cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Magnetorheological measurements with consideration for the internal magnetic field in samples

The magnetically induced yield stress in a sample of suspension of magnetic particles is associated with formation of a field-oriented structure, the strength of which depends on the degree of particles magnetization. This factor is largely defined by the actual magnetic field strength in the sample. At the same time it is common practice to present and analyze magnetorheological characteristics as a function of the applied magnetic field. Uncertainty of an influence function in magnetorheology hampers interpretation of data obtained with different measurement configurations. It was shown in this paper that rheological response of magnetorheological fluid to the applied magnetic field is defined by the sample's actual (internal) magnetic field intensity, which, in turn, depends on sample geometry and field orientation all other factors being equal. Utilization of the sample's actual field as an influence function in magnetorheology allows proper interpretation of data obtained with different measuring system configurations. Optimization of the actual internal field is a promising approach in designing of energy efficient magnetorheological devices.
Microcracking and porosity in calcium phosphates and the implications for bone tissue engineering

Calcium phosphates including hydroxyapatite (HA) have been widely studied as bone scaffold materials. However their mechanical properties are highly variable and may be a function of thermal expansion anisotropy (TEA) induced stresses and microcracking. There is confusion concerning the mechanisms and microscopic identification of microcracks in HA. This study presents clear evidence of microcracking from micrographs of as-sintered HA surfaces which avoids the complications of identifying TEA-induced microcracks on fracture surfaces. Additionally, the existing literature of TEA-induced microcracking is briefly reviewed and pertinent papers involving likely microcracking in HA are analyzed. The recent realization in the biomedical literature notes that microcracks are of critical importance in remodeling and repair of damaged bone tissue. Hence, the similarities between microcracking in HA used for scaffolds in bone tissue engineering and that in the normal bone repair process is of importance in designing HA scaffolds with improved mechanical properties and biocompatibility.
Emotional intelligence and organizational learning in work teams

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relation between emotional intelligence (EI), team learning and team psychological safety, using a context sensitive approach.Design/methodology/approach – Using an internet survey‐research design, employees embedded inside work teams were asked to respond to an anonymous survey battery. Careful attention was paid to the collection of data from members of ad hoc teams currently engaged in projects within their respective organizations.Findings – Post analysis, evidence suggested EI was significantly and positively related with team psychological safety and team learning. Likewise, team psychological safety was significantly associated with team learning. Q‐Sorting technique was used to establish discriminant validity between the three scales. Bootstrapping revealed that team psychological safety mediated the relation between EI and team learning.Research limitations/implications – The paper’s results extend current theoretical bounds of organization le...
A Model to Explain Shareholder Returns: Marketing Implications

This study attempts to lend empirical evidence to the relevance of the arbitrate pricing theory in providing economic interpretation to stock market factors. A multistage model to explain the stock returns of a representative set of U.S. companies is developed. Monthly returns data for individual securities are obtained and the cross-sectional interdependencies between securities are identified. The returns of the securities are found to be related to at least three, and possibly four, factors. The hypotheses related these factors to broad economic aggregates such as cost and supply of money, in addition to the market return index. The presence of idiosyncratic industry effect in the market is also demonstrated. The replication of the analysis with another sample from a different time period yields similar results. Marketing implications are drawn based on the findings of this study.
Parenting and plasticity

As any new parent knows, having a baby provides opportunities for enrichment, learning and stress – experiences known to change the adult brain. Yet surprisingly little is known about the effects of maternal experience, and even less about the effects of paternal experience, on neural circuitry not directly involved in parenting. Here we discuss how caregiving and the accompanying experiential and hormonal changes influence the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, brain regions involved in cognition and mood regulation. A better understanding of how parenting impacts the brain is likely to help in devising strategies for treating parental depression, a condition that can have serious cognitive and mental health consequences for children.
Educational Castles in the Air

Improving the abilities of our future engineers seems to call for enhanced study of the natural sciences as against continued study of applications of current hardware; however, we find that today's engineering college was built and designed along hardware lines. A new form of engineering college organization is proposed in which the departmental and divisional responsibilities cover areas of scientific subject matter rather than areas leading to specific degrees. Realignment of conventional departmental areas will lead to an engineering program which will carry some of the aspects of liberal arts but with technical course subject matter. It should provide the freedom of choice and the mathematical depth required for the engineer of tomorrow.
A course on alternative energy wind/PV/fuel cell power generation

Interest in production of electricity from renewable energy sources and by fuel cells is rapidly increasing. This paper presents the development of a multi-disciplinary course on alternative energy wind/photovoltaic/fuel cell power generation. The motivation for the course is outlined and a detailed description of the topics covered in the course is given. Sample student projects, and students' response to the course are presented. The course is a part of the graduate program in power engineering and an elective for the undergraduate electrical engineering students at Montana State University.
Repeat evaluations of retarded children.

Six types of parental motivation for repeated evaluation of retarded children are identified. Two reflect parents' use of evaluations to deny a defect in the child. The remainder represent inability of professionals to meet the needs of parent and child. Suggestions are given as to how services can be adapted to be more effective.
Biotic and abiotic factors influence horseweed emergence

Abstract Factors affecting horseweed emergence are important for management of this weed species, particularly because of the presence of herbicide-resistant biotypes. Horseweed emergence was highly variable and not strongly correlated to soil temperature (r2 = 0.21), air temperature (r2 = 0.45) or rainfall (r2 = 0.32). Horseweed emerged mainly during April and September in Tennessee when average daytime temperatures fluctuate between 10 and 15.5 C. However, some horseweed plants emerged during almost any month when temperatures ranged from 10 to 25 C and adequate moisture was available at the soil surface. Horseweed densities ranged from a low of 30 to 50 plants m−2 to a high of > 1,500 plants−2 at one location. These extremely high densities illustrate the ability of horseweed to be an effective ruderal plant that can produce stands that approach monoculture densities if not controlled. The amount of crop residue remaining after harvest from the previous field season was in the order of corn > cotton > ...
Machine learning for automatic mapping of planetary surfaces

We describe an application of machine learning to the problem of geomorphic mapping of planetary surfaces. Mapping landforms on planetary surfaces is an important task and the first step to deepen our understanding of many geologic processes. Until now such maps have been manually drawn by a domain expert. We describe a framework to automate the mapping process by means of segmentation and classification of landscape datasets. We propose and implement a number of extensions to the existing methodology with particular emphasis on the incorporation of machine learning techniques. These extensions result in a robust and practical mapping system that we apply on six sites on Mars. Support Vector Machines show the best mapping results with an accuracy rate of » 91%. The resultant maps reflect the geomorphology of the sites and have appearance reminiscent of traditional, manually drawn maps. The system is capable of mapping numerous sites using a limited training set. Immediate and eventual applications of this automated mapping system are discussed in the context of planetary science and other domains.
The role of sirtuins in cardiac disease

Modification of histones is one of the important mechanisms of epigenetics, in which genetic control is determined by factors other than an individual's DNA sequence. Sirtuin family proteins, which are class III histone deacetylases, were originally identified as gene silencers that affect the mating type of yeast, leading to the name "silent mating-type information regulation 2" (SIR2). They are characterized by their requirement of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide for their enzyme activity, unlike other classes of histone deacetylases. Sirtuins have been traditionally linked to longevity and the beneficial effects of calorie restriction and DNA damage repair. Recently, sirtuins have been shown to be involved in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes, including aging, energy responses to low calorie availability, and stress resistance, as well as apoptosis and inflammation. Sirtuins can also regulate mitochondrial biogenesis and circadian clocks. Seven sirtuin family proteins (Sirt1-7) have been identified as mammalian SIR2 orthologs, localized in different subcellular compartments, namely, the cytoplasm (Sirt1, 2), the mitochondria (Sirt3, 4, 5), and the nucleus (Sirt1, 2, 6, 7). Sirt1 is evolutionarily close to yeast SIR2 and has been the most intensively investigated in the cardiovascular system. Endogenous Sirt1 plays a pivotal role in mediating the cell death/survival process and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Downregulation of Sirt2 is protective against ischemic-reperfusion injury. Increased Sirt3 expression has been shown to correlate with longevity in humans. In addition, Sirt3 protects cardiomyocytes from aging and oxidative stress and suppresses cardiac hypertrophy. Sirt6 has also recently been demonstrated to attenuate cardiac hypertrophy, and Sirt7 is known to regulate apoptosis and stress responses in the heart. On the other hand, the roles of Sirt4 and Sirt5 in the heart remain largely uncharacterized.
Late Stages of Phase Separation in a Binary Polymer Blend Studied by Rheology, Optical and Electron Microscopy, and Solid State NMR

The relation between rheology and the time dependent morphology of a phase-separating binary blend of polystyrene and poly(vinyl methyl ether) was investigated by heating a sample from the single-phase (at 90 °C) into the two-phase regime (at 124 °C, 16 K above the LCST) and maintaining its temperature there while measuring the evolution of the dynamic moduli G‘ and G‘‘. Morphological changes occurred slowly so that there was sufficient time to cycle the dynamic mechanical measurements repeatedly over five decades in frequency. The morphology was observed on length scales from 1 mm down to 1 nm by conventional optical microscopy combined with digital image analysis, Hoffman modulation microscopy, TEM, and WISE NMR with spin diffusion. NMR shows that major compositional changes occur mostly in the first 20 min and then the composition remains constant at about 60:40 PS/PVME for the PS-rich matrix and 5:95 PS/PVME for the PVME-rich microdomains. The PVME-rich microdomains are separated by thin layers of the...
Leukotriene D4 induces gene expression in human monocytes through cysteinyl leukotriene type I receptor

Background Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) are important mediators of innate immune responsiveness and chronic inflammatory diseases. CysLTs acting through CysLT receptors can influence the migration and activity of cells, such as eosinophils, monocytes, and dendritic cells. Objective We sought to determine the gene expression signature of human monocytes in response to CysLTs and to elucidate the signaling pathways involved in monocyte activation. Methods Gene expression was analyzed by using oligonucleotide microarrays. Responsiveness to CysLTs was assessed by using real-time PCR, calcium flux, kinase activation, and chemotaxis assays. Results CysLT type 1 receptor (CysLTR 1 ) transcript 1 is predominantly expressed in human monocytes, and CysLTs signal through CysLTR 1 in these cells. Several immediate-early genes, including early growth response 2 and 3, FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog B, activating transcription factor 3, and nuclear receptor subfamily 4 were significantly induced by leukotriene (LT) D 4 . This effect was mediated by CysLTR 1 coupled to the G protein α inhibitory subunit, activation of phospholipase C, and inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate and store-operated calcium channels. LTD 4 induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, a pathway also involved in the regulation of immediate-early gene expression in monocytes. LTD 4 stimulated monocyte chemotactic activity that was fully blocked by a selective CysLTR 1 inhibitor, MK571, and pertussis toxin, suggesting that CysLTR 1 coupled to the G protein α inhibitory subunit is a dominant functional pathway in human monocytes. Conclusion Our data show that CysLTs acting through CysLTR 1 can significantly influence the activation and migration of human monocytes and that these effects can be fully inhibited by CysLTR 1 antagonists.
A mycobacterial enzyme essential for cell division synergizes with resuscitation-promoting factor.

The final stage of bacterial cell division requires the activity of one or more enzymes capable of degrading the layers of peptidoglycan connecting two recently developed daughter cells. Although this is a key step in cell division and is required by all peptidoglycan-containing bacteria, little is known about how these potentially lethal enzymes are regulated. It is likely that regulation is mediated, at least partly, through protein–protein interactions. Two lytic transglycosylases of mycobacteria, known as resuscitation-promoting factor B and E (RpfB and RpfE), have previously been shown to interact with the peptidoglycan-hydrolyzing endopeptidase, Rpf-interacting protein A (RipA). These proteins may form a complex at the septum of dividing bacteria. To investigate the function of this potential complex, we generated depletion strains in M. smegmatis. Here we show that, while depletion of rpfB has no effect on viability or morphology, ripA depletion results in a marked decrease in growth and formation of long, branched chains. These growth and morphological defects could be functionally complemented by the M. tuberculosis ripA orthologue (rv1477), but not by another ripA-like orthologue (rv1478). Depletion of ripA also resulted in increased susceptibility to the cell wall–targeting β-lactams. Furthermore, we demonstrate that RipA has hydrolytic activity towards several cell wall substrates and synergizes with RpfB. These data reveal the unusual essentiality of a peptidoglycan hydrolase and suggest a novel protein–protein interaction as one way of regulating its activity.
amrA encodes a putative membrane protein necessary for maximal exponential phase expression of the Mga virulence regulon in Streptococcus pyogenes.

Summary The transcriptional regulator Mga activates a regulon of virulence genes important for colonization and immune evasion in GAS. Using transposon mutagenesis of a serotype M6 group A streptococcus (GAS) reporter strain KSM148, we have identified an open reading frame (ORF) designated amrA that is required for maximal activation of the Mga regulon during exponential phase. A deletion in amrA, but not in the downstream transcriptionally linked ORF Spy0798, was able to reproduce the phenotype seen in the transposon mutants. Northern analysis for mga and emm transcripts, as well as Western analysis of Mga, confirmed a reduction in mga expression leading to a decrease in transcription of the Mga-regulated emm in the amrA deletion and transposon mutants. Furthermore, both the amrA deletion mutant and an original transposon mutant could be complemented using amrA expressed from a nisin-inducible expression system. As amrA is strongly conserved across the sequenced streptococcal M types, and inactivation of amrA in an M3 serotype also resulted in reduction of emm transcripts, the role of amrA does not appear to be serotype specific. Although the specific function of AmrA is unknown, its putative membrane localization and homology to transporters involved in cell wall synthesis suggest a link between growth and virulence gene expression in GAS.
Labor market conditions and employment of the mentally ill.

Background The mental health services literature includes assertions that workers with mental illness are at earlier risk of unemployment than other workers when the economy contracts. This possibility is important for several reasons. One is that such a phenomenon would support the argument that the lives of mentally ill persons are made unnecessarily stressful by the stigma of mental illness. Another is that the phenomenon could distort comparisons of the effectiveness of programs designed to prepare persons with severe mental illness for work. Despite its importance, the assertion that severely mentally ill workers are at early risk of unemployment has never been empirically tested. Aims of the Study We aim to test the hypothesis that unemployment among persons with severe mental illness (SMI) increases before job loss among other workers. Methods We test the hypothesis by applying Granger causality methods to time-series data collected in two communities in the United States (i.e., Concord and Manchester, NH) over 131 weeks beginning on 12 May 1991. Results We find no relationship between job loss in the labor market and the likelihood that persons with SMI will be unemployed. Discussion We speculate that persons with SMI participate in the secondary labor market and that their employment status is unlikely to be well described by data gathered in the primary labor market. This implies that widely available measures of labor market status, which are designed to describe the primary labor market, cannot be used to improve the evaluation of programs intended to prepare the mentally ill for work. We also discuss the possibility that persons with SMI may have needs that are better met by the secondary than by the primary labor market. Conclusions The intuition that workers with severe mental illness are affected earlier than other workers by labor market contraction may not be correct. We infer that persons with severe mental illness may participate in the secondary labor market about which we know relatively little. We cannot, therefore, easily adjust program evaluations to disentangle intervention effects from those, if any, of the labor market. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Scattered Golgi Elements during Microtubule Disruption Are Initially Enriched in Trans-Golgi Proteins

We have addressed the question of whether or not Golgi fragmentation, as exemplified by that occurring during drug-induced microtubule depolymerization, is accompanied by the separation of Golgi subcompartments one from another. Scattering kinetics of Golgi subcompartments during microtubule disassembly and reassembly following reversible nocodazole exposure was inferred from multimarker analysis of protein distribution. Stably expressed α-2,6-sialyltransferase and N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase-I (NAGT-I), both C-terminally tagged with the myc epitope, provided markers for the trans-Golgi/trans-Golgi network (TGN) and medial-Golgi, respectively, in Vero cells. Using immunogold labeling, the chimeric proteins were polarized within the Golgi stack. Total cellular distributions of recombinant proteins were assessed by immunofluorescence (anti-myc monoclonal antibody) with respect to the endogenous protein, β-1,4-galactosyltransferase (GalT, trans-Golgi/TGN, polyclonal antibody). ERGIC-53 served as a marker for the intermediate compartment). In HeLa cells, distribution of endogenous GalT was compared with transfected rat α-mannosidase II (medial-Golgi, polyclonal antibody). After a 1-h nocodazole treatment, Vero α-2,6-sialyltransferase and GalT were found in scattered cytoplasmic patches that increased in number over time. Initially these structures were often negative for NAGT-I, but over a two- to threefold slower time course, NAGT-I colocalized with α-2,6-sialyltransferase and GalT. Scattered Golgi elements were located in proximity to ERGIC-53-positive structures. Similar trans-first scattering kinetics was seen with the HeLa GalT/α-mannosidase II pairing. Following nocodazole removal, all cisternal markers accumulated at the same rate in a juxtanuclear Golgi. Accumulation of cisternal proteins in scattered Golgi elements was not blocked by microinjected GTPγS at a concentration sufficient to inhibit secretory processes. Redistribution of Golgi proteins from endoplasmic reticulum to scattered structures following brefeldin A removal in the presence of nocodazole was not blocked by GTPγS. We conclude that Golgi subcompartments can separate one from the other. We discuss how direct trafficking of Golgi proteins from the TGN/trans-Golgi to endoplasmic reticulum may explain the observed trans-first scattering of Golgi transferases in response to microtubule depolymerization.
Relationship between Interaction and Acceptance in Satellite Video-Conferencing.

The study focuses on the relationships between viewer interaction and their acceptance of programs delivered via satellite. The objectives were to i) describe the effectiveness of programs, ii) describe relations between the extent of audience interaction and levels of acceptance of programs, and iii) identify implications for practitioners, policy makers, and program developers. A cross-sectional survey was used to examine the responses of 240 Cornell Cooperative Extension field educators to satellite videoconferencing. Major findings were: viewer (educator) interaction among peers and interaction with the center were significantly correlated with the three levels (cognitive, affective, and behavioral) of acceptance of both administrative and in-service programs. Major implications include a) the need to emphasize interaction among viewers on site and interaction with presenters at the center, b) creation of a proper environment congenial to interaction, and c) the need to place greater emphasis on the r...
Alteration of Oxytocin-Induced Calcium Oscillations in Clone 9 Cells by Toxin Exposure

A communication-competent rat liver cell line (Clone 9) was examined as a model system to investigate the action of toxins on [Ca2+]i induced by extracellular signals. Clone 9 cells exhibit an initial [Ca2+]i spike followed by Ca2+ oscillations for at least 30 min after exposure to oxytocin (10 to 1000 nM). Oscillations of mitochondrial membrane potential were also detected using the potentiometric fluorescent probe rhodamine 123. Fast Fourier Transform showed that complex patterns of oscillations in Clone 9 cells exhibit both amplitude- and frequency-encoded signals. The initial Ca2+ peak and oscillations were not altered by ryanodine pretreatment but were suppressed by nifedipine and blocked by thapsigargin. Brief exposure of cells to the food-borne toxins patulin or gossypol or the environmental toxicant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin at doses which have no effect on cell viability within the duration of experiments was used to monitor any changes in Ca2+ oscillations. Toxin treatment either blocked or changed the amplitude and/or frequency of Ca2+ oscillations depending upon the toxin-specific mechanisms of cellular injury. These studies indicate that toxic agents may alter amplitude- and frequency-encoded information derived from cell signaling events which could result in altered cellular homeostasis at nonlethal doses of toxin.
Developing College and Career Readiness Through the Man Up! Men's Leadership Summit

I think what was good about this day is that at my high school my dreams were shot down. I was told I will never succeed in what I do and that scares me. I was at one point so sure who I was but the real world, it gets scary. This program told me that my dream of becoming governor could happen and come true if I put all my heart into it, and that made me feel so much better about myself. After participating in this program, I know I need to go to college to become what I want to become. Being here made me feel welcomed and that there is hope for my future. (student response on evaluation form, March 2011)
Spatio-temporal dimensions of child poverty in America, 1990–2010:

The persistence of childhood poverty in the United States, a wealthy and developed country, continues to pose both an analytical dilemma and public policy challenge, despite many decades of research and remedial policy implementation. In this paper, our goals are twofold, though our primary focus is methodological. We attempt both to examine the relationship between space, time, and previously established factors correlated with childhood poverty at the county level in the continental United States as well as to provide an empirical case study to demonstrate an underutilized methodological approach. We analyze a spatially consistent dataset built from the 1990 and 2000 U.S. Censuses, and the 2006-2010 American Community Survey. Our analytic approach includes cross-sectional spatial models to estimate the reproduction of poverty for each of the reference years as well as a fixed effects panel data model, to analyze change in child poverty over time. In addition, we estimate a full space-time interaction model, which adjusts for spatial and temporal variation in these data. These models reinforce our understanding of the strong regional persistence of childhood poverty in the U.S. over time and suggest that the factors impacting childhood poverty remain much the same today as they have in past decades.
Abstract 19281: Chemokine-Coupled β2 Integrin-Dependent mRNA Stabilization in Macrophages Modulates VEGF-A Protein Levels During Ischemia-Induced Arteriogenesis

VEGF-A directs both developmental and inducible arteriogenesis through the maturation of smaller vessels and the recruitment of collateral networks. Our lab has demonstrated that integrin-induced mRNA stability plays an important role in macrophage production of VEGF-A protein through translocation and activation of the mRNA stabilizing protein, HuR. It is well known that macrophages may serve as a source of VEGF-A; however, it remains unclear whether macrophages are the principle source of VEGF-A during ischemia-induced arteriogenesis and whether this integrin signaling mechanism modulates VEGF-A protein levels in ischemic muscle tissue in vivo. Here we demonstrate that chemokine-coupled β2 integrin adhesion signaling results in the formation of a complex between the low molecular weight G-protein, Rac2, and the heavy chain of Nonmuscle Myosin IIA (MyH9), leading to translocation of the message stabilizing protein, HuR, and the subsequent prolongation of VEGF-A mRNA half-life. Macrophage-specific gene deletion of MyH9 reduces chemokine-coupled β2 integrin adhesion-stimulated HuR translocation and consequent stabilization of VEGF-A message. Moreover, during hindlimb ischemia, there is global loss of VEGF-A protein in the arteriogenic muscle tissue along with decreased perfusion recovery secondary to decreased small vessel arteriogenesis in the macrophage-specific MyH9-/- mice. These defects appear specific to the induced inflammatory response as these mice demonstrate adequate capillary angiogenic, arteriogenic and arteriolar collateral development at baseline. This chemokine-coupled, adhesion-based signaling pathway provides a unique, rapid molecular switch in gene expression whereby inflammatory monocyte-derived macrophages become the key in vivo source of VEGF-A protein during ischemia-induced arteriogenesis. We anticipate this pathway to be a novel target for the therapeutic induction or inhibition of VEGF-A-mediated arteriogenesis where clinically relevant.
Breaking the Boundary: Reading Lahiri's The Lowland as a Neo-cosmopolitan Fiction

This essay offers a critical reading of Jhumpa Lahiri's The Lowland as a “neo-cosmopolitan fiction,” one which is invested in imagining a transnational and global community, in order to initiate a ...
OPALS: Mission System Operations Architecture for an Optical Communications Demonstration on the ISS

In spring 2014, the Optical PAyload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) will launch to the International Space Station (ISS) to demonstrate space-to-ground optical communications. During a 90-day baseline mission, OPALS will downlink high quality, short duration videos to the Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory (OCTL) in Wrightwood, California. To achieve mission success, interfaces to the ISS payload operations infrastructure are established. For OPALS, the interfaces facilitate activity planning, hazardous laser operations, commanding, and telemetry transmission. In addition, internal processes such as pointing prediction and data processing satisfy the technical requirements of the mission. The OPALS operations team participates in Operational Readiness Tests (ORTs) with external partners to exercise coordination processes and train for the overall mission. The tests have provided valuable insight into operational considerations on the ISS.
Babesia major in Britain: tick transmitted infections in splenectomised calves.

Summary Ticks (Haemaphysalis punctata), collected from vegetation in Kent and Essex, transmitted Babesia major to splenectomised calves. Trans-ovarial transmission was demonstrated and uymphal ticks, that moulted from the engorged infected larvae, also transmitted the parasite: the infection did not persist any longer in the ticks derived from the field collection. Ten splenectomised calves were infected by means of ticks and the infections produced were relatively mild. Maximum parasite counts varied from
Adult BMI and Access to Built Environment Resources in a High-Poverty, Urban Geography.

Introduction The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between BMI and access to built environment resources in a high-poverty, urban geography. Methods Participants (aged ≥35 years) were surveyed between November 2012 and July 2013 to examine access to common health-enabling resources (grocers, outpatient providers, pharmacies, places of worship, and physical activity resources). Survey data were linked to a contemporaneous census of built resources. Associations between BMI and access to resources (potential and realized) were examined using independent t -tests and multiple linear regression. Data analysis was conducted in 2014–2015. Results Median age was 53.8 years (N=267, 62% cooperation rate). Obesity (BMI ≥30) prevalence was 54.9%. BMI was not associated with potential access to resources located nearest to home. Nearly all participants (98.1%) bypassed at least one nearby resource type; half bypassed nearby grocers (realized access >1 mile from home). Bypassing grocers was associated with a higher BMI ( p =0.03). Each additional mile traveled from home to a grocer was associated with a 0.9-higher BMI (95% CI=0.4, 1.3). Quality and affordability were common reasons for bypassing resources. Conclusions Despite potential access to grocers in a high-poverty, urban region, half of participants bypassed nearby grocers to access food. Bypassing grocers was associated with a higher BMI.
Biotechnology and Insects

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews insect-derived tools used for biotechnological research and the use of recombinant DNA technology for management of insect pests and insect-borne disease. For example Baculoviruses, which are double-stranded DNA viruses that infect mainly insects, have been developed as baculovirus expression vectors (BEVs) by genetic modification to include a gene of interest. The BEV system also has potential industrial application for the production of proteins used in vaccines, therapeutic agents, and diagnostic reagents. With the help of biotechnology, management of insect pests and insect-borne disease can be done. Transposable elements are mobile segments of DNA that move from site to site within a genome and can be used for delivery of foreign DNA into the genomes of insects. Recent successes indicate that stable transformation of insects may become more routine in the foreseeable future. Transformation using transposable elements has been achieved for relatively few species, mostly within the Lepidoptera and Diptera. Other gene transfer systems using viruses or gene expression from transformed bacterial endosymbionts have been used for some species that are not amenable to direct transformation.
Cost-effectiveness of long-term oxygen therapy for chronic obstructive disease.

OBJECTIVES To assess the cost-effectiveness of long-term oxygen therapy to facilitate proper resource allocation. STUDY DESIGN Markov process. METHODS A Markov model was developed to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for continuous and nocturnal oxygen therapies. The maximum time horizon was set to 5 years. Efficacy variables were obtained from pertinent clinical studies. Cost variables were based on the current Medicare reimbursement rate and on appropriate sources. Multiple 1-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the robustness of base-case results. RESULTS The ICER for continuous oxygen therapy ($16,124 per quality-adjusted life-year [QALY]) was within bounds considered to be cost-effective, while that of nocturnal oxygen therapy was not ($306,356/QALY). The estimated ICER for continuous oxygen therapy was robust (95% confidence interval, $13,153-$24,658/QALY) and was more favorable than the ICERs for commonly used medical and surgical therapies for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The ICER for nocturnal oxygen therapy was sensitive to variation in the mortality rate; it could be as low as $18,267/QALY gained. At the other end, nocturnal oxygen therapy could be less effective than no oxygen therapy, despite additional costs. CONCLUSIONS There is substantial room for improvement in the current Medicare policies regarding long-term oxygen therapy. Medicare coverage can be improved by prescribing long-term oxygen therapy to patients who will receive substantial benefit and by providing adequate support for services and maintenance.
Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90) Is Overexpressed in Primary and Cultured Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) Cells: Role of Therapeutic Targeting Using the Small Molecule Inhibitor 17-AAG.

Conventional chemotherapy is the golden standard for therapy of Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL). Nevertheless, considerable toxicity and secondary malignancies indicate the need for targeted therapy that preferentially kills the malignant cells. The molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is expressed in all mammalian cells, but it is overexpressed in malignancy. 17-AAG, a small molecule inhibitor of HSP90, has been shown to induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in a variety of tumor types. In the present study we show that HSP90 is overexpressed in the primary Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells, as well as in HL derived cells lines. Inhibition of HSP90 17-AAG showed antiproliferative effect in HL derived cell lines in a dose dependent manner. Cell death was due to apoptosis, as determined by Annexin-V staining and FACS analysis. Apoptosis was mediated by the activation of the caspase pathway, especially by caspase 8, 9, and 3. Inhibition of caspase activity by the pancaspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK partially reversed the 17-AAG lethal effect. 17-AAG had no significant on the level of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family members or the cellular or X-Linked inhibitors of apoptosis. In contrast, there was considerable degradation of cFLIP. Moreover, 17-AAG treatment reduced the intracellular levels of molecules that have been shown to be of key importance in HRS cell survival and proliferation, including AKT and the phosphorylated ERK1/2, but with minimal change in total ERK1/2. Cell cycle arrest was observed at G0/G1 or at G2/M phase, and was mediated by reduction in the levels of MDM2, cyclin D1 with cdk4 and cdk6, and cyclin B1. The potential synergy of 17-AAG with conventional chemotherapy and anti-TRAIL death receptor monoclonal antibody, was explored by the simultaneous incubation of HL derived cells with both doxorubicin or antibodies against TRAIL receptors R1 and R2, respectively. The combination of 17-AAG with doxorubicin or anti-TRAIL antibodies was significantly more effective than either agent alone. Based on these data we are conducting a phase II study of 17-AAG in patients with relapsed classical HL.
Comparing traffic state estimators for mixed human and automated traffic flows

Abstract This article addresses the problem of modeling and estimating traffic streams with mixed human operated and automated vehicles. A connection between the generalized Aw Rascle Zhang model and two class traffic flow motivates the choice to model mixed traffic streams with a second order traffic flow model. The traffic state is estimated via a fully nonlinear particle filtering approach, and results are compared to estimates obtained from a particle filter applied to a scalar conservation law. Numerical studies are conducted using the Aimsun micro simulation software to generate the true state to be estimated. The experiments indicate that when the penetration rate of automated vehicles in the traffic stream is variable, the second order model based estimator offers improved accuracy compared to a scalar modeling abstraction. When the variability of the penetration rate decreases, the first order model based filters offer similar performance.
Outcome of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Myeloma Patients Aged ≥ 75 Years

Introduction Multiple myeloma (MM) is a disease of elderly with median age of diagnosis 66-years. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HCT) is recommended for eligible patients with newly diagnosed MM, however, it is not offered to many elderly patients due to concerns of excessive toxicity. We have previously reported that auto-HCT can be safely performed in myeloma patients aged ≥ 70 years (Bashir et al . LL 58% male) were included in the study. Thirty percent (n=19/63) were ISS stage I, 43% (n=27/63) were stage II and 27% (n=17/63) stage III. Seventy-eight percent (n=56) were considered standard-risk (IMWG criteria) and 22% (n=16) had high-risk cytogenetics. Sixty-three percent (n=45) received conditioning with melphalan (MEL) 140 mg/m 2 , while 38% (n=27) received MEL >140. Seventy-five percent (n=54) of the patients received auto-HCT as part of first line therapy and 85% (n=61) had at least partial response (PR) at auto-HCT. Median time from diagnosis to auto-HCT was 7.6 months. Half of the patients (n=36) received post transplant maintenance. Median follow-up time for all survivors (n=48) was 25.5 months. Grade II-IV toxicity was seen in 74% (n=53) of patients, gastrointestinal being most common (49% of all patients). There was no difference in toxicity between MEL 140 vs. MEL >140. The median time to neutrophil and platelet engraftment was 11 and 12 days, respectively. The CI of NRM was 1% at Day 100 and 6 months and 4% at the end of the assessment period. Day 100 response rate (at least PR) was 92% (n=66), with 36% (n=26) achieving near complete remission (nCR) or better. Median PFS was 31.4 months (95% CI: 22.6, 36.6, Figure 1). Seventy-five percent of the patients were event free at one year after transplant and 23% were event free at 5 years. Median OS was 72.8 months (95% CI: 45.7, 86.2, Figure 2). The OS rates at 1 year and 5 years post transplant were 93% and 58%, respectively. On multivariable analysis, high-risk cytogenetics and ISS stage III disease were associated with significantly worse PFS and OS. Conclusion Auto-HCT in myeloma patients aged ≥ 75 years is feasible with response rate and survival comparable to that seen in younger patients. Age alone should not be used to determine eligibility for auto-HCT. Disclosures Ciurea: Cyto-Sen Therapeutics: Equity Ownership; Spectrum Pharmaceuticals: Other: Advisory Board.
Lagrangian technique to calculate window interface velocity from shock velocity measurements: Application for quartz windows

Measurement of the window interface velocity is a common technique for investigating the dynamic response materials at high strain rates. However, these measurements are limited in pressure to the range where the window remains transparent. The most common window material for this application is lithium fluoride, which under single shock compression becomes opaque at ∼200 GPa. To date, no other window material has been identified for use at higher pressures. Here, we present a Lagrangian technique to calculate the interface velocity from a continuously measured shock velocity, with application to quartz. The quartz shock front becomes reflective upon melt, at ∼100 GPa, enabling the use of velocity interferometry to continuously measure the shock velocity. This technique overlaps with the range of pressures accessible with LiF windows and extends the region where wave profile measurements are possible to pressures in excess of 2000 GPa. We show through simulated data that the technique accurately reproduce...
Best Practices in Counseling Young Female Cancer Survivors on Reproductive Health.

In the United States, there are more than 400,000 girls and young women of reproductive-age with a history of cancer. Cancer treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and radiation can adversely impact their reproductive health. This review discusses infertility, contraception, and adverse pregnancy and child health outcomes in reproductive-aged cancer survivors, to increase awareness of these health risks for survivors and their health care providers. Infertility rates are modestly higher, while rates of using contraception and using highly effective contraceptive methods are lower in cancer survivors than in women without a history of cancer. During pregnancy, preterm births are also more common in survivors, resulting in more low-birth-weight offspring. Children of cancer survivors do not have more childhood cancers, birth defects, or chromosomal abnormalities than the general population, with the exception of families with hereditary cancer. Reproductive risks in survivors depend on cancer treatment exposures. For example, women with prior abdominal or pelvic radiation have additional risks of spontaneous abortions, small-for-gestational-age offspring and stillbirths, while those with prior chest radiation or anthracycline exposures have higher risks of cardiomyopathy. To help survivors achieve their reproductive goals safely, family planning and preconception counseling are central to survivorship care.
“Ladies Scorn Dates!”: Women Life-Writers Look Back on the Regency

As a young girl living on St. Helena in 1815, Betsy Balcombe met Napoleon Bonaparte. When she learned of the recently defeated emperor's imminent arrival, Betsy feared “a huge ogre or giant, with o...
STRAT: a Sketched-truss Recognition and Analysis Tool.

The statically-determinate, pin-connected truss is a basic structural element used by engineers to create larger and more complex systems. Truss analysis and design are topics that virtually all students who study engineering mechanics are required to master, many of whom may experience difficulty with initial understanding. The mathematics used to analyze truss systems typically requires lengthy hand calculations or the assistance of proprietary computer-aided design (CAD) programs. To expedite work in this domain, we propose: STRAT (Sketched-Truss Recognition and Analysis Tool), a freehand sketch recognition system for solving truss problems. The STRAT system allows users to rapidly determine all of the unknown forces in a truss, using only a hand-drawn sketch of the truss itself. The focus of this article covers the design methodology and implementation of the STRAT system. Results from a preliminary user study are also presented.
Identifying the low risk patient in surgical intensive and intermediate care units using continuous monitoring.

Abstract Background Continuous predictive monitoring has been employed successfully to predict subclinical adverse events. Should low values on these models, however, reassure us that a patient will not have an adverse outcome? Negative predictive values of such models could help predict safe patient discharge. The goal of this study was to validate the negative predictive value of an ensemble model for critical illness (using previously developed models for respiratory instability, hemorrhage, and sepsis) based on bedside monitoring data in the intensive care units and intermediate care unit. Methods We calculated the relative risk of 3 critical illnesses for all patients every 15 minutes (n = 124,588) for 2,924 patients downgraded from the surgical intensive care units and intermediate care unit between May 2014 to May 2016. We constructed an ensemble model to estimate at the time of intensive care units or intermediate care unit discharge the probability of favorable outcome after downgrade. Results Outputs form the ensemble model stratified patients by risk of favorable and bad outcomes in both intensive care units/intermediate care unit; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = .639/.629 respectively for favorable outcomes and .645/.641 for adverse events. These performance characteristics are commensurate with published models for predicting readmission. The ensemble model remained a statistically significant predictor after adjusting for hospital duration of stay and admitting service. The rate of favorable outcome in the highest and lowest deciles in the intensive care units were 76.2% and 27.3% (2.8-fold decrease) and 88.3% and 33.2% in the intermediate care unit (2.7-fold decrease), respectively. Conclusion An ensemble model for critical illness predicts favorable outcome after downgrade and safe patient discharge (hospital stay
Chapter 8 Distribution, Age, and Depositional Environments of Radiolarian Chert in Western North America

Abstract Radiolarian chert is widespread in allochthonous accreted terranes throughout the Cordillera of western North America, where dated deposits range in age from Ordovician to middle Cretaceous. Six principal lithologic associations are described: (1) ophiolitic chert association; (2) alternating pillow-basalt/ chert association; (3) silicic volcanic/chert association; (4) subsidence association; (5) clastic/chert association; and (6) melange chert association. Each association may represent a distinct environment. the ages and lithologic associations of radiolarian chert deposits in 23 allochthonous Cordilleran terranes are summarized.