cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endometriosis: a role for stem cells

Endometriosis is a complex gynecologic condition affecting 6–10% of reproductive aged women and is a major cause of chronic pain and infertility. Mechanisms of disease pathogenesis are poorly understood. Considerable evidence supports the existence of a stem cell population in the endometrium which provides a physiologic source of regenerative endometrial cells, and multiple lines of evidence now support a key role for stem cells in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. In addition, new blood vessel formation is critical for the establishment and maintenance of endometriotic implants, a process in which endothelial progenitor cells may play an integral role. These new insights into disease pathogenesis present exciting opportunities to develop targeted and more effective therapeutic options in the management of this common and challenging disease.
Inhalational and percutaneous methanol toxicity in two firefighters

We present two cases of adult inhalational and percutaneous methanol toxicity resulting from transient exposure to vaporized methanol. Both patients complained only of a mild headache at the time of the emergency department evaluation and had normal physical examinations, normal anion gaps, and peak methanol levels of 23 and 16 mg/dL, respectively. Emergency physicians should recognize the potential for toxic transcutaneous absorption of methanol. Because of the varying relationship between clinical symptoms, physical examination findings, and anion gap values to potentially toxic methanol exposures, acquisition of empiric serum methanol levels appears warranted in appropriate situations.
CONDENSATION OF FRENKEL EXCITONS

Abstract The problem of condensation in a singlet excitonic system is studied using the symmetry-broken Hartree approximation. The transition temperature T c , the chemical potential and the order parameter are obtained, and the specific heat is also calculated. It is found that there exists an energy gap in the condensing state.
Negative incentive contrast with sucrose

A decrease in the concentration of a sucrose solution resulted in negative incentive contrast effects. This finding disagrees with many studies in the literature.
Extension of High-Temperature Electronics

Commercial and Sandia fabricated silicon MOSFET's, thickfill resistors and capacitors, and magnetic components were investigated in an effort to increase the versatility of microelectronics used at 300°C and to form a foundation for a higher temperature technology. Commerical MOSFET's were found susceptible to parameter drifts and have unacceptable electrical characteristics when tested at 300°C, whereas redesigned low alkali impurity devices were able to maintain stable operation at 300°C for 1000 h with improved characteristics. Thus, although MOSFET's are prone to aging, it is possible to use fabrication procedures which allow MOSFET use at high temperature. A specially developed ceramic filled, high silica frit dielectric thick-film material exhibited a sufficiently high resistivity to permit development of 300°C, 1.0 \muF capacitors. Procedures were developed to make this material compatible with the multilayer brick capacitor format which is necessary for miniaturization. Both this dielectric and a ruthenium-based resistor material were shown useful to 500°C. In addition, a spectrum of magnetic components was qualified for use at 500°C.
A Potential Role for Intensive Chemotherapy in the Treatment of Small Cell Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Cervix

Small cell neuroendocrine (SCNE) tumors of the cervix constitute a group of malignancies with a predilection for early systemic metastasis which likely contributes to the poor outcome reported to date. Histologic and immunocytochemical similarities exist between SCNE cervical tumors and small cell (oat cell) tumors of the lung. Notable clinical responses to chemotherapy have been reported in both small cell lung tumors and in poor-risk squamous cervical cancers, suggesting the potential for a similar role in the management of SCNE cervical tumors. In this report, four cases are described in which intensive chemotherapy with etoposide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin was used in patients with SCNE tumors. Marked reduction in tumor volume was a feature in three evaluable patients, two of whom received neoadjuvant therapy (one complete and one near-complete pathologic response). The fourth patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and remains without evidence of disease 47 months from diagnosis. Management details of each case have been provided along with a review of the use of chemotherapy in SCNE cervical tumors.
The cost of sensitive response and accurate adaptation in networks with an incoherent type-1 feed-forward loop

The incoherent type-1 feed-forward loop (I1-FFL) is ubiquitous in biological regulatory circuits. Although much is known about the functions of the I1-FFL motif, the energy cost incurred in the network and how it affects the performance of the network have not been investigated. Here, we study a generic I1-FFL enzymatic reaction network modelled after the GEF–GAP–Ras pathway responsible for chemosensory adaptation in eukaryotic cells. Our analysis shows that the I1-FFL network always operates out of equilibrium. Continuous energy dissipation is necessary to drive an internal phosphorylation–dephosphorylation cycle that is crucial in achieving strong short-time response and accurate long-time adaptation. In particular, we show quantitatively that the energy dissipated in the I1-FFL network is used (i) to increase the system's initial response to the input signals; (ii) to enhance the adaptation accuracy at steady state; and (iii) to expand the range of such accurate adaptation. Moreover, we find that the energy dissipation rate, the catalytic speed and the maximum adaptation accuracy in the I1-FFL network satisfy the same energy–speed–accuracy relationship as in the negative-feedback-loop (NFL) networks. Because the I1-FFL and NFL are the only two basic network motifs that enable accurate adaptation, our results suggest that a universal cost–performance trade-off principle may underlie all cellular adaptation processes independent of the detailed biochemical circuit architecture.
Family study designs in the age of genome-wide association studies: experience from the Framingham Heart Study.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The past year has seen the publication of many genome-wide association studies, most of which are case-control studies. These publications are at the forefront of current research into the examination of genetic effects for numerous diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Over the past 25 years the tour de force of genetics research has been in family studies, using segregation, linkage and association analyses. Are these approaches now passe? Here we discuss the role of family studies in modern genetics research, using results from the Framingham Heart Study as examples. RECENT FINDINGS Family studies permit both linkage and association analyses. Importantly, family-based association tests that consider transmission of genetic variants within a family provide important information on the genetic etiology of disease traits and avoid the potential of false-positive findings due to population substructure. SUMMARY Family-based study designs continue to contribute much to the modern era of genome-wide association studies.
Heart and sport

Prior to the second half of the 19th century, it was generally believed that exercise was a potential cause of cardiac damage. In 1869, Prof. J. E. Morgan studied the after-health of 294 men who had rowed in the University Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge from 1829 to 1869. 17 of them, he wrote, complained of “ill effects” whose nature, however, was not detailed. In a lecture at Edinburgh in 1883 entitled The Use and Abuse of Physical Training, C. W. Cathcart dealt with “the dangers to the heart of organized games in schools”. In 1892, Sir Frederick Treves devoted 12 out of 20 pages of an article on medical aspects of exercise to a discussion of “heart strain from exercise”, a problem which according to a statement made in 1893 by W. Collier had to be kept in mind in designing physical education programs for children. Sir Lauder Brunton, in an address to the York Medical Society in 1898 on medical aspects of athletics, emphasized „the vulnerability of the heart of young boys”. In 1901, a London daily paper published a letter “signed by four eminent doctors” condemning all runs of over one mile by high school boys. Prior to 1900, girls were not mentioned. At that time the view was paramount that a “horse sweats, a man perspires, but a lady only glows”. Though never substantiated, admonitions of the above-mentioned kind impressed the man in the street. To some extent they still do so today.
CpG Binding Protein Is Crucial for Early Embryonic Development

Epigenetic modification of DNA via CpG methylation is essential for the proper regulation of gene expression during embryonic development. Methylation of CpG motifs results in gene repression, while CpG island-containing genes are maintained in an unmethylated state and are transcriptionally active. The molecular mechanisms involved in maintaining the hypomethylation of CpG islands remain unclear. The transcriptional activator CpG binding protein (CGBP) exhibits a unique binding specificity for DNA elements that contain unmethylated CpG motifs, which makes it a potential candidate for the regulation of CpG island-containing genes. In order to assess the global function of this protein, mice lacking CGBP were generated via homologous recombination. No viable mutant mice were identified, indicating that CGBP is required for murine development. Mutant embryos were also absent between 6.5 and 12.5 days postcoitum (dpc). Approximately, one-fourth of all implantation sites at 6.5 dpc appeared empty with no intact embryos present. However, histological examination of 6.5-dpc implantation sites revealed the presence of embryo remnants, indicating that CGBP mutant embryos die very early in development. In vitro blastocyst outgrowth assays revealed that CGBP-null blastocysts are viable and capable of hatching and forming both an inner cell mass and a trophectoderm. Therefore, CGBP plays a crucial role in embryo viability and peri-implantation development.
Understanding Th17 cells through systematic genomic analyses

Th17 cells are a subset of CD4+ T helper cells that play an important role in host defense and have been strongly associated with the pathogenesis of autoimmunity. The immense research effort on Th17 cells has benefited in recent years from major breakthroughs in genomic profiling technologies. The picture emerging from these studies has led us away from thinking about T cell differentiation in terms of rigid, separate pathways that give rise to canonical 'types'. Instead, it has encouraged us to understand T cell differentiation and function through a complex network of transcriptional regulators that can lead to different and potentially plastic cell states. This review summarizes some of the lessons we have learned from these studies about the identity, interplay, and function of the factors that are involved in Th17 cell differentiation, effector functions and plasticity. It also highlights some applications, challenges, and limitations of large-scale systematic analyses of T cell function.
Appropriate Margin Width in Breast-Conserving Surgery

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is an oncologically safe treatment for early-stage breast cancer. BCS refers to the excision of the primary tumor plus a margin of surrounding tissue with preservation of adequate breast tissue for acceptable cosmesis. Breast irradiation following BCS is considered “standard” therapy for most women, but the ideal or minimal acceptable margin has remained a point of controversy. Ideally, BCS should result in a low rate of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence and excellent cosmetic results, and any potential benefits of re-excision must be balanced against the potential decrement in the cosmetic results. Critical review of the existing data addressing what constitutes adequate margins reveals that “close” margins may increase the risk of residual disease but does not clearly indicate that re-excision to achieve wider margins significantly decreases the risk of local recurrence.
Spreadsheet application for radiology resident match rank list.

Rationale and objective Enormous resources are spent on the selection process for radiology residency, yet agreement on criteria, process, and outcome remains elusive. The aim was to develop, implement, and evaluate a spreadsheet application that streamlined the creation of a match list for resident selection. Materials and methods The Department of Radiology’s traditional procedure of screening, interviewing, and rating candidates was left intact because the selection committee could not reach consensus regarding possible improvements in the process or outcome measures. We developed a spreadsheet application that used the ratings of candidate desirability for our program from our preexisting process to create a tentative match list by adding a system of ordinal ranking and weighting. After 4 years of use, the fairness and usefulness of this application were evaluated by members of the selection committee by means of a survey. Results The spreadsheet application was used to create tentative match lists for 4 years. The system eliminated ties among candidates on the preliminary match list and met the expectations of a majority of the selection committee members for fairness, objectivity, efficiency, and results. Conclusion A spreadsheet application can streamline the process of resident selection without having to resolve underlying conflicts about selection criteria and outcome measures.
Replacing Either/Or With Both/And: Illustrations of Perspective Alternation:

This article discusses the concept of perspective alternation as an approach that might be helpful in moving through recurrent limitations or impasses within the literature about lesbian, gay, and bisexual people of color and sexual minority populations more broadly. Specifically, perspective alternation is conceptualized as taking on and moving between different perspectives. The authors use perspective alternation as a way to integrate different emphases offered by the reactants to the Major Contribution. They illustrate alternation between shared and unique experiences, group comparison and individual differences, inclusiveness and distinctiveness, and nonprototype and prototype perspectives and suggest that such perspective alternation can help to identify the assumptions, biases, and limitations of different perspectives and reveal what is gained by each perspective.
Near Field Communications: Features and Considerations

The increased availability of wireless technologies to transfer data and information between mobile devices is changing the service expectations of medical library customers. In response, medical librarians have investigated and implemented a variety of services that utilize the emerging wireless technologies being built into each generation of mobile devices. One such wireless technology now available on many smartphones is Near Field Communication. This column provides an overview of wireless technologies, describes the basic features of the near field communications, and discusses considerations to help guide libraries in developing their mobile strategies.
Treatment of recurrent carotid disease : Report on a 12-year experience

The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeat carotid endarterectomy (CEA) poses a greater risk than first-time CEA. The authors analyzed data from 893 consecutive CEA cases (1981-1993). Thirty-three patients (3.7%) had repeat CEA, and 860 (96.3%) had first-time CEA. There were statistically significantly higher incidences of hypertension (60.6% vs 44.6%), smoking (84.8% vs 55%), hypertriglyceridemia (33.3% vs 16.2%), and coronary artery disease (66.6% vs 36%) in the repeat CEA group than in the first-time CEA group. Symptomatic disease was present in 25 (75.8%) patients in the repeat group and in 576 (67%) patients in the first-time group (P>0.05). The cause of recurrence was atherosclerosis in 25 patients (76%), myointimal hyperplasia in seven patients (21.2%), and intraluminal thrombus without an underlying lesion in one patient (3%). Redo CEA with vein patch angioplasty was performed in 27 patients (82%), vein patch angioplasty alone in five patients (15%), and interposition vein graft in one patient (3%). The hospital operative mortality was 0% (n=0) in the repeat CEA group and 0.6% (n=5) in the first-time CEA group (P>0.05). The incidence of postoperative stroke was 0% (n=0) in the repeat group and 1.2% (n=10) in the first-time group (P>0.05). There was one case (3%) of transient ischemic attack (TIA) in the repeat group, and two cases (0.2%) of TIA in the first-time group. There was no difference in the incidence of cranial nerve dysfunction between the repeat group (n=2, 6%) and the first-time group (n=41, 4.8%; P>0.05). Late follow-up data were obtained for 30 patients (mean: 61.4 months, range: 5-158 months) in the repeat CEA group and 501 patients (mean: 55.8 months, range: 17-168 months) in the first-time CEA group. The incidence of late failure (ipsilateral stroke or TIA) was 3.3% (n=1) in the repeat group and 3.2% (n=16) in the first-time CEA group; P>0.05. The overall late mortality was 20% (n=6) in the repeat CEA group and 14.6% (n=73) in the primary CEA group; P>0.05. Repeat CEA can be performed safely in individuals with severe recurrent carotid stenosis, and perioperative and long-term mortality and neurologic morbidity rates are similar to those for patients undergoing first-time carotid endarterectomy.
Reproductive response of mares after treatment with progestogens with and without the additional of estradiol

Summary A study involving 60 light-horse mares was conducted both to evaluate the response of mares to injectable progester- one or altrenogest and to determine ifestradiol in combination with either progestogen provided any added benefit. Treatments were initiated at either early estrus, late estrus, early diestrus, mid-diestrus or late diestrus in order to assess the effect of stage of cycle at onset of treatment. Within each of these stages of the cycle, mares were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: 150 mg progesterone injected i.m. (P); 150 mg progesterone + 10 mg estradio11713 injected i.m. (P+); .044 mg altrenogest per kg body weight orally (A); and .044 mg per kg body weight orally plus 10 mg estradiol 1713 i.m. (A+). All treatments were given daily for 7 days with 10 mg PGFaCt given on day 7 to all mares. The number of mares ovulating by day 14 after treatment (N=15/group) was 13, 7,11 and 8 forA, A+, P and P+, respectively. The response of mares to progesterone and altrenogest was similar. Fewer (Pi0.05) mares given combined steroid treatments ovulated within 14 days (15 of 30) than those given progestogen treatments. Stage of cycle had no affect (Pi0.05) on response of mares ovulating within 14 days or after 14 days of treatment. Mares that ovulated within 14 days of treatment had larger foUieles after progestogen treatment than those not ovulating by 14 days.
Language, difference, and curriculum theory: Beyond the politics of clarity

Accessibility, which is a process, is often taken for a "natural," self-evident state of language. What is perpetuated in its name is a given form of intolerance and an unacknowledged practice of exclusion. Thus, as long as the complexity and difficulty of engaging with the diversely hybrid experiences of heterogeneous contemporary societies are denied and not dealt with, binary thinking continues to mark time while the creative interval is dangerously reduced to non-existence. (Minh-ha, 1991, pp. 228-229)
Catechol- O -methyltransferase-mediated metabolism of 4-hydroxyestradiol inhibits the growth of human renal cancer cells through the apoptotic pathway

Long-term exposure to estrogen and its metabolites may play an important role in renal cell carcinogenesis. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) participates in the estrogen metabolism pathway by neutralizing toxic substances. Although reduced COMT activity has been suggested to be a risk factor for estrogen-associated cancers, no studies have investigated the biological significance of COMT in the pathogenesis of human renal cell cancers (RCCs). We initially found that COMT levels are significantly decreased in human RCC tissues and cells suggesting it plays a suppressive role in tumor development. However, transient overexpression of COMT has no functional effect on RCC cell lines. In contrast, when cells overexpressing COMT are treated with its substrate 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-OHE(2)), growth is inhibited by apoptotic cell death. We also found that COMT overexpression combined with 4-OHE(2) induces upregulation of growth arrest- and DNA damage-inducible protein α (GADD45α). We further show that downregulation of GADD45α by a small interfering RNA-mediated approach inhibits cell death, indicating the essential role of GADD45α in the underlying mechanism of COMT action in response to 4-OHE(2). Finally, 4-methoxyestradiol fully reproduces the antiproliferative function of COMT with 4-OHE(2) by promoting GADD45α induction. Together, these findings show that COMT in the presence of 4-OHE(2) prevents RCC cell proliferation by enhancing apoptosis and that GADD45α plays a critical role in the COMT-mediated inhibition of RCC.
Fitness Comparison of Thymidine Analog Resistance Pathways in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1

Resistance to zidovudine (ZDV) results from thymidine analog resistance mutations (TAMs) at human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) codons 41, 67, 70, 210, 215, and 219. Two mutations are possible at codon 215: Y or F. Whereas T215Y occurs alone or with M41L and L210W (TAM-1 pattern), T215F rarely occurs with these mutations or by itself; it is found instead with D67N, K70R, and K219Q (TAM-2 pattern). The L210W mutation most often occurs with M41L and T215Y and rarely occurs with the T215F or TAM-2 mutation. To explain these associations, TAMs were introduced into HIV-1 Hxb2 by site-directed mutagenesis and expressed in recombinant viruses. Viral replication kinetics, relative fitness, and infectivity were tested in the absence or presence of ZDV. Viruses carrying the 215Y mutation showed faster replication kinetics and greater relative fitness than did T215F mutants in the absence or presence of ZDV. In addition, T215Y mutants showed greater infectivity than did wild-type HIV-1 over a range of ZDV concentrations, but T215F mutants had only a modest advantage over the wild-type virus. Whereas introduction of L210W improved the relative fitness of an M41L/T215Y mutant in the presence of ZDV, introduction of this mutation into a D67N/K70R/K219Q background resulted in decreased relative fitness in the presence or absence of drug. By contrast, introduction of T215F into the D67N/K70R/K219Q background increased viral fitness in the presence of ZDV. These results help explain why T215Y but not T215F usually emerges as the first major TAM, as well as the clustering of L210W with TAM-1 mutations and T215F with TAM-2 mutations.
Vacuum Stripping of Ethanol during High Solids Fermentation of Corn

In corn-ethanol industry, yeast stress inducing glucose concentrations produced during liquefaction and subsequent high ethanol concentrations produced during fermentation restrict slurry solids to 32 % w/w. These limits were circumvented by combining two novel technologies: (1) granular starch hydrolyzing enzyme (GSHE) to break down starch simultaneously with fermentation and (2) vacuum stripping to remove ethanol. A vacuum stripping system was constructed and applied to fermentations at 30, 40, and 45 % solids. As solids increased from 30 to 40 %, ethanol yield decreased from 0.35 to 0.29 L/kg. Ethanol yield from 45 % solids was only 0.18 L/kg. An improvement was conducted by increasing enzyme dose from 0.25 to 0.75 g/g corn and reducing yeast inoculum by half. After improvement, ethanol yield from 40 % solids vacuum treatment increased to 0.36 L/kg, comparable to ethanol yield from 30 % solids (control).
An HPLC Method for the Detection of Ergot in Ground and Pelleted Feeds

A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method is described for detecting ergot in ground or pelleted forages and grains. Samples were extracted with alkaline chloroform, filtered, and applied to silica gel/organic binder cleanup columns. Following elution of pigments with acetone: chloroform, ergopeptine alkaloids were eluted with methanol and analyzed by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Average recovery of ergotamine, the major ergopeptine alkaloid produced by Claviceps, was 93%, with a relative standard deviation of 4.9%. The detection limit of ergotamine was approximately 50 ppb in all feedstuffs. Confirmation of ergopeptine alkaloids was accomplished by treating the parent ergopeptine alkaloids with 0.2% acetic acid to produce their -inine isomers and reexamining by HPLC with fluorescence detection or silica gel/organic binder column cleanup in combination with tandem mass spectroscopy. The method described is a valid alternative to microscopic inspection for detecting ergot contamination in ground or pelleted feedstuffs.
Potential health benefits of avenanthramides of oats

Oats are known to be a healthy food for the heart due mainly to their high β-glucan content. In addition, they contain more than 20 unique polyphenols, avenanthramides, which have shown strong antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo. The polyphenols of oats have also recently been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and anti-itching activity, which may provide additional protection against coronary heart disease, colon cancer, and skin irritation.
Alternator control system for the Alcator C-MOD tokamak

The Alcator C-MOD tokamak can expend over 500 MJ in a single pulse. The primary power source for this experiment is the upgraded Alcator C alternator. Over the years the alternator has undergone several modifications to make it more suited for pulsed operation and in the near future the energy storage of this 40 year old alternator will be increased from 500 MJ to 2000 MJ with the addition of a 75-ton flywheel. After 25 years of utility service and 8 years of pulsed operation the alternator is still in good condition. However, in order to insure many more years of reliable service every effort must be made to reduce electrical, thermal and mechanical stresses. This means the alternator must be interlocked with the power supplies (7 in all) so that it can protect itself from excessive armature current should any one fail. It also necessitates monitoring many of the critical temperatures, pressures and safety backup systems so that either operator intervention or an orderly shut-down can prevent serious problems. This report will describe how the Alternator control system has been modernized with the addition of a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) in conjunction with a networked, PC based Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) package. The report will discuss the design, commissioning and operational experiences of the new control system.
Impact of an Inexpensive Anatomy-Based Fetal Pig Simulator on Obstetric Ultrasound Training

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to construct an inexpensive anatomy-based obstetric ultrasound task trainer and investigate whether introduction of this trainer into a hands-on obstetric ultrasound course improved course participants' ultrasound scanning skills. METHODS The trainer was created by placing fetal pigs into preservative-filled heat-sealed polyethylene bags. Twenty-four participants in an obstetric ultrasound course at Wake Forest School of Medicine were randomized to receive hands-on scanning with pregnant women or hands-on scanning and fetal pig simulation. Biometric scans were performed before and after the course. The time to complete the scans, margin of error of biometric measurements, and number of technically adequate images per scan were compared between groups. RESULTS Twelve participants were randomized into each group. Although a direct comparison of postcourse biometric scans demonstrated no difference between groups, participants that received simulation training showed significant improvements in the time to complete the biometric scan (P < .05) and number of technically adequate images obtained (P < .05), whereas those who did not receive simulation training did not show significant improvements. CONCLUSIONS Addition of the fetal pig ultrasound task trainer resulted in improvements in the course participants' scanning efficiency even after very limited exposure. Incorporating the task trainer earlier and more broadly into obstetric ultrasound training may benefit trainees.
Temporal discounting rates and their relation to exercise behavior in older adults.

As our nation's population ages, the rates of chronic illness and disability are expected to increase significantly. Despite the knowledge that exercise may prevent chronic disease and promote health among older adults, many still are inactive. Factors related to exercise behaviors have been explored in recent years. However, temporal discounting is a motivational concept that has not been explored in regard to exercise in older adults. Temporal discounting is a decision making process by which an individual chooses a smaller more immediate reward over a larger delayed reward. The aim of this study was to determine if temporal discounting rates vary between exercising and non-exercising older adults.This study used cross-sectional survey of 137 older adults living in the community. Older adults were recruited from 11 rural Arkansas churches. The Kirby delay-discounting Monetary Choice Questionnaire was used to collect discounting rates and then bivariate analysis was performed to compare temporal discounting rate between the exercisers and non-exercisers. Finally, multivariate analysis was used to compare discounting rate controlling for other covariates.The results indicated that exercising older adults display lower temporal discounting rates than non-exercising older adults. After controlling for education, exercisers still have lower temporal discounting rates than non-exercisers (p<0.001).These findings are important as several chronic health conditions relate to lack of exercise especially in older adults. This research suggests that if we can find appropriate incentives for discounting individuals, some type of immediate reward, then potentially we can design programs to engage and retain older adults in exercise.
Postcocooning Temperatures and Diapause in the Alfalfa Pollinator Megachile rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Megachile rotundata (F.), an adventive, gregarious, cavity-nesting, leaf cutting bee, is used throughout North America for the pollination of alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., seed crops. We examined the influence of various postcocooning (prewintering) temperature regimes on development, survival, emergence time, and longevity in both nondiapausing and diapausing forms of this species. Diapausing male and female M. rotundata required 27-30 d and 29-32 d, respectively, to develop from prepupae to emergence after incubation at constant 29°C, regardless of postcocooning treatments to which they were exposed. Likewise, longevity after emergence was not related to postcocooning temperatures and ranged from 5 to 6 d and 4 to 6 d for males and females, respectively. Elevated postcocooning temperatures were associated with a higher prevalence of nondiapausing individuals, those completing development from eggs through emergence as adults in the same summer season. Relevance of our results to the commercial production of alfalfa leafcutting bees is discussed.
Applications of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in clinical practice.

Traditionally, blood pressure has been measured by the sphygmomanometer in the medical office. There is growing evidence, however, that office blood pressures may not be typical of values throughout the day. Between 20% and 30% of patients diagnosed with hypertension in the office actually are normotensive at other times. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring with small, portable devices that automatically measure blood pressure every few minutes throughout the day appears to be an appropriate tool when "white-coat" hypertension is suspected--i.e., for individuals whose hypertension in the physician's office is not associated with other physical or historical evidence for cardiovascular disease or with other risk factors. Used prudently, ambulatory monitoring is a cost-effective technique that potentially can prevent unnecessary treatment of patients. Moreover, whole-day measurements may correlate more closely than office measurements may correlate more closely than office measurements do with findings of cardiovascular disease. This new approach also has highlighted the circadian pattern of blood pressure, especially the sharp early to mid-morning increase that coincides with an increased tendency to major cardiovascular events. This has focused attention on directing antihypertensive therapy towards the morning hours. Ambulatory monitoring is now used routinely in studies of antihypertensive drugs. This technique has no placebo effect and takes fewer patients to assess drug efficacy than do conventional methods.
Language-Aware Truth Assessment of Fact Candidates

This paper introduces FactChecker, language-aware approach to truth-finding. FactChecker differs from prior approaches in that it does not rely on iterative peer voting, instead it leverages language to infer believability of fact candidates. In particular, FactChecker makes use of linguistic features to detect if a given source objectively states facts or is speculative and opinionated. To ensure that fact candidates mentioned in similar sources have similar believability, FactChecker augments objectivity with a co-mention score to compute the overall believability score of a fact candidate. Our experiments on various datasets show that FactChecker yields higher accuracy than existing approaches.
Separation of kafirins on surface porous reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography columns.

Surface porous high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) columns were investigated for the separation of kafirins, storage proteins of grain sorghum. Kafirins were successfully separated using C3, C8, and C18 surface porous stationary phases in less than 17 min. Separations using a monolithic C18 stationary phase were also developed and were slightly faster than those achieved on the surface porous C18 stationary phase. However, the resolution was higher on the latter column. Using an ammonium hydroxide/acetonitrile mobile phase, separations were performed on a novel, alkaline stable surface porous C18 stationary phase. The resolution at alkaline pH was not as high, however, as with the traditional acidic acetonitrile mobile phases. In comparison to fully porous stationary phases, the surface porous phases provided higher resolution with much lower separation times (17 versus 40 min). Total peak areas were correlated to total protein content of sorghum (r 2 = 0.96; n =1 0), and a method to measure in vitro pepsin digestibility using reversed-phase (RP)HPLC peak areas showed good correlation to the traditional nitrogen combustion method (r 2 = 0.82; n =2 0). Thus, the surface porous stationary phases could be used not only for more rapid separations but also to provide simultaneous information on total protein content and digestibility.
The influence of the recipient site on bone grafts to the face

This study investigates the relationship of resorptive and depository surfaces to the maintenance of bone graft volume in the growing rabbit facial skeleton. Bone grafts fare best (1) when their periosteal surface is placed in contact with soft tissue and their cancellous surface in contact with bone and (2) when bone is grafted to periosteal depository recipient sites. Fluorescent microscopy failed to demonstrate any difference in the rates of calcification in any of the grafts studied.
Mass and Energy of Detritus Clipped from Grassland Vegetation by the Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)

Piles of vegetational clippings made by Sigmodon hispidus in a remnant grassland area were collected and analyzed for vegetational composition, dry weight, and caloric content. Population densities of S. hispidus were estimated monthly and correlated with the number of clipped piles of vegetation collected each month. During the 1-year study period, Sigmodon clipped 315.1 kilograms of vegetation on the 4.85-hectare study area. This amounted to 136.1 × 104 kilocalories. Grasses (mainly Andropogon gerardi, A. scoparius , and Bouteloua curtipendula ) accounted for 54 per cent of the vegetation clipped, Ambrosia psilostachya and Kochia scoparia 40 per cent, and Helianthus annum 6 per cent. Seventy-two per cent of the clippings occurred from September to November. The amount of clipped material per rat per month varied from zero in May to 1.3 kilograms in October. The amount of material clipped may not be dependent solely on the density or activity of S. hispidus , but possibly also on the condition of the vegetation. Of the net primary production in this area during the study period, 0.4 per cent was clipped by S. hispidus .
Fuzzy logic control of reheat buzz

A fuzzy logic based feedback controller has been developed to suppress combustion instability in a reheat buzz device which is a simplified approximation to an afterburner in an engine nozzle. The results clearly demonstrate that the fuzzy controller is as effective as deterministic controllers. When the control goal is within the fuzzy rule base, the controller is successful on the first attempt. When the control goal is outside the rule base, a simple redefinition of the rule base is sufficient to achieve control. Comparison with earlier experimental and numerical results clearly show that the present calculations agree quite well with data. (Author)
The Need for and Conduct of a Conflict Assessment of the Sacred Esplanade of Jerusalem

Within the much-disputed borders of Israel lies the Sacred Esplanade of Jerusalem (SEJ). Home of the Temple Mount/Noble Sanctuary, the SEJ is a place long considered holy by Jews, Muslims, and Christians. It is a disputed swath of land, in a city center, layered with ancient religious, historical, and archeological significance. For more than two millennia, people have lived, conquered, and made pilgrimages to this land to give voice to their prayers and faith. Control of the SEJ affects the identity, security, and spiritual longings of great numbers of people. It is a core issue of the Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab conflicts, which contribute to regional and global destabilization. To date, negotiators and would be peacemakers have failed to acknowledge the SEJ component of the conflict as a dispute over sacred land.A conflict assessment of the SEJ must be undertaken to shed light on the possibilities and barriers for peacemaking in Jerusalem. The assessment would include the perspectives of political leaders, religious leaders, the adherent public, and secular members of the community. By illuminating the core tangible and intangible issues, an SEJ conflict assessment would provide insights and recommendations for policymakers, and, most importantly, provide a foundation for future negotiations.
New technology of furfural extraction in transformer oil

There isn't domestic special use furfural extraction equipment of transformer oil in present,so develops special use furfural extraction equipment of transformer oil,which provides the means and methods for transformer solid insulation aging diagnosis and analysis,and provides beneficial technological support for state condition repair for the transformer equipment.
Intelligence as Representation

The development of intelligence from intuition to representation resembles the progression of the psyche to consciousness.1 Intuition provides a mental prerequisite for representation, just as feeling makes possible habituation and conscious sensation provides the mental precondition for perception and understanding. Unlike these psychologically prior developments, however, the stages of intelligence emerge for mind as transformations wrought by mind’s own activity.2 Because intelligence is always aware of its mental content as both subjective and objective, every alteration of its object passes before mind as something connected to a subjective mental movement.
Teaching Evidence-Based Practice across Curricula—An Overview of a Professional Development Course for Occupational Therapy Educators

A professional development course for occupational therapy educators about teaching evidence-based practice (EBP) was developed and piloted. The course was developed to promote increased awareness of resources and methods for teaching EBP that are applicable across entry-level curricula. Participants included full-time faculty (n = 7) from one entry-level occupational therapy program in the New York City area. The results of the pilot informed refinement of the course in preparation for delivery to a wider audience of educators. This paper provides a description of the course, results of the pilot, and implications for future delivery of the course.
Characterizing Teaching Assistants’ Knowledge and Beliefs Following Professional Development Activities within an Inquiry-Based General Chemistry Context

The purpose of this investigation was to explore changes in undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants’ (TAs’) content knowledge and beliefs about teaching within the context of an inquiry-based laboratory course. TAs received professional development (PD), which was informed by the TA training literature base and was designed for TAs implementing a guided inquiry approach to general chemistry laboratory instruction. TAs engaged in ∼20 h of presemester PD and ∼30 h of weekly follow-up PD during the semester. The study utilized a multiple-methods approach within a social constructivist framework to assess changes in the TAs. Participants included eight graduate TAs and five undergraduate TAs. Data collection included TA pre-PD, post-PD, and semester-end surveys and two interviews of a subset of participants. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and nonparametric statistics, and the qualitative data were analyzed using systematic data analysis. The results indicate that TAs’ content kno...
Mesoionic Pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidinone Insecticides: From Discovery to Triflumezopyrim and Dicloromezotiaz

ConspectusOne of the greatest global challenges is to feed the ever-increasing world population. The agrochemical tools growers currently utilize are also under continuous pressure, due to a number of factors that contribute to the loss of existing products. Mesoionic pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidinones are an unusual yet very intriguing class of compounds. Known for several decades, this class of compounds had not been systemically studied until we started our insecticide discovery program. This Account provides an overview of the efforts on mesoionic pyrido[1,2-a]pyridinone insecticide discovery, beginning from the initial high throughput screen (HTS) discovery to ultimate identification of triflumezopyrim (4, DuPont Pyraxalt) and dicloromezotiaz (5) for commercialization as novel insecticides.Mesoionic pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidinones with a n-propyl group at the 1-position, such as compound 1, were initially isolated as undesired byproducts from reactions for a fungicide discovery program at DuPont Crop Protection. ...
The performance of Luminex ARIES® Flu A/B & RSV and Cepheid Xpert® Flu/RSV XC for the detection of influenza A, influenza B, and respiratory syncytial virus in prospective patient samples

Abstract Background The demand for rapid, accurate viral testing has increased the number of assays available for the detection of viral pathogens. One of the newest FDA cleared platforms is the Luminex ARIES® Flu A/B & RSV, which is a fully automated, real-time PCR-based assay used for detection of influenza A, influenza B, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Objectives We sought to compare the performance of Luminex ARIES® Flu A/B & RSV assay to the Cepheid Xpert® Flu/RSV XC assay for rapid Flu and RSV testing. Study design A series of consecutive nasopharyngeal specimens received in the clinical microbiology laboratory during peak influenza season at a major academic center in Chicago, IL, were prospectively tested, using both the ARIES® Flu A/B & RSV and Xpert® Flu/RSV XC assays, side by side. Discrepant results were tested on the BioFire FilmArray® Respiratory Panel for resolution. Results A total of 143 consecutive nasopharyngeal specimens, obtained from patients ranging from six months to ninety-three years in age were received between January 1st, 2017 and March 21st, 2017. There was 96.6% agreement between the two assays for detection influenza A, 100% agreement for detection influenza B and RSV, and 98.9% agreement for negative results. The Xpert® Flu/RSV XC performed with an average turn-around time of approximately 60 min, compared to the ARIES® Flu A/B & RSV of approximately 120 min. Both assays were equally easy to perform, with a similar amount of hands-on technologist time for each platform. Conclusions Overall, these results indicate that both tests are comparable in terms of result agreement and technical ease-of-use. The Xpert® Flu/RSV XC assay did produce results with less turn-around-time, approximately 60 min quicker than the ARIES® Flu A/B & RSV.
Convergence of Bergman geodesics on $\mathbf{CP}^1$

L'espace H des metriques de Kahler dans une classe donnee sur une variete projective kahlerienne X est un espace symetrique de dimension infinie dont les geodesiques ω t dont des solutions d'une equation Monge-Ampere complexe homogene sur A x X, ou A = {z ∈ C: e -1 < |z| < 1}. Phong-Sturm ont prouve que les geodesiques Monge-Ampere des potentiels kahleriens φ(t, z) de ω t peuvent etre approximees dans un sens faible C 0 par geodesiques φN(t, z) de l'espace symetrique de metriques de Bergman de hauteur N. Le but de cet article est de prouver que φN(t,z) → φ(t,z) dans C 2 ([0,1] x X) dans le cas des metriques toriques sur X = CP 1 .
Bayesian Model Building From Small Samples of Disparate Data for Capturing In-Plane Deviation in Additive Manufacturing

Quality control of geometric shape deviation in additive manufacturing relies on statistical deviation models. However, resource constraints limit the manufacture of test shapes, and consequently i...
The Queen’s Daughters: White Prostitutes, British India and the Contagious Diseases Acts:

Within the larger subject of the regulation of prostitution under the British Empire in South Asia, this article examines the figure of the White Prostitute in brothels and lock hospitals in coloni...
Pre-Medicated Murder: Violence and the Degree to Which the Mentally Ill Can Refuse Treatment

Objective: As part of the expansive overhaul of the mental health system, many states have passed laws that allow, under certain conditions, voluntary and involuntarily committed patients to refuse medication. While some predicted the consequences of these laws would be dire, the effect on violent behavior remains untested. This study measures the effect of various right to refuse medication laws on homicides.Method: Using a sample of the homicide rate of every US state between 1972 and 2001 (N=1,479), I compare the difference in homicide rates before and after a law change to that same difference in a set of control states to estimate the effect of laws aimed at extending the right to refuse medication to both voluntary and involuntarily committed mental health patients. Results: Laws designed to allow voluntarily committed patients to refuse medication are associated with a 0.8 increase in the homicide rate, and while point estimates suggest that allowing for review of requests to refuse medication are associated with a decrease in the homicide rate, the estimates are imprecise and statistically insignificant.Conclusion: Allowing voluntarily committed patients to refuse medication may entice some to enter in-patient facilities, but the brief and optional exposure to medication and their side effects may actually discourage treatment and increase violence.