cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CK2 is the regulator of SIRT1 substrate-binding affinity, deacetylase activity and cellular response to DNA-damage.

SIRT1, an NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide)-dependent deacetylase, protects cells from stress-induced apoptosis, and its orthologues delay aging in lower eukaryotes. SIRT1 increases survival in response to stress such as DNA damage by deacetylating a number of substrates including pro-apoptotic protein p53. The molecular mechanism by which DNA-damage activates SIRT1 is not known. By screening a kinase inhibitor library, we identified CK2 as a SIRT1 kinase. CK2 is a pleiotropic kinase with more than 300 substrates and well-known anti-apoptotic and pro-growth activities. We find that CK2 is recruited to SIRT1 after ionizing radiation (IR) and phosphorylates conserved residues Ser 154, 649, 651 and 683 in the N- and C-terminal domains of mouse SIRT1. Phosphorylation of SIRT1 increases its deacetylation rate but not if the four Ser residues are mutated. In addition, phosphorylation of SIRT1 increases its substrate-binding affinity. CK2-mediated phosphorylation increases the ability of SIRT1 to deacetylate p53 and protect cells from apoptosis after DNA damage. Based on these findings, we propose that CK2 protects against IR-induced apoptosis partly by phosphorylating and activating SIRT1. Thus, this work suggests that SIRT1 is a component of the expansive anti-apoptotic network controlled by CK2. Since expression of both CK2 and SIRT1 is upregulated with tumorigenesis and downregulated with senescence, the CK2-SIRT1 link sheds new light on how CK2 may regulate cancer development and aging.
Multidimensional Analysis of a Personality-Based Test of Creative Potential.

The present paper summarizes the findings of a psychometric examination of the responses of 68 subjects to a 102-item inventory which measures a predisposition to behave creatively. More specifically, nonmetric multidimensional scaling (Kruskal, 1964a, 1964b; Shepard, 1962a, 1962b) of inter-item correlations was used as an objective method for identifying the subscale structure underlying the test. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling was used in lieu of factor analysis because the number of variables (102) exceeded the number of subjects (68) and also because nonmetric multidimensional results tend to involve few factors, since the method is not based upon the linearity assumptions of factor analysis. Structural analyses of this type have recently been applied to a number of different inventories and tests (Farley & Cohen, 1974; Karni & Levin, 1972; Napior, 1972; Rosenberg & Sedlak, 1972). Given a matrix of correlations (or other types of proximity measures such as distances) between each pair of n variables, nonmetric multidimensional scaling represents the variables as n points in a spatial configuration or "picture" so that positively correlated (similar) variables are close together and negatively correlated (dissimilar) variables are far apart. In other words, the inter-point distance between two variables in the spatial configuration is made to reflect the degree of input proximity between those variables. An index called "stress" (Kruskal, 1964a) indicates the extent of agreement between the rank order of input proximities and the rank order of interpoint distances. Stress values near zero are desirable since they indicate close agreement between the two rank orders while stress values near one are undesirable since they indicate little agreement between the two rank orders. Regarding the creativity inventory, a core problem in creativity research has been the development of tests which are easily administered and efficiently scored, yet are reasonably valid as predictors of real creative behavior. The present test, How Do You Think, Form B, attacks this prediction problem by assessing attitudes, motivations, interests, values, and other personality and biographical information.1 Our assumption is that creative individuals generally possess a certain constellation of personological traits which lead them to think and behave more creatively than the average person. We assume, for example, that independence, self-confidence, and nonconformity would contribute to innovativeness. Also, the creative person is assumed to be above average in spontaneity, willingness to take risks and make mistakes, playfulness, and sense of humor. He may also tend to be curious, to be attracted to the complex and mysterious, to be open to new ideas and experiences, to have artistic and aesthetic interests, and especially to be highly energetic. There is evidence from past research that highly creative people are fully aware of their unique abilities, habits, and experiences and can respond accurately to test items which simply ask if they are creative, inventive, or
Loss of color from Jiffy tubes

Some restorative materials and solvents chemically leach color from Jiffy cement tubes and thus cause an undesirable tint in the final restoration. Loss of color from Jiffy tubes does not occur when using aqueous and nonpolar solvents. Unfilled resin restorative materials and slightly polar solvents do have a leaching effect.
Distributed pipeline scheduling: end-to-end analysis of heterogeneous, multi-resource real-time systems

This paper presents an hierarchical end-to-end analysis technique that decomposes the very complex heterogeneous multi-resource scheduling problem into a set of single resource scheduling problems with well defined interactions. We define heterogeneity both in resource types, e.g., CPU, and in scheduling policies, e.g., rate-monotonic scheduling. This analysis technique is one phase of our systems integration framework for designing large-scale, heterogeneous, distributed real-time systems whose timing properties can be strictly controlled and analyzed. This approach, denoted the Distributed Pipelining Framework, exploits the natural pipelining execution pattern found in a large number of continuous (periodic) applications executing over heterogenous resources. A teleconference application is used in this paper to show the utility of the approach.
Fundamentals of Laser-Material Interaction and Application to Multiscale Surface Modification

Lasers provide the ability to accurately deliver large amounts of energy into confined regions of a material in order to achieve a desired response. For opaque materials, this energy is absorbed near the surface, modifying surface chemistry, crystal structure, and/or multiscale morphology without altering the bulk. This chapter covers a brief introduction to the fundamental principles governing laser propagation and absorption as well as the resulting material responses. We then highlight two case studies of improving efficiency in photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices as well as optimizing cell-surface interactions in biological interfaces.
Adaptive multiresolution mesh refinement for the solution of evolution PDEs

In this paper we propose a novel multiresolution adaptive mesh refinement algorithm for solving initial-boundary value problems (IBVP) for evolution partial differential equations. The proposed algorithm dynamically adapts the grid to any existing or emerging irregularities in the solution, thus refining the grid only at places where the solution exhibits sharp features. The main advantage of the proposed grid adaptation method is that it results in a grid with a fewer number of nodes when compared to adaptive grids generated by other wavelet- or multiresolution-based mesh refinement techniques. Several examples show the robustness, stability and savings (in terms of CPU time) of our algorithm.
Evidence that female preferences have shaped male signal evolution in a clade of specialized plant-feeding insects

Mate choice is considered an important influence in the evolution of mating signals and other sexual traits, and—since divergence in sexual traits causes reproductive isolation—it can be an agent of population divergence. The importance of mate choice in signal evolution can be evaluated by comparing male signal traits with female preference functions, taking into account the shape and strength of preferences. Specifically, when preferences are closed (favouring intermediate values), there should be a correlation between the preferred values and the trait means, and stronger preferences should be associated with greater preference‐signal correspondence and lower signal variability. When preferences are open (favouring extreme values), signal traits are not only expected to be more variable, but should also be shifted towards the preferred values. We tested the role of female preferences in signal evolution in the Enchenopa binotata species complex of treehoppers, a clade of plant-feeding insects hypothesized to have speciated in sympatry. We found the expected relationship between signals and preferences, implicating mate choice as an agent of signal evolution. Because differences in sexual communication systems lead to reproductive isolation, the factors that promote divergence in female preferences—and, consequently, in male signals—may have an important role in the process of speciation.
Clone bank and physical map of Lopezia miniata Lag. ex DC. ssp. miniata (Onagraceae) chloroplast DNA

A cpDNA clone bank from Lopezia miniata Lag. ex DC. ssp. miniata (Onagraceae) was constructed using the restriction enzymes HindIII and SacI. This clone bank represents 81.5% (78% of sequence complexity) of the 157.6 kb chloroplast genome. The genome is collinear with the “consensus” angiosperm gene arrangement and contains large single copy (85.8 kb), small single copy (19.6 kb), and inverted repeat (26.1 kb) regions of typical size for chlorophylous angiosperms. Approximately 130.2 kb of unique sequence are present. A restriction site map for Bcll, BglI, HindIII, KpnI, PstI, PvuII, SacI, SalI, SmaI, XbaI, and XhoI is presented.
Reduced anterior cingulate gyrus volume correlates with executive dysfunction in men with first-episode schizophrenia☆

Abstract Although frontal lobe structural and functional abnormalities have been identified in schizophrenia, their relationship remains elusive. Because the frontal lobes are both structurally and functionally heterogeneous, it is possible that some measures of frontal lobe structure may not have accurately identified relevant frontal lobe subregions. The authors hypothesized that the volumes of two dorsal, ‘archicortical’ subregions (i.e. superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus), but not a ventral, ‘paleocortical’ subregion (i.e. orbital frontal region) would be significantly and selectively correlated with executive and motor dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia as previously reported for the anterior hippocampal region. Volumes of these frontal lobe subregions were measured from magnetic resonance images based on sulcal anatomy in 20 men and 15 women with first-episode schizophrenia. All patients completed a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery while clinically stabilized that encompassed six domains of functioning: attention, executive, motor, visuospatial, memory and language. Findings indicated that reduced anterior cingulate gyrus volume was significantly correlated with worse executive functioning in men; among women, there were no significant correlations. Among men, anterior cingulate gyrus volume was significantly more strongly correlated with executive functioning than with attention, visuospatial, memory, language and general intellectual functioning. Neither executive nor motor functioning was significantly more strongly correlated with the dorsal ‘archicortical’ volumes than with orbital frontal volume. These findings suggest a link between executive deficits and dysfunction of the dorsal ‘archicortical’ system and implicate sex differences in their relationship in first-episode schizophrenia.
Impact-Driven Thermite Reactions with Iodine Pentoxide and Silver Oxide

Thermite reactions using aluminum (Al) fuel and either iodine pentoxide (I2O5) or silver oxide (Ag2O) were initiated by high-velocity impact or thermal initiation and examined for their flame propagation behavior. In the impact-ignition experiments, the Al-Ag2O reaction produced more energy than the Al-I2O5 reaction; in the thermal-ignition experiments, the I2O5 reaction produced higher flame propagation rates (1,305 m/s compared with 531 m/s). The energy released from impact-initiated reactions is significantly enhanced by reducing the size of the oxide particles. Results suggest that the reaction propagation mechanisms may be the same, even though ignition is spurred by two different stimuli (mechanically induced compaction versus thermal).
MAC Protocol Design for Spectrum-agile Wireless Networks: Stochastic Control Approach

Widespread deployment of wireless networks under different services including wireless LANs and sensor networks in a shared spectrum has caused many interference and performance issues in dense networks. Specifically, such coexistence poses significant challenges on media access protocol design. This paper addresses this problem by proposing a distributed spectrum-agile MAC (media access control) protocol. It is a multichannel CSMA-based protocol equipped with a dynamic channel selection algorithm. The dynamic channel selection problem is formulated as a multi-armed bandit problem, and the optimal channel selection rules are derived. Finally the advantage of the new protocol is demonstrated through simulation.
Rate Control versus Rhythm Control in Atrial Fibrillation: Lessons Learned from Clinical Trials of Atrial Fibrillation

Ample evidence supports the statement that in patients with atrial fibrillation in whom treatment is warranted, either rhythm control or rate control are acceptable primary therapeutic options. If a rhythm control strategy is chosen, it is important to consider that recurrence of atrial fibrillation is not treatment failure per se. Occasional recurrence, with cardioversion if necessary, may be quite acceptable. The latter will depend on the frequency, duration and symptoms associated with recurrence, and may require a change in the rhythm control therapy, e.g., change the antiarrhythmic drug, or initiate or redo atrial fibrillation ablation. And a rhythm control strategy should include careful attention to and treatment of comorbidities (hypertension, heart failure, diabetes, etc.). If a rate control strategy is chosen, treatment with a beta blocker or nondihydropyridine calcium channel blocker is almost always required to achieve adequate rate control. Digoxin is often useful to obtain satisfactory rate control in combination with a beta blocker or nondihydropyridine calcium channel blocker. Digoxin may be useful as primary therapy in the presence of hypotension or heart failure. Satisfactory ventricular rate control is usually a resting rate less than 110 beats per minute, although resting rates below 90 beats per minute are probably wiser. Finally, when pursuing a rhythm control strategy, because recurrence of atrial fibrillation is common, rate control therapy should be a part of the treatment regimen.
Children’s reaction to depictions of healthy foods in fast-food television advertisements

Importance Since 2009, quick-service restaurant chains, or fast-food companies, have agreed to depict healthy foods in their advertising targeted at children. Objective To determine how children interpreted depictions of milk and apples in television advertisements for children’s meals by McDonald’s and Burger King (BK) restaurants. Design, Setting, and Participants Descriptive qualitative study in a rural pediatric practice setting in Northern New England. A convenience sample of 99 children (age range, 3-7 years) was shown depictions of healthy foods in fast-food advertisements that aired from July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011. The images from McDonald’s and BK showed milk and apples. Children were asked what they saw and not prompted to respond specifically to any aspect of the images. Exposure Two still images drawn from advertisements for healthy meals at McDonald’s and BK. Main Outcomes and Measures Children’s responses were independently content coded to food category by 2 researchers. Results Among the 99 children participating, only 51 (52%) and 69 (70%) correctly identified milk from the McDonald’s and BK images, respectively, with a significantly greater percentage correct ( P = .02 for both) among older children. The children’s recall of apples was significantly different by restaurant, with 79 (80%) mentioning apples when describing the McDonald’s image and only 10 (10%) for the BK image ( P Conclusions and Relevance Of the 4 healthy food images, only depiction of apples by McDonald’s was communicated adequately to the target audience. Representations of milk were inadequately communicated to preliterate children. Televised depictions of apple slices by BK misled the children in this study, although no action was taken by government or self-regulatory bodies.
A New Method of Detecting Microcalcification Clusters for Computer Aided Digital Mammography

Digital mammograms are processed for detecting microcalcification clusters (MCCs) and prompting radiologists on their locations without specifying their type, i.e., benign, normal or malignant. The method includes image segmentation using SUSAN edge detector followed by the shape filters. Then the objects are classified with a four-level feed-forward Neural Network with four input features comprising perimeter and other three characterizing foreground-background relation. MCCs are found using the distance and the object count spatial filters. This simple yet robust system is capable to detect MC clusters with 98.4% of true positives at no false positive cases. The trial is performed on 118 mammograms from the DDSM database. It is shown in the paper that the reported performance is achieved due to the outstanding property of the edge detector to capture objects in a closed contour fashion; an efficient classifier, and significant features characterizing MCCs' geometry and intensities with respect to the background.
Iterative Energy Spectrum Deconvolution (IESD): a new technique for significantly improving the effective energy resolution of gamma camera

Energy windows used clinically in nuclear medicine (20-30%) accept a significant proportion of Compton scattered photons to highly degrade image contrast. We developed an Iterative Energy Spectrum Deconvolution (IESD) algorithm for improving the energy resolution of gamma camera to reduce the impact of photon scatter on radionuclide images. Using only those deconvoluted energy components near the photopeak, we exclude scattered photons to form scatter corrected projections. All phantom studies reconstructed with attenuation correction and IESD correction were shown significant improved contrast as cardiac and hepatic activity separation. Contrast of presenting defect region was also significantly enhanced in the phantom and patient studies. Computational times for energy deconvolution times were within clinically acceptable norms (/spl sim/14 minutes/64 projections, 2 GHz, 100 iters). The computational requirements of this technique make it feasible for routine clinical use.
Pathogen small RNAs: a new class of effectors for pathogen attacks

INTRODUCTIONOver recent decades, profound ﬁndings in plant pathologyresearch have made tremendous contributions to our understand-ing of how pathogens are able to colonize the biological niche ofa living plant.Genetic approaches have determined pathogenicityor virulence factors, and the exploration of these factors hasbroadened our understanding of host–pathogen interactions. Agroupofvirulencegenesthatcodeforsecretedproteinsarecalledeffectors, and have received much attention, because effectorsinterfere with and manipulate host defence pathways for infec-tion. To counter against pathogen effectors, host plants evolve
Disruption of O-linked N-Acetylglucosamine Signaling Induces ER Stress and β Cell Failure

Nutrient levels dictate the activity of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT) to regulate O-GlcNAcylation, a post-translational modification mechanism to "fine-tune" intracellular signaling and metabolic status. However, the requirement of O-GlcNAcylation for maintaining glucose homeostasis by regulating pancreatic β cell mass and function is unclear. Here, we reveal that mice lacking β cell OGT (βOGT-KO) develop diabetes and β cell failure. βOGT-KO mice demonstrated increased ER stress and distended ER architecture, and these changes ultimately caused the loss of β cell mass due to ER-stress-induced apoptosis and decreased proliferation. Akt1/2 signaling was also dampened in βOGT-KO islets. The mechanistic role of these processes was demonstrated by rescuing the phenotype of βOGT-KO mice with concomitant Chop gene deletion or genetic reconstitution of Akt2. These findings identify OGT as a regulator of β cell mass and function and provide a direct link between O-GlcNAcylation and β cell survival by regulation of ER stress responses and modulation of Akt1/2 signaling.
Treatment of Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma with Cranial Irradiation and Combined Modality Therapy

Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) has long been recognized as an effective treatment for PCNSL. WBRT alone leads to tumor regression and prolongs median survival to approximately 12–18 months. However, disease returns in almost all patients. Adding chemotherapy to WBRT was the first step towards prolonging remission and survival in these patients. Through a series of studies, it is clear that high-dose methotrexate (MTX) is the single most effective agent for the treatment of PCNSL. However, whether MTX is used as a single agent or in combination with other drugs, it has the potential of causing long-term neurological sequelae when combined with WBRT, particularly in older patients. Recent data suggest that reducing the dose of WBRT may prove effective at enhancing disease control without causing neurotoxicity. Furthermore, WBRT remains an effective and important salvage therapy for those patients who recur after chemotherapy alone.
A spectral approach integrating functional genomic annotations for coding and noncoding variants

Over the past few years, substantial effort has been put into the functional annotation of variation in human genome sequences. Such annotations can have a critical role in identifying putatively causal variants for a disease or trait among the abundant natural variation that occurs at a locus of interest. The main challenges in using these various annotations include their large numbers and their diversity. Here we develop an unsupervised approach to integrate these different annotations into one measure of functional importance (Eigen) that, unlike most existing methods, is not based on any labeled training data. We show that the resulting meta-score has better discriminatory ability using disease-associated and putatively benign variants from published studies (in both coding and noncoding regions) than the recently proposed CADD score. Across varied scenarios, the Eigen score performs generally better than any single individual annotation, representing a powerful single functional score that can be incorporated in fine-mapping studies.
Substructure Stiffness and Mass Updating through Minimization of Modal Dynamic Residuals

AbstractThis research studies a substructure finite element model updating approach that requires vibration data from only part of a large structure (i.e., a substructure). The residual structure is condensed using a limited number of dominant modal coordinates, whereas the substructure model remains at high resolution. To update the condensed model, physical parameters in the substructure and modal parameters of the residual structure are chosen as optimization variables; minimization of modal dynamic residuals from the eigenvalue equations in structural dynamics is chosen as the optimization objective. An iterative linearization procedure is adopted for efficiently solving the optimization problem. The proposed substructure model updating approach is validated with 1D, 2D, and 3D examples.
Deconstructing the Precautionary Principle

If international environmental law were to develop Ten Commandments, the precautionary principle would be near the top of the list. Like the proscriptions against killing and theft, the precautionary principle is difficult to argue with. But when we try to pin down exactly what the precautionary principle means, matters become more difficult. Behind the simple allure of the precautionary principle lie a host of difficult issues. When is precaution warranted? In what ways should we be cautious? And how cautious should we be? Different international instruments have answered these questions in very different ways. The differing definitions of the precautionary principle, and their generally platitudinous quality, suggest that the precautionary principle may not take us very far in addressing specific environmental problems.
Gasoline, Markets, and Regulators

Rising gasoline prices have brought energy issues back to the forefront of public policy debates. Gasoline markets today are the result of almost a hundred years of conflicting regulatory policies, which have left them dangerously fragmented. In this article, I analyze that regulatory history, highlighting the unintended consequences of regulation that have pushed the United States into a series of loosely connected regional markets rather than a broad, deep national market. This fragmentation leaves the American economy is vulnerable to natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and foreign dictators in ways that it need not be. It also produces higher prices for consumers and reduced innovation by refiners.
Prisons, Courts and Terrorism: The American and West German Experience:

This is the fifth of a series of articles on Terrorism contributed to The Police Journal by Dr. Wolf. The others appeared in our October, July and January issues of 1976 and the April issue of 1975.
Dentin Matrix Proteins in Bone Tissue Engineering

Dentin and bone are mineralized tissue matrices comprised of collagen fibrils and reinforced with oriented crystalline hydroxyapatite. Although both tissues perform different functionalities, they are assembled and orchestrated by mesenchymal cells that synthesize both collagenous and noncollagenous proteins albeit in different proportions. The dentin matrix proteins (DMPs) have been studied in great detail in recent years due to its inherent calcium binding properties in the extracellular matrix resulting in tissue calcification. Recent studies have shown that these proteins can serve both as intracellular signaling proteins leading to induction of stem cell differentiation and also function as nucleating proteins in the extracellular matrix. These properties make the DMPs attractive candidates for bone and dentin tissue regeneration. This chapter will provide an overview of the DMPs, their functionality and their proven and possible applications with respect to bone tissue engineering.
Abstract 18516: Common Atrial Fibrillation Susceptibility Alleles Enhance Clinical Risk Prediction Model for Postoperative Atrial fibrillation

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common adverse event following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) conferring AF susceptibility identified by genome wide association (GWA) studies improve the traditional clinical risk prediction model for postoperative AF. Methods: Our study population consisted of 829 prospectively enrolled patients in the Vanderbilt Cardiac Surgery Registry (VCSR) undergoing CABG without concurrent valve surgery. Postoperative AF (12 months post surgery) was evaluated by review of medical records, ECGs and Holter monitors. Clinical variables in the model included age at the time of CABG, race, gender, history of AF, diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, CAD, LVEF, PR interval and use of beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, statins, aspirin, and COX inhibitors. Thirteen AF-associated SNPs (rs13376333 and rs6666258 at 1q21; rs3903239 at 1q24; rs2200733, rs10033464 and rs6817105 at 4q25; rs3807989 at 7q31; rs10821415 at 9q22; rs10824026 at 10q22; rs1152591 at 14q23; rs7164883 at 15q24; rs2106261 and rs7193343 at 16q22) were genotyped using the Sequenom platform. Results: Subjects with two or more missing variables were excluded from the analysis (final cohort 444 subjects). SNP rs10033464 was not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and hence removed from the analysis. Using multiple logistic regression, a model containing 12 SNPs, and all clinical covariates was fitted and found to be highly significant (P Conclusion: Our data show that AF susceptibility alleles enhance the clinical risk prediction model for the development of AF after cardiac surgery. Pre-procedural genotyping of AF susceptibility alleles may improve risk stratification in patients undergoing CABG surgery.
Designing Wind Turbines for Areas With Low Wind Speeds

Today’s wind turbines are designed in a wide range of vertical and horizontal axis types. In this study, several wind turbines are designed for low wind speed areas around the world mainly for domestic energy consumption. The wind speed range of 4–12 mph is considered, which is selected based on the average wind speeds in the Atlanta, GA and surrounding areas. These areas have relatively low average wind speeds compared to various other parts of the United States. Wind energy has been identified as an important source of renewable energy. Traditionally wind energy utilization is limited to areas with higher wind speeds. In reality a lot of areas in the world including Atlanta, GA., have low average wind speeds and demand high energy consumption. In most cases, wind turbines are installed in remote offshore or away from habitat locations, causing heavy investment in installation and maintenance, and loss of energy transfer over long distances. Therefore, the main focus of this study is to extract wind energy domestically at low wind speeds. A few more advantages of small scale wind turbines include reduced visibility, less noise and reduced detrimental environmental effects such as killing of birds, when compared to traditional large turbines. With the latest development in wind turbine technology it is now possible to employ small scale wind turbines that have much smaller foot print and can generate enough energy for small businesses or residential applications. The low speed wind turbines are typically located near residential areas, and are much smaller in sizes compared to the large out of habitat wind turbines. In this study, several designs of wind turbines are modeled using SolidWorks. Virtual aerodynamic analysis is performed using SolidWorks Flow simulation software, and then optimization of the designs is performed based on maximizing the starting rotational torque and acceleration. From flow simulations, forces on the wind turbine blades and structures are calculated, and used in subsequent stress analysis to confirm structural integrity. Critical insight into the low wind speed turbine design is obtained using various configurations and the results are discussed. The study will help identify bottlenecks in the practical and effective utilization of low speed wind energy, and help devise possible remedial plans for the areas around the globe that get low average wind speeds.© 2014 ASME
Taking Time to Incubate: Moderating Role of 'What You Do’ and ‘When You Do It’ on Creativity

This study explores the conditions under which working on a different, intervening, task can facilitate incubation on a main task, and in turn creativity. Using unconscious thought theory, the rese...
A treatment by disorder meta-analysis of dropout from psychotherapy.

Previous reviews of premature termination have yet to examine whether disparate psychotherapy treatments differ in their dropout rates for specific disorders. Using data from 587 studies, a series of meta-analyses were conducted comparing dropout rates between treatment approaches for 12 separate disorder categories. Although, significant differences between treatment approaches were found for depression [Q(9) 22.69, p .01], eating disorders [Q(7) 14.63, p .05], and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [Q(7) 20.20, p .01], treatments did not differ in their dropout rates for the remaining 9 diagnostic categories. Although integrative treatments resulted in the lowest dropout rates for depression and PTSD, dialectical-behavior therapy resulted in the lowest average dropout rate for eating disorders. The similarity in dropout rates for the majority of the disorder categories suggests that clients’ decisions to drop out may depend more on other therapy variables (e.g., common factors, client characteristics, and therapist characteristics) rather than the specific type of treatment that is used. Additionally, our findings highlight the particular usefulness of an integrationist approach to therapy—it showed to be the most robust model for retaining clients in that its dropout rate was equal to or better than all of the other therapy approaches for 11 out of the 12 disorders examined.
Open access colonoscopy: Critical appraisal of indications, quality metrics and outcomes

Abstract Introduction In an era of cost containment and measurement of value, screening for colon cancer represents a clear target for better accountability. Bundling payment is a real possibility and will likely have to rely on open-access colonoscopy (OAC). OAC is a method to allow patients to undergo endoscopy without prior evaluation by a gastroenterologist. We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the indications and outcomes among patients scheduled for OAC or traditional colonoscopy at a tertiary medical center. We hypothesized that outcomes in OAC patients would be similar to those from traditional referral modes. Method Using a standardized data abstraction form, we documented indications for colonoscopy, clinical outcomes (complications, emergency room visits, phone calls), and compliance with quality indicators (QI) in a random sample of 1000 patients who underwent an outpatient colonoscopy at an academic medical center in 2013. We compared baseline characteristics and outcomes between two cohorts: OAC vs. patients who were scheduled after previous evaluation by a gastroenterologist or physician assistant or non-open access colonoscopy (NOAC). Results Patients in the OAC group were more likely to be male, non-Hispanic, to be privately insured, and to have screening (vs. diagnostic) indication. However they were significantly less likely than those in the NOAC group to have a procedure performed once scheduled, (45.5% vs. 66.9%, p Conclusion Patients undergoing OAC are more likely to have a screening colonoscopy but with overall similar clinical outcomes and compliance with QI to patients scheduled as NOAC. OAC remains handicapped by high cancellation and no-show rates.
A survey of neuroscience courses for predoctoral dental students.

Course directors of the seventeen neuroscience courses offered in U.S. dental schools were surveyed. Information was obtained about the course organization, topics covered, and the amount of didactic and nondidactic instruction for sixteen neuroscience courses, which included four courses that combined medical and dental student instruction. The courses averaged 51.4 contact hours with a range of 11 to 110 hours. Approximately 75 percent of time was for didactic instruction. Most courses emphasized neuroanatomy, electrochemical cell signaling, and the somatic sensory system, including specific lectures on pain sensation. The majority of courses also included several lectures on topics dealing with motor control and the limbic and the autonomic systems, whereas limited time was allocated to topics concerned with higher cortical functions. The nondidactic instruction typically included neuroanatomy laboratories and group discussions of the relation between lesions of sensory and motor pathways and neurological signs. The establishment of guidelines for neuroscience could encourage dental schools to provide a strong basic science foundation in neuroscience.
Systemic causes of hair loss

Hair loss is both a common chief complaint by patients and a clinical challenge for physicians, especially general practitioners, yet few dermatological problems yield as much patient satisfaction when resolved as hair loss. The diagnosis is often attributed to androgen-related hair loss, while other causes, some of which are life-threatening but treatable, are overlooked. We searched for relevant literature on hair loss and supported these findings with our clinical experience to identify seven major systemic etiologies of hair loss, ranging from infectious agents to consumption of unsafe supplements. Many causes are only described in the literature through case studies, though some original articles and meta-analyses are available. Careful history taking, proper examination techniques, and judicious use of laboratory tests are essential to reach at the correct diagnosis in a cost-effective manner when performing patient work-up. Such methodical evaluation of hair loss can result in the appropriate treatment plan and provide significant patient satisfaction. Key messages Hair loss is a common chief complaint and a difficult challenge for both general practitioners and dermatology consultants. We identified seven major categories of systemic hair loss etiology and present a framework for their clinical evaluation. A methodical approach to hair loss can result in the appropriate treatment plan and provide significant patient satisfaction.
Continuity and Change in French International Urbanism

The diffusion of French urbanism to foreign lands is often discussed as an ancillary of French colonialism. However, it is erroneous to consider colonialism the only conduit through which French urbanism has been exported abroad. This chapter underscores this point and shows how urbanism rose to become a leading French export commodity since the early-twentieth century. It focuses especially on how and why French ideas on physical and spatial organization rose to prominence. This, it is argued, was an upshot of the fact that French architects and urban planners had won many internationally coveted design competitions at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Formation mechanism of gas bubble superlattice in UMo metal fuels: Phase-field modeling investigation

Abstract Nano-gas bubble superlattices are often observed in irradiated UMo nuclear fuels. However, the formation mechanism of gas bubble superlattices is not well understood. A number of physical processes may affect the gas bubble nucleation and growth; hence, the morphology of gas bubble microstructures including size and spatial distributions. In this work, a phase-field model integrating a first-passage Monte Carlo method to investigate the formation mechanism of gas bubble superlattices was developed. Six physical processes are taken into account in the model: 1) heterogeneous generation of gas atoms, vacancies, and interstitials informed from atomistic simulations; 2) one-dimensional (1-D) migration of interstitials; 3) irradiation-induced dissolution of gas atoms; 4) recombination between vacancies and interstitials; 5) elastic interaction; and 6) heterogeneous nucleation of gas bubbles. We found that the elastic interaction doesn’t cause the gas bubble alignment, and fast 1-D migration of interstitials along 〈110〉 directions in the body-centered cubic U matrix causes the gas bubble alignment along 〈110〉 directions. It implies that 1-D interstitial migration along [110] direction should be the primary mechanism of a fcc gas bubble superlattice which is observed in bcc UMo alloys. Simulations also show that fission rates, saturated gas concentration, and elastic interaction all affect the morphology of gas bubble microstructures.
Non-parametric Survival Analysis of EPG5 Gene with Age at Onset of Alzheimer's Disease.

Non-parametric methods such as Wilcoxon test have the advantages of no assumptions for the underlying survival distributions. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease while the ectopic P-granules autophagy protein 5 homolog (EPG5 gene) is highly expressed in human brain and may implicate in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. The present study explored the associations of 26 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the EPG5 gene with the age at onset (AAO) of AD using a family-based association test (FBAT)-Wilcoxon statistic in a family-based study. Then a replication study using a case-control sample was conducted to perform Wilcoxon test in Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of AAO. The results from FBAT-generalized estimating equations (FBAT-GEE) statistics and FBAT-Wilcoxon test showed that seven SNPs (top SNP rs495078 with p = 1.29 × 10-3) were significantly associated with the risk of AD, and eight SNPs (top SNP rs11082498 with p = 3.55 × 10-4) were associated with the AAO of AD in the family-based study (p < 0.05). In the replicated data, three SNPs were associated with AAO by using the Wilcoxon test, where the mean AAO was approximately 2.2 years earlier in individuals who had at least one minor allele of the top AAO-associated SNP rs9963463 (p = 0.0018) compared with those who were homozygous for the major allele. These findings from non-parametric survival analyses provide evidence for several genetic variants in EPG5 influencing the AAO of AD and will serve as a resource for replication in other populations.
Valproate Metabolites During Treatment of Infantile Spasms

Metabolite profiles were measured in serum and urine of pediatric patients treated with valproic acid for infantile spasms at the Institute of Toxicology and Embryopharmacology, Free University Berlin and Department of Pediatrics, Rittberg-Krankenhaus, Berlin, Germany.
CHAPTER 16 – STARCH

Publisher Summary Starch is obtained from cereal seeds and certain roots and tubers. Corn is the major commercial source of starch worldwide, but other sources such as wheat, rice, potatoes, and cassava are important in some countries. This chapter discusses the chemical nature of starch, involving the molecular structures, properties, and changes they can undergo; it further discusses the physical nature of starch, involving granular structures, properties, and changes they can undergo. The chapter discusses the changes that occur in starch during food production, the commercial process of starch modification, and the use of modified starches. Huge array of treatments can be applied to raw starches to change the performance in use. Through these treatments (1) improved resistance to heat, acid, and shear stresses can be achieved, (2) temperatures at which thickening of raw starch occurs can be altered, (3) the specific properties of finished products can be controlled, and (4) the shelf stability of foods destined for cold storage and freezer storage can be enhanced. Starches can be treated for many kinds of modification of their functionality in starch-containing foods.
Ablation of Ganglionated Plexi in the Long Term: Is Half a Loaf as Good as None?

In this issue of Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology , Wang et al1 demonstrated, in the dog heart, that ablation of the right-sided ganglionated plexi (GP) whose axons innervate the sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodes2 acutely induced significant prolongation of atrial effective refractory period (AERP) but in the long term these effects were reversed. Moreover, nerve density of parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves was markedly increased after GP ablation. These findings essentially confirm previous experimental studies by Oh et al,3 Sakamoto et al,4 and Mao et al5 all of whom ablated GP, and found evidence of reinnervation providing a reversal of AERP shortening and restoration of atrial fibrillation (AF) inducibility. Article see p 1276 We are indebted to Walter Randall and the cadre of neurophysiologists he mentored, who studied the intrinsic autonomic nervous system of the heart starting in the 1970s.6 His most prominent progeny, Andrew Armour and Jeffrey Ardell have and continue to contribute to our understanding of the important structural and functional aspects of the neural innervation in the normal heart and under pathological conditions.7,8 From a structural viewpoint, the neural innervation of the heart is a multitiered system of nerve bodies and axons starting at the brain and spinal cord proceeding through an intrathoracic station to reach the intrinsic autonomic nervous system on the heart itself. …
The Integration of “Noise” into the Structure of Movements

Conventional views of motor control, which state or imply that it is a deterministic system, are being challenged by the recognition that the stochastic properties of motor control may offer clues to some of its operations. This paper considers evidence that there exists a general property of trajectory formation which is a consequence of the inherent variability of movements. Specifically, the amplitude of the initial sub-movement of motions containing two or more such sub-movements is planned so as to take into account its spatial variability. Examples are given of cases where such a principle might be expected to apply, and the usefulness of this phenomenon for examining individual and strategy differences in aiming tasks is discussed.
A Globally Convergent Numerical Method for Coefficient Inverse Problems with Time-Dependent Data

In our terminology “globally convergent numerical method” means a numerical method whose convergence to a good approximation for the correct solution is independent of the initial approximation. A new numerical imaging algorithm has been proposed to solve a coefficient inverse problem for an elliptic equation with the data generated by computer simulation. A convergence analysis shows that this method converges globally assuming the smallness of the asymptotic solution (the so-called tail function). A heuristic approach for approximating the “new tail function,” which is a crucial part (assuming the smallness of the tail function) of our problem, has been utilized and verified in numerical experiments, so has the global convergence. Numerical experiments in the 2D time-domain optical property reconstruction are presented.
Factors Influencing Mating and Oviposition of Black Soldier Flies (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) in a Colony

Most information on the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.), is limited to its use as a biological control and waste management agent. Little is known about its mating and oviposition activities. Latency from emergence to mating and oviposition for colony-reared black soldier flies placed in a 1.5 × 1.5 × 3 m nylon cage located in a greenhouse was determined. Sixty-nine percent of mating occurred 2 d after eclosion and 70% of oviposition 4 d after eclosion. Time of day and light intensity significantly correlated with mating (r2 = 0.49; P < 0.0001), while time of day, temperature, and humidity significantly correlated with oviposition (r2 = 0.58; P < 0.0001). Latency after emergence significantly correlated with mating (r2 = 0.99; P < 0.0001) and oviposition (r2 = 0.99; P < 0.0001). A second experiment was conducted to examine oviposition preference of the black soldier fly. Adults were allowed to oviposit in Gainesville house fly, Musca domestica L., larval media with and without 5-d-old black sold...