cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Blood-induced superoxide anion generation on the cerebral cortex of newborn pigs.

Pigs were equipped with closed cranial windows to measure superoxide anion generation in response to blood placed on the cerebral cortex. Superoxide dismutase (SOD)-inhibitable nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction was measured in the presence of 1) artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), 2) homologous nonheparinized blood (blood), and 3) blood after treatment with indomethacin. SOD-inhibitable NBT reduction was increased significantly in the blood group compared with control, whereas piglets pretreated with indomethacin had significantly less SOD-inhibitable NBT reduction. This suggests that superoxide anion is generated by extravascular blood and that this superoxide anion generation can be inhibited by indomethacin. To investigate the cellular origin of superoxide anion generation, SOD-inhibitable NBT reduction was measured during incubation with piglet whole blood or its components in vitro. The SOD-inhibitable NBT reduction of nonheparinized whole blood was 30 +/- 5.7 nmol.ml-1.20 min-1. This decreased to 2.5 +/- 1.3 nmol.ml-1.20 min-1 in the presence of indomethacin. SOD-inhibitable NBT reduction of ADP-stimulated platelet-rich plasma was 25.6 +/- 2.9 nmol.400 X 10(6) cells-1.20 min-1 and was decreased significantly (6.8 +/- 3.0 nmol.400 X 10(6) cells-1.20 min-1) in the presence of indomethacin. SOD-inhibitable NBT reduction by granulocytes was significant but unchanged by indomethacin. Similarly, SOD-inhibitable NBT reduction by lymphocytes and monocytes was unaffected by indomethacin. Reduction by the red cell fraction was small. These results suggest that substantial quantities of superoxide anion are generated via the platelet cyclooxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism.
Improved Accuracy of Across-breed Genomic Prediction Using Haplotypes in Beef Cattle Populations

Genomic prediction uses a reference population of animals with SNP genotypes and phenotypes to predict the merit of selection candidates that typically do not have observed phenotypes. Accuracy of genomic prediction from models that fitted 50K SNP genotypes was low when selection candidates were from a breed only distantly related with the breeds in the reference population. That accuracy was not improved by increasing SNP density from 50K to a ten-fold higher density using imputation. This indicates that the accuracy of genomic prediction mainly came from family-wise co-segregation information. In this study, a genomic prediction model that fitted genome-wide 100 kilo-bp (Kbp) haplotypes improved accuracy for breeds that were not in the reference population. The haplotype model is a more accurate alternative to the SNP model for genomic prediction when animals of the same breed as the prediction candidates are not available for the reference population.
Toward a New Age of Consumer Access Rights: Creating Space in the Public Accommodation for the LGBT Community

Consumer protection laws do not serve the LGBT community despite the fact it is an identifiable class experiencing out of proportion discrimination and alienation. This article directs sexual orientation advocates down the most important paths of creating real consumer protection for the LGBT community by focusing on two large issues. First, laws prohibiting discrimination, particularly the federal Fair Housing Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, must be amended to protect sexual orientation, and can be amended with little constitutional cost to property owners and religious constituents. Second, state and federal public accommodation laws must adopt the modern interpretation of the public accommodation, which expands public accommodation antidiscrimination laws to include any establishment open to the public, in order to protect the LGBT community in its unique context of discrimination. The majority of jurisdictions either fail to recognize sexual orientation as a protected class in its laws or define the public accommodation too narrowly, based on a nineteenth century interpretation of the public accommodation that limits its protections to essential services. Sexual orientation discrimination largely occurs, not in essential services, but in transactions that involve cultural elements or personal values, and is therefore largely unprotected. Elane Photography v. Vanessa Willock is a successful case for sexual orientation advocates that demonstrates the good policy behind the modern interpretation of the public accommodation. When read in context of New Mexico antidiscrimination law, it is an example of how the modern interpretation has struggled to be recognized by courts, but that a new age of the public accommodation is upon us.
Cause Analysis on Malfunction of Differential Protection of Generators Triggered by Sympathetic Inrush and Improvement Approaches

The paper takes malfunction of differential protection of generators triggered by charge of main and auxiliary transformers with busbar in a power plant in Guangdong province and analyzes mechanism for sympathetic inrush caused by magnetizing inrush as well as malfunction of differential protection of generators.The research shows that current transformers at both sides of differential protection system are of different types and characteristics,which causes differential current and comes up to protection action value and thereby tripping at protection exit after long time and with effect from DC components of sympathetic inrush.The relevant measures such as installation of intelligent switch-on phase control set for transformers,setting calculation of differential protection in consideration of magnetizing inrush and sympathetic inrush caused by charge of adjacent generators,reduction of residual magnetism,improvement of connection mode of current transformers are brought forward and turn out to be effective.
Studies on vectorial capacity trend of Anopheles sinensis in Ningbo, 2011-2014

Objective To understand the potential of malaria by monitoring vectorial capacity of Anopheles sinensis,providing basis for early warning and prevention and control of malaria.Methods An investigation method for capacity oflocal vector transmission was used for quantitative calculation of An. sinences biting rate, human blood index, man-biting habit and expected life of infectivity, etc, and then the vector capacity and basic reproduction rate of An. sinensis was obtained according to the formula of Garrett-Jones(1964).Results The anopheles population declined year by year,the maximum density of An. sinensis was July, the host of An. sinensis was ubiquitous, the human blood index was 0.097 which was overall high, the peak season of basic reproduction rate was July, all higher than the critical value of 1.0.Conclusion There was a certain trend of malaria transmission, prevention and control task was still demanding, we need to increase mosquito control work of overwintering mosquitoes and the first generation mosquitoes of early spring.
Analyzing thermal integrity profiling data for drilled shaft evaluation

Thermal integrity profiling (TIP) is the most recent non-destructive test method to gain widespread popularity in post-construction evaluation of drilled shafts. The allure lies in its ability to detect anomalies across the entire cross-section of a shaft as well as provide a measure of lateral cage alignment. Similarly remarkable, early developments showed that the shape of a temperature profile (with depth) matched closely with the shape of the shaft, thus allowing for a fairly straightforward interpretation of data. Immediately apparent however, was that the relationship between shape and temperature was with two major exceptions: (1) near the ends of the shaft where heat can escape both radially and longitudinally and (2) where drastic changes in the surroundings are encountered (e.g. soil to water, soil to air). Today, methods for analyzing these portions of data exist, but can often involve tedious levels of parameter iterations and trial-and-error thermal modeling. This is particularly true when th...
Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds in Coronary Artery Disease: Weighing the Evidence and Next Steps

Zhang and colleagues report a meta-analysis that evaluates the effectiveness and safety of implantation of an everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) versus a current-generation, n...
The Ilizarov method.

While the use of external fixators is not revolutionary, the Ilizarov apparatus has dramatically improved the application of the principles of external fixation to the management of bony defects, malunions, infections, and pseudarthroses. Since its formal introduction in Western Siberia in 1951 by Gavril Abramovich Ilizarov, an international cadre of surgeons has employed its methods to pioneer modern limb salvaging procedures. Such techniques are made possible by the numerous advantages, including immediate loading of the limb postoperatively, and the use of healthy viable bone to replace devascularized dead bone "in situ" by osteoclasis, localized transport and osteogenesis. Accordingly, leg length discrepancy, deformity and infected nonunions may all be treated effectively. The basic premise of the llizarov technique is that osteogenesis can occur at a surgical osteotomy site given the appropriate degree of retained vascularity, fixation and quantified distraction. This dogma is a function of many variables which Ilizarov classified into three categories; biological, clinical, and technical. First, biologic variables include preservation of endosteal and periosteal blood supply via corticotomy and stable fixation to prevent shear forces, but to permit axial dynamization with postoperative weight bearing. Distraction should occur at approximately 1 mm. per day divided into four times per day. At the termination of distraction, neutral fixation should be permitted to allow strengthening of the new bone. In essence, the technique fools the body into believing it is a child again. The corticotomy sites now act as physes.
Autoimmunity: A History of the Early Struggle for Recognition

Publisher Summary The earliest discoveries in immunology were made in the context of the battle to ward off infectious diseases. These included Louis Pasteur's preventive vaccines, Ilya Metchnikoff's bacteria-eating phagocytes, and Behring and Kitasato's curative antidiphtheria and antitetanus sera. This chapter provides an adequate representation of the ways in which early immunologists dealt with the paradox presented by the almost oxymoronic word “immunopathology.” The chapter focuses on the early stirrings of interest in the possibility that disease might result from an immune response to an individual's own autochthonous antigens. Perhaps the initial reports were too premature to be incorporated into the received wisdom of the young field of immunology, just as the discovery of several allergic diseases could not at first be integrated. Certainly, Paul Ehrlich's dictum of “horror autotoxicus” contributed to an unwillingness to recognize the full significance of the initial findings of a response to spermatozoa, erythrocytes, and retina. But the mounting challenges to the dogma would eventually prove irresistible and the field of autoimmunity would finally flourish.
The Application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process in Sales Personnel Recruitment

Recruitment and hiring is a complex process in which multiple criteria are applied in evaluating candidates for positions. The application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process enables recruiters to prioritize their criteria, rank potential candidates in a consistent manner, and thorougly document the process. The relative importance of criteria and the relative extent of satisfaction of the criteria are assigned weights which are propagated to give an overall ranking of the candidates and to generate a measure of the consistency of the evaluation.
Abstract 186: Decision Making Experiences of Patients With Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators (ICDs)

Introduction: Decision making surrounding ICDs is complicated, involving balancing benefits of prolonging life with potential harms. As such, it is essential to include patients’ perspectives and values in ICD decision making. Research on other interventions suggests that some patients regret medical decisions that they make (or that were made for them). The objective of this study was to describe the decision-making experiences of patients who reported that they did not want an ICD at the time of implantation. Methods: We conducted a mailed survey of 412 patients in the Kaiser Colorado health system with ICDs about their experience in ICD decision making. The survey included a question: “Did you want an ICD?” The survey also asked questions about participation in their decision making and the validated decision regret scale (scored 0-100). Those responding “yes” or “no” to wanting an ICD were compared using Pearson’s Chi-squared test of association for dichotomous outcomes and t-tests for continuous outcomes. Results: A total of 295 patients with ICDs responded to this survey (response rate 72%, 295 out of 410). Of these, 19% (56 of 295) reported not wanting their ICD at the time of implantation. Patients who stated that they did not want the ICD were younger (<65 years-old; 74% vs. 43%, p <0.01, 36 vs. 91 of 127, respectively), had higher decision regret (31/100 vs. 11/100, p<0.01), and reported less participation in their decision making (See Table). Patients wanting and not wanting their ICD were equally likely to have experienced a shock (43% vs. 53%, 88 vs. 26 of 114, respectively, p = .19). Conclusions: Patients who reported not wanting their ICD also reported less participation in their decision making and higher decision regret. On one hand, these results are limited by recall bias and patients may be expressing frustrations with experiences that occurred after the ICD was implanted. On the other hand, they may suggest potential opportunities for improvement in decision making at the time of implantation. Future research should test whether a better decision-making process at the time of implantation could improve outcomes such as decision regret, decision participation, and decision quality. ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Will Space Change Humanity

In 1956 the philosopher Hannah Arendt delivered a series of lectures at the University of Chicago in which she considered the human condition from the vantage point of what were then “our newest experiences and our most recent fears”. Three great events, she said, had shaped the modern age and determined its character: first, the discovery of America and the ensuing exploration of the world; second, the Reformation and the social and economic transformations that followed ; third, the invention of the telescope and the revolutionary perspective on the earth and the heavens promoted by astronomy. Before, however, these lectures could be published another great event occurred: on October 4, 1957 the first Sputnik was launched, inaugurating the space age.
Landau-Kleffner Syndrome and Neurocysticercosis

A seven year old right-handed boy with a one year history of language disorder associated with clinical seizures and paroxysmal EEG is reported from the Division de Neurologia, Instituto Nacional de Neurologia Y Neurocirugia, Mexico, D.F.
Influence of street setbacks on solar reflection and air cooling by reflective streets in urban canyons

Abstract The ability of a climate model to accurately simulate the urban cooling effect of raising street albedo may be hampered by unrealistic representations of street geometry in the urban canyon. Even if the climate model is coupled to an urban canyon model (UCM), it is hard to define detailed urban geometries in UCMs. In this study, we relate simulated surface air temperature change to canyon albedo change. Using this relationship, we calculate scaling factors to adjust previously obtained surface air temperature changes that were simulated using generic canyon geometries. The adjusted temperature changes are obtained using a proposed multi-reflection urban canyon albedo model (UCAM), avoiding the need to rerun computationally expensive climate models. The adjusted temperature changes represent those that would be obtained from simulating with city-specific (local) geometries. Local urban geometries are estimated from details of the city’s building stock and the city’s street design guidelines. As a case study, we calculated average citywide seasonal scaling factors for realistic canyon geometries in Sacramento, California based on street design guidelines and building stock. The average scaling factors are multipliers used to adjust air temperature changes previously simulated by a Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled to an urban canyon model in which streets extended from wall to wall (omitting setbacks, such as sidewalks and yards). Sacramento’s scaling factors ranged from 2.70 (summer) to 3.89 (winter), demonstrating the need to consider the actual urban geometry in urban climate studies.
Rodrigues-Frank Space Representations of Fiber Texture

The concept of fcc fiber texture is examined in the context of Rodrigues-Frank (R-F) representations. Using fiber texture in thin films as the basis of our analysis, it is shown that this approach when combined with grain specific determination of crystallographic orientation provides a useful means of detecting a number of texture components with relatively small grain sampling densities. The application of R-F representations is also shown to be a useful methodology to couple grain boundary structure information with microtexture data.
An Intelligent On-Line Supervisory Fault Detection and Diagnosis System

Abstract A computational system based on application of artificial intelligence techniques to perform on-line fault detection and diagnosis is presented. The diagnosis is based on a fuzzy qualitative simulation algorithm. The adoption of fuzzy sets allows a more detailed description of physical variables, through an arbitrary, but finite, discretisation of the quantity space and also allows common-sense knowledge to be represented in defining values through the use of graded membership. Through machine learning techniques, the system can adjust the fuzzy membership function of the process variables automatically, as well as build the knowledge base on-line very efficiently.
Ammonia Oxidizers in a Grazing Land with a History of Poultry Litter Application

Poultry litter (PL) is widely applied on grazing lands in Georgia. However, it is not clear how its long-term use affects soil microorganisms and their function. We examined changes in activity and community structure of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) in a grazing land with a history of PL application and compared it to treatment with urea ammonium nitrate (UAN). Soil samples (0-15 cm) were collected in 2009 (after 15 yr of PL application) and in 2013 (after 2 yr of no application). The abundance and community composition of ammonia oxidizers (AO) were determined with molecular techniques that targeted Nitrification potential (NP) was used for measuring their activity. Abundance of AO was significantly higher in PL (7.41 and 7.10 log copies g soil for AOB and AOA, respectively) than in UAN plots (6.82 and 6.50 log copies g soil for AOB and AOA, respectively) in 2009. This is consistent with NP, which was higher in PL (0.78 mg NO -N kg h) than in UAN (0.50 mg NO-N kg h) plots in 2009. The abundance of AO and NP decreased in 2013. There was no treatment effect on the composition of AO. Correlation analysis suggested that AOB were functionally more important than AOA, indicating the need to target AOB for efficient management of N in PL-receiving soils. Overall, the difference in nitrification between PL and UAN was mainly caused by the change in AO abundance rather than composition, and AO were not negatively affected by an increase in PL-derived trace metal concentrations.
Gait-based continuous authentication using multimodal learning

The ever-growing threats of security and privacy loss from unauthorized access to mobile devices has led to the development of various biometric authentication methods for easier and safer data access. In this work we present a gait-based continuous authentication method using accelerometer and ground contact force data recorded from a pair of smart socks. Multi-modal learning and auto-encoders are used for feature extraction and a multi-task learning approach is used for classification. The effectiveness of the proposed approach has been demonstrated through preliminary experiments on a dataset of 8 subjects.
Quality of Life after Open or Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy in Patients With Esophageal Cancer—A Systematic Review

Although esophageal cancer is rare in the United States, 5-year survival and quality of life (QoL) are poor following esophageal cancer surgery. Although esophageal cancer has been surgically treated with esophagectomy through thoracotomy, an open procedure, minimally invasive surgical procedures have been recently introduced to decrease the risk of complications and improve QoL after surgery. The current study is a systematic review of the published literature to assess differences in QoL after traditional (open) or minimally invasive esophagectomy. We hypothesized that QoL is consistently better in patients treated with minimally invasive surgery than in those treated with a more traditional and invasive approach. Although global health, social function, and emotional function improved more commonly after minimally invasive surgery compared with open surgery, physical function and role function, as well as symptoms including choking, dysphagia, eating problems, and trouble swallowing saliva, declined for both surgery types. Cognitive function was equivocal across both groups. The potential small benefits in global and mental health status among those who experience minimally invasive surgery should be considered with caution given the possibility of publication and selection bias.
Experimenting in Somalia: The new security empire:

The past several decades of US intervention in Somalia produced violent destabilization, dysfunction, and uncertainty, creating refugee outflows and terrorist networks against which the US is currently tightening its security cordons. This paper argues that Somalia’s recent history as a stateless region offers a cautionary and tragic case study of the long-term damages that ensue when wealthy states that intervene in poorer states in the name of their own security instead cause insecurity and inequities that enable violence, and then in response to that violence enact further securitization to protect themselves against the consequences of that damage. But rather than focusing on the state as a site of securitization, I focus on those whose lives are made insecure by the retreat of their state government and the imposition in its place of security regimes that are not created by their own state government. Such security regimes overlap and compete, are instituted by different state and nonstate actors for...
A secure and cloud-based medical records access scheme for on-road emergencies

On-road emergencies necessitates the availability of the patient's medical records to the emergency centers for better treatment. However, these medical records are often encrypted to preserve the patient's privacy. Revealing the secret key used to encrypt these records to the emergency center would not only give unlimited unauthorized future access to the medical records but also pose privacy concerns for the patient. In this paper, we propose a secure medical records access scheme that can be used to serve the patient effectively. An emergency medical center is able to decrypt a patient's medical records without revealing the secret key used to encrypt them with the help of the patient's smart phone and the cloud server. We use proxy re-encryption scheme to trigger a re-encryption process at the cloud server by sending the required credentials. With the help of the cloud server, only a specific emergency center is able to decrypt the medical records and access the patient's medical history. Our scheme allows in-time and more efficient health care and recovery in extreme life-threatening situations. Our analysis and evaluations show that the proposed scheme can secure the medical records and preserve the privacy of the patient with acceptable computation and communication overhead.
Time dependent dielectric breakdown at ultra low frequencies in low-k dielectrics

Ultra-low frequency time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) in a low-k interlevel dielectric was investigated was studied to examine the possibility of relaxation effects. It can be argued that during the “off” cycle, the dielectric may regain some strength, which would result in a longer lifetime as compared to a constant voltage corresponding to the “on” time. The pulse frequencies were very low based on a 24 hour period with varying duty cycles and compared to a constant voltage (100% duty cycle). Regardless of the duty cycle, a characteristic time to failure (t 63 assuming a Weibull distributor) of about 155 hours for one wafer, and about 80 hours for a second wafer when normalized to the “on” time. This suggests that relaxation is a very small, or nonexistent factor in TDDB. The current model to predict TDDB failure time in industry does not account for any relaxation that may or may not occur, and our findings support the continued use of this apprach.
DIPG-67. HYPOXIA-INDUCIBLE FACTORS REGULATE DIFFUSE INTRINSIC PONTINE GLIOMA GROWTH IN NORMOXIC CULTURE

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) are incurable tumors and the leading cause of pediatric brain tumor deaths. They exhibit low blood perfusion and regions of necrosis, indicative of a low-oxygen environment that supports activation of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) that are associated with increased proliferation, invasion, and therapy resistance. However, previous reports suggest that HIF2-alpha slows growth in some glioma models. We therefore sought to test the hypothesis that HIFs regulate DIPG growth. We cultured the human DIPG tumors SU-DIPG-IV, VUMC-DIPG-X, and SU-DIPG-XIII at ambient oxygen tension and 5% carbon dioxide. We measured protein expression by Western blot and growth by trypan blue exclusion or tetrazolium reduction following exposure to the hypoxia-mimetic (HM) compounds, cobalt (II) chloride or deferoxamine, or selective HIF inhibitors. All three DIPG cultures retained stable expression of HIF1-alpha and HIF2-alpha protein at ambient oxygen tension, unchanged by HM treatment. Selective inhibition of HIF2-alpha by TC-S 7009 increased apparent growth, whereas selective inhibition of HIF1-alpha by CAY10585 did not. We conclude that hypoxia-independent HIF expression unchanged by either HM treatment or HIF inhibition suggests impaired HIF degradation, in which hypoxia-induced activation of HIF target genes more likely depends on transcriptional co-activators rather than blocked proteasomal degradation. In both ambient and hypoxic conditions, HIF2-alpha activity may oppose DIPG growth. Future experiments will investigate whether the effects of HIF2-alpha inhibition on tumor growth can be explained by enhanced HIF1-alpha activity through desequestration of common binding partners, or through direct action of HIF2-alpha on previously reported apoptotic pathways.
Critical Issues in Wire-Bonded Chip Interconnections to the Year 2001

The current and future issues of materials, reliability, and yield of wire bonded interconnections used in microelectronics are described. These issues will affect the future production and use of such interconnections over the next 5 years.
The AMSAA Terrain Research Program

Historical combat records contain many instances in which the success of the victor has been due in part to a judicious use of the environment to strengthen his tactical plan. For this reason, military analysts recognize the importance of including a description of the environment in any meaningful analysis of a soldier and his equipment. Terrain characteristics and climatic conditions have become necessary inputs to operations research studies and those combat models and war gaming efforts which rely on such information to develop realistic battlefield dynamics. Terrain surface geometry, soil characteristics and vegetation can have a great impact upon a military unit’s ability to carry out assigned tasks on the battlefield.
Managing Complex Processes: Making Order Out of Chaos

Complex processes and systems are inherently unruly, as already discussed in Part II. Individuals and organizations that exist in such environments must either manage complexity, or their performance will be degraded by it. The complexity of health care has exploded in the last 50-plus years, as the Institute of Medicine has documented, and as described in Part I. More often than not, performance degradation has outpaced management of complexity in the financing and delivery of health care, leading to high costs and suboptimal results.
Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) deficiency: effect of dietary purines on enzyme activity.

The X-linked, virtually complete deficiency of hypoxanthineguanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) activity results in a bizarre neurologic disorder, the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (Seegmiller, Rosenbloom and Kelley, 1967). In initial reports HGPRT activity was noted as undetectable in erythrocytes from patients with the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. However, more recently several investigators have noted low but detectable levels of HGPRT activity in erythrocytes from these patients (Mizuno, et al., 1970; Sorenson, 1970). In addition, it is now known that despite this striking reduction in HGPRT activity there is a normal amount of immunologically detectable HGPRT protein present (Rubin, et al., 1971; Arnold, Meade and Kelley 1972). We subsequently found that a given patient would also exhibit a wide variability in HGPRT activity even when assay conditions were standardized. This suggested that envir- onmental factors might be responsible for changes in enzyme actiivty and that one potential approach to therapy of patients with this disease would be activation of the structurally abnormal HGPRT protein. The present report describes the influence of alterations in dietary purine content on the erythrocyte HGPRT activity from three patients with the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.
EARTH SHELTERED DWELLINGS IN TEXAS: IDENTIFICATION AND SURVEY

ABSTRACT A very recent survey of earth sheltered homeowners in the state of Texas reveals that houses are located in most areas of the state utilizing several soil and vegetation microclimates. Homeowners are highly satisfied with their homes. More design problems were found than construction problems. Major reasons for building an earth sheltered home were energy efficiency, security and an increase in self sufficiency. About half of the sample participated in the construction of their home.
From Dynamometers to Simulations: Transforming Brake Testing Technology into Antilock Braking Systems

In the 1990s, the public’s perception of antilock braking systems has been formed by the automobile industry’s advertising strategies. Automobile manufacturers market these braking systems to automobile buyers in all price ranges, either as standard or optional equipment. In 1998, over half of all vehicles sold in North America included antilock braking systems. Since these systems do add to the cost of the automobile, they are heavily promoted in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. The automobile industry presents antilock braking systems, or ABS, as a triumph of engineering over dangerous road conditions and unpredictable human drivers.1 ABS is often shown in advertisements as a great idea whose time has finally arrived — completely effacing the difficult process of inventing these devices that prevent the wheels of an automobile from locking when the brakes are applied. Simply put, ABS was a difficult product to bring to the market precisely because ABS is a device and not an idea. ABS’s history as an idea is far older than its existence as a product. Moving from the idea of a machine that would detect and prevent an automobile’s wheels from locking to a prototype of a system which would actually do this is a story centered around the development of technologies to measure the performance of a vehicle’s braking system. Consequently, research-technology is the critical link between ABS as promising idea and ABS as device. The process of creating antiskid devices constitutes a case study that shows the important role research-technologists have played in inventing new products. Perhaps ABS should be considered a triumph of research-technologists over the difficult task of measuring and reacting to the moving wheel.
Mechanistic Aspects of Calcium Phosphonates Precipitation

Organic phosphonates play a role in a wide range of water treatment processes. In particular, phosphonate inhibitors are commonly used to prevent the formation of mineral scale in brine during production of gas and oil. The phosphonate inhibitors work by adsorbing on extremely small crystallites of scale, thus preventing them from growing large enough to become stable in solution and causing the crystallites to re-dissolve. These inhibitors are often referred to as threshold inhibitors because they are effective at very low concentrations, typically less than a few ppm. Phosphonate inhibitors are generally “squeezed” into a reservoir by pumping the inhibitors into the well and shutting-in the well for one to two days. During this time, the inhibitor precipitates and / or adsorbs on the mineral surfaces. When the well is returned to production, the inhibitor slowly dissolves and / or desorbs into the produced brine. As long as the inhibitor concentration in the brine is sufficiently high, scaling in prevented.
Abstract 17944: The Impact of Baseline PR Interval on Response to CRT in Heart Failure with Narrow QRS Complexes: A Sub-Study of the ReThinQ Trial

Background: In heart failure (HF) patients (pts) who are treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), the programmed AV delay must be shorter than the native PR interval in order to preempt intrinsic, dyssynchronous conduction. When the native PR interval is short, such programming results in truncation of transmitral flow, especially in the presence of dilated atria and marked intraatrial (R–>L) conduction delays. Pts with longer baseline PR intervals can have longer (more physiologic) AV delay programming, thereby allowing complete left atrial emptying. Such pts may show improved response to CRT. We analyzed the impact of baseline PR interval in the ReThinQ Trial, which assessed response to CRT in pts with NYHA class III HF, QRS complex duration Methods: Pts randomized to CRT in the ReThinQ trial were divided onto 2 groups depending on baseline PR interval: PR≥180ms and PR Results: A total of 87 pts were randomized to CRT; 45 pts had PR≥180ms and 42 pts had PR 2 at 6 months (which was the primary endpoint in the ReThinQ Trial) was significantly improved only in pts with PR≥180ms (12.1–>13.5 ml/kg/min, P =0.045) but not in pts with PR 12.3 ml/kg/min, P =NS). Although both groups had significant improvements in NYHA class, pts with PR≥180ms showed greater improvement at 6 months as compared to pts with PR P =0.017). Finally, improvement in exercise duration showed a trend toward significance in pts with PR≥180ms (9.1–>9.9 min, P =0.12), but there was no difference in pts with PR 8.7 min, P =0.42). There were no significant changes in LVEF. Conclusions: In the ReThinQ Trial, only pts with PR≥180ms showed significant improvements in peak VO 2 after 6 months of CRT. Similarly, NYHA class improved to a greater degree in pts with PR≥180ms as compared to pts with PR
Method for Generating a Patient-Derived Xenograft Model of CLL

Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models are created by implantation of tumor cells into immunodeficient mice. These models maintain similar morphology and molecular profiling of the original tumors, and therefore have been extensively used in cancer research in both the basic and preclinical fields. Here, we describe a PDX model of CLL using autologous activated T cells to support CLL B-cell growth in lymphoid tissues such as spleen and bone marrow. This model allows one to perform in vivo preclinical and biological studies for this clinically and molecularly heterogeneous disease.
Associations for tasks requiring single stimulus and working memory with different aspects of gait and posture: an exploratory study

Evidence suggests that there is a significant relationship between cognition and gait. However, studies have primarily focused on overall cognition when elucidating the relationship with gait. This study aimed to delineate specific aspects of cognition that are related to gait and postural control parameters. Participants (N = 11, age = 76.55 ± 7.58 years) performed a series of cognitive tasks categorized as either lower-level (serial subtract 3 and continuous performance task) or higher-level (serial subtract 7 and rapid visual input processing task) tasks. Following the completion of the cognitive tasks, participants performed balance and gait activities. This procedure was performed on two separate days with a minimum 48-h rest period between days. A bivariate Pearson correlation analysis was utilized to identify relationships between cognitive task scores and gait speed, step length, gait imbalance as well as the visual, vestibular, and somatosensory aspect of postural control. Lower-level cognitive tasks, specifically the serial subtract 3 was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with gait speed (r = 0.457), step length (r = 0.481), and the ability to maintain postural control with occluded vision and unreliable somatosensory input (r = -0.504). In contrast, higher-level cognitive tasks, specifically serial subtract 7 were associated (P < 0.05) with gait imbalance (r = -0.540), while rapid visual input processing primary reaction time was associated with the ability to maintain postural control in the absence of visual input (r = -0.751). Our findings align with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies that examine gait, postural control, and cognitive task performance and provide a granular insight. These results may help us to better understand the relationship between cognitive deficits, gait, and postural control with aging.
LINE-1 influences cellular differentiation via mechanisms that involve Ahr signaling

Long Interspersed Nuclear Element-1 (LINE-1) or L1 is a mobile element in the mammalian genome that propagates via a “copy-and-paste” mechanism using reverse transcriptase and RNA intermediates. Al...
Analytic Solutions of Hydrodynamic Dispersion Equations

Consider an infinite, homogeneous, and isotropic region, where it is assumed that the flow field is stationary and the solute mass M is injected instantaneously at the origin.
Reassessing the Effect of Cloud Type on Earth’s Energy Balance in the Age of Active Spaceborne Observations. Part I: Top of Atmosphere and Surface

AbstractThis study revisits the classical problem of quantifying the radiative effects of unique cloud types in the era of spaceborne active observations. The radiative effects of nine cloud types,...
2011 APSA Teaching and Learning Conference Track Summaries

The Simulations and Role Play I track conducted a series of engaged discussions regarding what a successful simulation requires and what aspects are customizable, given the wide variety of contexts in which a simulation may be used. Recognizing the presence of significant variance in available time, institutional support (both financial and technical), student demographics, and class size, the track concluded that any successful simulation must include several core components, which can be presented in a variety of ways. Chief among these components are a balance between providing necessary structure and allowing room for engaged student creativity and the need for thorough, reflective debriefing.
Multi-Stage Preconditioners for Thermal-Compositional-Reactive Flow in Porous Media

Abstract We present a family of multi-stage preconditioners for coupled thermal-compositional-reactive reservoir simulation problems. The most common preconditioner used in industrial practice, the Constrained Pressure Residual (CPR) method, was designed for isothermal models and does not offer a specific strategy for the energy equation. For thermal simulations, inadequate treatment of the temperature unknown can cause severe conver-gence degradation. When strong thermal diffusion is present, the energy equation exhibits significant elliptic behavior that cannot be accurately corrected by CPR's second stage. In this work, we use Schur-complement decompositions to extract a temperature subsystem and apply an Algebraic MultiGrid (AMG) approximation as an additional preconditioning stage to improve the treatment of the energy equation. We present results for several two-dimensional hot air injection problems using an extra heavy oil, including challenging reactive In-Situ Combustion (ISC) cases. We show improved performance and robustness across different thermal regimes, from advection dominated (high Peclet number) to diffusion dominated (low Peclet number). The number of linear iterations is reduced by 40–85% compared to standard CPR for both homogeneous and heterogeneous media, and the new methods exhibit almost no sensitivity to the thermal regime.
El tacto y la interacción en el arte maya antiguo

Este Dossier sobre iconografia maya enfatiza la importancia de estudiar las imagenes mayas antiguas en relacion con tres ejes analiticos: el soporte material, el contexto fisico y el contexto historico. Este ensayo anade un cuarto eje analitico: la experiencia que las personas tenian con las artes plasticas, especialmente con los medios esculpidos. Para seguir este camino, el ensayo investiga la importancia del tacto y la interaccion en el arte maya antiguo. La experiencia somatica de las imagenes, los objetos y los edificios tuvieron que ser una parte crucial de su significacion y valoracion estetica. A partir de ello, el articulo se enfoca en la experiencia fisica que las personas –artistas o usuarios– tuvieron con los materiales y las obras. Se centra en dos estudios diferentes: los pequenos implementos de hueso del Entierro 116 de Tikal (Guatemala) y las esculturas monumentales de piedra de Piedras Negras (Guatemala). Las investigaciones tratan de reconstruir los contextos materiales e investigar como las imagenes e inscripciones se relacionan tanto con los soportes materiales como con los lugares donde fueron erigidos, usados o depositados. Estos estudios revelan como los artistas mayas fomentaron el tacto, el movimiento y otras interacciones, y como estas acciones podrian haber funcionado como experiencias rituales.
INCIDENTAL CORONARY ARTERY CALCIFICATION IN NON-GATED CT SCANS

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) screening via gated CT can lead to improved risk stratification and behavior modification. However, CAC testing remains vastly underutilized, in part due to lack of insurance coverage. An estimated 19 million non-gated chest CT scans - performed for reasons other
Gender Segregation and Its Correlates at Midlife and Beyond.

We investigated gender segregation and its correlates in the friendships of U.S. adults aged 50–74 years (177 women; 52 men). Gender segregation existed in our midlife sample such that 74% of frien...
An Empirical Investigation of Non-GAAP Exclusion Quality Indicators

We examine commonly used indicators of low non-GAAP earnings quality and find that, contrary to researchers’ intentions, most indicators identify firm-quarters with excluded earnings components that (1) have relatively low persistence for future firm performance, and (2) improve the value relevance of earnings when excluded. We conclude that existing indicators of non-GAAP earnings quality perform poorly at identifying low-quality non-GAAP earnings. We propose a new indicator that relies on identifying firm-quarters where GAAP earnings quality is high but managers disclose non-GAAP earnings anyway. We find this indicator performs far better at identifying firm-quarters with low-quality non-GAAP earnings. Our results are robust to a variety of specification checks.
PTSD service dogs foster resilience among veterans and military families

Military deployment and reintegration challenges permeate the lives and relationships of Veterans, their spouses, and their families. Among these challenges, 23% of post-9/11 Veterans have been diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychiatric service dogs have been found to help clinically alleviate PTSD symptoms when used as a complementary intervention. However, minimal research exists that explores the role of the service dog as a mechanism for cultivating resilience within the military family system. Researchers utilized a qualitative, constant comparative approach to analyze self-reported experiences of 101 individuals, including Veterans (n = 67) and their spouses (n = 34). Analyzed through the framework of the Theory of Resilience and Relational Load (Afifi et al., 2016), findings suggest complex communication processes that facilitate relational and family adaptation. These processes encompassed (a) the role of the service dog in building emotional reserves, (b) relational load introduced when caring for the service dog, and (c) the service dog’s facilitation of relational maintenance behaviors among family members that contributed to communal orientation. Based on the results of this qualitative analysis, researchers suggest educational interventions where service dog trainers and mental health practitioners can incorporate relational maintenance strategies and family-focused approaches to integrating service dogs as military family members.