cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contact Charge Electrophoresis: Fundamentals and Microfluidic Applications

Contact charge electrophoresis (CCEP) uses steady electric fields to drive the oscillatory motion of conductive particles and droplets between two or more electrodes. In contrast to traditional forms of electrophoresis and dielectrophoresis, CCEP allows for rapid and sustained particle motions driven by low-power dc voltages. These attributes make CCEP a promising mechanism for powering active components for mobile microfluidic technologies. This Feature Article describes our current understanding of CCEP as well as recent strategies to harness it for applications in microfluidics and beyond.
The Structure of the C-terminal Domain of the Nucleoprotein From the Bundibugyo Strain of the Ebola Virus in Complex With a Pan-Specific Synthetic Fab

The vast majority of platforms for the detection of viral or bacterial antigens rely on immunoassays, typically ELISA or sandwich ELISA, that are contingent on the availability of suitable monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). This is a major bottleneck, since the generation and production of mAbs is time-consuming and expensive. Synthetic antibody fragments (sFabs) generated by phage-display selection offer an alternative with many advantages over Fabs obtained from natural antibodies using hybridoma technology. Unlike mAbs, sFabs are generated using phage display, allowing selection for binding to specific strains or for pan-specificity, for identification of structural epitopes or unique protein conformations and even for complexes. Further, they can easily be produced in Escherichia coli in large quantities and engineered for purposes of detection technologies and other applications. Here, the use of phage-display selection to generate a pan-specific Fab (MJ20), based on a Herceptin Fab scaffold, with the ability to bind selectively and with high affinity to the C-terminal domains of the nucleoproteins (NPs) from all five known strains of the Ebola virus is reported. The high-resolution crystal structure of the complex of MJ20 with the antigen from the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus reveals the basis for pan-specificity and illustrates how the phage-display technology can be used to manufacture suitable Fabs for use in diagnostic or therapeutic applications.
Ocean Dumping Research: Historical and International Development

Plans for systematic and comprehensive research and monitoring of the effects of ocean dumping were prepared in 1970, followed by their execution in recent years. Forty-three nations have joined the international convention on the “Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter” that became effective on August 30, 1975. At present, substances internationally prohibited from being ocean dumped include organohalogens, mercury, cadmium and their compounds, persistent plastics, high-level radioactive wastes, and biological and chemical warfare agents.
Consumer and Warner-Bratzler Shear Evaluations of Steaks from Blade Tenderized, Aged, or Frozen Sirloin Subprimals

Paired USDA Choice top sirloin butts (n = 60) were divided equally across 3 trials: 1) blade tenderized (BT) versus non-blade tenderized (NBT), 2) refrigerated versus frozen aging/storage, and 3) 14-d versus 35-d refrigerated aging. Steaks from subprimals were evaluated using Warner-Bratzler Shear (WBS) force testing and consumer sensory evaluation. Consumers found BT steaks to be more tender and palatable compared to NBT steaks (P 0.05) in consumer sensory ratings or WBS values. When compared to refrigerated, frozen storage of product did not affect consumer sensory ratings. Lack of differences between 14- and 35-d aging treatments indicated that the top sirloin butt did not require extended-aging periods to increase tenderness. Blade tenderization remains important for the top sirloin; however, purveyors may have options in postmortem aging and frozen storage of product without sacrificing quality.
UNIT 12.1 Overview of Glycoconjugate Analysis

Whereas DNA, RNA, and proteins are linear polymers that can usually be directly sequenced, glycans show substantially more complexity, having branching and anomeric configurations (α and β linkages). The biosynthesis of glycans, termed glycosylation, is extremely complex, is not template-driven, varies among different cell types, and cannot be easily predicted from simple rules. This overview discusses the stereochemistry of monosaccharides and glycans and provides diagrammatic representations of monosaccharides (Fisher projections and Haworth representations) and formulas for representation of glycan chains. A glossary of terms used in glycobiology is also provided. Curr. Protoc. Protein Sci. 57:12.1.1-12.1.10. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: glycan; carbohydrate; glycosylation; glycobiology; sugar; oligosaccharide
The Triscapular Block: A New Application of Therapy of Periscapular Pain and Glenohumeral Restriction

After a series of 1-10 triscapular nerve blocks, significant subjective pain relief lasting longer than 1 month was verified by chart review in 30 of 50 patients with chronic pain who had periscapular myofascial pain syndromes. The triscapular block is the combination of suprascapular and infrascapular nerve blocks with subscapular infiltration of local anesthetic. The triscapular block provides shoulder capsule analgesia and offers relief of arm and chest wall pain. When impaired, glenohumeral range of motion is often improved, especially when the block is combined with physical therapy.
Design Experiments in Civics

Often when we talk about or do critical and speculative design the work is future oriented, looking towards technologies or conditions that are yet to come. While such work is important and compelling, there is also an opportunity to turn the critical and speculative impulse towards our contemporary moment, to consider how design might participate in alternate forms of living now or in the near present. I call this kind of work "design experiments in civics" because it uses design processes and products as a mode of inquiry into how we might differently structure our collective lives. What's more, given the pressing issues we are facing in 2019 there is an urgency to design that looks to address how we might live in the turbulent times. One move to make is to shift from thinking that design might solve the issues of climate-change or democracy or capitalism, and instead look to design as a way to contribute to different configurations of resources and action, through creativity and resourcefulness. In this talk I will share examples from my own work as well as the work of other artists and designers doing these "design experiments in civics." From these projects, I will draw out a set of themes for critical practices aimed at exploring and ¬enabling alternate forms of living and speculating on more diverse forms of togetherness in the contemporary moment and near-present. In particular, for the TEI audience I will address the ways in which explorations of materialities and interactions can express and support alternative collective practices and consider what the unique contributions of this research community might be to broad field of "design experiments in civics."
Open Web annotation as collaborative learning

This paper describes the use of open Web annotation (OWA) for collaborative learning among online communities. OWA is defined by the open standards, principles, and practices associated with the open Web. Specifically, this case study examines collaborative learning mediated by the OWA technology Hypothesis, a standards-compliant and open-source technology that situates collaboration in texts-as-contexts. Hypothesis OWA supports a repertoire of six collaborative learning practices: Affording multimodal expression, establishing connections across contexts, archiving activity, visualizing expertise and cognition, contributing to open educational resources, and fostering open educational practices. The use of Hypothesis OWA is then described in three online communities associated with scientific research and communication, educator professional development, and Web literacy and fact-checking. The article concludes by advancing three broad questions and related research agendas regarding how OWA as collaborative learning attends to linkages among formal and informal learning environments, the growth of both open educational resources and practices, and the use of open data as learning analytics.
In deep: the boom and bust of the coal mining industry through the eyes of Black Appalachians

ABSTRACTThis review discusses Gone Home by Karida Brown as a project about the boom and bust of the coal mining through the eyes of Black Appalachians. Attention is paid to how the boundary-making ...
Ultrasound guided paraspinal intrafascial plane blocks for postoperative analgesic on spine surgery

We had the pleasure of reading the article by Williams et al . (1), entitled “Are dorsal ramus nerve blocks the solution to postoperative lumbar spine surgery pain?” Your outcomes drew our attention as we believe we have some opposing evidence that there is in fact a benefit.
Aortic Valve Interventions: Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty/Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

This chapter explains steps of aortic valvuloplasty and transcatheter aortic valve replacement.
‘Take a back seat’: White music teachers engaging Hip-Hop in the classroom

With the purpose of exploring how engaging with Hip-Hop might contribute toward decentering Whiteness in US music education, this research aims to understand the perceptions of three White music ed...
Development of a Surgical Video Atlas for Resident Education: 3-Year Experience.

ObjectiveTo create a high-quality annotated online surgical video atlas of key indicator otolaryngology cases and assess its use and overall journal trends over time.MethodsVideos are recorded from...
A Potts Model parameter study of particle size, Monte Carlo temperature, and “Particle-Assisted Abnormal Grain Growth”

Abstract Grain growth kinetics are known to deviate from the classical n = 2 behavior when particles in the microstructure impede grain boundary motion, and eventually halt as the driving force of grain boundary curvature approaches the pinning force exerted by the particles. Potts Model simulations were evaluated with respect to the non-physical Monte Carlo simulation temperature and theoretical predictions of grain growth behavior in the presence of second-phase particles. These simulations demonstrate that by modifying the simulation temperature, the pinned grain size will follow a selected inverse-linear relationship with respect to particle volume fraction. From these results, we suggest an approach for selecting Potts Model simulation temperature. Additionally, parameterizations of particle size, volume fraction, and simulation temperature in which the previously observed simulation phenomenon “Particle-Assisted Abnormal Grain Growth” (PA-AGG) occurred were recorded and discussed. The majority of this grain growth behavior occurred for simulation temperatures TS ≥ 1.5, particle diameters of less than six cells, and particle volume fractions smaller than 10%. However, PA-AGG was also observed in simulation for particle diameters of up to ten cells, particle volume fractions of twenty percent, and simulation temperatures as small as TS = 0.5. An analysis of the simulated grain size distributions showed that the occurrence of PA-AGG was not dependent on the abnormal grain reaching a critical relative grain size. The simulation domain size does not appear to have an influence on this effect.
Scalable Distributed Non-Convex ADMM-based Active Distribution System Service Restoration.

Distributed restoration can harness distributed energy resources (DER) to enhance the resilience of active distribution networks. However, the large number of decision variables, especially the binary decision variables of reconfiguration, bring challenges on developing effective distributed distribution service restoration (DDSR) strategies. This paper proposes a scalable distributed optimization method based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) for non-convex mixed-integer optimization problems and applies to develop the DDSR framework. The non-convex ADMM method consists of relax-drive-polish phases, 1) relaxing binary variables and applying the convex ADMM as a warm start; 2) driving the solutions toward Boolean values through a proximal operator; 3) fixing the obtained binary variables to polish continuous variables for a high-quality solution. Then, an autonomous clustering strategy together with consensus ADMM is developed to realize the distributed cluster-based framework of restoration. The nonconvex ADMM-based DDSR can determine DER scheduling and switch status for reconfiguration and load pickup in a distributed manner, energizing the out-of-service area from local faults or total blackouts in large-scale distribution networks. The effectiveness and scalability of the proposed DDSR framework are demonstrated through testing on the IEEE 123-node and IEEE 8500-node test feeders.
A Cell-Based Assay Optimized for High-Content Cilia Imaging with Primary Rat Hippocampal Neurons.

Summary Genetic manipulations of dissociated rodent neurons provide translatable in vitro models for disease-driven phenotypes. Cilia are cellular antenna with a role in neuronal maturation and function often perturbed in neurodevelopmental disorders. Efforts for automated imaging of these microscopic protrusions are crucial given the role of cilia in the brain. We developed a cell-based assay to monitor cilia in rat hippocampal neurons using lentiviral-mediated shRNA-based gene silencing. This optimized platform can be used for high-throughput cilia imaging, disease modeling, and drug screening. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Di Nardo et al. (2020) .
Anatomy of the Intermetatarsal Facets of the Fourth and Fifth Metatarsals

Background:The intermetatarsal joint between the fourth and fifth metatarsals (4-5 IM) is important in defining fifth metatarsal fractures. The purpose of the current study was to quantify this joi...
Obstruction of Justice: Unwarranted Expansion of 18 U.S.C. 1512(c)(1)

Prosecutors are misusing and courts are misinterpreting the obstruction of justice provision of Sarbanes-Oxley, 18 U.S.C. 1512(c)(1). As a result, the law is applied far more broadly than Congress intended when enacting it.
Punctuated equilibrium theory and enhancement of local government investment pool innovation

This article draws on the punctuated equilibrium theory for a theoretical backdrop to examine the causes of incremental and revolutionary changes in LGIP innovations using secondary sources of information. The study finds that the adoption of LGIP innovations that are state-sponsored, local government-sponsored, and risk-averse occurred during focusing events. The second major finding is that incremental changes occurred across states over a period of time to make the LGIPs more effective and comply with unique state investment policy preferences. The study contributes to understanding how governments adapt innovations to their unique environments to reflect their preferences and how they respond to focusing events through enhancements of innovations.
Networks of international public relations production: The case of Latin American organizations’ connections to U.S. agents

Abstract Traditionally, international public relations studies have assumed that a foreign organization, namely a foreign government, is the primary influence on how its home country is portrayed to audiences abroad. This study challenges such assumption of independence by revealing how foreign organizations are connected in ways previous works have not considered. Using Foreign Agents Registration Act data, we reveal the direct and indirect connections that form when foreign organizations hire U.S. agencies to produce their international public relations work. Our network analysis of foreign organizations from Latin American and their U.S. agents documents the network structures that emerge for each country and identifies the types of organizations that are positioned advantageously in the networks. We use these findings to theorize how foreign organizations’ connections and their key positions in networks may influence the production of international public relations efforts for their home country. We at a macro-level, public relations effects depend on the structure of the networks, the overlapping sites where communication content is produced, and who is positioned as key players in the production networks.
Model Quality for the Windsurfer Scheme of Adaptive Control

The Windsurfer Approach to adaptive control combines Internal Model Control (IMC) design parametrized by the desired closed-loop bandwidth with event-driven system identification using Hansen’s scheme on closed-loop data. Our aim in this work is to investigate the nature of model quality applicable to the windsurfer approach. We do this by expanding on recent activities dealing with the complete class of all models suited to model reference control design. In particular, we interpret the conditions for simultaneous stabilization of the plant and the model by an IMC controller. This extends the model reference results to a different domain in which the controller is characterized algebraically by the model but also inherently includes a specification of design performance objective.
Workplace discrimination and the record of disability

This article documents the employment discrimination experienced by Americans with a record of disability but no current disability, utilizing the Integrated Mission System of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Decisions by the EEOC in favor of charging parties with historical disabilities disproportionately exceeded those in favor of charging parties with current disabilities. This finding suggests that discrimination against persons who have only a record of disability persists in the workplace, and that this additional aspect of the definition of the term "disability" is viable.
New Foundations of Objective Probability: Axioms for Propensities

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses new foundations of objective probability—axioms for propensities. There is some discussion about the radioactive decay of a substance like radium. It seems that the probabilistic aspects of this decay are as much a part of the objective world as is the mass of the particular sample of radium used in an experiment. Subjective or objective language can be used to describe equally the mass or decay. The corresponding basic concepts and axioms for an objective theory of probability, based upon the concept of propensity or disposition. The chapter discusses axioms that are formally adequate for one particular case and show how the appropriate formulation of the sufficient structural axioms corresponds in a wide range of cases to elementary qualitative formulations of important physical or empirical laws. The concepts of independence and randomness and appropriate qualitative axioms are considered in detail.
Studies on Ubiquinone DEMONSTRATION OF THE TOTAL BIOSYNTHESIS OF UBIQUINONE-9 IN RAT LIVER MITOCHONDRIA

Abstract The total biosynthesis of ubiquinone-9 from p-hydroxy[U-14C]benzoate has been demonstrated in mitochondria isolated from rat liver slices preincubated with mevalonic acid. Two partial reactions were also demonstrated. These were the conversion of p-hydroxybenzoate to 5-demethoxyubiquinone-9 and sequentially, the conversion of 5-demethoxyubiquinone-9 to ubiquinone-9. Furthermore, these reactions were found to be catalyzed by the inner membrane of the mitochondrion. It appeared that the only external requirements for this mitochondrial system are ATP, p-hydroxybenzoate, and a source of isopentenyl pyrophosphate. Conversion of 5-demethoxyubiquinone-9 to ubiquinone-9, which involves one hydroxylation and one methylation, is dependent upon molecular oxygen, S-adenosylmethionine, and reducing equivalents as indicated by a preference for succinate over malate. The over-all reaction is inhibited by CO but not by KCN. External ATP was essential for the conversion of p-hydroxybenzoate to 5-demethoxyubiquinone-9, but not for the conversion of 5-demethoxyubiquinone-9 to ubiquinone-9. These data suggest that the inner membrane of liver mitochondria is capable of the hydroxylation and methylation of aromatic precursors of ubiquinone.
Averting Water Disputes

Economists recognize the scarcity of valuable resources. Without prices on these resources, there is not enough to satisfy all who want to use them. In most settings, however, market prices allocate resources and allow them to move to those users who value them the most. This market process allocates resources to their most productive uses and maximizes society's wealth. In the case of the ACF River Basin water, however, market prices do not currently allocate water; it is allocated politically. Economists also recognize that resources have multiple uses. Water, for example, may be used to generate electricity; aid oyster production; provide wildlife habitat; produce industrial products; provide channel depth for barges; provide recreational opportunities for boaters, skiers, and fishers; or supply households with water for drinking, watering lawns, or filling swimming pools. In the ACF Basin, some water is used in each of these ways. Whether allocation occurs through market prices or other methods, it is rarely all-or-nothing. In the Southeast (and the United States generally), there is ample water to supply basic human needs, such as drinking water. Where conflicts occur, as in the ACF Basin, it is over shifting some water, not all water, from one use to another. Simply put, the ACF Basin issue is whether more water should be allocated to Atlanta, presenting Alabama and Florida with the prospect of less water but not complete deprivation. Although compacts have some advantages over congressional or judicial apportionment, they are poorly suited to allocate water in ways that maximize water's productive value to society. Compacts are highly political and confront intractable information problems, and such was the case with the negotiations over the ACF Basin's waters. Keywords: interstate disputes; competing users; allocate water; riparian water rights; stable lake levels; Army Corps of Engineers; oyster beds; flood control; barge traffic; interstate water disputes; navigation; hydroelectric production; minimum flow requirements; minimum flows; allocation of water; downstream users; water markets; transfers; water trades; market-based allocation; recreational users
A Novel Approach for Extraction of Fuzzy Rules Using the Neuro-fuzzy Network and Its Application in the Blending Process of Raw Slurry

A novel approach is proposed to extract fuzzy rules from the inputoutput data using the neuro-fuzzy network combined the improved c-means clustering algorithm. Interpretability, which is one of the most important features of fuzzy system, is obtained using this approach. The fuzzy sets number of variables can also be determined appropriately using this approach. Finally, the proposed approach is applied to the blending process of raw slurry in the alumina sintering production process. The fuzzy system, which is used to determine the set values of the flow rate of materials, is extracted from the error of production index ---adjustment of the flow rate. Application results show that the fuzzy system not only improved the quality of raw slurry but also have good interpretability.
COMPARISON OF 21/2D AND 3D SIMULATIONS OF PROPAGATING INTERPLANETARY SHOCKS

ABSTRACT We present results from a parametric study of interplanetary shocks made using a 3D, time- dependent MHD numerical simulation code. The results are compared to those obtained from a 2 1/2D code and also to spacecraft data. The simulations model the propagation within 1 AU of interplanetary shocks that are produced by relatively short-duration and modest-width inputs at 18 R ˙ . The 3D results are qualitatively the same as those of the 2 1/2D study but quantitatively different. When simulations are compared to Prognoz spacecraft data it is seen that both cover the same range of parameters.
The effect of ethanol on hepatic sodium plus potassium activated adenosine triphosphatase activity in the rat

Abstract We studied the acute and chronic effects of ethanol on hepatic Na + , K + -ATPase activity. Graded doses of ethanol given 1 h before death acutely increased Na + , K + -ATPase activity in a dose-related manner to a maximum of 138% of control with a simultaneous serum ethanol of 35.4 mM (163 mg%). Rats chronically fed 10% ethanol as their only fluid for 5 days had normal Na + , K + -ATPase activity, however, when ethanol was withdrawn 14 h before death Na + , K + -ATPase activity fell to 60% of control. The in vitro addition of ethanol to membrane preparations from untreated rats caused an increase in Na + , K + -ATPase activity with ethanol concentrations + , K + -ATPase activity did not respond to in vitro ethanol while the decreased activity noted after ethanol withdrawal was reversed by in vitro ethanol. These results suggest hepatocytes respond to the acute effects of ethanol by membrane adaptation which restores Na + , K + -ATPase activity to normal in the presence of ethanol. This adaptive response is probably due to changes in membrane lipids modulating membrane fluidity.
Some Perspectives on Societal Impacts of Past Climatic Changes

We examine a range of paleoclimatic evidence covering approximately the last 2000years (the Common Era) to provide plausible environmental scenarios as potential drivers and stressors associated with major societal disruption in different parts of the world. The period studied covers both historical, for which there is documentary evidence of impacts, and prehistorical events, for which impacts are inferred from the archeological record. Drought appears to be the most common high-impact stressor in the historical and prehistorical records. Clearly, the adequacy of water supplies for growing food and for an array of other uses is a thread that weaves its way across time and societies. We also briefly outline some of the key physical mechanisms leading to climatic changes of a magnitude that could have led to societal disruptions. These include solar variability and large explosive volcanic eruptions, both of which affect the amount of radiant energy available to the Earth’s climate system, as well as the natural internal variability of the climate system. We emphasize that climatic changes alone are unlikely to be the sole determinant cause of a given society’s response – whether abandonment of settlements or bellicose action against its own members or neighbors. Often, the natural hazard is simply a catalyst for actions whose groundwork had been set in motion for some time prior. In many cases, appropriate mitigation to reduce vulnerability and efforts to enhance a society’s adaptive capacity might have been enough to prevent the most extreme consequences of the nature’s extremes. In that vein, we point to current conditions in the western United States, where a complex mix of past and current actions together with a rapidly changing climate are causing a plethora of problems whose solution will demand creative collaborative actions at all levels of society.
Minimal Risk in Research Involving Pregnant Women and Fetuses

The concept of minimal risk plays a key role in federal regulations on the protection of human research subjects. Although there has been considerable discussion of the meaning of minimal risk, the question of how this concept should be interpreted in research involving pregnant women and fetuses has not been addressed. This essay reviews the literature on minimal risk and argues for an interpretation of that concept in the context of research involving pregnant women and fetuses.
Mr. Sherlock Holmes: Teaching Exemplar Extraordinary

Holmes was sunk in profound thought, and hardly opened his eyes until we had passed Clapham Junction. "It's a very cheering thing to come into London by way of these lines which run high and allow you to look down upon the houses like this." I thought that he was joking, for the view was sordid enough, but he soon explained himself. "Look at those big, isolated clumps of buildings rising up above the slates, like brick islands in a lead-coloured sea." "The Board Schools." "Lighthouses, my boy! Beacons of the future! Capsules, with hundreds of bright little seeds in each, out of which will spring the wiser, better England of the future ... .1'
Impedance matching network for high frequency ultrasonic transducer for cellular applications

An approach for the design of an impedance matching network (IMN) for high frequency ultrasonic transducers with large apertures based on impedance analysis for cellular applications is presented in this paper. The main objectives were to maximize energy transmission from the excitation source to the ultrasonic transducers for cell manipulation and to achieve low input parameters for the safe operation of an ultrasonic transducer because the piezoelectric material in high frequency ultrasonic transducers is prone to breakage due to its being extremely thin. Two ultrasonic transducers, which were made of lithium niobate single crystal with the thickness of 15 μm, having apertures of 4.3 mm (fnumber=1.23) and 2.6mm (fnumber=0.75) were tested. L-type IMN was selected for high sensitivity and compact design of the ultrasonic transducers. The target center frequency was chosen as the frequency where the electrical admittance (|Y|) and phase angle (θz) from impedance analysis was maximal and zero, respectively. The reference center frequency and reference echo magnitude were selected as the center frequency and echo magnitude, measured by pulse-echo testing, of the ultrasonic transducer without IMN. Initial component values and topology of IMN were determined using the Smith chart, and pulse-echo testing was analyzed to verify the performance of the ultrasonic transducers with and without IMN. After several iterations between changing component values and topology of IMN, and pulse-echo measurement of the ultrasonic transducer with IMN, optimized component values and topology of IMN were chosen when the measured center frequency from pulse-echo testing was comparable to the target frequency, and the measured echo magnitude was at least 30% larger than the reference echo magnitude. Performance of an ultrasonic transducer with and without IMN was tested by observing a tangible dent on the surface of a plastic petridish and single cell response after an acoustic pulse was applied on a target cell.
Extracellular processing of phospholipids is required for permeability barrier homeostasis

Three key lipid types, cholesterol, ceramides (CER), and free fatty acids (FA), form the stratum corneum (SC) lamellar bilayers that mediate barrier function. Prior studies have shown that barrier requirements regulate CER generation from glucosylCER, and that this catabolic step takes place within the SC interstices. Here, we addressed whether extracellular processing of phospholipids (PL), the FA precursor delivered to the SC interstices with glucosylCER and cholesterol during exocytosis of lamellar body contents, is also required for barrier homeostasis. We applied two chemically unrelated inhibitors of phospholipase A2 (PLA2-I), BPB (irreversible) and MJ33 (reversible), topically to hairless mice after barrier perturbation with acetone. Both inhibitors delayed barrier recovery at non-cytotoxic doses, while MJ45, an analogue known to inhibit PLA2-II but not PLA2-I, had no effect. Moreover, the delays in barrier recovery induced by BPB and MJ33 could be overridden by co-applications of palmitic acid, but not linoleic acid or lysolecithin. Furthermore, inhibitor-treatment resulted in accumulation of PL and depletion of FA in the SC by 4 h, as well as the persistence of "immature" lamellar body-derived membrane structures in the SC interstices. Finally, these changes in membrane structure were reversed when inhibitor-treated SC was incubated in vitro with palmitic acid. These studies show that: 1) inhibition of PLA2 results in abnormalities in lipid composition and SC structure that alter barrier homeostasis; and 2) the functional defect can be attributed to a deficiency of nonessential FA within the SC. Thus, extracellular processing of PL into FA is required for normal barrier function.
Rates and predictors of readmission after minor lower extremity amputations

Objective One goal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is to reduce hospital readmissions, with financial penalties applied for excessive rates of unplanned readmissions within 30 days among Medicare beneficiaries. Recent data indicate that as many as 24% of Medicare patients require readmission after vascular surgery, although the rate of readmission after limited digital amputations has not been specifically examined. The present study was therefore undertaken to define the rate of unplanned readmission among patients after digital amputations and to identify the factors associated with these readmissions to allow the clinician to implement strategies to reduce readmission rates in the future. Methods The electronic medical and billing records of all patients undergoing minor amputations (defined as toe or transmetatarsal amputations using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes) from January 2000 through July 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Data were collected for procedure- and hospital-related variables, level of amputation, length of stay, time to readmission, and level of reamputation. Patient demographics included hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, smoking history, and history of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cerebrovascular accident. Results Minor amputations were performed in 717 patients (62.2% male), including toe amputations in 565 (72.8%) and transmetatarsal amputations in 152 (19.5%). Readmission occurred in 100 patients (13.9%), including 28 (3.9%) within 30 days, 28 (3.9%) between 30 and 60 days, and 44 (6.1%) >60 days after the index amputation. Multivariable analysis revealed that elective admission ( P P P = .001) were associated with readmission. The reasons for readmission were infection (49%), ischemia (29%), nonhealing wound (19%), and indeterminate (4%). Reamputation occurred in 95 (95%) of the readmitted patients, including limb amputation in 64 (64%) of the patients (below knee in 58, through knee in 2, and above knee in 4). Conclusions Readmission after minor amputation was associated with limb amputation in the majority of cases. This study identified a number of nonmodifiable patient factors that are associated with an increased risk of readmission. Whereas efforts to reduce unplanned hospital readmissions are laudable, payers and regulators should consider these observations in defining unacceptable rates of readmission. Further, although beyond the scope of this study, it is not unreasonable to assume that pressure to reduce readmission rates in the population of patients with extensive comorbidity may induce practitioners to undertake amputation at a higher level initially to minimize the risk of readmission for reamputation and associated financial penalties and thus deprive the patient the chance for limb salvage.
Toward Understanding Persuasion Expressions: The Activation of Attitudes

In response to sales representatives’ closing expressions, consumers’ stored attitudes are activated spontaneously from memory and influence product evaluations. Studies 1a and 1b examined the levels of favorability associated with several persuasive expressions. Study 2 then examined whether a sales representative's use of a more (Authority) or a less (Scarcity) favorable persuasive expression would affect consumers’ subsequent product and advertisement evaluations. The expressions were found to work differently depending upon two moderator variables: Need for Cognition and argument quality. The effect of Scarcity heightened subsequent product evaluation as Need for Cognition decreased, whereas the effect of Authority heightened subsequent product evaluation as Need for Cognition increased. The Scarcity statement did not affect product evaluations given strong or weak message claims in the advertisement, whereas the Authority statement produced more favorable product evaluations given strong versus weak messages claims. Cognitive response analyses and mediation patterns also indicated that the two persuasive expressions were distinct based upon individuals’ Need for Cognition. Implications for both sales representatives and consumers are drawn from these findings.
Preterm Birth Among American Indian/Alaskan Natives in Washington and Montana: Comparison with Non-Hispanic Whites

Preterm birth is the single most important cause of perinatal mortality in North America. Given that American Indians/Alaskan Natives (AI/ANs) in the United States continue to have adverse birth outcomes, the purpose of this study is to compare the risk of preterm birth among AI/AN mothers to Non-Hispanic White mothers living in Washington and Montana from 2003 to 2009. A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted examining the association between AI/AN mothers (self-reported) and the risk of preterm birth (gestational age <37 weeks) using birth certificate data from Washington and Montana. All AI/AN singleton lives births (n = 26,648) from residents of Washington and Montana from 2003 to 2009 were identified and included in our study. An identical number of Non-Hispanic White singleton infants (n = 26,648) born to residents of Washington and Montana were randomly selected as a comparison group and logistic regression was used to analyze the data. AI/AN mothers living in Washington and Montana between 2003 and 2009 were 1.34 times (95 % CI 1.25-1.44) as likely to have a preterm birth compared to Non-Hispanic Whites after adjusting for maternal and paternal characteristics as well as pregnancy risk factors. AI/AN mothers residing in Washington and Montana from 2003 to 2009 were at a significantly increased risk of having a preterm birth compared to Non-Hispanic Whites. Identifying etiologic differences in preterm birth experienced by AI/ANs is essential in targeting future interventions.
A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF HOMICIDE RATES IN THE UNITED STATES

Variations in regional homicide rates are examined in order to determine whether or not these areas are homogeneous An analysis of varbnce repeatedly isolates southern regions as having pronounced homicide rates. Intraregional varintions are noted. They indicate a need for a revision of Gastil's “Index of Southernness.” Finally, varktions are interpreted within a subcultural context.
Theoretical investigation of a novel location sensor

We report a theoretical investigation of a novel location technique implemented using millimeter waves. The new technique is based on multiple correlated receivers, fast digital signal processing and electronically tuned transmitters (tags). The correlated receivers synthetically generate multi-beam with an aperture much larger than the actual aperture, resulting in beam-width much narrower than that produced by conventional arrays with the same number of elements, and hence very fine angle resolution. Altogether, these allow multiple tags to be simultaneously and accurately detected and located in real time. The entire area can be searched rapidly from a fixed position where the sensor is mounted without physically moving the antenna or using external beam control devices such as phase shifters as in conventional phased arrays, largely eliminating errors due to these components and ultimately help improving the system performance.
Antibiotics in the Management of PROM and Preterm Labor

A significant fraction of preterm birth results from subclinical intrauterine infection. It is presumed that ascending bacterial colonization of the decidua results and either uterine contractions or membrane weakening that results in the clinical presentation of preterm labor or PROM. Those with overt infection require delivery. However, it is plausible that adjunctive antibiotic treatment during therapy for preterm labor and PROM remote from term could result in pregnancy prolongation and reductions in gestational age-dependent and infectious newborn morbidities. Data support adjunctive antibiotic treatment during conservative management of PROM remote from term. Such treatment should include broad-spectrum agents, typically intravenous therapy initially, and continue for up to 7 days if undelivered. Such treatment should be reserved for women presenting remote from term where significant improvement in neonatal outcomes can be anticipated with conservative management. Alternatively, current evidence suggests that antibiotic treatment in the setting of preterm labor with intact membranes does not consistently prolong pregnancy or improve newborn outcomes. Given this, and the concerning findings from the ORACLE II trial of antibiotics for preterm labor, this treatment should not be offered in the setting of preterm labor with intact membranes. Although one could speculate that women with preterm labor and with either a short cervical length for a positive fetal fibronectin screen might benefit from antibiotic therapy, no well-designed, randomized, controlled trials addressing this issue have been completed. Therefore, antibiotic therapy for women in preterm labor should be reserved for usual clinical indications, including suspected bacterial infections, GBS prophylaxis, and chorioamnionitis.
Fetal Schizencephaly: Pre- and Postnatal Imaging with a Review of the Clinical Manifestations

Schizencephaly is a rare malformation of the central nervous system. Prenatal ultrasound (US) allows diagnosis of schizencephaly, although prenatal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is even more specific in detection of gray matter lining the defect, communication with the ventricle, and other associated structural abnormalities. Six cases of schizencephaly were evaluated at one institution; prenatal US was performed in all cases, and fetal MR imaging was performed in three cases. As with many malformations, more severe cases of schizencephaly often manifest in utero. All of the cases studied were of the open-lip variety; three cases were bilateral, and three were unilateral. The cleft was not appreciated at initial US in only one case, which consisted of a small unilateral defect, with the diagnosis made at subsequent MR imaging. A survey of the clinical literature on schizencephaly shows that the severity of the motor and mental impairments is directly related to the extent of the anatomic defect. The differential diagnosis for a cerebrospinal fluid-containing abnormality of the fetal brain includes both developmental and destructive lesions. Prenatal detection of schizencephaly can assist in management of the pregnancy.
Monetary Surveys and Monetary Analysis

I. Introduction, 98. — II. The theoretical background of monetary surveys, 99. — III. Money supply analysis and monetary financing in the open economy, 102. — IV. Inflationary and deflationary impulses and reactions, 105. — V. The problem of sectoring, 108. — VI. A simple model of monetary survey, 109. — VII. Reserve money analysis: the model, 111. — VIII. Reserve money analysis: interpretation of the accounts, 113.
Neurochemical changes in the RVM associated with peripheral inflammatory pain stimuli.

Abstract A greater knowledge of the neurochemical changes occurring during pain states will undoubtedly aid in the discovery of effective pain pharmacotherapies. This study highlights the acute effects of inflammatory agents on neurochemical changes in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), a supraspinal site involved in the processing of painful stimuli. Consistent with previous reports, a peripheral injection of 0.1 mg prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) into the intraplantar area of the rat paw produced thermal hypersensitivity that peaked 10 min after administration. In vivo microdialysis studies in the same animals revealed that this behavioral response correlated with a greater than 2-fold increase (230%) in extracellular serotonin (5-HT) levels in the RVM. In contrast, levels of other neurotransmitters measured, including norepinephrine and dopamine, were not altered in animals receiving this inflammatory agent. Similar to PGE 2 , an intraplantar injection of capsaicin (0.1 mg) produced a robust thermal hypersensitivity that was paralleled by a 3-fold increase in levels of 5-HT in the RVM. The next series of experiments showed that acute administration of the opioid analgesic, morphine (5.6 mg/kg; IP), attenuated PGE 2 -induced thermal hypersensitivity and reversed the increase in extracellular 5-HT observed in the RVM. Taken together, these findings extend previous reports of central neurochemical changes during inflammatory pain conditions and show that the combination of behavioral endpoints with microdialysis can yield important insights into the neurochemical environment of the pain circuitry.
Residential Solar Space‐Heating Potential Across the United States and Southern Canada

Regions having high solar radiation are often considered to have to greatest potential for the use of solar energy in the space heating of buildings. Areas with severe cold climates and high energy demands are usually overlooked, because of the natural assumption that solar energy cannot be effective there, on its own. Yet, such a simple view may reduce the incentive for implementing solar energy technology in regions where its contribution can be very significant. In this essay I provide a climatological evaluation of the potential for residential solar space heating across the contiguous United States and southern Canada. For analysis, long-term mean climatological data will be used and certain house and solar collection system characteristics will be assumed and held constant for all locations. Note, however, that the performance of an individual solar system at a specific site requires a detailed simulation model (for example, see Klein et al., 1976) and comprehensive analysis of the solar climate (Hay, 1977). The simplified procedure in this study is intended to serve a broad energy planning purpose, by providing an assessment of the geographical regions where residential solar heating should be most encouraged.
Studies of the distribution of vitamin A as ester and alcohol and of carotenoids in plasma proteins of several species.

Abstract The distribution of vitamin A ester, alcohol, and lutein was studied in fractions of chicken plasma proteins obtained by ammonium sulfate fractionation or dialysis, 6–8 hr. after oral administration of vitamin A and lutein in an oily medium. The losses of vitamin A and carotenoids during fractionation were considerable in some cases, losses of vitamin A being as large as 50% at times. Although this made the interpretation of the distribution between precipitate and supernatant difficult, the following conclusions seem to be possible. Vitamin A ester was found to be associated with the least soluble, and vitamin A alcohol and lutein with the more soluble protein fractions. No mono- or diesters of lutein could be demonstrated in the plasma. In beef plasma, β-carotene and lutein and vitamin A alcohol were found in the more soluble protein fractions. In pig plasma, vitamin A alcohol was likewise associated with the more soluble protein. The hypothesis is put forward that specific plasma or lymph proteins may be responsible for the specificity of absorption of carotenoids and vitamin A.