cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Podocytes that detach in experimental membranous nephropathy are viable.

Podocytes that detach in experimental membranous nephropathy are viable. Background Podocyte loss contributes to the development of glomerulosclerosis. Although podocytes have been detected in the urine in certain glomerular diseases, the viability of detached cells is not known. Methods Urine was collected from rats with experimental membranous nephropathy [passive Heymann nephritis (PHN) model], centrifuged, and following resuspension in tissue culture media, cells were seeded onto collagen-coated tissue culture plates. Cells were grown under typical cell culture conditions. Cell number was measured, the cell type was identified by immunostaining with specific antibodies, and cell morphology was assessed by light and electron microscopy. Results Cells obtained in the urine from PHN rats were positive for synaptopodin, nephrin, podocin, WT-1, and GLEPP1 (podocyte-specific antigens). When grown ex vivo under cell culture conditions, cells obtained in the urine from PHN rats adhered to tissue culture plates, and expressed podocyte-specific proteins at the mRNA [reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)] and protein (immunostaining) level. Cells did not stain with antibodies to mesangial (OX-7), tubular (Tamm-Horsfall protein) and endothelial (RECA) cells. Electron microscopy showed the presence of foot processes, and podocytes from PHN rats stained positive for C5b-9. Although podocyte number increased transiently during the first 5 days ex vivo, apoptosis increased significantly thereafter, reducing overall cell number. Conclusion Rats with experimental membranous nephropathy shed podocytes into the urine that attach to tissue culture plates ex-vivo, and proliferate. These results suggest that detached podocytes are viable. These results add new perspectives into our understanding of podocyte loss in the development of glomerulosclerosis.
The mathematics of F. J. Almgren, Jr.

Frederick Justin Almgren, Jr, one of the world’s leading geometric analysts and a pioneer in the geometric calculus of variations, died on February 5, 1997 at the age of 63 as a result of myelodysplasia. Throughout his career, Almgren brought great geometric insight, technical power, and relentless determination to bear on a series of the most important and difficult problems in his field. He solved many of them and, in the process, discovered ideas which turned out to be useful for many other problems. This article is a more-or-less chronological survey of Almgren’s mathematical research. (Excerpts from this article appeared in the December 1997 issue of theNotices of the American Mathematical Society.) Almgren was also an outstanding educator, and he supervised the thesis work of nineteen PhD students; the 1997 volume 6 issue of the journalExperimental Mathematics is dedicated to Almgren and contains reminiscences by two of his PhD students and by various colleagues. A general article about Almgren’s life appeared in the October 1997Notices of the American Mathematical Society [MD]. See [T3]for a brief biography.
Observed Interactions between Coyotes and Red Foxes

Etude des interactions entre Vulpes vulpes et Canis latrans. Des descriptions de rencontres entre individus de ces deux especes sont realisees pour comprendre les relations qui existent entre elles
Soybean lectins and trypsin inhibitors, but not oligosaccharides or the interactions of factors, impact weight gain of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Abstract Several compounds within soybean meal (SBM) have been implicated as potentially having antinutritional effects when fed to trout. We conducted an 8-week study designed to elucidate the antinutritional impacts and possible interactions of soybean lectins (SBA), trypsin inhibitors (TI) and oligosaccharides (OLIG) fed to rainbow trout. All three antinutritional factors (ANF) were included at levels corresponding to a diet containing 40% SBM. Eight purified diets were formulated consisting of a control (devoid of ANF), SBA, TI, OLIG, SBA + TI, SBA + OLIG, TI + OLIG and SBA + TI + OLIG. Feed consumption, weight gain, feed efficiency, specific growth rate (SGR), protein retention, and serum chemistry responses were evaluated using a 23 factorial design. Two-factor analysis detected significant main-effect reductions in weight gain and SGR of fish fed SBA or TI in comparison to fish fed neither ANF. However, there were no significant interactive effects of ANF. A significant increase in amylase and 1-h post-prandial insulin response as a result of feeding OLIG was also detected using one-factor analysis. Results of this study indicate that the amounts of SBA or TI present in a 40% SBM diet fed to rainbow trout are high enough to significantly decrease production parameters.
Punctuated shortening and subsidence in the Altiplano Plateau of southern Peru: Implications for early Andean mountain building

Sedimentologic, provenance, geochronologic, and magnetostratigraphic results from clastic nonmarine deposits in the northern Altiplano Plateau of southern Peru (14–15°S) demonstrate late Eocene–Oligocene (37–26 Ma) accumulation of the >4-km-thick San Jeronimo (Puno) Group within a retroarc foreland basin related to early Andean shortening and crustal thickening. Punctuated Oligocene (29–26 Ma) displacement along deep-seated contractional structures, as revealed by growth stratal relationships, abruptly partitioned this regional flexural basin and established the structural boundaries of the smaller intermontane Ayaviri Basin, which continued to evolve in a hinterland setting during late Oligocene–Miocene shortening. This brief episode of shortening along the Altiplano–Eastern Cordillera boundary is correlated with exceptionally rapid sediment accumulation (>1100–1800 m/m.y.), tightly constrained to 30–28 Ma on the basis of U-Pb geochronology and magnetic polarity stratigraphy. Provenance data from detrital zircon U-Pb age populations and sandstone compositions indicate derivation from a complex belt of Paleogene shortening and probable basin inversion in the Western Cordillera that was subsequently overprinted by Andean arc magmatism. This early Andean zone is interpreted as the along-strike continuation of the better-exposed Maranon fold-thrust belt to the north (5–13°S) and a proposed belt of shortening to the south along the Chilean Precordillera and Western Cordillera of Bolivia and northern Argentina (17–25°S). Subsequent focusing of late Oligocene shortening along the Eastern Cordillera–Altiplano boundary may have been linked to shallowing of the subducting slab and potential reactivation of crustal anisotropies.
Genetics of uveitis

Uveitis phenotypes can differ substantially, and most uveitis diseases are considered polygenic with complex inheritance patterns. When considering the genetics of these diseases, common threads can be identified. For example, in virtually every polygenic disease studied, there exists an HLA genetic association. This association can be strong, such as the associations of HLA-B27 with AAU and HLA-A29 with BSCR; or it can be more subtle, involving several HLA genes or a combination of HLA genes that compose specific haplotypes. In many of these conditions, it is hypothesized that genes other than classic MHC genes but located at the MHC locus may be important susceptibility genes. Genome-wide scans and other genetic methods are becoming increasingly successful in identifying genetic loci and candidate genes in many inflammatory disorders that have an uveitic component. It will be important to test these findings as uveitis-specific genetic factors. Therefore, the burgeoning understanding of the human genome promises to result in new insight into the pathogenesis of uveitis.
Innovation and implementation in cardiovascular medicine: challenges in the face of opportunity.

Members of the global cardiovascular community will gather in San Diego, California, March 14-16, 2015, for the 64th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology. This year’s meeting, designed to be innovative, interactive, and informative, will leverage the entrepreneurial environment of Southern California to inspire registrants. Although meetings of this nature have experienced a steady decline in attendance during the past 5 to 10 years, they still can influence the pace of change and quality of care by providing for instantaneous dissemination of content across multiple digital distribution channels. Educational relevance and value in the current era are best measured in units of new scientific knowledge bytes and novel insights gained. The ultimate goal, of course, is to link active learning with
The "Promiscuous Audience" Controversy and the Emergence of the Early Woman's Rights Movement.

For too long we have conflated the rhetoric of the early women activists with that of the organized woman's rights and suffrage movements. In establishing their right to speak from the public platform during the 1830s, activist women did not rely on natural law or constitutional appeals. Rather, in combating the prohibition against addressing “promiscuous audiences,” they employed a rhetoric of gendered morality that emphasized the special nature of female benevolence. Although well adapted to the exigences of the 1830s, early feminist emphasis on female benevolence as a justification for addressing “promiscuous audiences"—and for other forms of activity—had important implications that fettered women's efforts to engage in overtly political action during the 1840s.
Sensitivity of various radiographic methods for detection of oral cancellous bone lesions

Abstract Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness in diagnosing cancellous bone defects of the following radiographic methods: conventional film, digitized film, enhanced digitized film, direct digital imaging, enhanced direct digital imaging, digital subtraction, and enhanced digital subtraction. Study design. Mechanical lesions of varying depths were generated beneath cadaver molar and premolar mandibular tooth roots. A portfolio of radiographic images of random types and lesion sizes was presented to 20 clinicians, and their diagnoses were evaluated. Results. Positive identification of lesions was significantly improved by enhanced subtraction radiography over all other forms of radiography for the 4-mm lesions and was better than all forms except enhanced digital radiography and film for the 6-mm lesions. Subtraction radiography and enhanced subtraction radiography significantly reduced false positive diagnoses at all lesion sizes in comparison with the other radiographic methods except enhanced digital radiography at the 6-mm lesion size. Conclusions. For the methods evaluated, only subtraction radiography and enhanced subtraction radiography can significantly improve the clinician's diagnostic abilities for detection of oral cancellous bone lesions through increased rates for detection of existing defects and, even more importantly, through decreased rates of defect misdiagnosis.
NaI prevents and reverses transmission failure in low Ca2+ Ringer.

Abstract Synaptic transmission in the bullfrog sympathetic ganglion fails progressively as Ca2+ is reduced from the normal (1.8 mM) to 0.47 mM in an NaCl Ringer. This Ca2+ dependence of synaptic transmission is shifted to the left (lower Ca2+ levels) when NaCl is replaced by NaI. Replacement of NaCl by Nal also reverses pre-existing transmission failure in low Ca2+. As reported previously by us, NaI also causes repetitive postganglionic responses to each single preganglionic stimulus. It is of interest that iodide's ability to cause repetitive postganglionic responses and to shift the Ca2+ dependence of synaptic transmission duplicate the effects of aminopyridines, notably 3,4-diaminopyridine.
A fast implementation of a perfect hash function for picture objects

Abstract In image database systems, symbolic pictures are represented by two-dimensional (2D) strings that are converted into triples. Each triple is mapped to a unique hash address for timely retrieval of pictures, reducing the pattern-matching problem corresponding to a query to that of computation of a hash function. The values associated with the picture objects are used to compute hash addresses for triples developed from the query. Heuristics are proposed to speed up the computation of the associated values for the picture objects. Experimental results show that the new algorithm achieves almost a 90% gain, in search space, over existing algorithms to compute the associated values.
Emergency Ampacities of Direct Buried Three Phase Underground Cable Systems

A thermal model is formulated for the determination of the emergency transient ampacities of a three phase, horizontally spaced underground cable system. The model is based on a finite difference heat transfer analysis and the principle of superposition which permits the summation of the temperature rise of individual heat sources to eventually provide for the temperature rise of a multiple cable system. The thermal model is transformed into a complex computer program that is capable of calculating the realtime cable temperature for any change in conductor current The program is used to calculate the response of conductor temperatures caused by both ramp and step changes in currents for four conductor sizes between 4/0 and 1500 kc mil. The amount of time to reach conductor temperatures of 100??C and 120??C from a steady conductor temperature of 75??C is calculated forthe different conductor sizes and for different emergency current levels. The results show that underground cable systems possess significant thermal inertia and that larger cable sizes can operate long periods of time under emergency conditions before reaching temperatures that will damage cable insulation materials. For the cable system considered, an emergency transient, which doubles the 75??C ampacity, produces a conductor temperature of 100??C within 4 mm for a 4/0 cable and within 17 min for a 1500 kc mil cable. The emergency ampacity curves can be used by a cable engineer to determine how long a given emergency can remain on the system before the conductor reaches a predetermined temperature.
Stimulation of RNA polymerase I, II and III from rat liver by spermine, and specific inhibition of RNA polymerase I by higher spermine concentrations

Abstract Spermine stimulates activities of highly purified rat liver nuclear RNA polymerases I, II and III 3 to 4 fold. Inclusion of (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 at concentrations required for maximal enzyme activities does not significantly enhance the degree of stimulation of polymerase activities by spermine, but maintains the stimulatory levels of enzymes over a broader range of spermine concentrations. The stimulatory effect of spermine at a concentration of 1 mM is a useful method for the elevation of activities of all RNA polymerases and thus provides a means to measure these enzymes when extracted from small quantities of tissues or cells. Based on the differential stimulation of the polymerases by spermine, a higher concentration of spermine (5 mM) can be selected to inhibit RNA polymerase I specifically.
The one-dimensional biocatalyst: A research tool for in situ analysis of immobilized-cell biocatalysts

A new method to culture and analyze cells entrapped in porous gels has been developed that enables the properties of living, immobilized cells to be measured in situ as a function of depth within the gel. The method employs scanning fluorescence microscopy, which can provide rapid, sensitive, noninvasive measurements with a resolution of 1 mn. Any chemical species or cellular component that can be fluorescently marked can, in principle, be studied using this technique. Two applications of the approach are illustrated: measurement of transient diffusion rates within calcium alginate gel and monitoring growth of immobilized Escherichia coli cells.
Aggregation and Dispersal Behavior of Marked and Released European Corn Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Adults

Abstract To observe the aggregation and dispersal behavior of adult European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), males in search of mates, two populations were marked, each with a different dye. One population was continuously reared in the laboratory (>5 yr) and the other was collected annually from the field. From 1986 to 1988, marked adults were released in two release sets per year, with three to five releases per release set, coinciding with the spring and summer flights of European corn borer in central Iowa. Traps for recapture contained lures baited with 40 μg of synthetic 97:3 Z:E-11-tetradecenyl acetate. Traplines extended from 200 m to 48 km. Each trap was assigned a compass direction. Males from the laboratory-reared population dispersed similarly to males just 1 generation from the wild. European corn borer males and females dispersed 23–49 km and some were recovered 14 km from the release site within 100 min after release. Sampling of aggregation sites demonstrated that on the nights of...
Timing of estrogen replacement influences atherosclerosis progression and plaque leukocyte populations in ApoE−/− mice

Studies of the effects of estrogen replacement therapy on coronary heart disease risk have produced conflicting results. We hypothesize that this may be explained by differences in the length of estrogen deficiency prior to initiation of treatment and associated variation in plaque inflammation or stage of progression. The goal of this study was to determine whether estrogen administered after a period of deficiency affects plaque progression and leukocyte populations. Ovariectomized ApoE-/- mice were treated as follows: group 1: continuous estrogen for 90 days (E+/+); group 2: placebo for 45 days followed by estrogen for 45 days (E-/+); group 3: estrogen for 45 days followed by placebo for 45 days (E+/-); and group 4: placebo for 90 days (E-/-). Serum lipoprotein concentrations, plaque size and inflammatory cell (macrophage, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, dendritic cell, and NK cell) densities were quantified. Plaque size was smaller in groups receiving early estrogen therapy. CD3+ and total inflammatory cell densities were lower in late estrogen therapy groups. The CD8 to dendritic cell ratio was significantly lower in the E-/+ group only. These results suggest that a period of estrogen deficiency followed by reintroduction alters the immunologic environment of atherosclerotic lesions as well as plaque progression.
Modeling of Silicon Vapor Phase Epitaxy Using Stefan-Maxwell Formalism

The vapor-phase homoepitaxy of monocrystalline silicon by reduction of chlorosilanes is modeled using a novel approach. With digital computer calculation, the growth rate of silicon is predicted under ambient pressure (1.0 atm or 101.325kPa) in the high-temperature regime 1200-1600 K, where silicon growth is expected to be mass-transport limited. This study considers four different initial stoichiometries, namely, 0.1% SiH 4 + 0.4% HCl + H 2 , 0.1% SiCl 4 + H 2 , 0.5% SiCl 4 + H 2 , and 0.2% SiHCl 3 + H 2 in the Si-Cl-H system in order to make comparisons between the predicted and the experimentally determined growth rates. By combining the iterative equilibrium constant method with the Stefan-Maxwell relations for diffusion in a multi-component gas-phase, the respective molar fluxes of nine gaseous species that include SiCl 4 , SiHCl 3 , SiH 2 Cl 2 , SiH 3 Cl, SiH 4 , SiCl 2 , SiCI, SiCl 3 , and Si(g) were computed for steady-state condition; and the data on fluxes enabled the determination of the net silicon flux to the surface of the substrate. The computed rates were compared to the measured deposition rates of silicon.
Growth and photosynthetic response of two persimmon rootstocks (Diospyros kaki and D. virginiana) under different salinity levels.

Salinity continues to be a major factor in reduced crop productivity and profit in many arid and semiarid regions. Seedlings of Diospyros kaki Thunb. and D. virginiana L. are commonly used as rootstock in persimmon cultivation. In this study we have evaluated the effects of different salinity levels on photosynthetic capacity and plant development of D. kaki and D. virginiana . Salinity was provided by adding 50 mM, 75 mM and 100 mM NaCl to nutrient solution. In order to determine the effects of different salinity levels on plant growth, leaf number, plant height, shoot and root dry mass were recorded. Besides leaf Na, Cl, K and Ca concentrations were determined. Also leaf chlorophyll concentration, chlorophyll fluorescence ( Fv’/Fm’ ) and leaf gas exchange parameters including leaf net photosynthetic rate ( PN), stomatal conductance ( gS), leaf transpiration rate ( E), and CO 2 substomatal concentration ( Ci) were investigated. Significant decrease of leaf number, shoot length and plant dry mass by increasing salinity levels was observed in both rootstocks. D. virginiana was less affected in terms of plant growth under salinity stress. Leaf chlorophyll concentration reduction was higher in the leaves of D. kaki in comparison to D. virginiana in 100 mM NaCl treatment. By increasing salinity levels PN, gS and E markedly decreased in both rootstocks and D. kaki was more affected from salinity in terms of leaf gas exchange parameters. In addition there was no significant difference but slight decreases were recorded in leaf chlorophyll fluorescences of both rootstocks.
Kinematic and dynamic light scattering from the periodic structure of a chiral smectic C liquid crystal

As in chiral nematic liquid crystals, one of the most striking optical properties of chiral smectic C liquid crystalline phases is the selective reflection of certain wavelengths of light. This Bragg-like scattering is a direct consequence of the periodic nature of the helical structure of these phases. In chiral nematics, the strong coupling of the light to the periodic structure leads to scattering in the dynamic (multiple-scattering) regime. In chiral smectic C phases, the strength of the coupling depends on the magnitude of the tilt angle between the long molecular axis and the layer normal. For small tilt angles, the kinematic (single-scattering) regime of light scattering occurs. Further, due to the nature of the modes of optical propagation in the chiral smectic C phase, some Bragg events occur as depolarized light scattering in the forward direction. A computer program has been written to calculate the light scattering from a chiral smectic C sample. The results of these calculations demonstrate the behavior of the light scattering in both the kinematic and dynamic regimes.
Estimation of the size of a T-cell-induced lytic lesion

The specific cytolytic activity exhibited in vitro by thymus-derived (T) lymphocyte populations from immune animals (see review in ref. 1), is germane to allograft rejection2,3 and to pathways by which neoplastic tissue can be destroyed in vivo4,5. The mechanism involved, however, remains controversial (for one viewpoint see ref. 6) and the nature of the lytic lesion is unknown.
Interrelationships Between Angiotensin, Norepinephrine, Epinephrine, Aldosterone Secretion, and Electrolyte Metabolism in Man

Oversecretion of aldosterone is a consistent finding in the syndrome of malignant hypertension. Infusion of angiotensin has been consistently shown to induce an increased secretion of aldosterone by the adrenal cortex in normal human subjects. Because renal damage is so prominent in malignant hypertension, it seems possible that renin release and then aldosterone oversecretion by the adrenal cortex are involved in the pathogenesis of this disorder. These findings support the possibility that there is a renal-adrenal system which operates for the normal regulation of electrolyte balance. This system might function to maintain and protect renal perfusion by promoting sodium retention via stimulation of the adrenal cortex. Our recent work has been predicated on the possibility that aldosterone secretion is chiefly regulated by 1 specific trophic hormone (possibly angiotensin), oversecretion of which accounts for the increased secretion of aldosterone observed in various other conditions. Preliminary studies ...
Tables of percentage points of non-central x

SUMMARY The lower and upper 5, 2.5, 1.0 and 05 % points of the distribution of non-central x are given for degrees of freedom v = 1(1) 12, 15, 20 and non-centrality parameter VA = 0.0 (0.2) 6 0, 8 0, 10 0. Approximations which may be used outside the limits of the tables are discussed as well as methods of interpolation for VA and v within these limits. Some examples of the use of the tables are given and an examination is made of the accuracy of the approximation to the distribution of multiple R suggested by R. A. Fisher.
The thermodynamics of the conversion of radiation energy for photovoltaics

A standard thermodynamic theory of energy conversion is corrected by including the return fluxes from the sink to the converter and from the converter to the pump. By also allowing for the limited solid angle subtended by the pump at the converter and for general photon distributions (not only black-body), one obtains a better theory than has so far been available. It yields maximum conversion efficiencies as a function of solid angles and entropy generation rates. Comparison is made with earlier work where available.
Edin, K., & Kefalas, M. (2005). Promises I Can Keep: Why Poor Women Put Motherhood before Marriage. Berkeley: University of California Press. (293 pp., $24.95-hb, ISBN-0-520-24113-4)

There have been several scholars who have sought to hypothesize the vicissitudes of family formation of poor people within the last 20 years: Anderson (1989), Becker (1991), Cherlin (2000), Mincy (...
Influence of grit size on the groove formation during sliding abrasion

Abstract The number and size of grooves formed on copper samples by sliding for a short distance in contact with silicon carbide abrasive papers was measured for various values of the applied load and for a wide range of abrasive grit sizes. It is found that the nature of the interaction between the abrasive grain and the metal surface is virtually independent of the grit size. A large range of groove widths is found in all cases. Approximately fifty percent of the grains contacting the surface remove material in the form of a fine chip. An increase of the applied load leads mainly to an increase of the number of grooves formed while the average groove width varies only slightly. On the basis of the results a tentative explanation for the influence of abrasive grain size on the wear rate in sliding abrasion is advanced. The explanation is based on the part that particles in only elastic contact with the metal play in supporting the applied load without contributing to material removal.
Hemodynamics of Pacing after Aortic Valve Replacement and Coronary Artery Surgery

The cardiovascular effects of atrial, ventricular, and sequential pacing at PR intervals of 175, 150, 125, and 100 msec were studied immediately following cardiopulmonary bypass in patients with aortic stenosis, aortic insufficiency, or coronary artery disease. Atrial pacing increased the cardiac output and mean arterial blood pressure only in the patients with coronary artery disease. Ventricular pacing consistently was associated with the lowest cardiac output and mean arterial blood pressure. Hemodynamic response to changing PR intervals was variable. Our results suggest that if augmentation of heart rate is required in the period immediately after bypass, atrial pacing should be used in preference to ventricular pacing. In the presence of second- or third-degree heart block when atrial stimulation is ineffective, sequential pacing with an individualized PR interval becomes the therapeutic choice.
The present status of the irradiation of foods in the U.S.A.--eggs.

Flavor changes were observed in irradiated scrambled eggs with dosages of 1.3 Mrad. Spray-drying eggs after irradiation successfully eliminated any significant flavor differences attributable to irradiation. Doses of 0.125 to 0.5 Mrad destroyed salmonella present in the eggs. It is concluded that irradiation has little application for the preservation of fresh eggs, but may have some application in prepared products. (C.H.) l3OO Liquid whole milk was irradiated, and changes in flavor, alkaline phosphatase activity, and acid soluble nitrogen were examined. Radiation induced flavor changes became detectable at 20,000 rads whereas 25 Mrads were required to inactivate the enzyme alkaline phosphatase. Preliminary experiments on the effects of combined heat and radiation treatment on phosphatase activity are described. Increased u.v. absorption of irradiated solutions of beta -lactoglobulin and radiation induced changes in the electrophoretic behavior of whey proteins were studied. (auth)
Simple Pleasures: A multilevel sensorimotor intervention for nursing home residents with dementia

The Simple Pleasures research team investigated the effects of 30 handmade recreational items on the behavior of nursing home residents with dementia. The impact on family visits, staff knowledge, and volunteer involvement also was examined during the course of this study. Twenty-three items were found therapeutically valuable and acceptable for nursing home use. Family visits, use of recreational items, and satisfaction with visits significantly improved during the intervention. Residents were significantly less agitated at one nursing home and slightly less agitated at the other nursing home. More than 540 volunteers of all ages were trained and made Simple Pleasures recreational items during this project.
Stochastic Dynamic Network Design Problem

The continuous network design problem that occurs when the origindestination time-dependent demands are random variables with known probability distributions is described. A chance-constraint and two-stage linear programming formulation are introduced based on a system optimum dynamic traffic assignment model that propagates traffic according to the cell transmission model. The introduced approaches are limited to continuous link improvements and do not provide for new link additions. The chance-constrained model is tested on an example network that resembles a freeway corridor to demonstrate the simplicity and applicability of the approach. Initial results suggest that planning for an inflated demand may produce benefits in terms of system performance and reduced variance.
Out-of-pocket expenses and their burden in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective To describe and understand the burden of out-of-pocket expenses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods We studied out-of-pocket expenses and their burden in 8,545 US patients with RA. We determined direct medical costs, out-of-pocket expenses, the burden of out-of-pocket expenses, household income, and measures of RA severity and outcome. In addition, patients were classified into 3 groups based on the level of burden caused by out-of-pocket expenses: no or limited problem (I am able to pay the bills without much problem); moderate problem (paying the bills takes away some money I need for other activities); and a great problem (I can't purchase all of the medications or medical care that I need). Results A total of 43.6% of patients reported problems paying medical bills after insurance payments and 9.0% reported severe or great problems. Problems with expenses were associated with measures of RA severity, but also and particularly with lower household income and absence of health insurance. The proportion of household income that was consumed by out-of-pocket spending for the 3 groups was 2.4%, 7.2%, and 19.2%, respectively, and the percentage of patients meeting the 185% poverty level for these groups was 12.3%, 24.4%, and 51.3%, respectively. Conclusion The out-of-pocket burden is substantial, particularly in those <65 years of age. Out-of-pocket expenses exert their severity predominantly on those with the most severe RA who have the least ability to pay. Household income is the primary determinant of out-of-pocket burden, followed by RA severity, and type of health insurance.
From Defended Settlements to Fortified Strongholds: Responses to Gunpowder in the Early Modern Deccan

Architectural responses to improved gunpowder technologies reached a conclusion in the sixteenth-century Deccan. Instead of constructing heavier defences, most urban settlements were disaggregated into military and administrative strongholds vis-a-vis civilian and mercantile cities by the seventeenth century. Changing economic and social conditions allowed for this separation of urban functions. The response to military revolutions was therefore not at the scale of individual buildings, but instead reconfigured the pattern of settlements in the region.
Lead electrical parameters may not predict integrity of the Sprint Fidelis ICD lead

Background The reported failure rate of the Medtronic Sprint Fidelis defibrillator lead continues to increase over time. Clinicians and patients count on the electrical analysis of leads through device interrogation to determine whether a lead is functioning "normally." Most importantly, this analysis is often the basis for decision making around the ongoing use of this lead at the time of generator change. Can clinicians count on this analysis and feel confident that this "advisory" lead is "normal?" Objective To describe the incidence of unexpected lead abnormalities among Sprint Fidelis leads removed without prior evidence of electrical abnormalities. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of Medtronic Sprint Fidelis (6930, 6931, 6948, 6949) leads extracted at a single high-volume center. Medtronic analyzed all returned leads for abnormalities. The presence and type of lead abnormalities in addition to patient characteristics, indications for extraction, implant duration, and use of extraction sheath assistance are reported. Results Between September 2005 and January 2011, 209 Sprint Fidelis leads were extracted from 208 patients. The average duration of implant was 38.9 months (range 0.2–67.2). Of the analyzed leads, the majority of the extracted leads (63.1%) were active, normal functioning leads (83.8% prophylactically, 9.1% infection, and 7.1% other indication) while 36.9% had clinical evidence of a fracture. Extraction was achieved with simple traction in 39.5% of the leads; extraction sheath assistance was employed in 94 cases (59.9%), and surgical extraction at the time of transplant occurred in 1 case. Analysis of the 99 functionally "normal" leads removed determined that 20 leads had evidence of fractures (20.2%) not related to extraction. Of the fractured leads, 4 leads (20%) had more than 1 fracture and 1 lead had 3 separate fracture sites. There were 17 pacing conductor (10 proximal and 7 distal conductor) and 6 high-voltage conductor (1 superior vena cava and 5 right ventricle defibrillator conductor) fractures observed. Five additional leads (5.2%) had evidence of explant damage. Conclusions Functionally "normal" Fidelis leads demonstrate an alarmingly high rate of "subclinical" fractures. Recommendations regarding prophylactic Sprint Fidelis lead extraction, especially at the time of generator change, may warrant reconsideration. To aid in the design of better leads, all leads should be returned for analysis, regardless of the indication for extraction.
Project Hope and the Hope School System in China

I investigate the creation, development, contributions and limits of Project Hope, a huge government-endorsed education project seeking non-governmental contributions to overcome educational inadequacy in poverty-stricken rural communities in transitional China. By reexamining the composition of sponsored students, the locations of Hope Primary Schools and non-educational orientations for building and expanding schools, I argue that Project Hope and its Hope School system have not contributed to educational access, equality, equity, efficiency and quality as it should have. Poverty-reduction-oriented curriculum requirements in Hope Primary Schools are theoretically misleading and realistically problematic.
Dynamic Simulation of a Space Reactor System with Closed Brayton Cycle Loops

A dynamic simulation model for space reactor power systems with multiple closed Brayton cycle loops for energy conversion is developed and demonstrated for a startup transient. The simulated power system employs a submersion-subcritical safe space S ^ 4 reactor with a negative temperature reactivity feedback and has no single-point failures in reactor cooling and energy conversion. The S ^ 4 reactor core is divided into three hydraulically independent sectors, and each sector has a separate closed Brayton cycle loop that is thermal-hydraulically coupled to a circulating liquid NaK-78 secondary loop with two water heat pipe heat rejection radiator panels. Each closed Brayton cycle loop has a Brayton rotating unit designed and optimized for high thermal efficiency and low specific mass (1.16 kg/kW e ). The reactor coolant and the closed Brayton cycle working fluid is a He-Xe binary gas mixture with a molecular weight of 40 g/mol. Results are presented for a startup transient of the S ^ 4 closed Brayton cycle power system to full-power operation at a reactor thermal power 471 kW th , a Brayton rotating unit shaft speed of 45 krpm, and turbine and compressor inlet temperatures of 1149 and 400 K, respectively. At these conditions, the nominal electrical power and thermal efficiency of the power system are 130.8 kW e and 27.8%.
A Two-Range Vacuum Tube Voltmeter

The design, uses, and limitations of a new circuit employing the three-element vacuum tube as a voltmeter are discussed. Two overlapping ranges of voltage, together with a single operating battery, are the unique features. The effect of wave-form and the elimination of that effect are treated.
Stakeholders as researchers: A multiple case study of using cooperative inquiry to develop and document the formative leadership experiences of new school library professionals

Abstract Cooperative inquiry, a form of qualitative research used in community building, has not often been applied in educational contexts. Through the lens of formative leadership theory, the researchers studied the abilities of three new school librarians trained in cooperative inquiry and leadership to engage in collaborative problem solving for technology-related school challenges. Due to internal and external factors, participants experienced various levels of success with their challengers, but cooperative inquiry proved to be a viable methodology to evaluate the outcomes of library education for school librarians' formative leadership.
Partial identification and mergers

This paper discusses policy choice under ambiguity in the context of merger simulation. We do so by incorporating the uncertainty about post-merger conduct into a simple merger simulation model. We isolate the problem of uncertainty regarding post-merger conduct by working with a simple “conduct parameters” model in the spirit of Bresnahan (1982) and Lau (1982). We then apply Manski’s (2011) analysis, and discuss policy choice under the maxmin, minimax-regret, and expected utility criteria.
Biting the iron bullet: endoplasmic reticulum stress adds the pain of hepcidin to chronic liver disease.

Hepcidin is a peptide hormone that is secreted by the liver and controls body iron homeostasis. Hepcidin overproduction causes anemia of inflammation, whereas its deficiency leads to hemochromatosis. Inflammation and iron are known extracellular stimuli for hepcidin expression. We found that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress also induces hepcidin expression and causes hypoferremia and spleen iron sequestration in mice. CREBH (cyclic AMP response element-binding protein H), an ER stress-activated transcription factor, binds to and transactivates the hepcidin promoter. Hepcidin induction in response to exogenously administered toxins or accumulation of unfolded protein in the ER is defective in CREBH knockout mice, indicating a role for CREBH in ER stress-regulated hepcidin expression. The regulation of hepcidin by ER stress links the intracellular response involved in protein quality control to innate immunity and iron homeostasis.
Evaluation of self degumming properties of phospholipids in soybean oil using HPLC

Freshly extracted crude soybean oil was obtained from a commercial soybean oil refinery, divided into aliquots, stored at 24 C and 5 C for varying lengths of time up to two weeks, and analyzed for total phosphorus. The concentrations of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidic acid (PA), phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) were determined by phosphorus analysis following separation by HPLC. Portions of the aliquots were degummed, and total phosphorus and individual phospholipids were determined as described above. Total phosphorus decreased 41% in crude oil stored at 24 C and 34% in crude oil stored at 5 C over two weeks. PE and PC precipitated more readily than PI and PA. Total phosphorus remaining in degummed oil was least after 12 hr storage of the crude oil and increased as the storage period became longer. The PE, PI and PA concentrations showed similar trends in degummed oil; however the PC concentration was least at 0 hr and increased thereafter. These results are discussed in terms of phospholipid-phospholipid interactions and possible interactions between phospholipids and other compounds present in the oil.
Seeing Is Believing: Dietary Fatty Acids Hurry Up From the Stomach to the Heart of Patients With Impaired Glucose Tolerance

Cardiovascular disease and heart failure are leading complications in patients with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and obesity in whom circulating fatty acid (FA) levels are commonly elevated. Abnormalities in FA handling in skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue may initiate or perpetuate a cycle of insulin resistance, impaired glucose utilization, and dyslipidemia, thereby leading to substrate overflow to the heart. From animal studies, we learn that once an excess of FA is forced to enter myocardial cells, lipotoxicity and functional loss occur (1–4). However, less is known about the organ-specific fate of endogenous or ingested lipids in humans. This is because systemic fluxes of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) and triglycerides (TGs) cannot be extrapolated to individual organs because local mechanisms such as perfusion, lipolysis, oxygen availability, and inward transport may intervene in the response of individual tissues to the oversupply of FAs. In this issue of Diabetes , Labbe et al. (5) report on the use of positron emission tomography (PET) to image the organ-specific fate of ingested FAs, including chylomicron-derived FA in the myocardium, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and liver in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and normal glucose tolerance. PET is a nuclear imaging technique that uses short-lived positron-emitting radioisotopes (e.g., 18F, 11C) to label molecules of interest (e.g., substrates) and visualize their fate in individual organs. Native substrates, such as 11C-labeled glucose or long-chain FAs have a complex fate in tissue because they enter many metabolic pathways and part of the label is washed-out during oxidation or substrate output. Their labeled analogs 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (18F-FDG) and 14( R , S )-18F-fluoro-6-thia-heptadecanoic acid (18F-FTHA) cannot, or can only partially go through oxidative catabolism. Therefore, they become trapped in …
America as a “Christian Nation”? Understanding Religious Boundaries of National Identity in the United States

Though predominantly Christian since the time of its founding, the United States has become more religiously diverse in recent decades. Yet since the mid-1990s, the proportion of Americans who see their country as a "Christian nation" has reportedly increased. Though initially paradoxical, these trends are less mysterious if the idea of a "Christian America" (CA) is understood, not as a description of religious demography, but as a discursive practice that seeks to align the symbolic boundaries of national belonging with the boundaries of the dominant faith community. Using data from the 1996 and 2004 General Social Survey, it is shown that the growing prevalence of CA was restricted to Americans of Christian faith, thereby widening an existing religious divide over the meaning of American identity.
ESTIMATING SOLAR RADIATION ON MOUNTAIN SLOPES

Abstract The amount of solar irradiation on a mountain slope is an important parameter for describing the climatology of a sloping site, but measurements of such radiation are not easily obtained. Daily totals of solar irradiation can be estimated by using published tables of potential solar irradiation if the effects of atmospheric transmissivity and cloud cover are included. Daily totals of solar irradiation (K↓s) were estimated as: K↓s = k↓(Sps/Sp) where Sps and Sp are the table values of potential solar irradiation for a slope and for a horizontal surface and K↓ is the daily total of global solar radiation measured on a horizontal surface at a site near enough to have the same cloud cover as the mountain slope. A test of this method shows that valid estimates of solar radiation input were obtained for two opposite-facing slopes.
Big Spenders and Little Spenders in U.S. Tourism

This article reports the findings of a study intended to identify the demographic socioeconomic variables that discriminate between two groups of U.S. domestic tourists: those who spend a considerable amount of money on vacation trips—the "Big Spenders"—and those who spend very little on such trips—the "Little Spenders. " The data for this study were obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 1972 Consumer Expenditure Survey.
Systematic risk assessment methods for the infection control professional.

Microbial and infectious disease risk models and tools are used to assess infectious hazards in the environment and to identify strategies to prevent or reduce these hazards. Although risk modeling of infectious threats represents a promising approach in applied epidemiology, there are inherent limitations to most models because of the multifactorial nature of the transmission of infections, the dynamic environment in which transmission takes place, and a paucity of available data to more fully specify model parameters. For example, the causal evidence for a link between hand hygiene and reduction in transmission of health care-associated infections is strong. Nevertheless, even though a simple mathematical model has been used to predict that very small increases in hand hygiene could bring endemic organisms under control, 1 it is still impossible to assess precisely the extent to which an incremental change in hand hygiene will increase or decrease risk of disease transmission because of the complexity and ever changing transmission factors that arise within varying health care settings. Despite these limitations, predictive tools such as models or other systematic processes to assess transmission risk can be used to help structure decision making and to identify the need for further research. A model is similar to a working hypothesis in which unknowns exist, and outcomes will depend on the interaction of these unknowns. Models can serve to predict what and where the control points will be, and subsequent studies to test the ‘‘fit’’ of the model will help to measure the magnitude of each point’s contribution to control. Hence, simple risk assessment processes can be useful tools for the infection control professional. The purposes of this paper are to (1) introduce several processes adapted from the food and consumer industries, which could be applied to assess the risk of microbial transmission and the potential impact of interventions to prevent or control transmission in health care settings and (2) describe criteria to assess the usefulness of such tools. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) use several risk assessment formats for issues as far ranging as food safety, carcinogens, medical devices, radiation risk, pharmaceuticals, and biologics. 2,3 The use of such systems in these agencies illustrates the potential wide-scale utility of risk assessment. This report concludes with a discussion of how components of various risk assessment processes could be applied to the health care environment.