cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Qualitative Seminal Fructose

Fructose is present in all semen specimens except in certain cases such as azoospermic males with congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens or bilateral ejaculatory duct obstruction. In rare cases of retrograde ejaculation, where a small initial ejaculation occurs containing no sperm, the absence of fructose in semen is indicative of the abovementioned abnormalities.
Repeated Cocaine Administration Results in Supersensitive Nigrostriatal D-2 Dopamine Autoreceptors

Presynaptic D-2 dopamine (DA) receptors, or “autoreceptors”, are associated with both the cell bodies and terminals of the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopaminergic tracts. Those on the cell bodies regulate impulse flow, while those on the terminals modulate the stimulation-evoked release of DA, both in an inhibitory fashion. The activity of these D-2 autoreceptors appears to be very sensitive to the concentration of DA in the synapse. Cocaine increases the concentration of DA in the synaptic cleft by blocking high affinity DA uptake and thus stimulates dopaminergic systems by activating DA receptors indirectly. One might expect that both presynaptic and postsynaptic DA receptors would be regulated in response to repeated cocaine administration. In the striatum and nucleus accumbens, all of the D-1 DA receptors and the majority of the D-2 DA receptors are thought to be localized postsynaptically. The effects of repeated administration of cocaine on D-1 receptors has not been directly examined. In two early studies, chronic cocaine administration resulted in parallel increases in binding to striatal DA receptors, presumably D-2 receptors; stereotypy; and locomotor behavior (Borison et al., 1979; Taylor et al., 1979). Recently, however, Goeders and Kuhar (1987) found a decreased density of D-2 receptors in the striatum but an increased density in the nucleus accumbens following a similar dosage regimen. Therefore, there is a need to reconcile the D-2 receptor data and to investigate whether D-1 receptors are regulated following repeated cocaine administration.
What We Don’t Test: What an Analysis of Unreleased ACS Exam Items Reveals about Content Coverage in General Chemistry Assessments

General chemistry courses are often the foundation for the study of other science disciplines and upper-level chemistry concepts. Students who take introductory chemistry courses are more often from health and science-related fields than chemistry. As such, the content taught and assessed in general chemistry courses is envisioned as building blocks for concepts in other science courses and across many science disciplines. American Chemical Society (ACS) exams are developed by committees of expert chemists and serve as representative artifacts of content valued by the chemistry community. Before an exam is released, items developed by an examination committee undergo trial testing, and items deemed too easy, too hard, or not discriminating based on item statistics are removed. Analysis of content coverage from items on multiple released general chemistry ACS exams from the past decade and their associated unreleased trial tests revealed content areas where few exam items were written. Content coverage was...
Integrated fiber optic structural health sensors for inflatable space habitats

Inflatable space habitats offer many advantages for future space missions; however, the long term integrity of these flexible structures is a major concern in harsh space environments. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of these structures is essential to ensure safe operation, provide early warnings of damage, and measure structural changes over long periods of time. To address this problem, the authors have integrated distributed fiber optic strain sensors to measure loading and to identify the occurrence and location of damage in the straps and webbing used in the structural restraint layer. The fiber optic sensors employed use Rayleigh backscatter combined with optical frequency domain reflectometry to enable measurement of strain every 0.65 mm (0.026 inches) along the sensor. The Kevlar woven straps that were tested exhibited large permanent deformation during initial cycling and continued to exhibit hysteresis thereafter, but there was a consistent linear relationship between the sensor’s measurement and the actual strain applied. Damage was intentionally applied to a tensioned strap, and the distributed strain measurement clearly identified a change in the strain profile centered on the location of the damage. This change in structural health was identified at a loading that was less than half of the ultimate loading that caused a structural failure. This sensing technique will be used to enable integrated SHM sensors to detect loading and damage in future inflatable space habitat structures.
Understanding the Locus of Modality Effects and How to Effectively Design Multimedia Instructional Materials

AIED learning systems sometimes employ multimedia instructional materials that leverage technology to replace instructional text with narrations. This can provide cognitive advantages and disadvantages to learners. The goal of this study is to improve principals of information design that cater to human information processing. Prior research in educational psychology has focused on facilitating learning by presenting information in two modalities (auditory and visual) to increase perceptual information flow. It is hypothesized that similar effects might also occur during cognitive manipulations (e.g., extended storage and fact association). The described study separates perceptual in-formation effects from those of cognitive operations by presenting auditory and visual information separately. The typical multimedia effect was not found, but other influences on learning were observed. An understanding of these other causes will help us create a more complete picture of what producers of multimedia learning materials should consider during design.
Control of Cell Mass Distribution in Continuous Bioreactors Using Population Balance Models

Abstract The problem of controlling different moments of the cell mass distribution by manipulating the dilution rate in a continuous bioreactor is studied. The mathematical model used for dynamic simulation and controller synthesis consists of a partial integro-differential equation describing a cell population balance and an ordinary integro-differential equation accounting for substrate consumption. Nonlinear feedback laws that induce a desired closed-loop response for the biomass concentration (first moment) and the total number of cells (zeroth moment) are developed and tested via simulations.
Online tables of contents for books: effect on usage.

Objectives: To explore whether the presence of online tables of contents (TOC) in an online catalog affects circulation (checkouts and inhouse usage). Two major questions were posed: (1) did the presence of online tables of contents for books increase use, and, (2) if it did, what factors might cause the increase? Method: A randomized and stratified design was used in tracking usage of 3,957 book titles that were previously divided into two groups: one with TOC and one without TOC. Stratification was done for year of imprint, location, subject, previous use, circulating or non-circulating status, and presence of TOC. The use was tracked by the online catalog statistics in the InnoPac online catalog for fourteen months. Results: The study found that tables of contents do increase usage. It also showed a correlation in the size of the effect based on the currency of the titles. In general, even after adjusting for all of the variables (publication date, location, circulation status, subject, and previous use), the odds of a title being used increased by 45% if the titles had online tables of contents, a statistically significant impact at the 0.05 level. Conclusions: This case-control study presents new information about the impact on circulation and inhouse use when tables of contents for books are added to the online catalog record. The study helps to establish the positive role of tables of contents in online catalogs. The research establishes TOC as a major parameter that can be successfully studied using quantitative methods. The study also provides information professionals with some guidance on when enhancement of TOC is likely to be most effective in increasing the use of existing collections.
A Diabetic Woman with Insulin Injection Abscesses

A 50-year-old diabetic woman developed multiple abscesses after daily injections of subcutaneous regular human insulin. Initial cultures from the draining fluid revealed no organisms, and the patient was unresponsive to multiple courses of antibiotics including doxycycline, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and intravenous vancomycin and piperacillin/tazobactam. After consulting dermatology, the patient underwent punch biopsy and tissue culture. The tissue culture grew mycobacterium fortuitum after 22 days of incubation. The patient was diagnosed with non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection and began to improve after treatment with ciprofloxacin. Non-tuberculous mycobacteria are common in the environment, although systemic manifestations of infection are rare in healthy individuals. In this paper, we discuss the risk factors, diagnostic methods, and treatment recommendations for these types of infections.
Abstract 790: Regulation of tumor angiogenesis by low dose Aspirin

Background and Objective: Tumor angiogenesis is a pathophysiological process in which new blood vessels are formed in the primary tumor site or distant organs for the nourishment of cancer cells and metastatic growth. Thereby, targeting tumor angiogenesis is an important area of research for cancer therapy. Abnormal structure of blood vessels (i.e. leakiness due to abnormal lining of pericytes on the microvessels) is one of the critical features of tumor angiogenesis that sensitizes vascular cells to cytokines and helps circulating tumor cells to metastasize to distant organs. Our long term goal is to repurpose the drugs that may prevent tumor angiogenesis or normalize the vessels by repairing leakiness via recruiting pericytes or both. Our recent studies found that Aspirin (ASA) has the potency to inhibit breast cancer growth and metastasis, as well as reprogram the mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET). Given the importance of ASA, we tested whether ASA may be able to regulate tumor angiogenesis. Methods: To do so, we determined the effect of low dose ASA (1mM, which is equivalent to 80mg human dose), ASA-treated (2.5mM) conditioned media (231-CMASA) or vehicle-treated conditioned media (231-CMVT) of MDA-MB-231 cells on different endothelial cell physiology. These include endothelial cells’ migration towards serum using 3D modified Boyden chamber assay, in vitro capillary-like structure formation on Matrigel, cell permeability using in vitro endothelial permeability assay and interactions of pericytes-endothelial cells. We also determined the effect of ASA on various angiogenic factors associated with tumor angiogenesis. Finally, we determined the effect of ASA on in vivo tumor angiogenesis using in vivo Angiogenesis Assay (Trevigen) Results and Conclusions: We found that 231-CMASA significantly blocks in vitro migration, the formation of in vitro capillary-like structures parallel with leakiness via incomplete interaction of pericytes and endothelial cells as compared to 231-CMASA. The antiangiogenic effect of ASA was also documented in in vivo assays. Mechanistically, ASA treatment blocks several angiogenic factors including VEGF-A that are associated with these three events, implicating a low dose of Aspirin is potentially therapeutic for breast cancer via blocking and normalizing tumor angiogenesis. Citation Format: Jinia Chakraborty, Gargi Maity, Snigdha Banerjee, Sushanta K. Banerjee. Regulation of tumor angiogenesis by low dose Aspirin [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 790. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-790
Online data-driven dynamic image restoration using DINO-KAT models

Sparsity-based techniques have been popular for reconstructing images and videos from limited or corrupted measurements. Methods such as dictionary or transform learning have been demonstrated to be useful in applications such as denoising, inpainting, and medical image reconstruction. In this work, we propose a new framework for online or sequential adaptive reconstruction of dynamic image sequences from linear (typically undersampled) measurements. In particular, the spatiotemporal patches of the underlying dynamic image sequence are assumed to be sparse in a DIctioNary with lOw-ranK AToms (DINO-KAT), and the dictionary model and images are simultaneously and sequentially estimated from streaming measurements. The proposed online algorithm involves efficient memory usage and simple and efficient updates of the low-rank atoms, sparse coefficients, and images. Our numerical experiments show the usefulness of the proposed scheme in inverse problem settings such as video reconstruction or inpainting from limited and noisy pixels.
Reducing preterm and low birthweight rates in the United States: is psychosocial assessment the answer?

Since the late 1970s, there has been no overall improvement in preterm and low birthweight rates in the United States (1). Instead, very low birthweight, low birthweight, and preterm rates in the United States and elsewhere have remained largely unchanged or they have increased during this period (1-3). These trends are a matter of considerable concern to public health in general and maternal and child health (MCH) in particular, as being born too small or too soon entails significant risks of early mortality and serious morbidity (2, 4-7). The majority of U.S. infant deaths occur to these infants and the smallest survivors have a markedly increased chance of long-term neurologic damage, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, sensory impairment, learning disabilities, school-related problems, and other disabilities or developmental delays (1,2,4-7). Moreover, the hospitalization, medical care, comprehensive follow-up, early intervention, mental health, special education, and other needed support-service costs associated with a preterm and low birthweight delivery are profound (5, 8-10). The gravity of the problem and the importance of reducing rates of low birthweight and preterm births has long been recognized in the United States. In 1985, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) published its seminal study, Preventing Low Birthweight, in which it identified low birthweight as a "major determinant of infant mortality" (5). As a means to reduce
CHAPTER 159 – Inositol Polyphosphate Regulation of Nuclear Function

Over 30 inositol messengers are found in eukaryotic cells that may be generally grouped into two classes: inositol lipids or phosphoinositides (PIPs) and water-soluble inositol polyphosphates (IPs). Insights into the roles of these messengers have come through the characterization of numerous gene products that control the metabolism of PIPs and IPs, over eighty in humans and twenty-six in budding yeast. This chapter discusses in brief a small subset of the overall inositol signaling pathway, namely higher IPs, generally defined as having four or more phosphates. Two important concepts have emerged: one is the higher IPs discussed here are derived from phospholipase C-dependent activation, thus IP 3 is both a messenger and a precursor to others, and second is the higher IPs have been linked to the regulation of several nuclear processes. Emphasis will be placed on the gene products that synthesize IP 4 , IP 5 , IP 6 and diphosphoryl IPs and the processes they have been found to regulate. Several of these kinases appear to localize within the nucleus, and their activities are necessary for proper gene expression, mRNA export, and DNA metabolism. The breadth of nuclear processes regulated and the evolutionary conservation of the genes involved in their synthesis have sparked renewed interest in higher IPs as important intracellular messengers.
Charm offensive: mediatized country image transformations in international relations

This paper focuses on what has come to be known as a ‘charm offensive,’ a diplomatic technique countries may use to shift their international image through strategic public relations campaigns util...
Modulation of Mammary Carcinogenesis by Eicosanoid Synthesis Inhibitors in Rats Fed High Levels of Linoleate

Diets containing relatively high amounts of polyunsaturated fat have been demonstrated to stimulate the development of a wide variety of mammary tumors in rodents (reviewed in ref. 1). Using the dimethylbenz(α)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumor model in rats, Carroll and Hopkins (2) reported that addition of as little as 3% of a linoleic acid-rich sunflower seed oil to a diet containing 17% beef tallow or coconut oil (saturated fats) was just as effective as a 20% sunflower seed oil diet in enhancing tumor development. Furthermore, rats on these diets produced twice as many tumors as those fed diets containing 20% of the saturated fats alone. These findings suggest that there may be a requirement for linoleate in mammary carcinogenesis that is not satisfied by fats such as beef tallow and coconut oil, but can be provided by adding 3% sunflower seed oil to diets containing these fats. More recently, we have shown that mammary tumorigenesis in the DMBA model was very sensitive to linoleate intake and increased proportionately in the range of 0.5% to 4% of dietary linoleate (3). Beyond this point and up to, 12% linoleate, there was no further enhancement, suggesting that the level of linoleate necessary to elicit the maximal tumorigenic response was around 4% by weight in the diet.
Entrepreneurship and culture

This paper provides a framework for why entrepreneurship and culture matter for economic performance and growth but also why culture influences the efficacy of policies to enhance entrepreneurial activity. The paper concludes that while policies to enhance economic performance and growth through promoting entrepreneurship can be effective, the cultural contexts matter in shaping the effectiveness of those policies.
Control Technology Needs for Electrified Aircraft Propulsion Systems

Electrified aircraft propulsion (EAP) systems hold potential for the reduction of aircraft fuel burn, emissions, and noise. Currently, NASA and other organizations are actively working to identify and mature technologies necessary to bring EAP designs to reality. This paper specifically focuses on the envisioned control technology challenges associated with EAP designs that include gas turbine technology. Topics discussed include analytical tools for the dynamic modeling and analysis of EAP systems, and control design strategies at the propulsion and component levels. This includes integrated supervisory control facilitating the coordinated operation of turbine and electrical components, control strategies that seek to minimize fuel consumption and lessen the challenges associated with thermal management, and dynamic control to ensure engine operability during system transients. These dynamic control strategies include innovative control approaches that either extract or supply power to engine shafts dependent upon operating phase, which may improve performance and reduced gas turbine engine weight. Finally, a discussion of control architecture design considerations to help alleviate the propulsion/aircraft integration and certification challenges associated with EAP systems is provided.
Do You Know How to Wean INO? Gauging Compliance With an Institution-Wide Inhaled Nitric Oxide Clinical Practice Guideline in Neonatal and Pediatric Populations

Background: Inhaled nitric oxide (INO) is a costly but effective pulmonary vasodilator that can improve oxygenation in a few disorders. The off and on-label use of INO has rapidly expanded throughout our ICUs since the FDA cleared INO for clinical use in 2001. Our respiratory care department did not have a process in place to manage the use of INO. In 2016, an institution-wide Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) was implemented with Medical Leadership support. Initial findings showed a 22% decrease in INO utilization for the first year of CPG managed practice. The purpose of this study is to examine continued INO utilization related to compliance with the CPG. Methods: Department utilization of INO for August 2015-July 2016 prior to CPG launch was examined and compared to utilization and compliance post implementation spanning August 2016-April 2018. Monthly utilization data from August 2015 through July 2016 was obtained from department billing to determine baseline aggregate utilization. We gathered monthly data for aggregate utilization from August 2016 (CPG launch) through April 2018 for comparison. We then gathered personnel compliance with the CPG from August 2016 to the present across all ICUs. Results: Our institution utilized 25,120 hours of INO in the 12 months prior to the CPG launch. After initiation of the CPG, the next 12 months9 utilization hours dropped to 17,341.9, a 31.12% decrease in utilization from FY16 to FY17. Nine months of FY18 data show 12,706.4 hours of INO utilization with projected use of 18,015.4 hours at the end of this year. INO utilization will have decreased compared to initial FY16 data by 7,194.6 hours, or 28.54%. As part of our analysis, we found that INO use was inversely associated with protocol compliance. In April and May 2017, INO utilization increased with a corresponding drop in CPG compliance. This is repeated in October and November. Although RTs query attending physicians daily to trial wean the INO dose therefore testing the INO effectiveness, there is still reluctance to comply. Conclusions: Establishing an institution-wide INO CPG has significantly decreased overall utilization. CPG compliance has an average of 82.67%; increases in compliance have shown to be beneficial in decreasing INO utilization over time. We have neither observed nor reported adverse events related to the implementation or adherence to this CPG. Ongoing vigilance for protocol compliance across all providers and units is important to our goals.
Introduction to Spinal Metastases

The spine is the most common skeletal site for metastatic disease and up to 10% of all patients with cancer develop spinal metastases during the course of their disease (Kakhki et al., Nucl Med Rev Cent East Eur 16(2):66–69, 2013; Zacharia et al., Indian J Surg Oncol 9(1):46–51, 2018; Laufer et al., Cancer Control 19(2):122–128, 2012). Most tumors spread to the spine via hematogenous venous circulation; however, local invasion from close proximity tumors is also observed. In concordance with relative bone mass, the thoracic spine is the most common site for spread, followed by the lumbosacral and cervical spine, respectively. With the aging population and robust development of systemic treatment options for various cancers, the prevalence of spine metastases is likely to increase over the coming years. While the vast majority are confined to the bony elements of the spine, those with epidural extension or intradural location often require treatment to preserve neurologic status and quality of life. As with systemic treatment options, various advances in multi-modality of treatment of these tumors have accelerated over the past 20 years and resulted in excellent local control rates for the majority of patients. Nonetheless, there continues to be a void in our understanding of genetic tropism for certain primary tumors to metastasize to the spine and what mutations portend a more favorable prognosis based on available treatment options, which is an active area of research. Currently, the focus of management involves timely diagnosis, close observation, and treatment when radiographic findings or clinical symptoms become burdensome.
Abstract IA05: Circulating tumor DNA as a tool for prognostication, translational discovery, and early cancer detection

New sequencing technologies have facilitated the detection and profiling of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood of patients with cancer. Recent efforts have demonstrated that ctDNA can be detected in the blood of pediatric patients with solid malignancies, using assays specifically designed for the unique somatic profiles observed in these cancers. Once identified in a blood sample, ctDNA levels appear to correlate with outcome and can be tracked over time to measure response to therapy and detect recurrence. Deep profiling of ctDNA can identify subclonal somatic variants that are not detectable in single-tumor biopsy samples, enabling a broader understanding of tumor heterogeneity and the ability to discover novel patterns of tumor evolution and treatment resistance. Validation of the prognostic and translational value of these assays requires leveraging large prospective studies, and this work is ongoing. One obvious application of this new technology is the potential to detect the presence of cancer in pediatric patients with increased cancer risks, including cancer predisposition syndromes. Collaborative multi-institutional efforts are under way to collect samples and develop new ctDNA assays for early cancer detection. Citation Format: Brian Crompton. Circulating tumor DNA as a tool for prognostication, translational discovery, and early cancer detection [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Advances in Pediatric Cancer Research; 2019 Sep 17-20; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(14 Suppl):Abstract nr IA05.
Safety Analysis of Bilateral Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy for Treatment of Butterfly Glioma.

Background Treatment strategies for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) of the corpus callosum have remained limited to stereotactic biopsy in many cases owing to the morbidity resulting from aggressive surgical resection. Methods We performed a study of 3 patients with histologically proven GBM of the corpus callosum who had undergone bilateral laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT). The data collected included demographics, tumor location and volume, tumor genetic markers, treatment volume, perioperative complications, and Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) score pre- and postoperatively. Results We performed 6 LITT sessions for the 3 patients with GBM of the corpus callosum. The mean patient age was 64 years, with an average tumor volume of 14.95 cm3. The mean pretreatment KPS score was 80, and no significant changes were found in the KPS scores at 1 month postoperatively. The mean extent of ablation was 98.6% on postoperative magnetic resonance imaging, and none of the patients had experienced perioperative complications. At 8 months of follow-up, 2 of the 3 patients were alive and neurologically stable compared with their preoperative state. The third patient had elected to defer radiotherapy and oncology treatment and was lost to follow-up. The mean progression-free survival was 3.55 months, with interval satellite lesions seen on follow-up imaging studies. Conclusion Although our case series was small, we have demonstrated for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, that bilateral LITT is a safe and effective treatment of GBM of the corpus callosum. Given the known benefit of near gross total resection for high-grade glioma, we believe LITT might improve survival for these patients who otherwise would have undergone biopsy.
Gone, but not Forgotten

The global health and economic impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has rocked our communities and way of life. With millions infected around the globe, and hundreds of thousands of lives lost, there has been a paradigm shift in how clinicians evaluate and care for patients in multiple different types of healthcare settings. Many patients are reluctant to seek medical attention for cardiovascular illnesses, and late presentations of acute cardiac issues are raising the morbidity and mortality for treatable cardiac conditions. In this expert opinion, the authors canvas the many challenges in the diagnosis, treatment and delivery of care to patients with congestive heart failure and acute coronary syndromes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Particle-in-cell simulation of the neutrino fast flavor instability

Author(s): Richers, Sherwood; Willcox, Don E; Ford, Nicole M; Myers, Andrew | Abstract: Neutrinos drive core-collapse supernovae, launch outflows from neutron star merger accretion disks, and set the ratio of protons to neutrons in ejecta from both systems that generate heavy elements in the universe. Neutrinos of different flavors interact with matter differently, and much recent work has suggested that fast flavor instabilities are likely ubiquitous in both systems, but the final flavor content after the instability saturates has not been well understood. In this work we present particle-in-cell calculations which follow the evolution of all flavors of neutrinos and antineutrinos through saturation and kinematic decoherence. We conduct one-dimensional three-flavor simulations of neutrino quantum kinetics to demonstrate the outcome of this instability in a few example cases. We demonstrate the growth of both axially symmetric and asymmetric modes whose wavelength and growth rate match predictions from linear stability analysis. Finally, we vary the number density, flux magnitude, and flux direction of the neutrinos and antineutrinos and demonstrate that these factors modify both the growth rate and post-saturation neutrino flavor abundances. Weak electron lepton number (ELN) crossings in these simulations produce both slow growth of the instability and little difference between the flavor abundances in the initial and final states. In all of these calculations the same number of neutrinos and antineutrinos change flavor, making the least abundant between them the limiting factor for post-saturation flavor change. Many more simulations and multi-dimensional simulations are needed to fully probe the parameter space of the initial conditions.
Megasphaera elsdenii dosed orally at processing to reduce BRD and improve gain in high-risk calves during the receiving period

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of oral administration of a Megasphaera elsdenii -containing product at initial processing on health and performance of high-risk calves during the receiving period. In Exp. 1, 1294 crossbred steers (BW=262Â±1.3 lb; 119Â±0.59 kg) were assigned to a control (CON) group (no M. elsdenii [ME]) or a ME treatment group (100-mL oral dose of M. elsdenii) at arrival processing. All steers were fed a 55% concentrate receiving diet ad libitum, and observed daily for signs of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). There were no differences in dry matter intake, average daily gain, feed efficiency, morbidity, or mortality (Pâ¥0.34). There were significantly fewer first-time relapses in the ME group (P=0.02); however, second-time relapses were similar between treatment groups (Pâ¥0.14). In Exp. 2, crossbred calves (504 bulls, 141 steers; BW=443Â±10.8 lb or 201Â±4.9 kg) were allocated to treatment using the same procedures as Exp. 1. Calves in Exp. 2 were fed the same diet as in Exp. 1, and observed daily for clinical signs of BRD. Calves dosed with M. elsdenii had greater dry matter intake, average daily gain, and feed efficiency (Pâ¤0.05) than CON calves. Morbidity due to BRD was 31% less for calves administered M. elsdenii compared to the CON group (P=0.02). First- and second-relapses were not different between treatments (P>0.70), but BRD therapeutic treatment cost/calf was decreased (P<0.05) from $19.70 to $17.06 for calves in the ME treatment compared to CON steers. While there were no relevant clinical or economic differences between treatment groups in Exp. 1, dosing calves in Exp. 2 with M. elsdenii at processing improved performance and decreased the incidence of BRD.
Small Business Owner Race, Liquidity, and Survival

The contributions of the small businesses sector to the U.S. economy are often noted in periods of economic growth, and the fragility of the sector is a core focus of policy in an economic downturn. The sector is important not only because of its contributions to job growth, real economic activity, innovation, and economic dynamism, but also because of the impact it makes on the financial lives of the 30 million families whose household income and wealth is tied to the success or failure of the businesses they own. Black and Hispanic Americans comprise a substantial and growing share of small business owners. A view of the financial performance of the firms they own is critical to understanding the extent to which the sector can deliver broad-based growth during an expansion, or where to focus policy attention and resources during a downturn. However, little recent data exists on differences in financial performance by owner race. This report attempts to fill this gap by leveraging voter registration data from Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana to create a sample of nearly 150,000 small businesses with self-identified owner race. We use this new data asset to inform differences in small business financial outcomes and survival by owner race from 2013 to 2019. Based on a cohort of firms founded from 2013 through 2014 and their financial outcomes during the first several years, we find that Black- and Hispanic-owned firms are well-represented among a segment of dynamic firms with organic growth but underrepresented among firms using external financing. We also find that Black- and Hispanic-owned businesses face challenges of lower revenues, profit margins, and cash liquidity. Firms with Black owners, particularly owners under the age of 35, were the most likely to exit in the first three years. However, firm exits can be better explained by revenue levels and cash liquidity: firms with comparable revenues and cash reserves are predicted to have similar exit probabilities, regardless of owner race.
Advancing In-vehicle Gesture Interactions with Adaptive Hand-Recognition and Auditory Displays

Competition for visual attention in vehicles has increased with the integration of touch-based interfaces, which has led to an increased crash risk. To mitigate this visual distraction, we designed an in-vehicle gesture-based menu system with different auditory feedback types and hand-recognition systems. We are conducting an experiment using a driving simulator where the participant performs a secondary task of selecting a menu item. Three auditory feedback types are tested in addition to the baseline condition (no audio): auditory icons, earcons, and spearcons. For each type of auditory display, two hand-recognition systems are tested: fixed and adaptive. We expect we can reduce the driver’s secondary task workload, while minimizing off-road glances for safety. Our experiment would contribute to the existing literature in multimodal signal processing, confirming the Multiple Resource Theory. It would also present practical design guidelines for auditory-feedback for gesture-based in-vehicle interactions.
Medical Student Distress and the Impact of a School-Sponsored Wellness Initiative

The pervasiveness of burnout in medical students has been well described, however the effectiveness of school-sponsored wellness programming to decrease burnout rates has not been previously studied. The prevalence of burnout and the level of wellness program participation were measured in a cohort of students in order to examine the program’s effectiveness at combating medical student distress. The authors constructed a 94-item survey addressing burnout, depression, stressors, sources of support, and knowledge of and participation in the Vanderbilt Wellness Program. Responders rated the degree to which components of the Vanderbilt Wellness Program affected their perceived level of burnout. The survey was distributed to all Vanderbilt medical students during a 2-week period in 2011. The response rate for the survey was 52 % (N = 234). Forty-nine percent of students met criteria for burnout as determined by the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Burnout was associated with stressors including grades, feelings of inadequacy, time for self, loss of control, and lack of support. Increased participation in the Wellness Program was not significantly associated with decreased burnout however as students’ perceptions of the usefulness of the Wellness Program increased, burnout decreased. School-sponsored initiatives may help combat medical student distress. Although this survey did not demonstrate statistical evidence of the effectiveness of a wellness program at decreasing burnout in a dose-dependent fashion, students’ burnout did correlate with the perception of Wellness Program utility. Future studies of the efficacy of wellness programs are needed to aid in the prevention of burnout in the medical student population.
Kalipeni E., et al. Turning Science into Action: Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Resources Management in Africa . Trenton, N.J.: Africa World Press, 2009. 638 pp. Maps. Illustrations. Bibliography. Index. $39.95. Paper.

GEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT, AND DEMOGRAPHY E. Kalipeni, et al. Turning Science into Action: Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Resources Management in Af rica. Trenton, N.J.: Africa World Press, 2009. 638 pp. Maps. Illustrations. Bibliography. Index. $39.95. Paper. Turning Science into Action is an ambitious and far-reaching edited volume that focuses on several of the key challenges to biodiversity conservation in sub-Saharan Africa. The volume is the result of a major conference that took place in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2007. The overarching objective of the conference was to identify ways in which science can improve complementary approaches to species conservation and sustainable development. The focus on science stems, in part, from the stated goal of Rwanda's Vision 2020 to put science and technology at the core of its long-term development strategy. The extensive volume is divided into four broad themes: (1) conservation biology; (2) sustainable management of natural resources; (3) ecosystem health; and (4) economics, tourism, conservation, and communities. Within each theme, a broad array of topics and methodologies reflects the transdisciplinary nature of conservation science and practice. A major strength of this volume is that it functions as a showcase for the remarkable breadth and depth of conservation research conducted by African scientists. Noteworthy chapters cover novel approaches to water management (Warner, chapter 6) and an assessment of wedand services in a changing urban context (Rugege and Mukankomeje, chapter 15). The most innovative thematic section of the volume is clearly the one concerning linkages among landscapes, ecology, biodiversity, and health. Global environmental health is a rapidly growing field as scientists identify previously unknown connections among ecosystem function, landscape configurations, and disease vectors that pose threats to both humans and wildlife. Jacob et al. (chapter 16) present an innovative modeling approach to understanding the aquatic habitats of A. arabiensis, an important vector for various strains of the malaria parasites. Although the chapter lacks a clear link to biodiversity conservation, it presents methods that can be utilized in the monitoring of changing wildlife habitat. Chapter 25 (Mudakikwa and Kock) presents a case study of ecosystem health management in Akagera National Park (Rwanda). The case study is an informative vehicle for oudining a new paradigm of "conservation medicine" that builds on the fundamental connections between the health of species (human and nonhuman) and productive, well-functioning ecosystems. It is not possible to put a monetary value on the intrinsic worth of biodiversity, but it is nonetheless critical to acknowledge the economic importance of wildlife tourism to several national economies in sub-Saharan Africa. …
Oil Film Dynamic Characteristics for Journal Bearing Elastohydrodynamic Analysis Based on a Finite Difference Formulation

A fast and accurate journal bearing elastohydrodynamic analysis is presented based on a finite difference formulation. The governing equations for the oil film pressure, stiffness and damping are solved using a finite difference approach. The oil film domain is discretized using a rectangular two-dimensional finite difference mesh. In this new formulation, it is not necessary to generate a global fluidity matrix similar to a finite element based solution. The finite difference equations are solved using a successive over relaxation (SOR) algorithm. The concept of "Influence Zone," for computing the dynamic characteristics is introduced. The SOR algorithm and the "Influence Zone" concept significantly improve the computational efficiency without loss of accuracy. The new algorithms are validated with numerical results from the literature and their numerical efficiency is demonstrated. Comparisons are also made to a finite element code, which utilizes a sophisticated mass conservation cavitation algorithm. The latter code is currently used in industrial applications as a rigid hydrodynamic bearing analysis tool. The developed lubrication module is ideal for engine dynamic crankshaft-block interaction studies with flexible crankshaft and block structures.
Influence of Physical Aging on Mechanical Properties of Polymer Free Films: The Prediction of Long-Term Aging Effects on the Water Permeability and Dissolution Rate of Polymer Film-Coated Tablets

The effects of physical aging on the water permeation of cellulose acetate and ethylcellulose, the mechanical properties of ethylcellulose, and the dissolution property of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate were investigated. The water permeabilities of cellulose acetate and ethylcellulose and the dissolution rate of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate were found to decrease with physical aging time after being quenched from above the glass transition temperatures to sub-Tg temperatures. The gradual approach toward thermodynamic equilibrium during physical aging decreases the free volume of the polymers. This decrease in free volume is accompanied by a decrease in the transport mobility, with concomitant changes in those properties of the polymer that depend on it. The effects of long-term aging on the dissolution rate and water permeabilities of these polymers can be estimated from a linear double-logarithmic relationship between the mobility properties and physical aging time. The existence of the linear double-logarithmic relationship can be derived from the Williams–Landel–Ferry (1) equation, the Doolittle (2) equation, Struik's (3) model, and Fujita's (4) relationship between diffusion and free volume.
Transcription and translation of prereplicative bacteriophage T4 genes in vitro.

Abstract Bacteriophage T4 DNA was used to direct transcription and translation in vitro in extracts prepared from uninfected Escherichia coli. The radioactive protein products of the cell-free reactions were examined on sodium dodecyl sulfate acrylamide gels. We conclude that the cell-free system prepared from uninfected E. coli has the capacity to synthesize most T4 prereplicative RNAs and proteins. Furthermore, synthesis of those RNAs and proteins occurs in the same temporal order as occurs in vivo during the first minutes after T4 infection. The relative molar yields of early proteins in vitro are similar to the relative yields obtained in vivo. We found no evidence in support of the subdivision of early RNAs into immediate early and delayed early species; promoter recognition in vitro is followed by the elaboration of polycistronic mRNAs with no constraints against promoter distal transcription. A small class of prereplicative proteins was not synthesized efficiently in vitro. Those proteins are derived from the special class of prereplicative cistrons called quasi-lates; these genes in vivo are under the control of promoters first recognized after a delay of about 1½ min. The components required for quasi-late promoter recognition in vivo appear to be missing or nonfunctional in cell-free extracts of uninfected E. coli.
Flexible Beam Control Using an Adaptive Truss

Adaptive truss structures have a multitude of potential spacecraft applications including vibration suppression, articulation, payload isolation, tracking and pointing, advanced manipultors, docking mechanisms, and deployable trusses. To demonstrate the feasibility of adaptive trusses for vibration suppression, a 12-foot long beam is attached to a single cell of an adaptive truss which has three active battens. With the base of the adaptive truss attached to the laboratory frame, the measured strain of the vibrating beam show the adaptive truss to be very effective in suppressing vibration when subjected to initial conditions. Control is accomplished va a PC/XT computer that implements an LQR designed control law.
Developmental Implications of Children'sVirtual Worlds

As virtual worlds for children increase in popularity, it is important to examine their developmental implications. Given the limited research on this question, we use extant social science research on youth and digital media to understand how children’s participation in virtual worlds might mediate their development. We identify four different pathways by which new media can potentially mediate development. Then we review relevant research on video games, which, like virtual worlds, contain three-dimensional online fantasy worlds; we also review research on online communication forums, which are like virtual worlds in that they allow users to create online selves and interact with one another. These studies also provide concrete examples of the pathways by which media influence development. We examine three specific questions about children’s use of virtual worlds: what they typically do in them, their learning potential, and whether virtual world participation mediates development. We conclude that children’s virtual world activities resemble their offline ones, indicating that their offline and online worlds may be connected. The potential for learning from virtual world participation is as yet unknown and requires further research. Children’s online selves are connected to their offline ones and this has implications for their safety; although their interactions in virtual worlds appear to mirror offline patterns, we do not as yet know their potential benefits or costs. The Article concludes that although children’s virtual world activities and interactions may be connected to their offline lives, there are several pressing questions about their participation that must be addressed. * California State University, Los Angeles; Children’s Digital Media Center, Los Angeles. 1066 66 WASH. & LEE L. REV. 1065 (2009)
Prototypes and similarity: concept formation

The notion of similarity is fundamental to theories of perception, judgement, and learning. Two approaches to similarity are evaluated: (1) similarity based only on common features, and (b) similarity based on both similar and distinctive features. Events are represented by a set of attribute-value pairs. Each concept is defined in the form of a prototypical description that summarizes previously seen members. INC, an incremental conceptual clustering system, has been used as a tool for evaluating the proposed similarity measures. >