cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of Temperature upon the Inotropic Effect of Metabolic Acidosis in Cat Papillary Muscles

SummaryIsolated cat papillary muscles immersed in Ringer's solution were subjected to metabolic acidosis (pH 6.9, Pco2 = 40 mm Hg). Acidosis was produced at three temperatures of the bathing solution: 25, 30, and 38°. Acidosis at 25° was not followed by significant changes in contractility, whereas a negative inotropic effect was observed at 30 and 38°. The deletereous effect of acidosis was more marked at higher temperatures. It is possible that this effect might account in part for some of the controversies observed in the literature.
Stress response and the adolescent transition: Performance versus peer rejection stressors

Little is known about normative variation in stress response over the adolescent transition. This study examined neuroendocrine and cardiovascular responses to performance and peer rejection stressors over the adolescent transition in a normative sample. Participants were 82 healthy children (ages 7-12 years, n = 39, 22 females) and adolescents (ages 13-17, n = 43, 20 females) recruited through community postings. Following a habituation session, participants completed a performance (public speaking, mental arithmetic, mirror tracing) or peer rejection (exclusion challenges) stress session. Salivary cortisol, salivary alpha amylase (sAA), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), and heart rate were measured throughout. Adolescents showed significantly greater cortisol, sAA, SBP, and DBP stress response relative to children. Developmental differences were most pronounced in the performance stress session for cortisol and DBP and in the peer rejection session for sAA and SBP. Heightened physiological stress responses in typical adolescents may facilitate adaptation to new challenges of adolescence and adulthood. In high-risk adolescents, this normative shift may tip the balance toward stress response dysregulation associated with depression and other psychopathology. Specificity of physiological response by stressor type highlights the importance of a multisystem approach to the psychobiology of stress and may also have implications for understanding trajectories to psychopathology.
Direct use of design criteria in genetic algorithm-based controller optimization

In this study, genetic algorithms are applied to design controllers for the wind-excited vibration reduction of a 76-story tall building in the second-generation benchmark problem. Design criteria and constraints including the comfort requirement for building occupants and the control robustness are directly incorporated in the formulation and evaluation of the fitness and penalty function of the genetic algorithm-based control design. The method is efficient in obtaining optimal design with multiple constraint conditions. Two controllers are designed with realistic constraints and different robustness criteria. The corresponding results are investigated and compared with LQG optimal control results. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Interval Neutrosophic Sets and Logic: Theory and Applications in Computing

A neutrosophic set is a part of neutrosophy that studies the origin, nature, and scope of neutralities, as well as their interactions with different ideational spectra. The neutrosophic set is a powerful general formal framework that has been recently proposed. However, the neutrosophic set needs to be specified from a technical point of view. Here, we define the set-theoretic operators on an instance of a neutrosophic set, and call it an Interval Neutrosophic Set (INS). We prove various properties of INS, which are connected to operations and relations over INS. We also introduce a new logic system based on interval neutrosophic sets. We study the interval neutrosophic propositional calculus and interval neutrosophic predicate calculus. We also create a neutrosophic logic inference system based on interval neutrosophic logic. Under the framework of the interval neutrosophic set, we propose a data model based on the special case of the interval neutrosophic sets called Neutrosophic Data Model. This data model is the extension of fuzzy data model and paraconsistent data model. We generalize the set-theoretic operators and relation-theoretic operators of fuzzy relations and paraconsistent relations to neutrosophic relations. We propose the generalized SQL query constructs and tuple-relational calculus for Neutrosophic Data Model. We also design an architecture of Semantic Web Services agent based on the interval neutrosophic logic and do the simulation study.
PrivacyCam: a Privacy Preserving Camera Using uCLinux on the Blackfin DSP

Considerable research work has been done in the area of surveillance and biometrics, where the goals have always been high performance, robustness in security and cost optimization. With the emergence of more intelligent and complex video surveillance mechanisms, the issue of "privacy invasion" has been looming large. Very little investment or effort has gone into looking after this issue in an efficient and cost-effective way. The process of PICO (privacy through invertible cryptographic obscuration) is a way of using cryptographic techniques and combining them with image processing and video surveillance to provide a practical solution to the critical issue of "privacy invasion". This paper presents the idea and example of a realtime embedded application of the PICO technique, using uCLinux on the tiny Blackfin DSP architecture, along with a small Omnivision camera. It demonstrates how the practical problem of "privacy invasion" can be successfully addressed through DSP hardware in terms of smallness in size and cost optimization. After review of previous applications of "privacy protection", and system components, we discuss the "embedded jpeg-space" detection of regions of interest and the real time application of encryption techniques to improve privacy while allowing general surveillance to continue. The resulting approach permits full access (violation of privacy) only by access to the private-key to recover the decryption key, thereby striking a fine trade-off among privacy, security, cost and space.
Patterning of High Tc Superconductor Films with a Focussed Excimer Laser

Laser ablation using focussed excimner light has been found to be an effective technique for the direct, maskless patterning of High Tc superconductor films. The apparatus used in the work consists of an adjustable aperture which is illuminated by a 193 nm excimer laser beam. The aperture is imaged by a microscope onto the substrate into an area as large as 200 × 200 to an area as small as 2 × 2 square microns. The superconductor films are placed on a 0.5 micron resolution, computer controlled x-y stage. Laser fluences up to 5 J/cm2 and repetition rates of 10 Hz were found to be sufficient to ablate (pattern) the High Tc films with no apparent effect on their superconducting properties as evidenced by the films′ resistance as a function of temperature (R vs T) before and after patterning. The technique and apparatus are flexible enough to allow patterning across entire substrates and/or the definition of isolated features as small as one micron. To date, the technique has been successfully used to pattern a wide variety of films (based on material and thickness), to fabricate transmission lines several millimeters long, to pattern superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) which operate at liquid nitrogen temperatures, and to study the behavior of individual grain boundaries within films.
Suppression of Astrovirus Replication by an ERK1/2 Inhibitor

Human astroviruses are nonenveloped, positive-sense single-strand RNA viruses associated with self-limiting diarrhea. Although they are recognized as a leading cause of disease in young children, the cellular factors involved in astrovirus replication are not well defined. The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway has been shown to regulate many viral infections, but its role during astrovirus infection is unknown. In this report, we show that astrovirus activates ERK1/2 early in infection independently of replication. Inhibition of ERK activation with U0126, a specific ERK inhibitor, significantly reduced viral production. Investigations into the mechanism of ERK1/2 regulation revealed that all steps of the viral life cycle, including early and late protein expression as well as subgenomic and genomic RNA transcription, were diminished during U0126 treatment of monolayers. These data support a role for ERK1/2 in a postattachment step, although the precise mechanism remains under investigation.
All four Mycobacterium tuberculosis glnA genes encode glutamine synthetase activities but only GlnA1 is abundantly expressed and essential for bacterial homeostasis.

Summary Glutamine synthetases (GS) are ubiquitous enzymes that play a central role in every cell's nitrogen metabolism. We have investigated the expression and activity of all four genomic Mycobacterium tuberculosis GS – GlnA1, GlnA2, GlnA3 and GlnA4 – and four enzymes regulating GS activity and/or nitrogen and glutamate metabolism – adenylyl transferase (GlnE), γ-glutamylcysteine synthase (GshA), UDP-N-acetylmuramoylalanine-d-glutamate ligase (MurD) and glutamate racemase (MurI). All eight genes are located in multigene operons except for glnA1, and all are transcribed in M. tuberculosis; however, some are not translated or translated at such low levels that the enzymes escape detection. Of the four GS, only GlnA1 can be detected. Each of the eight genes, as well as the glnA1–glnE–glnA2 cluster, was expressed separately in Mycobacterium smegmatis, and its gene product was characterized and assayed for enzymatic activity by analysing the reaction products. In M. smegmatis, all four recombinant-overexpressed GS are multimeric enzymes exhibiting GS activity. Whereas GlnA1, GlnA3 and GlnA4 catalyse the synthesis of l-glutamine, GlnA2 catalyses the synthesis of d-glutamine and d-isoglutamine. The generation of mutants in M. tuberculosis of the four glnA genes, murD and murI demonstrated that all of these genes except glnA1 are nonessential for in vitro growth. l-methionine-S,R-sulphoximine (MSO), previously demonstrated to inhibit M. tuberculosis growth in vitro and in vivo, strongly inhibited all four GS enzymes; hence, the design of MSO analogues with an improved therapeutic to toxic ratio remains a promising strategy for the development of novel anti-M. tuberculosis drugs.
Remote control of smart appliances using MPEI

Home automation systems have been utilized for smart homes. In this work, a home automation system based on multi-port power electronic interface is proposed. This system is potentially capable of power management as well as home automation. Remote power management of smart appliances is performed using ZigBee network. A case study is presented to show effectiveness of this system.
Cost-Effectiveness of Routine Antenatal Varicella Screening

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of routine antenatal varicella serologic screening of pregnant women with negative or indeterminate varicella histories. Methods: Routine antenatal varicella screening was evaluated using a decision analytic model. Outcomes were varicella cases, deaths, and life-years. Probabilities were derived from the literature, and sensitivity analysis was performed when data were imprecise or subject to variation. The analysis was repeated to include the effect of a policy of routine screening and vaccination of all adults. Results: Routine antenatal varicella screening of history-negative women was not cost-effective unless the cost of screening was decreased six-fold, varicella exposure rates were greater than 6%, or there was a greater than three-fold decrease in varicella exposure in women testing nonimmune compared with unscreened women. These results were not sensitive to alterations in varicella-zoster immunoglobulin (Ig) effectiveness, varicella communicability, rates and timing of contact reporting, costs (per case, pneumonia, and death), or serologic test performance. If performed as part of a policy of universal screening of all history-negative adults (with vaccination of the majority of those testing nonimmune), routine antenatal varicella testing became cost-effective. Conclusion: Routine antenatal varicella screening of all pregnant women with negative or indeterminate varicella histories is not cost-effective. It could be cost-effective in groups of women with increased exposure risk, or if part of a policy of screening and vaccination of all adults.
Testing and characterization of ASICs by the user

The use of simulation data obtained during user development of an application-specific IC (ASIC) to generate a test program is discussed. It is shown that the quality of the test program generated in this way depends on the accuracy of the simulation and the thoroughness of the applied stimuli. The simulation needs to take account of both the tester and the device specifications. The tester imposes certain restraints such as minimum pulse width and restrictions on the relative placing of edges. If the simulator is not truly dynamic, there can be problems with the resulting test program in two key areas. The setup and hold times of the inputs may not be correctly verified, and position of the output may be wrongly predicted. A tester-per-pin architecture has several advantages over a shared-resource tester. These advantages mean saving or shortening of certain steps in the conversion process, easy characterization, and faster response for changes. >
Normal pubertal development: Part I: The endocrine basis of puberty.

1. Brian Bordini, MD* 2. Robert L. Rosenfield, MD* 1. *Section of Adult and Pediatric Endocrinology, The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Explain how puberty is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. 2. Describe the hormonal interactions involved in pubertal development in boys and girls. Puberty is a defining developmental stage of every child's life, both physically and psychosocially. Concerns about the normalcy of pubertal development and menstrual patterns are among the most common questions posed to every physician caring for children. This article reviews the primary physiologic changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and in adrenal androgen and growth hormone (GH) production that underlie the normal pubertal milestones. Understanding of these changes allows interpretation of laboratory data in children suspected of having pubertal abnormalities. Puberty is the developmental stage during which a child becomes a young adult, characterized by the maturation of gametogenesis, secretion of gonadal hormones, and development of secondary sexual characteristics and reproductive functions. Adolescence is used widely as a generally synonymous term for puberty, but the term often is used to convey an added connotation of cognitive, psychological, and social change. Thelarche denotes the onset of breast development, an estrogen effect. Pubarche denotes the onset of sexual hair growth, an androgen effect. Menarche indicates the onset of menses and spermarche the appearance of spermatozoa in seminal fluid. Gonadarche refers to the onset of pubertal function of the gonads, which produce most of the sex hormones that underlie the pubertal changes in secondary sex characteristics. Adrenarche refers to the onset of the adrenal androgen production that contributes to pubarche. ### The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis Normal puberty results from sustained, mature activity of the HPG axis. (1). The major hormones of the HPG axis are shown in Figure …
Contingency perception and misperception in infancy: some potential implications for attachment.

Abstract A theoretical analysis is presented in which the four major attachment patterns (A, B, C, and D) are viewed as adaptations to particular forms of early contingency experience. The author proposes that human infants analyze contingency experience on the basis of two computations of conditional probability, one prospective and one retrospective. Ideally, when these computations do not agree, the direction of disagreement provides information as to how the infant should adjust effective behavior and/or how potential contingent consequences should be redefined. The author also proposes that the specific patterns of insecure attachment (A, C, and D) are a result of parental responsiveness that is by nature inconsistent or out of balance and that the infant interprets this imbalance as his or her misperception of a balanced contingency. The observed symptoms of attachment insecurity are seen as consistent with specific attempts by infants to adjust behavior and/or discrimination according to the direct...
Thrombocytosis in Pediatric HIV Infection

Thrombocytopenia has been extensively reported in association with HIV infection. Twenty-four children (6%) from a cohort of 400 children with platelet counts >500,000/mm3 were reviewed. All had symptomatic disease and 10 (42%) patients died. In 4 children the platelet count exceeded 700,000/mm3 and in 1 patient the platelet count was 1.5 million/mm3. There were no thrombotic complications, and no specific therapy was required for the thrombocytosis. Thus HIV-1 infection, a chronic viral infection, is another etiologic agent for thrombocytosis and is associated with severe disease.
Larval exposure to environmentally relevant mixtures of alkylphenolethoxylates reduces reproductive competence in male fathead minnows.

The ubiquitous presence of nonylphenolethoxylate/octylphenolethoxylate (NPE/OPE) compounds in aquatic environments adjacent to wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) warrants an assessment of the endocrine disrupting potential of these complex mixtures on aquatic vertebrates. In this study, fathead minnow larvae were exposed for 64 days to a mixture of NPE/OPE, which closely models the NPE/OPE composition of a major metropolitan WWTP effluent. Target exposure concentrations included a total NPE/OPE mixture load of 200% of the WWTP effluent concentration (148 μg/L), 100% of the WWTP effluent concentration (74 μg/L) and 50% of the WWTP effluent concentration (38 μg/L). The NPE/OPE mixture contained 0.2% 4-t-octylphenol, 2.8% 4-nonylphenol, 5.1% 4-nonylphenolmonoethoxylate, 9.3% 4-nonylphenoldiethoxylate, 0.9% 4-t-octylphenolmonoethoxylate, 3.1% 4-t-octylphenoldiethoxylate, 33.8% 4-nonylphenolmonoethoxycarboxylate, and 44.8% 4-nonylphenoldiethoxycarboxylate. An additional exposure of 5 μg/L 4-nonylphenol (nominal) was conducted. The exposure utilized a flow-through system supplied by ground water and designed to deliver consistent concentrations of applied chemicals. Following exposure, larvae were raised to maturity. Upon sexual maturation, exposed male fish were allowed to compete with control males in a competitive spawning assay. Nest holding ability of control and exposed fish was carefully monitored for 7 days. All male fish were then sacrificed and analyzed for plasma vitellogenin, developmental changes in gonadal tissues, alterations in the development of secondary sexual characters, morphometric changes, and changes to reproductive behavior. When exposed to the 200% NPE/OPE treatment most larvae died within the first 4 weeks of exposure. Both the 100% and 50% NPE/OPE exposures caused a significant decrease in reproductive behavior, as indicated by an inability of many of the previously exposed males to acquire and hold a nest site required for reproduction. In contrast, the 5 μg/L 4-nonylphenol exposure resulted in significantly enhanced reproductive behavior compared to that of control males and a majority of the nesting sites were held by previously exposed males. No significant change in the development of gonadal tissues was observed. The 100% NPE/OPE exposure resulted in a significant reduction in the gonadal somatic index and in the prominence of secondary sexual characteristics of exposed larvae. This study indicates that NPE/OPE mixtures have an effect on the reproductive competence of previously exposed male fathead minnows. In addition, 4-nonylphenol concentrations utilized in all exposures were below regulatory guidelines, suggesting that evaluation of 4-nonylphenol alone may not be sufficient for identifying potentially adverse effects of this suite of compounds usually found as mixtures in the aquatic environment.
The Scribble module regulates retromer-dependent endocytic trafficking during epithelial polarization

Scribble (Scrib) module proteins are major regulators of cell polarity, but how they influence membrane traffic is not known. Endocytosis is also a key regulator of polarity through roles that remain unclear. Here we link Scrib to a specific arm of the endocytic trafficking system. Drosophila mutants that block AP-2-dependent endocytosis share many phenotypes with Scrib module mutants, but Scrib module mutants show intact internalization and endolysosomal transport. However, defective traffic of retromer pathway cargo is seen, and retromer components show strong genetic interactions with the Scrib module. The Scrib module is required for proper retromer localization to endosomes and promotes appropriate cargo sorting into the retromer pathway via both aPKC-dependent and -independent mechanisms. We propose that the Scrib module regulates epithelial polarity by influencing endocytic itineraries of Crumbs and other retromer-dependent cargo.
The Relevance Of Business School Education, What Do You Think?

Many people believe that the focus of graduate business education become increasingly hemmed in, self absorbed and less relevant to practitioners. I wish to determine if these challenges are true.
Rigid Esophagoscopy for Head and Neck Cancer Staging and the Incidence of Synchronous Esophageal Malignant Neoplasms

Importance Rigid esophagoscopy (RE) was once an essential part of the evaluation of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) due to the high likelihood of identifying a synchronous malignant neoplasm in the esophagus. Given recent advances in imaging and endoscopic techniques and changes in the incidence of esophageal cancer, the current role for RE in HNSCC staging is unclear. Objective To analyze the current role of RE in evaluating patients with HNSCC, and to determine the incidence of synchronous esophageal malignant neoplasms in patients with HNSCC. Design, Setting, and Participants In this retrospective study performed at an academic tertiary care center, 582 patients were studied who had undergone RE for HNSCC staging from July 1, 2004, through October 31, 2012. To assess the incidence of synchronous esophageal malignant neoplasms, a literature review was performed, and the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data set was queried. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome measure was the incidence of synchronous esophageal malignant neoplasms, as measured by retrospective review at our institution, SEER data set analysis, and literature review. Secondary outcome measures were RE complications and nonmalignant findings during RE. Results A total of 601 staging REs were performed in 582 patients. The mean age was 60.2 years and 454 (78.0%) were men. There were 9 complications (1.5%), including 1 esophageal perforation (0.2%). Rigid esophagoscopy was aborted in 50 cases. Of the 551 completed REs, no abnormal findings were noted in 523 patients (94.9%), and nonmalignant pathologic findings were identified in 28 patients (5.1%). No synchronous primary esophageal carcinomas were detected. The incidence of synchronous esophageal malignant neoplasms found on screening endoscopy based on literature review and on SEER data set analysis was very low and has decreased from 1980 to 2010 in North America. The incidence reported in South America and Asia was relatively high. Conclusions and Relevance Rigid esophagoscopy is safe, but the utility is low for cancer staging and for detection of nonmalignant esophageal disease. Review of the literature and analysis of a large national cancer data set indicate that the incidence of synchronous esophageal malignant neoplasms in patients with HNSCC is low and has been decreasing during the past 3 decades. Thus, screening esophagoscopy should be limited to patients with HNSCC who are at high risk for synchronous esophageal malignant neoplasms.
Disparate effects of three types of extracellular acidosis on left ventricular function

Effects of acidosis on muscle contractile function have been studied extensively. However, the relative effects of different types of extracellular acidosis on left ventricular (LV) contractile fun...
PATTERNED THERMAL DESTRUCTION OF HUMAN REMAINS IN A FORENSIC SETTING

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the patterned thermal destruction of human remains in a forensic setting. In the rapidly changing world of forensic science, more specifically forensic anthropology, there is a necessity to understand and be able to interpret fire modification of human remains. With the enormous potential for fire and heat alterations to inhibit scientists' abilities to interpret patterns to human remains, burn trauma analysis is inconsistent and has been slow to mature in many disciplines. The destructive forces of fire often significantly alter, damage, or even destroy many recognizable patterns, characteristics, and evidence that we normally depend on. This likely contributes to the existence and persistence of old and untested theories concerning burned bone where inaccurate interpretations, such as exploding skulls, persist for decades, and terminology is inconsistent. In fatal fire cases, forensic anthropologists are responsible primarily for separating perimortem trauma from heat-induced fractures and for assigning temporal and sequential designations to trauma when possible. These findings may contribute to the determination of cause and manner of death, time of death, and perpetrator behavior.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi as Natural Biofertilizers: Let's Benefit from Past Successes

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) constitute a group of root obligate biotrophs that exchange mutual benefits with about 80% of plants. They are considered natural biofertilizers, since they provide the host with water, nutrients and pathogen protection, in exchange for photosynthetic products. Thus, AMF are primary biotic soil components which, when missing or impoverished, can lead to a less efficient ecosystem functioning. The process of re-establishing the natural level of AMF richness can represent a valid alternative to conventional fertilization practices, with a view to sustainable agriculture. The main strategy that can be adopted to achieve this goal is the direct re-introduction of AMF propagules (inoculum) into a target soil. Originally, AMF were described to generally lack host- and niche-specificity, and therefore suggested as agriculturally suitable for a wide range of plants and environmental conditions. Unfortunately, the assumptions that have been made and the results that have been obtained so far are often worlds apart. The problem is that success is unpredictable since different plant species vary their response to the same AMF species mix. Many factors can affect the success of inoculation and AMF persistence in soil, including species compatibility with the target environment, the degree of spatial competition with other soil organisms in the target niche and the timing of inoculation. Thus, it is preferable to take these factors into account when “tuning” an inoculum to a target environment in order to avoid failure of the inoculation process. Genomics and transcriptomics have led to a giant step forward in the research field of AMF, with consequent major advances in the current knowledge on the processes involved in their interaction with the host-plant and other soil organisms. The history of AMF applications in controlled and open-field conditions is now long. A review of biofertilization experiments, based on the use of AMF, has here been proposed, focusing on a few important factors that could increase the odds or jeopardize the success of the inoculation process.
How much higher can HTCondor fly

The HTCondor high throughput computing system is heavily used in the high energy physics (HEP) community as the batch system for several Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG) resources. Moreover, it is the backbone of GlidelnWMS, the pilot system used by the computing organization of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment. To prepare for LHC Run 2, we probed the scalability limits of new versions and configurations of HTCondor with a goal of reaching 200,000 simultaneous running jobs in a single internationally distributed dynamic pool.In this paper, we first describe how we created an opportunistic distributed testbed capable of exercising runs with 200,000 simultaneous jobs without impacting production. This testbed methodology is appropriate not only for scale testing HTCondor, but potentially for many other services. In addition to the test conditions and the testbed topology, we include the suggested configuration options used to obtain the scaling results, and describe some of the changes to HTCondor inspired by our testing that enabled sustained operations at scales well beyond previous limits.
Role of grain-to-grain contacts on profiles of retained colloids in porous media in the presence of an energy barrier to deposition.

Deposition of 36-μm gold-coated hollow microspheres in two porous media (glass beads and quartz sand, 710−850 μm) was examined using X-ray microtomography (XMT) in the presence of an energy barrier to deposition under fluid velocity conditions representative of engineered filtration systems. XMT allowed examination of the deposition at different locations at the grain surfaces (deposition at grain-to-grain contacts versus single-contact deposition). We demonstrate that in the presence of an energy barrier to deposition, grain-to-grain contacts strongly influence colloid deposition and the spatial distribution of retained colloids in porous media. This result contrasts drastically with observations in the absence of an energy barrier to deposition, where consistency with filtration theory was observed. In the presence of an energy barrier, colloids were dominantly retained at grain-to-grain contacts, and the concentration of retained particles varied nonmonotonically with transport distance. It is proposed...
Three years in and still going strong: An annual recap for the Journal of Melittology

The activities of the Journal of Melittology for its third complete year and goals for the coming year are summarized. Advances for 2015 included the automatic registration and incorporation of DOIs for each article and the release of 12 articles, collectively encompassing 202 pages.
Motivation, steady-state, and structural development

Stagner's homeostatic-discrepancy theory integrates a wide range of theory and data concerning the mobilization of energy in human motivation. It does not, however, deal directly with energetic and motivational bases for developmental changes in the level of organization of psychological structures or for the persistence of organisms in pursuing particular paths of individual development despite repeated negative external reinforcement. A broader conceptual model is therefore proposed in which both level and path of structural development are themselves treated as steady states. The homeostatic assumptions of motivational psychology and the structural assumptions of developmental psychology are thus seen as but different aspects of a single set of explanatory assumptions. Stagner's model then becomes that special case in which both level and path of structural development are held constant. The works of Freud, Werner, and Piaget and those of Prigogine, Waddington, and Thom are considered insofar as they bear upon these issues.
The Selective High-Yield Conversion of Methane Using Iodine-Catalyzed Methane Bromination

Methyl bromide is used as feed in a process that converts it to gasoline. It is prepared by the gas-phase reaction of CH4 with Br2, a reaction that produces, besides the desired CH3Br, large amounts of CH2Br2. The latter cokes the catalyst used for gasoline production. The separation of CH2Br2 by distillation makes gasoline production too expensive. It is therefore important to increase the selectivity of the bromination reaction. We show that a small amount of I2 catalyzes the reaction CH2Br2 + CH4 → 2CH3Br, which leads to higher CH4 conversion and higher selectivity to CH3Br. These findings are promising for developing a low-cost integrated bromine–iodine based dual-halogen pathway to convert stranded natural gas into fuels and chemicals.
An intact threat superiority effect for nonsocial but not social stimuli in schizophrenia.

Studies examining the processing of threat-related information in schizophrenia suggest that patients may show intact abilities to detect nonsocial threats despite impaired processing of social threat. The present study examined potential differences between social and nonsocial threat detection abilities in schizophrenia via two analogous threat perception tasks: one that used nonsocial threat (i.e., snakes) and one that used social threat (i.e., angry faces). Both tasks have reliably demonstrated a threat superiority effect (TSE) among healthy individuals in which threat-related stimuli are detected more accurately and efficiently than non-threat-related stimuli. Results from 30 healthy controls and 35 individuals with schizophrenia indicated that control participants showed a normative TSE on both the nonsocial and social tasks. In contrast, patients showed a TSE on only the nonsocial task, demonstrating intact detection abilities for nonsocial threat but impaired detection of social threats. The discrepant performance across nonsocial and social threat detection tasks within the patient group is consistent with evidence indicating that social and nonsocial information processing can be differentially affected in schizophrenia.
Ptilochronology: A Critical Evaluation of Assumptions and Utility

ABsTRAcr.-Ptilochronology has been proposed as a method that will open up many new lines of investigation in nutritional ecology, in foraging behavior, and of life-history variables that are affected by (or affect) a bird's nutritional status. The method depends on measurements of a series of daily growth bars to estimate a feather's growth rate, and thereby to quantitate a bird's nutritional status while the feather was growing. The reliability of the method as proposed depends on the fulfillment of several previously unstated assumptions. We identified seven key assumptions and, in experiments with captive White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii), examined the likelihood that six of the assumptions could be fulfilled. The seventh assumption, no less crucial than the others, could not be tested empirically. None of the six tested assumptions were consistently fulfilled. Only lethal kinds or levels of nutritional privation consistently slowed feather growth. Moderate or even severe sublethal privation did not produce consistent effects on feather growth. In short, ptilochronology as originally conceived is fraught with uncertainty. It may yield reliable results in very limited, carefully controlled conditions, but this remains to be proved. Received 23 August 1990, accepted 20 December 1990.
Development situation and countermeasures on Guangdong vegetable industry in the first half of 2015

In the first half of 2015,affected by climate factors,market supply and demand factors,the market price of vegetable in Guangdong province showed an overall upward trend,and was higher than that of the same period last year. In this paper,we comprehensively elucidated the development situation of Guangdong vegetable industry,further analyzed the fluctuation of vegetable price,and put forward countermeasures and suggestions of vegetable industry development,to give great significance on accurately kowning the current situation and guiding the healthy development of vegetable industry in Guangdong province.
Recognizing acetaminophen hepatotoxicity in chronic alcoholics.

PreviewLarge overdoses of acetaminophen may cause dangerous hepatotoxicity in anyone. Chronic alcoholics are a special subgroup who risk serious toxicity when taking acetaminophen in even therapeutic doses. Drs Rex and Kumar discuss the metabolism of acetaminophen and describe how it differs in chronic alcoholics and suicidal patients who overdose. In addition, the authors compare the presentation of acetaminophen hepatotoxicity with that of alcoholic hepatitis.
Geographic Variations in Incremental Costs of Heart Disease Among Medicare Beneficiaries, by Type of Service, 2012

Using 2012 data on fee-for-service Medicare claims, we documented regional and county variation in incremental standardized costs of heart disease (ie, comparing costs between beneficiaries with heart disease and beneficiaries without heart disease) by type of service (eg, inpatient, outpatient, post-acute care). Absolute incremental total costs varied by region. Although the largest absolute incremental total costs of heart disease were concentrated in southern and Appalachian counties, geographic patterns of costs varied by type of service. These data can be used to inform development of policies and payment models that address the observed geographic disparities.
Enhancing Effective Classroom Management in Schools: Structures for Changing Teacher Behavior:

Effective classroom instructional and behavior management is essential to ensure student academic and social success. Foundational strategies such as clear expectations and routines, specific feedb...
Food allergen extracts to diagnose food-induced allergic diseases: How they are made

Abstract Objective To review the manufacturing procedures of food allergen extracts and applicable regulatory requirements from government agencies, potential approaches to standardization, and clinical application of these products. The effects of thermal processing on allergenicity of common food allergens are also considered. Data Sources A broad literature review was conducted on the natural history of food allergy, the manufacture of allergen extracts, and the allergenicity of heated food. Regulations, guidance documents, and pharmacopoeias related to food allergen extracts from the United States and Europe were also reviewed. Study Selections Authoritative and peer-reviewed research articles relevant to the topic were chosen for review. Selected regulations and guidance documents are current and relevant to food allergen extracts. Results Preparation of a food allergen extract may require careful selection and identification of source materials, grinding, defatting, extraction, clarification, sterilization, and product testing. Although extractions for all products licensed in the United States are performed using raw source materials, many foods are not consumed in their raw form. Heating foods may change their allergenicity, and doing so before extraction may change their allergenicity and the composition of the final product. Conclusion The manufacture of food allergen extracts requires many considerations to achieve the maximal quality of the final product. Allergen extracts for a select number of foods may be inconsistent between manufacturers or unreliable in a clinical setting, indicating a potential area for future improvement.
Intranasal administration of human mesenchymal stem cells promote recovery from chemoradiation-induced cognitive and functional deficit in mice

Temozolomide in combination with cranial radiation therapy after surgery is standard of care treatment for glioblastoma. However, cognitive impairment is a serious and common side effect of chemoradiation which significantly reduces patient quality of life. In the current study, we tested the effects of nasally administered human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) in restoring cognitive function after chemoradiation. Adult C57BL/6J mice were treated with chemotherapy (33 mg/kg temozolomide) and cranial irradiation (20 Gy delivered to the whole brain in 10 daily fractions) or sham. We administered one million hMSC nasally 5 and 7 days after the last chemoradiation treatment. Twenty-one days after the second hMSC administration, puzzle box test (PBT) and novel object/place recognition test (NOPRT) were performed to measure executive functioning and memory, respectively. After completion of behavioral testing, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was acquired to measure functional connectivity. Chemoradiation decreased executive function and impaired memory, as measured by the PBT and the NOPRT. Additionally, chemoradiation caused a decrease in global functional connectivity in the brain, as shown by resting-state fMRI. Both cognitive function and functional connectivity were restored by nasal hMSC treatment.Our data suggest that treatment with hMSC restores cognitive function and functional brain damage that has occurred as a result of chemoradiation. Nasal hMSC treatment may represent a realistic therapeutic strategy for the treatment of chemoradiation-induced cognitive impairment.
Hybrid Photonic-Plasmonic Directional Coupler Enabled Optical Transceiver

We proposed a novel device structure termed Mo-detector for on-chip signal modulation and detection. With 180um2 footprint, 37.4 fJ/bit energy efficiency and 167 GHz operating speed, Mo-detector has a great potential in inter-chip communication.
Primary Care Providers' Attitudes Related to LGBTQ People: A Narrative Literature Review.

The purpose of this article is to review the current literature describing primary care providers’ (PCPs) attitudes related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) peo...
Genetic Models of HSF Function

Since Ritossa’s seminal discovery in 1962 that the puffing pattern changes of Drosophila salivary gland polytene chromosomes can be induced by heat shock and chemical treatment (Ritossa, 1962), the heat shock response (HSR) has served as an excellent model and paradigm of inducible gene expression. During the ensuing decades considerable evidence has accumulated, from diverse areas of biology, about the regulation of the stress response during development, homeostatic maintenance of organs and organisms, and pathophysiological conditions. From bacteria to man, environmental stress, cell growth, differentiation, and pathophysiological states are all known to induce the rapid and reversible synthesis of evolutionary conserved set of proteins commonly termed, heat shock proteins (HSPs). HSPs, acting as molecular chaperones, play essential roles in protein folding, trafficking, higher order assembly and degradation of proteins thereby ensuring survival under both stressful and extreme physiological conditions (Lindquist, 1986; Lindquist and Craig, 1988; Morimoto, 1998).
Uniform Stability of Nonlinear Thermoelastic Plates with Free Boundary Conditions

In this work, we derive stability properties for a nonlinear thermoelastic plate system in which the higher order “free” boundary conditions are enforced on the displacement of the plate. The class of nonlinearities under consideration here include those seen in classical models in mechanics; such as von Karman systems, the quasilinear Berger’s equation which models extensible plates, and Euler-Bernoulli semilinear plates. This paper focuses on the case that rotational inertia is unaccounted for in the model, which corresponds to the absence of the parameter γ (i.e., γ = 0). In this case, we show that for initial data in the basic space of well-posedness, solutions of the PDE system decay to zero uniformly as time gets large. In our proof of uniform decay for γ = 0, absolutely critical use is made of the recently discovered fact that the linearization of the thermoelastic model generates an analytic semigroup.
Eco-Apartheid: Linking Environmental Health to Educational Outcomes.

Background/ContextThe issue of how to achieve a racially diverse student population has become increasingly challenging since a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court split decision endorsed the importance of cre...
Software for Creating Stochastic Scenarios for Optimization from Data

Abstract Coefficients and constraint values for many optimization problems are best modeled as uncertain. Examples include reaction rates for chemical processes, demand for products in a supply chain, and the availability of renewable energy in a power grid. General purpose software is available for solving the resulting stochastic optimization problems given probabilistic scenarios as input [Hart et al., 2011, Hart et al., 2017, Watson et al., 2012]. In this research, we describe software that starts with data and produces these inputs. One of the motivating applications for the software is creating the stochastic inputs for the Institute for the Design of Advanced Energy Systems (IDAES). Other recent applications come from incorporation of renewables in the energy grid. Here are the design goals and features of the software: 1. Allow for separation of the work of optimization modeling from the work of stochastic process and uncertainty modeling. 2. Support multi-stage optimization fully from the start. 3. Support “raw” scenario data that could be read by non-Python programs. 4. Provide a lot of flexibility. 5. Allow for easy use of data directly by deterministic models.
Introduction to the Special Series: Clinical Applications of the Inhibitory Learning Model

Abstract Exposure therapies (ETs) are treatments of choice for a number of mental health disorders, particularly anxiety and associated conditions, and problems due to avoidance. Exposure has received broad empirical support as a primary intervention. Recent efforts have focused on improving the efficacy and acceptability of exposure-based treatments. As proposed by Craske etal. (2014), strategies to improve ETs based on the inhibitory learning model have shown notable promise. However, surveys suggest that clinicians continue to avoid ETs, or implement them in a manner that interrupts their efficacy. In this special series, articles focus on specific inhibitory learning strategies in exposure, and their adaptation to multiple patient populations. The aim of the special series is to critically assess the research support for inhibitory learning approaches to exposure, and provide guidance for clinicians to implement these strategies in everyday practice.
How does discourse among like-minded individuals affect their thinking about a complex issue?

Is there reason to be concerned about what has been seen as an increasing trend for discourse on complex issues to be confined to an “echo chamber” of like-minded individuals? To investigate how th...
A Nonblocking 4×4 Mach-Zehnder Switch with Integrated Gain and Nanosecond-Scale Reconfiguration Time

We present a silicon photonic switch assembly integrating a nonblocking 4×4 Mach-Zehnder switch and a flip-chipped SOA array. The switch provides close to net-neutral-loss in the full C-band for all states and shows nanosecond-scale reconfiguration time.
Not in This Alone: Black Men’s Bonding, Learning, and Sense of Belonging in Black Male Initiative Programs

This multisite qualitative study explored the narratives of Black male college students’ engagement experiences in a Black Male Initiative (BMI) program across three different campuses. To better understand the students’ narratives and experiences, sense of belonging was employed as a theoretical frame to investigate how the participants made meaning from their engagement. The findings suggest that the BMI program provided students with a unique cultural community that enhanced how they felt valued and their persistence in college. In particular, students identified bonding with their Black male peers and learning from Black men connected to the program as central components of the BMI community. That deepened their sense of self and deepened their sense of mattering.