cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
System Identification and Estimation Framework for Pivotal Automotive Battery Management System Characteristics

The battery management system (BMS) is an integral part of an automobile. It protects the battery from damage, predicts battery life, and maintains the battery in an operational condition. The BMS performs these tasks by integrating one or more of the functions, such as protecting the cell, thermal management, controlling the charge-discharge, determining the state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH), and remaining useful life (RUL) of the battery, cell balancing, data acquisition, communication with on-board and off-board modules, as well as monitoring and storing historical data. In this paper, we propose a BMS that estimates the critical characteristics of the battery (such as SOC, SOH, and RUL) using a data-driven approach. Our estimation procedure is based on a modified Randles circuit model consisting of resistors, a capacitor, the Warburg impedance for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy test data, and a lumped parameter model for hybrid pulse power characterization test data. The resistors in a Randles circuit model usually characterize the self-discharge and internal resistance of the battery, the capacitor generally represents the charge stored in the battery, and the Warburg impedance represents the diffusion phenomenon. The Randles circuit parameters are estimated using a frequency-selective nonlinear least squares estimation technique, while the lumped parameter model parameters are estimated by the prediction error minimization method. We investigate the use of support vector machines (SVMs) to predict the capacity fade and power fade, which characterize the SOH of a battery, as well as estimate the SOC of the battery. An alternate procedure for estimating the power fade and energy fade from low-current Hybrid Pulse Power characterization (L-HPPC) test data using the lumped parameter battery model has been proposed. Predictions of RUL of the battery are obtained by support vector regression of the power fade and capacity fade estimates. Survival function estimates for reliability analysis of the battery are obtained using a hidden Markov model (HMM) trained using time-dependent estimates of capacity fade and power fade as observations. The proposed framework provides a systematic way for estimating relevant battery characteristics with a high-degree of accuracy.
The early effects of sustained platelet-derived growth factor administration on the functional and structural properties of repaired intrasynovial flexor tendons: an in vivo biomechanic study at 3 weeks in canines.

Purpose A bioactive fibrin-based delivery system was used to provide sustained administration of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) in a clinically relevant model of intrasynovial flexor tendon repair. We hypothesized that PDGF-BB administered in this manner would improve the sutured tendon's functional and structural properties 3 weeks after repair. Methods A delivery system consisting of 30 μL of fibrin matrix, peptide, heparin, and 100 ng of PDGF-BB was incorporated into the repair sites of randomly selected medial or lateral forepaw flexor digitorum profundus tendons of 8 adult mongrel dogs. The remaining forepaw flexor digitorum profundus tendons were repaired without the growth-factor and fibrin-based delivery system and served as controls. The surgically treated forelimbs were treated with controlled passive motion rehabilitation. The animals were killed at 3 weeks, at which time the tendons were tested for range of motion with a motion analysis system and for tensile properties with a materials testing machine. Results Proximal interphalangeal joint and distal interphalangeal joint rotation values were significantly higher for the PDGF-BB–treated tendons compared with the repair-alone tendons. Excursion values were also significantly higher in the PDGF-BB–treated tendons. There were no significant differences in tensile properties when comparing PDGF-BB–treated with repair-alone tendons. Conclusions The functional properties of repaired intrasynovial flexor tendons were significantly improved with the sustained administration of PDGF-BB. The failure to achieve improvements in ultimate load, stiffness, and strain in the experimental group may have been due to suboptimal PDGF-BB dosage or suboptimal release kinetics.
Immunohistochemical Detection of Canine Adenovirus in Paraffin Sections of Liver

An avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase procedure was optimized for detection of canine adenoviral antigens in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded liver. Long-term stability of viral antigen was shown by successful demonstration of virus in liver tissue preserved up to six years from dogs with infectious canine hepatitis. This immunohistochemical stain was applied to sections from livers with a wide range of inflammatory lesions. Examination of sections from 53 dogs yielded five livers with small amounts of adenovirus. An additional virus-positive liver was identified from a dog with no hepatic inflammation. Although a cause and effect relationship remains to be determined, these findings suggest a possible connection between canine adenovirus and spontaneous chronic hepatitis.
Gene therapy and tissue engineering for sports medicine

Sports injuries usually involve tissues that display a limited capacity for healing. The treatment of sports injuries has improved over the past 10 to 20 years through sophisticated rehabilitation programs, novel operative techniques, and advances in the field of biomechanical research. Despite this considerable progress, no optimal solution has been found for treatment of various sports-related injuries, including muscle injuries, ligament and tendon ruptures, central meniscal tears, cartilage lesions, and delayed bone fracture healing. New biological approaches focus on the treatment of these injuries with growth factors to stimulate and hasten the healing process. Gene therapy using the transfer of defined genes encoding therapeutic proteins represents a promising way to efficiently deliver suitable growth factors into the injured tissue. Tissue engineering, which may eventually be combined with gene therapy, may potentially result in the creation of tissues or scaffolds for regeneration of tissue defects following trauma. In this article we will discuss why gene therapy and tissue engineering are becoming increasingly important in modern orthopaedic sports medicine practice. We then will review recent research achievements in the area of gene therapy and tissue engineering for sports-related injuries, and highlight the potential clinical applications of this technology in the treatment of patients with musculoskeletal problems following sports-related injuries.
Invasive sinus aspergillosis in apparently immunocompetent hosts.

Objectives to describe the clinical, microbiological and pathological features of invasive sinus aspergillosis affecting immunocompetent hosts, and to identify the risk factors for mortality. Methods we report three apparently immunocompetent patients with invasive sinus aspergillosis, and review all cases reported in the English literature since 1987, the year in which the triazole antifungal agents were introduced. Results twenty-nine patients (including three of our own) were identified. The presenting symptoms were non-specific and indistinguishable from viral, bacterial or allergic causes of sinusitis. The findings on computed tomography scan were also non-specific, and histopathology and culture of sinus tissue biopsy had low yield. These factors, along with the mistaken impression that Aspergillus can only affect immunocompromised hosts, frequently delayed the diagnosis. Fifty-nine percent of patients either failed therapy or died. The following factors were associated with a poor prognosis: delayed diagnosis, intracranial extension of infection, and histopathology demonstrating hyphal invasion of blood vessel or tissue. Complete surgical extirpation was the key element of successful therapy; antifungal agents played an adjunctive role. Conclusions invasive sinus aspergillosis carries high morbidity and mortality, even in immunocompetent hosts. To improve outcome, the diagnosis must be recognized early, before the organism can invade the central nervous system or vascular structures. Aggressive surgical resection of the infected areas is of utmost importance in the management of this infection.
Landscape heterogeneity, connectivity, and critical landscapes for conservation

Summary Landscapes are diverse in the frequencies and distributions of habitat types. Does landscape heterogeneity, as a higher order (i.e. at a pheno- menological scale coarser than that of organisms) of diversity, allow greater connectivity; does higher order diversity change higher order functions? Climatic change and habitat fragmentation require that plant and animal species move across varied landscapes. Mediterranean-type ecosystems provide contrasts in landscape heterogeneity. In order to assess potential impacts of either and thus to propose remedial measures, it is necessary to understand general classes of connectivity in landscapes. We developed six rules for movement (random, persistent, and directionally biased for both movement throughout habitat and restricted to habitat edges), which we simulated on three general landscape patterns (random, hierarch- ical, and fractal) with different degrees of habitat fragmentation. Organisms that move only on the edge of habitat patches are more successful with a moderate amount of fragmentation but are less successful overall and especially in the non-random landscapes. Particular structures can thus differentiate connectivity for different vectors. We propose that general rules derived from simulations can be applied to the identification of landscapes that are near critical levels of fragmentation and which will respond sensitively to small increases in fragmentation or small efforts at restoration. Mediterranean-type ecosystems are well suited to test this proposal because of contrasting patterns and changes in fragmentation.
Is Immediate Reconstruction of the Mandible With Nonvascularized Bone Graft Following Resection of Benign Pathology a Viable Treatment Option

Purpose The purpose of this study was to address the following clinical question: Is immediate reconstruction of the mandible with a nonvascularized bone graft after resection of benign pathology a viable treatment option? Another purpose was to determine whether any variables affect the success of this treatment approach. Materials and Methods The authors implemented a retrospective cohort study from a sample of patients diagnosed with a benign tumor of the mandible who were treated with segmental resection and primary reconstruction with an autogenous nonvascularized bone graft. The predictor variables were age, gender, lesion size, and diagnosis, and the outcome variable was graft success determined by re-establishment of mandibular continuity with sufficient bone for implant placement. The χ 2 test was used for statistical analysis of the categorical data and P values less than .05 were considered statistically significant. Results Twenty patients with benign mandibular tumors were treated with transoral resection and immediate reconstruction with nonvascularized bone grafts. The mean age was 28.3 years (range, 9 to 63 yr) and 55% (11 of 20) were men. The most common lesion type was ameloblastoma (13 of 20) and all patients underwent reconstruction with autogenous anterior iliac crest bone grafting. Ninety percent of patients (18 of 20) had successful reconstruction. Ten patients underwent successful implant placement and restoration. Conclusions Using careful patient selection, treatment of benign pathology with transoral resection and immediate reconstruction with a nonvascularized bone graft from the anterior iliac crest can be successful. In addition, the total treatment time from implant restoration to return to preoperative function is minimized. Therefore, this method of treatment is a viable treatment option and an alternative to delayed reconstruction or reconstruction with vascularized bone flaps.
Sonographic assessment of blunt abdominal trauma: a 4-year prospective study.

Purpose Emergency abdominal sonography has become a common modality worldwide in the evaluation of injuries caused by blunt trauma. The sensitivity of sonography in the detection of hemoperitoneum varies, and little is known about the accuracy of sonography in the detection of injuries to specific organs. The purpose of this study was to determine the overall accuracy of sonography in the detection of hemoperitoneum and solid-organ injury caused by blunt trauma. Methods From January 1995 to October 1998, 3,264 patients underwent emergency sonography at our institution to evaluate for free fluid and parenchymal abnormalities of specific organs caused by blunt trauma. All patients with intra-abdominal injuries (IAIs) were identified, and their sonographic findings were compared with their CT and operative findings, as well as their clinical outcomes. Results Three hundred ninety-six (12%) of the 3,264 patients had IAIs. Sonography detected free fluid presumed to represent hemoperitoneum in 288 patients (9%). The sonographic detection of free fluid alone had a 60% sensitivity, 98% specificity, 82% positive predictive value, and 95% negative predictive value for diagnosing IAI. The accuracy was 94%. Seventy patients (2%) had parenchymal abnormalities identified with sonography that corresponded to actual organ injuries. The sensitivity of the sonographic detection of free fluid and/or parenchymal abnormalities in diagnosing IAI was 67%. Conclusions Emergency sonography to evaluate patients for injury caused by blunt trauma is highly accurate and specific. The sonographic detection of free fluid is only moderately sensitive for diagnosing IAI, but the combination of free fluid and/or a parenchymal abnormality is more sensitive. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 30:59–67, 2002; DOI 10.1002/jcu.10033
Modeling climate-driven changes in U.S. buildings energy demand

How climate change might impact energy demand is not well understood, yet energy forecasting requires that assumptions be specified. This paper reviews the literature on the relationship between global warming and the demand for space cooling in buildings. It then estimates two key parameters that link energy for space cooling to cooling degree days (CDDs) using data for nine U.S. Census divisions, which is the spatial resolution of the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS). The first parameter is the set point temperature for calculating CDDs; the second is the exponent for representing the relationship between changes in CDDs and changes in electricity consumption for space cooling. We find that the best-fitting CDDs have a set point of 67 °F (19.4 °C), for both residential and commercial buildings, rather than the conventional 65 °F (18.3 °C). Set points also vary by region, with warmer regions tending to have higher set points. When CDDs are based on the conventional set point, the best fitting exponent is 1.5 for both residential and commercial buildings, indicating that space cooling is more climate-sensitive than is specified in NEMS. As a result, the official projections of U.S. energy consumption would appear to underestimate the energy required for space cooling.
Religion in the Making: Metaphysics & Religion

]Alfred North Whitehead’s book, Religion in the Making sets out to present a comprehensive method for understanding religion. His use of the term metaphysics denotes the science that explains the most relevant understanding about absolute phenomenon, while the term religion is often used to imply the force of belief and action that transforms character and ultimately the universe. Whitehead is particularly interested in employing “process philosophy” or “process metaphysics” to elucidate a general understanding of religious experience. Central to Whitehead’s purpose in addressing the issue of religion is his efforts to show that religion cannot avoid metaphysics and metaphysics is dependent upon religion.
Long term symptomatic, functional, and work outcomes of carpal tunnel syndrome among construction workers

Background The long-term outcomes of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) including symptoms, functional status, work disability, and economic impact are unknown. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 234 active construction workers with medical claims for CTS and 249 workers without CTS claims; non-cases were matched on age, trade, and insurance eligibility. We conducted telephone interviews with cases and non-cases and collected administrative data on work hours. Results Compared to non-cases, CTS cases were more likely to report recurrent hand symptoms, decreased work productivity/quality, decreased performance of physical work demands, and greater functional limitations. Surgical cases showed larger improvements on multiple outcomes than non-surgical cases. Minimal differences in paid work hours were seen between cases and non-cases in the years preceding and following CTS claims. Conclusions Persistent symptoms and functional impairments were present several years after CTS diagnosis. Long-term functional limitations shown by this and other studies indicate the need for improved prevention and treatment. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:357–368, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mediating Foreign Norms and Local Imperatives – Intellectual Property ‘Law’ as between the East and the West: From Imperial to ‘Modern’

China is recognized as one of the oldest continuous civilizations in the world and its economic and technological development has, arguably, been a world forerunner for a number of centuries. This article explores the motivation behind protection of property rights in the East, with a focus on imperial China (i.e. 221 BC to AD 1911) followed by efforts in China to regulate the reproduction of literary, innovation and creation prior to the 20th century, which highlight neither a formal or an informal counterpart to major forms of intellectual property (i.e. including copyright, patents and trademarks). While there exists scholarly work concerning intellectual property rights in select countries in the East, this paper takes the view that the recognition of intellectual property and indeed its regulation in China appears to have been curtailed (a view quite distinct to advanced) by both institutional and cultural factors. An understanding of this back-drop is paramount in forming an appreciation of the dynamics not only in the rather gradual implementation of intellectual property rights in China, but also increased trade relations between China and the West.
Implication of sphingosin-1-phosphate in cardiovascular regulation

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid metabolite generated by phosphorylation of sphingosine catalyzed by sphingosine kinase. S1P acts mainly through its high affinity G-protein-coupled receptors and participates in the regulation of multiple systems, including cardiovascular system. It has been shown that S1P signaling is involved in the regulation of cardiac chronotropy and inotropy and contributes to cardioprotection as well as cardiac remodeling; S1P signaling regulates vascular function, such as vascular tone and endothelial barrier, and possesses an anti-atherosclerotic effect; S1P signaling is also implicated in the regulation of blood pressure. Therefore, manipulation of S1P signaling may offer novel therapeutic approaches to cardiovascular diseases. As several S1P receptor modulators and sphingosine kinase inhibitors have been approved or under clinical trials for the treatment of other diseases, it may expedite the test and implementation of these S1P-based drugs in cardiovascular diseases.
History of Forensic Interviewing

When a person, whether a child or an adult, makes an accusation of sexual abuse (or is suspected of being a victim in the absence of a specific accusation), forensic interviews are used to explore what really happened. The history of interviews of abuse victims (and purported victims) is complicated, and this history has led directly to many of the specific practices used in forensic interviewing today. Human memory is a central player in this complexity and its tendency to err is central to the need for precise techniques. In this chapter, we discuss some of the key events of recent decades that have helped shape the modern forensic interview. We also describe some of the research that is relevant to the practice.
A phase I/Ib, open-label, dose-finding study to evaluate safety, pharmacodynamics, and efficacy of pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in combination with vorinostat in patients with advanced renal or urothelial cell carcinoma.

TPS4581Background: Novel strategies to enhance the activity of immune-checkpoint inhibitors are under development. Our group has reported that the HDAC inhibitor entinostat suppresses regulatory T ...
Checkpoint-based immunotherapy for autoimmune diseases – Opportunities and challenges

Immune checkpoint pathways modulate the T cell response to ensure their dual function in maintaining health, eradicating or controlling malignancy and infection, as well as tolerating host autoantigens. Dysregulation of the checkpoint pathways may lead to development of cancer or persistent infection, or alternately, autoimmune diseases. Currently available treatments for autoimmune diseases, such as steroid and nonsteroid immunosuppressive medicines, have limited efficacy. Checkpoint-based immunotherapy, designed to directly block the activation pathway or agitate the inhibitory pathway of autoreactive T cells, is a promising therapeutic strategy for restoring T cell tolerance in autoimmune diseases. A major challenge in developing the checkpoint-based therapy for autoimmune diseases is identifying pathways that will minimize the induction of adverse global immune suppression that impairs the host protective immunity against cancer and microbial pathogens. Therefore research efforts should focus on increasing the organ or antigen specificity of such therapies.
Glove Changing Practices of Mall Food Vendors in New Jersey

Gloves can serve as barriers to decrease the transfer of microorganisms from hands to food. Glove changing by food vendors is particularly important when handling paper currency, as bills can carry and transmit microbes from person to person. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) To ascertain the extent to which gloves are changed after monetary transactions in food vendors at a major mall in New Jersey; and (2) to document the level of bacterial contamination and the presence of coliform bacteria on paper currency handled by these vendors. This study was conducted with two phases: Phase 1, in which 10 min of observation of food workers was completed followed by a monetary sample collection and testing, and Phase 2, in which 1 h of observations were conducted. During Phase 1, gloves were changed after 4 (2.3%) of the 174 transactions. All the dollar bills collected from all 17 vendors during Phase 1 exhibited bacterial contamination. The number of CFUs ranged from 1.18 × 107 to 1.13 × 1010, and bills collected from 6 of the 17 vendors (35.3%) tested positive for coliform bacteria. In Phase 2, gloves were changed after 3.35% of the 1193 transactions observed. This study makes the critical connection between the lack of compliance by food workers with the health code, and the contaminated money they may be handling while dispensing food.
Abstract 16629: Cardiosphere-derived Cells Rescue T-tubule Microdomains in HFpEF Cardiomyocytes

Introduction: Patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) die primarily of cardiovascular causes, with sudden death being the single leading mode of death. The key pathophysiology of heart failure with reduced EF (HFrEF) includes widened t-tubule and abnormal calcium transients. cBIN1 (cardiac isoform of Bridging Integrator 1) is a membrane scaffolding protein organizing t-tubule dyads which are critical for normal calcium cycling. cBIN1 is reduced in HFrEF, impairing microdomain formation and increasing arrhythmia risk. Hypothesis: Reduction of cBIN1 and related pathological remodeling of t-tubules contribute to HFpEF pathophysiology, and cardiosphere-derived cells (CDC) can reverse these abnormalities. Methods: Dahl Salt-sensitive rats were fed low-salt (control) or high-salt diets (a phenotype-verified HFpEF responsive to CDC therapy; Gallet et al., JACC BTS 2016). Cardiomyocytes were isolated from control and HFpEF rats treated 4 weeks earlier with either intracoronary placebo or CDCs. Confocal and super-resolution STORM imaging were used to analyze t-tubule morphology, cBIN1 expression, and the distribution of dyad proteins Cav1.2 and RyR (ryanodine receptors). Results: cBIN1 at t-tubules is reduced in HFpEF myocytes. The t-tubule remodeling occurs with reduced local Cav1.2 and RyR. Along with the functional rescue reported by Gallet et al., CDC treatment increased cBIN1 and corrected t-tubule remodeling, doubling Cav1.2 expression at t-tubules. Moreover, RyR localization to the junctional SR membrane is impaired in HFpEF cardiomyocytes, and normalized by CDC treatment (Figure 1). Conclusion: cBIN1 is reduced and cBIN1-microdomains at t-tubules are impaired in HFpEF, reducing Cav1.2-RyR colocalization. CDC treatment rescues cBIN1-microdomains to normalize Cav1.2-RyR couplons at dyads. These changes in cBIN1 and couplons underlie the contractile abnormalities and their rescue by CDCs in this model of HFpEF.
Using CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing to generate C. difficile mutants defective in selenoproteins synthesis

Clostridium difficile is a significant concern as a nosocomial pathogen, and genetic tools are important when analyzing the physiology of such organisms so that the underlying physiology/pathogenesis of the organisms can be studied. Here, we used TargeTron to investigate the role of selenoproteins in C. difficile Stickland metabolism and found that a TargeTron insertion into selD, encoding the selenophosphate synthetase that is essential for the specific incorporation of selenium into selenoproteins, results in a significant growth defect and a global loss of selenium incorporation. However, because of potential polar effects of the TargeTron insertion, we developed a CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis system for C. difficile. This system rapidly and efficiently introduces site-specific mutations into the C. difficile genome (20–50% mutation frequency). The selD CRISPR deletion mutant had a growth defect in protein-rich medium and mimicked the phenotype of a generated TargeTron selD mutation. Our findings suggest that Stickland metabolism could be a target for future antibiotic therapies and that the CRISPR-Cas9 system can introduce rapid and efficient modifications into the C. difficile genome.
Living Memories of Womanlishness/Womanish and Womanism: Finding Voice on the Heels of Thinkers and Do-ers.

When I received an e-mail from Roland (Sintos Coloma) about participating in the 50th celebration of the American Educational Studies Association (AESA), I did not hesitate to agree to do so. What I did not envision, at the time, is how difficult and complex this process of writing an article for the special issue of Educational Studies is. I have several titles and introductions filed under the proverbial t because nothing felt fiery, engaging, or like me. I knew that living memories is a must, in light of 2017's conference theme: “Memory, Remembering & Forgetting: (Re)Envisioning Educational Worlds.” However, my spirit and soul were hungry for (what?); but I couldn't name the missing ingredient(s).
Extraction of purple corn (Zea mays L.) cob pigments and phenolic compounds using food-friendly solvents

Abstract Purple corn cob (PCC) is an economic anthocyanin-rich source that could serve as food colorant. Pigment extraction from PCC using mild solvent can be difficult because PCC have hard texture and complex matrix. Due to toxicity concerns, most acidified aqueous organic solvents that produce high anthocyanin recovery from PCC are not desirable for food applications. In this study a consumer-friendly solvent (aqueous ethanol) was used at different ethanol ratios (0–100%) to determine PCC anthocyanin recovery as compared to methanol and 70% (v/v) aqueous acetone. Different acidity levels (0–2% 6 N HCl, v/v) were also investigated to see if the PCC pigment extraction yield could be improved by adjusting solvent acidity. The PCC extract obtained by water-ethanol ratio around 1:1 (40%–60% ethanol) achieved highest yield of monomeric anthocyanins (>13.5 mg/g FW) with low polymeric color, comparable to 70% acetone (14.3 mg/g FW). The amount of PCC monomeric anthocyanin and phenolics recovery extracted with different water-ethanol combination could be predicted using quadratic models (R2 = 0.94 and 0.95). The solvent acidity seemed to impacted water PCC extraction but not much in 70% acetone extraction. This study provides valuable reference information to extract pigments from PCC for potential food application, as synthetic red dye alternatives.
Fruits and Vegetables Versus Vegetables and Fruits: Rhyme and Reason for Word Order in Health Messages

Both vegetable and fruit consumption contribute to wellness and disease prevention. Most dietary health messages promote both together and position the word "fruits" before "vegetables." We examined the word order of the commonly used phrase "fruits and vegetables" through linguistics, psychology, botany, nutrition, health outcomes, and current US intake to determine if the common word order best presents these two foods in health messaging. By comparing the 10 most commonly consumed vegetables versus fruits, we found that vegetables scored higher on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index and contained fewer calories and more fiber than fruits. Among the "nutrients of public concern" listed in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, we determined that vegetables are better sources of these nutrients than fruits, although fruits scored higher in antioxidant content. In observational cohort studies, vegetable and fruit consumption was found to be associated with decreased mortality. Finally, daily intakes of both vegetables and fruits are lower than recommended, but the discrepancy is larger for vegetables-especially among children-suggesting a greater imperative to promote vegetables. For these reasons, future health messages promoting both together should intentionally put "vegetables" first to promote intake and emphasize their importance regarding contribution to health.
Seeding Rate and Planting Date Impacts Stand Density, Diseases, and Yield of Irrigated Peanuts

ABSTRACT Release of peanut cultivars with enhanced tomato spotted wilt (TSW) resistance along with the decline in the incidence of this disease gives Alabama producers the option of earlier plantin...
Relative glycosidic bond stabilities of naturally occurring methylguanosines: 7-methylation is intrinsically activating.

The frequency and diversity of posttranscriptional modifications add an additional layer of chemical complexity beyond canonical nucleic acid sequence. Methylations are particularly frequently occu...
Using Lexical Chains to Identify Text Difficulty: A Corpus Statistics and Classification Study

Our goal is data-driven discovery of features for text simplification. In this paper, we investigate three types of lexical chains: exact, synonymous, and semantic. A lexical chain links semantically related words in a document. We examine their potential with a document-level corpus statistics study (914 texts) to estimate their overall capacity to differentiate between easy and difficult text and a classification task (11 000 sentences) to determine usefulness of features at sentence-level for simplification. For the corpus statistics study we tested five document-level features for each chain type: total number of chains, average chain length, average chain span, number of crossing chains, and the number of chains longer than half the document length. We found significant differences between easy and difficult text for average chain length and the average number of cross chains. For the sentence classification study, we compared the lexical chain features to standard bag-of-words features on a range of classifiers: logistic regression, naive Bayes, decision trees, linear and RBF kernel SVM, and random forest. The lexical chain features performed significantly better than the bag-of-words baseline across all classifiers with the best classifier achieving an accuracy of ∼90% (compared to 78% for bag-of-words). Overall, we find several lexical chain features provide specific information useful for identifying difficult sentences of text, beyond what is available from standard lexical features.
A chemical pathway perspective on the kinetics of low-temperature ignition of propane

Abstract The chemistry of low-temperature ignition in propane/air mixtures is analyzed using a recently developed pathway representation of the chemical kinetics. The “Sum Over Histories Representation” allows time-dependent kinetic observables to be computed using an expansion over global chemical pathways that follow chemical moieties as they move through a complex reaction network. This methodology assigns probabilities to complete chemical pathways through which specific intermediate or product species are generated. The growth of the radical pool during the ignition process is analyzed by enumerating chemical pathways that constitute catalytic cycles, in particular the catalyzed production of the highly reactive OH-radical. In addition to the well-known reaction route followed in low-temperature ignition of hydrocarbons which involves the QOOH and keto-hydroperoxide species, we have explicitly identified several other cycles that are responsible for most of the remaining OH-production.
Extreme enhancement of interfacial adhesion by bulk patterning of sacrificial cuts

Abstract Many biological materials, such as bone and nacre, gain their strength and toughness through the formation of sacrificial bonds and hidden length structures. Here, inspired by these structural features, we propose a new mechanism for enhancing the interfacial adhesion toughness between an elastic body and a rigid substrate through patterning sacrificial secondary cuts in the bulk elastic material. The proposed sacrificial cuts are designed to break prior to detachment, altering the load path in the material and adding more compliance to the system, thus, increasing the total amount of work required before detachment while enabling independent control of the peak stress amplitude. Numerically, we use the finite element method to show that interfacial adhesion may be extremely enhanced by using multiple layers of sacrificial cuts and we provide a simple analytical framework to explain the underlying mechanism. Furthermore, we show that the overall behavior is tunable by changing the geometric and material parameters of the sacrificial cuts. In particular, the total work of adhesion may be made to increase linearly with the number of layers of the cuts. We discuss our findings in the context of enhancing interfacial adhesion by modulating the bulk geometric properties.
Oral Drug Absorption: Evaluation and Prediction

Publisher Summary The key parameters controlling drug absorption are three dimensionless numbers: dose number, dissolution number, and absorption number, representing the fundamental processes of membrane permeation, drug dissolution, and dose, respectively. The everted sac approach has been widely used to study intestinal drug transport. Everted sacs are prepared from rat intestine by quickly removing the intestine from the decapitated animal, flushing with a saline solution, everting it over a glass rod (diameter 3 mm), filling it with fresh oxygenated culture medium, and dividing it into sacs approximately 2–4 cm in length with silk suture. The improved everted sac technique is a useful tool to study the mechanisms of uptake of molecules. The Ussing chamber technique utilizes small intestinal sheets, which are mounted between two compartments. One application of the Ussing chamber technique is to study transepithelial drug transport in combination with intestinal metabolism. Another wide application of the Ussing chamber system is to investigate the regional differences in intestinal absorption. In silico models that can accurately predict the membrane permeability of test drugs based on lipophilicity, H bonding capacity molecular size, polar surface area, and quantum properties, have the potential to specifically direct chemical synthesis, and, therefore revolutionize drug discovery processes.
Structural Changes of Mobile Gravel Bed Surface for Increasing Flow Intensity

AbstractThe structure of a mobile bed in a laboratory channel composed of sand and gravel (D50=8 mm) was characterized over a series of experiments with steady flows from a low flow, where only th...
New Perspectives in International Marketing Research

It is our goal to gain recognition for the Journal of Global Marketing among the top-tier journals and attract the best research papers with a global, cross-cultural, and/or cross-national research...
A Prognostic, One-Equation Model of Meso-Scale Eddy Momentum Fluxes

We present a prognostic, one-equation model for eddy-mean flow interactions to parameterize the divergence of the Eliassen-Palm flux tensor (EPFT) that arises from thickness-weighted averaging (TWA) the hydrostatic Boussinesq equations. The TWA system of equations does not invoke approximations beyond those for which the hydrostatic Boussinesq equations are valid, constituting a mathematically consistent framework with clear physical interpretations. This model is intended for the adiabatic interior of zonally symmetric flows, in the absence of topographic features, where terms corresponding to eddy interfacial form drag in the EPFT dominate forces. We model eddy interfacial form drag terms for vertical flux of horizontal momentum using the gradient hypothesis, as the product of an eddy viscosity and the vertical gradient of horizontal momentum. We use mixing length theory to relate viscosity to an eddy length scale and an eddy velocity, which is proportional to the eddy energy in the TWA system. The eddy length scale is modeled as the first Rossby radius of deformation, which we calculate as a function of the mean flow. We use a prognostic equation for vertically integrated eddy energy at each horizontal location, which we derive from the TWA framework, and then simplify to the flows of interest by ignoring transport, redistribution and diabatic terms. The prognostic vertically integrated eddy energy is projected onto the water column using the eigenvalue of the first baroclinic mode to obtain the eddy energy at each vertical position. The eddy viscosity has horizontal as well as vertical structure. We diagnosed the model equations in an eddy resolving numerical simulation of a zonally re-entrant channel representative of the Southern Ocean. We have implemented the model parameterization in an ocean model and tested it to simulate a parameterized simulation of this flow.
A neural network to predict the knee adduction moment in patients with osteoarthritis using anatomical landmarks obtainable from 2D video analysis

Summary Objective The knee adduction moment (KAM) can inform treatment of medial knee osteoarthritis; however, measuring the KAM requires an expensive gait analysis laboratory. We evaluated the feasibility of predicting the peak KAM during natural and modified walking patterns using the positions of anatomical landmarks that could be identified from video analysis. Method Using inverse dynamics, we calculated the KAM for 86 individuals (64 with knee osteoarthritis, 22 without) walking naturally and with foot progression angle modifications. We trained a neural network to predict the peak KAM using the 3-dimensional positions of 13 anatomical landmarks measured with motion capture (3D neural network). We also trained models to predict the peak KAM using 2-dimensional subsets of the dataset to simulate 2-dimensional video analysis (frontal and sagittal plane neural networks). Model performance was evaluated on a held-out, 8-person test set that included steps from all trials. Results The 3D neural network predicted the peak KAM for all test steps with r2( Murray et al., 2012) 2 = 0.78. This model predicted individuals’ average peak KAM during natural walking with r2( Murray et al., 2012) 2 = 0.86 and classified which 15° foot progression angle modifications reduced the peak KAM with accuracy = 0.85. The frontal plane neural network predicted peak KAM with similar accuracy (r2( Murray et al., 2012) 2 = 0.85) to the 3D neural network, but the sagittal plane neural network did not (r2( Murray et al., 2012) 2 = 0.14). Conclusion Using the positions of anatomical landmarks from motion capture, a neural network accurately predicted the peak KAM during natural and modified walking. This study demonstrates the feasibility of measuring the peak KAM using positions obtainable from 2D video analysis.
Effects of antiepileptic drugs on hormones.

Abstract Epilepsy, a common neurological disorder, affects about 50 million people around the world. The prevalence of epilepsy is approximately 6.8 per 1000 in the US [ 1 ].Since it is a chronic disease, it often requires lifelong treatment. The severity of epilepsy may vary from well controlled seizure on monotherapy to refractory seizures on polytherapy with many comorbidities and several drug related side effects and interactions [ 2 ]. Although there are many alternative treatment options for for epilepsy, such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), surgery, and a ketogenic diet, antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are accepted as the first choice [ 2 ].Common adverse effects of AEDs include dizziness, drowsiness, mental slowing, skin rashes, hepatotoxicity, movement and behavioral disorders, and metabolic disturbances, such as weight gain, metabolic acidosis, and nephrolithiasis [ 3 ].Although some of AED side effects may be cosmetic changes such as weight gain, hair loss, acne, or masculine hair distribution in women, hormonal effects of antiepileptic drugs can have a significant impact on the life quality of patients. AEDs can affect hormonal balance in different areas, from bone health to fertility, sexual dysfunction,and thyroid abnormalities [ 4 ].
Proposal for a Spin-Torque-Oscillator Maser Enabled by Microwave Photon-Spin Coupling

We study a direct-current-driven maser device enabled by spin-photon coupling, where coherent magnetic self-oscillation can be realized in a large-area ferromagnetic thin film under the excitation of spin-orbit torques. We show via both micromagnetic simulation and analytical derivation that above a critical value of the coupling strength between the spin-torque oscillator and the microwave resonator, magnetic oscillation develops macroscopic phase coherence, a narrow linewidth, and becomes phase-locked with the photon mode. The threshold coupling strength for synchronizing individual spins reduces as the sample dimension increases, suggesting that the spin-torque-oscillator maser can be readily realized using large-area thin-film ferromagnets without relying on dimension confinement. Moreover, the photon mode can directly provide microwave emission, which exhibits enhanced power and a reduced linewidth with an increasing number of spins, leading to a useful approach for developing highly coherent on-chip microwave sources.
Chapter 4 Fluorine-Containing Agrochemicals: An Overview of Recent Developments

Abstract The dramatic effect of fluorine on the biological activity of agrochemicals such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and plant growth regulators has earned fluorine a unique place in the toolbox of the agrochemical chemist. Introduction of fluorine into a biologically active molecule during the structure–activity optimization process can dramatically modify its biological activity by affecting any of a number of parameters, such as binding to a target receptor or enzyme, transporting the bioactive molecule from the point of application to the target site, and blocking metabolic deactivation. This enhanced role of fluorine in the discovery of new agrochemicals is reflected in more than three-fold increase in the number of fluorine-containing agrochemicals in the past three decades. In this review, we discuss recent developments and challenges in the field of fluorine-containing agrochemicals and place them in the context of work done in the past five decades.
Identification of Africanized honeybees via nonlinear multilayer perceptrons

Africanized ("killer") honeybees represent an immediate and serious threat to public and agricultural well-being in the southern United States due to their recent immigration from Central and South America. Discrimination of hybrid Africanized bees from native European-stock bees is problematic, and the current linear statistical tools used for this purpose are not totally reliable. The authors describe the use of multilayer perceptron neural networks for classifying bees on the basis of quantitative wing-vein traits and evaluate their performance with respect to linear discriminant functions. The networks generalize significantly better than linear functions, with success rates consistently greater than 95%. Thus these preliminary results are very encouraging and promise a powerful approach to the identification of hybrid Africanized honeybees. >
Chordoma: incidence and survival patterns in the United States, 1973-1995.

Background: Chordoma, a rare tumor arising from notochordal remnants, has been described to date only by single-institution case series or small population-based surveys.
Abstract 19811: Circulating Soluble ST2 Levels are Independent of Cardiac Production after Acute Myocardial Injury

Background: Soluble ST2 (sST2) is a decoy receptor that modulates the anti-hypertrophic and anti-fibrotic IL-33/ST2 pathway. sST2 is associated with adverse prognosis in HF and ACS; both states are associated with cardiac injury. However, sST2 levels are also increased in non-cardiac disease. To determine the extent of cardiac production of sST2 both chronically and after acute myocardial injury, we measured fractional cardiac production of sST2 compared to the cardiac specific injury marker high sensitive (hs) cTnT before and after elective cardiac ablation. Methods: Twenty-three patients undergoing ablation of atrial fibrillation were enrolled [Caucasian 22 (96%); Male 17 (74%); Age 57.7±10.4 years; eGFR 58.7 ± 0.6 mL/min/1.73m2). Of the 23, 15 (65%) had paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. At baseline, 14 (61%) were in sinus rhythm. Samples were obtained from the radial artery and coronary sinus (CS) pre- and post-ablation. sST2 was measured by the Presage assay. Post ablation samples were measured 201±44 m...
Dystonia: a disorder often misdiagnosed as a conversion reaction

The authors studied the records of 84 patients who had idiopathic torsion dystonia. Thirty-seven cases had originally been misdiagnosed as primarily psychiatric illness. Only 1 patient presented with dystonic movements that were clearly part of a more general psychiatric disorder. The authors believe her to be the first reported patient whose dystonia is undeniably of psychogenic origin.
Magnetic circular dichroism.

Publisher Summary Magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) is the differential absorption of left and right circularly polarized light induced by an externally applied magnetic field. MCD is one of the several forms of “higher order” spectroscopy that can augment the information provided by the measurement of the absorption of a sample using unpolarized electromagnetic radiation. The additional information provided by MCD can aid in resolving complex absorption spectra. The most sophisticated applications of MCD involve the extraction of properties of the system under study by comparison of experimental spectral parameters with theoretical models. Because of the cost and difficulty of operation of advanced CD spectrometers and superconducting magnets, MCD has developed as a field dominated by a relatively small number of specialists. The extension of MCD technology into the X-ray domain may continue this trend, as a “beam line” (experimental station) suitable for MCD spectroscopy may cost several million dollars—exclusive of the cost of the synchrotron itself.