cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 1792: Radiation-induced downregulation of GLT-1 glutamate transporter mRNA expression is reversed by renin-angiotensin system inhibitors

Fractionated partial or whole brain irradiation (fWBI) is often required to treat metastatic brain cancer. Unfortunately, fWBI can lead to the development of a progressive, irreversible cognitive impairment in patients who survive longer than six months following treatment. Prior studies suggest that neuroinflammation and alterations in neuronal plasticity may play a role in this treatment-related side effect. In the current study we determined that radiation-induced inflammatory activation of primary rat cortical astrocytes results in downregulation of mRNA and protein for the GLT-1 glutamate transporter, which functions to regulate glutamate signaling at excitatory synapses. Furthermore, we show that delivery of clinically-relevant fWBI (40Gy, 5Gy/fraction, 2x/week) to young adult male rats results in 51% decrease in Glt-1 mRNA in the cortex at 48 hours. Two months after completion of fWBI, cortical GLT-1 mRNA is further decreased to 25% the levels observed in sham controls, while at six months following fWBI GLT-1 levels remain 43% decreased compared to controls. We have previously identified two classes of compounds, the renin-angiotensin system inhibitors and PPAR agonists, which ameliorate the fWBI-induced cognitive impairment in this rodent model, although the full mechanisms by which these compounds protect cognition remain unknown. We found that dietary administration of the angiotensin receptor blocker L-158-809, but not the ACE inhibitor Ramipril, prevents fWBI-induced loss of cortical GLT-1 mRNA at 48 hours, while both cognition-sparing compounds restored GLT-1 expression at 2 months post-fWBI. Similarly, administration of the PPARδ agonist GW0742 prevented the fWBI-induced decrease of GLT-1 mRNA observed 6 months post-fWBI. Together these data suggest that radiation-induced downregulation of GLT-1 is a potential mechanism contributing to the development of radiation-induced brain injury, including cognitive impairment, and that GLT-1 may represent a druggable target to prevent this treatment-related cognitive decline. (Supported by NIH CA112593) Citation Format: Mitra Kooshki, Christine Naczki, Michael E. Robbins, Linda J. Metheny-Barlow. Radiation-induced downregulation of GLT-1 glutamate transporter mRNA expression is reversed by renin-angiotensin system inhibitors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1792. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1792
Morphology of Dentition and Postcranial Skeleton of Akidolestes

Akidolestes cifellii Li and Luo,2006(NIGPAS 139281A,B) is a new symmetrodont mammal with complete postcranial skeleton discovered in Yixian Fromation,Lower Creatacous,Liaoning province,China.It has been diagnosed as a member of family spalacotheriidae included in superfamily spalacotheroidea.The spalacotheriidae is a monophyletic group;characteristic by the reversed triangular molar.It is the close relative to extant therians(metatherians and eutherians),with a lot of primitive features.Akidolestes differs from zhangheotheriids in having much broader coronoid process of dentary and more acute angled molars.The skeletal anatomical and morphological comparative study indicates that the evolution of Akidolestes is mosaic pattern combing the primitive and the derived skeletal features.Akidolestes probably shares both terrestrial and arboreal locomotory adaptation,but it is not specialized in either aspects.
B-cell differentiation following autologous, conventional, or T-cell depleted bone marrow transplantation: a recapitulation of normal B-cell ontogeny

The circulating lymphocytes of 88 consecutive patients following autologous, conventional, or T-cell depleted bone marrow transplantation were serially analyzed for B-cell surface antigen expression and function. In the majority of patients, except for those who developed chronic graft-versus-host disease, the number of circulating CD20+ B cell normalized by the fourth posttransplant month. The earliest detectable B cells normally expressed HLA-DR, CD19, surface immunoglobulin (slg), CD21, Leu-8, and lacked expression of CD10 (CALLA). In addition, the circulating B cells expressed CD1c, CD38, CD5, and CD23 for the first year following transplant, antigens that are normally expressed on a small percentage of circulating B cells in normal adults, but highly expressed on cord blood B cells. Similar to cord blood B cells, patient B cells isolated during the first year following transplant, proliferated normally to Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain I (SAC), and produced IgM, but minimal or no IgG when stimulated with pokeweed mitogen and SAC, unlike normal adult B cells that produce both. The similar phenotype and function of posttransplant and cord blood B cells, and their similar rate of decline in patients and normal children adds further evidence to support the hypothesis that B-cell differentiation posttransplant is recapitulating normal B-cell ontogeny.
H. pylori DNA Fingerprinting Using the Arbitrarily Primed PCR (AP-PCR) or Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Method

An ability to distinguish individual strains of Helicobacter pylori with sensitivity and efficiency is valuable for studies of the epidemiology, population genetic structure, and evolution of this gastric pathogen. The arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR), or random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method (1-4), provides one of the most sensitive and efficient means for distinguishing individual strains, and has been particularly useful for H. pylori (5-7). In overview, the method entails PCR amplification with an oligonucleotide primer of arbitrarily chosen sequence and no known match to sequences in the target genome. This allows initiation of DNA synthesis from genomic sites to which the primer is fortuitously, and usually only partially, matched (Fig. 1). The method detects DNA sequence diversity throughout the genome, rather than just at individual loci; less DNA is needed than in most other DNA fingerprinting methods; the DNA need not be very large nor be double-stranded; and no DNA labeling or hybridization, nor information about target DNA sequences, is needed. There are two principal variants of the AP-PCR protocol, one using oligonucleotide primers of about 10 nucleotides (nt) (3,4), and a second using longer primers, which often may have been constructed for other purposes, such as conventional PCR or DNA sequencing (1,2). Fig. 1. Strategy for DNA fingerprinting by the arbitrarily primed (AP) PCR or random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method. In the top left are diagrammed the genomes of related but genetically distinct strains of H. pylori that may have diverged from a common ancestor by mutation and/or gene transfer from other strains. Pairs of thick half-arrows indicate primer annealing to pairs of sites that result in AP-PCR products; thin half-arrows indicate the same primer annealing to individual sites that are not near enough to other potential primer binding sites in opposite orientation to yield AP-PCR products. The annealing of primers to pairs of incompletely matched sites, which is postulated to be responsible for many AP-PCR bands from prokaryotic genomes, is diagrammed in the DETAIL section (lower left), and the array of products that would be generated from the two strains compared here is diagrammed at the right.
Inter- and intra-rater reliability of diffusion tensor imaging parameters in the normal pediatric spinal cord.

AIM: To assess inter- and intra-rater reliability (agreement) between two region of interest (ROI) methods in pediatric spinal cord diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). METHODS: Inner-Field-of-View DTI data previously acquired from ten pediatric healthy subjects (mean age = 12.10 years) was used to assess for reliability. ROIs were drawn by two neuroradiologists on each subject data twice within a 3-mo interval. ROIs were placed on axial B0 maps along the cervical spine using free-hand and fixed-size ROIs. Agreement analyses for fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity, radial diffusivity and mean diffusivity were performed using intra-class-correlation (ICC) and Cronbach’s alpha statistical methods. RESULTS: Inter- and intra-rater agreement between the two ROI methods showed moderate (ICC = 0.5) to strong (ICC = 0.84). There were significant differences between raters in the number of pixels selected using free-hand ROIs (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in DTI parameter values. FA showed highest variability in ICC values (0.10-0.87). Cronbach’s alpha showed moderate-high values for raters and ROI methods. CONCLUSION: The study showed that high reproducibility in spinal cord DTI can be achieved, and demonstrated the importance of setting detailed methodology for post-processing DTI data, specifically the placement of ROIs.
Minimally Invasive Surgery in Pediatric Trauma: One Institution's 20-Year Experience.

Background Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for trauma in pediatric cases remains controversial. Recent studies have shown the validity of using minimally invasive techniques to decrease the rate of negative and nontherapeutic laparotomy and thoracotomy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic options of MIS in pediatric trauma at a level I pediatric trauma center. Methods We reviewed cases of patients aged 15 years and younger who had undergone laparoscopy or thoracoscopy for trauma in our institution over the past 20 years. Each case was evaluated for mechanism of injury, computed tomographic (CT) scan findings, operative management, and patient outcomes. Results There were 23 patients in the study (16 boys and 7 girls). Twenty-one had undergone diagnostic laparoscopy and 2 had had diagnostic thoracoscopy. In 16, there were positive findings in diagnostic laparoscopy. Laparoscopic therapeutic interventions were performed in 6 patients; the remaining 10 required conversion to laparotomy. Both patients who underwent diagnostic thoracoscopy had positive findings. One had a thoracoscopic repair, and the other underwent conversion to thoracotomy. There were 5 negative diagnostic laparoscopies. There was no mortality among the 23 patients. Conclusions The use of laparoscopy and thoracoscopy in pediatric trauma helps to reduce unnecessary laparotomy and thoracotomy. Some injuries can be repaired by a minimally invasive approach. When conversion is necessary, the use of these techniques can guide the placement and size of surgical incisions. The goal is to shift the paradigm in favor of using MIS in the treatment of pediatric trauma as the first-choice modality in stable patients.
The PhenX Toolkit- Online catalog of consensus measures for phenotypes and exposures

T PhenX Toolkit (consensus measures for Phenotypes and eXposures) is an online catalog of broadly validated and well-established measures of phenotypes and exposures for use in human subjects research. The PhenX Toolkit currently includes 339 measures covering a broad scope of 21 research domains including Demographics, Anthropometrics, Cancer, Nutrition, Environmental Exposures, Neurology and Social Environments, and six specialty areas related to Substance Abuse and Addiction (SAA). Investigators can find measures of interest by browsing domains, collections, or measures, or by searching using the Smart Query Tool. For each measure, the Toolkit provides a description of the measure, the rationale for its inclusion, detailed protocol(s) for collecting the data, and supporting documentation. The Toolkit also provides custom data collection worksheets to help investigators integrate PhenX measures into their study and custom data dictionaries to facilitate data submission to the database of Genotypes and Phenotypes (dbGaP). To promote data interoperability, PhenX has adopted the national standards Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) and cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG) Common Data Elements (CDEs). To help researchers find comparable data, PhenX measures and variables are mapped to studies in dbGaP. These mappings are displayed in dbGaP and highlight opportunities for cross-study analysis by researchers using PhenX measures. PhenX RISING (Real world, Implementation, SharING) includes seven investigators who were awarded funds to incorporate PhenX measures into existing, population-based genomic studies. Of the 81 measures implemented by these investigators, 55 are shared by two or more groups providing common ground for future cross-study analysis.
Introduction to this Special Issue: Intercultural Education in the Social Studies

Professor Cushner is our guest editor to this special section devoted to Intercultural Education. As well as a renowned author in the area of international education and intercultual education Professor Cushner has held a number of prestigious posts in recent years including Professor of Education (International and Multicultural) at Kent State University; Executive Director for International Affairs at Kent State University ; Associate Dean for Student Services and Intercultural Affairs at Kent State; Fulbright Senior Specialist, Gotland University; and Director, Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching.
Understanding vasopressor intervention and weaning: risk prediction in a public heterogeneous clinical time series database.

Background The widespread adoption of electronic health records allows us to ask evidence-based questions about the need for and benefits of specific clinical interventions in critical-care settings across large populations. Objective We investigated the prediction of vasopressor administration and weaning in the intensive care unit. Vasopressors are commonly used to control hypotension, and changes in timing and dosage can have a large impact on patient outcomes. Materials and Methods We considered a cohort of 15 695 intensive care unit patients without orders for reduced care who were alive 30 days post-discharge. A switching-state autoregressive model (SSAM) was trained to predict the multidimensional physiological time series of patients before, during, and after vasopressor administration. The latent states from the SSAM were used as predictors of vasopressor administration and weaning. Results The unsupervised SSAM features were able to predict patient vasopressor administration and successful patient weaning. Features derived from the SSAM achieved areas under the receiver operating curve of 0.92, 0.88, and 0.71 for predicting ungapped vasopressor administration, gapped vasopressor administration, and vasopressor weaning, respectively. We also demonstrated many cases where our model predicted weaning well in advance of a successful wean. Conclusion Models that used SSAM features increased performance on both predictive tasks. These improvements may reflect an underlying, and ultimately predictive, latent state detectable from the physiological time series.
Philologia: Philosophy from Faith to Faith

Not only calling himself the “Metacritic” and the Socratic thinker, Hamann also referred to himself as the “Philologian”.
Rice yields and water use under alternate wetting and drying irrigation: A meta-analysis

Abstract Rice systems provide a major source of calories for more than half of the world’s population; however, they also use more water than other major crops. Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) is an irrigation practice (introduction of unsaturated soil conditions during the growing season) that can reduce water inputs in rice, yet it has not been widely adopted, in part, due to the potential for reduced yields. We conducted a meta-analysis to: 1) quantify the effect of AWD on rice yields and water use; and 2) to identify soil properties and management practices that favor AWD yields and promote low water use relative to continuous flooding (CF- control). We analyzed 56 studies with 528 side-by-side comparisons of AWD with CF. Overall, AWD decreased yields by 5.4%; however under Mild AWD (i.e. when soil water potential was ≥ −20 kPa or field water level did not drop below 15 cm from the soil surface), yields were not significantly reduced in most circumstances. In contrast, Severe AWD (when soils dried beyond −20 kPa) resulted in yield losses of 22.6% relative to CF. These yield losses were most pronounced in soils with pH ≥ 7 or carbon
H-infinity Filtering for Cloud-Aided Semi-active Suspension with Delayed Information

This chapter presents an \(H_{\infty }\) filtering framework for cloud-aided semi-active suspension system with time-varying delays. In this system, road profile information is downloaded from a cloud database to facilitate onboard estimation of suspension states. Time-varying data transmission delays are considered and assumed to be bounded. A quarter-car linear suspension model is used and an \(H_{\infty }\) filter is designed with both onboard sensor measurements and delayed road profile information from the cloud. The filter design procedure is designed based on linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Numerical simulation results are reported that illustrate the fusion of cloud-based and onboard information that can be achieved in Vehicle-to-Cloud-to-Vehicle (V2C2V) implementation.
Impact of hydraulic fracturing on cement sheath integrity; A modelling approach

Abstract Recent arguments about the possibility of well leakage and underground water pollution in particular regions have raised significant concerns regarding wellbore integrity during hydraulic fracturing in shallow formations. In this paper, we take a look at the containment of annulus cracks that might develop during hydraulic fracturing treatments. Wellbore integrity is highly dependent on the integrity of the bonding between the cement and the formation as well as the bonding between casing and cement. Cement heterogeneity results from unsmooth borehole surfaces, complex geological conditions, mud cakes, and cement contamination. Excessive fluid pressure during hydraulic fracturing not only provides the driving force for the initiation and propagation of fractures in the reservoir, but also in special cases, it may lead to fracture propagation around the casing, i.e. annulus cracks. A coupled three-dimensional poroelastic model with embedded cohesive zones is introduced here to simulate different fracture propagation scenarios that may occur in vertical and horizontal wells during hydraulic fracturing stimulations in cased-hole zones. The cohesive layer theory is utilized to model the initiation and propagation of transverse, longitudinal and delamination fractures. Using the numerical analysis provided in this paper, a few hydraulic fracturing cases were simulated by taking advantage of the treatment pressure data and petrophysical logs, and the results were compared with the post-treatment radioactive tracer logs available for these wells.
Intersecting HIV Prevention Practice and Truth Among Black MSM

Black MSM are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS in the United States. Although the disparities in infection rates between Black MSM and MSM of other races have been well documented, less is known about the factors that contribute to those disparities—particularly psychosocial, cultural, and historical factors. The lack of understanding regarding these factors can have serious implications for effective HIV/AIDS service provision. This chapter provides an overview of intersectionality as a framework through which the lived experiences, HIV risk, and social oppressions of Black MSM can be better understood in order to inform HIV prevention and care practice. Examples of intersectionality-based research with Black MSM in the Deep South are discussed, and recommendations for incorporating intersectionality into HIV service provision are also provided.
Global service-learning in institutions of higher education: concerns from a community of practice

In order to better understand and determine priorities of global service-learning in higher education, this study used an empowering evaluation processes to assess the strategic trajectories needed...
Block Copolymers: Synthesis, Self-Assembly, and Applications

Research on block copolymers (BCPs) has played a critical role in the development of polymer chemistry, with numerous pivotal contributions that have advanced our ability to prepare, characterize, theoretically model, and technologically exploit this class of materials in a myriad of ways in the fields of chemistry, physics, material sciences, and biological and medical sciences. The breathtaking progress has been driven by the advancement in experimental techniques enabling the synthesis and characterization of a wide range of block copolymers with tailored composition, architectures, and properties. In this review, we briefly discussed the recent progress in BCP synthesis, followed by a discussion of the fundamentals of self-assembly of BCPs along with their applications.
Seasonal and interannual cross-shelf transport over the Texas and Louisiana continental shelf

Abstract Numerical drifters are tracked in a hydrodynamic simulation of circulation over the Texas-Louisiana shelf to analyze patterns in cross-shelf transport of materials. While the important forcing mechanisms in the region (wind, river, and deep eddies) and associated flow patterns are known, the resultant material transport is less well understood. The primary metric used in the calculations is the percent of drifters released within a region that cross the 100 m isobath. Results of the analysis indicate that, averaged over the eleven years of the simulation, there are two regions on the shelf – over the Texas shelf during winter, and over the Louisiana shelf in summer – with increased seasonal probability for offshore transport. Among the two other distinct regions, the big bend region in Texas has increased probability for onshore transport, and the Mississippi Delta region has an increase in offshore transport, for both seasons. Some of these regions of offshore transport have marked interannual variability. This interannual variability is correlated to interannual changes in forcing conditions. Winter transport off of the Texas shelf is correlated with winter mean wind direction, with more northerly winds enhancing offshore transport; summer transport off the Louisiana shelf is correlated with Mississippi River discharge.
“Is there a bubble to burst?”-college students’ spatial perception of campus and the city, a case study of rhodes college in memphis, TN

This paper builds on the study of student geography by critically examining college students’ perceived space of a university campus and the surrounding urban space. Rhodes College is a liberal art...
Perceived partner responsiveness promotes intellectual humility

Abstract The relatively novel construct of intellectual humility describes people's tendency to be open-minded and non-defensive when appraising oneself and one's beliefs. Although intellectual humility describes an intrapersonal style of processing information, we theorize that it also has interpersonal roots. This article describes four experiments and one daily-diary study examining the impact of perceived partner responsiveness and unresponsiveness on two manifestations of intellectual humility, lesser self-serving bias and openness to novel information that may contradicting existing beliefs. Studies 1–3 indicated that three well-established examples of self-serving bias—the tendency to rate oneself as better than an average peer, overclaiming personal responsibility for shared household activities, and hindsight bias—were strengthened when people were induced to perceive their partners as unresponsive, but weakened when they were led to perceive their partners as responsive. Study 4, a daily-diary study, demonstrated similar effects of everyday perceptions of responsiveness on hindsight bias, and also found that people reported having been more open to considering alternative, potentially conflicting points of view when they felt that their social environment was responsive to them. Finally, Study 5 found that perceived partner responsiveness led people to adopt a broader perspective. Together, these studies point to perceptions of responsiveness and unresponsiveness as one factor that lessens and intensifies, respectively, openness and non-defensiveness.
Perspective on Nanoparticle Manufacturing Research

Nanoparticles are seen either as building blocks of tailored properties for nanostructured materials, nanocomponents and nanodevices, or as enhancement agents of various physical, chemical or biological processes. Corresponding manufacturing processes may be arranged into four groups: synthesis of nanoparticles; processing/conversion of nanoparticles into functional nanostructures; utilization of nanoparticles for specific effects or phenomena; and process control. Particle synthesis via aerosols, colloids, combustion, plasmas, self-assembly techniques and other processes at high production rates has been a major research objective in the last few years. Future research is focused on particle processing into functional nanostructures and devices, hierarchical modeling, and particle utilization. The multiphase transport aspects (including particle-fluid and interparticle forces, rheological properties of powders, sorting, mixing, filtration, sintering, assembling, and interaction with external fields) and transient aspects have received less attention than the analysis of physical, chemical and biological aspects. A brief overview of research programs on nanoparticles and nanotechnology existing in several countries are presented.
Obesity and Gastrointestinal Cancers: Epidemiology

There is strong and consistent evidence for associations between obesity and multiple gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. The most consistent and compelling evidence exists for the association between obesity and colon cancer; however, there is emerging evidence for associations between obesity and esophageal adenocarcinoma and, pancreatic and liver cancers. The number of studies evaluating obesity and gastric and gallbladder cancers is limited and results, thus far, have been inconsistent. In this chapter, the epidemiological evidence linking obesity to the development and survival of GI cancers is reviewed. Because obesity plays an integral role in manifestation of the Metabolic Syndrome (MetSyn), epidemiological evidence for associations between MetSyn and GI cancers is also summarized. Other environmental and genetic risk factors for GI cancers and the putative ­mechanisms linking obesity, MetSyn, and GI cancers are discussed in subsequent chapters of this book.
High dosages of gonadotropins are associated with poor pregnancy outcomes after in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer

Objective To compare the pregnancy outcomes during IVF-ET when different dosages of hMG are used after follicular phase suppression with leuprolide acetate (LA). Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Hospital-based IVF-ET program. Patients From January 1990 to December 1992, 264 cycles reached ET after LA downregulation and gonadotropin stimulation. Results Higher doses of gonadotropins, as measured by both average daily dose and total dose per cycle, were associated with lower clinical pregnancy rates. This effect was independent of age, basal FSH level, endometrial thickness, maximal E2 levels, number of eggs retrieved, and embryos transferred. Conclusion High dosages of exogenous gonadotropins are associated with lower pregnancy rates in IVF-ET.
Hemispheric Specialization and Regional Cerebral Blood Flow

Many studies have demonstrated that the two hemispheres are specialized, in the majority of individuals, so that the left hemisphere regulates verbal-analytic cognitive abilities while the right hemisphere predominates in spatial-synthesis functions. The studies also suggested individual differences in the direction and degree of this hemispheric specialization. Thus, not all individuals have the same organization of cognitive processing in the two hemispheres. Our research program has examined these variations both in brain damaged patients and in normals. We have used the tachistoscopic and dichotic listening techniques, as well as paper-and-pencil tests, in the study of left-handed and right-handed males and females. These studies have helped identify reliable behavioural measures of hemispheric functioning. We also made initial steps toward applying the new techniques for measuring regional brain activity to the study of human cognitive functioning. Our studies with the 133-Xenon inhalation technique for measuring regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) showed lateralized changes in rCBF for verbal and spatial tasks, and the effects were influenced by handedness and sex. We also performed a study of local cerebral glucose metabolism using Positron Emission Tomography (PET), which also found lateralized changes for the standardized cognitive tasks. A second line of research examined hemispheric specialization for emotional processing. Clinical case reports and tachistoscopic studies suggested right hemispheric superiority for emotional processing. Some evidence also suggested hemispheric asymmetry in emotional valence, with the left hemisphere showing a “bias” toward positive affect. These factors are yet to be examined with rCBF.
The Effect of Various Degrees of Unilateral Spermatic Cord Torsion on Fertility in the Rat

AbstractUnilateral spermatic cord torsion has been shown to cause damage to the contralateral testis in humans and animal models. In an attempt to explain conflicts among various laboratories concerning the extent of this contralateral effect and to determine the importance of the extent of torsion, prepubertal rats (35 to 40 days) were subjected to unilateral spermatic cord torsion of various degrees (zero to 1440°)· Sham surgeries were performed and served as controls (0° of torsion). The animals were allowed to recover from the surgeries and to attain puberty before a period of fertility testing. Fertility, fecundity, organ weight and testicular histological data were obtained after the breeding period. Our data indicate that animals undergoing 360° of torsion exhibited no changes in the parameters studied. However, if 720°, 1080° or 1440° of torsion was induced, a significantly lower percentage of fertile males and pregnant females resulted for each of these experimental groups when compared to those ...
Von Neumann Model Solutions Are Generalized Eigensystems

General relations between the von Neumann model and eigensystems are derived. Every solution to a von Neuman model implies a generalized eigenvalue problem, perhaps in several different ways. Previously discovered interconnections are shown to be special instances of the general result. Analogues of the Shapley-Snow-Kaplansky formulas for basic optimal solutions to the von Neumann model are derived. The results have mathematical and economic implications, but do not improve existing computational methods. The derived generalized eigensystem is related to a normal form in the literature of matrix algebra due to Gantmacher.
Aquaculture Methods and Early Growth of Juvenile Horseshoe Crabs ( Limulus polyphemus )

Current knowledge of horseshoe crabs (HSC) has been derived, in large part, from field studies. Comprehending the biology and conservation of HSC could be facilitated and augmented by understanding and improving their culture methods. Although many researchers and even lay people are capable of getting animals to the early stages of development, very few are successful in getting them to survive for longer periods of time. The Aquatic Research and Environmental Assessment Center (AREAC) has been successful in rearing HSC in annual cohorts, some for more than 7 years. We have used indoor recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) containing medium prepared with artificial sea salts. Animals have been given various diets, including both natural and specially formulated feeds. We have traced the earliest developmental stages through juvenile development in animals that were derived from eggs fertilized in the field and laboratory. This chapter will discuss the problems and successes of culturing adult and developing HSC in RAS, methods of fertilization, feed regimes, growth, and survivorship and observations on HSC development from egg to juvenile.
New Voices, New Perspectives: Studying the History of Student Life at Community Colleges

Historians of higher education have long acknowledged a blind spot when it comes to the history of less selective institutions, including community colleges, which today educate nearly half of all undergraduates in the United States. Even as scholars debate the merits of these institutions—at once celebrated as levers of social mobility and criticized for diverting students’ ambitions—few have examined the experiences of students on these campuses, past or present. This chapter surveys the literature on the history of community colleges to identify challenges and opportunities for scholars seeking to study their campus life. The chapter considers how a better understanding of campus life at community colleges may change understanding of what it means—and has meant—to be a college student.
The World at Our Gate: Wartime Sanctuary and Foreign Detention at Montreat College

Brandenburg investigates the demands of wartime hospitality in a Presbyterian college community in the Blue Ridge Mountains. By focusing on Montreat College during World War II, this chapter offers a fresh portrayal on the forced movement of noncombatants during the war. The war brought to the Montreat community German and Japanese diplomats, businessman, and the families as political detainees under the watch of the State Department’s Special War Problems Division. The community struggled to balance their sense of duty to the American war effort and their sense of Christian hospitality to the foreigner, while many Montreat-based missionaries serving in East Asia where simultaneously detained as prisoners of war under Imperial Japan.
Upregulation of free fatty acid receptors in periodontal tissues of patients with metabolic syndrome and periodontitis

Background and objective Metabolic syndrome (MetS) exacerbates periodontitis. Since saturated fatty acid (SFA) is increased in MetS and enhances lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced proinflammatory cytokine expression in macrophages, it has been considered to play a role in MetS-exacerbated periodontitis. However, it remains unknown how fatty acid receptors, which mediate the interaction of cells with SFA and uptake of SFA, are expressed and regulated in the periodontal tissue. In this study, we tested our hypothesis that the periodontal expression of fatty acid receptors GPR40 and CD36 is increased in patients with both MetS and periodontitis. We also determined the effect of SFA and LPS on GPR40 and CD36 expression in vitro. Material and methods Periodontal tissue specimens were collected from 11 participants without MetS and periodontitis, 12 participants with MetS, 11 participants with periodontitis, and 14 participants with both MetS and periodontitis after surgeries. The tissues were processed, and GPR40 and CD36 were detected by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, cultured macrophages and gingival fibroblasts were treated with LPS, palmitate, a major SFA, or LPS plus palmitate and the expression of GPR40 and CD36 was then quantified. Results Analysis of clinical data showed that age, smoker, gender, and race/ethnicity were not significantly different among 4 groups. Immunohistochemistry showed that GPR40 and CD36 were expressed by epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells. Quantitative data showed that GPR40 expression is increased in patients with periodontitis, MetS, or both periodontitis and MetS while CD36 expression is increased only in patients with both periodontitis and MetS. The in vitro studies showed that the expression of GPR40 and CD36 in macrophages and fibroblasts was upregulated by the combination of LPS and palmitate. Conclusion Periodontal expression of GPR40 and CD36 was upregulated in patients with both MetS and periodontitis, and GPR40 and CD36 in macrophages and fibroblasts were upregulated in vitro by the combination of LPS and palmitate, suggesting that GPR40 and CD36 may be involved in MetS-exacerbated periodontitis.
A Behavioral Analysis of Monetary Exchange and Craft Production in Rural Tuscany via Small Finds from the Roman Peasant Project

Roman archaeology has long made use of an urban-rural dichotomy to conceptualize and frame questions about the material record, carrying over values of urbanism and rusticity explicit in ancient textual sources. The construction of rural culture deserves articulation not as a received idea, but through comparison of actual assemblages recovered from archaeological contexts in the countryside. Accordingly, this paper uses the small finds from the Roman Peasant Project (2009-2014), a project to study the lives of the ancient inhabitants of the comune of Cinigiano (GR), to investigate behavioral patterns at seven sites in south-central Tuscany. I utilize a computational approach which automates the process of interpreting finds as indices of different behaviors and I compare the socioeconomic landscape of this rural community in two broad periods, the late Republican / Julio-Claudian and Late Antique. I show not only that a formal, quantitative approach to the categorization of finds and comparison of site functionality can be used to measure overall variability in each period, but also that it is possible to assess the behavioral factors that lay behind the makeup of the Roman rural economy in this region. In the earlier period, peasants' lives were distinguished by lower levels of coin circulation and greater variability in site investment, although with a more homogenous lifestyle. In Late Antiquity, craft production and coin-based exchange were much more diffuse throughout society, perhaps indicating diminishing networks of long-term reciprocity and interdependency among different communities as local production and cash transactions became more common.
Abstract P156: Kidney Function and Serum Potassium as Predictors of Spironolactone Initiation in Congestive Heart Failure

Introduction: There are a paucity of data on real-world spironolactone use among patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), and whether spironolactone initiation differs by kidney function and s...
Evaluation of Barrier Sprays for Controlling Mosquitoes in Eastern North Carolina: Can Land Cover and Spatial Analyses Improve Predictions of Efficacy?

ABSTRACT Mosquitoes can be a nuisance and can transmit pathogens causing numerous diseases. Homeowners may hire private companies that use barrier sprays to alleviate mosquito-related issues, espec...
The Authority of the Ethics Consultant

It is no longer news that philosophers specializing in ethics have begun to serve as consultants, in hospitals and courtrooms for example. What is not now as clear as it should be is the source of the authority these new specialists claim on matters ethical. What is it they can bring to puzzlement? Should laymen defer to their superior judgment and, if so, why? At trial, expert witnesses must establish their qualifications in court before they will be allowed to weigh in on legal controversies. Using a single court case as a paradigm, I will reflect on the intellectual foundations of the work of the expert ethics witness and argue for the clarity that ethics expertise can bring to consequential perplexity.
A Convex-Geometric Approach to Ensemble Control Analysis and Design in a Hilbert Space.

In this paper, we tackle the long-standing challenges of ensemble control analysis and design using a convex-geometric approach in a Hilbert space setting. Specifically, we formulate the control of linear ensemble systems as a convex feasibility problem in a Hilbert space, which can be solved by iterative weighted projections. Such a non-trivial geometric interpretation not only enables a systematic design principle for constructing feasible, optimal, and constrained ensemble control signals, but also makes it possible for numerical examination of ensemble reachability and controllability. Furthermore, we incorporate this geometric approach into an iterative framework and illustrate its capability to derive feasible controls for steering bilinear ensemble systems. We conduct various numerical experiments on the control of linear and bilinear ensembles to validate the theoretical developments and demonstrate the applicability of the proposed convex-geometric approach.
The Geometry of Euclid’s Elements

To start at the beginning, as with many stories in mathematics, we go back to ancient Greece, and the “Greek miracle.” There were several Greek miracles, modern features that appeared as from nowhere. They may be related. There was the appearance of democracy, in Athens, around 500 BC. Around the same time philosophy emerged, reasoning by evidence and logical deduction about the great questions: what is our world made of, how and why does it change, how should we live? And mathematics that was formal and deductive.
Trends in high temperature materials technology for advanced aircraft turbine engines

The utilization of high temperature materials for turbine blades, disks, vanes, and combustors is reviewed. The use of directionally solidified eutectic alloys and of metal fiber reinforced superalloys as turbine blade materials is discussed. The application of powder metallurgy to the production of turbine disks is considered. It is shown that oxide-dispersion strengthened alloys (including NiCr and NiCr-Al) and ceramics are the best refractory turbine vane materials. The use of heat resistant sheet alloys as combustor materials is examined. The cost benefits to be derived from the application of high temperature technology to advanced CTOL and STOL engines are described.
Failed hybrids: The death and life of Bluetooth proximity marketing

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons were once heralded as the “holy grail of marketing,” a “cookie” for the physical world. An entire industry—proximity marketing—evolved to capture value from beaco...
4 Providing the optimal resident education experience during family centered rounds

Background Family Centered Rounds (FCR) allow the medical team to partner with patients and families in medical decision-making, improving patient communication and safety. Our children’s hospital recently increased FCR utilization by implementing geographic-based teams. A balancing measure demonstrated that while the majority of respondents agreed that FCR provided the best patient care, only 20% felt FCR provided the best educational experience. Objectives Increase the percentage of residents with a positive perception of the educational experience on FCR from 20% to 80% in 6 months. Methods The Model for Improvement and sequential PDSA cycles were utilized. A needs assessment was conducted to identify barriers to education (figure 1). The FCR process was standardized to include formal presentations outside patient rooms, addressing several educational experiences previously reported as being negatively impacted by FCR. Rounding duration and the percentage of patients receiving FCR were measured daily, while monthly surveys tracked resident perception of the educational experience. Family satisfaction and comprehension surveys were collected quarterly. Results Residents who perceive FCR as a positive educational experience improved from 20% to 75% (N=8, 6) (figure 2). Patients receiving FCR remained above 80% (N=267, 178, 209). 100% (N=14) of families understood their care plans and remained satisfied with the amount of information presented (figures 3 and 4). Unfortunately, rounds frequently exceeded the allotted time, increasing from 37% to 50% (N=7, 6, 10) (figure 5). Conclusions Hybridization of FCR to include formal presentations resulted in 55% more residents agreeing that FCR provided the best educational experience, while preserving family satisfaction and comprehension. Results may be generalizable to similarly sized residency programs. Future interventions will target barriers and negatively impacted educational activities identified upon re-evaluation of the new FCR structure.
Anti-Black Structural Racism Goes Online: A Conceptual Model for Racial Health Disparities Research

Anti-Black racism is an established social determinant of racial health disparities in the United States. Although the majority of research on racism examines in-person individual-level experiences, a majority of Americans engage online and may therefore be exposed to racism directly or indirectly in online contexts. Research suggests that the structural technological features of online contexts may be especially powerful in perpetuating and enacting racism, often in inconspicuous or automated ways. However, there is a paucity of literature that articulates how structural online racism may be an important catalyst for racial health disparities, despite emerging evidence of racism embedded in our technological infrastructures. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to articulate the basis for investigating online racism as a form of structural racism with growing implications for racial health disparities in the digital age. We first define the structural features of online settings that generate and reinforce inequities among racial groups in the United States. Next, we propose a conceptual model detailing potential mechanisms through which structural online racism may translate into racial health disparities. Finally, we discuss ways in which exposures to online racism could be measured in order to capture their structural nature. Implications and future directions for research on online racism as a form of structural racism and corresponding policy for the reduction of racial health disparities are highlighted.
Searching for the Secret of Stickiness: How Biofilms Adhere to Surfaces

Bacterial biofilms are communities of cells enclosed in an extracellular polymeric matrix in which cells adhere to each other and to foreign surfaces. The development of a biofilm is a dynamic process that involves multiple steps, including cell-surface attachment, matrix production, and population expansion. Increasing evidence indicates that biofilm adhesion is one of the main factors contributing to biofilm-associated infections in clinics and biofouling in industrial settings. This review focuses on describing biofilm adhesion strategies among different bacteria, including Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Techniques used to characterize biofilm adhesion are also reviewed. An understanding of biofilm adhesion strategies can guide the development of novel approaches to inhibit or manipulate biofilm adhesion and growth.
Changes in maternal fecal corticosterone metabolites across lactation and in response to chronic stress.

Abstract Maternal exposure to stressors during lactation has previously been demonstrated to impact various aspects of milk synthesis and to have long-term physiological effects on offspring. Much of the current literature investigating the effects of stress during lactation has used acute stressors, and the studies investigating the effects of chronic stressors largely focus on neurological changes. Further, temporal variation in glucocorticoids across lactation in response to stressors has rarely been assessed. The present work uses a novel male intruder paradigm to model the effects of chronic stress on maternal fecal corticosterone metabolites (FCMs) in Sprague-Dawley rats across lactation. FCM levels were elevated in chronically-stressed mothers relative to the control group. Further, FCMs in the stress group were time-dependent either due to repeated exposure to the stressor or lactation stage. Together, this work demonstrates the efficacy of this established paradigm in increasing circulating glucocorticoids in lactating rats. These results highlight the need for repeated temporal sampling, as glucocorticoid levels in response to a chronic stressor may change across lactation.