cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aftershock Sequences Modeled with 3-D Stress Heterogeneity and Rate-State Seismicity Equations: Implications for Crustal Stress Estimation

In this paper, we present a model for studying aftershock sequences that integrates Coulomb static stress change analysis, seismicity equations based on rate-state friction nucleation of earthquakes, slip of geometrically complex faults, and fractal-like, spatially heterogeneous models of crustal stress. In addition to modeling instantaneous aftershock seismicity rate patterns with initial clustering on the Coulomb stress increase areas and an approximately 1/t diffusion back to the pre-mainshock background seismicity, the simulations capture previously unmodeled effects. These include production of a significant number of aftershocks in the traditional Coulomb stress shadow zones and temporal changes in aftershock focal mechanism statistics. The occurrence of aftershock stress shadow zones arises from two sources. The first source is spatially heterogeneous initial crustal stress, and the second is slip on geometrically rough faults, which produces localized positive Coulomb stress changes within the traditional stress shadow zones. Temporal changes in simulated aftershock focal mechanisms result in inferred stress rotations that greatly exceed the true stress rotations due to the main shock, even for a moderately strong crust (mean stress 50 MPa) when stress is spatially heterogeneous. This arises from biased sampling of the crustal stress by the synthetic aftershocks due to the non-linear dependence of seismicity rates on stress changes. The model indicates that one cannot use focal mechanism inversion rotations to conclusively demonstrate low crustal strength (≤10 MPa); therefore, studies of crustal strength following a stress perturbation may significantly underestimate the mean crustal stress state for regions with spatially heterogeneous stress.
Using Campinha‐Bacote’s process of cultural competence model to examine the relationship between health literacy and cultural competence

ingram r.r. (2012) Using Campinha-Bacote’s process of cultural competence model to examine the relationship between health literacy and cultural competence. Journal of Advanced Nursing68(3), 695–704. Abstract Aim. This paper presents a discussion of the relation between health literacy and cultural competence in nursing practice. Background. Cultural competence involves understanding values, beliefs, traditions and customs of diverse groups. Health literacy is the degree to which individuals can obtain, process, and understand health information to make healthcare decisions. Cultural competence and health literacy are directly related to healthcare. Campinha-Bacote’s Process of Cultural Competence Model can assist nurses in addressing cultural issues associated with a person’s low health literacy. Data sources. Literature searches were performed using CINAHL, ERIC, Academic Search Premier, Health Source Nursing, MasterFILE Premier and Academic OneFile. All articles reviewed were published in peer reviewed journals in English from the 1990s to the present and were relevant to health literacy and cultural competence in nursing. Books and other supporting scholarly sources were also used. Discussion. Health literacy and cultural competence are related. Applying Campinha-Bacote’s Process of Cultural Competence Model using the mnemonic ASKED (awareness, skills, knowledge, encounters and desire) involves incorporating culturally appropriate assessments and disseminating healthcare information at lower literacy levels and is needed for nurses to provide care for ethnic minorities and diverse populations. Implications for nursing. Health literacy should be assessed and care should be based on a client’s level of understanding and cultural values and norms. Conclusion. Nurses can care for ethnic minorities by using resources that target health literacy deficits and by increasing their own cultural competence.
Evaluation of Nationwide Differential Global Positioning System for Assessing Road User Charges

Advances in alternative fuel technologies and increasing motor vehicle fuel efficiency may result in a decline or flattening of demand for conventional fuels in the United States in the coming decades. One outcome of this development may be a reduction in state and federal income from motor fuel taxes, the primary source of funding to maintain and improve the transportation infrastructure. To keep pace with future transportation needs, a new funding mechanism is needed to supplement or replace the current road financing mechanism. One possible approach is to charge for road use based directly on a measure of travel on public roadways by using onboard computers coupled with the Global Positioning System (GPS) and digital maps. The main goal of this research was to develop the system requirements for the GPS component that would determine the vehicle's location on a given roadway with an in-vehicle road user charging system. The focus was to evaluate the GPS in the most difficult of environments—locations i...
Natural genetic variation in transcriptome reflects network structure inferred with major effect mutations: insulin/TOR and associated phenotypes in Drosophila melanogaster

Background A molecular process based genotype-to-phenotype map will ultimately enable us to predict how genetic variation among individuals results in phenotypic alterations. Building such a map is, however, far from straightforward. It requires understanding how molecular variation re-shapes developmental and metabolic networks, and how the functional state of these networks modifies phenotypes in genotype specific way. We focus on the latter problem by describing genetic variation in transcript levels of genes in the InR/TOR pathway among 72 Drosophila melanogaster genotypes.
Predicting environmental chemical factors associated with disease-related gene expression data

Many common diseases arise from an interaction between environmental and genetic factors. Our knowledge regarding environment and gene interactions is growing, but frameworks to build an association between gene-environment interactions and disease using preexisting, publicly available data has been lacking. Integrating freely-available environment-gene interaction and disease phenotype data would allow hypothesis generation for potential environmental associations to disease. We integrated publicly available disease-specific gene expression microarray data and curated chemical-gene interaction data to systematically predict environmental chemicals associated with disease. We derived chemical-gene signatures for 1,338 chemical/environmental chemicals from the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD). We associated these chemical-gene signatures with differentially expressed genes from datasets found in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) through an enrichment test. We were able to verify our analytic method by accurately identifying chemicals applied to samples and cell lines. Furthermore, we were able to predict known and novel environmental associations with prostate, lung, and breast cancers, such as estradiol and bisphenol A. We have developed a scalable and statistical method to identify possible environmental associations with disease using publicly available data and have validated some of the associations in the literature.
Frequency domain techniques for modeling distribution or transmission networks using capacitor switching induced transients

This paper presents two frequency domain methods to model and identify the equivalent impedance transfer function of a distribution or transmission system using recorded voltage and current transients due to capacitor switching. The first frequency domain method discussed was the fast Fourier transform method of identifying the frequency components of the voltage and current, then using the voltage and current spectra to find the impedance transfer function. The second method first obtains estimates of the sample auto and cross-correlation functions. These functions are then used, via the FFT, to find the respective power spectra of the signals, and finally to find the impedance transfer function. The FFT method was found to produce accurate results when the frequency components signal to noise ratios are large. The power spectral identification method and the coherence function added a measure to reject the frequency components that are contaminated with noise, but this method suffers from spurious cross correlations between the voltage and current. Once the impedance transfer function has been identified, several techniques were investigated that fit a parametric model to the function. Two polynomial transfer functions were fit to the real and imaginary parts of the impedance. These polynomials resulted in accurate representations of the impedance function of the system. The second parametric method discussed used the poles and zeroes identified from the impedance transfer function to develop an equivalent circuit representation of the system. This equivalent circuit did not fit the estimated impedance/frequency characteristics as well as the polynomial transfer function.
TIME LIMITS FOR COMPLETING FIXED RATIOS. II. STIMULUS SPECIFICITY1

Pigeons were exposed to two stimuli that were each correlated with the same fixed-ratio schedule. During one stimulus, the ratio had to be completed in more than a specified time for food to be presented. During the other, the ratio had to be completed in less than a specified time. Failures to meet the time criterion produced a timeout and reset the ratio. Treating the entire behavioral sequence generated by a fixed-ratio schedule as a unitary response and scheduling differential reinforcement with respect to the duration of the sequence produced effects comparable to those observed previously with individual responses. The times taken to complete the ratios conformed to the time criteria under both stimulus conditions. Similar effects have been observed with differential reinforcement of the duration of individual responses and in experiments specifying running speed criteria under discrete trial conditions.
Persistence with Estrogen Therapy in a Postmenopausal Medicaid Population

We evaluated rates of persistence with estrogen replacement therapy in postmenopausal Georgia Medicaid recipients adjusted for age and race. Data files for 1992-1994 were examined to estimate 3-year conditional survival probabilities using the Kaplan-Meier model, and 3800 subjects were identified. Over 54% of women remained compliant over 29 months, and 17% continued therapy for the entire 35 months of observation. Kaplan-Meier predictors indicated that white women have a 70% chance of being compliant for 3 years, whereas black women have a 60% chance. Monthly discontinuation rates ranged from 1-1.5% after the second month of therapy. Younger, white women were the most likely to maintain and comply with therapy.
The missing second: What is the correct unit for the Bazett corrected Qt interval?

Abstract When Taran and Szilagyi 6 reexpressed the Bazett formula in its commonly used form, they eliminated the seemingly useless step of dividing by 1 second by requiring that RR be expressed in seconds. However, this produced the confusion with regard to the correct unit. Incorporation of the 1-second expression allows the QTc to be expressed in the unit that is both logical and arithmetically correct (namely that of the original QT), and eliminates any requirement regarding the units in which the original QT and RR are measured.
Overexpression of MACC1 leads to downstream activation of HGF/MET and potentiates metastasis and recurrence of colorectal cancer

Survival rates from colorectal cancer (CRC) differ dramatically according to the stage of the tumor at diagnosis, with survival rates of 90% for patients with stage I disease but only 49% for those with stage III cancer. Many serum and tumor markers have been identified but none has provided a significant improvement over tumor stage as a prognostic indicator for cancer recurrence for patients with stage II or III disease. Aberrant activation of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/HGF receptor (MET) signaling pathway is associated with both malignant transformation and metastatic potential of CRC. MACC1 (metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1) is a newly discovered gene that regulates this signaling cascade. The significant correlation between overexpression of MACC1 in CRC and both malignant transformation and subsequent risk for metastases in stage II and III CRC indicates that MACC1 tumor typing may prove valuable for determining risk for CRC recurrence. MACC1 may also be an important therapeutic target for CRC treatment.
A portal for the Ocean Biogeographic Information System

Since its inception in 1999 the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) has developed into an international science program as well as a globally distributed network of biogeographic databases. An OBIS portal at Rutgers University provides the links and functional interoperability among member database systems. Protocols and standards have been established to support effective communication between the portal and these functional units. The portal provides distributed data searching, a taxonomy name service, a GIS with access to relevant environmental data, biological modeling, and education modules for mariners, students, environmental managers, and scientists. The portal will integrate Census of Marine Life field projects, national data archives, and other functional modules, and provides for network-wide analyses and modeling tools.
Revised MACRS Tables to Reflect Additional First-Year Depreciation

As a convenience to taxpayers, the IRS provides optional tables for calculating cost recovery deductions using MACRS. The Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002 added a new 30 percent first-year deduction that is not reflected in those tables. This report creates those tables to reflect the effect of the new depreciation system that includes the 30 percent first-year deduction.
Production performance of beef cows raised on three different nutritionally controlled heifer development programs

The objective of this study was to deter- mine primiparous heifer performance following three different heifer development strategies that were the result of timed nutrient limitation. Two hundred eighty-two spring-born MARC III heifers were weaned at 203 ± 1 d of age and 205 ± 1 kg BW. The experiment was conducted on two calf crops with 120 heifers born in 1996 and 162 heifers born in 1997. Treatments con- sisted of different quantities of the same diet being offered for a 205-d period. Heifers in the HIGH treat- ment were offered 263 kcal ME/(BWkg) 0.75 daily. Heifers in the MEDIUM treatment were offered 238 kcal ME/ (BWkg) 0.75 daily. Heifers in the LOW-HIGH treatment were offered 157 kcal ME/(BWkg) 0.75 daily the first 83 d and 277 kcal ME/(BWkg) 0.75 daily for the remainder of the 205 d. Treatments differed in total ME intake (P < 0.001); heifers on the HIGH treatment consumed 3,072 ± 59 Mcal/heifer, those on the MEDIUM treat- ment consumed 2,854 ± 21 Mcal/heifer, and those on the LOW-HIGH treatment consumed 2,652 ± 19 Mcal/ heifer. At the beginning of breeding, heifers on the HIGH treatment were taller at the hips (P = 0.01) and
Clinical analysis of 286 cases of Japanese encephalitis(JE) in children

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of Japanese encephalitis(JE) in the children of Chongqing district in 2005 and 2006,and to explore their difference.Methods The clinical data of 286 cases inflicted with JE admitted to Chidren′s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from July to September in 2006 was collected,and the retrospective analysis was processed between the data and that from the same period in 2005.Results The clinical characteristics of all the cases were accorded with diagnosis criteria of JE.Compared with the cases in 2005,the condition of patient was severer,total number of JE cases was much more,the illness was very acute and the development fast,the rate of complication of myocardial damage was higher and the detection rate of JE virus specific IgM was lower in 2006.Conclusion The clinical characteristic of JE at different time was not completely same,and this may due to the difference in the viability of infection source,pathogenesis virus(survival ability,toxicity,reproduction ability) and vector.High temperature and great drought in the summer in Chongqing district may be the possible causes for the variability of climate and environmental factor.
Assessment of public health risks during the CICA Summit in Pudong Area,Shanghai (2014)

Objective To establish and improve the system of risk assessment for large-scale event,and assess public health risks during the CICA Summit,so as to reduce or eliminate the potential public health risks.Methods Brainstorming and expert consultation methods were used to find out the risks,and the risk indexes and system were established.Risk score method was used to do risk assessments.Results Through the assessments,28 kinds of infectious diseases and 6 kinds of health-related events were confirmed,and risk assessment of high,medium and low levels were classified.Conclusions Through assessing public health risks,the high risks were:avian influenza(H7N9),MERS,unexplained pneumonia,measles,cholera,malaria and so on.To promote public health protection for CICA summit,it is necessary to provide theoretical basis and technical support.
30 MYOCARDIAL VASCULAR MICROTHROMBOSIS AND NECROSIS IN A PATIENT WITH THROMBOTIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA.

A 52-year-old female with hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus presented to the hospital with severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting for 24 hours. On physical examination she had fever and tenderness to palpation in her epigastrium and left upper quadrant. Imaging of her abdomen revealed an ileus. Lab work revealed anemia, severe thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure; further evaluation showed hypoalbuminemia, hematuria, hyperbilirubinemia, elevated lactate dehydrogenase, and evidence of acute pancreatitis. She was admitted to the hospital for treatment of acute pancreatitis and was given intravenous fluids, antiemetics, and analgesics. Over the next 48 hours she had little improvement in her symptoms; the diagnosis of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) was made in consultation with a hematologist, and the patient was transferred to a tertiary care hospital for plasmapheresis. Prior to initiation of therapy, however, the patient abruptly developed bradycardia with hypotension and expired. Autopsy findings included nonocclusive coronary artery disease, subepicardial petechiae, endocardial hemorrhage, and vascular microthrombi with associated myocardial necrosis. Sections of lung tissue revealed pulmonary congestion and edema. The characteristic pathological finding in patients with TTP is platelet-rich thrombus formation in the microvasculature of multiple organ systems. Commonly affected tissues include the adrenal glands, pancreas, kidneys, the central nervous system, and the heart. Cardiac involvement is common and was included in the original description of the disorder in 1924 by Moschcowitz. Clinical findings typical of myocardial ischemia are often absent, with a minority of patients reporting chest pain. Cardiac involvement as evidenced by serological myocardial injury biomarkers appears to be more common. Modern therapy with plasmapheresis, with or without the addition of glucocorticoids, has led to a significant reduction in mortality. Despite this improvement in clinical outcomes, histological examination of autopsy specimens shows that myocardial thrombotic involvement likely continues to occur in all patients, and in some cases myocardial infarction is a contributing factor to death. Although it is currently unclear how cardiac injury relates to prognosis in TTP, cardiac monitoring is reasonable given the occasional severity of its effects when myocardium is involved.
Study on Early Detection For Diarrhea Syndromic Surveillance in Jiading District of Shanghai

Objective To provide methods and alert thresholds for Early Warning System in diarrhea syndromic surveillance and to improve the capability of Early Warning system for diarrhea syndromic surveillance.Methods Alert data was based on the report of diarrhea syndromic surveillance form 2006 to 2009,control chart was used to detect outbreak or epidemic,after calculating sensitivity,specifility,positive predictive value and negative predictive value and ROC,the premium alert threshoud for diarrhea syndromic surveillance was chosed..Results Control chart can be as a essential method for early warning system of diarrhea syndromic surveillance.After the comprehensive consideration of sensitivity,specifility,positive predictive value and negative predictive value,P90 was chosed as the premium alert threshold for diarrhea syndromic surveillance in Jiading District.Conclusion Control chart can be as a good essential method for early warning system.Premium alert threshold selection should consider the local disease report and to upgrade the early detection capability.
Why concessions should not be made to terrorist kidnappers.

Abstract This paper examines the dynamic implications of making concessions to terrorist kidnappers. We apply a Bayesian Poisson changepoint model to kidnapping incidents associated with three cohorts of countries that differ in their frequency of granting concessions. Depending on the cohort of countries during 2001–2013, terrorist negotiation successes encouraged 64% to 87% more kidnappings. Our findings also hold for 1978–2013, during which these negotiation successes encouraged 26% to 57% more kidnappings. Deterrent aspects of terrorist casualties are also quantified; the dominance of religious fundamentalist terrorists meant that such casualties generally did not curb kidnappings.
Targeting in the gastrointestinal tract: new approaches.

Most drug products are administered via the alimentary canal; prominent are the dosage forms which are swallowed, i.e., p.o. dosage forms, followed by those administered within the oral and the rectal cavities. The innermost surface of the alimentary canal is the epithelial lining which is void of keratinized superficial layers. The epithelium at both ends of the canal, i.e., oral cavity and esophagus, and anal canal is a multilayered (20-50 layers) stratified squamous epithelium, whereas that of the rest of the canal, i.e., gaster, small and large intestine and rectum is a single layer of columnar cells. The drainage is via both venous blood capillaries and lymphatic vessels. Blood drainage from the oral cavity and the lower end of the rectum is directly into systemic circulation via the vena cava. From the GI tract, however, the blood quantitatively passes through the portal vein and liver, hence is available for first-pass effect prior to entering systemic circulation. Targeting can be approached from two angles: 1) to exert the pharmacologic response at a specific site, or 2) to utilize a specific site for drug absorption. Targeting utilizes the anatomic, histologic, physiologic and biochemical features of various segments within the alimentary canal, paired with the design of special drug delivery systems or devices, and the use of special vehicle substances, such as polymers, bioadhesives, sorption promoters, or chemical modification (pro-drug) of the active moiety. Numerous examples of new types of drug delivery systems are presented. Many novel drug delivery systems discussed are still in experimental stage and evaluation, or even in the conceptual stage. However, it is anticipated that they all will contribute to further advancement in optimizing drug therapy.
Double-beta-decay Q values of {sup 74}Se and {sup 76}Ge

The atomic masses of {sup 74}Ge, {sup 74}Se, {sup 76}Ge, and {sup 76}Se have been determined from cyclotron frequency ratios of pairs of ions simultaneously trapped in a cryogenic Penning trap. Allowing for cancellation of systematic errors in the mass differences between isobars, we determine the Q value for double-electron capture of {sup 74}Se to be 1209.240(7) keV, and the Q value for double-electron emission of {sup 76}Ge to be 2039.061(7) keV. The new Q{sub 2EC} value for {sup 74}Se precludes a large resonant enhancement for neutrinoless double-electron capture.
Blockade of orexin receptors attenuates the cardiovascular response to air-jet stress in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Abstract This study tested the hypothesis that orexin plays a role in the elevated pressor response to acute stress in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). The pressor response to air jet stress (AJS) (n = 11/group) was 2.5 times greater in vehicle treated SHR versus Wistar (WIS) rats. Systemic delivery of 30 mg/kg of the dual orexin receptor antagonist almorexant did not significantly change resting mean arterial pressure (MAP) but did attenuate the pressor response elicited by AJS to a greater extent in the SHR compared to the Wistar rats (~ 65% versus ~ 33% reduction respectively; n = 6/group). Alternatively 100 mg/kg almorexant reduced resting MAP in the SHR (~ 25 mm Hg drop) and attenuated both the heart rate (HR; ~ 50% reduction) and MAP (~ 62% reduction) response to AJS in both strains (n = 6/group). Systemic application of SB-334867 (3 mg/kg), an orexin receptor type 1 antagonist (n = 5/group), selectively reduced resting MAP and attenuated the HR response to AJS in the SHR but had no effect on the pressor response in either strain. The potential role of endogenous orexin release in cardiovascular control in the SHR was linked to a significant increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA expression in the hypothalamus and elevated orexin receptor expression (type 2 only) in the dorsal pons when compared to WIS (n = 4/group). These results demonstrate that the exaggerated pressor response in the SHR to stress is linked to increased orexin receptor activation and possibly altered orexin receptor expression in the dorsal pons and BDNF expression in the hypothalamus.
Enabling on-body transmissions with commodity devices

We show for the first time that commodity devices can be used to generate wireless data transmissions that are confined to the human body. Specifically, we show that commodity input devices such as fingerprint sensors and touchpads can be used to transmit information to only wireless receivers that are in contact with the body. We characterize the propagation of the resulting transmissions across the whole body and run experiments with ten subjects to demonstrate that our approach generalizes across different body types and postures. We also evaluate our communication system in the presence of interference from other wearable devices such as smartwatches and nearby metallic surfaces. Finally, by modulating the operations of these input devices, we demonstrate bit rates of up to 50 bits per second over the human body.
Parental Control Begins at the Beginning.

> In this commentary, Diana Chu considers the findings of [Ataeian et al][1]. (2016) in this issue of GENETICS in the context of parental contributions to development. This work reveals how molecular players contributed by oocyte and sperm coordinate early transitions in the embryo. New parents
The epidemiology of giant cell arteritis : a 12-year retrospective study.

Abstract Objective To study the incidence of biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis (GCA) in a Hispanic population with clinical features suggestive of GCA. Design Retrospective review. Participants Records of 121 consecutive patients who underwent temporal artery biopsy at the Doheny Eye Institute and the Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Hospital from January 1986 through April 1998 were reviewed. Main outcome measures The incidence of biopsy-proven GCA was determined, and the biopsy-positive group was compared with the biopsy-negative group. Study variables included age at diagnosis, gender, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and ethnic background. Results Among these 121 patients who underwent temporal artery biopsy, the mean age of those in the biopsy-positive group (75.2 ± 5.0 years) was higher than that of those in the biopsy-negative group (69.1 ± 9.2 years; P P Conclusions Giant cell arteritis occurs primarily in the white population. None of the Hispanic patients in our study was found to have positive biopsy results. Hispanic persons may have unknown factors that protect them from this disease. Further study is necessary to examine the genetic predisposition.
Methods to determine neutrino flux at low energies

We investigate the “low-ν” method (developed by the CCFR/NUTEV collaborations) to determine the neutrino flux in a wide band neutrino beam at very low energies, a region of interest to neutrino oscillations experiments. Events with low hadronic final state energy $\nu<\nu_{\mathrm{cut}}$ (of 1, 2 and 5 GeV) were used by the MINOS collaboration to determine the neutrino flux in their measurements of neutrino (ν μ ) and antineutrino ( $\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$ ) total cross sections. The lowest ν μ energy for which the method was used in MINOS is 3.5 GeV, and the lowest $\bar {\nu}_{\mu}$ energy is 6 GeV. At these energies, the cross sections are dominated by inelastic processes. We investigate the application of the method to determine the neutrino flux for ν μ , $\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$ energies as low as 0.7 GeV where the cross sections are dominated by quasielastic scattering and Δ(1232) resonance production. We find that the method can be extended to low energies by using $\nu_{\mathrm{cut}}$ values of 0.25 and 0.50 GeV, which are feasible in fully active neutrino detectors such as MINERvA.
In Situ Utilization of Indigenous Resources

Planning for a human mission to Mars dates back to the 1950s, but in the 1990s, a new aspect was introduced: In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). In its simplest form, it utilizes indigenous Mars resources to produce propellants for ascent from Mars, thus significantly reducing the mass that must be transported to Mars. If accessible water can be found at a suitable landing site, or if hydrogen can be efficiently transported to Mars, not only ascent propellants, but also water and oxygen for life support could be produced on Mars. In the absence of accessible hydrogen, CO2 in the Mars atmosphere can be electrolyzed to produce oxygen, representing about 78 % of the required total mass of ascent propellants. While lunar ISRU has been claimed by some to be a steppingstone to Mars ISRU, we show here that there is relatively little connection. Furthermore, lunar ISRU has far less mission benefit, and does not appear to provide any return on investment. After years of investing in lunar ISRU, which has not led to much more than impractical concepts, and decades of providing very little funding for Mars ISRU, NASA finally provided significant funding for Mars ISRU in 2014. NASA chose to fund a flight demonstration for the 2020 Mars lander of technologies that were quite immature. Had NASA funded a laboratory program to maturate the needed technologies prior to flight hardware development, the whole process would have been far more effective, and less stressful.
Using Fordisc software to assign obsidian artifacts to geological sources: Proof of concept

Abstract In recent years, source provenance studies employing portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) technology have become commonplace in archaeology; however, they are not without critiques. Concerns center on the capability of instruments to produce valid results and researchers' abilities to accurately interpret those results and make correct source assignments. In this paper, we focus on the latter issue with a look towards statistical means of assigning artifacts to obsidian types using data provided by pXRF spectrometers. Using a sample of 677 obsidian artifacts from the northwestern Great Basin, we evaluate the ability of various approaches (principal components, cluster, and discriminant function analyses) to correctly assign artifacts to particular obsidian types. These multivariate methods generally work well to separate artifacts into different groups (i.e., obsidian types); however, they are less well-suited to assign individual artifacts to an obsidian source or type. We therefore tested the ability of the statistical program Fordisc, commonly used in forensic anthropology, to assign individual artifacts to specific geochemical obsidian sources or types. Our results indicate that Fordisc made accurate source assignments. Furthermore, because Fordisc provides probability values for different possible matches, it offers an advantage over other methods.
High incidence of ST-T changes in women during tilt-table testing.

Abstract Introduction We have observed electrocardiographic (ECG) changes primarily in women during tilt table testing. Methods We reviewed 12 lead ECGs during tilt studies between 2012 and 2016 for changes in ST segments and T waves during tilt table testing. Patients with distinctly abnormal baseline ECGs were excluded. Results Of the 180 tilt studies, 117 (65%) were in women. There were 32 patients with ECG changes during tilting. Of these, 28 (87.5%) were in women with an average age of 45 years. None had a history of CAD or exertional chest pain. Echocardiograms were available in 21 of the 28 women with tilt induced ECG changes and all were normal. ECG changes during tilt table testing were found in 4/64 (6.25%) of men. The occurrence of ST-T wave changes during tilt testing was significantly higher among women compared to men, with a p value of 0.008. Of the 28 women with ECG changes during tilt, 11 had T wave inversions alone. ST segment depression alone was noted in 7 women. There were 10 women who had both ST segment depression and T wave inversions. Changes occurred immediately upon tilting in 6. In the remaining, they occurred at an average of 4.8 ± 4 min after tilting. The slight increase in heart rate in patients with ECG changes was similar to that in the patients without new ECG changes. The ECG changes were not related to the presence of syncope. Conclusions ECG changes during the testing was observed at a relatively high incidence primarily in women. The clinical significance of these repolarization changes during tilt testing is unknown. These ECG changes during tilt testing may correlate with the high incidence of false positive ECGs in women during exercise testing but do not necessarily indicate the presence of ischemic coronary disease. Additional research is needed to explain this phenomenon.
Wave Function and Emergent SU(2) Symmetry in the ν_{T}=1 Quantum Hall Bilayer.

We propose a trial wave function for the quantum Hall bilayer system of total filling factor ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{T}=1$ at a layer distance $d$ to magnetic length $\ensuremath{\ell}$ ratio $d/\ensuremath{\ell}={\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{c1}\ensuremath{\approx}1.1$, where the lowest charged excitation is known to have a level crossing. The wave function has two-particle correlations, which fit well with those in previous numerical studies, and can be viewed as a Bose-Einstein condensate of free excitons formed by composite bosons and anticomposite bosons in different layers. We show the free nature of these excitons indicating an emergent SU(2) symmetry for the composite bosons at $d/\ensuremath{\ell}={\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{c1}$, which leads to the level crossing in low-lying charged excitations. We further show the overlap between the trial wave function, and the ground state of a small size exact diagonalization is peaked near $d/\ensuremath{\ell}={\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{c1}$, which supports our theory.
Implementation of an integrative medicine treatment program at a Veterans Health Administration residential mental health facility

A 4-week interdisciplinary integrative medicine program was recently added to the core treatment offerings for veterans participating in the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Program at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The new integrative medicine program teaches veterans about using meditative practices, nutrition, creative expression, tai chi, hatha yoga, sensory and breathing techniques, and lifestyle changes to enhance well-being. The groups are run by professionals from a variety of disciplines including recreation therapy, art therapy, occupational therapy, psychology, and nutrition. For the first 42 veterans to complete the program, the Short Form 12-item Health Survey was administered before and after participation in the integrative medicine program to assess the potential effectiveness of the program in enhancing physical and psychological well-being. In addition, a brief semistructured interview was used to assess veteran opinions about the program. Results suggest that the program was well received and that both physical and mental health scores improved from before to after treatment in this sample of veterans with complex behavioral health concerns. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Monoclonal Antibodies Against Transitional Cell Carcinoma for Detection of Malignant Urothelial Cells in Bladder Washing

AbstractThe diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma by cytological examination of exfoliated urinary cells is important in the early detection and followup of patients with this disease. Proper interpretation requires a skilled pathologist. Accuracy also is influenced by collection methods and nonmalignant pathological conditions of the bladder. An immunocytochemical technique using monoclonal antibodies G4 and E7 successfully identified tumor-associated antigens on the surface of transitional carcinoma cells obtained by bladder washings.The method, which uses immunoperoxidase staining, was compared to conventional Papanicolaou staining of bladder washings from 75 patients with and without transitional cell carcinoma. Patients were divided into 4 groups: group 1 (nontumor control)—15 patients with no pathological condition of the bladder or nonmalignant urological diseases, group 2 (nontransitional cell carcinoma)—19 patients with other urological malignancies, group 3—18 patients with active transitiona...
Effect of Indomethacin on Dexamethasone-Induced Parturition in Swine

The hypothesis that corticosteroids induce parturition in swine by stimulating the synthesis of prostaglandins was tested. Twenty Yorkshire sows were treated with indomethacin and(or) dexamethasone or the respective vehicles of the drugs. Only sows treated with dexamethasone alone showed a premature increase in the concentration of prostaglandin F2 alpha-metabolite (PGF2 alpha-M), a decrease in the concentration of progesterone in the peripheral plasma and induction of parturition. Treatment with indomethacin alone or indomethacin plus dexamethasone prolonged gestation and prevented an increase in PGF2 alpha-M and a decrease in progesterone. These results show that the effect of dexamethasone on prepartum luteolysis and induction of parturition is mediated through stimulation of the synthesis or the release of PGF2 alpha.
PLC and IP3-evoked Ca2+ release initiate the fast block to polyspermy in Xenopus laevis eggs.

The prevention of polyspermy is essential for the successful progression of normal embryonic development in most sexually reproducing species. In external fertilizers, the process of fertilization induces a depolarization of the egg’s membrane within seconds, which inhibits supernumerary sperm from entering an already-fertilized egg. This fast block requires an increase of intracellular Ca2+ in the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, which in turn activates an efflux of Cl− that depolarizes the cell. Here we seek to identify the source of this intracellular Ca2+. Using electrophysiology, pharmacology, bioinformatics, and developmental biology, we explore the requirement for both Ca2+ entry into the egg from the extracellular milieu and Ca2+ release from an internal store, to mediate fertilization-induced depolarization. We report that although eggs express Ca2+-permeant ion channels, blockade of these channels does not alter the fast block. In contrast, insemination of eggs in the presence of Xestospongin C—a potent inhibitor of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-induced Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)—completely inhibits fertilization-evoked depolarization and increases the incidence of polyspermy. Inhibition of the IP3-generating enzyme phospholipase C (PLC) with U73122 similarly prevents fertilization-induced depolarization and increases polyspermy. Together, these results demonstrate that fast polyspermy block after fertilization in X. laevis eggs is mediated by activation of PLC, which increases IP3 and evokes Ca2+ release from the ER. This ER-derived Ca2+ then activates a Cl− channel to induce the fast polyspermy block. The PLC-induced cascade of events represents one of the earliest known signaling pathways initiated by fertilization.
Fibroblast growth factor-transforming growth factor beta dialogues, endothelial cell to mesenchymal transition, and atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease characterized by accumulation of fat and cholesterol in the arterial wall leading to restriction of blood flow1–3. Atherosclerotic plaques contain a number of cell types including smooth muscle cells (SMCs), macrophages, endothelial cells (ECs), B cells, T cells, and fibroblasts, among others4–8. Recent lineage tracing studies provide strong evidence that a substantial proportion of cells in the plaque are derived from the endothelium. This process, referred to as endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is characterized by the loss of normal endothelial and gain of mesenchymal fate markers. Functional consequences include deposition of pro-inflammatory extracellular matrix, facilitation of recruitment of leukocytes and growth of unstable plaque. Here, we review the current understanding of molecular controls of EndMT and its contribution to the development of atherosclerosis.
Metabolic and Transcriptional Profiles of Dunaliella viridis Supplemented With Ammonium Derived From Glutamine

Algal biofuel production requires an input of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. Fertilizer synthesized via the Haber-Bosch process produces CO2 as a waste byproduct and represents a substantial financial and energy investment. Reliance on synthetic fertilizer attenuates the environmental significance and economic viability of algae production systems. To lower fertilizer input, the waste streams of algal production systems can be recycled to provide alternative sources of nitrogen such as amino acids to the algae. The halophytic green alga Dunaliella viridis can use ammonium (NH4+) derived from the abiotic degradation of amino acids, and previously, supplementation of NH4+ from glutamine degradation was shown to support acceptable levels of growth and increased neutral lipid production compared to nitrate. To understand the effect of glutamine-released NH4+ on algae growth and physiology, metabolite levels, growth parameters, and transcript profiles of D. viridis cultures were observed in a time course after transition from media containing nitrate as a sole N source to medium containing glutamine, glutamate, or a N-depleted medium. Growth parameters were similar between glutamine (NH4+) and nitrate supplemented cultures, however, metabolite data showed that the glutamine supplemented cultures (NH4+) more closely resembled cultures under nitrogen starvation (N-depleted and glutamate supplementation). Neutral lipid accumulation was the same in nitrate and glutamine-derived NH4+ cultures. However, glutamine-derived NH4+ caused a transcriptional response in the immediate hours after inoculation of the culture. The strong initial response of cultures to NH4+ changed over the course of days to closely resemble that of nitrogen starvation. These observations suggest that release of NH4+ from glutamine was sufficient to maintain growth, but not high enough to trigger a cell transition to a nitrogen replete state. Comparative transcript profiling of the nitrogen-starved and nitrate-supplied cultures show an overall downregulation of fatty acid synthesis and a shift to starch synthesis and accumulation. The results indicate that a continuous, amino acid derived slow release of NH4+ to algae cultures could reduce the amount of synthetic nitrogen needed for growth, but optimization is needed to balance nitrogen starvation and cell division.
Carbon monoxide poisoning surveillance in the Veterans Health Administration, 2010–2017

Exposure to carbon monoxide (CO), the odorless, colorless gas resulting from incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons, is preventable. Despite the significant risk of morbidity and mortality associated with CO poisoning, there currently exists no active national CO surveillance system in the United States (U.S.). Our study aims to use electronic health record data to describe the epidemiology of CO poisoning in the Veterans Health Administration healthcare population. We identified unique inpatient and outpatient encounters coded with International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for CO poisoning and analyzed relevant demographic, laboratory, treatment, and death data from January 2010 through December 2017 for Veterans across all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Statistical methods used were 95% CI calculations and the two-tailed z test for proportions. We identified 5491 unique patients with CO poisoning, of which 1755 (32%) were confirmed/probable and 3736 (68%) were suspected. Unintentional poisoning was most common (72.9%) overall. Age less than 65 years, residence in Midwest U.S. Census region versus South or West, and winter seasonal trend were characteristics associated with confirmed/probable CO poisoning. Twenty-six deaths (1.5%) occurred within 30 days of confirmed/probable CO poisoning and were primarily caused by cardiovascular events (42%) or anoxic encephalopathy (15%). Our findings support the use of ICD-coded data for targeted CO poisoning surveillance, however, improvements are needed in ICD coding to reduce the percentage of cases coded with unknown injury intent and/or CO poisoning source. Prevalence of CO poisoning among Veterans is consistent with other U.S. estimates. Since most cases are unintentional, opportunities exist for provider and patient education to reduce risk.
Collection and Digitization of Artifacts in the University of North Texas LGBTQ Archive

The University of North Texas Libraries has collected a large archive to document the history of the LGBTQ community in north Texas, including many significant artifacts. Artifacts in LGBTQ Archive...
The Man Behind the Mask: Camp and Queer Masculinity in LEGO Batman

In this chapter, author Kyra Hunting analyzes how the LEGO cinematic universe in the film LEGO Batman deploys Batman’s media franchise history. Arguing that LEGO Batman challenges the hypermasculinity of the Batman persona in many of the franchise’s most prominent films, Hunting focuses on how this challenge to masculinity hinges on the incorporation of queer dimensions of the Batman mythos and the embrace of older camp Batman texts that have long been marginalized in the franchise. She argues that the way LEGO adapts media texts allows LEGO Batman to playfully embrace a broad range of intertextual references from the parent franchise. She notes that the flexibility and playfulness that LEGO’s cinematic affords facilitated a complex engagement with Batman’s historical depictions of masculinity and queerness.
Set-Valued Maps

In robust control theory, an uncertain dynamical system is described by a set of models rather than a single model. For example, a system with an unknown parameter generates a set of models, one for each possible value of the parameter; likewise for a system with an unknown disturbance (which can be a function of time as well as state variables and control inputs). As a result, any map one might define for a single model becomes a set-valued map. Such is the case with an input/output map, a map from initial states to final states, or a map from disturbances to values of cost functionals. It is therefore natural that, in our study of robust nonlinear control, we use the language and mathematical apparatus of set-valued maps. In doing so, we follow the tradition started in the optimal control literature in the early sixties [27, 153] and continued in the control-related fields of nonsmooth analysis, game theory, differential inclusions, and viability theory [21, 127, 128, 5, 79].