cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunization with antibodies that mimic LPS protects against gram negative bacterial sepsis

We developed 9H1.B11, an anti-idiotypic anti-deep core/lipid A (DCLA), murine monoclonal antibody (mAb) that mimics the conserved DCLA region of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). It recognizes an epitope in the variable region of an DCLA mAb, binds to the murine macrophage cell surface, and inhibits LPS-induced macrophage cytokine secretion. We hypothesized that (1) active immunization with mAb 9H1.B11 would be associated with the development of anti-DCLA antibodies and (2) immunization would protect against subsequent gram negative bacterial challenge. Mice were immunized for 8 weeks before intraperitoneal (ip) challenge with Escherichia coli O111:B4 bacteria. Control animals were immunized with an irrelevant IgM antibody 8133 (negative control) or with LPS derived from Salmonella minnesota Re bacteria (positive control). Sera from immunized mice were collected, and titers against the core region of LPS (Re) and against LPS derived from the infecting E. coli strain were determined. Mice immunized with mAb 9H1.B11 developed measurable titers against S. minnesota Re LPS but not against the challenge strain of E. coli. However, immunization with 9H1.B11 on S. minnesota Re LPS protected against subsequent infection due to E. coli O111:B4 (100% survival). The group of mice immunized with IgM 8133 exhibited only 25% survival. The development of an anti-S. minnesota Re LPS titer after immunization with 9H1.B11 provides further evidence that a portion of 9H1.B11 mimics the conserved DCLA region of LPS. We believe that this approach holds considerable promise and plan further studies to define the mechanism by which protective capacity occurs.
Vortex identification—applications in aerodynamics: a case study

An eigenvector method for vortex identification has been applied to recent numerical and experimental studies in external flow aerodynamics. It is shown to be an effective way to extract and visualize features such as vortex cores, spiral vortex breakdowns, vortex bursting, and vortex diffusion. Several problems are reported and illustrated. These include: disjointed line segments, detecting non-vortical flow features, and vortex core displacement. Future research and applications are discussed, such as using vortex cores to guide automatic grid refinement.
Health as Expanding Consciousness Implications for Health Policy as Praxis

The authors of this column explore the implications of Newman's theory of health as expanding consciousness for health policy. One aim is to expand the theory's practice methodology and praxis methods to the development of health policy, an under-represented area in the health as expanding consciousness literature. The second aim is to suggest a framework for policy development, the health as expanding consciousness policy protocol, and explore the possible impact that theory-guided policy may have on community and nursing efforts to transform health and public policy.
Optimizing btex biodegradation under denitrifying conditions

Laboratory tests were conducted to determine optimum conditions for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (collectively known as BTEX) biodegradation by aquifer microorganisms under denitrifying conditions. Microcosms, constructed with aquifer samples from Traverse City, Michigan, were amended with selected concentrations of nutrients and one or more hydrocarbons. Toluene, ethylbenzene, m-xylene, and p-xylene were degraded to below 5 μg/L when present as sole source substrates; stoichiometric calculations indicated that nitrate removal was sufficient to account for 70 to 80% of the compounds being mineralized. o-Xylene was recalcitrant when present as a sole source substrate, but was slowly degraded in the presence of the other hydrocarbons. Benzene was not degraded within one year, regardless of whether it was available as a sole source substrate or in combination with toluene, phenol, or catechol. Pre-exposure to low levels of BTEX and nutrients had variable effects, as did the addition of different concentrations of ammonia and phosphate. Nitrate concentrations as high as 500 mg/L NO3-N were slightly inhibitory. These data indicate that nitrate-mediated biodegradation of BTEX at Traverse City can occur under a variety of environmental conditions with rates relatively independent of nutrient concentrations. However, the data reaffirm that benzene is recalcitrant under strictly anaerobic conditions in these samples.
Robot navigation in unknown generalized polygonal terrains using vision sensors

This paper considers the problem of navigating a point robot in an unknown two-dimensional terrain populated by disjoint generalized polygonal obstacles. A generalized polygon consists of a connected sequence of circular arcs and straight-line segments. The terrain model is not known a priori, but the robot is equipped with a vision sensor. A discrete vision sensor detects all visible (from a single position) portions of the obstacle boundaries in a single scan operation. The navigation problem deals with moving the robot through the terrain from a source position to a destination position, and the terrain model acquisition problem deals with autonomously building a model of the terrain. A complete solution to either problem is shown to require an infinite number of scan operations in cusp regions formed by a pair of convex and concave obstacle edges. Either problem is considered solved with a precision /spl epsiv/ if the points that have not been scanned are those in a cusp region with a clearance less than /spl epsiv/ from two obstacle edges. Three methods are proposed to solve both problems with a precision /spl epsiv/ based on extensions of the generalized visibility graph, the generalized Voronoi diagram, and the trapezoidal decomposition. Then simplified versions of these structures are proposed to exactly solve the navigation and terrain model acquisition problems using a continuous vision sensor that detects all visible obstacle boundaries as the robot navigates along a path. >
LIFESPANS OF MICE AS AFFECTED BY CONTINUING IRRADIATION FROM COBALT-60 ACCUMULATED ANCESTRALLY AND UNDER DIRECT IRRADIATION.

HIS study of the primary effects of nearly continuous high-energy irradiation on mouse lifespan in the physiological ranges where reproduction is possible, has shown that the germ lines may function for as many as 24 generations at daily radiation rates of several thousand times the continuous irradiation from natural sources. The question is, at what cost? When this report was begun there were available six generations of completed lives on more than 5000 mice. The data were accumulated over a 5 year period. The population started as individual pair matings from each of ten inbred strains of our mice, five of which have been able to establish themselves and continue for more than ten generations. The interpretations are published with the full recognition that, while such changes are slow and not frequent, populations do change and may modify the results as expressed in later generations. The gamma radiation has been given at eight major dose levels for an average of 22 hours per day throughout their lifetimes and those of their descendants. In radiation-charged space carrying 0.6 to 2.7r per day at the place occupied by the mouse, one strain has reached the 24-generation progenies and four others are on their way to doing so. If irradiation continued above these levels sterility occurred in those mice receiving more than 4r per day over a period of time. An analysis (STADLER and GOWEN 1964) based on ten completed generations, shows that the first litter productivities of the irradiated mice do not differ from those of a corresponding sample of the same inbred strains not under man-made irradiation exposure. Similarly the sex ratios of the irradiated progenies do not differ in successive generations from those which were unexposed. Early survival and reproductivity of the inbred strains under irradiation proved more dependent on good biological characteristics such as fertility, litter size, milk supply, and mothering ability than on ability to resist large amounts of acute single dosages of wholebody irradiation. In this paper we shall further measure the effects of the long-term irradiation by a different characteristic, lifespan from conception to death. Dosages of irradiation are considered from the viewpoint of changing organ patterns as the life of the mouse progresses. Irradiations to the ancestral lines can initiate biological changes which find expression in the later progenies only as they may be carried down through the egg or sperm cytoplasm or germinal nuclear components. Progenies of successive generations have been examined for these effects since the
An experimental demonstration of the cost of sex and a potential resource limitation on reproduction in the moss Pterygoneurum (Pottiaceae)

The cost of sexual reproduction is incurred when the current reproductive episode contributes to a a decline in future plant performance. To test the hypotheses that a trade-off exists between current sexual reproduction and subsequent clonal regeneration and that resources limit reproduction and regeneration, plants of the widespread moss Pterygoneurum ovatum were subjected to induced sporophytic abortion, upper leaf removal, and nutrient amendment treatments. Sexually reproducing plants were slower or less likely to produce regenerative structures (protonemata or shoots) and produced fewer regenerative tissue areas or structures. The ability and the timeline to reproduce sexually and regenerate clonally were unaffected by an inorganic nutrient amendment. However, when leaves subtending the sporophyte were removed, the sporophytes were less likely to mature, tended to take a longer time to mature, and were smaller compared to sporophytes from shoots with a full complement of upper leaves. Our fi ndings indicate that plants investing in sexual reproduction suffer a cost of decreased clonal regeneration and indicate that sporophyte maturation is resource-limited, with upper leaves contributing to the nutrition of the sporophyte. This study represents only the second explicit experimental demonstration of a trade-off between sexual and asexual reproduction in bryophytes.
Testbed Demonstration and Analysis for Delivering Dual Services Simultaneously in a Single Radio-over-Fiber Access Platform

We propose and demonstrate an optical-wireless testbed delivering super-broad band wired and wireless services simultaneously in an integrated radio-over-fiber (ROF) and WDM-PON access network The actual applications include transmission of a 270-Mb/s uncompressed SDTV signal and 2.5-Gb/s data channel over 25-km fiber and 10.2-m indoor wireless link exhibiting a power penalty of less than 1.5-dB. Moreover, transmission characteristics over 40-km fiber and 4.0-m air channel at variable data rates and the wireless link power budget are also investigated in the testbed environment. The results show that this hybrid system is a practical solution to deliver super-broadband services serving both stationary and mobile users.
Checkpoints and continuations instead of nested transactions

We present a mechanism for partially aborting transactions through the use of data structure checkpoints and control-flow continuations. In particular, we show that boosted transactions [9] already have built-in restoration points and afford a simple, efficient implementation. Our mechanism is far simpler than previous work, which relied on complex nesting schemes to establish checkpoints. We demonstrate syntactic advantages and we quantify the overhead of checkpoints and explore several examples, illustrating the utility of partially aborting transactions.We additionally present a novel queue-based spin lock which allows threads to timeout and differ in priority. Unlike the known lock due to Craig [5], our lock is more efficient for priority schemes of few levels.
Integrin αMβ2-Mediated Cell Migration to Fibrinogen and Its Recognition Peptides

Leukocyte migration is the hallmark of inflammation, and integrin αMβ2 and its ligand fibrinogen (Fg) are key participants in this cellular response. Cells expressing wild-type or mutant αMβ2 and Fg or its derivatives have been used to dissect the molecular requirements for this receptor–ligand pair to mediate cell migration. The major conclusions are that (a) Fg, its D fragment, and its P1 and P2 αMβ2 recognition peptides support a chemotactic response; (b) when the I domain of αL was replaced with the I domain of αM, the chimeric receptor supported cell migration to Fg; however, the αM subunit, containing the I domain but lacking the β2 subunit, supported migration poorly, thus, the αMI domain is necessary but not sufficient to support chemotaxis, and efficient migration requires the β2 subunit and αMI domain; and (c) in addition to supporting cell migration, P2 enhanced αMβ2-mediated chemotaxis to Fg and the P1 peptide. This activation was associated with exposure of the activation-dependent epitope recognized by monoclonal antibody 7E3 and was observed also with human neutrophils. Taken together, these data define specific molecular requirements for αMβ2 to mediate cell migration to Fg derivatives and assign a novel proinflammatory activity to the P2 peptide.
Infant Frontal Electroencephalogram Asymmetry and Negative Emotional Reactivity as Predictors of Toddlerhood Effortful Control

Abstract Given the importance of children’s self-regulation, relations were examined between two fundamental components of self-regulation, specifically temperamentally based reactivity and regulation. Infant negative emotional reactivity and regulation, measured via frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry, were examined as potential precursors to understanding toddlerhood regulation, conceptualized as effortful control. Our longitudinal design allowed for examination of two perspectives on the interplay of reactivity and regulation, namely that (a) early negative affectivity interferes with the development of later regulation and (b) regulation is necessary to modulate negative affectivity and, thus, would buffer the effects of negative affectivity on later regulation. Mother–child dyads participated in a three-wave longitudinal study. Baseline frontal EEG asymmetry was assessed at 10 months (T1). Mothers rated children’s negative reactivity at both 10 and 24 months (T2). Children’s effortful control, measured at 30–36 months (T3), was a composite score of maternal ratings and observed behavior during a snack delay. Negative affectivity was related to effortful control; however, significant interactions between negative affect and frontal EEG asymmetry were found. Higher levels of negative affectivity at both T1 and T2 were associated with lower levels of effortful control at T3, but only for toddlers who also had right frontal EEG asymmetry. Negative affectivity was not associated with effortful control for the left frontal EEG asymmetry group. Our moderation findings highlight the complex relations of negative affect and frontal EEG asymmetry in understanding children’s development of self-regulation, specifically effortful control. The interaction between early reactivity and physiological regulation indicates that both may be important precursors of effortful control.
Introduction to Stream Data Management

In recent years, a new class of applications has emerged that requires managing data streams, i.e., data composed of continuous, real-time sequence of items. This chapter introduces issues and solutions in managing stream data. Some typical applications requiring support for streaming data are described and the challenges for data management systems in supporting these requirements are identified. This is followed by a description of solutions aimed at providing the required functionality. The chapter concludes with a tour of the rest of the chapters in the book.
Are you convinced? A Wizard of Oz study to test emotional vs. rational persuasion strategies in dialogues

This research explores ideal methods of persuasion through computer-mediated dialogue. We attempt to identify which persuasive strategy is most successful. We designed a Wizard of Oz laboratory experiment, where participants interact with a human wizard via a custom-developed web-based chat interface. The wizard attempted to persuade participants to learn more about Tai Chi using the following persuasive strategies: Emotional Positive, Emotional Negative, Rational Positive, and Rational Negative. Based on the results of the pre- and post-chat questionnaire, participants' interest in learning Tai Chi was significantly greater after completing the dialogue and 69% percent of the participants printed a flyer to receive more information. Furthermore, conversations using the Emotional Positive strategies resulted in more successful persuasion than rational ones. The results of our study suggest that Emotional Positive strategies may be the most effective. We also suggest successful strategies as a design guideline for autonomous dialogue systems for persuasion. We explore strategies for persuasion via acomputer-mediated dialogue about Tai Chi.We use a Wizard of Oz approach instead of a dialogue system.These strategies combined positive, negative, rational and emotional framings.Participants' interest in Tai Chi increased after completing the dialogue.Conversations with more Emotional Positive statements were the most successful.
Maternal modulation of infant glucocorticoid stress responses: Role of age and maternal deprivation

We recently showed that maternal contact (passive contact with an anesthetized lactating dam) eliminates the corticosteroid response to novelty stress in 12-, 16-, and 20-day-old rat pups that have been deprived of food and maternal care for 24 h. Here we report two experiments in which we examined the role of deprivation in the stress-modulatory effect of maternal contact. Blood levels of plasma corticosterone were determined in three groups of infant rats: a basal not-tested (NT) group, a group placed alone in warm novel test arenas (pup alone, or PA), and a group exposed to novelty in the presence of an anesthetized lactating dam (DAM). These three treatment conditions were combined factorially with a deprivation variable; that is, prior to testing, half the pups were deprived of food and maternal care for 24 h, and half the pups remained with their mothers in the home nest. Experiment 1 employed this 2 (deprived vs. nondeprived) x 3 (NT vs. DAM vs. PA) factorial design at each of three ages: 12, 16, and 20 days postnatal. In Experiment 2 this design was employed at 20, 24, and 28 postnatal days of age. At 12, 16, 20, and 24 days of age, deprived pups displayed a robust glucocorticoid response to novelty stress, and this response was inhibited by maternal contact. Nondeprived animals, on the other hand, displayed a dramatically attenuated glucocorticoid response to novelty that was less effectively inhibited by maternal contact. At 28 days, maternal contact was relatively ineffective in inhibiting the stress response, particularly in the absence of deprivation. These findings replicate and extend our previous ones concerning the psychological control of the pituitary-adrenal system during development and are consistent with the notion of maternal regulation of this physiological system in the infant.
Anxiety sensitivity and post-traumatic stress reactions: Evidence for intrusions and physiological arousal as mediating and moderating mechanisms.

Abstract A growing body of research has implicated anxiety sensitivity (AS) and its dimensions in the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the mechanism(s) that may account for the association between AS and PTSD remains unclear. Using the “trauma film paradigm,” which provides a prospective experimental tool for investigating analog intrusion development, the present study examines the extent to which intrusions mediate the association between AS and the development of posttraumatic stress reactions. After completing a measure of AS and state mood, unselected participants ( n = 45) viewed a 10 min film of graphic scenes of fatal traffic accidents and then completed a second assessment of state mood. Participants then kept a daily diary to record intrusions about the film for a one-week period. Post-traumatic stress reactions about the film were then assessed after the one-week period. The results showed that general AS and physical and cognitive concerns AS predicted greater post-traumatic stress reactions about the film a week later. Furthermore, the number of intrusions the day after viewing the traumatic film, but not fear and disgust in response to the trauma film, mediated the association between general AS (and AS specifically for physical and cognitive concerns) and post-traumatic stress reactions a week later. Subsequent analysis also showed that physiological arousal during initial exposure to the traumatic film moderated the association between general AS and the number of intrusions reported the day after viewing the film. The implications of these analog findings for conceptualizing the mechanism(s) that may interact to explain the role of AS in the development of PTSD and its effective treatment are discussed.
Engagement and knowledge building in an afterschool STEM Club: analyzing youth and facilitator posting behavior on a social networking site

Social networking sites (SNSs) are popular technologies used frequently among youth for recreational purposes. Increasing attention has been paid to the use of SNSs in educational settings as a way to engage youth interest and encourage academically productive discussion. Potential affordances of using SNSs for education include knowledge building, collaborative communities, and the ability to document and share processes and designs. In this study, the SNS, Edmodo, is examined as an educational tool used with Studio STEM. Results indicated that youth appropriated Edmodo to exhibit engagement and articulate knowledge through reciting facts, acknowledging learning, and documenting progress with the guidance of instructors and facilitators. Based on results, we suggest that efforts to include SNSs in integrative science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programming for youth prioritize consistent monitoring and guidance by supportive and more knowledgeable others as this serves to develop community ...
Chlorobi phy. nov.

Chlo.ro' bi. M.L. neut. n. Chlorobium genus of the phylum; dropping ending to denote a phylum; M.L. fem. pl. n. Chlorobi phylum of the genus Chlorobium. Chlorobi Keywords: Chlorobi phy. nov.; Chlorobium
Heterogeneous Submission Behavior and its Implications for Success in Innovation Contests with Public Submissions

Innovation contests are increasingly adopting a format where submissions are viewable by all contestants and the information structure changes during the contest. In such an “unblind” format, contestants must weigh the costs of revealing their submissions against the benefits of improving their submissions through emerging information. We take a closer look at how contestants solve problems in innovation contests with public submission of solutions—that is, unblind contests, by examining the implications of their submission behavior for contest outcomes. We analyze the submission behavior in terms of three dimensions: the position of first submission by the contestant, the number of submissions the contestant makes, and the length of active participation by the contestant. The econometric analysis of a large dataset of unblind innovation contests and participating contestants indicates that, despite the potential for free riding and intellectual property loss from disclosure of submissions, contestants who have a lower position of first submission are more likely to succeed in the contest. Further, we find some evidence of a curvilinear relationship between a contestant's number of submissions and her likelihood of success, indicating a potential “quality–quantity” trade-off in unblind innovation contests. Finally, our findings indicate that increasing the length of participation in a contest has a positive effect on a contestant's likelihood of success. Departing from prior studies on innovation contests, where a contestant's success is assumed to be a function of her prior experience and problem-solving skills, our study provides new empirical evidence that, in innovation contests with public submissions, the submission behavior of a contestant also plays an explanatory role in a contestant's success.
Notes on the demography of black Africans in South Africa in the early 1980s.

The demography of the black population of South Africa is analyzed and compared with that of blacks in the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa using data from official sources. "The article is organized into four sections. First it surveys what is known about mortality and fertility (and family planning). Then it turns to the issue of the populations size past growth and projected future growth. Finally the article takes a bold leap into the morass of population distribution involving forays into migration and urbanization." It is found that "black Africans in South Africa are demographically quite similar to other sub-Saharan populations." (EXCERPT)
The Influence of Sample Reconstruction on Stock Trend Prediction via NARX Neural Network

In our study, through the established NARX neural network model, the sample data of stock AAPL in NASDAQ from 2006/01/01 to 2015/01/01 are utilized for training. The results show that under the same sampling frequency, with the increase of MA period, the trend of volatility becomes lower with obvious longer time delay, which will help to predict the trend of movement. In addition, through the use of reconstructed data containing the trend information as training sample, it has significantly reduced the prediction error, which is 16.29% lower than using daily training sample and 16.90% lower than using weekly training sample. The outputs directly reflect the probability of trend movement at every time point in stock price. It also improves the generalization ability of NARX model, so as to predict the stock trend change at a certain time. It has successfully estimated the possibility of buying and selling points, which provides the necessary theoretical basis on how to determine the stock trading points.
Responses of Horse Flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) to Jersey Bullocks and Canopy Traps Baited with Ammonia, Octenol, and Carbon Dioxide

The attraction of females of six species of tabanids to stanchioned Jersey bullocks, unbaited canopy traps, and canopy traps baited with either octenol (1-octen-3-ol), ammonia (NH4OH), a combination of ammonia and octenol, or 5 kg of dry ice (CO2) was studied. A randomized Latin square design (treatments × sites × days) was used. Species diversity and number of flies captured in canopy traps unbaited or baited with octenol, ammonia, or the combination of octenol and ammonia did not differ significantly. Females of Tabanus americanus Forster, T. fuscicostatus Hine, and T. lineola F. were captured more frequently in CO2-baited canopy traps than on Jersey bullocks, but the reverse was observed for females of Leucotabanus annulatus (Say). The number of females of T. pallidescens Philip and T. wilsoni Pechuman collected from CO2-baited canopy traps and bullocks did not differ significantly.
Getting fast, free, and anonymous answers to questions asked by people with visual impairments

Much of the information we encounter in daily life is visual. For people with visual impairments, this information is not inherently accessible. Technology can be used to provide access to this visual information, through automated tools like currency identifiers, object recognizers, and optical character recognition, which allow for immediate access to visual information in a users' environment. However, these tools are often are limited to a specific domain, and can fail in non-ideal conditions (e.g., an optical character recognition tool trying to identify handwritten text). By incorporating people into the information access pipeline, human-powered tools can allow for more complex information to be extracted from the user's surroundings. Human-powered access tools connect people who have disabilities to other people who can access information on their behalf. While people may not be as quick as automated tools, the person answering can make inferences based on prior knowledge and experiences, ask for clarification, and reason over the information provided. In this article, we explore the long-term public deployment and lessons learned from VizWiz Social, a human-powered access tool that connects people with visual impairments to sighted workers or friends and family members who can answer their visual questions. By analyzing the use of this service, and running controlled experiments to determine how users value different answer sources, we have been able to build upon the original VizWiz design to create social microvolunteering, a method for getting fast, free, and anonymous answers to visual questions.
Modification of Bismaleimide with Rigid Polyetherimide

The viscosity and gel time of resin system of modified bismaleimide(BMI) resin with rigid polyetherimide(PEI) and the mechanical properties of PEI/BMI/RS/ glass composite materials were studied.The results show that the addition of PET resin extends gel time,narrows temperature range at low viscosity of the melt resin system.PEI 5% in the content,the composite material has better mechanical properties,bending strength increase by 28.0%,impact strength 26.1%.
Choosing wisely – the viewpoint and experiences of the American Psychiatric Association

Choosing wisely, a program developed by the American Board of Internal Medicine in 2012, is advancing a national dialogue on avoiding wasteful or unnecessary medical tests, treatments or procedures. Recommendations are chosen that have a strong evidence base. There are now over seventy specialty society partners including the American Psychiatric Association. The program attempts to involve patients in the dialogue and an important partner in the program is consumer reports. In this presentation, information about the origins of the program, its development and the impact it has on the practice of medicine will be reviewed. Also the measures developed and submitted by the American Psychiatric Association will be discussed and potential additional psychiatric measures will be discussed. The strengths and weaknesses of the program will be identified.
Increased maternal serum 3α, 17β-androstanediol glucuronide concentrations during pregnancy

Maternal serum concentrations of 3 α , 17 β -androstanediol glucuronide (3 α -diol-G), a substance that reflects peripheral androgen action and tissue 5 α -reductase activity, were measured in 33 normal men, 51 nonpregnant women, and 51 women with uncomplicated pregnancies. The 3 α -diol-G concentrations in men (median, 201ng/ml) were significantly higher than in nonpregnant women (median, 42ng/ml) or pregnant women (median, 124ng/ml). The concentrations in pregnant women were significantly greater than those in nonpregnant women, and there were no significant differences between trimesters in maternal 3 α -diol-G concentrations. There were no fetal sex differences found in maternal serum or in third-trimester amniotic fluid. These results indicate that pregnancy is associated with increased androgen production by maternal tissues and that fetal 3 α -diol-G production is low.
Unexpected severe consequences of Pikfyve deletion by aP2- or Aq-promoter-driven Cre expression for glucose homeostasis and mammary gland development.

Systemic deficiency of PIKfyve, the evolutionarily conserved phosphoinositide kinase synthesizing cellular PtdIns5P and PtdIns(3,5)P2 and implicated in insulin signaling, causes early embryonic death in mice. In contrast, mice with muscle‐specific Pikfyve disruption have normal lifespan but exhibit early‐age whole‐body glucose intolerance and muscle insulin resistance, thus establishing the key role of muscle PIKfyve in glucose homeostasis. Fat and muscle tissues control postprandial glucose clearance through different mechanisms, raising questions as to whether adipose Pikfyve disruption will also trigger whole‐body metabolic abnormalities, and if so, what the mechanism might be. To clarify these issues, here we have characterized two new mouse models with adipose tissue disruption of Pikfyve through Cre recombinase expression driven by adipose‐specific aP2‐ or adiponectin (Aq) promoters. Whereas both mouse lines were ostensibly normal until adulthood, their glucose homeostasis and systemic insulin sensitivity were severely dysregulated. These abnormalities stemmed in part from accelerated fat‐cell lipolysis and elevated serum FFA. Intriguingly, aP2‐Cre‐PIKfyvefl/fl but not Aq‐Cre‐PIKfyvefl/fl females had severely impaired pregnancy‐induced mammary gland differentiation and lactogenesis, consistent with aP2‐Cre‐mediated Pikfyve excision in nonadipogenic tissues underlying this defect. Intriguingly, whereas mammary glands from postpartum control and Aq‐Cre‐PIKfyvefl/fl mice or ex vivo mammary gland explants showed profound upregulation of PIKfyve protein levels subsequent to prolactin receptor activation, such increases were not apparent in aP2‐Cre‐PIKfyvefl/fl females. Collectively, our data identify for the first time that adipose tissue Pikfyve plays a key role in the mechanisms regulating glucose homeostasis and that the PIKfyve pathway is critical in mammary epithelial differentiation during pregnancy and lactogenesis downstream of prolactin receptor signaling.
Economic-Robust Transmission Opportunity Based Spectrum Trading

Under the network architecture illustrated in Chap. 1, in this chapter, we further introduce a transmission opportunity based spectrum trading scheme, called TOST, which can support multi-hop data traffic, ensure economic-robustness (i.e., incentive compatibility, individual rationality, and budget balance), and generate high revenue for the spectrum trader. Specifically, in TOST, instead of spectrum bands as in traditional spectrum trading schemes, users bid for transmission opportunities (TOs). A TO is defined as the permit of data transmission on a specific link using a certain band, i.e., a link-band pair. The TOST scheme is composed of three procedures: TO allocation, TO scheduling, and pricing, which are performed sequentially and iteratively until the aforementioned goals are reached. We prove that TOST is economic-robust, and conduct extensive simulations to show its effectiveness and efficiency.
Control of Power Systems with High Penetration Variable Generation

This work will consider new approaches to optimal control design and distributed estimation, to allow renewable resources and storage technologies to more effectively contribute to system-wide goals of grid frequency regulation and electromechanical stability enhancement. Examining a specific case study of wind turbine generation and battery energy storage, this work will illustrate how optimal design can best exploit the very different dynamic characteristics of these disparate types of resources, while respecting the control saturation limits in which they much operate (e.g., power and stored energy limits for a battery, response bandwidth limits for wind turbine blade pitch control). Coupled with this will be techniques for local observation of the overall grid’s dynamic state (made tractable by limiting attention to a low dimension subspace), allowing distributed resources to contribute to system wide control objectives.
Enzyme activation through the utilization of intrinsic dianion binding energy.

43 We consider 'the proposition that the intrinsic binding energy that results from the noncovalent interaction of a specific substrate with the active site of the enzyme is considerably larger than is generally believed. An important part of this binding energy may be utilized to provide the driving force for catalysis, so that the observed binding energy represents only what is left over after this utilization' [Jencks,W.P. (1975) Adv. Enzymol. Relat. Areas. Mol. Biol. , , 219-410]. The large ~12 kcal/mol intrinsic substrate phosphodianion binding energy for reactions catalyzed by triosephosphate isomerase (TIM), orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is divided into 4-6 kcal/mol binding energy that is expressed on the formation of the Michaelis complex in anchoring substrates to the respective enzyme, and 6-8 kcal/mol binding energy that is specifically expressed at the transition state in activating the respective enzymes for catalysis. A structure-based mechanism is described where the dianion binding energy drives a conformational change that activates these enzymes for catalysis. Phosphite dianion plays the active role of holding TIM in a high-energy closed active form, but acts as passive spectator in showing no effect on transition-state structure. The result of studies on mutant enzymes is presented, which support the proposal that the dianion-driven enzyme conformational change plays a role in enhancing the basicity of side chain of E167, the catalytic base, by clamping the base between a pair of hydrophobic side chains. The insight these results provide into the architecture of enzyme active sites and the development of strategies for the de novo design of protein catalysts is discussed.
The relationship between out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures and insurance status among individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Objectives To assess the relationship between out-of-pocket (OOP) healthcare expenditures and insurance status among subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods A retrospective database study using the 2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey was conducted. Adults (≥18 years) with a COPD diagnosis who received COPD-related healthcare services at least once in 2012 were included. The dependent variable was annual OOP expenditures and the independent variable was health insurance type. Descriptive statistics, regression for complex sampling design and a two-part model (TPM) were conducted using SAS and STATA. Key findings Subjects’ (N = 587 unweighted; N = 5,982,925 weighted) total mean ± SE OOP COPD expenditures were $236.2 ± 45.1. TPM analysis showed that there was no difference in having OOP expenditures versus no OOP expenditures by insurance status. Among those having OOP expenditures, compared to subjects with private insurance, those with no insurance had 4.8 times higher OOP expenditures (OR; 95% CI: 4.754 (2.069, 10.935)). Inpatient OOP expenditures and ambulatory care visit OOP expenditures were significantly higher for subjects with no insurance ($4,631.7 ± 1,753.7 and $77.9 ± 14.0 respectively) than for those privately insured ($186.9 ± 167.8 and $35.0 ± 5.3 respectively). Regarding prescription expenditures, there were no statistically significant differences in OOP expenditures when stratified by insurance status. Conclusions Compared to insured subjects, those with no insurance had higher OOP expenditures for COPD-related total, inpatient and ambulatory care services. No statistical difference was noted in OOP expenditures for prescriptions. The Affordable Care Act may be beneficial in reducing OOP expenditures for those who were not insured.
Antimicrobial drug use in food-producing animals and associated human health risks: what, and how strong, is the evidence?

Antimicrobial resistance is a public health threat. Because antimicrobial consumption in food-producing animals contributes to the problem, policies restricting the inappropriate or unnecessary agricultural use of antimicrobial drugs are important. However, this link between agricultural antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance has remained contested by some, with potentially disruptive effects on efforts to move towards the judicious or prudent use of these drugs. The goal of this review is to systematically evaluate the types of evidence available for each step in the causal pathway from antimicrobial use on farms to human public health risk, and to evaluate the strength of evidence within a ‘Grades of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation‘(GRADE) framework. The review clearly demonstrates that there is compelling scientific evidence available to support each step in the causal pathway, from antimicrobial use on farms to a public health burden caused by infections with resistant pathogens. Importantly, the pathogen, antimicrobial drug and treatment regimen, and general setting (e.g., feed type) can have significant impacts on how quickly resistance emerges or spreads, for how long resistance may persist after antimicrobial exposures cease, and what public health impacts may be associated with antimicrobial use on farms. Therefore an exact quantification of the public health burden attributable to antimicrobial drug use in animal agriculture compared to other sources remains challenging. Even though more research is needed to close existing data gaps, obtain a better understanding of how antimicrobial drugs are actually used on farms or feedlots, and quantify the risk associated with antimicrobial use in animal agriculture, these findings reinforce the need to act now and restrict antibiotic use in animal agriculture to those instances necessary to ensure the health and well-being of the animals.
Discrete β-adrenergic mechanisms regulate early and late erythropoiesis in erythropoietin-resistant anemia.

Background Anemia of critical illness is resistant to exogenous erythropoietin. Packed red blood cells transfusions is the only treatment option, and despite related cost and morbidity, there is a need for alternate strategies. Erythrocyte development can be divided into erythropoietin-dependent and erythropoietin-independent stages. We have shown previously that erythropoietin-dependent development is intact in burn patients and the erythropoietin-independent early commitment stage, which is regulated by β1/β2-adrenergic mechanisms, is compromised. Utilizing the scald burn injury model, we studied erythropoietin-independent late maturation stages and the effect of β1/β2, β-2, or β-3 blockade in burn mediated erythropoietin-resistant anemia. Methods Burn mice were randomized to receive daily injections of propranolol (nonselective β1/β2 antagonist), nadolol (long-acting β1/β2 antagonist), butoxamine (selective β2 antagonist), or SR59230A (selective β3 antagonist) for 6 days after burn. Total bone marrow cells were characterized as nonerythroid cells, early and late erythroblasts, nucleated orthochromatic erythroblasts and enucleated reticulocyte subsets using CD71, Ter119, and Syto-16 by flow cytometry. Multipotential progenitors were probed for MafB expressing cells. Results Although propranolol improved early and late erythroblasts, only butoxamine and selective β3-antagonist administrations were positively reflected in the peripheral blood hemoglobin and red blood cells count. While burn impeded early commitment and late maturation stages, β1/β2 antagonism increased the early erythroblasts through commitment stages via β2 specific MafB regulation. β3 antagonism was more effective in improving overall red blood cells through late maturation stages. Conclusion The study unfolds novel β2 and β3 adrenergic mechanisms orchestrating erythropoietin resistant anemia after burn, which impedes both the early commitment stage and the late maturation stages, respectively.
The Human Factor to Profitability: Leveraging People-Centered Cultures as Meaningful Organizations

Employees want to work for organizations that provide a sense of purpose. People-centered organizational cultures promote meaningful organizations. In people-centered cultures, all people are impor...
Trends in global E-food supply chain and implications for transport: literature review and research directions

Abstract With food supply chains distributed across global markets connected via internet using e-business solutions, transporting food from farm to fork is a critical element of any such supply chains. The transport can fall anywhere in the spectrum from long distances between farmers in one country to processors or distributors in another country, to short distances from retailers to end consumers both on the same street. We identify the key characteristics of the food supply chain and review the literature. Furthermore, we discuss a few trends that will lead the future of food transport and list a number of relevant and challenging research areas. In general, food supply chains are impacted by (1) socio-economic trends, (2) digitalization and innovation, and (3) transboundary animal and plant pests and diseases. Such developments have significant implications for food transport. In order to feed the billions of people that will live in big cities across the world in the coming decades, the academic community needs to unite with practitioners to efficiently manage the global transportation of food using the traditional and new modes of transportation that will be all connected thanks to digitalization.
Assessing library space for learning

Over the past 15–20 years, many college and university libraries have seen circulation statistics drop along with the number of reference questions, while gate counts, or the number of visitors to ...
Clinical Insights for Cervical Ripening and Labor Induction Using Prostaglandins

Cervical ripening is often the first component of labor induction and is used to facilitate the softening and thinning of the cervix in preparation for labor. Common methods used for cervical ripening include both mechanical (e.g., Foley or Cook catheters) and pharmacologic (e.g., prostaglandins) methods. The choice of method(s) for ripening should take into account the patient's medical and obstetric history, clinical characteristics, and risk of adverse effects if uterine tachysystole were to occur. In this narrative review, we highlight the differences between the prostaglandins dinoprostone and misoprostol with respect to pharmacology and pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and potential safety concerns. Practical guidance on choosing an appropriate prostaglandin agent for cervical ripening and labor induction is provided via the use of clinical vignettes. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of each preparation allows clinicians to individualize treatment, depending on the indications for induction and unique characteristics of each patient.