cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence that mouse renal proximal tubule cells produce nephrocalcin

Nephrocalcin (NC) is a glycoprotein inhibitor of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystal growth present in urine and kidney tissue. To determine if kidney cells can produce NC, we have isolated proximal tubules from mouse kidney and cultured them in a serum-free medium containing supplements. The tubules accumulate p-aminohippurate and respond with increase in adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate to parathyroid hormone but not to arginine vasopressin. They produce 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 when 25 hydroxyvitamin D3 is added as substrate. Medium conditioned for 3 days reacted by direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a rabbit antiserum to human urinary NC; the same antiserum was localized to the cells using immunoperoxidase staining. Using ion exchange and molecular sieve chromatography, we purified a glycoprotein calcium oxalate crystal-growth inhibitor the chromatographic behavior and amino acid and carbohydrate compositions of which closely resembled that of purified human urinary NC. Its dissociation constant toward the calcium oxalate crystal was 0.4-10 X 10(-7) M. Purified fractions of the protein cross-reacted with the antiserum tested by ELISA. Cultured proximal tubule cells produce a molecule that resembles NC from human urine, rat urine, and rat kidneys; proximal tubule is a probable site of NC production in vivo.
Childhood asthma from the point of view of the liaison child psychiatrist.

In childhood asthma, the liaison child psychiatrist has a clear role in individual assessment, evaluation of family contributions to the precipitating and exacerbating events, as well as elaborating the factors causing maintenance of an illness posture by children and their families. The child psychiatrist can then play an effective role in developing hospital-based, school, and community programs to foster the developing child’s autonomy in the mastery of his illness. These services are an adjunct to the unique role of the child psychiatrist in working with the child as his own person with his own unique struggle with his asthma, when individual child psychotherapy is diagnostically indicated.
Decision-theoretic planning under risk-sensitive planning objectives

Risk attitudes are important for human decision making, especially in scenarios where huge wins or losses are possible, as exemplified by planetary rover navigation, oilspill response, and business applications. Decision-theoretic planners therefore need to take risk aspects into account to serve their users better. However, most existing decision-theoretic planners use simplistic planning objectives that are risk-neutral. The thesis research is the first comprehensive study of how to incorporate risk attitudes into decision-theoretic planners and solve large-scale planning problems represented as Markov decision process models. The thesis consists of three parts. The first part of the thesis work studies risk-sensitive planning in case where exponential utility functions are used to model risk attitudes. I show that existing decision-theoretic planners can be transformed to take risk attitudes into account. Moreover, different versions of the transformation are needed if the transition probabilities are implicitly given, namely, temporally extended probabilities and probabilities given in a factored form. The second part of the thesis work studies risk-sensitive planning in case where general nonlinear utility functions are used to model risk attitudes. I show that a state-augmentation approach can be used to reduce a risk-sensitive planning problem to a risk-neutral planning problem with an augmented state space. I further use a functional interpretation of value functions and approximation methods to solve the planning problems efficiently with value iteration. I also show an exact method for solving risk-sensitive planning problems where one-switch utility functions are used to model risk attitudes. The third part of the thesis work studies risk sensitive planning in case where arbitrary rewards are used. I propose a spectrum of conditions that can be used to constrain the utility function and the planning problem so that the optimal expected utilities exist and are finite. I prove that the existence and finiteness properties hold for stationary plans, where the action to perform in each state does not change over time, under different sets of conditions.
Physics of APBI

APBI (accelerated partial-breast irradiation) treatments can be delivered using external beam or brachytherapy techniques. Interstitial brachytherapy using LDR (low-dose rate) Ir-192 seeds was historically the first modality used for APBI and consequently has the longest follow-up. More recently, external beam treatment has been used, either as photon, proton beams, or highly collimated electron beams, the latest being more often associated with intraoperative techniques relatively popular in Europe. New brachytherapy sources have been developed, including a miniature low-energy (~50 kV) electronic brachytherapy source and existent sources (e.g., Pd-103) commonly used as permanent seed implants for PBI, i.e., prostate cancer [47, 54, 56]. However, more commonly, APBI brachytherapy is associated with HDR (high-dose rate) treatment using Ir-192. The relatively high-energy source (~380 keV) at the tip of a thin wire is placed, using a computer-controlled afterloader device, in precisely specified positions for time intervals determined during the planning phase. Given the fact that the treatment is delivered very fast compared with the average half-time of cellular repair processes, one can establish equivalence between multiple sources loaded simultaneously (LDR) and one source, as is the basis for the HDR paradigm. Utilizing a planned combination of dwell positions, the single HDR source being successively placed in specified positions along applicators, and dwell times, and the specified time, the single HDR source remains at that position. Thus, after combining a well-determined target, a specified applicator, and a given strength of an Ir-192 source, an HDR treatment plan is generated through specifying dwell positions and their associated dwell times. The highly radioactive source cannot be placed in direct contact with tissues, and therefore, various devices or “applicators” are used to both contain and to guide the source in the desired positions.
Symmorphosis in patients with chronic heart failure

to the editor: Considering our group's interest in the mechanisms that constrain aerobic capacity in various populations (1–4), we read the article by van der Zwaard et al. ([6][1]) with great interest. Indeed, we commend the authors on their work, which certainly had several innovative components
Separation of circulating tokens

Abstract Self-stabilizing distributed control is often modeled by token abstractions. A system with a single token may implement mutual exclusion; a system with multiple tokens may ensure that immediate neighbors do not simultaneously enjoy a privilege. In models of process control, tokens may represent physical objects whose movement is controlled. The problem studied in this paper is to ensure that a synchronous system with m circulating tokens has at least d distance between tokens. This problem is first considered in a ring where d is given whilst m and the ring size n are unknown. The protocol solving this problem can be uniform, with all processes running the same program, or it can be non-uniform, with some processes acting only as token relays. The protocol for this first problem is simple, and can be expressed with a Petri net formalism. A second problem is to maximize d when m is given, and n is unknown. For the second problem, this paper presents a non-uniform protocol with a single corrective process.
Eye tracking a biomarker for concussion in the paediatricpediatric population

Objective The study aims to validate eye movement tracking performed without a baseline study as a biomarker for concussion in a paediatric population. Design This is a cross-sectional case control study of patients diagnosed with concussion in a referral centre compared to non-concussed controls. Methods Eye movements were recorded with an SR Research Eyelink 1000 eye tracker while a 220-second video was played. Eye tracking metrics were compared to Acute Concussion Evaluation (ACE) scores and clinical assessments of convergence and accommodation. Results 56 children with concussions (mean age of 13 years), as defined by symptom presence following an impulsive injury to the brain were evaluated at a mean of 22 weeks post-injury. Twelve eye tracking metrics were significantly different between concussed children and 83 uninjured controls. A model built on a balanced sub-sample to classify concussion based on eye tracking achieved an AUC of 0.854 (sensitivity 71.9%; specificity 84.4%). Two metrics were significant predictors of abnormal near point convergence (NPC) and accommodation. The model built to classify concussion based on NPC status achieved a specificity of 95.8% and a sensitivity of 57.1%. Reduced binocular amplitude of accommodation had a spearman correlation of 0.752 (p-value Conclusions Eye tracking reliably detected concussion and convergence and accommodative abnormalities in the paediatric population. We propose that eye tracking without baseline assessment may serve as an objective measure of concussion in paediatric patients. Competing interests Uzma Samadani has submitted intellectual property describing the technology utilised in this paper. These patents are owned by NYU, the VA and HCMC and licensed to Oculogica Inc., a company in which all of the above parties have an equity interest
Unified modeling language: the teen years and growing pains

Unified Modeling Language (UML) is adopted by the Object Management Group as a standardized general-purpose modeling language for object-oriented software engineering. Despite its status as a standard, UML is still in a development stage and many studies have highlighted its weaknesses and challenges - including those related to human factor issues. Further, UML has grown considerably more complex since its inception. This paper traces the history of Unified Modeling Language (UML) from its formation to its current state and discusses the current state of the UML language. The paper first introduces UML and its various diagrams, and discusses its characteristics and features. The paper then looks at UML's strengths, challenges, and possible future development. The human factor issues with using UML are discussed and elaborated. Potential research questions related to UML are also highlighted.
Effects of depression and past-year binge drinking on cognitive control processes during a flanker task in college-aged adults.

ABSTRACTBackground: Recent but largely separate literatures have examined neurocognitive alterations related to both depression and binge drinking, suggesting similar patterns of impairments in attention control and decisional processes. However, depression and problematic alcohol use tend to co-occur, and few studies have examined whether cognitive processing effects of depression and binge drinking are independent or interacting. Objective: The current study examined joint effects of depressive symptoms and past-year binge drinking on cognitive processing (measured via EEG assessment). Methods: University students aged 18 and over (N = 46; 63.4% female) were recruited based on self-reported depressive symptoms and also provided reports of alcohol use (51% reported significant depression; 46% reported at-least one past-year binge-drinking episode). Participants completed a computerized flanker task, assessing cognitive control processes. Forty-one participants providing useable data were included in anal...
Preparing Future Health Professionals for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Part 1: The Context for Learning

The importance of interprofessional education and practice has been well documented for all health care disciplines. Our health care delivery system is challenged by the need to prepare health professions graduates with skills that get them ready to function as collaborative members of the health care team. Educators have long struggled to create interprofessional learning environments that would inculcate the needed values and competencies. The purpose of this article is to share one institution's path in developing an integrated context for learning across several disciplines to assure that graduates can fulfill their full professional roles in clinical care, education, advocacy, leadership, and quality improvement. Through a program called IMPACT Practice, the MGH Institute of Health Professions has developed an array of opportunities for students from different programs to interact with each other, emphasizing the collaborative skills that will benefit patients and clients as well as contribute to positive change within the health care system. These opportunities are based on core competencies developed by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) as well as institutional core competencies that go beyond IPEC to address the full professional role. In the second part of this article, the IMPACT experience will be described through the journey of one student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program.
Liquidus temperature in the spinel primary phase field: A comparison between optical and crystal fraction methods

Abstract Liquidus temperature (TL) was measured for 38 simulated high-level waste borosilicate glasses covering a Hanford composition region, using optical microscopy and crystal-fraction extrapolation methods to analyze isothermally heat-treated specimens. The glasses encompassed a one-component-at-a-time variation of 16 components from a representative Hanford HLW simulant baseline composition. The TL values ranged from 1006 °C to 1603 °C. First-order models were fit to data to obtain component effects on TL (per 1 mass% additions) and then the components were grouped into three categories: TL-increasing components [i.e., Cr2O3 (264 °C), “Others” (minor components, 163 °C), oxides of noble metals (137 °C), NiO (91 °C), as well as Al2O3 and Fe2O3 (~ 19–21 °C)]; TL-decreasing components [i.e., K2O (−26 °C), Na2O (−41 °C), and Li2O (−68 °C)]; and those of little effect [i.e., MnO, P2O5, ZrO2, F, Bi2O3, SiO2, B2O3, and CaO (9 to −12 °C)]. Also presented are temperatures at which 1 vol% of spinel is at equilibrium with the melt (T1%) as these values are considered relevant to the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. The measured and estimated values are compared and contrasted and the effect of TL and T1% on glass formulation is discussed. The different methods for measuring TL are compared and contrasted.
Short-Term Results of the DePuy Global Unite Platform Shoulder System: A Two-Year Outcome Study.

Background: The Global Unite Shoulder System is the next generation of implant from the Depuy Global Shoulderline. The primary feature of the Global Unite is adaptability through the interchangeable modular bodies, modular suturecollars, and stems. Short-term functional and radiographic outcomes of the Global Unite Platform Shoulder Systemwere assessed as well as complication and revision rates.Methods: 95 subjects were enrolled prospectively between 2013 and 2015 that underwent anatomic or reverseshoulder arthroplasty utilizing the DePuy Global Unite Anatomic Platform Shoulder System. Functional outcome data(ASES and SANE) as well as radiographic data was collected on these patients pre-operatively, and at 6 months, 1year and 2 years post-operatively.Results: The cohort consisted of 97 shoulders in 95 patients of which 54 (56.8%) are males and 41 (43.2%) are female.There were 55/97 (56.7%) were primary anatomic total shoulder arthroplasties, 37/97 (38.1%) primary reverse shoulderarthroplasties, and 3/97 (3.1%) revision procedures to a reverse shoulder arthroplasty. Outcome scores demonstratedan increase in ASES score from a mean of 33.00 to 79.56 and SANE score of 21.30 to 84.08.Conclusion: The Depuy Global Unite shoulder system demonstrated very good short-term results in this two-year outcomestudy. Functional outcome scores are similar to current literature for anatomic and reverse primary cases. Radiographicmeasures at two years are promising with only 2 cases of grade 1 scapular notching and one case of grade 2 scapularnotching. Overall the Depuy Global Unite is a versatile shoulder system with very good early outcomes.Level of evidence: IV
A cross-national study of the population-level association between alcohol consumption and suicide rates

Abstract Introduction The objective of this study was to explore the association between population-level alcohol consumption and cross-national suicide rates. Suicide mortality rates vary substantially by nation, as do the level and character of alcohol consumption. Only a few prior studies examined this association, however, and they used a small number of nations and failed to test for the multiple hypothesized pathways through which any association may operate. Material and methods We obtained data from the World Health Organization for a sample of 83 nations. Controlling for potential structural covariates, we tested four theoretical mechanisms through which population-level alcohol consumption may influence national suicide rates. Results Results showed no evidence of threshold effects, nor were risky national drinking patterns associated with higher suicide rates. We found evidence for the most common explanation that total per capita consumption is linearly associated with suicide rates. Our other findings, however, suggested this linear association masks more complex beverage-specific effects. Per capita wine consumption was not associated with male or female suicide rates, per capita spirits consumption was associated with both male and female suicide rates, per capita beer consumption was associated with male suicide rates, and per capita consumption of “other” alcohol types was associated with female suicide rates. Discussion and conclusions Testing for only a linear association between total alcohol consumption and suicide rates fails to tell the whole story. Further research requires exploration of beverage-specific effects and other potential mechanisms, and consideration of national alcohol policies to reduce suicide rates.
Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Drug Interactions with Anti-Human Immunotrophic Virus (HIV) Drugs. III. 2′,3′-Dideoxycytidine (ddC) and Zidovudine in Monkeys

A pharmacokinetic evaluation of a potential drug interaction between zidovudine (AZT) and dideoxycytidine (ddC) was conducted in monkeys. Each of six animals received 20 mg/kg of AZT intragastrically in the absence and presence of an intravenous steady-state dosage regimen of ddC. The regimen was designed to produce steady-state ddC plasma concentration of 1.77 micrograms/ml for 30 min. Plasma and urine samples were analyzed for AZT, its major glucuronide metabolite, GAZT, and ddC by HPLC techniques. Pharmacokinetic parameters for AZT and GAZT were calculated by non-compartmental methods. The mean apparent clearance of AZT was 1.40 and 1.78 L/hr/kg in the absence and presence of ddC, respectively. The mean AUC for GAZT was 36.39 micrograms-hr/ml in the absence of ddC and 28.81 micrograms-hr/ml in the presence of ddC. No statistical differences were found in these and other pharmacokinetic parameters in the absence and presence of ddC. The absence of an effect on AZT's pharmacokinetics by ddC is attributed to the primary metabolic and renal elimination pathways for AZT and ddC, respectively. The results of this study provide a rational basis to design combined AZT-ddC treatment regimens in AIDS patients.
Clinical Information Systems in the Era of Personalized Medicine

Scientific and technical advances continue to further our understanding of how genetic alterations affect human health and the development of disease. Integrating genomic findings in the delivery of patient care represents and exciting and evolving area of medicine. The capacity to interpret and leverage this new source of information, and to do so in a broad and high-throughput manner, via clinical information systems remains a key challenge. In this chapter, we focus on common areas that influence effective use and development of clinical information systems to support the use of genomic data in health care.
Transformation of Human Lymphocytes by Coinfection with EBV DNA and Transformation-Defective Virions

EBV DNA from B95-8 strain was introduced into human cord blood lymphocytes (CBL) using reconstituted Sendai virus envelopes (RSVE) as gene transfer vehicles. The DNA- treated CBL expressed EB virus nuclear antigen (EBNA) and synthesized cellular DNA at an increased rate but were not immortalized. However, when EBV DNA transfer was followed by exposure to UV-in activated virions, full transformation was achieved. The resulting lympho-blastoid cell lines, termed NEB, were of B-cell origin, contained 25–50 EBV genome equivalents/cell, but were not capable of expressing EA or VCA, or releasing infectious virus. Permanent cell lines were also established when CBL were coinfected with purified EBV DNA and EBV of the HR-1 strain. These cells, termed HBD, were of T-cell origin, did not express EBNA, but contained EBV genomes as determined by nucleic acid hybridization. The HBD cells also expressed the early and virus capsid antigens of EBV as determined by immunofluorescence and radio immunoprecipitation. The NEB and HBD cell lines will be useful for analyzing the mechanism of cell transformation by EBV.
Anatomical and Physiological Variants

A 57-year-old male with colon carcinoma diagnosed 6 months ago recently finished his chemotherapy. CEA was 56.49 ng/mL.
Racial disparity in gastrointestinal cancer: Insight from national cancer database.

607Background: The number of cases of cancers originating from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and from other associated GI organs has increased 28% between the years 2004-2014. The incidence and o...
Jorge Luis Borges y las guerras mundiales

Far from throwing history overboard with his fantastic stories and philosophical abstractions, Borges used them to offer ideas beyond the possibilities of mere realism. This article demonstrates how there is no contradiction between Borges’ approach to fantastic literature and the lessons that can be learned from the mechanisms with which he did everything possible to avoid the prejudices of nationalism and xenophobia in the construction of his literary world.
Computational Simulation of Progressive Fracture in Fiber Composites

Computational methods for simulating progressive fracture in fiber composite structures are presented. These methods are integrated into a computer code of modular form. The modules include composite mechanics, finite element analysis, and fracture criteria. The code is used to computationally simulate progressive fracture in composite laminates with and without defects. The simulation tracks the fracture progression in terms of modes initiating fracture, damage growth and laminate imminent global (catastrophic) fracture.
Celia Deane-Drummond, A Primer in Ecotheology: Theology for a Fragile Earth

Celia Deane-Drummond, A Primer in Ecotheology: Theology for a Fragile Earth(Eugene,OR: Cascade Books, 2017), 167 pp., $23.00 (pbk), ISBN: 978-1-4982-3699-7.
3-D Fully Kinetic Particle-in-Cell Simulations of Small Asteroid Charging in the Solar Wind

This paper presents a 3-D, fully kinetic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation study of plasma charging for small, irregularly shaped, composite asteroids in the solar wind. Three types of asteroid internal structures are considered: 1) a homogeneous composition of regolith; 2) a single hard rock; and 3) a composite of hard rock core covered with a regolith outer layer. The simulation model resolves the plasma flow field, asteroid surface differential charging, and asteroid internal electric field self-consistently. The results show that while the ambient plasma condition and surface property determine surface charging, the internal composition substantially affects the subsurface electric field inside an asteroid.
Systems of Systems Thinking

As more of our systems interoperate in one or more independently evolving systems of systems and user needs focus more on “new capabilities” rather than a “new system,” so too do our systems thinking processes need to evolve to SoS thinking. SoS thinking builds upon systems thinking to consider the interactions of the SoS constituent systems with each other, along with the challenges of keeping multiple independently evolving SoSs compatibly evolving with each other and the external environment. This paper presents a framework for defining and guiding SoS thinking.
The effect of increased funding on student achievement: Evidence from Texas's small district adjustment

Abstract We leverage an obscure set of rules in Texas's school funding formula granting some districts additional revenue as a function of size and sparsity. We use variation from kinks and discontinuities in this formula to ask how districts spend additional discretionary funds, and whether these improve student outcomes. A $1000 annual increase in foundation funding, or 10% increase in expenditures, yields a 0.1 s.d. increase in reading scores and a near 0.08 increase in math. In addition dropout rates decline, graduation rates marginally increase, as does college enrollment and to a smaller degree graduation. These gains accrue in later grades and largely among poorer districts. An analysis of budget allocations reveals that additional funding only marginally affects budget shares.
Abstract 173: Development of an Auto-Segmentation Technique Using a Convolutional Neural Network for the Segmentation of the Ventricular Cavity in Zebrafish

Light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) with a synchronization algorithm is a unique imaging technique that can be used to image the beating zebrafish heart in 4-dimensions (4-D). However, natur...
Ketosis ameliorates renal cyst growth in polycystic kidney disease

Mild reduction in food intake was recently shown to slow polycystic kidney disease (PKD) progression in mouse models, but whether the effect was due to solely reduced calories or some other aspect of the diet has been unclear. We now show that the benefit is due to the induction of ketosis. Time-restricted feeding, without caloric reduction, strongly inhibits mTOR signaling, proliferation, and fibrosis in the affected kidneys in a PKD rat model. A ketogenic diet had a similar effect and led to regression of renal cystic burden. Acute fasting in rat, mouse, and feline models of PKD results in rapid reduction of cyst volume, while oral administration of the ketone β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in rats strongly inhibits PKD progression. These results suggest that cystic cells in PKD are metabolically inflexible, which could be exploited by dietary interventions or supplementation with BHB, representing a new therapeutic avenue to treat PKD.
Somatic Tissue Engineering in Mouse Models Reveals an Actionable Role for WNT Pathway Alterations in Prostate Cancer Metastasis.

To study genetic factors influencing the progression and therapeutic responses of advanced prostate cancer, we developed a fast and flexible system that introduces genetic alterations relevant to human disease directly into the prostate glands of mice using tissue electroporation. These electroporation-based genetically engineered mouse models (EPO-GEMMs) recapitulate features of traditional germline models and, by modeling genetic factors linked to late stage human disease, can produce tumors that are metastatic and castration resistant. A subset of tumors with p53 alterations acquired spontaneous WNT pathway alterations, which are also associated with metastatic prostate cancer in humans. Using the EPO-GEMM approach and an orthogonal organoid based model, we show that WNT pathway activation drives metastatic disease that is sensitive to pharmacological WNT pathway inhibition. Thus, by leveraging EPO-GEMMs, we reveal a functional role for WNT signaling in driving prostate cancer metastasis and validate the WNT pathway as therapeutic target in metastatic prostate cancer.
Archaeology of Cuisine and Cooking

This review demonstrates that recent contributions by archaeologists to the study of cuisine and cooking present a new addition to the field of anthropology. Archaeologists situate their work histo...
Abstract 15979: Utility of Post-extraction Follow-up Blood Cultures in Patients With Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Infection

Introduction: Cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIED) infections are frequently complicated with bloodstream infection (BSI). Complete device removal and prolonged antimicrobial therap...
Comparison of performance of F1 Romanov crossbred ewes with wool and hair breeds during spring lambing under intensive and extensive production systems

The objective was to evaluate wool (Dorset and Rambouillet) and hair (Dorper, Katahdin, and White Dorper) breeds for their ability to complement Romanov germplasm in two distinct production systems by estimating direct sire and grandsire effects on lamb growth, survival, and ewe productivity traits. Rams of the five breeds (n = 75) were mated to Romanov ewes (n = 459) over a 3-yr period to produce five types of crossbred lambs (n = 2,739). Sire breed (P > 0.06) did not impact body weight or survival traits of the first-generation crossbred (F1) lambs. The productivity of retained crossbred ewes (n = 830) mated to Suffolk and Texel terminal sires was evaluated at 1, 2, and 3 yr of age in each production system. In the intensive production system, labor and harvested feed were provided for sheep that lambed in March in barns, and ewes were limited to rearing two lambs with additional lambs reared artificially. Ewes in the extensive production system lambed in May on pasture and were responsible for rearing all lambs born with no labor or supplemental feed provided before weaning. A total of 1,962 litters and 4,171 lambs from 2,229 exposures to two terminal sire breeds (Suffolk and Texel) were produced in the experiment. Crossbred ewes in the intensive production system were mated in October, resulting in larger litter sizes than crossbred ewes mated in December for the extensive production system. However, single- and twin-born lamb mortality was similar between the two systems that differed greatly in labor, feed, and facilities. Lambs produced in the intensive system received concentrate feed from an early age and were heavier at 24 wk of age than lambs produced in the extensive system. These outcomes resulted in greater 24-wk litter weight in the intensive than in the extensive system (P < 0.0001). Unexpectedly, the relative performance of crossbred types did not differ importantly between production systems. White Dorper × Romanov crossbred ewes had numerical advantages in productivity in each system; however, differences between ewe types were not significant. In the extensive system, without labor and shelter at lambing or supplemental feed until weaning, 3-yr-old crossbred ewes of all types averaged 1.78 lambs marketed per ewe lambing, and 40% of the ewes that gave birth to triplets weaned their entire litters. These results document that prolific sheep and extensive systems can be successfully combined if appropriate crossbred types are used.
Voting as a Genuinely Religious Act in a World of Free Exercise Maximalism

The past several years have seen redoubled efforts by state legislatures to restrict voting rights, successful efforts by religious-freedom advocates to expand the reach of constitutional and statutory protections for religious exercise, and an increasingly polarized politics in which viewpoints have become rigid and fanatical and political expression has become a matter of deep personal and community identity. Each significant in its own respects, these currents collectively suggest an emerging reality in which voting can credibly be called—at least by some citizens—a form of religious exercise being substantially burdened by the state. Such claims may never take center stage, but it is increasingly difficult to deny their plausibility. This Essay takes a preliminary look at what voting-as-religious-exercise claims would look like, why they are plausible, and what they would mean for society.
Inpatient Diagnosis and Management of Neuromuscular Disorders.

Although many neuromuscular conditions are evaluated on an outpatient basis owing to their chronic or progressive nature, more urgent evaluation and management is often required for the inpatient presenting with acute to subacute focal or generalized numbness or weakness. This review focuses on clinical pattern recognition and basic anatomic localization principles to aid in the identification of common, as well as some less frequently encountered, neuromuscular disorders in hospitalized patients. The characteristic clinical and diagnostic features, associated complications, and recommended treatments of key neuromuscular conditions with acute and subacute manifestations are discussed. These conditions can be life-threatening in some cases, such as in Guillain-Barre syndrome, owing to associated oropharyngeal weakness, respiratory failure, or marked dysautonomia. Prompt recognition of the clinical and pathologic features is therefore necessary to reduce associated morbidity and mortality.
Effect of video-recorded manikin simulation on radiographic technique performance of dental and dental hygiene students: A cross sectional study

Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the beliefs, confidence, and perceptions of dental and dental hygiene students before and after watching a video demonstrating the photo-stimulable phosphor (PSP) plate technique. Material and Methods: Overall, 40 second-year dental students and 20 first-year dental hygiene students currently enrolled in a radiology didactic course were invited via an institutional email to complete an anonymous, 18-question survey using *survey software* software, view PSP plates training video via *online platform*, and complete a post-video survey assessing the same questions as the pre-video survey. The 10-min video outlined the process for exposing a full-mouth series using PSP plates, including assembly, placement, troubleshooting, and technique. The surveys assessed the students’ beliefs, confidence, and perceptions of PSP plates using either a 5-point Likert scale or 10-point rating scale questions. Results: Of the 60 potential participants, 68% (n = 41) completed both surveys. Of the 18 questions, 4 Likert-type questions and one rating question showed statistically significant differences between pre-video and post-video survey responses. Four of the five questions revealed statistically significant differences with P-values of < 0.001. The four statistically significant results were regarding student confidence. The fifth question that showed a statistically significant difference between pre-video and post-video survey responses dealt with student preparation. Conclusion: The study revealed several items of note, including a statistically significant increase in student confidence with the radiographic technique when exposed to a procedure video. The results also showed statistically significant increases in students’ perceptions of the steps required to expose radiographs with the PSP plates after watching the technique video.
Intercultural exchange among global teachers: The case of the teaching excellence and achievement study abroad program

Abstract This qualitative case study explores the impact of a six-week, US-based study abroad program on the intercultural competence of 22 secondary teachers from Colombia, El Salvador, Ghana, India, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Thailand, and Ukraine. Based on the results of surveys and interviews, the program enhanced teachers’ intercultural sensitivity and awareness, knowledge of other countries and cultures, and teaching skills and professional development in a structured cross-cultural setting. Intercultural activities, coursework, clinical experiences, and exposure to diverse students, classrooms, families, and cultures were helpful experiences for participating teachers. This study offers practice and policy implications in terms of intercultural competence, teacher education, and cross-cultural program development.
Truncating the amyloid cascade hypothesis: the role of C-terminal Abeta peptides in Alzheimer's disease.

The long-term goal of studies of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the development of ways to prevent or treat the disease. In order to accomplish this goal, much work has been devoted to understanding the etiology and pathobiology of the disorder. Not surprisingly, intense research efforts have focused on neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and amyloid deposits, the two histopathologic hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease [1]. Morphological studies, using histological, immunochemical, and electron microscopic methods, have provided a wealth of information about the gross neuroanatomical effects of AD, the types of molecules which compose or may be associated with tangles and amyloid deposits, and the ultrastructural features of NFT and amyloid fibrils. Biochemical and biophysical studies have provided substantial information about the primary and higher order structure of the proteins found in NFT and amyloid deposits. Geneticists have made tremendous progress in identifying genes which cause AD or act as risk factors. This, in turn, has enabled development of transgenic mouse models which allow study of key etiologic factors controlling development of AD and provide the means to assess the efficacy of potential therapies. A clear result of these research efforts has been the realization that AD is an exceedingly complex disorder with a multifactorial etiology. The complexity of AD has made development of unifying hypotheses of disease pathobiology difficult. In addition, the increasing importance of AD to the public health, coupled with the competitive (and unfortunately often acrimonious) environment in the AD field, has sometimes resulted in the promulgation of embryonic ideas and hypotheses which later are found to be without merit. In formulating any hypothesis, each element of the supporting data must be the result of a rigorous and critical experimental process. Second, the integration of these elements into the hypothesis should produce a consistent whole, one based on the most straightforward interpretation of all relevant data extant. Third, clear means for testing the hypothesis should be an integral part of the proposition. In the accompanying paper, Andrew Larner hypothesizes that amino-terminally truncated amyloid b-protein peptides (NTTAb) contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. This hypothesis, although not novel [7,13,14], is intriguing and may have merit. However, a number of the key elements of the hypothesis may be questioned. In addition, it is unclear how an unambiguous test of the hypothesis can be made. Teleologically, the presence of NTTAb in amyloid deposits argues they do have a role in AD. The issue, however, is the significance of this role. In the case of full-length
Maternal acceptance and consistency of discipline as buffers of divorce stressors on children's psychological adjustment problems

This study examines whether two aspects of mothering--acceptance and consistency of discipline--buffer the effect of divorce stressors on adjustment problems in 678 children, ages 8 to 15, whose families had divorced within the past 2 years. Children reported on divorce stressors; both mothers and children reported on mothering and internalizing and externalizing problems. Multiple regressions indicate that for maternal report of mothering, acceptance interacted with divorce stressors in predicting both dimensions of adjustment problems, with the pattern of findings supporting a stress-buffering effect. For child report of mothering, acceptance, consistency of discipline, and divorce stressors interacted in predicting adjustment problems. The relation between divorce stressors and internalizing and externalizing problems is stronger for children who report low acceptance and low consistency of discipline than for children who report either low acceptance and high consistency of discipline or high acceptance and low consistency of discipline. Children reporting high acceptance and high consistency of discipline have the lowest levels of adjustment problems. Implications of these results for understanding variability in children's postdivorce adjustment and interventions for divorced families are discussed.
Herd-level factors associated with isolation of Salmonella in a multi-state study of conventional and organic dairy farms I. Salmonella shedding in cows.

The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between herd-level factors and the isolation of Salmonella in calves from dairy farms in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and New York. Study farms were 129 conventional and organic farms enrolled without regard to previous history of Salmonella infection. Herds were sampled at 2-month intervals over a 1-year period. Salmonella was isolated in fecal samples from 176 (3.8%) of 4673 preweaned calves with 40 (31.0%) of 129 farms having at least one positive calf sample over the course of the study. Multivariable logistic regression using the generalized estimating equations approach was used to evaluate risk factors for Salmonella shedding after adjustment for effects of herd size, season, state of origin and the multiple sampling occasions per herd. Factors retained in the final model that were associated with an increased odds for Salmonella shedding were lack of routine feeding of milk replacer containing antimicrobials to preweaned calves (OR=2.8, 95% CI: 1.4, 5.8), use of maternity housing as a hospital area for sick cows more than once a month (OR=2.1, 95% CI: 1.1, 4.0), and cow prevalence level by visit, categorized into the following four-levels: > or =20% (OR=11.6, 95% CI: 5.7, 23.7), 10-19.9% (OR=4.7, 95% CI: 2.0, 11.5), 0.1-9.9% (OR=3.6, 95% CI: 1.5, 8.7) and 0% (reference level). Herd size was not associated with Salmonella shedding in the final multivariable model.
Schooling for Social Change: The Rise and Impact of Human Rights Education in India

Chapter One: Introduction Chapter Two: Historical Development, Multiple Definitions, and Ideological Orientations of Human Rights Education Chapter Three: Policy, Pedagogy, and Practice: The Emergence and Landscape of Human Rights Education in India Chapter Four: Linking Laws, Liberties, and Learning: The Institute of Human Rights Education Chapter Five: From 'Time Pass' to Transformative Force: Human Rights Education for Marginalized Youth Chapter Six: Building Solidarity and Coalitional Agency through Human Rights Education Chapter Seven: Teachers and Textbooks as Legitimating Agents for Human Rights Chapter Eight: Challenges, Co-optations, and Contestations: Indian Human Rights Education in Focus Chapter Nine: Conclusion Bibliography Index.
The Mother of All Stem Cells

Partitioning of centrosomes during division of Drosophila germline stem cells may help keep one daughter as a stem cell and move the other toward differentiation.
Risk: benefit of treating high blood pressure in older adults.

Older people (those aged 65 years or over) comprise over 15% of the UK‘s population and this cohort is growing. Whilst at greatest risk from systemic arterial hypertension (hypertension), its resultant end organ damage and clinically significant cardiovascular disease, this group was initially neglected in clinical trials and thereby denied treatment, with the lack of evidence cited as justification. However since the 1960s, when the first landmark trials in severe diastolic hypertension were published, there has been a progressive attempt to understand the pathophysiology of hypertension and to expand the evidence base for treatment in older adults. In contrast to the participants of the very first randomized trials who had a mean age of 51 years, the recent Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial demonstrated significant mortality and morbidity benefits from the treatment of both mixed systolic and diastolic hypertension, as well as isolated systolic hypertension in octogenarians. This review highlights the progressive evidence base behind the relative risks and benefits of treating hypertension in older adults.
Design of permanent magnet flux source for a rotary magnetic refrigerating system

Summary form only given. A magnetic refrigerator (MR) operating at room temperature is being developed as a technology which can replace the conventional liquid/vapor refrigeration systems. The essential parts of an MR system are the magnetic field source, which uses permanent magnets, and the magnetic refrigerant materials, which must have a large magnetocaloric effect (MCE). For efficient operation of the MR, a magnetic field well above the remanence of NdBFe is required. The hollow cylindrical permanent magnet array (HCPMA) design, and modifications based on this design, have been shown to produce the required strength of magnetic field. The cross section of the HCPMA and the directions of the magnetization vectors in the various segments are shown. The magnetic flux lines of a modified HCPMA designed to allow access of the rotating magnetic refrigerant materials are shown. The height of the slot, located in the array is 12.7 mm.
The structure of the dichromium compound Cr2(μ-OH)2 (μ-3,5Cl2-form)2 (η2-3,5Cl2-form)2

Abstract With exposure to trace amounts of air and moisture, the Cr 2 (II, II) complex Cr 2 (μ-3,5Cl 2 -form) 4 , where 3,5Cl 2 -form is [(3,5-Cl 2 C 6 H 3 )NC(H)N(3,5-Cl 2 C 6 H 3 ) − ], undergoes an oxidative addition reaction. Structural information from the X-ray crystal structure of the edge-sharing bioctahedral (ESBO) Cr 2 (III, III) product Cr 2 (μ-OH) 2 (μ-3,5Cl 2 -form) 2 (η 2 -3,5Cl 2 -form) 2 ( 1 ) indicates 1 has a significantly longer Cr–Cr distance [2.732(2) A] than Cr 2 (μ-3,5Cl 2 -form) 4 [1.9162(10) A], but the shortest Cr–Cr distance in an ESBO Cr 2 (III, III) complex recorded to date.
Making the most of what we have: a framework for preservation management in rare book collections

We are facing an uncertain future in special collections—one that will most likely continue to require us to make tough decisions. With cutbacks and limitations on resources plaguing us, the expense and time required for item-level treatment make it necessary to set preservation priorities within our collections.1 At the same time, digital initiatives continue to expand in scope and resource allocation, creating new opportunities and challenges in preservation management. Digitization has a valuable place in special collections as a supplement to physical preservation, but the danger arises when the digital begins to supplant the physical. So we need to . . .