cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Foraging Arena Size and Structural Complexity Affect the Dynamics of Food Distribution in Ant Colonies

Food acquisition by ant colonies is a complex process that starts with acquiring food at the source (i.e., foraging) and culminates with food exchange in or around the nest (i.e., feeding). While ant foraging behavior is relatively well understood, the process of food distribution has received little attention, largely because of the lack of methodology that allows for accurate monitoring of food flow. In this study, we used the odorous house ant, Tapinoma sessile (Say) to investigate the effect of foraging arena size and structural complexity on the rate and the extent of spread of liquid carbohydrate food (sucrose solution) throughout a colony. To track the movement of food, we used protein marking and double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, DAS-ELISA. Variation in arena size, in conjunction with different colony sizes, allowed us to test the effect of different worker densities on food distribution. Results demonstrate that both arena size and colony size have a significant effect on the spread of the food and the number of workers receiving food decreased as arena size and colony size increased. When colony size was kept constant and arena size increased, the percentage of workers testing positive for the marker decreased, most likely because of fewer trophallactic interactions resulting from lower worker density. When arena size was kept constant and colony size increased, the percentage of workers testing positive decreased. Nonrandom (clustered) worker dispersion and a limited supply of food may have contributed to this result. Overall, results suggest that food distribution is more complete is smaller colonies regardless of the size of the foraging arena and that colony size, rather than worker density, is the primary factor affecting food distribution. The structural complexity of foraging arenas ranged from simple, two-dimensional space (empty arenas) to complex, three-dimensional space (arenas filled with mulch). The structural complexity of foraging arenas had a significant effect on food distribution and the presence of substrate significantly inhibited the spread of food. Structural complexity of foraging arenas and the resulting worker activity patterns might exert considerable influence on socioecological processes in ants and should be considered in laboratory assays.
Postoperative thoracotomy. Effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on forced vital capacity.

The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on patients who had undergone thoracotomies, using the objective physiological measurement of forced vital capacity. Twenty-one patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 11) or a control group (n = 10). Each group performed three trials of forced vital capacity testing over a 20-minute period. In addition, the experimental group was given a 10-minute treatment of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at the sites of greatest pain. The data indicated a statistically significant increase in forced vital capacity during the stimulation (p less than .01), suggesting that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation during application improves chest expansion and mobility in patients who have had thoracotomies.
Immediate preterm delivery for pregnancy hypertension increases risk of neonatal respiratory distress

Commentary on: Broekhuijsen K, van Baaren GJ, van Pampus MG, et al., HYPITAT-II study group. Immediate delivery versus expectant monitoring for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy between 34 and 37 weeks of gestation (HYPITAT-II): an open-label, randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2015;385:2492–501.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3] Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are on the rise and continue to be a leading cause of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality worldwide.1 Management of these disorders in preterm gestations is complicated by the need to balance the wellbeing of both mother and neonate. Immediate delivery likely reduces the risk of adverse maternal outcomes but … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DLancet%26rft.volume%253D385%26rft.spage%253D2492%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1016%252FS0140-6736%252814%252961998-X%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F25817374%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61998-X&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=25817374&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febnurs%2F19%2F1%2F8.atom
Tubular site(s) of action of atrial natriuretic peptide in the rat

With micropuncture techniques, the present study examined the delivery of chloride to the superficial late distal tubule and the base and tip of the papillary collecting duct in rats treated with e...
Adrenergic Activity and Gastric Secretion

Isoproterenol infusions depress pentagastrin (PG)-stimulated secretion of acid and pepsin from both gastric fistulae and denervated (Heidenhain) pouches in conscious dogs. It was not found to do so if methacholine replaced gastrin. Propranolol reversed the isoproterenol depression of PG stimulation but had no effect on isoproterenol plus methacholine except on the fistula where both acid and pepsin were depressed. It is felt that PG and methacholine act by differing mechanisms both on chief and parietal cells.
108 Trends in cell cryopreservation technologies

Cell cryopreservation maintains cellular life at sub-zero temperatures by slowing down cellular biochemical reactions. It has been widely used in modern regenerative, transfusion, and reproductive medicine. Current cryopreservation techniques are based on slow and rapid freezing (conventional vitrification) approaches. Although both of these methods are clinically utilized, adverse biochemical and biomechanical changes (cryo-injury) in the preserved cells cause loss of cell viability, morphology, and functionality. Such cryo-injury usually affects the cells due to osmotic shock or toxicity of cryoprotectants (e.g., glycerol and Me2SO). Recent approaches based on using minimum volume vitrification and bio-inspired materials (e.g., ectoin and trehalose) provide a better alternative to the conventional cryopreservation methods. Herein, we review recent advances in cell cryopreservation technology and provide examples of techniques that are utilized in stem cell (SC), red blood cell (RBC), and oocyte cryopreservation. We also discuss the limitations of conventional technologies and highlight future directions in cell cryopreservation. Source of funding: None declared. Conflict of interest: None declared. utkan1@gmail.com
170 THE EFFECT OF HYPERBARIC OXYGEN ON ENDOTHELIAL NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE EXPRESSION IN ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION INJURY.

Introduction The beneficial effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) in the amelioration of ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury have been shown to occur through a nitric oxide-dependent mechanism. Previous work has shown an early increase in eNOS activity caused by HBO. There is also a late up-regulation of eNOS mRNA. The purpose of this experiment is to determine if there is an increase in eNOS protein following HBO treatment. α2-Antiplasmin (α2-antiplasmin) was administered to determine the source of eNOS. Methods The gracilis muscle flap was raised in 40 male Wistar rats (n = 10/group). Rats were divided into four groups: a nonischemic control, IR, IR + HBO (100% O2 at 2.5 ATA) and an IR + HBO + α2-antiplasmin group each with an n = 10. Ischemia consisted of 4 hours of global ischemia on the gracilis muscle flap. The α2-antiplasmin was administered by direct continuous infusion into the gracilis muscle prior to HBO. The HBO treatment consisted 100% O2 at 2.5 ATA during the last 90 minutes of ischemia. The gracilis muscle and pulmonary vasculature were harvested 30 minutes after reperfusion, weighed, and flash frozen in liquid nitrogen. A Bradford assay was performed to determine the total protein quantity. The quantity of eNOS protein was measured using Western immunoblotting. Results IR did not significantly increase eNOS protein compared with the nonischemic control (35.6 ± 1.3 vs 38.6 ± 1.7 ng). HBO did not change the level of eNOS protein in skeletal muscle (38.8 ± 2.0 ng). In addition, the blockade of the plasmin/eNOS cascade had no effect on the level of eNOS protein (35.8 ± 2.7 ng). Discussions These results offer evidence that the immediate increase in eNOS activity seen in HBO treated IR injury is not due to an increase in eNOS protein. Instead, it may be related to an increase in VEGF protein or mechanotransduction of the VEGFR2 caused by the sheer stress of reperfusion.
Analysis on the high-risk Children's follow-up status in Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital

Objective:To learn the high-risk children's follow-up status,find the existing problems,and improve the work,for the purpose of standarized and scientific system management.Methods:869 high-risk children cases between 2008.1.1~2010.8.2 were chosed to analyse the percentage of various high risk,the follow-up times of each risk factor and the loss of follow up situation.Results:The proportion of premature birth and asphyxia were high,with age growth,the rate of loss of follow-up have risen too.Conclusion:We should summarize the follow-up status regularly,increase the intensity of propaganda to the parents of high-risk children,to reduce the rate of loss of follow-up,and reduce the sequela rate of the high-risk children.
The Diversity and Conflict of Hui Scholar Li Zhi's Cultural Mentality

Li Zhi is a Chinese ideological and culturel giant of the late Ming dynasty,his free and critical spirit are very impressive.Based on detailed literature,the article mainly analyzes the diversity and cinflict of his cultural mentality.It believes that his family and historical background have decisive impait on his thonghts,and cards his idea change,mainly elaborates the process of turning confucianism to Buddhism,and then to Confucianism.
Management of acid-peptic esophageal strictures

Eighty-nine patients with benign acid-peptic strictures of the esophagus were evaluated. Of these, 56 patients were treated by dilatation and medical therapy, whereas 33 underwent operative therapy because medical therapy failed. Three patients, all psychotic and having post-emetic strictures, required resection of the stricture and a colon interposition. Twenty-nine patients underwent a Betsey or Nissen fundoplication combined with esophageal dilatation. Fourteen of 29 had an associated vagotomy and 15 did not. Two patients of this 29 had a poor result, one of whom had a post-emetic stricture. Although the patients having a concurrent vagotomy and pyloroplasty had the more severe disease, there was no significant difference between the results in the two groups. It is concluded that most patients with such esophageal strictures may be adequately treated without resecting the stricture and that the routine addition of a vagotomy and drainage procedure is probably not indicated.
Experimental reconstruction of the trachea with autogenous materials

Composite intercostal muscle flaps were experimentally used to repair major intrathoracic tracheal defects in the mongrel dog. These composite flaps provided an adequate tracheal lumen with both sufficient mobility and structural stability. Stenosis of the reconstructed trachea was an uncommon finding, but the incidence of early postoperative mortality was high.
Ceramic Evidence for the Prehistoric Use of Datura in Mexico and the Southwestern United States

(1979). Ceramic Evidence for the Prehistoric Use of Datura in Mexico and the Southwestern United States. KIVA: Vol. 44, No. 2-3, pp. 145-158.
Indel detection from RNA-seq data: tool evaluation and strategies for accurate detection of actionable mutations.

Driver somatic mutations are a hallmark of a tumor that can be used for diagnosis and targeted therapy. Mutations are primarily detected from tumor DNA. As dynamic molecules of gene activities, transcriptome profiling by RNA sequence (RNA-seq) is becoming increasingly popular, which not only measures gene expression but also structural variations such as mutations and fusion transcripts. Although single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) can be easily identified from RNA-seq, intermediate long insertions/deletions (indels > 2 bases and less than sequence reads) cause significant challenges and are ignored by most RNA-seq analysis tools. This study evaluates commonly used RNA-seq analysis programs along with variant and somatic mutation callers in a series of data sets with simulated and known indels. The aim is to develop strategies for accurate indel detection. Our results show that the RNA-seq alignment is the most important step for indel identification and the evaluated programs have a wide range of sensitivity to map sequence reads with indels, from not at all to decently sensitive. The sensitivity is impacted by sequence read lengths. Most variant calling programs rely on hard evidence indels marked in the alignment and the programs with realignment may use soft-clipped reads for indel inferencing. Based on the observations, we have provided practical recommendations for indel detection when different RNA-seq aligners are used and demonstrated the best option with highly reliable results. With careful customization of bioinformatics algorithms, RNA-seq can be reliably used for both SNV and indel mutation detection that can be used for clinical decision-making.
Establishment of Intravascular Infection

Infection of susceptible intracardiac vegetations comes about by the deposition of bacteria circulating in the bloodstream on the surface of the vegetations. This mechanism is easily demonstrable in animals, and there is no evidence to support the older suggestion that bacteria arrive in the vegetations by way of the blood supply to the valve or endocardium. Studies of the early vegetations show clearly that colonization takes place from the edge of the vegetations. With the passage of time, older colonies, often containing microbial debris with metabolically less active forms, are found at the base of the vegetations.(1–3)
Supported lithium hydroxide for carbon dioxide adsorption in water-saturated environments

Rebreather-type personal protective equipment requires efficient removal of CO2 from the air that the user exhales. The required operating conditions of low CO2 partial pressure, low temperature, and water saturation create a challenging environment for developing high capacity CO2 adsorbents. Biphasic adsorbents of lithium hydroxide supported on high surface area carbons were synthesized and tested for CO2 capacity under water-saturated conditions. The LiOH phase provides high CO2 capacity through chemisorption while the porous carbon structure helps prevent the formation of diffusion barriers that limit the effectiveness of pure LiOH pellets. Several carbons with different pore morphology were tested, and it was determined that the ideal support has a high degree of mesoporosity that balances the need for high surface area without excess blockage of pore volume upon deposition of LiOH. The activated carbon Norit SX Ultra was chosen based on this criterion. It was found that the maximum achievable loading of LiOH on Norit SX Ultra was 30 wt%, and the highest CO2 capacity under water-saturated conditions at atmospheric pressure with one mole percent CO2 in the gas phase was 3.4 mol/kg.
Using Social Media and Satellite Data for Damage Assessment in Urban Areas During Emergencies

Environmental hazards pose a significant threat to urban areas due to their potential catastrophic consequences affecting people, property and the environment. Remote sensing has become the de-facto standard for observing the Earth and its environment through the use of air-, space-, and ground-based sensors. Despite the quantity of remote sensing data available, gaps are often present due to the specific limitations of the instruments, their carrier platforms, or as a result of atmospheric interference. Massive amounts of data are generated from social media, and it is possible to mine these data to fill the gaps in remote sensing observations.
Ribosome biogenesis is dynamically regulated during osteoblast differentiation

Changes in ribosome biogenesis are tightly linked to cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation. The rate of ribosome biogenesis is established by RNA Pol I-mediated transcription of ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Thus, rRNA gene transcription is a key determinant of cell behavior. Here, we show that ribosome biogenesis is dynamically regulated during osteoblast differentiation. Upon osteoinduction, osteoprogenitor cells transiently silence a subset of rRNA genes through a reversible mechanism that is initiated through biphasic nucleolar depletion of UBF1 and then RNA Pol I. Nucleolar depletion of UBF1 is coincident with an increase in the number of silent but transcriptionally permissible rRNA genes. This increase in the number of silent rRNA genes reduces levels of ribosome biogenesis and subsequently, protein synthesis. Together these findings demonstrate that fluctuations in rRNA gene transcription are determined by nucleolar occupancy of UBF1 and closely coordinated with the early events necessary for acquisition of the osteoblast cell fate.
Aiming to Improve Readmissions Through InteGrated Hospital Transitions (AIRTIGHT): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Hospital readmissions remain highly prevalent despite being the target of policies and financial penalties. Evidence comparing the effectiveness and costs of interventions to reduce readmissions is lacking, leaving healthcare systems with little guidance on how to improve quality and avoid costly penalties. Effective interventions likely need to bridge inpatient and outpatient settings, incorporate information technology, and use dedicated providers. Such complex innovations will require rigorous evaluation. The framework of quality improvement research provides an approach that both improves care locally and contributes to closing the current knowledge gaps for readmissions. In this trial, we will study a comprehensive intervention that incorporates these recommendations into an integrated practice unit, called transition services, with an aim of reducing 30-day readmission rates. We describe a nonblinded, pragmatic, controlled trial with two parallel groups comprising an evaluation of the effect of referral to a provider-led integrated practice unit, inclusive of comprehensive multidisciplinary care, dedicated paramedicine providers, and virtual visits, on 30-day readmission rates for high-risk hospitalized patients. An automated risk-scoring system will randomly generate referrals to either transition services or usual care for 1520 hospitalized patients who score as high-risk for readmission. Transition services will then engage with patients in the hospital setting using a patient navigator and provide bridging outpatient services for the 30 days following discharge. All outcome data are retrieved electronically from administrative medical records. After reapplication of inclusion and exclusion criteria at the time of hospital discharge, analyses will follow the intention-to-treat principle such that patients will be analyzed on the basis of the referral group to which they were initially randomized. The hospital transition program under study is complex and integrates the latest recommendations for readmission reduction strategies. As healthcare systems innovate to address readmissions through such complex interventions, there is significant benefit for stakeholders to have a clear understanding of the potential reach, cost, and real-world effectiveness. The pragmatic methods described here provide a template for conducting quality improvement research that fits seamlessly into existing care delivery and improvement efforts, leading to better-informed strategic decisions and the investments necessary to transform care and value for patients. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02763202 . Registered 3 March 2016 (retrospectively registered).
Well-Being and Academic Achievement: Towards a New Evidence-Based Educational Paradigm

Should schools teach the skills for well-being? Embedded in the concept of education is the notion of changing individuals in a particular direction, of taking them from their current state to, ideally, a better one. That direction is informed by how we measure success in an educational setting. If schools measure only academic performance, as they traditionally have, then effective schools will produce students who learn how to excel academically and perform well on standardized tests. However, if schools choose to measure and teach multifaceted well-being, they may empower their students to lead flourishing lives as well. We review the literature on youth well-being, on youth well-being measurement, and on the relationships between student well-being, academic achievement, and professional success. Even though existing data suggest that student well-being improves academic performance and predicts career success, there are few rigorous experimental studies on student well-being and academic achievement. We argue that this is unexplored fertile scientific territory and that before well-being is incorporated into schools’ curricula on a large scale, further experimental research is needed. Future rigorous experimental research can identify the most effective youth well-being interventions, their impact on academic achievement, and the mechanisms through which well-being improves academic performance. Filling this missing empirical gap can best inform educational public policy focused on academic performance and on life skills.
Summer Fertigation of Dairy Slurry Reduces Soil Nitrate Concentrations and Subsurface Drainage Nitrate Losses Compared to Fall Injection

Leaching of nitrate (NO3-N) from manure-applied cropping systems can represent a substantial N-loss to the environment for dairy farms, particularly in fields with artificial subsurface drainage. In this on-farm study, we used a Before/After analysis to assess the effectiveness of summer fertigation with reduced manure rates (years 2010 – 2015) versus fall injection (2007 – 2009) of dairy slurry in terms of subsequent corn silage yield, corn N removal, soil NO3-N distribution, and NO3-N losses in subsurface tile drainage from a 65-ha field in Minnesota, USA. Yield was similar between periods (average of 18.8 Mg ha-1), but crop %N, N removal, and manurial N-use efficiency were 15, 12, and 126% greater during the fertigation than injection period. Fertigation reduced spring soil NO3-N concentrations to 60-cm depth by an average of 53% relative to injection, except in the 15 to 30 cm increment, where no difference was found. Similarly, fall soil NO3-N concentrations from 30 to 90 cm were 48% lower, on average, under fertigation than injection. Weekly flow-weighted mean NO3-N concentration in tile drainage was lower during fertigation (47.7 mg L-1) than injection (56.8 mg L-1), although mean weekly drainage depth was greater during fertigation (2.3 versus 1.1 mm). This resulted in similar weekly loads between periods (mean of 0.96 kg NO3-N ha-1). For non-snowmelt flow, relationships between drainage and NO3-N load showed log–log slopes of near 1.0 for injection and 0.97 for fertigation, indicating dilution of concentrations with increased flow during fertigation, but not during injection. Differing intercepts indicated a treatment effect of fertigation independent of flow effects, and corresponded to loads of 5.9 kg NO3-N ha-1 for injection and 4.7 kg NO3-N ha-1 for fertigation, a reduction of 20% at a 10 mm weekly flow depth. The magnitude of the reduction in load increased to 22% at a 25 mm weekly flow depth. Results suggest that summer fertigation with attendant reduction in application rate is a viable method for reducing drainage NO3-N losses without impacting yield of irrigated silage corn in the U.S. Midwest.
Physical compatibility of plazomicin with select i.v. drugs during simulated Y-site administration.

Purpose The results of a study to determine the physical compatibility of plazomicin sulfate solution during simulated Y-site administration with 92 i.v. drugs are reported. Methods Plazomicin injection solution (500 mg/10 mL) was diluted in 0.9% sodium chloride or 5% dextrose for injection to a final volume of 50 mL (final plazomicin concentration, 24 mg/mL), consistent with a 15-mg/kg dose administered to an 80-kg patient (i.e., 1,200 mg). All other i.v. drugs were reconstituted according to manufacturers’ recommendations and diluted with 0.9% sodium chloride or 5% dextrose for injection to the upper range of concentrations used clinically. Y-site conditions were simulated by mixing 5 mL of plazomicin solution with 5 mL of tested drug solutions in a 1:1 ratio. Solutions were assessed for visual (via color and Tyndall beam testing), turbidity (using a laboratory-grade turbidimeter), and pH changes over a 60-minute observation period. Incompatibility was defined a priori as precipitation, color change, a positive Tyndall test, or a turbidity change of ≥0.5 nephelometric turbidity units at any time during the 60-minute observation period. Results Plazomicin was physically compatible with 79 of the 92 drugs tested. Determinations of physical incompatibility with plazomicin were made for 13 drugs: albumin, amiodarone, amphotericin B deoxycholate, anidulafungin, calcium chloride, daptomycin, esomeprazole, heparin, levofloxacin, methylprednisolone, micafungin, phenytoin, and propofol, Conclusion Plazomicin at a concentration of 24 mg/mL was physically compatible with 85% of the drugs tested, including 31 of 36 antimicrobial agents.
Direct Involvement of the Cyclic Nucleotide Binding Sites in the Cyclic-Nucleotide-Induced Charge Shift of Protein Kinases

The holoenzymes of cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinases (cAK and cGK) exist as cyclic nucleotide-free and -bound forms (C.E. Cobb, A.H. Beth, and J.D. Corbin (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 16566–74; L. Wolfe, S.H. Francis, L.R. Landiss, and J.D. Corbin (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 16906–13), which can be resolved by DEAE chromatography due to a cyclic nucleotide-induced increase in surface electronegativity. In the present study, the isolated type I and type II regulatory subunits (RI and RII) of cAK also exhibited an electronegative charge-shift in the presence of cAMP, implying that the catalytic subunit was not involved in the apparent change in conformation resulting in the charge-shift of the holoenzyme. A mutant bovine RI that contained the cAMP binding sites, but was missing regions involved in dimerization and interaction with the catalytic subunit, was expressed in E. coli and purified. This truncated RI also demonstrated an electronegative charge-shift following cAMP binding, indicating that the binding sites themselves were directly involved in the shift. The increase in surface electronegativity of the cyclic nucleotide binding sites may either be a reflection of an overall conformational change due to cyclic nucleotide binding or it could be directly involved in regulating function.
Genomic landscape of micropapillary nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer.

e16028Background: High grade T1 (HGT1) nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) represents a challenging and clinically heterogeneous subset of bladder cancer. Micropapillary carcinomas (MC), a ra...
A Return Journey: Hope and Strength in the Aftermath of Alzheimer’s: Sue Petrovski, 2017, Purdue University Press (West Lafayette, I.N., 978-1-55753-790-4, 188 pp.)

Sue Petrovski’s short book, A Return Journey: Hope and Strength in the Aftermath of Alzheimer’s, is a collection of personal stories as she and her husband cared for her mother during the course of the disease as well as the shared stories of others. A Return Journey provides an insider’s view of the challenges of caring for those with Alzheimer’s and is useful for current and future caregivers as well as those who are studying and working in the health professions.
Combinatorial analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae regulatory elements

Abstract Gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is regulated at multiple levels. Genomic and epigenomic mapping of transcription factors and chromatin components has led to the definition and delineation of various regulatory elements. Enhancers, promoters, 5’ untranslated regions (5’UTR) and transcription terminators/3’ untranslated regions (3’UTR) have all been defined. However, the specific contributions of each of these features as part of a regulatory unit and the functional communications between these regulatory elements remains under explored. We built a combinatorial library of 26 different enhancers, core promoters, 5’UTRs and transcription terminators/3’UTRs. This library was analyzed with respect to gene expression in order to better understand the interactions between different regulatory elements. In the process we developed new methods to estimate the contribution of individual regulatory parts from just a few simple measurements. Our data show that different pairs of regulatory parts follow specific interaction rules affecting overall activity either positively or negatively. We find that while enhancers are the initiators of gene activity, core promoters modulate the levels of enhancer mediated expression. Cluster analysis based on expression show that TATA-box containing core promoters appear to increase enhancer-driven transcription to a greater extent than TATA-less promoters. Principal component analysis highlight outliers and suggest differences in mechanisms of regulation. These results provide a system to characterize regulatory elements and use these elements in the design of synthetic regulatory circuits.
A scalable glass waveguide-based optofluidic photoreactor for converting CO2 to fuels (Conference Presentation)

Current research in CO2 catalytical conversion is usually conducted with single-pass lab-scale reactors. Operating conditions affecting catalyst performance optimized for these reactors were not necessarily transferrable for large scale applications. Herein we report a scalable optofluidic photoreactor based on glass waveguides coated with photocatalyst. Inside the “shell-and-tube” reactor design, tubes are replaced by internal light-guiding waveguides with specially designed scattering surfaces to enable deep and efficient penetration of the light irradiation. Using reverse water–gas shift (RWGS) as a pilot reaction, the effect of temperature, light irradiation and residence time on the photocatalytic activity of this photoreactor platform was examined.
Metacommunication process during a 3-day digital storytelling workshop for patients recovering from hematopoietic cell transplantation: A qualitative approach

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to qualitatively analyze metacommunication during the digital storytelling (DST) workshop process for patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Methods: HCT survivors who had undergone transplant within the past 2 years were recruited at a cancer center in the Phoenix Metropolitan area. Participants (M age = 51.5 years) attended a 3-day DST workshop telling and creating digital stories around their HCT experiences. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, line by line coding and content analysis were conducted with four research team members. Results: Four themes emerged from the data: (1) communal connection; (2) expressing and processing emotions; (3) self-empowerment; and (4) multi-dimensional coping. Participants described telling and sharing their story with other HCT patients as therapeutic. Conclusion: DST shows promise as a potential coping tool and offers multiple dimensions of the role of narrative as a coping technique, in community building, and in patient-centered contexts within HCT.
108. IMPROVING RESIDENT EDUCATION IN THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

Background At the Medical University of South Carolina, the neonatal ICU is known for its high volume of patients. With such high volume, education often is not prioritized. Resident evaluations of the NICU rotation were reviewed from the previous year. Residents perceived education in the NICU as one of the weaknesses of this rotation. Aim Statement Our primary aim was to improve the quality of education as measured by surveys on a Likert scale. Our goal was a one-point improvement (on a 5-point scale) over a six-month period. Our secondary aim was to increase the total number of educational sessions per month in the NICU. Interventions Our interventions were implemented over three PDSA cycles. In the first cycle, we provided neonatology textbooks to residents, set iPhone calendar reminders for residents and fellows to complete weekly educational sessions and provided a checklist to track education. We continued those improvements for cycle 2, with the addition of weekly bedside education. For cycle 3, we added an expectation that each off-service fellow would provide one additional lecture per month. Measures The primary outcome was quality of resident education in the NICU. Residents completed surveys at the end of their rotation to evaluate the education they received. Also, the number of educational sessions per month were documented and a run chart was created. Results Our results showed that there was no change in the quality or quantity of the resident educational experience in the NICU. Regarding the 3 PDSA cycles, 20/22 (91%), 11/30 (37%), and 12/42 (29%) of goal educational activities were completed. Conclusions and Next Steps We surmise that the high clinical volume combined with limited time was the reason this initiative failed to produce change. In addition, we approached potential solutions to the lack of education from a resident and fellow driven perspective. We believe that when the responsibility for education is placed on the residents and fellows, patient care and documentation take precedent over creating educational opportunities. In hindsight, the project may have been more successful with more faculty involvement. The next step will be presenting our data to the MUSC NICU faculty and discussing further changes.
Organic vs Stimulant-Induced Psychosis in the Peripartum Period.

This is the case of a 30-year-old pregnant female who presented to the medical emergency department with signs and symptoms consistent with a psychotic episode. At the time of presentation, the patient was noted to have paranoia and delusions focused on her current pregnancy. On further evaluation in the emergency department, the patient's urine toxicology was found to be positive for methamphetamines. Following medical clearance, the patient was admitted for acute inpatient psychiatric stabilization. During hospitalization, her psychosis rapidly resolved with only the use of two emergency treatment injections containing antipsychotic medication. This case presents an interesting differential diagnosis between a brief psychotic disorder with peripartum onset and a substance-induced psychosis, and allows for further discussion in the differentiation and clinical treatment of these diagnoses.
Wave-Driven Rotation In Centrifugal Mirrors

Centrifugal mirrors use supersonic rotation to provide axial confinement and enhanced stability. Usually the rotation is produced using electrodes, but these electrodes have limited the rotation to the Alfven critical ionization velocity, which is too slow to be useful for fusion. Instead, the rotation could be produced using radio frequency waves. A fixed azimuthal ripple is a simple and efficient wave that could produce rotation by harnessing alpha particle energy. This is an extension of the alpha channeling effect. The alpha particle power and efficiency in a simulated devices is sufficient to produce rotation without external energy input. By eliminating the need for electrodes, this opens new opportunities for centrifugal traps.
Hypoglycemic Activity of Endotoxin II. Mechanism of the Phenomenon in BCG-infected Mice

The mechanism of the hypoglycemic activity of endotoxin in hyperreactive BCG mice was investigated. The mechanism was found to be an inhibition of the synthesis of glucose from noncarbohydrate sources. The possibilities of an induced hypermetabolic state and an induced release of insulin in response to endotoxin as causes for the hypoglycemic response were essentially ruled out. In addition, no clear-cut evidence of an insulin-like action by endotoxin was found in the in vivo setting.
A low power delayed-clocks generation and distribution system

Many new dynamic logic family techniques require a chain of delayed clocks separated by a time that is usually less than a buffer delay. This paper presents a technique to generate these clocks and distribute them to the logic gates. The system has tuning abilities so that even with process-voltage-temperature (PVT) variation in the distribution paths, it can correct itself. Extraction results for a 0.18um process showed +/- 3ps deviation from a nominal 50ps clock separation for a chain of 10 clocks at 1GHz.
The effect of series resistance on the linearity and cross-talk of an SAG based broad band semiconductor optical amplifier

We investigate the effect of series resistance to carrier distribution in SAG based ultra-broadband SOAs, which determines the same device as a perfect optical amplifier or a perfect wavelength converter.
Transforming technology management courses for Web delivery

This paper is a reflection on the author's efforts for the past three years to use Web-based technology to improve a sequence of computer modeling and simulation courses by replacing lectures with self-paced reading materials and labs conducted in computer-equipped classrooms. Students work at their own pace on "labs" that are designed to reinforce key concepts in the readings. Learning is assessed via projects, examinations, and exercises that are written up and submitted by the students. Self-tests are also available to the students. The motivation behind these changes was primarily to improve course quality using active learning principles, and also to improve the efficiency of delivery.
The History of Madness and Mental Illness in the Middle Ages: Directions and Questions

This article explores the extent of recent publications on the history of madness and mental illness in the Middle Ages. It also argues that as this work continues, the categorical groupings of “madness” and “mental illness” deserve our close scrutiny. An exploration of both medieval and present-day categorical assumptions reveals the ways in which they shape our reading of medieval texts, of historical causation, and of social agency.
Cognitive Abilities of Elite Nationally Ranked SCRABBLE and Crossword Experts

Summary Theoretical models of working memory suggest that the simultaneous processing and storage of information is carried out either as separate or binded mechanisms. We explored working memory capacity and strategy in two elite groups of experts to test the separate versus binded hypotheses. Visuospatial and verbal abilities were measured in elite nationally ranked SCRABBLE and crossword experts and compared with college students matched on quantitative and verbal SAT scores, both exceeding 700 on average. SCRABBLE and crossword experts significantly outperformed college students on all cognitive measures. The crossword experts scored significantly higher on a test of analogies than SCRABBLE experts, but performance for cognitive ability tasks did not significantly differ between expert groups. The techniques and strategies used during competitive play, however, did differ significantly. Findings suggest that visuospatial and verbal working memory capacities of SCRABBLE and crossword experts are binded and occur at extraordinarily high levels. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High-resolution patterning and transfer of thin PDMS films: fabrication of hybrid self-sealing 3D microfluidic systems

This paper describes the fabrication procedure for a hybrid elastomer-Si structure. The procedure comprises embossing and curing a thin film in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) with vias in the 30-micrometer regime, followed by a double transfer, first to an intermediate substrate and then, with registration, to the micromachined Si structure. A well-defined adhesion between the PDMS film, the mold, the transfer substrate and the target wafer is key to each successful transfer, and plays a crucial role in the efficient removal of nanometer-thick residual membranes that systematically obstruct vias formed by embossing. Inhibition of the cross-linking of the PDMS pre-polymer in the presence of SU-8 photoresist was observed, and overcome for our case. We fabricated hybrid PDMS-Si microfluidic systems that can be sealed reversibly on any smooth and flat substrate, and filled with different solutions.
Red herrings and revelations: does learning about a new variable worsen forecasts?

Abstract I develop a framework where agents forecast despite knowing only a subset of the variables in the true economic model. I then examine whether the discovery of an additional variable improves forecasting. Because agents do not know all of the variables in the model, they form expectations using bounded rationality. Under adaptive learning , agents form expectations by regressing a variable of interest on the revealed variables. Surprisingly, I find that the revelation of an additional variable often worsens forecasts, an event deemed a red herring , with probability greater than one-half. If the model includes endogenous variables that depend on agents’ expectations, then revealing a new variable will occasionally lead to a catastrophic worsening of forecast accuracy. Under structural coefficients expectations , agents know how each revealed variable appears in the true model and they use this information to forecast. Now, the revelation of a new variable improves forecasting more often than not. I then apply the framework to a calibrated New Keynesian model and find that the revelation of a new variable usually worsens forecasting. Collectively, these results show that learning about a new variable may actually make forecasts less accurate.
Optical Absorption of Long Range Electron Transfer Systems in Intense Fields

Effects of strong radiation field on long range electron transfer reactions and the crossover between the nonadiabatic and adiabatic limits are investigated. Dramatic variations of the absorption spectrum as a function of laser intensity were predicted in the nonadiabatic limit by Dakhnovskii, Lubchenko, and Coalson (Phys. Rev. Lett. 1996, 77, 2917). These results are extended by utilizing the interaction picture and Green function technique to calculate the spectrum in the crossover and the adiabatic regions. As the solvation timescale becomes slower, the multiphoton absorption is enhanced, and the dependence of the absorption spectrum on field intensity is supressed, eventually vanishing in the adiabatic limit.
Potential repellents to prevent mountain beaver damage

Mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) damage to trees in the Pacific Northwest is economically serious. At present, few strategies are available to control damage, and new chemical repellents are being sought. Samples of two preferred plants, Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and salal (Galtheria shallon), were treated with mink urine, coyote urine, o-aminoacetophenone, or denatonium benzoate and presented to mountain beavers. All treatments reduced clipping (p < 0.05) of salal, but mink and coyote urines were most effective. Mink and coyote urines were the only treatments to significantly reduce clipping (p < 0.05) of Douglas fir.
Fabrication of Surface-Attached Magnetic Post Arrays for Biosensing Applications

We present a new biosensing device which consists of an array of flexible high-aspect ratio magnetic structures cantilevered to a solid substrate. The structures are 25 x 2.5 micron cylindrical silicone rods which are encased with a shell of nickel; the silicone structure lends the rod flexibility while the nickel enables magnetic control. Fabrication begins in a 25-micron-thick porous polycarbonate track-etched membrane in which pore diameter is tuned by etching in a sodium hydroxide solution. A gold and aluminum working electrode is sputtercoated onto the back of the membrane, followed by electrodeposition of 100-200 nm of nickel onto the pore wall. This deposition forms a hollow nickel cylinder which is then filled with a poly(dimethyl siloxane) core. After curing, dichloromethane is used to dissolve the polycarbonate template, resulting in a magnetically active microrod array containing two million rods per square centimeter. Furthermore, we demonstrate that changes in the range of motion of the oscillation of the microrod array can be measured by monitoring optical transmission through the sample. This allows us to monitor the aggregation kinetics of the rod array or coagulation of an intervening fluid, leading to a generalized platform for biosensing applications.
Critical contribution of nonlinear chromatography to the understanding of retention mechanism in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

The retention of most compounds in RPLC proceeds through a combination of several independent mechanisms. We review a series of recent studies made on the behavior of several commercial C18-bonded stationary phases and of the complex, mixed retention mechanisms that were observed in RPLC. These studies are essentially based on the acquisition of adsorption isotherm data, on the modeling, and on the interpretation of these data. Because linear chromatography deals only with the initial slope of the global, overall, or apparent isotherm, it is unable fully to describe the complete adsorption mechanism. It cannot even afford clues as to the existence of several overlaid retention mechanisms. More specifically, it cannot account for the consequences of the surface heterogeneity of the packing material. The acquisition of equilibrium data in a wide concentration range is required for this purpose. Frontal analysis (FA) of selected probes gives data that can be modeled into equilibrium isotherms of these probes and that can also be used to calculate their adsorption or affinity energy distribution (AED). The combination of these data, the detailed study of the best constants of the isotherm model, the determination of the influence of experimental parameters (e.g., buffer pH and pI, temperature) on the isotherm constants provide important clues regarding the heterogeneity of the adsorbent surface and the main properties of the adsorption mechanisms. The comparison of similar data obtained for the adsorption of neutral and ionizable compounds, treated with the same approach, and the investigation of the influence on the thermodynamics of phase equilibrium of the experimental conditions (temperature, average pressure, mobile phase composition, nature of the organic modifier, and, for ionizable compounds, of the ionic strength, the nature, the concentration of the buffer, and its pH) brings further information. This review provides original conclusions regarding retention mechanisms in RPLC.
Flash hydrogenation of coal 2. Yield structure for Illinois No. 6 coal at 100 atm

Abstract Hydrocarbon yields are mapped for a mine-mouth sample of Illinois No. 6 coal in 100 atm of flowing hydrogen, brought to reaction temperature at 650 °C/s. The influence of reac tion temperature was explored from 620 to 980 °C with a vapour-product residence time of 0.6 s. The effect of increasing residence time was explored at 700 °C. The only light products observed in more than trace amounts (above 1%) were methane, ethane, propane, and BTX (benzene, toluene, and xylene). Carbon balances show little if any heavier material in the product at temperatures beyond 850 °C at 0.6 s vapour-residence time or beyond a residence time of 3 s at 700 °C.