cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
T-cell sensitization to autologous thyroid cells and normal non-specific suppressor T-cell function in Graves' disease

SUMMARY We have employed a syngeneic system utilizing thyroid cell monolayers initiated following thyroid surgery co-cultured with autologous T cells to demonstrate T cell autosensitization in patients with GRAVES' disease. Antigen-induced blasto-genesis was monitored using 24 h [3H]thymidine uptake. Control experiments with 5 d cultured normal human thyroid cells from tissue around benign adenomata showed no evidence of syngeneic T cell autosensitization. Human thyroid cells alone were unable to incorporate [3H]thymidine in the presence of bTSH. In three of four experiments with GRAVES' thyroid cells there was significant induction of autologous T cell blastogenesis with a mean stimulation index of 220%. In parallel experiments we explored the non-specific helper and suppressor T cell function of these and similar patients with GRAVES' disease. In normal controls (n= 6) increasing numbers of T cells added to a constant number of B cells (consisting of a T cell depleted peripheral mononuclear cell preparation) showed a marked helper effect measured as increasing IgG secretion. As the ratio of T:B cells increased above 4:1 there was a suppression of IgG secretion. One of two hyperthyroid GRAVES' patients was observed to have deficient T cell function as demonstrated by lack of IgG suppression. The remaining five patients (all but one of whom were euthyroid at the time of testing) had results similar to the controls indicating normal suppressor T cell function in this disease. Such data showed that patients with GRAVES' disease possessed circulating T cells which exhibited autosensitization to syngeneic thyroid cell surface antigens, a phenomenon not demonstrable in control individuals. Furthermore, this specific T cell autosensitization did not interfere with non-specific T cell function as judged by its influence on IgG secretion.
iCalm: Wearable Sensor and Network Architecture for Wirelessly Communicating and Logging Autonomic Activity

Widespread use of affective sensing in healthcare applications has been limited due to several practical factors, such as lack of comfortable wearable sensors, lack of wireless standards, and lack of low-power affordable hardware. In this paper, we present a new low-cost, low-power wireless sensor platform implemented using the IEEE 802.15.4 wireless standard, and describe the design of compact wearable sensors for long-term measurement of electrodermal activity, temperature, motor activity, and photoplethysmography. We also illustrate the use of this new technology for continuous long-term monitoring of autonomic nervous system and motion data from active infants, children, and adults. We describe several new applications enabled by this system, discuss two specific wearable designs for the wrist and foot, and present sample data.
Health Effects of Tremolite

Although tremolite asbestos has been well characterized since 1916, appreciation of its role in disease induction is relatively recent. It has always been understood that the morphology of tremolite is complex, and part of the slowness in recognizing it as a hazard has been definitional in nature. Reduced to simple terms the questions are, when is tremolite "asbestos-like," when is it an innocuous amorphous particle, do these forms occur together, with what confidence can they be separated for regulatory purposes, and what is the spectrum of disease potential for varying exposure? A brake on regulation is partially due to a convergence of opinion of unlikely and unintentional allies: industries producing tremolite-containing materials and some epidemiologists resisting attribution of risk to tremolite on the grounds that its known effects--pleural plaques, asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma--are principally due to chrysotile, which is often contaminated with fibrous tremolite. The latter group concentrate their skepticism on internal-dose biomarker studies associating lung tremolite content with mesothelioma (but not so clearly with lung cancer or asbestosis). They ignore the basic carcinogenic quality of fibrous tremolite, shown in both animal and epidemiological studies. Evidence from the Quebec chrysotile/tremolite mining districts suggests that very low concentrations of tremolite in ambient air can be translated into high concentrations in lung, even in those without occupational exposure. Disease incidence, especially for mesothelioma, seems also to be associated with tremolite air and lung content. The risk associated with tremolite has been demonstrated in Corsica, Cyprus, the United States, and Canada. Of particular importance is an apparent increase in the proportion of mesothelioma risk attributable to tremolite, since the fibers heretofore most responsible for that disease--commercial amphiboles--have been or are being severely regulated or completely eliminated in production and use. Further, amosite and crocidolite, while still a concern, form a small fraction of "asbestos-in-place": most of this material is chrysotile and we do not really know to what degree it is contaminated with tremolite. The available evidence suggests that bulk analysis or airborne fiber analysis will not answer this question, and perhaps only animal bioaccumulation assay is sufficient. Until we know more, it seems prudent for public health to avoid dispersing chrysotile/tremolite into the environment, and, where we can, to regulate all tremolite "fibers" conservatively.
Design of a low-latency asynchronous adder using speculative completion

A new general method for designing asynchronous datapath components, called speculative completion, is introduced. The method has many of the advantages of a bundled data approach, such as the use of single-rail synchronous datapaths, but it also allows early completion. As a case study, the method is applied to the high-performance parallel BLC adder design of Brent and Kung. Through careful gate-level analysis, performance improvements of up to 30% over a comparable synchronous implementation are expected.
Contingent Pay Systems and Job Performance Feedback

Two profile studies were conducted to examine the extent to which contingent pay systems influence the use of job performance information (feedback) provided by the task, supervisor, and changes in...
Light-Triggered Proton and Electron Transfer in Flavin Cofactors

The pH dependent behavior of two flavin cofactors, flavin-adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN), has been characterized using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy for the first time. The flavin excited state was characterized in three states of protonation (Fl - , Fl, and FlH + ). We found that Fl and Fl - exhibit the same excited state absorption but that the lifetime of Fl - is much shorter than that of Fl. The transient absorption spectrum of FlH + is significantly different from Fl and Fl - , suggesting that the electronic properties of the flavin chromophore become appreciably modified by protonation. We further studied the excited state protonation of the flavin and found that the protonation sites of the flavin in the ground and excited state are not equivalent. In the case of FAD, its excited state dynamics are controlled by the two conformations it adopts. At low and high pH, FAD adopts an “open” conformation and behaves the same as FMN. In a neutral pH range, FAD undergoes a fast excited state deactivation due to the “stacked” conformer. The transition from stacked to open conformer occurs at pH ∼ 3 (because of adenine protonation) and pH ∼ 10 (because of flavin deprotonation).
Interaction of rat liver ribosomal subunits with homologous Met-tRNAs.

Abstract Rat liver 40 S ribosomal subunits, in the presence of magnesium ions, bind homologous, resolved Met-tRNAs in the absence of added exogenous proteins. The interaction of the aminoacyl-tRNAs with the particle is dependent on the concentration of magnesium ions in the incubation. At various Mg 2+ concentrations examined, binding of the putative initiator Met-tRNA i to 40 S subunits is greater than that observed with Met-tRNA m . Also, binding of Met-tRNA i to 40 S subunits is greater than that obtained with 40 S plus 60 S particles. The initial rate of formation of the 40 S·Met-tRNA i complex is greater at 25 °C than at 37 or 4 °C; decay of the complex, which is observed after 15 min of incubation, is greater at 37 °C but it is slower if 60 S subunits are added after the complex has been formed. If 60 S subunits are added to the incubation with 40 S subunits at the start of the reaction, binding of Met-tRNA i is inhibited; inhibition is also obtained if elongation (binding) factor EF-1 or stripped tRNAs (particularly tRNA Met ) are present in the incubation mixture containing 40 S subunits. Acetyl-Met-tRNA i binds to 40 S·ApUpG complex to the same extent as unacetylated Met-tRNA i and, after addition of 60 S subunits, reacts extensively with puromycin; the addition of elongation (translocation) factor EF-2 and GTP do not affect the extent of the puromycin reaction, suggesting that the acMet-tRNA i is bound to a site on the 40 S subunits which becomes the P site on 80 S ribosomes.
Modeling plant ranges over 75 years of climate change in California, USA: temporal transferability and species traits

Species distribution model (SDM) projections under future climate scenarios are increasingly being used to inform resource management and conservation strategies. A critical assumption for projecting climate change responses is that SDMs are transferable through time, an assumption that is largely untested because investigators often lack temporally independent data for assessing transferability. Further, understanding how the ecology of species influences temporal transferability is critical yet almost wholly lacking. This raises two questions. (1) Are SDM projections transferable in time? (2) Does temporal transferability relate to species ecological traits? To address these questions we developed SDMs for 133 vascular plant species using data from the mountain ranges of California (USA) from two time periods: the 1930s and the present day. We forecast historical models over 75 years of measured climate change and assessed their projections against current distributions. Similarly, we hindcast contemporary models and compared their projections to historical data. We quantified transferability and related it to species ecological traits including physiognomy, endemism, dispersal capacity, fire adaptation, and commonness. We found that non-endemic species with greater dispersal capacity, intermediate levels of prevalence, and little fire adaptation had higher transferability than endemic species with limited dispersal capacity that rely on fire for reproduction. We demonstrate that variability in model performance was driven principally by differences among species as compared to model algorithms or time period of model calibration. Further, our results suggest that the traits correlated with prediction accuracy in a single time period may not be related to transferability between time periods. Our findings provide a priori guidance for the suitability of SDM as an approach for forecasting climate change responses for certain taxa.
Nuclear Markers Reveal Predominantly North to South Gene Flow in Ixodes scapularis, the Tick Vector of the Lyme Disease Spirochete

Ixodes scapularis, the tick vector of the Lyme disease spirochete, is distributed over most of the eastern United States, but >80% of all Lyme disease cases occur in the northeast. The role that genetic differences between northern and southern tick populations play in explaining this disparate distribution of Lyme disease cases is unclear. The present study was conducted with 1,155 SNP markers in eight nuclear genes; the 16S mitochondrial gene was examined for comparison with earlier studies. We examined 350 I. scapularis from 7 states covering a representative area of the species. A demographic analysis using Bayesian Extended Skyline Analysis suggested that I. scapularis populations in Mississippi and Georgia began expanding 500,000 years ago, those in Florida and North Carolina 200,000 years ago and those from Maryland and New Jersey only during the past 50,000 years with an accompanying bottleneck. Wisconsin populations only began expanding in the last 20,000 years. Analysis of current migration patterns suggests large amounts of gene flow in northern collections and equally high rates of gene flow among southern collections. In contrast there is restricted and unidirectional gene flow between northern and southern collections, mostly occurring from northern into southern populations. Northern populations are characterized by nymphs that quest above the leaf litter, are easy to collect by flagging, frequently feed on mammals such as rodents and shrews, commonly attach to people, and about 25% of which are infected with B. burgdorferi. If there is a genetic basis for these behaviors, then the patterns detected in this study are of concern because they suggest that northern I. scapularis populations with a greater ability to vector B. burgdorferi to humans are expanding south.
Methane production of raw and composted solid waste in simulated landfill cells

Methane contributes approximately 20% to the annual increase in global warming, and is explosive at concentrations of 5 to 15% in air. Landfills are the origin of approximately 15% of the total glo...
Creative lysins: Listeria and the engineering of antimicrobial enzymes

Cell wall lytic enzymes have been of increasing interest as antimicrobials for targeting Gram-positive spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, largely due to the development of strains resistant to antibiotics and bacteriophage therapy. Such lysins show considerable promise against Listeria monocytogenes, a primary concern in food-processing environments, but there is room for improvement via protein engineering. Advances in antilisterial applications could benefit from recent developments in lysin biotechnology that have largely targeted other organisms. Herein we present various considerations for the future development of lysins, including environmental factors, cell physiology concerns, and dynamics of protein architecture. Our goal is to review key developments in lysin biotechnology to provide a contextual framework for the current models of lysin-cell interactions and highlight key considerations for the characterization and design of novel lytic enzymes.
A Model Towards Using Evidence from Security Events for Network Attack Analysis

Constructing an efficient and accurate model from security events to determine an attack scenario for an enterprise network is challenging. In this paper, we discuss how to use the information obtained from security events to construct an attack scenario and build an evidence graph. To achieve the accuracy and completeness of the evidence graph, we use Prolog inductive and abductive reasoning to correlate evidence by reasoning the causality, and use an anti-forensics database and a corresponding attack graph to find the missing evidence.
Diversification and the Risk-Return Trade-off

The article presents information on a study which investigated the risk-return trade-off at the level of individual firms with both accounting and market-based measures of risk. The author describe...
Digestion of Chitin by Northern Bobwhites and American Robins

Northern Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) were acclimated to crickets, and food intake and excreta output measured. Their metabolizable energy coefficient (MEC' = 1 - energy excreted/energy ingested = 0.77) was significantly higher than that of American Robins (Turdus migratorius) that were unacclimated or fully acclimated to eating crickets. We measured apparent chitin digestibility (D chitin = 1 -chitin excreted/chitin ingested) in both species and tested the predictions that (1 ) D chitin would be higher in bobwhites than robins, and (2) D chitin would be higher in robins after acclimation. D chitin ranged from 0.07-0.14 with no significant difference between or within species, so both predictions were rejected. These apparent chitin digestibilities are low relative to values reported for seabirds that eat krill, and account for < 1% of the metabolizable energy in crickets.
Legal Briefs: Anemia From Rh Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn

A 3,480-g male infant was born at 36 weeks' gestation to a 32-year-old gravida 1 para 1 woman whose pregnancy was complicated by a group B Streptococcus –positive cervical culture result and hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) due to Rh incompatibility. The prior pregnancy resulted in an infant who was healthy but whose records were unavailable during litigation. On an early prenatal visit for the current pregnancy, the mother's antibody screen result was positive with a titer of 1:8, at which point the obstetrician gave her an injection of anti-Rh antibodies (Rho[D] immune globulin, sold under the brand name RhoGAM). The pregnancy was not monitored for HDFN; the antibody titers were not drawn again until the day of delivery. The plaintiff obstetrician was critical of the treating obstetrician for administering RhoGAM because the patient was already sensitized, for not following the antibody titers, and for not performing aggressive fetal surveillance required in an Rh sensitized pregnancy. He pointed out that the antibody titers of 1:32 or less require serial antibody titers every 2 to 4 weeks. When and if the titers become 64 or greater, then titers and serial amniocentesis become necessary. Because the mother experienced decreased fetal movement for 1 day, her obstetrician admitted her for an evaluation. The plaintiff experts pointed out that decreased fetal movement underscored the anemia, indicating the fetus' attempt to conserve energy. The biophysical profile was found to be 2/10, the only normal score being normal amniotic fluid volume. Of note was an increase in liver size and mild ascites on the fetal ultrasonogram. Pericardial and pleural effusions were not present. The plaintiff experts pointed out that abdominal fluid collections precede pleural and pericardial effusions in hydrops from HDFN. The antibody titer was 1:2,048. The plaintiff obstetrician pointed out that this …
Insulin increases NO-stimulated guanylate cyclase activity in cultured VSMC while raising redox potential.

Insulin acutely stimulates cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) production in primary confluent cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from canine femoral artery, but the mechanism is not kn...
Integrated Co-Production-the Development Direction of Coal Chemical Engineering

The integrated co-production system of coal conversion with coal gasification as the basically technology is considered to be a very complicated system engineering. The new system can realize the graded utilization of coal resource value by the optimum integration of several coal conversion technologies, so as to realize the maximization of value improvement, utilization efficiency and economic benefit during the utilization of coal resources. The system will also be friendly to the environmental protection during coal utilization. A specialized agency should be set up as early as possible to comprehensively plan, optimize the distribution of the resources such as manpower, technique and finance, activate the powerful research force in the whole country.
The effects of indoor and outdoor temperature on metabolic rate and adipose tissue – the Mississippi perspective on the obesity epidemic

Global warming, primarily caused by emissions of too much carbon dioxide, and climate change is a reality. This will lead to more extreme weather events with heatwaves and flooding. Some studies propose an association between thermal exposures and the prevalence of obesity with an increasing trend towards time spent in the thermal comfort zone. Longterm exposure to the thermal comfort zone can lead to a reduction of brown adipose tissue activity with an impact on energy expenditure and thermogenesis. Reduced seasonal cold exposure in combination with reduced diet-induced thermogenesis by a highly palatable high-fat and high-sugar diet and reduced physical activity contribute to the prevalence of obesity and the metabolic syndrome.
Liquid chromatographic determination of intermediates in D&C Yellow No. 7 and D&C Yellow no. 8

A sensitive, reproducible method that uses liquid chromatography in the reverse phase mode has been developed for the determination of phthalic acid, resorcinol, and 2-(2',4'-dihydroxybenzoyl)benzoic acid in D&C Yellow No. 7 and D&C Yellow No. 8. The method uses a 10 micron, C-8 column, a 1% acetic acid-methanol gradient, and UV absorption detection at 280 nm. Average recoveries of phthalic acid, resorcinol, and 2-(2',4'-dihydroxybenzoyl)benzoic acid were 100, 98, and 102%, respectively, from fluorescein standard (certifiable as D&C Yellow No. 7) spike with each compound at levels ranging from 0.13 to 1.3%.
The Conceptual Framework

Clear thinking which must precede good policy decisions requires the use of a precise language regarding the economic system in which we live. Thus, the foundation of any scientific study of real world phenomena (which is always vaguely expressed in the vernacular) involves a method of discovery via the use of an unambiguous set of classifications and definitions of the fundamental economic concepts. Often what appear to be disagreements among economists really involve semantic confusions resulting from opponents in the debate using the same words to convey different and often ambiguous meanings.2
The mTOR Pathway and Aging

The target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathway acts as a molecular switch to regulate cellular growth and proliferation in response to nutrients. This pathway is implicated in a number of pathological conditions, including cancer, metabolic disease, and cardiovascular disease, in addition to its role in the aging process in general. Inhibiting this integral pathway is one of the best-characterized methods to extend lifespan in model organisms. Here, we review what is currently known about the regulation of this pathway and the role of mTOR in aging and age-related disease progression. We also discuss potential therapies aimed at targeting this cellular regulator.
MIMO optimal control design: the interplay of the H2 and the l1 norms

In this paper we consider the problem of minimizing the 312 performance of the closed loop subject to a l1 constraint. The development is devoted to multiinput multi-output (MIMO) systems. It is shown that approximating solutions to the optimal within any a priori given tolerance can be obtained via a finite dimensional quadratic optimization problem whose dimension is known a priori. 1. Notation In this section we present the notation employed in this paper. 2(X) is the X transform of a right sided real sequence (possibly a matrix sequence) (e(k));P=,. 11,!2,1, are the well known banach spaces of sequences. X' is the dual space of the banach space X. denotes the value of the bounded linear functional e* at 2 E X.
Gas in the Left Atrium and Ventricle

A 60-year-old man with clinically significant coexisting cardiac conditions presented with chest pain. Shortly after his initial admission, he suddenly collapsed. Scans showed air in his left ventricle.
Elastic and mechanical softening in boron-doped diamond

Alternative approaches to evaluating the hardness and elastic properties of materials exhibiting physical properties comparable to pure diamond have recently become necessary. The classic linear relationship between shear modulus (G) and Vickers hardness (HV), along with more recent non-linear formulations based on Pugh’s modulus extending into the superhard region (HV > 40 GPa) have guided synthesis and identification of novel superabrasives. These schemes rely on accurately quantifying HV of diamond-like materials approaching or potentially exceeding the hardness of the diamond indenter, leading to debate about methodology and the very definition of hardness. Elasticity measurements on such materials are equally challenging. Here we used a high-precision, GHz-ultrasonic interferometer in conjunction with a newly developed optical contact micrometer and 3D optical microscopy of indentations to evaluate elasticity-hardness relations in the ultrahard range (HV > 80 GPa) by examining single-crystal boron-doped diamond (BDD) with boron contents ranging from 50–3000 ppm. We observe a drastic elastic-mechanical softening in highly doped BDD relative to the trends observed for superhard materials, providing insight into elasticity-hardness relations for ultrahard materials.
Health-damaging policing practices among persons who inject drugs in Mexico: Are deported migrants at greater risk?

Abstract Background Evidence-based public health and criminal justice policies aimed at addressing the structurally vulnerable population of persons who inject drugs (PWID) and who are involved in the immigrant enforcement and deportation system are lacking. Policing practices are critical structural determinants of HIV among PWID. PWID in Mexico who have been deported from the US are at elevated risk of HIV. Methods From 2011 to 2013, 733 PWID were recruited to complete structured questionnaires, including past 6-month experiences with police. Eligible PWID were 18 years or older, had injected in the past month, and resided in Tijuana, Mexico with no intentions of moving. To determine if deportation status was associated with experiences of arrests and problematic policing practices, we conducted separate multivariate logistic regression models for independent policing variables. Results In multivariate analyses, deportation status was independently associated with higher odds of being arrested (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 1.45; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.02–2.05), being asked for a bribe (AOR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.05–2.04), and being forced to leave a place of residence (AOR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.08–3.70) in the past 6 months. Conclusion Results highlight a previously poorly understood elements of the US-deportation experience: migrants' experiences with law enforcement post-deportation and the role of deportation policies and practices as structural drivers of public health risk in destination countries. We provide policy recommendations for Mexico and the US based on our findings, which have potential application in other countries seeking to improve enforcement and related policing practices from a public health perspective.
Mating and tetrad analysis in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Publisher Summary The ease of detecting mutations in haploid organisms is straightforward; any newly arising recessive mutation is apparent because there is no wild-type allele to mask the mutant phenotype. Thus, large-scale screens and/or selections can be performed for the isolation of mutations affecting the flagella of Chlamydomonas . Two different mating types exist in C. reinhardtii : mating type plus (mt + ) and mating type minus (mt - ). These mating types behave as alleles at a genetic locus on linkage group VI. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a haploid organism. Haploid organisms have several advantages over diploid organisms when dissecting a process by a mutational approach. Mating is initiated when the cells are starved for nutrients and specifically when they are starved for nitrogen. Recognition occurs between cells of opposite mating types at two levels. The initial recognition occurs by interactions between hydroxyprolinerich glycoproteins, agglutinins, in the membrane of the flagella of the two cell types. This process is known as tipping. It leads to an increase in the intracellular levels of cyclic AMP, which stimulates the formation of a fertilization tube on the surface of the mt + cell. Mutations that affect flagellar function, length, or number do not block the ability of C. reinhardtii strains to mate. Short flagella or paralyzed flagella may reduce the efficiency of mating, but do not block mating. Flagella are required for conventional mating procedures. Mutations that produce cells that lack flagella require additional steps to ensure mating. Because the first recognition events involve the tipping of flagella of the two mating types, this step must be bypassed. When meiosis is completed and the meiotic progeny have been collected, they can be analyzed as the progeny from individual meiotic events (a tetrad) or individually (random progeny). One advantage of tetrad analysis is the ability to map a gene with respect to its centromere as well as with respect to other genes.
Chemistry of Mn and Co Pincer Compounds

Abstract Since the publication of the first edition of this book on pincer chemistry in 2007, many reports have been made of PCP, PNP, and NNN ligands on first row metals. In this chapter, we look at examples of manganese and cobalt pincer complexes and the types of reaction for which they have found use. Four common classes of pincer ligand are found. Perhaps the simplest is the N(CH2CH2PR2)2 type ligand, where R is typically ipropyl or tbutyl. A well-established ligand is the PCP bis(phosphino)phenyl ligand R2PCH2C6H3CH2PR2, and is pyridine analog (PNP). Finally, extensive studies have appeared using the pyridinediimine (PDI) ligand, RN=2,6-(CH=NR)2NC5H3. Many of these ligands have been found to be active in “noninnocent” behavior, in that the ligand can change its donor properties (X vs L type ligand [ ]). These complexes serve as catalyst (precursors) for a variety of different addition and functionalization reactions. Below, the complexes and their reactivities are sorted on the basis of the type of reaction they exhibit.
Mortality, Incarceration, and African American Disenfranchisement in the Contemporary United States:

On account of poor living conditions, African Americans in the United States experience disproportionately high rates of mortality and incarceration compared with Whites. This has profoundly dimini...
Inside the College Writing Gap: Exploring the Mixed Messages of Remediation Support

This case study offers a qualitative perspective on a relationship between institutional structures and student outcomes. The data describe the conditions in 10 English remediation classrooms at one urban community college district. The study uses new literacies as a theoretical framework with which to understand how these conditions supported classroom-level teaching and learning. Findings suggest that classroom conditions undermined new literacies’ assumptions that college writing is a social practice. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for research to improve writing remediation policies.
Empirically Evaluating the Effectiveness of POMDP vs. MDP Towards the Pedagogical Strategies Induction

The effectiveness of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) often depends upon their pedagogical strategies, the policies used to decide what action to take next in the face of alternatives. We induce policies based on two general Reinforcement Learning (RL) frameworks: POMDP&. MDP, given the limited feature space. We conduct an empirical study where the RL-induced policies are compared against a random yet reasonable policy. Results show that when the contents are controlled to be equal, the MDP-based policy can improve students’ learning significantly more than the random baseline while the POMDP-based policy cannot outperform the later. The possible reason is that the features selected for the MDP framework may not be the optimal feature space for POMDP.
Anesthesia and Major Obstetric Hemorrhage

Obstetric hemorrhage is a major cause of maternal morbidity and accounts for the majority of maternal deaths worldwide. Maternal hemorrhage can occur antepartum or postpartum. The incidence of maternal hemorrhage has increased in the United States and other industrialized nations and has been attributed to the increased rates of uterine atony and the rising rates of cesarean sections. Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of intensive care unit (ICU) admission following delivery. Many of the maternal deaths due to hemorrhage have been determined to be preventable. Development of protocols and a team approach for early recognition, prevention of bleeding, preparation, and timely treatment of major obstetric hemorrhage are good strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality.
The Application of Condensation Nuclei Monitors to Clean Rooms

The instrument often used by aerosol researchers to detect 0.1-μm and smaller particles is the condensation nuclei monitor. The instrument will provide information about ultrafine particles in the clean room unobtainable by any other means. The principle of operation is to grow the particles by the condensation of water or alcohol onto a size that can be detected optically. The instrument was invented at the turn of the century by John Aitken.1 His instrument was an adiabatic expansion chamber followed by counting with a microscope after the droplets had settled onto a slide. In the last few years, automatic instruments have been commercially available. Since the condensation nuclei counter only detects the total number of particles, a particle size preseparator needs to be used with the instrument to obtain size distribution information. One type of preseparator is the "diffusion battery," and another is a differential mobility separator. The present application of the instrument is as a research tool to...
Sintering of Reaction Bonded Silicon Nitride

A process to produce sintered reaction bonded Si3N4. (SRBSN) articles has been developed. This process consists of the addition of an appropriate sintering aito reaction bonded Si3N4. followed by sintering between 1780 and 2000°C, using an over pressure of nitrogen. The principal advantage of this process is the low sintering shrinkages of 5 to 10%. The properties and microstructure of two SRBSN systems sintered with MgO and Y2O3 additives are described and were found to be comparable to corresponding hot pressed Si3N4 systems. Examples of applications of both systems are illustrated, demonstrating near net shape fabrication capability of the process.
Virtue and the Search for Intrinsic Goodness

In this chapter, I use the conclusions concerning the conceptual inextricability of deontic and aretaic concepts from Chap. 4 and other insights from dialectical theory in Chap. 3 and begin to apply these analyses to the concept of rationality I characterized and defined in Chap. 2. The goal of this process, to be attained in Chap. 6, is to demonstrate the existence of a linguistic-conceptual framework in the concept of rationality. By acknowledging and analyzing such a framework, I boldly argue, we can finally define “good.” This is, I claim, because goodness and value find their meaning only within what I call the Rational Framework. I begin in earnest to advance toward this goal in this chapter by taking up some epistemological challenges concerning value intrinsicality and by exploring some promising theoretical frameworks.
Older Adults' Attitudes towards Cognitive Testing: Moving towards Person-Centeredness

Background Research on person-centered cognitive testing is beginning to emerge. The current study is the first to focus on eliciting concrete preferences around the test experience. Methods Adults ≥50 years old completed the Attitudes Around Cognitive Testing (AACT) questionnaire on mturk.com. AACT elicits preferences for cognitive tests, the importance attributed to having choices, and willingness to engage in testing. Results Data are reported for 289 respondents. The proportion of participants expressing preferences varied by domain (modality [49.5%], location [47.2%], company [80.1%], result delivery [78.3-89.7%]). Importance ratings for all domains had a median of 4 and a range of 1-5 using a Likert scale of agreement. Most participants (85.5%) were willing to engage in testing. Conclusion Older adults have preferences for cognitive tests, especially with delivery of results.
Frequency of mazes in an experimental narrative task in monolingual English and Spanish-English bilingual children

Mazes such as self-corrections during speech production are observed in all speakers at varying rates. One hypothesis is that mazes result from the challenge of speech planning when speakers experi...
An application of routing location and allocation model for drinking water distribution

Due to severe droughts occurring in southwest China, this region is facing a perilous water crisis for a long time. To meet the daily drinking water demand, the government is sending water to these rural areas via trucks. This study addresses a type of vehicle routing problem motivated by a drinking water distribution application in Luxi County, China to help alleviate the drought in this region. We model this problem as a mixed-integer program where the objective involves the minimisation of a weighted function of efficiency and equity metrics. Due to the computational complexity of the integer programming model, two heuristic approaches are proposed to obtain more practical solutions. We further propose Benders' decomposition algorithm and perform computational analysis to compare the efficiency of mixed integer programming model, heuristic approaches and Benders' decomposition algorithm. Through computational analyses, we also explore how different objective metrics influence the distribution of drinking water.
The Dream of a Mycobacterium

How do mycobacteria divide? Cell division has been studied extensively in the model rod-shaped bacteria Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, but much less is understood about cell division in mycobacteria, a genus that includes the major human pathogens M. tuberculosis and M. leprae. In general, bacterial cell division requires the concerted effort of many proteins in both space and time to elongate the cell, replicate and segregate the chromosome, and construct and destruct the septum - processes which result in the creation of two new daughter cells. Here, we describe these distinct stages of cell division in B. subtilis and follow with the current knowledge in mycobacteria. As will become apparent, there are many differences between mycobacteria and B. subtilis in terms of both the broad outline of cell division and the molecular details. So, while the fundamental challenge of spatially and temporally organizing cell division is shared between these rod-shaped bacteria, they have solved these challenges in often vastly different ways.
Exploring correlations between anatomic characteristics of dialysis arteriovenous fistula stenosis and arteriovenous fistula blood flow rate (Qa)

Background:Radiologic justification for endovascular treatment of a dialysis arteriovenous fistula circuit stenosis is currently based on ⩾50% severity. However, the clinical significance of any gi...
Introduction: Critical Genocide Studies and the Need for Twenty-First-Century Decolonization Debates

In this particular chapter the author explains how critical genocide studies differ from traditional Holocaust analyses or orthodox social scientific studies of “modern” genocides. The author contends that twenty-first-century scholars and public care very deeply about apologies, expressions of regret, the repatriation of remains, and reparations for colonial wrongdoing, and that we need more nuanced “decolonizing” debates about these topics. This chapter also helps explain some of the reluctance of former colonial-settler states to revisit these postcolonial topics that oftentimes ask nation-states to “master” their fraught imperial or colonial pasts in the same way that Germany was once asked to “master” Nazi pasts. Portions of this chapter also defend the heuristic value of critical genealogical and critical genocide studies approaches to genocide disputation.
Update on triple‐negative breast cancer disparities for the United States: A population‐based study from the United States Cancer Statistics database, 2010 through 2014

BACKGROUND Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has been associated with a more aggressive histology, poorer prognosis, and nonresponsiveness to hormone therapy. It is imperative that cancer research identify factors that drive disparities and focus on prevention. METHODS Using the United States Cancer Statistics database, the authors examined differences between TNBCs compared with all other breast cancers with regard to age, race/ethnicity, and stage at diagnosis. RESULTS A total of 1,151,724 cases of breast cancer were identified from 2010 through 2014, with the triple-negative phenotype accounting for approximately 8.4% of all cases. In unadjusted analyses, non-Hispanic black women (odds ratio [OR], 2.27; 95% CI, 2.23-2.31) and Hispanic women (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.19-1.25) had higher odds of diagnosis when compared with non-Hispanic white women. Women aged <40 years had the highest odds of diagnosis compared with women aged 50 to 64 years (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.90-2.01). Diagnosis at American Joint Committee on Cancer stage III and beyond conferred higher odds of the diagnosis of TNBC (OR for stage III, 1.69 [95% CI, 1.68-1.72]; and OR for stage IV, 1.47 [95% CI, 1.43-1.51]). Results varied slightly in adjusted analyses. CONCLUSIONS The results of the current study demonstrated that there is a significant burden of disease in TNBC diagnosed among women of color, specifically non-Hispanic black women, and younger women. Additional studies are needed to determine drivers of disparities between race, age, and stage of disease at diagnosis.
Diagnosing current distributions in batteries with magnetic resonance imaging.

Abstract Batteries and their defects are notoriously difficult to analyze non-destructively, and consequently, many defects and failures remain little noticed and characterized until they cause grave damage. The measurement of the current density distributions inside a battery could reveal information about deviations from ideal cell behavior, and could thus provide early signs of deterioration or failures. Here, we describe methodology for fast nondestructive assessment and visualization of the effects of current distributions inside Li-ion pouch cells. The technique, based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), allows measuring magnetic field maps during charging/discharging. Marked changes in the distributions are observed as a function of the state of charge, and also upon sustaining damage. In particular, it is shown that nonlinearities and asymmetries of current distributions could be mapped at different charge states. Furthermore, hotspots of current flow are also shown to correlate with hotspots in charge storage. This technique could potentially be of great utility in diagnosing the health of cells and their behavior under different charging or environmental conditions.
The Case For (And Against) Surrogate Taxation

The 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act significantly revised long-standing rules regarding the tax treatment of many employer provided in-kind benefits. Instead of including the value of these benefits in the recipients’ taxable income, for the most part the new rules disallow employers a deduction for the cost of providing the affected benefits. This article argues that the two components of this legislative scheme – relying on cost of provision as the measure of taxable income and on imposing the nominal tax obligation on providers rather than recipients – are distinct policy decisions. It argues that the better approach would be to require employers to allocate their costs of providing benefits among recipients of those benefits.
Making Meaning out of MANOVA: The Need for Multivariate Post Hoc Testing in Gifted Education Research.

Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) is a statistical method used to examine group differences on multiple outcomes. This article reports results of a review of MANOVA in gifted education jou...
Encoding of 3D Head Orienting Movements in Primary Visual Cortex

Abstract Animals actively sample from the sensory world by generating complex patterns of movement that evolve in three dimensions. At least some of these movements have been shown to influence neural codes in sensory areas. For example, in primary visual cortex (V1), locomotion-related neural activity influences sensory gain, encodes running speed, and predicts the direction of visual flow. As most experiments exploring movement-related modulation of V1 have been performed in head-fixed animals, it remains unclear whether or how the naturalistic movements used to interact with sensory stimuli– like head orienting–influence visual processing. Here we show that 3D head orienting movements modulate V1 neuronal activity in a direction-specific manner that also depends on the presence or absence of light. We identify two largely independent populations of movement-direction-tuned neurons that support this modulation, one of which is direction-tuned in the dark and the other in the light. Finally, we demonstrate that V1 gains access to a motor efference copy related to orientation from secondary motor cortex, which has been shown to control head orienting movements. These results suggest a mechanism through which sensory signals generated by purposeful movement can be distinguished from those arising in the outside world, and reveal a pervasive role of 3D movement in shaping sensory cortical dynamics.
Optimization of immobilized Lactobacillus pentosus cell fermentation for lactic acid production

Parametric optimization is an effective way in fermentation process to improve product yield and productivity in order to save time, space and financial resources. In this study, Box–Behnken design was applied to optimize the conditions for lactic acid production by immobilized Lactobacillus pentosus ATCC 8041 cell fermentation. Two quadratic models and response surface methodology were performed to illustrate the effect of each parameters and their interactions on the lactic acid yield and glucose consumption rate in immobilized L. pentosus ATCC 8041 cell fermentation. The maximum lactic acid yield was obtained as 0.938 ± 0.003 g/g glucose with a productivity of 2.213 ± 0.008 g/(L × h) under the optimized conditions of 2.0 mm bead diameter, 5.60 pH, 115.3 g/L initial glucose concentration, and 398.2 mg biomass (CDW) in 100 mL hydrogel. The analysis of variance indicated that the quadratic model was significant and could be used to scale up the fermentation process.
Seasonal storage of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in two perennial forest herbaceous plants

Abstract Herbaceous perennials in a forest ecosystem play a role in seasonal nutrient cycling. Asarum canadense L. (wild ginger) and Hydrophyllum virginianum L. (Virginia waterleaf) are perennial herbaceous plants with different seasonal growth patterns native to mesic hardwood forests. Both flower early, but A. canadense leaves persist after flowering while H. virginianum senesces and produces a second flush of leaves by late summer. Our specific question of interest was whether there is a difference in nutrient storage in leaves and roots seasonally in these two species. We excavated plants in spring, summer, and fall to determine carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) concentration and content in above and below ground tissues, as well as C:N and N:P ratios. Our findings indicate complex patterns in the location of nutrients in A. canadense and H. virginianum across the growing season. Asarum canadense exhibits relatively consistent above ground growth, with seasonal nutrient accumulation focused below ground for C, N, and P. Patterns are more varied in H. virginianum as a result of the second flush of leaves, notably, the C:N ratio of H. virginianum decreases across the growing season while the N:P ratio increases, but to different degrees in above/below ground tissues. We suggest these patterns are linked to changing photosynthetic capacity across the seasons and a prioritization of vegetative growth over reproductive investment.