cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis on the Death Monitoring Data Among Residents in Heping District,Shenyang City,2011-2013

Objective To understand the condition of death and causes of death in Heping District residents,Shenyang city,so as to provide the basis for disease prevention and control. Methods Analysis was made on the residents′death monitoring data of Heping district,2011-2013. Results From 2011 to 2013,the residents′death number of Heping district was 15 097 in total,the average annual mortality rate was 784.19/105,of which males was 898.01/105 and females675.75/105;The top five causes of death mortality rate were as follows:malignant tumor 213.07/105,heart disease177.39/105,cerebrovascular disease 152.51/105,respiratory disorder 73.24/105,and endocrine disease 25.61/105.The age-specific death-rate,the 0-years group was 286.53/105,1-4years old group was 26.44/105,the residents mortality increased gradually from this group,the mortality increased fast in 65-69 years old group(1 399.13/105),the group above85 years was the highest(13 120.89/105);The top three causes of death in 65 years above were malignant tumor,heart disease and cerebrovascular disease,mortality rates were as follows:1 030.81/105,1 044.56/105,and 929.18/105.PYLL rate ranked in the top three were malignant tumor(23.73%),heart disease(12.84%)and cerebrovascular disease(9.46%). Conclusion Malignant tumor,heart disease,cerebrovascular disease are the main causes of death among residents during 2011-2013 in Heping district.
Kidding rates of angora goats passively immunized against estrogens.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of passive immunization against estrone (E1), estradiol (E2) or estrogens (nonspecific; Ens) on ovulation rate and kidding rate in Angora does. On d 0 of the study, Angora does were divided into four treatment groups: 1) passively immunized against E1 (n = 14); 2) passively immunized against E2 (n = 24); 3) passively immunized against Ens (n = 9); and 4) injected with normal goat serum (control; n = 23). Fertile bucks were allowed to mate with the does from d 2 to 44. Immunization treatments did not influence (P greater than .1) percentage of does exhibiting estrus, percentage of does kidding or kid death rate. Ovulation rate was greater (P less than .06) in E2 and Ens immunized does than in control does. Both E2 and Ens treatments resulted in a greater (P less than .05) percentage of does giving birth to twins rather than singles compared with E1 or control treatments (70, 83, 27 and 31% twin births for E2, Ens, E1 and control, respectively). This increase in twin births resulted in kid crops per doe exposed of 142 and 122% for E2 and Ens compared with 100 and 91% for E1 and control treatments (P less than .05 for E2 vs control). These results demonstrate that the incidence of twin births can be increased by passively immunizing does against E2.
Proposals to Conduct Randomized Controlled Trials Without Informed Consent: a Narrative Review.

Individual informed consent from all participants is required for most randomized clinical trials (RCTs). However, some exceptions—for example, emergency research—are widely accepted. The literature on various approaches to randomization without consent (RWOC) has never been systematically reviewed. Our goal was to provide a survey and narrative synthesis of published proposals for RWOC. We focused on proposals to randomize at least some participants in a study without first obtaining consent to randomization. This definition included studies that omitted informed consent entirely, omitted informed consent for selected patients (e.g., the control group), obtained informed consent to research but not to randomization, or only obtained informed consent to randomization after random assignment had already occurred. It omitted oral and staged consent processes that still obtain consent to randomization from all participants before randomization occurs. We identified ten different proposals for RWOC: two variants of cluster randomization, two variants of the Zelen design, consent to postponed information, two-stage randomized consent, cohort multiple RCT, emergency research, prompted optional randomization trials, and low-risk pragmatic RCTs without consent. Of all designs discussed here, only cluster randomized designs and emergency research are routinely used, with the justification that informed consent is infeasible in those settings. Other designs have raised concerns that they do not appropriately respect patient autonomy. Recent proposals have emphasized the importance for RWOC of demonstrating such respect through systematic patient engagement, transparency, and accountability, potentially in the context of learning health care systems.
Impacts of climate change on the ecotoxicology of chemical contaminants in estuarine organisms.

Global climate change effects will vary geographically, and effects on estuaries should be independently considered. This review of the impacts of climate change on the ecotoxicology of chemical contaminants aims to summarize responses that are specific to estuarine species. Estuarine organisms are uniquely adapted to large fluctuations in temperature, salinity, oxygen, and pH, and yet future changes in climate may make them more susceptible to chemical contaminants. Recent research has hig- hlighted the interactive effects of chemical and nonchemical stressors on chemical uptake, metabolism, and organism survival. Assessments have revealed that the nature of the interaction between climate variables and chemical pollution will depend on es- tuarine species and life stage, duration and timing of exposure, prior stressor exposure, and contaminant class. A need for further research to elucidate mechanisms of toxicity under different abiotic conditions and to incorporate climate change factors into toxicity testing was identified. These efforts will improve environmental risk assessment of chemical contaminants and manage- ment capabilities under changing climate conditions (Current Zoology 61 (4): 641-652, 2015).
Current generation by deep-water breaking waves

We examine the partitioning of the energy transferred to the water column by deep-water wave breaking; in this case between the turbulent and mean flow. It is found that more than 95 % of the energy lost by the wave field is dissipated in the first four wave periods after the breaking event. The remaining energy is in the coherent vortex generated by breaking. A scaling argument shows that the ratio between the energy in this breaking generated mean current and the total energy lost from the wave field to the water column due to breaking scales as , where is the local slope at breaking. This model is examined using direct numerical simulations of breaking waves solving the full two-phase air–water Navier–Stokes equations, as well as the limited available laboratory data, and good agreement is found for strong breaking waves.
Organization and Assembly of the Mycoplasma pneumoniae Attachment Organelle

Mycoplasma pneumoniae synthesizes a complex polar structure,the attachment organelle (AO), which is required for productive adherence to host cells. Because in natureM. pneumoniae cannot survive outside the host, this structure is essentialto the M. pneumoniae cell. While it is understood that the AO is thesite at which adhesin proteins are concentrated, how that localization is mediated is unknown. However,the presence at the AO of a set of novel, detergent-insoluble proteins and structures which are indirectlyrequired for normal function of this structure has provided insight into its assembly and architecture.Biochemical, genetic, and immunocytochemical studies of these cytadherence-accessory proteins and theirinterrelationships have revealed remarkable complexity in this supposedly minimal bacterial cell.
Denkbeeldige Wereld: The New Dutch Guidelines for Economic Evaluations in Healthcare

In 2016 the Dutch National Health Care Institute (Zorginstituut Nederland) published a new guidance for economic evaluations in healthcare to support reimbursement decisions. These Guidelines update and replace three previously published guidelines covering pharmacoeconomic evaluation, outcomes research and costing. The purpose of this commentary is to consider the merits of these new Guidelines from the perspective of modeled claims which meet the standards of normal science: credibility, evaluation and replication in the treatment of target patient populations. In evaluating the merits of the Guidelines the focus will be on the requirement for submissions to follow reference case standards where lifetime-cost-per-QALY claims are the preferred outcome measure. The assessment points out that in adhering to a reference case standard, the Dutch Guidelines, in common with those in the UK, Ireland and New Zealand, fail to address the fundamental question of claims assessment. Rather, in relying upon the reference case imaginary world (denkbeeldige wereld) to inform decision makers, the possibility of evaluating claims and generating feedback to decision makers on comparative effectiveness is put to one side. We have no idea as to whether the claims are right or even if they are wrong. Hopefully, future versions of the guidelines will address this issue and focus on a rigorous program of claims assessment. Type: Commentary
Commentary on Niman's Discussion of Competition and Progress

An entrepreneurial view of macroevolution is in line with thinking of natural selection as being more than just elimination of the unfit. Real innovation needs to be considered, and the ability to expand into new niches is crucial. Various factors tend to militate against change, some of which are intrinsic to the organism, whereas others depend upon the state of the economy. Evolutionary biologists have had some ideas about macroevolution, ecology, and physiological and anatomical innovation that are much more germane to such matters than most kinds of genetics.
Extended Multiple-Field High-Definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) is well tolerated and safe in healthy adults.

BACKGROUND High definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) has been administered over single brain regions for small numbers of sessions. Safety, feasibility and tolerability of HD-tDCS over multiple brain regions, multiple daily stimulations and long periods are not established. OBJECTIVE We studied safety, feasibility and tolerability of daily HD-tDCS over 2-4 brain regions for 20 sessions in healthy adults. METHODS Five healthy adults underwent physical and neurological examination, electrocardiogram (EKG), electroencephalogram (EEG) and cognitive screening (ImpACT) before, during and after HD-tDCS. Four networks (left/right temporoparietal and frontal) were stimulated in sequence (20 min each) using HD-tDCS in 20 daily sessions. Sessions 1-10 included sequential stimulation of both temporoparietal networks, sessions 11-15 stimulations of 4 networks and sessions 16-20 two daily stimulation cycles of 4 networks/cycle (1.5 mA/network). Side effects, ImpACT scores and EEG power spectrum were compared before and after HD-tDCS. RESULTS All subjects completed the trial. Adverse events were tingling, transient redness at the stimulation site, perception of continuing stimulation after end of session and one self-resolving headache. EEG power spectrum showed decreased delta power in frontal areas several days after HD-tDCS. While at the group level ImpACT scores did not differ before and after stimulations, we found a trend for correlation between decreased EEG delta power and individual improvements in ImpACT scores after HD-tDCS. CONCLUSION Prolonged, repeat daily stimulation of multiple brain regions using HD-tDCS is feasible and safe in healthy adults. Preliminary EEG results suggest that HD-tDCS may induce long lasting changes in excitability in the brain.
Dietary Potential Renal Acid Load and Risk of Albuminuria and Reduced Kidney Function in the Jackson Heart Study.

Objective Diets high in sulfur-rich protein and low in fruit and vegetables affect human acid-base balance adversely and may have a harmful effect on progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Little is known about the relationship of participant characteristics, dietary acid load (DAL), and kidney injury in African-Americans with high risk of CKD progression. Design and methods We examined the association of DAL with CKD in 3,257 African-Americans aged >20 years in Jackson Heart Study. DAL was measured with nutrient intakes assessed with a food frequency questionnaire, using a model described by Remer and Manz. We tested associations of participant characteristics with DAL using median regression, and associations of DAL with albuminuria (>17 mg/g for men, >25 mg/g for women), reduced kidney function (eGFR Results Younger adults, men, and those with higher body mass index had higher DAL. Higher DAL, compared with lower, was associated with greater odds of reduced kidney function (OR [95% CI]: 2.82 [1.40-4.75]). Higher DAL was also associated with greater risk of CKD, and this persisted after adjustment for confounders. Results were similar in adults with hypertension; the OR [95% CI] for highest, versus lowest, tertile of DAL with albuminuria was 1.66 [1.01-2.59]. Aldosterone and endothelin mediated the association between DAL and albuminuria; the OR [95% CI] in the highest tertile was no longer significant 1.53 [0.97-2.40] after their inclusion. Conclusions Higher DAL was associated with higher prevalence of CKD and with reduced kidney function. DAL may be an important target for future interventions in African-Americans at high risk of CKD.
Lessons learned from 40 years of local option transportation sales Taxes in California

Jurisdictions across the United States have increasingly turned to local option sales taxes, or LOSTs, to fund transportation projects and programs. California is an enthusiastic adopter of these m...
Features of Roots of CAM Plants

Plants utilizing crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) typically grow in habitats with prolonged dry periods (Kluge and Ting 1978; Osmond et al. 1982; Winter 1985). Root access to water and nutrients is restricted by low soil moisture, such as in deserts and other seasonally arid environments, or by limited soil volume, such as in rock crevices and tree bark. For plants under these conditions, a root system that readily takes up water from a wet soil but limits water loss to a dry soil is particularly advantageous. Indeed, the root systems of CAM plants such as desert succulents have several features that facilitate absorption and conduction of water when it is available, reduce water loss when the soil is dry, and regain high water uptake rates when the soil is rewetted (Kausch 1965; Nobel and Sanderson 1984; Nobel and Cui 1992; North and Nobel 1991, 1992).
Implication of Reasoning in GRAIXPERT for Modeling Enterprises

GRAIXPERT is a hybrid expert system of the GRAI Methodology (used for enterprise modelling) based on different reasoning (Case-based reasoning (CBR), decomposition, transformation) containing rules, reference models and a case base. It enables to aid specialists of enterprise modelling during a study. This paper presents the concepts of this tool. We focus our attention on the different reasoning used for this tool. Other tools (GRAISUC and GRAIQUAL) are also being developed for completing the expert system The objective is to be efficient for the improvements of the performance (quality, cost and lead time) of the enterprise in terms of diagnosis and design. Finally we complete the presentation with an example in order to illustrate the concepts presented.
Estimating the Percent Nonconforming in the Accepted Product After Zero Defect Sampling

A simple method for estimating the percent nonconforming product in accepted lots using a zero defect acceptance sampling plan is proposed. The method is illustrated by a recent application involving the manufacture of an electronic component. Generaliz..
Protective effect of the type IV phosphodiesterase inhibitor rolipram in EAU: protection is independent of IL-10-inducing activity.

Purpose Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) is a cell-mediated model of retinal autoimmunity that is negatively regulated by interleukin (IL)-10. The antidepressant drug rolipram, a type IV phosphodiesterase inhibitor, enhances IL-10 production by monocyte/macrophages. The effect of rolipram on induction of EAU and its associated immunologic responses was investigated. Methods Mice were challenged for EAU induction by immunization with the retinal antigen interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) or by adoptive transfer of uveitogenic T cells and were treated with rolipram. EAU severity and immunologic responses to IRBP were analyzed. In addition, the effect of rolipram added to the culture on antigen-driven responses of primed lymph node cells was tested. Results Rolipram treatment from days -1 to 7 after immunization (afferent phase) was not protective, but severity of EAU was reduced to 50% by treatment from days 8 to 16 after immunization or when EAU was induced by adoptive transfer (efferent phase). Antigen-specific proliferation and interferon (IFN)-gamma production ex vivo by lymph node cells of protected mice were not reduced. However, the addition of rolipram directly to the culture suppressed IRBP-driven proliferation and IFN-gamma production by primed lymph node cells. Freshly explanted lymph node cells of treated mice showed inhibition of IFN-gamma mRNA but no parallel enhancement of IL-10 mRNA by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Rolipram inhibited EAU in IL-10 knockout mice equally well compared with controls and suppressed their primed lymph node cells in culture. Conclusions Rolipram appears to inhibit the expansion and effector function of uveitogenic T cells, raising the possibility that it may be useful for treatment of established disease. Contrary to expectations based on in vitro studies, the protective effects in vivo appear to be independent of IL-10. The observation that suppression of antigen-specific responses is demonstrable only in the physical presence of the drug suggests that, in a clinical setting, continuous administration of rolipram might be needed to sustain its therapeutic effect.
‘Tout de noir vêtu’: Skin and surface in the rap of Abd al Malik:

This paper investigates the visual aesthetics of French rap with regard to questions of race and subjectivity through an analysis of both the lyrics and music videos of the rapper Abd al Malik. Abd...
Rational Use of Medicines in Neonates: Current Observations, Areas for Research and Perspectives

A focused reflection on rational medicines use in neonates is valuable and relevant, because indicators to assess rational medicines use are difficult to apply to neonates. Polypharmacy and exposure to antibiotics are common, while dosing regimens or clinical guidelines are only rarely supported by robust evidence in neonates. This is at least in part due to the extensive variability in pharmacokinetics and subsequent effects of medicines in neonates. Medicines utilization research informs us on trends, on between unit variability and on the impact of guideline implementation. We illustrate these aspects using data on drugs for gastroesophageal reflux, analgesics or anti-epileptic drugs. Areas for additional research are drug-related exposure during breastfeeding (exposure prediction) and how to assess safety (tools to assess seriousness, causality, and severity tailored to neonates) since both efficacy and safety determine rational drug use. To further improve rational medicines use, we need more data and tools to assess efficacy and safety in neonates. Moreover, we should facilitate access to such data, and explore strategies for effective implementation. This is because prescription practices are not only rational decisions, but also have psychosocial aspects that may guide clinicians to irrational practices, in part influenced by the psychosocial characteristics of this population.
A Comparison of Four Methods of Teaching Psychomotor Activities to Elementary School Children from Varying Socioeconomic Levels.

The results of this investigation showed that significant differences did exist at the 01 level among instructional treatments. A comparison of mean performance scores across groups (rows) and tasks (columns) showed that instructional treatments ranked as follows: 1) self-instruction, 2) lecturedemonstration (classroom), 3) lecture-demonstration (television), and 4) minimal-instruction. The socioeconomic background of subjects did not influence instructional treatment. Subjects from all three socioeconomic levels learned best from self-instruction. Under the conditions of this study, time was not a significant factor or causal effect in differences that resulted among instructional treatments. Self-instruction was found to be the most effective method of teaching subjects from different socioeconomic levels to perform manipulatory tasks. This study substantiates the findings of an early experiment conducted by Calder (1966) with college students.
Community Engagement in Music Education: Preservice Music Teachers’ Perceptions of an Urban Service-Learning Initiative:

To facilitate cultural competency among preservice music teachers, music teacher educators must create ongoing opportunities for discourse and situated learning. The purpose of this collective case...
A Latina Principal Leading for Social Justice: Influences of Racial and Gender Identity:

In this study, the role that racial identity plays among Latina school principals is examined through a case study of a principal in a K–3 elementary school. Based on a Latina/o critical race frame...
Anti-lysoganglioside and other anti-neuronal autoantibodies in post-treatment Lyme Disease and Erythema Migrans after repeat infection.

Abstract Background Molecular mimicry targeting neural tissue has been reported after Borrelia burgdorferi(Bb) infection. Herein, we investigate whether antineuronal autoantibodies are increased and whether antibody-mediated signaling of neuronal cells is elevated in a cohort of symptomatic adults with a history of Lyme Disease (LD). Methods Participants (n ​= ​179) included 24 with recent Erythema Migrans (EM) without prior LD, 8 with recent EM and prior LD (EM ​+ ​prior LD), 119 with persistent post-treatment LD symptoms (PTLS), and 28 seronegative endemic controls with no prior LD history. Antineuronal immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers were measured by standard ELISA and compared with mean titers of normal age-matched sera against lysoganglioside, tubulin, and dopamine receptors (D1R and D2R). Antibody-mediated signaling of calcium calmodulin dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) activity in a human neuronal cell line (SK-N-SH) was identified in serum. Results EM ​+ ​prior LD cases had higher antibody titers than controls for anti-lysoganglioside GM1 (p ​= ​0.002), anti-tubulin (p ​= ​0.03), and anti-D1R (p ​= ​0.02), as well as higher expression in the functional antibody-mediated CaMKII Assay (p ​= ​0.03). The EM cases with no prior history showed no significant differences on any measures. The PTLS cases demonstrated significantly higher titers (p ​= ​0.01) than controls on anti-lysoganglioside GM1, but not for the other measures. Conclusion The finding of elevated anti-neuronal autoantibodies in our small sample of those with a prior history of Lyme disease but not in those without prior Lyme disease, if replicated in a larger sample, suggests an immune priming effect of repeated infection; the CaMKII activation suggests that antineuronal antibodies have functional significance. The elevation of anti-lysoganglioside antibodies among those with PTLS is of particular interest given the established role of anti-ganglioside antibodies in peripheral and central neurologic diseases. Future prospective studies can determine whether these autoantibodies emerge after Bb infection and whether their emergence coincides with persistent neurologic or neuropsychiatric symptoms.
A Standardized, Pragmatic Approach to Knee Ultrasound for Clinical Research in Osteoarthritis: The Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project.

Objective This study sought to develop and employ a comprehensive and standardized ultrasound (US) protocol and scoring atlas for the evaluation of features relevant to knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in a community-based cohort in the United States, with the goals of demonstrating feasibility, reliability, and validity. Methods We utilized data from the fourth follow-up (2016-2018) of the Johnston County OA Project, which includes individuals with (~50%) and without radiographic KOA. All participants underwent standardized knee radiography and completed standard questionnaires including the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Bilateral knee US images were obtained by a trained sonographer using a standardized protocol and scored by trained rheumatologists using an atlas developed for this study. A total of 396 knees were each scored by two readers according to the atlas. Associations between US features, radiographic findings (graded by an expert radiologist), and KOOS scores were assessed. Results Overall interreader reliability for US scoring was fair to moderate. The strongest correlations between US and radiographic features were seen for osteophytes, and similarly strong correlations were seen between US osteophytes and overall radiographic Kellgren-Lawrence Grade, demonstrating criterion validity. Features of effusion/synovitis and osteophytes were most associated with KOOS pain and impaired function. Conclusion US is a feasible, reliable, and valid method to assess features relevant to KOA in clinical and research settings. The protocol and atlas developed in this study can be utilized to evaluate KOA in a standardized fashion in future clinical studies, enabling greater utilization of this valuable modality in osteoarthritis.
Impact of Acute and Chronic Hypertension on Changes in Pial Collateral Tone In Vivo During Transient Ischemia.

We investigated vasoconstrictive responses of pial collaterals in vivo at baseline and during transient middle cerebral artery occlusion during chronic hypertension. A cranial window was used to measure diameter of leptomeningeal anastomoses (pial collaterals) in male Wistar (n=8) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs; n=8) using video dimensional analysis. Middle cerebral artery occlusion was induced by remote filament for 2 hours with 2 hours reperfusion. Phenylephrine was infused during ischemia as a pressor therapy. Active diameters of pial collaterals were significantly smaller in SHRs versus Wistar (14.1±1.5 versus 21.6±2.8 µm; P 0.05). Basal tone of pial collaterals before occlusion was 42±5% in SHRs versus 15±4% in Wistar (P<0.01). Tone decreased in both Wistar and SHRs during occlusion but remained higher in SHRs (9±2% versus 29±4%; P<0.05). Phenylephrine increased blood pressure in both groups but had little effect on leptomeningeal anastomoses diameters. Reperfusion caused vasoconstriction of pial collaterals, increasing tone from 8±1% to 20±5% in Wistar and 29±5% to 44±5% in SHRs (P<0.01). Higher tone in pial collaterals from SHRs basally and during occlusion/reperfusion could limit flow to the penumbra and promote evolution of infarction. Sustained elevated tone of pial collaterals from SHRs with phenylephrine suggests pressor therapy may not be appropriate during chronic hypertension.
Avant-Garde in the Cornfields: Architecture, Landscape, and Preservation in New Harmony

Review of: Avant-Garde in the Cornfields: Architecture, Landscape, and Preservation in New Harmony, edited by Ben Nicholson and Michelangelo Sabatino.
Anti-cN1A antibodies do not correlate with specific clinical, electromyographic, or pathological findings in sporadic inclusion body myositis.

Background Anti-cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase 1A (cN1A) antibodies are commonly detected in patients with sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM). However, their pathogenic role has not been established. Moreover, efforts toward identifying sIBM distinct clinicopathologic characteristics associated with these antibodies have yielded conflicting results. Methods We first searched for patients, seen in our clinics, tested for anti-cN1A antibodies between December 2015 and December 2019. We identified 92 patients who were diagnosed with sIBM, according to the 2011 ENMC or Griggs et al criteria. Thereafter, we reviewed and compared the clinical and investigational findings of these patients in relation to their antibody status. Results Anti-cN1A antibodies were present in 47/92 (51%) patients with sIBM. Comparison of seropositive and seronegative cohorts yielded no significant difference in clinical features, including facial weakness, oropharyngeal and respiratory involvement, or disease severity. The antibody titer did not correlate with the clinical phenotype, CK value, or presence of myotonic discharges on EMG. Anti-cN1A antibody positive patients appeared to have more frequent auto-aggressive inflammation on muscle biopsy but not as an isolated myopathological feature. Conclusions Our study showed that anti-cN1A antibody positive and negative sIBM patients have similar clinical features and disease severity. Anti-cN1A antibodies in our sIBM cohort did not correlate with any studied clinical or laboratory parameter and, therefore, were of limited value in the patient's assessment.
Integrated photonics for atomic sensing

Integrated photonics has become valuable to a wide range of applications including data communication, ranging, and inertial and chemical sensing. More recently, integrated photonics has also shown promise as a new means of trapping and probing atoms in atomic clocks. In this manuscript, we discuss how controlling the spatial properties of light emitted from an integrated photonics chip can support the realization of an atomic clock with drastically reduced size, weight, and power consumption. Specifically, atomic clocks require the intersection of three orthogonal beams, each with an area of approximately 16 mm2, to trap and probe a cloud of atoms. For good trapping, these beams need to be well collimated and polarized, and to exhibit intensity profiles that are as close to uniform as possible. For beams of these dimensions, this means new techniques need to be employed to control the rate at which light spreads across an integrated photonics chip, as well as the rate at which it diffracts out of the chip itself, all while maintaining good collimation. Existing integrated photonics technologies have been limited in the beam sizes they can generate to the order of several 100’s of microns along either axis of the beam, and the results discussed here represent roughly an order of magnitude improvement in that metric.
Effect of distance between two elbows in series on erosion for gas dominated conditions

Abstract Solid particle erosion is a potential problem in pipelines for the oil and gas processing industries. Solid particle erosion usually occurs in piping components or equipment when the direction of the flow changes, such as in elbows and tees. The distance between two elbows effects on the behavior of solid particle erosion on the second elbow has been investigated experimentally and computationally. Firstly, paint removal experiments were carried out to investigate the erosion pattern in a standard 3-inch (76.2 mm) elbow with a bend radius to pipe diameter (r/D) ratio equal to 1.5 for a gas-sand condition with different particle sizes. The investigated distances between the two elbows are 2D and 12D. Secondly, the erosion magnitudes in a standard 3-inch (76.2 mm) stainless steel elbow were measured using a state-of-the-art ultrasonic technique. These results have been compared with the previous experimental data in a 4-inch (101.6 mm) elbows to investigate the pipe size effect. Thirdly, a commercial CFD code was used to simulate the experimental conditions and compare erosion predictions with the experimental results. Different turbulence and particle rebound models were applied in the CFD simulations to examine their influence on the predicted erosion on the elbows. Finally, the effect of distance between the two elbows on the particle trajectories were investigated using the CFD approach.
Outcomes of first, second, and third-generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer brain metastases (NSCLCBM).

2034Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common cause of brain metastases. ALK, which codes for tyrosine kinase receptors, is rearranged in 4-7% of NSCLC. First-generation ALK...
Formulation of Nanovaccines toward an Extended Immunity against Nicotine

Nicotine vaccines have been investigated to assist with smoking cessation. Because smoking cessation is a long process, past nicotine vaccines required multiple injections to achieve long-term efficacy. It would be of great significance if extended efficacy can be achieved with fewer injections. Here, we report the assembly of lipid-polylactic acid (PLA) and lipid-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) hybrid nanoparticle (NP) based nicotine vaccines. Mice immunized with the lipid-PLGA vaccine produced higher titers of nicotine-specific antibodies than the lipid-PLA vaccine in short-term. However, the lipid-PLA vaccine was found to induce long-lasting antibodies. Three months after the immunization, only mice that received first two injections of the lipid-PLGA vaccine and a third injection of the lipid-PLA vaccine achieved a significantly lower brain nicotine concentration of 65.13 ± 20.59 ng/mg than 115.88 ± 37.62 ng/mg from the negative controls. The results indicate that not only the stability of the vaccines but also the combination of the vaccines impacted the long-term efficacy of the immunization. Lastly, both the body weight and the histopathology study suggest that the vaccines were safe to mice. These findings suggest that long-term immunity against nicotine can be realized by a rational administration of nanovaccines of different levels of stability.
Dysplastic Patellofemoral Joints Lead to a Shift in Contact Forces: A 3D-Printed Cadaveric Model.

Background:The distribution of contact forces across the dysplastic patellofemoral joint has not been adequately quantified because models cannot easily mimic the dysplasia of both the trochlea and...
America, Amerikkka: Elect Nation and Imperial Violence

Introduction: The Two Faces of America, the Ideal America as Deception and as Protest 1. Elect Nations of Europe and the Making of the American Myth of Chosenness 2. The Rights of Man and the Excluded Others: The Revolutionary Era and Beyond 3. Manifest Destiny and Anglo-Saxon Racism: 1815-1875 4. Manifest Destiny and American Empire: 1890-1934 5. America's Global Mission: The Cold War Years, 1945-1989 6. American Empire and its Denouement, 1990-2006 7. Alternative Visions of America: The Protest Tradition 8. Toward a US Theology of Liberation/Letting Go
Investigating the Introduction to IS Course Content: Do Faculty, Recruiters, and Students Equally Value Topical Areas?

This research focuses on the possible impact the value and demand for IS knowledge have on Information Systems (IS) course topical coverage. Over the last years, enrollments in MIS programs have been declining with some programs shutting down completely. Although all majors in a Business School are typically required to take the Introduction to Information Systems course, the real or perceived value to businesses and future employers is unclear. In this paper, we examine the content of the Introduction to IS course recommended by the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) /Association of Information Systems (AIS) from the perspective of three stakeholders, namely students, faculty and recruiters. The Discussion section addresses where stakeholders are in agreement as well as where they hold differing views about the value and relevance of topical areas.
How Are Alkynes Scrambled

In an alkyne metathesis reaction, two compounds containing carbon-carbon triple bonds exchange their substituents. Such reactions play an important role in the synthesis of natural products, polymers, and other organic molecules, but limited insights have been gained to date into how the reactions are catalyzed. In his Perspective, Bunz highlights the report by Bino et al., who have isolated a compound that is a possible catalytic intermediate in certain alkyne metathesis reactions. The work is an important step on the road toward the ideal alkyne metathesis catalyst.
Anaerobic Degradation of Soluble Fractions of [14C-Lignin]Lignocellulose

[14C-lignin]lignocellulose was solubilized by alkaline heat treatment and separated into different molecular size fractions for use as the sole source of carbon in anaerobic enrichment cultures. This study is aimed at determining the fate of low-molecular-weight, polyaromatic lignin derivatives during anaerobic degradation. Gel permeation chromatography was used to preparatively separate the original 14C-lignin substrate into three component molecular size fractions, each of which was then fed to separate enrichment cultures. Biodegradability was assessed by monitoring total carbon dioxide and methane production, evolution of labeled gases, loss of 14C-activity from solution, and changes in gel permeation chromatographic elution patterns. Results indicated that the smaller the size of the molecular weight fraction, the more extensive the degradation to gaseous end products. In addition, up to 30% of the entire soluble lignin-derived carbon was anaerobically mineralized to carbon dioxide and methane.
Testing micropipelined asynchronous circuits

Despite advances in the design of asynchronous circuits, little progress has been made in their testing or design for testability. This work proposes a new strategy for testing micropipelines, by treating the asynchronous elements, such as the C-element, as atomic state elements for testing purposes. By treating asynchronous elements as finite state machines, tests for these can be generated that verify their correct operation and also detect nearly all testable faults in the circuit. Design for testability methods for a micropipeline are also presented that reduce the amount of hardware added to the design while increasing its overall testability compared to other micropipeline testing methods.
EITC as Income (In)Stability

Congress enacted the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), inter alia, to entice poor single mothers to work (or work more) as a means of lifting themselves out of poverty. Its design as a wage subsidy that phases out at higher earnings levels is intended to accomplish this goal. A strong labor market is crucial to the success of work-based benefit programs, such as the EITC. The EITC can motivate female household heads to work (or work more), but they cannot act on that motivation if no jobs or additional working hours exist. This Article demonstrates that during economic downturns, the EITC wage subsidy contributes to, rather than prevents, poverty in single-mother families. Lost EITC benefits exacerbate recession-induced earnings losses, a phenomenon this Article refers to as income destabilization. In contrast, the EITC stabilizes the incomes of its wealthier beneficiaries as increased credit amounts offset underlying salary declines. While this pattern of income (de)stabilization is an unintended byproduct of the design of the EITC as a targeted wage subsidy, its negative impact on the economic welfare of female-headed households is problematic, given that these same families are the historically targeted program beneficiaries. This Article offers a narrowly tailored proposal that alters the structure of the EITC during recessionary periods in order to prevent EITC-induced income destabilization.
Industry Location, Economic Deve lopment Incentives, and Clusters

In his Presidential Address , Professor Woodward uses South Carolina’s economic development policies as a case study in modern regional development strategy. He urges caution for those using development incentives as a strategy for growth.
Tutorial and Survey

In a recent article Baruch Lev [1] analyzed 29 peak-demand forecasts (consisting of 1917 monthly forecasts) made by Commonwealth Edison Company between 1955 and 1966. The conclusions made by Lev from analysis of these actual forecasts bear a close resemblance to the kinds of conclusions that we derived from an application of time series analysis to historical data to produce forecasts. It is the purpose of this paper to show how the conclusions which Lev made about forecast errors would also be true of the errors resulting from forecasts derived solely from analysis of historical data. Although in no way definitive, such a demonstration of consistency between actual forecasts made by businessmen and statistical forecasts made only from historical data yields further evidence of the practical applicability of time series analysis to forecasting problems in real life. In particular Lev concluded that the major factor affecting the distribution of forecast errors was the month of the forecast and that the “…interval between prediction and realization has only a slight effect on the prediciton errors.” Mr. Lev's analysis of these observations showed that the expected value of forecast errors was about one quarter of one percent and independent of the time interval of the forecast. In addition he pointed out that the variance of the log forecast errors increased slightly with the prediciton interval but was affected more directly by the month which was forecasted.
Spring nectar sources for solitary bees and flies in a landscape of deciduous forest and agricultural fields: production, variability, and consumption1

Abstract Although solitary bees and flies are important pollinators, little information is available on the nectar rewards of flowers they visit or their consumption of them, because small quantities of nectar are difficult to extract and measure. We studied five such plants in deciduous forests and agricultural fields in west-central Indiana, USA: three native forest herbs [Claytonia virginica L., Dentaria laciniata Muhlenb. ex Willd., Erigenia bulbosa (Michaux) Nutt.] and two exotic agricultural weeds [Barbarea vulgaris R. Br., Stellaria media L. (Vill.)], which often grow in close proximity. Using spectrophotometry, we measured daily sugar accumulation (in caged flowers) and standing crops (in uncaged flowers) at two sites on four dates per species. Dentaria laciniata was the most rewarding species (mean daily accumulations: 185–404 µg sugar/flower), followed by moderately rewarding B. vulgaris and C. virginica (24–113 µg sugar/flower) and low-rewarding E. bulbosa and S. media (7–38 µg sugar/flower). T...
Brain and choroid plexus blood volumes in vertebrates

Abstract 1. 1. Brain blood volume per unit brain weight is larger in a cyclostome, teleost, amphibian and reptile than in a bird or mammal. Necturus maculosus and Petromyzon marinus had brain blood volumes approximately 4–5 per cent of brain weight. 2. 2. The hematocrit of blood in the brain was usually less than that of blood drawn from a large peripheral vessel. 3. 3. Choroid plexus blood volume in the rat is 4 per cent of total brain blood volume while in lower vertebrates, choroid plexus blood volume makes up a larger percentage of whole brain blood volume. 4. 4. In Petromyzon marinus, the choroid plexus blood volume is 57 per cent of whole brain blood volume.
Comparative analysis of aromatic diisocyanate conjugation to human albumin utilizing multiplexed tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract Diisocyanates are industrially important chemicals that serve as polymerizing agents in a variety of polyurethane products. In addition to their many industrial uses, diisocyanates have been implicated as causative agents of occupational allergic respiratory disease, although the specific mechanism(s) by which these diseases occur remains unknown. In this study the sites of conjugation of the two most industrially important monomeric diisocyanates, methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI) on human serum albumin are identified utilizing multiplexed tandem mass spectrometry on a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Analysis of human albumin reacted with MDI and TDI over the range of 1:1–40:1 (isocyanate:protein) mol ratio reveals that MDI and TDI react with a maximum of 20 and 37 residues, respectively. Conjugation of diisocyanates to albumin proceeds in a concentration-dependant manner with MDI and TDI reacting at a preferred subset of 5 and 10 residues, respectively, in the limiting case of a 1:1 mol ratio. MDI reacts at fewer residues than does TDI, and is not observed to react with any residues exclusive of TDI. These results cannot be explained on the basis of simple sterics or hydrophobicity, but rather on the basis of increased reactivity of one TDI isocyanate moiety due to electron withdrawing character of the second isocyanate moiety. Furthermore, reaction of diisocyanates with albumin in a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution provides three additional reactive sites that are not observed in ammonium bicarbonate buffer. Two lysine residues, Lys199 and Lys525, are observed to be reactive to both diisocyanates at all concentrations and in all solvent systems employed in this study. This study presents a comprehensive conjugation map of MDI and TDI on human albumin. The results suggest that several albumin residues are reactive toward both MDI and TDI and may be useful for biomonitoring of diisocyanate exposures.
ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF LICHENS FROM THE WESTERN UNITED STATES: DISTRIBUTION OF PHOSPHORUS AND CALCIUM FROM A LARGE DATA SET

Lichen samples were collected and observations about lichen communities were recorded at sites in the intermountain western United States. Specifically the states of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico were included in this study. The minor and trace-element concentrations in many of the lichens collected were determined by proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE). These data are part of a base line assessment of current air pollution conditions in this region. These data also provide an opportunity to study some aspects of lichen physiology. Using the data from 508 foliose and fruticose lichens, frequency distributions for concentrations of phosphorus and calcium are considered. Phosphorus has a closely-spaced, bimodal distribution: one mode for foliose lichens and one mode for fruticose lichens. This suggests that all lichen genera in this study have similar requirements and absorption mechanisms for phosphorus. Calcium has a complex frequency distribution and concentrations that range from 450 mg/kg to 14 % dry weight. Contributions to this complex distribution pattern can be understood if the data are resolved into growth form, genera within each growth form, and in some cases species within a given genus. This complex dependence on calcium is strong evidence that lichens develop specific calcium-related adaptations in order to accommodate various habitat conditions.
Electrostatic Generator Operating Under High Air Pressure—Operational Experience and Accessory Apparatus

A description is given of experience gained in operation of the Wisconsin electrostatic generator with particular reference to the use of C${\mathrm{Cl}}_{4}$ and C${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$ and to the problem of the fire hazard. Improvements in the charging belt system and the accelerating tube are discussed; and generator equipment, including the generating voltmeter, the voltage stabilizer and the ion source, is described.
Six Months in 1945: FDR, Stalin, Churchill, and Truman—from World War to Cold War. By Michael Dobbs. (New York, NY: Knopf, 2012. Pp. xvi, 418. $28.95.)

Six Months in 1945 is the final book in Michael Dobbs's “Cold War Trilogy.” The previous two installments, One Minute to Midnight and Down with Big Brother, dealt with the Cuban Missile Crisis and ...