cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eimeria yukonensis n. sp. (Protozoa: Eimeriidae) from the Arctic ground squirrel Spermophilus undulatus.

SYNOPSIS. Eimeria yukonensis sp. n. is described from the Arctic ground squirrel Spermophilus undulatus. The sporulated oocysts are elongate-ellipsoidal, averaging 24.5 by 13.3 μ. A micropyle is present but an oocyst residuum and polar body are absent. The ovoid sporocysts average 10.9 by 5.9 μ. The sporocyst residuum is ellipsoidal to spheroidal.
Federalist No. 51: Is the Past Relevant to Today's Collaborative Public Management?

Federalist No. 51 is another of the most recognizable and important of the Federalist Papers, famously arguing that one first must enable government to control the governed, and then oblige it to control itself. The authors suggest that part of this obligation involves effective collaboration within a system of separate powers. They then ask how this “collaboration imperative” can be exercised in today’s contentious political environment.
Ethical considerations and responsibilities when communicating health risk information

A large literature treats the ethical issues surrounding communication of health risks. This literature supports the claim that workers have the right to such information and employers the responsibility to provide it. However, the problems arising in particular cases remain difficult to resolve. A "casuistry" of rights and responsibility is suggested, resting on the premise that health information is a common property of all, rather than the particular possession of those who develop it or those who need it.
CO2 metabolism in the liver.

Abstract The rate of gluconeogenesis from 10 m m l -lactate plus 1 m m pyruvate in hepatocytes from fasted rats was identical in a bicarbonate-buffered medium and in a medium free of added bicarbonate (buffered with 30 m m 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (Hepes)). When 10 m m NH 4 Cl and 1 m m l -ornithine were added to the lactate plus pyruvate, increasing the requirements for mitochondrial HCO 3 − fixation in the carbamoyl-P synthetase reaction, rates of both gluconeogenesis and ureogenesis were lower in the Hepes medium than in the bicarbonate medium. With lactate plus pyruvate as substrates, gluconeogenesis was unaffected by acetazolamide, a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, in the bicarbonate medium, but greatly reduced by acetazolamide in the Hepes medium. With lactate and pyruvate plus NH 4 Cl and ornithine, acetazolamide caused some depression of gluconeogenesis and ureogenesis even in the bicarbonate medium. With hepatocytes from fasted-refed (high carbohydrate) rats, with 10 m m l -lactate as added substrate (and with glucagon present), fatty acid synthesis was markedly reduced in a Hepes-buffered medium compared to bicarbonate, but gluconeogenesis was not significantly different. Under conditions representing metabolic acidosis (pH 7.1), gluconeogenesis from lactate + pyruvate is the same as at normal bicarbonate levels and pH 7.4; addition of NH 4 Cl + ornithine causes markedly lower rates of both gluconeogenesis and ureogenesis at pH 7.1 than at pH 7.4. The results indicate that both medium HCO 3 − + CO 2 and metabolically generated CO 2 help to provide the HCO 3 − required in liver biosyntheses, but that, at very high rates of these pathways, neither source alone is capable of providing HCO 3 − at a sufficient rate for optimal biosynthesis. In a pathological state such as metabolic acidosis, provision of HCO 3 − could become a rate limiting factor in liver biosynthesis.
Should patients with asymptomatic mild or moderate aortic stenosis undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery also have valve replacement for their aortic stenosis

The older you get, the closer you are to death —an : old Asian saying In 1994-96, three studies described patients who had previously undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and then had subsequent aortic valve replacement (AVR) (the aortic stenosis was “mild to moderate” at time of initial CABG); these patients were subsequently associated with a “high” operative mortality of 14–19%.1-3 From these studies arose the rationale that patients who have mild to moderate aortic stenosis at the time of CABG will develop severe aortic stenosis within 10 years; such patients should therefore have combined CABG+AVR at time of initial bypass surgery.1-3 There were several problems with this rationale, which have been previously described in detail and are summarised below.4
Database-Agnostic Transaction Support for Cloud Infrastructures

In this paper, we present and empirically evaluate the performance of database-agnostic transaction (DAT) support for the cloud. Our design and implementation of DAT is scalable, fault-tolerant, and requires only that the data store provide atomic, row-level access. Our approach enables applications to employ a single transactional data store API that can be used with a wide range of cloud data store technologies. We implement DAT in AppScale, an open-source implementation of the Google App Engine cloud platform, and use it to evaluate DAT's performance and the performance of a number of popular key-value stores.
Clearance of Shigella flexneri Infection Occurs through a Nitric Oxide-Independent Mechanism

ABSTRACT Nitric oxide (NO) generated by gamma interferon (IFN-γ) activation of macrophages mediates the killing of many intracellular pathogens. IFN-γ is essential to innate resistance to Shigella flexneri infection. We demonstrate that NO is produced followingS. flexneri infection both in mice and in activated cells in vitro and that while it is able to kill S. flexneri in a cell-free system, it is not required for clearance of S. flexneri in either infected mice or in activated cells in vitro.
Optimal Thermal Generating Unit Commitment

The paper describes a new method of scheduling thermal generating units to achieve minimum operating costs including both running and start-up costs while at the same time maintaining a desired level of system security.
Suicide and Elderly People: Assessment and Intervention.

Despite improvements in the health of Americans over the last three decades, people over age sixty have the highest suicide rates and comprise one-fourth of all suicides. A case study illustrating risk assessment and intervention is discussed. Clinical issues related to recognition of suicidal elderly patients are examined and a practical approach to early detection, evaluation, and management of suicide risk is presented. Criteria for evaluating rational suicide are outlined.
A perceptually-based motion compensated video encoder

A perceptually based video encoder for monochrome image sequences is presented. It incorporates characteristics of the human visual system to detect, track, and encode image blocks (of 8*8 pixels) perceived to be in apparent motion. The Weber relation in the spatio-temporal domain is used for motion detection. A decimation-interpolation scheme is developed to produce good quality video at very low-bit-rates. An efficient technique based on the discrete cosine transform and vector quantization is developed to encode image blocks which have changed beyond a perceptual threshold. The new encoder is demonstrated to yield competitive quality video at low-bit-rates. >
Heterosexual Co-transmission of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Abstract ▪Objectives:To determine the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) in female sexual partners of multitransfused men with hemophilia and to compare the frequency of transmissi...
Increased bone fractures among elderly United States hemodialysis patients

Background Fractures are an important cause of morbidity in hemodialysis patients. Multiple advances in the treatment of mineral and bone disease in hemodialysis patients have occurred. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the rate of fractures in hemodialysis patients has changed over time. Methods We studied US Renal Data System (USRDS) datasets to determine the rates of hospitalized fractures among hemodialysis patients. The primary outcome was incidence of fractures requiring hospitalization. The fracture rate per 1000 person-years was calculated by year from 1992 to 2009. The first 90 days after initiating dialysis were excluded from analysis. Results The incidence of hip and vertebral fractures increased from 12.5 fractures per 1000 patient-years in 1992 to 25.3 per 1000 patient-years in 2004 (P 65 years of age. After 2004, the incidence rate of these fractures stabilized and subtly declined, but did not decrease significantly. Conclusions Fracture rates increased significantly in hemodialysis patients from 1992 to 2004, with most of the increase occurring in elderly white patients. Assessment of fracture risk and management in dialysis patients at greatest risk requires greater emphasis and further study.
Applying the XForms Standard to Public Health Case Reporting and Alerting.

Notifiable condition reporting and alerting are two important public health functions. Today, a variety of methods are used to accomplish these transfers of information. The increasing use of electronic health record systems by healthcare providers makes new types of electronic communication possible. We used the XForms standard and nationally recognized technical profiles to demonstrate the communication of both notifiable condition reports and patient-tailored public health alerts. This demonstration of bi-directional communication took place in a prototypical health information exchange environment. We successfully transferred information between provider electronic health record systems and public health systems for notifiable condition reporting. Patient-specific alerts were successfully sent from public health to provider systems. In this paper we discuss the benefits of XForms, including the use of XML, advanced form controls, form initialization and reduction in scripting. We also review implementation challenges, the maturity of the technology and its suitability for use in public health.
A Reassessment of the Clearing Mandate: How the Clearing Mandate Affects Swap Trading Behavior and the Consequences for Systemic Risk

A core part of the international response to the financial crisis has been the adoption of a requirement to clear standardized swaps. Clearing extinguishes the original transaction, creating two identical transactions between the counterparties to the original trade and a central counterparty, usually referred to as a clearinghouse. The clearing mandate represents a significant intervention into derivatives markets. The net present value of cash flows due under outstanding instruments of the types subject to the clearing mandate rivals the U.S. gross domestic product. Policymakers have justified the clearing mandate as a mitigant of systemic risk. Scholarship, however, has challenged this justification arguing that the rerouting of payment flows through clearinghouses exacerbates systemic risk. This article adds to the debate, by examining how the clearing mandate affects trading behavior and how those changes affect systemic risk. Trading behavior will be altered by the clearing mandate through four pathways:• Greater costs of transacting under the clearing mandate reduce swap volumes. The net result of these reductions on systemic risk is uncertain. The reduction could decrease net transfers of risk into the financial system, and in particular, to major financial institutions that act as swap dealers. Alternately, the reduction could disproportionately affect hedging by the financial industry, trapping more risk within the financial system. • Attempts to evade the clearing mandate, as well as attempts to avoid being penalized under the anti-evasion provisions undergirding the mandate, will lead to less standardized documentation. As a result, documentation will become more customized and opaque, decreasing transparency and potentially increasing risk.• The interposition of clearinghouses will reduce behavior that exacerbates systemic risk during a crisis. In particular, transactions that are cleared will not set off cascades of attempts to assign and novate obligations, thus reducing the prompts for panic. Furthermore, transactions that are cleared can be unwound during a crisis without involvement of the initial counterparty thus enabling continued risk management throughout a crisis.• Clearing is a predicate to reducing systemic risk through disintermediating swaps markets. Clearing allows natural longs, natural shorts and other market participants to transact directly through execution platforms’ order books without using swap dealers to intermediate the flow of risk in the economy. Subject to sufficient liquidity being available in the market, clearing enables market participants to transact on dependable credit terms directly without the use of financial intermediaries.These observations lead to a reassessment of the clearing mandate, and identify new lines of research to pursue in evaluating the desirability of the regulations that have transformed swaps markets over the last five years.
Marketing Smart

This paper is consist of some marketing skills, comprising the aspects of good marketing and poor marketing. This also contains a professional aspect of an individual in terms of good marketing skills.
Recent Seismicity In North- And East-Central New York State

Between June 1981 and July 1983, 28 microearthquakes were recorded in north- and east-central New York State by a new network of seismic stations. These events ranged in size from about magnitude 1 to 3. Calculated focal depths are generally less than 9 km except in the vicinity of East Berne, New York, where depths of 13 to 19 km are determined. Of the 28 located earthquakes, 18 are associated with six sequences in which multiple events cluster in space and time. Fault plane solutions for three events in east-central New York indicate thrust faulting on northerly to northwesterly striking planes. A solution for one event in north-central New York exhibits a combination of dip-slip and strike-slip faulting. The horizontal projection of the P-axis for all four events is oriented in an east-northeast to northeast direction, although for the northcentral event it has a moderate plunge. The direction of maximum compressive stress inferred from these new solutions is consistent with the results of others for northern and western New York State, and suggests a uniform stress domain exists over much of the state.
Electronic and optical properties of Y 2 SiO 5 and Y 2 Si 2 O 7 with comparisons to α-SiO 2 and Y 2 O 3

The electronic structure and bonding in two complex crystals, yttrium oxyorthosilicate ${\mathrm{Y}}_{2}{\mathrm{SiO}}_{5}$ and yttrium pyrosilicate ${\mathrm{Y}}_{2}{\mathrm{Si}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7},$ were studied by means of first-principles local density calculations. Both crystals are ionic insulators with large band gaps. It is shown that their electronic structure and bonding cannot be represented by the weighted sums of those of \ensuremath{\alpha}-${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{Y}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}.$ On average, the Si-O (Y-O) bond in the ternary crystals tends to be weaker (stronger) than the respective bond in \ensuremath{\alpha}-${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}({\mathrm{Y}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}).$ It is further shown that the specific local atomic coordinations can lead to significantly different partial density of states that should be experimentally detectable. The bulk and optical properties of these two crystals were also calculated. We find the bulk modulus of ${\mathrm{Y}}_{2}{\mathrm{SiO}}_{5}({\mathrm{Y}}_{2}{\mathrm{Si}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7})$ to be 134.8 GPa (140.2 GPa). The optical dielectric constants for the two crystals are estimated to be 3.11 and 3.44, respectively. In the absence of any experimental data, these values are presented as theoretical predictions.
A Sealed-In Micro Glass Electrode

A sealed-in glass electrode essentially similar to that described by Michaelis1 but of much smaller capacity can readily be adapted for pH measurements of biological fluids when only rather small volumes are available and under conditions which exclude contact of the sample with air.The design is shown in the accompanying diagram (Fig. 1); the inner tube of Corning O15 glass may be of capillary dimensions but care must be taken to minimize the capacity of slight but unavoidable dilations at the two ends where this capillary is sealed, through heavy walled graded glass, to the outer jacket. When this unit, the capillary electrode within its jacket, has been tested and found free of electrical leaks or other defects it is attached permanently to a stopcock of the type described by Stadie, O'Brien and Laug.2 For testing it is convenient to connect it temporarily with rubber tubing to a spare stopcock of the same type. Redescription of this stopcock is not necessary but two points should be mentioned: (1) in ...
Analyzing bed and width oscillations in a self-maintained gravel-cobble bedded river using geomorphic covariance structures

Author(s): Brown, RA; Pasternack, GB | Abstract: Abstract. This paper demonstrates a relatively new method of analysis for stage dependent patterns in meter-scale resolution river DEMs, termed geomorphic covariance structures (GCSs). A GCS is a univariate and/or bivariate spatial relationship amongst or between variables along a pathway in a river corridor. Variables assessed can be flow independent measures of topography (e.g., bed elevation, centerline curvature, and cross section asymmetry) and sediment size as well as flow dependent hydraulics (e.g., top width, depth, velocity, and shear stress; Brown, 2014), topographic change, and biotic variables (e.g., biomass and habitat utilization). The GCS analysis is used to understand if and how the covariance of bed elevation and flow-dependent channel top width are organized in a partially confined, incising gravel-cobbled bed river with multiple spatial scales of anthropogenic and natural landform heterogeneity across a range of discharges through a suite of spatial series analyses on 6.4 km of the lower Yuba River in California, USA. A key conclusion is that the test river exhibited positively covarying and quasi-periodic oscillations of bed elevation and channel width that had a unique response to discharge as supported by several tests. As discharge increased, the amount of positively covarying values of bed elevation and flow-dependent channel top width increased up until the 1.5 and 2.5 year annual recurrence flow and then decreased at the 5 year flow before stabilizing for higher flows. These covarying oscillations are quasi-periodic scaling with the length scales of pools, bars, and valley oscillations. Thus, it is thought that partially confined gravel-cobble bedded alluvial rivers organize their adjustable topography with a preference for covarying and quasi-periodic bed and width undulations at channel forming flows due to both local bar-pool mechanisms and non alluvial topographic controls.
Nutrition and lactation.

Although purely nutritional evidence favoring breast feeding over medically supervised artificial feeding is lacking, there is still a strong case for breast feeding. Volume of milk differs considerably in normally lactating women, but the physiologic factors in such differences are not known. If the mother's diet is sound and has been adequate during pregnancy, the initiation of breast feeding requires no unusual qualitative nutritional allowances. Maintenance of a proper supply of breast milk without undue depletion of the mother depends on provision of sufficient calories, protein and nutrients in the diet.
James Hilliard (Jim) Parrish 1926–2003

James Parrish, retired professor of library administration at the Library of the Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chica-go (UIC), died on May 3, 2003. During his twenty-one years of service there (1971–92), Parrish coordinated external programs and provided serials reference and technical services. From 1973 to 1986, he compiled and edited Illinois Health and Science Libraries Serials Holding List. Earlier, Parrish headed the Hawaii Medical Library (1968–71) and served at other medical libraries, including that of the Manned Spacecraft Center. Parrish joined MLA in 1960 and was certified that same year. Active nationally and regionally, offices he held included Southern Regional Group local arrangements chair (1965) Pittsburgh Regional Group chair (1967–68) Hawaii Regional Group founder and chair (1969–71) Sergeant-at-Arms (1979, 1981–83) Exchange Advisory Group chair-designate and chair (1988–90) Parrish was also active in the Special Libraries Association and the then Midwest Health Science Library Network. He was a founding member of the Metropolitan Consortium of Chicago. Born in Nashville on May 23, 1926, Parrish graduated from high school in 1944, then served with the U.S. Naval Reserve in World War II (1944–46) and the Korean conflict (1950–52). Between times he attended Vanderbilt University and Middle Tennessee State University, where he obtained his bachelor's degree in 1953. He received his library degree from George Peabody College in 1955. Mr. Parrish, as his colleagues addressed him, was a team player before work teams became common in libraries. He was a mentor before mentoring emerged as an important institutional value. He was sociable, friendly, thoughtful, and kind, a true colleague and friend to those with whom he worked. He helped form, create, and sustain professional organizations at all levels, as he possessed a special genius for bringing librarians to work together. At UIC, Parrish smoothed the way for success by identifying and then contributing whatever the process needed, whether it was to compile committee minutes or organize a celebratory lunch after completing a project (to which he always brought his incredibly fine deviled eggs).
Production History and Present Study Status of Magnesium Alloy Sheet

Recently the development of magnesium alloy industry is greatly promoted by the pressure from the energy saving and environmental protection. The preparation technology of magnesium alloy sheet with high technical content is getting increased attention. The paper introduces the production history and research status of magnesium alloy sheet preparation technology at home and abroad. The characteristics,basic principle,research status and application of traditional preparation technologies and several recently developed new rolling preparation technologies were discussed. The development status of China's magnesium alloy sheet production was described and the development direction of China's magnesium alloy sheet was presented.
Probabilistic Directed Writebacks for Exclusive Caches

Energy is an increasingly important consideration in memory system design. Caches improve energy efficiency by decreasing execution time and reducing the number of main memory accesses, but they suffer from known inefficiencies: the last-level cache (LLC) tends to have a high miss ratio while simultaneously storing many blocks that are never referenced. Because these blocks are not referenced before eviction, we can write them directly to memory rather than to the LLC. To do so, we must predict which blocks will not be referenced. Previous approaches rely on additional state at the LLC and/or extra communication.We show that by predicting working set size per program counter (PC), we can decide which blocks have low probability of being referenced. Our approach relies on the insight that it is possible to makes this prediction based solely on the address stream as seen by the level-one data cache (L1D), eliminating the need to store or communicate PC values between levels of the cache hierarchy. We require no modifications to the LLC.Our approach uses Flajolet andMartin's probabilistic counting to keep the state small: two additional bits per L1D block, with an additional 6KB prediction table. This approach yields a large reduction in number of LLC writebacks: 25% fewer for SPEC on average, 80% fewer for graph500, and 67% fewer for an in-memory hash table.
Faculty attitudes about interprofessional education.

Background : Interprofessional education (IPE) is an important component to training health care professionals. Research is limited in exploring the attitudes that faculty hold regarding IPE and what barriers they perceive to participating in IPE. The purpose of this study was to identify faculty attitudes about IPE and to identify barriers to participating in campus-wide IPE activities. Methods : A locally used questionnaire called the Nebraska Interprofessional Education Attitudes Scale (NIPEAS) was used to assess attitudes related to interprofessional collaboration. Questions regarding perceived barriers were included at the end of the questionnaire. Descriptive and non-parametric statistics were used to analyze the results in aggregate as well as by college. In addition, open-ended questions were analyzed using an immersion/crystallization framework to identify themes. Results : The results showed that faculty had positive attitudes of IPE, indicating that is not a barrier to participating in IPE activities. Most common barriers to participation were scheduling conflicts ( =19.17, p =0.001), lack of department support ( =10.09, p =0.039), and lack of awareness of events ( =26.38, p =0.000). Narrative comments corroborated that scheduling conflicts are an issue because of other priorities. Those who commented also added to the list of barriers, including relevance of the activities, location, and prior negative experiences. Discussion : With faculty attitudes being positive, the exploration of faculty’s perceived barriers to IPE was considered even more important. Identifying these barriers will allow us to modify our IPE activities from large, campus-wide events to smaller activities that are longitudinal in nature, embedded within current curriculum and involving more authentic experiences. Keywords: interprofessional education; faculty; attitudes; barriers (Published: 27 June 2016) Citation: Med Educ Online 2016, 21: 32065 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/meo.v21.32065
Chapter 3 – Modeling of continuous-variable processes

This chapter examines the transfer function model for a continuous-variable (time-driven) process or system with a single input c(t) and single output y(t). An example of a system with a second-order transfer function is a field controlled dc motor with a load attached to the motor shaft. An example of a process with a constrained input is the filling of a tank with the position iv(t) of the input valve constrained to have values between 0 and 1. If α were a function of t, the process would be time varying, which means that the process is not constant. A process or system that is both linear and constant can be described in terms of its transfer function representation given by Y(s) = G(s)C(s) where Y(s) is the Laplace transform (LT) of the output y(t), C(s) is the LT of the input c(t), and G(s) is the transfer function of the process.
Limited access states and elections: an unexpected economic consequence

In this paper it is argued that in limited access societies, as described by North, the introduction of multiparty elections has had an unexpected consequence. Specifically, it has led to the provision of rents to agriculture. This in turn has resulted in deindustrialization in a number of developing countries. The experiences of Indonesia and the Philippines are used to illustrate these ideas.
Modeling the QBO – Improvements Resulting from Higher Model Vertical Resolution

Using the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) climate model, it is shown that with proper choice of the gravity wave momentum flux entering the stratosphere and relatively fine vertical layering of at least 500 m in the upper troposphere-lower stratosphere (UTLS), a realistic stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) is modeled with the proper period, amplitude, and structure down to tropopause levels. It is furthermore shown that the specified gravity wave momentum flux controls the QBO period whereas the width of the gravity wave momentum flux phase speed spectrum controls the QBO amplitude. Fine vertical layering is required for the proper downward extension to tropopause levels as this permits wave-mean flow interactions in the UTLS region to be resolved in the model. When vertical resolution is increased from 1000 to 500 m, the modeled QBO modulation of the tropical tropopause temperatures increasingly approach that from observations, and the “tape recorder” of stratospheric water vapor also approaches the observed. The transport characteristics of our GISS models are assessed using age-of-air and N2O diagnostics, and it is shown that some of the deficiencies in model transport that have been noted in previous GISS models are greatly improved for all of our tested model vertical resolutions. More realistic tropical-extratropical transport isolation, commonly referred to as the “tropical pipe,” results from the finer vertical model layering required to generate a realistic QBO.
Genome Sequences of Gordonia terrae Bacteriophages Phinally and Vivi2

ABSTRACT Bacteriophages Phinally and Vivi2 were isolated from soil from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, using host Gordonia terrae 3612. The Phinally and Vivi2 genomes are 59,265 bp and 59,337 bp, respectively, and share sequence similarity with each other and with GTE6. Fewer than 25% of the 87 to 89 putative genes have predictable functions.
In pursuit of a culturally anchored methodology

The need to represent and understand diverse cultural groups and populations, particularly those who are underserved or inappropriately served, has been a rallying cry for Community Psychology since its formal beginnings at the Swampscott Conference (Bennett, Anderson, Cooper, Hassol, Klein, & Rosenblum, 1966), where the importance of studying behavior in context was emphasized (Livert & Hughes, 2002). A central component of context is cultural—that is, all contexts, and the behaviors and interactions that take place within them, are infused with values, belief systems, and world-views that emanate from cultural phenomena. In this essay, we summarize the elements of a methodology in Community Psychology that recognizes that research processes are culturally embedded—what we term a culturally anchored methodology. In doing so, we draw heavily from our previous explication of components of such a methodology published in a special of the American Journal of Community Psychology devoted to the topic (Hughes, Seidman, & Williams, 1993).
Powders, Interfaces, and Processing: Alumina as a Case Study

Ceramic powder characteristics are significant considerations in an overall powder processing methodology. Particularly important are the characteristics which relate to or control surface or interfacial characteristics, thereby influencing the green microstructure, the firing process, and microstructure evolution (Barringer et al., 1984; Roosen and Hausner, 1983). The processes of powder consolidation and sintering behavior are influenced by many parameters; the interrelationships of the many variables are complex, yet progress is being made through model system studies (Barringer, Brook, and Bowen, 1983; Gattuso and Bowen, 1984). In this paper, results of varying the processing of alumina powders having different surface/interface-related properties (e.g., varying the starting powder particle size distribution, forming technique, suspension pH during consolidation, and dispersant) are discussed for aqueous systems. The green and fired microstructures are shown to be related to the starting powder characteristics and to the powder-solution interface chemistry, both of which influence the green microstructure, binder burnout, and sintering/grain-growth curves.
An ultrasensitive silicon pressure-based flowmeter

An ultrasensitive silicon pressure-based flowmeter has been developed for use in measuring sub-SCCM gas flows in semiconductor process equipment. The device utilizes a capacitive pressure sensor to measure the pressure drop induced by flow across a micromachined silicon microchannel. The flowmeter is fabricated using a single-sided dissolved-wafer process and requires only six masks. The processed silicon wafer is electrostatically bonded to a glass substrate and the wafer is selectively etched away, using boron etch-stops to define the final silicon-on-glass device structure. The capacitive pressure sensor uses a thin (2.2- mu m) stress-compensated membrane, which enables the sensor to monitor differential pressure as low as 1 mtorr while withstanding overpressures greater than 700 torr. The flowmeter is capable of measuring flows in the 10/sup -5/ SCCM range. >
Design and microfabrication of a miniature fiber optic probe with integrated lenses and mirrors for Raman and fluorescence measurements

Fiber optics coupled to components such as lenses and mirrors have seen extensive use as probes for Raman and fluorescence measurements. Probes can be placed directly on or into a sample to allow for simplified and remote application of these optical techniques. The size and complexity of such probes however limits their application. We have used microfabrication in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to create compact probes that are 0.5 mm thick by 1 mm wide. The miniature probes incorporate pre-aligned mirrors, lenses, and two fiber optic guides to allow separate input and output optical paths suitable for Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy measurements. The fabricated probe has 70 % unidirectional optical throughput and generates no spectral artifacts in the wavelength range of 200 to 800 nm. The probe is demonstrated for measurement of fluorescence within microfluidic devices and collection of Raman spectra from a pharmaceutical tablet. The fluorescence limit of detection was 6 nM when using the probe to measure resorufin inside a 150-μm inner diameter glass capillary, 100 nM for resorufin in a 60-μm-deep × 100-μm-wide PDMS channel, and 11 nM for fluorescein in a 25-μm-deep × 80-μm-wide glass channel. It is demonstrated that the same probe can be used on different sample types, e.g., microfluidic chips and tablets. Compared to existing Raman and fluorescence probes, the microfabricated probes enable measurement in smaller spaces and have lower fabrication cost.
Intrinsic Axonal Growth and the Drive for Regeneration

Following damage to the adult nervous system in conditions like stroke, spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury, many neurons die and most of the remaining spared neurons fail to regenerate. Injured neurons fail to regrow both because of the inhibitory milieu in which they reside as well as a loss of the intrinsic growth capacity of the neurons. If we are to develop effective therapeutic interventions that promote functional recovery for the devastating injuries described above, we must not only better understand the molecular mechanisms of developmental axonal growth in hopes of re-activating these pathways in the adult, but at the same time be aware that re-activation of adult axonal growth may proceed via distinct mechanisms. With this knowledge in hand, promoting adult regeneration of central nervous system neurons can become a more tractable and realistic therapeutic endeavor.
Directed evolution using dCas9-targeted somatic hypermutation in mammalian cells

Engineering and study of protein function by directed evolution has been limited by the technical requirement to use global mutagenesis or introduce DNA libraries. Here, we develop CRISPR-X, a strategy to repurpose the somatic hypermutation machinery for protein engineering in situ. Using catalytically inactive dCas9 to recruit variants of cytidine deaminase (AID) with MS2-modified sgRNAs, we can specifically mutagenize endogenous targets with limited off-target damage. This generates diverse libraries of localized point mutations and can target multiple genomic locations simultaneously. We mutagenize GFP and select for spectrum-shifted variants, including EGFP. Additionally, we mutate the target of the cancer therapeutic bortezomib, PSMB5, and identify known and novel mutations that confer bortezomib resistance. Finally, using a hyperactive AID variant, we mutagenize loci both upstream and downstream of transcriptional start sites. These experiments illustrate a powerful approach to create complex libraries of genetic variants in native context, which is broadly applicable to investigate and improve protein function.
Abstract 2613: STAT3 mediates C6-ceramide-induced cell death in chronic lymphocytic leukemia via the MEK/ERK and PKC pathway

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) constitutes 70% of adult leukemic cases in the Western world. Despite high incidence, its pathogenesis is still poorly understood and it remains incurable with current therapies. We have previously shown that nanoliposomal C6-ceramide, a liposomal formulation of a ‘tumor suppressor’ lipid, is an effective therapy in several solid and non-solid tumor models. Specifically in CLL, nanoliposomal C6-ceramide selectively induces cell death in leukemic cells by targeting the Warburg effect with no detrimental effects on normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Additionally, treatment with nanoliposomal C6-ceramide results in tumor regression in an in vivo murine model of CLL. However, the mechanism and key molecular players mediating C6-ceramide-induced cell death in CLL remains unknown. We hypothesize that STAT3 is a target of C6-ceramide in CLL cells. After validating STAT3 as a as a therapeutic target in CLL, we show that C6-ceramide treatment suppresses the levels of p-STAT3-Y705 and p-STAT3-S727 in both cell lines and patient cells, while having no effect on total STAT3 levels. C6-ceramide treatment also reduces STAT3-dependent expression of survival factors like Mcl-1, XIAP and survivin. Our results suggest that suppression in STAT3 phosphorylation might be critical for cell death induction since it precedes induction of C6-ceramide-mediated cell death in CLL cells. Analysis of the upstream kinases revealed that C6-ceramide-induced suppression of p-STAT3 might be, in part, a consequence of suppression of MEK1/2 kinase and protein kinase C (PKC). Preliminary results also demonstrate that C6-ceramide treatment reduces p-STAT3-S727 in the mitochondrial fraction, which might be critical to the cell death induction since overactivation of mitochondrial p-STAT3-S727 confers viability and stress protection to CLL cells. Ongoing studies will focus on identifying the specific phosphorylation site(s) that mediates cell death in an effort to delineate the molecular mechanism of C6-ceramide-induced cell death in CLL. We would also like to define the molecular link between CNL-induced dephosphorylation of mitochondrial STAT3 and suppression of the Warburg effect in CLL. In conclusion, our data suggests that targeting STAT3 with nanoliposomal C6-ceramide is a potential therapy for CLL. This work is the first body of evidence demonstrating an effect of C6-ceramide on STAT3 phosphorylation. Citation Format: Ushma Atul Doshi, Thomas P. Loughran, Mark Kester. STAT3 mediates C6-ceramide-induced cell death in chronic lymphocytic leukemia via the MEK/ERK and PKC pathway. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2613. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2613
GRK2 as negative modulator of NO bioavailability: Implications for cardiovascular disease

Nitric oxide (NO), initially identified as endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), is a gaso-transmitter with important regulatory roles in the cardiovascular, nervous and immune systems. In the former, this diatomic molecule and free radical gas controls vascular tone and cardiac mechanics, among others. In the cardiovascular system, it is now understood that β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) activation is a key modulator of NO generation. Therefore, it is not surprising that the up-regulation of G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs), in particular GRK2, that restrains βAR activity contributes to impaired cardiovascular functions via alteration of NO bioavailability. This review, will explore the specific interrelation between βARs, GRK2 and NO in the cardiovascular system and their inter-relationship for the pathogenesis of the onset of disease. Last, we will update the readers on the current status of GRK2 inhibitors as a potential therapeutic strategy for heart failure with an emphasis on their ability of rescuing NO bioavailability.
A Sociolinguistic Approach to Teaching Spanish Grammatical Structures

Advanced grammar courses often present standardized grammar rules to students without considering sociolinguistic variation. As a result, many native/heritage students feel that they speak “incorrectly,” and many second language learners do not get an accurate picture of the target language's real-world grammar. This article describes and evaluates a unique approach to teaching advanced Spanish grammar to university students. The curriculum focuses on core grammatical content by studying structures that are subject to sociolinguistic variation, as in habia ∼ habian dos ranas [there was ∼ were two frogs], and it highlights the sociopolitical factors that explain why some forms are deemed prestigious. To test the efficacy of this curriculum, students enrolled in an advanced Spanish grammar course at a large university in the southwestern United States completed a pre- and posttest that measured Spanish grammar knowledge, awareness of sociolinguistic concepts, and positive language attitudes. Results showed statistically significant gains with respect to knowledge of grammar and sociolinguistics. Students also demonstrated a heightened awareness of how prejudice can manifest in judgments of spoken language.
Interactive Personalization for Socially Assistive Robots

In this work, we seek to define a new problem of interactive personalization in the context of socially assistive robotics. We analyze a robotic tutor's elicitation of learning-sensitive information to be leveraged by interactive machine learning methods for personalized education. Our results, evaluated using a variety of subjective measures, demonstrate that a humans-in-the-loop approach positively benefits the human-robotic tutor interaction, while minimizing the computational complexity of personalization.
Estimating in Chaos: Cramér-Rao Bounds

Estimating parameters of the dynamics from observations of a noise contaminated time series or estimating the clean time series itself is a classical challenge in the analysis of signals [Tre68]. This chapter contributes to the analysis of one’s ability to estimate a clean signal from observations of a noisy signal with the study of the case when the clean signal arises from a nonlinear dynamical system which exhibits chaotic evolution. We will argue that aspects of the very property of chaotic systems which makes them only slightly predictable and causes them to be nonperiodic, namely, the presence of positive Lyapunov exponents, also is connected with a Cramer-Rao bound which suggests an ability to estimate the clean time series with exponential accuracy. The bounds presented here give a rationale for the striking results on how well one can estimate clean data from noisy observations associated with manifold decomposition [Ham90, FS89, ABST93] as discussed in Chapter 7.
Assessment and Treatment of Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia

In a medical-psychiatric setting, panic disorder and agoraphobia (PDA) may be either a primary reason for admission or an additional feature of other medical or psychiatric difficulties. A psychiatric hospital has particular relevance to the assessment and treatment of PDA: Because PDA is characterized by a fear of specific bodily sensations and the avoidance of being alone or without help, the setting itself may inadvertently reinforce agoraphobic fear and avoidance behavior. That is, the medical setting is a particularly “safe” environment for the panicker and/or agoraphobic because of the availability of medical care and support personnel and the protective-ness of the environment. Consequently, the medical setting may be (although, not necessarily) counterproductive to the treatment goals of learning to be less fearful and more independent.
Issues in the Education of Emotionally Disturbed Children

Major issues facing educators and clinicians in the field of emotional disturbance in children and youth are centered around providing appropriate services to this population. Three major problems ...
MULTIPLE STEADY STATES IN AZEOTROPIC DISTILLATION AND THEIR EFFECT ON COLUMN OPERATION AND DESIGN

Abstract In this article we study multiple steady states in ternary heterogeneous azeotropic distillation. We show that in the case of infinite reflux and an infinite number of trays one can construct bifurcation diagrams on physical grounds with the distillate flow as the bifurcation parameter. Multiple steady states exist when the distillate flow varies non-monotonically along the continuation path of the bifurcation diagram. We show how the distillate and bottom product paths can be located for tray or packed columns, with or without decanter. We derive a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of these multiple steady states based on the geometry of the product paths. We also locate in the composition triangle the feed compositions that lead to these multiple steady states. We show that the prediction of the existence of multiple steady states in the case of infinite reflux and an infinite number of trays has relevant implications for columns operating at finite reflux and with a finite number of trays.
Primary Malignant Lymphoma of the Intestinal Tract

Intestinal malignant lymphoma is a rare gastrointestinal neoplasm. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult, and the tumor frequently presents as an abdominal emergency. This article outlines the role of surgery in the management of this unusual primary lymphoma.
Linkage between teen mother's childhood adversity and externalizing behaviors in their children at age 11: Three aspects of parenting.

Abstract Background: Experiences of childhood adversity are consistently associated with compromised behavioral health later in life. Less clear is the intergenerational influence of maternal childhood adversity on developmental outcome in children. Completely unknown are the mechanisms linking teen mother’s childhood adversity to child developmental outcomes. Objective: The present study tested whether aspects of parenting (parenting stress, physical discipline, and disagreement with grandparents) served as the pathways between teen mother’s childhood adversity and the externalizing behaviors of their offspring at age 11, by gender. Participants and setting: Data were from a longitudinal panel study of teen mothers and their children, the Young Women and Child Development Study (N = 495; 57% male). Methods: The pathways from teen mother’s childhood adversity to their offspring’s externalizing behavior were tested by two subscales: rule-breaking behavior and aggressive behavior. In addition, multiple-group analysis was examined for potential gender differences. Results: Teen mother’s childhood adversity was positively associated with greater use of parenting stress (β = 0.16, p Conclusions: These findings have implications for early intervention efforts that emphasize the need to intervene with children and parents, particularly helping teen mothers gain knowledge and skills to offset the impact of their experiences of childhood adversity on their parenting behaviors.