of times, Ebersole et al. did not obtain it. We attribute their failure to the fact that in their replication effort they used neither of the original independent variables and indeed changed them substantially. Furthermore, they made some other methodological changes to the procedure used in the original study that subsequent research has plausibly suggested would reduce the likelihood of finding the effect. We conclude that because of all of these methodological changes as well as their failure to pretest the impact of these modifications, the replication effort is uninformative.
Time-restricted feeding improves insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in a mouse model of postmenopausal obesity

Abstract Background Menopause is associated with significant hormonal changes that result in increased total body fat and abdominal fat, amplifying the risk for metabolic syndrome and diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer in postmenopausal women. Intermittent fasting regimens hold significant health benefit promise for obese humans, however, regimens that include extreme daytime calorie restriction or daytime fasting are generally associated with hunger and irritability, hampering long-term compliance and adoption in the clinical setting. Time-restricted feeding (TRF), a regimen allowing eating only during a specific period in the normal circadian feeding cycle, without calorie restriction, may increase compliance and provide a more clinically viable method for reducing the detrimental metabolic consequences associated with obesity. Methods We tested TRF as an intervention in a mouse model of postmenopausal obesity. Metabolic parameters were measured using Clinical Laboratory Animal Monitoring System (CLAMS) and we carried out glucose tolerance tests. We also stained liver sections with oil red O to examine steatosis and measured gene expression related to gluconeogenesis. Results Preexisting metabolic disease was significantly attenuated during 7 weeks of TRF. Despite having access to the same high fat diet (HFD) as ad libitum fed (ALF) mice, TRF mice experienced rapid weight loss followed by a delayed improvement in insulin resistance and a reduced severity of hepatic steatosis by having access to the HFD for only 8h during their normal nocturnal feeding period. The lower respiratory exchange ratio in the TRF group compared with the ALF group early in the dark phase suggested that fat was the predominant fuel source in the TRF group and correlated with gene expression analyses that suggested a switch from gluconeogenesis to ketogenesis. In addition, TRF mice were more physically active than ALF fed mice. Conclusions Our data support further analysis of TRF as a clinically viable form of intermittent fasting to improve metabolic health due to obesity.
Discovery, Genomic Analysis, and Functional Role of the Erythrocyte RNAs

Purpose of Review Human erythrocytes are responsible for oxygen delivery in the body. Erythrocytes are a product of terminal differentiated erythroid cells that accumulate hemoglobin and exclude nuclei. The long-held conventional wisdom has been that mature erythrocytes lack any genetic materials. Contrary to this view, accumulating evidence from multiple groups indicates that erythrocytes contain abundant and diverse RNA species. These newly discovered genetic materials suddenly open up opportunities to re-examine many diseases affecting erythrocytes.
Almost Hollywood, Nearly New Orleans: The Lure of the Local Film Economy

Early in the twenty-first century, Louisiana, one of the poorest states in the United States, redirected millions in tax dollars from the public coffers in an effort to become the top location site globally for the production of Hollywood films and television series. Why would lawmakers support such a policy? Why would citizens accept the policy’s uncomfortable effects on their economy and culture? Almost Hollywood, Nearly New Orleans addresses these questions through a study of the local and everyday experiences of the film economy in New Orleans, Louisiana—a city that has twice taken the mantle of becoming a movie production capital. From the silent era to today’s Hollywood South, Vicki Mayer explains that the aura of a film economy is inseparable from a prevailing sense of home, even as it changes that place irrevocably. “A scathing critique of the economic realities and broken promises of Hollywood South, told in rich ethnographic detail and passionately argued through Vicki Mayer’s deep connection to New Orleans. This is a vital book.” NITIN GOVIL, author of Orienting Hollywood: A Century of Film Culture between Los Angeles and Bombay “Mayer guides readers through the numbers and arguments behind Louisiana’s costly love affair with the film industry and raises important questions over whether the state’s citizens are getting their money’s worth.” STEPHANIE GRACE, columnist, The New Orleans Advocate “A visionary in the study of cultural labor, economy, and geography, Mayer is that rare writer who combines exquisite storytelling with rigorous scholarship. This is an essential contribution to film and media studies, and an urgent history lesson for policy makers.” MELISSA GREGG, author of Work’s Intimacy VICKI MAYER is Professor of Communication at Tulane University. She is coeditor of the journal Television & New Media and author or editor of several books and journal articles about media production, creative industries, and cultural work.
Impact of Renal Function on Survival After Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with worse survival in patients with heart disease including those with implantable devices. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) can potentially improve renal function. To assess the relation between the change in renal function and survival with CRT, 238 patients undergoing initial CRT with defibrillator implantation between 2002 and 2011 were followed. The primary end point was all-cause mortality. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), before implantation and 6 ± 3 months after CRT was calculated. Patients were grouped at baseline into mild (stage I/II) or advanced (stage III/IV) CKD. Patients with end-stage renal disease were excluded. The mean follow-up time was 4.3 years. Multivariate analysis of baseline clinical characteristics showed that only renal function predicted the change in eGFR over the first 6 months of CRT. In the subgroup with mild CKD, eGFR decreased (78.5 ± 17.3 to 67.8 ± 26.8 p <0.001), whereas eGFR did not change in the subgroup with advanced CKD (45.6 ± 11.1 to 46.8 ± 17.0, p = 0.46). Patients with advanced CKD had higher mortality than those with mild CKD (p <0.002). In both subgroups, an increase in eGFR was associated with improved survival (hazard ratio = 0.79, p <0.001). In conclusion, baseline renal function and the subsequent change in eGFR are associated with long-term survival with CRT.
Parameters characterizing the measurement of a critical dimension

There are a number of parameters used to characterize a measurement result for the purposes of specifying its value for the intended purpose. Precision (variability) and accuracy (correctness) are two of the more often used parameters and, like many other characterizing parameters, they often do not have the same meaning to the suppler, buyer, and ultimate user of dimensional metrology instruments used in semiconductor processing. These differences in meaning often arise because human "common sense" about measurements of ordinary-sized objects is often misleading when applied to submicrometer-sized objects. For example, there is no universal "ruler" that can used to measure the size of all submicrometer objects because dissimilarities between the ruler and the object will cause them to be "viewed" differently by light, electron beams, and mechanical probes. However, the basic concepts behind characterization of measurement results can be carried over from ordinary-sized objects to submicrometersized objects if the differences in the metrology applicable to these different dimensional regimes are taken into account. This paper summarizes the generally accepted generic metrological meaning(s) and significance of the more commonly used parameters to characterize measurement results for the purpose of clarifying any misunderstanding that might otherwise occur between the metrologist and the user of metrological data in the regime of submicrometer-sized features.
Simultaneous optimization of material properties and energy efficiency of a steel quench hardening process

Quench hardening is a mechanical process in which steel workpieces are hardened and strengthened. It consists of heating the workpieces to a high temperature in order to transform the metal to austenite, followed by quenching in oil, water or brine. In this work, we report on potential improvements for the energy efficiency of a steel quench hardening process, currently in operation at an industrial partner, which can be achieved via model-based optimal control. To obtain a defect-free and structurally sound product, both the macroscopic temperature and microstructural properties of the workpieces need to be controlled. The novelty of this work lies in the modeling approach considered to solve the furnace energy consumption minimization problem. A previously-developed radiation-based model is used to evaluate the energy consumption and part temperature distribution as a function of the time of processing. Simultaneously, we predict the effects of process variables on microstructural evolution of the parts and their consequences on the hardness and toughness of the quenched product. A response surface method is used to find the optimal set points of the feedback controllers that minimize the furnace energy consumption without violating the heating requirements and the desired grain size. Furnace operation under optimal set points results in a significant energy efficiency gain of 3.5% when compared with the heuristic operation currently in place.
Making and Keeping Friends: The Importance of Being Similar

Similarity is central to friendship. The origins of homophily (love of the same) between friends are varied, but they all serve the same purpose: fostering compatibility and maintaining the rewards of affiliation. Interpersonal attraction is grounded on similarity. Similar individuals have much in common and find it easy to get along. Friends are selected on the basis of resemblances and friends influence one another to become more similar over time. Friends also resist changes that promote dissimilarity because differences increase the risk that the friendship will dissolve. Similarity is an essential feature of friendship at all stages of life, but it assumes special significance during adolescence when changes in autonomy coincide with changes in the social world to raise the profile of friends.
Robotic Through-Wall Imaging: Radio-Frequency Imaging Possibilities with Unmanned Vehicles.

Using electromagnetic waves for sensing has been of interest to the research community for many years. More recently, sensing with lower frequencies, such as with radio waves and even with Wi-Fi, has become of interest due to factors like safety and availability of the transceivers. In particular, there has been a considerable interest in using radio-frequency (RF) signals to sense and obtain information about the environment in various contexts, such as imaging, localization, tracking, and occupancy estimation [1]-[10]. See-through imaging (also known as through-wall imaging) has, in particular, been of considerable interest to the research community. The ability to see through occluded objects can be beneficial to many applications, such as search and rescue, surveillance and security, archaeological discovery, detection/classification of occluded objects, and medical applications. Despite great interest in this area, however, see-through imaging is still a considerably challenging problem, especially with everyday RF signals.
Missing-Value Proportion Problems: The Effects of Number Structure Characteristics.

This study explores the effects of number structure characteristics on student thinking in solving missing-value proportion problems. Prior research has documented that the presence of an integer r...
Teaching Video NeuroImages: Oculogyric crisis in treated Parkinson disease.

A 52-year-old woman with Parkinson disease (PD) since age 42 on carbidopa/levodopa 25/250 5 times/d developed “offs” characterized by left foot dystonia. After adding rasagiline 1 mg/d, multihour episodes of gaze deviation, anxiety, retrocollis, and dyskinesias ensued (video, [links.lww.com/WNL/A30][1]). Symptoms, marginally improved with diphenhydramine, resolved when levodopa was held temporarily. They did not recur after discontinuation of rasagiline. [1]: http://links.lww.com/WNL/A30
Global optimization and spatial synchronization changes prior to epileptic seizures

Epileptic seizures are manifestations of intermittent spatiotemporal transitions of the human brain from chaos to order. In this paper, a comparative study involving a measure of chaos, in particular the short-term Lyapunov exponent (STLmax), a measure of phase (ϕmax) and a measure of energy (E) is carried out to detect the dynamical spatial synchronization changes that precede temporal lobe epileptic seizures. The measures are estimated from intracranial electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings with sub-dural and in-depth electrodes from two patients with focal temporal lobe epilepsy and a total of 43 seizures. Techniques from optimization theory, in particular quadratic bivalent programming, are applied to optimize the performance of the three measures in detecting preictal synchronization. It is shown that spatial synchronization, as measured by the convergence of STLmax, ϕmax and E of critical sites selected by optimization versus randomly selected sites leads to long-term seizure predictability. Finally, it is shown that the seizure predictability period using STlmax is longer than that of the phase or energy synchronization measures. This points out the advantages of using synchronization of the STlmax measure in conjunction with optimization for long-term prediction of epileptic seizures.
A.C. Susceptibility Studies of Type-II Superconductors: Vortex Dynamics

The discovery of high-Tc superconducting oxides has revived interest in studying the vortex dynamics of type-II superconductivity (see two recent review papers of Brandt1,2). A very powerful method of investigating the vortex dynamics is the alternating-current (ac) magnetic measurement. Experimentally one usually superimposes a small ac field on a large dc field and determines the real part χ′ and the imaginary part χ″ of the susceptibility by measuring the change of inductance and effective resistance of a pickup coil surrounding the sample. Corresponding to the superconducting-to-normal transition, one usually finds a step-like change in χ′ and a peak in χ″. Even though there has been a large number of experimental investigations on low temperature superconductors3,4 as well as on high-Tc superconductors,5,6 the theoretical interpretations7,8 of ac susceptibility of a type-II superconductor have been controversial. The controversy over the interpretation of the dissipative χ″ peak is particularly noteworthy in studies of the vortex dynamics of the high-Tc superconductors. In this paper, we present experimental ac susceptibility data on a conventional hard superconductor Nb3Al and on crystals of YBa2Cu3O7-δ. The data will be compared with several theoretical models. Comparison between ac susceptibility and dc magnetization will be made with respect to the issue of the so-called “irreversibility line”.9