cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Short-term diet changes revealed using stable carbon isotopes in horse tail-hair

Summary 1. We demonstrate the potential of extracting high-resolution dietary information from stable carbon isotopes ( δ 13 C) in horse tail-hair, in response to short-term changes in diet in controlled feeding experiments. 2. Tail hairs were sampled from six horses that had been equilibrated to C3 forage and were then subjected to a series of short-term diet switches to the C4 Coastal Bermuda Grass ( Cynodon dactylon L.). Four of these horses were equilibrated to Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) and were then subjected to 1-, 3- and 7-day diet spikes of the C4 grass. The remaining two horses were equilibrated to a C3 grass mix ( Dactylis glomerata L. and Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and then subjected to a 7-day diet spike of C4 grass. 3. The effects of the short-term diet switches were easily observable in the hair. The 1-, 3- and 7-day spikes showed an increasing deviation from the prespike equilibrium value of 1·0‰, 2·9‰ and 5·6‰ (7-day treatments averaged). 4. Isotopic chronologies of individual hairs were created and plotted against a threepool, exponential-decay model. With small alterations to the original model parameters, our data are well explained by this model. 5. This study indicates that information about diet is recorded with high resolution in hair. This method could be applied to both modern and ancient samples, greatly enhancing the temporal resolution of diet reconstruction studies.
Developmental Status, Gender, Age, and Self-Reported Decision-Making Influences on Students' Risky and Preventive Health Behaviors

This study used decision-making theory to analyze the developmental changes associated with children's and adolescents' health behavior. High school and elementary school children completed surveys concerning (1) the extent to which they engage in a variety of preventive and risky health behaviors, and (2) influence sources used in decision making concerning the enactment of these behaviors. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the sources of influence children and adolescents report considering in making health-related decisions change developmentally and as a function of gender. Moreover, within and across age, children's sources of influence with respect to health decision making are dependent on the health domains being considered. The findings are discussed in relation to decision-making theory and the implications for the content and timing of health education initiatives for adolescents.
Performance of max-mean level detector with and without censoring

The maximum-mean-level detector (MX-MLD) is a constant false-alarm rate (CFAR) detector designed to eliminate the excessively high false-alarm rate seen with the MLD at the edges of contiguous clutter regions. The concomitant high target suppression effect led M. Weiss (1982) to suggest a censored modification. The authors analyze the detection performance of the maximum-censored-mean-level detector (MX-CMLD). A homogeneous Swerling II target and clutter environment are assumed, and only single-pulse detection is considered. Analytic results apply equally to the MX-MLD and extend previous analysis. Simulation results are presented that demonstrate the qualitative effects of various CFAR detectors in nonhomogeneous clutter environments. >
Spatial pattern of Quercus regeneration limitation and Acer rubrum invasion in a Piedmont forest

Abstract Across eastern North America, there is a temporal trend from open Quercus forests to closed forests with increased Acer rubrum in the understory. We used a series of Ripley's K(d) analyses to examine changes in the spatial pattern of Quercus and Acer rubrum stems greater than 2.5 cm DBH over 45 yr in a 2-ha mapped stand. Specifically, we asked whether changes over time were consistent with the hypothesis that Quercus is being competitively replaced by Acer rubrum. Both Acer rubrum and Quercus stems are spatially clumped, but have become less clumped over time. Stem mortality from Hurricane Fran (1996) was more clumped in all strata of the forest, at all spatial scales, than expected if damage had occurred to stems at random. Acer rubrum ingrowth occurred more often near established trees (all species) in the midstory, whereas Quercus ingrowth occurred less often near established trees in the midstory. The specific hypothesis that stems of Acer rubrum in the midstory of the forest are associated w...
Geometric, Kinetic-Kinematic, and Intentional Constraints Influence Willingness to Pass Under a Barrier

Completing a goal directed behavior in a safe and efficient manner requires that a perceiver-actor is sensitive to the various constraints on performing that behavior and adjust his or her movements accordingly. When attempting to pass under a barrier, people adjust their ducking behavior based on the likelihood and potential costs of a collision (van der Meer, 1997). In three experiments, we investigated whether participants are sensitive to geometric (standing height), kinetic-kinematic (anticipated movement speed), and intentional (material properties of the barrier) constraints on passing under a barrier even before attempting to perform this behavior. Although Experiment 1 failed to show that anticipated movement speed influenced perception of whether a barrier could be passed under, Experiment 2 found that this factor influences willingness to attempt the behavior. Experiments 3a and 3b found that the material properties of the barrier itself also influence willingness to attempt the behavior. Toget...
Phagocytin: a bactericidal substance from polymorphonuclear leucocytes.

A technique has been developed for collecting large numbers of polymorphonuclear leucocytes from peritoneal exudates in rabbits. These cells are obtained essentially free from other cell types and from debris. When microphages so procured are disrupted by physical methods and extracted with aqueous salt solutions, the soluble fraction manifests striking bactericidal activity, especially on Gram-negative enteric bacilli. The susceptible microorganisms are not lysed. This bactericidal substance, which has been called phagocytin, appears to be limited in distribution mainly to the polymorphonuclear leucocyte. No phagocytin is present in extracts of rabbit heart, kidney, or skeletal muscle, and rabbit liver and spleen contain much less than do packed leucocytes. Extracts of human and of guinea pig microphages show less bactericidal activity than rabbit cell preparations. Similar extracts of rat and mouse polymorphonuclear leucocytes contain no demonstrable phagocytin. As indicated by its behavior on dialysis, on exposure to proteolytic enzymes, and on salt fractionation, phagocytin appears to be a protein with general properties characteristic of a globulin. It is clearly different from lysozyme and from properdin. Although phagocytin is reasonably stable at temperatures of 65°C. and lower for several hours, solutions of it gradually lose bactericidal activity on standing for prolonged periods at 4°C. This instability, and also the ease with which phagocytin is inactivated, presumably by adsorption, on exposure to a variety of materials, have thus far rendered fruitless efforts to isolate it.
Manganese neurotoxicity: a focus on glutamate transporters.

Manganese (Mn) is an essential element that is required in trace amount for normal growth, development as well maintenance of proper function and regulation of numerous cellular and biochemical reactions. Yet, excessive Mn brain accumulation upon chronic exposure to occupational or environmental sources of this metal may lead to a neurodegenerative disorder known as manganism, which shares similar symptoms with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD). In recent years, Mn exposure has gained public health interest for two primary reasons: continuous increased usage of Mn in various industries, and experimental findings on its toxicity, linking it to a number of neurological disorders. Since the first report on manganism nearly two centuries ago, there have been substantial advances in the understanding of mechanisms associated with Mn-induced neurotoxicity. This review will briefly highlight various aspects of Mn neurotoxicity with a focus on the role of astrocytic glutamate transporters in triggering its pathophysiology.
Aluminum Exposure and Metabolism

Aluminum (Al) is a nonessential, toxic metal to which humans are frequently exposed. Oral exposure to aluminum occurs through ingestion of aluminum-containing pharmaceuticals and to a lesser extent foods and water. Parenteral exposure to aluminum can occur via contaminated total parenteral nutrition (TPN), intravenous (i.v.) solutions, or contaminated dialysates. Inhalation exposure may be important in some occupational settings. The gut is the most effective organ in preventing tissue aluminum accumulation after oral exposure. Typically gastrointestinal absorption of aluminum from diets is < 1%. Although the mechanisms of aluminum absorption have not been elucidated, both passive and active transcellular processes and paracellular transport are believed to occur. Aluminum and calcium may share some absorptive pathways. Aluminum absorption is also affected by the speciation of aluminum and a variety of other substances, including citrate, in the gut milieu. Not all absorbed or parenterally delivered aluminum is excreted in urine. Low glomerular filtration of aluminum reflects that most aluminum in plasma is nonfiltrable because of complexation to proteins, predominantly transferrin. The importance of biliary secretion of aluminum is debatable and the mechanism(s) is poorly understood and appears to be saturable by fairly low oral doses of aluminum.
Increasing importance of dry eye syndrome and the ideal artificial tear: consensus views from a roundtable discussion

ABSTRACTBackground: Dry eye syndrome is a highly prevalent, yet largely under diagnosed, condition that can substantially affect quality of life. Left untreated, dry eye is associated with chronic eye pain and increased risk of ocular surface disease. Current demographic changes and lifestyle factors indicate that the dry eye syndrome patient population will increase significantly, ensuring that general practitioners and ophthalmic clinicians alike will experience more patients presenting with dry eye symptoms. Greater public and practitioner awareness of emerging research, technologies, and therapies is crucial to ensuring appropriate interventions to meet specific patient needs and result in clinically favorable outcomes.Roundtable assembly: In August 2005, a team of ocular surface experts convened for a 1‐day roundtable session to discuss the latest information on diagnosing and treating dry eye syndrome and real-world issues in artificial tear therapy, including preservative use.Roundtable discussion:...
From Spirited Youth to Loyal Official: Life Writing and Didacticism in the Jin shu Biography of Wang Dao

This paper revisits traditional notions about the relationship between the Jin shu and earlier sources for the Eastern Jin period (317–420), notably the Shishuo xinyu, through an analysis of the Jin shu biography of Wang Dao (276–339), the era's most powerful minister. Although scholars have long deemed the Jin shu a derivative work that uncritically drew upon the Shishuo xinyu and other texts of the period, I demonstrate how the authors of the Jin shu judiciously selected features from earlier sources to produce a portrait of their subject that was grounded in the terms and concerns of early Tang historiography. The careful curation of this material by Tang historians underlines the narrow criteria for selecting material to include in accounts of the period and demonstrates how biographies in the Jin shu were conceived and organized according to the emerging didactic and political functions of state-sanctioned historiography in the early Tang.
Checking Financial Power: Newspaper Coverage of the New York Stock Exchange's Bid to Control the Ticker, June 1889

Abstract In the late nineteenth century—a time when there was no government agency to act as an overseer on the actions and power of the New York Stock Exchange—the press took on this role instead. This article examines New York's five largest daily newspapers for their coverage of the week in 1889 when the NYSE cut off all ticker service from its floor, forcing brokers and members to employ messenger boys to transmit prices. It was the most public and dramatic maneuver in the NYSE's two-decades-long fight to gain complete control over who could receive its valuable information and how. Of 51 news stories and 11 editorials, only two gave sympathetic treatment to the NYSE's stance, and both appeared on the first day. After that, not a single news story nor editorial backed the NYSE's move as a wise one, and many of the news stories were chock full of critical editorial comments.
Abstract 105: Evidence that Serum Amyloid A Mediates Inflammation and Matrix Degradation in Abdominal Aortas of Angiotensin II--Infused ApoE-/- Mice

Objectives: Infusion of angiotensin II (AngII) into apoE -/- mice results in abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) that exhibit features of human AAA, including medial degradation, inflammation, and rupture. We determined that apoE -/- mice deficient in acute phase serum amyloid A (SAA) are protected from AngII-induced AAA (unpublished data). SAA is thought to orchestrate the inflammatory response to tissue injury by stimulating cytokine induction, inflammatory cell recruitment, and extracellular matrix turnover. In this study we performed in vitro and in vivo studies to test the hypothesis that SAA promotes AAA by augmenting inflammation and matrix degradation in abdominal aortas of AngII-infused mice. Methods and Results: Male apoE -/- mice were infused with 1000 ng/kg/min AngII or saline for 10 days. Abdominal aortas, defined as the 10.4mm region of the aorta immediately above the right superior renal vessel, were analyzed in vivo using a 7T ClinScan MRI and ex vivo by immunohistochemistry and in situ zymography. Vessel wall distensibility was markedly lower in the AngII-infused mouse abdominal aorta (0.54%/mm Hg) compared to saline control (1.07%/mm Hg). Sections of AAA corresponding to regions of lowest distensibility were distinguished by breaks in the elastin lamina that co-localized with intense matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity and prominent macrophage and SAA immunoreactivity. In more distensible regions of AAA, there was no evidence of elastin breaks, and MMP activity and macrophage and SAA immunoreactivity were less pronounced. Primary mouse aortic smooth muscle cells (VSMC) were cultured for 3 days and then treated for 8 hours in the presence or absence of 50μg/ml purified mouse SAA. Results from RT-PCR arrays indicated that SAA altered the expression of genes involved in inflammation (52 out 84 analyzed) and extracellular matrix/cell adhesion (24 out of 84 analyzed). Conventional RT-PCR confirmed that SAA induces the expression of Ccl2, MMP9 and MMP13 in mouse aortic VSMCs. Conclusions: SAA stimulates chemokine and MMP expression in VSMC that may lead to macrophage infiltration, medial degradation, and decreased arterial distensibility in AngII-induced AAA. SAA is potentially a useful biomarker and therapeutic target for human AAA.
Operations on Sets

By an operation on sets we mean the construction of a new set from the given ones. As we saw in the last chapter, these new sets may be formed using unions, intersections, set differences, or complements of given sets. In this section, we will look at many important properties of operations on sets. We end the chapter with a summarizing list of identities. In the exercises and problems you will be given the opportunity to prove the most important ones and then commit them to memory, so you don’t have to re-prove them every time you need them.
Why Do Tendons Hurt? Lessons from the Study of Calcific Tendinitis: Commentary on an article by Lisa Hackett, AMS, et al.: "Are the Symptoms of Calcific Tendinitis Due to Neoinnervation and/or Neovascularization?".

Calcific tendinitis is an interesting clinical condition in the shoulder, as it can be clinically silent and can be found incidentally in an asymptomatic patient, or it can also present with severe and acute pain. The underlying pathophysiology is not well understood. In addition, due to our lack of understanding of what initiates formation of the calcific deposit in the tendon, we also do not know what factors trigger the pain that can acutely develop in patients with a calcific deposit. The study by Hackett et al. demonstrates that there is an accumulation of inflammatory cells, neovascularization, and nerve fiber ingrowth in and around calcific deposits in symptomatic patients. This is consistent with the clinical presentation in patients with calcific tendinitis, as they can present with acute pain. The immunohistochemistry findings are consistent with the basic pathophysiology of inflammation, as it is known that inflammation is associated with neovascularization. Furthermore, neoinnervation is associated with new capillary formation. Similar findings of new capillary formation and expression of nociceptive mediators have been reported in analyses of angiofibroblastic hyperplasia lesions seen in rotator cuff tendinosis1. The presence of nociceptive chemicals and mediators in the rotator cuff, as found by Hackett et al., is consistent with the severe pain in these patients. A distinct limitation in this study is the inability to study biopsy specimens in asymptomatic patients with calcific deposits. This leads to consideration of one of the primary outstanding questions related to calcific tendinitis: …
Brief of Professors Cynthia L. Estlund, Samuel Estreicher, Julius G. Getman, William B. Gould IV, Michael C. Harper, Stewart J. Schwab and Theodore J. St. Antoine, as Amici Curiae in Support of Respondents Friedrichs v. California Teachers Assn., No. 14-915

The public sector employer has an interest in maintaining uniform terms and conditions for similarly-situated employees. There are essentially two approaches open to the employer for setting these terms. One is unilateral management determination, perhaps with the help of a sophisticated human resources office. The second approach is to develop these terms in consultation with the affected employees. The latter is best accomplished when employees feel they can identify their preferences and concerns without fear of retaliation. This collective employee voice function requires independent employee organization. On the question of funding for such organizations, if management or the state otherwise funds the organization, it may lack credibility with the affected employees and not be able to perform well the desired voice function. Such an organization may be rightly perceived by the employees as a unit of management. The alternative means of funding is self-funding, where the affected employees absorb the costs of their representation.
Acute transient hemolytic anemia with a positive Donath-Landsteiner test following parvovirus B19 infection

Purpose A case of childhood acute hemolytic anemia following parvovirus infection provided an hypothesis for the high frequency of Donath-Landsteiner antibodies and inappropriately low reticulocyte counts in this disease. Patients and methods A 3-year-old boy with hematuria and jaundice was found to have autoimmune hemolytic anemia due to a biphasic IgG Donath-Landsteiner antibody. Despite profound anemia (hematocrit 14.5%), the reticulocyte count was low (1.0%) and examination of his normocellular bone marrow showed erythroid hypoplasia. Results A clinical diagnosis 2 weeks earlier of acute parvovirus B19 was serologically confirmed as the associated antecedent infection. Hemolytic anemia resolved with packed red cell transfusion, and intravenous immune globulin and steroid treatment. Conclusions The high-frequency red cell P antigen is both the unusual specificity of Donath-Landsteiner antibody and the viral receptor for parvovirus infection of red cell precursors. We speculate that interaction of the virus with its receptor may change antigenicity such that anti-P autoantibody forms. Parvovirus B19 may be a primary cause of reticulocytopenic postinfectious hemolytic anemia in children.
Phase I Study of 2′,3′-Dideoxyinosine: Experience with 19 Patients at New York University Medical Center

We performed a phase I study of escalating dosages of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (didanosine; ddI) in 19 patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex in order (1) to establish the maximal tolerated dosage, (2) to determine the nature of toxic adverse effects, (3) to measure changes in levels of circulating human immunodeficiency virus p24 antigen and in CD4+ cell counts, and (4) to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of ddI. Almost all patients had received zidovudine therapy previously. The maximal tolerated dosage of ddI was found to be approximately 12 mg/(kg.d) when it was administered orally for 28 weeks. The major dosage-limiting adverse effects encountered were neuropathy, pancreatitis, and hepatitis. These occurred at dosages higher than those associated with decreases in levels of p24 antigen. The major toxic effects of ddI are different from those associated with zidovudine. At the proper dosage, ddI may prove to be an effective agent for the chronic treatment of infection with human immunodeficiency virus and should be especially useful in the treatment of patients who cannot tolerate zidovudine.
Gaining Organizational Buy In: Lessons Learned from Fifty Ergonomists

Change is an inevitable part of organizational health and survival. Yet, the process of implementing change can be problematic. This presentation will introduce a novel framework for implementing organizational change and focus on a major theme of the process– gaining organizational buy-in. Fifty in-depth interviews were conducted with professionals who had experience implementing ergonomic change processes in organizations nationally and internationally. The majority of participants were members of, or recommended by, the Macroergonomics Technical Group of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Qualitative data from the interviews were analyzed with the help of the software program NVivo. At the end of the presentation, the audience will be familiar with best practices and lessons learned to gain organizational buy-in for implementing an ergonomics change process.
Effect of Alkaline Preflush in an Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer Flood

An ultralow interfacial tension alkali-surfactant-polymer formulation was developed for a sandstone reservoir. Phase behavior was studied with the reservoir oil at different water–oil ratios and varying salt/alkali concentrations. The rheology of the resulting microemulsion phases was measured with and without polymers. The surfactant formulation was tested with a field core and an out-crop core, with and without an alkaline preflush. Waterflood recovered about 48% of the oil in place and reduced the oil saturation to 35% for the field core. The tertiary ASP injection in the field core without alkaline preflush yielded 80% cumulative oil recovery; the recovery increased to 85% in the same core (and the same surfactant formulation) if the alkaline preflush was used. The oil recovery in the out-crop core with the alkaline preflush was 94%. Alkaline preflush increases the core salinity to the optimum salinity of the surfactant formulation before the surfactant slug.
Specifying and Checking File System Crash-Consistency Models

Applications depend on persistent storage to recover state after system crashes. But the POSIX file system interfaces do not define the possible outcomes of a crash. As a result, it is difficult for application writers to correctly understand the ordering of and dependencies between file system operations, which can lead to corrupt application state and, in the worst case, catastrophic data loss. This paper presents crash-consistency models, analogous to memory consistency models, which describe the behavior of a file system across crashes. Crash-consistency models include both litmus tests, which demonstrate allowed and forbidden behaviors, and axiomatic and operational specifications. We present a formal framework for developing crash-consistency models, and a toolkit, called Ferrite, for validating those models against real file system implementations. We develop a crash-consistency model for ext4, and use Ferrite to demonstrate unintuitive crash behaviors of the ext4 implementation. To demonstrate the utility of crash-consistency models to application writers, we use our models to prototype proof-of-concept verification and synthesis tools, as well as new library interfaces for crash-safe applications.
240 WINDSHIELD SURVEY TO TEACH JUNIOR MEDICAL STUDENTS COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT.

Introduction A variety of disciplines use windshield survey (WS), a visual, structured method, as a qualitative measure and teaching tool. The target area can be as small as a neighborhood. Methods Junior medical students (JMSs) have a 1-week community pediatrics experience with off-campus clinical experiences with underserved and a reflective writing assignment. For 2006-07, a WS of a neighborhood has been added. At the end of the week, JMSs are assigned 4 × 6 block areas in the vicinity of Children9s or University Hospital to identify assets and needs in a WebCT format with a locally developed checklist, brief text description, digital photography, and use of Google Earth mapping to identify the area and to identify a solution to an identified need. Results Twelve surveys were available. Students report 2 to 3 hours to conduct the survey and complete. Students consistently identified poor housing conditions as needs. Assets consistently noted were churches, parks, and public transport. Three students noted presence of neighborhood organizations as assets. Six suggested neighborhood watch. Conclusions WS is a tool to teach JMSs to identify community health assets and needs, using observation, a basic Internet tool for geographic information system, and digital photography.
Effects of Fluvastatin on the intracellular Ca2+ level and endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Objective:To investigate the effect of fluvastatin on the intracellular Ca2+ level and endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS)activity in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs).Method:Cultured HUVECs were randomly divided into 5 groups:control,fluvastatin(10-8-10-5 mol/L).Nitric oxide(NO)was measured by colorimetry.L-[3H]-arginine and L-[3H]-citrulline were measured by scinillation counting.[Ca2+]i was observed by laser-scanning confocal microscope.Result:Incubation HUVECs with 10-8-10-5 mol/L fluvastatin for 12 h increased intracellular Ca2+ level,eNOS activity and NO release in a concentration-dependent manner.In addition,10-5 mol/L fluvastatin improved eNOS activity in a time-dependent way at different time(0,6,12 h),and eNOS activity was most promoted by fluvastatin after 12 h incubation.Conclusion:Fluvastatin dose-dependently increases HUVECs eNOS activity and NO release,which is related to increased intracellular Ca2+ level.
Diabetes mellitus and preventable spinal cord injury.

AbstractPurpose: A high prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) among spinal cord injury (SCI) populations has been noted. A review and follow-up of acute admissions to a SCI service was conducted to explain this high prevalence.Methods: Records of 166 patients admitted for rehabilitation within 1 08 days of paralysis were reviewed. Cases of DM were identified by records of treatment or fasting blood glucose levels > 140 mg% or hemoglobin A 1 c < 7 g%. The onset of DM relative to SCI, the age at injury, and the cause of injury were recorded. New cases of DM and all deaths within a 5-year follow-up were determined for those patients 40 years of age or older at paralysis.Results: The prevalence of DM was 0 of 79 younger patients (aged 16 to 39 years) but 18 of 87 older patients (aged 40 to 86 years), or 21 %. All patients with DM had been diagnosed before SCI (16 patients) or during the initial hospitalization (2 patients). The cause of injury was falling in 11 of 18 (61 %) DM patients and 31 of 69 (45%) nondi...
The Impact of Inventory Valuation Methods on Corporate Financial Reports.

Business students are generally introduced to LIFO and FIFO in their first accounting course. However, that introduction generally focuses exclusively on computing ending inventory and cost of goods sold. Students are rarely challenged to compute or analyze the impacts of LIFO and FIFO on the income statement, balance sheet, or cash flow statement. This paper presents a hypothetical case designed to provide a framework within which students can compute, analyze, and discuss the financial statement impacts and economic impacts of choosing one or the other of these accounting methods. The questions in this case also address the effects of this choice on financial indicators like liquidity ratios, the impacts of each method on quality of earnings, and the potential impacts of IFRS convergence on companies that are currently using LIFO. One important feature of this case is its adaptability to support a variety of learning outcomes in different courses. This flexibility results from making the questions posed in the case as independent of each other as possible. That independence allows a professor to select only the questions that support the learning outcomes for that professor’s specific course. The teaching notes discuss in detail possible course applications and uses of this case.
Ceramic Package Solutions for MEMS Sensors

Implementation of microelectroMechanical systems (MEMS) sensors continues to increase as MEMS technology gains acceptance as a reliable and cost competitive design solution. Ceramic packages are one option that can offer the environmental protection for the sensor, and ceramic can also help the sensor achieve a miniaturized, flexible design solution that is capable of meeting the most demanding requirements. With flexural strengths between 400-620 MPa, thermal conductivities between 14-21 W/mK, and thermal coefficient of expansions ranging between 6.9-7.2 ppm/degC, the ceramic package can provide a stable platform to mount sensors that are sensitive to external stresses. Furthermore, if the sensor is sensitive to atmospheric conditions, ceramic packages can also offer a hermetic seal, capable of meeting a leak rate of 1 times 10-8 Std cc He/sec (at one atmosphere). To meet the demands of miniaturization, ceramic packages can provide multiple die packaging arrangements, internal cavity structures, 50 mum vias and lines/spaces, footprints as small as 3 mm times 3 mm and package profiles less than 1 mm. The following paper will illustrate how ceramic packages have kept up with the miniaturization requirements of the most demanding MEMS sensors. It will show the trends of MEMS sensors and it will also show why ceramic remains an excellent packaging choice for MEMS packaging designers. Lastly, it will discuss new developments in ceramic packaging, which demonstrate how ceramic will continue to be a viable packaging material for future MEMS sensor designs.
Diffusive limits for linear transport equations

The authors show that the Hibert and Chapman-Enskog asymptotic treatments that reduce the nonlinear Boltzmann equation to the Euler and Navier-Stokes fluid equations have analogs in linear transport theory. In this linear setting, these fluid limits are described by diffusion equations, involving familiar and less familiar diffusion coefficients. Because of the linearity extant, one can carry out explicitly the initial and boundary layer analyses required to obtain asymptotically consistent initial and boundary conditions for the diffusion equations. In particular, the effects of boundary curvature and boundary condition variation along the surface can be included in the boundary layer analysis. A brief review of heuristic (nonasymptotic) diffusion description derivations is also included in our discussion.
The Dual Role of State Attorneys General in American Federalism: Conflict and Cooperation in an Era of Partisan Polarization

A key development during the Obama Administration was the increasing importance of state attorneys general (AGs) in national policymaking. This article examines the dual role that AGs played during the Obama years. The first role was highly contentious, with Republican AGs leading several multistate challenges to Obama Administration priorities and successfully limiting President Obama’s policy legacy. The second role was more cooperative, involving increasing coordination between AGs and their federal counterparts in national enforcement efforts. Relying on case studies in the areas of immigration enforcement, climate change regulation, and the oversight of for-profit higher education, this article highlights several crucial trends concerning the activities of these important state-level actors.
Me, Myselfie, and I: Individual and Platform Differences in Selfie Taking and Sharing Behaviour

Although there is research on selfie-related behaviour via social media, many questions remain about the relationships between traditional mass media and new media use, creating and sharing selfies, and using selfies for relationship maintenance. In this study, we outline links between traditional media consumption and new media use, and explicate specific dimensions of the selfie including aesthetic appeal and picture composition. Individual differences - including contingencies of self-worth, attachment insecurity levels, and life satisfaction- were used to explain taking and sharing behaviour. Results show that the appearance-based contingency of self-worth, whereby individuals peg their self-esteem to their looks, explains individual focus on image and selfies. In addition, Snapchat is a significantly more popular platform for sharing selfies, as opposed to Facebook. Surprisingly, men take and share more selfies, compared to women. Results are discussed in terms of online self-disclosure, and suggestions for future research are offered.
Patient and Physician Perspectives on Traditional Systemic and Biologic Therapies for Psoriasis

Managing the disease burden in psoriasis and mitigating its impact on quality of life for people living with the disease necessitate treatments which are safe, effective, convenient, accessible, and affordable. There are however a number of considerations from the perspectives of patients and providers which have the potential to present therapeutic dilemmas and barriers to patients achieving satisfaction in disease management. Herein we explore current treatment trends, perspectives of patients and providers on systemic and biologic treatments for psoriasis, as well as unmet needs in achieving a patient-centered approach to psoriasis care yielding optimal outcomes.
Mechanism of the Interaction of Ethylene with Atomic Oxygen on A Silver Surface

The combustion mechanism of ethylene by atomic oxygen on silver (110) was investigated with the modern tools of surface science. Ethylene was oxidatively dehydrogenated by the adsorbed atomic oxygens to surface hydroxide and a surface residue of carbon atoms. The surface hydroxide intermediates rapidly reacted to yield water and adsorbed atomic oxygen, and the carbon atoms were subsequently oxidized by atomic oxygen to carbon dioxide. This investigation revealed that partially oxygenated hydrocarbons were not formed on the catalyst surface during the combustion of ethylene by atomic oxygen.
Fractionation of nucleic acids from dormant and germinated Azotobacter cysts

Abstract Chromatography of nucleic acid extracts of Azotobacter vinelandii cysts and of phased germinated cysts was performed using methylated albumin-kieselguhr(MAK) columns. After 4 hours germination, DNA and ribosomal RNA peaks are seen to elute at higher NaCl concentrations than those of dormant cysts. The elution profile of transfer RNA did not change during cyst germination. Evidence is presented which suggests that shifts in elution profiles are due to changes in nucleic acid configuration during the process of germination. This evidence may indicate an additional mechanism for cyst survival in a deleterious environment.
Compact Operators on a Hilbert Space

In the previous chapter we decomposed self-adjoint, normal, and unitary operators into integrals over their spectra. We should like to apply these results, especially in the self-adjoint case, to ordinary and partial differential operators. Unfortunately differential operators on the standard L2 spaces are not bounded, and thus do not satisfy the hypotheses made previously. To circumvent this difficulty in part we apply the results to the inverse operators, which are not only bounded, but in addition are of a very special form. They are compact.
Rhombus and rhomboid parallelogram patterns on glaciers: natural indicators of strain

Subtle rhombus and rhomboid parallelogram patterns occur on Vaughan Lewis Glacier and the Gilkey Glacier System, Juneau Icefield, Alaska. The patterns are within the firn at the firn-ice interface, are formed by differential recrystallization within narrow preferred zones, and are apparently manifestations of stresses transferred upward from the glacier ice. On the glaciers of the Gilkey System the patterns occur where intense lateral shortening is indicated by abrupt convergence of medial moraines and an abundance of extension crevasses. The short axes of the rhombi and the obtuse angle bisectors of the rhomboids are subparallel to the strike of extension crevasses, therefore to the axis of shortening. The long axes of the rhombi and the acute angle bisectors of the rhomboids are parallel to the foliation, and ice-flow direction. The angles of the parallelograms are variable locally, but average 105° and 75°; the variation seems to reflect intensity and duration of stress. Similar parallelograms occur within the troughs of wave bulges below the Vaughan Lewis Icefall. In the wave bulges, the foliation arcs parallel the wave. The long axes of the rhombi and acute angle bisectors of the rhomboids parallel the foliation around the foliation arc. The short axes of the rhombi and the obtuse angle bisectors of the rhomboids parallel the strikes of radial crevasses, are perpendicular to the direction of extension, and form a fan divergent down-stream. The precise mechanisms and conditions of formation of the parallelograms are not yet understood. Preliminary strain-rate measurements suggest, however, that correlations exist between the orientations of the principal strain-rates and the axes of the patterns, and between the magnitude of the strain-rates and the axial lengths of the patterns.
Disrupting a negative feedback loop drives endocrine therapy-resistant breast cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, 266,120 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,920 will die in 2018 (1). Approximately 70% of all these breast cancers express estrogen receptor α (ERα) and are initially treated with endocrine therapies that target this nuclear hormone receptor (2). ERα plays a major role in the development of breast tumorigenesis, and its activity is mediated by binding of ligands, such as its naturally occurring major ligand, 17-β estradiol (E2). Ligand binding leads to dimerization and the subsequent binding of ERα to specific DNA sequences, followed by the recruitment of coactivators (CoActs) needed to transactivate ERα target genes (3). Three main US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved endocrine therapies for inhibiting ERα signaling in patients who have breast cancer are as follows: aromatase inhibitors (AIs) [e.g., exemestane (4)] that decrease the E2 level in tumors, selective ERα modulators [e.g., tamoxifen (5)] that increase corepressors (and decrease CoActs) bound to ERα, and selective ERα down-regulators (SERDs) [e.g., fulvestrant (6)] that increase proteasome-mediated ERα protein turnover. However, roughly 50% of ERα-positive tumors acquire resistance to these therapies after an initial favorable response (7). This acquired resistance is often coupled to breast cancer metastasis [especially to bone (8)] that results in death. Thus, a much better understanding of the mechanisms driving endocrine therapy resistance and metastasis is critical. Previous studies have suggested multiple possible mechanisms of acquired resistance, including increased ERα and CoAct expression; mutations in the gene encoding ERα ( ESR1 ) that give rise to estrogen-independent, constitutively active receptors (9, 10); and aberrant growth factor signaling (e.g., EGFR, HER2, IGF1R pathways) and other kinase pathways (e.g., mTOR, CDK4/6) (11, 12). While pharmacological targeting of EGFR and IGF1R did not improve patient survival over endocrine therapy alone, patients in clinical trials … [↵][1]1Email: foulds{at}bcm.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Eccentric Exercise: Benefits and Applications to Training

Abstract Eccentric training and eccentric muscular contractions focus on active lengthening while loaded. When compared to concentric movements, eccentric actions yield greater force levels with concomitant lower neuromuscular activation levels. Eccentric training is mainly incorporated indirectly by strength and conditioning and fitness professionals, leading to it being often underused and undervalued. Eccentric training can readily be incorporated into a training program along with the use of nontraditional exercises for all populations. This chapter examines the science of eccentric training and extends this science by focusing on practical recommendations for all able-bodied and athletic populations.
Sparse Macro Factors

We use machine-learning techniques to estimate sparse principal components (PCs) for 120 monthly macroeconomic variables from the FRED-MD database. Each sparse PC is a sparse linear combination of the underlying macroeconomic variables, allowing for their economic interpretation. Innovations to the sparse PCs constitute a set of sparse macro factors. Robust tests indicate that sparse macro factors corresponding to yields and housing earn statistically and economically significant risk premia. A three-factor model comprised of the market factor and mimicking portfolio returns for the yields and housing factors performs well compared to leading multifactor models in explaining numerous anomalies.
Survival outcomes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma by association with concurrent or antecedent follicular lymphoma and double hit status.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) transformed from follicular lymphoma (FL) (tDLBCL) has been traditionally associated with an aggressive course, but more recent studies have shown longer survi...
Polarized Digital Holography as Valuable Analytical Tool in Biological and Medical Research

We propose a new, simple digital holography-based polarization microscope for birefringence imaging of biological cells. Although further experimentation is required, the proposed approach could represent a potential label-free diagnostic tool for use in biological and medical research and diagnosis.
Versuche über die Entwicklungserregung von Eiern durch Samenextrakt

Es sind in der Tat einige Ansatze gemacht worden, die Entwicklung von Seeigeleiern durch Samenextrakt hervorzurufen. Es unterliegt keinem Zweifel, das diese Versuche mit der Zeit gelingen werden. Was aber bisher in dieser Richtung uber angebliche Erfolge berichtet worden ist, halt der Kritik nicht stand.
Composition of the Lipid Droplets of the Bovine Corpus Luteum

2. Abstract Establishment and maintenance of pregnancy is dependent on progesterone synthesized by luteal tissue in the ovary. Our objective was to identify the characteristics of lipid droplets (LDs) in ovarian steroidogenic cells. We hypothesized that LDs are a major feature of steroidogenic luteal cells and store cholesteryl esters. Bovine luteal tissue was used for whole tissue analysis. Further analyses were performed on isolated ovarian steroidogenic cells: granulosa and theca cells of the follicle, and small/large luteal cells. Isolated luteal LDs were collected for lipid/protein analyses. Luteal tissue contained perilipins 2/3/5, hormone-sensitive lipase and abhydrolase domain containing 5. Luteal tissue was enriched in TGs compared to other tissues, except of adipose tissue. Large and small luteal cells were distinguished from follicular cells by the presence of LDs and LD-associated proteins. Furthermore, LDs from large luteal cells were numerous and small; whereas, LDs from small luteal cells were large and less numerous. Isolated LDs contained nearly all of the TGs and cholesteryl esters present in luteal tissue. Isolated luteal LDs were composed primarily of TG, with lesser amounts of cholesteryl esters, diglyceride and other phospholipids. Bovine luteal tissue LDs are distinct from LDs in other bovine tissues, including follicular steroidogenic cells.
From Algebraic Word Problem to Program: A Formalized Approach.

In this paper, we propose a pipeline to convert grade school level algebraic word problem into program of a formal languageA-IMP. Using natural language processing tools, we break the problem into sentence fragments which can then be reduced to functions. The functions are categorized by the head verb of the sentence and its structure, as defined by (Hosseini et al., 2014). We define the function signature and extract its arguments from the text using dependency parsing. We have a working implementation of the entire pipeline which can be found on our github repository.
Challenges in returning results in a genomic medicine implementation study: the Return of Actionable Variants Empirical (RAVE) study

To inform the process of returning results in genome sequencing studies, we conducted a quantitative and qualitative assessment of challenges encountered during the Return of Actionable Variants Empiric (RAVE) study conducted at Mayo Clinic. Participants (n = 2535, mean age 63 ± 7, 57% female) were sequenced for 68 clinically actionable genes and 14 single nucleotide variants. Of 122 actionable results detected, 118 were returnable; results were returned by a genetic counselor—86 in-person and 12 by phone. Challenges in returning actionable results were encountered in a significant proportion (38%) of the cohort and were related to sequencing and participant contact. Sequencing related challenges (n = 14), affecting 13 participants, included reports revised based on clinical presentation (n = 3); reports requiring corrections (n = 2); mosaicism requiring alternative DNA samples for confirmation (n = 3); and variant re-interpretation due to updated informatics pipelines (n = 6). Participant contact related challenges (n = 44), affecting 38 participants, included nonresponders (n = 20), decedents (n = 1), and previously known results (n = 23). These results should be helpful to investigators preparing for return of results in large-scale genomic sequencing projects.