cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infection by detection of antigenemia or use of PCR methods

Abstract CMV antigenemia and PCR assays are sensitive, specific, and rapid methods for the diagnosis of CMV infection. However, PCR is restricted by the need for spacial equipment and a designated area to prevent contamination and by significant risk of false-positive results if strict precautions are not taken. PCR detection of viral DNA in leukocytes has been shown not to be clinically significant in the absence of viremia or antigenemia. At present, therefore, pending further evaluation, PCR assay for the detection of CMV DNA in blood remains a research tool and should not be used routinely in the clinical diagnostic virology laboratory. On the other hand, the CMV antigenemia assay has been extensively studied and the clinical validity of the results has been verified. Commercial kits are available to perform this assay (one requiring and one not requiring a cytocentrifuge) (21, 23). A major advantage over PCR is that the number of antigen positive cells can be quantitated, providing an estimate of viral load. This may be particularly useful in monitoring the progress of CMV therapy as well as in differentiating CMV disease from other complications. Which diagnostic test or combination of tests should be routinely performed for the detection of CMV in blood specimens remains debatable. At present, I would recommend using the CMV antigenemia assay on the basis of its greater sensitivity and the more rapid availability of results than provided by shell vial culture. Maximum benefit of the antigenemia assay in transplant recipients may be obtained by incorporating it into a surveillance program during the first 2 to 3 mo post-transplantation. Further study is required to determine its optimal use in AIDS patients and other non-transplant patients. Conventional tube cultures should also be performed because not all viremias will be detected by the antigenemia assay.
Toxicity of 1-phenylcyclohexene and its interaction with phencyclidine☆☆☆

The toxicity of 1-phenylcyclohexene (PC), a pyrolysis product of phencyclidine (PCP), and its interaction with PCP were evaluated. The ip LD50 of PC in Swiss male mice was 22 mmol/kg. Treatment of mice with PC at 2.2 mmol/kg/day, ip, for up to 7 days increased the liver/body weight ratio, which returned to normal within 7 days after PC withdrawal. Increases of 32% in serum glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT) and 94% in serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) were observed within 4 hr following the initial (Day 1) dose of PC. Smaller increases in the SGOT activity continued following Day 2 and 3 PC administrations. The SGPT activity remained elevated after these treatments. Activities of both enzymes, however, returned to normal within 24 hr following daily PC injections. No pathologic changes were observed in liver, brain, spleen, kidneys, and lungs with light microscopy. PC treatment for 4 days at 2.2 or 4.4 mmol/kg produced proliferation along with dilatation and fragmentation of the endoplasmic reticulum in liver. Scattering of ribosomes in the cytoplasm and dilatation of rough-surfaced cisternae were prominent at the higher dosage. Pretreatment of animals for 4 days with PC (1.1, 2.2, and 4.4 mmol/kg, ip) decreased pentobarbital- (60 mg/kg) induced sleeping time by 27, 64, and 80% and lowered PCP- (16.4 mumol/kg) stimulated locomotor activity by 18, 28, and 41%, respectively. Pretreatment of animals with PC for 1 hr inhibited (ED50: 2.3 mmol/kg) the PCP-induced locomotion. These results indicate that the PC treatment during a 7-day period produces some undesirable effects on liver function, which are reversible on its discontinuation. However, PC also weakens toxic effects of PCP.
The crystallization of polydecamethylene terephthalate

Abstract A study has been made of the crystallization of polydecamethylene terephthalate at various temperatures. The interpretation of the results is uncomplicated by the presence of any detectable secondary stage but the process nevertheless shows several unusual features. First, although the majority of the crystallization conforms to an Avrami relation, the values of the exponent, n, are fractional, whereas current theory requires integral values. Secondly, an additional process intervenes towards the end of the crystallization to cause a decrease in the normal rate. It is possible that this is related to an observed decrease in the nucleation rate. Finally, a pronounced change in behaviour takes place about 15°C below the melting point causing a 30 per cent decrease in the density change during crystallization to occur for a temperature lowering of only 0·5°C. The kinetic behaviour also changes on passing through this point.
Determination of major ginsenosides in Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng) using high-performance liquid chromatography.

In order to determine the active ingredients in root extracts of Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng), a gradient HPLC method involving UV photodiode array detection was applied to separate and quantify simultaneously the ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf and Rg1. All ginseng saponins were baseline-resolved under the selected conditions, and the detection limits were 1.0 µg/mL or less. The method has been applied to analyse ginsenosides extracted from American ginseng cultivated in both Wisconsin and Illinois. Ginsenosides Re and Rb1 were the two main ginseng saponins in the root. The amounts of Re in 5- and 7-year Illinois-cultivated samples were greater than those found in ginseng cultivated for 3 or 4 years in Wisconsin, whereas the levels of Rb1 were greater in the younger Wisconsin samples. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Use of the MMPI-2 in Forensic Settings

ABSTRACT The MMPI-2 is the psychological testing instrument most frequently used in forensic treatment and evaluation contexts. This practice mirrors use of its predecessor–the MMPI–in forensic settings and likely reflects the empirical derivation and rich research base of the instruments. Given its use and acceptance by psychologists, expert testimony based on the MMPI-2 has rarely been excluded from legal proceedings. MMPI-2-based testimony has been excluded, however, when the instrument was used in ways that are not supported by the empirical literature. Thus, the question is not whether it is appropriate to use the MMPI-2 in forensic settings, but rather, for what purposes may the MMPI-2 be used in forensic settings? In this article, appropriate and inappropriate forensic uses of the MMPI-2 are identified, recent developments are discussed, and areas worthy of further investigation are identified.
Practical considerations for intra-pulse radar-embedded communications

This paper examines some of the practical aspects of waveform design for intra-pulse radar-embedded communications. Specifically, the generation of communication waveforms at the tag is considered for the case when forward scatter (i.e. multipath) is present thus altering the received version of the radar waveform at the tag and potentially producing a mismatch between the tag and desired receiver. Also, because it may be difficult to precisely determine the exact temporal length of the incident radar waveform (especially when multipath is present), the communication waveform design process may employ a larger than necessary temporal extent to ensure the incident waveform is completely captured. The impact of this temporal expansion of the communication waveforms is considered where it has been found to actually improve performance (in the absence of multipath). As such a rule-of-thumb for the total expanded time-bandwidth product is determined as a function of observed symbol error rate performance.
FACULTY AT WORK: Focus on Teaching

Within the framework of cognitive motivation theory, selected personal and environmental motivational variables for faculty in English, chemistry, and psychology from community colleges, comprehensive colleges and universities, and research universities were regressed against faculty allocation of work effort given to teaching. The data came from a 1988 national survey. Gender (sociodemographic); quality of graduate school attended, career age, and rank (career); self-competence, self-efficacy, institutional commitment, personal interest in teaching, and percent time preferred to give to teaching (self-valuations); and institutional preference, consensus and support, and colleague commitment to teaching (perception of the environment) were entered into regressions. R 2 were generally strong (.86 for community college chemists) and significant. For all institutional types, self-valuation and perception of the environment motivators significantly accounted for the explained variance whereas sociodemographic and career variables did not.
Crystal Structures of Klebsiella pneumoniae Dihydrofolate Reductase Bound to Propargyl-Linked Antifolates Reveal Features for Potency and Selectivity

Resistance to the antibacterial antifolate trimethoprim (TMP) is increasing in members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, driving the design of next-generation antifolates effective against these Gram-negative pathogens. The propargyl-linked antifolates are potent inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductases (DHFR) from several TMP-sensitive and -resistant species, including Klebsiella pneumoniae. Recently, we have determined that these antifolates inhibit the growth of strains of K. pneumoniae, some with MIC values of 1 μg/ml. In order to further the design of potent and selective antifolates against members of the Enterobacteriaceae, we determined the first crystal structures of K. pneumoniae DHFR bound to two of the propargyl-linked antifolates. These structures highlight that interactions with Leu 28, Ile 50, Ile 94, and Leu 54 are necessary for potency; comparison with structures of human DHFR bound to the same inhibitors reveal differences in residues (N64E, P61G, F31L, and V115I) and loop conformations (residues 49 to 53) that may be exploited for selectivity.
An atmosphere-ocean time series model of global climate change

Time series models of global climate change tend to estimate a low climate-sensitivity (equilibrium effect on global temperature of doubling carbon dioxide concentrations) and a fast adjustment rate to equilibrium. These results may be biased by omission of a key variable-heat stored in the ocean. A time series model of the atmosphere-ocean climate system is developed, in which surface temperature (atmospheric temperature over land and sea surface temperature) moves towards a long-run equilibrium with both radiative forcing and ocean heat content, while ocean heat content accumulates the deviations from atmospheric equilibrium. This model is closely related to Granger and Lee's multicointegration model. As there are only 55 years of observations on ocean heat content, the Kalman filter is used to estimate heat content as a latent state variable, which is constrained by the available observations. This method could be applied to other climate change problems where there are only limited observations on key variables. The final model adopted relates surface temperature to the heat content of the upper 300m of the ocean. The resulting parameter estimates are closer to theoretically expected values than those of previous time series models and the estimated climate sensitivity to a doubling of carbon dioxide is 4.4K.
Technology use in campus crisis

College students are connecting with peers and college administrators in different ways in times of crisis. Lessons learned from the impact of Hurricane Katrina and the mass shooting at Virginia Tech have shifted the methods of response in the event of campus crisis to newer technologies.
Bonded Whitetopping Overlay Design Considerations for Prevention of Reflection Cracking, Joint Sealing, and the Use of Dowel Bars

Hundreds of bonded portland cement concrete (PCC) overlays of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) pavements are being constructed in the United States and around the world. Increasing interest in this rehabilitation method has led to a need to define further the most common forms of distresses, quantify the extent of influence of design parameters on performance, and develop rational design guidelines. This study evaluates the performance of in-service pavements to establish criteria for when reflection cracks might develop. Reflection cracking is dictated by the thickness of the PCC overlay and HMA layer, panel size, climatic conditions, and accumulated vehicle loads. When the relative stiffness of the PCC overlay and HMA layer (defined during the coldest month of the year) falls below the critical value one, reflection cracking develops. The rate of development is a function of the load-related stress in the overlay. The performance analysis of the in-service pavements also verify the benefits of joint sealing and the use of small diameter dowel bars for high volume roadway applications.
Tools for evaluating risk of terrorist acts using fuzzy sets and belief/plausibility

Terrorist acts are intentional and therefore differ significantly from “dumb” random acts that are the subject of most risk analyses. There is significant epistemic (state of knowledge) uncertainty associated with such intentional acts, especially for the likelihood of specific attack scenarios. Also, many of the variables of concern are not numeric and should be treated as purely linguistic (words).
Membrane Receptor Function and the Loss of Glucagon-Stimulated Adenylate Cyclase Activity in Hepatomas*

Plasma membranes were prepared from homogenates of two well differentiated hepatomas (Morris rat 7787 and Dalton mouse 9815), two poorly differentiated hepatomas (Morris rat 7288-C and Dalton mouse 129), and normal liver. Adenylate cyclase activity and [125I]iodoglucagon binding were measured in the plasma membrane preparations over a wide range of glucagon concentrations. Nether glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity nor [125I]iodoglucagon binding could be detected in the poorly differentiated hepatomas. Fluoride and epinephrine stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in all hepatomas. Maximum activity of glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase and maximum binding of glucagon in the wall differentiated hepatomas were less than those of normal liver. Plasma membranes from liver and hepatomas were solubilized with Lubrol-PX and, after reducing the concentration of detergent, were incubated with [125I]iodoglucagon and then chromatographed on a column of Bio-Gel A 1,5 m. Two peaks containing both protein and [125I]iodoglucagon were found for normal liver but not for the poorly differentiated hepatomas. Fractions from the Bio-Gel column containing the greatest concentration of protein were also subjected to a binding microassay. Material from the poorly differentiated tumors did not bind glucagon in this system, whereas the solubilized normal liver membranes bound up to 1.4 pmol [125I]iodoglucagon/mg protein. This indicates that there is no detectable glucagon receptor in these undifferentiated tumors.
Microspore embryogenesis of high sn-2 erucic acid Brassica oleracea germplasm

Brassica oleracea accessions possess traits that would be useful in commercial Brassica crops. These traits can be studied more effectively through the production of doubled haploid plants. Nineteen B. oleracea accessions from several subspecies possessing significant sn-2 erucic acid were screened for suitability for microspore culture using techniques well established for Brassica. Fifteen of the 19 accessions produced embryos. Genotypic differences were observed with embryogenesis ranging from 0 to 3000 embryos/100 buds. Embryogenesis was improved for two of four accessions by initiating cultures in NLN medium with 17% sucrose, then reducing sucrose to 10% after 48 h. An increase in embryogenesis for the same two accessions was observed when microspores were cultured at a density of 100 000/ml rather than 50 000 microspores/ml. A culture temperature of 32 °C for 48 h was beneficial for three of the four accessions when compared to a longer incubation period (72 h) or a higher temperature (35 °C). One accession line, Bo-1, was found to produce microspore-derived embryos which contained triacylglycerols with significant proportions of erucic acid at the sn-2 position.
Replacement Costs Under Warranty: Cost Moments and Time Variability

We consider a product that is sold under one of the two common warranty policies. Under the "pro rata" warranty policy, a failed item is replaced by a new one or is repaired at a cost prorated to the age of the failed item. Under the "free replacement" warranty policy, replacements or repairs during the warranty period are provided by the supplier free of charge to the buyer. Assuming that successive failure times form a renewal process, we derive moments of the total replacement cost for both policies during the product life cycle 0, t]. We also provide an extension to time-varying failure time distributions in the case of the pro rata warranty policy.
Elderly Nursing Home Patients With Congestive Heart Failure After Myocardial Infarction Living in New York City Have a Higher Prevalence of Mortality in Cold Weather and Warm Weather Months

Background. Some studies have found an increase in cardiac events in the winter months. Other studies, from cities in the southern half of the United States, have shown an increase in cardiac events during the summer months. Methods. We investigated in a prospective study of 517 patients, mean age 81 6 8 years, with congestive heart failure (CHF) after prior myocardial infarction who died in a nursing home in New York City with 24-hour on-site physician coverage, whether there was a seasonal variation in mortality from CHF. The exact binomial test was used to see if the number of deaths from CHF in the cold weather and warm weather months was significantly different from those in the spring and fall. Results. Of 517 patients who died, 321 deaths (62%) occurred during the months of December, January, February, March, July, and August, and 196 deaths (38%) occurred during the other 6 months (p , .0001). Conclusion. The number of deaths in patients with CHF after prior myocardial infarction in cold weather and warm weather months is significantly higher than those in spring and fall months (p , .0001).
Artifact weathering, anthropogenic microparticles and lead contamination in urban soils at former demolition sites, Detroit, Michigan.

Abstract A chronological sequence of urban soils 3–92 years old was studied to determine the effects of time on morphogenesis, artifact weathering, and the geochemical partitioning of Pb. Key chronofunctions determined are an increase in ˆA horizon Development Index (defined herein based on soil color) and water-soluble Pb, and a decrease in pH and C/N, with increasing soil age. Key artifact weathering reactions are: 1) portlandite in mortar altered to calcite, 2) ferrite in wrought-iron altered to ferrihydrite and goethite, and 3) carbonaceous materials altered to water-soluble organic substances. Mortar and wrought-iron were found to be Pb-bearing, but weather to produce immobilizing agents. Hence, they are both a source and a sink for Pb. The origin and mobilization of water-soluble Pb is complex and probably includes microbial extracellular polymeric substances, biodegraded soil organic matter, and solubilized organic substances derived from carbonaceous anthropogenic microparticles (soot, char and coal-related wastes).
Microbial production of isotopically light iron(II) in a modern chemically precipitated sediment and implications for isotopic variations in ancient rocks

The inventories and Fe isotope composition of aqueous Fe(II) and solid-phase Fe compounds were quantified in neutral-pH, chemically precipitated sediments downstream of the Iron Mountain acid mine drainage site in northern California, USA. The sediments contain high concentrations of amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxides [Fe(III)am] that allow dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR) to predominate over Fe‐S interactions in Fe redox transformation, as indicated by the very low abundance of Cr(II)-extractable reduced inorganic sulfur compared with dilute HCl-extractable Fe. d 56 Fe values for bulk HCl- and HF-extractable Fe were 0. These near-zero bulk d 56 Fe values, together with the very low abundance of dissolved Fe in the overlying water column, suggest that the pyrite Fe source had near-zero d 56 Fe values, and that complete oxidation of Fe(II) took place prior to deposition of the Fe(III) oxide-rich sediment. Sediment core analyses and incubation experiments demonstrated the production of millimolar quantities of isotopically light(d 56 Fe )1.5to )0.5&) aqueous Fe(II) coupled to partial reduction of Fe(III)amby DIR. Trends in the Fe isotope composition of solid-associated Fe(II) and residual Fe(III)am are consistent with experiments with synthetic Fe(III) oxides, and collectively suggest an equilibrium Fe isotope fractionation between aqueous Fe(II) and Fe(III)am of approximately )2&. These Fe(III) oxide-rich sediments provide a model for early diagenetic processes that are likely to have taken place in Archean and Paleoproterozoic marine sediments that served as precursors for banded iron formations. Our results suggest pathways whereby DIR could have led to the formation of large quantities of low-d 56 Fe minerals during BIF genesis.
Reflectivity retrieval in a networked radar environment: Demonstration from the CASA IP1 radar network

A network-based reflectivity retrieval technique has been developed within the Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA). The concept of a networked- radar system is simultaneous observations of the same precipitation event by multiple radars operating at the attenuating frequency such as X-band and scanning in a low elevation plane. This paper presents the preliminary demonstration of the network-based retrieval using data from the first Integration Project (IP1) radar network in Oklahoma. Electromagnetic waves backscattered from a common volume in a networked radar system are attenuated differently along the different paths. The CASA networked-retrieval method is based on a set of governing integral equations describing the backscatter and propagation of common volume with constraints of total path attenuation. The method has been implemented in a multiprocessor environment, which operate simultaneously and collaboratively to meet the real time requirement of CASA. The performance of the implemented retrieval algorithm such as computation requirement will be presented. Comparison of the CASA networked retrieval is made against the conventional attenuation correction based on the principle of coupling the specific attenuation, differential propagation phase and reflectivity. The preliminary results show good agreement with conventional differential phase base attenuation correction.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 Uses ActR and FnrN To Control nirK and nor Expression

Agrobacterium tumefaciens can grow anaerobically via denitrification. To learn more about how cells regulate production of nitrite and nitric oxide, experiments were carried out to identify proteins involved in regulating expression and activity of nitrite and nitric oxide reductase. Transcription of NnrR, required for expression of these two reductases, was found to be under control of FnrN. Insertional inactivation of the response regulator actR significantly reduced nirK expression and Nir activity but not nnrR expression. Purified ActR bound to the nirK promoter but not the nor or nnrR promoter. A putative ActR binding site was identified in the nirK promoter region using mutational analysis and an in vitro binding assay. A nirK promoter containing mutations preventing the binding of ActR showed delayed expression but eventually reached about 65% of the activity of an equivalent wild-type promoter lacZ fusion. Truncation of the nirK promoter revealed that truncation up to and within the ActR binding site reduced expression, but fragments lacking the ActR binding site and retaining the NnrR binding site showed expression as high as or higher than the full-length fragment. Additional experiments revealed that expression of paz, encoding the copper protein pseudoazurin, was highly reduced in the actR or fnrN mutants and that ActR binds to the paz promoter. Inactivation of paz reduced Nir activity by 55%. These results help explain why Nir activity is very low in the actR mutant even though a nirK promoter with mutations in the ActR binding site showed significant expression.
Social Crowding during Development Causes Changes in GnRH1 DNA Methylation

Gestational and developmental cues have important consequences for long-term health, behavior and adaptation to the environment. In addition, social stressors cause plastic molecular changes in the brain that underlie unique behavioral phenotypes that also modulate fitness. In the adult African cichlid, Astatotilapia burtoni, growth and social status of males are both directly regulated by social interactions in a dynamic social environment, which causes a suite of plastic changes in circuits, cells and gene transcription in the brain. We hypothesized that a possible mechanism underlying some molecular changes might be DNA methylation, a reversible modification made to cytosine nucleotides that is known to regulate gene function. Here we asked whether changes in DNA methylation of the GnRH1 gene, the central regulator of the reproductive axis, were altered during development of A. burtoni. We measured changes in methylation state of the GnRH1 gene during normal development and following the gestational and developmental stress of social crowding. We found differential DNA methylation within developing juveniles between 14-, 28- and 42-day-old. Following gestational crowding of mouth brooding mothers, we saw differential methylation and transcription of GnRH1 in their offspring. Taken together, our data provides evidence for social control of GnRH1 developmental responses to gestational cues through DNA methylation.
Finitism and Divisibility: A Reply to Puryear

Puryear (AJP, 2014) develops an objection against a prominent attempt to show that the universe must have a temporal beginning. Here I formulate a reply.
The Analysis of Second-Order Stationary Processes: Time Series Analysis, Spectral Analysis, Harmonic Analysis, and Geostatistics

Time series analysis, spectral analysis, and geostatistics are all tools designed for analyzing second-order stationary stochastic processes. This paper compares these three approaches at a broadly theoretical level.
Neutron effects in a 2″ × 2″ NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer

Abstract The absolute spectral response of a 2″ × 2″ NaI(Tl) crystal to monoenergetic neutrons of 0.205, 0.925, 3.05 and 15.08MeV. energy is presented. The number of counts/MeV per neutron/cm 2 incident on the front face of the crystal is plotted as a function of pulse height. For neutrons of 0.205 and 0.925 MeV, the counts due to I 128 activity are separated from the prompt gamma rays.
Biomechanical attributes of microcatheters used in liquid embolization of intracranial aneurysms.

Objective A steel-reinforced and a nitanol-reinforced microcatheter are both approved for use with Onyx HD-500 embolization of intracranial aneurysms. The biomechanical behavior of these catheters when used with high viscosity embolic liquids is poorly understood. We performed biomechanical laboratory testing and examined our clinical experience to identify situations where one catheter might have an advantage over the other. Methods The catheters were tested for detachment force from aneurysm cast, burst pressure, burst location, and pressure under dynamic delivery pressure. The results were compared using ANOVA. Results The average detachment forces for the Echelon 10, 14, and Rebar 14 catheters were 97.6, 76.825, and 62.6 g, respectively (p=0.023). The average burst pressures for the Echelon 10, 14, and Rebar 14 were 1108, 1213, and 1365 psi, respectively (p=0.003). The average burst location was 26.0, 20.0, and 4.5 mm, respectively, from the tip (p=0.035). There was no significant difference regarding burst location (p=0.39). The delivery pressures of the catheters were not significant (p=0.98). Two cases are presented that illustrate the importance of these findings and how they can be incorporated into practice. Conclusion The lower detachment force of the Rebar 14 makes it ideal for liquid embolization, but its stiffness makes it less desirable for accessing smaller aneurysms or navigating tortuous anatomy. The Echelon 10 should be avoided unless it is the only catheter that can access an aneurysm because of small size or tortuous anatomy. In such cases, the higher detachment force suggests a stent should be in place to prevent the cast from being destabilized.
Bridging the Gap: A Collaborative Approach to Health Information Management and Informatics Education.

BACKGROUND Health Information Management (HIM) and Health Informatics (HI) were very separate professions when they were first formed. However, with the increasing adoption of electronic health records, the interests of the two fields have become more aligned. OBJECTIVES To describe the evolution of a joint master's program in health informatics(HI) and health information management (HIM). METHODS After analyzing workforce needs, and reviewing both CAHIIM accreditation requirements and existing curricular offerings in separate programs in HIM and HI, a joint program was developed. RESULTS An HI master's program with a core curriculum for all students and tracks in Data Analytics, User Experience and Advanced Practice HIM was developed. A model for a comprehensive examination, based on the CAHIIM competencies, to be administered prior to and after the core curriculum was also developed. CONCLUSIONS A core and track curriculum that incorporates HIM education as part of the Master of Science of Health Informatics provides a feasible roadmap for the future as HIM and HI become more closely aligned.
Does vertical temperature gradient of the atmosphere matter for El Niño development

In this work, we examine the connection of vertical temperature gradient of the tropospheric atmosphere along the equator with El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the possible impact of the long-term change of the gradient. It is suggested that when the temperature anomalies in the lower troposphere are relatively warmer (cooler) than in the upper troposphere, the atmosphere is less (more) stable and favors an El Nino (a La Nina) event to develop. ENSO evolutions in 1997–1998 and 2014–2015 events are good examples of this relationship. They started from similar ocean anomaly states in the springs of 1997 and 2014, but developed into an extreme El Nino in 1997–1998 and a borderline El Nino in 2014–2015. That may be partially due to differences in the evolutions of the vertical temperature anomaly gradient in troposphere. Thus, in addition to the significant atmospheric response to ENSO, the preconditioning of vertical gradient of the tropospheric temperature due to internal atmospheric processes to some extent may play an active role in affecting ENSO evolution. The long-term trend with more pronounced warming in the upper troposphere than in the lower troposphere causes a reduction in the vertical temperature gradient in the troposphere. Moreover, unlike almost homogenous warm anomalies in the upper troposphere, the lower troposphere shows remarkable regional features along the equator during 1979–2014, with cold anomaly trends over the central and eastern Pacific Ocean associated with the so-called hiatus and some warm anomalies on its two sides in the east and west. This vertical and zonal distribution of the air temperature trends in the troposphere over the Pacific Ocean is consistent with the convection suppression over the central Pacific since 2000, implying a weakening of atmosphere and ocean coupling.
Respiratory dysfunction in myasthenia gravis

Myasthenia gravis can affect the respiratory system, causing respiratory muscle weakness, an abnormal breathing pattern, and blunted ventilatory responses. Specific treatment can reverse most of these effects and prevent the development of respiratory failure.
Telithromycin: do we really need this antimicrobial?

Antimicrobial resistance is a major concern when treating respiratory tract infections. This is particularly true for infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Some 35–40% of pneumococcal isolates have reduced susceptibility to penicillin, 30–35% have reduced susceptibility to macrolides
Was muss ich selber tun? Was ich kann und was ich noch lernen möchte

Sie erkennen, wie wichtig die Standortbestimmung fur eine erfolgreiche Jobjagd ist und welche Schritte dafur hilfreich sein konnen. Sie lernen die Bedeutung der inneren Haltung, etwas bewirken zu konnen, und kennen damit das Konzept der Selbstwirksamkeit. Das Kapitel macht Mut, neue Wege zu gehen und neues Denken zu uben. Sie lernen die Vor- und Nachteile einer positiven Einstellung kennen. Ziele setzen mit der Budget-, Stretch- und Outperformance-Systematik kann Ihnen helfen, alte Denkmuster zu durchbrechen. Sie erfahren, dass zwar nicht alles machbar ist, aber mit etwas Disziplin am Ende immer mehr, als man anfanglich gedacht hat.
Combined Heat and Power: CHP Present and Future

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is an ecient way to generate electricity and heat by utilizing the waste heat from the electric generator in place of heat from a separate boiler. Currently, most electricity is purchased from a central utility company that generates power at 35% eciency; the balance of fuel input energy is lost as heat. With CHP some of the electricity is generated onsite and the waste heat from the generator (water jacket and exhaust) is used for space and water heating and other industrial processes that require heat. This reduces the fuel requirements to the boiler which also reduces emissions of Green House Gases (GHG) and other pollutants. Overall CHP eciencies can make upwards to 85%. CHP is also known as Buildings Cooling, Heating and Power (BCHP), CHP for buildings (CHPB), Integrated Energy Systems (IES), Total Energy System (TES), Tri-generation (Trigen) and Cogeneration. CHP is best fit where there is demand for heat (or cooling load) and electricity is simultaneous e.g. hospitals, the hotel industry, educational institutes. Exhaust heat can be applied to support cooling loads with absorption chillers.
Crime and Partisanship: How Party ID Muddles Reality, Perception, and Policy Attitudes on Crime and Guns*

Objective In this article we theorize that partisanship is such a strong filter of information that it can affect how individuals make sense of their lived environment and how the geographic experience informs policy attitudes. As a result, although “independents” tend to be less politically knowledgeable and have less developed policy opinions, their policy attitudes on gun control are more informed by their lived experience than partisans. Methods We use data from an original survey of American adults about crime and gun control linked to crime statistics from the FBI. Results We find that stronger partisanship leads to resistance to information from the lived environment in the development of policy attitudes about gun control. Conclusion Democrats and Republicans have very different views about guns and, generally, these priorities are relatively unaffected by contextual experience; however, gun policy attitudes of independents are highly correlated with the level of gun crime in their geographic context.
Roughness scattering induced insulator-metal-insulator transition in a quantum wire

We investigated theoretically the influence of interface roughness scattering on the low-temperature mobility of electrons in quantum wires when electrons fill one or many subbands. We find that the Drude conductance of the wire with length $\mathcal{L}$ first increases with increasing linear concentration of electrons $\ensuremath{\eta}$ and then decreases at larger concentrations. For small radius $R$ of the wire with length $\mathcal{L}$ the peak of the conductance ${G}_{\mathrm{max}}$ is below ${e}^{2}/h$ so that electrons are localized. The height of this peak grows as a large power of $R$, so that at large $R$ the conductance ${G}_{\mathrm{max}}$ exceeds ${e}^{2}/h$ and a window of concentrations with delocalized states (which we call the metallic window) opens around the peak. Thus, we predict an insulator-metal-insulator transition with increasing concentration for large enough $R$. Furthermore, we show that the metallic domain can be subdivided into three smaller domains: (1) single-subband ballistic conductor, (2) many-subband ballistic conductor, and (3) diffusive metal, and use our results to estimate the conductance in these domains. Finally, we estimate the critical value of ${R}_{c}(\mathcal{L})$ at which the metallic window opens for a given length $\mathcal{L}$ and find it to be in reasonable agreement with experiment.
Electronic Interactions of Size-Selected Oxide Clusters on Metallic and Thin Film Oxide Supports

The interfacial electronic structure of various size-selected metal oxide nanoclusters (M3Ox; M = Mo, Nb, Ti) on Cu(111) and a thin film of Cu2O supports were investigated by a combination of experimental methods and density functional theory (DFT). These systems explore electron transfer at the metal–metal oxide interface which can modify surface structure, metal oxidation states, and catalytic activity. Electron transfer was probed by measurements of surface dipoles derived from coverage dependent work function measurements using two-photon photoemission (2PPE) and metal core level binding energy spectra from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The measured surface dipoles are negative for all clusters on Cu(111) and Cu2O/Cu(111), but those on the Cu2O surface are much larger in magnitude. In addition, sub-stoichiometric or “reduced” clusters exhibit smaller surface dipoles on both the Cu(111) and Cu2O surfaces. Negative surface dipoles for clusters on Cu(111) suggest Cu → cluster electron transfer,...
Optimal risk management in critical infrastructures against cyber-adversaries

One of the biggest cyber-security problems that our critical infrastructures face is the underinvestment in cyber-security solutions by private firms operating these systems. A healthy market insurance may incentivize asset owners to invest more in cyber-security protections in order to pay lower premiums to manage their residual risk. In this paper we model the problem of optimal risk management in critical infrastructures and show conditions where insurance motivates asset owners to invest more in security, and other conditions where even government incentives for the adoption of insurance may have the opposite effect of reducing cyber-security investments.
DNA distress creates lethal opportunity in MPN

In this issue of Blood, Nieborowska-Skorska et al show that exposure of myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) cells to the JAK inhibitor, ruxolitinib, results in blockage of DNA damage repair pathways, thereby exacerbating double-strand DNA breaks and creating a synthetic lethal susceptibility to poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. Consequently, the combination of ruxolitinib with PARP inhibitors leads to elimination of quiescent and proliferating MPN leukemic stem/progenitor cells in vitro and in mouse models.1
Exercise intolerance during post-MI heart failure in rats: prevention with supplemental dietary propionyl-L-carnitine.

Exercise capacity in patients with several types of cardiovascular disease can be improved with dietary carnitine, or carnitine derivatives. Mechanisms underlying this improvement remain largely unknown in part due to a lack of animal models of cardiac pathology in which carnitine derivatives improve exercise tolerance. Our goal was to evaluate the ability of propionyl-L-carnitine (PLC) to improve exercise tolerance in a rat model of exercise intolerance. Fischer 344 rats were followed after either a moderate size MI (n = 22) or sham MI surgery (n = 14). Starting 10 days post-surgery 10 of the MI and 7 of the sham rats received 100 mg/kg/day PLC in drinking water, which increased plasma and LV total l-carnitine concentrations 15–23% (p < 0.05). Rats were followed longitudinally until a statistically significant decrease in exercise capacity occurred in one of the groups, at which time all rats were sacrificed for study of the isolated perfused hearts. At 12-weeks post-MI exercise capacity had decreased 16 ± 7% (p < 0.05) in the MI group, but remained within 3% of baseline in the MI group that received PLC and the sham groups. Both MI groups exhibited the same degree of LV dilation, decrease in fractional shortening, and blunting of the response to isoproterenol. We conclude that supplemental dietary PLC attenuates the exercise intolerance that occurs secondary to post-MI heart failure in rats, but that this beneficial effect is not attributable to altered LV remodeling, an improved response to β-adrenergic stimulation, or increased skeletal muscle citrate synthase activity.
A Tight Convex Relaxation for the Natural Gas Operation Problem

With the increase in the investment in the gas-fired electricity generation technology, capturing the operation constraints of the natural gas network in the electricity and natural gas operation problems becomes more crucial. The non-convexity in the feasibility region formed by natural gas network constraints will impede achieving the global solution for these problems. This letter proposed an algorithm to procure a tight and tractable convex relaxation for the natural gas network constraints that can be leveraged in the electricity and/or natural gas network operation problems. The merit of the proposed algorithm is illustrated using a case study and the efficiency of the proposed formulation is compared with mixed integer linear and semidefinite programming formulations.
Characterizing scintillator detector response for correlated fission experiments with MCNP and associated packages

Abstract When multiple neutrons are emitted in a fission event they are correlated in both energy and their relative angle, which may impact the design of safeguards equipment and other instrumentation for non-proliferation applications. The most recent release of MCNP 6 . 2 contains the capability to simulate correlated fission neutrons using the event generators CGMF and FREYA . These radiation transport simulations will be post-processed by the detector response code, DRiFT , and compared directly to correlated fission measurements. DRiFT has been previously compared to single detector measurements, its capabilities have been recently expanded with correlated fission simulations in mind. This paper details updates to DRiFT specific to correlated fission measurements, including tracking source particle energy of all detector events (and non-events), expanded output formats, and digitizer waveform generation.
Multiscale Optimization of Joints of Dissimilar Materials in Nature and Lessons for Engineering Applications

In this chapter we review various aspects of biological attachments of dissimilar materials, concentrating on the example of tendon-to-bone attachment, a composite made up of compliant collagen fibers and stiff mineral platelets. The natural optimization of this attachment occurs on several scales, including macroscopic morphology and interdigitation. Macroscopically, interdigitation is analogous to z-pinning in composite joints. Microscopically, functional grading occurs for both the orientation of collagen fibers and the distribution of mineral. Nanoscopic optimization involves the sequencing of mineral deposition within and around the collagen fibrils. The lessons from the tendon-to-bone attachment are pertinent to the attachments of dissimilar materials in engineering. A discussion on possible applications of these lessons in engineering attachments is included in the concluding section of the chapter.
The Democracy of the Internet

Russell Weaver, a Professor at Louisville University, has conducted in-depth studies of several fields of law, the most prominent of which is the issue of the freedom of speech. In his most recent book, he presents the development of democratic public opinion through the evolution of the technical instruments capable of expressing views. He traces the history of the various media from Gutenberg to the Internet, then analyzes at length the effects of the Internet on modern democratic public opinion and, indeed, on democracy itself. Implicitly the book suggests that the author is a proponent of the democratic justification of freedom of speech, i.e. he regards this right primarily as an instrument of the democratic operation of society rather than as a vehicle of self-expression or the realisation of individual ambitions. In American legal literature, the position he takes on this issue is something of a watershed.
Molecular Biology of Angiotensin II Receptors

Angiotensin II (ANG II), a central component of the renin—angiotensin— aldosterone system, helps to sustain blood pressure by affecting multiple targets.1,2 ANG II stimulates glomerulosa cells of the adrenal cortex to release aldosterone, which is responsible for reabsorption of sodium and water in the kidney, and increases heart rate and contractile force and constricts blood vessel smooth muscle cells, thus increasing blood pressure. In the kidney, ANG II contracts glomerular mesangial cells and smooth muscle in efferent arterioles, resulting in a decrease in filtration. It also stimulates epithelial cells of the proximal tubules and promotes reabsorption of sodium and water. In addition, ANG II increases pituitary secretion of vasopressin, a vasoconstrictor and antidiuretic hormone. In the brain, ANG II induces thirst and salt appetite. Finally, ANG II increases catecholamine release by stimulating central sympathetic activity and secretion by adrenal chromaffin cells.