cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microbes mediated host innate immune response in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Background: The host immune response to lung microbes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is unclear. Objective: Investigate immune pathways implicated by presence of operational taxonomic units (OTU) microbiota from bronchoscopy IPF lung samples, and if bacterial CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN) motifs mediated fibroblast TLR9 activation is involved. Methods: Paired gene expression arrays and 16S rDNA sequencing data of 68 IPF patients were retrieved from COMET study. R package “WGCNA” were used to construct gene co-expression modules. Each eigengene value was correlated with each trait. Results: Figure 1 showed 10 modules and their respective positive/negative correlation with each trait. Magenta module significantly correlated with the D L CO ( p =0.007), species richness ( p =5x10 -6 ), and OTU1302 ( Pseudomonas ) ( p =0.0001). Purple module correlated OTU1341 ( Prevotella ) ( p =0.003) and OTU1348 ( Staphylococcus ) ( p =0.03) and negatively correlated with CpG response ( p =0.03). D L CO and CpG response significantly correlated with blue module with opposite directions. Canonical pathways enriched in magenta, purple, and blue modules are integrin signaling, regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and Toll-like receptor signaling, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The integrated analysis of host transcriptome with lung microbiota and CpG-ODN response unveiled underlying molecular mechanism of microbes mediated host innate immune response in IPF.
The effect of exercise with Nintendo Wii toward respiratory muscle strength in obese females

Introduction: Obesity is a major public health problem in many countries and trends to increase continuously. Moreover, it involves on respiratory muscle. Nintendo Wii is a specific exercise with enhancing motivation. However, there is no evidence of this exercise on the respiratory muscle strength. Objective: To study the effect of Nintendo Wii exercise on respiratory muscle strength in obese females. Materials and methods: Forty female subjects aged of 18-25 years old participated in the study. Peak inspiratory maximal pressure (PImax) and peak expiratory maximal pressure (PEmax) were evaluated at before and after exercise for 6 weeks (3 times per week). Results: PImax and PEmax were increased significantly after exercise with Nintendo Wii compared with those before exercise (p=0.003). Conclusions: The result suggests that exercise with dance game of Nintendo Wii for 6 weeks can improve strength of respiratory muscles in women with obesity.
Interactions between Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau (MAPT) and Small Molecules

Tau aggregation is linked to multiple neurodegenerative disorders that are collectively termed tauopathies. Small molecules are powerful probes of the aggregation process, helping to reveal the key steps and serving as diagnostics and reporters. Moreover, some of these small molecules may have potential as therapeutics. This review details how small molecules and chemical biology have helped to elucidate the mechanisms of tau aggregation and how they are being used to detect and prevent tau aggregation. In addition, we comment on how new insights into tau prions are changing the approach to small molecule discovery.
Article 10 [Right to Life]

Article 10 of the Convention protects the right to life, reaffirming the content of the corresponding provisions of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in its ‘negative’ and ‘positive’ components, including the obligation for the State to adopt measures conducive to allowing every person to live.
Dopamine as a potential rescue therapy for refractory protein-losing enteropathy in Fontan-palliated patients

PLE is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients who have undergone Fontan palliation. While multiple PLE therapies have been reported, none has proved consistently effective. Patients who do not respond to "standard" PLE therapies face poor long-term outcomes. We report here a significant response to dopamine infusion in three patients with chronic, refractory PLE. We hypothesize that this response may be at least partially due to a dopamine effect on lymphatic receptors rather than to an augmentation of cardiac output.
Ten Questions Concerning the Aerosolization and Transmission of Legionella in the Built Environment

Legionella is a genus of pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria responsible for a serious disease known as legionellosis, which is transmitted via inhalation of this pathogen in aerosol form. There are two forms of legionellosis: Legionnaires' disease, which causes pneumonia-like symptoms, and Pontiac fever, which causes influenza-like symptoms. Legionella can be aerosolized from various water sources in the built environment including showers, faucets, hot tubs/swimming pools, cooling towers, and fountains. Incidence of the disease is higher in the summertime, possibly because of increased use of cooling towers for air conditioning systems and differences in water chemistry when outdoor temperatures are higher. Although there have been decades of research related to Legionella transmission, many knowledge gaps remain. While conventional wisdom suggests that showering is an important source of exposure in buildings, existing measurements do not provide strong support for this idea. There has been limited research on the potential for Legionella transmission through heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Epidemiological data suggest a large proportion of legionellosis cases go unreported, as most people who are infected do not seek medical attention. Additionally, controlled laboratory studies examining water-to-air transfer and source tracking are still needed. Herein, we discuss ten questions that spotlight current knowledge about Legionella transmission in the built environment, engineering controls that might prevent future disease outbreaks, and future research that is needed to advance understanding of transmission and control of legionellosis.
Nct Program at the University of Missouri-Columbia

At the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU), developments continue on specific parts of NCT. These are the epithermal beam design, Gd as an alternative agent to B, dose predictions and treatment planning, and accelerator based neutron sources.
A Conserved Circadian Function for the Neurofibromatosis 1 Gene

Loss of the Neurofibromatosis 1 (Nf1) protein, neurofibromin, in Drosophila disrupts circadian rhythms of locomotor activity without impairing central clock function, suggesting effects downstream of the clock. However, the relevant cellular mechanisms are not known. Leveraging the discovery of output circuits for locomotor rhythms, we dissected cellular actions of neurofibromin in recently identified substrates. Herein, we show that neurofibromin affects the levels and cycling of calcium in multiple circadian peptidergic neurons. A prominent site of action is the pars intercerebralis (PI), the fly equivalent of the hypothalamus, with cell-autonomous effects of Nf1 in PI cells that secrete DH44. Nf1 interacts genetically with peptide signaling to affect circadian behavior. We extended these studies to mammals to demonstrate that mouse astrocytes exhibit a 24-hr rhythm of calcium levels, which is also attenuated by lack of neurofibromin. These findings establish a conserved role for neurofibromin in intracellular signaling rhythms within the nervous system.
Improving Reproducibility of Distributed Computational Experiments

Conference and journal publications increasingly require experiments associated with a submitted article to be repeatable. Authors comply to this requirement by sharing all associated digital artifacts, i.e., code, data, and environment configuration scripts. To ease aggregation of the digital artifacts, several tools have recently emerged that automate the aggregation of digital artifacts by auditing an experiment execution and building a portable container of code, data, and environment. However, current tools only package non-distributed computational experiments. Distributed computational experiments must either be packaged manually or supplemented with sufficient documentation.In this paper, we outline the reproducibility requirements of distributed experiments using a distributed computational science experiment involving use of message-passing interface (MPI), and propose a general method for auditing and repeating distributed experiments. Using Sciunit we show how this method can be implemented. We validate our method with initial experiments showing application re-execution runtime can be improved by 63% with a trade-off of longer run-time on initial audit execution.
Assessing Personal and Social Change in Two Generations

As we look back on the student generation of the 1960s we see that the university environment was characterized by unprecedented unrest. Many young people were developing their own values and lifestyles in a milieu marked by conflict between the value system they perceived in their families and those of significant others outside the family context. The substantive focal concerns were civil rights, humanitarian goals and ethical consistency, outrage against the war in Vietnam, and disillusionment with the university. Seeking to develop perspective about the impact of a decade of social unrest on the personological characteristics, value orientations, and goal definitions of persons in proximity to this foment is an irresistable temptation.
Analogues of Adenosine, Theophylline, and Caffeine: Selective Interactions with A1 and A2 Adenosine Receptors

Adenosine modulates a variety of physiological functions through interaction with A1 and A2 adenosine receptors, where agonists can mediate inhibition and stimulation, respectively, of adenylate cyclase. Adenosine analogues, in particular the N6-substituted compounds, are more potent at A1 receptors than at A2 receptors. The subregion of the adenosine receptor that interacts with the N6-substituent is different for A1 and A2 receptors, particularly with respect to phenyl interactions, bulk tolerance, and stereoselectivity. A series of para-substituted N6-phenyladenosines have been synthesized, on the basis of a “functionalized congener” approach in which a chemically reactive group, such as an amine or carboxylic acid, is introduced at the terminus of a chain. From the functionalized congener are synthesized a variety of conjugates, each containing a common pharmacophore. Certain of the adenosine conjugates are highly selective for A1 receptors. Xanthines are classic antagonists for adenosine receptors, and many of their pharmacological actions may be due to blockade of adenosine receptors. Caffeine and theophylline are virtually nonselective for A1 and A2 receptors. Replacement of the methyl groups of theophylline with n-propyl or larger alkyl groups yields xanthines with selectivity for A1 receptors, particularly when combined with an 8-phenyl moiety. Most 1,3-dialky1-8-phenyl-xanthines are highly water-insoluble, but incorporation of polar aryl substituents, such as parasulfo or para-carboxy, to increase solubility results in a marked reduction in potency and selectivity. A new series of more hydrophilic 1,3-dipropy1-8-phenylxanthines has been synthesized using the functionalized congener approach. Certain conjugates of 8-[4-(carboxymethyloxy)phenyl]-1,3-dipropylxanthine display A1 selectivity in biochemical and cardiovascular models and in radioactive form provide an antagonist ligand for both A1 and A2 receptors. Certain analogues of caffeine in which the methyl group at the 1- or 7-position is replaced with a propargyl or propyl group display selectivity for A2 receptors. The profile of a series of adenosine analogues or of xanthine antagonists can be used to define the class of adenosine receptors.
Estimating Enthalpies of Sublimation of Hydrocarbons

A general technique for the estimation of sublimation enthalpies is described and applied to hydrocarbons. The vaporization enthalpy of a hydrocarbon is obtained by using a simple relationship based on the type and number of carbons present. Fusion enthalpies are estimated using a group additivity approach. Addition of vaporization and fusion enthalpies affords a sublimation enthalpy in good agreement with experiment. The standard error of this estimation technique is 2.6 kcal/mole (10.9 kJ/mole) and compares with a standard experimental error of 1.74 kcal/mole (7.28 kJ/mole) obtained from a statistical analysis of literature data.
Bringing the Bridge to Veterans in Home Health Care

This commentary familiarizes the reader with the Project NAGA Bridge Model as a way to honor veterans in the home health care setting. Family members can share the legacies of veterans in a partner...
Hybrid Arch Bars Reduce Placement Time and Glove Perforations Compared With Erich Arch Bars During the Application of Intermaxillary Fixation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the time for placement and removal, the effect on the gingiva, and the operator safety of the Stryker Universal SMARTLock Hybrid MMF system (Stryker Craniomaxillofacial, Kalamazoo, MI) with traditional Erich arch bars. Materials and Methods We designed a parallel-group, randomized controlled trial to compare the 2 types of arch bars. Patients with mandibular fractures presenting to our institution were enrolled in the study and randomized into 1 of 2 groups: the Erich arch bar group and the hybrid arch bar group. The primary outcome variable was arch bar placement time. Secondary outcomes were glove tears or penetrations during application, gingival appearance score at removal, loose hardware at removal, removal time, and glove tears or penetrations at removal. The groups were compared using t tests. Results We enrolled 90 patients in the study, with 43 randomized to the Erich arch bar group and 47 randomized to the hybrid arch bar group. The mean application time was 31.3 ± 9.3 minutes for Erich arch bars and 6.9 ± 3.1 minutes for hybrid arch bars (P Conclusions Hybrid arch bars with bone-borne locking screws offer a number of advantages over traditional Erich arch bars and circumdental wires, including shorter placement and removal times and a greater margin of safety for the operating surgeon as shown by significantly fewer glove tears and penetrations.
To Kill and Die for the Constitution: How Devotion to the Constitution Leads to Violence

From an early age, Americans are taught that what unites us as a nation is a shared commitment to ideals found in the Constitution. This prevailing conception of American nationalism, which I refer to as constitutional nationalism, provides a comforting, even inspiring ideal of national identity. Presidents have frequently invoked it in inaugural addresses, asserting that the national community is united by commitment to universal ideals, avoiding the irrational hatred and bigotry associated with racial, religion, and ethnic forms of nationalism. But there is another side of constitutional nationalism. Several recent political movements, including the Posse Comitatus movement of the 1970s and 1980s and the militia movement of the 1990s, have justified anti-government violence in the name of constitutional devotion. Supporters of these movements asserted that the nation has become unmoored from the Constitution, the federal government is controlled by un-American elites who seek to undermine fundamental American values, and the Constitution can only be restored through force. The same insurrectionary spirit was on display in the April 2014 confrontation at Bundy Ranch, Nevada, in which rancher Cliven Bundy led over 1000 armed protesters against the federal government. “We’re standing up for the Constitution,” Bundy declared, “We’re going to take this country back by force.” Is there a connection between the routine expressions of constitutional devotion in everyday American life and the sporadic violence perpetrated by extremists in the name of the Constitution? The two phenomena may appear independent, perhaps even oppositional — the former points to the Constitution to draw the nation together in patriotic unity, while the latter points to the Constitution to justify violence against fellow citizens. This Article argues, however, that they are simply two sides of the same coin. The same ideology that teaches Americans to love the Constitution, to revere it as the nation’s central, sacred text, also leads logically, perhaps inevitably, to violence and murder in the name of the Constitution. The ideology of constitutional nationalism has long provided a neutral, patriotic language to express restrictive ideas about who is and who is not a real American. It is an ideology that can make the call for violence and murder in the name of the Constitution sound like the most patriotic acts imaginable.
Nonlinear optical microscopy with achromatic lenses extending from the visible to the mid-infrared

With the advent of near-infrared broadband sources stretching into the mid-infrared (MIR) region, there is a growing demand for optical components with utility over an increasingly broad spectral range. For refractive lenses, color correction over such broad bandwidths can be a challenge. In this work, we discuss and demonstrate a two-element lens design with achromaticity spanning the visible to the mid-infrared. The air-spaced doublet designed from commercially available materials shows a significant reduction in spot size and chromatic shift compared to single lens alternatives. We have tested these new broad bandwidth achromats for the purpose of laser-scanning sum-frequency generation microscopy, confirming their improved performance for nonlinear optical imaging applications. The super broadband achromatic lenses represent an attractive alternative to reflective components in ultrabroadband applications, as they enable compact transmission-based optical designs and good focusing performance at off-axis field angles.
Toward a language design for energy prediction

Energy-aware programming languages and frameworks seek to improve the energy efficiency of computer systems by taking advantage of application-specific information to perform energy optimizations. Effectively predicting an application's energy behavior enables more powerful energy optimizations and additional energy management techniques. However, application energy consumption is fundamentally dynamic in nature, which limits the amount of effective energy prediction that can be done ahead of time. To address this challenge, we propose FJP, a predication-aware semantics that takes the estimation process online, and serves to partially predict a program's energy consumption. The key insight of FJP is that by relaxing the restriction of statically and completely predicting a programs energy consumption, we can dynamically and partially predict energy consumption, desirable for a host of hybrid energy management languages and frameworks. FJP represents a first step toward improving the expressiveness of energy-aware language and framework techniques in its ability for online adaptive energy prediction.
The immune system utilizes two distinct effector mechanisms of T cells depending on two different life cycle stages of a single pathogen, Toxoplasma gondii, to control its cerebral infection.

Abstract Toxoplasma gondii takes two different life cycle stages within intermediate hosts including humans. Tachyzoites proliferate during the acute stage, and they transform into cysts to establish a chronic infection preferentially in the brain. IFN-γ production by infiltrated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells is required for the prevention of cerebral tachyzoite growth. IFN-γ production by brain-resident cells, most likely microglia, plays a key first line defense role to facilitate both innate and T cell-mediated protective immunity to control the tachyzoite growth. IFN-γ produced by brain-resident cells activates cerebral expression of IFN-dependent effector molecules to suppress tachyzoite growth during the early stage of infection. Their IFN-γ production also induces an expression of CXCL9 and CXCL10 chemokines to recruit immune T cells into the brain, and upregulates cerebral expression of MHC class I and II molecules for antigen presentation to the recruited T cells to activate their IFN-γ production. CD8+ T cells also have the activity to remove T. gondii cysts from the brains of infected hosts. Of interest, the anti-cyst activity of CD8+ T cells does not require their IFN-γ but does require perforin. Notably, we discovered that CD8+ cytotoxic T cells penetrate in the cysts in a perforin-mediated manner, which induces morphological deterioration and destruction of the cysts and an accumulation of microglia and macrophages for their elimination. Thus, the immune system employs two distinct effector mechanisms mediated by IFN-γ or perforin depending on two different life cycle stages of a single pathogen, T. gondii, to control its cerebral infection.
Dynamic internal states shape memory retrieval

Why do we sometimes easily retrieve memories, but other times appear to forget them? We often look to our external environment for retrieval cues, but another way to optimize memory retrieval is to be in a mental state, or mode, that prioritizes access to our internal representation of the world. Such a 'retrieval mode' was proposed by Endel Tulving (1983), who considered it a neurocognitive state in which one keeps the goal of memory retrieval in mind. Building on Tulving's proposal, we review converging evidence from multiple lines of research that emphasize the importance of internal states in the instantiation of retrieval modes that optimize successful remembering. We identify three key factors that contribute to a retrieval mode by modulating either the likelihood or the content of retrieval: (1) an intention to remember or forget (either in the present or the future), (2) attentional selection of goal-relevant memories and suppression of distractors, and (3) fluctuating levels of acetylcholine in the hippocampus. We discuss empirical evidence that these internal states individually influence memory retrieval and propose how they may interact synergistically. Characterizing these dynamic internal factors is an important key for unlocking our understanding of the organization and accessibility of our memories.
Spending on doing promotes more moment-to-moment happiness than spending on having

Abstract People derive more satisfaction from experiential purchases (e.g., travel, entertainment, outdoor activities, meals out) than material purchases (e.g., clothing, jewelry, furniture, gadgets), both in prospect and retrospect. Because different types of well-being can have different determinants, we examined whether experiences have the same advantage over possessions in the here-and-now of consumption as they do in anticipation or remembrance. Participants in two large-scale experience-sampling studies were contacted in the midst of consuming an experiential or material purchase and asked about their momentary happiness. Experiential consumption was consistently associated with significantly greater happiness than either non-consumption or the consumption of material goods. In-the-moment happiness, furthermore, was greater for all subcategories of experiential purchases than for any category of material goods. Experiences thus appear to be a more promising route to enhancing well-being than possessions, irrespective of when happiness is measured.
Sponsorship in Marketing: Effective Partnerships in Sports, Arts and Events

Sponsorship of sports, arts or events can be a powerful form of marketing communication for businesses and organizations. This new edition of Sponsorship in Marketing introduces the fundamentals of sponsorship-linked marketing, helping the reader to understand how sponsorship can be planned, executed and measured. Drawing on original research and exploring key theory, best practice and cutting-edge issues, the book fully explains how the sponsor can implement successful sponsorship to achieve communication and engagement objectives. It covers every important conceptual and functional area of sponsorship in marketing communications, including: understanding the technology-led transformation of sponsoring learning about audiences, strategies and objectives leveraging and activation in traditional and social media building sponsorship portfolios and rosters managing and ending relationships understanding public policy and legal issues Every chapter includes international case studies and examples, test questions, and data from real organizations, business, campaigns and events, vividly illustrating the link between fundamental principles and effective practice. This updated edition features a new model of the sponsorship process with an ecosystem perspective, discussion of endorsers and influencers in sponsorship, an introduction to the impact of streaming on sponsoring, and entirely new thinking on sponsorship returns and evaluation. No other book provides such a comprehensive, evidence-based introduction to sponsorship, demonstrating how organizations can connect brands to real life. This is essential reading for all students and practitioners working in sport marketing, sport business, events marketing, arts administration, business communication or marketing management.
State of Pathophysiology in Undergraduate Nursing Education: A Systematic Review

Background: Nurses who understand pathophysiology can provide higher quality patient care. Various pedagogical strategies make it unclear which practice meets the challenges of teaching pathophysiology. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize research in the last ten years to report the current state of pedagogical strategies related to teaching pathophysiology concepts in undergraduate nursing. Methods: A systematic review of mixed, quantitative, and qualitative literature guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was conducted from 2010 to 2020 through electronic databases. Results: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. A gap exists among comparable research designs, pedagogy strategies, and outcomes specific to undergraduate nursing pathophysiology courses. Conclusions: Findings suggest that more rigorous research designs with validated measurement instruments are needed to compare student satisfaction and outcomes after different pedagogical strategies are applied to undergraduate pathophysiology courses. Also, there is a need to elicit findings related to the retention and effectiveness of pathophysiology concepts in clinical practice.
Risk Factors and Disease Course for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption-Associated Maculopathy.

Importance Blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD) is a systemic therapy for malignant central nervous system (CNS) tumors that has been linked to poorly understood pigmentary maculopathy. Objectives To examine the rate of and risk factors for the development of BBBD-associated maculopathy and to assess whether there can be visually significant progression after completion of systemic therapy. Design, setting, and participants In this retrospective case series, data from February 1, 2006, through December 31, 2019, were collected from patients treated with osmotic BBBD at a single tertiary referral center who had subsequent ophthalmic evaluation. Exposures Treatment with BBBD therapy for any malignant CNS tumor. Main outcomes and measures Rate and potential risk factors for developing BBBD-associated maculopathy and changes in visual acuity and retinal imaging characteristics after completion of BBBD therapy. Results Of 283 patients treated with BBBD and chemotherapy for a CNS malignant neoplasm, 68 (mean [SD] age, 46.0 [17.9] years; 25 [38.5%] female) had an ophthalmic examination after starting systemic therapy. After excluding 3 patients because of bilateral media opacities, pigmentary maculopathy was present in 32 of 65 patients (49.2%) treated with BBBD. The number of BBBD treatment sessions, but not age, CNS malignant cancer type, or systemic chemotherapy agent, was associated with maculopathy development (odds ratio, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.12-1.50; P = .001). After completion of BBBD therapy, progressive enlargement of geographic atrophy occurred in 5 eyes of 3 patients, and choroidal neovascularization developed in 1 eye. Conclusions and relevance In this case series, an association was found between BBBD-related maculopathy and the number of BBBD treatment sessions, suggesting a dose-dependent effect. In some cases, maculopathy progression, including enlargement of geographic atrophy, occurred years after completion of systemic therapy. These findings may have important implications for patient education and ophthalmic monitoring.
Between the Listener and the Talker: Connectivity Options

Hearing aids are often not sufficient for optimal communication between a listener and a talker. Therefore, numerous options for wireless connectivity between the listener and the talker designed to improve communication have become widely available. From the original wireless option of the induction loop system, most of the current solutions involve a digital signal with high quality and limited interference. Many are proprietary and only operate with a given manufacturer's devices, while others are more universal as long as the digital receiver can be connected to the listener's personal device. In addition, connectivity options to assist those with hearing loss are now readily available on the smartphone which can be used as a remote microphone. Therefore, it is paramount that the available wireless protocols be considered relative to the listener's experience with wireless technology so that solutions may be offered that are efficient, economical, and effective.
A Unified Droop-Free Distributed Secondary Control for Grid-Following and Grid-Forming Inverters in AC Microgrids

The inverter-based distributed generators (DGs) in microgrids usually operate in either grid-following (GFL) or grid-forming (GFM) control mode. In GFL mode the DG follows the voltage and frequency of the microgrid while in GFM mode it dictates voltage and frequency for the microgrid. In this paper, we propose a unified droop-free distributed secondary control for both GFL and GFM inverters based on distributed optimization. The proposed control regulates the frequency to nominal frequency, regulates the global average voltage in the microgrid to the rated voltage, and ensures accurate active and reactive power sharing among all GFL and GFM inverters. The DGs can communicate through a sparse communication network and share information about average voltage estimates and nominal active/reactive power. The effectiveness of the proposed control is validated through simulations on an eight-DG test microgrid with four GFL inverters and four GFM inverters.
The roles of class social climate, language mindset, and emotions in predicting willingness to communicate in a foreign language

Abstract Willingness to communicate (WTC) in a second language (L2) is of great importance in second language learning. The present study examined L2WTC among 811 Chinese college students learning English as a foreign language. A hypothesized model integrating class social climate, language mindset, academic emotions (i.e., enjoyment, pride, anxiety, and boredom), and L2WTC in and out of class was tested using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results showed that the effects of class social climate on L2WTC in class were fully mediated by the four academic emotions; and the effects of language mindset on L2WTC in class were fully mediated by enjoyment, pride, and boredom. Unexpectedly, pride was negatively associated with L2WTC in class, and boredom was positively related to L2WTC in class. Moreover, L2WTC inside the classroom and language mindset had direct effects on L2WTC outside of class.
A Tullock Index for Assessing the Efficiency of Redistribution

I propose two alternative versions of a "Tullock Index" for assessing the efficiency of redistribution. In the spirit of the Atkinson (1970) inequality index, the Tullock Index is constructed with reference to either (A) the maximum inequality reduction attainable with current transfer spending, or (B) the minimum transfer spending necessary to achieve current post-transfer inequality. Deviations from either of these ideals represent inefficiencies in the transfer system, insofar as its purported justification is an egalitarian one. Using Current Population Survey (CPS) microdata from 1988 to 2014, I construct annual estimates of the Tullock Index at the national level for the United States. The Tullock Index is increasing over this period, suggesting the pattern of redistribution has become less efficient. State-level panel fixed-effects estimates show that redistributional inefficiency is related to higher state-level poverty rates, lower employment-to-population ratios, and lower levels of overall employment. Finally, comparisons of the Tullock Index to other state-level indicators of institutional quality suggest that the efficiency of redistribution responds to changes in the quality of local governance.
Neurofilaments help maintain normal morphologies and support elongation of neurites in Xenopus laevis cultured embryonic spinal cord neurons

Neurofilament number and subunit composition, which are highly regulated during development, have been proposed to help regulate axonal diameter and stability. From experiments on dissociated cell cultures of Xenopus laevis embryonic spinal cord, we have obtained direct evidence that neurofilaments help maintain the structural integrity of newly developing axons. An anti-neurofilament monoclonal antibody specific for Xenopus NF-M and the cell lineage tracer, lysinated FITC-dextran, were coinjected into a single blastomere of 2- cell stage embryos. Within neurons descended from the injected blastomere, this antibody specifically confined neurofilaments to the cell body for the first two days of culture, as assayed by immunocytochemical staining with antiserum against the low molecular weight neurofilament protein XNIF. Although whole IgGs and Fab fragments both affected neurofilament distribution, the whole IgGs were more effective. For the first 9 hr of culture, neurites containing anti- NF-M developed normally. By 21 hr, they were shorter than those of sibling control neurons within the same dish, and many became morphologically abnormal. Defects included large variations in diameter, poorly defined separations between the growth cone and neurite, and more collateral branching. Despite these abnormal features, neurons containing anti-NF-M had normal distributions of alpha-tubulin immunoreactivity and phalloidin-stained F-actin. These latter observations argued that defects resulted from the absence of neurofilaments rather than from interference of the movement of other structural materials essential for axonal growth. These results support the hypothesis that neurons use neurofilaments to help maintain the characteristic shapes of axons against the increasing structural demands placed upon the elongating process.
A Survey of Multicast Security Issues and Architectures

Abstract : This paper addresses issues relevant to implementing security for IP multicast networks. These issues are of importance to application developers wishing to implement security services for their multicast applications. The paper investigates the steps required to create a secure multicast session including issues of group membership and key distribution. A common simple criteria is established that can be used to evaluate multicast keying architectures. The criteria focuses on the efficiency and scalability of the keying solution. Using this criteria, several keying architectures are evaluated and compared to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
BIOPHYSICAL ASPECTS OF P-GLYCOPROTEIN-MEDIATED MULTIDRUG RESISTANCE

In the 45 years since Burchenal's observation of chemotherapeutic drug resistance in tumor cells, many investigators have studied the molecular basis of tumor drug resistance and the phenomenon of tumor multidrug resistance (tumor MDR). Examples of MDR in microorganisms have also become topics of intensive study (e.g., Plasmodium falciparum MDR and various types of bacterial MDR) and these emerging fields have, in some cases, borrowed language, techniques, and theories from the tumor MDR field. Serendipitously, the cloning of MDR genes overexpressed in MDR tumor cells has led to elucidation of a large family of membrane proteins [the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) proteins], an important subset of which confer drug resistance in many different cells and microorganisms. In trying to decipher how ABC proteins confer various forms of drug resistance, studies on the structure and function of both murine and human MDR1 protein (also called P-glycoprotein or P-gp) have often led the way. Although various theories of P-gp function have become popular, there is still no precise molecular-level description for how P-gp overexpression lowers intracellular accumulation of chemotherapeutic drugs. In recent years, controversy has developed over whether the protein protects cells by translocating drugs directly (as some type of drug pump) or indirectly (through modulating biophysical parameters of the cell). In this ongoing debate over P-gp function, detailed consideration of biophysical issues is critical but has often been neglected in considering cell biological and pharmacological issues. In particular, P-gp overexpression also changes plasma membrane electrical potential (delta psi zero) and intracellular pH (pHi), and these changes will greatly affect the cellular flux of a large number of compounds to which P-gp overexpression confers resistance. In this chapter, we highlight these biophysical issues and describe how delta psi zero and pHi may in fact be responsible for many MDR-related phenomena that have often been hypothesized to be due to direct drug translocation (e.g., drug pumping) by P-gp.
Stochastic Dominance and Uncertain Price Prospects

This paper develops rules for ordering uncertain price prospects. For consumers with identical ordinal preferences, we propose stochastic dominance rules based on equivalent variation (EV). The second-degree stochastic dominance (SSD) rule on the induced distributions of EV yields a unanimous ranking among income risk averters. The SSD rule on consumer surplus or compensating variation provides a valid ranking for income risk averters if the income elasticity of demand is zero. Risk averse consumers with different ordinal preferences cannot have a unanimous ranking of price prospects. We delineate two classes of risk averse consumers that have opposing rankings of price prospects with the same mean.
Theory & Methods: Selecting Closest to Control

Consider the usual one-way fixed effect analysis of variance model where the populations ?i(I = 0, 1, . . . , k) have independent normal distributions with unknown means and common unknown variance. Let ?0 be a control population with which the other (treatment) populations are to be compared. The basic problem is to select the treatment that is closest to the control mean. This situation occurs when one of the ?i must be chosen, regardless of how many are equivalent to the control in the sense of having means sufficiently close. This paper follows the approach of Hsu (1996) and is based on a set of simultaneous confidence intervals. It provides a table of critical values which allows direct implementation of the new inference procedure. The applications given are of the balanced cross-over design type with negligible carry-over effects, for which the results of this paper may be used. One of the applications refers to the selection of a drug, which may not be bioequivalent to a reference formulation but is the closest of those drugs that are readily available to the group of patients considered.
Infrared effects in a de Sitter background.

We have estimated higher order quantum gravity corrections to de Sitter spacetime. Our results suggest that, while the classical spacetime metric may be distorted by the graviton self-interactions, the corrections are relatively weaker than previously thought, possibly growing like a power rather than exponentially in time.
ACCRETION INDUCED COLLAPSE

As an accreting white dwarf approaches the Chandrasekhar mass, nuclear reactions ignite in or near the center and, under certain circumstances, the dwarf collapses directly to a neutron star. We consider in some detail the speed and stability of the nuclear combustion front that propagates through the star and determine critical ignition densities above which collapse will ensue. The speed of the flame is severely restricted by the maximum wavelength of Rayleigh-Taylor instability that can develop before it is suppressed by electron capture. We also examine the continued collapse of a white dwarf to nuclear density and the subsequent neutrino energized wind that blows from its surface. This wind obscures any potential burst of hard radiation that might have accompanied the collapse. Its nucleosynthesis, however, places severe constraints upon the frequency with which such events can occur.
Energy-aware Application Scaling on a Cloud

Abstract Cloud elasticity - the ability to use as much resources asneeded at any given time - and low cost - a user pays onlyfor the resources it consumes - represent solid incentives formany organizations to migrate some of their computationalactivities to a public cloud. As the interest in cloud comput-ing grows, so does the size of the cloud computing centersand their energy footprint. The realization that power con-sumption of cloud computing centers is signiﬁcant and it isexpected to increase substantially in the future motivates ourinterest in scheduling and scaling algorithms which minimizepower consumption. We propose energy-aware applicationscaling and resource management algorithms. Though tar-geting primarily the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), thesystem models and the algorithms we propose can be appliedto the other cloud delivery models and to private clouds. 1 Introduction The power consumption of large-scale data centers and theircosts for energy and for cooling are signiﬁcant and are ex-pected to increase in the future. In 2006, the 6000 data cen-ters in the U.S. reportedly consumed 61×10
A new understanding of near-threshold damage for 200 keV irradiation in silicon

Recently we reported room temperature point defect creation and subsequent extended defect nucleation in nitrogen-doped silicon during 200 kV electron irradiation, while identical irradiation of nitrogen-free silicon produced no effect. In this paper, first principles calculations are combined with new transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations to support a new model for elastic electron-silicon interactions in the TEM, which encompasses both nitrogen doped and nitrogen free silicon. Specifically, the nudged elastic band method was used to study the energetics along the diffusion path during an electron collision event in the vicinity of a nitrogen pair. It was found that the 0 K estimate for the energy barrier of a knock-on event is lowered from ∼ 12 to 6.2 eV. However, this is still inadequate to explain the observations. We therefore propose an increase in the energy barrier for Frenkel pair recombination associated with N2-V bonding. Concerning pure silicon, stacking fault formation near irradiation-induced holes demonstrates the participation of bulk processes. In low oxygen float zone material, 2–5 nm voids were formed, while oxygen precipitation in Czochralski Si has been verified by electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Models of irradiation-induced point defect aggregation are presented and it is concluded that these must be bulk and not surface mediated phenomena.
The Anglo-American Paradigm: Lost and Found in Current Theology

The main Western paradigm involves: 1) dichotomous thinking, 2) valuing abstraction qnd stability, 3) the quest for certainty, 4) search for foundations and proper method, and 5) a precise language. Postmodernism often favors the mirror images of these five. There is a third approach in marry Anglo-American writers which involves neither alternatives. This article analyzes four contemporary theologians, two of whom, Mark C Taylor and George Lindbeck, are rooted in the newer tradition and two, Phil Hefner and Delwin Brown, in the Anglo-American. This essay may be considered a plea to avoid the traditional-postmodern dichotomy.
Hydralazine-induced ANCA vasculitis with pulmonary renal syndrome: a rare clinical presentation

Hydralazine is a commonly used drug for treatment of hypertension and is known to cause drug-induced lupus erythematosus. It has rarely been reported to cause anti neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody positive vasculitis, a life-threatening complication. Presentation could be extremely variable delaying diagnosis. Although drug-induced vasculitis has been infrequently associated with rapidly progressing glomerulonephritis, pulmonary involvement presenting as pulmonary renal syndrome is extremely rare. We report a case of hydralazine-induced vasculitis presenting as pulmonary renal syndrome with fatal outcome even after aggressive treatment. Numerous antibodies are associated with hydralazine including anti myeloperoxidase antibody, anti-nuclear antibody, anti-histone antibody, and anti-elastase antibody. Additionally, we also report the presence of anti-phospholipid antibodies specific to anti-cardiolipin, anti-beta2 glycoprotein, and anti-phosphatid that have not been previously reported. We conclude that early diagnosis and prompt discontinuation of the drug is necessary for the treatment of hydralazine-induced anti neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody vasculitis.
Calorimetric investigations of a gold-nickel alloy. II. The heat capacity at high temperatures and the entropy of formation

Abstract The literature of measurements of the heat capacity of alloys is critically reviewed. A Bunsen ice calorimeter is employed to measure the cumulative enthalpy difference between the solid solution Au0.517Ni0.483 and the corresponding weights of the pure metals; differentiation of the temperature curve yields the deviation of the heat capacity of the alloy from the Kopp-Neumann rule. The positive value of this deviation and the large magnitude of the vibrational entropy of solution are related to the loosening of the lattice that accompanies formation of the solid solution.
The walk partition and colorations of a graph

Abstract We study the partitions of a graph G with vertices labeled 1,2,…,n. A matrix notation for partitions is devised which reflects a partial order among partitions and provides a matrix characterization (in terms of the adjacency matrix A of G) of a coloration or equitable partition. An especially useful partition is one based on the number of walks issuing from each vertex. This is not generally a coloration (sufficient conditions are given) but nevertheless plays a special role relative to colorations. The spectrum of G, Sp(G), has a “main part”, the set of eigenvalues with an eigenvector not orthogonal to e (the column of 1s). We disprove a conjecture of Harary and Schwenk about the main part of the spectrum and prove an alternate characterization. The walk partition appears here and also in a relation between the main parts of the spectra of G and Ḡ, its complement.
Photoabsorption and photoionization cross sections of NH3, PH3, H2S, C2H2, and C2H4 in the VUV region

Using synchrotron radiation as a continuum light source, the photoabsorption and photoionization cross sections of NH3, PH3, H2S, C2H2, and C2H4 have been measured from their respective ionization thresholds to 1060 A. The vibrational constants associated with the nu(2) totally symmetric, out-of-plane bending vibration of the ground electronic state of PH3(+) have been obtained. The cross sections and quantum yields for producing neutral products through photoexcitation of these molecules in the given spectral regions have also been determined. In the present work, autoionization processes were found to be less important than dissociation and predissociation processes in NH3, PH3, and C2H4. Several experimental techniques have been employed in order to examine the various possible systematic errors critically.