cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Notes On Using Optimization And DSS Techniques to Support Supply Chain And Logistics Operations

In this chapter, we offer recommendations on approaches that can further the rate of use of optimization and related methods in firms that may not have a rich history of utilizing these types of techniques. We begin by reviewing a framework for organizing operations from the strategic level to the daily operating level. Next, we consider traditional opportunities to employ optimization and related methods across this framework of activities. We then describe a general operating approach to facilitate the use of optimization and related decision support system (DSS) methods as a standard business practice. Finally, “lessons learned” from the author’s implementation of DSS in several industries are discussed.
Quality of provider-offered Medicare Advantage plans

Healthcare providers and payers continue to consolidate into larger firms. One type of consolidation, known as vertical integration, occurs when hospitals or health systems offer their own insurance products.1 Proponents argue that consolidation improves efficiency, but there is little evidence on the relationship between provider-offered health insurance and quality of care.2 Therefore, we compared the quality of provider-offered Medicare Advantage (MA) to that of insurer-offered contracts. Using publicly available MA contract and enrolment files from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), we constructed a data set identifying all provider-offered contracts from 2011 to 2015 (n=2030 contract years). For the purposes of this study, provider-offered means that the parent organisation of the MA contract and provider organisation are or are owned by the same firm. To make this determination, we followed the approach of Frakt et al and Johnson et al .3 4 We used contract identifiers to link these data to yearly MA healthcare and drug coverage quality data. These quality data aggregate across plans within MA contracts, hence our analysis is at the contract-year level. Twenty per cent of contract-year observations were excluded, including those that were special needs plans or regional organisations.5 An additional 178 contract years were dropped because they were entirely missing quality data, our final analytic data set included 1446 unique contract years. However, not all contract-year observations had data on all quality measures we analyse (see online supplementary appendix table 1). Our data set begins with 70 measures. Of these, we excluded 24 from our analysis because they are missing data in more than half of our observations at the contract-year level. ### Supplementary file 1 [SP1.docx] To examine quality of care, for each measure of quality as the outcome variable, we estimated an ordinary least squares regression model with an indicator of provider-offered status as the key explanatory …
Development of Chemotherapy with Cell-Cycle Inhibitors for Adult and Pediatric Cancer Therapy.

Preclinical and clinical development of agents that inhibit cell-cycle progression have brought an understanding of the feasibility of targeting various cell-cycle regulators in patients with cancer. Small molecule inhibitors targeting key proteins that participate in cell-cycle progression including the cyclin-dependent kinases and checkpoint kinases induce cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in neoplastic cells. Early phase I studies demonstrate targeted inhibitors can be administered safely in adult and pediatric cancer patients, but these agents generally show limited clinical benefits as single agents. In this review, we discuss biological mechanisms that support dual combination strategies of cell-cycle inhibition with chemotherapeutic agents that are anticipated to achieve rationally targeted therapies for cancer patients. The rationale for evaluating these combination strategies is that DNA damage renders tumors highly responsive to irreversible cell-cycle arrest therapy. This approach is predicted to generate less intensive therapies and to maximize the efficacy of individual agents against solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. Cancer Res; 78(2); 320–5. ©2018 AACR.
Gas and low atmospheric pressure stunning

Abstract Proper stunning is critical to obtain the goals of humane slaughter. Concerns with uniformity and adequacy of electrical stunning have produced increasing interest in alternative methods that can improve the stun as well as reduce distress, pain, and suffering for other components of the process such as unloading (dumping/tipping) of birds from the transport container followed by handling and shackling of sentient birds. The feasibility of a controlled atmospheric stun has resulted in much research and multiple methods, each with advantages as well as some concerns. This chapter discusses the development of various gas systems as well as the low atmospheric pressure stunning system.
Forced Migration of Alaskan Indigenous Communities Due to Climate Change

In the Arctic, climate change is evident and occurring at a rate faster than other parts of the planet. The 2007 physical science report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) confirms that temperatures in the Arctic have increased by approximately twice the global average between 1965 and 2005 (IPCC, 2007: 339). Since 1975, temperatures in Alaska have increased by an average of 2–3.5°C.
Once More, with Feeling: the Role of Familiarity in the Aesthetic Response

This article argues that familiarity is an important ingredient of the aesthetic brew, potentially more important than the tinge of surprise. Most of the examples are drawn from the psychology of music, pointing at people’s preferences for music from their youth, strong correlations between familiarity and liking of musical excerpts, the Caillebotte effect in preferences for paintings, and neuroimaging work on the role of anticipation in the experience of musical chills. In addition, I refer to the value of incremental work in creators, and the influence of prototypicality and self-relevance for the aesthetic response. Surprise/complexity/originality/expectation violations play a role too, but their influence needs to be carefully Goldilocked: There is an inverse-J-shaped relationship between originality and liking, and, within music, liking is associated with proximity to pink noise. Finally, there is evidence that different aspects of musical events lead to different responses, illustrating that the aesthetic brew is a complicated mix.
Finite element method for elastic plastic plates

A finite element method is developed for the analysis of elastic, perfectly plastic sandwich plates. The method is formulated by means of Greenberg's complementary energy rate theorem using constant moment elements. This formulation results in a quadratic programming problem. If it is assumed that no internal unloading takes place, formulation as a linear algebraic system of equations is possible; criteria are presented for checking this assumption. The method has several advantages over stiffness formulations: (1) Elastic-plastic boundary can occur only along element boundaries, and (2) calculation of governing equations requires no integration over elements as moments are constant. Results are presented for clamped and simply supported square plates and agreement with other available results is good. The method may be useful in error analysis for elastic plastic problems when combined with stiffness techniques as it provides complementary bounds on the same functional.
Case-Based Decision Neuroscience: Economic Judgment by Similarity

Abstract This chapter presents an emerging “case-based” system for decision-making that centers on the retrieval of similar past episodes. It can be mathematically described by the economic model of case-based decision theory accompanied by the computational background of case-based reasoning. This system stands between model-free and model-based systems on the bias–variance trade-off and holds advantages over both when faced with novel and complex problems. The hippocampus and related medial temporal lobe structures provide a neural substrate for case-based calculations by instantiating stimulus and reward associations. This neurocomputational understanding sheds light on how such calculations can also contribute to or interfere with model-free and model-based control.
Label-Free Stimulated Raman Scattering Imaging of Neuronal Membrane Potential

Abstract Detecting membrane potentials is critical for understanding how neuronal networks process information. We report a vibrational spectroscopic signature of neuronal membrane potentials identified through hyperspectral stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) imaging of patched primary neurons. High-speed SRS imaging allowed direct visualization of puff-induced depolarization of multiple neurons in mouse brain slices, confirmed by simultaneous calcium imaging. The observed signature, partially dependent on sodium ion influx, is interpreted as ion interactions on CH3 Fermi resonance peak in proteins. By implementing a dual-SRS balanced detection scheme, we detected single action potentials in electrically stimulated neurons. These results collectively demonstrate the potential of sensing neuronal activities at multiple sites with a label-free vibrational microscope.
Weight-based enoxaparin with anti-factor Xa assay-based dose adjustment for venous thromboembolic event prophylaxis in adult trauma patients results in improved prophylactic range targeting.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common morbidity in trauma patients. Standard VTE chemoprophylaxis is often inadequate. We hypothesized that weight-based dosing would result in appropriate prophylaxis more reliably than fixed dosing. All patients admitted to a Level 1 trauma center over a 6-month period were included unless contra-indications for VTE prophylaxis existed. A prospective adjusted-dosing group was compared to a retrospective uniform-dosing group. The adjusted-dosing approach consisted of initial weight-based dosing of 0.5 mg/kg subcutaneously (subQ) every 12 h (q12h). Peak anti-factor Xa was measured. Patients outside of the prophylactic range had their dose adjusted by ± 10 mg. The uniform-dosing group received 30 mg subQ q12h, without adjustments. Eighty-four patients were included: 44 in the retrospective control cohort and 40 in the prospective experimental cohort. More patients were sub-prophylactically dosed in the uniform-dosing group relative to the adjusted-dosing group (25% vs 5%, p = 0.03). There was no difference in overall prophylactic range targeting, because the supra-prophylactically dosed patients in the adjusted-dosing group eliminated the effect (p = 0.173). However, after a single dose adjustment, zero patients were outside of prophylactic range (25% versus 0%, RR = infinite, p = 0.003). In the uniform-dosing group, anti-Xa level correlated with body surface area (BSA; R2 = 0.33, p < 0.0001) and weight (R2 = 0.26, p = 0.0005). Weight-based dosing both pre- and post-readjustment normalized the correlation of anti-Xa with BSA (R2 = 0.07, p = 0.1) and weight (R2 = 0.07, p = 0.1). Weight-based VTE prophylaxis with anti-Xa-based dose adjustment improves prophylactic range targeting relative to uniform dosing and eliminates variances secondary to BSA and weight in trauma patients.
Mechanical and chemical robustness of the aluminum oxide-infiltrated block copolymer films and the resulting aluminum oxide coatings

Abstract Block copolymer (BCP) templates have been widely used for the design of functional organic-ceramic composites and ceramic structures. In this study, we explore the mechanical characteristics of such structures designed using sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS). We demonstrate that SIS significantly reinforces the BCP template and decreases their sensitivity to temperature and chemical environment. We also probe tribological characteristics of nanoporous alumina films obtained from the organic-ceramic composites after the BCP template removal. We determined with atomic force microscopy (AFM) that the lateral forces between the tip and the substrate are highly affected by the surface reactivity, surface structure, area of contact, environment, and porosity accessibility and interconnectivity. As confirmed by the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) analysis, the high accessibility of the pores in the alumina film to the water penetration leads to a decrease in the friction for the ~4 μm in size colloidal tip sliding against the nanoporous alumina in contrast to the bulk alumina. The effect diminishes once the size of the AFM probe becomes comparable to the size of the pores, which is attributed to the limited water flow under the tip to support the applied during sliding stresses. Understanding the surface structure and its effect on the mechanical and frictional characteristics of materials is important for the predictive design of coatings that can sustain thermomechanical stresses and can be used to enhance the lubrication of fluids in various mechanical systems.
Battle of the Experts: The Strange Career of Meta-Expertise

Sociologists and philosophers have critically examined the interplay between democracy and expertise. This article develops a law and political economy approach to the topic, focusing on the challenge posed to traditional professions by “meta-experts” (who develop standardized algorithmic and quantitative methods to trans-substantively evaluate experts’ performance and value). The very concept of meta-expertise confounds traditional distinctions between elite and democratic power. On the one hand, the meta-expert seems to suffer from all the debilities of the traditional expert, only more so. Whereas a traditional expert at least has a bounded set of situations to claim to be knowledgeable about, the meta-expert asserts expansive intellectual authority. On the other hand, skeptics of professions (as well as professional skeptics) claim that experts’ authority must have some substantive (and not merely democratic and procedural) limits. These skeptics tend to see the meta-expert as a powerful “tribune of the people,” capable of vindicating both common sense and counterintuitive findings in the face of guildish lethargy and incuriosity. Law has three critical roles to play in adjudicating emerging conflicts between experts and meta-experts. First, whatever jurisdictional claims they make over some domain may be confirmed or contradicted by lawmakers. Therefore, law is critical to the practical establishment of practical epistemic authority. Second, administrative law has long addressed the balance between legal regularity, politics, and expertise in the proper functioning of agencies. And most specifically, antitrust law is a particularly potent way of unraveling some modes of professional self-organization and standards, while promoting others. This chapter explores the role of law and political economy in shaping “battles of the experts,” as economists and coders challenge the authority of other professionals.
Middle Meningeal Artery Embolization for Chronic Subdural Hematomas

Middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization has become an increasingly well-established treatment option for refractory and recurrent chronic subdural hematomas (CSDHs). Embolization of the MMA interrupts a self-propagating cycle of bleeding from abnormally permeable capillaries and an associated inflammatory response within neovascularized hematoma membranes. This permits blood products to more effectively be re-absorbed. Multiple cohort studies have demonstrated reasonable safety and efficacy of this procedure for the treatment of CSDHs. Randomized controlled trials are warranted and currently underway to compare MMA embolizaton with traditional surgical evacuation techniques for CSDHs.
Parton Distributions in Nuclei and Polarised Nucleons

I review the emerging information on the way quark, antiquark and gluon distributions are modified in nuclei relative to free nucleons. Recent data claiming that quarks carry a vanishingly small fraction of the proton’s spin are criticised and the need for better understanding of x → 0 behaviour is emphasised.
Ramachandra Guha: How Much Should a Person Consume? Environmentalism in India and the United States

This book presents an account of the debate over the environment in India. It also discusses the history of environmentalism in the United States. Building on earlier material published by the author in cooperation with Madhav Gadgil, Guha notes that in India three distinct populations have emerged: the omnivores, who consume natural resources without regard for the consequences; the ecosystem people, generally tribals who subsist on the gifts of the land; and ecological refugees who have been displaced by large development projects, including dams and even the creation of national parks. This last group of people constitutes some of India's poorest. The book begins with a personal account of the author's own place within the continuum of ecological thought. His father served as a technologist for the Dehradun Forest Research Institute. Guha identifies himself as a once-Marxist scholar who has done field and archival research in India, and has also held various posts in the United States. Guha's dissertation research in the early 1980s on the Chipko movement placed him at the front lines of the intersection of colonial history, forest management, and local protest. He learned of the complexity of this issue and has brought to light the unheralded contributions by local leaders such as Alam Singh Rawat and earlier theorists who laid the foundation for the development of environmental theory in India. Patrick Geddes (1854-1931), a Scottish botanist and city planner, served as an early advocate for integrated planning that would include and preserve common
Studies on the mechanisms of thalliummediated inhibition of hepatic mixed function oxidase activity: Correlation with inhibition of NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase

Abstract Thallium (TICl 3 ) administration to rats produced a dose-dependent loss of hepatic NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase and microsomal mixed function oxidase activities within 2–4 hr following treatment. These changes occurred independently of apparent effects on microsomal heme or cytochrome P-450 content, both of which remained unchanged with respect to control levels despite transient inhibition of δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) synthetase and induction of heme oxygenase. These results are consistent with the recognized properties of thallium as both a flavoprotein antagonist and sulfhydryl inhibitor and differ uniquely from the action of other metals which impair mixed function oxidase activity through compromise of heme biosynthesis and heme depletion. The potential utility of thallium compounds in further evaluating the functional characteristics of NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase and its role in microsomal oxidative processes is suggested from these observations.
COMPARING BONDING AND BRIDGING TIES FOR DEMOCRATIC ENGAGEMENT

The structure of people's social networks predicts democratic engagement. However, the relative contribution of different types of social ties to civic and civil behaviors is unclear. This paper explores the role of core networks – bonding social capital – to the role of overall network diversity – bridging social capital – for participation in formal civic institutions and informal civil behaviors. Emphasis is placed on the possible role of heterogeneity within core networks – political disagreement and the presence of nonkin ties – and on frequency of interaction, in-person and mediated: mobile phone and the Internet. This study finds that overall network diversity is a more consistent and substantive predictor of civic and civil behaviors than the size or heterogeneity of the small number of ties that make up the core network of most people. The two dominant new media used to interact with core network members – email and mobile phones – are unrelated to any of the behaviors measured. Some other media ...
Steve Sharpe: A Stock Report

This case pertains to the valuation approach for a common stock being considered for purchase by a student in a Student-Managed Fund (SMF) class at a university. The fundamental factors of analysis pertaining to the profile of the company include the firm’s products/services, the nature of the demand for the products and the managerial comparisons for sales. In addition, earnings per share, return on sales, return on assets and return on equity are considered. However, historical data on price-earnings ratios and dividend payout ratios are very important in all valuations, but they are not stressed in the case.The emphasis of the case relates to recognition of risk, as it pertains to the common stock of the firm, estimations of the required rate of return (sometimes known as the hurdle rate), calculation of the “present value factor” which permits analysts to determine the present value of annualized return data projected into a specific future period. A price of the common stock projected into the future can be discounted to compare its present value with the current market price to determine whether the stock is undervalued or overvalued. In like fashion, a holding period return calculated in a time period greater than five years can be annualized for comparison with the required return obtained from an asset pricing model to determine whether the stock is undervalued or overvalued.This case has a difficulty level appropriate for senior level or first year MBA students. It is designed to be taught in a single class period. Approximately two hours of student preparation time should be adequate for most students depending on their proficiency.
Characterizing the Impact of CD8 Antibodies on Class I MHC Multimer Binding

Many studies have suggested that CD8 Abs affect the binding of class I MHC tetramers/multimers to CD8 + T cells, which has led to the interpretation that CD8 participates directly in multimer binding. In contrast, a recent publication has argued that CD8 Abs instead cause reorganization of TCR distribution and hence have an indirect effect on multimer binding to the TCR alone. We address these issues by testing the role of CD8 and the impact of CD8 Abs on the binding of normal and mutant multimers to Ag-specific mouse T cells. Our data suggest that, in this system, CD8 Abs act directly on CD8 and only mediate their effects on multimer binding when CD8 is capable of binding to the multimer. These data reinforce the paradigm that CD8 plays an active and direct role in binding of class I MHC multimers.
Aortic baroreflex control of heart rate after 15 days of simulated microgravity exposure

To determine the effects of simulated microgravity on aortic baroreflex control of heart rate, we exposed seven male subjects (mean age 38 +/- 3 yr) to 15 days of bed rest in the 6 degrees head-dow...
Formation and Maturation of Phase-Separated Liquid Droplets by RNA-Binding Proteins

Eukaryotic cells possess numerous dynamic membrane-less organelles, RNP granules, enriched in RNA and RNA-binding proteins containing disordered regions. We demonstrate that the disordered regions of key RNP granule components and the full-length granule protein hnRNPA1 can phase separate in vitro, producing dynamic liquid droplets. Phase separation is promoted by low salt concentrations or RNA. Over time, the droplets mature to more stable states, as assessed by slowed fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and resistance to salt. Maturation often coincides with formation of fibrous structures. Different disordered domains can co-assemble into phase-separated droplets. These biophysical properties demonstrate a plausible mechanism by which interactions between disordered regions, coupled with RNA binding, could contribute to RNP granule assembly in vivo through promoting phase separation. Progression from dynamic liquids to stable fibers may be regulated to produce cellular structures with diverse physiochemical properties and functions. Misregulation could contribute to diseases involving aberrant RNA granules.
Jamming in Liquids and Granular Materials

Many systems can develop a yield stress while in an amorphous state. For example, a supercooled liquid, when cooled sufficiently, forms a glass - an amorphous solid with a yield stress. Another common example is a granular material which will remain solid and not move even under the influence of moderate stresses. This accounts for why piles of grain or sand can exist with a non-zero slope even though gravity is acting to flatten out the upper surface. The solidity in that case is due to the system having become jammed. Similar jamming often inhibits flow out of a hopper or in conduits transporting material across a factory floor. Jamming is a ubiquitous phenomenon occurring in many different systems such as colloidal suspensions, foams and, of course, traffic. We tend to think of the jamming transition as being stress-induced. A “fluid” at constant density (or under a confining pressure) flows if the stress is above the yield stress but becomes stuck in an amorphous configuration if the stress is too low. The idea of temperature, per se, does not seem to be crucial to the transition. This makes it seems quite different from the formation of a glass out of a supercooled liquid by lowering the temperature. However, there are similarities between these two types of transitions, aside from the obvious fact that they both have to do with the complete arrest of dynamics and flow. An exploration of these similarities was the subject of a program at the Institute for Theoretical Physics in Santa Barbara held in the Autumn of 1997. A synopsis of this program was published that details some of the interesting ideas now current in that field.[1]
Getting started in structural phylogenomics.

Structural phylogenomics refers to the combined use of evolutionary and structural information in a bioinformatics analysis. The term phylogenomics refers to two distinct tasks: reconstructing a species phylogeny using multiple genes (for a review, see [1]) and predicting protein function by estimating the evolutionary history of a family of related sequences (i.e., a gene tree or multi-gene tree including gene duplication events) [2]–[4]. In this “Getting Started” article, we focus on the latter task, restricting our discussion to the construction and analysis of phylogenetic trees for amino acid data, and including protein structure data and structure prediction to improve the accuracy of functional annotation. We address the following questions: Why perform a complicated structural phylogenomic analysis when simpler approaches are available? What are the fundamental underlying assumptions of this approach, and what are the implications of any conflicts with these assumptions? What technical challenges do we need to address to achieve the full potential of these ideas?
Demographic and temporal structure of an allele frequency cline in the mussel Mytilus edulis

In eastern Long Island Sound there is a steep allele-frequency cline at the Lap locus in the mussel Mytilus edulis. The frequency of the Lap 94 allele decreases from 0.55 in oceanic populations to 0.12 in Sound populations over a distance of 30 km. I have examined the size-frequency distribution and the dependence of Lap 94 frequency on demographic structure in these clinal populations from 1980 to 1983. Clinal populations exhibit large temporal and demographic variation in the frequency of Lap 94. Recruitment occurs in the late summer and is composed of larvae originating from oceanic populations. Following recruitment, selection is directed against the Lap 94 allele and is most intense in the fall among individuals <20 mm in shell length. Larger size classes appear relatively immune to selective forces. The duration of selection is coincident with a period of reduced shell growth.
Mathematical modeling of vowel perception by users of analog multichannel cochlear implants: Temporal and channel-amplitude cues

A “multidimensional phoneme identification” (MPI) model is proposed to account for vowel perception by cochlear implant users. A multidimensional extension of the Durlach–Braida model of intensity perception, this model incorporates an internal noise model and a decision model to account separately for errors due to poor sensitivity and response bias. The MPI model provides a complete quantitative description of how listeners encode and combine acoustic cues, and how they use this information to determine which sound they heard. Thus, it allows for testing specific hypotheses about phoneme identification in a very stringent fashion. As an example of the model’s application, vowel identification matrices obtained with synthetic speech stimuli (including “conflicting cue” conditions [Dorman et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 92, 3428–3432 (1992)] were examined. The listeners were users of the “compressed-analog” stimulation strategy, which filters the speech spectrum into four partly overlapping frequency bands an...
Measurement and Modeling of OH, NO, and CO Infrared Radiation at 3400 K

The infrared emission spectrum of an air plasma containing small quantities of CO 2 and H 2 O was measured and modeled in absolute intensity in the spectral range 2.4-5.6 μm. A 50-kW radio-frequency inductively coupled plasma torch was used to produce the air plasma in local thermodynamic equilibrium. The temperature profile measured by emission spectroscopy peaks at 3400 K. The absolute intensity emission spectrum was measured and compared with numerical simulations obtained with the line-by-line radiation code SPECAIR. Spectroscopic models incorporated into the SPECAIR code include the infrared rovibrational bands of OH, NO, and CO. Absorption of the plasma emission by room-air CO 2 and H 2 O in the optical path between the plasma and the detector is taken into account. Plasma emission from CO 2 (v 1 + v 3 ) and (v 3 ) bands is also modeled, using a correlated-k model
Exogenous thioredoxin prevents ethanol-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in mouse liver.

Ethanol-induced liver injury is characterized by increased formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory cytokines, resulting in the development of hepatic steatosis, injury, and cell death by necrosis and apoptosis. Thioredoxin (Trx), a potent antioxidant and antiinflammatory molecule with antiapoptotic properties, protects animals from a number of inflammatory diseases. However, the effects of ethanol on Trx or its role in ethanol-induced liver injury are not known. Female C57BL/6 mice were allowed ad libitum access to a Lieber-deCarli ethanol diet with 5.4% of calories as ethanol for 2 days to acclimate them to the diet, followed by 2 days with 32.4% of calories as ethanol or pair-fed control diet. Hepatic Trx-1 was decreased by ethanol feeding; daily supplementation with recombinant human Trx (rhTrx) prevented this ethanol-induced decrease. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that administration of rhTrx during ethanol exposure would attenuate ethanol-induced oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokine production, and apoptosis. Mice were treated with a daily intraperitoneal injection of either 5 g/kg of rhTrx or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Conclusion: Ethanol feeding increased accumulation of hepatic 4-hydroxynonenal protein adducts, expression of hepatic tumor necrosis factor α, and resulted in hepatic steatosis and increased plasma aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. In ethanol-fed mice, treatment with rhTrx reduced 4-hydroxynonenal adduct accumulation, inflammatory cytokine expression, decreased hepatic triglyceride, and improved liver enzyme profiles. Ethanol feeding also increased transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling-positive cells, caspase-3 activity, and cytokeratin-18 staining in the liver. rhTrx treatment prevented these increases. In summary, rhTrx attenuated ethanol-induced increases in markers of oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokine expression, and apoptosis. (HEPATOLOGY 2009.)
A Discontinuous Galerkin Transport Scheme on the Cubed Sphere

Abstract A conservative transport scheme based on the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method has been developed for the cubed sphere. Two different central projection methods, equidistant and equiangular, are employed for mapping between the inscribed cube and the sphere. These mappings divide the spherical surface into six identical subdomains, and the resulting grid is free from singularities. Two standard advection tests, solid-body rotation and deformational flow, were performed to evaluate the DG scheme. Time integration relies on a third-order total variation diminishing (TVD) Runge–Kutta scheme without a limiter. The numerical solutions are accurate and neither exhibit shocks nor discontinuities at cube-face edges and vertices. The numerical results are either comparable or better than a standard spectral element method. In particular, it was found that the standard relative error metrics are significantly smaller for the equiangular as opposed to the equidistant projection.
Ion requirements for gastric acid secretion

SummaryAcid secretion and O2 uptake measured in frog gastric mucosae in vitrooccur but at reduced rates when Na in bathing solutions is .6 mM or less. Both are raised towards maximal when Na is 10 mM. Secretion occurs at 75% maximal when Li replaces Na. Adrenal cortical extract reduces secretion with high Na and has no effect with low Na. Neither added Ca nor Mg is necessary for secretion, but secretion is reversibly inhibited by 1 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetate. Secretion occurs when K is .3 mM but is maximum at 3 mM. Secretion occurs at 20% maximal when Cl is .2 mM or less. Secretion is unaffected by replacing Cl by Br, but it is reduced when Cl is replaced by I.
Advancing measurement of work and family domain boundary characteristics

Abstract Recent research offers promising theoretical frameworks for thinking about the work–family interface in terms of the boundaries individuals develop around work and family. However, measures for important constructs proposed by these theories are needed. Using two independent samples, we report on the refinement of existing boundary flexibility measures. Additionally, inter-domain transitions are introduced as a theoretically sound conceptualization of the frequency with which the work and family domains come in contact. Results from Study 1 further support the existence of two flexibility factors, willingness and ability, for the work and family domains, respectively. Results from Study 2 provide evidence for the nomological network surrounding the flexibility and inter-domain transitions measures in relation to role centrality, perceptions of domain blurring, and family-supportive organizational perceptions. Also, as hypothesized, boundary flexibility predicted inter-domain transitions, and inter-domain transitions predicted work–family conflict, with additional support for several hypothesized mediated effects between these constructs.
Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Inhibition of Hepatitis B Virus Replication Involves Disruption of Capsid Integrity through Activation of NF-κB

Chronic infection by hepatitis B virus results from an inability to clear the virus, which is associated with liver disease and liver cancer. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is associated with noncytopathic clearance of hepatitis B virus in animal models. Here we demonstrate that the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway is a central mediator of inhibition of hepatitis B virus by TNF-α and we describe the molecular mechanism. TNF-α is shown to suppress hepatitis B virus DNA replication without cell killing by disrupting the formation or stability of cytoplasmic viral capsids through a pathway requiring the NF-κB-activating inhibitor of κB kinase complex IKK-α/β and active transcription factor NF-κB. Hepatitis B virus replication could also be inhibited and viral capsid formation could be disrupted in the absence of TNF-α solely by overexpression of IKK-α/β or strong activation of NF-κB. In contrast, inhibition of NF-κB signaling stimulated viral replication, demonstrating that HBV replication is both positively and negatively regulated by the level of activity of the NF-κB pathway. Studies are presented that exclude the possibility that HBV inhibition by NF-κB is carried out by secondary production of gamma interferon or alpha/beta interferon. These results identify a novel mechanism for noncytopathic suppression of hepatitis B virus replication that is mediated by the NF-κB signaling pathway and activated by TNF-α.
Mechanisms of action of isoniazid

For decades after its introduction, the mechanisms of action of the front-line antituberculosis therapeutic agent isoniazid (INH) remained unclear. Recent developments have shown that peroxidative activation of isoniazid by the mycobacterial enzyme KatG generates reactive species that form adducts with NAD(+) and NADP(+) that are potent inhibitors of lipid and nucleic acid biosynthetic enzymes. A direct role for some isoniazid-derived reactive species, such as nitric oxide, in inhibiting mycobacterial metabolic enzymes has also been shown. The concerted effects of these activities - inhibition of cell wall lipid synthesis, depletion of nucleic acid pools and metabolic depression - drive the exquisite potency and selectivity of this agent. To understand INH action and resistance fully, a synthesis of knowledge is required from multiple separate lines of research - including molecular genetic approaches, in vitro biochemical studies and free radical chemistry - which is the intent of this review.
Extraction of Pentosans from Wheat Flour with Trichloroacetic Acid Solutions

Pentosans were extracted from wheat flour with 15% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) at 2°C. The TCA was extracted with ether and the aqueous solution dialyzed, centrifuged and lyophilized. Subfractions obtained by fractionation on Sepharose 6B and by ammonium sulfate precipitation were analyzed for carbohydrates, protein and hydroxyproline. The pentosans contained a high molecular weight component having only arabinose and galactose as monosaccharides, and 4.4% protein, of which 3% w/w was hydroxyproline.
Bootstrapping for confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing for parameters of system dynamics models

Methods for confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing used in the literature and implemented in system dynamics software packages typically assume that the data are normally distributed, not autocorrelated and not heteroskedastic. In dynamic models these assumptions are often violated. Here we propose the bootstrapping method for confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing in system dynamics models and provide an overview of the issues involved in applying bootstrapping properly in dynamic models. Bootstrapping is a widely used and robust method but its use in system dynamics models is rare. Bootstrapping can handle violations of the maintained assumptions of traditional methods. It is also valid for small samples whereas traditional methods are valid only asymptotically. Another advantage of bootstrapping is that it is a convenient tool for testing hypotheses including complicated functions of parameters (e.g., multiplication, division of parameters). We provide two examples for illustration, one in discrete time and one in continuous time, including experimental data from the beer distribution game and field data from a study of service quality in the banking industry. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A 3d Histomorphometric Method for Analyses of Skeletal Tissue Mechanobiology

Skeletal repair and regeneration involve a dynamic interplay of biological processes that result in spatially and temporally varying patterns of tissue formation and remodeling. For example, during bone fracture healing the cartilaginous callus that is formed initially in the fracture site is subsequently mineralized and remodeled to restore the original form and function to the injured bone. During much of this healing process, the fracture callus is comprised of a heterogeneous mixture of cartilage, fibrocartilage, multipotent mesenchymal tissue, and bone. Adding to this complexity, mechanical stimuli are known to influence the rate and type of tissues formed during skeletal healing [1]. Given the growing body of evidence that controlled mechanical stimulation may be used to enhance healing, it is of substantial interest to elucidate relationships between the distributions of local stresses and strains that develop within the healing region and the distribution of tissue types that form. While histomorphometry is a well established approach for characterizing the latter, it has historically been limited to analyses of a small number of two-dimensional sections of tissue. Such 2D sampling may be inadequate for quantitative characterization of the irregular geometry and heterogeneous composition of healing tissues. In this study, we report on a 3D histomorphometric method and apply this method to an in vivo model of skeletal repair [2] in which a bending stimulus delivered to a healing bone defect results in the formation of predominantly cartilage tissue, rather than bone.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Integrating WebCT with diverse campus systems

The University of Delaware has a powerful legacy SIS system. The University plans to replace this system in 2004-05. In the meantime, we have populated WebCT rosters using custom written scripts and batch jobs. This paper describes how these scripts have evolved into an administrative web application, which integrates information from a variety of existing campus systems to help automate the administration of WebCT. It also discusses future directions and lessons learned.
Analysis of dopamine receptor antagonism upon feeding elicited by mu and delta opioid agonists in the shell region of the nucleus accumbens.

Abstract The nucleus accumbens (NAcc) has been implicated as an important reward site for the mediation of unconditioned reinforcers such as food. Although both μ-selective and δ-selective opioid agonists in the NAcc induce spontaneous and palatable feeding, these effects are mediated by multiple opioid receptor subtypes within the nucleus. A role for dopaminergic mediation of feeding in the NAcc is based upon selective antagonist-induced suppression of feeding induced by systemic amphetamine. The present study investigated whether feeding elicited by infusion of either μ ([ d -Ala2, NMe-Phe4, Gly-ol5]-enkephalin) or δ2 ([ d -Ala2, Glu4]-deltorphin) opioid receptor subtype agonists in the shell region of the NAcc would be modified by intra-accumbens pretreatment with equimolar (12–100 nmol) doses of either D1-selective (SCH23390) or D2-selective (raclopride) antagonists. Both opioid agonists displayed comparable magnitudes and durations of feeding responses in the NAcc. SCH23390 significantly and dose-dependently reduced μ agonist-induced feeding in the NAcc with significant reductions noted following the two higher, but not two lower doses. In contrast, raclopride pretreatment produced inconsistent effects upon μ agonist-induced feeding with limited actions across doses and test times. Further, neither SCH23390 nor raclopride pretreatment in the NAcc affected feeding elicited by the δ2 opioid agonist. These data indicate that the role of dopamine receptors in mediating opioid-induced feeding within the shell region of the NAcc is both dependent upon the dopamine receptor subtype that was blocked (D1 vs. D2) as well as the opioid receptor subtype which was being stimulated (μ vs. δ2).
Piecewise Optimum Delay Estimation for Improved Signal Control

An adaptive control strategy called Piecewise Optimum Delay Estimation (PODE) was developed and tested. This paper reviews the advantages of the existing adaptive control strategies over the actuated control scheme and uses their limitations as the basis for improvement. By using real-time traffic as input, PODE dynamically searches movement combinations for phasing and timing decisions that minimize piecewise system delay. Preliminary results show that PODE can considerably and consistently reduce delay more than actuated control can. Supported by a self-adjusting procedure, PODE control logic has demonstrated its competitive strength among other adaptive control strategies, especially under congested and oversaturated conditions.
Throughput analysis of reservation ALOHA multiple access

The theoretical relationship between throughput S and offered load G of reservation ALOHA (R-ALOHA) is derived. Closed-form expressions are given. It is shown that the performance of one version of R-ALOHA is mathematically equivalent to that of carrier-sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) under special circumstances.
Impact of Hemorrhagic Shock on Pituitary Function

Background Hypopituitarism after hypovolemic shock is well established in certain patient cohorts. However; the effects of hemorrhagic shock on pituitary function in trauma patients remains unknown. The aim of this study was to assess pituitary hormone variations in trauma patients with hemorrhagic shock. Study Design Patients with acute traumatic hemorrhagic shock presenting to our level 1 trauma center were prospectively enrolled. Hemorrhagic shock was defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≤ 90 mmHg on arrival or within 10 minutes of arrival in the emergency department, and requirement of ≥2 units of packed red blood cell transfusion. Serum cortisol and serum pituitary hormones (vasopressin [ADH], adrenocorticotrophic hormone [ACTH], thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH], follicular stimulating hormone [FSH], and luteinizing hormone [LH]) were measured in each patient on admission and at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours after admission. Outcome measure was variation in pituitary hormones. Results A total of 42 patients were prospectively enrolled; mean age was 37 ± 12 years, mean SBP 85.4 ± 64.5 mmHg, and median Injury Severity Score was 26 (range 18 to 38). There was an increase in the levels of cortisol (p Conclusions Acute hypopituitarism does not occur in trauma patients with acute hemorrhagic shock. In patients who died, there was a decrease in cortisol levels, which appears to be adrenal in origin.
Metabolic characteristics of midwater zooplankton: ammonia excretion, O:N ratios, and the effect of starvation.

The nature of protein catabolism in a wide range of species of midwater zooplankton was investigated. The weight-specific ammonia excretion rates (μg NH3−N g−1 dry wt h−1, y) decline exponentially with minimum depth of occurreece (MDO, x), y=163.4 x−0.479±0.212 (95%ci) (CI=confidence interval), when temperature is held constant. The change in ammonia excretion can be partially explained by the decrease in percent protein (%P) with MDO, %P=80.17 MDO−0.148±0.122 (95%ci) The atomic O:N ratio of freshly caught zooplankters ranged from 9.1 to 91, with most measurements between 9 and 25. Detailed studies were carried out on the response of one of the species studied (Gnathophausia ingens) to starvation (28 d). After 14 d of starvation the average ammonia excretion rate declined by more than 75% to less than 1 μg NH3−N g−1 wet wt h−1, although the average oxygen consumption declined by only 13% within the first 7 d of starvation and then remained stable. This differential response of oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion to starvation resulted in an increase in the average O:N ratio of starved animals from an initial 33 to 165 after 21 d. The average O:N ratios of fed mysids remained below 38 during the experiment. G. ingens maintains a relatively uniform metabolic rate during starvation by relying more heavily on its large lipid stores than when being fed.
Inhibition of the masseteric reflex by vagal afferents.

Es wurde an der kurarisierten Katze bei «encephyle isole» der Einfluss sensibler Vagusfasern auf den monosynaptischen Reflex des Musculus massetericus untersucht (fur alle Fasergruppen des Vagus uberschwellige Reize). Vollstandige Hemmung des Masseter-Reflexes wurde erzielt bei Reizung des proximalen Endes des Halsvagus mit Einzelstromstossen oder kurzen Serien.