cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
M 2 , 3 Emission Band of Copper

The copper ${M}_{2,3}$ band was investigated in connection with a sequential study of the ${M}_{2,3}$ emission and absorption spectra of the $3d$ transition metals. The characteristic band is superimposed on a continuous spectrum emitted by the target and the paper describes the procedure for removing the effect of this background. Other experimental considerations dealing with such effects as the instrumental window, self-absorption, the presence of contaminants, and the nature of the target layer are included. Where possible, an assessment is made of the distortion produced by such factors in the shape of the band. The photo-metrically determined ${M}_{2,3}$ intensity contour is compared with recent work based on detection schemes utilizing photon counters. On the basis of certain assumptions the composite ${M}_{2,3}$ distribution is decomposed into individual ${M}_{2}$ and ${M}_{3}$ curves, whose behavior at the high-energy end of the spectrum is in good agreement with previously available data on the individual absorption edges. Features of the $\frac{I(E)}{{\ensuremath{\nu}}^{2}}$ distribution belonging to the ${M}_{3}$ band are as follows: the band has a maximum at 72.0 ev (172 A) and excluding satellite structure and tailing effects has a width of 7.8 ev. At the high-energy end, the intensity rises gradually and no sharp structures are noticeable. Except for the satellite structure, no inconsistencies arise when the results on the ${M}_{3}$ band ($\mathrm{valence}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3p$) are compared with those on the ${L}_{3}$ band ($\mathrm{valence}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2p$).
Student engagement in distance learning environments: A comparison of threaded discussion forums and text-focused Wikis

The purpose of this study was to improve the quality of students' online discussion of assigned readings in an online course. To improve the focus, depth, and connectedness of online discussion, the first author designed a text-focused Wiki that simultaneously displayed the assigned reading and students' comments side by side in adjacent columns. In the text-focused Wiki, students were able to read the assigned text in the left column and type their comments or questions in the right column adjacent to the sentence or passage that sparked their interest. In post-participation surveys, data were gathered about students' experiences in the text-focused Wiki and prior experiences in threaded discussion forums. Students reported more focus, depth, flow, idea generation, and enjoyment in the text-focused Wiki.
Pediatrician patterns of prescribing vitamin supplementation for infants: do they contribute to rickets?

To the Editor. — There seems to be a resurgence of vitamin D (vitD) deficiency rickets in the United States.1–3 Decreasing sunlight exposure,4 an increasing number of women breastfeeding, and increasing maternal vitD deficiency1,5 are certainly some of the factors responsible for this resurgence. We postulated that a decline in the number of pediatricians who recommend vitD supplementation for breastfed infants might be another contributing factor. A questionnaire was mailed to all active members of the North Carolina Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to determine their vitD supplementation practices in October, 1999. Of the 1040 questionnaires, 417 (40.1%) were returned, and 383 were suitable for analysis. Most respondents were primary care physicians (86.4%) and practiced in private offices (68.1%). They averaged 19.2 ± 10.4 years of experience (4–55 years) and graduated from medical school between 1944 …
The Bearing of East Rudolf Fossils on Early Hominid Systematics

LEAKEY has provided another very useful progress report on fossil hominid recovery from East Rudolf1. Some interesting points emerge from this and a previous report2; one is the influence that taxonomic nomenclature can exert on ideas of hominid affinities. His preliminary conclusions suggest that the classification of early hominids based on the South African sample needs revision in the light of the East Rudolf finds1,3. In particular he argues that the East Rudolf specimens provide no support for more than one species of australopithecine. Here I suggest that, on the contrary, his interpretation of the East Rudolf material and mine of the South African finds are in remarkably close agreement; the difference between them is more apparent than real and stems from nomenclatural rather than biological considerations.
Comparison of Processing Parameters for Pultruded Graphite/Epoxy and Fiberglass/Epoxy: A Heat Transfer and Curing Model:

Mathematical modeling of any manufacturing process enhances the understanding of the mechanisms governing the process and helps to establish guidelines for optimizing the process. In the present study, a thermal model utilizing Patankar's method has been developed to simulate/optimize the pultrusion process. The numerical model solves the steady-state continuity, momentum equations and the transient energy and species reaction equations in cylindrical coordinates for a two-dimensional product. This model is comprehensive in the sense that it includes a liquid resin layer near the wall and involves solving for the velocity field. Most other researchers have assumed either flat or linear velocity profiles for this liquid region. The axial conduction term in the energy equation, neglected by most other researchers, is also included in the present model.
Polarization conserving light bending prisms and optimized fresnel rhombs.

The design of prisms utilizing total internal reflection to achieve particular phase retardation is considered. Two prisms are discussed that bend light by 90° without changing its polarization. Optimum design for Fresnel rhombs is considered, and designs for quarter-wave and half-wave are presented. The effect of light beam divergence and prism dispersion is treated.
Expression of Estrogen Receptor α 36 (ESR36) in the Hamster Ovary throughout the Estrous Cycle: Effects of Gonadotropins

Estradiol-17β (E) plays an important role in ovarian follicular development. Evidence indicates that some of the effect of E is mediated by the transmembrane estrogen receptor. In this study, we examined the spatio-temporal expression of recently discovered ERα36 (ESR36), a splice variant of Esr1 and a receptor for non-genomic E signaling, in the hamster ovary during the estrous cycle and the role of gonadotropins and ovarian steroid hormones in ESR36 expression. ESR36 expression was high on estrus (D1∶0900 h) and declined precipitously by proestrus (D4∶0900 h) and remained low up to D4∶1600 h. Immunofluorescence findings corroborated immunoblot findings and revealed that ESR36 was expressed only in the cell membrane of both follicular and non-follicular cells, except the oocytes. Ovarian ESR36 was capable of binding to the E-affinity matrix, and have different molecular weight than that of the ESR1 or GPER. Hypophysectomy (Hx) resulted in a marked decline in ESR36 protein levels. FSH and LH, alone or combined, markedly upregulated ESR36 protein in Hx hamsters to the levels observed in D1 hamsters, but neither E nor P had any effect. Inhibition of the gonadotropin surge by phenobarbital treatment on D4∶1100 h attenuated ESR36 expression in D1∶0900 h ovaries, but the decline was restored by either FSH or LH replacement on D4 afternoon. This is the first report to show that ESR36, which is distinct from ESR1 or GPER is expressed in the plasma membrane of ovarian follicular and non-follicular cells, binds to E and its expression is regulated directly by the gonadotropins. In light of our previous findings, the results suggest that ovarian cells contain at least two distinct membrane estrogen receptors, such as GPER and ESR36, and strongly suggest for a non-genomic action of E regulating ovarian follicular functions.
Behaviorally mediated trophic cascades : Effects of predation risk on food web interactions

Trophic cascades are regarded as important signals for top-down control of food web dynamics. Although there is clear evidence supporting the existence of trophic cascades, the mechanisms driving this important dynamic are less clear. Trophic cascades could arise through direct population-level effects, in which predators prey on herbivores, thereby decreasing the abundance of herbivores that impact plant trophic levels. Trophic cascades could also arise through indirect behavioral-level effects, in which herbivore prey shift their foraging behavior in response to predation risk. Such behavioral shifts can result in reduced feeding time and increased starvation risk, again lowering the impact of her- bivores on plants. We evaluated the relative importance of these two mechanisms, using field experiments in an old-field system composed of herbaceous plants, grasshopper her- bivores, and spider predators. We created two treatments, Risk spiders that had their che- licerae glued, and Predation spiders that remained unmanipulated. We then systematically evaluated the impacts of these predator manipulations at behavioral, population, and food web scales in experimental mesocosms. At the behavioral level, grasshoppers did not dis- tinguish between Risk spiders and Predation spiders. Grasshoppers exhibited significant shifts in feeding-time budget in the presence of spiders vs. when alone. At the grasshopper population level, Risk spider and Predation spider treatments caused the same level of grasshopper mortality, which was significantly higher than mortality in a control without spiders, indicating that the predation effects were compensatory to risk effects. At the food web level, Risk spider and Predation spider treatments decreased the impact grasshoppers had on grass biomass, supporting the existence of a trophic cascade. Moreover, Risk spider and Predation spider treatments produced statistically similar effects, again indicating that predation effects on trophic dynamics were compensatory to risk effects. We conclude that indirect effects resulting from antipredator behavior can produce trophic-level effects that are similar in form and strength to those generated by direct predation events.
Post‐structuralism, postmodernism: Implications for historians

(1989). Post‐structuralism, postmodernism: Implications for historians. Social History: Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 83-88.
Benchmarking of energy consumption of continuous galvanizing lines

A case study revealed that more than 13,500 MMBtu of energy is wasted annually when a single galvanizing line is off-production for hardware replacement for duration of a few hours every 2 weeks. This energy if utilized for production will yield about 13,000 tons of Galvanized Sheet Steel annually from a single galvanizing line. Thus for the 57 [1] hot dip galvanizing lines in US this figure results in a production loss of 741,000 tons/year. An attempt has been made to develop a spreadsheet that will take into account all the major energy consuming equipment in a typical hot dip continuous line. It maintains a track of the current production and energy consumption. It can simulate a scenario where either the number of shutdowns or the hours per shutdown will be reduced as a consequence of better material developed by the researchers. Different charts pertaining to energy consumed by different equipment group, total cost of energy spent on natural gas and electricity, MMBtu/Ton, Tons/Year and Production time before shutdowns assists the engineers decide the best operating stretch to suite their production rate and optimize energy consumption to some extent. Validation data gathered from the three well established galvanizing lines powers this spreadsheet to forecast annual increase in production and thus helps judge the performance of the new hardware.
Antigenic variation of gonococcal pilin expression in vivo: analysis of the strain FA1090 pilin repertoire and identification of the pilS gene copies recombining with pilE during experimental human infection.

Antigenic variation of gonococcal pilin involves a family of variable genes that undergo homologous recombination, resulting in transfer of variant sequences from the pilS silent gene copies into the complete pilE expression locus. Little is known about the specific recombination events that are involved in assembling new variant pilin genes in vivo. One approach to understanding pilin variation in vivo is to carry out experimental human infections with a gonococcal strain having a fully characterized repertoire of pilin genes, so that the specific recombination events occurring in vivo can be determined. To this end, the authors cloned, sequenced and mapped the pilin genes of strain FA1090 of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This strain contains one pilE locus and 19 silent gene copies that are arranged in five pilS loci; the pilE locus and four of the pilS loci are clustered in a 35 kb region of the chromosome. The general features of the pilin loci in FA1090 are similar to those in strain MS11, in which the mechanism of pilin variation has been extensively studied. However, none of the silent copy sequences are identical in the two strains, which emphasizes the extreme variability in this gene family among gonococci. Three male volunteers were inoculated with the same variant of strain FA1090 and developed urethritis within 2–4 d. The pilE gene sequences from a total of 23 colonies cultured from the subjects were analysed, determining which pilS silent copy donated each portion of the expressed pilE genes. There were 12 different pilin variants, one of which was the original inoculum variant, among the in vivo-expressed pilE gene sequences. The pilE of the inoculum variant was derived entirely from a single silent copy (pilS6c1). However, the pilE genes in the majority of the colonies cultured from the infected subjects were chimeras of sequence derived from two or three silent copies. Recombination to generate new pilE sequences involved exchange of single variable minicassettes, multiple minicassettes, entire silent gene copies, or (rarely) recombination within a minicassette.
Merle A. Sande: 1939–2007

One of the leading figures in our field and a former president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Merle A. Sande, passed away peacefully at his home in Seattle on 14 November 2007 surrounded by loved ones. He was 68. Merle was born and raised in Mt. Vernon, Washington. He earned his BS and MD degrees from Washington State University and the University of Washington, respectively. After residency in internal medicine, a fellowship in infectious dis-
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Diagnostic and Fat-Grading Accuracy of Low-Flip-Angle Multiecho Gradient-Recalled-Echo MR Imaging at 1.5 T

Purpose: To assess the accuracy of four fat quantification methods at low-flip-angle multiecho gradient-recalled-echo (GRE) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by using MR spectroscopy as the reference standard. Materials and Methods: In this institutional review board–approved, HIPAA-compliant prospective study, 110 subjects (29 with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD, 50 overweight and at risk for NAFLD, and 31 healthy volunteers) (mean age, 32.6 years ± 15.6 [standard deviation]; range, 8–66 years) gave informed consent and underwent MR spectroscopy and GRE MR imaging of the liver. Spectroscopy involved a long repetition time (to suppress T1 effects) and multiple echo times (to estimate T2 effects); the reference fat fraction (FF) was calculated from T2-corrected fat and water spectral peak areas. Imaging involved a low flip angle (to suppress T1 effects) and multiple echo times (to estimate T2* effects); imaging FF was calculated by using four analysis methods of progressiv...
Network-based metaanalysis identifies HNF4A and PTBP1 as longitudinally dynamic biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease

Environmental and genetic factors are likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease among the elderly. Network-based metaanalysis of four independent microarray studies identified the hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4A), a transcription factor associated with gluconeogenesis and diabetes, as a central regulatory hub gene up-regulated in blood of PD patients. In parallel, the polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1), involved in the stabilization and mRNA translation of insulin, was identified as the most down-regulated gene. Quantitative PCR assays revealed that HNF4A and PTBP1 mRNAs were up- and down-regulated, respectively, in blood of 51 PD patients and 45 controls nested in the Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers for Parkinson’s Disease. These results were confirmed in blood of 50 PD patients compared with 46 healthy controls nested in the Harvard Biomarker Study. Relative abundance of HNF4A mRNA correlated with the Hoehn and Yahr stage at baseline, suggesting its clinical utility to monitor disease severity. Using both markers, PD patients were classified with 90% sensitivity and 80% specificity. Longitudinal performance analysis demonstrated that relative abundance of HNF4A and PTBP1 mRNAs significantly decreased and increased, respectively, in PD patients during the 3-y follow-up period. The inverse regulation of HNF4A and PTBP1 provides a molecular rationale for the altered insulin signaling observed in PD patients. The longitudinally dynamic biomarkers identified in this study may be useful for monitoring disease-modifying therapies for PD.
Governing GMOs in the USA: science, law and public health

Controversy surrounds the production and consumption of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Proponents argue that GMO food sources represent the only viable solution to food shortages in an ever-growing global population. Science reports no harm from GMO use and consumption so far. Opponents fear the potentially negative impact that GMO development and use could have on the environment and consumers, and are concerned about the lack of data on the long-term effects of GMO use. We discuss the development of GMO food sources, the history of legislation and policy for the labeling requirements of GMO food products, and the health, environmental, and legal rationale for and against GMO food labeling. The Food and Drug Administration regulates food with GMOs within a coordinated framework of federal agencies. Despite mounting scientific evidence that GMO foods are substantially equivalent to traditionally bred food sources, debate remains over the appropriateness of GMO food labeling. In fact, food manufacturers have mounted a First Amendment challenge against Vermont's passage of a law that requires GMO labeling. Mandatory GMO labeling is not supported by science. Compulsory GMO labels may not only hinder the development of agricultural biotechnology, but may also exacerbate the misconception that GMOs endanger people's health.
Equity theory and social justice

In the eleventh century, St. Anselm of Canterbury argued that the will possesses two competing affinities: an affection for what is to a person’s own selfish advantage and an affection for justice. The first inclination may be stronger, but the second also matters. Equity theory, too, posits that in personal, social, and societal relationships, two concerns stand out: first, how much reward does a person reap from a given social relationship? Second, how fair and equitable is that relationship? According to equity theory, people feel most comfortable when their relationships are maximally profitable and they are giving and getting exactly what they deserve from their relationships – no more and certainly no less. In this review, we will begin by describing the classic equity paradigm and the supporting research. We will then review the history of equity research. In the 1960s and 1970s, scholars generally concentrated on testing Equity Theory’s applicability to romantic, social, and business relationships...
A Case for Instilling Security as a Core Programming Skill

Building secure software is an extremely important, but difficult task. Insecure software can result in vulnerabilities which allow individual systems or entire networks to be compromised. Historically, software security has been an afterthought as internal red teams or other external reporting means were utilized to uncover vulnerabilities. Currently, software development processes address security issues during the planning stages and include security testing. We take another step, realizing that one key to developing secure software is in the development of software engineers who understand security. Introducing software security during an introductory level course is advantageous as it will help instill software security awareness as part of the basic coding skill set of future software engineers. We present a three step system of instilling software security as a core programming skill using the buffer overflow problem as an sample security topic.
Health in working-aged Americans: adults with high school equivalency diploma are similar to dropouts, not high school graduates.

Objectives. We compared health outcomes for adults with the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) and regular high school diploma to determine whether GED recipients are equivalent to regular graduates despite research that documents their disadvantages in other outcomes.Methods. We used 1997 to 2009 National Health Interview Survey cross-sectional data on high school dropouts, graduates, and GED recipients aged 30 to 65 years (n = 76 705). Five general health indicators and 20 health conditions were analyzed using logistic models.Results. GED recipients had a significantly higher prevalence of every health outcome compared with high school graduates (odds ratios = 1.3–2.7). The GED–high school differences attenuated but remained evident after controlling for health insurance, economic status, and health behaviors. For most conditions, the 95% confidence interval for GED earners overlapped with that for high school dropouts.Conclusions. The high school equivalency diploma was associated with nonequivalent hea...
DEFLAGRATION TO DETONATION TRANSITION STUDY USING SIMULTANEOUS SCHLIEREN AND OH PLIF IMAGES

A series of single-shot detonation experiments was conducted to characterize the deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) process for ethylene-air mixtures in a 45 mm square tube that was 1.65 m in length. Pressure and flame emission measurements were made to obtain the compression wave and flame speeds, while OH PLIF and Schlieren imaging were applied to investigate the combustion phenomena during both deflagration and detonation. The effect of the presence of obstacles on flame acceleration was systematically investigated by changing the obstacle configuration. A parametric study of obstacle blockage ratio, spacing between obstacles, and length of the obstacle section demonstrated that the obstacle must accelerate the flame to a minimum flame speed of roughly half the Chapman-Jouguet (C-J) detonation velocity in order for the wave to transition to a detonation. Differences in the flame and compression wave velocities demonstrated the development of a coupling mechanism as the wave propagated along the tube. A series of simultaneous Schlieren and OH PLEF images showed that the obstacle plays a major role in generating large-scale turbulence to enhance flame acceleration. Localized explosions of pockets of unburned mixture further enhanced the shock wave strength to continuously increase the flame speed. The results of this study support the importance of obstacles as a means to enhance DDT and provide a potential solution for practical pulse detonation engine applications.
What's your idea?: a case study of a grassroots innovation pipeline within a large software company

Establishing a grassroots innovation pipeline has come to the fore as strategy for nurturing innovation within large organizations. A key element of such pipelines is the use of an idea management system that enables and encourages community ideation on defined business problems. The value of these systems can be highly sensitive to design choices, as different designs may influence participation. We report the results of a case study examining the use of one particular idea management system and pipeline. We analyzed the content, interaction, and participation from three creativity challenges organized via the pipeline and conducted interviews with users to uncover motivations for participating and perceptions of the outcomes. Additional interviews were conducted with senior managers to learn about the objectives, successes, and unique nature of the pipeline. From the results, we formulate recommendations for improving the design of idea management systems and execution of the pipelines within organizations.
Osmolarity, ionic flux, and changes in brain excitability

Abstract The majority of modern epilepsy research has focused on possible abnormalities in synaptic and intrinsic neuronal properties—as likely epileptogenic mechanisms as well as the targets for developing novel antiepileptic treatments. However, many other processes in the central nervous system contribute to neuronal excitability and synchronization. Regulation of ionic balance is one such set of critical processes, involving a complex array of molecules for moving ions into and out of brain cells—both neurons and glia. Alterations in extracellular-to-intracellular ion gradients can have both direct and indirect effects on neuronal discharge. We have found, for example, that when hippocampal slices are exposed to hypo-osmotic bathing medium, the cells not only swell, but there is also a significant increase in the amplitude of a delayed rectifier potassium current in inhibitory interneurons—an effect that may contribute to the increase in tissue excitability associated with hypo-osmolar treatments. In contrast, antagonists of the chloride co-transporter, furosemide or bumetanide, block epileptiform activity in both in vitro and in vivo preparations. This antiepileptic effect is presumably due to the drugs' ability to block chloride co-transport. Indeed, prolonged tissue exposure to low levels of extracellular chloride have a parallel action. These experiments indicate that manipulation of ionic balance may not only facilitate epileptiform activities, but may also provide insight into new therapeutic strategies to block seizures.
SONOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATION OF TRANSITIONAL CELL CARCINOMA OF THE URINARY BLADDER IN SMALL ANIMALS

This report compares results from imaging of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in 15 dogs using intravenous urography, double-contrast cystography, and ultrasonography. Intravenous urography demonstrated filling defects in the urinary bladder in 3 of the 5 cases examined with this modality. Double-contrast cystography identified bladder masses in 8 of 10 animals. Ultrasonography was the only imaging modality which detected bladder masses in all patients.
Collision resolution based on pulse shape diversity

A two-user wireless uplink scenario is considered, in which the users transmit simultaneously over the same channel. In the networking literature the result of such transmission is referred to as collision. It has been recently shown that small user delays and carrier frequency offsets (CFO) between the users allow for blind collision resolution based on the measurements of a single receive antenna. This is achieved by oversampling the collision signal, and exploiting the information on the collided packets that is contained in the signal's polyphase components. In this paper, user pulse-shape diversity is investigated for separating collided users even when delays and CFOs are small. In particular, an iterative pulse shape design is proposed that enforces several desirable characteristics to each user's pulse shape function. The proposed approach is tested on a software defined radio testbed and also via simulations. Both simulations and testbed evaluation suggest that the proposed approach can be very successful in resolving the users under realistic signal-to-noise ratio scenarios. Resolving collisions can significantly improve throughput in wireless networks.
Evolution of transcription regulatory genes is linked to niche specialization in the bacterial pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes.

Streptococcus pyogenes is a highly prevalent bacterial pathogen, most often giving rise to superficial infections at the throat or skin of its human host. Three genotype-defined subpopulations of strains exhibiting strong tropisms for either the throat or skin (specialists) or having no obvious tissue site preference (generalists) are recognized. Since the microenvironments at the throat and skin are distinct, the signal transduction pathways leading to the control of gene expression may also differ for throat versus skin strains of S. pyogenes. Two loci (mga and rofA/nra) encoding global regulators of virulence gene expression are positioned 300 kb apart on the genome; each contains alleles forming two major sequence clusters of ∼25 to 30% divergence that are under balancing selection. Strong linkage disequilibrium is observed between sequence clusters of the transcription regulatory loci and the subpopulations of throat and skin specialists, against a background of high recombination rates among housekeeping genes. A taxonomically distinct commensal species (Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilus) shares highly homologous rof alleles. The findings provide strong support for a mechanism underlying niche specialization that involves orthologous replacement of regulatory genes following interspecies horizontal transfer, although the directionality of gene exchange remains unknown.
Structure-based design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of irreversible human rhinovirus 3C protease inhibitors. 6. Structure-activity studies of orally bioavailable, 2-pyridone-containing peptidomimetics.

The structure-based design, chemical synthesis, and biological evaluation of various 2-pyridone-containing human rhinovirus (HRV) 3C protease (3CP) inhibitors are described. These compounds are comprised of a peptidomimetic binding determinant and a Michael acceptor moiety, which forms an irreversible covalent adduct with the active site cysteine residue of the 3C enzyme. The 2-pyridone-containing inhibitors typically display improved 3CP inhibition properties relative to related peptide-derived molecules along with more favorable antiviral properties. The cocrystal structure of one pyridone-derived 3CP inhibitor complexed with HRV-2 3CP is also described along with certain ab initio conformation analyses. Optimization of the 2-pyridone-containing compounds is shown to provide several highly active 3CP inhibitors (kobs/[I] > 500 000 M-1 s-1) that function as potent antirhinoviral agents (EC50 = <0.05 μM) against multiple virus serotypes in cell culture. One 2-pyridone-containing 3CP inhibitor is shown to ...
Technical and scale efficiencies of meat goat farms in the USA

ABSTRACTThis study determines i) scale and technical efficiencies, ii) marginal productive contributions for inputs and outputs and iii) efficiency drivers of meat goat farms in the USA. We estimate an input distance function (IDF) using a stochastic production frontier (SPF) technique. The average technical efficiency (TE) for the USA meat goat whole farm was 0.74. The operator education level, percentage of annual net farm income from the goat operation, regional differences and holding of an off farm job are the efficiency drivers of USA meat goat farms. We find increasing returns to scale (RTS) for USA meat goat farms. Our results suggest that USA meat goat farms can be scale efficient if their optimal size of operation is greater than approximately 64 goats or greater than 40 breeding does. Empirical Monte Carlo (MC) simulation techniques show the consistency of finite-sample properties for the input distance function.
Using expectations to drive cognitive behavior

Generating future states of the world is an essential component of high level cognitive tasks such as planning. We explore the notion that such future state generation is more widespread and forms an integral part of cognition. We call these generated states expectations, and propose that cognitive systems constantly generate expectations, match them to observed behavior and react when a difference exists between the two. We describe an ACT R model that performs expectation driven cognition on two tasks pedestrian tracking and behavior classification. The model generates expectations of pedestrian movements to track them. The model also uses differences in expectations to identify distinctive features that differentiate these tracks. During learning, the model learns the association between these features and the various behaviors. During testing, it classifies pedestrian tracks by recalling the behavior associated with the features of each track. We tested the model on both single and multiple behavior datasets and compared the results against a k NN classifier. The k NN classifier outperformed the model in correct classifications, but the model had fewer incorrect classifications in the multiple behavior case, and both systems had about equal incorrect classifications in the single behavior case.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia

This chapter describes non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). NHL is a complex and heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by clonal proliferation f lymphocytes at different stages of maturation. There are approx 30 types of NHL with varying clinical, pathological, and genetic features. Understanding some of its biological features has provided insights into the clinical behavior of NHL. CLL is a neoplasm of monomorphic small, round lymphocytes of B cell origin in 98% of the cases. It is the most frequent type of leukemia in the United States and Europe where the majority of patients are older than 50; it has a male:female ratio of 2:1. CLL remains an incurable, chronic disease with a variable survival depending on clinical stage at presentation.
How durable are behavioral changes? Results from FRESH START: A randomized controlled trial to improve diet and exercise behaviors in breast and prostate cancer survivors

9019 Background: A healthy diet and regular exercise may improve the health, well-being and ultimate survival of cancer survivors. Last year, results of the FRESH START trial (n=543) were presented at ASCO; significant improvements in diet and exercise behaviors of breast and prostate cancer survivors were observed with two 10-month mailed print interventions - one that was sequentially- tailored and another using non-tailored print materials in the public domain (attention control). While both arms achieved significant improvements, those receiving the tailored intervention reported significantly greater changes (all p-values <.05). The durability of these changes, however, is not known. Methods: At 2-year follow-up, and after a 12-month wash-out, telephone surveys that were conducted at baseline and post-intervention (Diet History Questionnaire and 7-Day Physical Activity Recall) were repeated. Results: Ordinary Least Square analysis suggest that changes from baseline largely remain significant at 2-yea...
Single-Shot Tomographic Imaging of Evolving, Light-Speed Refractive Index Structures

We demonstrate compact Frequency-Domain Tomographic (FDT) visualization of evolving, laser-generated, arbitrarily-shaped refractive index structures in glass. A movie of the evolving structure is produced in one shot.
Effects of Temperature on the Development, Natality, and Longevity of Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (L.) (Homoptera: Aphididae)

Development, natality, and survivorship rates of the aphid Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (L.) were measured at six constant temperatures with a photoperiod of 12:12 (L:D). The time required for development from first instar to adult ranged from 10.3 days at 18.3°C to 6.8 days at 30.6°C. No adults developed at 10 and 32.2°C. An additional instar was noted at 18.3°C. Longevity was highest at 10°C and lowest at 32.2°C. Natality rates ranged from 2.4 to 4.0 nymphs per aphid per day or 7.8–53.1 nymphs per female. Optimal tested temperatures for R. nymphaeae were 21.1 and 26.7°C.
196 INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR 1 PREVENTS ATHEROSCLEROSIS PROGRESSION IN AGED APOLIPOPROTEIN E-DEFICIENT MICE.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is an important endocrine and autocrine/paracrine factor that produces a wide range of biologic effects via activation of IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R). Recently, we reported that continuous IGF-1 infusion suppresses development of atherosclerotic plaques in relatively young (3 months old) apolipoprotein E-deficient mice (apoe null mice) fed a cholesterol-rich diet, presumably by decreasing inflammatory responses. To examine whether IGF-1 administration prevents preexisting atherosclerotic plaque progression, we infused 7-month-old apoe null mice with 1.5 mg/kg/d IGF-1 or saline for 8 weeks using osmotic minipumps and evaluated changes in atherosclerotic burden. In saline-infused control animals, atherosclerotic lesion size in the aortic sinus root was increased by 30% (baseline; 439 ± 59 × 1,000 μm2 vs saline infusion; 573 ± 41 × 1,000 μm2, n = 6, p
Low doses of ethanol have Ca2+ ionophore-like effects on apical membrane potential of in vitro Necturus antrum.

The effects of low doses of luminal ethanol on the amiloride-sensitive apical membrane potential of Necturus antral mucosa were studied using conventional microelectrode techniques. Luminal ethanol (0.250-4.0% vol/vol) caused a dose-dependent hyperpolarization of the apical membrane potential (Vmc), an increase in transepithelial resistance (Rt) and resistance ratio (Ra/Rb), and a decrease in transepithelial potential (Vms). Luminal amiloride (100 microM) to 4% ethanol-treated antra did not cause any additional hyperpolarization of Vmc. Compared with luminal 2% ethanol-Ringer, an equivalent osmotic mannitol solution depolarized Vmc and basolateral potential (Vcs), decreased Rt and Ra/Rb, and increased Vms. A single dose of 0.50% ethanol attenuated the effects of a second 2% ethanol exposure on Vmc. No change in periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive mucous granule content could be found between control and 2% ethanol-treated antra. The Ca2+ ionophores A23187 or ionomycin (0.25-5.0 microM) dose dependently hy...
P005 High titer of angiotensin II receptor I antibodies may cause persistent weak positive b cell reactivity in flow cytometry crossmatch in the absence of hla antibodies

Aim Patients exhibiting reactivity in flow cytometry crossmatch (FC XM) in the absence of DSA pose a dilemma to the laboratories when interpreting/reporting results. We report two cases where the patients consistently exhibit weak B cell positive reactivity in FC XM with different donor cells in the absence of DSA, other HLA antibodies (Ab) and MICA Ab. Interestingly, both patients have high titers of anti-angiotensin II receptor 1 (AT1R) Ab in their sera. Methods Patients and donors typing was performed by NGS for A, B, C, DRB1, DQA1, DQB1, DPA1 and DPB1 loci. DRB345 were typed using SSO. The presence of anti-HLA and anti-MICA Ab in the patient’s sera was assessed using Luminex Single Antigen Bead technology. The MFI cut off used was 1500. FC XM were performed using IgG antibodies against T and B-cells. The MESF cut off for positivity was 2000 MESF shift. AT1R Ab were detected using ELISA immunoassay according to OneLambda protocol. Results In both cases no anti-HLA or anti-MICA Ab were detected on the sera. However, they consistently showed weak B cell reactivity when FC XM were performed using different donor cells. High titers of anti-AT1R Ab were detected in the sera of both patients. Conclusions The initial contact point between a recipient’s immune system and a transplanted graft is the vascular endothelium. Numerous studies have found association between the presence of Ab to AT1R and Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in transplant recipients whose sera contained no Ab to donor HLA or MICA. Other studies found the presence of anti-AT1R Ab in the sera of pre-transplant patients as an independent risk factor for long-term graft loss in association with a higher risk of early AMR episodes. Here we present two patients waiting for transplants with no anti-HLA or anti-MICA Ab in their sera. High titers of anti-AT1R Ab were detected on both sera. These Ab were enough to cause reactivity in B cell FC XM. Interestingly, recent studies demonstrated that AT1R is expressed in immune cells, including B cells, although its expression is lower in B cells than in other immune cell types. Assessing the AT1R Ab status provides additional information that may be important determining the immunologic risk for recipients.
Nutrition in the Surgical ICU Patient

Nutrition is an imperative component in the care of the surgical ICU patient. The benefit of either enteral nutrition (EN) or parenteral nutrition (PN) is greater in those patients determined to be malnourished or at high nutrition risk. Given the non-nutritional benefits, early EN (within 24–48 h of surgical ICU admission) is the preferred route of feeding. An immunonutrition EN formulation, used for the initial 7–10 days, may confer additional benefit in trauma and postoperative patients. In malnourished or high nutrition risk patients, in whom EN is not feasible, PN should be started with 48 h of admission to the surgical ICU. In patients with severe sepsis or septic shock, PN and EN initiation should be delayed.
Network topology risk assessment of stealthy cyber attacks on advanced metering infrastructure networks

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) plays a crucial role in Demand Side Management (DSM) in Smart Grid systems. It provides real-time, two-way communication capabilities between a utility/load aggregator and consumers. The communication infrastructure, by virtue of topological weaknesses, is vulnerable to cyber attacks that are undetectable or stealthy. This work investigates the topological vulnerabilities of AMI networks that could result in potential theft of electricity through hacked smart meters. In particular, a provably correct risk assessment protocol is proposed to identify completely the individual nodes in mesh network based AMIs that are potential targets of such economically motivated stealthy cyber attacks. The protocol proposed utilizes knowledge of the network topology and data obtained from existing system monitoring technologies. A case study is provided to demonstrate the protocol and its effectiveness.
Molecular Imaging: A New Frontier in Neurotoxicology

Due to its complexity and protracted developmental time course, the nervous system is particularly sensitive to toxic insults. Even relatively minor insults that occur during development may result in severe adverse cognitive and behavioral effects that persist throughout life. New approaches in molecular imaging provide noninvasive biomarkers for visualizing neurotoxicity with high specificity and sensitivity in comparison to previous modalities. This chapter summarizes recent microPET findings using a variety of radiotracers on the developmental neurotoxicity induced by general anesthetics in both the rodent and nonhuman primate brain. MicroPET imaging is a very powerful too with which to repeatedly obtain from the same subjects non-invasive measurements of multiple biological processes in various organs.
The UX of IoT: unpacking the internet of things

When discussing the Internet of Things (IoT), product concepts usually involve overly complex systems with baroque-like setup and confusing behaviors. This workshop will step a bit back from the hype and create a richer, more nuanced way of talking about the IoT. The workshop will start with a structure to the UX of IoT, creating a UX taxonomy and then challenge participants to "think small". Special focus will be put on the Physical Web, a lightweight technology that lets any place or device wirelessly broadcast a URL, unlocking very simple and lightweight interactions. Participants will be provoked to think: how can we reduce an IoT concept to the bare minimum? Can we focus on user needs and not be carried away by the technology to create something lightweight and simple? Workshop participants are expected to come prepared with one or two IoT scenarios they would like to work on; then, through a series of exercises, refine one of these down into a much simpler, user-focused design.
Benchmarking of Technology Roadmapping Process in Energy Sector: A Literature Review

Technology roadmapping (TRM) has been recognized as an effective and flexible technology planning tool to assist company, industry, or nations to layout their strategic technology needs and align their vision and strategic objectives. Technology roadmap have been developed into various types and formats, by means of generic or customized processes, to suit specific organizational requirement in different industry settings such as energy sector. However, evaluating the effectiveness of roadmapping process remains a critical issue for roadmap updating and improvement. This paper proposes a benchmark approach based on a literature review to help develop a comparative model with required checklists.
INCREASED PULMONARY-SYSTEMIC PRESSURE RATIO IS ASSOCIATED WITH ADVERSE OUTCOMES IN CARDIOGENIC SHOCK

Pulmonary-Systemic pressure ratio (MPS), a marker of interventricular coupling and efficiency, has been associated with adverse events in patients with acute decompensated heart failure. We hypothesized that in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS), an increased MPS, defined as mean pulmonary artery
Appendices: Patient Educational Materials

Patients with chronic pain are very interested in education about pain. Receiving basic information significantly improves physical and emotional symptoms in patients with chronic pain. Effective education delivery systems include brief instruction by a healthcare provider, written handouts, and multimedia aides.
Behavioral-Ecological Consultation to Day Care Centers

Day care centers serve many functions beyond providing supervision, care, and opportunities for normal development. They are remedial learning environments for disadvantaged children, havens for the abused and neglected, and placements for children with behavioral, physical, and mental handicaps (Guralnick, 1978; Zigler & Valentine, 1979). Sometimes it is assumed that children with special problems will benefit if they can simply participate in play and preacademic activities and interact with teachers and children. Most of them, however, clearly demand individual programs and more than the usual amount of adult attention. Some may even require placement in centers that are specifically designed for children with severe disorders.
Technology Transfer and AIJ Projects

Technology transfer is a central concept of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC). Technology is transferred both within and across countries and is supported by a variety of actors including private firms, governments, industry, and non-government organizations (NGOs). Many cost effective energy (eg, energy efficiency and fuel substitution) and forestry (forestation or forest conservation) sector greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation technologies have been identified and are being applied within the activities implemented jointly (AIJ) pilot. AIJ technology transfer projects are distributed across five continents with the majority of projects in Eastern Europe and Latin America. Barriers, policies and incentives for technology transfer vary widely and examples of successes and failures are presented in this chapter. Experience with a limited number of AIJ projects suggests that technology transfer is being achieved in some regions. Successful projects should be replicated on a large-scale basis to reach all appropriate developing and transition countries Parties to the FCCC.
Comparison of different probe-level analysis techniques for oligonucleotide microarrays

Three different software packages for the probe-level analysis of high-density oligonucleotide microarray data were compared using an experiment-derived data set that was validated using real-time PCR. The efficiency with which these three programs could identify true positives in this data set was assessed. In addition, estimates of false-positive and false-negative rates were determined. The performance of the programs using very small data sets was also compared, and recommendations for use are suggested.