cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activin A inhibits RANKL-mediated osteoclast formation, movement and function in murine bone marrow macrophage cultures

The process of osteoclastic bone resorption is complex and regulated at multiple levels. The role of osteoclast (OCL) fusion and motility in bone resorption are unclear, with the movement of OCL on bone largely unexplored. RANKL (also known as TNFSF11) is a potent stimulator of murine osteoclastogenesis, and activin A (ActA) enhances that stimulation in whole bone marrow. ActA treatment does not induce osteoclastogenesis in stroma-free murine bone marrow macrophage cultures (BMM), but rather inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. We hypothesized that ActA and RANKL differentially regulate osteoclastogenesis by modulating OCL precursors and mature OCL migration. Time-lapse video microscopy measured ActA and RANKL effects on BMM and OCL motility and function. ActA completely inhibited RANKL-stimulated OCL motility, differentiation and bone resorption, through a mechanism mediated by ActA-dependent changes in SMAD2, AKT1 and inhibitor of nuclear factor κB (IκB) signaling. The potent and dominant inhibitory effect of ActA was associated with decreased OCL lifespan because ActA significantly increased activated caspase-3 in mature OCL and OCL precursors. Collectively, these data demonstrate a dual action for ActA on murine OCLs.
On the Baronti constants of Orlicz function spaces

In this paper we calculate the value of the Baronti constants of the Orlicz function spaces equipped with either the Orlicz norm or the gauge norm.
Towards Simulation of Virtual Cells: The Kinesin-Microtubule Molecular Motor

Large molecular cargos are transported inside a cell by the walking of a pair of kinesin heads along a microtubule, MT. Despite their biological importance, the mechanism underlying the unidirectionality of kinesin motion is not well understood. Here, the coupling of kinesin's net charge with the large microtubule dipole is conjectured to provide walking directionality, with ATP hydrolysis providing the driving force for kinesin dissociation from the MT. Employing just these two simple assumptions, Brownian Dynamics simulations reproduce multiple experimentally observed features of kinesin walking including the existence of substeps and limping under load, whereby the head that takes the first step walks faster. The latter is caused by hydrodynamic interactions. Hydrodynamic interactions also enhance the relative efficiency of the kinesin motor. We conjecture that electrostatics plays a dominant role in many molecular motors, with charge-dipolar coupling a likely mechanism underlying the directionality of force-generation and electrostatically induced changes concomitant to ATP binding and hydrolysis providing the source of energy.
Dynamics of a vortex filament in a shear flow

Motions of a single vortex filament in a background flow are studied by numerical simulation of a set of model equations. The model, which in essence is due to Hama, treats the self-interaction of the filament through the so-called ‘localized-induction approximation’ (LIA). Interaction with the prescribed background field is treated by simply advecting the filament appropriately. We are particularly interested in elucidating the evolution of sinuous vortices such as the ‘wiggle’ seen by Breidenthal in the transition to three-dimensionality in the mixing layer. The model studied embodies two of the simplest ingredients that must enter into any dynamical explanation: induction and advection. For finite-amplitude phenomena we make contact with the theory of solitons on strong vortices developed by Betchov and Hasimoto. In a shear, solitons cannot exist, but solitary waves can, and their interactions with the shear are found to be key ingredients for an understanding of the behaviour of the vortex filament. When sheared, a soliton seems to act as a ‘nucleation site’ for the generation of a family of waves. Computed sequences are shown that display a remarkable morphological similarity to flow-visualization studies. The present application of fully nonlinear dynamics to a model presents an attractive alternative to the extrapolations from linearized stability theory applied to the full equations that have so far constituted the theoretical basis for understanding the experimental results.
Adriamycin Activity in Experimental Tumors

Adriamycin is an active drug of pronounced clinical interest. It has demonstrated broad spectrum activity against a variety of tumors in man and it is a drug of particular interest since it has demonstrated definitive activity against solid tumors, including lung tumors and sarcomas which are ordinarily not too amenable to therapy with the known antitumor agents. There are currently four anthracyclines of clinical interest, namely adriamycin, daunomycin, rubidazone and carminomycin. These are compounds that are closely related structurally and all four are active in a variety of experimental tumor systems. Adriamycin and daunomycin are very closely related, the former having a hydroxyl group instead of a hydrogen in the acetyl radical of the aglycone moeity (1–3). Rubidazone is a daunomycin derivative having a benzoyl hydrazone substituent at the 13 position (4). Carminomycin differs from daunomycin in stereochemical configuration in the A ring and in having a hydroxyl group rather than methoxyl at the 4 position (5).
Cancer: Diet in Cancer Prevention

The collection of diseases we call cancer accounts for about 20% of all deaths in industrialized countries. Dietary nutrients may interfere with the cancer process and thus may be employed as chemopreventive agents. Observational studies in humans, which frequently rely on food frequency questionnaires and extrapolation of nutrient content from databases, have indicated a variety of phytochemicals with great cancer-preventive potential. Most of the supporting data for chemoprevention are derived from preclinical cell culture or animal experiments, investigating a single nutrient in relation to selected gene products in the cancer process. In humans, randomized clinical trials with single nutrients or single foods have mostly shown conflicting results. This article presents early and recent findings of dietary food components that have been implicated as chemoprevention agents, because of either their antioxidative nature or their influence on molecular mechanisms important in the initiation and promotion of cancers.
A Comparison of Two Reading Interventions for Children with Reading Disabilities

This study compared the effectiveness of two reading interventions in a public school setting. Forty-five second-grade children with reading disabilities were randomly assigned to a 6-week phonological awareness, word analogy, or math-training program. The two reading interventions differed from each other in (a) the unit of word analysis (phoneme versus onset-rime), (b) the approach to intervention (contextualized versus decontextualized), and (c) the primary domain of reading instruction (oral versus written language). Results indicate that children in both reading programs achieved significant gains in beginning reading skills, learning the specific skills taught in their respective programs, and applying what they had learned to uninstructed material on several transfer-of-learning measures, in comparison to children in the control group. For children in both reading intervention groups, the most significant mediator of growth in oral reading fluency was a child's initial level of word identification skill. Implications of these findings are that systematic, high quality reading intervention can occur in a small group, public school setting and that there are several different paths to the remediation of children with reading disabilities.
An Efficient VLSI Architecture for Template Matching

In this paper, we describe a new special purpose VLSI architecture for template matching, based on a technique known as moment preserving pattern matching (MPPM). This technique first converts the given gray scale image and template into binary form using the moment preserving quantization method and then uses a pairing function to compute the similarity measure. The technique yields accurate results comparable to other approaches but involves simpler computations. The proposed architecture is systolic in nature and achieves a high degree of parallelism and pipelining. It is shown that the proposed architecture is much simpler, achieves higher speed, has a lower hardware complexity and utilizes lesser memory than other special purpose architectures for template matching.
Detection of iodine monoxide in the tropical free troposphere

Atmospheric iodine monoxide (IO) is a radical that catalytically destroys heat trapping ozone and reacts further to form aerosols. Here, we report the detection of IO in the tropical free troposphere (FT). We present vertical profiles from airborne measurements over the Pacific Ocean that show significant IO up to 9.5 km altitude and locate, on average, two-thirds of the total column above the marine boundary layer. IO was observed in both recent deep convective outflow and aged free tropospheric air, suggesting a widespread abundance in the FT over tropical oceans. Our vertical profile measurements imply that most of the IO signal detected by satellites over tropical oceans could originate in the FT, which has implications for our understanding of iodine sources. Surprisingly, the IO concentration remains elevated in a transition layer that is decoupled from the ocean surface. This elevated concentration aloft is difficult to reconcile with our current understanding of iodine lifetimes and may indicate heterogeneous recycling of iodine from aerosols back to the gas phase. Chemical model simulations reveal that the iodine-induced ozone loss occurs mostly above the marine boundary layer (34%), in the transition layer (40%) and FT (26%) and accounts for up to 20% of the overall tropospheric ozone loss rate in the upper FT. Our results suggest that the halogen-driven ozone loss in the FT is currently underestimated. More research is needed to quantify the widespread impact that iodine species of marine origin have on free tropospheric composition, chemistry, and climate.
Pharmacy resident research publication rates: A national and regional comparison

Abstract Objective To determine the publication rate of pharmacy resident projects from 2004 to 2007, compare publication rates of abstracts from regional and national pharmacy conferences, and assess characteristics of published abstracts. Design A random sample of abstracts for residency years 2004–2007 was selected from the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Fall and Spring meetings and the regional resident conferences including: Alcalde, Great Lakes, Eastern States, Southeastern, Midwestern, and Western States. Based on an expected publication frequency of 10% and a 95% confidence interval, 161 national conference abstracts and 1335 regional conference abstracts were assessed for publication using a standardized strategy for searching for published articles in PubMed, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, and Google Scholar. Assessment The overall publication rate of residency project abstracts presented at national and regional pharmacy meetings from 2004 to 2007 was 7.3%. The publication rate of abstracts presented at ACCP meetings was 13% while the rate of those at regional residency conferences was 6.6%. Among published abstracts, 74% had pharmacy residents as first author, 32% had pharmacy residents as corresponding authors, and 54% of publications were authored by a multidisciplinary team. Overall, 61% of these abstracts were published in peer-reviewed pharmacy journals, and 39% were published in peer-reviewed medical journals. Approximately 90% of articles were indexed in PubMed and the median time to publication was 24 months. Conclusion Abstracts presented at national pharmacy meetings were associated with higher publication rates when compared to regional meetings. Future studies should focus on identifying barriers to publication of pharmacy resident projects and strategies to overcome them.
Quantitative Seismic Interpretation: Applying Rock Physics Tools to Reduce Interpretation Risk

This book is divided into seven chapters that cover rock physics, statistical rock physics, seismic inversion techniques, case studies, and work flows. On balance, the emphasis is on rock physics. Included are 56 color figures that greatly help in the interpretation of more complicated plots and displays. The domain of rock physics falls between petrophysics and seismics. It is the basis for interpreting seismic observations and therefore is pivotal to the understanding of this book. The first two chapters are dedicated to this topic (109 pages).
Stage-Specific Excitation of Cannabinoid Receptor Exhibits Differential Effects on Mouse Embryonic Development

Anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine), an arachidonic acid derivative, is an endogenous ligand for both the brain-type (CB1-R) and spleen-type (CB2-R) cannabinoid receptors. We have previously demonstrated that preimplantation mouse embryos express mRNA for these receptors and that the periimplantation uterus contains the highest level of anandamide yet discovered in a mammalian tissue. We further demonstrated that 2-cell mouse embryos exposed to low levels of anandamide (7 nM) or other known cannabinoid agonists in culture exhibit markedly compromised embryonic development to blastocysts and that this effect is mediated by CB1-R. In contrast, the present study demonstrates that blastocysts exposed in culture to the same low levels of cannabinoid agonists exhibited accelerated trophoblast differentiation with respect to fibronectin-binding activity and trophoblast outgrowth. Again, these effects resulted from activation of embryonic CB1-R. There was a differential concentration-dependent effect of cannabinoids on the trophoblast, with an observed inhibition of differentiation at higher doses. These results provide evidence for the first time that cannabinoid effects are differentially executed depending on the embryonic stage and cannabinoid levels in the environment. Since uterine anandamide levels are lowest at the sites of implantation and highest at the interimplantation sites, the new findings imply that site-specific levels of anandamide and/or other endogenous ligands in the uterus may regulate implantation spatially by promoting trophoblast differentiation at the sites of blastocyst implantation.
Women's patterns of activity over 6 months after coronary artery bypass surgery

Objective: To examine the relationships between objectively measured activity patterns over 6 months after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABS) and their relationship to self-reported functional recovery at 6 weeks and 6 months after CABS. Design: Time series, descriptive-correlational, convenience sample. Setting: Hospital and home environment. Patients: Thirteen women who had undergone CABS. The mean age was 62 years (SD 10.76, range, 43 to 78). The mean preoperative New York Heart Association Functional Classification was 2.08 (SD 1.26, range, 1 to 4). Measures: Wrist-worn accelerometers and the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP). Intervention: Women wore the accelerometers for 4 week-long intervals: the first postoperative week (T1), the first week after hospitalization (T2), the sixth postoperative week (T3), and the first week of the sixth postoperative month (T4). The SIP was administered at the end of each week of data collection. Results: Circadian rhythms and linear trends in activity were examined with spectral, cosinor, and least squares regression analyses. Repeated measures ANOVA over T1 through T4 demonstrated statiscally significant increases in the strength of the circadian rhythms and mean levels of activity over T1 to T4. There were no statistically significant relationships between activity parameters at T1, T3, or T4 and SIP scores at T3 or T4. Conclusions: This study is the first to report changes in circadian rhythms and levels of objectively measured activity over 6 months after CABS. The findings suggest that women's levels of activity and the strength of the circadian rhythm of activity increase between the early postoperative period and the sixth postoperative month. More research is needed to further explore the trajectory of activity patterns after CABS, their relationships to recovery and to determine the need for and effectiveness of interventions designed to promote recovery through activity patterning.
Realizing APN-Level Evidence-Based Practice Efforts: A Multiple-Skill Development Model

Objective: To test a nursing education model to facilitate development of the multiple research-related critiquing, implementation, and entrepreneurial skills needed by master's students to promote effective EBP efforts. Design: Piloting a two-course research experience model, students honed critiquing skills for evaluating evidence through an integrated literature review, developed implementation skills by designing and presenting an EBP-change proposal to health care personnel (HCP), and developing entrepreneurial skills for promoting agency adoption of the change through an agency assessment and an evaluation of post-presentation HCP responses. Population: Graduate nursing students in a Southwestern Pennsylvania college. Method: Teaching/learning strategies included didactic methods to summarize topics, interactive group work to hone collaborative and entrepreneurial skills, and assignments to hone critical-thinking and presentation skills prior to presenting the proposal to HCP. A wrap-up session was used to discuss the process and realities of attempts to implement EBP change. Findings: Using this model, examples of students' EBP change efforts included both fall-risk assessment and prevention strategies and staff hand-washing techniques/education in long-term care facilities, self-scheduling in an ICU, acrylic nail use by hospital HCP, and efforts to create NP roles in a same-day surgery unit and a specialty plastic surgery practice. Conclusions: To realize EBP efforts, graduate students must develop a range of research-related skills. The use of one nursing education model that added entrepreneurial skills to facilitate agency “buy-in” for EBP change has been found to increase student interest both in evaluating research findings and in conducting EBP efforts. The model has been implemented as a capstone experience in the pilot institution. Implications: Advanced practice nurses play a pivotal role in bringing research into clinical practice. Nurse educators can facilitate APN student development into this role through the use of models that teach multiple research-related skills for evaluating and selling EBP to HCP.
The Incoherence of the Unified Bar Concept: Generalizing from the Wisconsin Case

Many of the unified bars—public bodies to which all lawyers must belong and pay dues in order to practice—have been embroiled in legal and political disputes recently. Focusing on the history of the unified bar in Wisconsin, this article accounts for these disputes in terms of contradictions inherent in the very concept of a unified bar. Across a wide range of issues, the author argues, decision makers have been unsure whether to treat a unified bar as a public agency, a compulsory membership organization, or a private voluntary association, and thus unable to determine when public accountability, the protection of dissident members, or associational autonomy should be the dominant policy in unified bar affairs. The author concludes that disputes over questions of unified bar governance are unlikely to subside and that the unified bars should therefore be terminated in favor of a combination of private voluntary state bar associations and administrative agencies independent of the organized bar.
Characterization of an Aspergillus flavus alkaline protease and its role in the infection of maize kernels.

A 33 kDa protein present in Aspergillus flavus–infected maize embryo was identified as a fungal alkaline protease (ALP). This protein became one of the major extracellular proteins of A. flavus in potato dextrose broth medium culture filtrate after 3 days, but was expressed at low levels or undetectable in A+M medium containing gelatin or starch, respectively. The activity of purified ALP was significantly inhibited in the pres
Filtering and stochastic control: a historical perspective

We attempt to give a historical account of the main ideas leading to the development of nonlinear filtering and stochastic control as we know it today. We present a development of linear filtering theory, beginning with Wiener-Kolmogoroff filtering and ending with Kalman filtering. The linear-quadratic-Gaussian problem of stochastic control is considered and states that for this problem the optimal stochastic control can be constructed by solving separately a state estimation problem and a deterministic optimal control problem. Many of the ideas presented here generalize to the nonlinear situation. A reasonably detailed discussion of nonlinear filtering, again from the innovations viewpoint, is given. Finally, we deal with optimal stochastic control. The general method of discussing these problems is dynamic programming.
A GAUSSIAN PROCESS BASED APPROACH FOR HANDLING UNCERTAINTY IN VEHICLE DYNAMICS SIMULATION

Advances in vehicle modeling and simulation in recent years have led to designs that are safer, easier to handle, and less sensitive to external factors. Yet, the potential of simulation is adversely impacted by its limited ability to predict vehicle dynamics in the presence of uncertainty. A commonly occurring source of uncertainty in vehicle dynamics is the road-tire friction interaction, typically represented through a spatially distributed stochastic friction coefficient. The importance of its variation becomes apparent on roads with ice patches, where if the stochastic attributes of the friction coefficient are correctly factored into real time dynamics simulation, robust control strategies could be designed to improve transportation safety. This work concentrates on correctly accounting in the nonlinear dynamics of a car model for the inherent uncertainty in friction coefficient distribution at the road/tire interface. The outcome of this effort is the ability to quantify the effect of input uncertainty on a vehicle’s trajectory and the associated escalation of risk in driving. By using a space-dependent Gaussian process, the statistical representation of the friction coefficient allows for consistent space dependence of randomness. The approach proposed allows for the incorporation of noise in the observed data and a nonzero mean for inhomogeneous distribution of the friction coefficient. Based on the statistical model considered, consistent friction coefficient sample distributions are generated over large spatial domains of interest. These samples are subsequently used to compute and characterize the statistics associated with the dynamics of a nonlinear vehicle model. The information concerning the state of the road and thus the friction coefficient is assumed available (measured) at a limited number of points by some sensing device that has a relatively homogeneous noise field (satellite picture or ground sensors, for instance). The methodology proposed can be modified to incorporate information that is sensed by each individual car as it advances along its trajectory.Copyright © 2008 by ASME and UChicago Argonne LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory
Correlation and Regression

In many health-related studies, investigators wish to assess the strength of an association between 2 measured (continuous) variables. For example, the relation between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and body mass index (BMI) may be of interest. Although BMI is often treated as a categorical variable, eg, underweight, normal, overweight, and obese, a noncategorized version is more detailed and thus may be more informative in terms of detecting associations. Correlation and regression are 2 relevant (and related) widely used approaches for determining the strength of an association between 2 variables. Correlation provides a unitless measure of association (usually linear), whereas regression provides a means of predicting one variable (dependent variable) from the other (predictor variable). This report summarizes correlation coefficients and least-squares regression, including intercept and slope coefficients. Correlation provides a “unitless” measure of association between 2 variables, ranging from −1 (indicating perfect negative association) to 0 (no association) to +1 (perfect positive association). Both variables are treated equally in that neither is considered to be a predictor or an outcome. The most commonly used version is the Pearson product-moment coefficient of correlation, r . Suppose one wants to estimate the correlation between X=BMI, denoted for the ith subject as Xi, and Y=hs-CRP, denoted for the ith subject as Yi. This is estimated for a sample of size n (i=1,…, n) using the following formula1: equation ![Formula][1] where equation ![Formula][2] and equation ![Formula][3] Here, ![Graphic][4] indicates the sample mean of X (=BMI), and ![Graphic][5] the sample mean of Y (=hs-CRP). The numerator of r reflects how BMI and hs-CRP co-vary, and the denominator reflects the variability of both BMI and hs-CRP about their respective sample means. The Pearson correlation coefficient assumes that X and Y are jointly distributed as bivariate normal, ie, X and Y each are normally … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif [2]: /embed/graphic-2.gif [3]: /embed/graphic-3.gif [4]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif [5]: /embed/inline-graphic-2.gif
Microangiopathic Haemolytic Anaemia Associated with Consumption Coagulopathy in a Patient with Disseminated Carcinoma

The case of a 28 year old man with disseminated carcinoma who terminally developed a syndrome resembling thrombohaemolytic thrombocytopenic purpura is presented. Microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia as evidenced by bizarre poikilocytosis along with a consumption coagulopathy with depletion of factors I, II, V, VIII and platelets were present. At autopsy, widespread capillary and arteriolar thromboses were seen. The relative importance of primary coagulation disturbance, vascular damage, or antigen-antibody complexing in initiating the thrombosis-haemorrhage sequence has been discussed. The speculation that release of thromboplastic substance by the tumour was the initiating event in production of the entire thrombohaemolytic thrombocytopenic purpura-like picture in our patient is raised.
Cooperative anti-influenza activities of respiratory innate immune proteins and neuraminidase inhibitor

The surfactant collectins, surfactant proteins A and D (SP-A and D), and scavenger receptor-rich glycoprotein 340 (gp340) inhibit influenza A virus (IAV) in the following order of potency: SP-D>gp3...
Prediction Model for Estimating the Survival Benefit of Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Gallbladder Cancer

Purpose The benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for gallbladder cancer remains controversial because most published data are from small, single-institution studies. The purpose of this study was to construct a survival prediction model to enable individualized predictions of the net survival benefit of adjuvant RT for gallbladder cancer patients based on specific tumor and patient characteristics. Methods A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was constructed using data from 4,180 patients with resected gallbladder cancer diagnosed from 1988 to 2003 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Patient and tumor characteristics were included as covariates and assessed for association with overall survival (OS) with and without adjuvant RT. The model was internally validated for discrimination and calibration using bootstrap resampling. Results On multivariate regression analysis, the model showed that age, sex, papillary histology, stage, and adjuvant RT were significant predicto...
Epigenomics and chromatin dynamics

A report of the 'Joint Keystone Symposium on Epigenomics and Chromatin Dynamics', Keystone, Colorado, 17-22 January 2012.
Non-surgical Treatment for Pectus Excavatum and Carinatum

Pectus excavatum (PE) and carinatum (PC) are characterized by an abnormal overgrowth of sternal and costal cartilages, which result in a depression or protrusion of the sternum and costal cartilages, respectively. Both chest wall malformations are cosmetic and functional pathologies. Whereas PE is commonly associated to cardiopulmonary dysfunction, PC causes deformation of the entire thoracic cage. PE is generally corrected operatively. In contrast, due to inherent risks of a major surgery, only severe cases of PC are operated. One of the authors (FMH) will describe his 12 years experience with vacuum bells to treat PE patients conservatively. The use of vacuum bells allow significant lift of the ribs and sternum, until definitive correction of cartilage growth takes place. When employed during minimally invasive repair of PE (MIRPE), vacuum bells can also be used as a tool to enhance retrosternal dissection, advancement of the pectus introducer and insertion and flipping of the pectus bar/s. The other author (MMF) will describe his 13 years experience with the FMF® Dynamic Compressor System to treat patients with PC conservatively. When considering results, there should be little doubt that no patient would be selected as a candidate for surgery before trying a non-operative approach. Further evaluation and follow-up studies are still necessary for both conservative approaches, though.
Biomechanics of the Foot and Ankle Under Static Conditions

The purpose of this article is to discuss the static mechanics of the foot and ankle. First, the motions of the ankle and foot available during nonambulatory activities are described by reviewing the literature discussing the axes of motion for the ankle and joints of the foot. Conflicting terminology is presented and clarified, and a scheme for a reasonable terminology is presented. The role of the ankle-foot complex in closed and open kinetic chains is also discussed. Terminology describing structural and functional positions of the foot is presented, including definitions of the subtalar neutral position. A systematic format of terminology is offered to reduce the current inconsistencies. Finally, the weight-bearing area of the foot and muscle activity in quiet standing are reviewed.
Upregulation of the cardiac homeobox gene Nkx2–5 (CSX) in feline right ventricular pressure overload

The recent characterization of the cardiac-specific homeobox gene Nkx2–5 (or CSX) and its detection in normal adult heart tissue raises the possibility of a role in adult hypertrophy. Using pressur...
Thermophysical properties of reconsolidating crushed salt.

Reconsolidated crushed salt is being considered as a backfilling material placed upon nuclear waste within a salt repository environment. In-depth knowledge of thermal and mechanical properties of the crushed salt as it reconsolidates is critical to thermal/mechanical modeling of the reconsolidation process. An experimental study was completed to quantitatively evaluate the thermal conductivity of reconsolidated crushed salt as a function of porosity and temperature. The crushed salt for this study came from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). In this work the thermal conductivity of crushed salt with porosity ranging from 1% to 40% was determined from room temperature up to 300oC, using two different experimental methods. Thermal properties (including thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat) of single-crystal salt were determined for the same temperature range. The salt was observed to dewater during heating; weight loss from the dewatering was quantified. The thermal conductivity of reconsolidated crushed salt decreases with increasing porosity; conversely, thermal conductivity increases as the salt consolidates. The thermal conductivity of reconsolidated crushed salt for a given porosity decreases with increasing temperature. A simple mixture theory model is presented to predict and compare to the data developed in this study.
Alcohol Screening and Intervention Among United States Adults who Attend Ambulatory Healthcare

There is limited data on the extent to which indicated alcohol interventions are delivered in U.S. ambulatory care settings. To assess the receipt of alcohol-related services, including assessment of use, advice to reduce drinking, and information about alcohol treatment, during ambulatory care visits. Secondary data analysis of the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey of civilians in the non-institutionalized U.S. general population (response rate 71.7 %). Adult ambulatory care users in the public use data file who did not obtain emergency or inpatient services (n = 17,266). Measurements included respondents’ alcohol consumption, heavy episodic drinking, alcohol use disorder, healthcare use, and receipt of alcohol-related interventions. Approximately 71.1 % of ambulatory care users received an alcohol assessment. Among past-month heavy episodic drinkers without an alcohol use disorder who reported receiving an alcohol assessment, 4.4 % were advised to cut back. Among individuals with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence who reported receiving an alcohol assessment, 2.9 % and 7.0 %, respectively, were offered information about treatment. Rates of alcohol screening and assessment were relatively high among adults who attended healthcare visits, but rates of intervention were low, even when individuals were assessed for use. Efforts are needed to expand delivery of interventions when patients are identified as positive for risky drinking, hazardous alcohol use, and alcohol use disorders during ambulatory care visits.
Voltage clustering in redox-active ligand complexes: mitigating electronic communication through choice of metal ion

The redox-active bis(imino)acenapthene (BIAN) ligand was used to synthesize homoleptic aluminum, chromium, and gallium complexes of the general formula (BIAN)3M. The resulting compounds were characterized using X-ray crystallography, NMR, EPR, magnetic susceptibility and cyclic voltammetry measurements and modeled using both DFT and ab initio wavefunction calculations to compare the orbital contributions of main group elements and transition metals in ligand-based redox events. Complexes of this type have the potential to improve the energy density and electrolyte stability of grid-scale energy storage technologies, such as redox flow batteries, through thermodynamically-clustered redox events.
Respiratory Quotient of the Brain.

We have studied the respiratory quotient of the brain of dogs by analysis of the blood entering and leaving that organ. Under amytal anesthesia, except for one animal, the superior longitudinal sinus of large female dogs was exposed and a sample of venous blood was drawn from it simultaneously with one of arterial blood from the femoral artery. The blood samples were analyzed for carbon dioxide and oxygen by the method of Van Slyke and Neill. The respiratory quotient of the intact animal was determined on samples of expired air collected before the blood was drawn.In Table I are presented typical observations of a group which are summarized in Table II. 38 observations of the brain were made in 14 dogs and the average of the respiratory quotient was 1.00.
High Aspect Ratio Wing Design: Optimal Aerostructural Tradeoffs for the Next Generation of Materials

Current and future composite material technologies have the potential to greatly improve the performance of large transport aircraft. However, the coupling between aerodynamics and structures makes it challenging to design optimal flexible wings, and the transonic flight regime requires high fidelity computational models. We address these challenges by solving a series of mediumand highfidelity aerostructural optimization problems that explore the design space for the wing of a large transport aircraft. We consider three different materials: aluminum, carbon-fiber reinforced composites and an hypothetical composite based on carbon nanotubes. The design variables consist of both aerodynamic shape (including span), and structural sizing, as well as ply angle fractions in the case of composites. Pareto fronts with respect to takeoff weight and fuel burn are generated. The wing performance in each case is optimized subject to stress and buckling constraints. We found that composite wings consistently resulted in lower fuel burn and lower structural weight, and that the carbon nanotube composite did not yield the increase in performance one would expect from a material with such outstanding properties. This was in part due to the minimum structural thickness constraint. For all materials, the minimum fuel burn wings were found to be longer, heavier, thinner, more flexible, and more lightly loaded than their minimum TOGW counterparts.
Body Mass as a Criterion of Dispersal in Voles: A Critique

Cette methode presente des faiblesses. Necessite de mettre au point des methodes plus precises vu l'interet du phenomene de dispersion dans l'etude des populations
Hernias in Infants and Children

Adequate management of inguinal hernia in infancy and childhood is predicated on early recognition of the four major clinical manifestations: inguinal bulge, scrotal bulge, hydrocele of the cord, and scrotal hydrocele.Assuming the diagnosis is clear-cut, surgical treatment is the recommended method and should be carried out as soon as possible, provided the necessary anesthetic help and good nursing care are available to a surgeon who is experienced in the dissection of the pediatric inguinal canal.
Reality Imagined: The Choice to Use a Real-World Case in a Simulation

ABSTRACTThe use of a real-world case in a classroom simulation—in contrast to invented or disguised cases—is not widely recognized as a combination of two common active-learning strategies in political science: teaching with a case study and conducting a simulation. I argue that using such a simulation therefore can provide the benefits of both strategies. This article focuses on reasons instructors might want to use such a combination classroom activity and the possible pitfalls. It argues that they allow for the acquisition of case knowledge along with abstract theories and the development of students’ ability to recognize others’ points of view. It then describes one such case-based simulation of the negotiations ending the apartheid system in South Africa designed to enhance student understanding of the democratization literature that argues that elite interests drive the likelihood of regime transitions. Simulations based on real cases can fulfill several pedagogical goals simultaneously while reduci...
The hyperelliptic p-function

On any hyperelliptic jacobian Jac C, there is one meromorphic function which is most important, playing a central role in the function theory on Jac C. When g = 1, this function is Weierstrass’ p-function, so, at the risk of precipitating some confusion in notation, we want to call this function \( \mathfrak{p}\left( {\vec z} \right) \) too.
Supplemental protein and energy for beef cows consuming endophyte-infected tall fescue.

Effects of energy and protein supplementation of endophyte (Acremonium coenophialum)-infected (E+) and noninfected (E-) tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) on forage intake, digestibility, N flow to the small intestine, and cow-calf productivity was evaluated in two experiments. In Exp. 1, 10 ruminally and duodenally cannulated steers were fed either E- or E+ hay with four supplements or E- or E+ hay unsupplemented. Four supplements formulated with either cracked corn or soybean hulls with 100 or 200 g/d of ruminally undegraded intake protein (UIP) were compared. Levels of UIP were varied by adding soybean meal or blood meal. Hay OM intake was not affected (P > .20) by source of energy of level of UIP; however, intake of E- was greater (P .20) microbial efficiencies. In Exp. 2, 30 cows (average initial BW 459 +/- 26 kg) and their calves (average initial BW 74 +/- 5 kg and 74 +/- 5 d of age) grazed an 8.1-ha E+ pasture from late May to late July. Cows were individually fed supplements used in Exp. 1 each day. Cows that received cracked corn lost .10 kg/d when fed 100 g/d of UIP but gained .33 kg/d when fed 200 g/d. Cows fed soybean hulls and 100 g/d of UIP gained .07 kg/d, whereas cows provided 200 g/d lost .10 kg/d. Calves nursing cows supplemented with 100 g/d of UIP gained more (P < .08) BW because of increased (P < .07) milk consumption and slightly greater (P < .19) forage intake than calves nursing cows supplemented with 200 g/d of UIP.
Linguistic Understanding and Knowledge of Truth-Conditions

What do you know when you know what a sentence means? According to some theories, understanding a sentence is, in part, knowing its truth-conditions. Dorit Bar-On, Claire Horisk, and William Lycan have defended such theories on the grounds of an “epistemic determination argument” (“EDA”). That argument turns on the ideas (a) that understanding a sentence, along with knowledge of the non-linguistic facts, suffices to know its truth-value, and (b) that being able to determine a sentence’s truth-value given knowledge of the non-linguistic facts is knowing its truth-conditions. I argue that the EDA withstands the objections recently raised by Daniel Cohnitz and Jaan Kangilaski, but fails for other reasons. It equivocates between a fine-grained and a coarse grained conception of “facts.”
New visions for IC yield detractor detection

The observability of conventional electrical test site and imaging techniques needs to be extended and coupled with all of the actual product layout attributes in order to reflect the relevant yield detractors of the current technologies in production and development. This paper discusses new electrical test site strategies that have been recently developed and deployed developed for parametric yield detection and systematic hard defect detection by layout attribute. Such test structures are derived from the actual product and in some key cases also embedded in the product utilizing available space between the active circuitry and detected in-line with non-contact techniques.
Simulating energy management strategies for microgrids with smart meter demand management

This paper considers the simulation of microgrids with smart meters that make it possible to control the demand at individual consumer buildings. To create effective system-level models for simulation studies of energy management strategies, probability distributions for the aggregate demand of all system loads are computed from probability distributions for the individual loads of each consumer. These models of the aggregate load behavior are then used in a simulation model that includes the generation and storage components of the system to perform Monte Carlo simulation studies. The paper describes the design of components in a Simulink model of the microgrid system. It then presents the results of a case study for a typical application, a microgrid in rural East Africa. The case study demonstrates how smart meters able to control residential demand make it possible to reduce the occurrence and duration of power cuts when the total system demand exceeds the total available power from generators. The average amount of power from renewable vs. non-renewable sources is also computed. The concluding section identifies several directions for future research.
An Improved Measure of Cognitive Salience in Free Listing Tasks: A Marshallese Example

A new free-list measure of cognitive salience, B′, is presented, which includes both list position and list frequency. It surpasses other extant measures by being normed to vary between a maximum o...
Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Detection Practices in California: What Are We Missing?

Background The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) revised the carbapenem breakpoints for Enterobacteriaceae in 2010. The number of hospitals that adopted revised breakpoints and the clinical impact of delayed adoption has not been explored. Methods We performed a cross-sectional, voluntary survey of microbiology laboratories from California acute care hospitals and long-term acute care hospitals (LTAC) to determine use of revised CLSI breakpoints. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) clinical isolates from a single tertiary-care hospital from 2013 to 2017 were examined. All isolates with an elevated minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC; ≥2 µg/mL) to imipenem or meropenem were tested for the presence of carbapenemase genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results We received responses from 128 laboratories that serve 264/393 (67%) of hospitals and LTACs. Current CLSI carbapenem breakpoints for Enterobacteriaceae were used by 92/128 (72%) laboratories. Among laboratories that used current breakpoints, time to implementation varied from 0 to 68 months (mean, 41 months; median, 55 months). Application of historical breakpoints to isolates with a carbapenemase gene detected by PCR resulted in susceptibility rates of 8.9%, 18.6%, and 18.6% to ertapenem, imipenem, and meropenem, respectively. By current breakpoints, <1% of these isolates were susceptible to ertapenem or imipenem and 2.6% to meropenem. Conclusion Clinicians and epidemiologists should be aware that use of outdated MIC breakpoints for Enterobacteriaceae remains common and can result in reports of false susceptibility to carbapenems and missed identification of carbapenemase producers. This misclassification could have consequences for patient care and infection control efforts to address carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae.
Microglial dysfunction as a key pathological change in adrenomyeloneuropathy.

Objective: Mutations in ABCD1 cause the neurodegenerative disease adrenoleukodystrophy, which manifests as the spinal cord axonopathy adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) in nearly all males surviving into adulthood. Microglial dysfunction has long been implicated in pathogenesis of brain disease but its role in the spinal cord is unclear. Methods: We assessed spinal cord microglia in humans and mice with AMN and investigated the role of ABCD1 in microglial activity toward neuronal phagocytosis in cell culture. As mutations in ABCD1 lead to incorporation of very long chain fatty acids into phospholipids, we separately examined the effects of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) upon microglia. Results: Within the spinal cord of humans and mice with AMN, upregulation of several phagocytosis-related markers such as MFGE8 and TREM2 precedes complement activation and synapse loss. Unexpectedly, this occurs in the absence of overt inflammation. LPC C26:0 added to ABCD1-deficient microglia in culture further enhances MFGE8 expression, aggravates phagocytosis and leads to neuronal injury. Furthermore, exposure to a MFGE8 blocking antibody reduces phagocytic activity. Interpretation: Spinal cord microglia lacking ABCD1 are primed for phagocytosis, affecting neurons within an altered metabolic milieu. Blocking phagocytosis or specific phagocytic receptors may alleviate synapse loss and axonal degeneration. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A communal catalogue reveals Earth’s multiscale microbial diversity

Our growing awareness of the microbial world’s importance and diversity contrasts starkly with our limited understanding of its fundamental structure. Despite recent advances in DNA sequencing, a lack of standardized protocols and common analytical frameworks impedes comparisons among studies, hindering the development of global inferences about microbial life on Earth. Here we present a meta-analysis of microbial community samples collected by hundreds of researchers for the Earth Microbiome Project. Coordinated protocols and new analytical methods, particularly the use of exact sequences instead of clustered operational taxonomic units, enable bacterial and archaeal ribosomal RNA gene sequences to be followed across multiple studies and allow us to explore patterns of diversity at an unprecedented scale. The result is both a reference database giving global context to DNA sequence data and a framework for incorporating data from future studies, fostering increasingly complete characterization of Earth’s microbial diversity.