cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mafic and ultramafic crustal fragments of the southwestern Precordillera terrane and their bearing on tectonic models of the early Paleozoic in western Argentina

New U-Pb zircon ages and initial Nd isotope data from mafic and ultramafic rocks that have been tectonically imbricated on the southwest margin of the Precordillera terrane, western Argentina, indicate that these rocks do not constitute a single ophiolite pseudostratigraphy as previously thought. Rock units include Late Proterozoic (576 ± 17 Ma) microgabbro and Silurian (418 ± 10 Ma) sills, both of which have initial Nd isotope values of +6.0 to +7.3 and identical trace element geochemistry indicating formation in extensional settings. Late Ordovician (450 ± 20 Ma) layered gabbro has a distinct initial Nd isotope value of +0.6. It intrudes quartzofeldspathic gneiss and tectonized ultramafic rocks; this assemblage represents the deep part of a continental margin volcanic arc that formed on the eastern margin of Chilenia, as the ocean basin west of the Precordillera terrane began to close in the Middle Ordovician. The new tectonic interpretations generally support existing hypotheses that the Precordillera terrane rifted and drifted from southeastern Laurentia in the Cambrian to Early Ordovician and that the western margin of the Precordillera terrane represents a suture between two fragments of continental crust.
A Status Report on Transition Planning for Individuals with Learning Disabilities

The predominant focus of the transition movement has been on individuals with moderate and severe disabilities. Only recently have professionals begun to comprehensively address the transition needs of individuals with learning disabilities. Although certain transition planning components are applicable to all youth, regardless of disability, the unique needs of specific disability categories must be recognized. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of transition as it relates to students with learning disabilities. Specifically, it provides (a) an overview of state and federal mandates and initiatives that influence transition practices, and (b) a discussion of transition practices for individuals with learning disabilities.
A developmental sex difference in hippocampal neurogenesis is mediated by endogenous oestradiol

Oestradiol is a steroid hormone that exerts extensive influence on brain development and is a powerful modulator of hippocampal structure and function. The hippocampus is a critical brain region regulating complex cognitive and emotional responses and is implicated in the aetiology of several mental health disorders, many of which exhibit some degree of sex difference. Many sex differences in the adult rat brain are determined by oestradiol action during a sensitive period of development. We had previously reported a sex difference in rates of cell genesis in the developing hippocampus of the laboratory rat. Males generate more new cells on average than females. The current study explored the effects of both exogenous and endogenous oestradiol on this sex difference. New born male and female rat pups were injected with the mitotic marker 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and oestradiol or agents that antagonize oestradiol action. The effects on cell number, proliferation, differentiation and survival were assessed at several time points. Significant differences between groups were determined by two- or thee-Way ANOVA. Newborn males had higher rates of cell proliferation than females. Oestradiol treatment increased cell proliferation in neonatal females, but not males, and in the CA1 region many of these cells differentiated into neurons. The increased rate of proliferation induced by neonatal oestradiol persisted until at least 3 weeks of age, suggesting an organizational effect. Administering the aromatase inhibitor, formestane, or the oestrogen receptor antagonist, tamoxifen, significantly decreased the number of new cells in males but not females. Endogenous oestradiol increased the rate of cell proliferation observed in newborn males compared to females. This sex difference in neonatal neurogenesis may have implications for adult differences in learning strategy, stress responsivity or vulnerability to damage or disease.
THE IRRIGATION SECTOR SHIFT FROM CONSTRUCTION TO MODERNIZATION: WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS?

External pressures related to environmental protection, commodity prices, energy availability, larger populations, and climate change have combined to require an immediate and substantial improvement in agricultural irrigation performance. Worldwide progression towards modernized irrigation projects has been uneven and slower than desired, but decades of irrigation modernization development have clarified certain requirements for success, as well as illuminated indicators of project failure. Of particular importance are required shifts within the state and national irrigation bureaucracies, as well as universities. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. RESUME Les pressions exterieures liees a la protection de l'environnement, le prix des matieres premieres, la disponibilite de l'energie, l'accroissement de la population, et le changement climatique se sont combinees pour exiger une amelioration immediate et substantielle de la performance de l'irrigation agricole. La progression dans le monde des projets d'irrigation modernisee a ete inegale et plus lente que souhaitee, mais des decennies de developpement et de modernisation de l'irrigation ont permis de clarifier certaines exigences pour la reussite, et de mettre en avant des indicateurs d'echec des projets. Une importance particuliere est donnee aux changements au sein de l'Etat et des bureaucraties nationales d'irrigation, ainsi que des. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The user action framework

Although various methods exist for performing usability evaluation, they lack a systematic framework for guiding and structuring the assessment and reporting activities. Consequently, analysis and reporting of usability data are ad hoc and do not live up to their potential in cost effectiveness, and usability engineering support tools are not well integrated. We developed the User Action Framework, a structured knowledge base of usability concepts and issues, as a framework on which to build a broad suite of usability engineering support tools. The User Action Framework helps to guide the development of each tool and to integrate the set of tools in the practitioner's working environment. An important characteristic of the User Action Framework is its own reliability in term of consistent use by practitioners. Consistent understanding and reporting of the underlying causes of usability problems are requirements for cost-effective analysis and redesign. Thus, high reliability in terms of agreement by users on what the User Action Framework means and how it is used is essential for its role as a common foundation for the tools. Here we describe how we achieved high reliability in the User Action Framework, and we support the claim with strongly positive results of a summative reliability study conducted to measure agreement among 10 usability experts in classifying 15 different usability problems. Reliability data from the User Action Framework are also compared to data collected from nine of the same usability experts using a classic heuristic evaluation technique.
Pediatric Sleep Pharmacology: A Primer

"What will you give my child to help him sleep?" is a common question parents ask and some health care providers abhor hearing. Entire families may suffer when one member does not sleep well. Poor sleep may complicate the management of other comorbid conditions. Health care providers may have received only limited education on sleep disorders and are frequently forced to choose between treatment options that are poorly studied in children. Fortunately, when addressed correctly, many children with chronic sleep disorders may improve their sleep and daytime behavior in a relatively short time. This review provides a framework to help understand the causes of poor sleep in children and the potential pharmacologic options.
Adult attachment, couple attachment, and children's adaptation to school: an integrated attachment template and family risk model

Most attachment theorists assume that parenting style is the central mechanism linking the quality of parents' attachment with their parents and adaptation in their children. Outside the attachment...
Human papillomavirus quadrivalent vaccine: a look behind the numbers.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) quadrivalent vaocine was licensed in 2006 for prevention of cervical, vulvar, and vaginal cancers caused by HPV-16 and −18 and genital warts caused by HPV-6 and −11. It is also indicated for prevention of precancerous and dysplastic lesions caused by HPV-6, −11, −16, and −18. Questions exist about the number of women and girls infected with the HPV strains covered by the vaccine, as well as about the vaccine's cost-effectiveness. There are also concerns about the efficacy of the vaccine in girls and young women, the population impact of the vaccine, the duration of protection, and the usefulness of the vaccine in developing countries. Careful consideration should be given to these issues by pharmacy and pharmacy professional organizations. To formulate reasonable healthcare guidelines, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals will need to engage policymakers in conversations concerning the vaccine's merits or limitations and the economic impact.
Cognitive Medium Access: Constraining Interference Based on Experimental Models

In this paper we design a cognitive radio that can coexist with multiple parallel WLAN channels while abiding by an interference constraint. The interaction between both systems is characterized by measurement and coexistence is enhanced by predicting the WLAN's behavior based on a continuous-time Markov chain model. Cognitive medium access (CMA) is derived from this model by recasting the problem as one of constrained Markov decision processes. Solutions are obtained by linear programming. Furthermore, we show that optimal CMA admits structured solutions, simplifying practical implementations. Preliminary results for the partially observable case are presented. The performance of the proposed schemes is evaluated for a typical WLAN coexistence setup and shows a significant performance improvement.
Definition of a Novel Cellular Constituent of the Bone Marrow That Regulates the Response of Immature B Cells to B Cell Antigen Receptor Engagement

Previously we defined a Thy1 dull bone marrow-derived cell population that regulated fate decisions by immature B cells after Ag receptor signaling. The microenvironmental signals provided by this cell population were shown to redirect the B cell Ag receptor -induced apoptotic response of immature B cells toward continued recombination-activating gene (RAG) expression and secondary light chain recombination (receptor editing). Neither the identity of the cell responsible for this activity nor its role in immature B cell development in vivo were addressed by these previous studies. Here we show that this protective microenvironmental niche is defined by the presence of a novel Thy1 dull , DX5 pos cell that can be found in close association with immature B cells in vivo. Depletion of this cell eliminates the anti-apoptotic effect of bone marrow in vitro and leads to a significant decrease in the number and frequency of bone marrow immature B cells in vivo. We propose that, just as the bone marrow environment is essential for the survival and progression of pro-B and pre-B cells through their respective developmental checkpoints, this cellular niche regulates the progression of immature stage B cells through negative selection.
Reconstitution of Lethally Irradiated Adult Mice with Dominant Negative TGF-β Type II Receptor-Transduced Bone Marrow Leads to Myeloid Expansion and Inflammatory Disease

TGF-β regulation of immune homeostasis has been investigated in the context of cytokine knockout (TGF-β null) mice, in which particular TGF-β isoforms are disrupted throughout the entire organism, as well as in B and T cell-specific transgenic models, but to date the immunoregulatory effects of TGF-β have not been addressed in the context of an in vivo mouse model in which multi-isoform TGF-β signaling is abrogated in multiple leukocyte lineages while leaving nonhemopoietic tissue unaffected. Here we report the development of a murine model of TGF-β insensitivity limited to the hemopoietic tissue of adult wild-type C57BL/6 mice based on retroviral-mediated gene transfer of a dominant negative TGF-β type II receptor targeting murine bone marrow. Unlike the lymphoproliferative syndrome observed in TGF-β1-deficient mice, the disruption of TGF-β signaling in bone marrow-derived cells leads to dramatic expansion of myeloid cells, primarily monocytes/macrophages, and is associated with cachexia and mortality in lethally irradiated mice reconstituted with dominant negative receptor-transduced bone marrow. Surprisingly, there was a notable absence of T cell expansion in affected animals despite the observed differentiation of most cells in the T cell compartment to a memory phenotype. These results indicate not only that TGF-β acts as a negative regulator of immune function, but that lack of functional TGF-β signaling in the myeloid compartment of adult mice may trigger suppression of lymphocytes, which would otherwise proliferate when rendered insensitive to TGF-β.
Patterns of [FeFe] Hydrogenase Diversity in the Gut Microbial Communities of Lignocellulose-Feeding Higher Termites

Hydrogen is the central free intermediate in the degradation of wood by termite gut microbes and can reach concentrations exceeding those measured for any other biological system. Degenerate primers targeting the largest family of [FeFe] hydrogenases observed in a termite gut metagenome have been used to explore the evolution and representation of these enzymes in termites. Sequences were cloned from the guts of the higher termites Amitermes sp. strain Cost010, Amitermes sp. strain JT2, Gnathamitermes sp. strain JT5, Microcerotermes sp. strain Cost008, Nasutitermes sp. strain Cost003, and Rhyncotermes sp. strain Cost004. Each gut sample harbored a more rich and evenly distributed population of hydrogenase sequences than observed previously in the guts of lower termites and Cryptocercus punctulatus. This accentuates the physiological importance of hydrogen for higher termite gut ecosystems and may reflect an increased metabolic burden, or metabolic opportunity, created by a lack of gut protozoa. The sequences were phylogenetically distinct from previously sequenced [FeFe] hydrogenases. Phylogenetic and UniFrac comparisons revealed congruence between host phylogeny and hydrogenase sequence library clustering patterns. This may reflect the combined influences of the stable intimate relationship of gut microbes with their host and environmental alterations in the gut that have occurred over the course of termite evolution. These results accentuate the physiological importance of hydrogen to termite gut ecosystems.
Interaction of a Warm-Season Frontal System with the Coastal Mountains of the Western United States. Part II: Evolution of a Puget Sound Convergence Zone

Abstract Observational analyses and numerical simulations are used to investigate a Puget Sound convergence zone (PSCZ) event that occurred in the lee of the Olympic Mountains of Washington State. The PSCZ, which develops when low-level airstreams are forced to converge over Puget Sound by the regional orography, is frequently associated with a mesoscale swath of clouds and precipitation across the central Puget Sound that stretches eastward over the western side of the Cascade Mountains. It was found that latent heat release enhances the PSCZ circulation and associated precipitation. Both the Olympic and the Cascade Mountains are important in the formation of the PSCZ. The Olympics deflect the low-level onshore flow into two branches, one along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and another around the southern flank of the Olympics; in addition, a lee trough, which develops to the east of this barrier, induces convergence over the central Puget Sound. The Cascades deflect low-level flow over northern Puget Sound...
Mechanisms of fetal blood volume restoration after slow fetal hemorrhage

Previous studies have shown that blood volume returns to normal within 24-48 h after hemorrhage in the adult of several species, whereas vascular volume restoration occurs within 3-4 h after a 2-h hemorrhage of the sheep fetus. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether an increase in fetal osmolality and/or circulating plasma protein mass contribute to the rapid volume restoration in the fetus. Nine chronically catheterized fetal sheep at 132 +/- 2 days gestation (term = 145-150 days) were hemorrhaged 30.9 +/- 2.2% of their initial blood volume over 2 h. Blood volume returned to normal 3 h after the hemorrhage. No change in fetal osmolality or in the fetal-maternal osmotic gradient occurred during or after the hemorrhage. However, there was a near-perfect correlation between blood volume and circulating plasma protein mass during and after the hemorrhage. Thus the present study provides no evidence for either a fetal cellular or transplacental source of fluid during fetal posthemorrhage volume restoration because osmolality was unchanged. Instead it appears that a rapid redistribution of proteins and fluid from the fetal interstitial space most likely mediates the vascular volume restoration.
THE DISTRIBUTED SEDIMENT BUDGET MODEL AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT IN THE PALEOZOIC PLATEAU OF THE UPPER MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES

The distributed sediment budget model describes the complex sediment storage fluxes of three basin zones—tributaries, upper main valley and lower main valley—in the Paleozoic Plateau of the Midwest and is therefore useful for purposes of watershed management, especially for sediment-yield control. Tributary zones, an important sediment source of the past, are increasingly stable and now are often minor sediment sinks. They require little additional management. The upper main valley is the most problematic zone because high banks of historical sediment are being eroded, increasing downstream sediment yield. A variety of management alternatives are available, but all have some negative consequences. Simply permitting this zone to evolve naturally will eventually reduce both sediment loss and flooding in the reach, but this process will require several decades. Although upland erosion has been curtailed, the lower main valley continues to aggrade, causing backswamp areas to increase and local groundwater to ...
Agency Across the Life Course

This chapter argues for a broader conception of ‘agency’ than is often empirically utilized within life course studies. We provide an overview of the conventional ways agency is measured and employed, "and suggest conditions..." that shape its subjective experience and how agency influences a range of life course outcomes. We build on this research by suggesting ways that the empirical treatment of agency might mirror its theoretical development. We call for further research on agency across the life course that (a) investigates aspects of temporality, optimism, and expectations that are less theorized and empirically linked with agency and (b) explores agency through a cross-cultural lens.
Pediatric Quality Improvement: Practical and Scholarly Considerations

This article describes important aspects of health-care quality, quality improvement (QI), patient safety (PS), and approaches to research on QI/PS efforts. Common terminology to facilitate an understanding of QI and PS research is reviewed. Models for understanding system and process performance are discussed. Introductory considerations to QI data and QI research analytical considerations are provided.
Characterization of Potential Catalysts for Carbon Monoxide Removal from Reformate Fuel for PEM Fuel Cells

We are developing a fuel-cell-integrated system for enhancing the effectiveness of an air-bleed for CO-tolerance of hydrogen and reformate PEM fuel cells, with minimal increase in stack cost or specific volume. This is called the reconfigured anode (RCA) system [1]. We report here on properties of several potential catalysts for this system. The materials were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and thermal analysis techniques. Surface area was determined using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) technique. The XRD results were interpreted using full-profile analysis. In ongoing work, reactivity with CO is being quantified under various conditions, using gas chromatographic (GC) analysis. The results are discussed in terms of effects of the presence of an RCA catalyst on fuel cell performance, using a small air-bleed.
Analysis of High-temperature Heating Surface Corrosion Problems in Large-scale Biomass-fired Boiler

With the concerns over energy shortage and CO2emission,biomass is now being considered as an inexhaustible and clean energy resource all over the world.The biomass material for power generation inSouth China mainly comes from agricultural and forestry wastes,such as sugar cane bagasse,eucalyptus leaves,eucalyptus branches,etc.This kind of biomass fuels contain inherent inorganic elements,including sulfur and chlorine,as well as minor quantities of Si,Al,Ca,Fe,Mg and P,especially contain high content of potassium element.The corrosion problem in the high temperature heating surface of a large scale biomass-fired boiler in South China was investigated in the work.The super-heater positioning tube had been corroded seriously after running just for three months.By observation,the corroded surface was characterized by the rupture and peeling of the oxide film of the outer wall.And the corrosion extends inward along the grain boundary by metallographic analysis.The morphology and elements existing in the corrosion sample was studied by scanning electron microscope(SEM),combined with Bruker EDX Microanalysis. Results show that a high content of Cl,S and Alkali metal exists in the corrosion products. It was considered that under high temperature combustion condition,alkali metal-related compounds might release to the gas phase,then react with the metal oxide film and even emit Cl2 which can penetrate the oxide film and react with the alloy,causing more serious corrosion.The high chlorine and alkali content of biomass coming from the coastal was thought to be the main reasons caused high temperature corrosion of super-heater tube wall.
Rome in the Bronze Age: late second-millennium BC radiocarbon dates from the Forum Boarium

Evidence of Bronze Age settlement in Rome has, for the most part, been conspicuous by its absence. The later development of the city has precluded most excavations from reaching a depth sufficient to encounter any such deposits, and early finds have been mostly recovered from secondary deposits. A series of boreholes below the church of Sant'Omobono have revealed in situ deposits of anthropic activity, which date to the late second millennium BC, interspersed with thick alluvial deposits. This new data from the Forum Boarium demonstrates that early settlement activity in Rome was not restricted to the summits or slopes of the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, but also included activity on the banks of the Tiber.
Geographic variation in exercise testing by family physicians.

BACKGROUND: The purposes of this study were to determine the extent to which exercise stress testing is performed by family physicians; whether rural physicians are more likely to utilize exercise stress testing than their urban counterparts; and what factors influence their decisions. METHODS: A random sample of 211 practicing members of the Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians was surveyed. Responses were received from 163 (77%). To ensure independence, if two or more subjects were members of the same group practice, one was randomly assigned to the study, for a total of 125 respondents available for analysis. Questionnaire items included performance of exercise stress tests, population base, and distance to the nearest specialist who performed the test. Respondents were classified as urban, rural, or frontier, based on population per square mile in their county. RESULTS: Seventy-three of the 125 respondents (58%) reported that they perform exercise stress testing. Physicians in rural or frontier counties were twice as likely to perform the test as urban physicians (P < .001). Similar results were found for distance to the closest specialist who performs exercise stress tests (P < .001) and reported population base (P < .01). Of those performing the procedure, 42 (58%) indicated they had learned it during residency, whereas 15 (21%) were self-taught or had learned from a colleague. CONCLUSIONS: Family physicians in rural Nebraska are significantly more likely to perform exercise stress testing than those in urban areas and much more likely to do stress testing than previous national studies indicate. National guidelines should acknowledge the need for family physicians to perform exercise tests and promote training in this procedure.
Discrimination of Stochastic Frequency Modulation by Cochlear Implant Users.

Background: Past work has shown that low-rate frequency modulation (FM) may help preserve signal coherence, aid segmentation at word and syllable boundaries, and benefit speech intelligibility in the presence of a masker. Purpose: This study evaluated whether difficulties in speech perception by cochlear implant (CI) users relate to a deficit in the ability to discriminate among stochastic low-rate patterns of FM. Research Design: This is a correlational study assessing the association between the ability to discriminate stochastic patterns of low-rate FM and the intelligibility of speech in noise. Study Sample: Thirteen postlingually deafened adult CI users participated in this study. Data Collection and Analysis: Using modulators derived from 5-Hz lowpass noise applied to a 1-kHz carrier, thresholds were measured in terms of frequency excursion both in quiet and with a speech-babble masker present, stimulus duration, and signal-to-noise ratio in the presence of a speech-babble masker. Speech perception ability was assessed in the presence of the same speech-babble masker. Relationships were evaluated with Pearson product–moment correlation analysis with correction for family-wise error, and commonality analysis to determine the unique and common contributions across psychoacoustic variables to the association with speech ability. Results: Significant correlations were obtained between masked speech intelligibility and three metrics of FM discrimination involving either signal-to-noise ratio or stimulus duration, with shared variance among the three measures accounting for much of the effect. Compared to past results from young normal-hearing adults and older adults with either normal hearing or a mild-to-moderate hearing loss, mean FM discrimination thresholds obtained from CI users were higher in all conditions. Conclusions: The ability to process the pattern of frequency excursions of stochastic FM may, in part, have a common basis with speech perception in noise. Discrimination of differences in the temporally distributed place coding of the stimulus could serve as this common basis for CI users.
Evaluating the simulation times and mass balance errors of component-based models

In making the decision whether to use component-based modeling, its benefits must be balanced against computational costs. Studies evaluating these costs using the Open Modeling Interface (OpenMI) have largely used models with simplified formulations, small spatial and temporal domains, or a limited number of components. We evaluate these costs by applying OpenMI to a relatively complex Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) for the City of Logan, Utah, USA. Configurations of coupled OpenMI components resulting from decomposing the stormwater model by process (i.e., runoff coupled to routing) and then by space (i.e., groups of catchments coupled together) were compared to a reference model executed in the standard SWMM configuration. Simulation times increased linearly with the number of connections between components, and mass balance error was a function of the degree to which a component resolved time series data received. This study also examines and proposes some strategies to address these computational costs. We compared coupled OpenMI components with equivalent standard SWMM configuration.SWMM was decomposed by process and space to explore coupling performance penalties.Performance was evaluated in terms of simulation time and mass balance error.We illustrate performance penalties to consider when using component-based models.Strategies to address computational costs of component-based models are proposed.
Extreme-microgap (x-µgap) based hotspot thermal management with refrigerant flow boiling

Performance of the next generation microprocessors is rapidly reaching its limits due to inability to remove heat, especially at high power density from so-called local “hotspots”. Convective boiling heat transfer in microgap heat sinks has the potential to dissipate ultra-high heat fluxes. We report results of an experimental investigation of heat transfer performance of three dedicated microgap coolers for hotspot thermal management. In this study, a rectangular microgap, batch micromachined in silicon and instrumented with thin-film resistive thermometry, is employed to assess its capability of dissipating extreme heat fluxes of multiple kW/cm2 while keeping the wall temperature within the limits dictated by electronics reliability. Convective boiling in microgap with heights of 5 µm and 10 µm was tested with and without pin fins in the microgap. The test section was heated from the bottom using resistive heaters and capped with glass to enable visual observation of two-phase flow regimes. Microgap pressure drop and wall temperature measurements, mapped into flow regimes, were obtained with R134a as the coolant, for heat fluxes up to 5 kW/cm2, mass fluxes up to 7,000 kg/m2s, at maximum pressures up to 1.5 MPa and outlet vapor qualities approaching unity. These experimental parameters constitute extreme values in terms of microgap height (smallest reported to our knowledge), mass fluxes, and heat fluxes. New flow regimes, including vapor plumes, liquid slugs, and ultra-thin wavy liquid film, were observed as a function of increasing heat flux and microgap geometry. Dominant mechanism(s) of two-phase heat transfer responsible for each regime have been postulated based on flow visualization correlated with pressure drop and thermal resistance measurements.
Resistance patterns to anti-PD-1 therapy in metastatic melanoma

Anti-PD-1 antibodies block the immune checkpoint programmed death 1 receptor to increase T cell specific anti-tumor responses (1,2).
Inhibition of Akt2 phosphorylation abolishes the calorie restriction-induced improvement in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by rat soleus muscle.

Calorie restriction (CR; ∼60%–65% of ad libitum consumption) can enhance insulin-stimulated glucose uptake (ISGU) in predominantly slow-twitch skeletal muscles (e.g., soleus) by an incompletely understood mechanism. We used an Akt inhibitor (MK-2206) to eliminate CR’s effect on insulin-stimulated Akt2 phosphorylation in isolated rat soleus muscles. We found long-term CR-enhanced ISGU was abolished by eliminating the CR effect on Akt2 phosphorylation, suggesting the CR-induced benefit on ISGU in the predominantly slow-twitch soleus relies on enhanced Akt2 phosphorylation.
Therapieontrouw: who cares?

Therapieontrouw is een relevant fenomeen voor huisartsen, zij schrijven in Nederland 80% van alle receptplichtige geneesmiddelen voor. 1,2 Er is al veel bekend over de manier waarop de (huis)arts therapietrouw kan bevorderen. Een echte dialoog met de patient over het daadwerkelijk gebruik van de medicatie is daarbij het belangrijkste middel.3-5 Ondanks alle aandacht voor patientgerichte communicatie, ook in dit tijdschrift, gaat de huisarts deze dialoog vaak uit de weg.6-11
Fetal liver transplantation in aplastic anemia and leukemia.

This study reviews results of fetal liver transplantation in hematologic disorders including aplastic anemia, leukemia and thalassemia. One hundred and twenty two patients received transplants for aplastic anemia; engraftment was reported in 4 patients; graftversus-host disease (GvHD) did not occur. Complete and partial responses were reported in one-half of patients, the majority of whom had no evidence of engraftment. Thirty-nine patients received transplants for leukemia. Transient engraftment was reported in 40% and two developed GvHD; survival extended to more than 2 years. The higher rate of engraftment in patients with leukemia suggests a role of pretransplant immune suppression. The risk of GvHD appears to be low despite complete HLA-mismatching. These data suggest a possible role for fetal liver transplantation in man. Future studies should probably be based on preclinical data obtained in large animal models.
Transmission of the professional identity through an embodied artistic ritual: An investigation of a dance/movement therapy welcoming ceremony

Abstract The role of embodied enactment as a non-textual means of communicating knowledge was examined. A Welcoming Ceremony organized annually by the American Dance Therapy Association, in which newly registered and board-certified dance/movement therapists are inducted into the community, was selected as the site for this phenomenological investigation. Verbal data were collected via questionnaires and interviews from 10 inductees, one facilitator, and one non-inductee participant-observer. In addition to an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), the textual data were embodied and transformed into a dance as a way to access what may otherwise be lost in verbal representations. By having done the ritual, participants could use the embodied experience as a resource for knowledge and strength in the real world. The findings point to the potential benefits of incorporating communal embodied interventions within appropriate cultural contexts.
Space and Null Infinity

Our object in this article is to provide a review of one approach to asymptotically flat space-times, and to show how this proach leads to the introduction of an associated four complex dimensional manifold, )-(-space, with remarkable properties.
Serological Studies of Antibodies Reactive with RNA and RNA-Protein Antigens

Antibodies reactive with nuclear and cytoplasmic ribonucleoproteins and with RNA have received increasing attention as a result of the detection of antibodies which are helpful for the identification of subpopulations of patients with rheumatoid disease. In contrast to the DNA and DNA–protein systems, relatively little is known about the pathogenetic role of these antibodies in the induction of tissue injury. The development of sensitive and reproducible assays for these antibodies should enhance understanding of this potentially important system. The major antibodies which have been identified and the primary techniques utilized for their demonstration are indicated in Table 1. Immunological evaluation of these antibodies has been complicated by the lack of a standardized nomenclature similar to that in usage for antibodies reactive with DNA and DNA–protein antigens. Difficulties inherent in the preparation of purified antigens which are stable and resistant to serum and tissue ribonucleases have further complicated attempts to define antibodies associated with RNA antigens. Each of the major antibodies will be reviewed with respect to method of assay, clinical correlation, and potential pathogenetic importance in rheumatoid disease.
Caricature, Philosophy and the “Aesthetics of the Ugly”: Some Questions for Rosenkranz

This article explores the distinctive artistic form of caricature and the philosophical treatment it receives in the work of Karl Rosenkranz (1805–1879), who gives it a central role in the context of his remarkable book The Aesthetics of Ugliness (Die Asthetik des Hasslichen). Rosenkranz’ legacy on this score is not much discussed (certainly in Anglo-American philosophical circles), but its importance for the development of post-eighteenth-century aesthetics—in particular, for an aesthetics that stretches beyond the conventional concerns with the beautiful and the sublime—can hardly be overstated. After a presentation of Rosenkranz’ project on the aesthetics of ugliness, this article examines his take on caricature and its relation to philosophy (as well as philosophy’s relation to caricature), and then takes up some pressing contemporary questions that arise for caricature’s use of stereotypes.
Avanti il divorzio e La mia vita

Avanti il divorzio (1902) di Anna Franchi narra della vita di Anna Mirello dall’infanzia ‘libera e gagliarda’ (per dirla con le parole, piu tarde, della Aleramo3), attraverso il suo matrimonio – sedicenne – con il musicista Ettore Streno, fino alla partenza del marito per gli Stati Uniti insieme ai figli. Romanziera, drammaturga, biografa, critica e storica d’arte, Anna Franchi nasce a Livorno nel 1867 e muore a Milano nel 1954. Gravitando attorno al Partito Socialista, si impegna per la campagna a favore di una legge sul divorzio con articoli e conferenze (oltre al romanzo Avanti il divorzio di cui mi occupo qui). Porta avanti su vari giornali un’azione di sensibilizzazione delle donne riguardo alla loro condizione e ruolo in societa, con particola-re attenzione alla lotta per il suffragio La narrazione ripercorre le violenze inflitte ad Anna da Ettore (assalti sessuali, gravidanze indesiderate, aggressioni verbali, tradimenti, malattie veneree, false accuse, abusi sui figli e infine la sottrazione dei figli) e si ferma proprio nel 1902 – anno di pubblicazione del libro – con la rinuncia da parte di Anna alla lotta per la tutela dei ragazzi che rimangono, per legge, al marito depravato.
New Empirical and Theoretical Research Perspectives in Global Marketing

I am glad to report that the Journal of Global Marketing has experienced a significant growth, nearly 70%, in the number of submissions during 2015–2018 (162 manuscripts processed during 2018 compa...
Rapid removal of dextran sulfate sodium from tissue RNA preparations for measurement of inflammation biomarkers

Abstract Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) present in the tissues of DSS-treated laboratory animals inhibits quantitative real-time qPCR (RT-qPCR) and thus may be source of experimental errors. A recent systematic review concluded that the reporting of experimental method was insufficient in a majority of DSS studies and contributed to the poor reproducibility of experiments. Here we compared two DSS cleanup protocols applied to mouse tissue RNA preparations based on silica membrane spin column and lithium chloride precipitation. In absence of cleanup, exogenous DSS significantly inhibited reverse transcription and cDNA amplification at concentrations of 5 × 10−3 g/L and above during the quantification of IL8 mRNA levels in THP-1 macrophages. Silica membrane spin columns removed DSS from mouse RNA preparations and eliminated DSS-induced inhibition of qPCR. Mouse RNA isolated from DSS-treated tissues and purified with silica membrane spin columns was suitable for RT-qPCR and assessment of inflammatory biomarkers.
Applying an intersectionality lens to expand equity in the geosciences

Geosciences remains one of the least diverse science disciplines. Recent efforts in the discipline have aimed to address leadership, organizational, and structural factors to increase engagement of...
Healthy Days at home: A novel population-based outcome measure.

Abstract Background Healthy Days at Home (HDAH) is a novel population-based outcome measure developed in conjunction with the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. Methods We identified beneficiary age, sex, race, and Medicaid eligibility, death date, chronic conditions and healthcare utilization among a 20% sample of Medicare beneficiaries in 2016. For each beneficiary we calculated HDAH for the year by subtracting the following measure components from 365 days: mortality days, the total number of days spent in inpatient, observation, skilled nursing facilities (SNF), inpatient psychiatry, inpatient rehabilitation and long-term hospital settings as well as the number of outpatient emergency department and home health visits. We examined how HDAH and its components varied by beneficiary demographic characteristics and chronic condition burden as well as by healthcare market (Hospital Referral Region). We specified a patient-level linear regression adjustment model with HDAH as the outcome and incorporated market fixed effects as well as beneficiary age, sex, and Chronic Conditions Warehouse categories as covariates. We examined the impact of including home health visits in the measure, as well as the association between market demographics and health system characteristics and mean market HDAH. We examined how HDAH changed from 2013 to 2016. Results The 6,637,568 beneficiaries age 65 and older in our sample had a mean of 347.2 HDAH, those 80 and older had a mean of 325.3 while those with three or more chronic conditions had a mean of 333.7. The components that led to the largest reduction in HDAH were mortality (7.4 days), home health (2.7 visits), SNF utilization (2.4 days) and inpatient care (1.5 days). The worst performing market had 5.8 fewer adjusted HDAH on average compared to the national mean, while beneficiaries in the best-performing market had 5.0 more HDAH on average compared to the national mean, among all beneficiaries age 65 and older. Conclusions HDAH is a population-based quality measure with substantial market-level variation. Implications HDAH recognizes the multidimensional nature of healthcare and may afford providers greater flexibility to tailor quality-improvement initiatives to the unique needs of their patients. Level of evidence Level II.
The combined effects of hydrogen and aging condition on the deformation and fracture behavior of a precipitation-hardened nickel-base superalloy

Abstract The effect of hydrogen (H) on the deformation behavior of Monel K-500 in various isothermal heat treatment conditions (non-aged, under-aged, peak-aged, and over-aged) was assessed via uniaxial mechanical testing. H-charged and non-charged specimens were strained to failure to facilitate a comparison of ductility, fracture surface morphology, strength, and work hardening behavior. For all examined heat treatment conditions, H charging leads to a significant reduction in ductility, which is accompanied by a consistent change in fracture surface morphology from ductile microvoid coalescence to brittle intergranular fracture. While H charging led to a systematic enhancement in the yield strength of all heat treatments, the three age-hardened conditions exhibited a more than 2-fold increase relative to the non-aged heat treatment. This suggests that H modifies the dislocation-precipitate interactions, which also manifest themselves through changes in work hardening metrics related to the dislocation storage and recovery rates. In particular, the H-charged peak-aged specimen exhibited a significant increase in initial hardening (dislocation storage) rate relative to the H-charged under-aged specimen. Transmission electron microscopy of these samples revealed the onset of widespread dislocation looping in the H-charged peak-aged sample, in addition to the planar slip bands characteristic of the non-charged condition. This result suggests that hydrogen induces the particle shearing-to-looping transition at smaller particle sizes. Possible mechanistic explanations for this observed behavior are presented.
Mechanical changes of the crystalline lens in oxidative cataractogenesis assessed with optical coherence elastography

Age-related cataract is one of the most prevalent causes of visual impairment worldwide. Early detection of cataracts can be immensely helpful for preserving visual acuity by ensuring that the appropriate therapeutic procedures are performed at earlier stages of the disease. In this work, we investigated the relationship between the progression of oxidative cataract and the biomechanical properties of the crystalline lens. We assessed the changes in the stiffness induced by cataracts in porcine lenses in vitro with dynamic optical coherence elastography. The efficacy of α-lipoic acid to minimize the stiffening of the lens was also quantified. The results showed a significant increase in Young’s modulus of the lens due to the formation of the oxidative cataract (from ~ 8 kPa to ~123 kPa). Young’s moduli of the lenses decreased after incubation in α-Lipoic Acid (~123 kPa vs ~45 kPa). These results show that the lens stiffness increased during oxidative cataract formation and that α-lipoic acid has the potential to reduce the stiffening of the lens caused by the oxidative damage.
Statically Determinate Curved Members

Chapter 3 dealt with beams, which are straight members subjected to transverse loading. We showed there that transversely loaded beams respond by bending, i.e., they equilibrate the loading by developing internal shear and moment quantities. When the centroidal axis is curved, the behavior of a curved member subjected to transverse loading, depending on how the ends are restrained, can undergo a dramatic change from predominately bending action to predominately axial action. This characteristic of curved members makes them more efficient than straight members for spanning moderate to large scale openings. A typical application is an arch structure, which is composed of curved members restrained at their ends.
When to consider a posterolateral descending aortopexy in addition to a posterior tracheopexy for the surgical treatment of symptomatic tracheobronchomalacia.

Abstract Purposes The descending thoracic aorta typically crosses posterior to the left mainstem bronchus (LMSB). We sought to evaluate patient factors that may lead one to consider a posterolateral descending thoracic aortopexy (PLDA) in addition to a posterior tracheopexy (PT) in the surgical treatment of symptomatic tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) that involves the LMSB. Methods Retrospective review of patients who underwent PT with or without PLDA between 2012 and 2017. Severity and extent of TBM were assessed using dynamic tracheobronchoscopy. Aortic positioning compared to the anterior border of the spine (ABS) at the level of the left mainstem bronchus was identified on computed tomography (CT). Factors associated with performing a PLDA were evaluated with logistic regression. Results Of 188 patients who underwent a PT, 70 (37%) also had a PLDA performed. On multivariate analysis, > 50% LMSB compression on bronchoscopy (OR 8.06, p 50% of the aortic diameter anterior to the ABS (OR 2.06, p = 0.05), and more recent year of surgery (OR 1.61, p = 0.003) were associated with performing a PLDA. Conclusion When performing a PT, a PLDA should be considered for patients who have > 50% LMSB compression on dynamic bronchoscopy, and in those with a descending thoracic aorta located > 50% anterior to the ABS. Level of evidence III Type of study Retrospective comparative study.