cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human Lacrimal Production Rate and Wetted Length of Modified Schirmer's Tear Test Strips.

Author(s): Kim, Young Hyun; Graham, Andrew D; Li, Wing; Radke, Clayton J; Lin, Meng C | Abstract: PurposeTo assess and compare the wetting kinetics of sheathed and unsheathed Schirmer's tear test (STT) strips, and to determine the repeatability of 5-minute wetted length (WL) and basal tear production rate (BTPR).MethodsSeventeen subjects underwent two sheathed and unsheathed STTs each for both eyes on four visits on separate days. After administration of topical anesthetic, WLs were measured every 30 seconds for 5 minutes, and BTPRs were calculated for sheathed strips. Limits of agreement (LoA), difference-versus-mean plots (DVM), and the coefficient of repeatability (CR) assessed WL and BTPR repeatabilities. Variance estimates were used to calculate sample sizes for future study.ResultsFor the unsheathed STT, the mean (SD) difference in WLs between visits was 0.74 (5.05) mm, LoA were [-9.17, 10.64], and CR was 9.17 mm; for the sheathed STT, the mean (SD) intervisit difference was 0.16 (5.94) mm, LoA were [-11.49, 11.8], and CR was 10.53 mm. Eight of 48 sheathed STTs and 20 of 44 unsheathed STTs showed constant WL for the final 90 seconds of the test. The mean (SD) difference between repeated visits for BTPR was approximately 0.0 μL/min, LoA were [-1.82, 1.82], and CR was 1.91 μL/min.ConclusionsRepeatability of sheathed and unsheathed 5-minute WL and BTPR is inadequate for measuring within-subject changes, but is sufficient for group studies with moderate sample sizes. Constant WL for the final 90 seconds with the eight sheathed STT measurements suggests varying BTPR, whereas constant WL with the unsheathed STT can be explained by balancing evaporation and BTPR.Translational relevanceRepeatability of the modified STT is evaluated clinically to establish quantitative BTPRs rather than inference from a strip WL.
Ground Vehicle Navigation in GNSS-Challenged Environments Using Signals of Opportunity and a Closed-Loop Map-Matching Approach

A ground vehicle navigation approach in a global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-challenged environments is developed, which uses signals of opportunity (SOPs) in a closed-loop map-matching fashion. The proposed navigation approach employs a particle filter that estimates the ground vehicle’s state by fusing pseudoranges drawn from ambient SOP transmitters with road data stored in commercial maps. The problem considered assumes the ground vehicle to have a priori knowledge about its initial states as well as the position of SOPs. The proposed closed-loop approach estimates the vehicle’s states for subsequent time as it navigates without the GNSS signals. In this approach, a particle filter is employed to continuously estimate the vehicle’s position and velocity along with the clock error states of the vehicle-mounted receiver and SOP transmitters. The simulation and experimental results with cellular long-term evolution (LTE) SOPs are presented, evaluating the efficacy and accuracy of the proposed framework in different driving environments. The experimental results demonstrate a position root-mean-squared error (RMSE) of: 1.6 m over a 825-m trajectory in an urban environment with five cellular LTE SOPs, 3.9 m over a 1.5-km trajectory in a suburban environment with two cellular LTE SOPs, and 3.6 m over a 345-m trajectory in a challenging urban environment with two cellular LTE SOPs. It is demonstrated that incorporating the proposed map-matching algorithm reduced the position RMSE by 74.88%, 58.15%, and 46.18% in these three environments, respectively, from the RMSE obtained by an LTE-only navigation solution.
Psychological characteristics, sport engagement, and performance in alpine skiers.

Abstract Previously, investigators have sought to clarify the role of psychological factors in the development of expertise across numerous sport domains; however, almost no empirical work exists on winter sport athletes. Using a retrospective design, we examined associations between psychological traits, engagement in practice-related activities, and performance among sub-elite level, youth alpine skiers. A total of 169 skiers (88 women) enrolled at professional development academies in the United States completed a battery of questionnaires assessing practice history profiles and performance milestones, as well as various psychological factors (e.g., mental toughness, grit, perfectionism). Performance was assessed using national ranking across both speed and technical disciplines. In addition to linear models and MANOVA/MANCOVA tests, linear mixed-effect regressions were utilized to assess relationships between psychological factors, practice hours, and ranking over time. Higher scores on perfectionistic strivings (personal standards) were associated with improved performance. Also, grit was associated with increased engagement in individual practice hours. Coach-led one-on-one practice hours were associated with increased perfectionistic concerns (e.g., parental pressure), while indirect exposure (e.g., attending events without competing) was associated with decreased mental toughness. Findings highlight potentially important associations between athletes’ dispositional characteristics, prolonged ski engagement, and performance trajectory.
Encouraging undergraduate students to ‘self-learn’ digital marketing using infographics: An exploratory study

An important skill in the modern workplace is the ability to learn new skills. However, students are ill-prepared for such self-directed requirements, as changes in academic curricula are typically...
Perioperative Lung Resection Outcomes After Implementation of a Multidisciplinary, Evidence-based Thoracic ERAS Program.

Objective This prospective study evaluated perioperative lung resection outcomes after implementation of a multidisciplinary, evidence-based Thoracic Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Program in an academic, quaternary-care center. Background ERAS programs have the potential to improve outcomes, but have not been widely utilized in thoracic surgery. Methods In all, 295 patients underwent elective lung resection for pulmonary malignancy from 2015 to 2019 PRE (n = 169) and POST (n = 126) implementation of an ERAS program containing all major ERAS Society guidelines. Propensity score-matched analysis, based upon patient, tumor, and surgical characteristics, was utilized to evaluate outcomes. Results After ERAS implementation, there was increased minimally invasive surgery (PRE 39.6%→POST 62.7%), reduced intensive care unit utilization (PRE 70.4%→POST 21.4%), improved chest tube (PRE 24.3%→POST 54.8%) and urinary catheter (PRE 20.1%→POST 65.1%) removal by postoperative day 1, and increased ambulation ≥3× on postoperative day 1 (PRE 46.8%→POST 54.8%). Propensity score-matched analysis that accounted for minimally invasive surgery demonstrated that program implementation reduced length of stay by 1.2 days [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.3-2.0; PRE 4.4→POST 3.2), morbidity by 12.0% (95% CI 1.6%-22.5%; PRE 32.0%→POST 20.0%), opioid use by 19 oral morphine equivalents daily (95% CI 1-36; PRE 101→POST 82), and the direct costs of surgery and hospitalization by $3500 (95% CI $1100-5900; PRE $23,000→POST $19,500). Despite expedited discharge, readmission remained unchanged (PRE 6.3%→POST 6.6%; P = 0.94). Conclusions The Thoracic ERAS Program for lung resection reduced length of stay, morbidity, opioid use, and direct costs without change in readmission. This is the first external validation of the ERAS Society thoracic guidelines; adoption by other centers may show similar benefit.
Quantum Computation of the Massive Thirring Model

Relativistic fermionic field theories constitute the fundamental description of all observable matter. The simplest of the models provide a useful, classically verifiable benchmark for noisy intermediate scale quantum computers. We calculate the energy levels of the massive Thirring model - a model of Dirac fermions with four-fermion interactions - on a lattice in 1 + 1 space-time dimensions. We employ a hybrid classical-quantum computation scheme to obtain the mass gap in this model for three spatial sites. With error mitigation the results are in good agreement with exact classical calculations. Our calculations extend to the vicinity of the massless limit where chiral symmetry emerges, however relative errors for quantum computations in this regime are significant. We compare our results with an analytical calculation using perturbation theory.
Early postnatal decabromodiphenyl ether exposure reduces thyroid hormone and astrocyte density in the juvenile mouse dentate gyrus.

Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) is a flame retardant that was widely-applied to many consumer products for decades. Consequently, decaBDE and other members of its class have become globally-distributed environmental contaminants. Epidemiological and animal studies indicate that decaBDE exposure during critical periods of brain development produces long-term behavioral impairments. The current study was designed to identify potential neuroendocrine mechanisms for learning and response inhibition deficits observed by our lab in a previous study. C57BL6/J mouse pups were given a single daily oral dose of 0 or 20 mg/kg decaBDE from day 1 to 21. Serum thyroid hormone levels and astrocyte-specific staining in three regions of the hippocampus were measured on day 22. DecaBDE exposure significantly reduced serum triiodothyronine, thyroxine, and astrocyte density in the subgranular zone but not the hilus or granular layer in both male and female mice. The reduction of thyroid hormone and/or glia activity could impair hippocampal development, leading to behavior dysfunction.
Assessment of Finescale Local Wind Forecasts Using Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Control of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) is influenced by local wind field characteristics. Small UAS missions contained within subgrid regions of current numerical weather prediction (NWP...
Baxter equation for long-range SL(2|1) magnet

Abstract We construct a long-range Baxter equation encoding anomalous dimensions of composite operators in the SL ( 2 | 1 ) sector of N = 4 supersymmetric Yang–Mills theory. The formalism is based on the analytical Bethe ansatz. We compare predictions of the Baxter equations for short operators with available multiloop perturbative calculations.
A Transient Stability Assessment Method Using LSTM Network with Attention Mechanism

the operation environment of modern power system is complicated, which puts high requirements for transient stability assessment. Recently, the machine learning method based on data analysis has been widely studied. However, most of the research is insufficient in processing the information of features and underutilized in the data mining capacity of learning machine. In this paper, the time series variables (the trajectory of bus voltage amplitude, power angle, rotor speed, electromagnetic power, and the unbalance of electromagnetic power and mechanical power) during post-fault are used as the inputs of the learning machine. The LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) deep learning network with attention mechanism is applied to process the time series variables, to make full use of the prior information in the big data and overcome the "dimension disaster" problem of high dimensional data. The simulation results of 10 machine 39 bus system show that the proposed transient stability assessment method can process the time series variables effectively and improve the prediction accuracy.
30 NLR (neutrophil lymphocyte ratio) and PLR (platelet lymphocyte ratio) changes as a predictor of eventual treatment failure and death on nivolumab therapy in renal cell carcinoma

Background Elevated baseline neutrophil lymphocyte ratios (NLR) are now well established as a poor predictor of survival in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and other cancers. Platelet Lymphocyte Ratios (PLR) have also recently shown similar effects. Despite these findings, the practical use of these ratios is still somewhat limited. We have previously shown that higher NLRs may be associated with increased concentrations of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC). We hypothesized that increases in NLR or PLR (NLR/PLR failure) at 2 months while on immunotherapy could be a predictor of eventual treatment failure and overall survival. Methods We analyzed patients who received nivolumab therapy for RCC at our institution from 3/2016 to 6/2019. Patients with complete data on NLR and PLR at time = 0 and +2 months and those who had accurate response and overall survival information available were selected (n = 37). Information on comorbidities, previous therapy, demographics were collected for adjusted analysis. NLR failure was defined as an increase of 3 or more compared to baseline NLR. Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze the risk of progression and death with NLR/PLR failure at 2 months (± 2 weeks). Kaplan Meier graphs were constructed to trace survival functions for PFS and OS by NLR Results NLR failure was associated with a statistically significant increase in the risk of progression on nivolumab therapy (HR 4.26, 95% CI [1.47–12.3], p = 0.007), in an adjusted cox regression model that included baseline NLR. In this adjusted model, the value of baseline NLR to predict treatment failure was non-significant (HR 1.01, p – 0.69). Similarly, NLR failure increased the risk of death (HR 3.83 95% CI [1.23–11.9], p = 0.02), with a similar non-significant contribution of baseline NLR (HR 1.06, p = 0.06). NLR failure predicted PFS less than 6 months with 90% positive predictive value (9/10) and a 48% (12/25) negative predictive value, and survival less than 1 year with a 56% negative predictive value and 100% positive predictive value (10/10). PLR changes failed to show any association with PFS (HR 0.99, p = 0.93) or OS (HR 1.00, p = 0.93). Conclusions An increase in NLR of 3 or more at 2 months of therapy with nivolumab appears to predict for impending treatment failure and increasing risk of death with a high positive predictive value. NLR failure if validated in larger studies could be useful in treatment management Ethics Approval The study was approved by UAB Comprehensive Cancer Centers Ethics Board
Statistics of the stress, strain-rate and spin fields in viscoplastic polycrystals

Abstract This paper provides estimates for the stress, strain-rate and spin field statistics in viscoplastic polycrystals. They are obtained by combining the fully optimized second-order (FOSO) homogenization method with the self-consistent estimate for linear polycrystalline aggregates. The FOSO linearization method allows the consistent estimation of the field statistics in nonlinear composites and polycrystals directly from those in suitably optimized linear comparison composites (LCC). For the LCC, a novel generalized approach is used to extract the field statistics of the stress, the strain-rate and also of the continuum-spin fields (including the second moments). Then, the stress-field statistics are used to extract the plastic-spin statistics, which, together with the continuum-spin statistics, provide consistent estimates for the microstructural-spin statistics. Applications to power-law viscoplastic FCC polycrystals and ice-like HCP polycrystals are considered, and the overall and intragranular field fluctuations are computed and found to increase with nonlinearity exponent and grain anisotropy. In particular, the covariance tensors of the continuum-spin fluctuations within the grains of viscoplastic polycrystals, which are characterized here for the first time by means of nonlinear homogenization methods, are found to be quite significant, even when the corresponding averages of the continuum-spin in the grains are negligible, and thus have a strong influence on the corresponding microstructural-spin fluctuations.
Disruption Through Complements

We expand the perspective on disruption by going beyond substitute products to consider the ways in which complements can impact the competitiveness of incumbents. Complementors represent a differe...
Hydrodynamic cavitation: Process opportunities for ice-cream formulations

Abstract We report the viability of hydrodynamic cavitation (HC, 2400–3600 RPM/100–200 L h−1) to manufacture ice-cream with reduced stabilizer. The study was carried out at a pilot-scale level and consisted of determining the impact on particle size and rheological behavior of ice-cream mixes (ICM) and evaluating the resulting melting and meltdown behavior of ice-cream. Ice-cream manufactured with two-stage homogenization (2500/500 psi) was used as a control treatment. Overall, HC resulted in a larger mean particle size than the control mixes (3.52 ± 0.28 and 0.34 ± 0.02 μm, respectively). Additionally, HC (3600 RPM/100 L h−1) changed the flow behavior of ICM from viscoelastic solid to viscoelastic liquid. Cavitated mixes resulted in a 2.2-fold viscosity increment within the high spectrum of shear rate (30–50 s−1) compared with the control mixes. These modifications altered the melting and meltdown characteristics of the resulting ice-cream. The analysis of the particle size and gross microstructure of dripped melted ice-creams suggested a significant collapse of the ice-cream structure, allowing clumps of fat to migrate into the melted phase. This study showed that HC might have the potential to develop novel structures for frozen desserts.
Cognitive Opportunistic Navigation in Private Networks with 5G Signals and Beyond

A receiver architecture is proposed to cognitively extract navigation observables from fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) signals of opportunity. Unlike conventional opportunistic receivers which require knowledge of the signal structure, particularly the reference signals (RSs), the proposed cognitive opportunistic navigation (CON) receiver requires knowledge of only the frame duration and carrier frequency of the signal. In 5G NR, some of these RSs are only transmitted on demand, which limits the existing opportunistic navigation frameworks to signals which are on always-on. To exploit the full available bandwidth and improve ranging accuracy, the proposed CON receiver is designed to estimate all the RSs contained in the transmitted signals corresponding to multiple 5G base stations, (i.e., gNBs). Navigation observables (pseudorange and carrier phase) are subsequently derived. The proposed receiver operates in two stages: acquisition and tracking. The acquisition stage is modeled as a sequential detection problem where the number of gNBs and their corresponding RSs and Doppler frequencies are unknown. The generalized likelihood ratio (GLR) test for sequentially detecting active gNBs is derived and used to estimate the number of gNBs and their RSs. To refine and maintain the Doppler and RS estimates, tracking loops are designed. A sufficient condition on the Doppler estimation error to ensure that the proposed GLR asymptotically achieves a constant false alarm rate (CFAR) is derived. The output of the tracking loops, namely carrier phase and code phase, are then used to estimate the receivers position. Extensive experimental results are presented demonstrating the capabilities of the proposed CON receiver with real 5G signals on ground and aerial platforms, with an experiment showing the first navigation results with real 5G signals on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigating using the CON receiver over a 415.62 m trajectory with a position root mean-squared error (RMSE) of 4.35 m.
Use of surface complexation models in soil chemical systems

Publisher Summary This chapter presents five common surface complexation models of the mineral–solution interface and their use in describing soil chemical systems. Common model characteristics and adjustable parameters are discussed. For each model, surface species, chemical reactions, equilibrium constant expressions, and surface activity coefficients are described. Applications of the model to ion adsorption on soil minerals and soils are presented. Incorporation of surface complexation models into computer codes is also discussed. All surface complexation models are based on a balance of surface charge expression. They contain at least one coulombic correction factor to account for the effect of surface charge on surface complexation and explicitly define equilibrium constant expressions for surface complexes. They contain mass balance equations for each type of surface site and charge balance equations for each surface plane of adsorption. Thus, all models contain adjustable parameters—the equilibrium constants, the capacitance density for the i th surface plane, and the total number of reactive surface hydroxyl groups.
Haiti: Investment Opportunities for the U.S. Manufacturer

To make a business decision concerning an overseas investment, it has become necessary to consider and apply certain basic factors to each and every country where an investment is intended. Some of these factors, both financial and political, can be summarized as follows: (1) Government policy towards private and foreign investments, and the role of these investments in the host government's development planning and goals; (2) government legislation, if any, affecting entry and repatriation of capital and net profit earnings; (3) convertibility and stability of currency; (4) restrictions, if any, on total foreign ownership; (5) current or prospective membership in an integrated market or customs union; (6) treaty of friendship and establishment with the United States; (7) availability of U.S. sponsored incentive programs relating to financing and insurance for American investments in that country; (8) relative dependence of the country on its imports and exports; (9) proximity of manufacturing site to raw material sources and export markets; (10) incentives granted to new enterprises, and the types of business organizations allowed under the laws of the host country. Although these factors, and many more, can and should be considered for any type of investment, it is my purpose, here, to apply them specifically to the light manufacturing and assembly industries in Haiti.
Does a Boundary of the Wrangell Block Extend Through Southern Cook Inlet and Shelikof Strait, Alaska?

In southcentral Alaska, the boundaries of two different tectonic blocks extend southwestward from the Denali Fault toward Cook Inlet and Shelikof Strait. We use offshore multichannel seismic reflection data and oil-well stratigraphy to evaluate whether local geologic structures are compatible with boundaries of either tectonic block and with the relative motion expected across the block boundaries. Our main conclusion is that a block boundary does not extend southwestward the entire length of Shelikof Strait, as was proposed for one of the blocks. Furthermore, below southern Cook Inlet, no high-strain extensional structures that might be related to either proposed boundary are evident. Small normal faults below southern Cook Inlet could have been caused by block rotation, but they represent only minor strain. One way to explain the lack of larger structures is that the rotation began recently so that indicative boundary structures have not yet formed. Alternatively, deformation associated with the block boundaries could be distributed through onshore areas.
A self‐guided search for good local minima of the sum‐of‐squared‐error in nonlinear least squares regression

Hard modeling of nonlinear chemical or biological systems is highly relevant as a model function together with values for model parameters provides insights in the systems' functionalities. Deriving values for said model parameters via nonlinear regression, however, is challenging as usually one of the numerous local minima of the sum-of-squared errors (SSEs) is determined; furthermore, for different starting points, different minima may be found. Thus, nonlinear regression is prone to low accuracy and low reproducibility. Therefore, there is a need for a generally applicable, automated initialization of nonlinear least squares algorithms, which reaches a good, reproducible solution after spending a reasonable computation time probing the SSE-hypersurface. For this purpose, a three-step methodology is presented in this study. First, the SSE-hypersurface is randomly probed in order to estimate probability density functions of initial model parameter that generally lead to an accurate fit solution. Second, these probability density functions then guide a high-resolution sampling of the SSE-hypersurface. This second probing focuses on those model parameter ranges that are likely to produce a low SSE. As the probing continues, the most appropriate initial guess is retained and eventually utilized in a subsequent nonlinear regression. It is shown that this “guided random search” derives considerably better regression solutions than linearization of model functions, which has so far been considered the best-case scenario. Examples from infrared spectroscopy, cell culture monitoring, reaction kinetics, and image analyses demonstrate the broad and successful applicability of this novel method. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Second Ouabain-sensitive Sodium-dependent Adenosine Triphosphatase in Brain Microsomes

Abstract The hydrolysis of AT32P by calf brain microsomes appears to be catalyzed by two different enzymatic sites that are inactivated by ouabain. The first, Site I, is a Na+- and K+-activated ATPase (Km = 10-4 m ATP; Vmax = 1.5 µmoles of Pi released per mg of protein per min) resembling those known to be in other microsomal preparations. The second, Site II (Km = 2 x 10-7 m ATP; Vmax = 0.07 µmoles of Pi released per mg of protein per min) is a Na+-activated ATPase inhibited by K+. At concentrations of K+ sufficient to activate Site I, but too low to completely inhibit Site II, these enzymatic sites operate independently and simultaneously; this is most apparent at low concentrations of ATP when their rates are comparable. The Na+-K+-ATPase has been implicated in the mechanism for Na+ and K+ transport across biological membranes. The Na+-ATPase may be related to certain ouabain-sensitive transport systems that require Na+ but not K+.
Arno River floods and the Cinquecento grotto at the Boboli garden

Although river water was vital to the textile industry and agrarian economy, Italian city-states suffered catastrophic flooding during the sixteenth century. We know this since these natural disasters are well documented in chronicles and diaries, and preserved by flood markers on buildings throughout Florence and Rome. The Arno bisects Florence, which I argue commemorated frequent floods and inundations in one of the Medici's grottos, Bernardo Buontalenti's Grotta grande (1582–93), built inside the Boboli garden. In Part I of this article, I examine the Arno's relationship to Florence, its perennial flooding, and the Medici's stewardship of water in the city. The article then offers specific reasons that the Grotta grande signifies crisis: the presence of deluge and rain grottos across Italy, Filippo Baldinucci's biography of Buontalenti in the Notizie de’ Professori del Disegno (1681), and Francesco Bocchi's treatment of this space and others in his 1591 guidebook, Le bellezze della citta di Fiorenza. Ultimately I argue that Grotta grande was an artistic coping strategy for the trauma we associate with severe natural disaster, and that it memorializes the fragility of human affairs in light of the colossal forces of nature in Florence, a city obsessed with art and legacy.
L-ribulose 5-phosphate 4-epimerase from Aerobacter aerogenes. Kinetic isotope effect with tritiated substrate.

Abstract The mechanism of l-ribulose 5-phosphate 4-epimerase of Aerobacter aerogenes has been investigated by determining the kinetic isotope effect (Kt/Kh) for the epimerization of d-[4-T]xylulose 5-phosphate in the presence of d-[1-14C]xylulose 5-phosphate. The ratio of T:14C was determined for the isolated l-ribulose derived from aliquots of an epimerization reaction mixture during its progress toward equilibrium. From a plot of the ratio of the observed isotope ratio at any time to the initial or final ratio versus percentage of attainment of equilibrium, it was determined that there was essentially no isotope effect. This result contrasts with that obtained with uridine diphosphate glucose 4-epimerase where a normal isotope effect was observed and is consistent with recent observations that l-ribulose 5-phosphate 4-epimerase functions by a mechanism not involving oxidation-reduction at carbon 4.
Effects of metacognitive instructional strategies in secondary-level career and technical education courses

A randomized, posttest-only control group experimental design was used to determine the effects of think-aloud pair problem solving (TAPPS) on the troubleshooting performance of secondary-level career and technical education students. Students who participated in the TAPPS group were randomly assigned a listening partner and orally verbalized their thought process while troubleshooting a small gas engine. Results were not statistically different between the experimental and control groups (p = .39). Thirty-eight percent of students in the control group were successful at identifying the engine fault and the correct engine system affected and correctly described how to repair it in order for the engine to operate. Twenty-five percent of students in the TAPPS group were successful at the same tasks. Among students who were successful, there were no significant differences in completion time between treatment groups. Further research should be conducted to identify and describe key differences in oral verbalization between troubleshooters who are successful and those who are not. Introduction/Theoretical Framework Solely hands-on career and technical education (CTE) is no longer sufficient because performing repetitive technical skills is not an option for employees (Johnson, 1991). Emphasis is now being placed on skills such as creative thinking, problem solving, and decision making (Maclean & Ordonez, 2007). “Agriculture and science should be the vehicle
Variability of histamine pharmacodynamic response in children with allergic rhinitis.

Histamine iontophoresis with laser Doppler monitoring (HILD) is a robust and dynamic surrogate for histamine microvasculature response. We characterized histamine pharmacodynamics in children using HILD. HILD was performed in 54 children with allergic rhinitis. A non-compartmental analysis and non-linear mixed-effects model with a linked effect PK/PD model was used to provide estimates for area under the effect curve (AUEC), maximal response over baseline (EffmaxNT), and time of EffmaxNT (Tmax). Data were placed in sub-groups by visualization of time vs. response relationships. ANOVA and regression analyses were used for sub-group comparisons. Three histamine response phenotypes were identified. One group demonstrated a hyper-responsive phenotype (higher Tmax, EffmaxNt and AUEC, P < .01). AUEC and EffmaxNT were more strongly associated in this group (r(2) = 0.86) than the entire cohort (r(2) = 0.64). These data demonstrate a hyper-responsive histamine phenotype via HILD. This finding is important to future pharmacologic studies of antihistamines.
Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Electrophysiology of Voltage-Sensitive Channels

Ion channels are critical modulators of electrical excitability in neurons and are targets of a wide variety of neurotoxicants, including metals and insecticides. The only way to directly examine effects of toxicants on ion channel function in an individual cell on a physiologically relevant time scale is to utilize patch-clamp electrophysiological techniques. This unit presents the basics of utilizing whole-cell patch-clamp techniques to study effects of toxicants on voltage-sensitive Ca(2+) channels in neurons grown in culture.
Ultrastructural morphology of immature mast cells in sequential suspension cultures of human cord blood cells supplemented with c‐kit ligand; distinction from mature basophilic leukocytes undergoing secretion in the same cultures

The ability to culture human mast cells and, thus, to determine their ontogeny and possible relationships to other lineages has been facilitated by new studies using cocultures of cord blood cells with mouse fibroblasts and recombinant human or murine c-kit ligand-supplemented suspension cultures of cord blood cells. In this study, we examined c-kit ligand-supplemented cord blood cell suspension cultures designed so that the effects of growth factor source, individual cord sample, and culture time (3-17 weeks) on the developing mast cell lineage could be individually evaluated. We found that human mast cells, basophils, neutrophils, eosinophils, macrophages, megakaryocytes, and endothelial cells were present in these cultures. The numbers of mast cells and their granules increased with culture time; mature basophils, present in quantity in 3-week cultures, decreased in number and released granule contents with increased culture times. The mast cell lineage developed similarly, regardless of which factor preparation was added to cultures, but considerable variability existed among individual donors from whom cord bloods were obtained. Unlike the mature, crystal-containing mast cells that regularly developed in fibroblast cord blood cocultures (Furitsu et al. [1989] Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86, 10039-10043), human mast cells failed to attain full maturity in the suspension cultures examined here, regardless of individual cord sample, added growth factor, or culture time. Furthermore, unlike cells of the basophil lineage in which granule content release was regularly observed, morphologic evidence of secretion from human mast cells was absent. Instead, these cells were actively undergoing granule building as determined by the increasing numbers of granules and filling of these containers over culture time. Crystal granules never developed, even at the maximum culture time of 17 weeks. We conclude that fibroblasts are necessary and sufficient for the differentiation and maturation of human mast cells in vitro from their agranular precursors in cord blood but that soluble c-kit ligand is not.
Gridfields: model-driven data transformation in the physical sciences

Scientists' ability to generate and store simulation results is outpacing their ability to analyze them via ad hoc programs. We observe that these programs exhibit an algebraic structure that can be used to facilitate reasoning and improve performance. In this dissertation, we present a formal data model that exposes this algebraic structure, then implement the model, evaluate it, and use it to express, optimize, and reason about data transformations in a variety of scientific domains. Simulation results are defined over a logical grid structure that allows a continuous domain to be represented discretely in the computer. Existing approaches for manipulating these gridded datasets are incomplete. The performance of SQL queries that manipulate large numeric datasets is not competitive with that of specialized tools, and the up-front effort required to deploy a relational database makes them unpopular for dynamic scientific applications. Tools for processing multidimensional arrays can only capture regular, rectilinear grids. Visualization libraries accommodate arbitrary grids, but no algebra has been developed to simplify their use and afford optimization. Further, these libraries are data dependent---physical changes to data characteristics break user programs. We adopt the grid as a first-class citizen, separating topology from geometry and separating structure from data. Our model is agnostic with respect to dimension, uniformly capturing, for example, particle trajectories (1-D), sea-surface temperatures (2-D), and blood flow in the heart (3-D). Equipped with data, a grid becomes a gridfield. We provide operators for constructing, transforming, and aggregating gridfields that admit algebraic laws useful for optimization. We implement the model by analyzing several candidate data structures and incorporating their best features. We then show how to deploy gridfields in practice by injecting the model as middleware between heterogeneous, ad hoc file formats and a popular visualization library. In this dissertation, we define, develop, implement, evaluate and deploy a model of gridded datasets that accommodates a variety of complex grid structures and a variety of complex data products. We evaluate the applicability and performance of the model using datasets from oceanography, seismology, and medicine and conclude that our model-driven approach offers significant advantages over the status quo.
Shocks to the Navajo (Diné) Political System: Resiliency of traditional Diné institutions in the face of colonial interaction (Contact to 1923).

"Did colonial activity purge Din4 (Navajo) governance of traditional institutions?" Navajo Nation and its governance are here today. “Peoplehood” explains why colonialism failed to, generally, destroy traditional Dine institutions of governance (Holm, Pearson, and Chavis 2003). Punctuated equilibrium model (or PEM) explains the relationship between shocking events and loss of governing institutions. Historically impactful events are used as a data set. Each event is ranked for a relative level of shock to the Dine. A test is devised, based on Qualitative Comparative Analysis, to consider the causal impact of four colonial strategies on the elimination of traditional Dine institutions of governance. Interestingly, between contact and 1922, the impact was minimal. Only one institution of Dine governance, the Naachid, was halted. Hence, the history of colonial interaction is more complex than past research has indicated. Contemporary Native Nations, and Navajo Nation, should be more cognizant of specific colonial activity lest such activity emerge today leading to further erosion of remaining aspects of Indigenous sovereignty.
H-2 Antigen variants in a cultured heterozygous mouse leukemia cell line

An H-2 antigen variant, referred to as −4 + 31 clone 1, was selected by its resistance to an anti-H-2Dd antiserum (BALB.G anti-BALB/c.H-2 g antiH-2 d ). When tested by cell-mediated cytolysis, this variant was found to be sensitive to cytolytic T lymphocytes raised in the same donor-host combination as that used in raising the antiserum. Further CML characterization of this variant, reported here, indicates that the cell line is in fact resistant to anti-H-2Dd killer cells raised in a more restricted immunization, viz. BALB.G anti-BALB/cH-2 db ,H-2 g anti-H-2 db . It is, however, sensitive to cytolytic cells raised in (BALB.B xBALB/c-H-2db) F1 H-2 b /H-2 db ) against the BALB/c strain. These results suggest that the variant does not express H-2Dd itself, but probably expresses CML target antigens that are missing in theH-2 db mutation. This in vitro-isolated variant might thus be the complementary mutation to the in vivoobtainedH-2 db mutation.
Industrial cogeneration and regulatory policy

The 1978 Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA) fostered decentralized generation of electricity, particularly in the form of cogeneration. A model of a firms' decision to cogenerate is developed that illustrates both the interface between the firm and an electric utility, and the firm's internal interface between its primary product and cogeneration technologies. The model is used to show that the firm may operate inefficiently in both the short run and long run owing to the fixed-proportions technology of cogeneration and PURPA mandated operating procedures, respectively. Cogenerating firms that dump heat into the atmosphere may signal inefficient behavior; therefore, monitoring heat dumping may be important in measuring the success of cogeneration.
A classification system for cross-reactive material-negative factor XI deficiency.

The bleeding disorder associated with factor XI (fXI) deficiency is typically inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. However, some fXI mutations may be associated with dominant disease transmission. FXI is a homodimer, a feature that could allow certain mutations to exert a dominant-negative effect on wild-type fXI secretion through heterodimer formation. We describe 2 novel fXI mutations (Ser225Phe and Cys398Tyr) that form intracellular dimers, are secreted poorly, and exhibit dominant-negative effects on wild-type fXI secretion in cotransfection experiments. Available data now suggest that mutations associated with crossreactive material-negative fXI deficiency fall into 1 of 3 mechanistic categories: (1) mutations that reduce or prevent polypeptide synthesis, (2) polypeptides that fail to form intracellular dimers and are retained in cells as monomers, and (3) polypeptides that form dimers that are not secreted. The latter category likely accounts for many cases of dominant disease transmission. (Blood. 2005;105: 4671-4673)
Heat treatment effects on impact toughness of 9Cr-1MoVNb and 12Cr-1MoVW steels irradiated to 100 dpa

Abstract Plates of 9Cr–1MoVNb and 12Cr–1MoVW steels were given four different heat treatments: two normalizing treatments were used and for each normalizing treatment two tempers were used. Miniature Charpy specimens from each heat treatment were irradiated to ≈20 dpa at 365°C and to ≈100 dpa at 420°C in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF). In previous work, the same steels were irradiated in FFTF to 4–5 dpa at 365°C and 35–36 dpa at 420°C. The tests indicated that prior austenite grain size, which was varied by the different normalizing treatments, affected the impact behavior of the 9Cr–1MoVNb but not the 12Cr–1MoVW. Tempering had relatively little effect on the impact behavior of both steels. Conclusions are presented on how heat treatment can be used to optimize impact properties.
Organic fluoronitrogens. IV. Halo‐Diazirines

The physical and spectral properties of five previously undisclosed diazirines substituted with electron-withdrawing groups are described. The halo-diazirines yield the respective divalent carbon species and nitrogen on pyrolysis. The cyanofluoro-, fluoro-methoxy- and fluorodifluoramino-carbenes form the respective cyclopropanes with tetra-fluoroethylene. The intramolecular reactions of difluoramino-substituted carbenes are also discussed. The ultraviolet spectra are presented.
NEONATAL CHOLESTASIS: IDENTIFICATION OF A METABOLIC ERROR IN BILE ACID SYNTHESIS

The metabolism of 3β-hydroxy-chol-5-en-24-oic acid, (3β-chol) a naturally occurring monohydroxy bile acid known to induce cholestasis, was studied in a 6 yr old female with cholestasis since birth. Initial evaluation revealed a total serum bile acid of 229 μmole/1 of which 10% was 3β-chol. Administration of 1.1μCi of (16, 17, 22, 23)-3H-3β-chol intravenously was followed by recovery of 50% in the urine within 72 hrs. Urinary bile acids were fractionated as their methyl esters by glycophase column chromatography following solvolysis and alkaline and enzymatic (β-glucuronidase) hydrolysis. In contrast to previous findings in the hamster and normal humans, less than 3% metabolism to chenodeoxycholic acid could be detected. The results indicate absence of a P-450 microsomal 7α-hydroxylase that normally produces 3β, 7α-dihydroxy-chol-5-en-24-oic acid, an intermediate in the "Yamasaki" pathway for chenodeoxycholic acid synthesis (Kulkharni & Javitt, Steroids, 40:581, 1982). We postulate that accumulation of 3β-chol and ita monohydroxy derivatives is pathogenetic in inducing cholestasis.
OFDM for Data Center

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel all-optical DCN architecture that combines a passive cyclic arrayed waveguide grating (CAWG) core router with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation and parallel signal detection (PSD) technologies.
Electroweak Sudakov corrections using effective field theory.

Electroweak Sudakov corrections of the form ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{n}{log﻿}^{m}s/{M}_{W,Z}^{2}$ are summed using renormalization group evolution in soft-collinear effective theory. Results are given for the scalar, vector, and tensor form factors for fermion and scalar particles. The formalism for including massive gauge bosons in soft-collinear effective theory is developed.
The STAR project: teaching as a learning experience

Knowledge and its applicability nourish each other in schools where teachers critically analyze data and, through team discussions, have the opportunity to solve the challenges that education presents every day. The premise of this model is that all participants have an active role in the function of creating praxial knowledge. This article presents a model of action learning implemented during two school years, 2007–2009, by 26 teachers, their principal and two external advisors. Four pillars composed the core of this teacher-researcher model: two-fold observation of teaching practices, critical reflection, active planning and implementation of best practices. This four-dimensional approach allowed the participants to construct the ideal of a teacher who has the skills to lengthen her/his learning experience, to widen the spectrum of its application and to deepen the content of her/his inquiry. The outcomes of this project suggest that when teachers conceptualize teaching as a learning experience that re...
Specific detection of trichodysplasia spinulosa–associated polyomavirus DNA in skin and renal allograft tissues in a patient with trichodysplasia spinulosa.

Background: Trichodysplasia spinulosa (TS) is a rare, disfiguring skin condition that affects immunosuppressed patients, universally involving the central face. New data point to the recently discovered TS-associated polyomavirus (TSPyV) as the causative agent. Observations: We report a case of TS in a 48-year-old African American man after renal transplant; via polymerase chain reaction and sequencing, confirm the detection of TSPyV in lesional skin; and report the novel detection of TSPyV DNA in renal allograft tissue. Results of polymerasechainreactionanalysiswerenegativeforMerkel cell polyomavirus in lesional skin. Fifteen months later, urine cytologic findings showed morphologic evidence of aurinarytractpolyomavirusinfection.ResultsofSV40immunohistochemicalanalysiswerenegativeinlesionalskin, renal allograft, and urine specimens. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first reported case in which TSPyV DNA has been detected in extracutaneous tissues and the third with combined ultrastructural and molecular confirmation of the presenceofTSPyVinlesionalskin.Lackofdetectionofother pathogenic human polyomaviruses in this patient’s skin supportsthespecificroleofthispolyomavirusinthegenesisofTS.Furtherbasicsciencestudiesareneededtodetermine the exact pathomechanisms of this polyomavirus and to explore possible tumorigenic roles in other skin diseases.
Numerical Investigation of an Elliptic Cone at High Angle of Incidence in Nonequilibrium Flow

In order to investigate high angle-of-attack reentry for a simple configuration representative of a flight vehicle, a numerical investigation was carried out for a blunt-nosed elliptic cone configuration in hypersonic, laminar flow. The geometry and test conditions were selected for comparison to the experiments of Nowlan (Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory Report AM-1800-Y-2, 1963): a 2:1 blunt elliptic cone configuration at a Mach number of 14.5, Reynolds number based on length of 36000, and angles of attack ranging from of 0° to 60°. Nonequilibrium flow calculations were carried out using the unstructuredgrid, Navier-Stokes code US3D, developed at the University of Minnesota. The leeside flow structure was examined in detail, and grid resolution studies and comparison to the available experimental data for surface pressure and heat transfer were carried out.
Viscosity of the internal aqueous phase of unilamellar phospholipid vesicles

Abstract The viscosity of the internal aqueous phase of unilamellar vesicles comprised of purified soybean phospholipids (asolectin) was measured using the fluorescence polarization of the entrapped hydrophilic probe 8-hydroxy-1,3,6-pyrenetrisulfonate (pyranine). At 20 °C the rotational relaxation time (ϱ) for pyranine in bulk solution was 0.55 ns as compared to a rotational time of 1.8 ns for pyranine within the internal aqueous compartment. Similar large increases in ϱ for internal pyranine were noted over the temperature range 5–35 °C suggesting that in these small vesicles the internal water is more viscous than bulk water.