cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement and Analysis of Exchange Current Density for U/U3+ Reaction in LiCl-KCl Eutectic Salt via Various Electrochemical Techniques

Abstract Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), linear polarization (LP), Tafel and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were performed to investigate the exchange current density (i0) of U/U3+ reaction in LiCl-KCl eutectic salt under different UCl3 concentrations (0.5 wt%–4 wt%) and temperature conditions (723 K–798 K). The EIS spectra were measured by applying minimum overpotential from equilibrium potential and fitted to the proposed equivalent circuit. From the EIS experiments, the calculated values of i0 were varied from 0.0054 A cm−2 to 0.102 A cm−2. For the LP and Tafel methods, i0 values were determined from the linear fitting at small and large overpotential ranges of the current-potential curves. The measurement for i0 via CV was done analogously to the LP method. All i0 values have the linear trend with the change of concentration and temperature; however, these values measured by LP, Tafel, and CV methods are greatly influenced by the change in electrode surface area. Overall, i0 agreed within 33% relative error range with the EIS method being the most consistent and accurate in comparison to reported literature values. Dimensionless analysis was done on the EIS data sets providing insightful correlations for prediction of i0 under various experimental conditions.
Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm (BPDCN) Is Highly BCL-2 Dependent and Sensitive to Venetoclax

Abstract Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a particularly aggressive hematologic malignancy with median survival of 80% bone marrow blasts. His BPDCN carried the mutations ASXL1 Y581fs*, ASXL1 E553fs*, GNB1 K57E, IDH2 R140W, and NRAS G12D, and expressed high levels of BCL-2 protein in bone marrow and skin. BH3 profiling of a skin tumor biopsy revealed marked BCL-2 dependence and dynamic BH3 response to venetoclax (4 hr delta priming 55.6%). We treated him using a regimen recently FDA-approved for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) consisting of weekly dose escalation (20 -> 50 -> 100 -> 200 mg), to a target dose of 400 mg daily. At the time of this writing, he had reached 200 mg without significant toxicity, including no evidence of tumor lysis syndrome. His skin disease has responded remarkably (Figure), with the first response evident within 10 days. Our data suggests that BPDCN is highly sensitive to BCL-2 inhibition, which could provide an urgently needed new treatment for patients with this disease. We propose that BCL-2 inhibition should undergo expedited clinical evaluation in BPDCN. In addition, this case offers an example of precision cancer medicine by functional rather than genetic means. Download : Download high-res image (97KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Davids: Infinity: Honoraria, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Gilead: Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria. Stone: ONO: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy; Roche: Consultancy; Celator: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Agios: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Jansen: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Juno Therapeutics: Consultancy; Merck: Consultancy; Sunesis Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Xenetic Biosciences: Consultancy. Konopleva: Reata Pharmaceuticals: Equity Ownership; Abbvie: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; Stemline: Consultancy, Research Funding; Eli Lilly: Research Funding; Cellectis: Research Funding; Calithera: Research Funding. Letai: AbbVie: Consultancy, Research Funding; Astra-Zeneca: Consultancy, Research Funding; Tetralogic: Consultancy, Research Funding. Lane: N-of-1: Consultancy; Stemline Therapeutics: Research Funding.
Towards Designing Technology for Classroom Role-Play

Classroom role-play is an interactive learning technique with a long history of success, but current attempts to augment it with technology limit the very interactions that make this technique successful. For example, digital role-play games often engage individual students at a computer, rather than creating rich social interactions among students. In order to design interactions that better support the core aspects of classroom role-play, we conducted interviews with teachers; we also interviewed role-play gamers to discover how traditional RPG techniques and technology can be used to enhance classroom role-play. In this paper we 1) explore the reasons instructors choose role-play for learning, such as giving students practice opportunities; 2) identify barriers to instructors using classroom role-play activities, such as time constraints and student discomfort; 3) report issues around integrating technology, such as the benefit of reducing cognitive load and the threat of distraction; and 4) highlight two areas where insights from role-playing games can inform the design of interactive learning systems for classroom role-play: by providing methods for emphasizing group success over individual achievement and by preserving the spirit of the experience.
Structure and dynamics of succinic, methylsuccinic and itaconic anhydrides in the gas phase

Abstract The pure rotational spectra of succinic, itaconic, and methylsuccinic anhydrides were collected in the region of 7–18 GHz using Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. Each molecule shows varying degrees of puckering, demonstrating the effects of substitution on torsional and bond angle strain. The spectra of all three molecules exhibit perturbations consistent with internal motion; succinic and itaconic anhydride display pseudorotational motion (ΔE = 0.1 cm−1 and 0.2 cm−1, respectively), while methylsuccinic anhydride shows two uncoupled vibrations (ΔE01 = 0.4 cm−1 and ΔE02 = 1.2 cm−1). Analyses of similar five-membered rings demonstrate the relationship between the planarity of the ring and the barrier to pseudorotation.
Salinity and Growing Medium Regulate Growth, Morphology and Ion Uptake of Gaillardia aristata

Abstract A study was conducted to characterize the response of Gaillardia aristata Pursh to salinity (0.8, 2.0 or 4.0 dS/m) and growing media: 100% perlite (Perlite), 100% Sunshine Mix No. 4 (Mix), 1 to 1 (by vol) perlite and Sunshine Mix No. 4 (Perlite Mix), or 1 to 1 Sunshine Mix No. 4 and composted mulch (Mix Mulch). Type of medium did not influence shoot dry weight (DW). However, root to shoot DW ratio was highest for plants grown in Perlite. Shoot DW of plants irrigated with tap water (0.8 dS/m) was higher compared to those irrigated with saline solution at 2.0 or 4.0 dS/m, except for those grown in Mix. Salinity did not alter the root to shoot DW ratio. In general, elevated salinity led to relatively short plants. Plants were taller when grown in Perlite or Mix Mulch with fewer lateral shoots compared to plants grown in Mix and Perlite Mix. Flower bud abortion occurred in plants grown in Mix or Perlite Mix, while this phenomenon was not observed in plants grown in Perlite or Mix Mulch. Overall, plan...
Historians’ Reconstruction of the Past: The Internet Web of Serendipity

How do historians cope with the overabundance of both primary and secondary sources that are now digitized and available online? In addition, how do we sort through additional material added and commented on by bloggers and amateur historians that may or may not have accurate attribution?
A CLASS OF GENERALIZED METZLERIAN MATRICES

This paper returns to a problem concerning the relationship between dynamic stability and Hicksian stability raised in a paper by Lloyd Metzler over twenty-five years ago [10]. The present paper identifies-a class of matrices which has the property that dynamic stability implies Hicksian stability, as in the gross substitute or “Metzlerian” case. Further, as in the Metzlerian case, such matrices are specified in terms of their qualitative properties, i.e., their sign pattern configurations. Some links between this class of matrices and Samuelson’s correspondence principle are also indicated.
Inspired by the Cosmos: Strategies for Public Engagement in Nonpolicy Contexts:

Public engagement scholarship has explored science-policy settings at length. This work is being complemented by growing scholarly attention to engagement outside of policy spaces. As this expandin...
A Weighted Index of Elixhauser Comorbidities for Predicting 90-day Readmission After Total Joint Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Evolving reimbursement models increasingly compel hospitals to assume costs for 90-day readmission after total joint arthroplasty. Although risk assessment tools exist, none currently reach the predictive performance required to accurately identify high-risk patients and modulate perioperative care accordingly. Although unlikely to perform adequately alone, the Elixhauser index is a set of 31 variables that may lend value in a broader model predicting 90-day readmission. Methods Elixhauser comorbidities were examined in 10,022 primary unilateral total joint replacements, of which 4535 were hip replacements and 5487 were knee replacements, all performed between June 2013 and January 2018 at a single tertiary referral center. Data were extracted from electronic medical records using structured query language. After randomizing to derivation (80%) and validation (20%) subgroups, predictive models for 90-day readmission were generated and transformed into a system of weights based on each parameter’s relative performance. Results We observed 497 90-day readmissions (5.0%) during the study period, which demonstrated independent associations with 14 of the 31 Elixhauser comorbidity groups. A score created from the sum of each patient’s weighted comorbidities did not lose substantial predictive discrimination (area under the curve: 0.653) compared to a comprehensive multivariable model containing all 31 unweighted Elixhauser parameters (area under the curve: 0.665). Readmission risk ranged from 3% for patients with a score of 0 to 27% for those with a score of 8 or higher. Conclusions The Elixhauser comorbidity score already meets or exceeds the predictive discrimination of available risk calculators. Although insufficient by itself, this score represents a valuable summary of patient comorbidities and merits inclusion in any broader model predicting 90-day readmission risk after total joint arthroplasty. Level of Evidence III.
The Association Between Central Nervous System-Active Medication Use and Fall-Related Injury in Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Dementia

Objectives To examine the association between central nervous system (CNS)-active medication use and the risk of fall-related injury in community-dwelling older adults following dementia onset. Further, to evaluate increased risk at higher doses or with a greater number of CNS-active medication classes. Methods Participants included community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older with a dementia diagnosis participating in the Adult Changes in Thought Study. From automated pharmacy data, a time-varying composite measure of CNS-active medication use was created. Central nervous system-active medication use was classified as current (use within prior 30 days), recent (prior 31-90 days), past (prior 91-365 days), and nonuse (no exposure in prior year). For current users, standardized daily doses (SDDs) were calculated for each CNS-active medication and summed across medications, and the number of CNS-active medication classes used was also measured. The outcome was fall-related injury based on emergency department, inpatient, and outpatient International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and external cause of injury (E) codes. Results Among 793 subjects, 303 fall-related injuries occurred over a mean follow-up of 3.7 years (2907 total person-years). Relative to nonuse, fall risk was significantly higher for current use (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.59, 95% confidence internal [CI] 1.19-2.12) but not for past or recent use. Among current users, increased risk was seen across SDD levels: HRs (95% CI): 1.77 (1.19-2.62), 1.79 (1.25-2.56), and 1.35 (0.96-1.92) for less than 1 SDD, 1 to less than 2 SDDs, and 2 or more SDDs, respectively (trend test, p=0.14). A trend was seen for increasing risk with a greater number of CNS-active medication classes; however, this was not statistically significant (trend test, p=0.084). Conclusions Current use of CNS-active medications was associated with fall-related injury in community-dwelling older adults followed from time of dementia onset, with increased risk even with use of low doses.
Targeting MMP-9 in Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are significant complications of diabetes and an unmet medical need. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play important roles in the pathology of wounds and in the wound healing process. However, because of the challenge in distinguishing active MMPs from the two catalytically inactive forms of MMPs and the clinical failure of broad-spectrum MMP inhibitors in cancer, MMPs have not been a target for treatment of DFUs until recently. This review covers the discovery of active MMP-9 as the biochemical culprit in the recalcitrance of diabetic wounds to healing and targeting this proteinase as a novel approach for the treatment of DFUs. Active MMP-8 and MMP-9 were observed in mouse and human diabetic wounds using a batimastat affinity resin and proteomics. MMP-9 was shown to play a detrimental role in diabetic wound healing, whereas MMP-8 was beneficial. A new class of selective MMP-9 inhibitors shows clinical promise for the treatment of DFUs.
Automated Machine Learning Diagnostic Support System as a Computational Biomarker for Detecting Drug-Induced Liver Injury Patterns in Whole Slide Liver Pathology Images

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a challenging disease to diagnose, a leading cause of acute liver failure, and responsible for drug withdrawal from the market. There is no symptom, no biomarker...
Presumptive tick paralysis in 2 American Miniature horses in the United States

RATIONALE Tick paralysis has not been reported in horses in North America. CLINICAL FINDINGS Two American Miniature horses were examined for progressive weakness and recumbency. Numerous ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) were found on both horses. Horse 1 was recumbent (grade 5/5 gait deficit) on presentation, whereas Horse 2 was standing but ataxic (grade 4/5 gait deficit) and tetraparetic. Both horses had decreased tongue and tail muscle tone, and had normal spinal reflexes. Cerebrospinal fluid cytology was normal. Equine herpesvirus-1 testing was negative. PERTINENT INTERVENTIONS Ticks were removed within 24 hours of presentation. Both horses were treated topically with permethrin. Supportive care included fluid therapy, treatment for corneal ulceration, and frequent repositioning during recumbency. OUTCOME Within 48 hours of tick removal, both horses were neurologically normal. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Ours is the first reported case of presumptive tick paralysis in horses in North America. Although rare, tick paralysis should be considered in horses presented with acute-onset weakness progressing to recumbency.
Arming Tumor-Associated Macrophages to Reverse Epithelial Cancer Progression

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are highly expressed within the tumor microenvironment of a wide range of cancers, where they exert a protumor phenotype by promoting tumor cell growth and suppressing antitumor immune function. Here, we show that TAM accumulation in human and mouse tumors correlates with tumor cell expression of integrin αvβ3, a known driver of epithelial cancer progression and drug resistance. A monoclonal antibody targeting αvβ3 (LM609) exploited the coenrichment of αvβ3 and TAMs to not only eradicate highly aggressive drug-resistant human lung and pancreas cancers in mice, but also to prevent the emergence of circulating tumor cells. Importantly, this antitumor activity in mice was eliminated following macrophage depletion. Although LM609 had no direct effect on tumor cell viability, it engaged macrophages but not natural killer (NK) cells to induce antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) of αvβ3-expressing tumor cells despite their expression of the CD47 "don't eat me" signal. In contrast to strategies designed to eliminate TAMs, these findings suggest that anti-αvβ3 represents a promising immunotherapeutic approach to redirect TAMs to serve as tumor killers for late-stage or drug-resistant cancers. SIGNIFICANCE: Therapeutic antibodies are commonly engineered to optimize engagement of NK cells as effectors. In contrast, LM609 targets αvβ3 to suppress tumor progression and enhance drug sensitivity by exploiting TAMs to trigger ADCC.
Precipitation behavior of Alloy 625 and Alloy 625 plus

Abstract Alloy 625 is a commercial Ni-based superalloy commonly used in power generation applications. Its limited aging hardenability led to the design of Alloy 625 Plus through slight alloying modifications. However the differences in aging behavior between Alloy 625 and Alloy 625 Plus are not documented. Here, the precipitation behavior of Alloy 625 and Alloy 625 Plus after thermal aging at 650 °C up to 1000 h were quantitatively compared. Despite compositional similarities, Alloy 625 Plus exhibited both γ″ and γ′ precipitation while the γ″ phase formed in Alloy 625. Alloy 625 Plus exhibited higher number density and volume fraction and a slower coarsening rate of γ″ precipitates. These precipitation differences may be associated with the larger Nb and Ti supersaturation and partition coefficients in Alloy 625 Plus as compared to Alloy 625.
CAPER: a cross-application permissioned blockchain

Despite recent intensive research, existing blockchain systems do not adequately address all the characteristics of distributed applications. In particular, distributed applications collaborate with each other following service level agreements (SLAs) to provide different services. While collaboration between applications, e.g., cross-application transactions, should be visible to all applications, the internal data of each application, e.g, internal transactions, might be confidential. In this paper, we introduce CAPER, a permissioned blockchain system to support both internal and cross-application transactions of collaborating distributed applications. In CAPER, the blockchain ledger is formed as a directed acyclic graph where each application accesses and maintains only its own view of the ledger including its internal and all cross-application transactions. CAPER also introduces three consensus protocols to globally order cross-application transactions between applications with different internal consensus protocols. The experimental results reveal the efficiency of CAPER in terms of performance and scalability.
COMPARISON BETWEEN LOCAL APPLICATION OF DOXYCYCLINE LOADED NANOPARTICLES AND CONVENTIONAL DOXYCYCLINE GEL ON MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASE 1 AND BONE DENSITY IN CHRONIC PERIODONTITIS

Background & Objective: Nanoparticles have received considerable attention in recent years. This study was conducted to compare between doxycycline loaded nanoparticles (DLNs) and conventional doxycycline gel (CDG) in management of chronic periodontitis (CP). Materials and Methods: This randomized, split mouth study was conducted on 40 sites among 20 patients with chronic periodontitis. The sites were randomly allocated into a control group, receiving scaling and root planing (SRP) plus CDG, and an experimental group, receiving SRP plus DLNs. Clinical parameters and levels of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1) were assessed at baseline, 1, 3 and 6 months post treatment. Bone density was also assessed at baseline and 6 months after treatment. Results: The results, following the use of both treatment gel formulas, showed a statistically significant reduction in all tested clinical parameters and levels of MMP1 at 1, 3 and 6 months post treatment along with significant increase in bone density after 6 months. However, DLNs treatment achieved a significant reduction not only in clinical parameters but also in MMP1 as compared to CDG treated group. In addition, The DLNs showed a significant bone formation as compared to CDG group.Conclusion: DLNs shows promise as adjunctive local therapy for management of patients with chronic periodontitis.Clinical Relevance: Scientific Rationale for Study: Evaluating the effect of doxycycline loaded nanoparticles gel and conventional doxycycline gel on treatment of chronic periodontitis. Principal Findings: Findings from this randomized, split mouth study of 40 sites among 20 patients with chronic periodontitis supported the potential of doxycycline loaded nanoparticles and conventional doxycycline gel for providing an effective therapy for chronic periodontitis, along with improving clinical parameter, bone density and decreasing matrix metalloproteinase 1. Practical Implications: Doxycycline loaded nanoparticles are proved to be more effective than conventional doxycycline gel as an adjunctive treatment of chronic periodontitis.
Synergistic neural computation is greater downstream of recurrent connectivity in organotypic cortical cultures

Cortical information processing requires synergistic integration of input. Understanding the determinants of synergistic integration--a form of computation--in cortical circuits is therefore a critical step in understanding the functional principles underlying cortical information processing. We established previously that synergistic integration varies directly with the strength of feedforward connectivity. What relationship recurrent and feedback connectivity have with synergistic integration remains unknown. To address this, we analyzed the spiking activity of hundreds of well-isolated neurons in organotypic cultures of mouse somatosensory cortex, recorded using a high-density 512-channel microelectrode array. We asked how empirically observed synergistic integration, quantified through partial information decomposition, varied with local functional network structure. Toward that end, local functional network structure was categorized into motifs with varying recurrent and feedback connectivity. We found that synergistic integration was elevated in motifs with greater recurrent connectivity and was decreased in motifs with greater feedback connectivity. These results indicate that the directionality of local connectivity, beyond feedforward connections, has distinct influences on neural computation. Specifically, more upstream recurrence predicts greater downstream computation, but more feedback predicts lesser computation.
Cosmopolis and community: Élisée Reclus and Pëtr Kropotkin on spatial and moral unity, 1870s to 1900s

This article offers a reading of the anarchists and geographers Elisee Reclus and Petr Kropotkin as cautious cosmopolitans. It does so, on a first level, by examining their discussion of the moral ...
Coenzyme Q10 for Patients With Cardiovascular Disease: JACC Focus Seminar.

Abstract Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring compound that is found in animals and all humans. It has a fundamental role in cellular energy production. Although it is produced in the body, tissue deficiency can occur due to medications such as statins, which inhibit the mevalonate pathway. The clinical syndromes of statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS) and some of the features observed in patients with heart failure (HF) may be related to blood and tissue deficiency of CoQ10. Numerous clinical trials of CoQ10 in SAMS have yielded conflicting results. Yet, the weight of evidence as reflected in meta-analyses supports the use of exogenous CoQ10 in SAMS. In patients with HF, large-scale randomized clinical trials are lacking, although one relatively contemporary trial, Q-SYMBIO, suggests an adjunctive role for CoQ10. The possibility that statin-related CoQ10 deficiency may play a role in patients with diastolic HF is an intriguing hypothesis that warrants further exploration.
Key note - "what I wish I knew when I was 20"

The 2005 FIE keynote address will be given by Dr. Tina Seelig, the Executive Director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at Stanford University's School of Engineering. STVP is dedicated to accelerating high-technology entrepreneurship research and education for engineers and scientists worldwide
Jean and Emmy

Time is required for two people to get to know one another. While you can lust after what you do not know, you cannot love what you do not know. Knowledge is a prerequisite for love, but this is something that no one can understand when they are young.
Automatic Composition of Things in the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) added connectivity to devices that traditionally were not connected. In the last view year, a number of IoT platforms for the publication and provision of Things have been introduced. The major drawback with available platforms is that they view Things as private property. Only the Thing owner can communicate with the Thing to obtain the service or functionality that is provided by the Thing. We believe a Thing should be viewed as a service or a functionality provider. Our research has introduced an architecture that supports the publication and discovery of Things in the Internet of Things. This architecture enables Thing owners to publish Thing specification and Thing requesters to find Things that best matches their needs. This paper is concerned with the automatic composition of Things defined using our new architecture.
Brain Mechanisms of Language

Our knowledge of the brain mechanisms of language depends heavily on evidence derived from aphasia study, supplemented by electrocortical and metabolic investigations. Clinical observation reveals definite patterns of language change with focal lesions. These patterns are also apparent with stimulation of regions in the left frontal and temporo-parietal areas. The symptoms of aphasia reflect processing stages in normal language, and areas identified with these symptoms correspond to stages in forebrain evolution. A consideration of this material leads to a microgenetic or unfolding model of language representation in the brain.
Through Solidarity to “Fluidarity”: Understanding Difference and Developing Change Agency Through Narrative Reflection

This paper examines the development of the concept of solidarity as expressing a sense of shared humanity, while detailing critiques of its current use, especially when it implies a privileged center setting the agenda for the sake of marginalized others. My research demonstrates how solidarity can be modified when encountering difference, and how it might be better conceptualized as “fluidarity,” an attitude and practice that embraces the complexity of engaging the other in pluralized and ever-changing struggles. This engagement with otherness, an explicit part of an undergraduate theological ethics course with an embedded service-learning component, is pedagogically facilitated by a threefold reflection process required of students: critical reflection on their own narratives, reflection on the narratives encountered in their service-learning, and reflection on the lives of spiritually grounded agents of social change. Case studies of four undergraduate students demonstrate the ways in which this pedagogical strategy contributes to the development of solidarity and moves students' understanding towards fluidarity. In the end, the students gained a sense of spiritually grounded change agency, combining spiritual development with growth in critical consciousness.
Using Online Threaded Discussions: Best Practices for the Digital Learner

Online dialogic communities have become a ubiquitous tool that transforms student learning and course delivery. Threaded Discussions extend classroom learning by providing an asynchronous method of communication for the exchange of meaningful ideas that promote critical thinking and develop thoughtful reflective learning. Threaded Discussions transcend the physical boundaries of the classroom and capitalize on distance learning opportunities. The benefits and limitations for implementing Threaded Discussions across the content areas, along with effective strategies and practical examples, will be explored.
Development of Speed and Accuracy in Pragmatic Comprehension in English as a Foreign Language

This study examined development of pragmatic comprehension ability across time. Twenty native speakers and 92 Japanese college students of English completed a computerized listening task measuring ability to comprehend two types of implied meaning in dialogues: indirect refusals (k = 24) and indirect opinions (k = 24). The participants' comprehension was analyzed for accuracy (scores on the listening task) and comprehension speed (average time taken to answer each item correctly). L2 learners' accuracy and comprehension speed improved significantly over a 7-week period. However, the magnitude of effect was lower for comprehension speed than for accuracy. This study also examined the relationships among general L2 proficiency (measured on the ITP TOEFL), speed of lexical judgment (measured on a word recognition task), and pragmatic comprehension ability. There was a significant relationship between proficiency and accuracy (r = 0.39), as well as between lexical access speed and comprehension speed (r = 0.40). However, L2 proficiency bore no relationship to comprehension speed, and lexical access speed had no relationship with accuracy. Moreover, accuracy and comprehension speed were not related to each other. These findings suggest that development of pragmatic knowledge and processing capacity of using the knowledge may not coincide perfectly in L2 development.
Quantitative analysis of pheromone-binding protein specificity.

Many pheromones have very low water solubility, posing experimental difficulties for quantitative binding measurements. A new method is presented for determining thermodynamically valid dissociation constants for ligands binding to pheromone-binding proteins, using β-cyclodextrin as a solubilizer and transfer agent. The method is applied to LUSH, a Drosophila odorant-binding protein that binds the pheromone 11-cis vaccenyl acetate (cVA). Refolding of LUSH expressed in Escherichia coli was assessed by measuring N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine (NPN) binding and Forster resonance energy transfer between LUSH tryptophan 123 (W123) and NPN. Binding of cVA was measured from quenching of W123 fluorescence as a function of cVA concentration. The equilibrium constant for transfer of cVA between β-cyclodextrin and LUSH was determined from a linked equilibria model. This constant, multiplied by the β-cyclodextrin-cVA dissociation constant, gives the LUSH-cVA dissociation constant: ∼100 nM. It was also found that other ligands quench W123 fluorescence. The LUSH-ligand dissociation constants were determined to be ∼200 nM for the silk moth pheromone bombykol and ∼90 nM for methyl oleate. The results indicate that the ligand-binding cavity of LUSH can accommodate a variety ligands with strong binding interactions. Implications of this for the Laughlin, Ha, Jones and Smith model of pheromone reception are discussed.
Supporting flexible and efficient tool integration

We present a model of tool integration intermediate to the monolithic approach and the toolkit approach. Tools are developed separately, as in the toolkit approach, and then combined to form a new tool. The Interface Description Language (IDL), a notation for describing the characteristics of data structures passed among collections of cooperating processes, is extended to specify tight integration as exhibited in the monolithic approach. A composite tool can be formed by grouping a collection of existing tools linked through connections. Representations for connections that differ in flexibility and efficiency can be specified. Certain portions of the tool can be generated automatically from its specification.
Effects of repetitive use of hormonal implants on beef carcass quality, tenderness, and consumer ratings of beef palatability

Effects of repetitive use of anabolic implants on beef carcass quality, tenderness, and consumer ratings for palatability were investigated using crossbred steer calves (n = 550). Steers from five ranches were randomly allocated to one of 10 different lifetime implant strategies or to a nonimplanted control group. Cattle were implanted at some or all of five phases of production (branding, weaning, backgrounding, feedlot entry, or reimplant time). Carcasses from the control group had higher (P 0.05) marbling scores. Steers implanted twice during their lifetime produced carcasses with higher (P 0.05) steak shear force values, consumer ratings for like/dislike of steak tenderness, or percentage of consumers rating overall eating quality of steaks as satisfactory. Implanting steers at backgrounding vs. not implanting steers at this production stage increased (P 0.05) consumer ratings for like/dislike of steak tenderness or percentage of consumers rating overall eating quality of steaks as satisfactory. Steaks from nonimplanted steers were rated as more desirable (P 0.05) dressing percentage or adjusted fat thickness. Our findings suggest that beef quality, palatability, and production characteristics are influenced by lifetime implant protocols.
Severe hepatitis from methyldopa.

Severe hepatitis secondary to methyldopa therapy for hypertension was encountered in 6 patients over a 2-year interval. The drug was inadvertently readministered to 1 patient with recurrence of hepatitis within 1 week. One patient died with massive hepatic necrosis. Liver biopsy in the 5 survivors revealed that 4 of them had severe hepatitis with histological patterns indistinguishable from early active stages of chronic aggressive hepatitis. However, all rapidly improved after discontinuation of the drug. The severity of the hepatitis in these patients is probably related to prolonged administration of methyldopa after the onset of symptoms. Methyldopa heptaitis should be considered whenever a person taking the drug develops constitutional symptoms compatible with a hepatitis prodrome, and the drug should be promptly discontinued if chemical evidence of hepatitis is found. A possible drug etiology must be sought in all patients with a histological picture suggesting chronic aggressive hepatitis.
Unveiling Traditions: Postcolonial Islam in a Polycentric World.

Unveiling Traditions: Postcolonial Islam in. Polycentric World. Anouar Majid. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2000. 225 pp.
Practical Implementations of Arithmetic Coding

We provide a tutorial on arithmetic coding, showing how it provides nearly optimal data compression and how it can be matched with almost any probabilistic model. We indicate the main disadvantage of arithmetic coding, its slowness, and give the basis of a fast, space-efficient, approximate arithmetic coder with only minimal loss of compression efficiency. Our coder is based on the replacement of arithmetic by table lookups coupled with a new deterministic probability estimation scheme.
Distribution and biomarkers of carbon-14-labeled fullerene C60 ([14C(U)]C60) in female rats and mice for up to 30 days after intravenous exposure

A comprehensive distribution study was conducted in female rats and mice exposed to a suspension of uniformly carbon-14-labeled C60 ([14C(U)]C60). Rodents were administered [14C(U)]C60 (~0.9 mg kg−1 body weight) or 5% polyvinylpyrrolidone-saline vehicle alone via a single tail vein injection. Tissues were collected at 1 h and 1, 7, 14 and 30 days after administration. A separate group of rodents received five daily injections of suspensions of either [14C(U)]C60 or vehicle with tissue collection 14 days post exposure. Radioactivity was detected in over 20 tissues at all time points. The highest concentration of radioactivity in rodents at each time point was in liver, lungs and spleen. Elimination of [14C(U)]C60 was < 2% in urine and feces at any 24 h time points. [14C(U)]C60 and [14C(U)]C60-retinol were detected in liver of rats and together accounted for ~99% and ~56% of the total recovered at 1 and 30 days postexposure, respectively. The blood radioactivity at 1 h after [14C(U)]C60 exposure was fourfold higher in rats than in mice; blood radioactivity was still in circulation at 30 days post [14C(U)]C60 exposure in both species (<1%). Levels of oxidative stress markers increased by 5 days after exposure and remained elevated, while levels of inflammation markers initially increased and then returned to control values. The level of cardiovascular marker von Willebrand factor, increased in rats, but remained at control levels in mice. This study demonstrates that [14C(U)]C60 is retained in female rodents with little elimination by 30 days after i.v. exposure, and leads to systemic oxidative stress. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anthocyanin Excretion by Humans Increases Linearly with Increasing Strawberry Dose

A clinical study was conducted to investigate the dose response and metabolism of strawberry anthocyanins. In a crossover study design, 12 healthy adults consumed each of 3 strawberry treatments. The treatments were 100 g, 200 g, and 400 g of pureed strawberries, delivering 15 mmol, 30 mmol, and 60 mmol anthocyanin, respectively. Urine samples were collected for 24 h after each dose and samples were analyzed by HPLC with diode array detection and ion trap MS. Pelargonidin 3-glucoside was the major anthocyanin form in the treatments, and pelargonidin 3-glucoside and 3 metabolites of pelargonidin 3-glucoside (detected as monoglucuronides) were excreted in urine after ingestion. One predominant monoglucuronide form was detected in urine in masses 10-fold higher than the other 2 monoglucuronide forms. Increasing dose resulted in increasing appearance of anthocyanins in urine, and the mass of each pelargonidin monoglucuronide increased in urine with increasing dose. These results suggest that pelargonidin 3-glucoside absorption and metabolism are not saturated at masses # 60 mmol, thus showing that more strawberry anthocyanin can be absorbed with increasing dose. J. Nutr. 138: 897–902, 2008.
Two non-identical operative unit system with repair and inspection

Abstract The present paper deals with the analysis of a system consisting of two non-identical parallel units. The failure rates, and the repair, inspection and post repair time distributions for both the units are also assumed to be different. Using regenerative point technique in the Markov renewal process, several reliability characteristics of interest are obtained.
Sulfur adsorption near a step on Al.

Local density-functional calculations show that on Al(331), a S adatom binds preferentially in a step-edge geometry, where it can passivate two relatively undercoordinated surface Al atoms, where it can simultaneously satisfy its own need to complete a closed-shell electronic configuration, and where its nonbonding electrons are minimally repelled by electrons of the substrate. In contrast, on the close-packed Al(111) surface, S optimally resides in a high-coordination site, specifically, a fcc threefold hollow.
Automated Detection of Radiology Reports that Document Non-routine Communication of Critical or Significant Results

The purpose of this investigation is to develop an automated method to accurately detect radiology reports that indicate non-routine communication of critical or significant results. Such a classification system would be valuable for performance monitoring and accreditation. Using a database of 2.3 million free-text radiology reports, a rule-based query algorithm was developed after analyzing hundreds of radiology reports that indicated communication of critical or significant results to a healthcare provider. This algorithm consisted of words and phrases used by radiologists to indicate such communications combined with specific handcrafted rules. This algorithm was iteratively refined and retested on hundreds of reports until the precision and recall did not significantly change between iterations. The algorithm was then validated on the entire database of 2.3 million reports, excluding those reports used during the testing and refinement process. Human review was used as the reference standard. The accuracy of this algorithm was determined using precision, recall, and F measure. Confidence intervals were calculated using the adjusted Wald method. The developed algorithm for detecting critical result communication has a precision of 97.0% (95% CI, 93.5–98.8%), recall 98.2% (95% CI, 93.4–100%), and F measure of 97.6% (s = 1). Our query algorithm is accurate for identifying radiology reports that contain non-routine communication of critical or significant results. This algorithm can be applied to a radiology reports database for quality control purposes and help satisfy accreditation requirements.
Oxidation of Aqueous Pollutants Using Ultrasound: Salt-Induced Enhancement

Ultrasound can be used to oxidize aqueous pollutants; however, due to economic reasons, higher oxidation/destruction rates are needed. This study reports enhancements of reaction rates by the addition of sodium chloride salt. Using 20 kHz ultrasound, large salt-induced enhancements are observed6-fold for chlorobenzene, 7-fold for p-ethylphenol, and 3-fold for phenol oxidation. The reaction rate enhancements are proportional to the diethyl ether−water partitioning coefficient of the pollutants. It appears that the majority of oxidation reactions occur in the bubble−bulk interface region. The addition of salt increases the ionic strength of the aqueous phase which drives the organic pollutants toward the bubble−bulk interface. A first order reaction rate equation is proposed which can represent the observed enhancement with a good accuracy. A new sonochemical-waste-oxidation process is proposed utilizing the salt-induced enhancement.
Characterization of the CCR5 chemokine receptor gene

The life cycle of retroviruses is an essential topic of modern cell biology instruction. Furthermore, the process of HIV viral entry into the cell is a question of great interest in basic and clinical biology. This paper describes how students can easily recover their own DNA, amplify a portion of the CCR5 chemokine receptor gene, characterize wild-type and mutant genotypes, and provide a timely backdrop for learning the many molecular facets of the HIV virus. This exercise can easily lead to current and ongoing discussions of the relevance of mutant alleles in the CCR5 co-receptor and possible HIV tolerance. Student laboratory reports often discussed the potential importance of structure to the function of CCR5 protein within the context of HIV infection and resistance. Discussions of structure linked to function are key components of student assessment.
Phospholemman and β-adrenergic stimulation in the heart

Phosphorylation at serine 68 of phospholemman (PLM) in response to β-adrenergic stimulation results in simultaneous inhibition of cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchanger NCX1 and relief of inhibition of Na+-K+-...
Reduced voltage starting performance of synchronous condensers and pumped hydro units

This paper describes means of optimizing the sequential voltage dips which occur in the reduced-voltage starting of synchronous condensers and pumped storage hydro units.
Seasonal episodic paroxysmal hemicrania responding to cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors.

Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania (CPH) was first described by Sjaastad who also described a remitting form of this condition (1, 2). This new entity was named episodic paroxysmal hemicrania (EPH) in 1987 by Kudrow (3). It is characterized by brief, frequent attacks of unilateral orbital or temporal pain with associated autonomic symptoms. Most cases respond to indomethacin. A seasonal variant of EPH has been described (4), but never a response to treatment with cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors.
The next 10,000/sub 2/ years. II

Forecasts technological breakdowns and breakthroughs for the next 16 (10,000 to the base 2) years. Change has always been a part of recent history. Indeed, Earth-shaking change occurs about every 150-200 years. It takes about 50 years to make the transition from the old to the new, and we are nearing the end of just such a 50-year period. Change is caused by both technological breakthroughs and technological breakdowns. In the current 50-year transition, the breakthrough is in networking and software development, and the breakdown is in processor (VLSI) technology. Both forces will propel the high-tech world into a new model of computing by the year 2012. The new model will be based on a networked, global megacomputer that obeys the Gustafson-Barsis speedup law instead of the Amdahl law of parallelism. The next century's information superhighway will actually be a network of cable TV operators, not telephone companies. A new era of programming that eliminates traditional programming languages (and scolds the software engineering community for failure) will arise and lead to a software economy-an electronic commerce dominated by software artisans.
50-Gbit / s optical pulse storage ring using novel rational-harmonic modulation.

50-Gbit/s, 3.8-kbit packets of optical return-to-zero data have been stored in a unidirectional fiber storage ring by use of a novel modulation scheme in which the ratio of the fundamental modulation frequency to the cavity fundamental frequency is rational (nonintegral). The modulation technique should be applicable to lasers and to soliton transmission.
A microcomputer interface for decoding telemetry data and displaying them numerically and graphically in real time

A microcomputer (IBM-PC) interface for decoding ultrasonic telemetry pulse-modulated signals from either unisensor or multisensor (time-multiplexed) transmitters is described. Pulse intervals, recorded by the interface, and corresponding independently measured parameter levels (i.e., swimming directions, speeds, depths, water temperature, and ambient irradiance levels) are entered into a calibration file. The IBM-PC uses this file to convert the signal’s pulse intervals to sensor states and displays these in real time. States of up to eight multiplexed sensors can be displayed concurrently in either numerical or graphical format (as histograms) with low resolution (16 axis divisions) or, for a particular sensor, with high resolution (70 axis divisions). The circuit components mount on the IBM Prototype Card (with foil for interfacing logic) allowing easy installation in the IBM-PC’s expansion slot. The 35K of controlling software is written in Pascal with four subroutines in assembly language.
Site Availability and Competitive Siting of Divalent Metal Cations in ZSM-5

Abstract Accommodation of divalent cations (M2+) and dimer cations ([MOM]2+) in zeolites requires the presence of two charge-exchange sites in close proximity to each other. Since each charge-exchange site is associated with a framework Al atom, this constraint requires that 2 Al atoms be located in next-nearest-neighbor T sites. The maximum number of divalent cations that can be accommodated by ZSM-5 as either Z-M2+Z− or Z−[MOM]2+Z− (where Z− represents a cation-exchange site in the zeolite) has been calculated for a given value of Si/Al, and the results are reported as the maximum value of M/Al. Two cases for the distribution of framework Al atoms are considered: random placement in T sites and placement governed by equilibrium thermodynamics. For both M2+ and [MOM]2+ the maximum value of M/Al is significantly less than 0.5 and 1.0, respectively, because of the required constraints on the Al–Al pairs, and decreases as the Si/Al ratio increases. For M2+ cations the distribution of specific cations (Co2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Ni2+, Pd2+, Pt2+, and Zn2+) was determined using energies predicted from electronic structure calculations. M2+ cations are preferentially situated in rings containing either five or six T atoms. The manner in which the Al atoms are distributed among T sites affects the distribution of M2+ cations among different types of rings.