cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
3D point correspondence by minimum description length with 2DPCA

Finding point correspondences plays an important role in automatically building statistical shape models from a training set of 3D surfaces. Davies et al. assumed the projected coefficients have a multivariate Gaussian distributions and derived an objective function for the point correspondence problem that uses minimum description length to balance the training errors and generalization ability. Recently, two-dimensional principal component analysis has been shown to achieve better performance than PCA in face recognition. Motivated by the better performance of 2DPCA, we generalize the MDL-based objective function to 2DPCA in this paper. We propose a gradient descent approach to minimize the objective function. We evaluate the generalization abilities of the proposed and original methods in terms of reconstruction errors. From our experimental results on different sets of 3D shapes of different human body organs, the proposed method performs significantly better than the original method.
Monogamy in Leach's Storm-Petrel : DNA-fingerprinting evidence

We used multilocus minisatellite DNA fingerprinting to estimate the frequency of extrapair fertilizations in a population of Leach's Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) on Kent Island, New Brunswick, Canada. Leach's Storm-Petrel is a member of Procellariiformes, an order of long-lived pelagic birds characterized by long-term pairbonds, single-egg clutches, and extended periods of parental care. We found no evidence of extrapair fertilizations in 48 families (42 full families and 6 partial families consisting of the putative father and the single offspring). Thus, our results indicate that the breeding system (genetic monogamy) matches the mating system (social monogamy) in our study population, a condition that no longer can be assumed in socially monogamous bird species. Genetic monogamy in Leach's Storm-Petrels may be maintained by last-sperm precedence and frequent copulation by mates during the female's fertile period. Such tactics employed by a male may yield a high prob- ability of fertilizing the single egg laid by his mate. Received 15 June 1994, accepted 31 August
Initiation rules for planar, two-joint arm movements: agonist selection for movements throughout the work space

1. The question we addressed was the following: what rules does the CNS employ, given the initial and final positions of the arm for a pointing movement, to decide which shoulder and elbow muscles ("agonists") to activate for initiating movement? 2. Widely varying initial and final positions were used, so that the movements studied encompassed much of the reachable work space within the horizontal plane. For each movement, the initial electromyographic (EMG) activity at each joint was classified qualitatively in terms of the "sign," i.e., flexor or extensor muscle activity, and quantitatively in terms of the integral of the rectified EMG. 3. The sign of initial muscle activity at each joint was found to be related to the angular excursions at both joints during movement to the final position. 4. Two different hypothesized rules, derived from previously proposed strategies for control of multijoint limb movements, were tested for their ability to predict correctly the sign of initial muscle activity at each joint. Although four variables are needed to describe the initial and final positions of a two-segment arm, only two combinations of these four were relevant for testing the rules. The two positional variables were the spatial direction of the final tip position with respect to the initial forearm orientation (psi) and the initial elbow angle (theta Einit). 5. According to one of the rules tested, which was based on statics, the initial muscle activity at each joint should be such that the distal tip of the limb exerts an initial force in the direction of the final tip position. Our data concerning the sign of initial shoulder muscle activity clearly contradicted this rule in two distinct regions of the (psi, theta Einit) plane. 6. According to the other rule tested, which was based on dynamics, the initial muscle activity at each joint should be such that the initial acceleration of the distal tip is in the direction of the final tip position. The data contradicted the predicted sign of initial shoulder muscle activity for a certain range of psi. This shows that the activation of muscles is not always appropriate even qualitatively for a straight-line path. Furthermore, the effects of added inertial loads predicted by this rule were not observed for trials in which a 1.8-kg mass was attached to the distal portion of the limb.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The changing hitting performance profile in major league baseball, 1966-2006.

The career batting profile of a regular starting major league ballplayer typically rises, at least up to a point, and then falls as skills diminish with age. The career batting profiles are derived for all regular starting players in the National and American Leagues for each of five different years: 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, and 2006. The profiles have changed dramatically since the 1960s, with arguably stronger ballplayers reaching a higher peak several years after the batting average reached a peak for regulars in 1966. The profiles for 2006 show what might be early manifestations of baseball's tougher steroids policy.
Capsid display of a conserved human papillomavirus L2 peptide in the adenovirus 5 hexon protein: a candidate prophylactic hpv vaccine approach

Infection by any one of 15 high risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) types causes most invasive cervical cancers. Their oncogenic genome is encapsidated by L1 (major) and L2 (minor) coat proteins. Current HPV prophylactic vaccines are composed of L1 virus-like particles (VLP) that elicit type restricted immunity. An N-terminal region of L2 protein identified by neutralizing monoclonal antibodies comprises a protective epitope conserved among HPV types, but it is weakly immunogenic compared to L1 VLP. The major antigenic capsid protein of adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) is hexon which contains 9 hypervariable regions (HVRs) that form the immunodominant neutralizing epitopes. Insertion of weakly antigenic foreign B cell epitopes into these HVRs has shown promise in eliciting robust neutralizing antibody responses. Thus here we sought to generate a broadly protective prophylactic HPV vaccine candidate by inserting a conserved protective L2 epitope into the Ad5 hexon protein for VLP-like display. Four recombinant adenoviruses were generated without significant compromise of viral replication by introduction of HPV16 amino acids L2 12–41 into Ad5 hexon, either by insertion into, or substitution of, either hexon HVR1 or HVR5. Vaccination of mice three times with each of these L2-recombinant adenoviruses induced similarly robust adenovirus-specific serum antibody but weak titers against L2. These L2-specific responses were enhanced by vaccination in the presence of alum and monophoryl lipid A adjuvant. Sera obtained after the third immunization exhibited low neutralizing antibody titers against HPV16 and HPV73. L2-recombinant adenovirus vaccination without adjuvant provided partial protection of mice against HPV16 challenge to either the vagina or skin. In contrast, vaccination with each L2-recombinant adenovirus formulated in adjuvant provided robust protection against vaginal challenge with HPV16, but not against HPV56. We conclude that introduction of HPV16 L2 12–41 epitope into Ad5 hexon HVR1 or HVR5 is a feasible method of generating a protective HPV vaccine, but further optimization is required to strengthen the L2-specific response and broaden protection to the more diverse hrHPV.
Appropriate lung cancer treatments: A missed opportunity . . . or an opportunity to modify?

From the Department of Surgery, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Md. Disclosures: Author has nothing to disclose with regard to commercial support. Received for publication Feb 26, 2016; accepted for publication Feb 27, 2016. Address for reprints: Stephen C. Yang, MD, Department of Surgery, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 600 N Wolfe St, Blalock 240, Baltimore, MD 21287 (E-mail: syang@jhmi.edu). J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2016;151:1559-60 0022-5223/$36.00 Copyright 2016 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2016.02.060
Local distortion of MnO 6 clusters in the metallic phase of La 1 − x Sr x MnO 3

The local structure of the ${\mathrm{MnO}}_{6}$ octahedron in ${\mathrm{La}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{x}{\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}$ was investigated by Mn K-edge x-ray absorption fine structure at $T\ensuremath{\approx}10\mathrm{K}$ and room temperature as a function of x $(0l~xl~0.475).$ For both temperatures, we observed that some distortion exists in a metallic phase observed using neutron scattering measurements [D. Louca et al., Phys. Rev. B 56, R8475 (1997)], but the bond-length splitting is significantly reduced. The observed reduction of distortion may be attributed to the partial charge transfer between the Mn ions by the double exchange mechanism. The details of the Mn-O bond length and the Debye Waller factor are presented.
Nonlinear Ship Motions in the Time-Domain Using a Body-Exact Strip Theory

Modern offshore structure and ship design requires an understanding of responses in large seas. A nonlinear time-domain method may be used to perform computational analyses of these events. To be useful in preliminary design, the method must be computationally efficient and accurate. This paper presents a body-exact strip theory approach to compute wave-body interactions for large amplitude ship motions. The exact body boundary conditions and linearized free surface boundary conditions are used. At each time step, the body surface and free surface are regrided due to the changing wetted body geometry. Numerical and real hull forms are used in the computations. Validation and comparisons of hydrodynamic forces are presented. Selected results are shown illustrating the robustness and capabilities of the body-exact strip theory. Finally, an equation of motion solver is implemented to predict the motions of the vessel in a seaway.© 2008 ASME
Para-Dichlorobenzene Exposure Is Associated with Thyroid Dysfunction in US Adolescents

Objective To examine the association between exposure to para-dichlorobenzene, measured as urinary concentrations of 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5-DCP), and thyroid function in US adolescents. Study design A nationally representative subsample of 618 adolescents aged 12-19 years in the 2007-2008 and 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was analyzed for the association of urinary 2,5-DCP with serum thyroid function measures using multivariate logistic and general linear regression models. Results After adjusting for potential confounders, we found a significantly positive association between urinary concentrations of 2,5-DCP and serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroglobulin in adolescents. Furthermore, urinary 2,5-DCP was associated with an increased prevalence of hypothyroidism in the study population. Conclusions This study demonstrates a potential relationship between para-dichlorobenzene exposure, measured as urinary 2,5-DCP, and thyroid dysfunction in adolescents; however, further studies are needed to confirm our findings and to elucidate mechanisms of action.
Atomic-scale Structure of Zincblende Solid Solutions

The atomic-scale structure of zincblende solid solutions was determined from the extended x-ray absorption fine structure. The alloy cation-anion bondlengths reflect near conservation of the constituent covalent radii, whereas the mixed sublattice already approaches the virtual crystal ideal lattice sites. The maximum atomic displacements occur on the common sublattice in analogy with those which exist in the chalcopyrite crystal structure. An estimate of the strain enthalpy of mixing is derived from the measured atomic-scale structure of the solid solutions, and it is in good agreement with experimental values of the regular solution interaction parameter derived from ternary phase diagrams.
Travelling Bacteria: Vectors

Bacterial diseases transmitted by blood-sucking arthropods are reviewed, including the aetiology and management of arthropod-transmitted diseases of man like bubonic plague, lyme disease and relapsing fevers. Transmission of other Borrelia-associated diseases is also reviewed, with data on rickettsioses, epidemic or endemic typhus and spotted fever vectors, tularemia, bartonellosis and others. Arthropod-transmitted diseases of animal domestic species and wildlife are also discussed. Aspects concerning vectored plant pathogens causing phloematic, xylematic and other diseases are also reviewed.
Extending the Minority Stress Model to Incorporate HIV-Positive Gay and Bisexual Men's Experiences: a Longitudinal Examination of Mental Health and Sexual Risk Behavior.

Minority stress theory represents the most plausible conceptual framework for explaining health disparities for gay and bisexual men (GBM). However, little focus has been given to including the unique stressors experienced by HIV-positive GBM. We explored the role of HIV-related stress within a minority stress model of mental health and condomless anal sex. Longitudinal data were collected on a diverse convenience sample of 138 highly sexually active, HIV-positive GBM in NYC regarding sexual minority (internalized homonegativity and gay-related rejection sensitivity) and HIV-related stressors (internalized HIV stigma and HIV-related rejection sensitivity), emotion dysregulation, mental health (symptoms of depression, anxiety, sexual compulsivity, and hypersexuality), and sexual behavior (condomless anal sex with all male partners and with serodiscordant male partners). Across both sexual minority and HIV-related stressors, internalized stigma was significantly associated with mental health and sexual behavior outcomes while rejection sensitivity was not. Moreover, path analyses revealed that emotion dysregulation mediated the influence of both forms of internalized stigma on symptoms of depression/anxiety and sexual compulsivity/hypersexuality as well as serodiscordant condomless anal sex. We identified two targets of behavioral interventions that may lead to improvements in mental health and reductions in sexual transmission risk behaviors—maladaptive cognitions underlying negative self-schemas and difficulties with emotion regulation. Techniques for cognitive restructuring and emotion regulation may be particularly useful in the development of interventions that are sensitive to the needs of this population while also highlighting the important role that structural interventions can have in preventing these disparities for future generations.
Mass transfer and biodegradation of PAH compounds from coal tar

This study examines the role of physico-chemical mass transfer processes on the rate of biotransformation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds released from non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) coal tar present at residual saturation within a microporous medium. A simplified coupled dissolution-degradation model is developed that describes the concurrent mass transfer and biokinetic processes occurring in the system. Model results indicate that a dimensionless Damkohler number can be utilized to distinguish between systems that are mass transfer limited, and those that are limited by biological phenomena. The Damkohler number is estimated from independent laboratory experiments that measure the rates of aqueous phase dissolution and biodegradation of naphthalene from coal tar. Experimental data for Stroudsburg coal tar imbibed within 236μm diameter silica particles yield Damkohler numbers smaller than unity, indicating, for the particular system under study, that the overall rate of biotransformation of naphthalene is not limited by the mass transfer of naphthalene from coal tar to the bulk aqueous phase. There is a need for investigation of mass transfer for larger particles and/or other PAH compounds, and study of microbial rate-limiting phenomena including toxicity, inhibition and competitive substrate utilization.
Platelet ordering policies at hospitals using stochastic integer programming model and heuristic approaches to reduce wastage

Abstract Demand uncertainty coupled with a short shelf life of blood platelets has led to a significant wastage at hospitals. An important objective is to minimize wastage of platelets while maintaining a specified service level. To achieve this objective, a mixed integer stochastic programming model under demand uncertainty is developed. Due to the computational complexity of the problem, three heuristic rules are proposed for determining the platelet ordering policy at the hospital. The performance of these three ordering policies is compared against that of the periodic review order-up-to policy proposed in the literature using real-life data obtained from a medical center. The shelf life of arriving platelets, coefficient of variation of demand and cost parameters are varied, and their impact is analyzed on the performance measures and the best rule with respect to each setting is determined. Based on the shelf life setting and cost prioritization, the decision maker can choose the most suitable rule for the hospital.
Revisiting Rolling stones: The procurement of non-local goods in the Epipaleolithic of the Near East

Abstract At the end of the Pleistocene, the Near Eastern Epipaleolithic chrono-cultural complex experienced profound cultural changes. Among these, the acquisition of exotic goods becomes one of the hallmarks of the Late Epipaleolithic/Natufian. Research conducted in recent decades has made it possible to better understand this phenomenon. These studies concerned the movement of materials such as shells, basalt, obsidian, ochre, colored stones, as well as chert, allowing us to better define the nature of the materials in question and to propose a possible geographical origin. The research, most notably the archeometric analyses, also enabled us to outline an evolution of these practices from the late Middle Paleolithic to the Epipalaeolithic. The Geometric Kebaran-Natufian complex witnessed much more complex strategies in the acquisition of exotic raw materials and finished products. These practices have been interpreted as the result of more intense contact between groups and long-distance exchanges. The Levantine Epipalaeolithic lends itself to further reflections in the light of recent research on transegalitarian societies of hunter-gatherers. Various hypotheses are thus put forward to better understand the role played by the acquisition and exchange of exotic materials within the diverse communities of the Late Epipaleolithic in the Southern Levant. The end of the Pleistocene could be split into two worlds: a pre-Middle Epipaleolithic world with exclusively shell exchange and a Middle-Late Epipaleolithic world with intensive procurement/exchange of diverse exotic goods. These worlds would be associated with different ontologies and cosmological views. These worlds would notably translate into changes of the nature and quantity of the items exchanged, from balanced reciprocity (“A = A”) to unbalanced exchange (“A = B”). Moreover, the production and intensive movement of exotic items turned into prestige goods in the Late Epipaleolithic might provide an opportunity and be the subject of manipulation by some individuals in order to rise to a higher status.
Wirelessly powered implantable pacemaker with on-chip antenna

We present a battery-less mm-sized wirelessly powered pacemaker microchip with on-chip antenna in 180nm CMOS process. The microchip harvests RF radiation from an external source in the X-band frequency, with the size of 4mm by 1mm. The in-vivo experiment is demonstrated successfully on a live pig heart. The pacemaker can be wirelessly powered with a distance of 2cm. It generates a stimulation pulse signal with a voltage magnitude of 1.3V. The wireless pacing testing was successfully demonstrated by changing the heart rhythm frequency from 1.67Hz to 2.87Hz.
Flushed Away: Jefferson County, Alabama’s Sewer Debt Crisis

Kleptocracy is a term used to describe “[a] government characterized by rampant greed and corruption,” The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed. 2000). To that definition dictionaries might add, as a helpful illustration: “See, for example, Alabama’s Jefferson County Commission in the period from 1998 to 2008.” Judge Edward Carnes, United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Mobile Agents and Eventually Perfect Predicate Detection: An Intelligent General Approach to Monitoring Distributed Systems

This chapter presents an application of mobile agents to solve distributed predicate detection by distributing and delegating monitoring tasks, result collection, and aggregation to overcome the scalability and flexibility limitations (as compared to most traditional centralized predicate detection approaches). Mobile agents are very useful for monitoring purposes because mobility gives the agents the autonomy needed to monitor the computation effectively. By restructuring the implementation of an eventually accurate failure detection sequencer into mobile agents, the functionalities of predicate detection in a failure-prone partially synchronous system are clearly separated from the monitored computation. The separation leads to additional benefits of enhanced flexibility, performance, and robustness. It provides a solution to create a general-purpose predicate detection infrastructure that provides the basic functionalities to achieve reasonable predicate detection semantics in a realistic distributed system.
Development of a 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Assay, Cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, via the De Novo Pathway.

Despite great improvement in vitamin D assay standardization, inaccurate recoveries of 25(OH)D2 remain for immunoassays and many laboratory-developed LC-MS/MS methods don't separate out the 3-epimer interferents. Through the process of obtaining FDA-clearance, we learned that communication is key. Mass spectrometry-based assays raise different questions of safety and efficacy than the predicate immunoassays, with fewer risks due to increased accuracy. This process required improving our quality management system to support the development and registration of an in vitro diagnostic device. There are similar examples for a number of analytes, requiring expeditious entry of FDA-cleared LC-MS/MS methods into clinical laboratories.
Bartonella rochalimae Detection by a Sensitive and Specific PCR Platform.

Abstract. Bartonella rochalimae is an emerging zoonotic pathogen present in the United States, South America, and Europe. The molecular detection of B. rochalimae frequently relies on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays that target the genus Bartonella coupled with DNA sequencing for species determination. However, the presence of other Bartonella spp. in the sample being tested may result in false-negative results for B. rochalimae, especially when Sanger sequencing is used. We developed a sensitive and specific quantitative PCR platform for B. rochalimae by targeting the intergenic transcribed spacer, gltA, and rpoB genes, which are recommended for subtyping characterization. This PCR platform achieved the limit of detection between five and 10 genomic equivalents per reaction and did not amplify DNA from other Bartonella species or selected hosts. This PCR platform is a fast and cost-effective option to be used in epidemiological evaluations of reservoirs and vectors and in detecting and quantifying B. rochalimae infection in humans.
Evaluation of dicopper azacryptand complexes in aqueous CuAAC reactions and their tolerance toward biological thiols

A series of dicopper azacryptand complexes was evaluated in copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) in water at 37 °C. It was found that they showed high activity at concentrations as low as 5 μM. These dinuclear catalysts were more susceptible toward inhibition by cysteine rather than glutathione under the conditions tested. Interestingly, the mononuclear copper complexes that are ligated by tripodal amine ligands, also exhibited good catalytic activity in aqueous media and showed similar sensitivity toward biological thiols as that of the dinuclear complexes. Our results suggest that the azacryptand catalysts are too structurally flexible to adequately prevent interactions of their metal centres with external nucleophiles. However, further steric tuning of the ligand structure might enable more effective substrate gating in future studies.
2(1H)-Quinolinones with Cardiac Stimulant Acticity. Part 2. Synthesis and Biological Activities of 6-(N-Linked, Five-Membered Heteroaryl) Derivatives.

Reduction of the 4-azolyl-substituted nitrobenzenes (I) produces the anilines (II) which are coupled with the ethoxypropenoyl chloride (III), yielding the amides (IV).
A Predictive Score for Determining Risk of Surgical Site Infection after Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery.

Objectives:To determine factors predictive of postoperative surgical site infection (SSI) after fracture fixation and create a prediction score for risk of infection at time of initial treatment.Design:Retrospective cohort study.Setting:Level I trauma center.Patients/Participants:Study group, 311 pa
Energy Availability Is Associated With Luteinizing Hormone Pulse Frequency and Induction of Luteal Phase Defects.

Objective Determine the interrelations between reductions in energy availability (EA), luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse frequency, and the induction of menstrual disturbances in previously sedentary, ovulatory women. Methods Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial consisting of a 3-month controlled diet and supervised exercise program. EA was calculated daily by measured energy intake (kcal) and exercise energy expenditure (kcal) normalized to fat-free mass (kg) and averaged during baseline and each of 3 intervention menstrual cycles. Blood samples were obtained every 10 minutes for 24 hours in the early follicular phase before the intervention and after 3 months of diet and exercise (n = 14). LH pulse dynamics were assessed by Cluster. Linear mixed models determined whether EA predicts LH pulse frequency and LH pulse frequency predicts luteal phase defects (LPDs). Results Subjects were 20 ± 1 years old, 165.1 ± 1.4 cm tall, and weighed 58.9 ± 1.5 kg. LH pulse frequency decreased from 0.82 ± 0.06 pulses/h to 0.63 ± 0.09 pulses/h (P = 0.048) as a result of the intervention which produced modest (-3.2 ± 0.6 kg) weight loss. EA, averaged across a menstrual cycle, predicted LH pulse frequency (P = 0.003) such that a single-unit decrease in EA was associated with a 0.017 pulses/h decrease in LH pulse frequency. LH pulse frequency in cycles with LPDs was 49% of that observed in cycles with no menstrual disturbances and for every 0.1-unit decrease in LH pulse frequency, the odds of having an LPD were 22× greater than having an optimal ovulatory cycle (P = 0.01). Conclusions Modest reductions in EA over a prolonged period are associated with decreased LH pulse frequency and the induction of menstrual disturbances.
A vision for green and sustainable citizenship education at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

Abstract I present here my vision, approach, and progress toward raising awareness of sustainability principles and practices at the University of Pittsburgh, Pitt-Johnstown campus, by incorporating green chemistry and sustainability education in my classrooms and beyond. The specific areas that I have focused on include (1) development of undergraduate organic chemistry microscale experiments; (2) design of an advanced-level interdisciplinary course; and (3) identifying and chartering green and sustainable campus projects. I also describe key lessons learned and potential measures that may be undertaken to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of future efforts. It is anticipated that this work will benefit others who are engaged in similar efforts within (and beyond) their campus communities.
Techniques and technologies of observing traffic conflicts

Abstract A historical overview of the techniques used to observe traffic conflicts is followed by a discussion of the latest progress in this area. There are two distinct types of observations: from a fixed position and from a moving position. The early observations were made by humans from a fixed position. Subjectivity and inaccuracy were the main drawbacks. Modern techniques include video, radar, and LiDAR sensors applied at fixed or moving positions. Three existing techniques are: video sensor placed at a stationary position, LiDAR placed at a stationary position, and radar combined with video installed in an instrumented vehicle. Selected technological details of the three techniques are presented and their performance in detecting and tracking objects is discussed.
A Proof of Gr\"unbaum's Lower Bound Conjecture for general polytopes

In 1967, Grunbaum conjectured that any $d$-dimensional polytope with $d+s\leq 2d$ vertices has at least \[\phi_k(d+s,d) = {d+1 \choose k+1 }+{d \choose k+1 }-{d+1-s \choose k+1 } \] $k$-faces. We prove this conjecture and also characterize the cases in which equality holds.
Chapter 7 – Sulfur Production

Publisher Summary The abundance of the different sulfur forms varies regionally. Therefore, sulfur production practice has varied considerably in different regions and countries. The elemental sulfur is the most desirable product and source because it can be easily handled, is not toxic, and contains more sulfur per weight than any other form. The Frasch's process is specially elegant because it achieves extraction and purification in situ and in one step. In most other modern processes, chemically-bound sulfur is first converted to hydrogen sulfide or sulfur dioxide that can be extracted, concentrated, and purified. In the second step, elemental sulfur is always the preferred product because it is non-corrosive, is a solid, and constitutes the most economic form for transportation. If sulfur dioxide or acid is produced, it is almost always consumed promptly and locally. In the oxidative environment of the pedosphere or atmosphere, the final sulfur form is invariably the sulfate that can be recycled or disposed.
Project-Based Experiment in a Physical Chemistry Teaching Laboratory: Ion Effects on Caffeine Partitioning Thermodynamics

The Hofmeister series is a recurring trend that ranks ions’ abilities to influence various aqueous processes in solution. Herein, a set of project-based experiments was developed for students in an...
Proof Without Words: Centered Nonagonal Numbers are Triangular

Theorem Where Nn and Tn denote the nth centered nonagonal number and the nth triangular number, respectively, we have: N n = 9 T n − 1 + 1 = T 3 n − 2 . Proof. The proof is demonstrated for n = 5. ...
Local insulin application has a dose-dependent effect on lumbar fusion in a rabbit model.

The purpose of this study was to determine if locally applied insulin has a dose-responsive effect on posterolateral lumbar fusion. Adult male New Zealand White rabbits underwent posterolateral inter-transverse spinal fusions at L5-6 using sub-optimal amounts of autograft. Fusion sites were treated with collagen sponge soaked in saline (control, n=11), or with insulin at low (5 or 10 units, n=13), mid (20 units, n=11), and high (40 units, n=11) doses. Rabbits were euthanized at 6 weeks. The L5-L6 spine segment underwent manual palpation and radiographic evaluation performed by two fellowship trained spine surgeons blinded to treatment. Differences between groups were evaluated by ANOVA on Ranks followed by post hoc Dunn's tests. 43 rabbits were euthanized at the planned 6 week endpoint, while 3 died or were euthanized prior to the endpoint. Radiographic evaluation found bilateral solid fusion in 10%, 31%, 60%, and 60% of the rabbits from the control and low, mid, and high dose insulin treated groups respectively (p<0.05). As per manual palpation, 7 of 10 rabbits in the mid dose insulin group were fused as compared to 1 of 10 rabbits in the control group (p<0.05). This study demonstrates that insulin enhanced the effectiveness of autograft to increase fusion success in the rabbit posterolateral inter-transverse spinal fusion (PLF) model. The study indicates that insulin or insulin-mimetic compounds can be used to promote bone regeneration. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Chlamydia pneumoniae -Induced IFN-Gamma Responses in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Increase Numbers of CD4+ but Not CD8+ T Effector Memory Cells

Background Chlamydia pneumoniae causes respiratory infection in adults and children. Previous studies in our laboratory identified significantly higher in vitro T lymphocyte responses to C. pneumoniae in children with asthma compared to healthy controls which may indicate the presence of T effector memory (TEM) lymphocytes. Aim In the present study, healthy subjects were screened for the presence of TEM cells and their cytokines. CCR7 negative effector TEMs may indicate persistent infection with C. pneumoniae. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) (1×106/mL) from adult non-asthmatic subjects were infected for 1h ± C. pneumoniae TW-183 at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) = 0.1 and cultured (48 hrs). Distributions of lymphocytes (CD4+, CD8+) and TEM cells (CD4+CCR7+CD45RA+CD154+, CD8+CCR7+CD45RA+CD154+) were determined. Levels of intracellular interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and interferon (IFN)-gamma were measured (flow microfluorimetry); IFN-gamma was measured in supernatants (ELISA). Results C. pneumoniae infection led to a decrease in numbers of CD8+ TEM and CD8+CD154+ cells; CD4+TEM and CD4+CD154+ cells did not change. Numbers of TEM cells (CD4+IL-2+, CD8+ IL-2+) also decreased. However, number of TEM cells (CD4+IL4-+, CD8+ IL-4+) and (CD4+ IFN-gamma+, CD8+IFN-gamma+) did not change. When stratified according to IFN-gamma+ status, numbers of CD4+ IL-2+ and CD4+IL-4+ TEMs increased; CD8+IL-2+ and CD8+ IL-4+ TEMs decreased. Conclusion C. pneumoniae-induced PBMC IFN-gamma+ responses increased numbers of CD4+ IL-2+ and CD4+IL-4+ TEM cells, while CD8+IL-2+ and CD8+IL-4+ TEMs decreased. Production of IFN-gamma by C. pneumoniae infected PBMC should be further studied as a biomarker of persistent infection in humans.
Shifting Republican views on climate change through targeted advertising

It is essential to increase public understanding of the existence, causes and harms of climate change. In the United States, Republicans are one important audience, as the bipartisan support needed for ambitious and durable climate policy is currently lacking. An important limitation of most climate change message testing is that it is usually based on controlled experiments, which may or may not be equally effective in the real world. Here we report the effects of a one-month advertising campaign field experiment (N = 1,600) that deployed videos about the reality and risks of climate change to people in two competitive congressional districts (Missouri-02 and Georgia-07). The videos were designed to appeal to Republicans and were targeted to this audience via online advertisements. The study finds that, within the targeted congressional districts, the campaign increased Republicans’ understanding of the existence, causes and harms of climate change by several percentage points. Climate change communication is more likely to persuade when the message and the messenger resonate with the audience’s values and identities. A campaign field experiment testing online messages tailored to US Republicans increased their climate change beliefs, risk perceptions and issue importance.
Utilization of UAS data by transportation agencies: building on the experience of construction contractors

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are being used on infrastructure construction sites by contractors for many different purposes; this paper discusses how these UAS activities can be used to support De...
Abstract 336: Gut microbiome predicts response to CDK4/6 inhibitor and immune check point inhibitor combination in patients with hormone receptor positive metastatic breast cancer

Background: CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) have been shown to modulate immune responses in the preclinical setting. Palbociclib is a front-line therapy for hormone receptor positive (HR+) metastatic breast cancer (MBC), and the combination with immune check point inhibitors (ICI) is increasingly being studied. An ongoing phase I trial was designed to test the safety and efficacy of palbociclib, pembrolizumab, and letrozole in postmenopausal women with HR+ HER2- MBC (NCT02778685). Stool microbiome was collected and analyzed. The aim of this study is to determine the association of gut microbiota and response using metagenome sequencing data through a machine learning model. Methods: Postmenopausal women with histologically proven stage IV HR+ HER2- MBC were enrolled. Stool samples were collected at baseline and during treatment for analysis using metagenome sequencing. Response per RECIST 1.1 were grouped into: responders (complete response or partial response) and non-responders (stable disease or progressive disease). Using metagenomic relative abundance data, a gradient-boosted tree model was developed with leave-one-patient-out cross validations to predict patient response at baseline. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to assess the differences of the most important microbiota relative abundance (generated from the machine learning model) between responders and non-responders. Results: Forty-seven stool samples from 11 patients were collected at baseline and during treatment, and metagenome sequencing was performed. For predictive modeling, the validation Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUROC) and Area Under the Precision Recall Curve (AUPRC) were 0.71 and 0.83, respectively. Among the top 5 features from the model, patients with a larger relative abundance of Gemmiger formicillis have increased probability of responding to therapy (p Citation Format: Chi Wah Wong, Susan E. Yost, Jin Sun Lee, Sarah K. Highlander, Yuan Yuan. Gut microbiome predicts response to CDK4/6 inhibitor and immune check point inhibitor combination in patients with hormone receptor positive metastatic breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 336.
Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention: Office-Based Primary Care Physicians, U.S., 2015-2016.

Introduction In 2013, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force again recommended alcohol misuse screening and provision of brief behavioral counseling interventions to those engaged in risky drinking for all adults aged ≥18 years in primary care. This report presents national estimates of the provision of alcohol screening and brief intervention by U.S. primary care physicians, the screening methods, and the resources they identified as helpful in implementing alcohol/substance screening and intervention in primary care settings. Methods Data included 876 self-identified primary care physicians from the Physician Induction Interview portion of the 2015–2016 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, an annual nationally representative sample survey of nonfederal, office-based physicians in the U.S., encompassing all the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Descriptive estimates (annualized percentages) of alcohol misuse screening were generated for selected primary care physician characteristics. Estimates of how primary care physicians reported screening, the frequency of brief intervention, and resources identified as helpful in the implementation of screening/intervention procedures were also generated. Two-tailed significance tests were used to determine the differences between the compared groups. Data analyses were conducted in 2019–2020. Results In total, 71.7% of office-based primary care physicians reported screening patients for alcohol misuse. Statistically significant differences in screening were observed geographically and by provider specialty. Conclusions Less than 40% of primary care physicians who screened patients for alcohol misuse reported always intervening with patients who screened positive for risky alcohol use. Collection of data on resources that primary care physicians report as being helpful for alcohol/substance screening and intervention implementation may be useful in continuous improvement efforts.
Tile Spacing Results on Taintor and Kalona Soils

Results and Discussion In monitoring flows from the first replication of the tile plots, there is almost always a higher flow rate from the 30-ft and 60-ft spacing plots compared with the other two spacings. These plots lay on either side of the “undrained” control plot (Figure 1). This indicates that the drained plots are taking water from a wider area than initially assumed. Therefore, the “undrained” control plots may be benefiting somewhat from the tile installed on either side.
Therapeutic plasma exchange in familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

Familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a rare, life-threatening disorder characterized by impaired cytotoxicity, hypercytokinemia and immune-mediated organ injury. We report a 7-week-old male of consanguineous parents who presented with fever, pancytopenia and multi-organ failure. Elevated inflammatory markers and hypercytokinemia led to the diagnosis of familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, which was confirmed with genetic testing. With the fulminant multiorgan failure, therapeutic plasma exchange was instituted, using the Prismaflex® platform, followed by standard chemo-immunotherapy. There was dramatic reversal of the multi-organ failure and stabilization of the coagulopathy with this neo-adjuvant therapy. Thereafter, he was maintained in clinical remission with chemo-immunotherapy for 3 mo while awaiting stem cell transplantation.
A turbo RAKE receiver for space-time block coded frequency selective CDMA systems

A turbo receiver that combines the concepts of RAKE combining, turbo detection and space-time block coding is proposed for multipath CDMA systems. The proposed system combines the decorrelating RAKE (DRAKE) receiver developed for frequency selective CDMA channels with the iterative soft interference cancellation and minimum mean square error (MMSE) filtering proposed for convolutionally coded CDMA, and extends these ideas to the case where the system also employs space-time block coding (STBC) in addition to the convolutional channel coding. A novelty of the new receiver is that the space-time decoding is performed along each resolvable multipath direction. Simulation results show that, while in some cases a non-iterative space-time coded system may have inferior performance compared to a system without space-time coding in a multipath channel, the proposed iterative scheme always significantly outperforms systems without space-time coding even with only two iterations.
A STRUCTURAL MODEL OF IMPLEMENTATION

A general model of the management science implementationprocess is presented based on the results of more than ten yearsof implementation research. A multiple-equation representationof that model is developed for one important class of implementation,the two-stage implementation, in which it is necessaryto gain both user and management acceptance of the system beingimplemented. The postulated model represents an advance in atleast three ways: (a) it integrates previous findings; (b) itgeneralizes across settings; and (c) it is testable as a whole.
HORIZONTAL MERGER WITH AN INEFFICIENT LEADER

In this paper we analyze two-firm horizontal mergers between an inefficient leader and an efficient follower. The merger is profitable and may decrease price (increase welfare) if the market size is large enough. Furthermore, a merger involving a leader which decreases price hurts outsider firms and therefore resolves the free-rider component of the merger paradox. Finally, it is shown that, when the market is large, these mergers always increase welfare regardless of the size of the cost asymmetry between leader and follower.
Current status of therapeutic modalities for treatment of gynecologic malignancies with emphasis on chemotherapy

THE GYNECOLOGIC NEOPLASMS are an intriguing group of diseases, with wide variation in biologic characteristics and natural histories. Despite this heterogeneity, the management of these diseases has historically been stereotypic. Therapy has almost exclusively involved surgery or radiotherapy or both. Nevertheless, there is reason to conclude that some patients with each of the gynecologic malignancies might benefit from systemic chemotherapy administered in concert with conventional surgical or radiotherapeutic management. Important prognostic factors crucial t.0 the identification of these patients are emphasized, and the current status of conventional therapies is examined. The present and potential roles of systemic chemotherapy are considered along with recommendations for future therapeutic research.
Designing distance-education courses in technical communication and human-computer interaction: reflections on the role of communication in technological education - historical perspectives and technological evolutions

Sometimes it is hard to keep up with the technology. Rapid advances in the ways we communicate, the audiences we communicate with, and the expectations of communication effectiveness often leave us gasping for breath. One area of rapid change and growth has been the application of technology to distance education. There are many "cool new toys" to play with and use, but our fundamental goal as educators remains the same: to ensure that our students have the best, most productive, educational experience we can provide them. This challenge may be most pressing in the areas of technical communication and human-computer interaction, where technology is both a tool for learning, a tool that we and our students use for communicating, and a large portion of the subject matter of our courses.
Mechanisms of Immunity in Typhus Infections II. Multiplication of Typhus Rickettsiae in Human Macrophage Cell Cultures in the Nonimmune System: Influence of Virulence of Rickettsial Strains and of Chloramphenicol

Monocytes from the peripheral blood of nonimmune human subjects transformed in cell culture into macrophages with increased phagocytic capacity for killed typhus rickettsiae. When such cells were exposed to living virulent Rickettsia mooseri (Wilmington strain) or R. prowazeki (Breinl strain), or to the attenuated E strain of R. prowazeki, in the presence of medium containing normal human serum, all three strains readily entered the macrophage, but the subsequent fate varied according to strain and its virulence. Thus, R. mooseri grew readily to attain very high intracellular populations which eventually destroyed the macrophage in 3 to 5 days and escaped to infect other cells. Virulent R. prowazeki also grew at about the same rate for the first 2 to 3 days but then often abruptly ceased to multiply. Circumstantial evidence suggests a toxic effect on host cells by smaller numbers of R. prowazeki organisms than with R. mooseri. The attenuated E strain of R. prowazeki failed to grow in most cells and eventually disappeared, but did grow to substantial numbers in the very rare cell in some cultures, suggesting the presence of a few cells which may not be typical macrophages. The growth of R. mooseri in the macrophage cytoplasm was inhibited by chloramphenicol in the culture medium. When the drug was removed after 3 days, growth began after a lag period and assumed a normal rate.