cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Morphology of peptide-immunoreactive neurons in the rat central nucleus of the amygdala.

The morphological characteristics of peptide-immunoreactive neurons in the rat central nucleus of the amygdala were examined. Observations were compared with details of neuron morphology available from Golgi-stained tissue to determine whether peptide immunoreactivity was associated with specific cell types in the central nucleus. The lateral subdivision (CL) of the central nucleus contained mainly medium-sized, densely spiny neurons. Larger, pyramiform spiny neurons; medium-sized, sparsely spinous neurons; and small, aspinous cells were also present in CL. Somatostatin−, neurotensin−, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-, and enkephalin-immunoreactive neurons in CL were characterized as the medium spiny and larger, pyramiform types. No obvious morphological differences were evident among medium spiny neurons containing different peptides. In the medial subdivision, substance P, neurotensin, somatostatin, and CRF were present within pyramiform, sparsely spinous neurons with long dendrites. Galanin immunoreactivity in the medial subdivision was associated with moderately spiny, pyramiform neurons and a larger, aspinous, polygonal neuron. The ventral subdivision of the central nucleus contained neurons similar to those found in the adjacent medial and lateral subdivisions. In addition, this subdivision contained a characteristic ovoid neuron with long, sparsely spinous dendrites. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and neurotensin appeared to be present within this cell type. In the lateral capsular subdivision, neurotensin and enkephalin were present in cells resembling the medium spiny neurons characteristic of this part of the central nucleus. Numbers of spindle-shaped, bipolar somatostatin, and VIP neurons were identified in the medial, lateral, and ventral subdivisions. The present results provide evidence for a heterogeneous morphology of peptide-immunoreactive neurons in the rat central nucleus that are distributed across cytoarchitectonic boundaries. Except for substance P, neuropeptides in the central nucleus appear to be expressed by a variety of neurons rather than morphologically characteristic types of cell.
Pulse oximetry in discharge decision-making: a survey of emergency physicians.

Objectives:Our primary objective was to describe the pulse oximetry discharge thresholds used by general and pediatric emergency physicians for well-appearing children with bronchiolitis and pneumonia, and to assess the related practice variability.Methods:This mail-in survey was conducted in August and September 2001 and included the 281 active members of the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Section of the American College of Emergency Physicians. The survey consisted of 2 case scenarios of previously healthy, well-appearing children: a 2-year-old with pneumonia and a 10-month-old with bronchiolitis. Respondents were asked about their years of experience, teaching load, percentage of children in their practice, whether they currently have a written departmental guideline at their institution, and the lowest pulse oximetry reading that they would accept and still discharge the patient directly home.Results:One hundred and eighty-two (65%) physicians answered the survey and met the inclusion criteria. The respondents’ median oximetry value and interquartile range (IQR) for the pneumonia and bronchiolitis cases were 93% (92%–94%) and 94% (92%–94%) respectively. With the exception of the 3 physicians practising >1000 metres above sea level, the responses by subgroups were similar.Conclusions:There does not yet exist a safe, clinically validated pulse oximetry discharge threshold. Emergency physicians from this study sample have a modest degree of practice variability in a self-reported pulse oximetry discharge threshold. Emergency physicians may use this data to compare their own practice with that reported by this group.
Voltage optimization for temperature variation insensitive CMOS circuits

The supply voltage to threshold voltage ratio is reduced with each new technology generation. The gate overdrive variation with temperature plays an increasingly important role in determining the speed characteristics of CMOS integrated circuits. The temperature dependent propagation delay characteristics, as shown in this paper, will experience a complete reversal in the near future. Contrary to the older technology generations, the speed of circuits in a 45 nm CMOS technology is enhanced when the temperature is increased at the nominal supply voltage. Operating an integrated circuit at the prescribed nominal supply voltage is not preferable for reliable operation under temperature variations. A design methodology based on optimizing the supply voltage for temperature variation insensitive circuit performance is presented in this paper. The optimum supply voltage is 45% to 57% lower than the nominal supply voltage in a 180 nm CMOS technology. Alternatively, the optimum supply voltage is 10% to 54% higher than the nominal supply voltage in a 45 nm CMOS technology. The gap between the optimum and nominal supply voltages increases in a low-power design. Deeply scaled low-power integrated circuits operating at ultra-low voltage supplies are, therefore, expected to be highly sensitive to temperature variations. Alternatively, the speed-centric determination of the supply voltage will be less catastrophic for maintaining the circuit reliability under temperature variations in the future technology generations
A GLRT approach to data-aided timing acquisition in UWB radios-Part II: training sequence design

The overall system efficiency of impulse radio communications relies critically on judicious allocation of transmission resources, a portion of which should be used to ensure successful timing acquisition. In data-aided mode, optimum timing offset estimation depends not only on the mechanism used for energy capture and the acquisition algorithm employed to recover timing information, but also on the training sequence (TS) pattern from which the timing information is to be extracted. Furthermore, the transmission resources used for timing have to be balanced with that for conveying information messages in order to strike desirable tradeoffs between timing accuracy and information rate. In Part I of this paper, data-aided timing offset estimation is derived based on the maximum likelihood (ML) criterion, where only symbol-rate samples are needed for low-complexity receiver processing. To minimize the mean-square timing errors of these ML synchronizers while at the same time maximizing the average system capacity, TS design and transmit power allocation are investigated in this paper. The optimum training pattern and the number, placement, and power distribution between training and information-bearing symbols are formulated as a resource allocation optimization problem whose solution optimizes system-level performance with the minimum amount of resources consumed.
Drotrecogin alfa (activated) should not be used in patients with severe sepsis and low risk for death

Results: Enrollment in the trial was terminated early because of a low likelihood of meeting the prospectively defined objective of demonstrating a significant reduction in the 28-day mortality rate with the use of DrotAA. The study enrolled 2640 patients and collected data on 2613 (1297 in the placebo group and 1316 in the DrotAA group) at the 28day follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences between the placebo group and the DrotAA group in 28-day mortality (17.0 percent in the placebo group vs. 18.5 percent in the DrotAA group; P=0.34; relative risk, 1.08; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.92 to 1.28) or in inhospital mortality (20.5 percent vs. 20.6 percent; P=0.98; relative risk, 1.00; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.86 to 1.16). The rate of serious bleeding was greater in the DrotAA group than in the placebo group during both the infusion (2.4 percent vs. 1.2 percent, P=0.02) and the 28day study period (3.9 percent vs. 2.2 percent, P=0.01).
A forest-fire model and some thoughts on turbulence

Abstract In the context of a forest-fire model we demonstrate critical scaling behavior in a “turbulent” non-equilibrium system. Energy is injected uniformly, and dissipated on a fractal. Critical exponents are estimated by means of a Monte Carlo renormalization- group calculation.
Existence of Weak Solutions for a Nonlinear Elliptic System

We investigate the existence of weak solutions to the following Dirichlet boundary value problem, which occurs when modeling an injection molding process with a partial slip condition on the boundary. We have in ; in ; , and on .
Mycobacterial glycolipid trehalose 6,6'-dimycolate-induced hypersensitive granulomas: contribution of CD4+ lymphocytes.

The granulomatous response is a characteristic histological feature of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection responsible for organism containment. The development of cell-mediated immunity is essential for protection against disease, as well as being required for maintenance of the sequestering granulomatous response. Trehalose 6,6'-dimycolate (TDM; cord factor), a glycolipid associated with the cell wall of mycobacteria, is implicated as a key immunogenic component in M. tuberculosis infection. Models of TDM-induced hypersensitive granulomatous response have similar pathologies to that of active tuberculosis infection. Prior immunization (sensitization) of mice with TDM results in exacerbated histological damage, inflammation and lymphocytic infiltration upon subsequent TDM challenge. Adoptive transfer experiments were performed to ascertain the cell phenotype governing this response; CD4(+) cells were identified as critical for development of related pathology. Mice receiving CD4(+) cells from donor TDM-immunized mice demonstrated significantly increased production of Th1-type cytokines IFN-gamma and IL-12 within the lung upon subsequent TDM challenge. Control groups receiving naive CD4(+) cells, or CD8(+) or CD19(+) cells isolated from TDM-immunized donors, did not exhibit an exacerbated response. The identified CD4(+) cells isolated from TDM-immunized mice produced significant amounts of IFN-gamma and IL-2 when exposed to TDM-pulsed macrophages in vitro. These experiments provide further evidence for involvement of a cell-mediated response in TDM-induced granuloma formation, which mimics pathological damage elicited during M. tuberculosis infection.
Capacity of MIMO channels in the presence of co-channel interference

This paper presents analytical results on the capacity of multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) fading channels in the presence of co-channel interference (CCI). We consider the scenario in which the desired and CCI users are all subject to Rayleigh fading. We assume that channel realizations of both the desired and CCI users are known at the receiver. Moreover, we consider the case where the transmitter does not have any CSI and as such equal-power allocation among transmit antennas is used. Given this setup, we derive the moment generating function (MGF) and the mean of the mutual information (MI). We then study the complementary cumulative distribution function of the MI using a Gaussian approximation. Finally, we present and discuss numerical examples to illustrate the mathematical formalism and to show the effect of various parameters on the capacity of MIMO channels in the presence of CCI. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predischarge Current Measurements in Vacuum Gaps Bridged with Plexiglas Insulators

Predischarge currents have been observed for Plexiglas® insulators subjected to 60 Hz ac voltages. The predischarges currents were continuous and appeared at voltages much less than the breakdown voltage and were similar in shape and magnitude for both voltage polarities. The predischarge current peaks did not align with the excitation voltage peaks. The current peaks always appeared prior to the voltage peaks. Fowler-Nordheim (FN) plots were made to determine if the observed predischarge currents were due to field emission, as in a plane vacuum gap. The predischarge currents for cylindrical insulators of lengths 5 mm and 12.7 mm did not follow FN theory. The currents were, therefore, postulated not to be totally due to field emission currents. This implies that the predischarge currents observed were due to some interaction with the insulator. Predischarge currents for various triple junction constructions were measured. The triple junctions were constructed using a simple butt joint and with recessed electrodes, to shield the triple junction. No continuous predischarge current was observed for the recessed triple junction arrangement. Different surface treatments were studied for the Plexiglas specimens: an extruded surface, a polished surface, and a rough surface. Continuous currents were measured for the extruded and polished surfaces, while only current bursts were seen for the rough surface. The current inception and the breakdown voltages were found to depend on the surface condition. Preliminary studies were conducted with 30, 45, and 60° Plexiglas frustrums. The predischarge current followed FN behavior in all cases.
Responsibility Sharing between Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes and Their Caregivers: Importance of Adolescent Perceptions on Diabetes Management and Control

Objective To analyze associations between factor scores for caregiver responsibility for direct and indirect diabetes management tasks with glycemic control and blood glucose monitoring (BGM) frequency. Methods Two hundred and sixty one adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers completed the Diabetes Family Responsibility Questionnaire (DFRQ). Data on diabetes management (e.g., BGM frequency) and glycemic control (e.g., A1c values) were obtained. Results Confirmatory factor analysis of the DFRQ revealed two factors-direct and indirect management tasks. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that adolescent perception of greater responsibility sharing with caregivers on direct management tasks was significantly associated with higher BGM frequency. Conclusions Adolescents who perceive greater caregiver responsibility, particularly around direct management tasks, engage in better diabetes management. Implications of these findings include designing interventions that encourage and sustain caregiver responsibility through adolescence and make explicit the contribution of caregivers.
UNEMPLOYMENT AND WELFARE IMPLICATIONS OF THE CURRENT U.S. TAX TREATMENT OF EMPLOYER-PROVIDED MEDICAL INSURANCE

The U.S. tax system currently provides an incentive for individuals to obtain medical insurance through their employers. This unique tax treatment is widely excoriated as resulting in high costs and distorting consumption decisions. To study this issue, we develop a general equilibrium search model with endogenous health accumulation and a unique feature of the U.S. tax code, which exempts employer-provided medical benefits from taxation, to jointly account for the U.S. long-term unemployment rate and medical expenditure-to-aggregate consumption ratio. Through various counterfactual experiments, we find that (1) eliminating the employment-based tax subsidy lowers medical expenditure but, via a general equilibrium labor market effect, increases unemployment and lowers output, and contrary to conventional wisdom, lowers welfare; (2) having government raise taxes to finance the provision of medical care substantially increases the unemployment rate, while reducing income and welfare.
Rice degree of milling effects on hydration, texture, sensory and energy characteristics. Part 2. Cooking using fixed, water-to-rice ratios

The purpose was to assess the effects of degree of milling on hydration and textural characteristics of rice cooked using a range of water-to-rice ratios, and to compare the energy requirements when using these fixed water-to-rice ratios to the energy required when cooking with excess-water. Surface lipid contents (SLCs) ranged from 0.15% to 0.55% for non-parboiled rice and from 0.40% to 0.95% for parboiled rice. Cooking degree was assessed by measuring cooked-rice peak force, moisture content and percentage gelatinized kernels. Milling degree had little to no effect on cooking characteristics of all milled samples. Differences in cooking characteristics between milled and brown rice were less pronounced for parboiled than non-parboiled rice. Non-parboiled milled rice required the least energy to be ‘well-cooked’, followed by parboiled milled rice, non-parboiled brown rice, and parboiled brown rice (there were no significant differences between non-parboiled and parboiled brown rice). In general, excess-water cooking required more energy than fixed water-to-rice ratio cooking.
Carbon nanotube toughened hydroxyapatite by spark plasma sintering: Microstructural evolution and multiscale tribological properties

Abstract Carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced hydroxyapatite (HA) composite synthesized using spark plasma sintering is investigated in this study. Quantitative microstructural analysis suggests that CNTs play a role in grain boundary pinning and are responsible for the improved densification and retention of nanostructure throughout the thickness of the sintered pellet. HA crystal forms coherent interface with the CNT, resulting in a strong interfacial bond. The uniform distribution of 4 wt.% CNTs in the HA matrix, good interfacial bonding and fine HA grain size help to improve the fracture toughness by 92% and elastic modulus by 25% as compared to the HA matrix without CNT. Toughening mechanisms have been explained in terms of interfacial shear strength and pull-out energy of CNT from the HA matrix. CNT plays a major role in improving the wear resistance of HA matrix at both macro- and nano-scale. It is concluded that graphene layer removal from the CNT surface occurs during macro-wear, but not for nano-wear. Thus, the coefficient of friction (CoF) in HA–CNT decreases in macro-wear due to lubrication available through delaminated graphene layers.
Rigorous uncertainty: why RA Fisher is important

Two epistemological claims underwrite the randomized clinical trial (RCT). 1 The first, associated with Austin Bradford Hill, asserts that randomization prevents biased estimates of the value of new therapies. The second, associated with RA Fisher, maintains that randomization is necessary for the valid interpretation of statistical significance. This paper places Fisher’s views on randomization in the larger context of his views on statistical inference and the nature of science. Fisher’s life-long interest in the problem of induction, how to draw valid empirical conclusions about the world, led him to emphasize the provisional character of knowledge. The statistical methods he developed—randomization, likelihood—were aimed at producing what Fisher termed ‘rigorously specified uncertainty’. Fisher’s highly technical arguments about the nature of probability and likelihood are rooted in his more general concerns about the evolutionary and political importance of intellectual autonomy—concerns rooted in his early eugenical views but strongly reinforced by his ideological critique of Soviet science during the Cold War. Notwithstanding the esoteric origins of some of his arguments, Fisher’s ideas have great relevance for contemporary debates within evidence-based medicine. How we best distinguish what is known from what is not known, how we can emphasize the uncertainty of existing knowledge, and how we can best capture that uncertainty—all these Fisherian concerns are crucial in a time when the passage from the journal article to the press conference is increasingly swift.
Randomized Distributed Algorithms for Neighbor Discovery in Multi-hop Multi-channel Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

An important first step when deploying a wireless ad hoc network is \emph{neighbor discovery} in which every node attempts to determine the set of nodes it can communicate within one wireless hop. In the recent years, \emph{cognitive radio (CR)} technology has gained attention as an attractive approach to alleviate spectrum congestion. A CR transceiver can operate over a wide range of frequencies possibly spanning multiple frequency bands. A CR node can opportunistically utilize unused wireless spectrum without interference from other wireless devices in its vicinity. Due to spatial variations in frequency usage and hardware variations in radio transceivers, different nodes in the network may perceive different subsets of frequencies available to them for communication. This \emph{heterogeneity} in the available channel sets across the network increases the complexity of solving the neighbor discovery problem in a CR network. In this paper, we design and analyze several randomized algorithms for neighbor discovery in such a (heterogeneous) network under a variety of assumptions.
The prosthodontist, the oral surgeon, and the denture-supporting tissues

Abstract Misunderstandings between oral surgeons and prosthodontists are preventing many denture patients from getting the best that these disciplines have to offer. These misunderstandings have resulted from misconceptions on each side. The oral surgeons know that the removal of undercuts in the residual ridges is desirable, so they proceed to shape the edentulous mouth like a complete crown preparation—tapered in all directions. Prosthodontists want as much bony support as possible and ideally much of this at right angles to the forces that are placed upon the denture bases. This concept means that considerable undercut can exist. The tissue resiliency and a complex path of insertion permits the construction and placement of dentures with fully extended flanges. On the other hand, prosthodontists have prejudiced views on bone surgery that are not based on facts. Removal of the cortical layer of bone does not interfere with normal bone healing and restoration of the total bony architecture. We have confused removal of the cortical layer of bone with the removal of the labial plate. There have been shortcomings on both sides. The prosthodontists have not used the services of oral surgeons to best advantage, and the oral surgeons have often removed valuable bony support. Landa 14 expressed it well when he wrote: "It must be emphasized that many full dentures are failures for the sole reason that alevolectomy was not performed prior to the construction of these dentures. This provides no excuse, however, for excessive surgery. If the patient has lost his teeth, he needs his ridges and he needs them badly."
The “Syringe” Technique: A Hands-Free Approach for the Reduction of Acute Nontraumatic Temporomandibular Dislocations in the Emergency Department

Abstract Background The traditional intraoral manual reduction of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dislocations is time consuming, difficult, and at times ineffective, and commonly requires conscious sedation. Objectives We describe a novel technique for the reduction of acute nontraumatic TMJ dislocations in the emergency department (ED). Methods This study was a prospective convenience sample population during a 3-year period at two university teaching-hospital EDs where acute nontraumatic TMJ dislocations were reduced utilizing our syringe technique. Demographics, mechanism, duration of dislocation, and reduction time were collected. Briefly, the “syringe” technique is a hands-free technique that requires a syringe to be placed between the posterior molars as they slide over the syringe to glide the anteriorly displaced condyle back into its normal anatomical position. Procedural sedation or intravenous analgesia is not required. Results Of the 31 patients, the mean age was 38 years. Thirty patients had a successful reduction (97%). The majority of dislocations were reduced in Conclusion We describe a novel technique for the reduction of the acutely nontraumatic TMJ dislocation in the ED. It is simple, fast, safe, and effective.
On achievable key rates for universal simulation of random data with respect to a set of statistical tests

We consider the problem of universal simulation of an unknown source from a certain parametric family of discrete memoryless sources, given a training vector X from that source and given a limited budget of purely random key bits. The goal is to generate a sequence of random vectors {Y/sub i/}, all of the same dimension and the same probability law as the given training vector X, such that a certain, prescribed set of M statistical tests will be satisfied. In particular, for each statistical test, it is required that for a certain event, /spl epsiv//sub /spl lscr//, 1 /spl les/ /spl lscr/ /spl les/ M, the relative frequency /sup 1///sub N/ /spl Sigma//sub i=1//sup N/ 1/sub /spl epsiv//spl lscr//(Y/sub i/) (1/sub /spl epsiv//(/spl middot/) being the indicator function of an event /spl epsiv/), would converge, as N /spl rarr/ /spl infin/, to a random variable (depending on X), that is typically as close as possible to the expectation of 1/sub /spl epsiv//spl lscr/,/ (X) with respect to the true unknown source, namely, to the probability of the event /spl epsiv//sub /spl lscr//. We characterize the minimum key rate needed for this purpose and demonstrate how this minimum can be approached in principle.
Factors affecting growers' on-farm food safety practices: Evaluation findings from Penn State Extension programming

As a leading cause of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, fresh produce has increasingly received national attention in the United States. In response, fresh produce growers are seeking to implement Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in order to maintain market viability. U.S. Cooperative Extension must fill a critical role to help growers appropriately adapt their on-farm food safety practices. In order to usefully serve produce growers, Extension must conduct evaluations that provide relevant information to foster program improvement. Using data collected among Pennsylvania growers who participated in Penn State Extension’s on-farm food safety programming, this study presents empirical evidence regarding the ways in which changes in growers’ GAP knowledge, attitudes, and skills affect the GAP tasks that they implemented. Findings indicate that increases in technical information among growers do not necessarily translate into their performing GAP activities. Other influences, such as farm size and a desire to contribute to the safety of the produce supply, help motivate growers’ decisions regarding their on-farm food safety practices. An understanding of the factors that determine growers’ GAP activities will better position Extension to adapt its programmatic approaches and content, as well as its evaluation frameworks, to best serve the diverse needs of fresh produce growers.
Activist Human Capital: Skills Acquisition and the Development of Commitment to Social Movement Activism

*† Social movement scholars have long recognized that participants in one campaign often develop a commitment to activism that inspires continued participation for years, even a lifetime. Scholars have identified a number of factors that inspire the development of commitment, including consciousness raising, empowerment, social ties and the development of a shared collective identity. In this article, we highlight another factor that the movement literature has thus far neglected: skills acquisition. Using data from interviews with participants in the AFL-CIO’s Union Summer student internship program, we elaborate on the processes through which participation generates a feeling of empowerment, specifically showing that participants in an intensive movement campaign can learn concrete organizing skills which empower and inspire them to sustain their involvement in activism. In addition, we find that social ties are important not only because of the information and support they provide, but also because they transmit human capital. We demonstrate that those who come to an activist campaign with less experience, and those who participate in a better-organized campaign are more likely to gain activist human capital through their participation. The persistence of activism over an individual’s life course has long captured the interest of social movement scholars. Research convincingly demonstrates the biographical consequences of activism, showing how participation in an intensive movement campaign increases the likelihood of continued political involvement (Corrigall-Brown 2012; Katzenstein 1998; Klatch 1999; McAdam 1988; Taylor et al. 2009; Van Dyke, McAdam and Wilhelm 2000; Whalen and Flacks 1989; Whittier 1995). Indeed, contrary to popular notions of activists “selling out” and abandoning their idealism, experiences like these often inspire participants to continue their activism throughout their lives, as career activists who hold positions in explicitly social change oriented organizations, through more traditional occupations such as social work or education—which nonetheless allow them to pursue social influence consistent with their activist values—or by volunteering their free time to support social movement events. Research on the biographical consequences of activism identifies consciousness raising, empowerment, collective identity, and ties to other activists as factors that facilitate a deep commitment to activism (Fantasia 1988; Gamson 1991; Hirsch 1990; McAdam 1988; Taylor 1996). While the literature is convincing regarding the importance of these factors, it suffers from an important limitation: the failure to more fully explore the dynamics that influence the development of feelings of empowerment, and the role that social ties play in fostering commitment. Although McAdam (1988) describes how the 1964 Freedom Summer voter registration participants applied the tactical and organizational lessons they had learned on the
Familial constitutional precocious puberty in a boy three years of age: report of a case.

A case of familial constitutional precocious puberty in a boy of 3 years is reported with a brief review of the nine previously described families. In addition, an eleventh instance is mentioned.
Prevalence of anatomical variation of the sixth cervical vertebra and association with vertebral canal stenosis and articular process osteoarthritis in the horse

The sixth cervical vertebra (C6) has unique morphology due to a ventral extension from the transverse process known as the ventral lamina. Little information was found regarding the prevalence and clinical relevance of morphologic variations. Aims of this observational, retrospective study were to characterize C6 morphologic variations in a large sample of horses. Cervical radiographic studies of 100 horses were retrieved. Data recorded were signalment, clinical history, morphology of the C6 ventral lamina, presence of articular process osteoarthritis, and presence of static vertebral canal stenosis. Morphologic variations were found in C6 vertebrae for 24/100 horses, with symmetric absence of the ventral lamina in nine horses and asymmetric absence in 15. Anomalous C6 vertebrae were more common in Warmbloods, with 19/55 Warmbloods in the population being affected (P = 0.006). No association was found with sex. There was no significant difference in the mean of the intravertebral sagittal ratios between horses with normal or anomalous C6 vertebrae; however there was a significantly greater proportion of horses with anomalous C6 vertebrae that had an intravertebral sagittal ratio of less than 0.5 at C6 (P = 0.047). There was no association between the morphology of C6 and articular process osteoarthritis. Anomalous C6 vertebrae in our population were associated with a higher likelihood of cervical pain (P = 0.013). Authors propose that morphologic variations in the C6 ventral laminae could be linked to other developmental abnormalities such as vertebral canal stenosis, might affect regional biomechanics and should therefore be considered clinically relevant in horses. Future, controlled prospective studies are needed to test this theory.
History of the Praon and Aphidius Parasites of the Pea Aphid in the Pacific Northwest

From 1959 through 1964, Federal and State entomologists in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington imported, reared, and released Praon pequodorum Viereck, Aphidius ervi pulcher Baker, Aphidius ervi ervi Haliday, and Aphidius smithi Sharma & Subba Rao to augment present populations or to replace lost populations of native parasites capable of providing biological control of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), on peas and alfalfa. As a result, populations of P. pequodorum and A. pulcher have become increasingly effective against this pest, and A. ervi has become established in coastal Oregon and probably throughout Washington and Idaho. Also, in only 5 years, A. smithi has spread into nearly all the alfalfa- and pea-growing areas of the Pacific Northwest.
The Food Habits of Stoneflies (Plecoptera) in the Upper Gunnison River, Colorado

Gut contents of 1,463 stonefly nymphs, comprising 10 species, from the Gunnison River, Colorado, were analyzed from Dec., 1974–Oct., 1975, in relation to food availability. Pteronarcella badia fed primarily on detritus and moss. Perlidae and Perlodidae mature nymphs were all carnivorous, but showed considerable seasonal-developmental shifting in diets and preference during earlier stages. Early instar Isoperla fulva nymphs were herbivore-detritivores, then gradually shifted through an omnivorous to carnivorous diet as development proceeded. Claassenia sabulosa and Hesperoperla pacifica remained carnivorous throughout development. Dominant prey groups were chironomids, mayflies and caddisflies. Horn's Coefficient of Dietary Overlap showed significance among all predator species for major food categories, but subtle mechanisms such as prey species-and size-selectivity and temporal succession provided sufficient partitioning of the abundant food resources to allow for coexistence. Large Claassenia sabulosa nymphs in August selected more mayflies after dark than in the afternoon. No behavioral selection by predacious stoneflies was indicated for the chironomids Ablabesmyia sp., Cricotopus sp., Prodiamesa sp., and Rheotanytarsus sp.
Survival, Reproduction, and Development of Seven Species of Stored-product Insects on the Various Food Components of Lightweight, High-density, Prototype Military Rations

Lightweight, high-density, prototype food rations (Food Packet, Assault) were removed from their protective polymeric packets and the 17 various food items were exposed to 7 species of stored-product insects, representing 2 orders and 6 families. All foods except one sustained adults and developing larvae of one or more of the species tested. Exposure to air and humidity did not seem to alter the physical appearance of most foods, and the moisture content of most foods as measured by gain or lossof weight usually changed <10%. Several insect species continued to feed and develop on the rations after periods of nearly a year.
Dietary Management of Glycemic Control in Older Adults

Older adults are increasingly at risk for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, which may lead to further morbidity and mortality. Nutrition and other lifestyle interventions can effectively reduce the likelihood of developing hyperglycemia. Research in older adults is ongoing to determine the best way to help this population maintain or improve glycemic control. This review highlights recent nutrition-related literature evaluating associations between the development of type 2 diabetes and vitamin D, minerals, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, eggs, and meats. Further, the review addresses the efficacy of intensive and once-annual lifestyle interventions for blood glucose management in nondiabetic older adults. Recently published work generally reinforces prior research and altogether indicates that older adults with prediabetes should strive to consume low-cholesterol protein choices and high-antioxidant foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, tea, and coffee). Further, older adults with prediabetes and a BMI ≥ 25 should consume a lower-energy diet sufficient to promote a 7 % weight loss and complete at least 150 min of moderate-intensity physical activity each week.
A Successful Format for Semester-Long, Design, Build, and Test Early Design Projects

This paper will present the philosophy and describe the lessons learned from the author's fifteen years of experience in developing semester-long, team, design, build, and test projects appropriate for an introductory engineering design course. The topics covered will be: project expectations, the content and organization of the course, the issues associated with the project, examples of project statements and student solutions, a list of the "DO's" and "DO NOT's" for project conception, development, expectations, management and evaluation. Specific issues that will be addressed are: team formation, team size, team mentoring, varying skill levels between teams, spreading the "pain", discouraging last minute construction, grading methodology, reporting requirements, design for assembly, monitoring, and project selection/development. Issues related to project selection/development are safety, compete against the clock not each other, limited operator participations, expectations, design testing and evaluation, and esthetics. Student feedback is presented on whether project outcomes were satisfied and their feelings about working in teams and competing.© 2006 ASME
Selective Acceptorless Dehydrogenation and Hydrogenation by Iridium Catalysts Enabling Facile Interconversion of Glucocorticoids

An iridium(III) pentamethylcyclopentadienyl catalyst supported by 6,6′-dihydroxy-2,2′-bipyridine displays exquisite selectivity in acceptorless alcohol dehydrogenation of cyclic α,β-unsaturated alcohols over benzylic and aliphatic alcohols under mild aqueous reaction conditions. Hydrogenation of aldehydes and ketones occurs indiscriminately using the same catalyst under hydrogen, although chemoselectivity could be achieved when other potentially reactive carbonyl groups present are sterically inaccessible. This chemistry was demonstrated in the reversible hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of the A ring of glucocorticoids, despite the presence of other alcohol/or carbonyl functionalities in rings C and D. NMR studies suggest that an iridium(III) hydride species is a key intermediate in both hydrogenation and dehydrogenation processes.
The Informal City Approach

In reading the sociological literature on the constitution of society, one must notice that the majority of social scientists have constantly emphasized unveiling and explaining the structure of formal society. This view of things is part of the legacy of modernity, which envisioned emancipation through reason during the Enlightenment period. This Western view stresses that progress can be achieved mainly through a rational ordering of society.
A quantitative SMRT cell sequencing method for ribosomal amplicons.

Abstract Advances in sequencing technologies continue to provide unprecedented opportunities to characterize microbial communities. For example, the Pacific Biosciences Single Molecule Real-Time (SMRT) platform has emerged as a unique approach harnessing DNA polymerase activity to sequence template molecules, enabling long reads at low costs. With the aim to simultaneously classify and enumerate in situ microbial populations, we developed a quantitative SMRT (qSMRT) approach that involves the addition of exogenous standards to quantify ribosomal amplicons derived from environmental samples. The V7–9 regions of 18S SSU rDNA were targeted and quantified from protistan community samples collected in the Ross Sea during the Austral summer of 2011. We used three standards of different length and optimized conditions to obtain accurate quantitative retrieval across the range of expected amplicon sizes, a necessary criterion for analyzing taxonomically diverse 18S rDNA molecules from natural environments. The ability to concurrently identify and quantify microorganisms in their natural environment makes qSMRT a powerful, rapid and cost-effective approach for defining ecosystem diversity and function.
popHistory: Animated Visualization of Personal Web Browsing History

Web browsing is an essential component of creativity, productivity, and recreation, but users may fall into undesired patterns if they do not realize their habits. Because reflection has been shown to improve control over behaviors and ability to develop goals, we emphasize reflection for self-improvement, without explicitly requiring it. In this paper, we present the design and development of a prototype which collects and visualizes users' browsing histories over time. We explore the use of animation in the visualization and learn how users analyze and reflect on their browsing behaviors. Through a formative study using this prototype with 11 participants, we find that an animated visualization allows users to better reflect on their browsing habits and discover patterns of which they were previously unaware, especially when compared to the traditional history list view in most browsers. We discuss specific findings across six areas and their implications for future design and research.
Probabilistic Matrix Factorization for Automated Machine Learning

In order to achieve state-of-the-art performance, modern machine learning techniques require careful data pre-processing and hyperparameter tuning. Moreover, given the ever increasing number of machine learning models being developed, model selection is becoming increasingly important. Automating the selection and tuning of machine learning pipelines, which can include different data pre-processing methods and machine learning models, has long been one of the goals of the machine learning community. In this paper, we propose to solve this meta-learning task by combining ideas from collaborative filtering and Bayesian optimization. Specifically, we use a probabilistic matrix factorization model to transfer knowledge across experiments performed in hundreds of different datasets and use an acquisition function to guide the exploration of the space of possible ML pipelines. In our experiments, we show that our approach quickly identifies high-performing pipelines across a wide range of datasets, significantly outperforming the current state-of-the-art.
Mycophenolate mofetil for scleroderma-related interstitial lung disease: A real world experience.

Background and objective Interstitial lung disease (ILD) remains the number one cause of mortality in scleroderma (SSc). Our goal was to determine the effectiveness of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in treating SSc-ILD in a retrospective study. Methods A retrospective, computer-assisted search was performed to identify patients with SSc-ILD treated with MMF from 1997 through 2014. We used a novel software tool, Computer-Aided Lung Informatics for Pathology Evaluation and Rating (CALIPER), to quantify parenchymal lung abnormalities on high-resolution computed tomography. Lung function was evaluated at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months of MMF therapy. Results We identified 46 patients (28 females) with SSc-ILD (mean age at diagnosis 55 y) treated with MMF for at least 1 year (majority on 2 gm/day). Twenty-one patients (45.7%) stopped using MMF during the follow up period after the first 12 months, and they took MMF for a median of 2.12 years (range, 0.91–8.93 years). Only 4 discontinued MMF because of disease progression. Compared to baseline, the mean percentage change in forced vital capacity (95% CI) at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively, was 1.01% (−2.38%-4.39%) (n = 26), 2.06% (−1.09%-5.22%) (n = 31), and −0.07% (−3.31%-3.17%) (n = 30), and the mean percentage change in ILD as measured by CALIPER (95% CI) was −5.40% (−18.62%-7.83%) (n = 18), −1.51% (−14.69%-11.68%) (n = 17), and −8.35% (−20.71%-4.02%) (n = 22).The mean right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) remained stable over the study period. Conclusions MMF is well tolerated and slows the rate of decline in lung function in SSc-ILD patients, even at doses lower at 3 g/day.
Diagnosing and managing pulmonary tuberculosis.

Steps in diagnosing mycobacterial pulmonary tuberculosis and its management. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Cytoskeletal Elements in Neurotoxicity

The cytoskeleton is not only responsible for the morphological structure of neurons, but also important for transport of materials throughout neurons and for synaptic functions, including learning and memory. Many toxins directly interact with the neurofilaments, microtubules, and actin filaments that comprise the cytoskeleton, and therefore have drastic effects on neuronal development and function. Other toxins affect cytoskeletal regulatory proteins or other signal transduction pathways that indirectly influence cytoskeletal organization. This chapter will provide a background on the cytoskeleton, its functions and major regulatory factors, and the many toxicants that are known to disrupt normal cytoskeletal function. These include anti-cancer drugs, pesticides, industrial chemicals, biological agents, and metals.
Modulation of Inflammatory Arthritis in Mice by Gut Microbiota Through Mucosal Inflammation and Autoantibody Generation.

Objective Observations of microbial dysbiosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have raised interest in studying microbial-mucosal interactions as a potential trigger of RA. Using the murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model, we undertook this study to test our hypothesis that microbiota modulate immune responses leading to autoimmune arthritis. Methods CIA was induced by immunization of mice with type II collagen (CII) in adjuvant on days 0 and 21, with arthritis appearing on days 23 and 24. Intestinal microbiota were profiled by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing every 7 days during the course of CIA, and intestinal mucosal changes were evaluated on days 14 and 35. Then, microbiota were depleted either early (7 days before immunization) or late (day 21 after immunization) by administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Disease severity, autoantibody and systemic cytokine production, and intestinal mucosal responses were monitored in the setting of microbial reduction. Results Significant dysbiosis and mucosal inflammation occurred early in CIA, prior to visible arthritis, and continued to evolve during the course of disease. Depletion of the microbiota prior to the induction of CIA resulted in an ~40% reduction in disease severity and in significantly reduced levels of serum inflammatory cytokines and anti-CII antibodies. In intestinal tissue, production of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) and IL-22 was delayed. Unexpectedly, microbial depletion during the late phase of CIA resulted in a >50% decrease in disease severity. Anti-CII antibodies were mildly reduced but were significantly impaired in their ability to activate complement, likely due to altered glycosylation profiles. Conclusion These data support a model in which intestinal dysbiosis triggers mucosal immune responses that stimulate T and B cells that are key for the development of inflammatory arthritis.
Properties of As-Deposited and Heat-Treated Ni-Mn-Ga Magnetic Shape Memory Alloy Processed by Directed Energy Deposition

Abstract Ni-Mn-Ga magnetic shape memory alloy was processed by laser metal deposition, an additive manufacturing method. Powder used for deposition was crushed from a cast 10M martensite Ni-Mn-Ga ingot. The deposited sample was ferromagnetic and showed a 14M martensite with no detected macroscopic composition differences throughout, except for a thin layer between substrate and deposit. Layer-by-layer deposition resulted in a layered microstructure due to differences in local thermal histories, and the sample's broad transformation temperature range is proposed to originate from the resulting variations in microstructure. Although the sample is clearly polycrystalline, columnar grains span deposition layers, which is potentially favorable to twin boundary motion. After a homogenizing and ordering heat treatment, transformations regained a typical narrow hysteresis and saturation magnetization increased, while grain growth and/or recrystallization took place. The results show the promise of laser-based additive manufacturing processes for production of magnetic shape memory alloys.