cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differentiation of Clostridium perfringens from related clostridia in iron milk medium

The stormy fermentation reaction of Clostridium perfringens in iron milk medium was compared to that of several C. perfringens -like strains. These clostridia, C. barati , C. perenne , C. absonum , and C. paraperfringens are very similar to C. perfringens on the basis of certain biochemical reactions and, consequently, are often difficult to distinguish from C. perfringens . Furthermore, these related clostridia may also be present in foods. Results of this study demonstrate that after 18 h of incubation at 45°C, only C. perfringens gave a positive reaction in iron milk with inocula as low as 22 cells/g. Some of the other strains began to show only gas production at 18 h. After 24 to 42 h some strains gave positive results and after 72 h all were positive. Enumeration of C. perfringens from food samples in iron milk medium by a 3-tube most probable number (MPN) technique gave similar results to enumeration by plate count using Shahidi-Ferguson Perfringens (SFP) agar. Furthermore, a rapid positive response occurred after only 2 and 3 h incubation of iron milk inoculated with 108 and 107 cells/ml, respectively. The high selectivity, ease of identification and rapid growth of C. perfringens in iron milk make the iron milk MPN procedure a valuable assay for accurate enumeration and differentiation of C. perfringens from related Clostridia in food products.
Inhibitory effect of cortisone hyperlipemia on arterial lipid deposition in cholesterol-fed rabbits.

SummaryAdministration of cortisone to rabbits caused hyperlipemia due chiefly to an increase of lipids other than cholesterol and phospholipid. Cholesterol-fed rabbits treated with cortisone developed severer degrees of hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipemia than rabbits on cholesterol alone. The relative proportion of cholesterol in the serum lipids of cholesterol-fed rabbits on cortisone was less than in the serum lipids of rabbits on cholesterol alone. Significantly less lipid was deposited in the arteries of the cortisone-treated, cholesterol-fed animals than in the cholesterol-fed controls. It is suggested that hyperlipemias in which the lipid fractions other than cholesterol undergo the greatest increase, are less likely to be associated with arterial lipid deposition than hyperlipemic states in which cholesterol is the major constituent.
Observable Surface Anomalies Preceding Simulated Isolated Convective Initiation

AbstractIdealized ensemble simulations of isolated convective initiation (CI) are analyzed to identify storm-scale features in surface weather fields that precede initiation in a variety of background environments and the observations that would be needed to resolve these features. Precipitating storms are identified with an object-based method and composites of surface anomalies are generated for the variables of interest surrounding times and locations of initiation. Correlation length scales and anomaly magnitudes throughout the CI process are examined in detail with the latter comparing favorably to anomaly estimates obtained from previous observational and modeling studies. Negative temperature anomalies due to cloud shadowing are found to be the most prominent storm-scale feature prior to initiation. Significant spatial correlations are shown to extend from the surface throughout the boundary layer and even into the cloud-bearing layer once deep convective clouds become established. The findings are...
Characterization Of SnO2 Nanoparticles Deposited Via Layer-by-Layer Self Assembly And Investigation Of Their Sensing Properties

A technique of Layer-by-Layer (LbL) self-assembly is used to deposit SnO2 nanoparticles on Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) resonators, and on glass substrates which the authors believe has not been previously reported. Characterization of self-assembled SnO2 layers has been performed using QCM, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Zeta Potential analysis. We have successfully deposited SnO2 nanoparticles on QCM resonator using self-assembly technique. LbL self-assembly is a method of organization of ultra-thin films by interlayer electrostatic attraction. The thickness and mass of the self-assembled layers can be characterized by the frequency shift obtained using the QCM and empirical equations relating change in frequency with mass and thickness of deposited layers. The deposition of SnO2 nanolayers exhibited a linear reproducibility and the process of self-assembly was independent of the residence time of QCM resonator in the SnO2 nanoparticle colloidal solution. High resolution SEM analysis reveals that the SnO2 nanoparticle layers are uniformly deposited across the entire substrate. Electrical characterization was performed on SnO2 nanoparticle layers self-assembled on glass substrates which were patterned for two point (current-voltage) IV characteristic measurements. Two classes of samples were used. One sample was self-assembled glass substrate patterned with electrical contacts and calcined (baked at 350°C for one hour) to eliminate interlayered polyions and the other sample was not calcined. Results revealed that the calcined samples demonstrated linear ohmic behavior but the uncalcined showed some spurious points which we believe are due to the polyion layers. Characterization of the self-assembled SnO2 nanoparticles is being carried out with the intention of fabricating a high-selectivity μ-gas sensor. A test chamber has been fabricated and results of resistance behavior of the sensor with variation in temperature have been presented. The sensor can find applications in high selectivity sensing of chemical, industrial, domestic, and hazardous environments. After further research and development, this μ-gas sensors could be made generic to sense a variety of gases and employed for integrated on-chip product analysis in multiple chemical microsystem applications.
THE EFFECTS OF INTRAPULMONARY PRESSURE CHANGES ON THE BLOOD PRESSURE

Experiments were carried out on dogs anaesthetized with pentobarbital sodium. A definite amount of air was injected into or drawn out from the lungs through a side branch of the trachea cannula in order to raise or lower the pressure in the lungs.The results obtained were as follows: The increase of intrapulmonary pressure caused a fall,while its decrease caused a rise of arterial blood pressure.The blood pressure response was found to be partly due to mechanical influence from the respiratory movements and partly due to reflex action. In curarized animals the response decreased in magnitude after sectioning the pulmonary bran- ches of the vagus nerve,and decreased further after the cervical vagus trunk had also been sectioned. When the respiratory center was selectively paralysed by means of careful infusion of pentothal sodium,the blood pressure response diminished,eventually losing its reflex component when the vasomotor center had also been paralysed.It is assumed that the reflex component of the response consists of two parts:one part is derived from impuises originating from the pulmonary stretch- recepters,arriving primarily at the respiratory center,and affecting the vasomotor center through irradiation;the other part is derived from impulses originating from the pressor receptors of other organs,presumably the great vessels of the thorax,which are conducted along fibers in the vagus trunk,regulating the function of the vasomotor center directly.
Printing mesoscale architectures

The ability to pattern materials in three dimensions is crucial for structural, optical, electronic, and energy applications. Three-dimensional printing allows one to design and rapidly fabricate materials in complex shapes without the need for expensive tooling, dies, or lithographic masks. A growing palette of printable materials, coupled with the ability to programmably control mesoscale architecture, open new avenues for creating designer materials with unprecedented performance.
Interplay between iteration step size and spatial filtering in microwave tomography

We have performed an analysis of the impact of iteration step size with respect to our spatial filtering approach in the context of microwave tomography. While reducing the step size intuitively reduces the convergence rate of the iterative reconstruction process, it has been shown to produce considerable benefits with respect to overall image stability. Especially with regards our Gauss-Newton approach that incorporates a log transformation of the minimization criterion, reducing the step size can be essential in maintaining proper phase unwrapping in more challenging imaging cases. Our early results demonstrate that the step size can be reduced considerably while still achieving relatively rapid convergence and maintaining good stability even under challenging reconstruction problem cases. However, the interplay between the spatial filtering process and our relatively new two-step reconstruction process is less obvious. In this paper we discuss the challenges and opportunities with respect to optimizing these parameters.
Beauty judgements of non-professional poetry: Regression analyses of authorial attribution, emotional response and perceived writing quality

The process of reading and writing poetry is increasingly conducted by non-professionals. The current study utilized a series of regression models to explore the mechanism through which beauty judgements of non-professional poetry are made. The analysis addressed the relationships among the decision that a poem was written by a published poet (authorial attribution), a perception of the quality of the writing, the emotional response to the poem and a beauty judgement of the poem. 54 participants from two graduate applied linguistics programs rated 5 non-professional poems for their beauty, emotive response, quality of writing and semi-professional status of the writer. Analyses were conducted on averaged ratings across all five poems. The results indicate the beauty judgements, emotive response and quality of writing judgements were closely related. The decision that a poem is written by a published poet predicted the quality of writing and emotional response to the poem. An inconsistent mediation model was determined, in which increases in the semi-professional status of the writer increased the self-reported emotive response and quality of writing which in turn increased the beauty judgement of the poem. The results suggest a mechanism by which convergence of aesthetic judgement with novice reviewers is directed by the social sanctioning of the authority and quality of the writer.
Colorectal Cancer Among Asian Americans

The Asian ethnic subgroups that migrated to the USA are experiencing an increase in colorectal cancer (CRC) rates. This is in contrast to the decline in invasive CRC incidence reported for non-Hispanic whites in the USA, which has been widely attributed to an increase in screening rates. Studies have shown that at least some of the Asian ethnic subgroups are less likely to undergo screening. A number of lifestyle-related factors have been associated with CRC. Indeed, the evidence for a causal link between certain types of dietary factors (e.g., dietary fiber, folate, calcium, vitamin D, red meat, processed meats), alcohol, medications, obesity and physical inactivity and CRC is stronger than for any other common types of cancer. However, it has been suggested that differences in the distribution of known/suspected lifestyle risk factors account for only a portion of the excess risk in Asian Americans for CRC and that other factors, possibly including genetic susceptibility (in particular, gene–environment interactions), are important contributors to the observed disparities in incidence. Based on the available evidence, it is unlikely that risk factors for CRC in Asians differ markedly from those in non-Hispanic whites and other ethnic/racial groups. Further research is warranted to better understand the relationship between genetic and environmental factors that increase the CRC risk of Asians when they migrate to the USA. Most importantly, utilization of screening services should be further promoted to reduce the incidence of this disease in Asian Americans.
Experimental Lung Injury Reduces Krüppel-like Factor 2 to Increase Endothelial Permeability via Regulation of RAPGEF3–Rac1 Signaling

Rationale: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is caused by widespread endothelial barrier disruption and uncontrolled cytokine storm. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have linked multiple genes to ARDS. Although mechanosensitive transcription factor Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) is a major regulator of endothelial function, its role in regulating pulmonary vascular integrity in lung injury and ARDS-associated GWAS genes remains poorly understood.Objectives: To examine KLF2 expression in multiple animal models of acute lung injury and further elucidate the KLF2-mediated pathways involved in endothelial barrier disruption and cytokine storm in experimental lung injury.Methods: Animal and in vitro models of acute lung injury were used to characterize KLF2 expression and its downstream effects responding to influenza A virus (A/WSN/33 [H1N1]), tumor necrosis factor-α, LPS, mechanical stretch/ventilation, or microvascular flow. KLF2 manipulation, permeability measurements, small GTPase activity, l...
Internal tides and deep diel fades in acoustic intensity

A mechanism is presented by which the observed acoustic intensity is made to vary due to changes in the acoustic path that are caused by internal-tide vertical fluid displacements. The position in range and depth of large-scale caustic structure is determined by the background sound-speed profile. Internal tides cause a deformation of the background profile, changing the positions of the caustic structures—which can introduce intensity changes at a distant receiver. Gradual fades in the acoustic intensity occurring over timescales similar to those of the tides were measured during a low-frequency (284-Hz) acoustic scattering experiment in the Philippine Sea in 2009 [White et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 134(4), 3347–3358 (2013)]. Parabolic equation and Hamiltonian ray-tracing calculations of acoustic propagation through a plane-wave internal tide environmental model employing sound-speed profiles taken during the experiment indicate that internal tides could cause significant gradual changes in the received intensity. Furthermore, the calculations demonstrate how large-scale perturbations to the index of refraction can result in variation in the received intensity.
Racial-ethnic Identity Pairings and Mental Health of Second-generation Asian Adolescents:

Second-generation adolescents experience identity conflict when trying to adapt to the United States. This identity conflict may be compounded for Asians, who experience racialization of their ethn...
The Term Structure of Recovery Rates

There is widespread agreement that corporate recovery rates are time-varying, but empirical work in this area is limited due to the econometric difficulty in isolating default probabilities from recovery rates. In this paper, we identify the dynamics of the term structure of recovery rates by simultaneously using the information from senior and subordinate credit default swaps. We estimate a reduced form model on forty-six firms across different industries and show that recovery rates change rapidly in response to economic events. We find that, on average, the term structure of expected recovery rates is downward sloping. However, an inversion takes place during bad economic times, during which it is upward sloping. Thus, during such periods, the market expects higher recoveries conditional on short-term survival. The inversion of the recovery term structure during economic downturns is more pronounced for firms in distressed industries. Overall, we provide strong empirical evidence for the cyclical nature of recovery.
Tuning the structure and composition of graphite-phase polymeric carbon nitride/reduced graphene oxide composites towards enhanced lithium-sulfur batteries performance

Abstract Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have been attractive alternatives to lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries due to the high theoretical capacity of sulfur cathode. However, the polysulfide shuttling effect is detrimental to the long-term cycling stability. Chemically absorptive host materials provide an effective way to mitigate the dissolution of lithium polysulfide. Carbon nitride (C 3 N 4 ) is one of the effective host materials with strong interaction with polysulfide species. The low electronic conductivity, however, is unfavorable for high sulfur utilization. In this work, we report the controlled synthesis of porous, well-interconnected C 3 N 4 /reduced graphene oxide (rGO) aerogels as hybrid sulfur host using a simple hydrothermal reaction followed by freeze-drying, which combines the structural merits of both highly conductive rGO networks and chemically active C 3 N 4 . By further tuning the structure/morphology and the ratio between C 3 N 4 and rGO, we have demonstrated the C 3 N 4 /rGO composites with optimized 1:2 ratio of C 3 N 4 :rGO (termed as CG12) exhibits not only very high sulfur utilization but also excellent rate capability compared to other C 3 N 4 /rGO composites, pure rGO, and C 3 N 4 . The compositionally and structurally tailored CG12 also shows stable cycling performance over 400 cycles with a low decay rate of 0.09% per cycle.
Mechanical signals protect stem cell lineage selection, preserving the bone and muscle phenotypes in obesity

The incidence of obesity is rapidly rising, increasing morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Associated comorbidities include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, and cancer. The impact of excess fat on musculoskeletal health is still unclear, although it is associated with increased fracture risk and a decline in muscular function. The complexity of obesity makes understanding the etiology of bone and muscle abnormalities difficult. Exercise is an effective and commonly prescribed nonpharmacological treatment option, but it can be difficult or unsafe for the frail, elderly, and morbidly obese. Exercise alternatives, such as low-intensity vibration (LIV), have potential for improving musculoskeletal health, particularly in conditions with excess fat. LIV has been shown to influence bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell differentiation toward higher-order tissues (i.e., bone) and away from fat. While the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, recent studies utilizing LIV both at the bench and in the clinic have demonstrated some efficacy. Here, we discuss the current literature investigating the effects of obesity on bone, muscle, and bone marrow and how exercise and LIV can be used as effective treatments for combating the negative effects in the presence of excess fat.
Dancing with the pygmy elephant: The Canadian space program, future directions amid challenges

Abstract Since the inception of the space age, Canada has pursued a partnership with the U.S. through NASA including participation from the Apollo era forward to the International Space Station. Canada joined the European Space Agency as a participating state since 1979. While these cooperative activities continued over the years, Canada also carved out areas of technology that both created economic returns but were valuable in terms of the joint projects. In a change that impacts Canada, NASA began restructuring its mission profile while it grappled with the shuttle program's termination and a downturn in the national economy. For Canada, finding a way forward for its space program is essential given the economic benefits and the international cache that accrues to a middle sized state that operates an independent space program. Finding its way forward is not easy given the costs associated with such endeavors. This paper examines Canada's current program development and its direction given the U.S. decline relative to other space powers. It also places Canada's program in the context of the debate over space technology utilization for economic development and competitiveness.
The Cellular Response of Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars to Botulinum Toxin A: A Comprehensive Literature Review.

BACKGROUNDKeloids and hypertrophic scars are conditions of pathologic scarring characterized by fibroblast hyperproliferation and excess collagen deposition. These conditions significantly impact patients by causing psychosocial, functional, and aesthetic distress. Current treatment modalities have
Bottom-up morality: The basis of human morality in our primate nature

This is an interview with Frans de Waal who gave the Kohlberg Memorial Lecture at the AME Conference in St. Louis in November 2017. Frans de Waal’s research with non-human primates documents that p...
Mexican-Origin Parents' Stress and Satisfaction: The Role of Emotional Support

Guided by a process model of parenting and the integrative model, this study examined sources of emotional support (i.e., partner, maternal, paternal) as related to stress and satisfaction resulting from the parenting role in a sample of Mexican-origin young adult parents who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) during Wave IV. Participants were male and female parents (26-35 years of age; 59% female; N = 737) who had children and a partner. Results from structural equation modeling revealed support from mothers as salient; high levels of maternal support were associated with high levels of parenting satisfaction. Tests of indirect effects suggested that parenting satisfaction played an intervening role in the link between maternal support and parenting stress. The pattern of results held across levels of linguistic acculturation but varied by gender. Understanding the mechanisms that predict parenting stress and satisfaction within the Mexican-origin population may help in the identification of culturally sensitive intervention strategies.
A lightweight, multilevel GaN maximum power point tracker for solar-powered race vehicles

The electrification of vehicles is spurring aggressive down-scaling of the size and weight of power processing components. Conventional approaches sacrifice efficiency and thermal handling to achieve these gains, but the flying-capacitor multilevel (FCML) topology, with its switching frequency multiplication effect, used in conjuction with fast GaN transistors, can reduce passive component size, and therefore system weight, without compromising efficiency. This work presents a maximum power point tracker system for use in a solar racing vehicle with a 3-level FCML GaN power stage, and is an order of magnitude lighter than competing conventional designs. The converter achieves a maximum efficiency of 98.6% at a nominal 2× boost ratio, can process up to 546 W of power, and is capable of a large boost ratio of over 16 x. In addition to achieving these metrics, factors affecting dynamic performance and reliability such as converter start-up and fault tolerance are addressed.
Enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) do not increase nitrogen retention in Pacific Northwest Douglas-fir forest soils four weeks post-fertilization

Abstract Enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) are used to minimize gaseous losses of applied nitrogen (N). Higher N retention resulting in increased uptake by plants is intended to offset the additional cost of these EEFs. Pacific Northwest Douglas-fir forests are N limited and assumed to have high N retention rates. Assuming N retention rates are high can lead to the over application of fertilizers which is both economically inefficient and detrimental to ecosystem health. We tested the hypothesis that EEF-fertilized plots have the highest ecosystem N recovery rates by tracing four urea-based fertilizers for four weeks after application in five commercially managed Douglas-fir forests in Oregon and Washington. Three EEFs, Environmentally Smart Nitrogen (ESN), N-(n-butyl) (NBPT), and Arborite coated urea fertilizer (CUF), were tested along with unformulated urea granules. These three particular EEFs are designed to reduce volatile losses of ammonia (NH3(gas)). Fertilizers were enriched with 15N, which facilitates the tracing of N as it moves between ecosystem pools. Retention rates were calculated for the forest floor and mineral soil to a depth of 20 cm. Retention rates were not significantly improved with the use of EEFs. On average, 30.2% of the applied N was lost from the system after four weeks. The lack of improvement in N retention with EEFs suggests that volatilization may not be a substantial loss pathway at these sites and therefore the application of these higher cost EEFs is not warranted.
Male Friendship and Sodomy in Twelfth Night

In lieu of an abstract, below is the first paragraph of the paper. "Male friendship is, indeed, the basis on which civil society is founded" (Montaigne 220). While analyzing Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare, it is essential to understand the great value that society placed on male friendship during the Renaissance time period. In his essay "Of Friendship," Michel de Montaigne attempts to demonstrate the very slight distinction between male-male friendship and homoerotic behavior between men. Some argue that throughout Twelfth Night, the thin line between male-male friendship and homoeroticism is discreetly played upon. However, closer examination of the relationships between Orsino and Cesario, Sir Andrew and Sir Toby, and Antonio and Sebastian display how Shakespeare eliminates this distinction made by Montaigne, and, as a result, undermines the notion of true friendship in Twelfth Night. Highlighting the lack of honesty and equality, as well as the possibility of erotic attachment within these male relationships emphasizes the play's deconstruction of Montaigne's distinction. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol9/iss1/5 Male Friendship and Sodomy in Twelfth Night
BIOCHEMICAL DISCRIMINATION OF SUBGROUPS OF DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS BASED ON DIFFERENCES IN CATECHOLAMINE METABOLISM

ABSTRACT This paper summarizes the findings of our recent studies which suggest that there may be at least three subtypes of unipolar depressive disorders that can be discriminated, in part, on the basis of differences in urinary levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG). A number of different pathophysiological mechanisms that could account for these abnormalities are discussed.
253. Sublingual microvascular density and glycocalyx barrier dynamics, during and after normal and preeclamptic pregnancy

Introduction The apical surface of the vascular endothelium comprises a complex meshwork of membrane-bound proteoglycans and glycoproteins, the glycocalyx. The glycocalyx has important vasoregulatory roles; e.g., growth factor binding, signal transduction, coagulation and permeability. Glycocalyx damage has been implicated in several vascular diseases. Hypothesis Glycocalyx structural barrier integrity and microvascular perfusion are reduced in women with preeclampsia (PE). Methods We evaluated 17 women with PE and 27 with uncomplicated pregnancy (NL), just prior to delivery (LD) and at 24–48 h postpartum (PP). The sublingual microvasculature was interrogated using sidestream-darkfield imaging to compare glycocalyx integrity, microvascular density and percentage of perfused vascular segments. Glycocalyx integrity (for vessels 5–25 μm) was measured as depth of the RBC accessible region(AR), in which greater AR signifies diminished ability of glycocalyx to exclude RBCs. Plasma soluble syndecan-1, a shed glycocalyx component, was measured by ELISA. Results Microvascular density (segments/mm2) was greater in NL-LD (478 ± 28) compared to PE-LD (378 ± 35 p = 0.002), decreasing in both NL-PP (355 ± 28) and PE-PP (306 ± 35). Perfusion was not different between groups. AR in NL-LD (2.33 ± 0.05microns) was surprisingly greater than PE-LD (2.17 ± 0.06 p = 0.03), or NL-PP (2.19 ± 0.05 p = 0.05) but not different from PE-PP (2.26 ± 0.06). The change in AR between timepoints (LD-PP) indicates postpartum improvement in barrier function in NL (but not PE) group (−0.09 ± 0.4 vs 0.08 ± 0.3 p = 0.05). Maternal plasma syndecan-1 was higher in NL-LD (1126 ± 110.3 ng/mL) compared to PE-LD (715.5 ± 112.1 ng/mL; p = 0.008), and declined in both groups PP (NL-PP 210 ± 98, PE-PP 173 ± 120; NS). Conclusion Women with PE exhibited a reduction in functional microvascular density compared to NL. The increase in RBC accessibility(AR) in NL compared to PE was opposite to our hypothesis. This reduction in endothelial glycocalyx barrier function was accompanied by a higher level of circulating syndecan-1 prior to delivery in NL. The physiologic significance of these glycocalyx changes remain to be determined. Funding PO1-HD-30367, R21-HD-83659, AHA16SFRN27810001
Rwanda: Women’s Political Representation and Its Consequences

Burnet addresses how Rwanda became the global leader in terms of expanding women’s inclusion in politics. In 2008, Rwanda was the first country in the world to elect a female-majority parliament. Women realized this achievement in large part thanks to a gender quota system instituted in 2003. Beyond achieving gender parity in the legislature, Rwanda has adopted numerous laws since 1995 that promote and enhance protection of women’s rights. These laws have placed sexual violence during the genocide among the gravest genocide crimes; extended equal inheritance rights to girl children; ensured women’s rights to land ownership and wives’ rights to have their names appear along with their husbands on deeds; and criminalized marital rape, domestic violence, and other forms of gender-based violence.
Improving trading technical analysis with TensorFlow Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) Neural Network

Abstract In this paper we utilize a Long Short-Term Memory Neural Network to learn from and improve upon traditional trading algorithms used in technical analysis. The rationale behind our study is that the network can learn market behavior and be able to predict when a given strategy is more likely to succeed. We implemented our algorithm in Python pursuing Google's TensorFlow. We show that our strategy, based on a combination of neural network prediction, and traditional technical analysis, performs better than the latter alone.
Self assembled, sulfonated pentablock copolymer cation exchange coatings for membrane capacitive deionization

Membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) is a simple and low-cost method for brackish water desalination involving reversible electrosorption using high surface area, porous electrodes paired with ion-exchange membranes. Ion-exchange membranes improve charge efficiency and salt adsorption capacity by limiting the transport of co-ions and inhibiting faradaic reactions at the electrode surface. Effective ion-exchange membranes for MCDI should have high permselectivity and low ionic resistance, but there is typically a trade-off between these two properties. In this work, we studied partially sulfonated pentablock copolymer (sPBC) as a cation-exchange coating for MCDI electrodes. sPBC ion exchange coatings of varying ion exchange capacity (IEC, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 meq g−1) and a range of casting solvent compositions (10–60 wt% n-propanol in toluene) were prepared. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of the membranes showed a morphological change from a micellar to lamellar and then to an inverse micellar structure with increasing polarity of the casting solvent. Water uptake and salt permeability increased with increasing IEC and casting solvent polarity over the entire range of conditions tested. MCDI device studies indicated that charge efficiency and salt adsorption capacity both increased with water uptake over a range of casting solvent compositions due to morphological changes in the sPBC film. This work demonstrates an effective solution-processible ion-exchange layer for MCDI using a self-assembling block copolymer and suggests that ideal ion-exchange coatings for MCDI should have high water uptake to minimize ionic resistance while at the same time maintaining a high charge density of fixed charged groups to achieve high permselectivity.
3D Hand Scanning to Digital Draping for Glove Design

New technologies such as 3D simulation and digital prototyping offer endless design opportunities for gloves. One potential application is digitally draping, which can be used to improve glove fit. A pilot study with one subject was conducted to examine the feasibility of this approach applied to glove design and fit. The subject completed a fit survey and then had their hand 3D scanned. A glove was digitally draped on the subject’s hand scan in EFI Optitex®. The pressure map and mesh tool in Optitex were utilized to aid expert fit evaluations.
Primary Malignant Pericardial Mesothelioma: A Clinical Case Series Illustrating the Necessity of a Multidisciplinary Approach

Primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma is a rare cardiac neoplasm. The authors evaluated risk factors, clinical presentation, and outcomes…
Migrated Avalon Elite Venovenous ECMO Cannula: Novel Technique to Reposition Without Disrupting the Circuit

A 43-year-old man with refractory acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to H1N1 influenza underwent uncomplicated venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) cannulation with a 31-F Avalon Elite catheter (Getinge Group, Gothenburg, Sweden) under transesophageal echocardiogram
Contrasting levels of fructose and urea added to an annual ryegrass based diet: effects on microbial protein synthesis, nutrient digestibility and fermentation parameters in continuous culture fermenters

El objetivo de este experimento fue evaluar los efectos de la adicion de fructosa cristalina y urea a una dieta basada en raigras anual sobre la sintesis de proteina microbiana, la fermentacion y la digestibilidad de los nutrientes, usando fermentadores de flujo continuo. Se usaron seis fermentadores de flujo continuo en un arreglo factorial 3x2, con tres niveles de hidratos de carbono solubles (WSC) obtenidos por la adicion de fructosa cristalina (21, 24 y 27 g.100 g MS1; LWSC, MWSC y HWSC, respectivamente) y dos niveles de proteina bruta (CP) obtenidos por la adicion de urea (14,6 y 18,6 g.100 g MS1, LCP y HCP, respectivamente). Se corrieron sucesivamente cuatro periodos de 10d (7d para adaptacion, 3d para muestreo). La sintesis de proteina microbiana se estimo por la relacion purinas: N. Hubo una interaccion significativa entre niveles de WSC y CP para sintesis de proteina microbiana (P<0,001). El nivel de WSC no afecto el pH, la concentracion de amonio ni la concentracion de acidos grasos volatiles (VFA). Niveles mas altos de CP aumentaron la proporcion de acido acetico y tendieron a aumentar la relacion acetico propionico, mientras que el nivel de WSC no afecto las proporciones de VFA. Los tratamientos no afectaron la digestibilidad de los nutrientes. Concluimos que la adicion de fructosa cristalina a dietas basadas en raigras anual aumento la sintesis de proteina microbiana a los niveles mas altos de CP en la dieta.
Identification and Isolation of the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche Initiating Cell Population

Abstract Introduction: Identification and understanding of the cells and processes that can generate, sustain and influence the HSC niche and hematopoiesis are critical for the development of a more comprehensive knowledge of normal hematopoiesis, stem cell homing, trafficking, differentiation and hematopoietic pathology. Growth and renewal in many tissues are initiated by stem cells, supported by the microenvironment (niche) in which they reside. While recent work has begun to describe functional interactions between stem cells and their niches, little is known about the formation of stem cell niches. Methods & Results: We established a functional, in vivo assay (via implantation of cells under the renal capsule) to isolate the determinants of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niche formation and activity. Using this novel assay, we show that a population of progenitor cells (CD45−Tie2-aV+CD105+Thy1.1−; CD105+Thy1−) sorted from 15.5 dpc fetal limbs and transplanted under the adult mouse renal capsule recruit host-derived vasculatures in a VEGF dependent manner, produce donor-derived ectopic bones through endochondral ossification, and generate a marrow cavity populated by host-derived long term reconstituting HSC (LT-HSC). In contrast, CD45−Tie2-aV+CD105+Thy1a+ (CD105+Thy1+) progenitors form bone that does not contain a marrow cavity. While analyzing these and other sorted populations, we did not observe any instances where niche was present without bone, suggesting that skeletal progenitors are necessary for initiating an HSC niche but osteoblasts alone cannot initiate and support niche activity. Suppression of factors important for HSC maintenance, such as steel factor (SLF), in progenitor populations prior to transplant did not alter their ability to initiate and support an HSC niche. On the other hand, suppression of factors involved in endochondral ossification, such as osterix and VEGF, inhibited niche generation. Furthermore, CD105+Thy1− progenitor populations derived from regions of the fetal mandible or calvaria that do not undergo endochondral ossification form only bone without marrow in our assay. Conclusions: In addition to identifying the limb-derived skeletal progenitor capable of endochondral ossification involved and the basic mechanisms of HSC niche initiation, our study provides a functional framework by which future studies on HSC-niche interactions at the cellular level can be carried out.
Structure, chromium vacancies, and magnetism in a C r 12 -x T e 16 compound

Binary Cr-Te compounds are known to exhibit various structures and interesting physical properties, which are very sensitive to Cr content and arrangement. We report the structure and physical properties of a compound $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{r}}_{12\ensuremath{-}x}\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{e}}_{16}$ with $x\ensuremath{\sim}2.65$. $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{r}}_{9.35}\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{e}}_{16}$ crystallizes in the trigonal structure with the space group $P\overline{3}m1$ (No. 164), consisting of four different Cr sites (Cr1, Cr2, Cr3, Cr4) with an ordered Cr4 vacant layer. The electrical resistivity, magnetization, specific heat, and neutron diffraction measurements indicate that there is a ferromagnetic transition at ${T}_{\mathrm{C}1}\ensuremath{\sim}160$ K with the first-order nature, and an anomaly at ${T}_{\mathrm{C}2}\ensuremath{\sim}67$ K. At 5 K, the magnetic moments of Cr2 and Cr3 are aligned along the $c$ axis with $2.78\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\mathrm{B}}/\mathrm{Cr}$. Detailed neutron diffraction refinement suggests that ordered magnetic moments on Cr1 (fully occupied) and Cr4 (partially occupied) are negligible. The different magnetic response stems from different valence states and different magnetic interactions between Cr2/Cr3 and Cr1/Cr4 as evidenced by the x-ray absorption fine-structure measurements. This creates a unique two-dimensional magnetic system with ordered moments confined in the Cr2/Cr3 layer.
Augmentation of Meniscal Repair With Platelet-Rich Plasma: A Systematic Review of Comparative Studies:

Background:The effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) augmentation for meniscal repair (MR) is unclear, as current evidence is limited to small, mostly nonrandomized studies.Purpose:To systematically...
Diabetes mellitus control in a large cohort of people with HIV in care-Washington, D.C.

With more effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), people with HIV (PWH) are living longer and have more chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus (DM). The prevalence of DM has been estimated i...
Electromyography of the Shoulder Musculature during Passive Rehabilitation Exercises

BackgroundMedical professionals remain conflicted about the best rehabilitation protocol a patient should perform after rotator cuff repair surgery. Exercises deemed passive may be activating the s...
Multilateral trade negotiations, bilateral opportunism and the rules of GATT/WTO

Abstract Trade negotiations occur through time and between the governments of many countries. An important issue is thus whether the value of concessions that a government wins in a current negotiation may be eroded in a future bilateral negotiation to which it is not party. We identify rules of negotiation that serve to protect the welfare of governments that are not participating in the bilateral negotiation. Our main finding is that the two central principles of GATT/WTO—nondiscrimination (MFN) and reciprocity—preserve the welfare of nonparticipating governments and therefore offer a “first-line of defense” against bilateral opportunism.
FedJAX: Federated learning simulation with JAX

Federated learning is a machine learning technique that enables training across decentralized data. Recently, federated learning has become an active area of research due to the increased concerns over privacy and security. In light of this, a variety of open source federated learning libraries have been developed and released. We introduce FedJAX, a JAX-based open source library for federated learning simulations that emphasizes ease-of-use in research. With its simple primitives for implementing federated learning algorithms, prepackaged datasets, models and algorithms, and fast simulation speed, FedJAX aims to make developing and evaluating federated algorithms faster and easier for researchers. Our benchmark results show that FedJAX can be used to train models with federated averaging on the EMNIST dataset in a few minutes and the Stack Overflow dataset in roughly an hour with standard hyperparmeters using TPUs.
Using determinations in EBL: a solution to the incomplete theory problem

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a solution to the incomplete theory problem [3] for the case when the domain theory contains determinations, a form of incomplete knowledge[1]. We weaken the requirement made in explanation-based learning (EBL) that the learning procedure return an operational description that implies the target concept, to computing an operational description that determines the concept. The fact that the training example is an instance of the target concept is assumed (rather than proved), and used to complete missing information in the domain theory. A key assumption made by this approach is that the incompleteness of the domain theory is restricted to determinations, and that a neccessary and sufficient definition of the target concept exists. We discuss how this can be approximated in horn theories by making the closed world assumption. We present a prototype implementation of our solution using a PROLOG-based implementation of EBL, and illustrate how it can incrementally refine an incomplete theory using training examples.
Relationship between |[beta]| converting and |[gamma]| non-converting corynebacteriophage DNA

BACTERIOPHAGE can convert non-toxin producing strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae to toxinogeny, and the significance of the difference between β-tox+ converting corynebacteriophage isolated by Freeman1 and γ-tox non-converting phage isolated in this laboratory2 has been studied sporadically over the past 20 yr. These two phages are serologically related, but are heteroimmune when tested reciprocally against their lysogenic derivatives3. Both phages exhibit similar one-step growth characteristics and patterns of inducibility by ultraviolet light4 and are morphologically similar though differing slightly in head and tail measurements5. The phages recombine vegetatively, though at a frequency lower than in homoimmune β matings6 and also recombine as prophages in tandem double lysogens7. It has been shown8 that γ non-converting phage probably carries a cryptic tox gene, or part of the gene, as matings between β-tox and γ-tox have yielded tox+ recombinants. These data all suggest that there is a high degree of genetic homology between these two phages. To assess this point more directly we have examined DNA heteroduplexes of the phages and DNA fragments produced by various restriction endonucleases. The data show that the two phages are almost identical.
Blocking of human immunodeficiency virus infection depends on cell density and viral stock age.

Abstract Quantitative infectivity assays were used to study how the blocking activity of soluble CD4 (sCD4) is affected by sCD4 concentration, target cell density, and viral stock age. During incubation with 20 nM sCD4, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) stocks underwent irreversible inactivation. In contrast, inactivation with 2 nM sCD4 was almost entirely reversible. At lower sCD4 concentrations (less than or equal to 2 nM) and target cell densities of 6.25 x 10(4) ml-1, sCD4 blocking activity for HIV-1 gave a gp120-sCD4 association constant (Kassoc) of 1.7 x 10(9) M-1, which agrees with chemical measurements. At the higher density of 1.6 x 10(7) cells ml-1, however, the blocking activity was 20-fold less. During incubation of HIV-1 stock optimized for infectivity by rapid harvest, sCD4 blocking activity increased 20-fold during a 3-h window. These results show that competitive blocking activity depends strongly on target cell density and virion age. Thus, unappreciated variations in HIV stocks and assay conditions may hinder comparisons of blockers from laboratory to laboratory, and the age of HIV challenge stocks may influence studies of drug and vaccine efficacy. The results also suggest that blocking of viral particles in lymphoid compartments will require very high competitive blocker concentrations, which may explain the refractory outcomes from sCD4-based drug trials in humans.
The Constitution and Information Politics

This symposium essay argues that an important objective of a constitution should be to generate a sound information politics where citizens and leaders alike update on information about past policy to create better future policy. The United States Constitution contains many features friendly to a sound information politics — from federalism to the First Amendment. The essay suggests that such features have helped the United States perform better than its peer industrial democracies. The essay concludes by arguing that the deploying the fruits of the information revolution can further improve information politics. It recommends the legalization and possible subsidization of prediction markets and more policy experimentation through both decentralization and randomization. To help citizens better update on the resulting information, it recommends a variety of other reforms, from relaxing individual contribution limits in campaign contributions to top-two primaries. Such reforms are important because the same technological revolution that can improve information politics will increase the pace of social change and may create new problems that only a smarter politics can address with the requisite speed.
Reforming Cote d'Ivoire's cocoa marketing and pricing system

Cote d'Ivoire has historically taxed cocoa producers. Market reforms over the past 10 years have somewhat succeeded in making domestic and foreign marketing more transparent and competitive. But they have not done much to raise producer prices in real terms or as a share of the FOB (free on board) price. Maintaining fixed producer prices and marketing costs and margins has encouraged rent-seeking and led to efficiency losses. New reform will fully liberalize the country's export marketing system by eliminating public management of exports. This means the end of mandatory export authorization, of public forward sales, and of fixed minimum producer prices and marketing margins. The new reform is expected to improve producers' incomes. The authors find that the benefits from the new reform (in terms of lower implicit taxes, lower marketing costs and margins, and higher producer prices) will outweigh the costs from eliminating public forward sales and fixed producer prices. Results from a general equilibrium model indicate that reducing export taxes would have a small negative effect on aggregate income but would improve income distribution for poorer rural areas. The fact that Cote d'Ivoire has market power in the world cocoa market justifies a higher optimal export tax than the current one. But raising export taxes may eventually reduce its market share and worsen income distribution, at the expense of the poorer rural sector.