cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maximality and Intrinsic Properties

A property, F, is maximal iff, roughly, large parts of an F are not themselves Fs. Maximal properties are thus extrinsic, for their instantiation by x depends on what larger things x is part of. Maximality makes trouble for a recent analysis of intrinsicality by Rae Langton and David Lewis. Their theory implies that “non-disjunctive” properties are intrinsic if they are independent of “loneliness”; but many ordinary, apparently nondisjunctive, properties satisfy this test but are nevertheless extrinsic in virtue of being maximal. A property, F, is maximal iff, roughly, large parts of an F are not themselves Fs. 1 Maximality makes trouble for a recent analysis of intrinsicality by Rae Langton and David Lewis. (1998).
The Association Between Sequences of Sexual Initiation and the Likelihood of Teenage Pregnancy

Abstract Purpose Few studies have examined the health and developmental consequences, including unintended pregnancy, of different sexual behavior initiation sequences. Some work suggests that engaging in oral–genital sex first may slow the transition to coital activity and lead to more consistent contraception among adolescents. Methods Using logistic regression analysis, we investigated the association between sequences of sexual initiation (i.e., initiating oral–genital or vaginal sex first based on reported age of first experience) and the likelihood of subsequent teenage pregnancy among 6,069 female respondents who reported vaginal sex before age 20 years and participated in waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Results Among female respondents initiating vaginal sex first, 31.4% reported a teen pregnancy. Among female respondents initiating two behaviors at the same age, 20.5% reported a teen pregnancy. Among female respondents initiating oral–genital sex first, 7.9% reported a teen pregnancy. In multivariate models, initiating oral–genital sex first, with a delay of at least 1 year to vaginal sex, and initiating two behaviors within the same year were each associated with a lower likelihood of adolescent pregnancy relative to teens who initiated vaginal sex first (odds ratio=.23, 95% confidence interval: .15–.37; and odds ratio=.78, 95% confidence interval: .60–.92, respectively). Conclusions How adolescents begin their sexual lives may be differentially related to positive and negative health outcomes. To develop effective pregnancy prevention efforts for teens and ensure programs are relevant to youths' needs, it is important to consider multiple facets of sexual initiation and their implications for adolescent sexual health and fertility.
New auditor risk–assessment guide

How should auditors judge risk, with the current economic turmoil and new regulations? The authors give some much-needed guidance for these complicated times. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Response to phage infection of immobilized lactococci during continuous acidification and inoculation of skim milk

A laboratory scale bioreactor was used for continuous acidification and inoculation of milk with a proteinase-negative, lactose-fermenting strain, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis C2S. Calcium alginate-entrapped cells were immobilized on a spiral stainless steel mesh incorporated into a column bioreactor and used to acidify and inoculate reconstituted skim milk. Characteristics of the immobilized cell bioreactor (ICB) were compared with those of a free cell bioreactor (FCB) during challenge with a virulent phage. Steady state biomass and lactate productivities were respectively 25-fold and 12-fold larger with the ICB than with the FCB. The ICB and the FCB were inoculated with the prolate phage c2 at multiplicities of infection of 0·25 and 0·02 respectively. Within 90 min of the infection, the FCB viable cell concentration dropped by five orders of magnitude and never recovered, while the plaque forming units/ml increased dramatically. In the ICB, released cells decreased immediately after infection, but subsequently increased, while the plaque forming units/ml steadily declined, indicating that phage were being washed out of the bioreactor. Productivity of FCB decreased to zero, whereas productivity of the ICB only decreased ∼ 60% and subsequently recovered to its initial steady state value.
Pediatric Melanoma: Risk Factor and Survival Analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Database

Purpose To evaluate risk factors for the development of and factors influencing survival in pediatric melanoma. Patients and Methods We evaluated 1,255 children (age < 20 years) and 2,673 young adults (age 20 to 24 years) with melanoma in the 2001 National Cancer Institute (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. We estimated exposure to UV radiation based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) measurements. Results The incidence of pediatric melanoma increased 46% (95% CI, 40 to 52) per year of age and 2.9% (95% CI, 2.1 to 3.6) per year from 1973 to 2001. Incidence rates were lower in black patients (−95%; 95% CI, −98 to −90) compared with white patients and in male patients (−39%; 95% CI −46 to −31) compared with females. Increased ambient UV radiation was associated with elevated risk (19% per kJ; 95% CI, 9 to 30). Children with melanoma had a 5-year melanoma-specific survival of 93.6% (95% CI, 91.9 to 94.9), which improved from 1973 to 2001. The hazard ratio of death from me...
Experimental verification of a hand held electronically-collimated radiation detector

A hand-held electronically-collimated directional detector is being developed for gamma-radiation source localization. The system comprises a 6-sided box of detectors; Compton scatter events between pairs of detectors provide the source localization data. We report on experimental and simulation results for a partial prototype, with extrapolation to potential performance of a full detector system. The partial prototype used CZT detector modules to form two sides of the box geometry, with external signal processing and data acquisition components. Coincidence data were collected with the calibrated detector from Na-22, Cs-137 and Co-60 sources. The simulation model for charge collection in thick monolithic CZT accounted for charge trapping and sharing with estimation of hole and electron mobility, along with a linear approximation for charge sharing between pixels. By using calibration data from the prototype, the charge trapping model mimicked the average energy response, including tailing seen in the CZT energy spectra. Measured Compton-scatter data were compared for the three sources to the corresponding simulation results for a model of the two-sided prototype. Simulation results were also generated for the full 6-sided box geometry. The simulation model and prototype data showed that charge sharing and trapping contributed significantly to measured angular error and resolution for these CZT detector modules. The angular error typically was less than 5 degrees with angular resolution of 20-40 degrees FWHM, depending strongly on source location for the two-sided prototype. The 6-sided box simulation showed that reasonable direction-finding capabilities were possible even with the relatively coarse energy and spatial resolution of these CZT detector modules. Some discrepancies between simulation and prototype were due to the simple physics model used in the simulation; the charge trapping and sharing model is being incorporated into a more sophisticated GEANT4 simulation of the hand-held electronically-collimated detector system. Improvements to energy and spatial resolution of the detector modules should substantially improve overall system performance.
Evaluation of a continuing education program in rheumatoid arthritis

A continuing medical education (CME) program in rheumatoid arthritis was implemented and evaluated in six community hospitals. It was targeted at primary care physicians and utilized physicians identified by their peers as being educationally influential for the dissemination of content knowledge. Although inpatient and outpatient audits of physician records demonstrated little change in three control communities, substantial improvement in the utilization of diagnostic procedures and patient management was documented in the three intervention communities utilizing the influential physicians. CME delivered through community-based educationally influential physicians is an effective way to change physician behavior in small communities with no prior ongoing educational programs. This approach should improve the primary care given to patients with rheumatoid arthritis and reduce the need for participation of academic faculty in traditional CME programs.
Diminished Insulin and Glucagon Secretory Responses to Arginine in Nondiabetic Subjects With a Mutation in the Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor–4α/MODY1 Gene

Nondiabetic subjects with the Q268X mutation in the hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)-4α/MODY1 gene have impaired glucose-induced insulin secretion. To ascertain the effects of the nonglucose secretagogue arginine on insulin and glucagon secretion in these subjects, we studied 18 members of the RW pedigree: 7 nondiabetic mutation negative (ND[−]), 7 nondiabetic mutation positive (ND[+]), and 4 diabetic mutation positive (D[+]). We gave arginine as a 5-g bolus, followed by a 25-min infusion at basal glucose concentrations, and after glucose infusion to clamp plasma glucose at ∼200 mg/dl. The acute insulin response (AIR), the 10–60 min insulin area under the curve (AUC), and the insulin secretion rate (ISR) were compared, as were the acute glucagon response (AGR) and glucagon AUC. The ND[+] and D[+] groups had decreased insulin AUC and ISR and decreased glucose potentiation of AIR, insulin AUC, and ISR to arginine administration when compared with the ND[−] group. At basal glucose concentrations, glucagon AUC was greatest for the ND[−] group, intermediate for the ND[+] group, and lowest for the D[+] group. During the hyperglycemic clamp, there was decreased suppression of glucagon AUC for both ND[+] and D[+] groups compared with the ND[−] group. The decreased ISR to arginine in the ND[+] group compared with the ND[−] group, magnified by glucose potentiation, indicated that HNF-4α affects the signaling pathway for arginine-induced insulin secretion. The decrease in glucagon AUC and decreased suppression of glucagon AUC with hyperglycemia suggest that mutations in HNF-4α may lead to α-cell as well as β-cell secretory defects or a reduction in pancreatic islet mass.
Adaptive connection to the world through self-organizing sensors and effectors

The realm of devices composed of adaptive sensing, computing, and effecting elements is surveyed, and contemporary devices are categorized accordingly. A new class of adaptive devices, those which adaptively construct their sensors and effectors, is presented. Such complement those which perform adaptive computations and could be used for adaptively constructing appropriate feature and action primitives for connectionist devices, thereby determining the real-world semantic categories within which the computational optimizations take place. Networks of such semantically adaptive elements would be capable of open-ended generation of new, orthogonal signal types, not logically reducible to preexisting types. An alternative conception of neurons as adaptive temporal elements utilizing the dynamic properties of excitable membranes is briefly outlined. >
Does choice of estimators influence conclusions from true metabolizable energy feeding trials

True metabolizable energy (TME) is a measure of avian dietary quality that accounts for metabolic fecal and endogenous urinary energy losses (EL) of non-die- tary origin. The TME is calculated using a bird fed the test diet and an estimate of EL derived from another bird (Paired Bird Correction), the same bird (Self Cor- rection), or several other birds (Group Mean Correc- tion). We evaluated precision of these estimators by using each to calculate TME of three seed diets in blue- winged teal (Anas discors). The TME varied by <2% among estimators for all three diets, and Self Correction produced the least variable TMEs for each. The TME did not differ between estimators in nine paired com- parisons within diets, but variation between estimators within individual birds was sufficient to be of practical consequence. Although differences in precision among methods were slight, Self Correction required the lowest sample size to achieve a given precision. Feeding trial methods that minimize variation among individuals have several desirable properties, including higher pre- cision of TME estimates and more rigorous experi- mental control. Consequently, we believe that Self Correction is most likely to accurately represent nutri- tional value of food items and should be considered the standard method for TME feeding trials.
Robert Boyle's landmark book of 1660 with the first experiments on rarified air.

In 1660, Robert Boyle (1627–1691) published his landmark book New Experiments Physico-Mechanicall, Touching the Spring of the Air, and its Effects… in which he described the first controlled experi...
Interrater Reliability of an Oral Case Presentation Rating Tool in a Pediatric Clerkship

Background: Composing and delivering effective oral case presentations is an important skill for medical students to learn, but the large variety of patients and presenting problems makes teaching and evaluating this skill complex. Few published tools are available for educators to use, and those that are described are not well studied. Purpose: The authors describe the development of the Patient Presentation Rating tool and the study to establish its interrater reliability. Methods: Three raters reviewed 15 recorded new patient presentations delivered by 3rd-year medical students on their pediatrics clerkship. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to determine the interrater reliability of the tool as a whole, its subsections, and each individual item. Results: The tool was found to reliably rate the technical aspects of presenting patients as well as several aspects of clinical reasoning embedded in that process. Conclusions: The Patient Presentation Rating tool is a reliable instrument for eval...
Cultural Differences in Face-ism: Male Politicians Have Bigger Heads in More Gender-Equal Cultures.

Women are visually depicted with lower facial prominence than men, with consequences for perceptions of their competence. The current study examines the relationship between the size of this “face-ism” bias (i.e., individual or micro-level sexism) and a number of gender inequality indicators (i.e., institutional or macro-level sexism) at the cross-cultural level. In one of the largest known face-ism databases to date, the authors used politicians’ official online photographs as stimuli (N = 6,610) to explore how face-ism (as an example of individual-level sexism) covaries with institutional sexism across 25 cultures. The authors found that the face-ism bias was greater in cultures with lower levels of institutional gender inequality, demonstrating that institutional equality does not necessarily imply equality on the individual level. The authors offer a number of potential speculations for this mismatch. For example, it may be due to “postfeminist” backlash that occurs in response to decreases in level o...
Motivation of Engineering Students to Participate in Teaching Evaluations

This study employs expectancy theory to evaluate some key factors that motivate students to participate in the teaching evaluation process. The results show that engineering students generally consider the improvement of teaching to be the most important outcome of teaching evaluations, followed by the improvement of course content and format. Making the results of evaluations available for students' decisions on course and instructor selection ranked third, while the least important use was influencing a professor's tenure, promotion, and salary raise. Students' motivation to participate in teaching evaluations is also impacted significantly by their expectation that they will be able to provide meaningful feedback.
Characterization and design for variability and reliability

Device variability due to sub-wavelength lithography, layout complexity, and random effects is impacting manufacturable design. Defects, aging, and noise must also be accounted for in design and manufacturing. Characterization structures to quantify these effects, measured behaviors, the resulting models, and design and tools mitigation actions are presented in this paper.
Evidence for Two Pulses of Glaciation during the Late Proterozoic in Northern Utah and Southeastern Idaho

A record of glaciation during late Proterozoic time is preserved in a number of localities extending from the Sheeprock Mountains, Utah, to Pocatello, Idaho, and from the Park City area 40 km east of Salt Lake City to the Deep Creek Range along the Utah-Nevada line. Over much of this area, the glacial deposits and associated rocks thicken westward and form the basal part of a miogeoclinal wedge that accumulated near the late Proterozoic and early Paleozoic continental margin. In the east, such deposits are thin and rest on Archean basement or rocks of Proterozoic Y age; in the west, they are part of thicker sequences in which deposition apparently continued without significant interruption from late Proterozoic into Cambrian time. In many places, the original continuity between the western and eastern parts of the depositional wedge has been obscured by thrusting of Cretaceous and early Tertiary age that carried the thick basinal sequences eastward over those deposited on the continental platform. Recent mapping of Fremont Island in Great Salt Lake, the Wasatch Range between Ogden and Brigham City, and the Sheeprock Mountains shows that glacial episodes represented either by diamictite or by dropstones enclosed in finegrained laminated beds are separated by as much as 1,000 m of non-glacial deposits, including black slate, alternating graywacke and siltstone, quartzite, and conglomerate. Using reasonable sedimentation rates for such deposits and by comparison with modern analogues, we infer that two episodes of glaciation, each probably consisting of multiple advances and retreats, were separated by a non-glacial interval of a few hundred thousand to a few million years' duration. Correlation of the allochthonous, miogeoclinal glacial deposits with the single glacial unit present in autochthonous and parautochthonous platform sites is uncertain, but our interpretation of sedimentary facies and paleogeography suggests that only the younger of the two episodes recorded in the allochthon is represented by the diamictites of the autochthon.
The Verhovek Company: A Financial Statement Introduction To The Systems Understanding Aid

This paper describes an original AIS project and relates several of its features to ongoing discussion of curricular issues in accounting education. The Verhovek Company is a spreadsheetbased AIS exercise that prepares students for the Arens-Ward Systems Understanding Aid. It introduces systems concepts and competencies such as documentation and structured design in the context of procedures and software that are relatively familiar to accounting students. The exercise uses several topics from Intermediate Financial Accounting to illustrate specialized spreadsheet functions and to provide students with an opportunity to build a carefully structured set of worksheets that control the flow of information from data and assumptions through calculations, adjusting entries and then into the financial statements. Upon successful completion of the project students have a financial statement template readily adaptable to the preparation of financial statements for the SUA.
Evaluation of In Vitro Activity of the Class I PI3K Inhibitor Buparlisib (BKM120) in Pediatric Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas

Pediatric bone and soft tissue sarcomas often display increased Akt phosphorylation through up regulation of insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) signaling. Additionally, Akt signaling has been linked to resistance to IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) and mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) inhibitors in sarcoma, further demonstrating the role of Akt in tumor survival. This suggests targeting components of the PI3K/Akt pathway may be an effective therapeutic strategy. Here, we investigated the in vitro activity of the pan-class I PI3K inhibitor buparlisib (BKM120) in pediatric bone and soft tissue sarcomas. Buparlisib inhibited activation of Akt and signaling molecules downstream of mTORC1 (mTOR complex 1) in Ewing sarcoma, osteosarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines. Anti-proliferative effects were observed in both anchorage dependent and independent conditions and apoptosis was induced within 24 hours of drug treatment. Buparlisib demonstrated cytotoxicity as a single agent, but was found to be more effective when used in combination. Synergy was observed when buparlisib was combined with the IGF1R inhibitor NVP-AEW541 and the mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin. The addition of NVP-AEW541 also further reduced phospho-Akt levels and more potently induced apoptosis compared to buparlisib treatment alone. Additionally, the combination of buparlisib with the MEK1/2 inhibitor trametinib resulted in synergy in sarcoma cell lines possessing MAPK pathway mutations. Taken together, these data indicate buparlisib could be a novel therapy for the treatment of pediatric bone and soft tissue sarcomas.
Control Mechanisms in dsDNA Bacteriophage Assembly

The introduction of the use of T-even bacteriophages as genetic and biochemical experimental systems by Max Delbruck in the late 1930s has led to the intense study of many aspects of bacteriophage biology. Of these, two related endeavors, the study of the structure and the assembly of the virions, have been very important models in the development of our current understanding of macromolecular assembly processes. Twenty years ago, Edgar, Kellenberger, Epstein, and collaborators nucleated these studies by showing that phage assembly follows defined pathways that can accumulate assembly intermediates when blocked and that the assembly-naive components of phage T4 thus accumulated could join properly in vitro (Epstein et al., 1963; Edgar and Wood, 1966; Wood et al., 1968). Since that time, the structure and assembly of many bacteriophages and other viruses have been studied. The possibility of completely defining the genetic systems, and therefore the proteins involved, has made phage assembly a particularly popular and tractable area in which to study macromolecular assembly. We will not consider it the mission of this chapter to collect the details of this myriad of studies. The reader should consult other chapters in this volume or other reviews for such details (e.g., Casjens and King, 1975; Murialdo and Becker, 1978a; Eiserling, 1979; Wood and King, 1979; King, 1980; DuBow, 1981; Mathews et al., 1983; Hendrix et al., 1983; Casjens, 1985c; Carrascosa, 1986). Instead we will focus on general questions currently under study and attempts to answer them in the various dsDNA phage systems. We will not discuss the problem of DNA packaging in detail and will not cover the lipid-containing dsDNA phages.
THE CENTRAL BONE GRAFT IN JOINT ARTHRODESIS

By means of the method of securing fixation in joint arthrodesis which has been described, position and alignment are ensured and osteosynthesis is hastened. Growth arrestment does not occur from a graft passing through the epiphyseal plates at or near the central area .
Osteocutaneous maxillofacial allotransplantation: lessons learned from a novel cadaver study applying orthognathic principles and practice.

Background:Osteocutaneous maxillofacial allotransplantation is an encouraging technique for reconstruction of complex midfacial injuries (i.e., Gordon type III composite tissue allotransplantation). Although clinical results have been promising, there are no published guidelines, to date, on how to
Electrochemical Reduction of Brønsted Acids by Glassy Carbon in Acetonitrile—Implications for Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Molecular catalysts for electrochemically driven hydrogen evolution are often studied in acetonitrile with glassy carbon working electrodes and Bronsted acids. Surprisingly, little information is available regarding the potentials at which acids are directly reduced on glassy carbon. This work examines acid electroreduction in acetonitrile on glassy carbon electrodes by cyclic voltammetry. Reduction potentials, spanning a range exceeding 2 V, were found for 20 acids. The addition of 100 mM water was not found to shift the reduction potential of any acid studied, although current enhancement was observed for some acids. The data reported provides a guide for selecting acids to use in electrocatalysis experiments such that direct electrode reduction is avoided.
Maintaining Stability of Achievement in an Individualized Instructional System

The development of a modularized/individualized educational/adolescent psychology course has been based on commercially available texts and films. In spite of frequent changes in materials, students' achievement has been maintained by use of integrated study guides, frequent testing, and immediate feedback. A tightly structured program can overcome conceptual and format differences in commercial materials.
Research and publishing in the journal of advertising: : Making theory relevant

As the latest contributor in this invited article series, I offer my perspective on conducting and publishing advertising research and navigating the review process. I also discuss the importance of the relevance of research to advertising practice, with a particular emphasis on the role that theory plays in making research relevant. In addition, I offer a few general observations about future advertising research.
A low-cost modification to a Flail-Vac Harvester for collecting lightweight, wind-dispersed seed

Indeterminate wildflowers with pappus-bearing seed are difficult to effectively harvest at yields approaching maximum potential using traditional equipment. We modified a Flail-Vac Seed Stripper by mounting heavy loops of chain to the front of the Flail-Vac to provide agitation of the floral canopy to disarticulate seed from the flowers of hoary tansyaster (Machaeranthera canescens (Pursh) A. Gray [Asteraceae]). The modification allowed for multiple, non-damaging harvests that collected only shatter-ready, fully ripe seed. Labor and time associated with post-harvest drying and seed cleaning were reduced because of the decrease in vegetative matter accumulated.
False Causality in the Hohokam Collapse

ABSTRACTWater-logging and salinization of agricultural lands are often cited as factors contributing to the collapse of Hohokam society. The interaction of these two factors is reviewed and their impact on historic Anglo agricultural production is evaluated. Data indicate that water-logging and salinization begin to affect agricultural production within 50–100 years following the start of canal use. Assuming that analogous processes affected prehistoric Hohokam agricultural production, the rapid emergence of these factors is incompatible with their use as devices to explain the collapse of Hohokam systems using a gradualist model of irrigation development. However, water-logging and salinization have potential interpretive significance using a cyclical model of agricultural development.
Factor Extraction by Centroid Approaches

This chapter discusses factor extraction by centroid approaches. A correlation coefficient is interpreted as the cosine of the angles whose sides originates from a common origin and pass through two dots representing the two variables in common factor space. The distance of a dot from the origin represents the square root of that variable's communality. Thus, tests with high correlations are located near each other in space, tests correlating zero with one another are located on axes extending from the origin at right angles to one another, and negative correlations implies that the variables are on opposite sides of the origin in some dimension or dimensions. If tests contain two dimensions (A and B), and each test has positive loadings on both factors but in varying amounts and with varying amounts of communality, then a distribution of these tests is expected in the form of an ellipse in the plane that passes through the two axes. Given a third dimension C, an ellipsoid sticking out in the three dimensions is expected. For more than three dimensions, the cluster of dots is called a hyperellipsoid and is said to exist in hyperspace. If, as in personality research, there are positive and negative reflected measures of the same variable, then the center of the ellipsoid is near the origin.
Inorganic tin aluminophosphate nanocomposite for reductive separation of pertechnetate

Pertechnetate (TcO4−) is the most abundant chemical form of the radioactive contaminant 99Tc present in legacy nuclear waste streams and in the subsurface of nuclear waste storage sites. One proposed remediation approach is reductive separation of TcO4− and sequestration in low-temperature waste forms. The development of relevant technologies has been slow due to the lack of reductive materials that retain their functionality and are otherwise suitable for application in multicomponent and aggressive media such as highly alkaline, brine-like solutions typifying nuclear tank wastes. In this work, a tin-based reductive material was prepared, and its potential utility for the separation of TcO4− from alkaline nuclear wastes was demonstrated. This material consists of Sn(II/IV) phosphate supported by a polycrystalline aluminophosphate matrix. The aluminophosphate matrix is inert to the reaction conditions and offers the benefits of high stability and low solubility in concentrated alkaline solutions. This Sn(II/IV)-based material exhibits a high loading capacity for Tc and selectively removes a major fraction of TcO4− from the tank waste supernatant simulant, which contains 7.8 M total sodium and 2.43 M free hydroxide concentrations. Observed Kd values for Tc are about 13 000 and 2200 mL g−1 for simulant solutions containing no or 33 mM Cr(VI), respectively, positioning Sn(II/IV) aluminophosphate among the best-performing reductive sorbents for TcO4− developed to date. This advanced behaviour is attributed to the synergistic combination of the Sn(II/IV) aluminophosphate functionalities. The presence of Sn(II/IV)-rich fibres facilitates the reduction of TcO4− to Tc(IV), which is embedded along the fibre branches. Importantly, the Sn(IV)-containing inert polycrystalline matrix also incorporates Tc(IV) which triggers its crystallization to cassiterite SnO2 phase and stabilizes Tc(IV) in the polycrystalline matrix.
Epidermal growth factor prevents APOE4 and amyloid-beta-induced cognitive and cerebrovascular deficits in female mice

Cerebrovascular (CV) dysfunction is emerging as a critical component of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), including altered CV coverage. Angiogenic growth factors (AGFs) are key for controlling CV coverage, especially during disease pathology. Therefore, evaluating the effects of AGFs in vivo can provide important information on the role of CV coverage in AD. We recently demonstrated that epidermal growth factor (EGF) prevents amyloid-beta (Aβ)-induced damage to brain endothelial cells in vitro. Here, our goal was to assess the protective effects of EGF on cognition, CV coverage and Aβ levels using an AD-Tg model that incorporates CV relevant AD risk factors. APOE4 is the greatest genetic risk factor for sporadic AD especially in women and is associated with CV dysfunction. EFAD mice express human APOE3 (E3FAD) or APOE4 (E4FAD), overproduce human Aβ42 and are a well characterized model of APOE pathology. Thus, initially the role of APOE and sex in cognitive and CV dysfunction was assessed in EFAD mice in order to identify a group for EGF treatment. At 8 months E4FAD female mice were cognitively impaired, had low CV coverage, high microbleeds and low plasma EGF levels. Therefore, E4FAD female mice were selected for an EGF prevention paradigm (300 μg/kg/wk, 6 to 8.5 months). EGF prevented cognitive decline and was associated with lower microbleeds and higher CV coverage, but not changes in Aβ levels. Collectively, these data suggest that EGF can prevent Aβ-induced damage to the CV. Developing therapeutic strategies based on AGFs may be particularly efficacious for APOE4-induced AD risk.
Preface to 'Guanxi and Business' (2nd Edition)

Guanxi or interpersonal relationships is one of the major dynamics of Chinese society. A pervasive part of the Chinese business world for the last few centuries, it binds literally millions of Chinese firms into a social and business web. Any business in this society, including local firms and foreign investors and marketers, inevitably faces guanxi dynamics. In China’s new, fast-paced business environment, guanxi has been more entrenched than ever, heavily influencing Chinese social behavior and business practice. However, as in other emerging economies, corruption in China is becoming more rampant, which makes guanxi and corruption often intermingled. As such, business executives need to place greater caution today in the practice and process of guanxi development and utilization. Due to the growing academic and practical interest in guanxi, this second edition provides a timely update to the systematic and vigorous exploration of the various social, economic, cultural, and business issues relating to the complex concept and practice of guanxi.
Testing alternative hypotheses for the cause of population declines: The case of the Red-headed Woodpecker

ABSTRACT The Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) has experienced strong population declines during the past 3 decades. Using North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) data, we investigated 4 hypotheses that may explain this decline, including: (1) interspecific competition with native Red-bellied Woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus) and nonnative European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris); (2) predation by Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) and Sharp-shinned Hawks (Accipiter striatus); (3) climate change; and (4) changes in forested area within their range. In analyses of both the breeding and overwintering periods, our results indicated a role of increased accipiter populations in driving Red-headed Woodpecker declines through increased predation. We also found evidence for significant effects of warmer winter temperatures and increased forest cover, both directly and indirectly through their effects on enhancing accipiter populations. In contrast, our resu...
A propagation model for geolocating ionospheric irregularities along radio occultation ray-paths

We have developed a new propagation modeling technique for characterizing and geolocating ionospheric irregularities using radio occultation observations of amplitude scintillation. The approach taken is to solve an inverse problem for the propagation of radio waves through a phase changing screen. Referred to as Irregularity Parameter Estimation (IPE), this inverse technique infers the irregularity turbulence strength, spectral index, and Fresnel frequency from measurements of amplitude scintillation. A geometric model for the effective velocity at which the radio occultation ray path scans through the irregularity region is used to map the Fresnel frequency to Fresnel spatial scale, which yields the distance from the receiver to the irregularities. We demonstrate the approach by geolocating irregularities observed by the CORISS instrument onboard the C/NOFS satellite.
Who will save us from the Pantsuit Nation? Reading liberal media in the age of Trump

While liberal feminists did not propel Hillary Clinton to a presidential victory in 2016, they made an impact on Trump resistance movements in early 2017. The widespread popularity of the Hillary-C...
Secondary Production and Quantitative Food Webs

This chapter describes the concepts and methods associated with secondary production primarily as it applies to freshwater invertebrates in stream ecosystems. It includes measurements of density ( N ), biomass ( B ), production ( P ), and production/biomass ( P / B ). Production is one of several fluxes (or flows) in bioenergetic analyses, and P / B (e.g., annual or daily) is a measure of growth or biomass turnover rate. Production is usually measured with either cohort or noncohort methods for which procedures and examples are provided. Cohort methods are based on sampling a synchronously developing population through time. Noncohort methods use the same sampling procedure, but require an independent estimate of development time or biomass growth rate. Production is typically measured in units of g dry mass m −2 year −1 , but one can also use kJ, C, or other elements. Production can be used to address a variety of population, community, and ecosystem questions, one of which is in the construction of quantitative food webs. The procedure for building two types of food webs is illustrated with hypothetical data, and two published webs are described.
ISIL, INC. - THE FINANCE OF TERROR

Founded out of religious extremism, ISIL has established itself as a formidable terrorist organization through various forms of financial strength. This paper analyzes the ISIL's beginning as a radical ideology and the political turmoil it took advantage of to gain power throughout the Middle East. It will furthermore explain the groups financial structure, asset portfolio, and transfer system, which they have used to establish themselves on the world stage. These financial systems have not been thoroughly understood by western nations, thus limiting their ability to combat ISIL effectively. Understanding ISIL's financial mechanisms will be crucial in addressing further terrorist organizations in the Middle East and around the world.
Surrogate based model calibration for pressurized water reactor physics calculations

Abstract In this work, a scalable algorithm for model calibration in nuclear engineering applications is presented and tested. The algorithm relies on the construction of surrogate models to replace the original model within the region of interest. These surrogate models can be constructed efficiently via reduced order modeling and subspace analysis. Once constructed, these surrogate models can be used to perform computationally expensive mathematical analyses. This work proposes a surrogate based model calibration algorithm. The proposed algorithm is used to calibrate various neutronics and thermal-hydraulics parameters. The virtual environment for reactor applications-core simulator (VERA-CS) is used to simulate a three-dimensional core depletion problem. The proposed algorithm is then used to construct a reduced order model (a surrogate) which is then used in a Bayesian approach to calibrate the neutronics and thermal-hydraulics parameters. The algorithm is tested and the benefits of data assimilation and calibration are highlighted in an uncertainty quantification study and requantification after the calibration process. Results showed that the proposed algorithm could help to reduce the uncertainty in key reactor attributes based on experimental and operational data.
Bench press and pushup repetitions to failure with equated load

The bench press and pushup are commonly used for training upper body muscular strength and endurance. Although they are often used interchangeably, differences between the two relative to body mass...
Electrothermally Tunable Graphene Resonators Operating at Very High Temperature up to 1200 K

The unique negative thermal expansion coefficient and remarkable thermal stability of graphene make it an ideal candidate for nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) with electrothermal tuning. We report on the first experimental demonstration of electrothermally tuned single- and few-layer graphene NEMS resonators operating in the high frequency (HF) and very high frequency (VHF) bands. In single-, bi-, and trilayer (1L, 2L, and 3L) graphene resonators with carefully controlled Joule heating, we have demonstrated remarkably broad frequency tuning up to Δf/f0 ≈ 310%. Simultaneously, device temperature variations imposed by Joule heating are monitored using Raman spectroscopy; we find that the device temperature increases from 300 K up to 1200 K, which is the highest operating temperature known to date for electromechanical resonators. Using the measured frequency and temperature variations, we further extract both thermal expansion coefficients and thermal conductivities of these devices. Comparison with gra...
Case 2: Jaw Pain, Pain on Deep Inspiration, and Severe Odynophagia in an 18-year-old Boy.

1. John Mangan, MD* 2. Darshan Shah, MD* 3. April Troy, MD, MPH* 4. Dennis Dawgert, MD* 1. *The Commonwealth Medical College, Scranton, PA An 18-year-old boy presents with right-sided jaw pain, migratory body pains, decreased appetite, pain on deep inspiration, severe odynophagia, and dark urine. He had no history of sick contacts or international travel. He was evaluated a week earlier for a sore throat, moderate dysphagia, fever, and decreased energy. On physical examination at that time he was found to have an erythematous posterior pharynx, moderately enlarged tonsils, and cervical lymphadenopathy. His streptococcal antigen and Monospot test results were negative. He was prescribed corticosteroids and naproxen for pain and severe tonsillar enlargement. Physical examination shows an erythematous posterior pharynx without exudates, severely enlarged tonsils, pleuritic chest pain on deep inspiration, and right mid-thoracic paraspinal tenderness. Vitals on presentation are a temperature of 102.4°F (39.1°C) and a heart rate of 90 beats/min. The remaining physical examination results are normal. He is hospitalized for further evaluation and treatment with ceftriaxone for concern for peritonsillar abscess. Laboratory evaluation shows a white blood cell count of 24×103/μL with 60% neutrophils and 25% bands, a platelet count of 115×103/μL (115×109/L), a blood urea nitrogen level of 30 mg/dL (10.7 mmol/L), and a creatinine concentration of 1.1 mg/dL (97.2 μmol/L). Urinalysis shows trace ketones, 5 to 9 red blood cells per high-power field, a urobilinogen level of 8 mg/dL, 2+ bilirubin, and 1+ protein. A chest computed tomographic (CT) scan is performed because of pleuritic chest pain and shows interstitial pneumonia with possible septic …
Human Subjects Research during and after the Holocaust: Typhus Vaccine Development and the Legacy of Gerhard Rose

Over 70 years have passed since German physicians conducted unethical and often deadly typhus experiments on inmates at two concentration camps—Natzweiler and Buchenwald. Dr. Gerhard Rose, then director of the prestigious Department for Tropical Medicine at the Robert Koch Institute, facilitated and guided the research and was found guilty of conducting illegal medical experiments on human subjects without their consent. In this chapter, I address ethical issues related to such experimentation; the rationale provided for doing so; the development of the first international code of research ethics, the Nuremberg Code; and the legacy of these and other unethical human experiments conducted during and after the Holocaust. A brief history of the evolution of human subjects research and human subjects protections in the post-Holocaust period is also provided. Many lessons have been learned from analyses of vaccine and other clinical research during and after the Holocaust, which have resulted in a highly regulated process with numerous checks and balances. We must, however, remain cognizant of potential for both overregulation and underregulation of human subjects research.
Glycemic Variability during Pregnancy in T1D on CSII

Artificial pancreas (AP) technology is achieving tight and safer glycemic control (GC) in non-pregnant T1D populations but has been insufficiently tested in pregnant T1D patients. We evaluated glucose variability (GV) in pregnant women with T1D on Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) during each trimester to facilitate design of future studies. Data from 17 pregnant women with T1D, age 29 ± 4 years, DOD 17.8 ± 6 years, gestational age at delivery 38.6 ±1 weeks and fetal weight 3525± 524 gms are presented. GV at initial visit and at least 2 weeks per trimester (6-8, 10-12, 21-23, 26-28, 32-34, and 36-38) and maternal/fetal outcomes were analyzed. GV indices are shown in the Table. Mean HbA1c 7.2 ± 1.3% at baseline decreased to 6.6 ± 1.2%, 5.8 ± 0.8% and 6.0 ±0.7% during 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester respectively. Mean BMI during 1st trimester was 27.7 ± 7.3 kg/m2 and increased to 29 ± 7.7 kg/m2and 31.7 ± 7 kg/m2 during 2nd and 3rd trimesters respectively. 8 subjects had C-section, 7 preeclampsia; 3 excessive blood loss during delivery, and 1 preterm labor, polyhydramnios and maternal infection. Additionally, 4 infants were admitted to intensive care, 4 developed hypoglycemia, one was born with malformation and one with macrosomia. GV and maternal/fetal morbidity continue to be unacceptably high during pregnancy in T1D with current technologies stressing the urgent need for AP development and testing in this context. Disclosure V. Dadlani: None. G. O9Malley: None. G. Kulina: None. K. Kumari: None. D. Desjardins: None. Y.S. Xie: None. S.K. McCrady-Spitzer: None. P. Thapa: None. K. Castorino: None. J.E. Pinsker: Research Support; Self; Insulet Corporation, Dexcom, Inc., Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. E. Dassau: Consultant; Self; Insulet Corporation. Research Support; Self; Insulet Corporation. Consultant; Self; Animas Corporation. Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc.. Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Roche Diabetes Care Health and Digital Solutions. Research Support; Self; Roche Diabetes Care Health and Digital Solutions, Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Consultant; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Research Support; Self; Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc.. Other Relationship; Self; ModAGC. Research Support; Self; LifeScan, Inc., DreaMed Diabetes, Ltd. C.J. Levy: Advisory Panel; Self; Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.. Research Support; Self; Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Dexcom, Inc.. Y.C. Kudva: None.
Barbiturates and the GABAA receptor complex.

Barbiturates have many effects on the nervous system [1]. Some of the most striking effects of barbiturates are the marked changes they cause in the synapses which use gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as a neurotransmitter. The changes barbiturates cause in the GABA synapse may be involved in the therapeutic effects of barbiturates, their tolerance and dependence, and their interactions with other drugs. The following is a mechanism-oriented review of the literature of the effects of barbiturates on the GABA synapse.
Constant-Width Calibration Intervals for Linear Regression

Calibration, in the sense of inverse regression, is widely used in measurement science and other applications. For univariate regression models, simultaneous calibration intervals enable one to construct confidence intervals for the unobserved values of..
CENTRAL NORADRENERGIC NEURONS: STRUCTURE-FUNCTION CONSIDERATIONS

The structural and functional properties of central noradrenergic neurons differ dramatically from commonly conceived standards of brain synaptic systems. Their highly divergent efferent innervation patterns, and slowly conducting fibers exhibit long latency and long duration post-synaptic responses through adenylate cyclase-coupled receptors. Understanding the physiological roles of these neurons requires due consideration of all these unique features.