cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lead Factors for Total Mixed Ration Formulation

Lead factors are used in computerized ration formulation programs developed at Virginia Tech to increase milk production above a herd or group average for which total mixed rations are formulated for group feeding. These lead factors theoretically increase milk production for which the ration is formulated so 83% of the cows in a group will receive adequate or more than adequate nutrients from the ration. Two methods of calculating lead factors produced similar results. When test-day Dairy Herd Improvement records within a herd were not grouped by production, the average lead factor was 1.31 for one method [lead factor = (mean milk yield + one standard deviation)/mean milk yield] and 1.32 for the other [lead factor = (milk yield of 83rd percentile cow)/mean milk yield]. Grouping test-day records in each herd by milk production resulted in smaller lead factors for each group compared with lead factors for ungrouped herds. Changes of percentage of cows in each group in a herd resulted in different lead factors. Generally, groups with greater proportion of cows had larger lead factors. Season, herd size, and herd milk production slightly affected lead factors, but little improvement of estimation was gained by considering these variables.
Babies Fed Breastmilk by Breast Versus by Bottle: A Pilot Study Evaluating Early Growth Patterns

Abstract Background: Numerous studies have documented short- and long-term differences in growth and body composition based on whether an infant is breastfed or formula-fed. However, little is known about whether these differences result from the substance consumed (breastmilk vs. formula) or from the delivery method (breast vs. bottle). This prospective pilot study compared the growth and body composition patterns of 19 predominantly breastfed/nursing infants (NG) and 18 infants fed significant quantities of breastmilk by bottle (BG) during the first 6 months of life. Methods: Infants were measured in a laboratory setting each month by trained staff. Growth measures (length, weight, and head circumference) were compared to World Health Organization growth standards. Body composition, including relative fat mass (%FM), was measured using an air-displacement plethysmography system (Pea Pod®, Life Measurement, Inc., Concord, CA). Results: With the exception of small differences in length and weight scaled f...
Physician recommendations for mammography in women aged 70 and older.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the percentage of U.S. women aged 70 and older who reported a recent mammography recommendation and to identify whether factors suggesting limited life expectancy, such as comorbidities, are associated with a lower probability of a reported recommendation. DESIGN: A national, population-based, cross-sectional survey. SETTING: United States. PARTICIPANTS: There were 1,782 screen-eligible women 70 and older who responded to the National Health Interview Survey in 2005 and met eligibility criteria, including reporting at least one doctor visit in the previous 12 months. Weighted, these women represented almost 9.3 million women nationally. MEASUREMENTS: Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between demographic, comorbidity, and health services utilization variables on self-reported physician recommendation for a mammogram. RESULTS: More than half (58.9%) of the sample reported a recent mammography recommendation (63.0% of those aged 70 to 79 and 51.5% of those aged 80 and older). The strongest multivariable association suggested that women who reported a recent clinical breast examination (CBE) had 5.9 times greater odds of reporting a mammography recommendation than women who reported never having a CBE. CONCLUSION: This study failed to find negative associations between factors suggesting limited life expectancy and a recent mammography recommendation. Instead, findings revealed a strong positive association between a recent CBE and mammography recommendation. Findings may suggest that recent clinical interactions weigh more heavily on a decision to recommend mammography to older, screen-eligible women than considerations for the woman's overall long-term health or may reflect a greater perceived or actual recall of physician recommendations from women with a recent CBE.
Determination of T cell monoclonality in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma by frozen section immunohistology. The SWOG Central Repository Members.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) reactive with seven distinct T cell receptor (TcR) α/β variable region (V) families have become available. We investigated the potential utility of these mAb to establish T cell clonality (restrictive expression of one single V region family type) by frozen section immunohistology. We studied 40 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) previously classified, immunophenotypically and genotypically by the South Western Oncology Group (SWOC) as 20 B and 20 T cell NHL. Frozen sections of each neoplasm were immunostained with the following mAb: β-VSa, β-VSb, β-V6a, β-V8a, β-V12a, α/β-Va and α-V2a. The large atypical lymphocytes of 18 of 20 T cell NHL showed no reactivity with the seven V region family mAb and only two showed exclusive immunoreactivity (one with anti-αV2a and the other with anti-βV6a). All large atypical B cells in the 20 B cell NHL were non-reactive with the V region family mAb and each of the 40 neoplasms disclosed no or a trace reactivity in small host T cells. The results s...
Wall-associated processing of extracellular enzymes of Staphylococcus simulans biovar staphylolyticus

Staphylococcus simulans biovar staphylolyticus produces a staphylolytic glycylglycine endopeptidase (lysostaphin) and a micrococcolytic endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (hexosaminidase) as proenzymes that are proteolytically processed through multiple intermediates to their mature forms by an extracellular sulfhydryl protease. Analysis of protease production by immunoblots using antiserum prepared against purified protease and by renaturing activity gels using gelatin as the substrate has revealed that the lysostaphin-processing protease also is produced as a proenzyme, which appears to be autocatalytically processed. Very little proprotease could be detected in supernatants from cultures of S. simulans biovar staphylolyticus, which suggested that the protein was being processed before it was released to the culture medium. Analysis of wall-associated proteins revealed that processing of proprotease occurred primarily in the cell wall. Furthermore, processing of prolysostaphin and prohexosaminidase also occurred in the cell wall matrix.
Constructing underwater sensor based barriers using distributed auctions

Technology advancement has allowed submarines to evade standard sonar detection. A viable alternative is to place magnetic or acoustic sensors in close proximity to possible underwater pathways of submarines. This approach may require deploying large-scale underwater sensor networks to form 3-dimensional barriers.
Geologic interpretation of gravity-anomalies in the northeastern United States

The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey has established 124 gravity-stations, by the pendulum-method, in southern New England and eastern New York. Most of the locations were chosen with regard to the local geology. Specific gravities of rock-samples from the vicinity of each station have been determined. Isanomaly-maps, based on the isostatic and the Bouguer anomalies, reveal a pronounced gravimetric “high” along a north-south axis in western Connecticut and Massachusetts, and two pronounced “lows,” one in eastern New York, the other in Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts. The isostatic anomalies range in value from +34 to −50; the Bouguer anomalies, from +40 to −70. There is a striking similarity between' the two maps, extending to features of detail.
Performance tests of partitioned approaches to visual servo control

Visual servoing has been a viable method of robot manipulator control for more than a decade. Image-based visual servoing (IBVS), in particular, has seen considerable development in recent years. Recently, a number of researchers have reported tasks for which traditional IBVS methods fail, or experience serious difficulties. In response to these difficulties, several methods have been devised that partition the control scheme, allowing troublesome motions to be handled by methods that do not rely solely on the image Jacobian. To date, there has been little research that explores the relative strengths and weaknesses of these methods. In this paper we present such an evaluation. We have chosen three recent visual servo approaches for evaluation, in addition to the traditional IBVS approach. We posit a set of performance metrics that measure quantitatively the performance of a visual servo controller for a specific task. We then simulate each of the candidate visual servo methods for four canonical tasks, under perfect and nonideal experimental conditions.
Quantification of spasticity: identification of reflex and intrinsic mechanical properties

A parallel-cascade system identification technique was used to measure dynamic elbow stiffness in spinal cord injured (SCI), hemiparetic stroke and normal subjects. Modulation of intrinsic and reflex stiffness of elbow flexor muscles was studied by applying perturbations to the elbow at different initial joint angles with subjects' muscles relaxed. We found that reflex stiffness was similar in both spastic SCI and stroke subjects and was significantly larger than in normal subjects. The difference reached its maximum at the middle of elbow extension. Intrinsic stiffness was larger in SCI than normal subjects, whereas it was within normal range in stroke arms. The mechanical properties of the contralateral arms in stroke subjects were not normal; reflex stiffness was larger and intrinsic stiffness was lower. Both reflex and intrinsic stiffness were strongly position dependent; they both increased with increasing elbow extension. These findings demonstrate that increased reflex stiffness is the major mechanical abnormalities in SCI and stroke whereas enhanced intrinsic stiffness is important only in SCI subjects. Moreover, the contralateral side of stroke subjects is also affected.
An Assessment of the Psychometric Properties of the Perceived Stress Scale‐10 (PSS10) with Business and Accounting Students

Using a sample of 557 undergraduate business students from three U.S. comprehensive universities, this study examined: (a) the factor structure of the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS10; Cohen and Williamson, 1988); (b) the invariance of its factor structure; (c) the scale’s reliability; and (d) its convergent and divergent validity. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a structure with two primary factors, General Distress and Ability-to-Cope, loading on a single second-order factor, Perceived Stress. Furthermore, this model was confirmed for designated subpopulations including the 264 accounting majors who participated in the study. Notably absent in prior research, this study found two items, numbers 2 and 9, to load significantly on both the General Distress and Ability-to-Cope factors with men and the full sample, respectively. Item–total correlations, coefficient alphas, and Spearman-Brown reliability coefficients supported the reliability of the items loading on the full scale as well as on each of the two primary factors. Combined, these findings provide compelling evidence in support of the PSS10 as a stress assessment measure for business students in general, and accounting students in particular. In fact, given its practical expediency in terms of administration and scoring, the PSS10 appears to be a tool that could be used by university administrators and potentially by human resource personnel at accounting and business organizations to assess student/ employee perceived stress levels before the onset of burnout tendencies, thus facilitating more timely and cost-effective intervention strategies.
Third-generation sequencing techniques and applications to drug discovery

Introduction There is an immediate need for functional and molecular studies to decipher differences between disease and 'normal' settings to identify large quantities of validated targets with the highest therapeutic utilities. Furthermore, drug mechanism of action and biomarkers to predict drug efficacy and safety need to be identified for effective design of clinical trials, decreasing attrition rates, regulatory agency approval process and drug repositioning. By expanding the power of genetics and pharmacogenetics studies, next-generation nucleic acid sequencing technologies have started to play an important role in all stages of drug discovery. Areas covered This article reviews the first- and second-generation sequencing technologies (SGSTs) and challenges they pose to biomedicine. The article then focuses on the emerging third-generation sequencing technologies (TGSTs), their technological foundations and potential contributions to drug discovery. Expert opinion Despite the scientific and commercial success of SGSTs, the goal of rapid, comprehensive and unbiased sequencing of nucleic acids has not been achieved. TGSTs promise to increase sequencing throughput and read lengths, decrease costs, run times and error rates, eliminate biases inherent in SGSTs and offer capabilities beyond nucleic acid sequencing. Such changes will have positive impact on all sequencing applications to drug discovery.
Who Thinks Who Knows Who? Socio-cognitive Analysis of Email Networks

Interpersonal interaction plays an important role in organizational dynamics, and understanding these interaction networks is a key issue for any organization, since these can be tapped to facilitate various organizational processes. However, the approaches of collecting data about them using surveys/interviews are fraught with problems of scalability, logistics and reporting biases, especially since such surveys may be perceived to be intrusive. Widespread use of computer networks for organizational communication provides a unique opportunity to overcome these difficulties and automatically map the organizational networks with a high degree of detail and accuracy. This paper describes an effective and scalable approach for modeling organizational networks by tapping into an organization's email communication. The approach models communication between actors as non-stationary Bernoulli trials and Bayesian inference is used for estimating model parameters over time. This approach is useful for socio-cognitive analysis (who knows who knows who) of organizational communication networks. Using this approach, novel measures for analysis of (i) closeness between actors' perceptions about such organizational networks (agreement), (ii) divergence of an actor's perceptions about organizational network from reality (misperception) are explained. Using the Enron email data, we show that these techniques provide sociologists with a new tool to understand organizational networks.
Injecting a permission-based delegation model to secure web-based workflow systems

Web-based workflow systems have emerged in almost every business because they can support dynamic business processes over heterogeneous computing systems which is the requirement of a modern business. At the same time security and flexibility have become the two most important aspects in those systems. Role-based Access Control has been injected to Web-based workflow systems to control access (without hindering the process), which has greatly facilitated the access control management. However, a high-level user may want to delegate one of his permissions to a member. In this case, a flexible delegation would be required to achieve this functionality. In this research, we investigated the idea of delegation and developed a framework for injecting Permission-based Delegation Model (PBDM(WEB)) to secure Web-based workflow systems. PBDM(WEB) supports Role-based Access Control, flexible permission-based delegation and ability-based delegation, interoperation among multi-domain systems and consistency of authorization.
Economic Expectations and Election Outcomes: The Presidency and the House in 2012

Do our models of political behavior bear any resemblance to reality? Forecasting elections is one opportunity to assess whether our models of voting behavior are accurate. Over the past few decades, political scientists have been willing to put themselves out there to forecast elections. Explaining a past event allows us the ability to retrofit our models before we make them available to the broader community. In short, forecasting elections provides us the opportunity to develop humility. The forecasting community has done a reasonable job over the past few elections. Aside from 2000, forecasters have been largely accurate. Even in 2000, the forecasting community can claim a modest victory. The community was right about the popular vote winner; it just happened that the popular vote winner lost the election that counts—the Electoral College.
Information and Subsidies: Complements or Substitutes?

Abstract Does providing information about a product influence the impact of price subsidies on purchases? This question is particularly relevant for health products in developing countries where both informational campaigns and price subsidies are common policy instruments. We conduct a field experiment in Zambia and find that providing information about a new version of a product significantly increases the impact of price subsidies on take-up. Taken alone, the information manipulation has no significant impact on demand while the price subsidy substantially increases demand. However, the evaluation of either intervention in isolation fails to capture the significant complementarity between the two.
Time- and order-recursive estimation of higher order moments in a linear array

To achieve real-time performance in signal processing applications that require the adaptive estimation of higher order statistics, it is necessary to (a) design new time-recursive algorithms and (b) introduce parallel processing and pipelining. Time-recursive estimation methods of the computation of the higher order moments from the incoming sampled data are presented. The fixed size sliding window estimation algorithm is mapped onto an optimal linear array. The array provides estimates of all the moments up to the fourth order in time- and order-recursive fashion, achieves minimum latency and is suitable for VLSI implementation. A systematic synthesis methodology facilitates the construction of the optimal locally recursive algorithm and the design of the architecture. >
A Re‐Explication of Social Norms, Ten Years Later

We revisit some ideas from our previous article on social norms by conceptualizing norms as dynamic entities that both affect and are affected by human action; elaborating on the distinction between collective and perceived norms; summarizing key findings from studies that have adopted the theory of normative social behavior (TNSB) and thereby proposing guidelines for further expanding the purview of the TNSB; discussing the attribute-centered approach as a framework for focusing on behavioral characteristics; and highlighting areas for further inquiry into social norms.
Side-chain interactions in the C-peptide helix: Phe 8 ... His 12+.

Previous studies have demonstrated that His 12 plays a major role in the pH-dependent stability of the helix formed by the isolated C-peptide (residues 1-13 of ribonuclease A). Here, amino acid replacement experiments show that His 12+ stabilizes the C-peptide helix chiefly by interacting with Phe 8. The Phe 8 ... His 12+ ring interaction is specific for the protonated form of His 12 (His 12+) and the interaction is not screened significantly by NaCl, unlike the charged group ... helix dipole interactions studied earlier in C-peptide. Analogs of C-peptide that are unable to form the Phe 8 ... His 12+ interaction show large increases in helix content for Phe----Ala and His----Ala. Therefore, the helical tendencies of the individual residues Phe, His, and Ala are important in determining the result of a replacement experiment. Since the side chains of Phe 8 and His 12 probably interact within the N-terminal helix of ribonuclease A, the existence of the Phe 8 ... His 12+ interaction in the isolated C-peptide helix adds to the evidence that the C-peptide helix is an autonomous folding unit.
Instream Bacteria Influences from Bird Habitation of Bridges

The representativeness of ambient water samples collected from bridge crossings has occasionally been challenged because critics contend birds nesting on bridges elevate fecal indicator bacteria concentrations over samples collected from river reaches not spanned by bridges. This study was designed to evaluate the influence, if any, of bridge-dwelling bird colonies on instream bacteria concentrations. Three bridges in central Texas were sampled under dry-weather conditions for instream Escherichia coli. Two bridges were inhabited by migratory cliff swallows and one was devoid of birds. Numerous samples were collected from locations upstream, at the upstream bridgeface, and downstream of each bridge to determine whether significant increases in E. coli occurred in a downstream direction when birds were present. E. coli values increased significantly at bridgeface and downstream locations compared to upstream locations throughout the nesting season. During peak bird activity in May, bacteria geometric mean concentrations at bridgeface and downstream locations jumped from background levels 190 colony forming units (CFU)/100 mL, well above the state geometric mean criterion of 126 CFU/100 mL for primary contact recreation use. Results confirmed that under dry-weather conditions bird colonies can have a significant impact on bacteria concentrations in the vicinity of the bridges they inhabit and therefore, to avoid this impact, monitoring should occur upstream of bridges.
Europa: The Prospects for an Ocean

Tidal dissipation in the satellites of a giant planet may provide sufficient heating to maintain a liquid water ocean below a thin ice layer. In our own solar system, Europa, one of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter, may have such an ocean. Both theoretical calculations and certain observations support its existence, although proof is lacking. The putative ocean would probably have temperatures, pressures, and chemistry conducive to biologic activity. However, the environment would be severely energy limited. Possible energy sources include transient transmission of sunlight through fractures in the ice and hydrothermal activity on the ocean floor. While temporary conditions could exist that are within the range of adaptation of certain terrestrial organisms, origin of life under such conditions seems unlikely. In other solar systems, however, larger satellites with more significant heat flow could provide environments that are stable over an order of aeons and in which life could perhaps evolve.
Phase unwrapping of signals propagated under the Arctic ice crust: a statistical approach

The acoustic source generates a narrowband sequence with a phase that experiences random fluctuations. At the receiving hydrophones, the measurements are corrupted by wideband noise. Discrete optimal nonlinear filtering techniques are used to design the phase unwrapping algorithm. The scheme presented proves less sensitive to noise than other nonstatistical unwrappers, supporting less stringent prefiltering constraints. Under the conditions of the Arctic experiment, it accommodates processing of each individual sensor's output data, avoiding the need for beam forming. The prefilters are designed with large bandwidths in order to achieve the shorter duration impulse responses needed to discriminate between intrinsic phenomena and transients induced by the prefilters. An examination of real signals that traveled several hundred kilometers through a highly unstable channel shows that nonlinear statistical designs are viable and useful in many practical problems of underwater acoustics. >
Letter to the Editor: Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase: mechanism of action and role in regulating oxidative phosphorylation

to the editor: Wilson and Vinogradov ([4][1]) recently reported a kinetic model of the cytochrome c oxidase reaction representing the catalytic mechanism as a sequence of discrete redox transfer steps illustrated in Fig. 1 of their article ([4][1]). Although we believe this model represents an
An Evaluation Of Workplace Wellness Programs: A Perspective From Rural Organizations

This paper describes a study to determine the prevalence and characteristics of employee wellness programming amongst rural organizations and/or employers. A sample of convenience (n = 200) from a local human resource management association was surveyed via e-mail with an internet based questionnaire containing 20 items regarding employee wellness programming, activities, effectiveness, and measurement. The results indicated that the primary responsibility for employee wellness programming rests with the human resource department (63.6%). Most rural organizations’ employee wellness program are implemented to improve employee health, improve employee productivity, and to reduce absenteeism. The findings indicate human resource professionals in rural organizations are struggling to determine effective measures for employee wellness programs despite significant investments of money. Rural, unlike urban or metropolitan, based organizations are not offering substantial incentives to employees in order to increase participation, and are continuing to offer traditional employee wellness activities such as smoking cessation, and vaccinations. These employers are not measuring effectiveness (53%) and not realizing substantial cost savings (63.2%) for the return on investment.
Ehrlichia chaffeensis (Rickettsiales: Ehrlichieae) Infection in Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

Human monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME) is a sometimes fatal, emerging tick-borne disease caused by the bacterium Ehrlichia chaffeensis. It is frequently misdiagnosed because its symptoms mimic those of the flu. Current evidence indicates that Amblyomma americanum (L.), the lone star tick, is the major vector of HME. To determine if E. chaffeensis is present in ticks at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, questing A. americanum ticks were collected from 33 sites. Nucleic acid was extracted from 34 adult and 81 nymphal pools. Sequences diagnostic for E. chaffeensis from three different loci (16S rRNA, 120-kDa protein, and a variable-length polymerase chain reaction [PCR] target, or VLPT) were targeted for amplification by the PCR. Fifty-two percent of the collection sites yielded pools infected with E. chaffeensis, confirming the presence and widespread distribution of E. chaffeensis at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Analysis with the both the 120-kDa protein primers and the VLPT primers showed that genetic variance exists. A novel combination of variance for the two loci was detected in two tick pools. The pathogenic implications of genetic variation in E. chaffeensis are as yet unknown.
Effect of olfactory manganese exposure on anxiety-related behavior in a mouse model of iron overload hemochromatosis

Manganese in excess promotes unstable emotional behavior. Our previous study showed that olfactory manganese uptake into the brain is altered in Hfe(-/-) mice, a model of iron overload hemochromatosis, suggesting that Hfe deficiency could modify the neurotoxicity of airborne manganese. We determined anxiety-related behavior and monoaminergic protein expression after repeated intranasal instillation of MnCl2 to Hfe(-/-) mice. Compared with manganese-instilled wild-type mice, Hfe(-/-) mice showed decreased manganese accumulation in the cerebellum. Hfe(-/-) mice also exhibited increased anxiety with decreased exploratory activity and elevated dopamine D1 receptor and norepinephrine transporter in the striatum. Moreover, Hfe deficiency attenuated manganese-associated impulsivity and modified the effect of manganese on the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase, vesicular monoamine transporter and serotonin transporter. Together, our data indicate that loss of HFE function alters manganese-associated emotional behavior and further suggest that HFE could be a potential molecular target to alleviate affective disorders induced by manganese inhalation.
Influence of Diamond-like Carbon Coatings on the Fatigue Behavior of Spinal Implant Rod

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the influence of Diamond–Like Carbon (DLC) coatings on the fatigue behavior of Spinal implant rod. DLC exists in seven different forms of amorphous carbon materials that display some of the unique properties of diamond. They are usually applied as coatings to other materials that could benefit from some of unique diamond properties. In this work, we compared bending fatigue behavior between Stainless Ti6Al4V and DLC Coating Spinal implant rod. The positive effect has been observed by fatigue tests carried out at ASTM Standard D790. Fatigue life and endurance limit of spinal implant rod have been remarkably increased by means of thin DLC coatings. The improvement of fatigue characteristics of spinal implant rod by DLC coatings has been ascribed to the sealing of external defects which retards crack initiation.
Relationship between Speed of Reaction and Movement in a Knee Extension Movement

Abstract Forty-seven male college students were tested for speed of reaction and movement in a knee extension movement of 68°. Each subject took 20 trials, the last 15 only being used for the analysis presented in this study. One week later 39 of the same subjects were retested on the same parameters. In both tests, reaction time was found to correlate with speed of movement (r = .538 and .629, respectively). The two correlation coefficients were not found to be significantly different from each other.
On Variational Inequalities Involving Mappings of Type (S)

Variational inequalities can be converted into inclusions defined by a sum between a mapping of monotone type and a subdifferential. In our case, a topological approach of variational inequalities is based on a degree function for a (S)-operator F with maximal monotone perturbations T. The paper surveys some new advances on topological degree in the case F+T, removing the condition 0∈T(0). In this way, the main difficulty is to determine the admissible homotopies. A graph homotopy for maximal monotone mappings is introduced. Finally, we mention some recent references regarding the related fixed point index.
The Effect of External Conjunctive Load on the Measurement Value of Circulator Isolation

The effect of external conjunctive load on the isolation measurement of circulator is analyzed with S parameter The selecting principle of external load for measuring different isolation state of circulator is proposed The two limits of isolation measuring error are also given
Not One More: Linking Civil Disobediences and Public Anti-Deportation Campaigns

This article analyzes the recent development of an anti-deportation movement with distinct strategies and tactics that distinguish it from previous immigrant rights activism centered on immigration reform. We study the strategies and tactics of the anti-deportation movement, focusing on the strategies of non-staged civil disobediences and anti-deportation campaigns. We argue that the specific tactics used in these alternative strategies a) depart from normative activism and b) challenge dominant perceptions about undocumented immigrants.
Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of accident management strategies involving multiple decisions

A framework for assessing severe accident management strategies is presented using a new analytical tool, namely, influence diagrams. This framework includes multiple and sequential decisions, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty propagation, and is applied to a proposed set of strategies for a pressurized water reactor station blackout sequence. The influence diagram associated with these strategies is constructed and evaluated. Each decision variable, represented by a node in the influence diagram, has an uncertainty distribution associated with it. Using the mean value of these distributions, a best estimate assessment is performed, and each strategy is ranked with respect to the conditional frequency of early containment failure (ECF). For the preferred alternative, the sensitivity of the results to values of the input variables is investigated. The sensitivity of the ranking itself is then considered. The distributions of the uncertain variables are also propagated through the influence diagram to rank the alternatives with respect to the uncertainty associated with the calculated conditional frequency of ECF. Finally, the sensitivity of the variance of the output distribution, given the preferred decision alternative, to the uncertainty of the input variables is investigated.
Description and Test Results of a High Temperature Heat Pump Test Facility

ABSTRACT A high temperature steam generating heat pump (SGHP) test facility is described. The heat pump uses hot water as the heat source, with temperature ranging from 55°C to 80°C. The output of the heat pump is saturated steam at a temperature range of 100 °C to 140 °C. The SGHP operates in a vapor compression cycle and the heat pump package contains a reciprocating compressor driven by an electric motor, and a shell and tube type evaporator and condenser. The heat pump has a maximum output of about 45 kW. The first refrigerant/oil combination to be evaluated was R-113 (trichlorotrifluoroethane) and a synthetic hydrocarbon oil (Mobil SHC-234). The heat pump coefficient performance (COP) ranged from 2.7 for a 75.4°C refrigerant temperature lift to a COP of 3.8 for a 56.3°C refrigerant temperature lift. No decomposition of the oil or R-113 was observed during the test period (2800 hours) with discharge temperatures reaching 148°C at the compressor cylinder heads. Future work will include the evaluation of new “ozone safe” refrigerants R-123 and R-141b in the heat pump test rig for possible high temperature heat pump use.
SIRT1 Mediates Depression-Like Behaviors in the Nucleus Accumbens

Depression is a recurring and life-threatening illness that affects up to 120 million people worldwide. In the present study, we show that chronic social defeat stress, an ethologically validated model of depression in mice, increases SIRT1 levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key brain reward region. Increases in SIRT1, a well characterized class III histone deacetylase, after chronic social defeat suggest a role for this enzyme in mediating depression-like behaviors. When resveratrol, a pharmacological activator of SIRT1, was directly infused bilaterally into the NAc, we observed an increase in depression- and anxiety-like behaviors. Conversely, intra-NAc infusions of EX-527, a SIRT1 antagonist, reduced these behaviors; EX-527 also reduced acute stress responses in stress-naive mice. Next, we increased SIRT1 levels directly in NAc by use of viral-mediated gene transfer and observed an increase in depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors when mice were assessed in the open-field, elevated-plus-maze, and forced swim tests. Using a Cre-inducible viral vector system to overexpress SIRT1 selectively in dopamine D1 or D2 subpopulations of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the NAc, we found that SIRT1 promotes depressive-like behaviors only when overexpressed in D1 MSNs, with no effect seen in D2 MSNs. Conversely, selective ablation of SIRT1 in the NAc using viral-Cre in floxed Sirt1 mice resulted in decreased depression- and anxiety-like behaviors. Together, these results demonstrate that SIRT1 plays an essential role in the NAc in regulating mood-related behavioral abnormalities and identifies a novel signaling pathway for the development of innovative antidepressants to treat major depressive disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In this study, we demonstrate a pivotal role for SIRT1 in anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key brain reward region. We show that stress stably induces SIRT1 expression in this brain region and that altering SIRT1 activity using a pharmacological or genetic approach regulates anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. These results suggest that SIRT1 plays an essential role in regulating mood-related behaviors and introduces a novel signaling pathway for the development of innovative antidepressants to treat depression and other stress-related disorders. A recent groundbreaking publication by the CONVERGE Consortium (2015) identified a reproducible association of the SIRT1 locus with major depression in humans. Therefore, our results are timely and have significant translational relevance.
The Hexahistidine Motif of Host-Defense Protein Human Calprotectin Contributes to Zinc Withholding and Its Functional Versatility.

Human calprotectin (CP, S100A8/S100A9 oligomer, MRP-8/MRP-14 oligomer) is an abundant host-defense protein that is involved in the metal-withholding innate immune response. CP coordinates a variety of divalent first-row transition metal ions, which is implicated in its antimicrobial function, and its ability to sequester nutrient Zn(II) ions from microbial pathogens has been recognized for over two decades. CP has two distinct transition-metal-binding sites formed at the S100A8/S100A9 dimer interface, including a histidine-rich site composed of S100A8 residues His17 and His27 and S100A9 residues His91 and His95. In this study, we report that CP binds Zn(II) at this site using a hexahistidine motif, completed by His103 and His105 of the S100A9 C-terminal tail and previously identified as the high-affinity Mn(II) and Fe(II) coordination site. Zn(II) binding at this unique site shields the S100A9 C-terminal tail from proteolytic degradation by proteinase K. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and Zn(II) competitio...
Strategies for the prevention of a successful biological warfare aerosol attack

Biological warfare (BW) aerosol attacks are different from chemical attacks in that they may provide no warning/all clear signals that allow the soldier to put on or remove his M17/M40 protective mask. Methods are now being perfected to detect a BW aerosol cloud using an airborne (helicopter) pulsed laser system to scan the lower altitudes upwind from a troop concentration of corps size, and to sample and analyze the nature of the aerosol within a brief time interval. This system has certain limitations and vulnerabilities, since it is designed specifically to detect a line-type aerosol attack. Provision of, training with, and field use of a lightweight dust mist or HEPA filter respirator for each soldier is proposed for protection against undetected aerosol attacks. This particulate filter respirator would be issued in addition to the M17/M40 mask. Such a BW respirator will be able to purify the soldier's air by removing particles in the 0.3- to 15-micro m-diameter range with an efficiency of 98 to 100%. Particle size of BW aerosols is in the same range, with an optimum size for high-efficiency casualty production of 1 to 5 micro m mass median diameter. The proposed BW respirator will be lightweight; will require low inhalation pressures; will be comfortable to wear for prolonged periods; will not interfere with vision, hearing, and communication; and will not degrade overall effectiveness and performance to the degree observed with the M17/M40 masks. Such respirators would be worn as part of a contingency defense against an enemy likely to use BW agents. This respirator could be worn for prolonged periods when under threat of an undetectable BW attack during weather conditions favorable to the success of such an attack (i.e., low wind velocity and temperature inversion in the target area). In addition, tactically important assets such as command and control centers and missile batteries can also be protected continuously by air filtration systems powered by electricity (modular collective protection equipment). Vaccinations against anthrax, botulism, Q fever, plague, and tularemia are now available and immune protection against ricin and staphylococcal toxins appears feasible in the near future. Chemotherapy can also be provided for prophylaxis of infectious agents released on the battlefield. The vaccines and antibiotics can provide back-up protection against an unexpected BW attack during a period when the BW respirator is not in use or malfunctions due to a poor seal or filter leak. Enemy sites of biological weapon production, assembly, testing, and storage, and delivery vehicles can be targeted for destruction by bombs and/or missiles. An integrated, well-planned, BW defense with multiple components can decrease the likelihood of a successful enemy BW aerosol attack.
Optimizing Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Responses: An Exercise in Time, Distance, and Communication∗

Despite intense system development efforts and community resources that have gone into programs for responding to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), outcomes remain disappointing. Available statistics suggest that cumulative national survival rates are no better than 10% of the >350,000 OHCAs
File-level vs. module-level regression test selection for .NET

Regression testing is used to check the correctness of evolving software. With the adoption of Agile development methodology, the number of tests and software revisions has dramatically increased, and hence has the cost of regression testing. Researchers proposed regression test selection (RTS) techniques that optimize regression testing by skipping tests that are not impacted by recent program changes. Ekstazi is one such state-of-the art technique; Ekstazi is implemented for the Java programming language and has been adopted by several companies and open-source projects. We report on our experience implementing and evaluating Ekstazi#, an Ekstazi-like tool for .NET. We describe the key challenges of bringing the Ekstazi idea to the .NET platform. We evaluate Ekstazi# on 11 open-source projects, as well as an internal Microsoft project substantially larger than each of the open-source projects. Finally, we compare Ekstazi# to an incremental build system (also developed at Microsoft), which, out of the box, provides module-level dependency tracking and skipping tasks (including test execution) whenever dependencies of a task do not change between the current and the last successful build. Ekstazi# on average reduced regression testing time by 43.70% for the open-source projects and by 65.26% for the Microsoft project (the latter is in addition to the savings provided by incremental builds).
PrP P102L and Nearby Lysine Mutations Promote Spontaneous In Vitro Formation of Transmissible Prions

Accumulation of fibrillar protein aggregates is a hallmark of many diseases. While numerous proteins form fibrils by prion-like seeded polymerization in vitro, only some are transmissible and pathogenic in vivo To probe the structural features that confer transmissibility to prion protein (PrP) fibrils, we have analyzed synthetic PrP amyloids with or without the human prion disease-associated P102L mutation. The formation of infectious prions from PrP molecules in vitro has required cofactors and/or unphysiological denaturing conditions. Here, we demonstrate that, under physiologically compatible conditions without cofactors, the P102L mutation in recombinant hamster PrP promoted prion formation when seeded by minute amounts of scrapie prions in vitro Surprisingly, combination of the P102L mutation with charge-neutralizing substitutions of four nearby lysines promoted spontaneous prion formation. When inoculated into hamsters, both of these types of synthetic prions initiated substantial accumulation of prion seeding activity and protease-resistant PrP without transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) clinical signs or notable glial activation. Our evidence suggests that PrP's centrally located proline and lysine residues act as conformational switches in the in vitro formation of transmissible PrP amyloids.IMPORTANCE Many diseases involve the damaging accumulation of specific misfolded proteins in thread-like aggregates. These threads (fibrils) are capable of growing on the ends by seeding the refolding and incorporation of the normal form of the given protein. In many cases such aggregates can be infectious and propagate like prions when transmitted from one individual host to another. Some transmitted aggregates can cause fatal disease, as with human iatrogenic prion diseases, while other aggregates appear to be relatively innocuous. The factors that distinguish infectious and pathogenic protein aggregates from more innocuous ones are poorly understood. Here we have compared the combined effects of prion seeding and mutations of prion protein (PrP) on the structure and transmission properties of synthetic PrP aggregates. Our results highlight the influence of specific sequence features in the normally unstructured region of PrP that influence the infectious and neuropathogenic properties of PrP-derived aggregates.
The discovery of the orb-weaving spider genus Pinkfloydia (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) in eastern Australia with description of a new species from New South Wales and comments on the phylogeny of Nanometinae

A new species of the Australian genus Pinkfloydia , P. rixi new species, is described and illustrated. This new tetragnathid species is known only from the type locality in the eastern part of New South Wales, more than 3,200 km away from the distribution range of it sister species from Western Australia, P. harveii Dimitrov & Hormiga, 2011. The nature of such a disjunct distribution is discussed based on morphological data and on the nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial protein-encoding gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I. The placement of Pinkfloydia in the subfamily Nanometinae and recent advances in the phylogeny of Tetragnathidae are also discussed.
Assessing a Regression-Based Regionalization Approach to Ungauged Sites with Various Hydrologic Models in a Forested Catchment in the Northeastern United States

AbstractAnalysis of daily streamflow is of interest to river restoration and conservation efforts in many regions in the world. However, the paucity of stream-gauging stations presents significant ...
Solubilization and Water Penetration into Micelles and Other Organized Assemblies as Indicated by Photochemical Studies1

This paper presents a summary of studies using three kinds of photochemical and photophysical probes to monitor solubilization sites and related phenomena in micelles and vesicles. The three probes include a functionalized surfactant ketone whose photoreactivity is strongly dependent upon medium viscosity and polarity, a series of p-donor-p’-acceptor substituted azobenzene dyes whose absorption spectra and thermal cistrans isomerization rates are strongly influenced by solvent polarity and protic-aprotic nature, and a luminescent extramicellar metal complex whose quenching can be used to monitor the binding of certain cations to anionic surfactant assemblies. All of these probes lead to a consistent picture of micelle structure and the nature of the solubilization of polar organic substances by surfactants in aqueous organized assemblies. The studies indicate that there is considerable water penetration into supposedly hydrophobic regions of the assemblies and suggest that elimination of hydrocarbon-water contacts is a major driving force in the solubilization of many substances of moderate polarity.
Changes in Milk Concentrations with Duration of Lactation in Relation to Zinc Requirements of Breast Fed Infants

The rate of decline in the zinc concentration of human milk associated with the duration of lactation is notably rapid compared with the longitudinal changes in the concentrations of other nutrients (1). The relatively low zinc concentrations in mature human milk have led to concern that the zinc intake of the fully breast fed infant may be suboptimal with prolonged lactation (2). Intakes are indisputably low in relation to the estimated requirements established by a World Health Organization Expert Committee (3). However, recent re-evaluation of zinc requirements during the first year of life (4) suggests that these earlier estimates were unduly high and that the infant’s needs for zinc actually may follow a declining pattern similar to that observed for milk zinc concentrations.