cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trade and Production, 1976-99

The authors have prepared this paper as a companion to the Trade and Production database, which contains trade, production, and tariff data for 67 industrial and developing countries at the industry level for 1976-99. The sector disaggregation in the database follows the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC), with data provided at the three-digit level (28 industries) for all 67 countries and at the four-digit level (81 industries) for 24 of these countries. The production data are from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization's Industrial Statistics Database at the three- and four-digit level of ISIC. They include value added, total output, average wages, capital formation, number of employees, number of female employees, and number of firms. The trade data are from the United Nations Statistics Division's Commodity Trade (Comtrade) database (through the World Bank's World Integrated Trade Solution, or WITS, software) and include imports and exports. Data on mirror exports (reported by trading partners) were obtained using WITS. The trade data are aggregated by region and income group, as defined by the World Bank. A separate data set provides bilateral trade flows (by partner) at the industry level. The data on average tariffs (most favored nation) are from the Trains database maintained by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and from the World Trade Organization's Trade Policy Reviews and Integrated Database. The database also provides an input-output table for each country using data from version 4 of the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) database. The database is available on request on CD-ROM in a series of ASCII files and Microsoft Excel worksheets. It is also available on the Web at http://www.worldbank.org./research/trade.
Mechanisms involved in vitamin E transport by primary enterocytes and in vivo absorption

It is generally believed that vitamin E is absorbed along with chylomicrons. However, we previously reported that human colon carcinoma Caco-2 cells use dual pathways, apolipoprotein B (apoB)-lipoproteins and HDLs, to transport vitamin E. Here, we used primary enterocytes and rodents to identify in vivo vitamin E absorption pathways. Uptake of [(3)H]alpha-tocopherol by primary rat and mouse enterocytes increased with time and reached a maximum at 1 h. In the absence of exogenous lipid supply, these cells secreted vitamin E with HDL. Lipids induced the secretion of vitamin E with intermediate density lipoproteins, and enterocytes supplemented with lipids and oleic acid secreted vitamin E with chylomicrons. The secretion of vitamin E with HDL was not affected by lipid supply but was enhanced when incubated with HDL. Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibition reduced vitamin E secretion with chylomicrons without affecting its secretion with HDL. Enterocytes from Mttp-deficient mice also secreted less vitamin E with chylomicrons. In vivo absorption of [(3)H]alpha-tocopherol by mice after poloxamer 407 injection to inhibit lipoprotein lipase revealed that vitamin E was associated with triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and small HDLs containing apoB-48 and apoA-I. These studies indicate that enterocytes use two pathways for vitamin E absorption. Absorption with chylomicrons is the major pathway of vitamin E absorption. The HDL pathway may be important when chylomicron assembly is defective and can be exploited to deliver vitamin E without increasing fat consumption.
Immunoglobulin E‐mediated airway inflammation is active in most patients with asthma

Purpose: To review the role of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated inflammation in the pathogenesis of asthma, limitations of standard therapies, and IgE as a logical target for therapy with omalizumab aimed at attaining asthma symptom control. Data sources: Review of worldwide scientific literature on the role of IgE-mediated inflammation in patients with asthma, supplemented with a clinical case study. Conclusions: Clinical trials point to an important role for IgE blocker therapy as an add-on to current therapy to reduce exacerbations and corticosteroid use and to improve quality of life in patients with moderate-to-severe asthma. Omalizumab, a monoclonal antibody that binds IgE, has been shown to be an effective, well-tolerated treatment in these patients. Implications for practice: A significant number of patients with moderate-to-severe asthma do not achieve asthma symptom control, despite adhering to current guidelines–based standards of therapy, including the use of inhaled corticosteroids, β-agonists, and leukotriene modifiers. None of these therapies directly addresses IgE-mediated inflammation. Therefore, patients with persistent symptoms of moderate-to-severe asthma should be evaluated and considered for therapy with the IgE blocker omalizumab.
A proposed pre-engineering technology program at New Jersey community colleges

It is suggested that with the proper advising, a student desiring to obtain a BSET (Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology) degree at NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology) could take most of the courses required by an engineering county college. The student may get an A.A.S. (Associate of Applied Science) degree at the county college in an program other than engineering technology. By completing a bridge program, the student would be eligible for admission in the BSET program at NJIT as a junior. The necessary courses in other county colleges offering them. The respective program coordinator at NJIT would coordinate the bridge program. Each county college could designate a program coordinator to advise and monitor the students' curriculum. This coordinator would also act as the liaison with the program coordinators at NJIT. >
Effect of solute deuteration on time-resolved optically detected EPR of radical ion pairs in pulse radiolysis

The effect of aromatic solute deuteration on the time dependence of fluorescence detected magnetic resonance (FDMR) of radical ion paris produced in cyclohexane solutions by pulse radiolysis shows that the rate of hyperfine induced S-To mixing influences the FDMR intensity up to 100 ns after application of a microwave pulse.
Emotional competence as antecedent to performance: A contingency framework

Emotional intelligence is the ability to monitor one's own and others' thinking and actions. In this integrative review, the author seeks to determine the causes of the weak relationship between emotional intelligence and performance by positing that certain emotional competencies, rather than emotional intelligence, are the true predictors of performance. The author theorizes that emotional competencies (including self-control, resilience, social skills, conscientiousness, reliability, integrity, and motivation) interact with organizational climate and job demands or job autonomy to influence performance, as represented in the form of 5 empirically testable propositions. Self-control and emotional resilience are considered to delay the onset of a decline in performance from excessive job demands. Social skills, conscientiousness, reliability, and integrity assist to promote trust, which in turn may build cohesiveness among the members of work groups. Motivation may fuel job involvement in environments th...
NMDA receptors are essential for the acquisition, but not expression, of conditional fear and associative spike firing in the lateral amygdala

We examined the contribution of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors (NMDARs) to the acquisition and expression of amygdaloid plasticity and Pavlovian fear conditioning using single-unit recording techniques in behaving rats. We demonstrate that NMDARs are essential for the acquisition of both behavioral and neuronal correlates of conditional fear, but play a comparatively limited role in their expression. Administration of the competitive NMDAR antagonist ±-3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl) propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP) prior to auditory fear conditioning completely abolished the acquisition of conditional freezing and conditional single-unit activity in the lateral amygdala (LA). In contrast, CPP given prior to extinction testing did not affect the expression of conditional single-unit activity in LA, despite producing deficits in conditional freezing. Administration of CPP also blocked the induction of long-term potentiation in the amygdala. Together, these data suggest that NMDARs are essential for the acquisition of conditioning-related plasticity in the amygdala, and that NMDARs are more critical for regulating synaptic plasticity and learning than routine synaptic transmission in the circuitry supporting fear conditioning.
Strandline analysis in the southern basin of glacial Lake Agassiz, Minnesota and North and South Dakota, USA

Glacial Lake Agassiz, a large Pleistocene lake, left behind strandlines at multiple elevations within its basin. Prior researchers have used these strandlines to identify four relatively stable water level stages, but tracing them over long distances is often problematic. In this study, the elevation of the Tintah strandline is returned to its original designation, and a newly interpreted stable lake level at 1020–1030 ft (311–314 m) is referred to as the Upham level, based on a concentration of ridges and a spit at that elevation. Cores from strandline and lagoon complexes from the Milnor to Tintah beaches reveal a decreasing thickness of strandline sediment associated with shorter aggregate-length strandlines. This relationship is most likely controlled by sediment starvation, greater water level fluctuations and shallower water. Beaches near the head of the southern outlet spillway indicate that shoreline occupation at the Lower Campbell level was either very short-lived or strandline development was hampered by shallow water. The modern-day sill elevation between the southern outlet spillway and the lake basin is found to be 3 km south of White Rock, Minnesota, at an elevation of 974 ft (297 m). All but the Campbell strandlines at the southern outlet are interpreted as the result of a regression driven by incision of the southern outlet spillway.
Note on Service Excellence

This note illustrates and illuminates key concepts in service excellence. It summarizes and highlights key thinking and action in the service industry. It is designed to be used with "Manor" (UVA-OM-0751).
Tumor induced osteomalacia secondary to anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: A case report and review of the literature.

Abstract Context Tumor induced osteomalacia related to anaplastic thyroid cancer has never been reported. Objective We describe a case of tumor induced osteomalacia (TIO) in a patient with a fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) secreting anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. The current imaging modalities are reviewed. Design and intervention Clinical, biochemical, and radiological assessments were done, including computer tomography (CT) of the neck and skull to thigh positron emission tomography (PET)/CT. The patient underwent surgical tumor debulking three days after presentation due to airway compromise. Molecular studies of the resected tissue were performed using reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and gel electrophoresis for the phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor FGF-23. Results Resected tissue demonstrated features of anaplastic thyroid cancer with positive markers for FGF-23 protein, consistent with a FGF-23 secreting paraneoplastic tumor. The patient's metastatic burden rapidly progressed as demonstrated by a dramatic rise in serum FGF-23 levels and worsening hypophosphatemia in concert with progression of the metastatic lesions on PET/CT. Conclusion We believe that our patient's rapidly progressive anaplastic thyroid cancer was responsible for persistent hypophosphatemia and osteomalacia, substantiated by the finding of FGF-23 protein within the thyroid tumor cells. Our case indicates that anaplastic thyroid cancer can cause TIO.
Increasing Operational and Fuel Efficiency for Multi-UAV Missions

Multiple Traveling Salesman Problem (mTSP) with n number of nodes to be visited by m identical UAVs can be solved by transforming into m Traveling Salesman Problems (TSP) and then solved with improved Genetic Algorithm (GA). Within our framework of spatiotemporal discretization and offline calculation, this is done with the objective of maximal fuel efficiency or minimal fuel consumption. While m TSPs correspond to m regions are running, each UAV under this algorithm can exchange nodes to equalize total traveling distances of each UAV. Exchanged nodes are prioritized in the shortest distance between two adjacent regions among m regions, that is, region which has longer total traveling distance gives a node located most closely to the neighboring region which has shorter total traveling distance. This give and take process will continue until differences among total traveling distances of each region become less than a certain threshold. Equalized traveling distances of each UAV keeps all UAVs in the air for the about the same time, increasing operational efficiency. Extensions to heterogeneous UAV types are discussed toward the end of this work.
Coping as a Mediator in the Relationships of Spiritual Well-Being to Mental Health in Black Women with Type 2 Diabetes

Objective:Examine coping as a mediator in the relationships of spiritual well-being to mental health in Black women with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).Methods:Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from a convenience sample of 45 Black women with T2DM. Measures of coping strategies, spiritual well-being (religious and existential well-being), and mental health, as measured by diabetes-specific distress (DSED), were collected. Bivariate findings informed mediational, trivariate model development.Results:Religious well-being was significantly related to cognitive reframing (CR) coping strategies (p = 0.026) but not DSED (p = 0.751). Existential well-being was significantly related to CR (β = 0.575, p < 0.001), direct assistance (DA) coping (β = 0.368, p = 0.006) and DSED (β = −0.338, p = 0.023). Although CR (β = −0.305, p = 0.021) and DA (β = −0.262, p = 0.041) had significant bivariate associations with DSED, the relationships were not significant when existential well-being was controlled. However, ...
Feasibility study on the use of a tissue adhesive for the nonsurgical blocking of fallopian tubes. Phase I: evaluation of a tissue adhesive.

This report discusses a short feasible method to determine if a tissue adhesive could be used to immediately block fallopian tubes and promote tissue ingrowth with permanent occlusion of the tubes. An adhesive was developed based on a gelatin-resorcinol-formaldehyde (GRF) formulation which was nontoxic biodegradable and acceptable to ingrowth of surrounding tissue. It was known to function in mucosal areas. For the study New Zealand white female rabbits were used. Through an abdominal incision the uterus was brought into view an 18-gauge Teflon catheter inserted and threaded through the uterine horn to the utero-tubal junction and the GRF injected. To prevent backflow of the adhesive into the uterine horn and to force the liquid into the tube a temporary ligature of umbilical tape was placed around the uterine horn and the catheter. This ligature was removed when the injection was completed. The GRF adhesive consisted of 2 parts: 1) 45 parts gelatin 15 parts resorcinol and 40 parts water; 2) 38% formaldehyde solution to make up 10% of the total. The 2 components are mixed immediately prior to injection. Dilution up to 10% with a .1N hydrochloric acid solution and heating to 40-50 degrees C. may be needed. Solidification time is thus increased by 5 minutes. The formaldehyde causes the gelatin-resorcinol mixture to solidify and also acts to promote adhesion between the glue and the tissue. Animals were sacrificed at intervals from 4 to 27 days. Blockage was shown in the treated tubes. Early histologic studies showed necrosis of the epithelial layer. Later invasion of cells into the GRF plug was seen. There was good attachment of the plug to the mucosal layer. By this method permanent tubal occlusion with the ingrowth of tissue is believed to be possible.
Materials and mechanics issues of solder alloy applications

The key conclusion out of the Solder Mechanics Workshop is that, overall, the technical and scientific community does not know as much quantitatively about solder behavior as we had hoped. The good news, however, is that the microelectronics user community, which is largely served by solder activities, has come to terms with the current environment through active participation in the workshop. The air has been cleared. As a technical community, we have a better idea of what our priorities for continued research are. A much more detailed overview of the workshop will be available shortly in monograph form. Individual chapters will be written by authors present at the workshop and will emphasize background material (e.g., literature critiques) and detail the technical consensus on critical issues central to the workshop. The book will be available through TMS and will be the first volume in a new series of technical monographs sponsored by the society's Electronic, Magnetic and Photonic Materials Division.
Use of Synthesized Models to Determine Broiler Processing Plant Economies

Abstract INTRODUCTION THE consumer demand for fresh, ready-to-cook broilers has expanded rapidly during the past decade. Washington commercial broiler production (2¼ to 4 pounds live weight) in 1940 totaled 2,148,000 pounds compared with a total of 17,580,000 pounds in 1950. This type of relationship also exists for other leading poultry-meat producing areas in the United States. This rapid expansion in Washington production has followed a similar expansion in the state’s urban population. This relationship is important, because an increasing production of fresh cut-up broilers must be accompanied by a market willing to purchase this increased production at a market price satisfactory to producers and marketers. Here it should be noted that although we are concerned primarily with broiler production and processing plants in Washington, these technical and economic relationships ought to apply to other areas. PROBLEM AND OBJECTIVES During the past decade, existing broiler processing facilities in Washington were inadequate to . . .
DNS OF LEADING - EDGE RECEPTIVITY TO SOUND

Numerical simulations of leading-edge acoustic receptivity are performed for a flat plate with a modified-super-elliptic (MSB) leading edge. For small freestream amplitude, the agreement between Branch I receptivity coefficients predicted from the DNS and the experiments of Saric & White (1998) for acoustic waves at zero incidence is excellent. The effect of angle of incidence of the impinging wave is investigated and found to produce higher receptivity coefficients than in the symmetric case. The slope of leading-edge receptivity coefficient versus angle of incidence of the impinging wave is found to be less than 1/4 of the slope predicted by zero-thicknes s flatplate theory. However, there is excellent agreement between the DNS and finite-nose-radius theory of Hammerton & Kerschen (1996). These results clearly demonstrate the importance of including the effects of the finite nose radius in any receptivity study. Finally, downstream of the leading-edge region, linear stability theory is found to accurately reproduce the characteristics of the instability waves. At higher freestream forcing, an instability wave generated by nonlinear interaction is found at double the frequency of the forcing.
Experimental robustness of Fourier Ptychographic phase retrieval algorithms

We compare the results from several previously proposed phase retrieval algorithms using experimental Fourier Ptychography datasets and show importance of background subtraction and regularization for robustness with noisy imperfect data.
Transoral and transnasal odontoidectomy complications: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Object The craniovertebral junction (CVJ) is a complex region of the spine with unique anatomical and functional relationships. To alleviate symptoms associated with pathological processes involving the odontoid process, decompression is often required, including odontoidectomy. Accurate knowledge of the complication rates following the transoral and transnasal techniques is essential for both patients and surgeons. Methods We conducted MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science database searches for studies reporting complications associated with the transoral and transnasal techniques for odontoidectomy. Case series presenting data for less than three patients were excluded. Rates of complication and clinical outcomes were calculated and subsequently analyzed using a fixed-effects model to assess statistical significance. Results Of 1288 articles retrieved from MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science, twenty-six met inclusion criteria. Transoral and transnasal procedures resulted in the following respective complication rates: arterial injury 1.9% and 0.0%, intraoperative CSF leak 0.3% and 30.0%, postoperative CSF leak 0.8% and 5.2%, 30-day mortality 2.9% and 4.4%, medical complications 13.9% and 28.6%, meningitis 1.0% and 4.0%, pharyngeal wound dehiscence 1.7% (transnasal not reported), pneumonia 10.3% (transnasal not reported), prolonged or re-intubation 5.6% and 6.0%, reoperation 2.5% and 5.1%, sepsis 1.9% and 7.7%, tracheostomy 10.8% and 3.4%, velopharyngeal insufficiency 3.3% and 6.4% and wound infection 3.3% and 1.9%. None of these differences were statistically significant, except for postoperative tracheostomy, which was significantly higher after transoral odontoidectomy 8.4% (95% CI 4.9% −11.9%) compared to transnasal odontoidectomy 0.8% (95% CI −1.0% −2.9%). Neurologic outcome was improved in 90.0% and worse in 0.9% of patients after transoral compared to 94.0% and 0.0% after transnasal odontoidectomy (p = 0.30). Conclusions This work presents a systematic review of complications reported for transoral or transnasal odontoidectomy across a heterogeneous group of surgeons and patients. Due to inconsistent reporting, statistical significance was only achieved for postoperative tracheostomy, which was significantly higher in the transoral group. This investigation sets the framework for further discussions regarding odontoidectomy approach options and their associated complications during the informed consent process.
Bicycling and Gender: Targeting Guides to Women

As the usage of bicycles increases, cities are transforming their planning processes to incorporate this sustainable mode of transportation. In spite of bicycling’s importance to communities, there is a gender gap. Data indicates that only a small number of cyclists are women. This paper addresses that gender gap with an eye toward the marketing strategy known as transportation demand management (TDM). TDM provides lessons for communities looking to encourage greater levels of bicycle riding. To do this we review the literature on best practices in marketing to women, and evaluate different bicycle marketing guides. We find, after an analysis to pinpoint best practices, that only 15% of the marketing guides are targeted to women. The lessons learned from our study provide information for the design of future bicycle guides that will appeal to women consumers.
APOBEC3B expression in human leptomeninges and meningiomas

Nucleic acid-editing enzymes of the apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme (APOBEC) family have been associated with somatic mutation in cancer. However, the role of APOBEC catalytic subunit 3B (APOBEC3B) editing in the pathogenesis of base substitutions in meningiomas is unknown. In the present study, the expression of APOBEC3B was examined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot analyses in five fetal and one adult human leptomeninges and 38 meningiomas. Genomic DNA was sequenced using the Illumina Tru-Seq Cancer Panel. Three meningioma primary cultures were also established and treated with cerebrospinal fluid form patients without neurological disease or platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), prior to evaluation of APOBEC3B expression. By western blotting, APOBEC3B was revealed to be present in 100% of the fetal leptomeninges, and in 88% of World Health Organization grade I, 100% of grade II and 83% of grade III meningiomas tested, but was not different between grades. RT-qPCR revealed no difference in the mRNA expression of APOBEC3B between grades. Sequencing revealed no elevated levels of the C>T mutations that are characteristic of APOBEC3B editing of genomic DNA. Treatment with cerebrospinal fluid and PDGF-BB had no effect on APOBEC3B protein expression in the leptomeningeal or meningioma cells. These findings suggest that the mutations associated with increased APOBEC3B expression may not be central to the pathogenesis of meningiomas.
The Image of a Square

Every quadrangle is the perspective image of a square. We illustrate this statement by using perspective art techniques and by analogy to the visualization of conic sections. We also give examples ...
Genetic Predisposition to Obesity and Medicare Expenditures

Background The relationship between obesity and health expenditures is not well understood. We examined the relationship between genetic predisposition to obesity measured by a polygenic risk score for body mass index (BMI) and Medicare expenditures. Methods Biennial interview data from the Health and Retirement Survey for a nationally representative sample of older adults enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare were obtained from 1991 through 2010 and linked to Medicare claims for the same period and to Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) data. The study included 6,628 Medicare beneficiaries who provided 68,627 complete person-year observations during the study period. Outcomes were total and service-specific Medicare expenditures and indicators for expenditures exceeding the 75th and 90th percentiles. The BMI polygenic risk score was derived from GWAS data. Regression models were used to examine how the BMI polygenic risk score was related to health expenditures adjusting for demographic factors and GWAS-derived ancestry. Results Greater genetic predisposition to obesity was associated with higher Medicare expenditures. Specifically, a 1 SD increase in the BMI polygenic risk score was associated with a $805 (p < .001) increase in annual Medicare expenditures per person in 2010 dollars (~15% increase), a $370 (p < .001) increase in inpatient expenses, and a $246 (p < .001) increase in outpatient services. A 1 SD increase in the polygenic risk score was also related to increased likelihood of expenditures exceeding the 75th percentile by 18% (95% CI: 10%-28%) and the 90th percentile by 27% (95% CI: 15%-40%). Conclusion Greater genetic predisposition to obesity is associated with higher Medicare expenditures.
Dynamic response of dry and water-saturated sand systems

The effect of grain size and moisture content on the dynamic macroscopic response of granular geological materials was explored by performing uniaxial planar impact experiments on high purity, Oklahoma #1, sand samples composed of either fine (75–150 μm) or coarse (425–500 μm) grain sizes in either dry or fully water-saturated conditions. Oklahoma #1 sand was chosen for its smooth, quasi-spherical grain shapes, narrow grain size distributions, and nearly pure SiO2 composition (99.8 wt. %). The water-saturated samples were completely saturated ensuring a two-phase mixture with roughly 65% sand and 35% water. Sand samples were dynamically loaded to pressures between 1 and 11 GPa. Three-dimensional meso-scale simulations using an Eulerian hydrocode, CTH, were created to model the response of each sand sample. Multi-phase equations of state were used for both silicon dioxide, which comprised individual sand grains, and water, which surrounded individual grains. Particle velocity profiles measured from the rea...
SEM Case Studies

When studying the topographic features of a specimen, the microscopist has several useful software tools available. Qualitative stereomicroscopy provides a composite view from two images of the same area, prepared with different tilts relative to the optic axis, that gives a visual sensation of the specimen topography, as shown for a fractured galena crystal using the anaglyph method in Fig. 15.1 (software: Anaglyph Maker). The “3D Viewer” plugin in ImageJ-Fiji can take the same members of the stereo pair and render the three-dimensional surface, as shown in Fig. 15.2, which can then be rotated to “view” the surface from different orientations (Fig. 15.3).
Normal Variant and Idiopathic Short Stature

This chapter reviews normal variant short stature, comprised of both familial short stature (FSS) and constitutional delay of growth and puberty (CDGP), as well as idiopathic short stature (ISS). FSS and CDGP are physiologic variants of short stature without an organic cause. Although ISS is not a “normal variant” of short stature, as with FSS and CDGP it does not have an underlying pathological etiology. A child with short stature requires a comprehensive history and physical examination and consideration for diagnostic studies prior to establishing these non-pathological causes of short stature. Once a diagnosis of either a normal variant short stature or ISS is established, then ongoing monitoring of auxologic parameters throughout childhood and adolescence is indicated. The Food and Drug Administration’s approval of growth hormone for ISS triggered considerable debate within the medical community in terms of costs, benefits, and the ethics of treating children with growth hormone for this form of non-pathological short stature. The treatment of normal variant short stature and ISS should be individualized for each child.
The QNOAEL vs. BMD for Point of Departure

Quantile bootstrap (QB) methods can be applied to the problem of estimating the No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) of a New Molecular Entity (NME) to anticipate a safe starting dose for beginning clinical trials. An estimate of the NOAEL from the extended QB method (called the QNOAEL) can be calculated using multiple disparate studies in the literature and/or from laboratory experiments. The QNOAEL is similar in some ways to the Benchmark Dose (BMD) and is superior to the BMD in others. The Benchmark Dose method is currently widely used in toxicological research. Results are used in a simulation based on nonparametric cluster analysis methods to calculate confidence levels on the difference between the Effect and the No Effect studies. The QNOAEL simulation generates an intuitive curve that is comparable to the dose-response curve. The QNOAEL of ellagic acid (EA) will be calculated for clinical trials of its use as a component therapeutic agent (in BSN476) for treating Chikungunya infections. This will be the first application of QB to the problem of NOAEL estimation for a drug. The specific aims of the proposed study are to evaluate the accuracy and precision of the QB Simulation and QNOAEL compared to the Benchmark Dose Method, and to calculate the QNOAEL of EA for BSN476 Drug Development.
Encouraging engagement in an IT ethics course by fostering creativity

Developing and teaching a course in Information Technology Ethics poses a number of challenges for the computing educator. One of these challenges is to invite and encourage student engagement in the course material. In traditional computing courses, students complete hands-on technical projects incorporating concepts from the course material and students often invest deeply in these projects. In an IT ethics course that is reading, discussion, and writing-intensive, the solution to involving students is not so clear. One approach that I used to encourage student engagement was to foster creativity in their assignments. In this paper, I will share the strategies that I used to foster creativity as well as several examples of my students' resulting creativity.
Growing a Bibliography

The Chandra Data Archive (CDA) has been tracking publications based on Chandra observations in journals and on-line conference proceedings since early in the mission. Our goals are two-fold: 1) provide a means for Chandra users to search literature on Chandra-related papers to further their scientific research; and 2) provide a means for measuring the science produced from Chandra data. Over the years the database and its associated tools have expanded dramatically. In this paper I will give a history of the development of the bibliography with a focus on the human capital involved, along with the skill sets and management structures developed which allow us to maintain a very rich and extensive bibliography with a limited number of full time employees (FTEs). I will also cover how the diverse metadata collected has made the Chandra bibliography an essential resource in managing the Chandra X-ray Center.This work has been supported by NASA under contract NAS 8-03060 to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for operation of the Chandra X-ray Center. It depends critically on the services provided by the ADS.
Load and Resource Estimation of Off-Grid Systems

Appropriate design of off-grid systems in developing countries requires accurate, detailed characterization of the expected load and energy resources. This chapter begins by presenting the methods commonly used to characterize the load in off-grid systems, including peak load, demand factor, load factor, and coincidence factor. Load estimation methods are the presented, including survey and data-driven methods. The data requirements for energy resource estimation are described. Methods for estimating the capacity factor of solar, wind, hydro and biomass are presented.
Opioids and HIV infection: From pain management to addiction treatment

HIV-infected persons are more likely to have chronic pain, receive opioid analgesic treatment, receive higher doses of opioids, and to have substance use disorders and mental illness compared with the general population, putting them at increased risk for opioid use disorder. Management of opioid use in HIV-infected individuals can be complex, and the limited data on opioid treatment in this population are conflicting with regard to its effect on HIV outcomes. Buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder improves HIV outcomes and other outcomes. This article summarizes a presentation by Chinazo O. Cunningham, MD, MS at the IAS-USA continuing education program, Improving the Management of HIV Disease, held in Atlanta, Georgia, in March 2017.
Prospective quantification of fetomaternal hemorrhage with dilation and evacuation procedures

Abstract Objective To describe fetomaternal hemorrhage (FMH) during second-trimester dilation and evacuation (DE larger trials are needed, especially to understand why some women have recognizable hemorrhage preprocedure. If dosing requirements are too high with current guidelines, lower doses will result in resource and cost savings.
Fire changes the spatial distribution and sources of soil organic carbon in a grassland-shrubland transition zone

In many mixed grass-shrub ecosystems, increased shrub biomass tends to promote overall carbon storage, but the distribution of carbon pools may be complicated by disturbances such as wildfires. We investigated the spatial distribution of surface soil organic carbon (SOC) and its relative contribution from grasses and shrubs after fires in a grass-shrub transition zone in the northern Chihuahuan Desert, USA. We used a prescribed fire to create a burned treatment, then collected soil and plant samples. The biogeochemical approaches, geostatistical analyses, and carbon partitioning analyses were used to quantify the SOC and soil δ13C spatial patterns. Before the prescribed fire, up to 98% of the spatial dependence of SOC was autocorrelated at a distance of 1.91 m, corresponding to the approximate average shrub canopy diameter, but the spatial dependence dropped to 81% at a larger autocorrelation distance (3.74 m) two windy seasons after the fire. C4 grasses and C3 shrubs contributed approximately equal amounts of carbon to the surface SOC pool before the prescribed fire. However, C4 grasses became the dominant source of SOC two windy seasons following the fire. For individual microsites, a substantially increased proportion of SOC was derived from C4 grasses at the shrub microsites following the fire. The higher proportion of C4 grasses-derived SOC at the shrub microsites post-fire suggests that SOC may have preferred pathways to move among different microsites following fire disturbance. The distinct spatial distribution patterns of δ13C, and the increased contribution of SOC from grasses may be explained by the rapid recovery of grasses following the fire. Overall, our results provide insights into how fire might be used as a management tool to alter soil carbon pools in the context of shrub encroachment.
First-in-Human Studies of [18F] Fluorohydroxyphenethylguanidines.

Background: Disease-induced damage to cardiac autonomic nerve populations is associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death. The extent of cardiac sympathetic denervation, assessed using...
Psychophysiological Arousal While Discussing Romantic Challenges with Partners and Friends

AbstractIn this exploratory study, we examined psychophysiological arousal when partners engaged in the common practice of discussing romantic trials with one another and with friends. To capture stress, we measured Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and Respiration Rate (RSP). Paired t-tests from a dyadic sample of 71 heterosexual couples revealed talking about romantic problems, in general, was accompanied by elevated psychophysiological stress. GSR scores suggested partners were more stressed when speaking with friends than to one another about relationship challenges. Universally, males had higher GSR scores and females higher RSP. We discuss therapeutic implications and future directions.
Mobile information behavior of Warner Pacific University students

Abstract The mobile information behavior of Warner Pacific University students was studied using survey questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and group-based exercises through the lens of several common information theories and models. As ownership of connected devices became nearly ubiquitous, students used the Internet more than the library. Students built digital networks to connect with friends or classmates. The Internet was the students' primary information source, since using Google was a daily lifestyle habit while the library was totally new and unfamiliar territory. Comparison of the students' information search processes (ISPs) with Kuhlthau's ISP diagram revealed that the students searching was idiosyncratic and unpredictable, and they only adopted systematic search protocols when these were imposed on them. Chatman's theory of information poverty was useful as it revealed that the students' perception of information deprivation cut across all socio-economic groups.
Life history structure of westslope cutthroat trout: Inferences from otolith microchemistry

Abstract Life history diversity is important for population stability and is dependent on connectivity to habitat that supports all life stages and life history strategies for a species. Westslope Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi (WCT) exhibit plasticity in life history strategies in response to environmental variability, but fisheries managers have been challenged with evaluating the life history structure of WCT populations. The goals of this research were to use strontium isotopes (i.e., 87Sr/86Sr) derived from ambient water and sagittal otoliths to assess spatial variability and describe the life history structure of WCT. Water samples (n = 49) and WCT (n = 571) sagittal otoliths were collected throughout the Coeur d’Alene Lake basin in Idaho and analyzed for Sr isotopes. Model-based discriminant function analysis was used to assign WCT to natal tributaries and to infer maternal origins. Life history structure was inferred from maternal signatures and indicated that fluvial (68% of all fish), resident (27%), and adfluvial (5%) life history strategies were present. Connectivity in lotic systems and from lotic to lentic environments supports WCT life history diversity and contributes to a broad distribution of the species.
Reactivity of [Ce(NR2)3] (R = SiMe3) with Prospective Carbon Atom Transfer Reagents

Herein, we report the synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of the N-(isocyanoimine)triphenylphosphine (CNNPPh3) and bis(diisopropylamino)cyclopropenylidene (BAC) adducts of [Ce(NR2)3] (R = S...
What are ʾElilim

The Hebrew word ᵓĕlīlim is usually explained as the plural of the Hebrew adjective ᵓĕlīl (“useless, vain”), hence a dysphemism describing idols. However, the ancient versions did not understand the word this way. The word more plausibly is a loanword from the Akkadian illilu, itself a borrowing from Sumerian. The earliest attestations of ᵓĕlīlim in Hebrew appear in Isaiah often as part of code-switching to signal the foreignness of the word itself.
Spectral narrowing of parametrically pumped thermomechanical noise

We derive the displacement noise spectrum of a parametrically pumped resonator below the onset for self-excited oscillations. We extend the fluctuation-dissipation response of a thermomechanical-noise-driven resonator to the case of degenerate parametric pumping as a function of pump magnitude and frequency while properly accounting for the quadrature-dependence of the parametric thermal noise squeezing. We use measurements with a microelectromechanical cantilever to corroborate our model.
Identification of priority shorebird conservation areas in the Caribbean.

Despite being geographically central to the Atlantic Americas Flyway for migratory birds, the Caribbean is often overlooked or underappreciated when addressing the conservation of North American shorebirds. To our knowledge, this is the first Caribbean-wide assessment of shorebird use in the region. We analyzed 211,013 shorebird species observations in the insular Caribbean from 2010-2019, representing 78,794 eBird checklists and cumulative total of 2.1 million shorebirds of 45 species. We conclude that priority areas for shorebird conservation include Humedal Sur de Pinar del Rio (Humedal Sur de Los Palacios) in Cuba, and Monte Cristi in the Dominican Republic as they each likely support more than 20,000 shorebirds annually, and they host large abundances of geographic populations for particular taxa. Specifically, the former site hosts >10% of Short-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus griseus griseus/hendersoni), and >1% of Black-bellied Plovers (Pluvialis squatarola cynosurae) and Wilson's Plovers (Charadrius wilsonia wilsonia), while the latter site supports large numbers of Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus). We also identified at least 15 additional sites that likely cross the 1% population threshold for one or more shorebird taxa. These sites may qualify for special international designations such as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas or as part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network; 11 of the 17 sites we identified do not hold either of these titles. Data on subspecific or geographic distributions of three species, Snowy Plover (C. nivosus), Black-necked Stilt, and Killdeer (C. vociferous), are insufficient to reveal if the sites with the highest abundances were mostly comprised of Caribbean populations or migrants, but the limited information suggests that they also likely exceed 1% thresholds on several islands. Based on our results, we recommend more extensive systematic surveys of shorebirds in the Caribbean, including research on turnover rates and movements between islands, as well as assimilation of shorebird survey data not yet included in the eBird portal.
Trypanosoma cruzi Induces the PARP1/AP-1 Pathway for Upregulation of Metalloproteinases and Transforming Growth Factor β in Macrophages: Role in Cardiac Fibroblast Differentiation and Fibrosis in Chagas Disease

ABSTRACT Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a degenerative heart condition. In the present study, we investigated the role of poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase 1/activator protein 1 (PARP1/AP-1) in upregulation of profibrotic macrophages (Mϕ) and subsequent development of cardiac fibrosis in CD. We used in vitro and in vivo models of T. cruzi infection and chemical and genetic inhibition of Parp1 to examine the molecular mechanisms by which Mϕ might augment profibrotic events in CD. Cultured (RAW 264.7 and THP-1) Mϕ infected with T. cruzi and primary cardiac and splenic Mϕ of chronically infected mice exhibited a significant increase in the expression, activity, and release of metalloproteinases (MMP2, MMP9, and MMP12) and the cytokine transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). Mϕ release of MMPs and TGF-β signaled the cardiac fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation, as evidenced by a shift from S100A4 to alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression. Incubation of infected Mϕ with MMP2 and MMP9 inhibitors resulted in 60 to 74% decline in TGF-β release, and MMP9 and PARP1 inhibitors resulted in 57 to 70% decline in Mϕ TGF-β-driven cardiac fibroblast differentiation. Likewise, histological studies showed a 12- to 16-fold increase in myocardial expression of CD68 (Mϕ marker) and its colocalization with MMP9/TGF-β, galectin-3, and vimentin in wild-type mice with CD. In comparison, chronically infected Parp1−/− mice exhibited a >50% decline in myocardial levels of Mϕ and associated fibrosis markers. Further study showed that PARP1 synergized with c-Fos and JunB AP-1 family members for transcriptional activation of profibrotic response after T. cruzi infection. We conclude that PARP1 inhibition offers a potential therapy for controlling the T. cruzi-driven fibroblast differentiation in CD through modulation of the Mϕ signaling of the AP-1–MMP9–TGF-β pathway. IMPORTANCE Cardiomyopathy is the most important clinical manifestation of T. cruzi-driven CD. Recent studies have suggested the detrimental role of the matrix metalloproteinases MMP2 and MMP9 in extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation during cardiac remodeling in T. cruzi infection. Peripheral TGF-β levels are increased in clinically symptomatic CD patients over those in clinically asymptomatic seropositive individuals. We provide the first evidence that during T. cruzi infection, Mϕ release of MMP2 and MMP9 plays an active role in activation of TGF-β signaling of ECM remodeling and cardiac fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation. We also determined that PARP1 signals c-Fos- and JunB-mediated AP-1 transcriptional activation of profibrotic gene expression and demonstrated the significance of PARP1 inhibition in controlling chronic fibrosis in Chagas disease. Our study provides a promising therapeutic approach for controlling T. cruzi-driven fibroblast differentiation in CD by PARP1 inhibitors through modulation of the Mϕ signaling of the AP-1–MMP9–TGF-β pathway.
A stochastic comparison result about hazard rate ordering of two parallel systems comprising of geometric components

Abstract Mao and Hu (2010) left an open problem about the hazard rate order between two parallel systems each with n geometric components. In this note, we solve this open problem for 2 ≤ n ≤ 9 .