cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Select 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors vary in their ability to reduce egg yolk cholesterol levels in laying hens through alteration of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis and plasma VLDL composition.

The inability to markedly attenuate cholesterol levels in chicken eggs has led to speculation that cholesterol is essential for yolk formation and that egg production would cease when yolk cholesterol deposition was inadequate for embryonic survival. However, this critical level hypothesis remains unproven. Here, we determine the relative responsiveness of laying hens to three select inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGR), the rate-limiting enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis. A control diet, either alone or supplemented with one of two dietary levels (0.03 or 0.06%) of atorvastatin, lovastatin, or simvastatin, was fed to White Leghorn hens for 5 wk. Liver cholesterol concentrations (mg/g tissue) were decreased (P 0.05), and 22% (P 0.05), and -3% (P > 0.05)], was much less affected. We concluded that cholesterol per se may not be an obligatory component for yolk formation in chickens and, as such, may be amenable to further pharmacological manipulation
El pensamiento clásico en la poesía española de hoy: el Platón de los poetas

Contemporary poetry, and its capacity to enter into a constant dialogue with different traditions and periods, contains interesting readings of Platonic philosophy. These readings, which can be traced in the work of such writers as Aurora Luque, Chantal Maillard, Maria Sanz, Josefa Parra or Alberto Tesan, revitalize Classical thought in the contemporary scene.
New thinking on modeling of thermoelectric devices

Abstract The performance of a thermoelectric power generation (TEPG) module and a device designed to convert engine exhaust heat directly into electricity was studied under different operating conditions using a proposed thermoelectric (TE) model in this work. The proposed model was obtained from the first law of thermodynamics, Ohm’s law, nonlinear analytical solution of thermoelectric transport equation, and a control volume that represents a typical TEPG module or device such that the temperature-dependent material properties of, the spatial-dependent heat flow rate through the TE element, and the interfacial electrical and thermal losses can be taken into account in the performance calculation. The performance of a typical TEPG module under a broad range of cold-side temperatures and the temperature differences between its hot-side and cold-side was calculated by the proposed model and the results agree very well with the existing model predictions. Comparison between the model predictions and the experimental results confirmed that reducing the interfacial electric resistance can enhance the module performance. The inter-dependence of the key thermal and TEPG system design and optimization parameters was examined for a real TEPG device using the proposed model and an optimal module fill factor of 0.35 was found within the given mass flow rates between 0.0154 and 0.052 kg/s of exhaust stream.
Experiences with Mixing Mill Roll Speeds and Speed Ratios, and Batch Sizes

Abstract THE remarks which I am about to make concerning mixing mills apply especially to 84″ mills ,with 26″ front rolls and 22″ rear rolls. Other sizes of rolls have been experimented with, and the results have been about the same as with the 26″ and 22″. The system of cooling used was that described by H. K. Jennings at the meeting of this group on February 15,* which consists of a spray pipe and open roll and a means for cleaning the inner surface of the roll. The mill was supplied with 10 gallons of 54° F. water per minute, with 5.5 gallons to the front roll and 4.5 gallons to the rear roll. The speed and ratio of mixing mills can be most clearly described in terms of roll surface speed and roll surface speed ratio. A great variety of surface speeds and surface speed ratios are in use at the present time. Front roll surface speeds as low as 75 feet per minute and as high as 135 feet per minute can be found, and ratios run anywhere from even speed up to front roll to rear roll ratio of 1:2. The effect...
Language and Speech Problems Related to Carbamazepine in Benign Rolandic Epilepsy

Language and speech problems in benign rolandic epilepsy (BRE) and changes occurring after treatment with carbamazepine (CBZ) monotherapy were investigated in 11 patients, ages 5 to 12 years, treated at Chonbuk National University, Medical School, Jeonbuk, Republic of Korea.
Abstract B61: Regulation of mammary stem/progenitor cells by p53

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women in the United States. Understanding the biological behavior of mammary stem cells (MaSCs) and progenitor cells sheds light on the mechanism of mammary gland malignant transformation. The p53 tumor suppressor protein ( TP53 in human, Trp53 in mouse) regulates cell growth and protects cells from malignant transformation and has been shown to also participate in regulation of tissue‐specific stem cells. Methods: Total mammary cells were isolated from 8–10 weeks old mice of different p53 genotype ( Trp53+/+, Trp53+/−, Trp53−/− ). Mammosphere assay were used to compare the self‐renewal and ionizing radiation (IR) response of mammosphere‐initiating cells. Limiting dilution and transplantation was done to compare the frequency of long‐term regenerative mammary stem cells of Trp53+/+ and Trp53−/− epithelium. 3 weeks old BALB/c Trp53+/+ and Trp53−/− mice were injected with BrdU for 7 consecutive days and chased for 9 weeks. BrdU staining was done to compare the frequency of label‐retaining cells in their mammary glands. Results: Mammosphere assays showed that decreased p53 dosage in Trp53+/− and Trp53−/− mice led to increased numbers and size of mammospheres. Meanwhile, the number of secondary and tertiary mammospheres was not affected by (IR) regardless of their genotype. Serial dilution and transplantation experiments also showed that the Trp53−/− epithelium had significantly increased frequency of long‐term regenerative MaSCs compared to Trp53+/+ epithelium. The BrdU labeling experiment showed that Trp53−/− mammary gland contains less label‐retaining epithelial cells (LRECs) than Trp53+/+ epithelium. Conclusions: Our data suggest that p53 negatively regulates the self‐renewal of mammary stem cells. The MaSCs pool expands with decreased p53 dosage, which may results in a higher transformation risk. Meanwhile, the p53‐mediated apoptosis pathway is compromised in the mammosphere‐initiating cells, suggesting different functional status of p53 in cells of different differentiation stage. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(23 Suppl):B61.
Algorithms for Evaluation of Polynomials

(1990). Algorithms for Evaluation of Polynomials. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 21, No. 5, pp. 404-405.
Protein Kinase C Isozymes in Skeletal Muscles During the Early Stage of Genetic and Streptozocin Diabetes

AbstractThis study examined the changes in PKC isozyme activity, content, and cellular distribution in rat gastrocnemius and soleus muscles prior to any evidence of neural degeneration or impaired skeletal muscle function, during the onset of streptozocin-induced (STZ) and genetic diabetes mellitus (DM). PKC activity was increased more in the particulate than in the soluble fractions of the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles obtained from rats treated with STZ and the gastrocnemius muscle obtained from BB-Wor diabetic rats (D rats). The predominant constitutive PKC isozymes in the skeletal muscles obtained from the STZ-treated and D rats were PKCα ≫ PKC∊ > PKCδ as determined by Western immunoblot assay. The content of each PKC isozyme did not differ between the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles of the control Sprague-Dawley rats for the STZ-treated rats and the BB Wor diabetic resistant (DR) rats. Moreover, the PKC isozyme content did not differ in the soluble fraction of D or STZ rats when compared to their...
Research on the Application of NiTi Shape Memory Alloy in Temperature-pressure Radiator Valve

Based on the thermo-elastic martensitic transition theory of NiTi shape memory alloy,under the premise of without changing the function and working principle of the temperature-pressure radiator valve,NiTi shape memory alloy was adopted as the temperature-sensing element to achieve the cooling functions of radiator.The radiator's life and reliability were also improved.
Die quadricuspide Aortenklappe: Ein angeborenes Vitium, das pathologische Veränderungen hervorruft?

We report on a 61-year-old patient with considerable insufficiency of a quadricuspid aortic valve and coronary three vessel disease. The congenital quadricuspid aortic valve has become symptomatic due to the development of (post-endocarditic) insufficiency only in the advanced stage of life. It was treated by replacement of the aortic valve and bypass myocardial revascularization. The physiopathology of quadricuspid aortic valve will be discussed.
Numerical characterization of three-dimensional bluff body shear layer behaviour

Three-dimensional bluff body aerodynamics are pertinent across a broad range of engineering disciplines. In three-dimensional bluff body flows, shear layer behaviour has a primary influence on the surface pressure distributions and, therefore, the integrated forces and moments. There currently exists a significant gap in understanding of the flow around canonical three-dimensional bluff bodies such as rectangular prisms and short circular cylinders. High-fidelity numerical experiments using a hybrid turbulence closure that resolves large eddies in separated wakes close this gap and provide new insights into the unsteady behaviour of these bodies. A time-averaging technique that captures the mean shear layer behaviours in these unsteady turbulent flows is developed, and empirical characterizations are developed for important quantities, including the shear layer reattachment distance, the separation bubble pressure, the maximum reattachment pressure, and the stagnation point location. Many of these quantities are found to exhibit a universal behaviour that varies only with the incidence angle and face shape (flat or curved) when an appropriate normalization is applied.
Heuristic optimization of group structure using Physics-Based Fitness Approximation

Abstract In Multi-Group (MG) deterministic radiation transport simulation applications, Fine-Group (FG) cross section libraries are often collapsed, or down-sampled into Broad-Group (BG) libraries to reduce computational cost. Previously, we developed a heuristic approach to determine the optimal BG group structure using the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. A key step in PSO is to evaluate the fitness function, which measures the optimality, or fitness of a given group structure. In this paper, we demonstrated that a Simulation-Driven Fitness Function (SDFF) can be readily formulated by performing transport simulations on a BG structure, and then comparing the results, such as flux distribution, detector response, and/or k-effective, with the reference FG simulation solution. While the PSO approach is very effective in searching for global optimum in a very large solution space, the SDFF evaluation process can be very time-consuming since it requires a large number of BG transport simulations, even though a single BG simulation usually costs much less time than the reference FG calculation. To overcome this problem, a novel Physics-Based Fitness Approximation (PBFA) approach is developed based on the contributon transport theory. Compared to SDFF, PBFA does not require BG transport simulations. Therefore, it significantly reduces the computational cost for evaluation of the fitness function. We performed a thorough numerical test on a neutron detector model, the Dual Range Coincidence Counter, to examine the efficacy of PBFA. We found that a strong positive correlation exists between SDFF and PBFA. Thanks to this new finding, we can replace PBFA with SDFF to accelerate the PSO algorithm for the group structure optimization application.
Party Pursuits and The Presidential-House Election Connection, 1900–2008: Alternative Explanations of Change

As with any long-term change, there are several possible explanations of why the correlation between presidential and House results declined and then returned to a higher level. There is another possible alternative that is statistical in nature. A plausible statistical explanation is that the changes shown in Figures 8.3 and 8.4 may have changed the dispersion of presidential and House votes such that the resulting correlation declined. That is, the decline may just reflect trends in variable variance. The technical explanation involves the consequences of change. For the first half of the last century, the differences in partisan support between regions were very large. The Democrat's dominance of the South and the high vote percentages for Democrats created considerable variance in presidential and House votes. A correlation is a calculation of the covariance of two variables with the variance of each variable affecting the results. The greater the covariance and the greater the variance of the variables involved, the greater the correlation. It is possible that the variance of one or both variables also might decline as partisan changes occur. As regional differences declined from the 1950s through the 1980s, the results for one or both offices might cluster more in the 40–60 percent range, resulting in reduced national variance for scores for the office. This decline in the standard deviation of presidential results up until 1980 (Figure 8.5) occurred, whereas the House standard deviation has not changed.
Geothermal Power Plants in Nevada, USA

The state of Nevada lies within the Basin and Range geologic province. As such, across the state one encounters a succession of mountain ranges and valleys, generally oriented north-south or NNE-SSW. It has been shown that all the high-temperature systems (>160°C) and many moderate-temperature ones (100–160°C) reside within two structurally controlled belts that span the state along SW-NE axes: the Black Rock Desert and the Humboldt structural zone. Two other belts exist on either side of these that encompass geothermal systems in the adjacent states of California, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah.
Syntheses of Denudatine Diterpenoid Alkaloids: Cochlearenine, N-Ethyl-1α-hydroxy-17-veratroyldictyzine, and Paniculamine

The denudatine-type diterpenoid alkaloids cochlearenine, N-ethyl-1α-hydroxy-17-veratroyldictyzine, and paniculamine have been synthesized for the first time (25, 26, and 26 steps from 16, respectively). These syntheses take advantage of a common intermediate (8) that we have previously employed in preparing aconitine-type natural products. The syntheses reported herein complete the realization of a unified strategy for the preparation of C20, C19, and C18 diterpenoid alkaloids.
Innovativeness and success among vegetable farmers in Trinidad West Indies 47

This study investigated the innovativeness among vegetable farmers as it contributed to successful farming in Trinidad. Two hundred farmers from the main vegetable growing areas in Trinidad were surveyed. Personal, farm and farmer-related factors were assessed and used to examine relationship with innovativeness, operationalized in this study as the extent of sustainable technology use, the extent of adoption of modern marketing practices and the extent of use of modern information sources. Statistical techniques included descriptive and ANOVA. The main findings were that innovativeness is related to: farmers’ education level, number of training courses attended, the type of crops produced, the number of parcels of land farmed, the amount of hired labour, the business orientation of farmers, records keeping behavior (p<.01 level); whether the operator is a full time or part time operator (p<.01 level); and age, the ownership status of land, and type of training pursued (p<.05 level). The study concluded that to ensure greater success in farming, and subsequent improved rural development, improved education/training of farmers as well as redesigned policies for Extension need to be put in place.
Wissenschaftliche Politikberatung und Gesundheitsreform 2007

Wissenschaftliche Politikberatung nimmt unterschiedliche Funktionen wahr. Kirchgassner (1988) hat vorgeschlagen, zwischen „instrumenteller“, „ideologischer“ und „Alibi“-Beratung der Politik durch die Wissenschaft zu unterscheiden. Fur das Gesundheitswesen lasst sich zeigen, dass Elemente aller drei Funktionen eine Rolle spielen (Wasem 1998): Teilweise will Politik durch Politikberatung tatsachlich Entscheidungsunterstutzung;1 teilweise steht aber auch eher Unterstutzung in Form einer wissenschaftlichen Untermauerung fur eine bereits mehr oder weniger fest eingenommene oder in Vorbereitung befindliche politische Position im Vordergrund;2 schlieslich gibt es auch in der Gesundheitspolitik gute Beispiele dafur, dass durch die Einbindung von wissenschaftlichen Gutachtern „auf Zeit“ gespielt werden soll.3
Rates of Cortical Atrophy in Adults 80 Years and Older With Superior vs Average Episodic Memory.

“SuperAgers” have previously been defined as adults 80 years and older with episodic memory ability at least as good as that of average middle-age adults.1 They have a significantly thicker brain cortex than their same-age peers with average-for-age memory,2 which is unusual as age-related cortical atrophy is considered “normal” and often associated with cognitive decline in nondemented older adults.3 SuperAgers may experience similar atrophy rates as their cognitively average peers but start with larger brain volumes, or they may resist age-related cortical atrophy. To examine the latter possibility, we quantitated rates of cortical volume change over 18 months in SuperAgers and cognitively average elderly adults.
The Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) project: Accelerating translational research through direct patient engagement.

1076Background: The Metastatic Breast Cancer Project is a nationwide research study, launched in Oct 2015 in collaboration with patients (pts) and advocacy groups, that directly engages pts through social media and seeks to empower them to share their experiences, clinical information, and samples to accelerate research. Methods: MBC pts enroll by providing their information at mbcproject.org. Pts are sent a saliva kit and asked to mail back a sample which is used to extract germline DNA. We contact pts medical providers and obtain medical records (MRs) and stored tumor samples. Pts may also submit a blood sample, used to extract cell free DNA (cfDNA). Whole exome sequencing (WES) is performed on tumor, germline, and cfDNA; transcriptome sequencing is performed on tumor. Clinical and genomic data are used to generate genomic landscapes in pt subgroups and to identify mechanisms of response and resistance to therapies. Data are shared widely through public databases. Pts receive regular study updates. Resu...
Cigarette smoking as a risk factor for coronary artery disease

The epidemiologic evidence linking cigarette smoking to coronary artery disease has been supported by multiple studies over a period of 30 years. Community based cohort studies such as the Framingham study have shown that cigarette smokers are at a markedly elevated risk of developing cardiovascular events. These studies have also shown that former cigarette smokers have a decline in the excess incidence over a period of several years to approach that of non-smoking populations. Uncertainty then appears to exist as to whether cigarette smokers are at increased risk of cardiovascular events solely because of acute effects of smoking or whether cigarette smoking is also a risk factor for atherosclerosis. Evidence that cigarette smoking is a risk factor for atherosclerosis comes from autopsy and cardiac catheterization laboratory. While not all of these studies show a relationship, the data do, for the most part, show a definite relationship between cigarette smoking and atherosclerosis. Catheterization and autopsy studies suffer from biases that prevent application of prediction models to the general population. However, the combined view of the community based, catheterization and autopsy studies supports a unifying hypothesis of acute effects that may lead to cardiovascular events in the setting of established vascular disease as well as vascular damage that may promote the development of atherosclerosis. Cessation of smoking will rapidly remove the acute effects, and may lead to inactivation of acute lesions. The underlying substrate of atherosclerosis and coronary obstructive lesions appears to be correlated with long term cigarette smoking.
Enhanced inflammation in New Zealand white rabbits when MERS-CoV reinfection occurs in the absence of neutralizing antibody.

The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a zoonotic betacoronavirus that was first detected in humans in 2012 as a cause of severe acute respiratory disease. As of July 28, 2017, there have been 2,040 confirmed cases with 712 reported deaths. While many infections have been fatal, there have also been a large number of mild or asymptomatic cases discovered through monitoring and contact tracing. New Zealand white rabbits are a possible model for asymptomatic infection with MERS-CoV. In order to discover more about non-lethal infections and to learn whether a single infection with MERS-CoV would protect against reinfection, we inoculated rabbits with MERS-CoV and monitored the antibody and inflammatory response. Following intranasal infection, rabbits developed a transient dose-dependent pulmonary infection with moderately high levels of viral RNA, viral antigen, and perivascular inflammation in multiple lung lobes that was not associated with clinical signs. The rabbits developed antibodies against viral proteins that lacked neutralizing activity and the animals were not protected from reinfection. In fact, reinfection resulted in enhanced pulmonary inflammation, without an associated increase in viral RNA titers. Interestingly, passive transfer of serum from previously infected rabbits to naive rabbits was associated with enhanced inflammation upon infection. We further found this inflammation was accompanied by increased recruitment of complement proteins compared to primary infection. However, reinfection elicited neutralizing antibodies that protected rabbits from subsequent viral challenge. Our data from the rabbit model suggests that people exposed to MERS-CoV who fail to develop a neutralizing antibody response, or persons whose neutralizing antibody titers have waned, may be at risk for severe lung disease on re-exposure to MERS-CoV.
A case study: Impacts of deviating from model research design to the commercial industry for split-pond aquaculture

Abstract A case study is presented to compare the results of design and management including circulation and dissolved oxygen management at a modified split-pond facility in west-central Alabama to the recommended design. Modifications included: the use of and a propeller pump instead of a slow-moving paddlewheel, lack of baffle in the waste cells, waste cell to fish cell ratio size, and improperly positioned aerators and DO sensing probes. Over a three year time period, the modified split-pond facility had net yields of hybrid catfish (Ictalurus punctatus ♀ x I. furcatus ♂) that reached up to 11,416 kg/ha/year; however, this includes several reports of fish kills. The present study experienced a minimum 15% reduction in net production compared to the recommended design values with a maximum potential loss of 54%. Ponds used an axial pump to transfer water between a 6:1 ratio of waste treatment area to fish grow-out area. Water flowed from the fish cell to the waste cell at a rate of 31.2 m3/min and from the waste cell back to the fish cell at a rate of 0.78 m3/min. Aerators used 5619–7492 kW-hr/ha which is more than the electrical use in traditional ponds (2238 kW-hr/ha). Even with the extra aeration, this study had at least one fish cell and one waste cell drop below a dissolved oxygen concentration of 2.5 mg/L. These specific modifications may lead to poor survival and production in split-pond aquaculture and are discussed with best management practices of the recommended design.
Reliability of functional magnetic resonance imaging activation during working memory in a multisite study: Clarification and implications for statistical power.

In this technical note, we clarify the meaning of the generalizability-theory based coefficients reported in our multisite reliability study of fMRI measures of regional brain activation during working memory processing (Forsyth et al., Neuroimage 2014;97:51-52). While the original paper reported generalizability and dependability coefficients based on the design of our traveling subjects study (in which each subject was scanned twice at each of eight sites), those coefficients are of limited applicability outside of the reliability study context. Here we report generalizability and dependability coefficients that represent the reliability one can expect for a multisite study in which a given subject is scanned once on a scanner drawn randomly from the pool of available scanners (i.e., analogous to the more typical multisite study design). We also characterize the implications of a multisite versus single site study design for statistical power, including a figure that shows sample size requirements to detect activation in two key nodes of the working memory circuitry given observed differences in reliability of measurement between single and multisite designs.
Complementary Currencies in the Solidarity Economy: The Local Job Guarantee

Proposals for a job guarantee have been put forward as national policies due to the flexibility the federal government has in paying for the program. This flexibility stems from the ability of the Treasury and the Central Bank to work in concert in using fiscal and monetary policies. An alternative route to job creation at the local level would be to use a complementary currency to pay for community service employment. This chapter examines the potential benefits of such a program in terms of environmental sustainability and other advantages of political and economic decentralization and localism.
Elliptic Functions and Modular Forms

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the theta functions as the building blocks of the elliptic functions and describes their behavior under the action of two of the fractional linear transformations groups in addition to the derivation of various identities. These identities are easily deduced from the properties of the theta functions and the simplest facts about elliptic functions. The chapter presents an elliptic function constructed in terms of theta functions and a proof of the coefficients of the Laurent expansion of this function being modular forms. This function is a disguised version of the P-function. The chapter explores the classical formulas for e1 (τ), e2 (τ), and e3 (τ) in terms of the thetas and illustrates that the well-known formula Σ ei = 0 is equivalent to an identity among the thetas. The second and third elementary symmetric functions of e1, e2, and e3 are modular forms of degree two and three, respectively; these modular forms are polynomials in the thetas.
Proteolytic Opening of the Blood-Brain Barrier During Neuroinflammation

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been shown to produce proteolytic opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) during a neuroinflammatory response. Cerebral ischemia with reperfusion causes a biphasic opening of the BBB that is associated with increases in the MMPs. We used immunohistochemistry to determine the cellular location of the MMPs in ischemic brain tissue after reperfusion. Adult Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) underwent a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with the suture method. Brain uptake of radiolabeled sucrose was used to study the time course of the BBB opening. Zymograms were used to measure the type IV collagenases or gelatinases. Immunostaining was done with antibodies to gelatinase A (MMP-2), gelatinase B (MMP-9), and stromelysin (MMP-3). We found a biphasic opening of the BBB with a transient opening after 3h of reperfusion and a more extensive injury at 48 h. MMP-2 was associated with the initial opening and MMP-9 with the later one.
The Pas De Deux: Weaving Thought and Act

In this essay, two metaphors evoke Anna-Teresa Tymmieniecka’s philosophy: weaving and the pas de deux. To demonstrate two of her arguments, we look to the works of two contemporary artists who weave nature’s leftover materials. Peggy Wyman’s cooperates with her materials, allowing the fibers to stretch in all directions and into all dimensions, partner dancing with them. Patrick Dougherty’s stick works point to the second Tymienieckan thesis, that creativity is not tied to consciousness or intentional acts, but to enjoyment. Enjoyment is not a matter of surrendering to the other, as Moritz Geiger posits. The fact is that free from care/intention, we encounter our true selves. We come to life.
Modelling the critical transition from Chilean evergreen forest to savanna: Early warning signals and livestock management

Abstract Semi-desert areas are sensitive to changes in rainfall and agricultural pressure, prone to abrupt changes and to the collapse of ecological functions. The sclerophyllous evergreen forest of central Chile, known as matorral, has been extensively overgrazed by domestic livestock. As a consequence, the native and endemic species of this forest community have been replaced by a savanna-type environment dominated by the species Acacia caven, known as espinales. It has been hypothesized that the collapse of matorral forest can be abrupt, and the two ecosystems represent two alternative stable states. To understand the ecological dynamics that occur during this transition, their signature in space, and the consequences of livestock management, a cellular automata model that considers the local interaction among forest vegetation, Acacia, and livestock management was developed. By simulating and analyzing the process of fragmentation in space and time, in a gradient of livestock pressure and aridity, the results show that the system exhibits properties of "robust criticality", with a shift of patch-size distributions from models matching power-laws to models matching truncated power-laws as livestock pressure increases nearby the point of collapse. Simulation results in scenarios with rotation of livestock at the tipping point reveal the interaction between resting frequency and forest conservation. These results provide information to design better management strategies in human-modified landscapes in the remaining Chilean matorral.
A Robust Methodology for Building an Artificial Intelligent (AI) Virtual Assistant for Payment Processing

The evolution of business interactions with customers has defined a new paradigm of human-machine interaction through AI enabled conversations. In such scenarios, the machine interacts with the human (also referred to as customers) by applying NLP, NLU and NLG techniques that are used to process, understand and generate. dynamic and rapidly changing course of conversations to keep it meaningful and within context. With the changing landscape, today’s NLU and NLP components are supported by the latest deep learning algorithms, making them highly palatable of understanding customers intent, forming a cogent response, or taking an appropriate action than was possible in the recent past. But such sophisticated techniques require good quality of sample examples to learn. In this work, we discuss a step-by-step approach to enhance and enable the NLU behind the AI virtual assistant to robustly interpret customers utterances. As a system for interaction, we developed an AI virtual assistant for a payment process to help customer process the due amount in invoice, which is an integral part of several industries, like Banking, Utilities, Telcos, Retailers, etc. We tested our model by processing sample interactions of which a significant percentage of interactions (approximately 75%) went through finishing the intended task of completing the payment.
Venous thromboembolism rates remained unchanged in operative lower extremity orthopaedic trauma patients from 2008 to 2016.

Abstract Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious complication that contributes to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs during the surgical care of patient with lower extremity fractures. Despite this, few recommendations on the topic exist and the literature on VTE incidence is incomplete. Therefore, this study will attempt to estimate annual incidence and trends in 30-day thrombotic events and mortality for the following fractures: (1) hip, (2) femur, (3) patella, (4) tibia and/or fibula, and (5) ankle. Methods We identified 120,521 operative lower extremity orthopaedic trauma patients from 2008 to 2016 using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. To evaluate the relationship between the year in which surgery was performed and comorbidities and demographic information bivariate analysis was performed. Bivariate analysis was also performed for the outcomes of interest and year in which the surgery was performed to assess for change. Additionally, bimodal multivariate logistic regression models for hip, femur, and ankle fractures were built, comparing the years 2009 to 2016 using 2008 as a baseline. Results Overall incidence for VTE over the study period was 1.7% for hip fractures, 2.4% for femur fractures, 0.9% for patella fractures, 1.1% in tibia and/or fibula fractures, and 0.6% in ankle fractures. Over the study period VTE incidence saw a significant decrease (p 0.05). Conclusion Our study demonstrates that VTE rates have remained unchanged in operative lower extremity orthopaedic trauma from 2008 to 2016. This highlights the need for higher quality evidence on this important topic in orthopaedic trauma, including a reevaluation on the necessity of thromboprophylaxis guidelines. Level of Evidence III.
Developmental Language Disorder: Applications for Advocacy, Research, and Clinical Service.

Purpose The CATALISE group (Bishop, Snowling, Thompson, Greenhalgh, & CATALISE Consortium, 2016; Bishop, Snowling, Thompson, Greenhalgh, & CATALISE-2 Consortium, 2017) recommended that the term dev...
Brodalumab for Treatment-Resistant Psoriasis: Case Reports and Safety Update:

Introduction:Brodalumab is an interleukin-17 receptor blocker that is effective for the treatment of psoriasis. However, due to a Food and Drug Administration black box warning on depression and su...
Modularity and neural coding from a brainstem synaptic wiring diagram

Abstract Neuronal wiring diagrams reconstructed from electron microscopic images are enabling new ways of attacking neuroscience questions. We address two central issues, modularity and neural coding, by reconstructing and analyzing a wiring diagram from a larval zebrafish brainstem. We identified a recurrently connected “center” within the 3000-node graph, and applied graph clustering algorithms to divide the center into two modules with stronger connectivity within than between modules. Outgoing connection patterns and registration to maps of neural activity suggested the modules were specialized for body and eye movements. The eye movement module further subdivided into two submodules corresponding to the control of the two eyes. We constructed a recurrent network model of the eye movement module with connection strengths estimated from synapse numbers. Neural activity in the model replicated the statistics of eye position encoding across multiple populations of neurons as observed by calcium imaging. Our findings show that synapse-level wiring diagrams can be used to extract structural modules with interpretable functions in the vertebrate brain, and can be related to the encoding of computational variables important for behavior. We also show through a potential synapse formalism that these modeling successes require true synaptic connectivity; connectivity inferred from arbor overlap is insufficient.
Total Wrist Arthrodesis

Total wrist arthrodesis is a reliable procedure for pain relief in arthritic wrists. While it eliminates all motion of the wrist, excellent hand function can be maintained and the stability of the construct allows the patient to return to heavy work including manual labor. Numerous fixation methods have been described and all have satisfactory clinical outcomes. Optimal wrist fusion position, fixation method, concomitant proximal row carpectomy, and inclusion of the third carpometacarpal joint remain controversial.
Serotonin is elevated in COVID-19-associated diarrhoea.

We read with great interest the recent publication by Lin et al ,1 which reported diarrhoea as the most common GI symptom in patients with COVID-19. Diarrhoea as a symptom of COVID-19 has been commonly observed,2 3 but the cause remains unknown. Diarrhoea occurs from excessive production of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in the GI tract.4 Ninety-five per cent of 5-HT is produced and released from the enterochromaffin cells within the epithelium of the GI tract. 5-HT localised to the GI tract is a key modulator of GI peristalsis.5 We hypothesised that plasma 5-HT levels are increased in patients with COVID-19 with diarrhoea. Table 1 summarises the COVID-19 severity, interleukin 6 (IL-6), IgM/IgG antibodies, fever, GI symptoms, plasma 5-HT, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), underlying diabetes, body mass index, gender and age measured in 80 patients with COVID-19 (10 patients with diarrhoea) and 18 healthy donors (see online supplemental material). Correlation analysis identified 5-HT, 5-HIAA and IL-6 as the most noticeable features in the COVID-19 cohort with diarrhoea. Patients with COVID-19 had significantly increased plasma 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels compared with healthy donors (figure 1A,D). When patients were categorised by disease severity, 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels increased with higher severity of symptoms (figure 1B,E). Patients with COVID-19 with diarrhoea had substantially higher 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels compared with patients without diarrhoea and the healthy group (table 1 and figure …
Relations Between Sexual and Gender Minority Stress, Personal Hardiness, and Psychological Stress in Emerging Adulthood: Examining Indirect Effects via Human-animal Interaction:

This study examines the role of human-animal interaction (HAI) in relations between sexual and gender minority (SGM) stress, personal hardiness, and psychological stress during emerging adulthood. ...
Evaluation of image quality of a novel computed tomography metal artifact management technique on an anthropomorphic head and neck phantom

Abstract Background and purpose Artefacts caused by dental amalgam implants present a common challenge in computed tomography (CT) and therefore treatment planning dose calculations. The goal was to perform a quantitative image quality analysis of our Artifact Management for Proton Planning (AMPP) algorithm which used gantry tilts for managing metal artefacts on Head and Neck (HN) CT scans and major vendors’ commercial approaches. Materials and methods Metal artefact reduction (MAR) algorithms were evaluated using an anthropomorphic phantom with a removable jaw for the acquisition of images with and without (baseline) metal artifacts. AMPP made use of two angled CT scans to generate one artifact-reduced image set. The MAR algorithms from four vendors were applied to the images with artefacts and the analysis was performed with respective baselines. Planar HU difference maps and volumetric HU differences were analyzed. Results AMPP algorithm outperformed all vendors’ commercial approaches in the elimination of artefacts in the oropharyngeal region, showing the lowest percent of pixels outside +− 20 HU criteria, 4%; whereas those in the MAR-corrected images ranged from 26% to 67%. In the region of interest within the affected slices, the commercial MAR algorithms showed inconsistent performance, whereas the AMPP algorithm performed consistently well throughout the phantom’s posterior region. Conclusions A novel MAR algorithm was evaluated and compared to four commercial algorithms using an anthropomorphic phantom. Unanimously, the analysis showed the AMPP algorithm outperformed vendors’ commercial approaches, showing the potential to be broadly implemented, improve visualizations in patient anatomy and provide accurate HU information.
Humanisme o humanitarisme? Fallida d’imponderables a l’entorn d’una discussió propedèutica entre Ramon Esquerra i Manuel Cruells

Aquest article analitza l’intercanvi de parers entre els critics Ramon Esquerra (1909-1938) i Manuel Cruells (1910-1988) sobre com calia entendre l’humanisme renaixentista. Partint d’aqui, se centra en el primer autor per examinar les implicacions derivades de l’acte de pensar la crisi d’entreguerres, la funcio de l’intel·lectual i els processos culturals del passat des del context geografic i temporal del present. A la llum dels discursos d’alguns dels grans pensadors europeus del moment (Hazard, Berdiaiev, Benda, Maurois, etc.), Esquerra projecta des de la seva critica literaria una preocupacio per l’esdevenidor de la civilitzacio occidental davant l’ascens de les ideologies totalitaristes dels anys trenta, fent prevaldre un punt de vista historic i moral molt critic amb el pensament materialista. En aquest sentit, s’analitzen tambe aspectes com l’herencia del cristianisme medieval en la formacio d’una suposada consciencia europea i el tractament a la premsa del concepte d’humanitarisme a l’entorn del 1935.
Humidity Reduces Rapid and Distant Airborne Travel of Viable Viral Particles in Classroom Settings

Abstract The transmission of airborne pathogens via aerosols is considered to be the main route through which a number of known and emerging respiratory diseases infect their hosts. It is therefore essential to quantify airborne transmission in closed spaces and determine what recommendations should be implemented to minimize the exposure to the pathogen in built environments. We have developed a method to detect viable virus particles from aerosols by using an aerosolized bacteriophage Phi6 in combination with its host Pseudomonas phaseolicola, which when seeded on agar plates acts as a virus detector that can be placed at a range of distances away from the aerosol-generating source. Based on this method we present two striking results: (1) We consistently detected viable phage particles at distances of 18 feet away from the source within 15-minutes of exposure in a classroom equipped with a state of the art HVAC system. (2) Increasing the relative humidity beyond 40% at a maintained temperature of (22.8 ± 0.2) °C significantly reduces the risk of transmission. Our method can be used to quantify the exposure to pathogens at various distances from the source for different amounts of time, data which can be used to set safety standards for room capacity and the efficacy of interventions which aim to reduce pathogen levels in closed spaces of specified size and intended use. Summary We present a method to experimentally determine the exposure to airborne pathogens in closed spaces.
“We are not the people they think we are”: First-generation undocumented immigrant belonging and legal consciousness in the wake of deferred action for parents of Americans:

On 20 November 2014, President Barack Obama introduced Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) as a temporary relief for undocumented immigrant parents raisin...
Distribution and Sales Management Strategies Related to International Involvement Levels

Internationalization theory suggests that companies with low levels of international involvement should have different distribtuion and sales management strategies than highly involved companies. Chi-square tests were performed to see if significant strategy differences existed in a sample of 230 Business Week 1000 companies exhibiting various levels of involvement abroad. Internationalization theory was found to offer a better explanation of sales management than distribution practices as firms evolved in their international marketing behavior.
Polypyrimidine Tract-Binding Protein Is Critical for the Turnover and Subcellular Distribution of CD40 Ligand mRNA in CD4+ T Cells

CD40L (CD154) is regulated at the posttranscriptional level by an activation-induced process that results in a highly stable transcript at extended times of T cell activation. Transcript stability is mediated by polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB)-containing complexes (complex I and II) that bind to three adjacent CU-rich sequences within the 3' untranslated region. To assess the role of PTB in the expression and distribution of CD40L mRNA, PTB was targeted using short hairpin RNA in both primary T cells and a T cell line that recapitulates the stability phase of regulated CD40L mRNA decay. PTB knockdown resulted in a marked decrease in the mRNA stability that resulted in lowered CD40L surface expression. PTB was also critical for appropriate distribution of CD40L mRNA between the nucleus and cytoplasm and in the cytoplasm between the cytosol and the translating polysomes. The activation-induced formation of PTB-specific ribonucleoprotein complexes was observed only with cytoplasmic and not nuclear PTB indicating functional differences in the protein defined by cellular localization. Finally, we observed that cytoplasmic and nuclear PTB isoforms were differentially modified relative to each other and that the changes in cytoplasmic PTB were consistent with activation-induced phosphorylation. Together this work suggests that differentially modified PTB regulates CD40L expression at multiple steps by 1) retaining CD40L mRNA in the nucleus, 2) directly regulating mRNA stability at late times of activation, and 3) forming a ribonuclear complex that preferentially associates with translating ribosomes thus leading to an enhanced level of CD40L protein.
a study of the temporal variability of atrazine in private well water. part i: study design, implementation, and database development

In 1988, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, along withthe University of Iowa conducted the Statewide Rural WellWater Survey, commonly known as SWRL. A total of 686private rural drinking water wells was selected by use of aprobability sample and tested for pesticides and nitrates. Sixty-eight of these wells, the ’10% repeat‘ wells, were additionallysampled in October, 1990 and June, 1991. Starting inNovember, 1991, the University of Iowa, with sponsorshipfrom the United States Environmental Protection Agency,revisited these wells to begin a study of the temporalvariability of atrazine and nitrates in wells. Other wells, whichhad originally tested positive for atrazine in SWRL but werenot in the 10% repeat population, were added to the studypopulation. Temporal sampling for a year-long period beganin February of 1992 and concluded in January of 1993. Allwells were sampled monthly, one subset was sampled weekly,and a second subset was sampled for 14-day consecutiveperiods. Two unique aspects of this study were the use of animmunoassay technique to screen for triazines before gaschromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis andquantification of atrazine, and the use of well owners to samplethe wells. A total of 1771 samples from 83 wells are in thefinal data base for this study. This paper reviews the studydesign, the analytical methodologies, and development of thedata base. A companion paper (Pinsky et al., 1997) discussesthe analysis of the data from this survey.
Quenched Invariance Principles via Martingale Approximation

In this paper we survey the almost sure central limit theorem and its functional form (quenched) for stationary and ergodic processes. For additive functionals of a stationary and ergodic Markov chain these theorems are known under the terminology of central limit theorem and its functional form, started at a point. All these results have in common that they are obtained via a martingale approximation in the almost sure sense. We point out several applications of these results to classes of mixing sequences, shift processes, reversible Markov chains, Metropolis Hastings algorithms.