cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A statistical mechanical approach to a framework for modeling irregular programs on distributed or cluster computers

Correctly modeling the resource requirements of a computer program is made problematic by the property of irregularity. Irregular computer programs are ones in which modeling the program before runtime is neither feasible nor possible; the result being that the systems requirements are unknown. We present a method for modeling irregularity which makes use of well established probabilistic and data analysis techniques. The realm of continuous mathematics, rather than the more traditional discrete cases are employed, thus introducing the more diverse analysis methodologies this branch of mathematics affords. This approach, that of describing a discrete system using a continuous mathematical function has been well established in the physical sciences, and has proven to be a valid approach to describing problems of this sort.
Effects of Copper, Zinc, and Manganese Source on Mineral Status, Reproduction, Immunity, and Calf Performance in Young Beef Females over a Two-Year Period123

Crossbred beef females (n = 43 nulliparous heifers, yr 1; n = 37 primiparous cows, yr 2) were used to evaluate the effects of Cu, Zn, and Mn source on mineral status, reproduction, immunity, and
Effect of ZnO facet on ethanol steam reforming over Co/ZnO

Abstract The effects of ZnO facets on ethanol steam reforming (ESR) were investigated over Co/ZnO catalysts synthesized using ZnO with different fractions of (10–10) non-polar facet. Co supported on ZnO with a higher fraction of (10–10) non-polar facet shows higher C–C cleavage activity and higher selectivity to CO 2 (lower selectivity to CO) compared with Co supported on ZnO with less (10–10) non-polar facet exposed. The improved ethanol steam reforming performances are attributed to the high fraction of metallic Co stabilized by the ZnO (10–10) non-polar facet, which enhanced C–C cleavage and water-gas-shift (WGS) activities.
A lightweight architecture for program execution monitoring

The Alamo monitor architecture reduces the difficulty of writing dynamic analysis tools such as special-purpose profilers, bug-detectors, and visualizations.
Learning to work: a functional approach to welfare and higher education.

The current welfare law mandates participation in designated work activities at the expense of education for welfare recipients, particularly discouraging pursuit of higher education while, at the same time, emphasizing marriage. On the eve of the 2010 reauthorization of welfare reform, this article challenges the assumption underlying the 1996 welfare law and its 2005 reauthorization that work and education are wholly distinct concepts and activities. Indeed, both educational theory and workforce development policies have reflected this conceptual and functional common ground between work and education for decades. Similarly, peer nations and international law squarely acknowledge the ways in which these activities interact. Focusing on the common ground between work and education can serve as the basis for a new, broader understanding of welfare-to-work activities. Instead of pitting work and education against each other, as was done during the prior legislative debates and post-implementation analyses, this perspective reveals that work and education have considerable overlap. These overlaps can easily facilitate design of welfare programs that, unlike government-sponsored marriage promotion initiatives, build individual human capital while also conveying important values and skills necessary to workplace success.
A Parenthetical Note (to a Paper of Guy)

(1996). A Parenthetical Note (to a Paper of Guy) Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 69, No. 4, pp. 257-260.
Dynamic changes in the characteristics of cationic lipidic vectors after exposure to mouse serum: implications for intravenous lipofection.

Intravenous gene delivery via cationic lipidic vectors gives systemic gene expression particularly in the lung. In order to understand the mechanism of intravenous lipofection, a systematic study was performed to investigate the interactions of lipidic vectors with mouse serum emphasizing how serum affects the biophysical and biological properties of vectors of different lipid compositions. Results from this study showed that lipidic vectors underwent dynamic changes in their characteristics after exposure to serum. Addition of lipidic vectors into serum resulted in an immediate aggregation of vectors. Prolonged incubation of lipidic vectors with serum led to vector disintegration as shown in turbidity study, sucrose-gradient centrifugation analysis and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) study. Vector disintegration was associated with DNA release and degradation as shown in EtBr intercalation assay and DNA digestion study. Serum-induced disintegration of vectors is a general phenomenon for all cationic lipidic vectors tested in this study. Yet, vectors of different lipid compositions vary greatly in the rate of disintegration. There is an inverse correlation between the disintegration rate of lipidic vectors and their in vivo transfection efficiency. Vectors with a rapid rate of disintegration such as those containing dioleoyl- phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) poorly stayed in the lung and were barely active in transfecting cells. In contrast, cholesterol-containing vectors that had a rapid aggregation and a slow disintegration were highly efficient in transfecting cells in vivo. The results of this study explain why cationic lipidic vectors of different lipid compositions have a dramatic difference in their in vivo transfection efficiency. These results also suggest that the study of the interactions of lipidic vectors with serum may serve as a predictive model for the in vivo efficiency of a lipidic vector. Further study of the numerous interactions of lipidic vectors with serum might lead to the development of a vector which can deliver a gene to target cells in a tissue-specific manner.
Silicide formation and interdiffusion effects in Si-Ta, SiO 2 -Ta AND Si-PtSi-Ta thin film structures

The formation of TaSi2 in the Si-PtSi-Ta and Si-Ta systems has been studied using Auger spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and electron diffraction techniques. The reaction of tantalum with PtSi was observed by Sinha, et al.l to take place with high temperature (800°-900°c) annealing of thin film systems consisting of Si-PtSi-Ta-W1. In the present investigation, it is shown that tantalum reacts with PtSi at approximately 600°C to form a mixture of Ta5Si3 and TaSi2 and predominantly TaSi2 at 785°C. Platinum is displaced at the refractory metal (Ta)-PtSi interface, whereupon the more stable refractory metal-silicide is formed. The displaced platinum reacts further with the excess silicon which diffuses from the Si-PtSi interface. The Si-PtSi-Ta reaction is similar to the Si-PtSi-W reaction. However, unlike tungsten which migrates very little in the Si-PtSi-W system, tantalum appears to interdiffuse with the PtSi at temperatures as low as 600°C. In the case of the Si-Ta couple, TaSi2 forms at approximately 750°C as determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. The kinetics of TaSi2 formation at the Si-Ta interface are compared to that which takes place at the PtSi-Ta interface to determine the influence of the PtSi layer. Silicide formation was not observed in SiO2-Ta specimens. after anneals up to 800°c. At 750°C Ta2O5 formed as observed by electron diffraction.
Cardiac Myosin Activators for the Treatment of Heart Failure : Stop Now or Push Ahead?∗

The ATOMIC-AHF (Acute Treatment with Omecamtiv Mecarbil to Increase Contractility in Acute Heart Failure) trial, in this issue of the Journal , was designed as a phase II investigation to determine the safety of intravenous omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) in patients admitted to the hospital with acute
Unified Psychology Based on Three Laws of Information Integration

How are multiple variables integrated into a unitary response? This fundamental problem— integration of multiple variables—faces every field of psychology. Solid support for three exact mathematica...
Economic Profitability and the Valuationof the Firm

Many discounted cash flow models produce estimates of firm value that are implicitly based upon economically implausible perpetual forecasts of firm profitability. This discrepancy arises because standard free cash flow models leave operating profits and capital levels as free parameters. In this article, the author develops a simple model that explicitly incorporates firms’ steady-state returns on invested capital into the valuation equation, thereby addressing the free-parameter problem. He provides evidence that capital growth rates are historically less volatile than free cash flow growth rates and are more useful for accurately predicting firm value within the small sample sizes typically found in practice. With several empirical tests comparing his presented model to commonly used valuation models, the author demonstrates that together these contributions result in improved accuracy and variability of valuation estimates, leading to a new method of discounted cash flow analysis that is more robust and more accurate than other commonly employed alternatives.
Rasch Validation of a Measure of Reform-Oriented Science Teaching Practices

Growing evidence from recent curriculum documents and previous research suggests that reform-oriented science teaching practices promote students’ conceptual understanding, levels of achievement, and motivation to learn, especially when students are actively engaged in constructing their ideas through scientific inquiries. However, it is difficult to identify to what extent science teachers engage students in reform-oriented teaching practices (RTPs) in their science classrooms. In order to exactly diagnose the current status of science teachers’ implementation of the RTPs, a valid and reliable instrument tool is needed. The principles of validity and reliability are fundamental cornerstones in developing a robust measurement tool. As such, this study was motivated by the desire to point out the limitations of the existing statistical and psychometric analyses and to further examine the validation of the RTP survey instrument. This paper thus aims at calibrating the items of the RTPs for science teachers using the Rasch model. The survey instrument scale was adapted from the 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education (NSSME) data. A total of 3701 science teachers from 1403 schools from across the USA participated in the NSSME survey. After calibrating the RTP items and persons on the same scale, the RTP instrument well represented the population of US science teachers. Model-data fit determined by Infit and Outfit statistics was within an appropriate range (0.5–1.5), supporting the unidimensional structure of the RTPs. The ordered category thresholds and the probability of the thresholds showed that the five-point rating scale functioned well. The results of this study support the use of the RTP measure from the 2012 NSSME in assessing usage of RTPs.
The foreshock sequence of the 1986 Chalfant, California, earthquake

The ML 6.4 Chalfant, California, earthquake of 21 July 1986 was preceded by an extensive foreshock sequence. Foreshock activity is characterized by shallow clustering activity, including 7 events greater than ML 3, beginning 18 days before the earthquake, an ML 5.7 foreshock 24 hr before the main shock that ruptured only in the upper 10 km of the crust, and an “off-fault” cluster of activity perpendicular to the slip surface of the ML 5.7 foreshock associated with the hypocenter of the main shock. The Chalfant sequence occurred within the local short-period network, and the spatial and temporal development of the foreshock sequence can be observed in detail. Seismicity of the July 1986 time period is largely confined to two nearly conjugate planes; one striking N30°E and dipping 60° to the northwest associated with the ML 5.7 foreshock and the other striking N25°W and dipping 70° to the southwest associated with the main shock. Focal mechanisms for the foreshock period fall into two classes in agreement with these two planes. Shallow clustering of earthquakes in July and the ML 5.7 principal foreshock occur at the intersection of the two planes at a depth of approximately 7 km. The seismic moments determined from inversion of the teleseismic body waves are 4.2 × 1025 and 2.5 × 1025 dyne-cm for the principal foreshock and the main shock, respectively. Slip areas for these two events can be estimated from the aftershock distribution and result in stress drops of 63 bars for the principal foreshock and 16 bars for the main shock. The main shock occurred within an “off-fault” cluster of earthquakes associated with the principal foreshock. This cluster of activity occurs at a predicted local shear stress high in relation to the slip surface of the 20 July earthquake, and this appears to be the triggering mechanism of the main shock. The shallow rupture depth of the principal foreshock indicates that this event was anomalous with respect to the character of main shocks in the region.
A Streamlined Proof of an Essential Calculus Fact

We present a short, classroom-friendly proof of a standard theorem of calculus: continuity on an interval implies Riemann integrability on that interval.
Modeling and Simulation of the Spatial and Light-Intensity Dependence of Product Distributions in an Integrated Photoelectrochemical CO2 Reduction System

A multiphysics model that accounts for the performance of electrocatalysts and triple-junction light absorbers, as well as for the transport properties of the electrolyte and dissolved CO2, was used to evaluate the spatial and light-intensity dependence of product distributions in an integrated photoelectrochemical CO2 reduction (CO2R) cell. Different sets of band gap combinations of triple-junction light absorbers were required to accommodate the optimal total operating current density relative to the optimal partial current density for CO2R. The simulated product distribution was highly nonuniform along the width of the electrode and depended on the electrode dimensions as well as the illumination intensity. To achieve the same product selectivity as in a potentiostatic, “half-cell” configuration, the electrocatalyst must retain its selectivity over a range of cathode potentials, and this range is dependent on the transport losses and current–voltage relationship of the light absorbers, the geometric pa...
Recreation and Leisure Needs

As more severely handicapped individuals are deinstitutionalized into the community (Gollay, Freedman, Wyngaarden, & Kurtz, 1978) or maintained in their natural families, the need for systematic program implementation of recreation skills has increased (Wehman, 1978; Wehman & Schleien, in press). The importance of recreational services has been observed frequently (Amary, 1975; Benoit, 1955; Stanfield, 1973; Wehman, 1977a). The critical nature of systematic assessment, skill selection, and instruction for leisure skills has only recently been noted, however (Snell, 1978; Wehman & Schleien, 1980; Ford, Brown, Pumpian, Baumgart, Schroeder, & Loomis, Note 1). Severely handicapped individuals usually include those with measured IQs between 0 and 40, and have been typically labeled as trainable mentally retarded, severely profoundly retarded, autistic, emotionally disturbed, deaf-blind, or multihandicapped. Most of these individuals exhibit substantial learning, behavior, and/or physical handicaps and therefore do not learn leisure skills without systematic instruction.
Smoking and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Women

Recent years have seen increased attention to women’s health. Within this relatively new field, topics range from conditions that are unique to women such as menopause to coronary heart disease, which is the leading cause of death among women. The role of gender in the etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease is far more than that of a sociodemographic variable that simply mediates the effects of other factors on outcome. Gender is a dynamic construct that interacts with psychological, social, physical, and behavioral factors in influencing disease risk, expression, course, and prognosis. Health-related behaviors, such as smoking, are embedded in the complex network of psychological, social, physical, and behavioral factors that differ for men and women. Understanding risks to women’s health and the behaviors that contribute to this risk is like studying a mosaic. It is necessary to step back and view the behavior in context; only then can we see the full picture and effectively intervene to prevent disease.
A Case Study: Spatial and Economic Sovereignty: Reclaiming Space and Building Community in Philadelphia One Vacant Lot at a Time

Contrasting the neoliberal capitalist framework, that we are autonomous agents living strictly for self-sufficiency and self-gratification, achieved through private ownership, profit, and wealth, an alternative economic framework seeks ways of living differently with each other and the earth. Urban agriculture (UA) has been seen as one way of living differently with each other and the earth, and as an important solution to many problems facing urban communities. From addressing urban food insecurity (Metcalf and Widener 2011) and public health challenges (Brown and Jameton 2000), to greening a city (Kremer and DeLiberty 2011) or building social capital (Alaimo et al. 2008), UA is often championed by environmental and social organizers alike. However, what are the economic advantages of UA and how does a community experience any of the benefits? When talking about urban food markets, often spoken of are the existing urban farmers markets promoting agricultural products from the urban-rural fringe (Pothukuchi 2004; Morales 2008; Sharp et al. 2011), but little attention is given to the presence (or lack thereof) of urban-produced food at markets and the positive impact that might have on a community. Through the work of Urban Tree Connection (UTC), a community-based greening organization in West Philadelphia, the small neighborhood of Haddington is reshaping their space through community collaboration, community sovereignty, and fresh produce. Founded in 1989 and incorporated in 1997, UTC’s work in Haddington is about a community defining their space and their economy. Through a place-based approach, UTC helped Haddington residents reclaim blighted land through the creation of a scattered site food enterprise, numerous community gardens, church food programs, and regular participation in a variety of Philadelphia’s farmers markets. This chapter will outline the work of UTC in the theoretical context of civic agriculture and alternative economies, as well as community sovereignty, by highlighting the role of UA as a community empowerment tool owned and operated by residents in the neighborhood.
β4 integrin is not essential for localization of hemidesmosome proteins plectin and CD151 in cerebral vessels.

Objective In the central nervous system (CNS), β4 integrin is predominantly expressed by endothelial cells lining arterioles. As β4 integrin plays an essential role in epithelial tissues, organizing structural proteins into specialized adhesive structures called hemidesmosomes (HD), the aim of this study was to determine whether it plays a similar role in CNS endothelium. Methods Dual-immunofluorescence was used to examine the relationship between β4 integrin expression and co-expression of the HD proteins plectin and CD151 in frozen sections of mouse brain, both under normoxic (control) conditions and following chronic mild hypoxia. The requirement of β4 integrin for the localization of HD proteins was examined in transgenic mice lacking β4 integrin expression specifically in endothelial cells (β4-EC-KO mice). Results Immunofluorescence revealed that in the normal adult CNS, plectin and CD151 strongly co-localized with β4 integrin in arterioles. However, in the chronic mild hypoxia model, in which extensive cerebrovascular remodeling is observed, plectin and CD151 were strongly upregulated on all cerebral vessels, but surprisingly, in capillaries, this occurred in a β4 integrin-independent manner. Unexpectedly, absence of endothelial β4 integrin (in β4-EC-KO mice) had no impact on the expression level or distribution pattern of plectin and CD151 within stable or remodeling cerebral vessels. Conclusions These results demonstrate that the HD proteins plectin and CD151 are closely associated with β4 integrin on arterioles in normal brain, and are strongly upregulated on remodeling blood vessels. However, unlike its described role in the epidermis, β4 integrin is not essential for localization or regulation of expression of plectin and CD151 in cerebral vessels.
Electromagnetic correlation in two channel radar systems: Theory and measurement at linear polarization

In remote sensing of precipitation many conventional radars measure only the intensity of the backscattered radiation, often at linear polarization of fixed orientation. Over the last few years there has been increased interest in radars with more capabilities. Polarization diversity radars are capable of decomposing the received wave into two mutually orthogonal components, and thus more of the information content of the backscattered wave can be exploited. The National Research Council of Canada polarization diversity radars, situated in Ottawa, are capable of measuring the backscattered powers at two orthogonal polarizations, and they also measure the complex correlation between these two received components.
Real-time communications in atm networks

This dissertation examines issues concerning real-time communication in ATM LANs such as those used in Hard Real-Time (HRT) systems. Applications in such systems have stringent quality of service (QoS) requirements. Support of hard real-time applications in ATM LANs requires efficient traffic management functions. This work studies two such functions: connection admission control (CAC) algorithm and input traffic regulation. In hard real-time systems, the QoS requirements are specified in terms of end-to-end cell deadlines and no cell loss due to buffer overflow. A CAC algorithm must admit a new connection only if its QoS requirements can be met without violating that of the previously admitted connections. Hence, computation of the worst case end-to-end cell delays and buffer requirements are pivotal issues in CAC design. Arbitrary topology of the network complicates the problem as it might lead to cyclic dependencies among various connections, making the delay and buffer analysis difficult. The first major contribution of this work is the development of a general framework to efficiently analyze an ATM LAN. The efficiency of the end-to-end delay and buffer analysis depends on the effectiveness of the traffic descriptors used in the network. We propose a comprehensive traffic description function, $\Gamma$(I). $\Gamma$(I) provides adequate information about the worst case traffic behavior of connections anywhere in the network and its use simplifies the analysis of ATM LANS, even those which do not support internal traffic restoration mechanisms. Further, simple approximations of $\Gamma$(I), proposed in this work, alleviate the space and time constraints imposed by the network on the CAC. We use the proposed analysis methodology to design an effective and efficient CAC algorithm for ATM LANs with arbitrary topology. The second major contribution of this work is the use of traffic regulation as a technique to meet the delay requirements of connections. This is the first work which uses leaky bucket parameter selection as a means to guarantee the QoS of HRT connections. Leaky buckets provide simple and user-programmable means of traffic regulation. We design and analyze an efficient optimal algorithm for selecting the burst parameters of leaky buckets to meet connections' deadlines.
Liberalism as Utopia: The Rise and Fall of Legal Rule in Post-Colonial Mexico, 1820-1900

Liberalism as Utopia challenges widespread perceptions about the weakness of Mexico's nineteenth-century state. Schaefer argues that after the War of Independence non-elite Mexicans - peasants, day laborers, artisans, local merchants - pioneered an egalitarian form of legal rule by serving in the town governments and civic militias that became the local faces of the state's coercive authority. These institutions were effective because they embodied patriarchal norms of labor and care for the family that were premised on the legal equality of male, adult citizens. The book also examines the emergence of new, illiberal norms that challenged and at the end of the century, during the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz, overwhelmed the egalitarianism of the early-republican period. By comparing the legal cultures of agricultural estates, mestizo towns and indigenous towns, Liberalism as Utopia also proposes a new way of understanding the social foundations of liberal and authoritarian pathways to state formation in the nineteenth-century world.
Galton, Pearson, and the Peas: A Brief History of Linear Regression for Statistics Instructors

An examination of publications of Sir Francis Galton and Karl Pearson revealed that Galton's work on inherited characteristics of sweet peas led to the initial conceptualization of linear regressio...
Coil-Assisted Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration: A Valid Treatment for Gastric Variceal Hemorrhage and Hepatic Encephalopathy

Coil-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration (CARTO) has evolved as a simpler and perhaps safer alternative to balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO). The efficacy of BRTO has been established, and early data supports the use of CARTO in similar situations. In a small series of patients with gastric variceal hemorrhage treated with CARTO, complete portosystemic shunt occlusion, complete variceal obliteration, and no rebleeding during the follow-up period were observed in all patients. In a larger, unpublished study, an improvement in hepatic encephalopathy was observed in over 80% of patients treated with CARTO. In addition, overall liver function was markedly improved in 1 month. As for complications, new or worsened ascites and esophageal varices were observed in 24% and 30%, respectively. Overall, CARTO is an effective treatment of gastric variceal hemorrhage and hepatic encephalopathy with high technical and clinical success rates. Compared with plug-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration (PARTO), CARTO can be used to safely close larger shunts with a comparable efficacy and complication profiles.
Mortality among rescue and recovery workers and community members exposed to the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attacks, 2003-2014.

Abstract Background Multiple chronic health conditions have been associated with exposure to the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attacks (9/11). We assessed whether excess deaths occurred during 2003–2014 among persons directly exposed to 9/11, and examined associations of 9/11-related exposures with mortality risk. Materials and methods Deaths occurring in 2003–2014 among members of the World Trade Center Health Registry, a cohort of rescue/recovery workers and lower Manhattan community members who were exposed to 9/11, were identified via linkage to the National Death Index. Participants’ overall levels of 9/11-related exposure were categorized as high, intermediate, or low. We calculated standardized mortality ratios (SMR) using New York City reference rates from 2003 to 2012. Proportional hazards were used to assess associations of 9/11-related exposures with mortality, accounting for age, sex, race/ethnicity and other potential confounders. Results We identified 877 deaths among 29,280 rescue/recovery workers (3.0%) and 1694 deaths among 39,643 community members (4.3%) during 308,340 and 416,448 person-years of observation, respectively. The SMR for all causes of death was 0.69 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65–0.74] for rescue/recovery workers and 0.86 (95% CI 0.82–0.90) for community members. SMRs for diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems were significantly lower than expected in both groups. SMRs for several other causes of death were significantly elevated, including suicide among rescue recovery workers (SMR 1.82, 95% CI 1.35–2.39), and brain malignancies (SMR 2.25, 95% CI 1.48–3.28) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (SMR 1.79, 95% CI 1.24–2.50) among community members. Compared to low exposure, both intermediate [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) 1.36, 95% CI 1.10–1.67] and high (AHR 1.41, 95% CI 1.06–1.88) levels of 9/11-related exposure were significantly associated with all-cause mortality among rescue/recovery workers (p-value for trend 0.01). For community members, intermediate (AHR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01–1.27), but not high (AHR 1.14, 95% CI 0.94–1.39) exposure was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (p-value for trend 0.03). AHRs for associations of overall 9/11-related exposure with heart disease- and cancer-related mortality were similar in magnitude to those for all-cause mortality, but with 95% CIs crossing the null value. Conclusions Overall mortality was not elevated. Among specific causes of death that were significantly elevated, suicide among rescue/recovery workers is a plausible long-term consequence of 9/11 exposure, and is potentially preventable. Elevated mortality due to other causes, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and brain cancer, and small but statistically significant associations of 9/11-related exposures with all-cause mortality hazard warrant additional surveillance.
Preparative reversed-phase liquid chromatography of peptides. Isocratic two-step elution system for high loads on analytical columns.

We have developed further our novel sample displacement chromatography (SDC) methodology to carry out preparative separations on analytical equipment and 15-cm analytical columns for sample loads 99% purity), and encompassing a range of sample hydrophobicities as well as sample loads (< or = 200 mg) varying by as much as a factor of three.
Subcellular localization and purification of platelet alpha1-antitrypsin.

A protease inhibitor has been purified from platelets by ammonium sulfate fractionation, QAE Sephadex chromatography, Sephadex G-200 gel filtration, and affinity chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose to apparent homogeneity on disc gel electrophoresis. The following properties of the inhibitor suggest its relationship to plasma α1-antitrypsin: antigenic identity with α1-antitrypsin, molecular weight of 60,000 estimated from gel filtration, α-globulin mobility on electrophoresis, and adsorption to concanavalin A-Sepharose with elution by α-methyl-D-glucoside. The protein inhibits the proteolytic and amidolytic activities of trypsin, the esterolytic activity of chymotrypsin, and the coagulation activity of factor XIa. Exposure of platelets to aggregating agents such as thrombin, epinephrine, and ADP causes the release of protease-inhibitory activity in parallel with the release of serotonin, suggesting that the inhibitors may be released from the dense granules. Thrombin also causes the release of 37% of α1-antitrypsin antigen from platelets. Subcellular fractionation confirms the localization in platelet granules but also reveals considerable membrane-bound α1-antitrypsin. Platelets have been studied from two α1-antitrypsin deficient patients: A with 10% and B with 0% plasma α1-antitrypsin. In patient A, normal concentrations of α1-antitrypsin antigen and trypsin-inhibitory activity were found in gel-filtered platelets as well as in the granular and soluble subcellular fractions, further suggesting that α1-antitrypsin is an intrinsic platelet protein. However, unlike normal individuals, platelets from patient A contained no membrane-bound α1-antitrypsin, indicating that its origin may be from plasma. In contrast, the platelets from patient B, like the plasma, contained no demonstrable α1-antitrypsin antigen in any subcellular fraction. However, the trypsin-inhibitory activity was 50% of normal, corresponding to the occurrence in normal platelets of inhibitory activity distinct from α1-antitrypsin.
An Examination of Screening Tools for Collaborative Care of Adolescent Depression.

OBJECTIVE Collaborative care models for treatment of adolescent depression are rapidly evolving. However, a dearth of information exists regarding patient characteristics associated with positive outcomes. We explored the association between baseline scores on routine screening tools for substance abuse, mood disorders, and anxiety with depression remission and graduation from a collaborative care program in an outpatient pediatric practice. METHODS Adolescents (aged 12-17 years) with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Modified for Adolescents (PHQ-9A) score ≥ 10 and a diagnosis of depressive disorder based on DSM-IV criteria between July 2011 and August 2015 were eligible for enrollment in a collaborative care model and inclusion in this study. Remission was defined as a single PHQ-9A score < 5; the criterion for graduation was 3 consecutive months with PHQ-9A score < 5. Analyses compared baseline assessment scores with those at remission and graduation. RESULTS Of the 182 patients included in the analysis, the overall remission rate was 55%; program graduation rate was 27%. There was no association between scores on baseline screening tools and remission. Graduation was associated with lower scores on a screening tool for substance abuse (unit odds ratio [OR] = 1.62; P = .01) and anxiety (unit OR = 1.03; P = .02). When the scores were examined as categorical variables, graduation was associated with negative assessments on screening tools for substance abuse (OR = 3.21; P = .003) and anxiety (OR = 2.35; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS Baseline substance abuse and anxiety assessments may have utility in identifying depressed adolescents who are less likely to maintain remission and graduate from a collaborative care program, suggesting that these patients may need additional intervention to achieve sustained remission.
Corrections to the Casimir–Polder potential arising from electric octupole coupling

Molecular QED theory is employed to derive a generalised formula for the dispersion potential between two molecules with mixed electric multipole polarisability tensors of arbitrary order at each c...
Participatory tensions in working with a vulnerable population

This note uncovers a design tension in participatory design practice in the context of two organizations in Nepal working on reducing sex-trafficking and helping survivors. The dilemma consists of contradictions between the public face that the organizations present to the world and the more complex underlying picture painted by survivors. In initial work, we created and deployed a value-elicitation game for survivors that gave us better access to their voices. However, the implications for ongoing participatory work remain to be unpacked. The veneer may constitute a necessary part of the staffs' successful interactions with external funders. The survivors rely on the resources that the organization gathers, yet the veneer may also obscure some aspects of the survivors' needs. The question raised is "how should our PD practice position itself with respect to the ideal of comprehensive democratic participation when potential harm may ensue to vulnerable people?"
Functional connectivity predictors of acute depression treatment outcome.

Few studies have examined functional connectivity (FC) patterns using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to predict outcomes in late-life depression. We hypothesized that FC within and between frontal and limbic regions would be associated with 12-week depression outcome in older depressed adults. Seventy-one subjects with major depression were enrolled in the study. A study geriatric psychiatrist performed a clinical interview and completed a Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). All study participants were free of medication at baseline and had a brain fMRI scan. Using a regions of interest (ROI) atlas (including 164 ROIs), we conducted ROI-to-ROI resting-state FC analyses for each participant. In terms of treatment participants were offered sertraline initially, although in this naturalistic study, other medications were also prescribed. Subjects were evaluated every 2 weeks up to 12 weeks by the study psychiatrist, who followed a flexible, clinically based medication dosing schedule. Multivariate regression analysis was used to examine correlation between change of MADRS score over 12 weeks and baseline FC between brain regions, controlling for age, gender, mean head motion, and baseline MADRS. We found greater FC between the left inferior frontal gyrus pars triangularis and the left frontal eye field and FC of these two regions with a number of brain regions related to reward, salience, and sensorimortor function were correlated with change in MADRS score over 12 weeks. Our results highlight the important role of between inner speech-reward, attention-salience, and attention-sensorimotor network synchronization in predicting acute treatment response in late-life depression.
Surface degradation mechanisms in a eutectic high entropy alloy at microstructural length-scales and correlation with phase-specific work function

High entropy alloys represent a new paradigm of structural alloy design consisting of (near) equal proportions of constituent elements resulting in a number of attractive properties. In particular, eutectic high entropy alloys offer a remarkable combination of high strength and good ductility from the synergistic contribution of each phase in the eutectic, thereby circumventing the strength-ductility trade-off in conventional structural materials. In the present study, wear and corrosion behavior were evaluated for the AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high entropy alloy consisting of BCC (B2), and FCC (L12) lamellae. A transition from adhesive to oxidative wear was observed in reciprocating wear analysis. The L12 phase with lower hardness preferentially deformed during the wear test. The ratio of hardness to modulus was almost two times higher for the B2 phase as compared to L12. The overall corrosion resistance of the eutectic high entropy alloy was comparable to 304 stainless steel in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. However, detailed microscopy revealed preferential dissolution of the B2 phase. Phase-specific scanning kelvin probe analysis showed relatively higher electropositivity for the B2 phase as compared with L12, supporting the selective corrosion and higher coefficient of friction of B2.
Darstellung und Quantifizierung von atherosklerotischen Plaques in den Koronargefäßen

Die selektive Koronarangiographie erlaubt die detaillierte Untersuchung der Herzkranzgefase mit bisher unubertroffener raumlicher und zeitlicher Auflosung und ist deshalb die Basis fur perkutane und chirurgische revaskularisierende Masnahmen im Stromgebiet von hochgradigen Koronarstenosen. Allerdings beginnt die Entwicklung atherosklerotischer Plaques typischerweise lange bevor dem Auftreten von angiographischen Stenosen, und die Mehrzahl der akuten koronaren Ereignisse (instabile Angina und Herzinfarkt) wird durch den plotzlichen Bruch eines atherosklerotischen Plaques ausgelost, der im Vorfeld keine hochgradige Stenose oder Angina pectoris verursachte. Mit zunehmendem Interesse widmet sich deshalb die Forschung der fruhen Entwicklung von koronaren Plaques, die mit der Angiographie allein nur unzureichend beschrieben werden konnen.
Raw and roasted pistachio nuts (Pistacia vera L.) are 'good' sources of protein based on their digestible indispensable amino acid score as determined in pigs.

BACKGROUND: Pistachio nuts may be consumed as raw nuts or as roasted nuts. However, there is limited information about the protein quality of the nuts, and amino acid (AA) digestibility and protein quality have not been reported. Therefore, the objective of this research was to test the hypothesis that raw and roasted pistachio nuts have a digestible indispensable AA score (DIAAS) and a protein digestibility corrected AA score (PDCAAS) greater than 75, thereby qualifying them as a good source of protein. RESULTS: The standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of all indispensable AAs, except arginine and phenylalanine, was less in roasted pistachio nuts than in raw pistachio nuts (P < 0.05). Raw pistachio nuts had a PDCAAS of 73, and roasted pistachio nuts had a PDCAAS of 81, calculated for children 2–5 years, and the limiting AA in the PDCAAS calculation was threonine. The DIAAS values calculated for children older than 3 years, adolescents, and adults was 86 and 83 for raw and roasted pistachio nuts respectively. The limiting AA in both raw and roasted pistachio nuts that determined the DIAAS for this age group was lysine. CONCLUSION: The results of this research illustrate that raw and roasted pistachio nuts can be considered a good quality protein source with DIAAS greater than 75; however, processing conditions associated with roasting may decrease the digestibility of AAs in pistachio nuts. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Reflections on GSA’s 75th anniversary: Moments, Mentors and Momentum

At GSA’s 2019 Annual Meeting, in accepting with humility the Clark Tibbitts Award for contributions to gerontological/geriatrics education I wore a Nature Conservancy necktie that I wear at special...
The Cerebro-Renal System- Anatomical and Physiological Considerations.

The brain and kidney both uniquely are highly susceptible to vascular injury from shared vascular risk factors. However these are not sufficient to explain the complete extent of cerebrovascular disease especially small vessel disease in its myriad presentations that patients with chronic kidney disease manifest. They both require a large amount of blood supply to function optimally. Shared anatomical and physiological factors such as the presence of strain vessels, the local vascular autoregulation that control blood supply possible, results in the vulnerability of these organs to the vascular risk factors. Because it is a bidirectional system where each affects the other, it is best considered as a cerebro-renal unit.
Thermal stability and gas absorption characteristics of ionic liquid-based solid polymer electrolytes.

Ionic liquid (IL)-based solid polymer electrolytes (SPE) with stable thermal properties and low electrical resistivity have been evaluated. Two candidates for the polymer component of the SPE, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and Nafion, were considered. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis and electrical resistivity tests revealed that PEGDA, in comparison to Nafion, enables the formation of uniform SPEs with lower electrical resistivity and better thermal stability within a range of 25 °C–170 °C. Therefore, PEDGA was selected for further evaluation of the IL component effect on the resulting SPE. Six IL candidates, including 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate ± methanesulfonic acid (BMIM.MS ± MSA), diethylmethylammonium triflate ±bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imine (Dema.OTF±HTFSI), and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ± bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imine (BMIM.TFSI ± HTFSI), were selected to test the effect of hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of the IL on the resulting SPE. Fourier transformation infrared spectrometer analysis revealed that the BMIM.MSA-based electrolytes have the highest tendency to absorb from the environment and keep the moisture, while Dema.OTF has the fastest curing time. The SPE candidates were further evaluated for absorption characteristics of different gasses and vapors, such as N2, O2, ethanol vapor, and diluted CO/N2, that were tested with the in situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique. Among all six candidates, BMIM.MS showed the largest N2 and O2 absorption capacity from the environment. Dema.OTF + HTFSI, meanwhile, demonstrated a higher level of interactions with the ethanol vapor. In the case of CO/N2, QCM analysis revealed that BMIM.MS+MSA has the largest, ∼13 µg/cm2, absorption capacity that is reached within 400 s of being exposed to the gas mixture.
Leveraging Telehealth for Delivery of Palliative Care to Remote Communities: A Rapid Review:

Palliative care encompasses supportive health care for patients at any stage of illness aimed at relieving symptoms, controlling pain, managing stress, offering respite for caregivers, and optimizing the quality of life. To explore strategies for increasing access to palliative care among individuals living in remote/rural communities, a rapid review was conducted on studies that explored the use of telehealth applications with this population. From December 2019 to February 2020, the PRISMA methodology was used to gather peer-reviewed studies published in the English language. MedLine, Google Scholar, and EBSCO were searched; no date limitations were set. Given the diversity of study methodologies and outcomes, the findings were synthesized narratively. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing the risk of bias was also employed. Lastly, the studies were mapped to clinical guidelines for the various aspects of quality palliative care. The 18 studies found, published between 2004 and 2019, were conducted in seven countries and on five continents. Aims included evaluating feasibility, efficacy, and user satisfaction. Insights draw from a combined pool of 3,313 patients and 250 providers. Most studies involved oncology patients and employed videoconferencing or a web platform/online software with videoconferencing. Three themes emerged: delivery of care, symptom management and quality of life, and patient/caregiver/provider satisfaction levels. Telehealth proved effective for patient and medication monitoring, provider and specialist appointments, and palliative care consultations. Operational benefits included clinician time saved, shorter appointment wait times, and reduced no show rates; implementation challenges also emerged. Statistical improvements in quality of life and symptom management were reported. Nearly two-thirds of the studies reported positive experiences among patients, caregivers, and providers; about half included an interprofessional team. The studies primarily focused on the structure/process and physical aspects of quality palliative care, there was a paucity of insights on the spiritual, cultural, end of life, and ethical/legal aspects of care. Two-thirds (12/18) of the studies employed a descriptive design. Risk for selection, performance, detection, and reporting biases emerged for all the studies; for example, only four of the studies included control groups and less than 20% (3/18) reported on attrition of study participants. Additional limitations include the rapid review methodology which relied heavily on the lead author's decisions and the restriction of studies published only in the English language. More rigorous research is required to confirm the viability of clinical care delivery and establish best practices for quality, virtual palliative care to remote/rural areas.