cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Engineering and Sustainable Community Development

Abstract This book, Engineering and Sustainable Community Development, presents an overview of engineering as it relates to humanitarian engineering, service learning engineering, or engineering for community development, often called sustainable community development (SCD). The topics covered include a history of engineers and development, the problems of using industry-based practices when designing for communities, how engineers can prepare to work with communities, and listening in community development. It also includes two case studies -- one of engineers developing a windmill for a community in India, and a second of an engineer "mapping communities" in Honduras to empower people to use water effectively -- and student perspectives and experiences on one curricular model dealing with community development. Table of Contents: Introduction / Engineers and Development: From Empires to Sustainable Development / Why Design for Industry Will Not Work as Design for Community / Engineering with Community /...
Before and after 1789: A cantonal markets economy

Richard Cantillon identified in early eighteenth-century Europe two distinct forms of mercantile economy, one that economist Antoin E. Murphy calls ‘a centralized command economy’ and a second that he designates as ‘a competitive market economy’ or ‘decentralized market system’. The first system had a basis, writes Murphy, in a ‘centralized estate’ model, with the landlord determining what was to be produced. Under the second system, the entrepreneur was a risk taker. Buying goods ‘at a known price’, he sold them later at what was at the time of purchase ‘an uncertain price’.’ Murphy’s identification of the ‘centralized command economy’ with the large centralized estate stems from Cantillon’s own depiction of the great landlord or his property ‘comme s’iln’y en avoit aucune autre au monde’.2 The great landlord (an ideal type often comprising several real landlords) did not act in isolation. But while the role of the superlandlord or expanding and increasingly powerful territorial state-in Cantillon’s terminology, the ‘Court’-complicates matters, it does not alter the fundamental analysis. A crucial element that Murphy omits from Cantillon’s paired scheme of the command economy, on the other hand, is the market place or cantonal market. For a necessary complement to the network of landlords in a command economy is the market town, indeed, a polycentric model of semiautonomous markets. Cantillon explains the nature and function of the market town (bourg) or cantonal market:
Habitat use of age 0 Alabama shad in the Pascagoula River drainage, USA

Alabama shad (Alosa alabamae) is an anadromous species that spawns in Gulf of Mexico drainages and is a NOAA Fisheries Species of Concern. Habitat degradation and barriers to migration are considered contributing factors to range contraction that has left just the Pascagoula River drainage population in Mississippi. We studied juvenile life history and autecology in three rivers within the drainage. We collected fish, habitat and physicochemical data in three habitat types (sandbar, open channel and bank) from June to October 2004-2006. Sandbar habitat was favoured by smaller individuals early in the year. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) decreased through the summer as larger fish began occupying bank and open channel habitat. The most parsimonious model of abundance included year and river variables, while patterns of presence and absence were best explained by river, habitat type and physiochemical variables. While all three rivers in the drainage contained Alabama shad, fish were less abundant and had lower condition values in the Chickasawhay River. Earlier work suggested the Alabama shad may gradually move downstream towards the Gulf of Mexico in their first year. However, we found no evidence of this and captured large fish high in the drainage late in the year.
Electrical properties of Al2O3 and AlPxOy dielectric layers on InP

Abstract Al2O3 and AlPxOy dielectric layers have been deposited on n-type InP substrates and the electrical properties of the interfaces have been evaluated by current-voltage and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements on metal- insulator-semiconductor diodes. Layers were deposited by combining trimethyl- aluminum, oxygen and phosphine in a low pressure chemical vapor deposition reactor in which the oxygen was excited in an r.f. plasma prior to mixing with the reactive gases in the deposition zone. The Al2O3 layers were invariably too conductive for meaningful C-V measurements; however, the AlPxOy layers not only were of high resistivity (ϱ > 1016 Ω cm) but also exhibited interfacial properties superior to those of SiO2 layers on InP. The surface potential could be modulated over the full band gap of InP since the surface density was less than 1011 cm-2 eV-1 over much of the band gap.
The science of culture in Enlightenment Germany

List of Maps and Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction: Words and Things 1. Orientalism and Reform 2. Culture and the Origin of Language 3. The Search for the Historical Plato 4. The Search for the Historical Homer 5. The Search for the Historical Moses 6. The Sociology of Ancient History 7. Three Anthropologies 8. A Scientific Revolution Conclusion: Enlightenment Social Science Notes Index
Reliability and information transmission in spiking neurons

Spiking neurons encode continuous, time-varying signals in sequences of identical action potentials. Relatively simple algorithms allow one to 'decode' this neural representation of sensory data to estimate the input signals. Decoding experiments provide a quantitative characterization of information transmission and computational reliability under real-time conditions. The results of these studies show that neural coding and computation in several systems approach fundamental physical and informational theoretic limits to performance.
Intergranular fracture and boron effects in Ni3Al and other intermetallics — Introductory paper

This paper reports that recently, considerable research effort has been concentrated on the study of intergranular fracture and ductility improvement in Ni{sub 3}Al. Among the reasons for selection of Ni{sub 3}Al as a model material include grain boundaries (GBs) in Ni{sub 3}Al are intrinsically brittle, microalloying of boron in the ppm range suppresses GB fracture and dramatically improves tensile ductility at ambient temperatures, and Ni{sub 3}Al shows the yield anomaly behavior and excellent high-temperature strength for potential structural applications. This concentrated effort has led to substantial advance in our understanding of intergranular fracture and microalloying effects in Ni{sub 3}Al and other L1{sub 2} intermetallics, including Ni{sub 3}Si, Ni{sub 3}Ga, and NiGe. Currently, the study of GB fracture has extended to B2-type intermetallics such as NiAl and FeAl. There is , however a lack of general consensus in several areas, and the most prominent one is the little agreement on the mechanism responsible for the ductilizing effect of boron in Ni{sub 3}Al. A mechanistic understanding of the boron effect requires a detailed knowledge of GB chemistry and structure, both of which are very complex and sensitive to a number of factors, such as local chemical order, alloy stoichiometry, boron segregation, GBmore » character, and GB/dislocation interactions.« less
Brain region-specific expression of Fxyd1, an Mecp2 target gene, is regulated by epigenetic mechanisms.

Fxyd1 encodes a trans-membrane protein that modulates Na+,K+-ATPase activity and is a substrate for multiple protein kinases. Fxyd1 expression is repressed by methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (Mecp2) in the frontal cortex (FC) but not in the cerebellum (CB) of the mouse brain. Consistently with these observations, FXYD1 mRNA abundance is increased in the FC of Rett syndrome (RTT) patients with MECP2 mutations. Because Fxyd1 is implicated in the regulation of neuronal excitability, understanding how Fxyd1 expression is controlled is important. Here we report that basal expression of Fxyd1a and Fxyd1b, the two main alternatively spliced forms of Fxyd1 mRNA, is lower in the FC than in the CB. This difference is accompanied by increased Mecp2 recruitment to the promoter region of these two Fxyd1 mRNA forms. DNA methylation of both promoters is more frequent in the FC than in the CB, and in both cases the most frequently methylated CpG dinucleotides are adjacent to [A/T]4 sequences required for high-affinity Mecp2 binding. Consistently with these features of epigenetic silencing, histone 3 acetylated at lysines 9 and 14 (H3K9/14ac) and histone 3 methylated at lysine 4 (H3K4me3), both activating histone marks, were associated with the Fxyd1 promoter to a lesser degree in the FC than in the CB. These results indicate that differential Fxyd1 expression in these two brain regions is, at least in part, regulated by an epigenetic mechanism involving increased DNA methylation of the two alternative Fxyd1 promoters, enhanced Mecp2 recruitment, and reduced association of activating histones. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Čerenkov radiation from periodic electron bunches

Cerenkov radiation is calculated for electron beams which exceed the velocity of radiation in a nondispersive dielectric medium. The electron beam is assumed to be bunched as emitted from a traveling-wave accelerator, and the emission region is assumed to be finite. Predictions include (a) emission at harmonics of the bunch rate, (b) coherence of radiation at low frequencies, (c) smearing of the emission angle for finite emission regions, and (d) explicit evaluation of the power spectrum in terms of bunch dimensions. The results apply to microwave emission from fast electrons in air or other dielectrics.
Modeling flux noise in SQUIDs due to hyperfine interactions.

Recent experiments implicate spins on the surface of metals as the source of flux noise in superconducting quantum interference devices and indicate that these spins are able to relax without conserving total magnetization. We present a model of $1/f$ flux noise in which electron spins on the surface of metals can relax via hyperfine interactions. Our results indicate that flux noise would be significantly reduced in superconducting materials where the most abundant isotopes do not have nuclear moments, such as zinc and lead.
Is It Talking, Thinking, or Both? A Lagged Dependent Variable Model of Discussion Effects on Political Knowledge

This study extends existing research on political discussion’s influence on political knowledge in two ways. First, it expands the measures of discussion-related cognition to include discussion elaboration and perspective taking. Second, it employs panel data, which permit stronger causal inferences than cross-sectional studies. Our findings indicate that, even controlling for prior knowledge, interest, news use, and news elaboration, political discussion frequency and discussion elaboration are positively related to political knowledge. However, perspective taking is unrelated to political knowledge.
A model of encounters between host and parasite populations.

A simulation model of the encounter between host and parasite populations is described. The model is two-dimensional in that it represents hosts and parasites as sums of random numbers. It allows for the manipulation of host and parasite numbers, areas of interaction, congruity of geographic ranges, parasite infectivity, and reproduction, or non-reproduction, of the parasite. The model generates parasite distributions (number of hosts vs. parasite/host classes) and their parameters (prevalence, mean number of parasites/host, variance/mean ratio as a measure of aggregation), and thus reveals the manner in which these parameters vary under different encounter conditions, i.e. their "behavior". Simulation results indicated that the behavior of parasite population mean, prevalence, and degree of aggregation was primarily a function of the rate at which infective stages were supplied to the system. In cases in which infective stages were continuously available, prevalence rose rapidly to nearly 100%, with increasing infectivity and parasite numbers, and the populations were not particularly aggregated. When infective stages were introduced in single large waves, both mean and prevalence remained low and the parasite populations were highly aggregated. Model results were compared with published data sets. The latter were also seen to fall into the two general categories of parameter behavior.
A model for the controlled assembly of semiconductor peptides

The self-assembly of small molecules provides a potentially powerful method to create functional nanomaterials for many applications ranging from optoelectronics to oncology. However, the design of well-defined nanostructures via molecular assembly is a highly empirical process, which severely hampers efforts to create functional nanostructures using this method. In this review, we describe a simple strategy to control the assembly of functionalized peptides by balancing attractive hydrophobic effects that drive assembly with opposing electrostatic repulsions. Extended π–π contacts are created in the nanostructures when assembly is driven by π-stacking interactions among chromophores that are appended to the peptide. The formation of insoluble β-sheet aggregates are mitigated by incorporating charged side-chains capable of attenuating the assembly process. Although the application of this approach to the assembly of organic semiconductors is described, we expect this strategy to be effective for many other functional organic materials.
Means-end chains analysis of extra virgin olive oil purchase and consumption behavior

Consumption and purchase behavior towards extra virgin olive oil are not well understood in the US. Soft laddering interviews were conducted with 63 Northern California consumers and means-end chains analysis on the interview data revealed common grounds of consumption and buying motivations for three different a priori defined consumer segments. Consumption motivational structures were more similar across the different consumer segments than purchasing ones. Consumers who purchased only local extra virgin olive oil had simpler perceptual orientations than consumers who purchased imported extra virgin olive oils or both imported and local oils. Several different consumer values could be associated with consequences that were linked to just one attribute. On the other hand, one particular value could also be associated with a few different attributes. These findings provide opportunities for the olive oil industry to design products that will better satisfy consumer values and needs.
Concept formation as a function of perceptual pretraining and knowledge of results

The present study assessed the joint effects of perceptual pretraining (PT) and knowledge of results (KR) on performance in a task requiring discrimination among stimuli sampled from three different schema families. Neither schematic concept formation (SCF) nor didactic concept formation was significantly influenced by increasing the amount of pretraining. Didactic concept formation occurred if KR was provided, but the low level of stimulus redundancy in the task prevented the occurrence of SCF.
Discrepancies in Measurements of the Jupiter Atmospheric Scale Height

J. C. BHATTACHARYYA has presented observations1 of the occultation of Beta Scorpii by Jupiter on May 13, 1971, from which he concludes that the scale height of the Jupiter atmosphere is 3 km. In his discussion he mentions work by Baum and Code2 referring to the 1952 observations of the occultation of Sigma Arietis and by Fairall3 reporting cinematography of the 1971 events. The observation by Baum and Code gave a scale height of 8 km and raised serious questions because such a small value indicated a high molecular weight for the Jupiter atmosphere, supposedly due to a high helium content. If Bhattacharyya's result is correct, then the anomaly is even more pronounced.
PETRANET: a Power Efficient Transaction Management Technique for Real-Time Mobile Ad-hoc Network Databases

A Mobile Ad-Hoc Network (MANET) is a collection of wireless autonomous mobile nodes with no fixed infrastructure. Since no fixed infrastructure is required, MANET fits well in military operations, emergency disaster rescue, and mobile ad-hoc voting. There are many issues that have to be addressed while designing a technique for managing real-time database transactions in MANET: 1) energy limitations; 2) client and server mobility; 3) real-time constraints imposed on transactions; and 4) frequent disconnection and network partitioning. We have designed PETRANET1: a Power-Efficient Transaction management technique for Real-time mobile Ad-hoc NETwork databases that addresses the above specified issues. In this paper, we present a system prototype that we have developed to implement PETRANET for a military database application.
Crazes in osmium tetroxide stained styrene polymers

SUMMARY Crazes in polystyrene and rubber modified polystyrene became opaque in the electron microscope after films of the polymers are exposed to osmium tetroxide. The osmium tetroxide with the polystyrene in the crazes is shown to form a flexible insoluble material that is easily folded and twisted without breaking.
A flexible local approximation method for electro- and magnetostatics

A new framework for constructing variational-difference schemes with arbitrary local approximating functions is proposed. The key concept is multivalued approximation on a system of overlapping "patches," with continuity of the solution imposed only at grid nodes. In particular, curved material interfaces can be represented on regular geometrically nonconforming grids by special local approximating functions. Problems with spherical particles are considered as an example.
Extensor malalignment arising from femoral component malrotation in knee arthroplasty: effect of rotating-bearing.

Abstract Background Many patellofemoral complications such as anterior knee pain, subluxation, fracture, wear, and aseptic loosening after total knee arthroplasty are attributed to malrotation of the femoral component. Rotating-platform mobile bearings can reduce malrotation between the tibial and femoral components and may also improve patellofemoral maltracking. Methods A computer model (LifeMOD/KneeSIM) of a weight-bearing deep knee bend was validated using cadaver knees tested in an Oxford-type knee rig. Changes in knee kinematics and patellofemoral forces were measured after femoral component malrotation of ± 3°. The effect of a rotating–bearing on these kinematics and forces was determined. Findings In a fixed-bearing arthroplasty femoral component internal malrotation increased tibiofemoral internal rotation by 3.4°, and external malrotation increased tibiofemoral external rotation by 4°. Femoral component malrotation affected patellofemoral lateral shift by up to 2.5 mm, and patellofemoral lateral shear by up to 19 N. When the malrotated femoral component was tested against a rotating–bearing the change in tibiofemoral rotation and patellofemoral lateral shift was less than 1° and 1 mm respectively. The rotating–bearing reduced peak lateral shear by 7 N and peak medial shear by 17 N. Increasing the conformity of the rotating–bearing reduced changes in tibiofemoral rotation due to femoral malrotation and increased the net rotation of the bearing (by approximately 5°) during flexion. Interpretation Our results are consistent with one randomized clinical outcome study and emphasize the value of computational modeling for preclinical design evaluation. It is important to continue to improve existing methodologies for accurate femoral component alignment especially in rotation.
Previously unidentified changes in renal cell carcinoma gene expression identified by parametric analysis of microarray data

Background Renal cell carcinoma is a common malignancy that often presents as a metastatic-disease for which there are no effective treatments. To gain insights into the mechanism of renal cell carcinogenesis, a number of genome-wide expression profiling studies have been performed. Surprisingly, there is very poor agreement among these studies as to which genes are differentially regulated. To better understand this lack of agreement we profiled renal cell tumor gene expression using genome-wide microarrays (45,000 probe sets) and compare our analysis to previous microarray studies.
Source monitoring in eyewitness memory: Implicit associations, suggestions, and episodic traces

Both the distinctiveness heuristic and discrepancy detection hypotheses were investigated by independently manipulating both schema consistency and incidental suggestion in an eyewitness memory paradigm. A sequence of slides was shown, followed by a postevent questionnaire that contained both schema-typical and schema-atypical information. Fifteen minutes later, a source-monitoring task was administered. In Experiment 1, the proportion of source misattribution errors was greater for schematypical items than for schema-atypical items, and the proportion of errors on suggested items was greater than that on control items. Suggestion affected schema-typical and schema-atypical items equally, providing no support for the predictions of either hypothesis. In Experiment 2, the interval between the questionnaire and the source test was manipulated. The results of Experiment 1 were replicated under the short delay, whereas the proportion of errors increased under the long delay. An associative network model involving two types of episodic traces was used to account for the results.
Denileukin diftitox depletes regulatory T cells without clinical benefit in advanced stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma (VAC3P.945)

Denileukin diftitox (DT) depletes regulatory T cells (Treg) that correlates with immune and clinical benefits in metastatic human melanoma and improved clinical outcomes in a renal cancer vaccine trial. We tested immune and clinical effects of Treg depletion using DT in a phase 0/I cancer trial and a phase II ovarian cancer trial. In our phase 0/I trial, we noted reductions in blood Treg prevalence and concentration (median ~18% and ~50%, respectively) 3-7 days after one intravenous DT infusion at 9 or 12 μg/kg, in 6 of 7 evaluable patients with breast, lung, and ovarian cancers, and melanoma, and increased blood IFN-γ+ and Ki-67+ T cells. Weekly DT significantly reduced metastatic tumors in one ovarian cancer patient prompting a small phase II trial in epithelial ovarian cancers. 28 patients received DT once every 3-4 weeks which significantly depleted functional Tregs from blood and the tumor microenvironment, but with variable immune outcomes and no significant clinical efficacy. Weekly DT eventually reduced effector T cells. In mouse ovarian cancer models we found that: i) DT efficacy depended on adaptive immunity, ii) its IL-2 moiety did not mediate clinical effects, and iii) its treatment mechanism appeared distinct from anti-CD25 antibody, which depleted Tregs in a human breast cancer trial. DT depletes Tregs in various carcinomas but requires more dosing and schedule studies. Treg-specific agents and combination treatments could also improve Treg depletion efficacy.
State‐dependent sampling bias in insects: implications for monitoring western tarnished plant bugs

Insect populations vary in the proportion of individuals exhibiting a particular ‘state’ (e.g., developmental stage, sex, egg load, or nutritional status). Because an insect’s developmental state often determines both its size and its behavior, it is likely that this will also affect the probability of being sampled. We propose that a comprehensive approach to pest management must consider the interaction between the structure of a pest population (i.e., the relative number of individuals in each state) and any statedependent sampling bias. To illustrate the usefulness of this method we sampled populations of the western tarnished pest bug, Lygus hesperus Knight (Heteroptera: Miridae), in cotton fields. Our sampling technique utilized large cages to measure the absolute densities of each L. hesperus stage and adult sex within a population. This technique allowed us to document a wide range of absolute stage structures and sex ratios across 10 L. hesperus populations in California. Using a combination of cage samples and sweep net samples, we quantified the state-dependent sampling bias by calculating the efficiency of sweep sampling as a function of L. hesperus developmental stage and sex. We found that the efficiency of sweep nets increased steadily with each successive developmental stage (i.e., nymphal instar) of L. hesperus. We also found that sweep nets are slightly more efficient in capturing male vs. female L. hesperus adults. Since other studies have documented that the stage and sex of L. hesperus can affect feeding impact on cotton flower buds, our results suggest that accurate predictions of Lygus damage will need to incorporate stage and sex-dependent sampling biases.
Rampant Horizontal Transfer of SPIN Transposons in Squamate Reptiles

Transposable elements (TEs) are highly abundant in the genome and capable of mobility, two properties that make them particularly prone to transfer horizontally between organisms. Although the impact of horizontal transfer (HT) of TEs is well recognized in prokaryotes, the frequency of this phenomenon and its contribution to genome evolution in eukaryotes remain poorly appreciated. Here, we provide evidence that a DNA transposon called SPIN has colonized the genome of 17 species of reptiles representing nearly every major lineage of squamates, including 14 families of lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians. Slot blot analyses indicate that SPIN has amplified to high copy numbers in most of these species, ranging from 2,000–28,000 copies per haploid genome. In contrast, we could not detect the presence of SPIN in any of the turtles (seven species from seven families) and crocodiles (four species) examined. Genetic distances between SPIN sequences from species belonging to different squamate families are consistently very low (average = 0.1), considering the deep evolutionary divergence of the families investigated (most are >100 My diverged). Furthermore, these distances fall below interfamilial distances calculated for two genes known to have evolved under strong functional constraint in vertebrates (RAG1, average = 0.24 and C-mos, average = 0.27). These data, combined with phylogenetic analyses, indicate that the widespread distribution of SPIN among squamates is the result of at least 13 independent events of HTs. Molecular dating and paleobiogeographical data suggest that these transfers took place during the last 50 My on at least three different continents (North America, South America and, Africa). Together, these results triple the number of known SPIN transfer events among tetrapods, provide evidence for a previously hypothesized transoceanic movement of SPIN transposons during the Cenozoic, and further underscore the role of HT in the evolution of vertebrate genomes.
Adaptive Learning and the Allocation of Time

Time is a perishable resource that cannot be reallocated once it has elapsed. As a result, time allocation decisions must often be adjusted on the basis of information that becomes available during the process of allocation itself. We show that adaptive rules of this kind will not generally result in optimal allocations when the relationship between the optimal allocation and the time budget exhibits discontinuities, as is the case with logistic learning curves. Under such circumstances, self-guided study is likely to perform poorly relative to appropriately guided learning.
Recurrent Rectal Prolapse

Rectal prolapse has been a challenging problem for surgeons throughout history, and represents a clinical entity that is poorly understood. There are a multitude of operations that have been described for the management of rectal prolapse, and include abdominal and perineal approaches. Transabdominal approaches involve repair of loose presacral rectal attachments with or without resection of redundant sigmoid colon, while the perineal approach eliminates the redundant rectum (perineal proctectomy) or rectal mucosa (Delorme). Each procedure has its advantages and disadvantages; however, the ultimate goal should be a safe, complete, and durable correction of the anatomic and physiologic problem. Despite multiple operations available, recurrence rates have consistently been reported as high as 50%.1–4 Given these data, it may be surprising to learn that there are few studies that have specifically addressed the management of recurrent rectal prolapse.5–8 Each of these studies is a retrospective review, where no algorithm was followed and patients with recurrent prolapse were treated according to the discretion of the operative surgeon. The management of recurrent rectal prolapse requires a basic understanding of the operative procedures utilized for rectal prolapse repair, and it has been suggested that the operation chosen for primary repair of the rectal prolapse may influence the type of operative repair for recurrence.
Is Self-Acceptance a Reasonable Goal?

For several decades evidence has accumulated on the genetic and constitutional determinants of obesity and the inefficacy of diets in producing lasting weight loss (for review see Stunkard & Penick, 1979, Wooley, Wooley & Dyrenforth, 1979; Foreyt, Goodrich & Gotto, 1981; Bennett, 1984, 1987; Garner & Wooley, 1991; Brownell, 1991; Wilson, in press). In recent years, these findings have been joined by data suggesting that weight loss and the virtually inevitable weight regain which follows not only fails to lastingly improve health but may instead risk physical and mental health (for review see Andrews, 1980, Keys, 1980; Ernsberger & Haskew, 1987; Garner & Wooley, 1991; Wooley & Garner, 1991; Prentice, this volume). Such findings, while far from conclusive, make the already perplexing question of whether to abandon dietary treatments of obesity more pressing still.
Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Gynecologic Procedures Prior to and during the Utilization of Assisted Reproductive Technologies: A Systematic Review

The use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) has increased steadily. There has been a corresponding increase in the number of ART-related procedures such as hysterosalpingography (HSG), saline infusion sonography (SIS), hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, oocyte retrieval, and embryo transfer (ET). While performing these procedures, the abdomen, upper vagina, and endocervix are breached, leading to the possibility of seeding pelvic structures with microorganisms. Antibiotic prophylaxis is therefore important to prevent or treat any procedure-related infections. After careful review of the published literature, it is evident that routine antibiotic prophylaxis is generally not recommended for the majority of ART-related procedures. For transcervical procedures such as HSG, SIS, hysteroscopy, ET, and chromotubation, patients at risk for pelvic infections should be screened and treated prior to the procedure. Patients with a history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or dilated fallopian tubes are at high risk for postprocedural infections and should be given antibiotic prophylaxis during procedures such as HSG, SIS, or chromotubation. Antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended prior to oocyte retrieval in patients with a history of endometriosis, PID, ruptured appendicitis, or multiple prior pelvic surgeries.
A comprehensive model for correcting RNFL readings of varying signal strengths in cirrus optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE To develop a model for the Cirrus HD-OCT that allows for the comparison of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements with dissimilar signal strengths (SS) and accounts for test-retest variability. METHODS Retinal nerve fiber layers were obtained in normals using the Cirrus optic disc cube 200 × 200 protocol during a single encounter. Five RNFL scans were obtained with a SS of 9 or 10. Diffusion lens filters were used to degrade SS to obtain five scans at each SS group of 7 or 8, 5 or 6, and 3 or 4. The relationship between average RNFL thickness and SS was established, and an equation was developed to allow for adjustment of an RNFL measurement had it been a SS of 7. Intravisit interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV) parameter estimates for each SS group were calculated. Repeatability and upper tolerance limit were calculated as 1.96 × √2 × within-subject standard deviation (Sw) and 1.645 × √2 × Sw, respectively. RESULTS There was a linear relationship between average RNFL and SS. RNFLadj = RNFL - 1.03*SS + 7.21 allows for the adjustment of RNFL readings to the same SS. Interclass correlation coefficients and CVs were good for all measurements down to SS of 3 or 4. Repeatability and upper tolerance limit were 5.24 and 4.40 μm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our model adjusts RNFL readings based on SS and includes an upper tolerance limit of 5 μm. If validated, this model could improve the detection of real RNFL changes. Further study to validate this model should be performed before widespread use is adopted.
Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus in Yunnan province: first case report

Objective To analyze epidemiological characteristics of the first case of human infection with avian influenza A( H5N6) virus in Yunnan province and to provide evidences for control and prevention of the epidemic. Methods Epidemiological investigations on the infected case,close contacts and infection source were carried out; relevant specimens were collected and tested in laboratories. The data gathered were analyzed with descriptive epidemiology method.Results The case was diagnosed confirmedly as human infection with avian influenza A( H5N6) virus in February2015,with clinical manifestations of fever,expectoration,dyspnea,inflammatory condition of lungs by X-ray,lower number of white blood cell in early stage and ascending later,and died of respiratory and circulatory failure. The case had confirmed history of contacting with wild avian,but the infection source was not ascertained. There was no secondary case among the close contacts. Avian influenza A viruses contamination existed widely in local poultry markets. Conclusion The first case of human infection with avian influenza A in Yunnan province was reported and no evidence of human-tohuman transmission was identified.
Quality of life, epilepsy advances, and the evolving role of anticonvulsants in women with epilepsy.

In the United States, approximately 1.1 million women of childbearing age have epilepsy. Even though antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) control the seizures of about 80% of patients with epilepsy, the management of women with epilepsy (WWE) presents physicians with unique problems, ranging from the cosmetic consequences of some AEDs (e.g., changes in weight) to the seizures of catamenial epilepsy (apparently related to a relative lack of progesterone during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle). In addition, the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives can be reduced by enzyme-inducing AEDs. The pregnancies of WWE present a greater risk for complications: one-quarter to one-third of WWE experience an increase in seizure frequency. In addition, difficulties during labor and adverse outcomes (e.g., fetal mortality and malformations, neonatal hemorrhage, low birth weight, and developmental delay) are more likely. The practitioner must choose a course that both prevents seizures and minimizes fetal exposure to AEDs.
Mutations Proximal to Sites of Autoproteolysis and the α-Helix That Co-evolve under Drug Pressure Modulate the Autoprocessing and Vitality of HIV-1 Protease

N-Terminal self-cleavage (autoprocessing) of the HIV-1 protease precursor is crucial for liberating the active dimer. Under drug pressure, evolving mutations are predicted to modulate autoprocessing, and the reduced catalytic activity of the mature protease (PR) is likely compensated by enhanced conformational/dimer stability and reduced susceptibility to self-degradation (autoproteolysis). One such highly evolved, multidrug resistant protease, PR20, bears 19 mutations contiguous to sites of autoproteolysis in retroviral proteases, namely clusters 1-3 comprising residues 30-37, 60-67, and 88-95, respectively, accounting for 11 of the 19 mutations. By systematically replacing corresponding clusters in PR with those of PR20, and vice versa, we assess their influence on the properties mentioned above and observe no strict correlation. A 10-35-fold decrease in the cleavage efficiency of peptide substrates by PR20, relative to PR, is reflected by an only ∼4-fold decrease in the rate of Gag processing with no change in cleavage order. Importantly, optimal N-terminal autoprocessing requires all 19 PR20 mutations as evaluated in vitro using the model precursor TFR-PR20 in which PR is flanked by the transframe region. Substituting PR20 cluster 3 into TFR-PR (TFR-PR(PR20-3)) requires the presence of PR20 cluster 1 and/or 2 for autoprocessing. In accordance, substituting PR clusters 1 and 2 into TFR-PR20 affects the rate of autoprocessing more drastically (>300-fold) compared to that of TFR-PR(PR20-3) because of the cumulative effect of eight noncluster mutations present in TFR-PR20(PR-12). Overall, these studies imply that drug resistance involves a complex synchronized selection of mutations modulating all of the properties mentioned above governing PR regulation and function.
Kicking Maturity Down the Road: Early Refinancing and Debt Maturity Management in the Corporate Bond Market

This paper studies precautionary maturity management through early refinancing in the corporate bond markets, in which firms simultaneously retire their outstanding bonds before the due date and issue new bonds as replacements. Speculative-grade firms frequently refinance early to extend the maturity of their outstanding bonds, particularly during favorable credit periods, in order to hedge against refinancing risk caused by credit supply fluctuations. I exploit the timing of the protection period of callable bonds to show the maturity extension is not driven by unobservable firm characteristics or interest-rate conditions. Investment-grade firms do not manage their maturity similarly as they are less exposed to refinancing risk.
Genetic variation in FAAH is associated with cannabis use disorders in a young adult sample of Mexican Americans

BACKGROUND: Cannabis is a commonly used drug and studies have shown that a significant portion of the variation in cannabis use disorders (CUDs) is heritable. Five genes known to play a role in the endocannabinoid system and CUDs were examined in a community sample of young adult Mexican Americans (MAs): CNR1, MGLL, FAAH, DAGLA, and DAGLB. METHODS: Gene-based tests were run to test for association between each gene and two DSM-5 cannabis phenotypes. Subsequent linear regressions were run in PLINK using an additive model to determine which single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were driving the association. RESULTS: FAAH was significantly associated with DSM-5 cannabis use disorder group count (DSM-5 CUD) using a gene-based test (p=0.0035). This association survived Bonferroni correction for multiple testing at p5%) SNPs in moderate linkage disequilibrium, rs324420 and rs4141964, at p=0.0014 and p=0.0023, respectively. In both cases the minor allele increased risk for DSM-5 CUD. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic variation in FAAH was associated with DSM-5 CUD in MAs. This association was primarily driven by the missense SNP rs324420. In vitro work has provided evidence that the risk allele generates an enzyme with decreased expression and cellular stability. Although this SNP has been previously associated with substance use in the literature, this is the first association in a young adult MA sample.Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Language: en
I Can Cee You! Using Videos in Online Courses to Promote Student Engagement

Universities worldwide engage students through online learning. One challenge is the ability to promote a community of learners in an online classroom. Faculty teaching online courses can include student video discussion posts to promote engagement and the development of an online student community. Faculty integrate student video posts into graded, online discussion board assignments. Students record and upload videos into online discussion board forums and then respond to one another’s videos using text-based discussion posts. There are benefits and challenges to this teaching method. Having a strong technical support staff can ease the use of video discussion posts in online courses. Overall, video discussion posts promote a sense of community in online courses
Irradiated recycled plastic as a concrete additive for improved chemo-mechanical properties and lower carbon footprint

Concrete production contributes heavily to greenhouse gas emissions, thus a need exists for the development of durable and sustainable concrete with a lower carbon footprint. This can be achieved when cement is partially replaced with another material, such as waste plastic, though normally with a tradeoff in compressive strength. This study discusses progress toward a high/medium strength concrete with a dense, cementitious matrix that contains an irradiated plastic additive, recovering the compressive strength while displacing concrete with waste materials to reduce greenhouse gas generation. Compressive strength tests showed that the addition of high dose (100kGy) irradiated plastic in multiple concretes resulted in increased compressive strength as compared to samples containing regular, non-irradiated plastic. This suggests that irradiating plastic at a high dose is a viable potential solution for regaining some of the strength that is lost when plastic is added to cement paste. X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Backscattered Electron Microscopy (BSE), and X-ray microtomography explain the mechanisms for strength retention when using irradiated plastic as a filler for cement paste. By partially replacing Portland cement with a recycled waste plastic, this design may have a potential to contribute to reduced carbon emissions when scaled to the level of mass concrete production.
Can patients safely be admitted to a ward after craniotomy for resection of intra-axial brain tumors?

AbstractObjective: We reviewed the safety of our practice of admitting patients who have undergone a craniotomy for resection of an intra-axial brain tumor to a floor bed instead of an ICU. We also tried to quantify the risk that patients electively admitted to the ICU would develop a problem that could not have been effectively managed on the ward.Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of both adult and pediatric patients who underwent craniotomy by the senior author for resection of an intra-axial brain tumor between January 2012 and December 2015. 413 patient charts were reviewed; 16 patients were omitted due to incomplete records.Results: Four hundred twenty-one craniotomies (393 supratentorial, 28 infratentorial) were performed in 397 patients, 35 of whom were <18 years of age. Three hundred fifty-five patients (83%) were admitted to floor beds; 4 (1.1%) developed complications that required transfer to an ICU. None of the 4 died or had lasting disability. Sixty-six patients, 51 adults a...
An activity-dependent proximity ligation platform for spatially resolved quantification of active enzymes in single cells

Integration of chemical probes into proteomic workflows enables the interrogation of protein activity, rather than abundance. Current methods limit the biological contexts that can be addressed due to sample homogenization, signal-averaging, and bias toward abundant proteins. Here we report a platform that integrates family-wide chemical probes with proximity-dependent oligonucleotide amplification and imaging to quantify enzyme activity in native contexts with high spatial resolution. Application of this method, activity-dependent proximity ligation (ADPL), to serine hydrolase and cysteine protease enzymes enables quantification of differential enzyme activity resulting from endogenous changes in localization and expression. In a competitive format, small-molecule target engagement with endogenous proteins in live cells can be quantified. Finally, retention of sample architecture enables interrogation of complex environments such as cellular co-culture and patient samples. ADPL should be amenable to diverse probe and protein families to detect active enzymes at scale and resolution out of reach with current methods.
Prolonged super-refractory status epilepticus with excellent seizure and functional outcome. (P4.227)

Objective: To describe a patient who was in super-refractory status epilepticus for two months but ultimately recovered completely. Background: Super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE) is status epilepticus that continues or recurs despite intravenous anesthetic therapy. SRSE is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Increasing duration of status epilepticus indicates a worse prognosis. There is little information regarding the response to treatment and prognosis of SRSE lasting weeks to months. Treating physicians often question the benefit of continued treatment and potential for recovery in such patients. Design/Methods: Case report Results: A 27-year-old previously healthy woman underwent an urgent deceased donor orthotopic liver transplant after developing acute liver failure secondary to mushroom poisoning. Three days later she had a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Cranial CT and MRI showed features suggestive of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES). She progressed to status epilepticus, which was treated with multiple antiepileptic drugs including fosphenytoin, levetiracetam and lacosamide. She was ultimately placed on an intravenous pentobarbital drip with continuous EEG monitoring. Multiple attempts to wean her off pentobarbital resulted in seizure recurrence. Her status epilepticus eventually resolved after two months. Her mental status progressively improved and, at the time of discharge one month later, she had normal mental status and strength. Her MRI showed resolution of PRES. She was discharged on phenytoin, levetiracetam and lacosamide. During serial follow-up visits in the epilepsy clinic over the next 3 years, she reported no seizure recurrence, had a normal neurological examination and was weaned off all her antiepileptic medications. Conclusions: Complete recovery is possible even after prolonged super-refractory status epilepticus, particularly in young patients with an acute, potentially reversible etiology such as PRES, and no significant comorbidities. Prolonged duration of status epilepticus should not be considered a reason to discontinue treatment and aggressive care should be maintained. Disclosure: Dr. Lee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Acharya has nothing to disclose. Dr. Acharya has nothing to disclose.
Comparison of Self- and Proxy Report of Mental Health Symptoms in People With Intellectual Disabilities

Mental illness, and its assessment and treatment, is a concern for caregivers and professionals working with people with intellectual disability (ID), as well as a cause of distress and disability ...