cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pervasive lower-crustal seismic anisotropy in Southern California: Evidence for underplated schists and active tectonics

Understanding lower-crustal deformational processes and the related features that can be imaged by seismic waves is an important goal in active tectonics. We demonstrate that teleseismic receiver functions calculated for broadband seismic stations in Southern California reveal a signature of pervasive seismic anisotropy in the lower crust. The large amplitudes and small move-out of the diagnostic converted phases, as well as the broad similarity of data patterns from widely separated stations, support an origin primarily from a basal crustal layer of hexagonal anisotropy with a dipping symmetry axis. We conducted neighborhood algorithm searches for depth and thickness of the anisotropic layer and the trend and plunge of the anisotropy symmetry (slow) axis for 38 stations. The searches produced a wide range of results, but a dominant SW-NE trend of the symmetry axis emerged. When the results are divided into crustal blocks and restored to their pre–36 Ma locations, the regional-scale SW-NE trend becomes more consistent, although a small subset of the results can be attributed to NW-SE shearing related to San Andreas transform motion. We interpret this dominant trend as a fossilized fabric within schists, created from top-to-the-SW sense of shear that existed along the length of coastal California during pretransform, early Tertiary subduction or from shear that occurred during subsequent extrusion. Comparison of receiver-function common conversion point stacks to seismic models from the active Los Angeles Regional Seismic Experiment shows a strong correlation in the location of anisotropic layers with “bright” reflectors, further affirming these results.
The heat shock response and major heat shock proteins of Tritrichomonas mobilensis and Tritrichomonas augusta.

The responses to heat shock in Tritrichomonas mobilensis, a squirrel monkey parasite and Tritrichomonas augusta, an amphibian trichomonad, were evaluated by means of metabolic labeling with (35S)methionine. Electrophoretically separated trichomonad proteins synthesized at different temperatures were visualized by autoradiography and the label incorporation quantitated by a trichloroacetic acid precipitation procedure. A considerable difference in thermotolerance between the two species was found as the protein synthesis reached a maximum at 41 C in T. mobilensis and 37 C in T. augusta. The latter tolerated temperature increases 13 C above normal cultivation temperatures as compared to only 4 C thermotolerance range above normal in T. mobilensis. Major heat shock proteins (Hsps) were expressed in both T. mobilensis (with apparent Mr 94, 72, and 58 kDa) and T. augusta (Mr 94, 70, and 56 kDa) as revealed by autoradiography. Western blot analysis with polyclonal antibody against DnaK of Escherichia coli showed the presence of antigenic Hsp70 homologs in both trichomonads. Similarly, a polyclonal antibody against Hsp60 with broad interspecies cross-reactivity detected Hsp60 homologs in both T. mobilensis and T. augusta. The anti-DnaK antibody cross-reacted with a T. mobilensis protein localized in Golgi apparatus as demonstrated by immunoelectron microscopy. Immunocytochemistry on trichomonad frozen sections revealed the presence of the Hsp60 homolog in light-microscopic granules corresponding to hydrogenosomes. Trichomonads are flagellate protists evolutionarily adapted to a spectrum of different hosts represented by humans, other mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. It can be assumed that this diversity of hosts will require differential adjustment of various trichomonads to their varying habitats. Thermotoler- ance is but 1 of numerous factors supporting adaptation. Be- cause many animals harboring trichomonads differ substantially in the average body core temperature, their parasites would be expected to adapt and so differ in response to supraoptimal temperatures. As an example of this diversity, Tritrichomonas mobilensis is an intestinal parasite of a homeothermic animal, the squirrel monkey Saimiri spp. (Pindak et al., 1985; Culberson et al., 1986) whose core temperature is normally maintained around 37 C (Lapin and Cherkovich, 1972). In contrast, Tritrichomonas au- gusta resides in poikilothermic animals, e.g., Rana pipiens and toads (Bufo spp.), the core temperature of which varies with the temperature of the outside environment (Wenrich, 1945; Lee et al., 1962).
Cognitive Impairment Following Intrathecal Methotrexate for Medulloblastoma

Intelligence, executive function, attention, visual perception, and short-term memory were assessed in two groups of children who underwent surgery and subsequent radiotherapy and chemotherapy for cerebellar medulloblastoma at the Carlo Besta National Neurologic Institute, Milan, Italy.
The Okavango River Basin agreement: an analysis

On 15 September 1994, Angola, Botswana, and Namibia developed, signed, and individually ratified the Agreement between the Governments of the Republic of Angola, the Republic of Botswana, and the Republic of Namibia on the Establishment of a Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM). This paper seeks to understand the context within which the OKACOM Agreement was developed and its evolution since inception, and to then utilize this information to make sound recommendations for its advancement. To achieve this, four main foci are developed and analyzed: the first section introduces and applies an analytical framework for classifying international environmental agreements and assessing externalities and transaction costs; the second section creates a summary review of the development process the Agreement underwent and the negotiated outcomes of that process; the third section explores the post-Agreement era analyzing adaptions and outcomes that have transpired since OKACOM’s establishment ut...
Test-driven Process Model Based on Extreme Programming

The values and implementing rules of the agile process and extreme programming are analyzed.The nuclear means and process of test-driven development are discussed.Based on the analysis of traditional software life cycle model,a test-driven process model is proposed,which is illuminated detailedly.Through check experiment,analyzes it's characteristic of high efficiency,low cost,adapting the changing of requirement,and possess maneuverability,comparing with traditional development model.
Using qualitative comparative analysis in a systematic review of a complex intervention

Systematic reviews evaluating complex interventions often encounter substantial clinical heterogeneity in intervention components and implementation features making synthesis challenging. Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is a non-probabilistic method that uses mathematical set theory to study complex phenomena; it has been proposed as a potential method to complement traditional evidence synthesis in reviews of complex interventions to identify key intervention components or implementation features that might explain effectiveness or ineffectiveness. The objective of this study was to describe our approach in detail and examine the suitability of using QCA within the context of a systematic review. We used data from a completed systematic review of behavioral interventions to improve medication adherence to conduct two substantive analyses using QCA. The first analysis sought to identify combinations of nine behavior change techniques/components (BCTs) found among effective interventions, and the second analysis sought to identify combinations of five implementation features (e.g., agent, target, mode, time span, exposure) found among effective interventions. For each substantive analysis, we reframed the review’s research questions to be designed for use with QCA, calibrated sets (i.e., transformed raw data into data used in analysis), and identified the necessary and/or sufficient combinations of BCTs and implementation features found in effective interventions. Our application of QCA for each substantive analysis is described in detail. We extended the original review findings by identifying seven combinations of BCTs and four combinations of implementation features that were sufficient for improving adherence. We found reasonable alignment between several systematic review steps and processes used in QCA except that typical approaches to study abstraction for some intervention components and features did not support a robust calibration for QCA. QCA was suitable for use within a systematic review of medication adherence interventions and offered insights beyond the single dimension stratifications used in the original completed review. Future prospective use of QCA during a review is needed to determine the optimal way to efficiently integrate QCA into existing approaches to evidence synthesis of complex interventions.
Enhancing the Magnitude of Antibody Responses through Biomaterial Stereochemistry

d-Amino acid analogs of peptides and proteins are attractive for applications in biotechnology and medicine due to their reduced proteolytic sensitivity. Here, we report that self-assembling peptide nanofibers composed of d-amino acids act as immune adjuvants, and investigate their ability to induce antibody responses in comparison to their l-amino acid counterparts. The model antigenic peptide OVA (chicken egg ovalbumin aa 323-339) from chicken egg ovalbumin, known to elicit antibody responses in mice, was linked to an l- or d-amino acid self-assembling peptide domain to generate enantiomeric nanofibers displaying the same epitope. The chiral nature of the fusion peptides was confirmed by circular dichrosim spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies indicated that OVA-bearing enantiomers self-assembled into nanofibers with similar morphologies. In mice, d-amino acid peptide nanofibers displaying OVA elicited stronger antibody responses, equivalent levels of CD4+ T cell responses, and long-term antigen-presentation in vivo compared to l-amino acid nanofibers. Our findings indicate that self-assembling peptides composed of d-amino acids are strong immune adjuvants and that biomaterial stereochemistry can be used as a design tool to program adaptive immune responses for vaccine development.
Using EP50 to forecast treatment adherence in individuals with multiple sclerosis

Much like delay discounting, probability discounting may be related to a host of pro-health behaviors. In a recent report, a Medical Decision Making Questionnaire (MDMQ) was developed that leveraged this insights of probability discounting to both describe ways that multiple sclerosis (MS) patients weigh costs and benefits when making adherence choices, and predicted their self-reported treatment adherence. The current re-analysis of those data use a novel EP50 measure as a framework of a model that predicted the cost/benefit ratios necessary for the choices of typically non-adherent patients to become indistinguishable from those of typically adherent patients (and vice versa). These analytic tools may aid in the development/evaluation of both novel therapeutics and treatment adherence strategies for chronic conditions.
YA4-H! Youth Advocates for Health Teens as Teachers

Although the research literature speaks to the necessity of having a high-quality training curriculum for teens as teachers (TAT) programs, there are very few TAT training curricula available to practitioners. This review provides practitioners with a preview of the Youth Advocates for Health (YA4-H!) TAT training curriculum. The YA4-H! TAT training curriculum exposes teens to several domains necessary to teach younger youth effectively, such as getting to know their audience, preparing to teach, teaching tips and tools, reflection and evaluation time, and recruitment strategies to help practitioners select youth to teach. Drawing from published research including Lee and Murdock’s (2001) work on best practices for preparing teen teachers to teach, this review presents an overview of the lesson categories included in the YA4-H! TAT training curriculum.
Phosphates as Antibotulinal Agents in Cured Meats: A Review.

Phosphates have been suggested as potential substitutes for the currently used nitrite in cured meat products, yet relatively little research has been done on the antibotulinal effects of phosphates. Phosphate selection for use in the cured meat industry continues to be based upon achieving certain functional objectives rather than microbiological control (i.e., improved tenderness, moisture retention, reduced shrinking during cooking, pH adjustments, emulsification, sequestration of ions). Current federal regulations limit addition of phosphates to amounts needed to achieve functionality. One notable exception is shelf-stable pasteurized processed cheese, cheese foods and cheese spreads, in which addition of phosphates for emulsification purposes also appears to provide antimicrobial or antibotulinal protection. It is, therefore, becoming evident that phosphates have the potential under certain conditions, of enhancing microbial or botulinal safety and stability of certain foods, with certain phosphates [i.e. sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP)] or mixture of phosphates displaying more effectiveness than others.
Optimized Durable Commitlog for Apache Cassandra Using CAPI-Flash

High-velocity data imposes high durability overheads on Big Data technology components such as NoSQL data stores. In Apache Cassandra, a widely used NoSQL solution with high scalability and availability, write-ahead logging is used to support Commitlog operations, which in turn provides fault tolerance to applications. However, current write-ahead logging techniques are limited by the excessive overhead in the I/O subsystem. To address this performance gap, we have designed a novel CAPI-Flash based high performance durable Commitlog for Apache Cassandra. We take advantage of the high throughput, low latency path to flash storage provided by the Coherent Accelerator Processor Interface (CAPI) on IBM POWER8 Systems. Our experimental results show that for write-intensive workloads CAPI-Flash logging provides up to 107% improvement in throughput compared to Cassandra's durable alternative. We also provide 77% better throughput in update-mostly workloads.
Growth factor signaling alters the morphology of the zebrafish ethmoid plate

Craniofacial development relies on coordinated tissue interactions that allow for patterning and growth of the face. We know a priori that the Wingless, fibroblast growth factor, Hedgehog and transforming growth factor-beta growth factor signaling pathways are required for the development of the face, but how they contribute to the shape of the face is largely untested. Here, we test how each signaling pathway contributes to the overall morphology of the zebrafish anterior neurocranium. We tested the contribution of each signaling pathway to the development of the ethmoid plate during three distinct time periods: the time of neural crest migration [10 hour post fertilization (hpf)]; once the neural crest is resident in the face (20 hpf); and finally at the time at which the cartilaginous condensations are being initiated (48 hpf). Using geometric morphometric analysis, we conclude that each signaling pathway contributes to the shape, size and morphology of the ethmoid plate in a dose-, and time-dependent fashion.
Fundamentals of thermal expansion and thermal contraction

Thermal expansion is an important property of substances. Its theoretical prediction has been challenging, particularly in cases the volume decreases with temperature, i.e., thermal contraction or negative thermal expansion at high temperatures. In this paper, a new theory recently developed by the authors has been reviewed and further examined in the framework of fundamental thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. Its applications to cerium with colossal thermal expansion and Fe3Pt with thermal contraction in certain temperature ranges are discussed. It is anticipated that this theory is not limited to volume only and can be used to predict a wide range of properties at finite temperatures.
MerTK Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition As a Potential Strategy to Augment Immune-Mediated Clearance of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

The MerTK receptor tyrosine kinase is aberrantly expressed in 80-100% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and inhibition of MerTK prolongs leukemia-free survival in vivo , making it an appealing therapeutic target. MerTK is normally expressed on macrophages (MMs) and dendritic cells (DCs) and facilitates engulfment of apoptotic debris. Through this process, MerTK promotes tolerogenicity and anti-inflammatory cytokine production. We hypothesized that inhibition of MerTK will also mediate anti-leukemia effects through relief of microenvironment immunosuppression and stimulation of innate MM and DC activity leading to enhanced T-cell immunity. To test this hypothesis, we transplanted wild-type C57BL/6 mice with syngeneic murine MLL-ENL fusion AML or primary mouse MLL-AF9 AML. We evaluated the effects of MerTK inhibition using MRX-2843, a MerTK kinase inhibitor. Mice were treated daily and survival was monitored. Treatment with MRX-2843 prolonged median survival (43 days) compared to vehicle treatment (17 days) in mice transplanted with MLL-ENL AML (p To explore the immune effects of MerTK inhibition in AML, we evaluated in vivo MMs and DCs by flow cytometry. Compared to non-leukemic controls, vehicle-treated leukemic mice demonstrated a significant infiltration of MMs and DCs into the primary sites of leukemic burden (spleen, bone marrow). These MMs and DCs expressed high levels of co-inhibitory ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2. Treatment with MRX-2843 significantly decreased PD-L1 and PD-L2 expressing MM and DCs in the spleen (p We next evaluated effects of MerTK inhibition on the leukemia microenvironment. We confirmed that T-cells do not express MerTK in-vivo with or without AML, nor +/- MRX-2843. Compared to non-leukemic mice, leukemic mice significantly upregulated co-inhibitory receptors PD-1 and Tim-3 on CD4 and CD-8 T-cells in the spleen and bone marrow. Treatment with MRX-2843 in leukemic mice significantly decreased CD4 and CD8 T-cell PD-1 and Tim-3 expression in the spleen (p We next evaluated peripheral serum cytokines using Luminex magnetic bead analysis. Treatment with MerTK inhibition significantly increased serum [IL-18] (p in vitro compared to vehicle treatment. In conclusion, inhibition of MerTK decreased infiltration of immunosuppressive co-inhibitory ligand-expressing MMs and DCs into primary sites of leukemic engraftment. Furthermore, inhibition of MerTK altered the leukemia microenvironment to decrease T-cell co-inhibitory receptor expression and improve anti-leukemia effects. These preliminary studies demonstrate the potential of MerTK inhibition as an immunotherapeutic strategy in AML. Disclosures Wang: Meryx, Inc: Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties: MRX-2843. Earp: Meryx: Employment, Patents & Royalties: MRX-2843. Frye: Meryx, Inc: Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties: MRX-2843.
Action and metabolism of des(Arg)kinins in mesenteric arteries.

Kallidin and bradykinin can be hydrolyzed at their C-termini to produce des(Arg10)kallidin and des(Arg9)bradykinin respectively. These des(Arg)kinins, previously thought to be biologically inactive, are now known to have potent effects on B1 receptors. Although stimulation of B1 receptors has been reported to produce peripheral vasodepressor responses in certain experimental states, only constriction has been reported in isolated vessels (i. e., rabbit aorta, basilar artery, mesenteric vein). In the present study, we have investigated the biologic activity of desg(Arg) kinins on a peripheral resistance vessel (rabbit mesenteric artery). We found that des(Arg)bradykinin relaxes mesenteric arteries, and that its potency relative to kallidin and bradykinin is consistent with the presence of B1 receptors. Further, intact mesenteric arteries, and a plasma membrane fraction purified from these arteries, contained a carboxypeptidase activity which was capable of producing des(Arg)kinins from both kallidin and bradykinin. Thus, these data demonstrate that the vasculature has the enzymatic capacity to form B1 kinins, and that stimulation of B1 receptors in resistance vessels can be associated with peripheral vasodilation.
Risk assessment of a new acceptance testing procedure for conventional linear accelerators.

Purpose New techniques and materials have recently been developed to expedite the conventional linac acceptance testing procedure1 which use the electronic portal imaging device (EPID) for data collection. This new procedure is designed to be more efficient and robust than the conventional approach. The purpose of this work is to perform a comparative risk assessment of the two acceptance testing procedures (ATPs). Materials and Methods Failure Modes and Effects Analysis was used to assess risks for both ATP approaches. Five domain experts (Medical Physicists) comprised the analysis team. The risk assessment method and ranking scales were adopted from the AAPM TG-100. The number of failure pathways and associated risk priority numbers (RPNs) for the two ATP approaches were compared. RPNs > 100 were considered high-priority failure modes. Results Fewer failure pathways were determined for the new ATP (ATPEPID) compared to the conventional ATP (ATPconv) resulting in a 44% difference (n = 233 versus n = 534, respectively). There were also 35% fewer RPNs > 100 for the ATPEPID (n = 40) compared to the ATPconv (n = 114). Failure pathways and RPNs > 100 for individual ATP tests were 2.0 and 3.5 times higher, on average, for the ATPconv compared to the ATPEPID, respectively. The EPID pixel sensitivity map was identified as a high risk failure for the ATPEPID. Conclusions Potential errors due to human factors were decreased for the ATPEPID compared to ATPconv so it is possible that a largely automated linac ATP can mitigate many error occurrences. Manufacturers should be careful when designing an EPID-based ATP to address errors in the EPID pixel sensitivity map which can potentially lead to a significant impact on patients’ treatment. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Barriers to Using Nonpharmacologic Approaches and Reducing Opioid Use in Primary Care.

Background Opioid prescribing for chronic pain, including the potential for over-reliance and misuse, is a public health concern. Objective In the context of Veterans Administration (VA) primary care team-based pain management, we aimed to understand providers' perceptions of barriers to reducing opioid use and improving the use of nonpharmacologic pain management therapies (NPTs) for chronic pain. Design A semistructured interview elucidated provider experiences with assessing and managing pain. Emergent themes were mapped to known dimensions of VA primary care access. Subjects Informants included 60 primary care providers, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, clerks, psychologists, and social workers at two VA Medical Centers. Methods Nine multidisciplinary focus groups. Results Provider perceptions of barriers to reducing opioids and improving use of NPTs for patients with chronic pain clustered around availability and access. Barriers to NPT access included the following subthemes: geographical (patient distance from service), financial (out-of-pocket cost to patient), temporal (treatment time delays), cultural (belief that NPTs increased provider workload, perception of insufficient training on NPTs, perceptions of patient resistance to change, confrontation avoidance, and insufficient leadership support), and digital (measure used for pain assessment, older patients hesitant to use technology, providers overwhelmed by information). Conclusions Decreasing reliance on opioids for chronic pain requires a commitment to local availability and provider-facing strategies that increase efficacy in prescribing NPTs. Policies and interventions for decreasing utilization of opioids and increasing use of NPTs should comprehensively consider access barriers.
Educational Methodologies: Implications for Course Goals, Objectives, and Contents

This chapter discusses the implications of the first three chapters with respect to the course goals, objectives, and contents. For this purpose, this chapter brings major aspects of the first three chapters to the forefront, and elaborates on their connections and implications for the way educational methodologies are applied.
Generation-recombination model of the avalanche breakdown, far infrared photodetector

A three-level, generation-recombination model has been developed to explain the unusual response law and ultraphotosensitivity of the Avalanche Breakdown far infrared detector 1,2) . The detector consists of Sb-doped n-germanium operated at a bias level above the point of impact ionization breakdown. Under these conditions, the signal response current, is, has been shown to depend on far infrared signal power, P, as i s e K(P) 1/2 , where K is a proportionality constant, over more than six orders of magnitude in P. Furthermore, an apparent photomultiplication factor of the order 10 6 - 10 7 has been observed. Signals as low as 10 -14 watts in a 10 -7 sec pulse have been seen, corresponding to the arrival at the detector of only 4-5 photons per pulse. Earlier attempts to provide a model of this detector 3) , including a two- level scheme by Penin 4) , have not proven satisfactory.
Provider Types and Outcomes in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Case Finding and Treatment: A Systematic Review

Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosis and care models rely on sleep specialist physicians (SSPs) and can be expensive and inefficient. Purpose To assess OSA case-finding accuracy and comparative effectiveness of care by non-sleep specialists (NSSs) and SSPs. Data sources MEDLINE and CINAHL from January 2000 through July 2017. Study selection English-language trials or observational studies comparing case finding or care by SSPs versus providers not specifically trained as SSPs (NSSs) for adults with suspected or diagnosed OSA. Data extraction One investigator extracted data and assessed risk of bias and strength of evidence, with confirmation by a second investigator. Primary outcomes were patient-centered (mortality, access to care, quality of life, patient satisfaction, adherence, symptom scores, and adverse events). Intermediate outcomes included resource use, costs, time to initiation of treatment, and case finding. Data synthesis Four observational studies (n = 580; mean age, 52 years; 77% male) reported good agreement between NSSs and SSPs on appropriate diagnostic testing and classification of OSA severity (low-strength evidence). Five randomized trials and 3 observational studies (n = 1515; mean age, 52 years; 68% male) found that care provided by NSSs and SSPs resulted in similar quality of life, adherence, and symptom scores (low-strength evidence). Evidence was insufficient for access to care and adverse events. Limitations Many outcomes were reported infrequently or not at all. Many NSSs had extensive training or experience in sleep medicine, which limits generalizability of findings to providers with less experience. Conclusion Care by NSSs and SSPs resulted in similar outcomes in adults with known or suspected OSA. Studies are needed to determine care model implementation and reproducibility of results in nonacademic settings and among less experienced NSSs. Primary funding source Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development, Quality Enhancement Research Initiative. (PROSPERO: CRD42016036810 [full Veterans Affairs Evidence-based Synthesis Program report]).
Nutrient reduction policies and management strategies of the Chesapeake Bay water quality restoration program.

The Chesapeake Bay Program is a unique, regional, federal-state-local partnership established in 1983 by a formal Agreement between six signatories, the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, the District of Columbia, the US EPA, and the Chesapeake Bay Commission, to protect and restore the Bay's ecosystem. The system of governance adopted provides for dynamic interaction between the signatories, and provides for input from the interested citizens, the local governments, and the scientific and technical community. The Agreement is periodically reviewed, amended and added to by new agreements, with the most recent being the 2000 Agreement, referred to as “Chesapeake 2000: A Watershed Partnership”. The new agreement, signed 28 June 2000, sets numeric goals to be accomplished during the next ten years, and includes land use policies and restrictions.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis alters plant gene expression and aphid weight in a tripartite interaction

Mutualistic root associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are known to alter interactions with insects aboveground. In this study, we investigated whether root symbiosis with Rhizophagus irregularis modulates alterations in Medicago truncatula that affect pea aphid’s (Acyrthosiphon pisum) fitness. The results indicate that aphid colony weight increased after feeding on shoots of high R. irregularis-colonized plants relative to non-mycorrhizal controls. Moreover, when given a choice, aphid adults preferred high R. irregularis-colonized plants compared to non-mycorrhizal plants. Interestingly, we identified genes strongly regulated by aphid feeding in shoots (β-1,3 glucanase, thaumatin-like protein, ethylene response factor (ERF) 1, gibberellin (GA) 20-oxidase, and GA 2-oxidase), by AM symbiosis in roots (oxo-phytodienoic acid reductase, ERF1, and GA 20-oxidase), and a gene (GA 2-oxidase) exclusively induced in roots during this tripartite interaction. Our data provide novel information a...
Impact-Echo Response of Plates Containing Thin Layers and Voids

An ongoing research program initiated in 1983 by Carino and Sansalone has been aimed at developing the theoretical basis and practical applications for a new nondestructive technique for detecting flaws in reinforced concrete structures. The technique, known as impact-echo, is well documented [1–6] and only a brief overview of the principle of the method, signal processing techniques, and instrumentation is presented. This paper highlights the results of a recent investigation into the feasibility of using the impact-echo technique to detect voids in plates containing thin layers of materials having different acoustic impedances.
Using Technology to Teach Thermodynamics: Achieving Integrated Understanding

This paper describes a perspective on the development of integrated scientific knowledge featuring “action knowledge”, “intuitive conceptions”, and “scientific ideas,” and reports on three experimental investigations of student understanding in thermodynamics that support the perspective. Middle school students enrolled in a one semester physical science participated in these studies. The first experiment investigates the ideas that students construct about thermodynamics without formal instruction. the second experiment reports on the beliefs that students develop about the nature of scientific enterprise. The third experiment describes three reformulations of a twelve-week curriculum in which computers serve as laboratory partners. the discussion clarifies the implications of these experiments in terms of the developmental perspective and addresses the role played by the technological environment.
Feed Ingredients | Feed Supplements: Vitamins

Dairy cows require eight different water-soluble vitamins, but adequate quantities are usually provided by common feedstuffs and by bacterial synthesis in the rumen to avoid true deficiencies. Even though a deficiency is unlikely, numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate the response in dairy cows to supplemental biotin, niacin, and choline and a few studies have been conducted on folic acid, vitamin B12, and thiamine. Feeding 10–20 mg day-1 of supplemental biotin to cows consistently improved hoof health and often increased milk production. Supplementing 12 g day-1 of niacin increased milk production by about 0.5 kg. Supplemental choline (15 g day-1), if rumen-protected, often resulted in increased milk yield (approximately 2 kg day-1) in early lactation cows. Data on other supplemental water-soluble vitamins are either inconsistent or not available. Cows require four fat-soluble vitamins, but bacterial synthesis usually provides adequate vitamin K to dairy cows. Diets for most dairy cows should be supplemented with vitamins A, D, and E. Adequate vitamin A is needed for good reproductive and immune function. Vitamin D is needed for calcium and phosphorus metabolism and vitamin E is an important antioxidant that improves immune function and disease resistance.
Reducing Heavy Episodic Drinking, Incapacitation, and Alcohol-Induced Blackouts: Secondary Outcomes of a Web-Based Combined Alcohol Use and Sexual Assault Risk Reduction Intervention

Heavy episodic drinking, alcohol-induced blackouts, and incapacitation are associated with sexual assault among college women. Therefore, reducing heavy episodic drinking, alcohol-induced blackouts, and incapacitation among college women may reduce sexual assault victimization risk. The current study examined the indirect effect of a combined alcohol use and sexual assault risk reduction program on sexual assault severity through heavy episodic drinking, alcohol-induced blackouts, and incapacitation ( n = 264). An alcohol use reduction program, sexual assault risk reduction program, and combined alcohol use and sexual assault risk reduction program were compared with a control condition. The sexual assault risk reduction content reduced alcohol-induced blackouts and incapacitation, and the combined alcohol use and sexual assault risk reduction program reduced alcohol-induced blackouts. Only incapacitation was associated with reduced sexual assault severity at follow-up. Reducing incapacitation and alcohol-induced blackouts is possible with a brief, web-based intervention, and reducing incapacitation may be one viable strategy within larger sexual assault prevention programming efforts.
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Physics

The fundamentals of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) rely on a knowledge of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) physics. MRI physics describes how protons in a magnetic field behave in response to stimuli such as magnetic gradients and radiofrequency pulses, the basic building blocks of an MRI pulse sequence. MRI pulse sequences utilize the magnetic properties of tissues, specifically T1, T2, and T2* relaxation, to form images and create tissue contrast. In MRI, images are acquired in k-space and must be converted to images. A basic understanding of k-space is crucial to learning how images are formed in MRI, since the parameters of k-space acquisition are directly related to the properties of the final image, e.g., image resolution and field of view. Furthermore, fast imaging techniques, such as parallel imaging and compressed sensing, are applied in k-space. For CMR in particular, accelerated imaging techniques are used to achieve the high temporal resolution necessary to capture the dynamic heart.
Equivalence of Referential and Spatial Field Equations in Continuum Physics

Two alternative descriptions of motion are traditionally employed in Continuum Physics: the referential, in which fields are associated with material points and time, and the spatial in which the same fields are realized as functions of position and time. Hydrodynamicists commonly use the terms Lagrangean for referential and Eulerian for spatial but, as pointed out by Truesdell [3, §66A], the “Lagrangean” description was actually introduced by Euler while the “Eulerian” formulation was originally employed by Daniel Bernoulli and D’Alembert.
Milk Polar Lipids Reduce Atherogenic Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Attenuate Atherosclerosis Development in LDL-Receptor Knockout Mice Fed a Western-Type Diet (P06-051-19)

Purified milk sphingomyelin (SM), a polar lipid (PL) component of milk fat globule membranes, is protective against dyslipidemia in high-fat, diet-fed mice. However, it is unclear whether ingestion of the total milk PL fraction can have similar hypolipidemic effects as purified SM, and if this confers protection from inflammation and atherosclerosis. To determine this, LDLr⁻/⁻ mice were fed high-fat, high-cholesterol diets with and without added milk PL from butter serum, a dairy co-product rich in PLs and SM. Male LDLr⁻/⁻ mice (age 6 weeks) were fed ad libitum either a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet (CTL; 45% kcal from fat, 0.22% cholesterol added by weight; n = 15), or the same diet supplemented with 1% milk PL (1% MPL; n = 15) or 2% milk PL (2% MPL; n = 15) added by weight from butter serum. All diets were adjusted to match in energy density, macronutrient composition, and calcium content. After 14 weeks on diets, mice were fasted for 6 hours prior to blood and tissue collection/processing at sacrifice. Supplementation with 2% MPL significantly reduced serum cholesterol (−51%) compared to CTL (p < 0.01), with fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) showing dose-dependent effects in lowering VLDL- and LDL-cholesterol. Serum CCL2 was 56% lower in 2% MPL compared to CTL (p < 0.05). No other significant differences were found in serum markers of inflammation or insulin resistance. Compared to CTL, 2% MPL-fed mice had significantly lower mRNA expression of Scd1 and Mip1b in liver, and Ccl2 in epididymal adipose tissue (p < 0.05). Notably, milk PL dose-dependently reduced atherosclerosis development in thoracic aorta, with 2% MPL significantly lowering neutral lipid plaque size by 59% (p < 0.01). Ccl2 mRNA expression was also significantly reduced by 67% in the descending aorta with 2% MPL (p < 0.05). Milk PL strongly reduced atherogenic lipoprotein cholesterol in LDLr⁻/⁻ mice fed a Western-type diet, and modestly lowered inflammatory markers in the serum, liver, adipose, and aorta. These factors likely contributed to the strong reduction in atherosclerosis development in thoracic aorta seen with 2% MPL. Milk PL content may be important to consider when choosing dairy products as food. This work was supported by a research grant to C. Blesso from the National Dairy Council.
Accelerated bridge construction projects using high performance concrete

Abstract The National Bridge Inventory (NBI) of the United States includes more than 600,000 highway bridges. Approximately 25 % of the nation’s inventory is structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Currently, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is investigating different alternatives to build new bridge with longer life-span, lower maintenance, and repair needs. Currently, the FHWA is successfully using accelerated bridge construction (ABC) techniques to expedite the construction of new bridges, and minimize material, labor, and equipment cost. In this research, the ABC of new bridges using prefabricated bridge elements and systems (PBES) is discussed, including the fabrication of precast/prestressed elements using an economic high performance concrete (HPC) mix, developed using local construction materials. The successful use of HPC in fabricating PBES used in ABC techniques allows the FHWA to construct new bridges under current budget restraints. This improves the overall rating of the bridge network within the United States.
The impact of body mass index on severity of cervical spine fracture: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: No study has evaluated the relationship between increasing BMI and severity/type of cervical spine injuries. Aims and Objectives: The objective of our study was to study the impact of body mass index (BMI) on severity of cervical spine fracture. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with traumatic cervical spine fractures at a level I trauma center over a 74-year period. CT scans of the cervical spine were blindly graded according to the AO Spine sub-axial cervical spine classification. The association between BMI and severity of cervical spine fracture was studied by multiple-variable logistic regression. Results: A total of 291 patients with an average BMI of 26.1 ± 5.4 kg/m2 were studied. Higher BMI was not associated with more severe injury (OR 1.03, 95%, CI: 0.97–1.08). For rollover motor vehicle accident (MVA), the association was trending towards significance (OR 2.55, 95%, CI: 0.98-6.66, P = 0.06). Conclusions: Patients with higher BMI may be predisposed to more severe cervical spine fracture in rollover MVA, but not non-rollover MVA or falls.
Utopías espectrales: la radio comunitaria en los Estados Unidos, desde 1970 hasta nuestros días

espanolEn el aniversario del primer siglo de radiodifusion, este articulo analiza la formacion de la radiodifusion en los Estados Unidos, y los movimientos de radio libre, micro-radio y FM de baja potencia (LPFM) como momentos clave de la radiodifusion a pequena escala y no comercial. Introducido en el ano 2000, el servicio de LPFM contiene lecciones para el panorama de los medios de comunicacion en el segundo siglo de radiodifusion. En un entorno de radiodifusion muy consolidado, con importantes barreras de entrada y en un entorno on line dominado por grandes plataformas comerciales que mantienen e intermedian algoritmicamente las comunicaciones en linea, la radio comunitaria no comercial se destaca como un modelo muy diferente de infraestructura de comunicacion, con un compromiso declarado de llevar a cabo relaciones comunitarias democraticas EnglishOn the anniversary of the first century of broadcasting, this article surveys the formation of broadcasting in the United States, and the free radio, microradio, and low-power FM (LPFM) movements as key moments in small-scale, noncommercial broadcasting. Introduced in 2000, LPFM contains lessons for the wider media landscape in the second century of broadcasting. In a heavily consolidated broadcasting environment with substantial barriers to entry, and an online environment dominated by large commercial platforms that gatekeep and algorithmically intermediate online communications, noncommercial community radio stands out as a very different template for communication infrastructure, one with an avowed commitment to carrying out democratic community relations
Adaptive Multimodal and Multisensory Empathic Technologies for Enhanced Human Communication

As digital social platforms and mobile technologies are becoming more prevalent and robust, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in facilitating human communication will grow. This, in turn, will pave the way for the development of intuitive, adaptive, and effective empathic AI interfaces that better address the needs of socially and culturally diverse communities. I believe such developments must consider a principled framework that includes the human perceptual senses in the digital design process right from the start, for a more accurate, as well as a more aesthetic, memorable, and soothing experience. In this position paper, I suggest features, identify some challenges that need to be addressed in the process, and propose some future research directions that I think should be part of the design and implementation. Such an approach will allow various communities of practice to investigate the areas of intersection between artificial intelligence, on one side, and human communication, perceptual needs and social and cultural values, on the other.
Assessing Accident Risk using Ordinal Regression and Multinomial Logistic Regression Data Generation

Robust and accurate modeling of motor vehicle accident and injury severities have significant impact on transportation safety and economy. The capability to assess accident risk based on external driving conditions (e.g., weather, road condition, etc.) and driver behavior and characteristics can reduce accident occurrences by alerting drivers to alleviated risk. In this paper, we propose a novel accident risk assessment framework driven by ordinal regression. One challenge of the risk assessment problem is that non-accident data are not collected by any agency in their study of transportation safety. Hence, we also propose a realistic negative data generation scheme based on feature weighs derived from multinomial logistic regression to overcome this challenge. Experimental results on two different real-world datasets from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and UK Transport for Greater Manchester are used to demonstrate the feasibility and robustness of our proposed ordinal regression framework. Performance on four ordinal regression algorithms, namely: logistic all-threshold, logistic immediate-threshold, ordinal ridge, and least absolute deviations are compared. In addition, for US dataset, we investigate the effect of random oversampling and undersampling on the proposed risk assessment framework. We empirically show that bagging with random oversampling using logistic all-threshold ordinal regression method has the best prediction performance among ordinal regression models.
Can cue familiarity during recall failure prompt illusory recollective experience

Recognition memory is thought to involve two bases: familiarity (a sense that something was encountered previously) and recollection (retrieval of specifics or context). The present study investigated the hypothesis that a sensation of familiarity during cued-recall failure might increase illusory recollective experience. This hypothesis was driven, in part, by the suggestion in the literature that the type of familiarity-driven recollective confabulation often seen in populations experiencing memory impairment might actually be a common feature of normal human memory. We examined the hypothesis that as perceived cue familiarity increases during the uncertainty of target retrieval failure, so does illusory recollection of a contextual detail. Toward this end, we systematically varied the amount of cue-to-target(s) surface feature-overlap in the recognition without cued recall paradigm, which has been shown to increase perceived cue familiarity during target recall failure. Increasing perceived cue familiarity during target retrieval failure led to increased confidence in knowing a contextual detail that was not actually known. As perceived cue familiarity increased, so did erroneous confidence in knowing the arrow direction (left or right) that supposedly accompanied the unretrieved target (Experiment 1), the background color (Experiment 2), and whether an accompanying tone was high or low (Experiment 3).
Interaction of 125I-Labeled Colicin E1 with Escherichia coli

Colicin E1 protein was labeled with 125I to specific activities of up to 2 × 108 cpm/mg of protein and with no loss of the colicin biological activity. The labeled colicin bound to colicin E1-sensitive, tolerant, and immune E1-colicinogenic Escherichia coli. An E. coli mutant resistant to colicin E1 exhibited a much lower colicin-binding capacity. The average number of bound colicin molecules per sensitive cell increased as a function of the colicin concentration in the colicin cell interaction mixture and continued to increase even after loss of viability of the entire culture. Up to 2,400 colicin E1 molecules bound per cell, but saturation was not reached. Binding kinetics showed that maximum binding occurred within 2 to 5 min of colicin addition. Survival and binding assays indicated that one colicin killing unit corresponded to an average of about 100 colicin molecules bound per bacterial cell. This number, however, decreased to about 8 in more extensively washed cells. Trypsin digestion of the colicin-treated cells removed the majority of the cell-bound colicin, but in general provided little rescue from colicin killing. At low colicin concentrations, a linear relationship existed between survival and the number of trypsin-inaccessible colicin molecules. Under these circumstances and in agreement with single-hit kinetics, the relationship between the number of colicin killing units and the number of trypsin-inaccessible colicin molecules was close to 1. After trypsin digestion, cells that were nearly saturated with colicin retained about 200 trypsin-inaccessible colicin molecules per cell. The trypsin-inaccessible colicin might represent those colicin molecules that bound to the specific E colicin receptors of E. coli cells.