cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative analysis of remotely-sensed data products via ecological niche modeling of avian influenza case occurrences in Middle Eastern poultry

Ecological niche modeling integrates known sites of occurrence of species or phenomena with data on environmental variation across landscapes to infer environmental spaces potentially inhabited (i.e., the ecological niche) to generate predictive maps of potential distributions in geographic space. Key inputs to this process include raster data layers characterizing spatial variation in environmental parameters, such as vegetation indices from remotely sensed satellite imagery. The extent to which ecological niche models reflect real-world distributions depends on a number of factors, but an obvious concern is the quality and content of the environmental data layers. We assessed ecological niche model predictions of H5N1 avian flu presence quantitatively within and among four geographic regions, based on models incorporating two means of summarizing three vegetation indices derived from the MODIS satellite. We evaluated our models for predictive ability using partial ROC analysis and GLM ANOVA to compare performance among indices and regions. We found correlations between vegetation indices to be high, such that they contain information that overlaps broadly. Neither the type of vegetation index used nor method of summary affected model performance significantly. However, the degree to which model predictions had to be transferred (i.e., projected onto landscapes and conditions not represented on the landscape of training) impacted predictive strength greatly (within-region model predictions far out-performed models projected among regions). Our results provide the first quantitative tests of most appropriate uses of different remotely sensed data sets in ecological niche modeling applications. While our testing did not result in a decisive "best" index product or means of summarizing indices, it emphasizes the need for careful evaluation of products used in modeling (e.g. matching temporal dimensions and spatial resolution) for optimum performance, instead of simple reliance on large numbers of data layers.
“YOU Were Adopted?!”: Microaggressions Toward Adolescent Adopted Individuals in Same-Race Families

This study delineated a microaggressions typology and corresponding intensity levels that occur to adopted adolescents. The microaggressions framework by Sue et al. was adapted to identify this adoptive microaggression typology. Interviews with 153 (males = 79, females = 74) non-Latino/a White adolescent adopted individuals in same-race families were analyzed. Thematic analysis was used to discover 16 themes: (a) Silence, (b) Overly Intrusive Questions, (c) Assumption of Bionormativity, (d) Recurring Confusion/Ignorance, (e) In-House Divisions, (f) Public “Outing,” (g) Using Adoption, (h) Questioning Authenticity, (i) Unacknowledged Identity Status, (j) Spokesperson for Adoption, (k) Adoptees as Nonnormative, (l) Sensitivity, (m) Negative Stereotypes about Birth parents, (n) Adoptees as Orphans, (o) Negative Societal Portrayal of Adoption, and (p) Other. Implications for theory and practice are provided.
The Use of an Electrically Activated Valve to Control Preload and Provide Maximal Muscle Blood Flow with a Skeletal-Muscle Ventricle

A new method for optimally loading a skeletal muscle-wrapped pouch to act as a blood pump is described. The method takes advantage of the fact that the high preload pressure required for a forceful contraction needs to be present for only a short time. By using an electrically controlled valve to delay pouch filling until just before muscle contraction, pouch diastolic pressure can be kept low, which in turn maintains a high muscle capillary blood flow. The intrapouch precontraction pressure can be controlled by selecting the appropriate valve-open time (VOT). The pumping capabilities of untrained rectus abdominis and latissimus dorsi muscles were evaluated using a hydraulic circulatory system in a ten dog study (weight range 20-32.7 kg). The afterload was constant at 100 mmHg, and the pouch precontraction pressure, selected by choice of the VOT, was the test variable. It was found that for maximum pouch output, a precontraction pressure of 60-100 mmHg was required, being attained in this hydraulic model with a VOT of 400-500 msec. Typical pouch outputs were 400-600 mL/min with a muscle contraction rate of 40/min. Muscle capillary blood flow, measured with a periarterial electromagnetic flowmeter, varied inversely with pouch diastolic pressure and was near zero during tetanic muscle contraction. In one animal, a pouch output of 200 mL/min or more was maintained for more than 20 hours of continuous pumping without fatigue. In a related experiment, the method was applied to pump blood in a 32.7 kg dog, in which the muscle-wrapped pouch was connected between the descending thoracic aorta and the abdominal aorta. A pouch output of about 400 mL/min was obtained when the muscle was contracted 30 times/min and the VOT was 400 msec. This flow represented about 20% of the animal's cardiac output. This study demonstrates that by delaying pouch filling until just before the muscle is to be contracted, a low pouch diastolic pressure can be maintained, thereby maximizing muscle capillary blood flow and, in turn, providing the best opportunity for prolonged pumping.
Quantitative PET measurements of myocardial blood flow in young, healthy volunteers what should we expect?

Sdringola et al. ([1][1]) in this issue of iJACC address an issue of considerable importance, both for clinical and for research applications concerning positron emission tomography (PET) measurements of absolute myocardial blood flow (MBF). In brief, they attempted what at first blush seems a
A task-based parallelism and vectorized approach to 3D Method of Characteristics (MOC) reactor simulation for high performance computing architectures

Abstract In this study we present and analyze a formulation of the 3D Method of Characteristics (MOC) technique applied to the simulation of full core nuclear reactors. Key features of the algorithm include a task-based parallelism model that allows independent MOC tracks to be assigned to threads dynamically, ensuring load balancing, and a wide vectorizable inner loop that takes advantage of modern SIMD computer architectures. The algorithm is implemented in a set of highly optimized proxy applications in order to investigate its performance characteristics on CPU, GPU, and Intel Xeon Phi architectures. Speed, power, and hardware cost efficiencies are compared. Additionally, performance bottlenecks are identified for each architecture in order to determine the prospects for continued scalability of the algorithm on next generation HPC architectures.
A rare earthquake sequence in the Kobuk Trench, northwestern Alaska

abstract Four moderate earthquakes in the magnitude of 4 to 5 range occurred in the Kobuk Trench of northwestern Alaska during October 1980. This is a characteristically aseismic area. All foci were of shallow depth, and focal mechanism solutions from the three largest events are consistent in indicating right-lateral displacement on a fault trending WNW-ESE. This would be in agreement with mapped faults of Quaternary age in the area.
Assessing Historical Archaeology Site Significance in Cultural Resource Management

Archaeologists conducting cultural resource management studies are often confronted with unique challenges in assessing the significance of historic archaeological sites. Archaeological sites datin...
Comparison of bacteriolysis, passive hemolysis, and bacterial adherence colony formation for detecting antibody-forming cells.

SummaryThree procedures were compared in a study to determine the cytokinetics of antibody formation to the lipopolysaccharide antigen of Escherichia coli 0127:B8. A bacterial cytoadherence colony procedure, recently described for enumerating antibody-forming cells to Salmonella flagellin, was adapted to enumerate antibody-forming cells to E. coli. Antibody plaque procedures, using either viable E. coli or lipopolysaccharide-sensitized red cells as indicator targets, were also used. The bacterial cytoadherence procedure was more sensitive than the complement dependent plaque methods. Mice immunized with 50 μg of E. coli antigen had approximately 50,000 to 60,000 plaque-forming cells and over 130,000 colony-forming cells at the peak of the immune response 5 days after immunization. The first antibody forming cells were detected 24–48 hr after immunization. Normal mice had lower numbers of “background” antibody-forming cells. After a lag of 3 days serum antibody titers correlated with the appearance of anti...
Imperfection in Paradise: Reading Genesis 2 through the Lens of Disability and a Theology of Limits

Genesis 2 has been interpreted from many angles, but rarely through the lens of disability studies. Such a reading, however, provides a necessary corrective to interpretations that import into the text idealistic notions of bodily perfection and thereby inadvertently disenfranchise those with disabilities. By attending to the range of bodily experiences and the fluidity of embodied existence, this article seeks to shed new light on Genesis 2 and on the wider task of theological anthropology. More specifically, reading Genesis 2 with and for those with disabilities lifts up three essential themes in the text that all express human limitation as a good aspect of God’s creation: embodiment, imperfection, and relationship.
Characterization of Ultrasound-Potentiated Fibrinolysis In Vitro

We have characterized the effects of ultrasound on fibrinolysis in vitro to investigate the mechanism of ultrasonic potentiation of fibrinolysis and to identify potentially useful ultrasound parameters for therapeutic application. Radiolabeled clots in thin walled tubes were exposed to ultrasound fields in a water bath at 37 degrees C, and lysis was measured by solubilization of radiolabel. Ultrasound accelerated lysis of plasma, whole blood, and purified fibrin clots mediated by recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA), urokinase, or streptokinase, but ultrasound by itself caused no clot solubilization. The degree of ultrasonic potentiation was dependent on plasminogen activator concentration, increasing from 2.2-fold at a streptokinase concentration of 75 U/mL to 5.5-fold at 250 U/mL in a 1 MHz ultrasound field at 4 W/cm2. Ultrasound exposure resulted in heating due to absorption by the plastic tube, but the temperature increase was insufficient to account for the increase in clot lysis rate, indicating that the primary effect was nonthermal. Ultrasound did not accelerate hydrolysis of a peptide substrate by rt-PA and did not alter the rate of plasmic degradation of fibrinogen, indicating that the augmentation of enzymatic fibrinolysis required the presence of a fibrin gel. The acceleration of fibrinolysis by ultrasound was greater at higher intensities and duty cycles and was maximum at frequencies between 1 and 2.2 MHz, but decreased at 3.4 MHz. These findings suggest that ultrasound accelerates enzymatic fibrinolysis by increasing transport of reactants through a cavitation-related mechanism.
Elucidating the Origin of the Attractive Force among Hydrophilic Macroions

Coarse-grained simulation approach is applied to provide a general understanding of various soluble, hydrophilic macroionic solutions, especially the strong attractions among the like-charged soluble macroions and the consequent spontaneous, reversible formation of blackberry structures with tunable sizes. This model captures essential molecular details of the macroions and their interactions in polar solvents. Results using this model provide consistent conclusions to the experimental observations, from the nature of the attractive force among macroions (counterion-mediated attraction), to the blackberry formation mechanism. The conclusions can be applied to various macroionic solutions from inorganic molecular clusters to dendrimers and biomacromolecules.
The Warp Can Create Involuntary Behaviors

If people temporarily prefer shortsighted alternatives on a regular basis, how do they talk about the experience? It's not something that's supposed to be happening. It not only makes us ineffective in following our own long-term plans, it puts us at risk of exploitation by people who find out what our temporary preferences are. Therefore we might be expected to try to keep it from happening, and when we can't, to conceal it, perhaps even from ourselves. How we try to prevent it is the main subject of this book, and I'll get to it in the next chapter. First we should examine how temporary preference actually feels, since this discussion may otherwise seem rather removed from real life. It will turn out that many diverse experiences that have been thought to require special mechanisms can be explained instead by hyperbolic discounting. ZONES OF DURATION OF TEMPORARY PREFERENCES First of all, a temporary preference probably produces different experiences, depending on how long it lasts. Very short ones might not be noticed as preferences, while very long ones might seem wholehearted and not temporary at all. Addictions If we start roughly in the middle – not seconds or years but hours or days – we can see the clearest examples, which lead to the common clinical tragedies as well as personal frustrations.
Electrochemical and Macromolecular Interactions at Red Blood Cell Surface

Red blood cells aggregate to form rouleaux in the presence of macro-molecules. Neutral and charged macromolecules were used to induce RBC aggregation quantified by microscopic observation. Variations of cell surface potential were achieved by the removal of RBC surface charge with neuraminidase treatment or by changing the ionic composition of the fluid medium. RBC aggregation by neutral polymer dextran is enhanced by removal of RBC surface charge and decreased by reduction of ionic strength. RBC aggregation by heparin requires the presence of sialic acids at cell surface and enhanced by reduction of ionic strength. It is concluded that the surface charge of RBCs plays a significant role in cell-to-cell interactions.
Blind multiuser detection for impulse radio UWB systems

The minimum variance (MV) technique minimizes output variance of a receiver subject to a constraint which guarantees no cancellation of the desired signal while interference is mitigated. It has been successfully applied to multiuser detection for a direct sequence code-division multiple access (CDMA) system even when multipath channel is unknown. Its applicability in multiple access ultra-wideband (UWB) systems is investigated in this paper. First, similarities between a time-hopping (TH) UWB system using pulse position modulation (PPM) and a multirate CDMA system are explored where a code matrix for each user can be defined based on its unique TH sequence, similar to a spreading code matrix in a CDMA system. Meanwhile, modulation delays are transformed to amplitudes of pulses, yielding a virtually linear model. After following MV optimization procedures, the desired signal can be detected from outputs of a bank of receivers.
Work and Family Research and Theory: Review and Analysis From an Ecological Perspective

This invited review examines major trends and developments in the work and family field from an ecological perspective. We examine how research has developed over the past several decades with attention to the ways in which dominant theories and empirical findings, couched in specific historical and social eras, have moved the field forward and addressed important questions, while also raising many more. We first examine theoretical paradigms and empirical work on the topic of work and family across the decades spanning from the 1960s to 2000. We then pay significant attention to the major theoretical and empirical foci of the 21st century based on an analysis of more than 300 of the top-rated work–family articles in the field. We close with a proposal for fruitful directions for future research and theory in the work and family field.
Health-related quality of life among military HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy.

Objective The aims of this study were: (i) to determine the factors associated with HRQOL at baseline in our cohort, and (ii) to evaluate if there are differences in baseline HRQOL measures by antiretroviral treatment. Methods The Short Form 36 (SF-36) was administered between 2006 and 2010 among members of the United States HIV Natural History Study cohort (NHS), and participants who completed the SF-36 were included in the study. Physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores were computed based on standard algorithms. Multivariate linear regression models were constructed for PCS and MCS to estimate the association between selected variables and HRQOL scores. Results Antiretroviral therapy (ART) was not independently associated with HRQOL scores. Factors associated with PCS were CD4+ count < 200 cells/mm3 (β = -5.84, 95% CI: -7.63, -4.06), mental comorbidity (β = -2.82, 95% CI: -3.79, -1.85), medical comorbidity (β = -2.51, 95% CI: -3.75, -1.27), AIDS diagnosis (β = -2.38, 95% CI: -3.79, -0.98). Others were gender, military rank, marital status, and age. Factors independently associated with MCS were CD4+ count < 200 cells/mm3 (β = -1.93, 95% CI: -3.85, -0.02), mental comorbidity (β = -6.25, 95% CI: -7.25, -5.25), age (β = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.60), and being African American (β = 1.55, 95% CI: 0.63, 2.47). Conclusion Among military active duty and beneficiaries with HIV, modifiable factors associated with HRQOL measures included advanced HIV disease, and mental or medical comorbidity. Addressing these factors may improve quality of life of HIV-infected individuals in the NHS cohort.
Personal Evolution in Thighplasty Techniques for Patients Following Massive Weight Loss

Background Lockwood described the importance of Colles' fascia anchoring in medial thighplasty to reduce morbidity associated with the procedure. However, this maneuver may still have complications including traumatic dissection, prolonged edema, and potential wound healing ramifications form increased tension. Alternatively, we suggest orienting tension in medial thighplasty for massive weight loss (MWL) patients in the horizontal vector rather than a vertical direction, negating the need for Colles' fascia anchoring. Objectives To compare the morbidities, complications, and outcomes between Colles' fascia suture fixation (CFSF) and horizontal vector fixation (HVF) in medial thighplasties in MWL patients. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on an Institutional Review Board approved database of MWL patients who had medial thighplasty between October 2004 and March 2014. Patient demographics and surgical outcomes were reviewed between those MWL patients with CFSF and HVF. Results Of 65 post-MWL patients, 26 (40.0%) patients were in the CFSF group, and 39 (60.0%) patients were in the HVF group. The 2 groups had statistically equivocal preoperative characteristics and comorbidities. Intraoperatively, the HVF group had increased use of barbed suture (92.3% vs 30.6%, P < 0.0001) and liposuction (71.8% vs 26.9%, P < 0.0001). Postoperatively, the HVF group had decreased incidence of infection (5.1% vs 23.0%, P = 0.051) and lymphocele/seroma (10.3% vs 34.6%, P = 0.0257). No statistical differences were observed for dehiscence, necrosis, or hematoma. Conclusions HVF for medial thighplasty in MWL patients is a safe and effective procedure, with a lower complication profile than CFSF. Furthermore, the incorporation of barbed sutures and/or liposuction may help to achieve optimal results. Level of Evidence 3.
Abstract 1182: A novel curcumin derivative inhibits active ras and its downstream pathway in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic Cancer’s (PC’s) 5-year survival rate of only 6.7% indicate the need to improve treatment modalities. Despite decades of research, current chemotherapy and radiation therapy regimens offer minimal or no help. It is critical to develop new agents for the effective management of PC. Given that Kras mutations initiate and maintain PC, inhibition of this pathway is widely considered a therapeutic target of exceptional importance. Our laboratory is currently exploring the chemotherapeutic efficacy of a novel Chemically-Modified Curcumin (CMC2.24) as a potential chemotherapeutic agent for PC. Preliminary studies have shown that CMC2.24 has higher bioavailability than curcumin, as shown in pharmacokinetic studies in rats, and inhibits PC growth in vitro and in vivo. However, the exact mechanism on how CMC2.24 reduces cell growth remains unidentified. The objective of this work was to determine the mechanism of CMC2.24 in PC. Using human PC MIA PaCa-2 and Panc-1 cell lines and pancreatic acinar explants from Kras mutant mice, we explored the effects of CMC2.24 on Ras activation, ERK phosphorylation, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial ATP production, and intrinsic apoptosis. In human PC MIA PaCa-2 cells CMC2.24 inhibited Ras activation by 90% (p This research was supported by the Stony Brook Cancer Center and a URECA Summer Grant. Citation Format: Naveen Mallangada, Gerardo G. Mackenzie. A novel curcumin derivative inhibits active ras and its downstream pathway in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1182. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1182
Ultrathin Polymer Films for Short-Pulse Laser-Driven Proton, Deuteron, and Carbon Ion Beams

Planar polymer targets are a fundamental component of high-energy-density (HED) laser experiments in which ion acceleration by high-intensity short-pulse lasers is being investigated. HED physics e...
Randomized clinical study of wear of enamel antagonists against polished monolithic zirconia crowns.

Abstract Objectives To test the hypothesis that there is no difference in the in vivo maximum wear of enamel opposing monolithic zirconia crowns, enamel opposing porcelain fused to metal crowns and enamel opposing enamel. Methods Thirty patients needing single crowns were randomized to receive either a monolithic zirconia or metal-ceramic crown. Two non-restored opposing teeth in the same quadrants were identified to serve as enamel controls. After cementation, quadrants were scanned for baseline data. Polyvinylsiloxane impressions were obtained and poured in white stone. Patients were recalled at six-months and one-year for re-impression. Stone models were scanned using a tabletop laserscanner to determine maximum wear. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U to determine any significant differences between the wear of enamel against zirconia and metal-ceramic crowns. Results Sixteen zirconia and 14 metal-ceramic crowns were delivered. There were no statistical differences in mean wear of crown types (p = 0.165); enamel antagonists (p = 0.235) and enamel controls (p = 0.843) after one year. Conclusion Monolithic zirconia exhibited comparable wear of enamel compared with metal-ceramic crowns and control enamel after one year. Significance This study is clinically significant because the use of polished monolithic zirconia demonstrated comparable wear of opposing enamel to metal-ceramic and enamel antagonists.
Wafer pattern classification and auto disposition by machine learning — James Lin

In order to increase bad wafer detection rate and reduce engineer trouble-shooting efforts, this work reports a combination of machine learning techniques to decode and extract the wafer map information from tool log via text mining, transform to useful virtual wafer images by image processing, auto wafer pattern classification by deep learning, and perform auto disposition (scrap, rework, add inspection, or waive) by flow chart based decision rules. 70% hold time can be reduced for certain hold codes, so that the engineers can focus on more valuable jobs rather than trouble-shooting.
Material Creep Behavior with Prediction of Tertiary Creep Failure by a Spherical Micro-indentation Method

In this research, material time-dependent behavior of Sn3.5Ag, Sn37Pb and Sn5Sb solder alloys were studied by a depth sensing micro-indentation method at room temperature. Stress exponent values were determined through a constant loading process utilizing a spherical micro indentation method, where the strain rate is extracted from the indentation rate. The measured stress exponent values are in good agreement with conventional creep experiments. Utilizing a multiple loading and partial unloading micro-indentation testing procedure, time-dependent stiffness changes of these materials could be measured. This continuous stiffness responses during a creep test can be correlated to test material’s microstructural changes during creep, therefore making it capable to predict onset of tertiary creep failure. Test results show a correlation between measured continuous stiffness response and creep damage with the capability to predict the onset of tertiary stage.
Revision of the genus Callipia Guenée, 1858 (Lepidoptera, Geometridae), with the description of 15 new taxa

The vividly coloured Neotropical genus Callipia Guenee (1858) (Lepidoptera Linnaeus, 1758, Geometridae (Leach, 1815), Larentiinae (Leach, 1815), Stamnodini Forbes, 1948) is revised and separated into four species groups, according to a provisional phylogeny based on Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) gene data and morphology. Fourteen new species are described using COI data and morphology: a) in the balteata group: C. fiedleri sp. nov., C. jakobi sp. nov., C. lamasi sp. nov.; b) in the vicinaria group: C. hausmanni sp. nov., C. walterfriedlii sp. nov.; c) in the parrhasiata group: C. augustae sp. nov., C. jonai sp. nov., C. karsholti sp. nov., C. levequei sp. nov., C. milleri sp. nov., C. sihvoneni sp. nov., C. wojtusiaki sp. nov. and d) in the constantinaria group: C. hiltae sp. nov., C. rougeriei sp. nov. One new subspecies is described: C. wojtusiaki septentrionalis subsp. nov. Two species are revived from synonymy: C. intermedia Dognin, 1914 stat. rev. and C. occulta Warren, 1904 stat. rev. The taxon hamaria Sperry, 1951 is transferred from being a junior synonym of C. constantinaria Oberthur, 1881 to being a junior synonym of C. occulta stat. rev. The taxon admirabilis Warren, 1904 is confirmed as being a junior synonym of C. paradisea Thierry-Mieg, 1904. The taxon languescens Warren, 1904 is confirmed as being a junior synonym of C. rosetta , Thierry-Mieg, 1904 and the taxon confluens Warren, 1905 is confirmed as being a junior synonym of C. balteata Warren, 1905. The status of the remaining species is not changed: C. aurata Warren, 1904, C. brenemanae Sperry, 1951, C. parrhasiata Guenee, 1858, C. flagrans Warren, 1904, C. fulvida Warren, 1907 and C. vicinaria Dognin. All here recognised 26 species are illustrated and the available molecular genetic information of 25 species, including Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) for most of the taxa is provided. The almost threefold increase from 10 to 26 valid species shows that species richness of tropical moths is strongly underestimated even in relatively conspicuous taxa. Callipia occurs from medium to high elevations in wet parts of the tropical and subtropical Andes from Colombia to northern Argentina. The early stages and host plants are still unknown.
Prognostic significance of pretreatment total lymphocyte count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer.

Abstract Background We evaluated pretreatment total lymphocyte count (TLC, marker of immunosuppression), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR, marker of inflammation), and overall survival (OS) in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). Methods Pretreatment blood characteristics, age, sex, performance status, race, stage (M1a vs. M1b), number and location of metastases, weight loss, smoking status, chemotherapy cycles ( Results Pretreatment TLC was below normal ( 4.0 (9.4 vs. 13.9 months). Multivariate analysis identified low TLC (hazard ratio [HR] 0.734, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.565–0.955, P = 0.021) and high NLR (HR 1.521, 95% CI 1.172–1.976, P = 0.002) as predicting inferior survival. Age (>63 y), sex (male), performance status (≥2), chemotherapy cycles ( Conclusions Pretreatment TLC and NLR may be useful for stratifying patients with ES-SCLC for treatment approaches.
Abstract 19664: Pharmacological Induction of Torpor/Hypothermia as a Novel Strategy for Improving Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation Outcomes

Introduction: Torpor is the process by which some small species of animals induce a state of hypo-metabolism/hypothermia by decreasing their metabolic rate in order to increase their chances of survival during periods of increased environmental stress. Recently it has been demonstrated that a state of torpor can be induced rapidly and reversibly by 5’adenosine monophosphate (5’AMP) injection in mice. We hypothesized that torpor induction by 5’AMP is a promising therapy for reducing ischemic cellular injury and improving survival following sudden cardiac arrest. Methods and Results: C57BL/6 wild type mice injected intraperitoneal with 0.5 mg/g or 0.7 mg/g 5’AMP demonstrated a rapid lowering of core body temperature from 37°C to 32°C within 20 minutes and reached a nadir of 28°C by 60 minutes. The duration of this effect was dose dependent lasting 2.5 hours (0.5 mg/g) and 3.5 hours (0.7 mg/g). Mice remained awake but were lethargic during this time, showed no ill effects, and completely recovered following treatment. Next, we tested 5’AMP pre-treatment in a murine model of asystolic cardiac arrest. Anesthetized and ventilated adult female C57BL/6 wild-type mice were injected 30 min prior to cardiac arrest (CA) with 5’AMP or PBS (control). Mice underwent a 16 min KCl-induced CA followed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 5’AMP (0.5mg/g) treated mice demonstrated improved myocardial function (%Fractional Shortening (%FS), 45% vs. 28%) and increased survival (100% vs. 30% at 2 hours, n=10, p Conclusions: Induction of torpor by 5’AMP is protective against ischemic injury and improves survival following sudden cardiac arrest. Torpor induction is promising as a therapeutic strategy for improving post-cardiac arrest outcomes.
A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF SURFACE OXIDE PRODUCED BY REACTION OF CARBON AND CARBON DIOXIDE

The paper records some preliminary experiments on the formation and removal of surface oxide on carbon at temperatures below 600°C. The equilibrium constant and heat of reaction for the system Cf + CO2 ⇋2 C(O) + CO are given for the case where reactor grade graphite is the experimental material. The nature and stability of surface oxides on a number of carbons are discussed; the influence of surface oxide on carbon gasification rates, nitrogen surface areas and the gas contents of carbons is outlined.
Learning Bayesian Knowledge Tracing Parameters with a Knowledge Heuristic and Empirical Probabilities

Student modeling is an important component of ITS research because it can help guide the behavior of a running tutor and help researchers understand how students learn. Due to its predictive accuracy, interpretability and ability to infer student knowledge, Corbett & Anderson’s Bayesian Knowledge Tracing is one of the most popular student models. However, researchers have discovered problems with some of the most popular methods of fitting it. These problems include: multiple sets of highly dissimilar parameters predicting the data equally well (identifiability), local minima, degenerate parameters, and computational cost during fitting. Some researchers have proposed new fitting procedures to combat these problems, but are more complex and not completely successful at eliminating the problems they set out to prevent. We instead fit parameters by estimating the mostly likely point that each student learned the skill, developing a new method that avoids the above problems while achieving similar predictive accuracy.
Construction of cloning-friendly minigenes for mammalian expression of full-length human NF1 isoforms

The neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) tumor suppressor gene is one of the most frequently mutated genes in human tumors. Research on the NF1 proteins has been partially hindered by the difficulties in cloning and propagating the full-length coding cDNAs. We have now established a condition for propagating the natural open reading frames (ORFs) and have assembled the ORFs for human NF1 type 1 and 2 isoforms. Furthermore, we were able to eliminate the cDNA cloning toxicity by introducing a mini-intron. These NF1 minigenes were expressed similarly to the intronless version and could be used to purify full-length NF1 proteins. The NF1 isoforms expressed from the minigenes showed Ras-GAP activity in vivo and in vitro, while the type 1 was more potent. Our constructs expand currently available full-length NF1 constructs and should be valuable tools in expediting the understanding of NF1, particularly the isoform-specific functions and regulation.
Integrating Scientific English into Biological Sciences PhD Programs in Developing Countries: Strategies from Trainees and Mentor

Successful researchers in the biological sciences communicate their work to a global audience and must do so in English to be widely recognized and cited. This applies equally to scientific talks, posters, and published articles; thus, scientific English must be prioritized in nonnative English-speaking (NNES) academic institutions to prepare their trainees for successful careers. Here, we propose strategies for integrating scientific English into PhD programs operating in NNES countries. Many graduate students from NNES countries strive for an international career and encounter English as an important barrier. Based on our own experiences as NNES postdoctoral fellows at a US institution, or as a US mentor of these trainees, we contend that conventional learning processes at home institutions do not sufficiently prioritize scientific English as the medium for regular discussions of laboratory-generated data. Principal investigators, mentors, and supervisors are key in promoting English language usage as a structured component of PhD training. If these stakeholders routinely integrate English training and education within the research laboratory program, graduates will be equipped to pursue international academic careers. The ideas presented here are intended for NNES PhD students (and their mentors) who seek an international scientific career in the biological sciences.
Modeling inter-particle magnetic correlations in magnetite nanoparticle assemblies using x-ray magnetic scattering data

Magnetic nanoparticles are increasingly used in nanotechnologies and biomedical applications, such as drug targeting, MRI, bio-separation. Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles stand to be effective in these roles due to the non-toxic nature of magnetite and its ease of manufacture. To be more effective in these applications, a greater understanding of the magnetic behavior of a collection of magnetite nanoparticles is needed. This research seeks to discover the local magnetic ordering of ensembles of magnetite nanoparticles occurring under various external fields. To complete this study, we use x-ray resonant magnetic scattering (XRMS). Here we discuss the modeling of the magnetic scattering data using a one-dimensional chain of nanoparticles with a mix of ferromagnetic, anti-ferromagnetic, and random orders. By fitting the model to the experimental data, we extracted information about the magnetic correlations in the nanoparticle assembly.
Ethnic and Racial Prejudice Across the Life Span

Race and ethnicity are factors that inform individuals’ social and psychological experiences across the life span. Yet, issues related to ethnic or racial prejudice may manifest in qualitatively distinct ways in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. In this chapter, we first provide an overview and conceptualization of prejudice and how it is related to attitudes and behaviors. We then review five ways in which ethnic and racial prejudice can be expressed: dehumanization, stereotypes, stereotype threat, discrimination and microaggressions, and skin colorism – focusing on how these experiences negatively impact ethnically and racially marginalized individuals from childhood through adulthood. In doing so, we explicitly note the ages or developmental periods represented in the studies reviewed throughout this chapter. We then briefly discuss two key promotive and protective mechanisms that have been a focus of studies in multiple developmental periods: ethnic-racial coping and ethnic-racial identity. We conclude with notes regarding areas of the literature in need of clarification or extension.
Exercise improves adiposopathy, insulin sensitivity and metabolic syndrome severity independent of intensity.

NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? What are the effects of work-matched continuous versus high-intensity interval training for 2 weeks on adiposopathy and cardiometabolic risk in obese adults with prediabetes? What is the main finding and its importance? Independent of intensity, short-term exercise improves adiposopathy and insulin sensitivity. While both exercise intensities reduced fasting leptin concentrations and metabolic syndrome severity, only interval training elevated total adiponectin. In contrast to previous work, neither condition altered high-molecular weight adiponectin. Collectively, these data suggest that short-term exercise can improve adipokine profiles, which may aid in reducing cardiometabolic risk prior to clinically meaningful weight loss in adults with prediabetes. ABSTRACT Individuals with prediabetes who are overweight and obese are at an increased risk of developing endocrine disruption of fat tissue, known as adiposopathy. While short-term exercise improves adipokine profiles, the effects of exercise intensity when matched for energy expenditure on adiposopathy are unknown. We hypothesized that high-intensity exercise would elicit greater changes in adiposopathy compared to moderate exercise. Twenty-eight overweight and obese adults (age: 60.9 ± 8.4 years; BMI: 33.0 ± 5.4 kg m-2 ) with prediabetes were randomized to twelve 60-min sessions of either moderate-continuous (CONT; n = 14) or high-intensity interval (INT; n = 14) exercise training. Total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin and leptin were collected to assess adiposopathy (ratio of total adiponectin to leptin; A/L). Insulin sensitivity (SIIS ) was determined using a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test before and after training. Cardiometabolic risk factors were measured and a z-score was calculated to determine metabolic syndrome (MetS) severity. CONT and INT increased A/L (P < 0.01) and decreased leptin (P < 0.01) and MetS severity (P = 0.04). Neither intervention altered circulating levels of HMW adiponectin (P = 0.76) and only INT increased total adiponectin levels (P = 0.02). Both intensities increased insulin sensitivity (P < 0.01), which was associated with improvements in A/L (r = 0.47, P = 0.01). Additionally, increases in A/L tended to relate to decreased MetS severity (r = -0.36, P = 0.09). Short-term exercise intensity, when matched for energy expenditure, does not differentially affect improvements in adiposopathy in overweight and obese adults with prediabetes. Further, 12 bouts of exercise improved insulin sensitivity and MetS severity, suggesting that improving adipokine profiles may aid in reducing cardiometabolic risk.
Fenpropathrin resistance in Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama: risk assessment and changes in expression of CYP and GST genes associated with resistance

Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), populations exhibit varying levels of resistance to several insecticide classes, including pyrethroids. Artificial laboratory ...
Richard Bradley’s A Short Historical Account of Coffee (1715) and The Virtue and Use of Coffee (1721)

Richard Bradley published A Short Historical Account of Coffee in 1715, an extremely rare book of which only three copies are known. A revised version of the book, entitled The Virtue and Use of Coffee, was published in 1721. Bradley’s 1714 trip to the Physic Garden in Amsterdam, where he examined two coffee trees, led to his two coffee books, whose similarities and differences, including the evolution of the two different coffee engravings, are discussed in detail. This article reveals insights into the milieu in which Bradley lived, his interactions with other members of the Royal Society, and the reasons why his 1715 book is so rare. The various introductions of coffee plants to England in the late 17th and early 18th century are discussed, as well as Bradley’s skirmish with James Douglas, who was critical of Bradley’s coffee work.
Analytical modeling of the evolution of the nonlinearity parameter of sensitized stainless steel

Austenitic stainless steels are subject to the precipitation of chromium carbides (M23C6) during exposure to high temperatures, causing these alloys to be susceptible to intergranular corrosion due to chromium depletion along grain boundaries. The acoustic nonlinearity parameter, β, shows sensitivity to the formation of carbides in these alloys. The Thermo-Calc TC-PRISMA module was used to model the nucleation and growth of grain boundary M23C6 carbides. The model was verified with scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis that allowed measurements of the grain boundary precipitates. The paper introduces a reduced-order model of the acoustic nonlinearity based on the formation of misfit dislocations at the interface of the grain boundary precipitate and matrix to explain the change in β during isothermal aging. A direct relationship between the radius of the M23C6 grain boundary carbides and β was observed and verified with nonlinear ultrasound measurements on 304L and 316L stainless steels.
Autonomous Navigation and Localization of a Quadrotor in an Indoor Environment

This paper describes an inertial navigation and vanishing point methodology that has been implemented using artificially placed landmarks and the sensors on board a quadrotor for autonomous navigation in a Global-Positioning-System-denied known, indoor environment. The drift in yaw was regulated using a downward-facing camera, and landmarks were placed at strategic locations. The heading was determined by the vanishing point in the image sensed by the forward-facing camera, which also helped to reduce the number of landmarks necessary for autonomous flight. The results presented in this paper suggest that the data from onboard inertial measurement units, combined with the localization method described in this paper, are sufficient to achieve autonomous indoor navigation.
An analysis of mechanisms underlying the antifibrinolytic properties of radiographic contrast agents.

Background: Radiographic contrast agents inhibit fibrinolysis, although by poorly defined path- ways. The purpose of this study was to define specific mechanisms by which contrast agents inhibit clot lysis. Methods and Results: Diatrizoate (high osmolar ionic agent), ioxaglate (low osmolar ionic), and ioversol (nonionic) were studied in vitro. Diatrizoate inhibited clot lysis by 81.3 � 0.6% vs. control (p 0.3). Inhibition of fibrinolysis was not explained by the high osmolarities of contrast agents, by their iodine content, or by their effects on the amidolytic activities of t-PA, urokinase, or plasmin. However, plasminogen activation by t-PA, urokinase, or streptokinase was significantly inhibited by contrast agents. Diatrizoate, ioxaglate, and ioversol inhibited plasminogen binding to plasma clots by 51 � 4% (p < 0.001), 30.1 � 4% (p < 0.01), and 19.4 � 7% (p ¼ 0.07), respectively. Plasma clots formed in the presence of contrast agents were resistant to lysis by plasmin. Diatrizoate produced the most potent effect, inhibiting clot lysis by 40 � 5.7% (p < 0.03). Contrast agents did not inhibit plasminogen binding to fibrin or plasmin-mediated fibrinolysis if they were added after clot formation. Contrast agents altered clot turbidity, an index of fibrin structure, if present during clot formation, but not if added to preformed clots. Contrast agents did not affect plasminogen acti- vator inhibitor-1 or a2-antiplasmin function. Conclusions: Contrast agents inhibit clot lysis by inhibiting plasminogen activation and by disrupting interactions of plasminogen and plasmin with fibrin by altering fibrin structure. Significant variation in anti- fibrinolytic properties exists between different contrast agents. Abbreviated Abstract. The purpose of this study was to define specific mechanisms by which contrast agents inhibit clot lysis. In both a purified clot lysis system and a plasma clot lysis system, diatrizoate, an ionic agent, produced the most potent inhibition of fibrino- lysis. Contrast agents did not inhibit the active sites of plasminogen activators or plasmin, but did inhibit plasminogen activation. Binding of plasminogen to fibrin and lysis of fibrin by plasmin were inhibited by contrast agents if they were present during clot forma- tion, but not if they were added after clot formation was complete. Contrast agents altered clot turbidity, an index of fibrin structure, if present during clot forma- tion, but not if added to preformed clots. Contrast agents did not affect plasminogen activator inhibitor- 1o ra2-antiplasmin function. The effects of contrast agents on fibrinolytic parameters were not explained by their high osmolarities. These results suggest that contrast agents inhibit clot lysis by inhibiting plasmi- nogen activation and by disrupting interactions of plasminogen and plasmin with fibrin by altering fibrin structure.
Vascular Atlas Formation Using a Vessel-to-Image Affine Registration Method

We have developed a method for forming vascular atlases using vascular distance maps and a novel vascular model-to-image registration method. Our atlas formation process begins with MR or CT angiogram data from a set of subjects. We extract blood vessels from those data using our tubular object segmentation method. One subject’s vascular network model is then chosen as a template, and its vascular distance map (DM) image is computed. Each of the remaining vascular network models is then registered with the DM template using our vascular model-to-image affine registration method. The DM images from the registered vascular models are then computed. The mean and variance images formed from those registered DM images are the vascular atlas. In this paper we apply the atlas formation process to build atlases of normal brain and liver vasculature. We use Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate the reliability of the underlying registration method. Additionally, we explain the clinical potential of those atlases and conduct z-score analyses to compare individuals with the atlases to detect abnormal vessels.
Semi-classical calculation of the number of photons emitted by a relativistic neutrino with mass and magnetic moment passing through a transverse magnetic field

A classical calculation, modified by Compton-recoil kinematics, of the radiation emitted by a relativistic neutrino with mass and a magnetic moment passing through a transverse magnetic field. The calculation is performed in the neutrinos rest frame by the method of virtual quanta. The total number N of virtual quanta scattered by the neutrino is determined. The semi-classical result for the analog of the Klein-Nishina formula is compared with a QED calculation of the photon scattering cross section. The different angular distributions, both strongly peaked, lead to a factor of two difference between the QED and semi-classical results for N.