cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application on Lost Circulation Prevention and Control Technology in Rumaila Oilfield

In Rumaila oilfield,the leakage formations are holes and fractures formed by depositional carbonatite and diagenic metamorphism,the diameters of leakage channels cover from micron order to centimeter sized,and several formation pressure systems are encountered in one open hole.The high efficiency pressure containment additive bridge cement compound lost circulation control technology is applied successfully.In the second interval,the cone bit without nozzle is used to blind drill through Dammam formation with fresh water once the leakage happens,which saves much time and improves the success rate of lost circulation control operation.
Discussion on the Working Ways about Supplier Quality Management——the Identification of the Core Risks of Quality Managing

This paper describes the working ways about supplier quality managing through summarizing the work experience. It proposes to identify the risks owing to cost,turnout,staffer,manufacture experience by one SQE(Supplier Quality Engineer),SQE should prevent and control the risks mostly,Then SQE can do the job excellendy,and insure supplier quality steady.
Discussion: Solution of the Gibbs Entropy Paradox

In his paper ‘The Gibbs Paradox and the Distinguishability of physical Systems’ (this Journal, July 1964) Robert Rosen discusses the discontinuity of the diffusion entropy S of two gases, A and B.
Mobile Schwannoma of the Lumbar Spine: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Mobile schwannomas of the spine have been sparsely documented in the literature. In cases referred to in existing literature, the migratory schwannoma was documented to occur in the lumbar spine. We added another case to the small available literature. In our case report, the patient had a previously known lumbar schwannoma that was being managed conservatively. Due to an acute change in clinical symptoms, repeat imaging was performed. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of his spine revealed migration of the schwannoma two levels rostral to his recent imaging from six weeks earlier. The patient underwent surgical resection of his lesion. During the operation, the ultrasound was utilized to confirm the lesion prior to dural opening. In this report, we attempt to provide further evidence of the utility of an intraoperative ultrasound for intradural lesions and intend to add to the published literature of mobile schwannomas of the spine
Medical treatment decision-making for advanced, progressive medullary thyroid cancer

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare form of thyroid cancer comprising approximately 4 % of all thyroid cancers. Thyroidectomy still serves as the primary treatment for MTC and conveys the highest chance for cure if the disease is detected early in its development. Although relatively rare and typically indolent for the majority of patients, it is the first type of thyroid cancer for which two targeted, systemic chemotherapeutic agents are approved to treat in the subgroup of patients with advanced and progressive disease. The understanding that aberrant RET receptor activation is a primary driver of MTC led to clinical investigations with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting this tyrosine kinase receptor. The success of these trials has led to the approval of vandetanib (April 2011 in the USA, February 2012 in Europe) and cabozantinib (November 2012 in the USA, March 2014 in Europe) for patients with advanced, progressive, or symptomatic MTC not treatable with surgery. When to consider using one of these agents and which one to initiate are frequently asked questions. This chapter uses a case-based approach to answer these difficult questions, albeit further studies are warranted to fully understand which patients benefit from such agents and which agent is more effective.
The Early Life of Carl Friedrich Gauss

There is perhaps no discipline that is so intrinsically tied to data than the study of finance. Every financial theory is formulated not for some esoteric purpose, but rather to better understand future occurrences based on past information. This world of financial data is so broad that it makes little sense unless it can be simplified and represented by a few familiar measures. Our models then incorporate these measures to predict movements in financial variables. This problem is not unlike the challenge of those who gazed at the planets and stars and tried to predict their motion. One such mathematical explorer enjoyed more success in challenging predictions than any other. His surprisingly humble upbringing almost defies his incredible insights and contributions to dozens of sciences since, finance included.
Analog gearbox: A photonic hardware accelerator

Inspired by mechanical gearboxes, we introduce an optical analog implementation of the gearbox as a means to overcome the mismatch between the ultrahigh speed of optical data and the much slower sampling rate of electronic digitizers and processors.
Accelerated deflation promotes homogeneous airspace liquid distribution in the edematous lung

We introduce, in the isolated rat lung, a new model of pulmonary edema with elevated surface tension. We first generate hydrostatic edema and then ventilate gently to increase surface tension. We i...
Cooking at home: A multimodal narrative analysis of the Food Network

Abstract This article explores the mediated discourses of food and gender in a multimodal narrative analysis of two Food Network instructional cooking shows hosted by female protagonists. Through a discussion of the openings and closings, side-narratives and evaluations, this article shows how multimodality advances the cooking show narrative. In examining the presentation of the women cooks in the context of their homes and family, the analysis illustrates how the mediated context facilitates the transition of women from underappreciated and expected caretakers in the kitchen to confident and empowered agents.
The Nature of Glass Leaching

The nature of glass-water interactions is complicated at best. Understanding these interactions and developing a predictive model is more difficult for complex waste containment glasses than for re...
Planning and developing facility management-enabled building information model (FM-enabled BIM)

Abstract Successful implementation of FM-enabled BIM can be achieved with 1) a clear definition of what FM-enabled BIM constitutes, 2) a seamless and practical process of collecting the FM-enabled BIM data throughout project development phases, and 3) a well-executed interoperability plan for exchanging data between BIM tools and facility management systems, such as Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). This research contributes to the body of knowledge by first defining, and examining one of the first few pilots implementation of FM-enabled BIM, and discussing the challenges encountered and the lessons learned, and then by proposing a research framework for future researchers to systematically and strategically build the knowledge foundation on BIM for FM field. The implementation process described and the lessons learned captured in this pilot project provide valuable insights into the successful implementation of FM-enabled BIM.
Magic, religion, and the South: notes on Ernesto De Martino

AbstractThis article deals with the work of the Italian anthropologist, ethnographer, and historian of religions Ernesto De Martino (1908–1965) and, more specifically, with his ‘ethnographic expedi...
Employer Branding and Social Recruiting

Employer branding has been defined as the process of creating and communicating - both inside and outside of the organization - a clear image of what is attractive and distinctive of the organizati...
Inhibitors of the p21 Activated Kinases

This review article provides an overview of some of the inhibitors that have been generated against the p21-activated kinases (PAKs). Immunohistopathological evaluation, gene profiling studies, and functional assays have indicated that PAKs play important roles in human diseases, particularly cancer. Many tumor samples that have been evaluated have shown overexpression or amplification of PAK genes. Furthermore, several studies have also shown that PAKs are involved in brain diseases as well as infectious diseases. Since the PAK kinases have been linked to cancer and other diseases, they are often considered to be valuable therapeutic targets. A number of PAK inhibitors are currently under study for their use in research or as therapeutic agents. In some cases, promising results have been obtained from both in vivo and in vitro studies. Studies are ongoing to assess the specificity of PAK inhibitors toward specific PAK isoforms, to determine their pharmacokinetic profiles, and to determine optimal doses. Future studies will determine which PAK inhibitors will be the most promising candidates for clinical development.
FINANCING LONG-TERM SERVICES AND SUPPORTS: CHALLENGES, GOALS, AND NEEDED REFORMS

The need for long-term services and supports (LTSS) presents a growing financial burden on disabled individuals, their families, and state Medicaid budgets. Strategies for addressing this problem p...
Brief paper: A model reduction technique for nonlinear systems

Nonlinear nondynamic systems which can be modelled by a linear combination of nonlinear functions are considered. An algorithm, based on correlation techniques, is presented for reducing the number of terms in such a model to a fixed but arbitrary number, n. It is shown that when the model is a linear combination of unorthogonal nonlinear functions the algorithm may, but not necessarily, retain n terms which do not result in the optimal n term model, according to a least squared error criterion. A second algorithm is presented for determining the probability of this occurrence, a priori, and thus permits the user to evaluate the usefulness of correlation techniques as a model reduction method. The first algorithm is then used to reduce the number of terms in roll force setup models for a hot steel rolling mill. The second algorithm indicates that the probability of obtaining a suboptimal n term model is very low in this example, even though unorthogonal functions were used. Extensions to dynamic and stochastic systems are also discussed.
On Intersection Graphs of Convex Polygons

Since an image can easily be modeled by its adjacency graph, graph theory and algorithms on graphs are widely used in image processing. Of particular interest are the problems of estimating the number of the maximal cliques in a graph and designing algorithms for their computation, since these are found relevant to various applications in image processing and computer graphics. In the present paper we study the maximal clique problem on intersection graphs of convex polygons, which are also applicable to imaging sciences. We present results which refine or improve some of the results recently proposed in [18]. Thus, it was shown therein that an intersection graph of n convex polygons whose sides are parallel to k different directions has no more than n 2k maximal cliques. Here we prove that the number of maximal cliques does not exceed n k . Moreover, we show that this bound is tight for any fixed k. Algorithmic aspects are discussed as well.
Differentiation of reactive and tumor metastatic lymph nodes with diffusion-weighted and superparamagnetic iron oxide enhanced MRI

1143 Objectives Determination of lymphatic metastases is of great importance for both treatment planning and patient prognosis. We aim to distinguish tumor metastatic lymph nodes and reactive lymph nodes with diffusion weighted and superparamagnetic iron oxide enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods Ipsilateral popliteal lymph node metastases or lymphadenitis were developed by hock injection of either luciferase-expressing murine breast cancer 4T1 cells or Complete Freund Adjuvant (CFA) in male Balb/C mice. At different time points after inoculation, bioluminescent imaging, T2-weighted, diffusion weighted and iron oxide enhanced MRI were performed using an IVIS system and a 7T MRI scanner. Imaging findings were confirmed by histopathologic staining. Results Size enlargement was observed in both tumor draining lymph nodes (TLNs) and reactive lymph nodes (RLNs). At day 28, TLNs showed strong BLI signal and much bigger size than RLNs (p Conclusions Both diffusion-weighted and SPIO enhanced MRI can distinguish tumor metastatic lymph nodes with reactive lymph nodes. However, both methods failed to tell the difference between tumor draining LNs and reactive LNs at early stage of tumor metastasis. Research Support Intramural Research Program, NIBIB, NI
Interactions Between Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Its Host Plant Cells

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is the causative agent of the crown gall disease of dicotyledonous plants (Smith and Townsend, 1907; reviewed in Braun, 1982). The finding 13 years ago that the bacterium can transfer a discrete segment of tumorigenic DNA (T-DNA) to the genome of the plant host (Chilton et aI., 1977, 1980; Willmitzer, 1980) attracted the interest ofa large number of laboratories around the world. This was largely due to the possibility of exploiting this unprecedented interkingdom DNA transfer to create transgenic plants. There have been at least two consequences of this research. The first is that Agrobacterium has indeed been used to create transgenic plants of several dozen species containing genes of scientific or commercial importance. The second consequence, perhaps somewhat accidental, is that Agrobacterium now provides the best available model for studying the molecular interactions between plants and their bacterial pathogens.
Prognostic factors, treatment, and survival in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: A population-based cohort study.

9584Background: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare, locally aggressive cutaneous soft tissue sarcoma that carries a 2-5% risk of distant metastasis. There is limited information on th...
Praying “Straight from the Heart”: Evangelical sincerity and the normative frames of culture in action

Abstract Based on ethnographies of two Evangelical Christian contexts in the U.S., this article investigates how Evangelicals’ expectation that prayer be sincere – i.e., an honest reflection of the praying subject’s true thoughts, feelings, and desires – enabled prayer to do particular kinds of cultural work for Evangelicals at the same time it created a series of troubling dilemmas surrounding the practice itself. Through this empirical analysis, we develop the more general theoretical concept of normative frames to draw broader sociological attention to how groups’ normative expectations regarding how cultural tools should (and should not) work interact with and influence the pragmatics of culture in action. We discuss how future sociological scholarship on the possibilities and problems of culture in action can benefit from further study of the complex and sometimes paradoxical interplay between cultural tools and their normative frames.
Profiling Commuters’ Travel Behavior in the Pacific States of the Continental U.S.

We develop a more nuanced understanding of commuters’ travel mode choices by generating detailed profiles that capture the travel behavior of commuters in the Pacific states of the continental US. These profiles are created by utilizing the US Census Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) data. The microdata sample set allows for the estimation of fine-grained models that showcase how individual commuters make travel mode choices. Our results show appreciable locational variation in mode choices and statistically significant differences in commuting profile across and within population segments. A key revealing finding demonstrates that across the three states analyzed, the total number of vehicles driven for any day of the week could be reduced by up to 10 million assuming the commuting patterns observed in San Francisco applies to the rest of the states. Other policy implications are highlighted with regards to the insights provided by the study on making transportation-related infrastructure decisions.
Ablating astrocyte insulin receptors leads to delayed puberty and hypogonadism in mice

Insulin resistance and obesity are associated with reduced gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release and infertility. Mice that lack insulin receptors (IRs) throughout development in both neuronal and non-neuronal brain cells are known to exhibit subfertility due to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. However, attempts to recapitulate this phenotype by targeting specific neurons have failed. To determine whether astrocytic insulin sensing plays a role in the regulation of fertility, we generated mice lacking IRs in astrocytes (astrocyte-specific insulin receptor deletion [IRKOGFAP] mice). IRKOGFAP males and females showed a delay in balanopreputial separation or vaginal opening and first estrous, respectively. In adulthood, IRKOGFAP female mice also exhibited longer, irregular estrus cycles, decreased pregnancy rates, and reduced litter sizes. IRKOGFAP mice show normal sexual behavior but hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadotropin (HPG) axis dysregulation, likely explaining their low fecundity. Histological examination of testes and ovaries showed impaired spermatogenesis and ovarian follicle maturation. Finally, reduced prostaglandin E synthase 2 (PGES2) levels were found in astrocytes isolated from these mice, suggesting a mechanism for low GnRH/luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion. These findings demonstrate that insulin sensing by astrocytes is indispensable for the function of the reproductive axis. Additional work is needed to elucidate the role of astrocytes in the maturation of hypothalamic reproductive circuits.
Essential Infinite Order Non-PDE Behavior in Continuum Mechanics: Corrections to Hydrodynamics and Diffusion

Longstanding problems regarding the causality of the diffusion equation are resolved through a class of exact solutions. A universal differential solution for diffusive processes is derived that is causal and exact at any analytic point in the data, albeit infinite order in spatial derivatives. This is true for systems both relativistic and nonrelativistic and shows that the hyperbolic and other relativistic extensions of the heat equation are not valid. A similar effect is demonstrated for flow enhanced mixing of solutions but with a new nonanalytic feature. Viscous hydrodynamics of liquids have both features. Both Newtonian and non-Newtonian viscous liquids give a more important and confounding alteration of the N-S equations for nonstationary flows. A careful analysis of liquids in terms of microscopic constituents and Lagrangian paths show there is a well-defined unique microscopic decomposition of fluid deformations into rotation and two modes corresponding to organized layered flow that do not enhance mixing and a mode that induces mixing and preferred static orientations. The resulting equations are both infinite order in spatial derivatives almost everywhere and are divided into two disjoint classes by an essential nonanalytic hypersuface. These give important rheological effects coupling hydrodynamic flow to diffusion and reaction kinetics. Practical consequences include catalysis and reaction yield control by rheological means. Implications of this work should percolate through almost all of continuum mechanics.
Correction to: Identifying high risk subgroups of MSM: a latent class analysis using two samples

Following publication of the original article [1], the author reported his family name has been marked as the first name. His given name is M. Kumi and his family name is Smith.
Introducing the Problem

In this chapter the so-called ‘indexing problem’ of multi-line triangulation will be introduced, motivated by the example of the sensor principle Flying Triangulation (see Sect. 3.3.3 and [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]). The indexing problem is the main reason for the low efficiency of current multi-line triangulation approaches.
Differential response of horseweed (Conyza canadensis) to halauxifen-methyl, 2,4-D, and dicamba

Halauxifen-methyl is an auxin herbicide for broadleaf weed control in preplant applications to corn and soybean. Our objective for this research was to characterize the phytotoxicity of halauxifen-methyl on horseweed, relative to 2,4-D and dicamba, in terms of weed height, the response to an auxin synergist, and root activity. The 50% reduction in plant growth (GR50) value for halauxifen-methyl on rosette-sized plants was 0.05 g ae ha–1, 100 times less than the labeled use rate of 5 g ae ha–1, compared with 36 and 31 g ha–1 for 2,4-D and dicamba, respectively. In a whole-plant bioassay, 240 g ae ha–1 of 2,4-D was calculated as the GR50 value on horseweed 20-cm tall, whereas applications of only 53 and 0.40 g ae ha–1 were necessary for dicamba and halauxifen-methyl, respectively, to achieve the same response. As weed size decreased, there was a concomitant reduction in the estimated herbicide dose for the GR50 with similar differences observed between halauxifen-methyl and the other two auxin herbicides. The addition of diflufenzopyr, an auxin synergist, to 2,4-D and dicamba resulted in a synergistic response on horseweed. However, the addition of diflufenzopyr to halauxifen-methyl resulted in an additive or antagonistic effect, depending on rate of diflufenzopyr, demonstrating a distinctive physiological pathway for halauxifen-methyl compared with 2,4-D and dicamba. In the agar-based bioassays, GR50 values for horseweed root length for 2,4-D and dicamba were 0.16 and 0.19 µM, respectively, whereas only 0.004 µM halauxifen-methyl was required for a comparable root response. These results indicate that horseweed exhibits a high level of sensitivity to halauxifen-methyl and suggest the activity of halauxifen-methyl is different from that of 2,4-D and dicamba. These differences in herbicide activity may reflect differential absorption, translocation, metabolism, or targeting of auxin receptors found in horseweed.Nomenclature: 2,4-D; dicamba; diflufenzopyr; halauxifen-methyl; corn, Zea mays L.; horseweed, Conyza canadensis L. Cronq. ERICA; soybean, Glycine max L.
Extending the capabilities of plasma-based soft x-ray lasers (Conference Presentation)

Plasma-based soft x-ray lasers (SXRL) enable experiments requiring bright, high energy, soft x-ray laser pulses to be conducted in compact facilities. Recent advances in high energy, high repetition rate, ultrashort pulse solid state lasers now make it possible to extend their wavelenght range, increase their repetition rates, and improve their efficiency. Recently we extended the operation of gain-saturated compact repetitive x-ray lasers down to λ=6.85 nm in Ni-like Gd [1]. Isoelectronic scaling of these collisionally excited laser transitions produced strong lasing at 6.67 nm and 6.11 nm in Ni-like Tb and amplification at 6.41 nm and 5.85 nm in Ni-like Dy [1]. This recent progress will be summarized, and efforts to further extend laser operation to shorter wavelengths will be reviewed. We will also discuss the possibility of increasing the efficiency of plasma-based soft x-ray lasers by controlling the pulse shape of the pump pulses. Prospects of these SXRL will be discussed. Work supported by the US Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences and by the National Science Foundation [1] A. Rockwood, Y. Wang, S. Wang, M. Berrill, V.N. Shlyaptsev, and J.J. Rocca, "Compact gain-saturated x-ray lasers down to 6.85 nm and amplification down to 5.85 nm". Optica. 5, 257, (2018).
Design and Analysis of PWM Inverter for 100KVA Solid State Transformer in a Distribution System

Conventional Magnetic Transformers are key components in a distribution system as it performs several functions like voltage transformation and isolation. However due to increase in penetration of renewable energies into distribution system, existing conventional transformers are expected to be replaced by a solid-state transformer (SST) which offers several advantages as reported in literature. SST can also be used to connect AC or DC grids because it can be operated at a much higher frequency and voltage which results in reduction in the size of conventional transformers as size of transformer is inversely proportional to frequency. In this paper, design and analysis of a 3-phase PWM Inverter using half - bridge topology for 11kV/381V, 100kVA solid-state transformer (SST) is presented for power distribution system application. The mathematical model of SST is developed using analytical calculations and then implemented in MATLAB simulation program. Finally it is implemented in hardware in a laboratory for a half-bridge topology. The main system has been virtually created in order to actualize the conversion from DC to AC.
Developing standard test methods for assessment of medical devices in the fields of wound prevention and care

Abstract In the field of wound prevention and care, pressure injuries/ulcers represent a significant problem in terms of pain, disfigurement, suffering, and prolonging recovery, in addition to the monetary costs associated with each. A thorough knowledge of support surfaces, cushions, and positioning devices should be among the multiple approaches in the management of pressure injuries. Caregivers, clinicians, and manufacturers would greatly benefit from understanding the processes by which standards are developed, including a basic awareness of the rigorous testing and expert assessment that are the foundation of national and international standards.
On Processing Central Bank Communications: Can We Account for Fed Watching?

Central bank communications need interpretation. We contribute to the communications literature by focusing on the effort expended on deciphering central bank communications. We build a model economy in which banks provide a deposit/insurance function for consumers subject to idiosyncratic liquidity shocks. Though ex ante identical, banks exhibit ex post heterogeneity by choosing different predictors that vary in terms of accuracy with respect to the expected future return on money. In the literature with heterogeneous forecasts, the modelling approach has relied on stochastic costs as the primary force accounting for the coexistence of different predictors in equilibrium. Here, model the problem as a willingness to pay for different predictors; each predictor has a different forecast accuracy with more accurate predictors resulting in higher expected utility. By the concavity of the consumer’s utility function, there exists a willingness-to-pay which satisfies an indifference condition. More accurate forecast predictors correspond with greater willingness-to-pay amounts. The resources expended to obtain a more accurate forecast correspond with the bank’s processing of the central bank’s communications. Hence, we interpret the willingness to pay as Fed watching. The model with Fed watching exhibits local stability, while we derive conditions in which no Fed watching results in local instability. We further apply this approach to a banking economy in which the returns to one asset are subject to a fractional externality; that is, the return to one asset is negatively related to the fraction of banks holding that asset. The approach is designed to capture how herding and the regulatory settings are related to what the central bank knows (and communicates) about bank operations.
Punishing Non-citizens

This paper considers the question of why the non-citizenship of offenders poses an obstacle to their criminal punishment. Several proposals are rejected, including Antony Duff’s proposal. It is proposed, instead, that governments are not authorized to punish any offender who cannot be attributed with the norm he violates. The government cannot attribute the norm that a non-citizen violates to him, if the non-citizen can raise in his favor the fact that he has no say over the law. Under certain circumstances, such as when they are visiting, non-citizens cannot raise this point, and so can be attributed with the norms they violate.
CHAPTER 17 – Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Publisher Summary This chapter presents notable feature of both Crohn disease and chronic ulcerative colitis—each tends to be a chronic condition, capable of recurring after healing, and occasionally involving more bowel during recurrences than in initial attacks. Eighty percent of patients who had undergone a single attack of ulcerative colitis in the Edwards–Truelove series suffered a second attack during the first year, and each of the 19 patients who had been followed for at least 17 years had second attacks. Chronic, continuous disability is even more of a problem for patients with untreated Crohn disease than it is for those with ulcerative colitis. Colonic cancer is a complication of both chronic ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease of the colon. If it occurs at all, colonic cancer is most likely to arise late in the course of chronic colitis, appearing ironically at a time when the underlying inflammatory disease may be causing few if any symptoms. It is, in a way, the final affront to patients who have long suffered from the indignities and depredations of an onerous disease.
The Intersection Between HR and Entrepreneurial Performance: Review and Roadmap for Future Research

Despite the proliferation of research on entrepreneurship across disciplines, our understanding of the impact of HR on entrepreneurial performance is rather limited. In this article, I apply a revi...
Breast neuroendocrine neoplasms: practical applications and continuing challenges in the era of the 5th edition of the WHO classification of breast tumours

Abstract The classification and nomenclature for breast neuroendocrine neoplasms have undergone several iterations. The most recent (5th) edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of breast tumours defines pure primary neuroendocrine neoplasms into neuroendocrine tumour (NET) and neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), in alignment with other organ systems, and segregates other lesions that exhibit neuroendocrine morphology/markers into alternative categories. This review will provide an update of the nomenclature evolution, diagnostic criteria and ancillary studies, and prognostic and clinical management of breast neuroendocrine neoplasia, focusing on a practical approach and highlighting remaining issues in this field.
Preparing Organizations for Greater Turbulence

Vigilant organizations excel at seeing looming threats and embryonic opportunities sooner than rivals, which prepares them to act faster when needed. Four drivers distinguish vigilant from vulnerab...
Behaviors, symptoms, and outcomes of North American patients with autoimmune hepatitis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The management of patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) in the era of SARS-CoV-2 is challenging given minimal published clinical data. We used a large cohort of patients with AIH across the USA to investigate the differences in known risk factors for severe SARS-CoV-2 and AIH characteristics among patients who experienced symptoms consistent with COVID-19 illness versus those who did not. Additionally, we explored the effect of living through the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the extrahepatic symptoms and behaviors of patients with AIH. An invitation to complete a COVID-19-specific questionnaire was publicized in well-established social media cohorts of patients with AIH. Eligibility criteria were age ≥18 years, US residency, and an AIH diagnosis by a physician. A total of 420 individuals were eligible for the study. Symptoms consistent with COVID-19 were reported in 11% (n=48) with 3 patients requiring hospitalizations. Body mass index (BMI) >40 kg/m2 (23% vs 10%, p=0.01) and exposure to house (33% vs 3%, p=0.0001) or work (38% vs 17%, p=0.02) contacts with COVID-19 were factors found higher in those with symptoms. Cirrhosis or steroid use or immunosuppression was not significantly different between symptomatic and non-symptomatic groups. Worsening fatigue (45% vs 30%, p=0.06), anxiety (89% vs 70%, p=0.08), and itch (40% vs 18%, p=0.03) were more common among those reporting COVID-19 symptoms compared with those without. BMI >40 kg/m2 and exposure to contacts with COVID-19 illness but not cirrhosis or immunosuppression were associated with increased risk of COVID-19 illness in patients with AIH.
Associations between Residential Proximity to Oil and Gas Drilling and Term Birth Weight and Small-for-Gestational-Age Infants in Texas: A Difference-in-Differences Analysis.

Background: Oil and natural gas extraction may produce environmental pollution at levels that affect reproductive health of nearby populations. Available studies have primarily focused on unconvent...
Alcohol-Mediated Oxidative Stress in the Airway: The Unique Role of Thiol Depletion

Individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) have increased susceptibility to developing respiratory infections and the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Oxidative stress is a primary contributor to the pathogenesis of these alcohol-related derangements. Sources of alcohol-induced lung oxidative stress include depletion of cytosolic and mitochondrial glutathione (GSH), increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and enhanced expression and activity of NADPH oxidases (Nox). Alcohol-mediated oxidative stress in the lung leads to tissue injury and barrier dysfunction, phospholipid peroxidation and DNA oxidation, fibronectin production, apoptosis, and dysregulation of cellular zinc transport and immune function. Since these consequences directly relate to rising healthcare costs and associated hospitalizations of alcoholic patients, therapeutic interventions to attenuate alcohol-induced pulmonary oxidative stress are critical. Treatments recently under investigation in preclinical studies and, in some cases clinical studies, include drugs that activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), dietary zinc supplementation, and treatment with GSH precursors. These interventions are designed to attenuate alcohol-mediated increases in lung oxidative stress with the goal of restoring healthy lung function and thereby decreasing the risk of lung infections and injury in this vulnerable population.
Arginine Deficiency during Gestation and Lactation in the Rat

The effects of dietary arginine deprivation during gestation and lactation were studied in the rat. Placental development, as indicated by the total protein and RNA content, of rats fed a diet devoid of arginine was inferior to that of pair-fed controls. Fetal cerebral protein plus body weights were reduced by maternal arginine deprivation. Urinary excretion of orotic acid and citric acid was significantly increased in arginine-deficient rats throughout the gestational period. Pups nursed by arginine-deficient dams during lactational periods had smaller body and organ weights than those nursed by pair-fed control dams regardless of their prenatal nutritional states. Nursing performance of the dam was most affected by feeding arginine-free diet throughout gestation and lactation. Consumption of an arginine-free diet by the dam during gestation resulted in lower birth weight and higher perinatal mortality of the pups nursed. Deletion of arginine from the diet after parturition significantly reduced nursing performance after 18 days of lactation. The reduction in nursing performance caused by arginine deficiency during gestation could be corrected by replenishing arginine after parturition. Mammary gland development, as indicated by nucleic acid content, was reduced by either reducing dietary arginine or food intake during lactation. All these results provided evidence that dietary arginine is required during gestation and lactation for optimal reproductive response and nursing performance in rats.
A family of high-performance matrix multiplication algorithms

During the last half-decade, a number of research efforts have centered around developing software for generating automatically tuned matrix multiplication kernels. These include the PHiPAC project and the ATLAS project. The software end-products of both projects employ brute force to search a parameter space for blockings that accommodate multiple levels of memory hierarchy. We take a different approach: using a simple model of hierarchical memories we employ mathematics to determine a locally-optimal strategy for blocking matrices. The theoretical results show that, depending on the shape of the matrices involved, different strategies are locally-optimal. Rather than determining a blocking strategy at library generation time, the theoretical results show that, ideally, one should pursue a heuristic that allows the blocking strategy to be determined dynamically at run-time as a function of the shapes of the operands. When the resulting family of algorithms is combined with a highly optimized inner-kernel for a small matrix multiplication, the approach yields performance that is superior to that of methods that automatically tune such kernels. Preliminary results, for the Intel Pentium (R) III processor, support the theoretical insights.
A flower-specific cDNA encoding a novel thionin in tobacco.

We isolated a flower-specific cDNA, FST (flower-specific thionin), which encodes a novel thionin from tobacco. Thionins are basic and cysteine (Cys)-rich, low molecular weight proteins found in many plants. They are believed to play a role in plant defense against pathogens. The central domain of the FST protein shares homology with three γ-thionins. Like other thionin precursors, the FST protein has an N-terminal domain characteristic of a signal peptide and an acidic C-terminal domain. FST mRNA accumulates specifically in developing flowers and its level drops as flowers mature. Transcripts are present in petals, stamens and pistil but are not detectable in sepals. In situ hybridization revealed that FST mRNA is most abundant in the epidermal cells along the adaxial surface of petals, and in the surface cell layers of the carpel and anther walls. If the FST protein indeed has a protective role in flowers, this pattern of spatial distribution of FST mRNA would appear to maximize this effect on the two internal reproductive whorls. A possible biological role for FST is discussed.
Tutorial on social recommender systems

In recent years, with the proliferation of the social web, users are exposed to an intensively growing social overload. Social recommender systems aim to address this overload and are becoming integral part of virtually any leading website, playing a key factor in its success. In this tutorial, we will review the broad domain of social recommender systems, the underlying techniques and methodologies; the data in use, recommended entities, and target population; evaluation techniques; applications; and open issues and challenges.
The Effects of Soybean Lecithin Supplementation to a Practical Diet Formulation on Juvenile Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus: Growth, Survival, Hematology, Innate Immune Activity, and Lipid Biochemistry

A feeding trial was conducted to determine the effects of soy lecithin supplementation on production performance of juvenile channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (mean ± SE; 5.8 ± 0 g). The basal diet consisted of a practical dietary formulation for channel catfish, containing 4.3% endogenous phospholipids (PL) from dietary ingredients, to which supplemental PL from soybean lecithin were added. The study diets were 1 control and 2 experimental diets to which 0, 2, or 4% supplemental lecithin was added, respectively. Soy lecithin inclusion did not affect survival, growth, feed consumption, whole-body total lipid, innate immune response, plasma cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations, or hepatosomatic index. Feed conversion (gain/intake) improved in fish fed 4% supplemental lecithin compared with 0% lecithin. Whole-body crude protein was greater in fish fed 2% supplemental lecithin compared with 0% lecithin, while 4% supplemental lecithin was intermediate. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) content was greater in fish fed 2 or 4% lecithin than 0% lecithin. Plasma concentrations of PC were inversely proportional to dietary concentrations. Liver glycogen was greater in fish fed 0% lecithin compared with 2 or 4% lecithin. Liver lipid and phospholipid were lower in fish fed 0% lecithin than 2 or 4% lecithin. The dietary phospholipid requirement, if any, of juvenile channel catfish for growth and survival is less than or equal to 4.3% (1.5% PC) of the diet. Feed conversion is improved in channel catfish fed diets supplemented with 4% soy lecithin (7.2% phospholipid; 5.1% PC), which might offset additional costs due to phospholipid supplementation. Dietary soy lecithin inclusion altered plasma and liver lipid composition, but it is unknown whether these effects can alter the ability of juvenile catfish to survive and grow under various conditions.
Design alternatives and performance trade-offs for implementing MPI-2 over infiniband

MPICH2 provides a layered architecture to achieve both portability and performance. For implementations of MPI-2 over InfiniBand, it provides the flexibility for researchers at the RDMA channel, CH3 or ADI3 layer. In this paper we analyze the performance and complexity trade-offs associated with implementations at these layers. We describe our designs and implementations, as well as optimizations at each layer. To show the performance impacts of these design schemes and optimizations, we evaluate our implementations with different micro-benchmarks, HPCC and NAS test suite. Our experiments show that although the ADI3 layers adds complexity in implementation, the benefits achieved through optimizations justify moving to the ADI layer to extract the best performance.
Fast algorithm for complex structures

In this paper, the Fast Inhomogeneous Plane Wave Algorithm (FIPWA) for layered media is described to solve the buried object problems. The multi-level algorithm has been successfully implemented and the memory and computational complexity are shown to be O(N log N). Comparing the algorithm with the free space counterpart, it is shown that the increase of computational resource required for the buried object problems is small. Extension to a static capacitance solver as well as a broadband solver for complex structures is also illustrated.
Political Responsiveness and Neutral Competence in the Developing Countries

This article examines the role of merit-based career systems in developing countries. Using the neutral competence/political responsiveness paradigm as a point of departure, the author analyzes the experiences of two countries, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. A predictable conclusion emerges, i.e., that a rational-legal bureaucratic model is preferable to any known alternative when efficient and effective development administration is the evaluative criterion.
Sequence-of-tense and the Features of Finite Tenses

Sequence-of-tense (SOT) is often described as a (past) tense verb form that does not correspond to a semantically interpretable tense. Since SOT clauses behave in other respects like finite clauses, the question arises as to whether the syntactic category Tense has to be distinguished from the functional category tense. I claim that SOT clauses do in fact contain interpretable PRESENT tense. The “past” form is analyzed as a manifestation of agreement with the (matrix past) controller of the SOT clause evaluation time. One implication of this analysis is that finite verb forms should be analyzed as representing features that correspond to functional categories higher in clause structure, including those of the clausal left periphery. SOT morphology then sheds light on the existence of a series of finer-grained functional heads that contribute to tense construal, and to verbal paradigms. These include Tense, Modality and Force.
Viral tricks to grid-lock the type I interferon system

Type I interferons (IFNs) play a crucial role in the innate immune avant-garde against viral infections. Virtually all viruses have developed means to counteract the induction, signaling, or antiviral actions of the IFN circuit. Over 170 different virus-encoded IFN antagonists from 93 distinct viruses have been described up to now, indicating that most viruses interfere with multiple stages of the IFN response. Although every viral IFN antagonist is unique in its own right, four main mechanisms are employed to circumvent innate immune responses: (i) general inhibition of cellular gene expression, (ii) sequestration of molecules in the IFN circuit, (iii) proteolytic cleavage, and (iv) proteasomal degradation of key components of the IFN system. The increasing understanding of how different viral IFN antagonists function has been translated to the generation of viruses with mutant IFN antagonists as potential live vaccine candidates. Moreover, IFN antagonists are attractive targets for inhibition by small-molecule compounds.
The Little Dragons have Different Tales

Colin I. Bradford and William H. Branson (eds). Trade and Structural Change in Pacific Asia Jimmy M. Wheeler and Perry L. Wood, Beyond Recrimination: Perspectives on US-Taiwan Trade Tensions Bruce Dickson and Harry Harding (eds), Economic Relations in the Asian-Pacific Region
Ammonium effects on colonic Cl- secretion: anomalous mole fraction behavior.

A significant amount of ammonium (\batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mat...
Separation of a Gas Mixture Flowing through a Long Tube at Low Pressure

The separation of a binary gas mixture by diffusion through a capillary of radius $r$ depends on the fact that the molecules have different masses ${m}_{i}$ and mean speeds ${\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}_{i}$. When the inlet pressure is so low that the mean free path $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ is much greater than $r$, the flow is diffusive and the separation factor (at zero outlet pressure) has its maximum value ${(\frac{{m}_{2}}{{m}_{1}})}^{\frac{1}{2}}$. At high pressures ($\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremath{\ll}r$) no separation occurs. This paper treats the intermediate case ($\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremath{\approx}r$) where the transfer of forward momentum from light to heavy molecules in unlike collisions equalizes the transport velocities and decreases the separation factor. As the inlet pressure rises, this effect makes the flow non-separative before it becomes viscous. Flow equations are derived by equating the momentum acquired by the light component from the pressure gradient to the momentum lost to the wall plus that transferred to the other component. The viscous effects are treated as a small additive perturbation on the flow. The integrated flow equations express the separation factor as a function of the inlet and outlet pressures.