cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationships Between Clinician Variability and Radiographic Guidelines

This study evaluated the replicability of clinical measurements under careful calibration of multiple dentists and how the replicability can relate to their use as selection criteria in guidelines for prescribing dental radiographs. For 48 consenting patients, three dentists clinically examined each patient and recorded the presence of all clinical findings using standardized selection criteria. The examinations were performed independently of each other, but with periodic conferences of the dentists to clarify general measurement criteria. The degree of agreement among the dentists is described by the interrater agreement kappa for several standard clinical indications such as rating of caries, periodontal disease, and tooth mobility. Almost perfect agreement was obtained for tooth status, restoration size, and restoration material. Moderate agreement resulted for measures of caries, defective restoration presence, and gingival recession presence. Only fair agreement was obtained for other periodontal di...
Mineralogy and reactivity of amorphous Si-ferrihydrites

Abstract Si-containing ferrihydrate is an amorphous Fe oxide that exists in natural environments. The objectives of this study were to evaluate mineralogy and surface composition and the reactivity of Si-containing ferrihydrites for phosphate. Ferrihydrite samples with 0 to 1 Si/Fe molar ratios were synthesized in the laboratory by the reaction of Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 with NaOH to an equilibrium pH of 8.2 in the presence of Na 2 SiO 3 . Samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), infrared spectroscopy (IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Electron diffraction, XRD, IR, and XPS indicated that samples with Si/Fe molar ratios ≥ 0.10 had Si incorporated into the structure. For samples containing Si/Fe molar ratios ≤ 0.05, Si was adsorbed on the oxide surface predominantly as silicate monomers and possibly as small units of polymerized silica linked at only one or two corners of the OSiO tetrahedra. Phosphate adsorption by samples containing Si/Fe molar ratios ≤ 0.05 was predominantly due to replacement of surface-OH groups. The IR study indicated that the phosphate anions were adsorbed on the oxide surface by a binuclear-bridging complex. For ferrihydrite samples containing Si/Fe molar ratios ≥ 0.10, phosphate ions replaced silicate ions held by a monodentate ligang-binding mechanism and/or as small units of polymerized silica. For each of the phosphate-treated ferrihydrite samples, the P (2p) XPS peak was observed at 133.3 eV, which indicated that HPO 4 2− was the dominant species adsorbed on the oxide surface.
On the Conditional Variance for Scale Mixtures of Normal Distributions

For a scale mixture of normal vector, X=A1/2G, where X, G?Rn and A is a positive variable, independent of the normal vector G, we obtain that the conditional variance covariance, Cov(X2?X1), is always finite a.s. for m?2, where X1?Rn and m
21st century space transportation system design approach - HL-20 personnel launch system

This article provides an introduction to and overview of the research that was conducted on the HL-20 lifting body. The concept has been defined as an option for a personnel launch system (PLS) that is intended to carry six to eight Space Station Freedom crew persons. In this role the HL-20 will complement the Space Shuttle operation and ensure the ability to transport people to and from Earth orbit after the year 2000. The research covers a broad range of disciplines, including aerodynamics, aerodynamic heating and thermal protection systems, structural design, subsystem definition, trajectory and guidance system development for entry and abort, production and operations, and human factors. This article also presents the lifting-body heritage, design features of the concept, and HL-20/PLS mission requirements.
Prediction of improvement in recent oncet cardiomyopathy after referral for heart transplantation

Objectives. The purpose of this investigation was to determine how often left ventricular function improves in recent onset dilated cardiomyopathy of sufficient severity to cause referral for heart transplantation and how to predict this improvement at the time of evaluation for transplantation. Background. Improvement has been reported to occur frequently in patients with acute delated cardiomyopathy but has not been described specifically in these patients referred for transplantation. To avoid potentially needless transplantation, it would be useful to know the frequency of improvement and how to predict it in these patients. Methods. A consecutive series of 297 patients with primary dilated cardiomyopathy evaluated for heart transplantation was reviewed to identify those with onset of heart failure symptoms within the preceding 6 months and to examine their outcome. The clinical, echocardiographic, hemodynamic and laboratory profiles of patients with improvement in left ventricular function (defined as an increase in left ventricular ejection fraction ≥0.15 to a final ejection fraction of ≥0.30) were compared with those of patients without improvement to assess which variables might predict improvement. Results. Of 49 patients with recent onset dilated cardiomyopathy, 13 (27%) showed improvement, with an increase in mean left ventricular ejection fraction from 0.22 ± 0.08 to 0.49 ± 0.09. All patients with improvement had survived without heart transplantation at 43 ± 29 months. Survival time was shorter in the remaining 36 patients without improvement with recent onset cardiomyopathy than in the 248 with chronic symptoms (p = 0.03) and in younger compared with older patients with recent onset cardiomyopathy (p = 0.0001). By multivariate analysis, predictors of improvement were shorter duration of symptoms, lower pulmonary wedge and right atrial pressures and higher serum sodium levels. Conclusions. A minority of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and symptoms for ≥6 months will have marked improvement in left ventricular function, after which prognosis is excellent despite previous referral for heart transplantation. Those with symptom duration >3 months and more severe initial decompensation as reflected by higher filling pressures and lower seram sodium levels are unlikely to show improvement and may require earlier consideration for heart transplantation.
Unpacking the Power of the Mommy Wars

In recent years, Mommy Wars discourse, or an expressed judgment between mothers who work for pay and those who stay at home with their children, has emerged as a significant part of American culture. Yet knowledge about both its substantive underpinnings and the breadth of its influence across racial groups is limited. On these points, some research has suggested that racial differences regarding adherence to particular mothering ideologies will drive Mommy Wars discourse among white, middle-class mothers but not among African American, middle-class mothers. This study investigates 125 middle-class yet racially diverse mothers about the content and prevalence of Mommy Wars discourse among their peers. Contrary to expectations, Mommy Wars discourse, although based on strong beliefs regarding appropriate maternal practices, was limited in its scope. In addition, Mommy Wars discourse was a minority perspective among the peers of white, middle-class mothers, but a plurality perspective among the peers of African American, middle-class mothers.
Changes in vasoactive intestinal peptide and arginine vasopressin expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the rat brain following footshock stress

The neuropeptides, arginine vasopressin (AVP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) are synthesized by neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus and are important regulators of SCN function. Previous studies have demonstrated that acute exposure to stressors can disrupt circadian activity rhythms, suggesting the possibility of stress-related alterations in the expression of these neuropeptides within SCN neurons. In this study, we examined the effect of intermittent footshock stress on AVP mRNA and heterogeneous nuclear RNA (hnRNA) and VIP mRNA expression in neurons of the SCN. Young adult male Sprague/Dawley rats were subjected to 15 s of scrambled intermittent footshock (0.50 mA pulses, 1 pulse/s, 300 ms duration) every 5 min for 30 min. Animals were sacrificed 75 or 135 min after the onset of stress and brains examined for AVP mRNA and hnRNA, and VIP mRNA using in situ hybridization. Footshock stress increased AVP hnRNA levels at the 75 min time point whereas AVP mRNA was elevated at both the 75 and 135 min time points. In contrast, footshock stress decreased the number of cells expressing VIP mRNA in the SCN without changing hybridization level per cell. These data indicate that the disruptive effect of stress on activity rhythms correlate with alterations in the expression of regulatory peptides within the SCN.
Mechanisms of the proteinuria induced by Rho GTPases

Podocytes are highly differentiated cells that play an important role in maintaining glomerular filtration barrier integrity; a function regulated by small GTPase proteins of the Rho family. To investigate the role of Rho A in podocyte biology, we created transgenic mice expressing doxycycline-inducible constitutively active (V14 Rho) or dominant-negative Rho A (N19 Rho) in podocytes. Specific induction of either Rho A construct in podocytes caused albuminuria and foot process effacement along with disruption of the actin cytoskeleton as evidenced by decreased expression of the actin-associated protein synaptopodin. The mechanisms of these adverse effects, however, appeared to be different. Active V14 Rho enhanced actin polymerization, caused a reduction in nephrin mRNA and protein levels, promoted podocyte apoptosis, and decreased endogenous Rho A levels. In contrast, the dominant-negative N19 Rho caused a loss of podocyte stress fibers, did not alter the expression of either nephrin or Rho A, and did not cause podocyte apoptosis. Thus, our findings suggest that Rho A plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier under basal conditions, but enhancement of Rho A activity above basal levels promotes podocyte injury.
The effect of refractive correction on automated perimetric thresholds.

We determined the effect of introducing errors in refractive correction on the threshold retinal sensitivity in the central 6 degrees of the visual field in 11 normal subjects using automated static perimetry (Octopus program 62). A summated value of threshold retinal sensitivity was computed for each visual field by taking the sum of all 21 measured points in units of decibels. In 21 of 22 tested eyes, the emmetropic condition was associated with the highest summated retinal sensitivity. Summated retinal sensitivity decreased with increasing plus spherical (+1.00 and +2.00 diopters) power in 21 of 22 eyes. Threshold retinal sensitivity decreased –0.377 dB/degree for each degree away from fixation (P
A Developmental Study of Memory for Presentation Modality

Summary Second- and sixth-grade children and college students (16 males and 16 females at each grade level) learned a mixed-modality list of words under either incidental or intentional learning conditions and were then asked to recall the words, to recall the presentation modality of each word, and to indicate with a rating scale how confident they were that their modality identification was correct. Retention of modality information was well above chance at all age levels and did not depend on instructions to attend to input mode. Although children could assess how well they were retrieving information about modality, there was no evidence that they organized their recall according to input mode. Results suggest that active processing is not required for modality information to be encoded into long-term memory and raise questions about the use of modality as a retrieval cue.
Czerny-Turner Far Infrared Spectrometer for the 300–10 cm −1 Region

Design, construction, and performance data are given for a vacuum grating spectrometer which has been used in the frequency range 300–10 cm−1. The Czerny–Turner optics used have proved advantageous for high-resolution far infrared spectrometers. Use of recently developed radiation filtering techniques, light pipes, and light cones lead to a very simple and convenient spectrometer. A sample volume to path length ratio much lower than those found for conventional infrared gas sample cells is possible using light-pipe sample cells. The length of such sample cells may be easily extended without the additional optics needed for conventional long path length sample cells.
Comparison of different methods of expressing dietary protein for lactating dairy cows.

Data were from Holstein cows from 20 experiments at the University of Florida (1688 cow-period observations). Objectives were to compare milk responses to increasing dietary percent or daily intake of CP, estimated undegradable CP, and estimated metabolizable protein from Burroughs and Chalupa equations and to determine if higher producing cows (26.8 kg milk/d) responded differently to increasing dietary protein percent or intake than do lower producing cows (18.9 kg milk/d). The mathematical model included experiment, cow-within-experiment, period, body weight, and source of roughage. Intake of protein (kg/d) had a greater effect (cubic polynomial) on milk yield than protein percent of DM since CP, undegraded protein, Chalupa metabolizable protein, and Burroughs metabolizable protein intakes explained 17.2, 20.9, 23.5, and 24.1% of residual variation in milk yield compared with .6, 2.1, 1.7, and 2.1%, for percents of DM. High producing cows responded more to increasing protein intake than did low producing cows. Respective protein intake variables explained 20.6, 23.7, 30.5, and 31.2% of residual variation in milk yield in high production group compared with 17.2, 23.1, 20.6, and 20.6% in low production group.
αB-Crystallin Maintains Skeletal Muscle Myosin Enzymatic Activity and Prevents its Aggregation under Heat-shock Stress

Here, we provide functional and direct structural evidence that alphaB-crystallin, a member of the small heat-shock protein family, suppresses thermal unfolding and aggregation of the myosin II molecular motor. Chicken skeletal muscle myosin was thermally unfolded at heat-shock temperature (43 degrees C) in the absence and in the presence of alphaB-crystallin. The ATPase activity of myosin at 25 degrees C was used as a parameter to monitor its unfolding. Myosin retained only 65% and 8% of its ATPase activity when incubated at heat-shock temperature for 15 min and 30 min, respectively. However, 84% and 58% of the myosin ATPase activity was maintained when it was incubated with alphaB-crystallin under the same conditions. Furthermore, actin-stimulated ATPase activity of myosin was reduced by approximately 90%, when myosin was thermally unfolded at 43 degrees C for 30 min, but was reduced by only approximately 42% when it was incubated with alphaB-crystallin under the same conditions. Light-scattering assays and bound thioflavin T fluorescence indicated that myosin aggregates when incubated at 43 degrees C for 30 min, while alphaB-crystallin suppressed this thermal aggregation. Photo-labeled bis-ANS alphaB-crystallin fluorescence studies confirmed the transient interaction of alphaB-crystallin with myosin. These findings were further supported by electron microscopy of rotary shadowed molecules. This revealed that approximately 94% of myosin molecules formed inter and intra-molecular aggregates when incubated at 43 degrees C for 30 min. alphaB-Crystallin, however, protected approximately 48% of the myosin molecules from thermal aggregation, with protected myosin appearing identical to unheated molecules. These results are the first to show that alphaB-crystallin maintains myosin enzymatic activity and prevents the aggregation of the motor under heat-shock conditions. Thus, alphaB-crystallin may be critical for nascent myosin folding, promoting myofibrillogenesis, maintaining cytoskeletal integrity and sustaining muscle performance, since heat-shock temperatures can be produced during multiple stress conditions or vigorous exercise.
Expression of Murine Coronavirus Recombinant Papain-Like Proteinase: Efficient Cleavage Is Dependent on the Lengths of both the Substrate and the Proteinase Polypeptides

Proteolytic processing of the replicase gene product of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) is essential for viral replication. In MHV strain A59 (MHV-A59), the replicase gene encodes two predicted papain-like proteinase (PLP) domains, PLP-1 and PLP-2. Previous work using viral polypeptide substrates synthesized by in vitro transcription and translation from the replicase gene demonstrated both cis and trans cleavage activities for PLP-1. We have cloned and overexpressed the PLP-1 domain in Escherichia coli by using a T7 RNA polymerase promoter system or as a maltose-binding protein (MBP) fusion protein. With both overexpression systems, the recombinant PLP-1 exhibited trans cleavage activity when incubated with in vitro-synthesized viral polypeptide substrates. Subsequent characterization of the recombinant PLP-1 revealed that in vitro trans cleavage is more efficient at 22°C than at higher temperatures. Using substrates of increasing lengths, we observed efficient cleavage by PLP-1 requires a substrate greater than 69 kDa. In addition, when PLP-1 was expressed as a polypeptide that included additional viral sequences at the carboxyl terminus of the predicted PLP-1 domain, a fivefold increase in proteolytic activity was observed. The data presented here support previous data suggesting that in vitro and in vivo cleavage of the ORF 1a polyprotein by PLP-1 can occur in both in cis and in trans. In contrast to the cleavage activity demonstrated for PLP-1, no in vitro cleavage in cis or in trans could be detected with PLP-2 expressed either as a polypeptide, including flanking viral sequences, or as an MBP fusion enzyme.
Temporary tendon strengthening by preconditioning.

Abstract Background Tendon is frequently injured structure in sports activities. Stretching before activities has been recommended to prevent athletes from injuries. Clinical studies reported that stretching had effects to reduce passive muscle stiffness and leads to an increased range of motion. Recent biomechanical studies suggested that stretching might also temporary affect tensile property of tendon. However, the detailed information regarding optimizing this preconditioning has not been defined. The purpose of this study is to investigate time-dependent effect of preconditioning on the mechanical strength of tendon, and to determine an optimal duration of preconditioning for tendon strengthening. Methods Forty eight Achilles tendons from euthanized Sprague–Dawley rats were used. The specimens were randomly divided into six groups. The specimens in control group were tested to failure without preconditioning. In preconditioning groups, 30, 100, 300, 600, and 1000 s stretching at 2% strain were performed. The specimens were subsequently loaded to failure. Findings Preconditioning from 30 s to 600 s significantly increased the ultimate failure load and strength. Ultimate failure load was significantly different between control and each of 30, 100, 300, and 600 s stretching groups ( P = 0.033, 0.031, 0.004, and 0.029, respectively). There was no significant difference between control and 1000 s stretching group. Ultimate strength was significantly different between control and each of 30, 100, 300, and 600 s stretching groups ( P = 0.007, 0.008, Interpretation The time-dependent effect of preconditioning on the mechanical strength of tendon may be due to progressive collagen fibre recruitment and subsequent fatigues at the micro-level.
LOTTERYBUS: a new high-performance communication architecture for system-on-chip designs

This paper presents Lotterybus, a novel high-performance communication architecture for system-on-chip (SoC) designs. The Lotterybus architecture was designed to address the following limitations of current communication architectures: (i) lack of control over the allocation of communication bandwidth to different system components or data flows (e.g., in static priority based shared buses), leading to starvation of lower priority components in some situations, and (ii) significant latencies resulting from variations in the time-profile of the communication requests (e.g., in time division multiplexed access (TDMA) based architectures), sometimes leading to larger latencies for high-priority communications.We present two variations of Lotterybus: the first is a low overhead architecture with statically configured parameters, while the second variant is a more sophisticated architecture, in which values of the architectural parameters are allowed to vary dynamically.Our experiments investigate the performance of the Lotterybus architecture across a wide range of communication traffic characteristics. In addition, we also analyze its performance in a 4x4 ATM switch sub-system design. The results demonstrate that the Lotterybus architecture is (i) capable of providing the designer with fine grained control over the bandwidth allocated to each SoC component or data flow, and (ii) well suited to provide high priority communication traffic with low latencies (we observed upto 85.4\% reduction in communication latencies over conventional on-chip communication architectures).
Public and private health insurance: stacking up the costs.

Some proposals to expand health insurance coverage for people with low incomes are based on expansions of public programs, such as Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), while others rely on the use of tax subsidies for individuals to purchase private insurance. Analyses of data from the 2005 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey indicate that total medical spending is much lower when coverage is provided by Medicaid or SCHIP than it is when coverage is provided by private insurance. Public insurance is particularly advantageous from the consumer’s perspective because associated out-of-pocket spending is far lower.
Immigration to Western Europe 1952-1982: a time-series analysis of movement to Sweden France and Essen.

Two contradictory approaches--an equilibrium view based on neoclassical economic principles and a structuralist view based on labour needs of core economies--dominate contemporary international migration research. Using a monthly time-series for Essen [Federal Republic of Germany] Sweden and France for 1952-1982 of immigration by different nationalities a specific hypothesis derived from the neoclassical view relating immigration to economic growth and stagnation was tested using the Box-Jenkins ARIMA modelling approach. The only support for the hypothesis came from the example of the local labor market in Essen. The author notes that "most migration flows are described by complex ARIMA models. Immigration legislation had a stronger and more direct effect on the strength and timing of flows than economic trends. Predictions based on univariate and bivariate models are not very useful: immigration trends over the past decade are significantly different from earlier flows." (EXCERPT)
Landscape-Scale Variation in Taxonomic Diversity in Four Groups of Aquatic Organisms: The Influence of Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties

We evaluated several factors influencing the taxonomic richness of macrophytes, benthic invertebrates, snails, and fish in a series of northern Wisconsin lakes. We chose the study lakes to decouple the potential effects of ionic strength of lake water and stream connection, two factors that are usually highly correlated and therefore have been confounded in previous studies. In addition, our study lakes covered a wide range in a variety of characteristics, including residential development, abundance of exotic species, nutrient concentrations, predator abundance, and lake size. Species richness within each of the four taxonomic groups was significantly positively related to ionic strength (as measured by specific conductance); we also found secondary associations with other variables, depending on the specific group of organisms. The relationship between richness and lake area was dependent on the specific conductance of the lake and the vagility of the organisms; less vagile groups of organisms showed stronger and steeper species–area relationships in low-conductivity lakes. Further, after variance owing to specific conductance was removed, the presence of stream connections was positively related to species richness for fish, snails, and macrophytes as well as familial richness in benthic invertebrates. Our results indicate that lakes with relatively more groundwater input have lower extinction rates for all four groups of taxa and that lakes with stream inlets and outlets have enhanced immigration rates for fish, snails, benthic invertebrate families, and macrophytes. These findings link processes of immigration and extinction of four groups of organisms of varying vagility to landscape-level hydrologic characteristics related to the glacial history of the region.
Nonparametric Bayesian Learning of Switching Linear Dynamical Systems

Many nonlinear dynamical phenomena can be effectively modeled by a system that switches among a set of conditionally linear dynamical modes. We consider two such models: the switching linear dynamical system (SLDS) and the switching vector autoregressive (VAR) process. Our nonparametric Bayesian approach utilizes a hierarchical Dirichlet process prior to learn an unknown number of persistent, smooth dynamical modes. We develop a sampling algorithm that combines a truncated approximation to the Dirichlet process with efficient joint sampling of the mode and state sequences. The utility and flexibility of our model are demonstrated on synthetic data, sequences of dancing honey bees, and the IBOVESPA stock index.
Salmonella enterica Strains Lacking the Frataxin Homolog CyaY Show Defects in Fe-S Cluster Metabolism In Vivo

In Salmonella enterica, the isc operon contains genes necessary for the synthesis of Fe-S clusters and strains lacking this operon have severe defects in a variety of cellular processes. Other cellular loci that impact Fe-S cluster synthesis to a lesser extent have been described. The cyaY locus encodes a frataxin homolog, and it is shown here that lesions in this locus affect Fe-S cluster metabolism. When present in combination with other lesions, mutations in cyaY can result in a strain with more severe defects than those lacking the isc locus.
P450 oxidoreductase: genetic polymorphisms and implications for drug metabolism and toxicity

Background: Cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR) is the only electron donor for all microsomal cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP), some of which are phase I drug-metabolizing enzymes, responsible for oxidation of more than 80% of drugs. Objectives: To provide a more thorough understanding of the genetic factors influencing drug metabolism, we address the role of genetic polymorphisms in the POR gene, and their implications for drug metabolism and cytotoxicity. Methods: The scope of this review is intended to cover polymorphisms currently identified in the POR gene, assess their functional significance on POR activity, and address their impact on CYP-mediated drug metabolism. POR is also responsible for directly metabolizing several anticancer prodrugs via a 1-electron reduction reaction, so the effect of POR polymorphisms on the direct bioactivation of drugs is also considered. Results/conclusion: POR is a polymorphic enzyme that can affect CYP-mediated drug metabolism as well as direct bioactivation of...
The function of loud calls (Hoot Series) in wild western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla).

The use of loud vocal signals to reduce distance among separated social partners is well documented in many species; however, the underlying mechanisms by which the reduction of spacing occurs and how they differ across species remain unclear. Western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) offer an opportunity to investigate these issues because their vocal repertoire includes a loud, long-distance call (i.e., hoot series) that is potentially used in within-group communication, whereas mountain gorillas use an identical call exclusively during intergroup encounters. First, we tested whether the hoot series functions as a contact/separation call. Second, we examined which individuals were more likely to reply and which party was more responsible for decreasing distance to identify the underlying mechanisms and cognitive implications of hoot series. We collected behavioral, spatial, and acoustic data on five adult gorillas over 15 months at the Mondika Research Center (Republic of Congo and CAR). Hoot series are individually distinct calls and given by both male and female gorillas when separated from each other. Following hooting, the distance between separated group members decreased significantly; thus we concluded that western gorillas use this call to reestablish group cohesion. The way in which proximity was achieved depended upon listeners replying or not to the caller. Replies may indicate a conflict between callers about intended travel direction, with vocal interchanges serving to negotiate a consensus. Although the acoustic features of vocal signals are highly constrained in closely related species, our results demonstrate that the function and usage of particular calls can be flexible. Am J Phys Anthropol 155:379–391, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Yersinia enterocolitica Infections

Bacteria of the genus Yersinia have been recognized for centuries as the cause of devastating human illness in the form of plague caused by Yersinia pestis and epizootic disease in animals due to Y. pseudotuberculosis. In more recent years, a third member of the genus, Y. enterocolitica, has been reported with increasing frequency throughout the world. This ubiquitous organism has been found in a number of animal species, foods, and environmental sources, and now joins the ranks of its fellow genus members as an important human pathogen.
Symanzik flow on HISQ ensembles

=a, originally proposed bythe BMW collaboration, is computed using Symanzik ﬂow at four lattice spacings ranging from0.15 to 0.06 fm. With a Taylor series ansatz, the results are simultaneously extrapolated to thecontinuum and interpolated to physical quark masses. We give a preliminary determination of thescale w
Importance of CMV in the Transplant Population

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection can be documented in more than half of patients after organ transplantation; viral replication may persist for the long term. It is known that CMV can affect the capacity of the host to mount a defense against complicating infections, particularly in the presence of a mismatch in major histocompatibility antigens between donor and graft recipient. Additionally, some proposed pathogenic mechanisms suggest that the production of growth factors in response to CMV infection may play a significant role in the indirect effects of CMV infection. The accumulating evidence of the direct effects of CMV on allograft survival as well as on the host immune system should lead to a review of prophylactic and therapeutic measures, with a view toward tailoring antiviral prevention protocols to specific patient, characteristics.
Effect of ruminally degraded protein on protein available at the intestine assessed using blood amino acid concentrations.

The effect of increasing amounts of ruminally degraded protein on protein available at the intestine was studied using the concentration of blood plasma branched-chain amino acids as an indicator of protein flow to the small intestine. Five ruminally cannulated cows in midlactation were used in a 5 x 5 Latin square design experiment and were fed a diet containing 20% alfalfa silage, 40% corn silage, 30% shelled, coarsely ground corn, and 8% soybean meal (DM basis). Each experimental period was 17 d. Each period contained subperiods: 1 (5 d), 2 (5 d), and 3 (7 d). In addition to the basal diet, cows were given casein infusions of 0,.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 kg/d. During subperiod 1, the full amount of casein was infused into the abomasum (A100); in subperiod 2, 10% of each casein level was infused into the abomasum (A10); and, during subperiod 3, the full amount of casein was infused into the rumen (R100). The concentration of branched-chain amino acids (Ile, Leu, and Val) in blood plasma increased as amounts of casein infused into the abomasum increased to the full amount. There was no increase in branched-chain amino acids when the same amount of casein was infused into the rumen, suggesting that ruminally degraded protein was adequate in the basal diet and the increased supply of degraded protein from ruminally infused casein did not increase the flow of protein to the small intestine.
Pelvic inflammatory disease in adolescent females. Epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and sequelae.

The estimated risk of pelvic inflammatory disease in 15- to 19-year-old females is 1:8. If current trends continue, 50 per cent of young women aged 15 years old in 1970 will have experienced at least one episode of PID by the year 2000. This article reviews the current state-of-the-art understanding and management of this disease in the adolescent female.
Design Strategies for Interactive Digital Narratives

Creating interactive digital narrative (IDN) experiences means to overcome a tradition dominated by conventions for non-interactive, static and pre-fixed narrative. Instead of "interactivizing" legacy structures, a more productive avenue is in the focus on specific design strategies for IDN. These approaches do afford a a different view towards the resulting manifestations both form and context, but also include a perspective on the changed role of the author.
Water Balance and Gas Exchange

Amphibians and reptiles live in environments varying from xeric deserts to montane cloud forests and from fresh to saltwater, each of which presents special challenges for the maintenance of osmotic balance. The reactions occur in an active amphibian or reptile require an aqueous medium, and further, water and oxygen are required to convert fuel to usable energy. These metabolic reactions power the chemistry of digestion, absorption, waste removal, cell repair and division, reproduction, and a multitude of other functions. To survive, amphibians and reptiles must maintain internal body fluids that provide a stable environment for the cells. Most amphibians and reptiles maintain homeostasis, but a few species can tolerate high plasma solute concentrations for extended time periods (anhomeostasis). For those living in water, the external environment contains a complement of dissolved ions similar to their bodies but in different proportions. Many aspects of water gain and loss differ in amphibians and reptiles, primarily because of the structure and permeability of the skin. Amphibian skin is unique among vertebrates because it is highly permeable and lacks any kind of structures—scales, feathers, or fur—to make it less permeable. Consequently, water balance is the major physiological issue for amphibians, and evaporative water loss is one of the most important mechanisms for thermoregulation. Unlike amphibians, most reptiles gain or lose almost no water through their impermeable skin, which is largely resistant to movement of water or ions. Water loss and gain must remain in balance, and reptiles lose and gain water in several ways.
Solving Complex Industrial Problems without Statistics

Presenting: Problem Solving Sans Statistics Enhance your problem-solving skills, and improve your company’s profitability using the methods outlined in Solving Complex Industrial Problems without Statistics. Introducing a process that involves working through problems and solutions without relying on complicated statistical design or analysis, this book pulls away from data-driven thinking and provides the problem solver with a new way of solving problems. Utilizing techniques that have been applied in facilities throughout the U.S., Canada, Italy, China, and Hong Kong, it demonstrates the use of process and problem differences and similarities, and provides a better understanding of analogous comparisons. The book incorporates visual analysis tools and problem examples in a format that facilitates comprehension and learning, presents novel concepts that do not require numbers or statistics, and provides a better understanding of the solution system/process overall. Each chapter presents new information, as well as case studies that include: Different problem situations Short histories detailing the operation, condition, and circumstances that were present at the time of each study Photographs, sketches, or tables with simple explanations to describe the circumstances, conditions, and the actions taken Methods of solution in rudimentary form Chapter summaries to review important mechanisms and workings Final summaries to tie together the important methods and techniques that facilitate easy problem solutions Solving Complex Industrial Problems without Statistics provides valuable insight into the solution of complex quality and manufacturing problems, without the use of statistics, and is essential to anyone involved in quality, control, problem-solving activities, or total quality management.
Stabilization of Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in Consolidating Benthal Deposits

The objective of this research was to develop and validate a predictive model of the benthal stabilization of organic carbon and nitrogen in deposits of waste activated sludge solids formed at the bottom of an aerated water column, under conditions of continual deposition. A benthal model was developed from a one-dimensional, generalized transport equation and a set of first-order biological reactions. For model verification, depth profiles of the major interstitial carbon and nitrogen components were measured from a set of deposits formed in the laboratory at 20°C and a controlled loading rate. The observed sequence of volatile acid utilization in each benthal deposit was that which would be predicted by the Gibbs free energies of the individual degradation reactions and would be controlled by the reduction in interstitial hydrogen partial pressure with time. Biodegradable solids were solubilized rapidly during the first three weeks of benthal retention, but subsequent solubilization occurred much more slowly. The benthal simulation effectively predicted the dynamics of consolidating, organic deposits. Simulation of organic loading rates up to 250 g BVSS/(m 2 day) indicated that the stabilization capacity of benthal deposits was far above the range of organic loading rates currently used in lagoon design.
Cultivating subjects in the Neo-Assyrian empire

This article, which centers upon the Neo-Assyrian empire of the early first millennium BCE, presents agriculture as a field of political intervention and transformation in the creation of imperial ...
Integrated Genomic Profiling Identifies Preferential Expression of the Insulin Receptor in CLL with Deletion 11q.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is associated with characteristic genomic aberrations as defined by FISH and SNP arrays. CLL with del11q is characterized by a relatively aggressive clinical course, and about one third of cases carry mutations in ATM on the retained allele. Little information is available on additional molecular aberrations associated with del11q in CLL. We have analyzed del11q in a subset of 178 CLL cases using DNA from FACS-sorted CD19+ cells compared with buccal DNA using the Affymetrix 50k SNP array platform. Genomic copy number analysis using dChipSNP identified two non-overlapping minimal deleted regions on 11q, one of which spans ATM . We proceeded to use comparative expression array profiling of RNA derived from sorted CD19+ cells from 10 CLL cases with and nine cases without del11q using the Affymetrix U133 2.0 Plus platform. Analysis of normalized data identified ~85 probe sets with differential expression (del11q versus reference) that displayed a false discovery rate of 90% pure CLL cells from 10 cases with del11q and with high INSR expression versus cases without del11q and absent expression confirmed the accuracy of Q-PCR-based estimates of INSR expression. Work is in progress to measure effects of INSR expression on CLL survival and insulin-induced signaling in CLL in an effort to dissect functional consequences of INSR expression in CLL.
Investigation of jigging as a method for removing dolomite from high-MgO phosphate ores

Dolomite [CaMg(CO3)2] is an intolerable impurity in phosphate ores, due to its MgO content. The need to develop a cost-effective method for the removal of dolomite from high-MgO phosphate ores becomes increasingly important as high-grade reserves become depleted. The jigging process has been investigated as a method for the beneficiation of phosphate ores. A laboratory-scale jig was constructed and tested using a semicontinuous, “through-the-screen” jigging process. Two types of sedimentary phosphate ore were used; a sample from Plant 1 in the 4.00 × 0.85-mm size range, containing 1.55% MgO, and a sample from Plant 2 in the 3.40 × 0.85-mm size range, containing 3.07% MgO. These were tested, using previously optimized jigging parameters, at high and low feed rates. For the Plant 1 phosphate ore, a phosphate concentrate that contained 0.89% MgO was achieved with a bone phosphate of lime (BPL) recovery of 32.0%. For the Plant 2 phosphate ore, a phosphate concentrate that contained 1.38% MgO was achieved, with a BPL recovery of 74.7%. Minimum achievable MgO grades were also determined by analyzing hand-separated phosphate samples.
3-D Glasma initial state from small-x evolution

Abstract We present an ab-initio approach to compute the longitudinal dependence of the initial state in heavy-ion collisions by including small-x evolution of the nuclear gluon distributions. Extending the IP-Glasma model by including JIMWLK rapidity evolution, we compute event-by-event rapidity distributions of produced gluons and the early time energy momentum tensor as a function of space-time rapidity and transverse coordinates. We show how the effects of small-x evolution manifest themselves in longitudinal (rapidity) correlations of event-by-event multiplicities and transverse geometry and compare our results to various phenomenological models and experimental observations.
Perception and practice of prescribed rest following concussion in primary and secondary schools

Objective The purpose of our study was to characterise return-to-learn practices following concussion in primary and secondary schools, particularly with regard to prescribed cognitive rest. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Massachusetts. Participants Nine hundred member of the Massachusetts School Nurse Research Network (MASNRN) employed full or part-time at a public, private, or charter school serving pre-school through the 12th grade. Outcome measures Prescribed rest (actual) versus perceived benefit of rest. Main results A majority of respondents expressed the opinion that more prolonged cognitive rest benefits recovery, with 53.6% endorsing 4–10 days as beneficial compared to 44.3% endorsing 3 days or less. Only 2.1% felt no benefit to cognitive rest following concussion. The average number of medically advised rest (actual) was equal for older and younger students (4.5 days). School nurses perceived less benefit to prolonged cognitive rest (>4 days) for high school students relative to students in elementary school [2 (4, n=97)=11.05, p Conclusions Counter to the practice of administering accommodations for fewer days in younger students, school nurses perceived greater benefit to shorter periods of cognitive rest (3 days or less) for older children (high school age) relative to elementary school and middle school children. In all settings, schools rest is overprescribed in light of recent finding indicating that prolonged rest (beyond two to three days) may delay recovery. Competing interests None.
In Vitro Assays to Assess Blood-brain Barrier Mesh-like Vessel Formation and Disruption

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) coverage plays a central role in the homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS). The BBB is dynamically maintained by astrocytes, pericytes and brain endothelial cells (BECs). Here, we detail methods to assess BBB coverage using single cultures of immortalized human BECs, single cultures of primary mouse BECs, and a humanized triple culture model (BECs, astrocytes and pericytes) of the BBB. To highlight the applicability of the assays to disease states, we describe the effect of oligomeric amyloid-β (oAβ), which is an important contributor to Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression, on BBB coverage. Further, we utilize the epidermal growth factor (EGF) to illuminate the drug screening potential of the techniques. Our results show that single and triple cultured BECs form meshwork-like structures under basal conditions, and that oAβ disrupts this cell meshwork formation and degenerates the preformed mesh structures, but EGF blocks this disruption. Thus, the techniques described are important for dissecting fundamental and disease-relevant processes that modulate BBB coverage.
Educational needs of youth in the juvenile justice system

Data, with regard to overrepresentation in the juvenile justice system, show that the majority of youth in juvenile correctional settings are from either urban or rural communities. Several authors have suggested ways to improve delivery of appropriate educational programming to youth in juvenile correctional settings. One key component in ensuring that youth in juvenile correctional facilities receive the educational services they require is the implementation of a referral process by which all eligible youth with disabilities who enter a facility can be identified and assessed within a prescribed timeline. This process should include the identification of eligible youth with no prior history of special education, in addition to identification of youth who received special education services from previous school systems but who do not have a current individualized education plan (IEP). Additionally, youth with learning disabilities, mild to moderate mental retardation, and developmental delays are overrepresented in juvenile correctional settings.
WEAC: Word embeddings for anomaly classification from event logs

Dramatic progress has been made in the usage of semantic word embeddings for solving word analogy tasks in recent years. Word embeddings or vector representation of words has been the key to many advances in natural language processing. This paper presents a novel application of Word-Embeddings for Anomaly Classification (WEAC), where we detect whether an event log entry is an anomalous one or not. Additionally, WEAC helps us classify the anomaly by identifying the anomalous feature(s) in the event log. For example, an unusual network activity such as a store transaction server logging into dropbox.com would be automatically flagged as anomalous because of the wrong feature associations for entries in the corresponding event log. WEAC works with two training models: Skip-Gram (SG) and Continuous Bag of Words (CBOW). Negative sampling is used to boost the training. The initial results on wikipedia text8 dataset, as well as investigation on enterprise HTTP logs are promising. The model achieved an average detection rate of 65–100% and classification accuracy of 85–100%. The detection rate was superior to state-of-the-art anomaly detection techniques.