cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mylagaulid Rodents (Mammalia: Rodentia: Mylagaulidae) from the Middle Miocene (Barstovian) of New Mexico

ABSTRACT Four species of mylagaulid rodents are described from the Tesuque Formation, Espanola Basin of New Mexico: Alphagaulus vetus (Matthew, 1924), Ceratogaulus robustus, new species, Notogaulus minor, new genus and species, and Notogauhis major, new species. Ceratogaulus robustus is distinguished from other species of the genus by its much heavier dentary and relatively wider premolar. Notogaulus is separable from other mylagaulines in its unique features of its cranium (ovate rugose areas on the nasals; shape, thickness, and porosity of bone on the postorbital processes), and relatively primitive dental morphology (no preferred separation of the branches of the parafossette on P4). The recognition of a distinct genus of mylagaulid from New Mexico demonstrates that by the middle Miocene (Barstovian) derived mylagaulines had evolved regionally into distinct genera.
Impedance extraction for 3-D structures with multiple dielectrics using preconditioned boundary element method

In this paper, we present the first BEM impedance extraction algorithm for multiple dielectrics. The effect of multiple dielectrics is significant and efficient modeling is challenging. However, previous BEM algorithms, including Fastlmp and EastPep, assume uniform dielectric, thus causing considerable errors. The new algorithm introduces a circuit formulation which makes it possible to utilizes either multilayer Green's function or equivalent charge method to extract impedance in multiple dielectrics. The novelty of the formulation is the reduction of the number of unknowns and the application of the hierarchical data structure. The hierarchical data structure permits efficient sparsification transformation and preconditioners to accelerate the linear equation solver. Experimental results demonstrate that the new algorithm is accurate and efficient. For uniform dielectric problems, the new algorithm is one magnitude faster than Fastlmp, while its results differ from Fastlmp within 2%. For multiple dielectrics problems, its relative error with respect to HFSS is below 3%.
Alcohol consumption among vehicular occupants injured in crashes.

Admission blood alcohol levels (BAL) were obtained in 111 adult passenger/driver pairs injured in vehicular crashes. Drinking patterns were studied, including the influence of the sex of the occupants on alcohol consumption. Alcohol was not a factor in 44 of the crashes. In 48 of 62 crashes (77%), the driver was either the sole drinker or had a higher BAL than the passenger. In five crashes, the passenger was the only drinker. Female drivers were drinking 40% of the time, compared to 60% of male drivers. Overall, 77.4% of the drinking drivers had a BAL of greater than or equal to 100 mg/100 ml. When vehicular occupants were of the same sex, as opposed to both sexes, the drivers drank more frequently (62.9% vs. 43.9%). In 13 of 14 cases of a drinking male driver transporting a female passenger, the female passenger had not been drinking or had done so to a lesser degree. The data indicate that educational efforts should be directed at discouraging passengers from riding with drinking drivers. Language: en
Observaciones sobre el programa minimalista

La teoriaq linguistica desarrollada por Noani Chomsky y sus colaboradores en una impresionante sucesion de publicaciones desde mediados de la decada del cincuenta, ha tomado en anos recientes un cariz minimalista. En este trabajo me propongo presentar el fundamento teorico de este programa de investigacion, como tambien algunas de sus consecuencias empiricas. Empiezo con un rapido bosquejo historico de la teoria chomskiana. Desde sus comienzos, Chomsky define el proposito de la teoria linguistica coino un intento de dar cuenta de la facultad del lenguaje. Esto se ve claro en el capitulo 1 de The Logical Structure of Linguistic Theory, escrito en 1955, pero publicado veinte anos mas tarde, donde Chomsky propone una teoria que "ofrezca explicaciones formales para las intuiciones del hablante nalivo (p. 63)".
Clinical Significance of a Borderline Titer in a Negative ELISA Test for Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia

We studied the usefulness of repeated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay testing for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) when the initial test result was negative and sought to determine whether the titer of the initial negative result correlated with the likelihood of obtaining a positive test result in repeated testing. We divided 150 patients who underwent HIT testing into 3 groups (50 patients each): (1) very low titer negative (0.0%-33.3% of the threshold for a positive test); (2) low titer negative (33.4%-66.6% of the threshold); and (3) high titer negative (66.7%-99.9% of the threshold). Among the patients who underwent a repeat test, 5% (1/20) of group 1 patients, 13% (4/32) of group 2 patients, and 43% (13/30) of group 3 patients tested positive in the repeat test (P = .0026). Thus, nearly half of patients with initially negative HIT test results had positive results in the repeat test if the negative titer was 66.7% or more of the threshold. If laboratories report the HIT titer, rather than just negative or positive, the titer might help clinicians predict which patients have HIT despite a negative initial test, and the overall sensitivity for diagnosing HIT might be improved.
Fragment pathway analysis using automated tandem mass spectrometry on an ion‐trap mass spectrometer

A "key-sequence" procedure is presented for the automated tandem mass spectrometric analysis of compounds on a Finnigan ion-trap mass spectrometer. This allows fragmentation pathways of a range of masses or even a complete spectrum to be prepared automatically, obviating the tiresome preparation and optimization of individual scan-editor files. The procedure is limited by the speed of the driving computer; an "IBM-AT", for example, permits more than 10 mass units to be scanned per minute. It is calibrated with perfluorotributylamine and methyl stearate is used to demonstrate its results. The Finnigan ion-trap "programming option" is necessary for implementation of the procedure.
Most common single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with rheumatoid arthritis in persons of European ancestry confer risk of rheumatoid arthritis in African Americans.

Objective Large-scale genetic association studies have identified >20 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk alleles among individuals of European ancestry. The influence of these risk alleles has not been comprehensively studied in African Americans. We therefore sought to examine whether these validated RA risk alleles are associated with RA risk in an African American population. Methods Twenty-seven candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in 556 autoantibody-positive African Americans with RA and 791 healthy African American control subjects. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for each SNP were compared with previously published ORs for RA patients of European ancestry. We then calculated a composite genetic risk score (GRS) for each individual based on the sum of all risk alleles. Results Overlap of the ORs and 95% CIs between the European and African American populations was observed for 24 of the 27 candidate SNPs. Conversely, 3 of the 27 SNPs (CCR6 rs3093023, TAGAP rs394581, and TNFAIP3 rs6920220) demonstrated ORs in the opposite direction from those reported for RA patients of European ancestry. The GRS analysis indicated a small but highly significant probability that African American patients relative to control subjects were enriched for the risk alleles validated in European RA patients (P = 0.00005). Conclusion The majority of RA risk alleles previously validated for RA patients of European ancestry showed similar ORs in our population of African Americans with RA. Furthermore, the aggregate GRS supports the hypothesis that these SNPs are risk alleles for RA in the African American population. Future large-scale genetic studies are needed to validate these risk alleles and identify novel RA risk alleles in African Americans.
A phosphatic coprolite lacking diagenetic permineralization from the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation, northeastern Montana: Importance of dietary calcium phosphate in preservation

A single, low-density (1.58 g/cm3), phosphatic coprolite recovered from a fluvial Triceratops site in the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of eastern Montana contains small quantities of minute bone or tooth fragments, kerogenized plant residues (pollen, spores, sporangia, and cuticle), hyphae of probable fungal origin, and small detrital mineral grains in a fine-grained, highly porous matrix. Roughly 30% of the matrix, composed almost entirely of microcrystalline francolite (carbonate-fluorapatite), is composed of thin-walled vesicles of roughly spherical shape, 0.5–3 µm in diameter. These vesicles are interpreted as mineral pseudomorphs of organic particles, probably including fecal bacteria, existing in the original scat. This structurally well-preserved coprolite is likely derived from the scat of a bone-digesting carnivorous animal, contains much or all of the autochthonous apatite of the original scat, and lacks permineralization that commonly produces a densely lithified object of low porosity. This is the first detailed description of a coprolite of this type from Mesozoic fluvial deposits. This evidence supports the view that dietary calcium phosphate could precipitate rapidly in the scat of ancient carnivorous animals, providing the structural strength to allow preservation of internal organic forms in great detail.
Infusing perceptual expertise and domain knowledge into a human-centered image retrieval system: a prototype application

Traditional content-based image retrieval techniques, which primarily rely on image content at the pixel level, are not effective in accessing images at the semantic level. Defining approaches to incorporate experts' perceptual and conceptual capabilities of image understanding in their domain of expertise into the retrieval processes promises to help bridge this semantic gap. Towards accomplishing this, we design and implement a novel multimodal interactive system for image retrieval. To incorporate human expertise, the system stores expert-derived information extracted from two human sensor modalities that intuitively relate to image search, eye movements and verbal descriptions, both generated by medical experts. Experimental evaluation of the system shows that by transferring experts' perceptual expertise and domain knowledge into image-based computational procedures, our system can take advantage of the different human-centered modalities' respective strengths and improve the retrieval performance over just using image-based features.
Is there weak nationalism and is it a useful category

Introducing the category ‘weak nationalism’, this article emphasises the scales of intensity and the different operational modes of nationalism across time and space, as well as within the same space. It refuses to create a model or another dichotomy – strong/weak – on a par with earlier ones like organic/civic, Eastern/Western, bad/good. Rather, it approaches nationalism as a binary variable on a scale from weak/low to strong/high. It argues to extend the research focus beyond the fixation on extreme cases to so-called weak or weaker manifestations that remain subordinate and under-researched, all the time stressing the changeability of nationalisms in their local context and in the course of time. While it is a category more recognisable in a common sense approach than in a strictly quantifiable one, it can be identified and comparatively evaluated by the mobilising ability of the nationalist message in the public sphere.
Bilateral internal carotid artery stenosis complicating acute sinusitis

A 37-year-old athletic black man consulted for headache, diplopia and photophobia. His symptoms had started 15 days earlier with fever, rhinorrhoea, tearing and right eye swelling associated with bilateral conjunctival hyperaemia, exophthalmos, decreased visual acuity and bilateral limitation of lateral gaze. Investigations in an African hospital showed hyperleucocytosis and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate. MR brain scan showed ethmoidal sinusitis and bilateral orbital cellulitis. He received a 7-day course of intravenous ceftriaxone and vancomycin, together with intravenous corticosteroids. He was transferred to Switzerland for further management. On examination, there was right-sided exophthalmos, chemosis and conjunctival erythema, with bilaterally limited lateral gaze and decreased visual acuity (4/10 for each eye). Tests for HIV, diabetes mellitus, connective tissue diseases, antiphospholipid antibodies and other prothrombotic factors were negative. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed increased protein and white cell count. Bacteriological analysis of blood, CSF and sinus biopsies was negative. A CT scan of head showed ethmoidosphenoidal sinusitis, bilateral orbital cellulitis with fluid collection in the right lateral rectus muscle and thrombosis in the left sigmoid sinus (figure 1). Figure 1 (A) Bone window axial CT slide showing mucosal thickening of ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses with collection and right eye proptosis. (B) A phlebo-CT slide showing a non-opacified left sigmoid sinus …
An efficient processor allocation scheme for mesh connected parallel computers

Several processor allocation schemes are proposed in the literature for mesh connected parallel computers. All these schemes aim at improving the system performance by reducing internal fragmentation or by enhancing the submesh recognition ability. In this paper, we propose an approach of system partitioning to reduce external fragmentation and thereby improve the system performance. The target systems considered here are two-dimensional meshes where the side lengths are powers of two. Processors are allocated to a partitioned mesh based on their submesh size requirements. The proposed scheme can be implemented in conjuaction with any of the existing schemes and thereby can also exploit the advantages offered by those schemes. The performance measurements are done through simulation experiments. Completion time for a fixed number of jobs, internal and external fragmentation, and system utilazation are obtained. It is observed that, in most cases, the proposed scheme demonstrates better performance. Time complexity of the proposed scheme is less by a factor of n compared to the corresponding allocation scheme without partitioning, where n=log/sub 2.
Change in editors

Beginning with the January 2016 issue, there will be some changes in the editorial leadership of Skeletal Radiology. Dr. Juerg Hodler will be replaced by Dr. Gunnar Astrom as the European editor. Dr. Mark Kransdorf continue in his role as editor for case reports, and Dr. Rosenthal will continue as chief editor. Dr. Hodler is leaving Skeletal Radiology in order to devote more time to the activities of our parent organization, the International Skeletal Society. He has had a long tenure at Skeletal Radiology, having been appointed as editor for Europe in January 2002. During his years at the journal, there have been many changes, whereby Skeletal Radiology has grown steadily, in both size and reach. Handling almost 1, 000 submissions a year, the journal publishes more than 1, 600 pages of articles each year, and is seen by readers in all continents except Antarctica as the result of over 2,000 individual subscriptions. Even more importantly, 9,300 institutions and 550 consortia make Skeletal Radiology available to their members. As a result of this dissemination almost 250, 000 downloads of Skeletal Radiology articles occur each year! Very significantly, in the past 2 years, two major societies have designated Skeletal Radiology as their official journal— the Society of Skeletal Radiology (SSR) and the Australasian Musculoskeletal Imaging Group (AMSIG). We expect that these affiliations will lead to even more growth in both quality and quantity of fine articles. During his years at the journal, Dr. Hodler has been a strong advocate of scientific rigor, assembling a team of expert reviewers from among the European supporters of the Journal. He has also been a powerful voice for publication ethics, and has lead the way in creating processes to ensure that the editors themselves avoid conflicts of interest. We wish him well in his new endeavors and look forward to many more years of his leadership at the ISS. Dr. Gunnar Astrom, from Uppsala Sweden, is well-known to the membership of the ISS. He might be best known to the readers of Skeletal Radiology as the inventor of the widely used Bonopty® biopsy system. Dr. Astrom has been a strong supporter of Skeletal Radiology as a member of the editorial board and as author of dozens of perceptive and helpful reviews. We look forward to working with him in the years ahead. Mark Kransdorf, MD Daniel Rosenthal, MD
Climate Environment in International Security: The Case of Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon

Deforestation in Brazilian Amazonia can affect the security of other countries if it contributes to climatic changes such as those expected in a world warmed by the greenhouse effect. Conversion of Brazil’s Legal Amazon to cattle pasture, a transformation now rapidly proceeding, would add significantly to atmospheric CO2 and trace gas releases. It would also reduce rainfall in the region and in neighboring areas through reduction of evapotranspiration. Foreign countries can help slow deforestation by refraining from activities that speed the clearing, such as financing highways and similar developments, direct investments in enterprises that clear forest, importation of products produced unsustainably, and funding unproductive public works that fuel the inflation that drives land speculation and consequent deforestation. Positive contributions from foreign countries could include research on such subjects as the impacts of deforestation, sustainable uses of standing forest, and economic mechanisms that would encourage sustainable management and discourage competing nonsustainable uses. Foreign sources, including multilateral development banks, can play an important role in financing alternative means of support for the population now migrating to Amazonia, including industrial development to create urban employment in the migrant source areas.
Proapoptotic effects of ANG II in human coronary artery endothelial cells: role of AT1receptor and PKC activation

Anoxia-reoxygenation, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and angiotensin II (ANG II) have been shown to induce apoptosis in myocytes. However, the role of these mediators in causing apoptosis of huma...
Flexural Capacity of Composite Beams Subjected to Fire: Fiber-Based Models and Benchmarking

This paper presents the development and verification of a fiber-based modeling technique to predict the fundamental moment–curvature–temperature (M–Φ–T) response of a composite steel beam cross-section in fire conditions. Experimental investigations and 3D finite element models can provide insight to the behavior of composite beams subjected to fire. However, these experimental and numerical approaches can be expensive and cumbersome for conducting extensive parametric studies. Therefore, a simpler 2D fiber-based modeling technique was developed for calculating the flexural behavior and moment capacity of composite steel beams at elevated temperatures. This simpler fiber-based approach can be implemented relatively easily and independently by designers. The 2D fiber-based approach is a simplified model that accounts for temperature dependent (steel and concrete) material properties and the level of slip at the concrete-to-steel interface at elevated temperature. The model does not account for membrane action or rupture of reinforcement, but it can be used to calculate the moment capacity of partially composite steel beams without an extensive finite element analysis. The fiber-based model was benchmarked using experimental results from composite steel beam tests subjected to fire, illustrating that it was capable of predicting moment capacity corresponding to the applicable limit state (i.e., full yield of the steel beam, concrete crushing or limiting stud slip) at elevated temperature. The fiber model predictions were typically conservative, and on average, the predicted moment capacity was 95% of the capacity determined from the experimental tests.
Comparison of reported and confirmed malaria during pregnancy: findings from hospital and community studies in Sudan.

Hospital case-control and community follow-up studies were conducted to compare the results of laboratory confirmed malaria against the reliability of maternal reported malaria at time of delivery. The studies were carried out in Sudan in Gezira area where malaria is stable and in Sennar area where malaria is unstable. In the hospital study, 348 cases were compared with 812 controls. In the community study, 275 cases were compared with 1248 controls. Overall, reported or confirmed malaria was significantly associated with low birth weight. The results were consistent between the hospital and community populations in Wad Medani (Gezira) area. However, the association of malaria with low birth weight was weaker and inconsistent between the hospital and the community in Sennar area. This discrepancy is related to unbalanced exposure to malaria among cases and controls in the Sennar area where malaria prevalence is higher among urban than among rural populations. The results suggest that maternal history is a reasonably accurate method of assessing clinical episodes of malaria during pregnancy especially where malaria is stable and therefore justifies presumptive treatment of malaria. The unique patterns of malaria transmission in Sennar area emphasise the need for thorough evaluation of local epidemiological factors for better malaria control activities.
High-Resolution Magnetic Field Mapping System With an NMR Probe

This paper presents a high-resolution magnetic field mapping system in development that is capable of collecting spatial magnetic field data for NMR magnets. An NMR probe was designed and built with a resonant frequency of 5.73 MHz. The measured Q-factor of the NMR probe is ∼191 with a half-power bandwidth in the range of 5.72–5.75 MHz. An RF continuous-wave technique with magnetic field modulation was utilized to detect the power dispersion of water molecules. The zero-crossing frequency of the NMR dispersion signal corresponds to the magnetic field at the center of the water sample. An embedded system was developed to sweep the frequency and record the reflected RF power simultaneously. A numerically controlled digital oscillator is able to provide a precise frequency step as small as 0.02 Hz, which is equivalent to 4.7 e-7 mT for hydrogen atoms. An RF preamplifier was built to supply up to 4 W of RF power to a bidirectional coupler. The coupler supplies RF power to the NMR probe and channels reflect the RF power back to the detection circuit, which detects the reflected RF power from the NMR probe during the frequency sweep. The homogeneity of an NMR magnet can be determined by magnetic field data.
Delinquency as a Creative Enterprise A Review of Recent Evidence

This article provides a critical review of the literature on delinquency and creativity, focusing on (1) the definition of creativity and its relation to the concepts of “constraint” and “free-will,” (2) the relationship between creativity and delinquency, and (3) the factors that determine whether creativity is exercised in a positive or negative way. While this literature contains many gaps, it is important because it challenges the positivist explanations of delinquency that currently dominate the field. Such explanations argue that adolescents are constrained to engage in delinquency by biological, psychological, and—most commonly—social forces. The creativity literature, however, suggests that the emphasis on constraint may be overstated and that delinquency may best be viewed as a creative enterprise for many adolescents.
Is river avulsion style controlled by floodplain morphodynamics

River relocation, or avulsion, is a fundamental process that fills alluvial basins. However, it is difficult to predict avulsion patterns because the landscape conditions associated with different avulsion styles are currently unknown. Two end-member avulsion styles have been documented in modern rivers: progradational avulsions, during which significant floodplain deposition occurs as a new channel is built, and incisional avulsions, during which floodplain erosion captures flow from a parent channel. Here we propose that avulsion style is related to the tendency for overbank flows to erode or deposit sediment (i.e., floodplain morphodynamics). We present a scaling comparison of floodplain erosion and deposition rates, test it with morphodynamic modeling, and show field data from ancient deposits that are consistent with modeling results. These results demonstrate that floodplain morphodynamics may determine how rivers relocate and that assessing the relative influence of floodplain erosion and deposition may be useful for predicting sedimentation patterns in avulsive systems.
Systematic and Integrative Analysis of Gene Expression to Identify Feature Genes Underlying Human Diseases

Over the past two decades, the advances in genomics technology have opened the door for rapid biological data acquisition and have revolutionized many aspects of biomedical research. Given the complex and noisy nature of the large-scale biological data, there is a high demand for developing variable selection approaches to identifying disease biomarkers in the field of translational bioinformatics. These biomarkers offer early detection of pathogenesis, inform prognosis, provide guidance for the treatment, and monitor disease progresses. In this chapter, we focused on developing a variety of methods that systematically analyzed whole-genome gene expression data for identifying feature genes associated with patient clinical parameters. In the first method, we constructed a gene co-expression network and then selected genes that are informative for classifying different cancer subtypes based on gene connectivity within the co-expression network. In the second method, we incorporated prior biological pathway information to reconstruct a gene network and then identified hub genes that are associated with cancer prognosis. Finally, we identified protein subnetworks instead of individual genes as biomarkers for classifying different types of brain injuries. Our study has set up a framework that can be easily generalized to integrate different types of genomics and proteomics information for better identifying feature genes to improve accuracy of disease diagnosis and treatment.
A new craniometer and suggestions for craniometry.

A craniometer including a mechanical stage on a dissecting microscope is described. Some prior methods, current problems, and possible future developments in methods of measurement are noted.
Graded radical W-type Lie algebras II

The radical type Lie algebra is introduced in the paper [7]. We define the generalized radical type Lie algebras and of in this paper. We show that the Lie algebras and are simple and they have no ...
Sexual Reactions Between Clonal Subcultures of a Strain of Dictyuchus Monosporus

Clonal subcultures, obtained by isolating hyphal tips and single spores from a female strain of Dictyuchus monosporus, were found to react (1) as males to the "parental" strain, (2) as males and females when mated to one another, and (3) to be self-fertile (homothallic), in water and on agar. These results raise the question as to whether sex is phenotypically determined in this species. Some strains of Dictyuchus monosporus were found to exhibit homothallic as well as heterothallic behavior. All evidence indicates that sexuality is too variable a factor to be useful for determination of the site of meiosis.
Disturbance, tree mortality, and implications for contemporary regional forest change in the Pacific Northwest

Abstract Tree mortality is an important demographic process and primary driver of forest dynamics, yet there are relatively few plot-based studies that explicitly quantify mortality and compare the relative contribution of endogenous and exogenous disturbances at regional scales. We used repeated observations on 289,390 trees in 3673 1 ha plots on U.S. Forest Service lands in Oregon and Washington to compare distributions of mortality rates among natural disturbances and vegetation zones from the mid-1990s to mid-2000s, a period characterized by drought, insect outbreaks, and large wildfires. Endogenous disturbances (e.g. pathogens, insects) were pervasive but operated at relatively low levels of mortality ( 1%/yr in over half of the plots in late and old-growth stages corroborate previous findings of elevated mortality during the same period and indicate the potential for pervasive structural change across all vegetation zones. Partial- and stand-replacing fire were associated with most mortality, but affected a relatively small proportion of dry vegetation zones (3.1–7.1% and 2.1–5.1%, respectively). These disturbances have likely affected regional biodiversity through the creation of early seral habitat, increased within-stand heterogeneity, and restored some aspects of historical fire regimes, but there is a need to better understand corresponding structural and compositional changes. We demonstrate the variability in the drivers, magnitude, and extent of mortality across a biophysically diverse region and highlight the need to incorporate and characterize the effects of mortality at intermediate levels to develop a more comprehensive understanding of regional forest dynamics.
Introduction to Notch Signaling

Notch signaling is probably the most widely used intercellular communication pathway. The Notch mutant in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster was isolated about 100 years ago at the dawn of genetics. Since then, research on Notch and its related genes in flies, worms, mice, and human has led to the establishment of an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway, the Notch signaling pathway. In the past few decades, molecular cloning of the Notch signaling components as well as genetic, cell biological, biochemical, structural, and bioinformatic approaches have uncovered the basic molecular logic of the pathway. In addition, genetic screens and systems approaches have led to the expansion of the list of genes that interact and fine-tune the pathway in a context specific manner. Furthermore, recent human genetic and genomic studies have led to the discovery that Notch plays a role in numerous diseases such as congenital disorders, stroke, and especially cancer. Pharmacological studies are actively pursuing key components of the pathway as drug targets for potential therapy. In this chapter, we will provide a brief historical overview of Notch signaling research and discuss the basic principles of Notch signaling, focusing on the unique features of this pathway when compared to other signaling pathways. Further studies to understand and manipulate Notch signaling in vivo in model organisms and in clinical settings will require a combination of a number of different approaches that are discussed throughout this book.
Understanding Christian Blogger Motivations: Woe Unto Me if I Blog Not the Gospel

Blogger motivations in general and motivations of religious bloggers have previously been studied, but there is a lack of studies specific to the motivations of bloggers who self-proclaim their Christianity to create a blog and maintain the blog. Forty-four bloggers participated in a self-administered survey questionnaire sent via email. They answered questions about their reasons to create a blog, original goals for their blog, and reasons to blog regularly. Motivations found in previous research were garnered from 11 studies, and the participants were asked to indicate which motivations resonated with them the majority of the time they blogged. They were asked to explain why the motive resonated with them. Results, not surprisingly, suggest these Christian bloggers were not motivated by the same motivations to the same degree as bloggers from previous research who are not vocal on their blogs about Christian, faith-based themes. The motivations such as community building, expressing opinions to influence others, or pouring out feelings and emotions do not seem to resonate as acutely with Christians as the motivations seem resonate with political- or corporate-oriented bloggers. Other motives such as documenting life, sharing thoughts out loud, entertaining self, or having a place to store their writings seemingly do not resonate with Christian bloggers as they do with other types of bloggers. These 44 Christians who blog are members of online Christian social, writing, and blogging groups, and are studied to see how being Christian might influence motivations for blogging, and explores reasons Christians have for creating media. This study also raises some interesting questions for future study such as why self-proclaimed Christians seem to have greater longevity for blogging than do authors of blogs with a non-religious focus.
Optical interconnect circuits: Some design considerations

This article consists of a collection of slides from the author's conference presentation on the design of optical interconnect circuits. Some of the specific topics discussed include: reasons to deploy optical interconnections; system architecture designs; costs and benefits analyses; generic serialized system architectures; and transmission capabilities of optical interconnect networks.
Fast measurement of blood T1 in the human carotid artery at 3T: Accuracy, precision, and reproducibility

Purpose To develop a fast protocol for measuring T1 values in the internal carotid artery (ICA), to validate this technique with in vitro measurements, and to evaluate its reproducibility. Methods A modified Look–Locker sequence was optimized to enable rapid determination of T1 in the ICA at 3T. T1 values from the ICA were compared with in vitro measurements on individually sampled venous blood oxygenated to arterial levels. A test–retest reproducibility study was also conducted. Results The group-averaged arterial blood T1 value was 1908 ± 77 ms for six women (hematocrit = 0.39 ± 0.03) and 1785 ± 55 ms for seven men (hematocrit = 0.45 ± 0.02), which is 100–200 ms longer than the widely adopted value obtained from bovine blood experiments. The arterial T1 value per subject correlated significantly with individual hematocrit values. The intrasession and intersession coefficients of variation were 1.1% and 2.1%, respectively, indicating good precision and reproducibility of our method. Reasonable agreement was observed between the in vivo and in vitro results with a correlation coefficient of 0.78. Conclusion The proposed method can provide fast arterial T1 measurement on individual subjects. When not performing such a subject-specific measurement, we recommend the use of 1908 ms and 1785 ms for healthy women and men, respectively, or 1841 ms for adults in general. Magn Reson Med 77:2296–2302, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
Application of seals in NEC Class II locations

To safeguard a hazardous location, conduit systems should be with suitable seals. Sealing fittings in conduits are to prevent the movements of gases and vapors from a hazardous to a remotely hazardous location, or from a hazardous to a nonhazardous location, and are also to prevent an explosion from traveling from one portion of the conduit system to another, thereby reducing the build-up of high pressures. When seals are not used, an explosion inside an explosion-proof enclosure may travel rapidly through the conduit system, building up a pressure that could exceed the strength of the conduit. The chapter specifies conditions where it is necessary to use seals, countering them with locations where the same is not necessary. There are three types of sealing fittings: for vertical conduit runs, for horizontal and vertical conduit runs, and with drain cover. According to the NEC, explosion proof unions, couplings, elbows, and conduit bodies may be installed in the conduit between the seal and the enclosure. For class I, division 1 location only explosion-proof unions, couplings and elbows between the sealing fitting and the enclosure are suggested. However for Class I, division. 2 locations, arcing devices of the sparking type in a division 2 location also require explosion-proof enclosures. Conduits of any size entering these explosion-proof enclosures must be provided with sealing fittings. In division 2 locations multi conductor cables do not have to be terminated in explosion-proof enclosures. Cables in a hazardous location approved for direct burial do not necessarily have to be protected in the ground by raceway. The chapter concludes with illustrations: conduit seals for class I, division 1 locations and applications of sealing fittings.
Anti-oxidant-enriched fish meal production by microbial fermentation

C are vital feed supplements that can improve animal health and provide quality products for human consumption. The need for carotenoids, especially astaxanthin in salmon feed cannot be overemphasized and is responsible for imparting desirable coloration. The recommended dosages of carotenoids in aquaculture are 30-120 mg/kg of total carotenoids and astaxanthin additive to salmonid feed cannot exceed 80 mg/kg in finished feed. Usually synthetically produced astaxanthin is added to fish feed and natural carotenoids extracted from biological sources like algae, yeasts or shrimp waste are more expensive. Producing carotenoids directly on animal feed can not only reduce the cost of aquaculture feed but also can provide natural carotenoids. Accordingly, this study outlines the patented red yeast fermentation of fish meal to produce natural carotenoidenriched aquaculture feed. Red yeasts Phaffiarhodozyma and Sporobolomycesroseus were used to produce carotenoids in monoculture and mixed culture fermentation of fish meal. The total carotenoid yield ranged from 175-489 mg/kg and astaxanthin yield was 89mg/kg fish meal. Since the carotenoid-enriched feed provides carotenoids in excess of the dietary dose, the feed can be used to make feed blends to provide optimal levels of nutrition. Compositional analyses of the feed and other beneficial attributes of the feed will be discussed. Ananda K. Nanjundaswamy, J Prob Health 2013, 1:4 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2329-8901.S1.011
Approaches to Assessing Student Writing and Writing Programs in the Age of Accountability

Reviews of: Very like a whale: The assessment of writing programs Edward M. White, Norbert Elliot, and Irvin Peckham (2015) ISBN-13: 978-0-87421-985-2. Pp. 202. Assessing and improving student writing in college Barbara E. Walvoord (2014) ISBN-13: 978-1-118-55736-5. Pp. xiii + 119.
Imagining Perfect Surveillance

How would society react to “the Watcher,” a technology capable of efficiently, unerringly, and immediately reporting the perpetrator of virtually every crime? This Essay treats that speculative question as an opportunity to explore the relationship between governmental surveillance and criminal justice. The resulting argument is unabashedly fictional but draws attention to pressures that may influence the real world. For instance, the Watcher casts doubt on perfect surveillance’s ability to improve the law, supports judicial attentiveness to substantive law when reviewing rules of investigation, and suggests that legislative control might displace prosecutorial discretion. The Watcher also draws attention to the relationship between surveillance and regulatory intricacy, as well as to ways of preserving human mercy within automated criminal justice.
Does the Nation's Largest Source of Freshwater Provide Equal Access for Fish? The Case for Aquatic Passage on the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas

Abstract Federal land-holdings can provide large blocks of contiguous habitat, but in many cases, aquatic organisms depend on movement within and among these blocks to complete their lifecycles and sustain populations. The area under management by the USDA Forest Service provides 18% of the nation's fresh water, including more than half of the water in the western US. The agency's mandate to support multiple uses requires many miles of roads to provide access for timber harvest, oil and gas exploration, and recreation. The National Forests and Grasslands in Texas (NFGT) encompass 273,493 ha (675,815 ac), with 6547 km (4068 mi) of roads intersecting over 644 km (400 mi) of streams. A 2007 survey of 7 national forests in the southern US indicated that less than 50% of these crossings provided passage for most species of fish. Similar results were evident in our 2006 and 2007 assessments of NFGT streams, which indicated that 50% and 52% respectively, were impassable. In subsequent years, we attempted to impr...
Invasive cervical cancer among American Indian women in the Northern Plains, 1994-1998: incidence, mortality, and missed opportunities.

Objectives. Cervical cancer mortality rates among the American Indian and Alaska Native (Al/AN) population in North and South Dakota were five times the national average (15.6 per 100,000 vs. 3.1 per 100,000, age adjusted) when last evaluated (from 1989 through 1993). Our goals were to update the Al/AN population cervical cancer mortality rates and to present incidence rates for Al/AN women in the region. Methods. We reviewed charts for women diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer at Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities in North and South Dakota from 1994 through 1998 and collected information about cervical cancer screening and treatment history. Incidence and mortality rates were standardized to the 1970 U.S. population. Results. Twenty-one cases of invasive cervical cancer and eight deaths were identified. Annualized incidence and mortality rates were 11.5 per 100,000 and 4.5 per 100 000. These compare with national all-race/ethnicity rates of 8.5 per 100,000 and 2.7 per 100,000 for incidence and mortality. Fifteen (71%) of 21 cases were diagnosed due to symptoms. Conclusions. While cervical cancer mortality rates have declined, incidence and mortality rates among Al/AN women remain higher than in the general U.S. population. Increased use of pap tests and careful follow-up of abnormal results should be aggressively promoted among Al/AN women in North and South Dakota.
Quantum Simulation of Generic Many-Body Open System Dynamics Using Classical Noise

We introduce a scheme for the quantum simulation of many-body decoherence based on the unitary evolution of a stochastic Hamiltonian. Modulating the strength of the interactions with stochastic processes, we show that the noise-averaged density matrix simulates an effectively open dynamics governed by k-body Lindblad operators. Markovian dynamics can be accessed with white-noise fluctuations; non-Markovian dynamics requires colored noise. The time scale governing the fidelity decay under many-body decoherence is shown to scale as N^{-2k} with the system size N. Our proposal can be readily implemented in a variety of quantum platforms including optical lattices, superconducting circuits, and trapped ions.
Transforming women's oral-systemic health through discovery, development and delivery.

Abstract Due to the complexity of women's health issues that involve the interplay between oral and systemic health, a multidisciplinary approach to research and practice is critical to ensure health and quality of life among women across the lifespan. The 2nd Annual Conference entitled 'Transforming Women's Health: Discovery, Development and Delivery of the Oral-Systemic Connection', was held in Tampa (FL, USA) on 26-27 January 2013. The conference addressed complex oral-systemic women's health issues structured by three organizational pillars: discovery, development and delivery, with overarching topic areas of oral human papillomavirus infection, autoimmune conditions and the Affordable Care Act. This conference served as an effective method for bringing together multiple disciplines to discuss emerging women's health issues.
Medical and Lifestyle Approaches to Improving Semen Quality

An ever-increasing number of medical and lifestyle factors affecting semen quality and male fertility are being identified. Despite the rise in the number of men smoking or requiring treatment with long-term medications, the impact of these factors on semen quality is often underreported, under-recognized, and poorly addressed. All men whose fertility is affected by these factors should be made aware of them and counseled appropriately. This chapter presents the existing evidence on the impact of common lifestyle factors and medications that affect semen quality such as smoking, alcohol consumption, testosterone/anabolic steroids, gonadotropins, anti-estrogens, and aromatase inhibitors.
Unfolded protein response signaling impacts macrophage polarity to modulate breast cancer cell clearance and melanoma immune checkpoint therapy responsiveness.

// David R. Soto-Pantoja 1, 3 , Adam S. Wilson 1 , Kenysha YJ. Clear 1 , Brian Westwood 1 , Pierre L. Triozzi 2, 3 and Katherine L. Cook 1, 3 1 Department of Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA 2 Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA 3 Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA Correspondence to: Katherine L. Cook, email: klcook@wakehealth.edu Keywords: breast cancer, melanoma, immune therapy, ipilimumab, CTLA4 Received: March 22, 2017 Accepted: July 23, 2017 Published: August 03, 2017 ABSTRACT The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a stress pathway controlled by GRP78 to mediate IRE1, PERK, and ATF6 signaling. We show that targeting GRP78, IRE1, and PERK differentially regulates macrophage polarization. Specifically, PERK targeting enhanced macrophage proliferation and macrophage-mediated killing but not GRP78 or IRE1. Targeting UPR in cancer cells also differentially affected macrophage cytolytic capacity. Tumoral IRE1 or GRP78 inhibition enhanced macrophage-mediated cancer cell clearance. Conditioned media from GRP78-silenced cancer cells caused reciprocal regulation of CD80 and CD206, suggesting control of plasticity by secreted factors. GRP78 targeting in mice resulted in a cytokine shift and increased tumoral CD80+/CD68+ cells, suggesting an M1-like profile. Targeting UPR in both macrophage and cancer cells indicates that PERK or GRP78 reduction enhances macrophage clearance of cancer cells. Recent evidence suggests that macrophage polarization influences immune checkpoint therapy resistance. To determine whether UPR effects immunotherapy resistance, analysis of matched melanoma patient PBMC before/after developing ipilimumab resistance demonstrated increased UPR signaling and an M2-like macrophage population, supporting a novel role of UPR signaling and innate immune regulation in anti-CTLA-4 therapy resistance. These data suggest that targeting GRP78 or PERK promotes an anti-tumor immune response by either directly promoting macrophage cytolytic activity or indirectly by shifting tumoral cytokine secretion.