cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determining Candidate Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Acquired Laryngotracheal Stenosis.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Despite wide adoption of strategies to prevent injury from prolonged intubation and tracheotomy, acquired laryngotracheal stenosis (ALTS) has not disappeared. ALTS' persistence may be due to patient factors that confer unique susceptibility for some. We sought to identify genetic markers in genes associated with wound healing that could be associated with ALTS. STUDY DESIGN Case-control study. METHODS One hundred thirty-eight patients were recruited, 53 patients with ALTS and 85 control patients who underwent intubation or tracheotomy without evidence of ALTS. The patients' DNA was isolated from whole blood. Custom primers were designed, and the TaqMan assay employing allele-specific polymerase chain reaction was used to interrogate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs1799750, rs522616, rs2276109, rs2569190, rs1800469, and rs1024611 of candidate wound healing genes MMP1, MMP3, MMP12, CD14, TGFβ1, and MCP1, respectively. A logistic regression model was used to examine the association of candidate gene polymorphisms with the presence or absence of ALTS. RESULTS All 138 patients were successfully genotyped. No significant association was found between candidate SNPs and development of ALTS in the overall group. However, subgroup analysis within each ethnicity identified SNPs that are associated with ALTS depending upon the ethnic background. CONCLUSIONS Patient factors such as variations in wound healing due to functional SNPs may shed light on the development of ALTS. There may be a difference in susceptibility to developing ALTS in different ethnic backgrounds. These preliminary findings need to be corroborated in larger population studies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3b. Laryngoscope, 128:E111-E116, 2018.
Breastfeeding Promotion in WIC and HIV Infection

Abstract The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) WIC Program has vigorously promoted breastfeeding as the optimal method of feeding infants. Each year WIC State and local agencies spend nearly $50 million for breastfeeding promotion, support, and management which has resulted in increased breastfeeding rates among enrolled women. With the increased prevalence of HIV infection in women and the concern that HIV can be transmitted through breast milk, USDA asked the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to assist in expanding and clarifying federal breastfeeding promotion policy. DHHS contracted with an expert on breastfeeding to examine and report on the overall medical contraindications as well as the benefits of breastfeeding. This report was extensively peer reviewed. In order to finalize the federal WIC policy, USDA also: consulted with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DHHS; examined the policy statements of medical and health organizations; and considered comments from staff at State WIC Programs. The resultant federal policy encourages State WIC Programs to work with their respective State health departments, who have jurisdiction over HIV prevention and control activities, to develop policy and protocols for their State Programs that consider the findings of the breastfeeding benefits and contraindications report, in addition to existing State health policy. The federal policy further recommends that WIC managers and staff: advise pregnant women to know their HIV status; refer women for HIV testing and counseling; and inform women not to breastfeed if they are HIV positive.
HER2-driven Breast Tumorigenesis Relies upon Interactions of the Estrogen Receptor with Coactivator MED1

Studies of the estrogen receptor (ER) coactivator protein MED1 have revealed its specific roles in pubertal mammary gland development and potential contributions to breast tumorigenesis, based on co-amplification of MED1 and HER2 in certain breast cancers. In this study, we generated a mouse model of mammary tumorigenesis harboring the MMTV-HER2 oncogene and mutation of MED1 to evaluate its role in HER2-driven tumorigenesis. MED1 mutation in its ER-interacting LxxLL motifs was sufficient to delay tumor onset and impair tumor growth, metastasis and cancer stem-like cell formation in this model. Mechanistic investigations revealed that MED1 acted directly to regulate ER signaling through the downstream IGF-1 pathway but not the AREG pathway. Our findings show that MED1 is critical for HER2-driven breast tumorigenesis, suggesting its candidacy as a disease-selective therapeutic target.
The Rape Joke as Ur-Joke

ABSTRACTIn this paper I argue that the rape joke is the joke par excellence. The ur-joke. Jokes speak the truth like dreams and symptoms and errors. The rape joke does not simply speak a truth—the truth about rape, or rapists—its truth is oddly the truth of joking itself and the tragicomedic vicissitudes of human sexuality. This is one way to understand the importance of Vanessa Place’s work and its ethical stakes.
Investigation of the push–pull effects on β-functionalized zinc porphyrin coordinated to C60 donor–acceptor conjugates

Two novel β-functionalized push–pull zinc porphyrins with amine or phenyl push-groups and cyclic imide or carboxylic esters pull-groups have been newly synthesized for light energy harvesting applications. The ethynylphenyl spacers extended the conjugation of the porphyrin π-systems, as reflected by their red-shifted absorbance and fluorescence spectra. Computational studies performed at the B3LYP/6-31G* level indicated no steric hindrance between the porphyrin π-system and the substituents. The calculated HOMO and LUMO orbitals displayed significant delocalization in 1, where the electron density in the HOMO was localized over the push groups, whereas the LUMO was extended over the porphyrin π- and pull-groups. On the other hand, 2 did not display significant orbital segregation, which is attributed to its weaker push–pull character. Electrochemical studies revealed smaller HOMO–LUMO gaps for the push–pull zinc porphyrins. As a consequence of the push–pull effects, reduction in fluorescence intensity and...
Probing the entropy hypothesis in highly concentrated alloys

Abstract High Entropy Alloys (HEAs) designate a class of multicomponent metallic alloys in nearly equiatomic compositions. According to the constituting postulate, a larger number of constituents in a solid solution increases its configurational entropy, which has a maximal value when constituents exist in equiatomic concentrations and this is sufficient to overcome enthalpic contributions between the alloy components which would otherwise favor compound formation or phase separation. This entropy effect would, thus, stabilize disordered, crystallographically simple, solid solutions. Since then, numerous HEA candidate systems have been experimentally studied. It is unclear, however, if, and to which extent, the configurational entropy can be accessed by the system in the way it is suggested. The present work deals with this question using theoretical/computational methods. First, a series of model Body Centered Cubic (BCC) systems involving strong symmetric interactions between unlike atom pairs (referred to as “equinteracting” systems), containing up to five components, is investigated using the Cluster Variation Method in the irregular tetrahedron approximation. The symmetry of interactions, though artificial, allows for the straightforward presentation of phase diagram sections even for quaternary and quinary systems. Next, a “real” HEA candidate system, VNbTaMoW, which presents the BCC structure, is investigated by ab initio calculations, allowing to extend the conclusions to a realistic case with asymmetric interactions. The results show that configurational entropy has a small, even marginal, effect on phase transitions and the competition between conflicting interactions in the solid solution (i.e. frustration) seems to be the relevant factor behind the observed stabilization in the disordered states in HEA systems.
Productive Reasoning and the Structure of Scientific Research

It has been a common and influential view of scientific research that it has two aspects: (1) thinking up hypotheses and theories (context of discovery) and (2) evaluating them (context of justification). The first is held to be a psychological process, not amenable to logical analysis, and not within the province of philosophical study. Only the second is held to admit of logical or rational reconstruction. On the strength of these doctrines, philosophers in the mainstream have confined their attention to the logical reconstruction of the results of science, ignoring their generation.
Environmental Effects of Fusion Power Plants. Part II: Tritium Effluents

Tritium releases from fusion reactors were estimated for normal (nonaccident) operating conditions. The STARFIRE reactor design was used as a reference case, but the effects of alternate design choices and conditions were also addressed. Potential environmental losses were examined for each of the major tritium handling systems. Estimates of --20 Ci/day were made for the 1000-MW (electric) reactor, with approximately equal portions coming from the gas handling systems (plasma, vacuum, and fuel systems) and from the coolant system.
Clinical outcomes and hospital readmission rates in mechanical vs bioprosthetic mitral valves

Objective Recent national trends have demonstrated increased use of bioprosthetic mitral valves. The primary objective of this study was to compare clinical outcomes as well as readmission rates for mechanical vs bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement (mMVR vs bMVR). Methods All patients undergoing MVR from 2011-2017 were included in a single center data set that was obtained retrospectively from a prospectively maintained cardiac surgical database. Results The total MVR patient cohort consisted of 828 patients, including bMVR (n = 522) and mMVR (n = 306). There was no significant difference in the operative (30-day) mortality between bMVR and mMVR (8.6% vs 6.5%; P = .31). The unadjusted estimated 1-year mortality was significantly higher for the bMVR group (19.8% vs 13.7%, P = .04) and this trend continued for the estimated 5-year mortality (35.1% vs 18.7%; P = .001). Valve prosthesis choice (bMVR vs mMVR) did not have a risk-adjusted impact on operative mortality at 30 days (P = .58); however 1-year (P = .05) and 5-year (P = .05) mortality remained significantly higher for the bMVR group. Propensity matching revealed a higher mortality rate on follow-up in the bMVR (26.7% vs 18.2%, P = .03) but no difference at 30 days or 1 year. There was no difference in hospital readmissions over 5 years CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical prostheses may confer a survival benefit in patients undergoing MVR. With emphasis on patient education and anticoagulation compliance, mMVR remains an efficacious option.
Plant water uptake along a diversity gradient provides evidence for complementarity in hydrological niches

Biodiversity enhances a variety of ecosystem processes, and yet the underlying mechanisms through which these relationships occur remain a critical knowledge gap. Here, we used the natural abundance of stable isotopes to measure depth of water uptake in five common grassland species (Asclepias tuberosa, Lespedeza capitata, Liatris aspera, Schizachyrium scoparium and Sorghastrum nutans) growing across an experimental grassland diversity gradient. Using this approach, we addressed the following questions: 1) does the depth‐specific provenance of water uptake differ among species and/or do interspecific differences in water source manifest with increasing community diversity? 2) Does the isotopic niche space occupied by plants change with increasing diversity? 3) Is plasticity in water uptake depth across a diversity gradient associated with functional plant responses? We found that the depth of soil water used by plants was inherently different among species when grown in monocultures. All species used less shallow soil water and more intermediate‐depth soil water in mixed assemblages than in monocultures, resulting in similar interspecific differences in water source across the diversity gradient. However, plasticity in the locations of water used were positively associated with increases in plant growth in higher diversity treatments. These results indicate that plasticity in water‐use may contribute to positive biodiversity–productivity relationships commonly observed in temperate grasslands.
A Systematic Review and Guide to Mechanical Testing for Articular Cartilage Tissue Engineering

Articular cartilage is integral to the mechanical function of many joints in the body. When injured, cartilage lacks the capacity to self-heal, and thus, therapies and replacements have been develo...
Objective monitoring of mosquito bednet usage and the ethical challenge of privacy revelations about study bystanders: Ethical analysis.

Clinical trials and public health surveillance of bednet use for malaria prevention involve the ongoing collection of sensitive data from private settings. This article discusses risks to bystander...
Prediction of Li-Ion Battery State of Charge Using Multilayer Perceptron and Long Short-Term Memory Models

Lithium-ion batteries are used in different applications such as electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage. These applications rely greatly on the accurate measurement and prediction of state of charge (SOC) to ascertain the battery's available capacity. Although multiple methods exist in the literature to predict SOC and other battery parameters, they have low accuracy, make offline predictions, and do not consider enough battery parameters. The battery's nonlinear characteristics and time-variance have direct impacts on the applications connected to it, which make the prediction a complex but more necessary problem to solve. This paper bridges the gap by comparing the performance of two widely used data-driven learning models: long short-term memory (LSTM) and a multilayer perceptron (MLP), for predicting SOC using predictors such as cell current, cell voltage, elapsed time, and cell temperature. The models are run using mean squared error as the loss function, and different loss function optimizers. The models are also applied to datasets from different charging/discharging rates to demonstrate their efficacy. A recommendation is finally made on the model for SOC prediction subject to specific conditions considered in the paper, and the groups of optimizers that work better to minimize the loss function.
Iterative correction of RF envelope distortion with GRATER‐measured waveforms

Purpose To develop and evaluate a method for RF envelope correction without extra hardware or synchronization. Methods Transmitted RF waveforms are measured through a simple pulse sequence called the gradient reversal approach to evaluate RF (GRATER). The measured RF waveforms are used to compute predistorted RF waveforms. This process is repeated until a stopping criterion is met, for example, based on pulse performance or a maximum number of iterations. Excitation profiles and simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) image quality are compared before and after RF predistortion. Results The proposed method improved the accuracy of multiband RF pulses, reducing normalized root mean squared error (NRMSE) by >12-fold, and reducing spurious side-lobe excitation by >6-fold. The reduction in unwanted side-lobe signal is demonstrated using SMS bSSFP imaging at 3T in phantoms and in the heart. Conclusion Iterative GRATER-based predistortion is a practical, hardware-free way to boost performance of short duration, low flip angle RF pulses, such as those used in SMS bSSFP imaging. Because of its efficiency, this technique could be included as part of an initial scan setup or for use with subsequent scans.
Trunk-Pelvis motions and spinal loads during upslope and downslope walking among persons with transfemoral amputation.

Abstract Larger trunk and pelvic motions in persons with (vs. without) lower limb amputation during activities of daily living (ADLs) adversely affect the mechanical demands on the lower back. Building on evidence that such altered motions result in larger spinal loads during level-ground walking, here we characterize trunk-pelvic motions, trunk muscle forces, and resultant spinal loads among sixteen males with unilateral, transfemoral amputation (TFA) walking at a self-selected speed both up (“upslope”; 1.06 ± 0.14 m/s) and down (“downslope”; 0.98 ± 0.20 m/s) a 10-degree ramp. Tri-planar trunk and pelvic motions were obtained (and ranges-of-motion [ROM] computed) as inputs for a non-linear finite element model of the spine to estimate global and local muscle (i.e., trunk movers and stabilizers, respectively) forces, and resultant spinal loads. Sagittal- (p = 0.001), frontal- (p = 0.004), and transverse-plane (p
Comparison of GPM DPR and Airborne Radar Observations in OLYMPEX

Previous work has shown that the relatively large resolution volume of spaceborne precipitation radars can affect precipitation measurements in several ways. During the Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX), Ku- and Ka-band airborne radar measurements of precipitation were obtained during two Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) overpasses, one case over land and one case over ocean. The authors compare the GPM-measured radar quantities with the same quantities inferred from the higher spatial resolution airborne radar data. Differences include smaller maximum reflectivity and path attenuation and more significant surface clutter in mountainous areas for GPM.
Climatic effects and total factor productivity: econometric evidence for Wisconsin dairy farms

This study exploits temporal and cross-sectional variation in weather and long-run climate trends to investigate their effects on farm-level productivity. Using panel data for a sample of Wisconsin dairy producers, three stochastic production frontier models are estimated and a random parameters approach is chosen as the most desirable, which accounts for stochastic observed and unobserved environmental factors. The estimated coefficients are used to decompose a multiplicative total factor productivity index that accounts for different sources of productivity growth. Annual productivity growth is estimated at 2.16 per cent, driven primarily by technical progress (1.91 per cent per annum). The average per year contribution of the other productivity components is: climate adaptation efforts -0.31 per cent; scale-mix efficiency change +0.13 per cent and technical efficiency +0.05 per cent.
Chapter 3 – Analgesics

Pain is a symptom of many human diseases and different analgesics are routinely used to relieve the pain. Traditional pain therapies rely on drugs long-known to have analgesic properties such as nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, opioid analgesics, and analgesic adjuvants, which include several classes of compounds and which have been introduced to pain therapy from the arsenal of drugs used for treatment of other medical conditions, but which have been found, in some instances, in the clinical setting, to be effective in pain control. This chapter describes the syntheses of analgesics that are included on the list of Top 200 Drugs by sales for the 2010s.
Teaching World and Word Knowledge to Access Content-Area Texts in Co-Taught Classrooms:

In co-taught classes, general education and special education teachers can improve the content-area learning and literacy skills of students with learning disabilities by helping them read texts ef...
Adjunctive cenobamate for the treatment of focal onset seizures in adults with epilepsy: a critical review.

Uncontrolled epilepsy has persisted despite development of numerous antiseizure medications (ASMs) over the past 25 years, and more effective treatments are needed. Cenobamate is a new ASM approved...
100th Anniversary of Macromolecular Science Viewpoint: Redefining Sustainable Polymers

Although Staudinger realized makromolekules had enormous potential, he likely did not anticipate the consequences of their universal adoption. With 6.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste now cont...
The Resistive Barrier Discharge: A Brief Review of the Device and Its Biomedical Applications

This paper reviews the principles behind the design and operation of the resistive barrier discharge, a low temperature plasma source that operates at atmospheric pressure. One of the advantages of this plasma source is that it can be operated using either DC or AC high voltages. Plasma generated by the resistive barrier discharge has been used to efficiently inactivate pathogenic microorganisms and to destroy cancer cells. These biomedical applications of low temperature plasma are of great interest because in recent times bacteria developed increased resistance to antibiotics and because present cancer therapies often are accompanied by serious side effects. Low temperature plasma, such the one generated by the resistive barrier discharge, is a technology that can help overcome these healthcare challenges.
EFFECT OF METHYLDOPA ON THE METABOLISM OF CATECHOLAMINES AND TRYPTOPHAN IN METASTATIC PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA; REPORT OF TWO CASES.

Abstract The oral administration of methyldopa produced a transient reduction in excretion of vanilmandelic acid (VMA) and of metanephrine (MN) and normetanephrine (NMN) in a patient with metastatic pheochromocytoma. In another, similar patient, the amount of VMA excreted after an injection of histamine was markedly reduced by methyldopa therapy. The blood pressure was decreased in both, and this reduction persisted, unrelated to the alterations in urinary concentrations of VMA or of MN and NMN. Methyldopa did not prevent the spontaneous paroxysms apparently due to release of catecholamines in the patient in whom these were an almost daily occurrence but did interfere with the pressor response to histamine. The decarboxylation of tryptophan was not inhibited in either patient. It was concluded that methyldopa transiently inhibited decarboxylation of aromatic amino acids, but that the hypotensive properties more probably were related to interference in the storage or release of catecholamines. Methyldopa holds some promise as an effective agent for reducing blood pressure in patients with continuously secreting pheochromocytoma and by so doing, preventing the complications due to persistent hypertension. Methyldopa interferes with the determination of catecholamines in blood and urine by fluorometry. It persists in the urine for about four days after administration is discontinued. It also interferes with the performance of a histamine test. This interference should be considered when pharmacologic studies and determinations of plasma and urinary catecholamine content are used in the investigation of patients for pheochromocytoma. In patients with pheochromocytoma, the excretion of catecholamines, VMA, and MN and NMN varies considerably from day to day and from patient to patient. No single test can be relied on to exclude this tumor, but the results of all tests must be considered along with those of pharmacologic studies.
Emergency! Saramago on Blindness and Seeing

In recent years, political theorists have devoted much attention to the debasement of humans and political life that occurs when governments declare “states of emergency.” (Feldman 2008; Scheuerman 2006) Perhaps it is surprising, then, that no one has looked closely at Jose Saramago’s novels Blindness and Seeing as a source of wisdom about the conditions of emergency. In both novels, states of emergency (in Seeing, indeed, a still more extreme “state of siege”) are declared. Political theorists have used the discussion about emergency powers, understandably, to focus first and foremost upon the nature of the rule of law and the relationship of exceptionalism and sovereignty, in conversation with Agamben and Schmitt. Saramago provides a different kind of lesson about emergencies, one that is ultimately deeply political, but on a different level. Saramago understands the complexities of human lives, motivations, and actions. Saramago also understands that the life circumstances shape which of those motivations, actions, ways of live, etc., will be more prominent, and which less prominent, in how humans act in any given setting. Rather than focusing our attention on the nature of the state (though this is a more obvious way to reading Seeing than Blindness), Saramago invites us to view “emergency” as a way to explore more fundamental truths about human nature. In this essay, I shall try to face what Saramago seems to tell us about humans and about politics in these two novels in which the “impossible premise” tests our most basic assumptions about being human, about being the “political animal.”
A study of trypsin inhibitors

The optical rotatory properties, amino acid composition, chromatographic fractionation, and enzymic inhibition activity of several trypsin inhibitors were investigated. The homogeneity of these proteins was tested by free boundary electrophoresis and sedimentation in the ultracentrifuge. A crude fraction of lima bean trypsin inhibitor was fractionated by diethylaminoethyl cellulose ion exchange chromatography into several subfractions. It was attempted to correlate the inhibiting capacity of the proteins with their chemical composition and gross configuration (conformation) of the macromolecules. On the basis of the optical rotatory dispersion results, it was concluded that the polypeptide chain conformation of the soybean trypsin inhibitor differs considerably from that of the two major inhibiting components found in the lima beans. Also it was found that ovomucoid exhibits an unusual decrease in levorotation upon denaturation in alkali, and that its dispersion constant differs strongly from the respective constants of the bean proteins. It was concluded that the inhibiting power is due neither to a specific gross configuration nor unique amino acid composition of the inhibitors, but that only short segments of the chains of both the trypsin and inhibitor are essential for the interaction that leads to inactivation of the enzyme. Das optische Drehungsvermogen, der Gehalt an Aminosauren, die chromatographische Fraktionierung, und das enzymatische Inhibitionsvermogen von einigen Trypsin-Inhibitoren wurde untersucht. Die Einheitlichkeit der Proteine wurde durch Elektrophorese und Sedimentation in der analytischen Ultrazentrifuge bestimmt. Eine Proteinfraktion von Lima-Bohnen, die die Trypsin-Hydrolyse hemmte, wurde mit Hilfe der Chromatographie auf Diathylaminoathyl-Cellulose fraktioniert, und die Eigenschaften der Fraktionen wurden untersucht. Es wurde versucht, die Hemmungskapazitat der Proteine mit der chemischen Zusammensetzung und Konfiguration (Konformation) der Makromolekule in Zusammenhang zu bringen. Auf Grund der Resultate der Rotationsdispersion wurde die Schlusfolgerung gezogen, das die Konformation der Polypeptidketten (Konfiguration der Makromolekule) in den verschiedenen Inhibitoren sehr verschieden ist. Der Soja-Bohnen-Trypsin-Inhibitor hat eine ungewohnlich niedrige Dispersionskonstante, und die Losungen sind stark linksdrehend. Die Lima-Bohnen-Inhibitoren haben hohere Werte fur die Dispersionskonstanten, und die Losungen sind schwach linksdrehend. Der Inhibitor von Huhnereiweis (Ovomucoid) gibt stark linksdrehende Losungen, die Linksdrehung vermindert sich in einer abnormalen Weise bei der Denaturierung. Die Aminosaurezusammensetzung der verschiedenen Inhibitoren ist auch sehr verschieden. Diese Befunde zeigen, das die Hemmung des Trypsins durch die verschiedenen Inhibitoren unabhangig von der Zusammensetzung sowie der Konformation der Polypeptidketten des ganzen Makromolekuls ist. Es kann angenommen werden, das nur einige kurze Kettensegmente, die eine spezifische Zusammensetzung und Konfiguration haben mussen, fur die Hemmung notwendig sind.
The Economic Organization of Refuse Collection

Under the influence of two important developments–major deterioration of public refuse collection in some large cities and growth of a vigorous private solid waste management sector–important changes in the organization of urban refuse collection appear imminent. Since refuse collection has some economic characteristics of public utilities, and because it is a service bearing importantly on public health and safety, a regulated monopoly structure has been advocated for providing this service under private management. This paper analyzes several different modes of organizing refuse collection and concludes that a competitive economic framework is both feasible and desirable. The suggested competitive arrangement, involving direct competition for accounts in high-density areas and competition for contracts in low-density areas, provides for both private profit-making and public nonprofit participation.
The Role of School‐Related Peers and Social Networks in Human Development

This essay describes the foundational research on peers within schools, the recent advances in the field, and new challenges and opportunities for future research. Schools bring together children and youths for many hours of the day over many years. The intensity of interaction and judgment within of peers within the school setting heightens the potential impact on human development during the crucial adolescent years. Extant research on the effects of peers in school cuts across disciplinary lines and is of interest to developmental psychologists, economists, sociologists, and anthropologists, who observe the potential for peers to structure and reinforce status hierarchies and opportunities to learn, contribute to the development of personality, identity, interests, and motivation, and shape the cultures that emerge in schools, all of which may impact students' learning, educational attainment, and adult earnings. Social network methods combined with more readily available data on students' course taking in schools provides rich and promising new opportunities for future research. Keywords: social networks; peers; human development; school; children; youth; status hierarchies
Some THMC Controls on the Evolution of Fracture Permeability

Abstract The significant controls exerted on the evolution of fracture permeability by ambient conditions of stress, temperature, and chemical potential are illustrated for contrasting rock types. Natural and artificial fractures in Berea Sandstone, Arkansas Novaculite, and Bellefonte Limestone are confined within an x-ray transparent pressure cell and water flow-through tests conducted. The samples are monitored for change in permeability that evolves concurrently with the circulation of the water, and for net mineral efflux that accompanies this circulation. Periodic imaging by x-ray CT is used to define source areas of mineral efflux and its redistribution, and to provide constraint to phenomenological models that describe the observed behaviour. Vastly different behaviours are observed between the fractures present within the varied host materials – some gape with net mineral efflux, and some seal. These responses are viewed within the framework of the competition between mass mobilized by pressure solution, and net free-face dissolution or precipitation on the fracture walls, and in the matrix. Viewed in this context, the surprising range of behaviours, observed under similar THMC conditions in these three contrasting material types, may be unravelled.
SPECIAL SECTION: The Most Critical Unresolved Issues Associated with Transdisciplinary Substance Use Prevention Research: Programs, Models, Paradigms, Concepts, and Processes

The profound difficulties that we have encountered in conducting transdisciplinary (TD) substance use-prevention research are very similar to the difficulties we have experienced when learning to function in a foreign culture. Trying to function outside of our own disciplines is like being away from your routine way of thinking about things. On the one hand, the experience is refreshing because it gives you an opportunity to think outside the box and gain new perspectives. On the other hand, being immersed in an unfamiliar culture (or discipline) where you can’t communicate on your customary intellectual level because you don’t speak the language (or terminology) and/or lack some of the most basic knowledge can be incredibly frustrating. One of the major challenges to TD study today is to find collaborative forms that respect the integrity of disparate knowledge systems at the same time that they facilitate user-friendly understanding. An expert in one statistical technique, say the structural equation model
Acclimation response of spring wheat in a free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) atmosphere with variable soil nitrogen regimes. 3. Canopy architecture and gas exchange

The response of whole-canopy net CO2 exchange rate (CER) and canopy architecture to CO2 enrichment and N stress during 1996 and 1997 for open-field-grown wheat ecosystem (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Yecora Rojo) are described. Every Control (C) and FACE (F) CO2 treatment (defined as ambient and ambient +200 μmol mol−1, respectively) contained a Low- and High-N treatment. Low-N treatments constituted initial soil content amended with supplemental nitrogen applied at a rate of 70 kg N ha−1 (1996) and 15 kg N ha−1 (1997), whereas High-N treatments were supplemented with 350 kg N ha−1 (1996 and 1997). Elevated CO2 enhanced season-long carbon accumulation by 8% and 16% under Low-N and High-N, respectively. N-stress reduced season-long carbon accumulation 14% under ambient CO2, but by as much as 22% under CO2 enrichment. Averaging both years, green plant area index (GPAI) peaked approximately 76 days after planting at 7.13 for FH, 6.00 for CH, 3.89 for FL, and 3.89 for CL treatments. Leaf tip angle distribution (LTA) indicated that Low-N canopies were more erectophile than those of High-N canopies: 48° for FH, 52° for CH, and 58° for both FL and CL treatments. Temporal trends in canopy greenness indicated a decrease in leaf chlorophyll content from the flag to flag-2 leaves of 25% for FH, 28% for CH, 17% for CL, and 33% for FL during 1997. These results indicate that significant modifications of canopy architecture occurs in response to both CO2 and N-stress. Optimization of canopy architecture may serve as a mechanism to diminish CO2 and N-stress effects on CER.
Seven Life Lessons From Humanistic Behaviorism: How to Bring the Best Out of Yourself and Others

"This article was adapted from the author's keynote presentation at the Association for Behavior Analysis International Seminar on Leadership and Cultural Change, May 25th, 2014."
Residual generation and statistical pattern recognition for engine misfire diagnostics

Methods for diagnosing misfire in internal combustion engines are presented in this paper. Crank-angle domain digital filters are used to extract features from the measured engine speed signal that are characteristic of misfire. Features for intermittent and continuous misfires are developed separately, since the engine speed responses for intermittent and continuous misfires are distinctly different. Also, the influence of crankshaft torsional vibration and repeatable measurement errors must be addressed differently in each case. The outputs from the digital filters serve as inputs to a pattern recognition network based on linear parametric classifiers. Experimental results from implementation on a Ford 4.6L V-8 engine are provided.
Forced sex and HIV risk in violent relationships.

Problem The intersecting epidemics of gender-based violence, specifically forced sex, and HIV continue to affect women worldwide. Both in the United States and worldwide, women of African descent are disproportionately affected. Method of study The current literature was reviewed for inclusion based on its relevance to the intersection of forced sex and HIV risk behaviors. Results This brief review synthesizes research on the linkages between forced sex and behavioral risk factors for HIV infection. We explore forced sex from the perspective of the perpetrator being a current or former intimate partner, as well as the first sexual intercourse experience occurring through the use of physical force (i.e., forced sexual initiation). The review also emphasizes the importance of expanding current research to understand the physiological mechanisms linking forced sex to HIV risk. Conclusion The factors linking intimate partner forced sex and forced sexual initiation with HIV/AIDS are varied and complex. The review concludes with recommendations for future research in this area and implications this research could have on preventing violence and mitigating the health consequences.
Enhanced Dechlorination of Carbon Tetrachloride and Chloroform in the Presence of Elemental Iron and Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanosarcina thermophila, or Methanosaeta concillii

Previous experiments in our laboratory have demonstrated that the rate and extent of carbon tetrachloride (CT) and chloroform (CF) dechlorination were enhanced when a methanogenic enrichment culture and iron (Fe0) were incubated together. Batch experiments with three pure cultures of methanogens, Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanosarcina thermophila, and Methanosaeta concillii were performed to determine how this enhanced transformation occurred. When hydrogen (H2) was added as an electron donor, degradation of CT for all organisms and CF for M. thermophila was more rapid. H2 was produced from the oxidation of iron, which therefore served as an H2 source for the organisms, enhancing the transformation of CT and CF. Experiments with M. thermophila and M. concillii, which could not grow on H2−CO2 under the conditions tested, showed that H2 could serve as an electron donor for dechlorination of CT and CF with these organisms as well. Experiments with supernatants from M. thermophila grown with and without iron ...
Crossing the line: The determinants of picket line crossing during a faculty strike

This study builds on the strike-militancy literature by examining the determinants of the union member’s decision to cross a picket line during a 29-day university faculty strike. As hypothesized, voting behavior in authorization and ratification elections significantly predicted crossing behavior, suggesting that strike voting may provide information about the level of support for the strike and, in turn, the level of bargaining power. In addition, satisfaction with the administration, union commitment, attitudes toward unions, co-worker social support, and the perceived cost of striking were significantly related to crossing behavior.
Effect of adiposectomy and feeding level on FSH-induced testicular growth in male lizards Anolis carolinensis (Reptilia: Iguanidae)

Experiment 1. At 32°C and with a plentiful food supply the testes of Anolis carolinensis injected with 25 μg FSH for 11 days grow in the absence of fat bodies. The same dosage of FSH did not influence fat body weight in the sham-operated animals. Experiment 2. Animals injected with FSH for 25 days and given either one mealworm/day, one worm every five days, or no food did not differ significantly in body weight from one another. The livers and fat bodies of those groups receiving one mealworm/day or one every five days were drastically reduced in size. The liver fat content was significantly greater in the adiposectomized group than in the sham-operated group. The testes were greatly reduced in animals treated with saline and given one mealworm every five days or no food. The FSH-treated groups had significantly larger testes than the saline-treated groups and the initial control group. It is suggested that (1) in the absence of fat bodies the liver stores fat, (2) FSH may induce thirst or inhibit body water loss or both, and (3) conditions of insufficient diet may inhibit testes growth by shutting off or decreasing gonadotropin secretion.
Prediction of retention indices. VI: Isothermal and temperature-programmed retention indices, methylene value, functionality constant, electronic and steric effects.

The Kovats retention index system with n-alkanes as reference standards has properties not fully explored when single, isolated or stand-alone analytes are analyzed by isothermal gas chromatography. When a homologous series of analytes are analyzed by either linear or non-linear temperature-programmed gas chromatography, the retention data of the entire series can be treated systematically to produce an I vs. Z plot that is linear, thereby giving insight into the relationship between chemical structure and retention index. Dead time t(M) is both instrument and temperature dependent. With no dead time t(M) adjustment, the retention indices of analytes calculated from experimental retention times by the method of either linear or logarithmic interpolation give statistically identical values. Linear regression analysis of the data shows the slope as methylene value (A) and intercept as functionality constant or group retention factor (GRF) of the homologous series. The A and (GRF) values vary with chemical structures, intermolecular electronic and steric interactions, and polarity of column liquid phases, and can link gas chromatographic retention index to chemical structure. Examples of the influence of molecular electronic effects and steric effects on retention index are given and discussed.
Plasma oxytocin in response to pharmaco-challenge to D-fenfluramine and placebo in healthy men.

The neuropeptide oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and released centrally and peripherally in response to serotonergic stimulation. Plasma oxytocin levels may be a candidate as a biological index of serotonergic function in response to pharmacological challenge by serotonergic agents. Fourteen male healthy subjects underwent a placebo challenge and a D-fenfluramine (D-FEN) (0.5 mg/kg) challenge on different days. Serial plasma oxytocin and prolactin levels were measured on each challenge day. D-FEN was associated with an increase in both oxytocin and prolactin. Plasma oxytocin may function as an index of central serotonin (5-HT) function in human subjects. Since oxytocin is released directly from limbic-hypothalamic cells, this response presumably represents a direct central assessment of 5-HT response in limbic-hypothalamus. Further work will determine if the oxytocin response to 5-HT pharmaco-challenge, by virtue of its central origin, is more highly related to measures of psychopathology (e.g. aggression) than that of less central outcome parameters of 5-HT responsiveness (e.g. prolactin).
Henoch-Schonlein purpura.

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to educate the reader about the one of the most common vasculitides of childhood: Henoch–Schonlein purpura. Although the disease has been described for over a century, the etiology has yet to be discovered. Adult-onset Henoch–Schonlein purpura is unusua
Do outcomes of near syncope parallel syncope

Abstract Background Limited information on the evaluation of emergency department (ED) patients complaining of "near syncope" exists. Multiple studies of syncope exclude near syncope claiming near syncope is poorly defined and its definition is nonuniform. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of critical interventions or adverse outcomes associated with near syncope and compare these outcomes with syncope. Methods Prospective, observational study enrolling (August 2007–October 2008) consecutive ED patients (age, ≥18 years) presenting with near syncope was conducted. Near syncope was defined as an episode in which the patient felt they might lose consciousness but did not. Critical intervention/adverse outcome was defined as hemorrhage, cardiac ischemia/intervention, alteration in antidysrhythmics, pacemaker/defibrillator placement, sepsis, stroke, death, dysrhythmia, sepsis, pulmonary embolus, or carotid stenosis. Primary outcome was an adverse outcome or critical intervention in hospital or less than 30 days. Near syncope and syncope outcomes and admission rates were compared using the χ 2 test. Results After 1870 patients were screened, 244 met the study definition. Of the 244 patients, follow-up was achieved in 242 (99%). Emergency department hospitalization or 30-day adverse outcomes occurred in 49 (20%) of 244 compared with 68 (23%) of 293 of patients with syncope ( P = .40). The most common adverse outcomes/critical interventions were hemorrhage (n = 6), bradydysrhythmia (n = 6), alteration in antidysrhythmics (n = 6), and sepsis (n = 10). Of patients with near syncope, 49% were admitted compared with 69% with syncope ( P = .001). Conclusion Patients with near syncope are as likely those with syncope to experience critical interventions or adverse outcomes; however, near-syncope patients are less likely to be admitted. Given similar risk of adverse outcomes for near syncope and syncope, future studies are warranted to improve the treatment of ED patients with near syncope.
The Social Implications of Sexual Identity Formation and the Coming-Out Process: A Review of the Theoretical and Empirical Literature:

Current research on publicly communicating one’s sexual orientation (heretofore referred to as “coming-out”) and sexual identity formation models are examined within the two prevalent theoretical orientations: essentialism and social constructionism. Aspects of both theories find support in the empirical literature reviewed. Carrion and Lock’s stage model of sexual identity formation is described and used as a template. The discovery process will be discussed and three coming-out audiences identified. Relationships between the individual coming out and the identified audiences exist in a dynamic and fluid environment. Data suggest that perceptions of the relationship climate can affect the coming-out process. Implications for family therapists and couples counselors are provided in the conclusion of the article. More research with diverse samples is needed to further understand the process of coming-out and identity formation.
Wild and Mild: Heidegger on Human Liberation and the Essence of History

AbstractIn the late 1930s Heidegger makes allusions to ‘the wild’ and ‘the mild’ in connection with a human liberation that he understands as a steadfast response to the claim that historical being (Seyn) makes upon us. The following paper elucidates these allusions in terms of the overturning of metaphysics that they entail.
School Study Councils: Linchpins in the Educational Reform Movement.

Can education reform ever be achieved without some kind of catalyst to give the movement meaning and focus? The writer thinks not and suggests that study councils with the proper leadership from principals can bring diverse units at multiple levels in education together.
Imaging findings of adult bochdalek hernias

The purpose of this article is to review the computed tomographic (CT) and related radiographic findings of adult Bochdalek hernias. Bochdalek hernias are one of the most common congenital abnormalities encountered in imaging studies of the chest and abdomen. CT can be used to confidently diagnose Bochdalek hernias, which can easily mimic neoplasms on other imaging studies.
Development of a fluorescent substrate to measure hyaluronidase activity

Abstract A novel fluorescent substrate (termed FRET–HA) to quantitatively assess hyaluronidase activity was developed. Hyaluronan (HA), the major substrate for hyaluronidase, was dual labeled with fluorescein amine and rhodamine B amine. The fluorescein amine fluorescence signal was significantly quenched and the rhodamine B amine signal was significantly enhanced due to fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). In the presence of bovine testes hyaluronidase, cleavage of HA disrupted FRET, resulting in a loss of the fluorescein amine quenching that was dependent on both enzyme concentration and time. Increase in the fluorescein amine signal could be conveniently monitored in both noncontinuous and continuous fashions. The K m value for bovine testes hyaluronidase was determined using FRET–HA in a continuous fluorescent assay. Importantly, the estimated K m value for bovine testes hyaluronidase using FRET–HA as the substrate was in excellent agreement with K m values reported previously for this enzyme using native (i.e., unlabeled) HA. Therefore, FRET–HA is a reliable substrate for quantitatively assessing the HA/hyaluronidase molecular interaction. The simplicity, sensitivity, and versatility of the FRET–HA substrate suggest that it will have utility in a variety of assay platforms and should be a new tool for assessing hyaluronidase activity.