cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fine structure of the luteal tissue

The corpus luteum is unique among endocrine organs, because it has a transient existence, whether it be short lived — as in case of the extrous and menstrual cycles, or long lived — as in case of pregnancy and pseudopregnancy. Furthermore, the gradual demise of one population of organ(s) heralds the potential for the development of a new set of similar organ(s). Yet, through its secretions the corpus luteum exerts a major influence on the reproductive function of the individual during its lifespan.
Systematically Applying UDL to Effective Practices for Students With Learning Disabilities

Based on the premise that instruction should be designed from the outset to reduce barriers, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines provide a set of flexible options and scaffolds to ensure...
Highly Branched Polymers with Layered Structures that Mimic Light-Harvesting Processes.

Hyperbranched polymers (HBPs) with decorated donor and acceptor chromophores in different domains were constructed to demonstrate the function of light harvesting in a polymeric nanostructure. Taking advantage of our recently developed chain-growth copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition polymerization, two structural parameters in the HBPs, for example, the molar ratio of the acceptor Coumarin 343 in the core to the donor Coumarin 2 on the periphery, and the average distance between these two layers, could be independently varied in a one-pot synthesis. The results demonstrated an efficient energy transfer from the excited Coumarin 2 to the ground-state Coumarin 343 in the core, with the efficiency of the energy transfer reaching as high as 98 %. The excited Coumarin 343, after receiving energy from donor Coumarin 2 emitted higher fluorescence intensity than when directly excited, indicating an observed light concentration effect from the periphery dye to the central dye in one polymer structure.
Modeling analysis of argon gas flow rate’s effect on pre-mixed powder separation in laser metal deposition process and experimental validation

Pre-mixed powder is frequently used powder supply to fabricate functional gradient material by laser metal deposition (LMD). Argon gas flow blows the powder mixture following feeding pipe to melt pool in the LMD process. The powder mixture easily separates since the ingredient particles have different accelerations which are caused by different densities and sizes under the dynamic interaction with argon gas flow. This study investigated the argon gas flow rate’s effect on pre-mixed powder separation using modeling methodology. A CFD-DEM model, which gave consideration to both particle-particle collision and particle-argon gas flow interaction, was employed to simulate the pre-mixed powder flow in the feeding pipe. Three argon gas flow rates 6, 7, and 8 m/s were selected, analyzed, and compared based on their effects on powder mixture separations. Pre-mixed Cu and 4047 Al powders with equal volume percentages (50 to 50%) were investigated during their transportation process under three argon gas flow rates. All particles’ dynamic flow behaviors and the powder distributions were simulated and observed. The volume percentage of each kind of powder was plotted by quantifying the distribution of different particles after exiting the nozzle. It can be found that the intersection point of both powder volume percentages appeared increasingly earlier along with the increasing argon gas flow rate. To prove the correctness of the simulation results, the CFD-DEM model in this study was then validated by an experiment done by authors before. The results from this study are valuable contributions to the research of functionally graded material fabrication with pre-mixed powder through LMD process.
Intervention for Sexual Revictimization Among College Women

Abstract Sexual victimization, including rape, is a common threat for women, particularly women in college. Unfortunately, for the majority of women who are raped, it is an experience that will be endured repeatedly—a phenomenon called revictimization. A review of the literature indicates that two of three women who are raped have been sexually revictimized, with evidence accumulating from diverse samples including women in clinical and community settings, women in the military, and college women. Revictimized women report greater psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and suicidality, generalized anxiety and fear reactions, and substance use compared to women who experience sexual victimization on a single occasion. Given this, revictimization may complicate women’s responses to sexual assault risk reduction interventions and is thus an important consideration as we seek to respond effectively to the college sexual assault epidemic. To be successful, interventions must consider the presence of revictimization, given that the majority of rape victims actually experience multiple sexual assaults. The current chapter will focus on risk reduction interventions for revictimization, definitions and different types of revictimization, and factors associated with different methods of coercion by type of revictimization (e.g., alcohol-related sexual assault). Mechanisms associated with revictimization, including maladaptive coping, emotion dysregulation, and risky behavior are explored. Group-based programs that aim to reduce sexual assault revictimization, as well as individual-based psychotherapeutic interventions, are presented in detail. Recommendations for further development of intervention programs and future research in the area are made.
“Ask a Professional—Ask a Librarian”: Librarianship and the Chronic Struggle for Professional Status:

Professionalizing occupations strive to convince the public, policy makers, and each other of their distinctiveness and legitimacy. Efforts to maintain professional status are a key facet of profes...
ELLPACK: A Research Tool for Elliptic Partial Differential Equations Software

This paper gives the objectives and outlines the technical structure of the ELLPACK project. This project is a cooperative effort to provide a research tool for the evaluation and development of software for the solution of elliptic partial differential equations. The first goal is ELLPACK 77 which is restricted to rectangular geometry in two and three dimensions. ELLPACK 77 has a preprocessor which accepts problems stated in a simple form and it provides a variety of alternatives for operator approximations and linear equation solution. Its structure and the guidelines for the preparation of a module for ELLPACK are discussed. The second goal, ELLPACK 78 is to allow general geometry and provide a variety of enhancements. Finally, the implementation of the ELLPACK preprocessor is described.
TGF-β at the Crossroads Between Inflammation, Suppression and Cancer

Over the past few decades, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and the proteins that regulate it have come to the forefront of tumor immunology. The relationship of mutations, deletions, and amplifications of members of the TGF-β signaling pathway, as well as reductions in receptor expression, to malignancy and the identification of TGF-β receptor polymorphisms as candidate tumor susceptibility alleles confirm TGF-β’s influence on tumorigenesis and provide avenues for potential therapeutic intervention. Just as TGF-β can promote or suppress tumorigenesis, TGF-β can also promote or suppress inflammation, depending on cell type, state of differentiation/activation, and context of the microenvironment. Recent studies have rejuvenated early observations linking inflammation with cancer and have focused on the impact of TGF-β and its pro- and antiinflammatory activities on the outcome of tumor-specific immune responses. Harnessing the suppressive power of TGF-β, the regulatory T-cell counters the host antitumor immune response, posing a major mechanism for tumor immunoevasion and a significant obstacle for effective tumor immunotherapy.
Boundary Smoothing via Symmetry Transforms

This paper proposes a smoothing technique for shape based on a perturbation analysis of the underlying medial axis, and by iteratively removing skeletal branches. While medial axis regularization usually aims at dealing with its sensitivity in the context of applications such as recognition, we use it here to smooth shape. The approach overcomes a basic drawback with current smoothing techniques, namely, the rounding of perceptually salient corners. The key idea is that the instability of the skeleton under a family of deformations can be dealt with via a symmetry transform which is applied to all related symmetry branches so as to effect an appropriate change in the shape. This leads to the notion of a splice transform which removes a branch coupled with simultaneous changes in the skeleton. In contrast to point-based pruning techniques which use local salience and which cannot construct coarse-scale corners, our approach constructs and preserves coarse-scale curvature extrema, leading to a “scale-discrete scale-space” for shape. The approach is also applicable to the smoothing of incomplete shapes represented as a set of curve segments.
Clustering of Metals on Semiconductors Surfaces: Relation to Metallicity, Surface Diffusion, Growth Modes and Schottky Barriers

Photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) has been one of the primary techniques with which Schottky barrier formation on III-V semiconductor substrates has been measured and correlated with overlayer morphology and chemistry. One important class of overlayers is the unreactive materials such as In, Ga and Ag, which cluster on III-V substrates kept at room temperature. Partially reactive materials such as Al and Au have also been observed to cluster on these substrates. Clustered systems have a nonuniform distribution of pinning sites on the surface, and as a result, nonuniformities in the surface potential are also anticipated.1 Such nonuniform surface potentials complicate the interpretation of band bending measurements from these systems. It is the purpose of this paper to describe a model treating the clustering problem.
Chapter II. 1 – Cell-Extracellular Matrix Interactions

Publisher Summary Cellular interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM) are complex. Not only does the ECM provide structural support to cells and tissues, but it is also responsible for generating cell signals that are capable of affecting cell proliferation and differentiation, cell migration, and cell adhesion. In tissue engineering, where an attempt is made to regenerate a specific tissue or replace a specific tissue function, it is critical to understand the interactions between the tissue cells of interest and their natural ECM environment. A thorough understanding of these interactions may allow the tissue engineer to purposefully and systematically regulate the cellular function. Furthermore, specific cell adhesion mechanisms could be exploited by incorporating cell recognition peptide motifs into synthetic polymeric materials for implantation. Such a system would allow the engineer to develop biomaterials with specific mechanical properties that also promote a desirable cellular behavior. Nature has developed an intricate environment in which normal tissue cells live and grow. By elucidating the ways in which the cells and their ECM environment interact, the tissue engineer may begin to systematically and purposefully design and grow new tissues.
Biased Kriging: A Theoretical Development

Kriging was developed to be a best linear unbiased estimator using a theoretical development to assure a minimum variance of estimation error. The Lagrangian function which assures this minimization constrained such that the weights (λ) sum to one (unbiasedness) is $$ L({\lambda _i},\mu ) = {\sigma ^2} - 2\sum\limits_i {{\lambda _i}\sigma \left( {{x_O}{x_i}} \right)} + \sum\limits_i {\sum\limits_j {{\lambda _i}{\lambda _j}} \sigma \left( {{x_O}{x_j}} \right) - 2} \mu \left( {\sum {{\lambda _i} - 1} } \right) $$ (A) In (A), biasedness can be introduced by changing (∑λ-l) to (∑λ-N), where N is the new sum of weights. Yet, differentiating either equation with respect to λ and ∑μ results in formula $$ \sum\limits_i {\sum\limits_j {{\lambda _i}} \sigma \left( {{x_i}{x_j}} \right) - } \mu = \sum\limits_i {\sigma \left( {{x_O}{x_i}} \right)} $$ (B) Hence, the same kriging system is used except N is introduced in the right-hand vector instead of 1. This allows each covariance value, σ, in (B) to be computed using a variogram, as with unbiased kriging. Biased kriging is useful for favoring a particular portion of a histogram. By allowing the sum of weights to be greater than one, as an example, the high end of the histogram can be favored.
Homotransfer of FRET Reporters for Live Cell Imaging.

Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between fluorophores of the same species was recognized in the early to mid-1900s, well before modern heterotransfer applications. Recently, homotransfer FRET principles have re-emerged in biosensors that incorporate genetically encoded fluorescent proteins. Homotransfer offers distinct advantages over the standard heterotransfer FRET method, some of which are related to the use of fluorescence polarization microscopy to quantify FRET between two fluorophores of identical color. These include enhanced signal-to-noise, greater compatibility with other optical sensors and modulators, and new design strategies based upon the clustering or dimerization of singly-labeled sensors. Here, we discuss the theoretical basis for measuring homotransfer using polarization microscopy, procedures for data collection and processing, and we review the existing genetically-encoded homotransfer biosensors.
Inviting emptiness into a cluttered curriculum: Infusing pedagogical practice with Taoist philosophy as a healing balm

In this article, I propose the use of the Taoist philosophy of "emptiness" as a healing balm for the increasing anxiety experienced by both students and teachers in the American educational system....
Transformation Support Provided Remotely to a National Cohort of Optometry Practices.

PURPOSE We describe the results of a practice transformation project conducted within a national cohort of optometry practices participating in the Southern New England Practice Transformation Network. METHODS Participants were 2,997 optometrists in 1,706 practices in 50 states. The multicomponent intervention entailed curriculum dissemination through a preexisting network of optometrists supported by specialized staff and resources, and data collection through a web portal providing real-time feedback. Outcomes included practices reporting data, urgent optometry visits for target conditions, and projected cost savings achieved by reducing emergency department (ED) use through increased provision of urgent care for conditions amenable to management in optometry practices. RESULTS Over 13 months, 69.9% of practices reported data for a mean of 6.7 months. Beginning with the fourth month, the number of urgent optometry visits increased steadily. Among reporting practices, the total cost savings were estimated at $152 million (176,703 ED visits avoided at an average cost differential of $860 per visit). Monthly projected cost savings per optometrist were substantially greater in rural vs urban practices ($10,800 vs $7,870; P CONCLUSIONS Technical assistance to promote practice transformation can be provided remotely and at scale at low per-practice cost. Through the provision of timely, easily accessed ambulatory care, optometrists can improve the patient experience and reduce ED use, thereby reducing costs. The cost savings opportunities are immense because of the large volume and high expense of ED visits for ocular conditions that might otherwise be managed in ambulatory optometry practices.
Transforming multiple visual surveys of a natural environment into time-lapses:

This article presents a new framework to help transform visual surveys of a natural environment into time-lapses. As data association across year-long variation in appearance continues to represent...
Optimizing intracellular antibodies (intrabodies/nanobodies) to treat neurodegenerative disorders.

Abstract Intrabodies (both single-chain Fv and single-domain VH, VHH, and VL nanobodies) offer unique solutions to some of the challenges of delivery and target engagement posed by immunotherapeutics for the brain and other areas of the nervous system. The specificity, which includes the recognition of post-translational modifications, and capacity for engineering that characterize these antibody fragments can be especially well-focused when the genes encoding only the binding sites of the antibody are expressed intracellularly. Multifunctional constructs use fusions with peptides that can re-target antigen-antibody complexes to enhance both pharmacodynamic activity and intracellular solubility simultaneously. Fusions with proteolytic targeting signals, such as the PEST degron, greatly enhance potency in some cases. Stem cell transplants can be protected from exogenous misfolded proteins by stable transfection with intrabodies. Tandem expression to target two or more misfolding proteins in one treatment may be especially valuable for proteostatic disruptions due to genetic, aging, or toxic triggers. Advances in bioinformatics, screening protocols, and especially gene therapy are showing great promise for intrabody/ nanobody treatments of a full range of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and related tau dementias, Parkinson's disease and Lewy body diseases, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and prion diseases, among others.
Vagal-induced Complete Heart Block during Coronary Angiography due to Bladder Distention

Vagal stimulation is common during angiographic procedures. A vasovagal reaction in the setting of coronary angiography most commonly presents as hypotension and/or bradycardia. While the array of signs and symptoms of vasovagal reactions are known, atrioventricular (AV) block maybe overlooked due to its intermittent nature. Below we describe a case of a 47 year-old female who presented with transient complete AV block, mediated by a vagal reaction due to bladder distention in the setting of an invasive coronary angiography procedure.
All-fiber high-power 1700 nm femtosecond laser based on optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification

We present the design and construction of an all-fiber high-power optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier working at 1700 nm, an important wavelength for bio-photonics and medical treatments. The laser delivers 1.42 W of output average power at 1700 nm, which corresponds to ∼40 nJ pulse energy. The pulse can be de-chirped with a conventional grating pair compressor to ∼450 fs. Furthermore, the laser has a stable performance with relative intensity noise typically below the -130 dBc/Hz level for the idler pulses at 1700 nm from 10kHz to 16.95 MHz, half of the laser repetition rate f/2.
Investigating the Range of Symptom Endorsement at Initiation of a Graduated Return-to-Play Protocol After Concussion and Duration of the Protocol: A Study From the National Collegiate Athletic Association–Department of Defense Concussion, Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium:

Background:Organizations recommend that athletes should be asymptomatic or symptom-limited before initiating a graduated return-to-play (GRTP) protocol after sports-related concussion, although asy...
Exponential Time Breakdown of GR

According to classical general relativity an Einstein-Rosen bridge (ERB), or a one-sided bridge-to-nowhere, grows forever. It is interesting that this growth is bounded by quantum mechanics.
Progressive Starbursts and High Velocities in the Infrared-luminous, Colliding Galaxy Arp 118

In this Letter, we demonstrate for the first time the connection between the spatial and temporal progression of star formation and the changing locations of the very dense regions in the gas of a massive disk galaxy (NGC 1144) in the aftermath of its collision with a massive elliptical galaxy (NGC 1143). These two galaxies form the combined object Arp 118, a collisional ring galaxy system. The results of three-dimensional, time-dependent, numerical simulations of the behavior of the gas, stars, and dark matter of a disk galaxy and the stars and dark matter of an elliptical during a collision are compared with multiwavelength observations of Arp 118. The collision that took place approximately 22 Myr ago generated a strong, nonlinear density wave in the stars and gas in the disk of NGC 1144, causing the gas to become clumped on a large scale. This wave produced a series of super-star clusters along the arcs and rings that emanated from the central point of impact in the disk. The locations of these star-forming regions (revealed by multiwavelength observations, including radio continuum, Hα, and CO emission) match those of the regions of increased gas density predicted by the time sequence of models. The models also predict the large velocity gradients observed across the disk of NGC 1144. These are due to the rapid radial outflow of gas coupled with large azimuthal velocities in the expanding ring caused by the impact of the massive intruder.
Pearls & Oy-sters: Number, Weaker, and Dizzier Due to Transthyretin Amyloidosis After 2 Liver Transplants.

Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (hATTR) is an autosomal dominant, rapidly progressive, multisystem disease with substantial clinical heterogeneity, typically marked by lesions in the peripheral nervous system (median neuropathy, sensorimotor polyneuropathy, small-fiber somatic and autonomic neuropathy) and cardiovascular system.
Numerical analyses of high temperature dense, granular flows coupled to high temperature flow property measurements for solar thermal energy storage

Abstract High temperature particle flow properties necessary to predict granular flow behavior for solar thermal energy storage applications were measured and calculated for Carbobead CP 30/60 up to 800 °C. The measured properties included elastic and shear moduli, particle–particle coefficients of static sliding and rolling friction, and particle–particle coefficients of restitution. Poisson’s ratio was calculated with elastic and shear moduli. The flow properties were used as inputs for a numerical model using the discrete element method to examine granular flows along an inclined plane at high temperature. The flow behavior was strongly influenced by the coefficients of static friction, which impacted the particle residence time, shear effects from the side walls, and particle flow mass flux. An 8.7%, 15.6%, and 8.5% increase and 37.9% decrease in steady state mass flow rate was observed for 200 °C, 400 °C, 600 °C, and 800 °C, respectively, when compared to room temperature simulations. A 52%, 59%, and 33% decrease in the time to reach steady state was observed for 200 °C, 400 °C, and 600 °C, respectively, while a 53% increase in time was observed for 800 °C. A significant delay in the flow development at 800 °C was observed due to significantly higher frictional forces.
Selecting Views of Las Trampas: Contact Sheets by Fred E. Mang Jr. and David Jones at the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives

The northern New Mexican village of Las Trampas (Spanish for “The Traps”) was established with a communal land grant in 1751 by twelve ethnically and racially mixed families of Genizaro, Tlaxcalan,...
Improved Perceptions of Education and Wellness Among General Surgery Residents and Faculty After the Implementation of Outpatient Scribes.

BackgroundRecent studies have revealed a high rate of burnout among general surgery (GS) residents. Efforts to design and implement interventions to mitigate fatigue in surgical trainees are critic...
Una visión interdisciplinaria del martirio como práctica religiosa

The role of religious practices in cultural evolution and the interrelations of religious and other cultural practices are the topics of this paper. In that regard, religious and non-religious practices interact in a variety of ways and may be important or necessary for the maintenance of each. The preservation of particular practices by the deliberate manipulation of these interrelations is commonplace. Presumably, the motivation of authorities with the power to manipulate practices is centered on the value of outcomes produced. That value, explicitly or implicitly, is group survival or cultural survival. This paper provides a descriptive analysis of the socio-economic and historical conditions which generate religious practices associated with martyrdom. This analysis draws upon interdisciplinary contact between behavior analysis and social sciences such as sociology and anthropology by utilizing concepts of metacontingency and macrocontingency. We address the significance of this interaction to the role of religious practices such as martyrdom in group survival or cultural survival and conclude with a discussion of the challenges facing behavior analysts as cultural engineers.
Public key infrastructure visualization

At the US Air Force Academy, information security is an emphasis area taught in several courses both within the Computer Science major and to all cadets. Several classroom visualization tools have been developed to help teach security concepts. One such tool for understanding Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) was designed and developed by students as part of a two-semester capstone course in software engineering. The development experience gave students a stronger understanding of how PKI works as well as how to communicate it visually to non-computer science students. This paper will describe the development process the students completed as well as the tool itself and our experience of the tool's effectiveness in the classroom.
Forests as Sinks for Air Contaminants: Vegetative Compartment

In addition to the soil compartment, the vegetative compartment of forest ecosystems functions as a sink for atmospheric contaminants. As in the case of soils, a complex variety of biological, chemical, and physical processes are involved in the transfer of pollutants from the air to the surfaces of vegetation. For certain contaminants, for example, persistent heavy metal particles, the repository functions of vegetation and soils are intimately linked as a portion of the heavy metals input to the soil are derived from vegetative sources contributing litter to the forest floor. Interest in the ability of plants to remove pollutants from the air has grown considerably in recent years as individuals have become increasingly aware of the amenity functions (Heisler, 1975; Smith, 1970a) of woody plants, particularly in urban and suburban areas. The capability of plants to act as a sink for air contaminants has been addressed by a variety of recent reviews, for example, Aubertin and Aubertin (1981), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1976a), Smith and Dochinger (1976), Bennett and Hill (1975), Hanson and Thorne (1972), Hill (1971), Environmental Health Science Center (1975), Keller (1978), and Warren (1973). These papers indicate that the surfaces of vegetation provide a major filtration and reaction surface to the atmosphere and importantly function to transfer pollutants from the atmosphere to the biosphere.
A microbial functional group-based module for simulating methane production and consumption: Application to an incubated permafrost soil

Accurately estimating methane (CH4) flux in terrestrial ecosystems is critically important for investigating and predicting biogeochemistry-climate feedbacks. Improved simulations of CH4 flux require explicit representations of the microbial processes that account for CH4 dynamics. A microbial functional group-based module was developed, building on the decomposition subroutine of the Community Land Model 4.5. This module considers four key mechanisms for CH4 production and consumption: methanogenesis from acetate or from single-carbon compounds and CH4 oxidation using molecular oxygen or other inorganic electron acceptors. Four microbial functional groups perform these processes: acetoclastic methanogens, hydrogenotrophic methanogens, aerobic methanotrophs, and anaerobic methanotrophs. This module was used to simulate dynamics of carbon dioxide (CO2) and CH4 concentrations from an incubation experiment with permafrost soils. The results show that the model captures the dynamics of CO2 and CH4 concentrations in microcosms with top soils, mineral layer soils, and permafrost soils under natural and saturated moisture conditions and three temperature conditions of −2°C, 3°C, and 5°C (R2 > 0.67; P < 0.001). The biases for modeled results are less than 30% across the soil samples and moisture and temperature conditions. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the importance of acetic acid's direct contribution as substrate and indirect effects through pH feedback on CO2 and CH4 production and consumption. This study suggests that representing the microbial mechanisms is critical for modeling CH4 production and consumption; it is urgent to incorporate microbial mechanisms into Earth system models for better predicting trace gas dynamics and the behavior of the climate system.
Cellular automata methods in mathematical physics

Cellular automata (CA) are fully discrete, spatially-distributed dynamical systems which can serve as an alternative framework for mathematical descriptions of physical systems. Furthermore, they constitute intrinsically parallel models of computation which can be efficiently realized with special-purpose cellular automata machines. The basic objective of this thesis is to determine techniques for using CA to model physical phenomena and to develop the associated mathematics. The structure, origins, and modeling categories of CA are first reviewed. A model of a lattice gas in an external potential well is given, and its equilibrium state is analyzed using the principle of maximum entropy. A novel CA rule for relativistic diffusion based on a random walk shows how Lorentz invariance can arise in a lattice model. A parallel lattice Monte Carlo simulation of abstract polymers is described and is shown to capture the correct polymer scaling behavior. A technique for tuning random bits is presented to enable efficient utilization of randomness, especially in CA machines. Interesting areas for future CA research include network simulation, long-range forces, and the dynamics of solids. Basic elements of a calculus for CA are proposed including a discrete representation of one-forms and an analog of integration.
Prurigo Pigmentosa: Literature Review

Prurigo pigmentosa, also referred to as Nagashima's disease, is a rare inflammatory skin condition of unknown etiology. It typically presents as pruritic erythematous papules, papulovesicles, and vesicles appearing in a reticular pattern on the back, chest, or neck. The histological features of prurigo pigmentosa vary according to the stage of the disease. Early-stage disease is characterized by a superficial perivascular infiltrate of neutrophils; spongiosis and necrotic keratinocytes commonly appear in later stages. The etiology of prurigo pigmentosa has yet to be determined. Oral minocycline is usually the first-line therapy for prurigo pigmentosa. However, doxycycline, macrolide antibiotics, and/or dapsone (diaminodiphenyl sulfone) may be indicated for some patients. We describe the key features of prurigo pigmentosa, including the epidemiology, clinical and histologic presentation, differential diagnosis, postulated pathogenesis, and treatment options for this condition.
Drought Consequences for Cow-Calf Production in Wyoming: 2011—2014

On the Ground Drought reduces forage quantity and carrying capacity, but reductions in cow-calf performance measured by calf average daily gain (ADG) and weaning weight (WW) are less understood. From 2011 to 2014, a period with very dry and very wet years, we assessed an adjusted 210 day WW and ADG for a total of 869 calves on two University of Wyoming ranches. We found WW was up to 99 pounds (lb) lower, and ADG was up to 0.47 lb lower between the driest and wettest years. For each one inch reduction in precipitation, WW are predicted to be 7 lb to 14 lb lower, ADG is expected to be 0.03 lb to 0.07 lb lower, and dollar per head values $12 to $27 lower, depending on calf sex and ranch location. If drought occurs, or continues to escalate in frequency and severity, WW reductions, ADG reductions, and value per head reductions should be expected and documented for strategic planning and/or compensation programs.
Decoding in the automorphism group of a recursively saturated model of arithmetic

The main result of this paper partially answers a question raised in [11] about the existence of countable just recursively saturated models of Peano Arithmetic with non-isomorphic automorphism groups. We show the existence of infinitely many countable just recursively saturated models of Peano Arithmetic such that their automorphism groups are not topologically isomorphic. We also discuss maximal open subgroups of the automorphism group of a countable arithmetically saturated model of in a very good interstice.
Improved Estimation of the Pareto Location Parameter Under Squared Error Loss

Suppose two independent observations are drawn from Pareto distributions with known shape parameters and an order restriction on the unknown location parameters. An isotonic regression estimator of the smaller location parameter dominates a preferred marginal estimator under squared error loss, but fails to dominate under stochastic domination. The results expressed herein advance the theory of order restricted inference.
An elective psychiatric course to reduce pharmacy students' social distance toward people with severe mental illness.

Objective. To determine whether an elective course on mental health could reduce pharmacy students’ social distance toward people with severe mental illness.Design. Course activities included assigned readings, class discussions, student presentations, review of video and other media for examples of social distance, presentations by patients with mental illness, and visits to hospitalized patients in a variety of psychiatric settings.Assessment. The Social Distance Scale (SDS) was administered at the beginning and end of the semester to students enrolled in the elective and to a comparator group of students not enrolled in the course. Pharmacy students who did not complete the elective had significantly higher SDS scores than students who completed the elective (18.7 vs. 15.6, p < 0.001). Students enrolled in the course had lower precourse SDS scores, were more likely than their peers to have a personal association with mental illness, and had a decrease in precourse to postcourse scores.Conclusion. A cou...
An overview of recent window based feature extraction algorithms for speaker recognition

An important first step in speaker recognition is the extraction of unique and reliable features that can identify speakers from speech signals. Feature extraction methods have evolved in the last 20 years, with window frame algorithms in particular showing promise. This paper compares and contrasts recent window frames algorithms using the Center for Spoken Language Understanding (CLSU) database through experiments. The different coefficients used and compared are: Real Cepstral Coefficients (RCC), Mel Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC), Linear Predictive Cepstral Coefficients (LPCC), and Perceptual Linear Predictive Cepstral Coefficients (PLPCC). The feature extraction methods will be used in conjunction with a Vector Quantization (VQ) method and a Euclidean distance classifier to find the best recognition rate among the feature extraction features. A survey of published state-of-the-art, window-based, feature extraction methods are evaluated against published results.
Ranking Documents Semantically Using Ontological Relationships

Although arguable success of today’s keyword based search engines in certain information retrieval tasks, ranking search results in a meaningful way remains an open problem. In this work, the goal is to use of semantic relationships for ranking documents without relying on the existence of any specific structure in a document or links between documents. Instead, real-world entities are identified and the relevance of documents is determined using relationships that are known to exist between the entities in a populated ontology. We introduce a measure of relevance that is based on traversal and the semantics of relationships that link entities in an ontology. We expect that the semantic relationship-based ranking approach will be either an alternative or a complement to widely deployed document search for finding highly relevant documents that traditional syntactic and statistical techniques cannot find.
Variation in enkephalin immunoreactivity in the social behavior network and song control system of male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) is dependent on breeding state and gonadal condition

Many temperate zone songbird species exhibit marked seasonal variation in song quality as well as in the motivation to sing. Two brain systems are known to mediate such annual variation in song quality and motivation: (1) the song control system (SCS), and (2) the social behavior network (SBN), respectively. How these two circuits interact to produce changes in singing behavior is not well understood. The opioid enkephalin is expressed in both the SCS and SBN and may function to modulate song quality in a socially relevant manner. Using immunocytochemistry, we examined variation in enkephalin immunoreactivity (ENK-ir) in male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) that were in breeding conditions (i.e. photostimulated) or non-breeding conditions (i.e. photorefractory). We also included a group of castrated photostimulated males to investigate the relationship between gonadal steroids and ENK-ir. ENK-ir in the preoptic area (POA) and lateral septum (LS) was greater in photostimulated intact birds as compared to photorefractory males, but not in other regions within the SBN. There was a significant difference in ENK-ir in two forebrain song nuclei, HVC and the lateral nucleus of the anterior medial nidopallium (lMAN), with lower expression in photostimulated intact as compared to photorefractory birds. ENK-ir did not change across breeding conditions in the Nucleus Interface (NIf). After accounting for the volumetric change in HVC and lMAN, the pattern of ENK-ir remained greater in photorefractory compared to intact photostimulated starlings. We propose that the observed regulation of ENK-ir in the POA and LS may be related to seasonal changes in the motivation to engage in singing behavior, while the change in ENK-ir in the song system are associated with the quality of the song produced. Thus seasonal changes in a single neuromodulatory system can have very different functional effects based on the neuroanatomical specificity of its expression.
Separating Ability of Some Polar Mobile Phases in Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract Homologous series of n-alkanes, n-alcohols, ethers, esters, amides and ketones were studied as solutes. Methanol, acetonitrile, ethanol, dioxane, 2-propanol and tetrahydrofuran were mobile phases. Spherisorb ODS columns with light and heavy octadecyl coatings were used. Methanol and acetonitrile were found to be the most selective solvents for reverse phase separation. The polar amides, alcohols, and ketones behaved differently from nonpolar solutes in acetonitrile mobile phases. Results were interpreted with the solvophobic theory.
Dielectronic recombination into Rydberg levels of lithiumlike titanium

To characterize line formation near threshold for electron-impact excitation, dielectronic capture into high-n levels in lithiumlike Ti19+ ions has been studied with high-resolution x-ray spectroscopy on the Livermore electron beam ion trap. The process is shown to result in satellite lines which are virtually indistinguishable from their dipole-allowed heliumlike parent lines. High-n satellite lines are absent from dipole-forbidden heliumlike lines.
Loss of Asthma Control in Pediatric Patients after Discontinuation of Long-Acting Beta-Agonists

Recent asthma recommendations advocate the use of long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs) in uncontrolled asthma, but also stress the importance of stepping down this therapy once asthma control has been achieved. The objective of this study was to evaluate downtitration of LABA therapy in pediatric patients who are well-controlled on combination-inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/LABA therapy. Clinical and physiologic outcomes were studied in children with moderate-to-severe persistent asthma after switching from combination (ICS/LABA) to monotherapy with ICS. Of the 54 patients, 34 (63%) were determined to have stable asthma after the switch, with a mean followup of 10.7 weeks. Twenty (37%) had loss of asthma control leading to addition of leukotriene receptor antagonists, increased ICS, or restarting LABA. There were 2 exacerbations requiring treatment with systemic steroids. In patients with loss of control, there was a statistically significant decline in FEV1 (−8% versus −1.9%, P = 0.03) and asthma control test (−3.2 versus −0.5, P = 0.03). This did not approach significance for FEF25-75%, exhaled nitric oxide, lung volumes or airway reactivity. No demographic, asthma control measures, or lung function variables predicted loss of control. Pediatric patients with moderate-to-severe persistent asthma who discontinue LABA therapy have a 37% chance of losing asthma control resulting in augmented maintenance therapies. Recent recommendations of discontinuing LABA therapy as soon as control is achieved should be evaluated in a prospective long-term study.
Chemistry of fluorinated quinones. Part II proton and fluorine nmr spectra

Abstract Proton and fluorine NMR spectra of nineteen fluorinated quinones are presented. Coupling constants were found for HH: o 10.5, m 2.2, p −0.3-0; for FF: o 4.5–5.6, m 0.3–1.7, p 1.5–3.0; and HF: o 8.2–10.1, m 6.0–8.4, and p 0.6–0.9.
What’s in a Word: Coming to Terms With Reference

Information literacy has gained ascendency in the reference world to the detriment of the practice of reference librarianship itself. Libraries seem more interested in having librarians teach with technology than in having them engage in thoughtful reference work. Major library associations seem more interested in touting the benefits of information literacy than in supporting traditional reference work, and they define reference in overly simplistic, tautological terms as the practice of answering reference questions rather than attributing to it the subtlety and expertise that make it so valuable. These associations need to rethink the hierarchy and give reference its due.
The relationship between causal attributions and judgements of the typicality of events described by sentences

Three experiments examined the influence of causal attributions on people's judgements of what is a typical event, as reflected in their judgements of what is a typical sentence. In Expt 1, college students judged the typicality of an event depicted by a sentence. In Expt 2, students judged which of two participants caused the action or state depicted in a sentence. In both experiments, the animacy of the participants interacted with different classes of action or experiencer verbs in similar ways to influence prototypicality judgements or causal attributions. There was a positive correlation between the degree of causality attributed to an event participant and the perceived typicality of the event. In Expt 3, students judged the prototypicality of the same sentences after they read an antecedent sentence that emphasized either the target sentence subject or object as causal agent. Manipulating the attribution of causality in this way influenced judgements of prototypicality, even though causal judgements were not explicitly demanded in the experiment. A particular type of world knowledge, causal knowledge about who does what to whom, seems to be particularly influential in our understanding of the sentence events described in this research. Even without context, causal attributions influence our view of the typicality of an event. With an appropriate context, the influence is accentuated.
Space Station polar orbiting platform - Mission analysis and planning

The Space Station Polar Orbiting Platform will be a serviceable spacecraft supporting a range of missions. The planning and analysis of these missions is investigated. The subjects of STS compatibility, rendezvous strategy, and requisite launch windows are addressed. General, as well as, two specific cases are detailed with respect to their incremental velocity requirements.
Simulation of mid-infrared clutter rejection. 1: One-dimensional LMS spatial filter and adaptive threshold algorithms

Several 1-D signal processing techniques have been evaluated by simulation with a digital computer using high-spatial-resolution (0.15 mrad) noise data gathered from back-lit clouds and uniform sky with a scanning data collection system operating in the 4.0-4.8-microm spectral band. Two ordinary bandpass filters and a least-mean-square (LMS) spatial filter were evaluated in combination with a fixed or adaptive threshold algorithm. The combination of a 1-D LMS filter and a 1-D adaptive threshold sensor was shown to reject extreme cloud clutter effectively and to provide nearly equal signal detection in a clear and cluttered sky, at least in systems whose NEI (noise equivalent irradiance) exceeds 1.5 x 10(-13) W/cm(2) and whose spatial resolution is better than 0.15 x 0.36 mrad. A summary gives highlights of the work, key numerical results, and conclusions.
Immune suppression of challenged vaccinates as a rigorous assessment of sterile protection by lentiviral vaccines

We previously reported that an experimental live-attenuated equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) vaccine, containing a mutated S2 accessory gene, provided protection from disease and detectable infection after virulent virus (EIAVPV) challenge [1,2]. To determine if attenuated EIAV vaccines actually prevent persistent infection by challenge virus, we employed a 14-day dexamethasone treatment of vaccinated horses post-challenge to suppress host immunity and amplify replication levels of any infecting EIAV. At two months post-challenge the horses were all protected from virulent-virus challenge, evidenced by a lack of EIA signs and detectable challenge plasma viral RNA. Upon immune suppression, 6/12 horses displayed clinical EIA. Post-immune suppression characterizations demonstrated that the attenuated vaccine evidently prevented detectable challenge virus infection in 50% of horses. These data highlight the utility of post-challenge immune suppression for evaluating persistent viral vaccine protective efficacy.
Synthesis of calelectrins and calpactin I during cytochalasin mediated cell spreading inhibition

Mammary epithelial cell spreading on collagen gels has previously been shown to be correlated with the synthesis of a group of calcium-binding proteins (CBPs) which we have identified as the calcium-binding proteins termed calelectrins and calpactin I monomer/p36. To determine whether cell spreading per se is required for CBP synthesis, we examined the effect of cytochalasin D on these two events. Concentrations of cytochalasin D that did not reduce total protein synthesis, caused inhibition of cell spreading in a dose-dependent manner, but did not cause inhibition of CBP synthesis. Synthesis of collagen also continued during cytochalasin inhibition of cell spreading. Removal of the inhibitor from the cultures initiated cell spreading and CBP synthesis continued. Membrane-cytoskeleton complexes from control and CD treated cells were identical in regard to binding CBPs in a calcium-dependent manner. Colchicine, which inhibited cell spreading, was shown to be toxic to general protein synthesis at 75 nM. The data clearly indicate that mere inhibition of epithelial cell spreading does not automatically suppress CBP synthesis.