cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of a key agile cryptographic system for OC-12c rate ATM

The paper describes an experimental key agile cryptographic system under design at MCNC. The system is compatible with ATM local- and wide-area networks. The system establishes and manages secure connections between hosts in a manner which is transparent to the end users and compatible with existing public network standards. A Cryptographic Unit supports hardware encryption and decryption at the ATM protocol layer. The system is SONET compatible and operates full duplex at the OC-12c rate (622 Mbps). Separate encryption keys are negotiated for each secure connection. Each Cryptographic Unit can manage more than 65,000 active secure connections. The Cryptographic Unit can be connected either in a security gateway mode referred to as a 'bump-in-the-fiber' or as a direct ATM host interface. Authentication and access control are implemented through a certificate-based system. The current status of the system is that hardware and software detail designs have been completed. An early version of the key management software has been completed and demonstrated. Hardware fabrication and systems integration are expected to take place over the next several months. Once completed the proof-of concept system will be used to explore issues of privacy, access control and authentication in relation to communications over emerging public networks. >
Ischemic Preconditioning Prevents the Impairment of Hypoxic Coronary Vasodilatation Caused by Ischemia/Reperfusion: Role of Adenosine A1/A3 and Bradykinin B2 Receptor Activation

We previously reported that hypoxic coronary vasodilatation (HCVD) is initiated by endothelial NO and sustained by adenosine. Prolonged ischemia/reperfusion impairs endothelium-dependent coronary vasodilatation, whereas transient ischemia (ie, preconditioning) protects the myocardium from subsequent ischemic events. Accordingly, we assessed whether prolonged ischemia/reperfusion impairs HCVD and whether preconditioning prevents this dysfunction. HCVD, elicited in isolated guinea pig hearts by a 1-minute exposure to 100% N2, consisted of an approximately 70% increase in coronary flow associated with enhanced nitrite/nitrate and adenosine overflow (+40% and 5-fold, respectively). After 30-minute global ischemia and 20-minute reperfusion, HCVD was decreased by approximately 60%, and the increases in nitrite/nitrate and adenosine overflow were abolished. Preconditioning (ie, three cycles of 5-minute global ischemia+5-minute reperfusion) prevented the impairment of HCVD and fully restored the increase in nitrite/nitrate overflow, but not that of adenosine. The protective effect of preconditioning was mimicked by perfusion with the adenosine A1 receptor agonist N6-cyclopentyladenosine and prevented by the A1 receptor antagonist N-0861. In addition, the A3 receptor agonist N6-(3-iodobenzyl)adenosine-5'-N-methyl-carboxamide had a similar protective effect. The bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist HOE 140 abolished the protective effect of preconditioning, whereas the NO synthase inhibitor N(omega)-methyl-L-arginine and the cycloxygenase inhibitor indomethacin did not. Our data indicate that preconditioning restores HCVD by a process that is triggered by activation of adenosine A1/A3 and bradykinin B2 receptors. The action of bradykinin is independent of NO and prostacyclin production. Once restored by preconditioning, HCVD is mediated by NO but no longer sustained by adenosine.
Page replacement in distributed virtual memory systems

The authors introduce three page replacement, and page out policies, in distributed virtual memory systems. Two of the replacement policies, the least recently brought and the global recently used or brought, are adapted versions of the least recently used policy, which is well known in conventional virtual memory systems. Trace driven simulation was used to evaluate the performance of the replacement policies and the RR (round robin), LAN (least active neighbor), and LLN (least loaded neighbor) page out policies. The results suggest that when the cost of internode faults is considerably higher than local memory access, global and remote policies are superior to the local one. When the cost of bringing a page from the immediate neighbor is considerably low compared to the cost of accessing the local memory, the local policy performs as well as the global and the remote. Among the page out policies, round robin is the least efficient. LLN generates lower cost than LAN when the size of the local memory is relatively large. Under high memory contention, LAN shows better performance. >
Stimulation by serum of multiplication of stationary chicken cells.

When serum was added to cultures of stationary chicken fibroblasts, there was an increase in the percentage of cells synthesizing DNA after a delay of about five hours. If the serum was removed before DNA synthesis began, some cells were still found to start DNA synthesis and to enter mitosis. The delay between the time of addition of serum and the start of DNA synthesis was not affected by the type of serum, the concentration of serum, nor the means of preparing the stationary cells. However, all of these factors affected the proportion of cells stimulated by serum. If two pulses of serum were given immediately following each other, their effects were synergistic. If there were twelve hours between them, there was no effect of the first pulse. These results were summarized in a new model of the cell cycle which subdivided the G1 phase into Gla, b, and c. The effects of serum were seen in a balanced salt solution, and were sensitive to several metabolic inhibitors.
An automated procedure for detecting protein folds from sub-nanometer resolution electron density.

The use of sub-nanometer resolution electron density as spatial constraints for de novo and ab initio structure prediction requires knowledge of protein boundaries to accurately segment the electron density for the prediction algorithms. Here we present a procedure where even poorly segmented density can be used to determine the fold of the protein. The method is automated, fast, capable of searching for multiple copies of a protein fold, and accessible to densities encompassing more than a thousand residues. The automation is particularly powerful as it allows the procedure to take full advantage of the expanding repository in the Protein Data Bank. We have tested the method on nine segmented sub-nanometer image reconstruction electron densities. The method successfully identifies the correct fold for the six densities for which an atomic structure is known, identifies a fold that agrees with prior structural data, a fold that agrees with predictions from the Fold & Function Assignment server, and a fold that correlates with secondary structure prediction. The identified folds in the last three examples can be used as templates for comparative modeling of the bacteriophage P22 tail-machine (a 3 MDa complex composed of 39 protein subunits).
Diagnosis of Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis: Mutation Detection Strategies

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCL) are a group of rare genetically inherited neurodegenerative disorders in children. These diseases are classified by age of onset (congenital, infantile, late-infantile, juvenile and adult-onset) and by the gene bearing mutations (CLN10/CTSD, CLN1/PPT1, CLN2/TPP1, CLN3, CLN5, CLN6, CLN7/MFSD8 and CLN8). Enzyme activity assays are helpful in identifying several of these disorders; however confirmation of the mutation in the gene causing these diseases is vital for definitive diagnosis. There exists considerable heterogeneity in the NCLs as a whole and within each type of NCL both in phenotype (disease manifestation and progression) and genotype (type of mutation), which complicates NCL diagnosis. In order to streamline the diagnostic process, the age of symptom onset, geography and/or ethnicity, and enzyme activity may be considered together. However, these ultimately serve to guide targeting the correct route to genetic confirmation of an NCL through mutational analysis. Herein, an effective protocol to diagnose NCLs using these criteria is presented.
Processing of calcium metaphosphate based-glass-ceramic coatings on alumina

Dense, crystalline, glass-ceramic coatings containing calcium metaphosphate and aluminum phosphate were prepared on aluminum oxide substrates by a three-step method. The processing involved glass (40 mol% CaO, 10 mol% Al2O3, 50 mol% P2O5) formation, deposition of a glass particle coating, and heat treatment to sinter the glass and crystallize the phosphates. Sintering and microstructure evolution were influenced by wet coating thickness, heat-treatment temperature, time, and heating rate. Heat treatment for 1 h at 725 °C using a 50 °C/min heating rate was found to give a dense, crack-free coating. The resultant coating microstructure has spherulitic morphology (0.3 μm size) with aluminum phosphate in the center of the spherulite. The hardness of the fully crystallized glass-ceramic coating was ∼5.2 GPa.
Modification of the Structure of Peptidoglycan Is a Strategy To Avoid Detection by Nucleotide-Binding Oligomerization Domain Protein 1

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD) protein 1 (NOD1) and NOD2 are pathogen recognition receptors that sense breakdown products of peptidoglycan (PGN) (muropeptides). It is shown that a number of these muropeptides can induce tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) gene expression without significant TNF-α translation. This translation block is lifted when the muropeptides are coincubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), thereby accounting for an apparently synergistic effect of the muropeptides with LPS on TNF-α protein production. The compounds that induced synergistic effects were also able to activate NF-κB in a NOD1- or NOD2-dependent manner, implicating these proteins in synergistic TNF-α secretion. It was found that a diaminopimelic acid (DAP)-containing muramyl tetrapeptide could activate NF-κB in a NOD1-dependent manner, demonstrating that an exposed DAP is not essential for NOD1 sensing. The activity was lost when the α-carboxylic acid of iso-glutamic acid was modified as an amide. However, agonists of NOD2, such as muramyl dipeptide and lysine-containing muramyl tripeptides, were not affected by amidation of the α-carboxylic acid of iso-glutamic acid. Many pathogens modify the α-carboxylic acid of iso-glutamic acid of PGN, and thus it appears this is a strategy to avoid recognition by the host innate immune system. This type of immune evasion is in particular relevant for NOD1.
Health effects of vegan diets

Recently, vegetarian diets have experienced an increase in popularity. A vegetarian diet is associated with many health benefits because of its higher content of fiber, folic acid, vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium, and many phytochemicals and a fat content that is more unsaturated. Compared with other vegetarian diets, vegan diets tend to contain less saturated fat and cholesterol and more dietary fiber. Vegans tend to be thinner, have lower serum cholesterol, and lower blood pressure, reducing their risk of heart disease. However, eliminating all animal products from the diet increases the risk of certain nutritional deficiencies. Micronutrients of special concern for the vegan include vitamins B-12 and D, calcium, and long-chain n-3 (omega-3) fatty acids. Unless vegans regularly consume foods that are fortified with these nutrients, appropriate supplements should be consumed. In some cases, iron and zinc status of vegans may also be of concern because of the limited bioavailability of these minerals.
Benefits of a systematic approach in the evaluation of fetal facial 3-dimensional volumes.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of our study was to evaluate the accuracy and efficacy of using a systematic approach to teach maternal-fetal medicine physicians how to display a diagnostic fetal profile and palate using 3-dimensional ultrasonography (3DUS). METHODS Ten maternal-fetal medicine physicians were randomly assigned to 2 groups, A and B, and instructed on basic principles of 3DUS volume manipulation. Physicians in group A were asked to display the fetal profile in 5 volumes, including 1 fetus with abnormalities. Physicians in Group B were asked to display the fetal profile in the same 5 volumes after detailed instruction. The groups were combined, and detailed instruction was repeated. The physicians were asked to review an additional 5 volumes. In a separate session, the physicians were divided into their respective groups, and a similar exercise was repeated. This time, they were asked to display the fetal palate in 3-orthogonal-plane and parallel-plane images. The time required for manipulation was recorded. Images were reviewed for accuracy and clinical utility by 2 blinded experienced sonologists. Data were analyzed with mixed effects models. RESULTS Fetal profile and parallel-plane palate scores were significantly higher in group B (P < .001) compared to group A. There was no difference between groups in displaying the 3-orthogonal-plane image of the palate or after additional training for either group. The mean times for display did not differ between the groups. The time required for evaluation of the abnormal profiles was longer (P = .02) than that for evaluation of the normal profiles. CONCLUSIONS Detailed instruction in obtaining 3DUS images of fetal profiles and palates improved the image quality obtained by physicians. Teaching physicians in a standardized way may help improve the use of 3DUS in clinical practice.
Feedback facilitates transfer of training with US Hispanic workers in a healthcare laundry linen facility

Background This study aimed to increase safety knowledge and behaviour of US Hispanic custodial workers in healthcare through a culturally appropriate training and monitoring process. Method A single-group, repeated-measures, pre-test and post-test design was used to examine training effectiveness across four sets of behaviours with 23 Spanish-speaking workers. Results Small group, lecture-style training in Spanish with pictures and video resulted in significant improvements in knowledge and behaviour. However, additional analyses show that behavioural feedback was the critical component in improving safety behaviour during transfer of training. Discussion Findings from reaction, knowledge, behaviour and results measures suggest that group training and graphic feedback is culturally appropriate and effective with Hispanic workers. Further investigation is needed to understand cultural factors that facilitate effective development and delivery of safety training and feedback to US Hispanic workers.
Chapter 1 – Amyloid Basis of Alzheimer’s Disease

Before delving into the biological properties of amyloid, the focus of this chapter is to provide a brief background of the origin of amyloid and plaques as they relate to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Not only is it important to understand the historical association of amyloid and AD, but it is also informative to understand how amyloid is produced, processed, and detected in cells, which is the basis of the data presented in this book.
Le Bag: Total Replacement of the Bladder Using an Ileocolonic Pouch

Creation of an ileocolonic pouch for total bladder replacement is described in 4 patients, resulting in a highly compliant, low pressure bladder. Previous experience with bowel segments for bladder augmentation and replacement have been plagued by unpredictable bowel contractions with urinary incontinence as well as potential for renal damage. A reliable method to achieve a highly compliant, low pressure system requires disruption of directional bowel peristalsis, which this technique has succeeded in achieving. The operative technique, bowel dynamics, renal status and clinical results are described. The ileocolonic pouch offers a low pressure reservoir for total replacement of the bladder in selected patients.
Paroxysmal neurogenetic and neurometabolic disorders

AIM To provide an overview of those neurological disorders that are mainly characterized by a paroxysmal pattern of involvement, and in which a clear genetic or metabolic etiology has been identified. DEVELOPMENT The term 'paroxysmal' refers to the abrupt onset of clinical manifestations in a relatively stereotyped manner, usually upon exposure to specific triggering factors with an almost complete resolution of such findings between attacks. They are commonly not associated to either a relentless progression or a stepwise deterioration, and the majority of them do not lead to the development of gross neuropathological abnormalities. Although they are difficult to classify due to the heterogeneity of their clinical manifestations and underlying deficits, a neuroaxis-based approach is proposed for practical purposes, for example, from those conditions affecting predominantly cortical grey matter (manifesting mainly with seizures) to those with an almost exclusive muscular and/or neuromuscular pattern of involvement. The majority of them are caused by genetic defects in either transporters or neuronal channels, which can be either ions or neurotransmitters. In recent years, the concept of 'channelopathies' has grown in acceptance in the medical field, although not all of the described disorders are caused by defects in molecular channels. CONCLUSIONS Despite their individual rarity, as a group, they are important to the neurologist due to the advances that their understanding have provided for the development of the field of neurogenetics and neurosciences in general.
Ureteral Stenosis After Silver Nitrate Instillation in the Treatment of Essential Hematuria

We report a case of ureteral stenosis after retrograde intrapelvic instillation of silver nitrate. To our knowledge this case represents the first serious complication with this therapy, resulting from the use of excessive concentrations. The use of silver nitrate in the urinary tract is reviewed.
The essential role for graphs in allometric analysis

The allometric method, which is widely (but somewhat inaccurately) attributed to Julian Huxley, is at the heart of some of the most important theoretical models in the field of evolutionary biology (e.g. the Metabolic Theory of Ecology). The procedure entails fitting a straight line to logarithmic transformations of the original bivariate data and then back-transforming the resulting equation to form a two-parameter power function on the arithmetic scale. Although the distribution for logarithms in graphical display may satisfy the requirement for linearity (as well as assumptions of the fitted model for normality and homoscedasticity), this does not guarantee that the power function estimated by back-transformation will actually describe the distribution for the original data. Situations of this kind arise with some regularity when untransformed observations lack a unitary pattern, thereby rendering them unsuitable for use in allometric research. Quality of the data and sufficiency of the power function can be judged only by examining a graph of observations on the arithmetic scale. Graphical display of untransformed observations needs to be incorporated into the allometric method to ensure that future studies on the influence of body size on the evolution of form and function are not compromised by bad data.
An LG graph based monitoring scheme for representing incomplete objects

One of the challenging problems in the field of Objects Recognition is the incomplete appearance of objects and the need to make a guess or a decision about the existence of such objects. There are several research efforts to this direction, mainly based on models from the estimation theory. This paper we present an alternative approach based on the use of a geometrically focused image processing method, the LG Algorithm, when simple objects are partially objects and the results from the application of such an algorithm.
Framework for testing cloud platforms and infrastructures

Cloud computing, which is a relatively new approach to distributed computing, uses cloud infrastructures that automatically scale to support an application's hardware requirements, and therefore, must have high reliability in order to meet user expectations. To achieve a high level of quality and reliability, cloud platforms and infrastructures must be tested thoroughly. Typically, cloud providers have individual approaches to infrastructure testing, and there are no widely accepted methods of infrastructure testing that are currently available. An important theoretical and practical problem in this area is the development of such methods, including testing application programming interfaces (APIs), which are direct links between the client code and the infrastructure it runs upon. In this paper, an approach for testing cloud platforms and infrastructures is suggested. An intelligent framework is presented, which accelerates testing and provides for parallel development of test cases. This framework is a cloud application, which contains plugins for testing APIs of cloud platforms. A prototype framework for testing Google App Engine has been created to show demonstrated applicability of the suggested approach.
Modeling and analysis of sector clock bias mismatch for navigation with cellular signals

The clock bias in different sectors of a cellular base transceiver station (BTS) cell is studied. A dynamical model relating the clock biases in different BTS sectors is identified and validated experimentally. A theoretical estimation error lower bound due to the discrepancy between sector clock biases is derived and demonstrated against Monte Carlo simulation runs. Experimental results of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigating exclusively with cellular code division multiple access signals are presented. These results demonstrate a 10.51m reduction in the UAV's position estimation error due to incorporating the developed sector mismatch model into the estimation framework.
Balancing Performance and Portability with Containers in HPC: An OpenSHMEM Example

There is a growing interest in using Linux containers to streamline software development and application deployment. A container enables the user to bundle the salient elements of the software stack from an application’s perspective. In this paper, we discuss initial experiences in using the Open MPI implementation of OpenSHMEM with containers on HPC resources. We provide a brief overview of two container runtimes, Docker & Singularity, highlighting elements that are of interest for HPC users. The Docker platform offers a rich set of services that are widely used in enterprise environments, whereas Singularity is an emerging container runtime that is specifically written for use on HPC systems. We describe our procedure for container assembly and deployment that strives to maintain the portability of the container-based application. We show performance results for the Graph500 benchmark running along the typical continuum of development testbed up to full production supercomputer (ORNL’s Titan). The results show consistent performance between the native and Singularity (container) tests. The results also showed an unexplained drop in performance when using the Cray Gemini network with Open MPI’s OpenSHMEM, which was unrelated to the container usage.
Background and Presentation of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) characterized by platelet-rich microthrombi which occlude capillaries and result in thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and organ damage. The mortality rate is about 90% in untreated individuals, carrying significant long-term morbidity for survivors. TTP is a rare condition, having many clinical features that overlap other TMA syndromes and more common hematology disorders. Timely recognition and treatment are critical for patient survival. The “classic pentad” of TTP (thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, neurologic abnormalities, renal failure, and fever) is an uncommon presentation as TTP frequently presents with vague and nonspecific clinical signs and symptoms. The cause is a marked decrease in the von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease, ADAMTS-13, either through inhibitory antibodies or a congenital deficiency of the enzyme.
Variability of tissue factor-activated thromboelastography and whole blood impedance platelet aggregometry in healthy dogs.

Objective To assess interindividual (CVG ) and intraindividual (CVI ) variability over time for results of thromboelastography (TEG) and whole-blood impedance platelet aggregometry in healthy dogs. Animals Six healthy Beagle dogs. Measurements and main results Tissue factor (TF)-activated TEG and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and arachidonic acid (AA)-induced whole blood impedance platelet aggregometry were performed at 3 different time points (days 1, 4, and 6). In addition, platelet count, hematocrit, and plasma fibrinogen concentrations were recorded each study day. Activated partial thromboplastin time, one-stage prothrombin time, antithrombin activity, and D-dimer concentrations were measured on the first day of the study. For TEG, the variables reaction time (R), clotting time (K), rate of clot formation (α), and maximum amplitude (MA) were recorded. For platelet aggregometry, the areas under the curve for ADP (AUCADP )- and AA (AUCAA )-induced aggregation were measured. The CVI was lower than the CVG over time for MA, AUCADP , and AUCAA ; however, the CVI was higher than the CVG for the TEG variables R, K, and α. There were no statistical differences in the platelet count, hematocrit, and fibrinogen measurements over time. Conclusions In healthy dogs, a subject-based reference interval for ADP- and AA-induced platelet aggregometry and the TEG variable MA provide a more sensitive method to detect changes. However, due to the high CVI , population-based reference intervals may be more appropriate for interpretation of the TEG variables R, K, and α.
Ambient air quality at the site of a former manufactured gas plant

Prior to the 1950's, manufactured gas was commerciallyproduced from the pyrolysis of coal, coke, and oil atfacilities that are termed manufactured gas plants (MGPs). The constituents of residual coal tar present on many MGPsites are an environmental health concern because of theirtoxicity and the possibility for their off-site migration viawater and air. Atmospheric concentrations of five volatileorganic compounds (VOCs, e.g., benzene), sixteen polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, e.g., naphthalene), and particulate matter less than 10 microns in aerodynamicdiameter (PM10) were measured at the site of a former MGP. Air samples were obtained before, during, and after excavationof subterranean coal tar at the site. The results of thisinvestigation indicate that subterranean coal tar was not aprimary source of VOCs and PAHs in the local atmosphere beforeor after remediation of the site. However, excavation,treatment, blending, and transfer of the coal tar duringremediation generated concentrations of selected aromatic andsemi-volatile organic compounds that were substantiallygreater than typical ambient levels. In addition, these datasuggest that blending and mixing of coal tars could lead toexceedance of the U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standardfor PM10, although additional research is required to fullyevaluate this possibility. Nuisance odors associated with thesite remediation were likely the result of naphthalene andpossibly isomers of xylene. Air pollutant concentrationsmeasured adjacent to the excavation area and at the siteperimeter during remediation activities were less than therelevant occupational and environmental exposure limits.
Chinese Nuclear Force Modernization: Implications for Arms Control

On October 16, 1982 China successfully test-fired a submarinelaunched ballistic missile (SLBM) into a target area in the East China Sea. Earlier, in late June of that year, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) had held extensive military exercises under conditions of simulated tactical nuclear warfare. These two events were major signposts on China's road to the diversification of its nuclear forces. Western analyses of China's nuclear forces are often of two kinds. The first tends to be static and one-dimensional, focusing almost exclusively on China's nuclear hardware and its significance for relations with the Soviet Union. It is not often that strategic analysts have examined the role of internal politics in the structure of China's nuclear forces, or looked at the possible direction in force development in light of changes in China's foreign policy alignments, interests, and goals. The second type, while taking into account the dynamics of China's nuclear policy, assumes that Beijing's military needs can be measured only by what it would take to match Soviet capabilities. It also fails to explain adequately the nature of China's minimum deterrent} This paper attempts to put Chinese nuclear forces in the context of China's domestic political process and changing military and foreign policy requirements. It will begin by looking at some of the internal and external influences on China's strategic and substrategic nuclear force posture. It will then examine the trends in the PRC's strategic doctrine and force posture as well as the evolving debate over the acquisition of a diverse theater and battlefield nuclear capability. Finally, it will look at some of the implications of nuclear diversification for the security of the Soviet Union, the United States, and Asia.
Mechanisms of natural soil suppressiveness to soilborne diseases

Suppressive soils are characterized by a very low level of disease development even though a virulent pathogen and susceptible host are present. Biotic and abiotic elements of the soil environment contribute to suppressiveness, however most defined systems have identified biological elements as primary factors in disease suppression. Many soils possess similarities with regard to microorganisms involved in disease suppression, while other attributes are unique to specific pathogen-suppressive soil systems. The organisms operative in pathogen suppression do so via diverse mechanisms including competition for nutrients, antibiosis and induction of host resistance. Non-pathogenic Fusarium spp. and fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. play a critical role in naturally occurring soils that are suppressive to Fusarium wilt. Suppression of take-all of wheat, caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici, is induced in soil after continuous wheat monoculture and is attributed, in part, to selection of fluorescent pseudomonads with capacity to produce the antibiotic 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol. Cultivation of orchard soils with specific wheat varieties induces suppressiveness to Rhizoctonia root rot of apple caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG 5. Wheat cultivars that stimulate disease suppression enhance populations of specific fluorescent pseudomonad genotypes with antagonistic activity toward this pathogen. Methods that transform resident microbial communities in a manner which induces natural soil suppressiveness have potential as components of environmentally sustainable systems for management of soilborne plant pathogens.
Notes on Protestant Education in England

The history of Protestant education in England is a complex tapestry of church, state, and various dissenting movements that arose between the time of Henry VIII’s “conversion of convenience,” when he changed from Catholic to Protestant to further his control over the church in England, and the contemporary framework of schooling. In fact, the use of the term “Protestant” to describe much of what occurred in England and its methods of education from 1534 onwards is closer to cultural convention than to real theological content; an institutional form with varying reformational substance. England presented a broad continuum of religious bodies, ranging from radically Roman Catholic, to Anglican, to various shades of more definitely––or even more radically––Protestant persuasion. In the course of time, England would develop a framework of education within this larger setting of religious diversity and church–state relations. It is the purpose of this chapter to provide a brief outline of the historical development of Protestant education in England, and to assess its current condition within that long tradition.
Physical performance measures following ten weeks of taekwondo training in children: A pilot study

The primary purpose was to examine changes in balance, lower extremity (LE) power and flexibility following 10 weeks of taekwondo (TKD) training and to determine if this was different in children classified as healthy weight (HW) and overweight (OW)/obese. Participants included 17 children (HW: n = 11, OW/obese: n = 6). Data were collected on balance, LE power and flexibility at baseline and 10 weeks. Balance was assessed with eyes open in normal (NSEO), tandem (TSEO), single (SLEO) stances and with eyes closed for normal (NSEC) and tandem (TSEC) stances. Center of pressure displacements in mediolateral (Xavg) and anteroposterior (Yavg) directions; and average velocity (Vavg) were calculated. Analyses included two-way ANOVA and Mann Whitney U tests (P < 0.05). Balance data indicated significant interaction effects for Xavg in NSEO, Yavg in TSEO; time effects for Yavg in NSEO, NSEC and SLEO and Vavg in SLEO conditions. A significant group effect was shown for Vavg in the NSEO, NSEC and TSEO and for Yavg in TSEC conditions. Flexibility decreased significantly with TKD. Findings suggest that 10 weeks of TKD training may improve balance in children, and OW/obese group may have greater improvements in balance with eyes open compared to their peers.
Quantification of Methotrexate in Human Serum and Plasma by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometry (MS) is a highly specific and sensitive technique that is used for the detection of many different analytes with diverse chemical characteristics. It has been adopted by clinical laboratories for the quantification of small molecules and, by extension, has been widely used for therapeutic drug monitoring. It is an attractive alternative to immunoassay methods, because it is not subject to the same interferences. A limitation of MS (relative to immunoassays) is the turnaround time. However, this can be addressed by workflow parallelization with other assays. Herein we describe a tandem LC-MS/MS method for the detection and quantification of methotrexate in human plasma with a lower limit of quantification of 0.01 μM and within-assay and between-assay coefficients of variation of less than 15%. This method lacks interference from high-abundance metabolites and utilizes kindred chromatography to improve turnaround time in the therapeutic drug monitoring laboratory.
Age, primary symptoms, and genotype characteristics of norovirus outbreaks in Shanghai schools in 2017

Sixty norovirus outbreaks that occurred in Pudong District, Shanghai in 2017 and affected 959 people were summarised. Of the outbreaks, 29 (48.3%), 27 (45.0%), and 4 (6.7%) occurred in kindergartens, primary schools, and middle schools, respectively. Although the total number of outbreaks peaked in March (13/60, 21.7%), outbreaks in kindergartens and primary schools peaked in April (6/29, 20.7%) and March (8/27, 29.6%), respectively. Primary schools had the highest median number of cases per outbreak (19) and the highest proportion of cases (54.6%). The male-to-female case ratio differed among school classifications, with the highest male case ratio (69.2%) occurring in middle schools. Primary symptoms also differed across the school classifications. Molecular virology analysis showed that a single viral strain caused each outbreak at each school. In turn, 50.6, 28.8, and 20.6% of cases were infected by GII.4, GII.2, and GII.17, respectively. Vomiting was seen in 98.2, 97.3, and 88.6% of the subjects infected with noroviruses GII.17, GII.4, and GII.2, respectively, and nausea in 73.6, 43.9, and 39.0%. In conclusion, noroviruses mainly affect primary school and kindergarten students. GII.4, GII.2, and GII.17 are the main epidemic strains in the local area, and the primary symptoms differed by age and genotype.
Abstract TP70: Collateral Scoring of Cerebral Arteries Predicts Perfusion and Diffusion in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Undergoing Thrombectomy

Introduction: The Rapid processing of Perfusion and Diffusion (RAPID) system for automating perfusion and diffusion data from head computed tomography (CT) perfusion imaging has improved acute isch...
Plant–Microbe Interaction

Microbial ecology is an emerging and very important science. Modeling microbial ecosystems may reveal new ecosystem principles not possible in large slowly changing ecosystems. Soil microbes influence plant growth. Some microbes enhance and some are detrimental to plant growth and plant community structure. In this chapter, we model two interacting plant communities and their associated microbial communities. We use this model to quantify the nature of the dynamics of this interaction.
Computer Technology - 1984 and Beyond

This article examines the impact of computerization on record keeping. Particularly important about automated records is that their content becomes reified, thereby distorting the nature of client data. Because the technical side of documenting a client's activities is stressed, the existential nature of behavior is obscured. As a result, a practitioner may not gain much insight into the motives and social situation of a client. Yet without this information, irrelevant advice may be prescribed by a social worker. Accordingly, technology must not be allowed to alter the existential process of creating a client's biography in a record.
Euler/X: A toolkit for logic-based taxonomy integration

We introduce Euler/X, a toolkit for logic-based taxonomy integration. Given two taxonomies and a set of alignment constraints between them, Euler/X provides tools for detecting, explaining, and reconciling inconsistencies; finding all possible merges between (consistent) taxonomies; and visualizing merge results. Euler/X employs a number of different underlying reasoning systems, including first-order reasoners (Prover9 and Mace4), answer set programming (DLV and Potassco), and RCC reasoners (PyRCC8). We demonstrate the features of Euler/X and provide experimental results showing its feasibility on various synthetic and real-world examples.
Tagging Address Queries in Maps Search

Map search is a major vertical in all popular search engines. It also plays an important role in personal assistants on mobile, home or desktop devices. A significant fraction of map search traffic is comprised of “address queries” - queries where either the entire query or some terms in it refer to an address or part of an address (road segment, intersection etc.). Here we demonstrate that correctly understanding and tagging address queries are critical for map search engines to fulfill them. We describe several recurrent sequence architectures for tagging such queries. We compare their performance on two subcategories of address queries - single entity (aka single point) addresses and multi entity (aka multi point) addresses, and finish by providing guidance on the best practices when dealing with each of these subcategories.
Von Hippel-Lindau: implications in development and disease-response.

The authors would like to thank Park et al . for their insightful editorial commentary on our recently published article titled “ Von Hippel-Lindau Acts as a Metabolic Switch Controlling Nephron Progenitor Differentiation ” (1). The commentary provides an excellent overview of the VHL/HIF axis and its role in cellular oxygen sensing. The editorial authors correctly imply that our study revealed a novel role for VHL in kidney development such that nephron progenitors are required to undergo a metabolic switching event. This reprogramming from glycolysis to mitochondrial respiration was also found to be critical for adequate nephron formation (1).
Expectant Management of Patients with Ventral Hernias: 3 Years of Follow-up

The safety and effectiveness of expectant management (e.g., watchful waiting or initially managing non-operatively) for patients with a ventral hernia is unknown. We report our 3-year results of a prospective cohort of patients with ventral hernias who underwent expectant management. A hernia clinic at an academic safety-net hospital was used to recruit patients. Any patient undergoing expectant management with symptoms and high-risk comorbidities, as determined by a surgeon based on institutional criteria, would be included in the study. Patients unlikely to complete follow-up assessments were excluded from the study. Patient-reported outcomes were collected by phone and mailed surveys. A modified activities assessment scale normalized to a 1–100 scale was used to measure results. The rate of operative repair was the primary outcome, while secondary outcomes include rate of emergency room (ER) visits and both emergent and elective hernia repairs. Among 128 patients initially enrolled, 84 (65.6%) completed the follow-up at a median (interquartile range) of 34.1 (31, 36.2) months. Overall, 28 (33.3%) patients visited the ER at least once because of their hernia and 31 (36.9%) patients underwent operative management. Seven patients (8.3%) required emergent operative repair. There was no significant change in quality of life for those managed non-operatively; however, substantial improvements in quality of life were observed for patients who underwent operative management. Expectant management is an effective strategy for patients with ventral hernias and significant comorbid medical conditions. Since the short-term risk of needing emergency hernia repair is moderate, there could be a safe period of time for preoperative optimization and risk-reduction for patients deemed high risk.
Ventricular Tachycardia as the Initial Presentation of Missed Kawasaki Disease in a Teenager

Introduction: Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) can be a life threatening condition and is not typically seen in otherwise healthy children. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of an otherwise healthy teenager with sustained VT as the presenting symptom for missed Kawasaki Disease (KD). Case presentation: A 14 year old, healthy male was brought by ambulance to the emergency department due to sudden onset chest pain and palpitations at rest. Physical exam revealed an oriented, conversant teen without murmurs, crackles or hepatomegaly. His EKG demonstrated wide complex tachycardia with a right bundle branch block morphology and superior axis at a rate of 213 bpm (Figure 1) consistent …
Health Policy Advocacy Engagement: A Physician Survey.

Purpose Physicians can play an important role in shaping health policy. The purpose of this study was to determine characteristics of physicians participating in health policy and barriers and facilitators to their advocacy. Methods A modified previously validated survey instrument was mailed to physicians affiliated with the University of Wisconsin on October 12, 2018. Three follow-up emails were sent, and the response period closed January 30, 2019. Twenty-eight items were included in the survey tool. Respondents were considered highly engaged if they: (a) reported involvement in predetermined high impact areas, (b) had self-reported weekly or monthly advocacy involvement, or (c) had more than 10% dedicated work time for advocacy. Results Eight hundred eighty-six of 1,432 physicians responded (61.9%), of which 133 (15.0%) were highly engaged. Highly engaged respondents were more commonly male (57.1%), White (90.2%), of nonsurgical specialties (80.5%), and Democrat (55.6%) or Independent (27.1%). Those not highly engaged were more likely to report "I don't know how to get involved." Less than half of all respondents received any advocacy education, with professional organizations providing the majority of education through conferences and distribution of materials. Only 2.5% of respondents had more than 10% of work time dedicated to health policy. Conclusions Engagement in health policy exists on a spectrum, but only a small percent of physicians are highly engaged, and very few have dedicated work time for advocacy. Certain demographics predominate the advocacy voice, and health policy training opportunities are lacking.
Matrix Stiffness Affects Glycocalyx Expression in Cultured Endothelial Cells.

Rationale: The endothelial cell (EC) glycocalyx (GCX) is a mechanosensor that plays a key role in protecting against vascular diseases. We have previously shown that age/disease mediated matrix stiffness inhibits the glycocalyx glycosaminoglycan (GAG) heparan sulfate (HS) and its core protein Glypican 1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), rat fat pad endothelial cells (RFPECs) and in a mouse model of age-mediated stiffness. Glypican 1 inhibition resulted in enhanced endothelial cell dysfunction. Endothelial cell culture typically occurs on stiff matrices such as plastic or glass. For the study of the endothelial GCX specifically it is important to culture cells on soft matrices to preserve GCX expression. To test the generality of this statement, we hypothesized that stiff matrices inhibit GCX expression and consequently endothelial cell function in additional cell types: bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECS), mouse aortic endothelial cell (MAECs) and mouse brain endothelial cells (bEnd3) Methods and Results: Cells cultured on glass showed reduced GCX heparan sulfate expression compared to cells cultured on either soft polyacrylamide (PA) gels of a substrate stiffness of 2.5 kPa (mimicking the stiffness of young, healthy arteries) or on either stiff gels 10 kPa (mimicking the stiffness of old, diseased arteries) or on glass. Specific cell types showed reduced expression of GCX protein Glypican 1 (4 of 5 cell types)and hyaluronic acid (2 of 5 cell types) on glass vs soft gels. Conclusions: Matrix stiffness affects GCX expression in endothelial cells. Therefore, the study of the endothelial glycocalyx on stiff matrices (glass/plastic) is not recommended for specific cell types.
The implications of treatment delays in adjuvant therapy for cholangiocarcinoma patients

291Background: To understand the factors associated with timing of adjuvant therapy in the management of intrahepatic and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and the impact of delays on overall surviva...
HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTION STRATEGIES IN A CLIMATIC VARIABLE ZONE

This paper examines the types of strategies rural households in the Bolivian Altiplano utilize to secure income and food consumption. Constrains to choice sets, climate, knowledge systems and social and human capital have influential roles in the ability of a household to secure income and food, and the livelihood strategies employed. For household welfare to increase development agencies must take into account the factors influencing these strategies. Climate, local knowledge systems and modern technology are important in shaping household production strategies. Production decisions are made within the household unit. A livelihood strategies approach was used to conduct the research that would reflect the diverse strategies and influences that a household confronts and uses annual to make production decisions. Research was conducted over a seven-year period in San Jose Llanga, Bolivia, which is a small rural town 90 Km south of the capital of the country, La Paz. Each year of the survey data was collected from 45 households. Twenty-nine of these households were surveyed three times during the seven-year period (1993, 1995 and 1999). The study using factor analysis shows that there are four essential factors, which are important in securing income and food: human capital, traditional agricultural practices, food plots, grazed cows, and remittances. These five factors are important diversification strategies for households, present over the seven-year research period. Human capital and food plots were statistically significant in explaining income, highlighting the importance of household characteristics and spatial diversification for this region.