cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can God be Both Perfect and Free

The difficulty of ascribing metaphysical predicates such as absoluteness, necessity and perfection to God while simultaneously ascribing personal predicates such as compassion, freedom and agency has often been noted. Most efforts to resolve this dilemma have tended to fall into one of three categories: (I) a merely verbal solution such as that God is ‘compassionate in terms of our experience but…not so in terms of [God's] own’; (2) the univocal and unqualified ascription of the metaphysical predicates to God coupled with equivocation with respect to the personal predicates which results in the final elimination of the latter; (3) the fideistic denial that intelligible language is applicable to God. Unfortunately, none of these is satisfactory. The first solution is seen to be but a version of the second, and it is arguable that the second is, as Feuerbach contends, tantamount to a ‘subtle, disguised atheism’, since ‘to deny all the qualities of a being is equivalent to denying the being himself’ or, alternatively, ‘an existence in general, an existence without qualities, is an insipidity, an absurdity’. The third ‘solution’ is no better and is hardly more than an evasive tactic.
Learning operator semantics by analogy

This paper proposes a cognitive model for human procedural skill acquisition based on problem solving in problem spaces and the use of analogs for building the representation of operator semantics. Protocol data of computer-naive subjects learning the EMACS text editor suggests that they use their knowledge of typewriting to decide which commands to use in performing editing tasks. We propose a formal method of analysis that compares operators in two problem spaces (based on postcondition similarity) and generates misconceptions (based on pre- and postcondition differences). Comparing these predicted misconceptions with error data and verbal comments in problem solving episodes validates this analysis.
Origin of group delay ripple in chirped fiber Bragg gratings and its effective reduction method

In this paper, the characteristics of a fiber Bragg grating fabricated with a chirped phase mask are compared with those of a fiber Bragg grating that is made chirped by addition of distortion to a uniform fiber Bragg grating without phase error. It is found that the dominant cause of generation of group delay ripples lies in the phase error of the chirped phase mask. It is demonstrated that a chirped fiber Bragg grating with smaller group delay ripples than the conventional ones can easily be obtained by adding linear distortions made of insertion of a rod containing a fiber Bragg grating without phase error into an S-shaped groove. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 86(8): 76–84, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecjb.10007
Two types of basophils in the anterior pituitary of the rat and their respective cytophysiological significance.

INTRODUCTION THE kresazan method of Romeis (1940), a combination of resorcinfuchsin with azan, enabled him to differentiate between two types of basophils in the hypophysis of several species, including the rat. Later investigators, however, did not obtain encouraging results with kresazan on the rat’s hypophysis (Brolin, 1945; Goldberg and Chaikoff, 1950; Gomori, personal communication). A new elastic stain, aldehyde-fuchsin, in combination with a modified azan technique, permits the clear-cut distinction between two classes of basophils in the pituitary of the rat (Gomori, 1950). The present study was undertaken to establish further the distinct entity of these cell types, which will be referred to as beta and delta cells after the terminology of Romeis. Furthermore, attempts were made to elucidate their respective share in the production of the hormones generally attributed to the basophils of the anterior pituitary lobe: the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), thyrotrophin and the adrenocorticotrophic...
Field-Evolved Insect Resistance to Bt Crops: Definition, Theory, and Data

Transgenic crops producing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins for insect pest control have been successful, but their efÞcacy is reduced when pests evolve resistance. Here we review the deÞnition of Þeld-evolved resistance, the relationship between resistance and Þeld control problems, the theory underlying strategies for delaying resistance, and resistance monitoring methods. We also analyze resistance monitoring data from Þve continents reported in 41 studies that evaluate responses of Þeld populations of 11 lepidopteran pests to four Bt toxins produced by Bt corn and cotton. After more than a decade since initial commercialization of Bt crops, most target pest populations remain susceptible, whereas Þeld-evolved resistance has been documented in some populations of three noctuid moth species: Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) to Cry1F in Bt corn in Puerto Rico, Busseola fusca (Fuller) to Cry1Ab in Bt corn in South Africa, and Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) to Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab in Bt cotton in the southeastern United States. Field outcomes are consistent with predictions from theory, suggesting that factors delaying resistance include recessive inheritance of resistance, abundant refuges of non-Bt host plants, and two-toxin Bt crops deployed separately from one-toxin Bt crops. The insights gained from systematic analyses of resistance monitoring data may help to enhance the durability of transgenic insecticidal crops. We recommend continued use of the long- standing deÞnition of resistance cited here and encourage discussions about which regulatory actions, if any, should be triggered by speciÞc data on the magnitude, distribution, and impact of Þeld-evolved resistance.
An organotypic slice model for ex vivo study of neural, immune, and microbial interactions of mouse intestine

Organotypic tissue slices provide seminatural, three-dimensional microenvironments for use in ex vivo study of specific organs and have advanced investigative capabilities compared with isolated cell cultures. Several characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract have made in vitro models for studying the intestine challenging, such as maintaining the intricate structure of microvilli, the intrinsic enteric nervous system, Peyer's patches, the microbiome, and the active contraction of gut muscles. In the present study, an organotypic intestinal slice model was developed that allows for functional investigation across regions of the intestine. Intestinal tissue slices were maintained ex vivo for several days in a physiologically relevant environment that preserved normal enterocyte structure, intact and proliferating crypt cells, submucosal organization, and muscle wall composure. Cell death was measured by a membrane-impermeable DNA binding indicator, ethidium homodimer, and less than 5% of cells were labeled in all regions of the villi and crypt epithelia at 24 h ex vivo. This tissue slice model demonstrated intact myenteric and submucosal neuronal plexuses and functional interstitial cells of Cajal to the extent that nonstimulated, segmental contractions occurred for up to 48 h ex vivo. To detect changes in physiological responses, slices were also assessed for segmental contractions in the presence and absence of antibiotic treatment, which resulted in slices with lesser or greater amounts of commensal bacteria, respectively. Segmental contractions were significantly greater in slices without antibiotics and increased native microbiota. This model renders mechanisms of neuroimmune-microbiome interactions in a complex gut environment available to direct observation and controlled perturbation.
Security Assurance Requirements for Hypervisor Deployment Features

Virtualized hosts provide abstraction of the hardware resources (i.e., CPU, Memory, etc.) enabling multiple computing stacks to be run on a single physical machine. The Hypervisor is the core software that enables this virtualization and hence must be configured to ensure security robustness for the entire virtualization infrastructure. Among the various combination of hypervisor types and hypervisor hardware platforms, we have chosen a reference architecture as the basis for our set of deployment features. For each deployment feature, this paper looks at the configuration options and analyzes the security implications of the options/deployment feature to derive a set of assurance requirements that are either (a) provided by each of the configuration options; or (b) required for that deployment feature as a whole regardless of configuration options.
Nursing Perspectives in Bioethics

Nursing perspectives in bioethics — nursing’s views of what it means to do good for those who are ill — are derived from the collective narratives of nurses’ experiences of caring for patients in countless journeys through illness, recovery, and death. For most nurses, the ethical obligations inherent in each journey must be fulfilled within the boundaries of professional interdependence and complex organizational structures.
Rotenone-stimulated superoxide release from mitochondrial complex I acutely augments L-type Ca2+ current in A7r5 aortic smooth muscle cells

Voltage-gated L-type Ca(2+) current (ICa,L) induces contraction of arterial smooth muscle cells (ASMCs), and ICa,L is increased by H2O2 in ASMCs. Superoxide released from the mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) is dismutated to H2O2 We studied whether superoxide per se acutely modulates ICa,L in ASMCs using cultured A7r5 cells derived from rat aorta. Rotenone is a toxin that inhibits complex I of the MRC and increases mitochondrial superoxide release. The superoxide content of mitochondria was estimated using mitochondrial-specific MitoSOX and HPLC methods, and was shown to be increased by a brief exposure to 10 μM rotenone. ICa,L was recorded with 5 mM BAPTA in the pipette solution. Rotenone administration (10 nM to 10 μM) resulted in a greater ICa,L increase in a dose-dependent manner to a maximum of 22.1% at 10 μM for 1 min, which gradually decreased to 9% after 5 min. The rotenone-induced ICa,L increase was associated with a shift in the current-voltage relationship (I-V) to a hyperpolarizing direction. DTT administration resulted in a 17.9% increase in ICa,L without a negative shift in I-V, and rotenone produced an additional increase with a shift. H2O2 (0.3 mM) inhibited ICa,L by 13%, and additional rotenone induced an increase with a negative shift. Sustained treatment with Tempol (4-hydroxy tempo) led to a significant ICa,L increase but it inhibited the rotenone-induced increase. Staurosporine, a broad-spectrum protein kinase inhibitor, partially inhibited ICa,L and completely suppressed the rotenone-induced increase. Superoxide released from mitochondria affected protein kinases and resulted in stronger ICa,L preceding its dismutation to H2O2 The removal of nitric oxide is a likely mechanism for the increase in ICa,L.
Prelaunch Expert System for Space Shuttle propulsion system health monitoring

PRELAUNCH EXPERT SYSTEM FOR SPACE SHUTTLE PROPULSION SYSTEM HEALTH MONITORING BY James Engle, Don Bogart, and John Marinuzzi Rockwell International Corporation Space Transportation Systems Division 12214 Lakewood Boulevard Downey, California 90241 The Prelaunch Expert System (PLES) is a ground-based realtime expert system used to monitor sensors for each Space Shuttle subsystem and identify launch commit criteria (LCC) violations, their causes, and suggested courses of action. This expert system will reduce the workload and enhance the performance of engineers who monitor large amounts of data and will speed up their reaction time to potential problems. In addition, it can preserve valuable Shuttle program knowledge that might otherwise be lost with the retirement or transfer of senior personnel. The building of the system was driven by the needs of the Mission Support co&npnity &d has therefore found a high degree of acceptance among its intended end users.
Radiolytic Treatment of the Next-Generation Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction (NGS) Solvent and its Effect on the NGS Process

It is shown in this work that the solvent used in the Next Generation Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction (NGS) process can withstand a radiation dose well in excess of the dose it would receive in multiple years of treating legacy salt waste at the US Department of Energy Savannah River Site. The solvent was subjected to a maximum of 50 kGy of gamma radiation while in dynamic contact with each of the aqueous phases of the current NGS process, namely SRS−15 (a highly caustic waste simulant), sodium hydroxide scrub solution (0.025 M), and boric acid strip solution (0.01 M). Bench-top testing of irradiated solvent confirmed that irradiation has inconsequential impact on the extraction, scrubbing, and stripping performance of the solvent up to 13 times the estimated 0.73 kGy/y annual absorbed dose. Stripping performance is the most sensitive step to radiation, deteriorating more due to buildup of p-sec-butylphenol (SBP) and possibly other proton-ionizable products than to degradation of the guanidine suppressor,...
Interpreting Fracture Specific Stiffness for Fractures in Anisotropic Rock

Laboratory experiments were performed on cubic samples of aluminum and Austin Chalk to investigate the effect of fabric-induced anisotropy on the interpretation of fracture specific stiffness. Seismic data were analyzed using the displacement discontinuity theory for wave propagation across a single fracture. For the aluminum standard, the theory successfully simulated the effect of a synthetic fracture seismic wave transmission and normal and shear fracture specific stiffness were estimated. However, fractures specific stiffness could not be interpreted for the Austin Chalk samples because of the layering in the sample. Wavelet analysis of the Austin Chalk data showed that multiple reflections between layers caused constructive-destructive interference which attenuated the high frequency components of the signals from the intact sample. The presence of the fracture interrupted the interference and enabled high frequency components to be transmitted through the fractured sample.
A Study of the Interaction between Cu3Ge and (100) Si, and its Effect on Electrical Properties

The reduction in the dimensions of advanced semiconductor devices has brought about the need for new metallization materials with low resistivity and high electromigration resistance. The Cu 3 Ge, has been suggested as a contact and metallization material due to its low resistivity (6 μΩ-cm), high electromigration resistance, and high chemical stability. We have grown thin films of Cu 3 Ge on (100) Si by the sequential e-beam deposition of an amorphous Ge layer then a Cu layer, followed by a thermal anneal to crystallize the Cu 3 Ge film. The Cu-Ge films maintain their low resistivity (10-15 μΩ cm) over a range of anneal temperatures, up to an anneal temperature of 600°C, where a significant increase in resistivity is observed. We have shown that this increase in resistivity is directly related to the structure of the Cu 3 Ge film and interface. We have observed by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), that films of Cu 3 Ge form a smooth, atomically sharp interface with (100) Si, up to an anneal temperature of 600°C, where the film agglomerates, and additional compounds are observed. In this paper, we discuss the correlation between microstructure, interface structure and electrical properties of these novel thin film structures.
RaInCube: a proposed constellation of atmospheric profiling radars in cubesat

Numerical climate and weather models depend on measurements from space-borne satellites to complete model validation and improvements. Precipitation profiling capabilities are currently limited to a few instruments deployed in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which cannot provide the temporal resolution necessary to observe the evo- lution of short time-scale weather phenomena and improve numerical weather prediction models. A constellation of cloud- and precipitation-profiling instruments in LEO would provide this essential capability, but the cost and timeframe of typical satellite platforms and instruments constitute a possibly prohibitive challenge. A new radar instrument architecture that is compatible with low-cost satellite platforms, such as CubeSats and SmallSats, has been designed at JPL. Its small size, moderate mass and low power requirement enable constellation missions, which will vastly expand our ability to observe weather systems and their dynamics and thermodynamics at sub-diurnal time scales down to the temporal resolutions required to observe developing convection. In turn, this expanded observational ability can revolutionize weather now-casting and medium-range forecasting, and enable crucial model improvements to improve climate predictions.
Simulation Research on Rod Upsetting Forming Process for Oil Field

In order to study the technological characteristics of the sucker rod and its upsetting forming processes. Based on the forming process and three-dimensional visco-plastic finite element theory,carried out numerical simulation of each rod upsetting forming stage by finite element method,and obtained the law of stress,strain,strain variation of velocity field during the forging process,which provides design basis for rod upsetting.
Realizing the Comprehensive Training in Navigation by Simulating the Experimental Environment on Sea

This article focused on some drawbacks which exist in lab during the nautical practical teaching in the ocean shipping colleges, and put forward the methods of realization of comprehensive training in navigation through simulating the experimental environment on sea, with the virtual computer software and in combination with motional ship models.
Best practices for the reprojection and resampling of Sentinel-2 Multi Spectral Instrument Level 1C data

ABSTRACTThe standard geolocated Sentinel-2 Multi Spectral Instrument (MSI) L1C data products are defined in spatially overlapping tiles in different Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) map projection zones. Best practices for reprojection and resampling to properly utilize and benefit from the L1C data format are presented. Three sets of 10 m Sentinel-2 L1C data acquired in the same orbit at different latitudes are examined to illustrate and quantify (a) the spatial properties of the L1C data and provide insights into the occurrence of overlapping tiles and overlapping tiles defined in different UTM zones from the same MSI swath, (b) the geometric implications of resampling and reprojection approaches that consider only the data from one L1C tile and not the data from other tiles in the overlap region that are defined in different UTM zones and (c) a recommended approach that considers all the overlapping L1C tile data and is shown statistically and qualitatively to improve the geometric fidelity of the r...
A Phase II Study of Twice Daily Cytarabine and Fludarabine and Gentuzumab Ozogamycin (GO) In Patients (pts) with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and High-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

Abstract 2188 Background: Treatment options for pts with refractory/relapsed (R/R) AML are limited. High dose cytarabine (A) containing regimens are still considered standard options for pts with AML relapsing after a first complete remission (CR) lasting more than 12 months. The combination of A with fludarabine (F) was found to be superior to A alone in this setting, particularly when administered twice daily (BID). In addition, gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) has been shown to be active in combination or as single agent in pts with R/R AML. Therefore, we conducted a phase II study assessing the efficacy and safety of BID FA-GO. Patients and Methods: Pts with R/R AML, de novo AML patients unfit for other medical therapies, intermediate-2 and high-risk MDS, and chronic myeloid leukemia in myeloid blast crisis (CML-BC), with a performance status (PS) of 3 or less, as well as normal organ functions were eligible. Pts were scheduled to receive F 15 mg/m 2 IV q12 hrs day 1 to 5 as well as A at the dose of 0.5 g/m 2 IV over 2 hrs q12 hrs day 1 to 5. GO was administered at the dose of 3 mg/m 2 IV on day 1. Treatment course was shortened to 4 days in pts older than 65 years and to 3 days in pts with a PS of 3. Courses were repeated every 4 to 6 weeks for a maximum of 7 courses. Pts with CML were allowed to receive concomitant tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Results: Sixty-five evaluable pts were enrolled: 6 (9%) with de novo AML, 5 (8%) with AML in first relapse with a duration of 1st CR (CRD1) of ≥12 months, 21 (32%) with AML with CRD1 Conclusion: BID FA-GO appears to be active with an ORR of 31% in heavily pre- treated population. This combination appears to be safe as well with a low rate of 4-week-mortality of 5%. Ongoing studies are exploring the role of the new generation of nucleoside analogues in this setting. Disclosures: Cortes: Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding.
Tampa Trephine Penetrating Keratoplasty

The Tampa Trephine penetrating keratoplasty technique (TTPK) provides a 7.0 mm corneal donor button with six rectangular tabs of Bowman’s layer and anterior stroma, 50 microns in thickness, which are inserted into the recipient corneal stroma beneath Bowman’s layer. TTPK offers the hypothetical advantages over standard penetrating keratoplasty of a more stable donor-host interface, the presence of fewer sutures (12 interrupted), lower astigmatism, a shorter visual acuity recovery period, and additional tectonic support in thin recipient beds. This article reports the results from the first 35 patients operated on within a four month follow-up period. The patients in this study were submitted to TTPK and evaluated postoperatively at 1, 7, and 15 days, as well as 1,2, 3, and 4 months. Retrospective evaluations included visual acuity, computerized corneal topography, ultrasonic pachymetry, slit lamp examination, and intraocular pressure. The tab presence induced a clinically stable donor-host interface by four months postoperatively. Early suture removal accomplished in nine cases in the postoperative time frame between 110 and 145 days reflected in minimal astigmatism only in three sutureless corneas. A myopic postoperative sphere was usually observed, especially when early complete suture removal was accomplished. Early postoperative complications included transient donor epithelial defects and corneal edema, inadequate wound closure, wound dehiscence, superficial neovascularization directed towards the tabs, epithelial inclusion in the stromal pocket, and contamination of the donor button. Late complications included one primary graft failure, one endothelial graft rejection, and one crystalline keratopathy.
Modelling the evolution of subglacial tunnels due to varying water input

The time evolution of a subglacial tunnel cross-section is examined usine a two-dimensional finite-element ice-flow model coupled to an idealized drainage system. Simulations are driven by physically based calculations of surface water-input variations at Slorgiaciaren, Sweden. Highlights of the model are its ability to handle unsteady conditions and irregular tunnel shapes. Agreement between modelled water pressure and borehole water levels is good. The following conclusions are reached: (i) Tunnels adapt to fluctuating inflow on time-scales of days. Storms, during which effective pressure ranges from 0 to 0.9 MPa, cause significant adjustments but daily fluctuations due solely to melt-water inflow are minor, (ii) Open-channel flow may become commonplace late in the ablation season, (iii) Initial tunnel shape influences subsequent tunnel evolution and seasonal water-pressure variation. Over the course of a summer, tunnels retain some of their initial shape, though in all experiments the width-to-height ratio increased with time, (iv) Tunnel contraction forms broad low tunnels. However, (v) given two tunnels of equal initial area, the higher narrower one expands more rapidly. Thus, more semi-circular tunnels may capture How from broader neighbours early in the summer.
6Li(n,α)T Cross Section from 70 to 3000 keV from the 235U(n,f) Calibration of a Thin Glass Scintillator

The efficiency of a 0.5-mm-thick 6Li glass scintillation monitor was determined above the “1/v” region by comparison with the counting rate of a ten-plate 235U fission ionization chamber in a neutr...
Deep brain stimulator infection by a novel rapid growing mycobacterium

Devise-related infections after deep brain stimulator implantation are not uncommon. However, infections due to mycobacteria have not been reported in the medical literature. We describe the first reported case of DBS infection due to a novel rapidly growing mycobacteria, most closely resembling Mycobacterium goodii, by rpoB gene sequencing.
Teaching Bits: What's New with CAUSEweb and MERLOT?

(2010). Teaching Bits: What's New with CAUSEweb and MERLOT? Journal of Statistics Education: Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. null.
The Natural History of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease—An Evolving View

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, and its clinical and economic burden will continue to grow with parallel increases in rates of obesity, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome. Evolving understanding of the natural history of NAFLD suggests that these patients are at risk for disease progression to steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Recent studies also suggest that these patients are at elevated risk for cardiovascular-, malignancy-, and liver-related morbidity and mortality, although their risk for progression, decompensation, and hepatocellular carcinoma may be less than that of patients with alternative causes of chronic liver disease.
Gated Communities and Crime in the United States

Gated communities represent a modern housing trend that is quickly gaining prominence across the United States and challenging how researchers typically conceptualize neighborhoods. Gated communities feature distinct characteristics that differentiate them from non-gated neighborhoods, characteristics that likely bear important implications for neighborhood crime rates. For example, gated communities feature physical barriers, including gates and walls, which regulate access into the community and bar opportunities for potential offenders. Additionally, gated community residents may foster shared beliefs, values, and investment in their community that bolster informal social control, further insulating the community from crime. Despite the growing prevalence of gated communities and their potential influence on neighborhood crime rates, few studies examine the relationship between gated communities and crime. The present study extends this body of literature by conducting the first neighborhood-level analysis of gated communities and crime. Examining gated communities across Orange County, CA, we find that gated communities are associated with lower rates of violent and property crime compared to non-gated neighborhoods. These findings highlight the importance of gated communities in shaping neighborhood conditions and as an area for future research.
Structural Basis of the Molecular Switch between Phosphatase and Mutase Functions of Human Phosphomannomutase 1 under Ischemic Conditions.

The human phosphomannomutases PMM1 and PMM2 catalyze the interconversion of hexose 6-phosphates and hexose 1-phosphates. The two isoforms share 66% sequence identity and have kinetic properties similar to those of mutases in vitro but differ in their functional roles in vivo. Though the physiological role of PMM2 is catalysis of the mutase reaction that provides the mannose 1-phosphate (Man-1-P) essential for protein glycosylation, PMM1 is thought to provide a phosphohydrolase activity in the presence of inosine monophosphate (IMP), converting glucose 1,6-bisphosphate (Glu-1,6-P2) to glucose 6-phosphate (Glu-6-P), rescuing glycolysis during brain ischemia. To uncover the structural basis of how IMP binding converts PMM1 from a mutase to a phosphatase, the 1.93 A resolution structure of PMM1 complexed with IMP was determined. The structure reveals IMP bound at the substrate recruitment site, thus inhibiting the mutase activity while simultaneously activating a phosphatase activity (IMP Kact = 1.5 μM) resul...
On the prediction of sound diffusion coefficient

Acoustic diffusers are one of the key elements in architectural acoustic design. The shape, placement and combination with absorbers along with the physical characteristics of the room such as the volume, size, and geometry make a complex design scenario full of variables and dependencies. The Prediction of scattered reflections with the help of computer modeling is one of the most recent areas of research. Currently the only software package that exist for the simulation of the scattered sound is Reflex [1] from AFMG which can predict scattering and diffusion coefficients of 1D acoustics diffusers using their cross sections. It employs Boundary Element Methods for the calculation purposes. This study intends to develop a sound diffusion prediction software that simulates the measurement laboratory environment of the diffusion coefficients in accordance with 17497-2 ISO standards to predict diffusion coefficients of different type of 2D and 3D acoustics diffusers such as Schroeder, fractal and volumetric ...
Evaluation of moderate to high elevation effects on pulmonary arterial pressure measures in Angus cattle1.

Altitude-induced pulmonary hypertension is a disease once thought to only occur at extremely high elevations (>1,600 m), but recently, it has been observed at moderate elevations of 1,200 to 1,600 m. Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) has been used as an indicator of tolerance to high altitude in mountainous beef production systems for over 30 yr. The trait is typically measured on yearling bulls and heifers with values ≤ 41 mmHg being favorable. These observations were historically only considered valid when they were recorded at elevations ≥ 1,600 m; however, if observations from lower (i.e., moderate) elevations were reliable indicators, a greater number of cattle records could be used in genetic improvement programs for high-altitude beef systems. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the relationship between PAP and elevation, as well as to determine whether PAP measures obtained at moderate elevations (ME) less than 1,600 m have a genetic relationship with PAP observations obtained at high elevations (HE) 1,600 m or greater. Elevation and PAP data from purebred Angus cattle (n = 14,665) from 349 contemporary groups were used in the analyses. Elevation and PAP averaged 1,887 ± 1.8 m and 43.0 ± 0.1 mm Hg, respectively. A univariate model containing the effects of sex, age, elevation category (HE vs. ME), elevation (continuous), and elevation category by elevation interaction along with a random direct genetic effect was utilized to determine the relationship between PAP and elevation. In this model, all main effects were found to be significant contributors of variation in PAP (P 0.05). A bivariate animal model was then used to evaluate the relationship between PAP observations obtained between HE and ME groups. Heritability estimates for these 2 groups were 0.34 ± 0.03 and 0.29 ± 0.09, respectively, and their genetic correlation was 0.83 ± 0.15. Even though this is a strong genetic relationship, results of this study support the hypothesis that PAP observations collected at HE and ME are not perfectly, genetically related. Results suggest that PAP measures collected from 1,219 to 1,600 m may be useful as a correlated trait in a multitrait genetic evaluation to produce EPD useful for selection of animals with reduced susceptibility to pulmonary hypertension.
Renal Proximal Tubular Brush-Border Membrane Transport of Phosphate with Acute Acidosis

Recent studies from our laboratory (1) and that of other investigators (2) have shown that metabolic acidosis of several days duration is associated with suppression of phosphate transport by isolated brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) of the proximal tubule. The suppression is specific for the Pi transporter, since other Na-dependent transport processes are not altered.
RNA synthesis in the early embryo

The bulk RNA of the embryo, like that of other cells, is ribosomal RNA and throughout the early stages of embryogenesis, the bulk RNA content remains essentially constant or in some species even declines slightly. Some radioautographic and actinomycin studies with mammalian embryos exist, but the difficulty of handling mammalian embryos in vitro has so far precluded biochemical analyses of RNA synthesis patterns in this material. The problems posed by such experiments are further exacerbated by the presence in mammalian embryos of actively growing accessory trophic tissues. There exists an early synthesis of informational RNA, which in-creases slowly in intensity from cleavage to midblastulation. After this, during blastulation, an abrupt, embryo-wide increase in gene transcription occurs and informational R N A synthesis rates increase at least 20-fold. The newly synthesized RNAs contain a novel program of genetic information. By mid-gastrulation, informational R N A content per cell has attained the values that will persist through the remainder of early development. Transfer R N A synthesis becomes activated as well during the mid-to-late blastular-activation period. [A3]
Harnessing Information Using Genomic Platforms

State-of-the-art genetic techniques are now employed to provide personalized medicine to individual patients. These methods include single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, whole exome sequencing (WES), and methylation studies. SNP arrays detect copy number variants such as deletions and duplications, and runs of homozygosity, identifying regions of the genome that contain candidate genes for causing the patient’s disease. The Human Genome Project provides the annotation that locates candidate genes within the genome’s 3.2 billion bases. WES determines the sequence of the 30 to 60 million bases that encode genes, generally identifying ~20,000 variants from the reference sequence; several “filters” must be applied to reduce this to a manageable number of candidate genes that warrant validation and investigation. Methylation regulates the expression of genes and influences phenotypes; it can be detected using various techniques. The rate of improvement and the progressive reduction in cost of these techniques are rapidly bringing genomics to the clinic.
Studying Leaders and Military Conflict: Conceptual Framework and Research Agenda

This article introduces the special feature “Leaders, Crisis Behavior, and International Conflict.” Individual leaders play a central role in world politics. Yet, for the last several decades, inte...
A novel optical fiber temperature sensor with polymer-metal alternating structure

Abstract This paper presents a polymer-metal alternating structure (PMAS) optical fiber temperature sensor fabricated using the LIGA electroforming process; the resulting sensor is a new metal-based optical fiber long-period grating temperature sensor. A periodic s-shaped photoresist structure was patterned onto the etched optical fiber, and the electroforming process was used to deposit nickel within the patterned cavity of the photoresist structure. Due to the thermal expansion of the nickel and the strain-optic effect, when the PMAS sensor is heated, the periodic nickel structure on the optical fiber will induce an expansion strain field in the longitudinal direction of the PMAS optical fiber sensor. The temperature experimental results showed that the resonant wavelengths of the PMAS optical fiber sensor exhibited red shifts as the temperature increased from 60 °C −100 °C. The sensitivity of the sensor to changes in temperature in terms of its wavelength shift was −0.541 nm/°C and R2 was 0.937. Therefore, the PMAS optical fiber sensor can be applied for temperature measurements.
Negative Domain Local Fractional Inequalities

This research is about inequalities in a local fractional environment over a negative domain. The author presents the following types of analytic local fractional inequalities: Opial, Hilbert–Pachpatte, comparison of means, Poincare and Sobolev. The results are with respect to uniform and \(L_{p}\) norms, involving left and right Riemann–Liouville fractional derivatives. See also [10].
Speculative Punishment, Incarceration, and Control in 'Black Mirror'

This chapter will provide a sociocultural and close textual analysis of the Black Mirror episodes: “White Bear” (2/18/2013), “White Christmas” (12/16/2014), and “Black Museum” (12/29/2017) to examine their representations of speculative punishment, incarceration, and social and mental control. This study argues that these near future representations are expressive of contemporary neoliberal governance and criminology, public shaming and humiliation, penal tourism, and criminal justice and punishment as entertainment. The episodes’ futuristic punishments exemplify the type of retributive justice that has come to characterize the neoliberal penal turn in criminal justice in the United States and in the UK over the past three decades. Mike Nellis (2006) affirms that dystopian penal imagery in American science fiction films approximately corresponds with markedly more punitive penal practices for the past 30 years. In addition, some of these films focus on the use of panoptic surveillance and digital technologies for disciplinary control and, as agents of confinement, express cultural anxieties about the increased capacity of these technologies for social and mental control. The aforementioned Black Mirror episodes intersect with these and other relevant discourses as they serve to imagine a technological future characterized by new forms of governance and social management, spectatorship, punishment, and confinement.
Merging Sustainability and Technology in the Classroom: An Experience Report

Formal education often relies on the students' ability to make connections among different subjects, as they navigate through a curriculum packed with different topics. In order to facilitate the preparation to the workforce, we created a course in "Sustainability and Technology" that was cross-listed in the degrees of Applied Information Technology and Environmental Sustainability. This manuscript documents our efforts in creating an indoor farm by letting students from different majors collaborate on this shared project. The results of our survey support the benefits of letting students collaborate as they approach the end of their undergraduate studies.
Nationwide use, challenges, facilitators, and impact of preceptors in prelicensure clinical nursing education

Background and objective: Preceptor-facilitated clinical nursing education prevalence information is dated. Information is most often limited to regional baccalaureate programs and provides sparse evidence of its education-related outcomes. The purpose of this study is to describe the nationwide use, structures, facilitators, and challenges of using preceptors in prelicensure clinical education; compare its use by program characteristics; and explore its impact on education-related outcomes. Methods: In this cross-sectional comparative study, prelicensure programs in randomly selected jurisdictions in all four regions of the US were identified and official pass rates obtained. Program administrators completed an online questionnaire about preceptor use, incentives used, challenges, facilitators, and perceived impact on program capacity. Results: Preceptors were used in 73% of the 366 responding programs. Prevalence rates ranged from 25% to 87% by program type and from 64% to 86% by region. Programs’ NCLEX-RN ® pass rates and perceived impact on program capacity did not differ by use of preceptors. Most respondents indicated there was no impact although one-fifth perceived moderate to high impact. The top five challenges and facilitators to preceptor use were identified. Programs used a variety of preceptor incentives, ranging from 62% using informal recognition to 7% providing some type of financial compensation. Conclusions: Most programs use preceptors with differences by program type and region. Designating resources to enhance preceptor orientation and preceptor-student-faculty communications may be useful, as well as identifying the challenges and facilitators. While a variety of preceptor incentives are available, few offer direct monetary compensation. Regional preceptor incentive data provide useful benchmarks. With high rates of use in some sectors and yet no demonstrable influence on pass rates, closer scrutiny of the quality of preceptor-facilitated educational experiences and associated outcomes are warranted.
Sphingosine Kinase 1/S1P Signaling Contributes to Pulmonary Fibrosis by Activating Hippo/YAP Pathway and Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species in Lung Fibroblasts

The sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1)/sphingosine–1–phosphate (S1P) signaling axis is emerging as a key player in the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis in mice. Recent evidence implicates the involvement of the Hippo/Yes-associated protein (YAP) 1 pathway in lung diseases, including IPF, but its plausible link to the SPHK1/S1P signaling pathway is unclear. Herein, we demonstrate the increased co-localization of YAP1 with the fibroblast marker FSP1 in the lung fibroblasts of BLM-challenged mice, and the genetic deletion of Sphk1 in mouse lung fibroblasts (MLFs) reduced YAP1 localization in fibrotic foci. The PF543 inhibition of SPHK1 activity in mice attenuated YAP1 co-localization with FSP1 in lung fibroblasts. In vitro, TGF-β stimulated YAP1 translocation to the nucleus in primary MLFs, and the deletion of Sphk1 or inhibition with PF543 attenuated TGF-β-mediated YAP1 nuclear localization. Moreover, the PF543 inhibition of SPHK1, or the verteporfin inhibition of YAP1, decreased the TGF-β- or BLM-induced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) in human lung fibroblasts (HLFs) and the expression of fibronectin (FN) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Furthermore, scavenging mtROS with MitoTEMPO attenuated the TGF-β-induced expression of FN and α-SMA. The addition of the S1P antibody to HLFs reduced TGF-β- or S1P-mediated YAP1 activation, mtROS, and the expression of FN and α-SMA. These results suggest a role for SPHK1/S1P signaling in TGF-β-induced YAP1 activation and mtROS generation, resulting in fibroblast activation, a critical driver of pulmonary fibrosis.
75 – Integrating Factors*

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses integrating factors applicable to linear first-order ordinary differential equations. When a given equation is not exact, it may be possible to multiply the equation by a certain term so that it does become exact. The term that is used is called an integrating factor. Use of integrating factors yields an exact equation that can then be integrated. The procedure considers a nonlinear ordinary differential equation, M(x, y)dx + N(x, y)dy = 0, which is supposed to not to be exact. It may be, however, that if M(x, y)dx + N(x, y)dy = 0 is multiplied by an integrating factor u(x, y), the resulting equation uMdx + uNdy = 0 is exact. The chapter highlights that sometimes an integrating factor of the form xkyn can be found (for specific values of k and n).
Field attributes and farming practices associated with vole (Microtus) damage in cover-cropped fields

Abstract Increased use of cover crops to promote soil health in high-intensity row-crop agroecosystems has resulted in more frequent reports of damage to soybean (Glycine max) commodity crops by voles (Microtus). Meadow (M. pennsylvanicus) and prairie voles (M. ochrogaster) may use overhead cover and forage provided by cover crops and browse soybean seedlings after emergence in spring. Because cover cropping is a recently adopted conservation practice, few methods have been evaluated for their relative effectiveness in preventing vole damage in cover-cropped fields. We used boosted regression tree models to assess how farming practices, physical and landscape attributes of cover-cropped soybean fields, and seasonal weather conditions were associated with severity of damage by voles across Indiana, USA. We found non-linear, asymptotic relationships between risk of vole damage and number of days of snow cover the preceding winter, percent of well-drained soils, and number of years of cover-crop use in a field. Damage risk was greatest at intermediate levels of grassland vole habitat within 50 m, and risk was lower when conservation tillage was applied. Our results can be used by producers to identify fields and years where vole damage is most likely to occur and identifies farming practices most likely to mitigate risk in those fields.
Ethnographic methods for research on aging: making use of a fundamental toolkit for understanding everyday life

Abstract Ethnography and participant observation have long made important contributions to social scientific understandingsof aging and the life course. For instance, classic and contemporary field studies have examined aging in urban enclaves; charted how culture and identity shape growing older; shown how institutions designed to serve elders are organized; and explained how aging is shaped by and reveals broader patterns of social inequality. Yet the prominence of field research lags behind other methodological approaches to studying aging. This chapter explains why a fuller integration of participant observation and ethnography is not only useful, but necessary, for advancing social scientific understandings of aging and the life course. Specifically, it: (1) explains why ethnographic approaches are fundamental to contemporary social science; (2) articulates the goals and uses of participant observation as a social scientific method; (3) illustrates how ethnography and participant observation can advance key topics in aging; (4) provides examples of classic and contemporary ethnographies of aging that do so; and (5) offers suggestions for encouraging high-quality future field studies on aging and the life course.
Beyond the four walls: The evolution of school psychological services during the COVID-19 outbreak

Abstract The emergence of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in early 2020 led to the sudden temporary closure of K-12 schools across the United States. Schools were tasked with providing remote instruction to students, and many of these children continued to require mental and behavioral health services provided by school psychologists. In this study, 675 school psychologists were surveyed across the United States to examine how their roles and responsibilities changed as a result of COVID-19. Participants reported the perceived impact of COVID-19 on students? mental health and difficulty serving students and families, as well as their concerns and recommendations pertaining to school reentry. Overall, respondents in this study reported that their roles and responsibilities notably changed because of COVID-19. Participants noted their belief that children and educators will need increased mental health support upon returning to school. Implications for future practice and research are discussed.