cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel neutrino detection system

We describe a new neutrino (ν) detection technique which greatly enhances signal-to-noise ratios (S/N) for a variety of experiments with medium energy neutrino beams. This technique involves the simultaneous detection of a lepton and a neutron in various final states of ν induced interactions. We take as an example the reaction νep→e+n and demonstrate the feasibility of detecting the neutron in fast (≲ 30 ns) time coincidence with the positron trigger. The detection efficiency for 1–3 MeV neutrons by proton recoil in a liquid scintillator test module is shown to be 40%. Monte Carlo studies indicate an e±n detection efficiency of 6% for a sample 6.1 ton detector, to be compared with an e+ only detection efficiency of 32%. Cosmic ray and beam induced background rates are reduced by over a factor of 200, improving S/N by a factor of 40. We show that this sample detector, consisting of walls of liquid scintillator modules interspersed with drift chambers and surrounded by active anti-coincidence and passive shielding, can achieve the same sensitivity to νep→e+n as a detector three times its size. We point out the utility of such a detector for various potential neutrino experiments and facilities; i.e., the proposed High Intensity Los Alamos Neutrino Facility.
Segregation of oral from aboral ectoderm precursors is completed at fifth cleavage in the embryogenesis of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

A specific set of founder cells uniquely gives rise to the oral and aboral ectoderms in the regularly developing sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. We showed earlier that the polar No and Na (animal oral and animal aboral) blastomeres are specified by third cleavage, while the respective oral and aboral lineage contributions of the left and right NL (animal lateral) blastomeres have not yet segregated from one another at third cleavage. Here we demonstrate by iontophoretic injection of lysyl rhodamine dextran lineage tracer that segregation of oral vs aboral cell fates in the lineages of the NL blastomeres has still not occurred by fourth cleavage, but at fifth cleavage there arise from the NL sublineages founder cells whose progeny contribute exclusively to the aboral ectoderm. The sister cells of these fifth cleavage blastomeres are founder cells that contribute exclusively to oral structures. The aboral ectoderm tracts to which NL derivatives give rise occupy lateral regions of the anterior aboral ectoderm, while the oral structures deriving from the NL blastomeres are the lateral sectors of the ciliated bands. The cells of the ciliated bands do not express aboral ectoderm markers and are considered to constitute the border of the oral region. With these new findings we complete our knowledge of the origins, identities, and fates of the 11 founder cells, the progeny of which exclusively give rise to the aboral ectoderm, and of the 5 founder cells, the progeny of which exclusively produce the oral ectoderm and its derivatives.
Speculative Beats Conservative Justification

Justifying the truth value of a goal resulting from query evaluation of a logic program corresponds to providing evidence, in terms of a proof, for this truth. In an earlier work we introduced the notion of justification [8] and gave an algorithm for justifying tabled logic programs by post-processing the memo tables created during evaluation. A conservatve justifier such as the one described in that work proceeds in two separate stages: evaluate the truth of literals (that can possibly contribute to the evidence) in the first stage and construct the justification in the next stage. Justifications built in this fashion seldom fail. Whereas for tabled predicates evaluation amounts to a simple table look-up during justification, for non-tabled predicates this amounts to Prolog-style re-execution. In a conservative justifier a non-tabled literal can be re-executed causing unacceptable performance overheads for programs with significant nontabled components: justification time for a single non-tabled literal can become quadratic in its evaluation time!In this paper we introduce the concept of a speculative justifier. In such a justifier we evaluate the truths of literals in tandem with justification. Specifically, we select literals that can possibly provide evidence for the goal's truth, assume that their truth values correspond to the goal's and proceed to build a justification for each of them. Since these truths are not computed before hand, justfications produced in this fashion may fail often. On the other hand non-tabled literals are re-executed less often than conservative justifiers. We discuss the subtle efficiency issues that arise in the construction of speculative justifiers. We show how to judiciously balance the different efficiency concerns and engineer a speculative justifier that addresses the performance problem associated with conservative justifiers. We provide experimental evidence of its efficiency and scalability in justifying the results of our XMC model checker.
The guanine-nucleotide-exchange factor Cdc24p is targeted to the nucleus and polarized growth sites

Generation of cellular asymmetry or cell polarity plays a critical role in cell-cycle-regulated morphogenetic processes involving the actin cytoskeleton. The GTPase Cdc42 regulates actin rearrangements and signal transduction pathways in all eukaryotic cells [1], and the temporal and spatial regulation of Cdc42p depends on the activity and targeting of its guanine-nucleotide exchange factor (GEF). Cdc24p, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae GEF for Cdc42p, is found in a particulate fraction and localizes to the plasma membrane [2] [3] at sites of polarized growth [4]. We show that Cdc24p labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP-Cdc24p) was targeted to pre-bud sites, the tips and sides of enlarging buds, and mating projections in pheromone-treated cells. Unexpectedly, GFP-Cdc24p also localized to the nucleus and GFP-Cdc24p levels diminished before nuclear division followed by its reappearance in divided nuclei and mother-bud necks during cytokinesis. The Cdc24p amino-terminal 283 amino acids were necessary and sufficient for nuclear localization, which depended on the cyclin-dependent-kinase inhibitor Far1p. The Cdc24p carboxy-terminal 289 amino acids were necessary and sufficient for targeting to the pre-bud site, bud, mother-bud neck, and mating projection. Targeting was independent of the Cdc24p-binding proteins Far1p, the GTPase Rsr1p/Bud1p, the scaffold protein Bem1p, and the G(beta) subunit Ste4p. These data are consistent with a temporal and spatial regulation of Cdc24p-dependent activation of Cdc42p during the cell cycle.
A perspective on 50 years of the engineering management field

I observe that despite 50 years, the field of engineering management has not yet established itself with the stability and all-presence of corporate finance or marketing. A quick survey of business school curricula will prove that, but engineering schools increasingly have a department that focuses upon engineering or technology management, often as part of the overall field of industrial engineering. The entire field indeed has grown enormously, across the U.S. and around the world, engaging increasing numbers of well-trained and diverse academics into systematic research and writing. They have over the years created a body of well-evidenced new knowledge that has been transferred effectively to enhance technology managers' performance. Contributions have been made to building theory, technique, and managerial practice, and far more will come during the next decades.
Numerical modeling of data center with transient boundary conditions

Data centers are the facilities that house large number of computer servers that dissipate high power. Considering the dynamics of the data centers, their efficient thermal management is a big challenge that needs to be addressed. Computational analyses using a CFD code is very useful technique that helps the engineer to understand and solve the data center cooling problem. Several ongoing numerical modeling research efforts focus on simulating data center environment with constant boundary conditions. In reality, data centers have highly time dependent boundary conditions i.e. fluctuations in server powers and CRAC flow rate. In this paper, effect on time dependent boundary conditions on rack inlet temperatures will be discussed in detail with the transient modeling of data centers. Case studies will be presented to illustrate the transient fluctuations of rack inlet air temperature by the variation of rack power and CRAC flow rate.
The design and implementation of Zap: a system for migrating computing environments

We have created Zap, a novel system for transparent migration of legacy and networked applications. Zap provides a thin virtualization layer on top of the operating system that introduces pods, which are groups of processes that are provided a consistent, virtualized view of the system. This decouples processes in pods from dependencies to the host operating system and other processes on the system. By integrating Zap virtualization with a checkpoint-restart mechanism, Zap can migrate a pod of processes as a unit among machines running independent operating systems without leaving behind any residual state after migration. We have implemented a Zap prototype in Linux that supports transparent migration of unmodified applications without any kernel modifications. We demonstrate that our Linux Zap prototype can provide general-purpose process migration functionality with low overhead. Our experimental results for migrating pods used for running a standard user's X windows desktop computing environment and for running an Apache web server show that these kinds of pods can be migrated with subsecond checkpoint and restart latencies.
Radiation transport in plane-parallel media with non-uniform surface illumination

Fourier and other integral transform techniques are used to reduce the problem of radiation transport in plane-parallel media with non-uniform surface illumination to a convenient computational form, and theF N method is used to provide a basis for approximate solutions.
The Men Hemmed in with the Spears

In the two years between March 15, 1898 and April 1900, Heijermans wrote six one-act plays, Puntje, Het Antwoord, Nummer Tachtig, De Onbekende, De Machien,and Een Mei, championing the cause of the workers and of socialism. The figure of Heijermans as the socialist speaker appears more or less obviously in all of these plays, and yet in the fall of 1900, Heijermans succeeded in creating a great and genuine drama, The Good Hope, in which he aroused sympathy for the working man not by palpable, though effective, rhetoric, but by a vivid, moving, and direct appeal to the emotions. Het Pantser, Ora et Labora, Bloeimaand, and Gluck auf followed as later attacks on the negligence and cruelties of society, and all these dramas of social protest are linked by common themes and ideas.
Targeted nitric oxide delivery by supramolecular nanofibers for the prevention of restenosis after arterial injury

Aims: Cardiovascular interventions continue to fail as a result of arterial restenosis secondary to neointimal hyperplasia. We sought to develop and evaluate a systemically delivered nanostructure targeted to the site of arterial injury to prevent neointimal hyperplasia. Nanostructures were based on self-assembling biodegradable molecules known as peptide amphiphiles. The targeting motif was a collagen-binding peptide, and the therapeutic moiety was added by S-nitrosylation of cysteine residues. Results: Structure of the nanofibers was characterized by transmission electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering. S-nitrosylation was confirmed by mass spectrometry, and nitric oxide (NO) release was assessed electrochemically and by chemiluminescent detection. The balloon carotid artery injury model was performed on 10-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. Immediately after injury, nanofibers were administered systemically via tail vein injection. S-nitrosylated (S-nitrosyl [SNO])-targeted nanofibers significantly reduced neointimal hyperplasia 2 weeks and 7 months following balloon angioplasty, with no change in inflammation. Innovation: This is the first time that an S-nitrosothiol (RSNO)-based therapeutic was shown to have targeted local effects after systemic administration. This approach, combining supramolecular nanostructures with a therapeutic NO-based payload and a targeting moiety, overcomes the limitations of delivering NO to a site of interest, avoiding undesirable systemic side effects. Conclusion: We successfully synthesized and characterized an RSNO-based therapy that when administered systemically, targets directly to the site of vascular injury. By integrating therapeutic and targeting chemistries, these targeted SNO nanofibers provided durable inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia in vivo and show great potential as a platform to treat cardiovascular diseases. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 401–418.
Impact of school-entry and education mandates by states on HPV vaccination coverage: Analysis of the 2009-2013 National Immunization Survey-Teen.

ABSTRACTObjective: To determine the effectiveness of existing school entry and education mandates on HPV vaccination coverage, we compared coverage among girls residing in states and jurisdictions with and without education and school-entry mandates. Virginia and the District of Columbia enacted school entry mandates, though both laws included liberal opt-out provisions. Ten additional states had mandates requiring distribution of education to parents or provision of education within school curricula. Methods: Using data from the National Immunization Survey-Teen from 2009–2013, we estimated multilevel logistic regression models to compare coverage with HPV vaccines for girls ages 13–17 residing in states and jurisdictions with and without school entry and education mandates, adjusting for demographic factors, healthcare access, and provider recommendation. Results: Girls residing in states and jurisdictions with HPV vaccine school entry mandates (DC and VA) and education mandates (LA, MI, CO, IN, IA, IL,...
Abstract B10: Increased expression of EZH2 and TOP2A predicts for a poorer prognostic outcome in Genitourinary Cancers

The enhancer of Zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a component of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), is an epigenetic silencer that is known to be highly expressed in both metastatic and primary prostate cancer (PCa). More recently, topoisomerase IIα (TOP2A), an enzyme that controls the topologic states of DNA during the cell cycle, has also been identified as being highly expressed in PCa. Both EZH2 and TOP2A have been associated with more aggressive disease and poorer prognostic outcome. During genome-wide analysis, using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), EZH2 and Top2A were found to be highly positively correlated, most noticeably in PCa and clear cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC). As a result, we predicted increased expression of both EZH2 and TOP2A in an individual, would predict for a worse prognostic outcome than either gene being highly expressed alone. Further analysis of the TCGA and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) datasets, demonstrated that increased expression of these two genes predicted for a poorer prognostic outcome in genitourinary cancers. In tumor samples with increased expression of EZH2 and TOP2A, as compared to the tumor samples that did not concurrently overexpress both EZH2 and TOP2A, patients displayed worse overall Regression Free Survival (RFS), which were associated with increase hazard ratio, and tumor staging and grades. . As these poor prognostic markers were consistent across multiple cancer subtypes, we are beginning to explore those genes that are differentially expressed in individuals with concurrent high TOP2A and EZH2 as a means of further characterizing this novel phenotype. Since these two genes are targetable by drugs such as etoposide (a TOP2 poison) and DZNep (an EZH2 inhibitor), it makes them attractive candidates for treatment in those individuals who not only have tumors that highly express these two genes, but also those individuals that have exacerbated existing treatment options. Citation Format: Spencer Rosario, Zafardjan Dalimov, Jason Kirk, Kayla Morrell, Kevin Eng, Leigh Ellis. Increased expression of EZH2 and TOP2A predicts for a poorer prognostic outcome in Genitourinary Cancers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Chromatin and Epigenetics in Cancer; Sep 24-27, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(2 Suppl):Abstract nr B10.
Calcium absorption and metabolism in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis assessed using stable isotopes.

OBJECTIVE To assess calcium intake, absorption, urinary excretion and the fraction of urinary calcium originating from bone and diet in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). METHODS A dual tracer stable isotope technique was used to study 6 girls and 3 boys with JRA. RESULTS Fractional absorption in the 6 girls, ages 4-9, with JRA was significantly lower than that in 10 similar, healthy girls (22.6 +/- 4.7% vs 30.4 +/- 8.4%, p = 0.033). Urinary calcium excretion tended to be higher in the girls with JRA than in controls, (2.9 +/- 1.5 vs 1.6 +/- 1.7, p = 0.15). The urinary calcium in patients with JRA was derived principally from bone, and there was no increase in diet derived urinary calcium. One of the boys with new onset JRA was markedly hypercalciuric and in negative calcium balance (-222 mg/day). CONCLUSION Our data show that hypercalciuria in patients with JRA results from bone resorption, not hyperabsorption of dietary calcium and suggest that increases in calcium intake may benefit children with JRA.
When We Partner With Teachers: A Commentary on Partnerships, Scaffolding, and (Accidental) Emphasis on STEM

This special issue represents the second issue of a two-part series in which we forefront a number of examples that address our broad question: what do our designs look like when we partner with teachers? The result is this issue focusing on partnership implementations of designs intended for K-12 classrooms. From an open call for proposals, we invited manuscripts that reflected differing dimensions of contexts, approaches, and scale. We prioritized papers co-authored with teachers, and across the two issues, the majority of projects foreground teachers’ voices.
An Overview of Employee Wellness Programs (EWPs) in Large U.S. Cities: Does Geography Matter?

Although Employee Wellness Programs (EWPs) have been around for decades, initiatives in government organizations typically lag behind initiatives developed in the private sector in both magnitude and diversity. While city managers may invest in EWPs with the intent of saving on health care costs and of enhancing employee productivity, internal characteristics and incentive structures as well as the organizational culture within each individual bureaucracy ultimately shape the nature and direction of EWP management. Drawing upon the logic of geographic individuality of administrative regions, the authors argue that organizations in different cities are likely to develop and incorporate wellness services that reflect unique regional settings. By assessing EWPs across the county, it is evident that the decision to implement certain wellness services within a city unit are based, in part, on geography rather than technical characteristics of the organization or wellness program. This means that geographical a...
Does Pacifier Use in Infancy Decrease the Risk of Obesity

Background. Nonnutritive sucking using a finger or pacifier is a natural reflex for infants. We hypothesized that infants may overfeed if the bottle or breast is constantly offered. Our goal was to determine whether pacifier use in early infancy is associated with lower incidence of obesity at later age. Methods. Parents of 399 infants, 9 to 15 months old, were interviewed and asked whether a pacifier was used consistently for ≥9 months. Body mass indexes at birth, 6 months, and on the day of interview were calculated. Results. In all, 204 (51%) infants used a pacifier, and 195 (49%) were nonusers. More infants in the nonuser group were either overweight—40 (21%)—or obese—32 (16%)—than in the user group—22 (11%) and 22 (11%), respectively (P = .003). Conclusions. Pacifier use in infancy was associated with lower incidence of obesity at 9 to 15 months of age. Offering a pacifier can be protective against infantile obesity.
The Relative Impact of Sleep and Circadian Drive on Motor Skill Acquisition and Memory Consolidation.

Study objectives Sleep during the biological night facilitates memory consolidation. Here we determined the impact of sleep and wake on motor skill learning (acquisition) and subsequent off-line skill improvement (memory consolidation), independent of circadian phase, and compared this to the impact of the endogenous circadian system, independent of whether sleep occurred during the biological night or day. Methods Participants completed two 8-day sleep laboratory visits, adhering on one visit to a circadian aligned ("normal") sleep schedule for the full duration of the protocol, and on the other to a circadian misaligned (12-hour inverted) schedule, with alignment during the first 3 days, a 12-hour 'slam shift' on Day 4, followed by circadian misalignment during the last 4 days of the protocol. Participants were repeatedly trained and tested on different versions of the finger-tapping motor sequence task across each visit. Results Sleep facilitated offline memory consolidation regardless of whether it occurred during the biological day or night, while circadian phase had no significant impact. These sleep-related benefits remained after accounting for general motor speed, measured in the absence of learning. In addition, motor skill acquisition was facilitated when the training session followed shortly after sleep, without significant impact of circadian phase (biological morning vs. evening). This effect was largely driven by heightened acquisition in participants who slept during the day and were trained shortly thereafter, that is, when acquisition occurred during the biological evening. These benefits were also retained after controlling for general motor speed. Conclusions Sleep benefits both the acquisition and consolidation of motor skill regardless of whether they occur during the biological day or night. After controlling for general motor speed, a critical adjustment that few studies perform, these sleep benefits remain intact. Our findings have clear implications for night shift workers who obtain their sleep during the day.
Intracellular pH Regulation of Renal-Epithelial Cells

Studying intracellular pH (pHi) in renal-tubule cells is of interest not only be cause of the information it may provide on the general problem of pHi regulation, but because the mechanisms responsible for renal-tubule pHi regulation may play a crucial role in the transepithelial secretion of acid and alkali. The pH sensitivity of virtually every biological process requires that pH be appropriately regulated in cells and in the extracellular fluid. I emphasize that “appropriate regulation” does not mean that the pH in any compartment must be permanently fixed, but that the pH be adjusted to a value appropriate for the conditions. For example, unfertilized eggs (for review, see Busa and Nuccitelli 1984) and quiescent (i.e., nondividing) cultured fibroblasts (Schuldiner and Rozengurt 1982) have relatively acidic pHi values. However, when the eggs are fertilized or when the fibroblasts are stimulated to divide by the addition of a growth factor pHi rises by a few tenths of a pH unit. This intracellular alkalinization, which is thought by some to be causally related to subsequent cell division, represents a controlled shift in the value to which pHi is regulated.
A fast, efficient direct slicing method for slender member structures

Abstract This work describes a method for quickly and efficiently slicing structures consisting of a large number of slender members called struts connected at node positions called joints. Previous research on periodic lattice structures shows these structures are highly mechanically efficient with exceptionally high stiffness- and strength-to-weight ratios. Additive manufacturing technologies allow the construction slender member structures with complicated macroscale shapes. These structures could consist of thousands or millions of geometric primitives describing the struts. Structures with large numbers of geometric objects cause the conventional methods for manipulating, storing, and slicing the geometry of these parts via STL files to be highly inefficient. This work describes an alternate design process for slender member structures using efficient methods for manipulating, storing, and slicing the geometry of the part. These new methods, in particular a fast, efficient direct slicing method, enable printing slender member structures with over one hundred thousand struts. The slicing algorithm is nearly perfectly parallel so it could extend to handle structures with over one million struts, helping to facilitate the adoption of slender member structures for engineering-scale applications.
Exogenous Androgens and Male Reproduction

Due in part to aggressive marketing, the prevalence of exogenous androgen use has increased to disturbing levels. Prescribing practitioners are often unaware of the severity of the anti-fertility effects. Exogenous androgens should only be prescribed if hypogonadism has been established by appropriate investigation, and preferably the patient does not intend to father a child. There are alternative medications, or combinations of medications, that can be used if hypogonadism is present and fertility is desired.
Cu‐Catalyzed Hydroxymethylation of Unactivated Alkyl Iodides with CO To Provide One‐Carbon‐Extended Alcohols

We have developed a reductive carbonylation method by which unactivated alkyl iodides can be hydroxymethylated to provide one-carbon-extended alcohol products under Cu-catalyzed conditions. The method is tolerant of alkyl β-hydrogen atoms, is robust towards a wide variety of functional groups, and was applied to primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl iodide substrates. Mechanistic experiments indicate that the transformation proceeds by atom-transfer carbonylation (ATC) of the alkyl iodide followed in tandem by two CuH-mediated reductions in rapid succession. This radical mechanism renders the Cu-catalyzed system complementary to precious-metal-catalyzed reductive carbonylation reactions.
‘One Giant House’: Civil Society Mobilisation and the Protection of Palestinian Cultural Heritage and Identity in Al-quds Al-Sharif

Civil society organisations in East Jerusalem play a crucial role in protecting Palestinian cultural heritage in the Old City of Jerusalem by providing grassroots support and enhancing the steadfas...
Gravitational wave beacons

We explore spinning, precessing, unequal mass binary black holes to display the long-term orbital angular momentum, $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{L}$, flip dynamics. We study two prototypical cases of binaries with mass ratios $q=1/7$ and $q=1/15$ and a misaligned spin of the large black hole (with an intrinsic spin magnitude of ${S}_{2}/{m}_{2}^{2}=0.85$). We conduct full numerical simulations, for nearly 14 and 18 orbits, respectively, to evolve the binary down to a merger and display a full $L$-flip cycle. The pattern of radiation of such systems is particularly interesting, displaying strong polarization-dependent variation of amplitudes at precessional frequencies, leading to distinctive observational consequences for gravitational wave detectors. These waveform features are strongly directional dependent, and measurements of gravitational wave polarizations can be exploited to disentangle the binary's parameters in various astrophysical scenarios.
Subcutaneous Administration of Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin to Horses Inhibits Ex Vivo Equine Herpesvirus Type 1-Induced Platelet Activation.

Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is a major cause of infectious respiratory disease, abortion and neurologic disease. Thrombosis in placental and spinal vessels and subsequent ischemic injury in EHV-1-infected horses manifests clinically as abortion and myeloencephalopathy. We have previously shown that addition of heparin anticoagulants to equine platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can abolish ex vivo EHV-1-induced platelet activation. The goal of this study was to test whether platelets isolated from horses treated with unfractionated heparin (UFH) or low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) were resistant to ex vivo EHV-1-induced activation. In a masked, block-randomized placebo-controlled cross-over trial, 9 healthy adult horses received 4 subcutaneous injections at q. 12 hour intervals of one of the following treatments: UFH (100 U/kg loading dose, 3 maintenance doses of 80 U/kg), 2 doses of LMWH (enoxaparin) 80 U/kg 24 hours apart with saline at the intervening 12 hour intervals, or 4 doses of saline. Blood samples were collected before treatment and after 36 hours, 40 hours (4 hours after the last injection) and 60 hours (24 hours after the last injection). Two strains of EHV-1, Ab4 and RacL11, were added to PRP ex vivo and platelet membrane expression of P selectin was measured as a marker of platelet activation. Drug concentrations were monitored in a Factor Xa inhibition (anti-Xa) bioassay. We found that LMWH, but not UFH, inhibited platelet activation induced by low concentrations (1 x 106 plaque forming units/mL) of both EHV-1 strains at 40 hours. At this time point, all horses had anti-Xa activities above 0.1 U/mL (range 0.15-0.48 U/mL) with LMWH, but not UFH. By 60 hours, a platelet inhibitory effect was no longer detected and anti-Xa activity had decreased (range 0.03 to 0.07 U/mL) in LMWH-treated horses. Neither heparin inhibited platelet activation induced by high concentrations (5 x 106 plaque forming units/mL) of the RacL11 strain. We found substantial between horse variability in EHV-1-induced platelet activation at baseline and after treatment. Minor injection site reactions developed in horses given either heparin. These results suggest that LMWH therapy may prevent thrombotic sequelae of EHV-1, however further evaluation of dosage regimens is required.
Oral Tecovirimat for the Treatment of Smallpox

Abstract Background Smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980, but variola virus (VARV), which causes smallpox, still exists. There is no known effective treatment for smallpox; therefore, tecovirim...
Network regions: alternatives to the winner-take-all structure

Winner-take-all (WTA) structures are currently used in massively parallel (connectionist) networks to represent competitive behavior among sets of alternative hypotheses. However, this form of competition might be too rigid and not be appropriate for certain applications. For example, applications that involve noisy and erroneous inputs might mislead WTA structures into selecting a wrong outcome. In addition, for networks that continuously process input data, the outcome must dynamically change with changing inputs; WTA structures might "lock-in" on a previous outcome. This paper offers an alternative competition model for these applications. The model is based upon a meta-network representation scheme called network regions that are analogous to net spaces in partitioned semantic networks. Network regions can be used in many ways to clarify the representational structure in massively parallel networks. This paper focuses on how they are used to provide a flexible and adaptive competition model. Regions can be considered as representational units that represent the conceptual abstraction of a collection of nodes (or hypotheses). Through this higher-level abstraction, regions can better influence the collective behavior of nodes within the region. Several AI applications were used to test and evaluate this model.
Dynamics and Control of a System Composed of a Large Number of Similar Subsystems

There are dynamic systems that are composed of many interacting subsystems and are too large or too complicated in some senses to lend themselves conveniently to the various analytical or computational procedures for control and/or estimation that we find in control and system theory literature, since these techniques require, on the whole, that states and control actions by each and every decision maker of subsystems be known to each other or to some coordinating agents.
Prediction of swelling behavior of crosslinked maize starch suspensions.

Abstract Rheological properties of starch are affected by swelling of the granules that is in turn controlled by the degree of crosslinking. A previously developed model for swelling of starch granules was extended to account for electrostatic interactions. Maize starch was crosslinked with sodium trimetaphosphate. Granule swelling of 8% suspension of crosslinked maize starch when subjected to heating to 70,75,80,85 and 90 °C was more pronounced at higher temperatures eventually approaching equilibrium with the swelling ratio decreasing with increase in extent of crosslink. The number of crosslinks in the starch network was inferred from equilibrium swelling and related to peak viscosity and zeta potential. Chemical potential profile as well as the temperature profile within the granule at different times were predicted which were then employed to evaluate the evolution of granule size. The proposed model is able to describe the effect of crosslinking on swelling behavior.
Primary myelofibrosis: 2019 update on diagnosis, risk-stratification and management

Disease overview Primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) characterized by stem cell-derived clonal myeloproliferation that is often but not always accompanied by JAK2, CALR, or MPL mutations; additional disease features include bone marrow stromal reaction including reticulin fibrosis, abnormal cytokine expression, anemia, hepatosplenomegaly, extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH), constitutional symptoms, cachexia, leukemic progression, and shortened survival. Diagnosis Diagnosis of PMF is based on bone marrow morphology. Presence of JAK2, CALR, or MPL mutation, expected in ∼ 90% of the patients, is supportive but not essential for diagnosis. The revised 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) classification system distinguishes "prefibrotic" from "overtly fibrotic" PMF; the former might mimic ET in its presentation and it is prognostically relevant to distinguish the two. Risk stratification Two new prognostic systems for PMF have recently been introduced: GIPSS (genetically inspired prognostic scoring system) and MIPSS70+ version 2.0 (mutation- and karyotype-enhanced international prognostic scoring system). GIPSS is based exclusively on mutations and karyotype. MIPSS70+ version 2.0 utilizes both genetic and clinical risk factors. GIPSS features four and MIPSS70+ version 2.0 five risk categories. MIPSS70+ version 2.0 requires an online score calculator (http://www.mipss70score.it) while GIPPS offers a lower complexity prognostic tool. Risk-adapted therapy Observation alone is advised for MIPSS70+ version 2.0 "low" and "very low" risk disease (estimated 10-year survival 56%-92%); allogeneic stem cell transplant is the preferred treatment of choice for "very high" and "high" risk disease (estimated 10-year survival 0-13%); treatment-requiring patients with intermediate-risk disease (estimated 10-year survival 30%) are best served by participating in clinical trials. All other treatment approaches, including the use of JAK2 inhibitors, are mostly palliative and should not be used in the absence of clear treatment indications. Conventional treatment for anemia includes androgens, prednisone, thalidomide and danazol, for symptomatic splenomegaly hydroxyurea and ruxolitinib and for constitutional symptoms ruxolitinib. Splenectomy is considered for drug-refractory splenomegaly and involved field radiotherapy for nonhepatosplenic EMH and extremity bone pain.
Industry Supplied CAD Curriculum Case Study on Passing Certification Exams

Students who successfully pass professional certification exams while in school are often targeted first by industry for internships and entry level positions. Over the last decade, leading industry suppliers of computer-aided design (CAD) software have developed and launched certification exams for many of their product offerings. Some have also created educational curriculum and resources for educators, such as sample exams and training guides. This case study investigates students’ passing rates of two SOLIDWORKS certification exams after utilizing free and openly available educator instructional material in the classroom. The engineering technology students were from Mechanical Engineering Technology and Electrical Engineering Technology degree programs. The Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA) exam was administered at the end of a freshman level introduction to graphics course. The Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional Academic (CSWP-Academic) exam was administered at the end of a junior level advanced CAD course. This paper presents a brief description of the curriculum for both courses, including the instructional material and exams. Quantitative and observational outcomes from both courses will also be presented. Keywords: CAD, SOLIDWORKS, certification, engineering technology
Childhood body size and midlife mammographic breast density in foreign-born and U.S.-born women in New York City.

Abstract Purpose We investigated whether childhood body size is associated with midlife mammographic density, a strong risk factor for breast cancer. Methods We collected interview data, including body size at age 10 years using a pictogram, and measured height and weight from 518 women, recruited at the time of screening mammography in New York City (ages 40–64 years, 71% Hispanic, 68% foreign-born). We used linear regression models to examine childhood body size in relation to percent density and areas of dense and nondense tissue, measured using a computer-assisted method from digital mammograms. Results In models that adjusted for race/ethnicity, and age and body mass index at mammogram, the heaviest relative to leanest childhood body size was associated with 5.94% lower percent density (95% confidence interval [CI]: −9.20, −2.29), 7.69 cm 2 smaller dense area (95% CI: −13.94, −0.63), and 26.17 cm 2 larger nondense area (95% CI: 9.42, 43.58). In stratified analysis by menopausal status and nativity, the observed associations were stronger for postmenopausal and U.S.-born women although these differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions Heavy childhood body size is associated with lower mammographic density, consistent with its associations with breast cancer risk. Suggestive findings by nativity require confirmation in larger samples.
Touch-Based Magnetic Communication through Your Hand

Near field communication (NFC), which emerged only a decade ago, has been rapidly adopted in business services including point-of-sale (POS) systems, payments, identification, ticketing, and various other types of services. NFC offers great and varied promise in providing secure and implicit paired communication capability in smartphones. As a short-range wireless communication technology, the level of "secure" is contributed by the short-range nature. Compared with other competitive technologies, NFC achieves physical-level security but sacrifices convenience. For example, NFC cannot achieve device-free or hands-free payment transactions like the service provided by PayPal called PayPal beacon which utilizes Bluetooth-low-energy (BLE) technology. In this paper, we propose a low-cost wearable device that can achieve better physical-level security than NFC provides. This system is compatible with existing NFC-based POS systems and can help users realize a convenient hands-free payment transaction. Specifically, a custom NFC wristband was designed to channel its magnetic field through the human arm. By confining the magnetic field in NFC to the area around the body, we could minimize energy radiation, reduce the possibility of communication sniffing and hijackings, and improve security. To evaluate this approach, we conducted various experiments via different configurations. The results showed that the communication range for the human body channel was greater than that of the air and water channels. In addition, through this study we demonstrated that the human body is a naturally secure channel, and hacking and nearby interference are minimized during such communication. Our system also defines a new way of communication, for example, people can share confidential information with a simple handshake without pulling out and touching, or tapping smartphones.
Mechanistic Investigation of the Androgen Receptor DNA-Binding Domain Inhibitor Pyrvinium.

Pyrvinium was identified as the first small molecule inhibitor of the androgen receptor (AR) DNA-binding domain (DBD). It was also among the first small molecules shown to directly inhibit the activity of AR splice variants (ARVs), which has important clinical implications in the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. Important questions about pyrvinium’s mechanism of action remain. Here, we demonstrate through mutational analysis that amino acids 609 and 612 are important for pyrvinium action. Nuclear magnetic resonance demonstrates a specific interaction between a soluble pyrvinium derivative and the AR DBD homodimer–DNA complex. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility shift assay experiments demonstrate that, despite an interaction with this complex, pyrvinium does not alter the DNA-binding kinetics in either assay. AR immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry was used to identify proteins whose interaction with AR is altered by pyrvinium. Several splicing factors...
Cellular Statistical Models of Broken Cloud Fields. Part IV: Effects of Pixel Size on Idealized Satellite Observations

AbstractIn the fourth part of our “Cellular Statistical Models of Broken Cloud Fields” series we use the binary Markov processes framework for quantitative investigation of the effects of low resol...
A Crowding-based Model of Social Carrying Capacity: Applications For Whitewater Boating Use

Following the Limits of Acceptable Change planning framework, we apply crowding standards proposed by Shelby, Heberlein and Vaske (1989) to develop a crowding-based model of social carrying capacit...
Factors Affecting PhD Student Success

Attrition rates for Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs in the United States across the fields of engineering, life sciences, social sciences, mathematics and physical sciences, and humanities range from 36 - 51%. A qualitative literature review indicates certain factors may impact the PhD student's success in completing the program and degree. The factors focused on in this review include the student-advisor relationship, mentorship, and the dissertation process. Although kinesiology doctoral programs are evaluated and ranked by the National Academy of Kinesiology, little information is available exploring kinesiology PhD student success. General information on PhD student success may, therefore, be valuable to kinesiology PhD students and programs.
Mn Porphyrin-Based Redox Active Drugs Improve Anemia and Reduce Organ Damage in a Murine Model of Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is caused by a point mutation in the β-globin gene that leads to devastating downstream consequences including chronic hemolytic anemia, episodic vascular occlusion, and cumulative oxidative organ damage resulting in death. Targeting the mechanisms leading to organ injury could bring out therapeutic approaches. Sickle red blood cell (RBC) oxidative damage, which leads to hemolysis, could participate in endothelial activation and organ damage. Recently, we show that NADPH oxidases (NOXs) are a major player in generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) within sickle RBCs to mediate adhesion and vaso-occlusion. We have now evaluated the effects of reducing ROS in sickle RBCs on hemolysis, and its consequences on endothelial activation and organ damage in sickle mice in vivo. To inactive RBC NOXs, thus reduce ROS levels, we used the redox-active manganese (Mn) porphyrins, MnTnBuOE-2-PyP5+ (MnBuOE) and MnTE-2-PyP5+ (MnE), commonly known as superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimics. Treatments of sickle mice for 4 weeks with 0.1 mg/kg MnBuOE and 1 mg/kg MnE significantly reduced sickle RBC ROS production profile compared to sickle RBC ROS levels in the control vehicle group (p Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Integrating Technologies in an Online Nursing Course

This paper presents strategies to integrate technologies into an online nursing course. The strategies include three visual reflective assignments asking students to draw pictures and make teaching videos using software. Students not only met learning objectives but also generated good learning outcomes and experienced positive emotions and meaningful learning
Process characteristics and interfacial microstructure in spot impact welding of titanium to stainless steel

Abstract Vaporizing foil actuator (VFA) spot welding was used to weld a titanium alloy (Ti-1.2ASN) to a stainless steel (436 SS) for the first time. The relation of process to microstructure was explored. Interfacial microstructure was studied through optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Chemical compositions of molten regions and jet zone were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The microhardness across the interface was measured through Vickers and nanoindentation tests. The results show that an impact velocity of 800 m/s can be achieved at very low input energy. VFA spot welds present heterogeneity in microstructure at large and small length scales. At long length scales, several regions of weld can be seen. At the center there is no bonding; moving radially outward the collision angle increases from zero and this causes a transition from a flat area with considerable melting to a wavy region, and finally an area of accumulated jetted material in the corner. EDS analyses show that discontinuous intermetallics including TiCr2, Fe2Ti and FeTi, and Ti fragments coexisted in a mixed zone that probably has components of mechanical and liquid-state mixing. TEM results show that equiaxed nanograins exhibited in the recrystallization zone and mixed zone. There is an ‘impact affected zone’ near the interface where the hardness rises significantly. At the edges of the weld there is a mixed, and oxidized zone that supports the idea that solid-state impact jets the nascent surfaces away to allow interatomic bonding.
BNST-insula structural connectivity in humans

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is emerging as a critical region in multiple psychiatric disorders including anxiety, PTSD, and alcohol and substance use disorders. In conjunction with growing knowledge of the BNST, an increasing number of studies examine connections of the BNST and how those connections impact BNST function. The importance of this BNST network is highlighted by rodent studies demonstrating that projections from other brain regions regulate BNST activity and influence BNST-related behavior. While many animal and human studies replicate the components of the BNST network, to date, structural connections between the BNST and insula have only been described in rodents and have yet to be shown in humans. In this study, we used probabilistic tractography to examine BNST-insula structural connectivity in humans. We used two methods of dividing the insula: 1) anterior and posterior insula, to be consistent with much of the existing insula literature; and 2) eight subregions that represent informative cytoarchitectural divisions. We found evidence of a BNST-insula structural connection in humans, with the strongest BNST connectivity localized to the anteroventral insula, a region of agranular cortex. BNST-insula connectivity differed by hemisphere and was moderated by sex. These results translate rodent findings to humans and lay an important foundation for future studies examining the role of BNST-insula pathways in psychiatric disorders.