cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physicians' Acceptance of Web-Based Medical Assessment Systems: Findings from a National Survey

Providing timely and accurate medical evaluation information is a challenge in the health care industry. Companies providing medical assessments in this industry are utilizing technology to meet this challenge and to continuously improve performance and functionality. Physician acceptance is a critical factor for successful medical assessment system implementations. This research in progress paper reports on a recently completed national survey of physicians who provide disability assessments, a subset of medical assessments. Accurate and timely information is of vital importance especially regarding disability claim cases as any delay can increase the time to process a claim significantly. Based on 141 completed surveys (a 52% response rate) of a nationwide physician network this study examined physicians’ completion of disability evaluations using a Web-based system. While use of the Internet as a medical “library” has been widely studied, this study considered the next step: providing physicians with an online means to complete and submit disability assessments in real-time. This research devised a social-technical model to explore physicians’ acceptance of Web-based work process systems. This social- technical model is based on four main classes: Social-demographics, Perceived Readiness, Work Practice Compatibility, and Physician Attitude. Preliminary results indicate that Perceived Readiness and Work Practice Compatibility affect physicians’ behavioral intent to use the Webbased disability assessment systems. For example, the more often the physician uses computer systems, the more willing they are to be early volunteers to use the system - 81.9% of the physicians use computer systems frequently, at least several times a week. Additionally, physicians who dictate the medical assessment report using a transcription service will not likely be early volunteers to use the system. These findings will be used to devise recommendations for targeting early online adopters among physician networks.
The Prognostic Significance of Fever in Childhood Urinary Infections Observations in 350 Consecutive Patients

All infants and children with proven bacteriuria require urologic investiga tion and surveillance, but their prospects for developing chronic renal disease are variable. These differences are related to whether or not the bacteria have access to the kidneys. Such access correlates closely with the presence of an underlying congenital anomaly, particularly vesicoureteral reflux. Fever during an episode of active urinary infection is a strong indica tion that the patient has vesicoureteral reflux or some other significant uropathy and probably pyelonephritis.
Integrating price-based resources in short-term scheduling of electric power systems

This paper discusses the application of a Lagrangian relaxation algorithm for solving short-term power system resource scheduling problems in the presence of "endogenously priced" resources. The authors demonstrate how such resources can be incorporated into the scheduling model as opposed to the prevailing practice of activating them through post-dispatch price signals derived from the short term scheduling of resources directly controlled by the electric utility. Through a simulation study, the authors compare operations and costs of integrated scheduling to those resulting from the post-dispatch approach. Their analysis demonstrates that integrated scheduling can produce significant improvements. >
SUSCEPTIBILITY OF SEVERAL FLORICULTURE CROPS TO THREE COMMON SPECIES OF MELOIDOGYNE IN FLORIDA [SUSCEPTIBILIDAD DE VARIOS CULTIVOS FLORALES A TRES ESPECIES DE MELOIDOGYNE FRECUENTES EN FLORIDA]

The current and pending restriction on the use of soil fumigants and other nematicides effective in controllingnematodes in field grown floriculture crops has increased the importance of determining the relative susceptibility of thesecrops to important species of root-knot nematodes. Greenhouse experiments were performed to assess the susceptibilityof several floriculture crops grown in Florida to the three most common species of root-knot nematode, Meloidogynearenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica. Root growth and health, as well as nematode galling and egg productionwere evaluated for Celosia argentea (cockscomb), Delphinium elatum (larkspur), Antirrhinum latifolium (snapdragon),and Helianthus annuus (sunflower). A susceptible host, Solanum lycopersicum (‘Rutgers’, tomato), was included in alltrials for comparison. Most of the floral crops tested were highly susceptible to all three species of rootknot nematodes.Delphinium was not tested for susceptibility to M. arenaria but was consistently less susceptible to M. incognita and M.javanica than the other floral crops tested with those nematode species. Results of these greenhouse trials are consistentwith observations from field trials on alternative fumigants conducted in Florida in which low levels of galling by rootknotnematodes were consistently observed on Delphinium.
Cycling of sensitivity to physical dormancy-break in seeds of Ipomoea lacunosa (Convolvulaceae) and ecological significance.

Background and Aims Although a claim has been made that dormancy cycling occurs in seeds of Ipomoea lacunosa (Convolvulaceae) with physical dormancy, this would seem to be impossible since the water gap cannot be closed again after it opens (dormancy break). On the other hand, changes in sensitivity (sensitive ↔ non-sensitive) to dormancy-breaking factors have been reported in seeds of Fabaceae with physical dormancy. The primary aim of the present study was to determine if sensitivity cycling also occurs in physically dormant seeds of I. lacunosa.
The Role of Activin A and Akt/GSK Signaling in Ovarian Tumor Biology

Elevated activin A levels in serum, cyst fluid, and peritoneal fluid of ovarian cancer patients suggest a role for this peptide hormone in disease development. We hypothesize that activin A plays a role in ovarian tumor biology, and analyzed activin-mediated pro-oncogenic signaling in vitro and the expression of activin signaling pathway molecules in vivo. Activin A regulation of Akt and GSK, and the effects of repressing the activities of these molecules (with pharmacological inhibitors) on cellular proliferation were assessed in the cell line, OVCA429. Activin A activated Akt, which phosphorylated GSK, repressing GSK activity in vitro. Activin A stimulated cellular proliferation and repression of GSK augmented activin-regulated proliferation. To validate in vitro observations, immunostaining of the betaA-subunit of activin A and phospho-GSKalpha/beta (Ser9/21) was performed, and the correlation between immunoreactivity levels of these markers and survival was evaluated in benign serous cystadenoma, borderline tumor, and cystadenocarcinoma microarrays. Analysis of tissue microarrays revealed that betaA expression in epithelia did not correlate with survival or malignancy, but expression was elevated in stromal cells from carcinomas when compared with benign tumors. Phospho-GSKalpha/beta (Ser9/21) staining was more intense in mitotically active carcinoma cells and exhibited a polarized localization in benign neoplasms that was absent in carcinomas. Notably, lower phospho-GSKalpha/beta (Ser9/21) immunoreactivity correlated with better survival for carcinoma patients (P=0.046). Our data are consistent with a model in which activin A may mediate ovarian oncogenesis by activating Akt and repressing GSK to stimulate cellular proliferation.
Voter Mobilization in the 1986 Midterm Election

Research on turnout has addressed a political mobilization hypothesis that emphasizes the influence of campaign stimuli on this form of participation. This study extends existing models and considers alternative conceptualizations of political mobilization using data from the 1986 midterm election. The findings suggest that the presence of a vigorous congressional campaign, measured through expenditures, and a simultaneous senatorial race mobilize members of the electorate. To gain a more complete understanding of the mobilization process, however, conditional relationships must be considered. A high stimulus congressional campaign, for example, demonstrates the least influence on lesser educated, high-income citizens and the greatest influence on highly educated, low-income citizens. Challenger spending emerges as particularly important in structuring congressional mobilization.
IMMUNE SUPPRESSION AND THE COST OF REPRODUCTION IN THE GROUND CRICKET, ALLONEMOBIUS SOCIUS

One of the most common life history trade-offs in animals is the reduction in survivorship with increasing reproductive effort. Despite the prevalence of this pattern, its underlying physiological mechanisms are not well understood. Here we test the hypothesis that immune suppression mediates this phenotypic trade-off by manipulating reproductive effort and measuring immune function and mortality rates in the striped ground cricket, Allonemobius socius. Because A. socius males provide females with a hemolymph-based nuptial gift during copulation, and many structural components of immunity reside in the hemolymph, we also predicted that sexual selection may differentially affect how disease resistance evolves in males and females. We found that an increased mating effort resulted in a reduced immune ability, coupled with an increased rate in age-specific mortality for both sexes. Thus, immune suppression appears to be a link between reproductive effort and cost in this system. In addition, males and females appeared to differentially invest in several aspects of immunity prior to mating, with males exhibiting a higher concentration of circulating hemocytes and a superior bacterial defense capability. This pattern may be the result of previously established positive selection on gift size due to its affect on female fecundity. In short, female choice for larger gifts may lead to a sexually dimorphic immune ability.
Mobile technology and the digitization of healthcare.

The convergence of science and technology in our dynamic digital era has resulted in the development of innovative digital health devices that allow easy and accurate characterization in health and disease. Technological advancements and the miniaturization of diagnostic instruments to modern smartphone-connected and mobile health (mHealth) devices such as the iECG, handheld ultrasound, and lab-on-a-chip technologies have led to increasing enthusiasm for patient care with promises to decrease healthcare costs and to improve outcomes. This ‘hype’ for mHealth has recently intersected with the ‘real world’ and is providing important insights into how patients and practitioners are utilizing digital health technologies. It is also raising important questions regarding the evidence supporting widespread device use. In this state-of-the-art review, we assess the current literature of mHealth and aim to provide a framework for the advances in mHealth by understanding the various device, patient, and clinical factors as they relate to digital health from device designs and patient engagement, to clinical workflow and device regulation. We also outline new strategies for generation and analysis of mHealth data at the individual and population-based levels.
Global Flow of Capital: Impacts on African Smallholder Farmers

To increase African food security, private capital transfers pursue industrial agriculture to commodify major African food grains, linking them to the global food chain. Philanthropic foundations finance research laboratories, seed banks, policy reports, the drafting of national laws, agro-marketing, and media to orchestrate research, production and marketing. Often their technological innovations require large-scale, 'one size fits all' production across diverse micro-climates. Yet smallholder production, grounded in biodiversity, continues to feed and to employ Africas majorities. This paper will focus on the philanthropic foundations both donating and investing capital in industrial agriculture. The capital transfers refer to the whole continent, while analysis of the smallholders will focus on Southern Africa. The paper addresses the following research questions: 1) How do todays philanthrocapitalists differ from the 20th century in their relations to the a) state and to b) civil society organizations? 2) What are the ways philanthropic foundations honor or recognize the traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and skills of African smallholder farmers in providing food security? 3) How do the debates over philanthrocapitalism clarify transparency (fluidity) versus relations of control (obstruction) toward sustainable African food policies?
Investigation of Epitaxy Relationships Between Ca5(PO4)3OH and Other Calcium Ortho-Phosphates.

A procedure for generating and quantitatively comparing possible cases of epitaxy and twinning has been devised and applied to the study of epitaxy between Ca5(PO4)3OH and other calcium orthophosphates. For any two given lattices, pairs of nets which match dimensionally within prescribed limits are found and sorted in order of increasing mismatch. The crystal structural parameters are used to generate and match atomic patterns corresponding to each pair of nets. Pattern matching is done by comparing magnitudes of vectors describing the immediate environment of each atom in turn, and does not require orienting the two patterns relative to one another. Atomic charges related by each vector are also considered. Use of the vector sets introduces the limitation that twinning involving reorientation in a contact plane cannot be distinguished from no reorientation (identity match). An additional method which uses these results to match complete patterns is suggested. The procedure is general in nature and has been applied here to the study of possible epitaxies between Ca5(PO4)3OH and Ca8H2(PO4)6·5H2O, Ca4O(PO4)2, CaHPO4, CaHPO4·2H2O, Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O, β-Ca3(PO4)2 and Ca5(PO4)2SiO4. Of these cases, only the epitaxies Ca5(PO4)3OH/Ca8H2(PO4)6·5H2O and Ca5(PO4)3OH/Ca4O(PO4)2 appear to have sufficient structural similarity to occur in practice.
In Vitro and In Vivo Activity of 2,4-diamino-6-[2-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)acetamido] quinazoline against Cryptococcus neoformans

SummaryThe minimum inhibitory concentration of quinazoline derivative was determined by the tube dilution method for Cryptococcus neoformans, strain 184.The effect of this chemical agent on macromolecular metabolism indicated an inhibition of incorporations of labeled precursors into RNA and protein of C. neoformans.A mouse model infection with C. neoformans was established. Following this, the animals were given ip or oral doses of different concentrations of the experimental drug. Infected mice responded to ip administration of the drug in that the percentage of surviving mice increased progressively with increasing drug dosage. The curing dose 50 (CD50) was determined, based on the isolation of C. neoformans from organs of animals during or at the termination of the experiments.
Measurement of helium metastable atom densities in a plasma-based ambient ionization source.

We describe direct imaging of the densities of helium metastable atoms in the afterglow of a helium dielectric-barrier discharge (He-DBD) using collisionally assisted laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). For the conditions tested, comparison of fluorescence images of a He-DBD with analogous maps of emission from highly excited helium atoms revealed that helium metastable atom densities did not correlate well with emission from the plasma. Fluorescence images also showed that helium metastable atom densities increased substantially when a glass slide was placed 10.0 mm from the discharge capillary in a geometry typical for desorption-ionization experiments. We also studied the effect hydrogen has on the helium metastable atom densities. The hydrogen severely quenched the metastable state leaving it virtually undetectable. Emission was quenched as well, but to a lesser extent. The addition of 1% H2 to the helium in the source provided nearly a factor of 2 improvement in the sensitivity of the signal for coumar...
L-canavanine effects on growth and development of four species of Muscidae.

Larvae of the house fly, face fly, horn fly, and stable fly were reared in media containing various concentrations of L-canavanine. Response in order of decreasing sensitivity was the stable fly, face fly, horn fly, and house fly. Only 18% house fly mortality was obtained from 800 ppm canavanine, a level which killed at least 70% of the other 3 species. Horn fly and face fly showed additional delayed concentration-dependent effects expressed as smaller pupal size, some degree of pupal deformation, and pupal mortality.
A Method for Rearing the Cabbage Looper, Trichoplusia ni, on a Meridic Diet

In conjunction with a research program to determine some of the fundamental nutritional requirements of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), a satisfactory meridic diet and culturing procedure has been developed. The purpose of this note is to describe the culturing technique employed to facilitate laboratory research with this species. Trichoplusia grows rapidly on the meridic diet and lends itself favorably to many biological and toxicological studies.
Temperature-Dependent Deliquescence Relative Humidities and Water Activities Using Humidity Controlled Thermogravimetric Analysis with Application to Malonic Acid

We utilize a new experimental technique, humidity-controlled thermogravimetric analysis (HTGA), to determine temperature-dependent deliquescence relative humidities (DRH) and to determine the equilibrium concentration of a solution at a given temperature and relative humidity. To that end, we have investigated the malonic acid/water system determining the DRH and concentration/RH relationship in the temperature range 303-278 K. Excellent agreement is found with literature values for the DRH of malonic acid as a function of temperature and for the concentration/RH relationship at several temperatures. Thus, we extend the DRH and concentration/RH relationship to a broader temperature range and are using the HTGA experiments to investigate other organic acids.
The production of a factor X activator by a methylcholanthrene-induced rat fibrosarcoma.

Abstract The association between neoplasia and thrombosis has been well documented. We have studied the production of a procoagulant which is a factor X activator in a rat fibrosarcoma model. Extracts of excised tumor were assayed in a one stage clotting assay using normal and factor deficient human plasmas. The activity was not due to tissue factor, as acceleration of clotting was observed in FVII deficient plasma. No activity was noted in FX deficient plasma. The activator was capable of cleaving 125I-FX in the absence or presence of calcium. A radioimmunoassay (RIA) demonstrated a 5,100-fold increase in the levels of FX activation peptide after exposure to sarcoma extract. The FX activation occurs in the absence of calcium although the effect is greatly accelerated in the presence of 5 mM CaCl2. Using a two-stage amidolytic assay, functional activation of FX by the sarcoma was demonstrated. Inhibitor studies suggest that the sarcoma-derived procoagulant is a serine protease. The methylcholanthrene-induced rat sarcoma may serve as a useful model for investigating the regulation and effects of cancer procoagulants.
Entwicklung der Wasser- und Sumpfpflanzen-Gesellschaften Europas von der Kreide bis ins Quartär11)Herrn Prof. Dr. H. Meusel zum 75. Geburtstag gewidmet

Summary The purpose of the present investigation is to elucidate the following facts and problems of Cenozoic Waterplant and Swamp Communities in Europe: 1. Aquatic Angiosperms of the Cretaceous. 2. Evidences of Aquatic Plant Families and the Development of the Water- and Swamp Vegetation in the Early and Younger Tertiary and the Quaternary — Differenciation of the European Floristic Regions — Endemism — Local Exotics. 3. Ecological Indicatorplants in fossil condition: thermic, nutriments, facies-indicators. 4. European fossil Communities of Water, Swamp and Bog Plants: Freshwater and Swamp Vegetation (Submersed Aquatic Plant Communities, Shallow-water Communities and Communities of Plants Floating on the Water Surface, Reed Marshes and Tall Sedge Swamps, Spring Communities, Herb-rich Fen Communities, Bog Communities) — Saltwater and Coastal Vegetation — Herbaceous Shore vegetation of Temporarely Impounded Wet Places.
Electromagnetic Bandgap Engineering in Three-Dimensional Periodic Dielectric Structures

Recent theoretical calculations of photonic band structures using plane-wave expansion and the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method in three-dimensional periodic dielectric media are reported. Results are given for scalar waves and vector waves. The merits and drawbacks of the two different methods will be discussed. Comparisons with the available experimental results will also be made. The inadequacy of scalar wave calculations for photonic bands will be pointed out.
IMPACT OF TOTAL PRODUCTIVE MAINTENANCE METHODOLOGY ON THE PERFORMANCE

These days, the organization and companies meet a lot of challenges(internally: to increase the performance, and externally: market share). This work focuses on the internal challenges: such as performance.The most important pillars of the production operations are employees, machines, equipment's, and etc. Maintenance represents the important activity that makes the machines and equipment's operate efficiently. Companies attempt to increase performance and minimize production costs by using a certain approach such as Total productive maintenance (TPM). This work introduces a methodology to improve the performance (operator and equipment) throughproposed model of TPM. Also, it indicates the importance of maintenance which minimizes or eliminates the production problems and increases the organizational productivity.
Sexual performance of rams as determined by maturation and sexual experience.

The purpose of this study was to compare the sexual performance of rams that differed in age (maturation) and sexual experience. Twenty-four ram lambs (8 mo of age) and 21 rams (20 mo of age) were individually exposed to four females in hormonally induced estrus for 30 min on five occasions, 7 d apart. Half (12) the ram lambs and nine of the yearlings were sexually naive at the start of testing (had been denied access to females since weaning); the remaining males were sexually experienced. The sexual performance of the virgin rams was poorer during the initial exposure to females than in subsequent tests, whereas the sexual behavior of the sexually experienced males did not change over the days of testing. Sexually naive ram lambs and rams exhibited an improvement in sexual performance between Tests 1 and 2; during Test 3 to 5 the sexual performance (ejaculations per test) of sexually naive and experienced rams was similar. The only effects of age (maturation) on sexual performance during the last three test days were a higher frequency of mounts without ejaculation plus mount attempts (P less than .03) and a greater number of mount interactions per ejaculation (P less than .02) by ram lambs. In conclusion, one or two relatively brief exposures to estrous females can bring the sexual performance of virgin rams up to levels comparable to that of experienced males. Also, ram lambs in good condition exhibit acceptable levels of sexual performance.
O01.6 Evaluating chlamydia trends in the united states 2000–2015 using a pair formation transmission model

Introduction In the United States reported cases of chlamydia have increased since reporting began, due in part to increased screening. However, the implication of these trends for the population prevalence remains unclear. We aimed to understand and reconcile the epidemiological trends, and examine counterfactuals. Methods We developed a deterministic heterosexual pair formation model to simulate chlamydia epidemiology in the US heterosexual population aged 15-54y. The pair formation model accounts explicitly for sexual partnership dynamics, such as re-infection within the partnership, and the model is stratified by age, risk and relationship type (long-term v. casual). We used a Bayesian approach to calibrate model parameters (including time-varying screening, reporting and test sensitivity) to age- and sex-specific national case report rates from 2000–2015 (ages 15-54y), lab-measured population prevalence estimates from NHANES 1999–2014 (15-39y), and sexual behaviour data from the Youth Risk Behaviour Survey (15-18y). Results Model estimates were able to reproduce both chlamydia prevalence and reported case rates. Results indicate an increase in chlamydia screening in women. Conclusion This analysis is the first to fit a chlamydia transmission model to national sex- and age- specific prevalence and case report time trends. The results suggest screening would have to achieve a higher coverage, or we should investigate novel strategies to reduce chlamydia prevalence further. This model could be used to investigate the impact of novel prevention interventions, such as improved partner notification strategies and targeted screening programs.
AMC cells for broadband RCS reduction checkerboard surfaces

A new design approach on selection of AMC structures for designing broadband checkerboard surface is proposed. Using the same approach for checkerboard surface, two basic but properly designed AMC structures are used to achieve broadband RCS reduction, where phase difference of (180 ± 37)° is maintained from 3.6 GHz to 9.4 GHz. The RCS is reduced by more than 10 dB over an 83% fractional bandwidth (3.85–9.3 GHz). A prototype of the finitely sized (2 × 2) checkerboard was simulated and measured. The results show excellent agreement with the predictions.
A two-cavity quasioptical gyroklystron

The quasioptical gyrotron at the Naval Research Laboratory will be converted to an 85 GHz gyroklystron by the addition of a prebunching resonator and an external source. The experiment will investigate longitudinal-mode selection, efficiency enhancement, and phaselocking in a quasioptical resonator. This paper presents results of the design calculations.
Prevention and Postvention of NSSI and Disordered Eating

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and eating disorders (EDs) are comorbid disorders with a number of common risk factors, including negative emotionality, negative body image, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation. Existing work in the ED field draws upon the nonspecific vulnerability-stressor model and critical social perspectives to engage adolescents as well as prevention specialists in the prevention process. Although there is very little empirical research on the prevention of NSSI, there are guidelines in the areas of preventing ED, depression, and suicide. Postvention, or interventions that occur after a disorder has already developed, is a concept developed in the field of suicidology to provide aid to the family, friends, and school community of an individual who has completed suicide. As NSSI and EDs affect a living sufferer in addition to those around them, postvention is modified here to include identification, assessment, and referral of the affected individual, as well as programs to support families, friends, and schools. After reviewing the key concepts and existing prevention and postvention research, this chapter uses the mental health intervention spectrum model of prevention to propose an ecological prevention/postvention model with interventions at the level of the media, community, school system, family, student body, and affected individual.
Mining the Web to Determine Similarity Between Words, Objects, and Communities.

The World Wide Web provides a wealth of data that can be harnessed to help improve information retrieval and increase understanding of the relationships between different entities. In many cases, we are often interested in determining how similar two entities may be to each other, where the entities may be pieces of text, descriptions of some object, or even the preferences of a group of people. In this work, we examine several instances of this problem, and show how they can be addressed by harnessing data mining techniques applied to large web-based data sets. Specifically, we examine the problems of: (1) determining the similarity of short texts– even those that may not share any terms in common, (2) learning similarity functions for semi-structured data to address tasks such as record linkage between objects, and (3) measuring the similarity between on-line communities of users as part of a recommendation system. While we present rather different techniques for each problem, we show how measuring similarity between entities in all these domains has a direct application to the overarching goal of improving information access for users of web-based systems.
An Evaluation of a Structured Overlapping Grid Implementation of FCT for High-Speed Flows

This study considers the development and assessment of a Flux-Corrected Transport (FCT) algorithm for simulating high-speed flows on structured overlapping grids. This class of algorithm shows promise for solving some difficult highly-nonlinear problems where robustness and control of certain features, such as maintaining positive densities, is important. Complex, possibly moving, geometry is treated through the use of structured overlapping grids. Adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) is employed to ensure sharp resolution of discontinuities in an efficient manner. Improvements to the FCT algorithm are proposed for the treatment of strong rarefaction waves as well as rarefaction waves containing a sonic point. Simulation results are obtained for a set of test problems and the convergence characteristics are demonstrated and compared to a high-resolution Godunov method. The problems considered include smooth manufactured solutions, isolated shock and contact discontinuities, a modified Sod shock-tube problem, a two-shock Riemann problem, the Shu-Osher test problem, shock impingement on single cylinder, irregular Mach reflection of a strong shock striking an inclined plane, shock impingement on multiple fixed and movable cylinders, and an idealized Z-pinch implosion problem.
Probabilistic logic networks in a nutshell

We begin with a brief overview of Probabilistic Logic Networks, distinguish PLN from other approaches to reasoning under uncertainty, and describe some of the main conceptual foundations and goals of PLN. We summarize how knowledge is represented within PLN and describe the four basic truth-value types. We describe a few basic first-order inference rules and formulas, outline PLN's approach to handling higher-order inference via reduction to first-order rules, and follow this by a brief summary of PLN's handling of quantifiers. Since PLN was and continues to be developed as one of several major components of a broader and more general artificial intelligence project, we next describe the OpenCog project and PLN's roles within the project.
TRANSDUCIN A MODEL OF BIOLOGICAL COUPLING ENZYMES

In order to survive, living organisms must be able to respond to changes in their environment. By coordinating a diversity of cellular processes, the responses range from chemotaxis, cell differentiation and proliferation, sporulation and germination, to changes inside the cell, such as the modulation of enzyme activities, activation of protein kinases, and expression of new gene products. The network of cellular coupling processes is too complicated and diverse to be discussed in details. However, based on their basic functions, one can dissect the biological coupling processes into four categories : (1) Mechanical Coupling, (2) Signal Transduction, (3) Informational Transfer and (4) Energy Coupling. In spite of the diversity of the functions involved, recent studies have shown that all coupling processes are mediated by nucleotide binding proteins. For examples, mechanical coupling regulates cell motility which is mediated by the actions of actinomyosin ATPase, dynein ATPase, kinesin ATPase and tubulin. In signal transduction pathways, a host of GTP-binding proteins, the G-proteins, are now known to couple cell surface receptors to cytosolic effector enzymes.
Reliability Analysis of Instruments and Data Coding

The purpose of the chapter is to orient readers to reliability considerations specific to instruments and data coding practices in applied linguistics (AL) research. To that end, the chapter begins with a general discussion of different types of reliability (both internal and external to an instrument itself), including the different indices and models used to estimate reliability and their respective interpretations. Methods for improving the reliability of data coding and instrument scoring practices will then be discussed, followed by a summary of best practices in coder/rater training and norming. Throughout, guidelines for addressing common limitations with respect to reliability analysis and reporting in AL research will be outlined, including suggestions for how to address these issues in operational contexts.
Fundamentals and applications of sonic technology

Abstract With the advancement in technology, contaminant removal has become an important factor in many industries. This includes semiconductor, medical, marine biology, food processing, waste water purification, solar panel cleaning, textile industry, coal washing, optics and many other fields where defect-free surfaces are deemed necessary. Particulate surface contamination is one of the major causes of low yields and poor quality in these industries. Although many wet chemistries are available for effective cleaning, industrieshave a constant struggle to substitute the use of toxic solvent-based chemistries with environmentally-benign cleaning methods. Researchers have shown that ultrasonics and megasonics can effectively replace these wet chemistries and are now being extensively used in various industries and novel applications. This chapter reviews and summarizes past and current work on various acoustic cleaning applications and discusses the key aspects of cleaning fundamentals, mechanisms, advantages, and limitations.
The Effect of Alcohol on Sirt1 Expression and Function in Animal and Human Models of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Introduction: Chronic heavy alcohol use is an independent risk factor for developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sirtuin-1 (Sirt1) is a NAD+-dependent deacetylase implicated in alcohol-induced liver injury and overexpressed in human HCC. The aims of this study were to investigate Sirt1 expression in mouse models of HCC and chronic EtOH-feeding, and in human HCC cells expressing alcohol metabolizing enzymes.
“A false sister. A false foreigner”: space, sexuality, and identity in Condé’s Heremakhonon

Migratory journeys beget questions of the self. How does time spent in transit, intermeshed in varying cultures, affect one’s identity? Moreover, how does it contribute to a character’s understandi...
Biomimetic proteoglycans diffuse throughout articular cartilage and localize within the pericellular matrix.

Biomimetic proteoglycan (BPG) diffusion into articular cartilage has the potential to restore the lost proteoglycan content in osteoarthritic cartilage given these molecules mimic the structure and properties of natural proteoglycans. We examined the diffusion characteristics of BPGs through cartilage with the use of a custom-made in vitro cartilage diffusion model in both normal bovine and human osteoarthritic cartilage explants. BPGs were introduced into the cartilage through essentially one-dimensional diffusion using osteochondral plugs. The molecular diffusion was shown to be size and concentration dependent. Diffusion profiles were found over different diffusion time intervals and the profiles were fit to a nonlinear Fickian diffusion model. Steady state 011012-7diffusion coefficients for BPGs were found to be 4.01 and 3.53 μm2 /s for 180 and 1600 kDa BPGs, respectfully, and these values are similar to other large molecule diffusion in cartilage. In both bovine and osteoarthritic human cartilage, BPGs were found localized around the chondrocytes. BPG localization was examined by labeling collagen type VI and soaking 5 μm thick sections of cartilage with BPG solutions demonstrating that the BPGs diffused into the cartilage and preferentially localized alongside collagen type VI in the pericellular matrix.
Tunisia’s Political Health

This chapter examines the “political” side of the political-economy equation. The pre- and post-revolution political variables are presented and brought up-to-date. In political economy, politics and economics are interdependent. The main focus of this chapter is on Tunisia’s political health and processes following the 2011 Jasmine Revolution. Some aspects of the other regional actors’ politics are brought into the analysis where relevant for comparative purposes.
Osteotropic Radiolabeled Nanophotosensitizer for Imaging and Treating Multiple Myeloma

Rapid liver and spleen opsonization of systemically administered nanoparticles (NPs) for in vivo applications remains the Achilles' heel of nanomedicine, allowing only a small fraction of the materials to reach the intended target tissue. Although focusing on diseases that reside in the natural disposal organs for nanoparticles is a viable option, it limits the plurality of lesions that could benefit from nanomedical interventions. Here we designed a theranostic nanoplatform consisting of reactive oxygen (ROS)-generating titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs, coated with a tumor-targeting agent, transferrin (Tf), and radiolabeled with a radionuclide (89Zr) for targeting bone marrow, imaging the distribution of the NPs, and stimulating ROS generation for cell killing. Radiolabeling of TiO2 NPs with 89Zr afforded thermodynamically and kinetically stable chelate-free 89Zr-TiO2-Tf NPs without altering the NP morphology. Treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) cells, a disease of plasma cells originating in the bone marrow, with 89Zr-TiO2-Tf generated cytotoxic ROS to induce cancer cell killing via the apoptosis pathway. Positron emission tomography/X-ray computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging and tissue biodistribution studies revealed that in vivo administration of 89Zr-TiO2-Tf in mice leveraged the osteotropic effect of 89Zr to selectively localize about 70% of the injected radioactivity in mouse bone tissue. A combination of small-animal PET/CT imaging of NP distribution and bioluminescence imaging of cancer progression showed that a single-dose 89Zr-TiO2-Tf treatment in a disseminated MM mouse model completely inhibited cancer growth at euthanasia of untreated mice and at least doubled the survival of treated mice. Treatment of the mice with cold Zr-TiO2-Tf, 89Zr-oxalate, or 89Zr-Tf had no therapeutic benefit compared to untreated controls. This study reveals an effective radionuclide sensitizing nanophototherapy paradigm for the treatment of MM and possibly other bone-associated malignancies.
Effect of Blood Transfusions on Intermittent Hypoxic Episodes in a Prospective Study of Very Low Birth Weight Infants.

Objectives To compare the number of intermittent hypoxia events before and after packed red blood cell (pRBC) and non-pRBC transfusions in very low birth weight infants, and to compare the time spent with saturations of ≤85% before and after transfusions in the same population. Study design This prospective observational study was conducted from April 2014 to August 2017. It included 92 transfusions (81 pRBC, 11 non-pRBC) from 41 very low birth weight infants between 230/7 and 286/7 weeks of gestation. The primary outcome was number of intermittent hypoxia events. Secondary outcomes included the percent time of Peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO2)of ≤85%, ≤80%, and ≤75%. A mixed ANOVA model was used to examine the relationship between event rate and covariates. Results The mean number of intermittent hypoxia events per hour decreased from 5.27 ± 5.02 events per hour before pRBC transfusion to 3.61 ± 3.17 per hour after pRBC transfusions (P Conclusions In very low birth weight infants with a hematocrit of 20%-42%, pRBC transfusions are associated with decreased frequency of intermittent hypoxia. No such diminution of intermittent hypoxia events was observed in infants who had received a non-pRBC transfusion. This finding suggests that the observed beneficial effects of RBC transfusions on apnea and its clinical manifestations of intermittent hypoxia are mediated through an enhanced oxygen carrying capacity.
The Rise of African American Intellectual History

This essay makes a decisive turn to the history and historiography of African American intellectual history, a field of study long relegated to the margins of the general field of US intellectual history. Its principal intention is to reflect on the origins, growth, and recent institutionalization of African American intellectual history while showing the relationship between those developments and broader trends within the US and, at times, European historical profession. This framework is meant as a corrective. African American intellectual history is a distinctive field with its own origins, objectives, and methods. Yet it also demands centering within US and global intellectual history. Marginalized for too long, African American intellectual history has long proposed and advanced innovative ways of doing and conceptualizing intellectual history. I suggest that this burgeoning field has important, generalizable lessons about the practice and possibilities of intellectual history writ large.
Department of Justice Antitrust Enforcement, 1955-1997: An Empirical Study

This is an empirical study of Department of Justice(DOJ) enforcement of the antitrust laws. Its purposeis fourfold: 1. To update Posner's study ``A Statistical Study ofAntitrust Enforcement'’ (Posner, 1970, pp. 365–419). 2. To provide consistent andcomparable measures of antitrustenforcement effortby the Department of Justice. 3. To report these measurements in a concise andsystematic way inorder to encourage empiricalstudies of antitrust issues. 4. To explore some implications for antitrustissues. The purpose is to present the overall historicalrecord of DOJ antitrust activity as well as somepatterns in that history. More detailed analysis isleft for future work. The following information for cases undertaken by theDOJ are reported: number of cases, choice of civil orcriminal remedies, alleged violations, corporateofficials prosecuted, won-loss record, civil andcriminal sanctions imposed, and length of theproceedings. The principal source of data is theCCH Trade Regulation Reporter, commonly referred toas the CCH Bluebook which contains briefsummaries of all DOJ antitrust cases in order of theirfiling.
24088 Investigation of the Apelingeric System on Oxidative Imbalance within Cardiorenal Syndrome Type 4

ABSTRACT IMPACT: Approximately 15% of US adults have chronic kidney disease with over 700,000 of those in the end stages where treatment options are severely limited to dialysis or kidney transplant; the research presented here will help identify novel strategies that address oxidative imbalance and preserve renal function. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Chronic Kidney Disease patients often develop secondary cardiovascular disease - Cardiorenal Syndrome Type 4. RNA sequencing data show increased apelin receptor expression in 5/6 nephrectomy rats. The Apelinergic (APJ) system is deemed beneficial in normal physiological systems. Here we explore links between stress and the APJ system in CRS4. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: In preliminary studies performed in NRK cells, inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β and IL-6, caused increases in apelin receptor transcripts and decreased apelin transcripts, respectfully. The literature describes inflammatory processes that contribute to degradation of many organs (kidneys, heart, and liver) suggesting an oxidative imbalance. To investigate this imbalance within CRS4, three rat cell types’’ H9c2 cardiomyocytes, HII4E hepatocytes, and NRK renal epithelial cells” will be used to assess the role of exogenous apelin on pro- and anti-oxidant levels. Cells will be pretreated with apelin or vitamin E 48 hours prior to the addition of toxins or cytokines (uremic: uric acid and d-galactose or hydrogen peroxide; cytokines: IL-1β and IL-6), to assess pro- and anti-oxidant protein levels via Western Blot. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We anticipate with toxin or cytokine addition (either uremic, hydrogen peroxide, IL-1β or IL-6) in all cell types, an increase in protein levels for GPX’‘ a known measure of oxidative stress’‘ should be greater than the increases in antioxidants’‘ SOD1 and Catalase. After pre-treatment of vitamin E, GPX protein levels should decrease compared to toxin/cytokine control, while SOD1 and catalase protein levels increase; this coincides with vitamin E inducing antioxidant activity in animals and humans. The anticipated results for this study after exogenous apelin addition should reveal in all three cells types reduced levels of GPX and increased levels of SOD1 and Catalase comparable to the vitamin E treatment. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: If addition of apelin causes an antioxidant response in all three cells types, this can build on evaluation of the APJ system as a therapeutic option for those with CKD and CRS4 to minimize both inflammatory and oxidative stress. With the data gathered here, we expect to recreate the results in a CKD rat model that highlights these same manifestations.
Construyendo Conexiones Para Los Niños: Environmental Justice, Reproductive Feminicidio, and Coalitional Possibility in the Borderlands

Familias Unidas del Chamizal is a community organization in El Paso, TX that works to increase awareness around the issues of education, environmental racism, development, and public health. In 2019, the El Paso Independent School District launched an initiative to close several schools due to low enrollment, forcing students in Barrio Chamizal to relocate to Frederick Douglass Elementary, which borders a designated industrial zone and is surrounded by two major recycling plants. In response, Familias Unidas has organized to reverse the decision and call attention to the discriminatory practices of the school district. We take the public advocacy efforts of Familias Unidas as an instrumental case study to trace the intersections of health communication, Latinx communication, and environmental racism along the U.S.-Mexico border. Utilizing an intersectional borderlands health communication approach, we draw on publicly available texts to trace the argumentative strategies employed by Familias Unidas to mobilize community members. Familias Unidas rhetorically constructs a public health crisis in the borderlands by connecting the school closures to larger coalitional struggles concerning the environment, citizenship, race/ethnicity, language, and class. We identify three rhetorical strategies - familia, comunidad, and (in)justicia - employed by Familias Unidas to shape their public argument(s).
Drive aware training: A computerized training program for older drivers' detection of road hazards.

Cognitive training for reducing crash rate can be delivered to older drivers via in-person on-road sessions, a driving simulator, or using computer-based cognitive methods. Despite established effe...
UNIT 9.8 Measurement of Intracellular Ions by Flow Cytometry

Using flow cytometry, single-cell measurements of calcium can be made on isolated populations identified by one or more phenotypic characteristics. Most earlier techniques for measuring cellular activation parameters determined the mean value for a population of cells, which did not permit optimal resolution of the responses. The flow cytometer is particularly useful for this purpose because it can measure ion concentrations in large numbers of single cells and thereby allows ion concentration to be correlated with other parameters such as immunophenotype and cell cycle stage. A limitation of flow cytometry, however, is that it does not permit resolution of certain complex kinetic responses such as cellular oscillatory responses. This unit describes the preparation of cells, including labeling with antibodies and with calcium probes, and discusses the principles of data analysis and interpretation. © 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: calcium analysis; ion analysis; flow cytometry