cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Service-Enriched Housing: The Staying at Home Program.

Introduction: The purpose of this research was to determine whether service-enriched housing (i.e., the Staying at Home [SAH] program) in publicly subsidized buildings for low-income older adults influenced resident outcomes. Method: Eleven elderly high-rise buildings were used. Seven buildings had the SAH program and four did not. Information was collected from resident questionnaires, housing managers data, and medical information. A total of 10 desired outcomes were proposed as part of SAH (e.g., health improvements, receive more non-institutional services, receive more preventive services, and be less likely to be institutionalized). Information was collected over the course of the SAH program every 6 months from December 2008 through June 2011. Results: Overall, 736 surveys were completed by SAH program participants and 399 were completed by control group participants. Seven of the ten desired outcomes were achieved, and in 3 of the ten cases, no differences between the SAH group and control group we...
Bakhtin, Green, and the Imagining of King Saul

This is an introduction to and brief interpretation of a collection of papers first delivered in November 2006 at a section meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in Washington DC. The section was entitled "Bakhtin and the Biblical Imagination," and the particular subject under review was a monograph by Professor Barbara Green, How Are the Mighty Fallen? A Dialogical Study of King Saul in 1 Samuel (JSOTS 365; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2003).
Expression and Regulation of Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase-lα and -1β Genes

Abstract Two genes control expression of mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase-l (CPT-I), the enzyme that catalyzes the primary rate-controlling step in fatty acid oxidation. Two CPT-I isoforms have been found—a “liver” isoform (CPT-lα) expressed in most tissues, but not in skeletal muscles, and a “muscle” isoform (CPT-lβ) expressed in muscles and adipocytes. Liver CPT-lα increases dramatically at birth, but heart CPT-lα is abundant in the fetus and diminishes at birth. Insulin, thyroid hormone, and fatty acids regulate expression of CPT-lα in liver, whereas electrical stimulation increases CPT-lβ and decreases CPT-lα in cardiac myocytes. Both genes are TATA-less and contain Sp1 transcription factor binding sites upstream of the start site of transcription. Multiple transcripts of both CPT-lα and CPT-lβ exist, some of which may have roles in regulating fatty acid oxidation
Surgical education in the new millennium: the university perspective.

Academic departments of surgery educate the future leaders of surgery-the major factor differentiating them from community programs. Academic programs are not necessarily more important, but their mission differs. Not everyone completing surgical education desires to become a leader, but the nature of our specialty makes us all leaders. Surgical practice is collaborative, but there is only one person in charge in the operating room. It is from the academic programs that the intellectual leaders of the next generation must emerge. In times of change it becomes even more important to have leaders who are well prepared to face new challenges. Our job as academic surgeons is to equip these leaders with the tools necessary to be successful.
A hybrid digital-analog scheme for the Multiple Access Channel

We present a new access scheme for the AWGN Multiple Access Channel (MAC). The proposed system is a hybrid scheme consisting of the combination of analog joint source-channel coding with a digital part. We will particularize the system for the two user case, proving that it can achieve any point in the convex hull of the capacity region.
The Terri Schiavo case in Jewish law.

It is axiomatic in Judaism that human life is of supreme value. In order to save a human life, all biblical and rabbinic rules and regulations are temporarily waived. “He who saves one human life,”...
Building blocks for N-type molecular and polymeric electronics. Perfluoroalkyl- versus alkyl-functionalized oligothiophenes (nTs; n = 2-6). Systematic synthesis, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and solid-state organization.

The synthesis, comparative physicochemical properties, and solid-state structures of five oligothiophene (nT) series differing in substituent nature and attachment, regiochemistry, and oligothiophene core length (n) are described. These five series include the following 25 compounds: (i) α,ω-diperfluorohexyl-nTs 1 (DFH-nTs, n = 2−6), (ii) β,β‘-diperfluorohexyl-nTs 2 (isoDFH-nTs, n = 2−6), (iii) α,ω-dihexyl-nTs 3 (DH-nTs, n = 2−6), (iv) β,β‘-dihexyl-nTs 4 (isoDH-nTs, n = 2−6), and (v) unsubstituted oligothiophenes 5 (αnTs, n = 2−6). All new compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. To probe and address quantitatively how the chemistry and regiochemistry of conjugated core substitution affects molecular and solid-state properties, the entire 1−5 series was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and optical absorption and emission spectroscopies. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction data for several fluorocar...
Characterization of a Population of Cells in the Bone Marrow that Phenotypically Mimics Hematopoietic Stem Cells: Resting Stem Cells or Mystery Population?

We have identified a population of cells in murine bone marrow that has many of the phenotypic characteristics attributed to resting hematopoietic stem cells but does not reconstitute irradiated mice. These cells express high levels of Sca-1, H-2K and CD38 and low levels of Thy-1.1, but do not express CD34 nor any of the lineage markers including CD3, CD4, CD5, CD8 NK1.1, I-A, B220, Ig(MGA), CD40, kappa, Mac-1, Gr-1 or Ter119. In addition, this population can be found at normal frequency in nu/nu as well as rag-1-/- mice. These cells incorporate only low levels of Rh123, are resistant to the cytotoxic effects of 5-fluorouracil and, consistent with their resting phenotype, less than 2% of these cells are in the S/G2/M phases of the cell cycle. The only phenotypic characteristic that distinguishes these cells from the lineage- Sca-1+, Thy-1.1low long-term reconstituting hematopoietic stem cell population is their lack of c-kit expression. Here we have explored the possibility that these cells represent a truly resting population of hematopoietic stem cells. We found that the lineage-, Sca-1+, c-kit- cells do not respond to hematopoietic growth factors in vitro, either alone or in combination with stromal layers. Furthermore, these cells do not form in vivo spleen colonies nor do they have the ability to reconstitute irradiated mice. Thus, this population may represent either a population of resting stem cells for which we lack the appropriate activating stimulus, or simply represent a "mystery population" that phenotypically mimics most of the physical properties of resting stem cells. Given the close phenotypic similarity of the c-kit- mystery population cells to the c-kit+ long-term reconstituting stem cells, investigators must be rigorous to exclude their effects from other stem cell assays.
A meta-data model for knowledge in decision support systems

Clinical decision support such as alerts, reminders and guidance are driven by rules often distributed among a variety of applications in a healthcare information system. Due to the increasing size of rule bases, there is a growing need to manage this dispersed knowledge in an integrated environment. A system for management of executable clinical knowledge such as rules should (1) assist in the development and maintenance of rules throughout the rules' life-cycles, (2) support search and retrieval of rules in the knowledge base (e.g., rules for diabetes, rules created by a particular individual), and (3) facilitate the analyses of rules in the knowledge base (e.g., identify rules not updated in the last year). In order to create such a clinical knowledge management system it is necessary to model the meta-data of rules. There have been efforts to document meta-data about rules within the Arden Syntax Medical Logical Modules' project. However, the maintenance and library categories in that project allow mainly free-text information about a rule. We have created a comprehensive meta-data structure and taxonomy for describing clinical rules that supports the features of a knowledge management system. We also tested this model using a representative set of rules.
Effect of Nitrogen and Water Management on Panicle Development and Milling Quality of California Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Nitrogen fertilization and water management are the most important agronomic factors in determining the yield and milling quality of rice. Yet little information is available on the effect of nitrogen and time of drainage on the uniformity of rice grain development on a panicle. The objectives of this study are 1) to evaluate the effect of nitrogen application on the uniformity of grain development on a panicle, and 2) to determine the combined effect of time of drainage and nitrogen application on rice yield and milling quality. Results show that nitrogen has a significant effect on grain filling characteristics. Nitrogen reduces grain filling rate, increases duration of grain filling, increases tiller numbers and decreases grain weight. The time of drainage is critical to the recovery of head rice. Generally speaking, late drainage tends to increase the head rice recovery, and its impact on rice milling quality is increased with an increased rate of nitrogen application.
Power, Resistance, and Emotional Economies in Women’s Relationships With Mothers-in-Law in Chinese Immigrant Families:

This interview study interrogates how cultural values of filial piety inform Chinese American daughters-in-law’s understanding of their relationship and power dynamics with immigrant Chinese American mothers-in-law. Ideals of filial respect accord limited authority to mothers-in-law, who engage other mechanisms of power, such as their domestic expertise. Using the concept of emotional economies, this study finds that this strategy works when daughters-in-law feel gratitude for their mother-in-law’s domestic expertise and child care but not when they resent it as intrusive or unnecessary. Mothers report more conflicts with their mothers-in-law than do childless respondents, and often strike “patriarchal bargains” by enlisting husbands to mediate conflicts on their behalf. Many respondents covertly resist by feigning compliance in the presence of their mother-in-law but disobeying in her absence. These findings suggest scholars should not assume Asian cultural ideals dictate actual family practices or that ...
Long-acting insulins alter milk composition and metabolism of lactating dairy cows.

Abstract This study investigated the effect of 2 different types of long-acting insulin on milk production, milk composition, and metabolism in lactating dairy cows. Multiparous cows (n=30) averaging 88d in milk were assigned to one of 3 treatments in a completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of control (C), Humulin-N (H; Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN), and insulin glargine (L). The H and L treatments were administered twice daily at 12-h intervals via subcutaneous injection for 10d. Cows were milked twice daily, and milk composition was determined every other day. Mammary biopsies were conducted on d 11, and mammary proteins extracted from the biopsies were analyzed by Western blot for components of insulin and mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathways. Treatment had no effect on dry matter intake or milk yield. Treatment with both forms of long-acting insulin increased milk protein content and tended to increase milk protein yield over the 10-d treatment period. Analysis of milk N fractions from samples collected on d 10 of treatment suggested that cows administered L tended to have higher yields of milk protein fractions than cows administered H. Milk fat content and yield tended to be increased for cows administered long-acting insulins. Lactose content and yields were decreased by treatment with long-acting insulins. Administration of long-acting insulins, particularly L, tended to shift milk fatty acid composition toward increased short- and medium-chain fatty acids and decreased long-chain fatty acids. Plasma concentrations of glucose and urea N were lower for cows administered long-acting insulins; interactions of treatment and sampling time were indicative of more pronounced effects of L than H on these metabolites. Concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids and insulin were increased in cows administered long-acting insulins. Decreased concentrations of urea N in both plasma and milk suggested more efficient use of N in cows administered long-acting insulins. Western blot analysis of mammary tissue collected by biopsy indicated that the ratios of phosphorylated protein kinase b (Akt) to total Akt and phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 (rpS6) to total rpS6 were not affected by long-acting insulins. Modestly elevating insulin activity in lactating dairy cows using long-acting insulins altered milk composition and metabolism. Future research should explore mechanisms by which either insulin concentrations or insulin signaling pathways in the mammary gland can be altered to enhance milk fat and protein production.
Scanning electron microscopic study of cell movements in the corneal endothelium of the avian embryo.

Abstract Using the scanning electron microscope we have examined the appearance, in situ , of the migrating cells of the presumptive corneal endothelium in the chick embryo. The primary stroma, a collagenous layer which serves as a major substrate for the migration of the cells, was found to have many deep folds and ridges. The collagen fibrils of the stroma, as seen on its posterior surface, appear arranged more or less isotropically. Areas of orthogonal packing are small and relatively sparse. While the cells make contact with this substratum they do not seem to be guided by its topographic features. The migrating endothelial cells lack well developed ruffles, supporting the increasing prevalent idea that the pattern of cell surface activity observed in vitro during cellular locomotion, is not an absolute prerequisite for cell movement.
Protein backbone structure determination using only residual dipolar couplings from one ordering medium.

Residual dipolar couplings provide significant structural information for proteins in the solution state, which makes them attractive for the rapid determination of protein folds. Unfortunately, dipolar couplings contain inherent structural ambiguities which make them difficult to use in the absence of additional information. In this paper, we describe an approach to the construction of protein backbone folds using experimental dipolar couplings based on a bounded tree search through a structural database. We filter out false positives via an overlap similarity measure that insists that protein fragments assigned to overlapping regions of the sequence must have self-consistent structures. This allows us to determine a backbone fold (including the correct Cα-Cβ bond orientations) using only residual dipolar coupling data obtained from one ordering medium. We demonstrate the applicability of the method using experimental data for ubiquitin.
Effectiveness of a Parent-Implemented Language and Literacy Intervention in the Home Language.

Few studies explore parent-implemented literacy interventions in the home language for young children with problems in language acquisition. A shift in children’s use of the home language to Englis...
Effect of contamination on copper migration in TAB tape structures

Copper migration in adhesive of Tape Automated Bonding (TAB) tape during biased moisture stress can cause failure. Experiments aimed at reducing copper migration show that copper precipitation lengths after HAST are linearly proportional to chloride concentration in the TAB tape material. Discharge potential measurements of TAB tape in 156 /spl deg/C bake are correlated to chloride concentration. >
A Bayesian approach to unsupervised feature selection and density estimation using expectation propagation

We propose an approximate Bayesian approach for unsupervised feature selection and density estimation, where the importance of the features for clustering is used as the measure for feature selection. Traditional maximum-likelihood (ML) model-parameter optimization schemes estimate the feature saliencies for a fixed model structure (i.e., a fixed number of clusters). In practice, the number of clusters present in the data for mixture-based modeling is unknown. In an ML framework, the number of clusters typically needs to be ascertained prior to estimating the feature saliencies. We propose a density estimation scheme that addresses model complexity (number of clusters present) and model-parameter estimation (feature saliencies) in a single optimization framework. The approximate Bayesian approach presented here, based on the expectation propagation method, obtains a full posterior distribution on the saliency of the features, along with full posterior distribution of other model parameters (including the number of clusters) that represent the underlying statistics of the data. The performance of the algorithm, is analyzed based on its ability to identify the features salient for clustering the multivariate data.
Tapered tube, microsecond electron beam gyrotron backward-wave-oscillators

Experiments have been performed to test microwave efficiency enhancement and pulselength extension of the gyrotron-backward-wave-oscillator (gyro-BWO) through the use of a tapered interaction tube. The MELBA accelerator has been utilized to generate electron beams with parameters: V=-0.7 to -0.8 MV, I=1-4 kA, and pulselengths from 0.5-1 /spl mu/s. The microwave frequency is magnetically tunable in the range from 4.6-6 GHz. MAGIC code modeling has guided the experimental selection of taper magnitudes to enhance efficiency and pulselength. The optimal taper magnitude found in both the experiment and model has been a 10% downtapered tube, which gave a significant increase in both microwave tube power (factor of /spl sim/2, up to about 80 MW) and pulselength (/spl ap/30 % average increase up to 0.38 /spl mu/s) over uniform tubes. Integrated microwave pulse-energy is also maximized for the 10% downtapered tube. Taper magnitudes larger than 10% gave reduced microwave power and energy. >
Novel Modeling of Combinatorial miRNA Targeting Identifies SNP with Potential Role in Bone Density

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulators that bind to their target mRNAs through base complementarity. Predicting miRNA targets is a challenging task and various studies showed that existing algorithms suffer from high number of false predictions and low to moderate overlap in their predictions. Until recently, very few algorithms considered the dynamic nature of the interactions, including the effect of less specific interactions, the miRNA expression level, and the effect of combinatorial miRNA binding. Addressing these issues can result in a more accurate miRNA:mRNA modeling with many applications, including efficient miRNA-related SNP evaluation. We present a novel thermodynamic model based on the Fermi-Dirac equation that incorporates miRNA expression in the prediction of target occupancy and we show that it improves the performance of two popular single miRNA target finders. Modeling combinatorial miRNA targeting is a natural extension of this model. Two other algorithms show improved prediction efficiency when combinatorial binding models were considered. ComiR (Combinatorial miRNA targeting), a novel algorithm we developed, incorporates the improved predictions of the four target finders into a single probabilistic score using ensemble learning. Combining target scores of multiple miRNAs using ComiR improves predictions over the naive method for target combination. ComiR scoring scheme can be used for identification of SNPs affecting miRNA binding. As proof of principle, ComiR identified rs17737058 as disruptive to the miR-488-5p:NCOA1 interaction, which we confirmed in vitro. We also found rs17737058 to be significantly associated with decreased bone mineral density (BMD) in two independent cohorts indicating that the miR-488-5p/NCOA1 regulatory axis is likely critical in maintaining BMD in women. With increasing availability of comprehensive high-throughput datasets from patients ComiR is expected to become an essential tool for miRNA-related studies.
Mixed l 1 / H ∞ controllers for SISO discrete time systems

Abstract In this paper we present a methodology for designing mixed l 1 / H ∞ controllers. These controllers allow for minimizing the worst-case peak output due to a persistent disturbance, while, at the same time, satisfying an H ∞ norm constraint upon some closed-loop transfer function of interest. Thus, they are of interest for applications dealing with mixed time/frequency domain performance specifications. The main result of the paper shows that suboptimal mixed l 1 / H ∞ controllers can be obtained by solving a sequence of problems, each one consisting of a finite-dimensional convex optimization and a standard, unconstrained H ∞ problem.
Computational Fitness Landscape for All Gene-Order Permutations of an RNA Virus

How does the growth of a virus depend on the linear arrangement of genes in its genome? Answering this question may enhance our basic understanding of virus evolution and advance applications of viruses as live attenuated vaccines, gene-therapy vectors, or anti-tumor therapeutics. We used a mathematical model for vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), a prototype RNA virus that encodes five genes (N-P-M-G-L), to simulate the intracellular growth of all 120 possible gene-order variants. Simulated yields of virus infection varied by 6,000-fold and were found to be most sensitive to gene-order permutations that increased levels of the L gene transcript or reduced levels of the N gene transcript, the lowest and highest expressed genes of the wild-type virus, respectively. Effects of gene order on virus growth also depended upon the host-cell environment, reflecting different resources for protein synthesis and different cell susceptibilities to infection. Moreover, by computationally deleting intergenic attenuations, which define a key mechanism of transcriptional regulation in VSV, the variation in growth associated with the 120 gene-order variants was drastically narrowed from 6,000- to 20-fold, and many variants produced higher progeny yields than wild-type. These results suggest that regulation by intergenic attenuation preceded or co-evolved with the fixation of the wild type gene order in the evolution of VSV. In summary, our models have begun to reveal how gene functions, gene regulation, and genomic organization of viruses interact with their host environments to define processes of viral growth and evolution.
Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations: Evaluation and Management

There has been increased detection of incidental AVMs as result of the frequent use of advanced imaging techniques. The natural history of AVM is poorly understood and its management is controversial. This review provides an overview of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, natural history, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of AVMs. The authors discussed the imaging techniques available for detecting AVMs with regard to the advantages and disadvantages of each imaging modality. Furthermore, this review paper discusses the factors that must be considered for the most appropriate management strategy (based on the current evidence in the literature) and the risks and benefits of each management option.
Errata: Lateral and axial measurement differences between spectral-domain optical coherence tomography systems.

We assessed the reproducibility of lateral and axial measurements performed with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) instruments from a single manufacturer and across several manufacturers. One human retina phantom was imaged on two instruments each from four SDOCT platforms: Zeiss Cirrus, Heidelberg Spectralis, Bioptigen SDOIS, and hand-held Bioptigen Envisu. Built-in software calipers were used to perform manual measurements of a fixed lateral width (LW), central foveal thickness (CFT), and parafoveal thickness (PFT) 1 mm from foveal center. Inter- and intraplatform reproducibilities were assessed with analysis of variance and Tukey-Kramer tests. The range of measurements between platforms was 5171 to 5290 μm for mean LW (p<0.001), 162 to 196 μm for mean CFT (p<0.001), and 267 to 316 μm for mean PFT (p<0.001). All SDOCT platforms had significant differences between each other for all measurements, except LW between Bioptigen SDOIS and Envisu (p=0.27). Intraplatform differences were significantly smaller than interplatform differences for LW (p=0.020), CFT (p=0.045), and PFT (p=0.004). Conversion factors were generated for lateral and axial scaling between SDOCT platforms. Lateral and axial manual measurements have greater variance across different SDOCT platforms than between instruments from the same platform. Conversion factors for measurements from different platforms can produce normalized values for patient care and clinical studies.
Spiritual Dimensions of Graduate Preparation in Student Affairs.

How we prepare graduate students to work in higher education can reflect a basis in spiritual growth and development.
Percutaneous irreversible electroporation for downstaging and control of unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Abstract Purpose Treatment of unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) usually includes chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy in an attempt to downstage these tumors to the extent of resectability, but outcomes remain poor. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is an ablative modality that may be useful in this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of percutaneous IRE in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Materials and Methods IRE was performed in patients with pancreatic cancer whose tumors remained unresectable after, or who were intolerant of, standard therapy. The procedures were all done percutaneously under general anesthesia. Patients were then followed for adverse events, tumor response, and survival. Results Fifteen IRE procedures were performed in 14 patients (one was treated twice). Three patients had metastatic disease and 11 had LAPC. All patients had received chemotherapy previously, and 11 had received radiation. The median tumor size was 3.3 cm (range, 2.5–7 cm). Immediate and 24-hour postprocedural scans demonstrated patent vasculature in the treatment zone in all patients. Two patients underwent surgery 4 and 5 months after IRE, respectively. Both had margin-negative resections, and one had a pathologic complete response; both remain disease-free after 11 and 14 months, respectively. Complications included spontaneous pneumothorax during anesthesia (n = 1) and pancreatitis (n = 1), and both patients recovered completely. There were no deaths directly related to the procedure. All three patients with metastatic disease at IRE died from progression of their disease. Conclusions Percutaneous IRE for pancreatic adenocarcinoma is feasible and safe. A prospective trial is being planned.
Parameter-Free Sampled Fictitious Play for Solving Deterministic Dynamic Programming Problems

In this paper, we present a parameter-free variation of the Sampled Fictitious Play algorithm that facilitates fast solution of deterministic dynamic programming problems. Its random tie-breaking procedure imparts a natural randomness to the algorithm which prevents it from "getting stuck" at a local optimal solution and allows the discovery of an optimal path in a finite number of iterations. Furthermore, we illustrate through an application to maritime navigation that, in practice, a parameter-free Sampled Fictitious Play algorithm finds a high-quality solution after only a few iterations, in contrast with traditional methods.
Software Assurance Curriculum Project Volume IV: Community College Education

Abstract : The fourth volume in the Software Assurance Curriculum Project led by a team at the Software Engineering Institute, this report focuses on community college courses for software assurance. The report includes a review of related curricula, outcomes and body of knowledge, expected background of target audiences, and outlines of six courses. The courses are intended to provide students with fundamental skills for continuing with graduate-level education or to provide supplementary education for students with prior undergraduate technical degrees who wish to become more specialized in software assurance. Previous volumes of this project are Volume I: Master of Software Assurance Reference Curriculum, Volume II: Undergraduate Course Outlines, and Volume III: Software Assurance Course Syllabi.
Infinite medium neutron wave propagation—I: Theory

Abstract Neutron wave propagation in an infinite moderating media is analyzed by the application of energy-dependent transport theory. Solutions are obtained by Fourier transform methods for several scattering kernel approximations. A general isotropic scattering kernel is considered first and is followed by the consideration of two simple kernels for the analysis of wave propagation in non-crystalline and crystalline moderators. In the noncrystalline approximation the structure in the plane of the Fourier transform variable corresponded to a pair of discrete and a two-dimensional continuum of eigenvalues. For the crystalline approximation a more complicated structure was obtained corresponding to a pair of discrete and a disjoint two-dimensional continuum of eigenvalues.
The Strategy on Measles Control and Epidemic Atatus

Epidemiologic features of measles prevailing in China are as follow:the morbidity is generally controlled. The morbidity season varies. The occurrence manifests in old and young groups.The immigrant population and the vacancy of vaccination become the main courses of the disease. In China, measures are taken like enforcing measles inspecting, epidemic situation emergency disposal and raising rate of vaccination. Now we will make a brief introduction about measles prevalence and its control methods in recent years.
Alterations in Ca2+ signal transduction in critically ill surgical patients.

Background. Despite improvements in supportive care and pharmacologic therapies, sepsis and related disorders such as systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) continue to be a leading cause of death in the intensive care unit. We hypotheisized that immune dysfunction in this setting may in part be mediated at the level of early signal transduction in monocytes and neutrophils as manifested by changes in intracellular free Ca 2+
Genetic Counseling for Autism Spectrum Disorder in an Evolving Theoretical Landscape.

Purpose of Review Psychiatry is steadily moving toward a new conceptualization of brain disorders that blurs long-held diagnostic distinctions among neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions, including autism. Genomic discoveries are driving these changing perceptions, yet there has so far been minimal impact on traditional genetic counseling practices that continue to view autism through the lens of a dichotomous, all-or-none risk model.
Chapter 93 – Myogenic Tone and Mechanotransduction

The arteriolar myogenic response refers to vasoconstriction that occurs following an increase in intraluminal pressure or the vasodilation that follows a decrease in pressure. The change in diameter to the mechanical stimulus represents a specific example of a mechanotransduction process. However, exactly how a change in intraluminal pressure is sensed and transferred intracellularly into vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) remains uncertain. Depolarization of SMCs appears to occur through the opening of non-selective cation channels (NSCC) that are activated either directly through membrane deformation or indirectly via second messenger-based pathways. The membrane events appear to involve linkages to the extracellular matrix, between cells and the cytoskeleton. Depolarization leads to opening of voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels with activation of myosin light chain kinase and contraction. These events are then supported by pathways that underlie Ca 2+ sensitization and cytoskeletal remodeling. This chapter discusses evidence for the involvement of these processes, while also considering the physiological significance of the myogenic response in local control of the microcirculation.
Considerations in the Manufacture of Ceramic Valve Train Components and Wear

Increased demands for higher efficiency on today’s internal combustion engines combined with low cost production and extended maintenance intervals, may result in increased engine wear especially to valve train components.
DEAR-O: Differential Expression Analysis based on RNA-seq data - Online

Differential expression analysis using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data is widely applied in transcriptomic studies and many software tools have been developed for this purpose. Active development of existing popular tools, together with emergence of new tools means that studies comparing the performance of differential expression analysis methods become rapidly out-of-date. In order to enable researchers to evaluate new and updated software in a timely manner, we developed DEAR-O, a user-friendly platform for performance evaluation of differential expression analysis based on RNA-seq data. The platform currently includes four of the most popular tools: DESeq, DESeq2, edgeR and Cuffdiff2. Based on the DEAR-O platform, researchers can evaluate the performance of different tools, or the same tool with different versions, with a customised number of biological replicates using already curated RNA-seq datasets. We also initiated an online forum for discussion of RNA-seq differential expression analysis. Through this forum, new useful tools and benchmarking datasets can be introduced. Our platform will be actively maintained to ensure new major versions of existing tools and new popular tools are included. DEAR-O will serve the community by providing timely evaluations of tools, versions and number of replicates for RNA-seq differential expression analysis.
Securing VANETs for Vehicular CPS

This chapter presents trust-based security in vehicular CPS using probabilistic and deterministic approaches, which are based on the local information obtained through interactions among vehicles to determine legitimacy of the messages and to decide whether the messages would be considered for further transmission over the network or be dropped.
Pupillary reactivity to negative stimuli prospectively predicts recurrence of major depressive disorder in women

There is a large body of research supporting the association between disrupted physiological reactivity to negative stimuli and depression. The present study aimed to examine whether physiological reactivity to emotional stimuli, assessed via pupil dilation, served as a biological marker of risk for depression recurrence among individuals who are known to be at a higher risk due to having previous history of depression. Participants were 57 women with a history of major depressive disorder (MDD). Pupil dilation to angry, happy, sad, and neutral faces was recorded. Participants' diagnoses and symptoms were assessed 24 months after the initial assessment. We found that women's pupillary reactivity to negative (sad or angry faces) but not positive stimuli prospectively predicted MDD recurrence. Additionally, we found that both hyper- and hypopupillary reactivity to angry faces predicted risk for MDD recurrence. These findings suggest that disrupted physiological response to negative stimuli indexed via pupillary dilation could serve as a physiological marker of MDD risk, thus presenting clinicians with a convenient and inexpensive method to predict which of the at-risk women are more likely to experience depression recurrence.
A case series of REM sleep behavior disorder in pure autonomic failure.

Purpose Data on the prevalence of RBD in patients with PAF are limited, with discrepancies in the literature regarding prevalence. We aimed to provide further data on this association with a series of eight patients with PAF.
Different dynamics and pathway of disulfide bonds reduction of two human defensins, a molecular dynamics simulation study

Human defensins are a class of antimicrobial peptides that are crucial components of the innate immune system. Both human α defensin type 5 (HD5) and human β defensin type 3 (hBD-3) have 6 cysteine residues which form 3 pairs of disulfide bonds in oxidizing condition. Disulfide bond linking is important to the protein structure stabilization, and the disulfide bond linking and breaking order have been shown to influence protein function. In this project, microsecond long molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the structure and dynamics of HD5 and hBD-3 wildtype and analogs which have all 3 disulfide bonds released in reducing condition. The structure of hBD-3 was found to be more dynamic and flexible than HD5, based on RMSD, RMSF, and radius of gyration calculations. The disulfide bridge breaking order of HD5 and hBD-3 in reducing condition was predicted by two kinds of methods, which gave consistent results. It was found that the disulfide bonds breaking pathways for HD5 and hBD-3 are very different. The breaking of disulfide bonds can influence the dimer interface by making the dimer structure less stable for both kinds of defensin. In order to understand the difference in dynamics and disulfide bond breaking pathway, hydrophilic and hydrophobic accessible surface areas (ASA), buried surface area between cysteine pairs, entropy of cysteine pairs, and internal energy were calculated. Comparing to the wildtype, hBD-3 analog is more hydrophobic, while HD5 is more hydrophilic. For hBD-3, the disulfide breaking is mainly entropy driven, while other factors such as the solvation effects may take the major role in controlling HD5 disulfide breaking pathway. Proteins 2017; 85:665-681. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Commentary on "Thermodynamic equilibrium of hydroxyacetic acid in pure and binary solvent systems"

Abstract Problems are discussed regarding published mathematical representations by Huang et al. (2017) for describing how the measured mole fraction solubility varies with solvent composition in the binary (ethanol + ethyl acetate) and binary (acetone + ethanol) solvent systems. Several sets of published equation coefficients were found to give back-calculated mole fraction solubilities that exceeded unity. The published solubility data for hydroxyacetic acid dissolved in binary (ethanol + ethyl acetate) was reanalyzed and new curve-fitted equation coefficients were calculated for the simplified form of the Combined Nearly Ideal Binary Solvent (NIBS)/Redlich-Kister Model. Two simple methods for identifying possible errors in curve-fitted equation coefficients were also presented.
The least number with prescribed Legendre symbols and representation by binary quadratic forms of small discriminant

Abstract In this article we estimate the number of integers up to X which can be properly represented by a positive-definite, binary, integral quadratic form of small discriminant. This estimate follows from understanding the vector of signs that arises from computing the Legendre symbol of small integers n at multiple primes.
From Android Bug Reports to Android Bug Handling Process: An Empirical Study of Open-Source Development

Android is an operating system for mobile devices. Its development is led by Google and some other companies. Because of the open-source property of Android, anyone can report a bug through its onl...
Rating Politics? Partisan Discrimination in Credit Ratings in Developed Economies:

How does government partisanship influence sovereign credit ratings of developed countries? Given the convergence of fiscal and monetary outcomes between left and right governments in the past deca...
The Impact of Working Capital Components on Firm Value in US Firms

Working capital is an important part of any businesses day-to-day operations. However, most businesses do not take into consideration that continuous investment into working capital does not maximize firm value. The specific problem addressed was firm managers that do not understand the optimal level for each component of working capital create sub-optimal value firm; leading to diminished investment returns for shareholders. For this study, 140 firms for the years 2003-2012 were selected from a stratified random sample of firms listed on the Russell 2000 index. Accounts receivable days outstanding, accounts payable days outstanding, and inventory days outstanding were regressed on economic value to determine whether a curvilinear relationship existed. All three models showed a statistically significant relationship to firm value, F(6, 2268), p<.01, R2= .40, F(6, 2268), p<.01, R2= .38, F(6, 2268), p<.01, R2= .39. Recommendations for firm managers included lowering accounts receivable, accounts payable, and inventory days during boom economic times while increasing accounts receivable, accounts payable, and inventory days during recessionary economic times. Consideration for future research into working-capital management and firm value should consider whether different curvilinear relationships exist between firm value and working-capital components during different economic cycles.
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and Eastern Orthodoxy: Acceptance of the Corpus Dionysiacum and Integration of Neoplatonism into Christian Theology

This essay will argue that the heritage of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite represents the most living and widespread influence of Neoplatonic ideas in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. First, the attention will be given to the influence or placement of the Dionysian corpus in the midst of the cultural formation of Byzantine imperial Christian identity. This cultural pattern is still an important element of the mindset of Eastern Orthodoxy and, as a living experience of this tradition, it still constitutes a vibrant representation of the essentially Neoplatonic mentality. Second, the significance of Dionysian understanding of celestial and ecclesiastical hierarchies will be briefly addressed in view of their impact on metaphysical stratification of the world, theurgical connotation of church liturgy and clerical structuring of priestly ranks as the most characteristic elements inherited from Neoplatonism and expressly present in Eastern Orthodox spirituality.
To Be Alone or in a Group: An Exploration Into How the School-Based Experiences Differ for Black Male Teachers Across One Urban School District:

One urban district administered the Black Male Teacher Environment Survey (BMTES) to each of its Black male teachers to measure their school-based experiences. This article highlights descriptive statistics from the 86 Black male teacher respondents. Findings suggest that participants’ background characteristics and school-based experiences varied by the number of Black men on the faculty. Loners, schools with one Black male teacher on the faculty, reported different experiences when compared with Groupers, schools with four or more Black male teachers on the faculty. Specifically, Loners were more likely to receive alternative certification, reported that their White colleagues had greater influence on school policy than teachers of color, believed that being Black caused people to fear them in their schools, and reported having a greater desire to leave their schools than Groupers.
Testing of Thermocline Filler Materials and Molten-Salt Heat Transfer Fluids for Thermal Energy Storage Systems in Parabolic Trough Power Plants

Parabolic trough power systems that utilize concentrated solar energy to generate electricity are a proven technology. Industry and laboratory research efforts are now focusing on integration of thermal energy storage as a viable means to enhance dispatchability of concentrated solar energy. One option to significantly reduce costs is to use thermocline storage systems, low-cost filler materials as the primary thermal storage medium, and molten nitrate salts as the direct heat transfer fluid. Prior thermocline evaluations and thermal cycling tests at the Sandia National Laboratories’ National Solar Thermal Test Facility identified quartzite rock and silica sand as potential filler materials. An expanded series of isothermal and thermal cycling experiments were planned and implemented to extend those studies in order to demonstrate the durability of these filler materials in molten nitrate salts over a range of operating temperatures for extended timeframes. Upon test completion, careful analyses of filler material samples, as well as the molten salt, were conducted to assess long-term durability and degradation mechanisms in these test conditions. Analysis results demonstrate that the quartzite rock and silica sand appear able to withstand the molten salt environment quite well. No significant deterioration that would impact the performance or operability of a thermocline thermal energy storage system was evident. Therefore, additional studies of the thermocline concept can continue armed with confidence that appropriate filler materials have been identified for the intended application.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Financial Cost of Healthcare Transition

The finances for health-care transition (HCT) have long been recognized as a cornerstone of the care process. Each year about 500,000 AYASCHN reach adulthood, making efforts to determine how best to finance HCT imperative. Recognizing that effective HCT from pediatric to adult serving settings is a process not an event; the financing issues are complex. The current fee-for-service reimbursement model is more suited for counting events and paying for volume of care delivered rather than supporting a longitudinal care process that is more nuanced and embedded in a years-long set of conversations and activities among AYASHCN, their family, and health-care providers. Value-based initiatives that reimburse based on quality and outcomes rather than on discrete volumes of services may provide a financing vehicle where dollars saved via efficient care can be redirected to the HCT process, which would include the delivery of care in a patient- and family-centered medical home. Efforts are underway to develop, evaluate, and share best practices that incorporate both ideal care and appropriate financing to support that care.
Large Inertial Moments, Pairing Reduction and the Effects of Coriolis Mixing on Rotational Bands in Odd-Z Deformed A ≃ 100 Nuclei

Highly deformed A≃100 nuclei with A=99–102 and N⩾60 are being studied using the TRISTAN facility at BNL. The structures of the rotational bands reveal some unusual features, such as the anomalously large moments of inertia that suggest reduced pairing correlations among the valence nucleons. The apparent reduction in the strength of the pairing interaction could be a result of p-n interactions among the valence nucleons. However, it would be inappropriate to form any firm conclusions concerning either the amount of pairing reduction or the importance of p-n interactions without first characterizing the proton and neutron orbitals occupied by the valence nucleons in the odd-A deformed nuclei.