cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
West Nile viral encephalitis mimicking hepatic encephalopathy.

West Nile encephalitis (WNE) has become endemic in the United States since 1999. The clinical spectrum of WNE includes aseptic meningitis, meningoencephalitis, or encephalitis with or without flaccid paralysis. The severity of WNE ranges from asymptomatic serum conversion to severe neurologic deficits or a fatal outcome. Several systemic disorders may present with encephalitis as part of the clinical presentation, for example, Legionnaires’ disease, neoplasms with metastases to the central nervous system, Mycoplasma meningoencephalitis, brucellosis, Listeria, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and malaria. The most common infectious causes of encephalitis that need to be differentiated from WNE include herpes simplex virus 1, meningoencephalitis, and enteroviral meningoencephalitis. We present a case of apparent hepatic encephalopathy secondary to pancreatic carcinoma with liver involvement that presented as hepatic encephalopathy mimicking WNE. We conclude that patients presenting with encephalitis in the summer months should have serum/cerebrospinal fluid serologic studies sent for WNE even if an alternate explanation seems to explain the clinical syndrome.
The Response of Susceptible Chickens to Graded Doses of the Virus of Visceral Lymphomatosis

Abstract IT HAS been repeatedly demonstrated (Furth, 1935; Furth and Breedis, 1935; Burmester et al., 1946; Burmester and Cottral, 1947; Burmester and Denington, 1947; Burmester, 1947; Burmester and Gentry, 1954a,b,c) that visceral lymphomatosis, which is also included under the term lymphocytoma (Feldman and Olson, 1952) may be routinely transmitted by the intraperitoneal injection of inoculums rendered cell-free by various methods, including filtration through bacteria retaining filters. Other characteristics common to viruses such as inactivation at low temperatures and by a low concentration of formaldehyde (Burmester, 1952) and the stimulation of antibodies (Burmester, 1955) were also found to be properties of the causative agent of visceral lymphomatosis. Transmission has also been obtained by the use of tracheal, nasal, cloacal, conjunctival, oral, and aerogenic routes of exposure (Burmester and Gentry, 1954b). It was further demonstrated (Burmester and Gentry, 1954a) that contact transmission, which occurs when inoculated and noninoculated chicks are brooded together, was …
Three-dimensional Structure of the Vacuolar ATPase Proton Channel by Electron Microscopy

Vacuolar ATPases are ATP hydrolysis-driven proton pumps found in the endomembrane system of eucaryotic cells where they are involved in pH regulation. We have determined the three-dimensional structure of the proton channel domain of the vacuolar ATPase from bovine brain clathrin-coated vesicles by electron microscopy at 21 A resolution. The model shows an asymmetric protein ring with two small openings on the luminal side and one large opening on the cytoplasmic side. The central hole on the luminal side is covered by a globular protein, while the cytoplasmic opening is covered by two elongated proteins arranged in a collar-like fashion.
CCM-a new low-noise charge carrier multiplier suitable for detection of charge in small pixel CCD image sensors

A new charge detection concept, useful for small pixel CCD image sensors, where the collected signal carriers are first multiplied before charge is converted into an output voltage is described. The carrier multiplication is performed in a low-noise charge carrier multiplier (CCM) which is located in a CCD channel. The multiplication occurs during the charge transfer process and is externally controllable by suitably arranged device lateral fields. >
Inexpensive schlieren video technique using sensor dead space as a grid

Schlieren photography normally uses a background light source grid or mirror system to send light through a sample area and a second grid or a knife edge at the camera to block nondeflected light. We describe a new technique that uses the inactive areas between CCD or CMOS sensor pixels as the second grid, so only a background grid is needed. This simplifies the setup and lowers the cost of the system.
Accelerated life tests at higher usage rates: a case study

The life of some products is measured by usage, e.g., cycles and mileage. Such products are usually operated at a low usage rate in the field. Accelerated life testing of the products often involves the concurrent use of increased usage rate and other stresses. The effects of increasing the usage rate on usage to failure (life) are usually ignored. In fact, increasing the usage rate may shorten or prolong the life. A generic method for accelerated life tests at higher usage rates is described in Ref. 1. Using the method, this paper presents a case study on demonstrating the reliability of a type of compact relays, whose life testing uses increased switching rates. In particular, we develop the component-specific acceleration model, test method, and best compromise plan. Life data analysis using the maximum likelihood method concludes that the compact relays marginally meet the reliability requirement. In addition, this paper evaluates the significance of the switching rate effect and shows that the effect cannot be ignored
Ionospheric scintillation theory--A mini-review

In this paper we briefly review the theories that are used to interpret ionospheric scintillation data. We have emphasized the full structure of the complex signal, because it is now being directly measured with a number of satellites that carry multifrequency phase-coherent beacons. The data that have been analyzed to date clearly show that large phase variations (greater than one radian) are an omnipresent feature of transionospheric signals.
Etiologic agents detected in a 10-year study of bovine abortions and stillbirths

During a 10-year period, specimens from 8,995 bovine abortions were submitted to the South Dakota Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory; 8,962 of these specimens were suitable for ex- amination. A supportable diagnosis was made in 2,942 (32.82%) of the abortions examined. An infectious cause was determined for 2,723 (30.38%) and a noninfectious cause for 219 (2.44%). Bacteria caused 1,299 (14.49%), viruses caused 948 (10.57%) and fungi caused 476 (5.3 1%). The infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus was associated with 485 (5.41%) and the bovine viral diarrhea virus with 407 (4.54%). The most common nonin- fectious causes of abortion or stillbirth were anomalous development, 112 (1.25%); dystocia, 56 (0.62%); and twinning, 37 (0.4 1%). The cause of 6,020 (67.17%) abortions was not determined. Lesions, many suggesting the presence of infection, were present in 1,554 (17.34%) fetuses or placentas in which no infectious agent could be demonstrated.
Presidential Vote Models: A Recount

Was it Al Gore’s election to lose? Most political scientists, including us, believed that peace and a booming economy would give Gore a significant advantage in the 2000 presidential race. The election outcome – a virtual dead heat in the popular vote – has prompted two reactions that seem to us to be quite wrong-headed. On one hand, many journalists and some political scientists have interpreted the 2000 result as casting doubt on the basic premise of presidential vote models, that economic and political “fundamentals” play a systematic and largely predictable role in shaping presidential election outcomes. If Gore was supposed to win easily but didn’t, doesn’t that just go to show that the so-called “fundamentals” are less important than they seem and that every election is a unique political event, beyond the reach of simple-minded historical regression analyses? On the other hand, some observers – including some of the most prominent election forecasters – have concluded that the problem was not with the forecasting models but with Al Gore as a candidate. “Gore didn’t run a campaign consistent with the model,” according to
Effect of Time of Temperature Observation and Estimation of Daily Solar Radiation for the Northern Great Plains, USA

Daily incident solar radiation is an important input for numerous crop growth simulation models. However, lack of recorded solar radiation is a significant impediment for most crop–climate studies. The present study aimed to overcome the problem of sparse historical data of solar radiation over the northern Great Plains. The approach was to develop a physically based solar radiation model wherein estimates were possible with minimum input data. In addition, this study investigates impacts of time of observation bias on the model formulation. The proposed model (M-H) requires measured daily range of air temperature (maximum minus minimum) and estimated daily clear-sky solar radiation. Daily weather data (including solar radiation measurements) for nine stations with observations from 1990 through 1998 were used for formulation of the final model. To determine potential bias associated with the reporting time, three times—0800, 1600, and 2400 h—were tested. Based on superior performance, the solar radiation model formulated with 2400-h reporting time data from Akron, CO, was selected for the whole region. The model underestimated high values. Local-scale advection and frontal passage were apparently responsible for this bias. This proposed model was also compared with two forms of the Bristow–Campbell (B-C) model. Both of these forms show significant improvement for 2400-h observation time. One particular form of the B-C model performs slightly better than the model proposed here. However, it also underestimates high values like the M-H model and shows slight regional bias. This study finds that, overall, the M-H model is more stable than the B-C model.
Fatigue in Children and Adolescents With Cancer

Fatigue is a common symptom found in the adult oncology literature. However, little is known about its occurrence, causes, conceptual and operational definitions, and effective interventions in children and adolescents with cancer. The purpose of this study was to define and describe fatigue experienced by children and adolescents receiving treatment for cancer. A focus group approach was used to reveal the contextual understanding of fatigue through discussions. Eleven focus groups were convened during a 2-month period at two major children's cancer centers. Twenty-nine children participated in the focus groups: 14 were 7 to 12 years of age and 15 were 13 to 16 years of age. Focus groups were held separately for each age group, lasted from 30 to 45 minutes, and were audiotaped. The audiotapes were transcribed verbatim, and Ethnograph software was used to number the data to sort and code the information. Researchers at both study sites coded the data independently within the context of the unit of analyses, which, in this study, were the study questions. Codes and descriptions were developed for the definitions of fatigue, causes of fatigue, and what helps. Eight codes emerged from the children groups and 12 from the adolescent groups to define fatigue. Six codes were developed from the children groups and 12 from the adolescent groups to describe causes of fatigue. Three codes from the children groups and eight from the adolescent groups described what helps. This study is the first to evaluate fatigue as a symptom in children and adolescents with cancer. Findings from this study will provide the foundation for developing a conceptual model for cancer-related fatigue in children and adolescents.
Asymptotic properties of estimators for the linear panel regression model with random individual effects and serially correlated errors: the case of stationary and non‐stationary regressors and residuals

Summary This paper studies the asymptotic properties of standard panel data estimators in a simple panel regression model with random error component disturbances. Both the regressor and the remainder disturbance term are assumed to be autoregressive and possibly non-stationary. Asymptotic distributions are derived for the standard panel data estimators including ordinary least squares (OLS), fixed effects (FE), first-difference (FD) and generalized least squares (GLS) estimators when both T and n are large. We show that all the estimators have asymptotic normal distributions and have different convergence rates dependent on the non-stationarity of the regressors and the remainder disturbances. We show using Monte Carlo experiments that the loss in efficiency of the OLS, FE and FD estimators relative to true GLS can be substantial.
Examining the data on computer ethics in the classroom

I currently serve on the ACM Education Council as the representative for SIGCAS. I have taught in a Computer Science/Information Systems department at a small midwestern university for approximately 20 years, where I mainly teach courses on computer ethics, databases, programming and multimedia.
Solution of naturally-occurring glasses in the geological environment

As part of a study to investigate the feasibility of putting nuclear wastes in glass containers and burying them on land or dumping them in the ocean, the amount of solution experience by naturally occurring glasses from two land sites and thirty-four deep sea sites was studied. The glasses are microtektites from three strewn fields and from the Zhamanshin impact crater. The microtektites range in age from 0.7 to 35 m.y. and have a wide range in composition. The weight percent SiO2, for example, ranges from 44.8 to 81.7. Although several criteria for determining the amount of solution were considered, most of the conclusions are based on two criteria: (1) width of cracks, and (2) elevation of silica rich inclusions above the adjacent microtektite surface. All the measurements were made on scanning electron microscope photomicrographs of the microtektites.
Carbanilation of cellulose in the paraformaldehyde–dimethyl sulfoxide solvent system

Methylol cellulos carbanilate (methylol cellulose phenylcarbamate) was prepared under homogeneous conditions with phenylisocyanate following the dissolution of cellulose into the paraformaldehyde–dimethyl sulfoxide system. Previously reported procedures were utilized to control the oligo-oxymethylene side chain length of the dissolved cellulose. Methylol cellulose carbanilates with different side chain lengths were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The homogeneous carbanilation reaction was found to be completed with a degree of substitution of around 2.4 within 3 h at room temperature, which is substantially faster than heterogeneous carbanilation. Methylol cellulose carbanilates were found to have lower heats of decomposition (23.5–32.2 kcal/mol, depending upon the side chain length) and lower heats of decomposition temperatures (236°C) under air compared with conventional cellulose carbanilate. This suggests that the decomposition mechanism of the methylol cellulose carbanilate is through decomposition of the oligo-oxymethylene side chains, while cellulose carbanilate decomposes by rupture of the cellulose carbamate linkage.
EFFECT OF THYROTROPIN ON THE SERUM PROTEIN-BOUND IODINE LEVEL IN VARIOUS THYROID STATES (TSH-PBI TEST)

Single intramuscular injections of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were given to 22 normal subjects and to 67 patients with abnormal thyroid or anterior pituitary glands. Resulting changes in serum protein-bound iodine (PBI) concentration were measured. Among the normal subjects PBI concentrations had risen to maximal heights by the fifteenth hour after injection when the dose was 10 I.U. and by about the twentieth hour when the dose was 20 I.U. In both cases maximal elevations of PBI concentration were maintained beyond the twenty-fourth hour. Twenty-four hours after injection of 5, 10 or 20 I.U., the mean rises in PBI concentration for the normal subjects were 1.3 μg. ± 0.6 (s.d.), 2.2 μg. ± 0.6, and 2.8 μg. ± 1.0 per 100 ml., respectively. Among the patients, determination of rises in PBI concentration twenty-four hours after injection of 10 I.U. revealed that, with exceptions, responses were abnormally low in patients with diffuse thyroid disease whereas they were normal in patients with focal thyro...
Next-generation sequencing and its applications in molecular diagnostics

DNA sequencing is a powerful approach for decoding a number of human diseases, including cancers. The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has reduced sequencing cost by orders of magnitude and significantly increased the throughput, making whole-genome sequencing a possible way for obtaining global genomic information about patients on whom clinical actions may be taken. However, the benefits offered by NGS technologies come with a number of challenges that must be adequately addressed before they can be transformed from research tools to routine clinical practices. This article provides an overview of four commonly used NGS technologies from Roche Applied Science//454 Life Sciences, Illumina, Life Technologies and Helicos Biosciences. The challenges in the analysis of NGS data and their potential applications in clinical diagnosis are also discussed.
Saturation Ratio of Supplemental Dietary Lipid on Production Performance of Holstein Cows

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of supplemental lipid varying in proportion of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids on lactation performance and milk composition. All diets (45% chopped alfalfa hay and 55% concentrates) contained 12% whole cottonseed (as-fed) and were fed as a TMR. Treatments were no supplemental lipid (control, 3% total fatty acids, DM basis) or the addition of2% supplemental lipid from tallow, yellow grease, or a blend (60% tallow:40% yellow grease). In Exp. 1, 48 cows were assigned to their treatment diets beginning wk 4 and ending wk 18 of lactation. In Exp. 2, 4 cows that completed Exp. 1 were enrolled in a 4 x 4 Latin square with 2-wk periods to further study the effects of saturation ratio of the supplemental lipids on milk composition. In Exp. 1, no treatment effects were observed for DMI, milk production, or milk composition; however, 4% fat-corrected milk tended to increase and fat yield increased for lipid-supplemented treatments. In Exp. 2, DMI, milk production, and percent and yield of milk fat increased in lipid-supplemented treatments. Digestible energy intakes tended to increase when yellow grease was the lipid source compared with tallow. In both experiments, milk fatty acid composition was affected by supplemental lipid as well as the source of supplemental lipid. No effects on lactation performance were evident due to the differences in the un-saturated to saturated fatty acid composition of the supplemental lipid source.
Community participation of persons with disabilities: volunteering, donations and involvement in groups and organisations.

AbstractPurpose: This study examined similarities and differences between persons with and without disabilities on volunteering, donations and group participation. Method: A sample of 1548 individuals participated and 60% of the sample were persons with disabilities. Data for this research was drawn from a major statewide survey in a Midwestern state in the United States. Community participation was measured through involvement with civic, religious and other community-based groups, volunteering activities and donations. Logistic regression was pursued to test the effect of disability on community participation. Results: Findings support different trends in participation between persons with and without disabilities. Individuals without disabilities are more likely to volunteer, donate money and participate in civic organisations (e.g. clubs) and other groups. Employment and household income have a significant contribution in explaining these differences.Conclusions: This study found significant differenc...
MOF-Based Catalysts for Selective Hydrogenolysis of Carbon–Oxygen Ether Bonds

We demonstrate that metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) can catalyze hydrogenolysis of aryl ether bonds under mild conditions. Mg-IRMOF-74(I) and Mg-IRMOF-74(II) are stable under reducing conditions and can cleave phenyl ethers containing β-O-4, α-O-4, and 4-O-5 linkages to the corresponding hydrocarbons and phenols. Reaction occurs at 10 bar H2 and 120 °C without added base. DFT-optimized structures and charge transfer analysis suggest that the MOF orients the substrate near Mg2+ ions on the pore walls. Ti and Ni doping further increase conversions to as high as 82% with 96% selectivity for hydrogenolysis versus ring hydrogenation. Repeated cycling induces no loss of activity, making this a promising route for mild aryl-ether bond scission.
Climate and health impacts of US emissions reductions consistent with 2 ° C

If the US were to implement power and transport policies consistent with a 2 °C scenario, it could prevent hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year and be worth billions of dollars to the US economy.
Anschutz v. Commissioner: Integration of Prepaid Variable Forward Contracts and Share Lending Agreements under Internal Revenue Code Section 1058

Securities lending agreements and forward contracts — both standard investment techniques — can be combined to create a derivative product known as a prepaid variable forward contract ("PVFC"). PVFCs allow investors to significantly defer capital gains taxes on dispositions of large amounts of stock. Essentially, a PVFC replicates the economic substance of a current sale without triggering a tax event. Structured with tax deferral purposes in mind, PVFCs became wildly popular with ultra-wealthy investors during the late 1990's and early 2000's. The use of PVFCs, however, has gone largely unnoticed by the public. In 2007 the Internal Revenue Service caught on and began attacking these complex derivatives. The first of these cases, Anschutz v. Commissioner, involved the use of a PVFC to defer over one hundred million dollars in capital gains taxes. This Note analyzes the Tax Court's use of section 1058 of the Internal Revenue Code to strike down the tax deferral scheme. While supporting the Tax Court's efforts in preserving the fiscal health of the Treasury, this Note proposes that the Tax Court's use of section 1058 may have raised more questions than it has answered regarding the tax consequences of these complex derivative products. Additionally, the court's opinion may have placed unnecessary strain on the securities lending industry, hampering economic growth.
Deuteromethylactin B from a Freshwater-derived Streptomyces sp.

Compared to their terrestrial and marine counterparts, little is known about the capacity of freshwater-derived actinomycete bacteria to produce novel secondary metabolites. In the current study, we highlight the disparities that exist between cultivation-independent and -dependent analyses of actinomycete communities from four locations in Lake Michigan sediment. Furthermore, through phylogenetic analysis of strains isolated from these locations, we identified a Streptomyces sp., strain B025, as being distinct from other Streptomyces spp. isolated from sediment. Upon fermentation this strain produced a rare class of eightmembered lactone secondary metabolites, which have been for their antitumor properties. We used spectroscopic and chemical derivitization techniques to characterize octalactin B (1) in addition to its corresponding novel, unnatural degradation product (2).
The effect of fruit maturity on quality and colour shift of dried 'Patterson' apricot during eight months of cold storage

SummaryFresh ‘Patterson’ apricot was harvested at three fruit maturity levels and characterized with measurements of flesh colour, Brix, acidity and levels of specific sugars. Fruit from the three maturity classes were sun-dried under uniform conditions. Dry fruit was again analysed for the content of specific sugars before cold storage. Stored fruit were sampled periodically for colour coordinates L*, C* and H° during an eight-month period. The study was repeated for two harvest seasons. In each season, significant differences (P≤0.05) were observed between the three fruit maturity classes for Brix, acidity, C* and H8. Levels of specific sugars varied significantly (P≤0.01) with regard to fruit maturity class, tissue type and fruit status. Regression analysis of colour coordinate changes during the storage period indicated significant (P≤0.05) differences in rate of colour shift of L*, C* and H8 relative to fruit maturity class. While dried fruit of the immature class was of substandard quality after the...
Separation of Tobacco Necrosis Virus and Tobacco Mosaic Virus

SummaryPreparations of mixtures of TMV and TNV were obtained from plants having both diseases. These viruses were then separated by removal of TMV by isoelectric precipitation and by means of absorption with rabbit antiserum to TMV. The separation was followed by means of the analytical ultracentrifuge, the Tiselius electrophoresis apparatus and the biological activities of the preparations.
The Eucharist and Religious Life Today

It is critical for religious to reflect on the central importance of the Eucharist in their daily life. We return to the Eucharist again and again to receive God’s gracious mercy, to listen to the story that gives us vigor and articulates the horizon within which we want to live, to eat the bread of life and drink the cup of blessing. P ope John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation on religious life, Vita Consecrata, speaks forcefully about the significance of the Eucharist for the lives of vowed women and men religious. It quotes a well-known statement from the Second Vatican Council, which says that “the eucharist ‘contains the church’s entire spiritual wealth,
Synaptic depression in deep neural networks for speech processing

A characteristic property of biological neurons is their ability to dynamically change the synaptic efficacy in response to variable input conditions. This mechanism, known as synaptic depression, significantly contributes to the formation of normalized representation of speech features. Synaptic depression also contributes to the robust performance of biological systems. In this paper, we describe how synaptic depression can be modeled and incorporated into deep neural network architectures to improve their generalization ability. We observed that when synaptic depression is added to the hidden layers of a neural network, it reduces the effect of changing background activity in the node activations. In addition, we show that when synaptic depression is included in a deep neural network trained for phoneme classification, the performance of the network improves under noisy conditions not included in the training phase. Our results suggest that more complete neuron models may further reduce the gap between the biological performance and artificial computing, resulting in networks that better generalize to novel signal conditions.
Quality of optical diagnosis of diminutive polyps and associated factors.

Background and aims: The aim of the study was to identify endoscopist-related and procedural factors that may be associated with the quality of optical diagnosis of diminutive polyps using narrow-band imaging (NBI). Methods: All subjects who participated in a randomized trial on cap-assisted colonoscopy were eligible for the current study. Optical polyp diagnosis was an a priori outcome of the initial trial. Ten participating endoscopists used NBI to assess all of the diagnosed polyps as adenomatous or non-adenomatous in real-time and provided a degree of diagnostic certainty. The main outcome measures were quality benchmarks of optical diagnosis (negative predictive value [NPV] for diminutive rectosigmoid adenomas, agreement with pathology-based surveillance interval) and assessment of endoscopist-related and procedural factors potentially associated with the quality of optical diagnosis. Results: A total of 1650 polyps were found in 607 patients, with 1311 polyps (79 %) being diminutive, of which 672 (53 %) were adenomatous. The NPV of optical diagnosis for rectosigmoid adenomas was 95 %. The optical diagnosis-based surveillance interval agreed with the pathology-based recommendation in 93 % of patients. Prior experience with image-enhanced endoscopy had no effect on optical diagnosis. Low and high adenoma detectors were not different in achieving the quality benchmarks. Cap-assisted colonoscopy was not associated with quality of optical diagnosis. Quality metrics of optical diagnosis remained similar during the first and second half of the study period. Conclusion: High quality optical diagnosis of diminutive polyps can be achieved and sustained by endoscopists previously inexperienced in this practice with minimal training. None of the examined factors appear to affect the quality of optical diagnosis; particularly, endoscopists’ adenoma detection was not associated with optical diagnosis.
Abstract 547: 7-Ketocholesterol-Mediated Alterations in Vascular Function: A Link Between Vascular and Metabolic Complications of Chronic Particulate Matter Exposure

BACKGROUND: Both human and animal studies have suggested a compelling link between inhaled particulate matter <2.5nm (PM2.5) exposure and acceleration of atherosclerosis. In this study, we assessed the hypothesis that 7-Ketocholesterol (7KC), a major redox product of cholesterol may mediate adverse vascular and metabolic effects of PM2.5 exposure. METHODS: Apolipoprotein E-/- (apoE-/-) mice were exposed to concentrated ambient PM2.5 or filtered air (FA) for 6 hours per day, 5 days per week for a total of 6 months in a versatile aerosol concentrator exposure system. Vasomotor tone changes were assessed in and atherosclerosis lesion quantification performed. 7KC and total cholesterol levels were determined by LC-MS in various tissues including aorta and 7KC accumulation and reverse transport studies in cultured murine macrophages subjected to PM2.5 exposure. eNOS activation and NO generation in response to 7KC exposure was assessed in cultured endothelial cells. RESULTS: PM2.5 increased aortic plaque (1.4-fold, p<0.05 vs. FA; n=7). Relaxation to the endothelium-dependent agonist acetylcholine was attenuated (Rmax, 74.86±6.2 vs. 94.55±7.29%, p<0.05 for PM2.5 vs. FA; n=7). 7KC levels in the aorta of PM2.5-exposed mice was significantly higher than that of FA (1251±453 vs. 8588±2088 ng/g tissue, p<0.05 PM2.5 vs. FA; n=5) while levels in liver were 1-fold higher (p=0.06; n=5). 7KC reduced eNOS activation in cultured endothelial cells through regulation of 1177, 495 and 113 phosphorylation sites of eNOS in a time and dose dependent manner and reduced NO generation when assessed by EPR. Enhanced uptake of 7KC was demonstrated in cultured macrophages after PM2.5 pre-exposure (56.2±0.3 vs. 47.8± 0.9 % p =0.01 for PM2.5 vs. control; n=3) while reverse transport of 7-KC did not differ in the presence of HDL (50 μg/ml). CD36 expression inside macrophages increased after PM2.5 exposure (1.5-fold, p<0.01; n=5) suggesting internalization of 7-KC via CD36 dependent mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic PM2.5 exposure enhances 7KC levels paralleled by alterations in endothelial function through eNOS dependent pathways. These findings suggest novel secondary mediators by which air-pollution may modulate adverse vascular effects.
Defining Human Values for Value Learners

Hypothetical “value learning” AIs learn human values and then try to act according to those values. The design of such AIs, however, is hampered by the fact that there exists no satisfactory definition of what exactly human values are. After arguing that the standard concept of preference is insufficient as a definition, I draw on reinforcement learning theory, emotion research, and moral psychology to offer an alternative definition. In this definition, human values are conceptualized as mental representations that encode the brain’s value function (in the reinforcement learning sense) by being imbued with a context-sensitive affective gloss. I finish with a discussion of the implications that this hypothesis has on the design of value learners.
World religions and sexuality

Individuals and communities around the world hold a plethora of beliefs, practices, emotions, and motivations that mark religious diversity. Such diversity is evident in religious attitudes toward sexuality throughout the world. This essay considers the complicated relationship between religions and sexuality, focusing on four key themes in contemporary religious discourse. It first highlights the cosmological value of sexuality as articulated in some religious discourse and through various religious practices. The essay then notes the influence of Cartesian Dualism, patriarchy, and heterosexism on some religious understandings of sexuality. Finally, it illustrates the way sexuality acts as a framework for moral epistemologies. Keywords: cosmology; epistemologies; morality; religion; sexuality
War and remembrance: Combat exposure in young adulthood and memory function sixty years later.

Abstract Objective Identifying adaptive ways to cope with extreme stress is essential to promoting long-term health. Memory systems are highly sensitive to stress, and combat exposure during war has been shown to have deleterious effects on cognitive processes, such as memory, decades later. No studies have examined coping styles used by combat veterans and associations with later-life cognitive functioning. Defenses are coping mechanisms that manage difficult memories and feelings, with some more closely related to memory processes (e.g., suppression, repression). Utilizing a longitudinal database, we assessed how reliance on certain defense mechanisms after World War II combat exposure could affect cognitive health 60years later. Method Data spanning 75years were available on 71 men who had post-war assessment of combat exposure, defense mechanism ratings (ages 19–50), and late-life neuropsychological testing. Interaction models of combat exposure with defenses predicting late-life memory were examined. Results In bivariate analyses, greater reliance on suppression correlated with worse memory performance ( r =−0.30, p =.01), but greater reliance on repression did not. Greater reliance on suppression strengthened the link between combat exposure and worse memory in late life ( R 2 =0.24, p .001). In contrast, greater reliance on repression attenuated the link between combat exposure and poorer late-life memory ( R 2 =0.19, p Conclusions Results suggest that coping styles may affect the relationship between early-adult stress and late-life cognition. Findings highlight the importance of understanding how coping styles may impact cognitive functioning as people move through adult life.
Quantitation of the Noncovalent Cellular Retinol-Binding Protein, Type 1 Complex Through Native Mass Spectrometry

Native mass spectrometry (MS) has become a valuable tool in probing noncovalent protein–ligand interactions in a sample-efficient way, yet the quantitative application potential of native MS has not been fully explored. Cellular retinol binding protein, type I (CrbpI) chaperones retinol and retinal in the cell, protecting them from nonspecific oxidation and delivering them to biosynthesis enzymes where the bound (holo-) and unbound (apo-) forms of CrbpI exert distinct biological functions. Using nanoelectrospray, we developed a native MS assay for probing apo- and holo-CrbpI abundance to facilitate exploring their biological functions in retinoid metabolism and signaling. The methods were developed on two platforms, an Orbitrap-based Thermo Exactive and a Q-IMS-TOF-based Waters Synapt G2S, where similar ion behaviors under optimized conditions were observed. Overall, our results suggested that within the working range (~1–10 μM), gas-phase ions in the native state linearly correspond to solution concentration and relative ion intensities of the apo- and holo-protein ions can linearly respond to the solution ratios, suggesting native MS is a viable tool for relative quantitation in this system.
FPGA-accelerator system for computing biologically inspired feature extraction models

Neuromorphic algorithms for computer-based vision may be the next step towards improving the way computers gather and interpret visual information. However, these algorithms typically have high computational demands making them difficult to deploy in embedded environments where power consumption is equally as important as performance. In this paper, we present an embedded implementation of a ventral visual pathway model, HMAX. We describe an embedded FPGA system that implements the model, as well as accelerator engines necessary to ensure adequate performance. The final system is shown to operate within a power budget of 3W while achieving up to 16.5X speedup over a pure embedded processor implementation.
Performance of the 3-D sidewall flash EPROM cell

We report on the performance of a promising new 3-D sidewall flash EPROM cell that has been implemented in a novel memory array. The 3-D flash EPROM is a vertical stacked gate cell with both floating and control gates surrounding a silicon pillar. The cell size is within 10% of the square of the minimum pitch and can be scaled without encountering punchthrough or isolation constraints. The cell has fast write and erase speeds and is suitable for 5V only operation. Read current is 3/spl times/ that of an equivalent generation conventional NOR-type cell. >
Intelligent Sensory Modality Selection for Electronic Supportive Devices

Humans operating in stressful environments, such as in military or emergency first-responder roles, are subject to high sensory input loads and must often switch their attention between different modalities. Conventional supportive devices that assist users in such situations typically provide information using a single, static sensory modality; however, this carries the risk of overload when the modalities for the primary task and the supportive device overlap. Effective feedback modality selection is essential in order to avoid such a risk. One potential method for accomplishing this is to intelligently select the supportive device's feedback modality based on the user's environment and given task; however, this may result in delayed or lost information due to the performance cost resulting from switching attention from one modality to another. This paper describes the design and results of a human-participant study designed to evaluate the benefits and risks of various intelligent modality-selection strategies. Our findings suggest complex interactions between strategies, sensory input load levels and feedback modalities, with numerous significant effects across many different performance metrics.
Climate Policy in the Trump Era: Carbon Tax Rising?

Climate policy in the United States always seems to face strong political headwinds. It is not so much that voters dismiss the threat of climate change, or that they believe climate change is a "hoax," but coming up with a fair and effective policy has always seemed so daunting. This Article argues that the simplest answer is not, contrary to initial appearances, daunting at all. The most effective and most efficient climate policy at the federal, state, and local level is a carbon tax. Carbon taxation has always seemed politically implausible, due in large part to an inherent public aversion to taxes, but also due to a vicious campaign of misinformation, paralleling the campaign against climate change itself. An important way of countering this bias and this campaign is to emphasize the revenue side of carbon taxation. Without a robust discussion of the uses of carbon tax revenues, the only salient part of a carbon tax to voters is the all-too-apparent cost. There is no sense of the benefits of revenues. This Article fills this gap by presenting a menu of revenue options, along with a discussion of the macroeconomic and the distributional consequences of the different options. This analysis is an input into a political process, which must ultimately decide on the objective, but only with the guidance of some quantitative analysis. This article closes with an argument for a "lump sum distribution" approach, in which carbon tax proceeds are returned directly back to carbon taxpayers on a largely per-capita basis. This approach largely insulates the poorest two-thirds from increases in energy and other goods, and may not be macroeconomically inferior to other options, as economists have historically assumed.
Macro-Correlates of Inmate Violence: The Importance of Programming in Prison Order:

Identifying the facility-level correlates of inmate misconduct is necessary for improving safety for both inmates and staff. Assessing these factors is also critical to ensure the effectiveness of ...
Unusual Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Most cases of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) are idiopathic, although several associated conditions have been previously described. Outlined here are some of the rare causes of carpal tunnel syndrome, including space-occupying lesions, inflammatory conditions, infection, trauma, and anatomic variants. These patients often present with a more complicated clinical picture. Diagnosis is delayed in many cases. The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome may be the first sign of a more serious underlying condition. Advanced imaging is often necessary. In many cases, adequate treatment involves more than decompression of the nerve.
The Cultural Niche: Innovation is Not (Mostly) About the Mind

Many scholars attribute human innovativeness mainly to human cognition or intelligence. This argument is advanced, for example, by the evolutionary psychologists Tooby, Cosmides, and Pinker under the term "the cognitive niche." However, most significant human innovations are far more complex than even the smartest individual person could invent on their own. Our Stone Age ancestors developed complex artifacts such as the Eskimo kayak and used these tools and the associated knowledge to settle most of the earth using a dazzling diversity of subsistence systems. Today we make even more complex artifacts, such as computers and airliners. Both the ancient and modern artifacts are the products of cumulative cultural evolution. Individual humans certainly innovate. But to evolve complex artifacts we have to use our powerful abilities to imitate and teach to acquire the artifacts of past generations. Then we add the innovations we discover and pass the improved artifacts on to the next generation. Complex technologies evolve over many iterations of this imitate-innovate-transmit cycle. Humans are the only species that can acquire complex ideas and techniques by teaching and imitation and it is this complex of traits that is largely responsible for our innovativeness. As a practical matter, modern high rates of innovation depend upon an elaborately institutionalized mechanisms for reinforcing the basic cumulative cultural evolution mechanism.
The Big, the Bad, and the Ugly: Collecting Industrial Artifacts for History Museums

includes brief/aside entitled Historical Society Collects Steel Valley Artifacts by Bart Roselli
Stable transduction of the interleukin-2 gene into human natural killer cell lines and their phenotypic and functional characterization in vitro and in vivo

A variety of strategies have been attempted in the past to stably transduce natural killer (NK) cells with cytokine or other cellular genes. Here, we demonstrate the successful delivery of the interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene into two human NK cell lines, IL-2–dependent NK-92 and IL-2–independent YT, by retroviral transduction. An MuLV-based retroviral vector expressing human IL-2 and neor markers from a polycistronic message was constructed and transduced into a CRIP packaging cell line. By coincubation of NK cells with monolayers of CRIP cells or by using retrovirus-containing supernatants in a flow-through method, 10% to 20% of NK cells were stably transduced. Upon selection in the presence of increasing G418 concentrations, transduced NK cells were able to proliferate independently of IL-2 for more than 5 months and to secrete up to 5.5 ng/106 cells/24 h of IL-2. IL-2 gene-transduced NK-92 cells had an in vitro cytotoxicity against tumor targets that was significantly higher than that of parental cells and secreted interferon gamma (IFNγ) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) in addition to IL-2. Moreover, the in vivo antitumor activity of IL-2 gene-transduced NK-92 cells against established 3-day liver metastases in mice was greater than that of parental nontransduced NK cells. Stable expression of the IL-2 transgene in NK cells improved their therapeutic potential in tumor-bearing hosts. Thus, transduced NK cells secreted sufficient quantities of bioactive IL-2 to proliferate in vitro and mediated the antitumor effects both in vitro and in vivo in the absence of exogenous IL-2. These results suggest that genetic modification of NK cells ex vivo could be useful for clinical cancer therapy in the future.
Effect of teriflunomide on gray and white matter brain pathology in multiple sclerosis using volumetric and diffusion-tensor imaging MRI measures.

Abstract Objectives To investigate the effect of teriflunomide on microstructural pathology in the gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM), as measured by changes in brain volume and diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods 30 relapsing MS patients and 20 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in the study and followed prospectively for 12 months with clinical and 3T MRI examinations. Of those, 26 MS patients and 18 HCs completed the 6-month and 22 MS and 16 HCs patients the 12-month follow-up. Whole brain, GM, WM and thalamus volumes, and global and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) DTI measures of fractional anisotropy, mean, axial and radial diffusivity were obtained in the thalamus and normal appearing WM (NAWM). MRI differences between the groups were compared using non-parametric statistical methods due to sample size limitations, followed by post-hoc covariate-adjusted models. Results At baseline, MS patients showed more severe brain volume and DTI measures compared to HCs (p Conclusions MS patients did not significantly deteriorate over the follow-up in brain volume or thalamus/NAWM global or TBSS DTI measures, compared to HCs. This suggests that treatment with teriflunomide could potentially slow down accumulation of microstructural tissue damage in the GM and NAWM.
Using an alternative report format in undergraduate hydrology laboratories

Across the nation, undergraduate faculty and staff in the sciences are being called upon to examine traditional laboratory practices. The Vee map is a graphic organizer that is a viable alternative to one component of the traditional laboratory, the laboratory report. It consists of a large Vee with six areas: Focus Question, Word List, Concept Map, Events, Data and Data Transformations, and Conclusions and Claims. The Focus Question guides the investigation, while the Word List and Concept Map reveal prior knowledge. The Events area is a description of the plan students devise to answer the Focus Question. The collected data are recorded and analyzed in the Data and Data Transformation area, findings and results of the investigation are described in the Conclusions and Claims area. Students proceed through these areas in the above mentioned sequence as they engage in an open-ended laboratory investigation. As students complete a Vee map, they contemplate their prior knowledge, engage in the process of kn...