cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CD40 Mediates Downregulation of CD32B on Specific Memory B Cell Populations in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Altered B cell function is important in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this report, we show that patients with active RA have an increased frequency of CD32B low/neg cells in the CD27(+)IgD(-) memory B cell subset and that these changes are associated with phenotypic and functional B cell activation. Studies using PBMCs from healthy donors revealed that downregulation of CD32B on B cells is mediated by CD40-CD40L interactions and is potentiated by IL-4 and inhibited by both IL-10 and IL-21. These findings appear physiologically relevant because CD4 T cell expression of CD40L correlated with the frequency of CD32B low/neg cells in the CD27(+)IgD(-) memory B subset in patients with RA. Our data support a model in which high levels of CD40L, present on circulating T cells in patients with RA, causes B cell activation and CD32B downregulation, resulting in secondary protection of memory B cells from CD32B-mediated cell death.
CpG-Independent Synergistic Induction of β-Chemokines and a Dendritic Cell Phenotype by Orthophosphorothioate Oligodeoxynucleotides and Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor in Elutriated Human Primary Monocytes

Chemokines attract leukocytes bearing the relevant chemokine receptors and regulate innate immune responses. CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) and GM-CSF are potent vaccine adjuvants and in combination induce enhanced Th1 responses by mechanisms yet to be determined. We have examined combinations of CpG- or non-CpG-ODN and GM-CSF for effects on the production of chemokines and the differentiation of monocytes to dendritic cells. High levels of the Th1-attracting, HIV-1-inhibitory chemokines, CCL3/MIP-1α and CCL4/MIP-1β, were induced in human primary monocytes when CpG- or non-CpG-ODN was combined with GM-CSF, but not with IL-4 or IFN-γ. The synergistic induction of β-chemokines by non-CpG-ODN was phosphorothioate (PS) chemistry dependent and inhibited by blocking endosome maturation/acidification and ERK1/2 activation. Chemokine and TLR9 mRNAs were induced by PS-ODN. Cells treated with non-CpG PS-ODN and GM-CSF expressed dendritic cell marker CD83 and high levels of HLA-DR and costimulatory molecules, and were CD14− or CD14dim, consistent with monocyte differentiation into a dendritic cell phenotype. The induction of CD83 and β-chemokines was tyrosine phosphorylation dependent. Secreted CCL3 and CCL4 were detected as a heterodimer. Our results indicate the CpG-independent synergy between PS-ODN and GM-CSF mediated through chemokine and dendritic cell induction. In addition, our observations suggest that PS-ODN plus GM-CSF may be useful as potent ex vivo dendritic cell differentiation/maturation agents for dendritic cell therapy and as vaccine adjuvants for tumor and infectious microorganisms, including HIV-1.
Correlative fluorescence-immunocytochemical technique for the localization of monoamines and neurophysin (NP)†

A correlative fluorescence-immnucytochemical technique for the localization of monoamines and neurophysin on sections of freezedried tissues is described. An extensive network of monoamine-containing perikarya and terminals was found throughout the hypothalamus and median eminence. Immunocytochemical localization of antisera for neurophysin was found in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus and in both the zona interna and zona externa of the median eminence. This correlative demonstration of both catecholamines and neuropeptides within the same tissue provides a new approach to the study of neurotransmitters and neurohormones and their role in the regulation of the peripheral endocrine system.
Characterization of Helicobacter pylori dapE and Construction of a Conditionally Lethal dapE Mutant

Helicobacter pylori colonizes the human gastric mucosa and causes gastritis, ulceration, or gastric cancer. A previously uncharacterized region of the H. pylori genome was identified and sequenced. This region includes a putative operon containing three open reading frames termed gidA (1,866 bp), dapE (1,167 bp), and orf2 (753 bp); the gidA and dapE products are highly homologous to other bacterial proteins. In E. coli, dapE encodes N-succinyl-L-diaminopimelic acid desuccinylase, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of N-succinyl-L-diaminopimelic acid to L-diaminopimelic acid (L-DAP) and succinate. When wild-type H. pylori strains were transformed to select for dapE mutagenesis, mutants were present when plates were supplemented with DAP but not with lysine; orf2 mutants were selected without DAP supplementation. Consistent with the finding that GidA is essential in Escherichia coli, we were unable to obtain a gidA mutant in H. pylori despite evidence that insertional mutagenesis had occurred. The positions of gidA, dapE, and orf2 suggest that they form an operon, which was supported by slot blot RNA hybridization and reverse transcriptase PCR studies. The data imply that the H. pylori dapE mutant may be useful as a conditionally lethal vaccine.
ABSORPTION OF MINERAL ELEMENTS BY PLANTS IN RELATION TO SOIL PROBLEMS.

The discussion which I wish to present falls in the general field of research which can be designated by the phrase "Soil Conditions and Plant Growth," to quote the title of a well known monograph by E. J. Russell, An attempt will be made on this occasion to give some consideration to both soils and plants, with particular reference to researches of the past fifteen years. I am aware that some of our most important knowledge of soils has come from those who have dealt with the soil as a chemical and physical system without much reference to plants, and that much of what we know concerning plant physiology has come from investigators not greatly interested in soil conditions. Nevertheless, there does remain an indispensable place for investigations in which specifically planned efforts are made to relate soil conditions to plant growth, the ultimate purpose of all the researches from an agricultural point of view. In California the desirability of conducting such researches was stressed early by C. B. Lip man, and various circumstances, partly accidental, have made it possible to give long continued attention to this type of investigation. With your permission I shall refer frequently to experiments with which I have had some personal familiarity including, of course, the work of various colleagues and associates. I assume that you are not now desirous of a review of literature or an extensive citation of the names of the many investigators over the world who have contributed to our understanding of soil and plant relations.
A high throughput 16 by 16 bit multiplier for DSP cores

In the rapidly growing portable telecommunications industry digital signal processing (DSP) chips are at the center of interest. The demand for higher performance for these chips continues to escalate. Coupled with demand for higher performance is the emphasis on lowering the power supply for portable electronics. Lowering the power supply has a negative impact on performance. Lowering the power supply with no degradation in performance for DSP chips requires a re-evaluation of architecture, algorithm, circuit design, and technology. Circuit style is a key factor in meeting these goals. Static CMOS has been the conventional technology of choice for some time because of its robustness and good performance. A faster circuit style such as dynamic logic is needed as power supplies go lower and performance needs increase. Dual rail domino is one type of dynamic logic that can meet these goals. Multipliers perform an essential function in DSP cores and can be heavily used depending upon the application. Depending upon the size of the operands, multipliers can occupy a significant portion of the chip area. In contrast multipliers in FPUs typically have large operands thus creating long delay paths. Hence, they are usually pipelined in order to meet performance goals. This paper focuses on a 16 by 16 array multiplier that operates at a clock frequency of 500 MHz with four cycles of latency. The multiplier is designed in dual rail domino logic using a 0.35 /spl mu/m CMOS process.
Recording and Reproducing Transients for Frequency Domain Analysis

An EMC laboratory has frequent need for performing frequency analyses of single-shot transients, a task that usually entails recording the transient so that it can be repeatedly reproduced electrically for analysis. Convair has provided this capability over a wide range of conditions, either by using the Waveform Synthesizer to reproduce and analyze the transient; or by using the Compatiblity Analyzer to compute the spectrum and a Model 702 for providing a time-scaled transient to it. Input to Model 702 can either be automatic on-line or manual from a visual recording such as a photograph.
Urban Air Pollution and Morbidity: A Retrospective Approach

Concern for efficiency in environmental policy and the recent Executive Order of the President have increased the importance of determining the risk of illness for exposure to urban air pollution. This paper uses data collected at the individual level to estimate the impact of air pollution on either work loss or days of restricted activity. The multiple regression analysis used in this study indicates that increases in air pollution are associated with increases in acute morbidity that result in work loss. In addition, the analysis suggests that urban factors, climate, and occupational exposure do not appear to confound the estimated relationship between air pollution and morbidity.
Mutualistic Fermentative Digestion in the Gastrointestinal Tract: Diversity and Evolution

All animals, including humans, are adapted to life in a microbial world. Anaerobic habitats have existed continuously throughout the history of the earth, the gastrointestinal tract being a contemporary microniche. Since microorganisms colonize and grow rapidly under the favorable conditions in the gut they could compete for nutrients with the host. This microbial challenge has modified the course of evolution in animals, resulting in selection of complex animal-microbe relationships that vary tremendously, ranging from competition to cooperation. The ecological and evolutionary interactions between herbivorous dinosaurs and the first mammalian herbivores and their food plants are reconstructed using knowledge gained during the study of modern living vertebrates, especially foregut and hindgut fermenting mammals. The ruminant is well adapted to achieve maximal digestion of roughage using the physiological mechanism at the reticulo-omasal orifice which selectively retains large particles in the reticulo-rumen. However, the most obvious feature of all ruminants is the regurgitation, rechewing and reswallowing of foregut digesta termed rumination. Foregut fermenting mammals also share interesting and unique features in two enzymes, stomach lysozyme and pancreatic ribonuclease which accompany and are adaptations to this mode of digestion. The microbial community inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract is represented by all major groups of microbes (bacteria, archaea, ciliate protozoa, anaerobic fungi and bacteriophage) and characterized by its high population density, wide diversity and complexity of interactions. The development and application of molecular ecology techniques promises to link distribution and identity of gastrointestinal microbes in their natural environment with their genetic potential and in situ activities.
For a Sustainable Agriculture, We Need More Adam Smith, Not Less

There are two competing approaches sustainability in agriculture. One stresses a strict economic approach in which market forces should be allowed to guide the activities of agricultural producers. The other advocates the need to balance economic with environmental and social objectives, even to the point of reducing profitability. This paper shows how the writings of the 18 th century moral philosopher Adam Smith could bridge the debate. First, he is recognized by those advocating the economic approach as an architect of modern economics. Second, his writings are consistent with many aspects of sustainable agriculture. Smith argues that people ought to exercise restraint in their pursuit of self-interest. He also recognizes the need to balance economic with environmental and social considerations. One implication is that advocates of sustainable agriculture might be more effective by actively promoting the work of Adam Smith.
Inflammatory markers in population studies of aging.

Abstract Purpose To review findings from major epidemiologic studies regarding risk factors for and consequences of elevated markers of inflammation in older adults. Results Most large, current epidemiologic studies of older adults have measured serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and some studies also include more extensive batteries of measures including soluble receptors. There are few defined risk factors for the modest elevations in inflammatory markers seen with aging. These include visceral adiposity, lower sex steroid hormones, smoking, depression and periodontal disease. Of the markers assessed, IL-6 is most robustly associated with incident disease, disability and mortality. Conclusion Though correlated with age, the etiology of elevated inflammatory markers remains incompletely defined. Inflammation, especially IL-6 may be a common cause of multiple age-related diseases or a final common pathway by which disease leads to disability and adverse outcomes in older adults. Future research targeting inflammation should examine these pathways.
Visualizing remote voice conversations

Online voice conversations are becoming ever more popular. People have been logging online text conversations, but what about voice conversations? Walter Ong simply states, "written words are residue. Oral tradition has no such residue or deposit" [6]. However, we do not just want to archive conversations, we want to enable users to have some meaning in these "logs". We introduce a project that takes a remote conversation and visualizes it. It does so in a way that takes volume, pitch and content into account. With this information, the visualizations display the data in a meaningful way. Users can use these images in the future to review past conversations whether it is for nostalgia's sake or to recall some piece of information. In this paper, we describe the early design and iteration of system for archiving and creating artifacts from remote audio conversations.
Outcomes and Tolerability of Chemoradiation Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer Patients Aged 75 Years or Older

Purpose To review the outcomes and tolerability of full-dose chemoradiation in elderly patients aged 75 years or older with localized pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials We retrospectively reviewed patients aged 75 years or older with nonmetastatic pancreatic cancer treated with chemoradiation therapy at two institutions from 2002 to 2007. Patients were analyzed for treatment toxicity, local recurrences, distant metastases, and survival. Results A total of 42 patients with a median age of 78 years (range, 75–90 years) who received chemoradiation therapy for pancreatic cancer were identified. Of the patients, 24 had locally advanced disease treated with definitive chemoradiation, and 18 had disease treated with surgery and chemoradiation. Before chemoradiotherapy, the mean Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was 1.0 ± 0.8, and the mean 6-month weight loss was 5.3 ± 3.8 kg. The mean radiation dose delivered was 48.1 ± 9.2 Gy. All patients received fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy concurrently with radiotherapy. In all, 8 patients (19%) were hospitalized, 7 (17%) had an emergency room visit, 15 (36%) required a radiation treatment break, 3 (7%) required a chemotherapy break, 9 (21%) did not complete therapy, and 22 (49%) had at least one of these adverse events. The most common toxicities were nausea, pain, and failure to thrive. Median overall survival was 8.6 months (95% confidence interval, 7.2–13.1) in patients who received definitive chemoradiation therapy and 20.6 months (95% confidence interval, 9.5–∞) in patients who underwent resection and chemoradiation therapy. Conclusions In this dataset of very elderly patients with pancreatic cancer and good Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, outcomes after chemoradiotherapy were similar to those among historic controls for patients with locally advanced and resected pancreatic cancer, although many patients experienced substantial treatment-related toxicity.
Nevada 2011: Budget Crisis and Political Deadlock

DOI 10.1515/cjpp-2012-0035 Calif. J. Politics Policy 2012; 4(3): 182–198 Research Article Robert P. Morin* Nevada 2011: Budget Crisis and Political Deadlock Abstract: As was the case in 2009, the 2011 Nevada legislature faced an environ- ment characterized by recession, a budget crisis and a political budget fight. The 2009 legislature passed multiple taxation bills that collectively constituted a $781 million tax increase over the course of the 2009–2011 biennium. These tax enhancements were temporary and were scheduled to sunset at the end of the 2011 session of the legislature. A Nevada State Supreme Court decision was responsible for breaking the political deadlock that transpired throughout the course of the 2011 legislature regarding the 2011–2013 biennial budget proceed- ings. Governor Sandoval and the legislature agreed to extend the sunset tax package for another period of two years because of the court decision. The 2011 legislature did not address the budget problems in Nevada in any meaningful fashion and it looks as though the same budget problems of Nevada will once again be present during the 2013 Nevada legislature. Keywords: budget; Nevada; tax enhancement; western state budget report *Corresponding author: Robert P. Morin, Western Nevada College, 2201 West College Parkway, Carson City, Nevada 89703, USA, e-mail: rpmorin@wnc.edu 1 Introduction As was the case in 2009, the 2011 Nevada legislature faced an environment char- acterized by recession, a budget crisis and a political budget fight. Republican Governor Brian Sandoval was committed to the formulation of a balanced 2011– 2013 biennial budget based upon reduced spending, no tax increases and no new taxes. January 2011 ushered in a new year and a realization that the Nevada budget crisis had not improved from the year 2010. Nevada’s dependency on sales tax revenue and gaming tax revenue maintained the budget crisis at a serious level, because the economy and state revenue continued to lag. In essence, it appeared as though the economy in Nevada hit bottom and was flat as the 2011 Nevada leg-
Quantitative 3D VUSE pulmonary MRA.

The purposes of this study were to quantitatively evaluate a free-breathing three-dimensional (3D) variable angle uniform signal excitation (VUSE) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) technique in normal volunteers, to demonstrate breathold 3D VUSE MRA in a normal volunteer, and to investigate the ability of the free-breathing 3D VUSE MRA technique to quantify differential flow in lung transplant patients. A free-breathing 3D VUSE MRA pulse sequence was run on the right lungs of 15 normal volunteers and both lungs of eight single or double lung transplant patients. A breathold scan was also used on one volunteer. No contrast agents were used. Normal lung MRA images were analyzed for maximum level of branching observed and minimum distance between distal vessels seen and the pleura. In patients, differential flow was determined with a program that counted the number of MRA pixels over a threshold signal level in each lung. These values were compared to radionuclide perfusion (Q) scan results. Average observed branching order in normal lung images was 5.9 ± 0.7. Average distance between the most peripheral vessels seen and the pleura was 0.9 cm. Differential blood flow measured by pulmonary MRA was well correlated with that measured by Q scan (R2 = 0.84, p < 0.005). In addition to providing good visualization of normal pulmonary vessels, this technique was demonstrated to provide accurate estimates of differential blood flow in lung transplant patients free of serious lung scarring.
Of Course I Don’t Post Too Much: Preferences and Perceptions of Relational Maintenance Online

This study explored participant perception regarding the ease of relationship maintenance online, honesty in information sharing, and whether people were more, less, or similarly concerned about their online image over their in-person image given the prevalence and preference for electronic communication in most relationship forms. Most of the 296 participants were consistently honest in their online information sharing. Women were more likely to worry about maintaining their in-person image than men and found it easier to maintain friendships online. Participants aged 30 to 45 years were the least likely to post misleading information about themselves or their interests. Participants seemed to equate “post a lot” of information online as equated to “post too much” as not a single participant revealed that they “post a lot.”
Stress Testing After Coronary Revascularization: Too Much, Too Soon

In response to the observation that the number of stress imaging procedures was rising annually at a very high rate, the American College of Cardiology Foundation proposed a method for evaluating the appropriateness of cardiovascular imaging using technical panels of experts who evaluated possible
Privatization, Political Learning, and Policy Feedback

In this paper, I examine the policy feedback and political learning effects of school vouchers, a policy that provides government-funded vouchers to parents to send their children to private schools. I am particularly interested in the question of how market-based policies affect the likelihood that program participants will connect their experiences with the policy to “the government.” I present a model describing how privatization reforms may affect this process. On one hand, market-based reforms, such as school vouchers, may empower individuals and lead to higher levels of political learning. Alternatively, policies that rely on privatization may cut the connection between an individual’s experience with the policy and the government. To answer these questions, I examine student records and parent survey data from the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, the nation’s oldest and largest urban school voucher program. I find that voucher parents are more likely than public school parents to perceive that the government has influenced their child’s schooling and to believe that their experiences with their child’s school has taught them about how government works. Further, voucher parents report that their experiences with the policy have made them more politically active. The study aims to shed light on the relationship between privatization and democratic citizenship and accountability.
Surviving the Scourge of Schizophrenia: A Law Professor's Story - A Review of Elyn Saks' 'The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness'

Elyn R. Saks is Associate Dean for Research and Orrin B. Evans Professor of Law, Psychology, and Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the University of Southern California's Gould School of Law and Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. She graduated with a B.A. in philosophy as class valedictorian at Vanderbilt University; earned a M. Litt. in philosophy from Oxford University; and got her J.D. from Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the Yale Law Journal. She has written three books and numerous articles and book chapters on mental health-related issues. She has won major awards for her scholarship. Overall, she has excelled in legal academia. She also has had schizophrenia for most of her life. Her story, The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness, is a fascinating look at life coping with the most severe mental illness. Her memoir is frightening, gripping, courageous, inspiring, and ultimately triumphant. It has garnered numerous rave reviews; Time magazine ranked it ninth among the ten best nonfiction books of 2007. This reviewer is particularly well suited to assess Professor Saks' saga because he is a successful legal academic who, unbeknownst to his colleagues until recently, has for over twenty-five years had the serious mental illness bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic-depressive illness), the worst of the mood disorders which rank just behind thought disorders like schizophrenia in compilations of severe mental illnesses. His review reflects his special insight into Professor Saks' journey through life with a mental disease, including that he gained during five psychiatric hospitalizations and the same stigma concerns that haunted Professor Saks for many years. He concludes her book is a must-read for anyone interested in law faculty or students with psychiatric conditions as it proves one can achieve a great deal in legal academia despite having a severe mental illness.
Advanced Fast Reactor - 100 (AFR-100) Report for the Technical Review Panel

This report is written to provide an overview of the Advanced Fast Reactor-100 in the requested format for a DOE technical review panel. This report was prepared with information that is responsive to the DOE Request for Information, DE-SOL-0003674 Advanced Reactor Concepts, dated February 27, 2012 from DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy, Office of Nuclear Reactor Technologies. The document consists of two main sections. The first section is a summary of the AFR-100 design including the innovations that are incorporated into the design. The second section contains a series of tables that respond to the various questions requested of the reactor design team from the subject DOE RFI.
The Improved Venturi Flume

The device herein described is a promising structure for measuring the rate of flow of either small or large quantities of water. It has no moving parts, and is simple and inexpensive. It utilizes ...
Douglas MacArthur: The Far Eastern General

Douglas MacArthur, a key military figure in the American recovery of the Pacific during World War II, its occupation of Japan, and the subsequent, ill-starred incursion into North Korea, provoked widely varying opinions even at the height of his fame. George Stratemeyer, his top air officer in Japan, called him "the greatest man in history", yet Franklin Roosevelt considered his defence of Corregidor "criminal" and Harry Truman declared his return to the Philippines "a fiasco". This biography provides a critical study of the "American Caesar", whose delayed reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbour cost the USA nearly all of its Philippines-based B-17 bombers, whose interference in foreign policy was often destructive, and whose attempts to become President can best be described as futile. Professor Schaller's portrait of a man torn between talent and opportunism, duty and ego, also provides background to current American relations with the Far East.
Eosinophil VLA-4 binding to fibronectin augments bronchial narrowing through 5-lipoxygenase activation.

We examined the effect of ligation of human eosinophils activated by platelet-activating factor (PAF) to soluble human fibronectin (FN) on the augmented contractile response of human bronchial explants. Styrene microplate wells were FN-coated and eosinophils were allowed to adhere in the presence of 1) buffer control, 2) 20 micrograms/ml monoclonal antibody (HP2/1) to the alpha 4 beta 1 ligand (VLA-4) on the eosinophils, 3) 20 micrograms/ml anti-CD18 R15.7, 4) 20 micrograms/ml anti-CD16 3G8, or 5) 10(-6) M A63162, a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor. Sixty minutes later, treated cells were activated with either buffer or 10(-6) M PAF. Airway luminal diameter was assessed by computerized videomicrometry as a function of pixel number, and activation of eosinophils was confirmed by measurement of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) secretion. Ligation with FN caused an increase in PAF-stimulated LTC4 secretion from 276 +/- 75.6 pg/10(6) cell at baseline to 606 +/- 90.2 pg/10(6) cell (P 95% (P < 0.001). We demonstrate that the binding of human eosinophils to the matrix protein FN causes augmented secretion of LTC4 which, in turn, causes augmented luminal narrowing of explanted human bronchi in vitro. We also demonstrate that the augmented activity is blocked selectively by pretreatment with specific monoclonal antibody against VLA-4 and blockade of eosinophil 5-lipoxygenase inhibits both LTC4 secretion and airway narrowing after PAF-stimulation.
Placing wireless tablets in clinical settings for patient education.

Objective: The authors explored the feasibility and possible benefit of tablet-based educational materials for patients in clinic waiting areas. Methods: We distributed eight tablets preloaded with diagnosis-relevant information in two clinic waiting areas. Patients were surveyed about satisfaction, usability, and effects on learning. Technical issues were resolved. Results: Thirty-seven of forty patients completed the survey. On average, the patients were satisfied in all categories. Conclusions: Placing tablet-based educational materials in clinic waiting areas is relatively easy to implement. Patients using tablets reported satisfaction across three domains: usability, education, and satisfaction.
XMicron: Optimizing Product Mix

This case discusses a semiconductor firm’s challenge of planning production and allocation of resources across different product lines. The case is amenable for illustrating how linear programming could be useful for planning and how to determine key factors/costs/tradeoffs driving production decisions. It is a good replacement for the classic but the outdated Red Brand Canners case.
Calculation and Analysis of Unbalanced Currents in Ningxia Northern 220 kV Power Gird

In double-circuit line on the same tower,three phases are unbalanced due to three-phase asymmetric parameters of each circuit and electromagnetic coupling between two circuits,which may endanger power equipment.Therefore,it is of great significance to calculate the unbalance degree and to analyze its influential factors of double-circuit transmission line.The unbalanced currents in Ningxia northern 220 kV power gird are large.Taking Ningxia northern 220 kV power gird as an example,we use ATP to build models for the ring network and to calculate the unbalanced currents of transmission lines based on practical power flow distribution,and compare the simulation results with measured data.The model includes the electromagnetic coupling between parallel lines and the topology of the ring network,which can simulate the real power grid effectively.The unbalanced currents under various operation conditions are obtained,consequently,the way to limit the current unbalance could be analyzed.The simulation results are in good agreement with the field data,and show that,by rationally adjusting the phase-order arrangement way of double-circuits transmission lines at the outlet of substation,the current unbalance in Ningxia northern 220 kV power grid can be effectively decreased.
The functional morphology and role of the thelycum in insemination, and its relation to the mating system in the seagrass shrimp Ambidexter symmetricus (Decapoda: Processidae)

There is considerable variation in structures known to function in the transfer and storage of sperm in female decapod crustaceans. The thelycum is a secondary sexual character that forms from the posterior thoracic sterna of female shrimps (especially penaeoids and sergestoids). Females in the caridean shrimp family Processidae have a thelycum-like structure which rarely occurs in other caridean females. We tested the hypothesis that the processid thelycum serves as a spermatheca for either short-term attachment or long-term sperm storage. When inseminated females of the processid Ambidexter symmetricus were isolated after mating, newly spawned and then incubated embryos hatched, but in the continued absence of a male, females were unable to fertilize a subsequent spawn. Our observations on A. symmetricus show that sperm were not retained after female spawning, and thus the thelycum is not used for long-term sperm storage as in many penaeoids. In A. symmetricus, the thelycum may serve as an external median spermatheca (seminal receptacle) for temporary attachment and storage of a sperm mass during the 2–3 h interval between mating and spawning. Observations on mating behavior support the hypothesis of a pure-search (promiscuous) mating system in A. symmetricus, with males showing little interest before, and copulating with females only after, the female parturial molt. Mating encounters were short (<2 min). This mating system is like that of other caridean shrimps with populations structured similarly to those in A. symmetricus: a relatively high density of mobile individuals and sexual dimorphism in body size (reproductive females larger than males) but not in cheliped weaponry (similar in males and females).
Lifestyle Factors That Affect Peak Bone Mass Accrual: Summary of a Recent Scientific Statement and Systematic Review by the National Osteoporosis Foundation

Optimization of factors that influence peak bone mass is one strategy to reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recently issued a scientific statement providing evidence-based guidance for the purpose of helping individuals achieve optimal peak bone mass early in life. This chapter summarizes the role of individual nutrients, food patterns, lifestyle issues (e.g., smoking), and physical activity on bone mass and strength development in children and adolescents. The best evidence is for positive effects of calcium intake and physical activity on bone mass and density. Good evidence was also available for positive effects of vitamin D and dairy consumption.
On the nature of fluctuations in turbulent Rayleigh–Bénard convection at large Prandtl numbers

We report experimental results for the power spectra, variance, skewness and kurtosis of temperature fluctuations in turbulent Rayleigh–Benard convection (RBC) of a fluid with Prandtl number in cylindrical samples with aspect ratios (diameter over height ) of 0.50 and 1.00. The measurements were primarily for the radial positions and . In both cases, data were obtained at several vertical locations . For all locations, there is a frequency range of about a decade over which the spectra can be described well by the power law . For all and , the value is less than one near the top and bottom plates and increases as or increase from 0.01 to 0.5. This differs from the finding for (He et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 112, 2014, 174501) and the expectation for the downstream velocity of turbulent wall-bounded shear flow (Rosenberg, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 731, 2013, pp. 46–63), where is found or expected in an inner layer ( ) near the wall but in the bulk. The variance is described better by a power law than by the logarithmic dependence found or expected for and for turbulent shear flow. For both , we found that, independent of Rayleigh number, near the sidewall ( ), where plumes primarily rise or fall and the large-scale circulation (LSC) dynamics is most influential. This result agrees with a model due to Priestley (Turbulent Transfer in the Lower Atmosphere, 1959, University of Chicago Press) for convection over a horizontal heated surface. However, we found along the sample centreline ( ), where there are relatively few plumes moving vertically and the LSC dynamics is expected to be less important; that result is consistent with one of two possible interpretations by Adrian (Intl J. Heat Mass Transfer, vol. 39, 1996, pp. 2303–2310) of a model due to Libchaber et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 204, 1989, pp. 1–30). We discuss the composite nature of fluctuations in turbulent RBC, with contributions from intrinsic background fluctuations, plumes, the stochastic dynamics of the LSC, and the sloshing and torsional mode of the LSC. None of the models advanced so far explicitly consider all of these contributions.
Singlet carbene stability: linear free energy analysis of substituent effects

The energies of a series of substituted methylene and methylcarbene singlet states were computed by quantum mechanical calculations at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVDZ//M06-2X/cc-pVDZ level. Stabilization energies relative to singlet methylene were correlated with polarizability, polar and resonance Hammett sigma constants using multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that most of the carbenes gave rise to inverse polar effects. It is concluded that separation of polar and resonance effects via linear free energy methods (LFE) fails for singlet carbenes with substituents directly attached to carbene carbons.
Off-label use of the Angioseal vascular closure device for femoral arteriotomy: retrospective analysis of safety and efficacy

Background Angioseal, an arteriotomy closure device (ACD), functions as a collagen plug that physically closes arteriotomy sites and can simultaneously induce platelet activation and aggregation. When used ‘on-label’, the safety and efficacy profile of Angioseal is superior compared with those of other ACDs. However, Angioseal is sometimes deployed in less than ideal situations. Therefore, we sought to assess the safety and efficacy of ‘off-label’ Angioseal use in patients undergoing femoral arteriotomies. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all femoral arterial angiograms executed at our institution between 2008 and 2014. Patients whose femoral punctures did not fit the criteria for on-label Angioseal use were included, and were dichotomized based on vascular closure (off-label Angioseal vs manual compression). Results Of the 521 patients (1023 angiograms) reviewed, 303 (58.2%) patients had off-label Angioseal groin punctures. Mean patient age was 46.2±14.0 years, and 113 were men. 234 patients (77%) had off-label Angioseal deployment while 69 (22%) individuals received manual pressure, serving as controls. Demographic and procedural variables were nearly identical between the two groups but the Angioseal group comprised mostly patients that underwent neurointerventional procedures and thus received intraprocedural heparinization (41%) more often than the manual compression group (19%). The overall rate of major complications associated with off-label Angioseal deployment was low ( Conclusions Off-label use of Angioseal was found to be safe and was not associated with an increased complication rate in our cohort.
Smad4 regulates growth plate matrix production and chondrocyte polarity

Smad4 is an intracellular effector of the TGFβ family that has been implicated in Myhre syndrome, a skeletal dysplasia characterized by short stature, brachydactyly and stiff joints. The TGFβ pathway also plays a critical role in the development, organization and proliferation of the growth plate, although the exact mechanisms remain unclear. Skeletal phenotypes in Myhre syndrome overlap with processes regulated by the TGFβ pathway, including organization and proliferation of the growth plate and polarity of the chondrocyte. We used in vitro and in vivo models of Smad4 deficiency in chondrocytes to test the hypothesis that deregulated TGFβ signaling leads to aberrant extracellular matrix production and loss of chondrocyte polarity. Specifically, we evaluated growth plate chondrocyte polarity in tibiae of Col2-Cre+/-;Smad4fl/fl mice and in chondrocyte pellet cultures. In vitro and in vivo, Smad4 deficiency decreased aggrecan expression and increased MMP13 expression. Smad4 deficiency disrupted the balance of cartilage matrix synthesis and degradation, even though the sequential expression of growth plate chondrocyte markers was intact. Chondrocytes in Smad4-deficient growth plates also showed evidence of polarity defects, with impaired proliferation and ability to undergo the characteristic changes in shape, size and orientation as they differentiated from resting to hypertrophic chondrocytes. Therefore, we show that Smad4 controls chondrocyte proliferation, orientation, and hypertrophy and is important in regulating the extracellular matrix composition of the growth plate.
Hybrid modeling and identification of jetting dynamics in electrohydrodynamic jet printing

Electrohydrodynamic jet printing (e-jet) is a micro additive manufacturing process in which polarizable liquid inks are extracted from a microcapillary nozzle by an electric field and deposited onto a substrate. This process can be broken into two discrete phases: build up to jetting, and jetting of material. This decomposition allows e-jet to be modeled as a hybrid dynamical system. In order to develop a single model with both discrete phases, knowledge of their continuous dynamics and the transition condition between them is needed. This paper proposes and empirically verifies a physics-based inequality on cone angle for modeling the transitions between phases. Additionally, a practical model of the continuous jetting dynamics is generated from measurements taken using high speed video of the e-jet process.
Dual Inhibitors: RAAS Blockers/Combination Therapies: What Do All These Trials Mean?

Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) by administration of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) or a direct renin inhibitor (DRI) similarly reduces blood pressure (BP) when each is used as monotherapy in patients with hypertension. Both ACE inhibitors and ARBs also slow down the progressive decline in renal function, which marks renal injury, particularly in patients with diabetic nephropathy with the renoprotective effects of these drugs, in part, relating to their capacity to reduce protein excretion. Both ACE inhibitor and ARB therapy also decrease the high cardiovascular (CV) event rate common to high-risk cardiac patients. Moreover, ACE inhibitors and ARBs are both of proven benefit in forms of heart failure (HF) characterized by a reduced ejection fraction (EF).
Determinants of Student Satisfaction with Using Instructional Technology: The Role of Active Learning

When faced with the challenge of student engagement in the hospitality classroom, instructional technology can aid in the instructional design of an active classroom. The present study examines the...
Wittichenite Cu 3 BiS 3 : Synthesis and Physical Properties

Polycrystalline Cu3BiS3 was synthesized and densified using hot pressing in order to investigate the physical properties of this material. Both the thermal conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient of Cu3BiS3 are reported for the first time in order to investigate the thermoelectric properties of this material. The ultralow thermal conductivity coupled with the relatively high Seebeck coefficient, 0.17 W/m-K and 540 μV/K at room temperature, respectively, suggest Cu3BiS3 may show promise for thermoelectric applications.
The Role of Actor Capability in (Re)Defining Technology Affordances: The Case of Open Innovation Platform

Scholars have strived for more than two decades to understand and conceptualized technology affordances. While some claim that affordances should be at the core of the HCI discipline, there is limited consensus regarding how to define and operationalized this concept. In recent developments in the IS literature, perceived affordances are operationalized as the relationship between the actor’s goal and the technology’s features. In this research, we refine the concept of affordances by incorporating the new factor of ‘actor capability’ and test this claim by introducing and validating a three-way interaction between goal, capability, and feature in an open innovation context. Our contribution provides a more nuanced yet powerful way of understanding technology affordances from both theoretical and practical perspectives.
The Legacy of Jephthah’s Daughter: Chastity, Sacrifice, and Feminine Complaint in Chaucer's Franklin’s and Physician’s Tales

“Thanne yif me leyser, fader myn,” quod she. “My deeth for to compleyne a litel space”; For pardee, Jepte yaf his doghter grace For to compleyne, er he hir slow, allas! Chaucer, Physician’s Tale 1 irginia alludes to the biblical tale of Jephthah’s daughter as she comes to terms with her own impending death in Chaucer’s Physician’s Tale. By adding this brief biblical reference, as Sandra Pierson Prior contends, Chaucer characterizes his revision of the story of Virginius and Virginia not as a moral tale about justice or virginity but as the tale of “a daughter sacrificed by her father.” 2 This reference to a father’s sacrifice of his daughter, however, does not simply link Virginia to her unfortunate biblical counterpart; Virginia’s allusion also emphasizes the connection between Virginia and Dorigen, the central figure of the Franklin’s Tale and another female character who needs to “compleyne a litel space” about a fate she cannot control. Dorigen and Virginia are united by their positions as objects of male-sanctioned sac rifice. Like Jephthah’s daughter, both of these female characters mourn their fates knowing that they are powerless to change them. Likewise, they become victims of violence, either physically or psychologically, at the hands of men who ostensibly care for them. For each character, the moment of feminine complaint provides her only freedom from confine ment within social situations that endorse the violent subjugation of women. However fleeting, this moment of complaint allows both char acters to free themselves from the binds of patriarchal power structures. Dorigen and Virginia, like many of Chaucer’s women, exist within a context of socially accepted gendered violence. Although this violent
Gender, Race, and Disability Disparities in Who Is Subject to School Corporal Punishment

The CRDC data on school corporal punishment summarized above are collected as part of OCR’s mandate to ensure that no protected groups of students are being discriminated against in the public schools. As noted in Chap. 2, the CRDC is conducted to monitor possible discrimination in educational practices by race, gender, and disability status (Office for Civil Rights in Regulations enforced by the Office for Civil Rights, 2011).
Assessment of an Anesthesiology Academic Department Mentorship Program

Background Mentorship is perceived as important for academic department development. The purpose of this study was to survey physicians in an academic anesthesiology department before and after the initiation of a formal mentorship program to evaluate the impact of the program over a 1-year period. Methods The effectiveness of establishing a mentorship program to promote career advancement was prospectively and anonymously evaluated by 52 anesthesiologists in an academic, tertiary care facility with a large residency program (>130 residents). We asked these physicians to complete a questionnaire on mentorship 2 weeks prior to and 3 months and 12 months after the establishment of the mentorship program. We used data from 26 (50%) participants who completed all 3 surveys to evaluate the impact of the formal mentorship program. Results Baseline survey results revealed that the majority of anesthesiologists (71%) in our academic, tertiary care facility believed that mentoring was important/very important, but only 46% indicated that mentoring had been an important/very important contribution in their careers. Overall, the respondents9 ratings of mentorship importance over the 1-year period did not increase despite the establishment of a formal program. Conclusion We present the first known study that sequentially followed physician evaluations of mentorship importance after the establishment of a mentorship program within an academic anesthesiology department. Study participants considered allotted, structured time for the mentors and mentees to focus on mentorship activities as necessary to provide the best opportunity for program success according to the general informal consensus of the participants in the study.