cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of transcatheter approach for initial treatment of pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum.

Objective: To review the short and medium term outcome of transcatheter pulmonary valve perforation (PVP) in patients with pulmonary atresia-intact ventricular septum and non-right ventricular dependant coronary circulation (PA/IVS non-RVDCC).Background: PVP in patients with PA/IVS non-RVDCC has become more common in the past two decades. However, data on outcomes with this strategy are mixed.Methods: Data were reviewed retrospectively for all patients with PA/IVS non-RVDCC treated from 1996- 2010 at our institution. Patients who had severe neonatal Ebstein malformation, or initial interventional management at another institution were excluded.Results: PVP was attempted in 30 of 50 patients (60%); 26 (87%) of these had a successful procedure. Twenty-four patients (48%) had surgery without PVP. There were no deaths in the cohort. Complications of PVP included 5 (17%) myocardial perforations. Of those with successful PVP, 10 (38%) did not have surgery (PVP-NS) and 16 (62%) had surgery (PVP-S) prior to discharge. Tricuspid valve (TV)Z-score was larger in the PVP-NS than in PVP-S patients, with median TV diameterZ-scores of10.7 (20.9, 1.7) and21.1 (-2.8, 2), respectively (P50.01). Time from PVP to either hospital discharge (PVP-NS group) or surgery (PVP-S group) was significantly different between groups: 15 (7, 22) and 8 days (0, 46), respectively (P50.01). There were no differences in the number of trials or lowest arterial PaO2 off prostaglandins between groups. All patients in the PVP-NS group had a biventricular circulation at a median follow-up of 4.3 years. Conclusions: The results of a collaborative approach to treating neonates with PA/IVS non-RVDCC are excellent. Smaller TV size is associated with greater likelihood of surgery prior to discharge, and may serve as a surrogate for early RV inadequacy. V C 2012 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Cryogenic and refrigerated storage of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) spermatozoa

Abstract The aim of this study was to improve methods for short- and long-term preservation of Alantic cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) spermatozoa. The effects of extender composition, cryoprotectant concentration, freezing rate, and dilution ratio on post-thaw sperm motility were examined. The fertilization capacity of fresh and post-thaw sperm were compared and sperm viability, as determined by differential fluorescent staining (propidium iodide/SYBR 14®), was correlated with motility. The highest post-thaw motility was obtained when sperm was diluted 1:3 with an extender containing glutathione, sucrose, and potassium bicarbonate (modified Mounib's extender, MME), supplemented with 10% DMSO and frozen at a rate of −5 °C min−1. The post-thaw motility of cod (66±2.1%) and haddock (53±2.1%) sperm did not differ between 5 and 90 days of storage but was lower than fresh sperm. No difference in fertilization rate was found between fresh and post-thaw cod sperm, but fertilization was lower using post-thaw haddock sperm when compared to fresh ones. Spermatozoa motility was highly correlated (Adjusted R2=0.94) with the proportion of cells that incorporated SYBR 14®. Refrigerated cod and haddock sperm diluted 1:3 with MME remained motile for 40 and 38 days, respectively. These results demonstrate that spermatozoa of cod and haddock can be refrigerated or cryopreserved and yield acceptable sperm motility and post-thaw fertilization rates.
Rapid, On‐Command Debonding of Stimuli‐Responsive Cross‐Linked Adhesives by Continuous, Sequential Quinone Methide Elimination Reactions

Adhesives that selectively debond from a surface by stimuli-induced head-to-tail continuous depolymerization of poly(benzyl ether) macro-cross-linkers within a poly(norbornene) matrix are described. Continuous head-to-tail depolymerization provides faster rates of response than can be achieved using a small-molecule cross-linker, as well as responses to lower stimulus concentrations. Shear-stress values for glass held together by the adhesive reach 0.51±0.10 MPa, whereas signal-induced depolymerization via quinone methide intermediates reduces the shear stress values to 0.05±0.02 MPa. Changing the length of the macro-cross-linkers alters the time required for debonding, and thus enables the programmed sequential release of specific layers in a glass composite material.
Mediating δ-opioid-initiated heart protection via the β2-adrenergic receptor: role of the intrinsic cardiac adrenergic cell

Stimulation of cardiac β2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) or δ-opioid receptor (DOR) exerts a similar degree of cardioprotection against myocardial ischemia in experimental models. We hypothesized that...
Preferential effect of Akt2-dependent signaling on the cellular viability of ovarian cancer cells in response to EGF

Objective: Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is associated with the malignant phenotype in many cancers including ovarian cancer, which leads to increased cell proliferation and survival. In spite of emerging EGFR inhibitors as a potentially useful agent, they are largely ineffective in patients with advanced or recurrent ovarian cancers. Since Akt as a key downstream factor of EGFR is highly activated in some high grade serous ovarian tumors, the augmented Akt activation may attribute to irregular EGFR-mediated signaling observed in ovarian cancer. Here we investigated the differential effect of Akt on the EGF-induced cell viability in a panel of ovarian cancer cell lines. Methods: Cellular viability assay and western blot analysis were used to measure cell viability and expression levels of proteins, respectively. Knockdown of Akt was achieved with siRNA and stable transfection of expression vectors was performed. Results: Cellular viability increased in OVCAR-3 ovarian cancer cells exposed to EGF, but little to no difference was observed in the 5 other ovarian cancer cells including SKOV-3 cells despite of the expression of EGFR. In OVCAR-3 cells, EGF activated Erk and Akt, but an Erk inhibitor had no impact on cellular viability. On the other hand, the EGFR and PI3K inhibitors decreased EGF-induced cellular viability, indicating the involvement of Akt signaling. Although EGF activated Erk in SKOV-3 cells, the Akt activation was very weak as compared to OVCAR-3 cells. Furthermore, we observed a different expression of Akt isoforms: Akt1 was constitutively expressed in all tested ovarian cancer cells, while Akt3 was little expressed. Interestingly, Akt2 was highly expressed in OVCAR-3 cells. Knockdown of Akt2 blocked EGF-induced OVCAR-3 cell viability whereas knockdown for Akt1 and Erk1/2 had no significant effect. Stable transfection of Akt2 into SKOV-3 cells phosphorylated more Akt and enhanced cell viability in response to EGF. Conclusions: Akt2-dependent signaling appears to play an important role in EGFR-mediated cellular viability in ovarian cancer and targeting specific Akt isoform may provide a potential therapeutic approach for EGFR-expressing ovarian cancers.
Surgical residents' knowledge of injury prevention principles.

Abstract Background: Injury prevention is not routinely taught in medical school or surgical residency curricula. Because of the integral role surgeons play in the diagnosis and treatment of trauma, we sought to determine the knowledge base of injury prevention concepts of surgical residents training in a state’s level 1 trauma centers. Methods: A written survey was given to general surgery residents at our state’s three level 1 trauma centers. Twenty-one questions related to injury prevention were asked in addition to demographic data. Basic concepts of injury prevention, statistical knowledge of injury patterns, and knowledge of intentional violence were tested. Results: Sixty-two residents completed the survey. Only 9 respondents reported prior formal instruction in injury prevention. Overall performance was (mean ± SD) 10.6 ± 2.5 of 31 possible points, for a mean average score of 34% correct answers. Postgraduate year level, prior medical school instruction in injury prevention or months of experience on a trauma service did not correlate with improved scores. Specific question performance ranged from 2% to 82% correct responses. Questions regarding domestic violence (60%), risk of burns (65%), and incidence of trauma deaths (82%) were answered correctly most often, while injury prevention theory questions, such as components of the Injury Prevention Triangle (5%), definition of YPLL (2%), and annual cost attributable to injury (19%) were least often answered correctly. Conclusions: These data indicate that general surgery residents are poorly educated regarding basic concepts of injury prevention. Importantly, a majority of respondents (69%) felt formal instruction in injury prevention should be included in their surgical residency curriculum.
ESTIMATES OF INBREEDING IN A NATURAL POPULATION: A COMPARISON OF SAMPLING PROPERTIES

ABSTRACT The average inbreeding coefficient f of a population can be estimated in several different ways based solely on the genotypic frequencies at a single locus. The means and variances of four different estimates have been compared. While the four estimates are equivalent when there are two alleles, the best estimates when there are three or more alleles are based upon total heterozygosity (see PDF) where x and y are the expected and observed number of heterozygotes) and the proportion of alleles that are homozygous (see PDF) where k = the number of alleles, a ii = the number of A i A i homozygotes, and 2 a ij = the number of A i A j heterozygotes). Both are minimally biased estimates of f and have identical sampling variances when all alleles are equally frequent. However, when alleles have different frequencies, the choice between these two estimates depends on the gene frequencies and the true inbreeding coefficient of a population; f 2 is the best estimate when the true average inbreeding coefficient is suspected to be low or f = 0, while f 1 is best in populations with large average inbreeding coefficients. Approximate sampling variances of these two estimates are given for any f and any number of alleles with arbitrary gene frequencies; these approximations are accurate for samples as small as n = 100. The chi-square and maximum likelihood estimates of f are not as good for realistic sample sizes.
Expression, purification, and characterization of the functional dimeric cytoplasmic domain of human erythrocyte band 3 in Escherichia coli

The cytoplasmic domain of the human erythrocyte membrane protein, band 3 (cdb3), contains binding sites for hemoglobin, several glycolytic enzymes, band 4.1, band 4.2, and ankyrin, and constitutes the major linkage between the membrane skeleton and the membrane. Although erythrocyte cdb3 has been partially purified from proteolyzed red blood cells, further separation of the water-soluble 43-kDa and 41-kDa proteolytic fragments has never been achieved. In order to obtain pure cdb3 for crystallization and site-directed mutagenesis studies, we constructed an expression plasmid that has a tandemly linked T7 promoter placed upstream of the N-terminal 379 amino acids of the erythrocyte band 3 gene. Comparison of several Escherichia coli strains led to the selection of the BL21 (DE3) strain containing the pLysS plasmid as the best host for efficient production of cdb3. About 10 mg of recombinant cdb3 can be easily purified from 4 L of E. coli culture in two simple steps. Comparison of cdb3 released from the red blood cell by proteolysis with recombinant cdb3 reveals that both have the same N-terminal sequence, secondary structure, and pH-dependent conformational change. The purified recombinant cdb3 is also a soluble stable dimer with the same Stokes radius as erythrocyte cdb3. The affinities of the two forms of cdb3 for ankyrin are essentially identical; however, recombinant cdb3 with its unblocked N-terminus exhibits a slightly lower affinity for aldolase.
Expression and mutation analyses implicate ARHGAP29 as the etiologic gene for the cleft lip with or without cleft palate locus identified by genome-wide association on chromosome 1p22.

Background Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) is a common birth defect with complex etiology reflecting the action of multiple genetic and/or environmental factors. Genome wide association studies have successfully identified five novel loci associated with NSCL/P including a locus on 1p22.1 near the ABCA4 gene. Since neither expression analysis nor mutation screening support a role for ABCA4 in NSCL/P, we investigated the adjacent gene ARHGAP29.
Curve complexes versus Tits buildings: structures and applications

Tits buildings\({\Delta }_{\mathbb{Q}}(\mathbf{G})\)of linear algebraic groupsGdefined over the field of rational numbers\(\mathbb{Q}\) have played an important role in understanding partial compactifications of symmetric spaces and compactifications of locally symmetric spaces, cohomological properties of arithmetic subgroups and S-arithmetic subgroups of \(\mathbf{G}(\mathbb{Q})\). Curve complexes \(\mathcal{C}({S}_{g,n})\) of surfaces S g,n were introduced to parametrize boundary components of partial compactifications of Teichmuller spaces and were later applied to understand properties of mapping class groups of surfaces and geometry and topology of 3-dimensional manifolds. Tits buildings are spherical buildings, and another important class of buildings consists of Euclidean buildings, for example, the Bruhat–Tits buildings of linear algebraic groups defined over local fields. In this paper, we summarize and compare some properties and applications of buildings and curve complexes. We try to emphasize their similarities but also point out differences. In some sense, curve complexes are combinations of spherical, Euclidean and hyperbolic buildings. We hope that such a comparison might motivate more questions and also suggest methods to solve them at the same time, and furthermore it might introduce buildings to people who study curve complexes and curve complexes to people who study buildings.
A morpho-functional study of amblyopic eyes with the use of optical coherence tomography and microperimetry.

Purpose To determine whether retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), macular thickness, foveal volume, macular sensitivity, and fixation in patients with amblyopia differ between the amblyopic eye and the fellow eye. Methods Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and microperimetry (MP-1) were used to evaluate patients with unilateral amblyopia. Patients were divided into 2 groups, those with strabismic amblyopia and those with refractive amblyopia. OCT maps were used to calculate foveal volume, macular thickness, and RNFLT; MP-1 was used to determine macular sensitivity and fixation. Results A total of 30 patients were included (13 males; mean age 19.7 years [range, 10-38 years]), 15 in each group. Mean best-corrected visual acuity was 20/35 (range, 20/50 to 20/32) in the amblyopic eye and 20/21 (range, 20/20 to 20/25) in the fellow eye. In both groups, mean foveal volume and RNFLT did not differ significantly between eyes. Only macular thickness in the strabismic group differed significantly between the amblyopic and fellow eyes (P = 0.03). Macular sensitivity was significantly greater in the fellow eye in both groups (strabismic group, P = 0.002; refractive group, P = 0.013), whereas fixation did not change significantly between the amblyopic and fellow eye. RNFLT and macular sensitivity was found to be significantly correlated (strabismic group, r = 0.84, P = 0.002; refractive group, r = 0.66, P = 0.02). Conclusions Our data suggest that although RNFLT does not vary between eyes, macular sensitivity is reduced in patients with amblyopia.
Managing stochastic inventory systems with free shipping option

Abstract In many industries, customers are offered free shipping whenever an order placed exceeds a minimum quantity specified by suppliers. This allows the suppliers to achieve economies of scale in terms of production and distribution by encouraging customers to place large orders. In this paper, we consider the optimal policy of a retailer who operates a single-product inventory system under periodic review. The ordering cost of the retailer is a linear function of the ordering quantity, and the shipping cost is a fixed constant K whenever the order size is less than a given quantity – the free shipping quantity (FSQ), and it is zero whenever the order size is at least as much as the FSQ. Demands in different time periods are i.i.d. random variables. We provide the optimal inventory control policy and characterize its structural properties for the single-period model. For multi-period inventory systems, we propose and analyze a heuristic policy that has a simple structure, the ( s , t , S ) policy. Optimal parameters of the proposed heuristic policy are then computed. Through an extensive numerical study, we demonstrate that the heuristic policy is sufficiently accurate and close to optimal.
Partisan Roll Rates in a Nonpartisan Legislature

Credible tests of hypotheses about power require credible measures of power. Roll rates purport to measure the relative power of the parties in legislatures. This article develops and employs a baseline model to assess roll rates. Although on the surface roll rates have some intuitively satisfying properties, beneath the surface they have several previously unrecognized shortcomings. Analysis based on stochastic, strictly preference-governed voting within nominal but behaviorally inconsequential parties suggests that inferences based on roll rates overstate party influence and exaggerate the influence of the majority party relative to the minority. Analysis of data from the U.S. House of Representatives produces findings consistent with the nonpartisan model.
Work decrement and rest recovery during non-nutritive sucking in the human neonate.

Abstract An earlier study has indicated that vigorously sucking babies will show a decline in rates during a 3-minute sucking opportunity, but that a forced rest period of 3-minutes between sucking periods will produce full recovery of initial rates. The current study was designed to explore temporal and tactual parameters producing this recovery. Four groups of at least 10 S s were given the following treatments: Group I continuous sucking for 10 minutes; Group II: sucking for 5 minutes, the nipple being withdrawn and replaced immediately for an additional 5 minutes; Group III: 1 minute pause between two 5-minute sucking periods. Group IV: 5-minute pause between two 5-minute sucking periods. Groups I and II showed an initial drop over the first 3 minutes and remained at a constant level for the remaining 7 minutes. Groups III and IV were not significantly different from each other and showed complete recovery of initial levels during the rest period. Recovery scems to be a function of the interval separating two sucking opportunities, and simple re-entry of the stimulus into the infant's mouth is not a pertinent factor. Two opposing response-produced processes are suggested as the basis for the initial decrement.
Anodal and cathodal thresholds during transthoracic stimulation

A physiological mechanism is proposed for a phenomenon observed in experimental studies: the ventricular threshold during transthoracic stimulation is slightly lower if the electrode closer to the heart is a cathode rather than an anode. This result can be attributed to the discrete structure of the myocardium. In such a structure, the end of each cardiac bundle proximal to the cathode is depolarized, while the distal end is hyperpolarized. Since the transmembrane potential depends upon the gradient, which decreases between proximal and distal ends, the magnitude of the transmembrane potential is somewhat smaller at the distal end. Thus a larger stimulus is required to raise the distal end above the threshold. >
“MRI in the Detection of Malignant Infiltration of Bone Marrow”—A Commentary

1Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave., Suite M392, San Francisco, CA 94143-0628. Address correspondence to L. S. Steinbach (lynne.steinbach@radiology.ucsf.edu). As a historical note, we originally presented this paper at the RSNA annual meeting in 1984, where it was given in a session on nuclear medicine! We had difficulty getting the paper published in AJR because the reviewers insisted we should have been able to distinguish different types of neoplasms by adjusting the pulse sequences. Of course, we now know that is nonsense. The point we were trying to make was that we wanted to identify abnormal marrow areas that could then undergo successful biopsy. To that end, we were successful. —Richard Daffner
A Velocity Decomposition Approach for Unsteady External Flow

In this work we address the development of the velocity decomposition algorithm, a numerical flow solution method that incorporates both velocity potential and Navier-Stokes-based solution procedures. The motivation for this is so that the field discretization required by the Navier-Stokes solver can be reduced to the region of the flow domain in which the flow is vortical. Specific advantages are that the computational cost is reduced, it is easier to discretize the flow domain, and difficult problems such as the simulation of ships maneuvering in a seaway are closer to being within reach. The target applications are broad, ranging from vortex shedding on bluff objects such as risers, to the wave induced loads on a platform in a current and irregular seas. In previous work, the algorithm has been successfully applied to address steady flows of 3-D non-lifting bodies without water waves, or 2-D bodies that can have lift and be near a water surface. In this paper, the velocity decomposition approach is extended to numerically solve for the unsteady flow of single-phase viscous flows. The velocity vector is decomposed into irrotational and vortical components. A boundary element method is used to solve for the irrotational component (designated as the viscous potential) by applying a viscous boundary condition to the body boundary. A field method is used to solve for the total velocity on a reduced domain where the flow is vortical. The new algorithm investigates two approaches to solve the unsteady problem based on different types of time-dependence exhibited by the solution. The unsteady velocity decomposition method is demonstrated on two cases, and the solutions are compared to those generated by a conventional viscous flow solver. The results by the new algorithm agree well with the benchmark solutions and exhibit a reduction in time.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on the Built Environment under NEPA and State EIA Laws: A Survey of Current Practices and Recommendations for Model Protocols

This paper outlines a set of model protocols for assessing the impacts of climate change on projects undergoing environmental reviews in accordance with NEPA and state equivalents. In addition, the paper describes: (i) the rationale for integrating climate impact considerations into environmental impact assessment (EIA) processes, (ii) the legal basis for requiring agencies to evaluate climate impacts during reviews conducted under NEPA and other EIA laws, (iii) a survey of existing guidelines for such evaluations, (iv) a survey of how climate change impacts are evaluated in recent federal EISs, and (v) a summary of outcomes from a stakeholder workshop convened to discuss the development of these protocols.
Mitochondrial Myopathies: Genetic Aspects

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the genetic aspects of mitochondrial myopathies. Mitochondria are the major producers of cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by the process of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). The mitochondrial OXPHOS system encompasses five multiple subunit enzyme complexes plus the adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT), all of which are embedded in the mitochondrial inner membrane. Four of these five OXPHOS enzyme complexes contain polypeptide subunits encoded by both the nucleus and the mitochondria. The two promoters, light strand promoter (LSP) and heavy-strand promoter (HSP), of mtDNA transcription are adjacent to each other within the displacement loop (D-loop). Inverted sequences located upstream from both promoters bind mitochondrial transcription factor (mtTFl). MtTFl is required in addition to the mitochondrial RNA (mtRNA) polymerase for efficient transcription. The genetic code of the mtDNA differs from nucleus and virtually all other organisms. The mtDNA genetic code is highly degenerate, so that only 22 tRNAs are required for translation. When uridine is in the wobble position, all 4 members of a codon family can be read by 1 mitochondrial tRNA.
Hyperthermia stimulates energy-proteasome-dependent protein degradation in cultured myotubes

Previous studies suggest that elevated temperature stimulates protein degradation in skeletal muscle, but the intracellular mechanisms are not fully understood. We tested the role of different prot...
ANALYSIS OF RAYLEIGH-WAVE MULTIPATH PROPAGATION AT LASA*

An investigation has been made of the multipath propagation of Rayleigh waves by using data obtained from the large aperture seismic array (LASA). The use of the LASA in conjunction with a high-resolution analysis technique provides a greater angular resolution and accuracy than was previously possible for the analysis of the multipath propagation. Measurements have been made of this phenomenon for the Rayleigh waves of 26 events distributed at various azimuths and distances from LASA. On the bas of these measurements reasonably good conjectures are made concerning the actual propagation paths for groups in the 20- to 40-sec period range. It is shown that in almost all cases these propagation paths can be associated with refractions and reflections at the continental margins.
Endoscopic eradication therapy for mucosal neoplasia in Barrett's esophagus.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Endoscopic eradication therapy is frequently used to treat dysplasia and early cancers in Barrett's esophagus. This review addresses some of the recent developments in the field of endoscopic eradication therapy for Barrett's esophagus. RECENT FINDINGS Data on the effectiveness of Barrett's esophagus ablation programs have been published recently, with excellent results for dysplasia eradication. Studies describing long-term results have shed light on the durability of endoscopic ablation, with recurrence of Barrett's esophagus and neoplasia seen in some cases, particularly at the gastroesophageal junction. Risk factors for failed ablation include longer Barrett's esophagus segments and persistent gastroesophageal reflux. New developments include studies combining radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and endoscopic mucosal resection into a single endoscopic session, endoscopic submucosal dissection for Barrett's esophagus neoplasia, and a simplified RFA algorithm. New data on the cost-effectiveness of RFA have also been published, suggesting that RFA is cost-effective for both high-grade and low-grade dysplasia, but not for nondysplastic Barrett's esophagus. A systematic review has shown that lymph node metastases are rare (∼2%) with intramucosal adenocarcinoma, supporting the use of endoscopic eradication for that lesion. SUMMARY Research and clinical experience with the endoscopic therapies for Barrett's esophagus continue to grow. Proper patient selection and technique are critical for ensuring a good outcome. Endoscopic surveillance after any of the ablative therapies still appears to be necessary.
The Generalized Kronecker Symbol and its Application to the theory of Determinants

(1925). The Generalized Kronecker Symbol and its Application to the theory of Determinants. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 32, No. 5, pp. 233-241.
Bulk and surface structure of a ternary microemulsion

Microemulsions are isotropic mixtures of water, oil, and surfactant which self-assemble to form interfacial monolayers with a characteristic length scale on the order of hundreds of Angstroms. Small angle neutron scattering was sued to determine the bulk structure of a water-octane-C{sub 10}E{sub 4} bicontinuous microemulsion. The mean curvature of the surfactant film was verified to be near zero by independently measuring the scattering contributions form the water-surfactant and oil-surfactant interfaces through hydrogen-deuterium contrast variation. The exponentially damped, oscillatory scattering length density profile of the microemulsion near a hydrophobic silicon surface was also observed with neutron reflectivity. The surface reflectivity results as well as the bulk small angle scattering measurements are explained using a simple Ginzburg-Landau theory.
Low Acetate Concentrations Favor Polyphosphate-Accumulating Organisms over Glycogen-Accumulating Organisms in Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal from Wastewater

Glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs) are thought to compete with polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) in enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) wastewater treatment systems. A laboratory sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated for one year to test the hypothesis that PAOs have a competitive advantage at low acetate concentrations, with a focus on low pH conditions previously shown to favor GAOs. PAOs dominated the system under conventional SBR operation with rapid acetate addition (producing high in-reactor concentrations) and pH values of 7.4–8.4. GAOs dominated when the pH was decreased (6.4–7.0). Decreasing the acetate addition rate led to very low reactor acetate concentrations, and PAOs recovered, supporting the study hypothesis. When the acetate feed rate was increased, EBPR failed again. Dominant PAOs and GAOs were Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis and Defluviicoccus Cluster 2, respectively, according to fluorescent in situ hybridization and 454 pyrosequencing. Surprisingly, ...
Medicating Children: ADHD and Pediatric Mental Health; Rick Mayes, Catherine Bagwell & Jennifer Erkulwater (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2009), 360 pages, $39.95.

Although President George Herbert Walker Bush officially proclaimed the 1990s to be the “Decade of the Brain,” 1 the brain's complexity and role in shaping who we are has fascinated scientists, phi...
Scintigraphy of the Liver and Spleen

When clinical evidence suggests disorder of the liver or spleen, scintigraphy can accurately confirm the diagnosis without the risks of an invasive procedure. Scintigraphy also is useful in following the course of metastatic disease and assessing the effectiveness of therapy.
SW21 Summary Report

Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories hosted the tenth annual Strategic Weapons in the 21st Century Conference (SW21) on 21 January 2016 to reinforce the national commitment to leadership and institutional excellence for nuclear deterrence. The event has been successful over the years in drawing together a diverse, high-level group of policy makers and experts from multiple disciplines to engage in informed dialogue on topics related to strategic weapons in national and international security.
Wavelets and Filter Banks

Denote by L2[0, 2π], the space of classes of functions that are square-integrable on [0, 2π]. The sequence of functions \(1/\sqrt{2\pi },\cos x/\sqrt{\pi },\sin x/\sqrt{\pi },\) \(\cos 2x/\sqrt{2\pi },\sin 2x/\sqrt{2\pi },\ldots\) forms an orthonormal basis for L2[0, 2π].
Computational simulation of steel moment frame to resist progressive collapse in fire

Purpose This paper aims to address a need for improving the structural resilience to multi-hazard threats including fire and progressive collapse caused by the loss of a column. Design/methodology/approach The focus is on a steel moment frame that uses welded-unreinforced flange-bolted web connections between the beams and columns. A three-dimensional finite element (FE) model was created in ABAQUS with temperature-dependent properties for steel based on the Eurocode. The model was validated against experimental data at ambient and elevated temperature. Findings The failure mechanisms in the FE model were consistent with experimental observations. Two scenarios were considered: fixed load with increasing temperature (i.e. simulating column failure prior to fire) and fixed temperature with increasing load (i.e. simulating column failure during fire). Originality/value A macro element (or component-based) model was also introduced and validated against the FE model and the experimental data, offering the possibility of analyzing large-scale structural systems with reasonable accuracy and improved computational efficiency.
Temporal Effects of Perpetrating or Receiving Intimate Partner Aggression on Alcohol Consumption: A Daily Diary Study of Community Couples.

Objective:Survey studies provide evidence that experiencing intimate partner aggression (IPA) contributes to subsequent alcohol use. However, it is unknown whether the increase in alcohol use over time reflects a temporal effect of IPA. We examined verbal and physical IPA as predictors of alcohol use and heavy drinking within the next few hours. We also investigated whether both victims and perpetrators drank following IPA, and if it mattered which partner reported the aggression.Method:The data reported here were derived from a 56-day diary study examining the association between alcohol use and partner aggression in 118 heterosexual couples. We examined whether alcohol use in a given hour could be predicted by IPA in the previous 3 hours, taking into account victim/perpetrator status, source of the report (self, other), and gender.Results:Victims were twice as likely to use alcohol in a given hour when they reported having received verbal IPA in the previous 3 hours, independent of the perpetrator’s rep...
The Impact of Consolidation Industrial Jordanian Companies on Profitability and Liquidity Ratios

This research aims to explore and concentrated on the impact of consolidate industrial Jordanian companies, on financial performance reflect on profitability and liquidity ratios and made a comparison between pre consolidate and post consolidate companies, for four industrial consolidate companies were included in the sample. Three years pre and post-consolidation data is used to test the effect. The Data took from the annual financial statements for these companies, and the data was processed by using SPSS program. The findings indicated that there are significant differences in the profitability of consolidated industrial companies before and after consolidation and there are significant differences in the liquidity of consolidated industrial companies before and after consolidation.
To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate, That Is But One of the Questions.

Carson and Flood's (2017) essay not only advocates for the importance of vaccinations for the common good, but demonstrates one avenue in which Catholic social teaching (CST) lays the groundwork fo...
Damage of Rubber Foams During Large Cyclic Compression

Polymeric foams are employed as cushions in many applications to prevent components from experiencing large dynamic stresses in service. While the performance of foam cushions may be quantified through certain mechanical variables, the strength and damage behavior of these materials remains poorly understood. The present work examined the deformation response of a rubbery Room Temperature Vulcanizing (RTV) foam under large cyclic compressions, subjected to a large dose of gamma radiation. Reduction in load carrying capacity occurred for all cases, attributable to some combination of material changes (Mullins effect) and permanent plasticity and damage to the microscopic ligaments surrounding pores in the material. Irradiation dose correlated to changes in the rate of nonlinear cyclic degradation, potentially pointing to a radiation aging effect.
The General Linear Model

The subject of linear models, and all of its intricacies is too vast to be properly dealt with in a book of this nature. Instead, a few examples of general applications of linear models in IML will be demonstrated. These examples can then be modified according to the needs of the researcher.
Vision: Melanopsin as a Raumgeber

Two new studies show that neural systems receiving inputs from the melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells encode spatial information and therefore see the world in more detail than previously thought.
Role of eicosanoids in biosynthesis and secretion of insulin.

Les incosanoides sont des produits derives de l'acide arachidonique. Leur effet sur la fonction des cellules insulaires pancreatiques a ete etudie. La biosynthese et la secretion de l'insuline et du glucon, la biosynthese des icosanoides, ansi que cell des enzymes et des proteines impliquees dans une telle synthese ont ete etudiees in vitro dans des pancres perfuses, des ilots pancreatiques isoles et incubes, ainsi que les lignees cellulaires insulinosecretrices
Co-Expression of Glia Maturation Factor and Apolipoprotein E4 in Alzheimer's Disease Brain

Apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) is a major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The E4 allele of ApoE plays a crucial role in the inflammatory and neurodegenerative processes associated with AD. This is evident from the multiple effects of the ApoE isoforms in amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation. Glia maturation factor (GMF) is a brain-specific neuroinflammatory protein that we have previously demonstrated to be significantly upregulated in various regions of AD brains compared to non-AD control brains and that it induces neurodegeneration. We have previously reported that GMF is predominantly expressed in the reactive astrocytes surrounding amyloid plaques (APs) in AD brain. In the present study, using immunohistochemical and dual immunofluorescence staining, we show the expression and colocalization of GMF and ApoE4 in AD brains. Our results show that ApoE4 is present within the APs of AD brain. Further, we found that GMF and ApoE4 were strongly expressed and co-associated in APs and in the reactive astrocytes surrounding APs in AD. An increased expression of GMF in APs and neurofibrillary tangles in the AD brain, and the co-localization of GMF and ApoE4 in APs suggest that GMF and ApoE4 together should be contributing to the neuropathological changes associated with AD.
Examining Community Dynamics of Civic Crowdfunding Participation

Over the past decade, crowdfunding has emerged as a legitimate, albeit niche, resource for public service delivery. Predicated on utilizing the resources of the crowd to address public issues, civic crowdfunding has the potential to offer citizens a greater role in service delivery and community development. This study investigates community dynamics and their potential impact on project success in jurisdictions proposing civic crowdfunding proposals. The results highlight the dynamics and characteristics of communities where project proposals are likely to find funding success. The results further highlight several potential opportunities for future research to better understand how and why these projects truly work.
Reducing the onset potential of CO2 electroreduction on CuRu bimetallic particles

Abstract Lower onset potentials for hydrocarbon products were observed during the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2RR) on copper particles (40–60 nm) coated with a thin layer of ruthenium via galvanic displacement, referred to as Ru@Cu. Hydrocarbons detected include ethane, ethylene, acetate, ethanol, propanol and CO. In the case of ethane (C2H6), the onset potential is 200 mV lower on Ru@Cu than on bare Cu particles. Increasing Ru coverage decreases the CO2RR activity while hydrogen evolution (HER) activity increased substantially. An optimum Ru coverage was found when the displacement was performed for 10 s. The results presented here highlight the importance of surface chemistry in determining reaction selectivity.
Infectious and noninfectious keratitis after laser in situ keratomileusis Occurrence, management, and visual outcomes.

Purpose To retrospectively review the occurrence, treatment, and visual outcomes associated with various etiologies of keratitis as a postoperative complication of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) at an academic surgical center. Setting John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Methods The charts of 5618 post-LASIK patients (10 477 eyes) were reviewed for the development of keratitis. Occurrence rates, management regimens, and final best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) were reported for infectious and noninfectious keratitis etiologies. Results Post-LASIK keratitis was diagnosed in 279 eyes. The keratitis was diagnosed as infectious in 33 eyes (12%) and as noninfectious in 246 eyes (88%). Infectious cases included 5 eyes (15%) with herpes simplex keratitis (HSV), 18 (55%) with adenoviral keratitis, and 10 (30%) with nonviral (including bacterial, fungal, and parasitic) keratitis. Of noninfectious cases, 193 (78%) were classified as diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK), 36 (15%) as staphylococcal marginal hypersensitivity, and 17 (15%) as localized debris-related keratitis. Conclusions The occurrence of post-LASIK keratitis was 2.66%, with DLK being the most common diagnosis overall. The occurrence of noninfectious keratitis (2.34%) was 7.5 times greater than the occurrence of infectious keratitis (0.31%). Adenoviral keratitis had the best visual outcomes overall, with all 18 patients achieving 20/20 BSCVA. In contrast, all 5 eyes with HSV keratitis lost 1 or 2 lines of BSCVA. Excluding adenoviral keratitis, infectious etiologies had significantly worse visual outcomes than noninfectious etiologies at the 20/40 and 20/20 levels ( P = .0013 and P
Is Accountancy a Profession? Implications for Education

Publisher Summary This chapter described the importance of accountancy as profession and its implications for education. Accounting education may well be at a critical point in determining its image as the accounting professions image is at a crossroads. Accounting taught as a subset of business would require that a student study the common body of business knowledge, and pursues an MBA degree at the graduate level. The college graduate would enroll in a school of accountancy, and pursue a Master of Accountancy, or Tax degree, or perhaps a professional doctorate like law, or pharmacy. The education base of the business major will be primarily business with various ranges of liberal arts courses required at different institutions. In contrast, a professional school of accountancy would attract students who are not just trained in liberal arts courses because they were required, but students who elected to concentrate on liberal arts studies because of their mindset. Faculty in a professional school of accountancy would have independence in faculty governance, and in setting standards for research, tenure, and promotion.
Design and Operational Considerations for Human Spaceflight Occupant Safety

Abstract This article is a result of a systematic review research of an existing, crewed commercial space transportation (CST)-relevant, publicly accessible documentation counting 300 resources. Ou...
Operational Calculus in Several Variables

We wish to extend the operational calculus established in Section 3 to functions of several variables. Let 𝔄 be a Banach algebra and x1,…, x n ∈ 𝔄. If P is a polynomial in n variables $$ p\left( {{z_1}, \ldots ,{z_n}} \right) = \sum\limits_v {{A_v}} z_1^{{v_1}} \cdots z_n^{{v_n}} $$ it is natural to define $$ P\left( {{x_1}, \cdots ,{x_n}} \right) = \sum\limits_v {{A_v}} x_1^{{v_1}} \cdots x_n^{{v_n}} \in $$
Comparison of Whole-Body Vibration Exposures When Operating a City Bus with an Active, Passive and Static Suspension Bus Seat:

Municipal bus drivers have a high rate of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMDSs) and Whole Body Vibration (WBV) has been shown to be a risk factor associated with WMSDs. Recently, active su...
Ketamine normalizes subgenual cingulate cortex hyper-activity in depression.

Mounting evidence supports the rapid antidepressant efficacy of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist, ketamine, for treating major depressive disorder (MDD); however, its neural mechanism of action remains poorly understood. Subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) hyper-activity during rest has been consistently implicated in the pathophysiology of MDD, potentially driven in part by excessive hippocampal gluatmatergic efferents to sgACC. Reduction of sgACC activity has been associated with successful antidepressant treatment. This study aimed to examine whether task-based sgACC activity was higher in patients with MDD compared to controls and to determine whether this activity was altered by single-dose ketamine. In Study 1, patients with MDD (N = 28) and healthy controls (N = 20) completed task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging using an established incentive-processing task. In Study 2, a second cohort of patients with MDD (N = 14) completed the same scanning protocol at baseline and following a 40 min infusion of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg). Task-based activation of sgACC was examined with a seed-driven analysis assessing group differences and changes from pre to post treatment. Patients with MDD showed higher sgACC activation to positive and negative monetary incentives compared to controls, associated with anhedonia and anxiety, respectively. In addition, patients with MDD had higher resting-state functional connectivity between hippocampus and sgACC, associated with sgACC hyper-activation to positive incentives, but not negative incentives. Finally, ketamine reduced sgACC hyper-activation to positive incentives, but not negative incentives. These findings suggest a neural mechanism by which ketamine exerts its antidepressant efficacy, via rapid blunting of aberrant sgACC hyper-reactivity to positive incentives.
SciInc: A Container Runtime for Incremental Recomputation

The conduct of reproducible science improves when computations are portable and verifiable. A container runtime provides an isolated environment for running computations and thus is useful for porting applications on new machines. Current container engines, such as LXC and Docker, however, do not track provenance, which is essential for verifying computations. In this paper, we present SciInc, a container runtime that tracks the provenance of computations during container creation. We show how container engines can use audited provenance data for efficient container replay. SciInc observes inputs to computations, and, if they change, propagates the changes, re-using partially memoized computations and data that are identical across replay and original run. We chose light-weight data structures for storing the provenance trace to maintain the invariant of shareable and portable container runtime. To determine the effectiveness of change propagation and memoization, we compared popular container technology and incremental recomputation methods using published data analysis experiments.