cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A three-dimensional, stochastic simulation of biofilm growth and transport-related factors that affect structure.

Biofilm structural heterogeneity affects a broad range of microbially catalysed processes. Solute transport limitation and autoinhibitor production, two factors that contribute to heterogeneous biofilm development, were investigated using BacMIST, a computer simulation model. BacMIST combines a cellular automaton algorithm for biofilm growth with Brownian diffusion for solute transport. The simulation represented the growth of microbial unit cells in a three-dimensional domain modelled after a repeating section of a constant depth film fermenter. The simulation was implemented to analyse the effects of various levels of transport limitation on a growing single-species biofilm. In a system with rapid solute diffusion, cells throughout the biofilm grew at their maximum rate, and no solute gradient was formed over the biofilm thickness. In increasingly transport-limited systems, the rapidly growing fraction of the biofilm population decreased, and was found exclusively at the biofilm–liquid interface. Trans-biofilm growth substrate gradients also deepened with increasing transport limitation. Autoinhibitory biofilm growth was simulated for various rates of microbially produced inhibitor transport. Inhibitor transport rates affected both the biofilm population dynamics and the resulting biofilm structures. The formation of networks of void spaces in slow-growing regions of the biofilm and the development of columns in the fast-growing regions suggested a possible mechanism for the microscopically observed evolution of channels in biofilms.
Modeling of a Fermentation Process with Multiple Support Vector Machines

A fermentation process suffers from a lack of good mathematical models, because of its complexity, since it is highly non-linear, has time varying parameters. It also has many important variables such as concentrations that cannot be measured on-line, which makes this set of variables of limited use for control purposes. However, these variables can be on-line estimated using soft sensing. This paper describes the identification of fermentation process with multiple least square support vector machine models. And the parameters in least square support vector machine were optimized by Genetic Arithmetic. The soft sensing model was trained on data coming form Nosiheptide fermentation process, and evaluated the production. The estimated results obtained were in good agreement with those found with the off-line laboratory analysis. It is also shown that software based state estimation was a powerful technique in biochemical products.
Ocean Surface Impacts on the Seasonal-Mean Precipitation over the Tropical Indian Ocean

AbstractThis study analyzes factors affecting the predictability of seasonal-mean precipitation over the tropical Indian Ocean. The analysis focuses on the contributions from the local sea surface temperature (SST) forcing in the Indian Ocean, the remote SST forcing related to ENSO in the tropical eastern Pacific, and the role of local air–sea coupling. To understand the impacts of the individual factors, the prediction skill over the tropical Indian Ocean for four model simulations, but with different treatments for the ocean, are compared. The seasonality in precipitation skill, the local precipitation–SST relationship, and prediction skill related to Indian Ocean dipole mode (IODM) are examined. It is found that the importance of the accuracy of local SST and the presence of local air–sea coupling in the Indian Ocean has a strong seasonal dependence. Accurate local SSTs are important during the boreal fall season, whereas the local air–sea coupling is important during the boreal spring. The precipitati...
Essential tremor: evolving clinicopathological concepts in an era of intensive post-mortem enquiry

Essential tremor (ET) is one of the most common neurological disorders. In recent years, as a result of systematic post-mortem examinations, our knowledge of the pathophysiology of this disease has grown substantially. Clearly identifiable structural changes (ie, Purkinje cell loss, Lewy bodies) have been observed in the brains of individuals with ET. These changes are not uniform and seem to follow several patterns, localising to the cerebellum itself or to a collection of brainstem neurons that synapse directly with Purkinje cells. Furthermore, these changes are similar to those seen in degenerative diseases. A wealth of clinical, epidemiological, and now post-mortem data indicate that this disease, or perhaps this family of diseases, is likely to be neurodegenerative. The molecular mechanisms that underlie these structural changes in ET are unknown. However, with more controlled, tissue-based studies being done, it is hoped that these mechanisms will be elucidated, thereby laying the foundation for the development of more targeted, effective pharmacotherapeutic interventions.
Vibrio cholerae Vaccines

Several approaches to the development of a safe and effective vaccine against Vibrio cholerae are currently being pursued. These candidate vaccines include (1) live V. cholerae strains attenuated by recombinant DNA techniques; (2) killed whole V. cholerae organisms plus purified cholera enterotoxin B subunit; and (3) cloned V. cholerae antigens in a Salmonella carrier strain. The first two approaches have been the most extensively studied in clinical trials, and all three types of vaccines are administered orally to maximize the stimulation of mucosal immunity. The live attenuated vaccine CVD103-HgR is inexpensive and was effective after a single dose but caused mild diarrhea in 4% of vaccinees. The killed whole cell plus B subunit vaccine is safe but requires the administration of multiple doses. The strong protective immunity conferred by the disease and the rapid progress recently achieved in vaccine development offer encouragement that a successful vaccine will soon be available.
A Two-Stage Analysis of the Effectiveness of Promotion Programs for U.S. Apples

Export promotion programs are intended to help U.S. exporters enter, maintain, and expand foreign markets, but little is known of their success in achieving each of these goals. In this paper we attempt to determine the effectiveness of export promotion in increasing both U.S. market share and total import consumption using apple imports by Singapore and the United Kingdom as case studies. Estimates of a two-stage Linear Expenditure System (LES)/Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) model show that promotion increases consumption of apples in both the United Kingdom and Singapore, but increases U.S. market share only in the United Kingdom. The results suggest that free-riding on U.S. promotion can be significant.
Recent Changes in Male Income

This paper explicitly defines two perspectives for investigating change: the longitudinal and the cross-sectional. After examining changes in male income between 1950 and 1970 by following cohorts through time, we identify a pattern of income changes with age which is quite different from that obtained in a cross-sectional analysis. On a longitudinal basis, it is evident that as men age to the retirement years that their income continually increases. A cross-sectional analysis leads to the conclusion that there is a decline in income during the latter working years. Two simple models (using change in the cost of living and productivity levels) are offered to help account for the patterns of income change. Although adjustments for varying costs of living and productivity levels slightly alter the pattern the two substantially different conclusions are not changed to any great degree. The implications of these conflicting statements are discussed.
Potential economic and health impacts of ochratoxin A regulatory standards

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin found in multiple agricultural commodities worldwide. OTA causes renal toxicity in certain animal species, but there is little documented evidence of adverse health effects in humans. Until recently, few nations have established regulations on maximum levels for OTA in commodities. The application of regulations may cause economic loss to food producers, which should be considered alongside potential health benefits from enacting such regulations. We evaluate the potential economic impacts of the recently proposed OTA maximum limits (MLs) for foodstuffs by Health Canada. Potential costs to Canadian food producers and nations exporting to Canada are estimated using data on reported proportion of foodstuffs exceeding OTA ML levels, and market data from the Canadian Importer's Database and the United States Department of Agriculture Global Agricultural Trade System. If the proposed OTA MLs are enforced, estimated annual losses to Canadian food producers could exceed 260 mill...
Fluid dynamics of flapping aquatic flight in the bird wrasse:three-dimensional unsteady computations with fin deformation

Many fishes that swim with the paired pectoral fins use fin-stroke parameters that produce thrust force from lift in a mechanism of underwater flight. These locomotor mechanisms are of interest to behavioral biologists, biomechanics researchers and engineers. In the present study, we performed the first three-dimensional unsteady computations of fish swimming with oscillating and deforming fins. The objective of these computations was to investigate the fluid dynamics of force production associated with the flapping aquatic flight of the bird wrasse Gomphosus varius. For this computational work, we used the geometry of the wrasse and its pectoral fin, and previously measured fin kinematics, as the starting points for computational investigation of threedimensional (3-D) unsteady fluid dynamics. We performed a 3-D steady computation and a complete set of 3-D quasisteady computations for a range of pectoral fin positions and surface velocities. An unstructured, grid-based, unsteady Navier‐Stokes solver with automatic adaptive remeshing was then used to compute the unsteady flow about the wrasse through several complete cycles of pectoral fin oscillation. The shape deformation of the pectoral fin throughout the oscillation was taken from the experimental kinematics. The pressure distribution on the body of the bird wrasse and its pectoral fins was computed and integrated to give body and fin forces which were decomposed into lift and thrust. The velocity field variation on the surface of the wrasse body, on the pectoral fins and in the near-wake was computed throughout the swimming cycle. We compared our computational results for the steady, quasi-steady and unsteady cases with the experimental data on axial and vertical acceleration obtained from the pectoral fin kinematics experiments. These comparisons show that steady state computations are incapable of describing the fluid dynamics of flapping fins. Quasi-steady state computations, with correct incorporation of the experimental kinematics, are useful when determining trends in force production, but do not provide accurate estimates of the magnitudes of the forces produced. By contrast, unsteady computations about the deforming pectoral fins using experimentally measured fin kinematics were found to give excellent agreement, both in the time history of force production throughout the flapping strokes and in the magnitudes of the generated forces. Summary
Inhaled glucocorticoids: new developments relevant to updating of the Asthma Management Guidelines

This paper summarizes issues related to the use of inhaled glucocorticoids in asthma therapy that were relevant to the second revision of the British Thoracic Society (BTS) Guidelines for asthma therapy. These include the place of new glucocorticoids and their use in asthma, based on evidence available since the last revision of the Guidelines in 1993. The optimal use of inhaled glucocorticoid and the importance of delivery systems is also discussed. Safety issues were discussed specifically by Donald Lane and are not included in this article.
A hierarchical performance model for intrusion detection in cyber-physical systems

In this paper we develop a generic hierarchical model for performance analysis of intrusion detection techniques as applied to a cyber-physical system (CPS) consisting of mobile nodes with navigation, manipulation, sensing and actuating capability. We develop two intrusion detection techniques, namely, positional discontinuity and enviroconsistency, for intrusion detection of malicious attackers in a CPS. We utilize the hierarchical model developed to analyze the performance characteristics of these two techniques and identify optimal design settings under which the reliability of the CPS may be maximized. The analysis reveals design tradeoffs in security assurance and energy consumption, and suggests that enviroconsistency be used over positional discontinuity for reliability maximization. Numerical results with physical interpretations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
hthreads: a hardware/software co-designed multithreaded RTOS kernel

This paper describes the hardware/software co-design of a multithreaded RTOS kernel on a new Xilinx Virtex II Pro FPGA. Our multithreaded RTOS kernel is an integral part of our hybrid thread programming model being developed for hybrid systems which are comprised of both software resident and hardware resident concurrently executing threads. Additionally, we provide new interrupt semantics by migrating uncontrollable asynchronous interrupt invocations into controllable, priority based thread scheduling requests. Performance tests verify our hardware/software codesign approach provides significantly tighter bounds on scheduling precision and significant jitter reduction when compared to traditionally implemented RTOS kernels. It also eliminates the jitter associated with asynchronous interrupt invocations
Intra-arterial Onyx Embolization of Vertebral Body Lesions

While Onyx embolization of cerebrospinal arteriovenous shunts is well-established, clinical researchers continue to broaden applications to other vascular lesions of the neuraxis. This report illustrates the application of Onyx (eV3, Plymouth, MN) embolization to vertebral body lesions, specifically, a vertebral hemangioma and renal cell carcinoma vertebral body metastatic lesion.
Estimating one-dimensional models from frequency-domain electromagnetic data using modular neural networks

An artificial neural network interpretation system is being used to interpret data from a frequency-domain electromagnetic (EM) geophysical system in near real time. The interpretation system integrates 45 separate networks in a data visualization shell. The networks produce interpretations at three different transmitter-receiver (Tx-Rx) separations for half-space and layered-Earth interpretations. Modular neural networks (MNNs) were found to be the only paradigm that could successfully perform the layered-Earth interpretations. An MNN with 16 inputs, five local experts, each with seven hidden processing elements, and three outputs was trained on 4795 patterns for 200 epochs. For two-layer models with a resistivity contrast greater than 2:1, resistivity estimates had greater than 96% accuracy for the first-layer resistivity, greater than 98% for the second-layer resistivity, and greater than 96% for the thickness of the first layer. If the contrast is less than 2:1, the resistivity accuracies are unaffected but thickness estimates for layers less than 2 m are unreliable. A Tx-Rx separation of 16 m with maximum depth of penetration of 8 m was assumed for the example cited.
Technology-circuit co-design in width-quantized quasi-planar double-gate SRAM

SRAM is likely to remain the largest, leakiest and most process-sensitive circuit block on chip. FinFET, a width-quantized, quasi-planar, double-gate technology, has emerged as the most likely candidate to replace classical technologies around the 45nm node. This paper studies the impact of FinFET design choices on device and SRAM circuit metrics to understand how its unique properties can be suitably harnessed. Width-quantization limits SRAM sizing choices, while quasi-planarity allows increased cell current by increasing fin height. Conversely, the latter property can be exploited to increase V/sub t/ and/or decrease V/sub dd/ to achieve exponential leakage savings at constant access time. The authors explored both approaches to selecting the right combination of device structure, V/sub t/ and V/sub dd/ that achieves maximum stability and minimum leakage over the design space. Increasing V/sub t/ with fin height and body thickness improves stability, decreases variability and decreases source-drain leakage exponentially. But this necessitates the use of small t/sub ox/ to control short channel effect; this increases gate leakage exponentially. On the other hand, increasing V/sub t/ and decreasing V/sub dd/ allows the use of larger t/sub ox/ to maintain short-channel effect and control gate leakage; however, this worsens stability.
Research methodologies and statistical approaches for multitactic systems

Abstract Scientific understanding of multitactic weed management systems (MTS) is complicated by (1) the large number of potential combinations among tactics, (2) potentially noisy and complex system behavior because of individually more moderate mortality events, and (3) possible transient system behavior of unknown duration. Therefore, decomposing the relative performance of MTS components is much more difficult than it is for single-tactic strategies (STS). Attempting to accommodate the increased complexity of system behavior while maintaining the generality of results requires analytical methods capable of accomplishing these tasks. We provide two examples of statistical procedures that may help gain understanding of MTS systems using previously published weed demographic time-series data. First, we demonstrate the use of mixed-effects models capable of representing and removing factors contributing uncontrolled variation to system behavior. Model selection criteria are used to highlight the importanc...
Differentiation of Two Types of Basophils In The Adenohypophysis of The Rat and The Mouse

Pituitaries are fixed for 24 hr. in Bouin's fluid containing 0.5% trichloroacetic acid instead of 5% acetic acid, or in a mixture of 9 parts SUSA and 1 part saturated aqueous solution of picric acid. They are embedded in paraffin and horizontal sections are cut at 3–4 μ. The staining method consists of 3 phases: (a) immersion in aldehyde-fuchsin for the selective demonstration of the beta cell granules, (b) staining of the nuclei with Ehrlich's hematoxylin and (c) a rapid one-step counterstain with light green and orange G dissolved in a phosphotungstic-acetic acid mixture for the differentiation of the acidophilic and the delta cell granules.
Four Fundamental Concepts of Image Science

The article presents basic outlines of the four fundamental concepts of image science (Bildwissenschaft): the pictorial turn, the image/picture distinction, the metapicture, and the biopicture. Some of these forms were latent in iconology and grew out of it as consistent themes and problems not only and exclusively of art history but also other disciplines engaged in the research of visual culture and images.
Examining Graphing Calculator Affordances in Learning Pre-Calculus among Undergraduate Students

This study examines graphing calculator affordances in learning mathematics among college precalculus students. The study draws from the Cognitive Load Theory CLT and the "Intelligent Technology" theoretical framework proposed by Salomon, Perkins, and Globerson 1991. From these perspectives the effects "with" the graphing calculator technology include the potential for this technology to offload students' extraneous cognitive load e.g., the presence of unwieldy numbers, and in turn optimize their germane cognitive load e.g., freeing students to focus on the key mathematical ideas. To examine students' perceptions on the adoption of the graphing calculator instructional approach a questionnaire was administered towards the end of the semester. The findings showed that the graphing calculator afforded students' learning in a variety of ways. Also considered is the challenge for educators to develop strategies that encourage appropriate use of graphing calculators in mathematics classroom in order to ensure that their integration is effective in instruction.
Alternatives in intimacy, marriage, and family lifestyles

This study investigated a sample of southern Black students' willingness to engage in 16 alternative intimacy, marriage, and family forms and examined the relation between demographic, familial, and social psychological variables and alternative lifestyles chosen. Data were obtained from a random sample of 230 Black students of marriageable age. In general, the subjects expressed relatively less willingness to experiment with the nontraditional lifestyles compared to conventional family forms; but theoretically relevant correlates of their predisposition were different for each sex. Year in college, major areas, parental love, family income, parental authority, and parental permissiveness with regard to dating relationships were significantly related to females' willingness, while residence and father's education were related to males' willingness to engage in alternative lifestyles.
Calcium content and force of drug-induced contractions of arterial muscle during recovery in vitro.

Summary and ConclusionsStudies were designed, using rabbit aortic strips, to investigate the possible role calcium (Ca2+) ions play in the recovery of depressed, drug-induced contractions of excised, isolated blood vessels. The present experiments demonstrated that: (i) excision of aorta from intact rabbits and the subsequent surgical preparation and incubation of helical strips, at physiologic temperature in vitro, severely impairs the development of full sensitivity, of these aortic smooth muscle cells, to a variety of vasoactive substances for a period of 3 hr. (ii) A close relationship was found to exist between the ability or inability of different vasoactive drugs (e.g., epinephrine, histamine, potassium, and barium) to induce a maximal contractile response and the total Ca2+ content (as quantitatively determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry). And (iii) mechanical (surgical) injury may alter the in vivo Ca2+ content of arterial smooth muscle.
A 2.5D Reactive Transport Model for Fracture Alteration Simulation.

Understanding fracture alteration resulting from geochemical reactions is critical in predicting fluid migration in the subsurface and is relevant to multiple environmental challenges. Here, we present a novel 2.5D continuum reactive transport model that captures and predicts the spatial pattern of fracture aperture change and the development of an altered layer in the near-fracture region. The model considers permeability heterogeneity in the fracture plane and updates fracture apertures and flow fields based on local reactions. It tracks the reaction front of each mineral phase and calculates the thickness of the altered layer. Given this treatment, the model is able to account for the diffusion limitation on reaction rates associated with the altered layer. The model results are in good agreement with an experimental study in which a CO2-acidified brine was injected into a fracture in the Duperow Dolomite, causing dissolution of calcite and dolomite that result in the formation of a preferential flow c...
Ultra Highspeed AlGaAs/GaAs HBT Circuits For Up To 40 Gb/s Optical Communications

High speed circuits such as multiplexer/demultiplexers, variable-gain limiting amplifiers (VGAs), and transimpedance amplifiers operating at high bit rates (>30 Gb/s) are required for the realization of high performance lightwave systems using TDM or WDM. We have demonstrated 40 Gb/s multiplexers, 30 Gb/s data and clock regeneration, DC-26 GHz VGA’s (variable gain amplifiers), and transimpedance amplifiers with 3 dB bandwidth in excess of 20 GHz for use in such systems using a manufacturable hybrid digital/microwave HBT process.
How Small is Small

Arguments based on the physical sizes of genomes indicate that ­autonomously replicating cells significantly smaller than those of Mycoplasma ­genitalium (radius: ∼0.15 μm; volume: ∼1 × 10−2 μm3) are unlikely to exist. Moreover, microorganisms having cell volumes in that range, or below, are ­certain to be parasites, as Mycoplasma genitalium is, because their genomes will ­necessarily be so small that they cannot include genes for more than a handful of the enzymes required for intermediary metabolism.
CATALYSIS WITH METALLACARBORANES

The formal 18 electron rhodium(+3) cluster, closo-3, 3-(PPh3)2-3-H-3, 1, 2-RhC2B9H11 (I) and related species are useful catalysts for alkene isomerization, hydrogenation and other reactions under mild conditions. These results appear to be anomalous in view of the stable electron configuration of the rhodium center present in (I). Resolution of this conflict was obtained by the observation that alkyl substitution at both carborane cage carbon atoms of (I) resulted in the isolation and structural characterization of several catalytically active formal 16 electron rhodium(+1) nido-species. The fact that these isolated nido-clusters display all of the kinetic characteristics of closo-(I) in alkene isomerization and hydrogenation reactions suggests that closo-(I) is in equilibrium with a spectroscopically invisible and catalytically active nido-tautomer of similar structure. The proposed general mechanism of alkene isomerization and hydrogenation incorporates this view and is further supported by kinetic studies coupled with isotopic labeling experiments, synthesis and crystallographic results.
Motion Pictures in Health and Physical Education Sources, Films, Descriptions, and Prices

(1938). Motion Pictures in Health and Physical Education Sources, Films, Descriptions, and Prices. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health and Physical Education: Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 104-153.
Operant conditioning of neural activity in freely behaving monkeys with intracranial reinforcement.

Closed-loop brain-computer interfaces (BCI) were used to operantly condition increases in muscle and neural activity in monkeys by delivering activity-dependent stimuli to an intracranial reinforce...
Mechanism of Obatoclax (GX15-070; Bcl-2 Family Inhibitor)-Induced-Sensitization of B-NHL Cells to TRAIL-Mediated Apoptosis: Inhibition of the NF-κB Survival Pathway and the DR5 Transcription Repressor Yin Yang1 (YY1)

Patients with B-NHL respond initially to treatment with rituximab (chimeric anti- CD20 monoclonal antibody) in combination with CHOP. However, a subset of patients does not respond or develop refractoriness to further treatments. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel therapeutic strategies to treat unresponsive patients. We have explored the potential therapeutic efficacy of TRAIL though, most tumors and cell lines are resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Our previous findings and those of others have demonstrated that the overexpression of anti-apoptotic gene products such as Bcl-2, BclXL, and Mcl-1 regulates resistance to TRAIL and thus, inhibition of these gene products reverses resistance. Hence, we hypothesized that treatment of B-NHL cell lines with the Bcl-2 family inhibitor, Obatoclax (GX15-070; Gemin X Pharmaceuticals, Malvern, PA) will result in tumor cell sensitization to TRAIL apoptosis. We have used the B-NHL Ramos cell line as model. Treatment of Ramos cells with various concentrations of Obatoclax (7–28 nM) and TRAIL (2.5–20 ng/ml) resulted in significant potentiation of apoptosis and the combination treatment was synergistic. We then explored the mechanism of Obatoclax-induced sensitization to TRAIL. Treatment of Ramos cells with Obatoclax inhibited NF-κB activity and downstream anti-apoptotic gene products regulated by NF- κB (example Bcl-xl, Mcl-1 and XIAP) as assessed by western. Since Obatoclax inhibited NF-κB activity, we explored its effect on the transcription repressor YY1 and DR5 expression. Treatment of Ramos with Obatoclax significantly inhibited YY1 expression concomitantly with upregulation of total and surface DR5 expression that are regulated by NF-κB. The direct role of YY1 in the regulation of resistance to TRAIL was demonstrated by treatment of Ramos with siRNA YY1. Such treated cells showed upregulation of DR5 expression and sensitization to TRAIL apoptosis. The sensitization by Obatoclax resulted in activation of both Type I and Type II apoptotic pathways when used in combination with TRAIL. These findings establish a novel mechanism of Obatoclax-induced gene modification aside from its direct inhibition of Bcl-2 family. Further, our findings with Obatoclax are different from those recently reported by Song et al., [JBC 2008; July 3 (Epub ahead of print)] demonstrating that ABT-737, a small molecule Bcl-2 inhibitor, potentiated TRAIL-induced apoptosis via activation of NF-κB and NF-κB-induced upregulation of DR5 transcription via NF-κB DNA binding site on the DR5 promoter. It is possible that Obatoclax and ABT-737 mediate their sensitization to TRAIL via distinct mechanisms. In summary, our findings demonstrate the potential therapeutic application of Obatoclax in combination with TRAIL or agonist DR4/DR5 antibodies in the reversal of tumor cell resistance to TRAIL.
Experimental and modeling characterization of wear and life expectancy of electroplated CBN grinding wheels

Abstract Wear and life expectancy of a nickel-electroplated monolayer of cubic boron nitride grinding wheels are characterized based on the wheel surface topological evolution, observed after grinding Inconel 718 super-alloys. The wheel is for surface or cylindrical grinding, and having 250 mm diameter, 10 mm thickness and B40/50 coarse grit size. A unique grit-workpiece interaction process, leading to a non-uniform spatial distribution of the grit wear has been identified. Largest grits have been observed to pullout rapidly, resulting in load redistribution to their surroundings, and leading to the attritious and fracture wear phase. The detailed analysis showed that the stresses on the cutting grits arising from the thermal shock are 3–5 folds those arising from mechanical cutting forces, and reach an order of magnitude differences for the high efficiency deep grinding (HEDG) process. It is also found that the grit wear rate is primarily dependent on the workpiece feed rate rather than the grinding wheel speed. The total wheel life is then constructed as the sum of pullout life (Phase-I) and attritious and fracture wear life (Phase-II). Model predictions for the total wheel life compare well to the experimental observations. This facilitates comparisons of different types of grinding configurations and design space exploration. As an example, the HEDG process is compared to a regular high speed grinding, and it is observed that HEDG configuration can deliver much higher material removal for the same amount of wheel wear.
Institutional Outcomes of Leech Therapy for Venous Congestion in 87 Patients.

Background We aimed to report the outcomes associated with leech therapy and to identify risk factors associated with reconstructive failure. Methods We retrospectively reviewed cases of flap reconstruction or replanted appendages that required leech therapy over an 8-year period at the Duke University Medical Center. Using logistic regression, we assessed the association of risk factors with reconstructive failure. Results The study cohort included 87 patients which correspond to 2.1% of 4,115 cases done during the study period. The most common flap recipient site was the lower extremity (n = 33, 37.9%) followed by the upper extremity (n = 30, 34.5%), head and neck (n = 13, 14.9%), and trunk (n = 11, 12.6%). Flap types were pedicled in 44 (50.5%) cases and free in 24 (27.5%) cases. Fifteen (17.2%) were digital replantation, and four (4.5%) were replanted appendages. The average duration of therapy was 4.6 days (range: 1–11). The overall leech therapy success rate was 60.9% (53/87) and accounted for cases without flap loss (n = 45, 51.7%) and with partial flap loss in which the original reconstructive goal was achieved without further reconstructive procedures (n = 8, 9.2%). Postoperative blood transfusion was administered in 32 (36.7%) cases, and infectious complications occurred in 7 cases in spite of the administration of prophylactic antibiotics (8%). Conclusions This study represents the largest single-institution series evaluating the outcomes after leech therapy. Our data support the use of leeches as an adjunct for the management of venous congestion after reconstructive surgery. However, the morbidity associated with it should be considered, particularly the need for a blood transfusion.
Modification of Pain Threshold by the Covert Reinforcement Procedure and a Cognitive Strategy

The threshold for cold pain was obtained for male and female subjects, while one hand was immersed in icewater, before and after one of four experimental treatments. The four treatments were: (a) the covert positive reinforcement procedure—i.e., reinterpreting the sensations in a manner incompatible with the experience of pain and then imagining a pleasant, reinforcing image; (b) a reinterpretation strategy only; (c) a group that was lead to expect pain reduction on the posttest; and (d) a control group. Subjects trained in the covert reinforcement procedure raised their thresholds above the thresholds of the reinterpretation strategy as well as of the expectation and control groups. The reinterpretation strategy and the expectation groups raised their thresholds above the control group, and did not differ from each other. Males and females did not differ on either the pretest threshold or their ability to use the covert reinforcement or the reinterpretation procedures.
Is Homosexuality an African or Un-African Human Rights Issue?

Various predispositions—religious, cultural, and postcolonial—influence the socio-political and religious disputes on homosexuality in sub-Saharan Africa. I argue that African religious and political opposition to same-sex intimate relations is driven by the desire to protect an “African identity” and the youth from an assumed Western “assault” of the global sexual rights movement. This is an attitude, or stance, that may be considered “protective homophobia.” In addition to problematizing African identity as an ascriptive or imposed identity of colonial naming and shaming, I argue that growing democratic and human rights cultures aid the religio-cultural and political contestation of homosexuality as un-African and un-Christian vis-a-vis a human rights issue. In this contest, pro-sexual and anti-sexual rights movements seek to influence secular policy on human sexuality. Due to the religiosity of Africa, anti-homosexuality advocates win political attention.
Visualizing Multiple Regression

Several examples are presented to demonstrate how Venn diagramming can be used to help students visualize multiple regression concepts such as the coefficient of determination, the multiple partial...
Educational Psychology: A Future Retrospective.

In my response to Alexander’s (2018) paper marking the 125th anniversary of the American Psychological Association and the field of educational psychology, I have taken the perspective of a member of our discipline from some time in the future who is contributing to a larger work looking back at the history and development of our field (thus, a “future retrospective”). As this “future author,” I focus on Alexander’s (2018) article and selected developments in our field and more broadly since 2018. Two of the five thematic areas of influence that had established an enduring legacy for the field identified by Alexander are the primary focus: (a) interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary inquiry and (b) evidence-based practice (EBP). The concepts of theoretical integration and theoretical integrationists are discussed in relation to these themes. Early barriers to interdisciplinary approaches, including paradigm wars and a proliferation of false dichotomies, are noted. The emergence of complexity sciences and a complex systems framework for understanding learning and development is discussed, leading to deeper understanding of the unique social and historical context that shaped and informed our work in the second decade of the 21st-century, as well as the multifaceted context we work within today. Given the interwoven nature of the five thematic areas identified by Alexander, however, aspects of the other thematic areas and Alexander’s thoughts on the future of educational psychology are also encountered. I concur with Alexander in hoping that her paper and the responses to it generate discussion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)
Copyright's Excess: Money and Music in the US Recording Industry

For more than two hundred years, copyright in the United States has rested on a simple premise: more copyright will lead to more money for copyright owners, and more money will lead to more original works of authorship. In this important, illuminating book, Glynn Lunney tests that premise by tracking the rise and fall of the sound recording copyright from 1961–2015, along with the associated rise and fall in sales of recorded music. Far from supporting copyright's fundamental premise, the empirical evidence finds the exact opposite relationship: more revenue led to fewer and lower-quality hit songs. Lunney's breakthrough research shows that what copyright does is vastly increase the earnings of our most popular artists and songs, which - net result - means fewer hit songs. This book should be read by anyone interested in how copyright operates in the real world.
Acute respiratory tract infection: a practice examines its antibiotic prescribing habits.

PURPOSE We wanted to better understand our practice behaviors by measuring antibiotic prescribing patterns for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs), which would perhaps help us delineate goals for quality improvement interventions. We determined (1) the distribution of ARTI final diagnoses in our practice, (2) the frequency and types of antibiotics prescribed, and (3) the factors associated with antibiotic prescribing for patients with ARTI. METHODS We looked at office visits for adults with ARTI symptoms that occurred between December 14, 2009, and March 4, 2010. We compiled a convenience sample of 438 patient visits, collecting historical information, physical examination findings, diagnostic impressions, and treatment decisions. RESULTS Among the 438 patients, cough was the most common presenting complaint (58%). Acute sinusitis was the most frequently assigned final diagnosis (32%), followed by viral upper respiratory tract infection (29%), and acute bronchitis (24%). Sixty-nine percent of all ARTI patients (304/438) received antibiotic prescriptions, with macrolides being most commonly prescribed (167/304 [55%]). Prescribing antibiotics was associated with a complaint of sinus pain or shortness of breath, duration of illness ≥8 days, and specific abnormal physical exam findings. Prescribing rates did not vary based on patient age or presence of risk factors associated with complication. Variations in prescribing rates were noted between individual providers and groups of providers. CONCLUSIONS We found that we prescribed antibiotics at high rates. Diagnoses of acute sinusitis and bronchitis may have been overused as false justification for antibiotic therapy. We used broad-spectrum antibiotics frequently. We have identified several gaps between current and desired performance to address in practice-based quality improvement interventions.
Phase I/II dose escalation and expansion cohort safety and efficacy study of image guided intratumoral CD40 agonistic monoclonal antibody APX005M in combination with systemic pembrolizumab for treatment naive metastatic melanoma.

TPS3133Background: Checkpoint blockade has become a major modality in the treatment of metastatic melanoma (MM). However, durable remission rates remain low. CD40 activation on antigen presenting c...
Fexofenadine inhibits TNF signaling through targeting to cytosolic phospholipase A2 and is therapeutic against inflammatory arthritis

Objective Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) signalling plays a central role in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases, particularly inflammatory arthritis. This study aimed to repurpose clinically approved drugs as potential inhibitors of TNF-α signalling in treatment of inflammatory arthritis. Methods In vitro and in vivo screening of an Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug library; in vitro and in vivo assays for examining the blockade of TNF actions by fexofenadine: assays for defining the anti-inflammatory activity of fexofenadine using TNF-α transgenic (TNF-tg) mice and collagen-induced arthritis in DBA/1 mice. Identification and characterisation of the binding of fexofenadine to cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) using drug affinity responsive target stability assay, proteomics, cellular thermal shift assay, information field dynamics and molecular dynamics; various assays for examining fexofenadine inhibition of cPLA2 as well as the dependence of fexofenadine’s anti-TNF activity on cPLA2. Results Serial screenings of a library composed of FDA-approved drugs led to the identification of fexofenadine as an inhibitor of TNF-α signalling. Fexofenadine potently inhibited TNF/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-ĸB) signalling in vitro and in vivo, and ameliorated disease symptoms in inflammatory arthritis models. cPLA2 was isolated as a novel target of fexofenadine. Fexofenadine blocked TNF-stimulated cPLA2 activity and arachidonic acid production through binding to catalytic domain 2 of cPLA2 and inhibition of its phosphorylation on Ser-505. Further, deletion of cPLA2 abolished fexofenadine’s anti-TNF activity. Conclusion Collectively, these findings not only provide new insights into the understanding of fexofenadine action and underlying mechanisms but also provide new therapeutic interventions for various TNF-α and cPLA2-associated pathologies and conditions, particularly inflammatory rheumatic diseases.
Management outcomes of primary pulmonary vein stenosis

Abstract Objectives Primary pulmonary vein stenosis (PPVS) is increasingly diagnosed in children with no prior pulmonary vein intervention history, and management is challenging. We describe characteristics of patients who underwent surgical repair of PPVS at our center, and examine factors associated with treatment failures. Methods A retrospective review of all patients who underwent surgical intervention for PPVS (2002-2016) was completed. Patients who had undergone prior cardiac surgery involving the pulmonary veins or atrial switch were excluded. Regression analyses were performed to examine characteristics, PPVS features, including severity score, and surgical details associated with treatment failures. Results Thirty-four children underwent initial surgical intervention for PPVS. Median age was 8.9 months (interquartile range, 5.9-18.4 months). Most patients (n = 31; 91%) had unilateral pulmonary vein involvement and the median PPVS severity score was 3.5 (interquartile range, 3-5). On competing risk analysis, 1 year following surgical repair, 9% of patients had died, 14% had undergone reintervention, and 77% were alive without reintervention; at 5 years the numbers were 9%, 30%, and 61%, respectively. Factors associated with mortality included bilateral disease and PPVS severity score >6. Bilateral disease and PPVS severity score >5 were associated with reintervention risk. Conclusions Multidisciplinary management strategy is required for PPVS. Despite satisfactory early repair, patients continue to be at risk for recurrence and subsequent mortality, especially those with extensive primary involvement. The disappointing results underscore the need for multi-institutional collaborations to better understand this complex disease, establish management and follow-up protocols, and explore investigational treatment modalities that could modify the unfavorable outcome of this uncommon and challenging disease.
Sexual Risk Behaviors during Adolescence: Associations with Childhood and Adolescent BMI

Research examining associations between unhealthy weight and sexual risk behaviors derives primarily from cross-sectional studies conducted at varying ages during adolescence. The present study examined longitudinal associations between adolescent sexual risk behaviors and Body Mass Index (BMI), the latter measured prospectively from childhood through adolescence. Data were drawn from an 8095 individuals between the ages of 14 and 19 at last assessment, including 1768 Hispanic (52% female), 2659 non-Hispanic Black (Black; 50% female), and 3668 non-Hispanic, non-Black (predominantly White; 49% female). Childhood BMI predicted increased sexual risk-taking during adolescence for Black and White youth, and increases in BMI predicted increased sexual risk-taking for White females and Black males. The findings highlight differential patterns of association between BMI and sexual risk behaviors for Hispanic, Black, and White females and males with implications for prevention discussed.
Prioritization of Multi-Level Risk Factors for Obesity

Obesity has become a significant threat to health. Identifying and understanding the underlying obesity risk factors (ORFs) are crucial for optimizing prevention, intervention and treatment for obesity. Most existing methodological approaches to risk factor analysis are employed within the single task learning (STL) framework to learn a ranked list of ORFs for a whole population. However, obesity is a multi-faced health outcome. Some ORFs are highly specific to a certain subpopulation and others are universal to the entire population. Multi-task learning (MTL) framework offers a solution to connect multiple related tasks. Within the MTL framework, we implement two tailor-made models, i.e., multi-task feature learning (MTFL) and clustered multi-task learning (CMTL), to conduct ORFs analysis. The former is capable of finding the universal ORFs for all subpopulations without sacrificing the uniqueness of each subpopulation. The latter uncovers the grouping structure and conducts multi-level ORFs analysis simultaneously. Experiments on a public behavioral dataset demonstrate a superior performance of our methods in prioritizing multi-level ORFs.