cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Snake predation on North American bird nests: culprits, patterns and future directions

Predation is the leading cause of nest failure for most birds. Thus, for ornithologists interested in the causes and consequences of variation in nest success, knowing the identity and understanding the behavior of dominant nest predators is likely to be important. Video documentation of nests has shown that snakes are frequent predators. Here we reviewed 53 North American studies that used nest cameras and used these data to identify broad patterns in snake predation. Snakes accounted for 26% (range: 0–90%) of recorded predation events, with values exceeding 35% in a third of studies. Snakes were more frequent nest predators at lower latitudes and less frequent in forested habitat relative to other nest predators. Although 12 species of snakes have been identified as nest predators, ratsnakes Elaphe obsoleta, corn snakes E. guttata and fox snakes E. vulpina were the most frequent, accounting for > 70% of all recorded nest predation events by snakes and have been documented preying on nests in 30–65% of studies conducted within their geographic ranges. Endotherm-specialist snakes (Elaphe and Pituophis genera) were more likely to depredate nests in forests and the canopy relative to other snakes, due to their affinity for edge habitat. Predation by only ratsnakes and corn snakes was predominantly nocturnal and only ratsnakes were more likely to prey on nests during the nestling stage. Snakes were not identified to species in over 30% of predation events, underlining the need for more complete reporting of results. A review of research to date suggests the best approach to investigating factors that bring snakes and nests into contact involves combining nesting studies with radio tracking of locally important snake nest predators.
Optimal communication algorithms for hypercubes

Abstract We consider the following basic communication problems in a hypercube network of processors: the problem of a single processor sending a different packet to each of the other processors, the problem of simultaneous broadcast of the same packet from every processor to all other processors, and the problem of simultaneous exchange of different packets between every pair of processors. The algorithms proposed for these problems are optimal in terms of execution time and communication resource requirements; that is, they require the minimum possible number of time steps and packet transmissions. In contrast, algorithms in the literature are optimal only within an additive or multiplicative factor.
Incorporating drivability metrics into optimal energy management strategies for Hybrid Vehicles

Hybrid Vehicle fuel economy performance is highly sensitive to the energy management strategy used to select among multiple energy sources. Optimal solutions are easy to specify if the drive cycle is known a priori. It is very challenging to compute controllers that yield good fuel economy for a class of drive cycles representative of typical driver behavior. Additional challenges come in the form of constraints on powertrain activity, like shifting and starting the engine, which are commonly called ?drivability? metrics. These constraints can adversely affect fuel economy. The benefits of including drivability restrictions in a Shortest Path Dynamic Programming (SPDP) formulation of the energy management problem are investigated for the first time. It is shown that this method yields up to 10% fuel economy improvement on a representative parallel electric hybrid when compared to a simpler instantaneous optimization formulation. This result is obtained by comparing a SPDP controller designed for drivability to a second SPDP controller, designed for fuel economy only, that uses an additional instantaneous optimization step for the incorporation of drivability. The results also quantify the tradeoff between drivability and fuel economy.
Communication between levels of transcriptional control improves robustness and adaptivity

Regulation of eukaryotic gene expression depends on groups of related proteins acting at the levels of chromatin organization, transcriptional initiation, RNA processing, and nuclear transport. However, a unified understanding of how these different levels of transcriptional control interact has been lacking. Here, we combine genome-wide protein–DNA binding data from multiple sources to infer the connections between functional groups of regulators in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our resulting transcriptional network uncovers novel biological relationships; supporting experiments confirm new associations between actively transcribed genes and Sir2 and Esc1, two proteins normally linked to silencing chromatin. Analysis of the regulatory network also reveals an elegant architecture for transcriptional control. Using communication theory, we show that most protein regulators prefer to form modules within their functional class, whereas essential proteins maintain the sparse connections between different classes. Moreover, we provide evidence that communication between different regulatory groups improves the robustness and adaptivity of the cell.
Perfectly matched layer in cylindrical coordinates

A cylindrical perfectly matched layer is developed based on the complex coordinate system approach. By an analytic continuation of the radial coordinate to complex values, the fields can be attenuated in the radial direction with no reflection (in the continuum space) for all angles of incidence and all frequencies. In the time domain the complex stretching leads to convolutions of the fields with the stretched space coordinates. These can be done quite efficiently by using recursive convolution. The accuracy of the formulation was validated by computing the field from a line source on a cylindrical grid and comparing the result against an analytic solution.
Homo Faber-Homo Ludens: Sport History and the Working Class

It may be noteworthy that the conservative political analyst George Will has recently assessed the "national pastime" of the United States largely in terms of the labor theory of value. This is an appraisal which marks a certain passage in popular commentary on sport, offering less myth and more the mundane aspects of training for major competition; it also de scribes a sweatier realm than the "field of dreams" conjured by various novelists, by Hollywood, and for that matter, by many journalists. An interesting approach in this respect, Will's thesis is nevertheless marked by several ironies, revealing not just a narrow notion of his own guiding meta phor but also considerable inattention to the twists and turns in modern culture.1 For hard work at play is a topic that opens out to significant problems of interpretation regarding ideology and identity, as well as to shifting social arrangements in the urbanizing, industrializing experience. Organized sport illuminates numerous features of what we have come to call mass culture and the culture of consumption. It is a means by which many groups have attempted to assimilate into the social mainstream; it also has served to maintain traditional loyalties and to foster local pride. These critical issues are rarely addressed in books written principally for aficionados, including even the more ambitious texts such as Will's. It is important, therefore, that such concerns have begun to loom large in the expanding scholarly literature on the history of sport, both in North Amer ica and in Europe. For his part, Will observes in Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball that athletes such as Orel Hershiser, Tony Gwynn, and Cal Ripken, Jr., display
Developing a Fitness Center-Based, Self-Guided Instructional Program Using mp4 Player Technology

Lack of knowledge on how to properly use resistance training equipment and the confidence to perform exercises correctly are major barriers to beginning an exercise program. Creating fitness instructional videos for use on an MPEG 4 (mp4) player provides visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning opportunities in a real world setting. Exercise equipment demonstrations and short exercise routines are presented in their natural settings with the incorporation of Techy Trainer videos on mp4 player technology. This article discusses how to develop, edit, and post self-guided video training, download to mp4 players, and evaluate client confidence and learning.
Mixing on the Late-Summer New England Shelf—Solibores, Shear, and Stratification

Observations are presented of microstructure and velocity measurements made on the outer New England shelf in the late summer of 1996 as part of the Coastal Mixing and Optics Experiment. The depth- and timeaveraged turbulent dissipation rate was 5‐50 (3 1029 Wk g 21). The associated average diapycnal diffusivity in stratified water was 5‐20 ( 1026 m2 s 21), comparable to observed open-ocean thermocline values and too low to explain the strong variability observed in local water properties. Dissipation rates and diffusivity were both highly episodic. Turbulent boundary layers grew down from the surface and up from the bottom. The dissipation rate within the bottom boundary layer had an average of 1.2 3 1027 Wk g 21 and varied in magnitude with the strength of near-bottom flow from the barotropic tide, an along-shelf flow, and low-frequency internal waves. The average dissipation rate in the peak thermocline was 5 3 1028 Wk g21; one-half of the thermocline dissipation was due to the strong shear and strain within six solibores that cumulatively lasted less than a day but contained 100-fold elevated dissipation and diffusivity. Nonsolibore, midcolumn dissipation was strongly correlated with shear from low-frequency internal waves. Dissipation was not well parameterized by Gregg‐Henyey-type scaling. An alternate scaling, modified to account for observed coastal internal wave properties, was in good agreement with measured dissipation rates. At the end of the observational period Hurricane Edouard passed by, producing strong dissipation rates (4 3 1026 Wk g 21) and consequent mixing during and for several days following the peak winds.
An active hydrodynamic bearing for controlling self-excited vibrations: theory and simulation:

Fluid-film bearings can suffer from flow-induced instabilities known as ‘whirl’ and ‘whip,’ especially when supporting lightly-loaded shafts. This phenomenon can lead to large rotor (self-excited) ...
A CDMA-based Medium Access Control for UnderWater Acoustic Sensor Networks

UnderWater Acoustic Sensor Networks (UW-ASNs) consist of sensors and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) performing collaborative monitoring tasks. In this article, UWMAC, a distributed Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol designed for UW-ASNs, is introduced. The proposed MAC protocol is a transmitter-based Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) scheme that incorporates a novel closed-loop distributed algorithm to jointly set the optimal transmit power and code length. CDMA is the most promising physical layer and multiple access technique for UW-ASNs because it is robust to frequency-selective fading, it compensates for the effect of multipath at the receiver, and it allows receivers to distinguish among signals simultaneously transmitted by multiple devices. UW-MAC aims at achieving three objectives, i.e., guarantee i) high network throughput, ii) low channel access delay, and iii) low energy consumption. It is demonstrated that UW-MAC simultaneously achieves these three objectives in deep water communications (where the ocean depth is more than 100 m), which are usually not severely affected by multipath. In shallow water communications, which may be heavily affected by multipath, it dynamically finds the optimal trade-off among these objectives according to the application requirements. UW-MAC is the first protocol that leverages CDMA properties to achieve multiple access to the scarce underwater bandwidth, while other protocols tailored for this environment have considered CDMA merely from a physical layer perspective. Experiments show that UW-MAC outperforms many existing MAC protocols tuned for the underwater environment under different architecture scenarios and simulation settings.
Rainfall-Rate Estimation Using Gaussian Mixture Parameter Estimator: Training and Validation

AbstractThis study develops a Gaussian mixture rainfall-rate estimator (GMRE) for polarimetric radar-based rainfall-rate estimation, following a general framework based on the Gaussian mixture model and Bayes least squares estimation for weather radar–based parameter estimations. The advantages of GMRE are 1) it is a minimum variance unbiased estimator; 2) it is a general estimator applicable to different rain regimes in different regions; and 3) it is flexible and may incorporate/exclude different polarimetric radar variables as inputs. This paper also discusses training the GMRE and the sensitivity of performance to mixture number. A large radar and surface gauge observation dataset collected in central Oklahoma during the multiyear Joint Polarization Experiment (JPOLE) field campaign is used to evaluate the GMRE approach. Results indicate that the GMRE approach can outperform existing polarimetric rainfall techniques optimized for this JPOLE dataset in terms of bias and root-mean-square error.
Optimal Unsupervised Motor Learning Predicts the Internal Representation of Barn Owl Head Movements

(Masino and Knudsen 1990) showed some remarkable results which suggest that head motion in the barn owl is controlled by distinct circuits coding for the horizontal and vertical components of movement. This implies the existence of a set of orthogonal internal coordinates that are related to meaningful coordinates of the external world. No coherent computational theory has yet been proposed to explain this finding. I have proposed a simple model which provides a framework for a theory of low-level motor learning. I show that the theory predicts the observed microstimulation results in the barn owl. The model rests on the concept of "Optimal Unsupervised Motor Learning", which provides a set of criteria that predict optimal internal representations. I describe two iterative Neural Network algorithms which find the optimal solution and demonstrate possible mechanisms for the development of internal representations in animals.
Pathway to lamellar bodies for surfactant protein A

Alveolar surfactant protein A (SP-A) is endocytosed by type II epithelial cells through clathrin-dependent uptake and targeted to lamellar bodies for resecretion. However, the mechanism for secreti...
Electrically-pumped external-cavity surface-emitting laser diodes

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diodes (SELDs) continue to be the topic of much research, and recent results show that they can produce CW powers of above 10 mW without heatsinking. For many applications, a major problem with SELDs is that they only operate in a single transverse mode at low powers. The reason for multiple transverse modes is a combination of the thermal lensing, spatial hole burning, and non-uniform current injection. We demonstrate the use of an external cavity to maintain single transverse mode operation at all currents. More specifically we have reduced the reflectivity of the top mirror from above 99% to 85% and placed the SELD in an external cavity. This results in transverse modes controlled by the external cavity, not by the SELD. The modes of the external cavity can then be controlled by the use of an aperture in the external cavity or by adjusting the cavity length. In order to provide more uniform current spreading, we designed a novel structure (AlGaAs/GaAs) in which the SELD was grown on a p-doped substrate with the p-doped mirror on the bottom and the n-doped mirror on top. We have observed that the current can spread uniformly over a device as large as 100 /spl mu/m in diameter. >
Visualization of water quality data for the Chesapeake Bay

We discuss a visualization system for the comparison of simulated and measured water quality. The system extends SCIRT (Site Characterization Interactive Research Toolkit), an interactive system originally developed at the NSF Engineering Research Center for Computational Field Simulation at Mississippi State University. The ongoing study of the Chesapeake Bay presents research in 3D visualization of model-data comparisons.
Tropical Cyclone Formations over the Western North Pacific in the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System Forecasts

Abstract A set of criteria is developed to identify tropical cyclone (TC) formations in the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS) analyses and forecast fields. Then the NOGAPS forecasts of TC formations from 1997 to 1999 are verified relative to a formation time defined to be the first warning issued by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. During these three years, the spatial distributions of TC formations were strongly affected by an El Nino–Southern Oscillation event. The successful NOGAPS predictions of formation within a maximum separation threshold of 4° latitude are about 70%–80% for 24-h forecasts, and drop to about 20%–30% for 120-h forecasts. The success rate is higher for formations in the South China Sea and between 160°E and 180° but is generally lower between 120° and 160°E. The composite 850-hPa large-scale flow for the formations between 120° and 160°E is similar to a monsoon confluence region with marked cross-equatorial flow. Therefore, it is concluded that the skil...
Effects of Warri Refinery Effluents on Water Quality from the Iffie River, Delta State, Nigeria

This study examines the effects of Warri refinery effluent on the Iffie river and its environs. It asserts the nature of effluent released into the water body and also the effect of effluent on water quality. The data that were used in this research where generated from direct field measurement of pH, Conductivity, Total Hardness, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Turbidity, and heavy metal profiles (Mg, Zn, Cr, Ni, Cl, Cu, H2S, P) from the Iffie, Ubeji and Ughoton Rivers respectively. However, the Turbidity, Hydrogen Sulphide, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Copper, Chromium records in Iffie and Ubeji Rivers were found to be higher than the WHO and FEPA standards, thereby making the water in these areas not suitable for consumption. Based on the findings, recommendations were proffered.
Tamoxifen augments the innate immune function of neutrophils through modulation of intracellular ceramide

Tamoxifen is a selective oestrogen receptor modulator widely used for the treatment of breast cancer. In addition to its activity as an oestrogen receptor agonist/antagonist, tamoxifen also modulates sphingolipid biosynthesis, which has been shown to play an important role in the regulation of neutrophil activity. Here, we find that tamoxifen stimulation enhances several pro-inflammatory pathways in human neutrophils, including chemotaxis, phagocytosis and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation. The enhancement of NET production occurs via a ceramide/PKCζ-mediated pathway, and treatment with synthetic ceramide is sufficient to promote NET formation. Pretreatment of human neutrophils with tamoxifen boosts neutrophil bactericidal capacity against a variety of pathogens in vitro and enhances clearance of the leading human pathogen methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in vivo. Our results suggest that tamoxifen, and the lipid signalling pathways it modulates, merit further exploration as targets for boosting host innate immune function.
The utilization of the Welfare Quality® assessment for determining laying hen condition across three housing systems

The Welfare Quality(®) Assessment protocol for poultry ( WQA: ) provides animal-based measures allowing welfare comparisons across farms and housing systems. It was used to compare Lohmann LSL Classic White hens housed in an enriched colony ( EC: ), aviary ( AV: ), and conventional cage system ( CC: ) on a commercial farm over 2 flock cycles. Hens (n = 100/system) were scored on a variety of measures. A baseline measurement was made at placement at 19 wk of age for 1 flock, since AV hens had been reared in an aviary pullet facility ( AVP: while EC and CC hens were reared in a conventional pullet facility ( CCP: ). Hens in all systems were then assessed at 52 and 72 wk of age. Necropsies were performed on all mortalities 1 wk before and after the WQA sampling. WQAs were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests for prevalence and Fisher's exact tests for severity. There was an effect of rearing, with AVP having shorter claws (P = 0.01), dirtier feathers (P = 0.03), and more keel abnormalities (P < 0.0001) than CCP at placement. For the hens, there were several significant housing system effects across flocks and age periods (all P ≤ 0.05). AV and EC hens had more keel abnormalities than CC hens. They also had fewer foot abnormalities than CC hens, although those in AV hens were more severe. AV hens had consistently dirtier feathers than EC and CC hens. While AV hens had the best overall feather cover, feather loss patterns suggested that loss was due to head pecking for AV, whereas in EC and CC it was due to cage abrasion. The necropsy findings and the WQA results were similar, except that the WQA failed to find enteritis at 19 wk, although it was detected in the necropsies during this sampling period. These results show that the WQA is a useful tool for detecting hen condition differences across housing systems.
Complex Systems Are More than the Sum of Their Parts: Using Integration to Understand Performance, Biomechanics, and Diversity

Organisms are comprised of many interacting parts, and an increased number or specialization of those parts leads to greater complexity and the necessity for increased integration (the ability of those parts to perform together and maintain a functioning organism). Although this idea is widely recognized among biologists, organisms are more tangibly studied when those parts are considered independently. This reductionist approach has successfully advanced our understanding of organisms' performance. However, performance of one system might (or might not) be dependent on performance of another system to achieve a relevant outcome, and the mechanism of this dependence is poorly understood. We synthesize the concepts of complexity and integration and discuss their application in a biomechanical context. Capture of prey by predatory fishes is used as an example to highlight the application of these ideas. We provide a theoretical framework for future hypotheses of integration and predict an "integration space" for fishes that is then populated with data extracted from the literature. Additionally, using the kinematics of prey-capture in two species of sculpin (Scorpaeniformes: Cottidae), we show that species exhibit multivariate integration in distinct ways, and that these differences add additional insight into ecological divergence that would not be apparent by considering systems independently. Finally, we discuss new insights into organismal performance gained through the study of integration as an emergent property of kinematic systems working together during a common task. Integration is rarely the trait of interest, but we show that future work should adopt a more holistic approach to understand why and how animals perform complex behaviors.
Spectroscopy of Mn 52 via the Fe 54 ( d , α ) Mn 52 Reaction and the Cr 52 ( p , n γ ) Mn 52 Coincidence Experiment

The $^{54}\mathrm{Fe}(d,\ensuremath{\alpha})^{52}\mathrm{Mn}$ reaction was studied at 17-MeV bombarding energy. Energy assignments based on the ($d,\ensuremath{\alpha}$) and two ($^{3}\mathrm{He}$, $t$) spectra were made for some 60 levels up to about 4 MeV of excitation in $^{52}\mathrm{Mn}$ with accuracies ranging from \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 1 to \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 10 keV. $(d,\ensuremath{\alpha})L$-transfer assignments or suggestions were made for 28 of these levels based on a recent distorted-wave Born-approximation procedure. Spin-parity limits based on the ($d,\ensuremath{\alpha}$) analysis are generally in agreement with other work although a few discrepancies are noted. The $^{52}\mathrm{Cr}(p,n\ensuremath{\gamma})^{52}\mathrm{Mn}$ coincidence experiment was performed at bombarding energies of 8.0, 8.5, 9.0, 9.5, and 10.0 MeV. $30\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays were fitted into a decay scheme which includes four previously un-reported levels below 1.3 MeV of excitation in $^{52}\mathrm{Mn}$. Two of these new levels were weakly excited in ($d,\ensuremath{\alpha}$), while the other two appeared as an unresolved group in the ($^{3}\mathrm{He}$, $t$) spectra. Since the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-rays were observed with 3-keV Ge(Li) detector resolution, accurate energy assignments (\ensuremath{\le}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5 keV) could be made for 14 levels in $^{52}\mathrm{Mn}$. The $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray data are consistent with the ($d,\ensuremath{\alpha}$) spin limits. A comparison of the low-lying states with the McCullen, Bayman, and Zamick calculations is presented. The four new levels do not fit into the pure ${f}_{\frac{7}{2}}$-shell scheme.
CoIII(cyclam) Oligoynyls: Monomeric Oligoynyl Complexes and Dimeric Complexes with an Oligoyn-diyl Bridge

Described in this work are the preparation and characterization of an extensive family of CoIII(cyclam)-oligoynyl compounds (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) and elucidation of their electronic structures through DFT calculations. Monomeric Co compounds bearing one oligoynyl, namely, [Co(cyclam)(C2nR)Cl]+ with n = 1–3, and two butadiynyls [Co(cyclam)(C4H)2]+ were prepared from the reactions between [Co(cyclam)Cl2]Cl, Et3N or Et2NH, and the corresponding alkynes. The oligoyndiyl-bridged (μ-C2m) dimers of CoIII(cyclam)Cl with m = 2 and 3 were prepared via the same process by varying alkyne stoichiometry, while those with m = 4 and 6 were prepared using the Glaser coupling reaction. The complexes were prepared in moderate yield (with the exception of m = 6) under mild conditions without requiring an anaerobic or anhydrous environment and are generally stable toward ambient atmosphere. Voltammetric analysis of the dimeric complexes revealed a weak Co–Co interaction through the bridge, which is atte...
Design of Flight Control System Based On STM32

A design scheme with STM32 micro-controller as the core,based on strapdown inertial navigation sensor detection,GPS navigation,quaternion algorithm and self-adaptive PID algorithm model glider flight control system is described.It also describes how to use the Google map API to build a GIS system,and the host computer using the VB development,do real-time flight path map and flight status displays.
Defective platelet-fibrinogen interaction in hereditary canine thrombopathia

A unique, intrinsic, hereditary canine platelet disorder attributable to abnormal fibrinogen receptor availability is described. Thrombopathic platelets from 13 severely affected basset hounds failed to aggregate in response to all agonists tested except thrombin. Normal platelet interaction with the various stimuli was inferred on the basis of their ability to elicit unimpaired shape change in thrombopathic platelets. No quantitative differences in major platelet membrane glycoproteins, intraplatelet fibrinogen, adenine nucleotides, or serotonin uptake were detected. Dense granule secretion was impaired. The ultrastructural appearance of thrombopathic platelets was normal. Fibrinogen-platelet interaction was evaluated by reacting platelet-rich plasma (PRP) with fibrinogen coupled to polymeric acrylonitrile beads and scoring the extent of stimulus-induced agglutination. The aggregatory responses of normal and thrombopathic platelets were closely correlated with fibrinogen receptor availability. In contrast to human platelets, epinephrine-stimulated canine platelets did not interact with immobilized fibrinogen, and arachidonate generally induced only weak agglutination. Thrombopathic platelets agglutinated fibrinogen beads at reduced rates when stimulated with physiologic doses of thrombin and high-dose calcium ionophore, A23187. Our data suggest that thrombin-mediated induction of canine platelet fibrinogen receptors may proceed by pathway(s) alternate to those shared by other platelet agonists, and/or that secreted granule constituents may act synergistically with thrombin to overcome inhibition of signal-response- coupled reactions mediating the interaction of fibrinogen with its receptor. This congenital platelet defect provides further evidence, in a species other than human, for the pivotal role of fibrinogen receptor induction in platelet aggregation.
Who Wants Income Inequality?: An Analysis of Public Choice under Income Comparison

This study investigates when individuals from advantaged and disadvantaged groups are in favor of reducing income inequality. Using a model that considers both an individual’s absolute income and relative income, I examine the conditions under which income equalization is supported by some members in the advantaged group and, more interestingly, opposed by part of the disadvantaged group. In equilibrium, the valuation towards relative income, the initial endowment the difference between the two groups and the amount of income transfer upon equalization have opposite effects on different groups’ likelihood of favoring equalization. To this end, I conduct a comparative statics analysis, and the results suggest that in order to incentivize more individuals to support inter-group income transfer, a policymaker’s optimal strategy substantially depends on how much the society values relative income.
Modeling Reactivity to Biological Macromolecules with a Deep Multitask Network

Most small-molecule drug candidates fail before entering the market, frequently because of unexpected toxicity. Often, toxicity is detected only late in drug development, because many types of toxicities, especially idiosyncratic adverse drug reactions (IADRs), are particularly hard to predict and detect. Moreover, drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is the most frequent reason drugs are withdrawn from the market and causes 50% of acute liver failure cases in the United States. A common mechanism often underlies many types of drug toxicities, including both DILI and IADRs. Drugs are bioactivated by drug-metabolizing enzymes into reactive metabolites, which then conjugate to sites in proteins or DNA to form adducts. DNA adducts are often mutagenic and may alter the reading and copying of genes and their regulatory elements, causing gene dysregulation and even triggering cancer. Similarly, protein adducts can disrupt their normal biological functions and induce harmful immune responses. Unfortunately, reactive...
Nursing Perspective on Pain Management

Clinicians who care for patients have an ethical obligation to relieve pain and suffering using a combination of approaches including medical, pharmacological, and psychological. According to the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the most reliable indicator of the existence and intensity of pain is the patient’s self-report (Potter and Perry 2009).
Structural Diversity and Phase Behavior of Brush Block Copolymer Nanocomposites

Brush block copolymers (BBCPs) exhibit attractive features for use as templates for functional hybrid nanomaterials including rapid ordering dynamics and access to broad ranges of domain sizes; however, there are relatively few studies of the morphology of the BBCPs as a function of their structural variables and fewer still studies of BBCP composite systems. Here we report the structural diversity and phase behavior of one class of BBCP nanocomposites as a function of the volume fractions of their components and the side chain symmetry of the BBCPs. We conducted a systematic investigation of gold nanoparticle (NP) (∼2 nm) assembly in a series of poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PtBA-b-PEO) BBCPs with a fixed side chain length of PtBA (Mn = 8.2 kg/mol) but with different PEO brush lengths (Mn = 5.0, 2.0, or 0.75 kg/mol) as well as volume fractions (fPEO = 0.200–0.484). The gold NPs are selectively incorporated within the PEO domain via hydrogen bond interactions between the 4-mercapto...
The Scale-Up and Limitation of Physical Oxygen Transfer in Rotating Biological Contractors

Three different sized laboratory scale Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC) units were constructed to study the controlling factors of physical oxygen transfer. Physical parameters were identified and evaluated by the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (KLa) from non-steady state clean water tests. The controlling factor was found to be the liquid film flow rate per unit volume and the function could be practically expressed as w1.5 D0.5 S−1. The turbulene effect on the free water surface and subsurface volume becomes comparatively less significant as the disk size increases. The data indicated that the physical oxygen transfer contribution to the biological treatment oxygen requirement became less significant than oxygen transfer through other mechanisms as the disk size increases.
Positive charge in SiO 2 thin films subjected to high electric fields

Terminal measurements across Al-SiO 2 -Si structures provide the average oxide field, Ē, the cathode field, E c , and the anode field, E a . Ē is obtained from the knowledge of the applied voltage and of all voltage drops other than those across the oxide. E c is obtained from the steady-state current density, J, and the knowledge of the injection characteristics at the cathode, which is the Al electrode in this study. E a is inferred from measurements of high-frequency C-V shifts. The differences ΔE C = E c − Ē and ΔE a = Ē − E a are related by Poisson's equation to the charge, Q, created in the oxide and to the centroid of this charge, x. Thus, knowledge of Ē, E c , and E a provides a complete description of Q and x as follows: Δ E c = Q/e (1−x/ L) and Δ E a −Δ V fb /L = Q/e x/L, where L is the thickness of the oxide film, e its permittivity, and ΔV fb the flat-band voltage shift. Measurements of J were performed during the application of rectangular high-voltage pulses to initially charge-free Al-(dry thermal) SiO 2 -(p, ,16 Ω-cm) Si capacitors with film thicknesses of 494 and 263 A, with one pulse applied to a capacitor. Measurements of CV, for each capacitor, before and after the application of the high-voltage pulse provided the corresponding CV shifts. J was also measured for MOS capacitors with 142 A oxide film, during application of successive pulses, however, with increasing magnitudes.
Engineered Interfaces in Hybrid Ceramic–Polymer Electrolytes for Use in All-Solid-State Li Batteries

Composites of inorganic lithium ion conducting glass ceramics (LICGCs) and organic polymers may provide the best combination of properties for safe solid separators in lithium or lithium ion batteries to replace the currently used volatile liquid electrolytes. A key problem for their use is the high interfacial resistance that develops between the two, increasing the total cell impedance. Here we show that the application of a thin conformal SiO2 coating onto a LICGC followed by silanization with (CH3CH2O)3–Si–(OCH2CH2)–OCH3 in the presence of LiTFSI results in good adhesion between the SiO2 and the LICGC, a low resistance interface, and good wetting of Li0. Further, the cross-linked polymer formed on the surface of the silanated SiO2 interface formed from excess (CH3CH2O)3–Si–(OCH2CH2)–OCH3 prevents corrosion of the LICGC by Li0 metal. The use of SiO2 as a “glue” enables compatibilization of inorganic ceramics with other polymers and introduction of interfacial pendant anions.
Regulation of Nitrogen Metabolism by GATA Zinc Finger Transcription Factors in Yarrowia lipolytica.

ABSTRACT Fungi accumulate lipids in a manner dependent on the quantity and quality of the nitrogen source on which they are growing. In the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, growth on a complex source of nitrogen enables rapid growth and limited accumulation of neutral lipids, while growth on a simple nitrogen source promotes lipid accumulation in large lipid droplets. Here we examined the roles of nitrogen catabolite repression and its regulation by GATA zinc finger transcription factors on lipid metabolism in Y. lipolytica. Deletion of the GATA transcription factor genes gzf3 and gzf2 resulted in nitrogen source-specific growth defects and greater accumulation of lipids when the cells were growing on a simple nitrogen source. Deletion of gzf1, which is most similar to activators of genes repressed by nitrogen catabolite repression in filamentous ascomycetes, did not affect growth on the nitrogen sources tested. We examined gene expression of wild-type and GATA transcription factor mutants on simple and complex nitrogen sources and found that expression of enzymes involved in malate metabolism, beta-oxidation, and ammonia utilization are strongly upregulated on a simple nitrogen source. Deletion of gzf3 results in overexpression of genes with GATAA sites in their promoters, suggesting that it acts as a repressor, while gzf2 is required for expression of ammonia utilization genes but does not grossly affect the transcription level of genes predicted to be controlled by nitrogen catabolite repression. Both GATA transcription factor mutants exhibit decreased expression of genes controlled by carbon catabolite repression via the repressor mig1, including genes for beta-oxidation, highlighting the complex interplay between regulation of carbon, nitrogen, and lipid metabolism. IMPORTANCE Nitrogen source is commonly used to control lipid production in industrial fungi. Here we identified regulators of nitrogen catabolite repression in the oleaginous yeast Y. lipolytica to determine how the nitrogen source regulates lipid metabolism. We show that disruption of both activators and repressors of nitrogen catabolite repression leads to increased lipid accumulation via activation of carbon catabolite repression through an as yet uncharacterized method.
Patterns of intra-articular injection use after initiation of treatment in patients with knee osteoarthritis: data from the osteoarthritis initiative

Summary Objective We sought to describe and evaluate longitudinal use of intra-articular injections after treatment initiation among adults with radiographically confirmed knee osteoarthritis (OA). Method Using data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI), we included participants with radiographically confirmed OA (Kellgren–Lawrence grade (K–L) ≥ 2) in ≥1 knee at baseline. With 9 years of data, 412 participants newly initiating hyaluronic acid or corticosteroid injections with their index visit were identified. For each type of injection initiated, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were described by patterns of treatments (one-time use, switched, or continued injections). Multinomial logistic models estimated the extent to which patient-reported symptoms (post-initial injection and changes over time) were associated with patterns of injection use. Results Of those initiating injections, ∼19% switched, ∼21% continued injection type, and ∼60% did not report any additional injections. For participants initiating corticosteroid injections, greater symptoms post-initial injection were associated with lower odds of continued use compared to one-time users (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) pain: 0.91; 95%, confidence interval (CI): 0.83 to 0.99; aOR stiffness : 0.77; CI: 0.63 to 0.94; aOR physical function : 0.97; CI: 0.94 to 1.00). Symptom changes over time (e.g., worsened or improved) were not associated with patterns of injections use. Conclusion After treatment initiation, the proportion of patients switching injection use and one-time users was substantial. Symptoms post-initial injection appear to be associated with patterns of injection use. The extent to which these patterns are an indication of lack of impact on patient-reported symptoms should be explored.
Obstructive uropathy and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus in infants.

AbstractThe syndrome of acute post-obstructive nephrogenic diabetes insipidus is a rare phenomenon. The lesion is acquired during the pre-diuretic phase, owing to antidiuretic hormone resistance of the distal tubule as well as a severe concentrating defect. The diuretic phase after relief of obstruction can result in a massive, sustained and life-threatening diuresis. Sodium restriction and thiazide diuretics produce a mild volume contracted state, enhancing sodium and water reabsorption, primarily in the proximal tubule and possibly in the distal tubule owing to aldosterone. The recognition and differentiation of this unique pyloric syndrome from other more common postobstructive diuretic states are important for all urologists who are responsible for the care of children.
Skin as a marker of general feline health: Cutaneous manifestations of infectious disease

Practical relevance:Infectious disease in feline patients often presents a diagnostic challenge. This article reviews the most relevant viral, bacterial and protozoal diseases and their cutaneous manifestations. Many of the diseases discussed have overlapping presentations or may mimic more common noninfectious disease processes. The purpose of the article is to reinforce knowledge of common and uncommon infectious diseases, help practitioners identify possible infectious dermatoses, create a comprehensive and prioritized differential list, and provide guidance for the diagnosis of these diseases. A working knowledge of these clinical syndromes is important if what is thought to be a case of a common disease does not respond to conventional management.Audience:This review is aimed at veterinarians who treat cats and especially those with an interest in feline dermatology. Tables are included to allow the reader to formulate a concise list of differential diagnoses for clinically similar presentations. The...
Laoxiang Network and Boundary Struggles: Urban Migrants’ Self-Organization in China’s New Workplaces

This article examines the confrontation between ‘new urban migrants’ and native urbanites who labor as co-workers in urban China for the first time, and its corresponding influence over the self-or...
Migration-based selections of antibodies that convert bone marrow into trafficking microglia-like cells that reduce brain amyloid β.

One goal of regenerative medicine is to repair damaged tissue. This requires not only generating new cells of the proper phenotype, but also selecting for those that properly integrate into sites of injury. In our laboratory we are using a cell-migration–based in vivo selection system to generate antibodies that induce cells to both differentiate and selectively localize to different tissues. Here we describe an antibody that induces bone marrow stem cells to differentiate into microglia-like cells that traffic to the brain where they organize into typical networks. Interestingly, in the APP/PS1 Alzheimer’s disease mouse model, these induced microglia-like cells are found at sites of plaque formation and significantly reduce their number. These results raise the intriguing question as to whether one can use such antibody-induced differentiation of stem cells to essentially recapitulate embryogenesis in adults to discover cells that can regenerate damaged organ systems.
Effects of yoga interventions practised in heated and thermoneutral conditions on endothelium-dependent vasodilatation: The Bikram yoga heart study

NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? Does the heated practice environment enhance the effects of Bikram yoga on endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in healthy, middle-aged adults? What is the main finding and its importance? The primary finding from this investigation is that the hatha yoga postures in the Bikram yoga series produce similar enhancements in endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in healthy, middle-aged adults regardless of environmental temperature. These findings highlight the efficacy of yoga postures in producing improvements in vascular health and downplay the necessity of the heated practice environment in inducing vascular adaptations. ABSTRACT We have previously documented improvements in endothelium-dependent vasodilatation with a Bikram (hot) yoga intervention in middle-aged adults. At present, the effect of environmental temperature in hot yoga on endothelial function is unknown. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of Bikram yoga interventions performed in heated or thermoneutral conditions on endothelium-dependent vasodilatation. Fifty-two sedentary but apparently healthy adults aged 40-60 years were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Bikram yoga practised at 40.5°C (n = 19), Bikram yoga practised at 23°C (n = 14) or sedentary time control (n = 19). The yoga interventions consisted of 90 min Bikram yoga classes three times a week for 12 weeks. Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation was measured non-invasively using brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD). Body fat percentage determined via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was significantly lower in the hot yoga group after the intervention than in the thermoneutral yoga and control conditions. Brachial artery FMD increased (P < 0.05) in the thermoneutral yoga group and tended to increase in the hot yoga group (P = 0.056). No changes occurred in the control group. There were no significant differences in FMD change scores between groups. We conclude that Bikram yoga practised in thermoneutral conditions improved endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in healthy, middle-aged adults. These new findings highlight the effectiveness of hatha yoga postures alone, in the absence of a heated practice environment, in improving vascular health and are of clinical significance given the increased propensity for heat intolerance in ageing adults.
The State as Guardian of the Social Order: Conservatism in Indian Political Thought and Its Modern Manifestations:

Conservative Indian political thought, in addition to being alive and well in contemporary discourse, has a long lineage. We explore the intellectual roots of this tradition by examining older and ...