cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Branchial mechanoreceptor activity during spontaneous ventilation in channel catfish.

Extracellular afferent neural activity was recorded in vivo from cranial nerve IX (glossopharyngeal) from mechanoreceptors in the first gill arch of anesthetized, spontaneously breathing channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Single unit and paucifiber recordings show that both phasic and tonic receptors were active during normal ventilation. Phasic receptors were characterized as having a burst of activity during some phase of the ventilatory cycle. Most of these occurred during peak adduction or peak abduction. Phasic receptors were not active during spontaneous apnic periods. Tonic receptors were always active, even during apneas, firing frequency was modulated by breathing movements with peak activity occurring during adduction. Flow-sensitive mechanoreceptors were identified in anesthetized, paralyzed catfish. These receptors decreased activity when the ventilatory water flow was stopped. Hypercapnia (5% CO2 in air) stimulated ventilatory rate and amplitude but had no effect on mechanoreceptor activity. The discharge characteristics of branchial mechanoreceptors indicate that they could be involved in the timing and coordination of ventilatory movements and maintenance of the ‘gill curtain’ to minimize ventilatory dead space. Unlike ventilatory mechanoreceptors in the air breathing organs of gar and lungs of lungfish and tetrapods, branchial mechanoreceptors were insensitive to hypercapnia.
Advances in the molecular functions of syndecan-1 (SDC1/CD138) in the pathogenesis of malignancies

Syndecan-1 (SDC1, synd, CD138) is the most widely studied member of four structurally related cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG). Although SDC1 has been implicated in a wide range of biological functions, its altered expression often produces malignant phenotypes, which arise from increased cell proliferation and cell growth, cell survival, cell invasion and metastasis, and angiogenesis. Recent studies revealed much about the underlying molecular roles of SDC1 in these processes. The changes in SDC1 expression also have a direct impact on the clinical course of cancers, as evident by its prognostic significance. Accumulating evidence suggest that SDC1 is involved in stimulation of cancer stem cells (CSC) or tumor initiating cells (TIC) and this may affect disease relapse, and resistance to therapy. This review discusses the progress on the pro-tumorigenic role(s) of SDC1 and how these roles may impact the clinical aspect of the disease. Also discussed, are the current strategies for targeting SDC1 or its related signaling.
The Use of Nitrogen Laser for Observation of Space Charge Effects in Drift Chambers

A two-stage nitrogen laser has been built and is presently being used to investigate properties of drift chambers. In this paper we present the measured parameters of this laser, the results of a study of the double track separation in a drift chamber of jet design and a measurement of the saturation effects in this chamber as a function of total gain. An understanding of the saturation effects is important for drift chambers with multiple hit capability. The laser technique reported here represents a major improvement in the simplicity of investigation of the double track separation and saturation effects.
Raman and infrared spectra, conformational stability and vibrational assignment for 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-methoxypropane

The Raman spectra of gaseous, liquid and solid 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-methoxypropane, (CF3)2 CHOCH3, and the corresponding methoxy-d3 isotope, (CF3)2 CHOCD3, together with the infrared spectra of the gases and solids, have been recorded from 3500 to 30 cm−1. A comparison of the vibrational spectra obtained for the fluid phases with those obtained for the amorphous and annealed solids indicates the predominance of a single conformer at ambient temperature in the fluid phases with the same conformer present in the solid state. Based on the lack of depolarized Raman lines in the fluid phases, and a predominance of nondescript infrared band contours, it is concluded that the stable conformer is the gauche form which has the methoxy group rotated approximately 60° from eclipsing the secondary carbonhydrogen bond. Thirty-eight of the 39 normal modes have been assigned based on group frequencies, isotopic shifts, depolarization values and infrared band contours. There appears to be coupling of the CF3 and methoxy torsional modes. Utilizing a coupled-top barrier calculation, the barrier to internal rotation of the perfluoromethyl groups is estimated to be 2858 ± 100 cm−1 (8.2 ± 0.3 kcal mol−1) based on the torsional frequencies of 107 and 64 cm−1 observed in the solid phase. Several of the fundamentals appear as doublets in the spectra of the solids, which indicates that there are at least two molecules per primitive cell. These results are compared with similar data for some corresponding molecules.
Some results on the off-shell Jost function

A momentum space formulation of the off-shell Jost function is developed, and two new integral representations are derived for it. One representation relates the off-shell Jost function to a function that arises in Kowalski's generalized Sasakawa method; the other relates it to the regular solution of the Schrodinger equation. (AIP)
Comparative acute efficacy and tolerability of OROS and immediate release formulations of methylphenidate in the treatment of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

The main aim of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of IR MPH administered three times daily to those of once daily OROS-MPH. Subjects were outpatient adults satisfying full diagnostic criteria for DSM-IV ADHD between 19 and 60 years of age. Data from two independently conducted 6-week placebo controlled, randomized clinical trials of IR-MPH (tid) and of OROS-MPH were pooled to create three study groups: Placebo (N = 116), IR-MPH (tid) (N = 102) and OROS-MPH (N = 67). Eight-five percent (N = 99) of placebo treated subjects, 77% (N = 79) of the IR-MPH (tid) treated subjects, and 82% (N = 55) of the OROS-MPH treated subjects completed the 6-week trial. Total daily doses at endpoint were 80.9 ± 31.9 mg, 74.8 ± 26.2 mg, and 95.4 ± 26.3 mg in the OROS-MPH, IR-MPH (tid), and placebo groups, respectively. At endpoint, 66% (N = 44) of subjects receiving OROS-MPH and 70% (N = 71) of subjects receiving IR-MPH (tid) were considered responders compared with 31% (N = 36) on placebo. Comparison of data from two similarly designed, large, randomized, placebo-controlled, trials, showed that equipotent daily doses of once daily OROS-MPH had similar efficacy to that of TID administered IR MPH. The trial of OROS-MPH was registered at clinicaltrials.gov, number NCT00181571.
Tocotrienols inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines in macrophages of female mice.

Background Inflammation has been implicated in cardiovascular disease, and the important role of proteasomes in the development of inflammation and other macrophage functions has been demonstrated. Tocotrienols are potent hypocholesterolemic agents that inhibit β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity, which is degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of tocotrienols in reducing inflammation. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used as a prototype for inflammation in murine RAW 264.7 cells and BALB/c female mice.
Role of Cytokines in Transplantation Tolerance: Lessons Learned from Gene-Knockout Mice

Transplantation tolerance may be defined as indefinite albograft survival in the absence of continuous immunosuppressive therapy (I). Implicit in this definition is that tolerant recipients are unresponsive to donor antigens but maintain reactivity to other (third party) antigens ( 1-3). In the clinical setting, a tolerant individual is someone who is capable of mounting an effective immune response against vaccines or pathogens but is incapable of rejecting the transplanted organ. Except for the occasionab patient who stops taking immunosuppressive therapy yet maintains a functioning ablograft, transplantation tolerance has not been achieved in humans. However, several immunomodulatory strategies have been shown to induce tolerance in experimentab animals. These strategies involve short-term, perioperative administration of T cell antibodies (4,5), donor
Recycling of FGD gypsum to calcium carbonate and elemental sulfur using mixed sulfate‐reducing bacteria with sewage digest as a carbon source

A combined chemical and biological process for the recycling of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum into calcium carbonate and elemental sulfur is demonstrated. In this process, a mixed culture of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) utilizes sewage digest as its carbon source to reduce FGD gypsum to hydrogen sulfide. The sulfide is then oxidized to elemental sulfur via reaction with ferric sulfate, and accumulating calcium ions are precipitated to calcium carbonate using carbon dioxide. Employing anaerobically digested-municipal sewage sludge (AD-MSS) medium as a carbon source, SRB in serum bottles demonstrated an FGD gypsum reduction rate of 8 mg dm -3 h -1 (10 9 cells) -1 . A chemostat with continuous addition of both AD-MSS medium and gypsum exhibited sulfate reduction rates as high as 1.3 kg FGD gypsum m -3 day -1 . The increased biocatalyst density afforded by cell immobilization in a columnar reactor allowed a productivity of 152 mg SO 4 dm -3 h -1 or 6.6kg FGD gypsum m -3 day -1 . Both reactors demonstrated 100% conversion of sulfate, with 75-100% recovery of elemental sulfur and as high as 70% COD utilization. Calcium carbonate was recovered from the reactor effluent upon precipitation using carbon dioxide. The formation of two marketable products-elemental sulfur and calcium carbonate-from FGD gypsum sludge, combined with the use of a low-cost carbon source and further improvements in reactor design, promises to offer an attractive alternative to the landfilling of FGD gypsum.
A randomized error recovery algorithm for reliable multicast

An efficient error recovery algorithm is essential for a liable multicast in large groups. Tree-based protocols (RMTP, TMTP, LBRRM) group receivers into local regions and select a repair server for performing error recovery in each region. Hence a single server bears the entire responsibility of error recovery for a region. In addition, the deployment of repair servers requires topological information of the underlying multicast tree, which is generally not available at the transport layer. This paper presents RRMP, a randomized reliable multicast protocol which improves the robustness of tree-based protocols by diffusing the responsibility of error recovery among all members in a group. The protocol works well within the existing IP multicast framework and does not require additional support from routers. Both analysis and simulation results show that the performance penalty due to randomization is low and can be tuned according to application requirements.
Interstellar medium (ISM) monitoring of NANOGrav pulsars

The NANOGrav project's goal is to make a direct detection of gravitational waves taking advantage of the extraordinary rotational stability of millisecond pulsars. The project has identified 80 pulsars for regular timing over the next 10–20 years. The fantastic timing precision at the level of 100 ns necessary for detection of gravitational waves imposes strict requirements on understanding and correcting for systematic errors at the same precision level. A major source of systematic error has been identified as the changing interstellar medium density, which manifests itself in the dispersion correction applied to each observation. In this presentation we describe a new program to monitor a subset of NANOGrav pulsars using a large radio telescope in Goldstone, CA. The wideband capability of this instrument combined with excellent sensitivity provides an opportunity to develop and maintain a long-term precision monitoring program of interstellar plasma along the lines of sight to these pulsars.
Uncovering age-specific invasive and DCIS breast cancer rules using inductive logic programming

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women. Current clinical breast cancer diagnosis involves a biopsy, which is a costly, invasive and potentially painful procedure. Some researchers proposed models, based on mammography features and personal information, that help identify pre-biopsy invasive breast carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Recently, a differential discriminating ability between invasive and DCIS has been linked to age. Based on this finding, we use an age-stratified mammography and biopsy relational dataset and apply Inductive Logic Programming (ILP) techniques to learn age-specific logical rules that classify invasive and DCIS occurrences. We then use statistical modeling to retrieve rules that have a significantly different performance across age-stratas. These final rules reveal a number of interesting results. Although a palpable lump is more commonly associated with younger patients, it turns out to be a better predictor of invasive cancer in older women. A recurrence has a higher probability to be invasive in older and middle-aged women. A previously unreported rule revealed by our technique is that recurrence is more likely a DCIS predictor in younger women. This younger DCIS predicting rule effectively links the current diagnostic mammogram to older studies, and provides opposite predictions across the age divide. The resulting rules are age-specific, can help patients and their physicians make more informed decisions about managing their breast health, and constitute a personalized predictive model.
Suppression of ion emission and pinching using heated tantalum anodes in high-power electron-beam diodes

Tantalum anodes used as X-ray sources in high-power electron-beam diodes can be copious sources of ions. The part of the total current carried by ions effectively reduces the X-ray production efficiency. Tantalum absorbs gas, even at elevated temperatures (maximum at 1300 K). These gases are released and ionized when a powerful e-beam vaporizes the tantalum foil, and the low-Z impurities (hydrogen, carbon, etc.) form an ion beam that can become a substantial fraction of the diode current. Gases on the surface can be removed by moderate heating prior to a shot, but gases entrained in the interior of a tantalum sheet require higher temperatures (2300 K or greater) to remove them. A pulsed resistive heating technique has been developed to heat tantalum X-ray converters in situ and the effects investigated on the Gamble II generator (1.5 MV, 0.7 MA, 60 ns) at the Naval Research Laboratory.
Designing a community to support long-term interest in programming for middle school children

To facilitate long-term engagement in programming for middle school children, we developed the Looking Glass Community. The Community includes both a website and integrated access to community resources within the novice programming environment, Looking Glass. We discuss how we designed the Community to support engagement by providing a source for initial ideas, support for learning new skills, positive feedback, and role models.
Calibration of optical fiber power meters: the effect of connectors

This paper addresses the question of accurate measurement of optical power at the wavelengths and power levels of interest to the telecommunications community. In particular, we examine the calibration of power meters that are destined for use in a field environment. Connectors and adapters are shown. to skew the measurements, leading to errors attributable to reflections from the connector or to angular dependence of detector response. Calibration data are taken using two popular connector types: a biconic and an SMA type. The data are sufficient to illustrate the problem but definitive conclusions cannot be drawn regarding variability of performance with connector or connector type, because of the limited data.
Authority and Community: The Contributions of Carl Friedrich, Yves R. Simon, and Michael Polanyi*

The problem of authority has a practical and a theoretical side. Practically, the decline of authority contributes to the crisis of legitimacy in contemporary governments and to difficulties in the practice of morality. Theoretically, authority is often confused with power, force, or coercion. Thus, it is viewed with suspicion. The thesis of this paper is that authority is not a form of power; rather, it transforms power. Like power, force, and coercion, authority is directive, but it is so in quite a different way. An examination of the concept of authority in three very different theorists – Carl Friedrich, Yves R. Simon, and Michael Polanyi – reveals that a sound concept of authority must be rooted in community as a system of shared beliefs, experiences, and traditions and in transcendent standards referred to by such beliefs, experiences, and traditions. Authority is that which directs a community to its proper end.
Testing two models describing how methylome-wide studies in blood are informative for psychiatric conditions

Aim: As the primary relevant tissue (brain) for psychiatric disorders is commonly not available, we aimed to investigate whether blood can be used as a proxy in methylation studies on the basis of two models. In the ‘signature’ model methylation–disease associations occur because a disease-causing factor affected methylation in the blood. In the ‘mirror-site’ model the methylation status in the blood is correlated with the corresponding disease-causing site in the brain. Materials, methods & results: Methyl-binding domain enrichment and next-generation sequencing of the blood, cortex and hippocampus from four haloperidol-treated and ten untreated C57BL/6 mice revealed high levels of correlation in methylation across tissues. Despite the treatment inducing a large number of methylation changes, this correlation remains high. Conclusion: Our results show that, consistent with the signature model, factors that affect brain processes (i.e., haloperidol) leave biomarker signatures in the blood and, consistent ...
Anatomical and Histological Changes in Internal Organs of Adult Trypodendron lineatum, Gnalhotrichus retusus, and G. sulcatus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

Changes during adult life in 3 ambrosia beetles, the striped ambrosia beetle, T. lineatum (Olivier); G. sulcatus (LeConte); and G. retusus (LeConte), were found in midgut epithelium, malpighian tubules, salivary glands, mycetangium, fat body, and the indirect wing musculature. In all 3 species the midgut epithelium secretes holocrinously and independently of the food content of the intestine. After each secretion cycle the new epithelium is formed from nidi in T. lincatum , and from caeca in G. retusus and G. sulcatus . The developmental and secreting cycle of the cells of the malpighian tubules occurs after the changes in the midgut epithelium. The fat body and wing muscles serve to provide energy, the fat body being activated and depleted during the dispersal flight and in the mature female, during egg maturation; the wing muscles degenerate in burrowing beetles of both sexes. Both tissues are regenerated before the adults re-emerge. In the fungus-storing gland (mycetangium) occurring in female T. lineatum and male Gnathotrichus the cells surrounding the lumen are activated when the ambrosia fungus is introduced as the beetle leaves the pupal cradle, usually after transformation into adult stage in T. lineatum and at the end of hibernation in Gnathotrichus . Secretion by the mycetangial cells and fungus growth occur during the dispersal flight. After the gallery is started, most of the fungus is released; the rest, along with the mycetangial epithelium, deteriorates. The salivary glands are larger in the female T. lineatum and in the male Gnathotrichus . They grow during dispersal flight in both sexes and continue to increase in the female of all 3 species during the early stage inside the gallery.
Comments on no-hair theorems and stability of black holes

Abstract In the light of recent black hole solutions inspired by string theory, we review some old statements of field theoretic hair on black holes. We also discuss some stability issues. In particular we argue that the two-dimensional string black hole solution is semi-classically stable while the naked singularity is unstable to tachyon fluctuations. Finally we comment on the relation between the linear dilaton theory and the 2d black hole solution.
On the fidelity of human skill models

Modeling dynamic human control strategy, or human skill, in response to real-time sensing is becoming an increasingly popular paradigm in many research areas. These models are learned from experimental data, and as such can be characterized despite the lack of a good physical model. Unfortunately, learned models presently offer few, if any, guarantees in terms of model fidelity to the source data. As such, we propose an independent, post-training model validation procedure based on hidden Markov models (HMMs). The proposed method generates a stochastic similarity measure comparing system trajectories for the source process and the learned models. Using this method, we are able to verify model fidelity. We demonstrate the proposed method in the validation of neural-network models for real-time human driving skill.
A Critique of the Working Definition

WILLIAM E. GORDON, Ph.D., is professor of research at George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, and chairman of the second Subcommittee on the Work ing Definition of Social Work Practice of the NASW Commission on Practice. The "Working Definition of Social Work Practice" (reprinted on pp. 6-7 of this issue) was developed by the first Subcommittee on the Working Definition in 1958. As the com mission worked within the frame of reference set by the Definition, it became apparent that the state ment needed to be further developed and clarified —a situation that had been anticipated earlier in charging the commission to keep up-to-date a work ing definition of social work practice. A second subcommittee was established to examine the exist
New Democracy Forum: The Immigrant as Pariah

Democracy is supposed to be government "by the people" and "for the people." But how should a democratic government treat those who have immigrated to its territory but not yet attained the status of citizen--who are not yet part of the people? This question is discussed in Boston Review's October/November 1998 New Democracy Forum. Opening the debate with his article "The Immigrant as Pariah," Owen Fiss discusses the Constitutional and moral propriety of the new welfare regime, arguing that to deny immigrants welfare benefits is to impose a social disability on a group whose members lack the economic or political power to defend themselves. This social disability, coupled with the existing political disabilities--notably, denial of the right to vote--would create a near-caste structure, with immigrants at the bottom. Pointing to the power given to them by the Equal Protection Clause and their insulation from public opinion, Fiss calls on the courts to protect the immigrant from being turned into a pariah. Following Fiss' piece are eleven responses from Myron Weiner, Richard Freeman, Jagdish Bhagwati, Rogers Smith, Ulrich Preuss, Jennifer Gordon, Iris Young, Muzaffar Chishti, Robin West, Mark Tushnet, and Alexander Aleinikoff. The forum ends with Fiss' response to his critics. The debate will be published in book format by Beacon Press in the fall of 1999, with a preface by Edwidge Danticat.
IN THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE

As Wade M. Page rampaged through the sacred space of the Sikhs in a Milwaukee suburb with his gun what did he see? His ears so attuned to musical rhythms, what did they hear? Sikh worship centers o...
Pharmacokinetic implications of lorcainide therapy in patients with normal and depressed cardiac function.

The influence of cardiac function as measured by the left ventricular ejection fraction on the pharmacokinetic variables of a new antiarrhythmic drug, lorcainide, was investigated in 20 cardiac patients. Patients were divided into two groups: those with normal (ejection fraction greater than .40) or depressed (ejection fraction less than .40) left ventricular function. The elimination half-life, plasma clearance rates, or volume of distribution of lorcainide were not significantly different in patients with either normal or depressed cardiac function. A decrease in arrhythmia frequency could be correlated to plasma lorcainide concentration in the majority of patients, and it was noted that at least 0.1 mg/L of lorcainide was required for the presence of an antiarrhythmic effect. Three unusual cases are presented to illustrate the importance of measuring plasma drug concentrations and calculating the drug pharmacokinetics and to correlate these to the antiarrhythmic response in order to minimize the risk of plasma drug accumulation and side effects. A review of published data shows a three- to sixfold interpatient variation in the elimination half-life of lorcainide with practical implications in its use as an antiarrhythmic drug.
Forget the beach chair and go supine: Analysis of the effectiveness of the use of a radiolucent table for shoulder surgery

Patient positioning for shoulder surgery is typically per- formed in one of 3 positions: beach chair, supine, and lateral decubitus. Many surgeons utilize the beach chair position for shoulder surgery including arthroscopy, arthroplasty, fracture care, etc. The lateral decubitus position has become popular for its perceived advantages in arthroscopy, particularly instability surgery. A less commonly used position that has significant value and advantages is supine positioning on a radiolucent table. This position can be used for a wide variety of shoulder girdle surgical procedures especially those in which accurate fluoroscopic imaging is critical. It is the preferred position for treating shoulder girdle injuries in which gravity is a deforming force in the beach chair position. It also simplifies the prep, draping, and anesthetic care of the patient. It may also have added value in decreasing infection risk, operative time, and intraoperative hypotension.
Embryogenesis of the Bursa of Fabricius: Stem Cell, Microenvironment, and Receptor-Paracrine Pathways

Abstract The bursa of Fabricius is an ideal model system to answer the plethora of questions related to the origin of B cells and microenvironmental issues leading to the education of the stem cell. Prior to the 1960s, lymphocytes were thought to be derived from epithelial or mesenchymal cells. Later work demonstrated the bloodborne nature of the stem cell contributing to B cells. Stem cells entered the bursa of quail and chicken between 7 and 11 and 7.5 and 14 d of embryogenesis, respectively. Interspecific chimeric studies, quail and chick, emphasized the intraembryonic origin and sites of the stem cell. The bloodborne and stromal cells that contribute to the microenvironment of the bursa orchestrate the events leading to B cell differentiation. The separation of the endodermal and mesodermal components of the bursa revealed a singular role for the endoderm in the genesis of the bursa but did not exclude a role for the mesoderm. A dark mesenchymal cell was shown to play a role in bud formation. This cell gave rise to the bursal secretory dendritic cell (BSDC), unique in its membrane association with IgG. A receptor-paracrine thesis has been proposed to explain the interaction between in-frame B cells and Ig-positive BSCD in the expansion of in-frame B cells and the subsequent development of the B cell repertoire. Cell adhesion molecules have been integrated into this thesis.
Effect of Immunosuppression and Amphotericin B on Aspergillus Antigenemia in an Experimental Model

A modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for crude carbohydrate antigen was used to evaluate the kinetics of aspergillus antigenemia and to determine the effect of therapy on circulating antigen levels in an experimental model. The ELISA was rapid, simple to perform, and able to detect less than 10 ng of antigen/mL of serum. The model was also used to evaluate the effect of temporary and persistent immunosuppression on experimental disease. Antigen levels rose progressively in untreated control rabbits; all 15 animals had significant antigenemia. Treated animals had markedly reduced antigen levels, but nine of 13 rabbits had detectable antigen after 72 h of therapy, a result that correlated with persistent disease. Therapy begun 24 h after challenge in temporarily immunosuppressed animals was more likely to sterilize tissues than was therapy begun 48 h after challenge. Therapy in persistently immunosuppressed rabbits was less effective and may require improved antifungal regimens to be successful.
No vacancy: holdover capacity and the continued staffing of major commissions

Although the United States (US) federal bureaucracy is plagued by high vacancy rates generally, quorum requirements and small board sizes make vacancies particularly problematic within major independent regulatory commissions. Not all vacancies, however, are created equal. By statute, some major boards allow members to continue serving beyond their original term in the absence of a confirmed replacement. The difference between an empty seat and a holdover official is important as it can determine whether a board is functional or inoperable. In this article, we examine how the presence of holdover provisions within such commissions alters confirmation dynamics and vacancy rates. Evidence suggests that holdover provisions lead to quicker confirmation on nominations as well as fewer complete vacancies. Such structures thus help mitigate the short-term problems stemming from staffing independent regulatory boards, especially given the tendency towards obstruction in the US Senate.
Characteristic Analysis and On-site Disposal with the Rub-impact Fault for Large Steam Turbine-generator Units

This paper introduces the cause of rubbing vibration and the vibration signal characteristics for a large steam turbine-generator unit,combined with the actual data in the starting process,gathering up on-site the signal characteristics of the rub-impact fault vibration and diagnosis methods.
The Orientalist Photograph: An Object of Comparison

"My comparative approach to Orientalist photography has enabled me to critique both the postcolonial understanding of Orientalism as merely an ideological discourse of power, as well as the neutral art historical definition of the term as a particular artistic genre, and to posit a notion of Orientalism as a network of aesthetic, economic, and political relationships that cross national and historical boundaries. Understood in this way, I argue that Orientalism is indispensable to the understanding of nineteenth-century photography of the Middle East. Whether considered in the context of their production and dissemination in the nineteenth century or in relation to their current afterlives as collectable objects or archives, photographs of the “Orient” become meaningful and legible only if they are considered in terms of the geopolitical distinctions, economic interests, and cultural assumptions about the Middle East and its people."
Quantifying the Spatiotemporal Trends of Urban Sprawl Among Large U.S. Metropolitan Areas Via Spatial Metrics

Spatial metrics have emerged as a widely utilized tool to quantify urban morphologies and monitor urban sprawl. Since previous applications of spatial metrics have typically considered only a single urban class, this study evaluates how deriving spatial metrics from multiple land use/land cover (LULC) classification schemes can help elucidate the spatiotemporal trends of urban sprawl. Specifically, the urban morphologies of the fifty most populous metropolitan areas in the U.S. were quantified in 2001 and 2011 using spatial metrics derived from two LULC classification schemes: the more common urban/non-urban binary and a non-binary that considered four urban classes individually. The results indicated that many of the spatial metrics were significantly correlated with existing sprawl indices, suggesting that they accurately quantified components of urban form associated with urban sprawl. More sprawl-like morphologies were typically located in the Eastern region of the U.S. although the regional variability of select spatial metrics was dependent on the LULC classification scheme. Over the 10-year study period, spatial metric-based sprawl indices that compared the relative abundance of low and high intensity urban development suggested that sprawl attributable to low-density single family residential suburbs generally decreased among most metropolitan areas. However, detailed case studies revealed that sprawling development was still likely increasing within particular metros in the form of strip commercial development. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of considering multiple classification schemes to maximize the utility of spatial metrics for urban morphological analysis and urban planning.
Genetic analysis of tomato golden mosaic virus: the coat protein is not required for systemic spread or symptom development.

Abstract The geminiviruses are a unique group of higher plant viruses that are composed of twin isometric particles which contain circular, single-stranded DNA. Tomato golden mosaic virus (TGMV), a whitefly-transmitted agent, belongs to the subgroup of geminiviruses whose members possess a bipartite genome. The TGMV A genome component has the capacity to encode at least four proteins. One of these is the viral coat protein, as inferred by homology with coat-protein, genes of other geminiviruses and by the observation of typical geminate particles in transgenic plants that contain inserts of TGMV A DNA. We have investigated the role of the coat protein in TGMV replication and report here that its coding sequence may be interrupted or substantially deleted without loss of infectivity. However, certain coat-protein mutants showed reproducible delays in time of symptom appearance as well as reduced symptom development, when inoculated onto transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana plants containing the TGMV B component. The most attenuated symptoms were seen with a mutant in which the coat-protein coding sequence was almost entirely deleted. The significance of these findings for the development of plant vectors from TGMV DNA is discussed.
Effects of geometric parameters of wavy-edge bull-nose helical end-mill on cutting force prediction in end-milling of Inconel 718 under MQL cooling strategy

Abstract This paper presents the results of the development of a mechanistic cutting force prediction model for wavy-edge, bull-nose, helical endmill (WEBNHE), which was validated and used to investigate the effects of the geometric parameters of the WEBNHE on the predicted cutting force components and the resultant cutting force. The mechanistic cutting force prediction model was validated by conducting end-milling experiments on Inconel 718 and incorporating the effect of the Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) cooling strategy through experimentally identified six cutting force and edge force coefficients. The geometric parameters investigated in this research were: the wavelength, wave magnitude, axial shift of the linear part, and the helix angle of the wavy cutting edges. These parameters were varied one at a time, and the cutting force components for each variation were predicted using the mechanistic cutting force prediction model. The results show that the predicted and measured cutting force components were in good agreement in magnitude and shape. The cutting force components generated from the end-milling under the MQL cooling strategy were lower than under the emulsion cooling strategy. The magnitudes and shapes of the predicted cutting force components and the resultant cutting force of the WEBNHE were unique (asymmetric) in magnitude and shape compared to those of standard, bull-nose, helical endmill (SBNHE) due to the uniqueness of the wavy-cutting edge geometry. The results also show that the predicted cutting force component in the feed direction Fy is the largest and the most affected by the geometric parameters, followed by Fx. However, Fz is insignificantly affected. It was also observed that the maximum magnitudes and ranges of the cutting force component in the feed direction Fy and the resultant cutting force FR increased with an increase in the wave magnitude and decrease with increase of the wavelength, axial shift, and the helix angle. The wavy cutting edge spends more time in the cutting zone than the standard, helical, cutting edge; this extra time affects the frequency content of the cutting force signals generated by the endmill and improves the end-milling dynamics. Additionally, the distribution of the cutting forces on the wavy cutting edges was not equal due to the asymmetric cutting edge geometry.
Accurate Monte Carlo simulations on FCC and HCP Lennard-Jones solids at very low temperatures and high reduced densities up to 1.30

Canonical Monte Carlo simulations on face-centered cubic (FCC) and hexagonal closed packed (HCP) Lennard-Jones (LJ) solids are conducted at very low temperatures (0.10 ≤ T(∗) ≤ 1.20) and high densities (0.96 ≤ ρ(∗) ≤ 1.30). A simple and robust method is introduced to determine whether or not the cutoff distance used in the simulation is large enough to provide accurate thermodynamic properties, which enables us to distinguish the properties of FCC from that of HCP LJ solids with confidence, despite their close similarities. Free-energy expressions derived from the simulation results are also proposed, not only to describe the properties of those individual structures but also the FCC-liquid, FCC-vapor, and FCC-HCP solid phase equilibria.
Thrombophilic DNA Mutations As Independent Risk Factors for Stroke and Avascular Necrosis in Sickle Cell Anemia.

Thrombosis may be important in the pathophysiology of certain complications of sickle cell anemia (SCA), including cerebrovascular accident (CVA, stroke) and avascular necrosis (AVN). No single laboratory or clinical parameter can accurately identify patients who will develop these thrombotic complications. We hypothesized that a subset of patients with SCA have genetic thrombophilic mutations that increase the risk of stroke or AVN. We examined nine known thrombophilic DNA polymorphisms in α-fibrinogen, β-fibrinogen, platelet glycoprotein IIIa, Factor VII, methylenetetra-hydrofolate reductase, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, prothrombin, and Factor V genes in 101 African-American patients with SCA (27 CVA, 16 AVN). The allele frequency of thrombophilic mutations ranged from 0.0 (Prothrombin, Factor V) to 0.33 (α-fibrinogen). No mutation was significantly more common in patients with CVA or AVN than in patients without these complications. These nine thrombophilic mutations do not appear to be signific...
Expert Product Reviews and Conflict of Interest

Many firms that produce expert product reviews have a vested interest in increased consumption of the products they review. The classic example is the Michelin Guide, which reviews restaurants, originally conceived to stimulate usage of automobiles and therefore also demand for automobile-related goods and services. The result is a conflict of interest; such firms have financial incentive to give better reviews than products merit. I compare video game reviews from two sources: one a video game magazine owned by a game retailer and the other a game website that does not sell games. The goal of the research is to evaluate to what extent, if any, the retailer-owned outlet inflates its reviews in order to boost sales. Results show no evidence of seasonal or cyclical effects. However, there is some evidence of increased inflation in periods shortly following the release of a game's corresponding piece of hardware. Other literature on this industry finds that reviews have the largest effect on the sales of low-quality games, and I find evidence of review inflation for these games. These results are consistent with theoretical predictions for a firm that optimizes the trade-off between sales revenue and the reputational costs associated with biasing reviews.
Belief in miracles and attitudes towards voluntary euthanasia.

ABSTRACTResults of logistic regression analysis of data from the General Social Survey (N = 1,799) find that those who have a strong belief in miracles are more likely to say that a person with an incurable illness should not be allowed to accept medical treatments that painlessly hasten death than those who have a less strong belief in miracles or do not believe in miracles, net of respondents’ religious affiliations, frequency of religious attendance, views of the Bible, and other sociodemographic controls. Results highlight the need to consider specific religious beliefs when predicting individuals’ attitudes towards voluntary euthanasia.
Revised computational metagenomic processing uncovers hidden and biologically meaningful functional variation in the human microbiome

Recent metagenomic analyses of the human gut microbiome identified striking variability in its taxonomic composition across individuals. Notably, however, these studies often reported marked functional uniformity, with relatively little variation in the microbiome’s gene composition or in its overall metabolic capacity. Here, we address this surprising discrepancy between taxonomic and functional variations and set out to track its origins. Specifically, we demonstrate that the functional uniformity observed in microbiome studies can be attributed, at least partly, to common computational metagenomic processing procedures that mask true functional variation across microbiome samples. We identify several such procedures, including commonly used practices for gene abundance normalization, mapping of gene families to functional pathways, and gene family aggregation. We show that accounting for these factors and using revised metagenomic processing procedures uncovers such hidden functional variation, significantly increasing observed variation in the abundance of functional elements across samples. Importantly, we find that this uncovered variation is biologically meaningful and that it is associated with both host identity and health. Accurate characterization of functional variation in the microbiome is essential for comparative metagenomic analyses in health and disease. Our finding that metagenomic processing procedures mask underlying and biologically meaningful functional variation therefore highlights an important challenge such studies may face. Alternative schemes for metagenomic processing that uncover this hidden functional variation can facilitate improved metagenomic analysis and help pinpoint disease- and host-associated shifts in the microbiome’s functional capacity.
Abstract P4-03-13: Obesity and breast cancer: The adipocyte-macrophage interaction as a mediator of metastasis

Obese individuals with breast cancer have a poorer prognosis and higher risk of metastatic disease vs. non-obese patients. Prior research has largely focused on defining the interactions between adipocytes and tumor cells, but other cell types may also play a role. Adipose tissue in obese individuals is characterized by a significant infiltration of macrophages. We have therefore investigated the adipocyte-macrophage interaction as a possible mechanism whereby obesity promotes breast cancer metastasis. We performed co-culture with both human and murine cells to determine whether adipocytes influence the expression of metastasis-promoting signals in macrophages. For the human system we co-cultured primary breast adipocytes with THP-1 macrophages. For the murine system we co-cultured 3T3-L1 differentiated adipocytes with J774.1 macrophages. We then assayed the mRNA levels and protein expression of metastasis-promoting genes. In both systems we found that co-culture with adipocytes increased the expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGF-A) in macrophages. In examining a potential mechanism, we also show that media collected from cultured adipocytes (adipocyte-conditioned media) activates the transcription factor Egr-1 in macrophages. Since Egr-1 is a known regulator of VEGF-A expression, this is a potential mechanism whereby VEGF-A transcription is up-regulated. Treatment of human macrophages with Interleukin-6, Leptin and Insulin induced VEGF-A levels to a similar degree as co-culture, identifying these as adipocyte-derived signals that can possibly mediate this effect. In summary we have found that the interaction between adipocytes and macrophages leads to the up-regulation of the pro-angiogenic signal VEGF-A in macrophages. Therefore this represents a potential mechanism whereby obesity could promote breast cancer metastasis. Citation Format: Connelly L, Yadav N, Barcikowski A, Imaizumi Y, Jacobs A. Obesity and breast cancer: The adipocyte-macrophage interaction as a mediator of metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-03-13.
Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Is Underutilized in Older Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Abstract Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is the only curative treatment for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The proportion of MDS patients referred for transplantation evaluation, those undergoing transplantation, and the reasons for not undergoing transplantation are unknown. In this retrospective analysis, predefined HCT eligibility and indications criteria were applied to 362 unselected patients with newly diagnosed MDS seen by leukemia faculty between 2008 and 2015 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Two hundred ninety-four patients (81%) were deemed eligible for transplantation and among these, transplantation was considered indicated in 244 (83%). Of these, 158 of 244 (65%) were referred for transplantation evaluation at a median of 3.9 months from diagnosis. Overall 120 of 362 (33%) underwent transplantation at a median of 7.7 months from diagnosis. Metastatic solid-organ malignancy was the major reason for transplantation ineligibility (54%), and death due to MDS, which occurred in 41% of candidates who did not undergo transplantation, was the major reason for not undergoing transplantation. Factors associated with a lower likelihood of referral for transplantation evaluation included age ≥65 (P
Strategies for Enhancing Family Participation in Research in the ICU: Findings From a Qualitative Study.

Context Family members of critically ill patients who participate in research focused on palliative care issues have been found to be systematically different from those who do not. These differences threaten the validity of research and raise ethical questions about worsening disparities in care by failing to represent diverse perspectives.
Identifying Ferroelectric Switching Pathways in HfO2: First Principles Calculations under Electric Fields

The switching dynamics in the ferroelectric HfO2 is investigated using first principles calculations. Several possible switching pathways were first identified based on symmetry aspects of ferroelectricity. From calculations of the atomic response to finite electric fields however we find that in the two most likely pathways the inert oxygen atoms also play a role, in contrast to what had been reported previously based only on kinetic considerations. The hysteresis curves and coercive fields calculated along the pathways are compared with the intrinsic coercive field extracted from previous experimental data. The surface effect is discussed as a potential source of the mismatch between calculations and experimental data.