cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epoprostenol Delivered via High Flow Nasal Cannula for ICU Subjects with Severe Hypoxemia Comorbid with Pulmonary Hypertension or Right Heart Dysfunction

Inhaled epoprostenol (iEPO) has been utilized to improve oxygenation in mechanically ventilated subjects with severe hypoxemia, but the evidence for iEPO via high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is rare. Following approval by the institutional review board, this retrospective cohort study evaluated subjects who received iEPO via HFNC for more than 30 min to treat severe hypoxemia comorbid with pulmonary hypertension or right heart dysfunction between July 2015 and April 2018. A total of 11 subjects were enrolled in the study of whom 4 were male (36.4%), age 57.5 ± 22.1 years, and APACHE II score at ICU admission was 18.5 ± 5.7. Ten subjects had more than three chronic heart or lung comorbidities; seven of them used home oxygen. After inhaling epoprostenol, subjects' SpO2/FIO2 ratio improved from 107.5 ± 26.3 to 125.5 ± 31.6 (p = 0.026) within 30-60 min. Five subjects (45.5%) had SpO2/FIO2 improvement >20%, which was considered as a positive response. Heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate were not significantly different. Seven subjects did not require intubation, and seven subjects were discharged home. This retrospective study demonstrated the feasibility of iEPO via HFNC in improving oxygenation. Careful titration of flow while evaluating subjects' response may help identify responders and avoid delaying other interventions. This study supports the need for a larger prospective randomized control trial to further evaluate the efficacy of iEPO via HFNC in improving outcomes.
Catching feelings: Exploring commitment (un)readiness in emerging adulthood:

This exploratory study investigates how emerging adults (EAs) experience catching feelings. Applying the Stages of Change Model and Relational Receptivity Theory, this study investigates how EAs un...
Free-breathing Cardiorespiratory Synchronized Cine MRI for Assessment of Left and Right Ventricular Volume and Function in Sedated Children and Adolescents with Impaired Breath-holding Capacity.

A free-breathing cardiorespiratory synchronized cine sequence acquires the complete cardiac cycle with adequate spatial, contrast, and temporal resolutions for evaluating ventricular morphology, vo...
Changes in Opioid Prescribing Habits for Patients Undergoing Rhinoplasty and Septoplasty.

ImportanceOpioid prescriptions have increased substantially over the last 2 decades, contributing to the opioid epidemic. Physician practices and legislative changes play a key role in decreasing p...
Fifty Shades of Social Distance

For nearly a century, social scientists have explored various dimensions and applications of social distance. Bogardus invited a broad use of the concept with his statement that “the measurement of...
Modeling of Grid-Forming and Grid-Following Inverters for Dynamic Simulation of Large-Scale Distribution Systems

Historically, distribution system planning studies mainly focused on steady state and quasi-steady state analysis, with limited attention paid to dynamic analysis. This paper develops three-phase, electromechanical models for both grid-forming and grid-following inverters, and integrates them into an open source, three-phase distribution network solver, thereby enabling dynamic simulation of large-scale, three-phase unbalanced distribution systems with high penetration of inverter-based DERs. The proposed inverter models are validated against electromagnetic simulation and field test data from the CERTS/AEP microgrid testbed, and simulated in an islanded 5252 node distribution system in the GridLAB-D simulation environment. Simulation verifies the effectiveness of the proposed inverter models for large-scale distribution system analysis. Study results show that compared to traditional grid-following inverters, the high penetration of grid-forming inverters can improve the voltage and frequency stability of islanded distribution systems.
“When You Take This Jump and Cross Racial Boundaries”: Parents’ Experiences of Raising Multiracial Children:

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of eight parents of multiracial children. Primary themes emerged from the analysis include (a) fostering a child’s multiple heritages, (b) nurt...
3D Contractile Responses of Normal and Diseased Human Aortic Valve Interstitial Cells

Objective: The bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) contains two rather than the normal three leaflets; and is actually a spectrum of structural anomalies that can include a raphe region. For reasons that r...
Domestic Terrorism, Attack on the U.S. Capitol, and the Second Impeachment of Donald Trump

On February 13, 2021 Donald John Trump becomes the only American president to be impeached and acquitted twice. His acquittal for the second time follows a violent mob, having been incited by the lame-duck president into marching down Pennsylvania Avenue to break into and vandalize the Capitol Building. It is now known that at least 138 law enforcement officers suffered from or received burns, concussions, rib fractures, heart attack--- and at least 5 deaths are attributed to this insurrection. More than 300 individuals are subsequently charged for their role in this violent crime. Here is our account of the events leading up to impeachment and the Constitutional duties and responsibilities that follow. This article proceeds in ten parts. First, is a discussion about the tragic events of January 6, 2021 violent insurrection and storming of the U.S. Capitol Building. Second, is an inquiry into President Trump’s enablers. Third, I focus on impeachment and the relevant single article. Fourth, is a discussion of trial in the Senate. Fifth, for context and perspective, I briefly look at the first impeachment of President Trump and his four years as president. Sixth, is an inquiry into the growing threat and participation of militias and domestic terrorist organizations in the chronology of relevant events. Seventh, is a look at the role of social media in radicalization. Eighth, I discuss the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. Ninth, is an inquiry into post-Capitol attack developments. And last, I conclude.
Getting Real on U=U: Human Rights and Gender as Critical Frameworks for Action

U=U, sometimes also called Treatment as Prevention (TasP), has been a critical breakthrough in supporting People Living with HIV, able to access needed medications and technologies, to achieve undetectable viral loads. Everyone, from global organisations to local advocates, bolsters and supports this advance, noting its potential to end much of the stigma that still exists around HIV. Nonetheless, many barriers remain to be addressed for all people who need it to be able to benefit from this new approach. Decades of experience have shown the need to address human rights and gender dynamics in the rollout of any new HIV-related biomedical innovation. The success of U=U/TasP is contingent on an array of factors beyond individual control including protective legal environments, access to acceptable and quality health services including an uninterrupted supply of antiretroviral drugs and regular viral load testing without discrimination, and supportive social and community environments. This chapter seeks to understand how global organisations, non-governmental organisations and advocacy groups address U=U/TasP, in particular the extent to which they focus on gender and rights in their published materials, and ultimately the extent to which this makes a difference for people’s lives.
Local Compatibility Boundary Conditions for High-Order Accurate Finite-Difference Approximations of PDEs.

We describe a new approach to derive numerical approximations of boundary conditions for high-order accurate finite-difference approximations. The approach, called the Local Compatibility Boundary Condition (LCBC) method, uses boundary conditions and compatibility boundary conditions derived from the governing equations, as well as interior and boundary grid values, to construct a local polynomial, whose degree matches the order of accuracy of the interior scheme, centered at each boundary point. The local polynomial is then used to derive a discrete formula for each ghost point in terms of the data. This approach leads to centered approximations that are generally more accurate and stable than one-sided approximations. Moreover, the stencil approximations are local since they do not couple to neighboring ghost-point values which can occur with traditional compatibility conditions. The local polynomial is derived using continuous operators and derivatives which enables the automatic construction of stencil approximations at different orders of accuracy. The LCBC method is developed here for problems governed by second-order partial differential equations, and it is verified for a wide range of sample problems, both time-dependent and time-independent, in two space dimensions and for schemes up to sixth-order accuracy.
Free radicals and oxygen toxicity

Most organisms are constantly exposed to molecular oxygen, and this has become a requirement of life for many of them. Oxygen is not totally innocuous, however, and it has long been known to be toxic to many organisms, including humans. The deleterious effects of oxygen are thought to result from its metabolic reduction to highly reactive and toxic species, including superoxide anion radical and hydroxyl radical. Peroxidation of lipids is a major consequence of exposure to these species and the cell possesses various enzymes, including superoxide dismutase and catalase, as well as cellular antioxidants which are able to scavenge oxygen free radicals and repair peroxidized lipids. These aspects of oxygen toxicity are reviewed, as well as the involvement of oxygen free radicals in the toxicity of the herbicide paraquat.
Acidification and ion permeabilities of highly purified rat liver endosomes.

While it is well established that acidic pH in endosomes plays a critical role in mediating the orderly traffic of receptors and ligands during endocytosis, little is known about the bioenergetics or regulation of endosome acidification. Using highly enriched fractions of rat liver endosomes prepared by free flow electrophoresis and sucrose density gradient centrifugation, we have analyzed the mechanism of ATP-dependent acidification and ion permeability properties of the endosomal membrane. This procedure permitted the isolation of endosome fractions which were up to 200-fold enriched as indicated by the increased specific activity of ATP-dependent proton transport. Acidification was monitored using hepatocyte and total liver endosomes selectively labeled with pH-sensitive markers of receptor-mediated endocytosis (fluorescein isothiocyanate asialoorosomucoid) or fluid-phase endocytosis (fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran). In addition, changes in membrane potential accompanying ATP-dependent acidification were directly measured using the voltage-sensitive fluorescent dye Di-S-C3(5). Our results indicate that ATP-dependent acidification of liver endosomes is electrogenic, with proton transport being accompanied by the generation of an interior-positive membrane potential opposing further acidification. The membrane potential can be dissipated by the influx of permeant external anions or efflux of internal alkali cations. Replacement externally of permeable anions with less permeable anions (e.g. replacing Cl- with gluconate) diminished acidification, as did replacement internally of a more permeant cation K+ with less permeant species (such as Na+ or tetramethylammonium). ATP-dependent H+ transport was not coupled to any specific anion or cation, however. The endosomal membrane was found to be extremely permeable to protons, with protons able to leak out almost as fast as they are pumped in. Thus, the internal pH of endosomes is likely to reflect a dynamic equilibrium of protons regulated by the intrinsic ion permeabilities of the endosomal membrane, in addition to the activity of an ATP-driven proton pump.
Impact of Typhoons on the Western Pacific Ocean DRI: Numerical Modeling of Ocean Mixed Layer Turbulence and Entrainment at High Winds

Abstract : This collaborative DRI is focused on measuring and modeling the response of the upper ocean to strong typhoons both in simple, open ocean conditions and in the more complex conditions caused by ocean eddies and preconditioning by prior storms.
Analysis of Tissue Mineral Fiber Content

The development of techniques for assaying the mineral fiber content of tissues has provided the opportunity to correlate the occurrence of various fiber-related diseases with the cumulative fiber burdens in the target organ. Exposure to mineral fibers generally occurs through the inhalation of airborne fibers, and thus the respiratory tract is the site of most asbestos-related diseases. Consequently, most studies of tissue fiber burdens have concentrated on the analysis of lung parenchyma [1]. It is the purpose of this chapter to review the various techniques which have been developed for the analysis of tissue fiber burdens, noting the advantages and limitations of each. The morphologic, crystallographic, and chemical features of the various types of asbestos are reviewed in Chap. 1 and the structure and nature of asbestos bodies in Chap. 3. In addition, the relationship between tissue asbestos burden and the various asbestos-associated diseases (see Chaps. 4, 5, 6, and 7) and the various categories of occupational and environmental exposures (see Chap. 2) will also be explored in the present chapter. Finally, the overall contribution of the various types of asbestos and non-asbestos mineral fibers to the total mineral fiber burden will be discussed in relationship to the biological activity and pathogenicity of the various fiber types.
High frequency titrations: The mercury(ii)-thiocyanate reaction

Abstract Soluble complex-formation of mercury(II) thiocyanate has been studied oscillometrically. The titration of mercury(II) nitrate with thiocyanate gives one inflection corresponding to the formation of Hg(SCN)2, while in the reverse titration the formation of Hg(SCN)+ is also indecated. The method is useful for a rapid determination of very small quantities of mercury or thiocyanate in highly dilute solutions. The titrations can be effected in presence of nitric acid provided its total acidity in the system does not exceed about 1 300 N. Further Work on the mercury(II) -halide and mercury(II)-cyanide reactions is in progress.
Predictors of Postpartum Depression

Abstract Objective: To examine sociodemographic factors, pregnancy-associated psychosocial stress and depression, health risk behaviors, prepregnancy medical and psychiatric illness, pregnancy-related illnesses, and birth outcomes as risk factors for post-partum depression (PPD). Methods: A prospective cohort study screened women at 4 and 8 months of pregnancy and used hierarchical logistic regression analyses to examine predictors of PPD. The study sample include 1,423 pregnant women at a university-based high risk obstetrics clinic. A score of ≥10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) indicated clinically significant depressive symptoms. Results: Compared with women without significant postpartum depressive symptoms, women with PPD were significantly younger (p<0.0001), more likely to be unemployed (p=0.04), had more pregnancy associated depressive symptoms (p<0.0001) and psychosocial stress (p<0.0001), were more likely to be smokers (p<0.0001), were more likely to be taking antidepressants (ADs...
In Vitro Phosphorylation Study of the Arc Two-Component Signal Transduction System of Escherichia coli

The ArcB and ArcA proteins constitute a two-component signal transduction system that plays a broad role in transcriptional regulation. Under anoxic or environmentally reducing conditions, the sensor kinase (ArcB) is stimulated to autophosphorylate at the expense of ATP and subsequently transphosphorylates the response regulator (ArcA). ArcB is a complex, membrane-bound protein comprising at least three cytoplasmic domains, an N-terminal transmitter domain with a conserved His292 residue (H1), a central receiver domain with a conserved Asp576 residue (D1), and a C-terminal alternative transmitter domain with a conserved His717 residue (H2). To study the phosphoryl transfer pathways of the Arc system, we prepared the following His-tagged proteins: H1, D1, H2, H1-D1, D1-H2, H1-D1-H2, and ArcA. Incubations of various combinations of Arc proteins with [gamma-32P]ATP indicated that H1, but not D1 or H2, catalyzes autophosphorylation; that H1-P transfers the phosphoryl group to D1 much more rapidly than to ArcA; and that D1 accelerates the transphosphorylation of H2. Finally, ArcA is phosphorylated much more rapidly by H2-P than by H1-P. Available data are consistent with a signal transduction model in which (i) reception of a membrane signal(s) triggers autophosphorylation of H1 at His292, (ii) the phosphoryl group can migrate to D1 at Asp576 and subsequently to H2 at His717, and (iii) ArcA receives the phosphoryl group from either His292 or His717, the relative contribution of which is regulated by cytosolic effectors.
Interactive Journaling as a Clinical Tool

Spoken language is the primary medium of counseling and psychotherapy. The therapeutic value of written language has also been studied extensively, both to provide self-help information and to elicit personal reflection. Interactive journaling (IJ) is a guided writing process that combines both of these functions. It has differed from usual therapeutic writing in two ways: (a) by integrating the presentation of treatment-relevant information in graphic-enhanced text to engage the reader, and (b) by offering frequent structured opportunities for the client to respond to and integrate material being presented. This article provides a description and the first review of research on IJ as a clinical tool. Experimental and quasi-experimental evaluations support a link between IJ and behavior change. Research on motivational interviewing offers evidence-based guidelines for structuring IJ materials to elicit language favoring change, as well as testable hypotheses linking writing processes with outcomes. Implic...
Contribution of Piezo2 to endothelium-dependent pain

Background We evaluated the role of a mechanically-gated ion channel, Piezo2, in mechanical stimulation-induced enhancement of hyperalgesia produced by the pronociceptive vasoactive mediator endothelin-1, an innocuous mechanical stimulus-induced enhancement of hyperalgesia that is vascular endothelial cell dependent. We also evaluated its role in a preclinical model of a vascular endothelial cell dependent painful peripheral neuropathy.
Evidence for a single opioid receptor type on the field stimulated rat vas deferens.

Abstract A series of opioids have been used to study the heterogeneity of the opioid receptor system in rat vas deferentia. β-Endorphin, etorphune, etonitazine, D-Ala 2 -Nle 5 (des-COOH) enkephalin and, sufentanil behave as full agonists in this tissue preparation. Ketobemidone, α(+)-N-allyl normetazocine, morphine and oxymorphone show little or no biological activity. In fact, the latter four drugs were able to inhibit the biological effects of β-endorphin, etorphine and sufentanil in a concentration dependent fashion. These data suggest that there is only one opioid receptor type in the rat vas deferens. These observations are discussed in terms of the binding modes for a series of drugs to an homogeneous receptor system.
Fast and efficient nanoshear hybrid alkaline pretreatment of corn stover for biofuel and materials production

Abstract We report a fast and efficient nano-scale shear hybrid alkaline (NSHA) pretreatment method of lignocellulosic biomass. In this work, corn stover was pretreated in a modified Taylor–Couette reactor with alkali (sodium hydroxide) at room temperature for two minutes. Up to 82% of high cellulose content in the remaining solids was achieved with the novel NSHA pretreatment process. Compared with untreated corn stover, an approximately 4-fold increase in enzymatic cellulose conversion and a 5-fold increase in hemicellulose conversion were achieved. Compositional analysis proved significant removals of both lignin and hemicellulose after the NSHA pretreatment. SEM images revealed that the synergistic effect of NSHA pretreatment caused the severe disruption of biomass structure and exposure of cellulose microfibril aggregates in NSHA pretreated corn stover.
Inclusions in red blood cells containing Hb S or Hb C.

To demonstrate and characterize red cell inclusions in 101 persons with Hb S or Hb C disorders three methods were used: (1) examination of unstained blood smears by dark field microscopy (DFM), (2) examination of blood smears after acid elution and staining (AE), and (3) measurement of membrane-associated denatured haemoglobin (MADH) in ghosts. The control group had inclusions in less than 5% of red cells by DFM and AE and the mean percentage of MADH per total cellular Hb was 0.030+/-0.016%. The highest percentages of red cells with inclusions and of MADH were present in clinically severe haemoglobin disorders, e.g. homozygous sickle cell disease (Hb SS) with less than 10% Hb F and Hb SOArab, with successively lower percentages in moderate to severe disorders, e.g. Hb SS-alpha thalassaemia, Hb-S-beta0 thalassaemia, Hb SC disease, and Hb SS with more than 10% Hb F, indicating agreement in results by three methods. In asymptomatic or mild disorders, e.g. Hb-S-beta+ thalassaemia, Hb CC, Hb AC and Hb AS, the results by AE and measurements of MADH were the same or similar to those in controls, while those by DFM were different. Of 56 patients with Hb SS or Hb SC, the group with functional asplenia had higher percentages of MADH and of red cells with inclusions than those with functioning spleens. Our study suggests that inclusions in sickling disorders may be due to denatured Hb S, with AE being the more accurate method for visualizing these inclusions, as results by this method correlate better with the amount of MADH than those by DFM.
Universal, ubiquitous, user-interface design for the disabled and elderly

User-interface design seeks to improve all human-computer communication and interaction. Increasingly, challenges for the disabled and elderly must be met. Experience gained can help solve fundamental challenges for the general population of users. A recent international conference in Japan, "Universal Design," catalogues both the accomplishments and work to be done in this worldwide arena.
A portfolio approach to account profitability

Abstract All too often salespeople adopt a sales volume orientation to the detriment of company profitability. This article presents a diagnostic and prescriptive tool that can assist salespeople to adopt more of a profitability perspective. This tool, the customer portfolio, allows sales personnel to analyze their present customer base in terms of present and potential profit contribution. Further, the tool suggests actions necessary to effect a desired customer base.
A determination of the effects of several variables on the performance characteristics of shortening, using statistical experimental designs

To obtain shortening of higher water absorption, one should increase the level of monoglyceride used in the shortening. Icing volume is adversely affected by higher levels of monoglycerides. It is immaterial whether the monoglyceride has 40–44% or 56–58%alpha mono content, and the I.V. may range from 56 to 90 without producing significant effects on water absorption, icing volume, or cake results. Tempering and the choice of vegetable fat or rearranged meat fat stocks are of importance.
Effects of collagenase on developing epithelia in vitro: lung, ureteric bud, and pancreas.

Abstract Cultured epithelia from embryonic lungs, ureteric buds, and pancreas were treated with collagenase. Lung morphogenesis stopped and ureteric buds lost their characteristic shape after such enzyme treatment. If mesoderm was supplied to the cultures after treatment, lung development continued and some of the ureteric buds maintained their shape. Pancreatic epithelia were unaffected by enzyme treatment and formed exocrine acini and differentiated cells even in the presence of collagenase. Electron micrographs of treated lung tissues show that the basement lamina and other nearby extracellular materials are removed by collagenase. The results imply that some form of collagen is an essential contribution of mesoderm to epithelium in cases where epithelial branching is occurring, but not where acini are forming. The former process is correlated with high mesoderm specificity requirements. The data suggest that collagen is essential for stabilization of epithelial morphology; no evidence demonstrates any inductive properties for collagen in these systems.
The Solidarity of Life: Max Scheler on Modernity and Harmony with Nature

In Max Scheler’s powerful critique of modernity, he claimed that moderns suffer more in the midst of technological advancement, their values are set by an “ ethos of industrialization,” and they have no unified vision of who they are. The consequences have been devastating, including a lack of balanced living and ecological estrangement. In pointing beyond modernism, Scheler called for establishing personal, collective, and environmental harmony. His philosophical anthropology—rooted in a phenomenology of persons and values—is a helpful foundation for an environmental philosophy that simultaneously forwards personal self-cultivation and a deeper connection to the non-human world.
A genetic melanotic neoplasm of Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract Tuml is a sex-linked recessive lethal mutation. The major pathological consequence of this mutation is hypertrophy of the larval lymph gland followed by the encapsulation of the anterior midgut, i.e., the formation of melanotic pseudotumors. Injection of the Tuml larval lymph gland into adult female hosts results in severe melanization, growth of the injected tissue, and premature death of the host animals. The tissue recovered from a host injected with Tuml larval lymph glands grows in subsequent hosts, causes the premature death of those hosts, and may or may not give rise to melanizations. None of these effects is seen in hosts injected with other Tuml tissues, including encapsulated midgut tissue or in hosts injected with wild-type larval lymph gland tissue. Ultrastructural studies reveal that the neoplastic tissue derived from hosts injected with Tuml lymph glands contain cells which resemble Drosophila blood cells both structurally and functionally. This evidence suggests that the Tuml mutation expresses a true melanotic neoplasm in which neoplastic cells capable of encapsulating and melanizing are continuously produced. This is the first demonstration of a melanotic neoplasm associated with a melanotic tumor mutation.
Ontogeny and biochemical properties of glucocorticoid receptors in mid-gestation mouse embryos

Adult hepatic and mid-gestation embryonic cytosol fractions prepared from two inbred strains of mice, A/J and C57BL/6J, contain macromolecules which specifically bind [3H]-dexamethasone with high affinity as determined by Scatchard analysis. The dexamethasone-binding macromolecules appear to be proteins since binding activity is destroyed by proteolytic enzymes but not by incubation with nucleases, lipase or collagenase. Binding is dependent upon the integrity of —SH groups. Both natural and synthetic glucocorticoids compete with labeled dexamethasone for the binding sites in adult hepatic and embryonic cytosols. [3H]-Triamcinolone acetonide-receptor complexes in adult hepatic and embryonic cytosols sediment as single broad peaks between 7 to 10S after velocity sedimentation on 10–30% glycerol gradients and elute as two distinct binding components following DEAE-cellulose chromatography. [3H]-Corticosterone-binding components have also been detected in adult hepatic and embryonic cytosols. Based upon physical and chemical properties, these macromolecules resemble corticosteroid-binding globulin (transcortin) in mouse serum. Ontogenically, receptor proteins could first be detected in day 12 embryonic cytosols when the concentration of receptor sites was significantly higher in A/J embryos (approximately two-fold) than in C57BL/6J embryos. By days 13 and 14 the receptor concentration was equivalent in both.
Enhanced Mid-Infrared Chemical Imaging (IRCI) Detection of DNA Microarrays

We report on the optimization of a recently proposed mid-infrared chemical imaging (IRCI) detection method for the analysis of DNA microarrays. The improved protocol allowed for a ten-fold reduction in the time needed to generate a mosaic image of an entire microarray and the production of IR images with high contrast that would facilitate data analysis and interpretation. Advantages of using this protocol were evaluated by applying it to the analysis of four virulence genes in the genomes of 19 strains of the food bacterial pathogen Yersinia enterocolitica.
Contaminant desorption during long-term leaching of hydroxide-weathered Hanford sediments.

Mineral sorption/coprecipitation is thought to be a principal sequestration mechanism for radioactive 90Sr and 137Cs in sediments impacted by hyperalkaline, high-level radioactive waste (HLRW) at the DOE’s Hanford site. However, the long-term persistence of neo-formed, contaminant bearing phases after removal of the HLRW source is unknown. We subjected pristine Hanford sediments to hyperalkaline Na−Al−NO3−OH solutions containing Sr, Cs, and I at 10−5, 10−5, and 10−7 molal, respectively, for 182 days with either <10 ppmv or 385 ppmv pCO2. This resulted in the formation of feldspathoid minerals. We leached these weathered sediments with dilute, neutral-pH solutions. After 500 pore volumes (PVs), effluent Sr, Cs, NO3, Al, Si, and pH reached a steady-state with concentrations elevated above those of feedwater. Reactive transport modeling suggests that even after 500 PV, Cs desorption can be explained by ion exchange reactions, whereas Sr desorption is best described by dissolution of Sr-substituted, neo-forme...
Recommending program committee candidates for academic conferences

Establishing a respectful and well-functional program committee (PC) consisting of capable PC members is one of the most important tasks for conference organizers. However, little research has been done for automatic recommendation of PC candidates. PC member finding is a complex task, which could be influenced by many factors such as the candidates' research interests' match with conference topics, the candidates' social closeness with PC chairs, the candidates' authoritativeness, as well as the candidates' publication history in the conference. To examine the importance of each feature, we build a dataset that consists of papers from four conferences: KDD, SIGIR, JCDL and GIS (2007-2011) and split it into the training and testing subsets based on the temporal information. The results show that: i) the publication history is the strongest indicator of being PC members; ii) recommendations based on the social closeness also produce reasonable good results; iii) recommend high authority researchers as PC members fails to predict the real PC because there are a large proportion of PC members who actually only have low authority values (we use the PageRank value in coauthor networks to simulate researcher's authority); and iv) applying simple linear combination of different features can make reasonable improvements.
Study on bulk aluminum matrix nano-composite fabricated by ultrasonic dispersion of nano-sized SiC particles in molten aluminum alloy

Abstract Lightweight metal matrix nano-composites (MMNCs) (metal matrix with nano-sized ceramic particles) can be of significance for automobile, aerospace and numerous other applications. It would be advantageous to produce low-cost as-cast bulk lightweight components of MMNCs. However, it is extremely difficult to disperse nano-sized ceramic particles uniformly in molten metal. This paper presents a new method for an inexpensive fabrication of bulk lightweight MMNCs with reproducible microstructures and superior properties by use of ultrasonic nonlinear effects, namely transient cavitation and acoustic streaming, to achieve uniform dispersion of nano-sized SiC particles in molten aluminum alloy A356. Microstructural study was carried out with an optical microscope, SEM, EDS mapping, and XPS. It validates a good dispersion of nano-sized SiC in metal matrix. It also indicates that partial oxidation of SiC nanopartilces results in the formation of SiO2 in the matrix. Mechanical properties of the as-cast MMNCs have been improved significantly even with a low weight fraction of nano-sized SiC. The ultrasonic fabrication methodology is promising to produce a wide range of other MMNCs.
Present-day management of tuberculosis.

Abstract 1. 1. The present-day management of tuberculosis is reviewed, with special emphasis on pulmonary tuberculosis. 2. 2. The treatment of tuberculosis includes rest, education, chemotherapy, surgical drainage and extirpation, and rehabilitation. The therapy of pulmonary tuberculosis also includes lung collapse and certain specialized surgical procedures. 3. 3. Considerations of chemotherapy include concepts of mode of action, indications, regimens, dosage, duration, in vitro and in vivo drug susceptibility, toxicity, interruptions, early ambulation, original therapy vs. retreatment, new agents, and results to date. 4. 4. Special emphasis is paid to INH metabolism, individual variations in the speed and degree of INH inactivation, dosage, and the effects on INH blood levels of the concurrent administration of PAS. 5. 5. Other features of management are discussed, including the increasing difficulties in differentiating tuberculosis from other diseases with certainty, the increasing social problem of the tuberculous alcoholic, and the place of enforced hospitalization of the recalcitrant infectious tuberculous patient. 6. 6. Results of modern treatment are presented and discussed.
Tetrahymena from Mexico, Panama, and Colombia, with Special Reference to Sexuality.*

SUMMARY. Twenty-two % of the fresh water samples taken from Mexico, Colombia, Panama and the Canal Zone contained T. pyriformis. The habitats included springs, roadside ditches, creeks, rivers, ponds, and lakes. They ranged in elevation from sea level to 10,000 feet and in temperature from approximately 8° to 35°C. There was no correlation between temperature of habitat and resistance to high temperatures. Thirty-eight % of the clones isolated contained micronuclei and all but three of these were assigned to variety and mating type. The clones from Mexico all belong to variety 2, mating type V. Those from Colombia belong to mating type IV, variety 9, a new variety. Five mating types in variety 9 and nine in variety 2 were found in Panama and the Canal Zone. All clones grew in the chemically defined medium that supports the growth of strain E.
Denisov's theorem on recurrence coefficients

Recently Denisov (aka Dennisov) (Proc. Amer. Math. Soc.) has proved the following remarkable extension of Rakhmanov's theorem (Math. USSR-Sb. 46 (1983) 105: Russian Original, Mat. Sb. 118 (1982) 104) (see also (Mate et al., Constr. Approx., 1 (1985) 63: Nevai, J. Approx. Theory 65 (1991) 322)) which was conjectured in (Nevai, in: Approximation Theory IV. Vol. II, Academic Press, New York. 1989, pp. 449-489, (Conjecture 2.7, p. 453).
It Is Time To Restructure Health Professions Scope-Of-Practice Regulations To Remove Barriers To Care

Regulation and licensure of health professionals—nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and others—currently falls to the states. State laws and regulations define legal scopes of practice for these practitioners. Concern is growing that this system cannot support workforce innovations needed for an evolving health care system or for successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Existing state-based laws and regulations limit the effective and efficient use of the health workforce by creating mismatches between professional competence and legal scope-of-practice laws and by perpetuating a lack of uniformity in these laws and regulations across states. State laws limit needed overlap in scopes of practice among professions that often share some tasks and responsibilities, and the process for changing the laws is slow and adversarial. We highlight reforms needed to strengthen health professions regulation, including aligning scopes of practice with professional competence for each profession in all states...
Free operant avoidance responding as a function of serially presented variations of UCS intensity

Six rats were trained on a Sidman free operant avoidance task. Three UCS, shock, intensities were used, two Ss for each intensity. After training, each S was presented with three different UCS intensities and differences in responding rate between one UCS intensity and another were calculated. It was observed that increasing USC intensity increased avoidance, while decreasing it decreased avoidance. Furthermore, the extent of this change in response rate was found to be a function of the prior UCS training intensity.
Obedience and Disobedience/Rebellion in Biblical Versus Greek Narratives: Toward a Biblical Psychology

Contemporary psychology and psychiatry have been explicitly or implicitly based on an ancient Greek view of life. Even pastoral psychologists have been influenced by this view. The present article calls for a paradigm shift toward a biblical psychology. Illustrations of these contrasting worldviews are presented around the issue of obedience versus disobedience/rebellion. Three narratives are compared in this regard: 1) creation stories, 2) “flood” stories, and 3) father-son stories. Freud’s dependence on a Greek worldview is discussed, as is his disregard of biblical narratives. Pastoral psychologists, take heart! It is time to level the playing field.
Longitudinal changes in tumor perfusion pattern during the radiation therapy course and its clinical impact in cervical cancer.

Purpose: To study the temporal changes of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) perfusion patterns during the radiation therapy (RT) course and their influence on local control and survival in cervical cancer. Methods and Materials: DCE-MRI was performed in 98 patients with Stage IB{sub 2}-IVA cervical cancer before RT (pre-RT) and during early RT (20-25 Gy) and mid-RT (45-50 Gy). Signal intensity (SI) from the DCE-MRI time-SI curve was derived for each tumor voxel. The poorly perfused low-DCE tumor subregions were quantified as lower 10th percentiles of SI (SI10). Local control, disease-specific survival, and overall survival were correlated with DCE parameters at pre-RT, early RT, and mid-RT. Median follow-up was 4.9 (range, 0.2-9.0) years. Results: Patients (16/98) with initial pre-RT high DCE (SI10 >=2.1) had 100% 5-year local control, 81% disease-specific survival, and 81% overall survival, compared with only 79%, 61%, and 55%, respectively, in patients with pre-RT low DCE. Conversion from pre-RT low DCE to high DCE in early RT (28/82 patients) was associated with higher local control, disease-specific survival, and overall survival (93%, 74%, and 67%, respectively). In comparison with all other groups, outcome was worst in patients with persistently low DCE from pre-RT throughout the mid-RT phasemore » (66%, 44%, and 43%; p = 0.003, 0.003, and 0.020; respectively). Conclusion: Longitudinal tumor perfusion changes during RT correlate with treatment outcome. Persistently low perfusion in pre-RT, early RT, and mid-RT indicates a high risk of treatment failure, whereas outcome is favorable in patients with initially high perfusion or subsequent improvements of initially low perfusion. These findings likely reflect reoxygenation and may have potential for noninvasive monitoring of intra-treatment radio-responsiveness and for guiding adaptive therapy.« less
Attitudes of Affiliate Faculty Members Toward Medical Student Summative Evaluation for Clinical Clerkships: A Qualitative Analysis

Background: Summative evaluation of medical students is a critical component of the educational process. Despite extensive literature on evaluation, few studies have centered on affiliate faculty members’ attitudes toward summative evaluation of students, though it has been suggested that these attitudes influence their effectiveness as evaluators. Purpose: The objective is to examine affiliate faculty members’ attitudes toward clinical clerkship evaluation using primarily qualitative research methods. Methods: The study used a nonexperimental research design and employed mixed methods. Data were collected through interviews, focus groups, and a questionnaire from 11 affiliate faculty members. Results: Themes emerging from the data fell into three broad categories: (a) factors that influence grading, (b) consequences of negative evaluations, and (c) disconnections in the grading process. The quantitative portion of the study revealed important discrepancies supporting the use of qualitative methods. Concl...
Biotechnology: Opportunities and Challenges for Developing Countries

The developing world faces a triple challenge-poverty in the midst of plenty; environmental degradation caused by both plenty and poverty; and islands of security surrounded by conflict. All the three phenomena affect the food security and well being of nearly a billion people earning less than $1 a day. An overwhelming share of these people live in Africa and Asia, two continents that also bear a disproportionate share of the world's disease burden, particularly in terms of HIV-AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Among the poor are some 125 million stunted and underweight children and over 10 million orphans. Many of the world's poorest derive livelihoods from agriculture-broadly defined to include forestry, fisheries, and livestockdrawing on a natural resource base of limited productive value. The economies of the countries in which they reside depend on agricultural primary and commodity exports food imports. Recent events underscore the growing vulnerability of the poor in developing countries, especially in light of their continuing heavy dependence on agriculture. Recent food shortages in Africa are being attributed to the rapid loss of agricultural labor, a direct result of a scourge of diseases. Export volumes have collapsed. Conflicts have decimated household seed supply for critical food crops in some countries; global climate change has adversely affected the low-lying countries among them. Under its best-case scenario, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) predicts that 450 million people around the world will still be food-insecure in 2015. Key Messages of This Paper
Role of reactive oxygen species in arsenic-induced transformation of human lung bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells.

Highlights: • Short term exposure of cells to arsenic causes ROS generation. • Chronical exposure of cells to arsenic causes malignant cell transformation. • Inhibition of ROS generation reduces cell transformation by arsenic. • Arsenic-transformed cells exhibit reduced capacity of generating ROS. • Arsenic-transformed cells exhibit increased levels of antioxidants. - Abstract: Arsenic is an environmental carcinogen, its mechanisms of carcinogenesis remain to be investigated. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered to be important. A previous study (Carpenter et al., 2011) has measured ROS level in human lung bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells and arsenic-transformed BEAS-2B cells and found that ROS levels were higher in transformed cells than that in parent normal cells. Based on these observations, the authors concluded that cell transformation induced by arsenic is mediated by increased cellular levels of ROS. This conclusion is problematic because this study only measured the basal ROS levels in transformed and parent cells and did not investigate the role of ROS in the process of arsenic-induced cell transformation. The levels of ROS in arsenic-transformed cells represent the result and not the cause of cell transformation. Thus question concerning whether ROS are important in arsenic-induced cell transformation remains to be answered. In themore » present study, we used expressions of catalase (antioxidant against H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2, antioxidant against O{sub 2}{sup ·−}) to decrease ROS level and investigated their role in the process of arsenic-induced cell transformation. Our results show that inhibition of ROS by antioxidant enzymes decreased arsenic-induced cell transformation, demonstrating that ROS are important in this process. We have also shown that in arsenic-transformed cells, ROS generation was lower and levels of antioxidants are higher than those in parent cells, in a disagreement with the previous report. The present study has also shown that the arsenic-transformed cells acquired apoptosis resistance. The inhibition of catalase to increase ROS level restored apoptosis capability of arsenic-transformed BEAS-2B cells, further showing that ROS levels are low in these cells. The apoptosis resistance due to the low ROS levels may increase cells proliferation, providing a favorable environment for tumorigenesis of arsenic-transformed cells.« less
Nuclear Resonant Absorption of Gamma Rays by Ca 40

Ground-state gamma rays (${E}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}=10.3$ Mev) emitted by excited ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{40}$ formed in the reaction ${\mathrm{K}}^{39}(p, \ensuremath{\gamma}){\mathrm{Ca}}^{40}$ at $E=2.05$ Mev have been resonantly absorbed in calcium. Nuclear resonant absorption occurs when the absorber is placed at such an angle that the energy discrepancy upon emission and absorption of the gamma rays is restored by the Doppler shift resulting from the recoil velocity of the excited ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{40}$ nucleus. The gamma radiation is detected by a scintillation detector mounted behind an angle-defining collimator. The nuclear resonant absorption curve is obtained by observing the transmission through the absorber as the collimator is rotated through the resonant angle. The observed width, which is of the order of 0.8 degree, is a function of the angular divergence of the proton beam and the angular opening of the collimator. From the integral of the absorption as a function of angle and from a yield measurement, the radiation width for a transition to the ground state is determined to be 3.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.24 ev, while 5.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.8 ev is found for the proton width, and 10.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.7 ev for the total width. These values together with the measured angular distribution of the ground-state radiation are consistent with a ${2}^{+}$ assignment to this level.
K-Series Emission Spectra for the Elements from Ta(73) to Bi(83)

The specially designed water-cooled tube enabled currents of 8 milliamp. at 150 kv to be used. By connecting the same rheostat in the primaries of both high-tension and filament transformers, irregularity due to hot spots on the target was automatically smoothed out. An automatic electromagnetic cutout prevented excessive current when gas developed. With these arrangements, accurate measurements were made of the K-lines for all elements from Ta(73) to Bi(83) excepting Hg, the elements being placed in sheets or layers on the thin copper target. The $\sqrt{\frac{\ensuremath{\nu}}{R}}$ values plotted as a function of atomic number give practically straight smooth curves, as is to be expected. The differences in the $\frac{\ensuremath{\nu}}{R}$ values for the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ lines agree well with the corresponding values for $\mathrm{L}\ensuremath{\beta}$ and $\mathrm{L}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$. The corresponding wave-length differences are nearly constant and equal to 4.85.