cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A semi-analytic model for oligarchic growth

Abstract A new semi-analytic model for the oligarchic growth phase of planetary accretion is developed. The model explicitly calculates damping and excitation of planetesimal eccentricities e and inclinations i due to gas drag and perturbations from embryos. The effects of planetesimal fragmentation, enhanced embryo capture cross sections due to atmospheres, inward planetesimal drift, and embryo–embryo collisions are also incorporated. In the early stages of oligarchic growth, embryos grow rapidly as e and i fall below their equilibrium values. The formation of planetesimal collision fragments also speeds up embryo growth as fragments have low-e, low-i orbits, thereby optimizing gravitational focussing. At later times, the presence of thick atmospheres captured from the nebula aids embryo growth by increasing their capture cross sections. Planetesimal drift due to gas drag can lead to substantial inward transport of solid material. However, inward drift is greatly reduced when embryo atmospheres are present, as the drift timescale is no longer short compared to the accretion timescale. Embryo–embryo collisions increase embryo growth rates by 50% compared to the case where growth is solely due to accretion of planetesimals. Formation of 0.1-Earth-mass protoplanets at 1 AU and 10-Earth-mass cores at 5 AU requires roughly 0.1 and 1 million years respectively, in a nebula where the local solid surface density is 7 g cm−2 at each of these locations.
Nonoperative management of a patent urachus

Patent urachus accounts for 10% to 15% of all reported urachal abnormalities in the literature. Treatment in the past has relied on immediate surgery. Conservative therapy with bladder catheter drainage, resulting in spontaneous closure, has not been described. We report a case of patent urachus in a 6-day-old infant who presented with urine drainage from the umbilicus. Radiographic studies confirmed a patent urachus. One week of urethral catheterization resulted in spontaneous closure of the patent urachus. This case suggests that initial treatment should consist of urethral catheterization for 1 to 2 weeks, followed by repeat voiding cystourethrogram. If the patent urachus still persists, one should proceed to surgical correction.
Frequency of ejaculation in the bovine.

Summary Data from one set of monozygotic triplet Holstein bulls indicated that at least seven successive ejaculates could be collected once each week for at least a year with no detrimental effects on semen quality or libido. The bulls giving four and seven ejaculates per week produced 2.4 and 3.0 times as many spermatozoa as the bull giving two ejaculates per week. Additional data from one set of monozygotic triplet and three sets of monozygotic twin Holstein bulls indicated that the collection of two ejaculates every two days or four days for a period of 2 yr. did not result in appreciable loss in libido or semen quality as compared to bulls giving two ejaculates every seven days. Bulls giving two ejaculates every two and four days produced 2.1 and 1.2 times as many spermatozoa as bulls giving two ejaculates once every seven days.
Tricriticality of the renormalization-group-generated BEG model

Abstract By virtue of the transfer matrix the classical spin-1 Ising model is transformed into a quantum spin-1 model in a transverse field. However, when the truncation renormalization group is applied to this quantum-mechanical model, new terms are generated. The resultant model that is closed under renormalization is the quantum version of the Blume-Emery-Griffiths (BEG) model. The tricritical exponents are calculated, and they are found to agree well with the values obtained from previous classical renormalization group studies.
Polarized Raman Scattering from Amorphous Solids in Liquid Media

Raman polarization data, which are obtainable on gas, liquid, and oriented single crystal samples, provide a powerful tool in the study of molecular vibrations and molecular symmetry. However, this type of data has been unobtainable for finely divided solids because reflection and refraction at the solid surfaces leads to depolarization of the incident and Raman scattered light. In principle, it should be possible to eliminate this depolarization by immersing the solid in a medium of identical index of refraction. To our knowledge this technique has never been applied to obtain polarization data but it has been employed to increase the efficiency of Raman scattering.1–3 Also, immersion of finely divided solids in a medium of similar index of refraction has been used to reduce light scattering in absoption spectroscopy experiments.4 In this note, attention will be confined to Raman scattering from amorphous solids, silica gel, and an ion exchange resin.
911-33 Effect of Chemical vs Electrical Cardioversion of Atrial Fibrillation on Left Atrial Appendage Function and Spontaneous Contrast Formation Assessed by Transesophageal Echocardiography

Cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) transiently increases the risk of stroke, presumably due to decreased atrial mechanical function and stasis of blood. It has been suggested that electrical cardioversion (ECV) itself may cause this phenomenon. We evaluated the effect of chemical vs ECV on left atrial appendage function and spontaneous contrast (SC) formation during cardioversion. Eight pts with AF ( g 3 days) underwent transesophageal echocardiography at baseline, during procainamide infusion (PROC) and during ECV in increments of 50, 100,200 and 360J if PROC was unsuccessful. All were anticoagulated and none had left atrial thrombus. Three pts (38%) converted to sinus rhythm during PROC. Left atrial appendage emptying velocities (LA-EV) and filling velocities (LA-FV) were measured (m/sec) with pulsed wave Doppler pre- and post-cardioversion. SC in the left atrium was visually graded. PROC ECV LA-EV LA-FV LA-EV LA-FV pre 0.68 ± 0.2 0.64 ± 0.2 0.42 ± 0.09 # 0.44 ± 0.14 post 0.34 ± 0.06 * 0.44 ± 0.22 * 0.16 ± 0.06 *# 0.23 ± 0.14 * * pre vs post: p l 0.05 # PROC vs ECV: p l 0.05 There was a significant decrease in the LA-EV and LA-FV after both PROC and ECV LA-EV in the ECV group pre- and post-cardioversion was significantly lower compared to PROC. The left ventricular ejection fraction precardioversion was lower in the ECV group (44 ± 8% vs 62 ± 9%, p l 0.03). There were no differences in pre-cardioversion left atrial size, duration of AF or post-cardioversion mitral A velocities between groups. Three PROC and 4 ECV pts had SC at baseline. SC worsened after conversion to sinus rhythm in 1 PROC and 1 ECV pt who required 200J. In conclusion: 1) Cardioversion of AF, whether chemical or electrical, is associated with a significant decrease in left atrial appendage function. 2) SC did not worsen after ineffective electrical shocks and did worsen in one PROC μt, suggesting that ECV, itself, is not the cause. 3) The combination of lower filling and emptying velocities of the left atrial appendage and the lower left ventricular ejection fractions in the ECV group may be due to more severe heart disease and may identify a subset of pts resistant to chemical cardioversion. 4) This suggests that left atrial “stunning” is a result of conversion to sinus rhythm and not a direct effect of ECV.
The relative importance of androgen and estrogen in the selective uptake of Zn65 by the dorsolateral prostate of the rat.

THE striking ability of the dorsolateral prostate of the mature rat to concentrate administered Zn65 (Gunn, Gould et al., 1955) led to a study of the endocrine factors possibly controlling the selective uptake of Zn65 by this accessory sex gland. The uptake of Zn65 by the dorsolateral prostate was studied in male Wistar rats of various age groups and in various states of induced hormonal imbalance. The hormones were administered for six days prior to the initiation of the Zn65 studies. All experiments were done between the months of July and October, and control animals were run with each experiment.
Area postrema removal abolishes stimulatory effects of intravenous interleukin-1β on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and c-fos mRNA in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus

Abstract This study examined the role of the area postrema (AP) in transducing peripheral immune signals, represented by intravenous (i.v.) interleukin-1β (IL-1), into neuroendocrine responses. The AP, a circumventricular organ with a leaky blood–brain barrier, lies adjacent to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in the medulla. The AP was removed by aspiration, and 2 weeks later, AP-lesioned or sham-lesioned rats were injected i.v. with 0.5 μg/kg IL-1 or sterile saline. After 30 min, brains were removed and analyzed for c- fos mRNA levels in various structures implicated in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to peripheral cytokine challenge. The sham-lesioned animals responded to IL-1 with large elevations in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone levels in the plasma and c- fos mRNA levels in cells of the AP, NTS, central nucleus of the amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), and meninges. Prior AP removal abolished the IL-1-induced increases in ACTH and corticosterone in the plasma and c- fos mRNA levels in the NTS and PVN. However, AP removal had no effect on IL-1-induced increases in c- fos mRNA levels in the other areas examined. The selective AP lesion effects suggest that the AP and adjacent NTS play a pivotal role in transducing a circulating IL-1 signal into hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation by a pathway that may be comprised of known anatomical links between the AP, NTS, and corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons of the PVN.
Immunology in diabetes: An update

Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus is strongly associated with autoimmune phenomena connected to the loss of β-cells in the pancreatic islets. Despite considerable progress in our understanding of genetic susceptibility factors and islet autoimmunity preceding the clinical onset of Type 1 diabetes there are considerable gaps in our knowledge. First, the etiology is unclear. It is speculated that multiple etiological factors may initiate a common pathogenic pathway which results in immune-mediated β-cell destruction. In 1998 we will need to learn more about the possible importance of gestational infections, as well as isolation of viral DNA or RNA from the blood of new-onset patients or marker-positive individuals. The scan of the whole genome has provided a smorgasbord of genetic regions which confer diabetes risk either alone or in combination. HLA remains the major genetic risk factor, and while HLA peptide binding information is considerable, we understand less of autoantigen processing and presentation. Cloned autoantigens and their use in standardized autoantibody assays have improved our ability to identify individuals at risk for diabetes. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of autoantibody markers for Type 1 diabetes are high as are their predictive values. We need methods to combine autoantibodies with genetic risk factors. The identification of individuals in different stages of their pathogenesis, including patients with so-called slowly progressive Type 1 diabetes (SPIDDM, LADA etc.), allow approaches to novel therapeutic interventions. Insulin is currently the therapeutic agent of choice and although spontaneous insulin-dependent diabetes in the NOD mouse and the BB rat can be prevented by immune suppression or modulation, this has not yet been possible in humans. The 1998 research on the interaction between environmental factors and susceptibility genes to initiate β-cell specific autoreactivity should allow the development of therapies for prevention, and perhaps a cure, of insulin-dependent (Type 1) diabetes. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Long-Term Effects of Hypertension on the Rat Aortic Wall and Their Relation to Concurrent Aging Changes: MORPHOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL STUDIES

The effects of long-term (16 months) hypertension on the thoracic aorta of male rats were compared to previously reported short-term (2.5 months) changes and to concurrent aging changes. Hypertension was produced by clipping a renal artery. Although short-term hypertension was characterized by a disproportionate increase in noncollagenous alkali-soluble proteins, which have been attributed primarily to vascular smooth muscle, with long-term hypertension there was no further increase in these proteins but instead there were striking increases in mural accumulations of elastin and collagen. Chronically elevated wall tension in hypertensive vessels was associated with a progressive increase in wall thickness which resulted in a value for wall stress no different from that of control vessels. Concurrent aging changes were qualitatively similar to, but much less pronounced than, those seen with hypertension and were attributed to an increase in wall tension in controls resulting from a combination of significant increases in diameter and systolic blood pressure with age. This study of the interaction of vessel structure and function has revealed common features of what appears to be a diverse group of vascular alterations.
"SMALLab": Virtual Geology Studies Using Embodied Learning with Motion, Sound, and Graphics

We present a new and innovative interface that allows the learner’s body to move freely in a multimodal learning environment. The Situated Multimedia Arts Learning Laboratory (SMALLab) uses 3D object tracking, real time graphics, and surround‐sound to enhance embodied learning. Our hypothesis is that optimal learning and retention occur when learning is embodied, multiple modalities are recruited, and learners are allowed to be highly collaborative. We present two geology studies in a high school setting. In the layer cake scenario, students learned more after three days of building and discussing depositional layers in SMALLab than would be expected from a simple retest effect. In the contour mapping scenario, students learned significantly more after creating and discussing maps in the SMALLab environment for three days, compared with a group that received three days of regular instruction with hands‐on projects. We contend that embodied, collaborative, virtual environments have much to offer STEM learn...
Indirect Dissolution of (Al, Cr)2O3 in CaO—MgO—Al2O3—SiO2 (CMAS) Melts

The dissolution of (Al, Cr)2O3 into CaO—MgO—Al2O3—SiO2 melts, under static and forced-convective conditions was investigated at 1550°C in air. With sufficient MgO in the melt, or sufficient Cr2O3 in (Al, Cr)2O3, a layer consisting of a spinel solid solution, Mg(Al, Cr)2O4, formed at the (Al, Cr)2O3/melt interface. The dissolution kinetics of 1.5 and 10 wt% Cr2O3 specimens were determined as a function of immersion time, specimen rotation rate, and magnesia content of the melt. Electron microprobe analysis was used to characterize concentration gradients in the (Al, Cr)2O3 sample, the Mg(Al, Cr)2O4 spinel, or in the melt after immersion of specimens containing 1.5 to 78 mol% Cr2O3. The dissolution kinetics and microprobe analyses indicated that a steady-state condition was reached during forced-convective, indirect (Al, Cr)2O3 dissolution such that spinel layer formation was rate limited by solid-state diffusion through the spinel layer and/or through the specimen, and spinel layer dissolution was rate limited by liquid-phase diffusion through a boundary layer in the melt. This is consistent with a model previously developed for the indirect dissolution of sapphire in CMAS melts.
Chronic pressor effect of kidney extracts containing renin in experimental hypertensions.

A course of daily intramuscular injections of dog renin produced a maintained chronic pressor effect persisting for months during and following the renin injections in a majority of renal hypertensive dogs. Semipurified hog renin produced a temporary chronic pressor effect persisting for several weeks or somewhat longer but not throughout the renin injections in a minority of renal hypertensive dogs. The maintained chronic pressor effect was obtained only in the absence of antirenin; the temporary chronic pressor effect was lost when antirenin appeared in the plasma. Normotensive dogs were significantly less responsive to the chronic pressor effect of dog and hog renins than were renal hypertensive dogs. The mechanism of the chronic pressor effects is unknown.
A Livestock Hormone Pellet Injector for Implanting PIT Tags

Abstract A low-cost livestock hormone injection device was modified to allow rapid injection of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags into fish. The device can securely hold up to 24 tags in its plastic rotary cylinder, which protects the tags during transportation and use.
Marble Tombstone Weathering and Air Pollution in North America

Abstract Maps of surface recession rates measured from 8,438 century-old Vermont marble tombstones at 320 cemeteries throughout North America and Hawaii demonstrate that air pollution (probably SO2) has been responsible for more deterioration of carbonate building stone and statuary than have other weathering processes. Upper stone faces in heavily polluted localities (mean SO2 concentrations of 350 ug/m3) have receded at a mean rate >3 mm/100 yrs due to granular disintegration induced by growth of gypsum crystals between the calcite grains. Stone degradation rates are negligible in dry areas (western U.S., Great Plains); rainy, less polluted locales (Hawaii, southeastern U.S.); cold regions (Canada, high-altitude Rocky Mountains); and near tall-stack, coal-fired power plants. Weathering rates have been rapid where charcoal or high-sulfur coals have been used as fuel (industrial cities of the eastern US., small towns in the mid-west, ore smelters). Weathering rates strongly correlate with modeled SO2 inpu...
Control of robots with discrete nonlinear model: theory and experimentation

The discrete time theory that feedback linearizes and output decouples the coupled nonlinear dynamics of the PUMA 560 robot arm is systematically developed. The effect of sampling on the performance of the arm has been studied and shown through experiments. Certain restrictions that are necessary on the sampling time of the system are shown. The results obtained have been experimentally verified. Since a number of researchers have addressed the problem of loss of feedback linearizability under sampling, it was important to develop theories and obtain results in discrete time that take into consideration the effects due to sampling. This problem is addressed. >
Family Factors That Differentiate Sexually Abused and Nonabused Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients

Sexual abuse research has traditionally focused on adult, retrospective accounts of potential correlates of abuse and their impact on functioning. However, only a few studies have examined sexually abused adolescents’ perceptions of their families, and results have proven inconclusive. This study examined whether family factors would differentiate sexually abused and nonabused adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Fifty-seven psychiatric inpatients, ages 11 to 17, who either had experienced sexual abuse or had no history of sexual victimization completed a diagnostic interview and were assessed on a variety of family indices. Results indicated that after controlling for level of depression, sexually abused adolescents could be differentiated from their nonabused counterparts based on family variables. Sexually abused adolescents reported their families as more authoritarian and more enmeshed. They also perceived more negative messages from their nonoffending father figures about the world. Also, exploratory gender analyses revealed that sex ually abused females reported greater levels of depression than sexually abused males.
Quantitative Analysis of the Human Airway Microbial Ecology Reveals a Pervasive Signature for Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding the CF transmembrane conductance regulator. Disruption of electrolyte homeostasis at mucosal surfaces leads to severe lung, pancreatic, intestinal, hepatic, and reproductive abnormalities. Loss of lung function as a result of chronic lung disease is the primary cause of death from CF. Using high-throughput sequencing to survey microbes in the sputum of 16 CF patients and 9 control individuals, we identified diverse microbial communities in the healthy samples, contravening conventional wisdom that healthy airways are not significantly colonized. Comparing these communities with those from the CF patients revealed significant differences in microbial ecology, including differential representation of uncultivated phylotypes. Despite patient-specific differences, our analysis revealed a focal microbial profile characteristic of CF. The profile differentiated case and control groups even when classically recognized CF pathogens were excluded. As a control, lung explant tissues were also processed from a group of patients with pulmonary disease. The findings in lung tissue corroborated the presence of taxa identified in the sputum samples. Comparing the sequencing results with clinical data indicated that diminished microbial diversity is associated with severity of pulmonary inflammation within our adult CF cohort.
Predicting damage to buildings from excavation- induced ground movements

This paper presents an overview of methods that can be used to predict damage to buildings as a result of excavation-induced ground movements. To make such a prediction, estimates are needed of the distributions of ground movements at the support level of a building foundation. These estimates can be made based on semiempirical methods or results of finite element analyses. Semi-empirical methods that describe ground movement distributions both perpendicular and parallel to an excavation wall are summarized. Key issues related to the ability of finite element results to adequately predict such ground movement distributions are discussed. Damage predictions also must consider the type of structure that is impacted by the ground movements. In urban areas, one usually must evaluate the impact on the architectural finishes of structures or load bearing walls supported on shallow foundations. Methods to evaluate these impacts are reviewed and evaluated in light of their applicability.
Biodiversity of coastal polyclad flatworm assemblages in the wider Caribbean

Polyclads are mobile predators and possibly an important functional component of hard substrate marine environments globally. To understand the natural patterns of spatial differences, polyclad assemblages were sampled in seven coastal regions across the wider Caribbean spanning 15° latitude and 24° longitude between May and June 2005 and May and September 2006. In total, 67 species in 28 genera and 17 families were recorded from 62 sites. Only two species were found in all surveyed regions, Melloplana ferruginea and Pseudoceros bicolor. Conversely, 41 species were restricted to one or two sites, and 34 species were represented by one or two individuals. The distribution and abundance of species varied between the two suborders. Cotyleans were most species rich and had a higher number of species of restricted range, while Acotylea showed a higher proportion of rare species; however, two species were highly abundant comprising over half of the individuals counted. In most habitats, polyclads were rare, but in some intertidal habitats two species, Styloplanocera fasciata and Boninia divae were densely aggregated and dominant members of the benthic epifauna. Alpha diversity was variable but showed no evidence of a relationship with latitude, longitude or depth. Beta diversity increased with the number of habitats sampled and was highest for cotyleans. Highest gamma diversity was recorded in Jamaica and the US Virgin Islands and was not significantly correlated to alpha diversity. Overall assemblages from the seven regions were similar, revealing faunal homogeneity across the wider region. Reef assemblages were distinct from other habitats dominated by species of the Cotylea. Reefs from Panama and the US Virgin Islands were the most species rich.
Intra-articular amphotericin B in the treatment of coccidioidal synovitis of the knee. Case report.

The use of intra-articular amphotericin B in the treatment of coccidioidal synovitis of the knee joint is described. An excellent result was achieved by using this therapy in the case of coccidioidal synovitis of the knee joint. Though laboratory evidence supported the diagnosis of disseminated coccidioidomycosis, clinical infections was confined to the knee joint, and the systemic infections was non-progressive. The coccidioidal synovitis responded rapidly with apparent arrest of the infection. Recurrence has not been noted during a two-year period of observation.
Regulation of rat Na+/Pi cotransporter-1 gene expression: the roles of glucose and insulin

Cytosolic inorganic phosphate (P(i)) is important for glucose metabolism. It plays a role in homeostatic regulation of glucose by insulin and glucagon. Recently, we isolated two cDNA clones for rat Na+/P(i) cotransporter-1 (rNaPi-1) and demonstrated that they are expressed primarily in the rat liver and kidney. We now report that the expression of rNaPi-1 in these tissues is regulated by fasting and streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Using rat hepatocytes in primary culture, we also demonstrate that glucose and insulin upregulate rNaPi-1 expression, whereas glucagon and elevated intracellular adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate levels downregulate its expression. Because 2-deoxyglucose exhibits no effect on rNaPi-1 gene expression, we suggest that some metabolite accumulated during glucose metabolism may be responsible for the effects of glucose and insulin on rNaPi-1 gene expression. Our data also reveal that other known Na+/P(i) cotransporter genes, NaPi-2 and Ram-1 (a receptor for amphotropic murine retrovirus), are not regulated by insulin and glucose. It is therefore proposed that various subtypes of Na+/P(i) cotransporters are differentially regulated and that each subtype may be involved in a specific cellular function, rNaPi-1 may be responsible for Pi uptake by liver and kidney for glucose metabolism, whereas NaPi-2 may play a key role in P(i) reabsorption in the kidney.
Transport layer optimizations for heterogeneous wireless multimedia networks

The explosive growth of the Internet during the last few years has been propelled by the TCP/IP protocol suite and the best effort packet forwarding service. However, quality of service (QoS) is far from being a reality, especially for multimedia services like video streaming and video conferencing. In the case of wireless and mobile networks, the problem becomes even worse due to the physics of the medium, resulting in further deterioration of the system performance. Goal of this dissertation is the systematic development of comprehensive models that jointly characterize the performance of transport protocols and media delivery in heterogeneous wireless networks. At the core of our novel methodology is the use of analytical models for driving the design of media transport algorithms, so that the delivery of conversational and non-interactive multimedia data is enhanced in terms of throughput, delay, and jitter. More specifically, we develop analytical models that characterize the throughput and goodput of the transmission control protocol (TCP) and the transmission friendly rate control (TFRC) protocol, when CBR and VBR multimedia workloads are considered. Subsequently, we enhance the transport protocol models with new parameters that capture the playback buffer performance and the expected video distortion at the receiver. In this way a complete end-to-end model for media streaming is obtained. This model is used as a basis for a new algorithm for rate-distortion optimized mode selection in video streaming applications. As a next step, we extend the developed models for the aforementioned protocols, so that heterogeneous wireless networks can be accommodated. Subsequently, new algorithms are proposed in order to enhance the developed media streaming algorithms when heterogeneous wireless networks are also included. Finally, the aforementioned models and algorithms are extended for the case of concurrent multipath media transport over several hybrid wired/wireless links.
An Empirical Survey of No-Injury Class Actions

This report empirically examines the allocation of settlements and awards in no-injury class actions among plaintiffs, attorneys, and cy pres funds. The results are based on my study of 432 no-injury class action settlements and trial awards from 2005-2015. The study finds that, on average, 60 percent of the total monetary award paid by the defendants was allocated to the plaintiffs’ class and 37.9 percent was allocated to attorneys’ fees. However, because many settlements disperse the unclaimed portion of the settlement fund to a cy pres fund, the funds available to class members at the time of settlement may significantly overstate the actual amount class members ultimately receive. Although 60 percent of the total monetary award may be available to class members, in reality, they typically receive less than 9 percent of the total. In comparison, class counsel receives an average of 37.9 percent of available funds, over 4 times the funds typically distributed to the class. A result in which plaintiffs recover less than 10 percent of the award, with the rest going to lawyers or unrelated groups, clearly does not achieve the compensatory goals of class actions. Instead, the costs of no-injury class actions are passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices, lower product quality, and reduced innovation.
Light scattering, straylight, and optical quality in hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lenses with subsurface nanoglistenings.

Purpose To evaluate forward light scattering and straylight in single-piece hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lenses (IOLs) (Acrysof) removed from cadaver eyes and design- and power-matched controls, as well as the effect of subsurface nanoglistenings on other optical quality and performance indicators. Setting John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Design Experimental study. Methods Seventeen single-piece IOLs (11 blue light–filtering; 6 without blue-light filter) with subsurface nanoglistenings were removed from cadaver eyes. The Complete Angle Scatter Instrument scatterometer was used to measure the forward-scattered light; straylight values at various angles were calculated. The modulation transfer function (MTF) and Badal images were also obtained. Backscatter was measured with a Scheimpflug camera (EAS-1000) and light transmittance with a spectrophotometer (Lambda 35 UV-VIS) to confirm findings in previous studies. Results The mean straylight values at a scattered angle of 10 degrees were 1.06 ± 0.23 log(s) for blue light–filtering IOLs, 0.97 ± 0.28 log(s) for IOLs without a blue-light filter, and 0.22 ± 0.22 log(s) for controls. The MTF and Badal image contrast of IOLs removed from cadaver eyes were similar to control values (no subsurface nanoglistenings). Backscatter was significantly higher in IOLs from cadaver eyes, although light transmittance was similar to that of controls. Conclusion Straylight in hydrophobic IOLs resulting from subsurface nanoglistenings was well below the value of straylight hindrance and would not cause noticeable visual impairments. Financial Disclosure Dr. Das is an employee of Alcon Laboratories, Inc. The Complete Angle Instrument scatterometer was developed by Dr. Stover at the Scatterworks, Inc. Neither of the other authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any method or material mentioned.
Phylogenetic expression profiling reveals widespread coordinated evolution of gene expression

Phylogenetic profiling, which infers functional relationships between genes based on patterns of gene presence/absence across species, has proven to be highly effective. Here we introduce a complementary approach, phylogenetic expression profiling (PEP), which detects gene sets with correlated expression levels across a phylogeny. Applying PEP to RNA-seq data consisting of 657 samples from 309 diverse unicellular eukaryotes, we found several hundred gene sets evolving in a coordinated fashion. These allowed us to predict a role of the Golgi apparatus in Alzheimer's disease, as well as novel genes related to diabetes pathways. We also detected adaptive evolution of tRNA ligase levels to match genome-wide codon usage. In sum, we found that PEP is an effective method for inferring functional relationships - especially among core cellular components that are never lost, to which phylogenetic profiling cannot be applied - and that many subunits of the most conserved molecular machines are coexpressed across eukaryotes.
Nanocrystal Diffusion Doping

A diffusion-based synthesis of doped colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals is demonstrated. This approach involves thermodynamically controlled addition of both impurity cations and host anions to preformed seed nanocrystals under equilibrium conditions, rather than kinetically controlled doping during growth. This chemistry allows thermodynamic crystal compositions to be prepared without sacrificing other kinetically trapped properties such as shape, size, or crystallographic phase. This doping chemistry thus shares some similarities with cation-exchange reactions, but proceeds without the loss of host cations and excels at the introduction of relatively unreactive impurity ions that have not been previously accessible using cation exchange. Specifically, we demonstrate the preparation of Cd1–xMnxSe (0 ≤ x ≤ ∼0.2) nanocrystals with narrow size distribution, unprecedentedly high Mn2+ content, and very large magneto-optical effects by diffusion of Mn2+ into seed CdSe nanocrystals grown by hot injection. Con...
Effects of high fructose corn syrup and probiotics on growth rates of newly founded honey bee colonies

SummaryHoney bees are agriculture's major pollinator. As such, they are often heavily managed in order to ensure that they thrive in unproductive environments, or are at their strongest at times of the year that are abnormal given their life history. Within this context, supplemental feeding is critical. There is currently debate among commercial beekeepers as to what sort of carbohydrate feed is best for bees. Blends of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are easiest to use, and cheapest, but there are some possible health concerns for the bees. Commercial suppliers of HFCS also suggest that some of their blends work better than sucrose for building up colonies. Here we test these issues by determining whether newly established packages grow faster, and are healthier, when fed either sucrose solution or a HFCS blend. In addition, we also test whether antibiotic treatments, commonly administered to prevent bacterial diseases, impact colony health at the critical foundation stage, and whether feeding probiotic...
Application of penetrating radar to detecting concrete quality in tunnel engineering

The principle and method of penetrating radar to detect concrete quality in tunnel engineering are briefly introduced; and some problems needing attention during in-situ data acquisition and data processing (attention) and analysis are discussed.
After Early Autism Diagnosis: Changes in Intervention and Parent-Child Interaction

This study documents the relation between an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, increases in intervention, and changes in parent-child interaction quality. Information about intervention and observations of interaction were collected before diagnosis and a half year after diagnosis for 79 low-risk toddlers who had screened positive for ASD risk during a well-baby checkup. Children diagnosed with ASD (n = 44) were 2.69 times more likely to increase intervention hours. After ASD diagnosis, the relation between intervention and interaction quality was complex: although increases in intervention and interaction quality were only modestly related, the overall amount of intervention after diagnosis was associated with higher quality interactions. Moreover, lower quality interactions before diagnosis significantly increased the likelihood that intervention would increase post-diagnosis.
RBM45 homo-oligomerization mediates association with ALS-linked proteins and stress granules

RBM45 homo-oligomerization mediates association with ALS-linked proteins and stress granules
Recurrent hydropneumothorax: An unusual presentation for malignant pleural mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare pulmonary malignancy commonly associated with asbestos exposure. Its presentation is insidious and non-specific, with complaints of chest pain, dyspnea and cough. Chest X-ray may demonstrate unilateral pleural effusion. CT and PET scans may highlight nodular pleural plaques. Diagnosis often times is difficult with negative imaging and negative pleural fluid studies. In rare cases, hydropneumothoraces may be seen. We report a case of malignant pleural mesothelioma presenting as recurrent hydropneumothorax with negative CT scan of the chest for pleural abnormalities and negative pleural fluid studies.
The Effects of Abundant Land

HAVING established that economic growth in the United States was both rapid and sustained more or less from the founding of the Republic onwards, the historian is led naturally to inquire into the causes of this growth. It has not escaped the notice of American historians that the British Industrial Revolution was taking place at roughly the same time or slightly earlier, and that the causes of the two movements must have been closely related. Nevertheless, two characteristics of American growth have called for special explanation. First, there is the extraordinary record of growth in the total national product. For while the rate of growth of per capita income was not far from the British experience, the rate of growth of total income in the nineteenth century was almost without peer. How was it possible for the United States to absorb so many new people without retarding or even reversing this process of growth? Secondly, the British visitor to these former British colonies found economic growth taking place in a decidedly non-British social setting. What had happened to these British emigrants in their passage to the New World to make them into that rough breed of man known as Americans?
FARMERS' ATTITUDES TOWARD AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES: THE CASE OF IGDIR PROVINCE OF TURKEY

The study was conducted to determine the satisfaction of agricultural cooperative members, the relationship between the demographic characteristics of the members and their viewpoints on being important members of agricultural cooperatives in Igdir province. The survey data were obtained from 133 members selected randomly from 3726 cooperative members on the basis of Simple Coincidental Exemplification method and exposed to binary logistic regression analysis. In the study designed as two models, only a binary dependent variable is "organization protects the benefits of the producer"(coded as yes and no). Independent variables in Models 1 and 2 are demographic variables and items of the ideas about the organization, respectively. In the study, the benefits of the members, the concept of the organization's being reliable, conducting trainings for its members, and the idea of the cooperative members was estimated. The members of the cooperatives must be encouraged by training, advising, and collaborating researches to visit the cooperatives more often and to be interested in the activities. The young population should be motivated to play an active role in the organization so that a sustainable cooperative system could be maintained in the region.
Computing degree of parallelism for BPMN processes

For sequential processes and workflows (i.e., pipelined tasks), each enactment (process instance) only has one task being performed at each time instant. When a process allows tasks to be performed in parallel, an enactment may have a number of tasks being performed concurrently and this number may change in time. We define the “degree of parallelism” of a process as the maximum number of tasks to be performed concurrently during an execution of the process. This paper initiates a study on computing degree of parallelism for three classes of BPMN processes, which are defined based on the use of BPMN gateways. For each class, an algorithm for computing degree of parallelism is presented. In particular, the algorithms for “homogeneous” and acyclic “choice-less” processes (respectively) have polynomial time complexity, while the algorithm for “asynchronous” processes runs in exponential time.
Using semantic graphs to detect overlapping target events and story lines from newspaper articles

Event detection from text data is an active area of research. While the emphasis in the literature has been on event identification and labeling using a single data source, this work considers event and story line detection when using a large number of data sources. In this setting, it is natural for different events in the same domain, e.g., violence, sports, politics, to occur at the same time and for different story lines about the same event to emerge. To capture events in this setting, we propose an Offline algorithm that detects events and story lines about events for a target domain given a news article collection. Our algorithm leverages a multi-relational sentence-level semantic graph and well-known graph properties to identify overlapping events and story lines within the events. We then extend this algorithm for an Online setting. Both the Offline and Online approaches are evaluated using two large data sets containing millions of news articles from a large number of sources. Our empirical analysis shows that methods using the proposed semantic graph beat the state of the art in terms of precision and recall while providing more complete event summaries.
Don't throw the baby out with the bath water: commentary on Kok, Peters, Kessels, ten Hoor, and Ruiter (2018).

Kok, Peters, Kessels, ten Hoor, and Ruiter (2018) make excellent points about the importance of self-efficacy, the possibility of reactance, and consideration of other methods to encourage smoking ...
Suppressor of IKKepsilon forms direct interactions with cytoskeletal proteins, tubulin and α-actinin, linking innate immunity to the cytoskeleton.

Suppressor of IKKepsilon (SIKE) is associated with the type I interferon response of the innate immune system through TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1). Originally characterized as an endogenous inhibitor of TBK1 when overexpressed in viral infection and pathological cardiac hypertrophic models, a mechanistic study revealed that SIKE acts as a high-affinity substrate of TBK1, but its function remains unknown. In this work, we report that scratch assay analysis of parental and SIKE CRISPR/Cas9 knockout HAP1 cells showed an ~ 20% decrease in cell migration. Investigation of the SIKE interaction network through affinity purification/mass spectrometry showed that SIKE formed interactions with cytoskeletal proteins. In immunofluorescence assays, endogenous SIKE localized to cytosolic puncta in both epithelial and myeloid cells and to nuclear puncta in myeloid cells, while in epithelial cells additional staining occurred in stress fiber-like structures and adjacent to the plasma membrane. Using cellular markers, co-occurrence of SIKE fluorescence with actin, α-actinin, and ezrin was detected. Reciprocal immunoprecipitation revealed a SIKE:tubulin interaction sensitive to the phosphorylation state of SIKE, but a SIKE:α-actinin interaction was unchanged by SIKE phosphorylation. In vitro precipitation assays confirmed a direct SIKE interaction with tubulin and α-actinin. These results indicate that SIKE may promote cell migration by directly associating with the cytoskeleton. In this role, SIKE may mediate cytoskeletal rearrangement necessary in innate immunity, but also link a key catalytic hub, TBK1, to the cytoskeleton. Database The mass spectrometry proteomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium via the PRIDE [1] partner repository with the dataset identifier PXD007262.
Non-Desmoglein Antibodies in Patients With Pemphigus Vulgaris.

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a potentially life-threatening mucocutaneous autoimmune blistering disease. Patients develop non-healing erosions and blisters due to cell-cell detachment of keratinocytes (acantholysis), with subsequent suprabasal intraepidermal splitting. Identified almost 30 years ago, desmoglein-3 (Dsg3), a Ca2+-dependent cell adhesion molecule belonging to the cadherin family, has been considered the "primary" autoantigen in PV. Proteomic studies have identified numerous autoantibodies in patients with PV that have known roles in the physiology and cell adhesion of keratinocytes. Antibodies to these autoantibodies include desmocollins 1 and 3, several muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes, mitochondrial proteins, human leukocyte antigen molecules, thyroid peroxidase, and hSPCA1-the Ca2+/Mn2+-ATPase encoded by ATP2C1, which is mutated in Hailey-Hailey disease. Several studies have identified direct pathogenic roles of these proteins, or synergistic roles when combined with Dsg3. We review the role of these direct and indirect mechanisms of non-desmoglein autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of PV.
Genetics, Emotions and Psychopathology

This theory is concerned with maladaptive behaviour that occurs as a result of living and life events, and does not include cases that are produced by various sorts of brain injury. It has been developed by analyzing the numerous cases of observed and experimentally induced maladaptive behavior in non-human animals. Perhaps the most thoroughly researched of all these is that of the audiogenic seizure in mice.
An Experimental Modal Channel Reduction Procedure Using a Pareto Chart

This paper’s focus is on an experimental sensor placement procedure developed to assist in placing accelerometers in critical locations for modal testing. The procedure is an efficient method to reduce the number of channels for a full modal analysis. A candidate set of measurements are taken at select locations using a non-contact tool and then evaluated using a Pareto chart to obtain a reduced set of sensor locations. The Pareto chart identifies the points that have the largest response to an input excitation based on participation. These points correspond to the locations of the largest contributing modal data based upon their statistical significance. Thus, the experimental procedure aids in the efficient placement of accelerometers. Most contemporary channel reduction techniques rely on analytical models and simulations to aid in sensor placement, but are lacking without these preliminary analyses. To illustrate the effectiveness, the experimental channel reduction technique is applied on a small unmanned aerial vehicle and compared to finite element simulations.
The great population debates: how relevant are they for the 21st century?

Two great debates--whether population growth is a problem and how to address the problem if one exists--dominated population policy discussions in the 20th century. The debate about whether pitted those who saw rapid population growth as a problem against those who believed the cries of alarm were false. The debate about how was conducted between advocates of the direct delivery of contraceptives through family planning programs and those who counseled a broader more holistic approach. The debate about how was largely resolved by the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development at Cairo; the debate about whether remains unresolved. Environmentalists ecologists and physical scientists generally support the view that rapid population growth is harmful but economists remain largely unconvicted. Contemporary declines in fertility and the end of the population crisis mentality of the mid- to late 20th century could ironically diminish public support for precisely those programs that have been responsible for the rapid fertility decline of the past 3 decades--programs that will be required to complete the "demographic transition" in those parts of the developing world where fertility remains very high. (authors)