cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Core Crush Mechanisms and Solutions in the Manufacturing of Sandwich Structures

Core crush is a manufacturing defect occurred during the autoclave curing process of composite honeycomb sandwich structures. It usually leads to costly part rejections since the defect is non-repairable. In addition, this problem has posted constraints on aircraft engineers by limiting the ranges of core density and core thickness that could be used when designing these types of structures. In commercial production, several techniques (e.g., ply tie-down, pre-cured adhesive over the core) have been applied to restrain the core from collapsing inward; however, these approaches require additional labor, time and material cost and thus may not be the best solutions. This paper discusses the recent understandings in core crush mechanisms and the subsequent developments in core crush resistant prepreg based on that foundation. It shows that the prepreg frictional resistance is the key factor in controlling core crush. While past research in the scientific community has mainly focused on resin effects in core crush, studies conducted in Hexcel show that the core crush can also be significantly reduced by controlling construction of the fiber tow shape and fabric architecture. Rounder fiber tow or more open fabric produces rougher prepreg surface and thus yields higher prepreg frictional resistance to reduce core crush. Experimental results show that, without changing the resin, the developed core crush resistant prepreg increases the prepreg frictional resistance and effectively reduces the core crush.
Contribution of Knowledge and Knowledge Management Capability on Business Processes among Healthcare Organizations

Advances in technology, regulations, and rapid rise in costs have generated a growing interest among researchers to explore the role of knowledge management in healthcare. While most studies have focused on information technology and medical informatics including electronic health records management, only a few have attempted to go beyond the clinical processes (patient diagnostics) aspects of healthcare. Core business processes in healthcare go beyond clinical and diagnostics care. Employee knowledge and organizational mechanisms of knowledge and process management are hypothesized to contribute to process performance. In this paper we present a field study of healthcare firms in the Midwestern region of United States. Applying existing theories on absorptive capacity,, goal setting, and goal commitment we model the relationships among relevant constructs and using PLS methods show that knowledge management capabilities and organizations commitment and focus on knowledge contribute to supporting business process performance.
Sub-Surface Inertial Wave Excitation in Liquid Propellants and Its Effects on Fuel Tanks of Spin-Stabilized Spacecraft

The unsteady motion of liquid propellant onboard a spinning spacecraft is of concern when considering the attitude stability of the entire vehicle. Spin-stabilization maneuvers performed by the spacecraft, while on-orbit, induce periodic liquid motions within the propellant tank known as fuel slosh. As the liquid propellant sloshes, sub-surface currents and viscous forces at the tank walls create small internal torques which force the spacecraft into an unsteady, oscillatory spin known as nutation. Resonant frequencies increase the nutation growth rate and can result in the spin of the spacecraft switching from a spin about the minor axis to a spin about the major axis. New slosh research has shown that a unique phenomenon occurs when a spherical fuel tank is filled to maximum capacity and placed within a spacecraft with a 0.9 effective inertia ratio. Sub-surface inertial waves are created inside the fuel tank, causing a rotational instability in the spacecraft. Therefore, to better understand sub-surface inertial waves and their attitude effects on spin-stabilized spacecraft, an experiment is performed onboard NASA’s parabolic, microgravity aircraft. Accelerometers attached to a mock spacecraft measure the rate of nutation growth as the spacecraft is spun in zero gravity. The data is analyzed and compared to a MATLAB SimMechanics simulation to validate mechanical models. The comparison of the two forms of data will be used to better understand sub-surface inertial waves and their effects on nutation growth.
Enterprise network intrusion detection and prevention system (ENIDPS)

Securing enterprise networks comes under two broad topics: Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS). The right combination of selected algorithms/techniques under both topics produces better security for a given network. This approach leads to using layers of physical, administrative, electronic, and encrypted systems to protect valuable resources. So far, there is no algorithm, which guarantees absolute protection for a given network from intruders. Intrusion Prevention Systems like IPSec, Firewall, Sender ID, Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM) etc. do not guarantee absolute security just like existing Intrusion Detection Systems. Our approach focuses on developing an IDS, which will detect all intruders that bypass the IPS and at the same time will be used in updating the IPS, since the IPS fail to prevent some intruders from entering a given network. The new IDS will employ both signature-based detection and anomaly detection as its analysis strategy. It should therefore be able to detect known and unknown intruders or attacks and further isolate those sources of attack within the network. Both real-time and off-line IDS predictions will be applied under the analysis and response stages. The basic IDS architecture will involve both centralized and distributed/heterogeneous architecture to ensure effective detection. Pro-active responses and corrective responses will be employed. The new security system, which will be made up of both IDS and IPS, should be less expensive to implement compared to existing ones. Finally, limitations of existing security systems have to be eliminated with the introduction of the new security system.
The dielectric constant of lamellar semicrystalline polymers

The problem of representing the dielectric constant of semicrystalline polymers in terms of the dielectric constants and volume fractions of the constitutent crystalline and amorphous phases is considered. For locally lamellar morphology, bounds based on uniform electric and displacement fields are derived. The equations also include the degree of crystal orientation as a parameter. For unoriented polymers the bounds are considerably tighter than the Hashin–Shtrikman bounds, the latter being the best possible without knowledge of phase geometries. The bounds presented here are sufficiently tight to represent the dielectric constant with practical accuracy for a number of examples of semicrystalline polymers. A treatment is also given of the dielectric constant where the lamellar morphology is further specified as being organized into spherulite-like structures. These bounds are somewhat tighter than the lamellar bounds.
Oh baby! A review of mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder in the child-bearing woman

Background: Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that can cause abnormal changes in a person's mood, cognitive function, and quality of life. Patients who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder often have intense emotional states that are characterized by either manic or depressive episodes. There is a strong correlation between women of child bearing age and the initial age of onset of the disease. Mood stabilizing drugs have been the mainstay of treatment for many decades; however, there is strong data supporting the teratogenic effects of these drugs on the fetus in pregnant and lactating women. Methods: Review articles, clinical trials, and practice guidelines were located using online databases PubMed, CINAHL, IDIS, and Medline. Search terms included at least one of the following: “bipolar disorder”, “breast-feeding”, “carbamazepine”, “epilepsy”, “lactation”, “lamotrigine”, “lithium”, “mood stabilizers”, “pregnancy”, “valproate”, and “valproic acid”. Online clinical databases Clinical Pharmacology and L...
Reengineering the glutathione S-transferase scaffold: A rational design strategy pays off

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) represent a large group of enzymes found in organisms ranging from prokaryotes to mammals (for a primary review of GSTs, see ref. 1). GSTs perform important functions in the detoxification of both endogenous and exogenous xenobiotic compounds and in protection against oxidative stress, cancer, and other degenerative diseases, including many diseases associated with aging. In addition to their enzymatic functions, GSTs have been found to bind a large number of compounds including steroids and carcinogens, to act as regulatory proteins, and even to serve in structural roles (S-crystallins). The fundamental chemistry performed by GSTs involves the peptide glutathione (GSH, γ-glutamylcysteinylglycine) in a nucleophilic attack on an electrophilic substrate (Scheme S1). Their protective roles in the cell derive from the fact that the resulting GSH conjugates are more soluble than the original substrates and hence more easily exported from the cell. In some organisms such as prokaryotes, GST superfamily enzymes use the basic GST chemistry to perform more complex reactions associated with biodegradation of persistent environmental pollutants, including halogenated aromatic compounds (2).
Estimating salinity to complement observed temperature: 2.Northwestern Atlantic

Abstract This paper addresses the problem of estimating salinity for a large region in the Atlantic Ocean containing the Gulf Stream and its recirculation. Together with Part 1 [Thacker, W.C., 2007-this issue. Estimating salinity to complement observed temperature: 1. Gulf of Mexico. Journal of Marine Systems. doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2005.06.008 .] dealing with the Gulf of Mexico, this reports on the first efforts of a project for developing world-wide capability for estimating salinity to complement expendable-bathythermograph (XBT) data. Such estimates are particularly important for this region, where the strong frontal contrasts render the task of assimilating XBT data into numerical models more sensitive to the treatment of salinity. Differences in salinity's co-variability with temperature and with longitude, latitude, and day-of-year from the northwestern part of the region with the Gulf Stream to the southeastern part more characteristic of the Sargasso sea suggested that the region be partitioned to achieve more accurate salinity estimates. In general, accuracies were better in the southeastern sub-region than in the more highly variable northwestern sub-region with root-mean-square estimation errors of 0.15 psu at 25 dbar and 0.02 psu at 300 dbar as compared with 0.35 psu and 0.50 psu, respectively, but in the southeast there was an unexpected error maximum around 1000 dbar where estimates were slightly less accurate than in the northwest. For pressures greater than 1400 dbar root-mean-square errors in both sub-regions were less than 0.02 psu.
Micro-architecture evaluation using performance vectors

Benchmarking is a widely used approach to measure computer performance. Current use of benchmarks only provides running times to describe the performance of a tested system. Glancing through these execution times provides little or no information about system strengths and weaknesses. A novel benchmarking methodology is proposed to identify key performance parameters; the methodology is based on measuring performance vectors. A performance vector is a vector of ratings that represents delivered performance of primitive operations of a system. Measuring the performance vector of a system in a typical user workload can be a tough problem. We show how the performance vector falls out of an equation consisting of dynamic instruction counts and execution times of benchmarks. We present a non-linear approach for computing the performance vector. The efficacy of the methodology is ascertained by evaluating the micro-architecture of the Sun SuperSPARC superscalar processor using SPEC benchmarks. Results show interesting tradeoffs in the SuperSPARC and speak favorably of our methodology.
School‐Level Factors Associated With Increased Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Students in California Middle and High Schools

BACKGROUND This study assessed associations between selective school-level factors and students' consumption of fruits and vegetables at school. Better understanding of school factors associated with increased produce consumption is especially important, as students are served more produce items at school. METHODS This cross-sectional study included 5439 seventh- and ninth-grade students from 31 schools in California in 2010. Multilevel regression models estimated whether the odds of consuming fruits or vegetables at school among students eating the school lunch were associated with the length of the lunch period, quality/variety of produce options, or other factors. RESULTS A longer lunch period was associated with increased odds of a student eating fruits (odds ratio [OR] = 1.40) and vegetables (OR = 1.54) at school. Better fruit quality increased the odds of a student consuming fruit (OR = 1.44). Including a salad bar and involving students in food service decisions increased a student's odds of consuming vegetables (OR = 1.48 and OR = 1.34, respectively). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that institutional factors in schools are positively associated with middle and high school students' consumption of produce items at school. Additional efforts to structure school meal environments to enhance students' consumption of produce items can benefit students' nutrition and health.
Micronutrients in pregnancy.

Vitamins and minerals, referred to collectively as micronutrients, have important influences on the health of pregnant women and the growing fetus. Iron deficiency results in anemia which may increase the risk of death from hemorrhage during delivery, but its effects on fetal development and birth outcomes is still unclear. Folic acid deficiency can lead to hematological consequences, pregnancy complications and congenital malformations, but again the association with other birth outcomes is equivocal. Zinc deficiency has been associated in some, but not all studies with complications of pregnancy and delivery, as well as with growth retardation, congenital abnormalities and retarded neurobehavioral and immunological development in the fetus. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy results in cretinism and possible fetal wastage and preterm delivery. Deficiency of other minerals such as magnesium, selenium, copper, and calcium have also been associated with complications of pregnancy, childbirth or fetal development. Deficiencies of vitamins other than folate may likewise be related to such complications; and vitamin A or β-carotene supplements in pregnancy reduced maternal mortality by 50 % in a controlled trial in Nepal. Additional research is need on the prevalence of such deficiencies and their consequences and on cost-effective public health interventions for their control.
Gating of nicotinic ACh receptors: latest insights into ligand binding and function

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are in the superfamily of cys-loop receptors, and are widely expressed in the nervous system where they participate in a variety of physiological functions, including regulating excitability and neurotransmitter release, as well as neuromuscular contraction. Members of the cys-loop family of receptors, which also includes the molluscan ACh-binding protein (AChBP), a soluble protein that is analogous to the extracellular ligand-binding domain of the cys-loop receptors, are pentameric assemblies of five subunits, with each subunit arranged around a central pore. The binding of ACh to the extracellular interface between two subunits induces channel opening. With the recent 4 A resolution of the Torpedo nAChR, and the crystal structure of the AChBP, much has been learned about the structure of the ligand-binding domain and the channel pore, as well as major structural rearrangements that may confer channel opening, including a major rearrangement of the C-loop within the ligand binding pocket, and perhaps other regions including the F-loop (the β8–β9 linker), the β1–β2 linker and the cys-loop. Here I will review the latest findings from my lab aimed at a further understanding of the function of the neuronal nAChR channels (and in particular the role of desensitization), and our search for novel AChBP species that may lead to a further understanding of the function of the cys-loop receptor family.
Ethnophysiology and herbal treatments of intestinal worms in Dominica, West Indies.

In rural Dominican ethnophysiology worms reside in a human organ called the ‘worm bag’. Unchecked, worms can cause illness by growing in size and number, spreading out of the worm bag and into other organs. In this study of ‘bush medicine’, we use a measure of cognitive salience in free-listing tasks, which reveals five plants commonly used to treat intestinal worms. These were Ambrosia hispida (Asteraceae), Aristolochia trilobata (Aristlochiaceae), Chenopodium ambrosioides (Chenopodiaceae), Portulaca oleracea (Portulacaceae), and Artemisia absinthium (Asteraceae). Bioactive compounds appear to be present in all of these plants. The cognitive salience of these plant remedies coupled with evidence of biochemical properties suggest that they provide efficacious treatments for controlling intestinal parasite loads. # 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Lock-based self-stabilizing distributed mutual exclusion algorithms

In 1974, Dijkstra introduced the notion of self-stabilization and presented a token circulation distributed mutual exclusion (DMX) protocol as the first self-stabilizing (SS) algorithm. Since then, many variations of SS DMX algorithms have been presented. Most, if not all, of these algorithms impose stronger assumptions on their execution environments than those provided by common distributed systems. Independently, non SS DMX algorithms have been studied extensively in the last 15 years. This paper presents two SS DMX algorithms that are based on existing non SS DMX algorithms: one is based on a link-locking algorithm and the other is on a node-locking algorithm. Our algorithms assume execution environments that are close to those provided by common distributed systems. Furthermore, they provide better synchronization delays than token circulation SS DMX algorithms. We have implemented our algorithms and tested them with various initial configurations.
Phenotypic and Genetic Variation in Two North American Arctic Charr, Salvelinus alpinus, Stocks Cultured in a Recirculating Aquaculture System

Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus, were obtained as eggs from two North American sources, an eastern (Fraser River, Canada) and a western (Bristol Bay, Alaska, USA) stock. Fish were pit tagged (eastern , western ) and stocked communally into three replicated 7-m3 tanks at a density of 7.6 ± 1.2 kg/m3. Each tank was supplied with 2 ppt salinity water from a recirculating biological filtration system. Fish were fed a commercial diet (48%P, 20%F) from automatic feeders. Fish were harvested approximately 24 mo after hatching at a final tank density of 56.2 ± 1.3 kg/m3. Mean daily water temperature was 10.4 C with a range of 5.9–12.6 C and mean dissolved oxygen was 12.6 mg/L with a range of 9.7 (91% of saturation) to 17.8 mg/L (149% of saturation). Individual fish were evaluated for total, carcass, and fillet weight, sex, stage of sexual maturity, fillet fat, fillet color, and gonad weight. The western stock fish grew faster and were significantly larger () (P < 0.0001) than the eastern stock (). Heritabilities were low for all traits and ranged from 0.08 ± 0.06 to 0.28 ± 0.09. Genetic correlations for body size traits were highly positive and significant (0.99–1.00). Genetic correlations of fillet color and body size traits were positive, but not significant. Genetic correlations of fillet fat with body size traits were negative, but not significant. Genetic correlation of fillet fat and fillet color was positive and significant (0.55 ± 0.27). Random genetic variation was assessed from microsatellite variability on 30 fish from each stock (eastern and western) and 32 fish from a third commercial source of unknown origin for comparison. The amount of variation detected in the western stock was higher than the eastern and commercial stocks. The eastern stock was composed of an admixture of two sources, the commercial stock was composed by three different sources, and the western stock was composed by three to four source populations. Data will be used to calculate breeding values on a separate group of captive sibling adult broodfish and a line selected for carcass weight and maturity at 3 yr will be developed.
To drive or not to drive: preliminary results from road testing of patients with dementia

There has been considerable debate about whether driving privileges should be revoked from patients with a diagnosis of dementia and whether highway safety policies should come under closer scrutiny for all elderly. Two case studies are reported of patients with a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease who participated in a pilot project to assess driving. Subjects underwent neurologic and neuropsychological evaluation. Caregivers were included in psychosocial assessments. Patients participated in a specially designed driving evaluation, including an actual road test. Although both patients had mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment on standard tests, one of the patients was deemed safe to drive on the road test while the other was not. These preliminary results suggest that driving skill may not be predictable solely on the basis of the office examination. A road competency test provides a more objective and direct measure on which to base a decision of such important consequence. Implications for public policy and the role for healthcare providers in this process are discussed.
The impact of Mycobacterium avium complex bacteremia and its treatment on survival of AIDS patients--a prospective study.

It is currently recommended that patients with AIDS and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) bacteremia receive antimycobacterial treatment. However, no study has prospectively evaluated the impact of this infection and its treatment on survival. This study prospectively followed a cohort of 367 AIDS patients with < or = 50 CD4+ cells/microL and found that MAC bacteremia was independently associated with an increased risk of death (relative hazard [RH] = 1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-2.4, P < .001). Patients with MAC bacteremia who were treated had a longer median survival than those who were not (263 vs. 139 days, P < .001); treatment was independently associated with a lower risk of death (RH = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.23-0.89, P < .001). However, 23% of patients with bacteremia died within 28 days of that diagnosis; few were treated. MAC bacteremia contributes to the death of patients with AIDS, and treatment increases survival. However, many patients will not survive long enough to receive treatment. These results underscore the importance of early diagnosis and chemoprophylaxis for MAC bacteremia.
HIV Co-receptors: The Brain Perspective

Chemokines and chemokine receptors are significant to the establishment and maintenance of HIV-1 infection, viral transmission, and AIDS pathogenesis. They also play an important role in the development of neurologic complications of AIDS, including HIV-1-associated dementia (HIVD), through several mechanisms. The contribution of chemokines to the development of AIDS and HIVD is complex; some chemokines appear to aid pathogenesis, while others appear to be protective. In the following chapter, we discuss the role of chemokines and chemokine receptors in HIV-1 infection and the pathogenesis of AIDS and HIVD. Potential therapeutic strategies are also briefly detailed.
A cis -Acting Region Regulates Oxidized Lipid-Mediated Induction of the Human Heme Oxygenase-1 Gene in Endothelial Cells

Objective—Several proatherogenic agents including oxidized LDL and its major component, 13hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE), upregulate heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Our previous studies have demonstrated that 13-HPODE–mediated HO-1 induction occurs via transcriptional mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the molecular regulation and identify the signaling pathways involved in 13-HPODE–mediated HO-1 induction in human aortic endothelial cells. Methods and Results—The half-life of HO-1 mRNA after stimulation with 13-HPODE was1.8 hours. Antioxidants such as N-acetylcysteine, iron chelation with deferoxamine mesylate, and protein kinase C inhibition with Go6976 blocked HO-1 induction. Using promoter constructs up to 9.1 kb, no significant reporter activity was observed in response to 13-HPODE. A 13-HPODE–inducible DNase I hypersensitive site was identified that maps to a region 10 to 11 kb from the transcription start site of the human HO-1 gene. Based on the DNase I analysis, a 11.6-kb human HO-1 promoter construct was generated and elicited a 2.5-fold increase in reporter activity, indicating that 13-HPODEmediated human HO-1 induction requires, at least in part, sequences that reside between 9.1 and 11.6 kb of the human HO-1 promoter. Conclusions—Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms which control HO-1 gene expression will allow us to develop therapeutic strategies to enhance the cytoprotective potential of HO-1 in atherosclerosis. (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2003;23:1416-1422.)
The Importance of Being Trustworthy: Trust as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Leader Behaviors and Employee Job Satisfaction

In this study, the authors examined the relationship between leader behaviors and subordinate job satisfaction by adopting the theoretical perspective of the integrative model of trust. The authors...
Structure and composition profile of InAs/GaAs quantum dots capped by an InGaAs and InAlAs combination layer

Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (X-TEM) and scan-TEM are performed to study how the structural properties of InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) are affected when capped by an InGaAs and InAlAs combination layer (CBL), which currently is one of the most promising active regions for a 1.3 µm QD laser. GaAs capping causes leveling of the QDs, which is suppressed by the introduction of an InGaAs and InAlAs CBL. Scan-TEM results show that the CBL significantly suppresses In segregation and In‐Ga intermixing during the capping process. Therefore, the height and In concentration in the buried QDs remain larger than that of GaAs capped QDs, leading to the enhanced optical properties of InAs QDs. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
Inhaled Amphotericin B for Prophylaxis Against invasive Aspergillus Infections

Objective:To evaluate the available literature describing the use of inhaled amphotericin B for prophylaxis of invasive Aspergillus spp. infections.Data Sources:A MEDLINE search was conducted (1966–July 2006) using the key terms amphotericin B, inhaled amphotericin B, Aspergillus spp., invasive aspergillosis, solid-organ transplant, neutropenia, and inhalation. Review of the reference lists of the identified articles was also performed.Study Selection And Data Extraction:Study selection included published trials, case reports, and case series of humans with hematologic disease and solid-organ transplant who used inhaled amphotericin B in the prevention of invasive Aspergillus infections.Data Synthesis:Inhaled amphotericin B has been evaluated for the prevention of invasive aspergillosis (IA) infections in neutropenic patients and certain solid-organ transplant recipients. Use of inhaled amphotericin B seems to reduce the incidence of IA in these patients; however, some of the clinical evidence was limited...
Acquisition of pragmatic competence

The following describes a study of the acquisition of ‘pragmatic’ structures by Italian children. PRAGMATICS refers to the study of the use of language in context, by real speakers and hearers in real situations. It therefore fails to meet the definition of ‘competence’ outlined by Chomsky, emphasizing the ideal speaker abstracted from particular situations, and perhaps for this reason has been neglected in psycholinguistic studies. However, there has been a renewed interest in pragmatics in recent semantic theory, and a number of proposals have been made regarding a formal representation for pragmatic structures. Three major positions can be distinguished, all of which in varying degrees separate pragmatics from the propositional content itself, as a set of procedures and assumptions for the appropriate use of propositions. Interpretive semanticists, such as Jackendoff (1972), place pragmatics entirely outside the syntactic component, in a separate and heterogeneous semantic component. Fillmore (1968) and Weinreich (1963) offer proposals for a separate ‘modality component’ which operates on a more articulated semantic structure. For example, in the sentence Could John have hit the ball?, the proposition ‘John hit the ball’ is spelled out in terms of the predicate ‘hit’, the two arguments, and the semantic relations holding among them. The modality component would contain simply a set of unanalysed symbols like QUESTION, CONDITIONAL and PAST PERFECT that are applied to the proposition. A third approach to pragmatics is offered in natural logic models like those of Parisi & Antinucci (1973) or Lakoff (forthcoming). In these models, as contrasted with the above modality component, all the meaning underlying a sentence is broken into minimal elements. Thus the above sentence is described not only with the nuclear proposition ‘John hit the ball’, but with a performative proposition describing the speaker's interrogative intention (i.e. ‘I ask you…’) and with various presuppositions1 describing the conditions that are necessary for the sentence to be appropriate. For example, instead of an unanalysed symbol for conditional, there is an ancillary proposition describing the fact that the central proposition is not necessarily true at time X. This latter approach was of more heuristic value for a developmental study of pragmatics because a representation is available for all the meaning underlying a given sentence. For example, the articulated presupposition ‘Proposition X is not necessarily true at time X’ is more easily translatable into psychological terms than an unanalysed symbol like ‘Conditional’.
Efficient Site-Specific Integration of Large Transgenes by an Enhanced Herpes Simplex Virus/Adeno-Associated Virus Hybrid Amplicon Vector

We previously demonstrated that a herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)/adeno-associated virus (AAV) hybrid amplicon vector constructed by inserting the sequences of regulatory protein (rep) and inverted terminal repeats of AAV into an HSV amplicon vector resulted in the enhanced stability of transgene expression compared to the original HSV-1 amplicon vector. However, problems related to the expression of Rep compromised its therapeutic applications. We report here a new HSV/AAV hybrid amplicon vector system that not only solved problems associated with Rep expression but also markedly improved the stable transduction efficiency of this vector. This new HSV/AAV vector is designed in a way that little or no Rep would be expressed in packaging cells, but it can be expressed in transduced cells if Cre recombinase is provided. Furthermore, Rep expression will be automatically suppressed as a consequence of Rep-mediated integration. Our results showed that the new hybrid amplicon vector yielded titers comparable to those of standard amplicon vectors. When Cre-expressing 293 cells were transduced, a low level of Rep expression was detected, and stable transduction was achieved in approximately 22% of transduced cells; of those cells, approximately 70% transduction was achieved by Rep-mediated site-specific integration. In the majority of the stably transduced cells, Rep expression was no longer observed. Our results also proved that this vector system is capable of efficiently accommodating and site-specifically integrating large transgenes, such as the full-length dystrophin expression cassette. Thus, the new HSV/AAV vector demonstrated unique advantages in safe and effective delivery of long-lasting transgene expression into human cells.
Consistency of a mobile body composition trailer: a novel portable laboratory assessment?

Summary Objective The purpose of this investigation was to (i) assess the test–retest reliability and minimum difference (MD) values of air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) and the Siri 3-compartment (3-C) model in a mobile trailer, and (ii) identify any environmental fluctuations in the trailer. Methods percent body fat (%BF) was examined in 22 firefighters on two separate days in a climate-controlled mobile trailer using ADP. Total body water was examined in a subset of participants (n = 12) using bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS) to determine %BF using Siri's 3-C model. Results There were no differences in environmental measures (P≥0·138), %BF for ADP (P = 0·276), or %BF for the Siri 3-C model (P = 0·382) between day 1 and day 2. Intraclass correlation coefficient and standard error of measurement values for ADP and the Siri 3-C model were 0·978 and 1·3% and 0·986 and 0·6%, respectively. The MD values were 3·6% and 1·7%, respectively. Conclusions These findings indicate that ADP can reliably determine %BF when transported in a climate-controlled mobile trailer. Additional accuracy is achievable with the Siri 3-C model, providing an attractive and promising method to measure body composition in larger scale community-based settings.
Sensory neurons mediate protective vasodilatation in rat gastric mucosa

Sensory nerve stimulation by intragastric capsaicin (160 microM) prevents ethanol injury to the gastric mucosa and facilitates gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF). The present study examined whether the capsaicin-induced increase in GMBF accounts for mucosal protection. Gastric perfusion of capsaicin (160 microM) in urethan-anesthetized rats did not change blood pressure but significantly enhanced GMBF as measured by hydrogen gas clearance. The same increase in GMBF was seen when capsaicin was administered together with an injurious concentration of ethanol (25%). GMBF was facilitated by capsaicin in a dose-related manner (10-640 microM), and the dose-dependent vasodilatation was significantly correlated with a dose-dependent reduction of gross damage to the mucosa. Histology showed that capsaicin prevented deep but not superficial mucosal damage. The vasodilator and protective effects of capsaicin resulted from stimulation of sensory neurons and propagation of nerve activity, since they were blocked after ablation of capsaicin-sensitive neurons or local intra-arterial infusion of tetrodotoxin. This and the finding of a limited access of intragastric capsaicin to the gastric wall indicates that the vasodilator and protective effects of capsaicin are mediated by a neural reflex. It is concluded that facilitation of GMBF is the major mechanism of sensory nerve-mediated prevention of gastric mucosal injury.
The Liberal Democratic Party in Time

The organization of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party, arguably the most successful political party in the democratic world (1955-1993; 1994-2009), has rarely been studied as a factor in its success, or in its sudden loss of power in 2009. This paper uses an historical institutional approach to analyze one of its key organizations, its Policy Affairs Research Council (PARC) its chief party policymaking organ. We look at PARC and its development both before the 1994 electoral reform that was expected to lead to its demise and after the reform when the organization survived with only a few adaptations for a decade and a half. We come to very different explanation and conclusions about both its development until the electoral reform and its survival than those who used an “actor-centered functionalist” approach of assuming that the previous SNTV electoral system and the current MMM electoral system were the main causal variables determining the party’s organization. Using a modified version of Paul Pierson’s approach of path dependence, sequencing and complementary institutions, we conclude that Electoral reform and electoral systems matter, but do not determine all political change, and they matter in some ways more than others. Another is that intra-party conflict and rivalry, as much as inter-party competition for electoral victory can shape party organizational outcomes - one cannot always explain the resulting party organizational structure and processes by deductively attributing the functional incentives electoral system alone as explanations (actor-centered functionalism error). Therefore, it is equally important therefore to process-trace how those organizations originated and developed empirically.
Life Happens (Outside of College): Non-College Life-Events and Students’ Likelihood of Graduation

Students’ lives outside of college can have dramatic effects on academic outcomes (e.g., grades, persistence, graduation). However, the manner in which students’ lives outside of college are referenced in college-effects models suggests some uncertainty among scholars as to which, and how, student experiences outside of an institution affect college student outcomes. Using longitudinal data from a racially diverse sample of 3914 students (997 White, 1051 Black, 915 Hispanic, and 951 Asian) attending 28 institutions, this study employs logistic regression models to examine relationships between three types of non-college life-events and students’ likelihood of graduation. Specifically, we examine the impact of financial disruptions, grieving a friend’s or family member’s death, and other family situations that likely cause psychological distress for students. Results suggest that major life-events are both common (i.e., affecting over 52 % of students) and consequential (i.e., negatively affecting graduation rates), thus warranting increased attention from researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners.
Multifidelity Optimization using Statistical Surrogate Modeling for Non-Hierarchical Information Sources

United States. Air Force. Office of Scientific Research. Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (Grant FA9550- 09-0613)
Growth and development parameters for Acheta domesticus

The best growth and development of Acheta domesticus in laboratory culture has been attained with an oligidic diet containing 30% protein, approximately 10% of which is from powdered animal liver. A rearing temperature of 32°C will give a life cycle from egg to adult of 6-7 weeks. Under optimum conditions, 500-mg (mean wt) crickets are produced. There are 10 molts in the course of development. Crowding is a factor, principally in the early stages if the population density exceeds 1 cricket per 2½ cm2 of crawl space. This is an estimate with 100% safety factor.
Remote sensing-based detection and quantification of roadway debris following natural disasters

Rapid knowledge of road network conditions is vital to formulate an efficient emergency response plan following any major disaster. Fallen buildings, immobile vehicles, and other forms of debris often render roads impassable to responders. The status of roadways is generally determined through time and resource heavy methods, such as field surveys and manual interpretation of remotely sensed imagery. Airborne lidar systems provide an alternative, cost-e↵ective option for performing network assessments. The 3D data can be collected quickly over a wide area and provide valuable insight about the geometry and structure of the scene. This paper presents a method for automatically detecting and characterizing debris in roadways using airborne lidar data. Points falling within the road extent are extracted from the point cloud and clustered into individual objects using region growing. Objects are classified as debris or non-debris using surface properties and contextual cues. Debris piles are reconstructed as surfaces using alpha shapes, from which an estimate of debris volume can be computed. Results using real lidar data collected after a natural disaster are presented. Initial results indicate that accurate debris maps can be automatically generated using the proposed method. These debris maps would be an invaluable asset to disaster management and emergency response teams attempting to reach survivors despite a crippled transportation network.
Repairing the damaged spinal cord: from stem cells to activity-based restoration therapies.

Anatomy Theatre e Blk MD10, Level 2 Anatomy Museum Director, Interna onal Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Ins tute Associate Professor, Department of Neurology and PMR leading to frustra on and a sense of hopelessness for pa ents because of the remarkable morbidity and mortality, and restricted therapeu c op ons. However, recent and con nued advances in neural injury and repair, and the progress towards development of neuroprotec ve and regenera ve interven ons are basis for increased op mism. Embryonic stem (ES) cells can give rise to all neural progenitors and represent an important scien fic tool for approaching neural repair. Current concepts of the pathophysiology, repair and restora on of func on in the damaged spinal cord are presented with an overlay of how neural stem cells, par cularly ES cells, fit into the picture as important scien fic tools that will translate into discoveries and rapid progress in neural repair. Ac vity based restora ve therapies (ABRT) use methods like func onal electric s mula on (FES) to help pa ents with paralysis “exercise” muscles through ac vi es such as riding a specially-equipped FES bicycle. Research has proven that such ac vity helps improve pa ents’ quality of life by promo ng overall physical integrity: improving cardiovascular health, preven ng skin breakdown, reducing the incidence of osteoporosis, and other comorbidi es related to paralysis. An emerging and compelling use of FES is to provide ac va on of the nervous system which can op mize neural regenera on including progenitor cell birth, differen a on and maturaon, cell migra on, axonal pathfinding and myelina on. Further, recent evidence shows that ABRT therapies are also effec ve in helping individuals recover neurological func on such as sensa on and movement.
RhG-CSF Mobilized and Apheresis-Collected Endothelial Progenitor Cells for Therapeutic Vasculogenesis.

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been identified as part of hematopoietic tissue-derived progenitor cells that are mobilized into the peripheral blood (PB) as a result of tissue injury. It therefore seems likely that circulating EPCs have therapeutic potential by aiding in the neovascularization of ischemic tissue. It was the purpose of this study to provide clinical data on the availability of circulating EPCs at steady-state and after rhG-CSF mobilization, and their collection by leukapheresis. Eight healthy donors underwent rhG-CSF (10 μg/kg) treatment over 4 days. Continuous-flow leukapheresis (COBE Spectra, Version 4.7) was performed on the fourth day of rhG-CSF treatment. Blood samples were drawn before starting rhG-CSF treatment, before apheresis, and from the apheresis collection bag. The total cell numbers collected per apheresis were based on processing a median of 17 L [10.7–20.1] blood volume or approximately three times the donor’s total blood volume. Blood and apheresis samples were analyzed by flow cytometry for EPC surface markers CD34, CD133, VEGFR-2, and by forming EPC colonies (CFU-EPC). The Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test was used to compare the distributions at various sampling points. All CD133 subsets were CD14 negative to exclude differentiated monocytes or macrophages. The median steady-state PB concentrations of circulating CD34 + CD133 + VEGFR-2 + cells was 0.9/μl [0–3], or 1.7/μl [0.9–4] for CD34 + 133 − VEGFR-2 + EPCs. After 4 days of rhG-CSF mobilization treatment the PB CD34 + CD133 + VEGFR-2 + subset concentration increased by a median of 8-fold [p 0.01], and the CD34 + 133 − VEGFR-2 + subset concentration by a median of 10-fold [p 0.01] over baseline. The median PB concentration of circulating CFU-EPCs increased by 10-fold [p 0.02]. The median absolute number of CD34 + CD133 + VEGFR-2 + and CD34 + CD133 - VEGFR-2 + cells collected by leukapheresis per kg of body weight was 0.845 x 10 6 [0.12–2.55] and 1.54 x 10 6 [0.06–2.4], respectively. A small population of CD133 + 34 − VEGFR-2 + cells was identified in steady state and mobilized PB, and in the apheresis collect (0.11 x 10 6 /kg [0–0.26]). CD34 − progenitor cells expressing CD133 are believed to represent a primitive progenitor cell population containing SCID-repopulating cells. VEGFR-2 coexpression of those immature cells may define a circulating cell population that contributes to vasculogenesis. Our data suggest that clonogenic circulating EPCs can be mobilized by rhG-CSF and collected by continuous-flow leukapheresis generating large numbers of EPCs, specifically in the range of 60 x 10 6 EPCs per leukapheresis procedure for a 70 kg individual. Circulating EPCs represent a novel blood cell component that can be clinically used in large quantities, either unmanipulated or EPC-selected, for therapeutic vasculogenesis.
Effects of Known Determinants on Methylene Bisphenyl Isocyanate (MDI) Concentration During Spray-On Truck Bed-Lining Processes.

Background Occupational exposure to methylene bisphenyl isocyanate (MDI) presents serious worker health concerns as it may lead to short- and long-term health effects such as asthma, airway irritation, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and irritation of skin and mucous membranes. While studies of worker isocyanate exposures during vehicle painting activities are widespread, few studies have investigated the spray-on truck bed-liner (STBL) industry. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of several ventilation system variables and process characteristics in controlling MDI concentrations in the STBL industry. Methods A total of 47 personal air samples were collected for MDI during 18 site visits at nine STBL companies in Colorado and Wyoming. Ventilation system and process characteristics that were assessed included: ventilation system face velocity, airflow, air changes per minute (AC/M), capture velocity, percent of MDI in bed-liner product, application temperature, application pressure, paint booth temperature, paint booth relative humidity, paint booth volume, and quantity of bed-liner product applied. Results Pearson correlation revealed percentage of MDI in bed-liner product (r = 0.557, n = 14, P < 0.05) and process temperature (r = 0.677, n = 14, P < 0.05) had high positive correlation with MDI concentration. Ventilation system face velocity (r = -0.578, n = 14, P < 0.05) and AC/M (r = -0.657, n = 14, P < 0.05) had high negative correlation with MDI concentration while airflow (r = -0.475, n = 14, P < 0.05) and capture velocity (r = -0.415, n = 14, P = 0.07) had moderate negative correlation with MDI concentration. Multiple linear regression revealed process temperature and capture velocity made a statistically significant and unique contribution in estimating MDI concentration (F (2, 11) = 10.99, P < 0.05) with an adjusted R2 of 0.61, explaining 61% of the variability in MDI concentration. Conclusions This investigation contributed to an understudied STBL industry by targeting determinants germane to MDI exposures during STBL application processes. Increasing ventilation performance for AC/M, airflow, face velocity, and capture velocity while also decreasing bed-liner application temperature and bed-liner product MDI content may have the greatest effect on reducing worker MDI exposures during STBL activities.
Using Video Prompting to Teach Mathematical Problem Solving of Real-World Video-Simulation Problems:

Mathematical problem solving is necessary in many facets of everyday life, yet little research exists on how to teach students with more severe disabilities higher order mathematics like problem so...