cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BUBBLE NUCLEATION ON NANOSCOPICALLY SMOOTH HYDROPHOBIC ISLANDS

We report our study of an interfacial gas phase formed between a smooth hydrophobic surface and water using pool boiling experiments. Nanoscopically smooth hydrophobic islands of 10 ∼ 100 μm in width are fabricated on a hydrophilic silicon substrate using photolithography. We observe sustained bubble nucleation at superheat as low as 9 °C. The amount of dissolved gas in water does not have a significant effect on bubble nucleation. By comparing the measured minimum superheat for the onset of bubble nucleation with theoretical prediction, we provide indirect evidence for the presence of an interfacial gas phase with widths on the order of 1 μm and contact angle >160°. This high contact angle, which has been postulated to be the reason for the long lifetime of nanobubbles, drastically decreases the nucleation barrier, even on nanoscopically smooth hydrophobic surfaces.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Survey Research in Germany

Sample interview surveys were developed outside Germany during her seclusion from international intellectual cooperation. Only five years ago, German scholars showed little interest in empirical research and provided no training in the area. In this article, the author describes the areas in which survey research is now being used in Germany, the agencies using this method, and the kinds of materials which are urgently needed but yet to be collected. The author is Program Director of the Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan.
A unified model of NMDA receptor-dependent bidirectional synaptic plasticity

Synapses in the brain are bidirectionally modifiable, but the routes of induction are diverse. In various experimental paradigms, N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor-dependent long-term depression and long-term potentiation have been induced selectively by varying the membrane potential of the postsynaptic neurons during presynaptic stimulation of a constant frequency, the rate of presynaptic stimulation, and the timing of pre- and postsynaptic action potentials. In this paper, we present a mathematical embodiment of bidirectional synaptic plasticity that is able to explain diverse induction protocols with a fixed set of parameters. The key assumptions and consequences of the model can be tested experimentally; further, the model provides the foundation for a unified theory of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity.
Identifying High-Level Organizational Elements in Argumentative Discourse

Argumentative discourse contains not only language expressing claims and evidence, but also language used to organize these claims and pieces of evidence. Differentiating between the two may be useful for many applications, such as those that focus on the content (e.g., relation extraction) of arguments and those that focus on the structure of arguments (e.g., automated essay scoring). We propose an automated approach to detecting high-level organizational elements in argumentative discourse that combines a rule-based system and a probabilistic sequence model in a principled manner. We present quantitative results on a dataset of human-annotated persuasive essays, and qualitative analyses of performance on essays and on political debates.
The relevance of seral eutrophication and plant competition to the management of successional communities

Abstract Seral and plagioclimax communities such as chalk grassland, dune grassland, and heathland, are of great conservational importance in the United Kingdom, and considerable resources are directed towards their management in nature reserves and amenity areas. It is suggested that an important feature of these communities is their low fertility, especially with respect to nitrogen, and that this is directly related to their floristic diversity. Successional changes, usually involving scrub colonization, lead to a build-up in fertility, to loss of floristic diversity, and often to a reduction in the wildlife and amenity value. The traditional forms of management practised on such communities—including grazing, burning, and mowing—probably arrest seral development partially by preventing the build-up of fertility in the ecosystem. Some examples of mineral nutrient studies are considered, and it is suggested that a greater knowledge of nutrient budgets is fundamental to the scientific management of these communities.
Crystal Chemistry and Phase Relations in the System Li2O‐Fe2O3‐TiO2

Above 755°C, compounds along the spinel join LiFe5O8-Li4Ti5O12 form a complete solid solution and below that temperature a two-phase region separates the ordered LiFe5O8 and the disordered spinel phase. At 800° and 900°C, cubic LiFeO2 (ss) and monoclinic LizTi03 (ss) exist on the monoxide join LiFeO2-Li2TiO3. The distributions of cations in both the spinel and monoxide structures were calculated as a function of equilibrium temperature and composition. Sub-solidus equilibria in the system Li2O-Fe2O3-TiO2 at 800° and 900°C were determined for compositions containing ∼50 mol% Li2O.
Private Self-Consciousness and Self-Disclosure

What types of persons are more or less likely to self-disclose? That is, what individual differences exist between those who voluntarily reveal personal information to others and those who avoid such intimate self-revelation? Recent attempts to survey the evidence concerning this question have not been especially encouraging. For example, Archer (1979), in a review of the empirical attempts to link self-disclosure with personality characteristics of the discloser, stressed the relative dearth of strong and consistent results. Among the few features that do appear to be characteristic of disclosers are a lack of introversion, a lack of neuroticism, and a tendency toward impulsivity. However, despite numerous attempts to demonstrate links with many other measures of psychological functioning, Archer’s conclusion was that at present a “hazy, confused portrait is all that can be distilled from some twenty years of research” (p. 38).
Helical poly-L-glutamic acid templated nanoporous aluminium oxides

The synthesis of porous aluminium oxide made in the presence of helical poly-L-glutamic acid is reported.
Reduction of the antigenicity of factor VIII toward complex inhibitory antibody plasmas using multiply-substituted hybrid human/porcine factor VIII molecules

Factor VIII (fVIII) circulates as a heavy chain/light chain (A1-A2-B/ap-A3-C1-C2) heterodimer. The 41-residue light chain activation peptide, ap, is cleaved from fVIII during proteolytic activation by thrombin or factor Xa. We constructed 7 active recombinant hybrid B-domainless human/porcine fVIII molecules that contained combinations of porcine sequence replacements within the A2, ap-A3, and C2 domains. The cross-reactivity of 23 high-titer inhibitory antibodies between human fVIII and the hybrids was inversely related to the degree of porcine substitution. In all plasmas, the substitution of all 3 regions yielded cross-reactivities that were not significantly different from those of porcine fVIII. To differentiate between inhibitor binding to the ap region and the A3 domain, we constructed 2 additional hybrids that contained porcine A2 and C2 domain substitutions and either porcine A3 or porcine ap substitutions. The porcine ap segment was less antigenic than the human ap segment in several plasmas that had activity against the ap-A3 region. This indicates that some inhibitor plasmas contain antibodies directed against the fVIII ap segment in addition to A2, A3, and C2 domain epitopes identified in previous studies. Substitution of porcine sequences within the A2, A3, C2, and ap regions of human fVIII is necessary and sufficient to achieve a maximal reduction in antigenicity relative to porcine fVIII with respect to most inhibitory antibody plasmas. (Blood. 2000;95:564-568)
Contrasting effects of afferent and efferent vagal nerve stimulation on insulin secretion and blood glucose regulation.

Parasympathetic activation reduces hepatic glucose release and increases pancreatic insulin secretion in hyperglycemic conditions. Thus, vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) may potentially be effective in treating type II diabetes. To investigate this possibility, we hypothesized that VNS reduces blood glucose concentration [Glu] via insulin secretion. [Glu] together with insulin and glucagon serum concentrations were determined in anesthetized rats during baseline conditions and 120 min of cervical VNS with the nerve left intact for combined afferent and efferent VNS (n = 9) or the nerve sectioned proximal or distal from the stimulation electrode for selective efferent (n = 8) or afferent (n = 7) VNS, respectively. Afferent VNS caused a strong and sustained increase in [Glu] (+108.9 ± 20.9% or +77.6 ± 15.4%, after 120 min of combined afferent and efferent VNS or selective afferent VNS) that was not accompanied by an increase in serum insulin concentration. However, serum insulin levels increased significantly with selective efferent VNS (+71.2 ± 27.0% after 120 min of VNS) that increased [Glu] only temporarily (+28.8 ± 11.7% at 30 min of VNS). Efferent VNS initially increased serum glucagon concentration which remained elevated for 120 min when efferent VNS was combined with afferent VNS, but returned to baseline with selective efferent VNS. These findings demonstrate that afferent VNS causes a marked and sustained increase in [Glu] that is partly mediated by suppression of pancreatic insulin secretion. In contrast, efferent VNS stimulates pancreatic glucagon secretion that appears to be antagonized by insulin secretion in the case of selective efferent VNS. Selective efferent VNS may potentially be effective in treating type II diabetes.
Quantitative Estimation of Cerebral Hemodynamic Changes through the Multimodality Fusion of BOLD and Diffuse Optical Tomography

We describe a state-space model for the integration of multimodality data considering simultaneously the biophysics of the observation processes. We apply this model to experimental data from simultaneous BOLD and DOT imaging.
Development of Multifunctional Three-injecting-pump Detecting System Based on MCU

Multifunctional three-injecting-pump detecting system suitable for testing comprehensive parameters in tertiary process was designed using MCU.The system is suitable for working scene of three-injecting-pumps,and is using for separately testing active power of input,entry pressure and outlet pressure of three pumps——-polymers,alkali,surfactants.Main performance parameters such as flow,bias were calculated by software and the result were showed,stored and printed by PC.The system has good features such as real-time feature,easy operation,more data detected,higher precision,and is used in Daqing oil field.
Interventional Clearance of Intracardiovasular Foreign Body

Objective:To assess the clinical value of percutaneous retrieval of intracardiovasular foreign body. Methods:From March 2002 to December 2004,we attempted percutaneous retrieval of intracardiovasular foreign bodies in 12 patients.The foreign bodies included 4 cardiac defect occluders,9 catheter fragments,2 guidewire and 2 other objects.Percuta- neous extraction was performed according to the type,size and position of the foreign bodies and diameter of vessels.The selected devices,such as snare loop,basket cahether and grasping forcep were used. Results:All pereutaneous retrieval procedures were successfully achieved without surgical operation.No severe complica- tions occurred. Conclusion:Percutaneous techniques for the retrieval of intraeardiovascular foreign bodies are highly effective with a low complications rate.It should be a choice of mangement for these foreign bodies.
Simultaneous determination of 11 phenolic constituents in black rice wine by HPLC

Simultaneous determination of 11 phenolic constituents in black rice wine was established by HPLC method. Venusil C18(250mm×4.6mm, 5μm) column was used to seperate the phenolic compounds. Gradient elution was employed with a moble phase consisting of 50% acetonitrile and ultrapure water. 1% acetic acid was added at a solvent flow rate of 1.0 mL/min with injection volume of 20μL. The 11 flavonoids and phenolic acids were identified at 30℃, at 260nm and 320nm, respectively. The phenolic compounds were separated well in 45 min, and method showed good linear correlations between the concentration and peak area, and the correlation coefficient was greater than 0.996. The average recoveries were 83.5%~ 105.1%, with relative standard deviations 1.3%~3.3%. The method can be applied to the quantitative analysis of flavonoids and phenolic acids in rice wine.
Extracting Process Study on Forsythiaside by Orthogonal Experiment

Objective:To optimize the optimum extracting process of forsythiaside by orthogonal design. Method:Extraction solvent, abstraction time, extraction times and ratio of material to liquid were selected as four primary effect factors, and the L9(34) table was chosen as orthogonal design. As a detection index, the content of forsythiaside was detected by HPLC. Results:The optimum extraction technology was in the condition of extracting twice at 70℃ with 10 volumes of 40% ethanol for one and a half hours each time. Conclusion:The extraction technology has a high extraction rate, and it is good, stable, and simple to operate. The technology is fit to industrial production.
Which pill to choose

Oral contraceptives work by 3 major mechanisms. Estrogen acting at the hypothalamic-pituitary pathway blocks the releasing factor controlling the production of FSH and LH. The progestational component acts at the uterine level. It causes thickening of the cervical mucus to make it nonreceptive to sperm. It also changes the endometrium making it nonreceptive to implantation. Estrogenic effects include irritation of the gastric mucosa sodium retention stimulation of cervical mucus secretion and breast enlargement. Progestational components can cause hirsutism alopecia acne and decreased menstrual flow as well as depression increased appetite weight gain and repression of libido. Therapy should be carefully chosen for each patient with particular attention paid to dosage dominant factor and type of administration i.e. combined or sequential.
Relationships between tinnitus and the prevalence of anxiety and depression.

Author(s): Bhatt, Jay M; Bhattacharyya, Neil; Lin, Harrison W | Abstract: Objectives/hypothesisQuantify the relationships between tinnitus, and anxiety and depression among adults.Study designCross-sectional analysis of a national health survey.MethodsAdult respondents in the 2007 Integrated Health Interview Series tinnitus module were analyzed. Data for tinnitus symptoms and severity and reported anxiety and depression symptoms were extracted. Associations between tinnitus problems and anxiety, depression, lost workdays, days of alcohol consumption, and mean hours of sleep were assessed.ResultsAmong 21.4 ± 0.69 million adult tinnitus sufferers, 26.1% reported problems with anxiety in the preceding 12 months, whereas only 9.2% of those without tinnitus reported an anxiety problem (P l .001). Similarly, 25.6% of respondents with tinnitus reported problems with depression, whereas only 9.1% of those without tinnitus reported depression symptoms (P l .001). Those reporting tinnitus symptoms as a "big" or "very big" problem were more likely to concurrently report anxiety (odds ratio [OR]: 5.7; 95% CI: 4.0-8.1; P l .001) and depression (OR: 4.8; 95% CI: 3.5-6.7; P l .001) symptoms. Tinnitus sufferers reported significantly fewer mean hours of sleep per night (7.00 vs. 7.21; P l .001) and greater mean days of work missed (6.94 vs. 3.79, P l .001) compared to those who did not report tinnitus. Mean days of alcohol consumption between the two groups were not significantly different.ConclusionsTinnitus symptoms are closely associated with anxiety, depression, shorter sleep duration, and greater workdays missed. These comorbidities and sequelae should be recognized and addressed to optimally manage patients with chronic and bothersome tinnitus.Level of evidence4 Laryngoscope, 2016 127:466-469, 2017.
Proteolysis of plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 by Yersinia pestis remodulates the host environment to promote virulence

Essentials Effect of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 on plague and its Y. pestis cleavage is unknown. An intranasal mouse model of infection was used to determine the role of PAI-1 in pneumonic plague. PAI-1 is cleaved and inactivated by the Pla protease of Y. pestis in the lung airspace. PAI-1 impacts both bacterial outgrowth and the immune response to respiratory Y. pestis infection. Click to hear Dr Bock discuss pathogen activators of plasminogen. SummaryBackground The hemostatic regulator plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) inactivates endogenous plasminogen activators and aids in the immune response to bacterial infection. Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, produces the Pla protease, a virulence factor that is required during plague. However, the specific hemostatic proteins cleaved by Pla in vivo that contribute to pathogenesis have not yet been fully elucidated. Objectives To determine whether PAI-1 is cleaved by the Pla protease during pneumonic plague, and to define the impact of PAI-1 on Y. pestis respiratory infection in the presence or absence of Pla. Methods An intranasal mouse model of pneumonic plague was used to assess the levels of total and active PAI-1 in the lung airspace, and the impact of PAI-1 deficiency on bacterial pathogenesis, the host immune response and plasmin generation following infection with wild-type or ∆pla Y. pestis. Results We found that Y. pestis cleaves and inactivates PAI-1 in the lungs in a Pla-dependent manner. The loss of PAI-1 enhances Y. pestis outgrowth in the absence of Pla, and is associated with increased conversion of plasminogen to plasmin. Furthermore, we found that PAI-1 regulates immune cell recruitment, cytokine production and tissue permeability during pneumonic plague. Conclusions Our data demonstrate that PAI-1 is an in vivo target of the Pla protease in the lungs, and that PAI-1 is a key regulator of the pulmonary innate immune response. We conclude that the inactivation of PAI-1 by Y. pestis alters the host environment to promote virulence during pneumonic plague.
Hypersensitivity and immunologic reactions to biologics: opportunities for the allergist

Abstract Objective There has been a great expanse in the use of biological agents during the past decade. However, there are significant differences between biologics and typical pharmaceutical drugs. This review focuses on 3 separate types of adverse reactions to biologics, namely high cytokine reactions, hypersensitivity reactions, and secondary immunodeficiency. Data Sources A PubMed literature search restricted to the previous 10 years using combinations of search terms, including omalizumab, rituximab, TGN1412, biologic agent, anaphylaxis, hypogammaglobulinemia, desensitization , and cytokine storm , was performed. The results were manually filtered to identify relevant articles with additional references identified from bibliographies. Study Selection Reports were selected for TGN1412 cytokine storm, omalizumab anaphylaxis and desensitization, rituximab-induced hypogammaglobulinemia, rituximab anaphylaxis and serum sickness, and monoclonal antibody desensitization. Results A phase 1 clinical trial using a humanized anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody (TGN1412) caused severe cytokine storm reactions in all 6 subjects, resulting in multiorgan failure. Omalizumab has been reported to cause anaphylaxis in fewer than 0.1% of patients, many with delayed reactions. The mechanism for this anaphylactic reaction is unclear. Rituximab has been associated with hypogammaglobulinemia, serum sickness-like reactions, and anaphylaxis. Rapid drug desensitizations to monoclonal antibodies, including rituximab, suspected of causing immunoglobulin E-mediated reactions have been found to be generally safe and effective. Conclusion Hypersensitivity reactions and immune dysregulation from biologic agents are not rare. The allergist and immunologist should be involved in managing these patients for optimal care.
Particle-Tracking Microrheology Using Micro-Optical Coherence Tomography.

Abstract Clinical manifestations of cystic fibrosis (CF) result from an increase in the viscosity of the mucus secreted by epithelial cells that line the airways. Particle-tracking microrheology (PTM) is a widely accepted means of determining the viscoelastic properties of CF mucus, providing an improved understanding of this disease as well as an avenue to assess the efficacies of pharmacologic therapies aimed at decreasing mucus viscosity. Among its advantages, PTM allows the measurement of small volumes, which was recently utilized for an in situ study of CF mucus formed by airway cell cultures. Typically, particle tracks are obtained from fluorescence microscopy video images, although this limits one's ability to distinguish particles by depth in a heterogeneous environment. Here, by performing PTM with high-resolution micro-optical coherence tomography ( μ OCT), we were able to characterize the viscoelastic properties of mucus, which enables simultaneous measurement of rheology with mucociliary transport parameters that we previously determined using μ OCT. We obtained an accurate characterization of dextran solutions and observed a statistically significant difference in the viscosities of mucus secreted by normal and CF human airway cell cultures. We further characterized the effects of noise and imaging parameters on the sensitivity of μ OCT-PTM by performing theoretical and numerical analyses, which show that our system can accurately quantify viscosities over the range that is characteristic of CF mucus. As a sensitive rheometry technique that requires very small fluid quantities, μ OCT-PTM could also be generally applied to interrogate the viscosity of biological media such as blood or the vitreous humor of the eye in situ.
Treatment delay and facility case volume are associated with survival in early‐stage glottic cancer

OBJECTIVE To identify and compare treatment and system factors associated with survival in early-stage glottic cancer. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study of cases in the Commission on Cancer National Cancer Database. METHODS Adult patients with early glottic cancer (stage I or II) diagnosed between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2012, were included. Demographic, tumor, and survival variables were included in the analyses. Multivariate Cox regressions as well as univariate Kaplan-Meier analyses were conducted. RESULTS In total, 5,627 patients were included in the study. Treatment factors associated with improved survival included larynx-preserving surgery alone (hazard ratio [HR] 0.740; P = 0.001) and larynx-preserving surgery with radiation (HR 0.837; P = 0.010) when compared to radiotherapy alone. System factors associated with worse survival included intermediate- (HR 1.123; P = 0.047) or low- (HR 1.458; P = 0.017) volume centers; Medicaid (HR 1.882; P < 0.001), Medicare (HR 1.532; P < 0.001), or other government insurance (HR 2.041; P < 0.001); and delay between diagnosis and treatment greater than 100 days (HR 1.605; P = 0.006). CONCLUSION A number of treatment and system factors were found to be significantly associated with survival when controlling for patient and tumor factors. These may present targets for the improvement of outcomes in early-stage glottic cancers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4. Laryngoscope, 127:616-622, 2017.
Modeling anisotropic Maxwell–Jüttner distributions: derivation and properties

Abstract. In this paper we develop a model for the anisotropic Maxwell–Juttner distribution and examine its properties. First, we provide the characteristic conditions that the modeling of consistent and well-defined anisotropic Maxwell–Juttner distributions needs to fulfill. Then, we examine several models, showing their possible advantages and/or failures in accordance to these conditions. We derive a consistent model, and examine its properties and its connection with thermodynamics. We show that the temperature equals the average of the directional temperature-like components, as it holds for the classical, anisotropic Maxwell distribution. We also derive the internal energy and Boltzmann–Gibbs entropy, where we show that both are maximized for zero anisotropy, that is, the isotropic Maxwell–Juttner distribution.
Public understanding of cigarette smoke constituents: three US surveys

Introduction The Tobacco Control Act requires public disclosure of information about toxic constituents in cigarette smoke. To inform these efforts, we studied public understanding of cigarette smoke constituents. Methods We conducted phone surveys with national probability samples of adolescents (n=1125) and adults (n=5014) and an internet survey with a convenience sample of adults (n=4137), all in the USA. We assessed understanding of cigarette smoke constituents in general and of 24 specific constituents. Results Respondents commonly and incorrectly believed that harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke mostly originate in additives introduced by cigarette manufacturers (43–72%). Almost all participants had heard that nicotine is in cigarette smoke, and many had also heard about carbon monoxide, ammonia, arsenic and formaldehyde. Less than one-quarter had heard of most other listed constituents being in cigarette smoke. Constituents most likely to discourage respondents from wanting to smoke were ammonia, arsenic, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, lead and uranium. Respondents more often reported being discouraged by constituents that they had heard are in cigarette smoke (all p<0.05). Constituents with names that started with a number or ended in ‘ene’ or ‘ine’ were less likely to discourage people from wanting to smoke (all p<0.05). Discussion Many people were unaware that burning the cigarette is the primary source of toxic constituents in cigarette smoke. Constituents that may most discourage cigarette smoking have familiar names, like arsenic and formaldehyde and do not start with a number or end in ene/ine. Our findings may help campaign designers develop constituent messages that discourage smoking.
Level Compatibility in the Passage from Modular Symbols to Cup Products

For a positive integer M and an odd prime p there exists a map $$\varpi _M$$ from the first homology group of the modular curve $$X_1(M)$$ with $${\mathbb {Z}}_p$$ -coefficients to a second Galois cohomology group over $${\mathbb {Q}}(\mu _M)$$ with restricted ramification and $${\mathbb {Z}}_p(2)$$ -coefficients. This map takes Manin symbols to certain cup products of cyclotomic M-units. It has previously been shown that if $$p\mid M$$ and $$p\ge 5$$ , then $$\varpi _{Mp}$$ and $$\varpi _M$$ are compatible via the map of homology induced by the quotient $$X_1(Mp)\rightarrow X_1(M)$$ and corestriction from $${\mathbb {Q}}(\mu _{Mp})$$ to $${\mathbb {Q}}(\mu _M)$$ . We show that for a prime $$\ell \not \mid M$$ , $$\ell \ne p\ge 5$$ , the maps $$\varpi _{M\ell }$$ and $$\varpi _M$$ are again compatible under a certain combination of the two standard degeneracy maps from level $$M\ell $$ to level M and corestriction.
Simulations of Bama in a Native Outer-Membrane Model and Energetics of Lateral Opening

Gram-negative bacteria possess two cell membranes. The outer membrane is host to almost exclusively β-barrel transmembrane proteins. The β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) is a five-protein complex responsible for the insertion and assembly of outer membrane β-barrel proteins. The first crystal structures of the transmembrane β-barrel domain of BamA were released in 2013. In these initial crystal structures, the BamA β-barrel possessed a weak interface between its first (1) and last (16) β strands, which led to strand separation within 1 μs in our equilibrium simulations. This strand separation has been proposed to act as a lateral gate for substrate passage into the membrane. In addition, a hydrophobic mismatch near the barrel seam was shown to destabilize the membrane, potentially acting to aid integration of the substrate. Furthermore, full BAM complex crystal structures were recently released, showing accessory proteins rallying around this putative insertion region using the periplasmic domains of BamA as a scaffold. In order to address remaining questions surrounding the role that BamA plays in the insertion and assembly process, we have carried out additional equilibrium simulations of BamA in several membrane bilayers. We also performed a calculation of energetic landscapes associated with lateral gate formation under various conditions. These calculations reveal a lower energetic barrier to strand separation for BamA as compared to FhaC, a member of the same (Omp85) family. They also reveal a significant role played by the C-terminal kink feature in modulating the barrier to strand separation. Finally, equilibrium simulations of NgBamA demonstrate lateral gate opening at 340K in a native lipopolysaccharide bilayer for the first time.
Development of a New Departure Aversion Standard for Light Aircraft

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have recently established new light aircraft certification rules that introduce significant changes to the current regulations. The changes include moving from prescriptive design requirements to performance-based standards, transferring many of the acceptable means of compliance out of the rules and into consensus standards. In addition, the FAA/EASA rules change the performance requirements associated with some of the more salient safety issues regarding light aircraft. One significant change is the elimination of spin recovery demonstration. The new rules now call for enhanced stall warning and aircraft handling characteristics that demonstrate resistance to inadvertent departure from controlled flight. The means of compliance with these changes in a safe, cost-effective manner is a challenging problem. This paper discusses existing approaches to reducing the likelihood of departure from controlled flight and introduces a new approach, dubbed Departure Aversion, which allows applicants to tailor the amount of departure resistance, stall warning, and enhanced safety equipment to meet the new proposed rules. The Departure Aversion approach gives applicants the freedom to select the most cost-effective portfolio for their design, while meeting the safety intent of the new rules, by ensuring that any combination of the selected approaches will be at a higher equivalent level of safety than today's status quo.
RESPONSE SURFACE OPTIMIZATION OF Lactobacillus plantarum BATCH GROWTH

Optimal conditions for batch growth ofLactobacillus plantarum, ATCC 8014, are a pH of 6.0, a temperature of 33°C, and an initial glucose concentration of 24 g/l. A maximum biomass concentration of 6.0 g/l was achieved. Growth parameters were also determined.
The quantitative evaluation of the relationship between the forces applied to the palm and carpal tunnel pressure.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy occurring in upper limbs. The etiology, however, has not been fully understood yet. Median nerve could be compressed by either increase of carpal tunnel pressure (CTP) or direct impingement when it is forced toward to carpal ligament especially in wrist flexion leading to CTS development. Thus, the increase of carpal tunnel pressure is considered an important role in CTS development. It has been identified that forces applied to the palm would affect the CTP. However, the quantitative relationship between palmar contact force and CTP is not known. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between palmar contact force and CTP. Eight human cadaveric hands were used. The CTP was measured with a diagnostic catheter-based pressure transducer inserted into the carpal tunnel. A custom made device was used to apply forces to the palm for the desired CTP. Palmar contact forces corresponding to the determined CTP level were recorded respectively. The testing was repeated with different ranges of tension applied to the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon of the third finger. The tensions were constant at 50 g for the other flexor tendons and median nerve. The results showed that CTP increased linearly with the force applied to the palm. When CTP was 30 mmHg, mean values of the contact force to the palm was 293 g (SD: 15.2) including all tensions. These results would help to understand the effect of daily activities with hands on CTP.
Be[com]ing a teacher in neoliberal times: The possibilities of visioning for resistance in teacher education:

Teacher education is under assault from the corporatization of public education. There is evidence that reductive, essentialized/ing discourses of standardization and compliance exert intense press...
Effectiveness of base-of-skull immobilization system in a compact proton therapy setting.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate daily repositioning accuracy by analyzing inter- and intra-fractional uncertainties associated with patients treated for intracranial or base of skull tumors in a compact proton therapy system with 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) robotic couch and a thermoplastic head mask indexed to a base of skull (BoS) frame. Materials and methods Daily orthogonal kV alignment images at setup position before and after daily treatments were analyzed for 33 patients. The system was composed of a new type of thermoplastic mask, a bite block, and carbon-fiber BoS couch-top insert specifically designed for proton therapy treatments. The correctional shifts in robotic treatment table with 6 DOF were evaluated and recorded based on over 1500 planar kV image pairs. Correctional shifts for patients with and without bite blocks were compared. Results Systematic and random errors were evaluated for all 6 DOF coordinates available for daily vector corrections. Uncertainties associated with geometrical errors and their sources, in addition to robustness analysis of various combinations of immobilization components were presented. Conclusions Analysis of 644 fractions including patients with and without a bite block shows that the BoS immobilization system is capable of maintaining intra-fraction localization with submillimeter accuracy (in nearly 83%, 86%, 95% of cases along SI, LAT, and PA, respectively) in translational coordinates and subdegree precision (in 98.85%, 98.85%, and 96.4% of cases for roll, pitch, and yaw respectively) in rotational coordinates. The system overall fares better in intra-fraction localization precision compared to previously reported particle therapy immobilization systems. The use of a mask-attached type bite block has marginal impact on inter- or intra-fraction uncertainties compared to no bite block.
Rationale for an International Conference on System Science in Health Care

The founders of the series of conferences entitled System Science in Health Care would have provided a more obvious rationale for their programs had they used the term “system sciences”--plural rather than singular. They could easily have claimed that the major professions and disciplines respresented--medicine, nursing, epidemiology, economics, behavioral science, biology, operation research are all system sciences, dealing with living systems at some level. We would have had a nice umbrella term that could embrace all the sciences, each in its own way looking at interrelationships, linkages, and processes whether speaking of cells, or human bodies, or organizations and societies. That is in fact what we have had at these conferences, a meeting ground for a variety of specialists, for the most part, drawn together by an awareness that the world’s tough health problems have not been solved by medicine or organizational management or politics alone, but have--dramatically in some situations--yielded to a total system approach in which the clinical, institutional, and societal aspects are considered simultaneously. Attacks on the infectious diseases, such as smallpox, and on cardiovascular disease mortality are examples. Perhaps it is the hope that in time, with expanding biomedical knowledge, increasing capabilities in informatics and management, that real inroads can be made on other problems that threaten health and limit the quality of life.
Managers' Recognition of Employees' Creative Ideas: A Social-Cognitive Model*

Abstract: The recognition and support of employee creative ideas is a crucial component in organizational creativity. In this paper, we explore a social-cognitive approach to explaining the conditions under which a manager is likely to consider an employee idea as creative. Our model posits that the manager's ‘creativity schema’ dictates recognition of creative ideas in the work setting. This creativity schema is influenced by personal characteristics of the manager, by aspects of the manager's relationship with the employee, and by a number of organizational influences. Implications of this approach for research and for practice are discussed.
Excitation-Dependent Multiple Fluorescence of a Substituted 2-(2′-Hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole

Excitation-dependent multiple fluorescence of a 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (HBO) derivative (1) is described. Compound 1 contains the structure of a charge-transfer (CT) 4-hydroxyphenylvinylen...
Effective credit scoring using limited mobile phone data

There has been a recent explosion of companies providing micro-loans through digital media in many developing countries. This explosion is fueled by the need for quick and convenient loans, and enabled by the vast adoption of mobile phones and mobile money. To screen borrowers, these digital lenders typically collect massive amounts of data, such as communication patterns, data on social media activities, and detailed mobile phone usage from their customers. These data present a number of potential privacy risks to borrowers. In this study, we demonstrate that accurate credit-scoring models can be trained using only airtime recharge data, which we argue is less invasive to the borrower's privacy than the typical model employed by lenders. We tested this approach through a partnership with an airtime lender in Africa that made it possible to run a side-by-side comparison of an airtime-only model against a model that also incorporated past loan data, as well as the current model used by the lender. In several tests, our model, which used limited data, performed at least as well as alternative models. These results suggest new opportunities for digital lenders to build reliable credit scoring models that reduce the privacy risks posed to their borrowers.
Abstract P151: Plasma Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate (cGMP) and Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Introduction: Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) is an intracellular second messenger, synthesized through nitric oxide (NO) and natriuretic peptide (NP) pathways, with two different downstream ...
Self-injury, Sexual Self-concept, and a Conservative Christian Upbringing: An Exploratory Study of Three Young Women's Perspectives

In this exploratory study we used qualitative methods to examine possible relations between young women's self-injurious behaviors, sexual self-concept, and a conservative Christian upbringing. Structured interviews were conducted with three young women fitting these characteristics from a private Christian university in the Northeastern United States. Phenomological data analysis revealed themes for these women that support a relation between their SIB and the development and expression of both their spirituality and sexuality. Implications for counseling practice include the need for a thorough assessment of past and present spirituality and the inclusion of sexual self-concept into counseling discussions.
Institutional Characteristics and Expenditures: Their Effects on Graduation Rates at Three Different Types of Community Colleges

ABSTRACTApart from awarding associate degrees, two-year colleges (also referred to as associate colleges and community colleges) may vary distinctly in their disciplinary focus. Certain institution...
Low vitamin D level was associated with metabolic syndrome and high leptin level in subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a community-based study.

This study aimed to evaluate the association between serum vitamin D levels and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) parameters, such as metabolic syndrome (MS), inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor, high sensitive C-reactive protein) and adipokines (adiponectin, leptin). From August 2013 to August 2016, a community-based study was performed in the north-eastern region of Taiwan. All subjects received a demographic survey, blood testing and abdominal ultrasonography (US). The vitamin D level was evaluated by quartile divide or used the classification of deficiency ( 30 ng/ml). Subjects were divided into NAFLD group and normal control (subjects number = 564 in each group) following abdominal US study and matching age and gender. The mean age was 57.1 years in NAFLD group and 57.5 in control group. Subjects in NAFLD group had a lower mean vitamin D than those in the control group (28.5 ± 9.5 ng/ml vs. 29.9 ± 10.2 ng/ml, P = 0.018). Subjects with serum vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency had higher odds for MS than those with sufficient vitamin D levels [deficiency vs. sufficiency, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) =1.860 (95% CI = 1.234–2.804), P = 0.003; insufficiency vs. sufficiency, aOR = 1.669 (95% CI = 1.237–2.251), P = 0.001]. Similarly, subjects in the lowest quartile of vitamin D had higher odds for MS than those in the highest quartile of vitamin D (aOR = 2.792, 95% CI = 1.719–4.538, P < 0.001). Vitamin D level was positively correlated with age and male, but negatively correlated with serum leptin level. Subjects with low vitamin D level had higher odds for MS, but higher levels of leptin, compared to those with high vitamin D levels.
Following the Thread of Life in Mary Aswell Doll’s The Mythopoetics of Currere

This paper explores how Mary Aswell Doll (2017) engages and expands currere as a field of thought and practice of inquiry in her book The Mythopoetics of Currere: Memories, Dreams, and Literary Texts as Teaching Avenues to Self-Study. The paper describes how Doll draws on Jungian depth psychology, myth, her own autobiography, her students’ writing and art, and a diversity of literary texts to advance currere as imaginative, mythopoetic journeying between inner and outer worlds.
Increasing the Literacy Knowledge of Teacher Candidates: Why Service-Learning Matters

Educator preparation programs seek to provide teacher candidates with authentic learning experiences that support the learning process, and one means is to engage teacher candidates in service-learning. Elementary schools are tasked with improving the literacy outcomes of struggling readers, and community-based programs focused on literacy, seek to improve the literacy achievement of its’ citizens. This work explores how an educator preparation program collaborated with a community-based organization to provide elementary, struggling readers with 1:1 literacy instruction via teacher candidates from the local university. The aim is to showcase the process, procedures, and benefits of universities partnering with local PK-12 schools and community-based organizations.
An Antiviral DNA Response without the STING

Higher eukaryotes have evolved elegant and redundant pathways to protect their genomes from both genotoxic stressors and foreign DNA from invading pathogens. Emerging data from Burleigh et al. suggest that these distinct pathways may share factors to enhance the functional redundancy of both.
20 – Private Equity Issues and Opportunities

Publisher Summary During 2008 and 2009, bankruptcy courts became busy focusing on private equity portfolio company failures, and investors became more cautious in channeling money into private equity funds. This chapter focuses on the issues and opportunities provided by private equity. Some of the major issues impacting private equity include: whether the historical private equity business model will be effective; future credit availability, given the credit crisis of 2007–2009; the sustainability of investor interest in this model; how much distributions and returns will fall for existing limited partners, given the large number of underwater investments that were entered into during 2005–2007. All of these issues represent threats to the industry, but there are opportunities as well, including: opportunity to use over $500 billion of available capital to acquire companies at historically low valuation levels; ability to “rescue” financial institutions during their period of greatest need, resulting in potentially advantageous terms; improvement in management, board, and government attitudes toward private equity as the industry moves to help economies in crisis. Private equity firms will need to determine what percent of their current portfolio comprises companies that have significant debt renegotiation requirements, and determine whether they have the skill set needed to be successful in upcoming discussions. This can become a major time commitment and will saddle these firms with significant risks, given the massive amount of debt that is coming due.
High and low thermal conductivity of amorphous macromolecules

We measure the thermal conductivity, heat capacity and sound velocity of thin films of five polymers, nine polymer salts, and four caged molecules to advance the fundamental understanding of the lower and upper limits to heat conduction in amorphous macromolecules. The thermal conductivities vary by more than one order of magnitude, from $0.06\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{W}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{K}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ for [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester to $0.67\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{W}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{K}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ for poly(vinylphosphonic acid calcium salt). Minimum thermal conductivity calculated from the measured sound velocity and effective atomic density is in good agreement with the thermal conductivity of macromolecules with various molecular structures and intermolecular bonding strength.
Business Closures, Stay-at-Home Restrictions, and COVID-19 Testing Outcomes in New York City.

INTRODUCTION: In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, New York City closed all nonessential businesses and restricted the out-of-home activities of residents as of March 22, 2020. This order affected different neighborhoods differently, as stores and workplaces are not randomly distributed across the city, and different populations may have responded differently to the out-of-home restrictions. This study examines how the business closures and activity restrictions affected COVID-19 testing results. An evaluation of whether such actions slowed the spread of the pandemic is a crucial step in designing effective public health policies. METHODS: Daily data on the fraction of COVID-19 tests yielding a positive result at the zip code level were analyzed in relation to the number of visits to local businesses (based on smartphone location) and the number of smartphones that stayed fixed at their home location. The regression model also included vectors of fixed effects for the day of the week, the calendar date, and the zip code of residence. RESULTS: A large number of visits to local businesses increased the positivity rate of COVID-19 tests, while a large number of smartphones that stayed at home decreased it. A doubling in the relative number of visits increases the positivity rate by about 12.4 percentage points (95% CI, 5.3 to 19.6). A doubling in the relative number of stay-at-home devices lowered it by 2.0 percentage points (95% CI, -2.9 to -1.2). The business closures and out-of-home activity restrictions decreased the positivity rate, accounting for approximately 25% of the decline observed in April and May 2020. CONCLUSION: Policy measures decreased the likelihood of positive results in COVID-19 tests. These specific policy tools may be successfully used when comparable health crises arise in the future.