cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase Cδ activation induces close homolog of adhesion molecule L1 (CHL1) expression in cultured astrocytes

Upregulation of expression of the close homolog of adhesion molecule L1 (CHL1) by reactive astrocytes in the glial scar reduces axonal regeneration and inhibits functional recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). Here, we investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying upregulation of CHL1 expression by analyzing the signal transduction pathways in vitro. We show that astrogliosis stimulated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) upregulates CHL1 expression in primary cultures of mouse cerebral astrocytes, coinciding with elevated protein synthesis and translocation of protein kinase delta (PKCdelta) from cytosol to the membrane fraction. Blocking PKCdelta activity pharmacologically and genetically attenuates LPS-induced elevation of CHL1 protein expression through a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) dependent pathway. LPS induces extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) phosphorylation through PKCdelta and blockade of ERK1/2 activation abolishes upregulation of CHL1 expression. LPS-triggered upregulation of CHL1 expression mediated through translocation of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) to the nucleus is blocked by a specific NF-kappaB inhibitor and by inhibition of PI3K, PKCdelta, and ERK1/2 activities, implicating NF-kappaB as a downstream target for upregulation of CHL1 expression. Furthermore, the LPS-mediated upregulation of CHL1 expression by reactive astrocytes is inhibitory for hippocampal neurite outgrowth in cocultures. Although the LPS-triggered NO-guanylate cyclase-cGMP pathway upregulates glial fibrillary acid protein expression in cultured astrocytes, we did not observe this pathway to mediate LPS-induced upregulation of CHL1 expression. Our results indicate that elevated CHL1 expression by reactive astrocytes requires activation of PI3K/PKCdelta-dependent pathways and suggest that reduction of PI3K/PKCdelta activity represents a therapeutic target to downregulate CHL1 expression and thus benefit axonal regeneration after SCI.
Effect of hot deformation on texture and magnetic properties of Sm–Co and Pr–Co alloys

Abstract Nanocrystalline PrCo 5 , SmCo 5 and Sm 2 (Co,Fe,Mn) 17 alloys were subjected to a high-degree plastic deformation at 950 °C with the height reduction ranging from 70% to 95%. With increasing degree of deformation, the PrCo 5 and SmCo 5 magnets showed improvement of the deformation-induced [0 0 1] texture. The PrCo 5 alloys, known to develop a superior texture at the lower degrees of deformation, showed only modest improvement and their magnetic performance was undermined by a low coercivity. The SmCo 5 alloys had their texture markedly enhanced and, after height reduction by 94.5%, they exhibited a remanence of 8.6 kG, maximum energy product of 18 MGOe and an intrinsic coercivity of 22.8 kOe. No induced texture was found in the alloys based on the Sm 2 Co 17 structure. The microstructures of the hot-deformed alloys were studied with a transmission electron microscopy, and possible mechanisms of the texture development in the RCo 5 alloys (R=Pr, Sm) are briefly discussed.
Application of the Liapunov–Floquet transformation to differential equations with time delay and periodic coefficients

In this paper, the Liapunov–Floquet transformation (LFT) is applied to a time-periodic delay differential equation (DDE) discretized by the Chebyshev spectral continuous time approximation. The proposed combined approach allows for the stability and time-response analysis of a constant non-delayed analog of the original periodic DDE by applying the LFT to an equivalent large-order system of time-periodic ordinary differential equations. The implementation issues are analyzed for the time-delayed Mathieu's equation which is used as an example. It is shown that an order reduction procedure in which only the dominant modes of the infinite-dimensional DDE are retained in the LFT is necessary. The application of the proposed technique is studied in the presence of delay and parametric resonances for the delayed Mathieu's equation, as well as for a double inverted pendulum subjected to a time-periodic retarded follower force.
Effects of spin paramagnetism on the magnetic field behavior of thin superconducting beryllium films

Abstract Tunneling measurements on thin superconducting Be in a parallel magnetic field show splitting of the quasiparticle states and other effects of Pauli paramagnetism with small spin-orbit scattering.
Strain-induced bond buckling and its role in insulating properties of Cr-doped V2O3.

Structural transformations around both V and Cr atoms in $({\mathrm{V}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Cr}}_{x}{)}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ across its metal-insulator transition (MIT) at $x\ensuremath{\sim}0.01$ are studied by extended x-ray absorption fine-structure technique. Our new results for Cr made possible by the use of a novel x-ray analyzer that we developed reveal the substitutional mechanism of Cr doping. We find that this system has a buckled structure with short Cr-V and long V-V bonds. This system of bonds is disordered around the average trigonal lattice ascertained by x-ray diffraction. Such local distortions can result in a long range strain field that sets in around dilute Cr atoms in microscopic regions. We suggest that such locally strained regions should be insulating even at small $x$. The possibility of local insulating regions within a metallic phase, first suggested by Rice and Brinkman in 1972, remains unaccounted for in modern MIT theories.
Arguments for electron conduction in silicon nitride

The carrier type conducted in the nitride under + V G has been interpreted as an electron by some and as a hole by others. Under - V G hole conduction is generally accepted. Our I-V data on the Si 3 N 4 dielectric agree with those reported in the literature but we interpret the nitride conduction as electron flow for both + V G and - V G . New arguments to support electron conduction are derived from three types of Si 3 N 4 :SiO 2 dual dielectric silicon-gate transistors.
Characterization of Prostate Cancer Missed by Sextant Biopsy

There is a trend to increase the number of prostate biopsies taken to increase the detection rate of prostate cancer. We examined radical prostatectomy specimens and correlated the findings to those of preoperative sextant biopsy in an effort to identify the characteristics of tumors that went undetected by our biopsy regimen. Seventy-one patients diagnosed with prostate cancer based on sextant biopsy who underwent radical prostatectomy at our institution from June 1995 to November 2001 had prostatectomy specimens and biopsy slides reviewed. These specimens were step-sectioned and whole-mounted. The location, size, and grade of individual cancer foci in the prostatectomy specimens were correlated with results of the original sextant biopsies. Clinically significant tumors were defined as those with volume > 0.5 mL or Gleason score ≥ 7 and extracapsular extension. In 33 patients (46%), there was concordance of biopsy and prostatectomy findings. In 38 patients (54%), additional lesions were demonstrated in the prostatectomy specimens that were not detected by our sextant biopsies. These included 13 cases (34%) with tumors > 0.5 mL and 25 cases in which the lesions were < 0.5 mL in size. However, 7 of these cases contained tumors with Gleason score ≥ 7. Tumors were located in the transition zone in 8 of these 38 cases (21%), and the remaining tumors were located in the peripheral zone (79%). No tumors with extracapsular extension were missed. Thus, 20 of the 71 cases (28%) had clinically significant cancers that went undetected by the traditional sextant biopsy method. Greater than 50% of patients who underwent sextant biopsy of the prostate had additional tumors that were missed when compared to the pathologic specimen. As many as 28% of these patients had clinically significant cancer based on size and grade criteria. A strategy of increased numbers of biopsies would improve the detection rate of these clinically important tumors. However, the ideal strategy for optimizing cancer detection requires further investigation because increased numbers of biopsies would also increase detection of clinically insignificant tumors.
The effect of pitting corrosion on fatigue life

Fatigue testing of pre-pitted 2024-T3 aluminium alloy specimens is performed in laboratory air at 22 °C and 40% RH to characterize the effect of pitting corrosion on fatigue life. Specimens, pre-corroded in a 0.5 M NaCl solution from 48 to 384 h, have fatigue lives that are reduced by more than one order of magnitude after 384 h pre-corrosion as compared to those of uncorroded specimens. The reduction in fatigue life is interpreted in terms of the influence of the time of exposure to the corrosive environment or pit size. The crack-nucleating pit sizes, ranging from 20 to 70 um, are determined from post-fracture examinations by scanning electron microscopy. Fatigue lives are estimated using a fracture mechanics approach and are shown to be in good agreement with the actual data. A probabilistic analysis shows that the distribution of fatigue life is strongly correlated to the distribution in nucleating pit size.
Mechanism of directed transluminal atherectomy.

Abstract Directed transluminal atherectomy is a new catheter-mediated technique for the treatment of symptomatic peripheral and coronary artery atherosclerosis. 1 Unlike angioplasty, which may improve vessel patency by disrupting the plaque and stretching the arterial wall, the Simpson atherectomy catheter was specifically designed for percutaneous resection and removal of atherosclerotic plaques. 1–3 It was hypothesized that such an approach would allow for more predictable clinical results with fewer acute complications compared to balloon angioplasty. In the current study, the mechanism of directed atherectomy was investigated through experimental procedures performed on diseased segments of human arteries.
Emotional Problems and Widowhood

In 1979, 1,144 married women between the ages of 65 and 75 were interviewed about their health and social support networks. During the next two-and-a-half years, 150 of them were widowed; 128 were interviewed six months after bereavement. Among the 115 women who had denied needing help for an emotional problem at the initial interview, 25 admitted the need for such help after the deaths of their husbands. Predictive factors for needing emotional counseling six months after bereavement were recent disability, having few friends, and not feeling close to one's children.
technical session discussion

AbstractI first became involved in the issue of eye irritancy testing about twelve years ago when I was referred by a scientist-whose name is now lost in the mists of time-to the 1971 paper by Carrol Weil and Robert Scala. The Chairperson of FRAME-where I worked at the time-wanted to start a campaign on cosmetic testing (the pamphlet was eventually called “What Price Vanity?“ and it was FRAME'S hottest item for a number of years) and I had been told to find material that raised questions about some of the standard toxicity tests used by the cosmetics and toiletries industry. As you might imagine, the Weil and Scala paper was a dream come true for me at the time and I must confess that I was probably one of the first to misrepresent (not too badly, I hope) the conclusions of that paper to draw attention to the problems of the Draize test as a regulatory tool.
Medical Family Therapy: Charting a Course in Competencies

The skills and training medical family therapists need to be effective in their work is an underdeveloped area in the literature. Training programs in Medical Family Therapy (MedFT) currently vary in duration, intensity, and focus of material and most of this is due to the minimal research done on what core competencies are needed. The results presented in this paper are the product of a larger modified Delphi (Dalkey in Studies in the quality of life, Lexington Books, Lexinton, MA, 1972) study designed to reach consensus regarding the current definition, scope, and practice of MedFT. Thirty-seven experts in MedFT participated in this two-phase investigation. What resulted and will be reported on in this article are the training requirements and recommended core competencies for the practice of MedFT. Participants indicated that 12 academic course content areas and 13 core competencies should be required of those seeking training in MedFT. Recommendations for MedFT core competencies at the master’s, post master’s, and doctoral levels, as well as advancements for future research, are described in detail.
New electromagnetic resonance effects associated with cavity-backed apertures

A number of canonical problems that describe the coupling of electromagnetic fields through apertures into enclosed regions have been solved. The scattering data generated by these cavity-backed aperture solutions share a common property: they are dominated by resonance features closely connected to the presence of the cavity. The behavior of these cavity-backed aperture resonance features has been characterized for variations in frequencies, angles of incidence, look angles, aperture sizes, and interior object properties. It has been found that the scattering cross sections contain information about the interior of the cavity.
THE ROLE OF VERBAL INTERACTION DURING EXPERIMENTAL BIFACIAL STONE TOOL MANUFACTURE

AbstractMany researchers have hypothesized an analogous, and possibly evolutionary, relationship between Paleolithic stone tool manufacture and language. This study uses a unique design to investigate how spoken language may affect the transmission of learning to make stone tools and comes to surprising results that may have important implications for our views of this relationship. We conducted an experiment to test the effect of verbal communication on large core biface manufacture during the earliest stages of learning. Previously untrained flintknappers were assigned to two different communication conditions, one with and one without spoken language, and were instructed to replicate the bifaces produced by the same instructor. The attempted bifaces (total = 334) from the two groups were compared using an Elliptical Fourier analysis, the Flip Test, and a rating scale by an independent lithicist. We found no significant difference in the overall shape, symmetry, or other measures of skill among the two ...
Finite Element Analysis of Fretting Stresses

Clamped contacts subjected to vibratory loading undergo cyclic relative tangential motion or micro-slip near the edges of contact. This cyclic micro-slip, known as fretting, leads to removal of material through a mechanism known as fretting wear and formation and growth of cracks through a mechanism known as fretting fatigue. In aircraft, fretting fatigue occurs at the rivet/hole interface leading to multisite damage which is a potential failure mechanism for aging aircraft. A finite element model of a current fretting fatigue experiment aimed at characterizing fretting in riveted joints is detailed. A non-symmetric bulk tension is applied to the specimen in addition to the loads transferred from the fretting pad. The model is verified through comparison to the Mindlin solution for a reduced loading configuration, in which the bulk tension is not applied. Results from the model with the bulk tension show that the distribution of micro-slip in the contact is not symmetric and that for some loads reversed micro-slip occurs. Finite element results are given for the effects that four different sets of loading parameters have on the maximum tensile stress induced by fretting at the trailing edge of contact. It can be shown using multiaxial fatigue theory that this stress controls fretting fatigue crack formation. This maximum tensile stress is compared to that of the Mindlin solution for a symmetric distribution of micro-slip. This stress is also compared to that of a variation based on the Mindlin solution for the cases with a non-symmetric distribution of micro-slip. It is concluded that the solution based on the Mindlin variation and the full finite element solution lead to similar predictions of the maximum tensile stress, even when the shear traction solutions differ significantly.
Magnetoelastic modeling of magnetization rotation and variant rearrangement in ferromagnetic shape memory alloys

Abstract A magnetoelastic model is developed to study the domain structure evolution of ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FSMAs), where both variant rearrangement and magnetization rotation are considered. A multi-rank laminated domain configuration is constructed first under the constrained theory, which is then relaxed by allowing the magnetization to rotate away from its easy axis, resulting in incompatibility in both magnetization and magnetostrictive strain. The internal magnetoelastic field is then analyzed using a hierarchical lamination theory, where the stress and magnetic field in the multi-rank laminate induced by incompatibility at two distinct length scales are evaluated. Microscopic variation of magnetization is evaluated on a unit cell using periodic boundary condition, while mesoscopic variation is evaluated on the specimen using averaged magnetization and actual boundary condition, utilizing a recently developed nonlinear homogenization theory of ferroelectrics. The minimization of the energy functional is carried out using Matlab optimization toolbox, allowing us to study the process of variant rearrangement and magnetization rotation under the combined magnetomechanical loading. It is observed that microstructure evolution of FSMA is dominated by rearrangement of variants when the applied stress is small, but such rearrangement is prohibited when the applied stress is relatively large, under which magnetization rotation takes over as the dominant mechanism for microstructure evolution. When the energy dissipation is considered through twinning stress, excellent agreement between the model and experiments is observed. The critical stress beyond which variant rearrangement is disfavored is also estimated in good agreement with experiment.
Supporting families of critically ill children

Having a critically ill child can be a heart-breaking experience. The sudden transformation of a healthy child to a critically ill or injured child causes parents to undergo feelings of pain and shock. Parents with a critically ill child are in acute need of support and intervention by caregivers. This article describes a parents' support group, conducted as part of a nursing programme student experience, in a pediatric critical-care unit. This experience provides information concerning the group that others may wish to replicate.
The Fiesta of the Word: The Zapatista Uprising and Radical Democracy in Mexico

As they assert their rights to land, political participation, and their distinctive cultures, Mayas of Chiapas are redefining the modernist ideals of justice, liberty, and democracy for a postmodern age. Accustomed to cultural diversity, they have learned to live without attempting to eradicate or dominate the others in their midst. Their vision of progress still contains the communal values found in mythopoetic traditions from the preconquest period. But far from being primordial remnants of the past, these values have been enacted continually in everyday life since the conquest and may offer a model for pluriethnic and pluripolitical institutions as we enter the third millennium.
Q-analysis and the structure of friendship networks

This is a study of a collection of social scientists. It examines the social context out of which they develop close friendship ties and the impact of an extended computer conference on such ties. The perspective of R. H. Atkin (1974) is used to uncover shifts in the structure of ties among the participants.
Development of a fuzzy expert system for power quality applications

Power quality issues have become more important due to the proliferation of microcomputer-based systems that are sensitive to power disturbances. The loads in customer premises have also been the source of power quality problems. It has become important for the utilities to understand the causes for power quality problems and find ways to avoid them. The fuzzy expert system is an effort to understand power quality problems encountered in distribution systems in a better way. A fuzzy expert system combines the usefulness of fuzzy logic in interpreting the fuzzy inputs for the expert system shell and the expert system shell works upon the fuzzy inputs based upon various rules written into the shell. The fuzzy expert system can be used in a utility for personnel training and customer education.
Lethal effects of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans leukotoxin on human T lymphocytes.

Abstract The majority of strains of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans isolated from patients with periodontal diseases secrete a leukotoxin that destroys human myeloid cells within minutes but has no effect on viability of peripheral blood lymphocytes in culture for 1.5 h. However, since this organism persists in the gingival crevice and thus may continuously release toxin over extended periods of time, we assessed the viability of T cells cultured with leukotoxin (0 to 250 ng/ml) for up to 2 days. Although the total numbers of cells recovered from cultures with or without leukotoxin were equivalent, leukotoxin killed up to 70% of the T cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Cell death was associated with uptake of propidium iodide, release of 51Cr from the cytoplasm, and morphological evidence of damage to the plasma membrane and apoptosis. Leukotoxin also induced increased cleavage of chromosomal DNA into nucleosome-sized fragments, suggesting activation of an endogenous nuclease in the T cells. These data suggest that leukotoxin kills T cells by pathways resembling necrosis and programmed cell death. Leukotoxin-induced lymphotoxicity may represent a critical mechanism by which A. actinomycetemcomitans suppresses the host local immune response and contributes to the pathogenesis of diseases involving this microorganisms.
Surgical techniques for revision of infected joint replacements

Infected joint arthroplasties are a challenging problem to the orthopaedic surgeon. The treating surgeon should be aware of the problems that can be encountered. Proper pre-operative planning, precise surgical techniques, and treatment protocols are key to the management of this dreaded complication. The aim is to eradicate the infection and reimplant a stable, aligned and well functioning revision hip or knee system. The bone stock should be preserved or restored, and the patients should return to their previous level of function. We describe our approach in treating this complex problem.
Reconstructive Utility of the Bilobed Flap: Lessons from Flap Successes and Failures

Background. Although the bilobed transposition flap's utility in the reconstruction of difficult facial surgical wounds is often praised, the complicated design of the flap can produce unacceptable esthetic results if the nuances of flap design and execution are not properly understood. Objective. To review the historical development of the bilobed flap and to offer contemporary suggestions on how to manipulate the flap's design to improve the flap's performance. Methods. Illustrative case examples of bilobed flap successes and failures are appropriately and thoroughly examined. Results. The proper use of the bilobed flap completely depends on understanding the design modifications of the flap that can impact the flap's final appearance. Conclusions. The bilobed flap, with its complicated design and requirement of meticulous operative technique, introduces tremendous opportunities for esthetic misadventure. Nonetheless, the flap, when properly constructed, deserves its reputation as the reconstructive flap of choice for many difficult wounds, particularly those wounds located on the distal nose.
A SIMPLE BRICK POROSIMETER1

A brick porosimeter based upon the air-expansion principle is described, and various considerations of design discussed. The apparatus described is adapted for testing refractory brick, but. the considerations of design presented are general in character. The design is adapted for commercial control work, and the descriptions serve as complete construction references. Porosity values obtained by the porosimeter and water absorption methods are compared to the values calculated from true sp. gr., to indicate the relative accuracy of the methods.
Phytoplankton dynamics in the stratified water column of Lake Bonney, Antarctica I. Biomass and productivity during the winter-spring transition

Phytoplankton populations in perennially ice-covered Lake Bonney, Antarctica grow in a unique non-turbulent environment. The absence of turbulence generated by winds or major streams, combined with strong vertical gradients in temperature and nutrients, create vertically stratified environmental conditions that support three discrete phytoplankton populations in the east lobe of this lake. Phytoplankton biomass and photosynthesis were measured in the east lobe of Lake Bonney during the winter-spring transicion (September) to mid-summer (January). During this period, irradiance beneath the ice increased from 0.03 to 1.9 mol quanta m−2 d−1. Chlorophylla concentrations ranged from 0.03 to 3.8 μl−1 within the trophogenic zone (just beneath the permanent ice cover to 20 m) and photosynthesis ranged from below detection to 3.2 μg Cl−1 d−1. Our results indicate: (1) phytoplankton photosynthesis began in late winter (before 9 September, our earliest sampling date); (2) maxima for phytoplankton biomass and production developed sequentially in time from the top to the bottom of the trophogenic zone, following the seasoral increase in irradiance; and (3) the highest photosynthetic efficiencies occurred in early spring, then decreased over the remainder of the phytoplankton growth season. The spring decrease in photosynthetic rates for shallower phytoplankton appeared to be related to nutrient availability, while photosynthesis in the deeper populations was solely lightdependent.
General purpose serial processor for delta sigma ADC digital filter

Due to the single binary bitstream output nature of delta-sigma analog-to-digital converters, a compact serial processor that can perform general purpose computation as well as signal processing for the delta-sigma converter is proposed. The advantages of the architecture are its low area consumption and program flexibility, and suitable for silicon microsensor system-on-a-chip applications. The processor achieves small size partly through use of low cost serial off-chip memory circuits for all non-register storage. In this paper we present the design, performance specifications, and IC layout for such a processor.
Optimal placement of wavelength converters in trees, tree-connected rings, and tree of rings

In wavelength routed optical networks, wavelength converters can potentially reduce the requirement on the number of wavelengths. A recent study [Proceedings of 9th ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms (1998)] raised the following problem: choose a minimum number of nodes in a WDM network to place wavelength converters so that any set of paths requires the same number of wavelengths as if wavelength converters were placed at all node. This problem is referred to as minimum sufficient set problem. It was shown to be NP-complete in general WDM networks [Proceedings of 9th ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms (1998)], and be as hard as the well-known minimum vertex cover problem [Proceedings of 10th ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms (1999)]. In this paper, we extend their study in trees, tree-connected rings, and tree of rings which are widely used topologies in the telecommunications industry. We show that the optimal wavelength converter placement problem in these two practical topologies are tractable. Efficient polynomial-time algorithms are presented.
Spatial learning, discrimination learning, paw preference and neocortical ectopias in two autoimmune strains of mice

NZB and BXSB mice were given a battery of behavioral tests including paw preference, water escape, Lashley III maze, and discrimination learning. Their brains were then evaluated for cortical ectopias. The incidence of ectopias was 40.5% in NZBs and 48.5% in BXSBs. In the NZB strain left-pawed ectopic mice (both male and female) had the fastest swimming time in the water escape test, while right-pawed ectopics were the slowest. The same findings were obtained for left- and right-pawed ectopic BXSB males, but not for the females. However, on discrimination learning the BXSB males had the exact opposite pattern: right-pawed ectopics were the best learners while left-pawed ectopics were the worst. Male BXSBs and both male and female NZBs were manifesting autoimmune disease at the time of testing, while female BXSBs were not, suggesting that autoimmunity is a necessary background condition for the differential expression of eetopias and paw preference upon learning processes. The finding that the left-pawed ectopic BXSB mice, who were the poorest learners in the nonspatial discrimination learning test, learned best in the spatial water escape test is in agreement with the Geschwind hypothesis that pathological events during brain development may, in some instances, produce superiority of function.
Canine fossa puncture: Safe visualization of the recesses of the maxillary sinus

Maxillary sinus disease can be treated easily with minimally invasive endoscopic sinus techniques in the majority of cases. However, some aspects of the sinus are difficulty to visualize and a canine fossa puncture can allow secure access to these areas.
FT-IR microspectroscopic study of shot formation in melt-blown webs

We used Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy to investigate the chemical nature of fibers and defects called "shot" in melt-blown webs. Spectral differences were observed and evaluated in light of known thermal and oxidative degradation reactions for conditions comparable to those we used for melt blowing. Three different isotactic polypropylene polymers were evaluated in terms of the amount of shot produced and the amount of oxidative degradation exhibited by fibers and shot particles from each polymer. Little oxidative degradation was observed in fibers and the amount of degradation in fibers varied little for the three polymers we evaluated. Substantially more degradation was observed in shot particles, and the amount of degradation varied among the three polymers. Compared to polymer bound for fibers, we concluded that high temperature and mechanical shear in the extruder may introduce more chain scission in polymer bound for shot particles. Autoxidation reactions may occur after melt exits the die, and our data indicated that more oxidative degradation occurred in polymer that became shot particles than polymer that became fibers. The most favorable site for oxidation seemed to be tertiary rather than methylene hydrogen. Overall, the thermal history of polymer that becomes shot particles may be significantly different than the thermal history of polymer that becomes fibers, and this difference may have influenced shot formation.
SEMANTICS AND ONTOLOGY: ARTHUR BURKS AND THE COMPUTATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Arthur Burks has gained renown both as a philosopher and as a computer scientist. As a philosopher, he is known both as a Peirce scholar (Burks, 1958) and for his original investigations into meaning and induction (Burks, 1977). As a computer scientist, he is known both for his pioneering work on the stored-program concept (von Neumann, Burks and Goldstine, 1946; Burks, 1963) and for his studies of logical nets (Burks and Wright, 1953; Burks and Copi, 1956; Burks and Wang, 1957) and cellular automata (von Neumann, 1966; Burks, 1970).
Moderate Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation After Posterolateral Myocardial Infarction in Sheep Alters Left Ventricular Shear but Not Normal Strain in the Infarct and Infarct Borderzone.

Background Chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation (CIMR) is associated with poor outcome. Left ventricular (LV) strain after posterolateral myocardial infarction (MI) may drive LV remodeling. Although moderate CIMR has been previously shown to affect LV remodeling, the effect of CIMR on LV strain after posterolateral MI remains unknown. We tested the hypothesis that moderate CIMR alters LV strain after posterolateral MI. Methods Posterolateral MI was created in 10 sheep. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with tags was performed 2 weeks before and 2, 8, and 16 weeks after MI. The left and right ventricular volumes were measured, and regurgitant volume indexed to body surface area (regurgitant volume index) was calculated as the difference between left ventricle and right ventricle stroke volumes divided by body surface area. Three-dimensional strain was calculated. Results Circumferential strain (E cc ) and longitudinal strain (E ll ) were reduced in the infarct proper, MI borderzone, and remote myocardium 16 weeks after MI. In addition, radial circumferential (E rc ) and radial longitudinal (E rl ) shear strains were reduced in remote myocardium but increased in the infarct and borderzone 16 weeks after MI. Of all strain components, however, only E rc was affected by regurgitant volume index ( p = 0.0005). There was no statistically significant effect of regurgitant volume index on E cc , E ll , E rl , or circumferential longitudinal shear strain (E cl ). Conclusions Moderate CIMR alters radial circumferential shear strain after posterolateral MI in sheep. Further studies are needed to determine the effect of shear strain on myocyte hypertrophy and the effect of mitral repair on myocardial strain.
Vygotsky for Educators: The Vygotskian Theoretical Learning Approach as an Alternative to “Traditional” Explicit Instruction and to Constructivist Instruction

The Theoretical Learning Approach: An Overview The theoretical learning approach to instruction has been developed by Russian Vygotskians on the basis of Vygotsky’s notions of scientific knowledge as psychological tools, and teaching these tools as the major content of mediation at school. Proceeding from these notions, teaching scientific knowledge should be organized just as any other type of mediation: the teacher presents ready-made scientific knowledge to students in the external form; students appropriate this knowledge and then use and increasingly master it under the teacher’s supervision; as a result, this knowledge becomes internalized and turns into an internal mediator of students’ thinking and problem solving. What is the scientific knowledge that we should explicitly teach to students? As discussed in Chapter 8, the answer to this question was suggested by the Vygotskians back in the 1930s (half a century before American cognitive psychologists came up with the same idea): Scientific knowledge taught to students should be a combination of subject-domain procedural and conceptual knowledge. Such “marrying concepts to procedures” makes the procedural knowledge meaningful and transferable; therefore, students become able to use this knowledge in novel situations to solve relevant subject domain problems.
High glucose suppresses embryonic stem cell differentiation into neural lineage cells.

Abnormal neurogenesis occurs during embryonic development in human diabetic pregnancies and in animal models of diabetic embryopathy. Our previous studies in a mouse model of diabetic embryopathy have implicated that high glucose of maternal diabetes delays neurogenesis in the developing neuroepithelium leading to neural tube defects. However, the underlying process in high glucose-impaired neurogenesis is uncharacterized. Neurogenesis from embryonic stem (ES) cells provides a valuable model for understanding the abnormal neural lineage development under high glucose conditions. ES cells are commonly generated and maintained in high glucose (approximately 25 mM glucose). Here, the mouse ES cell line, E14, was gradually adapted to and maintained in low glucose (5 mM), and became a glucose responsive E14 (GR-E14) line. High glucose induced the endoplasmic reticulum stress marker, CHOP, in GR-E14 cells. Under low glucose conditions, the GR-E14 cells retained their pluripotency and capability to differentiate into neural lineage cells. GR-E14 cell differentiation into neural stem cells (Sox1 and nestin positive cells) was inhibited by high glucose. Neuron (Tuj1 positive cells) and glia (GFAP positive cells) differentiation from GR-E14 cells was also suppressed by high glucose. In addition, high glucose delayed GR-E14 differentiation into neural crest cells by decreasing neural crest markers, paired box 3 (Pax3) and paired box 7 (Pax7). Thus, high glucose impairs ES cell differentiation into neural lineage cells. The low glucose adapted and high glucose responsive GR-E14 cell line is a useful in vitro model for assessing the adverse effect of high glucose on the development of the central nervous system.
A quantitative study on lung cancer mortality among residents in Jiangsu Province

Objective To analyze main influencing factors for ascending mortality of lung cancer;to provide evidence for making lung cancer control and prevention strategies.Methods Lung cancer mortality in Jiangsu Province from 1973 to 1975and 2012 was quantitatively decomposed to calculate corresponding proportion of contribution of demographic and non-demographic factors to lung cancer mortality change by difference decomposition method.Results Compared to duration of 1973-1975,crude mortality of lung cancer in Jiangsu Province in 2012 increased by 5.59 times while age-standardized mortality increased by 1.94 times.The rank of lung cancer mortality ascended from the 4th to the 1st among all malignant tumors.Demographic factors contributed to 43.32% of increasement of lung cancer mortality in Jiangsu Province,while non-demographic factors accounted for 56.68%.Conclusion Lung cancer has become the key point in malignant tumors control and prevention in Jiangsu Province.Aging of population and increasing of other factors are major causes of the ascending lung cancer mortality.
Quantitative analysis of ex vivo colorectal epithelium using an automated feature extraction algorithm for microendoscopy image data

Qualitative screening for colorectal polyps via fiber bundle microendoscopy imaging has shown promising results, with studies reporting high rates of sensitivity and specificity, as well as low interobserver variability with trained clinicians. A quantitative image quality control and image feature extraction algorithm (QFEA) was designed to lessen the burden of training and provide objective data for improved clinical efficacy of this method. After a quantitative image quality control step, QFEA extracts field-of-view area, crypt area, crypt circularity, and crypt number per image. To develop and validate this QFEA, a training set of microendoscopy images was collected from freshly resected porcine colon epithelium. The algorithm was then further validated on ex vivo image data collected from eight human subjects, selected from clinically normal appearing regions distant from grossly visible tumor in surgically resected colorectal tissue. QFEA has proven flexible in application to both mosaics and individual images, and its automated crypt detection sensitivity ranges from 71 to 94% despite intensity and contrast variation within the field of view. It also demonstrates the ability to detect and quantify differences in grossly normal regions among different subjects, suggesting the potential efficacy of this approach in detecting occult regions of dysplasia.
Using Social Media As Historical Marketing Tool For Heritage Sites In Eastern New York State

Heritage tourism marketing has been studied around the globe with many different areas of focus. This study examines heritage site marketing techniques in New York State and uses three research objectives: (1) to determine what marketing techniques are currently being used by heritage sites (2) examine how the heritage sites use social media and (3) determine social media best practices for heritage sites and recommendations for improvement. Findings show that New York State heritage sites primary use word of mouth marketing, relationship marketing, and e-marketing. Social media is used to communicate mostly with adults and seniors but do not focus heavily on millennials which is a major issue as identified in the study. Finally, the preferred social media platforms used by heritage sites are websites and Facebook, which are effective tools for visitor engagement, marketing events, programs and exhibits, and attracting new visitors.
Fashioning China : Precarious Creativity and Women Designers in Shanzhai Culture

This study examines a copycat culture called Shanzhai, particularly looking into fashion imitations made and circulated by a group of women designers through digital media. It investigates the cultural transformation of labor taking place in China through the critical lens of precarious creativity. Women designers perform digital labor to de-fetishize the labor process of global fashion brands, which mythicizes class and commodity. These women's fashion work lacks official recognition as meaningful labor, while their ability to make a case for the legitimacy of their work is further diminished when the state co-opts Shanzhai for its nation-building narratives. These women's experiences of precarity and their very act of copying reveal the simultaneous possibility and impossibility of the Chinese Dream.
A novel design of a shaped reflector for the intelsat viii-a program

Consistent with plans to provide global satellite interconnectivity [1], INTELSAT authorized construction of two additional satellites known as 805 and 806. The 805 satellite provides Asia-Pacific service with an enhanced coverage over China as viewed from the 1.10.5° East orbital location while the 806 coverage includes North/South America and Western Europe as viewed from the 310° East orbital location. The design of the antenna subsystem for these satellites is driven by several unique requirements including in-orbit polarization selectivity with stringent cross-pol isolation, high edge of coverage EIRP (which drives power handling requirements) and extended bandwidth operation which complicates the design of the components. The in-orbit polarization selectability permits either dual linear or dual circular polarization, both with frequency reuse. The in-orbit 26 dB cross-pol isolation requirement imposes stringent cross-polar constraints on all four polarizations. This requirement is necessary since standard Intelsat ground stations operate with circular polarization while other current systems servicing these markets use linear polarization. At the initiation of the contract, uncertainties in the coordination of these different systems led to this dual polarization requirement [2].
Employer Hiring Preferences in the Human Services

ABSTRACTThere is a dearth of empirical literature in social work on the hiring practices and preferences of human service administrators. Our online survey of human services hiring managers (N = 370) begins to fill a gap. We ask, “What aspects of a potential employee’s portfolio and background are viewed as important by employers?” Findings suggest that a majority of social work administrators value interpersonal skills above all else. Academic factors were of secondary importance. Some differences in hiring preference were found based on the race/ethnicity of the hiring administrator and the agency auspice. These findings have significant implications for MSW students and educators.
Ask not what your postdoc can do for you ...

Seeking more effective strategies for training and nurturing CS postdocs to ensure their success.
Influence of partially demineralized milk proteins on rheological properties and microstructure of acid gels

ABSTRACT Innovative clean label processes employed in the manufacture of acid gels are targeted to modify the structure of proteins that contribute to rheological properties. In the present study, CO 2 -treated milk protein concentrate powder with 80% protein in dry matter (TMPC80) was mixed with nonfat dry milk (NDM) in different ratios for the manufacture of acid gels. Dispersions of NDM and TMPC80 that provided 100, 90, 70, and 40% of protein from NDM were reconstituted to 4.0% (wt/wt) protein and 12.0% (wt/wt) total solids. Dispersions were adjusted to pH 6.5, followed by heat treatment at 90°C for 10 min. Glucono-δ-lactone was added and samples were incubated at 30°C, reaching pH 4.5 ± 0.05 after 4 h of incubation. Glucono-δ-lactone levels were adjusted to compensate for the lower buffering capacity of samples with higher proportions of TMPC80, which is attributable to the depletion of buffering minerals from both the serum and micellar phase during preparation of TMPC80. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE analysis indicated a higher amount of caseins in the supernatant of unheated suspensions with increasing proportions of CO 2 -treated TMPC80, attributable to the partial disruption of casein micelles in TMPC80. Heat treatment reduced the level of whey proteins in the supernatant due to the heat-induced association of whey proteins with casein micelles, the extent of which was larger in samples containing more micellar casein (i.e., samples with a lower proportion of TMPC80). Particle size analysis showed only small differences between nonheated and heated dispersions. Gelation pH increased from ˜5.1 to ˜5.3, and the storage modulus of the gels at pH 4.5 increased from ˜300 to ˜420 Pa when the proportion of protein contributed by TMPC80 increased from 0 to 60%. Water-holding capacity also increased and gel porosity decreased with increasing proportion of protein contributed by TMPC80. The observed gel properties were in line with microstructural observations by confocal microscopy, wherein sample gels containing increasing levels of TMPC80 exhibited smaller, well-connected aggregates with uniform, homogeneous pore sizes. We concluded that TMPC80 can be used to partially replace NDM as a protein source to improve rheological and water-holding properties in acid gels. The resultant gels also exhibited decreased buffering, which can improve the productive capacity of yogurt manufacturing plants. Overall, the process can be leveraged to reduce the amount of hydrocolloids added to improve yogurt consistency and water-holding capacity, thus providing a path to meet consumer expectations of clean label products.
Use of an electronic medical record reminder improves HIV screening.

More than 1 in 7 patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the United States are unaware of their serostatus despite recommendations of US agencies that all adults through age 65 be screened for HIV at least once. To facilitate universal screening, an electronic medical record (EMR) reminder was created for our primary care practice. Screening rates before and after implementation were assessed to determine the impact of the reminder on screening rates. A retrospective cohort analysis was performed for patients age 18–65 with visits between January 1, 2012-October 30, 2014. EMR databases were examined for HIV testing and selected patient characteristics. We evaluated the probability of HIV screening in unscreened patients before and after the reminder and used a multivariable generalized linear model to test the association between likelihood of HIV testing and specific patient characteristics. Prior to the reminder, the probability of receiving an HIV test for previously unscreened patients was 15.3%. This increased to 30.7% after the reminder (RR 2.02, CI 1.95–2.09, p < 0.0001). The impact was most significant in patients age 45–65. White race, English as primary language, and higher median household income were associated with lower likelihoods of screening both before and after implementation (RR 0.68, CI 0.65–0.72; RR 0.74, CI 0.67–0.82; RR 0.84, CI 0.80–0.88, respectively). The EMR reminder increased rates of HIV screening twofold in our practice. It was most effective in increasing screening rates in older patients. Patients who were white, English-speaking, and had higher incomes were less likely to be screened for HIV both before and after the reminder.