cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DRUG DELIVERY USING ANTIBODY-LIPOSOME CONJUGATES

AbstractLiposomes bearing surface-attached antibody (L-Ab) were prepared to deliver dideoxyinosine triphosphate (ddITP) to human monocyte/macrophages. A mouse monoclonal antibody (IgG2a) was modified using succinimidyl pyridyl dithiopropionate (SPDP) as a heterobifunctional reagent in order to conjugate the Ab to liposomes through a covalent (thioether) bond. SPDP-modified antibody was incubated with liposomes containing 5 mol% of maleimido phenyl butyrate phosphatidyl ethanolamine (MPB-PE) at room temperature for 8 hr. L-Ab was separated from free and aggregated antibodies by density gradient technique using metrizamide. Uptake of L-Ab by human monocyte/macrophages was measured as a function of time and compared to liposomes prepared with and without MPB-PE and free ddITP. The uptake increased with time with all samples except for free ddITP after 4 hr. This could be explained by dephosphorylation of ddITP. Uptake of MPB-PE liposomes was 2.7 times higher than those without MPB-PE after 48 hr. However, th...
Neuronal and Epithelial Cell Rescue Resolves Chronic Systemic Inflammation in the Lipid Storage Disorder Niemann-Pick C

Chronic systemic inflammation is thought to be a major contributor to metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. Since inflammatory components are shared among different disorders, targeting inflammation is an attractive option for mitigating disease. To test the significance of inflammation in the lipid storage disorder (LSD) Niemann-Pick C (NPC), we deleted the macrophage inflammatory gene Mip1a/Ccl3 from NPC diseased mice. Deletion of Ccl3 had been reported to delay neuronal loss in Sandhoff LSD mice by inhibiting macrophage infiltration. For NPC mice, in contrast, deleting Ccl3 did not retard neurodegeneration and worsened the clinical outcome. Depletion of visceral tissue macrophages also did not alter central nervous system (CNS) pathology and instead increased liver injury, suggesting a limited macrophage infiltration response into the CNS and a beneficial role of macrophage activity in visceral tissue. Prevention of neuron loss or liver injury, even at late stages in the disease, was achieved through specific rescue of NPC disease in neurons or in liver epithelial cells, respectively. Local epithelial cell correction was also sufficient to reduce the macrophage-associated pathology in lung tissue. These results demonstrate that elevated inflammation and macrophage activity does not necessarily contribute to neurodegeneration and tissue injury, and LSD defects in immune cells may not preclude an appropriate inflammatory response. We conclude that inflammation remains secondary to neuronal and epithelial cell dysfunction and does not irreversibly contribute to the pathogenic cascade in NPC disease. Without further exploration of possible beneficial roles of inflammatory mediators, targeting inflammation may not be therapeutically effective at ameliorating disease severity.
Relative Cost of Owning and Using Traditional and Innovative Cooking Appliances

A matrix was developed to provide a framework to organize information and compare the relative cost in monetary and human resources of owning and using traditional and innovative residential major cooking appliances. Laboratory data collected by the first author and by other university researchers with the same five types of cook tops and a microwave oven were analyzed with ANOVA, Student-Newman-Keuls, and Tukey's HDS procedures. Data were then used to complete the matrix comprising monetary and human resource dimensions thought to contribute to the total cost of ownership and use. Each dimension was assigned a weight to represent its level of importance to consumers. Based on the data, appliances were ranked high, medium, or low on each dimension of the matrix, and a total score was developed for each appliance. The microwave oven received the highest score, followed in order by cooktops with conventional gas burners, conventional electric coils, solid elements, and induction elements. Additional work is needed to refine data collection techniques, to expand the data set to include all types of major appliances currently available for surface cooking, and to validate the content and weights of the matrix.
Correction: A special JAAS issue devoted to the second International Glow Discharge Spectroscopy Symposium

Correction for ‘A special JAAS issue devoted to the second International Glow Discharge Spectroscopy Symposium’ by Steven Ray, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2014, 29, 1966–1968.
Antifungal prophylaxis in solid-organ transplant recipients: considerations for clinical trial design.

Background There are several key issues regarding clinical trial design for antifungal prophylaxis in organ transplant recipients. Methods The existing and emerging data on the epidemiology and risk factors for invasive mycoses in organ transplant recipients formed the basis for discerning the subgroups that may be targeted for prophylaxis, the unique end points to be considered, and the attributes of currently available drugs that may be suitable candidates for antifungal prophylaxis. Results Epidemiological characteristics of invasive mycoses in organ transplant recipients have evolved sufficiently to warrant thoughtful reconsideration of the subsets of patients and the fungal pathogens to be targeted for antifungal prophylactic trials in the current era. Safety and tolerability of antifungal agents and outcome stratified by severity of illness are important end points given the potential for drug interactions with immunosuppressive agents and the fact that a beneficial effect of prophylaxis on outcome has been difficult to document in organ transplant recipients. Conclusions Clinical trial design for antifungal prophylaxis must carefully consider the unique issues pertaining to the selection of patients most likely to benefit, as well as the tolerability and drug interactions of antifungal agents in organ transplant recipients.
A protocol analysis of assembly planning rules and strategies

Production engineers' decision making activities have been observed through their verbal protocols while they were performing an assembly planning task in an experiment. The verbal protocols reveal the importance of various heuristic rules and the top-down strategy to efficient assembly planning. The implications of experimental findings in the design of the computer-aided assembly planning system are discussed.
Theory of dense hydrogen: Proton pairing

Dense hydrogen, a dual Fermion system, possesses a Hamiltonian of high symmetry and especial simplicity. As a consequence of the latter its ground state energy satisfies general scaling conditions, independent of phase. Electron exchange is an important contributor, and its role in proton pairing (so evident at low densities) can be argued as a persistent feature. In the single particle description instabilities associated with band-gap closure can be seen as incipient charge density waves but in pair coordinates. This gives rise to a notion of higher pairing within which there can be an associated broken symmetry in electron density (consistent with the observed infrared activity). The persistence of exchange driven pairing under conditions where temperatures approach characteristic vibron energies is discussed in the context of recent reports of the metallization of hydrogen by dynamic methods.
A Simple Slicing Guide for Small Organs

A slicing guide suitable for use on small organs and tissue pieces may be constructed from a double-edged comb, a lucite strip and two nuts and bolts. The comb is divided longitudinally into single edged combs, the teeth of which are aligned by attaching each comb to the sides of the lucite strip. The slots between teeth serve as guides for a cutting instrument and permit slicing an object resting on the lucite strip into uniform parallel slabs of millimeter thickness.
Using Prezi to Structure Online Videos for Information Literacy Instruction: A Case Study

This case study describes how librarians at Radford University use Prezi, a free, cloud-based, online presentation software, as a platform to structure the content of short online videos focused on various research skills. By utilizing Prezi's flexible formatting, templates, and panning and zooming features, librarians are able to visually illustrate the relationships between varying concepts. This article discusses the online video creation process, best practices, and lessons learned from delivering structured information literacy instruction in the video medium.
Immunohistochemical Localization of Selected Early Response Genes Expressed in Trabecular Bone of Young Rats Given hPTH 1-34

Intermittent administration of parathyroid hormone (PTH) increases trabecular bone mass in vivo by stimulating bone formation. To further characterize the cellular and molecular mediators of the anabolic response to PTH, we examined the effect of intermittent synthetic hPTH 1-34 on the expression and localization of selected early response genes, c-fos, c-jun, c-myc, and IL-6 protein, in bone tissue by immunohistochemistry. Young male Sprague-Dawley rats, 70–100 g, were injected s.c. with 8 μg/100 g PTH or vehicle control, once daily for 5 days. Femurs were harvested 1 and 24 hours after the fifth injection, then fixed, decalcified, processed for wax embedding, and sections were immunostained. Early response genes, c-fos, c-jun and IL-6, were strongly expressed in osteoblasts, osteocytes, and megakaryocytes in bones 1 hour after PTH, when compared with vehicle-treated controls or sections from rats, 24 hours after PTH injection. Osteoblasts, osteocytes, and megakaryocytes were also positive for c-myc but the differences in stain intensity between control and treated groups were marginal. Also, scattered islands of hematopoietic cells in the marrow stained intensely for IL-6 by 1 hour after PTH, but the stain intensity decreased to control level 24 hours after the last PTH injection. Scattered islands of hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow stained more strongly for c-fos than either c-jun or c-myc, but neither localization nor stain intensity were regulated by PTH at the time points examined. We conclude that during the immediate early phase of the anabolic response, PTH regulates c-fos, c-jun, and IL-6 expression in osteoblasts, osteocytes, megakaryocytes, and selected bone marrow hematopoietic cells in bone.
Student-perceived effectiveness of online content delivery modes

This Work In Progress focuses on student perceptions of the effectiveness of three content delivery modes; a) traditional, residential in-class b) class capture for asynchronous online delivery, and c) modularized targeted content videos for online and blended or flipped classroom mode. Despite the growth of MOOCs and the concomitant shift from long lecture videos to learning modules, many online courses still rely on a class capture method. A recent study on video use by students in online courses recommends the use of short videos, six to nine minutes in length, based on student viewing habits. [1] The student behavior was inferred from click-stream data captured within the LMS but there was no direct interaction with students to gauge impressions of the content delivery or impact on learning. To improve both the residential and online experience requires a deeper understanding of those features which promote learning in each approach. Some of this understanding can be gleaned from traditional academic course evaluations, but student perceptions yield an additional level of understanding. For this study we analyzed data from multiple offerings of a 7-week graduate level numerical analysis course; Application of Finite Element Analysis. Over three years this course was offered residentially and online using multiple delivery modes. We categorize the delivery modes as Traditional, Class-Capture, and Modularized/Blended. Each student studied the material using one delivery mode and was then asked to review the material using another delivery mode. The students were asked to evaluate the perceived learning attained based on their original content delivery mode and the alternate mode. The feedback from this analysis, combined with traditional course evaluations will be used to develop a more comprehensive and objective survey to be used in the next round of courses.
Moving from Conflict to Collaboration: Watershed Governance in Lake Tahoe

This article examines the evolution of watershed governance in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The early years of watershed management were characterized by a high degree of conflict. However, the last decade has seen dramatic changes. Organizations once embroiled in intense conflict with one another now work together on common goals to improve environmental conditions. The evolution of the governance system in Lake Tahoe is examined by looking at changes in intergovernmental relations and interactions between public agencies and civil society actors. Lessons are then drawn to provide advice for practitioners seeking to use collaboration as an implementation strategy.
The Application of Decomposition to the Large Scale Synthesis/Design Optimization of Aircraft Energy Systems

An application of a decomposition approach for large-scale optimization (i.e., the Iterative Local-Global Optimization (ILGO) approach) developed by Munoz and von Spakovsky (2001) is presented. The synthesis / design optimization of a turbofan engine coupled to an environmental control system for a military aircraft was carried out. The problem was solved for a given mission (i.e. a load / environmental profile) composed of fifteen segments. The number of decision (independent) variables both discrete and continuous for this highly non-linear optimization problem was one hundred fifty-three. Both the thermodynamic and physical (weight and volume) simulations were carried out using state-of-the art tools. Three objective functions were investigated: take-off gross weight, mission fuel consumption and total cost, and no observable differences were found in the final results. In addition to the mathematical foundations for global convergence presented in Munoz and von Spakovsky (2000b, 2001), convergence was validated numerically by solving the entire mixed-integer non-linear programming (MINLP) problem without decomposition using a subset of the independent variables. The constant value of the shadow prices (or linear behavior of the Optimum Response Surface – OSR) played a major role in global convergence of the ILGO approach.
Market Responses to Pricing Fedwire Daylight Overdrafts

The Federal Reserve is considering pricing daylight overdrafts on Fedwire. The market could respond in four ways. Estimates of the effect of each on reducing overdrafts leads to the conclusion that funds transfer overdrafts could virtually be eliminated.
Pressure tuning of crystalline As2Te3

We report the pressure dependence of the thermoelectric power of As2Te3. Pressures up to 10 GPa were induced using a Mao-Bell diamond anvil cell. The absolute value of the thermoelectric power dropped from S ≈ 230μV/K at ambient pressure to S ≈ 75 GPa near 5 GPa. At 6 GPa it then increased rapidly to S ≈ 220βV/K. This behavior is indicative of a structural phase transition as suggested by previously published high pressure phase diagrams.
Abstract 194: Relaxin Receptor-Ligand Expression in a Fibrotic Environment

The renin-overproducing transgenic rat (mREN2) has recently been proposed as a model of left ventricular (LV) hypertension and fibrosis. Comparing mREN2 (n=7) to sex- and age-matched Wistar-Han control rats (WHAN, n=11), we have confirmed hypertension (mean blood pressure: 174±9 vs. 107±3 mmHg, P<0.001), hypertrophy (LV weight:body weight: 4.0±0.1 vs. 2.7±0.1 mg/g, P<0.001), and cardiac fibrosis. At the protein level, LV from mREN2 exhibited significantly higher percentage of interstitial collagen per total protein area versus WHAN (5.95±1.01% vs. 1.96±0.06%, P=0.02). At the level of LV function, mREN2 hearts demonstrated significant diastolic dysfunction (increased stiffness coefficient from stress-strain relationship: 198±30 vs. 78±10, P=0.01, and reduced magnitude of dP/dtmin: 1254±125 vs. 2000±110 mmHg/s, P<0.001), and impaired relaxation (increased relaxation time constant: 0.048±0.001 vs. 0.043±0.001 s, P=0.002). The naturally occurring hormone relaxin is known to have antifibrotic properties in mul...
Comment: Is Self–Other Overlap the Key to Understanding Empathy?:

Preston and Hofelich (2012) suggested that researchers disagree on the role of self–other overlap in empathy due to a failure to differentiate among neural overlap, subjective resonance, and personal distress; they also developed a framework for tying neural and subjective overlap to various aspects of functioning they include in the construct of empathy. Although we found their discussion of different processes that have been labeled empathy interesting and helpful, we found their discussion of self–other overlap to be somewhat less useful for conceptualizing differences among empathy-related processes. In addition, we provide an alternative perspective to their reasoning regarding the role of experience and neural overlap in an aspect of empathy-related responding (e.g., concern or compassion).
Changing the Timing of the New York State of the State Address

This paper reviews the Constitutional history governing the State of the State address in New York State. It also shows how the State of the State address has evolved from being a written paper to a gubernatorial speech.
Die Untersuchung und Kontrolle der Vertriebskosten

Die Planung und Kontrolle der Vertriebskosten durch Auf teilung in Kostenstellen wurde bereits im dritten Kapitel besprochen. Aus Grunden der Kontrolle mus die Verantwortlichkeit fur die Aufwande klar festgelegt werden. Zu diesem Zweck werden die Kosten der Vertriebstatigkeiten, nach Kostenstellen aufgeteilt, dargestellt.
Public Health Service Research Grants In Biology

At the close of the war in 1946 when the Committee on Medical Research of the Office of Scientific Research and Development sought a proper liquidation of its program, agreement was reached that responsibility for approximately fifty research projects of university scientists should be transferred to the Public Health Service. The news of this transfer initiated a rapid expansion of research grant activities, and research in this field entered upon a new concept of more adequate support. The economy of supporting our priceless asset of brain power with money power received ever-widening acceptance and implementation. The decision of the Public Health Service to continue and expand this program has been consistently validated by the Congress through ever-increasing annual appropriations to provide an expanded national base line of research. The increase from 1946 through 1953 is shown as follows:
Functional Boundaries in the Sensori-Motor Cortex of the Monkey.∗:

The method of local strychninization of the cerebral cortex of the monkey has already established the existence of functional boundaries between the major subdivisions of the sensori-motor cortex, so far as sensation is concerned.Further study of the problem by the same method, supplemented by recording the action potentials of the cortex, has confirmed the existence of functional boundaries on the “sensory” side and established the existence: of such boundaries on the “motor” side.Strychnine applied locally to any region of the cortex induces in that region typical changes of the “spontaneous” action potentials, notably the appearance of “strychnine-spikes”. Though the structural dissimilarity of the various cortical regions precludes the attribution of these spikes to any one specific structural element in the cortex, the, distribution of the spikes over the cortex differs with difference in architectonic structure of the regions strychninized.Local strychninization of any one or two square millimeters ...
Efficacy of irreversible electroporation in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma: advanced murine model

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a promising cell membrane ablative modality for pancreatic cancer. There have been recent concerns regarding local recurrence and the potential use of IRE as a debulking (partial ablation) modality. We hypothesize that incomplete ablation leads to early recurrence and a more aggressive biology. We created the first ever heterotopic murine model by inoculating BALB/c nude mice in the hindlimb with a subcutaneous injection of Panc-1 cells, an immortalized human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line. Tumors were allowed to grow from 0.75 to 1.5 cm and then treated with the goal of complete ablation or partial ablation using standard IRE settings. Animals were recovered and survived for 2 days ( n = 6), 7 ( n = 6), 14 ( n = 6), 21 ( n = 6), 30 ( n = 8), and 60 ( n = 8) days. All 40 animals/tumors underwent successful IRE under general anesthesia with muscle paralysis. The mean tumor volume of the animals undergoing ablation was 1,447.6 mm 3 ± 884). Histologically, in the 14-, 21-, 30-, and 60-day survival groups the entire tumor was nonviable, with a persistent tumor nodule completely replaced fibrosis. In the group treated with partial ablation, incomplete electroporation/recurrences ( N = 10 animals) were seen, of which 66% had confluent tumors and this was a significant predictor of recurrence ( P 3 ± SD 877 versus completed electroporated tumors 925.8 ± 277, P P = 0.02). Recurrent tumors also had a significantly higher percentage of EpCAM expression, suggestive of stem cell activation. Tumors that recur after incomplete electroporation demonstrate a biologically aggressive tumor that could be more resistant to standard of care chemotherapy. Clinical correlation of this data is limited, but should be considered when IRE of pancreatic cancer is being considered.
Magnetoelectric Perovskite-Spinel Bilayered Nanocomposites Synthesized by Liquid-Phase Deposition

Highly uniform bilayered perovskite-spinel hybrid nanostructures were deposited on glass and LaNiO3-buffered (100) silicon substrates at almost-ambient temperatures via the liquid-phase deposition (LPD) method. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) evidenced that the perovskite and spinel layers are constructed by arrays of densely packed nanoparticles with uniform sizes. The bilayered nanocomposites exhibit both piezoelectricity and ferrimagnetism at room temperature. The value of the static piezoelectric coefficient of the PbTiO3 (PTO) film was 14.1 pm/V, whereas the values of the saturation magnetization were 234.4 and 223.2 emu/cm3 for the PbTiO3−Co0.32Fe2.68O4 (CFO) and PbTiO3−Ni0.66Fe2.34O4 (NFO), respectively. The coercivity of the nanocomposite decreased by 12.11% for the PTO−CFO, whereas, for the PTO−NFO, it increased by 20%, with respect to the coercivity values of the pristine ferrite films, which is the result of a magnetoelectric coupling betwe...
Dissociation of TNF-alpha from endotoxin-induced nitric oxide and acute-phase hypotension

We tested the concept that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) or platelet-activating factor (PAF) mediated Escherichia coli endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced upregulation of nitric oxide (NO) and acute-phase hypotension (APH) in the rat. LPS (0.5 mg/kg i.v.) given to rats treated with saline or nonimmune goat-derived gamma-globulin (immunoglobulin G, 22 mg/kg i.m.) produced APH and increased plasma concentrations of TNF-alpha and nitrate and nitrite anions (reactive nitrogen intermediates; RNI) and NO in ex vivo incubates of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) mRNA in PMN. Pretreatment of rats with a polyclonal TNF-alpha antibody (TNF-Ab, 22 mg/kg i.m.) abolished LPS-mediated increases in plasma TNF-alpha but failed to inhibit APH or the NO system. TNF-alpha (8.2 micrograms/kg i.v.) produced transient hypertension and sustained tachycardia and increased plasma TNF-alpha and PMN iNOS mRNA but not RNI. LPS and TNF-alpha decreased spontaneous and calcimycin (Ca2+ ionophore, 1 microM)- and PAF (1 microM)-mediated increases in head-space NO production by rings of mesenteric artery incubated ex vivo. TNF-Ab abolished all effects of TNF-alpha. PAF (25, 50, and 100 ng/kg) produced APH without increasing plasma TNF-alpha, RNI, or PMN iNOS mRNA. The PAF receptor antagonist BN-50730 (80 micrograms/kg i.v.) abolished PAF-induced APH and attenuated LPS-induced increases in RNI. We conclude that 1) LPS produces parallel but unrelated changes in TNF-alpha and RNI in plasma and PMN during the APH of endotoxemia; and 2) endogenous TNF-alpha is not required for LPS-mediated induction of iNOS mRNA, and PAF mediates LPS-induced APH.
Modeling user knowledge with dynamic Bayesian networks in interactive narrative environments

Recent years have seen a growing interest in interactive narrative systems that dynamically adapt story experiences in response to users' actions, preferences, and goals. However, relatively little empirical work has investigated runtime models of user knowledge for informing interactive narrative adaptations. User knowledge about plot scenarios, story environments, and interaction strategies is critical in a range of interactive narrative contexts, such as mystery and detective genre stories, as well as narrative scenarios for education and training. This paper proposes a dynamic Bayesian network approach for modeling user knowledge in interactive narrative environments. A preliminary version of the model has been implemented for the CRYSTAL ISLAND interactive narrative-centered learning environment. Results from an initial empirical evaluation suggest several future directions for the design and evaluation of user knowledge models for guiding interactive narrative generation and adaptation.
Venous thrombosis: prevention, treatment, and relationship to paradoxical embolization.

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is responsible for approximately 200,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States. DVT is easier and less ex-pensive to prevent than to diagnose a d treat. For every one million patients undergoing surgery who do receive prophylaxis against venous thrombosis, approximately $60 million will be saved in direct health care costs because effective mechanical and pharmacologic modalities are available to prevent most venous thrombi. The therapy for DVT should be based upon the anatomic extent of the thrombus as well as upon the patient's risk for pulmonary embolism, recurrent DVT, and chronic venous insufficiency. In patients with paradoxical embolism, a patent foramen ovale, occult leg vein thrombosis (particularly isolated calf vein thrombosis) is frequently present.
Palbociclib Commercial Manufacturing Process Development. Part III. Deprotection Followed by Crystallization for API Particle Property Control

A three-step commercial manufacturing route has been developed for palbociclib, a highly selective, reversible inhibitor of CDK 4/6. The third step of the palbociclib process is composed of an acid-catalyzed deprotection reaction telescoped through extractive workup and distillation operations into a controlled crystallization process. The selection of n-butanol and anisole as the cosolvents for this step allowed for the development of a robust process for each unit operation and for tight control of the API particle size.
Compared to what? Estimating the relative concentration of crime at places using systematic and other reviews

That crime is concentrated at a few places is well established by over 44 studies. This is true whether one examines addresses or street segments. Additionally, crime is concentrated among offenders and victims. Many physical, biological, and social phenomena are concentrated as well. This raises a question: is crime more or less concentrated at places than other phenomena? If it is not, then crime concentration maybe the result of standard ubiquitous processes that operate in nature. If crime is more or is less concentrated than other phenomena, then researchers need to ask why. We synthesize results from three systematic reviews and review other literatures to provide preliminary answers. We find that although crime is more concentrated at addresses than other spatial units, this is due to the fact that more addresses have no crime than is true of larger units. When only places with one or more crimes are examined, place crime is no more concentrated than other spatial unit crime. Crime appears to be concentrated at places at about the same level as it is concentrated among offenders or victims. And crime concentration does not appear to be peculiarly concentrated compared to non-crime related phenomena. The concentration of crime at places is unexceptional, and should be treated as one manifestation of a general tendency of things to be concentrated.
Efficient modeling and representation of agreement in interval-valued data

Recently, there has been much research into effective representation and analysis of uncertainty in human responses, with applications in cyber-security, forest and wildlife management, and product development, to name a few. Most of this research has focused on representing the response uncertainty as intervals, e.g., “I give the movie between 2 and 4 stars.” In this paper, we extend upon the model-based interval agreement approach (lAA) for combining interval data into fuzzy sets and propose the efficient IAA (eIAA) algorithm, which enables efficient representation of and operation on the fuzzy sets produced by IAA (and other interval-based approaches, for that matter). We develop methods for efficiently modeling, representing, and aggregating both crisp and uncertain interval data (where the interval endpoints are intervals themselves). These intervals are assumed to be collected from individual or multiple survey respondents over single or repeated surveys; although, without loss of generality, the approaches put forth in this paper could be used for any interval-based data where representation and analysis is desired. The proposed method is designed to minimize loss of information when transferring the interval-based data into fuzzy set models and then when projecting onto a compressed set of basis functions. We provide full details of eIAA and demonstrate it on real-world and synthetic data.
n-Alkane and long-chain alcohol recovery in moose (Alces alces), a browsing herbivore

Habitat management for herbivores often depends on an understanding of the food habits of animals. Plant cuticular waxes containing nearly indigestible complex mixture of n-alkanes and long-chain alcohols (LCOHs) have recently shown promise for diet analyses, but the accuracy of the technique depends strongly on the efficiency of recovery of the markers in feces. Fecal recovery of n-alkanes and LCOHs from ten browse stems or leaves and two ensiled grass hays fed to moose (Alces alces (L., 1758)) during in vivo digestion trials was investigated. n-Alkanes and LCOHs were extracted using a single-step accelerated solvent extraction technique, and the recovery of these cuticular components was calculated from the feces of the animals. n-Alkane recoveries from feces averaged 0.82, but ranged from a low of 0.58 (haylage) to a high of 0.95 (browse stems). Long-chain alcohol recoveries averaged 0.92 across all forages, ranging from 0.80 (haylage) to a high of 1.13 (browse stems). n-Alkane and LCOH fecal recovery ...
Congenital Brachial Arteriovenous Fistula

Despite complex embryologic development, congenital large- and medium-sized arteriovenous (AV) communications are rare. The prevalence of congenital large- and medium-sized AV malformations (AVMs) has been estimated to be 0.08–1%. Malformations do not always result in arterial venous communications though, and could potentially involve single type of vessel (artery or vein or lymphatic). Nontraumatic congenital AV communication in medium/large vessel has been previously reported in a single case report only. In our certified vascular laboratory at a large academic medical center (>1,000 studies per month), there have been no prior cases of medium to large vessel congenital AV communication. Although the etiology is unknown, this maldevelopment results in pathologic connections between arteries and veins upstream of the capillary bed. The most common site of AVMs are the head and neck (>50%), followed by the extremities, then the pelvis and visceral organs. Depending on the size, location, extent, and seve...
Probabilistic seismic analysis of concrete dry cask structures

Abstract Dry casks are vertical reinforced concrete cylinders, which are used to store spent nuclear fuel. In a seismic event, impact between adjacent casks, due to excessive horizontal displacements or large rocking angles, might cause damage to the structure, potentially leading to release of radioactive material. This paper analyzes the displacement and rocking response of dry casks subjected to seismic loads and proposes a two-layer probabilistic seismic demand modeling strategy to predict cask response. To enable this probabilistic modeling, virtual experimental data for seismic cask response is derived using a validated 3D finite element model. Latin Hypercube Sampling is used to generate 160 cask-pad-soil configurations across typical ranges of structural, geometric, and material properties, and nonlinear time history analyses are performed with a suite of ground motion records selected representative of regions where storage facilities are located or with moderate to high seismicity. Five-fold cross-validated response surface models are used to predict the probabilistic horizontal and vertical accelerations of the cask center of gravity. Then in the second step of the metamodeling strategy, probabilistic models of cask horizontal displacement and rocking are developed through stepwise regression in which the cask accelerations are tested as predictors in addition to structural, geometric and material parameters. The two-layer approach proposed herein offers an advance over traditional probabilistic seismic demand modeling methods, improves the performance of the developed metamodels and can be employed to study the seismic response of other rigid-body-type structures. The resulting probabilistic models are used in seismic fragility analyses, and parametric studies are conducted to explore the influence of different parameters on the fragility. Finally, the annual probability of failure, defined as the probability of seismic displacement or rocking response exceeding a prescribed limit, is evaluated for different locations in the United States.
Development of combined microstructure and structure characterization facility for in situ and operando studies at the Advanced Photon Source

Following many years of evolutionary development, first at the National Synchrotron Light Source, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and then at the Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory, the APS ultrasmall-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) facility has been transformed by several new developments. These comprise a conversion to higher-order crystal optics and higher X-ray energies as the standard operating mode, rapid fly scan measurements also as a standard operational mode, automated contiguous pinhole small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements at intermediate scattering vectors, and associated rapid wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) measurements for X-ray diffraction without disturbing the sample geometry. With each mode using the USAXS incident beam optics upstream of the sample, USAXS/SAXS/WAXS measurements can now be made within 5 min, allowing in situ and operando measurement capabilities with great flexibility under a wide range of sample conditions. These developments are described, together with examples of their application to investigate materials phenomena of technological importance. Developments of two novel USAXS applications, USAXSbased X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy and USAXS imaging, are also briefly reviewed.
Muscular Apparatus of the Ovarian Follicle

The muscular apparatus of the ovarian follicle has been investigated more thoroughly in eutherian mammals than in any other group of animals [1]. The mammalian ovarian follicle was first reported to contain contractile cells, in particular smooth muscle, over 100 years ago [2, 3, 4]. Because light microscopy does not resolve all the structural features of smooth muscle cells, controversy existed until recently regarding the type of contractile cell in the mammalian follicle [5]. During the past 30 years, however, there have been numerous ultrastructural studies that establish the existence of myoid cells with smooth muscle characteristics in ovarian follicles and numerous physiological studies that demonstrate that these follicles are contractile [6, 7]. Possible functions of the contractile apparatus include aiding in rupture site formation during ovulation [8, 9], evacuation of the antrum and collapse of the follicle wall during ovulation [6,10], corpus luteum formation [10], and compaction of the follicle during atresia [11]. Since comprehensive coverage of the literature in this field is beyond the scope of this review, the more recent work will be emphasized. Other reviews related to this topic have been published [1, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13].
Risk factors for secondary amenorrhea and galactorrhea.

Objective Analyses were undertaken to identify factors that may predispose women to secondary amenorrhea or galactorrhea, frequent sources of abnormal reproductive function. Methods Data were gathered from interviews with 252 women with secondary amenorrhea or galactorrhea from four clinical centers, along with neighborhood controls matched to each case. Univariate comparisons were made for clinical and demographic factors of the study subjects. Results Patients with amenorrhea and normal prolactin (PRL) levels and their matched controls tended to be younger than those with amenorrhea and elevated PRL or than menstruating patients with galactorrhea alone and their matched controls. Patients with amenorrhea and normal PRL also were significantly more educated and were older at menarche than their controls, while amenorrhea patients with elevated PRL or patients with galactorrhea alone did not differ significantly from their controls in age at menarche or educational level. More patients with galactorrhea alone had reported menstrual pain to their physicians and had significantly longer menstrual periods than their matched controls. Patients with galactorrhea alone also weighed more than their controls 2 years prior to diagnosis, a difference that remained after stratification by parity, although only statistically significant among women who had had one or two pregnancies. Finally, significantly fewer patients with amenorrhea than controls were smokers. Thus, these disorders may not be due to anti-estrogenic effect or to low estrogen levels which have been associated with smoking.
The Causes of Fire and Explosion of Lithium Ion Battery for Energy Storage

Lithium batteries have been rapidly popularized in energy storage for their high energy density and high output power. However, due to the thermal instability of lithium batteries, the probability of fire and explosion under extreme conditions is high. This paper reviews the causes of fire and explosion of lithium-ion batteries from the perspective of physical and chemical mechanism.
Honesty and dissent: resisting the Company of St George in Tudor Norwich

‘Honesty and dissent’ explores strategies of political resistance in Tudor Norwich through an analysis of the city's prestigious Company of St George. Nearly a quarter of those nominated for membership during the second half of the sixteenth century failed to appear when summoned and declined to take up the livery; most eventually complied, but only after fines, threats of imprisonment and delays that could last a year or more. They pursued a strategy of passive resistance that allowed them to register objections while conforming to expectations of ‘honest’ behaviour. That underappreciated approach enabled citizens to push back against urban authorities without compromising their standing in the community.
Case report: Complete laryngotracheal separation sustained from a knife wound

Abstract Significant laryngeal injuries are rare and often fatal. Incidence is estimated to be one in 30,000 emergency room visits. A much smaller subset result in complete laryngotracheal separation, classically as a result of blunt force trauma [1]. To the author's knowledge, only two cases of such injury sustained by stabbing have been reported in the literature [2,3]. Here we present the third reported case.
Food Insecurity Among Formerly Incarcerated Adults

The purpose of this study is to further the understanding of the hardships faced by formerly incarcerated individuals by investigating the association between prior incarceration and postrelease fo...
The Spotlight Is on You: Gauging the Sustainability of a Continuing Professional Development Pilot Program

Background: Respiratory therapists across the country are expected to maintain their continuing education units (CEU) to retain credentialing through the National Board Respiratory Care. Additionally, most hospital departments also require yearly CEUs as a job expectation. Provision of educational opportunities can be difficult due to assignments, varying shift times, and patient acuity. To address these challenges, we aimed to design a program that would run on staff9s scheduled shifts and be a sustainable and effective active learning tool. In addition, we aimed to demonstrate competency in the use of patient equipment and procedures. Methods: We designed a pilot program called 9Spotlight9 in an effort to educate and document competency. Spotlight was mandatory for therapists employed less than two years at our institution and was optional for all therapists. The average time employed for Phase I was 1.5 years while Phase II was 1.35 years. Each phase was slotted to run for two weeks every two months. During each phase, a group of two to four staff members was released from patient care to attend an educational talk and hands-on session. Each session was designed to take one hour. Initial data has been collected over a nine-month span with ongoing phases occurring. Results: Phase I ran from August 14th- August 30th and spanned 480 min, averaging 20 min of education time per therapist. A group of two averaged 40 min, a group of three 60 min, and a group of four 80 min. Phase II ran from December 30th- January 17th and spanned 340 min, averaging 15 min of education time per therapist. Groups of two averaged 30 min, a group of three 45 min, while a group of four 60 min. Phase I required more total time due to hospital acuity resulting in additional sessions. After each session, individual check-offs were conducted to gauge the effectiveness of the sessions; 100% competency in the designated procedures and equipment was achieved in the targeted staff. Conclusions: It was increasingly difficult to conduct Spotlight sessions during the high acuity viral season. Short-staffed days and attempting to release therapists from assignments became taxing. The next phase is scheduled for the end of May 2018; four months after the last phase, lying outside our goal. The strength of the CE tool lies in the ability to have assessments completed in a timely manner so therapists remain competent in their skills, equipment, and procedures.
The behavioral and neurochemical effects of an inescapable stressor are time of day dependent

Circadian rhythms are ∼24 h fluctuations in physiology and behavior that are synchronized with the light-dark cycle. The circadian system ensures homeostatic balance by regulating multiple systems ...
Artificial intelligence assisted surgery

Abstract The practice of surgery involves physical manipulation of tissue to treat disease. Over many centuries, surgical outcomes have improved with increasing human knowledge and the development of novel tools. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been defined as the study of algorithms that give machines the ability to reason and perform functions such as problem solving, object and word recognition, inference of world states, and decision-making. Surgery is therefore a natural and yet complex application for AI technologies. Operations require surgeons to synthesize data from multiple sources to make decisions, identify anatomy, and carry out physical tasks in rapidly changing scenarios. Outside of the operating room, components of surgical care include diagnosis, preoperative assessment, postoperative care, assessment of outcomes, and training of surgeons. AI promises to improve the quality and efficiency of perioperative care, improve surgical decision-making, augment the physical capabilities of human surgeons, and offer many exciting opportunities for future investigation. In this chapter, past, present, and future applications of AI in surgery are reviewed.
Perceptions of control and disordered eating behaviors during college transitions.

Disordered eating behaviors are prevalent among college-age individuals. Issues of control (e.g., perceptions of control; desire for control) are often salient for these individuals. Concerns regar...
56. Could Maturation Effect Contribute to In-hospital Mortality Improvement During COVID-19 Pandemic?

Background: The surge of COVID-19 cases overwhelms hospital systems necessitating rapid learning of the disease process and management During the course of a novel pandemic, multiple interventions are rapidly implemented to improve patient outcomes When evaluating efficacy of individual interventions, one should account for the simultaneous improvements in knowledge and experience of healthcare providers (HCP), known as the maturation effect We hypothesized that multiple processes rapidly implemented, along with the maturation effect would result in improved survival of COVID-19 patients hospitalized over the course of the pandemic Methods: This retrospective study was done at Henry Ford Hospital (HFH), a 900-bed tertiary care facility in Detroit, Michigan The first COVID-19 patient was hospitalized on March 10, 2020 followed by a rapid surge of cases We evaluated the trends of in-hospital case fatality rate of COVID-19 PCR positive patients through April 28, 2020 Time-points of sequential implementation of key measures for the management of COVID-19 patients were recorded Results: A total of 1023 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized during the study period with 165 deaths (16 %) Case fatality rate during week one was 42% and down trended over time (Figure 1) Key measures were sequentially implemented over the course of the study period as shown in Figure 1 These included development and implementation of in-house PCR testing, dedicated infectious diseases COVID-19 rounding teams, treatment guidelines and algorithms, and early steroid use in hypoxic patients Figure 2 demonstrates that despite the surge of COVID-19 admissions, mortality continued to improve over time Conclusion: Maturation effect takes into consideration that regardless of individual interventions, HCP improve their knowledge of the disease process and treatment over time leading to better outcomes Our study shows the possibility of the maturation effect leading to improved survival in hospitalized COVID-19 patients The maturation effect should be accounted for when evaluating the effect of specific interventions for COVID-19 (Table Presented)
The influence of a financial management course on couples' relationship quality

46 Introduction Couples who have conflict over money often report lower relationship quality. Research has linked couple financial strain to increased emotional distress for both the husband and the wife (Gudmundson, Beutler, Israelsen, McCoy, & Hill, 2007). Other research has found that financial factors predicted 15% of marital satisfaction, while couples’ perceived magnitude of financial problems had an inverse relationship with relationship quality (Kerkmann, Lee, Lown, & Allgood, 2000). Further, high financial satisfaction has been shown to be strongly associated with marital quality (Grable, Britt, & Cantrell, 2007) and completely paying off consumer debt appears to be positively related to marital satisfaction (Dew, 2008).