cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlation of lean blowoff in an annular combustor

Introduction F UEL effects on limits of lean blowoff and spark ignition and gas turbine engine emissions or combustor efficiency can be examined with characteristic time models. As these models continue to be validated for engines burning alternative fuels, their potential as interim design tools is demonstrated. Combustor geometry, inlet conditions, and fuel injector properties are also model parameters. The lean blowoff model was developed by Plee and Mellor for simple geometries and was extended to can-type combustors by Plee and Leonard and Mellor. This Note extends the model further to lean blowoff limits in the GE J85 annular combustor. The spark ignition and lean blowoff data for the J85 were taken by Oiler et al. The ignition data have already been correlated by Naegeli et al. The blowoff data examined here were taken at the same inlet conditions as the ignition data. The fuels, operating conditions, and blowoff equivalence ratios are listed in Table 1. The stoichiometric adiabatic flame temperatures 7^=1 were calculated at Southwest Research Institute using an in-house constant pressure equilibrium flame temperature program.
Performance evaluation of data aggregation schemes in wireless sensor networks

Data aggregation scheme has been widely used to increase the quality of the target information and to reduce the packet transmissions in the sensor network. In this paper, we provide in-depth study results of various data aggregation schemes through the mathematical analysis and simulations. The results show that the performance of aggregation schemes depends on location of targets, node density, network topology, sensing range, hop counts from sources to the sink. When the hop counts from sources to the sink is small and the sensing range of each node is short, tree-based aggregation scheme achieves better performance than other schemes. As the hop counts from sources to the sink and the sensing range of each node increase, dynamic-cluster aggregation achieves significant performance improvement over the other aggregation schemes
Mullerian Inhibiting Substance: A Gonadal Hormone with Multiple Functions

Mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS) is the gonadal hormone that causes regression of the Mullerian ducts, the anlagen of the female internal reproductive structures, during male embryogenesis. MIS is a member of the large transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) multigene family of glycoproteins that are involved in the regulation of growth and differentiation. The proteins in this gene family are all produced as dimeric precursors and undergo posttranslational processing for activation, requiring cleavage and dissociation to release bioactive C-terminal fragments. Similarly, the 140 kilodalton (kDa) disulfide-linked homodimer of MIS is proteolytically cleaved to generate its active C-terminal fragments. The sexually dimorphic expression of MIS in Sertoli cells of the testis and granulosa cells of the ovary is critical for normal differentiation of the internal reproductive tract structures. A number of extra-Mullerian functions such as control of germ cell maturation and gonadal morphogenesis, induction of the abdominal phase of testicular descent, suppression of lung maturation, and growth inhibition of transformed cells have also been proposed for this growth-inhibitory hormone and will be discussed. This article will summarize the current understanding of the biology and multiple functions of MIS including its activation, regulation, and mechanism of action and discuss areas of interest in ongoing research.
Cognitive Function in Late Life Depression: Relationships to Depression Severity, Cerebrovascular Risk Factors and Processing Speed

Background A number of studies have examined clinical factors linked to worse neuropsychological performance in late life depression (LLD). To understand the influence of LLD on cognition, it is important to determine if deficits in a number of cognitive domains are relatively independent, or mediated by depression- related deficits in a basic domain such as processing speed. Methods Patients who met DSM-IV criteria for major depression ( n = 155) were administered a comprehensive neuropsychological battery of tasks grouped into episodic memory, language, working memory, executive function, and processing speed domains. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine contributions of predictor variables to cognitive domains. Results Age, depression severity, education, race and vascular risk factors all made significant and independent contributions to one or more domains of cognitive function, with all five making independent contributions to processing speed. Age of onset made no independent contribution, after accounting for age and vascular risk factors. Of the five cognitive domains investigated, changes in processing speed were found to most fully mediate the influence of predictor variables on all other cognitive domains. Conclusions While slowed processing speed appears to be the most core cognitive deficit in LLD, it was closely followed by executive function as a core cognitive deficit. Future research is needed to help clarify mechanisms leading to LLD- related changes in processing speed, including the potential role of white matter abnormalities.
Mechanical production line simulation and optimization analysis

A simulation system as a desktop resource named NEU-Simulation is developed by using the object-oriented simulation package eM-PlantR.. The simulated manufacturing system is a medium-sized equipment manufacturer which produces NC machine products. The simulation system adopts object-oriented modeling methods based on UML to simulate equipment manufacturing system. The Neuromodulation is used by various manufacturing personnel as a tool to support decision-making. The simulation model developed is only partially successful. The emphasis in this paper is placed on the design of the machining production line. And four types of factors such as the number of equipment, machine tool operations time, buffer size and the number of employees etc. are considered and analyzed by using design of experiment (DOE) method to locate the bottlenecks of production line. Reduction of the number of simulation experiments can be realized by the Orthogonal experimental design method. The result of simulation analysis is used to guide the design and reconstruction of production line. In the course of the development of simulation system It is realized that some enterprise information system such as workshop management systems, production management systems, etc. must be integrated into simulation system to share the basic data, timely access to the latest production data. Only in this way can reduce the preparation and the maintenance of basic data of simulation system before simulation.
Role of glial cells in manganese neurotoxicity

The objectives of this focused review are to (i) provide a systematic overview of recent advances pertaining to the role of glia, namely microglia and astrocytes, in the neuropathology associated with excessive exposure to manganese (Mn), (ii) highlight possible mechanisms and factors involved in Mn-modulated, glia-derived neuroinflammation, and (iii) discuss the implications of excessive neuroinflammation on neuronal injury within the context of Mn overexposure. As this is not meant to be a comprehensive review on the topic of Mn neurotoxicity, the reader may wish to refer to several broader and more comprehensive reviews. After a brief introduction to Mn neurotoxicity, we first discuss the role of glial cells in neurodegeneration. Next, we review existing in vitro and in vivo studies that implicate Mn as a modulator of glial activation and ensuing neuroinflammation. This is followed by an examination of recognized and potential mechanisms that are involved in the modulation of glial inflammatory output by Mn; here the common pathways activated by Mn in glial and neuronal cells, including outcomes of such activation, are also addressed. We finish with a discussion of the implications of Mn-modulated glial activation for neuronal survival and with a list of data gaps in the topic that need to be filled in the future. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cohabitation, marriage, and murder: woman-killing by male romantic partners

Using a national-level US homicide database that includes more than 400,000 homicides committed from 1976-1994, I calculated rates of uxoricide (the murder of a woman by her romantic partner) by type of relationship (cohabiting or marital), ages of the partners, and age difference between partners. Women in cohabiting relationships are about nine times more likely to be killed by their partner than are women in marital relationships. Within marital relationships, the risk of uxoricide decreases with a woman’s age. Within cohabiting relationships, in contrast, middle-aged women are at greatest risk of uxoricide. Paralleling the uxoricide victimization rates, uxoricide perpetration rates are highest for young married men and for middle-aged cohabiting men. Uxoricide risk generally increases with greater age difference between partners. These findings provide the first national-level replication of uxoricide risk patterns reported for a national-level Canadian sample. Discussion highlights future research directions, including identifying why women in cohabiting relationships incur greater risk of uxoricide than do women in marital relationships. Aggr. Behav. 27:284‐291, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Characteristics of solid-state nanometre pores fabricated using a transmission electron microscope

Solid-state nanopores can be used to detect nucleic acid structures at the single molecule level. An e-beam has been used to fabricate nanopores in silicon nitride and silicon dioxide membranes, but the pore formation kinetics, and hence its final structure, remain poorly understood. With the aid of high-resolution TEM imaging as well as TEM tomography we examine the effect of Si3N4 material properties on the nanopore structure. In particular, we study the dependence of membrane thickness on the nanopore contraction rate for different initial pore sizes. We explain nanopore formation kinetics as a balance of two opposite processes: (a) material sputtering and (b) surface-tension-induced shrinking.
Generation of a conditional null allele of jumonji.

The jumonji (jmj) gene plays important roles in multiple organ development in mouse, including cardiovascular development. Since JMJ is expressed widely during mouse development, it is essential that conditional knockout approaches be employed to ablate JMJ in a tissue-specific manner to identify the cell lineage specific roles of JMJ. In this report, we describe the establishment of a jmj conditional null allele in mice by generating a loxP-flanked (floxed) jmj allele, which allows the in vivo ablation of jmj via Cre recombinase-mediated deletion. Gene targeting was used to introduce loxP sites flanking exon 3 of the jmj allele to mouse embryonic stem cells. Our results indicate that the jmj floxed allele converts to a null allele in a heart-specific manner when embryos homozygous for the floxed jmj allele and carrying the α-myosin heavy chain promoter-Cre transgene were analyzed by Southern and Northern blot analyses. Therefore, this mouse line harboring the conditional jmj null allele will provide a valuable tool for deciphering the tissue and cell lineage specific roles of JMJ. genesis 44:407–411, 2006. Published 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Automatic strategies in the Siemens RTL tiled window manager

The Siemens RTL tiled window manager automatically adjusts the size and position of tiled windows to balance competing demands for screen space. The degree of automation can be set by both the user and control strategies, which range from strictly local to those which can affect all the windows on the screen. These strategies are discussed, the trade-offs involved are indicated and the algorithms used in their implementation are briefly described. >
AMPK regulates mitotic spindle orientation through phosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chain

The proper orientation of the mitotic spindle is essential for mitosis; however, how these events unfold at the molecular level is not well understood. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates energy homeostasis in eukaryotes, and AMPK-null Drosophila mutants have spindle defects. We show that threonine(172) phosphorylated AMPK localizes to the mitotic spindle poles and increases when cells enter mitosis. AMPK depletion causes a mitotic delay with misoriented spindles relative to the normal division plane and a reduced number and length of astral microtubules. AMPK-depleted cells contain mitotic actin bundles, which prevent astral microtubule-actin cortex attachments. Since myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC) is an AMPK downstream target and mediates actin function, we investigated whether AMPK signals through MRLC to control spindle orientation. Mitotic levels of serine(19) phosphorylated MRLC (pMRLC(ser19)) and spindle pole-associated pMRLC(ser19) are abolished when AMPK function is compromised, indicating that AMPK is essential for pMRLC(ser19) spindle pole activity. Phosphorylation of AMPK and MRLC in the mitotic spindle is dependent upon calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase (CamKK) activity in LKB1-deficient cells, suggesting that CamKK regulates this pathway when LKB1 function is compromised. Taken together, these data indicate that AMPK mediates spindle pole-associated pMRLC(ser19) to control spindle orientation via regulation of actin cortex-astral microtubule attachments.
Trace-based parallel performance overhead compensation

Tracing parallel programs to observe their performance introduces intrusion as the result of trace measurement overhead. If post-mortem trace analysis does not compensate for the overhead, the intrusion will lead to errors in the performance results. We show that measurement overhead can be accounted for during trace analysis and intrusion modeled and removed. Algorithms developed in our earlier work [5] are reimplemented in a more robust and modern tool, kojak [12] , allowing them to be applied in large-scale parallel programs. The ability to reduce trace measurement error is demonstrated for a Monte-Carlo simulation based on a master/worker scheme. As an additional result, we visualize how local perturbation propagates across process boundaries and alters the behavioral characteristics of non-local processes.
Disease dynamics in wild populations: modeling and estimation: a review

Models of infectious disease dynamics focus on describing the temporal and spatial variations in disease prevalence, and on understanding the factors that affect how many cases will occur in each time period and which individuals are likely to become infected. Classical methods for selecting and fitting models, mostly motivated by human diseases, are almost always based solely on raw counts of infected and uninfected individuals. We begin by reviewing the main classical approaches to parameter estimation, and some of their applications. We then review recently developed methods which enable representation of component processes such as infection and recovery, with observation models that acknowledge the complexities of the sampling and detection processes. We demonstrate the need to account for detectability in modeling disease dynamics, and explore a number of mark–recapture and occupancy study designs for estimating disease parameters while simultaneously accounting for variation in detectability. We highlight the utility of different modeling approaches and also consider the typically strong assumptions that may actually serve to limit their utility in general application to the study of disease dynamics (e.g., assignment of individuals to discrete disease states when underlying state space is more generally continuous; transitions assumed to be simple first-order Markov; temporal separation of hazard and transition events).
The Effect of Sleep Medication Use and Poor Sleep Quality on Risk of Falls in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in the US: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background Sleep complaints and the consumption of medications for sleep are common in older adults. Falls are also a significant concern for older adults and sedative use has been identified as a risk factor for falls. Sleep quality is a potential confounder in studies evaluating the relationship between sleep medication use and falls. However, very few studies have assessed the combined impact of sleep medication use and sleep quality on the risk of falls.
Buckling of Light-Gage Corrugated Metal Shear Diaphragms

Formulas for the elastic buckling loads of shear diaphragms are derived. They are obtained from an analysis of light-gage, corrugated-metal diaphragms of the type that occur in pre-engineered metal buildings. The formulas are applicable to any rectangular, orthotropic plate loaded in pure shear, and they are derived using orthotropic plate theory and the Ritz energy method. Small deflection theory is used first to establish critical loads and buckling modes. Then, large deflection theory is used to predict post-buckling load versus lateral deflection relationships. The results of experiments that were designed to verify the accuracy of the formulas are presented in the form of load versus lateral deflection curves covering the pre and post-buckling ranges. Several light-gage, corrugated-metal diaphragms of different size and corrugation shape were tested to determine their buckling behavior. The results of the experiments compare favorably with the formulas derived.
Shear Center of a Leading-Edge Wing Beam

Simple formulas based on Simpson's Rule are given for the coordinates of the shear center and the shear force per unit length of arc in terms of the lengths and thicknesses of the nose and web sheets and the coordinates of a set of points which divide the nose contour into a number of equal parts.
Systematic Study of the Pupae of the Oedemeridae (Coleoptera)

Pupae were studied of Calopus angustus LeC., Nacerdes melanura (L.), Xanthochroa erythrocephala (Germ.), Ditylus quadricollis (LeC), Alloxacis dorsalis (Melsh.), Oxycopis thoracica (F.), O. suturalis (Horn), Sessinia livida (F.), and Oedemera virescens (L.). These nine species represent the three recognized oedemerid subfamilies and the three tribes of Oedemerinae. A key is given to these pupae, and a family diagnosis is based upon them. The pupae, like the larvae, seem to be of three major types, i.e., Calopus, Oedemera, and all others, with that of Calopus being most like pupae of related heteromerous families.
Interface Structure and Zn Diffusion in the CdTe/ZnTe/Si System Grown by MBE

Two CdTe/ZnTe/Si samples were grown on Si (211) and Si(111) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy for use as lattice-matched substrates for HgCdTe growth. An As precursor was used before growing ZnTe. In order to understand the interface structure, the Zn diffusion problem and any effect due to As passivation, high resolution bright-field images, dark-field images and energy-dispersive X-ray spectra were studied. Fourier-filtered images have revealed details of the atomic arrangements and the dislocation defects at the interface. Local lattice parameters such as (111) d-spacings at different distances from the interface were measured to determine the Zn concentration based on Vegard’s law. The Zn concentration profiles were consistent with measurements from energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The As-passivated interface showed vacancy-type defects.
Impact of intermittent fasting on glucose homeostasis.

Purpose of reviewThis article provides an overview of the most recent human trials that have examined the impact of intermittent fasting on glucose homeostasis.Recent findingsOur literature search retrieved one human trial of alternate day fasting, and three trials of Ramadan fasting published in th
Mathematical Modeling of Electroslag Remelting Process

The electrode-slag bath-ingot system was studied, and a 3D quasi-steady state mathematical model was developed for simulating electroslag remelting( ESR) process. The commercial software ANSYS was applied to calculate the electromagnetic,flowand temperature fields in ESR system. The calculation results showed that the current is confined to the surface of electrode / ingot and the corner of electrode in slag bath. The flowfield and temperature field are attributed to the effects of electromagnetic force and joule heating resulted from current density distribution and cooling condition. The metal pool depth and maximum mushy zone width increase with the melting rate. Under the conditions for this investigation,the minimum local solidification time( LST) corresponds to 700 ~ 800 kg / h melting rate.
Painful diabetic neuropathy--new choice of first-line therapy?

Painful diabetic neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes mellitus. Based on strong evidence, recently published guidelines suggest that pregabalin should be offered as first-line therapy in patients with painful symptoms. Nevertheless, other agents and nonpharmacological therapies may also be effective for the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy.
The emerging science of gender-specific emergency medicine.

It is increasingly evident that sex and gender play an important role in disease and response to medical treatment. Accordingly, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has begun targeting funding and initiatives toward sex- and gender-specific investigations. Although the field of Emergency Medicine (EM) has lagged behind other fields of medicine in its attention to sex and gender factors in research and clinical practice, the specialty has recently poised itself for significant growth in this area. The impetus for this increased attention to sex- and gender-specific medicine lies in the historical approach to gender in medicine in the United States and recognition of the resulting deficiencies in research, clinical practice, and medical education.
CBIO-09ENHANCED MITOCHONDRIAL RESPIRATION IN SLOW-CYCLING GLIOMA STEM CELLS

INTRODUCTION: Tumorigenesis and resistance to treatment result from the ability of specific subpopulations of tumor cells to expand and survive. Conventional therapies effectively eliminate rapidly dividing cells, which derive their energy from aerobic glycolysis, but spare slowly dividing populations. We previously reported the existence of slow-cycling cells that exhibit cancer stem cell (CSC) characteristics and resistance to therapies in glioblastoma (GB). Clinical strategies targeting this specific phenotype could lead to improved therapeutic outcomes and reduce disease progression or recurrence. OBJECTIVES: Metabolic reprogramming is now a well- recognized hallmark of cancers and represents a promising therapeutic target. The primary objective of this study was to characterize the energetic properties of CSCs, especially slow-cycling cells. METHODS: Slow and fast-cycling cells were isolated from patient-derived primary GB cells via a dye retention assay using carboxy fluorescein succinimidyl ester. RESULTS: Mass spectrometry-based metabolite screening revealed metabolic heterogeneity with differential metabolic signatures between GB fast and slow-cycling cells. An OxPhos profile was validated in the slow-cycling cells by the observation of greater mitochondrial activity as well as upregulation of key proteins involved in the Krebs cycle and mitochondrial electron transport chain, such as pyruvate dehydrogenase, NADH dehydrogenase, and ATP synthase. Conversely, glycolytic proteins such as lactate dehydrogenase A were upregulated in fast-cycling cells. We also found that the slow-cycling fraction was less sensitive to glucose restriction than the fast-cycling portion, as shown by increased survival in glucose-deprived conditions, suggesting ability to metabolize diverse energy sources. CONCLUSION: These studies demonstrate metabolic diversity in GB and suggest that GB slow-cycling cells, exhibiting catabolic adaptability, utilize OxPhos to meet energy demands. This represents an unexpected selective vulnerability in GB cells that could be targeted for therapy.
Mechanisms of resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins.

The extended-spectrum beta-lactam antibiotics represent a major advance in antimicrobial therapy, but a newly recognized resistance mechanism may rapidly negate their usefulness. Judicious clinical use will prolong their efficacy.
Performance modeling of next-generation WiFi networks

The industry is satisfying the increasing demand for wireless bandwidth by densely deploying a large number of access points which are centrally managed, e.g. enterprise WiFi networks deployed in university campuses, companies, airports etc. This "small cell" architecture is gaining traction in the cellular world as well, as witnessed by the direction in which 4G+ and 5G standardization is moving. Prior academic work in analyzing such large-scale wireless networks either uses oversimplified models for the physical layer, or ignores other important, real-world aspects of the problem, like MAC layer considerations, topology characteristics, and protocol overhead. On the other hand, for deployment purposes the industry is using on-site surveys and simulation tools which do not scale, cannot efficiently optimize the design of such a network, and do not explain why one design choice is better than another.In this paper we introduce an analytical model which combines the realism and practicality of industrial simulation tools with the ability to scale, analyze the effect of various design parameters, and optimize the performance of real-world deployments. The model takes into account all central system parameters, including channelization, power allocation, user scheduling, load balancing, MAC, advanced PHY techniques (single and multi user MIMO as well as cooperative transmission from multiple access points), topological characteristics and protocol overhead. The accuracy of the model is verified via extensive simulations and the model is used to study a wide range of real world scenarios, providing design guidelines on the effect of various design parameters on performance.
The Several Roles for Oxygen in Wound Angiogenesis

Healing wounds provide a unique opportunity to study angiogenesis. Ever since the development of multicellular organisms necessitated the development of a circulatory system, injury has been a common feature of life. In all likelihood repair and replacement of injured vessels occured simultaneously with the original processes by which blood vessels developed in evolution. It is difficult even to imagine that reparative angiogenesis differs in any material way from that which occurs in normal growth and development; or, for that matter, from angiogenesis in many tumors. Wound angiogenesis is also extremely rapid and is unencumbered by the irrelevant, often distracting properties of tumors. Furthermore, wound healing presents a unique and liberating methodological opportunity because the artifact of the measurement, the wound, is the object of the exercise. Finally, the wound environment is easily measured and duplicated and intercellular messengers are easily sampled. With respect to oxygen, for instance, wounds are hypoxic and hyperlactated by nature1,2. This was found simply by aspirating and measuring the fluid which ordinarily collects in wounds2. Furthermore, oxygen tension, lactate levels and numerous other characteristics are easily influenced and measured experimentally.
Neuromuscular Alterations After Ankle Sprains: An Animal Model to Establish Causal Links After Injury

Context: The mechanisms that contribute to the development of chronic ankle instability are not understood. Investigators have developed a hypothetical model in which neuromuscular alterations that stem from damaged ankle ligaments are thought to affect periarticular and proximal muscle activity. However, the retrospective nature of these studies does not allow a causal link to be established. Objective: To assess temporal alterations in the activity of 2 periarticular muscles of the rat ankle and 2 proximal muscles of the rat hind limb after an ankle sprain. Design: Controlled laboratory study. Setting: Laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Five healthy adult male Long Evans rats (age = 16 weeks, mass = 400.0 ± 13.5 g). Intervention(s): Indwelling fine-wire electromyography (EMG) electrodes were implanted surgically into the biceps femoris, medial gastrocnemius, vastus lateralis, and tibialis anterior muscles of the rats. We recorded baseline EMG measurements while the rats walked on a motor-driven...
Pulse wave imaging using coherent compounding in a phantom and in vivo.

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a surrogate marker of arterial stiffness linked to cardiovascular morbidity. Pulse wave imaging (PWI) is a technique developed by our group for imaging the pulse wave propagation in vivo. PWI requires high temporal and spatial resolution, which conventional ultrasonic imaging is unable to simultaneously provide. Coherent compounding is known to address this tradeoff and provides full aperture images at high frame rates. This study aims to implement PWI using coherent compounding within a GPU-accelerated framework. The results of the implemented method were validated using a silicone phantom against static mechanical testing. Reproducibility of the measured PWVs was assessed in the right common carotid of six healthy subjects (n = 6) approximately 10-15 mm before the bifurcation during two cardiac cycles over the course of 1-3 d. Good agreement of the measured PWVs (3.97 ± 1.21 m s-1, 4.08 ± 1.15 m s-1, p = 0.74) was obtained. The effects of frame rate, transmission angle and number of compounded plane waves on PWI performance were investigated in the six healthy volunteers. Performance metrics such as the reproducibility of the PWVs, the coefficient of determination (r 2), the SNR of the PWI axial wall velocities ([Formula: see text]) and the percentage of lateral positions where the pulse wave appears to arrive at the same time-point, indicating inadequacy of the temporal resolution (i.e. temporal resolution misses) were used to evaluate the effect of each parameter. Compounding plane waves transmitted at 1° increments with a linear array yielded optimal performance, generating significantly higher r 2 and [Formula: see text] values (p ⩽ 0.05). Higher frame rates (⩾1667 Hz) produced improvements with significant gains in the r 2 coefficient (p ⩽ 0.05) and significant increase in both r 2 and [Formula: see text] from single plane wave imaging to 3-plane wave compounding (p ⩽ 0.05). Optimal performance was established at 2778 Hz with 3 plane waves and at 1667 Hz with 5 plane waves.
Scaling up our understanding of non-consumptive effects in insect systems

Non-consumptive effects (NCEs) of predators on prey is an important topic in insect ecology with potential applications for pest management. NCEs are changes in prey behavior and physiology that aid in predation avoidance. While NCEs can have positive outcomes for prey survival there may also be negative consequences including increased stress and reduced growth. These effects can cascade through trophic systems influencing ecosystem function. Most NCEs have been studied at small spatial and temporal scales. However, recent studies show promise for the potential to manipulate NCEs for pest management. We suggest the next frontier for NCE studies includes manipulating the landscape of fear to improve pest control, which requires scaling-up to field and landscape levels, over ecologically relevant time frames.
Innovation and Technology: Electronic Intensive Care Unit Diaries

Hospitalization in the intensive care unit can be a stressful time for patients and their family members. Patients' family members often have difficulty processing all of the information that is given to them. Therefore, an intensive care unit diary can serve as a conduit for synthesizing information, maintaining connection with patients, and maintaining a connection with family members outside the intensive care unit. Paper intensive care unit diaries have been used outside the United States for many years. This article explores the development of an electronic intensive care unit diary using a rapid prototyping model to accelerate the process. Initial results of design testing demonstrate that it is feasible, useful, and desirable to consider the implementation of electronic intensive care unit diaries for patients at risk for post-intensive care syndrome.
Serum amyloid A transport across the blood-brain barrier increases with inflammation and is regulated by HDL

Serum amyloid A (SAA) isoforms 1 and 2 are acute phase lipoproteins that are primarily produced by the liver. SAA in blood can increase dramatically during infection, and more modestly during low-grade, chronic systemic inflammation. Nearly all SAA in blood is bound to high-density lipoprotein (HDL). SAA may be an important mediator of neuroinflammation, as its overexpression in the liver causes increase in SAA in the brain, as well as gliosis and depressive-like behavior in mice. We hypothesized that SAA can access the CNS by crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and that HDL modulates SAA transport across the BBB. We first characterized BBB transport kinetics of 125I-labeled SAA1 and 2. 125I-SAA2 crossed the mouse BBB 5x faster than 125I-SAA1, at a rate comparable to that of insulin. Both isoforms completely traversed the BBB and entered brain parenchyma, and transport of both isoforms was not saturable. Both isoforms also rapidly associated with HDL in blood. The transport rate of 125I-SAA2 increased 24 h after a 3 mg/kg injection of lipopolysaccharide independently of BBB disruption. Finally, HDL inhibited SAA transport across the BBB. Therefore, systemic inflammation could contribute to SAA accumulation in the CNS by increasing SAA concentrations in blood, and BBB transport. However, BBB transport of SAA may also be inhibited by HDL, either through HDL binding or competition with other HDL lipoproteins.
Re‐Examining the SNAP Benefit Cycle Allowing for Heterogeneity

A well-known feature of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is that some recipients spend a disproportionate amount of their monthly benefit early in the month. Using a finite mixture model that optimally separates households into two groups, coupled with the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey, we re-examine this spending pattern. Results show that a minority of SNAP recipients cause the benefit cycle by spending, on average, two-thirds of their monthly benefit within the first four days. A potential implication of these findings is that more frequent SNAP benefit disbursal or educational programs designed to encourage smoother spending over the month might be of benefit to some SNAP households.
A senataxin-associated exonuclease SAN1 is required for resistance to DNA interstrand cross-links

Interstrand DNA cross-links (ICLs) block both replication and transcription, and are commonly repaired by the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway. However, FA-independent repair mechanisms of ICLs remain poorly understood. Here we report a previously uncharacterized protein, SAN1, as a 5' exonuclease that acts independently of the FA pathway in response to ICLs. Deletion of SAN1 in HeLa cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts causes sensitivity to ICLs, which is prevented by re-expression of wild type but not nuclease-dead SAN1. SAN1 deletion causes DNA damage and radial chromosome formation following treatment with Mitomycin C, phenocopying defects in the FA pathway. However, SAN1 deletion is not epistatic with FANCD2, a core FA pathway component. Unexpectedly, SAN1 binds to Senataxin (SETX), an RNA/DNA helicase that resolves R-loops. SAN1-SETX binding is increased by ICLs, and is required to prevent cross-link sensitivity. We propose that SAN1 functions with SETX in a pathway necessary for resistance to ICLs.
Silicon Oxidation Models Based on Parallel Mechanisms

It has been suggested by numerous workers over the years that multiple mechanisms acting in parallel might be responsible for the growth of thermal oxides on silicon. The most obvious example of such an effect is oxidation in “wet” O2 where both H2O and O2 act in parallel to oxidize the silicon. In this paper these models will be reviewed in light of more recent data, and suggest a new model based on a combination of these mechanisms.
The Glomerulus in Acute Renal Failure

During the past 10–12 years, investigators in medical renal physiology have altered their focus from the examination of normal regulatory mechanisms to focus in part upon a variety of pathophysiologic models of altered renal function. One of the most active and initial arenas of pathophysiologic evaluation has been examination of the mechanism of acute renal failure (ARF). Several of the initial studies, derived from both this country and Europe, provided an initial unitary hypothesis which postulated a pivotal role for renal vasoconstriction in the pathogenesis of acute renal failure (Ayer et al., 1971; Oken et al., 1966; Henry et al., 1968; Thiel et al., 1967). Studies supported the concept that major reductions in renal blood flow (RBF) and renal plasma flow (RPF) occurred early in the initiating phase of acute renal failure (Ayer et al., 1971; Chedru et al., 1972; Hsu et al., 1977; Flamenbaum et al., 1972b; Munck, 1958; Hollenberg et al., 1968). These findings led to the view commonly and logically held at that time that acute renal failure was a “vasomotor nephropathy.”
Framework for Modelling Interface Degradation in Photovoltaic Modules at the Molecular Level

A significant challenge facing the solar industry is developing a reliable method to accurately predict photovoltaic module reliability over decades-long operating lifetimes. For the specific case of encapsulant adhesion–where interface delamination directly leads to reduced module efficiency– predictive models are critical for assessing long term reliability of new module materials over time frames conducive to research and development. We thus present a framework for modelling the temporal evolution of encapsulant adhesion by accounting for chemicaldegradation mechanisms at the molecular level. The model is developed though an unprecedented survey of encapsulant adhesion energy measurements from lab and field- aged modules with agingtimes spanning months to nearly three decades. Chemical analyses of new and aged EVA encapsulants are conducted to identify the dominant degradation mechanisms for modelling interface adhesion: deactivation, polymer chain scission, and hydrolytic polymerization. The strength of this framework is in the model's modularity, which renders it adaptable to any type of aging environment and encapsulation material.
Tip Your Cap for Ebola Virus Neutralization

Outbreaks of Ebola virus disease are caused by multiple virus species although current therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are essentially limited to treating one species, Zaire ebolavirus. In this issue of Immunity, Gilchuk et al. (2018) identify new mAbs with potent cross-neutralizing activity against three ebolavirus species pathogenic to humans.
“Who Are You Going to Tell? Who’s Going to Believe You?”: Women’s Experiences Disclosing Military Sexual Trauma

Researchers have identified disclosure as an important part of sexual assault recovery among civilian survivors. However, few researchers have examined the process of military sexual trauma (MST) d...
Topological phase transition in LaAs under pressure

Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations with the screened hybrid functional of Heyd, Scuseria, and Ernzerhof (HSE06), we study the effects of hydrostatic pressure on the electronic properties of LaAs. We focus on the band crossing near the $X$ point that can make LaAs a topological semimetal, discussing results of both DFT within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and the HSE06 hybrid functional. We find that in DFT-GGA, under the calculated equilibrium lattice parameter, LaAs displays a crossing between the highest As $p$ band and the lowest La $d$ band near the $X$ point due to the overestimated $p\text{\ensuremath{-}}d$ band overlap. Such crossing does not occur when the band overlap is corrected in the HSE06 calculation. However, we find that the $p\text{\ensuremath{-}}d$ crossing can be induced in LaAs under hydrostatic pressure, showing a topological phase transition at $\ensuremath{\sim}7\phantom{\rule{3.33333pt}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$. The rocksalt crystal structure of LaAs is predicted to be stable under applied pressure up to 20 GPa, in good agreement with experimental observations.
MC-BAM: Moment-curvature analysis for beams with advanced materials

Abstract MC-BAM is a software for moment–curvature section analysis of beams. It is developed to facilitate the analysis and structural design of beams and girders with advanced construction materials like ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), high strength steel rebars and/or large prestressing strands. MC-BAM supports several existing, recently developed, or user-defined constitutive material models that can be applied to rectangular, circular, or other cross-sections such as I- or Pi-girders. The material models and section analysis algorithm are verified, first for conventional materials against commercial software and textbook examples, then for different cross-sections with advanced materials and designs against published experimental results.
The “Educated” Consumer: The Formation of Memory, Attention, and Imagination in Consumer Culture

This article offers a critique of consumer culture that draws on Augustine’s vision of human consciousness, exploring consumerism’s formative effects on the memory, attention, and imagination of co...
Identifying Solar Flare Precursors Using Time Series of SDO/HMI Images and SHARP Parameters

We present several methods towards construction of precursors, which show great promise towards early predictions, of solar flare events in this paper. A data pre-processing pipeline is built to extract useful data from multiple sources, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) and Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI), to prepare inputs for machine learning algorithms. Two classification models are presented: classification of flares from quiet times for active regions and classification of strong versus weak flare events. We adopt deep learning algorithms to capture both the spatial and temporal information from HMI magnetogram data. Effective feature extraction and feature selection with raw magnetogram data using deep learning and statistical algorithms enable us to train classification models to achieve almost as good performance as using active region parameters provided in HMI/Space-Weather HMI-Active Region Patch (SHARP) data files. Case studies show a significant increase in the prediction score around 20 hours before strong solar flare events.
A cross-sectional research of iodine status of pregnant women in Chongqing, south-west China.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether implementation of a universal salt iodization (USI) programme has sufficient effects on pregnant women in Chongqing, the present study evaluated the iodine nutritional status of pregnant women living in Chongqing by spot urinary iodine concentration (UIC), to provide scientific suggestions to better meet the specific iodine needs of this vulnerable group. DESIGN Cross-sectional design. SETTING A random spot urine sample and household table salt sample were provided by each participant. PARTICIPANTS A total of 2607 pregnant women from twenty-six of thirty-nine districts/counties in Chongqing participated. RESULTS The overall median UIC of pregnant women was 171·80 μg/l (interquartile range (IQR) = 113·85-247·00 μg/l) and 40·97 % (n 1057) of participants were iodine insufficient. The median iodine in table salt samples was 25·40 mg/kg (IQR = 23·10-28·30 mg/kg); 93·26 % (n 2406) of samples examined were found to be adequately iodized. Iodine nutritional status was not significantly different according to table salt iodization category. Trimester was identified to be statistically associated with UIC (P < 0·01). Seven districts/counties had median UIC below 150 μg/l and one district had median UIC of 277·40 μg/l. CONCLUSIONS The USI programme in Chongqing prevents iodine deficiency generally, but does not maintain iodine status within adequate and recommended ranges throughout pregnancy. Usage of non-iodized or unqualified iodized salt and the slight change of dietary habits of iodized salt in Chongqing may present a substantial challenge to fight iodine-deficiency disorders; more efforts are needed to ensure adequate iodine intake during pregnancy besides the USI programme.
Decay Times of Optical Pulses for Aluminum CPW KIDs

The recombination rate of quasiparticle excitations and metal film thickness are both important factors in determining the sensitivity of kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs). To maximize KID sensitivity, we aim to quantify the interdependence of these two detector attributes. We have measured the decay times of optical pulses produced by illuminating aluminum CPW resonators with an infrared LED. Measurements were made using both 1/4-wavelength and 1/2-wavelength resonators for film thicknesses between 20 and 50 nm for a range of temperatures and microwave readout powers. We observed several millisecond decay times for all thicknesses, with an elevated decay time ($$\sim$$ 5 ms) and critical temperature ($$\sim$$ 1.5 K) for the 20-nm-thick film.
Virtue and Human Fragility

New perspectives from virtue ethicists engaged with human fragility make concrete moral theology’s long understanding that humans are both free and constrained in our virtue pursuit. Theologians ex...
Ratio and regression type estimators of a new measure of coefficient of dispersion

In this article, we first discuss a few properties along with limitations of traditional measure of coefficient of dispersion in comparison to the well-known standard measure of variation called th...
Reliability and Validity Evidence of the STarT-Lower Extremity Screening Tool for Patients With Lower Extremity Fracture: A Prospective Study.

Abstract Objectives To determine whether a modified version of the STarT Back Screening Tool in its current structure has adequate properties for use in patients with lower extremity fracture. Design Single-center, prospective study. Setting Level I trauma center. Participants Patients with lower extremity fracture without a history of chronic pain (N=114), with 93% follow-up. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Six weeks after surgical fixation, individuals completed the Subgroups for Targeted Treatment of Lower Extremity Screening Tool (STarT-LE). A subsample completed the STarT-LE again 1 week later. The following questionnaires were completed at 6 weeks and 6 months: Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, Brief Pain Inventory pain intensity subscale, and PROMIS Depression and Pain Interference computer adaptive testing modules. Reliability was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Cronbach’s alpha (α). Convergent validity evidence was measured concurrently using the Spearman ρ correlation between the 6-week STarT-LE and established questionnaires. Predictive validity evidence was evaluated by area under the curve analysis (AUC) using the 6-week STarT-LE total and psychosocial scores and 6-month criterion physical and psychosocial reference standards. Results The STarT-LE has good test-retest reliability (ICC, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-0.91) and acceptable internal consistency (α=0.74). The convergent validity evidence was fair to moderate (ρ, 0.53-0.68; P Conclusions The STarT-LE has adequate properties for use in patients with lower extremity fracture. Future larger scale studies are needed to validate risk cutoffs.