cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automating readers' advisory to make book recommendations for K-12 readers

The academic performance of students is affected by their reading ability, which explains why reading is one of the most important aspects of school curriculums. Promoting good reading habits among K-12 students is essential, given the enormous influence of reading on students' development as learners and members of society. In doing so, it is indispensable to provide readers with engaging and motivating reading selections. Unfortunately, existing book recommenders have failed to offer adequate choices for K-12 readers, since they either ignore the reading abilities of their users or cannot acquire the much-needed information to make recommendations due to privacy issues. To address these problems, we have developed Rabbit, a book recommender that emulates the readers' advisory service offered at school/public libraries. Rabbit considers the readability levels of its readers and determines the facets, i.e.,appeal factors, of books that evoke subconscious, emotional reactions on a reader. The design of Rabbit is unique, since it adopts a multi-dimensional approach to capture the reading abilities, preferences, and interests of its readers, which goes beyond the traditional book content/topical analysis. Conducted empirical studies have shown that Rabbit outperforms a number of (readability-based) book recommenders.
The good, the bad, and the manly: Threats to one's prototypicality and evaluations of fellow in-group members.

If highly identified group members evaluate in-group members, including the self, according to how well they fit the group's prototype, then they should be threatened when told that they are nonprototypical of the in-group. We propose that this threat will encourage high identifiers to increase their use of prototypicality as a standard for evaluating in-group members. Using men as the in-group, we found that group identification and level of prototypicality feedback interacted to affect intragroup evaluations. When highly identified men received feedback that they were low in prototypicality as men, they felt more threatened and showed greater differentiation in their liking for prototypical men over nonprototypical men compared to when they received high prototypicality feedback. In contrast, prototypicality feedback did not influence feelings of threat among low identifiers, nor did it interact with target prototypicality to affect liking of the targets.
Reduction of CD1d expression in vivo minimally affects NKT-enhanced antibody production but boosts B-cell memory.

The CD1d-binding glycolipid α-galactosylceramide exerts potent adjuvant effects on T-dependent humoral immunity. The mechanism is driven by cognate interaction between CD1d-expressing B cells and TCR-expressing type I CD1d-restricted NKT cells. Thus, far positive effects of alpha-galactosylceramide have been observed on initial and sustained antibody titers as well as B-cell memory. Following vaccination, each of these features is desirable, but good B-cell memory is of paramount importance for long-lived immunity. We therefore tested the hypothesis that CD1d expression in vivo differentially affects initial antibody titers versus B-cell memory responses. CD1d+/+ and CD1d+/− mice were generated and immunized with antigen plus CD1d ligand before analysis of cytokine expression, CD40L expression, initial and longer term antibody responses and B-cell memory. As compared with CD1d+/+ controls, CD1d+/− mice had equivalent numbers of total NKT cells, lower cytokine production, fewer CD40L-expressing NKT cells, lower initial antibody responses, similar long-term antibody responses and higher B-cell memory. Our data indicate that weak CD1d antigen presentation may facilitate good B-cell memory without compromising antibody responses. This work may impact vaccine design since over-stimulation of NKT cells at the time of vaccination may not lead to optimal B-cell memory.
Proton Affinity of Peroxyacetyl Nitrate (PAN)

Ab initio calculations for the proton affinity of peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) reveal the complicated protonation chemistry associated with the unusual multifunctional structure of this molecule. Optimized molecular structures, relative energies, decomposition energies, and proton affinities have been determined for four chemically distinguishable PANH+ protomers. Calculations performed at the CBS-Q level of theory predict that the most stable structure is the peracetic acid-nitronium ion complex, [CH3C(O)OOH···NO2+], and yield (PAN) = −773.4 ± 10 kJ mol-1. This result disagrees with the experimental determination of PA298 K(PAN) = −798 ± 12 kJ mol-1 that was attributed to protonation of the carbonyl oxygen but agrees with the experimental and theoretical results for the proton affinities of the nitrates HONO2, CH3ONO2, C2H5ONO2, and HOONO2, where the most stable protomers are also of the form [ROH···NO2+].
Specialization of the Cerebral Hemispheres Implications for Learning

Cerebral hemisphere specialization and its relation to learning disabilities are examined in the light of concepts and findings from contemporary neuropsychology. Attention is focused upon four constructs—cognitive ability, laterality, functional brain asymmetry, and structural brain asymmetry—and the associations among them. It is emphasized that these constructs represent different levels of analysis and consequently are not readily related to each other. In particular, it is argued that laterality, which is a behavioral phenomenon, does not provide direct information about physiological or anatomical characteristics of the brain. Although the available evidence is inconclusive in many respects, it points to certain conclusions about hemispheric specialization and cognitive development: (1) Differential specialization of the left and right halves of the brain occurs very early in life; (2) anomalous hemispheric specialization in an otherwise normal brain is not associated with cognitive deficit; (3) lef...
High density compact tunable PFN-Marx modulators

Experimentally demonstrated and computer-simulated results with long-pulse and short-pulse modulators using solid dielectric capacitors are presented. These modulators have achieved matched load voltages greater than 600 kV and energies approaching 1.5 kJ/pulse in a 20 inch diameter*25 inch long cylindrical volume. This device is not only over five times as energy dense as the commercially available Hewlett-Packard 43710A Febetron, but is also oil insulated, and thereby more easily maintainable, repairable, tunable, and adjustable. For example, at 600 kV, corresponding to 1.12 kJ stored, the modulator can be configured to produce compact state-of-the-art output parameters ranging from 8 GW, 43 Omega , and 140 ns, to 16 GW, 22 Omega , and 70 ns under matched conditions. Alternatively, if the impedance is increased an order of magnitude (to 400 Omega ) a 1.4 mu s pulse (at 0.8 GW) can be produced. Full system rep-rates to date are low (1 Hz), but small scale experiments have produced up to 20 Hz. Over 100 Hz is achievable with an upgraded trigger generator and higher average power charging supply. >
The Interplay of Work and Caregiving: Relationships between Role Satisfaction, Role Involvement, and Caregivers' Well-being

This study applied theory from the general work and family literature to the dual roles of work and caregiving, in order to examine whether level of satisfaction and time involvement in each of these roles moderate the effects of stress in the other role on well-being. Respondents were 118 employed women who were providing care to an impaired parent or parent-in-law. As predicted, greater time involvement in work was found to buffer women from the negative effects of caregiving stress. Satisfaction with caregiving and satisfaction with work were directly associated with better well-being, beyond the effects of stress in both roles. However, women who experienced high levels of caregiving stress and who were highly satisfied with work were especially vulnerable to depression. These findings illustrate the importance of examining the effects of caregiving stress on well-being in the context of work-related experiences.
Ecosystem management, decentralization, and public opinion

Abstract In recent years there has been a movement by administrators and policymakers across the country to reorganize and reinvent government to improve program efficiencies, to harness resources outside government in the service of public policy goals, and to better facilitate the input of affected interests and the general public. Central to this effort are innovative, decentralized institutional arrangements which delegate significant authority either to private citizens, program managers within existing bureaucracy, or market-based mechanisms. Ecosystem- and watershed-based management, which seek to both prevent pollution and sustain development, are in the vanguard of this movement. This paper examines this trend toward decentralizing environmental policy and the use of ecosystem management from the perspective of the public. Planning and implementation of devolved environmental policy will require the support of local stakeholders and citizens. Using data from a national public opinion survey conducted during the summer of 1998, the paper examines factors associated with public acceptability of ecosystem management and the preferred level of government and citizen participation that should be involved in the implementation of such management strategies.
The Evaluation of Suspected Pediatric Sexual Abuse

Children who are suspected to have been sexually abused frequently present to an emergency department. When evaluating patients with concerns for sexual abuse, the emergency practitioner must be aware of the following: (1) the appropriate examination techniques and methods for documentation of findings; (2) indications for forensic evidence collection; (3) indications for referring the child to undergo a forensic interview; (4) indications for testing for sexually transmitted diseases; (5) indications for postexposure prophylaxis for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy; (6) identification of genital and anal findings that have resulted from trauma, from medical conditions, and from sexual assault; and (7) when child protective services and/or law enforcement reporting is required. Many conditions are misdiagnosed as sexual abuse. A thorough discussion of these conditions is included. Finally, this article focuses on technologies that allow better evidence documentation and expert-opinion utilization.
Oxytalan fibers in the periodontal ligament of the Caiman and the Alligator (Crocodilia, Reptilia)

Histological examination of the fibrous and cellular connective tissue components of the periodontal ligament in the Caiman and the Alligator reveals the presence of reticular fibrillae, collagenic, elastic, and oxytalan fibers, as well as fibrocytes, osteoblasts, cementoblasts and epithelial rests. The oxytalan fibers differentiated by the peracetic acid aldehyde-fuchsin method are most numerous in the coronal region, radiating from the primary cementum into the periodontal ligament a short distance. Oxytalan fibers in fewer numbers are found interspersed between the oblique and the horizontal principal fiber bundles. Inasmuch as the crocodilian teeth have continuous replacement and thus a relatively short functional life, the oxytalan fibers of the Caiman and the Alligator appear to be proportionally fewer in number than they are in the mammalian periodontal tissues. The presence of the oxytalan fibers and epithelial rests in the Order Crocodilia (Crocodilia) adds to the number of dental structures shared with the Class Mammalia (Mammalia) (mammals) such as a stellate reticulum, a primary and secondary cementum and a periodontal ligament. This furnishes additional histological evidence for evaluation of the phylogenetic position of this group.
Fluorescence histochemistry of monoamine‐containing cell bodies in the brain stem of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). II. Catecholamine‐containing groups

In this second paper of the series on the monoamine-containing cell bodies found in the brain stem of the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) by the fluorescence histochemical technique, a description is presented of the catecholaminergic neurons. The first paper was a report on the locus caeruleus (a norepinephrine containing group), which, in consideration of its physiological importance, was the object of a particularly detailed study. The other groups of catecholaminergic cell bodies were found to have a topographic distribution and general morphological characteristics quite similar to those described for the rat. In particular, in the squirrel monkey brain stem homologous groups of neurons were observed for each group described in the rat, with the exception of the weakly fluorescing group A3. In comparing the findings on the squirrel monkey with the description of the catecholaminergic cell groups in the cat some significant differences were noticed.
Leukotriene receptor antagonists - risks and benefits for use in paediatric asthma

Leukotrienes (LTs) are important mediators of the pathophysiology of asthma, specifically, bronchoconstriction, airway inflammation and oedema and mucus hypersecretion. The LT receptor antagonists (LTRAs) inhibit these potent effects by selectively blocking the cysteinyl LT 1 receptor. These are the first novel therapies for asthma since the introduction of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in 1972. Unlike generalised inhibition of airway inflammation by ICS, the LTRAs target inhibition of specific mediators. In general, paediatric data concerning these agents remain quite limited. However, they have demonstrated efficacy against allergen- and exercise-induced bronchospasm in both adults and children. Recently, their potential role for the treatment of viral-induced wheeze in young children has been explored. In multiple, placebo-controlled trials, the LTRAs have demonstrated efficacy for the treatment of mild persistent asthma, additive benefit in the management of symptomatic moderate asthmatics on maintenance ICS and evidence of significant steroid-sparing. Findings from these clinical trials and real-world experience support the use of the LTRAs as controller agents for persistent asthma. Based on their excellent safety profiles, tolerance and ease of administration (including once daily dosing with montelukast), this drug class may offer several important features for use as controller therapy, particularly in asthmatic children as young as 1 year of age, however, this must continue to be reviewed as new paediatric data become available.
The role of excited Rydberg States in electron transfer dissociation.

Ab initio electronic structure methods are used to estimate the cross sections for electron transfer from donor anions having electron binding energies ranging from 0.001 to 0.6 eV to each of three...
Survey of recently board‐certified prosthodontists on the board‐certification process. Part 2: Preparation and impact

Purpose A 2-part survey of recently board-certified prosthodontists was conducted in 2001. The first part of the survey, published in June 2003, determined the trends that assisted the candidates in attaining diplomate status. The second part of the survey was done to determine the preparation methods and resources used to prepare for the examination, the most difficult part of the examination, the most gratifying aspect of becoming board-certified, their current employment status, and whether board certification had any positive impact on their employment. Materials and Methods A questionnaire was mailed to 176 diplomates who had become board certified between the years 1993–2001. Of these, 131 board-certified prosthodontists returned the completed survey, resulting in a response rate of 74%. Results Results from this survey showed that 91% of the diplomates had taken the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) Board Preparation course; most of the diplomates (41%) prepared for the boards by reviewing prosthodontic literature, reading textbooks, using the ACP Study Guide, and seeking the help of other board-certified prosthodontists; 89% of the diplomates felt that achieving board certification had a positive influence in their employment; 39% of the diplomates indicated that Part 2 of the examination was the most difficult to prepare for, and 41% indicated that Part 2 was the most difficult section; the majority of diplomates (31%) were employed by the military, and the most gratifying aspect of becoming board-certified was personal accomplishment (83%). Conclusions Trends were observed regarding prosthodontists who succeeded with their efforts to challenge the board examination. The majority of the diplomates were employed by the military. Most of the respondents indicated that they took the ACP Board Preparation course and found it helpful. The largest percentage of respondents reported that Part 2 was both the most difficult part to prepare for, as well as the most difficult to complete. The most gratifying aspect of becoming board-certified was personal accomplishment.
Linguistic constructs for BSP style programming

A necessary condition for the establishment, on a substantial basis, of a parallel software industry would appear to be the availability of technology for generating transportable software, i.e. architecture independent software which delivers scalable performance for a wide variety of applications on a wide range of multiprocessor computers. We are developing H-BSP-a general purpose parallel computing environment for developing transportable programs. H-BSP is based on the Bulk Synchronous Parallel Model (BSP), in which a computation involves a number of supersteps, each having several parallel computational threads that synchronize at the end of the superstep. The BSP Model deals explicitly with the notion of communication among computational threads and introduces parameters g and L that quantify the ratio of computation throughput to communication throughput and the synchronization period, respectively. These two parameters, together with the number of processors and the problem size, are used to quantify the performance and, therefore, the transportability of given classes of algorithms across machines having different values for these parameters. Recently algorithm designers have developed algorithms for a number of regular problems that are provably optimal as functions of g and L, but for many irregular problems developing optimal solutions will depend on the compiler and the run-time system taking advantage of the g and L values for the intended target. This paper describes the BSP Model and some preliminary linguistic constructs for BSP style programming.
The effect of the great blackout of 1965 on births in New York City.

A comparison of the number of births in New York City nine months after the Great Blackout of 1965 with comparable periods for the previous five years shows no increase in births associated with the blackout.
SiC/Si heterojunction diodes fabricated by self-selective and by blanket rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition

SiC/Si heterojunction diodes have been fabricated by two different rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (RTCVD) processes: a localized self-selective growth and blanket growth. The self-selective growth of crystalline cubic (/spl beta/) SiC was obtained by propane carbonization of the Si substrate in regions unprotected by an SiO/sub 2/ layer, producing planar diodes. Mesa diodes were fabricated using the blanket growth of polycrystalline /spl beta/-SiC produced by the decomposition of methylsilane (CH/sub 3/SiH/sub 3/). The SiC/Si heterojunction diodes show good rectifying properties for both device structures. Reverse breakdown voltage of 50 V was obtained with the self-selective SiC/Si diode. The mesa diodes exhibited even higher breakdown voltages (V/sub br/) of 150 V and excellent ideality factors of 1.06 at 25/spl deg/C. The high V/sub br/ and good forward rectifying characteristics indicate that the SiC/Si heterojunction diode represents a promising approach for the fabrication of wide-gap emitter SiC/Si heterojunction bipolar transistors. >
Credibility of the Web: Why We Need Dialectical Reading

La credibilite du Web est une question cruciale, cette source d'information etant a la fois riche et sujette a caution. Jusqu'a quel point peut-on considerer le Web comme une bibliotheque? S'appuyant sur le travail de Walter Kaufman (The art of reading, 1997), l'auteur souligne qu'une analyse des processus de lecture du Web appelle une critique systematique et examine la facon dont la lecture dialectique de Kaufman peut repondre aux defis poses par le Web.
Effects of World Demand and Competitiveness on Exports and Economic Growth

There is little consensus in the development literature on whether it is supply explanations such as competitiveness levels, or, the external demand structure which drive the link between exports and economic growth. This paper attempts to reconcile the polarization of the aforementioned viewpoints by examining the effects of both world demand and a country's competitiveness in exports on the relationship between export growth and economic growth. The results indicate that only developing countries which are highly competitive and which also face relatively favorable external demand for their exports experience above-average growth. Weak external demand reduces the positive effects of exports on growth substantially but may be offset by high levels of competitiveness in trade. The results imply that both regional and Third World growth studies on the link between exports and economic growth would profit more from integrating both supply as well as external demand explanations rather than succumb to one of the two viewpoints.
Dual-Source-Line-Bias Scheme to Improve the Read Margin and Sensing Accuracy of STTRAM in Sub-90-nm Nodes

This brief analyzes the circuit-induced challenges to reliability and write current scaling of spin-torque-transfer random access memory (STTRAM). We show that, at sub-90-nm nodes, increased transistor leakage increases the probability of incorrect sensing requiring a higher read current. However, a higher read current can increase the read disturb failure, particularly with a reduced write current. To satisfy the conflicting requirements of read margin and sensing accuracy, we propose a source-line biasing technique. Simulations in predictive 65-nm nodes show that the proposed solution simultaneously reduce the sensing errors and improve the read margin.
The Influence of Convective Thermal Forcing on the Three-Dimensional Circulation around Squall Lines

Abstract Midlatitude squall lines are typically trailed by a large region of stratiform cloudiness and precipitation with significant mesoscale flow features, including an ascending front to rear flow; a descending rear inflow jet; line-end vortices; and, at later times, mesoscale convective vortices. The present study suggests that the mesoscale circulation in the trailing stratiform region is primarily determined by the time-mean pattern of heating and cooling in the leading convective line. Analysis of the line-normal circulation shows that it develops as thermally generated gravity waves spread away from the leading line. Midlevel line-end vortices are the result of diabatically driven tilting of horizontal vorticity generated by the time-mean thermal forcing. In the presence of the Coriolis force, a symmetric thermal forcing generates an asymmetric stratiform circulation and a pattern of vertical displacement that resembles the comma-shaped stratiform anvil observed in real systems; this suggests tha...
Why focus on uric acid

In gouty patients, urate lowering therapies (ULTs) are recommended to bring serum uric acid (SUA) levels below 6.0 mg/dL, with the aim of dissolving urate depositions, thereby reducing disease impact. However, patients with hyperuricemia often present with other conditions associated with cardiovascular (CV) risk, such as high blood pressure, obesity, insulin resistance, fatty liver, and chronic kidney disease. In the last decade, several well grounded pieces of evidence showed that the elevation of uric acid often occurs prior to the development of hypertension or metabolic syndrome, thus suggesting a direct association between elevated SUA and these conditions. This paper will discuss available evidence supporting the key role of serum uric acid in the development of CV and renal disease, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying this causative association. This review is based on a PubMed/Embase database search for articles on hyperuricemia and its impact on cardiovascular and renal function.
A Delicate Balance: The Clandestine Work of Bilingual Teachers of Bilingual Children in English-Only Borderlands Classrooms

This qualitative, phenomenological study is based on a set of interviews at the Mexico-U.S. border where legislation restricts teachers' use of students' home languages in schools. These interviews, after open-coding analysis, demonstrate that teachers exercise their professional judgment in spite of mandates to the contrary, forcing a choice between their professional well-being and the children's linguistic needs. State laws and district policies necessitate that teachers seek back-door methods to promote bilingualism for Spanish-speaking students. The teachers participating in this study explain that they have to conceal their efforts to promote biliteracy among Spanish-speaking students. This decision is not without consequence, however, as teachers report a great deal of anxiety and self-censorship inherent in the delicate balance between teaching well and following the laws and policies that they see as antithetical to their best practice.
Significantly Increased CO2 Adsorption Performance of Nanostructured Templated Carbon by Tuning Surface Area and Nitrogen Doping

Carbon dioxide adsorption properties of a series of templated carbon adsorbents with high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface areas (1361–3840 m2/g) and with/without nitrogen doping (6–7 wt % N) were systematically studied. Two linear relationships between CO2 adsorption capacities and surface areas of nitrogen-doped/undoped nanostructured templated carbons were first established. The doped nitrogen was present in the forms of pyridinic nitrogen, pyrrolic/pyridonic nitrogen, quaternary nitrogen, and an oxidized form of nitrogen. The interaction energies with CO2, as approximated by the isosteric heats of adsorption, were increased from 30 kJ/mol on the undoped carbon to 50 kJ/mol on the N-doped carbon as a result of these nitrogen sites. The increased interactions led to an enhancement in CO2 adsorption capacity by a factor of 2, while N2 uptake was not enhanced. The optimized N-doped templated carbon, N-TC-EMC, possessed remarkable CO2 capacity (4 mmol/g at 1 atm and 298 K) and selectivity (CO2/N2 at 1 atm = ...
Photosystem I on graphene as a highly transparent, photoactive electrode.

We report the fabrication of a hybrid light-harvesting electrode consisting of photosystem I (PSI) proteins extracted from spinach and adsorbed as a monolayer onto electrically contacted, large-area graphene. The transparency of graphene supports the choice of an opaque mediator at elevated concentrations. For example, we report a photocurrent of 550 nA/cm2 from a monolayer of PSI on graphene in the presence of 20 mM methylene blue, which yields an opaque blue solution. The PSI-modified graphene electrode has a total thickness of less than 10 nm and demonstrates photoactivity that is an order of magnitude larger than that for unmodified graphene, establishing the feasibility of conjoining these nanomaterials as potential constructs in next-generation photovoltaic devices.
Invasion Patterns and Sex-ratio Dynamics of the Maize Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Infesting Field Corn

Field populations of maize weevils, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, were monitored during the 1981, 1982, and 1983 growing seasons in 19 cornfields located in the Georgia Piedmont and Coastal Plain. Colonizing weevils were predominately males (1.6 males:1.0 females) with the weevils per corn ear and weevil-infested corn ears clumped. Superior colonizing capabilities of males in conjunction with poor overwintering abilities of females are proposed to cause the male-skewed sex ratio. F1 and laboratory weevil populations were composed primarily of females (0.6 males:1.0 females), indicating female skewedness may be the common condition under periods of continuous reproduction.
Risk of Brain Damage Following Pertussis Immunization with Whole-Cell cf Acellular Vaccines

Serious neurological disorders reported following whole-cell (WC) in comparison to acellular (AC) pertussis vaccines (PV) were evaluated by the Genetic Centers of America, Silver Spring, MD.
A REVIEW ON OCULAR BIOSOLID MECHANICS

The eye is an organ which transduces light, and can be considered as a biomechanical structure. It is a pressurized, thick-walled shell with an internal and external musculature, a remarkably complex internal vascular system. In this review, we present research results of biosolid mechanics related with eye, and a list of unsolved problems. The research objects are sclera, corneoscleral envelope, cornea retina, lamina cribrosa, accommodation and presbyopia. We first address studies on measuring mechanical properties of the sclera and the stress-strain behavior of the corneoscleral envelope. Then we examine the applications of these studies. An important application of scleral mechanics is the understanding of myopia in which the axial length of the eye is too large to allow clear focusing of distant light rays on the retina. An obvious application of corneal bioinechanics is to predict the laser ablation profile that will optimize postoperative visual acuity in refractive corneal procedures. The lamina cribrosa is one of the most interesting tissues in the eye with respect to bioinechanics. It is a porous connective tissue that spans the scleral canal, mechanically supporting the retinal ganglion cells of the optic nerve as they pass through the scleral canal. We discuss the mechanical theory of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. The evidence indicates that changes in the connective tissues around the ciliary muscle may inhibit its ability to freely contract. Thus, the pathophysiology of presbyopia may be multifactorial.
Frothy Bloat (primary ruminal tympany) Potential and Nutrient Content of Forage Kochia (Bassia prostrata L.)

Forage kochia (Bassia prostrata L.) has been used extensively by grazing animals in Central Asia. Forage kochia was introduced into the U.S.A. in 1966 from a Stavropol Botanical Gardens (USSR) planting, and released as a cultivar (Immigrant) in 1984. It has been included in fire and rangeland rehabilitation seed mixes and planted on at least 200,000-400,000 ha in the USA. However, in central Nevada (USA), it has been linked to cattle mortality by frothy bloat (primary ruminal tympany) under specific ecological site conditions. In order to assess its potential to cause frothy bloat in free roaming cattle, we investigated the nutritive value of forage kochia across a grazing season (September-January), and compared in vitro gas production, and foam production and strength with fresh alfalfa. Crude protein values were highest in October-November (23.3 and 21.5%, respectively), while NDF was lowest during the same period (38.8 and 39.3%, respectively). Gas and foam production were higher for alfalfa than kochia over a 12 h incubation period. In general, alfalfa produced twice as much gas and foam as forage kochia (P<0.001). However, forage kochia foam strength (g/DM) was double that of alfalfa (P<0.002), and by 6 h incubation time, foam height of forage kochia was twice that of alfalfa (P<0.001). Forage kochia when used as the sole forage in the diet has the potential to cause frothy bloat in cattle. Fresh alfalfa produces more gas in the rumen; however, foam from forage kochia digestion is likely to be more persistent, potentially leading to frothy bloat development.
Membrane remodeling during phagocytosis in chronic myelogenous leukemia cells.

First, I would like to thank Dr. Neth and the organizers for making this meeting possible. For those of us who have come a long distance, the trip has clearly been educationally profitable and the hospitality of Dr. Neth and his delightful teams of wagon drivers have certainly made this a memorable personal experience as well.
An Investigation into the Mechanism of Cytotoxicity of Levorphanol

Levorphanol, a synthetic analogue of morphine (L-3-hydroxy- N -methylmorphinan tartrate), has been reported to inhibit RNA synthesis. The effect of this compound upon the replication of Sindbis virus and upon the host cells in culture was studied. Propagation of the virus as well as synthesis of RNA and protein by the cells was inhibited by the drug. Light microscopic examination of the treated cells revealed extensive morphological alterations at doses lower than those which produced biochemical effects. These results indicate that levorphanol has cytotoxic activity other than its ability to diminish RNA synthesis.
Variation in the soil ‘silicon landscape’ explains plant silica accumulation across environmental gradients in Serengeti

Beneficial aspects of plant silicon (Si) have been identified, but little is known about how multiple abiotic conditions interact in a natural environment to influence plant Si-accumulation. Consequently, we identified abiotic correlates of soil and plant Si pools in a pristine African savanna and quantified relationships among precipitation, soil properties, and grass silicon concentration along environmental gradients. Soil properties were measured at 63 sites spanning soil and precipitation gradients in the Serengeti ecosystem of northern Tanzania. Bulk and species-specific grass samples were collected at 18 of those sites and combined with soil and climate data into a structural equation model to describe landscape drivers of foliar silicon concentration. Soil amorphous silicon (ASi) was negatively related to precipitation but was unrelated to soil dissolved silicon (DSi). The final structural equation model included three predictor variables, each negatively associated with soil DSi: precipitation, soil percent sand, and soil pH, which, together, explained ~74 % of variation in soil DSi. Finally, soil DSi was positively related to grass Si concentration, explaining ~60 % of variation. While evidence exists for biotic induction of silicon accumulation (e.g. herbivory), our results indicate that natural abiotic variation, which has largely been ignored, is equally important and may determine the extent to which inducibility is possible. Environmental heterogeneity, by constraining or promoting Si dissolution and availability, plays a significant role in silicon accumulation by grasses.
Alternative Exit and Restructuring Strategies: Divestitures, Spin-offs, Carve-outs, Split-ups, and Split-Offs

Many corporations, particularly large, highly diversified organizations, are reviewing constantly in ways in which they can enhance shareholder value by changing the composition of their assets, liabilities, equity, and operations. These activities generally are referred to as restructuring strategies. Restructuring may embody both growth and exit strategies. The focus in this chapter is on those strategic options that allow the firm to maximize shareholder value by redeploying assets through downsizing the parent corporation. The intent is to discuss the myriad motives for exiting businesses, the various restructuring strategies for doing so, why firms select one strategy over other options, and selected empirical studies of restructuring strategies. In this context, equity carve-outs, spin-offs, divestitures, and split-offs are discussed separately. In some accounting texts, divestitures (referred to as sell-offs), spin-offs, and split-offs are all viewed as different forms of equity carve-outs and discussed in terms of how they affect the parent firm's shareholders' equity for financial reporting purposes. The chapter concludes with a discussion of what empirical studies are the primary determinants of financial returns to shareholders resulting from undertaking the various restructuring strategies.
“Holey Stokes!: Stimulated Raman Scattering With a Tightly Focussed Pump”

In this paper we report a new wave propagation theory and its experimental verification for stimulated Raman scattering with a tightly focussed Gaussian pump beam. We have found that our previously obtained exact solution for homogeneous (exponential) wave growth in media with focussed Gaussian gain(1) may be extended to include coupling and growth of anti-Stokes and Stokes modes to the prescribed pump wave. The new work fully incorporates the interplay between diffraction, parametric processes and homogeneous growth, and also has a formally exact (and numerically rapid) solution. The intensity-dependent dispersion associated with the Raman gain resonance is incorporated and is essential to the proper description of the process.
Characterizing the Acute Phase Response in Healthy Patients Following Total Joint Arthroplasty: Predictable and Consistent

Abstract Background During surgery, trauma to musculoskeletal tissue induces a systemic reaction known as the acute phase response (APR). When excessive or prolonged, the APR has been implicated as an underlying cause of surgical complications. The purpose of this study was to determine the typical APR following total joint arthroplasty in a healthy population defined by the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Methods This retrospective study identified 180 healthy patients (CCI Results Postoperative CRP peaked during the inpatient period and returned to baseline by 2 weeks. Fibrinogen peaked after CRP and returned to baseline by 6 weeks. Elevated preoperative CRP correlated with a more robust postoperative APR for both total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty, suggesting that a patient's preoperative inflammatory state correlates with the magnitude of the postoperative APR. Conclusion Measurement of preoperative acute phase reactants may provide an objective means to predict a patient's risk of postoperative dysregulation of the APR and complications.
Epigenetic Mechanisms of Longevity and Aging.

Aging is an inevitable outcome of life, characterized by progressive decline in tissue and organ function and increased risk of mortality. Accumulating evidence links aging to genetic and epigenetic alterations. Given the reversible nature of epigenetic mechanisms, these pathways provide promising avenues for therapeutics against age-related decline and disease. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of epigenetic studies from invertebrate organisms, vertebrate models, tissues, and in vitro systems. We establish links between common operative aging pathways and hallmark chromatin signatures that can be used to identify "druggable" targets to counter human aging and age-related disease.
Abstract 142: A Fructose-but Not a Glucose-enriched Diet, Induces a Salt-dependent Increase in Blood Pressure and Enhances NKCC2 Phosphorylation in Normal Rats

Human consumption of fructose as a sweetener has increased in the past 30 years. High fructose intake has been implicated in the development of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. In the US, the upper 10th percentile of the population consumes up to 40% of their caloric intake from added sugars, in which fructose represents half of these. Fructose metabolism is strikingly different from that of glucose. Yet, the effect of a fructose or glucose-enriched diet in salt handling by the kidney, affecting blood pressure, and its interaction with high salt intake has been poorly studied. In genetic models of salt-sensitive hypertension, the activity of the Na + /K + /2Cl - cotransporter (NKCC2) in the thick ascending limb (TAL) is abnormally enhanced. We hypothesized that chronic fructose in drinking water induces a salt-dependent increase in blood pressure and stimulates NKCC2 during high salt intake in normal rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were given 20% fructose or 20% glucose in drinking water for 1 week after which a high salt (HS) diet (4% Na + in chow) was started for 3 weeks. When we measured systolic blood pressure (SBP) by tail cuff plethysmography in fructose-fed and glucose-fed rats on a HS diet, only the fructose-fed rats had an increased SBP from 120±10 to 132±6 mmHg on day 7 of HS (p
Deltamethrin-Incorporated Nets as an Integrated Pest Management Tool for the Invasive Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

Long-lasting insecticide nets (LLINs), which have insecticide incorporated within the fibers, have been widely used for control of malaria and other insect-vectored diseases. Only recently have researchers begun exploring their use for control of agricultural pests. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity of a deltamethrin-incorporated LLIN, ZeroFly (Vestergaard-Frandsen, Washington, DC) for control of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stal). In the lab, exposure to the ZeroFly net for 10 s resulted in >90% mortality of H. halys nymphs and >40% mortality of H. halys adults. Longer exposure to the net resulted in higher mortality. In another experiment, a 15-cm2 sheet of ZeroFly net placed inside of the stink bug trap provided long-lasting kill of H. halys adults equal to or better than standard dichlorvos kill strip. Potential for the use of ZeroFly nets for H. halys IPM is discussed.
Risk of Upgrading and Upstaging Among 10 000 Patients with Gleason 3+4 Favorable Intermediate-risk Prostate Cancer

Abstract Background It is unknown whether active surveillance can be safely offered to patients with Gleason 3+4 favorable intermediate-risk (FIR) prostate cancer. Objective To examine the incidence and predictors of upgrading and upstaging among patients with Gleason 3+4 FIR disease. Design, setting, and participants The study involved 10 089 patients in the National Cancer Database diagnosed from 2010 to 2012 with Gleason 3+4 disease, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Logistic regression was used to examine predictors of upgrading (pathologic Gleason ≥4+3 or tertiary Gleason 5 in a Gleason 7 tumor) or upstaging (pT3–4/N1). Results and limitations Some 30.3% of Gleason 3+4 FIR patients were upgraded or upstaged. On multivariable analysis, predictors included higher PSA, percentage PBC, age, and cT2a versus cT1c (all p 0.001), but not black race ( p =0.895). When stratified into ordinal variables, PSA 8.1–9.9 versus ≤4.0ng/ml (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.93, 38.3% vs 24.4%), PBC 37.5–49.9% versus p 0.001). Men with PBC Conclusions Approximately one in three patients with Gleason 3+4 FIR harbored disease of higher grade or stage. Younger patients with low percentage PBC and PSA and cT1c disease have a lower risk and may be candidates for active surveillance. However, widely available clinical information is insufficient for predicting the risk of more advanced disease, and the development and incorporation of additional tools, including magnetic resonance imaging and genomic tests, are necessary. Patient summary Nearly one-third of patients with Gleason 3+4 favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer harbor disease of higher grade or higher stage than their biopsy and clinical examination suggest. These patients would therefore be poor candidates for active surveillance.
An Analysis of Vulnerability Trends, 2008-2016

Computer security has been a subject of serious study for at least 40 years, and a steady stream of innovations has improved our ability to protect networks and applications. But attackers have adapted and changed methods over the years as well. Where do we stand today in the battle between attackers and defenders? Are attackers gaining ground, as it often seems when reading press accounts of the latest data exposure? This analysis seeks to answer these questions using data from the US National Vulnerability Database (NVD), and to identify classes of vulnerabilities where improvements will be most cost effective.
Electron and Ion Beam Microfabrication of Integrated Optic Elements

This lecture dealt with various aspects of electron and ion beam microfabrication of prototype structures suitable for light guiding and coupling. The introductory material on electron and ion beam interactions with solid surfaces was not reproduced here because these subjects have been discussed extensively in the literature. The intent of these notes is to provide the reader with some of the more recent techniques and successes of beam micro-fabrication of integrated optics elements.
A Low Overhead Solution to Resilient Assembly Lines Built From Legacy Controllers

As frequently buying, programming, testing, and utilizing new programmable logic controllers (PLCs) is cost and time prohibitive, many factories utilize legacy systems which are potentially insecure. This letter presents a PLC error detection and correction technique utilizing shifted time redundancy, enabled by a full crossbar connection network. It aims to successfully detect, isolate, and mitigate cybersecurity attacks and faults in PLC devices in a factory setting where multiple parallel assembly lines complete the same task. A trust scoring system is utilized in order to rate each PLC’s trustworthiness and reduces necessary overhead.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CLASSIFICATION AND BIOASSAY OF THYMOSIN POLYPEPTIDES

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the recent developments in the classification and bioassay of thymosin polypeptides. The dynamic aspects of the thymus as an endocrine organ have been recognized and appreciated. The indication that thymic polypeptides play a dominant role in the maintenance of immune balance and in the maturation of the thymus-dependent immune system has led to a rapid increase in the use of these polypeptides to study the maturation and function of T cell subpopulations. Recent progress in the chemical and biological characterization of thymosin, a family of polypeptide hormones isolated from thymus tissue, has demonstrated that the thymus has a major endocrine influence on the development of the immune system and the regulation of immunity. In addition to thymosin, the isolation of several other polypeptides from thymus tissue, blood, and thymic epithelial cell cultures suggests the existence of several distinct thymic factors. Thie chapter summarizes the current status of the isolation and characterization of several of the polypeptides obtained from thymosin fraction 5. It also discusses the progress that has been made in the development of thymosin assays to test the individual polypeptides as they are isolated.
Isotope Dilution as a Method for Measuring Nitrogen Transfer from Forage Legumes to Grasses

Isotope dilution provides a yield-independent method of measuring the contribution a legume makes to the nitrogen nutrition of a grass grown in mixture. The method has a major advantage over yield-dependent measurements because it is not necessary for the reference plant (grass growing in pure stand) to accumulate the same quantity of mineral nitrogen as the plant growing in mixture with the legume. The reference plant need only accumulate mineral and 15N-enriched nitrogen in the same proportions as the plant growing with the legume. Using isotope dilution, transfer of nitrogen from legumes to grasses has been measured under both controlled conditions and in the field environment. Direct transfer of nitrogen does not always occur, but in some cases contributes a significant portion of the nitrogen contained in the grass.