cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of different levels of feed intake during four short periods of gestation and housing systems on sows and litter performance.

Abstract The current study investigated the effects of different levels of feed intake during 4 short periods of gestation and of housing systems on sow and litter performance. A total of 255 multiparous sows were allotted to 1–4 dietary treatments using a randomized complete block design blocking by initial body weight (BW), backfat (BF) and parity. Sows were housed either in individual stalls (n = 129) or group pens (n = 126) with 55 sows in each pen with electronic sow feeder during gestation. All sows were fed one common corn-soybean meal-based diet with the amount of 1.0 × maintenance energy level of feed intake (106 × BW0.75) throughout gestation except 4 periods of 7 d when dietary treatments were imposed on day 27, 55, 83 and 97 of gestation. During the 4 periods, sows were fed 1 of 4 different levels of feed intake: 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 × maintenance energy level (0.5 M, 1.0 M, 1.5 M and 2.0 M, respectively). Results showed that both BW gain and BF change during gestation for sows on 1.5 M (49.7 kg and 3.1 mm, respectively) and 2.0 M (52.5 kg and 3.7 mm, respectively) levels of feed intake were significantly (P 0.1) among 4 levels of feed intake in terms of numbers of total born and weaning piglets. However, both piglet weight at birth (1.46, 1.52, 1.53 and 1.51 kg for piglets from sows on 0.5 M, 1.0 M, 1.5 M and 2.0 M levels of feed intake during gestation, respectively) and at weaning (6.37, 6.55, 6.64 and 6.38 kg for piglets from sows on 0.5 M, 1.0 M, 1.5 M and 2.0 M levels of feed intake during gestation, respectively) were maximized at 1.5 M level of feed intake. Sows housed in group pens had greater (P 0.1) between the 2 housing systems in terms of litter size and piglet weight at birth and at weaning. In conclusion, increasing levels of feed intake during 4 short periods of gestation increased BW and BF gain during gestation and led to less BW gain and more BF loss during lactation. Piglet weight at birth and at weaning was maximized at 1.5 M level of feed intake. However, housing systems did not affect reproductive performance. Group pen housing system may be beneficial in terms of increased overall BW gain during gestation and lactation.
New Therapeutic Uses for Existing Drugs

Eighty percent of drugs that enter human clinical testing are never approved for use. This means that for every five drugs that make it into the clinic, there are four that failed to show effectiveness for treating the disease or condition the drug was designed to treat.
Cancer Risk Counseling: How Is It Different?

Fifty-six of 80 (70%) full members of the National Society of Genetic Counselors with interest in cancer genetics responded to a 1994 survey regarding their cancer risk counseling practices. This study was undertaken to describe cancer risk counselors and the services they provide and to identify possible differences from general genetic counseling that warrant further study. Of 56 respondents, 41 (75%) were providing CRC. The components of CRC programs are described. Our results found significant differences between CRC and general genetic counseling in terms of training and experience of genetic counselors providing CRC and length and number of counseling sessions per consultand. 51% of respondents had 1–2 years of working in CRC, compared to 17% with 1–2 years experience in genetic counseling (p<0.05). Over one-third had 10 or more years genetic counseling experience. Counselors were more likely to see individuals at risk for cancer for longer counseling sessions (p<0.05) and for additional sessions (p<0.05).
The transmission dynamics of a within-and between-hosts malaria model

Abstract In this paper, we developed a novel deterministic coupled model tying together the effects of within-host and population level dynamics on malaria transmission dynamics. We develop within-host and within-vector dynamic models, population level between-hosts models, and a nested coupled model combining these levels. The unique feature of this work is the way the coupling and feedback for the model use the various life stages of the malaria parasite both in the human host and the mosquito vector. Analysis of the coupled and the within-human host models indicate the existence of locally asymptotically stable infection- and parasite-free equilibria when the associated reproduction numbers are less than one. The population-level model, on the other hand, exhibits backward bifurcation, where the stable disease-free equilibrium co-exists with a stable endemic equilibrium. A global sensitivity analysis was carried out to measure the effects of the sensitivity and uncertainty in the various model parameters estimates. The results indicate that the most important parameters driving the pathogen level within an infected human are the production rate of the red blood cells from the bone marrow, the infection rate, the immunogenicity of the infected red blood cells, merozoites and gametocytes, and the immunosensitivity of the merozoites and gametocytes. The key parameters identified at the population level are the human recovery rate, the death rate of the mosquitoes, the recruitment rate of susceptible humans into the population, the mosquito biting rate, the transmission probabilities per contact in mosquitoes and in humans, and the parasite production and clearance rates in the mosquitoes. Defining the feedback functions as a linear function of the mosquito biting rate, numerical exploration of the coupled model reveals oscillations in the parasite populations within a human host in the presence of the host immune response. These oscillations dampen as the mosquito biting rate increases. We also observed that the oscillation and damping effect seen in the within-human host dynamics fed back into the population level dynamics; this in turn amplifies the oscillations in the parasite population within the mosquito-host.
A Gravitational Ising Model for the Statistical Bias of Galaxies

Evaluation of gravitational theories by means of cosmological data suffers from the fact that galaxies are biased tracers of dark matter. Current bias models focus primarily on high-density regions, whereas low-density regions carry significant amounts of information relevant to the constraint of dark energy and alternative gravity theories. Thus, proper treatment of both high and low densities is important for future surveys. Accordingly, we here present an interactionless Ising model for this bias, and we demonstrate that it exhibits a remarkably good fit to both Millennium Simulation and Sloan Digital Sky Survey data, at both density extremes. The quality of the fit indicates that galaxy formation is (to first order) an essentially local process determined by initial conditions.
First Use of an Entire Age Cohort to Evaluate the Role of Sex in the Development of the Forensically Important Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

The age of a blow fly larval specimen found on a body can be used to estimate a minimum postmortem interval by comparing a physical feature of a larva (e.g., length) to a reference growth curve created under similar conditions. A better understanding of factors known to influence growth rates would lead to more precise estimates of larval age. A factor known to influence insect development, but almost always lacking in blow fly larval growth curves, is sex. We wanted to understand how sex might affect larval growth rates and therefore lead to more precise age estimates, in the forensically important blow fly Chrysomya megacephala (F.). We examined sex for an entire age cohort at 70 h and found on average, males were longer than females. To assess whether this difference would cause an investigator to interpret the results differently if comparing a larval specimen of one sex based on reference data from the other sex, we made sex-specific 95% prediction intervals. We did not find a difference when comparing a male specimen with the female prediction interval, but did find more females outside the interval than expected using the male interval. All females outside the male interval were shorter. Investigators commonly remove the largest individuals from a body to estimate age, so these females are less likely to be chosen. These results do not support the generation of sex-specific growth curves for this species, though this study's narrow scope means more information is required before making a final conclusion.
The Effect of Fatigue Loading on Electrical Impedance in Open-Hole Carbon Nanofiber-Modified Glass Fiber/Epoxy Composites

Fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) materials are ideal for the aerospace and automotive industries which require high-strength structures with exceptional specific properties. The unfortunate reality is composite materials are susceptible to complex failure modes and difficult-to-predict damage growth as a result of their heterogeneity and anisotropy. Thus, robust structural health monitoring (SHM) for in-operation tracking of damage formation and accumulation is important for these materials. Self-sensing materials are a strong candidate to replace traditional composite SHM because they do not suffer from the disadvantages of point-based sensing. The piezoresistive effect in nanofiller-modified materials is a common approach to material self-sensing. Research to date in piezoresistivity has predominantly focused on the direct current (DC) response of such materials. This is an important limitation because alternating current (AC) has important advantages – it inherently possesses more information (AC data can relate both impedance magnitude and phase to damage), AC effects can be leveraged for improved damage sensitivity, and AC interrogation can reduce power requirements. Therefore, to develop knowledge that will facilitate the transition to AC, this work explores the effect of high-cyclefatigue loading on the AC response of carbon nanofiber (CNF)-modified glass fiber/epoxy laminates. In this study, impedance magnitude and phase angle are measured along the length and through the thickness of composite specimens with an open-hole stress concentrationsubjected to tension fatigue-loading up to 10 MHz. The collected impedance data is fit to an equivalent circuit model as a function of cycle. These results show that high-cycle fatigue loading does indeed have an appreciable effect on the equivalent circuit behavior of the material. However, clear and definitive trends were not observed thereby suggesting that further research is needed into the basic mechanisms of AC transport in nanocomposites if frequency-dependent transport is to be used to track fatigue loading.
Projections between visual cortex and pulvinar in the rat

The extrageniculate visual pathway, which carries visual information from the retina through the superficial layers of the superior colliculus and the pulvinar, is poorly understood. The pulvinar is thought to modulate information flow between cortical areas, and has been implicated in cognitive tasks like directing visually guided actions. In order to better understand the underlying circuitry, we performed retrograde injections of modified rabies virus in the visual cortex and pulvinar of the Long-Evans rat. We found a relatively small population of cells projecting to primary visual cortex (V1), compared to a much larger population projecting to higher visual cortex. Reciprocal corticothalamic projections showed a similar result, implying that pulvinar does not play as big a role in directly modulating rodent V1 activity as previously thought.
Temporary Membrane Permeabilization via the Pore-Forming Toxin Lysenin.

Pore-forming toxins are alluring tools for delivering biologically-active, impermeable cargoes to intracellular environments by introducing large conductance pathways into cell membranes. However, the lack of regulation often leads to the dissipation of electrical and chemical gradients, which might significantly affect the viability of cells under scrutiny. To mitigate these problems, we explored the use of lysenin channels to reversibly control the barrier function of natural and artificial lipid membrane systems by controlling the lysenin’s transport properties. We employed artificial membranes and electrophysiology measurements in order to identify the influence of labels and media on the lysenin channel’s conductance. Two cell culture models: Jurkat cells in suspension and adherent ATDC5 cells were utilized to demonstrate that lysenin channels may provide temporary cytosol access to membrane non-permeant propidium iodide and phalloidin. Permeability and cell viability were assessed by fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy. Membrane resealing by chitosan or specific media addition proved to be an effective way of maintaining cellular viability. In addition, we loaded non-permeant dyes into liposomes via lysenin channels by controlling their conducting state with multivalent metal cations. The improved control over membrane permeability might prove fruitful for a large variety of biological or biomedical applications that require only temporary, non-destructive access to the inner environment enclosed by natural and artificial membranes.
The Effects of NPY1 Receptor Antagonism on Intervertebral Disc and Bone Changes in Ovariectomized Rats

Study Design:Basic science.Objective:To compare the effects of a neuropeptide Y1 receptor antagonist (NPY-1RA) to estrogen on maintaining vertebral bone microarchitecture and disc height in a rat m...
Scalable Reinforcement Learning Policies for Multi-Agent Control.

This paper develops a stochastic Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) method to learn control policies that can handle an arbitrary number of external agents; our policies can be executed for tasks consisting of 1000 pursuers and 1000 evaders. We model pursuers as agents with limited on-board sensing and formulate the problem as a decentralized, partially-observable Markov Decision Process. An attention mechanism is used to build a permutation and input-size invariant embedding of the observations for learning a stochastic policy and value function using techniques in entropy-regularized off-policy methods. Simulation experiments on a large number of problems show that our control policies are dramatically scalable and display cooperative behavior in spite of being executed in a decentralized fashion; our methods offer a simple solution to classical multi-agent problems using techniques in reinforcement learning.
Evidence for hc Production from psi-prime at CLEO

Using the ~ 6 pb-1 of e+e- annihilation data taken at psi-prime(3686) with CLEO III and CLEO-c detectors with estimated ~ 3.0 million psi-prime events, we have searched for the h_c(1^1P_1) state of charmonium in the reaction psi-prime(3686) -> pi^{0} hc -> (gamma gamma) (gamma eta_c). The preliminary results are reported.
You Still Live There: Limitations of the Social Welfare Policy

For most citizens of the US, the jeremiad of the American Dream and pulling oneself up by your own bootstraps is a fallacy. With 45 million people currently falling below the official poverty line and 52.2 million people enrolled in some form of means tested government assistance, it is clear that we have a poverty problem. Current poverty levels are politically unacceptable and socially unnecessary. Given the aggressive nature in which the US government fought the War on Poverty in the 1960’s, it is shocking that these numbers are still so high. Existing social policy, rather than working to provide stepping stones for legitimate mobility, often instead provides just enough to maintain the status quo, keeping people dependent on welfare programs. This article uses the longitudinal Panel Study on Income Dynamics (PSID) to answer the question: How effective is social welfare policy in eradicating poverty? Existing research on social policy fails to acknowledge the all-encompassing nature of poverty. By focusing narrowly on the efficacy of a single program, researchers ignore the intricacies of life in poverty. Instead, we aim to analyze the socioeconomic and political climates surrounding housing policies in Oakland and Detroit in order to better understand where the social policy falls short and what it ignores. Through an examination of social welfare policy related to housing from 1978 to 2010, we find that the mechanisms through which social welfare policy has failed to eradicate systemic inequity and the ways that it perpetuates this inequity. Using housing policy, we will illuminate the limitations and barriers policymakers face so that moving forward, they can more adequately address these barriers, resulting in more effective policy.
Paste extrusion 3D printing and characterization of lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric ceramics

Abstract The additive manufacturing of piezoelectric ceramic Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) through paste extrusion 3D printing was demonstrated. Different paste compositions with varied water weight content were studied to find a composition suitable for printing. The pastes were evaluated in terms of their viscosities, yield stresses, and stability when aged. Furthermore, the material properties of the ceramics produced through paste extrusion were characterized and compared with those of ceramics fabricated through a conventional die pressing method. Paste extruded PZT with achieved densities as high as 94.9% of the theoretical density after sintering, which nearly matched the 95% density attained by the pressed samples. Upon poling, the paste extruded PZT piezoelectric ceramics attained piezoelectric coefficients and dielectric constants that were close to the values of die pressed samples. As near full density PZT ceramics were successfully fabricated through paste extrusion, this work paves the way for piezoelectric ceramics with application-driven geometry designs for sensors, actuators, and energy harvesters.
Edge Computing: Utilization of the Internet of Things for Time-Sensitive Data Processing

An edge computing system is a shared IT (Information Technology) system where customer data can be processed at the edge of the network to as close as possible to the originating source. The Internet of Things connects the various things on the internet, making it easier to live and allow jobs to be done more smartly. It also gives total control to the users. The combination of Edge computing and the Internet of Things can potentially result in huge possibilities for users. This work accessed edge computing and the benefits of using edge computing. It also looked into how to edge the many possibilities that can result in the use of edge computing. Various similar concepts like fog and cloud computing were also considered as closely related terms. This article provides insights into the use of edge computing in several industries.
Altered splicing associated with the pathology of inflammatory bowel disease.

Aberrant splicing of individual genes is a well-known mechanism promoting pathology for a wide range of conditions, but disease is less commonly attributed to global disruption of exon usage. To explore the possible association of aberrant splicing with inflammatory bowel disease, we developed a pipeline for quantifying transcript abundance and exon inclusion transcriptome-wide and applied it to a dataset of ileal and rectal biopsies, both obtained in duplicate from 34 pediatric or young adult cases of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Expression and splicing covary to some extent, and eight individuals exhibited aberrant profiles that can be explained by altered ratios of epithelial to stromal and immune cells. Ancestry-related biases in alternative splicing accounting for 5% of the variance were also observed, in part also related to cell-type proportions. In addition, two individuals were identified who had 284 exons with significantly divergent percent spliced in exons, including in the established IBD risk gene CEACAM1, which caused their ileal samples to resemble the rectum. These results imply that quantitative differences in splice usage contribute to the pathology of inflammatory bowel disease in a previously unrecognized manner.
Inhalation exposure to silver nanoparticles induces hepatic inflammation and oxidative stress, associated with altered renin-angiotensin system signaling, in Wistar rats.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have become increasingly popular in the biomedical field over the last few decades due to its proven antibacterial property. Previous scientific studies have reported that one of the major organs responsible for detoxification of AgNPs is the liver. The liver is also the primary organ responsible for secretion of angiotensinogen (AGT), a key signaling molecule involved in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which plays an important role in maintaining cardiac output and vascular pressure. The aim of this study was to assess any potential changes in the RAS-associated gene signaling, inflammatory response, and hepatocellular toxicity resulting from AgNP exposure. To do this, 6-week-old, male Wistar rats were exposed to a subacute inhalation exposure of AgNP (200 ppb/days over 4 h/days exposure, for 5 d) and their livers were analyzed for alterations in RAS components, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Real time qPCR analysis showed that AgNP-exposure resulted in a significant increase in hepatic AGT, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-1, and ACE-2 mRNA expression. Expression of inflammatory markers interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were also upregulated with AgNP-exposure, compared to controls. Furthermore AgNP-exposure mediated a significant increase in hepatic expression of catalase, and superoxide dismutase, and oxidative stress, as assessed via 8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine staining. Increased oxidative stress was associated with increased monocyte/macrophage-2 staining in the liver of AgNP-exposed rats. Such findings indicate that subacute inhalation exposure to AgNPs mediate increased hepatic RAS signaling, associated with inflammation, macrophage infiltration, and oxidative stress.
Imaging of adrenal and renal hemorrhage

Hemorrhage of the kidneys and adrenal glands has many etiologies. In the adrenal glands, trauma, anticoagulation, stress, sepsis, surgery, and neoplasms are common causes of hemorrhage. In the kidneys, reasons for hemorrhage include trauma, bleeding diathesis, vascular diseases, infection, infarction, hemorrhagic cyst rupture, the Antopol-Goldman lesion, and neoplasms. Angiomyolipoma and renal cell carcinoma are the neoplasms most commonly associated with hemorrhage in the kidneys and adrenal cortical carcinoma, metastases, and pheochromocytoma are associated with hemorrhage in the adrenal glands. Understanding the computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging features, and causes of hemorrhage in the kidneys and adrenal glands is critical. It is also important to keep in mind that mimickers of hemorrhage exist, including lymphoma in both the kidneys and adrenal glands, and melanoma metastases in the adrenal glands. Appropriate imaging follow-up of renal and adrenal hemorrhage should occur to exclude an underlying malignancy as the cause. If there is suspicion for malignancy that cannot be definitively diagnosed on imaging, surgery or biopsy may be warranted. Angiography may be indicated when there is a suspected underlying vascular disease. Unnecessary intervention, such as nephrectomy, may be avoided in patients with benign causes or no underlying disease. Appropriate management is dependent on accurate diagnosis of the cause of renal or adrenal hemorrhage and it is incumbent upon the radiologist to determine the etiology.
A pediatric neurologist's clinical experiences in Saudi Arabia.

From 1996 to 2002, I was head of a pediatric neurology section and helped develop a fellowship training program in Saudi Arabia. This was a most rewarding learning experience because of an abundance of neurometabolic and neurodegenerative diseases in a population with a high rate of consanguinity. In addition to inborn errors of metabolism, other prevalent disorders included late-infantile neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis, hyperekplexia, focal cortical dysplasias, sarcoglycanopathies, familial spastic paraplegia, demyelinating diseases, and dysmorphic syndromes. These patient experiences were a rich source of stimulation for clinical teaching and research. (J Child Neurol 2005;20:226—229).
Inflammatory pathways and cardiac repair: the affliction of infarction.

Recent advances have improved our ability to treat the acute symptoms of myocardial infarction, but have done little to prevent the chronic complications that arise afterward. New data suggest that targeting the plasminogen activator and matrix metalloproteinase pathways inhibit adaptive and maladaptive changes that follow myocardial infarction. (pages 1135–1142)
Cluster Computing: The Wave of the Future?

Using clusters of workstations is becoming a very popular method to solve both large and small scientific problems. One of the driving forces behind this shift is the availability of portable robust software to utilize and manage a cluster of workstations.
A Review of “Teaching Information Literacy: 50 Standards-Based Exercises for College Students”

Librarians in need of a resource for adding emphasis to their instruction one-shots or who are interested in building blocks for creating a full course in information literacy could do far worse th...
Preclinical Models for Translational Investigations of Left Ventricular Assist Device-Associated von Willebrand Factor Degradation

Evidence suggests a major role for von Willebrand factor (vWF) in left ventricular assist device (LVAD)-associated bleeding. However, the mechanisms of vWF degradation during LVAD support are not well understood. We developed: (i) a simple and inexpensive vortexer model; and (ii) a translational LVAD mock circulatory loop to perform preclinical investigations of LVAD-associated vWF degradation. Whole blood was obtained from LVAD patients (n = 8) and normal humans (n = 15). Experimental groups included: (i) blood from continuous-flow LVAD patients (baseline vs. post-LVAD, n = 8); (ii) blood from normal humans (baseline vs. 4 h in vitro laboratory vortexer, ∼ 2400 rpm, shear stress ∼175 dyne/cm(2) , n = 8); and (iii) blood from normal humans (baseline vs. 12 h HeartMate II mock circulatory loop, 10 000 rpm, n = 7). vWF multimers and degradation fragments were characterized with electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Blood from LVAD patients, blood exposed to in vitro supraphysiologic shear stress, and blood circulated through an LVAD mock circulatory loop demonstrated a similar profile of decreased large vWF multimers and increased vWF degradation fragments. A laboratory vortexer and an LVAD mock circulatory loop reproduced the pathologic degradation of vWF that occurs during LVAD support. Both models are appropriate for preclinical studies of LVAD-associated vWF degradation.
Inherited hypercoagulable states

Hypercoagulable states are a group of conditions associated with increased predisposition to thromboembolic events. Most of the inherited abnormalities recognized to date are associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE) rather than arterial thrombosis. The well-recognized inherited hypercoagulable states are the deficiencies of antithrombin, protein C and protein S, and the resistance to APC (factor V Leiden). These entities represent aberrations in the natural anticoagulant systems that exist in plasma. Other causes of inherited thrombophilia include abnormalities in the proteins of the fibrinolytic system, dysfibrinogenemias, deficiency of heparin cofactor II, abnormal thrombomodulin, elevated levels of histidine-rich glycoprotein, and the recently described variation in the prothrombin gene. One entity that has become firmly established as a predisposing factor for recurrent VTE is hyperhomocysteinemia. About half of VTE episodes in patients with inherited thrombophilias occur in relation to events that are generally recognized as predisposing states, such as surgery, pregnancy (particularly puerperium) and immobilization. In this review, the risks of VTE associated with inherited risk factors are discussed, and guidelines for the diagnosis and management are presented.
Robust stability of a class of nonlinear time-varying discrete systems

This paper studies the problem of robust absolute stability of a class of nonlinear discrete-time systems with time-varying matrix uncertainties of polyhedral type and multiple time-varying sector nonlinearities. By using the variational method and the Lyapunov Second Method, criteria for robust absolute stability are obtained in different forms for the given class of systems. Specifically, we determine the parametric class of Lyapunov functions which defines the necessary and sufficient conditions of robust absolute stability. We apply these Lyapunov functions to derive an algebraic criterion for robust absolute stability in the form of solvability conditions of a set of matrix equations.
WHY DID THE BYSTANDERS THINK JESUS CALLED UPON ELIJAH BEFORE HE DIED (MARK 15:34–36)? THE MARKAN POSITION

34And in the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani,” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35When some of the bystanders heard this, they said, “See, he is calling Elijah.” 36Then one ran off and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a stick and offered it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah comes to take him down.” 37But Jesus, after emitting a loud cry, expired. 38Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39When the centurion who was standing in front of him saw that he had so expired, he said, “Truly this man was Son of God.”
Paravertebral nerve block catheters using chloroprocaine in infants with prolonged mechanical ventilation for treatment of long-gap esophageal atresia.

BACKGROUND Infants with long-gap esophageal atresia (LGEA) undergo repeated thoracotomies for staged surgical repair known as the Foker process (FP). Associated prolonged mechanical ventilation results in exposure to high doses of opioids and benzodiazepines, and prolonged weaning times and ICU stays. AIM The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of short-term paravertebral nerve block (PVNB) catheters in reducing opioid/benzodiazepine exposure and effects on clinical variables. METHODS The medical records of seventeen infants were retrospectively reviewed; 11 with PVNB and six without (CG). PVNB were placed using ultrasound-guidance and chloroprocaine infusions implemented in the ICU. Opioids and benzodiazepines were administered via the protocol for 5 days following thoracotomies for Foker-I and Foker-II. RESULTS Foker-I: Average reduction in morphine and midazolam consumption was 36% (2.18 vs 3.40 mg·kg(-1) ·day(-1) ; P < 0.001) and 31% (2.25 vs 3.25 mg·kg(-1) ·day(-1) ; P = 0.033), respectively, in the PVNB compared with CG. Foker-II: Average reduction in morphine and midazolam consumption was 39% (3.19 vs 5.27 mg·kg(-1) ·day(-1) ) and 38% (3.46 mg·kg(-1) ·day(-1) vs 5.62; P < 0.001), respectively in the PVNB compared with CG. 24-h prior to extubation: Average reduction in morphine and midazolam consumption was 50% (2.91 vs 5.85 mg·kg(-1) ·24 h(-1) ; p = 0.023) and 61% (2.27 vs 5.83 mg·kg(-1) ·24 h(-1) ; P = 0.004), respectively, in the PVNB compared with CG. Infusion wean time, (independence from opioid/midazolam infusions) following extubation was 5 days in the PVNB group and 15 days in CG (P = 0.005). Median ICU stay (IQR) was 40 days (34-45 days) in PVNB patients and 71 days (42-106 days) in controls (P = 0.02). PVNB catheters were left an average of 7 days and there were no complications associated with the nerve blocks. CONCLUSION Short-term PVNB placement decreases opioid and benzodiazepine exposure, weaning days and ICU stay in infants undergoing prolonged mechanical ventilation for LGEA repair in this small pilot study. Larger studies are warranted to confirm results.
Possible signals for Higgs meson production in high energy experiments

Abstract Possible searches for Higgs mesons in e + −e − , ν μ −p and p−p collisions are discussed. The relevant gauge groups of weak and electromagnetic interactions are all bigger than the minimal SU(2) L ×U(1).
Helix-loop-helix proteins are present and differentially expressed in different cell lines from the anterior pituitary

The basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) class of transcriptional activators, important in the establishment of many different cell lineages, share two important properties: the ability to heterodimerize with other members of this family and to bind DNA containing the loose consensus sequence CANNTG. This study takes advantage of these shared characteristics to begin to address whether or not bHLH proteins are present in pituitary cells. Gel-shift and Southwestern assays using an oligonucleotide containing a bHLH binding consensus sequence demonstrate that pituitary-specific proteins are present in extracts from adult pituitary tissue and pituitary cell lines and bind specifically to this sequence. Pituitary extracts were also found to contain several factors which interact with Id protein, a negative regulator of bHLH activity, in Far-Western assays of protein-protein interactions. Finally, messenger RNA for Id is present in pituitary cell lines but is absent in adult pituitary tissue. Together, these studies indicate that bHLH proteins are present in pituitary cells and their levels are differentially regulated in the separate cell types.
Integrated distributed sensing and active vibration suppression of flexible manipulators using distributed piezoelectrics

Structural oscillation of flexible robot manipulators would severely hamper their operation accuracy and precision. This article presents an integrated distributed sensor and active distributed vibration actuator design for elastic or flexible robot structures. The proposed distributed sensor and actuator is a layer, or multilayer of piezoelectric material directly attached on the flexible component needed to be monitored and controlled. The integrated piezoelectric sensor/actuator can monitor the oscillation as well as actively and directly constrain the undesirable oscillation of the flexible robot manipulators by direct/converse piezoelectric effects, respectively. A general theory on the distributed sensing and active vibration control using the piezoelectric elements is first proposed. An equivalent finite element formulation is also developed. A physical model with distributed sensor/actuator is tested in laboratory; and a finite element model with the piezoelectric actuator is simulated. The distributed sensing and control effectiveness are studied.
Periodic Solutions of a Second Order Nonlinear System

Abstract We discuss the existence of periodic solutions of the system x″(t) + d dt [grad F(x(t))] + g(t, x(t)) = e(t) under various asymptotic behaviours of g .
Queueing systems with service interruptions II

On presente une methode de solution exacte pour un systeme d'attente a un seul serveur avec des interruptions de service
Multi-directory hashing

Abstract We present a new dynamic hashing scheme for disk-based databases, called Multi-Directory Hashing (MDH). MDH uses multiple hash directories to access a file. The size of each hash directory grows dynamically with the file size. The advantages of MDH are enhanced concurrency, improved bucket utilization and smaller total directory size than single-directory hashing. The expected utilization of MDH increases monotonically and approaches 100% as the number of hash directories increases. A variation of MDH, called Main Memory Multi-Directory Hashing (MM-MDH), is also described. MM-MDH achieves optimal search time in main memory databases. The performance of both methods is analyzed through theoretical and experimental results.
Milankovic’s theory: multidimensional visualisation of the change of insolation and indicators of climatic change from 100000 before present to 100000 after present (in intervals of 1,000 years)

The deviation of the insolation on the earth’s surface from the past to the present and the present to the future for cloudless days is calculated in intervals of 1,000 years from 100000 years before present (BP) to 100000 years after present (AP), its basis being Milankovic’s theory. But the result are not the well-known Milankovic-curves, which are calculated for different latitudes and in which the x-axis represents years and the y-axis represents the insolation difference to present during the North-summer half-year. The calculations are made for each day of the selected years from the South Pole to the North Pole. Thus, two temporal dimensions are represented, that of a year and that of a day, furthermore the spatial dimension “latitude” and the dimension “energy” (insolation deviation). The performance of modern PCs allows the results of the calculations to be presented by a graphical animation. A determined deviation pattern of the insolation is obtained for each year. δ18O data, the mean global temperature and the additional ice volume on the continents are added to the graphic representations of those patterns for the period from 100000 years BP to the present. During that period insolation deviation patterns can be recognised which correlate with cool climates or climates getting cooler, and others which correlate with relatively warm climates or climates getting warmer. Correlations between the patterns are calculated and groups of similar patterns can be composed which can be associated in most cases with specific climatic conditions or specific climatic change. Comparison of patterns between 100000 years and present BP with patterns between present and 100000 years AP can help to estimate climatic change during the 100000 years ahead.
Expected stand behavior : site quality estimation for southern Appalachian red spruce

An indicator of site productivity and quality was provided for mixed, uneven-aged natural stands of southern Appalachian red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.). A set of anamorphic site index curves was developed and validated using the Meyer (1940) nonlinear function using diameter at breast height as a predicting variable. The coefficient of determination for the base curve was good (R2 = 0.626) and no consistent bias was detected. Average site quality index decreased with increasing elevation. Site index was highest in pure spruce stands but decreased with increasing elevation and/or increasing Fraser fir (Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir.) or yellow birch (Betula lutea Michaux f.) component.
A Wearable Vehicle Interface for augmented reality in operating AUVs

Running an operation with an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) presently requires that the pilots situate themselves, primarily in a sedentary position for extended periods of time, in front of a computer that is in communication with the vehicle. Such an operations workstation is likely to be a networked PC that cannot be exposed to the elements, but has access to all of the software necessary for data reduction and visualization. At the MIT AUV Lab we have extensive experience with this mode of operation. In order to overcome the deficiencies in the current paradigm, we have developed a lightweight computing system that is worn by members of the AUV deployment team to investigate the human factors issues associated with immersing a user in a computing environment that is being used to control an underwater robot. The wearable vehicle interface (WeVI) is intended for use in the marine environment and fits over a US Coast Guard approved personal flotation device. The WeVI provides for connectivity to the AUV as well as other WeVI suits via Radio Frequency and 802.11 b wireless standards. The operator's point-of-view and GPS location may be shared among WeVI suits to promote situational awareness for the entire operations team. Mission control (planning, scripting, and launching), and visualizing datasets is performed through the graphical user interface that is displayed in a user's head-mounted display. Research into particular attributes of the augmented reality provided by such a suit is ongoing and presented in this paper.
Single-Cell Optogenetic Excitation Drives Homeostatic Synaptic Depression

Homeostatic processes have been proposed to explain the discrepancy between the dynamics of synaptic plasticity and the stability of brain function. Forms of synaptic plasticity such as long-term potentiation alter synaptic activity in a synapse- and cell-specific fashion. Although network-wide excitation triggers compensatory homeostatic changes, it is unknown whether neurons initiate homeostatic synaptic changes in response to cell-autonomous increases in excitation. Here we employ optogenetic tools to cell-autonomously excite CA1 pyramidal neurons and find that a compensatory postsynaptic depression of both AMPAR and NMDAR function results. Elevated calcium influx through L-type calcium channels leads to activation of a pathway involving CaM kinase kinase and CaM kinase 4 that induces synaptic depression of AMPAR and NMDAR responses. The synaptic depression of AMPARs but not of NMDARs requires protein synthesis and the GluA2 AMPAR subunit, indicating that downstream of CaM kinase activation divergent pathways regulate homeostatic AMPAR and NMDAR depression.
“The Compass of Our Life”: A Qualitative Study of Marriage and Faith Among Chinese Immigrants

Twenty highly religious Chinese Christian married couples (n = 40) were interviewed to examine how religious faith influenced their perceptions of marriage and family life. Most participants held advanced graduate degrees (14 PhD and 13 MS degrees). Their ages ranged from 28 to 66, and the number of children ranged from one to four. Grounded theory methods (including open coding and axial coding) were applied to analyze the data. Based on the interview data three emergent themes were identified: (1) Moving from atheism to theism (“God is love”), (2) changing perceptions of marriage (“Marriage is established by God”), and (3) a new priority (“Put God first”). Supporting qualitative data are presented in connection with each theme. Implications for research and practice related to Chinese immigrants’ marriage and family in the United States are discussed.
Identifying Relationships Among Lower Extremity Alignment Characteristics

Abstract Context: The relationship between lower extremity alignment and lower extremity injury risk remains poorly understood, perhaps because most authors have examined only individual or a selec...
Is Ovulation Alone Sufficient To Cause Formation of Corpora Lutea

The release of LH, FSH and a luteotrophic substance from the pituitaries of nonpregnant gilts was blocked by continuous feeding of 500 mg/day of Repromix (a progestogen) for 16 days before and during the formation of ovulable follicles. Four consecutive daily injections of PMS induced the formation of follicles of ovulable size and these were caused to ovulate with a single injection of HCG given 24 hr after the last PMS injection. Repromix feeding was continued until the day of autopsy, which was 9 days after the injection of HCG. At autopsy, corpora lutea normal in morphologic appearance and progesterone concentration (48.8 μg/g luteal tissue) were present. A single injection of HCG into “pituitaryblocked” pregnant gilts could not overcome the Repromix-induced regression of the corpora lutea of pregnancy. Daily injections of HCG from the first day of pituitary blockade (day 25 of pregnancy) until the day of autopsy, 10 or 16 days later, appeared to maintain the weight of the corpora lutea but could not ...
Stress prompts brown fat into combustion.

Activation of dorsomedial hypothalamic-rostral medullary raphe neural signaling promotes brown fat thermogenesis, leading to elevated body temperature. In this issue, Kataoka et al. (2014) establish an important role for this brain-brown fat thermogenic action in psychological stress-induced hyperthermia in rats, implying a potential mechanism behind human psychogenic fever.
An apple II series program for evaluating Stanford-Binet IV subtest scores

Abstract A profile analysis program was developed for Apple II microcomputers that allows school psychologists to quickly calculate Stanford-Binet IV means for the Verbal Comprehension, Nonverbal Reasoning/Visualization, and Memory factors. The significance of subtest deviations from either the factor means or the overall mean can then be evaluated. The program uses a menu-driven approach and displays the results to the monitor.
Medicaid home visitation and maternal and infant healthcare utilization.

Background The Michigan Maternal and Infant Health Program (MIHP) is a population-based home-visitation program providing care coordination, referrals, and visits based on a plan of care. MIHP is available to all Medicaid-eligible pregnant women and infants aged ≤1 year in Michigan. Purpose To assess the effects of MIHP participation on maternal and infant healthcare utilization. Methods Propensity-score matching methods were used to assess differences in healthcare utilization between MIHP participants and nonparticipants using 2009—2010 Medicaid claims and administrative data obtained from the Michigan Department of Community Health. Data were analyzed between October 2011 and March 2013. Results MIHP participants had higher odds of receiving any prenatal care compared to matched women not participating in MIHP (OR=2.94, 95% CI=2.43, 3.60) and higher odds of receiving adequate prenatal care (OR=1.06, 95% CI=1.01, 1.11). MIHP participants had higher odds of receiving an appropriately timed postnatal visit (OR=1.50, 95% CI=1.43, 1.57). Infants participating in MIHP had higher odds of receiving any well-child visits over the first year of life (OR=1.70, 95% CI=1.51, 1.93) and higher odds of receiving the appropriate number of well-child visits over their first year of life (OR=1.47, 95% CI=1.35, 1.60) compared to matched nonparticipant infants. Conclusions The results from Michigan provide strong evidence for the effectiveness of a Medicaid-sponsored population-based home-visitation program in improving maternal prenatal and postnatal care and infant care. This evidence is important to consider as the federal healthcare reform is implemented and states are making decisions on the expansion of the Medicaid program.
Coronary and Aortic Endothelial Function Affected by Feedback Between Adiponectin and Tumor Necrosis Factor α in Type 2 Diabetic Mice

Objective— To verify that adiponectin and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α reciprocally regulate their expression, thereby synergistically affecting both coronary and aortic endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetic mice. Methods and Results— We examined endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilation/vasorelaxation of coronary arterioles and aortas in control mice, diabetic mice (Lepr db ), and Lepr db treated with adiponectin or neutralizing antibody to TNF-α (anti–TNF-α). Endothelium-dependent vasodilation to acetylcholine in both coronary arterioles and aortas was blunted in Lepr db compared with control mice. Endothelium-independent vasodilation to sodium nitroprusside was comparable. Adiponectin and anti–TNF-α improved acetylcholine-induced vasodilation of coronary arterioles and aortas in Lepr db without affecting dilator response to sodium nitroprusside. Adiponectin protein expression was significantly reduced, and TNF-α protein expression was significantly greater, in coronary arterioles and aortas of Lepr db compared with control mice. Immunofluorescence staining results indicate that adiponectin was colocalized with endothelial cells. Anti–TNF-α treatment upregulated adiponectin protein expression in Lepr db coronary arterioles and aortas. Adiponectin administration reduced TNF-α protein expression in Lepr db . Although adiponectin receptor 1 protein expression in coronary arterioles and aortas was similar between control and diabetic mice, adiponectin receptor 2 protein expression was significantly reduced in Lepr db . Both adiponectin and anti–TNF-α inhibited IκBα phosphorylation and nuclear factor κB protein expression in Lepr db , suggesting that adiponectin and TNF-α signaling may converge on nuclear factor κB to reciprocally regulate their expression. Conclusion— A reciprocal suppression occurs between adiponectin and TNF-α that fundamentally affects the regulation of coronary and aortic endothelial function in type 2 diabetic mice.