cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hepatitis C screening and testing: a call for a national response.

The purpose of this brief is to convey the immediate need to coordinate and integrate hepatitus C virus (HCV) screening and testing for HIV co-infected and HCVinfected clients, into primary care. In 2000, 1.25 million persons were estimated to be chronically infected with hepatitus B virus (HBV), and 2.7 million are chronically infected with HCV. Furthermore, 55% to 85% of new HCV infections become chronic. Of the 1.0 million people chronically infected with HIV, 250,000 also have HBV, and w 50,000 also have HCV, the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver disease is now the leading cause of death in Americans with HIV infection. A key barrier to hepatitis prevention has been surveillance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommendations include establishing a computerized database to facilitate surveillance of persons with chronic HBV and HCV infections, in addition to those with acute infections. The current viral hepatitis surveillance system in the United States is highly fragmented and poorly developed. As a result, surveillance data do not provide accurate estimates of the current burden of disease, are insufficient for program planning and evaluation and do not provide the information that would allow policy-makers to allocate sufficient resources to viral hepatitis prevention and control programs. Although surveillance infrastructure is in place for reporting of acute infection, reports of chronic HBV and HCV, which account for the greatest burden of disease, are not submitted by most states. A national effort is recommended to ensure accurate surveillance as a step toward appropriate prevention, treatment and evaluation of efforts.
A hell of a dilemma: rejoinder to Talbott

In this brief rejoinder to Talbott's reply, I argue that his clarifications pose a dilemma for him: he must either modify his account of unbearable misery, or give up his claim that all sinners must reach a point where they can resist God no farther. I first encountered the work of Thomas Talbott as a graduate student in philosophy at Notre Dame while writing a dissertation defending the traditional doctrine of hell. My mentor recommended Talbott's work to me as a formidable defence of universalism that I needed to answer in order to sustain my case. I found his work deeply challenging because it deploys an impressive array of arguments, both philosophical and exegetical, in support of his claim that universalism is necessarily true, a claim that most who are sympathetic to uni versalism are reluctant to espouse. This is a version of universalism that you can sink your teeth into! I am pleased that Talbott considers me one of his better critics. In his latest instalment in our interchange he has clarified his position in some important respects. First, it is clear that at the end of the day, he believes that sinners who persist in rebellion against God and experience ever-increasing misery as a result, finally have no choice but to turn to God. There is an upper limit to the amount of misery any finite creature can absorb, so the choice to turn to God, if this point is reached, is not free in the libertarian sense of the word. The choices we make to reach this point are free, but ironically, those choices take us to a point where our only option is to repent of all those choices. Second, we now have a better picture of what Talbott means by 'unbearable suffering' and 'forcibly imposed punishment'. Apparently he does not under stand these terms in the same way they are typically understood in traditional accounts of hell, as some of his other writings have suggested. His illustration of the foolish married man who has a frivolous affair and then suffers greatly for it is helpful for bringing this into focus. As Talbott puts it, 'the good in the worst of sinners the indestructible image of God if you will can itself become a source
Leaders, managers and producers: repositioning technical communication for the creative economy

Technical communication has traditionally positioned itself as a "service profession " when the work technical communicators actually do more closely resembles the complex leadership, management and subject matter work of a creative profession. This paper presents and then analyzes a case study to demonstrate this argument then presents pedagogical implications based on the analysis. The implications include continuing to teach the discipline as it is, but also asks us to read and teach more across disciplines, to encourage workplace experiences and finally to consider relocating technical communication outside of the English department, its traditional academic home.
Characterization of two cDNA clones which encode O-methyltransferases for the methylation of both flavonoid and phenylpropanoid compounds.

Abstract Enzymatic O -methylation of phenylpropanoid and flavonoid compounds is believed to be catalyzed by distinct classes of O -methyltransferases [EC 2.1.1.6x]. The O-methylated derivatives of phenylpropanoids and flavonoids play an important role in lignification and as antimicrobial compounds, respectively. Two cDNA clones, OMT1 and OMT2, which differ in three amino acid residues were isolated and characterized from the semiaquatic freshwater weed Chrysosplenium americanum (Saxifragaceae). These two novel cDNA clones encode enzymes which catalyze the 3′-O-methylation of the flavonoid aglycones luteolin and quercetin, although they also catalyze the efficient 3/5- O -methylation of the phenylpropanoids caffeic and 5-hydroxyferulic acids, respectively. Both recombinant proteins were partially purified from an Escherichia coli expression system and their kinetic parameters were compared using two flavonoids and two phenylpropanoids as substrates. Although both gene products methylate caffeic acid and 5-hydroxyferulic acid to a similar extent, they exhibit a threefold higher affinity for and a four- to sixfold increase in turnover of flavonoid compounds. The gene product of OMT1 accepts the flavonoid substrates luteolin and quercetin for methylation at a higher rate than that of OMT2, as indicated by a two- to threefold increase in its V max values and turnover ratios. The fact that C. americanum accumulates a variety of highly methylated flavonols and exhibits little lignification suggests that these two flavonoid OMT clones have retained their ability to O -methylate phenylpropanoids as well. These results are discussed in relation to differences in the amino acid sequences of these two clones, as well as with other O -methyltransferases, and the evolutionary divergence of these genes in plants.
The Dead Hand of Socialism State Ownership in the Arab World

Extensive government ownership in the economy is a source of inefficiency and a barrier to economic development. Although precise measures of government ownership across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are hard to come by, the governments of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Yemen all operate sizeable segments of their economies — in some cases accounting for more than two-thirds of the GDP.International experience suggests that private ownership tends to outperform public ownership. Yet MENA countries have made only modest progress toward reducing the share of government ownership in their economies and are seen as unlikely candidates for wholesale privatization in the near future.MENA countries need to implement privatization in order to sustain their transitions toward more representative political systems and inclusive economic institutions. Three main lessons emerge from the experience of countries that have undergone large privatization programs in the past. First, the form of privatization matters for its economic outcomes and for popular acceptance of the reform. Transparent privatization, using open and competitive bidding, produces significantly better results than privatization by insiders, without public scrutiny. Second, private ownership and governance of the financial sector is crucial to the success of restructuring. Third, privatization needs to be a part of a broader reform package that would liberalize and open MENA economies to competition.
Medical management of peripheral arterial disease: a therapeutic algorithm

Over half of the people with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) may be asymptomatic. The most common symptom of mild-to-moderate PAD is intermittent claudication, present in about one third of symptomatic patients. Patients with intermittent claudication often have severely impaired functional status. Despite the high prevalence of the disease and the strong association with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, patients with PAD are less likely to receive appropriate treatment for their atherosclerotic risk factors than are those being treated for coronary artery disease. The goals of treatment are to prevent progression of systemic atherosclerosis and its associated morbidity and mortality, to prevent limb loss, and to improve functional capacity for symptomatic patients. For claudicating patients, medical management includes symptomatic treatment with cilostazol or pentoxifylline. For all patients, it is equally important to pursue risk reduction through exercise programs and promotion of smoking cessation, as well as with the use of statins, antiplatelet therapies, antithrombotic strategies, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, beta-blockers, and attention to homocysteine levels. Because not all patients are symptomatic, medical management of peripheral arterial disease may proceed along an algorithmic pathway that recognizes 3 types of patients: those requiring risk reduction only, symptomatic patients with minimal lifestyle limitation, and symptomatic patients with significant lifestyle impairment.
Fast Information Value for Graphical Models

Calculations that quantify the dependencies between variables are vital to many operations with graphical models, e.g., active learning and sensitivity analysis. Previously, pairwise information gain calculation has involved a cost quadratic in network size. In this work, we show how to perform a similar computation with cost linear in network size. The loss function that allows this is of a form amenable to computation by dynamic programming. The message-passing algorithm that results is described and empirical results demonstrate large speedups without decrease in accuracy. In the cost-sensitive domains examined, superior accuracy is achieved.
Disproportionation and Vaporization of Solid Silicon Monoxide

The vaporization rate of solid SiO was studied in the temperature range 1005° to 1475°C. It was concluded that (a) in an argon atmosphere the vaporization rate is external gas diffusion controlled; (b) only the upper layers of the charge contribute to the vaporization, so that a zero-order process is observed; (c) the heat of vaporization of SiO is 72.5 kcal/mole. Solid SiO disproportionates when heated in the temperature range 1000° to 1440°C, but the reaction does not go to completion. The reaction in the solid state is irreversible. The product silicon inhibits the reaction.
Integrating Factors that Predict Energy Conservation: The Theory of Planned Behavior and Beliefs about Climate Change

A survey of college students was used to examine predictors of four types of energy conservation behavior. Our proposed predictors were derived from Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and from problem awareness variables (environmental concern, and knowledge and beliefs about global warming) thought to have indirect effects on conservation via TPB constructs. TPB constructs were significant direct predictors of target behaviors. Perceived behavioral control (PBC) was the strongest and most consistent predictor, predicting all four behaviors, followed by perceived worth (attitude), predicting three behaviors. TPB variables mediated the effects of either environmental concern or beliefs about the consequences of global warming on three behaviors. Finally, there were also significant mediating relationships among TPB variables themselves. Subjective norm predicted perceived worth and PBC, and perceived worth predicted PBC for all but one behavior. Theoretical implications and implications for intervention are discussed. To our knowledge this is the first study to separately demonstrate, in one sample, the predictive value of TPB with respect to different types of energy conservation, and to integrate TPB variables with climate-change beliefs.
Neurotropic Infectious Agents and Cognitive Impairment in Schizophrenia

The links between infectious agents and risk for schizophrenia have been widely debated, but few investigations have focused on "epidiagnostic" effects, eg, whether exposures to infectious agents alter key clinical aspects of the disorder, such as cognitive impairment. The present theme issue evaluates epidiagnostic cognitive effects of two common infectious agents, namely Herpes Simplex Virus, type 1 and Toxoplasma gondii.
Bar Code and Radio-Frequency Technologies Can Increase Safety and Efficiency of Blood Transfusions

Bar-coded labels on wristbands, blood sample tubes, and blood components can facilitate matching the “right” blood unit and the “right” patient. Nurses preferred to verify their patientblood unit identification matches by scanning bar code labels rather than seeking out a second nurse for a conventional visual “double check” verification. Occasional scans of barcoded wristbands failed because of crinkles, food spills, and blurring due to bathing. Also, inadvertently scanning the wrong bar code on a blood component signaled the program that a mismatch was occurring and “shut down” the system, according to the requirements of our software program. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) labels on wristbands and blood components were easier to scan, but bar coded labels may be adequate for personal identification cards and labels on blood sample tubes for budget-conscious transfusion safety systems. We envision significant advantages to combining transfusion safety and medication dispensing systems, using common hardware and complementary software programs.
Suppression of T-cell chemokines by Porphyromonas gingivalis

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major pathogen in periodontal disease and is associated with immune dysbiosis. In this study, we found that P. gingivalis did not induce the expression of the T-cell chemokine IP-10 (CXCL10) from neutrophils, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), or gingival epithelial cells. Furthermore, P. gingivalis suppressed gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-stimulated release of IP-10, ITAC (CXCL11), and Mig (CXCL9) from epithelial cells and inhibited IP-10 secretion in a mixed infection with the otherwise stimulatory Fusobacterium nucleatum. Inhibition of chemokine expression occurred at the level of gene transcription and was associated with downregulation of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) and decreased levels of Stat1. Ectopic expression of IRF-1 in epithelial cells relieved P. gingivalis-induced inhibition of IP-10 release. Direct contact between P. gingivalis and epithelial cells was not required for IP-10 inhibition. These results highlight the immune-disruptive potential of P. gingivalis. Suppression of IP-10 and other Th1-biasing chemokines by P. gingivalis may perturb the balance of protective and destructive immunity in the periodontal tissues and facilitate the pathogenicity of oral microbial communities.
Microfields Induced by Random Compensated Charge Pairs in Ferroelectric Materials

The dc and microwave responses of the BaxSr1-x (X,Y)yTi1-yO3 family of ferroelectric compounds with various substitutional additives X3+, Y5+ are analyzed by combining the random-field technique with the mean-field (Landau-Devonshire) theory of ferroelectricity, along with a self-consistent computation of the dielectric constant of the host material in the presence of the impurity fields. The fields in the material are assumed to arise from charge compensation at the Ti4+ sites, leading to permanent dipoles made up of the resulting positive and negative ions separated by a few lattice constants. It is shown that whereas completely random placement of positive and negative ions generates a Holtsmark distribution of electric field, with infinite second moment and hence extremely large fluctuations in field strength, the association of ionized impurities into permanent dipoles leads to much lower fluctuations in field and a distribution with finite second moment, which makes a self-consistent dielectric constant meaningful.
Randomized comparison of a novel anticoagulant, vasoflux, and heparin as adjunctive therapy to streptokinase for acute myocardial infarction: Results of the VITAL study (Vasoflux International Trial for Acute Myocardial Infarction Lysis)

Abstract Background Vasoflux is a low-molecular-weight heparin derivative that inhibits factor IXa activation of factor X and catalyzes fibrin-bound thrombin inactivation by heparin cofactor II. We studied whether vasoflux improves the results of thrombolysis with streptokinase for acute myocardial infarction. Methods and Results We randomized 277 patients with acute myocardial infarction to standard intravenous unfractionated heparin (UFH) or intravenous vasoflux 1, 4, 8, or 16 mg/kg as a bolus followed by 1, 4, 8, or 16 mg/kg per hour infusion, on top of streptokinase and aspirin, until angiography at 90 minutes. Patency and corrected Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) frame count were studied at 60 and 90 minutes. Rates of TIMI grade 3 flow with vasoflux at any dose (35% to 42%) were not different from UFH (41%) at either time point, nor was the corrected TIMI frame count. However, there was an excess of bleeding in the patients randomized to vasoflux 8 or 16 mg/kg: 78% and 71%, compared with 53% for UFH ( P =.004 and.043, respectively). Major bleeding was observed in 13% and 28% at these vasoflux doses compared with 8% with UFH ( P =.558 and.01, respectively). Conclusion At doses that increase the risk of bleeding, the addition of vasoflux to streptokinase and aspirin did not lead to improved patency rates compared with UFH. Targeting factor IXa and heparin cofactor II may not be a useful adjunct to thrombolysis. (Am Heart J 2001;142:237-43.)
25-Hydroxycholesterol Is Produced by Testicular Macrophages During the Early Postnatal Period and Influences Differentiation of Leydig Cells In Vitro

Leydig cells develop inappropriately in animals lacking testicular macrophages. We have recently found that macrophages from adult animals produce 25-hydroxycholesterol, an oxysterol involved in the differentiation of hepatocytes and keratinocytes. Therefore, we hypothesized that testicular macrophages also produce 25-hydroxycholesterol during the early postnatal period and that this oxysterol plays a role in the differentiation of Leydig cells. We assessed the production of 25-hydroxycholesterol and 25-hydroxylase mRNA by cultured testicular macrophages from rats at 10, 20, and 40 days of age. We also tested the long-term effects of 25-hydroxycholesterol on basal and LH-stimulated testosterone production, and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity as end points of Leydig cell differentiation in vitro. We found that testicular macrophages from animals at all ages produced both 25-hydroxycholesterol and 25-hydroxylase mRNA, with macrophages from 10-day-old animals having the highest steady-state levels of message. We also found that chronic exposure of Leydig cells to 25-hydroxycholesterol increased basal production of testosterone but decreased LH-stimulated steroidogenesis at all ages. Finally, 25-hydroxycholesterol increased 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in both progenitor and immature Leydig cells. These findings support the hypothesis that testicular macrophages play an important role in the differentiation of Leydig cells through the secretion of 25-hydroxycholesterol.
Optimal description of a protein structure in terms of multiple groups undergoing TLS motion.

A single protein crystal structure contains information about dynamic properties of the protein as well as providing a static view of one three-dimensional conformation. This additional information is to be found in the distribution of observed electron density about the mean position of each atom. It is general practice to account for this by refining a separate atomic displacement parameter (ADP) for each atomic center. However, these same displacements are often described well by simpler models based on TLS (translation/libration/screw) rigid-body motion of large groups of atoms, for example interdomain hinge motion. A procedure, TLSMD, has been developed that analyzes the distribution of ADPs in a previously refined protein crystal structure in order to generate optimal multi-group TLS descriptions of the constituent protein chains. TLSMD is applicable to crystal structures at any resolution. The models generated by TLSMD analysis can significantly improve the standard crystallographic residuals R and Rfree and can reveal intrinsic dynamic properties of the protein.
A differential-height-mesa buried body tie SOI process

A low-area penalty method of contacting the floating body of thin-film SOI (silicon-on-insulator) devices has been devised. By contacting the otherwise floating body, its potential can be fixed and the well-documented issues of bipolar snapback and kink arising from impact ionization may be mostly or entirely mitigated. This body tie is fabricated under a conventional LOCOS field isolation structure. An added benefit of this process approach is that mesas of different thicknesses may be readily fabricated so that a mixture of fully depleted and partially depleted transistors can be built on a common substrate simultaneously. >
Use of cystatin C to inform metformin eligibility among adult veterans with diabetes.

Abstract Aims Recommendations for metformin use are dependent on eGFR category: eGFR >45 ml/min/1.73 m 2 – "first-line agent"; eGFR 30–44 – "use with caution"; eGFR Methods In a consecutive cohort of 550 Veterans with diabetes, metformin use and eligibility were assessed by eGFR category, using eGFRcr and eGFRcys. Discrepancy in eligibility was defined as cases where eGFRcr and eGFRcys categories ( 60 ml/min/1.73 m 2 ) differed with an absolute difference in eGFR of >5 ml/min/1.73 m 2 . We modeled predictors of metformin use and eGFR category discrepancy with multivariable relative risk regression and multinomial logistic regression. Results Subjects were 95% male, median age 68, and racially diverse (45% White, 22% Black, 11% Asian, 22% unknown). Metformin use decreased with severity of eGFRcr category, from 63% in eGFRcr >60 to 3% in eGFRcr 2 , 1.01–1.08) and albuminuria >30 mg/g (aOR = 1.81, 1.20–2.73). Conclusions Metformin use is low among Veterans with CKD. eGFRcys may serve as a confirmatory estimate of kidney function to allow safe use of metformin among patients with CKD, particularly among older individuals and those with albuminuria.
Understanding the Divorce Cycle: Coupling and Uncoupling

N o one can divorce without first getting married. Hence it is important to understand the role marital behavior plays in the divorce cycle. This chapter has two objectives: first, to understand how parental divorce affects marriage timing and rates; and second, to consider the types of people the children of divorce marry. The answers to these questions indicate that the children of divorce often marry under conditions that bode poorly for marital success. Almost everyone gets married. Despite well-publicized declines in the marriage rate over the past few decades, recent research suggests that the great majority of people – about 90 percent – will wed at some point in their lifetimes. Marriage therefore remains the normal experience for heterosexual Americans, including people from divorced families. Nevertheless, we should not lose sight of the fact that millions of adults will never marry, though many will live with partners out of wedlock – a topic addressed in Chapter 6. Marriage is often taken for granted, even by social scientists. As a result, we tend to lose sight of its importance. Not only do most people wed, but married men and women on average are happier and better adjusted than either single or divorced people. This is particularly important for the children of divorce, who typically report lower levels of emotional well-being than their peers from intact families. Even though the majority of people from divorced families ultimately will dissolve at least one marriage, a substantial minority will not.
Weak geographical structure in sperm morphology across the range of two willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus subspecies in Scandinavia

Sperm morphology is highly diversified among species and at higher taxonomic levels. In birds, there is also increasing evidence of geographical differentiation in sperm traits within species, especially in those with strong sperm competition. Geographical divergences in sperm traits might imply the formation of a reproductive barrier in a speciation process. Here we study sperm morphology variation of willow warblers Phylloscopus trochilus in a geographical context in Scandinavia, across the range of two subspecies that are differentiated in certain genetic markers, morphology and migratory routes. We describe geographical patterns in genotypes (two previously described single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and four polymorphic microsatellites); in wing length, tarsus length and body mass; and in sperm traits of 330 male willow warblers sampled at 33 localities across Norway (58°N–69°N). Birds were on average larger and longer‐winged in the north (spp. acredula) than in the south (spp. trochilus), and showed a sigmoid change in the SNP allele frequencies and body morphology around 65°N. We found no evidence of genetic structuring in the microsatellites. There was no geographical variation in sperm traits across Norway, except that sperm heads were on average longer in the south. Sperm head length was also associated with the two SNP markers, with longer sperm heads for the southern alleles, and midpiece length was weakly associated with one of the SNP markers. Similar among‐male variances in total sperm length among the 33 sampling sites indicate uniform levels of sperm competition across Norway. We conclude that sperm morphology remains a rather undifferentiated trait between the two willow warbler subspecies in Scandinavia, which is consistent with a pattern of a shallow genetic divergence. This indicates that sperm morphology is not a reproductive barrier maintaining the narrow hybrid zone.
Use of microplate methods in paternity testing.

The use of microplate methods in extended erythrocyte typing of persons referred for paternity testing is described. Not only are the results as reliable as those of conventional tube methods, but a significant cost reduction and considerable savings in reagents and examination time are realized.
Bone Consumption by Cheetahs at Undisturbed Kills: Evidence for a Lack of Focal-Palatine Erosion

The feeding behavior of wild and wild-caught, captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) was observed to determine time spent at kills, the amount of food consumed, and especially, which, if any, bones were consumed. Wild cheetahs stayed with kills up to 11 h. Individual cheetahs consumed up to 10 kg of food in < 2 h. Cheetahs consumed all bones, except the skull, of prey weighing < 10 kg, and consumed a substantial proportion of the rib cage and vertebral column of 30-50-kg prey. Juvenile cheetahs (aged 6-16 months) had no difficulty crushing and consuming bones
Colloidal Luminescent Silicon Nanorods

Silicon nanorods are grown by trisilane decomposition in hot squalane in the presence of tin (Sn) nanocrystals and dodecylamine. Sn induces solution–liquid–solid nanorod growth with dodecylamine serving as a stabilizing ligand. As-prepared nanorods do not luminesce, but etching with hydrofluoric acid to remove residual surface oxide followed by thermal hydrosilylation with 1-octadecene induces bright photoluminescence with quantum yields of 4–5%. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that the ligands prevent surface oxidation for months when stored in air.
LABORATORY EVOLUTION OF EPICUTICULAR HYDROCARBON COMPOSITION AND CUTICULAR PERMEABILITY IN DROSOPHILA PSEUDOOBSCURA: EFFECTS ON SEXUAL DIMORPHISM AND THERMAL-ACCLIMATION ABILITY.

Changement dans la permeabilite cuticulaire et dans la composition en glucides de l'epicuticule chez une lignee isofemelle de D. pseudoobscura etudies pendant 7 annees de culture en masse, effet de la temperature et du sexe
Relationships between nutritive quality and fiber components of cool season and warm season forages: a retrospective study.

Feeding trials were conducted with 428 forages in three forage classes (C3 grasses, legumes, C4 grasses) fed ad libitum to sheep and with 170 forages fed to cattle over a 20-yr period. Of this total, 153 forages were fed concurrently to sheep and cattle. Where the same forages were fed, mean dry matter digestibility (DMD) and dry matter intake (DMI) were lower (P less than .01) for sheep than for cattle, with significant effects of forage class. With the main population of forages, the regression of DMI on DMD was positive and curvilinear (P less than .01) for sheep, with no effect of forage class, and positive and linear (P less than .0001) for cattle, with a significant effect of class. For all forages, correlations between DMI and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration were -.57 for sheep and -.41 for cattle; regressions differed (P less than .05) with class and animal species. Correlations of DMD with NDF and acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentrations were -.45 and -.59 (P less than .01), respectively, for sheep, and -.32 and -.39 (P less than .01) for cattle; again, regressions differed significantly with class and animal species. Within forage class, regressions of DMD and DMI on fiber components generally were linear. Intake of NDF (NDFI) was related to NDF percentage for all forages by a quadratic regression, with significant differences due to animal species and forage class. Results indicate that relationships between DMD, DMI and fiber fractions differ between forage classes and animal species, that C4 grasses are consumed at levels higher than would be expected from their DMD and fiber concentrations and that ruminants increase NDFI in response to higher NDF concentrations in the forage.
Dynamic Limit Pricing in a Mature Market

This paper examines the optimal pricing strategy for a group of firms which is confronted by a potential entrant into its market. It is assumed that (i) the existing firms act collusively to maximize profits over some finite horizon, (ii) the potential entrant also maximizes profits over the same horizon and (iii) the market is mature in the sense that only one additional firm can enter the market without significantly decreasing market efficiency. These three assumptions allow for the determination of an equilibrium limit price which would exclude any potential entrant.
The IL-8/IL-8R Axis: A Double Agent in Tumor Immune Resistance

Interleukin-8 (IL-8, CXCL8) is a pro-inflammatory chemokine produced by various cell types to recruit leukocytes to sites of infection or tissue injury. Acquisition of IL-8 and/or its receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2 are known to be a relatively common occurrence during tumor progression. Emerging research now indicates that paracrine signaling by tumor-derived IL-8 promotes the trafficking of neutrophils and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) into the tumor microenvironment, which have the ability to dampen anti-tumor immune responses. Furthermore, recent studies have also shown that IL-8 produced by the tumor mass can induce tumor cells to undergo the transdifferentiation process epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in which tumor cells shed their epithelial characteristics and acquire mesenchymal characteristics. EMT can increase metastatic dissemination, stemness, and intrinsic resistance, including to killing by cytotoxic immune cells. This review highlights the dual potential roles that the inflammatory cytokine IL-8 plays in promoting tumor resistance by enhancing the immunosuppressive microenvironment and activating EMT, and then discusses the potential for targeting the IL-8/IL-8 receptor axis to combat these various resistance mechanisms.
Aqueous Aggregation Behavior of Engineered Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Effects of Oxidative Surface Aging

For successful aqueous-based applications, it is necessary to fundamentally understand and control nanoparticle dispersivity and stability over a range of dynamic conditions, including variable ionic strengths/types, redox chemistries, and surface ligand reactivity/degradation states (i.e., surface aging). Here, we quantitatively describe the behavior of artificially aged, oleic acid (OA) bilayer coated iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) under different scenarios. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), used here as a model oxidant under both dark and light ultraviolet (UVA) conditions, was employed to “age” materials, to varying degrees, without increasing ionic strength. Short-term stability experiments indicate that OA-IONPs, while stable in the dark, are effectively destabilized when exposed to UVA/H2O2/•OH based oxidation processes. Compared to bicarbonate, phosphate (1.0 mM) has a net stabilizing effect on OA-IONPs under oxidative conditions, which can be attributed to (surface-based) functional adsorption. Corresp...
The 1.7 Angstrom X-Ray Crystal Structure of the Porcine Factor VIII C2 Domain and Binding Analysis to Anti-Human C2 Domain Antibodies and Phospholipid Surfaces

Abstract The factor VIII C2 domain is essential for binding to activated platelet surfaces as well as the cofactor activity of factor VIII in blood coagulation. Inhibitory antibodies against the C2 domain commonly develop following factor VIII replacement therapy for hemophilia A patients, or they may spontaneously arise in cases of acquired hemophilia. Porcine factor VIII is an effective therapeutic for hemophilia patients with inhibitor due to its low cross-reactivity, however, the molecular basis for this behavior is poorly understood. In this study, the X-ray crystal structure of the porcine factor VIII C2 domain was determined, and superposition of the human and porcine C2 domains demonstrates that most surface-exposed differences cluster on the face harboring the “non-classical” antibody epitopes. Furthermore, antibody-binding results illustrate that the “classical” 3E6 antibody can bind both the human and porcine C2 domains, although the inhibitory titer to human factor VIII is 41 BU/mg IgG versus 0.8 BU/mg IgG to porcine factor VIII, while the non-classical G99 antibody does not bind to the porcine C2 domain nor inhibit porcine factor VIII activity. Lastly, differences between the electrostatic surface potentials suggest that the C2 domain binds to the negatively charged phospholipid surfaces of activated platelets primarily through the 3E6 epitope region. In contrast, the G99 face, which contains residue 2227, should be distal to the membrane surface. Phospholipid binding assays indicate that both porcine and human factor VIII C2 domains bind with similar affinities, and the human K2227E mutant binds to phospholipid surfaces with a modestly decreased affinity. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The effects of tidal elevation on parasite heterogeneity and co-infection in the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica

Abstract Risk of infection by parasites can be driven by environmental heterogeneity, often at small scales. We quantified the effect of tidal elevation on infection patterns of two lethal parasites, Perkinsus marinus and Haplosporidium nelsoni , in an important coastal species, the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica . Within the southeastern US, oysters in Georgia and South Carolina are rarely found in the subtidal zone. Historically, it has been hypothesized that this pattern could be due to the increased exposure of hosts to waterborne parasites. We manipulated oysters at two tidal elevations (intertidal and subtidal) in a Georgia estuary to test if P. marinus , H. nelsoni , and co-infection by both parasites were different between tidal heights. We found that though P. marinus prevalence and co-infection prevalence of both parasites were not significantly different between tidal elevations, as has been found previously, P. marinus intensity and H. nelsoni prevalence were significantly higher intertidally than subtidally. These findings show that parasite infections can be higher in the host's natural (preferred) tidal height, and suggest that longer exposure to parasites in the subtidal is not a likely reason for the paucity of oysters at that tidal elevation in certain regions of the southeastern US. More broadly, our results provide further evidence that environmental effects on host-parasite interactions can vary by parasite species and across small (meter-long) spatial scales.
Augmented capacity to clear misfolded proteins: An intrinsic characteristic of tumor cells?

Tumor cells display a set of well-established traits that enables them to circumvent normal constraints on cell proliferation. Our recent studies suggest that tumor cells may have a heightened abil...
Prognostic Markers in Term Infants with Hypoxic–Ischemic Encephalopathy: Comparative Analysis of MRI, EEG, and Apgar Scores

Hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a frequent cause of perinatally acquired brain injury resulting in abnormal neurological consequences. In this retrospective study, we evaluated 68 neonates with clinical evidence of HIE to investigate the utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and Apgar scores, individually and in combination, as predictors of long-term outcome. Six infants died during treatment, and 46 of the remaining 62 infants (74%) received follow-up neurological assessments at ages 6 to 24 months. The outcome was dichotomously classified as good (reflecting “normal development”) or as poor (reflecting “neurological deficits” based upon attainment of developmental milestones or death). Abnormal Apgar scores, MRIs, and EEGs had sensitivities of 50, 84, and 95% for predicting “neurological deficit.” Corresponding specificities were 85, 66, and 18%. However, the combination of abnormal Apgar scores, MRIs, and EEGs in predicting poor outcomes (i.e., “neurological deficits” or death) had sensitivity and specificity of 100%. In addition, the combination of abnormal Apgar scores, MRIs, and EEGs provided a positive predictive value of 100% in assessing poor outcome as compared with 73% (p = 0.2) for Apgar scores, 71% (p = 0.01) for MRIs, and 56% (p = 0.001) for EEGs.
ARFI variance of acceleration (VoA) for noninvasive characterization of human carotid plaques in vivo

Rather than degree of stenosis, assessing plaque structure and composition is relevant to discerning risk for plaque rupture with downstream ischemic event. The structure and composition of carotid plaque has been assessed noninvasively using Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) ultrasound imaging. In particular, ARFI-derived peak displacement (PD) estimations have been demonstrated for discriminating soft (lipid rich necrotic core (LRNC) or intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH)) from stiff (collagen (COL) or calcium (CAL)) plaque features; however, PD did not differentiate LRNC from IPH or COL from CAL. The purpose of this study is to evaluate a new ARFI-based measurement, the variance of acceleration (VoA), for differentiating among soft and stiff plaque components. Both PD and VoA results were obtained in vivo for a human carotid plaque acquired in a previous study and matched to a histological standard analyzed by a pathologist. With VoA, plaque feature contrast was increased by an average of 60% in comparison to PD.
GIScience and Systems

Geographic information systems (GIS) support virtually any operation on geographic information: acquisition, editing, manipulation, analysis, modeling, visualization, publication, and storage. Geographic information science (GIScience) addresses the fundamental questions posed by GIS, constitutes the body of knowledge exploited by GIS, and the research that will enable the next generation of GIS. The history of GIS development has been dominated by a series of applications, and today virtually any activity concerned with the Earth's surface or near-surface has made use of GIS. GIS views the geographic domain through a particular lens, partitioning variation into a set of layers, and organizing space either as an array of cells or as a collection of point, line, or area features. Concepts of object orientation have been adopted within the past decade, allowing GIS to move significantly beyond the metaphor of the map and to include representations of phenomena that are complex and dynamic. Much effort has been expended in the past decade on exploiting the power of the Internet to support sharing of geographic information, and the geoportal represents the most recent stage in those developments. Various efforts have been made to identify the research agenda of GIScience, and a consensus has emerged as to its most important elements.
Perturbing the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis: A Mathematical Model for Interpreting PTSD Assessment Tests.

We use a dynamical systems model of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis to understand the mechanisms underlying clinical protocols used to probe patient stress response. Specifically, we address dexamethasone (DEX) and ACTH challenge tests, which probe pituitary and adrenal gland responses, respectively. We show that some previously observed features and experimental responses can arise from a bistable mathematical model containing two steady-states, rather than relying on specific and permanent parameter changes due to physiological disruption. Moreover, we show that the timing of a perturbation relative to the intrinsic oscillation of the HPA axis can affect challenge test responses. Conventional mechanistic hypotheses supported and refuted by the challenge tests are reexamined by varying parameters in our mathematical model associated with these hypotheses. We show that (a) adrenal hyposensitivity can give rise to the responses seen in ACTH challenge tests and (b) enhanced cortisol-mediated suppression of the pituitary in subjects with PTSD is not necessary to explain the responses observed in DEX stress tests. We propose a new two-stage DEX/external stressor protocol to more clearly distinguish between the conventional hypothesis of enhanced suppression of the pituitary and bistable dynamics hypothesized in our model.
Understanding families’ conceptions of school readiness in the United States: a qualitative metasynthesis

The call by policymakers, education stakeholders, and families for children to enter school ‘ready’ has led to numerous empirical studies that seek to identify how children and their families are o...
Remembering Lucky Dragon, re-membering Bikini: worlding the Anthropocene through transpacific nuclear modernity

This paper examines two recent Godzilla-themed cultural artefacts that highlight the entanglement between nuclear weaponry and nuclear energy: first, the 60th anniversary Godzilla exhibit at the To...
Mechanisms and criteria for failure in polycrystalline graphene

Abstract Graphene is a two-dimensional material that consists of a single layer of carbon atoms covalently bonded in a hexagonal lattice that has incredible mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. Nanoindentation experiments on freely-suspended circular membranes of mechanically exfoliated single crystal graphene have demonstrated it as the strongest material ever characterized. Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) techniques have offered an industrially scalable method to synthesize large area continuous polycrystalline graphene films. Subsequent nanoindentation experiments reveal the presence of grain boundaries only slightly diminishes its strength. Herein, we investigate the probability of failure of grain boundaries in graphene through the Finite Element Method (FEM) within the context of the nanoindentation experiment of a two-grain graphene domain with a single straight grain boundary defined at varying distances from the indentation point. We introduce a novel formulation for a Cohesive Zone Model (CZM) within membrane elements to admit fracture within the grain boundary that accounts for the nonplanar kinematics of membranes. We examine the transition in failure mechanisms from one of rupture within the grain boundary to one of structural instability within the grain. Our analysis reveals three distinct failure regions that provide insight into the factors that influence the probability of failure, such as the indenter tip curvature and the grain boundary properties.
Understanding the Limitations of Fetal Cardiac Imaging

Congenital heart defects are among the most common fetal structural malformations, with a prevalence of 8 in 1,000 live births, and are a significant source of infant mortality. Women with low-risk pregnancies are screened for fetal cardiac disease by anatomical ultrasonographic surveys. Fetal echocardiography is typically reserved for pregnant women with a suspected fetal cardiac lesion based on fetal survey and pregnancies at high risk for fetal congenital heart defects. Prenatal diagnosis allows for collaboration and consultation with multiple services, improved recognition of associated extracardiac anomalies, and early detection of underlying genetic anomalies. Theoretically, prenatal diagnosis should offer opportunities to improve postnatal management and long-term outcomes. However, the evidence to suggest benefit to prenatal diagnosis is mixed and the benefit seems to be dependent on the specific cardiac lesion. To facilitate the appropriate utilization of fetal echocardiography, it is necessary to understand how the study is currently being performed, its cost considerations, and how clinicians and sonographers can use it effectively to ensure appropriate image acquisition and interpretation.
Gamification for Learning

Gamification is the use of game mechanics and game dynamics to drive game-like engagements and actions in a non-game setting. As a teaching tool, gamification applies game mechanics, game dynamics, and frameworks to promote desired learning behaviors. Positive and effective gamification could enhance learning and engage learners in more social and context-rich decision making for problem solving in learning tasks. Effective gamification design should understand learners’ game personalities, social engagement styles, and intrinsic and extrinsic motivated user styles initially and evaluate and select appropriate game mechanics, game dynamics to create ideal gamification instructions. This chapter proposes a Model for Constructing Gamification to assist educators in designing effective gamification to support their existing instructions. Critical issues in gamification integration are discussed.
Financial derivatives : pricing and risk management

Financial Derivatives explores the contemporary world of financial derivatives, starting with a presumption of only a general knowledge of undergraduate finance. These chapters have been written by many leading figures in academics, industry, and government for the benefit of advanced undergraduates, graduate students, practicing finance professionals, and the general public. As such, the chapters in this book provide a comprehensive understanding of financial derivatives. Financial Derivatives is comprised of 37 chapters organized into six parts.
Combinatorial Prediction Markets.

Several hundred organizations are now using prediction markets to forecast sales, project completion dates, and more. This number has been doubling annually for several years. Most, however, are simple prediction markets, with one market per number forecast, and several traders per market. In contrast, a single combinatorial prediction market lets a few traders manage an entire combinatorial space of forecasts. For millions of numbers or less, implementation is easy, and lab experiments have confirmed feasibility and accuracy. For larger spaces, however, many open computational problems remain.