cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CO2 Sequestration in Saline Formation

Deep saline aquifers are reported to have the largest estimated capacity for CO2 sequestration. Knowledge of possible geochemically-induced changes to the porosity and permeability of host CO2 storage sandstone and seal rock will enhance our capability to predict CO2 storage capacity and long-term reservoir behavior.An experimental study of the potential interaction of CO2/brine/rock on saline formations in a static system under CO2 sequestration conditions was conducted. Chemical interactions in the Mount Simon sandstone environment upon exposure to CO2 mixed with brine under sequestration conditions were studied. Samples were exposed to the estimated in-situ reaction conditions for six months. The experimental parameters used were two core samples of Mount Simon sandstone; Illinois Basin model brine; temperature of 85°C, pressure of 23.8 MPa (3,500 psig), and CO2. Micro-CT, CT, XRD, SEM, petrography, and brine, porosity, and permeability analyses were performed before and after the exposure. Preliminary permeability measurements obtained from the sandstone sample showed a significant change after it was exposed to CO2- saturated brine for six months. This observation suggests that mineral dissolution and mineral precipitation could occur in the host deposit altering its characteristics for CO2 storage over time.
The Effects of Increased Levels of Niacin Supplementation on Growth Rate and Carcass Composition of Broiler Chickens

Four experiments were conducted to examine the response of broiler chickens to different levels of niacin. Practical-type diets, calculated to contain from 20.7 to 23.7 mg niacin per kg from intact ingredients, were fortified with a complete vitamin mixture which provided 33 mg supplemental niacin per kg of diet, in excess of the National Research Council (1977) suggested requirement of 27 mg per kg through 6 weeks of age. A niacinamide supplement was used to provide additional levels of 0, 33, or 66 mg per kg. Diets differed in content of added fat and energy levels in two of the experiments and in the presence or absence of animal protein sources in two others. The addition of niacinamide at 33 and 66 mg per kg to a diet already supplemented with 33 mg per kg from a complete vitamin premix, calculated to exceed the present NRC suggested requirement, resulted in improved body weight gains with sex differences noted in some experiments. Feed utilization was improved in some studies. There was no effect on the amount of abdominal fat or carcass dressing percentage. The results of these studies indicate that the modern rapidly growing broiler chick may require niacin levels greater than those generally recommended by the National Research Council (1977), which are based largely on studies where performance was considerably lower than obtained with the modern strains of broilers.
Assessing Crop Residue Cover Using Hyperion Data

Estimation of crop residue has increasing relevance for agricultural land management related to erosion, carbon sequestration and water quality. Automated methods utilizing remotely sensed data potentially provide capability to accomplish this over large areas with greater accuracy and at lower cost than traditional "windscreen" surveys. This study investigated application of the cellulose absorption index (CAI) and constrained linear spectral mixing analysis (CLSMA) to Hyperion hyperspectral data to estimate soy and corn crop residue coverage on agricultural lands in Indiana.
On Isomorphisms of Marušič---Scapellato Graphs

Marusia?---Scapellato graphs are vertex-transitive graphs of order $$m(2^k + 1)$$m(2k+1), where m divides $$2^k - 1$$2k-1, whose automorphism group contains an imprimitive subgroup that is a quasiprimitive representation of $$\mathrm{SL}(2,2^k)$$SL(2,2k) of degree $$m(2^k + 1)$$m(2k+1). We show that any two Marusia?---Scapellato graphs of order pq, where p is a Fermat prime, and q is a prime divisor of $$p - 2$$p-2, are isomorphic if and only if they are isomorphic by a natural isomorphism derived from an automorphism of $$\mathrm{SL}(2,2^k)$$SL(2,2k). This work is a contribution towards the full characterization of vertex-transitive graphs of order a product of two distinct primes.
On the segregation of dark matter substructure

We present the first comprehensive analysis of the segregation of dark matter subhaloes in their host haloes. Using numerical simulations, we examine the segregation of twelve different subhalo properties with respect to both orbital energy and halo-centric radius (in real space as well as in projection). Subhaloes are strongly segregated by accretion redshift, which is an outcome of the inside-out assembly of their host haloes. Since subhaloes that were accreted earlier have experienced more tidal stripping, subhaloes that have lost a larger fraction of their mass at infall are on more bound orbits. Subhaloes are also strongly segregated in their masses and maximum circular velocities at accretion. We demonstrate that part of this segregation is already imprinted in the infall conditions. For massive subhaloes it is subsequently boosted by dynamical friction, but only during their first radial orbit. The impact of these two effects is counterbalanced, though, by the fact that subhaloes with larger accretion masses are accreted later. Because of tidal stripping, subhaloes reveal little to no segregation by present-day mass or maximum circular velocity, while the corresponding torques cause subhaloes on more bound orbits to have smaller spin. There is a weak tendency for subhaloes that formed earlier to be segregated towards the center of their host halo, which is an indirect consequence of the fact that (sub)halo formation time is correlated with other, strongly segregated properties. We discuss the implications of our results for the segregation of satellite galaxies in galaxy groups and clusters.
A Workflow and Estimate for the Economic Viability of Offshore Wind Projects

Wind power is the fastest growing sector of electricity generation in the world and offshore wind resources have become a key component of this growth. This paper proposes a general workflow to model offshore wind projects and demonstrates the model using hypothetical projects. It uses net present value (NPV) to indicate economic viability via specification of equations for NPV, and development of probability distributions of NPV for offshore wind projects in the United States. It also examines the probability distributions of NPV for hypothetical utility-scale offshore wind projects. The analysis performed illustrates the effect of various factors on the NPV distributions and examines thresholds that may promote investment in offshore wind projects based on electricity price and average mean wind speed. Further, the effect of tax incentives on project viability is examined. The workflow and estimation demonstrate that offshore wind projects can be economically viable.
Familial Adenomatous Polyposis and Turcot and Peutz-Jeghers Syndromes

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominantly inherited disorder that predisposes affected individuals to colon cancer through the early development of hundreds to thousands of adenomatous polyps (Figure 18-1). Florid polyposis throughout the colon will develop in 50% of affected individuals by age 16, and 95% will have polyposis by age 35.1 If left untreated, colorectal cancer is inevitable in those with FAP, with an average age at diagnosis of 39 years. The incidence of FAP is estimated to be 1 in 8,300 to 1 in 14,025 live births and represents less than 1% of all colon cancers.1 FAP is clinically diagnosed when an individual has greater than 100 colorectal adenomatous polyps.
The Use of SEM, ESCA and Specular Reflectance IR in the Analysis of Fracture Surfaces in Several Polyimide/Titanium 6-4 Systems

Scanning electron microscopy, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and specular reflectance infra-red spectroscopy were employed to characterize titanium alloy (Ti-6A1-4V) surfaces before and after bonding with polyimide resins. Water contact angles on the titanium alloy surface were shown to correlate with surface contamination. Diglyme and DMAC contact angles correlated with fracture strength of the completed adhesive joints formed by the condensation polymerization of benzophenone tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (BTDA) and m, m’-diaminobenzophenone (m, m’ DABP). Octane/water interfacial contact angles were used to show the presence of polar forces at the adhesive/adherend interface. Variations in adhesive strength were noted for condensation polymers formed in diglyme solutions of (i) BTDA and m, m’ DABP, (ii) BTDA and m, p’ DABP and (iii) m, m’ DABP and pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA). Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the titanium alloy surfaces after various pretreatments and the surfaces of fractured joints. ESCA spectra were obtained for the cleaned alloy surface and for fracture surfaces. The intensity of the titanium peak in the ESCA spectra was related to the presence of thin polyimide films. Specular reflectance infrared spectroscopy was also used in the analysis of the fracture surfaces.
Monte Cotugno Dam Monitoring by the Electrical Resistivity Tomography

This work presents an interesting case-study regarding a big dam monitoring thanks to the deployment of the electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). In particular, we are concerned with the largest rock-fill dam in Europe, i.e., the dam on Sinni river in Basilicata region (Italy), which is one of the main civil strategic infrastructures in Southern Italy. The presence of fractures visible on the hanging waterproof dam has motivated the investigation about the possible water infiltration in the dam. ERT surveys were carried out to detect the inner areas characterized by lower electrical resistivity values as indicators of the undesired presence of water inside the structure. The imaging capability of the ERT investigation was the key to detect and localize the areas of the dam affected by the presence of water. On the basis of ERT results, the managing body of the dam activated other diagnostic tools in view of a proper planning of future restoration works.
Software templates

Software components often cannot be reused since the algorithms they realize are encoded in terms of particular implementations. This paper presents an approach to reusability where algorithms and implementations are specified separately. An algorithm is specified by a sequence of recursion equations called a software template. Templates are defined over values of abstract data types whose implementations are specified separately and catalogued. When a template's data types are bound to catalogued implementations, the template is automatically translated into a component tailored to the chosen implementations, a process called template instantiation. Different implementations of an algorithm can be achieved by merely binding the data types of its template, specification to different implementations.
Rational design of a non-canonical "sticky-ended" collagen triple helix.

In a canonical collagen triple helix, three peptides self-assemble into a supercoiled motif with a one-amino-acid offset between the peptide chains. Design of triple helices that contain more than one residue offset is lucrative, as it leaves the non-covalent interactions unsatisfied at the termini and renders the termini “sticky” to further self-assemble into collagen-like nanofibers. Here we use lysine–glutamate axial salt-bridges to design a heterotrimeric collagen triple helix, ABC-1, containing a non-canonical offset of four residues between the peptide chains. The four-residue offset is necessary to prevent aggregation, which would prevent characterization of the non-canonical chain arrangement at the molecular level by NMR spectroscopy. A second heterotrimer, ABC-2, also stabilized by axial salt-bridges, is designed containing a canonical one-amino-acid offset to facilitate comparison of structure and stability by CD and NMR. ABC-1 and ABC-2 demonstrate our ability to modulate chain offset in a col...
Beyond Mass Production: The Japanese System and Its Transfer to the United States

The article reviews the book “Beyond Mass Production: The Japanese System and Its Transfer to the United States,” by Martin Kenney and Richard Florida.
Epidemiological characteristics of food poisoning in Shenzhen City from 2006-2010

[Objective]To analyze the incidence of food poisoning in Shenzhen City during 2006-2010,to understand its regularity and characteristics,and provide scientific evidence for developing control measures. [Methods]The Descriptive analysis was used to analyze the distribution,time and place of food poisoning in Shenzhen City from 2006-2010. [Results]A total of 185 incidents of food poisoning were reported,with 1 875 cases and no death case.Most incidents(133,71.89%) occurred during May-September,and 80.00% occurred in collective canteens and food service units.The main pathogenic factor was microorganism which induced 74.05% of total cases. [Conclusion]It is necessary to strengthen health supervision in collective canteens and catering services units in epidemical season for food poisoning.The focus was on prevention of microbial food poisoning,as well as publicity and training of food safety knowledge.
Phosphoserine Lyase Deoxyribozymes: DNA-Catalyzed Formation of Dehydroalanine Residues in Peptides.

Dehydroalanine (Dha) is a nonproteinogenic electrophilic amino acid that is a synthetic intermediate or product in the biosynthesis of several bioactive cyclic peptides such as lantibiotics, thiopeptides, and microcystins. Dha also enables labeling of proteins and synthesis of post-translationally modified proteins and their analogues. However, current chemical approaches to introducing Dha into peptides have substantial limitations. Using in vitro selection, here we show that DNA can catalyze Zn2+ or Zn2+/Mn2+-dependent formation of Dha from phosphoserine (pSer), i.e., exhibit pSer lyase activity, a fundamentally new DNA-catalyzed reaction. Two new pSer lyase deoxyribozymes, named Dha-forming deoxyribozymes 1 and 2 (DhaDz1 and DhaDz2), each function with multiple turnover on the model hexapeptide substrate that was used during selection. Using DhaDz1, we generated Dha from pSer within an unrelated linear 13-mer peptide. Subsequent base-promoted intramolecular cyclization of homocysteine into Dha formed a...
Targeting Altered Metabolism—Emerging Cancer Therapeutic Strategies

Since the first theorization of the Warburg effect as a metabolic characteristic of cancer, a great deal of progress has been made in the understanding of molecular details underlying the metabolic alterations that cancer cells evolved for survival and proliferation. It has been demonstrated that not only aerobic glycolysis but also glutaminolysis is prominently activated in cancer. Such metabolic alterations are achieved through oncogenic activation of gene expressions of certain isotypes of proteins, which are related to those metabolic pathways. Cancer cells have also evolved mechanisms to deal with oxidative stress, which increases from altered metabolism under the influence of impaired mitochondria. These new findings added new theoretical paradigms and new drug target proteins to the strategies for cancer therapy. In this chapter, the new understandings in cancer metabolism and the inhibitors being developed are discussed.
Procedure in a Time of Austerity

Western governments seem to have entered an era of austerity, which may have significant impacts on the operations of courts, for they are governmental institutions. At least in the US, there has been much concern that changes in the operation of courts will have a severe impact on litigants in civil cases because of escalating delays and court costs. This article addresses the question whether austerity will have a significant effect on procedure, and concludes that it may have only a limited effect on civil procedure, at least in the US. That is in part because civil Litigants in the US have long existed in a 'pay your own way' system, and because much that matters most in American civil litigation occurs far from the courthouse. That is also true of the US because it conceives of 'procedure' in relatively narrow terms. Nonetheless, even in Europe judicial cutbacks may not directly affect the content of procedure, although the obstacles austerity puts in the way of litigants might prompt people to resort more frequently to self help. In both the US and Europe, however, austerity may be used to justify procedural changes that are mainly motivated by other concerns. So it may be best to hope that austerity does not significantly affect procedure, because the effects could be undesirable.
The Kidney Transplant Biopsy

The kidney transplant biopsy is an important tool for the diagnosis of kidney transplant dysfunction, and with advances in clinical kidney transplantation, biopsies are increasingly being used to help guide therapy and therapy choice.
Why Are Addition Reactions to N2 Thermodynamically Unfavorable

Thermochemical data are used to show that, of the 89.9 kcal/mol difference between the endothermicity of H2 addition to N2 (ΔH = 47.9 kcal/mol) and the exothermicity of H2 addition to acetylene (ΔH = −42.0 kcal/mol), less than half is due to a stronger π bond in N2 than in acetylene. The other major contributor to the difference of 89.9 kcal/mol between the enthalpies of hydrogenation of N2 and acetylene is that the pair of N–H bonds that are created in the addition of H2 to N2 are significantly weaker than the pair of C–H bonds that are created in the addition of H2 to acetylene. The reasons for this large difference between the strengths of the N–H bonds in E-HN═NH and the C–H bonds in H2C═CH2 are analyzed and discussed.
Effect of a Price Transparency Intervention in the Electronic Health Record on Clinician Ordering of Inpatient Laboratory Tests: The PRICE Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance Many health systems are considering increasing price transparency at the time of order entry. However, evidence of its impact on clinician ordering behavior is inconsistent and limited to single-site evaluations of shorter duration. Objective To test the effect of displaying Medicare allowable fees for inpatient laboratory tests on clinician ordering behavior over 1 year. Design, Setting, and Participants The Pragmatic Randomized Introduction of Cost data through the electronic health record (PRICE) trial was a randomized clinical trial comparing a 1-year intervention to a 1-year preintervention period, and adjusting for time trends and patient characteristics. The trial took place at 3 hospitals in Philadelphia between April 2014 and April 2016 and included 98 529 patients comprising 142 921 hospital admissions. Interventions Inpatient laboratory test groups were randomly assigned to display Medicare allowable fees (30 in intervention) or not (30 in control) in the electronic health record. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary outcome was the number of tests ordered per patient-day. Secondary outcomes were tests performed per patient-day and Medicare associated fees. Results The sample included 142 921 hospital admissions representing patients who were 51.9% white (74 165), 38.9% black (55 526), and 56.9% female (81 291) with a mean (SD) age of 54.7 (19.0) years. Preintervention trends of order rates among the intervention and control groups were similar. In adjusted analyses of the intervention group compared with the control group over time, there were no significant changes in overall test ordering behavior (0.05 tests ordered per patient-day; 95% CI, −0.002 to 0.09; P = .06) or associated fees ($0.24 per patient-day; 95% CI, −$0.42 to $0.91; P = .47). Exploratory subset analyses found small but significant differences in tests ordered per patient-day based on patient intensive care unit (ICU) stay (patients with ICU stay: −0.16; 95% CI, −0.31 to −0.01; P = .04; patients without ICU stay: 0.13; 95% CI, 0.08-0.17; P P = .04; bottom quartile: 0.03; 95% CI, 0.002-0.06; P = .04). Adjusted analyses of tests that were performed found a small but significant overall increase in the intervention group relative to the control group over time (0.08 tests performed per patient day, 95% CI, 0.03-0.12; P Conclusions and Relevance Displaying Medicare allowable fees for inpatient laboratory tests did not lead to a significant change in overall clinician ordering behavior or associated fees. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT02355496
Constructing a more powerful test in two-level block randomized designs

Introduction One important consideration when designing large-scale experiments is to ensure that the design is sensitive enough to detect the expected intervention effect. This task involves making decisions about sample sizes to ensure sufficient statistical power of the test of the treatment effect. Statistical power is defined as the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis when it is false. Extensive literature exists on the computation of statistical power (e.g., Cohen, 1988; Kraemer & Thiemann, 1987; Lipsey, 1990; Murphy & Myors, 2004). Much of the literature, however, involves the computation of power in studies that use simple random samples; hence nesting effects are typically not included in power computations. In education and the social sciences, populations of interest have often multilevel structures, for example, students are nested within classrooms or schools. Because individuals within aggregate units are often more alike than individuals in different units,
Rationale, design, and implementation of a clinical trial of a mindfulness-based relapse prevention protocol for the treatment of women with comorbid post traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder

Comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUD) commonly co-occur and is associated with a more complex clinical presentation with poorer clinical outcomes when compared with either disorder alone, and untreated PTSD can predict relapse to substance abuse. A number of integrated treatment approaches addressing symptoms of both PTSD and SUD concurrently demonstrate that both disorders can safely and effectively be treated concurrently. However, attrition and SUD relapse rates remain high and there is need to further develop new treatment approaches. Innovative approaches such as mindfulness meditation (MM) successfully used in the treatment of SUD may offer additional benefits for individuals with SUD complicated with PTSD. Specifically, Mindfulness-based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) integrates coping skills from cognitive-behavioral relapse prevention therapy with MM practices, raising awareness of substance use triggers and reactive behavioral patterns, and teaching skillful coping responses. Here we present the design and methods for the "Mindfulness Meditation for the Treatment of Women with comorbid PTSD and SUD" study, a Stage 1b behavioral development study that modifies MBRP treatment to address both PTSD and SUD in a community setting. This study is divided into three parts: revising the existing evidence-based manual, piloting the intervention, and testing the new manual in a randomized controlled pilot trial in women with comorbid PTSD and SUD enrolled in a community-based SUD treatment program.
High temperature oxidation behaviors of equimolar NbTiZrV and NbTiZrCr refractory complex concentrated alloys (RCCAs)

Abstract Refractory complex concentrated alloys (RCCAs) represent an emerging class of materials that have displayed significant potential for increased mechanical performance at extreme temperatures over conventional refractory alloys and Ni-base superalloys. While limited work has been conducted in this area, several RCCAs have shown remarkable levels of oxidation resistance in comparison to the majority of uncoated commercial refractory alloys. However, the oxidation mechanisms in these types of alloys have not been well understood. This study aims to develop the foundation for understanding RCCA oxidation mechanisms through the systematic evaluation of NbTiZrV and NbTiZrCr, which display vastly different oxidation behaviors. In both cases, the predominant mechanism appeared to be internal oxidation, where a mixture of simple and complex oxides was observed after prolonged oxidation times. This resulted in extended linear oxidation kinetics for the NbTiZrV alloy and linear to near-parabolic oxidation kinetics for the NbTiZrCr alloy. Under this mindset, novel design strategies for promoting increased oxidation resistance in both RCCAs and dilute refractory alloys based on sluggish complex oxides are proposed.
Natural History of HPV Infection across the Lifespan: Role of Viral Latency

Large-scale epidemiologic studies have been invaluable for elaboration of the causal relationship between persistent detection of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the development of invasive cervical cancer. However, these studies provide limited data to adequately inform models of the individual-level natural history of HPV infection over the course of a lifetime, and particularly ignore the biological distinction between HPV-negative tests and lack of infection (i.e., the possibility of latent, undetectable HPV infection). Using data from more recent epidemiological studies, this review proposes an alternative model of the natural history of genital HPV across the life span. We argue that a more complete elucidation of the age-specific probabilities of the alternative transitions is highly relevant with the expanded use of HPV testing in cervical cancer screening. With routine HPV testing in cervical cancer screening, women commonly transition in and out of HPV detectability, raising concerns for the patient and the provider regarding the source of the positive test result, its prognosis, and effective strategies to prevent future recurrence. Alternative study designs and analytic frameworks are proposed to better understand the frequency and determinants of these transition pathways.
Gene Therapy and the Renin-Angiotensin System

The success of gene therapy requires specific targets. For the potential treatment of cardiovascular disease by gene therapy, the renin-angiotensin system offers targets that are know to be effective based on pharmaceutical drugs that have targeted angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) angiotensin type I receptors (AT1R). Other targets include renin and angiotensinogen. It is clear that lowering overactive amounts of angiotensin II has positive effects on reducing high blood pressure, decreasing left ventricular hypertrophy, and lowering the risk of heart attacks, stroke, and kidney failure. To inhibit the RAS system we have used antisense (AS) inhibitors which can be delivered either as oligonucleotides and used like small molecule drugs or in vectors with a sequence of DNA in the antisense direction. This review summarizes the effects of these two approaches on reducing high blood pressure. Gene therapy with antisense offers long-lasting, highly specific inhibition of gene products such as the components of RAS when their overactivity needs to be reduced in order to ameliorate disease.
Role of MDA-7/IL-24 a Multifunction Protein in Human Diseases.

Abstract Subtraction hybridization identified genes displaying differential expression as metastatic human melanoma cells terminally differentiated and lost tumorigenic properties by treatment with recombinant fibroblast interferon and mezerein. This approach permitted cloning of multiple genes displaying enhanced expression when melanoma cells terminally differentiated, called melanoma differentiation associated (mda) genes. One mda gene, mda-7, has risen to the top of the list based on its relevance to cancer and now inflammation and other pathological states, which based on presence of a secretory sequence, chromosomal location, and an IL-10 signature motif has been named interleukin-24 (MDA-7/IL-24). Discovered in the early 1990s, MDA-7/IL-24 has proven to be a potent, near ubiquitous cancer suppressor gene capable of inducing cancer cell death through apoptosis and toxic autophagy in cancer cells in vitro and in preclinical animal models in vivo. In addition, MDA-7/IL-24 embodied profound anticancer activity in a Phase I/II clinical trial following direct injection with an adenovirus (Ad.mda-7; INGN-241) in tumors in patients with advanced cancers. In multiple independent studies, MDA-7/IL-24 has been implicated in many pathological states involving inflammation and may play a role in inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, and viral infection. This review provides an up-to-date review on the multifunctional gene mda-7/IL-24, which may hold potential for the therapy of not only cancer, but also other pathological states.
A hypertension control quality improvement pilot program: Experiences and blood pressure outcomes from physician practices

Improving Health Outcomes: Blood Pressure (IHO: BP) was a Quality Improvement (QI) pilot program developed by the American Medical Association (AMA) and Johns Hopkins Medicine aimed at helping physicians and their care teams better manage patients with uncontrolled hypertension. The pilot study was conducted at 10 ambulatory practice sites between October 2013 and November 2014 in which the initiative was to devise a framework and intervention strategies for improving hypertension control. The program included evidence-based tools and materials to support the M easure Accurately, A ct Rapidly, and P artner with Patients (M.A.P.) framework, interactive components with coaching support and peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and a measurement system supported by health technology, all intended to aid blood pressure management. This paper captures the learnings from the engagement, experiences, and satisfaction of care teams from the IHO: BP pilot that were used to adjust, reassess, and refine components of the QI program. Overall, participation in the IHO: BP pilot was associated with an increase in BP control rates from a mean of 69% to 75% ( p < .05) for 3 of the 10 practices. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure was reduced in 8 of 10 practices by a mean of 12.5 mmHg/6.5 mmHg ( p < .05). Furthermore, evaluation of participant experiences indicated that 75% of the respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the initiative. The results from this study include components of the pilot that participants indicated were most helpful and were used to generate useful information for hypertension QI efforts that were later scaled and spread to subsequent initiatives.
Impact of the Nuclear Option on the Environment and the Economy

The impact of the nuclear option in the national energy outlook on the environment and the U.S. economy is analyzed with the MARKAL-MACRO energy systems computer code. The base case projection by the U.S. Energy Information Administration is the starting point for this study. The possibility of license renewal of the current fleet of U.S. nuclear power plants is considered as well as the introduction of cost-competitive advanced light water reactors. Electricity energy sector projections for fossil fuel plants, renewable energy sources, and nuclear power plants are analyzed on a least cost basis. The impact of constraints on the emissions of greenhouse gases is included in the analysis. It is found that it would be economically favorable to introduce as many as 300 additional nuclear power plants in the United States by the year 2025 to meet emission constraints of limiting emission to the 1990 level in the years beyond 2010.
Changes in Myocardial Infarction Guideline Adherence as a Function of Patient Risk: An End to Paradoxical Care?

Objectives The goals of this analysis were to determine: 1) whether guideline-based care during hospitalization for a myocardial infarction (MI) varied as a function of patients' baseline risk; and 2) whether temporal improvements in guideline adherence occurred in all risk groups. Background Guideline-based care of patients with MI improves outcomes, especially among those at higher risk. Previous studies suggest that this group is paradoxically less likely to receive guideline-based care (risk–treatment mismatch). Methods A total of 112,848 patients with MI were enrolled at 279 hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines–Coronary Artery Disease (GWTG–CAD) between August 2000 and December 2008. We developed and validated an in-hospital mortality model (C-statistic: 0.75) to stratify patients into risk tertiles: low (0% to 3%), intermediate (3% to 6.5%), and high (>6.5%). Use of guideline-based care and temporal trends were examined. Results High-risk patients were significantly less likely to receive aspirin, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, statins, diabetic treatment, smoking cessation advice, or cardiac rehabilitation referral at discharge compared with those at lower risk (all p Conclusions Although adherence to guideline-based care remains paradoxically lower in those MI patients at higher risk of mortality and most likely to benefit from treatment, care is improving for eligible patients within all risk categories, and the gaps between low- and high-risk groups seem to be narrowing.
BEYOND GROWTH: Reaching Tourism-Led Development

Abstract Many communities around the world seek tourism to improve their livelihoods. The changes brought by tourism are often reflected in economic and infrastructural growth. Nevertheless, such growth does not always reflect development goals. Framed around interactional theory, this study intends to open the “black box” of community relations by examining the causal factors, processes, and outcomes associated with tourism-led development. A case study methodology was applied in two amenity-rich Costa Rican communities known to present divergent growth and development outcomes after their incursion in tourism. The study findings suggest the critical relevance of open communication, widespread participation, tolerance, and communion among residents and different tourism-related stakeholders for the promotion of processes leading to tourism-led development.
Linear Stochastic Control

Let us next consider stochastic ‘control’ problems for the linear system: $$x\left( {t;\omega } \right) = \int\limits_0^t A \left( s \right)x\left( {s;\omega } \right)ds + \int\limits_0^t B \left( s \right)u\left( s \right)ds + \int\limits_0^t F \left( s \right)dW\left( {s;\omega } \right),$$ $$0 \leqslant t \leqslant 1$$ (7.1) $$Y\left( {t;\omega } \right) = \int\limits_0^t C \left( s \right)x\left( {s;\omega } \right)ds + \int\limits_0^t G \left( s \right)dW\left( {s;\omega } \right),0 \leqslant t \leqslant 1$$ where u(.) denotes the ‘control’ function to be determined, and where we assume that all the coefficients are continuous on [0,1], and G(s)G(s)*>0 0≤s≤1 and of course W(s;ω) is a Wiener process as before.
Human Carbonic Anhydrases VI. LEVELS OF ISOZYMES IN OLD AND YOUNG ERYTHROCYTES AND IN VARIOUS TISSUES

Abstract The more acidic, minor isozymes of human carbonic anhydrase types B and C are present in higher concentrations in the older erythrocyte populations. The levels of all of these isozymes can be determined quantitatively by immunochemical methods following their separation by electrofocusing. A wide variety of human tissues have been assayed for carbonic anhydrases. Significant levels of the C type were found in all tissues except cardiac muscle and testis. Carbonic anhydrases of the B type was found only in kidney medulla and gall bladder mucosa.
Deferred Enrollment: Chicano/Latino Males, Social Mobility and Military Enlistment:

Chicanos/Latinos comprise the largest racial and ethnic population in the U.S. public K-12 schools, yet hold some of the largest rates of academic underperformance in high school and college comple...
Sex Tourism and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Modality Preferences Among Men Who Have Sex With Men

Sex tourism among men who have sex with men (MSM) has been associated with increased risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) due to sexually scripted environments characterized by multiple sexu...
Double-Cooled Electrode Temperature Effects In Ozone Generators

Ozone $(O_{3})$ is an inorganic molecule that is an allotrope of oxygen and is highly unstable. As an oxidant it has many consumer uses such as odor removal, vehicle restoration, and water treatment. Scientists have begun to work with and research the generation of ozone to increase production efficiency as more uses and benefits of ozone become clear. Ozone is commonly generated using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor 1. DBD reactors consist of a ground electrode and a high voltage electrode separated by insulating layers and a discharge gap 1. DBDs have the capability to dissociate molecular oxygen $(O_{2})$ gas into atomic oxygen O 1 and allow for the recombination to $O_{3}$ within the discharge gap via microplasma discharge 2. The equilibrium of the reaction to generate $O_{3}$ from $O_{2}$ is temperature dependent though. If the temperature is too high in the DBD reactor, the $O_{3}$ formed will be converted back into $O_{2}$. Thus maintaining a favorable temperature during $O_{3}$ production is a crucial part in efficient generation. Reactor temperature stability is mostly controlled by regulating the water coolant to the electrode surfaces but, is also affected in part by the feed gas pressure and flow rate as well as the applied reactor input power. This work investigates the electrical characterization of the reactor and subsequent ozone formation process under various electrode temperature gradients.
Normal Body Temperature: A Systematic Review

PubMed was searched from 1935 to December 2017 with a variety of search phrases among article titles. The references of the identified manuscripts were then manually searched. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) the paper presented data on measured normal body temperature of healthy human subjects ages 18 and older, (2) a prospective design was used, and (3) the paper was written in or translated into the English language. Thirty-six articles met the inclusion criteria. This comprised 9227 measurement sites from 7636 subjects. The calculated ranges (mean ± 2 standard deviations) were 36.32-37.76 (rectal), 35.76-37.52 (tympanic), 35.61-37.61 (urine), 35.73-37.41 (oral), and 35.01-36.93 (axillary). Older adults (age ≥60) had lower temperature than younger adults (age <60) by 0.23°C, on average. There was only insignificant gender difference. Compared with the currently established reference point for normothermia of 36.8°C, our means are slightly lower but the difference likely has no physiological importance. We conclude that the most important patient factors remain site of measurement and patient's age.
Curvature on the integers, II

Abstract In a prequel to this paper [1] a notion of curvature on the integers was introduced, based on a formal patching technique. In this paper, which is essentially independent of its prequel, we introduce another notion of curvature on the integers, based on “algebraization of Frobenius lifts by correspondences.” Our main results are vanishing/non-vanishing theorems for this new type of curvature in the case of “Chern connections” attached to classical groups.
Probing the Partial Activation of Water by Open-Shell Interactions, Cl(H2O)1-4.

The partial chemical activation of water by reactive radicals was examined computationally for small clusters of chlorine and water, Cl•(H2O)n=1–4. Using an automated isomer-search procedure, dozen...
Estradiol Is Concentrated in Human Platelets and Is Released upon Activation.

Background and Aim: Estrogens are prothrombotic in both normal and atherosclerotic vessels. There is evidence that exogenous estrogen modifies platelet reactivity and signaling pathways, but very little is known about sex hormone metabolism in platelets or whether platelet estrogen stores contribute to atherothrombosis. To begin to characterize the role of sex hormones in platelet biology, we measured estradiol (E2), estrone (E1) and testosterone (T) concentrations within platelets and plasma of normal healthy men and women. Additionally, we tested the hypothesis that platelets have the capacity to release E2 during thrombin-stimulated platelet aggregation and activation. Methods and Results: Platelets and plasma were prepared from platelet-rich plasma (PRP) samples of 16 male (age 24–63), 13 premenopausal female (age 25–34) and 8 menopausal female (age 39–65) donors; no females were using exogenous hormones. E2, E1 and T were determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Hormone content in platelets and plasma was expressed per mL of PRP. Plasma E2, E1 and T levels were within the range of values previously reported in the literature. E2 concentrations were significantly higher in platelets compared to plasma in men (p Conclusion: Our results show that platelets have the capacity to concentrate E2 and may serve as a vascular vehicle for the delivery of this prothrombotic factor upon platelet activation.
SNAP judgments into the digital age: Reporting on food stamps varies significantly with time, publication type, and political leaning.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the second-largest and most contentious public assistance program administered by the United States government. The media forums where SNAP discourse occurs have changed with the advent of social and web-based media. We used machine learning techniques to characterize media coverage of SNAP over time (1990–2017), between outlets with national readership and those with narrower scopes, and, for a subset of web-based media, by the outlet’s political leaning. We applied structural topic models, a machine learning methodology that categorizes and summarizes large bodies of text that have document-level covariates or metadata, to a corpus of print media retrieved via LexisNexis (n = 76,634). For comparison, we complied a separate corpus via web-scrape algorithm of the Google News API (2012–2017), and assigned political alignment metadata to a subset documents according to a recent study of partisanship on social media. A similar procedure was used on a subset of the print media documents that could be matched to the same alignment index. Using linear regression models, we found some, but not all, topics to vary significantly with time, between large and small media outlets, and by political leaning. Our findings offer insights into the polarized and partisan nature of a major social welfare program in the United States, and the possible effects of new media environments on the state of this discourse.
Demystifying pharmaceutical patient assistance programs.

Prescription drug costs impose a significant financial burden on the United States healthcare system. Patients with chronic dermatologic diseases often require long-term and expensive prescription ...
Clinical analysis of congenital duodenal obstruction in neonates

Objective To evaluate clinical manifestations,diagnosis and treatment of congenital duodenal obstruction (CDO) in neonates.Methods Retrospective analysis of 246 neonatal patients with CDO admitted between January 2002 and December 2011 was conducted.Clinical data including demographic criteria,clinical manifestations,associated anomalies,radiologic findings,operations,postoperative complications and final outcomes were recorded and analyzed.Total 246 newborns were enrolled in this study,with 173 boys and 73 girls.Birth weight (BW) ranged from 950 g to 4 850 g.Forty-three babies were born prematurely.One hundred and fifty eight cases were diagnosed with malrotation,49 cases with annular pancreas,45 cases with duodenal web,7 cases with duodenal atresia or stenosis and 1 case of duodenal abnormal bands,while 14 cases had various combinations of these conditions.One hundred and twenty four patients had associated anomalies.Results Operative procedures included Ladd's procedure,duodenoduodenostomy,excision of the web and duodenoplasty,duodenojejunostomy or combination of the above.Seventeen patients died or withdraw treatment postoperatively.The causes of death were combinations of prematurity,sepsis,pneumonia,pulmonary hemorrhage,short bowel,or cardiac anomaly.Fourteen patients were reoperated for wound dehiscence,adhesive intestinal obstruction,anastomotic leak,cholestasis,missed diagnosis or recurrence of malrotation.Enteral feeding was started at an average of 8.51 ± 3.17 days after operation,and the mean hospital stay was 14.87 ± 5.60 days.Conclusions CDO is a complex entity with various causations and multiple accompanied diseases.Timely diagnosis and aggressive surgery are key points for better prognosis.Multiple causes of duodenal obstruction and/or associated alimentary tract anomalies should always be aware during operation. Key words: Duodenal obstruction; Infant, Newborn; Anastomosis, Surgical
Development of a finite element model to predict the cellular micromechanical environment in tissue engineering scaffolds

Cell fate in tissue engineering (TE) strategies is paramount to regenerate healthy, functional organs. The mechanical loads experienced by cells play an important role in cell fate. However, in TE scaffolds with a cell-laden hydrogel matrix, it is prohibitively complex to prescribe and measure this cellular micromechanical environment (CME). Accordingly, this study aimed to develop a finite element (FE) model of a TE scaffold unit cell that can be subsequently implemented to predict the CME and cell fates under prescribed loading. The compressible hyperelastic mechanics of a fibrin hydrogel were characterized by fitting unconfined compression and confined compression experimental data. This material model was implemented in a unit cell FE model of a TE scaffold. The FE mesh and boundary conditions were evaluated with respect to the mechanical response of a region of interest (ROI). A compressible second-order reduced polynomial hyperelastic model gave the best fit to the experimental data (C 10 = 1.72×10 -4 , C 20 = 3.83×10 -4 , D 1 = 3.41, D 2 = 8.06×10 -2 ). A mesh with seed sizes of 40 µm and 60 µm in the ROI and non-ROI regions, respectively, yielded a converged model in 54 minutes. The in-plane boundary conditions demonstrated minimal influence on ROI mechanics for a 2-by-2 unit cell. However, the out-of-plane boundary conditions did exhibit an appreciable influence on ROI mechanics for a two bilayer unit cell. Overall, the developed unit cell model facilitates the modeling of the mechanical state of a cell-laden hydrogel within a TE scaffold under prescribed loading. This model will be utilized to characterize the CME in future studies, and 3D micromechanical criteria may be applied to predict cell fate in these scaffolds.