cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE RELATION OF THE EYE TO IMMUNITY IN EXPERIMENTAL SYPHILIS : II. THE DEVELOPMENT OF IMMUNITY AFTER PRIMARY INTRACORNEAL INOCULATION.

Two experiments are reported in which an attempt was made to determine the extent to which a primary syphilitic infection of the cornea in rabbits is followed by the development of a local corneal immunity, by the generalization of the virus, and by the development of a general immunity to the infection. Female rabbits were inoculated intracorneally with a virulent strain of T. pallidum and the disease was allowed to run its course until the lesions which had developed at the site of inoculation had healed spontaneously. Popliteal lymph nodes were transferred from about one-half of these animals (in the second experiment only) to normal male rabbits and in almost every instance the nodes were proved by this method to contain virulent treponemes, showing that generalization of the syphilitic infection is the rule after intracorneal inoculation. All animals were treated with arsphenamine after the local lesion had subsided (160 and 275 days after the original inoculation). The rabbits were then reinoculated with the homologous strain of treponemes, injections being made into the cornea originally inoculated and also into the skin of the back. In one experiment both corneas were reinoculated. The incidence of lesions developing in either cornea after reinoculation was higher than the incidence of lesions developing in the skin. The lesions developing in the corneas of the "immune" animals had a longer incubation period and were of shorter duration on the average than the lesions in the control group. As far as intensity of reaction was concerned no difference was observed. Inoculation of the cornea of rabbits with syphilitic virus is often followed by the development of immunity to the homologous strain of organisms. This immunity is imparted to the skin to a greater extent than to either the cornea inoculated originally or to the opposite uninoculated cornea. It persists after treatment with arsphenamine. It appears to be more marked the longer treatment is postponed. It is apparent from Table IV that in one-half of all the test animals both cornea and skin were immune to a second inoculation of homologous syphilitic virus. In addition to these there were 5 animals in which the cornea was immune and the skin nearly so, for the lesions which developed in the skin of these animals were minimal in extent and duration and were in no way comparable to those which were observed in the controls. Thus in two-thirds of our animals there developed in both the skin and the cornea, after a primary intracorneal inoculation, a high degree of resistance toward a second inoculation with homologous syphilitic virus, but syphilitic disease of the cornea does not always impart to the cornea itself an absolute immunity to reinoculated homologous virus.
A study of Bénard convection with and without rotation

An experimental study of the response of a thin uniformly heated rotating layer of fluid is presented. It is shown that the stability of the fluid depends strongly upon the three parameters that described its state, namely the Rayleigh number, the Taylor number and the Prandtl number. For the two Prandtl numbers considered, 6·8 and 0·025 corresponding to water and mercury, linear theory is insufficient to fully describe their stability properties. For water, subcritical instability will occur for all Taylor numbers greater than 5 × 104, whereas mercury exhibits a subcritical instability only for finite Taylor numbers less than 105. At all other Taylor numbers there is good agreement between linear theory and experiment.The heat flux in these two fluids has been measured over a wide range of Rayleigh and Taylor numbers. Generally, much higher Nusselt numbers are found with water than with mercury. In water, at any Rayleigh number greater than 104, it is found that the Nusselt number will increase by about 10% as the Taylor number is increased from zero to a certain value, which depends on the Rayleigh number. It is suggested that this increase in the heat flux results from a perturbation of the velocity boundary layer with an ‘Ekman-layer-like’ profile in such a way that the scale of boundary layer is reduced. In mercury, on the other hand, the heat flux decreases monotonically with increasing Taylor number. Over a range of Rayleigh numbers (at large Taylor numbers) oscillatory convection is preferred although it is inefficient at transporting heat. Above a certain Rayleigh number, less than the critical value for steady convection according to linear theory, the heat flux increases more rapidly and the convection becomes increasingly irregular as is shown by the temperature fluctuations at a point in the fluid.Photographs of the convective flow in a silicone oil (Prandtl number = 100) at various rotation rates are shown. From these a rough estimate is obtained of the dominant horizontal convective scale as a function of the Rayleigh and Taylor numbers.
A comparison of folding techniques in the chemical synthesis of the epidermal growth factor-like domain in neu differentiation factor alpha/beta.

The 52-residue alpha/beta chimera of the epidermal growth factor-like domain in neu differentiation factor (NDFealpha/beta) has been synthesized and folded to form a three disulfide bridge (Cys182-Cys196, Cys190-Cys210, Cys212-Cys221) containing peptide. We investigated two general strategies for the formation of the intramolecular disulfide bridges including, the single-step approach, which used fully deprotected and reduced peptide, and a sequential approach that relied on orthogonal cysteine protection in which specific pairs are excluded from the first oxidation step. Because there are 15 possible disulfide bridge arrangements in a peptide with six cysteines, the one-step approach may not always provide the desired disulfide pairing. Here, we compare the single-step approach with a systematic evaluation of the sequential approach. We employed the acetamidomethyl group to protect each pair of cysteines involved in disulfide bridges, i.e. Cys182 to Cys196, Cys190 to Cys210 and Cys212 to Cys221. This reduced the number of possible disulfide patterns from 15 to three in the first folding step. We compared the efficiencies of folding for each protected pair using RP-HPLC, mapped the disulfide connectivity of the predominant product and then formed the final disulfide from the partially folded intermediate via 12 oxidation. Only the peptide having the Cys182-Cys196 pair blocked with acetamidomethyl forms the desired disulfide isomer (Cys190-Cys210/Cys212-Cys221) as a single homogeneous product. By optimizing both approaches, as well as other steps in the synthesis, we can now rapidly provide large-scale syntheses of NDFealpha/beta and other novel EGF-like peptides.
Native contacts determine protein folding mechanisms in atomistic simulations

The recent availability of long equilibrium simulations of protein folding in atomistic detail for more than 10 proteins allows us to identify the key interactions driving folding. We find that the collective fraction of native amino acid contacts, Q, captures remarkably well the transition states for all the proteins with a folding free energy barrier. Going beyond this global picture, we devise two different measures to quantify the importance of individual interresidue contacts in the folding mechanism: (i) the log-ratio of lifetimes of contacts during folding transition paths and in the unfolded state and (ii) a Bayesian measure of how predictive the formation of each contact is for being on a transition path. Both of these measures indicate that native, or near-native, contacts are important for determining mechanism, as might be expected. More remarkably, however, we found that for almost all the proteins, with the designed protein α3D being a notable exception, nonnative contacts play no significant part in determining folding mechanisms.
Indirect and suboptimal control of gene expression is widespread in bacteria

Gene regulation in bacteria is usually described as an adaptive response to an environmental change so that genes are expressed when they are required. We instead propose that most genes are under indirect control: their expression responds to signal(s) that are not directly related to the genes' function. Indirect control should perform poorly in artificial conditions, and we show that gene regulation is often maladaptive in the laboratory. In Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, 24% of genes are detrimental to fitness in some conditions, and detrimental genes tend to be highly expressed instead of being repressed when not needed. In diverse bacteria, there is little correlation between when genes are important for optimal growth or fitness and when those genes are upregulated. Two common types of indirect control are constitutive expression and regulation by growth rate; these occur for genes with diverse functions and often seem to be suboptimal. Because genes that have closely related functions can have dissimilar expression patterns, regulation may be suboptimal in the wild as well as in the laboratory.
Leukotriene B4 promotes reactive oxidant generation and leukocyte adherence during acute hypoxia

Acute systemic hypoxia produces rapid leukocyte adherence in the rat mesenteric microcirculation, although the underlying mechanisms are not fully known. Hypoxia is known to increase reactive oxyge...
Abstract WP362: Stroke Survivors in a 12-Week Yang-Style Tai Chi Intervention Have Fewer Falls

Background: Compared to same age healthy adults, stroke survivors experience 7 times as many falls annually. Such falls often cause hip or other fractures, loss of mobility, and increased fear of f...
A representation theorem for smooth Brownian martingales

We show that, under certain smoothness conditions, a Brownian martingale, when evaluated at a fixed time, can be represented via an exponential formula at a later time. The time-dependent generator of this exponential operator only depends on the second order Malliavin derivative operator evaluated along a ‘frozen path’. The exponential operator can be expanded explicitly to a series representation, which resembles the Dyson series of quantum mechanics. Our continuous-time martingale representation result can be proven independently by two different methods. In the first method, one constructs a time-evolution equation, by passage to the limit of a special case of a backward Taylor expansion of an approximating discrete-time martingale. The exponential formula is a solution of the time-evolution equation, but we emphasize in our article that the time-evolution equation is a separate result of independent interest. In the second method, we use the property of denseness of exponential functions. We provide ...
Cardiolipin antigen in the Kline test for syphilis.

The literature on the use of cardiolipin for serologic testing in syphilis is in process of rapid accretion. Cardiolipin, the active antigenic component of beef heart lipoid, was isolated by Pangborn in 1941, and she recently reported the calculated chemical formula of its sodium salt as Ci2oH2o8024P3,Na3. In a previous report we presented data on highly satisfactory results obtained with the Kline cardiolipin slide test in the serodiagnosis of syphilis. It was found desirable to modify Kline's recommended cardiohpin-lecithin ratio in order to obtain results of optimal specificity. This modified procedure has since been applied in routine testing for syphilis. A total of 11,104 blood samples has been tested to date. The present paper gives an analysis of the results obtained with 4718 serums tested with the modified ratio. Further data are given on the ratio of cardiolipin and lecithin optimal for use in the Kline slide test. Special reference will be made here only to articles on cardiolipin testing which appeared subsequent to the submission of our first report. All these recent experiences were favorably reported and proved a very high sensitivity level for cardiolipin antigen. The question of increased specificity has not been as clearly demonstrated (Mahoney), except in the special case of malaria. Kline, on the basis of very extensive testing, reports most enthusiastically on cardiolipin as the "apparent end of search for the active antigenic factor that combines with syphilis reagin". "The excellent results obtained with cardiolipin antigen and the great simplicity of the slide flocculation technic recommend the two as a base for a single standard test for syphilis worthy of universal adoption." Levine, Kline and Suessenguth reported a clinical evaluation of 27,103 comparative slide tests with cardiohpin-lecithin, Kline diagnostic and Kline exclusion antigens. They concluded that the cardiohpin-lecithin antigen showed both the greatest specificity and greatest sensitivity and have adopted it as standard antigen for the Kline test. They obtained only 0.228 per cent of combined falsepositive and doubtful reactions with nonsyphilitic serums and commented that "no greater specificity in a test for syphilis is likely to be achieved". In syphilitic serums only two negative cardiolipin results were obtained in 4581 tests. Andujar, Anderson and Mazurek compared results obtained with standard and cardiolipin antigen in the Kline slide test and in the Harris and Portnoy modification of the Kolmer complement-fixation test. They presented a break-
Emulator Architecture

Upgrading to a newer data processing system is not simply a matter of removing the old equipment and plugging in the new. The older system's workload must be transferred to the newer one/p=n-/and the newer one is usually also a fundamentally different one. The effort involved in such a conversion is massive. The difficulties of obtaining a smooth transition from one machine to the next are immense.
The Age of Anxiety: Patricia Highsmith, Existential Psychology, and the “Decline” of American Naturalism

This essay charts the development of two entwined intellectual threads during the 1950s: the translation of European existentialism into an American idiom and what Nathan Hale describes as the “golden age of popularization” for psychoanalysis in the United States. I argue that, in concert, these two movements contributed to the erosion of the New Deal regulatory state by elevating psychological—rather than structural or socioeconomic—explanatory templates for social phenomena. In contrast to the literature of the long Progressive Era, in 1950s works the ego and its vicissitudes become the dominant template for understanding society and the self. Patricia Highsmith's novels provide a nodal point for this political and intellectual history as she recasts representations of violence, murder, alienation, class envy, and social mobility in ways that both represent and helped define the legitimation crisis of the regulatory state. Highsmith repudiates a narrative world governed by structural or environmental conditions and—in contrast to literary naturalists like Theodore Dreiser and John Steinbeck—presents the darker corners of human experience as phenomena of the largely autonomous, internal arena of an existential psyche. These shifts in literary tastes, the essay argues, augmented the weakening intellectual purchase of an interventionist New Deal reform agenda during the 1950s.
The synthesis of taurine from sulfate. VIII. A constitutive enzyme in mammals.

SummaryThe enzyme system catalyzing the synthesis of taurine from sulfate and serine was assayed from a number of tissues of mammalian genera. This enzyme was present in the liver and heart of the cat, chick, dog, guinea pig, hamster, monkey, mouse, rabbit, rat, and sheep. The activity was higher in sheep liver, brain, heart, intestine, and kidney than in those tissues of rats. These data indicate that this mechanism for taurine biosynthesis is a constitutive animal enzyme which may be of significance when the transsulfuration pathway of taurine synthesis is impaired, or absent.
A single mating population of Gibberella fujikuroi (Fusarium proliferatum) predominates in asparagus fields in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Michigan

Over 250 monosporic isolates of Fusarium spp. that belong to the Fusarium section Liseola were isolated from asparagus stems and from adult aspar- agus beetles in seven asparagus fields in Connecticut, one in Massachusetts, and one in Michigan. Sexual compatibility pairings with standard tester strains from six (A-F) distinct mating populations of Gibberella fu- jikuroi revealed that 238 out of 253 isolates (94%) could be assigned to the "D" population of G. fujikuroi (anamorph = F. proliferatum). The remaining 15 iso? lates were identified as F. proliferatum but could not be assigned to any mating population. This is the first report of isolates in the "D" populations of G. fujikuroi predominating in a host/pathogen complex.
Collective modes in sculpted ultracold neutral plasmas

We have pushed the study of collective modes into the Ultracold Neutral Plasma (UCNP) regime by sculpting the initial density distribution through spatial modulation of the ionizing laser. With this technique, we have excited ion acoustic waves (IAW) and measured dispersion in the long wavelength limit [1]. Additionally, we have produced streaming plasmas and observed the evolution of a possible instability. A high resolution 1:1 optical relay allows ionization modulation on length scales of ~ 100 μm, comparable to the Debye shielding length, which will access linear and nonlinear phenomenon for which strong coupling is predicted to modify the properties of collective modes.
Factors Affecting the Production of Zygospores by Choanephora Cucurbitarum

The mycelia of the (+) and (-) sexes of C. cucurbitarum isolated from the same source were found to differ slightly in appearance on certain media.In the presence of mixed (+) and (-) mycelia zygos...
Societal Violence and Collective Consciousness

This research tests the hypothesis that group practice of the Transcendental Meditation® (TM) and TM-Sidhi® program by a group of sufficient size is associated with reduced rates of homicide and vi...
Cysts Containing Renal Cell Carcinoma in Von Hippel-Lindau Disease

We report on a patient with von Hippel-Lindau disease. Exploration revealed 15 solid tumors and 18 cysts filled with clear fluid throughout both kidneys. All solid tumors consisted of clear cells consistent with renal cell carcinoma. All cysts were lined with similar clear cells. The solid tumors contained areas of clear cells surrounding small cystic spaces and the large cysts appeared to be an exaggeration of this phenomenon. There is a place for radical ablative surgery in patients with multiple renal cell carcinomas in von Hippel-Landau disease. Unroofing and gross examination of apparently simple cysts may not be adequate to rule out the presence of carcinoma in these patients.
The Lyapunov rank of extended second order cones

In this paper, we investigate the structure of Lyapunov-like transformations on the extended second order cone, considered as a multivariate version of topheavy cone with respect to an arbitrary norm in a Euclidean space. As a by-product, we compute the Lyapunov rank of the extended second order cone. We also show the irreducibility of such a cone.
Development and psychometric analysis of the Patient Perceptions of Patient-Empowering Nurse Behaviours Scale (PPPNBS).

Aim To (1) develop and psychometrically test the Patient Perceptions of Patient-Empowering Nurse Behaviours Scale, which measures patient perceptions of empowering nurse behaviours during hospitalization; and (2) refine to a shorter, more useful form, for measurement in clinical settings. Background Although patient empowerment has been promoted as a way to engage patients in chronic illness care, there is not a measure reported by patients as recipients of empowering nurse behaviours during hospitalization. Design Psychometric evaluation of construct and predictive validity, reliability and item reduction. Method Data gathered during hospitalization and six weeks postdischarge between April 2012 - August 2014 were used to determine the validity and reliability of the long and short-form Patient Perceptions of Patient-Empowering Nurse Behaviours Scale in a sample of 395 chronically ill medical and surgical adult patients. Results The long and short-form Patient Perceptions of Patient-Empowering Nurse Behaviours Scale demonstrated strong reliability and convergent validity with pre-discharge 13-item Patient Activation Measure scores. Both forms of the Patient Perceptions of Patient-Empowering Nurse Behaviours Scale predicted postdischarge 13-item Patient Activation Measure scores and the long-form predicted physical health status. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated improved model fit for the short-form instrument when compared with the long-form fit. The short-form Patient Perceptions of Patient-Empowering Nurse Behaviours Scale explained 98% of the variance of the long-form Patient Perceptions of Patient-Empowering Nurse Behaviours Scale. Conclusion The results provide evidence supporting reliability and validity of both forms. While the scales measure patient reports and not direct observation of empowering nurse behaviours, incorporating patients' experiences as recipients of care is necessary to validate the contribution of nursing care to patients' engagement in chronic illness management.
Methodology for Study of Kidney Intermediary Metabolism

A great variety of methods are available for the study of renal metabolic processes and it is necessary to have some idea of their applicabilities and limitations. No attempt will be made in this chapter to compile a list of all the methods that are or have been used, or to cover all the range of techniques which can be utilized to study the nonexcretory functions performed by the kidney. It has become evident in the past two decades that the kidney, in addition to its well-known excretory functions, possesses an active metabolic machinery that is involved in the production of certain hormones or enzymes: renin, 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3, erythropoietin, prostaglandins, etc. (Mulrow, 1976), as well as the removal or degradation of other hormones: insulin (Katz and Rubenstein, 1973), parathyroid hormone (Hruska et al., 1975), glucagon (Sherwin et al., 1976), etc. While these functions are now well recognized, their relation to some of the functional excretory parameters of the kidney is not immediately evident. Most of the material covered in this chapter is concerned with those parameters of intermediary metabolism that may in some way be related to the main functional excretory task performed by the kidney, that is, the reabsorption of salt and water from the glomerular filtrate. In this respect, techniques dealing with the utilization of substrates by the kidney, the rates of oxidation, and possible interconversion of different substances which subserve the generation of high-energy bonds necessary for reabsorption and active transport of NaCl will be considered. Recent reviews on this subject have been published (Cohen and Barac-Nieto, 1973; Cohen and Kamm, 1976; Klahr, 1976).
Generalizing Ecological Site Concepts of the Colorado Plateau for Landscape-Level Applications

On the Ground Numerous ecological site descriptions in the southern Utah portion of the Colorado Plateau can be difficult to navigate, so we held a workshop aimed at adding value and functionality to the current ecological site system. We created new groups of ecological sites and drafted state-and-transition models for these new groups. We were able to distill the current large number of ecological sites in the study area (ca. 150) into eight ecological site groups that capture important variability in ecosystem dynamics. Several inventory and monitoring programs and landscape scale planning actions will likely benefit from more generalized ecological site group concepts.
BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND OCCURRENCE OF VIBRIOS IN DUNGENESS CRABMEAT IN OREGON PROCESSING PLANTS AND MARKETS1

Dungeness crabmeat samples from Oregon processors and retail markets were analyzed for Vibrio parahaemolyticus, numbers of fecal streptococci, and aerobic total plate count. Samples were collected from three crab processors during one commercial season from the following points along the processing line: (a) raw, whole crabs; (b) cooked, cooled crabs; (c) picked crabmeat; (d) brined, or brined and inspected crabmeat; and (e) to-be-packed crabmeat. Five of 31 samples of crabmeat from Oregon retail markets and 4 of 75 crabmeat samples from Oregon processors were positive for halophilic vibrios. Positive samples from processors were raw crabmeat and picked crabmeat. Biochemical characteristics of the isolates from only one of these, a raw sample, closely resembled the biochemical characteristics of known V. parahaemolyticus cultures. The remainder of the isolates were other halophilic vibrios. The numbers of fecal streptococci in crabmeat from both processors and retail markets were generally within the guid...
School Discipline Disparity: Converging Efforts for Better Student Outcomes

School policies and practices have historically lent themselves to disproportionate suspension and expulsion rates based on students’ race, gender, and disability. The disparity between racial minorities, particularly Black males, and their White peers has generated concern from various stakeholders. Using Kingdon’s (Agendas, alternatives, and public policies. Addison-Westley Educational Publishers, New York, 2003) window of opportunity framework, the purpose of this conceptual article is to spotlight the potential convergence of efforts hence creating an opportunity for school discipline reform to gain momentum. Kingdon’s three critical streams for problem solving, i.e., the problem, political, and policy, are each examined in the context of the pervasive school discipline disproportionality.
The Subaltern Speaks? Performing Poverty through Online Microfinance: A Critical Analysis of Kiva.org

ABSTRACTThis article critically examines the visuals and texts on Kiva.org, using race in cyberspace and the notion of the subaltern as theoretical frameworks (Nakamura, 2002, 2008). The imbalances of the past still exist in digital forms on the Internet. This article argues that, although organizations like Kiva seek to promote social change in low- and middle-income countries, the Web 2.0 technologies they use generate some of the same inequalities they seek to address. These inequalities question the development and social change characteristic of these digital technologies. The study concludes that, although the empowered appear to speak on sociofinancial networks like Kiva.org, paradoxically, their voices are silenced through the same Web 2.0 technologies used to empower them.
A SEARCH FOR SUBSTELLAR COMPANIONS AROUND NINE WEAK-LINED T-TAURI STARS WITH THE PLANETARY CAMERA 2 OF THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

To search for thermal emission from substellar companions, we have obtained Z-band images of 15 weak-lined T Tauri stars in the Taurus-Auriga and Ophiuchus star-forming regionsusing the Planetary Camera 2on theHubble Space Telescope. We found 18 faint nearby objects at separations larger than 4 00 butnone at smaller separations. For 11 of these we have enough color information to suggest that they are not substellar members of the star-forming regions. The remaining seven faint nearby objects are candidate substellar objects. Our detection limit for companions with separations larger than about 1 00 is apparent Z ¼ 19:5 mag, corresponding to substellar objects in the mass range 3MJ–15MJ for the age range of our targets, 1.2–25 Myr. Our detection limit degrades for smaller separations and is 4–6 mag poorer at a separation of 0B2, corresponding to a projected separation of 30 AU. Inside 0B2 our sensitivity is insufficient to detect substellar companions. To complement the imaging program, extensive spectroscopic observations were obtained with the Center for Astrophysics Digital Speedometers. Four of our targets proved to be spectroscopic binaries, one of them double-lined. We report orbital solutions for these four stars. Our radial velocities support the membership of all our targets to their respective star-forming regions, except for HD 283759, which must be rejected as a member.
The structured gridding implications for upscaling model discrete fracture networks (DFN) using corrected Oda's method

Abstract Upscaling of fracture permeability in a field-size discrete fracture network (DFN) for a dual porosity model can be undertaken using Oda's method. It is known that Oda's method usually overestimates equivalent permeability and needs to be corrected by a flow-based numerical method. In this study we show that grid orientation can produce significant differences in single-phase (water) production volumes estimated through flow simulation in dual porosity models (Eclipse 300) when using corrected Oda's method. A five layer synthetic model in a water zone includes thirteen vertical wells. 10 ft by 10 ft structured gridding is performed in six directions: 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 75° counter-clockwise relative to the north. The model DFN used in this study consists of three sets: a dominant, high intensity N76°W set and two lower-intensity sets that strike N28°W and N75°E similar to the fracture sets observed in the Tensleep Formation at Teapot Dome, Wyoming, USA. The single-phase (water) flow simulation using Eclipse 300 flow simulator for the six synthetic models reveals that the production varies in proportion to the geometric mean of the permeability tensor with grid rotation. The production is at its maximum when the dominant fracture set orients 45° relative to the grid cell principal directions ( i , j ) and falls to a minimum when the dominant fracture set is parallel to either grid wall ( i or j principal directions). This research reveals a shortcoming of systematic variability of simulated production with grid orientation even though Oda's results are corrected with a flow-based numerical method.
Decision making model to predict presence of coronary artery disease using neural network and C5.0 decision tree

Clinical decision support systems have always assisted physicians in diagnosing diseases. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is currently responsible for a large percentage of deaths, which motivated researchers to propose more accurate prediction models. This paper employs neural networks (NN) and a boosted C5.0 decision tree model to predict CAD for the well-known Cleveland Heart Disease dataset. We attempt to tune the optimal size and configuration of the neural networks and identify the insensitive features in both models, followed by assessing the effect of eliminating such features in the results. Both models are evaluated through ten experiments, each of which has different training and testing datasets, but with the same size. The most and the least important input features in each model are determined. The performance of the reduced dataset, i.e., the removed insignificant features contributing to the models, has been evaluated through statistical tests. Our results show that there is no significant difference between running the NN and C5.0 algorithms by initial dataset in terms of three performance criteria: positive prediction value (PPV), negative prediction value (NPV) and total accuracy value (TAV). Regarding the TAV criterion, the NN applied to the reduced dataset outperforms the C5.0 model with a 95% confidence interval. Finally, further discussion shows the trade-off between the NPV and PPV.
Decentralized Power Agreement for Improved Frequency Response in Interconnected Power Systems

Maintaining grid frequency close to the nominal value is one of the fundamental objectives of electric power operations. In this paper, we develop a decentralized control algorithm to improve the frequency response in case of sudden loss of generation in an interconnected grid. We propose a Cyber-Physical Architecture that requires minimal information exchange between control areas to reduce the frequency deviation from the nominal, in a distributed manner and also act on a much faster time scale as compared to traditional frequency regulation schemes. To achieve this, a decentralized Power Agreement protocol is proposed and analyzed. Finally simulations are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed protocol in improving both transient and steady state performance of the system.
Risk stratification of clinical stage I (CSI) non-seminomatous germ cell testicular tumors (NSGCT): A retrospective analysis of experience at Indiana University (IU).

e16052Risk Stratification of Clinical Stage I (CSI) Non-Seminomatous Germ Cell Testicular Tumors (NSGCT): A Retrospective Analysis of Experience at Indiana University (IU) Background: Nearly 50% of...
Influence of Short-Term Study Abroad Experiences on Community Health Baccalaureate Students.

Background Very short study abroad programs may be most feasible in undergraduate nursing programs, but little research describes their value for prospective nurses. The narratives of senior baccalaureate nursing students (N = 62) who traveled for 2 weeks to Cape Coast, Ghana, between semesters for a faculty-led community health clinical experience were analyzed. Method Students responded to pre- and posttravel semi-structured, open-ended prompts regarding expectations and perceptions of culture, health, and happiness. Data were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive approach. Results Four themes emerged related to perceptions of culture, relationships with community, definitions of health and happiness, and adaptability and innovation. African American students' (n = 3) responses highlighted unique themes regarding personal identity. Conclusion Student perceptions of culture demonstrated progression through previously described stages of cultural competence. Relatively novel themes regarding community relationships, perceptions of health and happiness, and adaptability suggest additional value of this short-term study abroad experience for nursing students. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(9):528-533.].
Database Management Systems

A database is a collection of information, such as facts about countries, statistics on demographics, a store’s inventory, and phone lists. A database system allows one to access, insert, delete, and modify information stored within a computer system. The term computer system is used as opposed to computer because external memory may be needed. Database systems often require large amounts of memory that greatly exceed the storage capacities of the computer’s main memory. The database management system (DBMS) performs operations on the information stored within a database. The DBMS is a program that contains a query language that allows database updates and retrievals. A DBMS can be viewed as a layer or abstraction built upon the computer system.
A Dialogue on Hip-Hop, Social Justice and Pedagogy.

The authors utilise the format of a dialogue in this essay to explore the place of hip-hop in the United States College classroom. Dialogue fosters a spirit of collaboration that generates more ref...
Sources and Types of Social Support for Physical Activity Perceived by Fifth to Eighth Grade Girls

Background Information is lacking on forms and sources of social support for physical activity (PA) received by adolescent girls during various pubertal stages. Two study purposes were to (a) identify the sources and forms of social support for PA perceived by adolescent girls, and (b) examine associations of pubertal stage and social support with PA. Methods A secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial was conducted. Fifth through eighth grade girls (N = 1,519) completed surveys on social support for PA and pubertal stage and wore an accelerometer. Results Girls in early-middle and late-post puberty most frequently received social support from their mothers. A higher proportion of girls in late-post puberty, compared to early-middle puberty, received social support from nonfamily adults (4.2% vs. 3.0%, p = .019). Girls identifying three sources participated in more moderate-to-vigorous PA than those having fewer sources (t1,512 = −3.57, p < .001). Various forms of social support, except for encouragement, were positively related to moderate-to-vigorous PA. Girls in early-middle puberty reported greater social support than those in late-post puberty (t1,512 = 3.99, p < .001). Social support was positively associated with moderate-to-vigorous PA, while girls in late-post puberty had lower moderate-to-vigorous PA than those in early-middle puberty. Conclusions Mothers are important sources of social support for PA. Having more than two sources may result in greater PA. Encouraging girls to increase their PA may not be sufficient. Clinical Relevance Efforts are needed from health professionals to prevent any decline in social support for PA as girls advance across adolescence.
La spécialisation disciplinaire et professionnelle basée sur le genre en Relations internationales

Cet article explore l’aspect genre de la specialisation disciplinaire et professionnelle en Relations internationales et la facon dont se reproduisent les perceptions des competences et du savoir. Il se base sur une analyse de discours des participantes ayant assiste a l’atelier canadien de l’organisation Women in International Security (Wiis-Canada) en 2015, ainsi que sur mes propres experiences en tant qu’organisatrice de cet evenement. L’un des themes principaux auquel les participantes ont reflechi est celui de la voix professionnelle : qui l’acquiert, comment elle est encouragee ou entravee et ce qui arrive quand elle est reduite au silence. Tandis que les jeunes chercheurs tentent de concilier leurs approches academiques et leur identite universitaire naissante, une transition professionnelle s’effectue. Sans un dialogue inclusif sur ces modeles de recherche et les methodes critiques, les progres ontologiques et epistemologiques qui se realisent lors d’evenements tels que l’atelier Wiis-Canada pourraient s’averer superficiels.
S-Nitrosylation in Regulation of Inflammation and Cell Damage.

Background Cell signaling through nitric oxide (NO) is a multifaceted mechanism, which regulates metabolic activities and fate in different tissues. The peroxynitrite (ONOO-) formed as reaction product of nitric oxide radical and superoxide interacts with cell membrane phospholipids and proteins causing damage. Objective The reaction kinetics to form nitrotyrosine (ONOO-tyrosine) and/or nitrosylated cysteine (ONOO-cysteine) in protein molecules during posttranslational modification and nitration of lipids are therefore critical in determining cells' signaling mechanism for survival or apoptosis. Results The nitrosylation was found to modulate GPCRs and activation of guanylate cyclase as well as regulate NF-κB activation. The recent findings have shown the neuroprotective effects of S- nitrosylation, though mechanism is unclear. Conclusion While keeping the background in mind, we address here the biological function of NO derivatives in medicine. We target four known compounds: SNAP, SIN- 1 chloride, SNP and GSNO to understand the effect of NO in different tissues. Here we analyze the existing findings to assess therapeutic relevance of NO-signaling during inflammation, vasodilation and tolerance.
Prognostic factors in colorectal cancer : Literature review for clinical application

PURPOSE: Identification of prognostic factors is a primary basis for planning the treatment and predicting the outcome of patients with colorectal cancer. Reviewing studies from the literature performed using univariate and multivariate analyses and their own study, the authors critically discuss the prognostic value of the clinicopathologic parameters of the tumor. METHODS: Among 853 patients with colorectal tumors seen at the Department of Clinical Surgery of the Catholic University of Rome, Italy, 690 cases that were curatively resected entered the study. Overall survival rate, related to the clinicopathologic variables, was calculated, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: Five-year and ten-year overall survival rates were 70 and 55 percent, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that node involvement, distant metastases, bowel obstruction, and patient gender are factors independently related to outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Data from the literature and the present study suggest that only a few clinical parameters, particularly bowel obstruction, and some pathologic factors (tumor stage, vessels invasion, and tumor ploidy) are related to patient survival rate and are the most reliable prognostic criteria. In prospective clinical studies, any other new pathologic or molecular factors should be matched with these parameters to confirm their value in outcome prediction.
Robust Parameter Estimation

In the last two chapters, we have designed and analyzed on-line parameter estimators and adaptive control schemes under the assumption that there are no modelling errors. Such an assumption is unrealistic since in the real world, modelling errors such as disturbances, sensor noise, unmodelled dynamics, nonlinearities, etc. will most likely be present. The aim of this chapter is to first examine how the on-line parameter estimators of Chapter 4 behave in the presence of modelling errors. Thereafter we will explore several approaches for correcting possible unsatisfactory behaviour. Parameter estimators that can behave satisfactorily even in the presence of modelling errors are called Robust Parameter Estimators. Thus this chapter is primarily concerned with the design and analysis of robust parameter estimators.
Graph partitioning based on link distributions

Existing graph partitioning approaches are mainly based on optimizing edge cuts and do not take the distribution of edge weights (link distribution) into consideration. In this paper, we propose a general model to partition graphs based on link distributions. This model formulates graph partitioning under a certain distribution assumption as approximating the graph affinity matrix under the corresponding distortion measure. Under this model, we derive a novel graph partitioning algorithm to approximate a graph affinity matrix under various Bregman divergences, which correspond to a large exponential family of distributions. We also establish the connections between edge cut objectives and the proposed model to provide a unified view to graph partitioning.
The Crystal Structure of Ba17Sm10Cl64

The structure of Ba17Sm10Cl64, prepared by solvolytic extraction of a program-cooled 1:1 BaCl2:SmCl3 molar mixture sealed in a quartz tube and heated to 750°C, was determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The compound exhibits cubic symmetry, space group Pa3 (No. 205) with a=21.366(2) A and Z=4. Refinement effected with I>2σ(I) yielded R1= 0.0926 and wR2=0.216. One Ba atom is 12-coordinated by Cl atoms in a distorted icosahedral arrangement; the three other Ba atoms are 10-coordinated in a distorted bicapped cubic arrangement. There are two Sm atom sites. The coordination around one Sm atom is best described as square antiprismatic, but one Sm–Cl distance is too long for effective bonding. The other Sm atom site, occupied statistically by 13Ba and 23Sm atoms, is 9-coordinated by Cl atoms in a monocapped square antiprismatic arrangement. The two types of Sm sites combine to form an M6Cl37 cuboctahedral cluster of the composition BaSm5Cl37. It is shown that the cβ phase identified previously in the Yb–F and related fluoride systems is probably isostructural with Ba17Sm10Cl64.
Headaches in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

Background:Headache is the most common symptom of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and may not resolve with intracranial pressure–lowering treatments. Many patients with IIH have a pre-existing history of migraine. Approximately two-thirds of patients with IIH continue to experience headac
Evaluation of Surgical Resection Goal and Its Relationship to Extent of Resection and Patient Outcomes in a Multicenter Prospective Study of Patients With Surgically Treated, Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenomas: A Case Series.

BACKGROUND The influence of the surgeon's preoperative goal regarding the extent of tumor resection on patient outcomes has not been carefully studied among patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. OBJECTIVE To analyze the relationship between surgical tumor removal goal and patient outcomes in a prospective multicenter study. METHODS Centrally adjudicated extent of tumor resection (gross total resection [GTR] and subtotal resection [STR]) data were analyzed using standard univariate and multivariable analyses. RESULTS GTR was accomplished in 148 of 171 (86.5%) patients with planned GTR and 32 of 50 (64.0%) patients with planned STR (P = .001). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of GTR goal were 82.2, 43.9, 86.5, and 36.0%, respectively. Knosp grade 0-2, first surgery, and being an experienced surgeon were associated with surgeons choosing GTR as the goal (P < .01). There was no association between surgical goal and presence of pituitary deficiency at 6 mo (P = .31). Tumor Knosp grade (P = .004) and size (P = .001) were stronger predictors of GTR than was surgical goal (P = .014). The most common site of residual tumor was the cavernous sinus (29 of 41 patients; 70.1%). CONCLUSION This is the first pituitary surgery study to examine surgical goal regarding extent of tumor resection and associated patient outcomes. Surgical goal is a poor predictor of actual tumor resection. A more aggressive surgical goal does not correlate with pituitary gland dysfunction. A better understanding of the ability of surgeons to meet their expectations and of the factors associated with surgical result should improve prognostication and preoperative counseling.
Improved approximations of non-Gaussian probability, force, and energy of a single polymer chain.

The mechanical behavior of polymers such as their probability density function (PDF), strain energy, and entropic force, has long been described by the non-Gaussian statistical model. Non-Gaussian models are often approximated by the Kuhn-Grun (KG) distribution function, which is derived from the first-order approximation of the complex Rayleigh's exact Fourier integral distribution. The KG function is widely accepted in polymer physics, where the non-Gaussian theory is often used to describe energy of the chains with various flexibility ratios. However, the KG function is shown to be relevant only for long chains and becomes extremely inaccurate for chains with fewer than 40 segments. In comparison to the KG model, other approximations of the non-Gaussian statistical model are often less accurate, and those with higher accuracy are usually too complex to be implemented in large-scale simulations. Here a new accurate approximation of the non-Gaussian PDF, entropic force, and strain energy of a single chain subsequently is developed to describe the mechanics of a polymer chain. With a similar level of complexity, the presented approximations of non-Gaussian PDF, strain energy, and entropic force are at least 10 times more accurate than KG approximations and thus are an excellent alternative option to be used in micromechanical constitutive models.
Does China change the game

It is vastly overdone to suggest that China changes the game. The challenges posed by the Chinese economy will not disappear because the U.S. puts pressure on them. The swing to statism in China’s internal and external polices, however, is raising backlash abroad and driving down its growth rate at home. In the national security context, there is no one hyper-cool technology that is going to suddenly enable the Chinese to establish dominance. Technological prowess, including military capacity, is about system integration. Protectionism, instead will weaken the U.S. through cronyism, decreasing competition by statism. The sign of the self-inflicted damage from the Trump administration’s policies is the marked decline in net inwards foreign-direct investment. Though troubling, it is not by itself sufficient to generate a recession.