cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Terminally Repeated Sequences on a Herpesvirus Genome Are Deleted following Circularization but Are Reconstituted by Duplication during Cleavage and Packaging of Concatemeric DNA

The mechanisms underlying cleavage of herpesvirus genomes from replicative concatemers are unknown. Evidence from herpes simplex virus type 1 suggests that cleavage occurs by a nonduplicative process; however, additional evidence suggests that terminal repeats may also be duplicated during the cleavage process. This issue has been difficult to resolve due to the variable numbers of reiterated terminal repeats that the herpes simplex virus type 1 genome can contain. Guinea pig cytomegalovirus is a herpesvirus with a simple terminal repeat arrangement that defines two genome types. Type II genomes have a single copy of a 1-kb terminal repeat at both their left and right termini, whereas type I genomes have only one copy at their left termini and lack the repeat at their right termini. In a previous study, we constructed a recombinant guinea pig cytomegalovirus in which certain cis elements were disrupted such that only type II genomes were produced. Here we show that double repeats that are formed by circularization of infecting genomes are rapidly converted to single repeats, such that the junctions between genomes within replicative concatemers formed late in infection almost exclusively contain single copies of the terminal repeat. Therefore, for the recombinant virus, each cleavage event begins with a single repeat within a concatemer yet produces two repeats, one at each of the resulting termini, demonstrating that terminal repeat duplication occurs in conjunction with cleavage. For wild-type guinea pig cytomegalovirus, the formation of type I genomes further suggests that cleavage can also occur by a nonduplicative process and that duplicative and nonduplicative cleavage can occur concurrently. Other herpesviruses having terminal repeats, such as the herpes simplex viruses and human cytomegalovirus, may also utilize repeat duplication and deletion; however, the biological importance of these events remains unknown.
Modeling and simulation of magnetically confined low-pressure plasmas in two dimensions

A hybrid electron fluid-particle ion model of a cylindrical axisymmetric discharge with conducting walls and a uniform axial magnetic field has been developed. The chamber is 30 cm in length and 15 cm in diameter. Power is deposited into electrons with a uniform axial profile and two model radial profiles: uniform power per electron (flat), and power per electron varying as the square of a J/sub 0/ Bessel function (peaked). The major results of the study are that it is possible to treat two-dimensional systems with very small Debye-length-to-system-chamber-length scale ratios, and that the radial power deposition profile appears to have a marked effect on the nature of the plasma profiles, including the ion flux profiles. >
Standardization of Immunohistochemistry for Formalin-fixed, Paraffin-embedded Tissue Sections Based on the Antigen-retrieval Technique: From Experiments to Hypothesis

From a practical point of view, one of the most difficult issues in the standardization of IHC for FFPE tissue is the adverse influence of formalin upon antigenicity, as well as the great variation in fixation/processing procedures. Based on previous study, an additional study using four markers demonstrated the potential for obtaining equivalent IHC staining among FFPE tissue sections with periods of formalin fixation ranging from 6 hr to 30 days. On this basis, the following hypothesis is proposed. "The use of optimized AR protocols permits retrieval of specific proteins (antigens) from FFPE tissues to a defined and reproducible degree (expressed as R%), with reference to the amount of protein present in the original fresh/unfixed tissue". This hypothesis may also be presented mathematically: the protein amount in a fresh cell/tissue, expressed as Pf, produces an IHC signal in fresh tissue of integral(Pf). When the identical IHC staining plus AR treatment is applied to a FFPE tissue section, the IHC signal may be represented as integral (Pffpe). The degree of retrieval after AR (R%) is calculated as follows: R% = integral (Pffpe)/ integral (Pf) x 100%. The amount of protein in the FFPE tissue may then be derived as follows: Pffpe = Pf x R%. In a situation where optimized AR is 100% effective, the IHC signal would then be of equal strength in fresh tissue and FFPE tissue, and Pffpe= Pf. Further studies are designed to test the limitations of the proposed hypothesis.
Postharvest physiology and quality of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.)

Developing fruits of Momordica chamntia, known as bitter melon, bitter gourd or balsam pear, were harvested at horticultural maturity and stored up to 14 days in humidified air at different temperatures. Respiration rates of fruits at 20 and 10°C were approximately 40 and 15 ~1 CO2 g-l h-l, respectively. Ethylene production rates at these temperatures were O.l0.3 nl g-l h-l. Fruits stored for >8 days at 7.5”C showed severe chilling symptoms (decay, pitting and discoloration) and typical chill-induced respiratory and ethylene production increases after transfer to 15°C. Fruit quality was best maintained if bitter melon were stored at 10 and 12S”C. Fruits at 15°C continued to develop, showing undesirable changes including seed development, loss of green color, and fruit splitting. Immature fruit maintained postharvest quality better than fruit harvested at the fully developed green stage. Bitter melon stored at 15°C in controlled atmospheres (21, 5 or 2.5% 02 in combination with 0, 2.5, 5 or 10% COZ) were not different in quality from air-stored fruits at 2 weeks. Fruits stored 3 weeks in 2.5 or 5% CO* in combination with 2.5% 02 showed greater retention of green color and had less decay and splitting than air-stored fruit.
The 10GHz 4:1 MUX and 1:4 DEMUX implemented via the gigahertz SiGe FPGA

This paper describes the implementation of a scalable SiGe FPGA that serves as a high speed FPGA test platform. A new configurable block (Basic Cell) has been evolved from the Xilinx 6200 specification, and is designed to perform in the gigahertz range. Two chips, a 4:1 multiplexer and 1:4 demultiplexer, were designed using the IBM SiGe 7HP process. The two designs can process 10 Gbps data streams.
Alternative housing systems for pigs: Influences on growth, composition, and pork quality

Effects of pig birth (first 3-wk period) and rearing environments on growth and muscle quality characteristics of loins were evaluated in three experiments over seasons in west Texas and central Missouri. Housing systems included indoor slatted-floor buildings, indoor deep-bedded buildings, outdoor housing on dirt, and outdoor housing on alfalfa pasture. Experiments were conducted during the growing/finishing phases and pigs were slaughtered at the same age. Loins were collected, vacuum-packaged, and stored for 14 d at 2 degrees C. Pigs born and finished in an outdoor environment during the summer months (Exp. 1) had a greater ADG (0.92 vs 0.82+/-0.06 kg/d, P < 0.05) and had heavier carcass weights (87.9 vs 78.4+/-2.4 kg, P < 0.05) than pigs born and finished in an indoor environment with a slatted-floor finishing building. Carcasses from the outdoor-reared group measured a larger (P < 0.05) loineye area and were fatter (P < 0.01) at the first rib, last rib, and last lumbar vertebra measurements than carcasses from the indoor-reared group. Loin chops from outdoor-reared pigs had darker color scores in the retail display case throughout the 4-d period, measured lower L* values on d 1, and had more discoloration and browning on d 4 than loin chops from the indoor-reared group. During the winter months (Exp. 2), no difference was detected in ADG, carcass measurements, sensory characteristics, or shear force values from indoor-born pigs placed in either an outdoor or indoor finishing environment. Pigs finished on deep bedding (Exp. 3) had heavier carcass weights and more backfat (P < 0.01) than pigs finished on slats, but no differences were detected in sensory panel or shear force results. Overall, carcass measurements, pH, drip loss, sensory panel, and shear force values were similar among the groups finished in different housing systems. Outdoor or deep-bedded systems may increase growth rates of pigs if suitable land area and resources are available, but pork quality of loins will be similar for pigs finished in either conventional or alternative systems.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and the Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation

Background— We tested the hypothesis that patients with untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) would be at increased risk for recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardioversion. Methods and Results— We prospectively obtained data on history, echocardiogram, ECG, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, NYHA functional class, ejection fraction, left atrial appendage velocity, and medications in patients with AF/atrial flutter referred for DC cardioversion. Forty-three individuals were identified as having OSA on the basis of a previous sleep study. Data regarding the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and recurrence of AF were obtained for 39 of these patients. Follow-up data were also obtained in 79 randomly selected postcardioversion patients (controls) who did not have any previous sleep study. Twenty-seven of the 39 OSA patients either were not receiving any CPAP therapy (n=25) or were using CPAP inappropriately (n=2). Recurrence of AF at 12 months in these 27 patients was 82%, ...
Control of shrinkage and residual styrene of unsaturated polyester resins cured at low temperatures: I. Effect of curing agents

Abstract In low temperature molding processes, control of resin shrinkage and residual monomer is an important concern. The presence of low profile additives (LPAs) can reduce the shrinkage of unsaturated polyester (UP)/styrene (St) resins under proper processing conditions but may increase the residual styrene content. A systematic study was carried out to investigate the effect of the initiator system and reaction temperature on sample morphology, final resin conversion, and resin shrinkage of UP resins with LPA. It was found that the final conversion of the resin system could be improved by using dual initiators. The effect is more obvious at low temperatures. Volume shrinkage measurements of the resin system initiated with dual initiators revealed that good LPA performance was achieved at low (e.g. 35 °C) and high (e.g. 100 °C) temperatures but not at intermediate ones. This can be explained by how temperature affects phase separation, reaction kinetics in the LPA-rich and UP-rich phases, micro-void formation, and thermal expansion.
Evaluating change in health-related quality of life in adult rhinitis: Responsiveness of the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index

Background The Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (RSDI) is a validated measure of health-related quality of life (HRQL) in rhinitis. Responsiveness of the RSDI to changes in health status over time has not been described.
THE ECOLOGY OF HELOPHORUS ARCTICUS BROWN (COLEOPTERA: HYDROPHILIDAE) RECONSIDERED

Abstract In North America, Helophorus arcticus Brown inhabits the seashore and tidal embayments of the eastern Arctic and because of its distribution is considered to be a halophile. New evidence, including the substrate chemistry of the habitat and the associated fauna and flora at Kuujjuaq, northern Quebec, suggests that the designation of H. arcticus as a halophile is incorrect. Fossils of H. arcticus occur in Pleistocene deposits in the mid-latitudes of North America and their distribution along the margin of the Laurentide Icesheet is easier to understand if the species is not a halophile.
Conservation and the Engineer

Much of the original natural beauty of the United States has been destroyed by exploitation and unwise efforts to achieve dollar efficiency and economy in engineering projects. Engineers have too often been opposed to conservation groups. The needless flooding of the Hetch-Hetchy valley of the Tuolumne River on the recommendation of the U. S. Army Corps of Army Engineers to furnish a water supply for San Francisco, and the proposals of the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation to build dams across the Grand Canyon of the Colorado and the Sun River in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area of Montana, are examples. In every case, priceless and irreplacable natural beauty has been or is in danger of being sacrificed to doubtful engineering efficiency and economies. Engineers are challenged to exercise their responsibility for formulation of resource development projects in such a way as to avoid sacrifice of long run values to short run dollar considerations.
A novel kefir product (PFT) activates dendritic cells to induce CD4+T and CD8+T cell responses in vitro

Lactobacilli have been widely studied for their probiotic effects and have been reported to function as antiviral and anticancer agents. However, the underlying mechanisms via immune modulation are poorly understood. PFT is a freeze dried compound of Lactobacillus kefiri P-IF with a unique composition and functionality. In this study, we examined the potential stimulatory effects of two concentrations (50 µg and 100 µg/mL) of PFT on human monocyte-derived dendritic cell (DC) function in vitro. Results showed that PFT upregulated the expression of DC surface co-stimulatory and maturation markers CD80, CD86, and HLADR in a concentration dependent manner. PFT at 100 µg/mL markedly increased the secretion of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IL-1β by DCs. This concentration of PFT also stimulated the production of antiviral cytokines, IFN-α and IFN-λ(IL29) in DCs. Additionally, PFT at 100 µg/mL activated moDCs prime CD4(+)T cells and significantly increased the levels of IL-10, IFN-γ, and TNF-α by 1.7, four, three-fold, respectively. Furthermore PFT-stimulated DCs were also effective in enhancing the cytotoxic potential of CD8(+)T cells via the induction of Granzyme-B and upregulation of CD107a, and CD103 expression, a marker of resident/regulatory CD8(+)T cells. These data suggest that PFT functions as a natural adjuvant for DC activation and thus may be used in DC-based vaccine strategies against viral infections and cancer.
Fusions of the SYT and SSX genes in synovial sarcoma.

Synovial sarcomas are high grade spindle cell tumors that are divided into two major histologic subtypes, biphasic and monophasic, according to the respective presence or absence of a well-developed glandular epithelial component. They contain in essentially all cases a t(X;18) representing the fusion of SYT (at 18q11) with either SSX1 or SSX2 (both at Xp11). Neither SYT, nor the SSX proteins contain DNA-binding domains. Instead, they appear to be transcriptional regulators whose actions are mediated primarily through protein-protein interactions, with BRM in the case of SYT, and with Polycomb group repressors in the case of SSX. Ongoing work on the SYT–SSX fusion and synovial sarcoma should yield a variety of data of broader biological interest, in areas such as BRM and Polycomb group function and dysfunction, transcriptional targets of SYT–SSX proteins and their native counterparts, differential gene regulation by SYT–SSX1 and SYT–SSX2, control of glandular morphogenesis, among others.
Ceramic Stereolithography: Additive Manufacturing for Ceramics by Photopolymerization

Ceramic stereolithography and related additive manufacturing methods involving photopolymerization of ceramic powder suspensions are reviewed in terms of the capabilities of current devices. The practical fundamentals of the cure depth, cure width, and cure profile are related to the optical properties of the monomer, ceramic, and photo-active components. Postpolymerization steps, including harvesting and cleaning the objects, binder burnout, and sintering, are discussed and compared with conventional methods. The prospects for practical manufacturing are discussed.
Differentiation of leukemia cells to polymorphonuclear leukocytes in patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.

Abstract We used recombinant-DNA techniques to determine the origin of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, at presentation, in remission, and in relapse. Studies using X chromosome–linked DNA polymorphisms strongly suggested that leukemic blast cells in this form of leukemia can differentiate in vivo to form mature granulocytes. Common chromosomal changes seen in blast cells, such as the addition of a chromosome 8 or the loss of a chromosome 7, were found to be present in the mature granulocytes of patients with leukemia. In addition, rearrangement of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene was detected in the polymorphonuclear leukocytes of one patient. Finally, we have observed the persistence of a single dominant hemopoietic clone in the granulocytes of 3 of 13 patients in complete remission. These findings demonstrate that recombinant-DNA probes can detect clonal populations of granulocytes in patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, and provide further evidenc...
Design of Sensor Array for Electrical Capacitance Tomography With High Voltage Excitation

The excitation signal of high voltage excitation electrical capacitance tomography( ECT) is about several hundreds of peak-to-peak volts,compared with normal ECT system in which the excitation voltage is only 20 V. The high AC voltage excitation ECT system has higher resolution and sensitivity of low capacitance measurement,and this will cause some new problems in designing its sensor array. The paper discussed the impact of electrode length and span on some important evaluation objects of a sensor array,and then evaluated the special image errors( SIE) of reconstructed images of core phantom,stratified phantom and annular phantom,which were under different electrode lengths and spans.Finally,a set of parameters of electrode length and span were chosen according to the simulation results.A sensor array for testing was fabricated according to the parameters. The image reconstruction results of grain distribution show that high quality images can be reached by the sensor array,this optimal design method of ECT sensor is feasible,and the parameters are also credible.
Fluid Transport by the Cornea Endothelium is Dependent on Buffering Lactic Acid Efflux

Maintenance of corneal hydration is dependent on the active transport properties of the corneal endothelium. We tested the hypothesis that lactic acid efflux, facilitated by buffering, is a component of the endothelial fluid pump. Rabbit corneas were perfused with bicarbonate-rich (BR) or bicarbonate-free (BF) Ringer of varying buffering power, while corneal thickness was measured. Perfusate was collected and analyzed for lactate efflux. In BF with no added HEPES, the maximal corneal swelling rate was 30.0 ± 4.1 μm/h compared with 5.2 ± 0.9 μm/h in BR. Corneal swelling decreased directly with [HEPES], such that with 60 mM HEPES corneas swelled at 7.5 ± 1.6 μm/h. Perfusate [lactate] increased directly with [HEPES]. Similarly, reducing the [HCO3 (-)] increased corneal swelling and decreased lactate efflux. Corneal swelling was inversely related to Ringer buffering power (β), whereas lactate efflux was directly related to β. Ouabain (100 μM) produced maximal swelling and reduction in lactate efflux, whereas carbonic anhydrase inhibition and an monocarboxylic acid transporter 1 inhibitor produced intermediate swelling and decreases in lactate efflux. Conversely, 10 μM adenosine reduced the swelling rate to 4.2 ± 0.8 μm/h and increased lactate efflux by 25%. We found a strong inverse relation between corneal swelling and lactate efflux (r = 0.98, P < 0.0001). Introducing lactate in the Ringer transiently increased corneal thickness, reaching a steady state (0 ± 0.6 μm/h) within 90 min. We conclude that corneal endothelial function does not have an absolute requirement for bicarbonate; rather it requires a perfusing solution with high buffering power. This facilitates lactic acid efflux, which is directly linked to water efflux, indicating that lactate flux is a component of the corneal endothelial pump.
German for physicists

"German is the language of science" I remember my father telling me as a boy growing up in the Bronx in New York during the 1970s. As I watched astronomy programmes on TV with my father and older brothers, I imagined having to speak ceaselessly in fluent German if I was ever to become a scientist as a grown-up. But when I started my studies at university in New York in the 1980s, I realized my father's advice – sought from weekly trips to the neighbourhood public library – was way out of date. Not only did my physics professors present their research in English at conferences all around the world, but they also published in English-language journals – thus seemingly not needing a single word of German.
Laser diagnostics for chemical vapor deposition

The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process is used extensively by industry to produce thin films for microelectronics and for wear/corrosion-resistant film applications. The specific methods for producing such films have been developed empirically, and until recently very little basic research has been done on the fundamental physics and the chemistry of the CVD process. This paper describes a coordinated experimental and theoretical program that investigates the gas phase in CVD in detail.
Control of integrated switched capacitor power converters

Driven by the emerging applications such as wireless sensors and self-powered biomedical implants, monolithic SC power converters have become a very attractive solution for on-chip power supplies. In this chapter, Section 12.1 first addresses the design challenges. To prepare the readers to fully understand the control and operation methods of these SC power converters, in Section 12.2, key design parameters and causing mechanisms of potential power losses are introduced. In Section 12.3, major control schemes for SC power converters are discussed. Focusing on reliability and inrush current issues, two-stage cascaded topologies are first explained. In order to adapt to variable input and output operation conditions, reconfigurable SC power converters are introduced. PFM and AG-AP control are then discussed to provide different regulation solutions at a wide range of load. To further suppress the ripples, improve the transient response and robustness, examples of interleaving regulations are provided. Many control schemes in the chapter can jointly operate to achieve optimal performance of an SC power converter.
Brief report: The role of three dimensions of sexual well-being in adolescents' life satisfaction

Guided by theoretical (Brooks-Gunn & Paikoff, 1997) and empirical work (Horne & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2005), this cross-sectional study examined whether sexual well-being (sexual self-acceptance, importance of mutual consent, importance of safe sex) was associated with life satisfaction among Mexican adolescents, and whether these associations were moderated by gender, age, and familism. Mexican adolescents (54% girls, 72% middle schoolers, 30% sexually active) completed surveys. Findings indicated that a greater belief in the importance of safe sex was associated with higher levels of life satisfaction. Greater sexual self-acceptance was associated with life satisfaction, and familism moderated this association. This association was stronger among adolescents who reported low familism. This study contributes to the understanding of sexual adolescent well-being and psychological adjustment in Mexico, an understudied cultural context.
Breakfast meals and emotions: Implicit and explicit assessment of the visual experience

Understanding implicit (unconscious) emotions and motivational behavior tendencies may provide further information for better understanding consumer response to food. Videos (n = 8) of breakfast meals were presented to participants (n = 40) with concurrent measurement of motor expression (automated facial expression analysis; AFEA), neurologic activity (electroencephalography; EEG), and physiologic activity (electrocardiography; ECG) as indicators of implicit responses. Explicit responses (overall acceptability, check-all-that-apply emotion term list) were assessed following each video presentation. The withdrawal emotion, disgust, was significantly chosen more for videos less liked, while approach emotions, good and happy were significantly chosen for videos liked more (p < .05). Acceptability was significantly different (p < .05) across meal types. Differences were observed in AFEA between a control (calming, positive beach scene video) and the breakfast meal videos. ECG and EEG supported explicit responses. Using only visual stimuli, implicit and explicit responses differed in response to breakfast meals, enhancing understanding of emotional and behavior tendencies to foods. Challenges with assessing implicit emotional responses necessitates further research in defining appropriate controls, standard methodologies and data interpretation procedures. Practical applications In this study, we illustrated that the visual sense alone is sufficient to influence differences among acceptable food products and influence motivational behavior tendencies. Interpretation of “liked” foods using facial expression, as an indication of emotion, brain (frontal lobe) activity, as an indication of motivational behavioral tendencies, and heart rate, as an indication of arousal, is advanced through this study. This information can be applied in recognizing the input of visual information in creating an approach or withdrawal connection to a food, meal or non-food consumable product. Appearance, such as influenced by packaging and lighting in retail supermarkets and presentation of meals in foodservice operations, may influence underlying emotions that ultimately influence product success. This research is of value to food product developers, sensory scientists, marketing professionals, food retailers, and foodservice operations. This information also may be applied to non-food consumer products.
Septic Arthritis, Physitis, and Osteomyelitis in Foals

Despite differences in etiology and diagnostics, the mainstay of therapy in the foal is similar to the adult: local lavage and/or debridement and local antimicrobial therapy. When musculoskeletal infection is concurrent with neonatal sepsis, the prognosis for survival is fair. When musculoskeletal infection is the primary problem, the prognosis is fair to good for survival of synovial, bony, and physeal infections with appropriate and aggressive local therapy. Recent literature may indicate that prognosis for survival and potential athleticism in foals that are treated expediently with local therapies and are without comorbidities may be more favorable than has been previously indicated.
The Pasvik Valley District: OFZ Sample

Pasvikdalen (The Pasvik Valley) is a similar example. It is at the extreme northeastern corner of Norway and is a finger of Outer Fringe Zone extending southward from the town of Kirkenes to almost touch some Outermost Fringe Zone (Fig. 1). It is the Norwegian, or western side, of the lowland of the north-flowing Pasvik River, the boundary between Norway and the Soviet Union. But it is only a part of the Sor-Varanger herred which includes coastal and inland parts quite unlike the valley in rural settlement form and rural settling process.69
Future home DC-based renewable energy nanoGrid system

This paper presents a sustainable building concept focused on the development and demonstration of advanced power electronics technology for building electrical systems with DC electrical architecture. In the "High Energy Efficient House", solar arrays, wind turbine and li-ion batteries are used to feed the main DC bus, as well as grid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles forming the so-called nanoGrid system. A static operation of the system components is described in details and the simple modeling approach combining non-linear static and linear dynamic behavior is shown followed by some simulation results.
Conditioned Latin Hypercube Sampling: Optimal Sample Size for Digital Soil Mapping of Arid Rangelands in Utah, USA

Conditioned Latin Hypercube Sampling (cLHS) is a type of stratified random sampling that accurately represents the variability of environmental covariates in feature space. As the smallest possible sample is important for efficient field work, what is the optimal sample size for digital soil mapping? An optimal sample size accurately represents the variability in the environmental covariates and provides enough samples for predictive models. This paper briefly reviews cLHS and investigates different sample sizes for representing five environmental covariates in a 30,000-ha complex landscape in the Great Basin of southwestern Utah. The cLHS code was run in Matlab™ (Mathworks, 2008) and statistical analysis was performed using the R statistical language (R Development Core Team, 2009). Graphical analysis for continuous data and chi-square analysis of categorical data suggested optimal sample size for this study area is approximately 200 to 300 (0.05–0.1%).
Who Gets “Housing First”? Determining Eligibility in an Era of Housing First Homelessness:

Drawing on two years of ethnographic fieldwork at a Midwest nonprofit organization, this project considers how a “housing first” approach to homelessness operates in practice. I show how formal implementation of diagnostic tools and prioritized categories reinforces normative beliefs about gender and vulnerability, which shape providers’ understandings about what people have legitimate claims to social support—or who, in other words, are the “truly vulnerable” homeless. I demonstrate that this convergence of organizational mandates and cultural expectations produces a mutually reinforcing process that guides and constrains case management. Through this, three housing eligibility trajectories arise: accessible, guided, and blocked pathways. Although this system benefits many individuals, it produces barriers to support for those deemed ineligible, leaving many in an indefinite state of services limbo. In effect, this system has produced a climate where merely being homeless is no longer enough to be consid...
Treatment pattern of consecutive patients with chronic venous disease.

Abstract Background No clear data exist on the treatment patterns in patients with chronic venous disease. This study was designed to determine how such patients were treated in our center. Methods Consecutive patients presenting for a vein consultation at our center were collected during a 9-month period, allotting for at least 6 months of follow-up. All patients had a detailed history and physical examination by experienced vascular surgeons and a complete venous ultrasound evaluation by registered vascular technologists having experience in venous imaging. Charts were reviewed for patient factors including body mass index, age, clinical class (Clinical, Etiology, Anatomy, and Pathophysiology [CEAP] classification), and treatment. Deidentified data from the chart review were entered into a local database. Queries were designed to identify trends in the data. The results of the queries were exported to a spreadsheet program for analysis per patient and per limb. Results There were 506 patients evaluated for venous disease during a period of 9 months. We identified 200 patients with chronic venous disease who required superficial vein treatment. There were 136 (68%) women. Ablation was required in 156 patients (78%), whereas 44 (22%) required only adjunctive therapy (microphlebectomy or sclerotherapy). The average number of ablations in patients with venous disease was 1.3 (259 ablations in 200 patients). In patients who needed at least one ablation, the average was 1.7 ablations per patient (259 ablations in 156 patients). Unilateral ablation was done in 94 patients (60%), and 62 patients (40%) had bilateral treatment. Of those who underwent unilateral ablations, 61% required adjunctive treatment of the contralateral limb. In patients who required only adjunctive therapy (no ablation), 73% underwent bilateral treatment. There were 182 limbs (45.5%) that did not require ablation as no reflux was found in the saphenous systems. Of the 156 patients who underwent ablation, 218 limbs had at least one ablation; 52% of limbs had C2 disease and on average underwent 1.1 ablations/limb. Only 7 of 113 (6%) limbs required more than one ablation. Average ablations per limb increased with clinical class, C3 having 1.2 ablations/limb, C4 having 1.4 ablations/limb, and C5 and C6 having 1.56 ablations/limb. Conclusions Patients with venous disease required on average 1.3 ablations/patient. Most (78%) require at least one ablation for an average of 1.7 ablations/patient. There were 182 limbs (45.5%) with no saphenous reflux that did not require an ablation. The average number of ablations/limb increased with CEAP class.
Diabetic serum from older women increases adipogenic differentiation in mesenchymal stem cells

Background: Paradoxically, elderly persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) fracture despite having higher bone density than nondiabetics. Systemic factors associated with aging and T2DM may ha...
The iron fist in the velvet glove? Testing the militarization/community policing paradox:

A number of police militarization scholars have explored the paradox of the simultaneous emergence of community policing and militarism in the United States. Several researchers have suggested that...
Success is a Double-Edged Sword: Examining the Implications of Growth for Community-based Online Retailers

Consumer-to-consumer retail sites like Etsy, Artfire, and BigCartel, have combined community with consumption to foster a market driven by community, rather than one that is driven by competition. While literature exists on consumer-to-consumer electronic markets like eBay and Amazon (Adams, Hosken, & Newberry, 2011; Gregg & Walczak, 2008) very little research has specifically examined the community-based approach to consumer-to-consumer electronic markets. Moreover, to date, no research has explored the implications of growth for this relatively new online retailing format. Therefore, this study sought to fill this gap with an ethnographic and netnographic investigation of the most successful online, community-based market, Etsy (Kozinets, 2006). From this investigation three themes emerged, shedding light on the growing pains associated with large-scale market growth of Etsy. Implications and conclusions drawn from this study sheds light on the challenges specific to the community-based approach to consumer-to-consumer electronic markets.
Scientific Foundations for Addiction Practice

This chapter reviews comprehensively the theoretical and explanatory models of addiction, evidence-based approaches and principles intertwined with the humanistic foundations of addiction treatments.
Variation in FPOP Measurements Is Primarily Caused by Poor Peptide Signal Intensity

Fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) may be used to characterize changes in protein structure by measuring differences in the apparent rate of peptide oxidation by hydroxyl radicals. The variability between replicates is high for some peptides and limits the statistical power of the technique, even using modern methods controlling variability in radical dose and quenching. Currently, the root cause of this variability has not been systematically explored, and it is unknown if the major source(s) of variability are structural heterogeneity in samples, remaining irreproducibility in FPOP oxidation, or errors in LC-MS quantification of oxidation. In this work, we demonstrate that coefficient of variation of FPOP measurements varies widely at low peptide signal intensity, but stabilizes to ≈ 0.13 at higher peptide signal intensity. We dramatically reduced FPOP variability by increasing the total sample loaded onto the LC column, indicating that the major source of variability in FPOP measurements is the difficulties in quantifying oxidation at low peptide signal intensities. This simple method greatly increases the sensitivity of FPOP structural comparisons, an important step in applying the technique to study subtle conformational changes and protein-ligand interactions.
Photoexcitation Dynamics on the Nanoscale

The chapter describes real-time ab initio studies of the ultrafast photoinduced dynamics observed in quantum dots, carbon nanotubes, and molecule-semiconductor interfaces. The theoretical modeling of these nanomaterials establishes the relaxation and charge transfer mechanisms and uncovers a number of unexpected features that explain the experimental observations. In particular, the ultrafast electron injection from alizarin into TiO 2 surface occurs via strong coupling to a few surface states rather than through the commonly assumed interaction with multiple TiO 2 bulk states. The injection does not require high densities of acceptor states and, therefore, can function close to the edge of the conduction band, avoiding energy losses and maximizing voltages attainable in Gratzel solar cells. The phonon-induced electron and hole relaxation in the PbSe quantum dots is symmetric and slow. As a result, the carrier multiplication that generates multiple electron-hole pairs and increases solar cell efficiency becomes possible. In contrast to quantum dots, the relaxation of charge carriers in carbon nanotubes is mediated by the high frequency phonons and is, therefore, fast. Substantial contribution of the low frequency breathing modes to the dynamics of holes, but not electrons rationalizes why holes decay slower and over multiple timescales, even though they have been expected to decay more rapidly due to their denser state manifold. The systems considered here are representative of a wide spectrum of problems and contribute to the general framework for control and utilization of the novel nanomaterials.
Angiogenesis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is cured with surgery in a minority of affected persons. Chemotherapy and radiation can palliate and extend survival of patients with disease not amenable to surgery. Consequently, new treatment options are urgently needed. In the era of molecularly targeted therapeutics, the recent direction in cancer research has been to identify and modulate specific events in tumorigenesis. Angiogenesis, or new vessel formation, is one such event elucidated to be fundamental to the development, growth, and metastasis of cancers and is one of the characteristics that differentiates tumor from host. Thus, targeting of tumor neovasculature continues to generate tremendous enthusiasm and effort in drug development. Extensive research into the role of angiogenesis in NSCLC has produced a host of novel targets; their potential inhibitors, now numbering over 40, are in various phases of clinical testing around the world. The current lead compounds include inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases, angiogenic growth factors and their receptor tyrosine kinases. Despite their impressive activity in animal models, definitive evidence of their antitumor activity in humans is yet to be established. We face several challenges as we look to advance the field of antiangiogenesis for the treatment of cancer, namely, the need for a better understanding of the optimal timing and dosing of antiangiogenic agents, the validation of imaging and quantification methods of tumor angiogenesis, and a new clinical trials design for a more expedient evaluation of novel cytostatic target modulators.
Forecasting Gas Usage for Big Buildings Using Generalized Additive Models and Deep Learning

Time series behavior of gas consumption is highly irregular, non-stationary, and volatile due to its dependency on the weather, users' habits and lifestyle. This complicates the modeling and forecasting of gas consumption with most of the existing time series modeling techniques, specifically when missing values and outliers are present. To demonstrate and overcome these problems, we investigate two approaches to model the gas consumption, namely Generalized Additive Models (GAM) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM). We perform our evaluations on two building datasets from two different continents. We present each selected feature's influence, the tuning parameters, and the characteristics of the gas consumption on their forecasting abilities. We compare the performances of GAM and LSTM with other state-of-the-art forecasting approaches. We show that LSTM outperforms GAM and other existing approaches, however, GAM provides better interpretable results for building management systems (BMS).
Prior Amiodarone Exposure Reduces Tacrolimus Dosing Requirements in Heart Transplant Recipients.

Introduction:Amiodarone use prior to heart transplant is independently associated with a higher rate of severe primary graft dysfunction and in-hospital mortality. Amiodarone may also alter the pha...
The Production and Delivery of Probiotics: A Review of a Practical Approach

To successfully deliver probiotic benefits to the consumer, several criteria must be met. Here, we discuss the often-forgotten challenges in manufacturing the strains and incorporating them in consumer products that provide the required dose at the end of shelf life. For manufacturing, an intricate production process is required that ensures both high yield and stability and must also be able to meet requirements such as the absence of specific allergens, which precludes some obvious culture media ingredients. Reproducibility is important to ensure constant high performance and quality. To ensure this, quality control throughout the whole production process, from raw materials to the final product, is essential, as is the documentation of this quality control. Consumer product formulation requires extensive skill and experience. Traditionally, probiotic lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria have been incorporated in fermented dairy products, with limited shelf life and refrigerated storage. Currently, probiotics may be incorporated in dietary supplements and other “dry” food matrices which are expected to have up to 24 months of stability at ambient temperature and humidity. With the right choice of production process, product formulation, and strains, high-quality probiotics can be successfully included in a wide variety of delivery formats to suit consumer requirements.
Postfreeze viability of erythrocytes from Dryophytes chrysoscelis.

Dryophytes chrysoscelis (formerly Hyla chrysoscelis, Cope's gray treefrog) is a freeze-tolerant anuran that accumulates glycerol and urea during cold acclimation and freezing. It is hypothesized that glycerol and urea function as cryoprotectants by minimizing osmotically induced cell damage during freezing and thawing, thereby improving the postfreeze viability of red blood cells (RBCs) when frozen in medium containing those solutes. To test this, erythrocytes were obtained from warm (22°C) and cold-acclimated (4°C) frogs and suspended in 280 mOsM phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). RBCs were frozen in 280 mOsM, isosmotic/isotonic, PBS, or in PBS made hyperosmotic by addition of 150 mM solutes. Postfreeze viability was determined with a hemolysis assay. Postfreeze viability of cells from warm-acclimated frogs improved from 18.9 ± 1.3% in PBS to 47.4 ± 5.2% in PBS with urea ( p 0.05) or with urea (71.9 ± 1.6%, p > 0.05). These data suggest that (a) cold acclimation induces cellular changes in RBCs that result in improved postfreeze viability, and (b) glycerol and urea are part of a complex cryoprotectant system in D. chrysoscelis.
Boko Haram: The History of an African Jihadist Movement

Alexander Thurston’s book on Boko Haram, Boko Haram: The History of an African Jihadist Movement, provides the most comprehensive account yet of one of the most important events in Boko Haram’s his...
Using Exploratory Bifactor Analysis to Understand the Latent Structure of Multidimensional Psychological Measures: An Example Featuring the WISC-V

Exploratory bifactor analysis (EBFA) represents a methodological advancement for implementing a bifactor model in exploratory factor analysis (EFA). However, little is known about how to properly e...
Reactive Processing in Extrusion-Based 3D Printing to Improve Isotropy and Mechanical Properties

Minimizing anisotropy in parts prepared by fused deposition modeling remains a key area of research in the development of robust and mechanically useful three-dimensional (3D) printed objects. Beca...
Noiseless Consensus based Economic Dispatch Algorithm in conjunction with STATCOM Controller for Reactive Power Compensation in Islanded Microgrids to enhance Voltage and Power Stability

Economic Dispatch aims to minimize the total cost of operation/generation of microgrids while meeting all the defined constraints. Since microgrids consist of distributed generators, it is imperative for these generators to communicate seamlessly with each other without any losses and to ensure secure operation of the microgrid. With the use of distributed generators, noise is inherent in the system. This paper focuses on including noises as a constraint in an islanded microgrid to find a better economic dispatch solution. It also introduces a STATCOM controller for reactive power management. The controller will help provide stability to the microgrid's voltage, output power and phase angle. This will enhance the microgrid's performance and make it a more resilient system.
Chlorophyll fluorescence responses to additions of Pinus rigida L. pollen in freshwater kettle ponds of Cape Cod National Seashore (Massachusetts, USA)

Abstract Terrestrial ecosystems contribute many different forms of organic matter to adjacent waterbodies. Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in this material can significantly influence the planktonic communities of these systems, especially where there is a large proportion of contributing area relative to waterbody size and where nutrients are generally in short supply. Plant pollen, which upon degradation releases nutrients into the water column, is one such source of allochthonous material. In Cape Cod (Massachusetts, USA), large amounts of pollen from dense pitch pine (Pinus rigida L.) forest are deposited in late spring into small, freshwater lakes scattered across the landscape. This study examines in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence responses of surface-water samples collected from three such lakes within Cape Cod National Seashore (Wellfleet and Truro) to additions of P. rigida pollen in a laboratory setting. The results indicate that where influxes are high enough, pollen can have a stimulatory effect on phytoplankton communities and is a short-term nutrient subsidy in these systems at a time of year (May-June) when warming temperatures and faster growth rates elevate the demand for nutrients.