cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of 30 % nutrient restriction in the first half of gestation on maternal and fetal baboon serum amino acid concentrations

Maternal undernutrition during pregnancy remains a significant challenge to fetal growth and development worldwide and constitutes a very significant problem in the USA because 48·8 million Americans lived in households experiencing food insecurity or hunger at least some time during 2010 (http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/FoodSecurity/stats_graphs.htm). Furthermore, maternal undernutrition is, together with infections, the most common cause of intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR) in developing countries(1) and fetal undernutrition accompanies placental insufficiency, a common aetiology of IUGR, even in more affluent societies(2). In addition, maternal undernutrition may have adverse consequences for the fetus without affecting fetal growth(3). An adequate supply of amino acids is essential for normal development of the placenta and fetus at all stages of pregnancy. In addition, the mother has her own needs for amino acids to accommodate the extensive energetic and tissue remodelling demands of pregnancy. Amino acids serve as building blocks for tissue protein synthesis and perform many specific cell functions such as providing antioxidant capacity and serving as substrates for hormone synthesis and cell signalling molecules. Amino acids also act as essential precursors of many molecules of physiological significance such as NO and polyamines from arginine as well as amino sugars(4 – 7). Furthermore, amino acids also constitute important stimuli for the secretion of insulin, an important fetal growth hormone. Thus, amino availability is a key determinant of fetal growth. The effects of maternal nutrient restriction (MNR) on maternal, placental and fetal growth have been extensively studied in rodents and sheep. Global MNR paradigms have ranged from moderate (30% reduction) to severe (70% reduction)(8,9). All models of human pregnancy have their strengths and weaknesses. Energetically speaking, rodents and sheep are inappropriate models for human pregnancy because the daily costs of fetal growth and milk synthesis are much higher for rodents and sheep than they are for humans. In contrast, these costs are identical for baboons and humans due to the characteristic traits of slow-growing fetuses with long gestations. However, with respect to maternal body fat stores, sheep and rats are more similar to humans than baboons, which are lean in pregnancy(10). Our previous studies of development at 50% of fetal primate gestation have shown significant effects of moderate MNR on structure and molecular mechanisms in several organ systems, including the brain(11), kidney(12) and liver(13). Because a sufficient supply of amino acids is critical for normal development, we felt it important to conduct the present study on amino acid availability at the same stage of gestation where we have found organ deficits. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that MNR in the pregnant baboon results in decreased fetal amino acid availability in mid-gestation.
A 14 300-year-long record of fire-vegetation-climate linkages at Battle Ground Lake, southwestern Washington.

High-resolution macroscopic charcoal analysis was used to reconstruct a 14,300-year-long fire history record from the lower Columbia River Valley in southwestern Washington, which was compared to a previous vegetation reconstruction for the site. In the late-glacial period (ca. 14,300-13,100 cal yr BP), Pinus/Picea-dominated parkland supported little to no fire activity. From the late-glacial to the early Holocene (ca. 13,100-10,800 cal yr BP), Pseudotsuga/Abies-dominated forest featured more frequent fire episodes that burned mostly woody vegetation. In the early to middle Holocene (ca. 10,800-5200 cal yr BP), Quercus-dominated savanna was associated with frequent fire episodes of low-to-moderate severity, with an increased herbaceous (i.e., grass) charcoal content. From the middle to late Holocene (ca. 5200 cal yr BP to present), forest dominated by Pseudotsuga, Thuja-type, and Tsuga heterophylla supported less frequent, but mostly large or high-severity fire episodes. Fire episodes were least frequent, but were largest or most severe, after ca. 2500 cal yr BP. The fire history at Battle Ground Lake was apparently driven by climate, directly through the length and severity of the fire season, and indirectly through climate-driven vegetation shifts, which affected available fuel biomass.
A NOTE ON COMPUTING TIME FOR RECOGNITION OF LANGUAGES GENERATED BY LINEAR GRAMMARS

Abstract : It is shown that (1) there exists a language L sub 0 which is generated by a linear grammar and is not T(n)-recognizable by any on-line multi-tape Turing machine if lim T(n)/(n/logn) squared (as n approaches infinity) equals zero and (2) any language generated by a linear grammar is n squared-recognizable by an on-line single-tape Turing machine in the sense of Hartmanis and Stearns (Computational complexity of recursive sequences, Proc. the Fifth Annual Symp. of Switching Circuit Theory and Logical Design, p. 82-90 (1964)). (Author)
Control of Salmonella and Campylobacter in Poultry Production. A Summary of Work at Russell Research Center

Abstract The primary mission of the USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Poultry Microbiological Safety Research Unit is to develop technology preventing commensal intestinal colonization of chickens by human bacterial enteropathogens, including Salmonella and Campylobacter. The different mechanisms of colonization and the wide variety of sources of these pathogens combined with the different factors that affect host susceptibility to colonization indicate that a multifaceted research approach will be required to control Salmonella and Campylobacter during poultry production. The working hypothesis is that only by delivering chickens free of Salmonella or Campylobacter to processing plant can significant reductions in the number and levels of contamination of chickens leaving the plant with these pathogens be achieved. As the means are developed to substantially reduce or eliminate the intestinal colonization of chickens by these pathogens, the pathogen-free chickens can be delivered to the processing plant, thereby eliminating or at least reducing the prevalence and levels of Salmonella on processed broilers.
Sensitivity of crustal deformation instruments to changes in secular rate

A variety of instruments (including borehole strainmeters, water wells, creepmeters, laser ranging and differential magnetometers) are used to monitor crustal deformation in areas that are prone to geologic hazards such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In monitoring the deformation, one typically examines the data for either a change in rate, or a simple offset in the record. However, one needs to place a statistical confidence level that the detected signal differs from the background “noise”. Calculation of the statistical confidence level may be done using the formalism of the matched filter, whose output is the signal-to-noise ratio, ρ. Two ingredients are needed to form a matched filter: 1) The power density spectrum of the instrument and 2) the functional form of the signal that we desire to detect. Using the available crustal deformation data from the Parkfield, California network, the background noise for individual instruments as a function of frequency, f, is estimated using the traditional method of the power density spectra. Except for two-color laser distance-ranging data, the power spectra for most of the instruments have a frequency dependence of f−n where 2≤n≤3. The confidence level with which a hypothesized signal is present is determined directly from the signal-to-noise ratio, with the numerator being a function of the signal and the denominator being a function of the power spectrum. Using a creepmeter as an example, a 0.04-mm change occurring over 1 hour, a 0.06-mm occurring over 10 hours, or 0.20-mm over 100 hours are all signals for which ρ=2 and therefore have only a 5% confidence that these signals could be background noise.
Low-power RF wideband polar transmitter design using the Envelope-Tracking technique

This paper discusses some design issues of highly efficient and monolithic wideband RF polar transmitters, especially the ones that use the Envelope-Tracking (ET) technique. We will: (1) review the state-of-the-art polar transmitters in the literature; (2) discuss the system-on-a-chip (SoC) design considerations of the monolithic polar transmitter using ET; and (3) discuss the design of envelope amplifiers capable of achieving the high efficiency, current, bandwidth, accuracy and noise specifications required for wideband signals.
radiative heat transfer augmentation in gas-fired radiant tube burners by porous inserts: effect of insert geometry

This article presents the results of an experimental investigation of heat transfer augmentation by porous media in a natural gas-fired radiant tube burner. The results show that significant heat transfer augmentation is possible with the use of porous ceramic inserts in both premixed and nonpremixed gas-fired radiant tube burners. Furthermore, this work has shown that geometry variations in the porous insert configuration can appreciably alter both heat transfer rates and mixing and chemical reaction rates in these systems. In the case of nonpremixed flames, the effect of variation of insert geometry is more than simple heat transfer augmentation via gas enthalpy conversion to thermal radiation by the porous medium. There is also a significant alteration of the reactive gas mixing (and therefore chemical reaction and heat release) rates along the length of the tube. The basic mechanisms that control the mixing rate and heat release distribution in these systems are still unknown. Nevertheless, it appears...
Hydrologic and edaphic constraints on Schoenoplectus acutus, Schoenoplectus californicus, and Typha latifolia in tidal marsh restoration

The demand for an improved knowledge base for planning and management of tidal marsh restoration worldwide has become more fully recognized. In the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta, California, U.S.A., concerns have arisen about the degradation of the Delta and key ecosystem services. One restoration method proposed includes intentionally breaching levees that protect agricultural lands to re-establish a hydrology that encourages tidal marsh development. Our research investigated relevant constraints on vegetation establishment and expansion of key tidal marsh species. We transplanted three macrophyte species (Schoenoplectus acutus, Schoenoplectus californicus, and Typha latifolia) using two transplant types (rhizomes and adults) in locations that varied in hydrologic and edaphic conditions at Liberty Island, a post-levee breach tidal marsh restoration site. Two years of monitoring revealed that transplanted adults outperformed rhizomes. In addition, S. californicus exhibited greater survival and vegetation expansion. S. californicus vegetation expansion covered a maximum area of approximately 23 m2, which is two orders of magnitude (OOM) greater than the maximum area covered by S. acutus (approximately 0.108 m2) and three OOM greater than T. latifolia (approximately 0.035 m2). Results suggest that hydrologic regime and degree of soil compaction are influential in controlling vegetation establishment and expansion. Greater vegetation expansion occurred in transplant sites characterized by a deeper surface layer of non-compacted soil in conjunction with shorter durations of flooding. Information derived from this study is valuable to restoration planning in the Delta and other tidal marshes worldwide where these species occur, especially in terms of setting restoration goals and trajectories based on site-specific environmental characteristics.
Economies of scale and scope in expansion of the U.S. natural gas pipeline network

Abstract I analyze cost, capacity, mileage, and technical data for 254 U.S. natural gas pipeline projects over the period 1997–2012. Although project costs exhibit economies of scale over the capacity margin and economies of scope over the spatial margin, network expansion costs may not exhibit cost economies overall. That is, proportional increases in both transmission capacity and length (in miles) may result in a proportional (or even greater-than-proportional) increase in expansion costs. Moreover, large projects (high-capacity pipelines spanning long distances) likely require installation of compression horsepower, which has direct cost effects. My results suggest such projects exhibit significant diseconomies in cost structure. As a result, pipeline tariffs based on cost-of-service pricing likely present a disincentive for prospective pipeline customers to commit to long-term contracts—which are necessary for the pipeline to acquire regulatory permission to build—particularly for large, long-distance expansion projects. The implication is that cost-of-service pricing may inhibit network expansion, exacerbating congestion issues.
Green Tea Product Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) Content and Label Information: A Descriptive Analysis

Green teaâ€™s popularity can be largely attributed to its potential health benefits, with an emphasis on antioxidant properties from its catechin constituents, especially (âˆ’)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). EGCG appears to be responsible for many of the potential health benefits of green tea. However, while higher intake levels may provide benefit, lower intake levels may not. The objective was to determine whether commercially available green tea products provide label information about EGCG content and other constituents and then to analyze the label information in terms of existing research. A descriptive analysis of product label information was conducted. In total, 105 green tea products evaluated, 58% of green tea supplements and 5% of green tea beverages included information about EGCG content on the label. Among the dietary supplement products providing sufficient information on the label, the amount of EGCG listed ranged from 70 mg to 600 mg per serving. The average EGCG per serving was 223.7 mg. The average reported caffeine content was 56.0 mg per serving. In conclusion, most green tea beverages to not provide adequate information about EGCG or other constituents. Green tea supplements are more likely to provide this information. One to two servings of green tea supplements are typically needed to achieve EGCG or catechin intake levels similar to those demonstrating efficacy in clinical studies. Consumers should consider selecting products that adequately describe constituent information on the label. Manufacturers should consider providing this essential information on the product label in order to better inform consumer decision-making.
Interaction between effector and memory cd8+ t cells enhances melanoma adoptive immunotherapy

Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of melanoma-specific memory T cells (TM) results in a more potent local and systemic T cell response than ACT with melanoma-specific effector T cells (TE). However, we have also seen that TM are not more cytotoxic than TEin vitro. We hypothesized that a combination of TE+M ACT would have an additive effect compared to TE and TM ACT alone.
Abstract TP209: Time Of Stroke Onset Is Not Associated With Risk Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea In Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that risk status for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with time of onset in intracerebral hemorrhage. Background: OSA can affect 30-70% of patients with ischemic strokes, intracerebral hemorrhage and transient ischemic attacks. In normal sleep, blood pressure and heart rate decrease due to increased parasympathetic activity. In OSA, increased sympathetic activity during sleep can lead to a absence of this blood pressure fall. This non-dipping nocturnal blood pressure pattern has been associated with a shift in the timing of sudden cardiac death, from 7am-noon in those without OSA to 12am-6am in those with OSA. Whether this diurnal shift exists in intracerebral hemorrhage cases at high risk for OSA has not been studied. Method: A nested case control study within the interviewed case cohort from the Ethnic/Racial Variations of Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ERICH) study was performed. OSA risk status was categorized as “high-risk” based on a positive score in 2 out of 3 categories on the Berlin questionnaire, which ascertains snoring, daytime fatigue, body mass index and hypertension. Timing of intracerebral hemorrhage was categorized as “Nocturnal” based on a known time of stroke onset from 22:00pm to 06:00am and “Awake” based on a known time of stroke onset from 06:01am to 21:59pm. Results: Time of stroke onset was known in 434 subjects. The Berlin questionnaire categorized 54.2% of cases as high-risk for OSA. In comparison with low-risk subjects, high-risk cases tended to be younger (59.1±13.7 vs. 61.8±15.7, p=0.05), male (48% vs 58%, p=0.03), have coronary disease (6% vs 11%, p=0.09), have diabetes (27% vs 18%, p=0.02), and have dyslipidemia (43% vs 30%, p=0.006). There were no ethnic differences in the prevalence of high risk for OSA (P=0.60). Nocturnal strokes were seen in 17% of high- and low-risk OSA cases. There was no statistically significant difference in OSA status and timing of stroke (p=0.98). Conclusions: OSA risk status was not associated with timing of hemorrhagic stroke. This finding suggests that a non-dipping nocturnal blood pressure pattern is not seen in intracerebral hemorrhage cases at high-risk for OSA.
Pressure Broadening of the O 2 Microwave Spectrum

A general expression for the calculation of pressure broadening for vibrational-rotational lines is derived in the strong-collision model. Classical trajectories and a peaking approximation are used to calculate a unitary scattering operator avoiding perturbation expansions, impact-parameter cutoffs, and straight paths. The latter approximations are not expected to be good when short-range potentials dominate the collision interaction. Use of intermolecular-potential parameters determined from thermodynamics and a simple theory of dispersion forces for ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ calculations gave excellent agreement with experimental data on the magnitude, temperature, and quantum-number dependence of the linewidth parameter.
Nucleophilic Substitution Catalyzed by a Supramolecular Cavity Proceeds with Retention of Absolute Stereochemistry

While the reactive pocket of many enzymes has been shown to modify reactions of substrates by changing their chemical properties, examples of reactions whose stereochemical course is completely reversed are exceedingly rare. We report herein a class of water-soluble host assemblies that is capable of catalyzing the substitution reaction at a secondary benzylic carbon center to give products with overall stereochemical retention, while reaction of the same substrates in bulk solution gives products with stereochemical inversion. Such ability of a biomimetic synthetic host assembly to reverse the stereochemical outcome of a nucleophilic substitution reaction is unprecedented in the field of supramolecular host–guest catalysis.
Homage to Tradition: Octavia Butler Renovates the Historical Novel

Despite the fact that her novels are sometimes difficult to find, Octavia Butler has nonetheless firmly established herself as a major new voice in science fiction. The five published novels of her Patternist saga, depicting over a vast time span both the genesis and evolution of Homo Superior (psionically enhanced human beings) and his mutated bestial counterpart; the one novel, Kindred, outside the serial story; and the short stories, all speak exceptionally well for Butler's artistry and growth.l Through the interviews she has given, the articles she's written, the pieces published about her, and of course, her novels, Octavia Butler emerges as a forthright and honest author. She is a writer very conscious of the power of art to affect social perceptions and behavior and a writer unafraid to admit that, when appropriate, she borrows from tradition, that she takes and reshapes African and Afro-American cultural values, that she has heuristic and didactic impulses which she transforms into art. With Wild Seed and Kindred, for instance, Butler seizes the possibilities inherent in the historical novel and the Black tradition in autobiography. She adapts these forms to produce extrapolative fiction which, for its impetus, looks to an historically grounded African-American past rather than to a completely speculative future. On the surface, this seems indeed a curious connection, this linkage of future fiction to the past. Regardless of the surface appearance, the format itself, extrapolating or projecting from social structures of the past to those possible in the future, is not new (Isaac Asimov's Foundation series is a model precursor). What is new and distinctive is Butler's handling of the format or frame, her particular choice of past cultures to extrapolate from. She has chosen to link science fiction not only to anthropology and history, via the historical novel, but directly to the Black American slavery experiences via the slave narrative. This is a fundamental departure for science fiction as genre. Wild Seed and Kindred demonstrate this new configuration aptly. However, before engaging in an immediate discussion of these
The Morality of Intimate Faculty-Student Relationships

L'A. mesure la permissibilite morale des relations intimes entre les professeurs de faculte et les etudiants, en particulier entre les professeurs masculins et les etudiantes. Les inegalites des sexes dans notre societe rendent cruciale la question de la capacite des etudiantes a consentir volontairement a des relations avec un professeur et augmentent le danger de repandre des stereotypes negatifs sur les femmes
Contaminant Resistant Sol-Gel Coatings for High Peak Power Laser Applications

Contamination of sol-gel anti-reflective (AR) coatings by volatile organic compounds reduces their efficiency. Co-hydrolysis of TEOS-based sol-gels with select organosiloxanes produces sol-gel AR’s with both excellent contamination resistance and high laser damage resistance.
Ballistic quench-induced correlation waves in ultracold gases

We investigate the wave-packet dynamics of a pair of particles that undergoes a rapid change of scattering length. The short-range interactions are modeled in the zero-range limit, where the quench is accomplished by switching the boundary condition of the wave function at vanishing particle separation. This generates a correlation wave that propagates rapidly to nonzero particle separations. We have derived universal, analytic results for this process that lead to a simple phase-space picture of the quench-induced scattering. Intuitively, the strength of the correlation wave relates to the initial contact of the system. We find that, in one spatial dimension, the ${k}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ tail of the momentum distribution contains a ballistic contribution that does not originate from short-range pair correlations, and a similar conclusion can hold in other dimensionalities depending on the quench protocol. We examine the resultant quench-induced transport in an optical lattice in one dimension, and a semiclassical treatment is found to give quantitatively accurate estimates for the transport probabilities.
Distinct Fos-Expressing Neuronal Ensembles in the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Mediate Food Reward and Extinction Memories.

In operant learning, initial reward-associated memories are thought to be distinct from subsequent extinction-associated memories. Memories formed during operant learning are thought to be stored in “neuronal ensembles.” Thus, we hypothesize that different neuronal ensembles encode reward- and extinction-associated memories. Here, we examined prefrontal cortex neuronal ensembles involved in the recall of reward and extinction memories of food self-administration. We first trained rats to lever press for palatable food pellets for 7 d (1 h/d) and then exposed them to 0, 2, or 7 daily extinction sessions in which lever presses were not reinforced. Twenty-four hours after the last training or extinction session, we exposed the rats to either a short 15 min extinction test session or left them in their homecage (a control condition). We found maximal Fos (a neuronal activity marker) immunoreactivity in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex of rats that previously received 2 extinction sessions, suggesting that neuronal ensembles in this area encode extinction memories. We then used the Daun02 inactivation procedure to selectively disrupt ventral medial prefrontal cortex neuronal ensembles that were activated during the 15 min extinction session following 0 (no extinction) or 2 prior extinction sessions to determine the effects of inactivating the putative food reward and extinction ensembles, respectively, on subsequent nonreinforced food seeking 2 d later. Inactivation of the food reward ensembles decreased food seeking, whereas inactivation of the extinction ensembles increased food seeking. Our results indicate that distinct neuronal ensembles encoding operant reward and extinction memories intermingle within the same cortical area. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A current popular hypothesis is that neuronal ensembles in different prefrontal cortex areas control reward-associated versus extinction-associated memories: the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) promotes reward seeking, whereas the ventral mPFC inhibits reward seeking. In this paper, we use the Daun02 chemogenetic inactivation procedure to demonstrate that Fos-expressing neuronal ensembles mediating both food reward and extinction memories intermingle within the same ventral mPFC area.
Willingness of Kansas farm managers to produce alternative cellulosic biofuel feedstocks: An analysis of adoption and initial acreage allocation

Abstract This paper examines the likelihood that farm managers would be willing to harvest crop residue, or grow a dedicated annual or perennial bioenergy crop. In addition, factors affecting how many initial acres adopters would be willing to plant of a dedicated annual or perennial bioenergy crop are assessed. The study finds several factors affect farm managers' decisions to harvest crop residue, or grow annual or perennial bioenergy crops, as well as their potential initial acreage allocation decisions. These factors lead to several policy implications that should be tailored to the specific type of cellulosic bioenergy crop.
Several Conditions Causing Elevation of Serum CK-MB and CK-BB

Most of the creatine kinase (CK:EC 2.7.3.2) activity is present in skeletal muscle and myocardium. However, some activity in other organs has been reported. Theoretically, the destruction of organs that contain CK activity should release soluble enzymes into the general circulation. The effects of various destructive processes on serum creatine kinase isoenzymes in 70 patients were studied. The MB isoenzyme was demonstrated in 17 of 70 patients (24%), and the BB isoenzyme in 12 of 70 patients (17%). MB activity ranged from 3 to 12 U/l, or 0.7% to 10% of the total CK activity. BB activity ranged from 2.5 to 21 U/l, or 0.4% to 18.6% of the total CK activity. Interpretation of the results of CK isoenzyme studies should be made very carefully, especially if laboratories use CK-MB methods that measure MB and BB in combination. The diagnosis of myocardial injury should never be based solely on the presence of creatine kinase MB isoenzyme in the serum, but should be supported by additional clinical and laboratory data.
Carbon Monoxide Improves Efficacy of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells During Sepsis by Production of Specialized Proresolving Lipid Mediators.

OBJECTIVES Mesenchymal stromal cells are being investigated as a cell-based therapy for a number of disease processes, with promising results in animal models of systemic inflammation and sepsis. Studies are ongoing to determine ways to further improve the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stromal cells. A gas molecule that improves outcome in experimental sepsis is carbon monoxide. We hypothesized that preconditioning of mesenchymal stromal cells with carbon monoxide ex vivo would promote further therapeutic benefit when cells are administered in vivo after the onset of polymicrobial sepsis in mice. DESIGN Animal study and primary cell culture. SETTING Laboratory investigation. SUBJECTS BALB/c mice. INTERVENTIONS Polymicrobial sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture. Mesenchymal stromal cells, mesenchymal stromal cells-conditioned with carbon monoxide, fibroblasts, or fibroblasts-conditioned with carbon monoxide were delivered by tail vein injections to septic mice. The mice were assessed for survival, bacterial clearance, and the inflammatory response during sepsis in each of the groups. Mesenchymal stromal cells were also assessed for their ability to promote bacterial phagocytosis by neutrophils, the production of specialized proresolving lipid mediators, and their importance for mesenchymal stromal cells function using gene silencing. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Ex vivo preconditioning with carbon monoxide allowed mesenchymal stromal cells to be administered later after the onset of sepsis (6 hr), and yet maintain their therapeutic effect with increased survival. Carbon monoxide preconditioned mesenchymal stromal cells were also able to alleviate organ injury, improve bacterial clearance, and promote the resolution of inflammation. Mesenchymal stromal cells exposed to carbon monoxide, with docosahexaenoic acid substrate, produced specialized proresolving lipid mediators, particularly D-series resolvins, which promoted survival. Silencing of lipoxygenase pathways (5-lipoxygenase and 12/15-lipoxygenase), which are important enzymes for specialized proresolving lipid mediator biosynthesis, resulted in a loss of therapeutic benefit bestowed on mesenchymal stromal cells by carbon monoxide. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these data suggest that production of specialized proresolving lipid mediators contribute to improved mesenchymal stromal cell efficacy when exposed to carbon monoxide, resulting in an improved therapeutic response during sepsis.
A grounded theory of online coping by parents of military service members

Although parents of adult service members play a pivotal role in the dynamics of military family life, they tend to be overlooked in research on military families. We seek to shed light on their experiences by investigating online discourse about having a son or daughter serving in the U.S. military. We used grounded theory methods to create a model depicting the process by which parents communicated in the online forums. At the heart of the model was the central theme of parents coping with the stress of military life. Parents were troubled by losing time with their child and feeling alone because of his or her absence, which led them to feel chaotic emotions. They coped with their stress by seeking support, relating to others with similar experiences, and focusing on the positive. We consider both the theoretical implications of these findings for understanding coping and supportive communication and the practical implications for meeting the needs of military parents.
Variations Between Sources of Social Support and Cancer Screen Behaviors in U.S. Chinese Older Adults.

Background Social support is a key indicator of utilization of preventive health care among older adults, but we have limited knowledge on these associations in U.S. Chinese older adults. This study aims to examine the association between sources of social support and cancer screening behaviors among Chinese older adults in the greater Chicago area. Methods Data were drawn from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago. Social supports were measured by asking the frequency of receipt of support from spouse, non-spouse family members, and friends. Use of cancer screenings were evaluated by asking the history of utilization of colon, breast, cervical, and prostate cancer screenings. Results After adjusting for covariates, results indicated significant association between higher social support and higher utilization of cancer screenings. Regarding to different sources of social support, higher levels of social supports from family members (odds ratio [OR], 1.15 [1.07, 1.25]) and friends (OR, 1.14 [1.06, 1.23]) were associated with higher utilization of breast cancer screening. However, higher levels of social support from family members (OR, 0.94 [0.88, 0.99]) and friends (OR, 0.94 [0.88, 1.00]) were associated with lower utilization of colon cancer screening. No associations were found between social support and prostate cancer screening. Conclusions This study provides evidence that different types of social support were associated with variations in the utilization of cancer screenings. Future longitudinal studies are needed to explore the causal relationship between social support and cancer screening use.
Enhanced Hemolysis in Pediatric Patients Requiring Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

PURPOSE Hemolysis during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be associated with the development of hemoglobinuria (Hb) nephropathy and acute renal failure. For patients requiring ECMO, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) can be simultaneously performed by attaching a hemofilter to the ECMO circuit, thereby shunting part of the ECMO blood flow through the hemofilter. However, the possibility that CRRT may further enhance hemolysis (and the risk of Hb nephropathy) in patients on ECMO has not been previously investigated. METHODS Medical records of 42 children (1 day-12 years old) who required ECMO (ECMO group, n=25) or ECMO and CRRT (ECMO+CRRT group, n=17) after cardiac surgery were reviewed. RESULTS Forty-one out of 42 patients had elevated plasma-free hemoglobin (FHb) on the first day of ECMO. For all subjects, peak change (mean+/-SD) in FHb (Peak%C-FHb, 83.6+/-183%) correlated with serum lactic dehydrogenase (150+/-324%, r=0.49, p<0.05) and marginally with ECMO blood flow rate (BFR) (Peak%C-BFR, 36.8+/-51.0%, r=0.29, p=0.06). Compared with the ECMO group, the ECMO+CRRT group had a higher Peak%C-FHb (160+/-259%, p<0.05) and Peak%C-BFR (62+/-64%, p<0.05). Also, there was a significant increase in FHb one day after the initiation of CRRT compared with the level prior to CRRT (73.3+/-49.2 vs. 50.0+/-30.3 mg/dL, respectively, p=0.012). Serum creatinine (but not blood urea nitrogen) was significantly higher in the ECMO+CRRT group compared with the ECMO group. The percent change in serum creatinine during ECMO did not correlate with Peak%C-FHb in the ECMO group. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that there is enhanced hemolysis during combined ECMO and CRRT compared with ECMO alone. However, the clinical impact of increased hemolysis on renal function in patients receiving ECMO with or without CRRT remains to be determined.
Machete injuries to the upper extremity.

We intend to describe and analyze the spectrum of upper extremity injuries that arises from both accidental and intentional machete injuries with a focus on associated complications and comorbidities. This review is the first from a United States institution, and the only from a designated level 1 trauma center. A retrospective review of machete related upper extremity injuries admitted to a level 1 trauma center from 2008 to 2016. The following data was collected on admitted patients: demographics, mechanism of injury, surgical management, and complications. We assessed the data with Pearson Chi square analysis. This cohort consisted of 48 patients (mean = 42 ± 13 years old); the majority were men (96%) involved in an assault (81%). These patients had a high rate of documented psychiatric history, substance and tobacco abuse, and being underinsured. Patient follow-up was extremely variable: 75% of patients presented for follow-up care (mean = 149 ± 344 days; range 8–1846 days). 44% had complications (i.e., infection, tendon rupture, nerve palsy). We identified no associations when examining follow-up rates or complication rates regarding patient comorbidities, insurance status, mechanism of injury, or the need for a nerve, artery, or tendon repair. Patients with current tobacco use did have an increased risk for infection. The majority (52%) of injuries occurred on the ulnar side of the forearm and to the non-dominant extremity (66%). Patients assaulted by machetes are significantly more likely to have a history of psychiatric illness, substance abuse, tobacco use, and are more likely to be underinsured compared to those with accidental machete injuries. While machete injuries may be uncommon in most areas of the United States, physicians should give special attention to the patient comorbidities as many of these patients have complex medical and social issues which could complicate attempts of appropriate treatment. IV; Prognostic Study.
Introduction and Review

For the benefit of the student, we here recall the harmonic analysis of the disc, particularly the Fourier analysis on the boundary of the disc. Basic convergence results in the nature of Fatou theorems are proved.
The United Nations and the Kurds

The letter provides a brief overview of the evolution of the United Nations’ treatment of the Kurdish question. It traces the issue from Rizgari Kurd’s formal appeal to the UN General Assembly in 1946 for Kurdish self-determination to the UN disapproval of Iraqi Kurdistan’s referendum of independence. The paper points one more time to the fundamental inconsistency between the UN principles of self-determination and territorial integrity.
Impact of introduction of the 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine on vaccination coverage of youth in North Carolina.

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of introduction of 9vHPV vaccine on HPV vaccination uptake (doses per capita) and initiation (≥1 doses), completion (≥3 doses) and compliance (≥3 doses within 12 months) by adolescents. Methods We used a retrospective cohort analysis using North Carolina Immunization Registry (NCIR) data from January 2008 through October 2016. The sample included Vaccines for Children eligible adolescents aged 9 to 17 years in 2016, for whom the NCIR contains complete vaccination history. We applied an interrupted time series design to measure associations between ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA)-level HPV vaccination outcomes over time with the introduction of 9vHPV in North Carolina (NC) in July 2015. Results Each outcome displayed a linear upward trend over time with large seasonal spikes near August of each year, corresponding to the time when adolescents often receive other vaccines required for school entry. After accounting for these underlying trends, introduction of 9vHPV was not associated with a change in publicly funded HPV vaccination rates in NC. Conclusions Our results indicate that 9vHPV substituted for 4vHPV in the first year after release in NC, but the release of 9vHPV was not associated with an overall change in HPV vaccination.
RUPTURED SINUS OF VALSALVA AT 18 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY

Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm (SVA) is a congenital cardiac anomaly rarely complicated by rupture. Changes in cardiac output in pregnancy may pre-dispose patients to this difficult to manage complication as interventions pose high risks to mother and baby. 39 year old pregnant female presented at 18
Detecting spatial defects in colored patterns using self-oscillating gels

With the growing demand for wearable computers, there is a need for material systems that can perform computational tasks without relying on external electrical power. Using theory and simulation, we design a material system that “computes” by integrating the inherent behavior of self-oscillating gels undergoing the Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction and piezoelectric (PZ) plates. These “BZ-PZ” units are connected electrically to form a coupled oscillator network, which displays specific modes of synchronization. We exploit this attribute in employing multiple BZ-PZ networks to perform pattern matching on complex multi-dimensional data, such as colored images. By decomposing a colored image into sets of binary vectors, we use each BZ-PZ network, or “channel,” to store distinct information about the color and the shape of the image and perform the pattern matching operation. Our simulation results indicate that the multi-channel BZ-PZ device can detect subtle differences between the input and stored patterns, such as the color variation of one pixel or a small change in the shape of an object. To demonstrate a practical application, we utilize our system to process a colored Quick Response code and show its potential in cryptography and steganography.With the growing demand for wearable computers, there is a need for material systems that can perform computational tasks without relying on external electrical power. Using theory and simulation, we design a material system that “computes” by integrating the inherent behavior of self-oscillating gels undergoing the Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction and piezoelectric (PZ) plates. These “BZ-PZ” units are connected electrically to form a coupled oscillator network, which displays specific modes of synchronization. We exploit this attribute in employing multiple BZ-PZ networks to perform pattern matching on complex multi-dimensional data, such as colored images. By decomposing a colored image into sets of binary vectors, we use each BZ-PZ network, or “channel,” to store distinct information about the color and the shape of the image and perform the pattern matching operation. Our simulation results indicate that the multi-channel BZ-PZ device can detect subtle differences between the input and stored patter...
Dialogical Spaces: Innovative Practices and the Development of the Alternative Black Curriculum in Social Studies, 1890–1940

This chapter will discuss the intersection of the alternative black curriculum and advocacy during the early twentieth century. The author will consider and erase the organizational history of the International Council of the Women of the Darker Races, established in 1922 by a group of prominent black women activists. The chapter will introduce the conceptual framework of dialogical spaces to illuminate the work of the ICWDR at the intersection of the alternative black curriculum and policy advocacy. Finally, the chapter considers how the country of Haiti played an important role in the development of the alternative black curriculum.
Cardiomyopathies, Heart Failure, and Pregnancy

Women with cardiomyopathy are at risk for complications during and after pregnancy if they are unable to adapt to the hemodynamic changes of pregnancy. The hemodynamic challenges of pregnancy, labor, and delivery pose unique risks to this group of patients which can result in clinical decompensation with overt heart failure, arrhythmias, and even maternal death. A multidisciplinary approach and a controlled delivery are crucial to adequate management of patients with underlying heart disease. Preconception planning, proper counseling, and accurate risk assessment are essential and should be offered to women of childbearing age. In this chapter, the risk assessment of pregnancy in women with cardiomyopathy will be reviewed. In addition, the management of pregnant women with cardiomyopathies and heart failure will be discussed including consideration of issues at the time of labor and delivery.
Analysis of Fast Adaptive Traffic Engineering Using a Feedback Control Model

This paper analyzes fast adaptive traffic engineering from a feedback control perspective. We provide a model that characterizes the system parameters' effects on the performance of the dynamic routing system. This allows quantitative analysis of adaptive traffic engineering control laws and its design parameter choices. We then specialize the general framework in two representative network topologies and derive the stability conditions for their dynamic routing systems. Experiments are carried out to compare against our theoretical predictions considering two forms of adaptive traffic engineering control law as examples. Together they provide systematic insights on the relations among several network factors and the intrinsic tradeoff among different network control objectives.
Crystallographic orientation effects of hydrogen diffusion in α-uranium from DFT: Interpreting variations in experimental data

Abstract Experimental values of hydrogen diffusion coefficients in bulk α-uranium obtained at elevated temperatures have significant scatter, leading to dramatic differences in extrapolated diffusion coefficients at room temperature. Previous density functional theory (DFT) calculations predicted higher diffusion barriers than experiments, suggesting hydrogen diffusion through undefected bulk is not possible. In this manuscript DFT calculations of hydrogen diffusion coefficients as a function of crystallographic orientation in α-uranium are reported. The findings explain previous discrepancies, show that diffusion of hydrogen through bulk uranium is consistent with experiments, and suggest a reasonable value for room temperature diffusion coefficient based on proposed pathway.
The insulin-like growth factor-I receptor and its role in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy

Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO), an autoimmune component of Graves’ disease, remains a disfiguring and potentially blinding condition. Here, the author reviews the role of insulin-like growth factor-I receptor pathway in TAO and how it might be therapeutically targeted. The recent literature is reviewed. TAO involves reactivity of orbital connective tissues and their remodeling. While many of the details concerning the pathogenesis of TAO remain to be determined, several insights have come to light recently. Among them is the apparent involvement of IGF-IR. This receptor protein, a membrane-spanning tyrosine kinase receptor can form both physical and functional complexes with the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR). This is notable because TSHR is the established primary autoantigen in Graves’ disease. IGF-IR activity is critical to signaling downstream from both IGF-IR and TSHR. In addition, antibodies against IGF-IR have been detected in patients with Graves’ disease and in rodent models of TAO. Evidence has been put forward that these antibodies may act directly on IGF-IR, perhaps in some manner activating the receptor. These experimental observations have led to the development of a novel therapy for active TAO, utilizing a monoclonal anti-IGF-IR inhibitory antibody which had been produced originally as treatment for cancer. The agent, teprotumumab was recently evaluated in a clinical trial and found to be highly effective and relatively well-tolerated. It is currently undergoing assessment in a follow-up trial. Should the current study yield similarly encouraging results, it is possible that teprotumumab will emerge as a paradigm-shifting medical therapy for TAO.