cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase transformations in cerium and thorium metals at ultra high pressures

This paper reports on the role of pressure variable in phase transformation which has not been fully exploited in metallic elements and their alloys. The static compression of over 50% in volume can readily be obtained in most metals and this tremendous change in inter-atomic distances can lead to the formation of new exotic crystal structures. The pressure-induced electron transfer amongst existing electronic energy bands and the occupation of new bands are the driving forces in a rich variety of phase transformations. The modern high pressure diamond anvil cell techniques can produce calibrated static pressures of over 300 to 400 GPa range and this technology, when interfaced with the synchrotron radiation sources, can yield rapid structural information (1-3). These capabilities have given new impetus for investigation of phase transformations in metallic systems at extreme conditions of temperatures and pressures and in establishing phase boundaries at high pressures and high temperatures. Cerium (Ce) and thorium (Th) metals occupy special positions in the periodic table at the beginning of the 4-f lanthanide and 5-f, actinide series, respectively. Ce has one electron in the localized 4-f shell, apart from the three valence electrons. Th metal, on the other hand, has four valence electronsmore » and an unoccupied 5-f band above the Fermi-energy at ambient conditions. In view of the unoccupied 5-f band, Th metal is normally regarded as a tetravalent transition metal like Ti, Zr, and Hf and its bonding and other electronic properties can be explained within the tetravalent transition metal framework. However, the application of ultra-high pressures causes the delocalization of the 4-f shell in Ce and it is believed that Ce above 0.8 GPa pressure is a 4-f band metal.« less
Supporting Treatment Adherence Readiness through Training (START) for patients with HIV on antiretroviral therapy: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Few HIV antiretroviral adherence interventions target patients before they start treatment, assess adherence readiness to determine the timing of treatment initiation, or tailor the amount of adherence support. The Supporting Treatment Adherence Readiness through Training (START) intervention, based on the information-motivation-behavioral skills model of behavior change, is designed to address these gaps with the inclusion of (1) brief pill-taking practice trials for enhancing pretreatment adherence counseling and providing a behavioral criterion for determining adherence readiness and the timing of treatment initiation and (2) a performance-driven dose regulation mechanism to tailor the amount of counseling to the individual needs of the patient and conserve resources. The primary aim of this randomized controlled trial is to examine the effects of START on antiretroviral adherence and HIV virologic suppression. A sample of 240 patients will be randomized to receive START or usual care at one of two HIV clinics. Primary outcomes will be optimal dose-taking adherence (>85 % prescribed doses taken), as measured with electronic monitoring caps, and undetectable HIV viral load. Secondary outcomes will include dose-timing adherence (>85 % prescribed doses taken on time) and CD4 count. Primary endpoints will be month 6 (short-term effect) and month 24 (to test durability of effect), though electronic monitoring will be continuous and a fully battery of assessments will be administered every 6 months for 24 months. If efficacious and cost-effective, START will provide clinicians with a model for assessing patient adherence readiness and helping patients to achieve and sustain readiness and optimal treatment benefits. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02329782 . Registered on 22 December 2014.
Health literacy and disease-specific knowledge of caregivers for children with sickle cell disease

This study was conducted to measure the health literacy (HL) and disease-specific knowledge (DSK) of caregivers for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and relate them to their child's health care utilization. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study of caregiver-child dyads attending an urban pediatric sickle cell clinic. Caregivers were administered the Shortened Test of Functional Health Literacy (S-TOFHLA) and a locally developed DSK questionnaire. Retrospective review of the child's electronic medical record (EMR) was performed to determine annual emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. A total of 142 caregiver-child dyads were recruited for the study. Less than 5% of caregivers had limited HL, with less education (P =.03) and primary language other than English (P =.04) being the only risk factors. Although caregiver HL was not associated with ED visits or hospitalizations, surprisingly DSK was. Caregivers with higher DSK scores had children with higher annual rates of ED utilization (P =.002) and hospitalizations (P =.001), and these children were also more likely to be classified as high ED utilizers (≥4 visits per year; P =.01). Further, caregiver adherence to medication and clinic visits was associated with their child's age (P =.01). Although HL and DSK are both constructs that measure basic health understanding, they differently affect caregivers' ability to navigate and understand the health care system of children with chronic illnesses. This study suggests that the DSK/health care utilization relationship may be a more important measure than HL for programs following children with sickle cell disease and could also have applications in other pediatric chronic diseases.
A representation formula for the solutions of the second order linear differential equation

(1970). A Representation Formula for the Solutions of the Second Order Linear Differential Equation. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 77-80.
Compilation of phase I and II trial data of docetaxel and doxorubicin in the treatment of advanced breast cancer and other malignancies.

Doxorubicin and docetaxel (Taxotere; Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, Antony, France) are the most active cytotoxic agents in the treatment of advanced breast cancer. In the pre-taxane era, randomized trials demonstrated that doxorubicin-containing chemotherapy regimens are associated with higher response rates and improved survival compared with non-doxorubicin-containing regimens. Doxorubicin-containing regimens were therefore considered the standard of care at that time. Because of the substantial activity of the taxanes in anthracyline-resistant breast cancer, there is a clear rationale for combining doxorubicin with the taxanes as initial therapy for patients with metastatic disease. The combination of doxorubicin plus paclitaxel has been extensively studied. Impressive response rates were noted in at least two studies, although the treatment also resulted in an unacceptably high risk of congestive heart failure. Paclitaxel is known to perturb the metabolism of doxorubicin, thereby increasing drug exposure and augmenting the cardiotoxicity of the anthracycline. The cardiotoxicity of the combination may be ameliorated by restricting the cumulative doxorubicin dose to less than 360 mg/m2, by increasing the interval between administration of the two drugs to at least 4 hours, or by adding the cardioprotective agent dexrazoxane. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performed a randomized phase III trial comparing doxorubicin alone, paclitaxel alone, or the doxorubicin/paclitaxel combination in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Although the response rate and time to treatment failure improved with the combination, survival did not. There have been two phase II trials investigating the combination of doxorubicin plus docetaxel. The regimen was highly effective and did not seem to be associated with an increased risk of congestive heart failure. These findings justify further evaluation of the doxorubicin/docetaxel combination in patients with advanced and operable breast cancer. Such trials are currently in progress and will define the role for this combination in the management of patients with breast cancer.
The American Terrorist

As we grapple to understand the horrific mass slaughter of scores of LGBT people during their celebration of Latin@ and queer love, we resort to well-worn templates to explain his violence: Was Oma...
Molecular Aspects of Obesity and Insulin Resistance in Metabolic Syndrome and Neurological Disorders

It is becoming increasingly evident that obesity is mediated by dysfunction of feeding centers in hypothalamus, imbalance in energy intake and expenditure, and genetic variations. Obesity is an essential component of the MetS, which is characterized by abnormalities in glucose and lipid metabolism, low-grade inflammation, hypertension, and insulin resistance. Obesity is mediated by a variety of mediators, such as leptin, insulin, and different adipocytokines. Leptin resistance is closely associated with obesity and diabetes. In contrast, adiponectin produces anti-inflammatory effects and reduces obesity by regulating food intake and therefore exerting a direct effect on energy balance and weight control. Other cytokines and chemokines contribute to low-grade inflammation and initial adipose macrophage infiltration, which promote impairment in adipocyte insulin signaling and induction of insulin resistance through the interference of insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-IR) signaling pathways. Oxidative stress and low-grade inflammation are caused by an imbalance between increased production of ROS and/or reduced antioxidant activity and secretion of adipocytokines and cytokines, respectively. Collective evidence suggests that obesity is closely associated with changes in the serum levels of leptin, insulin, glucose, and corticosterone/cortisol.
Activation Status of Residual Host Dendritic Cells (DCs) but Not Their Number Governs Donor Lymphocyte Infusion (DLI)-Mediated Responses after Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)-Matched AlloBMT.

The role of host antigen presenting cells (APCs), particularly DCs in governing DLI-mediated alloresponses post MHC-matched alloBMT is unclear. To evaluate whether the amount of residual host-derived APCs determines the alloresponse of DLI we constructed MHC-matched B10.D2 (H2 d )→BALB/c (H2 d ) chimeras with varying degrees of residual host APCs. After 8 weeks of rest, chimeras received DLI in the form of 2 x 10 7 splenocytes from B10.D2 (Thy1.1 + ) mice that differ from BM donors by the expression of Thy 1.1 + marker on the lymphocytes. The differential expression of the Thy 1.1 + marker on DLI-derived T cells allowed us to precisely monitor their alloresponses in vivo . We found that in the MHC-matched model of alloBMT, contrary to the MHC-mismatched model, the amount of residual host APCs does not influence DLI-mediated T-cell alloresponses measured as the alloantigen-driven expansion of DLI-derived T cells and changes in donor chimerism. However, the early administration of DLI, 4 weeks after the conditioning resulted in statistically significant expansion of DLI-derived CD8 + and CD4 + T cells (p b , CD45.2 + )→B6Ly5.2 (H-2K b , CD45.1 + ) MHC-matched model that enabled us to dissociate the origin of DCs at different time points post-transplant based on the differential expression of CD45 marker on all host and donor hematopoietic tissues. We found that host to donor DC turnover is rapid, results in near full conversion to donor DC chimerism in the spleen (>99 %) and mesenteric lymph nodes (LN) (>99%), but not in the subcutaneous LNs ( 90%). Comprehensive phenotypic analysis showed that donor-derived DC populations in the spleen and LNs do not differ in the chimeras early or late after conditioning, however, residual host-derived DCs express significantly higher levels of costimulatory molecules, CD80, CD40 and especially CD86 at early time points after conditioning (3 weeks vs 8 weeks). These finding suggest that residual host DC activation status may be the critical factor influencing the potency of DLI-mediated responses. To further investigate the role of DC activation status, we co-administered DLI with ex vivo -matured DCs or systemically activated them with agonistic anti-CD40 antibody or CpG immunostimulatory oligonucleotides that stimulate Toll-like receptor (TLR)-9. While both approaches augmented the in vivo proliferation of DLI-derived T cells, only CpGs augmented effector function of DLI-derived T cells, particularly the production of interferon-γ (p ex vivo -matured host DCs (10/10 vs 2/10 vs 2/10; p in vivo administering TLR-9 ligands but not by administering ex vivo -matured host DCs.
Truth: Directed by James Vanderbilt. Produced by Martin Cohen, Brad Fischer, Doug Mankoff, Alaric MacAusland, Brett Ratner, William Sherak, Andrew Spaulding, and James Vanderbilt. FEA Productions, 2015, DVD, 125 minutes.

“Courage.” This was Dan Rather's one-word sign-off from his early broadcasts as anchor of the CBS Evening News in 1981. It is also a character trait in evidence in the recent feature film Truth. In...
Contact allergic reactions in patients with atopic eczema.

The controversy concerning the sensitizing potential of a common agent to which there is contact sensitivity, dinitrochlorobenzene, has been reassessed by Rees et al. (1). Dose-response relationships for contact sensitization and elicitation at three different concentrations of dinitrochlorobenzene were determined for 22 patients with minimal atopic eczema compared to 27 non-atopic healthy control subjects. Atopic patients were significantly less responsive, with smaller reactions at all challenge doses and exhibited flatter challenge doseresponse curves than did healthy controls. This is in keeping with the classic cytokine route of sensitization, which indicates that atopics should be less prone to sensitization under experimental conditions.
Properties of piezoelectric thin films for micromechanical devices and systems

Zinc oxide and ferroelectrics of the lead zirconate titanate (PZT) family are candidates for piezoelectric actuation as well as sensing elements in microelectromechanical systems. In this work the relevant properties of the thin film forms of these materials are characterized, including the induced stress, the Young's modulus, and the electromechanical coupling (piezoelectric) constants. Pyroelectric and dielectric properties (permittivity and resistivity) were also investigated. The mechanical properties in thin film ZnO and PZT were found to be favorable for their use in micromachining. The piezoelectric coefficients found for these films are also favorable for microactuation. Electrical properties in both ZnO and PZT were found to be sensitive to substrate material stress surface and surface condition. The relatively high pyroelectric coefficients measured in these films suggest the possible need for ambient temperature-cancellation schemes in micromechanical structures. Demonstration of micromachining using these films suggests that the film deposition technology as it exists now is suitable for achieving piezoelectrically induced motion on the microscale. >
Energy-based safety risk assessment: does magnitude and intensity of energy predict injury severity?

Although the quantity and quality of safety risk data have improved in recent years, available data do not link directly to natural principles and are, therefore, limited in their application and s...
Nuclear Weapons: France focuses on Mégajoule project

Work has begun on Europe's largest laser facility, Megajoule, near Bordeaux in France. The laser will he the linchpin of France's attempts to maintain its stockpile of nuclear weapons through simulation rather than explosive testing. France carried out its last nuclear tests in Muroroa in the South Pacific in 1996 before signing the international test-ban treaty.
Intrapersonal Variables Associated with Academic Adjustment in United States College Students

The current study sampled students from a college in the United States Midwest, and examined the independent predictive strength of a variety of intrapersonal factors (alcohol use, procrastination, perfectionism, perceived level of stress, and coping style) with academic adjustment while controlling for academic motivation. These relations were also examined for moderation by academic motivation. The sample consisted of 273 college students, ranging in age from 18 to 25. Motivation contributed a significant amount of variance in predicting academic adjustment, and the examined predictor variables explained a significant amount of additional variance above that of motivation. Amotivation moderated associations of multiple intrapersonal variables with academic adjustment.
Quantum mechanical treatment of polar optical mode mobility and application to InSb

Abstract A manifestly quantum mechanical calculation of the electrical conductivity for polar optical mode lattice scattering of carriers has been carried out by application of a Kubo formula. Frohlich's interaction Hamiltonian has been used in an S matrix approximation scheme. The resulting conductivity is then found to lie above the corresponding classical expression when the temperature is below the characteristic temperature, as expected. However, for temperatures above the characteristic temperature the conductivity lies below the classical expression and is contrary to expectation. When both calculations are compared to mobility data for heavy holes in InSb, the quantum calculation gives a better fit to the data. Experimentally it is found that the dominant lattice scattering for heavy holes is the polar mechanism for T ⩽ 300°K; above 300°K a second mechanism contributes to the scattering and is tentatively identified as non-polar optical mode scattering. The identification is complicated by the fact that the carrier-optical mode coupling constant and the optical mode characteristic temperature are both unknown.
Morphological Study of Dispersion Phases in Heterogeneous Waste Form Materials for Efficient Nuclear Waste Containment

The efficiency of high-level nuclear waste immobilization by incorporating a host phase within a hollandite material structure can be increased by carefully synthesizing the dispersion phases inside the hollandite matrix. Also, estimation of the leaching rate from these nuclear waste forms is critical. Hence, conformal finite elemental model has been developed to study the effect of morphology of dispersive phases on diffusive nuclear flux. COMSOL Multi-physics is used as a computational tool to solve a Nernst-Plank Equation to study the diffusion leakage flux. A 2D model is built to identify the effect of volume fractions, surface areas, and different shapes of dispersion phase on the exit flux behavior. The results have indicated that there exists an optimum combination of different parameters such as volume fraction, surface area, position with respect to open boundary, and shape of dispersion phases for immobilization.
Transformative Pedagogy with Innovative Methodology: Using Photovoice to Understand Community College Students' Needs.

Community colleges, as open access institutions, shoulder most of the responsibility in serving marginalized individuals accessing higher education. Therefore, community colleges play a critical ro...
NEO212 Inhibits Migration and Invasion of Glioma Stem Cells.

Glioblastoma multiforme is a malignant brain tumor noted for its extensive vascularity, aggressiveness, and highly invasive nature, suggesting that cell migration plays an important role in tumor progression. The poor prognosis in GBM is associated with a high rate of tumor recurrence, and resistance to the standard of care chemotherapy, temozolomide (TMZ). The novel compound NEO212, a conjugate of TMZ and perillyl alcohol (POH), has proven to be 10 fold more cytotoxic to glioma stem cells (GSCs) than TMZ, and is active against TMZ-resistant tumor cells. In this study, we show that NEO212 decreases migration and invasion of primary cultures of patient-derived GSCs, in both mesenchymal USC02 and proneural USC04 populations. The mechanism by which NEO212 reduces migration and invasion appears to be independent of its DNA alkylating effects, which cause cytotoxicity during the first hours of treatment, and is associated with a decrease in the FAK/Src signaling pathway, an effect not exhibited by TMZ. NEO212 also decreases the production of matrix metalloproteinases MMP2 and MMP9, crucial for GSC invasion. Gene expression analysis of epithelial and mesenchymal markers suggests that NEO212 increases the expression of epithelial-like characteristics, suggesting a reversion of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Furthermore, in an in vivo orthotopic glioma model, NEO212 decreases tumor progression by reducing invasion of GSCs, thereby increasing survival time of mice. These studies indicate that NEO212, in addition to cytotoxicity, can effectively reduce migration and invasion in GSCs, thus exhibiting significant clinical value in the reduction of invasion and malignant glioma progression.
Solid-State Diode Laser-Induced Fluorescence Detection in High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

The need to measure ultralow levels of pharmaceuticals in biological matrices at femtogram and attogram levels presents a significant challenge to bioanalysts. Liquid chromatography has proven to be a versatile and valuable tool for separating analytes from complex biological matrices and fluorescence detection provides both the sensitivity and the selectivity required to measure femtogram and attogram levels of analytes. Solid-state diode lasers have been used primarily in printers, compact disc recorders, and bar code scanners but have recently been adapted for use as light sources for fluorescence detection. Excellent spectral features in the visible and near-infrared regions of the spectrum, together with low cost and ruggedness, make diode lasers an attractive alternative for use as light sources in analytical measurement. Biological matrices demonstrate minimal background signals in the far-red regions of the spectrum which diode lasers emit and diode lasers are among the most stable light sources available. These facts along with expected developments in labeling systems make the potential for use of diode lasers in LC-detection quite promising. This paper reviews characteristics of diode lasers, the properties of potential visible and near-infrared fluorescent probes, instrumental aspects of diode laser fluorometers, and future trends that can be expected in this exciting field of bioanalytical research.
An invitation to IT: redesigning the first year

The authors' large computer science school found itself facing a number of challenges in the early 2000s: decreasing enrollments, discouraging retention figures, and a very rigid, vertical structure of existing degree programs. The traditional programming-first approach and lack of attractive introductory courses proved to be a large obstacle for undecided students. Also, this approach did not facilitate the creation of multiple entry points to the discipline to counterbalance the shrinking pipeline effect. Through the work of an ad-hoc task force, the school reacted with the creation of a palette of prerequisite-light introductory IT courses, and a major restructuring of all undergraduate programs. These courses are shared by the majority of our degree programs and are open to all students who want to explore IT before committing to a specific IT-related major. The courses were also packaged into several minors available to students throughout the University. In response to the changing needs of the marketplace, a Bachelor of Science in IT was also created based on a core of technology and business courses while providing enough electives for specialization. This paper describes in detail the fundamental ideas at the root of the restructuring of the curricula, the palette of courses and the positive results of their implementation during the first year.
Cap-Independent Translation in Adenovirus Infected Cells

Adenoviruses (Ads) are DNA viruses that infect humans, animals and birds, with different serotypes displaying different tissue tropisms (Beladi 1972). Ad was originally isolated because infection results in cytopathic effects and alterations in basic cellular metabolism. The Ad genome is temporally organized into early and late transcription units that are activated before or with the onset of viral DNA replication, respectively. Six early transcription units encode products required for productive viral replication and transformation of the infected cell. Regions E1A and E1B are required for cellular transformation and transactivation of the other viral transcription units (Flint and Shenk 1989). Regions E2A and E2B are required for adenoviral DNA replication. Regions E3 and E4 are required for a variety of early viral functions, including suppression of histocompatability antigen expression (reviewed in Wold and Gooding 1991), transcriptional transactivation and regulation of nuclear to cytoplasmic transport of cellular and viral mRNAs (reviewed in Schneider and Zhang 1993). The products of the early transcription units comprise only a very minor proportion of cellular mRNA and protein synthesis, and there is no evidence for selective viral translation or inhibition of cell protein synthesis during the early part of the Ad life cycle.
Efficient and Scalable Certificate Revocation List Distribution in Hierarchical VANETs

Vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANETs) have become an emerging technology that can fulfill the demand of evolving connected vehicles and growing need for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). Certificates are used to secure vehicular communication but the certificates of vehicles need to be revoked if any vehicles are found as misbehaving nodes. In VANETs, certificate revocation list (CRL) must be quickly distributed to all vehicular nodes to prevent from undesirable communication with the malicious nodes. However, due to growing number of the certificates, the size of CRL continuously increases, and as a result, it becomes difficult to manage and distribute the CRL in the vehicular networks. In this paper, we present an efficient and scalable scheme to distribute certificate revocation list in the hierarchical architecture of VANETs. Our analysis shows that proposed scheme can distribute certificate revocation list promptly throughout the networks while maintaining low CRL size.
Role retreatism of social studies teacher-coaches: An unequal balancing act

Abstract The current study explores role retreatism in secondary social studies teachers who coach athletics. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which social studies teacher-coaches retreat towards coaching and reasons for such prioritization. A case study relying primarily on interview and document data was conducted which included three secondary social studies teachers who coach football in the southeastern United States. Results indicate that participants prioritized coaching over teaching to cope with role conflict. The study further highlights the unequal rewards system in American schools, which promotes athletics over academics.
Rotating AdS-Einstein universes from constrained metrics

The imposition of a constraint between the metric tensor elements in both three- and four-dimensional, rotating anti--de Sitter (AdS) space-times is shown to reduce the number of independent equations of motion and to result in new families of solutions to the equations of motion. For the geometries investigated, analytic solutions or partial analytic solutions of the equations of motion are obtained. In all cases, the number of independent field equations is less than the number of independent functions, resulting in an undetermined function which can be freely specified. For rotating, asymptotically AdS space-times, the reduction of the number of field equations to be solved holds for vacuum black hole solutions and for black hole solutions obtained from space-times containing matter.
Frozen Elephant Trunk Procedure

Aortic arch pathology including aneurysm and dissection poses a significant technical challenge to operative repair, often requiring 2-stage repair via sternotomy followed by left thoracotomy. The traditional elephant trunk procedure was developed to facilitate this 2-stage approach. With wide adoption of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) emerged the "frozen elephant trunk" (FET) technique, which uses antegrade deployment of TEVAR endografts along with total arch replacement to accomplish a one-stage repair of complex aortic arch pathology. In this article, we describe the technique utilized for FET repair at the University of Florida.
New generation grain contracts in corn and soybean commodity markets

Abstract This research quantifies the risk reduction and price received when agricultural producers adopt new generation grain contracts (NGGCs) to hedge corn and soybean production. We explore the Accumulator, Average Price, Price Plus, Minimum Price, and Price Protection contracts and compare the performance measures of the average bushel price that would be received by the producer, the change in daily value of the portfolio and the Sharpe ratio. Specific to the Accumulator contract, we quantify the bushels accumulated during the contract period. We find that the Price Plus contracts performed best overall during the 2008–2017 period, obtaining the highest bushel price and the highest average Sharpe ratio for both corn and soybeans. Consequently, based on the average daily portfolio Sharpe ratio, the Price Plus contracts offered corn and soybean producers the best risk-adjusted return to hedge production during 2008–2017.
The Consequences of Purposefulness And Human-Likeness on Trust Repair Attempts Made by Self-Driving Vehicles:

Autonomous systems are rapidly gaining the capacity to recognize their own errors and utilize social strategies to mitigate the trust deficit that accompanies those errors. While previous research ...
Nutrient recycle from algae hydrothermal liquefaction aqueous phase through a novel selective remediation approach

Abstract Algae have received increasing interest in the past several decades as a biofuel feedstock source. However, sustainable nutrient supply has presented algal biofuels with a major obstacle in the value chain. At a scale where algal biofuels would meet a significant portion of transportation fuel needs, the demand for nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, would exceed current global agricultural production. One downstream conversion pathway, hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), produces bio-crude oils from wet algal biomass with a waste aqueous phase (HTL-AP), containing a significant amount of carbon and nitrogen. While this stream is rich in organic content and nutrients, it also contains toxic components, which include heterocyclic nitrogen compounds and phenolic compounds. Thus, the recyclability and potential toxicity of HTL-AP need to be studied in detail. The feasibility of utilizing nutrients available in HTL-AP was experimentally determined for Chlorella vulgaris and Desmodesmus armatus monocultures. Our work focused on determining the tolerance of these algae species toward HTL-AP toxicity through varying dilutions. Nitrogen replacement in the growth media was varied from a low of 18% to a high of 141% across both species. The most notable of these results show that addition of a 100× dilution (35% nitrogen replacement) of untreated HTL-AP decreased growth in C. vulgaris by 47 ± 7% with respect to a control medium. Adsorption treatments, including activated carbon and various resins, were introduced to remediate the HTL-AP toxic effects. Treatment of the HTL-AP portion with an ion-exchange resin, Dowex 50WX8, supported C. vulgaris growth at a 100× dilution (35% nitrogen replacement) with no statistical change compared to the control. An in-depth molecular profiling demonstrated for the first time the selective removal of high‑nitrogen containing components by resin treatment. This work provides a foundation for studying the toxic components of HTL-AP and possible mechanisms by which treatments can remove these components.
Writing knowledge: Wikipedia, public review, and peer review

Two systems of knowledge production are identified and addressed by this study: peer review and public review. The peer-review system is defined, its goals are stated, its participants and their ro...
Recent Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neonatal Seizures

Seizures are the most common neurological emergency in the neonates, and this age group has the highest incidence of seizures compared with any other period of life. The author provides a narrative review of recent advances in the genetics of neonatal epilepsies, new neonatal seizure classification system, diagnostics, and treatment of neonatal seizures based on a comprehensive literature review (MEDLINE using PubMED and OvidSP vendors with appropriate keywords to incorporate recent evidence), personal practice, and experience. Knowledge regarding various systemic and postzygotic genetic mutations responsible for neonatal epilepsy has been exploded in recent times, as well as better delineation of clinical phenotypes associated with rare neonatal epilepsies. An International League Against Epilepsy task force on neonatal seizure has proposed a new neonatal seizure classification system and also evaluated the specificity of semiological features related to particular etiology. Although continuous video electroencephalogram (EEG) is the gold standard for monitoring neonatal seizures, amplitude-integrated EEGs have gained significant popularity in resource-limited settings. There is tremendous progress in the automated seizure detection algorithm, including the availability of a fully convolutional neural network using artificial machine learning (deep learning). There is a substantial need for ongoing research and clinical trials to understand optimal medication selection (first line, second line, and third line) for neonatal seizures, treatment duration of antiepileptic drugs after cessation of seizures, and strategies to improve neuromorbidities such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and developmental impairments. Although in recent times, levetiracetam use has been significantly increased for neonatal seizures, a multicenter, randomized, blinded, controlled phase IIb trial confirmed the superiority of phenobarbital over levetiracetam in the acute suppression of neonatal seizures. While there is no single best choice available for the management of neonatal seizures, institutional guidelines should be formed based on a consensus of local experts to mitigate wide variability in the treatment and to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment.
The impact of the Massachusetts 2012 right to repair law on small, independent auto repair shops

In 2012, the State of Massachusetts enacted a law known as the ‘Right to Repair’ requiring automakers to share vital vehicle information and data with consumers and small auto repair shops for main...
Self-Leadership: A Four Decade Review of the Literature and Trainings

This paper reviews the fourth decade of self-leadership research. Two previous reviews of self-leadership from 2006 and 2010 are summarized, and the paper applies categories from those reviews to examine recent research in the field. This paper also covers new topics and trends in self-leadership research. In previous review articles, new theoretical models for extending self-leadership models were proposed. Therefore, this paper continues that tradition by proposing a new model—the Meta-Performance Model—that offers self-leadership as a skillset for enhancing the individual performance of leaders who seek improvement through professional certification programs. Self-leadership and professional certification programs are often treated as a stand alone topics. However, this paper contends professionals would benefit from combining self-leadership training with other professional improvement programs.
Estimating free field seismic settlement history in a saturated layered soil profile

Abstract Existing methods proposed for estimating the earthquake-induced one-dimensional free-field settlement in saturated soil, focus on the post-liquefaction permanent volumetric strain. These methods rely on undrained cyclic laboratory tests that subject the sandy samples to uniform cycles. A new method is presented to estimate the free-field one-dimensional settlement histories induced by random base motions. This approach uses an existing incremental volumetric strain model to determine the settlement history before and after liquefaction. The shear strain history of a layered profile was obtained from an effective stress-based response analysis available as an option in DEEPSOIL and was subsequently used as an input to the proposed method. A simple two-parameter porewater pressure generation model available in DEEPSOIL was employed. This model, which is capable of simulating strain-softening, was calibrated to an existing probabilistic liquefaction potential curve and acceptable rate of porewater pressure generation. The proposed method was then used to calculate the settlements at the Marina District after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, at Port Island after the 1995 Kobe earthquake, and at 6 different sites located within Christchurch and Ferrymead after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The estimated settlements were compared to the measured values along with those estimated by existing methods.
Fast Explicit and Unconditionally Stable FDTD Method for Electromagnetic Analysis

In this paper, a fast explicit and unconditionally stable finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is developed, which does not require a partial solution of a global eigenvalue problem. In this method, a patch-based single-grid representation of the FDTD algorithm is developed to facilitate both theoretical analysis and efficient computation. This representation results in a natural decomposition of the curl–curl operator into a series of rank-1 matrices, each of which corresponds to one patch in a single grid. The relationship is then theoretically analyzed between the fine patches and unstable modes, based on which an accurate and fast algorithm is developed to find unstable modes from fine patches with a bounded error. These unstable modes are then upfront eradicated from the numerical system before performing an explicit time marching. The resultant simulation is absolutely stable for the given time step irrespective of how large it is, the accuracy of which is also ensured. In addition, both lossless and general lossy problems are addressed in the proposed method. The advantages of the proposed method are demonstrated over the conventional FDTD and the state-of-the-art explicit and unconditionally stable FDTD methods by numerical experiments.
Measuring satisfaction among low-income women: a prenatal care questionnaire.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability and construct validity of a prenatal care satisfaction scale. Method: A prenatal care satisfaction scale that included six dimensions of care based on the literature was tested during a telephone interview with 101 first-time African-American and Mexican-American mothers 18 and over who receive Medicaid. Results: The scale exhibited high reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.95), as well as good construct validity. The correlation between the scale and rating of the quality of care overall was 0.74 (p < 0.001); the correlation between the scale and whether the women would recommend this provider to a friend was 0.67 (p < 0.001). Results from correlation and factor analysis suggested a different set of dimensions than those described in the literature. Conclusion: The 22-question satisfaction with prenatal care scale has excellent reliability and construct validity and taps six established dimensions of satisfaction, including the art of care, technical quality, access, physical environment, availability, and efficacy. The multidimensional scale allows for alternative groupings of the domains of satisfaction as our understanding of prenatal care satisfaction increases.
Stability of semidiscrete approximations for hyperbolic initial-boundary-value problems: An eigenvalue analysis

A hyperbolic initial-boundary-value problem can be approximated by a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by replacing the spatial derivatives by finite-difference approximations. The resulting system of ODEs is called a semidiscrete approximation. A complication is the fact that more boundary conditions are required for the spatially discrete approximation than are specified for the partial differential equation. Consequently, additional numerical boundary conditions are required and improper treatment of these additional conditions can lead to instability. For a linear initial-boundary-value problem (IBVP) with homogeneous analytical boundary conditions, the semidiscrete approximation results in a system of ODEs of the form du/dt = Au whose solution can be written as u(t) = exp(At)u(O). Lax-Richtmyer stability requires that the matrix norm of exp(At) be uniformly bounded for O less than or = t less than or = T independent of the spatial mesh size. Although the classical Lax-Richtmyer stability definition involves a conventional vector norm, there is no known algebraic test for the uniform boundedness of the matrix norm of exp(At) for hyperbolic IBVPs. An alternative but more complicated stability definition is used in the theory developed by Gustafsson, Kreiss, and Sundstrom (GKS). The two methods are compared.
Resistors, Capacitors, and Inductors

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Resistors Capacitors Inductors Conclusions Problems References ]]>
Reduced CSF leak in complete calvarial reconstructions of microvascular decompression craniectomies using calcium phosphate cement.

OBJECT Calcium phosphate cement provides a biomaterial that can be used for calvarial reconstruction in a retrosigmoid craniectomy for microvascular decompression (MVD). This study evaluates the outcomes of postoperative CSF leak and wound infection for patients undergoing a complete cranioplasty using calcium phosphate cement versus incomplete cranioplasty using polyethylene titanium mesh following a retrosigmoid craniectomy for MVD. METHODS The authors evaluated 211 cases involving patients who underwent first-time retrosigmoid craniectomies performed by a single attending surgeon fortrigeminal neuralgia from October 2008 to June 2014. From this patient population, 111 patients underwent calvarial reconstruction after retrosigmoid craniectomy using polyethylene titanium mesh, and 100 patients had reconstructions using calcium phosphate cement. A Pearson’s chi-square test was used to compare postoperative complications of CSF leak and wound infection in these 2 types of cranioplasties. RESULTS The polyet...
Windows .NET Network Distributed Basic Local Alignment Search Toolkit (W.ND-BLAST)

BLAST is one of the most common and useful tools for Genetic Research. This paper describes a software application we have termed Windows .NET Distributed Basic Local Alignment Search Toolkit (W.ND-BLAST), which enhances the BLAST utility by improving usability, fault recovery, and scalability in a Windows desktop environment. Our goal was to develop an easy to use, fault tolerant, high-throughput BLAST solution that incorporates a comprehensive BLAST result viewer with curation and annotation functionality. W.ND-BLAST is a comprehensive Windows-based software toolkit that targets researchers, including those with minimal computer skills, and provides the ability increase the performance of BLAST by distributing BLAST queries to any number of Windows based machines across local area networks (LAN). W.ND-BLAST provides intuitive Graphic User Interfaces (GUI) for BLAST database creation, BLAST execution, BLAST output evaluation and BLAST result exportation. This software also provides several layers of fault tolerance and fault recovery to prevent loss of data if nodes or master machines fail. This paper lays out the functionality of W.ND-BLAST. W.ND-BLAST displays close to 100% performance efficiency when distributing tasks to 12 remote computers of the same performance class. A high throughput BLAST job which took 662.68 minutes (11 hours) on one average machine was completed in 44.97 minutes when distributed to 17 nodes, which included lower performance class machines. Finally, there is a comprehensive high-throughput BLAST Output Viewer (BOV) and Annotation Engine components, which provides comprehensive exportation of BLAST hits to text files, annotated fasta files, tables, or association files. W.ND-BLAST provides an interactive tool that allows scientists to easily utilizing their available computing resources for high throughput and comprehensive sequence analyses. The install package for W.ND-BLAST is freely downloadable from http://liru.ars.usda.gov/mainbioinformatics.html . With registration the software is free, installation, networking, and usage instructions are provided as well as a support forum.
Influence of Vitamin E on the Mitogenic Response of Murine Lymphoid Cells

The effect of vitamin E on mitogenesis by polyclonal activators was studied and the vitamin was found to be stimulatory but selective in its action. Vitamin E itself is a mitogen for murine spleen cells. At suboptimal vitamin concentrations, it was capable of stimulating the response to low levels of the thymus-dependent lymphocyte (T cell) mitogen, concanavalin A (conA), but not when conA was itself at optimal levels. When vitamin E was added to the diet at normal levels, it was not as effective in stimulating mitogenesis as it was at much higher levels. The effect of the vitamin on T cell mitogenesis could be modified by the degree of unsaturation of the dietary fat; it was more effective when dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were low. Under several conditions, it was shown that vitamin E can increase the phytohemagglutinin (PHA)/conA response ratio, which may suggest an effect of the vitamin on the maturation of T cells. In normal mice, vitamin E also stimulated the response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a "bursa-equivalent" lymphocyte (B cell) mitogen, but it was unable to do so when spleen cells from athymic, nude mice were used. This suggests a requirement for thymic factors in order for vitamin E to stimulate mitogenesis of B cells.
Plant sterols alter bile acid metabolism and reduce cholesterol absorption in hamsters fed a beef-based diet

This study examined the cholesterol-lowering properties of dietary plants sterols (PS) when consumed in a beef-based diet. Male Syrian hamsters were fed freeze-dried ground beef supplemented with maltodextrin, vegetable oil, vitamins, minerals, and soybean sterol esters at 0.0, 0.3, 1.0, or 3.0% sterol by weight of the diet. After 4 weeks, plasma and liver total cholesterol concentrations were significantly and incrementally reduced at all levels of dietary PS tested compared to no dietary PS. Cholesterol absorption was also significantly reduced by dietary PS, resulting in greater fecal excretion of neutral steroids. Total bile acid excretion was also significantly increased with PS feeding. A novel finding in the present study was that PS feeding caused an alteration in the gallbladder bile acid profile, resulting in a significantly lower hydrophobicity index. The present study demonstrates that the consumption of ground beef containing PS can significantly lower plasma cholesterol concentration at relatively low doses, indicating that ground beef can be used as a functional food to lower cholesterol while providing superior nutritional benefits over the high fat PS-containing margarines and salad dressings currently available.