cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nematic polymer mechanics: flow-induced anisotropy

In this paper, we model and compute flow-induced mechanical properties of nematic polymer nano- composites, consisting of transversely isotropic rigid spheroids in an isotropic matrix. Our goal is to fill a gap in the theoretical literature between random and perfectly aligned spheroidal composites (Odegard et al. in Compos. Sci. Technol. 63, 1671-1687, 2003; Gusev et al. in Adv. Eng. Mater. 4(12), 927-931 2002; Torqu- ato in Random heterogeneous materials. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 2002; Milton in The Theory of Composites. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2002) by modeling the influence of nano-particle volume fraction, flow type and flow rate on nano-composite elasticity tensors. As these influences vary, we predict the degree of elastic anisotropy, determining the number of independent moduli, and compute their values relative to the nano-particle and matrix moduli. We restrict here to monodomains, addressing features associated with orientational configurations of the rod or platelet ensemble. The key modeling advance is the transfer of symmetries (Forest et al. in Phys. Fluids 12(3), 490-498, 2000) and numerical databases (Forest et al. in Rheol. Acta 43(1), 17-37, 2004a, Rheol. Acta 44(1), 80-93, 2004b) for the orientational probability distribution function of the nematic polymer ensemble into the classical Mori-Tanaka effective elasticity ten- sor formalism. Isotropic, transversely isotropic, orthotropic, monoclinic, and maximally anisotropic elasticity tensors are realized as volume fraction, imposed flow type and flow strength are varied, with 2, 5, 9, 13 or 21 independent moduli for the various symmetries.
Learning to become graduate students: Japanese women's experience in the research unit in engineering

Based on the analysis of 16 interviews with women first-year master's students at two national engineering schools in Japan, this article examines the socialisation role of compulsory undergraduate research experience in Japanese women's decisions to pursue graduate education and choices of the programme. The findings suggest that research experiences in a small independent research unit within the major department convinced Japanese women engineering students of their academic and social success as graduate students in the current environment. Although participants generally adapted themselves to the research unit through their research, there is a variation in the degree to which they were smoothly integrated into the research unit, reflecting organisational and individual differences.
Effects of External and Internal Ca2+ on Unitary NMDA Receptor Properties

N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are glutamate- and glycine-gated channels widely expressed throughout the central nervous system. When active, they generate electric and biochemical signals by fluxing Na+ and Ca2+ into the post-synaptic cell. The NMDA receptor-mediated Ca2+ transient initiates internal cascades that result in synaptic plasticity and excitotoxicity. In turn, Ca2+ regulates channel activity directly and indirectly through allosteric and 2nd messenger mechanisms that are poorly understood. We investigated the effects of external and internal Ca2+ concentrations on recombinant GluN1/GluN2A (N1/2A) receptors using single-channel current recordings, statistical analysis, and kinetic modeling. Increasing concentrations of extracellular Ca2+ reduced the unitary channel conductance from 75.9±1.4 pS in 0 mM [Ca2+]e, to 55.2±1.6 pS in 1.8 mM [Ca2+]e, and to 11.8±0.7 pS in 75 mM [Ca2+]e. Importantly, receptors lacking the intracellular C-terminal domain (CTD) of the N1 subunit (N1Δ/2A) but not the 2A subunit (N1/2AΔ) exhibited higher unitary conductance in the absence of external Ca2+ (N1Δ/2A γ = 83.3±1.0 pS, N1/2AΔ γ = 79.2±1.4 pS). This is consistent with a role for the N1 CTD in setting channel conductance for Na+. However, in the presence of physiological external Ca2+ (1.8 mM), both exhibited N1Δ/2A (γ = 50.4±1.2 pS, p<0.05) and N1/2AΔ (γ = 60.8±2.0 pS, p<0.05) channels had a lower conductance relative to wild-type. Based on these novel results, we asked whether this Ca2+-dependent regulation of conductance depends on calmodulin binding to either the C0 or C1 cassettes of N1. Furthermore, we asked whether local Ca2+ influx through the NMDA receptor pore is sufficient for this regulation. Our results help to further unravel the Ca2+-dependent processes that control the properties of individual NMDA receptor channels.
Basic Properties Of Developed Wind Waves And Their Influence On Microwave Remote Sensing Signatures

Error trends in wind speed measurements by satellite scatterometer altimeter and microwave radiometer are shown to be correlated with the degree of wave development. These errors are analyzed theoretically by studying the rms wave slope which, directly or indirectly, affects all microwave signatures. For equilibrium sea state, the influence of spectrum parameters on the wave slope is reviewed. In well-developed seas, the dominant wavelength is shown to have no effect on the slope. Temporal-spatial rates of steep and breaking waves are derived and compared with field observations. The inner scale that determines a rapid falloff of spectral density function at high frequencies is estimated. The dependence of the spectral parameters on wind speed and sea maturity is studied using NOAA buoy observations. It is concluded that the removal of environmental error trends from satellite measurements can be best accomplished by a joint processing of microwave returns from several independent instruments.
Acoustic classification of abyssopelagic animals

The unique environment of the abyssal plains allows many simplifying assumptions, facilitating the acoustic classification of an animal into one of two groups. The most important assumptions are based on low population densities and available target strength histograms and swim rate histograms. The likelihood ratio is formed from this information and accepted signal processing theory. The likelihood function, a three-dimensional integral, is analytically simplified to one dimension and then solved numerically. A simulation based on this solution and measured data demonstrates that classification using the likelihood ratio approach is accurate, e.g. the sensitivity is >or=0.8. Although the measured data come from two abyssopelagic genera, the methods presented are more generally applicable. Simulations based on hypothetical animal populations show that under certain conditions, a near perfect classification can be made, e.g. sensitivity and specificity greater than 0.969. >
Equation of state of pyrope–almandine solid solution measured using a diamond anvil cell and in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction

Abstract The pressure–volume relations of three synthetic garnet samples along pyrope–almandine (Py–Alm) join were measured at ambient temperature and high pressures up to 7, 21 and 19 GPa for Py83Alm17, Py54Alm46 and Py30Alm70, respectively. The obtained P–V data were fitted to the third order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state (EOS). The ambient cell volumes V0 of the three samples were measured to be 1511(1), 1515(2), and 1526(1) A3 respectively. With fixed pressure derivative of the isothermal bulk modulus K′ at 4.3, isothermal bulk moduli K0 of the three samples were determined to be 172(4), 174(2), and 183(2) GPa respectively. These results confirm that almandine content (iron substitution) increase the bulk modulus of the garnet join following a nearly ideal mixing model. The relation between bulk modulus and almandine mole fraction (n) in this garnet join is derived to be K0 = 170 + 15 n. These data can be used to contribute to construction of compositional model of earth mantle.
Introduction: Feinberg's Moral Limits, and Beyond

Concerns degrees of offensiveness of acts that are against the law, non-wearing of motorcycle helmets, homicide, etc.
Astroglial-neural networks, diffusion-enhancement bilayers, and spatio-temporal grouping dynamics

Summary form only given, as follows. Spatiotemporal grouping phenomena were examined in the context of static and time-varying imagery. The dynamics of a biologically plausible diffusion-enhancement bilayer was developed that exhibits grouping of static features on multiple scales as a function of time, and long-range apparent motion between time-varying inputs. The architecture consists of a diffusion layer and a contrast-enhancement layer coupled by feedforward and feedback connections; input is provided by a separate feature-extracting layer. The model is cast as an analog circuit which is realizable in VLSI, and whose parameters are selected to satisfy a psychophysical database on apparent motion. >
Comparison of Multilocus Sequence Analysis and Virulence Genotyping of Escherichia coli from Live Birds, Retail Poultry Meat, and Human Extraintestinal Infection

SUMMARY. To examine the correlations between virulence genotyping and multilocus sequence analysis of Escherichia coli from poultry and humans, 88 isolates were examined. The isolates were selected from a population of over 1000 based on their assignment to nine different virulence genotyping clusters. Clustering based on multilocus sequence analysis mostly correlated with virulence genotyping, although multilocus sequence analysis demonstrated higher discriminatory ability and greater reliability related to inferred phylogenetic relationships. No distinct patterns in host source were observed using inferred phylogeny through multilocus sequence analysis, indicating that human, avian, and retail meat isolates are diverse, and some belong to multiple shared clonal complexes. Clonal complexes with host source overlap included ST95 and ST23 and additional novel groups, underscoring the diversity of avian pathogenic E. coli and the potential importance of these novel groups as avian and zoonotic pathogens.
Evidence of allelic imbalance of chromosome 6 in human astrocytomas.

Transfer of human chromosome 6 can suppress the malignant phenotype of melanoma. Because of the neural ectoderm origin of melanoma and since up to 30% of gliomas have abnormalities involving chromosome 6, we performed restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis to determine the importance of allelic loss on chromosome 6 in gliomas. DNA samples from tumor and white blood cells were obtained from patients with pathologically verified gliomas. Of the 20 paired samples, there were two gangliogliomas and one grade I, four grade II, two tumors labeled “low grade,” two grade III, and nine grade IV astrocytomas. DNA was hybridized with polymorphic probes D6S29 (6p21), c-myb (6q23.3-24), SOD2 (6q25), D6S37 (6q26), and ESR (6q27). All grades of tumor revealed areas of genetic loss. Allelic imbalance (AI) was present in 11 of 47 (23%) of informative loci on 6q and four of seven (57%) on 6p. Loci at 6p21 and 6q26 were most often lost. In contrast, probes from three non-chromosome 6 loci demonstrated a combined total of 11% allelic loss. Genetic loss from chromosome 6 is a frequent event in glial neoplasms.
RNA Polymerase β′ Subunit: A Target of DNA Binding-Independent Activation

The bacteriophage N4 single-stranded DNA binding protein (N4SSB) activates transcription by the Escherichia coli σ 70 -RNA polymerase at N4 late promoters. Here it is shown that the single-stranded DNA binding activity of N4SSB is not required for transcriptional activation. N4SSB interacts with the carboxyl terminus of the RNA polymerase β′ subunit in a region that is highly conserved in the largest subunits of prokaryotic and eukaryotic RNA polymerases.
The “War,” the “Troops,” and the Grammar of “Support”

Not too long ago, at a lighthearted social gathering, I stumbled into a conversation on the United States’ martial presence in the Middle East. The person with whom I spoke is a friend of a friend, a young man with a military background. I do not share these ties. We were struggling to find our feet with one another. And despite our best efforts at civility, our talk was taking a turn for the tense.
Integrated experimental and computational methods for structure determination and characterization of a new, highly stable cesium silicotitanate phase, Cs{sub 2}TiSi{sub 6}O{sub 15} (SNL-A)

Exploratory hydrothermal synthesis in the system Cs{sub 2}O-SiO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2}-H{sub 2}O has produced a new polymorph of Cs{sub 2}TiSi{sub 6}O{sub 15} (SNL-A) whose structure was determined using a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques ({sup 29}Si and {sup 133}Cs NMR, X-ray Rietveld refinement, and Density Functional Theory). SNL-A crystallizes in the monoclinic space-group Cc with unit cell parameters: a = 12.998(2) {angstrom}, b = 7.5014(3) {angstrom}, c = 15.156(3) {angstrom}, {eta} = 105.80(3) {degree}. The SNL-A framework consists of silicon tetrahedra and titanium octahedra which are linked in 3-, 5-, 6-, 7- and 8-membered rings in three dimensions. SNL-A is distinctive from a previously reported C2/c polymorph of Cs{sub 2}TiSi{sub 6}O{sub 15} by different ring geometries. Similarities and differences between the two structures are discussed. Other characterizations of SNL-A include TGA-DTA, Cs/Si/Ti elemental analyses, and SEM/EDS. Furthermore, the chemical and radiation durability of SNL-A was studied in interest of ceramic waste form applications. These studies show that SNL-A is durable in both radioactive and rigorous chemical environments. Finally, calculated cohesive energies of the two Cs{sub 2}TiSi{sub 6}O{sub 15} polymorphs suggest that the SNL-A phase (synthesized at 200 C) is energetically more favorable than the C2/c polymorph (synthesized at 1,050 C).
Improving the Quality of Quality Improvement Reporting: Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE) 2.0 Guidelines.

Quality improvement (QI) activities have become an integral component of surgical care, involving all levels of stakeholders from trainees up to hospital administrators. While programs such as the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program can provide the necessary data and tools for these efforts, there remains a gap between measuring and improving quality. Furthermore, surgeons may experience a struggle between the need to improve care rapidly and the desire to obtain rigorous data to support effective change. The burgeoning disciplines of improvement and implementation science may help to address these challenges. These sciences apply theories, models, and frameworks to plan and understand QI efforts, and use advanced methods such as hybrid effectivenessimplementation study designs to facilitate translation of evidence into routine practice. However, improvement and implementation research differ from traditional research in that: (1) the interventions may be complex, multifaceted, and context-dependent; (2) the details of the implementation (ie, who, what, how) may be more important than the results themselves; and (3) the methods often involve iterative changes based on repeated measurements rather than on prestated hypotheses and planned stopping points. Therefore, conventional methods of reporting study methods and results may not be
Engaged and Productive Misfits: How Job Crafting and Leisure Activity Mitigate the Negative Effects of Value Incongruence

The work life of “misfits”—employees whose important values are incongruent with the values of their organization—represents an under-researched area of the person–environment fit literature. The u...
On the Expressivity of First-Order Modal Logic with “Actually”

Many authors have noted that a number of English modal sentences cannot be formalized into standard first-order modal logic. Some widely discussed examples include “There could have been things other than there actually are” and “Everyone who’s actually rich could have been poor.” In response, many authors have introduced an “actually” operator @ into the language of first-order modal logic. It is occasionally noted that some of the example sentences still cannot be formalized with @ if one allows only actualist quantifiers, and embedded versions of these example sentences cannot be formalized even with possibilist quantifiers and @. The typical justification for these claims is to observe that none of the most plausible candidate formalizations succeed. In this paper, we prove these inexpressibility results by using a modular notion of bisimulation for first-order modal logic with “actually” and other operators. In doing so, we will explain in what ways these results do or do not generalize to more expressive modal languages.
Toxicity of Insecticides Against Two Looper Species, Pseudoplusia includens and Trichoplusia ni, in the Laboratory

Seventeen insecticides were evaluated in laboratory tests using the leaf-dip method against the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) and a false cabbage looper. pseudoplusia (Walker). Of the 11 chemical materials used against both species, 7 were from 1.46 to 2.15 times more toxic against P. includens , 3 were equally toxic to both species, and 1 was 1.7 times more toxic to T. ni. Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner was 6.4 times more toxic to P. includens . Materials that showed high toxicity to both species, were Monitor® ( O, S -dimethyl phosphoramidothioate), Azodrin® (3-hydroxy- N -methyl-ciscrotonamide dimethyl phosphate), methomyl, naled, Matacil® (4-(dimethylamino)- m -tolyl methylcarbomate), and Velsicol 506 ( O -(4-bromo-2,5-dichlorophenyl) O -methyl phenylphos phonothioate).
Characterization of wave propagation in elastic and elastoplastic granular chains.

For short duration impulse loadings, elastic granular chains are known to support solitary waves, while elastoplastic chains have recently been shown to exhibit two force decay regimes [Pal, Awasthi, and Geubelle, Granular Matter 15, 747 (2013).]. In this work, the dynamics of monodisperse elastic and elastoplastic granular chains under a wide range of loading conditions is studied, and two distinct response regimes are identified in each of them. In elastic chains, a short loading duration leads to a single solitary wave propagating down the chain, while a long loading duration leads to the formation of a train of solitary waves. A simple model is developed to predict the peak force and wave velocity for any loading duration and amplitude. In elastoplastic chains, wave trains form even for short loading times due to a mechanism distinct from that in elastic chains. A model based on energy balance predicts the decay rate and transition point between the two decay regimes. For long loading durations, loading and unloading waves propagate along the chain, and a model is developed to predict the contact force and particle velocity.
Coordinating nonprofit children's behavioral health services: clique composition and relationships.

Background: Why organizational cliques are associated with better performance in service delivery networks has yet to be explained. Certain properties of cliques may account for improved performance including the composition of clique members and the quality of their relationships. Purpose: The aim of this study is to offer insight into how organizations working through cliques improve network performance by exploring the complementarity of services provided by clique members and testing two hypotheses about trust and perceived benefits among clique members. Methodology: Survey and archival data were collected from a regional network of 36 nonprofit children’s mental health agencies that belong to a coalition. First, clique analyses and network visualization were used to identify cohesive subgroups. Second, the complementarity of services provided by the groups was explored by calculating scores for each group to reflect the level of differentiation in services and client population as reported in archival data. Third, ANOVA density models were used to test whether clique relationships are characterized by higher perceived trust and benefits compared with nonclique member relationships. Findings: Three groups were identified. These groups provide complementary services to similar client populations. Trust within all three cliques was higher than nonclique member relationships. Members of all three cliques perceived greater efficiency, and two of the three cliques also perceived greater access to care and service quality. Practice Implications: Results support selecting clique partners based on service mix. To gain organizational benefits and improve network performance, partn ers should offer distinct services relative to one another but to similar clients.
Joint contact dynamics and controls using passive viscoelastic and active joint actuators

Dynamic characteristics of joints can be very crucial in high-performance large deployable space structures. In this paper, a nonlinear joint model with nonlinear joint stiffness and damping is proposed. In order to control/eliminate the joint contacts, two techniques are proposed and evaluated: 1) the passive technique using a viscoelastic joint actuator and 2) the active technique using an active joint actuator. Equations of motion of a discretized multi-degrees of freedom jointed system with initial joint clearances and passive viscoelastic and active joint actuators are derived. Nonlinear joint dynamics of various joint clearances or excitation frequencies are studied using a finite element technique. Numerical time-domain integration is carried out using a modified Wilson-0 method and a pseudo-force approximation technique. Dynamics of a jointed flexible structure with and without joint actuators are studied and evaluated.
MR of vascular encasement in parasellar masses: comparison with angiography and CT.

The relationship between tumor mass and vascular involvement as seen on MR imaging was examined in 11 patients with masses in the parasellar region, and the findings were correlated with CT and angiography. In six cases, MR was superior to CT and angiography in depicting the relationship of the tumor to adjacent blood vessels. In these cases, MR demonstrated tumor surrounding the blood vessel without changing the diameter of its lumen. Angiography did not reveal encasement in these cases. In four cases, both MR and angiography showed signs of vascular encasement with narrowing of the vessel9s lumen. In two cases, MR was equivocal while angiography revealed vascular encasement in one case and was negative for encasement in the other. CT was less sensitive than MR in defining vascular encasement since there is usually little contrast between an enhancing tumor and the major blood vessels. Coronal scanning appeared to be the best plane of imaging and correlated well with the anteroposterior angiogram. We propose that MR is the method of choice for evaluating arterial encasement by tumors and may obviate the need for angiography in those cases in which MR is positive for a basal lesion.
Abstract B013: A soluble form of CD80 enhances anti-tumor immunity by inhibiting PDL1 immune suppression and does not suppress via CTLA-4

Tumor cells employ various methods of immune suppression to overcome anti-tumor immunity. One such method is that of the integral membrane protein programmed death ligand-1 (PDL1), which triggers apoptotic death or anergy upon binding programmed death-1 (PD1) on T cells. Treatment of PDL1+ tumor cells with a soluble form of the costimulatory molecule CD80 (CD80-Fc) prevented PDL1-mediated immune suppression by binding PDL1 and blocking interaction with PD1, thus restoring T cell activation. Additionally, CD80-Fc maintained activation of T cells in vitro more effectively than either PD1 or PDL1 antagonist monoclonal antibodies. Because CTLA-4 is also a receptor for CD80 and CD80-Fc has the potential to bind and deliver inhibitory signals into T cells via CTLA-4, it is important to assess CD80-Fc and CTLA-4 interactions. Healthy donor human PBMC stimulated with PHA for three days express CD28, PDL1, and CTLA-4 at the cell surface. To determine which of these receptors CD80-Fc binds to, we have blocked subsets of the receptors using very high concentrations of specific antibodies, and monitored CD80-Fc binding by flow cytometry. CD80-Fc binds to activated T cells blocked for CD28 and PDL1, PDL1 and CTLA-4, or CTLA-4 and CD28, and did not bind when all three receptors were blocked. These findings indicate that CD80-Fc binds to CTLA-4. However, inclusion of CTLA-4 antagonist antibodies L3D10 or Ipilimumab in co-cultures of human PBMC and PDL1+ C8161 human melanoma cells did not increase T cell production of IFNγ, suggesting that CD80-Fc is not suppressing through CTLA-4. Historically, CTLA-4 has been considered as a negative regulator of T cell function through its ability to deliver suppressive signals to T cells. Recent re-evaluations of CD80-CTLA-4 interactions suggest that CTLA-4 inhibits T cell function not by delivering intracellular signals, but by serving as a decoy receptor for CD80. Our results support this alternative functional mechanism and are consistent with the concept that CD80-Fc maintains T cell activation by saturating CTLA-4 receptors while simultaneously blocking PDL1 suppression and providing CD28 costimulation. Citation Format: Lucas Horn, Virginia Clements, Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg. A soluble form of CD80 enhances anti-tumor immunity by inhibiting PDL1 immune suppression and does not suppress via CTLA-4. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B013.
A surveillance report on iodine deficiency disorders in Hebei province in 2002

Objective To master the state of iodine defic iency disorders and iodine nutrition after gaining a stage elimination of iodine deficiency disorders, and to find out the probable problems.Methods Simple random sampling was used to choose surve illance counties.Results The goiter rate among 1200 school-children age d 8~10 years was 4.9%;after weighting,the goiter rate wass 5.15%;after removing the data of surveillance counties with high water iodine,the goiter rate was 4.7 %. The median urinary iodine was 246.2μg/L,the percentage less than 100 μg/L w as 16.9%, and the differences between the age groups in urinary iodine levels an d frequency distribution were all not significant.The iodized-salt coverage rat e and qualified iodized-salt ingesting rate in the citizens in Hebei province w ere 97.3%,92.2% respectively.Among 70 water specimens,the percentage lower than 10 μg/L was 52.9%, and the percentage higher than 300 μg/L was 5.7%. Conclusions Children aged 8~10 years are in good iodine nutritional status,and the state of iodine deficiency disorders remains stable.
In vitro propagation of canine distemper virus: Establishment of persistent infection in Vero cells

Primary cultures of bovine fibroblast (BF) and canine brain cells, persistently infected with virulent R252-canine distemper virus (CDV), were cocultured with African green monkey (Vero) cells. Transfer of persistent CDV from BF to Vero cells varied inversely with the in vitro passage level (age) of the CDV-infected BF cells. Successful transfer of CDV to Vero cells was signaled by the transient appearance of viral syncytia, rapid spread of viral antigen to all Vero cells in the culture, and by recovery of cell-free Vero-infectious virus in culture fluids. With time, viral cytopathic effects in Vero cells containing CDV disappeared, and the infected lines could not be distinguished from noninfected control Vero cells, except by immunoassay for viral antigen.
Insect cardioactive peptides: neurohormonal regulation of cardiac activity by two cardioacceleratory peptides during flight in the tobacco hawkmoth, Manduca sexta

The relationship between two cardioactive neuropeptides, the cardioacceleratory peptides (CAPs), and changes in heart rate during flight was investigated in the tobacco hawkmoth, Manduca sexta. In vivo heart recordings from intact, tethered adults revealed a marked increase in heart rate associated with flying. Both anterior-to-posterior and posterior-to-anterior contraction waves showed a measurable elevation in contraction frequency. These changes in heart activity were noted in animals engaged in short (20 min) or long (60 min) bouts of continuous flight. Bioassay of blood taken from flying animals revealed the presence of an activity-dependent, blood-borne cardioacceleratory factor(s). Biochemical analyses of the blood of flying insects on HPLC identified two cardioacceleratory factors which co-eluted with the two CAPs. A depletion in the ventral nerve cord levels of both CAPs was observed during flight. In vivo injections of an anti-CAP monoclonal antibody blocked the increase in cardiac activity associated with flight. These results confirm the hypothesis that both CAPs act as cardioregulatory neurohormones during flight in Manduca sexta.
Data on characterizing the gene expression patterns of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis genes: CLN1, CLN2, CLN3, CLN5 and their association to interneuron and neurotransmission markers: Parvalbumin and Somatostatin

The article contains raw and analyzed data related to the research article “Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis genes, CLN2, CLN3, CLN5 are spatially and temporally co-expressed in a developing mouse brain” (Fabritius et al., 2014) [1]. The processed data gives an understanding of the development of the cell types that are mostly affected by defective function of CLN proteins, timing of expression of CLN1, CLN2, CLN3 and CLN5 genes in a murine model. The data shows relationship between the expression pattern of these genes during neural development. Immunohistochemistry was used to identify known interneuronal markers for neurotransmission and cell proliferation: parvalbumin, somatostatin subpopulations of interneurons. Non-radioactive in-situ hybridization detected CLN5 mRNA in the hippocampus. Throughout the development strong expression of CLN genes were identified in the germinal epithelium and in ventricle regions, cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum. This provides supportive evidence that CLN1, CLN2, CLN3 and CLN5 genes may be involved in synaptic pruning.
Subpicosecond study of optical phonon oscillations in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+x (x<0.4)

Studies of the phonon spectra of YBa2Cu3Ox compounds can yield important information regarding the mechanism of superconductivity in high Tc materials. Recently, it has been shown that femtosecond pump-probe experiments can be used to induce and time resolve coherent optical phonons in semiconductors1 and metals2 with pulses of light that are short in duration compared with the characteristic periods of the lattice vibrations. These oscillations are generated and detected in a type of impulse-stimulated Raman-scattering (ISRS) experiment that uses two optical pulses. We have used two trains of ~100-fs pulses from a colliding-pulse, mode-locked dye laser (λ = 630 nm) to investigate thin films of YBa2Cu3Ox. The pump pulse train impulsively excited the lattice, modulating the refractive index, and the resulting transmissivity change was monitored by passing the probe beam through the semitransparent thin film onto a photodiode.
The Nirmāṇa-Kāya or Historical Manifestations (Cont.)

Our effort to detect a pervading “unity-in-the-difference” throughout the apparently disparate and mutually opposing doctrines of the various Buddhist schools is not original. The Hua-yen tradition, together with all the integrationist tendencies of Mahāyāna (Tendai, Shingon, Amidism, etc.), made a point of showing the dialectical vertebration of all the Buddhist theoretical differences in some sort of monolithic historical framework. Thus Hegel’s attempts to sense the heartbeat of “complementarity” in the cultural veins of history had more than one forerunner in the progressive, totalistic conceptions of Buddhism. The ever-moving history of art, religion and philosophy embodies that dialectical pulse which, according to Hegel, “beats” already through the sheer conceptual veins of pure thought itself. We are about to show, however, that the great difference between the Hegelian concept of dialectics and that of the “totalistic” schools of Buddhism lies precisely in the still-intermediating character of the historical events that belong to the nirmāṇa-kāya manifestations. The completion of the dialectical process, which begins in the garbha-ālaya notion of potentiality, takes place beyond the historical accomplishments of the human Spirit; for the totalistic realization of Tathatā transcends the collective, historicistic notion of the Hegelian “absolute spirit.”
The state and evolution of U.S. iSchools: From talent acquisitions to research outcome

The past 2 decades have witnessed the emergence of information as a scientific discipline and the growth of information schools around the world. We analyzed the current state of the iSchool community in the U.S. with a special focus on the evolution of the community. We conducted our study from the perspectives of acquiring talents and producing research, including the analysis on iSchool faculty members' educational backgrounds, research topics, and the hiring network among iSchools. Applying text mining techniques and social network analysis to data from various sources, our research revealed how the iSchool community gradually built its own identity over time, including the growing number of faculty members who received their doctorates from the field that studies information, the deviation from computer science and library science, the rising emphasis on the intersection of information, technology, and people, and the increasing educational and research homogeneity as a community. These findings suggest that iSchools in the U.S. are evolving into a mature and independent discipline with a more established identity.
Clinical and Serologic Responses After a Two-dose Series of High-dose Influenza Vaccine in Plasma Cell Disorders: A Prospective, Single-arm Trial.

Abstract Background Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and other plasma cell disorders are highly susceptible to influenza infections, which are major causes of morbidity in this population, despite the routine administration of a seasonal influenza vaccination. Existing data are limited by small and retrospective studies, which suggest poor seroprotection rates of Patients and Methods Patients with plasma cell dyscrasia (n = 51) were treated with a 2-dose series of high-dose inactivated trivalent influenza vaccine during the 2014 to 2015 influenza season. Laboratory-confirmed influenza infections were identified through seasonal surveillance, sera were collected for influenza hemagglutination antibody inhibition (HAI) titer assays, and logistic regression models were used to identify the clinical correlates to the HAI serologic responses. Results Influenza vaccine was well tolerated, without any vaccine-related grade ≥ 2 adverse events. Only 3 patients (6%) experienced laboratory-confirmed influenza. The rates of HAI seroprotection against all 3 vaccine strains (A/California/7/2009 [H1N1] pdm09-like virus; A/Texas/50/2012 [H3N2]-like virus; and a B/Massachusetts/2/2012-like virus) increased from 4% at baseline to 49% and 65% after 1 and 2 doses, respectively. The risk factors associated with a lower likelihood of HAI serologic response included plasma cell disorder requiring therapy, less than a partial response found on disease response assessment, and active conventional chemotherapy. Alternatively, active therapy with an immunomodulatory drug alone or with a proteasome inhibitor was associated with a greater likelihood of an HAI serologic response. Conclusion These data have demonstrated that, in contrast to the historically poor results with standard influenza vaccination, this novel high-dose booster vaccination strategy leads to high rates of seroprotection. Randomized controlled studies are needed to compare this novel strategy to the standard vaccination strategy.
The use of an occlusion perfusion catheter to deliver paclitaxel to the arterial wall

Aim Non-stent drug delivery platforms have recently emerged as an alternative treatment of peripheral arterial disease. Perfusion catheters have the potential to directly deliver anti-proliferative agents to the medial arterial layer to prevent restenosis. The purpose of this study was to therefore determine the effectiveness of a perfusion catheter to deliver paclitaxel, a proven anti-proliferative agent, to combat restenosis. Methods A bench-top model was utilized to determine the varying parameters of a novel occlusion perfusion catheter to maximize paclitaxel delivery using pharmacokinetic evaluation and fluorescent microscopy. Parameters tested included concentration of paclitaxel, delivery pressure, duration of delivery, and the use of an excipient. In addition, bilateral rabbit iliac arteries were treated with the perfusion catheter and pharmacokinetic evaluation performed at 1 hour, 1 day and 3 days. Results Bench-top testing demonstrated uniform and circumferential penetration of paclitaxel within the treated arteries. The results of the ex vivo test identified two groups with and without an excipient with similar loading conditions (with excipient: 15.4±8.6 ng/mg vs. without excipient: 8.9±6.9 ng/mg, p = 0.77). The in vivo pharmacokinetic analysis of these two groups demonstrated the use of contrast agent increased arterial paclitaxel levels and maintained initial paclitaxel dosing up to 3 days (With excipient: 1 hr: 107±62 ng vs. 3 days: 40±23 ng, p = 0.824; No excipient: 1 hr: 247±120 ng vs. 3 days: 2.92±2.9 ng, p=0.009). Conclusions These results demonstrate the feasibility to deliver paclitaxel directly to the medial layer of an artery via a perfusion catheter. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Proteolytic processing of lysyl oxidase–like-2 in the extracellular matrix is required for crosslinking of basement membrane collagen IV

Lysyl oxidase–like-2 (LOXL2) is an enzyme secreted into the extracellular matrix that crosslinks collagens by mediating oxidative deamination of lysine residues. Our previous work demonstrated that this enzyme crosslinks the 7S domain, a structural domain that stabilizes collagen IV scaffolds in the basement membrane. Despite its relevant role in extracellular matrix biosynthesis, little is known about the structural requirements of LOXL2 that enable collagen IV crosslinking. In this study, we demonstrate that LOXL2 is processed extracellularly by serine proteases, generating a 65-kDa form lacking the first two scavenger receptor cysteine-rich domains. Site-specific mutagenesis to prevent proteolytic processing generated a full-length enzyme that is active in vitro toward a soluble substrate, but fails to crosslink insoluble collagen IV within the extracellular matrix. In contrast, the processed form of LOXL2 binds to collagen IV and crosslinks the 7S domain. Together, our data demonstrate that proteolytic processing is an important event that allows LOXL2-mediated crosslinking of basement membrane collagen IV.
1724b Evolution of a young worker training curriculum: taking safety from the classroom to the break room

Introduction Young Workers (14–24) represent a valuable aspect of the workforce. However, limited work experience and developmental factors predispose young workers to an increased risk of occupational injuries compared to their older counterparts. Although traditional safety training has targeted the identification of hazards (e.g., chemical exposures, physically demanding work), it typically does not address work environment/organisational factors that can also impact health and safety (e.g., long hours/fatigue, reluctance to speak up, low decision-making authority). Promoting U through Safety and Health (PUSH) expands the NIOSH Talking Safety: Youth@Work curriculum to incorporate Total Worker Health components. Methods Young workers participated in a multi-step evaluation of the online training. First a randomised control trial was conducted with parks and recreation employees and food service workers who completed either PUSH or a control training. Additional cohorts were then recruited to evaluate a revised training that included updated videos and images that more clearly demonstrated Total Worker Health concepts. Result This was the first job for most parks and recreation employees (68%); however, only 19% of the food service workers were working their first job. There were no differences between the groups on their pre-test knowledge scores (75%). Groups completing the PUSH training demonstrated significant increases in knowledge at post-test compared to participants completing the control training (p Discussion Online programs have been successful in educating and altering behaviours of adults and adolescents. Although widely used to promote health behaviours, there is limited information on training addressing workplace hazards, particularly among young workers. This evaluation demonstrates the efficacy of a Total Worker Health training for young workers.
Reconstruction of complex conductivities by calderon's method on subject-specific domains

Calderon's method is a direct linearization-based method for the inverse conductivity problem in electrical impedance tomography (EIT) data. It has the advantage of being able to simultaneously reconstruct the real and imaginary parts of the admittivity (conductivity and susceptivity) at a fixed frequency. In this work, the method is implemented to produce real-time reconstructions of both conductivity and susceptivity on subject-specific domains. The method's effectiveness is demonstrated with reconstructions of changes due to ventilation in a human subject thorax.
Porous-permeable pavements promote growth and establishment and modify root depth distribution of Platanus × acerifolia (Aiton) Willd. in simulated urban tree pits

Abstract In dense urban areas with heavy pedestrian traffic, current trends favor covering tree pits with porous-permeable pavement over installing grates or leaving the soil exposed. However, pavement cover potentially modifies soil moisture and temperature, altering tree growth and overall resilience, especially when coupled with heat stress and drought in a changing climate. This study evaluated the response of newly planted London plane (Platanus × acerifolia ‘Bloodgood’) trees to porous-permeable resin-bound gravel pavement and associated alterations in soil water distribution and temperature, in two distinct physiographic regions in Virginia, USA. Simulated urban tree pits were either covered with porous-permeable pavement or left unpaved, and root growth and depth, soil water content and temperature, and tree stem diameter measured over two growing seasons. At both sites, trees in paved tree pits grew larger than trees without pavement. Stem diameters were 29% greater at the Mountain site and 51% greater at the Coastal Plain site, as were tree heights (19% and 38% greater), and above ground dry biomass (67% and 185% greater). Roots under pavement developed faster and shallower, with many visible surface roots. In contrast, unpaved tree pits had almost no visible surface roots, and at the Mountain site only occupied an average area of 7 cm2 within the 1-m2 tree pits, compared with 366 cm2 in paved tree pits. Pavement may have extended the root growing season by as much as 14 days, as the average soil temperature for the month of October was 1.1 °C and 1.2 °C higher under pavement than in unpaved pits. Porous-permeable pavement installations in tree pits accelerated establishment and increased growth of transplanted trees, but may result in shallower root systems that can damage pavement and other infrastructure. In addition, shallow root systems may prevent water extraction from deeper soils, compromising drought resilience.
Measurement interpretation in qualitative process theory

Interpreting measurements of physical systems consists in part of constructing an account of "what's happening" in terms of our commonsense physical theories. Since most systems involve change, qualitative dynamics plays a central role in such deductions. This paper presents a theory of measurement interpretation at an instant, based on Qualitative Process Theory. Appropriate notions of measurement and interpretation are defined and the computational issues involved in constructing interpretations are examined. After describing an algorithm and illustrating its use by example, possible extensions to interpreting measurements over time will be discussed.
Management of Oral Ulcers and Burning Mouth Syndrome

A mouth ulcer is an open sore inside the mouth caused by a break in the mucous membrane or the epithelium on the lips or surrounding the mouth. Types of ulcers are diverse, with a multitude of associated causes including physical or chemical trauma, infection from microorganisms, medical conditions or medications, and cancerous and nonspecific processes. Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is characterized by a burning sensation in the mouth and/or tongue. It is often accompanied by dry mouth and/or a bitter or a metallic taste in the mouth. Avoiding the offending source (trauma) will prevent ulceration, but since such trauma is usually accidental, prevention is not usually practical. Individuals who have a high incidence of opportunistic bacterial infections subsequent to an accidental oral injury (biting, etc.) can prevent the injury from becoming infected by directly bathing the wound with an antibacterial mouthwash for 1 min every 12 h for 2 days. Ideally, the first treatment should occur within 3 h. In some cases, BMS may be associated with vitamin B12 deficiency, oral yeast infection ( Candida albicans), or irritation from dentures (dental prosthetics). The burning sensation may be aggravated by hot, spicy foods but is not caused by them. Symptomatic treatment is the primary approach to dealing with oral ulcers. If their cause is known, then treatment of that condition is also recommended. Adequate oral hygiene may also help in relieving symptoms. Typical antihistamines, antacids, corticosteroids, or applications meant to soothe painful ulcers may be helpful, as may be oral analgesics such as paracetamol or ibuprofen and local anesthetic lozenges, paints, or mouth rinses such as benzocaine, and avoiding spicy or hot foods may reduce pain. Rinsing the mouth out with warm salted water may help. Studies of BMS have focused more on etiology than treatment. Currently, no definitive cure exists; many treatments have been tried with variable success. Attempting combinations of therapies may be appropriate; in particular, cognitive therapy may be synergistic with other agents. Additionally, it may be worth empirically treating for other conditions that cause secondary BMS.
Rupture Resolution Rating System (3RS): Development and validation.

Objective: Our aim was to examine the reliability and validity of the Rupture Resolution Rating System (3RS), an observer-based measure of alliance ruptures and resolution processes. Method: We use...
Introduction to Futures Thinking in Organizations

This chapter reviews the evolution of futures thinking within organizations, beginning with strategic planning and followed by the use of foresight methodologies. The impact of convergent/divergent thinking and sensemaking as related to strategic and corporate foresight is also discussed, as well as, emerging new roles for employees, managers, and the organization itself in support of successful foresight efforts. Finally, a number of barriers exist which may interfere with an organization’s evolution from use of foresight to full futures thinking capability. The closing section of this chapter describes these potential constraints.