cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decreased Renal Organic Anion Secretion and Plasma Accumulation of Endogenous Organic Anions in OAT1 Knock-out Mice

Abstract The “classical” organic anion secretory pathway of the renal proximal tubule is critical for the renal excretion of the prototypic organic anion, para-aminohippurate, as well as of a large number of commonly prescribed drugs among other significant substrates. Organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1), originally identified as NKT (Lopez-Nieto, C. E., You, G., Bush, K. T., Barros, E. J. G., Beier, D. R., and Nigam, S. K. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 6471–6478), has physiological properties consistent with a role in this pathway. However, several other transporters (e.g. OAT2, OAT3, and MRP1) have also been proposed as important PAH transporters on the basis of in vitro studies; therefore, the relative contribution of OAT1 has remained unclear. We have now generated a colony of OAT1 knock-out mice, permitting elucidation of the role of OAT1 in the context of these other potentially functionally redundant transporters. We find that the knock-out mice manifest a profound loss of organic anion transport (e.g. para-aminohippurate) both ex vivo (in isolated renal slices) as well as in vivo (as indicated by loss of renal secretion). In the case of the organic anion, furosemide, loss of renal secretion in the knock-out results in impaired diuretic responsiveness to this drug. These results indicate a critical role for OAT1 in the functioning of the classical pathway. In addition, we have determined the levels of ∼60 endogenous organic anions in the plasma and urine of wild-type and knock-out mice. This has led to identification of several compounds with significantly higher plasma concentrations and/or lower urinary concentrations in knock-out mice, suggesting the involvement of OAT1 in their renal secretion. We have also demonstrated in xenopus oocytes that some of these compounds interact with OAT1 in vitro. Thus, these latter compounds might represent physiological substrates of OAT1.
DAP12 impacts trafficking and surface stability of killer immunoglobulin-like receptors on natural killer cells

KIR aid in the regulation of NK cell activity. In this study, the effect of the interaction between the KIR2DS and their adapter, DAP12, was investigated beyond the previously defined signaling function. Flow cytometry analysis showed enhanced KIR2DS surface expression on NKL cells when cotransfected with DAP12. Conversely, KIR2DS4 surface expression on primary cells was decreased when the cells were treated with DAP12-specific siRNA. Treatment of the KIR2DS and DAP12-transfected cells with CHX or BFA repressed KIR2DS surface expression, revealing a role for DAP12 in trafficking newly synthesized KIR to the cell surface. Immunoprecipitation of DAP12 revealed an interaction of DAP12 with an immature isoform of KIR2DS, indicating that the interaction likely initiates within the ER. An internalization assay demonstrated a significant impact of DAP12 on KIR2DS surface stability. Confocal microscopy showed that internalized KIR2DS molecules are recruited to lysosomal compartments independent of DAP12 expression. Our results suggest that in vivo conditions that adversely affect DAP12 expression will indirectly reduce surface expression and stability of KIR2DS. These effects could significantly impact ligand recognition and strength of signaling through KIR2DS molecules.
SHORT-TERM MEMORY FOR REPEATED AND NON-REPEATED ITEMS.

Abstract Digit sequences containing repeated items are retained differently in short-term memory from sequences containing no repeated items. The repeated items are remembered better or worse than items in the corresponding positions of “all-different” sequences depending on the number of times the item is repeated, the number of items repeated, the number of items intervening between the occurences of a repeated item, and the position of the repeated items in relation to the beginning and end of the sequence. In every type of repetition studied, except one, memory for the non-repeated items in sequences with repeated items is better than for the corresponding items of all-different sequences. This is true in some cases despite significant specific interference between the (non-repeated) items following the separated occurrences of repeated items. The negative effects in memory for repeated items and the positive effects in memory for non-repeated items are greater when the items are presented at the rate...
Global optimization for the Biaffine Matrix Inequality problem

It has recently been shown that an extremely wide array of robust controller design problems may be reduced to the problem of finding a feasible point under a Biaffine Matrix Inequality (BMI) constraint. The BMI feasibility problem is the bilinear version of the Linear (Affine) Matrix Inequality (LMI) feasibility problem, and may also be viewed as a bilinear extension to the Semidefinite Programming (SDP) problem. The BMI problem may be approached as a biconvex global optimization problem of minimizing the maximum eigenvalue of a biaffine combination of symmetric matrices. This paper presents a branch and bound global optimization algorithm for the BMI. A simple numerical example is included. The robust control problem, i.e., the synthesis of a controller for a dynamic physical system which guarantees stability and performance in the face of significant modelling error and worst-case disturbance inputs, is frequently encountered in a variety of complex engineering applications including the design of aircraft, satellites, chemical plants, and other precision positioning and tracking systems.
Solving nonlinear estimation problems using splines [Lecture Notes]

We describe the use of splines for solving nonlinear model estimation problems, in which nonlinear functions with unknown shapes and values are involved, by converting the nonlinear estimation problems into linear ones at a higher- dimensional space. This contrasts with the typical use of the splines for function interpolation where the functional values at some input points are given and the values corresponding to other input points are sought for via interpolation. The technique described in this column applies to arbitrary nonlinear estimation problems where one or more one-dimensional nonlinear functions are involved and can be extended to cases where higher-dimensional nonlinear functions are used.
Invited Review: Pathology, Etiology, Prevention, and Treatment of Fatty Liver in Dairy Cows *

Fatty liver (i.e., hepatic lipidosis) is a major metabolic disorder of many dairy cows in early lactation and is associated with decreased health status and reproductive performance. In severe cases, milk production and feed intake are decreased. Therefore, a practical preventative or an efficacious treatment of fatty liver could save millions of dollars yearly in treatment, replacement, and production losses for dairy farmers. Fatty liver develops when the hepatic uptake of lipids exceeds the oxidation and secretion of lipids by the liver, which usually is preceded by high concentrations of plasma NEFA mobilized from adipose tissue. Excess lipids are stored as triacylglycerol in the liver and are associated with decreased metabolic functions of the liver. Liver can be categorized into normal liver or mild, moderate, or severe fatty liver; the latter can be subdivided further into nonencephalopathic severe fatty liver and hepatic encephalopathy. Insufficient or unbalanced dietary intake, obesity, and elevated estrogen concentrations are involved in the etiology of fatty liver, which is associated with greater incidence of dystocia, diseases, infections, and inflammations. Because even mild fatty liver is associated with decreased health status and reproductive performance of dairy cows, prevention of fatty liver by supplying cows with sufficient nutrients and a clean and health-promoting environment in the peripartal period would reduce production losses of cows more than would any treatment of fatty liver. This, however, might not be enough for cows that are obese or do not eat well, had calving difficulties or twins, have metabolic or infectious diseases, or are in severe negative energy balance because of high milk production immediately after calving. Potential and commonly used preventatives, as well as treatments, are discussed in the review. Currently, detection of fatty liver is possible only by minor surgery. Ultrasonic techniques offer a potential tool to noninvasively detect fatty liver. Future gene-array and proteomic studies may provide means to detect early molecular events in the etiology of fatty liver plus their connection with immune function and reproductive performance so that more effective treatments and preventatives of fatty liver can be developed. Such advances hopefully will make fatty liver a problem of the past.
A multivariate analysis of food and feeding trends among Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) sampled in Davis Strait, during 1986

Pelagic invertebrates [northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis), Cephalopoda, Mysidacea, Amphipoda and Euphausiacea] and fish [redfish (Sebastes mentella), R. hippoglossoides and Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida)] were the most important food items found in 4295 Greenland halibut (R. hippoglossoides) stomachs collected from Davis Strait [Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Subareas 0 and 1], during 1986. Ordination methods indicated that predator size and capture depth accounted for 85.2% of the variation in diet, while classification methods were used to illustrate these relationships. Additionally, the study extended into locations not previously sampled, therefore, knowledge was expanded upon pertaining to the distribution ranges of important prey.
Population distributions in the vibrational deactivation of benzene and benzene-d6. First and second moments derived from two-color infrared fluorescence measurements

Time-resolved two-color infrared fluomscence (IRF) from highly vibrationally excited benzene and benzene_ds has been used to determine means and variances of the excited molecule population distributions over the majority of the energy range during deactivation via collisional energy transfer to unexcited molecules. These measurements extend the IRF technique to produce information about the first two moments of energy transfer induced population distributions present during the collisional deao tivation process. A simple means of analysis of IRF from multiple emission bands is presented, which in principle yields information about higher moments, as well as increasingly precise determination of lower moments. Results from this analysis are independent of any assumed models for collisional energy transfer. In the experiments, simultaneous monitoring of IRF from the C-H (GD) stretching mode fundamental region at = 3060 cm-’ (~~2290 cm-‘) and first overtone region at %6000 cm-’ ( FZ 4500 cm-’ ), allows independent observation of two subsets of the total population of excited molecules, each containing the vibrational energy required to emit photons in the observed bands, Simtm results are obtained from analysis of the time and wavelength-resolved Au= - 1 C-H stretch emission spectrum of highly excited benzene& as it is deactivated by collisions. The two-color results are shown to provide meanin&l information about the first two moments of the energy population distribution over much of the energy range. Knowledge of the population distribution is important since it results directly from the form of P&F’, E), the step size probability distribution function for collisional energy transfer. Master equation simulations are used together with these results in order to derive some limitations on the possible forms of Pc(E’, E). 1. Intmdwtion
3-Hydroxy-3-Methyl-Glutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase Activity in Chicks Fed Coumestrol, a Phytoestrogen

Abstract Coumestrol was examined for its effects upon cholesterol metabolism. Chicks (60) were fed control and coumestrol test diets with added levels of cholesterol for 3 weeks. In the first trial, dietary treatments of 0 ppm coumestrol, 10 ppm coumestrol, 10 ppm coumestrol plus 1% cholesterol, and 1% cholesterol resulted in plasma cholesterol levels of 144, 127, 179, and 193 mg/dl, respectively. Growth rates of chicks were not affected by treatments. The percent ether extract of liver was significantly elevated in chicks fed the diet containing 10 ppm coumestrol and 1% cholesterol. Copper and zinc in liver was reduced in chicks receiving either added dietary coumestrol or cholesterol. A second trial compared diets with 0, .05, .5, 5, and 50 ppm coumestrol. Plasma levels of cholesterol in chicks at 3 wks were 156, 152, 149, 145, and 115 mg/dl, respectively. Liver 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMGCoA) reductase activity in chicks fed 50 ppm coumestrol was elevated at Day 15 but had returned to control level by Day 21. Maximal HMGCoA reductase activity was found at 2000 hr and least activity at 0400 and 1400 hr. Peak HMGCoA reductase activity appeared strongly influenced by time of feed intake. Apparently, changes in HMGCoA reductase activity are secondary responses to reduced plasma cholesterol due to dietary coumestrol.
Expression of the WE3 Antigen in the Newt Wound Epithelium

mAb WE3 identifies an antigen abundant in wound epithelium but virtually absent from skin epidermis. The antigen is developmentally expressed, being absent from the initial wound epithelium but appearing by the 2nd week after amputation. The present study was designed to investigate the origin of WE3 reactive wound epithelial cells. The results are consistent with the view that skin epidermal cells migrate over the amputation surface and subsequently express the WE3 antigen. WE3 reactive wound epithelial cells do not appear to originate from integumentary glands or “ovoid” cells of skin epidermis.
Scintillation Response of Aikali Iodides to Alpeha Particles and Protons

The relative pulse height for all alkali iodide crystals, with and without activation, in response to alpha particles and protons was measured as a function of the incident particles energy at both liquid nitrogen and room temperatures. In all cases the response curve is linear for protons of an energy range from 1 to 10 Mev, linear for alpha particles of high energies, but clearly nonlinear generally below 15 Mev. The response curve of activated crystals at liquid nitrogen temperature is generally flatter than that at room temperature. Unactivated crystals have a unique response only at liquid nitrogen temperature. For all crystals the proton scintillation efficiency curve lies slightly below the linear portion of the alpha particles curve. A sharp change in dL/dE is observed in the region of 130 < dE/dx < 160 kev/mg-cm-2, indicating a threshold for a process which has a decreased probability of exciting luminescence.
An RNA polymerase II transcription factor binds to an upstream element in the adenovirus major late promoter

A gel electrophoresis DNA binding assay has been used to identify proteins in HeLa cell extracts that specifically bind to the major late promoter of adenovirus. A major late promoter transcription factor MLTF has been detected as a discrete protein-DNA complex. MLTF binds specifically and with high affinity to sequences upstream of the TATA box of the major late promoter. This factor protects a 17 bp (-50 to -66) region in a DNAase I footprinting assay. The same region has been shown to be important for efficient transcription from the major late promoter both in vivo and in vitro. MLTF stimulates in vitro transcription only from a template containing this upstream region. The binding, footprinting, and transcription-stimulatory activities of MLTF cofractionate through two chromatographic steps. These results suggest that direct binding of MLTF to an upstream element activates transcription from the major late promoter.
Generation of 40Gbps duobinary signals using an integrated laser Mach-Zehnder modulator

Generation of 40Gbps duobinary signals is demonstrated over a wavelength range of 1537nm - 1569nm, using the intrinsic EO response of a Mach-Zehnder modulator integrated with a widely tunable laser.
Ebola virus glycoprotein demonstrates differential cellular localization in infected cell types of nonhuman primates and guinea pigs.

Abstract Background.—In vitro studies have previously shown that Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP) is rapidly processed and largely released from infected cells, whereas other viral proteins, such as VP40, accumulate within cells. Objective.—To determine infected cell types in which Ebola virus GP and VP40, individually, localize in vivo. Methods.—Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization using GP- and VP40-specific antibodies and genetic probes were used to analyze archived tissues of experimentally infected nonhuman primates and guinea pigs and Vero E6 and 293 cells infected in vitro. Results.—The GP antigen was consistently present in hepatocytes, adrenal cortical cells, fibroblasts, fibroblastic reticular cells, ovarian thecal cells, and several types of epithelial cells, but was not detected in macrophages and blood monocytes of animals, nor in Vero cells and 293 cells. All GP-positive and GP-negative cell types analyzed contained VP40 antigen and both GP and VP40 RNAs. Conclusions.—Ebola virus GP a...
Securing the Spectacular City: The Politics of Revitalization and Homelessness in Downtown Seattle

Timothy A. Gibson. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2004. 312 pp. figs., notes, bibliog., index. $70.00 cloth (ISBN 0-7391-0569-8). In the 1990s, Seattle emerged as the hot city of the decade. Regularl...
Eomesoderminlo CTLA4hi Alloreactive CD8+ Memory T Cells Are Associated With Prolonged Renal Transplant Survival Induced by Regulatory Dendritic Cell Infusion in CTLA4 Immunoglobulin–Treated Nonhuman Primates

BackgroundMemory T cells (Tmem), particularly those resistant to costimulation blockade (CB), are a major barrier to transplant tolerance. The transcription factor Eomesodermin (Eomes) is critical for Tmem development and maintenance, but its expression by alloactivated T cells has not been examined
John Leonard Young, MD, MTh, CSC: Philosopher, Priest, and Forensic Psychiatrist.

It is a habit I have, and I cannot even recall exactly when it started. But I realized it recently when I walked into a Romanian Orthodox Church in Bucharest. I immediately thought of John Young and rapidly formulated a number of matters I would have liked to discuss with him right then about what I
Modeling modern glacier response to climate changes along the Andes Cordillera: A multiscale review

Here we review the literature preferentially concerned with modern glacier-climate modeling along the Andes. We find a diverse range of modeling approaches, from empirical/statistical models to relatively complex energy balance procedures. We analyzed these models at three different spatial scales. First, we review global approaches that have included the Andes. Second, we depict and analyze modeling exercises aimed at studying Andean glaciers as a whole. Our revision shows only two studies dealing with glacier modeling at this continental scale. We contend that this regional approach is increasingly necessary because it allows for connecting the “average-out” tendency of global studies to local observations or models, in order to comprehend scales of variability and heterogeneity. Third, we revise small-scale modeling, finding that the overwhelming number of studies have targeted glaciers in Patagonia. We also find that most studies use temperature-index models and that energy balance models are still not widely utilized. However, there is no clear spatial pattern of model complexity. We conclude with a discussion of both the limitations of certain approaches, as for example the use of short calibration periods for long-term modeling, and also the opportunities for improved understanding afforded by new methods and techniques, such as climatic downscaling. We also propose ways to future developments, in which observations and models can be combined to improve current understanding of volumetric glacier changes and their climate causes.
Texas Medicaid Reform Model: A Market-Based, Patient-Centered Approach

We find that the Texas Medicaid Reform Model would provide substantial cost savings through a federal block grant that allows Texas to shift some risk groups into a defined contribution program that subsidizes private health insurance premiums and includes an incentive to choose a high-deductible plan with a health savings account. This model would ask Texans to have some skin in the game, providing an incentive to deter overuse of healthcare while providing quality, cost-effective health care and superior access to providers compared to the status quo. Our results show that the annual cost savings to the Medicaid program under the reform model will be in the $6 billion range after ten years. The Texas Medicaid Reform Model provides an approach that would satisfy these concerns and improve the well-being of all Texans. It could also help other states seeking to adopt a similar approach, although further modeling would be required to estimate cost savings in states that adopt such reforms.
Methodological observations on applied behavioral science.

Abstract Policy makers and administrators have become frustrated with single-subject designs because these designs appear unable, at first blush, to provide them with essential information that they can use in planning or change at the organizational or institutional level of management. Practitioners have become frustrated with prior exclusive reliance on traditional group experimental designs because they fail to provide useful information for conducting therapy or delivering services. The following article by Professor Gingerich makes a large and important contribution toward mitigating these two apparently divergent needs. Gingerich describes how meta-analysis can provide useful information for managers through aggregations of data obtained from single-subject, time-series designs. The article also discusses the use of meta-analysis of time-series data as a basis for improving the quality of scientific investigations.
Muslims in Motion: Islam and National Identity in the Bangladeshi Diaspora. By Nazli Kibria.

(2013). Muslims in Motion: Islam and National Identity in the Bangladeshi Diaspora. By Nazli Kibria. Amerasia Journal: Vol. 39, Asian American Folklore: Passages & Practices, pp. 126-129.
Chemical and Physical Factors Affecting Behavior in Hydra: Interactions Among Factors Affecting Behavior in Hydra

Coelenterates are animals of great interest to the behavioral physiologist, since they possess the most primitive nervous system found in the animal kingdom. This system has diffuse organization consisting of a two-dimensional nerve net. In sea anemones, e.g., the network functions as a single all-or-nothing conducting element. Stimulation at any point on the surface of the anemone generates impulses in the net resulting in the same evoked response (Pantin, 1935). Such impulses have the properties of threshold and refractory period, as do the nervous impulses of higher animals.
Self-Esteem and Caregivers' Attitudes toward Elderly Persons

A scale identifying 141 medical students who responded positively to geriatric patients was based on Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale modified by adding a phrase about geriatric care. Personal and professional role traits that predicted a positive therapeutic attitude were high scores on social desirability or self-monitoring and low scores on thanatophobia and depression. Senior medical students who expressed the highest self-esteem toward caring for elderly people indicated family medicine as their first choice of residency.
First-principles simulations of PVDF copolymers with high dielectric energy density: PVDF-HFP and PVDF-BTFE

Phase diagrams of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and its copolymers with hexafluoropropylene (HFP) and bromotrifluoroethylene (BTFE) are investigated via first-principles simulations and compared to previously studied P(VDF-chlorotrifluoroethylene) (CTFE) data. We find that a nonpolar to polar phase transition induced by an electric field also occurs in HFP and BTFE copolymers and the results for P(VDF-HFP) show good agreement with existing experiments. For P(VDF-BTFE) we show that its nonpolar phase remains the ground state for a substantially larger range of concentrations than for P(VDF-CTFE) and P(VDF-HFP), and predict that a high BTFE concentration copolymer will achieve a significantly higher energy density at low field than P(VDF-CTFE) 9%. The transition pathways connecting the polar and nonpolar phases are also calculated and the energy barriers for the transitions turn out to be similar for the three copolymers, even at different co-monomer concentrations. The similarity of barriers indicates that a mixture of these and related copolymers can be used to optimize the properties of the dielectric, such as energy density, processability, and cost.
Evaluation of a Colorimetric Reagent Strip Assay for Urine Specific Gravity

N-Multistix SG provides a convenient colorimetric assay for the determination of the specific gravity (sp. gr.) of freshly voided urine. When compared with results obtained by standard hydrometry, the colorimetric assay sp. gr. was observed to decrease by as much as 0.010 units as urine pH increased from 5 to 7. Moderate levels of proteinuria that did not alter hydrometer readings effectively raised the colorimetric sp. gr. by 0.005-0.010 units. The colorimetric assay was almost completely insensitive to clinically encountered concentrations of glucose and urea but responded appropriately to monovalent salts. The magnitude of these observed discrepancies places serious limitations on the value of the colorimetric sp. gr. measurement.
Electrophysiological Actions of Synthetic Cathinones on Monoamine Transporters

Products containing psychoactive synthetic cathinones, such as mephedrone and 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) are prevalent in our society. Synthetic cathinones are structurally similar to methamphetamine, and numerous synthetics have biological activity at dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine transporters. Importantly, monoamine transporters co-transport sodium ions along with their substrate, and movement of substrates and ions through the transporter can generate measurable ionic currents. Here we review how electrophysiological information has enabled us to determine how synthetic cathinones affect transporter-mediated currents in cells that express these transporters. Specifically, drugs that act as transporter substrates induce inward depolarizing currents when cells are held near their resting membrane potential, whereas drugs that act as transporter blockers induce apparent outward currents by blocking an inherent inward leak current. We have employed the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique in Xenopus laevis oocytes overexpressing monoamine transporters to determine whether synthetic cathinones found in the so-called bath salts products behave as blockers or substrates. We also examined the structure–activity relationships for synthetic cathinone analogs related to the widely abused compound MDPV, a common constituent in “bath salts” possessing potent actions at the dopamine transporter.
Rattlesnakes are extremely fast and variable when striking at kangaroo rats in nature: Three-dimensional high-speed kinematics at night.

Predation plays a central role in the lives of most organisms. Predators must find and subdue prey to survive and reproduce, whereas prey must avoid predators to do the same. The resultant antagonistic coevolution often leads to extreme adaptations in both parties. Few examples capture the imagination like a rapid strike from a venomous snake. However, almost nothing is known about strike performance of viperid snakes under natural conditions. We obtained high-speed (500 fps) three-dimensional video in the field (at night using infrared lights) of Mohave rattlesnakes (Crotalus scutulatus) attempting to capture Merriam’s kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami). Strikes occurred from a range of distances (4.6 to 20.6 cm), and rattlesnake performance was highly variable. Missed capture attempts resulted from both rapid escape maneuvers and poor strike accuracy. Maximum velocity and acceleration of some rattlesnake strikes fell within the range of reported laboratory values, but some far exceeded most observations. Thus, quantifying rapid predator-prey interactions in the wild will propel our understanding of animal performance.
Asymmetric bone mineral density in the bilateral femoral necks due to gluteal implants: a case report

Interpreting asymmetric bone mineral density in the bilateral hips on dual energy x-ray absorptiometry requires investigation into the potential causes, both real and artifactual. Silicone gluteal implants have been reported to cause abnormally elevated bone mineral density. We report a case of abnormally low bone mineral density in a patient with bilateral gluteal implants. This is likely due to patient positioning and inability of the computer to identify the superior margin of the proximal femur and the femoral neck.
Flocculation of Chrome-Plating Wastes with Polyelectrolytes

One of the largest industries in southeast New England is the metal-finishing industry. Normally a metal is pretreated before the actual finishing step. In these operations there is usually a dip in organic solvents and/or detergents to remove grease, oils, dirt, etc. This is followed by a few rinse baths. The metal is then pickled in a strong acid bath, rinsed again several times, followed by the plating or finishing operation and more rinses. A major problem associated with these industries is the treatment or lack of treatment of the prodigious volumes of waste water from the many rinses. These waste waters contain either acids or alkalies, metal ions (such as Cr, Cu, Zn, Ag, Pb, Fe, and Mn), cyanides, organics, chemical oxygen demand, and a high solids content of dissolved, suspended, and settleable material. Proper treatment can reduce or eliminate the impurities from the waste waters. However, there are usually problems of cost, time, ease of operation, and ultimate disposal of sludges.
Flow characterization of a hypersonic expansion tube facility for supersonic combustion studies

A hypersonic expansion tube facility was designed and constructed to primarily study supersonic combustion phenomena. This paper provides an overview of the range of conditions the facility is capa...
Limitations of the endonasal endoscopic approach in treating olfactory groove meningiomas. A systematic review

To review current management strategies for olfactory groove meningioma (OGM)s and the recent literature comparing endoscopic endonasal (EEA) with traditional transcranial (TCA) approaches. A PubMed search of the recent literature (2011–2016) was performed to examine outcomes following EEA and TCA for OGM. The extent of resection, visual outcome, postoperative complications and recurrence rates were analyzed using percentages and proportions, the Fischer exact test and the Student’s t-test using Graphpad PRISM 7.0Aa (San Diego, CA) software. There were 444 patients in the TCA group with a mean diameter of 4.61 (±1.17) cm and 101 patients in the EEA group with a mean diameter of 3.55 (± 0.58) cm (p = 0.0589). GTR was achieved in 90.9% (404/444) in the TCA group and 70.2% (71/101) in the EEA group (p < 0.0001). Of the patients with preoperative visual disturbances, 80.7% (21/26) of patients in the EEA cohort had an improvement in vision compared to 12.83%(29/226) in the TCA group (p < 0.0001). Olfaction was lost in 61% of TCA and in 100% of EEA patients. CSF leaks and meningitis occurred in 25.7% and 4.95% of EEA patients and 6.3% and 1.12% of TCA patients, respectively (p < 0.0001; p = 0.023). Our updated literature review demonstrates that despite more experience with endoscopic resection and skull base reconstruction, the literature still supports TCA over EEA with respect to the extent of resection and complications. EEA may be an option in selected cases where visual improvement is the main goal of surgery and postoperative anosmia is acceptable to the patient or in medium-sized tumors with existing preoperative anosmia. Nevertheless, based on our results, it seems more prudent at this time to use TCA for the majority of OGMs.
Assessing usage patterns of electronic clinical documentation templates.

Many vendors of electronic medical records support structured and free-text entry of clinical documents using configurable templates. At a healthcare institution comprising two large academic medical centers, a documentation management data mart and a custom, Web-accessible business intelligence application were developed to track the availability and usage of electronic documentation templates. For each medical center campus, template availability and usage trends were measured from November 2007 through February 2008. By February 2008, approximately 65,000 electronic notes were authored per week on the two campuses. One site had 934 available templates, with 313 being used to author at least one note. The other site had 765 templates, of which 480 were used. The most commonly used template at both campuses was a free text note called “Miscellaneous Nursing Note,” which accounted for 33.3% of total documents generated at one campus and 15.2% at the other.
Dietary Broccoli Impacts Microbial Community Structure and Attenuates Chemically Induced Colitis in Mice in an Ah receptor dependent manner.

Consumption of broccoli mediates numerous chemo-protective benefits through the intake of phytochemicals, some of which modulate aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) activity. Whether AHR activation is a critical aspect of the therapeutic potential of dietary broccoli is not known. Here we administered isocaloric diets, with or without supplementation of whole broccoli (15% w/w), to congenic mice expressing the high-affinity Ahrb/b or low-affinity Ahrd/d alleles, for 24 days and examined the effects on AHR activity, intestinal microbial community structure, inflammatory status, and response to chemically induced colitis. Cecal microbial community structure and metabolic potential were segregated according to host dietary and AHR status. Dietary broccoli associated with heightened intestinal AHR activity, decreased microbial abundance of the family Erysipelotrichaceae, and attenuation of colitis. In summary, broccoli consumption elicited an enhanced response in ligand-sensitive Ahrb/b mice, demonstrating that in part the beneficial aspects of dietary broccoli upon intestinal health are associated with heightened AHR activity.
Implications of the Study

In the introduction to this book we noted that the literature from the United States, Canada, and several Western European countries reflects a shared concern about children who reside in unplanned, substitute care arrangements and a growing recognition of the importance of making permanent plans for these children. Focusing attention on finding permanent homes for young people, many of whom experience multiple foster home placements during their tenure in the child welfare system, has been of the utmost importance. But, there is little disagreement that permanency planning must begin at intake. All decisions that are made from the point of entry into the child welfare system must address the question Will the option selected further or impede progress toward permanency goals? Despite its importance, the intake process has, in the main, been overlooked as professionals have struggled with developing and implementing procedures to ensure permanency for children already in out-of-home placement.
Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty: How to Manage Failure

Since its introduction as a treatment for the unreconstructable rotator cuff tear and cuff tear arthropathy, the reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) has become a mainstay of treating these pathologies. With increasing success has followed increasing usage, expansion of indications, and the inevitable increase in complications and revision surgeries. A recent systematic literature review reported an overall complication rate of 20% and that 13% of RSA operations either needed surgical revision of the implants or reoperations. Failure of RSA can be due to a surgeon-related technical error, an implant design-related failure, or a general failure related to any arthroplasty. Indeed, many of these factors coexist when an operation fails. The vast majority of complications can be grouped into some major categories, such as instability, infections, component loosening, component disassembling, fractures, and scapular notching.
Extracellular vesicles: important collaborators in cancer progression

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane vesicles that are released from cells and mediate cell-cell communication. EVs carry protein, lipid, and nucleic acid cargoes that interact with recipient cells to alter their phenotypes. Evidence is accumulating that tumor-derived EVs can play important roles in all steps of cancer progression. Here, we review recent studies reporting critical roles for EVs in four major areas of cancer progression: promotion of cancer invasiveness and motility, enhancement of angiogenesis and vessel permeability, conditioning premetastatic niches, and immune suppression.
Human Augmentation of UAV Cyber-Attack Detection

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have extensive applications in both civilian and military applications. Nevertheless, the continued development of UAVs has been accompanied by security concerns. UAV navigation systems are potentially vulnerable to malicious attacks that target their Global Positioning System (GPS). Thus, efficient GPS hacking detection with high success rate is paramount. Significant effort has been put into developing autonomous hacking detection techniques. However, little research has considered how a human operator can contribute to the security of such systems. In this paper, we propose a human-autonomy collaborative approach for a single operator of multiple-UAV supervisory control systems, where human geo-location is used to help detect possible UAV cyber-attacks. An experiment was designed and conducted using the RESCHU-SA experiment platform to evaluate this approach. The primary results show that 65% of all experiment sessions reached over 80% success rate in UAV hacking detection, while only 17% of participants lost one or more UAVs because of incorrect hacking detections. These results suggest that such an approach could help achieve better security guarantees for human-in-the-loop autonomous UAV systems that are prone to cyber-attacks.
Do undergraduate public administration, policy, and affairs programs mimic graduate curricula?

ABSTRACTCurricular mimicking between undergraduate and graduate public administration, policy, and affairs degrees is an ongoing concern of program administrators. Mimicking occurs when the curricu...
Orchestrating satisfiability engines

Constraint satisfaction problems arise in many diverse areas including software and hardware verification, type inference, static program analysis, test-case generation, scheduling, planning and graph problems. These areas share a common trait, they include a core component using logical formulas for describing states and transformations between them. The most well-known constraint satisfaction problem is propositional satisfiability, SAT, where the goal is to decide whether a formula over Boolean variables, formed using logical connectives can be made true by choosing true/false values for its variables. Some problems are more naturally described using richer languages, such as arithmetic. A supporting theory (of arithmetic) is then required to capture the meaning of these formulas. Solvers for such formulations are commonly called Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) solvers. Software analysis and model-based tools are increasingly complex and multi-faceted software systems. However, at their core is invariably a component using logical formulas for describing states and transformations between system states. In a nutshell, symbolic logic is the calculus of computation. The state-of-the art SMT solver, Z3, developed at Microsoft Research, can be used to check the satisfiability of logical formulas over one or more theories. SMT solvers offer a compelling match for software tools, since several common software constructs map directly into supported theories. Z3 comprises of a collection of symbolic reasoning engines. These engines are combined to address the requirements of each application domain. In this talk, we describe the main challenges in orchestrating the different engines, and the main application domains within Microsoft.
Expert consensus on facilitating the coming-out process in sexual minority clients: A Delphi study

This article presents the results of a Delphi study conducted to generate expert consensus about the best techniques for working with clients in the coming-out process. The initial expert interview...
Confidentiality, General Issues of

Practitioners in every profession have access to confidential information. Prominent examples include sensitive information that patients and clients do not wish their physician, nurse, lawyer, social worker, psychologist, pastor, rabbi, or other professional to share with others without consent. Professionals are ethically bound to manage confidential information carefully. Business professionals and scientists must protect proprietary confidential information. Journalists are obligated to protect their sources. Law enforcement officials must protect the confidentiality of information associated with investigations. Codes of ethics, legal regulations and statutes, and organizational policies provide guidelines concerning both the protection and the disclosure of confidential information. In order to protect patients, clients, information sources, colleagues, customers, and themselves, professionals must be familiar with prevailing standards regarding the ethical management of confidential information. Professionals must also be familiar with decision-making protocols designed to enhance their ethical choices related to confidentiality.
A Classification of Differential Invariants for Multivariate Post-quantum Cryptosystems

Multivariate Public Key Cryptography(MPKC) has become one of a few options for security in the quantum model of computing. Though a few multivariate systems have resisted years of effort from the cryptanalytic community, many such systems have fallen to a surprisingly small pool of techniques. There have been several recent attempts at formalizing more robust security arguments in this venue with varying degrees of applicability. We present an extension of one such recent measure of security against a differential adversary which has the benefit of being immediately applicable in a general setting on unmodified multivariate schemes.
Biowidgets:Reusable Visualization Components for Bioinformatics

The time has come for a component-based revolution in bioinformatics. The software technology, including the World Wide Web, JavaTM and its diverse facilities, and other object-based component architectures such as CORBA will drive the effort. The growing abundance of data in need of analysis, the commonality of visualization needs across genomics applications and laboratory environments and the limits of developer resources will combine to create an intense “market”for GUI components. The bioWidgets Consortium will fill the necessary role of coordinator of widget development efforts and dispenser of widgets, and the bioWidget architecture will provide the technical backbone that ensures reusability and interoperability.
Novel Accelerated UV Testing of Field-Aged Modules: Correlating EL and UV Fluorescence Images with Current Drop

Encapsulant discoloration, a commonly occurring and serious field degradation mode, can be replicated by exposing modules to UV light. Increasing the UV light intensity and the testing temperatures reduces the required testing time. Calculating activation energy using Arrhenius equation for the encapsulant discoloration requires short-circuit current data (or yellowness index data) at multiple temperatures over significant time period. A method of simultaneously obtaining four temperatures in four photovoltaic modules in a single walk-in accelerated UV weathering chamber which drastically reduces the required time and resources is presented. Field-aged modules with visible encapsulant browning were selected for the accelerated testing to determine the wear-out failure mechanisms rather than the early life and midlife failure mechanisms conventionally determined using fresh modules. These modules have been subjected to a very long UV exposure of 450 kWh operating at high temperatures. This work demonstrates that a fast, repeatable, and non-contact UV fluorescence setup can be used in the accelerated testing programs and in powerplants as a standardized technique for an early encapsulant browning detection.
Effects of Cyber-Attacks on the Energy Storage in a Hybrid Power System

Due to their random input variations, the wind generator and photovoltaic (PV) systems located in a hybrid power system produce fluctuated output power, voltage and frequency making it difficult to meet demand and provide reliable and stable services to the customers. Energy storage device provides a solution to this power quality issue. The energy storage system can be regulated through an internet based supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, which makes them vulnerable to cyber-attacks that may significantly affect the power quality of the hybrid power system. This work analyzes the effects of cyber-attacks on the power quality of hybrid power system. The cyber-attacks have been considered for the supercapacitor energy storage (SES) system. Simulations have been performed by using the Matlab/Simulink software. Simulation results show that the power quality of the hybrid power system is deteriorated due to cyber-attacks on the SES.
Childhood obesity - what we can learn from existing data on societal trends, part 1.

The number of overweight and obese youth has increased in recent decades, and numerous theories on causes have been proposed. Yet almost no data are available to assess how the lives of children have changed during the “obesity epidemic.” What are children and adolescents now doing with their time that they did not do before? Are they participating less in sports? Watching more television? Doing more homework? Without tracking these broader societal changes, it is difficult to identify the most (and least) promising areas for interventions. This two-part report compiles trend data for several areas. Part 1 discusses trends in time use, homework, and media use; part 2 discusses trends in transportation, physical education, and diet.
Information complexity and applications: Takagi Lectures Notes

This paper is a lecture note accompanying the 19th Takagi Lectures lectures in July 2017 at Kyoto University. We give a high-level overview of information complexity theory and its connections to communication complexity.We then discuss some fundamental properties of information complexity, and applications to direct sum theorems and to exact communication bounds. We conclude with some open questions and directions.