cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
IL-17A Synergistically Enhances Bile Acid–Induced Inflammation during Obstructive Cholestasis

During obstructive cholestasis, increased concentrations of bile acids activate ERK1/2 in hepatocytes, which up-regulates early growth response factor 1, a key regulator of proinflammatory cytokines, such as macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2), which, in turn, exacerbates cholestatic liver injury. Recent studies have indicated that IL-17A contributes to hepatic inflammation during obstructive cholestasis, suggesting that bile acids and IL-17A may interact to regulate hepatic inflammatory responses. We treated mice with an IL-17A neutralizing antibody or control IgG and subjected them to bile duct ligation. Neutralization of IL-17A prevented up-regulation of proinflammatory cytokines, hepatic neutrophil accumulation, and liver injury, indicating an important role for IL-17A in neutrophilic inflammation during cholestasis. Treatment of primary mouse hepatocytes with taurocholic acid (TCA) increased the expression of MIP-2. Co-treatment with IL-17A synergistically enhanced up-regulation of MIP-2 by TCA. In contrast to MIP-2, IL-17A did not affect up-regulation of Egr-1 by TCA, indicating that IL-17A does not affect bile acid–induced activation of signaling pathways upstream of early growth response factor 1. In addition, bile acids increased expression of IL-23, a key regulator of IL-17A production in hepatocytes in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, these data identify bile acids as novel triggers of the IL-23/IL-17A axis and suggest that IL-17A promotes hepatic inflammation during cholestasis by synergistically enhancing bile acid–induced production of proinflammatory cytokines by hepatocytes.
Low-power, high-performance analog neural branch prediction

Shrinking transistor sizes and a trend toward low-power processors have caused increased leakage, high per-device variation and a larger number of hard and soft errors. Maintaining precise digital behavior on these devices grows more expensive with each technology generation. In some cases, replacing digital units with analog equivalents allows similar computation to be performed at higher speed and lower power. The units that can most easily benefit from this approach are those whose results do not have to be precise, such as various types of predictors. We introduce the Scaled Neural Predictor (SNP), a highly accurate prediction algorithm that is infeasible in a purely digital implementation, but can be implemented using analog circuitry. Our analog implementation, the Scaled Neural Analog Predictor (SNAP), uses current summation in place of the expensive digital dot-product computation required in neural predictors. We show that the analog predictor can outperform digital neural predictors because of the reduced cost, in power and latency, of the key computations. The SNAP circuit is able to produce an accuracy nearly equivalent to an infeasible digital neural predictor that requires 128 additions per prediction. The analog version, however, can run at 3 GHz, with the analog portion of the prediction computation requiring approximately 7 milliwatts at a 45 nm technology, which is small compared to the power required for the table lookups in this and conventional predictors.
Tubulogenesis from isolated single cells of adult mammalian kidney: clonal analysis with a recombinant retrovirus

The adult mammalian kidney tubule epithelium exists in a relatively dormant, slowly replicative state but has a large potential for regenerative morphogenesis following severe ischemic or toxic injury. Under selective serum-free growth conditions, which included epidermal growth factor and retinoic acid, a subpopulation of renal proximal tubule cells isolated from adult rabbit kidney were grown in cell culture. These cells possessed two important characteristics: 1) an ability to differentiate morphogenically into tubule structures when grown in three-dimensional collagen gels and 2) a high capacity for self-renewal, since cell lineage analysis with a recombinant retrovirus demonstrated that in vitro tubulogenesis arose from clonal expansion of a single cell. Thus individual cells in the adult kidney have retained the ability for kidney tubulogenesis in vitro.
Modeling High-Dimensional Humans for Activity Anticipation using Gaussian Process Latent CRFs

For robots, the ability to model human configurations and temporal dynamics is crucial for the task of anticipating future human activities, yet requires conflicting properties: On one hand, we need a detailed high-dimensional description of human configurations to reason about the physical plausibility of the prediction; on the other hand, we need a compact representation to be able to parsimoniously model the relations between the human and the environment. We therefore propose a new model, GP-LCRF, which admits both the high-dimensional and low-dimensional representation of humans. It assumes that the high-dimensional representation is generated from a latent variable corresponding to its lowdimensional representation using a Gaussian process. The generative process not only defines the mapping function between the highand low-dimensional spaces, but also models a distribution of humans embedded as a potential function in GP-LCRF along with other potentials to jointly model the rich context among humans, objects and the activity. Through extensive experiments on activity anticipation, we show that our GP-LCRF consistently outperforms the state-of-the-art results and reduces the predicted human trajectory error by 11.6%.
Diagnosis of Leishmaniasis by Slide Agglutination.

ConclusionsRapid diagnosis of visceral, cutaneous, and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis may be made by slide agglutination. “H” and “O”'. agglutinogens are present in all species tested. The homologous organism is agglutinated to a high titer, but co-agglutinins are present in low titer to the heterologous organisms. L. donovani and T. cruzi, responsible for systemic infections, produce higher titers than L. tropica and L. brasiliensis, which have only cutaneous or mucocutaneous manifestations.
Heterotopic Ossification and Entrapment of the Tibial Nerve Within the Tarsal Tunnel: A Case Report

Heterotopic ossification has been reported to occur after musculoskeletal trauma (including orthopedic procedures). This has been known to cause nerve entrapment syndromes and persistent pain, limiting joint mobility. We present a case of a 19-year old female collegiate athlete who had previously undergone ankle arthroscopy and arthrotomy to remove 2 ossicles. At approximately 1 year postoperatively, the patient developed pain when planting and pivoting her foot. Imaging revealed a radiodense lesion at the posteromedial ankle consistent with heterotopic ossification and entrapment of the tibial nerve within the tarsal tunnel. The patient underwent surgical resection and postoperative indomethacin prophylaxis. At the 1-year follow-up visit, the patient remained asymptomatic, without evidence of recurrence of the heterotopic ossification. In our review of the published data, we found no previously reported cases of heterotopic ossification causing entrapment of the tibial nerve within the tarsal tunnel. In the present case report, we describe this rare case and the postulated etiologies and pathophysiology of this disease process. In addition, we discuss the clinical signs and symptoms and recommended imaging modalities and treatment.
Review and Evaluation on Major Methods for Primate Diet Study

General methods for studies on primate diet at home and abroad mainly include direct observation,fecal analysis,artificial feeding,contents in stomach analysis and rumen analysis.Direction observation method is hard to be operated due to animal' s timidity although the method is reliable;decal analysis can precisely determine the food types which are eaten,but the experimental data must be reasonably rectified in the aspect of micro-quantity to reflect the animals diet correctly;artificial feeding can provide parameters for the rectification of decal analysis;contents analysis has to take cost of killing animals,which is almost impossible to be available.Finally,the paper concludes a comparative feasible method in primate diet study based on the consideration and assessment of each method above mentioned.
Lack of an apparent role for endothelin-1 in the prolonged reduction in renal perfusion following severe unilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury in the mouse

Therapeutic approaches to block the progression from acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease are currently lacking. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a powerful vasoconstrictor, induced by hypoxia, and previously implicated in renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. This study tested the hypothesis that blunting the vascular influence of ET-1, either through endothelin ETA receptor blockade (ABT-627) or vascular endothelial cell deletion of ET-1 (VEET KO), would improve recovery of renal perfusion and repair of injury following a severe ischemic insult in mice (45 min unilateral renal ischemia). Male C57Bl/6 mice receiving vehicle or ABT-627 commencing 2 days prior to surgery, and VEET KO mice and wild-type littermates (WT) underwent 45 min unilateral renal IR surgery followed by 28 days recovery. Renal blood velocity was measured by pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound before and after surgery. Renal blood velocity was not significantly different between pairs of groups before surgery. Unilateral IR induced a marked reduction in renal blood velocity of the IR kidney at 24 h postsurgery in all groups, which partially recovered but remained below baseline at 28 days post-IR. Despite the lack of effect on renal blood velocity, ETA receptor blockade significantly attenuated the atrophy of the post-IR kidney, whereas this was not significantly affected by lack of endothelial ET-1 expression. These data suggest that although blockade of the ETA receptor is mildly beneficial in preserving renal mass following a severe ischemic insult, this protective effect does not appear to involve improved recovery of renal perfusion.
Photovoltaic response of naturally occurring semiconducting sulfide minerals

The photoelectrochemical performance of six naturally occurring semiconducting sulfide minerals is investigated to simply and quickly evaluate their photovoltaic potential. The direct optical band gaps determined for these minerals are 1.36 eV for Enargite, 1.40 eV for Chalcostibite, 1.67 eV for Stephanite, 1.29 eV for Bournonite, 1.43 eV for Jamesonite and 1.66 eV for Gratonite, all in the range of usefulness for single or multijunction solar cells.
Resolving Structural Conflicts: How Violent Systems Can Be Transformed

This book analyses how certain types of social systems generate violent conflict and discusses how these systems can be transformed in order to create the conditions for positive peace. Resolving Structural Conflicts addresses a key issue in the field of conflict studies: what to do about violent conflicts that are not the results of misunderstanding, prejudice, or malice, but the products of a social system that generates violent conflict as part of its normal operations. This question poses enormous challenges to those interested in conflict resolution, since the solution to this problem involves restructuring social, political, and cultural systems rather than just calling in a mediator to help people arrive at an agreement. This study breaks new ground in showing how local conflicts involving crime, police, and prisons; transnational conflicts involving religious terrorism by groups like ISIS; and international conflicts involving Great Power clashes are all produced in large part by elite-driven, exploitative or oppressive social structures. It also presents new ideas about the implications of this ‘structural turn’ for the practice of conflict resolution, emphasizing the need for conflict resolvers to embrace a new politics and to broaden their methods far beyond traditional forms of facilitation. Written by a leading scholar, this book will be of much interest to students of conflict resolution, peace studies, war and conflict studies, sociology, political science and international relations in general.
Detection of lipopolysaccharides in serum using a waveguide-based optical biosensor

Direct ultra-sensitive detection of pathogen biomarkers in blood could provide a universal strategy for diagnosis of bacterial infections, which remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in many areas of the world. Many factors complicate diagnosis, including the presence of multiple co-infections in a given patient, and lack of infrastructure in rural settings. In some pediatric patients, such as those in areas with poor resources, an additional challenge exists with low sample volumes due to age and other health factors such as anemia and dehydration. Our team is working on developing novel diagnostic assays, with a waveguide-based biosensor platform, to rapidly and specifically identify pathogen biomarkers from small samples of serum or plasma, allowing for the timely and sensitive diagnosis of infection at the point of care. In addition to the platform, we have developed novel membrane insertion and lipoprotein capture assay methods, to capture lipidated pathogen biomarkers in aqueous blood, by virtue of their interactions with host lipoprotein carriers. Herein, we demonstrate our efforts to adapt the lipoprotein capture assay for the detection of small concentrations of pathogen-secreted lipopolysaccharides in aqueous blood, with the ultimate aim of diagnosing Gram-negative infections effectively.
Inferring random component distributions from environmental measurements for quality assurance

Abstract Environmental measurement programs can add value by providing not just accurate data, but also a measure of that accuracy. While quality assurance (QA) has been recognized as necessary since almost the beginning of automated weather measurement, it has received less attention than the data proper. Most QA systems examine data limits and rate of change for gross errors and examine data for unchanging values. Others compare data from other locations using spatial tools or examine temporal consistency. There exists a need for analytical tools that can increase the likelihood of detecting small errors, such as a calibration drift, or increased variation in a sensor reading. Two such empirical tools are described herein that can inform a first level QA process. One operates on data from a single sensor, using comparisons between a current and a prior datum; the other leverages additional information from a duplicate sensor and operates on only the current datum. The objectives of this paper are to describe the computational methods, illustrate results with multiple-month datasets representing both nominal and failing sensors, provide some indications of validity of assumptions made in the derivation, and suggest where in a quality assurance program these methods could be applied. With little additional datalogger programming to obtain both the period average and the ending value, these tools could be added to QA toolkits in many automated weather stations.
Atomic Layer Deposition of the Solid Electrolyte Garnet Li7La3Zr2O12

Lithium solid electrolytes are a promising platform for achieving high energy density, long-lasting, and safe rechargeable batteries, which could have widespread societal impact. In particular, the ceramic oxide garnet Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) has been shown to be a promising electrolyte due to its stability and high ionic conductivity. Two major challenges for commercialization are the manufacture of thin layers and the creation of stable, low-impedance interfaces with both anode and cathode materials. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has recently been shown to be a powerful method for depositing both solid electrolytes and interfacial layers to improve the stability and performance at electrode–electrolyte interfaces in battery systems. Herein, we present a thermal ALD process for LLZO, demonstrating the ability to tune composition within the amorphous as-deposited film, which is studied using in situ quartz crystal microbalance measurements. Postannealing using a variety of substrates and gas environments was ...
The Effect of Cloud Cover on the Meridional Heat Transport: Lessons from Variable Rotation Experiments

AbstractThe question “What determines the meridional heat transport (MHT)?” is explored by performing a series of rotation-rate experiments with an aquaplanet GCM coupled to a slab ocean. The change of meridional heat transport with rotation rate falls into two regimes: in a “slow rotating” regime (rotation rate < 1/2 modern rotation) MHT decreases with increasing rotation rate, whereas in a “fast rotating” regime (rotation rate ≥ 1/2 modern rotation) MHT is nearly invariant. The two-regime feature of MHT is primarily related to the reduction in tropical clouds and increase in tropical temperature that are associated with the narrowing and weakening of the Hadley cell with increasing rotation rate. In the slow-rotating regime, the Hadley cell contracts and weakens as rotation rate is increased; the resulting warming causes a local increase in outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), which consequently decreases MHT. In the fast-rotating regime, the Hadley cell continues to contract as rotation rate is increased...
A mathematical model of tree harvesting in age-structured forests subject to beetle infestations

In this paper, we investigate a mathematical model for age-structured forest–beetle interactions that includes harvesting of trees. The aim is to broaden the understanding of the synergistic effects of harvesting and insect infestation on the age structure of the forests and the harvesting benefit. In the first part of this study, we consider different scenarios of the forest infestation by beetles and observe that the quantitative age profile of the forest depends significantly on whether the beetle population is in its endemic or epidemic states. In the second part, we also include harvesting of the forest trees and analyze two different harvesting strategies: cutting all trees older than a certain age, and cutting a fixed proportion of trees older than a certain age. Numerical simulations are implemented to determine the optimal cutting age for both harvesting strategies. The numerical simulations reveal that, independent of the steady state of the beetle population (that is, no beetles, endemic or epidemic state) clear cutting all trees older than a given age provides a higher harvesting benefit. Our numerical simulations further indicate that to obtain a fixed harvesting yield, a forest under a beetle epidemic state has to be cut at a younger age than if the forest were at an endemic beetle state or a no-beetle state.
Glass surface modification via Cu(0)-mediated living radical polymerization of fluorinated and non-fluorinated acrylates

Terminal silanol groups on the glass surface were used for the chemical bonding of α-bromo amide as the initiator for surface initiated Cu(0)-mediated living radical polymerization (LRP) to graft well-defined poly(butyl arylate) (PBA) and poly(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate) (PTFEM) brushes on the glass surface. A grafting to methodology was also performed by the modification of the glass surface using a thiosilane agent and performing a thio-bromo click reaction in the presence of PBA and PTFEM synthesized via Cu(0)-mediated LRP. Furthermore, a one-pot grafting to method was developed that proved a facile, fast, and efficient method for grafting a bromo-terminated polymer to the glass surface in one step. All glass slides were characterized using ATR-FTIR and UV-vis spectroscopy, water contact angle measurements and SEM. The surface topology and roughness of selected samples were analyzed using AFM. Results show that an ultrathin layer of a polymer with nanoscale features and high roughness was chemically grafted to the glass surface without compromising glass transparency. These methodologies can be used to graft well-defined polymers with different functionalities on the glass surface.
INFLUENCE OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN METAL ELECTRODES ON CONTIGUOUS SOLUTE-FREE ZONES

Earlier, we reported solute-free “exclusion zones” in aqueous media next to various metal surfaces. Here we explore the effect of connecting zinc, which ordinarily shows a large exclusion zone, to platinum, which ordinarily does not. We found the connecting the two metals diminished the exclusion zone next to zinc, while it increased the exclusion zone next to platinum. Disconnecting resulted in return to control values. These effects were largest when the metals were juxtaposed relatively closely, and became smaller with increasing separation. The underlying mechanisms are considered.
Thrombin Stimulation of Platelets Induces Plasminogen Activation Mediated by Endogenous Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

Gene knockout mice studies indicate that urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) is importantly involved in fibrinolysis, but its physiologic mechanism of action remains poorly understood. We postulated that platelets may be involved in this mechanism, as they carry a novel receptor for u-PA and a portion of the single-chain u-PA (scu-PA) intrinsic to blood is tightly associated with platelets. Therefore, plasminogen activation by platelet-associated u-PA was studied. When washed platelets were incubated with plasminogen, no plasmin was generated as detected by plasmin synthetic substrate (S2403) hydrolysis; however, after the addition of thrombin, but not other agonists, platelet-dependent plasminogen activation occurred. Plasminogen activation was surface-related, being inhibited by blocking platelet fibrinogen receptors or by preventing plasminogen binding to the thrombin-activated platelet surface. U-PA was identified as the only plasminogen activator responsible and enrichment of platelets with exogenous scu-PA significantly augmented plasminogen activation. These findings appeared paradoxical because thrombin inactivates scu-PA. Indeed, zymograms showed inactivation of scu-PA during the first hour of incubation with even the lowest dose of thrombin used (1 u/mL). However, this was followed by a thrombin dose-dependent (1 to 10 u/mL) partial return of u-PA activity. Reactivation of u-PA was not due to the direct action of thrombin, but required platelets and was found to be related to a platelet lysosomal thiol protease, consistent with cathepsin C. In conclusion, a new pathway of plasminogen activation by platelet-associated endogenous or exogenous scu-PA was demonstrated, which is specifically triggered by thrombin activation of platelets. These findings may help explain u-PA–mediated physiological fibrinolysis and have implications for therapeutic thrombolysis with scu-PA.
Ancient to Modern Changes in Relative Sea Levels

Changes of mean annual sea level are so slow that they scarcely can be observed by humans, especially because they are obscured by much longer and faster but briefer changes caused by waves, tides, and episodic tsunamis and storm surges. Local changes of land level, however, often have been observed in association with uplift or downdrop along faults or folds that are at or near the shore. These movements may span several meters vertically in only a few seconds or minutes, and they can permanently submerge roads and buildings or strand ships and fishing facilities above the surface of the ocean. Slower, but still observable during a lifetime are broad downwarpings associated with removal of groundwater (as at Venice, Italy) and of oil (as at Long Beach, California, and other coastal oil fields) as well as subterranean movements of magma (as at Pozzuoli, Italy). Direct observation also cannot provide direct information on changes of sea level, either real or relative, that occurred before humans were present or before the invention of written records.
A Review of Criticality Safety Models Used in Evaluating Arrays of Fissile Materials

The methods commonly used in this country to evaluate the criticality safety of fissile material arrays include density analog, NB/sup 2//sub N/, surface density, equilateral hyperbola, albedo, and solid-angle techniques. These can be divided into array unit interaction and semiempirical methods. The albedo and solid-angle techniques fall into the former class; the rest fall into the latter class. A study reveals that interaction methods are useful in treating arrays of arbitrary mesh patterns (e.g., triangular or hexagonal) having only a few units, while the semiempirical techniques are more applicable to arrays with a large number of units. The density analog and surface density approaches are easy to apply but typically require more auxiliary calculations, while other methods are more difficult to use, but more broadly applicable. None of the methods satisfactorily handle nonuniformly spaced arrays, arrays with arbitrary amounts of internal moderator, or ''clumped'' arrays, i.e., arrays of arrays. Most of the methods have some provision for treating mixed arrays, but these provisions often do not apply to arrays of arbitrarily arranged fast (e.g., metal) and slow (e.g., solution) units.
Bioactivity, Biocompatibility and Biomimetic Propertiesfor Dental Materials: Clarifying the Confusion?

Often in the profession of dentistry, a new or novel instrument, material, technique, and/or â€œsystemâ€ is introduced which can incur a â€œstate-of-the-artâ€ status without necessarily being subjected to the rigors of clinical testing or longitudinal patient-based studies prior to receiving the stamp of approval or the moniker of â€œstandard of careâ€ . Recently, provocative terminology surrounding the field of dental materials has been publicized through the literature, promoting exciting claims and possible long-term advancements for patient care. In this â€œnew eraâ€ of evidence-based restorative dentistry, conservative interdiction, i.e. â€œinformedâ€ removal of diseased tissue with concurrent substitution considering form and function, esthetics, and the interaction of the physical and mechanical properties of the replacement materials with living, dynamic structures found in the human tooth, has been of paramount importance.
Effects of Changing Climate on the Hydrological Cycle in Cold Desert Ecosystems of the Great Basin and Columbia Plateau

Abstract Climate change is already resulting in changes in cold desert ecosystems, lending urgency to the need to understand climate change effects and develop effective adaptation strategies. In this review, we synthesize information on changes in climate and hydrologic processes during the past century for the Great Basin and Columbia Plateau and discuss future projections for the 21st century. We develop midcentury projections of temperature and climate for the Great Basin and Columbia Plateau at timescales relevant to managers (2020 − 2050) and discuss concepts and strategies for adapting to the projected changes. For the instrumented record in the Great Basin and Columbia Plateau (1985 − 2011), a temperature increase of 0.7 − 1.4°C has been documented, but changes in precipitation have been relatively minor with no clear trends. Climate projections for 2020 − 2050 indicate that temperatures will continue to increase, especially in winter and during the night. Precipitation is more difficult to project, and estimates range from an 11% decrease to 25% increase depending on location. Recent records indicate that the Great Basin and Columbia Plateau are becoming more arid, a trend that is projected to continue. Droughts are likely to become more frequent and last longer, invasive annual grasses are likely to continue to expand, and the duration and severity of wildfire seasons are likely to increase. Climate projections can help in developing adaptive management strategies for actual or expected changes in climate. Strategies include reducing the risks of nonnative invasive plant spread and wildfires that result in undesirable transitions, planning for drought, and where necessary, facilitating the transition of populations, communities, and ecosystems to new climatic conditions. A proactive approach to planning for and adapting to climate change is needed, and publicly available Internet-based resources on climate data and planning strategies are available to help meet that need.
Learning from Class-Imbalanced Bridge and Weather Data for Supporting Bridge Deterioration Prediction

Evaluating the impact of learning from weather data, in addition to bridge data, on the performance of bridge deterioration prediction is critical for identifying the right data needed for better prediction for enhanced bridge maintenance decision making. However, the majority of the studies in the bridge domain did not consider such evaluation. For those that conducted the evaluation, their evaluation results usually varied. There is, thus, a need for re-evaluating whether the use of weather data could improve the prediction performance. However, conducting the evaluation is challenging because of class imbalance problems in the bridge domain. Therefore, prior to the evaluation, conducting data sampling to alleviate/eliminate such problems is necessary. To address these needs, this paper offers a pilot evaluation study for better evaluating the impact of learning from weather data on bridge deterioration prediction. To conduct the evaluation, a sampling method was used to deal with the data imbalance problems, and a deep neural network model was developed to predict the condition ratings of decks, superstructures, and substructures. A number of alternative sampling methods were tested and the prediction performances—with and without weather data—were compared. The preliminary experimental results indicated that: (1) the random over-sampling method outperformed the other alternatives; and (2) the change in the prediction performance after further learning from the weather data was only marginal.
Use of Hepatitis C-Positive Liver Grafts in Hepatitis C-Negative Recipients

As the demand for liver transplantation continues to rise, the scarcity of liver donor grafts has led to the use of extended criteria grafts for liver transplantation in select group of patients. Hepatitis C-seropositive liver grafts have been used primarily in hepatitis C-positive recipients, with studies showing non-inferior outcomes when compared to hepatitis C-negative grafts. Studies suggest that hepatitis C serology status of the donor liver does not influence the patient or graft outcomes in the recipient. These results advocate for offering hepatitis C-positive grafts to all patients awaiting liver transplantation regardless of their hepatitis C status. However, some concerns persist regarding the ethics of potentially introducing a new infection into a patient that could progress to chronic liver disease following liver transplantation. The recent approval of direct-acting antiviral therapy offers a solution to this dilemma, as it has changed the landscape of hepatitis C management by making it a curable disease. In this review, we shall discuss the current evidence regarding the use of hepatitis C-seropositive donor grafts in hepatitis C-positive and hepatitis C-negative patients.
Multibeam Data Processing for Underwater Mapping

From archaeology to the inspection of subsea structures, underwater mapping has become critical to many applications. Because of the balanced trade-off between range and resolution, multibeam sonars are often used as the primary sensor in underwater mapping platforms. These sonars output an image representing the intensity of the received acoustic echos over space, which must be classified into free and occupied regions before range measurements are determined and spatially registered. Most classifiers found in the underwater mapping literature use local thresholding techniques, which are highly sensitive to noise, outliers, and sonar artifacts typically found in these images. In this paper we present an overview of some of the techniques developed in the scope of our work on sonar-based underwater mapping, with the aim of improving map accuracy through better segmentation performance. We also provide experimental results using data collected with a DIDSON imaging sonar that show that these techniques improve both segmentation accuracy and robustness to outliers.
Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract Type 1 diabetes mellitus was previously referred to as insulin-dependent or juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus. It is a chronic disease caused by pancreatic insufficiency of insulin production. Type 1 diabetes is the major form of the disease in children and adolescents, making up 5%–10% of all diabetes cases. It is rare during the first 9 months of life, and is at its highest incidence at 12 years of age. When the patient is lacking insulin, glucose cannot enter the body cells that require insulin-mediated uptake of glucose. This can cause extremely high levels of blood glucose, and diabetic ketoacidosis, which may be life-threatening. This information suggests that a more vigorous autoimmune response occurs with type 1 diabetes in young children. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, in which cytotoxic CD8-T lymphocytes attack and destroy the pancreatic islets.
Emerging Hardware Prototyping Technologies as Tools for Learning

Integrating hardware prototyping platforms such as Arduino, Raspberry Pi or BeagleBone Board in education is becoming more prevalent as the number of courses utilizing such platforms is continuously increasing. In this work, we conduct an analytical investigation on the plurality of courses that utilize or integrate hardware prototyping platforms. We examine curriculum and instructional material (e.g. course syllabi or outlines) through publicly available web informational resources (e.g. search engines). We use this data to determine the degree to which these platforms are used as effective learning technologies in existing courses. We further use this data to determine hardware platforms integration statistics and distribution based on the number of courses, types of platforms employed and institutions using them as learning technologies. This statistical data can be used to help determine the current status of the utilization and adoption rate of hardware prototyping platforms into courses. In this paper, we present evidence that hardware prototyping technologies are employed as tools for teaching and learning. Based on examining forty five universities worldwide, we determine that there are on average nine unique courses per university which utilize or integrate a variety of these platforms into courses. We also determine that 75% of these courses are Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math- (STEM-) based while 25% are Non-STEM. We further use our findings to provide insights on the extent to which educational institutions are utilizing these platforms as learning technologies and applying project-based or experiential learning approaches as part of their curriculum development.
Research progress on synthesis of multiepitope antigen

Multiepitope antigen consists of several epitopes which are constructed by different methods including gene synthesis, and it is selected by epitope mapping, surface display and epitope prediction based on the computer technology. Research on multiepitope antigens has made great progress in recent years. Research progress on the selection and identification of characteristic epitope, the molecular design and the synthesis of multiepitope antigen and so on were reviewed in the paper. Key words: Multiepitope antigen; Molecular design; Gene synthesis
Potential isomorphisms of generalized approach spaces

We study relativizations and potential isomorphisms of quantale-valued approach spaces. We show how the category of generalized approach spaces and injective maps can be encoded using higher order ...
RubricOE: a learning framework for genetic epidemiology

Abstract Genetic epidemiology is a growing area of interest in the past years due to the availability of genetic data with the decreasing cost of sequencing. Machine learning (ML) algorithms can be a very useful tool to study the genetic factors on disease incidence or on different traits characterizing a population. There are many challenges that plagues the field of genetic epidemiology including the unbalanced case-control data sets, fallibility of standard genome wide association studies with single marker analysis, heavily underdetermined systems with millions of markers in contrast of a few thousands of samples, to name a few. Ensemble ML methods can be a very useful tool to tackle many of these challenges and thus we propose RubricOE, a pipeline of ML algorithms with error bar computations to obtain interpretable genetic and non-genetic features from genomic or transcriptomic data combined with clinical factors in the form of electronic health records. RubricOE is shown to be robust in simulation studies, detecting true associations with traits of interest in arbitrarily structured multi-ethnic populations.
Immunological Dysfunction in Periparturient Cow

Periparturient cows are immunosuppressed. Critical neutrophil functions (egress and phagocytic activities) and lymphocyte functions (immunoglobulin and cytokine secretion) are all impaired during this time. Exact causes ofperiparturient immunosuppression are not known but tremendous fluxes in endocrine factors undoubtedly effect changes in immunological competence. Periparturient cows experience large changes in plasma concentrations of vitamins and also are adjusting to the calcium, energy and protein demands necessary for lactation. The end of gestation appears to induce a progressive suppression of immune function. There appears to be a teleological basis for suppression of antigen specific immunity in the periparturient female. Development of immunity against self and paternal antigens released into the cow as a consequence of tissue damage associated with parturition would serve little useful purpose. However, as a result of this suppression, innate immune function is also impaired (perhaps inadvertently) and opportunistic infections such as mastitis and metritis occur with increased frequency in postpartum cows.
Hidden patterns of knowledge evolution in fluid digital innovation

Fluid digital innovation structures and processes are increasingly being leveraged to generate innovations. Fluid digital innovation is largely dependent on digital technology for communication and...
The effects of real-time performance feedback and performance emphasis on the sustained attention to response task (SART).

The sustained attention to response task (SART) has been used for over 20 years to assess participants’ response times and inability to withhold to No-Go stimuli (commission errors). While there is debate in the literature regarding what causes commissions errors in the SART, there is agreement the SART is subject to a speed-accuracy trade-off (SATO). Researchers have demonstrated that performance on the SART can be influenced by directive instructions to participants to prioritize either speed or accuracy during the task. In the present study, we investigated whether real-time performance feedback and whether feedback emphasis (emphasizing speed or accuracy) affected participants’ response times and accuracy. We found performance feedback per se had no impact on performance, but performance emphasis did affect performance, apparently shifting the SATO. This finding provides further evidence that the commission errors in the SART are not indicative of sustained attention or vigilance as those terms are commonly used in the literature, but more likely assess response strategy and motor control (or lack of motor control). These findings have implications for the psychological assessment literature, as well as applied areas where SART findings have been utilized such as shoot/no-shoot decision making.
Effects of patch-burn grazing and rotational grazing on grassland bird abundance, species richness, and diversity in native grassland pastures of the Midsouth USA

Abstract Declines in native warm season grasslands have been linked to grassland bird population decline due to habitat loss including conversion to non-native grasses. Rotational grazing (ROT) and patch-burn grazing (PBG) are two possible tools to restore native warm-season grasses (NWSG) on working-lands in the Mid-South USA and thus aid in the recovery of grassland bird populations. This project compares ROT, PBG, and before treatment implementation to assess their effects on grassland-associated bird species. At three research sites between KY and TN, 14–10 ha NWSG pastures were established and randomly assigned 7 pastures each to ROT and PBG treatment and monitored avian relative abundance during the breeding season from 2014 to 2017. Avian call count data and vegetation characteristics were collected in 2014 and treated as a before treatment year. Following 2014, ROT and PBG treatments were implemented across each respective research site. We used the open N-mixture model framework to estimate avian relative abundance related to year, treatments, research site, and landscape and within-field variables. Avian species richness and diversity were calculated for each treatment, research site, and year. Landscape variables, within-field variables, and research sites exerted more influence on relative abundance than ROT or PBG. Grassland-associated bird species relative abundance and species richness/diversity were affected by habitat disturbances (both ROT and PBG) but varied by species and site. Field sparrows [Spizella pusilla] had the highest increase in relative abundance (9.68 ± 1.24 birds/point count location or 1.77 ha) while northern cardinals [Cardinalis cardinalis] exhibited a significant decrease in relative abundance (3.44 ± 1.54 birds/point count location) following treatment implementation on specific research sites. Species diversity and richness did not differ between ROT and PBG treatments. However, a site and year difference were observed for both estimates. Using ROT and/or PBG to create habitat disturbances can alter within-field variables (i.e., vegetation height) which, taken into context with landscape variables, could impact grassland bird populations and diversity depending on grassland bird species habitat requirements. Our research provided the baseline information for ROT and PBG impacts on grassland birds in the east/southeastern USA. However, we believe future research should focus on breeding and annual fecundity to better understand how populations will change over time and how working lands conservation might aid this conservation effort without a reduction in livestock productivity.
Service to Humanity: The Virtues of Compassion and Charity

This chapter argues that the virtues of compassion and charity play a major role in shaping the Hizmet movement’s understanding of service and philanthropy. Hospitality, compassion and charity form the triadic core of this movement. The virtue of compassion within the Western philosophical tradition is presented in dialogue with conceptions of compassion found in the religious traditions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. It is argued that the Hizmet movement’s robust understanding of hospitality grounds a wide and expansive understanding and practice of compassion and charity, as exemplified in the global service initiatives of Kimse Yok Mu.
Laser direct writing of crystalline Fe2O3 atomic sheets on steel surface in aqueous medium

Abstract In this article, pulsed laser exposure on steel surface in aqueous medium was employed to achieve fast and scalable synthesis of highly dense iron oxide nanosheets. The growth mechanisms of this unique 2D nanocrystals have been studied systematically. The effects of laser processing conditions on growth of the 2D nanocrystals have been investigated. NanoStars and nanoflakes with different densities have been observed under various laser treatment conditions. It is noteworthy that laser acts as a catalyst for growth of iron oxide nanosheet. Nanocomposites of iron oxide nanosheets with graphene oxide (GO) were obtained and their adsorption capability for Rhodamine B molecules was investigated. The enhanced contact area between iron oxide sheets and graphene oxide, as observed in our experimental investigation would find applications in catalysis, water purification and many other emerging fields.
Histogram classification using vector quantization

Examines a general scheme by which vector quantizer (VQ) design methods can be used to produce a histogram classification rule. Results on histogram classification using data-dependent partitions show that a number of VQ common design methods yield classification rules that are Bayes risk consistent. A new design method that accounts of misclassification errors is also considered. >
Theory and Measurement: Causality Issues in Milton Friedman's Monetary Economics

Introduction 1. Theory and measurement at the National Bureau 2. Origins of Friedman's Marshallian methodology 3. Origins of the monetary project 4. Critiques from within the National Bureau 5. Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc, part I 6. Reactions to the Monetary History 7. Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc, part II 8. Friedman and his critics on the theoretical framework 9. The Great Depression 10. Measurement without measurement: Hendry and Ericsson's critique Conclusion Bibliography.
Quantification of Aerosol Hydrofluoroalkane HFA-134a Elimination in the Exhaled Human Breath Following Inhaled Corticosteroids Administration

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and β2-agonists are the primary pharmacotherapies of asthma management. However, suboptimal medication compliance is common in asthmatics and is associated with increased morbidity. We hypothesized that exhaled breath measurements of the aerosol used in the inhaled medications might prove useful as surrogate marker for asthma medication compliance. To explore this, 10 healthy controls were recruited and randomly assigned to ICS (Flovent HFA) or short acting bronchodilators (Proventil HFA). Both inhalers contain HFA-134a as aerosol propellant. Exhaled breath sampling and pulmonary function tests were performed prior to the inhaler medication dispersion, immediately after inhalation, then at 2, 4, 6, 8, 24, and 48 hours postadministration. At baseline, mean (SD) levels of HFA-134a in the breath were 252 (156) pptv. Immediately after inhalation, HFA-134a breath levels increased to 300 × 10(6) pptv and were still well above ambient levels 24 hours postadministration. The calculated ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second over forced vital capacity did not change over time following inhaler administration. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that breath HFA-134a levels can be used to assess inhaler medication compliance. It may also be used to evaluate how effectively the medicine is delivered.