cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical and magnetic properties of transition metal ion implanted silica

Abstract The optical and magnetic properties of the surface and near surface regions of high purity silica were modified by the implantation of transition metal ions (Cr+, Mn+, and Fe+) at 160 keV and 4 μA/cm2 to doses ranging from 0.5 × 1016 to 6 × 1016 ions/cm2. The implanted ion distribution, measured by backscattering techniques, was gaussian in shape with a peak 0.12 μm from the surface and with a full width at half maximum of 0.14 μm. Optical absorption bands due to radiation damage at 5.0 eV and 5.8 eV superimposed on the low energy tail of an absorption band were resolved. The refractive index of the ion modified region, measured by ellipsometric techniques, increased with increasing implantation dose. For a dose of 6 × 1016 ions/cm2, the refractive index increased with increasing atomic mass of the implanted ion. The temperature and orientation dependence of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of the implanted samples show vastly different magnetic characteristics as a function of transition metal ion species. The EPR spectra, at room temperature, for the 6 × 1016 ions/cm2 samples show the signal from the implanted Fe to be approximately 40 times greater than the Mn signal and a signal from implanted Cr was not observed. The EPR spectra indicate that the ion modified surface region contains a mixture of magnetic phases. The data reviewed demonstrates that the materials produced by implantation of transition metal ions into amorphous silica are new materials. The properties of the ion modified regions are not predictable from existing data or theories.
The mGlu2/3 receptor agonist LY354740 suppresses immobilization stress-induced increase in rat prefrontal cortical BDNF mRNA expression

Both a 5-hydroxytryptamine2A (5-HT2A) agonist and immobilization stress previously have been shown to differentially alter brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression in the neocortex and hippocampus. Both 5-HT2A receptor activation and immobilization stress also increase glutamate release in the rat prefrontal cortex. Given that the metabotropic glutamate2/3 receptor (mGluR2/3) agonist (1S,2S,5R,6S)-2-aminobicyclo[3.1.0] hexane-2,6-dicarboxylate monohydrate (LY354740) suppressed electrophysiological, behavioral and biochemical effects of 5-HT2A receptor activation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), we assessed the efficacy of the mGluR2/3 agonist in suppressing the stress-induced increase in BDNF mRNA expression. LY35740 (10 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuated the immobilization stress-induced increase in BDNF mRNA expression in the rat mPFC. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that mGlu2/3 agonists may be an efficacious treatment for stress-induced neuropsychiatric syndromes.
S. typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 retention and transport in agricultural soil during irrigation practices

During animal waste agricultural applications, the major concern is pathogen spreading, which may contaminate surface water and groundwater. Among the pathogenic microorganisms found in animal waste, Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 are of particular concern. When transported in sub-surface agricultural soil, S. typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 are captured at the air–water–sediment interfaces through physical interactions. Because in situ colloids contribute to the formation of air–water–sediment, their mobilization affects the transport of S. typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7. The impact of irrigation rates on in situ colloid mobilization and S. typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 transport was investigated in intact soil columns collected from an agricultural site in Gadsden County of Florida, USA. The columns were irrigated with sterilized nano-pure deionized water to mobilize the colloids in the soil by stepwise increases in flow rate. For each flow rate, after colloids were mobilized and steady state was reached, S. typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 were introduced. The cumulative amount of released in situ colloids increased linearly with the irrigation rates (R2 = 0.986–0.996) and transport of the bacteria was enhanced after colloid mobilization. Interactions of the bacteria with the sediments and the air-water interface were characterized: these played an important role in controlling S. typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 retention in soil.
The unitary spherical spectrum for split classical groups

This paper gives a complete description of the spherical unitary dual of split classical real and p-adic groups. The proof makes heavy use of the affine graded Hecke algebra.
Airborne and ground-based observations of a weekend effect in ozone, precursors, and oxidation products in the California South Coast Air Basin

[1] Airborne and ground-based measurements during the CalNex (California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change) field study in May/June 2010 show a weekend effect in ozone in the South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB) consistent with previous observations. The well-known and much-studied weekend ozone effect has been attributed to weekend reductions in nitrogen oxide (NOx = NO + NO2) emissions, which affect ozone levels via two processes: (1) reduced ozone loss by titration and (2) enhanced photochemical production of ozone due to an increased ratio of non-methane volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to NOx. In accord with previous assessments, the 2010 airborne and ground-based data show an average decrease in NOx of 46 ± 11% and 34 ± 4%, respectively, and an average increase in VOC/NOxratio of 48 ± 8% and 43 ± 22%, respectively, on weekends. This work extends current understanding of the weekend ozone effect in the SoCAB by identifying its major causes and quantifying their relative importance from the available CalNex data. Increased weekend production of a VOC-NOxoxidation product, peroxyacetyl nitrate, compared to a radical termination product, nitric acid, indicates a significant contribution from increased photochemical production on weekends. Weekday-to-weekend differences in the products of NOx oxidation show 45 ± 13% and 42 ± 12% more extensive photochemical processing and, when compared with odd oxygen (Ox = O3 + NO2), 51 ± 14% and 22 ± 17% greater ozone production efficiency on weekends in the airborne and ground-based data, respectively, indicating that both contribute to higher weekend ozone levels in the SoCAB.
Graduate orthodontic programs: who is admitted?

The selection of students for the various postdoctoral dental programs is a dilemma in dental education. It is an especially troubling concern in orthodontics, because the applicant pool is large. The purpose of this article is to stimulate discussion and debate about the present method of selecting orthodontic graduate students. Is the current method adequate? Are we selecting the best students for our orthodontic graduate programs? There seems to be a general trend in how orthodontic graduate students are selected, although this premise might not hold true for every dental school. Orthodontic graduate programs admit those with the highest dental class ranks or grades and national board scores. Many important elements affect the admissions process. The first of these is the criteria used to select orthodontic residents vis-a-vis the characteristics and qualities of the practicing orthodontist.
Nonlinear reinforcement schemes for learning automata

The development and evaluation of two novel nonlinear reinforcement schemes for learning automata are presented. These schemes are designed to increase the rate of adaptation of the existing L/sub R-P/ schemes while interacting with nonstationary environments. The first of these two schemes is called a nonlinear scheme incorporating history (NSIH) and the second a nonlinear scheme with unstable zones (NSWUZ). The prime objective of these algorithms is to reduce the number of iterations needed for the action probability vector to reach the desired level of accuracy rather than converge to a specific unit vector in the Cartesian coordinate. Simulation experiments have been conducted to assess the learning properties of NSIH and NSWUZ in nonstationary environments. The simulation results show that the proposed nonlinear algorithms respond to environmental changes faster than the L/sub R-P/ scheme. >
Microbial reduction and storage quality of fresh-cut cilantro washed with acidic electrolyzed water and aqueous ozone

Efficacy of decontamination treatments in reducing microbial populations on cilantro and in improving its storage quality was investigated. Fresh-cut cilantro samples were washed with one of the five treatments: tap water, acidic electrolyzed water (AEW), aqueous ozone, chlorinated water, and aqueous ozone followed by AEW (sequential wash). Treated cilantro was packaged in polyethylene bags prepared with films of selected oxygen transmission rate of 6200 mL/(d m 2 ) and stored at 0 � C for 14 days. The total aerobic bacterial population, total enterobacteriaceae, electrolyte leakage and sensory qualities were examined every 4 days. Test results indicated that the sequential wash is effective in initial microbial count reduction. This treatment also maintained low microbial growth during storage. However, the higher electrolyte leakage may indicate cilantro tissue damage in this treatment. Using AEW alone also resulted in moderate control of aerobic bacterial growth during storage. Ozone treatment, on the other hand, achieved the highest overall quality of cilantro during storage and also maintained the typical cilantro aroma.
Biomechanical comparison of five external wrist fixators

The relative stiffness of five different external wrist fixators currently in use for distal radius fractures was determined using a uniform fracture model consisting of wood dowels to isolate the effects of the fixators themselves. Each construct was loaded in axial compression, eccentric and cantilever modes of bending, and torsion. The stiffest of the fixators varied by a factor of three in compression, five in bending, and three in torsion. Although the ideal stiffness of a wrist fixator is unknown, there is a large variation in the stiffness of existing devices.
Changing Careers: Becoming Clean and Sober in a Therapeutic Community

Substance abuse remains a major threat to public health. Recovery is complex and variable, occurring with and without intervention. Therapeutic communities (TC) offer a unique long-term approach to recovery. The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of individuals in a TC. Grounded theory provides the methodological basis for the study. Interviews were conducted with 13 individuals in 3 settings. The findings indicate that recovery is analogous to changing careers and suggest a theory that explicates incremental stages in the redirection of the self to achieve a more productive lifestyle. Whereas TCs often purport to bring about character change, the findings of this study emphasize the importance of residual strengths of the previous self-strengths that must be valued to achieve success.
Estimating the Cost of Developing Customizations to Packaged Application Software Using Service Oriented Architecture

Service-oriented way of building customizations to packaged applications is an emerging alternative to the traditional way of modifying the package application directly to implement customizations. Estimating the effort at an early stage (before detailed design) in the services engagement is important to reduce the perceived risk of the new approach and to demonstrate the potential cost efficiencies. In this paper we present a method to estimate the effort and cost involved in developing customizations to packaged application software (such as SAP and Oracle ERP software) using service-oriented architecture/design (SOA) style. Taking only a description of business processes to be customized, we estimate the effort and costs of implementing those customizations. We use novel artifact-centric and linguistic analysis approaches to estimate the business object count which lies at the center of our cost estimation model. The model is currently being piloted at a large IT services organization involved in implementing packaged application software for clients. Initial experiments reveal that the cost and effort estimates are within 10% range of the benchmark estimates developed after requirements gathering and detailed design.
DNA Mismatch Repair Genes in Renal Cell Carcinoma

ABSTRACTPurpose: DNA mismatch repair is one of the correcting mechanisms that preserves genetic stability during replication or chemically induced damage. We hypothesized that genetic instability is due to a defect in mismatch repair genes in renal cell carcinoma. To test this hypothesis mismatch repair genes hMLH1, hMSH2, hMSH3, hMSH6, hPMS1 and hPMS2 were analyzed in renal cell carcinoma cell lines and tissues. We further investigated the mechanisms of inactivation of these genes through CpG methylation pathways.Materials and Methods: We analyzed 41 fresh normal and renal cell carcinoma samples for gene and protein expression of various mismatch repair genes (hMLH1, hMSH2, hMSH3, hMSH6, hPMS1 and hPMS2) using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry techniques. To investigate the mechanisms of inactivation of these genes cultured renal cancer cell lines (A498, Caki-1 and Caki-2) were treated with demethylating agent (5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine), and mismatch repair genes and ...
Functional group and fertilization affect the composition and bioenergy yields of prairie plants

Prairies used for bioenergy production have potential to generate marketable products while enhancing environmental quality, but little is known about how prairie species composition and nutrient management affect the suitability of prairie biomass for bioenergy production. We determined how functional-group identity and nitrogen fertilization affected feedstock characteristics and estimated bioenergy yields of prairie plants, and compared those prairie characteristics to that of corn stover. We tested our objectives with a field experiment that was set up as a 5 × 2 incomplete factorial design with C3 grasses, C4 grasses, legumes, and multi-functional-group mixtures grown with and without nitrogen fertilizer; a fertilized corn treatment was also included. We determined cell wall, hemicellulose, cellulose, and ash concentrations; ethanol conversion ratios; gross caloric ratios; aboveground biomass production; ethanol yields; and energy yields for all treatments. Prairie functional-group identity affected the biomass feedstock characteristics, whereas nitrogen fertilization did not. Functional group and fertilization had a strong effect on aboveground biomass production, which was the major predictor of ethanol and energy yields. C4 grasses, especially when fertilized, had among the most favorable bioenergy characteristics with high estimated ethanol conversion ratios and nongrain biomass production, relatively high gross caloric ratios, and low ash concentrations. The bioenergy characteristics of corn stover, from an annual C4 grass, were similar to those of the biomass of perennial C4 grasses. Both functional-group composition and nitrogen fertility management were found to be important in optimizing bioenergy production from prairies.
Serial echocardiographic-Doppler assessment of left ventricular geometry and function in rats with pressure-overload hypertrophy. Chronic angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition attenuates the transition to heart failure.

Background Although chronic pressure overload may progress to left ventricular (LV) failure, the pathophysiology of this transition is not well understood. In addition, the effects of chronic angio...
Thermodynamics of Antimicrobial Lipopeptide Binding to Membranes: Origins of Affinity and Selectivity

The development of novel antibiotic drugs is one of the most pressing biomedical problems due to the increasing number of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Antimicrobial peptides and lipopeptides are a promising category of candidates, but the molecular origins of their antimembrane activity is unclear. Here we explore a series of recently developed antimicrobial lipopeptides, using coarse-grained molecular-dynamics simulations and free energy methods to uncover the thermodynamics governing their binding to membranes. Specifically, we quantify C16-KGGK’s binding affinity to the two types of membrane by umbrella sampling. We also examined the origin of C16-KGGK’s selectivity for bacterial versus mammalian membranes by systematically varying the peptide sequence and salt concentration. Our data showed that the C16 hydrophobic tail is the main contributor to its affinity to lipid membrane, whereas the peptide portion is mainly responsible for its selectivity. Furthermore, the electrostatic interaction between the cationic peptide and anionic bacterial membrane plays a significant role in the selectivity.
Activism and Political Economy in the New–Old Egypt

Under President al-Sisi, Egypt has revealed itself to be less tolerant of dissent and more successful at cloaking itself in nationalist sentiment than under either the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces or Husni Mubarak. The massacre at Rabʿa al-ʿAdawiyya, the arrests, detention, and torture of youth and prominent activists, the proliferation of criminal and treason charges against journalists, nongovernmental organizations, and Muslim Brotherhood figures, the banning of various organizations, and the passage of restrictive laws on basic civil rights—these practices make clear that the regime has no commitment to democratization understood either as substantive participation or the safeguarding of basic civil liberties.
Preferential Scattering by Interfacial Charged Defects for Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance in Few-layered n-type Bi2Te3

Over the past two decades several nano-structuring methods have helped improve the figure of merit (ZT) in the state-of-the art bulk thermoelectric materials. While these methods could enhance the thermoelectric performance of p-type Bi2Te3, it was frustrating to researchers that they proved ineffective for n-type Bi2Te3 due to the inevitable deterioration of its thermoelectric properties in the basal plane. Here, we describe a novel chemical-exfoliation spark-plasma-sintering (CE-SPS) nano-structuring process, which transforms the microstructure of n-type Bi2Te3 in an extraordinary manner without compromising its basal plane properties. The CE-SPS processing leads to preferential scattering of electrons at charged grain boundaries, and thereby increases the electrical conductivity despite the presence of numerous grain boundaries, and mitigates the bipolar effect via band occupancy optimization leading to an upshift (by ~ 100 K) and stabilization of the ZT peak over a broad temperature range of ~ 150 K.
Assessment matters: Assessing alternative breaks: Moving beyond sleeping on floors and pass‐the‐candle reflection

Assessment of the Branch Out alternative break program at the College of William and Mary provides valuable evidence of the positive impact of sending our students out into the world to serve their communities.
Mobilizing in response to a major disaster.

In an attempt to meet the emergency needs of a major disaster in what some have termed “the greatest natural disaster in American history,” the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) responded immediately by dispatching a mental health team to Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, to examine and deal with the mental health needs of flood survivors. After conferring with local mental health workers and rescue officials, the team concluded that there would be long-term psychiatric sequelae of the flood and that NIMH would have a useful and important role in dealing with them. The team made its report to the Director of NIMH, Dr. Bertram S. Brown, who then assigned his executive assistant, K. Patrick Okura, the task of fleshing out the present mental health program of the area and finding out how NIMH resources could best be put to use in meeting the crisis. The NIMH program, in keeping with its tradition, consisted of three parts: services, training, and evaluation. Within a 30-day period a proposal requesting funds for a yearlong program of mental health services to the residents of the flood-affected area was approved and launched. This article describes “Operation Outreach,” as the program was called.
Diagnostic Imaging Studies Performed in Children Over a Nine-Year Period

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Diagnostic imaging procedures (DIPs) producing radiation exposure in children have been associated with increased cancer risk. To develop effective clinical practice interventions that reduce pediatric radiation exposure, a longitudinal assessment of DIP ordering practices in the current clinical climate was performed. Our objective was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of DIPs ordered by physicians in an independent physicians association treating a general pediatric population. METHODS: DIP insurance claims from 2001 to 2009 were obtained from an independent physicians association in a large metropolitan area. Current Procedural Terminology codes, associated International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes, and patient demographics associated with DIPs were retrieved from insurance claim data and analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 214 538 DIPs were performed on 63 116 children from 2001 to 2009 at a rate of 1 DIP associated with ionizing radiation per 21 patient-months. Over the study period, performance of computed tomography, MRI, ultrasound, and radiography all significantly increased ( P International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes associated with higher radiation DIPs were abdominal pain, headache, and head injury. CONCLUSIONS: DIPs are frequently performed in children and higher radiation DIPs account for an increasing proportion of DIPs performed, especially among children evaluated in the inpatient and emergency department settings and those with gastrointestinal and neurologic symptoms, and congenital anomalies. Our findings may help guide development of clinical practice interventions to reduce DIP-related radiation exposure in youth.
Atomic Layer Deposited TiO2 as Sacrificial Layers and Internal Coatings for Nanoscale Gaps

A key component of the MEMS cryogenic cooling systems we are developing is a MEMS compressor. Its function is to compress the refrigerants used in the cooling cycle. Layers of polyimide are stacked and patterned on a silicon wafer to create micro check-valves and a compression chamber over which a diaphragm is suspended. To achieve the high (4:1) pressure ratio needed for the refrigeration cycle, the polyimide diaphragm needs to be fabricated with minimal dead volume beneath it, hence the need for a sacrificial layer with thickness of 100–300 nm. The topography created by the check-valves and valve-seats makes atomic layer deposition (ALD) ideal due to its conformality. Furthermore, following sacrificial layer release, the inside of the compression chamber will also need to be coated with a hermetic moisture barrier layer to enable the device to operate at 4 atmospheres without leaking. ALD is therefore also ideal for the final internal coating because it does not require line-of-sight. Towards this end, we demonstrate here the concept of using ALD TiO2 as a sacrificial layer to create a 5 mm × 5 mm × 20 m-thick polyimide membrane, suspended by ∼ 100–350 nm above a silicon wafer, followed by a second thinner ALD coating of the interior surfaces bounded by wafer and membrane. The air gap under the membrane, defined by the released sacrificial layer, was measured at about 130–370 nm using two independent methods: reflectometry, and FIB cross sectioning followed by SEM imaging of the air gap’s cross section. The membrane was removed from one chip and the thickness of the internal coating on the underlying silicon was measured with the reflectometer to be about 40 nm. We thus demonstrate the use of ALD TiO2 as both a sacrificial layer for fabricating nanoscale gaps, as well as for coating nanoscale internal cavities and channels.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Is World Stock Market Co-Movement Changing?

We examine world stock market comovement for 23 countries over 30-years from 1981 to 2010 -- a period that includes major changes in international trade institutions, capital market regulations, and the advent of the internet era. Our analysis is based on a generalized factor model that allows for country, regional, and world factors. We show that the commonly used world Fama French factor model with the world value-weighted portfolio as a proxy for the world factor, has biased results. We develop a new methodology, the Weighted-Generalized Canonical Correlation (W-GCC) method, to identify the presence of a world factor that explains variation in the stock price movements across all countries. We show in simulation studies that our methodology is able to identify the country factor even when the world factor is weak in some countries. We test for changes in comovement allowing for a structural change. We find that stock price comovements with respect to the world factor are stable through the mid 1990s and then starts increasing from the mid 1990s through 2010. The world factor we identify is highly correlated with the world factor estimated using an out-of-sample data set of ten newly emerged countries and comovement of these country returns also increase from 2000 to 2010. The Chinese B stock market shows a dramatic increase in comovement over the time period but not the Chinese A stock market, suggesting that comovement is more likely driven by investment cash flows. Our results have important implications for the benefits of international portfolio diversification strategies and the convergence of the cost of capital across countries.
Root biomass and soil carbon response to growing perennial grasses for bioenergy

Dedicated bioenergy crops such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), miscanthus [Miscanthus x giganteus (Mxg)], indiangrass [Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash], and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) can provide cellulosic feedstock for biofuel production while maintaining or improving soil and environmental quality. To better understand bioenergy crop effects on soils, we studied changes in soil properties of a Tomek silt loam under inorganic fertilization of switchgrass after 4 years and warm-season grass monocultures and mixtures after 6 years in eastern Nebraska. The first experiment had two study factors: two switchgrass harvest dates (August and November) and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilization rates. Nitrogen fertilizer levels (0, 60, and 120 kg N ha−1) were the main plots, while P levels (0, 22, and 44 kg P ha−1) were the split plots and K levels (0, 11, and 22 kg K ha−1) were the split-split plots. The second experiment included six bioenergy feedstocks comprised of four monocultures [switchgrass (cv. Shawnee and an experimental strain tracked as Kanlow N1), indiangrass (Chief), and miscanthus (Mxg)] and two mixtures [big bluestem (Goldmine) + indiangrass (Warrior) + switchgrass (Shawnee) and big bluestem (Bonanza) + indiangrass (Scout) + switchgrass (Shawnee)]. Soil samples were analyzed for root biomass, soil organic C (SOC), total N, bulk density, aggregate stability, and pH. In the first experiment, inorganic fertilization and harvest dates had no effect on switchgrass root biomass, SOC pools, soil aggregate stability, and other properties. In the second experiment, cumulative root biomass under Chief indiangrass monoculture was lower than that under other grass monocultures and mixtures except miscanthus. These results suggest that inorganic fertilization and harvest dates do not affect soil properties in the short term, but Chief indiangrass monoculture may have lower root biomass than other grasses. Overall, fertilization management did not induce changes in root biomass and soil properties, but Chief indiangrass monoculture had lower cumulative root biomass compared with mixtures and switchgrass monocultures, suggesting that cultivar selection will affect root biomass accumulation. Further monitoring is needed to determine long-term changes in root biomass and soil properties under these bioenergy crop systems.
Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

In 1985, the Office of Technology Assessment estimated the U.S. census for the next 50 years. It was predicted that in 1990, 12.5% of the U.S. population would be over the age 65. By 2040,22.5% percent of the U.S. population was predicted to be over the age of 65. Most importantly, individuals over the age of 85 were predicted to increase most rapidly, indicating a marked growth in the old-old. All modern industrial societies are undergoing similar population and demographic changes.
Impact of pleural manometry on the development of chest discomfort during thoracentesis: a symptom-based study.

Background:Routine manometry is recommended to prevent complications during therapeutic thoracentesis, but has not definitively been shown to prevent pneumothorax or reexpansion pulmonary edema. As chest discomfort correlates with negative pleural pressures, we aimed to determine whether the use of
Evaluating Barley for the Emerging Craft Malting Industry in Western Washington

939 In North America, major malting and brewing companies have defi ned malting barley quality parameters to meet the needs of adjunct brewing, in which unmalted sources of starch are commonly used (Briggs, 1998). On a global basis the top 10 malting companies produce more than 50% of malt (Punda and Prikhodko, 2009; Huvet, 2014), and four brewing companies control more than 40% of beer sales (Howard, 2013). To meet the needs of these companies, malting barley cultivars have been bred for high levels of malt extract, diastatic power, a-amylase, and free amino nitrogen (FAN) according to guidelines set by the American Malting Barley Association (AMBA, 2014). Recent increase in demand from the craft brewing industry has stimulated the development of new barley cultivars with malting quality parameters specifi c to all-malt brewing. Th e volume of beer produced by craft breweries grew 18% in 2014 representing 11% of the U.S. beer market (Brewers Association, 2015a). It is estimated that all-malt brewing methods use three to seven times more barley per unit of beer produced (Bond et al., 2015). Th e ideal malt for this style of brewing has lower levels of diastatic power, a-amylase, FAN, and total protein than malt for adjunct brewing (Brewers Association, 2014). Th ese quality parameters are similar to those of the United Kingdom and European base malts (Briggs, 1998), which are commonly imported by U.S. craft breweries. Market research conducted in the mid-1990s indicated that the craft brewing industry could off er a niche market for malt, and that meeting this demand would be diffi cult with established malting infrastructure (Bastian et al., 1999). A survey of 52 craft breweries in 2001 found that 59% of breweries were interested in using malt that was produced locally (Processing Center, 2001). In the past 15 yr, 30 craft malthouses have opened with the goal of producing unique malts from regionally grown grains (Th omas, 2013; Frank and Meltzer, 2014; Evaluating Barley for the Emerging Craft Malting Industry in Western Washington
New frontiers in translational control of the cancer genome

The past several years have seen dramatic leaps in our understanding of how gene expression is rewired at the translation level during tumorigenesis to support the transformed phenotype. This work has been driven by an explosion in technological advances and is revealing previously unimagined regulatory mechanisms that dictate functional expression of the cancer genome. In this Review we discuss emerging trends and exciting new discoveries that reveal how this translational circuitry contributes to specific aspects of tumorigenesis and cancer cell function, with a particular focus on recent insights into the role of translational control in the adaptive response to oncogenic stress conditions.
Maternal morbidity and mortality associated with intrauterine fetal demise: five-year experience in a tertiary referral hospital.

Background Risk factors for and management of intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD) have been investigated, but the maternal morbidity has not been evaluated. Methods Over a 60-month interval, all cases of IUFD after 20 weeks' gestation were reviewed for maternal trauma and maternal postpartum complications. Results In this retrospective analysis, 498 singleton and 24 twin pregnancies with an IUFD were identified. A cervical or perineal laceration requiring surgical repair complicated 9.4% of pregnancies. One uterine dehiscence and one uterine rupture occurred. Endometritis, the most common postpartum complication, occurred in 63 of 522 patients (12%). One maternal death occurred. Total mean hospital stay was 4.9 +/- 5.7 days. Conclusion Maternal morbidity and rarely mortality can follow IUFD, but this morbidity is similar to that observed without IUFD.
Sexual dimorphism in craniomandibular morphology of southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis)

The niche divergence hypothesis suggests that if a species exhibits intersexual differences in diet, selection should favor divergence in the feeding apparatus between the sexes. Recent work revealed that male and female southern sea otters ( Enhydra lutris nereis ) utilize different dietary resources in response to increased population density; females exhibit more specialized diets as a function of smaller home ranges, whereas males exhibit larger home ranges, potentially allowing them to expand their dietary breadths by feeding on prey items that are not found in female home ranges. These dietary differences suggest the potential for sexual dimorphism of the feeding apparatus (i.e., the skull). Here, we tested the hypothesis that male and female southern sea otters exhibit differences in craniomandibular traits directly related to biting ability. Univariate and multivariate analyses of 12 craniomandibular traits showed that size is the primary axis of skull variation, whereas only a handful of craniomandibular traits demonstrated significant shape differences between the sexes. Relative postorbital constriction breadth, masseter in-lever length, and cranial height differed significantly between the sexes. These 3 traits can increase the surface area of jaw muscle attachment sites and thus are directly linked to the mechanics of biting ability. Collectively, these morphological differences indicate that niche divergence may be an important mechanism maintaining sexual dimorphism in southern sea otters.
Radiation Therapy for Stage I Nonoperable or Medically Inoperable Lung Cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the second most common solid malignancy in the United States of America, and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Nearly 15% of patients present with early-stage disease, for which the standard of care is lobectomy. However, the median age at diagnosis ranges from 65 to 74 years, and many patients have significant comorbidities that preclude surgical treatment. Previously, the standard of care for these patients was definitive radiotherapy (RT) with conventional fractionation (i.e., 1.8–2 Gy fractions delivered over 30–33 treatment sessions). Local control following this treatment ranged from 30 to 70%, and overall survival was poor at 15 to 30%. Over the years, advances in RT technology, imaging, planning, and RT delivery platforms have allowed the advent of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), in which large doses of radiation are delivered to a given target volume over a small number of fractions, while sparing adjacent organs-at-risk. Based on extremely promising local control rates in prospective studies, SBRT has quickly become the standard of care for treating early-stage NSCLC in medically inoperable patients. Here, we review the historical context of RT for NSCLC, provide a brief of overview of the radiobiological rationale for and the medical physics aspects of SBRT, and review the clinical evidence for its efficacy. We then briefly discuss future directions, including identifying the optimal dose/fractionation regimen and exploring the treatment of centrally-located tumors. Finally, we discuss the available data regarding the use of SBRT for medically operable patients.
Trust as Capacity: The Role of Integrity and Responsiveness

The article examines the relationship between trust and administrative capacity. Administrative capacity is enhanced by trust in government, and trust in government is enhanced by promoting greater integrity and responsiveness in government.
Concurrent Validity of Two Standardized Measures of Gross Motor Function in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Aims: This study provides information on how two standardized measures based on different theoretical frameworks can be used in collecting information on motor development and performance in 4- and...
Methyl jasmonate and ethylene induce partial resistance in Medicago truncatula against the charcoal rot pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina

Abstract The soil-borne necrotrophic fungal pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina causes charcoal rot disease in many plant species. There are no effective control methods for this disease and no resistant host cultivar for M. phaseolina has been identified. Moreover, the host–pathogen interaction has not been investigated previously at the molecular level. In this study, we established a pathosystem for charcoal rot disease using the model legume Medicago truncatula . Using quantitative real-time PCR, we analyzed the expression of selected M. truncatula genes in response to M. phaseolina infection. Genes involved in flavonoid and isoflavonoid biosynthesis were strongly up-regulated in the shoot; however, activation of these genes in the root was not as dramatic. In addition, some genes in jasmonates (JAs) or ethylene (ET) pathways were not strongly induced in infected root tissue. Treating plants with methyl jasmonate (MJ) or ET induced partial resistance in M. truncatula plants. These results indicate that modifying JA/ET signalling pathways may improve plant resistance to M. phaseolina infection. This study provides a basis for further investigation of the molecular interactions between M. Phaseolina and its plant hosts.
What Connectionists Cannot Do: The Threat to Classical AI

A major battle between paradigms in cognitive science is underway. The last thirty years have been dominated by the classical view that human cognition is analogous to symbolic computation in digital computers. Connectionism proposes a different picture, inspired by the neural architecture of the brain: the mind is the result of the activity of immense numbers of simple units (akin to neurons) connected together in complex patterns or networks. On the classical account, information is represented by strings of symbols, just as we represent data in computer memory or (for that matter) on pieces of paper. The connectionist claims, on the other hand, that information is stored non-symbolically in the weights, or connection strengths, between the units of a neural net. The classicist believes that cognition resembles digital processing, where strings are produced in sequence according to the instructions of a (symbolic) program. The connectionist views mental processing as the dynamic and graded evolution of activity in a neural net, each unit’s activation depending on the connection strengths and activity of its neighbors, according to simple equations.
Examining the dynamics of epithelial metaplasia and pouchitis in an ileal pouch with a spatially-explicit computational multi-scale gut model (MSGM)

In patients with a history of proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal reconstruction for ulcerative colitis (UC), epithelial metaplasia in the pouch, a conversion from the short crypts, high villi and few goblet cells of ileal mucosa to colonic-like mucosa with deeper and wider crypts, short villi and more goblet cells, appears to predispose to pouchitis. Inflammation is known to be associated with both pouch metaplasia and pouchitis, but the mechanisms by which the histological transformation occurs, and the functional consequences thereof, are unclear. We propose that appropriate contextualization of the role of inflammation on metaplasia requires understanding the cellular control system that determines the epithelial crypt-villus architecture. Towards this end we have developed a spatially explicit computational model, the multi-scale gut model (MSGM), in order to dynamically represent existing knowledge concerning the behavior of gut epithelial tissue, and to help posit and visualize plausible mechanistic relationships between molecular and genetic entities of interest and provide predictions as to the most promising lines of future inquiry.
A counting theorem for topological graph theory

Given an embedding of a graph G, the counting theorem provides an expression for the number of distinct regions which contain a specific vertex on their boundary in terms of the orbits of certain permutations. These permutations are derived from Edmonds' rotation systems. This expression leads to new and purely combinatorial proofs of Duke's interpolation theorem and of the Battle, Harary, Kodama, and Youngs Theorem on the additivity of the genus.
Age, gender, and educational level predict emotional but not cognitive empathy in farsi-speaking iranians

The affective and cognitive components of empathy have been extensively researched in various disciplines. However, little is known about how these components are influenced by individual differences in maturation or development. Acknowledging such a gap in the literature, the current study examined how individual differences (i.e., age, gender, and education) facilitate the development of dispositional empathy. Therefore, to meet the goals of this study, the Farsi version of three empathy questionnaires (i.e., Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Questionnaire Measurement of Emotional Empathy, and Empathy Quotient) were distributed among Farsi-speakers living inside or outside mainland Iran. The analysis of data obtained from 510 participants showed that age, educational level, and gender accounted for the changes in affective empathy, without any significant impact on cognitive empathy. The current study is the first study investigating developmental changes in self-report empathy score in a population of Farsi-speaking Iranians.
Model Selection for Classification with a Large Number of Classes

In the present paper, we study the problem of model selection for classification of high-dimensional vectors into a large number of classes. The objective is to construct a model selection procedure and study its asymptotic properties when both, the number of features and the number of classes, are large. Although the problem has been investigated by many authors, we research a more difficult version of a less explored random effect model where, moreover, features are sparse and have only moderate strength. The paper formulates necessary and sufficient conditions for separability of features into the informative and noninformative sets. In particular, the surprising conclusion of the paper is that separation of features becomes easier as the number of classes grows.
A Survival Analysis of a Language-Infused Science Inquiry Intervention for English Learners.

In this study, the authors examined the survivability, or persistence over time, of overall science instruction for English learners (ELs) in treatment and control classrooms within a field-based, ...
Outcomes of Transradial PCI compared to Transfemoral PCI in veterans with anemia: Insight from the VA Clinical Assessment, Reporting and Tracking (CART) program.

Abstract Background Pre-procedural anemia is associated with increased bleeding and mortality post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The effect of trans-radial PCI (TR-PCI) in improving outcomes compared to trans-femoral PCI (TF-PCI) in anemic patients is not known. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between arterial access site (radial versus femoral) and outcomes in anemic Veterans undergoing PCI. Methods Patients with baseline anemia, undergoing PCI at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities between 2009 and 2015, were divided into two groups based on primary radial or femoral access. The association between anemia and access site with in-hospital and one-year adverse outcomes was evaluated using multivariable analysis. Results 7330 veterans were included in the analysis, with 1712 (23%) treated via radial access. Baseline anemia was independently associated with in-hospital major bleeding (OR 3.8, 95% CI 2.5–5.6 for moderate anemia, OR 18.6, 95% CI 11.6–29.7 for severe anemia), and in-hospital mortality (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.8–5.8 for moderate anemia, OR 7.9, 95% CI 3.7–16.8 for severe anemia). Anemia was also associated with increased one-year MACE and mortality. PCI performed via radial access was not associated with different outcomes compared with femoral access in the presence of anemia. Comparable results were noted when analysis was restricted to only patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Conclusions Moderate and severe anemia were strongly associated with increased in-hospital and one-year mortality in a large healthcare system, though there was no interaction between arterial access site for PCI and clinical outcomes among patients with moderate or severe anemia.
Reliability and Validity of a Chinese Language Universal Behavioral Screener.

This study examines the reliability and validity of the Chinese language version of the Integrated Screening and Intervention System Teacher Rating Form (ITRF) as a screening tool for problem behav...
Keyhole Defect Production in Tubular Bone

Fracture characteristics, reported primarily for the cranium, are valuable indicators of bullet direction. A bullet striking the vault tangentially produces an irregular opening, termed a “keyhole defect,” with the circular portion of the defect being the initial point of impact. Identifying this feature in tubular bone (long bone) can also demonstrate bullet direction and the position of the bone at the time of the shooting. This case study involving a tangential shot (i.e., a keyhole fracture) to the humerus demonstrates some of the same fracture mechanics seen in the cranium.
Seed head photosynthetic light responses in clipped and unclipped sagebrush steppe bunchgrasses

Abstract Low seedling establishment limits the long-term success of sagebrush steppe restoration, and the physiological mechanisms underlying this remain unclear. To address this, we measured the photosynthetic light responses and seed head specific length (mg cm−1) of shaded and unshaded seed heads in clipped and unclipped plants to determine if grazing affects reproductive photosynthesis in sagebrush steppe bunchgrasses. We measured responses in an exotic species, Agropyron cristatum (crested wheatgrass) that readily establishes from seed, and two native grasses, Elymus elymoides (squirreltail wild rye) and Psuedororegnaria spicata (bluebunch wheatgrass), which do not. Defoliation did not affect seed head light saturation responses in any of the grasses. Agropyron cristatum seed heads attained higher light-saturated photosynthesis and higher photosynthetic light use efficiencies than the native grasses, consistent with its ability to produce viable seed crops. Defoliation and shading reduced post-anthesis seed head specific masses only in E. elymoides, suggesting this species reproductive effort relies on carbon fixed by the seed head itself. These findings could help in the selection and development of native plant materials with characteristics similar to the successful exotic grass to improve restoration efforts in degraded sagebrush steppe ecosystems.