cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EFFECTS OF ENDOTOXIN AND NITROGEN MUSTARD ON LEUKOCYTE KINETICS.

In rabbits given a single large dose of HN2 circulating granulocytes are maintained at a normal concentration until 50-52 hours; thereafter the onset of a rapid fall in concentration coincides with maximum marrow hypocellularity. Recovery from granulocytopenia, however, does not begin until after 90 hours when considerable recovery of marrow cellularity is evident. Bacterial endotoxin in differing doses given at various times up to 24 hours after HN2 produces the same changes in circulating granulocytes as in normal animals. The rapid decline in circulating granulocytes, heralding exhaustion of the pool of postmitotic granulocytes, occurs earlier in HN2-treated animals given bacterial endotoxin; they also recover sooner than controls from HN2-induced granulocytopenia. Endotoxin given at 51 hours after HN2 when the postmitctic pool is exhausted, increases the rate of fall in the concentration of circulating granulocytes producing an earlier appearance of maximum granulocytopenia, but recovery by these animals from HN2-induced granulocytopenia does not occur sooner than in controls. Thus the time of recovery from HN2-induced granulocytopenia appears to be related to the time of depletion of marrow stores of postmitotic cells. Rabbits made tolerant to endotoxin and given HN2 show an earlier onset of the rapid fall in circulating granulocytes and an earlier recovery from granulocytopenia. Maximum marrow hypocellularity appears sooner after HN2 in tolerant animals, but marrow cellularity is always greater than in nontolerant rabbits. The increased cellularity of the marrow of tolerant animals may represent an increase in the size of the mitotic compartment of cells since the postmitotic compartment seems smaller than in normal animals. The granulocytopenia produced by endotoxin results from an increased removal of granulocytes from the circulation and significant numbers of these cells do not appear to recirculate. Granulocytosis following the injection of endotoxin results from movement of cells out of the marrow and occurs only if there is a store of postmitotic granulocytes. Release of cells from the marrow following this stimulus, however, appears to be related to cell maturity; only the more mature ones enter the circulation. Movement of mature cells out of the marrow, depleting the reservoir of these elements, may provide the stimulus for the increased cell production that appears in normal animals given endotoxin.
Scholasticism and Science

The late Middle Ages saw a revival of interest in science, as Islamic and Hebrew translations of Greek texts became available. This stimulated the rise of the universities and the development of scholasticism. This “science” was utilitarian: Astrology, alchemy, and magic were respectable disciplines. Complex intellectual constructs were built to account for nature, e.g., the macrocosm—microcosm, parallelism, the great chain of being, and the cell doctrine of the brain. Inspired by the rediscovery of Galen (via Avicenna) and the enormous richness of Greek biological concepts, there was a revival of human dissection. Initially, these served to demonstrate the truths of Galen.
Cholesterol metabolism in human endothelial cells in culture.

The origin of esterified cholesterol accumulating in cultured human endothelial cells1 and its influence on cholesterol biosynthesis were investigated in monolayer cultures. Whole plasma (WP) or isolated low density lipoproteins (LDL) from a normolipidemic subject and a hyperlipoproteinemia (Type IIa) patient, were included in McCoy’s 5a culture media at 10% level of plasma in the presence of acetate-2-H3. The free cholesterol of the WP and IDL were previously labeled in vitro with 4-C14-cholesterol. Cultures with plasma-free media served as control. Cell pellets were isolated after incubation at 37°C for 4 hours in an atmosphere of 5% carbon dioxide — 95% air mixture.
A Sinologist's Observations on North Korea

This report provides reflections on a one-week visit to North Korea in April 1989 by a China scholar who lived in Maoist China. It draws on meetings with American and Chinese specialists on Korea, and with North Korea scholars and Party officials. It compares Kim’s North Korea with Mao’s China in terms of agriculture, policy towards education and intellectuals, and the Cult of Personality; it discusses apparent tentative stpes in the North towards openness and reform, but recognizes the dilemma of understanding complicated forces for the against reform in such a short visit. Finally, the report outlines discussions with North Korea international relations specialists and a member of the Secretariat of the Korean Worker’s Party which welcomed the end of the cold war and improved Sino-U.S., U.S.-Soviet, and Sino-Soviet relations as favorable for peace in the region and Korean reunification.
What is Terrorism

In the conceptual literature on terrorism, there is no shortage of answers to the question “what is terrorism?” Indeed, the terrorism literature has been heavily criticized for a deluge of definitions. And yet the booming quantitative terrorism literature generally examines a narrow set of what is terrorism: how country-level factors explain variation in the number of terrorist attacks. This paper demonstrates the variety of ways that scholars currently operationalize terrorism and compare to the ways it could be operationalized. I replicate studies using alternative operationalizations of terrorism to examine the consequences of the terrorism literature’s collective bet to focus on attack counts at the country level. Finally, I discuss the implications of the narrow set of operational choices with an eye towards how a greater variety of approaches would produce a more robust research agenda.
Heuristics as an aid to backtracking, a classroom project

The knight's tour problem is discussed as a classroom example of a backtracking problem which requires heuristics to be effective.
Anger, Violence, and Political Science

Violence is one of the major topics of political science. Yet, due to its general failure to study the role of emotions, the discipline is not fully equipped to address key issues central to violence. For the study of political violence, anger holds special significance. Anger has a clear connection with motivations to commit or support violence. This chapter summarizes findings and methods in the study of anger in psychology and other fields and discusses how insights from these fields can be borrowed or modified to improve the study of violence in political science. The chapter’s last section illustrates the usefulness of these hybrid concepts by applying them to an important concrete case – Colombia’s current drive to demobilize combatants and reconcile its society in the face of a continuing civil war.
Effect of wood flour fillers on density and mechanical properties of polyurethane foams

A comparison analysis has been undertaken to study the effect of different wood fillers on density and mechanical properties of two different types of commercial polyurethane (PUR) foams: low-density flexible foams and high-density rigid foams. The micro-fillers used were based on wood flour particles of size 70-250 microns (wood waste of furniture industry). The relationships between the filler size and content, density and various mechanical properties - compression test, compression force deflection test and modulus of elasticity have been studied. It was found that micro-fillers provide various effects depending on flexibility and density of PUR foams. For low-density flexible PUR foams, the density and mechanical properties increased for both types of fillers. However, for high-density rigid PUR foams these effects were just the opposite: the density and compression strengths decreased for both types of fillers. Explanation of the observed effects should take into consideration the chemical nature and physical structure of flexible and rigid PUR binders based on various types of polyol-isocyanate systems, as well as chemical and physical affiliation of cellulose based fillers with the matrices.
Shell-Protective Secondary Silicon Nanostructures as Pressure-Resistant High-Volumetric-Capacity Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The nanostructure design of a prereserved hollow space to accommodate 300% volume change of silicon anodes has created exciting promises for high-energy batteries. However, challenges with weak mechanical stability during the calendering process of electrode fabrication and poor volumetric energy density remain to be solved. Here we fabricated a pressure-resistant silicon structure by designing a dense silicon shell coating on secondary micrometer particles, each consisting of many silicon nanoparticles. The silicon skin layer significantly improves mechanical stability, while the inner porous structure efficiently accommodates the volume expansion. Such a structure can resist a high pressure of over 100 MPa and is well-maintained after the calendering process, demonstrating a high volumetric capacity of 2041 mAh cm–3. In addition, the dense silicon shell decreases the surface area and thus increases the initial Coulombic efficiency. With further encapsulation with a graphene cage, which allows the silico...
A Modular Architecture for the Semi-Automatic Design and Layout of Pipelined ADC Arrays

A modular architecture for Pipelined ADCs is proposed based on a simple unit cell. Given the cell and constraints, an optimized ADC can be designed, scaled, and laid out using software scripts. This enables a high-performance Pipelined ADC to be designed without the significant overhead of custom-designing each ADC stage, reducing design time. To demonstrate the architecture, a 24-channel, 12-bit, 25 MS/s ADC array for scientific imager readout has been implemented in 180 nm CMOS technology. The ADC array achieves input-referred noise of $190 {\mu } \mathrm {V} -$rms and crosstalk of less than -50 dB. The array dissipates 70 mW per channel.
Analysis of Transcriptome and Alternative Splicing Landscape in Pineapple

Gene expression profiling and alternative splicing (AS) landscapes were analyzed in pineapple. Among 27,024 protein-coding genes, based on the transcripts to gene models mapping data, a total of 17,308 predicted genes are supported by expressed transcripts. Between leaf and root tissue, 795 genes were upregulated in leaf tissue relative to root tissue, and 1391 genes were upregulated in root tissue relative to leaf tissue. Between young fruit tissue and ripening fruit tissue, 931 genes were upregulated, and 189 genes were downregulated in ripening fruit tissue relative to young fruit tissue. Genes involved in crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) pathway and in ethylene biosynthesis and responses were identified and further analyzed in details. A total of 10,348 AS events involving 13,449 unique transcripts which were generated from a total of 5146 genes were identified. The identification of differentially expressed genes, assembled transcripts, along with the identified AS isoforms and events, provides a solid foundation for further examination of the gene functions in pineapple metabolism, growth, development, and fruit ripening. The data are available at Plant Alternative Splicing Database (http://proteomics.ysu.edu/altsplice/).
Chapter 8 – RT-PCR: A Science and an Art Form

RT-PCR is that technology by which RNA molecules are converted into their complementary DNA (cDNA) sequences by reverse transcriptase, followed by the amplification of the newly synthesized cDNA by standard PCR procedures. This approach to study gene expression is universally known as RT-PCR, because of the role of reverse transcriptase (RT) in the synthesis of first-strand cDNA. RT-PCR is a two-step process. It involves reverse transcription of purified RNA by RT via an appropriate method for priming and amplification of first-strand cDNA using some variant of PCR. Normalization of samples is very important in RT-PCR, and the efficiency of first-strand cDNA synthesis is one of the most important determinants in the success or failure of this method. For this reason, it is strategically better to make a large cDNA pool from which aliquots may be drawn for individual applications rather than repeating the same cDNA synthesis reaction over and over. The key to RT-PCR resides in the design of useful primers which promote a balance between template specificity, thermodynamic stability when base-paired to the template, and capacity of one primer to function with the other(s) to support RT-PCR. Given the extreme sensitivity of PCR, it is now commonplace to detect and quantify transcripts present in extremely low abundance. Numerous permutations of RT-PCR are in widespread use.
Comparing Student Performance on Low-Stakes and High-Stakes Evaluations of Conceptual Understanding

This Research to Practice Full Paper investigates how student performance during a low-stakes evaluation of conceptual understanding relates to performance during a high stakes evaluation. Concept inventories, like the Dynamics Concept Inventory (DCI), are used to assess student understanding of a specific set of concepts, typically in a low-stakes setting. The DCI was offered for very modest course extra credit at the beginning and end of an introductory dynamics course at a large, research-intensive public university. This represents the low-stakes evaluation. By contrast, a midterm examination administered 12 weeks into the 15 week semester included: 1) a set of short-answer concept questions related to the concepts covered by the DCI and 2) two traditional long-answer problem-solving questions. This midterm examination represents the culmination of student understanding of rigid body dynamics, which is primarily what the DCI covers. It also represents the high-stakes evaluation as this examination strongly influences the students’ final grade in the class. The synergy of the relationships between these three evaluations indicate the low-stakes DCI assessment is a valid measure in quantifying student conceptual understanding.
Usefulness of Liver Stiffness on Ultrasound Shear-Wave Elastography for the Evaluation of Central Venous Pressure in Children With Heart Diseases.

BACKGROUND Liver stiffness on ultrasound shear-wave elastography (SWE) reflects central venous pressure (CVP) in adult patients with heart failure, but the association of liver stiffness on SWE with CVP in pediatric patients is not clear. The present study evaluated whether liver stiffness on SWE is useful as a non-invasive indicator of CVP in pediatric patients.Methods and Results:Liver stiffness was measured using ultrasound SWE in 79 patients aged <20 years with congenital heart diseases. None of the patients was found to have liver disease. Correlations between liver stiffness and other clinical variables, including CVP, were analyzed. CVP was the only factor independently and significantly correlated with liver stiffness in multivariate analysis. However, variables related to hepatic fibrosis did not correlate with liver stiffness. CONCLUSIONS Liver stiffness on ultrasound SWE is useful as a non-invasive indicator of CVP in children with heart diseases.
Stimulated Raman Excited Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Visible Dyes

Fluorescence spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy are two major classes of spectroscopy methods in physical chemistry. Very recently, stimulated Raman excited fluorescence (SREF) has been demonstrated ( Xiong, H.; et al. Nature Photonics , 2019 , 13 , 412 - 417 ) as a new hybrid spectroscopy that combines the vibrational specificity of Raman spectroscopy with the superb sensitivity of fluorescence spectroscopy (down to the single-molecule level). However, this proof-of-concept study was limited by both the tunability of the commercial laser source and the availability of the excitable molecules in the near-infrared. As a result, the generality of SREF spectroscopy remains unaddressed, and the understanding of the critical electronic preresonance condition is lacking. In this work, we built a modified excitation source to explore SREF spectroscopy in the visible region. Harnessing a large palette of red dyes, we have systematically studied SREF spectroscopy on a dozen different cases with a fine spectral interval of several nanometers. The results not only establish the generality of SREF spectroscopy for a wide range of molecules but also reveal a tight window of proper electronic preresonance for the stimulated Raman pumping process. Our theoretical modeling and further experiments on newly synthesized dyes also support the obtained insights, which would be valuable in designing and optimizing future SREF experiments for single-molecule vibrational spectroscopy and supermultiplex vibrational imaging.
Habitat Preference and Phenology of Nest Seeking and Foraging Spring Bumble Bee Queens in Northeastern North America (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus)

Bumble bees are among the most abundant and important wild pollinators in North America. Spring nest establishment is a brief and vulnerable stage in the colony life cycle that is poorly understood. Bumble bee nesting activity in temperate North America has received little recent attention, and this knowledge gap is a barrier to conservation efforts. The aim of this study was to investigate the habitat use, nesting phenology, and key food plants of spring bumble bee queens. Through 108 nonlethal surveys of bumble bee queens in spring 2018, researchers observed 451 nest seeking and 555 foraging queens of nine species in Ohio, U.S.A. Spring queen activity began in mid-April and peaked in mid-May, although nest seekers were observed into late June. Nest seeking queens favored woody transitional habitats over open habitats. In accordance queen abundance and diversity increased with the proportion of forest in the surrounding landscape. The proportion of row crops and urban areas negatively influenced queen diversity and the number of nest seekers, respectively. Through a literature review, the earliest emergence dates for each species were compared for 12 datasets to establish an order of species emergence in northeastern North America. Forty-seven species of flowering plants were used by foraging queens. Highly visited food plants included both native and nonnatives(*): Lupinus perennis, Malus spp., Taraxacum officinale*, Lonicera spp.*, Lamium purpureum*, Glechoma hederacea*, Trifolium pratense*, and Mertensia virginica. Systematic field surveys are needed by state to document the timing of spring queen emergence and nesting activities to inform conservation efforts.
Nimble Limbs - Intelligent attachable legs to create walking robots from variously shaped objects

Biology has always been a major inspiration for our walking robots. We try to capture what basic ideas can be applied to improve robotic performance, be it biomechanics for organic structural design to make sturdier robots or the complexity of neural networks to achieve new levels of intelligence. This, of course, comes with the price. The design of legged robots, being one of the most influenced parts is widely dominated by monolithic systems. In some rare cases will they exhibit the capability to exchange modular body parts. And still, the body itself remains a crucial part of its topology. This paper will present a concept to rethink embodied robots by transferring all hardware and software components into its legs. These nimble limbs can be applied to any object that needs transporting, be it a parcel, a shopping basket or furniture. The paper will present the advantages of these intelligent legs compared to other systems and point out the major issues as well as possible solutions on how to realize such a disembodied robot.
Two New Species of Meloidae (Coleoptera) from Mexico

Two species of Meloidae from Mexico are described and illustrated. Included are Epicauta (Macrobasis) sorjuanae Pinto, new species (Meloinae: Epicautini) from Oaxaca and Puebla, and Zonitis (Neozonitis) bolognorum Pinto, new species (Nemognathinae: Nemognathini) from Sonora. Placement of each relative to congeners is discussed.
Cities at the Nexus

A majority of the world’s population lives in urban areas, typically distant from the natural resources necessary to support human needs. This poses great challenges for sustainable food, energy, and water supply, especially in the face of disruptions caused by climate change, population mobility, and extreme social and economic disparities. This chapter offers an analysis of the drivers of food, energy, and water socio-ecological systems in cities and metropolitan regions and discusses sustainable FEW supply chain management in cities, examines the impact of poverty and exclusion on FEW insecurity in cities, and provides examples of Nexus innovation in a handful of specific cities.
CHAPTER 4 – Box Products

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses box products. The topology first considered on the set product of infinitely many spaces is that which is currently named the box topology. As this topology proved inefficient at preserving complex properties central to the field, it was soon replaced by the successful topology of Tychonov. The discovery that box topologies could provide the site for important counterexamples engendered today's scrutiny of the subject. The box products are never metrizable and often have a non-normal subspace. A box product of a small family of realcompact spaces is realcompact, but the box product of a countable family of compact spaces need not be normal. Within the class of topologically complete spaces are the realcompact spaces. A complete uniform space is the richest general structure preserved by box products. Every paracompact compact space is the topological sum of σ-compact spaces, and the topological sum of paracompact spaces is paracompact.
Priorities vs. Quotas

How should authorities concerned with match quality, fairness, and diversity, but uncertain over the distribution of agents' characteristics, allocate a resource? We show that, when preferences over these dimensions are separable, a new monotone subsidy schedule (MSS) mechanism requires no knowledge of the state and is ex post optimal. We rationalize the common priority and quota mechanisms as limits of MSS when risk aversion over diversity is low and high, respectively. Echoing lessons from price vs. quantity regulation (Weitzman, 1974), priorities positively select agents over states, while quotas guarantee a level of diversity, but MSS achieve both.
The Association Between App-Administered Depression Assessments and Suicidal Ideation in User Comments: Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: Many people use apps to help understand and manage their depression symptoms. App-administered questionnaires for the symptoms of depression, such as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, are easy to score and implement in an app, but may not be accompanied by essential resources and access needed to provide proper support and avoid potential harm. Objective: Our primary goal was to evaluate the differences in risks and helpfulness associated with using an app to self-diagnose depression, comparing assessment-only apps with multifeatured apps. We also investigated whether, what, and how additional app features may mitigate potential risks. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, we identified apps in the Google Play store that provided a depression assessment as a feature and had at least five user comments. We separated apps into two categories based on those having only a depression assessment versus those that offered additional supportive features. We conducted theoretical thematic analyses over the user reviews, with thematic coding indicating the helpfulness of the app, the presence of suicidal ideation, and how and why the apps were used. We compared the results across the two categories of apps and analyzed the differences using chi-square statistical tests. Results: We evaluated 6 apps; 3 provided only a depression assessment (assessment only), and 3 provided features in addition to self-assessment (multifeatured). User comments for assessment-only apps indicated significantly more suicidal ideation or self-harm (n=31, 9.4%) compared to comments for multifeatured apps (n=48, 2.3%; X21=43.88, P<.001). Users of multifeatured apps were over three times more likely than assessment-only app users to comment in favor of the app’s helpfulness, likely due to features like mood tracking, journaling, and informational resources (n=56, 17% vs n=1223, 59% respectively; X21=200.36, P<.001). The number of users under the age of 18 years was significantly higher among assessment-only app users (n=40, 12%) than multifeatured app users (n=9, 0.04%; X21=189.09, P<.001). Conclusions: Apps that diagnose depression by self-assessment without context or other supportive features are more likely to be used by those under 18 years of age and more likely to be associated with increased user distress and potential harm. Depression self-assessments in apps should be implemented with caution and accompanied by evidence-based capabilities that establish proper context, increase self-empowerment, and encourage users to seek clinical diagnostics and outside help. Trial Registration:
Octogenarians and Nonoctogenarians Have Similar Outcomes after Upper Extremity Hemodialysis Access Creation

Background Routine arteriovenous (AV) access creation in octogenarians is controversial. Our goal was to assess perioperative and long-term outcomes in octogenarians after undergoing upper extremity AV access to determine whether advanced age should influence AV access decision-making. Methods All AV access creations performed at a single institution from 2014–2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized as octogenarians and nonoctogenarians. Perioperative short-term outcomes were compared. Results Among 620 patients who underwent AV access creation, there were 40 octogenarians and 580 nonoctogenarians. Octogenarians were more likely to have private insurance, coronary artery disease, dementia, previous stroke, impaired ambulation, and less likely to be current smokers. There were no differences in outpatient status or tunneled dialysis catheter presence at creation. Access types were similar radiocephalic (12.5% vs. 14.3%), brachiocephalic (50% vs. 42.6%), brachiobasilic (12.5% vs. 26.2%), and grafts (25% vs. 13.8%). Univariable analysis demonstrated no differences in perioperative return to the operating room, hematoma, and patency loss. There were no differences in 90-day mortality (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0–2.5, P = 0.25), readmission (OR 1.36, 95% CI 0.67–2.76, P = 0.39), maturation (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.46–2.01, P = 0.93), or reintervention (HR 0.9, 95% CI 0.64–1.25, P = 0.53). Octogenarians had lower two-year survival (82.5% vs. 91.9%, P Conclusions Octogenarians and nonoctogenarians have similar outcomes after upper extremity dialysis access creation. Advanced age alone should not influence dialysis access creation.
A non-relativistic theory of quantum mechanics and gravity with local modulus symmetry

Inspired by the similarities between quantum field theory and general relativity, in that each theory encompasses two universal constants and a local symmetry, we set out to construct a non-relativistic theory of quantum mechanics and gravity based upon two assumptions: quantum system remains invariant to local modulus transformation, and physical laws reduce to those of conventional quantum mechanics in small enough region, i.e. a modified version of the equivalence principle. Imposing local modulus symmetry brings a number of changes, including the replacement of the complex conjugate of the wave function by a new scalar function with the same phase but different modulus, and particle momentum operator built on covariant derivative, with a connection of purely imaginary velocity field that is identified as the gravitational escape velocity. Three quantum metric functions are defined to signify the kinematic change of quantum state brought by gravity. The modified equivalence principle enables us to relate the escape velocity field with the quantum metric functions. Equation of motion and field equation that are covariant to local modulus transformation are constructed. New features in these equations offer potential mechanisms to account for the dark energy, the mass discrepancies in the universe, and the quantum state reduction of macroscopic objects.
Role of Prosthetics and Osseointegration in Lateral Craniofacial Reconstruction

Lateral craniofacial ablative procedures can involve cosmetically devastating resection of the auricle. The resulting defect can either be covered, reconstructed with multistage reconstructive surgery, or be rehabilitated with a prosthesis. Of the many prosthetic retention strategies, anchoring the prosthetic to bone with an osseointegrated titanium implant has proven to be reliable. The procedure may be completed in one stage under local anesthesia and can be performed in previously radiated temporal bone with high implant success rates. The resulting cosmetic outcome is consistently rated highly by patients. Any patient undergoing resection of the auricle should be considered a candidate for an osseointegrated implant-borne prosthesis.
High-Quality Masks Can Reduce Infections and Deaths in the US

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of widespread adoption of masks or face coverings to reduce community transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. Methods: We employed an agent-based stochastic network simulation model, where Covid-19 progresses across census tracts according to a variant of SEIR. We considered a mask order that was initiated 3.5 months after the first confirmed Covid-19 case. We evaluated scenarios where wearing a mask reduces transmission and susceptibility by 50% or 80%; an individual wears a mask with a probability of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, or 100%. Results: If 60% of the population wears masks that are 50% effective, this decreases the cumulative infection attack rate (CAR) by 25%, the peak prevalence by 51%, and the population mortality by 25%. If 100% of people wear masks (or 60% wear masks that are 80% effective), this decreases the CAR by 38%, the peak prevalence by 67%, and the population mortality by 40%. Conclusions: After community transmission is present, masks can significantly reduce infections.
Effectiveness of a Home- and School-Based Asthma Educational Program for Head Start Children With Asthma: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Asthma is the most common chronic childhood disease, with Black children experiencing worse morbidity and mortality. It is important to evaluate the effectiveness of efficacious interventions in community settings that have the greatest likelihood of serving at-risk families. Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a multilevel home- and school (Head Start)-based asthma educational program compared with a Head Start-based asthma educational program alone in improving asthma outcomes in children. Design, Setting, and Participant This randomized clinical trial included 398 children with asthma enrolled in Head Start preschool programs in Baltimore, Maryland, and their primary caregivers. Participants were recruited from April 1, 2011, to November 31, 2016, with final data collection ending December 31, 2017. Data were analyzed from March 18 to August 30, 2018. Interventions Asthma Basic Care (ABC) family education combined with Head Start asthma education compared with Head Start asthma education alone. Main Outcomes and Measures Asthma control as measured by the Test for Respiratory and Asthma Control in Kids (TRACK) score. Results Among the 398 children included in the analysis (247 boys [62.1%]; mean [SD] age, 4.2 [0.7] years), the ABC plus Head Start program improved asthma control (β = 6.26; 95% CI, 1.77 to 10.75; P < .001), reduced courses of oral corticosteroids (β = -0.61; 95% CI, -1.13 to -0.09; P = .02), and reduced hospitalizations (odds ratio, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.21-0.61; P < .001) during a 12-month period. Conclusion and Relevance In this randomized clinical trial, combined family and preschool asthma educational interventions improved asthma control and reduced courses of oral corticosteroids and hospitalizations. Multilevel interventions implemented in community settings that serve low-income minority families may be key to reducing disparities in asthma outcomes. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01519453.
Contraception among women on probation and parole on the United States–Mexico border

OBJECTIVE Effective contraception prevents unintended pregnancy which disproportionately affects women in the criminal justice system. This study examined selected variables associated with contraceptive use by women on probation and parole living on the United States-Mexico border. DESIGN This quantitative correlational study examined individual and interpersonal variables-age, parity, ethnicity, prior contraception, self-efficacy, pregnancy attitudes, and reproductive autonomy-that may influence contraception among 52 women under community supervision. MEASURES Variable were examined with bivariate, multivariate analyses, and hierarchical logistic regression. Data were collected from a demographic and contraceptive use survey, and validated scales measuring reproductive autonomy and pregnancy attitudes. RESULTS Contraceptive methods were used by 89% of the women; 65% used effective methods, but this decreased to 35% among those released within the past year. Reproductive autonomy was associated with effective contraceptive use. Prior contraception and contraceptive self-efficacy were significant, but wide confidence intervals suggested instability. The remaining variables were insignificant. CONCLUSION No known studies have examined contraception use among women on probation and parole on the border. More women used some form of contraception than might be predicted. Collaborative efforts between correctional facilities and the community are needed to expand access to contraception.
La Belle Captivated in a Phantom City: Alain Robbe-Grillet’s Visual Writing

"The creation of the phantom city, as the narrator suggests, is an illusionist painting, a make-believe story that necessarily defies mimesis. Rather than imitating the reality of the outside world, Robbe-Grillet uses eidetic arts as the architectonics of his phantom city. The texts that comprise Topology of a Phantom City are drawn from Robert Rauschenberg’s and Rene Magritte’s paintings, Paul Delvaux’s etching, and David Hamilton’s photographs. The 'First Space' of Topology includes the first seven texts of the Robbe-Grillet–Delvaux collaboration, which was initially published as a book of ten etchings and ten texts, Construction d’un temple en ruines a la deesse Vanade. Robbe-Grillet has reinserted the last three texts in the 'Third Space.'"
A tale of two cities: lessons in advocacy and funding from Seattle and Portland

This article is a multiple case study of policy in Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon. Both cities have developed programs that utilize government funding to increase access to public school ...
Hazardous-Waste Minimization in the Naval Shipyards

Using industrial-engineering techniques, the shipyards are implementing source reductions to reduce the quantities of hazardous generation as a by-product of their industrial processes. This paper discusses the problems associated with hazardous waste and describes a program to minimize the generation of this waste
Upwind-mixed methods for transport equations

In this paper, we continue our analysis of upwind‐mixed methods for advection–diffusion equations, which have been developed and analyzed by the first author over the past several years. In previous work, our analysis has been limited to low order approximating spaces, positive definite diffusion coefficients and Dirichlet boundary conditions. In this paper, we extend our results to higher order approximating spaces, possibly zero diffusion, and more physically realistic boundary conditions. Moreover, unlike previous papers, we avoid the use of Gronwall's Inequality, which can result in extremely large constants in the stability and error bounds. Numerical results are presented for constant, linear and quadratic approximating spaces.
Reelin Signaling, Hippocampal Neurogenesis, and Efficacy of Aspirin Intake & Stem Cell Transplantation in Aging and Alzheimer’s disease

Comprehending the mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of aging and Alzheimer’s disease has immense value for developing strategies that promote successful aging and prevent or cure Alzheimer’s disease. The first issue of the new journal, “Aging & Disease” comprises articles that discuss the current knowledge pertaining to changes in reelin signaling in normal & pathological forms of aging, memory and neurogenesis in Aging & Alzheimer’s disease, the efficacy of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug aspirin in combination with docosahexaenoic acid for reducing the risk for Alzheimer’s disease, and the usefulness of stem cell transplantation for improving memory in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. The highlights and the importance of the above issues to Aging and Alzheimer’s disease are discussed in this commentary.
A palladium front brick study

Abstract With the recent adoption of stricter vehicle emission regulations both in Europe and in the United States, it has become necessary for emission engineers to evaluate various strategies to significantly reduce HC, CO and NOx tailpipe emissions. Emission engineers are pursuing electrically heated converters HC adsorbers, close-coupled converters, fuel heated converters, warm-up converters and advanced catalyst technologies to meet these regulations. The HC and NOx regulations are the most challenging. With regard to advanced catalyst technologies, recent developments in palladium (Pd) catalyst technologies have demonstrated superior HC and adequate NOx performance compared to production platinum/rhodium (Pt/Rh) catalyst technologies. This paper investigates the application of advanced Pd catalyst technologies in converters that contain a Pd front brick and a Pt/Rh rear brick. Two studies are presented. The first study evaluates the effects of Pd loading, Pd catalyst technology,, Pd front brick catalyst volume and air/fuel control when a Pd catalyst is used in front of a Pt/Rh catalyst. Converters having 2.7 liters of catalyst volume were dynamometer aged and evaluated on two engines using the US FTP The second study not only investigated the effects of Pd loading and Pd catalyst technology of the front brick, but also investigated the effects of Pt/Rh loading and catalyst technology of the rear brick. Converters having 1.8 liters of catalyst volume were dynamometer aged and evaluated on a 1.6L European engine using the revised ECE+EUDC driving cycle. The effect of improved fuel injection on converter performance was also evaluated. Within the scope of the experiments it was determined that Pd catalyst technologies have been developed that can significantly reduce emissions. Pd 3-Way converters (no Pt/Rh) should only be applied to vehicles with good to excellent air/fuel control. Pd front brick, Pt/Rh rear brick converters are appropriate for many vehicle applications. Significant reductions in HC and CO emissions can be achieved without increasing NOx emissions. However, the choice of Pd catalyst technology and loading are important. High Pd loadings and active catalyst Pd catalyst technologies can be too selective for HC and CO, making the reduction of NOx difficult. Increasing the Pt/Rh loading and using a high temperature Pt/Rh washcoat can reduce NOx emissions.
Epoxy Repair of Timber Roof Trusses

An epoxy injection repair project for timber roof trusses is described. Two 200-ft (61-m) trusses over four 50-ft (15.3-m) spans were visually inspected to select the weakest-appearing locations for repair. The repair procedure consisted of sealing these locations and injecting an epoxy resin that was to fill cracks and prrovide shear resistance between adjacent timber surfaces. The effect of providing this shear resistance was to change pin-ended web members to fixed-ended, and thus to change stresses in the truss. For most members, the stresses were slightly increased. Man-hours and materials spent in the repair process were monitored and analyzed. The paper gives the results of this analysis and a guide to cost estimating for this type of repair. Various problems encountered during the repair process are described.
Intergranular cracking in high-strength, cold-rolled, and precipitation-hardened austenitic stainless steel UNS S35500

Abstract : When quench annealed, stainless steel UNS 35500 (C 0.12, Cr 15.5, Ni 4.5, Mo 3, N 0.1%) is austenitic and soft. In cold-rolled and tempered condition, heavy cold rolling followed by precipitation hardening considerably strengthens the material (UTS 220 ksi 1517 MPa, elongation 10%). Its strength, combined with good corrosion resistance, makes the material attractive for use in critical load-bearing applications. In one application, helicopter rotor blades are attached to the drive shaft with a component strap pack, assembled from 0.014-in (0.36 mm)-thick laminae of the material. Premature fatigue failures of strap packs have occurred starting from intergranular cracks in single laminae. Chloride salts were detected at crack origins. This intergranular stress corrosion cracking was reproduced under crevices in slow-strain-rate tests conducted in 3.5% NaCl solution at 0.1 V (Ag/AgCl 4M KCl). The potential is typical of those attained by the material under thin, chloride-bearing condensate films exposed to air. Cracking did not occur when crevices were absent. Electrolytic polishing in chloride-free acids, combined with a standard overpassivation treatment in nitric acid, improved the resistance to crevice corrosion. This treatment slowed but did not prevent the onset of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in slow-strain-rate tests conducted with an artificial crevice on the specimen surface.
Nuclear-encoded mitochondrial precursor protein: intramitochondrial delivery to dendrites and axon terminals of neurons and regulation by neuronal activity

Mitochondria contain hundreds of proteins, most of which are encoded by the nucleus. In neurons, distal dendrites and axon terminals can be separated from the nucleus by a great distance, and the mechanism by which precursor proteins reach distal neuronal processes is not well understood. While our previous study on cytochrome oxidase suggests a post-translational mechanism of delivery, it is not known whether precursor proteins reach their target processes before or after incorporation into mitochondria. In order to localize only precursor proteins and not the mature form of the subunit in neurons, we generated polyclonal antibodies against synthetic presequence polypeptides specific to nuclear-encoded subunit IV precursor protein of rat brain cytochrome oxidase. We found that the precursors were located not only in neuronal cell bodies, but also in dendrites and axon terminals. This indicates that the conversion of these precursors to their mature form is not confined to the cell body but occurs in dendrites and axons as well. At the electron microscopic level, an overwhelming majority of immunoreaction product was found within mitochondria, suggesting that precursor proteins are transported to neuronal processes mainly within mitochondria, and that their half- lives are much longer in neurons than in yeast and rat hepatocytes. The precursor pool was downregulated in the rat superior colliculus after monocular enucleation, indicating that precursor synthesis and/or degradation is regulated by neuronal functional activity. These results also suggest that local functional demands may play an important role in controlling the processing of precursors and the assembly of holoenzymes in dendrites and axon terminals. This allows neurons to regulate enzyme levels locally, precisely, and rapidly.
Membrane-anchored cytochrome c as an electron carrier in photosynthesis and respiration: past, present and future of an unexpected discovery

In the mid 1980s, it was observed that photosynthesis could still occur in the absence of the diffusible electron carrier cytochrome c2 in the purple non-sulfur facultative phototrophic bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus. This serendipic finding led to the discovery of a novel class of membrane-anchored electron carrier cytochromes and their associated electron transfer pathways. Studies of cytochrome cy of R. capsulatus (and its homologues in other species) have modified the previous dogma of electron transfer between photosynthetic and respiratory membrane protein complexes with a new paradigm, in which these proteins and their electron carriers can form ‘hard-wired’ structural super-complexes. Here, we reminisce on the early days of this discovery, its impacts on our understanding of cellular energy transduction pathways and the physiological roles played by the electron carrier cytochromes c, and discuss the current knowledge and emerging future challenges of this field.
Resting ST Amplitude: Prognosis and Normal Values in an Ambulatory Clinical Population

Background There is limited data describing ST segment amplitude in apparently healthy, asymptomatic populations. We analyzed ST amplitude in the standard resting electrocardiogram (ECG) in a large, multiethnic, stable, clinical population. Methods We evaluated computerized ST amplitude measurements from the resting ECGs of 29,281 ambulatory outpatients collected between 1987 and 1999 at the Palo Alto, VA. With the PR interval as the isoelectric line, both elevation criteria (≥0.1 mV, ≥0.15 mV, and ≥0.2 mV) and depression criteria (≤–0.05 mV or ≤–0.1 mV), were applied. Cox–Hazard survival analysis techniques were used to demonstrate in which leads ST amplitude displacement was associated with cardiovascular (CV) death. To create a cohort without ECG patterns clearly associated with disease, we excluded ECGs with inverted T waves, wide QRS, or diagnostic Q waves and coded the remaining “normal” ECGs for ST elevation and depression to determine a normal range. Results The only ST amplitudes that were significantly and independently associated with time to CV death when adjusted for age, gender, and ethnicity were ST depression in all of the lateral leads (I, V4–V6). When isolated to the inferior leads, (II and AVF), no ST amplitude criteria were associated with CV death. Among the “normal ECG” subgroup the precordial leads exhibited the greatest median ST amplitudes and the most significant differences between the leads, genders and ethnicities. Conclusions Significant differences in ST amplitude were present in the precordial leads according to gender and ethnicity. This was particularly apparent when amplitude threshold were set for comparisons. Our findings provide the normal range for ST amplitude that when exceeded, should raise clinical concern.
Cournot model for Virginia's restructured electricity market

A model to simulate the affect of restructuring in Virginia's electricity market, if and when restructuring occurs, would be extremely beneficial. Such a model will use data of the generation (supply) and transmission infrastructure as well as the major electricity loads (demand) to predict competitive prices. We present our first steps towards the implementation of such model. The specific oligopoly model chosen is known as "Cournot" model, where players decide how much to produce and market prices are obtained via an inverse demand function. The Cournot model implemented in Matlab was applied to Virginia's power network by first identifying its four main players and maximizing each players profit in terms of their respective generation quantities. An iterative procedure that converges to Cournot equilibrium was used. At the Cournot equilibrium, no single firm can profit from unilaterally changing its production decision.