cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vapor-Heat Treatment for the Control of Bulb Pests and Its Effect upon the Growth of Narcissus Bulbs

Vapor heat may be employed for the control of the bulb flies. Even the lowest temperature (110o F.) with a short time duration (three hours) was found to be ample for the control of both the larvae and pupae of Eumerus. There are indications that the Narcissus bulb nematode, Tylenchus dipsaci Kuhn., may be killed by this method without injury to the plants. The stimulating effect upon the growth, due to a moderate treatment, is expressed in the considerable weight increase of field-grown stock, and in most cases the bulbs treated at the higher temperatures were as good as or better than the untreated checks. Bulbs that were forced in a greenhouse after being submitted to a vapor treatment at 120o F. for two hours produced flowers equal to those of untreated checks. At lower temperatures the flowering date would sometimes be slightly advanced, but not enough to be of commercial importance. The foliage was not injured by this method of treatment.
A Geometrical Approximation to the Roots of Numbers

(1957). A Geometrical Approximation to the Roots of Numbers. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 1-9.
Simplified Synthetic Diet Formulated for the Migratory Grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Laboratory rearing of Melanoplus sanguinipes F. can be simplified by the feeding of reformulated guinea pig diet. The performance of reformulated guinea pig diet was tested against a diet of fresh rye grass and wheat bran. Growth rate and molting were monitored from the 1st instar to adult and indicated no difference between the two diets. Survival among grasshoppers fed the synthetic diet was significantly greater than on the control diet. Fecundity and body color also were noted, but no difference was observed between the two diet groups.
Architecture and Implementation of OpenPET Firmware and Embedded Software

OpenPET is an open source, modular, extendible, and high-performance platform suitable for multi-channel data acquisition and analysis. Due to the flexibility of the hardware, firmware, and software architectures, the platform is capable of interfacing with a wide variety of detector modules not only in medical imaging but also in homeland security applications. Analog signals from radiation detectors share similar characteristics–a pulse whose area is proportional to the deposited energy and whose leading edge is used to extract a timing signal. As a result, a generic design method of the platform is adopted for the hardware, firmware, and software architectures and implementations. The analog front-end is hosted on a module called a Detector Board, where each board can filter, combine, timestamp, and process multiple channels independently. The processed data is formatted and sent through a backplane bus to a module called Support Board, where 1 Support Board can host up to eight Detector Board modules. The data in the Support Board, coming from 8 Detector Board modules, can be aggregated or correlated (if needed) depending on the algorithm implemented or runtime mode selected. It is then sent out to a computer workstation for further processing. The number of channels (detector modules), to be processed, mandates the overall OpenPET System Configuration, which is designed to handle up to 1,024 channels using 16-channel Detector Boards in the Standard System Configuration and 16,384 channels using 32-channel Detector Boards in the Large System Configuration.
Voltage Stability Analysis of Wind Turbine Generator Interconnected to Power Grid

The influence of wind turbine generators interconnected to grid on voltage stability of power system was researched. From the viewpoint of static voltage stability,the wind turbine was equivalent to active and reactive power determined by the wind speed. The effects of wind turbine control mode and reactive power output on the voltage stability were analyzed. For dynamic stability,IEEE 39 standard test system was used. The simulation results show that constant voltage control is much better than constant power in the aspect of improving voltage stability.
To evaluate a new kind of obstetetrical department service patten──whole process service of pregnancy women

Objective:To look for a new kind of obstetrical department service pattern and improve obstetrical department performance.Methods:600 pregnancy women were chose as test group,chose medical personnel by them self as their pregnancy period healthcare doctors to make"one to one"services and compared controls.Results:Compared with controls,8 timses rate of parturition examination,PIH management rate,PIH pregnancy forecast,pregnancy result and clinic complaint and satisfaction all show significant differences(P0.05).Conclusions:Whole process service of pregnancy women,improve obstetrical department operation quality,make good relationship between medical personnel and patients and should be applied.
A Model of Potential Encounters in the Workplace The Relationships of Homophily, Spatial Distance, Organizational Structure, and Perceived Networks

Potential face-to-face encounters are foundational to most workplace social interactions. There is little resolution on the question of what factors are antecedent to these encounters. This study e...
SPECIFICITY OF CNS MYELIN PROTEOLIPID PROTEIN AND BASIC PROTEIN: Preparation of antibodies specific to myelin proteolipid protein and basic protein and the immunohistochemical localization of these antigens exclusively to myelin and oligodendrocytes

Publisher Summary This chapter describes myelin as a specialized multilamellar membrane, which is characterized ultrastructurally by the presence of a major dense line and an intraperiod line. The characteristic multilamellar structure of the myelin membrane thus isolated is preserved when examined by electron microscopy. The myelin basic protein is characterized by the absence of a secondary helical structure and the presence of a single tryptohan residue and methylated arginine. Localization of proteins to specific cellular elements is accomplished more easily immunohistochemically than by isolating cellular and subcellular fractions using density gradient centrifugaron after homogenization of the tissue, where cross-contamination is potentially a serious problem. Reliable immunohistochemical results require antisera that is both immunochemically pure and specific to the antigen. Immunohistochemistry offers a means of obtaining precise information regarding the localization of proteins within the nervous system.
Risks of AED Withdrawal after Epilepsy Surgery

The frequency of seizure recurrence and outcome factors associated with antiepileptic drug (AED) withdrawal following successful epilepsy surgery were evaluated retrospectively in 210 patients treated between 1989 and 1993 at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
Operating Room of the Future Orthopedic Perspective

The complexity of orthopedic procedures has mounted with increasing numbers of minimally invasive surgeries. Lack of optimal patient outcomes persist despite new techniques and improved implants. While improved training for physicians can enhance patient outcomes, computer assisted surgery (CAS) has the capability to provide even greater benefits to the patient by increasing control and repeatability. Cutting edge technology fused with new computerized techniques facilitates a full cycle of implant design and development by providing surgical preplanning and intraoperative guidance followed by post-operative gait analysis. In the pre-operative phase, these technologies can reconstruct patient specific bone models, automate cutting plane placement, and highlight anatomical abnormalities. In the intra-operative phase, the state-of-the-art CAS systems virtualize surgical protocols, provide real-time hyper-resolution micro-sensor feedback in ligament balancing, and wireless navigation guidance. Finally, in post-operative scenarios, disruptive technologies enable improved implant design through acquisition and analysis of 3D kinematic gait lab data. By introducing novel technologies and advanced computerized methods into the operating room (OR), the next generation of CAS systems will further surgeons' ability to control positive patient outcomes.
Anti-Admin: With Help from Herbert Marcuse

This paper selects from a longer chapter which recapitulates and extends discussions on antiadministration (anti-admin) from the perspective of discourse theory. First, it discusses discourse theor...
In situ 2D maps of pH shifts across brass–lead galvanic joints using microelectrodes

Galvanic corrosion in drinking water distribution systems, such as conditions following partial lead (Pb) service line replacement, has received recent attention. In order to better understand conditions at galvanic connections that lead to enhanced metal release and provide remedial strategies, the water-metal and anodic-cathodic interfaces at these locations must be better understood. In this paper, a pH microelectrode system was used to create in-situ 2D spatial images of the pH of water across two brass coupons connected by a leaded solder joint at 100 μm above the metal's surface under flowing and stagnation conditions. Water stagnation resulted in significant pH changes across the surfaces compared to flow condition. Under stagnation, the pH above the anode (leaded solder) was 1.5 pH units below the bulk water and as much as 2.5 units below the cathode (brass). These conditions can enhance lead release at the anode, which reflects different anodic-cathodic relationships of coupled metals primarily controlled by water flow. Most importantly, this work has demonstrated the ability to make real pH measurement at the surface of corroding metals using a novel microelectrode approach.
Obesity Energetics: Body Weight Regulation and the Effects of Diet Composition.

Weight changes are accompanied by imbalances between calorie intake and expenditure. This fact is often misinterpreted to suggest that obesity is caused by gluttony and sloth and can be treated by simply advising people to eat less and move more. Rather various components of energy balance are dynamically interrelated and weight loss is resisted by counterbalancing physiological processes. While low-carbohydrate diets have been suggested to partially subvert these processes by increasing energy expenditure and promoting fat loss, our meta-analysis of 32 controlled feeding studies with isocaloric substitution of carbohydrate for fat found that both energy expenditure (26 kcal/d; P
Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) and overall survival in wild type EGFR patients treated with erlotinib.

e19113 Background: TTF-1 is a transcription factor involved in regulating epithelial to mesenchymal transition. TTF-1 has a favorable prognosis in early stage lung adenocarcinoma, although it’s pro...
Phase I/II study of oxaliplatin, fludarabine, cytarabine, and rituximab in patients (OFAR2) with Richter's syndrome (RS), and relapsed or refractory B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)

7031 Background: The first Phase I-II clinical trial of oxaliplatin, fluradabine, Ara-C, and rituximab (OFAR1) demonstrated significant activity in refractory CLL and RS (Tsimberidou et al, J Clin Oncol, 2008;26:196). To enhance the response rate with a decrease in myelosuppression, the dose of oxaliplatin was increased to 30 mg daily, the dose of Ara-C was decreased to 0.5g/m2 daily and the optimal number of days of fluradabine and Ara-C administration was explored (OFAR2). Methods: The OFAR2 regimen consisted of oxaliplatin 30mg/m2, D1–4; fludarabine 30mg/m2, Ara-C 0.5 g/m2; rituximab 375mg/m2, D3; and pelfigrastim 6mg D6. Fludarabine and Ara-C were given on D2–3 (dose level 1) D2–4 (dose level 2) or D2–5 (dose level 3); courses were repeated every 4 wks. Prophylaxis for tumor lysis, DNA viruses, and PCP was given. Results: A total of 55 pts have been treated to date: 12 pts enrolled in phase I (dose level 1, n=3; dose level 2, n=6; and dose level 3, n=3). DLTs were noted in 2/3 pts in dose level 3 (G4 ...
Toward a Postmodern Pragmatic Discourse Semioethics for Brain Injury Care: Empirically Driven Group Inquiry as a Dialogical Practice in Pursuit of the Peircean Aesthetic Ideal of ‘Reasonableness’

A postmodern framework is proposed for conceptualizing the impact of brain injury on the subjective being of the injured person. Semiosis, the 'action of signs,' is argued as necessary for this recovery of subjectivity that escapes the mechanistic materialism and mind-matter dualism of modern science. Ethical dilemmas in brain injury care are best approached through an empirical 'semioethics' implemented as a dialogical practice among a group of selected stakeholders seeking a logical solution that best addresses the criterion of maximizing reasonableness as a tempering of rationality with relational concerns in the face of the constraints imposed by the injury.
z-EMBEDDING IN βX × βY

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses z-embedding directly in [BH 1 ], [B 2 ], and [B 3 ]. The subset S of the space X is z-embedded in X if each zero-set of S is the trace on S of a zero-set of X. The chapter presents the connection of z-embedding with some questions of abstract analysis through the functors coz and Ba. X x Y is z-embedded in βX x βY only if either X or Y is pseudo-compact or if Y is pseudo-compact and X is Lindelof and locally compact, which implies that X x Y is pseudo-compact; but pseudo-compactness of X x Y does not suffice. A space has the countable chain condition if each pairwise disjoint family of nonempty open sets is countable. A necessary condition on X that X x Y be z-embedded in βX x βY for every Y is that X have a countable base. If X x Y is z-embedded in βX x βY, then υ(X x Y) = υX x υY. This follows immediately from two facts: If S is z-embedded in A, then υS is the G δ -closure of S in υA and the G δ -closure of a rectangle in a product is the product of G δ -closures.
The effects of the FTC-mandated disclosure on homeopathic product purchase intentions and efficacy perceptions

Abstract Over-the-counter homeopathic products are gaining market share in the United States as consumers are looking for alternatives to conventional medicines. However, most objective scientific evidence does not support the efficacy of these products. Therefore, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission recently issued an Enforcement Policy Statement mandating that an information disclosure be included in homeopathic advertisements to counteract unsubstantiated claims made by manufacturers. To evaluate the effects of these disclosures, we offer explicit hypotheses grounded in marketing and advertising theory and literature. Findings from four experiments suggest that the information disclosure in these advertisements reduces perceived efficacy, which in turn, decreases product purchase intentions. These findings support predicted mediation effects. However, the effect on purchase intentions is attenuated among consumers who have previously used the products. Results offer insights for advertising researchers, product marketers, and policy makers on the effectiveness of information disclosures on alternative medicine advertisements.
Reciprocal Matched Filtering in the Inner Ear of the African Clawed Frog ( Xenopus laevis )

Anurans (frogs and toads) are the most vocal amphibians. In most species, only males produce advertisement calls for defending territories and attracting mates. Female vocalizations are the exceptions among frogs, however in the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) both males and females produce distinct vocalizations. The matched filter hypothesis predicts a correspondence between peripheral auditory tuning of receivers and properties of species-specific acoustic signals, but few studies have assessed this relationship between the sexes. Measuring hearing sensitivity with a binaural recording of distortion product otoacoustic emissions, we have found that the ears of the males of this species are tuned to the dominant frequency of the female's calls, whereas the ears of the females are tuned close to the dominant frequency of the male's calls. Our findings provide support for the matched filter hypothesis extended to include male-female calling. This unique example of reciprocal matched filtering ensures that males and females communicate effectively in high levels of background noise, each sex being most sensitive to the frequencies of the other sex's calls.
Efficient intensity measures and machine learning algorithms for collapse prediction of tall buildings informed by SCEC CyberShake ground motion simulations

In contrast to approaches based on scaling of recorded seismograms, using extensive inventories of numerically simulated earthquakes avoids the need for any selection and scaling of motions which i...
The investment Returns of Nonprofit Organizations, Part II: The Value of Focused Attention.

We continue our examination of the investment performance of nonprofit charities and foundations. This analysis tests hypotheses about what types of organizations do better. Our motivating intuition is that nonprofits with greater focus on investment performance will secure higher returns. Our hypotheses are tested by regressing the rate of return for each organization on various characteristics. As expected, nonprofits whose primary business is predominantly financial, such as insurance providers and pension or retirement funds, consistently earn higher returns. The data also support our hypotheses that larger nonprofits, older nonprofits, and private foundations will tend to outperform. The evidence is mixed as to whether nonprofits that pay higher executive salaries or spend more on management earn higher returns.
Humans, Dolphins, and Porpoises: Investigations at the Par-Tee Site, Seaside, Oregon, AD 100–800

Small cetaceans are understudied compared to whales and pinnipeds even though they represent a high-ranking prey choice when available in the environment. Building upon previous faunal analyses at the Par-Tee site, Seaside, Oregon that investigated whaling, this analysis of dolphin and porpoise remains suggests that people were hunting small cetaceans between AD 100–800 on the Oregon coast, especially harbor porpoise, which was found significantly more than any other cetacean species at the site. The quantity of small cetacean bone is unlikely to be the result of only acquiring stranded individuals. While there is no direct evidence of hunting, ethnographic literature and archaeologically recovered hunting technologies like harpoons provide insight into the means by which these species may have been hunted.
Identification of novel candidate risk genes for myelomeningocele within the glucose homeostasis/oxidative stress and folate/one-carbon metabolism networks

BACKGROUND Neural tube defects (NTDs) are the second most common complex birth defect, yet, our understanding of the genetic contribution to their development remains incomplete. Two environmental factors associated with NTDs are Folate and One Carbon Metabolism (FOCM) and Glucose Homeostasis and Oxidative Stress (GHOS). Utilizing next-generation sequencing of a large patient cohort, we identify novel candidate genes in these two networks to provide insights into NTD mechanisms. METHODS Exome sequencing (ES) was performed in 511 patients, born with myelomeningocele, divided between European American and Mexican American ethnicities. Healthy control data from the Genome Aggregation database were ethnically matched and used as controls. Rare, high fidelity, nonsynonymous predicted damaging missense, nonsense, or canonical splice site variants in independently generated candidate gene lists for FOCM and GHOS were identified. We used a gene-based collapsing approach to quantify mutational burden in case and controls, with the control cohort estimated using cumulative allele frequencies assuming Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. RESULTS We identified 45 of 837 genes in the FOCM network and 22 of 568 genes in the GHOS network as possible NTD risk genes with p < 0.05. No nominally significant risk genes were shared between ethnicities. Using a novel approach to mutational burden we identify 55 novel NTD risk associations. CONCLUSIONS We provide a means of utilizing large publicly available sequencing datasets as controls for sequencing projects examining rare disease. This approach confirmed existing risk genes for myelomeningocele and identified possible novel risk genes. Lastly, it suggests possible distinct genetic etiologies for this malformation between different ethnicities.
Investor-owned Health Care: The Hidden Blight on America's "System".

Investor ownership of US health care has grown exponentially in the past 50 years through ever closer ties with Wall Street corporate interests. More recently, private equity firms have accelerated...
Lanthanide-dependent coordination interactions in lanmodulin: a 2D IR and molecular dynamics simulations study

The biological importance of lanthanides, and the early lanthanides (La3+–Nd3+) in particular, has only recently been recognized, and the structural principles underlying selective binding of lanthanide ions in biology are not yet well established. Lanmodulin (LanM) is a novel protein that displays unprecedented affinity and selectivity for lanthanides over most other metal ions, with an uncommon preference for the early lanthanides. Its utilization of EF-hand motifs to bind lanthanides, rather than the Ca2+ typically recognized by these motifs in other proteins, has led it to be used as a model system to understand selective lanthanide recognition. Two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopy combined with molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate LanM's selectivity mechanisms by characterizing local binding site geometries upon coordination of early and late lanthanides as well as calcium. These studies focused on the protein's uniquely conserved proline residues in the second position of each EF-hand binding loop. We found that these prolines constrain the EF-hands for strong coordination of early lanthanides. Substitution of this proline results in a more flexible binding site to accommodate a larger range of ions but also results in less compact coordination geometries and greater disorder within the binding site. Finally, we identify the conserved glycine in the sixth position of each EF-hand as a mediator of local binding site conformation and global secondary structure. Uncovering fundamental structure–function relationships in LanM informs the development of synthetic biology technologies targeting lanthanides in industrial applications.
Accumulation of radio-iron and plutonium, alone and in combination, in Pseudomonas putida grown in liquid cultures

The impact of low doses of ionising radiation on biological and environmental systems have been historically difficult to study. Modern biological tools have provided new methods for studying these mechanisms but applying these tools to a dose-response relationship may require refinement of dosimetric techniques that incorporate a detailed understand of radionuclide accumulation in biological cells, particularly when assessing the impact of low doses of ionising radiation. In this workPseudomonas putida (KT2440) grown in liquid culture was exposed to low dose rates (10-20 mGy d-1) of239Pu and55Fe, both alone and in combination, for a period of 20 days, and the accumulation of239Pu and55Fe in cell pellets was analysed via liquid scintillation counting. The study also considered of cells grown with239Pu and stable Fe (primarily56Fe). In addition to the analysis of cell pellet and media samples, this work includes analysis of the radiological content of ribonucleic acid extraction samples to examine uptake of radionuclides. Results indicate that239Pu inhibited the uptake of55Fe, and that the presence of stable and radioactive isotopes of Fe in cultures may promote pathways for Fe accumulation that are used by239Pu. The work herein provides foundational insight into future dosimetric models for our work with environmental bacteria.
Bone Cement, Acrylic

Bone cement has been widely used in orthopedic surgeries since Sir John Charnley first introduced the self-curing bone cement for the fixation of artificial joints in 1958. Several important aspects of material characteristics of bone cement, including its material compositions, short- and long-term mechanical properties are discussed in this article. This article aims to provide comprehensive information for the orthopedic community on cement applications. The article is arranged in seven sections and begins with a brief introduction and description of bone cement compositions, followed by a section on cement setting procedure and cementing technique. Then, the thermal aspect (polymerization heat and potential bone thermal damage) and volumetric change effects (porosity and residual stress) are discussed. The final section focuses on the main mechanical properties of cement, including the static strength, fatigue failure, and viscoelasticity of bone cement. Finally, the article ends with a brief summary of potential research directions. Keywords: bone cement; acrylic; biomaterials; implants; polymerization; shrinkage; fatigue; viscoelastic
Face Recognition from Long-Term Observations

We address the problem of face recognition from a large set of images obtained over time - a task arising in many surveillance and authentication applications. A set or a sequence of images provides information about the variability in the appearance of the face which can be used for more robust recognition. We discuss different approaches to the use of this information, and show that when cast as a statistical hypothesis testing problem, the classification task leads naturally to an information-theoretic algorithm that classifies sets of images using the relative entropy (Kullback-Leibler divergence) between the estimated density of the input set and that of stored collections of images for each class. We demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm on two medium-sized data sets of approximately frontal face images, and describe an application of the method as part of a view-independent recognition system.
Remix video and the crisis of the humanities

The discourses of crisis in the humanities is juxtaposed with an analysis of remix video practices to suggest that the cognitive and cultural engagement feared lost in the former appear with frequency and enthusiasm in the latter. Whether humanists focus on the deleterious effects of the digital or celebrate the digital humanities but resist a turn to computation, their anxieties turn to the disappearance of textual analysis, aesthetics, critique, and self-reflection. Remix video, as exemplified by mashups, trailer remixes, and vids, depends on these same competencies for the creation and circulation of its works. Remix video is not the answer to the crises of the humanities; rather, the recognition of a common set of practices, skills, and values underpinning scholars and video practitioners' work provides the basis for a coalitional approach: identification of shared opportunities to promote and engage potential participants in the modes of thinking and production that contend with complex cultural ideas.
Abstract 4137: Latent class model characterization of neighborhood SES

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and a significant source of mortality. Neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (NSES) has been shown to play a key role in health; poorer health outcomes are observed in deprived neighborhoods even after controlling for individual level SES. Commonly used NSES indexes are difficult to interpret. The relative impact of different factors within the index cannot be evaluated. Latent class models, which use latent variables to create distinct classes, allow for characterization of NSES and estimation of the effects of specific neighborhood characteristics on cancer outcomes. Methods: We used data from women diagnosed with breast cancer from a teaching hospital in Philadelphia, PA. Census information at the Zip Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) level was used to obtain NSES variables. Latent class analysis and comparisons of model fit statistics were used to determine the optimal number of classes. Results: Complete ZCTA-level data was available for 1,664 breast cancer patients. In this population, NSES was best represented by two separate latent variables, each with 2-classes (LC2). When the class variables were compared to a continuous NSES index (NSI), the correlation was 0.85. However, LC2 demonstrated stronger association with race, stage, disease subtype, tumor size, and histologic grade. Conclusions: We classified neighborhoods based on correlated socioeconomic census-level variables. Latent variables identify specific characteristics associated with living in a neighborhood with low versus high advantage and disadvantage and thus may improve our understanding of critical breast cancer prognostic factors and the targeting of cancer control efforts. Further research will provide overall structural latent models that incorporate information on tumor biology, prognostic variables and survival outcomes to aid in the identification of vulnerable populations. Table 1. Neighborhood latent class model (LC2) and SES Index (NSI) View this table: Table 1. Neighborhood latent class model (LC2) and SES Index (NSI) Citation Format: Aimee Palumbo, Yvonne Michael, Terry Hyslop. Latent class model characterization of neighborhood SES. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4137. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4137
Surface modification of cellulose nanofibrils by maleated styrene block copolymer and their composite reinforcement application

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) have been of great interest as reinforcing fillers because of their low density, high aspect ratio, and excellent mechanical strength properties. The advantages of CNFs, however, are often limited by their self-aggregation tendency and poor interfacial compatibility with hydrophobic polymer matrices. In this study, maleated styrene block copolymers were grafted on the surface of CNFs through esterification. The grafted polymer fraction of 25 wt% by gravimetric measurement was obtained. The evidence of grafting was also supported by changes in chemical functional groups and addition of the polymer thermal degradation step. A contact angle as high as 130° was observed on modified CNF film. The influences of modified CNFs on the surface morphology, thermal stability, and crystallinity were also evaluated and compared with those of neat CNFs. The reinforcing capability of CNFs as reinforcing fillers in the hydrophobic polymer matrix was assessed. The results also highlight the effect of improved compatibility between the surface modified CNF and polystyrene matrix to maintain optimum tensile strength at various filler concentrations.
Variations of strong earthquake ground shaking in the Los Angeles area

Accelerograms recorded at six stations in the metropolitan Los Angeles area during the Borrego Mountain, 1968, the Lytle Creek, 1970, and the San Fernando, 1971, earthquakes in southern California have been studied. In comparing the ground motions recorded during different earthquakes at each of the six stations and in correlations of these motions recorded at different stations during the same earthquake, those aspects of the analysis which emerge from this study and are relevant for seismic zoning have been emphasized. It has been found that the patterns of strong ground shaking in this area depend predominantly on the mechanism and the distance of an earthquake source from a recording station and that the local soil conditions played only a minor role in modifying the ground motion at this particular area. It has been shown that gross spectral characteristics of ground motion recorded at various stations can be approximately related by the seismic moment at the low-frequency end and by the stress drop at the high-frequency end.
Mental health clinicians' motivation to invest in training: results from a practice-based research network survey.

ObjectivesLittle is known about why clinicians seek training or about their willingness to invest in it.MethodsResults from a Web-based survey of 318 clinicians in a practice-based research network were used to examine factors that motivate clinicians to seek training or forgo training (“deal breakers”) and their willingness to invest time and money in training.ResultsClinicians desired training that teaches advanced versus basic clinical skills, that covers an area they see as central to the needs of their clients, and that provides continuing education credit. Training that requires clinical supervision or the use of a manualized intervention was not a deal breaker for most clinicians. However, the amount of time and money most clinicians reported being willing to invest in training fell far short of the requirements for learning most evidence-based treatments.ConclusionsTraining strategies that combine high intensity with lower cost may be needed.
The effects of alpha chain mutations cis and trans to the beta6 mutation on the polymerization of sickle cell haemoglobin.

The effects of α chain mutations cis and trans to the β6 mutation on the polymerization of sickle cell haemoglobin
Outcomes of breeding soundness evaluation of 2898 yearling bulls subjected to different classification systems.

Abstract This study is a retrospective analysis comparing data on yearling bull breeding soundness evaluation (BSE) subjected to 3 different classification systems: the Society for Theriogenology (SFT) 1983 and 1993 systems, and the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners (WC) 1993 system. Data were collected at 5 performance bull-test stations located in South Carolina and Tennessee from 1986 through 1996. Yearling bulls (n = 2898) that were 10 to 20 mo of age were used in the analysis. To simplify analysis, bulls were determined to be either satisfactory or unsatisfactory potential breeders (including those classified as questionable, deferred or unsatisfactory). Data were analyzed 1) within location where a location was treated as an individual experiment, 2) with breeds and locations collapsed, and 3) within age-group where each age-group was treated as an individual experiment. An ANOVA was performed using GLM procedures of SAS, and this model was used to generate least square means for the proportion of bulls classified as satisfactory and the 5 possible unsatisfactory outcomes due to inadequacies in scrotal circumference, spermatozoal morphology, spermatozoal motility, a combination of inadequate spermatozoal morphology and motility, or physical abnormalities. Inadequate scrotal circumference or physical abnormality did not affect differences for BSE outcomes among systems. Using the SFT93 system, bulls failed at a higher rate due to inadequate spermatozoal morphology (P
Impossible is nothing: 5:3 and 4:3 multi-frequency bimanual coordination

The present findings demonstrate that when participants are provided a Lissajous display with cursor indicating the position of the limbs and a template illustrating the desired movement pattern they can rapidly (10 min) and effectively (continuous relative phase errors and variability ~10°) tune in a difficult 5:3 bimanual coordination pattern and without additional practice re-tune their responding to an equally difficult 4:3 coordination pattern. The findings indicate the extreme difficulty associated with producing complex polyrhythms in previous experiments has been due to split attention when Lissajous feedback has been provided and inability of the participant to detect and correct coordination errors when only provided vision of the limbs. Effective transfer to the 4:3 polyrhythm without previous practice suggests that the perception–action system’s capabilities are extensive. The present findings when viewed in the context of recent experiments using similar protocols suggest that much, but not all, of the difficulty associated with producing a variety of bimanual coordination tasks should be viewed in terms of perceptual constraints imposed by the testing environment.
The Study of Surface Dilational Properties of Nonionic Surfactant Solutions by Propagation of Electrocapillary Waves

Abstract An efficient experimental technique for the study of dynamic surface dilational properties through electrocapillary waves has been developed. Surface waves at the air/liquid interface are generated with electrocapillary deflection and detected by specular reflection of a focused laser beam. Without contacting the surface, the capillary wavelengths and damping coefficients were measured and, thus, the surface moduli were determined in the frequency range of 50 to 500 Hz for various nonionic surfactants. We found that the dilational modulus in the entire submicellar range is frequency independent in this frequency range. This observation is consistent with the data obtained at low frequencies previously published in the literature. Above the CMC, the wavelengths and damping coefficients become constant with increasing concentration. This implies that the surface properties are essentially independent of concentration.
U(1) Chern-Simons theory and c=1 conformal blocks

Abstract The quantization of the U(1) Chern-Simons action in three dimensions is carried out in a coherent state representation. The wave functionals obtained are generating functionals for the current correlator blocks of two-dimensional c =1 rational conformal
Deficits in the miRNA-34a-regulated endogenous TREM2 phagocytosis sensor-receptor in Alzheimer's disease (AD); an update.

One characteristic feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology is the progressive generation, aggregation and deposition of the 42 amino acid amyloid beta (Aβ42) peptide, and other related amyloidogenic molecules, into dense clumps of insoluble, pro-inflammatory senile plaque cores in the extracellular space of the brain. It is not generally appreciated that the Aβ42 peptide, derived via tandem beta-gamma secretase cleavage of the larger ~770 amino acid transmembrane beta-amyloid precursor protein (βAPP) is one of the “stickiest” peptides known, due in part to its high content of lipophillic and hydrophobic peptide domains (21.4% valine-isoleucine; Mager, 1998; Watson et al., 2005). Aβ42 peptide monomers have tremendously high potential for relatively rapid self-aggregation into Aβ42 peptide dimers and higher order fibrillar structures via long-range, non-covalent hydrophobic forces that over time promote β-pleated sheet conformations (Mager, 1998; Watson et al., 2005; Boutajangout and Wisniewski, 2013; Chang et al., 2013). There is abundant evidence that under normal, homeostatic conditions, Aβ42 peptide monomers and perhaps other higher order Aβ42 peptides are effectively “cleared” from the brain's extracellular medium by highly active and efficient innate-immune surveillance and phagocytic systems that limit excessive Aβ42 peptide dimerization, accumulation and further self-aggregation into pathological senile plaque lesions. Recently described, one of the key phagocytosis sensor-receptors responsible for Aβ42 peptide clearance from the human central nervous system (CNS) is very likely the triggering receptor expressed in myeloid/microglial cells 2 (TREM2) enriched in myeloid cells and microglial cells of the CNS (Benitez et al., 2013; Forabosco et al., 2013; Gonzalez Murcia et al., 2013; Guerreiro et al., 2013; Neumann and Daly, 2013; Zhao et al., 2013; Jones et al., 2014; Figure ​Figure1).1). This short paper is an update on some very recent observations on TREM2 neurobiology, on newly discovered roles for miRNA-34a-mediated signaling in human degenerative disease, including miRNA-34a-mediated effects on TREM2 expression, and how dysfunctional TREM2 signaling may contribute to amyloidogenesis in AD and in related progressive, inflammatory neurodegenerative diseases of the human CNS.
Sleep-disordered breathing in children

The first series of children with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome was reported in 1976. Later it became apparent that children may have breathing disorders during sleep without frank apnoea or 'hypopnoeas'. This pattern could be detected by measuring the oesophageal pressure. This led to the concept of sleep-disordered breathing as a spectrum that combines obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and the upper airway resistance syndrome. Studies that do not take into account this spectrum may misclassify symptomatic patients as 'primary snorers'. The exact prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in children is unknown but may be as high as 11%. There is a familial predisposition to sleep-disordered breathing. Nasal obstruction and mouth breathing influence facial growth, which may further lead to difficulty in breathing while asleep. Symptoms include an increase in total sleep time, nonspecific behavioural difficulties, hyperactivity, irritability, bed-wetting and morning headaches. Clinical signs include failure to thrive, increased respiratory effort with nasal flaring and suprasternal or intercostal retractions. Also, abnormal paradoxical inward motion of the chest may occur during sleep. Excessive daytime sleepiness and obesity are not always present. Untreated children may develop cardiovascular complications. The condition is treatable with continuous or bilevel positive airway pressure, and may be cured with surgery.
Osteoclastic bone resorption by a polarized vacuolar proton pump

Bone resorption depends on the formation, by osteoclasts, of an acidic extracellular compartment wherein matrix is degraded. The mechanism by which osteoclasts transport protons into that resorptive microenvironment was identified by means of adenosine triphosphate-dependent weak base accumulation in isolated osteoclast membrane vesicles, which exhibited substrate and inhibition properties characteristic of the vacuolar, electrogenic H+-transporting adenosine triphosphatase (H+-ATPase). Identify of the proton pump was confirmed by immunoblot of osteoclast membrane proteins probed with antibody to vacuolar H+-ATPase isolated from bovine kidney. The osteoclast's H+-ATPase was immunocytochemically localized to the cell-bone attachment site. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that the H+-ATPase was present in the ruffled membrane, the resorptive organ of the cell.
Microarray analysis of cellular thermotolerance.

Background and Objectives Previously, we have shown that a 43°C pretreatment can provide thermotolerance to a following, more severe, thermal stress at 45°C. Using cells that lack the Hsp70 gene, we have also shown that there is still some thermotolerance in the absence of HSP70 protein. The purpose of this study was to determine which genes play a role in thermotolerance by measuring viability and proliferation of the cells at 2 days after heating. Specifically, we wanted to understand which pathways may be responsible for protecting cells in the absence of HSP70. Study Design/Materials and Methods Murine embryonic fibroblast cells with and without Hsp70 (MEF(+/+) and MEF(−/−), respectively) were exposed to a mild heat shock of 43°C for 30 minutes in a constant temperature water bath. After 3 hours of recovery, RNA was harvested from three heated samples alongside three untreated controls using a MicroRNeasy kit with DNAse treatment. RNA quality was verified by an Agilent Bioanalyzer. The RNA was then converted to cDNA and hybridized to Affymetrix gene expression DNA microarrays. The genes that showed a twofold change (up or down) relative to unheated controls were filtered by t-test for significance at a threshold of P < 0.05 using Genespring software. Data were verified by qRT-PCR. Genes were then categorized based upon their ontology. Results While many genes were similarly upregulated, the main difference between cell types was an increase in transcription factors and nucleic acid binding proteins. Several genes known to be involved in the heat response were upregulated more than twofold (Hsp70, Hsp40, Hsp110, Hsp25, Atf3), however, another well studied heat responsive gene Hsp90 only increased by 1.5-fold under these conditions despite its role in thermotolerance. Conclusions The data herein presents genetic pathways which are candidates for further study of pretreatment protocols in laser irradiation. Lasers Surg. Med. 42:912–925, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Drug addiction: functional neurotoxicity of the brain reward systems.

Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disorder characterized by a compulsion to take a drug with loss of control over drug intake. The hypothesis under discussion here is that chronic drug use produces long-lasting dysfunctions in neurons associated with the brain reward circuitry, and this “functional neurotoxicity” of drugs of abuse leads to vulnerability to relapse and continued drug dependence. Several sources of reinforcement are associated with various components of the drug addiction cycle and much progress has been made in identifying the midbrain-basal forebrain neural elements involved in the positive reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse and more recently in the neural elements involved in the negative reinforcement associated with drug addiction. Key elements for the acute reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse include a macrostructure in the basal f orebrain called the extended amygdala that contains parts of the nucleus accumbens and amgydala and involves key neurotransmitters such as dopamine, opioid peptides, serotonin, GABA, and glutamate. Withdrawal from drugs of abuse is associated with subjective symptoms of negative affect and dysregu-lation of brain reward systems involving some of the same neurochemical systems implicated in the acute reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse. In addition, the functional toxicity of acute withdrawal is accompanied by recruitment of the brain stress neurotransmitter system corticotropin-releasing factor. During more prolonged abstinence, post-acute withdrawal, evidence is accumulating of continued dysregulation of the neural systems associated with drug reinforcement and stress regulation that may represent more subtle but persistent functional neurotoxic effects of chronic drug use and could be responsible for long-lasting vulnerability to relapse. Such functional neurotoxicity could be hypothesized to lead to a change in set point for drug reward that may represent an allostatic state contributing to vulnerability to relapse and re-entry into the addiction cycle. Elucidation of the specific neuropharmacological changes contributing to this prolonged functional neurotoxicity will be the challenge of future research on the neurobiology of drug addiction.
Solutions to integro-differential systems arising in Hydrodynamic models for charged transport in semiconductors

Abstract This work is devoted to the study of strong and global solutions for a quasilinear parabolic integro-differential system arising in Hydrodynamic models for charged transport in semiconductors. The existence results are proven by using a priori estimates and fixed point theorems.