cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural Controls on Carlin-Type Gold Mineralization in the Gold Bar District, Eureka County, Nevada

The Gold Bar district in the southern Roberts Mountains, 48 km northwest of Eureka, Nevada, contains one main deposit (Gold Bar), five satellite deposits, and other resources. Approximately 0.5 Moz of gold have been recovered from a resource of 1,639,000 oz of gold in Carlin-type gold deposits in lower plate, miogeoclinal carbonate rocks below the Roberts Mountains thrust. Host rocks are unit 2 of the Upper Member of the Devonian Denay Formation and the Bartine Member of the McColley Canyon Formation. Spatial and temporal relations between structures and gold mineralization indicate that both pre-Tertiary and Tertiary structures were important controls on gold mineralization. Gold mineralization occurs primarily along high-angle Tertiary normal faults, some of which are reactivated reverse faults of Paleozoic or Mesozoic age. Most deposits are localized at the intersection of northwest- and northeast-striking faults. Alteration includes decalcification, and to a lesser extent, silicification along high-angle faults. Jasperoid (pervasive silicification), which formed along most faults and in some strata-bound zones, accounts for a small portion of the ore in every deposit. In the Gold Canyon deposit, a high-grade jasperoid pipe formed along a Tertiary normal fault which was localized along a zone of overturned fault-propagation folds and thrust faults of Paleozoic or Mesozoic age.
Power and Performance Trade-Offs in Contemporary DRAM System Designs for Multicore Processors

DRAM memory is playing an increasingly important role in the overall power profile of latest-generation servers with multicore processors. With many power saving techniques adopted into processor design, memory power consumption can now exceed processor power consumption when a system runs memory-intensive workloads. There is an urgent need to fully evaluate the memory power profile of contemporary DRAM memories and to re-investigate DRAM memory designs, configurations, and optimizations from both power and performance perspectives. This study fills the gap by studying the performance and power consumption of multicore systems with DDR3 memory under different configurations. It includes comprehensive results regarding memory power breakdown, including background, operation, read/write, and I/O power, as well as performance. Comparisons with DDR2 and FB-DIMM are also included. The results show clearly that DRAM system configurations, including page policy, power mode, device configuration, burst length, channel organization, and the selection of DRAM technology, affects the memory power consumption significantly besides the performance. The optimal choice of some configurations is application-dependent, suggesting that reconfigurable or hybrid configurations are worth further studies.
Stress-Induced Cytokinin Synthesis Increases Drought Tolerance through the Coordinated Regulation of Carbon and Nitrogen Assimilation in Rice

The effects of water deficit on carbon and nitrogen metabolism were investigated in flag leaves of wild-type and transgenic rice (Oryza sativa japonica 'Kitaake') plants expressing ISOPENTENYLTRANSFERASE (IPT; encoding the enzyme that mediates the rate-limiting step in cytokinin synthesis) under the control of P(SARK), a maturation- and stress-induced promoter. While the wild-type plants displayed inhibition of photosynthesis and nitrogen assimilation during water stress, neither carbon nor nitrogen assimilation was affected by stress in the transgenic P(SARK)::IPT plants. In the transgenic plants, photosynthesis was maintained at control levels during stress and the flag leaf showed increased sucrose (Suc) phosphate synthase activity and reduced Suc synthase and invertase activities, leading to increased Suc contents. The sustained carbon assimilation in the transgenic P(SARK)::IPT plants was well correlated with enhanced nitrate content, higher nitrate reductase activity, and sustained ammonium contents, indicating that the stress-induced cytokinin synthesis in the transgenic plants played a role in maintaining nitrate acquisition. Protein contents decreased and free amino acids increased in wild-type plants during stress, while protein content was preserved in the transgenic plants. Our results indicate that the stress-induced cytokinin synthesis in the transgenic plants promoted sink strengthening through a cytokinin-dependent coordinated regulation of carbon and nitrogen metabolism that facilitates an enhanced tolerance of the transgenic plants to water deficit.
Krooss on Executive Opinion

In Executive Opinion, Herman Krooss analyzed American business thought in this century and found that the country's business and labor leaders, statesmen, journalists, and economists, did not have very profound insights on most of the great issues of their day. He also concluded that although in the past there was considerable diversity of executive opinion, the differences have decreased in our own time due to the decline of the entrepreneurial leader. Executive Opinion is a disquieting and dispiriting book which will long stand as a starkly honest comment on the twentieth century and as a monument to Herman Krooss' insight into the economic development of this country.
Inference of alternative splicing from RNA-Seq data with probabilistic splice graphs.

Motivation: Alternative splicing and other processes that allow for different transcripts to be derived from the same gene are significant forces in the eukaryotic cell. RNA-Seq is a promising technology for analyzing alternative transcripts, as it does not require prior knowledge of transcript structures or genome sequences. However, analysis of RNA-Seq data in the presence of genes with large numbers of alternative transcripts is currently challenging due to efficiency, identifiability and representation issues. Results: We present RNA-Seq models and associated inference algorithms based on the concept of probabilistic splice graphs, which alleviate these issues. We prove that our models are often identifiable and demonstrate that our inference methods for quantification and differential processing detection are efficient and accurate. Availability: Software implementing our methods is available at http://deweylab.biostat.wisc.edu/psginfer. Contact: ude.csiw.tatsoib@yewedc Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Frontal white matter microstructure and treatment response of late-life depression: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: This study tested the hypothesis that microstructural abnormalities in white matter areas of the brain containing frontostriatal tracts are associated with a low rate of remission of geriatric depression. METHOD: Thirteen older patients with major depression received open, but controlled, treatment with citalopram at a target daily dose of 40 mg for 12 weeks. Diffusion tensor imaging was used to determine fractional anisotropy in preselected white matter regions. RESULTS: Survival analysis with Cox’s proportional hazards model revealed that lower fractional anisotropy of the right and the left frontal white matter regions 15 mm above the anterior commissure–posterior commissure plane was associated with a low remission rate after age was considered. Remission was not significantly associated with fractional anisotropy of lower frontal regions or a temporal region. CONCLUSIONS: Microstructural white matter abnormalities lateral to the anterior cingulate may be associated with a low rate of remis...
The limits of globalization in the early modern world

This article reviews the ways in which historians and economists have applied the term ‘globalization’ to the early modern era. It distinguishes a soft and a hard definition, and goes on to test the claims made about the driving forces shaping the growth and character of long-distance trade between Europe and Asia in the age of the European trading companies. On the basis of new estimates of the volume and value of European trade with Asia, the article concludes by identifying the factors limiting the growth of trade in this period.
Some Remarks on the History of Near-Field Optics

The historical background of present-day near-field (NF) optical activities is briefly reviewed. First demonstrations of subwavelength imaging capability were made in the early 1980’s but systematic development did not begin until the past few years.
Molecular mechanisms of transcriptional and chromatin remodeling around embryonic genome activation

The early stages of embryonic development in all metazoans are characterized by profound remodeling of chromatin organization and transcriptomics. This remodeling involves modifying two differentiated cells (oocyte and sperm) into a totipotent embryonic configuration capable of forming all the specialized cells that make up the adult animal. The early cleavage stages of preimplantation animal embryos occur in the absence of active transcription and relies on maternal factors stored in the cytoplasm of the oocyte during oogenesis. Chromatin and transcriptomic remodeling during preimplantation development are key for the initiation of embryonic transcriptional activity at species-specific stage, yet the exact mechanisms that trigger embryonic genome activation (EGA) are still unknown. Evidence of key transcriptional regulators and permissive chromatin configuration accompanied by specific epigenetic marks has been revealed as some of the mechanisms needed for EGA in the past few years. In this review, we will revisit the latest advances in the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the activation of the embryonic genome across several species, focusing on data generated by next generation sequencing technologies.
Telomere length as a predictor of response to Pioglitazone in patients with unremitted depression: a preliminary study

We studied peripheral leukocyte telomere length (LTL) as a predictor of antidepressant response to PPAR-γ agonist in patients with unremitted depression. In addition we examined correlation between LTL and the insulin resistance (IR) status in these subjects. Forty-two medically stable men and women ages 23-71 with non-remitted depression participated in double-blind placebo-controlled add-on of Pioglitazone to treatment-as-usual. Oral glucose tolerance tests were administered at baseline and at 12 weeks. Diagnostic evaluation of psychiatric disorders was performed at baseline and mood severity was followed weekly throughout the duration of the trial. At baseline, no differences in LTL were detected by depression severity, duration or chronicity. LTL was also not significantly different between insulin-resistant and insulin-sensitive subjects at baseline. Subjects with longer telomeres exhibited greater declines in depression severity in the active arm, but not in a placebo arm, P=0.005, r=-0.63, 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=(-0.84,-0.21). In addition, LTL predicted improvement in insulin sensitivity in the group overall and did not differ between intervention arms, P=0.036, r=-0.44, 95% CI=(-0.74,0.02) for the active arm, and P=0.026, r=-0.50, 95% CI=(-0.78,-0.03) for the placebo arm. LTL may emerge as a viable predictor of antidepressant response. An association between insulin sensitization and LTL regardless of the baseline IR status points to potential role of LTL as a non-specific moderator of metabolic improvement in these patients.
Abstract T P253: Clinical Application of Haptoglobin in Models of Supraphysiologic Extracellular Brain Hemoglobin Levels

Hemorrhagic stroke can occur from traumatic or spontaneous causes, is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and represents a worldwide major public health problem. With breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, and entry of toxic blood components and metabolites within the brain, a highly oxidative environment ensues and leads to a toxic neuroinflammatory cascade. A major cause of the debilitation following brain hemorrhage is due to the direct toxicity of blood components, namely hemoglobin (Hb), the most upstream precipitating factor. The acute phase plasma protein haptoglobin (Hp) binds Hb and inhibits its cytotoxic, pro-oxidative, and pro-inflammatory properties. Therefore, we hypothesized that local and specific overexpression of Hp within the brain would aid in the safe detoxification and clearance of free Hb, thereby protecting the neuropil from Hb-mediated oxidative stress, ultimately leading to improved anatomical and functional recovery. Here, we overexpressed Hp within the brain using specifically designed adeno-associated viral vectors, and induced hemorrhagic brain injury using two models – intrastriatal autologous whole blood injection and collagenase-induced spontaneous bleeding, which is accompanied by intraventricular hemorrhage in most cases. At 72h post-hemorrhage, mice were sacrificed and brains collected for Cresyl Violet staining and lesion volume quantification. Functional outcomes were assessed by a 24-point neurological deficit score. In both models, Hp-overexpressing mice demonstrated reduced lesion volume (p<0.05) and improved neurologic status at 24h, 48h, and 72h post-hemorrhage (p<0.05), when compared to an identically treated control group (n=7-9/group). In conclusion, locally modulating Hp expression within the brain could represent an important clinically relevant strategy for the treatment of acute hemorrhagic brain injury by attenuating the toxicity of free Hb and improving its clearance from the brain.
PROJECT THREAD: TECHNOLOGY HELPING RESTRUCTURE EDUCATIONAL ACCESS AND DELIVERY

This article describes Project THREAD (Technology Helping Restructure Educational Access and Delivery), an initiative funded by the U.S. Office of Education through its PT3 grant program. The project’s overarching goal is to prepare teachers to integrate modern technologies to fundamentally enhance teaching and learning in K-12 schools. Project initiatives include: (a) a series of in-service workshops for university faculty, administrators, field supervisors, and mentor teachers; (b) one-on-one follow-up support provided by project staff; (c) a minigrant program to support the development of technology-based learning activities for university courses; (d) expanded opportunities for students to apply technology in thier courses and field experiences; and (e) a redesign of selected courses that impact a large number of teacher candidates. The project’s evaluation is described, along with a discussion of outcomes and lessons learned. in recognition of the project’s scope and accomplishments thus far, the College of Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), was named the 2002 winner of the Best Practice Award for the Innovative Use of Technology by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE).
Le remplacement des générateurs de vapeur

Que l'on soit amene a changer, dans une centrale nucleaire en service, un generateur de vapeur defaillant, est une hypothese qui est prise en compte. L'auteur presente les etudes conduites en ce sens, concernant la conception et la definition de l'appareil neuf et le choix de la methode de remplacement.
Gestational Trophoblastic Disease: General Aspects

As a major defining characteristic of eutherian mammals, the placenta is a transient organ of female reproduction that nourishes the developing fetus through nutrient supply, waste elimination, and gas exchange. In both Latin and Greek, the placenta means flat cake, in reference to its flat and round appearance in human. The placenta arises from the same fertilized egg that forms the fetus and is essentially a fetomaternal organ consisting of two components: the fetal part (chorion frondosum) and the maternal part (decidua basalis). It has been speculated that ancestral mammals might have evolved to attain the placenta, along with newly acquired retrotransposon-derived genes, or expression of endogenous versions of the genes present in oviparous animals.
Handlin on Anti-Semitism: A Critique of “American Views of the Jew”

THE origins of American anti-Semitism are located in the Populist movement. This was Oscar Handlin's thesis in "American Views of the Jew at the Opening of the Twentieth Century," published in 1951. The denigration of Populism had begun.' If the thesis were correct Populism deserves no place in the American reform tradition. A major political movement cannot be anti-Semitic and democratic. And because antiSemitism signifies deep-seated anxieties, there is reason to suspect the presence of other irrational features as well, notably proto-fascist behavior. The logic is impeccable; the facts are not. Of 112 works Handlin cites in evidence, 106 are totally irrelevant to the discussion, five are barely relevant but do not support his thesis, and only one-Ignatius Donnelly's Caesar's Column (1890) -has any bearing. Yet it too has been oversimplified and misinterpreted. This is the key work in the subsequent reinterpretation of Populism. That only one per cent of the evidence was significant did not prevent the Handlin thesis from producing a snowball effect: from anti-Semitism to nativism, authoritarianism, McCarthyism, or whatever other traits one finds reprehensible in present-day America.2 Without this first step, there would not have been a foundation for the later charges. When testing Handlin's evidence, one should insist that each source
Efficiency of Ethion in Oil Spray against California Red Scale and Citrus Red Mite

Combinations of ethion with kerosene and medium-grade spray oil in aqueous mixture were tested in the laboratory. Ethion as the essential toxic agent of the kerosene mixture was very effective against eggs of nonresistant citrus red mites ( Pallollychus citri (MeG)). However, against eggs of citrus red mites resistant to organic phosphate insecticides there was a dif- fercnce of more than a 15-fold increase in the LD95. In combina- tion with kerosene, malathion is more efficient than ethion adult female California red scale ( Aonidiella aurantii (Mask.)), but in combination with medium-grade spray oil ef- fidcncies of additions of ethion or malathion were comparable. Although the efficiency of a given deposit of spray oil is in- verscly proportional to the density of the scale population, this factor is nullified by incorporating ethion or malathion in oil at a deposit level in the upper range of efficiency against independ- ent individual scale. The trial deposits of ethion and malathion in spray oil were very effective in prcventing settling of newly born scale. The selected trial dosage of medium-grade spray oil was as effective against eggs of citrus red mites resistant to organic phosphate insecticides as against those of a nonresistant population. A direct relationship between efficiency and increasing concentra- tion of kerosene in aqueous mixture with a given concentration of ethion was found for adult female California red scale, but not for nonresistant citrus red mite eggs; however, a reduction in efficiency seemed to occur when the concentration of kerosene per 100 gallons of spray mixture was below 2 quarts for scale and 1 pint for mite eggs.
A Gammaherpesvirus Noncoding RNA Is Essential for Hematogenous Dissemination and Establishment of Peripheral Latency.

ABSTRACT Recent intense investigations have uncovered important functions for a diverse array of novel noncoding RNA (ncRNA) species, including microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs. Not surprisingly, viruses from multiple families have evolved to encode their own regulatory RNAs; however, the specific in vivo functions of these ncRNAs are largely unknown. The human gammaherpesviruses Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) are highly ubiquitous pathogens that are associated with the development of a wide range of malignancies, including Burkitt’s lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and Kaposi’s sarcoma. Like EBV and KSHV, murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) establishes lifelong latency in B cells and is associated with lymphoproliferative disease and lymphoma. Similar to the EBV-encoded small RNA (EBER)-1 and -2, MHV68 encodes eight 200- to 250-nucleotide polymerase III-transcribed ncRNAs called TMERs (tRNA-miRNA-encoded RNAs), which are highly expressed in latently infected cells and lymphoproliferative disease. To define the in vivo contribution of TMERs to MHV68 biology, we generated a panel of individual TMER mutant viruses. Through comprehensive in vivo analyses, we identified TMER4 as a key mediator of virus dissemination. The TMER4 mutant virus replicated normally in lungs and spread with normal kinetics and distribution to lung-draining lymph nodes, but it was significantly attenuated for infection of circulating blood cells and for latency establishment at peripheral sites. Notably, TMER4 stem-loops but not miRNAs were essential for wild-type TMER4 activity. Thus, these findings revealed a crucial miRNA-independent function of the TMER4 ncRNA in MHV68 hematogenous dissemination and latency establishment. IMPORTANCE Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) represent an intriguing and diverse class of molecules that are now recognized for their participation in a wide array of cellular processes. Viruses from multiple families have evolved to encode their own such regulatory RNAs; however, the specific in vivo functions of these ncRNAs are largely unknown. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) are ubiquitous human pathogens that are associated with the development of numerous malignancies. Like EBV and KSHV, murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) establishes lifelong latency in B cells and is associated with lymphomagenesis. The work described here reveals that the MHV68 ncRNA TMER4 acts at a critical bottleneck in local lymph nodes to facilitate hematogenous dissemination of the virus and establishment of latency at peripheral sites. Podcast: A podcast concerning this article is available.
Should We Abandon Routine Visits? There Is Little Evidence for or Against.

Should asymptomatic patients schedule annual visits with their physicians? Many experts and some professional organizations say no and cite evidence-based studies as the reason why. This article ex...
Probabilistic Load Flow Calculation Considering Correlative Random Variable Based on Stochastic Response Surface Method

Probabilistic load flow technique is an effective method for analyzing the power flow distribution of the power system containing wind power. In order to describe the randomness of the output power on wind farms, and analyze the influence of the wind power on the probabilistic power flow distribution, this paper proposes a calculation method for stochastic power flow of power system based on stochastic response surface method( SRSM. Firstly, the stochastic power flow problem is transformed into deterministic power flow problem, and solved by the traditional power flow calculation methods, thus obtaining the statistical characteristic value and probabilistic distribution of power flow state variables. With the strong correlation of the wind speed between the wind farms nearby considered, the orthogonal transformation technique is further utilized to deal with the related wind speed. The results obtained by IEEE-14 and 118 systems suggest that, compared with Monte Carlo method; the proposed method has higher accuracy and smaller amount of computation.
Combined treatment of Gancicolovir and IVIG in congenital cytomegalovirus infections

objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of Ganciclovir and IVIG on congenital cytomegalovirus(cmv)infections. Method 60 cases of congenital CMV infections were divided into the experimental group (n=32) with ganciclovir and IVIG and the control group with general treatment (n=28).The patients of the experimental group was treated with Ganciclovir 5mg/kg, intravenous drip every 12 hours, continous using for 14 days, then maintenance treatment with 5mg/kg,intravenous drip every day,continous 14 days. IVIG 400mg/kg, intravenous drip every day, continous 5 days.The patients of the control group was treated with routine method, then two groups were compared with clinical situation, laboratory examination and virology result.Results The changes of TBIL and ALT and negative rate in the experiental group were superior to that in the control group (P0.01). The efficient of the experimental group was 81.3%, and the control group was 57%. There was a significant difference between the two groups (P0.01).Conclusion It is safe and effective to treat congenital CMV infections with Ganciclovir and IVIG,so can be widespread in clinical practice.
Advertising by Accountants: Implications for Minorities

Since the Supreme Court ruling authorizing advertising by professionals, accountants have had to reevaluate their advertising effort. Little research has been conducted codifying reactions to advertising by CPA firms. The authors paid particular attention to the advertising efforts of minority firms with reference to expenditures, media, and future expectations.
Isozymes of human phosphofructokinase in blood cells and cultured cell lines: molecular and genetic evidence for a trigenic system.

Abstract We have previously demonstrated that human red cell (RBC) phosphofructokinase (PFK) is under dual genetic control, since it is a mixture of five tetrameric isozymes composed of two distinct subunits, M (muscle-type) and L (liver-type), i.e., M4, M3L, M2L2, ML3, and L4. The residual RBC PFK in a patient with Tarui's disease (glycogenosis type VII) was shown to consist exclusively of L4 type isozyme, indicating homozygosity for the deficiency of M-type subunits. In this study, we have investigated various normal and M-deficient blood cells and cultured cell lines for their quantitative and qualitative PFK profiles, using monoclonal antibodies in addition to protein hybridization technique. Our results indicate that erythrocytes and platelets exhibit the least PFK activities as compared to various nucleated blood cells. However, the highest activities are exhibited by cultured fibroblasts and lymphoblastoid cell lines. The lymphoblastoid cell line from our M-deficient patient exhibits a relative PFK deficiency as compared to the normal cell lines. The platelet PFK consists of three species with subunit structures of P4, P3L, and P2L2, since dissociation and reassociation of platelet PFK yields a five-membered set. The “P” subunit is under separate genetic control, since it exhibits a unique chromatographic mobility, complete resistance to anti-M and anti-L monoclonal antibodies, and normal expression in Tarui's disease. Lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes exhibit predominantly L4 isozyme with some hybrids consisting of all 3 subunits. Fibroblast PFK is resolved chromatographically into 10–12 species, 5 being identical to those of RBC and 3 to those of platelets, suggesting simultaneous expression of all 3 genes. The hybridization of RBC PFK (M + L) and platelet PFK (P + L) yields the same 10–12 fibroblastic species, proving coexpression of all 3 genes. Normal lymphoblastoid cell lines exhibit the same 10–12 species seen in fibroblasts, as do the RBC of a few otherwise healthy individuals. In accord with the above data, the lymphoblastoid cell line from the M-deficient patient exhibits only 5 species composed of P and L subunits. These studies demonstrate the multimolecular forms of PFK in various blood cells and cultured cell lines and provide evidence for the existence of 3 structural loci coding for human PFK, i.e., M, P, and L.
Research and Demonstration Program for Handicapped Children and Youth

The research and demonstration program for handicapped children provided by Public Law 88–164, as amended by PL 89–105, is discussed. Actions related to applications and funding for fiscal years 1964 and 1965 are summarized. Types of programs which may be funded, future projects planned by the Branch, and application procedures are described.
The Religious Question

While certain aspects of Carlyle’s social views seemed objectionable to Tennyson, it was the religious sphere that gave him more trouble. To the younger poet, and to others, Carlyle, especially as he got older, seemed ultimately to view all in terms of self; he became more and more Ulyssean. The result was that his writings, as DeLaura and others have pointed out, tended to be autobiographical or biographical. Carlyle’s constant reduction of all the ills of society to his own personal state had a significant effect on his relationship with Tennyson.
The Anarchist Challenge

‘Whoever denies authority and fights against it,’ it has been claimed in a rather simplistic way,1 highlights the anarchist challenge to all authority. Yet, one of the greatest of the anarchists, Pierre Proudhon, insisted that he fought for genuine and against false authority: all genuine authority is based upon the truth, he asserted.2 Anarchists have also had an equivocal attitude toward violence; for if truth and therefore reason are the source of genuine authority, force and violence can accomplish little.3 Therefore anarchists, in challenging authority, often are thinking of the particular authorities which speak for the ‘establishment’. It may be the king and the church at one point, and the military-industrial complex at another. Although typically highly theoretical in their arguments, anarchists do not display any considerable sophistication on the subject of authority. Authority is, as we shall show below, confused with power and government, although among the most radical anarchists, more especially Bakunin, the authority of family, school, and church are as much under attack as governmental and political authority.
Influence of Three Defeathering Systems on Microtopography of Turkey Skin and Adhesion of Salmonella typhimurium.

The microtopography of turkey skin resulting from three different defeathering systems and consequent effect of skin microtopography on the adhesion of Salmonella typhimurium were examined. Turkeys from common flocks were scalded and picked using conventional, kosher, and steam-spray systems. Breast skin was subsequently removed, irradiated to eliminate the resident microflora, then inoculated with S. typhimurium for 30 min. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy revealed that three processes caused different skin microtopographies, which resulted in different amounts of bacterial adhesion. Conventional skin had a comparatively smoother surface and less bacterial attachment. Kosher skin was very rough with a scaly keratinized epidermis and showed little bacterial attachment. Steam-spray skin had a highly convoluted surface (probably with underlying collagen fiber bundles) and showed three times higher attachment of cells than conventional and kosher skins. Contrary to counts of attached cells obtained by scanning electron microscopy, plate counts of all inoculated skins were similar and increased linearly with increasing inoculum concentration. The highest Sm value (an indirect measurement of attachment strength) of kosher skin reflected deep penetration/entrapment of cells within the skin rather than strong attachment of cells, whereas the high Sm value of steam-spray skin would reflect the strong attachment of cells to the specific receptors in the skin. The lowest Sm value and much bigger cell size of S. typhimurium on conventional skin reflected loose bacterial attachment and different surface properties, respectively.
On the gating of mechanosensitive channels by fluid shear stress

Mechanosensation is an important process in biological fluid–structure interaction. To understand the biophysics underlying mechanosensation, it is essential to quantify the correlation between membrane deformation, membrane tension, external fluid shear stress, and conformation of mechanosensitive (MS) channels. Smoothed dissipative particle dynamics (SDPD) simulations of vesicle/cell in three types of flow configurations are conducted to calculate the tension in lipid membrane due to fluid shear stress from the surrounding viscous flow. In combination with a simple continuum model for an MS channel, SDPD simulation results suggest that shearing adhered vesicles/cells is more effective to induce membrane tension sufficient to stretch MS channels open than a free shear flow or a constrictive channel flow. In addition, we incorporate the bilayer–cytoskeletal interaction in a two-component model to probe the effects of a cytoskeletal network on the gating of MS channels.
Technical maturity evaluations for sensor fusion technologies

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) routinely works with commercial and academic partners to develop and refine technologies needed to meet the evolving imagery-based intelligence problems of the intelligence community (IC). There is an existing Research and Development entity within the NGA which includes the systems engineering framework required to incorporate, develop and transition applicable technologies for use by analysts. In order to better understand where work may fall within this framework, it is necessary to identify the inherent technical maturity of the research in question. Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), which were originally developed by NASA and are used by the DOD for most development and procurement programs, are used by NGA as a quick indication of both technical maturity and inherent risk (technical, schedule, cost or transition). This paper discusses the different GEOINT-focused performance evaluations pertinent to the TRLs then provides a brief introduction to an applicable multi-sensor data fusion framework.
Angiopoietin-2 Blockade Promotes Survival of Corneal Transplants.

Purpose Corneal transplantation remains the last hope for vision restoration, and lymphangiogenesis (LG) is a primary mediator of transplant rejection. This study was to investigate the specific role of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in transplantation-associated LG and graft rejection. Methods Orthotopic corneal transplantation was performed between fully mismatched C57BL/6 (donor) and BALB/c (recipient) mice to assess the effects of Ang-2 blockade via neutralizing antibody. Grafts were evaluated in vivo by ophthalmic slit-lamp biomicroscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) up to 8 weeks after surgery. Additionally, whole-mount corneas were analyzed for lymphatic and blood vessels and macrophages by immunofluorescent microscopy, and draining lymph nodes were assessed for donor-derived cells by flow cytometry. Results Anti-Ang-2 treatment significantly suppressed LG and graft rejection. In this study, we achieved 75% suppression of LG and 80% graft survival. Our approach also inhibited donor-derived cell trafficking to draining lymph nodes and affected macrophage morphologic phenotypes in the grafted corneas. Additionally, Ang-2 blockade also reduced central corneal thickening, a parameter strongly associated with graft rejection. Conclusions Ang-2 is critically involved in corneal transplant rejection and anti-Ang-2 treatment significantly improves the outcomes of corneal grafts. Moreover, we have shown that anterior segment OCT offers a new tool to monitor murine corneal grafts in vivo. This study not only reveals new mechanisms for transplant rejection, but also offers a novel strategy to treat it.
Carcinoid Syndrome and Costs of Care During the First Year After Diagnosis of Neuroendocrine Tumors Among Elderly Patients

Background Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) can secrete hormonal peptides that lead to additional symptom burdens. However, it is largely unknown whether and to what extent the additional symptom burdens translate into higher costs of care. This study aimed to examine the cost pattern of elderly NET patients during the first year of diagnosis, taking into account of the carcinoid syndrome status. Methods We used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Medicare data to identify elderly NET patients diagnosed between January 2003 and December 2011. Patients who had at least two claims indicative of carcinoid syndrome during the 3 months before and after the NET diagnosis were considered to have carcinoid syndrome. We adopted a payer's perspective and quantified economic outcomes using the following three measures: (a) total Medicare reimbursement amount, (b) inpatient amount, and (c) outpatient amount. We used a generalized linear model (GLM) to examine the association between syndrome and costs. Results Our study cohort included 6,749 elderly NET well-differentiated and moderately differentiated patients. Of these patients, 5,633 (83%) were alive 1 year after diagnosis with continuous enrollment, and 1,116 (17%) died within 1 year. The multivariable GLM showed significant association between the syndrome and higher total, inpatient, and outpatient costs among the group who survived the whole year; the association was insignificant among the group who died within the first year of diagnosis. Conclusion This population-based study showed that NET patients with carcinoid syndrome incurred higher costs of care especially among those who survived the first year of diagnosis. Implications for practice This is the first population-based study that examines the health care costs associated with carcinoid syndrome among neuroendocrine tumor patients. Among patients alive throughout the first year, the unadjusted analyses showed that total median monthly costs were above $1,000 higher ($3,801 vs. $2,481) for patients with carcinoid syndrome compared with patients without. A significant association was found between carcinoid syndrome and higher total inpatient and outpatient costs among the group that survived the whole year even after controlling for clinical factors, treatment received, and demographics and neighborhood socioeconomic status; the association was insignificant among the group that died within the first year of diagnosis.
Hierarchical Sequencing of Operations with Consideration of Setups

Abstract Process planning is a critical gap between design and manufacturing. Process planning accepts the design information of mechanical part such as dimensions, tolerances, geometry etc. and converts it into orderly manufacturing steps. This paper explains the development of an architecture for rule based setup planning for prismatic parts on 3-axis and 4-axis milling machines and implemented its prototype. The rule based setup planning system ‘RB-SPS’ generates the minimum number of setups for a given prismatic parts on 3 and 4-axis milling machines using heuristic approach. Following steps are involved in setup planning - Feature and Process clustering, Setup formation, Operation sequencing and Setup sequencing. Rules are successfully executed to accomplish those tasks to generate feasible setup plan. The prototype is integrated with the IMPlanner system and GUI has been developed for monitoring the steps for setups generation. The GUI provides the necessary functionality for the user to navigate the system. The developed RB-SPS system has been tested on real mechanical prismatic parts and successful results are achieved.
Refueling and Infrastructure Costs of Expanding Access to E85 in Pennsylvania

AbstractUnited States federal regulations require increasing renewable fuel blending in the transportation sector, a majority of which is corn ethanol. Nationally, ethanol is blended with gasoline ...
Biological and Physicochemical Characteristics of 2 Different Hydrophilic Surfaces Created by Saline-Storage and Ultraviolet Treatment.

OBJECTIVES Hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of titanium surfaces may affect osseointegration. Ordinary titanium surfaces are hydrophobic. Recently, 2 different methods of storing titanium in saline solution or treating it with ultraviolet (UV) light were introduced to generate surface hydrophilicity. This study compared biological and physicochemical properties of 2 different hydrophilic titanium surfaces created by these methods. MATERIALS Acid-etched control, saline-stored, and UV-treated titanium surfaces were assessed by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The attachment, spreading behaviors, mineralization, and gene expression of osteoblasts were examined. RESULTS Similar microroughness was found on control and UV-treated surfaces, whereas foreign deposits were observed on saline-stored surfaces. Control and UV-treated surfaces consisted of Ti, O, and C, whereas saline-stored surfaces showed Na and Cl in addition to these 3 elements. Atomic percentage of surface carbon was higher in order of control, saline-stored, and UV-treated surfaces. Osteoblasts cultured on saline-stored surfaces showed higher levels of calcium deposition and collagen I expression than control. Osteoblasts on UV-treated surfaces showed significantly increased levels for all parameters related to cell attachment, cell spreading, the expression of adhesion and cytoskeletal proteins, mineralization, and gene expression compared with control, outperforming saline-stored surfaces for most parameters. CONCLUSION Despite similar hydrophilicity, saline-stored and UV light-treated surfaces showed substantially different biological effects on osseointegration, associated with different surface chemistry and morphology.
Decreased clinical pregnancy and live birth rates after short interval from delivery to subsequent assisted reproductive treatment cycle.

STUDY QUESTION Does the interval from delivery to initiation of a subsequent ART treatment cycle impact clinical pregnancy or live birth rates? SUMMARY ANSWER An interval from delivery to treatment start of <6 months or ≥24 months is associated with decreased likelihood of clinical pregnancy and live birth. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Short interpregnancy intervals are associated with poor obstetric outcomes in the naturally conceiving population prompting birth spacing recommendations of 18-24 months from international organizations. Deferring a subsequent pregnancy attempt means a woman will age in the interval with an attendant decline in her fertility. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Retrospective analysis of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinical Outcome Reporting System (SARTCORS) cohort containing 61 686 ART cycles from 2004 to 2013. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS The delivery-to-cycle interval (DCI) was calculated for patients from SARTCORS with a history of live birth from ART who returned to the same clinic for a first subsequent treatment cycle. Generalized linear models were fit to determine the risk of clinical pregnancy and live birth by DCI with subsequent adjustment for factors associated with outcomes of interest. Predicted probabilities of clinical pregnancy and live birth were generated from each model. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE A DCI of <6 months was associated with a 5.6% reduction in probability of clinical pregnancy (40.1 ± 1.9 versus 45.7 ± 0.6%, P = 0.009) and 6.8% reduction in live birth (31.6 ± 1.7 versus 38.4 ± 0.6%, P = 0.001) per cycle start compared to a DCI of 12 to <18 months. A DCI of ≥24 months was associated with a 5.1% reduction in probability of clinical pregnancy (40.6 ± 0.5 versus 45.7 ± 0.6%, P < 0.001) and 5.7% reduction in live birth (32.7 ± 0.5 versus 38.4 ± 0.6%, P < 0.001) compared to 12 to <18 months. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The SART database is reliant upon self-report of many variables of interest including live birth. It remains unclear whether poorer outcomes are a result of residual confounding from factors inherent to the population with a very short or long DCI or the interval itself. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Birth spacing recommendations for naturally conceiving populations may not be generally applicable to patients with a history of infertility. Patients planning ART treatment should wait a minimum of 6 months, but not more than 24 months, from a live birth for optimization of clinical pregnancy and live birth rates. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, UCSF-CTSI Grant number UL1TR001872. The authors have no competing interests.
The role of regional prenatal cardiac screening for congenital heart disease: A single center experience

Background Accurate prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) allows for appropriate delivery and postnatal management. Geographic constraints limit access to fetal cardiology subspecialists. In our approach, general pediatric cardiologists are first line in regional prenatal cardiac screening. We aim to demonstrate the utility of this approach in diagnosing CHD requiring cardiac interventions within 30 days of life. Methods This is a retrospective review of fetal echocardiograms performed at Seattle Children's Hospital regional cardiology sites (SCH-RC) from December 2008 to December 2015. Referrals to Seattle Children's Hospital Prenatal Program (SCH-PNP) were evaluated for referral timing, indication, diagnostic accuracy, and postnatal care. Diagnostic accuracy was determined using the initial postnatal echocardiogram as the gold standard. Major discrepancy was defined as one resulting in change in surgical management. Results Of 699 fetuses evaluated at regional sites throughout Washington and Alaska, a small subset (n = 48; 6.9%) required referral to SCH-PNP. Need for relocation was confirmed in 31 subjects, of which 27 required cardiac intervention within 30 days of life. Of those not referred to SCH-PNP (n = 643, 91.9%), none required neonatal cardiac intervention. There were 22 regional diagnostic discrepancies (31% major, 7% minor). Referral to SCH-PNP improved diagnostic accuracy (2% major, 0% minor). Conclusions Regional prenatal cardiac screening demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 98.9% specificity for identifying critical CHD. Utilizing regional pediatric cardiologists as first line in prenatal screening in geographically remote regions may improve access to care and outcomes in neonates with critical CHD while improving resource utilization.
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE IN LARGE UNDERGROUND SYSTEMS AND BUILDINGS

Systems for storing thermal energy at high temperatures (250 to 500°C) and at freezing temperatures are described. Examples of underground residential and commercial buildings are given to illustrate their energy and land conserving aspects. Finally, a concept for energy independent buildings is presented. Des moyens pour l'accumulatien d’ energie thermique aux temperatures hautes (250 - 500°C) aussi bien q'aux temperatures basses sont decrit. Nous donnons des cas concrets des maisons et des batiments commercial pour illustrer leur aspects de le point de vue de la conservation d’ energie et de terre. En fin, mous presentons un idee generale, pour la constructun des batiments sans energie de l'exterieur. Es werden Systeme zur Speicherung von Warme bei hohen Temperaturen (250 bis 500°C) und beim Eispunkt beschrieben. Biespiele von Untergrund-Wohnungen und Geschaftsgebauden illustrieren mogliche Energieeinsparungen und Erhaltung des Landschaftsbildes durch diese Bauweise. Zum Schluss wird ein Vorschlag zum Bau eines energieunabhangigen Gebaudes diskutiert.
Myths about the Aging Body

In Chapter 4 we asked the question, “What are the normal biological and maturational events of adulthood, and how would awareness of them help us achieve a more complete understanding of mental development?” After discussing the prevailing attitude that a detailed knowledge of biological processes would not contribute to an expanded dynamic theory of adulthood, we presented some research on the adult brain, primarily by Pribram (1971), which indicated that current ideas on the functioning of the brain might be very limited.