cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HELMINTH COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF SYMPATRIC EASTERN AMERICAN TOAD, BUFO AMERICANUS AMERICANUS, NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG, RANA PIPIENS, AND BLUE-SPOTTED SALAMANDER, AMBYSTOMA LATERALE, FROM SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN

One-hundred twelve amphibians, including 51 blue-spotted salamanders, Ambystoma laterale, 30 eastern American toads, Bufo americanus americanus, and 31 northern leopard frogs, Rana pipiens, were collected during April–October 1996 from Waukesha County, Wisconsin and examined for helminth parasites. The helminth compound community of this amphibian assemblage consisted of at least 10 species: 9 in American toads, 8 in leopard frogs, and 3 in blue-spotted salamanders. American toads shared 7 species with leopard frogs, and 2 species occurred in all 3 host species. Although there was a high degree of helminth species overlap among these sympatric amphibians, statistically significant differences were found among host species and percent of indirect or direct–life cycle parasites of amphibian species individual component communities (χ2 = 1,015, P < 0.001). American toads had a higher relative abundance of nematodes, 59%, than larval cestodes, 31%, and larval and adult trematodes, 10%, whereas leopard frogs h...
Composition of speciose leaf litter alters stream detritivore growth, feeding activity and leaf breakdown

Leaf litter derived from riparian trees can control secondary production of detritivores in forested streams. Species-rich assemblages of leaf litter reflect riparian plant species richness and represent a heterogeneous resource for stream consumers. Such variation in resource quality may alter consumer growth and thus the feedback on leaf breakdown rate via changes in feeding activity. To assess the consequences of this type of resource heterogeneity on both consumer growth and subsequent litter breakdown, we performed a laboratory experiment where we offered a leaf-shredding stream detritivore (the stonefly Tallaperla maria, Peltoperlidae) ten treatments of either single- or mixed-species leaf litter. We measured consumer growth rate, breakdown rate and feeding activity both with and without consumers for each treatment and showed that all three variables responded to speciose leaf litter. However, the number of leaf species was not responsible for these results, but leaf species composition explained the apparent non-additive effects. T. maria growth responded both positively and negatively to litter composition, and growth on mixed-litter could not always be predicted by averaging estimates of growth in single-species treatments. Furthermore, breakdown and feeding rates in mixed litter treatments could not always be predicted from estimates of single-species rates. Given that species richness and composition of senesced leaves in streams reflects riparian plant species richness, in-stream secondary production of detritivores and organic matter dynamics may be related to species loss of trees in the riparian zone. Loss of key species may be more critical to maintaining such processes than species richness per se.
Translating three states of knowledge–discovery, invention, and innovation

Knowledge Translation (KT) has historically focused on the proper use of knowledge in healthcare delivery. A knowledge base has been created through empirical research and resides in scholarly literature. Some knowledge is amenable to direct application by stakeholders who are engaged during or after the research process, as shown by the Knowledge to Action (KTA) model. Other knowledge requires multiple transformations before achieving utility for end users. For example, conceptual knowledge generated through science or engineering may become embodied as a technology-based invention through development methods. The invention may then be integrated within an innovative device or service through production methods. To what extent is KT relevant to these transformations? How might the KTA model accommodate these additional development and production activities while preserving the KT concepts? Stakeholders adopt and use knowledge that has perceived utility, such as a solution to a problem. Achieving a technology-based solution involves three methods that generate knowledge in three states, analogous to the three classic states of matter. Research activity generates discoveries that are intangible and highly malleable like a gas; development activity transforms discoveries into inventions that are moderately tangible yet still malleable like a liquid; and production activity transforms inventions into innovations that are tangible and immutable like a solid. The paper demonstrates how the KTA model can accommodate all three types of activity and address all three states of knowledge. Linking the three activities in one model also illustrates the importance of engaging the relevant stakeholders prior to initiating any knowledge-related activities. Science and engineering focused on technology-based devices or services change the state of knowledge through three successive activities. Achieving knowledge implementation requires methods that accommodate these three activities and knowledge states. Accomplishing beneficial societal impacts from technology-based knowledge involves the successful progression through all three activities, and the effective communication of each successive knowledge state to the relevant stakeholders. The KTA model appears suitable for structuring and linking these processes.
Lecture versus Web Tutorial for Pharmacy Students' Learning of MDI Technique

OBJECTIVE:To compare pharmacy students' acquired knowledge and ability to assess metered-dose inhaler (MDI) technique after a traditional lecture versus a Web-based MDI technique tutorial.METHODS:All 42 third-year PharmD students completed a baseline MDI technique knowledge test and were then randomized into 1 of 3 groups. The Web group completed the tutorial on the college dispensing laboratory computers; the lecture group participated in the MDI technique excerpt of the asthma therapeutics lecture; and the control group participated in a 15-minute discussion of participants' hobbies. Afterward, participants in each group completed an identical MDI technique knowledge posttest. Students then observed a standardized mock patient perform MDI technique, documenting steps that were conducted incorrectly. MDI technique knowledge test and MDI technique evaluation test scores were compared between groups using repeated measures ANOVA.RESULTS:There was no significant difference in the baseline MDI technique know...
α2 Antiplasmin and Microvascular Thrombosis in Ischemic Stroke

Stroke occurs in 2 forms, ischemic and hemorrhagic, with ≈87%, being of ischemic origin.1 Ischemic strokes are characterized by the rapid onset of focal neurological symptoms, and the prompt restoration of blood flow should be the most effective approach for treating ischemic stroke. Currently, tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), a highly specific serine protease of the fibrinolytic cascade, is the only thrombolytic agent approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of ischemic stroke.2 However, emerging evidence has suggested that the beneficial effects of reperfusion associated with thrombolytic treatment are counterbalanced by potentially harmful activities of tPA,3–7 including a significant increase in the risk of hemorrhagic conversion, a serious complication that is associated with high mortality.2,8 Thus, although treatments, such as thrombolysis and thrombectomy, have been successful, it is estimated that <5% of ischemic stroke patients receive treatment,9 and 1 major reason for this low percentage is the risk of hemorrhagic conversion. See accompanying article on page 2586 The mechanism by which tPA works …
Effect of large doses of intravenously administered progesterone on gonadotropin excretion in the human female.

INTRODUCTION ALTHOUGH a large and respectable body of literature has arisen on the relationship between the activities of progesterone and pituitary gonadotropin1 in experimental animals, the available information on this relationship in human subjects is comparatively scanty. Funke (1) (cited by Smith and Albert (2)) and Buttner and Trappmann (3) found no significant effect of progesterone on the levels of excreted gonadotropin. The doses used by the latter authors were 10–20 mg. per day, with a total dose of 60 mg. in one case, and 120 mg. in another. Laroche, Simonnet and Bompard (4), using doses ranging from 6 to 65 mg. per day injected over periods ranging from five to twenty-three days, claimed to show a slight reduction of gonadotropins in the urine of castrated or menopausal women. Recently Smith and Albert (2) reported that progesterone in a dose of 50 mg. per day orally for eight days in one case, and Pranone® in a dose of up to 100 mg. per day for one week in another case failed to suppress the...
Bug Classification Using Program Slicing Metrics

In this paper, we introduce 13 program slicing metrics for C language programs. These metrics use program slice information to measure the size, complexity, coupling, and cohesion properties of programs. Compared with traditional code metrics based on code statements or code structure, program slicing metrics involve measures for program behaviors. To evaluate the program slicing metrics, we compare them with the Understand for C++ suite of metrics, a set of widely-used traditional code metrics, in a series of bug classification experiments. We used the program slicing and the Understand for C++ metrics computed for 887 revisions of the Apache HTTP project and 76 revisions of the Latex2rtf project to classify source code files or functions as either buggy or bug-free. We then compared their classification prediction accuracy. Program slicing metrics have slightly better performance than the Understand for C++ metrics in classifying buggy/bug-free source code. Program slicing metrics have an overall 82.6% (Apache) and 92% (Latex2rtf) accuracy at the file level, better than the Understand for C++ metrics with an overall 80.4% (Apache) and 88% (Latex2rtf) accuracy. The experiments illustrate that the program slicing metrics have at least the same bug classification performance as the Understand for C++ metrics.
Alcohol Blocks TNFα but Not Other Cytokine‐Mediated Neuroprotection to NMDA

BACKGROUND We have investigated the effects of ethanol/alcohol (ETOH) on the pro-inflammatory CNS cytokine network that mediates neuroprotection to an excitotoxic challenge with the glutamate receptor agonist N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA). METHODS Cultured murine cortical neurons were incubated with either TNFalpha, IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, or IL-6 in the presence or absence of 20 mM ETOH, maintained in an alcohol equilibrated humidified chamber, and the effects of these cytokines on neuronal survival after a chronic 20 hr exposure to NMDA was quantified. RESULTS Neuroprotection induced by TNFalpha, but not IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, or IL-6, was inhibited by a concentration of alcohol (20 mM) that alone did not neuroprotect. Alcohol also affected the paracrine/autocrine induction of cytokine transcripts in neuronal cell cultures, which included enhancing the ability of TNFalpha to stimulate IL-6 transcripts. This result supports distinct cytokine-modulated neuroprotective pathways of which only TNFalpha is sensitive to low alcohol concentrations. We have shown previously that nicotine, acting through an alpha-bungarotoxin sensitive receptor, is also neuroprotective, but it too specifically abolishes TNFalpha-mediated neuroprotection. However, alcohol did not affect nicotine-induced neuroprotection. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that the effects of low concentrations of alcohol on neuronal cytokine networks proceed through antagonism of neuroprotective pathway(s) unique to TNFalpha.
A constant goal, changing tactics: The Krusenbaum dairy farm (1996–2005)

This case study documents the trajectory of a successful alternative dairy farm in southeastern Wisconsin. The 1990s were a difficult period for dairying and the Krusenbaum family entered this shifting field in 1990 with a 37-cow Holstein herd in a stanchion barn, 88 tillable hectares and a vision to gradually develop a biodynamic dairy. Low milk prices and the unrelenting workload associated with conventional dairying forced the family to look for alternative strategies. By 1995 they had converted all their land to 47 rotationally grazed paddocks, increased herd size to 70 cows and their annual net farm income had grown to a solid $54,000. The workload remained very heavy, and during the next few years they introduced a swing-16 milking parlor that approximately doubled their milking efficiency and allowed them to again increase herd size, implemented seasonal dairying and constructed an outwintering shed (1997) that greatly facilitated animal management during the winter. By 2002 the farming system had been, by and large, consolidated and by not focusing solely on milk production and crossbreeding with non-Holstein breeds, the herd benefited from improved reproductive vigor. They were then able to synchronize annual calving and the herd’s maximum nutritional needs with the spring flush of their pastures, which resulted in lowered purchased feed costs per cow. By this time, annual milk production was fairly constant [around 7400 kg rolling herd average (RHA)], herd health was good and annual net farm income had grown to $75,600. In 2003, the farm became certified organic. With this change the value of the milk increased dramatically from $0.31 liter -1 to $0.45 liter -1 ($14.27‐$20.24 per hundredweight), but feed costs climbed sharply due to the high cost of organic feed, as did labor costs due to the decision to train new farmers in grass-based dairying rather than simply hire employees. Due to very sound farm management, good money management and an entrepreneurial philosophy, this farm, by most performance standards, is now both highly profitable and environmentally sound and the families living on it have a good quality of life.
Combined dietary effects of supplemental threonine and purified fiber on growth performance and intestinal health of young chicks

Characterization of intestinal health in poultry has become imperative as specialized ingredients become more common in poultry diets. We tested whether purified fiber affects dietary Thr requirements and intestinal morphology of young chicks. In experiment 1, three diets containing 7% added silica sand (control), cellulose, or high-methoxy pectin were used. Six replicate pens of 6 chicks received dietary treatments through d 14 posthatch, at which time growth performance and nutrient digestibility were determined. In experiment 2, the effect of purified fiber on dietary Thr requirements was determined using a Thr-deficient basal diet (3.2 g of Thr/kg of diet) and 7 graded levels of supplemental Thr (0 to 9.6 g/kg of diet). Six replicate pens of 5 chicks were tested from d 8 to 21 posthatch, and ileal tissue was collected at the conclusion of the study for histological evaluation. In experiment 1, pectin reduced (P < 0.05) weight gain, feed efficiency, DM digestibility, and AME(n) compared with the control diet. In experiment 2, supplemental Thr requirements were estimated by fitting growth performance data to a 1-slope, broken-line (i.e., piece-wise) regression model. For the control and cellulose- and pectin-containing diets, supplemental Thr requirements were estimated at 3.64, 2.60, and 2.38 g of Thr/kg of diet, and at 778, 737, and 576 mg of supplemental Thr intake over the 21-d study, respectively, based on BW gain. For histological measures, crypts were deepest (P < 0.03) in the cellulose treatment; total goblet cell count and density were highest (P < 0.03) in the pectin-fed birds, and mixed goblet cell counts were highest (P < 0.03) in the control treatment. The serosa was thickest in the cellulose treatment with adequate supplemental Thr, and acidic and neutral goblet cell counts were highest in the control treatment with adequate Thr supplementation (fiber × Thr, P < 0.05). These findings suggest both dietary Thr concentration and fiber source affect growth performance, intestinal morphology, and mucin secretion in young chicks, which may directly affect poultry feeding strategies.
Human fucosyltransferase 6 enables prostate cancer metastasis to bone

The interaction between human prostate cancer (PCa) cells and bone marrow (BM) endothelium follows a rolling-and-adhesion cascade mediated by E-selectin ligand (ESL): E-selectin. This adhesion is enabled by elevated expression of α-1,3-fucosyltransferases (FTs), enzymes responsible for ESL-mediated bone metastasis in humans. In contrast, the incidence of bone metastasis in mice is rare. FT 3, 6 and 7 were overexpressed in mouse PCa cells. The rolling cell number, cell-rolling velocity and transendothelial migration were characterised in vitro. Fucosyltransferases-transduced mouse PCa cells expressing luciferase were inoculated into mice via left ventricle to compare the capability of bone metastasis. Mass spectrometry and immunoprecipitation were utilised for identification of ESLs. Overexpression of FT3, FT6 or FT7 restored ESLs and enabled mouse PCa cells to roll and adhere in E-selectin-functionalised microtubes, similar to trafficking of circulating PCa cells in BM vessels. Following intracardiac inoculation, FT6-transduced cells induced robust bone metastasis in mice. Inhibition of FT6 by a fucose mimetic significantly reduced bone metastasis. Importantly, comparison of FT3, FT6 and FT7 gene expression in existing clinical samples showed significant upregulation of FT6 in PCa-distant metastases. FT6 is a key mediator of PCa cells trafficking to the BM. It may serve as a viable drug target in preclinical tests of therapeutics for reduction of PCa bone metastasis.
Trends in pneumonia (PNA) hospitalization among patients (pts) with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)

e20500 Background: Despite recent therapeutic advances, PNA remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality among CLL pts. We determined population-level estimates for the incidence and outcome of PNA hospitalizations. We further investigated secular trends in care by comparing cohorts before (1994) and after (2004) the widespread use of multiagent chemoimmunotherapy. Methods: Using data from the U.S. Nationwide Inpatient Sample and ICD-9CM diagnosis codes, we identified all non-governmental hospitalizations of CLL pts for a primary dx of PNA in calendar years 1994 and 2004. Admissions were described by pt demographics (age, gender, race) and comorbidity (Charlson index, presence of chronic lung disease). Ten-year prevalence estimates for CLL were obtained from NCI SEER data and used as denominators in incidence calculations. Outcomes studied included need for intubation, in-hospital mortality, and length of stay (LOS). All analyses were sample weighted. Estimates and 95% confidence limits are rep...
Comparisons of in vitro Cytotoxicity Results with in vivo Pulmonary Effects Following Inhalation Exposures to a Variety of Mineral Dusts: How Well Do They Compare?

In vitro toxicity assays have been proposed as substitutes for acute in vivo studies during the early phases of inhalation toxicology testing. Short-term toxicity tests are needed to screen materials. Test systems generally are comprised of cultured lung cells and dusts. In vitro tests have strengths as well as limitations. These assays could be utilized in toxicology screening strategies and have the advantage of being simpler, faster and less expensive than their in vivo counterparts. In contrast, many determinants of dust toxicity are difficult or impossible to evaluate with cell cultures alone. The studies presented here were undertaken to compare in vitro results using lung epithelial L2 cells with a variety of particle-types which had been previously tested in an inhalation bioassay. Lung epithelial (L2) cells were incubated at various concentrations with either carbonyl iron (CI), zinc oxide (ZnO), crystalline silica (Si) or titanium dioxide (Ti02) particles. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT assay, as well as measuring for lactate dehydrogenase activity in the cell culture fluid. The results obtained in the in vitro assays were then compared to bronchoalveolar lavage fluid biomarkers of toxicity measured following 3-day inhalation exposures to each of the particulate materials described above.
Analysis of dust samples collected from spent nuclear fuel interim storage containers at Hope Creek, Delaware, and Diablo Canyon, California

Potentially corrosive environments may form on the surface of spent nuclear fuel dry storage canisters by deliquescence of deposited dusts. To assess this, samples of dust were collected from in-service dry storage canisters at two near-marine sites, the Hope Creek and Diablo Canyon storage installations, and have been characterized with respect to mineralogy, chemistry, and texture. At both sites, terrestrially-derived silicate minerals, including quartz, feldspars, micas, and clays, comprise the largest fraction of the dust. Also significant at both sites were particles of iron and iron-chromium metal and oxides generated by the manufacturing process. Soluble salt phases were minor component of the Hope Creek dusts, and were compositionally similar to inland salt aerosols, rich in calcium, sulfate, and nitrate. At Diablo Canyon, however, sea-salt aerosols, occurring as aggregates of NaCl and Mg-sulfate, were a major component of the dust samples. The seasalt aerosols commonly occurred as hollow spheres, which may have formed by evaporation of suspended aerosol seawater droplets, possibly while rising through the heated annulus between the canister and the overpack. The differences in salt composition and abundance for the two sites are attributed to differences in proximity to the open ocean and wave action. The Diablo Canyon facilitymore » is on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, while the Hope Creek facility is on the shores of the Delaware River, several miles from the open ocean.« less
Inhibition of Na+/Ca2+ exchange in renal BLMV by IP3 depends on site of action and direction of Ca2+ flux

It has previously been shown in synaptosomes that inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (1,4,5-IP3) inhibits Ca2+ transport by the plasma membrane-bound Na+/Ca2+ exchanger. The present study was therefore d...
Intra-datacenter network architecture

Today's large scale data center networks are both massively scalable and highly resilient, typically using custom designed software and hardware. What factors drive the design, and how will they develop in the future?
Decision Making in Product Family Optimization Under Uncertainty

In this paper, we study the impact of design variable uncertainty on product family optimization. One of the important challenges in product family optimization is the selection of platform and scaling variables. This variable selection in deterministic problems is generally based on the designer’s relative preferences between two conflicting quantities of interest: commonality between products in the product family, and performance of the individual products. When uncertainty is considered in the design variables, and is propagated through the product family optimization problem, additional important considerations arise. These considerations affect not only the selection of platform and scaling variables, but also the feasibility of constraints under uncertainty and robustness of performance of the products. In this context, the proposed formulation can be used as an effective product family design tool under uncertainty. We demonstrate the proposed approach using a ten bar truss optimization problem.
Efficient retrieval of landscape Hessian: Forced optimal covariance adaptive learning

Knowledge of the Hessian matrix at the landscape optimum of a controlled physical observable offers valuable information about the system robustness to control noise. The Hessian can also assist in physical landscape characterization, which is of particular interest in quantum system control experiments. The recently developed landscape theoretical analysis motivated the compilation of an automated method to learn the Hessian matrix about the global optimum without derivative measurements from noisy data. The current study introduces the forced optimal covariance adaptive learning (FOCAL) technique for this purpose. FOCAL relies on the covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy (CMA-ES) that exploits covariance information amongst the control variables by means of principal component analysis. The FOCAL technique is designed to operate with experimental optimization, generally involving continuous high-dimensional search landscapes (≳30) with large Hessian condition numbers (≳10^{4}). This paper introduces the theoretical foundations of the inverse relationship between the covariance learned by the evolution strategy and the actual Hessian matrix of the landscape. FOCAL is presented and demonstrated to retrieve the Hessian matrix with high fidelity on both model landscapes and quantum control experiments, which are observed to possess nonseparable, nonquadratic search landscapes. The recovered Hessian forms were corroborated by physical knowledge of the systems. The implications of FOCAL extend beyond the investigated studies to potentially cover other physically motivated multivariate landscapes.
Research on Constructing Modern Wheat Industry System in Yanjin County

Based on discussing the concept of modern wheat industrial system and its characteristics, this paper analysed main achievements and existing problems under the development of modern wheat industrial system in Yanjin County. Following that,this essay outlines promoting production base,expanding leading enterprises, extending industrial chains,boosting industrial clusters,strengthening support and establishing brand of basic ideas as the thought and objection of constructing modern wheat industrial system. And according to the existing issues and development requirements determined by the thought of constructing modern wheat industrial system,the essay proposed several measures and policy suggestions as to construct modern wheat industrial system in Yanjin County.
Aluminum Contamination of Foods Caused by Aluminium Potassium Sulfate (Aluminium Ammonium Sulfate)

Objective To investigate the current situation of aluminum contamination in foods caused by using aluminium potassium sulfate (aluminum ammonium sulfate) in food processing,and to provide basic data for determining the level of contamination.Method After drying and ashing samples and making the sample solution to a constant volume,the levels of aluminum were determined with chrome azurol S by spectrophotometry.The residues of aluminum were calculated as the content of aluminum in dry samples.Results A total of 194 samples were determined,the contents of aluminum are in the range of5.00-10 522 mg /kg,and the rate of samples exceeding hygienic standard is 45.4%.Conclusion Problems of aluminum contamination in deep-fried dough cake,deep-fried dough sticks,vermicelli noodles,vermicelli sheets and jelly fish were existed,and more attention should be paid by food regulatory authorities and consumers.
An Approach to Mapping Between Modbus and IEC 61850 for Condition Monitoring Communication Gateway in Substations

In view of the status quo of deployment of large numbers of conventional condition monitoring equipments in current substations,it is pointed out that using communication gateway of condition monitoring is an effective method for conventional condition monitoring equipments to be connected into the new condition monitoring system in smart substations.Based on an analysis of Modbus and IEC 61850,a model mapping approach to Modbus and IEC 61850 is proposed,in which,the object reference of IEC 61850 is mapped onto the address of Modbus,common data class of IEC 61850 is mapped onto the parameter type of Modbus,and abstract communication service of IEC 61850 is mapped onto the protocol data unit of Modbus.An implementation scheme of model mapping by expanding the existing schema file based on system configuration descriptive language is proposed,which can avert ambiguity in information interchange between configuration tools.A model is developed as an instance of condition monitoring for the power capacitor to verify the validity and feasibility of the mapping approach proposed.
The Massachusetts Experience: Attempting To Amend Its State Constitution Regarding Marriage?

Under Article 48 of the Massachusetts Constitution, there are two ways to amend the state constitution. One way is the initiative amendment, which requires a certain amount of signatures from the citizenry plus more than 25% of the combined legislature sitting as a constitutional convention over two successive legislative sessions. The other way is the legislative amendment, which requires a bill to be approved by more than 50% of the combined legislature sitting as a constitutional convention over two separate legislatures. Either way, the amendment must ultimately be placed on the ballot to be ratified by a majority of the popular vote. As if they were behind Doors Number One, Two, and Three on some exotic state constitutional game show, the various Massachusetts constitutional amendments that have been proposed regarding marriage can be discussed chronologically as Amendments One, Two, and Three, two initiative amendments with a now-dead legislative amendment in between; they are a kind of amendment sandwich with a gooey middle.
Environmental filtering and neutral processes shape octocoral community assembly in the deep sea

The ecological and evolutionary processes that interact to shape community structure are poorly studied in the largest environment on earth, the deep sea. Phylogenetic data and morphological traits of octocorals were coupled with environmental factors to test hypotheses of community assembly in the deep (250-2500 m) Gulf of Mexico. We found lineage turnover at a depth of 800-1200 m, with isidids and chrysogorgiids at deeper depths and a diversity of species from across the phylogeny occupying shallower depths. Traits, including axis type, polyp shape, and polyp retraction, differed among species occupying the shallowest (250-800 m) and deepest (1200-2500 m) depths. Results also indicated that octocoral species sort along an environmental gradient of depth. Closely related octocoral species sorted into different depth strata on the upper to middle slope, likely due to barriers imposed by water masses followed by adaptive divergence. Within any given depth zone down to 2000 m, the phylogenetic relatedness of co-existing octocorals was random, indicating that stochastic processes, such as recruitment, also shape community structure. At depths >2000 m, octocorals were more closely related than expected by chance due to the diversification of chrysogorgiids and isidids, which retain conserved traits that impart survival at deeper and/or colder depths. Polyp density, size, and inter-polyp distance were significantly correlated with depth, particularly in plexaurids and isidids, highlighting trait lability across depth and supporting that environmental gradients influence octocoral morphology. Our community phylogenetics approach indicates that both environmental filtering and neutral processes shape community assembly in the deep sea.
Analysis of Experimental Data for High Burnup PWR Spent Fuel Isotopic Validation - Vandellos II Reactor

This report is one of the several recent NUREG/CR reports documenting benchmark-quality radiochemical assay data and the use of the data to validate computer code predictions of isotopic composition for spent nuclear fuel, to establish the uncertainty and bias associated with code predictions. The experimental data analyzed in the current report were acquired from a high-burnup fuel program coordinated by Spanish organizations. The measurements included extensive actinide and fission product data of importance to spent fuel safety applications, including burnup credit, decay heat, and radiation source terms. Six unique spent fuel samples from three uranium oxide fuel rods were analyzed. The fuel rods had a 4.5 wt % {sup 235}U initial enrichment and were irradiated in the Vandellos II pressurized water reactor operated in Spain. The burnups of the fuel samples range from 42 to 78 GWd/MTU. The measurements were used to validate the two-dimensional depletion sequence TRITON in the SCALE computer code system.
Awake High-Flow Extracranial to Intracranial Bypass for Complex Cerebral Aneurysms: Institutional Clinical Trial Results.

Objective Assess the potential added benefit to patient outcomes of “awake” neurological testing when compared with standard neurophysiologic testing performed under general endotracheal anesthesia. Methods Prospective study of 30 consecutive adult patients who underwent awake high flow extracranial to intracranial (HFEC-IC) bypass. Clinical neurological and neurophysiologic findings were recorded. Primary outcome measures were the incidence of stroke/cerebrovascular accident (CVA), length of stay, discharge to rehabilitation, 30-day modified Rankin scale score, and death. An analysis was also performed of a retrospective control cohort ( n = 110 patients who underwent HFEC-IC for internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms under standard general endotracheal anesthesia). Results Five patients (16.6%) developed clinical awake neurological changes (4, contralateral hemiparesis; 1, ipsilateral visual changes) during the 10-minute ICA occlusion test. These patients had 2 kinks in the graft, 1 vasospasm, 1 requiring reconstruction of the distal anastomosis, and 1 developed blurring of vision that reversed after the removal of the distal permanent clip on the ICA. Three of these 5 patients had asynchronous clinical “awake” neurological and neurophysiologic changes. Two patients (7%) developed CVA. Median length of stay was 4 days. Twenty-eight of 30 patients were discharged to home. Median modified Rankin scale score was 1. There were no deaths in this series. Absolute risk reduction in the awake craniotomy group ( n = 30) relative to control retrospective group ( n = 110) was 7% for CVA, 9% for discharge to rehabilitation, and 10% for graft patency. Conclusions Temporary ICA occlusion during HFEC-IC bypass for ICA aneurysms in conjunction with awake intraoperative clinical testing was effective in detecting a subset of patients ( n = 3, 10%) in whom neurological deficit was not detected by neurophysiologic monitoring alone.
Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning Based Cognitive Anti-Jamming

This paper proposes a reinforcement learning based approach to anti-jamming communications with wideband autonomous cognitive radios (WACRs) in a multi-agent environment. Assumed system model allows multiple WACRs to simultaneously operate over the same (wide) spectrum band. Each radio attempts to evade the transmissions of other WACRs as well as avoiding a jammer signal that sweeps across the whole spectrum band of interest. The WACR makes use of its spectrum knowledge acquisition ability to detect and identify the location (in frequency) of this sweeping jammer and the signals of other WACRs. This information and reinforcement learning is used to successfully learn a sub-band selection policy to avoid both the jammer signal as well as interference from other radios. It is shown, through simulations, that the proposed learning-based sub-band selection policy has low computational complexity and significantly outperforms the random sub-band selection policy.
Differences in fruit and vegetable intake of U.S. adults by sociodemographic characteristics evaluated by two methods

Abstract Socioeconomic factors have been associated with fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. Nutrition behaviors such as choosing and consuming FV may be among many factors related to racial/ethnic health disparities. Intake can be measured using an epidemiological approach that includes FV from all foods, or a behavioral approach that includes choices consistent with dietary guidance, which excludes incidental amounts present in small quantities (e.g. tomato in catsup) and sources high in added sugars, fat, and sodium. The purpose of this study is to describe and compare FV intake by sociodemographic characteristics using both methods One day dietary intake data of adults 20+ years (N = 10,563) from What We Eat in America, NHANES 2009–2012 were used. FV in foods was estimated using the Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED) 2009–2012 and is expressed as cup equivalents (CE). Mean intakes and percent reporting were compared by gender, age, ethnicity, income, education using both methods. Comparisons were made by t-tests with regression adjustment for covariates. Results were considered significant at P
Claiming Power by Producing Knowledge: The Empowering Potential of PAR in the Classroom.

AbstractThe purpose of this article is to explore the concept of empowerment, reframing it in critical terms and in a precise and useful way. I approach this exploration through two participatory action research studies. Why are our teachers racist? took place over an 18-month period from 2012 to 2014 at a mid-sized high school in a rural dairy town in Idaho with 52 Latino/a students and their white teacher. Who can do research? was conducted in the fall of 2013 with a group of 60 pre-service teachers at a large university in the Midwest of the United States. Through the application of lessons learned from these two studies, I frame critical empowerment as a process whereby historically marginalized and oppressed individuals and groups can potentially lay claim to power as they/we engage in participatory approaches to knowledge production, thereby gaining control over processes by which we as a society determine what is useful and valuable knowledge.
When Ligand Exchange Leads to Ion Exchange: Nanocrystal Facets Dictate the Outcome

This study demonstrates that ligand exchange of nanocrystals (NCs) is not always an innocuous process, but can lead to facile (room temperature) ion exchange, depending on the surface crystal faceting. Rock salt PbTe NCs prepared as cubes with neutral facets undergo room-temperature ligand exchange with sulfide ions, whereas cuboctahedron-shaped particles with neutral {100} and polar {111} facets are transformed to PbS, driven by ion exchange along the ⟨111⟩ direction. Likewise, cation exchange (with Ag+) occurs rapidly for cuboctahedra, whereas cubes remain inert. This dramatic difference is attributed to the relative surface area of {111} facets that promote rapid ion exchange and shows how facet engineering is a powerful knob for the control of reaction pathways in nanoparticles.
Structural Assumptions, Newton’s Scientific Method, and the Universal Law of Gravitation

In previous chapters Galilean spacetime and Newton’s Laws of Motion were reconstructed from a geometry of motions and the structure of physical systems. Once a geometry of PUMs and a structure governing physical systems were assumed, the basic physical concepts and laws of motion of Newtonian mechanics were derived. The main benefit of this reconstruction so far is in providing an economic presentation of the foundation of Newtonian mechanics, and in revealing new conceptual connections between material properties such as mass and the structure of spacetime.
Mitochondrial-cytoskeletal interactions: dynamic associations that facilitate network function and remodeling.

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that can form complex networks in the cell. These networks can be rapidly remodeled in response to environmental changes or to support cellular needs. Mitochondrial dynamics are dependent on interactions with the cellular cytoskeleton — both microtubules and actin filaments. Mitochondrial-cytoskeletal interactions have a well-established role in mitochondrial motility. Recent progress indicates that these interactions also regulate the balance of mitochondrial fission/fusion, as well as mitochondria turnover and mitochondrial inheritance during cell division. We review these advances, and how this work has deepened our understanding of mitochondrial dynamics in the cell.
Appalachian Women’s Use of Substance Abuse Treatment: Examining the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations

The Gelberg–Andersen Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations was applied to understand vulnerable Appalachian women’s (N = 400) utilization of addiction treatment. A secondary data analysis inc...
Community Experience With Intravenous Thrombolysis for Acute Stroke

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) as treatment for acute ischemic stroke in June 1996, based on the results of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) study (see Chapter 7). The next important question was whether t-PA treatment could be applied in nonstudy community medical centers with a feasibility, safety, and efficacy comparable to that of NINDS trial. This question was answered by many community studies, which evaluated t-PA therapy in acute ischemic stroke. This chapter discusses community experience with intravenous t-PA in stroke treatment from 1996 to the present. Those studies are discussed in chronological order, highlighting the outcome and complication rates of each. Table 1 summarizes the results.
Ihara’s Theory

One can reduce the modular function field mod p and obtain an infinite extension of F p (j), with j transcendental over F p . Igusa determined the Galois group [22], pointing out that it has the sameSL2 part as in characteristic zero, and that the part acting on the roots of unity is just that generated by the Frobenius element, i.e. those matrices having determinant a power of p. Ihara had the idea of lifting back singular values \(bar j\) of j in the algebraic closure a F p by the Deuring lifting, and to represent the Frobenius automorphism in the decomposition group of the modular function field in characteristic p by an element of the isotropy group of the point z ∈ ℌ such that \(overline {j(z)}=\overline j\), with a suitable place of the algebraic numbers, denoted also by a bar. This led him to deep conjectures concerning non-abelian extensions of the rational field F p (j), for which we refer to his original treatise [B6].
Schleiermacher and the Negative Way: Implications for Inter-Religious Dialogue

The paradox of religion is that its subject matter both transcends and requires conceptual expression. Apophatic theology challenges attachment to particular religious expression but even with this awareness, theologians tend to grant their own symbols a quasi-direct access to ultimate reality. Inter-religious dialogue is a strategy for radicalizing awareness of the limits of religious language and generating a deeper non-attachment to particular symbol systems. Analysis of Schleiermacher provides a way to consider the importance of negative theology, which can be both interpreted and extended through encounter with Buddhist philosophy.
Learning Versus Teaching: Reply to Commentaries

In reply to some issues raised by the four commentators, we assume that learning is a proper goal for business schools. We have seen little evidence to suggest that ratings of graduates' satisfaction are related to learning (see the reviews of the research by Dubin and Taveggia [1968] and Miller [1978], and the ong-term study by McCord [1978]).
A Systems Analysis of Communication: Defining the Nature of and Principles for Communication Within Human Activity Systems

Communication within Human Activity Systems plays a critical role in organizational change. However, research on communication typically expresses communication as a tool to evaluate the current state of an organizational system, or as a vehicle to change the current state of the system to a more desired future state. It is rarely considered from a holistic viewpoint, being a complex system with an integrated effect on the organization as a whole. The holistic understanding of communication as an emergent system from the interaction of elements and activities within Human Activity Systems is required to better manage factors impacting effective communication. Presented in this article is an ontological framework characterizing the behavior of communication in Human Activity Systems as well as its role in organizational change, encompassing the nature of communication and its impact on Human Activity Systems. Furthermore, principles for communication, within the bounds of Human Activity Systems, are derived to provide researchers and practitioners a methodology for assessing the interaction of these two systems. These principles are expected to provide a change in perspectives of communication in Human Activity Systems and allow for a more optimal design of both systems and their interactions.
Endovascular Reconstruction of Intracranial Aneurysms with the Pipeline Embolization Device in Pediatric Patients: A Single-Center Series.

Background Pediatric intracranial aneurysms tend to differ in etiology, size, and location from their adult counterparts, and they are often less amenable to microsurgical clip reconstruction techniques. Endovascular treatment with detachable coils is an accepted treatment technique for pediatric patients, though high recurrence rates have been reported with coil embolization of large and giant aneurysms in this population. While the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) is FDA-approved for adult intracranial aneurysms, the use of PEDs in pediatric patients is considered off-label. Case descriptions We present 3 cases of pediatric intracranial aneurysms in a 5-year-old male, a 12-year-old male, and a 12-year-old female who presented with symptoms including seizure, headache, and blurred vision. The 2 male patients were found to have intradural vertebral artery saccular aneurysms, while the female patient had a paraophthalmic right internal carotid complex aneurysm. After endovascular reconstruction of the aneurysms with PEDs, follow-up angiography showed complete occlusion of the previous aneurysms with no residual aneurysm filling in all 3 cases. Conclusion While further investigation is needed, the evidence presented here supports the conclusion that the PED can be an effective and viable treatment strategy in the pediatric population.
Buparlisib in Patients With Recurrent Glioblastoma Harboring Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Pathway Activation: An Open-Label, Multicenter, Multi-Arm, Phase II Trial.

PURPOSEPhosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling is highly active in glioblastomas. We assessed pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and efficacy of the pan-PI3K inhibitor buparlisib in patient...
Microgallbladder: Self-Remitting Acute Cholecystitis-Like Condition Unique to Patients with Cystic Fibrosis.

Microgallbladder is a nonsurgical medical condition characterized by chronic inflammation and atrophy of the gallbladder, which is considered a highly specific imaging finding unique to patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), and has been incidentally reported on abdominal imaging in up to 45% of cases with CF. The impairment of exocrine water efflux in CF leads to the production of hyperviscous biliary secretions, cholestasis, and transient cystic duct obstruction of the microgallbladder causing microcholecystitis—interestingly a self-remitting acute cholecystitis-like condition without surgical intervention. We present a case report of a 22-year-old male patient with history of CF with multiple hospital admissions for unexplained chronic abdominal pain found to be caused by microgallbladder, which was managed conservatively.