cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High Performance Precast Wall Panels with Shear Transfer Provided by Carbon Fiber Grid

Composite insulated wall panels using carbon fiber grid in combination with expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation have been produced for over 5 years. The carbon fiber grid and the EPS act together to provide shear transfer between the wythes of the composite panel. A design procedure has been developed, based on testing at Washington University and North Carolina State University. The approach discussed here is to ensure that the flexural strength, the cracking moment, and the deflection are all within acceptable limits. This paper first discusses the testing that has been performed to develop the material properties used in the design procedure. Then methods for computing the flexural strength, the cracking moment and the deflection are also presented. Deflections are not often an issue and cracking moments can be easily controlled by the amount of prestress. Therefore, the most important concern is providing adequate shear transfer. The design procedures discussed here were later verified by full scale testing at North Carolina State University.
Present Status of Quantitative Techniques in Undergraduate Agricultural Economics Programs

Undergraduate training in quantitative analysis has undergone considerable change in recent years. Attempts have been made to raise the level of mathematical and statistical sophistication of agricultural economics undergraduate majors. However, in most undergraduate programs computer technology and econometric modeling are still relatively underutilized teaching and learning devices.
Religious coping and psychological functioning in a correctional population

The objective of this study was to examine main and interactive relationships between religious upbringing and coping (spirituality, participation, pleading, and discontentment), and mental health ...
The undefinability of intersection from perpendicularity in the three-dimensional Euclidean geometry of lines

The undefinability in question is proved by constructing a bijection of lines preserving perpendicularity but not intersection.
In vitro metabolism of aflatoxin B1 by rat liver nuclei.

Abstract Rat liver nuclei were used to study the metabolism of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Nuclei were found to metabolize AFB1 to aflatoxins M1(AFM1), Q1(AFQ1), and P1(AFP1); the formation of AFP1 was relatively negligible. AFM1 was preferentially formed when rats were pretreated with 3-methylcholanthrene (MC), whereas phenobarbital (PB) pretreatment enhanced the formation of both AFM1 and AFQ1. PB pretreatment also resulted in increased binding of AFB1 metabolites to DNA and to other macromolecules in the nucleus. Following PB and MC pretreatment, induction specificities of the nuclear metabolism of AFB1 were similar to those of the microsomal metabolism.
Thermo-sensitive swelling behavior in crosslinked N-isopropylacrylamide networks: Cationic, anionic, and ampholytic hydrogels

Crosslinked polymer networks of N-isopropylacrylamide (NiPAAm) containing small amounts of either anionic or cationic comonomers, or mixtures of both were fabricated and characterized in terms of their aqueous swelling and critical behavior. These gels demonstrate critical transition temperatures in aqueous media between a highly solvated, swollen gel state and a collapsed, dehydrated network over temperature ranges comparable to that of pure NiPAAm, with modifications of gel critical points and respective temperature ranges dependent upon comonomer type and content. Copolymer gel swelling ratios are significantly larger than those reported for pure homopolymer NiPAAm gels, even when only 0.5 mol % of comonomer is incorporated. At temperatures exceeding the collapse transition point, all copolymer gels collapse to a state of nearly complete dehydration, demonstrating short-time collapsed-state swelling ratios far lower than those of pure NiPAAm networks. Collapse kinetics for the ionomeric gels are much more rapid than those of pure NiPAAm, achieving collapse state equilibrium on time scales of seconds. Swelling behavior as a function of pH, buffer type, ionic strength, crosslinking, and temperature is detailed over a range of copolymer compositions. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Rhetoric of Women's Leadership: Language, Memory and Imagination

This study examines women's leadership through a rhetorical lens. Thirty women leaders in church, business, and higher education were interviewed with an eye toward discovering ways in which their use of language shapes and is shaped by their sense of themselves as leaders, the legacy of leadership they bring to their roles, and the importance of their words for the people with whom they work. The women included Euro-American, African-American and African leaders ranging in age from thirty-five to seventy years old.
The effect of substrate surface roughness on the fracture toughness of Cu/96.5Sn-3.5Ag solder joints

The effects of substrate surface roughness, joint thickness, time above liquidus, and testing temperature on the chevron notch fracture toughness of Cu/96.5Sn-3.5Ag solder joints are investigated. Of these four variables,only the surface roughness of the copper surfaces to be soldered has a significant effect. A minimum fracture toughness is obtained when the average surface roughness, Ra, is between 0.2 and 1.0 μm. This encompasses the surface roughnesses produced by many cold forming operations. Decreasing the roughness to 0.04 μm increases the fracture toughness from 4.7 to 11.0 MPa√m, an improvement of 135%. Increasing the roughness to 2.0 μm increases the fracture toughness to 8.8 MPa√m, an improvement of 80%. We attribute these effects to the increased growth stresses that develop in the brittle intermetallic layer when the size scale of individual intermetallic particles is comparable to the size of the roughness features of the substrate. Two models that describe how these growth stresses might develop are provided.
Microfilaments (F-actin) in generative cells and sperm: an evaluation

Disagreement has arisen over the presence of actin-containing microfilaments (Mfs) in angiosperm generative cells and sperm (GSP). In order to address this issue, we subjected GSP of Tradescantia virginiana, Nicotiana tabacum and Rhododendron laetum to a series of localizations using different antiactins, rhodamine phalloidin and antimyosin. Coordinate staining with antitubulin and Hoechst 33258 defined the status of the microtubule (Mt) cytoskeleton and stages of generative cell division. Additional experiments utilized cytochalasin D (CD). In no instance could Mfs be detected in GSP of the three species. Instead, Mfs seen at the periphery of GSP appear to be continuous with vegetative Mfs and thus are in the vegetative cytoplasm. Mfs are not seen in the constriction zone of dividing T. virginiana generative cells, nor are they indicated in the phragmoplast of N. tabacum and R. laetum. Myosin localizations reveal punctate staining in the vegetative cytoplasm and a thin line of fluorescence around the the outside of the generative cell. While CD seems to delay generative cell division, cytokinesis still takes place. CD-induced Mf fragments are evident in the vegetative cytoplasm but not in GSP. The weight of evidence therefore indicates that GSP do not contain Mfs. The implications of this conclusion for the behavior of GSP and the mechanism of cytokinesis in dividing generative cells are considerable.
A low-background inducible promoter system in Leishmania donovani

We report here a second-generation tetracycline-responsive repressor-operator system in Leishmania donovani. In this system, expression of a reporter luciferase gene (LUC) is driven by the inducible Leishmania ribosomal RNA promoter on the DNA strand opposite to a hygromycin resistance gene (HYG) whose expression is driven by the endogenous pol I promoter on chromosome 27 (rDNA locus) or the endogenous pol II promoter on chromosome 35 (LD1 locus). Transgenic cell lines showed regulation of LUC gene expression over three orders of magnitude. In the absence of tetracycline, luciferase expression levels were 2-3-fold higher than machine background when integrated into the LD1 locus, but was over 10-fold higher than machine background when integrated into the rDNA locus.
Merits of Suspending the First Platform Well as a Cuttings Injector

Under Norwegian regulations, available disposal options for drill cuttings are discharge of cuttings from costly synthetic fluids, re-injection, or land disposal of oil base fluid cuttings. On a recent North Sea platform development, the first well drilled was temporarily suspended at the 13-3/8 casing and completed for drilling waste injection. This well will be deepened late in the program as a production well. The net cost of temporarily using this well for disposal will be about $500,000. The benefits of an injection well were 1) significant cost savings over other options, 2) oily waste from the first well drilled to the reservoir did not have to be sent to shore, 3) having an injection well available earlier allowed proper commissioning and solution of problems inherent in new platform startup, 4) concerns about hanger erosion, annulus plugging, and casing collapse of producers were minimized, 5) recovering the well for production is more economical than permanently dedicating the well for disposal. Oily wastewater and drainwater have been the dominant components of the injected waste, and would have incurred a significant land disposal cost. This wastewater disposal cost savings enhanced the attractiveness of the injection alternative generally.
Walking New Avenues in Management Research Methods and Theories: Bridging Micro and Macro Domains:

One of the most critical challenges faced by management scholars is how to integrate micro and macro research methods and theories. This article introduces a special issue of the Journal of Management addressing this integration challenge. First, the authors describe the nature of the micro—macro divide and its challenge for the field of management. Second, the authors provide a summary of each of the four guest editorials and seven articles published in the special issue and how each piece, in its own unique way and adopting a different perspective, makes a novel contribution toward addressing this challenge. Finally, they offer suggestions for future research that they hope will stimulate greater integration of management research with the goal of bridging not only the micro—macro gap but also the science—practice gap.
MENTAL HEALTH AND MANAGED CARE

Managed care has become the dominant method for financing and delivering care for common mental health problems and for people with severe, chronic mental health conditions. Despite the rapid growth of managed mental health care, there is very little research available to guide policy choices. Managed care has led to decreased costs for employers and other payers, mostly through reducing hospital admissions or length of stay. Managed care organizations use staff with lesser levels of training (e.g. social workers instead of psychiatrists) and are more likely to offer group outpatient programs and manualized treatment than their fee-for-service counterparts. Despite these differences, there is no clear evidence that health outcomes are worse for patients in managed care. There is an urgent need for researchers to turn their attention to issues such as cost, quality, access, satisfaction, and functional outcomes associated with managed mental health care. The impact of parity of mental health with insurance coverage for physical conditions is another important question that needs to be addressed.
a wet blanket on the county manager plan

Is the manager plan desirable for counties? A noted authority on county government thinks it is not.
Elastic optical path networking: Enhancing network capacity and disaster survivability toward 1 Tbps era

We introduce elasticity and adaptation into the optical domain to yield significant spectral savings, resulting in increased network capacity and enhanced survivability for serious disasters in the 400 Gbps and 1 Tbps era.
Case Marking and the Semantics of Mental Verbs

Given the decomposition of a situation or state of affairs into a predicate and one or more arguments, there is surprisingly little cross-linguistic variation as to which argument is assigned to subject position of the simple active voice form of the predicate.2 The vast majority of predicates assign the same argument to subject position in all languages, whether ‘subject’ is manifested as nominative or ergative (transitive subject) case, by word order, or by verb agreement. This is true despite the fact that in terms of thematic role, the arguments assigned to subject position are quite a varied lot. This poses a challenge to any semantically-based theory of subject assignment that attempts to avoid simple stipulation of which argument is assigned to subject position. This paper will illustrate a semantic model of verb meaning that answers this challenge, by examining cross-linguistically the assignment to subject position of a class of predicates that do vary in subject assignment across languages, mental verbs.
Tests of the long and short extragalactic distance scales

Distances on the short and long scales of 12 nearby galaxies, one group, and three clusters are compared with recent estimates by independent methods and researchers. All comparisons show a close agreement [within 0.3 magnitude (mag) in the distance modulus (DM)] between the short-scale moduli and the new estimates by others at all distances from the Large Magellanic Cloud [Delta (distance) = 0.05 megaparsec (Mpc); 1 pc = 3.09 x 10(16) m] to the Coma cluster (Delta = 83 Mpc). The mean systematic difference (short - others) is only -0.04 mag with no evidence for a significant Malmquist bias in the short scale. The long scale differs systematically from all the others by about +0.25 mag within the Local Group (DM = 86 +/- 1 km.sec-1. Mpc-1.
Brittle to ductile : Fracture toughness mapping on controlled epoxy networks

A series of epoxy networks with controlled molecular weight between crosslinks (MJ was constructed with a difunctional epoxy resin and a mixture of aliphatic amines. The glass transition and yield strengths decreased as M c increased, while the elastic properties were independent of M c , In determining the effect of M c on fracture toughness, the fracture behavior changed from a brittle fracture to a ductile fracture as M c increased. The tests and analyses used to evaluate the fracture energy changed from a linear elastic fracture mechanics approach for brittle failures to an elastic-plastic fracture mechanics approach for ductile failures. The ductile responses also showed an increasing fracture resistance with crack extension. Two popular models were used to describe the fracture energy as a function of yield strength. The analysis showed that a change in fracture energy by a thermally induced change in yield strength was equivalent to a change in fracture energy by a chemically induced change in yield strength. In addition, comparisons between the two models allowed insightful relationships to be drawn.
Developing online tutorials: the methodology and the reality

The use of Web-based tutorials to deliver course content is increasing. Interface design guidelines are plentiful and easy to find. Design methodologies which focus on the pedagogical aspects of the tutorial are less available unless one has training in instructional design. This paper describes a methodology developed by the Center for Teaching and Learning at Indiana University/Purdue University Indianapolis, and the experience of the authors in using the methodology to develop an interactive Web-based tutorial on C# methods. The effectiveness of the resultant Web-based tutorial was assessed using a pretest-posttest experimental design. A significant increase was found confirming that students learned using the Web-based tutorial. While the methodology described here can easily be used by anyone to plan an effective online module, the full value comes from working through the method with an instructional designer
Prompting Primary Care Providers about Increased Patient Risk As a Result of Family History: Does It Work?

Background: Electronic health records have the potential to facilitate family history use by primary care physicians (PCPs) to provide personalized care. The objective of this study was to determine whether automated, at-the-visit tailored prompts about family history risk change PCP behavior. Methods: Automated, tailored prompts highlighting familial risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and breast, colorectal, or ovarian cancer were implemented during 2011 to 2012. Medical records of a cohort of community-based primary care patients, aged 35 to 65 years, who previously participated in our Family Healthware study and had a moderate or strong familial risk for any of the 6 diseases were subsequently reviewed. The main outcome measures were PCP response to the prompts, adding family history risk to problem summary lists, and patient screening status for each disease. Results: The 492 eligible patients had 847 visits during the study period; 152 visits had no documentation of response to a family history prompt. Of the remaining 695 visits, physician responses were reviewed family history (n = 372, 53.5%), discussed family history (n = 159, 22.9%), not addressed (n = 155, 22.3%), and reviewed family history and ordered tests/referrals (n = 5, 0.7%). There was no significant change in problem summary list documentation of risk status or screening interventions for any of the 6 diseases. Conclusions: No change occurred upon instituting simple, at-the-visit family history prompts geared to improve PCPs9 ability to identify patients at high risk for 6 common conditions. The results are both surprising and disappointing. Further studies should examine physicians9 perception of the utility of prompts for family history risk.
Low-dose radiation: Thresholds, bystander effects, and adaptive responses

Ionizing radiation fills the universe. Daily ionizing particles and rays collide with molecules in ≈1% of the 100 trillion cells that make up the average human. These collisions generate clusters of free radicals known as reactive oxygen species that randomly damage cellular constituents including DNA (1). Certain types of ionizing radiation are more effective at generating reactive oxygen species; one α-particle is at least 10 times more damaging than one γ-ray. To take these differences into account, the Sievert (Sv), a unit that multiplies the absorbed dose in grays (Gy) by the relative effectiveness of the particle or ray to inflict damage, was developed. On this scale, natural background radiation is ≈0.01 mSv/day, although there are areas on earth that have values 5-fold higher (2), and space-station inhabitants may receive ≈1 mSv/day (3). At the other end of the scale, acute exposures of >150 mSv, a range known as high-dose radiation, have measurable and often serious immediate effects on humans (4). Between background and high-dose radiation is the range of exposures known as low-dose radiation. Low-dose radiation has no immediately noticeable effects on humans; nevertheless there is great interest in its long-term biological effects, which may include cancer in exposed individuals and genetic defects in their progeny.
Relationship of Head Circumference to Measures of School Performance

To study the possible relationship of head circumference (HC) to learning problems in children, a retrospective study was done, using records from 360 subjects who had been evaluated between the years 1976 and 1981. The data selected from the records included standardized academic test results, e.g., IQ scores and school achievement test results, as well as determinations of visual motor abilities. Statistical analyses demonstrated a positive correlation between full scale IQ (FSIQ) and HC (p less than 0.005). The incidence of specific learning disabilities based on significant academic and achievement discrepancies was 54% in those with HC greater than 2 S.D., 39% for normocephalic, and 23% for those with HC less than 2 S.D. Comparison of HC with results from the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) demonstrated a tendency for those children with HC greater than 2 S.D. to have lower arithmetic scores when compared to results of children with normocephaly. Scores for spelling and reading ability did not demonstrate this tendency. The results of this study were found to be somewhat incongruous to those of previous studies of similar children. Further studies using large unselected populations are needed to better define the risks to learning that may be related to the extremes of head circumference.
Congruence and Fit in Professional Role Motivation Theory

Organization theory has been preoccupied for many years with the bureaucratic form. Insufficient attention has been given to alternative designs, including, in particular, professional organizations of various types. This article considers these professional organizations at length within the context of professional role motivation theory. It also considers the concept of fit or congruence as it enters into professional role motivation theory and into organization theory generally. Considerable support for the congruence concept is provided via an analysis of data on over 100 labor arbitrators. The findings indicate that 1 arbitrators work in a predominantly professional context and 2 professional motivation is closely associated with various indexes of arbitrator effectiveness. Effective arbitrators are more motivated to provide help to others, more desirous of status, more interested in acquiring knowledge and learning, more professionally committed, and to a somewhat lesser degree more desirous of acting independently. These patterns are found to characterize the lawyers within the sample to at least an equal degree. The data indicate that the professional organizational form encompasses professional components of otherwise bureaucratic organizations such as universities and governments, professional organizations such as law firms, and private professional practices. It is apparent that professional systems are important in the practice of organizational design and that they are distinct from the bureaucratic form.
Multi-threaded data mining of EDGAR CIKs (Central Index Keys) from ticker symbols

This paper describes how use the Java Swing HTMLEditorKit to perform multi-threaded web data mining on the EDGAR system (Electronic Data- Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system). EDGAR is the SEC's (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) means of automating the collection, validation, indexing, acceptance, and forwarding of submissions. Some entities are regulated by the SEC (e.g. publicly traded firms) and are required, by law, to file with the SEC. Our focus is on making use of EDGAR to get information about company filings. These offers are filed with companies, using their Central Index Key (CIK). The CIK is used on the SEC's computer system to identify entities that filed a disclosure with the SEC. We show how to map a stock ticker symbol into a CIK. The methodology for converting the web data source into internal data structures is based on using HTML as the input into a context-sensitive parser-callback facility. Screen scraping is a popular means of data mining, but the unstructured nature of HTML pages makes this a challenge. The stop-and-wait nature of HTTP queries, as well as the non-deterministic nature of the response time, adversely impacts performance. We show that a combination of caching and multi-threading can improve performance by several orders of magnitude.
Competitive Inhibition of p -Aminohippurate Transport by Quinapril in Rabbit Renal Basolateral Membrane Vesicles

The mechanism of quinapril's interaction with the organic anion transporter was characterized by studying its effect on the transport of p-aminohippurate (PAH) in rabbit renal basolateral membrane vesicles (BLMV). Cis-inhibition studies demonstrated that quinapril was a specific and potent inhibitor of PAH. The Kiof quinapril was about 20 μM, a value similar to that of probenecid and eight-times lower than the Kmvalue of 165 μM for PAH. Even though quinapril resulted in trans-inhibition of PAH uptake during counterflow studies, kinetic studies revealed that quinapril was a competitive inhibitor of PAH transport. This latter finding suggests that quinapril and PAH share a common binding site on the transporter. Overall, the results indicate that quinapril is a high-affinity inhibitor of the organic anion transporter in renal BLMV, and that drug–drug interactions may occur with other organic anions at the basolateral membrane of proximal cells.
Penetrance of 845G→A (C282Y) HFE hereditary haemochromatosis mutation in the USA

Summary Background There has been much interest in screening populations for disease-associated mutations. A favoured candidate has been the HFE gene, mutations of which are the most common cause of haemochromatosis in the European population. About five people in 1000 are homozygotes for the 845G→A mutation, but little is known of how many have mutation-caused clinical manifestations. Methods We screened 41 038 individuals attending a health appraisal clinic in the USA for the 845G→A and 187C→G HFE mutations, and analysed laboratory data and data on signs and symptoms of haemochromatosis as elicited by questionnaire. Findings The most common symptoms of haemo-chromatosis, including poor general health, diabetes, arthropathies, arrhythmias, impotence, and skin pigmentation were no more prevalent among the 152 identified homozygotes than among the controls. The age distribution of homozygotes and compound heterozygotes did not differ significantly from that of controls: there was no measurable loss of such individuals from the population during ageing. However, there was a significantly increased prevalence of a history of hepatitis or "liver trouble" among homozygotes and in the proportion of homozygotes with increased concentrations of serum aspartate amino-transferase and collagen IV; these changes were not related to iron burden or to age. Only one of the 152 homozygotes had signs and symptoms that would suggest a diagnosis of haemochromatosis. Interpretation The normal age distribution of people with the haemochromatosis genotype, and the lack of symptoms in patients of all ages, indicate that the penetrance of hereditary haemochromatosis is much lower than generally thought. The clinical penetrance of a disorder is an essential consideration in screening for genetic disease; disorders with low penetrance are more expensive candidates for screening than disorders with high penetrance. Our best estimate is that less than 1% of homozygotes develop frank clinical haemochromatosis.
Application of contrast agents in MR imaging of the spine

Keywords: Contrast enhancemen; adoliniu; enlnges, neoplasms, 30,3661; Meningitis, 30.251; Spinal cord, diseases, 30.14; Spininal cord, neoplasms, 30.363; Spinal cord, infection, 30.20, 30.27; Spine, diseases, 30.14, 30.78; Spine, MR 30.1214; Spine, primary neoplasms, 30.32; Spine, secondary neoplasms, 30.33; Spine, vascular abnormalities, 37.99
Acute Renal Failure Management in the Neonate

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Define the types and delineate the causes of acute renal failure (ARF) in neonates. 2. Describe the laboratory tests and imaging studies used to diagnose ARF. 3. Explain the roles of fluid balance, diuretics, dopamine, and nutrition in the management of neonatal ARF. 4. Describe the approaches to treating hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, calcium-phosphorus perturbations, acidosis, and hypertension in ARF. 5. Review the outcome and prognosis for ARF in neonates. Acute renal failure (ARF) is a very common problem in the neonatal intensive care unit. The newborn kidney has a very low glomerular filtration rate (GFR) that is maintained by a delicate balance between vasoconstrictor and vasodilatory forces. (1) Although sufficient for growth and development under normal conditions, the low GFR of the newborn kidney limits postnatal renal functional adaptation to endogenous and exogenous stresses. (2) This limited response predisposes the newborn to the development of ARF and is even more pronounced in the low birthweight infant (ie, <2,500 g due to preterm birth or intrauterine growth restriction). (3) Given this predisposition, early identification of ARF in the neonate is essential to preserving renal function. The true incidence of neonatal ARF is difficult to ascertain, but studies have reported that 8% to 24% of newborns admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit present with ARF. These percentages are likely an underestimation because many cases of nonoliguric neonatal ARF, which occurs commonly in sick neonates, are excluded. (1) ARF is defined as a sudden decrease in GFR that results in the progressive retention of creatinine and nitrogenous waste products and the inability to regulate fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. The definition of ARF in neonates is less precise because the serum creatinine shortly after birth is a reflection of maternal renal function, usually less than 1.0 mg/dL (88.4 …
Protein Conformation–Based Disease: Getting to the Heart of the Matter

Introduction The topics presented in the Cardiovascular Physiology section of this volume highlight exciting developments in our understanding of protein conformation–based disease. The disease models created over the past decade by precise genetic manipulation provide a set of powerful tools to explore primary, secondary, and tertiary pathways that might underlie development of clinically important pathologies.
The Demand for Out-of-Print Works and Their (Un)Availability in Alternative Markets

Prior studies demonstrate the shocking unavailability of most books published in the 20th Century, prompting The Atlantic Monthly headline: How Copyright Made Mid-Century Books Vanish. The unavailability of new editions of older works would be less problematic, however, if little consumer demand existed for those works. In addition, the lack of new editions would be much less troubling if the works were easily available in alternative forms or markets. Newly collected data provides evidence of the demand for out-of-print books and then charts the availability of out-of-print works in digital form (eBooks and .mp3), in used book stores, and in public libraries. The situation with books remains dismal, although music publishers on iTunes seem to be doing a much better job of digitizing older works and making them available than do book publishers. Some theories for this discrepancy are offered.
The influence of hypo-osmotic stress on the regenerative capacity of the invasive polychaeteMarenzelleria viridisfrom its native range

The euryhaline polychaete Marenzelleria viridis is a notorious invader of the Baltic region and while many studies have focused on the effects of osmotic stress on larval development of the species, few have assessed its effect on adult specimens. This study investigated the effects of low salinity on the physiology of M. viridis by using its regenerative capacity as a proxy for physiologic performance. Specimens were collected in spring 2015 on sandy flats in Hempstead Bay (Long Island, New York), a site that falls within its native range. Worms were ablated between the 14th and 20th chaetigers and cultured at five different salinity treatments (24psu, 15psu, 10psu, 5psu and 0psu) that reflected the broad salinity regimes of its distributional range. Data for anterior regeneration were analysed and presented. Morphogenesis during anterior regeneration was characterized by the formation of a blastema from which the major anatomic structures emerged. All specimens cultured at 5–24psu successfully completed regeneration whereas 75% of specimens cultured at 0psu died and the survivors were unable to proceed beyond the blastema stage. Salinity did not have an effect on regeneration time (14.5–15.1 days) but did have an effect on the percentage of chaetigers regenerated (lowest – 77% at 5psu, highest – 97.5% at 15‰). The post-regeneration phase was characterized by variability in pigmentation patterns in the regenerated anterior structures, which appear to be independent of salinity treatments. In conclusion, adult M. viridis appears to exhibit high tolerance to low salinity environments, which may have been inherited from its larval stages. In addition, the different pigmentation patterns observed in regenerated structures may allude to the variability of this feature in spionids.
Autonome Funktionsstörungen bei akuten zerebrovaskulären Erkrankungen Möglichkeiten der Diagnostik auf Intensivstation und Stroke Unit

Vor allem bei der Subarachnoidalblutung, aber auch bei intrazerebralen Blutungen und dem Hirninfarkt spielen in der akuten Phase autonome Entgleisungen eine entscheidende prognostische Rolle. Von besonderer Relevanz sind Herzrhythmusstorungen mit zum Teil herzinfarkttypischen EKG-Veranderungen, Blutdruckentgleisungen und Temperaturregulationsstorungen. Vornehmlich beim Mediainfarkt gibt es deutliche Hemispharenunterschiede; ein sensitiver Marker fur die gefurchteten tachykarden Rhythmusstorungen bei rechtshirnigen Infarkten ist die herabgesetzte Herzfrequenzvariabilitat. Auf Stroke Unit und Intensivstation kann die Analyse spontaner Blutdruck- und Herzratenoszillationen eine fuhzeitige Information uber autonome Komplikationen liefern.
Estimates of External Validity Bias When Impact Evaluations Select Sites Nonrandomly.

Evaluations of educational programs or interventions are typically conducted in nonrandomly selected samples of schools or districts. Recent research has shown that nonrandom site selection can yie...
The Relationship between Anxiety and Positive and Negative Advertising Appeals

Advertising appeals that arouse an appropriate amount of emotional tension can be successful in achieving desired attitudinal changes. For some members of an audience the appropriate amount of emot...
Prediction of Tar and Light Gas during Pyrolysis of Black Liquor and Biomass

A generalized model for describing the pyrolysis behavior of low-grade fuels is being developed for incorporation into larger combustion simulation models. Light gas and tar yields from black liquor or biomass pyrolysis can be predicted using the chemical percolation devolatilization (CPD) model originally developed for coal. The initial approach is to measure the average chemical structures in a black liquor sample using 13C NMR spectroscopy. These chemical structures are then used in pyrolysis model predictions. With few changes from the coal-derived kinetic parameters, the model describes the organic pyrolysis behavior of black liquor samples obtained in a nitrogen-purged furnace. It is hoped that future black liquor models can be divided into five major components (hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin, Kraft lignin, and carboxylic acids) which would permit engineering predictions of many forms of biomass. This paper discusses chemical structure and kinetic parameters used to model pyrolysis behavior of bl...
Tetrabromocinnamic acid reduces cell proliferation and causes cell cycle arrest in prostate cancer cells

Objective To investigate the role of Casein kinase 2(CK2)-selective CK2inhibitor Tetrabromocinnamic acid(TBCA)in cell proliferation and cell cycle in prostate cancer cell lines,and to explore a new chemotherapy for prostate cancer.Methods Prostate cancer cell lines were prepared.With TBCA treatment,Alamar-blue assay and clone formation assay were performed to assess cell proliferation and viability.Flow cytometry was performed for cell cycle analysis.The mean and standard error of the mean from Alamar-blue were shown.Results With TBCA treatment,Alamar-blue reading decreased in a dose-dependent fashion,and the IC50 was around 25μmol.Significant G2/M arrest was detected in prostate cancer cells.As observed under microscope,there were no obvious cell round-up and detachment from the culture surface at a low dose( 25μmol)of TBCA,while cell detachment became obvious at a high dose(50μmol).Conclusions The selective CK2inhibitor TBCA dramatically inhibited cell proliferation and caused a G2/M phase arrest in prostate cancer cells.
Hippocampal Neurogenesis: Effects of Psychedelic Drugs

Abstract Neurogenesis, or the birth of new neurons, occurs throughout the human life span in the hippocampus, a structural node in the neural circuitry responsible for memory and learning. The process of neurogenesis involves proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells and their differentiation into mature neurons, followed by integration into hippocampal circuitry. The function of new neurons in the hippocampus is not completely understood. The formation of new synaptic connections (and pruning of synapses) between neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus and fibers to and from the cerebral cortex is important in the acquisition of new associations (learning), recall of those associations (memory), and extinction of associations (forgetting). Very likely, the new neurons play a role in encoding temporal aspects of episodic memory. Neurogenesis is influenced by many factors, including physical activity, stress, depression, seizures, irradiation, aging, and a variety of psychoactive drugs. Many psychedelic drugs are shown to have an impact on hippocampal neurogenesis in a dose-dependent manner and to alter some aspects of memory and learning. Drug-induced alterations in hippocampal neurogenesis have been shown to alleviate depression and to have beneficial effects on conditioned fear. In light of abundant preclinical data and the loosening of governmental restrictions on psychedelic drug research, these agents should be explored for their therapeutic potential in depression, posttraumatic stress disorders, and drug dependence.
Meningitis as it presents in the elderly : diagnosis and care

The clinical presentation of bacterial meningitis in the elderly is often more subtle than in younger patients. Delay in diagnosis and treatment contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality. The presence of fever and a change in mental status in an elderly patient should raise suspicion for the presence of meningitis and prompt examination of the cerebrospinal fluid. Knowledge of the bacterial pathogens causing meningitis in this age group and administration of the recommended antimicrobial agents can greatly reduce morbidity and neurologic sequelae. This review updates the primary care physician in the diagnosis and management of this serious infection.
SU-G-JeP2-05: Dose Effects of a 1.5T Magnetic Field On Air-Tissue and Lung-Tissue Interfaces in MRI-Guided Radiotherapy

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate the dose effects of electron-return-effect (ERE) at air-tissue and lung-tissue interfaces under a 1.5T transverse-magnetic-field (TMF). Methods: IMRT and VMAT plans for representative pancreas, lung, breast and head & neck (H&N) cases were generated following clinical dose volume (DV) criteria. The air-cavity walls, as well as the lung wall, were delineated to examine the ERE. In each case, the original plan generated without TMF is compared with the reconstructed plan (generated by recalculating the original plan with the presence of TMF) and the optimized plan (generated by a full optimization with TMF), using a variety of DV parameters, including V100%, D95% and dose heterogeneity index for PTV, Dmax, and D1cc for OARs (organs at risk) and tissue interface. Results: The dose recalculation under TMF showed the presence of the 1.5 T TMF can slightly reduce V100% and D95% for PTV, with the differences being less than 4% for all but lung case studied. The TMF results in considerable increases in Dmax and D1cc on the skin in all cases, mostly between 10-35%. The changes in Dmax and D1cc on air cavity walls are dependent upon site, geometry, and size, with changes ranging up to 15%. In general, the VMAT plans lead to much smaller dose effects from ERE compared to fixed-beam IMRT. When the TMF is considered in the plan optimization, the dose effects of the TMF at tissue interfaces are significantly reduced in most cases. Conclusion: The doses on tissue interfaces can be significantly changed by the presence of a 1.5T TMF during MR-guided RT when the TMF is not included in plan optimization. These changes can be substantially reduced or even removed during VMAT/IMRT optimization that specifically considers the TMF, without deteriorating overall plan quality.
Fertility Assessment in the Male

As survival from cancer becomes increasingly common, practitioners have begun focusing more intently on improving quality of life after treatment. Cancer treatments as well as the cancers themselves have been shown to have a deleterious effect on fertility. The evaluation of the infertile male is important among those practitioners who may be trying to preserve fertility prior to treatment or improve fertility after treatment.
On the Design of Ultra-High Density 14nm Finfet Based Transistor-Level Monolithic 3D ICs

Conventional 2D CMOS faces severe challenges sub-22nm nodes. The monolithic 3D (M3D) IC technology enables ultra-high density vertical connections and provides a good path for technology node scaling. Transistor-level (TR-L) monolithic 3D IC is the most advanced and fine-grained M3D IC technology. In this paper, for the first time, the detailed design as well as benefits and challenges of a silicon validated 14nm Finfet process design kit (PDK) based TR-L M3D IC technology is explored. TR-L M3D standard cell layout is achieved based on 14nm Finfet design rules and feature sizes. A semi-customized RC extraction methodology is performed for accurate 3D cell RC extraction. After extensive simulation, TR-L M3D cell power, delay and area are evaluated and compared with equivalent 2D cells in the same technology node. System-level benchmarking with several circuits show up to 55% reduced footprint, 25% shorter wire length, and 18% lower power with TR-L M3D vs. 2D CMOS.
Ordered Phases in Colloidal Suspensions of Tobacco Mosaic Virus

Suspensions of Tobacco Mosaic Virus in water have a remarkable phase diagram exhibiting a number of ordered states. To some extent the ordering can be understood in terms of hard particle interactions, which makes the variety of ordered states all the more remarkable. This article discusses our current knowledge of the Tobacco Mosaic Virus system, some ideas about the types of order observed, and the possibilities for future research.
MRSA and multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in U.S. retail meats, 2010–2011

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been detected in retail meats, although large-scale studies are scarce. We conducted a one-year survey in 2010–2011 within the framework of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System. Among 3520 retail meats collected from eight U.S. states, 982 (27.9%) contained S. aureus and 66 (1.9%) were positive for MRSA. Approximately 10.4% (107/1032) of S. aureus isolates, including 37.2% (29/78) of MRSA, were multidrug-resistant (MDRSA). Turkey had the highest MRSA prevalence (3.5%), followed by pork (1.9%), beef (1.7%), and chicken (0.3%). Whole-genome sequencing was performed for all 66 non-redundant MRSA. Among five multilocus sequence types identified, ST8 (72.7%) and ST5 (22.7%) were most common and livestock-associated MRSA ST398 was assigned to one pork isolate. Eleven spa types were represented, predominately t008 (43.9%) and t2031 (22.7%). All four types of meats harbored t008, whereas t2031 was recovered from turkey only. The majority of MRSA (84.8%) possessed SCCmec IV and 62.1% harbored Panton-Valentine leukocidin. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed that all ST8 MRSA belonged to the predominant human epidemic clone USA300, and others included USA100 and USA200. We conclude that a diverse MRSA population was present in U.S. retail meats, albeit at low prevalence.
Hames, Houston’s Morning Show: The True Story of Hudson & Harrigan: (2015). Amazon Kindle

Randy Hames’s work, Houston’s Morning Show: The True Story of Hudson & Harrigan, offers readers a backstage view of the development of one of America’s longest-running morning radio shows. Hames, w...
Feasibility of digital image correlation for railroad tie inspection and ballast support assessment

Abstract Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of aging railway tracks is important for safety, to prevent catastrophic failure, and to reduce maintenance costs. The tracks and foundations are complex systems that may contain defects or damage including internal rail cracks, pitting or surface erosion, degradation of ballast support, or railway crosstie-ballast failures. In recent years, interest has grown in performing SHM by measuring structural deformation, full-field strain, and geometry profiles using three-dimensional (3D) Digital Image Correlation (DIC) systems. In this study, a novel approach to use DIC and pattern projection to assess the deformation of railway tracks is proposed. The proposed sensing approach should allow a railcar mounted sensing system to perform interrogation while moving at typical operating speeds (e.g. 60 mph). The feasibility of the proposed 3D DIC system is evaluated through extensive laboratory testing. The approach’s ability to measure the crosstie’s full-field displacement and shape (i.e. at levels similar to what is found in the field) as different loading conditions are applied is demonstrated. The influence of motion similar to what might be found in a railroad service environment on the accuracy of the measurements is also quantified.