cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comment on "Dynamic Equations for Connected Rigid Bodies"

A formalism for systems of rigid bodies, with the needs of digital simulation especially in mind, has recently been given by Sandier. The philosophy he outlines is quite correct, though some elaboration of certain definitions might be desirable. I wish to comment that there already is a body of literature on this subject, including Refs. 2-6, and some of these carry the development further. (I do not cite the other formalisms of the same general type given in various unpublished works, i.e., company reports, during the past decade.) References 5 and 6, in particular, also were developed with a recognition of digital simulation problems. I feel that Sandier's concluding remarks about "elastic bodies" are subject to misinterpretation, since this terminology usually is interpreted to refer to elastic continua to which his formulation (as well as the others cited here) does not apply.
Adipocyte protein modification by Krebs cycle intermediates and fumarate ester-derived succination

Protein succination, the non-enzymatic modification of cysteine residues by fumarate, is distinguishable from succinylation, an enzymatic reaction forming an amide bond between lysine residues and succinyl-CoA. Treatment of adipocytes with 30 mM glucose significantly increases protein succination with only a small change in succinylation. Protein succination may be significantly increased intracellularly after treatment with fumaric acid esters, however, the ester must be removed by saponification to permit 2SC-antibody detection of the fumarate adduct.
Use of N,O‐bis‐Fmoc‐d‐Tyr‐ONSu for introduction of an oxidative iodination site into cholecystokinin family peptides

We report the synthesis of a new reagent for the introduction of an oxidative iodination site into the amino terminus of acid-labile peptides, and the use of this reagent to synthesize a novel affinity-labeling probe for the cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor. The acylation reagent, N,O-bis-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl-d-tyrosine hydroxysuccinimide ester, utilizes base-labile protection of both the alpha amino group and the aromatic ring hydroxyl. This can be safely removed to expose a cross-linkable free amino group on the aminopeptidase-resistant d-enantiomer of tyrosine. The synthetic probe, d-Tyr-Gly-Asp-Tyr(OSO3H)-Nle-Gly-Trp-Nle-Asp-Phe-NH2, was fully biologically active, could be radioiodinated to high-specific radioactivity (2000 Ci/mmol), bound with high affinity to the pancreatic CCK receptor, and covalently labeled the hormone-binding site. This reagent should be useful for the synthesis of a wide variety of analogues of CCK and other acid-labile peptides.
From the seams of history : essays on Indian women

The ten essays which make up the body of this book are drawn from a wide variety of disciplines and weave a complex pattern of the experiences of women. Beginning with the debate on widow remarriage in Bengal and Haryana, the book moves on to examine how the new attire of the Bengali gentlewoman in the nineteenth century was tailored according to the values and anxieties of their dominant male counterparts. One essay takes the argument of male domination further and points out that male oppression in Indian society was in fact remarkable similar to that of the colonial masters. The remaining essays are concerned with the role of education in reinforcing the value system of the larger society; the questioning of socially legitimized assumptions; the organized militancy of the peasant women of Bihar and the marginalization of women in the economic sphere.
Impact of Alum-Treated Poultry Litter Applications on Fescue Production and Soil Phosphorus Fractions

The purpose of this 4-yr study was to evaluate tall fescue (Festuca amndinacea L.) production and changes in soil P fractions resulting from alum-treated poultry litter (ATPL) applications. Plots were established in the spring of 2000 at Orange, VA, on a Davidson loam (fine, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Kandiudult). Treatments included the application of ATPL, non-treated poultry litter (NPL) and triple superphosphate (TSP) at rates based on current litter management strategies in Virginia. During the 4 yr of this study, applications of ATPL resulted in forage yield and P uptake similar to that found in treatments receiving NPL. Also, no significant differences in Mehlich-1 extractable soil P between litter treatments were observed after 4 yr of application. A soil P fractionation procedure revealed significantly decreased H 2 O extractable inorganic P (Pi) concentrations in soils receiving N-based rates of ATPL compared with equivalent applications of NPL. Conversely, the organic P (Po) fraction extracted with 0.1 M NaOH was significantly elevated in treatments that had received ATPL compared with those receiving NPL or TSP regardless of P application rate. The results indicate that applications of ATPL does not adversely affect P uptake by fescue or forage production. This study also shows that ATPL can have an impact on the forms of P found in soils following continued applications; however, these differences may not always be detected through routine soil analyses such as the Mehlich-1 extraction.
Structural applications of SMA/superelastic materials

SMA and superelastic materials (SEM) are mostly used for low force/large displacements applications involving tensile or bending modes of loading. The paper describes experiments on radial compression of SMA and superelastic wires and tubes between flat loading surfaces. Elastic (recoverable) deformations up to 22.5% with high damping under loads in the KN/mm range for solid wires and 10-100 N/mm range for tubes of OD = 0.4-2 mm have been observed. The recoverable deformation as great as 60% has been measured on a thin-walled SEM tube. This phenomenon was named a "Giant Superelasticity Effect" (GSE). The experiments were performed in a broad range of loading rates. Stainless steel specimens were also tested for comparison. A close-form analysis for thin-wall tubes and some realized and potential applications of GSE are described.
Opposing Roles for ATF6α and ATF6β in Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response Gene Induction

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) transmembrane proteins, ATF6α and ATF6β, are cleaved in response to ER stress, which can be induced by tunicamycin. The resulting N-terminal fragments of both ATF6 isoforms, which have conserved basic leucine-zipper and DNA binding domains but divergent transcriptional activation domains, translocate to the nucleus where they bind to ER stress-response elements (ERSE) in ER stress-response genes (ERSRG), such as GRP78. Although it is known that ATF6α is a potent activator of ERSRGs, the transcriptional potency and functions of ATF6β remain to be explored. Accordingly, N-terminal fragments of each ATF6 isoform (N-ATF6α and N-ATF6β) were overexpressed in HeLa cells and the effects on GRP78 induction were assessed. When expressed at similar levels, N-ATF6α conferred ∼200-fold greater GRP78 promoter activation than N-ATF6β. Because ER stress activates nuclear translocation of both ATF6α and β and because both bind to ERSEs, the effect of co-expressing them on GRP78 induction was assessed. Surprisingly, N-ATF6β inhibited N-ATF6α-mediated GRP78 promoter activation in a dominant-negative manner. Moreover, N-ATF6β inhibited TN-mediated GRP78 promoter activation, which requires endogenous ATF6α. ATF6 isoform-specific small inhibitory RNAs were used to show that, as expected, endogenous ATF6α was required for maximal ERSRG induction; however, endogenous ATF6β moderated ERSRG induction. These results indicate that compared with ATF6α, ATF6β is a very poor activator of ERSRG induction and it represses ATF6α-mediated ERSRG induction. Thus, ATF6β may serve as a transcriptional repressor functioning in part to regulate the strength and duration of ATF6α-mediated ERSRG activation during the ER stress response.
Value added products for SeaWinds on QuikSCAT

The SeaWinds scatterometer generates near real-time surface wind data over the global oceans. In order to make this data more accessible to non-governmental organization and individuals, the SeaWinds Value-Added Product (VAP) effort was initiated. Daily wind data is available to the public via the VAP website. Various data visualization techniques, such as merger with the more familiar geosynchronous cloud images and vector field animation, have been employed to make the SeaWinds data more accessible to a variety of users.
An Employee Survey Measuring Total Quality Management Practices and Culture: Development and Validation

This article presents a survey instrument designed to measure total quality management (TQM) and supporting organizational culture. In this study, 13 a priori dimensions of TQM and 10 a priori dime...
Chinese Intellectuals and the Western Impact, 1838–1900

The Chinese scholar-official had long constituted a special type of iron-clad intelligentsia, firmly based on the Confucian tradition and accustomed to rule China with unchallenged authority. This tradition was threatened for the first time in 1838 with the outbreak of the “Opium” or First Anglo-Chinese War. Outwardly, this was a simple military defeat by a “barbarian” force on one frontier of China, remote from the capital and court at Peking. As such it was nothing new in Chinese history. Hsiung-nu, Toba Tartars, Mongols and Manchus had threatened and overrun Chinese borders through the centuries. To most articulate Chinese both this and successive assaults on China through the nineteenth century, were adequately explained by the traditional and reassuring formula.
MATERNAL GLUCOCORTICOIDS AND PRENATAL PROGRAMMING OF HYPERTENSION

Maternal glucocorticoids have been postulated to play an important role in prenatal programming for adult hypertension in the offspring. However, we have shown previously that offspring hypertensio...
Verification of ball-on-ring test using finite element analysis

The ball-on-ring (BOR) test is an effective technique used to characterize the biaxial fracture strength of brittle materials. In particular, damages induced by wafer backgrinding process can be evaluated using the BOR test. It is difficult to measure directly the radius of contact area between the loading ball and a specimen, which is needed for stress determination by an analytic solution. In this study, parametric finite element analyses were performed to compare with known closed-form solutions. It was found that the effect of small loading area must not be ignored and that the radius of contact could be precisely determined using Hertz's contact theory. This can serve as a guideline to accurately obtain the fracture strength of a BOR specimen.
Safety of a novel treatment to improve sperm motility in men with spinal cord injury

Seminal plasma of men with spinal cord injury (SCI) contains high concentrations of cytokines. Neutralizing these target cytokines did not damage sperm DNA or sperm viability, indicating that this method may hold promise as a safe therapy for improving sperm motility in men with SCI.
Diabetes mellitus in Huntington disease.

There have been conflicting reports that individuals with Huntington disease (HD) are prone to abnormalities of carbohydrate metabolism. In this study information about the incidence and control of diabetes mellitus in 620 probands (278 living, 332 deceased) with HD and in their first and second degree relatives was obtained by questionnaire method from participants of the National HD Research Roster. Among the probands, 65 individuals (10.5%) were identified by the informant or verified by examination of Roster family records as diabetic. The prevalence of diabetes, particularly among those les than 50 years of age, is significantly greater than corresponding figures among the general U.S. Caucasian population (Scott 1977, Krolewski & Warram 1985). Incidence rates were not calculated because of ascertainment and other biases in the data. Results from the analysis of family data indicate that HD affected relatives of an HD proband with diabetes are 7 times as likely to have diabetes over the proband's non-HD relatives. A non-diabetic HD proband is equally likely to have an HD or non-HD relative with diabetes.
Everyone's Trash: Recycling in China

Are we really connected to the steps and act of recycling and reuse? Is the modern American vision for recycling too clean and removed from the reality of our waste? Images are a series of observations about a single example of community, value-based recycling from Shanghai. The images challenge us to reflect on what we can learn from other approaches.
Multi-Scale Sensor Fusion With an Online Application: Integrating GOES, MODIS, and Webcam Imagery for Environmental Monitoring

Webcam and satellite imagery are integral sensor web components, but there are few websites that directly synthesize these products. Additionally, websites as a means for reviewing multiple images in an organized way and for analyzing time-series imagery have not been fully explored. This paper describes how web applications can facilitate review of image archives for multi-scale sensor data fusion, with a test case of an automatic panning camera at the highest peak on Santa Cruz Island (in Channel Islands National Park off the Santa Barbara, CA coast) and MODIS and GOES-11 satellite imagery. We developed the application PanOpt (http://zulu.geog.ucsb.edu/panopt/index.html) for filtering this image database and outputting selected images as a static matrix or as an animation. On-demand product generation includes time-series charts and scatter plots of image metrics for regions of interest, with data markers linked to views of corresponding satellite and camera imagery via event-based web scripting. This is useful not only for exploratory analysis but is well suited for pedagogical applications and imparting a greater synoptic understanding of environmental phenomena. Demonstration of this website's utility includes multi-modal characterization of clouds as well as ground- and satellite-based plant phenology time-series. With this tool, the quantitative and qualitative aspects of image exploration are synergistic, making it easier to discern underlying trends and anomalies and to identify directions for further analysis.
Structural changes in Mcm5 protein bypass Cdc7-Dbf4 function and reduce replication origin efficiency in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Eukaryotic chromosomal replication is a complicated process with many origins firing at different efficiencies and times during S phase. Prereplication complexes are assembled on all origins in G1 phase, and yet only a subset of complexes is activated during S phase by DDK (for Dbf4-dependent kinase) (Cdc7-Dbf4). The yeast mcm5-bob1 (P83L) mutation bypasses DDK but results in reduced intrinsic firing efficiency at 11 endogenous origins and at origins located on minichromosomes. Origin efficiency may result from Mcm5 protein assuming an altered conformation, as predicted from the atomic structure of an archaeal MCM (for minichromosome maintenance) homologue. Similarly, an intragenic mutation in a residue predicted to interact with P83L suppresses the mcm5-bob1 bypass phenotype. We propose DDK phosphorylation of the MCM complex normally results in a single, highly active conformation of Mcm5, whereas the mcm5-bob1 mutation produces a number of conformations, only one of which is permissive for origin activation. Random adoption of these alternate states by the mcm5-bob1 protein can explain both how origin firing occurs independently of DDK and why origin efficiency is reduced. Because similar mutations in mcm2 and mcm4 cannot bypass DDK, Mcm5 protein may be a unique Mcm protein that is the final target of DDK regulation.
Compatibility of a Biological Control Agent With Herbicides for Control of Invasive Plant Species

Abstract Kudzu, Pueraria montana var. lobata, is an exotic invasive weed that is difficult to control with available products and management practices. The fungal pathogen, Myrothecium verrucaria, is being developed as a bioherbicide for kudzu and other invasive vines. This biological control agent might be applied with conventional herbicides to improve the efficacy or spectrum of weed control. The survival of M. verrucaria was measured over time in simulated tank-mixes of commercial formulations of the herbicides: amniopyralid (Milestone*), metsulfuron (Escort XP), and fluroxypyr (Vista). The fungus was also grown in vitro in the presence of these herbicides to evaluate any growth inhibition. M. verrucaria was highly tolerant to all concentrations of amniopyralid and metsulfuron for up to two days in simulated tank-mixes, while mixtures with fluroxypyr resulted in a gradual loss of spore viability. The fungus grew on media supplemented with amniopyralid and metsulfuron with only small effects on the gro...
Image Analysis of Calcium Release Dynamics

Many aspects of animal development are dependent on the dynamic release of calcium (Ca2+) ions. Although Ca2+ release within a cell is tightly controlled, how the release dynamics result in a specific biological output in embryonic development is less clear. The integration of pharmacological and molecular-genetic studies with in vivo imaging in zebrafish and Xenopus has linked endogenous Ca2+ release to the Wnt signaling network. Our data suggests that distinct Ca2+ release dynamics lead to antagonism of the developmentally important Wnt/beta-catenin pathway while sustained Ca2+ release modulates polarized cell movements.
The correction, in vitro, of lysosomal enzyme deficiencies by means of immunoglobulin-coated liposomes.

In 1965, we described, with A. D. Bangham (1) the formation of artificial lipid structures which could serve as models for the membranes of cells and/or organelles. By 1968 (2), we had coined the term “liposome” to describe these artificial, multilamellar structures, which, in their response to steroids, lytic proteins, polyene antibiotics, etc. closely resembled natural biomembranes. (The term “liposome” has now been generally accepted). Yet it was not until 1970 (3) that it became possible to encapsulate an enzyme, rather than low molecular weight solutes such as ions, glucose or dyes, into the aqueous interstices between the multilamellar lipid bilayers of liposomes. We utilized the enzyme lysozyme and established its mode of trapping in the following fashion: Gel filtration resolved liposomes formed in the absence of enzyme from free enzyme when both were chromatographed immediately after mixing. In contrast, if liposomes were permitted to form in the presence of lysozyme, subsequent chromatography disclosed two peaks of enzyme activity: one associated with liposomes, the other emerging as free lysozyme. The activity of lysozyme associated with liposomes was “latent” i.e. there was little or no activity on substrate unless the liposomes were disrupted by Triton X-100, amphotericin B, or nystatin.
Targeting the mast cell: Beyond KIT

[Comment on Aichberger et al, page 3031][1]In this issue of Blood , Aichberger and colleagues identify the antiapoptotic protein Mcl-1 as a novel therapeutic target in mastocytosis and show that inhibition of Mcl-1 potentiates the effects of KIT tyrosine inhibitors on survival of leukemic mast cell
Cement augmentation of refractory osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: survivorship analysis.

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort. OBJECTIVE To compare survivorship after cement augmentation of refractory osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) with traditional inpatient pain management and bracing. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA OVCFs can cause debilitating pain and functional decline necessitating prolonged bed rest and high-dose narcotics. Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are cement augmentation procedures used to control pain and restore function in patients with OVCF's that are refractory to conservative treatment. Early mobilization is associated with improved survival after other fractures in elderly patients. METHODS A university hospital database was used to identify all participants treated with primary diagnosis of OVCF between 1993 and 2006. Chart review and imaging studies were used to confirm demographics, comorbidities, diagnosis, and treatment. Survival time was determined using hospital data, national death indices and patient follow-up. Exact Fisher tests, Mann-Whitney tests, and proportional hazards regression models with Kaplan-Meier plots compared patients treated with cement augmentation with controls treated with inpatient pain management and bracing. Patients with high-energy trauma, tumors or age more than 60 years were excluded. RESULTS Within the past 12 years, 46 patients treated with cement augmentation and 129 matched controls met inclusion criteria. They did not differ with respect to age, sex, and comorbidities. A significant survival advantage was found after cement augmentation compared with controls (P < 0.001; log rank), regardless of comorbidities, age, or the number of fractures diagnosed at the start date (P = 0.565). Controlling simultaneously for covariates, the estimated hazard ratio associated with cementation was 0.10 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.02-0.43; P = 0.002) for year 1, 0.15 (95% CI = 0.02-1.12; P = 0.064) for year 2, and 0.95 (95% CI = 0.32-2.79; P = 0.919) for subsequent follow-up. The number of OVCFs at the start time of treatment did not affect survival benefit of cementation (P = 0.44). CONCLUSION Cement augmentation of refractory OVCF improves survival for up to 2 years when compared with conservative pain management with bed rest, narcotics, and extension bracing, regardless of age, sex, and number of fractures or comorbidities. Therefore, aggressive management should be considered for refractory OVCFs with intractable back pain.
How does large scale Retail Enterprise walk out of Difficulty through Electronic Commence

Now many of large retail enterprises in our country are facing the difficulty of decreasing sale amount and profit. It is because that: many enterprises are facing intensive competition, and they do not have good information. Besides, their thought is limited. 21st century is a century of e-commerce. Those enterprises should make full use of this chance to walk out of the difficulty. I think that the retail enterprise should take full advantage of "itinerant merchant" but not give up the form of traditional "tradesman". Retail enterprises can have these three ways: making use of the MIS to carry out modem and scientific management; constructing an electronic shopping center; constructing a delivering system.
Cognitive Conditions of Vocabulary Learning in Natural Linguistic Environment

How does a child undersand a word that he has never encountered before? Without a professional language teacher's instruction or a dictionary's explanation,how does he acquire a new word? What is the cognitive condition for this learning process? An understanding of this sheds light on an understanding of the cognitive condition for the learning of vocabulary of a foreign language.
Honey Bees and Colony Collapse Disorder: A Pluralistic Reframing

Scientific narratives surrounding colony collapse disorder (CCD) are often played against one another. However, oppositional knowledge politics do not neatly segregate the materiality and causal properties of the ecological phenomena they represent. Thus the challenge with CCD is not just to describe the partisan character of how knowledge about it is socially produced. It is also about how to integrate these politics through their less antagonistic material ecologies. We review three dominant discourses underlying CCD and honey bee decline and present a synthesis that conveys how their socially embedded perceptions about ecological causality are more compatible. We invoke a theoretical framework from complexity theory to demonstrate how multiple kinds of ecological causality, from the identifiable and addressable to the more emergent and unpredictable, can align under conflicting policy positions. We argue that this continuum of ecological explanations is a more conciliatory framework for responding to CCD. It provides an alternative to the antagonistic politics that tend to reify and defend either a restrictive search for a singular cause, a paralyzing documentation of all possible permutations of CCD, or a return to a utopian agrarian past. Relating how ecological knowledge is socially produced can illuminate stakeholder positions and strategies. But it is also constructive to map out how the ecological suppositions underlying them relate and inform one under.
Spermicidal effect of antagonists of platelet-activating factor.

A variety of antagonists of platelet-activating factor (PAF) have been examined for their ability to prevent pregnancy, by admixture with spermatozoa in vitro followed by insemination, or in vivo by administration to female rabbits. When the antagonists were added to the ejaculate at a concentration of 10−4 M 30 minutes before insemination of the females, a significant failure of fertilization was seen only with CV-3988, U66985, and SRI 63-441—all structural analogs of PAF. Antagonists that were not structural analogs were not effective. All compounds to a lesser or greater extent caused some qualitative agglutination and loss of sperm motility, but these effects were not correlated with inhibition of fertilization. SRI 63-441 was the most effective compound and was subjected to further study. When given intravenously prior to ovulation (5 mg/kg at 1, 5, and 9 hours after the ovulating injection), no effect on fertilization was seen. If SRI 63-441 (40 mg in 0.5 ml aqueous solution) was instilled into the vagina 2 minutes before insemination, a highly significant reduction in the fertilization rate was achieved. It is concluded that these compounds act by an action on the sperm membrane rather than by direct PAF antagonism on spermatozoa.
The response of FDG uptake to immunosuppressive treatment on FDG PET/CT imaging for cardiac sarcoidosis

Immunosuppression is used to treat cardiac sarcoidosis, despite limited data. FDG PET/CT is used for detecting cardiac inflammation in patients with CS, yet there is variability in interpretation of FDG PET/CT. Our aim was to compare quantitative and qualitative interpretation of FDG PET/CT for CS in defining the FDG response to immunosuppression. Patients with CS (N = 43 total studies from 17 patients) had serial FDG PET/CT studies before/after immunosuppression. FDG uptake was analyzed qualitatively (visually; FDG-positive segments) and quantitatively (SUVmax; cardiac metabolic volume and activity (CMV, CMA); volume above SUV thresholds 2.7 and 4.1 g/mL). Complete resolution of FDG uptake was common using CMA (10/17), CMV (10/17), but a 2.7 g/mL SUV threshold (13/17) and SUVmax (14/17) were more likely to define partial responses. In six patients imaged after a reduction in immunosuppression, 4/6 had a rebound quantitative FDG uptake. Quantitative interpretation of FDG PET/CT in CS can detect changes in FDG uptake in response to immunosuppression. Further studies are needed to see if quantitative changes in FDG uptake are associated with improved outcomes.
A Retrospective on ORCA: Open Resource Control Architecture

ORCA is an extensible platform for building infrastructure servers based on a foundational leasing abstraction. These servers include Aggregate Managers for diverse resource providers and stateful controllers for dynamic slices. ORCA also defines a brokering architecture and control framework to link these servers together into a federated multi-domain deployment. This chapter reviews the architectural principles of ORCA and outlines how they enabled and influenced the design of the ExoGENI Racks deployment, which is built on the ORCA platform. It also sets ORCA in context with the GENI architecture as it has evolved.
Acute partial sleep deprivation due to environmental noise increases weight gain by reducing energy expenditure in rodents

Objective Chronic partial sleep deprivation (SD) by environmental noise exposure increases weight gain and feeding in rodents, which contrasts weight loss after acute SD by physical methods. This study tested whether acute environmental noise exposure reduced sleep and its effect on weight gain, food intake, physical activity, and energy expenditure (EE). It was hypothesized that acute exposure would (1) increase weight gain and feeding and (2) reduce sleep, physical activity, and EE (total and individual components); and (3) behavioral changes would persist throughout recovery from SD. Methods Three-month old male Sprague-Dawley rats slept ad libitum, were noise exposed (12-h light cycle), and allowed to recover (36 h). Weight gain, food intake, sleep/wake, physical activity, and EE were measured. Results Acute environmental noise exposure had no effect on feeding, increased weight gain (P < 0.01), and reduced sleep (P < 0.02), physical activity (P < 0.03), total EE (P < 0.05), and several components (P < 0.05). Reductions in EE and physical activity persisted during recovery. Conclusions Reductions in EE during sleep, rest, and physical activity reduce total EE and contribute to weight gain during acute SD and recovery from SD. These data emphasize the importance of increasing physical activity after SD to prevent obesity.
Engineering Report: A tool to facilitate learning for real-world problem solving

Data from a design-based pilot study that applied Engineering Report team project in facilitating the development of problem solving skills in a real-world situation are reported. Pedagogies validated in Model Eliciting Activities (MEA) and instructions for solving ill-structured problems are applied to the design and the implementation of the Engineering Report project. Students' written work and oral presentations are reviewed, using developed rubrics. In general, students gained engineer experiences and skills in analyzing a hydroelectric system. However, uneven learning outcomes are observed. Students who embraced the learning opportunity and learned to articulate problem spaces displayed positive learning outcomes beyond expectations. Instructional interventions are necessary to support students who are not able to break boundaries imposed by accustomed traditional approaches.
Social Cognition and the Pragmatics of Ideology

In this paper a theory of ideology which is based on the interaction of social and cognitive factors is discussed. This theory takes a pragmatic approach to build its main background theory. The present model would also provide evidence for the need to expand our understanding of the basic units of pragmatic analysis and pragmatic acts in general, in order to include the cognitive and social factors associated with language and ideology, as implied by the general theory of the pragmeme.
Passive earth entry vehicle landing test

Two full-scale passive Earth Entry Vehicles (EEV) with realistic structure, surrogate sample container, and surrogate Thermal Protection System (TPS) were built at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) and tested at the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR). The main test objective was to demonstrate structural integrity and investigate possible impact response deviations of the realistic vehicle as compared to rigid penetrometer responses. With the exception of the surrogate TPS and minor structural differences in the back shell construction, the two test vehicles were identical in geometry and both utilized the Integrated Composite Stiffener Structure (ICoSS) structural concept in the forward shell. The ICoSS concept is a lightweight and highly adaptable composite concept developed at NASA LaRC specifically for entry vehicle TPS carrier structures. The instrumented test vehicles were released from a helicopter approximately 400 m above ground. The drop height was selected such that at least 98% of the vehicles terminal velocity would be achieved. While drop tests of spherical penetrometers and a low fidelity aerodynamic EEV model were conducted at UTTR in 1998 and 2000, this was the first time a passive EEV with flight-like structure, surrogate TPS, and sample container was tested at UTTR for the purpose of complete structural system validation. Test results showed that at a landing vertical speed of approximately 30 m/s, the test vehicle maintained structural integrity and enough rigidity to penetrate the sandy clay surface thus attenuating the landing load, as measured at the vehicle CG, to less than 600 g. This measured deceleration was found to be in family with rigid penetrometer test data from the 1998 and 2000 test campaigns. Design implications of vehicle structure/soil interaction with respect to sample container and sample survivability are briefly discussed.
Cardiovascular events and hospital resource utilization pre- and post-transcatheter mitral valve repair in high-surgical risk patients.

Abstract Background MitraClip is an approved therapy for mitral regurgitation (MR) however, healthcare resource utilization pre and post MitraClip remains understudied. Methods and Results Patients with functional and degenerative MR at high surgical risk in the EVEREST II High-Risk Registry and REALISM Continued Access Study were linked to Medicare data. Pre- and post-MitraClip all-cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure (HF), and bleeding hospitalizations were identified. Inpatient costs, adjusted to 2010 US$, were calculated and event rate ratios and cost ratios were estimated with multivariable modeling. Among 403 linked patients, the mean age was 80years, 60% were male, mean baseline LVEF was 49.6%, 83.3% were NYHA class III/IV, 78.2% were MR grade 3+/4+, and 63.3% had functional MR. All-cause hospitalization decreased from 1854 to 1435 / 1000 person-years, P P P P =.02). Conclusions MitraClip was associated with a reduced rate of all-cause and HF hospitalizations and an increased rate of bleeding hospitalizations. One-year Medicare costs were reduced in those who survived a full year after the MitraClip procedure. Payors and providers seeking to reduce HF hospitalizations and associated Medicare costs may consider MitraClip among appropriate patients likely to survive 1year. Clinical Trial Registration https://clinicaltrials.gov EVEREST II High Risk Registry (NCT-01940120) and EVEREST II REALISM (NCT-01931956).
Supercomputing-enabled first-principles analysis of wireless channels in real-world environments

Wireless communications are expected to take place in increasingly complicated scenarios, such as dense urban, forest, tunnel and other significant cluttered environments. A key challenge emerging is to understand the physics and characteristics of wireless channels in complex environments, which are critical for the analysis, design, and application of future mobile and wireless communication systems. The objective of this work is to investigate high-resolution, high-performance computational algorithms for extreme-scale channel modehng in real-world environments. The system-level large scene analysis is enabled by the novel, ultra-parallel algorithms on the emerging exascale high-performance computing (HPC) platforms. The results lead to much greater channel model resolution than existing deterministic channel modeling technologies. All relevant propagation mechanisms are accounted for in first-principles. Such a modeling framework will be critical to gaining fundamental physics of wireless propagation channels in real-world scenarios.
Prior exposure to repeated peripheral LPS injections prevents further accumulation of hippocampal beta-amyloid

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that repeated bouts of LPS-induced inflammation increase beta-amyloid within the hippocampus of non-transgenic mice. Given the relationship between inflammation and AD pathology onset and progression, we sought to explore how a second series of peripheral lipopolysaccharide (LPS) would impact beta-amyloid levels. Male C57BL6/J mice were given daily injections of LPS (250 μg/kg) or sterile saline for seven days. Fourteen days following the last injection, animals were administered another series of daily injections of LPS or sterile saline. Hippocampal tissue was collected and assayed to quantify total beta-amyloid levels. Results demonstrated that animals given one round of LPS injections had significantly more beta-amyloid than saline injected controls, whereas animals administered two rounds of LPS had intermediary levels of beta-amyloid. This effect appears to be driven by the reduced inflammatory response to the secondary exposure to LPS following a fourteen-day recovery. More specifically, four hours following the first LPS injection of the second series, animals previously exposed to LPS produced significantly less pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA than animals exposed to LPS for the first time. The mechanisms behind this diminished inflammatory response may be related to antibody production against LPS or cellular tolerance, both of which are currently being explored.
Carbon Credits and Other Market Based Mechanisms

The global carbon credit mechanism is a market-oriented solution to environmental problems, particularly the reduction of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide. This mechanism requires a number of countries and corporations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions or to purchase emission reduction quantity (also called carbon credits) from countries or corporations with a surplus. The purpose of this study is to analyze the creation and nature of the carbon credits market and to examine how these credits are traded in global climate exchanges. This is an exploratory and analytical study in which secondary sources are utilized. The climate exchanges have encouraged developing as well as developed countries to invest in renewable energy sources including solar energy. It is concluded that carbon credits trading has real economic benefits for both sides.
Impact of course policy changes on calculus II DFW rates

This paper examines the impact of departmental policy changes on the trend in DFW proportions for Calculus II at a large research university. Calculus I and II have been shown to be barrier courses for STEM majors, so increasing student success in these courses is imperative to retaining more students in STEM fields. A study was conducted to investigate how the DFW proportions for Calculus II changed in response to the policy changes. The data spanned Spring 2002–Fall 2016, and major changes in policy took place twice during this time. The policy changes were a combination of instructional method, textbook and online homework software, grading policies and passing conditions for the course. Three periods corresponding to the policy changes were defined: Pre-SCALE-UP (2002–2006), Active Learning (SCALE-UP) (2007–2013), and Post-SCALE-UP (2014–2016). The findings suggested that the second round of policy changes made in Calculus II had a larger impact on the mean DFW proportion than the first round of policy changes. The policy changes impacted individual D, F, and W proportions for the fall semester, while only the W proportion for the spring semester seemed to be affected, specifically by the Post-SCALE-UP changes.
United States Criminal Code: Offenses Against: Morality and Decency; Public Peace; Justice Administration

This chapter focuses on a wide range of federal crimes. Federal powers to define crimes in the area of morals, public peace, and justice administration are constrained by the limits of federal power. The federal government must have some justification to pass laws in either the commerce clause or some other enumerated federal power. Laws relating to prostitution require interstate transportation to bring the offense into federal jurisdiction. The federal government has been active in prosecuting child pornography; however, recent decisions of the Supreme Court indicate that the law punishing the use of “virtual children” when they are portrayed engaging in sex acts or posing for sexual gratification violates the Constitution. The “federalization” of drug laws has dramatically changed the prosecution of drug offenders in the United States from largely a state and local activity to one shared almost equally between federal law enforcement and state law enforcement.
A naturalistic examination of the perceived effects of cannabis on negative affect.

Abstract Background Cannabis is commonly used to alleviate symptoms of negative affect. However, a paucity of research has examined the acute effects of cannabis on negative affect in everyday life. The current study provides a naturalistic account of perceived changes in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress as a function of dose and concentration of Δ 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Method Data from the app Strainprint TM (which provides medical cannabis users a means of tracking changes in symptoms as a function of different doses and chemotypes of cannabis) were analyzed using multilevel modeling. In total, 11,953 tracked sessions were analyzed (3,151 for depression, 5,085 for anxiety, and 3,717 for stress). Results Medical cannabis users perceived a 50% reduction in depression and a 58% reduction in anxiety and stress following cannabis use. Two puffs were sufficient to reduce ratings of depression and anxiety, while 10+ puffs produced the greatest perceived reductions in stress. High CBD (>9.5%)/low THC ( 11%)/high THC (>26.5%) cannabis produced the largest perceived changes in stress. No changes in the perceived efficacy of cannabis were detected across time. However, baseline symptoms of depression (but not anxiety or stress) appeared to be exacerbated across time/tracked sessions. Limitations The primary limitations are the self-selected nature of the sample and the inability to control for expectancy effects. Conclusions Cannabis reduces perceived symptoms of negative affect in the short-term, but continued use may exacerbate baseline symptoms of depression over time.
Identification of an Unfavorable Immune Signature in Advanced Lung Tumors from Nrf2-Deficient Mice

Abstract Aims: Activation of the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) pathway in normal cells inhibits carcinogenesis, whereas constitutive activation of Nrf2 in cancer cells promotes...
Wetland Fish Monitoring and Assessment

Fish sampling is an important component of wetland research, management, conservation, monitoring, and assessment programs, and studies of fish abundance, productivity, and community structure can provide important information about wetland condition and health. In this chapter, we discuss considerations specific to wetland sampling, including issues such as the phenology of wetland use by transient fishes and sampling constraints in hydrologically-dynamic habitats. We review both active techniques, which involve moving the gear to the fish, and passive techniques, which involve the fish moving to the gear, and differentiate gears based on their ability to provide qualitative or quantitative data. Because wetlands vary considerably in their hydrology, physicochemistry, habitat structure and biotic community composition, we review and recommend a wide variety of collection techniques, including seines, minnow traps, gill and entrapment nets, electrofishing, throw and drop traps, weirs, and trawls. Problems and solutions related to gear calibration and gear bias also are addressed, and we provide examples and exercises that demonstrate common approaches to sampling wetland fishes.
Cholinergic Interneurons Amplify Thalamostriatal Excitation of Striatal Indirect Pathway Neurons in Parkinson's Disease Models

Summary The motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are thought to stem from an imbalance in the activity of striatal direct- and indirect-pathway spiny projection neurons (SPNs). Disease-induced alterations in the activity of networks controlling SPNs could contribute to this imbalance. One of these networks is anchored by the parafascicular nucleus (PFn) of the thalamus. To determine the role of the PFn in striatal PD pathophysiology, optogenetic, chemogenetic, and electrophysiological tools were used in ex vivo slices from transgenic mice with region-specific Cre recombinase expression. These studies revealed that in parkinsonian mice, the functional connectivity of PFn neurons with indirect pathway SPNs (iSPNs) was selectively enhanced by cholinergic interneurons acting through presynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) on PFn terminals. Attenuating this network adaptation by chemogenetic or genetic strategies alleviated motor-learning deficits in parkinsonian mice, pointing to a potential new therapeutic strategy for PD patients.
Modeling Degradation Kinetics in Dry Foods Storage under Varying Temperature and Moisture Content—Theoretical Evaluation

The combined effect of temperature and moisture (or water activity) on the rate of nutrients loss and other deteriorative chemical reactions in foods has been primarily studied in relation to drying. In long foods storage, changes in their temperature and/or moisture content are much slower and never as dramatic, but their effect can be similar in kind. Reported degradation reactions in foods mostly followed first- or other fixed-order kinetics. Hence, their progress under dynamic conditions primarily depends on the varying rate constant. Perhaps the most economic way to describe the rate constant’s variations pattern and magnitude is a two-parameter temperature-dependence model whose two coefficients are moisture dependent, each described by another two-parameter model, which brings the total number of adjustable parameters to four. Such a flexible model is the two-parameter exponential temperature-dependence term, a simpler substitute to the Arrhenius equation, whose two parameters’ moisture dependencies are also described by two similar exponential terms. This model’s flexibility is demonstrated with computer simulations of chemical degradation under varying temperature and moisture conditions. Testing a large number of products stored for long times by the traditional methods to determine a reaction’s kinetic parameters and their temperature and moisture dependencies can create logistic problems. Theoretically, they can be avoided by estimating the kinetic parameters directly from several successive concentration determinations during a single dynamic storage experiment whereby the monitored temperature and moisture are allowed to vary arbitrarily. The principle is demonstrated with simulated data having no or very small errors. However, its practical implementation might not be effective if the experimental concentration measurements have a substantial scatter.
Topological nearrings whose additive groups are Euclidean

Let (G,+) be a group with a locally compact Hausdorff topology for which the binary operation + is continuous. Those, binary operation * onG for which (G, +, *) is a topological nearring are described. In the case whereG is abelian, those binary operations * for which (G, +, *) is a topological ring are also described. Versions of these results are then obtained in the special case where the group is the topological Euclideann-group,Rn. A family of binary operations * for which (Rn, +, *)_is a topological nearring is then investigated in some detail. Most of these nearrings turn out to be planar. Their ideals are completely determined and we characterize those nearrings which are simple. The multiplicative semi-groups (Rn, *) of these nearrings are then investigated. Green's relations are completely determined and it is shown that a number of familiar properties of semigroups are equivalent for these particular semigroups. Finally, all those binary operations * for which (R, +, *) is a topological nearring are completely described. It is determined when any two of these nearrings are isomorphic and for each of these nearrings, its automorphism group, is completely determined.
Efficacy of copper and silver as residual disinfectants in drinking water.

Contamination events and biofilms can decrease the amount of free chlorine available in drinking water systems. The efficacy of 100 μg/L silver and 400 μg/L copper, individually and combined, were ...