cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of DBS technology for the detection of therapeutic antibodies

Background: Quantitating levels of therapeutic proteins in serum or plasma is critical for determining exposure levels and establishing pharmacokinetic parameters. Traditionally, whole blood is not used, mostly due to its inability to be frozen and potential issues with assay interference. To investigate the ability to reproducibly quantitate therapeutic antibodies present in dried blood spots (DBS) compared with a typical serum sample-based method, we used ELISA and electrochemiluminescence immunoassays to measure therapeutic drug levels present in DBS samples. Results: Measurements of antibody therapeutics in DBS were reproducible, yielding methods that are precise, accurate and met expected sensitivity requirements compared with plasma-based methods. Conclusions: DBS are a viable alternative to the use of conventional serum or plasma samples for quantitative therapeutic antibody measures.
The effect of cyproterone acetate on shock elicited aggression in rats

Abstract The aggressive behavior of male rats treated chronically with cyproterone acetate was measured following electric footshock. Shock elicited fighting behavior and body weight was recorded once every week for 4 weeks. The level of plasma testosterone, brain 5-HT and 5-HIAA and weight of testes were measured 24 hours after the last injection. No significant change was observed in the level of testosterone or brain 5-HT and 5-HIAA. A trend towards an increase in plasma testesterone and shock elicited fighting in rats treated with a higher dose of CA (10 mg/kg) may be indicative of some androgenic property of CA. On the other hand a slower gain in the body weight and a significant reduction in the testes weight of CA treated rats corroborate the well known antiandrogen property of this steroid. The balance of these androgenic and antiandrogenic properties of CA may absence of significant changes in behavioral and biochemical measures.
Primary Blast Traumatic Brain Injury in the Rat: Relating Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Behavior

The incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among military personnel is at its highest point in U.S. history. Experimental animal models of blast have provided a wealth of insight into blast injury. The mechanisms of neurotrauma caused by blast, however, are still under debate. Specifically, it is unclear whether the blast shockwave in the absence of head motion is sufficient to induce brain trauma. In this study, the consequences of blast injury were investigated in a rat model of primary blastTBI. Animals were exposed to blast shockwaves with peak reflected overpressures of either 100 or 450 kPa (39 and 110 kPa incident pressure, respectively) and subsequently underwent a battery of behavioral tests. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a promising method to detect blast injury in humans, was performed on fixed brains to detect and visualize the spatial dependence of blast injury. Blast TBI caused significant deficits in memory function as evidenced by the Morris Water Maze, but limited emotional deficits as evidenced by the Open FieldTest and Elevated Plus Maze. Fractional anisotropy, a metric derived from DTI, revealed significant brain abnormalities in blast-exposed animals. A significant relationship between memory deficits and brain microstructure was evident in the hippocampus, consistent with its role in memory function. The results provide fundamental insight into the neurological consequences of blast TBI, including the evolution of injury during the sub-acute phase and the spatially dependent pattern of injury. The relationship between memory dysfunction and microstructural brain abnormalities may provide insight into the persistent cognitive difficulties experienced by soldiers exposed to blast neurotrauma and may be important to guide therapeutic and rehabilitative efforts.
Computational investigation of foreign object damage sustained by environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) and SiC/SiC ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs)

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to prevent their recession caused through chemical reaction with high-temperature water vapor, SiC-fiber/SiC-matrix ceramic-matrix composite (CMC) components used in gas-turbine engines are commonly protected with so-called environmental barrier coatings (EBCs). EBCs typically consist of three layers: a top thermal and mechanical protection coat; an intermediate layer which provides environmental protection; and a bond coat which assures good EBC/CMC adhesion. The materials used in different layers and their thicknesses are selected in such a way that the coating performance is optimized for the gas-turbine component in question. Design/methodology/approach – Gas-turbine engines, while in service, often tend to ingest various foreign objects of different sizes. Such objects, entrained within the gas flow, can be accelerated to velocities as high as 600 m/s and, on impact, cause substantial damage to the EBC and SiC/SiC CMC substrate, compromising the component integr...
Stateful intrusion detection for high-speed network's

As networks become faster there is an emerging need for security, analysis techniques that can keep up with the increased network throughput. Existing network-based intrusion detection sensors can barely, keep up with bandwidths of a few hundred Mbps. Analysis tools that can deal with higher throughput are unable to maintain state between different steps of an attack or they are limited to the analysis of packet headers. We propose a partitioning approach to network security, analysis that supports in-depth, stateful intrusion detection on high-speed links. The approach is centered around a slicing mechanism that divides the overall network traffic into subsets of manageable size. The traffic partitioning is done so that a single slice contains all the evidence necessary to detect a specific attack, making sensor-to-sensor interactions unnecessary. This paper describes the approach and presents a first experimental evaluation of its effectiveness.
Stereoblock Copolymerization of Propylene and Methyl Methacrylate with Single‐Site Metallocene Catalysts

Sequential stereoblock copolymerization of propylene (P) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) using Group IV single-site metallocene catalysts efficiently produces PP-b-PMMA stereodiblock copolymers. When activated with B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 , C2-symmetric rac(Et(Ind) 2 ZrMe 2 yields isotactic-PP-b-isotactic-PMMA diblock copolymer, whereas C 2 -symmetric Me 2 Si(C 5 Me 4 )(tBuN)TiMe 2 affords atactic-PP-b-syndiotactic-PPMA diblock copolymer. In the copolymerization catalyzed by the C 2 -symmetric catalyst, a very small amount of PMMA homopolymer formed can be removed from the copolymer formed can be removed from the copolymer by extracting the bulk polymer product with boiling methylene chloride. However, separation of isotactic PP formed if any from the copolymer product approves very difficult, due to very similar solubility between the diblock copolymer and isotactic PP homopolymer formed in small weight fractions during the copolymerization can be successfully removed from the predominant copolymer product by solvent extraction using boiling heptane. After successful removal of both homopolymers, for example, an atactic-PP-b-syndiotactic-PPMA diblock copolymer has high molecular weight (M n = 21 100), narrow molecular weight distribution (PDI = 1.08), high PMMA incorporation (33.8 mol-% of PMMA) and moderate syndiiotacticity for the PMMA block ([rr] = 80%). Furthermore, the comonomer composition nin the copolymer can becontrolled by the time for propylene polymerization and the conversion of MMA. A pronounced activator effect is observed; when the same Cs-symmetric catalyst is activated with Ph 3 CB(C6F5) 4 , formation of homopolymers is predominated.
Expertensysteme — Aufbau und Anwendungsgebiete

Expert systems – structure and fields of application. Expert systems are programs for solving problems in narrow fields of application, which demand the competence of an expert. These systems, which process not only data but primarily knowledge, have attracted considerable interest in recent years. This contribution explains the principal characteristics and the mode of operation of expert systems, and dilineates their potential applications. Moreover, the approach adopted in the development of expert systems is briefly considered.
Upper airway mechanics: The influence of gender

Obstructive sleep apnea is an important disease characterized by repetitive pharyngeal collapse. This disease leads to substantial sleep fragmentation with associated hypoxemia and hypercapnia. Individuals with this disease have compromised pharyngeal anatomy, characterized by a positive critical closing pressure during sleep. During wakefulness, neuromuscular compensatory reflexes lead to increased pharyngeal dilator muscle activation. However, with the onset of sleep, these reflex mechanisms fail leading to pharyngeal collapse. For unclear reasons, this disease is substantially more common in men than in women. In order to characterize the mechanisms underlying this gender predisposition, we studied a total of 41 normal subjects. It was found that the major differences between the genders with regard to the upper airway appear to be anatomical. Gender-specific differences in pharyngeal airway length may explain much of the increased propensity for pharyngeal airway collapse observed in men. These findings may have relevance to the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
Os odontoideum: rare cervical lesion.

We report the case of a 22-year-old Marine who presented to the emergency department, after a martial arts exercise, with transient weakness and numbness in all extremities. Computed tomography cervical spine radiographs revealed os odontoideum. Lateral flexion–extension radiographs identified atlanto-axillary instability. This abnormality is rare and can be career ending for military members who do not undergo surgical fusion.
Case report: Complex retroperitoneal herniation after abdominoperineal resection

INTRODUCTION We describe the occurrence of a retroperitoneal hernia into the colonic mesentery after abdomoniperineal resection (APR) for rectal cancer.
NuTeV structure function measurement

The NuTeV experiment obtained high statistics samples of neutrino and antineutrino charged current events during the 1996-1997 Fermilab fixed target run. The experiment combines sign-selected neutrino and antineutrino beams and the upgraded CCFR iron-scintillator neutrino detector. A precision continuous calibration beam was used to determine the muon and hadron energy scales to a precision of 0.7% and 0.43% respectively. The structure functions F2(x, Q2) and xF3(x, Q2) obtained by fitting the y-dependence of the sum and the difference of the ν and differential cross sections are presented.
Properties and applications of wideband Cramer-Rao bounds

In this paper, the Cramer-Rao Bound on the angle estimates of non-zero bandwidth signals incident on an array of sensors is derived. The resulting expressions are applied to a variety of array steering architectures such as conventional phase steering and time-delay steering/focusing matrices. The results have a number of practical applications, e.g., determining the minimum number of directions where time-delay steering/focusing is required in order to obtain good all-round performance.
Effect of pentaerythritol tetranitrate, amyl nitrite and alcohol on arterial blood supply to ischemic myocardium.

Abstract 1. 1. Treatment of localized myocardial ischemia depends upon addition of arterial blood by way of intercoronary arterial communicacations. 2. 2. Pentaerythritol tetranitrate adds 0.81 cc. per minute to the ischemic circumflex area of the dog heart. 3. 3. Amyl nitrite adds 0.98 cc. per minute to the ischemic circumflex area of the dog heart. 4. 4. Alcohol decreases intercoronary flow by 1.93 cc. per minute. 5. 5. Increased intercoronary flow resulting from drug action is temporary. 6. 6. Addition of 0.81 cc. per minute as produced by pentaerythritol tetranitrate did not reduce mortality or infarct size following test coronary artery ligation in a series of twentyone experiments.
Pediatric use of antibacterial agents.

Summary A rational approach for the selection of the proper antimicrobial agent in the treatment of children suffering from bacterial disease requires some basic information and a considerable degree of sales resistance to undue or premature advertising claims. It is suggested that the pediatrician formulate a tentative specific etiologic diagnosis when faced with an illness—usually on the basis of clinical impression -but occasionally by employing the help of bacteriologic study prior to the administration of the antibiotic drug and to give such a drug only when indicated. A good rule in therapy appears to be to give a large enough amount of the drug to which the etiologic microorganism is susceptible, by the proper route and as early as possible in infection, and to continue such treatment for an adequate time to ensure eradication of such infection.
A line intersect distance sampling strategy for downed wood inventory

Perpendicular distance sampling (PDS) has emerged as a compelling alternative to line intersect sampling (LIS) for the inventory of forest fuels and other downed woody materials (DWM), particularly...
Erectile dysfunction is a marker for cardiovascular disease: results of the minority health institute expert advisory panel.

Conflict of Interest. Dr Billups—Research/grant support/speakers’ bureau (Pfizer Inc); Consultation (Pfizer Inc, Bayer, Eli Lilly); Stock holdings (none). Dr Bank—Consultancy, honoraria, research grants (Pfizer Inc). Dr Padma‐Nathan—Research support/consultation (Pfizer, Bayer/GSK, LillyICOS, Novartis, Lilly, Schering Plough, Dong A, Vivus, Sepracor, TAP Pharmaceuticals, Abbott Labs, Palatin Technologies, Nastech); Lecturer (Pfizer, Bayer/GSK); Stock (None, inclusive of family members). Dr Katz—Honoraria, research support (Pfizer Inc). Dr Williams—No financial information to disclose. ABSTRACT Introduction. Cardiovascular disease and its related comorbidities are associated with significant morbidity and mortality and affect a disproportionately large number of African Americans and Hispanics. The prevalence of cardiovascular disease is increasing worldwide, which underscores the urgency to improve methods of prevention and early detection. Aim. To develop a risk assessment and management algorithm for primary care patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) that facilitates diagnosis, early intervention, and prevention of cardiovascular disease. Methods. The Minority Health Institute (MHI) convened an Expert Advisory Panel of cardiologists and urologists to design a new practice model algorithm that uses ED as a clinical tool for early identification of men with systemic vascular disease. A draft of the algorithm was presented at a national symposium and comments from symposium participants were considered in the development of the final algorithm. Main Outcome Measures and Results. Erectile dysfunction is common and has long been considered a secondary complication of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. However, a growing body of evidence challenges this view, suggesting instead that ED is an early manifestation of atherosclerosis and a precursor to systemic vascular disease. Endothelial dysfunction is the etiologic factor linking ED and cardiovascular disease. Conclusions. The recognition of ED as an early sign of systemic cardiovascular disease offers an opportunity for prevention, particularly in high‐risk and underserved minority populations. The MHI algorithm stipulates that all men 25 years old and older regardless of sexual dysfunction complaints should be asked about ED. The presence of ED should prompt an aggressive assessment for cardiovascular risk and occult systemic vascular disease.
Free-space beam steering using silicon waveguide surface gratings

An optical phased array for free-space beam control is proposed, designed, and fabricated by integration of surface gratings and phase tuners within a waveguide array. Two methods of characterizing the beam are demonstrated to measure the wavelength-dependent emission versus duty cycle and width.
A Nomogram To Predict the Best Biological Half-Life Values for Candidates for Oral Prolonged-Release Formulations

It is sometimes possible to maintain plasma concentrations between desired maximum and minimum limits by repetitively administering a drug in an oral prolonged-release formulation when this goal cannot be achieved with a rapid-release formulation. However, this approach does not work with all drugs. The biological half-life value of the drug can be one cause for failure of this approach. Although it is recognized that a half-life may be too long or too short, neither the criteria for determining these values nor the consequences of failing to meet them have been established. The best half-life values for prolonged-release candidates were found by simulating once-a-day and twice-a-day administration of formulations and examining the capacity of these formulations to maintain steady-state plasma concentrations between various selected limits. These observations were used to establish criteria to judge the acceptability of half-lives. Half-life values were considered too long if drugs were self-sustaining and simulations of their rapid-release formulations were also successful. Half-life values were considered too short if minor variability in prolonged-release rates resulted in plasma concentrations above and/or below the selected limits. The actual half-life values that were considered too long or too short depended on the dosing interval and the selected maximum and minimum plasma concentrations. A nomogram was constructed to assess the acceptability of the biological half-life of a candidate for once-a-day or twice-a-day prolonged-release formulations. The nomogram employs the user-selected limits for the desired plasma concentrations to predict whether the half-life of a candidate is (1) too long, (2) too short, or (3) acceptable (i.e., between 1 and 2).
The role of working memory capacity and interference resolution mechanisms in task switching

Theories of task switching have emphasized a number of control mechanisms that may support the ability to flexibly switch between tasks. The present study examined the extent to which individual differences in working memory (WM) capacity and two measures of interference resolution, response-distractor inhibition and resistance to proactive interference (PI), account for variability in task switching, including global costs, local costs, and N-2 repetition costs. A total of 102 young and 60 older adults were tested on a battery of tasks. Composite scores were created for WM capacity, response-distractor inhibition, and resistance to PI; shifting was indexed by rate residual scores, which combine response time and accuracy and account for individual differences in processing speed. Composite scores served as predictors of task switching. WM was significantly related to global switch costs. While resistance to PI and WM explained some variance in local costs, these effects did not reach significance. In contrast, none of the control measures explained variance in N-2 repetition costs. Furthermore, age effects were only evident for N-2 repetition costs, with older adults demonstrating larger costs than young adults. Results are discussed within the context of theoretical models of task switching.
Damage Testing of Critical Optical Components for High Power Ultra Fast Lasers

Damage fluence of several optics is studied in air and low vacuum using a 25 fs ultra-fast laser, including broadband dielectric mirrors and pulse-compression reflection gratings with gold and silver coating with varying processing conditions.
A Sensitivity Analysis and Opportunity Cost Evaluation of the Surgical Council on Resident Education Curriculum.

Objective The study purpose is to evaluate the Surgical Council on Resident Education (SCORE) Curriculum regarding American Board of Surgery Qualifying Examination (ABS QE) outcomes. The goal is to perform effect size analyses, sensitivity analyses, and sample size analyses with opportunity cost estimates required to favor the SCORE Curriculum subscription regarding ABS QE outcomes. Methods Published data were used to construct 2 × 2 matrices regarding ABS QE outcome (pass/fail) and SCORE subscription status (subscriber/nonsubscriber). Post hoc analyses of effect sizes and sample sizes, with opportunity cost estimates, were performed to evaluate ABS QE outcomes favoring SCORE subscription (2-tailed and 1-tailed tests) using an α = 0.05. Results The absolute risk increase of SCORE subscription on ABS QE outcome was 1.6% (number needed to treat = 63). Sensitivity analyses showed that a pass rate difference of 4.9% to 7.5% was required to favor SCORE subscription (all p Conclusions The number needed to treat and pass rate differences required to favor SCORE subscription are large. The opportunity costs of SCORE subscription are substantial. Residency programs with more limited resources should determine if the subscription costs are financially sound.
Oxytocinase and placental function

Oxytocinase (cystine aminopeptidase [CAP]) activity was measured in the sera of 52 normal pregnant patients and in 186 patients with conditions associated with increased risk of impaired placental function. In the latter group, all 12 patients with abnormal CAP activity showed clinical evidence of inadequate placental function. The remaining 174 patients at risk showed normal CAP activity, but 7 of these patients showed evidence of placental malfunction. These false negative assays are thought to be due to inadequate sampling. Serial samples are almost always needed to confirm the diagnosis. CAP assays offer particular advantages in comparison to other placental tests. CAP activity can be measured quickly, accurately, and repetitively at minimal cost on a small maternal serum sample.
Development and Application of a Nowcast and Forecast System Tool for Planning and Managing a River Chain of Lakes

A nowcast and forecast system for providing real-time water information of a River Chain of Lakes (RCL) is developed. The system infrastructure comprises a web portal to retrieve and display observations that are used to drive models under a high performance computing server. Water level and flow discharge information are obtained from a suite of models that be directly simulate the RCL system. A new data assimilation technique based upon flow routing algorithm and nested-mesh domain reduction is developed to update the Manning’s roughness. It is demonstrated that the INFOS can reliably and effectively model real-time reverse flows due to sustained wind forcings or tranisent seiches, and flow choking due to channel constriction. Applications of the developed system are illustrated. Specifically water level planning scenarios provide a quantitative measure for lake management to reduce floods under extreme rainfall events. Alternative management philosophies to minimize exceeding the water level orders are evaluated. Overall, the Integrated Nowcast and Forecast Operation System (INFOS) provides reliable and timely water information for the RCL for sharing information to the community, planning for water use and delivery, and management of the Yahara RCL.
Generation and Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies Specific for Vaccinia Virus

Monoclonal antibodies to specific vaccinia virus (VACV) proteins are valuable reagents in studies of VACV. In this chapter, we describe methods of generating a panel of monoclonal antibodies that recognize a variety of VACV proteins in their native conformation in infected cells. The antibodies thus generated recognize mostly VACV proteins that are involved in virion assembly or/and are major antigens in smallpox vaccine. These antibodies are useful for tracking distinct steps in virion assembly and for studying the B cell epitopes in smallpox vaccine.
Self-reported Ambivalence in Schizophrenia and Associations With Negative Mood

One instrument potentially useful for schizophrenia research is the Revised Schizotypal Ambivalence Scale (rSAmb). However, previous research has not examined the construct validity of this instrument in people with schizophrenia. In the current study, people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (n = 47) and bipolar disorder (BPD; n = 19) completed the rSAmb along with current symptom and other clinical data. As a group, the people with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder reported significantly less ambivalence on the rSAmb than did the people with BPD. In addition, the rSAmb was not significantly related to any schizophrenia symptom (all correlations < 0.15). Instead, the rSAmb was significantly associated with negative mood symptoms in the past week, a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder rather than schizophrenia, and the number of negative terms used in speech. These results suggest that the rSAmb may be associated with negative mood and not with schizophrenia, although systematic examination of larger cohorts is warranted.
Glucose transport in membrane vesicles from Azotobacter vinelandii.

Abstract The active transport of d -glucose by membrane vesicles prepared from Azotobacter vinelandii strain O is coupled to the oxidation of l -malate. The glucose carrier, but not the energy coupling system of the vesicles, is induced by growth of the cells on d -glucose medium. Vesicles isolated from A. vinelandii grown in the presence of sucrose or acetate accumulate glucose at less than 7% of the rate observed for vesicles from glucose-grown cells. Nevertheless, vesicles from sucrose- or acetate-grown cells transport sucrose or calcium, respectively, in the presence of malate. The transport system expressed in vesicles from glucose-cultured cells is highly specific for d -glucose. Studies of glucose analog uptake and of the competitive effect of analogs reveal that: (i) The glucose carrier is stereospecific. (ii) The affinity of hexoses for the transport system is inversely related to the bulk of substituents on the pyranose ring, especially at the C-1 and C-2 positions, (iii) The most effective competitors, 6-deoxyglucose and 2-deoxyglucose, exhibit affinities only 10–20% that of d -glucose for the transport system, (iv) Phloretin, but not phlorizin, is a competitive inhibitor of glucose transport, having an apparent K i of 9 μ m at pH 7.0. These latter findings suggest a similarity of the glucose transport system of fxA. vinelandii and those of eukaryotes with regard to the glucose carrier.
What is tumor lysis syndrome

A patient in our hematology unit who was receiving chemotherapy for lymphoma developed a complication called tumor lysis syndrome. Can you explain what this is?-M.K., GA.
Test Study on the Altitude Correction Factors of Air Gaps of ±800 kV UHVDC Projects

In this paper the 50% switching impulse flashover voltage tests have been carried out on the real size simulation tower of ±800 kV UHVDC transmission line and the pole line of ±800 kV UHVDC converter station at 0 、 1970 、2 245 m and 3 723 m altitude respectively.Based on the calculation and analysis results of the test data,the high altitude correction factors and the correction method for air gaps of ±800 kV transmission line and converter station were suggested.
Study on risk factors of hand-foot-mouth disease in kindergartens based on the class

Objective To explore the risk factors of hand-foot-mouth disease( HFMD) epidemic situation of kindergartens,and to provide reference for improving the HFMD prevention and control strategies in kindergartens. Methods Case-control study was conducted during April to July,2013 in Haizhu District of Guangzhou to screen the risk factors. Thirty kindergartens were chosen,each of which including 1 class with clustering HFMD cases,1 class with sporalic cases and 1 class with no case. Results Univariate analysis indicated that seven factors had statistical significance,including class temperature,vent area,AC / AD,bacterial colonies of toys' surface,scores of HFMD knowledge of teacher,rate of regular handwashing and rate of midday examination.Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that class vent area and rate of midday examination were protection factors,but bacterial colonies of toys' surface was a risk factor. Conclusion Strengthening class ventilation,improving prevention and control ability of teacher and doing well toys' disinfection could prevent the outbreak of HFMD.
“Als Traum erzählt”: The Case for a Freudian Reading of Hofmannsthal’s “Märchen der 672. Nacht”

Taking its cue from Schnitzler, this interpretation of Hofmannsthal’s enigmatic narrative follows dream-analytic lines. The Kaufmannssohn’s lethal adventure (the 2nd part) turns out to relate to the description of his aesthetic existence (the 1st part) in the manner Freud conceived of a dream’s relation to the dreamer’s past life. This text thereby documents that Hofmannsthal’s intuitive knowledge of depth-psychology antedates his reading of Freud.
Femoral Head Fractures in Children

Femoral head fractures in children are exceedingly rare, accounting for 0.08 % of fractures in pediatric and adolescent patients. They have a very high complication rate with potentially devastating consequences, including avascular necrosis (AVN) and proximal femoral deformity, especially when diagnosis and treatment are missed or delayed. This chapter will discuss both epiphyseal and transphyseal femoral head fractures (Delbet Type I), and provide diagnostic tips, treatment algorithms and strategies, and reported clinical outcomes and complications. An overview of the treatment of late sequelae is also provided.
Late Pleistocene and Holocene Bison of the Colorado Plateau

Abstract Fossils of Bison (bison) are scarce on the Colorado Plateau, especially in and around the Greater Grand Canyon Region. Because of poor preservation and collection biases in the region, various resource managers have erroneously designated bison a nonnative and human-(re)introduced species. This decision directly impacts an extant herd of approximately 400 bison that periodically meander onto Grand Canyon National Park lands from neighboring U.S. Forest Service and State of Arizona lands. We re-examined and verified paleozoological museum specimens of this large mammal confirming a prehistoric and early historic presence of Bison on the Colorado Plateau. Our findings indicate that Bison bison should be considered a native species on the Colorado Plateau because they have a nearly continuous record of inhabitance in the region. This record is supported by 74 Bison-bearing fossil, subfossil, and historical localities since the latest Pleistocene.
A Note on the Mirco Analytics of Disruption

The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate how a basic microeconomic framework can be enhanced and adapted to the analysis of market disruption, a la Christensen. It illustrates how the comparative static analysis of undergraduate microeconomics offers a credible and accessible path for predicting threats to high end industry leaders from lower end competitors.
Nutrition Knowledge of Vegetarians

Nutrition knowledge is more than an internalized system of declarative, scientific “facts.” Beyond declarative knowledge, there exist other forms of knowing as it relates to nutrition, including procedural and social knowledge. Vegetarians may be vegetarian by choice or by context, with implications for the role of each type of knowledge in their lives. Numerous instruments have been developed to measure nutrition knowledge, but only one has been developed and validated specifically for vegetarians and is applicable across temporal and geographic contexts. Four studies have been completed to evaluate differences in nutrition knowledge between vegetarians and nonvegetarians, and only one controlled for confounding and found a statistically significant difference in test scores. Nutrition knowledge was not substantially different between health and ethical vegetarians in one small, uncontrolled analysis, and it appears that ethical motivation has more profound implications for dietary behavior than nutrition knowledge alone.
Evaluation of Recently Proposed Recommendations for the Determination of Fracture Parameters for Concrete in Bending

The development of experimental procedures for determination of fracture parameters for concrete utilizing bending specimens has reached a stage where proposals for standardized testing methods are forthcoming.
Assisting Young Children Caught in Disasters: Lessons and Implications

This chapter provides a summary of the volume. More specifically, it identifies common themes among the chapters, shares some key strategies identified by chapter authors, and introduces four common key disaster-related situations that are addressed in the individual chapters. It is closed with a selection of key lessons that are identified throughout the volume.
A computational analysis of interactions of oxidative stress and antioxidant system in endothelial dysfunction

Introduction Oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction have been associated in the development and progression of the cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Oxidative stress is characterized by significant increase in the reactive oxygen species (predominantly superoxide (O2•‒ )) and the decrease in the nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and antioxidant system of the cell. The major antioxidant system affected in endothelial dysfunction are enzymatic system such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and non-enzymatic systems such as glutathione (GSH) and ascorbate ((ASC). Studies on the therapeutic potential of increasing the antioxidants capacity to improve endothelial dysfunction have reported mixed results. This is because we have very little quantitative information on the complex interplay between the reactive species and antioxidant system involved in the disease progression. The role of antioxidants in oxidative stress is a complicated problem and can be addressed by computational modeling approaches. Material and Methods In the present study, we developed a computational model that involves eNOS biochemical pathway, downstream reactions involving NO and various reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, cellular oxidative stress and antioxidant systems. The role of GSH, GPX, ASC, SOD and CAT in the NO and O2•‒ co-generated system was analyzed to investigate the changes in NO and O2•- production rates, biopterin ratio with respect to changes in cellular oxidative stress. Results and Discussions The model results show that oxidative stress decreased the NO production and biopterin ratio and increased O2•‒ production. The upregulation of ASC, GSH, SOD improved the NO production rates and biopterin ratio but the decrease in O2•‒ production was insignificant when higher cellular oxidative stress was present. ASC supplementation improved endothelial dysfunction by improving biopterin ratio and making tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) available. The extent of improvement in endothelial dysfunction by antioxidants was dependent on extent of cellular oxidative stress. Conclusion The present study provides quantitative insights on how the up- or down- regulation of key antioxidant enzymes affects the cellular ROS levels and endothelial function. The thorough mechanistic analysis of each antioxidant performed under endothelial dysfunction reveals the important antioxidant systems relevant for oxidative stress.
Social Networks and Relationships

Individual social relationships are embedded in larger social networks whose structure both reflects and influences basic interpersonal processes. Individuals vary in terms of their reach and centrality within networks and networks vary in size and the degree of connectedness. Variations in these parameters play a role in shaping personal attitudes such as prejudice, how innovative people are, how their personal relationships develop, and how much social support is available to them. Interpersonal networks are being reshaped by technologies such as the internet, mobile telephones, and social network applications. Keywords: communication networks; computer-mediated communication; mobile communication; relational communication; social influence
Unleashing main street entrepreneurship: Crowdfunding, venture capital, and the democratization of new venture investments

Over the past several decades, U.S. venture capital (VC) firms have focused their attention and investment dollars in specialized regional hubs where high-tech entrepreneurship tends to flourish. As a result, “main street” businesses such as retail stores, consumer services, and other non-tech businesses typically find it incredibly difficult to secure equity funding. Yet, in recent years, crowdfunding (CF) has become a viable new source of funding for entrepreneurs. Using a longitudinal assessment of VC and CF at the national, regional, and sector levels in the USA, we demonstrate how the emergence of CF has unlocked new growth opportunities for main street entrepreneurs, particularly those located in underserviced funding regions. Likewise, we expose how CF augments national and regional funding patterns by re-allocating funding to industries that VCs typically do not fund. Lastly, we discuss the practical and theoretical implications of what appears to be a shifting venture funding regime, and shed light on CF’s potential role in enhancing the resurgence of main street entrepreneurship across the USA.
Neurobiology and Complex Biosystem Modeling

This chapter gives a brief summary of techniques for modeling neural tissue as a complex biosystem at the cellular, synaptic, and network levels. A sampling of the most often studied neuronal models with some of their salient characteristics is presented, ranging from the abstract rate-coded cell through the integrate-and-fire point neuron to the multicompartment neuron with a full range of ionic conductances. An indication is given of how the choice of a particular model will be determined by the interplay of prior knowledge about the system in question, the hypotheses being tested, and purely practical computational constraints. While interest centers on the more mature art of modeling functional aspects of neuronal systems as anatomically static, but functionally plastic adult structures, in a concluding section we look to near-future developments that may in principle allow network models to reflect the influence of mechanical, metabolic, and extrasynaptic signaling properties of both neurons and glia as the nervous system develops, matures, and perhaps suffers from disease processes. These comments will serve as an introduction to techniques for modeling tumor growth and other abnormal aspects of nervous system function that are covered in later chapters of this book (Part III, §6). Through the use of complex-systems modeling techniques, bringing together information that often in the past has been studied in isolation within particular subdisciplines of neuro- and developmental biology, one can hope to gain new insight into the interplay of genetic programs and the multitude of environmental factors that together control neural systems development and function.
Pride and Prejudice and Learning: An Interprofessional Experience with CLS and Nursing Students

Literature is scarce regarding medical laboratorians and their attitudes about interprofessional interactions with other healthcare providers. We investigated learning and attitudes in a joint project that brought Clinical Laboratory Sciences (CLS) students and Nursing students together. The nursing and CLS faculty created a simulated post-partum patient who developed deep vein thrombosis followed by pulmonary embolism. The patient was heterozygous for the Factor V Leiden mutation. The simulations occurred in two venues. The patient scenario occurred at the student Nursing Skills and Simulation Learning Center “SIM lab” at the bedside of the patient experiencing symptoms of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, with the nursing students responding to the patient9s distress. CLS students collected blood from the patient during the crisis. The laboratory scenario occurred in the CLS teaching laboratory. CLS students performed real time PCR on the patient for the Factor V Leiden mutation, and instructed the nursing students how to interpret the results. Learning gains were measured by survey after the 2 events. Retention of learning was measured 6 weeks after the second event took place. All students showed sustained learning about venous thromboembolism, its risk factors, and genetic mutations that predispose towards thrombophilia. Students9 attitudes about interprofessional education and each other9s professions were surveyed before and after the experience. Students valued the experience and 87% of them responded that they are interested in pursuing more interprofessional education training opportunities. ABBREVIATIONS: IPE - Interprofessional Education, VTE - Venous Thromboembolism, DVT - Deep Vein Thrombosis, PE - Pulmonary Embolism. NSSL - Nursing Student Simulation Lab, CLS-Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Startle, pre-pulse sensitization, and habituation in zebrafish.

Abstract Background The startle response, pre-pulse presentation of startle, and habituation in adult zebrafish (danio rerio) have not been formerly characterized using the same motion detection equipment within an integrated procedure. New method The methods presented in this manuscript describe the use of a video tracking software used previously in the detection of conditioned immobility in rodents, but adapted for the purposes of tracking zebrafish movement. Results The results from a series of investigations demonstrate an effective tracking and quantification of the startle response, as well as evidence that stimulus-experience history alters the startle response in adult zebrafish. Comparison with existing methods This method of tracking zebrafish allows for the quantification on movement of a single subject, and the delivery of the startle stimulus can be synchronized with the motion-detection software to obtain a high temporal resolution that is not provided by other means of motion-detection tracking. Conclusion Objective techniques for evaluating these basic modifications of the startle response (pre-pulse and habituation) may be helpful in future behavioral analysis as this species is rapidly becoming among the most commonly utilized in preclinical pharmacological assessment.
Self-formed bedrock waterfalls.

Waterfalls are inspiring landforms that set the pace of landscape evolution as a result of bedrock incision. They communicate changes in sea level or tectonic uplift throughout landscapes or stall river incision, disconnecting landscapes from downstream perturbations. Here we use a flume experiment with constant water discharge and sediment feed to show that waterfalls can form from a planar, homogeneous bedrock bed in the absence of external perturbations. In our experiment, instabilities between flow hydraulics, sediment transport and bedrock erosion lead to undulating bedforms, which grow to become waterfalls. We propose that it is plausible that the origin of some waterfalls in natural systems can be attributed to this intrinsic formation process and we suggest that investigations to distinguish self-formed from externally forced waterfalls may help to improve the reconstruction of Earth history from landscapes.
Proportional Joint-Moment Control for Instantaneously Adaptive Ankle Exoskeleton Assistance

Lower-limb exoskeletons used to improve free-living mobility for individuals with neuromuscular impairment must be controlled to prescribe assistance that adapts to the diverse locomotor conditions encountered during daily life, including walking at different speeds and across varied terrain. The goal of this paper is to design and establish clinical feasibility of an ankle exoskeleton control strategy that instantly and appropriately adjusts assistance to the changing biomechanical demand during variable walking. To accomplish this goal, we developed a proportional joint-moment control strategy that prescribes assistance as a function of the instantaneous estimate of the ankle joint moment and conducted a laboratory-based feasibility study. Four individuals with neuromotor impairment and one unimpaired individual completed exoskeleton-assisted slow and fast gait transition tasks that involved gait initiation and changing walking speed. We found that the controller was effective in instantaneously prescribing exoskeleton assistance that was proportional to the ankle moment with less than 14% root-mean-square error, on average. We also performed a three-subject pilot investigation to determine the ability of the proportional joint-moment controller to improve walking economy. Evaluated in two individuals with cerebral palsy and one unimpaired individual, metabolic cost of transport improved 17–27% during treadmill and over-ground walking with proportional control compared with wearing the exoskeleton unassisted. These preliminary findings support the continued investigation of proportional joint-moment control for assisting individuals with neuromuscular disabilities during walking in real-world settings.
Disparities in Health Coverage Across Gender and Marital Status among Discharged Psychiatric Patients

The goal of this study was to examine the demographics sex and marital status of inpatients with schizophrenia and bipolar and compare differences in patients' chances of possessing adequate health coverage to cover hospital expenses. Data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey was extracted and analyzed. For hospital discharges of patients age 18 and older 702,626 hospital discharges were included in the study representing a weighted population of 77,082,738 hospital discharges. Prediction model was applied to test the ability of the independent variables sex and marital status to predict differences in health coverage in multinomial logistic regression (MLR) test. Results indicate that sex and marital status were significant predictors of health coverage type that patient owned. Male, unmarried and with unknown marital status patients were more likely to be either uninsured or publicly insured. Public health policy legislation efforts need to address public-health-insurance provisions that limit the coverage of treatment for psychiatric patients.