cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional abnormalities of human neutrophils collected by continuous flow filtration leukopheresis

Continuous flow filtration leukopheresis (FL) is a relatively simple, inexpensive, and efficient technique of harvesting blood neutrophils from normal donors for transfusion into neutropenic recipients. There has been concern, however, that neutrophils may be functionally altered druing this leukopheresis procedure. Human neutrophils obtained by various FL techniques were studied for in vitro chemotaxis by a 51Cr- radiolabel method and for in vitro killing and phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus. We compared their function with neutrophils obtained by the NCI-IBM cell separator and by dextran sedimentation from whole blood. FL neutrophils eluted from nylon filters after 3-hr collection periods were functionally abnormal by all parameters tested, while neutrophils obtained by cell separator after similar collection times were not significantly different from control cells. However, neutrophils from 3-hr FL collections were found to include both normal and abnormal populations of cells. Loosely adherent cells, eluted after tapping the filters, were functionally normal; more adherent cells, eluted after tapping the filters and representing the bulk of cells collected, were progressively more abnormal the less readily they were eluted. Shortened FL collection times (1–2 hr) were found to decrease the functional defects. Also, administration of dexamethasone to donors prior to filtration leukopheresis diminished the functional defects of FL neutrophils perhaps by altering adherence characteristics of the cells. These studies show that neutrophils obtained by filtration leukopheresis are functionally abnormal in relation to the time and extent of adherence to nylon filters.
Credit spreads and merger pricing

Previous studies (Axelson et al. in J Finance 68(6):2223–2267, 2013; Gorbenko and Malenko in J Finance 69(6):2513–2555, 2014) find that transaction prices and maximum-willingness-to-pay for targets are negatively correlated with credit market conditions. We extend the literature along two dimensions. First, we focus on takeover premiums (which account for market conditions), not transaction prices or maximum-willingness-to-pay. Second, we use predicted changes in credit spreads (which are less likely driven by confounding factors), not contemporaneous changes in credit spreads. Empirically, we find that predicted changes in the credit spread negatively impact takeover premiums, and that the correlation between predicted credit spreads and takeover premiums is not significantly different between private and public acquisitions.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid Methylation in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Implications for Future Clinical Practice

Differential deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation has emerged as a critical feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Genome-wide DNA methylation studies have revealed methylation patterns characteristic of SLE-in particular, robust hypomethylation of interferon-regulated genes is a prominent finding in all cells of the immune system studied to date. These patterns reliably distinguish individuals with SLE from healthy controls and from individuals with other autoimmune diseases. For example, hypomethylation within IFI44L is both highly sensitive and highly specific for SLE, superior to currently available biomarkers. Furthermore, methylation status of other genetic loci has been associated with clinically relevant features of SLE including disease severity and organ-specific manifestations. Finally, DNA methylation studies have provided important insights into the pathophysiology of SLE. Most recently, there is a growing body of evidence that the transcription factor enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) plays an important role in triggering SLE disease activity via epigenetic mechanisms, and that EZH2 blockade may be a future treatment option in SLE. In this short review, we discuss the DNA methylation patterns associated with SLE, their relationship to clinically significant features of SLE, and their implications in the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to this complex disease.
Epistemology: I. Raising the Question

Kant’s major philosophical work is the Critique of Pure Reason, published in 1781, with a second, revised edition in 1787. The book is over four hundred thousand words. Kant himself remarks that it is “the product of nearly twelve years of reflection, I completed it hastily, in perhaps four or five months, with the greatest attentiveness to its content but less care about its style and ease of comprehension.”
Correction: Early childhood obesity prevention efforts through a life course health development perspective: A scoping review.

Introduction The obesity rate in preschool children in the United States (US) is 13.9%, while even higher rates are associated with racial and ethnic minorities and children from low-income families. These prevalence patterns underscore the need to identify effective childhood obesity prevention programs. Method A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework to provide an overview of the types, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of obesity prevention interventions and policies in children up to 6 years old. Inclusion criteria were studies at least 6-months duration; included a weight-based outcome, conducted in the US, English publications from January 2001 to February 2018. Exclusions: studies in overweight/obese children and obesity treatments, no comparator group. Evidence was characterized across the early life course and multiple-levels of influence. Results From the 2,180 records identified, 34 met the inclusion criteria. Less than half of the interventions initiated during pregnancy, infancy or preschool reported a significant improvement in a weight-based outcome. All interventions included strategies to influence individual- or interpersonal-level health behaviors, yet few removed obstacles in the healthcare system, physical/built environment, or sociocultural environment. The majority (78%) of the interventions occurred during preschool years, with 63% conducted in early childcare education settings serving low-income families. The health impact of the state-wide and national policies on children under age 6 years remains unclear. There was considerable uncertainty around estimates of the health and economic impacts of obesity prevention interventions and policies. Conclusion There is a need to intensify early childhood obesity preventive efforts during critical periods of health development in the US. Future studies should estimate the feasibility, program effectiveness, and cost of implementing multilevel obesity prevention interventions and policies. Addressing these research gaps will provide stakeholders with the scientific evidence necessary to facilitate funding and policy decisions to decrease the prevalence of early childhood obesity.
Establishing the oxidative tolerance of Thermomyces lanuginosus xylanase

AIMS This work aims to determine the tolerance of xylanase towards enzyme-generated oxidative conditions, such as those produced by the peroxidase or laccase mediator systems (LMS). METHODS AND RESULTS The activity of Thermomyces lanuginosus xylanase was measured after incubation with lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase or laccase plus various mediators. The laccase system, using mediators such as 1-hydroxybenzotriazole and violuric acid, resulted in complete loss of xylanase activity, accompanied by an increase in the solution potential. However, an increase in solution potential alone was not sufficient to inactivate xylanase, nor was loss of xylanase activity always accompanied by a significant increase in solution potential, as observed with N-hydroxyphthalimide as the mediator. Neither lignin peroxidase nor manganese peroxidase impacted xylanase activity; only extended treatment with elevated hydrogen peroxide concentration promoted modest xylanase activity loss. The mechanism of inactivation as determined by the tryptophan-modifying reagent N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) indicated that oxidation of just one of the eight tryptophan residues of T. lanuginosus xylanase would be sufficient to result in complete loss of xylanase activity, since xylanase is completely inactivated at 1 : 1 molar ratio of NBS to xylanase. CONCLUSIONS While showing tolerance to peroxidase-based enzyme systems, T. lanuginosus xylanase is readily inactivated in the presence of the LMS. Based upon treatment with NBS as the oxidant, inactivation can be attributed to modification of a single tryptophan residue. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The simultaneous application of mixed hydrolytic and oxidative enzyme systems is of importance to biomass processing industries. Understanding the tolerance of xylanase to oxidative conditions will facilitate the design of reaction conditions or enzyme variants to maximize the impact of mixed enzyme systems.
Generalized singular value decomposition with iterated Tikhonov regularization

Abstract Linear discrete ill-posed problems arise in many areas of science and engineering. Their solutions are very sensitive to perturbations in the data. Regularization methods try to reduce the sensitivity by replacing the given problem by a nearby one, whose solution is less affected by perturbations. This paper describes how generalized singular value decomposition can be combined with iterated Tikhonov regularization and illustrates that the method so obtained determines approximate solutions of higher quality than the more commonly used approach of pairing generalized singular value decomposition with (standard) Tikhonov regularization. The regularization parameter is determined with the aid of the discrepancy principle. This requires the application of a zero-finder. Several zero-finders are compared.
Expanding the biological utility of bis-NHC gold(i) complexes through post synthetic carbamate conjugation.

We report the synthesis of a novel hydroxyl-functionalised heteroleptic bis-NHC gold(I) complex that permits conjugation to various amines via carbamate bond formation. The resulting derivatives were studied in vitro using cell proliferation assays and fluorescent microscopic imaging of human cancer cell lines.
Food preferences before and during treatment for a pediatric feeding disorder

Little is known about the food preferences of children with a feeding disorder and medical diagnoses. Therefore, we conducted repeated paired-stimulus-preference assessments with foods to which we either exposed or did not expose 3 children with a feeding disorder and medical diagnoses during clinical treatment. Responding was relatively equivalent for exposure and nonexposure foods throughout the preference assessments, suggesting that preferences for foods did not change due to exposure during treatment.
Transcriptional Analyses of Innate and Acquired Immune Patterning Elicited by Marek's Disease Virus Vaccine Strains: Turkey Herpesvirus (HVT), Marek's Disease Virus 2 (strain SB1), and Bivalent Vaccines (HVT/SB1 and HVT-LT/SB1)

Marek's disease (MD) is a complex pathology of chickens caused by MD virus (MDV) 1 and is observed as paralysis, immune suppression, neurologic signs, and the rapid formation of T-cell lymphomas. The incidence of MD in commercial broilers is largely controlled via vaccination, either in ovo or at hatch with live attenuated vaccines, i.e., turkey herpesvirus (HVT) or a bivalent combination of HVT with the MDV 2 strain (SB1). To further extend the protection conferred by bivalent HVT/SB-1, recombinant HVTs encoding transgenes of other avian viruses have similarly been used for in ovo administration. Despite decades of use, the specific mechanisms associated with vaccine-induced protection remain obscure. Additionally, the mechanistic basis for vaccine synergism conferred by bivalent HVT/SB-1, compared with HVT or SB-1 administered alone, is largely unknown. In the present study, we report on temporal changes in innate and acquired immune-patterning gene expression by using ex vivo splenocyte infection and in ovo vaccination models. We report that in the ex vivo splenocyte infection model, by 72 hr postinfection, vaccines induced IFN and IFN-stimulated gene expression, with lesser proinflammatory cytokine induction. For several genes (TLR3, IFN-γ, OASL, Mx1, NOS2A, and IL-1β), the effects on gene expression were additive for HVT, SB1, and HVT/SB1 infection. We observed similar patterns of induction in in ovo-vaccinated commercial broiler embryos and chicks with HVT/SB-1 or recombinant HVT-based bivalent combination (HVT-LT/SB-1). Furthermore, HVT/SB-1 or HVT-LT/SB-1 in ovo vaccination appeared to hasten immune maturation, with expression patterns suggesting accelerated migration of T and natural killer cells into the spleen. Finally, HVT/SB-1 vaccination resulted in a coordinated induction of IL-12p40 and downregulation of suppressors of cytokine signaling 1 and 3, indicative of classical macrophage 1 and T-helper 1 patterning.
Electronic Cigarette Use among Survivors of Smoking-Related Cancers in the United States.

Background: The prevalence of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and its impact on smoking cessation among cancer survivors in the United States is largely unknown. We sought to estimate the prevalence of e-cigarette use and examine its associations with cigarette smoking and smoking quit attempts among smoking-related cancer survivors in the United States. Methods: We obtained data from the 2014–2017 annual cycles of the National Health Interview Survey for participants with self-reported history of smoking-related cancer(s). We calculated the prevalence of current e-cigarette use and utilized multinomial logistic regression in examining the independent association between e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking. Appropriate survey weights were applied in estimating the prevalence rates, relative risk ratios (RRR), ORs, and confidence intervals (CI). Results: Our sample comprised 3,162 smoking-related cancer survivors. The prevalence of current e-cigarette use was 3.18% (95% CI, 2.40–3.96). Current e-cigarette users were 83 times as likely as never users to be current cigarette smokers (RRR, 82.89; 95% CI, 16.54–415.37). Among those with a history of cigarette smoking, current e-cigarette users were 90% less likely to be former smokers (OR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.05–0.18). No association was seen between current e-cigarette use and a smoking quit attempt in the prior year. Conclusions: E-cigarette use among cigarette ever smokers was associated with a lower likelihood of being a former smoker/having quit smoking, and e-cigarette use was not associated with smoking quit attempts. Impact: Our findings do not provide evidence that e-cigarette use facilitates smoking cessation among smoking-related cancer survivors.
Foldamer Architectures of Triazine-Based Sequence-Defined Polymers Investigated with Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Enhanced Sampling Methods

Triazine-based sequence-defined polymers have recently been developed that are biomimetic and robust. In molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the triazine polymers were shown to form linear nanorod foldamers through hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions. The nanorod foldamers have motifs resembling those of DNA, α-helices, and β-sheets and have potential to be useful building blocks for new macromolecules and materials. To understand the formation of nanorod foldamers, we investigate how linker structures in the middle of the triazine polymers lead to folding using MD simulations. We found that a variety of linkers can participate in folding but that specific linker structures are more favorable than others, depending on the polymer length. Folding of hexamers into well-defined nanorod foldamers was most favorable with pentanediamine and ortho-xylenediamine linkers in the center of the polymers. Foldamers with ortho-xylenediamine linkers in the center were investigated for longer polymers, i.e., octamers and decamers, using two different enhanced sampling methods, since regular MD simulations had failed to show any folding for these longer polymers. In particular, the recently developed concurrent adaptive sampling (CAS) algorithm and replica exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) were used. We found that the two enhanced sampling methods did lead to the observation of foldamers and that REMD revealed new foldamer architectures where cis-trans isomerizations had occurred. Foldamer formation, diversity, and the strengths and limitations of simulation techniques are discussed. These findings provide new insights into the diversity of foldamer architectures for a new type of biomimetic synthetic polymer.
Clinical factors associated with intubation in the high flow nasal cannula era.

Abstract Background Bronchiolitis is the most common cause for hospitalization in infants. While the use of high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has increased, it has not uniformly reduced intubation rates. Objective We identified factors associated with respiratory failure in children with bronchiolitis on HFNC. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of previously healthy children Results Of 2657 children on HFNC, the median age was 7 months, while the median age of the intubated cohort was 3 months. Ten percent (271) progressed to mechanical ventilation within 48 h of PED presentation. Of the 301 patients that needed escalation to CPAP and/or BiPAP, 91 required intubation. Factors associated with intubation were young age and a high respiratory tool score; factors associated with no progression to intubation were a reduction in tachycardia after initiation of HFNC and presentation after day 5 of illness. A secondary analysis also revealed decreased rate of intubation with the use of bronchodilators. We identified demographic, clinical, and therapeutic factors that are associated with requiring intubation. Conclusion Given the high burden of bronchiolitis in pediatric emergency departments, these factors can be considered upon presentation of children with bronchiolitis to selectively identify children at higher risk for respiratory failure.
Does the Political Candidate’s Quality Lead to Satisfaction? Transposition of the SERVQUAL Model to Politics (VOTQUAL): Case of the Loyal Lebanese Voter

Like consumer satisfaction, satisfaction in politics usually stems from a comparison of perceived performance with expectations of performance. The SERVQUAL model compares expectations for a servic...
A Collective Learning Framework to Boost GNN Expressiveness.

Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have recently been used for node and graph classification tasks with great success, but GNNs model dependencies among the attributes of nearby neighboring nodes rather than dependencies among observed node labels. In this work, we consider the task of inductive node classification using GNNs in supervised and semi-supervised settings, with the goal of incorporating label dependencies. Because current GNNs are not universal (i.e., most-expressive) graph representations, we propose a general collective learning approach to increase the representation power of any existing GNN. Our framework combines ideas from collective classification with self-supervised learning, and uses a Monte Carlo approach to sampling embeddings for inductive learning across graphs. We evaluate performance on five real-world network datasets and demonstrate consistent, significant improvement in node classification accuracy, for a variety of state-of-the-art GNNs.
Evolving structure–property relationships in metals with nonequilibrium concentrations of vacancies

Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations as a tool to investigate vacancy clustering in pure aluminum single crystals. A 1% superconcentration of single vacancies are randomly introduced into an otherwise perfect lattice, and the system is allowed to evolve for 500 ns at an elevated temperature of 728 K. Under these conditions, the individual vacancies rapidly agglomerate into larger clusters to reduce their overall energy. The systems are then subject to mechanical deformation to failure. The results of a total of 35 molecular dynamics simulations are reported. The mechanical behavior of these systems is found to be highly sensitive to the vacancy cluster microstructure, with the largest cluster size being most closely correlated with the cavitation strength. Since the largest cluster size evolves, an interesting time–structure–property coupling governs the behavior of these supersaturated metals. Despite the idealizations of the microstructure and loading conditions, we find a remarkably favorable agreement with laser-driven spall experiments.
Males and females exhibit distinct relationships between intervertebral disc degeneration and pain in a rat model

Back pain is linked to intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, but clinical studies show the relationship is complex. This study assessed whether males and females have distinct relationships between IVD degeneration and pain using an in vivo rat model. Forty-eight male and female Sprague-Dawley rats had lumbar IVD puncture or sham surgery. Six weeks after surgery, IVDs were evaluated by radiologic IVD height, histological grading, and biomechanical testing. Pain was assessed by von Frey assay and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) expression of Calca and Tac1 genes. Network analysis visualized which measures of IVD degeneration most related to pain by sex. In both females and males, annular puncture induced structural IVD degeneration, but functional biomechanical properties were similar to sham. Females and males had distinct differences in mechanical allodynia and DRG gene expression, even though sex differences in IVD measurements were limited. Network analysis also differed by sex, with more associations between annular puncture injury and pain in the male network. Sex differences exist in the interactions between IVD degeneration and pain. Limited correlation between measures of pain and IVD degeneration highlights the need to evaluate pain or nociception in IVD degeneration models to better understand nervous system involvement in discogenic pain.
Impact of Cigarette Filter Ventilation on U.S. Smokers' Perceptions and Biomarkers of Exposure and Potential Harm.

Background: Relationships between cigarette filter ventilation levels, biomarkers of exposure (BOE) and potential harm (BOPH), and harm perceptions were examined. Methods: Filter ventilation levels in cigarette brands were merged with Wave 1 (2013–2014) Population Assessment of Tobacco Use and Health study. Data were restricted to smokers who reported a usual brand and not regular users of other tobacco products. BOEs included nicotine, tobacco-specific nitrosamines, volatile organic compounds (VOC), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. BOPHs measured inflammation and oxidative stress. Perceived harm was assessed as self-reported risk of one9s usual brand compared with other brands. Results: Filter ventilation ranged from 0.2% to 61.1% (n = 1,503). Adjusted relationships between filter ventilation and BOE or BOPH were nonsignificant except for VOC N-acetyl-S-(phenyl)-L-cysteine (PHMA) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). In pairwise comparisons, PHMA was higher in quartile (Q) 4 (4.23 vs. 3.36 pmol/mg; P = 0.0103) and Q3 (4.48 vs. 3.36 pmol/mg; P = 0.0038) versus Q1 of filter ventilation and hsCRP comparisons were nonsignificant. Adjusted odds of perceiving one9s own brand as less harmful was 26.87 (95% confidence interval: 4.31–167.66), 12.55 (3.01–52.32), and 19.18 (3.87–95.02) times higher in the Q2, Q3, and Q4 of filter ventilation compared with Q1 (P = 0.0037). Conclusions: Filter ventilation was not associated with BOE or BOPH, yet smokers of higher ventilated cigarettes perceived their brand as less harmful than other brands compared with smokers of lower ventilated cigarettes. Impact: Research to understand the impact of this misperception is needed, and remedial strategies, potentially including a ban on filter ventilation, are recommended.
The Foundation for Keynes’s Decision Theoretic Approach to Uncertainty in the General Theory (1936) and the 1937 Quarterly Journal of Economics Reply Article was Acknowledged by Keynes to Be Based on His General Theory of Decision Making Presented in the A Treatise on Probability (1921) in the 1937–38 Correspondence with H. Townshend

Keynes made it clear to Townshend in their 1937-38 exchanges that Townshend’s assessment, that Keynes ‘s theory of liquidity preference in the General Theory was based on Keynes’s non numerical probabilities and weight of evidence(argument)analysis from the A Treatise on Probability, was correct. No mention at all is made about Frank Ramsey and subjective probability. No mention at all is made about the 1937 QJE article. No mention at all is made by either Townshend or Keynes about fundamental (irreducible, deep, radical, genuine, etc.) uncertainty. What is mentioned explicitly by Keynes to Townshend is the importance of Keynes’s comments on pages 148 and 240 of the General Theory. There is absolutely no support for any heterodox and/or Post Keynesian claim, based on a number of assessments made by Joan Robinson and G L S Shackle over their lifetimes, that the 1937 QJE article represents a major or fundamental change in Keynes’s view about uncertainty from those expressed in the A Treatise on Probability in 1921 and the General Theory in 1936.
Maternal continuous oral oxycodone self-administration alters pup affective/social communication but not spatial learning or sensory-motor function.

Abstract Background The broad use/misuse of prescription opioids during pregnancy has resulted in a surge of infants with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS). Short-term irritability and neurological complications are its hallmarks, but the long-term consequences are unknown. Methods A newly-developed preclinical model of oxycodone self-administration enables adult female rats to drink oxycodone (∼10/mg/kg/day) before and during pregnancy, and after delivery, and to maintain normal liquid intake, titrate dosing, and avoid withdrawal. Results Oxycodone was detected in the serum of mothers and pups. Growth parameters in dams and pups and litter mass and size were similar to controls. There were no differences in paw retraction latency to a thermal stimulus between Oxycodone and Control pups at postnatal (PN) 2 or PN14. Oxycodone and Control pups had similar motor coordination, cliff avoidance, righting time, pivoting, and olfactory spatial learning from PN3 through PN13. Separation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations at PN8 revealed higher call frequency in Oxycodone pups relative to Control pups (p 0.806), and Oxycodone males only vocalized more than Control pups in the first minute of testing (p’s .866). Significant effects were corroborated by estimation plots. Conclusions Our rat model of oral oxycodone self-administration in pregnancy shows exacerbated affect/social communication in pups in a sex-dependent manner but spared cognition and sensory-motor behaviors. This preclinical model reproduces selective aspects of human opioid use during pregnancy, enabling longitudinal analysis of how maternal oxycodone changes emotional behavior in the offspring.
Unearthing Shifts in Microbial Communities Across a Soil Disturbance Gradient

Permafrost, an important source of soil disturbance, is particularly vulnerable to climate change in Alaska where 85% of the land is underlain with discontinuous permafrost. Boreal forests, home to plants integral to subsistence diets of many Alaska Native communities, are not immune to the effects of climate change. Soil disturbance events such as permafrost thaw, wildfires, and land use change can influence abiotic conditions which can then affect active layer soil microbial communities. Previously, we found negative effects on boreal plants inoculated with microbes impacted by soil disturbance compared to plants inoculated with microbes from undisturbed soils. Here, we identify the key shifts in microbial inoculant communities altered by soil disturbance using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing as well as changes in potential functional mechanisms that influence plant growth using long read metagenomics. Across our soil disturbance gradient, microbial communities differ significantly based on the level of soil disturbance. Consistent with previous results, the family Acidobacteriaceae, which consists of known plant promoters, was abundant in undisturbed soil, but practically absent in most disturbed soil. In contrast, Comamonadaceae, a family with known agricultural pathogens, was overrepresented in most disturbed soil communities compared to undisturbed. Within our metagenomic data, we found that soil disturbance level drives differences in microbial community function. These results indicate that a decrease in plant growth can be linked to changes in the community and functional composition driven by soil disturbance and climate change. Together these results build a genomic understanding of how shifting soil microbiomes may affect plant productivity and ecosystem health as the Arctic warms.
Adiposity predicts vitamin D status of children

A negative association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations, regarded as the accepted marker of vitamin D status, and adiposity has been found in adults. However, whether a si...
An OR Practitioner's Solution Approach for the Set Covering Problem

The set covering problem SCP is an NP-complete problem that has many important industrial applications. Since industrial applications are typically large in scale, exact solution algorithms are not feasible for operations research OR practitioners to use when called on to solve real-world problems involving SCPs. However, the best performing heuristics for the SCP reported in the literature are not usually straightforward to implement. Additionally, these heuristics usually require the fine-tuning of several parameters. In contrast, simple greedy or even randomized greedy heuristics typically do not give as good results as the more sophisticated heuristics. In this paper, the authors present a compromise; a straightforward to implement, population-based solution approach for the SCP. It uses a randomized greedy approach to generate an initial population and then uses a genetic-based two phase approach to improve the population solutions. This two-phase approach uses transformation equations based on a Teaching-Learning based optimization approach developed by Rao, Savsani and Vakharia 2011, 2012 for continuous nonlinear optimization problems. Empirical results using set covering problems from Beasley's OR-library demonstrate the competitiveness of this approach both in terms of solution quality and execution time. The advantage to this approach is its relative simplicity for the practitioner to implement.
Far-infrared excesses in classical Be stars

A sample of Be stars with large far-infrared excesses detected by IRAS is selected and their high-resolution IRAS images are examined. The far-infrared emission from most of them is marginally extended and is associated with the optical sources. Modeling of the stars' spectral energy distributions allows us to rule out the infrared cirrus nature of the excesses. We suggest that the excesses are more likely due to circumstellar dust, possibly formed early in the evolution of the star.
TAILOR, A Tool for Updating Views

TAILOR is a tool for updating views. It interacts with the database administrator at view definition time to capture syntactic knowledge, structural constraints, and application semantics. It also interacts with the database user and consults the database at view update time to capture additional application semantics and database semantics, respectively. TAILOR uses this information to select from among several alternative update translations against the base relations when the user updates a view. This paper describes an overview of the algorithms used by TAILOR and its implementation using a comprehensive example of a view update and how TAILOR performs it.
Noise Source Identification Under Steady and Accelerating Conditions on a Turbocharged Diesel Engine

Experiments were conducted to obtain a quantitative comparison between the noise ranking of turbocharged diesel engine components using new sound intensity and conventional lead wrapping techniques, and to analyze the causes of the sudden increase in noise level observed during the initial acceleration phase. The sound pressure levels obtained with the two techniques are in good agreement above 315 Hz. Below that frequency the lead wrapping has inadequate transmission loss. Although the surface intensity technique in its present development state is still time consuming, it does produce essential information about surface vibration levels for use in component redesign to reduce noise. The acceleration test results indicate that the increased sound pressure level is directly related to combustion changes; turbocharger lag, which was previously identified as the cause, appears to have a negligible effect.
Exploring the possible association between montelukast and neuropsychiatric events among children with asthma: a matched nested case-control study

Purpose There is conflicting evidence regarding the association between montelukast and neuropsychiatric events (NE). We sought to examine this association among children with asthma. Methods Using a 10% sample of the LifeLink Health Plan Claims data, subjects less than 18years of age with a primary diagnosis of asthma between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2009 were identified. A range of case definitions for NE was formulated based on diagnoses of psychiatric disorders and use of psychotropic medications. Using a matched nested case-control design, three controls were matched to each case on age, gender and geographic region, and assigned a matching index date. Exposure to montelukast was measured as any exposure during the year, recency of exposure, cumulative duration of exposure, and cumulative dose. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio (OR) controlling for potential confounders. Results Using the broadest case definition, 1920 cases were identified. Subjects exposed to montelukast during the prior year had an unadjusted OR of 1.09 (95%CI [0.96, 1.22]) and adjusted OR of 1.01 (95%CI [0.88, 1.14]) for experiencing NE measured using the broadest definition. A clear dose–response relationship was not observed. Exposure to a moderate chronic cumulative dose of montelukast (481mg– 1050mg) had a higher odds of being diagnosed with neuropsychiatric disturbances (OR=1.27; 95%CI [1.03, 1.57]) while exposure to high cumulative doses (>1050mg) had a lower odds (OR=0.64; 95%CI [0.50, 0.82]). Conclusions These data did not detect a consistent significant positive association between montelukast and NE in children with asthma. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. key words—montelukast; neuropsychiatric events; psychiatric adverse events; psychiatric disorders; psychotropic medications; pharmacoepidemiology
Physiological properties of raphe magnus neurons during sleep and waking.

Physiological properties of raphe magnus neurons during sleep and waking. Neurons in the medullary raphe magnus (RM) that are important in the descending modulation of nociceptive transmission are ...
Reappraising the Need for Bulk Heterojunctions in Polymer−Fullerene Photovoltaics: The Role of Carrier Transport in All-Solution-Processed P3HT/PCBM Bilayer Solar Cells

The most efficient organic solar cells produced to date are bulk heterojunction (BHJ) photovoltaic devices based on blends of semiconducting polymers such as poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) with fullerene derivatives such as [6,6]-penyl-C61-butyric-acid-methyl-ester (PCBM). The need for blending the two components is based on the idea that the exciton diffusion length in polymers like P3HT is only ∼10 nm, so that the polymer and fullerene components must be mixed on this length scale to efficiently split the excitons into charge carriers. In this paper, we show that the BHJ geometry is not necessary for high efficiency, and that all-solution-processed P3HT/PCBM bilayer solar cells can be nearly as efficient as BHJ solar cells fabricated from the same materials. We demonstrate that o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB) and dichloromethane serve nicely as a pair of orthogonal solvents from which sequential layers of P3HT and PCBM, respectively, can be spin-cast. Atomic force microscopy, various optical spectrosco...
Echocardiographic Evaluation of Pressure Gradient across the Stent in Patients Treated for Coarctation of the Aorta

Objective. Stent placement has become a widely used method of treatment for coarctation of the aorta (COA). Our goal was to find echocardiographic indices that would correlate best with directly measured gradients across the coarctation stent. Material and Methods. Pediatric patients with COA who underwent intra-aortic stent placement were evaluated. Patients with more than mild aortic insufficiency were excluded. Aortic pressures above and below the coarctation site were directly measured in the catheterization laboratory. Echocardiography was performed the next morning. Continuous and Pulse Doppler systolic velocity profiles proximal and distal to the stent were recorded. Statistical analysis included Pearson's correlation coefficients and linear regression between the directly measured pressure gradient and strongest correlated factor. Result. Thirty-four patients (F : M = 15 : 19) were included in the study. The directly measured gradients (DPG) had only weak positive correlations with Doppler peak velocities (r = 0.38, P= .027) or pressure gradients (r = 0.37, P= .03) across the stent. However, there was a strong positive correlation of the directly measured gradients with the continuous wave peak systolic velocity half-time indexed to heart rate (T) (r = 0.62, P= .03), and with the squared early diastolic velocity (Vd2) (r = 0.073, P < .0001). When these two parameters were combined, a linear regression equation DPG = 0.06T + 1.58 Vd2− 8.05 showed very strong relations (r = 0.81, P < .0001). A simplified equation DPG = 1.98Vd2+ 0.77 also accurately described the relations between the directly measured gradients and squared Doppler-measured early diastolic velocity (r = 0.71, P= .0002). Conclusions. A simple echocardiographic index DPG = 1.98Vd2+ 0.77, where DPG is the pressure gradient across the stent, and Vd is the early Doppler diastolic velocity, accurately describes relations between the gradient across the stent and echocardiographic data and should be used for evaluation of patients with stent-corrected COA.
Individual Differences in Infant Visual Attention: Recognition of Degraded Visual Forms by Four‐Month‐Olds

In 5 experiments, 4-month-old infants were tested for their ability to recognize degraded visual targets as a function of individual differences in fixation duration. Targets were degraded by removing 10% of the total contour either from vertices (vertex-absent) or from midsegments (vertex-present). Both qualitative and quantitative differences were found in long and short lookers' ability to recognize the degraded forms. Short-looking infants were able to recognize degraded forms in both vertex-absent and vertex-present conditions, but the vertex-absent discrimination was more difficult. Long-looking infants required longer familiarization times before showing evidence of recognition in the vertex-present condition, and were unable to recognize targets in which contour was removed at vertices. The findings are discussed within the framework of the persistence of early visual processing strategies, and reliance of long-looking infants on particular local elements in visual analysis.
Gamma-ray pulsars

Various observations of γ-ray pulsars are summarized briefly and related to outer-magnetosphere accelerator models.
The Food Stamp Program, Welfare Reform, and the Aggregate Economy

The passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity and Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 swept away nearly six decades of federal welfare policy. The act eliminated the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) entitlement program, replacing it with a fixed block grant giving states a fundamental role in assisting poor families and added significant new work requirements for recipients. Although often overlooked in the extensive media coverage, the Food Stamp Program was changed fundamentally by the PRWORA. The size of the Food Stamp Program is expected to decrease by about $22 billion from 1997 to 2002. This is over half the
A STUDY OF THE RELATION OF TRANSPIRATION TO THE SIZE AND NUMBER OF STOMATA

Considerable work has been done in determining the quantity of water lost from various plants under various conditions. Several extensive investigations have been conducted with a view of determining stomatal values for various species. Although several important researches have been conducted concerning the stomatal regulation of transpiration, very little has been done on the amount of transpiration in relation to the size and number of stomata per unit of transpiring surface. It was my aim to determine whether any relation exists between the amount of transpiration and the number of linear units of stomatal aperture per unit of leaf surface.
Relation Between the Fluoride Contents of Rat Calcified Tissues

Rats were fed known amounts of fluoride for different periods of time. The fluoride content of bones and molar dentin was determined. The predictability of fluoride content based on analysis of dentin or a particular bone was determined.
Resources and reproductive success in women with an example from the Kipsigis of Kenya.

Contrary to findings in studies of many mammalian species, the relationship between resources and reproductive success of women is highly variable across societies. This has led some social scientists to suggest that evolutionary biological models are inappropriate to the study of human social behaviour. This paper proposes that variability in the relationship between resources and reproductive success arises from an inadequate specification of the nature and availability of resources critical to reproduction and a failure to understand the mechanisms whereby resources confer reproductive differentials in different environments. Data are presented from the Kipsigis of Kenya showing how land ownership affects female reproductive success; reasons why the effects of landholding are changing over time are examined.
Fred Harvey Company public relations and publicity (1876‐1933)

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the entrepreneurial Fred Harvey Company's early public relations and publicity efforts to determine what they add to our knowledge of the development of public relations in the USA.Design/methodology/approach – This historical analysis uses mainly data gleaned from an in‐depth examination of the two archival sources available: the Fred Harvey Company photographs and papers at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ (at about ten linear feet, the most complete collection of Harvey materials), and the Fred Harvey Collection at the University of Arizona (photographs, correspondence, and miscellaneous records).Findings – Although the dominant historical perspective has labeled this era the “Seedbed Years” and characterized them as “a day of business arrogance toward employee and citizen alike”, this case suggests that other models of practice were in use that developed out of differing cultural milieux. To the dominant view of public relations developing in the USA as a result of ...
An evaluation of the temperature control system of the centrifichem 400

Abstract We evaluated the manufacturer's temperature calibration procedure for the Union Carbide Centrifichem 400 using a procedure developed in our laboratories. We substituted a Yellow Springs, Inc., Model 45 CU Cuvette Thermometer with a thermistor probe for the mercury thermometers. This dramatically shortened the time required for temperature measurements by eliminating the time required for the mercury thermometers to equilibrate. The cuvette temperature measurements with the YSI 45 CU accurately reflect the analyzer equilibrium temperature only when the YSI 45 CU thermistor probe is in the same cuvette as the analyzer thermistor. We also evaluated the accuracy and precision of the temperature control system and the time required to reach thermal equilibrium. We found that temperature equilibration occurs in less than a minute and has a range of less than ±0.1°C from the mean temperature. Our procedure for monitoring temperature equilibration gave improved accuracy and precision.
Success stories in aphasia.

Success in living with aphasia is discussed in the context of two couples who describe themselves as leading successful poststroke lives. Excerpts of interviews with the couples highlight some of the more salient issues and how each couple has come to accept and even appreciate “aphasic life.”
Activation of the Forssman hapten in the inhibition assay.

Abstract During isolation of the Forssman hapten from the stromata of sheep erythrocytes, activity measured by an inhibition assay disappeared and specific activity was reduced. This behavior was correlated with separation of the specific hapten and nonspecific activator. Purified hapten had a slight inhibitory action toward antibody but was extremely active in the presence of an inactive chromatographic fraction, an inactive extract of the stromata of beef erythrocytes, or phrenosine. Optimal activation was not reached in the present study.
Selection of a trip table which reproduces observed link flows

Abstract In urban traffic management and planning, an important problem is estimating the number of drivers traveling between each origin-destination zone. We review a model due to Nguyen for estimating these numbers of drivers, based on counts of the traffic flows on each street, and develop an effective algorithm for solving it. The multiplicity of solutions of this model poses the additional question of which solution to use; we introduce a secondary optimization problem to overcome this difficulty. Efficient solution techniques are described for these problems and computational results are reported. It is noted that the most efficient solution methods involve user interaction to specify values of parameters which improve the convergence rates.