cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Persistence of Hepatitis C Virus in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Sustained Viral Responders to Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin Therapy

The aim of this paper was to assess the persistence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among patients successfully treated with peginterferon and ribavirin. The persistence of viral RNA was evaluated in the serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 25 chronic hepatitis C patients with sustained viral response to peginterferon and ribavirin treatment up to 56 months after the completion of therapy. Viral RNA was detected in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures of five patients (20%), but none had detectable serum HCV RNA. At present, the clinical relevance of this finding is unclear. It is possible that viral persistence and, specifically, the presence of HCV RNA in PBMCs may lead to HCV reactivation under special circumstances, such as immunosuppression.
The Motion of Barotropic Disturbances in the Upper Troposphere

Oscillations of a barotropic model of the upper troposphere are studied, taking into account the existence of a zone of intense westerly circulation found in this region of the atmosphere. The fundamental frequencies of these oscillations are determined and some comments are made with regard to their dispersive properties. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1949.tb01266.x
A Single Differential Equation for First-Excursion Time in a Class of Linear Systems

First-excursion times have been developed extensively in the literature for oscillators; one major application is structural dynamics of buildings. Using the fact that most closed-loop systems operate with a moderate to high damping ratio, we have derived a new procedure for calculating first-excursion times for a class of linear continuous, time-varying systems. In several examples, we show that the algorithm is both accurate and time-efficient. These are important attributes for real-time path planning in stochastic environments, and hence the work should be useful for autonomous robotic systems involving marine and air vehicles.
Numerical Heating in Hybrid Plasma Simulations

The numerical heating in hybrid particle?fluid simulations has been investigated with emphasis on the regimeZTe/Ti? 1, whereZis the charge state of the ions andTeandTiare the electron and ion temperatures, respectively. For the simple case of particle ions advanced in the ambipolar field due to quasineutral isothermal fluid electrons, the heating rate is observed to be weakly dependent on time step, inversely proportional to the number of simulation particles per grid cell and strongly increasing with increasingZTe/Ti. Additional smoothing, due to finite Debye length, or introduced through numerical means such as higher order particle interpolation or smoothing of grid quantities, is observed to significantly reduce this heating. Both one- and two-dimensional results are presented. These results are important to hybrid particle simulations of laser generated plasmas, a regime whereZTe/Ti? 1 is often encountered. As a relevant example, simulations of stimulated Brillouin scattering are presented illustrating the deleterious effect of numerical heating and attendant distortions to the particle distribution function.
Survey of Signal Interface Elements

Commercially available I.C.'s are investigated to serve as interface elements between NIM, ECL and T2L logic levels. Schemes for low cost quantizer and fast ADC are explored for use in large high energy physics experiments.
Coyote Attacks on Humans in the United States and Canada

Coyotes (Canis latrans) have expanded their range across much of North America and are now established in many metropolitan areas. Their presence in urban areas has often elicited concern from the public, although the actual risk that they pose to human populations is unclear. We conducted an analysis of coyote attacks on humans in the United States and Canada, including 142 reported incidents of coyote attacks resulting in 159 victims. Most attacks were classified as predatory (37%) or investigative (22%) in nature. The number of reported attacks was nearly equal between adults and children, although child victims were more (p < .001) prevalent in predatory attacks. Future coyote attacks could be reduced or prevented through modification of human behavior and public education designed to prevent the habituation of coyotes. A standardized reporting system for coyote attack incidents would be beneficial for further investigating characteristics of coyote attack incidents.
Protein-Facilitated Folding of Group II Intron Ribozymes

Multiple studies hypothesize that DEAD-box proteins facilitate folding of the ai5γ group II intron. However, these conclusions are generally inferred from splicing kinetics, and not from direct monitoring of DEAD-box protein-facilitated folding of the intron. Using native gel electrophoresis and dimethyl sulfate structural probing, we monitored Mss-116-facilitated folding of ai5γ intron ribozymes and a catalytically active self-splicing RNA containing full-length intron and short exons. We found that the protein directly stimulates folding of these RNAs by accelerating formation of the compact near-native state. This process occurs in an ATP-independent manner, although ATP is required for the protein turnover. As Mss 116 binds RNA nonspecifically, most binding events do not result in the formation of the compact state, and ATP is required for the protein to dissociate from such nonproductive complexes and rebind the unfolded RNA. Results obtained from experiments at different concentrations of magnesium ions suggest that Mss 116 stimulates folding of ai5γ ribozymes by promoting the formation of unstable folding intermediates, which is then followed by a cascade of folding events resulting in the formation of the compact near-native state. Dimethyl sulfate probing results suggest that the compact state formed in the presence of the protein is identical to the near-native state formed more slowly in its absence. Our results also indicate that Mss 116 does not stabilize the native state of the ribozyme, but that such stabilization results from binding of attached exons.
Pan-histone deacetylase inhibitors regulate signaling pathways involved in proliferative and pro-inflammatory mechanisms in H9c2 cells

We have shown previously that pan-HDAC inhibitors (HDACIs) m-carboxycinnamic acid bis-hydroxamide (CBHA) and trichostatin A (TSA) attenuated cardiac hypertrophy in BALB/c mice by inducing hyper-acetylation of cardiac chromatin that was accompanied by suppression of pro-inflammatory gene networks. However, it was not feasible to determine the precise contribution of the myocytes- and non-myocytes to HDACI-induced gene expression in the intact heart. Therefore, the current study was undertaken with a primary goal of elucidating temporal changes in the transcriptomes of cardiac myocytes exposed to CBHA and TSA. We incubated H9c2 cardiac myocytes in growth medium containing either of the two HDACIs for 6h and 24h and analyzed changes in gene expression using Illumina microarrays. H9c2 cells exposed to TSA for 6h and 24h led to differential expression of 468 and 231 genes, respectively. In contrast, cardiac myocytes incubated with CBHA for 6h and 24h elicited differential expression of 768 and 999 genes, respectively. We analyzed CBHA- and TSA-induced differentially expressed genes by Ingenuity Pathway (IPA), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Core_TF programs and discovered that CBHA and TSA impinged on several common gene networks. Thus, both HDACIs induced a repertoire of signaling kinases (PTEN-PI3K-AKT and MAPK) and transcription factors (Myc, p53, NFkB and HNF4A) representing canonical TGFβ, TNF-α, IFNγ and IL-6 specific networks. An overrepresentation of E2F, AP2, EGR1 and SP1 specific motifs was also found in the promoters of the differentially expressed genes. Apparently, TSA elicited predominantly TGFβ- and TNF-α-intensive gene networks regardless of the duration of treatment. In contrast, CBHA elicited TNF-α and IFNγ specific networks at 6 h, followed by elicitation of IL-6 and IFNγ-centered gene networks at 24h. Our data show that both CBHA and TSA induced similar, but not identical, time-dependent, gene networks in H9c2 cardiac myocytes. Initially, both HDACIs impinged on numerous genes associated with adipokine signaling, intracellular metabolism and energetics, and cell cycle. A continued exposure to either CBHA or TSA led to the emergence of a number of apoptosis- and inflammation-specific gene networks that were apparently suppressed by both HDACIs. Based on these data we posit that the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative actions of HDACIs are myocyte-intrinsic. These findings advance our understanding of the mechanisms of actions of HDACIs on cardiac myocytes and reveal potential signaling pathways that may be targeted therapeutically.
An in-plane high-sensitivity, low-noise micro-g silicon accelerometer with CMOS readout circuitry

A high-sensitivity, low-noise in-plane (lateral) capacitive silicon microaccelerometer utilizing a combined surface and bulk micromachining technology is reported. The accelerometer utilizes a 0.5-mm-thick, 2.4/spl times/1.0 mm/sup 2/ proof-mass and high aspect-ratio vertical polysilicon sensing electrodes fabricated using a trench refill process. The electrodes are separated from the proof-mass by a 1.1-/spl mu/m sensing gap formed using a sacrificial oxide layer. The measured device sensitivity is 5.6 pF/g. A CMOS readout circuit utilizing a switched-capacitor front-end /spl Sigma/-/spl Delta/ modulator operating at 1 MHz with chopper stabilization and correlated double sampling technique, can resolve a capacitance of 10 aF over a dynamic range of 120 dB in a 1 Hz BW. The measured input referred noise floor of the accelerometer-CMOS interface circuit is 1.6/spl mu/g//spl radic/Hz in atmosphere.
Light Scattering and Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Investigations of Double-Tailed Surfactants in Aqueous Solutions

We have investigated aqueous solutions of sodium p-(l-pentylheptyl)benzenesulfonate (6-PhC12SNa) at 45°C using static and dynamic light scattering (LS) and static small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements. The SANS studies in D2O were performed in the concentration range 0.0099–0.0991 M; Guinier radii (RG) of 13.7–16.6 A were determined. Scattering curves for the more concentrated solutions show an interaction peak which arises from intermicellar correlations; the effect of added NaCl, at a constant surfactant concentration of 0.0845 M, on these interactions was also studied. The SANS measurements were complemented by static and dynamic LS studies on 0.0845 M 6-PhC12SNa in H2O, with and without added salt. Non-single exponential behavior was observed in the intensity autocorrelation functions, and two interpretations of the slow process(es) are briefly discussed.
Risk of Heart Failure Complication during Hospitalization for Acute Myocardial Infarction in a Contemporary Population: Insights from the National Cardiovascular Data ACTION Registry

Background—Patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) complicated by heart failure (HF) are subject to higher mortality during the index hospitalization. Early risk prediction and intervention may help prevent HF-related morbidity and mortality. Methods and Results—We examined 77 675 ST-elevation MI and 110 128 non-ST-elevation patients with MI without cardiogenic shock or HF at presentation treated at 609 hospitals in Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network Registry (ACTION) Registry-Get With The Guidelines between January 1, 2007, and March 31, 2011. Logistic regression identified patient characteristics associated with development of in-hospital HF. Overall, 3.8% of patients with MI developed in-hospital HF, which was associated with higher mortality in both ST-elevation MI and non-ST elevation MI. In multivariable logistic regression, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤30%, prior HF, diabetes mellitus, female sex, ST-elevation MI, and hypertension (all P<0.005) were independent...
Transmembrane passage of cytokine-inducing bacterial products across new and reprocessed polysulfone dialyzers.

The widespread use of bicarbonate dialysate and reprocessed high-efficiency and “high-flux” dialyzers has raised concerns about the increased risk of reverse-transfer of dialysate contaminants into the blood compartment. To evaluate this concern, the reverse-transfer of bacterial products from contaminated bicarbonate dialysate into the blood compartment was compared during in vitro dialysis with new or reprocessed high-flux polysulfone dialyzers. In vitro dialysis was carried out at 37#{176}C by use of a countercurrent recirculating loop dialysis circuit with either new high-flux polysulfone dialyzers or dialyzers reprocessed once or 20 times with formaldehyde (0.75%) and bleach (< 1%) with an automated system. Heparinized whole blood from healthy volunteers was circulated through the blood compartment, and bicarbonate dialysate was circulated in the dialysate compartment. The dialysate was challenged sequentially by 1: 1000 and 1:100 dilutions of a sterile Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture supernatant (bacterial challenge). Samples were drawn from the blood and dialysate compartments 1 h after each challenge. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were harvested by Ficoll-Hypaque separation from whole blood in the blood compartment and a 5 x 106 PBMC/mL cell suspension was prepared. Likewise, dialysate samples (0.5 mL) were added to 0.5 mL suspension of 5 x 106 PBMC/mL drawn at baseline. All PBMC suspensions were incubated upright in a humidified atmosphere at 37#{176}C with 5% CO2 for 24 h, and total interleukin-la (IL-la) and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNFa) cytokine production (cell-associated and secreted) was measured by radioimmunoassay.
Poultry nutrition in 1964.

(1965). Poultry Nutrition in 1964. World's Poultry Science Journal: Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 329-344.
Potential exposure of humans to 2,4,5-T and TCDD in the oregon coast ranges

Abstract Research on the use of 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5,-T) contaminated with 2.5×10−8 parts 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) inforests of the Oregon Coast Ranges permits estimates of human exposures for both compounds. Estimated total exposure of nearby (≥1/8 mile distant) residents during the first week after application is 0.0039 mg/kg of 2,4,5-T for a 70-kg adult. Exposure to TCDD in the same episode would be 1.9×10−10 mg/kg. Nearly half the total exposure, i. e 0.0019 mg/kg, 2,4,5-T and 5.0×10−11 mg/kg TCDD would occur the first day. Based on published and unpublished acute no-effect estimates of 40 mg/kg for 2,4,5-T and 0.0001 mg/kg for TCDD, the smallest safety factors for the two chemicals are 20 000:1 for 2,4,5-T for 1 day and 1 000 000:1 for TCDD for 1 week. Applicators are far more heavily exposed, with daily maximum actual intake for helicopter loaders (the highest exposure group if they do not wear gloves) of 0.063 mg/kg per day 2,4,5-T and 1.6×10−9 mg/kg per day TCDD. Minimum safety factors for the most heavily exposed workers based on these data are estimated at 635:1 for one-time exposure to 2,4,5-T; 83 333:1 for one-time exposure to TCDD; 318:1 for daily exposure to 2,4,5-T; and 625:1 for daily exposure to TCDD. Nearly all exposure to 2,4,5-T in forestry operations is through dermal contact. Inhalation appears minor. Urine is a reliable indicator of exposure to 2,4,5-T if collected within 1 to 4 days of exposure (depending on the degree of exposure). Human skin exposed to a concentrated spray mixture containing 38.4 g 2,4,5-T per liter, as the ester, transmitted 0.0013 mg/cm2 per hr during the period of saturated contact.
Scopolamine and olfactory function

Several investigators have documented olfac,o tory deficits in Alzheimer's diz~ase (AD) (Serby et al. 1985; Warner et al. 11986, Knupfer and Speigel 1986; Koss et al. 1987; Doty et al. 1987). Preliminary studies have examined the chemical (Serby 1986) and pathological (Averbach 198"~; Esid and Wilcock 1984) correlates of hyposrnia in AD. Acetylcholine (ACh), which has particular relevance to the pathophysiology of AD (Bartus e;~ al. 1982), is an abundant olfactory bulb (OB) neurotransmitter. Furthermore, ACh and bethanechol enhance odor detection when applied to the nasal mucosa in humans (Skouby and ZilstofffPede~en 1954). Thus, it is possible that the olfactory deficits in AD are related to reduced ACh tra~mission. One means of learning more about the neurochemistry of olfaction and of AD is to observe the consequences of pharmacological manipulations. We therefore evaluated the effects of the cholinergic aatagonist scopolamine ~a ~ t h odor detection and odor identification, initially in young normal volunteers.
Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy of the Oocyst Wall of Isospora lacazei

The oocyst wall ofIsospora lacazei from sparrows was studied with scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy. In TEM, the oocyst wall consisted of four distinct layers (L1-4). The innermost layer, L1, was moderately electron-lucent and 240–285 nm thick; L2 was electrondense and 210–240 nm thick; L3 was moderately electron-lucent and 15–150 nm thick; L4, the outer most layer, was discontinuous and consisted of electron-dense discoid bodies which measured 180–220 nm×320–840 nm. The discoid bodies of L4 as seen by TEM appeared spheroid in shape when observed by SEM. One or two membranes were situated on or between various layers of the oocyst wall. One such membrane occurred on the inner margin of L1, two closely applied membranes were interposed between L1 and L2, one membrane occurred between L2 and L3, and one membrane on the outer margin of L3.
The multimodel, multilingual approach to interoperability of multidatabase systems

Overviews the architecture of a new kind of database management system (DBMS) that facilitates data sharing and resource consolidation in heterogeneous database environments without compromising the autonomy of the individual databases. The architecture of the DBMS is based on the multimodel multilingual approach. >
The molecular switch that activates the cell wall anchoring step of pilus assembly in gram-positive bacteria

Cell surface pili in Gram-positive bacteria orchestrate the colonization of host tissues, evasion of immunity, and the development of biofilms. Recent work revealed that pilus assembly is a biphasic process wherein pilus polymerization is catalyzed by a pilus-specific sortase followed by cell wall anchoring of the pilus that is promoted by the housekeeping sortase. Here, we present molecular genetic and biochemical studies of a heterotrimeric pilus in Corynebacterium diphtheriae, uncovering the molecular switch that terminates pilus polymerization in favor of cell wall anchoring. The prototype pilus contains a major pilin (SpaA) forming the shaft, a tip pilin (SpaC), and another minor pilin (SpaB). Cells lacking SpaB form pilus fibers, but they are largely secreted in the medium, a phenotype also observed when cells lack the housekeeping sortase. Furthermore, the average pilus length is greatly increased in the absence of SpaB. Remarkably, a SpaB mutant that lacks the cell wall sorting signal but contains a critical lysine residue is incorporated in the pilus. However, the resulting pili fail to anchor to the cell wall. We propose that a specific minor pilin acts as the terminal subunit in pilus assembly. Cell wall anchoring ensues when the pilus polymer assembled on the pilus-specific sortase is transferred to the minor pilin presented by the housekeeping sortase via lysine-mediated transpeptidation.
Laser pulses from earth detected at Mars

Over 500 pulses transmitted from a ground-based Nd:YAG laser were detected in Mars orbit, at with the MOLA instrument on-board the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft on September 28, 2005, at distance of 80.1 Mkm.
Differences in the Concentrations of Small, Anionic, Antimicrobial Peptides in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid and in Respiratory Epithelia of Patients with and without Cystic Fibrosis

Affinity-purified rabbit polyclonal (PAB96-1) and mouse monoclonal (1G9-1C2) antibodies to synthetic H-DDDDDDD-OH, an antimicrobial anionic peptide (AP) originally isolated from ovine pulmonary surfactant, were prepared and used to assess the concentrations of AP-like molecules in human respiratory tract samples. In bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, concentrations of AP-like molecules measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were significantly lower in 13 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) (mean ± standard deviation [SD], 0.78 ± 0.46 mM) than in 34 patients without CF (1.30 ± 0.66 mM) (P = 0.01). In pulmonary tissues of three patients without CF, very little antigen was stained in the apical cytoplasm of the bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium yet robust staining was seen in the alveolar epithelium. In pulmonary tissues of three patients with CF, robust staining of antigen was seen in the apical cytoplasm of the bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium yet no staining was seen in the alveolar epithelium. These results show that AP-like molecules are present in healthy human respiratory tract samples and differ in concentration and location of expression in patients with and without CF.
Consequences of Prairie Wetland Drainage for Crustacean Biodiversity and Metapopulations

Much of Illinois was once wet prairie, dotted with ancient (ca. 10,000-year-old) ephemeral wet- lands. Most wetland habitat (85%) was converted to agriculture over a span of about 100 years (ca. 1850- 1950). The consequences of this severe habitat fragmentation on wetland communities and metapopulations are unknown. We studied crustacean communities (weekly stovepipe samples throughout hydroperiods) for 3 years in a set of extant ephemeral wetlands in Illinois. We generated species-sites curves by rarefaction and extrapolated those curves to conservatively estimate that 83-85 crustacean species may have inhabited ap- proximately 4 million ephemeral wetlands that once existed in Illinois; 8-9 crustacean species were driven to extinction in Illinois during drainage; and 75-76 crustacean species are extant in the few remaining ephem- eral wetlands of Illinois. We also conducted cellular automata simulations to examine the potential effects of habitat fragmentation on the genetic structure of extant crustacean metapopulation. Simulations indicated that conversion of the former wet prairie to agriculture may have reduced crustacean metapopulations to isolated populations that are more vulnerable to future habitat loss. Despite severe habitat fragmentation, curvilinear species-sites relationships suggest that the greatest extinction rates have yet to occur for ephemeral wetland crustaceans. However, selection for limited dispersal during habitat fragmentation may contribute to extinction debt for extant species. Conservation programs can preserve much of the historical biodiversity of ephemeral wetlands, but future wetland biodiversity will depend heavily on the success of those efforts. The consequences of historical wetland loss and the importance of wetland conservation efforts to agriculture in the United States should be instructive for other regions.
Analysis and synthesis of central pattern generators via multivariable harmonic balance

The central pattern generator (CPG) provides a fundamental control mechanism underlying rhythmic motions in animal locomotion. We consider a class of CPGs modeled by a group of interconnected identical neurons. Based on the idea of multivariable harmonic balance, we show how the oscillation profile is related to the connectivity matrix that specifies the architecture and strengths of the interconnections. Specifically, the frequency, amplitudes, and phases are essentially encoded in terms of a pair of eigenvalue and eigenvector. This basic principle is used to estimate the oscillation profile of a given CPG and to determine the connectivity matrix that achieves a prescribed oscillation profile.
Anxiety does not predict response to antidepressant treatment in late life depression: results of a meta-analysis.

Objective Previous studies of mixed aged and older adult samples with major depressive disorder (MDD) reported reduced depression response in anxious patients, but a systematic review and analysis has not been performed. Our aim was to determine if anxiety predicts antidepressant response in previously identified placebo-controlled trials of second generation antidepressants for late-life depression. Method From a previous systematic review that identified ten randomized, placebo-controlled trials of community dwelling patients aged 60 or older with major depression, anxious patients were identified by a score ≥7 on the anxiety/somatization factor of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Response was defined as 50% or greater improvement on the HDRS or the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model to calculate Odds Ratios (OR). Results Data were available from eight trials having ten drug-placebo contrasts that included 2322 anxious and 1387 non-anxious patients. The odds ratio for response to drug compared to placebo in anxious patients was 1.57 (95% CI 1.15, 2.14; z = 2.86, n = 10, p < 0.001), in non-anxious patients was 1.44 (95% CI 1.15, 1.80, z = 3.21, n = 10, p < 0.001), and did not differ between groups. Pooled response rates to drug and placebo respectively were 49.4% vs 37.4% in anxious patients and 44.2 vs 35.5% in non-anxious patients. Conclusions In randomized, placebo-controlled trials, anxiety in late-life depression was not associated with decreased response to second generation antidepressants. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Role of Live/Real Time Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography in the Percutaneous Epicardial Closure of the Left Atrial Appendage

We are reporting the use of three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography as a supplement to two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography in the percutaneous suture closure of the left atrial appendage.
Clarendon and the Declaration of Indulgence

The latest monograph on the religious settlement of the Restoration calls attention to the untrustworthiness of Clarendon's account of the Act of Uniformity of 1662 while adopting the customary view, based on Clarendon's Life, that the Lord Chancellor ‘took a leading part in the Parliamentary attack upon the Indulgence’ in February 1663. With only one known exception, historians have relied heavily, and in most cases completely, on either Clarendon or T. H. Lister in ascribing to Clarendon a role of complete opposition to the Declaration of Indulgence of 1662 and the motives behind it, and the single exception, W. D. Christie, made only cautious references to some inaccuracies in the Life. Writers have erred in adopting Clarendon's narration of the Declaration and its background, and consequently have misinterpreted his basic policy and his interpretation of the English constitution. Careful study of new material and a re-examination of Clarendon's Life reveal that Clarendon consistently supported comprehension and toleration and that he was not responsible for the failure of the Declaration of Indulgence. It is even possible that the section of the Life so frequently cited in connexion with the Declaration does not even apply to that subject.
Funds exchange: an approach for risk and portfolio management

This paper describes a new approach for asset allocation and risk management called funds exchange. The funds exchange approach generically describes short-term trading of (broadly-based) mutual funds or indices based on statistical strategies aimed at achieving improved returns and, at the same time, reducing market risk (i.e., market exposure). Unlike many statistically-based trading and advisory systems trying to predict and benefit from the major (big) changes in the stock market, the funds exchange approach tries to capitalize on the short-term (daily) market volatility, i.e. small daily changes. This paper describes concepts and assumptions underlying this approach, and mathematical formulation of the funds exchange approach as a problem of predictive learning. Finally we show empirical evidence that the proposed approach can indeed provide improved returns and reduce market risk for SP 500 mutual funds.
Stochastic state-space temperature regulation of biochar production. Part I: Theoretical development †

BACKGROUND: The concept of a designer biochar that targets the improvement of a specific soil property imposes the need for production processes to generate biochars with both high consistency and quality. These important production parameters can be affected by variations in process temperature that must be taken into account when controlling the pyrolysis of agricultural residues such as manures and other feedstocks. RESULTS: A novel stochastic state-space temperature regulator was developed to accurately match biochar batch production to a defined temperature input schedule. This was accomplished by describing the system’s state-space with five temperature variables – four directly measured and one change in temperature. Relationships were derived between the observed state and the desired, controlled state. When testing the unit at two different temperatures, the actual pyrolytic temperature was within 3 ◦ C of the control with no overshoot. CONCLUSION: This state-space regulator simultaneously controlled the indirect heat source and sample temperature by employing difficult-to-measure variables such as temperature stability in the description of the pyrolysis system’s state-space. These attributes make a state-space controller an optimum control scheme for the production of a predictable, repeatable designer biochar. Published 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Minimally Invasive Periodontal Therapy: Will Periodontal Therapy Remain a Technologic Laggard?

Minimally invasive therapeutic approaches have become the standard of care for many medical procedures. In contrast, the use of minimally invasive techniques in non-surgical and surgical periodontal therapy has not progressed to the same extent. This commentary explores some of the technologic forces that influence the acceptance of minimally invasive therapeutic modalities. There is adequate science to support the development and clinical use of minimally invasive periodontal treatment but the technology to perform minimally invasive procedures is not currently available. Potential explanations for what seems to be a growing technologic lag are explored.
Positive Marginality: Antecedents and Consequences

This article presents evidence for the view that an important precursor to a feminist identity is a sense of one's own marginality plus a redefinition of what that marginality means. Choosing marginality appears to be a highly adaptive strategy for social activists who can “pass” as members of the dominant majority. Women leaders in psychology appear to be more likely to be Jewish and/or to be from working class backgrounds than one would expect by chance. An examination of their autobiographical narratives indicates that many of them have actively engaged their marginal identities and redefined them into a source of strength. This article also explores the historical and contextual factors that influence overt identification with some form of marginality. These factors include historical differences in the danger due to a particular stigmatizing social label, familial social activism, and the social power possessed by an individual woman. Finally, it is argued that positive marginality appears to promote an awareness that injustice is rooted in structural processes rather than personal inadequacy.
Story assembly in the R 2 aft dyslexia fluency tutor

To overcome their substantial barriers to fluent reading, students with dyslexia need to be enticed to read more, and to read texts with carefully controlled lexical content. We describe and show examples from a prototype of the new R2aft story assembly engine, which generates an interactive text that has A) variable plot and B) lexical content which is individualized by decoding pattern.
Campylobacter pylori Colonizing Heterotopic Gastric Tissue in the Rectum

Campylobacter pylori specifically attaches to gastric epithelial cells and is the etiologic agent for type B gastritis. The authors report the case of a woman with the rare finding of heterotopic gastric mucosa in the rectum that was colonized with C. pylori . Histologic findings of the heterotopic mucosa revealed active chronic gastritis that resolved when C. pylori was eradicated with bismuth subsalicylate and antibiotics. This is the first report of C. pylori in a location distal to the duodenum. The presence of live C. pylori organisms in the rectum suggests that viable organisms are present in the stool and that C. pylori may be spread by the fecal-oral route.
An Introduction to Catholic Ethics since Vatican II

Introduction Part I. Foundations of Catholic Ethics: 1. Moral relativism 2. The natural law and revelation 3. The river between Part II. Grace at the Heart of Virtue: 4. The cardinal virtues 5. The virtues of grace 6. The unity of the virtues Part III. Catholic Social Teaching: 7. Justice in the Catholic moral tradition 8. The principles of Catholic social teaching 9. The just war tradition Part IV. Bioethics: 10. The dignity of the human person 11. Beginning of life decisions 12. End of life decisions.
Factors associated with Clinical Nursing and Midwifery Research Topics Published in Southern and Eastern African Countries

While clinical nursing research priorities should be determined regional experts, evidence suggests that they may be guided more by the needs of research funders. However, we could not find any studies to assess what drives the research produced by nurses and midwives in southern and eastern African countries. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess factors associated with clinical nursing and midwifery research found in both indexed and grey literature within this region. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study using Poisson and categorical regression to determine predictors of clinical research within the region. Information about country, date, level of education of the first author, author affiliations, collected through scoping reviews of the grey and indexed literature was used as was information from a Delphi survey (that identified regional clinical nursing and midwifery research priorities) to assess factors associated with clinical nursing and midwifery research in southern and eastern African countries from 2004 to 2014. Topics with a critical priority ranking from the Delphi survey were associated with appearing fewer times in the literature, compared to those topics that were not ranked as a priority (IRR of .39, 95% CI [.20, .77]). Percent increase in number of publications was a 19.1% for every one additional first author with an international affiliation (IRR 1.19, 95% CI [1.15, 1.23]). The odds of appearing in grey literature to indexed literature were 492% higher for publications by first authors with a doctorate compared to those with a bachelor's degree or less (OR 4.92, 95% CI [1.93, 12.49]). The odds of appearing in the grey literature compared to indexed literature was 83.8% lower for those topics with major funding compared to unfunded topics (OR .16, 95% 95% CI [.04, .67]). Percent relative growth in publication output from 2004 to 2013 was 115%. Clinical nursing and midwifery research in southern and eastern African countries may not be driven by regional needs. Aligning research with local priorities will ensure that nurses and midwives have the evidence base needed to improve patient outcomes.
Two takes on Ta-Nehisi Coates

A curious ubiquity, which renders its subjects at once pervasive and imperceptible, stands as an enduring element of the condition of black intellectuals in American scholarly and public life. For ...
Optimum Design with MATLAB

An introduction to the MATLAB’s optimization toolbox is presented. Various functions available in MATLAB to solve unconstrained and constrained optimization problems are explained. Use of some of the optimization functions is demonstrated on sample unconstrained and constrained optimization problems. Then three practical design problems are formulated as optimization problems and solved using MATLAB functions. These include: maximum shear stress for two spherical bodies in contact, column design for minimum mass and flywheel design for minimum mass. MATLAB’s input and output files are given and discussed.
Uterine environment and pregnancy rate of heifers with elevated plasma urea nitrogen.

Abstract Diets high in protein are associated with lower reproductive performance and changes in the uterine environment. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of elevated systemic concentrations of urea nitrogen on the uterine environment and pregnancy success in beef heifers. Heifers (n=150) were matched by breed, age, and body weight then randomly assigned to one of two dietary treatments: 1) Control (10% CP) or 2) High protein (14% CP) over three replicates (n=40/replicate). Estrus was synchronized with an injection of PGF 2 α . Uterine pH, plasma urea nitrogen (PUN), ammonia, and glucose concentrations were determined on d 7 of the estrous cycle. Pregnancy status was determined by ultrasonography 30 d following the breeding season. In vitro fertilization was performed on heifers precluded from uterine analysis (n=15/diet) to determine the effect of a High Protein diet on oocyte quality. Plasma urea concentrations were greater in the High Protein diet compared to Control ( P P =0.12), plasma glucose ( P =0.40), uterine pH ( P =0.67), interval to estrus ( P =0.54), duration of estrus ( P =0.38), or pregnancy rate ( P =0.83). There was no effect of diet ( P > 0.40) on the number of oocytes collected, number of oocytes cleaved, amount of blastocysts, percentage of oocytes cleaved and percentage of blastocysts present. In summary, high nitrogen diets increased PUN concentrations in heifers; however, there were no deleterious effects on reproduction.
Utilizing Knowledge Bases in Text-centric Information Retrieval

General-purpose knowledge bases are increasingly growing in terms of depth (content) and width (coverage). Moreover, algorithms for entity linking and entity retrieval have improved tremendously in the past years. These developments give rise to a new line of research that exploits and combines these developments for the purposes of text-centric information retrieval applications. This tutorial focuses on a) how to retrieve a set of entities for an ad-hoc query, or more broadly, assessing relevance of KB elements for the information need, b) how to annotate text with such elements, and c) how to use this information to assess the relevance of text. We discuss different kinds of information available in a knowledge graph and how to leverage each most effectively.We start the tutorial with a brief overview of different types of knowledge bases, their structure and information contained in popular general-purpose and domain-specific knowledge bases. In particular, we focus on the representation of entity-centric information in the knowledge base through names, terms, relations, and type taxonomies. Next, we will provide a recap on ad-hoc object retrieval from knowledge graphs as well as entity linking and retrieval. This is essential technology, which the remainder of the tutorial builds on. Next we will cover essential components within successful entity linking systems, including the collection of entity name information and techniques for disambiguation with contextual entity mentions. We will present the details of four previously proposed systems that successfully leverage knowledge bases to improve ad-hoc document retrieval. These systems combine the notion of entity retrieval and semantic search on one hand, with text retrieval models and entity linking on the other. Finally, we also touch on entity aspects and links in the knowledge graph as it can help to understand the entities' context.This tutorial is the first to compile, summarize, and disseminate progress in this emerging area and we provide both an overview of state-of-the-art methods and outline open research problems to encourage new contributions.
Choice Behavior in Rats with Hippocampal Lesions

Since the early 1960s, an increasingly large number of experiments have been conducted in an attempt to clarify the effects of hippocampal lesions on behavior. Other experimental manipulations, such as chemical and electrical stimulation, spreading depression, and the injection of a variety of drugs into the hippocampus and related brain structures, have added to the existing literature. Some of this literature has been reviewed elsewhere (Isaacson, 1974; Douglas, 1967; Kimble, 1969; Jarrard, 1973; Altman et al., 1973) and it is not my intent to duplicate these efforts. Rather, the purpose of this chapter is to deal principally with a restricted set of these experiments, those dealing with “choice” behavior in rats with bilateral hippocampal lesions. In all experimental situations, even in so-called free exploration, the experimenter places some constraints on the possible behaviors which can be displayed. While it is unrealistic to assume that one is observing true “free” choice behavior in any experimental situation, it is nevertheless possible to obtain rather reliable and consistent data regarding the choice behavior of animals in a variety of experimental situations. This chapter will outline some of the major results which have been obtained so far on the choice behavior of normal, operated control, and hippocampally lesioned laboratory rats.
The Treatment of Venous Disease in North America

During the past 15 years treatment of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) has dramatically changed in North America. In the US, approximately 13 % of men and 22 % of women have venous insufficiency as determined by the San Diego Population Study (Robertson et al., Phlebology 23:103–111, 2008). The advent of minimally invasive vein procedures combined with reimbursement charges have created a paradigm shift in the treatment of CVI. Since 2008, there has been a significant increase in the number of office based procedures and now these represent the standard of care. The increase of office procedures is presumed to be due to an expanding number of non-surgical specialists performing vein procedures, changes in office based reimbursement patterns, industry sponsored advertising and the advancement of technology. The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), American Venous Forum (AVF) and American College of Phlebology (ACP) have published guidelines for the treatment of CVI, emphasizing the importance of initial conservative therapy followed by minimally invasive endovascular interventions for patients that have failed to respond favorably (Gloviczki et al., J Vasc Surg 53:2S–48S, 2011; Eklof et al., J Vasc Surg 40:1248–1252, 2004). Technology advancements appear to have increased patient satisfaction and improved the morbidity associated with vein procedures. It’s apparent that therapeutic treatment options should cater to the individual all the while establishing realistic expectations for each patient. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration approved several new venous treatment methods that may complement or replace current vein treatments. Guidance for future treatment of CVI will require updated societal guidelines, site accreditation, physician certification and large-scale randomized control trials.
Cost–Benefit Analysis of Tsetse Fly Control in Tanzania

Financial resources to control the tsetse fly, the primary vector of African trypanosomiasis, have declined since the 1970s. This decrease in funding is mainly due to the dissatisfaction of governm...
Remembering Sedat Pakay 1945–2016

Sedat Pakay, whose name will always be associated with the most intimate portrayals we have of James Baldwin, died on 20 August 2016 at his home in Claverack, NY. Sedat was born in Istanbul, Turkey, where he graduated from Robert College. He studied at the Yale School of Art under Walker Evans, Paul Strand, and Herbert Matter and became a successful photo-journalist and filmmaker. His subjects for photographic portraits included Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, Josef Albers, Gordon Parks, and, especially, James Baldwin. Pakay’s best-known films are Walker Evans/America (2000) and, as all Baldwin scholars and friends know, James Baldwin: From Another Place , filmed in Istanbul in 1970.
From Working through Glass to Cheating the Cheaters

This installment of Notes from the Community covers wearables, low-power sensors, hacking, detecting and generating speech, election machines, and bathing suits.
ConfChem Conference on Select 2016 BCCE Presentations: Changing Roles for Changing Times—Social Media and the Evolution of the Supplemental Instructor

This Communication summarizes one of the invited papers to the Select 2016 BCCE Presentations ACS CHED Committee on Computers in Chemical Education online ConfChem held from October 30 to November 22, 2016. The supplemental instruction (SI) model has come a long way from being a peer-assisted study sessions geared toward improving student retention and success. Students now have 24/7 access to handouts, professional tutoring by an SI leader, and group collaboration outlets; several of these services are offered via social media sites. How well these outlets are incorporated into the classroom is now a key component of what makes an SI session successful. With the advent of these innovations, the limits to what the SI leader can provide to their students are far fewer. Some of these innovations include (but are not limited to): video lectures, practice exams, and promotion of group collaboration among students. Through the use of platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Piapp, and Slack, the SI session can b...
Structured Management of Chronic Nonmalignant Pain with Opioids in a Rural Primary Care Office

Introduction The use of opioid medication for nonmalignant chronic pain (NMCP) increased dramatically during the last 20 years. There have been regulatory changes implemented to reduce the risk of harm to both patients and society. Much of the burden of monitoring these patients is falling on primary care physicians (PCPs), who do not have the time or resources to handle what is entailed in a best-practice approach to NMCP. Methods A retrospective study was conducted with all patients on opioid medication for NMCP who were enrolled onto an individual PCP's practice. All were required to engage with a new care system. Patients had the option to remain on opioids, to wean opioids, or to transfer care. Patients who remained in the practice on opioids were required to have an office visit on a day dedicated solely to NMCP every 3 months. Each visit involved verifying the controlled substance contract, a urine drug screen, board of pharmacy monitoring, pain-targeted history and physical, calculation of the average morphine equivalents used, and evaluations of pain, functional status, and mood. Characteristics more likely to lead to weaning from opioids were monitored, as was the program effect on the patients remaining on opioids. Results With this practice model, 32 patients treated with opioids for NMCP were enrolled. Of these, 38% (n = 12) elected to wean opioids, 53% (n = 17) continued opioid medication, and 9% (n = 3) transferred care. Mean morphine equivalent mg/day was the prime determinant for ability to wean (17.01 mg/day) compared with maintaining (30.61 mg/day) (P = .0397; CI, 0.68 to 26.51). Patients maintaining opioid treatment showed no statistically significant change in any measured data point from beginning until end of the evaluation period. Conclusion Given the choice of following a specific structured care system of opioid medication management or leaving the practice, most patients agreed to the structured system. This approach provided a high degree of compliance with controlled substance regulations and is associated with a reduced number of opioid prescriptions. Patients who were on lower doses of opioid medication are more likely to wean their use with this model.