cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Population-based analysis of the relationship of whole bone strength indices and fall-related loads to age- and sex-specific patterns of hip and wrist fractures

In an age- and sex-stratified population sample (n = 700), we estimated fall-related loads and bone strength indices at the UDR and FN. These load/strength ratios more closely simulated patterns of wrist and hip fractures occurring in the same population than did measurement of vBMD. Introduction: Areal BMD measurements, although associated with fracture risk, incompletely explain patterns of fragility fractures. Moreover, population-based assessments relating applied loads and whole bone strength to fracture patterns have not been made. Materials and Methods: Using QCT, we assessed volumetric BMD (vBMD), cross-sectional geometry, and axial (EA) and flexural (EI) rigidities (indices of bone's resistance to compressive and bending loads, respectively) at the ultradistal radius (UDR) and femoral neck (FN) and estimated the loads applied to the wrist and hip during a fall. We used fall load (FL)/bone strength ratios to estimate fracture risk. Results: vBMD in young adults was similar between sexes. Decreases in vBMD over life were also similar (30% and 28%) at UDR but were somewhat greater (46% and 34%) at FN in women versus men, respectively. In young adults, FL/strength ratios at UDR were 32–51% lower (better) in men than in women and increased (worsened) over life less in men (+4% to +22%) than in women (+20% to +33%). In young adults, FL/strength ratios at FN were only marginally better in men than in women but worsened less over life in men (+22% to +36%) than in women (+40% to +62%). Conclusions: The 6:1 female preponderance and the virtual immunity of men for age-related increases in wrist fractures are largely explained by the more favorable FL/strength ratios at UDR in young adult men (because of larger bone size and more favorable geometry) versus women and to maintaining this advantage over life. The 2-fold lower incidence of hip fractures in men versus women is largely explained by age-related increases (worsening) of FL/bone strength ratios that are only one-half of the increases in women. The moderate increases in these ratios with aging are insufficient to explain the >4-fold increase in hip fracture incidence after age 75 in both sexes, suggesting contributions of other factors, especially the well-documented increased frequency of injurious falls among the elderly.
Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in a pediatric intensive care unit

Introduction: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infection is an increasing problem worldwide. In developing countries, there is little data on CA-MRSA infection in children. This study reviewed the clinical features and outcomes of children admitted in a Tunisian pediatric intensive care unit with severe CA-MRSA infections. Methodology: Retrospective chart review of patients coded for CA-MRSA over 10 years. Results: There were 14 (0.32% of all admissions) patients identified with severe CA-MRSA infections. The median age was three months (range, 0.5-156 months). All patients had pulmonary involvement. Six children (42.8%) developed septic shock. Two (14.3%) patients had multifocal infection with deep venous thrombosis. Two (14.3%) patients died. Conclusions: Severe CA-MRSA pneumonia dominated presentation. The mortality of CA-MRSA infection in our series is lower than that previously reported.
The electrocardiogram in hyperparathyroidism

Abstract The electrocardiographic changes in a case of hyperparathyroidism, before and after parathy-roidectomy, are illustrated and briefly discussed. The shortened Q-aT interval is confirmed as a readily measured index of shortened systole, characteristic of hypercalcemia.
Die technischen Aspekte der Bildung von Oxidschichten und deren Verhütung

Die fur Dampferzeuger in Kernkraftwerken zulassigen Korrosionsverluste liegen bei etwa 2,25 mm in 30 Jahren, weshalb unlegierte und niedriglegierte Stahle nur begrenzt in heisem Kohlendioxid einsetzbar sind (sie werden wahrend der ersten 2000 bis 3000 h nach einem parabolischen Zeitgesetz oxidiert, nachher ist aber mit breakaway zu rechnen). Mit Si beruhigte Stahle scheinen sich dabei besser zu verhalten als unberuhigte Stahle. Gunstig ist auch ein niedriger Schwefelgehalt wahrend einer Oberflachenbehandlung mit Dichromatlosung durchweg ungustig ist, denn das entstehende Dichromat zersetzt sich bei der Oxidation und die resultierende Anreicherung von Chrom erleichtert die Sauerstoffdiffusion und begunstigt die Oxidation. An Rohraufhangungen kann es infolge von Oxidation in den Spalten zu Zugspannungen kommen, durch welche Schrauben ausgerissen werden. Ebenso kann es bei gleichzeitiger Schwingungsbeanspruchung zu Reibkorrosion kommen. Im Falle von ZrCu-Legierungen ist die Oxidation deutlich verlangsamt, wahrscheinlich weil das Cu infolge seines grosen Atomvolumens die Sauerstoffdiffusion erschwert. Industrial aspects of the formation of oxide layers and their prevention The corrosion losses acceptables in steam generators of nuclear power plants are about 2.25 mm in 30 years; this is why unalloyed or low alloy steels can be used only to a limited extent in hot carbon dioxide (during the first 2000 to 3000 hours the oxidation follows a parabolic law, afterwards breakaway is possible). Silicon killed steel are superior to rimmed steel. Low sulfur contents are favourable, while surface treatment with dichromate solution is generally deleterious because the dichromate formed is decomposed during oxidation and the resulting chromium enrichment facilitates oxygen diffusion and enhances oxidation. Tubing suspensions may produce tensile stresses in crevices, so that screws are even torn out. Likewise, fretting may occur under simultaneous oscillating loads. In the case of ZrCu alloys the oxidation is slower than that of pure zirconium, probably because the large atomic volume of copper makes oxygen diffusion more difficult.
An assessment of the learning curve for precut biliary sphincterotomy

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Precut sphincterotomy is considered unsafe when used by inexperienced endoscopists. We sought to determine whether procedural experience with precut sphincterotomy predicted either successful cannulation or development of complications in these patients. METHODS: We describe the experience of 253 consecutive patients who underwent precut biliary sphincterotomy done by one endoscopist between September, 1993 and April, 2001. Data were prospectively collected on procedure indication and outcome. All patients were contacted by phone 30 days after the procedure to determine outcome. We also described precut utilization over time. RESULTS: All 253 precut procedures were divided chronologically into five groups of 50, with 53 in the final group. The rates of successful cannulation after precutting were 88%, 94%, 90%, 88%, and 98%, respectively ( p = 0.05 for groups 1–4 vs group 5). Overall complication rates were similar in all groups (12%, 18%, 20%, 12%, and 14%), with no difference in complication severity. Female gender predicted successful cannulation (OR = 2.9 [ p = 0.02]), whereas an indication of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction predicted development of complications (OR = 1.7 [ p = 0.03]). The total number of ERCP procedures performed increased over time, whereas the proportion of precut sphincterotomies performed decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Although the success rate for precut sphincterotomy may increase with procedural experience, the complication rate does not seem to decrease. Precut sphincterotomy continues to carry an increased complication rate over standard sphincterotomy even when performed by an experienced biliary endoscopist. The need for precut sphincterotomy appears to decrease with increasing ERCP experience.
Management of a marine protected area for sustainability and conflict resolution: Lessons from Loreto Bay National Park (Baja California Sur, Mexico)

The Loreto Bay National Park was established to protect the area's ecosystems from habitat destruction and overexploitation. However, the park has not met two of its primary goals: recovery of commercially valuable fish populations and their sustainable use by stakeholders. Based on evidence from the literature, dialogue with stakeholders, a literature review on using recreational fees for marine protected area (MPA) management, and an economic valuation survey, we provide practical guidelines for addressing factors hindering the park's success. These include: 1) the implementation of management based upon ecosystem science, and rigorous monitoring of park ecosystems, 2) increased communication among stake-holder groups, outreach and education, and 3) a re-organization of the park's administrative structure that would allow for more efficient use of funds. Our results also suggest that the park entrance fee could be raised to support these proposed improvements.
Anthropology at the Edge: Essays on Culture, Symbol, and Consciousness

Anthropology at the Edge: Essays on Culture, Symbol, and Consciousness. J. Ian Prattis. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1996. $27.50 (paper), xviii. 311 pp.
Practical Applications of Student Response Analysis

What standard reports are included in TAP and SPP? What information is provided in item analysis output? How may teachers use the information in their instruction?
Defining intraoperative hypothermia in ventral hernia repair.

Abstract Background Intraoperative normothermia, a single measurement of core body temperature ≥36°C, is an important quality metric outlined by the World Health Organization for the reduction of surgical site infections (SSIs). Hypothermia has been linked to SSI in colorectal and trauma patients, but the effect in ventral hernia repair (VHR) is unknown. Materials and methods Patients who underwent VHR at a single institution between 2005 and 2012 were included. Temperature data were matched with National Surgical Quality Improvement Program SSI data. Novel definitions of hypothermia were explored: patient temperature nadir, percentage of time spent at the nadir, mean temperature, and time spent Results Five hundred fifty-three patients were included with temperature recorded every 8–15 min. Mean temperature nadir was 35.7°C (±1.3°C [standard deviation]) and was not associated with SSI (odds ratio [OR], 0.938; 95% confidence interval, 0.778–1.131). The percentage of readings spent at the nadir was 31% (±31%) and was not predictive of SSI (OR, 1.471; 95% CI, 0.983–2.203). As mean temperature increased, the risk of SSI increased (OR, 1.115; 95% CI, 0.559–2.225). Percentage of temperature readings Conclusions Our results demonstrate no association between temperature and SSI in VHR. Efforts to reduce SSI should focus on factors such as smoking cessation, weight loss, and length of surgery. Our study suggests that maintenance of perioperative normothermia may only decrease SSIs in certain at-risk populations.
Medication Use Among Patients Prior to Bariatric Surgery.

Purpose: The aims of this study were to describe the most common medications reported by candidates for weight loss surgery and to consider the potential implications for patient care. Methods: A secondary data analysis of data from bariatric surgery patients enrolled in a randomized, controlled trial. At study entry, participants recorded their use of prescription medications they had taken in the previous 90 days. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC)/Defined Daily Dose (DDD) Index 2014 was used to classify medications. Results: Participants (n=265) were 85.7% female and 83.0% white. Mean body mass index was 47.9±6.5 kg/m2, and age was 45.1±11 years. The average number of medications was 4.4±4.1, and the median was 3. The top three anatomical main groups were the cardiovascular system, alimentary tract and metabolism, and nervous system (28.2%, 21.6%, and 21.3% of all medications, respectively). The top therapeutic subgroups were drugs used in diabetes, psychoanaleptics, and agents acting on the ren...
Diffeomorphic cardiac motion estimation with anisotropic regularization along myofiber orientation

Quantitative motion analysis from cardiac imaging is an important yet challenging problem. Most of the existing cardiac motion estimation methods ignore the fact that the myocardium is a fibrous structure with elastic anisotropy. We propose a novel method in which an anisotropic regularization energy is used to favor the motion consistency with the myofiber orientation. The myofiber direction comes from a diffusion tensor image and it is mapped to the end-diastole frame by using nonrigid registration. We implement the method based on a diffeomorphic motion estimation framework in which a spatiotemporally smooth velocity field is estimated by optimization of a variational energy. We validate the proposed method by using cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) datasets and echocardiography of an open-chest pig with sonomicrometry. We compare the proposed method with a temporal diffeomorphic free form deformation method without consideration of myofiber orientation. Experiments results show that the proposed motion estimation method has higher accuracy.
Ben Jonson and Possessive Authorship. By Joseph Loewenstein. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002; pp. 221. $60 cloth.

For almost twenty years, Joseph Loewenstein has explored the rise of what he calls “the bibliographic ego,” particularly in the work of Ben Jonson, and his new book is his most sophisticated analysis yet of its genesis and evolution in early modern England. What is especially valuable about his new study of Renaissance literary/theatrical sociology is the manner in which he refines and expands our current sense of the complex interface between performance and print that played such a decisive role in shaping the careers of professional writers. Performance and publication were, he contends, competing media that elicited a wide range of attitudes from such dramatists as Shakespeare, Robert Greene, Thomas Heywood, John Marston, and even Jonson himself. The result is an illuminating portrait of Jonson as a writer who took greater pride in the specific theatrical origins of his drama than recent histories have allowed.
Immunosuppressive effect of surgery.

Abstract Using tissue-culture techniques, peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from all patients undergoing various types of major operations have been found to develop depressed immunological competence as reflected by their diminished ability, under maximal stimulation with phytoaemagglutinin, to incorporate 14 C-thymidine and synthesise D.N.A. More important, however, was the observation that this biosynthetic defect was most severe in lymphocytes harvested from individuals with heart-disease and cancer. The clinical significance of this abnormality measured in vitro may be reflected by postoperative infectious-mononucleosis-like syndromes, especially in patients with cardiovascular disorders, and the acceleration of metastasis which often takes place postoperatively in patients with carcinoma.
MESFET Distributed Amplifier Design Guidelines

In the paper, the analysis of GaAs MESFET distributed amplifiers and a systematic approach to their design are presented. The analysis focuses on fundamental design considerations and also establishes the maximum gain-bandwidth product of the amplifier.The design approach presented enables one to examine the tradeoffs between the variables, such as the device, the number of devices, and the impedances and cutoff frequency of the lines, and arrive at a design which gives the desired frequency response. Excellent agreement is shown when the theoretically predicted response of a typical amplifier is compared with computer-aided analysis results, and good agreement is shown with previously published experimental results.
Advanced mesh generation and update methods for 3D flow simulations

Advanced mesh generation and update methods for parallel 3D computation of complex flow problems are presented. The complexities of the class of problems targeted include complex geometries, unsteady behavior, and moving boundaries and interfaces, such as those encountered in fluid-object interactions. Parallel 3D simulation of 1000 spheres falling in a liquid-filled tube, and other computations, are presented in this paper to demonstrate the challenges involved in this class of flow problems and the methods developed to address these challenges.
Dietary fat alters pulmonary metastasis of mammary cancers through cancer autonomous and non-autonomous changes in gene expression

Metastasis virulence, a significant contributor to breast cancer prognosis, is influenced by environmental factors like diet. We previously demonstrated in an F2 mouse population generated from a cross between the M16i polygenic obese and MMTV-PyMT mammary cancer models that high fat diet (HFD) decreases mammary cancer latency and increases pulmonary metastases compared to a matched control diet (MCD). Genetic analysis detected eight modifier loci for pulmonary metastasis, and diet significantly interacted with all eight loci. Here, gene expression microarray analysis was performed on mammary cancers from these mice. Despite the substantial dietary impact on metastasis and its interaction with metastasis modifiers, HFD significantly altered the expression of only five genes in mammary tumors; four of which, including serum amyloid A (Saa), are downstream of the tumor suppressor PTEN. Conversely, HFD altered the expression of 211 hepatic genes in a set of tumor free F2 control mice. Independent of diet, pulmonary metastasis virulence correlates with mammary tumor expression of genes involved in endocrine cancers, inflammation, angiogenesis, and invasion. The most significant virulence-associated network harbored genes also found in human adipose or mammary tissue, and contained upregulated Vegfa as a central node. Additionally, expression of Btn1a1, a gene physically located near a putative cis-acting eQTL on chromosome 13 and one of the metastasis modifiers, correlates with metastasis virulence. These data support the existence of diet-dependent and independent cancer modifier networks underlying differential susceptibility to mammary cancer metastasis and suggest that diet influences cancer metastasis virulence through tumor autonomous and non-autonomous mechanisms.
Dependence of Endoplasmic Reticulum-associated Degradation on the Peptide Binding Domain and Concentration of BiP

ER-associated degradation (ERAD) removes defective and mis-folded proteins from the eukaryotic secretory pathway, but mutations in the ER lumenal Hsp70, BiP/Kar2p, compromise ERAD efficiency in yeast. Because attenuation of ERAD activates the UPR, we screened for kar2 mutants in which the unfolded protein response (UPR) was induced in order to better define how BiP facilitates ERAD. Among the kar2 mutants isolated we identified the ERAD-specific kar2-1 allele (Brodsky et al. J. Biol. Chem. 274, 3453–3460). The kar2-1 mutation resides in the peptide-binding domain of BiP and decreases BiP’s affinity for a peptide substrate. Peptide-stimulated ATPase activity was also reduced, suggesting that the interdomain coupling in Kar2-1p is partially compromised. In contrast, Hsp40 cochaperone-activation of Kar2-1p’s ATPase activity was unaffected. Consistent with UPR induction in kar2-1 yeast, an ERAD substrate aggregated in microsomes prepared from this strain but not from wild-type yeast. Overexpression of wild-type BiP increased substrate solubility in microsomes obtained from the mutant, but the ERAD defect was exacerbated, suggesting that simply retaining ERAD substrates in a soluble, retro-translocationcompetent conformation is insufficient to support polypeptide transit to the cytoplasm.
Estrogen regulates pulmonary alveolar formation, loss, and regeneration in mice

Lung tissue elastic recoil and the dimension and number of pulmonary gas-exchange units (alveoli) are major determinants of gas-exchange function. Loss of gas-exchange function accelerates after me...
Designing robot learners that ask good questions

Programming new skills on a robot should take minimal time and effort. One approach to achieve this goal is to allow the robot to ask questions. This idea, called Active Learning, has recently caught a lot of attention in the robotics community. However, it has not been explored from a human-robot interaction perspective. In this paper, we identify three types of questions (label, demonstration and feature queries) and discuss how a robot can use these while learning new skills. Then, we present an experiment on human question asking which characterizes the extent to which humans use these question types. Finally, we evaluate the three question types within a human-robot teaching interaction. We investigate the ease with which different types of questions are answered and whether or not there is a general preference of one type of question over another. Based on our findings from both experiments we provide guidelines for designing question asking behaviors on a robot learner.
Mechanical circulatory support: new data, old problems.

Mechanical devices to support the circulation in the presence of a “failing” heart were originally conceived as alternatives to biological replacement of the heart. Such alternatives are needed because of the problems inherent in allotransplantation. These have included the grossly inadequate supply of donor hearts, as well as the need for chronic immunosuppression and the myriad of complications attendant on its use. Thus far, however, such devices have been employed primarily as “bridges” to extend the survival of desperately ill patients until an appropriate donor heart becomes available. Although such use has been a productive endeavor in terms of gaining experience with the devices and prolonging some lives that would otherwise have been lost before a donor became available, it has not increased the numbers of donors and has simply shifted the population of those who receive donor hearts to include sicker patients. The rare use of a mechanical device to provide temporary support as a bridge to myocardial recovery from some original insult deserves note but thus far appears to involve very small numbers of patients.1,2 Article p 497 The Randomized Evaluation of Mechanical Assistance for the Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure (REMATCH) study, published in 2001,3 was the first and is still the only randomized, controlled study to compare the use of permanent or “destination” mechanical circulatory support (left ventricular assist device, or LVAD, and the specific model called the HeartMate vented electric device, from Thoratec Corp, Pleasanton, Calif) with optimum medical therapy for a group of transplant-ineligible patients. The trial was positive in terms of a statistically significant survival benefit at 1 year for patients randomized to the LVAD. The data from the trial led to Food and Drug Administration approval of the use of a modified HeartMate XVE LVAD for the purpose of destination …
Time and space efficient pose clustering

This paper shows that the pose clustering method of object recognition can be decomposed into small sub-problems without loss of accuracy. Randomization can then be used to limit the number of sub-problems that need to be examined to achieve accurate recognition. These techniques are used to decrease the computational complexity of pose clustering. The clustering step is formulated as an efficient tree search of the pose space. This method requires little memory since not many poses are clustered at a time. Analysis shows that pose clustering is not inherently more sensitive to noise than other methods of generating hypotheses. Finally, experiments on real and synthetic data are presented. >
Simulation of More Complicated Fluids and More Complicated Microporous Media

In the previous chapter we studied the behavior of a simple Lennard-Jones fluid in a slit-micropore via various MC and MD techniques. Here we extend those studies to account for more complex, yet still very simple fluids. We also construct a more complicated pore geometry, the corrugated pore.
The Updated Bottom Up Solution Applied to Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization and Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

The Updated Bottom Up Solution (UBUS) was recently applied to atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) mass spectrometry (MS) of triacylglycerols (TAG). This report demonstrates that the UBUS applies equally well to atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) MS and to electrospray ionization (ESI) MS. Critical Ratio 1 (CR1), the [MH]+/Σ[DAG]+ or [MNH4]+/Σ[DAG]+ ratio, does not exhibit the same strongly sigmoidal shape as it does by APCI-MS. CR1 varies more widely for APPI-MS than by APCI-MS, having a maximum value of 11.8, indicating a much greater effect of unsaturation on ion ratios in APPI-MS than APCI-MS. Critical Ratio 2, the [AA]+/[AB]+ ratio for Type II TAG or [AC]+/([AB]++[BC]+) ratio for Type III TAG, allows quantification of regioisomers of TAG, and shows good agreement for APPI-MS to regioisomer quantification determined by APCI-MS. Critical Ratio 3, the [BC]+/[AB]+ ratio for Type III TAG, reveals new trends relating the degree of unsaturation by APPI-MS, and shows that structural assignments made by ESI-MS are in good agreement to APCI-MS data. In addition to providing valuable structural information, the Critical Ratios also constitute a reduced data set that allows APPI-MS or ESI-MS mass spectra to be reconstructed when processed through the UBUS. Quantification by APPI-MS of vitamin D in the gelcaps gave values of 42.90 ± 0.83 μg, or 1716 ± 33 international units, in good agreement with APCI-MS.
Observations of a Reluctant Online Instructor: Transitioning from the Classroom to the Computer

In the early summer of 2009 I had no idea that I was about to become an online professor. I was a tenured faculty member at Lambuth University, a small liberal arts college. I loved the liberal art...
Why didn't my (great!) protocol get adopted?

What determines the eventual success of a protocol? Are certain features or properties more important? Do those vary according to a protocol's type? We explore these questions by applying data mining techniques to a rich repository of protocol specifications; IETF RFCs. While the investigation is still preliminary, some interesting findings have emerged. It confirms a number of intuitive results such as backward compatibility being key for protocol extensions and new versions, but not for new protocols. Similarly, the ability to improve performance is the single most important factor in the success of data plane protocols. Less intuitive findings, however, also emerge. Adding value to other protocols was the most significant factor in the success of new protocols, while extensions targeting security were the most likely to fail among new application and transport layer protocols. The paper offers a brief overview of our methodology and of the initial results it has afforded.
Envisioning the Earth: Conceptions of this Planet from the Flat Earth to Gaia

I. Abstract STRONAUT Joseph Allen recently made the observation that exploring the Moon in the 1960s was never really about going to the Moon. ―With all the arguments, pro and con, for going to the Moon,‖ he commented, ―no one suggested that we should do it to look at the Earth. But that may in fact be the one important reason.‖ This observation serves as the entree point for this essay that lays out a long range research project exploring the manner in which Western Civilization has conceived of the Earth as an entity and as a home. This essay represents a sneak peek of a new book project now underway. The study will begin with ancient ideas about the Earth as a sphere or as a flat body and trace this theme to the present, as well as the themes of hollow Earth, Spaceship Earth, and Gaia. It will then explore the manner in which scientists came to understand the size and shape of the Earth and its geodesy. It also offers a discussion of the nature of Earth maps and their evolution over time, with all of the attendant issues associated with them, privileging Europe and North America over other regions, etc. Finally, it pursues the place of imagery from space and its contribution to the public understanding of how Western Civilization envisions this planet and its place in the universe. II. Introduction While researching the history of space-based instruments in understanding the Earth as a system, I came to appreciate as never before the manner in which the Earth has been understood by humans from the ancients to the present. Of course, perceptions of a spherical Earth date back to Greek philosophy in the sixth century BCE, and Hellenistic astronomy established beyond serious doubt this planet‘s spherical shape. It was accepted by all those who were educated within Western Civilization by at least the medieval era. Maps, some of them enormously complex and sophisticated, tried to depict what was known about the planet and to a greater or lesser degree communicated this to the literate of the civilization. As humanity explored more fully, especially after the European expansion that began in the fifteenth century, more comprehensive data began to coalesce around the idea of the Earth as a spherical planet like other bodies seen beyond Earth. With the scientific revolution this perception grew deeper and more refined with the result emerging in the latter twentieth century of the Earth as a system; and a new perspective on this planet becoming apparent to the population of the world.
SIAD-R: A Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator for Robotic missions to Mars

Nomenclature A_Vehicle = Projected area of the vehicle prior to SIAD-R deployment A_Vehicle+SIAD = Projected area of the vehicle and deployed SIAD-R Cd_Vehicle = Drag coefficient of the vehicle prior to SIAD-R deployment Cd_Vehicle+SIAD = Drag coefficient of the vehicle and deployed SIAD-R ∆(CdA) = Change in the product of drag coefficient and projected area due to SIAD-R deployment LDSD = Low Density Supersonic Decelerator Program MSL = Mars Science Laboratory P = Gauge pressure of the inflation gas inside the SIAD-R Q = Dynamic pressure Q:P = Ratio of the instantaneous dynamic pressure to instantaneous SIAD-R inflation pressure R&R = Retention and release assembly SFDT = Supersonic flight dynamics testing SIAD-R = Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator for Robotic-class missions
Nutrient requirements to maintain weight of mature, nonlactating, nonpregnant cows of four diverse breed types.

Four breed types with 12 cows/breed-type (Hereford x Angus, AHx; Charolais and Angus and Charolais x Hereford, Cx; Jersey x Angus, Jersey x Hereford, Jx and Simmental x Angus, Simmental x Hereford, Sx) were used to estimate nutrient requirements for zero daily weight change. Four nonpregnant, nonlactating cows of each breed type were assigned to one of three feeding levels [90 kcal metabolizable energy (ME).kg body wt (kg)-.75 . d-1, 150 kcal ME.kg-.75.d-1 and ad libitum] for a 140 d feeding period. The feeding trial was: Period 1 (d 0 to 70) and Period 2 (d 70 to 140). Effect of breed type, feeding level and the two-way interaction upon weight, weight change and feed intake data were initially analyzed. Two-factor interactions tended not to be significant for weight and weight change. The main effects of breed type and feeding level tended to be significant for weight and weight change in each of the periods. On d 0, the Sx (570 +/- 13 kg) and Cx (578 +/- 14 kg) were heavier (P less than .05) than the AHx (527 +/- 13 kg) all of which were heavier than the Jx (458 +/- 14 kg). Under the two restricted diets, the breed type ranking for dry matter intake corresponded to the ranking for initial body weight. However, at the ad libitum feeding level, the Cx tended to consume less dry matter than the other breed types. Measures of weight change were evaluated to test the effect of breed type and dry matter intake. The effect of breed type was significant only for daily weight change (kg/d) during Period 2. The linear and(or) quadratic effects of dry matter intake (2.53 Mcal ME/kg dry matter) on measures of weight change were significant in all periods. During Period 1, the pooled dry matter intake estimate for zero daily weight change and zero metabolic weight change were 8.1 kg/d and 75.3 g.kg-.75.d-1, respectively. For AHx, Cx, Jx and Sx during Period 2, daily dry matter intake for zero weight gain was 4.2, 5.3, 4.2 and 5.5 kg/d, respectively. A pooled estimate of 43.9 g . kg-.75 . d-1 was obtained for dry matter intake relative to metabolic size in Period 2.
People are strange

Elliott reviews The Geography of Madness: Penis thieves, voodoo death, and the search for the meaning of the world's strangest syndromes by Frank Bures.
Does bariatric surgery improve adipose tissue function

Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective treatment for obesity. Not only do these types of surgeries produce significant weight loss but also they improve insulin sensitivity and whole body metabolic function. The aim of this review is to explore how altered physiology of adipose tissue may contribute to the potent metabolic effects of some of these procedures. This includes specific effects on various fat depots, the function of individual adipocytes and the interaction between adipose tissue and other key metabolic tissues. Besides a dramatic loss of fat mass, bariatric surgery shifts the distribution of fat from visceral to the subcutaneous compartment favoring metabolic improvement. The sensitivity towards lipolysis controlled by insulin and catecholamines is improved, adipokine secretion is altered and local adipose inflammation as well as systemic inflammatory markers decreases. Some of these changes have been shown to be weight loss independent, and novel hypothesis for these effects includes include changes in bile acid metabolism, gut microbiota and central regulation of metabolism. In conclusion bariatric surgery is capable of improving aspects of adipose tissue function and do so in some cases in ways that are not entirely explained by the potent effect of surgery. © 2016 World Obesity.
SU-F-T-677: Synergistic Effect(s) of Clotrimazole On Radiation Cell Survival of A549 Lung Cancer Cells in Glucose Vs. Galactose Media

Purpose: In order to determine the synergistic effect of clotrimazole on radiosensitivity of A549 lung cancer cells, and the effect of oxidative pathways on modulating radiosensitivity, we studied how these cells survived under varying amounts of radiation and clotrimazole as well ass when glucose was switched for galactose media. Methods: The glucose media was used to determine the presence of any synergistic effect of clotrimazole on radiation using values of radiation and clotrimazole concentrations, varying from 0 – 8 Gy and 0 – 20 µM, respectively. As a galactose diet is known to activate oxidative pathways, which do not rely on hexokinase II (HK2), all trials were repeated using galactose media to determine the extent that HK2 unbinding from the mitochondrial membrane plays a role in modulating the observed radiosensitivity. An apoptosis vs. necrosis assay was implemented to find out the modality by which cell death occurred. An intracellular lactate assay was performed to exhibit the extent of anaerobic glycolysis. Results: After running the primary experiments, it was found that in glucose media, the cancer cells showed higher cell kill when clotrimazole was added to the media, followed by the cells being irradiated. Conclusion: Given the preliminary results it is validated that under higher concentrations of clotrimazole, in glucose media, A549 lung cancer cells exhibit a lower amount of survival. While all results have not yet been gathered. We anticipate that in galactose media the A549 cells will exhibit this effect to a much smaller degree, if at all.
Performance in hippocampus- and PFC-dependent cognitive domains are not concomitantly impaired in rats exposed to 20 cGy of 1 GeV/n 56Fe particles

NASA is currently conducting ground based experiments to determine whether the radiation environment that astronauts will encounter on deep space missions will have an impact on their long-term health and their ability to complete the various tasks during the mission. Emerging data suggest that exposure of rodents to mission-relevant HZE radiation doses does result in the impairment of various neurocognitive processes. An essential part of mission planning is a probabilistic risk assessment process that takes into account the likely incidence and severity of a problem. To date few studies have reported the impact of space radiation in a format that is amenable to PRA, and those that have only reported data for a single cognitive process. This study has established the ability of individual male Wistar rats to conduct a hippocampus-dependent (spatial memory) task and a cortex-dependent (attentional set shifting task) 90 days after exposure to 20cGy 1GeV/n (56)Fe particles. Radiation-induced impairment of performance in one cognitive domain was not consistently associated with impaired performance in the other domain. Thus sole reliance upon a single measure of cognitive performance may substantially under-estimate the risk of cognitive impairment, and ultimately it may be necessary to establish the likelihood that mission-relevant HZE doses will impair performance in the three or four cognitive domains that NASA considers to be most critical for mission success, and build a PRA using the composite data from such studies.
Determinants and Consequences of Obesity

Objectives. To review the contribution of the Nurses’ Health Studies (NHS and NHS II) in addressing hypotheses regarding risk factors for and consequences of obesity.Methods. Narrative review of the publications of the NHS and NHS II between 1976 and 2016.Results. Long-term NHS research has shown that weight gain and being overweight or obese are important risk factors for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancers, and premature death. The cohorts have elucidated the role of dietary and lifestyle factors in obesity, especially sugar-sweetened beverages, poor diet quality, physical inactivity, prolonged screen time, short sleep duration or shift work, and built environment characteristics. Genome-wide association and gene–lifestyle interaction studies have shown that genetic factors predispose individuals to obesity but that such susceptibility can be attenuated by healthy lifestyle choices. This research has contributed to evolving clinical and public health guidelines on the impo...
Antigen Specificity and Immunoregulation in Syngeneic Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

Syngeneic graft-vs-host disease (SGVHD) is a T cell dependent autoaggression syndrome induced by administering Cyclosporine following syngeneic bone marrow transplantation. The SGVHD autoreactive T cells recognize the MHC class II-invariant chain peptide complex (MHC class II-CLIP) and can be separated into functional subsets based on their differential dependence on the N- and C-terminal peptide flanking domains of CLIP. The present studies were undertaken to determine whether the N- or C-terminal flanking domain dependent subsets of CLIP reactive T cells reside within the CD4+CD25+ regulatory compartment. Multi-color flow cytometry was used to identify and isolate CD4+ (FITC) CD25+ (PE) T cells. Antigen-specific T cells within this compartment were identified with a soluble MHC class II-Ig chimeric construct (bioinylated, Cychrome avidin counterstaining) loaded with variants of CLIP containing the MHC class II binding domain and having either the N- or C-terminal flanking regions (N-CLIP, CLIP-C). Approximately 8.5% of the cells within the normal CD4+ lymphocyte population were CD25+. Both N-CLIP (1.1%) and CLIP-C (4.8%) reactive T cells coould be detected in the CD4+CD25+ population. Assessment of CD28, CTLA4, B7.1 and B7.2 mRNA expression levels by quantitative PCR directly ex vivo, revealed remarkable differences between the N-CLIP and CLIP-C specific CD4+CD25+ T cells. Although CD28 mRNA levels were comparable for both subsets, B7.2 and CTLA4 mRNA transcript levels were significantly increased (>50 fold) in the CLIP-C+CD4+CD25+ T cells compared to the N-CLIP specific subset. On the other hand, levels of B7.1 mRNA were increased >10 fold in N-CLIP+CD4+CD25+ T cells. Additional studies assessing mRNA transcript levels for the regulatory transcription factor Foxp3, also revealed a disparity between the N-CLIP and C-CLIP specific subsets. mRNA transcript levels for Foxp3 were markedly increased (>35 fold) in the CLIP-C dependent subset compared to the levels detected in N-CLIP+CD4+CD25+ T cells. Low levels of cytokine (IL-2, IL-4, interferon-γ) mRNA transcripts were detected in both subsets. Interestingly, intradermal immunization of normal animals with the peptides presented on dendritic cells increased mRNA transcript levels for type 1 cytokines in the N-CLIP reactive subset and type 2 cytokines in the CLIP-C dependent subset. Taken together, the results indicate that the CLIP-C antigen specific CD4+CD25+ cells have a profile consistent with regulatory T cells whereas the profile of the N-CLIP+CD4+CD25+ lymphocytes is more characteristic of activated T helper cells. The ability to identify and isolate regulatory T cells ex vivo and to modify their activity by immunization provides opportunities to both enhance and monitor the re-establishment of self-tolerance.
Every three-hour versus every six-hour oral feeding in preterm infants: a randomised clinical trial

Aim This trial compares two oral feeding schedules, every three-hour and every six-hour oral feeding attempts, to determine which schedule allows for more rapid attainment of full oral feeding in preterm infants. Methods Infants born at ≤33-week gestation were randomly assigned to receive oral feeding every three hours or every six hours if feeding cues were present. The primary outcome was time to full oral feeding; secondary outcomes include respiratory and apnoea rates, growth and length of stay. Results A total of 55 infants were recruited. There was no difference between the groups in the primary or secondary outcomes. Conclusion For preterm infants fed when oral feeding cues are present, an every six-hour schedule did not alter the time to full oral feeding and had no effect on rates of tachypnoea, apnoea or length of hospital stay compared to every three-hour feeding schedule. An every six-hour oral feeding schedule led to only small reductions in number of oral feeding attempts per day.
Parallel Computing for Machine Learning in Social Network Analysis

Machine learning, especially deep learning, is revolutionizing how many engineering problems are being solved. Three critical ingredients are needed to apply deep machine learning to significant real world problems: i.) large data sets; ii.) software to implement deep learning and; iii.) significant computing cycles. This paper discusses the state of each ingredient with a specific focus on: a.) how deep learning can apply to large-scale social network analysis and; b.) the computing resources required to make such analyses feasible.
The Prophetess: Rebecca Mould and Interrogating Authority in Postcolonial Ghana

This paper will analyze the making of institutional Mormonism in post-colonial Ghana through the life history and experiences of Rebecca Mould, a recognized and revered Mormon "Prophetess" and Apostle in the foundational Mormon community. Mormonism developed indigenously in Ghana in the absence of any missionary presence; claiming visions and prophecies, Mould, along with Raphael Abraham F. Mensah and Joseph W. Johnson, established a network of Mormon congregations in Accra, Cape Coast, and Sekondi-Takoradi, with Mould serving as one of the networks head. How does Mould's life reveal the change in gender dynamics involved in the Americanization of the Ghanaian LDS church in 1978? And what are the implications of that trajectory for how we consider Mormonism to be an indigenous manifestation of Mormonism or a neo-colonial faith movement establishing its authority over the spiritual spheres of Ghanaian adherents? Rebecca Mould's life serves as a foil not only for understanding the role of gender in the indigenous Ghanaian Mormon movement but also, its role in establishing the global Mormon corporate religious empire centered in Salt Lake City. This paper will further juxtapose Mould against other Mormon women throughout Anglophone West Africa, highlighting the role of women in crafting, upholding, and, at times, resisting the Americanization of Mormon identity.
Monocyte chemotactic protein-induced protein 1 controls allergic airway inflammation by suppressing IL-5-producing TH2 cells through the Notch/Gata3 pathway.

Background Asthmatic and allergic inflammation is mediated by T H 2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13). Although we have learned much about how T H 2 cells are differentiated, the T H 2 checkpoint mechanisms remain elusive. Objectives In this study we investigate how monocyte chemotactic protein–induced protein 1 (MCPIP1; encoded by the Zc3h12a gene) regulates IL-5–producing T H 2 cell differentiation and T H 2-mediated inflammation. Methods The functions of Zc3h12a −/− CD4 T cells were evaluated by checking the expression of T H 2 cytokines and transcription factors in vivo and in vitro . Allergic airway inflammation of Zc3h12a −/− mice was examined with murine asthma models. In addition, antigen-specific CD4 T cells deficient in MCPIP1 were transferred to wild-type recipient mice, challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) or house dust mite (HDM), and accessed for T H 2 inflammation. Results Zc3h12a −/− mice have spontaneous severe lung inflammation, with an increase in mainly IL-5– and IL-13–producing but not IL-4–producing T H 2 cells in the lung. Mechanistically, differentiation of IL-5–producing Zc3h12a −/− T H 2 cells is mediated through Notch signaling and Gata3 independent of IL-4. Gata3 mRNA is stabilized in Zc3h12a −/− T H 2 cells. MCPIP1 promotes Gata3 mRNA decay through the RNase domain. Furthermore, deletion of MCPIP1 in OVA- or HDM-specific T cells leads to significantly increased T H 2-mediated airway inflammation in OVA or HDM murine models of asthma. Conclusions Our study reveals that MCPIP1 regulates the development and function of IL-5–producing T H 2 cells through the Notch/Gata3 pathway. MCPIP1 represents a new and promising target for the treatment of asthma and other T H 2-mediated diseases.