cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Tale of Two Capitalisms: Perilous Misperceptions About Capitalism, Entrepreneurship, Government, and Inequality

This paper examines two widely held perceptions about capitalism, challenging the popular view that capitalism is a villainous perpetuator and government a saintly corrector of cronyism and inequality. This characterization is largely driven by misperceptions. Capitalism is viewed as a system that favors the elite at the expense of everyone else (crony capitalism), rather than one that promotes economic liberty and opportunity for all (free market capitalism). The state is meanwhile viewed as a benevolent and omniscient corrector of market failures and provider of public goods (romantic view of politics), rather than a political system operated by agents whose actions may reflect their own self-interest and not the welfare of the general public (public choice view). These misperceptions result in not only a distorted understanding of the institutional structure that underlies capitalism and the mechanism in which income is distributed, but also lead to perilous reform prescriptions that undermine free market capitalism and generate unintended consequences that act to reduce individual and societal well-being.A theory is outlined that links an economy’s institutional environment to the type of capitalism, entrepreneurship, and inequality to emerge in society. Institutions that constrain the discretionary authority of government incentivize productive entrepreneurship and facilitate free market capitalism, giving rise to a natural or market determined income distribution and opportunity for economic mobility. Institutions that do not sufficiently constrain the authority of government incentivize unproductive entrepreneurship and facilitate the development of crony capitalism, resulting in structural inequality and little opportunity for economic mobility. Empirical evidence suggests that, in the long-run, sound monetary institutions and legal institutions that protect private property rights and uphold the rule of law are associated with free market capitalism, greater living standards and a more egalitarian distribution of income. The practical implications of this research for the future of capitalism are discussed.
Declarative Resilience: A Holistic Soft-Error Resilient Multicore Architecture that Trades off Program Accuracy for Efficiency

To protect multicores from soft-error perturbations, research has explored various resiliency schemes that provide high soft-error coverage. However, these schemes incur high performance and energy overheads. We observe that not all soft-error perturbations affect program correctness, and some soft-errors only affect program accuracy, i.e., the program completes with certain acceptable deviations from error free outcome. Thus, it is practical to improve processor efficiency by trading off resiliency overheads with program accuracy. This article proposes the idea of declarative resilience that selectively applies strong resiliency schemes for code regions that are crucial for program correctness (crucial code) and lightweight resiliency for code regions that are susceptible to program accuracy deviations as a result of soft-errors (non-crucial code). At the application level, crucial and non-crucial code is identified based on its impact on the program outcome. A cross-layer architecture enables efficient resilience along with holistic soft-error coverage. Only program accuracy is compromised in the worst-case scenario of a soft-error strike during non-crucial code execution. For a set of machine-learning and graph analytic benchmarks, declarative resilience reduces performance overhead over a state-of-the-art system that applies strong resiliency for all program code regions from ∼ 1.43× to ∼ 1.2×.
Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS)-associated Burkitt lymphoma.

e19529 Background: IRIS as described in people living with HIV-AIDS (PLWHA) is associated with a paradoxical worsening or unmasking of infections and autoimmune diseases, following initiation of co...
Immune response of corneal epithelial cells in response to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and rose bengal photodynamic antimicrobial therapy (PDAT) (Conference Presentation)

Introduction: The prevalence and diversity of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) virulent factors as well as the host inflammatory response makes managing MRSA keratitis challenging. Alternative treatments are being investigated that can both neutralize the MRSA toxins while also reducing the host immune response. One such alternative is Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy (PDAT); however, limited research has been performed to understand the impact of PDAT on the host immune response during MRSA-related infections. Purpose: To measure the immune response (Interleukin(IL)-1, 6 and 8) of human corneal epithelial cells in an ex-vivo tissue model following MRSA infection and rose bengal PDAT. Methods: EpiCorneal tissue models (Maktek) were prepared according to manufacturer’s protocol. All groups were tested in duplicate: Control, Infection, Infection-PDAT. Infections were created in the tissue with three separate MRSA inocula (10E5 CFU/mL). For the Infection-PDAT group, 0.1% rose bengal solution was applied and wells were irradiated with a custom-made green LED light source. After 30 minutes, fluid from all of the tissue model wells was collected and IL-1, 6 and 8 were quantified with ELISA kits (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Results: The EpiCorneal Tissue model simulated the immune response of human corneal epithelial cells during MRSA infection and treatment with PDAT. Compared to the control, the immune response increased in all three MRSA infection groups. Of the cytokines tested, IL-8 showed the greatest response in the tissue models, followed by IL-6 and IL-1. In the Infection-PDAT groups, immune response was mixed depending on the MRSA strain. The largest downregulation of immune factors was observed in the community-associated MRSA strain.
COMPARISON of LOWER QUARTER Y-BALANCE TEST SCORES for FEMALE COLLEGIATE VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS BASED on COMPETITION LEVEL, POSITION, and STARTER STATUS.

Background The Lower Quarter Y-Balance Test (YBT-LQ) is used by sports medicine professionals to measure an athlete's dynamic balance. The YBT-LQ is used by clinicians to track recovery during clinical rehabilitation, assess an athlete's readiness to return to sport after injury, and to identify athletes potentially at-risk for a time-loss injury. Normative data for the YBT-LQ are lacking for female collegiate volleyball (VB) players. The purpose of this study was to examine preseason YBT-LQ scores and their relationships to level of competition, starter status, player position, and prior lower quadrant (i.e., low back and lower extremities) injury history. Methods One-hundred thirty-four female collegiate VB players (mean age = 19.3 ± 1.1 years) representing athletes from three levels of competition (D II = 32, D III = 77, NAIA = 25) participated in this study. Athletes reported their prior injury history and performed the YBT-LQ testing protocol. Results NAIA and D III athletes demonstrated significantly greater reach measures on the YBT-LQ than D II athletes in several directions. Starters demonstrated significantly greater reach measures in five out of eight reach directions. Liberos/defensive specialists/setters demonstrated significantly greater posterolateral and composite reach measures bilaterally. There was no difference in reach measures based on prior history of lower quadrant (low back and lower extremities) injury. Conclusion This study provides normative data for YBT-LQ in female collegiate volleyball players. The data presented in this report may be used by coaches and rehabilitation professionals when evaluating dynamic balance in healthy volleyball players and by clinicians to compare an injured athlete's recovery to norms. Level of evidence 3b.
A multifaceted analytical approach for detecting effects on semen quality when using small sample sizes

Driven by technical, logistical and economic limitations, detection of treatment effects on semen quality typically include the design and collection of small sample datasets. A consequence of these small sample studies is that they suffer low statistical power. Historically, researchers faced with small sample size studies have relied upon non-parametric analysis; however, this approach is still unlikely to tease out a true statistical significance based upon limited sample size. Here we propose a novel methodology that can be applied in small samples study situations that combines repeated measures ANOVA and Mixed-Effects linear regression models with Bayesian Linear regression modeling when evaluating for treatment effects on quantitative semen quality parameters. Using this methodology, we show that investigating the data with this multifaceted analytical technique results in improved reproducibility and sensitivity of the findings while minimizing the likelihood of Type 1 errors when combining the inference statistics from multiple models/methodologies using Bayes Factor analysis.
The Effect of Office Changes within Audit Firms on Clients' Audit Quality and Audit Fees

SUMMARY While prior research has examined audit firm and audit partner rotation, we have little evidence on the impact of within-firm engagement team disruptions on the audit. To examine these disr...
Towards Intelligent Retail: Automated on-Shelf Availability Estimation Using a Depth Camera

Efficient management of on-shelf availability and inventory is a key issue to achieve customer satisfaction and reduce the risk of profit loss for both retailers and manufacturers. Conventional store audits based on physical inspection of shelves are labor-intensive and do not provide reliable assessment. This paper describes a novel framework for automated shelf monitoring, using a consumer-grade depth sensor. The aim is to develop a low-cost embedded system for early detection of out-of-stock situations with particular regard to perishable goods stored in countertop shelves, refrigerated counters, baskets or crates. The proposed solution exploits 3D point cloud reconstruction and modelling techniques, including surface fitting and occupancy grids, to estimate product availability, based on the comparison between a reference model of the shelf and its current status. No a priori knowledge about the product type is required, while the shelf reference model is automatically learnt based on an initial training stage. The output of the system can be used to generate alerts for store managers, as well as to continuously update product availability estimates for automated stock ordering and replenishment and for e-commerce apps. Experimental tests performed in a real retail environment show that the proposed system is able to estimate the on-shelf availability percentage of different fresh products with a maximum average discrepancy with respect to the actual one of about 5.0%.
Aluminum-doped calcium manganite particles for solar thermochemical energy storage: Reactor design, particle characterization, and heat and mass transfer modeling

Abstract A two-step cycle was considered for solar thermochemical energy storage based on particulate aluminum-doped calcium manganite reduction/oxidation reactions for direct integration into Air-Brayton cycles. The two steps encompass (1) the storage of concentrated solar irradiation within endothermic reduction of aluminum-doped calcium manganite and (2) the delivery of heat to an Air-Brayton cycle via exothermic re-oxidation of oxygen-deficient aluminum-doped calcium magnanite. A 5 kWth scale solar thermochemical reactor operating under vacuum was designed, modeled, and optimized to thermally reduce a continuous, gravity-driven flow of aluminum-doped calcium manganite particles. The granular flows were characterized in a tilt-flow rig, and particle image velocimetry was used to determine flow properties via frictional and velocity scaling relationships. Flow properties were integrated into a detailed heat and mass transfer model of the solar thermochemical reactor. A reactor design with 31° inclination angle, 230 g/min of particles, and 5.2 kWth radiative input from the high-flux solar simulator was found to produce an outlet flow temperature of 1158 K, with stoichiometric deviations of 0.076 and a storage efficiency of 0.628 while avoiding particle overheating and promoting longer particle residence times.
Pre-service and first-year teachers' transactions with mathematics pedagogy textbooks

Despite the ubiquitous use of pedagogy textbooks within teacher education programs, research examining the relationships between pre-service teachers and their pedagogy textbooks is scarce. This study draws on Rosenblatt's (1982) transactional theory of reading to explore how pre-service teachers and first-year teachers transact with mathematics pedagogy textbooks. We interviewed sixteen participants – seven pre-service teachers and nine first-year teachers – about their transactions with mathematics pedagogy textbooks, how instructors encouraged participants' transactions with these textbooks, and the messages participants received from the textbooks. Results suggest that supporting pre-service teachers with textbook use is crucial for them to make connections between textbooks and the broader educational landscape. The results also uncovered tensions between participants' perceptions of textbook information and their own classroom experiences. We suggest future research to explore approaches that foster transactions to help pre-service teachers negotiate and question textbooks in stronger ways
Measuring engagement in a collaborative learning health system: The case of ImproveCareNow.

Background Collaborative learning health systems have demonstrated improved outcomes for a range of different chronic conditions. Patient and healthcare provider engagement in these systems is thought to be associated with improved outcomes. We have adapted an observational framework to measure, and track over time, engagement in ImproveCareNow, a collaborative learning health system for children with inflammatory bowel disease. Introduction We developed a categorical classification scheme for engagement in ImproveCareNow. Each tier is defined in terms of observable individual behaviors. When an individual completes one or more qualifying behavior, s/he is classified as engaged at that tier. Individuals are entered into a database, which is accessible to care centers throughout the ImproveCareNow network. Database records include fields for individual name, behavior type, time, place, and level of engagement. Results The resulting system is employed at 79 ImproveCareNow care centers in the United States. The system recognizes four levels of engagement. Behaviors are recorded in a managed vocabulary and recorded in an online database. The database is queried weekly for individual engagement behaviors, which are tracked longitudinally. Center- and network-level statistics are generated and disseminated to stakeholders. Conclusion It is possible to monitor longitudinal engagement in a collaborative learning health system, thereby charting progress toward engagement goals and enabling quantitative evaluation of interventions aimed at increasing engagement.
Lockdown Effect on COVID-19 Spread in India: National Data Masking State-Level Trends

Introduction India has been under four phases of a national lockdown from March 25 to May 31 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unmasking the state-wise variation in the effect of the nationwide lockdown on the progression of the pandemic could inform dynamic policy interventions towards containment and mitigation. Methods Using data on confirmed COVID-19 cases across 20 states that accounted for more than 99% of the cumulative case counts in India till May 31, 2020, we illustrate the masking of state-level trends and highlight the variations across states by presenting evaluative evidence on some aspects of the COVID-19 outbreak: case-fatality rates, doubling times of cases, effective reproduction numbers, and the scale of testing. Results The estimated effective reproduction number R for India was 3.36 (95% confidence interval (CI): [3.03, 3.71]) on March 24, whereas the average of estimates from May 25 - May 31 stands at 1.27 (95% CI: [1.26, 1.28]). Similarly, the estimated doubling time across India was at 3.56 days on March 24, and the past 7-day average for the same on May 31 is 14.37 days. The average daily number of tests have increased from 1,717 (March 19-25) to 131,772 (May 25-31) with an estimated testing shortfall of 4.58 million tests nationally by May 31. However, various states exhibit substantial departures from these national patterns. Conclusions Patterns of change over lockdown periods indicate the lockdown has been effective in slowing the spread of the virus nationally. The COVID-19 outbreak in India displays large state-level variations and identifying these variations can help in both understanding the dynamics of the pandemic and formulating effective public health interventions. Our framework offers a holistic assessment of the pandemic across Indian states and union territories along with a set of interactive visualization tools that are daily updated at covind19.org.
Coordination of verification activities with incentives: a two-firm model

In systems engineering, verification activities evaluate the extent to which a system under development satisfies its requirements. In large systems engineering projects, multiple firms are involved in the system development, and hence verification activities must be coordinated. Self-interest impedes the implementation of verification strategies that are beneficial for all firms while encouraging each firm to choose a verification strategy beneficial to itself. Incentives for verification activities can motivate a single firm to adopt verification strategies beneficial to all firms in the project, but these incentives must be offered judiciously to minimize unnecessary expenditures and prevent the abuse of goodwill. In this paper, we use game theory to model a contractor-subcontractor scenario, in which the subcontractor provides a component to the contractor, who further integrates it into their system. Our model uses belief distributions to capture each firm’s epistemic uncertainty in their component’s state prior to verification, and we use multiscale decision theory to model interdependencies between the contractor and subcontractor’s design. We propose an incentive mechanism that aligns the verification strategies of the two firms and using our game-theoretic model, we identify those scenarios where the contractor benefits from incentivizing the subcontractor’s verification activities.
On the convergence of overlapping elements and overlapping meshes

Abstract Two novel finite element schemes were earlier proposed to reduce the meshing effort needed for practical finite element analysis and their promising performance was demonstrated in the AMORE (AMORE stands for Automatic Meshing with Overlapping and Regular Elements) framework. In the first scheme “overlapping finite elements” are established that combine advantages of meshless and traditional finite element methods. A key step is to use polynomial interpolations for the rational shape functions in the meshless method. The scheme enables effective, accurate, and element distortion insensitive numerical solutions. In the second scheme, individual meshes are allowed to overlap quite freely. In our earlier papers we gave illustrative examples and also brief discussions on the convergence of the schemes when used in AMORE. We now focus on presenting deeper insights into the convergence properties through theory and novel illustrative solutions.
Odds of Merkel cell carcinoma metastases associated with primary anatomic site and laterality

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a neuroendocrine skin malignancy associated with ultraviolet radiation exposure and the Merkel cell polyomavirus. This study aims to examine associations between primary tumor anatomic site, laterality, and metastases in MCC in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database and an academic center MCC database in Rhode Island (RI). A retrospective chart review of 92 MCC cases from RI Hospital and 2845 subjects from the SEER registry was analyzed. Logistic regressions in each cohort were performed to calculate odds ratios (OR), adjusting for sex, age at diagnosis, race, and marital status. The majority of tumors were left-sided in the SEER cohort (53.0%) and RI cohort (56.5%), and located on the head and neck region in the RI cohort (60.9%) and the trunk and extremities in the SEER cohort (70.8%). Left-sided tumors compared to right-sided tumors were marginally associated with increased odds of metastasis in the SEER cohort (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.87, 1.27); however, decreased risk of MCC was found in the RI cohort (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.13, 0.80). Tumors located on the trunk and extremities were marginally associated with decreased odds of metastasis compared to head and neck tumors in both databases (SEER: OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.72, 1.08 and RI cohort: OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.25, 1.50). Left-sided tumors located on head and neck showed a suggestive evidence of increased odds of MCC among females in the SEER data (OR 1.77, 95% CI 0.98, 3.23). Our study potentially has important implications for clinical tumor diagnosis and prognostication as well as improved understanding about the epidemiology of MCC.
Chromatic index of dense quasirandom graphs

Let $G$ be a simple graph with maximum degree $\Delta(G)$. A subgraph $H$ of $G$ is overfull if $|E(H)|>\Delta(G)\lfloor |V(H)|/2 \rfloor$. Chetwynd and Hilton in 1985 conjectured that a graph $G$ on $n$ vertices with $\Delta(G)>n/3$ has chromatic index $\Delta(G)$ if and only if $G$ contains no overfull subgraph. Glock, Kuhn and Osthus in 2016 showed that the conjecture is true for dense quasirandom graphs with even order, and they conjectured that the same should hold for such graphs with odd order. In this paper, we show that the conjecture of Glock, Kuhn and Osthus is affirmative.
Membrane partitioning and lipid selectivity of the N-terminal amphipathic H0 helices of endophilin isoforms.

Abstract Endophilin is an N-BAR protein, which is characterized by a crescent-shaped BAR domain and an amphipathic helix that contributes to the membrane binding of these proteins. The exact function of that H0 helix has been a topic of debate. In mammals, there are five different endophilin isoforms, grouped into A (three members) and B (two members) subclasses, which have been described to differ in their subcellular localization and function. We asked to what extent molecular properties of the H0 helices of these members affect their membrane targeting behavior. We found that all H0 helices of the endophilin isoforms display a two-state equilibrium between disordered and α-helical states in which the helical secondary structure can be stabilized through trifluoroethanol. The helicities in high TFE were strikingly different among the H0 peptides. We investigated H0-membrane partitioning by the monitoring of secondary structure changes via CD spectroscopy. We found that the presence of anionic phospholipids is critical for all H0 helices partitioning into membranes. Membrane partitioning is found to be sensitive to variations in membrane complexity. Overall, the H0 B subfamily displays stronger membrane partitioning than the H0 A subfamily. The H0 A peptide-membrane binding occurs predominantly through electrostatic interactions. Variation among the H0 A subfamily may be attributed to slight alterations in the amino acid sequence. Meanwhile, the H0 B subfamily displays greater specificity for certain membrane compositions, and this may link H0 B peptide binding to endophilin B's cellular function.
Serlio and Artificial Intelligence: Problematizing the Image-to-Object Workflow

Virtual design production demands that information be increasingly encoded and decoded with image compression technologies. Since the Renaissance, the discourses of language and drawing and their actuation by the classical disciplinary treatise have been fundamental to the production of knowledge within the building arts. These early forms of data compression provoke reflection on theory and technology as critical counterparts to perception and imagination unique to the discipline of architecture. This research examines the illustrated expositions of Sebastiano Serlio through the lens of artificial intelligence (AI). The mimetic powers of technological data storage and retrieval and Serlio’s coded operations of orthographic projection drawing disclose other aesthetic and formal logics for architecture and its image that exist outside human perception. Examination of aesthetic communication theory provides a conceptual dimension of how architecture and artificial intelligent systems integrate both analog and digital modes of information processing. Tools and methods are reconsidered to propose alternative AI workflows that complicate normative and predictable linear design processes. The operative model presented demonstrates how augmenting and interpreting layered generative adversarial networks drive an integrated parametric process of three-dimensionalization. Concluding remarks contemplate the role of human design agency within these emerging modes of creative digital production.
Loss of the polyadenylate segment from mammalian messenger RNA. Selective cleavage of this sequence from polyribosomes.

Abstract Treatment of mouse sarcoma 180 ascites cell polysomes with low levels of micrococcal nuclease, under conditions that cause relatively little fragmentation of the messenger RNA chains, results in considerable loss of poly(A) from these chains. This treatment generates a substantial amount of functional poly(A)-lacking mRNA. Brief incubation of cytoplasmic extracts of the ascites cells, and of mouse liver extracts, has similar effects on the polysomes present in the extracts and on the generation of poly(A)-lacking mRNA chains. The poly(A) segment is released from the polysomes treated with micrococcal nuclease as a nucleoprotein complex, and is protected from the action of the enzyme because of its association with protein. There is considerable poly(A) hydrolysis in incubated ascites cell extracts, and accumulation of a poly(A)-protein complex does not take place in this case. The liver extracts have little poly(A)-hydrolyzing activity, and free poly(A)-protein complexes are observed in these extracts. The poly(A)-cleavage process shows evidence of considerable selectivity. The newly synthesized mRNA population is more susceptible to this process than is the steady-state population. Moreover, only a portion of the steady-state mRNA loses its poly(A) readily upon incubation with micrococcal nuclease. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of translation products from total and poly(A)-lacking polysomal RNA preparations shows that not all mRNA species lose their poly(A) upon incubation of polysomes in ascites cell extracts. The sensitive population resembles the normal population of translatable poly (A)-lacking mRNA that is obtained from untreated polysomes. Individual species within this population show wide differences in their degree of susceptibility to the poly(A)-release process in vitro. Analysis by one-dimensional gel electrophoresis indicates that the same general population is generated by the incubation of cytoplasmic extracts and by the treatment of polysomes with micrococcal nuclease. It is suggested that the 3′ non-coding region of mRNA in polysomes is particularly sensitive to endonucleolytic cleavage, and that loss of poly(A) via this cleavage may be a normal cellular process. The diversity in nucleotide sequence and in overall configuration in this region could provide a basis for the observed differences in susceptibility to cleavage by nucleases.
Chapter 13 Π10 classes in mathematics

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the applications of the ∏ 0 1 classes in a wide variety of fields including logic, nonmonotonic logic, algebra, combinatorics, orderings, and game theory. ∏ 0 1 Classes occur in many areas of recursive mathematic.. In each case, it shows that the set of solutions to a given recursive instance of the problem may be represented as an arbitrary (bounded, or recursively bounded) ∏ 0 1 class. For example, Bean observed that the set of κ-colorings of a recursive graph “G” is a recursively bounded ∏ 0 1 class. The chapter presents results on ∏ 0 1 classes and their members that can be applied to the mathematical problems. Through these results on various recursive problems in mathematics, the solution sets are shown to be represented by “r.b.” (Recursively bound) ∏ 0 1 classes and, in some cases, to represent all possible r.b. ∏ 0 1 classes (Certain problems are represented by bounded or unbounded represent all possible r.b. represent∏ 0 1 classes). The results are then applied to derive corollaries such as the existence of recursive instances of each such problem with no recursive solutions.
Proceedings of the 16th ACM conference on Computer and communications security

It is our pleasure to report that this year's ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS 2009), held on November 9 - 13, 2009 in Chicago IL, USA, continues on the tradition of excellence established in previous years. This year we received 315 submissions (a new record for CCS), with authors from 31 countries. Each paper was reviewed by at least three program committee members. The evaluation was made on the basis of their significance, novelty, and technical quality. Sometimes we solicited the opinion of outside experts. Reviewing was double-blind, meaning that the program committee was not aware of the identities and affiliations of the author(s) of each submitted paper. After the reviews were completed, the program committee conducted a month-long online discussion for each paper. Of the papers submitted, 58 were selected for presentation at the conference, resulting in an acceptance rate of 18%. These numbers give only one indication of the selectivity and competitiveness of the conference. More importantly, the quality of many of the papers that we could not accept was also very high; we are confident that with only a little (if any) additional work, many will be accepted and appear in other high-quality conferences. In this, we hope they will have benefited from the hard work of the excellent program committee members that we had the pleasure to work with. Every effort was made to provide informative and constructive feedback to the authors of all papers. We wish to thank the program committee for the collegiality, diligence, responsiveness and enthusiasm they exhibited throughout this grueling, but also extremely rewarding process.
Protective effects of resveratrol on social stress-induced neuroinflammation and depressive-like behavior

Social stress precipitates psychiatric disorders, however only a subset of the population is susceptible. This may result from differences in coping strategy and sequent inflammation. Using a resident-intruder paradigm in rats, we previously identified two distinct phenotypic responses to stress. Active coping (AC) rats spent more time resisting in upright postures in the presence of a dominant resident rat than did passive coping (PC) rats. PC rats developed behavioral, inflammatory and neuroendocrine endpoints comparable to depression, while AC rats did not. The present study determined if resveratrol (RSV, 10mg/kg/day), a natural anti-inflammatory, could protect against stress-induced neuroinflammation and produce antidepressant-like effects in socially defeated rats (stress vs control 30min/day for 5 days). In PC rats, proinflammatory proteins (IL-1β, IL-6, GM-CSF) were elevated 5 days after the final social defeat within the locus coeruleus, a noradrenergic brain region implicated in depression. Alte...
A report on integrating design projects in mechanical engineering

Mechanical engineering students at North Carolina A&T State University take concurrent courses in mechanism and engineering design followed by a course in machine design. Each course entails design projects. To reduce the burden on students of multiple, short-term projects and to give students the experience of developing a long-term project in more depth than is usually required in an individual course, a single design project was developed to span all three courses. The design project was selected to address a need in developing countries for debris removal in street gutters to reduce the health problems associated with flooding. Students designed machines for street-gutter debris removal. Students at North Carolina A&T State University and the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana, collaborated in accordance with a previously established memorandum of understanding for faculty and student exchange. In this paper is presented a report on this experiment in integrating design projects in mechanical engineering. The problem is defined, students are profiled, and technical issues, logistical issues, and methods addressing these issue are discussed. Lessons learned by students and faculty about cooperative learning and international collaboration are discussed. An informal assessment of integration of this type is given.
Shelf and Inventory Management with Space-Elastic Demand

Managing limited shelf space is a core decision in retail as increasing product variety is in conflict with limited shelf space and operational replenishment costs. In addition to their classical supply function, shelf inventories have a demand generating function, as more facings lead to growing consumer demand. An efficient decision support model therefore needs to reflect space-elastic demand and logistical components of shelf replenishment. However shelf space management models have up to now assumed that replenishment systems are efficient and that replenishment costs are not decision relevant. But shelf space and inventory management are interdependent, e.g., low space allocation requires frequent restocking. We analyzed a multi-product shelf space and inventory management problem that integrates facing-dependent inventory holding and replenishment costs. Our numerical examples illustrate the benefits of an integrated decision model.
A Review of “Managing Image Collections: A Practical Guide”

In the difficult economic conditions of the 21st century, libraries are often required to retrain existing personnel for new functions instead of hiring new, specially-trained personnel as was so o...
Ways of knowing: a guide to the journals a clinical discipline needs?

Keywords: ways of knowing; clinical scholarship; nursing journals; writing for publication
The Value of Positive Pressure Ventilations for Clients in Acute Respiratory Distress as a Result of Cardiac and Pulmonary Issues

Objective: Research was conducted to examine benefits to using non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) early in the treatment of respiratory distress caused by pulmonary edema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Limitations to successful NIV and CPAP therapy were evaluated to determine how prolonged initiation of treatment may lead to hypoxemia (decreased oxygen in the blood) and hypercapnia (increased carbon dioxide in the blood) resulting in poor outcomes. Method: Reviews of literature from nursing and allied health data bases (CINAHL and ProQuest) with terms pulmonary edema, positive pressure device and non-invasive ventilation from 2010 to 2014 were used. Studies were conducted in the hospital and prehospital settings. Results: The literature search located 7 articles from CINAHL and 25 articles from ProQuest. A total of 6 of these articles were analyzed. Additional sources of data were obtained from Ignatavicius and Workman (2013) Medical-Surgical Nursing Patient-Centered Collaborative Care 7th edition and American Journal of Nursing (02/2013) Volume 113: 2. Conclusion: All of the articles concluded that early initiation of continuous positive airway pressure ventilations in the short-term was beneficial; however, late initiation of therapy required additional interventions. The studies indicated that early use of positive airway pressure in acute respiratory distress improved breath rate, heart rate and blood pressure. The use of positive airway pressure for respiratory distress may decrease the need for endotracheal intubation.
Perspective on ionic liquids and ionic liquid membranes

Abstract Ionic liquids can be used in various morphologies and configurations as membrane systems including supported liquid membranes, membrane contactors, and mixed matrix membranes. In each case, the negligible vapor pressure can lead to a highly stable structure since the ionic liquid is non-volatile. This perspective is meant to provide some background information on the use of ionic liquids in membrane systems and a discussion of future opportunities for this technology. Ionic liquids with different physical properties can be synthesized in a wide range of structures. In addition, this platform provides an opportunity to “tune” the physical/chemical properties such as density, viscosity, hydrophobicity, and chemical affinity for specific applications. The use of ionic liquids in membrane systems should see continued growth in the future.
Brain-spinal feedforward–feedback interactions affect output pattern and intracellular properties of motor networks in the lamprey

Abstract In many vertebrates locomotor-like activity can be induced from spinal neurons. The effects of supraspinal input on this spinal rhythm are not well understood. Using an in vitro lamprey preparation we find that in the presence of the brain–spinal cord feedforward–feedback loop the ability of the spinal circuits to produce fictive locomotion is altered. Also, the variability in the cycle period and intersegmental delay increased. We have developed novel signal processing techniques utilizing wavelet decomposition and time-varying covariance to analyze the neural activity. We suggest that the brain–spinal cord system should be viewed as a single dynamical system capable of multiple behavioral states.
Feasibility of saltwater gradient ponds as a heat supply for hatchery rearing water

Abstract Salt gradient solar collector ponds are economically feasible as a source of heat energy for hatchery rearing water. A pond 3 m deep and covering an area of 5000 m 2 will supply approximately 2800 GJ of energy over a three-month period — enough for a one-year smolt program in an Atlantic salmon hatchery. The cost to construct such a pond is approximately $173,000, or the equivalent of seven years' fuel bills using conventional heating equipment. Although the technology is new and not entirely understood, existing ponds have proven to be relatively problem free and require only minimum maintenance.
P02-60 - Role of neurogenesis in distinguishing relevant from irrelevant memories

Background In this study we examine potential mechanisms by which the stimulation of hippocampal neurogenesis may generate an antidepressant effect. Methods Study-1: Adult male rats (N = 24) were trained to segregate relevant from irrelevant spatial cues (spatial segregation); tested on this task four and 8-weeks late; then exposed (on week 8) to a modified version of the task that conflicted with the memory of the initially learned experience (mnemonic segregation); and then euthanized to detect hippocampal neurogenesis. Study-2: Adult rats (N = 24) were trained in the spatial segregation task; three-days later, half were re-tested on the same task and half the tested on the modified task (mnemonic segregation); and euthanized immediately to detect neurons that were synaptically active during task performance. Results Study-1: Good performers on the modified task (mnemonic segregation) had significantly greater rates of hippocampal neurogenesis, but the increase was only in immature neurons and not in new neurons that had completed maturation. Performance on spatial segregation task was unrelated to proficiency in mnemonic segregation or rates of neurogenesis. Study-2: Performance on the mnemonic segregation unrelated to neurogenesis rates, but inversely correlated to synaptic activation of mature hippocampal neurons, which in turn inversely correlated with immature neuron rates. Conclusion Taken together, the data suggests that neurogenesis facilitates detection of subtle changes to experiences established over several weeks (not days); this occurs prior to forming synapses; and maybe associated with suppression of mature hippocampal neurons that presumably mediate older, interfering, experiences.
A dedifferentiation-defective mutant of Dictyostelium that retains the capacity to aggregate in the absence of chemotaxis

During slime mold development, cells acquire the capacity to rapidly recapitulate morphogenesis in roughly a tenth the original time. When developing cells are disaggregated and refed, they completely loss this capacity in a rapid and synchronous step referred to as the “erasure event.” The erasure event sets in motion a program of dedifferentiation during which developmentally acquired functions are lost at different times. In this report, we describe the phenotype of HI4, which is a mutant partially defective in the dedifferentiation program but normal in all aspects of growth, morphogenesis, and rapid recapitulation. HI4 cells progress through the erasure event, losing in a relatively normal fashion (I) the capacity to rapidly recapitulate later stages of morphogenesis, (2) the capacity to release a cAMP signal, and (3) the capacity to respond chemotactically to a cAMP signal. However, erased HI4 cells abnormally retain the capacity to rapidly reaggregate, even though they have lost chemotactic functions. Erased HI4 cells also abnormally retain EDTA-resistant cohesion (contact sites A) and the surface glycoprotein gp80. It appears that erased HI4 cells rapidly reaggregate owing to random collisions followed by tight cell cohesion.
Quantified loaded column stability test: mechanics, procedure, sample-size selection, and trials

Abstract Avalanche forecasters have employed loaded column stability tests for decades, stacking blocks of snow on top of an isolated snowpack column until the column fractures in shear or collapses. This study presents a more rigorous “quantified loaded column test” (QLCT) methodology designed to produce a continuous, in-situ measurement, at a sloping site, of the shear strength of a weak layer. The loaded column test employs a single, ‘rapid’, vertical load and, therefore, differs from other stability tests that produce ordinal results from successive, dynamic, vertical loads (Rutschblock, Stuffblock, compression test) or continuous data from a single, rapid, slope-parallel shear stress (shear frame). Depending on the depth of the weak layer, one of two different test modes is employed. An isolated vertical column of snow of 0.04 or 0.08 m2 is cut, on a slope, using a plywood load plate as a template. Vertical load is applied to the column through the stiff load plate using a mechanical force gauge. Loading is “rapid” in order to generate brittle shear fracture at the weakest slab/weak layer boundary. Test loads are converted to units of water equivalence during the calculation of test results, then translated into N/m2, and a stability ratio is obtained. Test variability and plate-size effect were investigated in trials during the 1999/2000 season. Side-by-side trials were performed with the QLCT and the shear frame test. QLCT variability was comparable to shear frame test variability. Plate-size effects were effectively eliminated using a correction factor. Differences in mean strengths between QLCT and shear frame tests were found and an explanation for those differences is proposed. A sequential sampling approach is proposed whereby the minimum number of tests required to achieve a pre-determined level of precision can be determined.
Locating the paper trail: A personal perspective

Abstract Presented is a personal perspecive of various research events in location analysis over the last 35 years. Also discussed is the need to connect work in this area more closely with the scientific method, and some specific recommendations are made.
A rapid and quantitative coat protein complex II vesicle formation assay using luciferase reporters

The majority of protein export from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is facilitated by coat protein complex II (COPII). The COPII proteins deform the ER membrane into vesicles at the ER exit sites. During the vesicle formation step, the COPII proteins load cargo molecules into the vesicles. Formation of COPII vesicles has been reconstituted in vitro in yeast and in mammalian systems. These in vitro COPII vesicle formation assays involve incubation of microsomal membranes and purified COPII proteins with nucleotides. COPII vesicles are separated from the microsomes by differential centrifugation. Interestingly, the efficiency of the COPII vesicle formation with purified recombinant mammalian COPII proteins is lower than that with cytosol, suggesting that an additional cytosolic factor(s) is involved in this process. Indeed, other studies have also implicated additional factors. To facilitate biochemical identification of such regulators, a rapid and quantitative COPII vesicle formation assay is necessary because the current assay is lengthy. To expedite this assay, we generated luciferase reporter constructs. The reporter proteins were packaged into COPII vesicles and yielded quantifiable luminescent signals, resulting in a rapid and quantitative COPII vesicle formation assay.
Changes in the lipid composition of the secretions of the bovine mammary gland during the dry period.

To study initiation of milk fat synthesis, lipid composition of mammary secretions at -60, -40, and -10 d prepartum was studied in lactating and nonlactating Holstein cows. Eleven cows were dried off, and 13 cows were milked twice per day throughout the normal dry period. Total neutral lipid was similar in late lactation milk (-60 d) from lactating cows, 2.1 g/dl, and in milk from the dry group, 2.2 g/dl. Neutral lipids decreased to 1.3 and .9 g/dl in quarters from dry cows at -40 and -10 d prepartum. In secretions from dry quarters, triglycerides were 97% of total lipids at -60 d and decreased to 85 and 91% at -40 and -10 d, respectively. Conversely, FFA and monoglycerides increased during the dry period. Lipids associated with fat globule membrane components increased during the dry period. These increases were 10 times for cholesterol, 20 times for cholesteryl esters, and twice for phospholipids. In general, the content of fat globule core lipids (triglycerides) exhibited a pattern opposite that of membrane lipids (cholesterol, cholesteryl esters, phospholipids) during the prepartum period. Proportions of core lipids tended to decrease, whereas proportions of membrane lipids increased in prepartum mammary secretions. Lipid composition of prepartum secretions may be influenced by blood lipids, somatic cells, and alterations in mammary lipid synthesis.
Beta-blocker use and outcomes among hospitalized heart failure patients.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of beta-blocker therapy on outcomes of hospitalized heart failure (HF) patients enrolled in the Evaluation Study of Congestive Heart Failure and Pulmonary Artery Catheterization (ESCAPE). Background The effect of beta-blocker therapy on outcomes among hospitalized HF patients is not well documented. Methods We studied the association between beta-blocker therapy and outcomes among 432 hospitalized HF patients in the ESCAPE trial. Results A total of 268 patients (62%) were on beta-blockers before admission. These patients had a shorter length of stay (7.9 ± 6.3 days vs. 9.4 ± 6.7 days; p 50% dose reduction or changed to alternative beta-blocker) in 28 patients during hospitalization. Factors associated with discontinuation of beta-blockers during hospitalization included respiratory rate >24 breaths/min (30.8% vs. 16.9%; p = 0.03), heart rate >100 beats/min (19.2% vs. 7.3%; p = 0.01), lower ejection fraction (17.9 ± 5.4% vs. 20.2 ± 7.1%; p = 0.04), diabetes (21.2% vs. 37.1%; p = 0.03), and systolic blood pressure Conclusions Beta-blocker therapy before and during hospitalization for HF is associated with improved outcomes.