cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
H2S mediates the vasodilator effect of endothelin-1 in the cerebral circulation

Disorders of the cerebral circulation in newborn infants may lead to lifelong neurological disabilities. We report that vasoactive peptide endothelin-1 exhibits vasodilator properties in the neonat...
Transferring Shared Responses Across Electrode Montages for Facilitating Calibration in High-Speed Brain Spellers

Recent studies have shown that using the user’s average steady-state visual evoked responses (SSVEPs) as the template to template-matching methods could significantly improve the accuracy and speed of the SSVEP-based brain- computer interface (BCI). However, collecting the pilot data for each individual can be time-consuming. To resolve this practical issue, this study aims to explore the feasibility of leveraging pre- recorded datasets from the same users by transferring common electroencephalogram (EEG) responses across different sessions with the same or different electrode montages. The proposed method employs spatial filtering techniques including response averaging, canonical correlation analysis (CCA), and task- related component analysis (TRCA) to project scalp EEG recordings onto a shared response domain. The transferability was evaluated by using 40-class SSVEPs recorded from eight subjects with nine electrodes on two different days. Three subsets of electrode montages were selected to simulate different scenarios such as identical, partly overlapped, and non-overlapped electrode placements across two sessions. The target identification accuracy of the proposed methods with transferred training data significantly outperformed a conventional training-free algorithm. The result suggests training data required in the BCI speller could be transferred from different EEG montages and/or headsets.
Cortical excitability affects mood state in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGEs)

Abstract Previously, we demonstrated an association between cortical hyperexcitability and mood disturbance in healthy adults. Studies have documented hyperexcitability in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGEs; long-interval intracortical inhibition [LICI]) and high prevalence of mood comorbidities. This study aimed to investigate the influences of cortical excitability and seizure control on mood state in patients with IGEs. Single and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied to 30 patients with IGEs (16 controlled IGEs [cIGEs], 14 with treatment-resistant IGEs [trIGEs]), and 22 healthy controls (HCs) to assess cortical excitability with LICI. The Profile of Mood Sates (POMS) questionnaire was used to assess total mood disturbance (TMD), as well as, six mood domains: Depression, Confusion, Anger, Anxiety, Fatigue, and Vigor. To assess the effects of seizure control (HC vs. cIGEs vs. trIGEs) and LICI response (inhibitory vs. excitatory) on TMD, a two-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed. Analyses revealed a significant main effect of long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI) response on TMD (F(1, 46) = 4.69, p = 0.04), but not seizure control (F(2, 46) = 0.288, p = 0.75). Excitatory responders endorsed significantly higher TMD scores, indicating greater mood disturbance, than inhibitory responders (MD = − 2.12; T (50) = − 2.47, p = 0.04). Also, excitatory responders endorsed more items than inhibitory responders on the Depression (MD = − 2.12; T (50) = − 2.47, p = 0.04) and Fatigue (MD = − 3.42; T (50) = − 2.96, p = 0.03) subscales of the POMS. These findings provide further evidence of a relationship between hyperexcitability and mood disturbance, and indicate that cortical excitability may have greater influence on mood state than seizure control in patients with IGEs. Results also support theories for the underlying role of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) network dysfunction in the etiology of depression. To better understand the clinical relevance and causal nature of these relationships, further investigation is warranted.
The Empire Must Die: Russia’s Revolutionary Collapse, 1900–1917. By Mikhail Zygar. (New York, NY: Public Affairs, 2017. Pp. 560. $16.99.)

Among the works marking the centennial of the Russian Revolution in 2017 was this history with a focus on the semi‐constitutional Duma period 1905–1914 and “silver age” of Russian culture. Its auth...
Selective modulation of the glucocorticoid receptor with CORT108297 during chronic adolescent stress evokes sex-specific effects in adulthood

Adolescent animals are vulnerable to the effects of stress on brain development. We hypothesized that long-term effects of adolescent chronic stress are mediated by glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling. We used a specific GR modulator (CORT108297) to pharmacologically disrupt GR signaling in adolescent rats during exposure chronic variable stress (CVS). Male and female rats received 30mg/kg of drug concomitantly with a 2-week CVS protocol starting at PND46. Emotional reactivity (open field) and coping behaviors (forced swim test (FST)) were then tested in adulthood, 5 weeks after the end of the CVS protocol. Blood samples were collected two days before FST and serial samples after the onset of the swim test to determine baseline and stress response levels of HPA hormones respectively. Our results support differential behavioral, physiological and stress circuit reactivity to adolescent chronic stress exposure in males vs. females, with variable involvement of GR signaling. In response to adolescent stress, males had heightened reactivity to novelty and exhibited marked reduction in neuronal excitation following swim stress in adulthood, whereas females developed a passive coping strategy and enhanced HPA axis stress reactivity. Only the latter effect was attenuated by treatment with the GR modulator C108297. Our data suggest that adolescent stress differentially affects emotional behavior and circuit development in females, and that GR plays a role in driving some but not all sequelae of adolescent stress.
Using Focus Groups to Listen, Learn, and Lead in Higher Education

Colleges and universities have increasingly turned to “big data” or data analytics to create models and explanations for student success at their institutions as indicated by Jillian Kinzie in the ...
Effect of a Digital Health Intervention on Decreasing Barriers and Increasing Facilitators for Colorectal Cancer Screening in Vulnerable Patients.

Background: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, in part, because one third of Americans fail to get screened. In a prior randomized controlled trial, we found that an iPad patient decision aid called Mobile Patient Technology for Health-CRC (mPATH-CRC) doubled the proportion of patients who completed colorectal cancer screening. Methods: All data for the current analysis were collected as part of a randomized controlled trial to determine the impact of mPATH-CRC on receipt of colorectal cancer screening within 24 weeks. Participants were enrolled from six community-based primary care practices between June 2014 and May 2016 and randomized to either usual care or mPATH-CRC. Six potential mediators of the intervention effect on screening were considered. The Iacobucci method was used to assess the significance of the mediation. Results: A total of 408 patients had complete data for all potential mediators. Overall, the potential mediators accounted for approximately three fourths (76.3%) of the effect of the program on screening completion. Perceived benefits, self-efficacy, ability to state a screening decision, and patient–provider discussion were statistically significant mediators. Patient–provider discussion accounted for the largest proportion of the effect of mPATH-CRC (70.7%). Conclusions: mPATH-CRC increased completion of colorectal cancer screening by affecting patient-level and system-level mediators. However, the most powerful mediator was the occurrence of a patient–provider discussion about screening. Digital interventions like mPATH-CRC are an important adjunct to the patient–provider encounter. Impact: Understanding the factors that mediated mPATH-CRC9s success is paramount to developing other effective interventions.
Assessing the carbon footprint of a university campus using a life cycle assessment approach

Abstract To respond to anthropogenic effects on the global climate system, higher education institutions are assessing and aiming to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the carbon footprint of Clemson University’s campus using a streamlined life cycle assessment approach. The carbon footprint sets a baseline for source specific evaluation and future mitigation efforts at Clemson University. Greenhouse gas emission sources presented in this carbon footprint include steam generation, refrigerants, electricity generation, electricity life cycle, various forms of transportation, wastewater treatment, and paper usage. This case study describes the approach used to quantify each greenhouse gas emission source, and discusses data assumptions and life cycles phases included to improve carbon footprint comparison with other higher education institutions. Results show that Clemson University’s carbon footprint for 2014 is approximately 95,000 metric tons CO2-equivalent, and 4.4 metric tons CO2-equivalent per student. Scope 1 emissions accounted for about 19% of the carbon footprint, while Scope 2 and 3 emissions each contributed nearly 41%. The largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions were electricity generation (41%), automotive commuting (18%), and steam generation (16%). Electricity generation from coal was 29% of the electricity generation resource mix and accounted for three-quarters of Clemson University’s GHG emissions associated with electricity.
Family Involvement: What Does a Loved One Want at the End of Life?

If a patient is no longer able to speak for themselves, others must speak for them. Physicians who care for the critically ill are all too familiar with having to make end-of-life decisions for patients who are unable to make their wishes known. Sometimes patients make provisions for future healthcare decisions in the form of an advanced directive or a Physician’s Orders For Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST). Without documentation, however, physicians often rely on surrogates. End-of-life decisions can be overwhelming for these surrogates, and as our population ages, more and more family members, friends, colleagues, and loved ones are finding themselves in this daunting position. As healthcare professionals we can support surrogates by starting discussions early, highlighting patient priorities, and establishing goals of care. An end-of-life shared decision model is a cohesive approach which includes physicians, palliative care providers, nursing staff, social work, clergy, and the patient’s family. This collaborative process has the potential to honor a patient’s priorities and to help surrogates and family members feel more comfortable with the decision-making process. How we frame end-of-life discussions, the explanations and terminology we use, and the compassion we show play a large role in the death process not only for the patient but for the family as well.
Fanning the flames: How U.S. newspapers framed 10 historically significant U.S. wildfires:

Wildfire news coverage gains importance not only for information provided, but for images created. Using 10 historically significant U.S. wildfires for analysis, with framing and social cohesion th...
Opportunities, Pitfalls, and Alternatives in Adapting Electronic Health Records for Health Services Research:

Electronic health records (EHRs) offer the potential to study large numbers of patients but are designed for clinical practice, not research. Despite the increasing availability of EHR data, their ...
Interdisciplinary Exploration Guiding Conceptions of Giftedness

Interdisciplinary work is gaining recognition for its importance in theory development and empirical research, especially in the natural sciences. Arguably, gifted education needs interdisciplinary contributions even more than most fields because it addresses the immensely complex dynamics of the human mind. This analysis describes the nature of interdisciplinary work, including its strengths and weaknesses, and the ways in which it can enrich scholarship and practice in our field. Here are a few of many examples of productive interdisciplinary borrowing and applications to conceptions of giftedness: constructs from ethical philosophy and recent, more enlightened work in economics can magnify the importance of ethics and dissuade us from portraying selfish rational actors and accomplished ethnocentric leaders as highly gifted; warnings about sterile certainty from a prominent mathematician and the flight from reality in the human sciences from a leading political scientist can inoculate us against excessively precise, mechanistic measurements of human ability; findings from cultural anthropology can make our conceptions of giftedness less Western-centric; and discoveries in social epidemiology can show how widespread, chronic stress in severely unequal societies hides giftedness in deprived populations while severely distorting it in the privileged. Finally, this chapter concludes with recommendations for strengthening interdisciplinary work in scholarship on giftedness and talent development.
The effect of COVID-19 on emergency department imaging: what can we learn?

To investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department (ED) imaging. This retrospective study included all ED visits at a four-hospital academic health system in two matched 5-week periods. Demographic information, COVID-19 status, and disposition were reviewed. Type of imaging, acquisition time, and radiology reports were analyzed. Significance level was set at p < 0.05. A 43.2% decrease in ED visits and 12% reduction in overall ED imaging occurred during the pandemic period. Mean age was unchanged, but a shift in gender and racial characteristics was observed (p < 0.001). In the pandemic period, COVID-19 ED patients were older (61.8 ± 16.9 years, p < 0.001) and more likely to be Black (64.2%; p < 0.001) than non-COVID-19 patients. Imaging per ED encounter increased to 2.4 ± 2.8 exams from 1.7 ± 1.1 (p < 0.001). Radiography increased (57.2% vs. 52.4%) as a fraction of total ED imaging, while computed tomography (23.4% vs. 27.2%) and ultrasound (8.5% vs. 9.6%) decreased (pre-pandemic vs. pandemic). COVID-19 ED patients underwent CT and US at a lower rate (11.5% and 5.4%) than non-COVID-19 patients (25.4% and 9.1%). The proportion of imaging study reports concluding “no disease” or “no acute disease” decreased from 56.7 to 40.6% (p < 0.001). The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant reduction in ED visits, a shift in patient demographics, and a significant decrease in imaging volume. Additional impact included a significant increase in the proportion of positive imaging studies.
Assessment of Bullying in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Systematic Review of Methodologies and Participant Characteristics

The growing body of literature on bullying in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suggests individuals with ASD are bullied more frequently than their non-ASD peers. However, there is no gold standard assessment tool for bullying in ASD, and the use of differing methodologies generates varying prevalence estimates. This systematic review evaluates the assessment methods for bullying in ASD and summarizes the participant characteristics in this literature. None of the identified measures meet literature recommendations for bullying assessment in ASD. Additionally, there is a need for increased sample diversity regarding the gender, race, and cognitive ability of ASD participants. Recommendations for researchers and practitioners are discussed, including the need for a gold standard assessment tool and consistency in the operationalization of bullying.
How Healthcare Worker Well-Being Intersects with Safety Culture, Workforce Engagement, and Operational Outcomes

Burned out healthcare workers (HCWs) are more likely to make errors, provide poor quality of care, lack work-place engagement, and ultimately leave their jobs. The research is clear: the prevalence, severity and consequential nature of HCW burnout puts institutions at risk for costly patient safety issues and turnover. The need for evidence-based approaches to this large and growing problem is urgent, and many leaders are asking, “What can healthcare institutions and individual healthcare workers do to reduce burnout and improve well-being?” Across our research we have identified how HCW burnout intersects with safety culture, errors, engagement, and operational outcomes. We have also identified evidence-based institutional programs and initiatives as well as brief individual interventions (many at low/no cost) that improve burnout in the short and long term. Across all of the interventions we have found a key factor that appears to underlie the benefits that each intervention confers.
Assessment of Inter- and Intra-Rater Reliability of Tablet-Based Software to Measure Cochlear Duct Length.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to build upon previous work validating a tablet-based software to measure cochlear duct length (CDL). Here, we do so by greatly expanding the number of cochleae (n = 166) analyzed, and examined whether computed tomography (CT) slice thickness influences reliability of CDL measurements. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective chart review study. SETTING Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS Eighty-three adult cochlear implant recipients were included in the study. Both cochleae were measured for each patient (n = 166). INTERVENTIONS Three raters analyzed the scans of 166 cochleae at 2 different time points. Each rater individually identified anatomical landmarks that delineated the basal turn diameter and width. These coordinates were applied to the elliptic approximation method (ECA) to estimate CDL. The effect of CT scan slice thickness on the measurements was explored. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome measure is the strength of the inter- and intra-rater reliability. RESULTS The mean CDL measured was 32.84 ± 2.03 mm, with a range of 29.03 to 38.07 mm. We observed no significant relationship between slice thickness and CDL measurement (F1,164 = 3.04; p = 0.08). The mean absolute difference in CDL estimations between raters was 1.76 ± 1.24 mm and within raters was 0.263 ± 0.200 mm. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) between raters was 0.54 and ranged from 0.63 to 0.83 within raters. CONCLUSIONS This software produces reliable measurements of CDL between and within raters, regardless of CT scan thickness.
Law firms’ preferences and willingness to pay for attributes of law school graduates: results from a choice experiment

Preferences and willingness-to-pay for attributes of law school graduates are examined using a choice experiment. Results suggest preferences for candidates who graduate near the top of their class...
Extension of anionic diet into the first three days of lactation and its effect on calcium blood levels in postpartum dairy cattle

Although the incidence of clinical hypocalcemia in postpartum dairy cows is low on US dairies, subclinical hypocalcemia post-calving is common and has been associated with metabolic and infectious disease. It is common farm practice to feed a diet rich in anions to prepartum dairy cattle to support calcium homeostasis; however, this diet is typically discontinued at parturition when calcium needs are still high. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of extending the dietary anion cation difference into the first 3 days of lactation in multiparous dairy cattle with the use of magnesium chloride hexahydrate drenches on blood calcium levels.
How Not to End War: A Review of 'The Internationalists,' by Oona Hathaway and Scott Shapiro (Lawfare, Oct. 17, 2017)

As a history of ideas that led to the Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact of 1928, the book is well-written, jargon-free, and informative. It’s filled with lively sketches of the main characters and engrossing historical vignettes. As a work of international law and relations, however, the book suffers from an array of problems. The argument that the Pact succeeded overstates the prevalence of war before its ratification and understates it afterwards. The book fudges the Pact’s legal obligation. Wars of conquest, the Pact’s supposedly indisputable success story, are rendered a thing of the past largely by defining them out of existence. The book fails to establish causality. And its case rests ultimately on a mistaken notion of law as the prime source of revolutionary change.
A sparse H ∞ controller synthesis perspective on the reconfiguration of brain networks*

Complex networked systems are the norm in the modern world with the human brain being one of the most complex networks. The control of such systems is a difficult task due to the interactions among the individual elements of the system. In this paper the design of sparse feedback controllers for complex networks is considered. Specifically, an $H$ ∞ controller synthesis problem with D stability constraints is formulated and solved for networks with different topological features. This formulation allows us to examine tradeoffs between control performance, controller sparsity and speed of closed-loop response. We applied this formulation to synthetic networks and the Macaque visual cortical network, assuming Laplacian node dynamics. The results show that as the requested response becomes faster, the control performance improves, and the feedback gain matrix becomes sparser but with larger non-zero entries. This is analogous to the observation that functional brain networks during high cognitive demand adopt a more efficient but also costlier configuration. This analogy suggests a possible connection between cognitive control and closed-loop control under sparse feedback.
Transient Calibration of Cryogenic Thermometers

A novel method for rapidly and accurately calibrating cryogenic temperature sensors has been developed and demonstrated using a set of Cernox™ thermometers. The calibration approach is based on a thermal configuration for which the Biot number (defined as the ratio of conductive resistance to convective resistance) is much less than 0.1. This condition is met by mounting uncalibrated and calibrated thermometers together inside a sufficiently large copper block. The calibration is carried out in a transient mode by slowly lifting the copper block out of a bath of liquid cryogen (helium in this case), and allowing it to warm to room temperature, while simultaneously recording voltages of both the calibrated and uncalibrated thermometers. A complete calibration from 4.2 K to room temperature may be accomplished in approximately 30 minutes. Temperature uniformity within the copper block is theoretically determined by Biot number, and practically measured through the use of more than one calibrated thermometer. Calibration results, error analysis, and details regarding a unique data acquisition requirement are presented.
Studies of Voltage-Sensitive Sodium Channels in Cultured Cells Using Ion-Flux and Ligand-Binding Methods

This chapter surveys the development of ion-flux and ligand-binding methods for studies of voltage-sensitive sodium channels and their application to excitable cells in culture. These techniques have proven to be complementary to the electrophysiological methods described in other chapters of this volume in providing new information on the properties of excitable cells in culture and in giving new insight into the fundamental mechanisms of electrical excitability. Electrophysiological methods allow analysis of individual cells; biochemical methods allow analysis of cell populations. Electrophysiological methods give excellent time resolution; biochemical methods are more convenient for pharmacological studies and allow quantitation of ion channel density. One of the principal advantages of cell culture systems for study of electrical excitability is the ability to apply both electrophysiological and biochemical methods in parallel experiments.
Studies on the characterization of the sodium-potassium transport adenosinetriphosphatase. II. Characterization of the acyl phosphate intermediate as an L-glutamyl-gamma-phosphate residue.

Abstract The chemical nature of the acyl phosphate residue believed to be a phosphorylated intermediate in the (Na + + K + )-activated adenosinetriphosphatase has been investigated. The phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated forms of the enzyme were digested with pepsin, and the peptides were reacted with [2,3- 3 H] N -( n -propyl)hydroxylamine of high specific activity. A peptide fraction from each form of the enzyme was further degraded with pronase in the presence of carrier l -glutamyl-γ- N -( n -propyl)hydroxamate and carrier l -aspartyl-β- N ( n -propyl)hydroxamate. An increment in radioactivity migrated with authentic l -glutamyl-γ- N -( n -propyl)hydroxamate in a total of seven electrophoretic and Chromatographic systems. No increment in radioactivity was associated with authentic l -aspartyl-β- N -( n -propyl)hydroxamate in five of the seven systems. The increment associated with l -glutamyl-γ- N -( n -propyl)hydroxamate increased with successive purification, using some of the above systems. At the last stage of purification the radioactivity from the phosphorylated enzyme which migrated as l -glutamyl-γ- N -( n -propyl)hydroxamate was 2.5 times that from the nonphosphorylated enzyme. On gel filtration of partially purified radioactive material the major portion of the increment in radioactivity migrated with and gave the correct molecular weight for l -glutamyl-γ- N -( n -propyl)-hydroxamate. The final yield of increment in radioactivity, isolated as l -glutamyl-γ- N -( n -propyl)hydroxamate was low due to the resistance of the bulk of the peptides to complete enzymatic hydrolysis and to the instability of l -glutamyl-γ- N -( n -propyl)hydroxamate. However, stepwise cleavage of amino acids from the N -terminal ends of these peptides led to a loss in the increment in radioactivity; this would be expected of an l -glutamyl-γ- N -( n -propyl)hydroxamate residue on becoming N -terrminal, since it would then cyclize to form a pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid residue with loss of radioactive propylhydroxylamine. The response to Na + and to K + of the γ-activated glutamate, which was derivatized and eventually characterized as l -glutamyl-γ- N -( n -propyl)hydroxamate, was the same as that of the acyl phosphate previously described. From the above data it is concluded that the acyl phosphate intermediate in the (Na + + K + )-activated adenosinetriphosphatase is an l -glutamyl-γ-phosphate residue. It is suggested that a possible function of the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the glutamyl residue in the Na-K ATPase is to induce a cyclic conformational change in the enzyme, thus effecting the translocation of Na + and K + across the membrane.
Limitations on inductive learning

ABSTRACT This paper explores the proposition that inductive learning from examples is fundamentally limited to learning only a small fraction of the total space of possible hypotheses. We begin by defining the notion of an algorithm reliably learning a good approximation to a concept C. An empirical study of three algorithms (the classical algorithm for maximally specific conjunctive generalizations, ID3, and back-propagation for feed-forward networks of logistic units) demonstrates that each of these algorithms performs very poorly for the task of learning concepts defined over the space of Boolean feature vectors containing 3 variables. Simple counting arguments allow us to prove an upper bound on the maximum number of concepts reliably learnable from m training examples.
Trellis-Coded Modulation

Trellis-coded modulation (TCM) is an important practical means of achieving several decibels in link efficiency on Gaussian channels, without bandwidth expansion, and is now a component of numerous wireline and wireless standards. This article surveys the important principles in the design and analysis of such encoders, provides tabulations of best codes, and illustrates with discussion of two standards employing TCM. Keywords: channel coding; bandwidth-efficient transmission; trellis codes; Gaussian noise channel; Rayleigh fading channel; power spectrum
An intelligent vision system for motion detection using a neural network

This paper presents a neural network-based motion detector system of an object. The system consists of two components: a preprocessing and data compression part and a decision making subsystem that provides information about the motion of an object. A neural network is used as a decision making subsystem. The network is trained with a general object motion and tested on a specific unseen motion by the network. The training and testing errors were used to judge the performance of the network. The result is promising and shows the potential application of neural network to design a motion detection system. >
Serious Infections Caused by Uncommon Yeasts

1 Spectrum of Clinical Disease 2 Microbiology 3 Conclusions Keywords: serious infections by uncommon yeasts; Blastoschizomyces capitatus-genus Trichosporon, as environmental organism; spectrum of clinical disease; Malassezia species, Malassezia furfur-commonly identified causes of human infection; Rhodotorula species-isolated from soil, water, fruit juice; kidney involvement with T. beigelii in neutropenic patient with leukemia; eight species of Hanseniospora, three encountered in clinical specimens; clinically relevant Sporobolomyces species
Development of the Finite Element Modeling Markup Language

The f inite e lement m odeling M arkup L anguage (femML) effort is addressing the problems of data interpretation and exchange for intra- and inter- application interoperability in the Finite Element Modeling domain. This is achieved through the development of an extensible markup language (XML) variant for finite element model data that will permit the storage, transmission, and processing of finite element modeling data distributed via the World Wide Web and related infrastructure technologies. The focus of this work was to utilize the XML’s power of semantic encapsulation along with the existing and continuously improving associated technology to develop a dialect for exchanging FEM data across various codes with heterogeneous input format syntactic specifications. The main aspects of a finite element definition have been used as archetypes for defining the XML element taxonomy definitions. Namely, the geometry, the material, and the loading aspects of a structural component specification are used to define the first level elements of the associated Document Type Definition (DTD). The element list has been amended with a behavior element specification that represents the solution data to be exchanged or visualized. Various tools have been developed to demonstrate associated concepts along with the ANSYS set of tools.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
810.6–863.6 keV γγ-directional correlation in 58 Fe

The 810.6–863.6 keV γγ-directional correlation has been measured with an NaI(Tl)-Ge(Li) detector system. The NaI window was set on the 810.6+863.6 keV composite peak. From the (810.6 NaI gate) (863.6 Ge spectrum) data at 90 °, 135 °, and 180 °, we deducedA 2=+0.51±0.03 andA 4=+0.09±0.04. These results disagree with the values previously obtained from58Co decay (with Nal-NaI detector systems) but agree with the values from γγ(θ) studies following thermal neutron capture by57Fe.
Spatio-temporal epidemiology of hand, foot and mouth disease in Liaocheng City, North China

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) has posed a notable threat to public health and become a public health priority in China. This study was based on the reported cases of HFMD between 2007 and 2011. A total of 34,176 HFMD cases were geo-coded at town level (n=134). Firstly, a descriptive analysis was conducted to evaluate the epidemic characteristics of HFMD. Then, the Kulldorff scan statistic based on a discrete Poisson model was used to detect spatial-temporal clusters. Spatial distribution of HFMD in Liaocheng City, China from 2007 to 2011 was mapped at town level in the aspects of crude incidence, excess hazard and spatial smoothed incidence. The spatial distribution of HFMD was non-random and clustered with a significant Moran’s I value every year. The local Moran’s I Z-score detected three significant spatial clusters for high incidence of HFMD. The space-time analysis identified one most likely cluster and twenty-five secondary clusters for high incidence of HFMD. We demonstrate evidence of the existence of statistically significant HFMD clusters in Liaocheng City. Our results provide better guidance for formulating regional prevention and control strategies.
A comparison of the flammability of aluminium sieve trays and aluminium packing in air separation units

In air separation units, aluminium structured packing may be used instead of aluminium sieve trays for the cryogenic distillation of air. In previously published experiments regarding the flammability of packing in oxygen-enriched atmospheres, strong energy releases have been reported under conditions which did not correspond to realistic operating conditions. In additional tests with packing under simulated operating conditions, no propagation of combustion was observed even with strong promoters. Therefore, the authors confirmed the compatibility of aluminium packing for use in air separation units under operating conditions. In this paper, experiments are described to compare the flammability of aluminium sieve trays, which have been used for more than 30 years in distillation columns, with aluminium packing under similar conditions. It was found that under similar test conditions, sieve trays as well as packing are flammable. In flammability tests, violent energy releases were observed with the strong promoter thermite; however, no differences in flammability between sieve trays and packing were noticed. Comparing the flammability of the sieve trays, in use for more than 30 years in distillation columns, with packing, it was concluded that sieve trays can be substituted by packing without any additional risks.
Genetic heterogeneity of the attachment glycoprotein G among group A respiratory syncytial viruses

Fifteen independent group A respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) isolates were compared by sequencing a 300-nucleotide interval encoding a variable region of the attachment glycoprotein G. The viruses compared included the reference strains Long (USA 1956), A2 (Australia 1961), and 669 (Sweden 1959), along with 13 clinical isolates obtained at different times and locations throughout the United States. Representatives of all six antigenic subgroups, recognized by reactivity patterns with monoclonal antibodies, were compared. The maximum sequence heterogeneity within the G glycoprotein region compared was 15.7% of nucleotide sequences and 26% of amino acid sequences, more than twice the difference observed between Long and A2. Half of the nucleotide changes encoded amino acid substitutions, possibly indicating that the protein interval compared was subject to immune selection. Because the ratio of nucleotide to amino acid substitutions was nearly constant for all degrees of genetic divergence, the potential range of sequence divergence among group A RSV has probably not yet been attained. There was little correlation between the patterns of reactivity against a panel of monoclonal antibodies and sequence relationships among the 15 isolates. The sequence information showed multiple genotypes circulating simultaneously in the same community and very similar genotypes circulating in widely separated communities and during different years. Genetic analyses of RSV strains can provide important information about the relationships between RSV infections.
Occurrence of demersal fishes in relation to near‐bottom oxygen levels within the California Current large marine ecosystem

Various ocean-climate models driven by increased greenhouse gases and higher temperatures predict a decline in oceanic dissolved oxygen (DO) as a result of greater stratification, reduced ventilation below the thermocline, and decreased solubility at higher temperatures. Since spreading of low oxygen waters is underway and predicted to increase, understanding impacts on higher trophic levels is essential. Within the California Current System, shoaling of the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) is expected to produce complex changes. Onshore movement of the OMZ could lead to habitat compression for species with higher oxygen requirements while allowing expansion of species tolerant of low bottom DO. As part of annual groundfish surveys, we sampled catch across a range of conditions from the upper to the lower limit of the OMZ and shoreward across the continental shelf of the US west coast. DO ranged from 0.02 to 4.25 mL L � 1 with 642 stations (of 1020 sampled) experiencing hypoxic conditions in 2008–2010. Catch and species richness exhibited significant and positive relationships with near-bottom oxygen concentration. The probability of occurrence was estimated for four species (spotted ratfish, petrale sole, greenstriped rockfish and Dover sole) using a binomial Generalized Additive Model. The models for each species included terms for position, day of the year, salinity, near-bottom temperature and the interaction term between depth and near-bottom DO. Spotted ratfish and petrale sole were sensitive to changes in near-bottom oxygen, while greenstriped rockfish and Dover sole show no changes in probability of occurrence in relation to changes in oxygen concentration.
Variation due to Growth Environment in Alfalfa Yield, Cellulosic Ethanol Traits, and Paper Pulp Characteristics

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a promising bioenergy and bioproduct feedstock because of its high yield, N-fixation capacity, potential for planting in rotation with corn (Zea mays L.), and valuable protein co-product (leaf meal). Our objective was to examine the effect of growth environment on biomass yield, cellulosic ethanol traits, and paper pulp fiber characteristics of alfalfa stems. Landscape position (summit and mild slope), season of harvest (four harvests per season), and multiple years (2005 and 2006) provided environmental variation. Alfalfa stem samples were analyzed for cell wall carbohydrate and lignin concentration. Stems were subjected to dilute acid pre-treatment, enzymatic saccharification, and pulping processes to measure relevant cellulosic ethanol and paper production traits. Landscape position was not a significant source of variation for yield or any biomass quality trait. Yields varied among harvests in 2005 (1,410–3,265 kg ha−1) and 2006 (1,610–3,795 kg ha−1). All cell wall, conversion test, and paper production traits exhibited year by harvest interactions with no clear pattern. Total carbohydrates and lignin ranged from 440 to 531 g kg−1 DM and from 113 to 161 g kg-1 DM, respectively. Release of cell wall sugars by the conversion test ranged widely (419 to 962 g kg−1 DM). Fiber traits were similarly variable with length and fine content ranging from 1.24 to 1.59 mm and from 15.2% to 21.9%, respectively. Utilizing alfalfa biomass for cellulosic ethanol and paper pulp production will involve dealing with significant feedstock quality variation due to growth environment.
Cholinergic neurons regulate secretion of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor by skeletal muscle cells in culture

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has been identified as a potent survival factor for both central and peripheral neurons. GDNF has been shown to be a potent survival factor for motor neurons during programmed cell death and continuous treatment with GDNF maintains hyperinnervation of skeletal muscle in adulthood. However, little is known about factors regulating normal production of endogenous GDNF in skeletal muscle. This study aimed to examine the role that motor neurons play in regulating GDNF secretion by skeletal muscle. A co-culture of skeletal muscle cells (C2C12) and cholinergic neurons, glioma×neuroblastoma hybrid cells (NG108-15) were used to create nerve-muscle interactions in vitro. Acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) on nerve-myotube co-cultures were blocked with alpha-bungarotoxin (α-BTX). GDNF protein content in cells and in culture medium was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and western blotting. GDNF localization was examined by immunocytochemistry. The nerve-muscle co-culture study indicated that the addition of motor neurons to skeletal muscle cells reduced the secretion of GDNF by skeletal muscle. The results also showed that blocking AChRs with α-BTX reversed the action of neural cells on GDNF secretion by skeletal muscle. Although ELISA results showed no GDNF in differentiated NG108-15 cells grown alone, immunocytochemical analysis showed that GDNF was localized in NG108-15 cells co-cultured with C2C12 myotubes. These results suggest that motor neurons may be regulating their own supply of GDNF secreted by skeletal muscle and that activation of AChRs may be involved in this process.
An investigation of the effects of microstructure on fatigue damage in a symmetric [090]2s silicon carbide (SCS6) fiber-reinforced titanium matrix composite

Abstract The results of a systematic study of the effects of microstructure on the mechanisms of fatigue damage in a symmetric eight ply [ 0 90 ]2s Ti15Al3Cr3Al3Sn/SiC (SCS6) composite are presented. Damage mechanisms are elucidated using optical/scanning electron microscopy and acoustic emission techniques. Damage initiation under cyclic loading is shown to occur early in life, and is dominated by longitudinal and transverse interfacial cracking. Subsequent damage occurs by matrix and fiber cracking, slip band formation and crack coalescence prior to the onset of catastrophic failure. However, the sequence of the damage is sensitive to changes in the metastable β matrix and interfacial microstructure. Based on the experimental evidence, a micromechanics model is developed for the prediction of fatigue life. This model involves the use of crack-tip shielding concepts in the assessment of crack bridging phenomena during fatigue crack growth.
Stochastic Independent Modal-Space Control of Distributed-Parameter Systems

This reply is concerned with a comment by Turner and Chun on the solution of the matrix Riccati equation used in Ref. 1. Whereas the technique suggested by Turner and Chun may have some numerical advantage over Potter's method in the case of coupled large-order systems, the advantage is minimal when the independent modal-space control method is used.
Room temperature coherent control of defect spin qubits in silicon carbide

Electronic spins in semiconductors have been used extensively to explore the limits of external control over quantum mechanical phenomena. A long-standing goal of this research has been to identify or develop robust quantum systems that can be easily manipulated, for future use in advanced information and communication technologies. Recently, a point defect in diamond known as the nitrogen-vacancy centre has attracted a great deal of interest because it possesses an atomic-scale electronic spin state that can be used as an individually addressable, solid-state quantum bit (qubit), even at room temperature. These exceptional quantum properties have motivated efforts to identify similar defects in other semiconductors, as they may offer an expanded range of functionality not available to the diamond nitrogen-vacancy centre. Notably, several defects in silicon carbide (SiC) have been suggested as good candidates for exploration, owing to a combination of computational predictions and magnetic resonance data. Here we demonstrate that several defect spin states in the 4H polytype of SiC (4H-SiC) can be optically addressed and coherently controlled in the time domain at temperatures ranging from 20 to 300 kelvin. Using optical and microwave techniques similar to those used with diamond nitrogen-vacancy qubits, we study the spin-1 ground state of each of four inequivalent forms of the neutral carbon-silicon divacancy, as well as a pair of defect spin states of unidentified origin. These defects are optically active near telecommunication wavelengths, and are found in a host material for which there already exist industrial-scale crystal growth and advanced microfabrication techniques. In addition, they possess desirable spin coherence properties that are comparable to those of the diamond nitrogen-vacancy centre. This makes them promising candidates for various photonic, spintronic and quantum information applications that merge quantum degrees of freedom with classical electronic and optical technologies.
Validation of Large-Scale Alternate Assessment Systems and Their Influence on Instruction--What Are the Consequences?.

In conjunction with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA; PL 105-17), the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB; PL 107-110) calls for enhancements to existing assessment ...
The microvascular cell and ischemia-reperfusion injury.

The vascular endothelium has a number of functions that may mediate many of the ischemia-reperfusion (IR) phenomena. The gatekeeper function is disturbed and increased capillary permeability results in edema and organ dysfunction. Vasomotor function is altered, with impairment of relaxation and augmentation of constrictor responses. Coagulation becomes imbalanced, favoring the procoagulant pathways that lead to thrombosis. Vascular adhesion molecules (integrins, selectins) are upregulated or expressed to mediate the adherence and subsequent destructive effects of neutrophils as they interact with the endothelium and the underlying organs. Finally, the more chronic vascular endothelial response may be proliferation ofall cellular components of the vessel wall, leading, e.g., to intimal hyperplasia or restenosis. Ultimately, the endothelium plays a significant role either in the reparative processes that lead to recovery of the organ (myocardial stunning) or in the destructive processes that lead to cell or organ death (myocardial infarction). Our research group has been interested in the selectins, particularly E-selectin (endothelial) and P-selectin (platelet). E-selectin is not constitutively present on endothelial cells but can be upregulated by inflammatory mediators such as the cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and endotoxin. We have investigated the upregulation of E-selectin with cytokines in both hypoxia and hypothermia. Hypoxia appears to enhance E-selectin upregulation on stimulation with IL-1 or TNF-α, although hypothermia (to 25°C) blunts this response. With rewarming to 37°C, the transduction and surface expression return.
Correlates of HIV testing among African American and Latino church congregants: the role of HIV stigmatizing attitudes and discussions about HIV.

Faith-based organizations can be key settings in which to reach African Americans and Latinos for HIV prevention, but little is known regarding factors that predict congregants’ HIV testing behaviors. We examined the extent to which sociodemographic factors, HIV-related cues to action (e.g., knowing someone who is HIV-positive), and the social climate surrounding HIV (stigma toward a hypothetical HIV-positive congregant, HIV-related discussions at church about abstinence, condoms, and testing) were associated with willingness to be tested in church and with ever having been tested among 1211 African American and Latino congregants. Multivariate analyses indicated that congregants were more open to church-based testing if they were younger and had discussed condoms at church. They were less open if they expressed stigmatizing attitudes toward a hypothetical congregant. Foreign-born Latinos with low English proficiency were more willing to be tested at church than were African Americans. Congregants were more likely to have ever been tested if they were younger, African American, female, or married; if they knew someone who was HIV-positive; and if they had discussed testing and condoms at church. They were less likely if they had discussed abstinence. Open dialogue around HIV may activate congregants to be more receptive to church-based prevention.