cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impaired innate immune function associated with fecal supernatant from Crohn's disease patients: insights into potential pathogenic role of the microbiome.

Background Although a dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiome plays a role in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD), the functional implication is unclear. We sought to determine the influence of fecal supernatant from patients with CD on innate immune function in neutrophil, macrophage, and epithelial cells. Metabolomic analysis was subsequently performed in an attempt to identify potential compounds responsible for the effects identified. Methods In the fecal samples from 11 pediatric patients with CD and 10 healthy controls, 16S ribosomal and metabolomic analyses were performed. We evaluated the effect of preincubation with fecal supernatant on neutrophil, macrophage, epithelial cell survival, superoxide production, bacterial invasion, and/or bactericidal function using gentamicin protection assay. Ten substances identified as most elevated in CD compared with control samples by metabolomic analysis were similarly tested for effect on bactericidal function. Results There were no statistically significant differences in microbial membership in fecal samples from patients with CD compared with healthy controls. However, bactericidal function was impaired in neutrophils and monocytes preincubated with supernatant from fecal samples from patients with CD. Although levels of many metabolites were noted to be altered in samples from patients with CD, the combination of the 10 most elevated compounds failed to demonstrate any effect on neutrophil bactericidal capacity. Conclusions Fecal supernatant from patients with CD impairs intracellular bactericidal activity in neutrophils and macrophages. The functional consequences of the intestinal microbiome and its associated secreted products on innate immune function may be more critical than microbial membership in understanding the pathophysiology of CD.
Human efficiency for recognizing 3-D objects in luminance noise

The purpose of this study was to establish how efficiently humans use visual information to recognize simple 3-D objects. The stimuli were computer-rendered images of four simple 3-D objects--wedge, cone, cylinder, and pyramid--each rendered from 8 randomly chosen viewing positions as shaded objects, line drawings, or silhouettes. The objects were presented in static, 2-D Gaussian luminance noise. The observer's task was to indicate which of the four objects had been presented. We obtained human contrast thresholds for recognition, and compared these to an ideal observer's thresholds to obtain efficiencies. In two auxiliary experiments, we measured efficiencies for object detection and letter recognition. Our results showed that human object-recognition efficiency is low (3-8%) when compared to efficiencies reported for some other visual-information processing tasks. The low efficiency means that human recognition performance is limited primarily by factors intrinsic to the observer rather than the information content of the stimuli. We found three factors that play a large role in accounting for low object-recognition efficiency: stimulus size, spatial uncertainty, and detection efficiency. Four other factors play a smaller role in limiting object-recognition efficiency: observers' internal noise, stimulus rendering condition, stimulus familiarity, and categorization across views.
An analysis of aphasic naming errors as an indicator of improved linguistic processing following phonomotor treatment.

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of phonomotor treatment on the types of errors produced during a confrontation naming task for people with aphasia (PWA). Method Ten P...
The thermal conductance of indium-filled contacts at cryogenic temperatures

Indium foil is often used to increase the thermal contact conductance hc of junctions at cryogenic temperatures, yet relatively few experimental data on hc at subambient temperatures are available. Here, experimental measurements of hc at a copper/copper junction containing a 25.4-μm-thick indium foil are reported. The average sample temperature ranged from 40 to 180 K, and the contact pressures ranged from 0.2 to 20 MPa. Although it was originally anticipated that increasing the contact pressure would lead to increasing hc , the observed hc showed little or no dependence on contact pressure. This was attributed to the severe nonflatness of the copper surfaces. Comparison between the measured hc , and that calculated from existing “flat” and “nonflat” theories indicated better agreement with the “nonflat” model, although the model still predicted that hc should depend on pressure.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Structural design using Cellular Automata for eigenvalue problems

Cellular Automata (CA) is an emerging paradigm for the analysis and design of complex systems. Recently, it has been successfully applied to structural design. In this work, an algorithm for designing structures for eigenvalue requirements is presented. The proposed algorithm, being fully local in nature, lends itself to CA-type implementation. To illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, the design of Euler---Bernoulli columns for a prescribed buckling load is considered. Excellent agreement between the CA results and exact solutions is obtained. A more complex column design problem with local constraints is also considered, and the CA design is compared to the design obtained using a state-of-the-art structural optimization software.
Conversational sensitivity as a correlate of trait verbal aggressiveness and the predisposition to verbally praise others

Conversational sensitivity (Daly, Vangelisti, & Daughton, 1987) refers to one's tendency to interpret and attend to the the various cues of verbal, paraverbal, and nonverbal communication. The present study hypothesized a negative relationship between conversational sensitivity and verbal aggressiveness, and a positive relationship with the predisposition to verbally praise others. Additionally, a negative relationship was expected between the predisposition to verbally praise and verbal aggressiveness. With the exception of the hypothesized relationship between conversational sensitivity and verbal aggressiveness, the hypotheses were confirmed. The importance of studying conversational sensitivity is discussed.
A study of the ouabain-insensitive sodium efflux in barnacle muscle fibres using phorbol dibutyrate as a probe.

1. The resting ouabain-insensitive Na+ efflux in muscle fibres isolated from the barnacle, Balanus nubilus, is stimulated by external or internal application of phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PD). The response occurs fairly promptly and may not decay at all, or more commonly, decay rather slowly. The magnitude of the response to external or internal application of PD is dose-dependent, the minimum effective concentration being about 10(-8) M. 2. The response to PD fails to occur in the nominal absence of external Ca2+. Sudden removal of external Ca subsequent to peak stimulation by PD leads to almost complete reversal of the response. The response to PD of fibres suspended in Li(+)-ASW (artificial sea water) is similar in magnitude to that of fibres suspended in Na(+)-ASW. However, it differs in that it is of a sustained nature. 3. Calcium channel blockers, e.g. verapamil, completely prevent the response to PD from occurring. Both Cd2+ and Co2+ are less effective than verapamil. 4. Pre- but not post-injection of EGTA reduces the response to PD. Pre- or post-injection of Mg2+ reduces the response considerably. 5. Fibres pre-injected with GTP show a reduced response to PD. Fibres pre-injected with PD show a reduced response to GTP. Pre-injection of protein kinase inhibitor is without effect on the response to PD. 6. Furosemide, piretanide and bumetanide are without effect on the response to PD. 7. DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2-disulphonic acid) is a potent inhibitor of the response to PD but not amiloride. Pyridoxal 5-phosphate and benzolamide are also powerful inhibitors. Pyridoxal 5-phosphate in combination with benzolamide fails to completely abolish or reverse the response to PD. 8. Luminescence from aequorin is promptly increased by PD in a dose-dependent manner, the minimal effective concentration being in the nanomolar range. The signal is monophasic or multiphasic in shape, and is often less than 5 min in duration. Not infrequently, however, the aequorin response fails to completely decay and the new level of resting glow remains above the original baseline level. 9. Collectively, these observations accord with a tentative general hypothesis stating that the stimulatory response of the ouabain-insensitive Na+ efflux to PD is triggered by two mechanisms. One involves a rise in myoplasmic free [Ca2+] resulting from the entry of external Ca2+ via opened Ca2+ channels which is followed by the operation of the Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger in the reverse mode.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Competing to Compete

(1996). Competing to Compete. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning: Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 34-40.
Developing Understanding of the Nature of Science Within a Professional Development Program for Inservice Elementary Teachers: Project Nature of Elementary Science Teaching

Establishing literacy in science is often linked to building knowledge about the Nature of Science (NOS). This paper describes and evaluates an inservice program designed to build elementary teachers’ understanding of NOS and an awareness of how NOS impacts science classroom instruction. Data sources consisted of surveys, action research plan documentation and classroom observations. Program participants tended to demonstrate some gains in understanding more about NOS and they linked positive experiences in the program to the explicit and activity-based NOS instruction provided. Yet, participation in the professional development project might not have been equally beneficial for all teachers. The understanding of NOS may have been restricted to certain NOS aspects, and the demonstration of the participants’ understanding of NOS may have been short-lived with a somewhat limited impact on sustainable, long-term NOS-based classroom instruction. Implications for designing NOS related professional development programs and suggestions for improvements to further develop teacher understanding of NOS are discussed.
An integrated approach to evaluating the fracture toughness of irradiated nuclear reactor pressure vessels

Current methods of predicting the inservice fracture toughness of nuclear reactor pressure vessels subject to irradiation embrittlement are briefly reviewed, and a new and integrated approach is proposed. This approach is based on the use of a wide variety of information, including the rapidly emerging understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of fracture in the ductile to brittle transition region as well as the microstructurally-mediated processes leading to embrittlement. However, the focus is on advanced, nonintrusive characterization methods for measuring composition, coarse and fine scale microstructure, and mechanical properties using small sample biopsies from operating vessels.
CARBON DIOXIDE ENHANCEMENT OF PEROXYNITRITE-MEDIATED PROTEIN TYROSINE NITRATION

Production of reactive species has been associated with tissue injury in diverse human disorders and experimental models of disease. Peroxynitrite is a strong oxidant with multiple pathways of reactivity. One protein modification reaction that may be specific to peroxynitrite is the nitration of the ortho position of tyrosine residues and nitrotyrosine has been used as a marker for peroxynitrite-mediated oxidative stress. Nitrotyrosine was formed when peroxynitrite was reacted at physiological pH with fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin or with human plasma proteins. Nitrotyrosine was not formed when proteins were incubated with nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, or nitric oxide plus hydrogen peroxide in the presence of ferrous iron or ferrihorseradish peroxidase. Low-molecular-weight molecules such as uric acid, ascorbate, and sulfhydryls inhibited protein tyrosine nitration in the absence of bicarbonate. Addition of bicarbonate catalytically enhanced the yield of nitration and overcame the inhibition of these antioxidants. Bicarbonate/CO2enhanced the yield of protein nitrotyrosine in a concentration-dependent manner. Catalysis of nitration is achieved by the interaction of CO2with the peroxynitrite anion. A mechanism is proposed involving an ONOO(O)CO−intermediate, which readily nitrates tyrosine residues in a non-radical-dependent manner. Thus, peroxynitrite nitrates tyrosine residues by a mechanism that is catalyzed by CO2under normal physiological conditions.
VOCABULARY IN LANGUAGE TEACHING. Norbert Schmitt. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Pp. xv + 224. $59.95 cloth, $21.95 paper.

It has been more than a decade since the publication of Paul Nation's Teaching and learning vocabulary (1990), which brought together the findings in lexical acquisition and teaching at the time and has been an invaluable reference and guide to many in the field. However, after years of neglect, vocabulary acquisition has finally come into its own with an explosion of attention and new research, creating a need for an update. Just in time comes Norbert Schmitt's Vocabulary in language teaching (VLT) in the Cambridge Language Education Series.
Differential Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization of Three Corn Genotypes on Biomass and Nitrogen Utilization by The Southern Armyworm, Spodoptera eridania

Abstract Maize varieties with different mechanisms of leaf-feeding resistance to the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), were evaluated for resistance to feeding of the southern armyworm. Spodoptera eridania (Cramer) under 4 different levels of nitrogen fertilization in controlled environment conditions. Armyworm feeding bioassays were conducted with the U.S. inbred, B49, which has high tissue concentrations of DIMBOA (2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy(2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)one) and a Caribbean genotype (San Juan × Antigua, with mechanisms of borer leaf-feeding resistance different from the DIMBOA type) in comparison with the borer-susceptible DIMBOA-less mutant (bxbx). The growth rate of 5th-instar larvae generally increased as plant nitrogen content increased. However, the physiological mechanism involved for the larvae varied between corn genotypes. For example, slow larval growth on low nitrogen treatments and on the San Juan genotype were due to low consumption rate while on B49 slow growth occurred in spite of high consumption rates. Different homeostatic mechanisms are used by larvae on each maize genotype to stabilize growth rates in the final (6th) instar. The effect of nitrogen fertilization upon the cyclic hydroxamate (e.g., DIMBOA) concentrations in B49 plants was minimal in this study.
Effect of Environmental Temperature and Dietary Energy on Dwarf and Normal Hens and Normal Roosters

Abstract This research was designed to provide information regarding the role of environmental temperature and dietary energy in the control of feed intake. Seven-month-old laying hens were individually caged in two environmental chambers for 18 weeks in Experiment 1. A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design was used with dwarf and normal stock, 22 and 30° C. environmental temperatures, and two dietary energy levels of 250 and 350 kcal. metabolizable energy (M.E.) per 114 gm. (2193 and 3070 M.E. kcal./kg.) of feed. The high energy diet and also the high environmental temperature decreased the feed intake of dwarf and normal hens. Actual energy intake was not affected by different dietary energy levels but high environmental temperature decreased the actual energy intake in normal and dwarf birds. Egg production was adversely affected by high dietary energy levels, but not by high environmental temperature. Body weight change was negatively affected by high environmental temperature. Experiment 2 was conducted with six-month-old roosters to eliminate the variable of egg production. The study was conducted for 12 weeks in a manner similar to Experiment 1 except that three dietary energy levels were used. The results were found to be in close agreement with Experiment 1, except that no significant difference in body weight change was noted either due to environmental temperature or dietary energy. The results of this research indicate that the thermostatic and chemostatic mechanisms for control of feed intake are operative in chickens and that both have a negative relationship to feed intake.
EVOLUTIONARY STUDIES OF ATRIPLEX: A RELIC GIGAS DIPLOID POPULATION OF ATRIPLEX CANESCENS

chromosomes; the gigas form has 2n = 18 chromosomes. Several lines of evidence suggest that the gigas form is a relic diploid and the normal form is an autotetraploid derived from it. The growth rate of seedlings and new twigs is nearly twice as great in the diploid as in the tetraploid. Seed germination is faster and much better in the diploid. The tetraploid is reproductively isolated from the diploid because of a much earlier flowering period. The diploid plants possess many attributes which make them uniquely adapted to the drifting sand dune
A simplified method for determination of brain acetylcholinesterase activity

Abstract We have developed a method for the determination of AChE activity in brain, based on the techniques of using acetyl-1- 14 C-choline as substrate reported by Reed, et al (15). The method permits accurate estimation of AChE activity in as little as 0.2 mg of brain tissue, with extreme specificity and good reproducibility. The ease and simplicity of the method should make it readily applicable in many laboratories where determination of brain AChE is an ancillary measure to other behavioral or pharmacological studies.
Metabolic changes induced in chickens by the administration of tremetol.

Abstract Tremetol is a toxic extract of the White Snakeroot plant ( Eupatorium urticaefolium Reichard). The milk of cows grazing on Eupatorium-infested pastures causes “milk sickness”, characterized in part by ketoacidosis and changes in blood glucose levels. In this paper the metabolic effects of chronic administration of tremetol in the chick were studied. Blood glucose and blood free fatty acid levels respond with a biphasic pattern to tremetol administration, first rising above, then decreasing below the control values. In contrast, the blood levels of β-hydroxybutyrate show a sustained and major increase during the treatment period. Tremetol had no demonstrable effect on hepatic glycogen content in the treated group. Studies on hepatic enzyme levels revealed an almost total suppression of citrate synthase activity in the experimental group without a parallel decrease in succinate dehydrogenase activity. A selective toxic action on mitochondria resulting in an inability to effectively metabolize acetyl CoA is put forward as the possible cause of the ketoacidosis.
The impact of alternative presses on scientific communication

Most grey literature tends to support the disciplines it serves and does not usually raise issues regarding social, political, or ethical considerations. The “other” grey literature, publications issued by alternative presses, attempts to inform readers about aspects of a particular scientific endeavor that may have social ramifications. In the electronic age, the World Wide Web has played a major role in making scientific information accessible to a wide audience more rapidly and efficiently. This democratic approach to information dissemination in science is changing the way science is perceived and implemented in our daily lives. Alternative presses in both electronic and print formats will continue to play a role in shaping the science research and public policy agendas well into the future. This article explores the role of alternative presses and its impact on scientific communication.
Immediate post-abortion insertion of intrauterine contraceptives (IUC) in a diverse urban population.

Ethnic minority women have a higher incidence of unintended pregnancy and abortion than Caucasian women, with significant individual and social implications. Post-abortion intrauterine contraceptive (IUC) use may reduce future unintended pregnancy. This was a retrospective review of 265 women undergoing abortion at a Los Angeles County Reproductive Options Clinic. Demographic factors, reproductive history, and post-abortion contraceptive choice were evaluated and analyzed. The population was predominantly Latina (73 %) and single, with a mean age of 27. Immediate post-abortion IUC insertion was chosen by 48 % overall and more frequently by Latinas (55 %) than by African Americans (33 %) or Asians (43 %) (p = 0.02). IUC use increased with age, undesired future fertility, increasing gravidity, and history of previous abortion in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, IUC use increased with Latina ethnicity and increasing gravidity. In a clinic serving low-income urban women in Los Angeles, post-abortal IUC uptake is highest among Latinas and those with prior pregnancies. Future research should examine reasons for and barriers to IUC uptake in diverse communities and methods to improve post-abortion IUC uptake to prevent subsequent unintended pregnancies.
Radioreceptor assay for sirolimus.

Abstract Objectives: To develop a radioreceptor assay (RRA) for sirolimus (rapamycin, RAPA). Methods: A direct methanol extraction was used to prepare 45 patient samples for the RRA. Results were compared to the results obtained previously using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Between-run precision, recovery, and drug interference studies were also performed. Results: The RRA is sensitive to 1.0 μg/L RAPA equivalents in whole blood. Comparison with HPLC yielded a correlation coefficient for 45 patient samples of 0.977. Between-run precision at 2.5, 7.5, 12.5, and 20 μg/L showed coefficients of variation (CVs) of 12.9, 9.2, 8.5, and 5.9%, respectively. Recoveries from the extraction procedure were 93% at 7.5 μg/L and 103% at 12.5 μg/L. Drug interference studies showed no interference in the RRA by cyclosporine (CsA), dexamethasone, prednisone, or methotrexate. Conclusion: We have demonstrated that the RRA for RAPA correlates well with HPLC, and has excellent precision and recovery. The procedure is far less time-consuming and complex than HPLC and has potential for automation.
Ironic Blackness as Masculine Cool: Asian American Language and Authenticity on YouTube

This article examines the cultural significance of cross-racial embodiments of linguistic signs that may be legible as ‘black’ within mainstream US discourses but, in YouTube’s transnational space, may be subject to alternative interpretations. It specifically explores ideologies of race, gender, and authenticity that underlie signs stereotypically linked to symbolic blackness and embodied by a young Chinese American YouTube star named Kevin Wu, whose performance is further complicated by his ironic footing. I argue that although Wu’s stance recognizes certain contradictory values of his racialized performance, his humor never challenges stereotypes of black hypermasculinity. At the same time, my examination of how viewers collaboratively interpret Wu suggests that although they may largely reproduce widely circulating ideologies of race, gender, and linguistic authenticity in the USA, their collaborative praise participates in the reshaping of widely circulating imagery of Asian masculinity in transnational space.
Practical considerations for the management of migrating intracranial bullets.

T he goal of any review of neurosurgical literature is to inform the surgeon—whether in Balad, Bagram, or Baltimore—how to better care for the neurosurgical patient. ith regard to migrating bullets or fragments three questions xist. First, do reports of migrating bullets change management t the initial operation? Second, what are appropriate activity estrictions and follow-up? Finally, what are the indications for urgical removal of a mobile fragment? The existing literature heds some light, but the prognosis for a given patient with a etained fragment is far from clear.
Distributed control of thermoelectric coolers

Thermoelectric refrigeration has been studied for use in electronics cooling applications. Because of their low efficiency, a significant amount of additional heat is produced that must be removed from the device by passive means. However, even well-designed passive heat removal systems are faced with physical limitations and can not dissipate additional energy. Therefore, thermoelectric coolers often are not a viable alternative to chip cooling. Distributed control refers to a concept where individual devices operate based on their local condition and that of their nearest neighbors. With this approach a large number of sensors and actuators can be bundled with minimal compute power and communication. In the case of electronics cooling, a thermoelectric cooler can be constructed as many separate coolers, each with its own thermocouple and minimal control system. With this architecture, only those regions that generate heat will be cooled thermoelectrically reducing the impact on the heat removal system and increasing the viability of thermoelectric coolers. Through analytic TEC heat models, the present work seeks to evaluate the possibility of using distributed controlled thermoelectric coolers for microelectronics cooling applications. Results indicate that TEC coolers can provide a two-fold increase in efficiency when distributed control is used for nonuniformly heated chips.
Cell-Autonomous Regulation of Brown Fat Identity Gene UCP1 by Unliganded Vitamin D Receptor

White adipose tissue stores energy in the form of lipids, and brown adipose tissue expends energy via uncoupled fatty acid oxidation, which leads to the generation of heat. Obesity reflects an imbalance between energy storage and energy expenditure and is strongly associated with metabolic and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, there are important medical and biological implications for elucidating the mechanisms that promote energy expenditure in humans. Animal models with altered vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression have changes in energy expenditure. However, the specific mechanism for this effect has not been elucidated and the relevance for humans is unclear. Here we show, using human patient samples from individuals with hereditary vitamin D resistant rickets, that the VDR directly inhibits the expression of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1), the critical protein for uncoupling fatty acid oxidation in brown fat and burning energy. The inhibition is enforced by VDR occupancy of a negative response element in the promoter proximal region of the UCP1 gene. Deletion of VDR increases UCP1 expression and results in a "browning" of adipocytes. Importantly, we found that this process occurs cell autonomously and is independent of the physiologic VDR hormone ligand, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. These results identify a mechanism for modulating energy balance in humans.
An Incidentally Discovered Pedunculated Degenerative Cyst on the Aortic Valve

We report the case of a pedunculated cystic mass on the aortic valve discovered in a patient presenting for a routine echocardiogram. The highly mobile nature of the mass warranted prompt surgical removal to prevent cardioembolic complications. The mass was preoperatively thought to be a papillary fibroelastoma. However, the patient's history, mass morphology, and histopathology pointed toward a simple degenerative cyst--previously unreported on the aortic valve. This report describes this rare finding, discusses relevant differential diagnoses, and underscores the importance of surgical intervention in such cases.
Modified noise for evaluation on graphics hardware

Perlin noise is one of the primary tools responsible for the success of procedural shading in production rendering. It breaks the crisp computer generated look by adding apparent randomness that is controllable and repeatable. Both Perlin's original noise algorithm and his later improved noise were designed to run efficiently on a CPU. These algorithms do not map as well to the design and resource limits of the typical GPU. We propose two modifications to Perlin's improved noise that make it much more suitable for GPU implementation, allowing faster direct computation. The modified noise can be totally evaluated on the GPU without resorting to texture accesses or "baked" into a texture with consistent appearance between textured and computed noise. However, it is most useful for 3D and 4D noise, which cannot easily be stored in reasonably-sized textures. We present one implementation of our modified noise using computation or direct texturing for 1D and 2D noise, and a procedural combination of 2D textures for the 3D noise.
Influence of Dietary Calcium and Protein on Fecal pH, Consistency, and Rate of Passage in Dairy Cattle

Sixteen Holstein heifers and 20 calves were in trials on the effect of 10 and 15% crude protein and .3 and .9% calcium in the diet on fecal pH and consistency and on rate of passage of the liquid phase of digesta. Time of first appearance of polyethylene glycol was an indicator of rate of passage of the liquid phase in the lower tract of the animal. Respective fecal pH and standard errors for heifers and calves increased from 5.79 +/- .03 and 5.78 +/- .03 on low calcium diets to 6.24 +/- .03 and 6.33 +/- .03 on high calcium diets. High protein diets increased fecal pH from 5.89 +/- .03 and 5.97 +/- .03 to 6.13 +/- .03 and 6.14 +/- .03 for heifers and calves. Effects of calcium and protein were additive. Neither dietary protein nor calcium affected consistency of feces or first appearance of polyethylene glycol in feces. Mean first appearances of PEG in feces were 683 +/- 13 min for heifers and 528 +/- 18 min for calves. Small correlations between fecal pH and fecal consistency and between fecal pH and first appearance of polyethylene glycol in feces indicate little or no relationship of fecal pH to these two variables. From variance in the heifer trial, 10 fecal samples are required to estimate fecal pH within +/-.16 pH units with 95% confidence.
Internet infrastructure security

Summary form only given. The Internet has grown enormously over the last decade and has become ubiquitous. Most past research has focused on improving the performance and scalability of the Internet. The issue of securing the Internet has become a central issue due to a series of attacks that shut down some of the world's most high profile Web sites. Moreover, the growing concerns for cyber terrorism have made governments and researchers realize the importance of Internet security. Securing the Internet, as in any other field of computers, is based on the principle of confidentiality and integrity. This principle exists in every field, but the presence of packet sniffers, malicious routers, covert channels, eavesdroppers, denial-of-service (DoS) in the Internet makes this problem quite challenging. There has been a surge of Internet security research in the field of information assurance, which primarily focused on protecting the data using techniques such as authentication and encryption. However, information assurance assumes that the devices responsible for encrypting, forwarding and sending are trustworthy. Researchers are now questioning these assumptions, as instances have occurred where the network infrastructure (e.g., routers, servers) is compromised to the advantage of the malicious adversaries. Therefore, Internet infrastructure security is the need of the hour.
Ultra-sensitive detection of nitric oxide at 5.33 μm using an external cavity QCL based Faraday rotation spectroscopic sensor platform

Magnetic rotation spectroscopy of nitric oxide at most favorable Q(3/2) transition at 1875.8 cm-1 is reported. Detection limit (1sigma) at 5 ppb level was obtained for a ~44 cm long active optical path with 1s lock-in time constant.
Material-dependent representative plastic strain for the prediction of indentation hardness

The definition of representative plastic strain induced by a Vickers indent has received considerable attention in recent years. Previous reports have attempted to define a universal value that was independent of a material’s plastic response. However, the work presented here will show that a material-dependent representative plastic strain is valid in the conversion of flow stress to indentation hardness. This representative plastic strain is the volume average plastic strain within the plastic zone of Vickers indentation. The increase in indentation hardness within the plastic zones of macro-indents was experimentally determined by micro-Vickers indentation and then compared with that predicted by finite element modeling, which utilizes the proposed representative plastic strain. It was further shown that the representative plastic strain defined here is independent of yield strength, elastic modulus and magnitude of prior plastic deformation for both linear and power law strain hardening materials.
Sleep impairment in allergic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, and nasal polyposis

Sleep impairment is a significant problem for patients with inflammatory disorders of the upper respiratory tract, such as allergic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, and nasal polyposis. Nasal congestion, one of the most common and bothersome symptoms of these conditions, is associated with sleep-disordered breathing and is thought to be a key cause of sleep impairment. This review examines sleep impairment associated with allergic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, and nasal polyposis. It explores the adverse effects of disturbed sleep on patients' quality of life and how these inflammatory nasal conditions can be reduced by therapies that address the underlying problems affecting sleep. Treatment with intranasal corticosteroids has been shown to reduce nasal congestion in inflammatory disorders of the upper respiratory tract. Data on sleep-related end points from clinical trials of intranasal corticosteroids indicate that this reduction is associated with improved sleep, reduced daytime fatigue, and improved quality of life. Further research using measures of sleep as primary end points is warranted, based on the potential of these agents to improve sleep and quality of life in patients with allergic rhinitis, acute rhinosinusitis, and nasal polyposis. Such trials will help to identify the most effective therapies for sleep impairment in these 3 nasal conditions.
A novel method for automated grid generation of ice shapes for local-flow analysis

Modelling a complex geometry, such as ice roughness, plays a key role for the computational flow analysis over rough surfaces. This paper presents two enhancement ideas in modelling roughness geometry for local flow analysis over an aerodynamic surface. The first enhancement is use of the leading-edge region of an airfoil as a perturbation to the parabola surface. The reasons for using a parabola as the base geometry are: it resembles the airfoil leading edge in the vicinity of its apex and it allows the use of a lower apparent Reynolds number. The second enhancement makes use of the Fourier analysis for modelling complex ice roughness on the leading edge of airfoils. This method of modelling provides an analytical expression, which describes the roughness geometry and the corresponding derivatives. The factors affecting the performance of the Fourier analysis were also investigated. It was shown that the number of sine–cosine terms and the number of control points are of importance. Finally, these enhancements are incorporated into an automated grid generation method over the airfoil ice accretion surface. The validations for both enhancements demonstrate that they can improve the current capability of grid generation and computational flow field analysis around airfoils with ice roughness. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fun with Robots: a student-taught undergraduate robotics course

We present a lab-based, student-taught robotics course at Carnegie Mellon University entitled Fun With Robots. The course does not require background knowledge of robotics, and students enroll from a wide variety of disciplines and education levels. Fun With Robots increases interest in robotics, and emphasizes the highly multidisciplinary nature of the field. In the course, students build a robot and learn basic elements of microcontroller programming, sensor use, planning, and manipulation through engaging projects. Fun With Robots is constantly evolving and has changed significantly over the six semesters it has been taught. This course serves as an introduction to robotics for students new to the field and links high school programs and advanced undergraduate robotics courses. Foremost, the course is intended to be fun; students are encouraged to demonstrate creativity and self-expression. Course materials are available via the web at http://www.funwithrobots.org
Paying Attention to Channels: Differential Images of Recruitment in Students for a Democratic Society, 1960-1965.

Almost all rhetorical studies of movements focus on movements’ public and mass communication. This study claims that such a focus may limit our picture of movements’ rhetoric. The study examines recruitment by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) to support this contention. It examines SDS recruitment through public, mass, and interpersonal communication channels, and concludes that scholars investigating movements should look beyond public and mass communication if they seek a general theory of the rhetoric of movements.
Libguides, Blog Posts, and Articles, Oh, My! Library Supported Portfolio Pieces for Law School Students and Graduates

“Publish, publish, publish!” is a piece of advice commonly offered to students by career services departments in law schools across the country. Student publications typically take the form of law review or bar journal articles or perhaps competition submissions; however, with the advent of accessible Web 2.0 technologies, publishing has evolved to encompass all sorts of content, styles, lengths, and audiences.
Effects of F-actin stabilization or disassembly on epithelial Cl- secretion and Na-K-2Cl cotransport.

Previous studies showed that cAMP-dependent transepithelial Cl- secretion of the intestinal cell line T84 is reduced by the F-actin stabilizer phalloidin, an effect in part attributable to inhibiti...
Finding harmony so the music plays on: pragmatic trial design considerations to promote organizational sustainment of an empirically-supported behavior therapy.

Background Pragmatic trials of empirically-supported behavior therapies may inform clinical and policy decisions concerning therapy sustainment. This retrospective trial design paper describes and discusses pragmatic features of a hybrid type III implementation/effectiveness trial of a contingency management (CM) intervention at an opioid treatment program. Prior reporting (Hartzler et al., J Subst Abuse Treat 46:429–438, 2014; Hartzler, Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 10:30, 2015) notes success in recruiting program staff for voluntary participation, durable impacts of CM training on staff-level outcomes, provisional setting implementation of the intervention, documentation of clinical effectiveness, and post-trial sustainment of CM.
Equality in Survival of X and Y Chromosome-Bearing Human Spermatozoa*

Human X and Y chromosome-bearing spermatozoa survived equally well during washing and resuspension in buffers of pH 5.2 and 8.0 and during incubation in these buffers for 11 hours at 37° C. This suggests that alteration of the ratio of living X- and Y-bearing spermatozoa by direct treatment is not an effective method of sex ratio alteration.
Fabrication and Characterization of a Single Hole Transistor in p-type GaAs/AlGaAs Heterostructures.

Most spin qubit research to date has focused on manipulating single electron spins in quantum dots. However, hole spins are predicted to have some advantages over electron spins, such as reduced coupling to host semiconductor nuclear spins and the ability to control hole spins electrically using the large spin-orbit interaction. Building on recent advances in fabricating high-mobility 2D hole systems in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures at Sandia, we fabricate and characterize single hole transistors in GaAs. We demonstrate p-type double quantum dot devices with few-hole occupation, which could be used to study the physics of individual hole spins and control over coupling between hole spins, looking towards eventual applications in quantum computing. Intentionally left blank
A simple selection-free method for detecting disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in murine bone marrow.

// Kenneth C. Valkenburg 1 , Sarah R. Amend 1 , James E. Verdone 1 , Emma E. van der Toom 1 , James R. Hernandez 1 , Michael A. Gorin 1 , Kenneth J. Pienta 1, 2, 3, 4 1 The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute and Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA 2 Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA 3 Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA 4 Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA Correspondence to: Michael A. Gorin, email: mgorin1@jhmi.edu Kenneth C. Valkenburg, email: kvalken1@jhmi.edu Keywords: disseminated tumor cells, mouse models, bone marrow, bone metastasis, cancer Received: June 17, 2016 Accepted: September 01, 2016 Published: September 13, 2016 ABSTRACT Bone metastasis is a lethal and incurable disease. It is the result of the dissemination of cancer cells to the bone marrow. Due to the difficulty in sampling and detection, few techniques exist to efficiently and consistently detect and quantify disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the bone marrow of cancer patients. Because mouse models represent a crucial tool with which to study cancer metastasis, we developed a novel method for the simple selection-free detection and quantification of bone marrow DTCs in mice. We have used this protocol to detect human and murine DTCs in xenograft, syngeneic, and genetically engineered mouse models. We are able to detect and quantify bone marrow DTCs in mice that do not have overt bone metastasis. This protocol is amenable not only for detection and quantification purposes but also to study the expression of markers of numerous biological processes or tissue-specificity.
Citrus Strategy and Class: The Politics of Development in Belize

(1993). Citrus Strategy and Class: The Politics of Development in Belize. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 967-969.
Contentious relationships in phylogenomic studies can be driven by a handful of genes.

Phylogenomic studies have resolved countless branches of the tree of life, but remain strongly contradictory on certain, contentious relationships. Here, we use a maximum likelihood framework to quantify the distribution of phylogenetic signal among genes and sites for 17 contentious branches and 6 well-established control branches in plant, animal and fungal phylogenomic data matrices. We find that resolution in some of these 17 branches rests on a single gene or a few sites, and that removal of a single gene in concatenation analyses or a single site from every gene in coalescence-based analyses diminishes support and can alter the inferred topology. These results suggest that tiny subsets of very large data matrices drive the resolution of specific internodes, providing a dissection of the distribution of support and observed incongruence in phylogenomic analyses. We submit that quantifying the distribution of phylogenetic signal in phylogenomic data is essential for evaluating whether branches, especially contentious ones, are truly resolved. Finally, we offer one detailed example of such an evaluation for the controversy regarding the earliest-branching metazoan phylum, for which examination of the distributions of gene-wise and site-wise phylogenetic signal across eight data matrices consistently supports ctenophores as the sister group to all other metazoans. Thanks to phylogenomics, reconstruction of the tree of life is now possible, yet different datasets and methods can yield contradictory relationships. Here, the authors quantify phylogenetic signals and show that contentious relationships can be supported by a tiny amount of data.
Ketamine Use for Successful Resolution of Post-ERCP Acute Pancreatitis Abdominal Pain

We report a case in which a patient with intractable pain secondary to post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) acute pancreatitis is successfully treated with a subanesthetic ketamine infusion. Shortly after ERCP, the patient reported severe stabbing epigastric pain. She exhibited voluntary guarding and tenderness without distension. Amylase and lipase levels were elevated. Pain persisted for hours despite hydromorphone PCA, hydromorphone boluses, fentanyl boluses, and postprocedure anxiolytics. Pain management was consulted and a ketamine infusion was trialed, leading to a dramatic reduction in pain. This case suggests that ketamine may be a promising option in treating intractable pain associated with ERCP acute pancreatitis.
Tumor-educated mesenchymal stem cells promote pro-metastatic phenotype.

// Billy Samuel Hill 1, * , Alessandra Pelagalli 1, 2, * , Nunzia Passaro 1 and Antonella Zannetti 1 1 Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), Naples, Italy 2 Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy * Authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Antonella Zannetti, email: antonella.zannetti@cnr.it Keywords: mesenchymal stem cells, tumor microenvironment, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastatic phenotype Received: February 03, 2017 Accepted: August 04, 2017 Published: August 14, 2017 ABSTRACT Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are recruited into tumor microenvironment in response to multiple signals produced by cancer cells. Molecules involved in their homing to tumors are the same inflammatory mediators produced by injured tissues: chemokines, cytokines and growth factors. When MSCs arrive into the tumor microenvironment these are “educated” to have pro-metastatic behaviour. Firstly, they promote cancer immunosuppression modulating both innate and adaptive immune systems. Moreover, tumor associated-MSCs trans-differentiating into cancer-associated fibroblasts can induce epithelial-mesenchymal-transition program in tumor cells. This process determinates a more aggressive phenotype of cancer cells by increasing their motility and invasiveness and favoring their dissemination to distant sites. In addition, MSCs are involved in the formation and modelling of pre-metastatic niches creating a supportive environment for colonization of circulating tumor cells. The development of novel therapeutic approaches targeting the different functions of MSCs in promoting tumor progression as well as the mechanisms underlying their activities could enhance the efficacy of conventional and immune anti-cancer therapies. Furthermore, many studies report the use of MSCs engineered to express different genes or as vehicle to specifically deliver novel drugs to tumors exploiting their strong tropism. Importantly, this approach can enhance local therapeutic efficacy and reduce the risk of systemic side effects.
Getting the flu: 5 key facts about influenza virus evolution

The year 1918 saw the most famous influenza pandemic—a worldwide epidemic that caused nearly 50 million deaths—when an H1N1 influenza A virus of partial avian origin infected over one-third of the world’s population. Although its exact origins are still under debate, World War I and trade routes are thought to have aided in the circulation of the virus worldwide [1]. Within the last century, there have been 4 pandemics caused by influenza A, with the most recent in 2009 when a swine-like H1N1 subtype virus entered the human population. Increased whole genome sequencing and computational methods have accompanied improved surveillance of bird populations [2] and of human households and communities [3]. This allows for analysis of large datasets and the ability to glimpse into influenza evolution. A better understanding of the dynamics of influenza A and B evolution will bring insight into flu transmission, adaptation to new hosts, and outbreak potential.