cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Small Heterodimer Partner and Fibroblast Growth Factor 19 Inhibit Expression of NPC1L1 in Mouse Intestine and Cholesterol Absorption.

Background & Aims The nuclear receptor subfamily 0 group B member 2 (NR0B2, also called SHP) is expressed at high levels in the liver and intestine. Postprandial fibroblast growth factor 19 (human FGF19, mouse FGF15) signaling increases the transcriptional activity of SHP. We studied the functions of SHP and FGF19 in the intestines of mice, including their regulation of expression of the cholesterol transporter NPC1L1 )NPC1-like intracellular cholesterol transporter 1) and cholesterol absorption. Methods We performed histologic and biochemical analyses of intestinal tissues from C57BL/6 and SHP-knockout mice and performed RNA-sequencing analyses to identify genes regulated by SHP. The effects of fasting and refeeding on intestinal expression of NPC1L1 were examined in C57BL/6, SHP-knockout, and FGF15-knockout mice. Mice were given FGF19 daily for 1 week; fractional cholesterol absorption, cholesterol and bile acid (BA) levels, and composition of BAs were measured. Intestinal organoids were generated from C57BL/6 and SHP-knockout mice, and cholesterol uptake was measured. Luciferase reporter assays were performed with HT29 cells. Results We found that the genes that regulate lipid and ion transport in intestine, including NPC1L1, were up-regulated and that cholesterol absorption was increased in SHP-knockout mice compared with C57BL/6 mice. Expression of NPC1L1 was reduced in C57BL/6 mice after refeeding after fasting but not in SHP-knockout or FGF15-knockout mice. SHP-knockout mice had altered BA composition compared with C57BL/6 mice. FGF19 injection reduced expression of NPC1L1, decreased cholesterol absorption, and increased levels of hydrophilic BAs, including tauro-α- and -β-muricholic acids; these changes were not observed in SHP-knockout mice. SREBF2 (sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 2), which regulates cholesterol, activated transcription of NPC1L1. FGF19 signaling led to phosphorylation of SHP, which inhibited SREBF2 activity. Conclusions Postprandial FGF19 and SHP inhibit SREBF2, which leads to repression of intestinal NPC1L1 expression and cholesterol absorption. Strategies to increase FGF19 signaling to activate SHP might be developed for treatment of hypercholesterolemia.
Noise Immune, Low-Skew, Pulse Width Retainable Analog Glitch-Filter

Slow, noise-prone IC interfaces such as I2C and SPI require input buffers with a glitch filter circuit to suppress input spikes of a given pulse width. This glitch filter is conventionally implemented as an analog RC circuit whose resistor and capacitor values are chosen according to the pulse width to be suppressed. Such a topology suffers from duty cycle distortion, pulse clipping and supply noise susceptibility — issues that could produce both functional as well as critical timing failures at system level. Our work addresses these issues by proposing an analog glitch filter that employs a combination of feed-back and feed-forward circuit elements, with minimal area overhead with respect to conventional schemes.
Network-based intervention strategies to reduce violence among homeless

Violence is a phenomenon that severely impacts homeless youth who are at an increased risk of experiencing it as a result of many contributing factors such as traumatic childhood experiences, involvement in delinquent activities, and exposure to perpetrators due to street tenure. Reducing violence in this population is necessary to ensure that the individuals can safely and successfully exit homelessness and lead a long productive life. Interventions to reduce violence in this population are difficult to implement due to the complex nature of violence. However, a peer-based intervention approach would likely be a worthy approach as previous research has shown that individuals who interact with more violent individuals are more likely to be violent, suggesting a contagious nature of violence. We propose uncertain voter model to represent the complex process of diffusion of violence over a social network that captures uncertainties in links and time over which the diffusion of violence takes place. Assuming this model, we define violence minimization problem where the task is to select a predefined number of individuals for intervention so that the expected number of violent individuals in the network is minimized over a given time frame. We also extend the problem to a probabilistic setting, where the success probability of converting an individual into nonviolent is a function of the number of “units” of intervention performed on them. We provide algorithms for finding the optimal intervention strategies for both scenarios. We demonstrate that our algorithms perform significantly better than interventions based on popular centrality measures in terms of reducing violence. Finally, we use our optimal algorithm for probabilistic intervention to recruit peers in a homeless youth shelter as a pilot study. Our surveys before and after the intervention show a significant reduction in violence.
Current Status of Mitral Valve Repair

AbstractBackground: Techniques of MV repair have undergone many modifications and improvements in the last three decades, which have made it a more predictable and reproducible method either in rheumatic or degenerative mitral valve repair.Aim of Study: 1- Comparing the results of repairing degenerative mitral valve versus the rheumatic pathology. 2- Assessment the results of resectional technique (excising part of valve leaflet) and the respect one (preserving the valve leaflet without excision any part of it) for posterior leaflet prolapse during the degenerative mitral valve repair.Patients and Methods: This prospective study was con-ducted in the Department of Cardiac Surgery, National Heart Institute (NHI) from July 2014 to December 2017 including postoperative follow-up at 6 months. One hundred cases with severe mitral valve regurgitation underwent mitral valve repair divided into two groups: Group “D” where 50 cases had degenerative mitral valve pathology with a predominant mitral regurgitation and Group “R” where 50 cases had rheumatic valve disease with a predominant mitral regurgitation and high likelihood of repair. Techniques used for repair of prolapsed degenerative PML divided into resection technique and respect one.Results: As regards comparison between Group “D” versus Group “R” there was significant increase in MV area, MPAP and mean diastolic gradient of MV in group “D” than group “R” at 6 months of post-operative follow-up. Five cases in Group “R” had a mean diastolic mitral gradient more than 10mmHg that needed mitral valve replacement, four cases of them were post leaflets' shaving and decalcification. Degree of residual mitral regurgitation in Group “D” included 41 (82%) cases with no or trivial regurgitation while 9 (18%) cases were mild, whereas in group “R” 37 (74%) cases had no or trivial regurgitation, 9 (18%) had mild mitral regurgita-tion, 2 (4%) was mild to moderate and 2 (4%) cases had moderate mitral regurgitation that needed further follow-up with echocardiography every 6 months. Comparison between resection technique versus respect one revealed a significance difference between both groups as regards MVA and size of the ring annuloplasty but no significance difference was found between both groups as regards degree of residual MV regurgitation or mean diastolic MV gradient after 6 months of follow-up.Conclusions: The early postoperative results for posterior mitral leaflet repair with respect technique using Uniscalloping of posterior leaflet or artificial chordae-ePTFE-is very accept-able and recommended. Using of artificial chordae to AML is very effective and safe to solve the problem of leaflet prolapse. Rheumatic valve repair appears to be possible in selected cases with rheumatic mitral valve dysfunction. Leaflet procedures in rheumatic valve repair may be associated with reduced durability of rheumatic MV repair.
Identification of Metagenomics Structure and Function Associated With Temporal Changes in Rat (Rattus norvegicus) Skin Microbiome During Health and Cutaneous Burn

The cutaneous skin microbiome is host to a vast ensemble of resident microbes that provide essential capabilities including protection of skin barrier integrity and modulation of the host immune response. Cutaneous burn-injury promotes alteration of cutaneous and systemic immune response that can affect both commensal and pathogenic microbes. A cross-sectional study of a limited number of burn patients revealed a difference in the bacteriome of burned versus control participants. Temporal changes of the skin microbiome during health and cutaneous burn-injury remains largely unknown. Furthermore, how this microbial shift relates to community function in the collective metagenome remain elusive. Due to cost considerations and reduced healing time, rodents are frequently used in burn research, despite inherent physiological differences between rodents and human skin. Using a rat burn model, a longitudinal study was conducted to characterize the rat skin bacterial residents and associated community functions in states of health (n = 30) (sham-burned) and when compromised by burn-injury (n = 24). To address the knowledge gap, traumatic thermal injury and disruption of cutaneous surface is associated with genus-level changes in the microbiota, reduced bacterial richness, and altered representation of bacterial genes and associated predicted functions across different skin microbial communities. These findings demonstrate that, upon burn-injury, there is a shift in diversity of the skin's organismal assemblages, yielding a core microbiome that is distinct at the genome and functional level. Moreover, deviations from the core community correlate with temporal changes post-injury and community transition from the state of cutaneous health to disease (burn-injury).
The Color Reaction of O-Carboxybenzenediazoaminobenzene-p-azobenzene with Cadmium and Relationship between Structures of Its Derivatives and Their Absorption Characteristics

The synthesis of o-carboxybenzenediazoaminobenzene-p-azobenzene is described. It reacts with cadmium in ammonia-water medium in the presence of OP emulsifyingagent with the formation of a red complex, which gives an absorption maximum at 525 nm with a molar absorptivity of 1.94×10~5 1·mol~(-1).cm~(-1), The complex is stable for at least 48 hours and Beer's law is obeyed up to a concentration of 10 μg Cd/25mL. The interfering ions can be pre-separated by a KI-MIBK extraction procedure. It is found that reagents with o-or p-substituted auxochromes give more sensitive reactions with cadmium than those with m-substituted groups.
Upstate, Downstate, and Outstate Across the United States

Upstate, downstate, and outstate are informal place names, informal in that they do not have locational coordinates or defined dimensions. They are, however, useful designators for the peripheral a...
Identification of High-Risk Left Ventricular Hypertrophy on Calcium Scoring Cardiac Computed Tomography Scans: Validation in the DHS.

Background: Coronary artery calcium scoring only represents a small fraction of all information available in noncontrast cardiac computed tomography (CAC-CT). We hypothesized that an automated pipe...
Additive manufacturing of functional polymer-based composite with enhanced mechanoluminescence (ZnS:Mn) performance

Triboluminescence (TL) is a phenomenon of light emission induced by impact, stress, fracture, or an applied mechanical force. This phenomenon can be used to detect, evaluate, and predict mechanical...
Regulation of Virulence by Two-Component Systems in Pathogenic Burkholderia

The regulation and timely expression of bacterial genes during infection is critical for a pathogen to cause an infection. Bacteria have multiple mechanisms to regulate gene expression in response to their environment, one of which is two-component systems (TCS). TCS have two components. One component is a sensory histidine kinase (HK) that autophosphorylates when activated by a signal. The activated sensory histidine kinase then transfers the phosphoryl group to the second component, the response regulator, which activates transcription of target genes. The genus Burkholderia contains members that cause human disease and are often extensively resistant to many antibiotics. The Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) can cause severe lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) or chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). BCC members have also recently been associated with several outbreaks of bacteremia from contaminated pharmaceutical products. Separate from the BCC is Burkholderia pseudomallei, which is the causative agent of melioidosis, a serious disease that occurs in the tropics, and a potential bioterrorism weapon. Bioinformatic analysis of sequenced Burkholderia isolates predicts that most strains have at least 40 TCS. The vast majority of these TCS are uncharacterized both in terms of the signals that activate them and the genes that are regulated by them. This review will highlight TCS that have been described to play a role in virulence in either the BCC or B. pseudomallei Since many of these TCS are involved in virulence, TCS are potential novel therapeutic targets, and elucidating their function is critical for understanding Burkholderia pathogenesis.
Neurological Outcome after Decompressive Craniectomy (DC) in 39 Patients Suffering from Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA) Infarction

Objectives:Cerebral lobe infarction caused by traumatic brain contusion, arterial vascular spasm or occlusion, with malignant brain edema may lead to intracranial hypertension resistant to all medical treatments. In selected cases, DC therefore may be indicated, but is controversial.
Remembrance of things practiced: A two-pathway circuit for sequential learning

Abstract The intertwined effects of recency and practice on memory and learned behavior have long been studied in psychology and neuroscience. We develop a bottom-up, mechanistic theory addressing the combined effects of recency and practice, beginning with a classical single-neuron model, then applying insights from this model to the network level. Combining error-based and associative learning, we mathematically derive the forgetting curve for a single neuron and its dependence on practiced repetition, showing how highly practiced memories or behaviors can become far more resistant to being overwritten by later learning. At the network level, error-based learning is responsible for initial gains in performance, while associative learning gradually transfers control of the downstream population from one input pathway to the other. We interpret the model neurobiologically by identifying the inputs as cortex and thalamus, and the downstream population as striatum, providing a framework for understanding the neural basis of habit formation and the automatization of behavior through practice.
Cultural mindsets shape what grounded procedures mean: Cleansing can separate or connect and separating can feel good or not so good.

Are grounded procedures such as cleansing value-neutral main effects? Culture-as-situated-cognition theory suggests otherwise. Societies differ in how frequently they trigger membership and individualizing cultural mindsets and their linked mental-procedures – connecting and separating, respectively. Commonly triggered mindsets (and their linked mental-procedures) feel fluent. Fluency feels good. Cleansing can separate from but also connect to others in the form of membership-based rituals.
The impact of donor total estimated blood volume on nucleated cell yield in bone marrow harvests for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND Nucleated cell yields of marrow harvests depend on factors related to donors, the procedure itself, and the volume of marrow harvested. Few attempts have been made to relate donor characteristics to harvest volume. We hypothesize that the percentage of total donor blood volume accessed for harvesting impacts the nucleated cell yield per ml of marrow collected. METHODS AND MATERIALS We investigated 481 consecutive unrelated marrow harvests from a single center. Donor characteristics including weight, body mass index (BMI), white blood cells (WBCs), hemoglobin (Hgb), and platelet counts, as well as estimated total blood volume, were recorded and compared with nucleated cell yields and harvest volumes. RESULTS The percentage of donor blood volume accessed for marrow harvesting was inversely related to nucleated cell yields (r = -0.57). The donor-recipient weight differential impacted cell yields as well (r = 0.35), with heavier recipients requiring increased marrow volumes from smaller donors to satisfy their nucleated cell needs. 3.73 × 108 /kg of recipient weight could be collected with 95% certainty when harvest volumes did not exceed 16.1% of donor total blood volume. In a stepwise multiple regression analysis, 45.4% of cell yield variance was explained by blood volume percentage accessed for harvesting, donor weight, and WBC. Donor sex, BMI, and platelet counts did not contribute further to cell yield variance. Smokers had higher cell yields than nonsmokers (20.4 vs. 18.3 × 106 /ml; 95% confidence interval 0.62, 3.47) independent of other parameters. CONCLUSION Establishing the relationship between percentage of estimated donor total blood volume and recipient cell needs can facilitate donor selection for successful hematopoietic cell (HPC) transplants.
Legacy lecturers: a NENA tradition

The Legacy Lecture Series was crafted in 2015 as a way to honor the members of the North East North American (NENA) Federation who had or were about to retire and to pass along to the next generati...
Looking under the surface: An analysis of iceberg orders in the U.S. agricultural futures markets

Like many exchanges the Chicago Mercantile Exchange allows traders to conceal part of their limit orders, known as a hidden‐limit order (HLO) or iceberg order. With HLOs, market participants have incomplete knowledge of the order book. To assess the effect of this lack of transparency in a period of highly volatile markets, we investigate the patterns and market impacts of HLOs in the U.S. corn and live cattle futures markets. Our conservative estimates indicate that HLOs represent more than 10% (20%) of the total volume in corn (live cattle) futures market. The findings show that the existence of HLOs improves market quality in multiple dimensions: driving trading volume while reducing market volatility and enhancing market liquidity. Our results are critical for regulators and exchanges as they are supportive of a degree of opacity. They are also indicative that market traders hide successfully, which can protect traders who have speed disadvantages in the era of fast trading.
Standardized capillary refill time and relation to clinical parameters in hospitalized dogs.

OBJECTIVE To assess the relationship between various physical and clinicopathologic parameters and the capillary refill time (CRT) using a standard method; to evaluate the influence of emergency room (ER) versus ICU hospital location on CRT; and to identify latent subgroups among the CRT distribution. DESIGN Prospective, observational study. SETTING University teaching hospital. ANIMALS Client-owned dogs in the ER (n = 40) and ICU (n = 71). INTERVENTIONS The CRT was defined as the duration required for the oral mucosa of the upper lip to return to its original color after blanching for 4 seconds. The CRT was recorded in seconds to the 10ths place by a single observer using an automated recording device. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Median CRT for all dogs was 1.1 seconds (ER, 1.2 s; ICU, 1.1 s; P = 1.000). The CRT was significantly associated with rectal temperature (P = 0.004), systolic blood pressure (P = 0.028), body weight (P = 0.031), mucous membrane color (P = 0.007), skin turgor (P = 0.039), and acute patient physiologic and laboratory evaluation mentation score (P = 0.019) for all dogs. The CRT was related to a greater number of variables in the ER than in the ICU patient population. In general, the total population of dogs had CRTs belonging to 1 of 2 groups: either ≤1.2 or ≥1.7 seconds. A statistically significant association was found between body weight CRT ≥1.3 seconds (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS A CRT following blanching for 4 seconds may provide insight into the hydration status and hemodynamic stability of canine patients. Further research into its clinical application is warranted.
Real-time multi-channel capacitive sensing system for cross bores detection and characterization

As many casualty incidents have been reported, gas-sewer pipe cross bore is recognized as a high-level risk and an increasing focus of the natural gas industry and the public. The sewer camera is the primary detection tool for the cross bore currently. However, it is limited by access to blocked and water-filled sewer pipes. Thus, there is an urgent need for developing an efficient and safe sensing system, which is not constrained by the challenging real field environment, to detect cross bores and prevent cross bore related incidents. A novel real-time multi-channel capacitive sensing system is proposed and developed to pass through the 2-inch gas pipe to perform the cross bore inspection nondestructively according to the changing material properties around the gas pipe. The designed capacitive sensing system is validated to have great performance to identify cross bores and estimate cross bore types based on the experimental results. This promising cross bore sensing system can be a good reference for the gas pipe industry.
Compliant Control Using Robust Multivariable Feedback Methods

In this paper we deal with the problem of dynamic control of robotic manipulators in the presence of uncertainty. Specifically we focus on compliant control in the context of surface tracing. We use the Combined Force-Position control architecture and develop control laws based on a system model obtained by operating point linearization techniques. Robust analysis and design methods are presented using frequency domain multivariable feedback methods. Compensator design is carried out for a two link planar manipulator, and experimental results are shown while a guarded move is being executed.
The influence of molecular biology on our understanding of lipoprotein metabolism and the pathobiology of atherosclerosis.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes how molecular approaches influence the field of lipoprotein metabolism and how aberrant lipid metabolism contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. The chapter begins with a historical perspective and then addresses the impact of molecular biology related to the understanding of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor pathway, the biosynthesis and catabolism of triglyceride rich lipoproteins, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) metabolism, and modifications of LDL that are believed to contribute to the development of atherosclerosis in vivo. Applications of gene-targeting approaches to complex problems concern the mechanisms by which lipoproteins that are metabolized in vivo have been permitted direct assessment to specific proteins involved in these processes. Gene-targeting approaches have been utilized to create mice with defects in lipid metabolism that result in atherosclerosis. These mouse models already had a dramatic impact on the study of how specific genes might promote or inhibit the atherogenic process. The genetic disorders in lipid metabolism represent significant targets for the gene therapy and have served as important models for the development of this new therapeutic strategy.
DHX15 senses double-stranded RNA in myeloid dendritic cells

Many members of the DEXD/H box helicase family play important roles in the innate immune system against viral infection. Therefore, we isolated dsRNA complex in myeloid dendritic cells. We found that DHx15, a DEXDc helicase family member, is one of the components of this complex. Knockdown of DHX15 expression by short hairpin RNA efficiently reduced the ability of myeloid dendritic cells to produce IFN-β, IL-6, and TNF-α in response to dsRNA and RNA virus. DHX15 specifically bound polyinosine-polycytidylic acid via its helicase C-terminal domain. DHX15 interacted with MAVS and formed a complex following stimulation with polyinosine-polycytidylic acid. The N-terminal domain containing a DEXDc motif in DHX15 bound the C terminus of MAVS. DHX15 is required to activate IRF3 phosphorylation as well as NF-κB and MAPK signaling during RNA virus infection. We, therefore, identified DHX15 as a new RNA virus sensor mediated by MAVS to activate the immune responses to RNA.
Race, Ethnicity, and Culture in Jury Decision Making

This article reviews a growing body of social science research indicating that race, ethnicity, and culture can influence the judgments and behaviors of juries. The first section addresses research on jury bias, which shows that jurors often make harsher judgments of defendants from other racial and ethnic groups and are more likely to give death sentences in cases involving Black or Latino defendants and White victims. However, these effects are moderated by several factors related to the trial parties, context, and crime. Further, juror bias often involves subtle or implicit psychological processes that can be difficult to recognize and correct. The second section discusses research conceptualizing jurors as agentic forces whose judgments and behaviors may reflect their racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. This work shows that jurors' backgrounds may influence their reactions to defendants, trial judgments, and deliberation behaviors. The final section offers recommendations for future research in ...
The Endoplasmic Reticulum Degradation Pathway for Mutant Secretory Proteins α1-Antitrypsin Z and S Is Distinct from That for an Unassembled Membrane Protein

We have theorized that a subset of PiZZ alpha1-antitrypsin (alpha1-AT)-deficient individuals is more susceptible to liver injury by virtue of second inherited trait(s) or environmental factor(s), which exaggerate the accumulation of mutant alpha1-AT Z within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of liver cells. Using a complementation approach in which cell lines from PiZZ individuals with liver disease ("susceptible" hosts) and from PiZZ individuals without liver disease ("protected" hosts) are transduced with the mutant alpha1-AT Z gene, we have recently shown that there is a delay in ER degradation of mutant alpha1-AT Z protein that is only present in cell lines from susceptible hosts and correlates with the liver disease phenotype. In the present study we examined the specificity of this ER degradation pathway to determine if it is responsible for degrading other misfolded mutants of alpha1-AT and/or for unassembled membrane proteins. The S mutant of alpha1-AT and H2a subunit of the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR H2a) were expressed in skin fibroblast cell lines from susceptible and protected hosts. The results showed in both susceptible and protected hosts that alpha1-AT S was associated with a delay in secretion as compared with wild type alpha1-AT. The alpha1-AT S mutant was retained in ER, albeit to a lesser extent than the alpha1-AT Z mutant. There was, however, a significant increase in retention of alpha1-AT S in the ER of susceptible as compared with protected host cells. The same host cell lines were transduced to express an unassembled membrane protein, ASGPR H2a. There was no difference in the kinetics of ER degradation of ASGPR H2a in susceptible as compared with protected hosts. Taken together, the results show that alpha1-AT S is associated with a defect in biogenesis, intracellular retention, which is similar to but milder than alpha1-AT Z. Like alpha1-AT Z, alpha1-AT S is degraded by a pathway in the ER, which is relatively inefficient in PiZZ individuals with the liver disease phenotype. However, this pathway appears to be different from that previously described for a model unassembled membrane protein.
Precision Orbit Determination for the Geosat Follow-On Satellites

The potential radial orbit accuracy of satellites in low Earth orbits has been investigated through simulation analysis and the reduced dynamic technique. Toward that end, a simulation interface has been developed so that the GIPSY OASIS II orbit determination software system may be used in simulation analyses. In simulation mode, orbits and measurement data are generated with a given set of models, after which the simulated data are processed with a different set of models. The results are compared to the simulated data, and the difference is due solely to modeling differences and data noise. By introducing model errors of appropriate size, realistic orbit error may be simulated. The simulation technique described has been applied to the GEOSAT Follow-On and TOPEX/Poseidon satellites. The results of the study, incorporating only six ground stations into the solution, show that radial orbit accuracy in the GEOSAT orbit will be approximately 4.3 cm rms. When the number of ground tracking stations was increased to 13 and the parameters for the reduced dynamic orbit determination technique were tuned, the radial error was reduced from 4.3 to 3.0 cm in the GEOSAT orbit and from 1.9 to 1.6 cm rms in the TOPEX/Poseidon orbit.
Diagnostic Sampling and Establishing a Minimum Database in Exotic Animal Toxicology

A toxicologic diagnosis is based on knowledge of the circumstances surrounding a particular case, knowledge of the clinical symptomatology, receipt and evaluation of proper specimens by a qualified laboratory, and judicious interpretation of the laboratory results. Failure to have all necessary ingredients can result in a wrong or missed diagnosis. Many veterinary toxicology laboratories can detect suspected toxicants in feed, tissue, and environmental samples at extremely low concentrations. The ability to detect toxicants at such low levels has often outpaced the ability of the diagnostician to interpret the analytic findings. This article provides guidelines for acquiring a good history, collecting appropriate samples for analysis, and selecting a veterinary analytic laboratory to maximize the probability of making a correct toxicologic diagnosis.
Characterization of the effects of continuous salt processing on the performance of molten salt fusion breeder blankets

Several continuous salt processing options are available for use in molten salt fusion breeder blanket designs: fluorination only, fluorination plus reductive extraction, and fluorination, plus reductive extraction, plus metal transfer. The effects of processing on blanket performance have been assessed for these three levels of processing and various equilibrium uranium concentrations in the salt. A one-dimensional model of the blanket was used in the neutronics analysis, which incorporated transport calculations with time-dependent isotope generation and depletion calculations. The method of salt processing was found to have little affect on the level of radioactivity, toxicity, or the thermal behavior of the salt during operation of the reactor. The processing rates necessary to maintain the desired uranium concentrations in the suppressed-fission environment were quite low, which permitted only long-lived species to be removed from the salt. The effects of the processing therefore became apparent only after the radioactivity due to the short-lived species diminished. The effects of the additional processing (reductive extraction and metal transfer) could be seen after approximately 1 year of decay, but were not significant at times closer to shutdown. The reduced radioactivity and corresponding heat deposition were thus of no consequence in accident or maintenance situations. Net fissile production in the Be/MS blanket concept at a fusion power level of 3000 MW at 70% capacity ranged from 5100 kg/year to 5170 kg/year for uranium concentrations of 0.11% and 1.0%233U in thorium, respectively, with fluorination-only processing. The addition of processing by reductive extraction resulted in 5125 kg/year for the 0.11%233U case and 5225 kg/year for the 1.0%233U case.
Learning Ambiguities Using Bayesian Mixture of Experts

Mixture of Experts (ME) is an ensemble of function approximators that fit the clustered data set locally rather than globally. ME provides a useful tool to learn multi-valued mappings (ambiguities) in the data set. Mixture of Experts training involve learning a multi-category classifier for the gates distribution and fitting a regressor within each of the clusters. The learning of ME is based on divide and conquer which is known to increase the error due to variance. In order to avoid overfitting several researchers have proposed using linear experts. However in the absence of any knowledge of non-linearities existing in the data set, it is not clear how many linear experts could accurately model the data. In this work we propose a Bayesian learning framework for learning Mixture of Experts. Bayesian learning intrinsically embodies regularization and model selection using Occam's razor. In the past Bayesian learning methods have been applied to classification and regression in order to avoid scale sensitivity and orthodox model selection procedure of cross validation. Although true Bayesian learning is computationally intractable, approximations do result in sparser and more compact models
Is a bird in the hand still worth two in the bush

A good understanding of peripheral and central nociceptive transmission mechanisms offers a variety of ways to manage acute pain efficiently. Pharmacological therapies range from monotherapy with commonly used analgesics, such as antiinflammatory agents, nonopioid analgesics, such as paracetamol, weak and strong opioids, local anaesthetics, N-methyl-D-aspartate blocking agents, and ion channel blockers, to any combination of these as multimodal therapy. In the present issue of the Journal, Rasmussen et al. provide an interesting example of what an analgesic cocktail might look like when the concept of multimodal analgesia in clinical practice is taken seriously. This begs the question as to whether such a cocktail is always advantageous or whether combining such diverse chemical substances constitutes an additional risk.
Guidelines for Comments About Mini-Reviews

251 THE EDITORS will publish letters (500–1,000 words) that comment on published minireviews. Letters should not be divided into sections, and can contain one table or one figure. References (up to 10) may be included. The main objectives for the letter section are to stimulate discussion and debate, and offer a mechanism for publishing research data, preliminary models, or other information that address specific issues related to the mini-reviews. When appropriate, authors of the mini-reviews will have an opportunity to respond to the letters.
Sugar Transport by the Marine Chitinolytic Bacterium Vibrio furnissii MOLECULAR CLONING AND ANALYSIS OF THE MANNOSE/GLUCOSE PERMEASE

Abstract We have previously reported that the chitin catabolic cascade in Vibrio furnissii involves multiple signal transducing systems, and that mono- and disaccharide chemoreceptors/transporters are essential components of some of these systems. This and the accompanying papers (Bouma, C. L., and Roseman, S. (1996) J. Biol. Chem 271, 33457-33467; Keyhani, N. O., Wang, L.-X., Lee, Y. C., and Roseman, S. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 33409-33413) describe some of the sugar transporters. A 13-kilobase pair fragment of V. furnissii DNA was found to impart a Glc+, Man+ phenotype to Escherichia coli ptsG ptsM mutants, and encodes the mannose transporter, ptsM, of the phosphoenolpyruvate:glycose phosphotransferase system. Unlike the E. coli mannose permease, V. furnissii IIMan is inactive with GlcNAc and Fru, and is encoded by four genes rather than three. The gene order is manXYZW, where the product of manY corresponds to IIPMan, manZ to the mannose receptor IIBMan, and manX and manW to the single E. coli gene, manX (which encodes IIIMan, viz. IIAMan). Thus, in V. furnissii, the E. coli manX equivalent comprises two genes, which are separated in the genome by two other genes of the ptsM complex. Two additional open reading frames were detected in the V. furnissii DNA fragment. One encodes a GlcNAc-6-P deacetylase, and the other is similar to aldolase.
The Nature of Industrial Societies

T HE two volumes under review are welcome additions to the surprisingly small number of studies of advanced or industrial societies. In widely dissimilar ways, both books provide information that is much needed. Unfortunately, most of the popular theories of the social system are based on material gathered from the study of small societies: either from observation of small (often minute) groups encompassed by larger social systems, or from studies of the somewhat exotic societies favored by anthropologists. The validity of these theoretical models, when applied to industrial societies, remains problematic; and the information reported in these books suggests a number of comments on this important and controversial issue.
Magnetic ordering in rare-earth fluorides with K Y 3 F 10 structure and axial moments

The rare-earth fluorides with the cubic $\mathrm{K}{\mathrm{Y}}_{3}{\mathrm{F}}_{10}$ structure contain rare-earth sites having tetragonal symmetry, with one-third of the sites having symmetry axes aligned along each of the cubic axes. We present the magnetic properties for compounds in which ${\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}$, ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$, ${\mathrm{Tm}}^{3+}$, and ${\mathrm{Tb}}^{3+}$ substitute for ${\mathrm{Y}}^{3+}$. Similar to $\mathrm{K}{\mathrm{Dy}}_{3}{\mathrm{F}}_{10}$, reported earlier, these materials display nearly complete (Ising) anisotropy of the magnetic moments along the local symmetry axis, yielding three orthogonal Ising lattices. Estimates of magnetic exchange are antiferromagnetic in all compounds, and the dipole-dipole interaction favors antiferromagnetism in the absence of exchange in each case. At low temperature, we find that only the Tm compound clearly displays antiferromagnetic order, while in the Er and Yb compounds we observe a transition to a ferromagnetic state, very similar to that seen in $\mathrm{K}{\mathrm{Dy}}_{3}{\mathrm{F}}_{10}$. We suggest a reason for this by comparing ground state energies as a function of single-ion anisotropy and the magnitudes of the two interactions.
Reductions in ethanol, phencyclidine, and food-maintained behavior by naltrexone pretreatment in monkeys is enhanced by open economic conditions

Rationale: Previous results suggested that naltrexone had opioid-selective effects on behavior reinforced by orally delivered drugs and food. The present study explores the possibility that previous results were due to presentation of the reinforcers in a closed economy (all reinforcers earned by subjects) and that naltrexone’s effect may be nonselective under conditions of an open economy (earned reinforcers supplemented by unearned). Objectives: The purpose of this experiment was to compare the effect of naltrexone on ethanol-, phencyclidine-(PCP), and food-reinforced responding under several open-economy conditions and compare them with those from a previous report using a closed economy. Methods: Ethanol (8% w/v), PCP (0.25 mg/ml), and food were available under independent, concurrent, progressive-ratio (PR) schedules with water, and side positions were alternated daily. Three naltrexone doses (0.1, 0.3, and 1.0 mg/kg) were administered in a nonsystematic order for 5 days, with the 5-day pretreatment period serving as a control. Four economic conditions were compared: data for the closed economy were taken from a recently completed experiment using the same monkeys. The open-economy condition was varied by allowing free access to 1, 2 or 3 times the amount of drug or food that was earned during session later during a post-session time-out period. Results: In an open economy, naltrexone nonselectively suppressed ethanol, PCP, and food-maintained behavior, in contrast to results in the previous study which used a closed economy, wherein naltrexone did not significantly suppress food- or PCP self-administration. As the economy for PCP, ethanol, and food became more open, the suppressant effects of naltrexone increased and, in many animals, behavioral measures decreased to zero. Conclusion: These results indicated that the economy under which drugs and food are self-administered is an important determinant of the effectiveness of naltrexone’s ability to suppress drug- and food-reinforced behavior. The results also suggest that testing medications for drug abuse using a food control condition under a closed economy can bias the results toward a conclusion of selectivity of the treatment medication for drug-reinforced behavior.
Numerical Modeling of the Effects of Borehole Reflections On 3-component EM Induction Logging

A finite difference modeling method is used to investigate the effects of borehole reflections on the coaxial and coplanar configurations of an EM induction logging tool. Numerical solutions are compared to analytic solutions for a 0.1 m borehole with 0.1 Ωm mud in a 1.0 Ωm formation at 2 and 20 kHz. Next, solutions for models consisting of borehole mud resistivity values ranging from 0.01 to 100 are calculated, and the effect of borehole reflections is determined by comparisons of the total and primary quadrature components.
A Study on Hysteresis Effect of Barium Strontium Titanate Thin Films for Alternative Gate Dielectric Application

Hysteresis effect of barium strontium titanate (BST) thin films for gate dielectric application has been studied. It is found that the “counterclockwise” hysteresis has strong sweep voltage and operating temperature dependence. It can be reduced or eliminated by proper thermal annealing or by using a barrier layer. A charge trapping and detrapping mechanism has been proposed.
Post Treatment Skeletal Mineral Accretion in Malnourished, Growing Animals

Cases of rickets and other conditions of malnutrition in growing animals have been uncommon in recent years, but the popularity of raw and homemade diets in companion and exotic animals have resulted in an increased number of cases presented to veterinary clinics and teaching hospitals. Growing animals, including four puppies, two cougars, two jaguars and one serval, fed non-commercial diets were diagnosed radiographically with multiple fractures and/or folding fractures. All animals were undersized, exhibited lameness of varying degrees, or were beginning to exhibit neurological signs. A review of diets indicated that they were either imbalanced in calcium:phosphorus or were deficient in calcium. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans were performed prior to correction of nutrition imbalances and were followed up with scans at intervals of 30 days and/or 60 and 90 days. Upon discharge, animals were fed commercial growth diets appropriate for their species and were administered calcium carbonate (250 mg PO q 24 h). DEXA scans performed at 30 days showed a significant accretion of bone mineral at fracture sites, with insignificant increase in bone mineral density of long bones. Subsequent radiographs and DEXA scans showed increased cortical bone density, bone healing, and remodelling of fracture sites. It appears that the initial period following correction of mineral malnutrition may involve preferential directing of dietary calcium towards sites of bone injury, without significant improvement in overall bone mineral deficits. The appropriateness of calcium supplementation during correction of calcium malnutrition and normalization of calcium ‘set point’ is not well documented. Additionally, an optimal dose of calcium supplementation that will maximize calcium accretion without a negative feedback response is desired. When treating cases of malnutrition, it is prudent to limit activity during the first 4–6 weeks of treatment to protect the animal from further injury until general increases in bone mineral density occur.
Effect of coronary occlusion on intracardiac electrogram morphology

Aims The effect of coronary occlusion on the morphology of intracardiac electrograms (IKG) may be of diagnostic value in recipients of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) and in other patients at risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD), but remains grossly uncharacterized. The aim of the current study was to examine the effect of total occlusions in the major coronary artery distributions on the IKG. Methods and results Domestic crossbred pigs ( n = 11, 20–30 kg) were implanted with dual-coil right ventricular defibrillators, and bipolar right atrial and left ventricular leads. Through the femoral approach, percutaneous balloon total occlusion of the major coronary arteries was performed in random order in the left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary arteries. Each occlusion was maintained for 3–5 min with 30 min periods of reperfusion in between. Simultaneous 15-vector IKG and 12-lead surface electrocardiograms (ECG) were recorded and analysed at baseline and during coronary occlusions. With coronary occlusions, significant ST-segment disturbances are consistently seen on both surface ECG leads and IKG tracings compared with baseline recordings and are reproducible over time. Given the multiple intracardiac recording vectors, each occluded vessel has a specific signature, allowing coronary localization from the IKG. Conclusions Total coronary occlusion induces consistent IKG changes with injury patterns that allow the detection and localization of the culprit coronary artery. If duplicated in patients with IHD, these changes are likely to improve the time to diagnosis of acute coronary syndromes and thus favourably impact clinical outcomes.
A molecular property approach for the response prediction of the thermal conductivity detector

Abstract The response of the gas chromatographic thermal conductivity detector has been correlated with the physical properties of the solute. In this investigation we have determined that detector response represented as relative molar response factors can be accurately predicted from the critical constants, thermal conductivity coefficient and molecular weight of both the chromatographic fraction and the carrier gas. The “molecular diameter” approach has been employed in conjunction with appropriate thermal conductivity and molecular weight terms which appear in our relative molar response equation. This expression is applicable to polar and non-polar compounds when helium, hydrogen, and nitrogen are carrier gases.
Study on Practical Issues for the State Estimation of the Automatic Voltage Control (AVC) System

The state estimation is an important part of the automatic voltage control (AVC) system, and it is the basis of the advanced software application for the electric power systems (EPSs). This paper presents the status quo of the current state estimation mathematical model and the actual grid state estimation applications. The actual AVC system network modeling and model validation, pre-processing and other related issues are discussed, and the methods for detection and identification of bad data are presented. Besides, the debugging method of state estimation for enhancing practical pass-rate is proposed. Finally, the state estimation of the actual system is validated, and the results show that the state pass-rate is more than 99%, which has important significance for the AVC control practitioners and power flow dispatchers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/telkomnika.v11i3.2256