cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SMITHERS: An object-oriented modular mapping methodology for MCNP-based neutronic–thermal hydraulic multiphysics

Abstract A novel object-oriented modular mapping methodology for externally coupled neutronics–thermal hydraulics multiphysics simulations was developed. The Simulator using MCNP with Integrated Thermal-Hydraulics for Exploratory Reactor Studies (SMITHERS) code performs on-the-fly mapping of material-wise power distribution tallies implemented by MCNP-based neutron transport/depletion solvers for use in estimating coolant temperature and density distributions with a separate thermal-hydraulic solver. The key development of SMITHERS is that it reconstructs the hierarchical geometry structure of the material-wise power generation tallies from the depletion solver automatically, with only a modicum of additional information required from the user. Additionally, it performs the basis mapping from the combinatorial geometry of the depletion solver to the required geometry of the thermal-hydraulic solver in a generalizable manner, such that it can transparently accommodate varying levels of thermal-hydraulic solver geometric fidelity, from the nodal geometry of multi-channel analysis solvers to the pin-cell level of discretization for sub-channel analysis solvers. The mapping methodology was specifically developed to be flexible enough such that it could successfully integrate preexisting depletion solver case files with different thermal-hydraulic solvers. This approach allows the user to tailor the selection of a thermal-hydraulic solver to the requirements and limitations of the specific problem under consideration, without needing to modify their existing depletion code input files. To enable support of a wide range of existing depletion solver input decks, SMITHERS can accommodate arbitrarily detailed geometry segmentation for the depletion calculation with a minimum of additional information required from the user. This new implementation was motivated by the desire to enable easier multiphysics modeling of a wide range of reactor types, from power reactors to research reactors. The initial implementation of this modular mapping methodology incorporates the neutronic depletion solver MCNP/MONTEBURNS and a multi-channel analysis two-phase flow thermal hydraulic solver. Two verification test problems were evaluated to verify that the code’s routines were operating as intended. Preexisting generic BWR and nontraditional PWR cases were selected to ensure maximum code coverage and evaluate the operation of all implemented mapping routines. The obtained power, coolant temperature, and coolant density results verified that SMITHERS was correctly performing on-the-fly mapping combinatorial-basis MCNP/MONTEBURNS-calculated material powers to the thermal-hydraulic solver’s nodal geometry and that nodal coolant temperature and densities were correctly returned to the combinatorial geometry of MCNP.
Behavioral, structural and molecular changes following long-term hippocampal IL-1β overexpression in transgenic mice.

Chronic neuroinflammation is associated with many neurodegenerative and neurocognitive disorders, yet few animal models exist to study the behavioral effects of prolonged neuroinflammation. Therefore, we recently developed a transgenic mouse model harboring an interleukin-1β excisional activation transgene (IL-1βXAT). These mice display localized IL-1β overexpression and resultant neuroinflammation for up to 1 year following transgene induction. Initial behavioral studies demonstrated long-term memory deficits after 2 weeks of hippocampal IL-1β overexpression. In the present studies, we extend these behavioral studies both in scope and timing. We find long-term contextual but not auditory fear memory impairments following 3 months of IL-1β overexpression. On a battery of other behavioral tests, IL-1β overexpression in IL-1βXAT mice increased locomotor activity, especially in female mice, and had slight anxiolytic effects. No differences were found in operant conditioning or in basal or stress-induced CORT levels, despite profound hippocampal glial activation. Interestingly, the volume of discrete hippocampal cell layers was reduced after 6 but not 3 months of IL-1β overexpression. Therefore, this animal model provides a novel tool for examining the effects of chronic inflammation on discrete brain regions.
SAM: a program that uses world knowledge to understand

At Yale we have developed a natural-language text understander called SAM (Script Applier Machanism), which applies knowledge about events and event-sequences in the world, arranged in a data structure called a Script, as it reads. Over the past two years, SAM has progressed from reading simple made-up stories to newspaper reports about vehicle accidents, visiting dignitaries and several other knowledge domains. SAM demonstrates its comprehension of a story by summarizing or paraphrasing it, and by answering questions about it. Since we believe that understanding is basically language-independent, provided the requisite world knowledge is shared by different language groups, it should be as easy to generate output in one language as in another. Accordingly, SAM has been given the capability of expressing its results in several languages. Here is an example illustrating the level of "understanding" of which SAM is currently capable. (This example is a slightly modified version of a car accident report from the New Haven Register. The understanding phase of SAM consist of a Conceptual Analyzer programmed by Chris Riesbeck and Anatole Gershman, a Memory module set up by Mal Selfridge, and the Script Applier, programmed by the author. SAM's outputs are expressed by various versions of Goldman's generator: the English was provided by Jerry DeJong; the Spanish by Jaime Carbonell. The summarizer was programmed by DeJong, and the Question-answering results were obtained from Wendy Lehnert's program by Carbonell.)
Budgetary Cutback and Transit System Performance: The Case of MARTA

In the context of diminishing availability of transit revenue, an important question for transit managers is what kind of information system or format should be used to signal costs and benefits of each required cut in the budget? Should the present MARTA process of negotiated across-the-board cuts in line item accounts be replaced by a formal results-oriented system that could tie marginal cutback decisions to changes in operating and maintenance performance? In order to develop a preliminary answer, this article attempts first to measure managerial and service performance of line-item cut;. Then, based on the FY 84-87 MARTA experience, it argues that transit systems, should avoid the considerable costs of developing a comprehensive results-oriented alternative to the line-item method by using operations and management experience to trace only selected performance-resource linkages.
Hydrogen bond residue positioning in the 599–611 loop of thimet oligopeptidase is required for substrate selection

Thimet oligopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.15) is a zinc(II) endopeptidase implicated in the processing of numerous physiological peptides. Although its role in selecting and processing peptides is not fully understood, it is believed that flexible loop regions lining the substrate-binding site allow the enzyme to conform to substrates of varying structure. This study describes mutant forms of thimet oligopeptidase in which Gly or Tyr residues in the 599-611 loop region were replaced, individually and in combination, to elucidate the mechanism of substrate selection by this enzyme. Decreases in k(cat) observed on mutation of Tyr605 and Tyr612 demonstrate that these residues contribute to the efficient cleavage of most substrates. Modeling studies showing that a hinge-bend movement brings both Tyr612 and Tyr605 within hydrogen bond distance of the cleaved peptide bond supports this role. Thus, molecular modeling studies support a key role in transition state stabilization of this enzyme by Tyr605. Interestingly, kinetic parameters show that a bradykinin derivative is processed distinctly from the other substrates tested, suggesting that an alternative catalytic mechanism may be employed for this particular substrate. The data demonstrate that neither Tyr605 nor Tyr612 is necessary for the hydrolysis of this substrate. Relative to other substrates, the bradykinin derivative is also unaffected by Gly mutations in the loop. This distinction suggests that the role of Gly residues in the loop is to properly orientate these Tyr residues in order to accommodate varying substrate structures. This also opens up the possibility that certain substrates may be cleaved by an open form of the enzyme.
Alternate paths of evolution for the photosynthetic gene rbcL in four nonphotosynthetic species of Orobanche.

We have determined the nucleotide sequence for the Rubisco large subunit from four holoparasitic species of Orobanche. Intact open reading frames are present in two species (O. corymbosa and O. fasciculata), whereas the remaining species (O. cernua and O. ramosa) have rbcL pseudogenes. Sequences for rbcL 5'-UTRs from species of Orobanche have few changes in the promoter and ribosome binding sites compared to photosynthetic higher plants. Comparison of rbcL 3'-UTR sequences for Nicotiana, Ipomoea, Cuscuta, and Orobanche reveal that nucleotide sequences from parasitic plants have regions capable of forming stem-loop structures, but 56–69 nt are deleted upstream of the stem-loop in the parasitic plants compared to their photosynthetic relatives. Although rbcL pseudogenes of O. cernua and O ramosa have many large and small deletions, few indels are shared in common, implying that their common ancestor probably had an intact rbcL reading frame. Intact rbcL reading frames in O. corymbosa and O. fasciculata retain a bias of synonymous over nonsynonymous substitutions and deduced protein sequences are consistent with potentially functional Rubisco large subunit proteins. A conservative model of random substitution processes in pseudogene sequences estimates that the probability is low (P<0.028) that these sequences would retain an open reading frame by chance. Species of Orobanche have either had recent photosynthetic ancestors, implying multiple independent losses of photosynthesis in this genus, or the rbcL gene may serve an unknown function in some nonphotosynthetic plants.
A Neural Network Autoassociator for Induction Motor Failure Prediction

We present results on the use of neural network based autoassociators which act as novelty or anomaly detectors to detect imminent motor failures. The autoassociator is trained to reconstruct spectra obtained from the healthy motor. In laboratory tests, we have demonstrated that the trained autoassociator has a small reconstruction error on measurements recorded from healthy motors but a larger error on those recorded from a motor with a fault. We have designed and built a motor monitoring system using an autoassociator for anomaly detection and are in the process of testing the system at three industrial and commercial sites.
A Biomechanical Analysis of Capsular Plication Versus Anchor Repair of the Shoulder: Can the Labrum Be Used as a Suture Anchor?

Purpose: To determine the biomechanical strength properties of suture capsulolabral plication to an intact labrum versus glenoid bone anchor fixation. Methods: Fourteen paired fresh frozen shoulders with intact glenoid labrum and mean age of 43.3 ± 11.1 were randomized to capsular plication in the anteroinferior and posteroinferior quadrants using either two suture-anchor fixation versus suture fixation to an intact labrum. The construct was then preconditioned at 10 N for 10 cycles (1 Hz), and then loaded to failure at 3 mm per minute. Results: There was no statistical difference in ultimate load to failure between the suture anchor (304.3 ± 92.8 N) and the intact labrum (285.6 ± 66.7 N) groups. The suture anchor group demonstrated significantly less mean displacement (2.15 ± 1.1 mm) than suture plication (3.43 ± 1.38 mm; P = .007) at failure. There were no statistical differences of labrum strength and stiffness between the anteroinferior and posteroinferior quadrants. Conclusions: An intact labrum provides similar fixation strength to a glenoid anchor; however, the labrum displacement was higher with plication alone. There were no strength differences between the anteroinferior and posteroinferior labrum. However, displacement of up to 1.5 mm may be expected without the use of glenoid anchors. Clinical Relevance: The intact posteroinferior or anteroinferior labrum provides similar fixation strength to a glenoid anchor; however, the labrum displacement is higher versus plication alone.
Collecting paraphrase corpora from volunteer contributors

Extensive and deep paraphrase corpora are important for a variety of natural language processing and user interaction tasks. In this paper, we present an approach which i) collects multiple paraphrases per given item from volunteers and ii) incentivises responsible contributions by volunteer contributors. Our approach is to solicit paraphrases from Web volunteers, both collecting new paraphrases with no prompting and asking contributors to guess partially obfuscated paraphrases. To test the approach, we have implemented an online game, 1001 Paraphrases (http://ai-games.org/paraphrase.html), and deployed it to collect 20,944 entries focused on paraphrases of 400 statements. The approach complements existing text extraction methods and has some inherent unique advantages. We present and motivate our design as well as share preliminary observations and lessons learned about the performance of the approach.
Biological control of Bemisia argentifolii (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) on poinsettia with inundative releases of Eretmocerus eremicus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae): does varying the weekly release rate affect control?

The effectiveness of varying weekly release rates of the parasitoid Eretmocerus eremicus Rose & Zolnerowich for control of Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring on poinsettias was determined. Two variable release rate strategies for E. eremicus were evaluated: a low–high and a high–low release regimen. In the low–high treatment, one female parasitoid was released per plant per week for seven weeks, then the release rate was increased to five female parasitoids per plant per week for the remaining seven weeks of the trial. In the high–low treatment, five female parasitoids per plant per week were released for the first seven weeks, then the release rate was reduced to one female parasitoid per plant per week for the final seven weeks of the trial. Both release rates averaged three female parasitoids per plant per week. Life-tables were made for B. argentifoliiin the presence and absence of parasitoids. In the absence of E. eremicus, egg to adult survivorship for B. argentifolii was 65%. In low–high release greenhouses, average egg to adult survivorship for B. argentifoliiwas 6% and parasitism was 28%. In high–low greenhouses, average egg to adult survivorship for B. argentifolii was 5% and parasitism was 16%. Average net reproductive rates for B. argentifolii in the absence of parasitoids was 17 indicating a rapidly increasing population. Net reproductive rates were 1.46 and 1.24 for low–high and high–low release greenhouses, respectively, indicating substantially reduced B. argentifolii population growth. At week 14 of the trial, densities of live nymphs and pupae were lower in high–low greenhouses when compared to low–high greenhouses. Better whitefly control is achieved with inundative releases of E. eremicus when this natural enemy acts as a predator as opposed to a parasitoid.
Interleukin-6 Regulates Androgen Synthesis in Prostate Cancer Cells

Purpose: The standard systemic treatment for prostate cancer patients is androgen deprivation therapy. Although serum testosterone concentrations were significantly reduced after androgen deprivation therapy, levels of intraprostatic androgens are reproducibly measured at concentrations sufficient to activate androgen receptor and stimulate tumor growth, suggesting that prostate cancer cells may survive androgen deprivation therapies by increasing intracrine androgen synthesis within the prostate. However, factors that regulate de novo intracrine androgen synthesis have not been identified. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been implicated in the modulation of androgen receptor activation and growth and differentiation in prostate cancer. In this study, we investigate whether IL-6 regulates intraprostatic androgen synthesis in prostate cancer cells. Experimental Design: Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and Western blotting were done to detect expression levels of steroidogenic enzymes. AKR1C3 promoter reporter was constructed and analyzed for IL-6–mediated AKR1C3 transcriptional activity. IL-6–mediated signaling was knocked down using small interfering RNA specific to IL-6 receptor and gp130, and the effect on AKR1C3 expression was examined. Intraprostatic androgen levels in prostate cancer cells in culture and in tumors were measured by an enzyme immunoassay (Testosterone EIA kit). Results: We found that IL-6 increases the expression of genes encoding many steroidogenic enzymes, including HSD3B2 and AKR1C3 , involved in androgen biosynthesis. Down-regulation of IL-6 receptor and gp130 expression using specific small interfering RNA abolished IL-6–mediated AKR1C3 expression, suggesting that IL-6 signaling is responsible for AKR1C3 expression. IL-6 increases AKR1C3 promoter activity, indicating that the increase in IL-6–mediated AKR1C3 expression is in part at the transcriptional level. Treatment of IL-6 increased testosterone level in LNCaP cells. The tumor testosterone levels were detected at 378 pg/g in tumors generated from IL-6–overexpressing LNCaP-IL6 + cells inoculated orthotopically into the prostates of castrated male nude mice. Conclusions: These results suggest that IL-6 increases levels of intracrine androgens through enhanced expression of genes mediating androgen metabolism in prostate cancer cells.
Tag-Team Parenting: Costs and Benefits of Utilizing Nonoverlapping Shift Work in Families with Young Children:

Qualitative data are analyzed in an attempt to further understand the costs and benefits of utilizing nonoverlapping shift work as a strategy for balancing and weaving work and family. In addition ...
Unidirectional olfactory hallucination associated with ipsilateral unruptured intracranial aneurysm.

Summary: Purpose: We describe a patient with complex partial seizure with unidirectional olfactory aura associated with ipsilateral unruptured aneurysm. Methods and Results: The patient felt a sweet pleasant smell coming from behind her right side every time before the attack. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) angiography revealed a large aneurysm at the bifurcation of the right middle cerebral artery and compression of the right orbitofrontal cortex. Small spikes were recorded from the right orbitofrontal and superior temporal gyri and from the uncus by the cortical electrodes during clipping of the aneurysm. Conclusions: The orbitofrontal cortex may have a function related to the ipsilateral directional olfactory sensation.
An aqueous gastrointestinal contrast agent for use in echo-planar MR imaging.

Four volunteers were imaged with echo-planar imaging before and after ingesting a dilute barium preparation. The contrast material improved bowel visibility by increasing lumen signal intensity, without increasing noise. Long T2 gastrointestinal contrast material can be used in T2-weighted imaging when motion artifacts are suppressed by ultrashort acquisitions. © 1992 Academic Press, Inc.
Cooperatively learning mobile agents for gradient climbing

This paper presents a novel class of self-organizing autonomous sensing agents that form a swarm and learn the static field of interest through noisy measurements from neighbors for gradient climbing. In particular, each sensing agent maintains its own smooth map which estimates the field. It updates its map using measurements from itself and its neighbors and simultaneously moves toward a maximum of the field using the gradient of its map. The proposed cooperatively learning control consists of motion coordination based on the recursive spatial estimation of an unknown field of interest with measurement noise. The convergence properties of the proposed coordination algorithm are analyzed using the ODE approach and verified by a simulation study.
Centurion: A Heavy-Lift Launch Vehicle Family for Cis-Lunar Exploration

Centurion is an expendable heavy lift launch vehicle (HLLV) family for launching lunar exploration missions. Each vehicle in the family is built around a common two-stage core. The first stage of the core uses kerosene (RP-1) fuel and utilizes four staged-combustion RD- 180 rocket engines. The upper stages consist of liquid oxygen (LOX)/liquid hydrogen (LH2) propellant with three 220,000 lb thrust-class expander rocket engines. The larger variants in the Centurion family will also use either one or two pairs of five-segment solid rocket motors which are now being developed by ATK Thiokol. The Centurion family consists of three vehicles denoted as C-1, C-2, and C-3. The first vehicle (C-1) is a four RD-180 core with a LOX/LH2 upper stage. The C-1 is designed to deliver a 35 metric ton (MT) CEV to a 300 km X 1000 km highly elliptical orbit (HEO). This HEO allows the CEV to more easily transfer to a lunar trajectory, while still having the ability to abort after one revolution. The C-1 also is designed to meet mission requirements with a failure of both one RD-180 and one upper stage engine. The C-2 and C-3 Centurions are both cargo carrying variants which carry 100 MT and 142 MT of cargo to a 407 km low earth orbit (LEO) respectively. The C-2 utilizes two five-segment solid rocket boosters (SRB), while the C-3 uses four SRBs. Details of the conceptual design process used for Centurion are included in this paper. The disciplines used in the design include configuration, aerodynamics, propulsion design and selection, trajectory, mass properties, structural design, aeroheating and thermal protection systems (TPS), cost, operations, and reliability and safety. Each of these disciplines was computed using a conceptual design tool similar to that used in industry. These disciplines were then combined into an integrated design team process and used to minimize the gross weight of the C-1 variant. The C-2 and C-3 variants were simulated using the C-1 optimized core with different configurations of SRBs. Each of the variants recurring and non-recurring costs were computed. The total development cost including the design, development, testing and evaluation (DDT&E) cost and a new launch pad at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), was $7.98 B FY'04. The theoretical first unit (TFU) cost for the C-2 variant was $532 M FY'04. A summary of design disciplines as well as the economic results are included.
Estrogens and Gastric Secretion

Summary The gastric secretory response in patients and monkeys was studied before, during, and after treatment with estrogens. No significant decrease in acid or pepsin secretion could be demonstrated, although a suggestion of a decrease in acid secretion was noted. This does not, by itself, explain the alleged benefits of estrogens on the course of peptic disease and neither does it explain some of the well recognized sex differences in peptic disease and acid secretion.
A Two-Plasmid Bacterial Selection System for Characterization and Engineering of Homing Endonucleases

Homing endonucleases recognize long DNA sequences and generate site-specifi c DNA double-stranded breaks. They can serve as a powerful genomic modifi cation tool in various industrial and biomedical applications. Here, we describe a two-plasmid bacterial selection system for characterization and engineering of homing endonucleases. This selection system couples the DNA cleavage activity of a homing endonuclease with the survival of host cells. Therefore, it can be used for assaying in vivo activity of homing endonucleases. Moreover, due to its high sensitivity, it can be applied for directed evolution of homing endonucleases with altered sequence specifi city.
The Case for Legal Reform

The rising cost of claims has fueled a dramatic rise in the cost of medical malpractice insurance in the United States. Increasing severity has driven malpractice tort costs beyond $20 billion per year. A significant percentage of America’s doctors are defendants in malpractice litigation and more than 600 new claims are initiated daily. Malpractice claims do not reliably identify “bad” doctors. In high-risk specialties, virtually all physicians are potential litigation targets. Other factors contributing to the increased cost of malpractice insurance include falling interest rates, higher costs for reinsurance, shrinking capacity, and judicial nullification of existing legal reforms.
Soft Tissue Tumors

Soft tissue tumors are relatively common in the first year of life [1–17]. Soft tissues are the source of a wide variety of neoplasms and tumorlike conditions often presenting as a palpable mass (Tables 4.1 and 4.2). Excluding hemangiomas and lymphangiomas, they are the leading group of tumors in infants overall and are second in frequency to teratoma in the newborn [1]. Neoplasms of fibrous connective tissue (myofibroblastic) origin are the most prevalent [6–9, 12–15]. Approximately one third of all neonatal and infant soft tissue tumors are classified histologically as malignant. The major malignancies are fibrosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), and rhabdoid tumor [3, 6, 8, 13, 15, 17] (Tables 4.1 and 4.2).
Second-Term Presidential Travel: The Impermanent Campaign and the Rise of Legacy-Building, 1957-2009

This paper analyzes second term presidential travel from Presidents Eisenhower, Reagan, Clinton, and George W. Bush. In our prior research, we examined travel undertaken by these presidents during their first terms, and of other full first-term presidents who ran for reelection within this overall timeframe (Nixon, Carter, George H.W. Bush), observing a tendency among first-term presidents to travel to larger, more competitive states more often than smaller less-competitive states – with this trend becoming increasingly pronounced in later administrations. In this paper, we utilize the same model, but apply it to second term travel. In addition, we incorporate international travel so as to capture the entire scope of the “public presidency” during a president’s second term. As we demonstrate, second term presidents make fewer domestic trips, and do so in a less strategic manner than first termers. In addition, it appears that presidents prefer to travel abroad in their final years in office. Rather than an electorally motivated strategy, we suggest that the goal underlying second term presidential travel appears to be legacy building.
Educators confront the ‘science’ of racism, 1898–1925

AbstractThe literature depicting educators’ role in scientific racism and eugenics during the early 20th century has tended to approach the topic in dichotomous terms, as an ideology that one was either for or against. In this historical study, the author adds some nuance to this literature by tracing leading educators’ inconsistent and evolving thoughts on eugenics and the ‘science’ of race. By approaching the educational discourse on race as thinking rather than thought, the author explores how scholars such as G. Stanley Hall, John Dewey, Franz Boas, William Bagley, David Snedden, Edward Thorndike and Charles Ellwood struggled to make sense of a rapidly changing ideological landscape, but nevertheless supported the ideology of white supremacy.
Pilot Comparison of Three Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Medication Dosing Strategies in Overweight Children

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES Dose calculations using three variations of patient weight estimates (actual body weight [ABW], ideal body weight [IBW], and the Broselow Pediatric Emergency Tape [BPET, a length-based weight estimation tool]) were compared to administered doses of cardiopulmonary resuscitation medications in overweight and obese children to assess for differences in dose. METHODS This retrospective cohort analysis included 54 consecutive pediatric patients who underwent emergency resuscitation at UMass Memorial Medical Center between January 2000 and October 2008. Patients were identified using ICD-9 codes related to cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Patients were included if they were overweight or obese, less than 12 years of age, less than 146 centimeters in length, and received emergency resuscitation medication(s). Doses of administered medications were recorded and compared to potential doses calculated based on ABW, IBW and the dose recommended by the BPET. Dose differences greater than 10% were c...
A Fundamental Relationship between Reaction Mechanism and Stability in Metal Oxide Catalysts for Oxygen Evolution

Rational design of efficient, stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts is necessary for widespread adoption of electrochemical energy storage technologies. Achieving this goal requires elucidation of fundamental relationships between surface structure and reaction mechanism. Here we address this issue using ab initio computations to determine the surface structure and OER mechanism for LaNiO3, a perovksite oxide that exhibits high activity but low stability. We find a new OER mechanism in which lattice oxygen participation via reversible formation of surface oxygen vacancies is critical. We show that this mechanism has a lower reaction barrier compared to the generally proposed mechanism, leading to improved agreement with experimental data. Extending the study to La1–xSrxBO3 (B = transition metal), we demonstrate a transition to the lattice oxygen-mediated mechanism with decreasing catalyst stability. Our results suggest new approaches for next-generation catalysts design.
The effect of multiple lathyrogenic agents upon wound healing in rats.

Summary1. Simultaneous administration of BAPN and d-penicillamine in low nontoxic doses produced a significant additive inhibition of cross-bonding in collagen of healing wounds. Additive effect was not observed following administration of high doses of β-aminopropionitrile and d-penicillamine.2. Toxic signs in rats, including partial alopecia, diarrhea, failure to gain weight, began to appear when the dose of BAPN exceeded 40 mg/100 g body weight/day.3. Toxicity in rats treated with d-penicillamine was limited to weight loss and was noted when doses greater than 150 mg of d-penicillamine/100 g of body weight/day were administered.4. These results support the hypothesis that d-penicillamine and BAPN act at different stages in the maturation of collagen and suggest that simultaneous administration of low nontoxic doses of several lathyrogenic agents may be more useful in treating human beings than large doses of a single agent.
E-cigarettes and smoking cessation

The review and meta-analysis by Sara Kalkhoran and Stanton Glantz on the effects of vaping on stopping smoking is not an objective assessment of the evidence. There are several serious problems with the analysis, but the most glaring is its reliance on studies that enrolled people who smoke, then asked if they had used e-cigarettes. Some 20% of smokers who use e-cigarettes stop smoking altogether, with similar or higher rates in cohorts of smokers who initially had no interest in quitting. In a study of UK stop smoking services, smokers quitting with e-cigarettes have higher quit rates than those using other treatments. However in the studies that form the core of Kalkhoran and Glantz’s meta-analysis, all these successful quitters were excluded. Smokers helped by e-cigarettes have left this population (because they gave up smoking) and only those not helped have remained. Such studies say nothing useful about e-cigarettes’ efficacy other than that they don’t help everyone, but their results can be misrepresented as showing that e-cigarettes undermine quitting. The report dismissed this problem as being addressed by the sensitivity analysis, but that is not the case. If studies with serious selection bias were removed from the analysis, the results would be very diff erent. Imagine a study that recruits people who cannot play the piano. There would be some among this group who had taken piano lessons in the past, but were hopeless at it (if they were able to learn anything, they would not be in the sample). Their musical ability will be substantially worse than in the rest of the sample. Using the logic Kalkhoran and Glantz applied in their Article, this would be taken to mean that piano lessons undermine musical ability. The result is simply an artefact of excluding all those who benefi ted from taking piano lessons. In another type of study also included in Kalkhoran and Glantz’s meta-analysis, long-term ex-smokers used e-cigarettes less than smokers, which was presented as relevant for the evaluation of e-cigarettes’ efficacy. E-cigarettes are mostly used to help smokers limit or stop their smoking and ex-smokers are unlikely to want them, but this does not mean that e-cigarettes do not help with stopping smoking. To explain the problem by analogy again, people who do not wear glasses see no worse than those who wear them, but this is because people with good eyesight do not need glasses, not because glasses do not help. There are other problems—such as selective inclusion of studies, and selective reporting of data from studies that were included —and limitations the authors acknowledge in the text but ignore in their conclusions. Detailed criticism of the methods is, however, not needed, because lumping incongruous studies together—which were mostly not designed to evaluate the efficacy of e-cigarettes, and contain no useful information on this topic unless misinterpreted—makes no scientific sense in the fi rst place.
Antigen-specific enhancement of the human antibody response by a substituted nucleoside.

Studies from this laboratory have shown that bromination of guanosine endows it with the capacity to induce murine B cells to undergo blast transformation and high level synthesis and secretion of polyclonal immunoglobulin1,2. This and certain other C8-substituted guanine ribonucleosides have been demonstrated to transmit T cell-like signals to B cells, allowing the generation of specific antibodies to a T cell-dependent antigen in the absence of T cells. This type of signal is distinct from signals provided by T cells, and in fact displays a strong synergistic interaction with T cell-derived lymphokines3. Furthermore, the same nucleosides cause marked augmentation of the magnitude of primary antibody responses both in vitro4 and invivo5 in the murine model.
Migration of EEG Spike Foci and Epilepsy Outcome

Researchers at Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, and other centers in Taiwan analyzed 969 EEGs from 463 children with epilepsy to determine outcome differences over 3 years between those with fixed epileptic foci and those with migrated foci.
Deep Mapping of the Visual Literature

We consider how patterns of figure use in the scientific literature relate to impact, change over time, and vary across disciplines. We use a convolutional neural network to embed figures as feature vectors in a high-dimensional space, then visualize this space as a 2D heatmap to expose patterns. We consider how these patterns vary with respect to time, impact, and discipline, concluding that high-impact papers tend to include significantly more data-carrying figures (i.e., visualizations), despite a downward trend in such figures overall. We also show how this approach can be used to bootstrap targeted information extraction projects for specific figure types, describing one such project involving phylogenetic trees.
Venous Thromboembolism Risk With Antidepressants: Driven by Disease or Drugs?

The impetus for the article by Parkin et al in this issue of JAHA seems to stem from the authors' observation of the relatively common occurrence in women from the United Kingdom of (1) venous thromboembolism (VTE; deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism, incidence of 0.8 per 1000 population
Dynamic control of low-Z material deposition and tungsten erosion by strike point sweeping on DIII-D

Abstract Carbon deposition on tungsten between ELMs was investigated in DIII-D in semi-attached/detached H-mode plasma conditions using fixed outer strike point (OSP) positions. Carbon deposition during plasma exposure of tungsten was monitored in-situ by measuring the reflectivity of the tungsten sample surface. No significant carbon deposition, i.e., without strong variations of the reflectivity, was observed during these experiments including discharges at high densities. In contrast, ERO modeling predicts a significant carbon deposition on the tungsten surface for those high density plasma conditions. The surface reflectivity decreases with methane injection, consistent with increased carbon coverage, as expected. The sweeping of OSP leads to a pronounced increase of the surface reflectivity, suggesting that the strike point sweeping may provide an effective means to remove carbon coating from tungsten surface. The ERO modeling however predicts again a regime of carbon deposition for these experiments. The discrepancies between carbon deposition regime predicted by the ERO model and the experimental observations suggest that carbon erosion during ELMs may significantly affect carbon deposition on tungsten.
Limitations of Traditional Capacity Equations for Long Curb Inlets

Recent work with full-scale experiments indicates that there are fundamental problems with standard curb inlet design equations when applied to depressed curb inlets of 10 ft (3 m) or longer. A full-scale laboratory experiment showed that the latter part of a long inlet does not have a simple linear water surface profile at 100% interception, which is assumed for the form of Izzard’s equation that is adopted for many common design approaches [including the Hydraulic Engineering Circular 22 (HEC-22) design equations recommended by FHWA]. For a long inlet, thin flow sheets were observed for a substantial portion of the inlet length, which is consistent with previous observations that have not been incorporated into standard design equations. Experimental results indicate that the HEC-22 design equations significantly overestimate the interception capacity of long, depressed curb inlets for an on-grade gutter. This issue has potential safety implications in that the gutter bypass and spread for a design stor...
Water quality and the perception of risk: A study of Georgia, USA, beachgoers

• Unlike residents, visitors rate aesthetic factors such as the absence of trash, odors,and murky water as the best indicators of clean beach water.
Tactical Neurocritical Care

Neurocritical care is usually practiced in the comfort of an intensive care unit within a tertiary care medical center. Physicians deployed to the frontline with the US military or allied military are required to use their critical care skills and their neurocritical skills in austere environments with limited resources. Due to these factors, tactical critical care and tactical neurocritical care differ significantly from traditional critical care. Operational constraints, the tactical environment, and resource availability dictate that tactical neurocritical care be practiced within a well-defined, mission-constrained framework. Although limited interventions can be performed in austere conditions, they can significantly impact patient outcome. This review focuses on the US Army approach to the patient requiring tactical neurocritical care specifically point of injury care and care during transportation to a higher level of care.
Evolution of Proterozoic Granitoids, Eastern Arbuckle Mountains, Oklahoma

The midcontinent region of the United States in early and middle Proterozoic time was the site of widespread anorogenic igneous activity, which in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and adjacent areas occurred about 1,340-1,400 Ma ago. Granitoids in the Arbuckle Mountains of eastern Oklahoma have been included as part of the anorogenic suite. However, recent detailed geochemical and mineralogical data reveal that the granitic plutons within the Arbuckles may have formed in a different tectonic environment. The data are consistent with plutonism occurring during convergent tectonism along the southern margin of the midcontinent craton about 1,375-1,400 Ma ago. The main evidence for convergence comes from the formation of calc-alkalic magmas by possible interaction between a subducted slab and the overlying crustal wedge. Following or during the waning stages of active subduction, calc-alkalic magmatism gave way to potassic “post-orogenic” magmatism.
Perturbation analysis and augmented Markov chains for discrete event systems

Given the complexity of stochastic Discrete Event Systems (DES), sample path analysis provides an approach through which performance sensitivity estimates can be obtained. In this paper, we review the development of this approach, and present the framework for one new direction known as augmented system analysis. The main issue we address is that of predicting a perturbed DES sample path from observation of a nominal path. This involves the criteria referred to as observability and stochastic similarity. For the case of Markov chain models, we present a concrete methodology for on-line sensitivity analysis based on constructing a Reduced Augmented Chain (RAC).
Secukinumab in the treatment of psoriasis: patient selection and perspectives

Secukinumab is a human monoclonal antibody targeting IL-17A that has been approved for three indications: moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. In Phase III clinical trials for each of these three indications, secukinumab has proven to be both highly efficacious and well-tolerated. However, several biologic medications are currently approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, and many demonstrate excellent efficacy and safety. Due to this wide selection, it is often unclear how to choose biologics for specific patients. Important considerations in biologic selection include clinical efficacy, safety, cost, convenience, onset of action, and management of comorbid disease. This article aims to outline the key considerations in patient selection for the treatment of plaque psoriasis with secukinumab.
“A Different Kind of Activism”: The University of Florida Committee on Sexism and Homophobia, 1981–1992:

By 1982, the queer student group at the University of Florida (UF) had gained official recognition and space on campus. However, in 1987 they decided to remove themselves from university life. The ...
Evidence of a tunable biological spring: elastic energy storage in aponeuroses varies with transverse strain in vivo.

Tendinous structures are generally thought of as biological springs that operate with a fixed stiffness, yet recent observations on the mechanical behaviour of aponeuroses (broad, sheet-like tendon...
Celebration of Max Fowler's Birthday

At the MG-XV conference in Portugal 2016, the International Steering Committee made the decision to hold the MG-XVI conference in Japan in 2018 to include a celebration of the 100th birthday of Max Fowler. Max gave the first paper of the first Megagauss conference in 1965, and became a central figure when the conference became a recurring series of meetings in 1979. Max attended every conference until he passed away in 2006, and his wife, Janet, also became a conference essential. This paper recounts the talk given from the American perspective during the celebration, and a paper by Gennady Shvetsov recounts the celebration from the Russian perspective.
Interneuronal Cyclic GMP and ‘EDRF-like Substance’ Modulate Norepinephrine Release from Peripheral Sympathetic Nerves

ABSTRACT Stimulators of cyclic 3′5′ guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) or release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) inhibit sympathetic neurotransmission (SNS) to canine mesenteric (MA) and porcine carotid arteries (CA). Inhibitors of guanylate cyclase and 1-N-monomethylarginine (LNMMA) enhance contractions to SNS and the calcium-dependent efflux of 2- 14 C-norepinephrine (NE). In endotheliumdamaged porcine CA the responses to SNS, but not NE, are enhanced by LNMMA and inhibited by difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase which shunts ornithine into endogenous arginine via citrulline. Thus, intraneuronal EDRF-like substance and cyclic GMP may act as endogenous inhibitory feedback modulators of calcium-dependent release of sympathetic neurotransmitter in vascular smooth muscle.
Testing the relationship between microbiome composition and flux of carbon and nutrients in Caribbean coral reef sponges

Sponges are important suspension-feeding members of reef communities, with the collective capacity to overturn the entire water column on shallow Caribbean reefs every day. The sponge-loop hypothesis suggests that sponges take up dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and, via assimilation and shedding of cells, return carbon to the reef ecosystem as particulate organic carbon (POC). Sponges host complex microbial communities within their tissues that may play a role in carbon and nutrient cycling within the sponge holobiont. To investigate this relationship, we paired microbial community characterization (16S rRNA analysis, Illumina Mi-Seq platform) with carbon (DOC, POC) and nutrient (PO4, NOx, NH4) flux data (specific filtration rate) for 10 common Caribbean sponge species at two distant sites (Florida Keys vs. Belize, ~ 1203 km apart). Distance-based linear modeling revealed weak relationships overall between symbiont structure and carbon and nutrient flux, suggesting that the observed differences in POC, DOC, PO4, and NOx flux among sponges are not caused by variations in the composition of symbiont communities. In contrast, significant correlations between symbiont structure and NH4 flux occurred consistently across the dataset. Further, several individual symbiont taxa (OTUs) exhibited relative abundances that correlated with NH4 flux, including one OTU affiliated with the ammonia-oxidizing genus Cenarchaeum. Combined, these results indicate that microbiome structure is uncoupled from sponge carbon cycling and does not explain variation in DOC uptake among Caribbean coral reef sponges. Accordingly, differential DOC assimilation by sponge cells or stable microbiome components may ultimately drive carbon flux in the sponge holobiont.
"Unusual Care": Groupthink and Willful Blindness in the SUPPORT Study.

The SUPPORT study of extremely premature newborns seems likely to go down as one of the most controversial studies of the 21st century (SUPPORT Study Group 2010). We previously suggested that the r...
Active and Reactive Power Sharing in Inverter Based Droop-Controlled Microgrids

Accurate power sharing is essential for the successful operation of an islanded microgrid with droop-controlled inverters particularly at times when the total loads served in the system change significantly like during microgrid black start. In this paper, two paradigms for active power load sharing were derived: 1) load sharing by the proportion of active power limit set by the DC primer mover of DGs and 2) load sharing by the proportion of optimized reference active power. Further, a method was derived for approximate sharing of reactive power by choosing the coupling inductance of the droop-controlled inverters, which though not as precise as active power sharing, could be coordinated by a microgrid central controller to ensure good voltage regulation. The load sharing method was validated by a simulated black start test case with droop-controlled inverters and aggregated loads restored in sequence.