cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Constant Temperature Microfeature Embossing with Slowly Crystallizing Polymers

Abstract A new microfeature embossing method utilizing a slowly crystallizing mechanism was investigated to eliminate thermal cycling, as needed in standard hot embossing. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) was used as a model system for demonstration. Due to its slow crystallization, amorphous PET film can be made by melt casting onto a chilled roll. The resulting amorphous film was embossed at a constant temperature of 180°C for a period of time comparable to or longer than the polymer's half-time of crystallization. During constant-temperature embossing, the film is softened first, caused by rubber softening of the amorphous phase, and is then hardened, resulting from the crystallization of the amorphous phase at the same embossing temperature. Since the embossed film is hardened under the constant mold temperature, no cooling is needed. Selected micro features, including circular microchannels and high aspect ratio microribs, were consistently patterned using a total cycle time about 40s. The embossed films...
A four-probe thermal transport measurement method for nanostructures

Several experimental techniques reported in recent years have enabled the measurement of thermal transport properties of nanostructures. However, eliminating the contact thermal resistance error from the measurement results has remained a critical challenge. Here, we report a different four-probe measurement method that can separately obtain both the intrinsic thermal conductance and the contact thermal resistance of individual nanostructures. The measurement device consists of four microfabricated, suspended metal lines that act as resistive heaters and thermometers, across which the nanostructure sample is assembled. The method takes advantage of the variation in the heat flow along the suspended nanostructure and across its contacts to the four suspended heater and thermometer lines, and uses sixteen sets of temperature and heat flow measurements to obtain nine of the thermal resistances in the measurement device and the nanostructure sample, including the intrinsic thermal resistance and the two contact thermal resistances to the middle suspended segment of the nanostructure. Two single crystalline Si nanowires with different cross sections are measured in this work to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. This four-probe thermal transport measurement method can lead to future discoveries of unique size-dependent thermal transport phenomena in nanostructures and low-dimensional materials, in addition to providing reliable experimental data for calibrating theoretical models.
Necessary conditions without differentiability assumptions in unilateral control problems

Abstract We derive two theorems combining existence with necessary conditions for the relaxed unilateral problem of the optimal control of ordinary differential equations in which the functions that define the problem are Lipschitz-continuous in the state variables. These theorems generalize the results presented in a previous paper [8] by the addition of unilateral constraints on the state and control functions. As in that paper, the new necessary conditions have a canonical form obtained by replacing, in the “customary” conditions, the partial derivatives with respect to the state variables by finite difference quotients at neighboring arguments, and then applying limiting processes and convexification. More general necessary conditions are also obtained in terms of the representations of the Lipschitz-continuous functions as compositions.
Larval settlement of the nemertean egg predator Carcinonemertes errans on the Dungeness crab, Metacarcinus magister

Due to their habitat specificity, marine parasites present excellent systems for studying the processes and patterns of larval settlement. Settlement of Carcinonermertes errans, an egg predator of the Dungeness crab, is described here for the first time. Upon contact with a host individual, competent larvae of C. errans settled on the crab's exoskeleton and migrated under the abdominal flap within 24 h. When removed from the host, recently settled worms retained their larval characteristics. After 48 h on the host, however, metamorphosis proceeded and larvae became juvenile worms. Additional field studies showed that competent larvae were present in the waters of the Coos Bay Estuary during the months of August through early November, could infect crab hosts directly from the water column, and exhibited density-dependent gregarious settlement.
Immunosuppressive Therapy in Immune-Mediated Liver Disease in the Non-Transplanted Patient

Autoimmune liver disease management goals are primarily slowing disease progression and symptomatic treatment. There are few options for curative medical management other than transplant for a spectrum of autoimmune liver disease that encompasses autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis as well as their overlap syndromes. These diseases are managed primarily with immunosuppressive therapy. Herein, we review the current literature, detailing the promise and pitfalls of the recommended immunosuppressive therapy for these challenging diseases.
Reconstruction of oversampled signals from the solution space of delta-sigma modulated sequences

In this paper, we investigate non-linear methods for reconstruction of oversampled signals from the single-bit delta-sigma (ΔΣ) modulated sequences. We consider the scenario where the output sequence defines the solution space of input signals but not the initial signal estimate. We show that for a sufficiently large oversampling ratio (OSR), any point in the solution space can be taken as a signal estimate and that the reconstruction procedure becomes a solver for a linear feasibility problem. In addition, we show that the reconstruction process can be designed in the time domain and we illustrate how removing edge constraints from the block decoder can be used to find a feasible solution and reduce the dimension of the problem. The simulation results in this setting show that our method is up to three times faster than the direct projection (DP) method.
Transpedicular approach for thoracic disc herniations

Object. Patients with symptomatic herniated thoracic discs may require operation for intractable radiculopathy or functionally disabling myelopathy. In the past, laminectomy was the procedure of choice for the treatment of thoracic herniations, but it was found that the approach was associated with an unacceptably high rate of neurological morbidity. Several strategies have been developed to excise the disc without manipulating the spinal cord. The focus of this paper is the transpedicular approach. Methods. The author retrospectively reviewed the cases of 20 consecutive patients presenting with herniated thoracic discs in whom surgery was performed via a transpedicular approach. Fourteen patients presented with acute myelopathy and six with radiculopathy. Of those with myelopathy six of six regained ambulation and six of seven regained normal bladder function. No patient with myelopathy experienced neurological worsening. In four patients presenting with radiculopathy postoperative pain resolved, and in two it remained unchanged. Three minor complications (15%) occurred. No patient suffered postoperative spinal instability‐related pain or delayed kyphosis. Conclusions. As experience accumulates in the use of multiple approaches for the treatment of thoracic disc herniations, the role of each is becoming more clearly defined. The transpedicular approach is most applicable to lateral or centrolateral calcified or soft discs. The more anterior (transthoracic or thoracoscopic) and lateral (costotransversectomy or lateral extracavitary) approaches may be more useful for excision of central calcified discs.
The contribution of activity-dependent synaptic plasticity to classical conditioning in Aplysia.

Plasticity at central synapses has long been thought to be the most likely mechanism for learning and memory, but testing that idea experimentally has proven to be difficult. For this reason, we have developed a simplified preparation of the Aplysia siphon withdrawal reflex that allows one to examine behavioral learning and memory while simultaneously monitoring synaptic connections between individual identified neurons in the CNS. We previously found that monosynaptic connections from LE siphon sensory neurons to LFS siphon motor neurons make a substantial contribution to the reflex in the siphon withdrawal preparation (Antonov et al., 1999a). We have now used that preparation to assess the contribution of various cellular mechanisms to classical conditioning of the reflex with a siphon tap conditioned stimulus (CS) and tail shock unconditioned stimulus (US). We find that, compared with unpaired training, paired training with the CS and US produces greater enhancement of siphon withdrawal and evoked firing of LFS neurons, greater facilitation of the complex PSP elicited in an LFS neuron by the siphon tap, and greater facilitation of the monosynaptic PSP elicited by stimulation of a single LE neuron. Moreover, the enhanced facilitation of monosynaptic LE–LFS PSPs is greater for LE neurons that fire during the siphon tap and correlates significantly with the enhancement of siphon withdrawal and evoked firing of the LFS neurons. These results provide the most direct evidence to date that activity-dependent plasticity at specific central synapses contributes to behavioral conditioning and support the idea that synaptic plasticity is a mechanism of learning and memory more generally.
Coincidence relations between gene conversion and mitotic recombination in Saccharomyces.

A diploid clone of Saccharomyces, in which both heteroallelic repair and mitotic recombination could be observed, was treated with ultraviolet light, plated on a complete nonselective medium, and scored for both classes of recombinational events during mitosis. An increase in both types of events with increased radiation dose was observed. A coincidence of mitotic recombinants or recessive marker homozygosis in excess of expectations due to independence was found in the convertant population. It is suggested that reciprocal and nonreciprocal mitotic recombination have a common precursor condition for their expression. (auth)
GH receptor isoforms and skeletal fragility in acromegaly.

OBJECTIVE Acromegaly is associated with an increased prevalence of vertebral fractures (VFs) in close relationship with GH hypersecretion. Two isoforms of the GH receptor (GHR) have been identified; the two isoforms differ or not by the expression of the protein fragment encoded by exon 3 of the GHR gene. Deletion of the exon 3 may influence the functional properties of the GHR and affect fracture risk in acromegalic patients. DESIGN A cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the association between the d3-GHR isoform and the prevalence of VFs in patients with acromegaly. METHODS In this study, 109 acromegalic patients were included (M/F, 48/61): 73 with controlled/cured acromegaly and 36 with active disease. GHR genotype was assessed in each patient. All patients were evaluated for VFs and bone mineral density at lumbar spine and hip. Serum IGF1 levels and bone metabolism markers were measured. A multivariate analysis was performed to establish risk factors for VFs in our population. RESULTS d3-GHR carriers showed an increased prevalence of VFs when compared with patients expressing full-length GHR (35/55 vs 12/54; P<0.001). The association between GHR deletion and VFs was demonstrated both in patients with active disease and in those with controlled/cured disease. Out of 35 patients who were prospectively evaluated, 13 (37.1%) developed incident VFs. The incidence of VFs was significantly higher in patients for whom the GHR gene has been deleted when compared with those harboring the fl gene (P=0.04). In multivariate analysis, male sex (odds ratio (OR), 3.250; P=0.041), IGF1 levels (OR, 1.183; P=0.031), length of active diseases (OR, 1.038; P=0.001), and d3-GHR genotype (OR, 3.060; P=0.015) were all confirmed as risk factors of VFs in our population. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests for the first time that exon 3 deletion of GHR may predispose patients with active and controlled acromegaly to a higher risk of VFs.
Validation of relative value scale for congenital heart operations

Abstract Background . To determine the validity of the newly assigned work relative value unit (RVU) scale for surgical procedures for congenital heart disease, we measured its relationship to length of hospital stay, total hospital charges, and mortality. Methods . We identified cases by the presence of ICD-9-CM codes in nine statewide, administrative hospital discharge abstract databases for 1992. Computer algorithms were generated to assign RVUs to individual cases. Spearman correlation coefficients between work and practice expense RVUs and median length of hospital stay, total hospital charges, and in-hospital mortality were determined, as well as parameter estimates from linear and logistic regression. Results . Using data from 5,192 cases involving 34 surgical procedures for congenital heart disease, higher work RVUs were associated with longer lengths of hospital stay ( r s = 0.72, p r s = 0.81, p r s = 0.45, p = 0.01). A 5-point increase in the relative value scale was associated with an increase in the length of stay by a multiplicative factor of 1.3 ( p p p r s = 0.93, p Conclusions . The group of work RVUs for surgical procedures for congenital heart defects are reasonable relative measures, on average, of physician work for these procedures, thus supporting the use of this scale to determine physician reimbursement. Practice expense RVUs may not be an independent measure for these procedures.
On the role of vibrationally excited H2 as a source of OH in the mesosphere

[1] It has recently been suggested that the reaction between vibrationally excited H2(v = 1) and O(3P) atoms may be an important source of OH in the upper mesosphere. Here, we report accurate quantum calculations of rate coefficients for the O(3P) + H2(v = 1) reaction and show that the proposed mechanism is not an important source of OH in the mesosphere. Our calculation employs chemically accurate potential energy surfaces for the O + H2 system and quantum mechanical method for the calculation of the relevant cross sections and rate coefficients.
Reproductive Health Risks Associated with Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic Drugs in Health Care Settings: A Review of the Evidence

Objectives: Antineoplastic drugs are known reproductive and developmental toxicants. Our objective was to review the existing literature of reproductive health risks to workers who handle antineoplastic drugs. Methods: As tructured literature review of 18 peer-reviewed, English language publications of occupational exposure and reproductive outcomes was performed. Results: Although effect sizes varied with study size and population, occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs seems to raise the risk of both congenital malformations and miscarriage. Studies of infertility and time to pregnancy also suggested an increased risk for subfertility.Conclusions: Antineoplastic drugs are highly toxic in patients receiving treatment, and adverse reproductive effects have been well documented in these patients. Health care workers with long-term, low-level occupational exposure to these drugs also seem to have an increased risk of adverse reproductive outcomes. Additional precautions to prevent exposure should be considered.
Dividing the Pie: Do Managers Fully Incorporate Non-Contracted Information into Full and Partial Discretionary Bonus Allocations?

Research indicates that bonus plans can provide effective incentives when managers use discretion to incorporate non-contracted information into performance evaluations. The use of managerial discretion, however, draws concern about whether non-contracted information is used appropriately in performance evaluations (Baiman and Rajan 1995; Fisher et al. 2005). This paper provides experimental evidence regarding the decision processes through which managers apply discretion in allocating bonus pools. Additionally, we investigate whether the design of the bonus plan affects managers' bonus allocations. Our theory and evidence suggest that managers rely on an anchoring and adjustment heuristic to allocate bonus pools and that the bonus plan type (i.e., whether managers have full or partial discretion) influences managers' choice of anchor information. Regardless of anchor information, managers' subsequent adjustment is insufficient, resulting in a failure to fully incorporate non-contracted information. Even for those managers who do not rely on an anchoring and adjustment heuristic but instead attempt to perform comprehensive calculations, only those with full discretion fully incorporate non-contracted information.
Urbanization increases grassland carbon pools: effects of landscaping in Colorado's front range.

During the past few decades, urban and suburban developments have grown at unprecedented rates and extents with unknown consequences for ecosystem function. Carbon pools of soil and vegetation on landscaped properties were examined in the Front Range of Colorado, USA, in order to characterize vegetation and soils found in urban green spaces; analyze their aboveground biomass, vegetative C storage, and soil C storage; and compare these suburban ecosystem properties to their counterparts in native grassland and cultivated fields. Anthropogenic activities leave clear signatures on all three C compartments measured. Management level dominates the response of grass production, biomass, and N tissue concentration. This, in turn, influences the amount of C and N both stored in and harvested from sites. The site age dominates the amount of woody biomass as well as soil C and N. Soil texture only secondarily affects total soil carbon and total bulk density. Established urban green spaces harbor larger C pools, mor...
Silastic frameworks in total reconstruction of the auricle

Abstract Sixteen Silastic ear frameworks have been implanted in 14 patients for the correction of microtia; 13 (81 per cent) of these frames have been removed; 11 were removed due to necrosis of skin overlying the frame and 2 were removed due to infection. Greater care in creation of the pocket for the framework and suturing the framework to the temporal fascia might decrease the incidence of exposure of the Silastic frameworks.
Finding long protein products of alternatively spliced genes

Background In eukaryotes, pre-mRNA molecules undergo splicing, which is the removal of sequences called introns to produce mature mRNA transcripts whose open reading frames (ORFs) may then be translated to proteins. Often this splicing step may be performed in many ways a situation known as alternative splicing [1,2] that can be described by structures such as splice graphs [3]. Alternative splicings, even those that differ only slightly, may result in proteins with substantially different biological properties [4,5].
Philosophy's new challenge: Experiments and intentional action

Experimental philosophers have gathered impressive evidence for the surprising conclusion that philosophers' intuitions are out of step with those of the folk. As a result, many argue that philosophers' intuitions are unreliable. Focusing on the Knobe Effect, a leading finding of experimental philosophy, we defend traditional philosophy against this conclusion. Our key premise relies on experiments we conducted which indicate that judgments of the folk elicited under higher quality cognitive or epistemic conditions are more likely to resemble those of the philosopher. We end by showing how our experimental findings can help us better understand the Knobe Effect.
Late Cenozoic volcanism in the Aleutian Arc: Information from ash layers in the northeastern Gulf of Alaska

A sequence of ash layers recovered from site 178 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project in the Gulf of Alaska was studied to determine the nature of highly explosive volcanic eruptions associated with the Aleutian Arc and Alaskan Peninsula during the last 8 m.y. The major-element chemistry of 25 distinct ash layers was determined. When the analyses are plotted on conventional major-element variation diagrams, the unusual, highly evolved, calc-alkalic characteristics of the ashes are apparent. Perhaps more significantly, there is a good correlation of certain indices of the degree of chemical evolution of each ash (SiO2 content and Larsen index) with sample age. Both parameters vary cyclically, with maximum values of both indices occurring at present, 2.5, and about 5.0 m.y. ago. The cause of the cyclic activity, as well as discontinuous volcanic activity reported for other areas by other investigators, is not precisely known. However, we suggest that variable rates of subduction provide a viable hypothesis for discontinuous volcanic activity associated with convergent plate boundaries.
Neural network Jacobian analysis for high-resolution profiling of the atmosphere

Neural networks have been widely used to provide retrievals of geophysical parameters from spectral radiance measurements made remotely by air-, ground-, and space-based sensors. The advantages of retrievals based on neural networks include speed of execution, simplicity of the trained algorithm, and ease of error analysis, and the proliferation of high quality training data sets derived from models and/or operational measurements has further facilitated their use. In this article, we provide examples of geophysical retrieval algorithms based on neural networks with a focus on Jacobian analysis. We examine a hypothetical 80-channel hyperspectral microwave atmospheric sounder (HyMAS) and construct examples comparing neural network water vapor retrieval performance with simple regressions. Jacobians (derivatives of the outputs with respect to the network weights and with respect to the inputs) are also presented and discussed. Finally, a discussion of the Jacobian operating points is provided.
Navigating Hardships in Old Age Exploring the Relationship Between Spirituality and Resilience in Later Life

Research suggests that spirituality is important to a large percentage of the older adult population and serves as a promoter of healthy aging. In this qualitative research I conducted and analyzed multiple interviews with 6 women aged 80 and older. Using multiple in-depth interviews I explored the interplay between spirituality and resilience over the life course. A grounded theory analysis of the 30 interviews was performed. The major finding is that participants used their spirituality as a tool to promote and maintain resilience in later life. I present the results as an interpretation of the participants’ perceptions of their spirituality, and indicate their reliance on spirituality to overcome hardship over the life course. In addition, I discuss the connections between spirituality and resilience. The roles these two constructs play in the lives of older adults are considered.
Focusing magnets for HIF based on racetracks

Heavy ion fusion (HIF) is considered a promising path to a practical fusion reactor. A driver for a HIF reactor will require a large number of quadrupole arrays to focus heavy ion beams. A conceptual design, and trade off studies of the quadrupole array based on racetracks are presented. A comparison with a conventional shell magnet is given and advantages and disadvantages are discussed. A more detailed design of a single quadrupole for the High Current Experiment (HCX) is presented and discussed.
Low temperature/low pressure hydrothermal synthesis of barium titanate: Powder and heteroepitaxial thin films

Barium titanate powder and heteroepitaxial thin films were successfully produced by hydrothermal routes at ambient pressure and temperatures less than 100 °C. This processing method provides a simple low temperature route for producing epitaxied barium titanate thin films on single-crystal SrTiO3 substrates and powders which could also be extended to other systems. A dissolution/reprecipitation growth mechanism also was proposed for the formation of barium titanate by this route using previously published aqueous stability diagrams. Repeated hydrothermal treatments improved film thickness and surface coverage at the expense of increased surface roughness.
Yearning to be heard: what veterans teach us about suicide risk and effective interventions.

Background: Patients with serious mental illness can be at higher risk for suicide. Most research has focused on determining the risk factors for suicide-related events using quantitative methodologies and psychological autopsies. However, fewer studies have examined patients’ perspectives regarding the experience of suicidal events. Aims: To better understand suicide experiences from the perspective of patients diagnosed with serious mental illness. Method: This study purposively sampled and qualitatively interviewed 23 patients within the Veterans Affairs Hospital who were diagnosed with serious mental illness and who had attempted suicide. Using a phenomenological design, hermeneutic interviews included questions about the precursors, characteristics, and treatment of the suicide events, as well as patients’ recommendations for care. Results: Loneliness, isolation, depression, and hopelessness were commonly described as emotional precursors to the suicide events for all patients, while command hallucin...
Free Erythrocyte Protoporphyrin (FEP) II. The FEP Test is Clinically Useful in Classifying Microcytic RBC Disorders in Adults

Microcytic red blood cells (RBC) are commonly encountered in clinical medicine and are caused by disorders of heme synthesis [usually iron deficiency anemia (IDA) or anemia of chronic disease (ACD)] or disorders of globin synthesis (usually thalassemia syndromes or HbE). Using the clinical history and standard laboratory tests (hematocrit, per cent saturation of transferrin (% sat), serum ferritin, Hb electrophoresis, HBA2, and HbF) we classified 198 adults with microcytic RBC as follows: 48 IDA, 11 probable IDA, 11 iron-deficient erythropoiesis without anemia, 13 ACD, 42 alpha-thalassemia trait, 35 probable alpha-thalassemia trait, 20 beta-thalassemia trait, and 15 unclassified. In addition, we demonstrated that the FEP test reliably (83-90% of the time, depending on FEP methodology) classifies microcytic RBC states into disorders of heme synthesis vs. disorders of globin synthesis. Because of reliability and ease of measurement, we recommend the hematofluorometer FEP as the first step in the clinical laboratory evaluation of microcytic RBC disorders in both adults and children.
An Ability Evaluation System for Persons with Physical Disabilities

Persons with severe physical disabilities are becoming part of the industrial workforce in the United States as mandated by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Methods of effective placement and efficient modification of workplaces must be developed if this moral and legal mandate is to be met. This paper describes a system for quantitatively measuring industrially relevant residual motor abilities and a method of efficiently identifying task modification requirements. Language: en
Commercial Homes in Tourism: An International Perspective, Paul A. Lynch, Alison J. McIntosh, Hazel Tucker (Eds.). Routledge, New York (2009), 268

Commercial Homes in Tourism is a multi-disciplinary exploration of the intersection of home and business in the tourism hosting industry. Utilizing the concept of commercial home as developed in pr...
Adhesion of Metals to Mixed Oxide Coatings (Al & Cr, Mo, OR W) Prepared by Spray Pyrolysis of Organometallics.

Spray pyrolysis of the mixed metal organometallics, Al[M(CO)3C5H5]3 (M is Cr, Mo or W), prepared in tetrahydrofuran from the mercury analogues and aluminum metal, gave mixed oxide gels on heated alumina substrates. Air was used as the propellant for M = Cr, whereas oxygen was used for M = Mo or W. Mixtures of Al[Cr(CO)3C5 H5]3 and Al(O-i-C3H8)3 having a Cr/Al ratio of 0.02 to 0.93 were used to prepare gels with intermediate dopant concentrations. When calcined at 500 °C, the gels produced amorphous coatings of two-component oxides that were characterized by SEM and EDS methods. The strength of adhesion of a E-beam evaporated chromium metal overlayer to the coating, as measured by a continuous microindentation method, increased in the order Cr < Mo ≅ W; adhesion was found to be directly proportional to the effective free energy of formation of the oxide mixture.
Structures of the 2-hydroxy unsaturated fatty acids of pig brain sphingolipids

The structural characterization of the 2-hydroxy monounsaturated fatty acids of pig brain sphingolipids is described. The acids were isolated via the copper chelate and converted to the 2-methoxy methyl esters. The ether esters were separated using column, thin-layer, and gas-liquid chromatography, and the positions of the double bonds were determined by oxidative ozonolysis. Seventeen chemically defined hydroxy acids were found, 15 of which have not been previously reported. These include the odd- and even-numbered hydroxy acids 22 to 26 carbon atoms long. Each acid consisted of three to four positional isomers which appear to have been derived from the corresponding non-hydroxy unsaturated acids. The proportion of isomers in the hydroxy acids structurally related to palmitoleate (ω7) was higher than in the non-hydroxy monoenoic acids. Components tentatively identified as 2-hydroxy dienoic acids, 22 to 26 carbons long, and 27h:1 were found by gas-liquid chromatography, and small amounts of 2-hydroxy trienoic acids were also tentatively identified by thin-layer chromatography of the mercuric acetate adducts.
Slow‐release Coated Copper Sulfate as an Algicide for Aquaculture

A coated copper sulfate algicide designed for controlled release of copper was evaluated for its effectiveness in controlling phytoplankton in hybrid catfish, ♀Ictalurus punctatus × ♂Ictalurus furcatus, ponds. Copper concentrations were greater in ponds receiving weekly treatments with copper sulfate crystals than in ponds in which the coated copper sulfate was suspended in porous bags and left in ponds during the study. However, the coated copper sulfate treatment provided a similar degree of phytoplankton control for a period of about 4 mo. Copper additions did not negatively affect catfish survival, production, or feed conversion in either the copper sulfate crystal treatment or in the coated copper sulfate treatment as compared with the control (P > 0.05). Flavor scores for fish did not differ between control and treatments (P > 0.05). The coated copper sulfate appeared to be a potentially effective method for controlling phytoplankton in aquaculture ponds. It would be easier to apply and require fewer applications, and the coated copper algicide would not present a fish toxicity issue that can arise from high copper concentration immediately following copper sulfate crystal treatment.
Preparing Special Educators for the K–12 Online Learning Environment A Survey of Teacher Educators

Pioneering research studies in teacher preparation in online settings have taken place, yet little to no work has been done specifically focused on teacher preparation for special education and lea...
Mechanism for DNA transposons to generate introns on genomic scales

The discovery of introns four decades ago was one of the most unexpected findings in molecular biology. Introns are sequences interrupting genes that must be removed as part of messenger RNA production. Genome sequencing projects have shown that most eukaryotic genes contain at least one intron, and frequently many. Comparison of these genomes reveals a history of long evolutionary periods during which few introns were gained, punctuated by episodes of rapid, extensive gain. However, although several detailed mechanisms for such episodic intron generation have been proposed, none has been empirically supported on a genomic scale. Here we show how short, non-autonomous DNA transposons independently generated hundreds to thousands of introns in the prasinophyte Micromonas pusilla and the pelagophyte Aureococcus anophagefferens. Each transposon carries one splice site. The other splice site is co-opted from the gene sequence that is duplicated upon transposon insertion, allowing perfect splicing out of the RNA. The distributions of sequences that can be co-opted are biased with respect to codons, and phasing of transposon-generated introns is similarly biased. These transposons insert between pre-existing nucleosomes, so that multiple nearby insertions generate nucleosome-sized intervening segments. Thus, transposon insertion and sequence co-option may explain the intron phase biases and prevalence of nucleosome-sized exons observed in eukaryotes. Overall, the two independent examples of proliferating elements illustrate a general DNA transposon mechanism that can plausibly account for episodes of rapid, extensive intron gain during eukaryotic evolution.
Molecular mechanism: the human dopamine transporter histidine 547 regulates basal and HIV-1 Tat protein-inhibited dopamine transport

Abnormal dopaminergic transmission has been implicated as a risk determinant of HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders. HIV-1 Tat protein increases synaptic dopamine (DA) levels by directly inhibiting DA transporter (DAT) activity, ultimately leading to dopaminergic neuron damage. Through integrated computational modeling prediction and experimental validation, we identified that histidine547 on human DAT (hDAT) is critical for regulation of basal DA uptake and Tat-induced inhibition of DA transport. Compared to wild type hDAT (WT hDAT), mutation of histidine547 (H547A) displayed a 196% increase in DA uptake. Other substitutions of histidine547 showed that DA uptake was not altered in H547R but decreased by 99% in H547P and 60% in H547D, respectively. These mutants did not alter DAT surface expression or surface DAT binding sites. H547 mutants attenuated Tat-induced inhibition of DA transport observed in WT hDAT. H547A displays a differential sensitivity to PMA- or BIM-induced activation or inhibition of DAT function relative to WT hDAT, indicating a change in basal PKC activity in H547A. These findings demonstrate that histidine547 on hDAT plays a crucial role in stabilizing basal DA transport and Tat-DAT interaction. This study provides mechanistic insights into identifying targets on DAT for Tat binding and improving DAT-mediated dysfunction of DA transmission.
TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI IN FREE-RANGING MAMMALIAN POPULATIONS IN SOUTH TEXAS, USA

Abstract Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. It is a significant health concern in South and Central America, where millions of people are infected or at risk of infection, and is an emerging health concern in the US. The occurrence of Chagas disease in natural environments is supported by mammal host species, but those primary species may vary based on geographic location. In South Texas, the primary host species for the disease is poorly understood, and required a field study to determine the spatial distribution of T. cruzi prevalence in free-ranging mammals. Our study objectives were to determine the spatial distribution and prevalence of T. cruzi parasites in free-ranging mammals. We compared T. cruzi prevalence among species, among vegetative communities, and among different topographies (i.e., floodplain versus upland). From December 2011 through December 2013, 450 blood and tissue samples from geolocated free-ranging wild...
Rural Versus Urban Use of Traditional and Emerging Tobacco Products in the United States, 2013–2014

Objectives. To examine urban–rural differences in US prevalences of traditional and emerging tobacco product use as well as dual or polytobacco use of these products.Methods. Our data were derived from wave 1 (2013–2014) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. We estimated weighted prevalences of adult tobacco use across urban–rural geographies and examined prevalences classified by gender, poverty level, and region of the country.Results. Nationally, cigarette use and smokeless tobacco use, as well as dual or polytobacco use of traditional products, were more prevalent in rural than in urban areas. Conversely, cigarillo and hookah use and dual or polytobacco use of emerging products were higher in urban areas. There was no significant urban–rural difference in use of e-cigarettes. Gender, poverty, and region of the country did not seem to be driving most urban–rural differences, although differences related to cigarillo use and dual or polytobacco use of emerging products became ...
Tropes of fear and the crisis of the west: Trumpism as a discourse of post-territorial coloniality*

We examine ‘Trumpism’ as a contemporary form of colonial domination, showing how this discourse represents both a crisis of coloniality and a stimulus for a movement of ‘decoloniality’. A critical ...
Endocardial fibroelastosis in two related tiger cubs (Panthera tigris).

Abstract Two tiger cubs (Panthera tigris) from the same litter were evaluated for suspected cardiac disease. Two cubs with a dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype were diagnosed with endocardial fibroelastosis based on necropsy and histopathologic examinations. Echocardiography revealed salient anatomic and functional aspects of this cardiac disorder. This is the first report of endocardial fibroelastosis in this species.
A house divided: Parental disparity and conflict over media rules predict children's outcomes

Abstract Research on restrictive mediation seldom considers whether parents work together to regulate their child's media use. As an initial investigation, one parent per family (an MTurk sample of 1201 US parents of 2- to 17-year-olds) completed an online survey reporting on consistency and conflict between themselves and their partner with regard to their child's media restrictions. When one parent was more restrictive than the other, participants reported more inter-parent conflict about media rules and more child exposure to media violence. These two variables in turn predicted the child's physical and relational aggression, and internalizing and externalizing behaviors. When both parents were highly restrictive, there was less conflict and exposure to media violence, which predicted lower levels of all four negative outcomes. Rule disparities and media-related conflict did not vary by child's age.
An Optimal Microarchitecture for Stencil Computation with Data Reuse and Fine-Grained Parallelism: (Abstract Only)

Stencil computation is one of the most important kernels for many applications such as image processing, solving partial differential equations, and cellular automata. Nevertheless, implementing a high throughput stencil kernel is not trivial due to its nature of high memory access load and low operational intensity. In this work we adopt data reuse and fine-grained parallelism and present an optimal microarchitecture for stencil computation. The data reuse line buffers not only fully utilize the external memory bandwidth and fully reuse the input data, they also minimize the size of data reuse buffer given the number of fine-grained parallelized and fully pipelined PEs. With the proposed microarchitecture, the number of PEs can be increased to saturate all available off-chip memory bandwidth. We implement this microarchitecture with a high-level synthesis (HLS) based template instead of register transfer level (RTL) specifications, which provides great programmability. To guide the system design, we propose a performance model in addition to detailed model evaluation and optimization analysis. Experimental results from on-board execution show that our design can provide an average of 6.5x speedup over line buffer-only design with only 2.4x resource overhead. Compared with loop transformation-only design, our design can implement a fully pipelined accelerator for applications that cannot be implemented with loop transformation-only due to its high memory conflict and low design flexibility. Furthermore, our FPGA implementation provides 83% throughput of a 14-core CPU with 4x energy-efficiency.
The Self and What Lies Beyond the Self: Remarks on Ganeri's ‘Mental Time Travel and Attention’

I believe that Jonardon Ganeri, in his essay ‘Mental Time Travel and Attention’ together with his book The Self, develops a plausible and attractive account of the self as a mere ‘sense of ownershi...
What's New in V2 of the Architecture Analysis & Design Language Standard?

Abstract : This report provides an overview of changes and improvements to the Architecture Analysis & Design Language (AADL) standard for describing both the software architecture and the execution platform architectures of performance-critical, embedded, real-time systems. The standard was initially defined in the document SAE AS-5506 and published in November 2004 by SAE International (formerly the Society of Automotive Engineers). SAE International published the revised language, known as AADL V2, in January 2009. Feedback from users of the standard guided the plan for improvements. Their experience and suggestions resulted in the addition of component categories to better represent protocols as logical entities (virtual bus), scheduler hierarchies and logical time partitions (virtual processor), and a generic component (abstract). The revisions also led to the abilities to (1) explicitly parameterize component declarations to better express architecture patterns, (2) specify multiple instances of the same component in one declaration (component array) and corresponding connection patterns, (3) set visibility rules for packages and property sets that access other packages and property sets, (4) specify system-level mode transitions more precisely, and (5) use additional property capabilities including property value records.
Mechanisms of α1-Adrenergic and Related Responses

Activation of the sympathetic nervous system leads to the release of catecholamines (principally epinephrine) from the adrenal medulla into the blood stream and of norepinephrine from adrenergic nerve endings throughout the body. The effects of these catecholamines are thus widespread and are mediated by four different types of adrenergic receptors, located on the plasma membranes of their target cells. Two of these receptors (β1 and β2) are linked positively to adenylate cyclase, and the effects of their activation can be attributed to an increase in cellular cAMP in almost all situations. The other two receptors (α1 and α2) elicit quite different responses. Activation of α2-adrenergic receptors leads to inhibition of adenylate cyclase. Although most of the resulting physiological responses can be attributed to the decline in cAMP, there are some tissues (platelets, pancreatic islets) in which this is questionable. Activation of α1-adrenergic receptors is linked to the breakdown of polyphosphoinositides in the plasma membrane with the generation of two intracellular messages, namely myoinositol 1,4,5-P3 (IP3) and 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG) (Figure 1). The function of IP3 is to release Ca2+ from intracellular stores, which are probably located in the endoplasmic reticulum, thereby raising cytosolic Ca2+ and altering the activity of Ca2+ (calmodulin)-sensitive proteins; whereas that of DAG is to activate the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C.
Ventricular Arrhythmias: State of the Art

The management of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation in the cardiac intensive care unit can be complex. These arrhythmias have many triggers, including ischemia, sympathetic stimulation, and medication toxicities, as well as many different substrates, ranging from ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathies to rare genetic conditions such as Brugada syndrome and long QT syndrome. Different settings, such as congenital heart disease, postoperative ventricular arrhythmias, and ventricular assist devices, increase the complexity of management. This article reviews the variety of situations and cardiac conditions that give rise to ventricular arrhythmias, focusing on inpatient management strategies.
EMS Preparation for Terrorist Events

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the preparation of emergency medical services (EMS) for terrorist events. Terrorist events can happen anywhere, and preparing for them is everyone's responsibility. The fire service has an excellent concept of preplanning that the EMS can adapt to prepare for terrorist events. Differences in the preparation for rural or urban attacks should be in scale and not content. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration has rules and regulations regarding the training for personnel who respond to hazardous materials incidents. The staff can be given various levels of training, and in addition to training the staff to the appropriate level, realistic drills are needed to reinforce the training. It is better to have a more realistic and stressful environment for the drill to attain its maximum usefulness.
Parents' beliefs of the Black Church's role in teen pregnancy prevention

Abstract Introduction Parents are important decision makers in black churches. The objective of this qualitative study was to identify African American parents' beliefs of the Black Church's role in preventing teen pregnancy and promoting healthy teen relationships. Methods Parent members (n = 36) of 27 predominately Black churches in two southwestern US cities participated in semi-structured interviews from February–June 2017. A question path was developed based on literature searches, key informant interviews, and a previous study with local pastors, and questions focused on parents' knowledge/beliefs about 1) sexuality education, 2) the church's role in preventing teen pregnancy, and 3) implementation obstacles. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded using NVivo, and open-coded for themes to investigate patterns across codes and participants. Transcripts were then reviewed for quotes to represent each theme. Results Five themes were identified, with multiple subthemes. Most parents said there should be no boundaries on the type of sexuality information shared by their church, but later changed their minds after reviewing a list of potential topics. Parents listed ‘parent-child communication’, ‘goals and dreams’, and ‘relationships’ as the most important topics for teen pregnancy prevention intervention. Parents said information shared during workshops should be judgement-free and realistic. Parents most often said pastors and/or youth pastors/directors should deliver sexual health information. Parents believed older adults and other parents may oppose sexual education. Conclusions By understanding parents' beliefs of teen pregnancy prevention programs, public health practitioners can understand concerns, modify implementation strategies, and utilize parental support to gain buy-in before planning and implementing programs.