cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving the pointing and tracking performance of the Keck telescopes

Pointing and tracking performance is one of the key metrics that characterize a telescope's overall efficiency. The pointing performance of the Keck telescopes, which use rotary friction encoders to provide position feedback to the control system, has been surpassed by newer large telescopes with more precise encoder systems. While poor tracking can be compensated with guiding, poor blind pointing performance can lead to loss of observing time. In this paper we present a history of the efforts to reduce the impact of poor pointing, as well as the improvements achieved after the installation of new tape encoders. We will discuss the calibration and testing methods and the tools for monitoring and maintaining the desired pointing performance. A comparative analysis of the pointing performance before and after the telescope control system upgrade will also be presented.
Introduction: scientific authority and the created controversy

The word science can conjure up for us a variety of ideas and images. It can whisk us back to cluttered classrooms, furnished with tall stools and long benches, Bunsen burners, and glass-doored cupboards stocked with assorted paraphernalia. The word might bring to mind the names and faces of famous scientists: Newton, Faraday, Hawking, Curie, Galileo and Mendel all jostle for attention, but ultimately are crowded out by a mental image of Freud and his cigar, Einstein and his untamed hair, or Darwin and an almost equally untamed beard. Maybe it rouses important scientific concepts, activities or instruments, the atom, star gazing, the test tube or the microscope. Perhaps we imagine a pristine laboratory, a young technician dressed in an immaculate white coat, scrutinizing a vial of blue translucent fluid for reasons unknown. Science is ubiquitous. Its boundaries are fuzzy, its range bewildering. Distinctions have been drawn between different types of science, natural versus social, hard versus soft, historical versus experimental, and so on. Disagreement reigns over whether economics is science, whether anthropology is science, whether history is science. Creation science calls itself science, but many call foul. Politicians have suggested – what sounds thoroughly reasonable – that policy should utilize sound science and eschew junk science . Scientific discoveries are reported in the media; scientific concepts are utilized in novels, film and television. Science is popularized and demonized. It offers explanations of our most commonplace observations, but in terms that are peculiar and hard to comprehend. Scientific developments are integral to some of society's most remarkable achievements, but also some of our most horrifying tragedies. Science is both utterly familiar and an immediate source of controversy and debate. The fact that science occupies an extraordinarily important place within modern society makes it important to think more carefully about what science is. A great deal of scientific research is conducted in service to issues of public safety and perceived public need, is funded by taxpayers, and is overseen at least to some extent by political systems. It is sensible to consider whether the research being pursued is of genuine value, of greater value than research that doesn't get funded, and whether the degree of political oversight is appropriate. The technological fruits of scientific labours often give rise to hard questions about the ethics of warfare, human reproduction, food production, energy development and more.
The Effects of POWER Training in Young and Older Adults after Stroke.

Background. Approximately 35,000 strokes occur annually in adults below the age of 40, and there is disappointingly little data describing their responses to rehabilitation. The purpose of this analysis was to determine the effects of Poststroke Optimization of Walking using Explosive Resistance (POWER) training in young ( 60 years) adults and to describe relationships between training-induced improvements in muscular and locomotor function. Methods. Data was analyzed from 16 individuals with chronic stroke who participated in 24 sessions of POWER training. Outcomes included muscle power generation, self-selected walking speed (SSWS), 6-minute walk test, Fugl-Meyer motor assessment, Berg Balance Scale, and Dynamic Gait Index. Results. There were no significant differences between groups at baseline. Within-group comparisons revealed significant improvements in paretic and nonparetic knee extensor muscle power generation in both groups. Additionally, young participants significantly improved SSWS. Improvements in SSWS were more strongly associated with improvements in power generation on both sides in young versus older participants. Conclusions. Younger adults after stroke seem to preferentially benefit from POWER training, particularly when increasing gait speed is a rehabilitation goal. Future research should aim to further understand age-related differences in response to training to provide optimal treatments for all individuals following stroke.
Effects of excess metabolizable protein on ovarian function and circulating amino acids of beef cows: 1. Excessive supply from corn gluten meal or soybean meal

In the dairy industry, excess dietary CP is consistently correlated with decreased conception rates. However, the source from which excess CP is derived and how it affects reproductive function in beef cattle is largely undefined. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of feeding excess metabolizable protein (MP) from feedstuffs differing in rumen degradability on ovulatory follicular dynamics, subsequent corpus luteum (CL) development, steroid hormone production and circulating amino acids (AA) in beef cows. Non-pregnant, non-lactating mature beef cows (n=18) were assigned to 1 of 2 isonitrogenous diets (150% of MP requirements) designed to maintain similar BW and body condition score (BCS) between treatments. Diets consisted of ad libitum corn stalks supplemented with corn gluten meal (moderate rumen undegradable protein (RUP); CGM) or soybean meal (low RUP; SBM). After a 20-day supplement adaptation period, cows were synchronized for ovulation. After 10 days of synchronization, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) was administered to reset ovarian follicular growth. Starting at GnRH administration and daily thereafter until spontaneous ovulation, transrectal ultrasonography was used to diagram ovarian follicular growth, and blood samples were collected for hormone, metabolite and AA analyses. After 7 days of visual detection of estrus, CL size was determined via ultrasound. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedures of SAS. As designed, cow BW and BCS were not different (P⩾0.33). Ovulatory follicular wavelength, antral follicle count, ovulatory follicle size at dominance and duration of dominance were not different (P>0.13) between treatments. Cows supplemented with CGM had greater post-dominance ovulatory follicle growth, larger dominant follicles at spontaneous luteolysis, shorter proestrus, and larger ovulatory follicles (P⩽0.03) than SBM cows. No differences (P⩾0.44) in peak estradiol, ratio of estradiol to ovulatory follicle volume, or plasma urea nitrogen were observed. While CL volume and the ratio of progesterone to CL volume were not affected by treatment (P⩾0.24), CGM treated cows tended to have decreased (P=0.07) circulating progesterone 7 days post-estrus compared with SBM cows. Although total circulating plasma AA concentration did not differ (P=0.70) between treatments, CGM cows had greater phenylalanine (P=0.03) and tended to have greater leucine concentrations (P=0.07) than SBM cows. In summary, these data illustrate that excess MP when supplemented to cows consuming a low quality forage may differentially impact ovarian function depending on ruminal degradability of the protein source.
Reprogramming macrophage orientation by microRNA 146b targeting transcription factor IRF5

Abstract The regulation of macrophage orientation pathological conditions is important but still incompletely understood. Here, we show that IL-10 and Rag1 double knockout mice spontaneously develop colitis with dominant M1 macrophage phenotype, suggesting that IL-10 regulates macrophage orientation in inflammation. We demonstrate that IL-10 stimulation induced miR-146b expression, and that the expression of miR-146b was impaired in IL-10 deficient macrophages. Our data show that miR-146b targets IRF5, resulting in the regulation of macrophage activation. Furthermore, miR-146b deficient mice developed intestinal inflammation with enhanced M1 macrophage polarization. Finally, miR-146b mimic treatment significantly suppresses M1 macrophage activation and ameliorates colitis development in vivo. Collectively, the results suggest that IL-10 dependent miR-146b plays an important role in the modulation of M1 macrophage orientation.
Infections following allogeneic stem cell transplantation: New concepts, improved insights, and renewed hope for better outcomes.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a medical procedure widely used to treat diseases once thought incurable, such as malignant and non-malignant hematological disorders including leukem...
A matter of style: Adolf Lohmann’s approach to optical phase space

Phase-space optics was one of Adolf Lohmann’s favorite research topics and appears frequently in his work. With a unique style he applied the phase-space perspective to a variety of optical problems, with a focus on more comprehensible problem solutions and a particular interest to analyze optical signals and systems in terms of their space–bandwidth product requirements. In his work, optical phase space is promoted as a hybrid of paraxial wave optics and geometrical optics. In contrast to more rigorous notions of phase space, Lohmann preferred a heuristic approach that avoids almost entirely the mathematical formalism associated with the Wigner distribution function. This approach is introduced for the first time as a distinct way to apply phase-space optics. The application of Lohmann’s phase-space optics to paraxial optical cloaking, the Lohmann–Alvarez lens, and holography is not only used to exemplify this unique form of phase-space optics, but also to highlight Lohmann’s unique and creative way of problem solving.
Documenting the Effectiveness of Hydroxyurea (HU) To Treat Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) in the Community Setting.

Abstract The benefits of HU for the treatment of adults with sickle cell anemia were confirmed by the multicenter study of hydroxyurea (MSH), the results of which were published in 1995. The purpose of this study was to investigate how HU is used outside of the research setting. We performed a retrospective analysis of five years of de-identified data (2001–2005) from a managed care organization (PP) serving the needs of patients on medical assistance in the State of Maryland. ICD-9 codes were used to identify patients that had SCD. Pharmacy data, outpatient visits, hospital admissions and LOS were examined using T-tests and Mann-Whitney tests and negative binomial regressions (relationship of total admissions to HU use). HU refill data was available on each patient for which it was prescribed. 390 people with SCD were covered over the time period. 97 were male and 293 were female. The mean age in 2001 was 29.2 yrs and 33.2 yrs in 2005. The majority of enrollees were adults. 350 of the 390 patients had an average age at or above 18 throughout their time in the data. 40 patients had an average age less than 18 throughout their time in the data. The mean number of months that the members were covered by PP was 33.4. There were1824 admissions for these 390 patients over the time period accounting for 8572 hospital days. Enrollees averaged 2 admissions per every 12 months enrolled in the plan. Mean LOS was 4.7 days. 41% of the inpatient hospital admissions were coded as readmissions. Mean readmission LOS was 4.7 days. Of the 390 patients, 335 never had a claim for an HU refill while 55 had at least one claim for an HU refill. A total of 158 individuals were admitted 2 or more times in any 12 month period and never had any HU refill claims. Males were more likely than females to have any HU use (22% vs. 12%, p=0.01). The mean number of HU fills for the time period for patients with any HU use was 10.7. On average, HU users had more months of enrollment in PP than non-HU users (41 vs 32, p=0.002). HU users had a higher admission per 12 month enrolled rate than non-HU users (5 vs. 1.5 admits per 12 months p=0.004). Among HU users, persons with 13 or more total refills for HU had a lower admit rate per 12 months than persons with 12 or less total refills (2.1 vs. 6.1, p=0.02). For HU users, each additional refill for HU received was associated with a 4% decrease in the expected hospitalization rate per member month, controlling for covariates (gender, mean age, and mean daily supply of medicine per refill).(p
Tensor microwave background fluctuations for large multipole order

We present approximate formulas for the tensor BB, EE, TT, and TE multipole coefficients for large multipole order $\ensuremath{\ell}$. The error in using the approximate formula for the BB multipole coefficients is less than cosmic variance for $\ensuremath{\ell}g10$. These approximate formulas make various qualitative properties of the calculated multipole coefficients transparent: specifically, they show that, whatever values are chosen for cosmological parameters, the tensor EE multipole coefficients will always be larger than the BB coefficients for all $\ensuremath{\ell}g15$, and that these coefficients will approach each other for $\ensuremath{\ell}\ensuremath{\ll}100$. These approximations also make clear how these multipole coefficients depend on cosmological parameters.
Abstract 326: Salt Intake, Drinking Behavior, And The Body Corporate

Clinical practice and public health advice on salt consumption relies on the generally accepted notion that accurately collected 24-hour urine collections are valid estimates for salt and fluid intake. Reduced salt intake would also reduce thirst and ingestion of sugary drinks accordingly. To test these widely accepted ideas, we performed two independent ultra-long term salt balance studies lasting 105 and 205 days in 10 men simulating a flight to Mars. We fixed dietary intake of all constituents for months at salt intakes of 6, 9, and 12 grams per day and collected all urine. We controlled all environmental factors for rigorous quantitative comparison of urine volume and salt excretion with daily fluid and salt intake. In 1646 collected 24-hour urine samples, our ten subjects recovered 92% of salt they ingested. Due to infradian rhythmical renal salt excretion, only 781 out of 1646 daily urine samples correctly classified a 3 g difference in salt intake (47%). Reducing salt intake from 12 to 6 g reduced 24-hour cortisone excretion (78.3±19.6 vs. 67.2±19.3 μg/d; P<0.001) and increased water intake by 299 ml/d due to reduced glucocorticoid-driven metabolic water production. Even accurately collected 24-hour urine collections at intakes ranging from 6-12 grams salt per day provide no reliable information on individual salt intake. Reducing salt intake leads to reduced glucocorticoid levels decreased metabolic water production and a counterintuitive increase in fluid intake. Traditional views on fluid and electrolyte homeostasis may lead to misinterpretations in clinical practice, public health research, and policy-decision making.
Compremos como galegos: Addressing the future to create an imaginary Galician world and to increase sales

This work investigates a place of intersection between advertising and politics in Galicia, namely the series of television spots created by the supermarket chain GADIS under the title Vivamos como galegos . Most studies of this series have focused exclusively on the first spot and have argued that the success of the ad is due primarily to the way it makes Galician identity attractive. While agreeing that this factor is important, the present analysis expands on previous studies by analyzing rhetorical devices in and intertextual relationships between five ads in the series to argue that these spots discursively create an imaginary world in which Galician language and culture are timeless and will not be lost. This ideal characteristic responds to a current concern of Galician society, namely, the decreasing use of the regional language among youth. In creating this Galician world, GADIS discursively paints itself as a defender of all things Galician, which has led it to become “a campana de maior exito do momento” ( Souto 2008 , 199).
Prevalence of Auditory Problems in Children With Feeding and Swallowing Disorders

Purpose Although an interdisciplinary approach is recommended for assessment and management of feeding or swallowing difficulties, audiologists are not always included in the interdisciplinary team...
A Raman spectroscopic study of graphene cathodes in high-performance aluminum ion batteries

Abstract Few layer graphene is a promising cathode material for aluminum-ion batteries that use chloroaluminate (AlCl 4 - ) ionic liquids as the electrolyte. A fundamental understanding of interactions between the few layer graphene cathode and the ionic liquid electrolyte is key for realizing the full potential of these systems. Through in situ Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations, we show that the cathode is capable of achieving stage-one intercalation within the operating voltage window, leading to improved cell performance. We also show that the presence of structural defects in few layer graphene such as pores induced via plasma exposure or nitrogen dopants can deteriorate the cell performance by either decreasing the electrical connectivity or precluding stage-one intercalation respectively. The cathodes made with highly crystalline few layer graphene display high power and energy densities (~ 200 W h kg −1 at 200 W kg −1 and ~ 160 W h kg −1 at 5000 W kg −1 ), and are stable with no loss in performance up to 1000 cycles while fully charging to 2.4 V.
Abstract 19420: Selective Relaxin Receptor 1 Agonist (ML290) Attenuates Myocardial Ischemic Injury Through Preservation of Mitochondrial Function

Background: Treatment with recombinant human relaxin, which binds to its cognate receptor RXFP1, has been shown to attenuate myocardial infarction (MI) in animal models. Whether reperfusion therapy with the first potent and selective small-molecule agonist of RXFP1 (ML290, identified by Probe Reports; NIH Molecular Libraries Program) reduces myocardial infarct size and preserves mitochondrial and cardiac function following MI is unknown. Methods and Results: After baseline echocardiography, adult male mice underwent MI by coronary artery ligation for 30 minutes followed by 24 h reperfusion. Mice were treated with ML290 (30 mg/Kg; ip ) or vehicle (10% DMSO in saline) 5 minutes before reperfusion. ML290 significantly reduced infarct size, measured with TTC staining, and plasma cardiac troponin levels (Figs. A & B); preserved LV ejection fraction and markedly improved segmental contractile function using high sensitivity speckle tracking echocardiography (Fig. C) at 24 h post MI compared to vehicle-treated mice. Mitochondria were isolated from LV free wall at 24 h post MI in both groups to assess oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS, nAO/mg/min) and calcium retention capacity (CRC, nmol Ca 2+ /mg). Compared to untreated hearts, ML290 improved the rate of OXPHOS using glutamate (Glu) + malate (Mal) as complex I substrates (493±30 vs. control: 403±21, n=4, P Conclusion: Reperfusion therapy with ML290 improves LV function at 24 h post MI and significantly reduces infarct size, possibly by improving OXPHOS and inhibiting MPTP opening. We propose that RXFP1 agonists can be promising therapeutic tools for acute MI.
Problems of suicide risk management in the emergency department without fixed, full-time emergency physician.

Attempted suicide is an often neglected emergency care problem in Taiwan. Using rotating subspecialty residents on emergency room duty and providing them with "Suicide Risk Assessment" sheets and clear disposition criteria, we wished to see if we could improve patient management while at the same time compiling demographic data. From December 1990 to May 1991 we prospectively collected 96 cases. The majority were female, ages 19-40. Twelve patients died, with agricultural poisonings the major cause. The SAD PERSONS scale consistently underestimated the suicide risk, and disposition plans were rarely followed. Only 20% of low risk patients were seen by social service. In the intermediate risk group 64% were discharged despite meeting admission criteria. In the high risk group 33% were also discharged and only one transferred to a psychiatric facility. Without fixed, full time physicians willing to establish and comply with standards of care, the management is unlikely to improve. Well trained Emergency attendings would be an appropriate solution. Language: en
3.03 – High-Frequency Hearing

The nearly universal ability of mammals to hear frequencies above 10 kHz is a distinctly mammalian trait among vertebrates. The primary source of selective pressure for mammalian high-frequency hearing appears to be its role in localizing sound through use of the binaural spectral-difference cue, pinna cues, or both.
Glutamate-sensitive imaging and evaluation of cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis:

Background:Cognitive impairment (CI) profoundly impacts quality of life for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Dysfunctional regulation of glutamate in gray matter (GM) has been implicated in t...
Reddit and the Social Studies: Exploring the r/Democratic Curriculum

In this article the author seeks to present social studies educators with practical means for using Reddit—an emerging social media website—as a tool for providing students with a democratic educat...
Elderly Age Is Associated With More Conservative Treatment of Invasive Melanoma.

BACKGROUND/AIM Competing mortality risks complicate treatment of elderly melanoma patients potentially leading to conservative management, including no sentinel lymph node biopsy. As systemic immunotherapy offers justification for nodal evaluation, we examined treatment trends among elderly melanoma patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS We performed a National Cancer Database analysis of melanoma patients from 2004-2015. Patients were categorized by age (elderly ≥80-years-old). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed comparing characteristics and treatment by age. RESULTS Of 187,814 patients, 2.7% were 1-25, 11.6% were 26-40, 46.6% were 41-64, 28.8% were 65-79, and 10.3% were ≥80-years-old with clinicopathologic and treatment differences between age cohorts. Nodal surgery was least common among elderly patients (43.1% vs. 60.7-69.8%, p<0.0001). For stage III, immunotherapy was least common among the elderly (p<0.0001), but associated with greater survival (HR=0.52, 95%CI=0.32-0.84, p=0.008). CONCLUSION Elderly melanoma patients were often treated conservatively, including no nodal evaluation, concerning for the potential undertreatment of this population.
Report on the Short Endoscopic Exocrine Pancreatic Function Test in Children and Young Adults.

Objectives Endoscopic pancreatic function test (ePFT) has been in use for exocrine function testing since the 1990s. In patients, short ePFT assesses acinar function, unlike the longer version for ductal function in adults. The present study summarizes characteristics of 1913 short ePFTs (S-ePFT) performed at 2 centers since 2001. Methods The main indications in patients presenting at ages infancy to 24.3 years, for the S-ePFT were failure to thrive, weight loss, diarrhea, and abdominal pain with bloating. Secretin was administered as bolus, and 4 aliquots of fluid were collected between 4 and 10 minutes after administration. Amylase, lipase, trypsin, and chymotrypsin activities were measured in the laboratory. Results The pH of consecutive samples increased by 0.3 to 0.7. Overall, 36.7% had abnormal S-ePFT with selective amylase deficiency (9.5%) and generalized enzyme deficiency (8.9%) being the most frequent. Retest reproducibility, repeatability, and clinical validity were high. By adding S-ePFT to endoscopy for the suspicion of malabsorption, the abnormal findings increased by 36.9%. Conclusions Short ePFT assesses pancreatic acinar function in a reliable and clinically meaningful way in patients. Diagnostic yield of endoscopy increased substantially albeit with increased sedation time. By S-ePFT ductal function, cytokines and proteomics can also be assessed.
Measurements and Correlations of the Thermal Conductivity of Three Polyol Esters and a Polyol Ester-Based Lubricant

This work describes measurements of the thermal conductivity of three polyol esters pentaerythritol tetrapentanoate (POE5), pentaerythritol tetraheptanoate (POE7), pentaerythritol tetranonanoate (POE9), and a fully qualified lubricant meeting military specification MIL-PRF-23699 with a transient hot-wire method. Correlations for the thermal conductivity based on the measurements are also provided. The expanded relative uncertainty of the measurements with a coverage factor of k = 2, approximately a 95 % confidence interval, is mostly 0.5 %.
Return-to-Play and Competitive Outcomes After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction Among Baseball Players: A Systematic Review

Background:Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction (UCLR) is very common in baseball. However, no review has compared the return-to-play (RTP) and in-game performance statistics of pitchers ...
Antimicrobial stewardship perspectives from a New York City hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic: Challenges and opportunities.

Purpose To share challenges and opportunities for antimicrobial stewardship programs based on one center's experience during the early weeks of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Summary In the spring of 2020, New York City quickly became a hotspot for the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, putting a strain on local healthcare systems. Antimicrobial stewardship programs faced diagnostic and therapeutic uncertainties as well as healthcare resource challenges. With the lack of effective antivirals, antibiotic use in critically ill patients was difficult to avoid. Uncertainty drove antimicrobial use and thus antimicrobial stewardship principles were paramount. The dramatic influx of patients, drug and equipment shortages, and the need for prescribers to practice in alternative roles only compounded the situation. Establishing enhanced communication, education, and inventory control while leveraging the capabilities of the electronic medical record were some of the tools used to optimize existing resources. Conclusion New York City was a unique and challenging environment during the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Antimicrobial stewardship programs can learn from each other by sharing lessons learned and practice opportunities to better prepare other programs facing COVID-19 case surges.
Effects of differential observing responses on observational learning across multiple contingencies

Whether a child with autism spectrum disorder will exhibit observational learning may depend on their attention to and the stimulus modalities of the observed contingency. We used multiple-probe and repeated-acquisition designs to test observational learning across a diverse set of contingencies, which included hidden edible, hidden toy, hidden video, tact, receptive identification, and intraverbal contingencies. During preteaching, 2 children with autism spectrum disorder showed observational learning with some contingencies. After learning to engage in differential observing responses for observed behaviors and consequences with the hidden-video contingency, 1 child showed generalization of observational learning with receptive identification and intraverbals. Neither child showed generalization with the tact contingency. Thus, teaching was initiated with the tact contingency, which led to generalization of observational learning with tacts. The efficacy of teaching differential observing responses over observational learning was demonstrated. Inconsistent observational learning across contingencies suggests scientist-practitioners should assess observational learning across a variety of contingencies.
Rectus Abdominis and Hip Adductor Tendons (“Athletic Pubalgia/Sports Hernia”)

Athletic pubalgia is an overuse disorder of pain in the groin and/or pubic area associated with activities that involve trunk extension, running, kicking, and cutting movements. Its etiology is multifactorial. The injury may involve the abdominal musculature (rectus abdominis, transverse fascia at the posterior inguinal wall, external oblique aponeurosis, conjoint tendon) and/or the tendons of the medial thigh muscles. The relevant anatomy includes the rectus sheath which contains the rectus abdominis muscle, and the medial thigh musculature including the adductor longus, brevis, magnus, and gracilis muscles. The typical presentation is insidious onset pain in the groin region exacerbated with activity. Physical examination findings may include tenderness over the peripubic myotendinous structures, but it may have minimal to normal findings. The pelvic MRI is the imaging modality of choice. The first line of treatment is nonoperative, but surgical management is often required. Different schools of thought have described various therapeutic approaches to address athletic pubalgia, but the focus is to alleviate pain and improve range of motion and strength with the goal of return to function.
Three-dimensional printing of transparent ceramics by lithography-based digital projection

Abstract Scalable, massive fabrication of complex three-dimensional (3D) structured highly transparent Nd: YAG (Y3Al5O12) ceramics was achieved by a lithography-based (photopolymerization) digital light processing or digital light projection (DLP) 3D printing method. 3D-printed ceramic green bodies with a printing layer height of 25 µm and an xy resolution of 40 µm were fabricated by using a photocurable slurry with 39 vol% solid loading. The developed slurry exhibited a stable high viscosity of 80–340 Pa s over a large shear rate range. A specially designed pre-sintering treatment based on YAM (Y4Al2O9) phase formation was applied to prevent cracking and bubbling formation in the DLP 3D printing approach for fabricating highly transparent Nd: YAG ceramics. This thermal treatment also reduced the average grain size, leading to a higher optical quality. Following a series of thermal treatments, the sintered transparent ceramics reached a relative density of 99.9% with a maximum in-line transmittance of 80% in the visible wavelength range. Moreover, the fabricated Nd-doped YAG exhibited 1064-nm emission under 808-nm laser excitation.
Single-column cryogenic air separation: Enabling efficient oxygen production with rapid startup and low capital costs—application to low-carbon fossil-fuel plants

Abstract The rapid integration of intermittent renewable sources into the electricity grid is driving the need for more flexible, low-carbon fossil-fuel plants with lower capital costs. This then drives the need to improve the cryogenic air separation unit (ASU). To address this changing landscape, we explore a Praxair single-column ASU (PSC-ASU) design with the goal of reducing costs and improving flexibility, compared to a conventional double-column ASU. The PSC-ASU incorporates partial air condensation and air pre-separation in the bottom reboiler with a phase separator as well as N2-enriched vapor condensation in the upper reboiler to decrease energy consumption, as compared to Linde’s single-column ASU. All three of the above-mentioned ASU designs are simulated in Aspen Plus and analyzed. An economic analysis is applied to evaluate the relative cost savings of the PSC-ASU compared to the double-column ASU. Results suggest that the specific energy consumption of the PSC-ASU is significantly lower than that of Linde’s single-column ASU due to a drastically improved oxygen recovery rate. Although this improved oxygen recovery rate is still lower than that of the double-column ASU, the required pressure ratio of the main air compressor is 21% lower than that of the double-column ASU. As a result, the specific energy consumption of the PSC-ASU is only 1.9% greater than that of the double-column ASU for producing 95.1 mol% O2. However, the PSC-ASU reduces the hourly capital cost by 19% due to the elimination of a high-pressure column. This would effectively decrease the total hourly cost of the ASU, and thus the total hourly cost of low-carbon, fossil-fuel power plants that require oxygen.
Regnase-1 deficiency restrains Klebsiella pneumoniae infection by regulation of a Type I interferon response

Excessive inflammatory responses can cause collateral tissue damage or autoimmune inflammation, sometimes with severe morbidity or mortality. During host defense responses, numerous negative feedback mechanisms are established to prevent excessive unchecked inflammation. However, this restraint can sometimes come at the cost of suboptimal infection control, and we do not fully understand how this balance is maintained during different infection settings. The endoribonuclease Regnase-1 (Reg1, Zc3h12a, MCPIP1) is an RNA binding protein (RBP) that binds and degrades many target mRNA transcripts. Reg1 is a potent feedback regulator of IL-17 and LPS signal transduction, among other stimuli. Consequently, Reg1 deficiency exacerbates autoimmune inflammation in multiple mouse models, but on the other hand, reduced Reg1 improves immunity to fungal infection. To date, the role of Reg1 in bacterial immunity is poorly defined. Here, we show that mice deficient in Reg1 are more resistant to pulmonary Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) infection. Unexpectedly, effects of Reg1 deficiency were not due to accelerated eradication of bacteria or increased pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Rather, alveolar macrophages from Reg1-deficient mice showed enrichment of Type I IFN-related genes upon KP infection, accompanied by increased Ifnb1 expression. Surprisingly, the stability of Ifnb1 was not altered by Reg1-deficiency; rather, mRNA encoding its upstream regulator IRF7 appeared to be a more prominent target. Thus, impaired Reg1 induces Type I IFN and enhances resistance to KP, raising the possibility that Reg1 could be a potential clinical target in acute bacterial infections. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=110 SRC="FIGDIR/small/469389v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (24K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1fa86c4org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@a5c98borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@52ef11org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@cd4648_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG
Revision versus Staying the Course

The goals of this chapter are to: • Discuss further various approaches leaders can take to increase adaptive reactions and to decrease maladaptive reactions of organizational members during this time Discuss the importance of remaining committed to the basics of the transitional plan if at all possible during the implementation phase Review resistance of organizational members and challenges to the leader as examples of potentially severe problems that may impede the success of the implementation phase Discuss possible approaches the leader can take to reduce severe resistance and challenges during this phase
Developmental Impact of Nutrition on Pregnancy, Infancy, and Childhood: Public Health Issues in the United States

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of two major categories of research on nutrition and behavioral development; one that relates to the effects of different forms of undernutrition prevalent in the United States, while the other refers to the effects of a few selected constituents in the daily diet of American children. The studies on growth retardation and mental development are strictly correlational. Research on the effects of nutrition supplementation provides a stronger basis than the correlational studies as a source from which to draw inferential statements. Among infants and children in the low-income groups in the United States, growth faltering is generally associated with a qualitatively and quantitatively poor diet. At present, there is no scientific reason to believe, using behavior and cognitive function as referent criteria, that additives, sugar, and caffeine represent public health problems for the pediatric population in the United States; this needs further research.
The use of DNA and RNA oligonucleotides in hybrid structures with longer polynucleotide chains to probe the structural requirements for moloney murine leukemia virus plus strand priming.

Abstract Plus strand priming during retroviral reverse transcription requires specific cleavage within the polypurine tract of the viral genome by the reverse transcriptase-associated RNase H. Previously it has been shown that a 190-base RNA-DNA hybrid containing the Moloney murine leukemia virus polypurine tract can serve as a substrate for the priming reaction. To investigate the structural requirements for the reaction, a series of DNA oligonucleotides was hybridized to the 190-base single-stranded RNA and tested as substrates for RNase H. At low enzyme concentrations, the sites of cleavage are located 17-23 nucleotides from the 3'-end of the DNA oligonucleotide, consistent with the observations of others that binding of the DNA polymerase at a primer terminus fixes the position of cleavage by RNase H. At higher enzyme concentrations, additional cleavages are observed in the RNA 3' of these sites, but there is no preference for cleavage at the plus strand origin. In contrast to the results with DNA oligonucleotides, hybridization of RNA oligonucleotides containing the polypurine tract to the 190-base single-stranded DNA generates substrates that are cleaved at the origin and efficiently extended into DNA. An RNA oligonucleotide hybridized downstream of the polypurine tract is cleaved but not extended. These results support the view that RNase H cleavage to generate the plus strand primer is uncoupled from minus strand DNA synthesis.
Laterally-confined HgTeCdTe quantum wells and superlattices

Abstract We report the first theoretical investigation of the band structure and other properties of laterally-confined HgTeCdTe heterostructures. Because the energy gap and effective mass of the unconfined starting material can be tuned close to zero, subband splittings of several meV should be attainable in structures with a relatively modest degree of confinement. Furthermore, the highly unusual HgTeCdTe band structure leads to a number of novel phenomena which are unlike anything observed in wider-gap quasi-1D systems considered previously.
Longitudinal control of a platoon of vehicles with multiple saturating nonlinearities

This study applies a systematic design procedure for addressing multiple saturating nonlinearities in a control system to the problem of longitudinally controlling a platoon of vehicles. The key idea in the design methodology is to modify the existing platoon controller with a supervisor loop that acts only when necessary to prevent saturation. The novelty of this paper appears in the application of this method to nonlinear vehicle and compensator models, and in the development of a decentralized series of such supervisor loops that exploits the natural structure of multivehicle longitudinal control problems. Results of the study are that wind-up effects can systematically be eliminated, but at a cost to performance.
Developments In Firmware Engineering

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a survey of firmware engineering. The chapter discusses the use of microprogramming for implementing control units and emulating instruction sets. It has become commonplace and in fact has even become a topic of interest to systems and applications programmers as well as to computer architects and engineers. To emphasize the user interface of microprogramming, the term “firmware” has been coined as a synonym. They trace the key developments in firmware engineering and convey some of its intellectual content. In the past ten years, firmware engineering has emerged as a systematic discipline and its central problems have been essentially solved. The issue of formal verification, however, still remains controversial and yet it is of great importance in reasoning about the correctness of designs. The distinguishing characteristics of firmware are discussed: (1) its machine specificity, (2) the need for efficiency, (3) its place in the computer design process, and (4) the nature of its complexity.
Top-down design of a high speed DCT architecture and implementation [video compression]

This paper presents a high speed implementation of a 32 bit floating point discrete cosine transform, DCT, utilizing top-down approach. The VHDL code for the floating point adder/subtracter, multiplier, and shifter as building blocks for one dimensional DCT were successfully written and simulated and checked using test vectors that verified the design approach of the DCT. The circuit details the algorithm and results of simulation.
Context-specific action of linezolid and chloramphenicol, the inhibitors of ribosomal peptidyl transferase (752.12)

Protein synthesis has been a successful target for antibiotics, with many different inhibitors targeting functional sites of the ribosome. Understanding the mode of antibiotic action is critical for drug development and elucidating the fundamental mechanisms of protein synthesis. Chloramphenicol and linezolid have been shown to bind at the A site in the peptidyl transferase center, and in theory should prevent any peptide bond formation. However, in the cell free translation system, ribosomes in the presence of either antibiotic are not arrested at the initiator codon but instead are able to catalyze the formation of a number of peptide bonds before halting translation. The exact sites of arrest appear to be context dependent, and possibly different for these two antibiotics despite binding to the same ribosomal site. No obvious consensus sequence defining the sites of antibiotic-induced arrest emerged from analysis of in vitro translation of several selected genes. Therefore, we are expanding these studi...
Whipple Disease: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Whipple disease is a chronic, relapsing, and multisystem disease. It presents a diagnostic challenge for both clinicians and pathologists. Recent advances in isolation and culture have identified the organism responsible for the disease to be a member of the order Actinomycetes designated Tropheryma whipplei. Several immune system changes have been noted in patients with Whipple disease, but whether these are primary or secondary is as yet undetermined. Long-term antibiotic therapy is required, and relapses are common, especially with central nervous system involvement.
An assessment of the hypervariable domains of the 16S rRNA genes for their value in determining microbial community diversity: the paradox of traditional ecological indices

Amplicon length heterogeneity PCR (LH-PCR) was investigated for its ability to distinguish between microbial community patterns from the same soil type under different land management practices. Natural sagebrush and irrigated mouldboard-ploughed soils from Idaho were queried as to which hypervariable domains, or combinations of 16S rRNA gene domains, were the best molecular markers. Using standard ecological indices to measure richness, diversity and evenness, the combination of three domains, V1, V3 and V1+V2, or the combined V1 and V3 domains were the markers that could best distinguish the undisturbed natural sagebrush communities from the mouldboard-ploughed microbial communities. Bray-Curtis similarity and multidimensional scaling were found to be better metrics to ordinate and cluster the LH-PCR community profiling data. The use/misuse of traditional ecological indices such as diversity and evenness to study microbial community profiles will remain a major point to consider when performing metagenomic studies.
High-resolution multishot spiral diffusion tensor imaging with inherent correction of motion-induced phase errors.

Purpose To develop and compare three novel reconstruction methods designed to inherently correct for motion-induced phase errors in multi-shot spiral diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) without requiring a variable-density spiral trajectory or a navigator echo.
Helminths of Two Species of Frogs, Lithobates taylori and Lithobates vaillanti (Ranidae), From Costa Rica

Abstract. Two species of ranid frogs, Lithobates taylori and Lithobates vaillanti, from Costa Rica were examined for helminth parasites. Three species of Digenea, Gorgoderina megacetabularis, Gorgoderina parvicava, Haematoloechus meridionalis and three species of Nematoda, Oswaldocruzia costaricensis, Subulascaris falcaustriformis, Porrocaecum sp. (larvae) were found in Lithobates taylori. All represent new host records. Five species of Digenea, Glypthelmins facioi, Gorgoderina megacetabularis, Haematoloechus meridionalis, Langeronia macrocirra, Loxogenes arcanum, four species of Nematoda, Contracaecum sp. (larvae), Foleyellides striatus, Physaloptera sp. (larvae), Subulascaris falcaustriformis, and two species of Acanthocephala (centrorhynchid and oligacanthorhynchid cystacanths) were found in Lithobates vaillanti. Loxogenes arcanum, Contracaecum sp., Physaloptera sp., oligacanthorhynchid cystacanths represent new host records.
Vernier and grating acuity in adult hooded rats: The influence of sex.

Abstract Although morphological sex differences are pervasive in the primary visual cortex of hooded rats, it is not known whether sex differences occur in vision in these rats. In this study, grating acuity was measured in a forced-choice Y maze and a jumping stand in adult hooded rats, and vernier acuity thresholds were established in the jumping stand. With a criterion of 34 correct/50 trials, the number of correct choices for both sexes was high (1.0-1.6 cycles per degree [c/deg]) for spatial gratings. Female rats made more correct identifications of the coarse gratings (0.125 and 0.25 c/deg) than male rats, but no sex differences were found for higher spatial frequencies. In contrast, male rats were better at detecting smaller vernier offsets in both the individual criterion and group averages than female rats, and all of the rats detected vernier misalignments at 34.1 min (equivalent to 1.75 c/deg), which is above their grating acuity. Vernier acuity may mirror some sex differences in visual cortex anatomy.
Transmembrane segments form tertiary hairpins in the folding vestibule of the ribosome.

Abstract Folding of membrane proteins begins in the ribosome as the peptide is elongated. During this process, the nascent peptide navigates along 100 A of tunnel from the peptidyltransferase center to the exit port. Proximal to the exit port is a “folding vestibule” that permits the nascent peptide to compact and explore conformational space for potential tertiary folding partners. The latter occurs for cytosolic subdomains but has not yet been shown for transmembrane segments. We now demonstrate, using an accessibility assay and an improved intramolecular crosslinking assay, that the helical transmembrane S3b–S4 hairpin (“paddle”) of a voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channel, a critical region of the Kv voltage sensor, forms in the vestibule. S3–S4 hairpin interactions are detected at an early stage of Kv biogenesis. Moreover, this vestibule hairpin is consistent with a closed-state conformation of the Kv channel in the plasma membrane.