cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of HIV-1 Gene Expression by the Tat Protein and the TAR Region

In addition to the structural genes gag, pol and env, the HIV family of human retroviruses encodes a number of novel regulatory genes (reviewed by Varmus, 1988, Cullen and Green, 1989; Pavalkis and Felber, 1990). One of these, the tat gene, is essential for viability and encodes a trans-acting regulator of HIV gene expression (Arya et al., 1985; Sodroski et al., 1985b). A cis-acting element in the long terminal repeat (LTR), called TAR, that is located downstream of the site of transcription initiation is required for Tat transactivation (Rosen et al., 1985; Jakobovits et al., 1988; Hauber and Cullen, 1988; Selby et al., 1989). The untranslated leader formed by transcription of TAR and present at the 5′ end of all HIV-1 mRNAs is capable of forming a stem and loop structure (Muesing et al., 1987). Recent studies indicate that at least one role for TAR RNA in gene regulation is to provide a binding site for Tat in the vicinity of the HIV-1 promoter (Southgate et al., 1990; Selby and Peterlin, 1990; Berkhout et al., 1990). The exact mechanism of Tat stimulation of HIV-1 gene expression remains controversial (Sharp and Marciniak, 1989). While the primary effect appears to be transcriptional, evidence has also been provided for additional or even predominant posttranscriptional effects.
Presence of a Prophage Determines Temperature-Dependent Capsule Production in Streptococcus pyogenes

A hyaluronic acid capsule is a major virulence factor in the pathogenesis of Streptococcus pyogenes. It acts as an anti-phagocytic agent and adhesin to keratinocytes. The expression of the capsule is primarily regulated at the transcriptional level by the two-component regulatory system CovRS, in which CovR acts as a transcriptional repressor. The covRS genes are frequently mutated in many invasive strains, and a subset of the invasive CovRS mutants does not produce a detectable level of the capsule at 37 °C, but produces a significant amount of the capsule at sub-body temperatures. Here, we report that a prophage has a crucial role in this capsule thermoregulation. Passaging CovR-null strains showing capsule thermoregulation using a lab medium produced spontaneous mutants producing a significant amount of the capsule regardless of incubation temperature and this phenotypic change was caused by curing of a particular prophage. The lab strain HSC5 contains three prophages on the chromosome, and only ΦHSC5.3 was cured in all spontaneous mutants. This result indicates that the prophage ΦHSC5.3 plays a crucial role in capsule thermoregulation, most likely by repressing capsule production at 37 °C.
Problems with discharge summaries produced by electronic health records: why are the vendors not named?

The study by Sarzynski and colleagues1 uses rigorous analysis to obtain important insights about the real-time information that patients receive at discharge. It is puzzling that the electronic health records (EHRs) used were not named. One can infer …
Abnormal Electroretinogram after Kir7.1 Channel Suppression Suggests Role in Retinal Electrophysiology

The KCNJ13 gene encodes the inwardly rectifying potassium channel, Kir7.1. Mutations in this gene cause childhood blindness, in which the a- and b-wave responses of electroretinogram (ERG) are abolished. The ERG a-wave is the light-induced hyperpolarization of retinal photoreceptors, and the b-wave is the depolarization of ON-bipolar cells. The Kir7.1 channel is localized to the apical aspects of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and contributes to a delayed c-wave response. We sought to understand why a defect in an RPE ion-channel result in abnormal electrophysiology at the level of the retinal neurons. We have established the expression of Kir7.1 channels in the mouse RPE. ERGs recorded after mice Kir7.1 suppression by shRNA, or by blocking with VU590, showed reduced a-, b- and c-wave amplitudes. In contrast, the Kir7.1 blocker had no effect on the ex-vivo isolated mouse retina ERG where the RPE is not attached to the isolated retina preparation. Finally, we confirmed the specificity of VU590 action by inhibition of native mouse RPE Kir7.1 current in patch-clamp experiment. We propose that mutant RPE Kir7.1 channels contribute directly to the abnormal ERG associated with blindness via alterations in sub-retinal space K+ homeostasis in the vicinity of the photoreceptor outer segment.
Golomb-Rice coding parameter learning using deep belief network for hyperspectral image compression

While Golomb-Rice codes are optimal for geometrically distributed source, the practically achievable coding efficiency depends on the accuracy of the coding parameter estimated from the input data. Most existing methods are based on the assumption of geometric distribution and thus would suffer from a loss in coding efficiency if the underlying distribution deviates from the geometric distribution, which is usually the case in practice. We proposed a data-driven parameter estimation method without assuming the underlying distribution. We formulated the problem of choosing the best coding parameter for the given input data as a pattern classification problem. To this end, we trained a deep belief network using the data segments to be coded, along with their “labels”, which are the optimal coding parameters that yield the shortest codewords. Simulations on data synthesized using statistical models, as well as data in hyperspectral image coding showed that the proposed deep learning method tended to be more robust than several state-of-the-art parameter estimation methods, with the capability to further improve the accuracies of these methods.
The Omics Side of Fatty Liver: A Holistic Approach for a Commonly Occurring Peripartal Disease

Compared with other stages of the lactation cycle, the transition period (from 3 weeks before to 3 weeks after calving) is critically important to health, production, and profitability of dairy cows. Due to the multifaceted physiological adaptations to lactation, dairy cows are at serious risk of developing metabolic disorders in the immediate weeks postpartum. Fatty liver (i.e., hepatic lipidosis) is a major metabolic disorder afflicting dairy cows in early lactation and is associated with decreased health status and reproductive performance. Fatty liver develops when the hepatic uptake of fatty acids exceeds the capacity of the organ to oxidize and/or export them as very-low density lipoproteins them. These events are often preceded by high concentrations of fatty acids in plasma mobilized from adipose tissue. Excess triacylglycerol accumulation in the liver can diminish physiologic functions of the liver. Studies of similar pathologies in humans and model organisms (e.g. mouse and rat) have revealed the complexity of the disease that goes beyond a simple disruption of lipid metabolic pathways. Advancements in computational biology, genome sequencing, and high-throughput technologies in the last decade have provided the tools to understand this metabolic disease using a systems rather than a reductionist approach. The application of “omics” technologies has enhanced understanding of the pathophysiology of fatty liver disease in peripartal dairy cows. This chapter focuses on the use of high-throughput technologies and bioinformatics to enhance our understanding of hepatic lipidosis, focusing on major breakthroughs generated using functional information from “omics” datasets. The goal is to provide specific examples of how these combined approaches have been used to advance our understanding of the pathophysiology of this commonly occurring metabolic disease.
Understanding Microbiome Stability in a Changing World

Microbiomes underpin biogeochemical processes, sustain the bases of food webs, and recycle carbon and nutrients. Thus, microbes are frontline players in determining ecosystem responses to environmental change. My research team and I investigate the causes and consequences of microbiome stability. Our primary objective is to understand the responses of complex microbiomes to stressors associated with environmental change. This work is important because Earth is changing rapidly and drastically, and these changes are expected to have serious consequences for ecosystems, their inhabiting organisms, and their microbiomes. Therefore, we aim to understand the repercussions of alterations to microbiome structure and functions and to use this information to predict the responses of microbiomes to stressors. This research is critical to prepare for, respond to, and potentially moderate environmental change. We anticipate that the results of our research will contribute toward these goals and will broadly inform management or manipulation of microbiomes toward desired functions.
Mesenchymal stem cell therapy in cats: Current knowledge and future potential:

Practical relevance:Stem cell therapy is an innovative field of scientific investigation with tremendous potential for clinical application in veterinary medicine. Based on the known desirable immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells, this therapy holds promise for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases in cats.Aims:This review details our current understanding of feline stem cell biology and proposed mechanism of action. Studies performed in feline clinical trials for diseases including gingivostomatitis, chronic enteropathy, asthma and kidney disease are summarized, with the goal of providing an overview of the current status of this treatment modality and its potential for the future.
Multiple Accessory Pathways in an Infant With Cardiac Rhabdomyomas and Tuberous Sclerosis.

A 4-week-old infant with a history of tuberous sclerosis, cardiac rhabdomyomas, and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome ([Figures 1A and 1B][1]) presented with wide QRS tachycardia ([Figure 1C][1]). Vagal maneuvers, adenosine, and esmolol had no effect on the tachycardia, suggesting that the
Carbon Nanotube-Based Infrared Camera Using Compressive Sensing

In addition to using single-pixel photodetectors, infrared (IR) imaging plays an important role in industrial, medical, and military applications, but traditional IR imaging still has limited functions. Advances in IR cameras using nanomaterials has become an interesting topic. We will introduced an IR imaging system using carbon nanotube (CNT). Instead of a large-scale CNT detector array, the system requires only one pixel because of the use of compressive sensing. Initially, compressive sensing had fewer measurements than Nyquist—Shannon sampling rate but kept the main data on the observed signal. Nyquist—Shannon sampling theorem demands the sampling device must have higher bandwidth to catch the original signal. However, the problem is that there is increasing demand on faster data sampling technology for the current deluge data sensing and processing. Compressive sensing solved this problem. It provides a better solution for using fewer measurement but still can get the same measurement results of signals. Moreover, if the sensor itself has some limitations on power or sensing cell amounts which can only afford fewer measurement, compressive sensing has good performance to deal with this problem. As compressive sensing is involved, it realized the dream for using only one optical detector to sample the data and finally reconstruct the observed images. In addition, the theoretical analysis shows this CNT-based single-pixel IR camera can sense the data and reconstruct the observed IR image. In this chapter, couples of experiments have been set up, and the results perfectly support the compressive sensing theory.
The Aging Intellect

Maximizing Intellectual Powers in the 3rd Age of Life. How Health Affects the Intellect. How the Mind Ages. Health Lifestyle Habits Benefiting the Aging Body and Mind. Direct Actions that Benefit the Intellect. Optimal Cognitive Aging. Normal Cognitive Aging. High-risk Cognitive Aging. What I've Learned About the Aging Intellect. Glossary of Terms.
The inhibition of N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminase by the (1→4)- and (1→5)-lactones of N-acetylglucosaminic acid

The inhibition of N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminase activity by 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-gluconolactone was examined. Separation of the (1→4)- and (1→5)-lactones was achieved by using paper chromatography or countercurrent distribution and identification was obtained by examination of the relative stability of the components of separated material. Quantitative measurement of the two lactones was by kinetic titration or by a colorimetric method based on their reaction with hydroxylamine. It was shown that only the (1→5)-lactone acted as an inhibitor of N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminase.
Correction of Early Subnormal Superior Hemiretinal ΔPO2 Predicts Therapeutic Efficacy in Experimental Diabetic Retinopathy

PURPOSE To test the hypothesis that regional retinal oxygenation responses to a hyperoxic inhalation challenge are associated with reported retinopathy outcomes after different therapies in rat models of diabetic retinopathy. METHODS Six groups of rats were maintained for 3 months: controls (n = 8), untreated diabetic (n = 8), aminoguanidine (AMG)-treated diabetic (2.5 g/kg of diet; n = 6), untreated galactosemic (n = 7), AMG-treated galactosemic (n = 10), and WAY-509-treated (25 mg/kg body weight per day) galactosemic (n = 7). After 3 months, the change in oxygen tension was measured noninvasively from the superior to the inferior ora serrata, using a novel functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique and a carbogen (a gas mixture of 5% carbon dioxide and 95% oxygen that has been used clinically, instead of 100% oxygen, to minimize the vasoconstrictive effects of pure O(2) on retinal blood flow and oxygenation) inhalation challenge. Retinal morphometric measurements were also obtained. RESULTS Retinal lesions (acellular capillaries and pericyte ghosts) were not significantly (P > 0.05) present at 3 months in any experimental groups compared with the control group. Superior but not inferior hemiretinal change in partial pressure of oxygen (DeltaPO(2)) became significantly subnormal (P < 0.05) at 3 months of diabetes or galactosemia. Aminoguanidine, which has been found to inhibit the development of retinopathy in diabetic but not galactosemic rats, inhibited the development of a subnormal DeltaPO(2) in diabetes but not in galactosemia. WAY-509, which has been reported to inhibit retinopathy in galactosemic rats, inhibited the DeltaPO(2) defect in galactosemic rats. CONCLUSIONS An early subnormal superior hemiretinal DeltaPO(2) after treatment appears to be a good predictor of the risk of development of retinopathy, as well as for assessing therapeutic efficacy in experimental diabetic retinopathy.
Spontaneous Lesions in Aged Captive Raccoons (Procyon lotor)

In nature, free-ranging raccoons typically do not live longer than 2 y; most raccoons in the wild die young due to accidents and diseases. Therefore, few data are available regarding lesions associated with advancing age in raccoons. This communication documents the lesions present in raccoons (7 male; 3 female) that were older than 7 y and had been used as breeders at a commercial facility in central Iowa. The most frequent microscopic lesions in these raccoons included accumulation of iron pigment in livers and spleens (10 of 10 animals evaluated), neuroaxonal degeneration in caudal medulla (10 of 10), vascular mineralization (psammoma body) in choroid plexus (9 of 10), myocardial inclusions (7 of 8), and cystic endometrial hyperplasia (2 of 3). Other conditions were seen with less prevalence. Except for the detection of gastritis with bacteria in the gastric mucosa of 1 raccoon, the presence of inflammatory cells in 3 choroid plexuses, and the presence of Lafora bodies in the brain of 1 animal, all conditions observed had previously been reported in raccoons. Surprisingly, islet-cell amyloidosis, previously observed as common incidental finding in older captive raccoons, was not seen in any of the raccoons we examined. Because free-ranging raccoons are distributed over wide geographic areas, their local environment may have considerable influence on the range of spontaneous lesions that would occur in raccoons obtained from a specific location. Therefore, the lesions found in these raccoons from central Iowa may differ from those of other raccoon populations.
Towards a Natural Justice of Rights Relationships

Most people growing up learn to recognize two fundamentally different ideas of justice: the justice of "rights" and the justice of "right relationships." The justice of rights is the more familiar goal of current criminal law, with its normative lines in the sand and penalties for transgression. The justice of rights is not, however, the only kind of justice. There is also the justice of right relationships. Neither kind of justice can exist without the other, but the two are not equal. Indeed, a mere "relationship of rights" is a very poor proxy for a right relationship. For a social species such as ourselves, having a psychological repertoire replete with emotions sparked by human interchange, it is relationships not rights that people really live for. Rights are at best a partial means to right relationships, a way of providing background conditions in which right relationships can be established and fostered. Ultimately, however, no depersonalized system of rights and rules can mediate, except in a crude and clumsy way, the intricacies of interactions among persons. As fundamental legal concepts, rights alone produce only a poor simulation of actual right relationships Unlike the rigid, one-size-fits-all justice of rights, the justice of right relationships does not consist of fixedly norm-based "entitlements." It is, by contrast, intrinsically indefinite so as to provide individualized justice that is tailored to particularized human beings and the uniquely personalized connections among them. Broadly, right relationships are relations in which each (or all) seek, without abandoning themselves, to be attentive and responsive to the needs and emotions of one another, quite apart from considerations of entitlement. The important "negative" markers of right relationships are that they are free of systematic oppression, exploitation or manipulation. That is, a relationship is not "right" if participants seek to overbear in power (oppress), to overreach in resources (exploit), or to mislead for selfish advantage (manipulate). The ideal of right relationships holds it is ultimately more important to mend tears in the social fabric than to demand rights within it, better to respond to harmful acts by making things right, not merely by making things "even." It is the justice that fixes hurts with healing, instead of just inflicting more hurt in return. By contrast, when people insist mainly on rights, letting the chips fall where they may, the result is rarely justice but, instead, the endless series of affronts, reprisals and retribution that we now see all around. Drawing on the work of Carol Gilligan and others, this article sketches how the law might begin to actually resolve social conflicts instead of merely subliminalizing them - pushing them beneath the surface by dint of superior force. It gives particular attention to the case of the criminal law, in which the justice of right relationships would require that the primary effort be not to harm (punish) the harmdoer but, rather, to reestablish the harmdoer in a network of relationships that will conduce to a law-abiding life.
Estimating Latent Brain Sources with Low-Rank Representation and Graph Regularization

To infer latent brain source activation patterns under different cognitive tasks is an integral step to understand how our brain works. Traditional electroencephalogram (EEG) Source Imaging (ESI) methods usually do not distinguish task-related and spurious non-task-related sources that jointly generate EEG signals, which inevitably yield misleading reconstructed activation patterns. In this research, we assume that the task-related source signal intrinsically has a low-rank property, which is exploited to infer the true task-related EEG sources location. Although the true task-related source signal is sparse and low-rank, the contribution of spurious sources scattering over the source space with intermittent activation patterns makes the actual source space lose the low-rank property. To reconstruct a low-rank true source, we propose a novel ESI model that involves a spatial low-rank representation and a temporal Laplacian graph regularization, the latter of which guarantees the temporal smoothness of the source signal and eliminate the spurious ones. To solve the proposed model, an augmented Lagrangian objective function is formulated and an algorithm in the framework of alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is proposed. Numerical results illustrate the effectivenesks of the proposed method in terms of reconstruction accuracy with high efficiency.
Isotope Separation by Condensation Reduction of Laser-Excited Molecules in Wall-Cooled Subsonic Gas Streams

Explicit relations are developed to estimate isotope enrichment factors for iQF6 vapors diluted in a carrier gas G, which are isotope selectively laser-excited and flow subsonically through a wall-...
Emergent Emotions in Adolescence

This chapter discusses the causes and effects of changing patterns of emotional experience and expression in adolescence. Previously labeled the age of “storm and stress,” adolescence is often considered a period of emotional turmoil. Although this label appears to overstate the difficulties of most adolescents, adolescence is nonetheless a critical period for emotional development, with emotional reactivity becoming more frequent and more intense. Changes can be understood, in part, as a response to anatomical, neurological, physiological, and cognitive developments occurring during this period. Both gender-related and environmental factors also considerably impact emotion expression and regulation. Despite the predominate focus in popular media on negative emotions in adolescence, there is also evidence of increases in positive emotions and of opportunity for emotional growth and regulation. This chapter explores various factors that help shape the positive and negative changes in emotion regulation and expression during adolescence.
Observation of fine structure in 190Pb alpha decay.

The {alpha} decay of mass separated {sup 190}Pb was studied at the UNISOR on-line facility and fine structure was observed, feeding the 2{sup +}{sub 1} and 0{sup +}{sub 2} states in {sup 186}Hg identified previously in {beta}-decay and in-beam {gamma}-ray studies. The hindrance factor of the {alpha} decay to the excited 0{sup +}{sub 2} state in {sup 186}Hg is similar to that observed in {sup 182,184}Hg. The variation of the hindrance factor to the 2{sup +}{sub 1} states in {sup 182,184,186}Hg is discussed. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Improved Dysphagia Outcomes in Anchored Spacers Versus Plate-Screw Systems in Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Systematic Review:

Study Design:Systematic review and meta-analysis.Objective:To perform a systematic review of clinical outcomes between stand-alone anchored spacers and traditional cages with plate fixation for dys...
Theoretical study of the electronic, thermodynamic, and thermo-conductive properties of γ-LiAlO2 with 6Li isotope substitutions for tritium production

Abstract Lithium aluminate has attracted researchers’ interests due to its wide applications. The structural, electronic, optical, lattice phonon thermodynamic, and thermo-conductive properties of γ-LiAlO2 with 6Li-isotope substitution are investigated by density functional theory and lattice phonon dynamics. The calculated results show that γ-LiAlO2 possesses a wide band-gap of 4.63 eV. The valence band is mainly formed by p orbitals of Li, O, and Al. The calculated lattice thermal conductivity of γ-LiAlO2 is found to be in good agreement over a wide range of temperatures with the available experimental data. The calculated dielectric matrix shows anisotropic behavior along z and x (or y) axes. Due to the wide band-gap, the optical conductivity of γ-LiAlO2 is mainly contributed from the electron hopping between valence-conduction bands. Substitution of 7Li with 6Li isotope in γ-LiAlO2 leads to observable differences in the lattice phonon frequencies at higher frequencies (>8 THz) and to slight changes in corresponding thermal conductivity and the infrared and Raman spectra which are in good agreement with our experimental measured data. The relevance of these properties for tritium production through 6Li absorbing neutron in nuclear reactors is discussed.
Interval State Estimation with Measurement and Network Parameter Uncertainty in Unbalanced Distribution Systems

The purpose of state estimators (SEs) in power systems is to reduce the effect of measurement errors by utilizing the redundancy available in the measurement system. This paper proposes an interval state estimation (ISE) model to simultaneously formulate the uncertainties of network parameters and measurements in unbalanced distribution systems by interval arithmetic. A modified Krawczyk-operator algorithm in interval arithmetic is adopted to solve the proposed ISE model. The solutions provide the upper and lower bounds of each state variable where the true state variables must lie, under the joint effects of these uncertainties. Comparison results with existing algorithms in the unbalanced IEEE 13-bus system illustrate that the proposed method used to solve this model is many orders of magnitude faster without sacrificing the estimation accuracy.
Randomized Phase IIB Trial of the Lignan Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside in Premenopausal Women at Increased Risk for Development of Breast Cancer.

We conducted a multiinstitutional, placebo-controlled phase IIB trial of the lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) found in flaxseed. Benign breast tissue was acquired by random periareolar fine needle aspiration (RPFNA) from premenopausal women at increased risk for breast cancer. Those with hyperplasia and ≥2% Ki-67 positive cells were eligible for randomization 2:1 to 50 mg SDG/day (Brevail) versus placebo for 12 months with repeat bio-specimen acquisition. The primary endpoint was difference in change in Ki-67 between randomization groups. A total of 180 women were randomized, with 152 ultimately evaluable for the primary endpoint. Median baseline Ki-67 was 4.1% with no difference between arms. Median Ki-67 change was -1.8% in the SDG arm (P = 0.001) and -1.2% for placebo (P = 0.034); with no significant difference between arms. As menstrual cycle phase affects proliferation, secondary analysis was performed for 117 women who by progesterone levels were in the same phase of the menstrual cycle at baseline and off-study tissue sampling. The significant Ki-67 decrease persisted for SDG (median = -2.2%; P = 0.002) but not placebo (median = -1.0%). qRT-PCR was performed on 77 pairs of tissue specimens. Twenty-two had significant ERα gene expression changes ( 2.0) with 7 of 10 increases in placebo and 10 of 12 decreases for SDG (P = 0.028), and a difference between arms (P = 0.017). Adverse event incidence was similar in both groups, with no evidence that 50 mg/day SDG is harmful. Although the proliferation biomarker analysis showed no difference between the treatment group and the placebo, the trial demonstrated use of SDG is tolerable and safe.
A Functional, Analysis of Televised U.S. Senate and Gubernatorial Campaign Debates

This study extended previous research on the Functional Theory of Political Campaign Discourse to investigate the nature of 21 U.S. Senate campaign debates and 15 gubernatorial debates from 1994 to...
The effect of bioactive glasses on spinal fusion: A cross-disciplinary systematic review and meta-analysis of the preclinical and clinical data.

Abstract Pseudarthrosis following spinal fusion is correlated with poorer patient outcomes and consequently is an area of continued interest within spinal research. Recently, bioactive glasses have been proposed as a means of augmenting fusion rates. Here, we present the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing preclinical and clinical literature on the effect of bioactive glasses on spinal fusion. Using the MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases, we queried all publications in the English-language literature examining the effect of bioactive glasses on spinal fusion. The primary endpoint was fusion rate at last follow-up and the secondary endpoint for clinical studies was the rate of deep wound infection. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed independently for the preclinical and clinical data. Twelve preclinical studies (267 animals) and 12 clinical studies (396 patients) evaluating a total of twelve unique bioactive glass formulations were included. Across clinical studies, fusion was seen in 84% treated with bioactive glass. On sub-analysis, fusion rates were similar for standalone autograft (91.6%) and bioactive glass-local autograft mixtures (89.6%). Standalone bioactive glass substrates produced inferior fusion rates relative to autograft alone (33.6% vs. 98.8%; OR 0.01, p
Moral Reasoning and Moral Behavior: Intersections of Reasoning with Aggressive Forms and Functions in Early Childhood

Children’s capacities for complex socio-moral reasoning carries across domains; similarly, children’s aggressive behaviors changes as a function of context. However, with a few exceptions, little r...
Road Closure: Combining Data and Expert Opinion

Decisions to close the Little Cottonwood Canyon Highway to vehicular traffic are made by avalanche forecasters. These decisions are based on professional experience and on careful monitoring of the prevailing conditions. Considerable data on weather and snowpack conditions exist. These data are informally employed by the forecasters in the road closure decision but presently they do not use formal statistical methods. This paper attempts a more formal statistical analysis to determine to whether this might facilitate the road closure decision. The conclusion is that the statistical model provides information relevant to the road closure decision that is not identical to that of the experts. When the expert decision is augmented by the statistical information, better decisions are reached compared with decisions based on either the expert opinion alone or the statistical model.
Does Financial Satisfaction Vary Depending on the Funding Strategy Used to Pay for College

This study sought to determine whether the levels of financial satisfaction reported by college undergraduates and graduates differ in relation to whether they funded their college education by working or borrowing or a combination of the two. Data for this study came from a survey sample of full-time freshmen that formed the basis of a longitudinal study conducted at a large public university. Funding sources examined were grouped into those who worked only, those who borrowed only, those who worked and borrowed, and those who used grants, scholarships, or other sources of money to fund their college education. Compared to those who had student loans, those who had financed college with grants, scholarships, or other money (usually from family and/or friends) were more likely to report greater financial satisfaction than those who had used student loans to pay for college. There was evidence that this was only true during college rather than after college. The results obtained suggest that merely possessing a student loan may not necessarily decrease the level of financial satisfaction as many suspect, especially considering other funding alternatives such as working during college. While there was no significant impact of these funding strategies on financial satisfaction either during or after college, there was evidence for possible thresholds at which overall student loan balances may begin to erode financial satisfaction. The results obtained suggest that student loans may not decrease the level of financial satisfaction as much as many have suspected when compared with working to pay for college, as long as the amount of the student loan is not excessive, and is not accompanied by other types of debt (which also reduced financial satisfaction).
Carotid artery duplex velocity criteria might be equivocal after left ventricular assist device implantation.

Abstract Background Although conventional angiography remains the reference standard for the grading of carotid stenosis, carotid duplex ultrasound (CDUS) is the most commonly used modality for determining the degree of carotid stenosis. The validity of CDUS findings for patients after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is questionable, because the velocities are often altered secondary to the continuous flow nature of the devices. Methods A retrospective review was performed of all patients who had undergone LVAD implantation from January 2007 to December 2019. All patients who had undergone CDUS before and after LVAD implantation were included. Patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, those with unusable carotid imaging studies, and those with internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion were excluded. The peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV) in the ICA and common carotid artery (CCA) and the ICA/CCA ratios were compared before and after LVAD implantation. Results A total of 36 patients (mean age 59 years; 30 men; 6 women) had undergone CDUS both before and after LVAD implantation (mean, 647 days between imaging studies). A total of 61 ICAs had met the criteria for inclusion. Before LVAD, 7 carotid arteries (13%) had had >50% carotid stenosis and 53 (87%) had had 0% to 50% stenosis. The mean changes in the velocities after LVAD were as follows. The ICA PSV had decreased by 6.12 ± 4.34 cm/s, and the ICA EDV had increased by 13.44 ± 4.23 cm/s. The CCA PSV had decreased by 17.22 ± 4.95 cm/s, and the CCA EDV had increased by 10.83 ± 2.59 cm/s. The mean ICA/CCA ratio had increased by 0.18 ± 0.05. All the mean changes in velocity were significant (P Conclusions LVADs were associated with significant changes in CCA PSV, ICA and CCA EDV, and ICA/CCA ratios. However, the magnitude of these changes in patients with
The momentary and the macro in action control: A motor control analysis of impulse control difficulties.

According to cybernetic models of self-regulation, the success of one's overt behaviors may very well depend on how well one controls one's behaviors in more momentary terms. The present research applies such perspectives to the analysis of individual differences in impulse control difficulties, which are thought to constitute losses of control in responses to stressors or distress, representing a form of emotional impulsivity. In three studies (total N = 349), undergraduate participants were asked to perform motor control tasks involving stationary or moving targets, which permitted the computation of a tremor instability index that represented the extent to which movements were noisy or unpredictable (less controlled) from moment to moment. Study 1 found that individuals with higher levels of impulse control difficulties exhibited higher levels of tremor, Study 2 replicated this pattern, and Study 3 showed that the tremor instability index predicted similar contingencies in daily life. The findings, in total, identify a micromomentary signature of macrolevel tendencies toward emotional impulsivity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Structural and functional connectivity in premature neonates.

Abstract Advances in neuroimaging have increasingly enabled researchers to investigate whether alterations in brain development commonly identified in preterm infants underlie their high risk of long-term neurodevelopmental impairment, including sensory, motor, cognitive, and psychiatric deficits. This review begins by examining the growing body of literature utilizing advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to probe structural (via diffusion MRI) and functional (via resting state-functional MRI) connectivity development in the preterm brain during the neonatal period, both in the presence and absence of brain injury. It then details the recent work linking neonatal brain connectivity measures to neurodevelopmental and psychiatric outcomes in prematurely-born cohorts. Finally, building upon the recent substantive growth in the utilization of these neuroimaging modalities, it concludes by highlighting areas in which continued optimization of age-specific acquisition and analysis techniques for these data remains necessary, efforts fundamental to advancing the field toward establishing individual-level predictive capabilities in this high-risk population.
On the Origins of the Quinarian System of Classification

William Sharp Macleay developed the quinarian system of classification in his Horae Entomologicae, published in two parts in 1819 and 1821. For two decades, the quinarian system was widely discussed in Britain and influenced such naturalists as Charles Darwin, Richard Owen, and Thomas Huxley. This paper offers the first detailed account of Macleay's development of the quinarian system. Macleay developed his system under the shaping influence of two pressures: (1) the insistence by followers of Linnaeus on developing artificial systems at the expense of the natural system and (2) the apparent tension between the continuity of organic nature and the failure of linear classification schemes (which continuity seemed to require). Against what he perceived as dogmatic indolence on the part of the Linnaeans, Macleay developed a philosophy of science in which hypotheses that exceeded the available evidence should be proposed and subjected to severe tests. He also developed a novel comparative anatomical methodology, the method of variation, to aid in his search for the natural system. Using this method, he developed an intricate system that showed how organic nature could be continuous without being linear. A failure to appreciate these facets of Macleay's thought has led to several misunderstandings of him and his work, most notably that he was an idealist. These misunderstandings are here rebutted.
Against the Grain: Theory and Practice in the Work of William H. Gass

then I promise you, young gentlemen, that the future?the future shall speak only German! German German German German came the reply, the shout?the students standing in their chairs. German German Ger man German. The dignitaries rose and faced us in a line. German, they cried. GERMAN! was our antiphonal response. German . . . GER MAN! German . . . GERMAN! Magus Tabor had disappeared?he had not engineered this demonstration for himself?but it was a long time, and a few seats were broken, before we filed out and struggled through the raining streets to soothe our tired throats with beer.
The segmented cylinder flexural strength test

Weiler showed in 1987 that the strength of ceramic heat exchanger tubes could be evaluated by flexural strength tests of cylindrical segments or longitudinal slices cut from the tubes. In the present study, a similar approach has been applied to measure the strength of short solid ceramic cylinders. Large loads are normally needed to break these cylinders in flexure and there is a risk of contact stress problems at the loading points. A simple remedy is to cut the rods longitudinally into two halves and test each half. Split zirconia short rods were tested using a conventional bend fixture with simple modifications. Strengths were compared to those of solid round rod parts. Fracture origins were the same type in each case. The split cylinder or segmented cylinder method is a simple, practical, and effective way to measure flexural strength.
Navigation of miniature legged robots using a new template

This paper contributes to the area of miniature legged robots by investigating how a recently introduced bio-inspired template for such robots can be used for navigation. The model is simple and intuitive, and capable of capturing the salient features of the horizontal-plane behavior of an eight-legged miniature robot. We validate that the model can be combined with readily available navigation techniques, and then use it to plan the motion of the eight-legged miniature robot, which is tasked to crawl at low speeds, in obstacle-cluttered environments.
Tunneling in CdTe Schottky Barriers

The tunneling characteristics of metal contacts on n−CdTe have been measured. Both the forward- and reverse-bias characteristics are in good agreement with the two-band model for the energy-complex-momentum relationship. The presence of trapping states increased the magnitude of the tunneling current at low levels by providing a two-step transition. The slope of the forward-bias log_e J−versus−V curves for tunneling through the intermediate states was reduced by a factor of 2.
How to Not Exhibit Ethnographic Art

Marc Couturier. "Secrets." Musee national des arts d'Afrique etd'Oceanie, Paris, April 25–July 16, 2001.
The Foreign Policy Beliefs of Political Campaign Contributors: A Post‐Cold War Analysis

Objective. In this article we address two questions raised by the literature on the structure of foreign policy beliefs. First, has the end of the Cold War brought about any major changes in these belief systems? Second, how do ideology and economic interests shape these beliefs? Methods. We analyze data from a 1996 survey of U.S. presidential campaign contributors conducted by the Ray Bliss Center to determine the foreign policy belief systems of contributors. We then compare those results to the belief systems found in a 1988 survey of contributors. Results. We find that Cold War belief systems are quite durable. There was surprisingly little change in the structure or content of contributors' foreign policy beliefs between 1988 and 1996. We also find that both ideology and economic interests help shape these beliefs and examine the circumstances under which each of these two considerations appears to have the most important effects. Conclusions. Policymakers face new challenges since the end of the Cold War, but domestic political elites still approach foreign policy with a Cold War perspective. Also, although ideology is very important in determining how individuals think about foreign policy, material interests also make a difference for campaign contributors.
The package insert dilemma

T H E P A C K A G E, I N S E R T is "the official information piece for a drug. ''1 In theory it presents to the physician information he should have at hand when prescribing a drug --indications, contraindications, dose, warnings, and possible adverse reactions. The physician who chooses to ignore the contents of the package insert runs the risk of lawsuit for malpractice, and this risk appears to be steadily increasing. The package insert has assumed quasi-legal or legal status. Great controversy exists over this status? -14 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for carrying out the mandates of the Drug Amendments of 1938 (that drugs be safe) and of 1962 (that they be efficacious). Safety and efficacy must be assured when drugs are used in patients of any age, but most especially when they are used in children? 5-2~ The FDA has recently indicated that "drugs for use in children must be tested in children. ''21 Package inserts may be divided into four categories, based upon the degrees of approval with which the drugs are released or permitted for sale by the FDA: 1. Full approval, indicating that sufficient clinical studies have been completed to allow use of a particular drug for patients in all age groups (adults, children, infants, and neonates).
Electron Beam and Flash X-Ray Diagnostics

A review of some diagnostic techniques and instrumentation used at Sandia Laboratories for studying intense electron beams and laboratory pulsed x-ray sources is presented. Included are descriptions of current monitors, radiation sensitive polymer films, and calorimeter arrays for beam energy density measurements. Also discussed is the real time-on line digital computer used for calorimetry measurements. A new technique for measuring electron energy as a function of time is presented and representative data from Sandia's Hermes-II facility are shown. These data are in turn used with a Monte Carlo code to determine the brems-strahlung spectrum, which is compared with a direct photon measurement made with a large Compton spectrometer. Finally, a discussion is given of the use of these data in radiation effects experimentation. The results of combined photon-electron transport calculations are shown which demonstrate the edge and interface effects which are important for thin and inhomogeneous samples.
Kinetic coupling and hydrogen surface fugacities in heterogeneous catalysis: I. Alkane reactions on Te/NaX, H-ZSM5, and Ga/H-ZSM5

Hydrogen removal occurs by recombinative desorption and by hydrogen transfer during dehydrogenation steps required for alkane and cycloalkane conversion on Te/NaX, H-ZSM5, and Ga/H-ZSM5 catalysts. Recombinative desorption limits the rate of n-heptane and methylcyclohexane aromatization on Te/NaX and prevents equilibration between gas-phase H2 and H-adatoms formed in intermediate dehydrogenation steps. The resulting high surface hydrogen fugacities lead to low steady-state concentrations of required unsaturated intermediates. Te ions catalyze rate-limiting hydrogen desorption steps during alkane reactions on Te/NaX. On H-ZSM5, hydrogen removal limits the rate of propane conversion to aromatics. Hydrogen adatoms are removed predominantly by reactions with coadsorbed hydrocarbon fragments, leading to high cracking selectivity. Ga ions introduce a recombinative desorption function that partially relieves the resulting high hydrogen surface fugacities and allows dehydrogenation steps to occur without concurrent cracking. Thus, Ga ions increase aromatics selectivity by providing a “porthole” for the removal of hydrogen adatoms as dihydrogen. We propose that rate-limiting hydrogen desorption steps, and the high surface hydrogen fugacities that result, control the rate and selectivity of dehydrogenation and related reactions on many nonmetal surfaces.
A preliminary investigation on renal and hepatic toxicity in rats fed purified fumonisin B1

Fumonisins are metabolites of Fusarium moniliforme and other Fusarium spp. Fumonisin B1 (FB1) was hepatocarcinogenic (50 ppm, > or = 90% purity) when fed to male rats; however, neither the effects of FB1 on females nor the relationship between dietary FB1 levels and toxicity in rats has been reported. Male and female rats (three per sex per group) were fed diets fortified with 0, 15, 50 or 150 ppm FB1 (> or = 99% purity) for 4 weeks. There were no differences in general appearance or behavior among groups and significant differences in weight gain or food consumption were not found. Histopathological examinations and serum chemical profiles, including significant increases in triglycerides, cholesterol, and alkaline phosphatase, confirmed that 150 ppm FB1 was hepatotoxic to both sexes. Cortical nephrosis was found in males fed > or = 15 ppm and females fed > or = 50 ppm FB1. Both hepatic and renal lesions were consistent with those found in rats consuming F. moniliforme-infected corn. Thus, highly purified FB1 is unequivocally capable of inducing the subchronic liver and kidney lesions attributed to F. moniliforme.
Longitudinal neurodevelopmental and neuromotor outcome in congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients in the first 3 years of life.

Longitudinal neurodevelopmental and neuromotor outcome in congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients in the first 3 years of life