cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Immune Response to Microsporum canis Induced by a Fungal Cell Wall Vaccine

Abstract— An experimental infection model was used to assess induction of specific immunity against Microsporum canis in cats with an M. canis cell wall vaccine preparation. Kittens 8–9 weeks old (n= 12) received five doses of either vaccine or placebo at biweekly intervals. Specific immunity was monitored via plasma anti-dermatophyte antibody titers and lymphocyte blastogenesis (LB) to dermatophyte antigens. After vaccination, cats were challenged with viable M. canis spores, and lesion development was monitored. Vaccinated cats developed higher anti-dermatophyte IgG, but not IgM, titers than controls, beginning after the second dose of vaccine (P < 0.001). During the vaccination period, specific cellular immunity as measured by LB was absent in control cats, but developed to a limited degree in vaccinated cats (P < 0.05). After challenge with 105 fungal spores per cat, both control and vaccinated cats developed active infections. The vaccine appeared to induce an antibody titer quantitatively similar to that produced by infection, but less measured cellular immunity than was seen with infection and recovery. These results suggest that induction of high titers of serum IgG or IgM antibody against Microsporum canis is not protective against challenge exposure.
More than Bodies: Protecting the Health and Safety of LGBTQ Youth.

This article presents data from a six-month participatory action research project. Researchers included one doctoral student and eight high-school students in New York City, all of whom identified ...
Predictors of beer advertising awareness among eighth graders

Aims To identify correlates of beer advertising awareness among adolescents at an age when most initiate use of alcohol. Design We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of an in-school survey about alcohol advertising. Structural equation modeling was used to test for independent predictors of a latent beer advertising awareness construct, separately among boys and girls. Setting Twenty middle schools in South Dakota, USA participated during their spring semester. Participants A total of 1530 eighth graders. Measurements A latent advertisement awareness variable was derived based on recognition of six masked beer advertisements, knowledge of beer brands and knowledge of beer slogans. Tested predictors included measures of exposure to alcohol advertising in various venues, social norms regarding drinking, drinking beliefs and behavior and gender. Findings Adolescents with greater exposure to advertisements in magazines, at sporting and music events and on television were more advertisement aware than those with less exposure, as were teens who watch more TV, pay attention to beer advertisements and know adults who drink. Beer advertisement awareness was dramatically higher among boys, and was associated with drinking only among boys. Conclusions Each of a variety of advertising venues appears to influence independently the extent to which beer advertising is incorporated into an adolescent's cognitive world. Boys are more likely to be aware of and remember beer marketing, and may be more likely to drink as a result of this awareness than girls.
A Single Amino Acid Determines Lysophospholipid Specificity of the S1P1 (EDG1) and LPA1 (EDG2) Phospholipid Growth Factor Receptors

The phospholipid growth factors sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) are ligands for the related G protein-coupled receptors S1P1/EDG1 and LPA1/EDG2, respectively. We have developed a model of LPA1 that predicts interactions between three polar residues and LPA. One of these, glutamine 125, which is conserved in the LPA receptor subfamily (LPA1/EDG2, LPA2/EDG4, and LPA3/EDG7), hydrogen bonds with the LPA hydroxyl group. Our previous S1P1 study identified that the corresponding glutamate residue, conserved in all S1P receptors, ion pairs with the S1P ammonium. These two results predict that this residue might influence ligand recognition and specificity. Characterization of glutamate/glutamine interchange point mutants of S1P1 and LPA1 validated this prediction as the presence of glutamate was required for S1P recognition, whereas LPA recognition was possible with either glutamine or glutamate. The most likely explanation for this dual specificity behavior is a shift in the equilibrium between the acid and conjugate base forms of glutamic acid due to other amino acids surrounding that position in LPA1, producing a mixture of receptors including those having an anionic glutamate that recognize S1P and others with a neutral glutamic acid that recognize LPA. Thus, computational modeling of these receptors provided valid information necessary for understanding the molecular pharmacology of these receptors.
INTERACTION OF ENRICHED CO2 AND WATER STRESS ON THE PHYSIOLOGY OF AND BIOMASS PRODUCTION IN SWEET POTATO GROWN IN OPEN-TOP CHAMBERS

Abstract. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of water stress in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. [Lam] ‘Georgia Jet’) on biomass production and plant-water relationships in an enriched CO2 atmosphere. Plants were grown in pots containing sandy loam soil (Typic Paleudult) at two concentrations of elevated CO2 and two water regimes in open-top field chambers. During the first 12 d of water stress, leaf xylem potentials were higher in plants grown in a CO2 concentration of 438 and 666 μmol mol−1 than in plants grown at 364 μmol mol−1. The 364 μmol mol−1 CO2 grown plants had to be rewatered 2 d earlier than the high CO2-grown plants in response to water stress. For plants grown under water stress, the yield of storage roots and root: shoot ratio were greater at high CO2 than at 364 μmol mol−1; the increase, however, was not linear with increasing CO2 concentrations. In well-watered plants, biomass production and storage root yield increased at elevated CO2, and these were greater as compared to water-stressed plants grown at the same CO2 concentration.
HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observations (HIPPO): fine-grained, global-scale measurements of climatically important atmospheric gases and aerosols

The HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observations (HIPPO) programme has completed three of five planned aircraft transects spanning the Pacific from 85° N to 67° S, with vertical profiles every approximately 2.2° of latitude. Measurements include greenhouse gases, long-lived tracers, reactive species, O 2 /N 2 ratio, black carbon (BC), aerosols and CO 2 isotopes. Our goals are to address the problem of determining surface emissions, transport strength and patterns, and removal rates of atmospheric trace gases and aerosols at global scales and to provide strong tests of satellite data and global models. HIPPO data show dense pollution and BC at high altitudes over the Arctic, imprints of large N 2 O sources from tropical lands and convective storms, sources of pollution and biogenic CH 4 in the Arctic, and summertime uptake of CO 2 and sources for O 2 at high southern latitudes. Global chemical signatures of atmospheric transport are imaged, showing remarkably sharp horizontal gradients at air mass boundaries, weak vertical gradients and inverted profiles (maxima aloft) in both hemispheres. These features challenge satellite algorithms, global models and inversion analyses to derive surface fluxes. HIPPO data can play a crucial role in identifying and resolving questions of global sources, sinks and transport of atmospheric gases and aerosols.
Guided Growth for Deformity Correction

Abnormal or injured physes, with or without pathologic loading, may result in a wide variety of limb deformities that require orthopaedic reconstruction to correct angular problems and equalize limb lengths. For neglected cases, or upon reaching skeletal maturity, osteotomies may be required for correction. However, in the skeletally immature patient with angular deformity, reversible hemi-epiphysiodesis, or guided growth, may be used to correct the mechanical axis, gain length, and restore function. In addition, for unilateral deformities, epiphysiodesis of the contralateral extremity, be it temporary or “definitive,” may be useful to correct modest limb length discrepancy (ie, 2-5 cm). Epiphysiodesis via physeal ablation, be it by open (Phemister) or percutaneous drilling, has the disadvantages of inexact timing and permanence. Although Blount staples were used for decades to achieve reversible epiphysiodesis, problems with staple migration or breakage led to the development of the nonlocking plate/screw construct, in order reduce complications and provide more reliable outcomes. This article focuses upon the technique and rationale for guided growth, including illustrative case examples.
The Sad Story of Anthropology 1950-1999:

Within the social sciences, anthropology appears to have been more strongly affected by external political trends than its sister disciplines. The trends affecting anthropology appear to primarily reflect ideas and attitudes of the intellectual Left in American universities and colleges. As the intellectual Left moved from the antigovernment activism of the early 1960s to Marxism and expectations of the death of capitalism in the 1970s, and through the disenchantment with socialist communism and alienation from Western culture expressed by postmodernism in the 1980s and 1990s, the centrality of these attitudes in the anthropology professorate of the elite universities resulted in profound changes in the research organization of anthropology and its choice of methods. This article will attempt to outline these changes and their impact on the effectiveness of anthropology as science.
The Power of Personality in Discriminating Between Healthy Aging and Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease

This study examined differences in personality in the earliest stages of dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) relative to healthy aging, and the power of personality in discriminating healthy aging from early-stage DAT. Four groups of participants (middle-aged controls, older controls, persons with very mild DAT, and persons with mild DAT) and their families were administered Costa and McCrae's NEO Five-Factor Inventory. On the basis of both self-report and informant report, there was an increase in neuroticism and a decrease in conscientiousness in persons with very mild DAT relative to healthy individuals without it, and in persons with mild DAT relative to those with very mild DAT. Moreover, informant reports of neuroticism and conscientiousness capture substantial unique variance in discriminating healthy aging and very mild DAT, above and beyond standard neuropsychological tests. Discussion focuses on the importance of personality traits as a noncognitive indicator of early-stage DAT.
Establishing aquatic restoration priorities using a watershed approach

Since the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, the United States has made great strides to reduce the threats to its rivers, lakes, and wetlands from pollution. However, despite our obvious successes, nearly half of the nation's surface water resources remain incapable of supporting basic aquatic values or maintaining water quality adequate for recreational swimming. The Clean Water Act established a significant federal presence in water quality regulation by controlling point and non-point sources of pollution. Point-sources of pollution were the major emphasis of the Act, but Section 208 specifically addressed non-point sources of pollution and designated silviculture and livestock grazing as sources of non-point pollution. Non-point source pollutants include runoff from agriculture, municipalities, timber harvesting, mining, and livestock grazing. Non-point source pollution now accounts for more than half of the United States water quality impairments. To successfully improve water quality, restoration practitioners must start with an understanding of what ecosystem processes are operating in the watershed and how they have been affected by outside variables. A watershed-based analysis template developed in the Pacific Northwest can be a valuable aid in developing that level of understanding. The watershed analysis technique identifies four ecosystem scales useful to identify stream restoration priorities: region, basin, watershed, and site. The watershed analysis technique is based on a set of technically rigorous and defensible procedures designed to provide information on what processes are active at the watershed scale, how those processes are distributed in time and space. They help describe what the current upland and riparian conditions of the watershed are and how these conditions in turn influence aquatic habitat and other beneficial uses. The analysis is organized as a set of six steps that direct an interdisciplinary team of specialists to examine the biotic and abiotic processes influencing aquatic habitat and species abundance. This process helps develop an understanding of the watershed within the context of the larger ecosystem. The understanding gained can then be used to identify and prioritize aquatic restoration activities at the appropriate temporal and spatial scale. The watershed approach prevents relying solely on site-level information, a common problem with historic restoration efforts. When the watershed analysis process was used in the Whitefish Mountains of northwest Montana, natural resource professionals were able to determine the dominant habitat forming processes important for native fishes and use that information to prioritize, plan, and implement the appropriate restoration activities at the watershed scale. Despite considerable investments of time and resources needed to complete an analysis at the watershed scale, the results can prevent the misdiagnosis of aquatic problems and help ensure that the objectives of aquatic restoration will be met.
Robust, low-cost, non-intrusive sensing and recognition of seated postures

In this paper, we present a methodology for recognizing seated postures using data from pressure sensors installed on a chair. Information about seated postures could be used to help avoid adverse effects of sitting for long periods of time or to predict seated activities for a human-computer interface. Our system design displays accurate near-real-time classification performance on data from subjects on which the posture recognition system was not trained by using a set of carefully designed, subject-invariant signal features. By using a near-optimal sensor placement strategy, we keep the number of required sensors low thereby reducing cost and computational complexity. We evaluated the performance of our technology using a series of empirical methods including (1) cross-validation (classification accuracy of 87% for ten postures using data from 31 sensors), and (2) a physical deployment of our system (78% classification accuracy using data from 19 sensors).
Uncovering public misconceptions about epilepsy

Abstract In 1947, the Gallup Organization conducted its first survey of Americans' attitudes toward people with epilepsy. At 5-year intervals during the past 30 years this survey has been repeated, and a movement toward educated awareness of epilepsy has become apparent. According to a 1979 article by William F. Caveness and George H. Gallup, one factor that has contributed to the improvement in public opinion has been the development of medications that provide effective control of seizures. In addition, there has been a substantial decrease in social stigma associated with epilepsy. However, although the overall trends are positive, the results of the 1987 poll show that one in three Americans believe that epilepsy is associated with a negative bias toward those with the disorder and their families, and one in six continues to believe that epilepsy is a form of mental illness.
Redefining the way we look at diversity: a review of recent diversity and inclusion findings in organizational research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to summarize the findings of studies presented at the 24th annual conference of the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) in relation to how diversity is studied, microaggressions, when diversity is perceived, and employment outcomes for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) job applicants.Design/methodology/approach – A select group of presentations are summarized based on observation, notes, discussions, and reading of material.Findings – Researchers are beginning to redefine how diversity is studied as well as focus more on within‐group variation that might uncover considerable interpretation differences based on study results. More subtle forms of racism are being explored in addition to examining experiences of sexual orientation minorities.Originality/value – The diversity and inclusion presentations at the 2009 SIOP conference continue to evolve diversity theory and inform evidence‐based organizational practice. This report summa...
Microdischarge Device Fabricated In Silicon By Micromachining Technique with Pyramidal Cavity

This paper reports a novel silicon micromachined microdischarge device. The device is comprised of a bulk micromachined cathode substrate and a metal anode, separated by a dielectric layer. This device produces light emission from the cavity in a noble gas under a large DC bias. Stable operation has been observed over a wide range of operating pressures. Arrays as large as 10×10 have been observed.
System level design of adaptive arithmetic encoder/decoder for JPEG 2000 standard

System level design for adaptive arithmetic encoder and decoder used in the JPEG 2000 standard is proposed. The encoder design is based on the assumption that the bit-sequence and its corresponding context, obtained through bit modelling for the encoder, are input to the system in their proper order. The original bit-sequence provides the context based on the assumption that the first pass is the clean-up pass and the first context is the run-length context. All other contexts are recursively evaluated as an arithmetic encoder encodes the bit sequence. The final encoding is lossless which results in perfect recovery of the original block image when proper decoding algorithm is used. The decoder design is also based on the assumption that the compressed bit-sequence and its corresponding context, obtained through bit modelling for the decoder, are input to the system in their proper order. The output bit-sequence is also used as an input to the decoder bit modelling.
Patterns of Trace Metals Appearing in Shells of Crassostrea virginica

The process by which molluscs form their shells is complex and not well understood. The bulk of the mineral component of the shell is calcium carbonate, appearing either in calcite form or as aragonite, and sometimes vaterite. Various models have been proposed to explain how the mineral crystal is produced, including direct secretion and also formation in hematocytes. When other metals are present in the environment around the oyster, they can be incorporated into the mineral crystal structure as much as their concentration and the steric constraints of the crystal will allow. The nature of how these metals get incorporated is also not well understood. The purpose of this study was to determine if the relationship between the concentrations of trace metals in the shells of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica reveals anything about the process of biomineralization in molluscs. Oysters were harvested from marked locations and selected to be of similar age and development. Their shells were cleaned and dried, and the mass and dimensions of each shell was measured. The shells were crushed to a fine powder, and 25 g of shell was dissolved in a 5:1 mix of metal-free concentrated nitric acid and 30% hydrogen peroxide, to liberate the metal constituents of the shell. The metal concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. Metal concentrations were plotted against three separate health condition indices and against one another. Metal concentrations were also grouped by the oyster's geographic location and regression analyses were conducted to identify or eliminate site as a potential explanatory variable. There was no significant correlation between any metal concentration in the shell and the health of the oyster. Differences in metal concentration with geographic origin were very slight, with a single exception. Oysters taken from the Lynnhaven River had lower amounts of silicon and nickel than elsewhere, by a slight margin. Four groups of metals appear in proportional amounts. Silver and iron always appear in trace quantities but in a 1:6 ratio. Copper and boron also appear in trace quantities in a 1:4 proportion. A group including vanadium, thallium, manganese, strontium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium appear in proportion to one another, and together can account for as much as 3% of the metal mass of the oyster shell. A fourth group including antimony, nickel, and silicon also appears in constant proportions to one another, and also can account for 3% of the metal mass in the shell. The third and fourth groups of metals are totally exclusive of each other, such that if one group is present in the oyster, the other group is never detected. Proportional amounts of metals and exclusivity of groups of metals strongly suggests metabolic control of metal incorporation into oyster shells. It is also possible that more than one mechanism for shell formation exists.
Determination of selenium in food by L-Cysteine atomic fluorescence spectrometry

Objective:In this paper,we give a method for determination of selenium in food by hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry in the presence of L-Cysteine.Methods: Using 2% hydrochloric acid as carrier liquid,the samples were determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry after been digested by heating in acid.Results: The measurement range of this method was 10.0 μg/L~50.0 μg/L,the RSD 0.7%~1.9%,the recoveries were in the range of 93.0%~101.0% and the detection limits of this method were found to be 0.051 μg/L.Conclusion: In the presence of L-Cysteine,the hydride generation conditions were improved,the spectrometric signal was enhanced,and the acidity of solution was reduced.In addition,the interferences of the metal elements were significantly inhibited.The method can be used to determine seleium in food.
On defining cognition sociologically

Mental predicates, in all their variety, belong firmly within the social matrix of concept formation and usage. In earlier work, I was concerned to exploit this fact in the service of undermining the twin doctrines of mentalism and behaviourism;1 mental predicates are not properly analysed as either names for putatively private, inner phenomena nor as names for constellations of behavioural events. Of course, this in no way contradicts the mundane experiences of silent soliloquies, mental images or dreams (‘inner’ events) nor the critical relevance of observable conduct for understanding the meanings and functions of mental concepts. However, the view that ‘mind’ is either a private repository of the things or events putatively labelled by our mental vocabulary (‘mentalism’) and the twin view (developed as its antithesis) that ‘mind’ is a (fictional) construction out of behavioural events per se (or dispositions to behave per se) — behaviourism (especially of the ‘methodological’ or ‘logical’ variety) — are together misleading and at best partial approximations to the appreciation of the nature of the mental and its proper conceptualisation.
β-Alkyloxazolochlorins: Revisiting the Ozonation of Octaalkylporphyrins, and Beyond

The reaction of β-octaalkylporphyrins (octaethylporphyrin and etioporphyrin I) with ozone generated the corresponding heptaalkyloxazolochlorinhemiacetals in which a pyrrolic subunit of the porphyrins was replaced by an oxazoline moiety. Thus, a pyrrolic β-carbon with its alkyl substituent was excised and replaced by an oxygen atom, and the neighboring β-carbon was hydroxylated. This work clarifies the nature of the products first described by Fischer and Deželic, in 1933, and verifies the work by Shulg'a and coworkers, from 1977. Furthermore, the chemistry of the oxazolochlorin hemiacetals was studied: They could be dehydroxylated or converted to alkyl acetals and gem-dialkyl derivatives, all possessing chlorin-type optical spectra. Their oxidative conversions generated a unique tetrahydrofuran-linked oxazolochlorin dimer and a hexaethylporpholactone. The work expands on the knowledge of converting porphyrins to porphyrinoids of potential utility containing nonpyrrolic building heterocycles.
THE ROLE OF PHASE TRANSFORMATION KINETICS IN PHASE DIAGRAM DETERMINATION AND ASSESSMENT

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the importance of understanding the basic phase transformation kinetics in determination and assessment of phase diagrams. The cooling process always shifts the phase transformation temperature away from the equilibrium phase boundary toward lower temperatures, and the opposite is true for the heating process. The chapter, using examples, shows that the shift can be very pronounced for solid–solid phase equilibrium transitions at low temperatures, and the heating data are no better than the cooling data if equilibrium is not reached at low temperatures before heating. The chapter discusses the difficulty associated with slow decomposition of some high-temperature phases, especially intermetallic compounds and presents some examples. The slow decomposition kinetics is often manifested as a widening of the composition region of a stoichiometric phase or line compound in a phase diagram. The chapter emphasizes that caution must be taken in the determination of phase diagrams at relatively low temperatures.
GLRT based cooperative spectrum sensing with location information

In this paper, we address the problem of cooperatively detecting a primary user with unknown transmit power among multiple cognitive radio (CR) users with their location information available at the CR base station. A generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) is developed at the CR base station to first estimate the transmit power of the primary user and then detect the primary user signal. The maximum likelihood (ML) estimate of the unknown transmit power is discussed in details in order to provide guidelines for the design of the cooperative detector. Performance verification of the ML estimate of the unknown transmit power is provided. Meanwhile, asymptotic performance analysis for the proposed GLRT is also presented. Simulation results show that the proposed detector exhibits better performance than conventional techniques in terms of detection probability with limited observations.
Social Physics: How Good Ideas Spread-The Lessons from a New Science, by Alex Pentland

In Social Physics: How Good Ideas Spread-The Lessons from a New Science, Alex Pentland introduces the readers to a new field of science: social physics. This new field is defined by the author as “...
The Role of Impulsivity Dimensions in the Relation Between Probable Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Aggressive Behavior Among Substance Users.

ABSTRACTObjective: Individuals with co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder report heightened levels of numerous risky and health-compromising behaviors, including aggressive behaviors. Given evidence that aggressive behavior is associated with negative substance use disorder treatment outcomes, research is needed to identify the factors that may account for the association between PTSD and aggressive behavior among patients with substance use disorder. Thus, the goal of this study was to examine the role of impulsivity dimensions (i.e., negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking) in the relations between probable PTSD status and both verbal and physical aggression. Methods: Participants were 92 patients in residential substance use disorder treatment (75% male; 59% African American; M age = 40.25) who completed self-report questionnaires. Results: Patients with co-occurring PTSD–substance use disorder (vs. substance use disord...
Anisotropic microfibrous scaffolds enhance the organization and function of cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells

Engineering of myocardial tissue constructs is a promising approach for treatment of coronary heart disease. To engineer myocardial tissues that better mimic the highly ordered physiological arrangement and function of native cardiomyocytes, we generated electrospun microfibrous polycaprolactone scaffolds with either randomly oriented (14 μm fiber diameter) or parallel-aligned (7 μm fiber diameter) microfiber arrangement and co-seeded the scaffolds with human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iCMs) and endothelial cells (iECs) for up to 12 days after iCM seeding. Here we demonstrated that aligned microfibrous scaffolds induced iCM alignment along the direction of the aligned microfibers after 2 days of iCM seeding, as well as promoted greater iCM maturation by increasing the sarcomeric length and gene expression of myosin heavy chain adult isoform (MYH7), in comparison to randomly oriented scaffolds. Furthermore, the benefit of scaffold anisotropy was evident in the significantly higher maximum contraction velocity of iCMs on the aligned scaffolds, compared to randomly oriented scaffolds, at 12 days of culture. Co-seeding of iCMs with iECs led to reduced contractility, compared to when iCMs were seeded alone. These findings demonstrate a dominant role of scaffold anisotropy in engineering cardiovascular tissues that maintain iCM organization and contractile function.
Abstract TP94: Effect of Flow Diversion on Large and Giant Aneurysms: an MRI-DSA Correlation Follow-up Study

Background: There is sparse literature on the effect of flow diversion (FD) on large or giant intracranial aneurysms. We assessed the effects of FD with Pipeline stent on aneurysm sac size using MR...
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy abnormalities in traumatic brain injury: A meta-analysis.

Abstract Background and purpose Despite traumatic brain injury (TBI) being common, evaluation with imaging remains challenging. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) shows promise in detecting changes of brain metabolite concentrations following TBI; however, currently there are only small studies available without conclusive evidence of the technique's efficacy. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between TBI and MRS metabolite changes. Materials & methods A comprehensive literature search was performed looking for studies reporting brain metabolite concentrations in both TBI and control subjects. Included studies reported values for both adult TBI and control subjects. Cumulative and subgroup meta-analyses were performed using a random effects model. Results The literature search returned an initial 898 manuscripts, of which 36 (which included 748 unique subjects) met study criteria. Cumulatively, NAA/Cr ratios in TBI patients showed a significant decrease as compared to controls (standardized mean deviation [SMD] = −0.88, P Conclusion Current evidence shows that MRS is able to detect changes to metabolites following TBI, but not in patients with mTBI or in the acute stage.
Biophysical Modeling of In Vivo Glioma Response After Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy in a Murine Model of Brain Cancer

Purpose Individualized biophysical models of response to radiotherapy that can accurately characterize tumor response would dramatically assist in the design and optimization of individual radiotherapy plans potentially prolonging patient survival and reducing damage to normal tissue. Towards this goal, we have developed and investigated a set of biophysical models based upon a mechanically coupled reaction-diffusion model of the spatiotemporal evolution of tumor growth post-radiotherapy. Methods Post-radiotherapy response is modeled using a cell death model (Md), a reduced proliferation rate model (Mp), and cell death and reduced proliferation model (Mdp). To evaluate each model, rats (n = 12) with C6 gliomas were imaged with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) and contrast enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) at seven time points over two weeks. Rats received either 20 or 40 Gy between the third and fourth imaging time point. DW-MRI was used to estimate tumor cell number within enhancing regions in CE-MRI data. Each model was fit to the spatiotemporal evolution of tumor cell number from time point 1 to time point 5 to estimate model parameters. The estimated model parameters were then used to predict tumor growth at the final two imaging time points. The model prediction was evaluated by calculating the error in tumor volume estimates, average surface distance, and voxel-based cell number. Results For both the rats treated with either 20 or 40 Gy, significantly lower error in tumor volume, average surface distance, and voxel-based cell number was observed for the Mdp and Mp models compared to the Md model. The Mdp model fit, however, had significantly lower sum squared error compared to the Mp and Md models. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that for both doses, the Mp and Mdp models result in accurate predictions of tumor growth, whereas the Md model poorly describes response to radiotherapy.
An insidious and deadly complication of mechanical chest compressions in a patient on anticoagulation and the subtle echocardiographic findings that enabled timely diagnosis

Good-quality chest compressions improve outcomes in cardiac arrest. While manual chest compressions are suboptimal in this regard, the LUCAS device has been shown to improve the effectiveness of chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The complication rate associated with mechanical CPR, however, has not been adequately studied. Limited evidence suggests no difference in internal injury between manual and mechanical CPR. We report the case of a patient on anticoagulation who developed a mediastinal hematoma post mechanical CPR and on whom subtle findings on initial echocardiography could have alerted the clinician to this complication early during the clinical course. This case further suggests that there may be special populations of patients in whom we may need to be more vigilant in the use of mechanical CPR.
Pathway of the microtubule-kinesin ATPase.

We have established pathway of the kinesin ATPase by direct measurement of each step in the pathway. Kinesin binds to microtubules with an 8-nm repeat and a stoichiometry of one kinesin monomer unit per tubulin dimer. Thus, the dimeric kinesin binds with both heads attached to the microtubule and on adjacent tubulin subunits. In the steady state, kinesin has a low ATPase activity that is limited by the rate of ADP release (< 0.01 s-1) in the absence of microtubules and is activated 2000-fold by the addition of microtubules to achieve a maximum rate of approximately 20 s-1. Transient-state kinetic analysis has provided direct measurement of individual steps of the reaction to define the pathway of the microtubule-kinesin ATPase. These studies establish that the rate-limiting step in the ATPase pathway is the release of the kinesin-product complex (K.ADP.P) from the microtubule following ATP hydrolysis. After phosphate release, the rebinding of kinesin-ADP to the microtubule is fast, accounting for the high activation of the ATPase at low microtubule concentration. This ATPase cycle explains the phenomenological differences between myosin and kinesin observed in motility assays. Kinesin remains associated with a microtubule through multiple rounds of hydrolysis, because it spends only a small fraction of its duty cycle in the dissociated state. The discussion of this paper will focus on the new data, their interpretation, and significance for mechanisms of force production. The ATPase coupling mechanism will be compared with dynein and myosin.
Pediatric applications of helical (spiral) CT

By acquiring a volumetric data set helical CT has advanced many established applications of conventional CT. The most important advantages of helical CT over conventional CT are (1) the shorter examination time, which decreases image degradation from motion artifact, even in infants and young children; (2) the capability for retrospective image reconstruction, which decreases image degradation from volume averaging; and (3) improved multiplanar reconstructions. By reducing motion artifacts and partial volume averaging associated with conventional CT scanning, helical CT reduces the number of repeat CT sections and ultimately the radiation exposure. Helical CT also provides the potential for new applications of CT, such as dynamic studies of pulmonary physiology. Continued clinical experience will advance the pediatric applications of helical CT in the evaluation of thoracic, abdominal, and musculoskeletal pathology. Because of its advantages over conventional CT, helical CT has the potential to become the preferred method of CT imaging in children.
Die wesentlichen Sätze der Mechanik starrer Körper

Eine Kraft ist eindeutig bestimmt, wenn ein Punkt ihrer Wirkungslinie sowie die Grose und Richtung ihrer auf ein gegebenes Koordinatensystem bezogenen Komponenten gegeben ist. Hierbei wird die Richtung durch das Vorzeichen in der Weise gekennzeichnet, das die Kraftkomponenten, die in den positiven Richtungen der Koordinatenachsen wirken, das positive Vorzeichen, die Komponenten, die in den negativen Richtungen der Achsen wirken, das negative Vorzeichen erhalten. Zerlegt man eine Kraft nicht in ihre Komponenten, so braucht man zu ihrer Bestimmung wieder einen Punkt ihrer Wirkungslinie, die Neigung ihrer Wirkungslinie sowie ihre Richtung (die in einer und derselben Wirkungslinie um 180° verschieden sein kann), also ebenfalls drei Bestimmungsgrosen.
THE SINGULARLY PERTURBED INITIAL-VALUE PROBLEM WHEN THE REDUCED PATH ENCOUNTERS A POINT OF BIFURCATION

The singularly perturbed initial-value problem x = f(x, y), ɛ y = g(x, y), x(0) = α, y(0) = (β is considered in the neighborhood of the point (x, y) = (0, 0) through which pass two solutions, y = o(x), x = ψ(y), of the reduced problem g(x, y) = 0. Under the assumptions that Φ (0) ≠ 0, ψ′ (0) = 0, and ψ′ (0) > 0, the path consisting of the curve y = o(x) when x ≤ 0 and x = ψ(y) when x ≥ 0 is the asymptotically stable family of solutions of the boundary layer equation under simple and natural assumptions concerning the function g. Under these assumptions, the solution of the full orbital problelm approximates the orbit of the reduced problem to (ɛ1/4 |log ɛ |1/4) in an (ɛ1/2 |log ɛ |1/2) neighborhood of the origin. This can be shown to be best possible. If o′ (0) > 0, the lower branch of x = ψ (y) is approximated; if o′ (0) < 0, the upper branch is approximated. o′ (0) ≠ 0 is shown to be essential.
MEASUREMENTS OF THE ASYMMETRIES IN THE DIFFERENTIAL CROSS SECTIONS FOR anti pp $Yields$ anti pp AND anti pp $Yields$ $pi$$sup -$$pi$$sup +$ USING POLARIZED PROTONS.

We report measured asymmetries as a function of polar scattering angle for the reactions $\overline{p}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ and $\overline{p}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\overline{p}p$, using a polarized proton target. The annihilation data, obtained at a $\overline{p}$ momentum of 1.64 GeV/c, are the first asymmetry data to be collected for this channel. A fit of these data and published differential cross section data is made by a partial-wave expansion, and the results are compared with a previous analysis. The elastic scattering data, obtained at 1.64 and 2.55 GeV/c, are fitted with an eight-parameter strong-absorption model.
Modern Neonatal Transport: Sound and Vibration Levels and Their Impact on Physiological Stability.

Objective To measure sound and vibration in rotary wing air transport (RWAT) and ground ambulance transport (GAT), comparing them to current recommendations, and correlating them with physiological stability measures in transported neonates. Study Design This is a prospective cohort observational study including infants ≤ 7 days of age transported over an 8-month period. Infants with neurologic conditions were excluded. Sound and vibration was continuously measured during transport. Transport Risk Index of Physiologic Stability (TRIPS) scores were calculated from vital signs as a proxy for physiological stability. Results In total, 118 newborns were enrolled, of whom 109 were analyzed: 67 in RWAT and 42 in GAT. Peak sound levels ranged from 80.4 to 86.4 dBA in RWAT and from 70.3 to 71.6 dBA in GAT. Whole-body vibration ranged from 1.68 to 5.09 m/s2 in RWAT and from 1.82 to 3.96 m/s2 in GAT. Interval TRIPS scores for each infant were not significantly different despite excessive sound and vibration. Conclusion Noise levels during neonatal transport exceed published recommendations for both RWAT and GAT and are higher in RWAT. Transported infants are exposed to vibration levels exceeding acceptable adult standards. Despite excessive noise and vibration, levels of physiological stability remained stable after transport in both RWAT and GAT groups.
Residual Heterozygosity and Epistatic Interactions Underlie the Complex Genetic Architecture of Yield in Diploid Potato

Deconvolution of the genetic architecture underlying yield is critical for understanding bases of genetic gain in species of agronomic importance. To dissect the genetic components of yield in potato, we adopted a reference-based recombination map composed of four segregating alleles from an interspecific pseudotestcross F1 potato population (n = 90). Approximately 1.5 million short nucleotide variants were utilized during map construction, resulting in unprecedented resolution for an F1 population, estimated by a median bin length of 146 kb and 11 genes per bin. Regression models uncovered 14 quantitative trait loci (QTL) underpinning yield, average tuber weight, and tubers produced per plant in a population exhibiting a striking 332% average midparent-value heterosis. Nearly 80% of yield-associated QTL were epistatic, and contained between 0 and 44 annotated genes. We found that approximately one-half of epistatic QTL overlap regions of residual heterozygosity identified in the inbred parental parent (M6). Genomic regions recalcitrant to inbreeding were associated with an increased density of genes, many of which demonstrated signatures of selection and floral tissue specificity. Dissection of the genome-wide additive and dominance values for yield and yield components indicated a widespread prevalence of dominance contributions in this population, enriched at QTL and regions of residual heterozygosity. Finally, the effects of short nucleotide variants and patterns of gene expression were determined for all genes underlying yield-associated QTL, exposing several promising candidate genes for future investigation.
Biochemical basis for dose response relationships in reactive metabolite toxicity.

The majority of pharmacological and toxicological effects of drugs and other xenobiotics are believed to result from a reversible combination of the compounds with tissue receptors; the extent and duration of the effects being proportional to the concentration-time profile of the compound in the target tissue. If, as is often the case, there is a rapid equilibrium between compound in tissues and in plasma, determination of the plasma concentrations of the compound can be used as an indirect measure of the compound in the target tissue. The pharmacokinetic equations developed to relate plasma concentrations to total body load and elimination in this situation and thus to predict the severity and duration of the biological effects are well known.
The measurement of weld morphology and inclusions using ultrasonics

Abstract The morphology of welding pool (fusion zone and heat affected zone) includes a variety of microstructural constitutions (the formation of new boundaries, pores, and textures) that can affect the integrity of welded joint. Currently, microscopic observations are the common method to characterize the welding pool, which is a destructive post-welding procedure, and requires a complex preparation process. In this paper, linear and non-linear ultrasonic methods are investigated to measure the weld morphology and the presence of porosity nondestructively in welds manufactured with gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). The weld morphology and the presence of porosity are quantified using microscopic investigations. The measurements show that the ultrasonic energy obtained by linear ultrasonics and the acoustic nonlinearity parameter obtained by nonlinear ultrasonics have good correlation with the weld morphology. The relationship between the ultrasonic energy and the weld morphology is validated further with numerical models. The linear UT at 1 MHz is not sensitive to the presence of porosity as the resolution is limited by ultrasonic wavelength. However, nonlinear ultrasonics has better sensitivity to the inclusions due to sub-wavelength resolution.
How to Reply to Some Ethical Objections to Entomophagy

Some people have moral objections to insect consumption. After explaining the philosophical motivations for such objections, I discuss three of them, suggesting potential replies. The first is that insect consumption ignores the precautionary principle, which we can gloss here as “Don't know, don't farm.” In other words, although there might be evidence that insects are not conscious, we do not know that they are not; so, we should not take the moral risk associated with killing them en masse. The second concern is driven by a different way of assessing moral risk—namely, by calculating expected utility. The short version: even if it is incredibly unlikely that insects are conscious, farming them involves harming so many of them that it is better simply to grow plants instead. The third concern is about whether insects live “net negative lives,” with more pain than pleasure. The thought is that if they do, then their lives are not worth living overall, in which case it is wrong to bring them into existence. I conclude by considering the prospects for strategic alliances between animal advocates and those who promote insect consumption, in the even that they are unable to resolve their moral disagreements.
Performance of High-Voltage Silicon JFETs after Neutron Irradiation

A High-Voltage vertical JFET was conceived at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in the framework of the High-Voltage Multiplexing program for the ATLAS upgrade of the Inner Tracker (ITk), which was seeking for a rad-hard switch for the silicon strip modules. BNL’s HV-JFET are silicon devices based on a vertical structure. They have been entirely fabricated at BNL using the planar process routinely adopted for the fabrication of silicon sensors. Before irradiation, they show low leakage currents and high breakdown voltages in the OFF state and high currents in the ON state. These specs are good enough for the switch to be used for un-irradiated strip modules. Then, a neutron irradiation has been performed at the TRIGA nuclear reactor at Jozef Stefan Institute (Ljubljana, Slovenia) to assess the capability of this device to be usable after the ITk radiation levels. The irradiated devices have been characterized as well and the measurements are presented in this report.
Forward Buying and Strategic Stockouts

Abstract Price promotions are temporary price cuts that suppliers offer to buyers. When promotions are sufficiently attractive, buyers choose to backlog some portion of demand in anticipation of a possible forward buy at the discounted price. While it has been shown that a backlog of orders as a normal business practice can be successful in certain situations, the potential benefits of such strategic stockouts in the context of price promotions are not fully understood. This paper explores these benefits while offering theoretical and managerial insights into the link between forward buying and strategic stockouts along with a practically appealing control policy.