cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A reliable and sensitive enzyme immunoassay method for measuring 8-isoprostaglandin F2α: a marker for lipid peroxidation after experimental brain injury

The objectives of this study were to determine (1) if levels of 8-isoprostaglandin F2 alpha (8-isoPGF2 alpha), a non-enzymatically produced prostaglandin, were increased after cortical contusion and (2) if enzyme immunoassay (EIA) could be used to quantify 8-isoPGF2 alpha levels. 24 h after the contusion there was a significant rise in 8-isoPGF2 alpha compared to control levels. The levels returned to baseline by 72 h postinjury. The results show that this EIA method is a reliable and sensitive technique for measuring brain lipid peroxidation.
Nuclear data sheets for A = 191

Level schemes, spin and parity assignments, and decay properties are presented for all nuclei with mass number A = 191. Experimental data and adopted values are given along with conclusions as to the spin and parity assignments. The presentation of the nuclear properties is given in the light of the data and current theoretical ideas. In this transition region, level decay rates are seen to be of particular importance and so have been summarized in terms of multipole enhancement or hindrance. The compilers have attempted to bring out some inconsistencies in the data and resolve discrepancies when possible. Deficiencies in the data include (a) reaction data leading to 191Pt, (b) rigorous spin assignments for 191Pt, and (c) determination of the ground-state properties of 191Hg. An abundance of data on stable 191Ir shows that nuclear deformations are already a prominent characteristic in this transitional nucleus.
Antidiuretic hormone release and the pressor response to central angiotensin II and cholinergic stimulation

Abstract Intraventricular (IVT) injections of angiotensin II (AII) have been shown to produce a short latency blood pressure increase and antidiuretic hormone (ADH) release in several species of mammals. In addition, IVT injections produce these same responses in the rat. Unanaesthetized hydrated rats have been used as their own bioassay to study if the pressor effect produced by IVT AII is caused by the vasopressin release. The results indicate that intraventricular injections of AII in a dose range of 0.5–500 ng result in dose dependent ADH release of from 0.04 to 3.32 mU, and carbachol in doses from 0.025 ng to 250 ng produces ADH release from 0.29 to 4.01 mU. Intravenous AII or carbachol in the same dose range did not release ADH in detectable amounts. The time course and magnitude of ADH release produced by intraventricular AII or carbachol injections and data from hypophysectomized rats indicates that vasopressin is partially but not totally responsible for the centrally-induced blood pressure increase. The data suggest that central activation of the sympathetic nervous system is also involved in the response. To test this, 11 rats received peripheral sympathectomy with 6-hydroxydopamine. The amount of ADH released to a central All challenge in these animals was not changed. Following sympathectomy, there was an increased sensitivity to vasopressin which could completely account for the pressor responses observed.
Minority Housing Segregation: A Test of Three Perspectives

Prior research on the residential patterns of minorities has generally found that relative to other minorities, African Americans are substantially less likely to reside in proximity to whites. The...
Consistency and Development of Teachers' Epistemological and Ontological World Views.

We examined epistemological and ontological world views using self-report surveys, brief written reflections, and an extended written action research project for a sample of 16 graduate students enrolled in an education class at a large university on the West coast of the USA. We made two predictions. We anticipated that the majority of students would hold consistent world views across the 13-week semester, and that individuals with inconsistent beliefs would move from a realist (i.e. teacher-centred) to contextualist (i.e. student-centred) world view. Results indicated that approximately 55% of the participants expressed consistent beliefs. In addition, participants who did not self-report consistent beliefs typically moved from a realist to a more contextualist world view by the end of the semester. We discuss the role of active reflection as a component of the learning environment that enhances the development of beliefs.
Validity-Supporting Evidence of the Self-Efficacy for Teaching Mathematics Instrument

The purpose of this study is to provide evidence of reliability and validity of the Self-Efficacy for Teaching Mathematics Instrument (SETMI). Self-efficacy, as defined by Bandura, was the theoreti...
Cardiac implantable electronic device remote monitoring surveillance in pediatric and congenital heart disease: Utility relative to frequency

Background Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus provides recommendations for surveillance monitoring of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), but limited data are available for the pediatric and congenital heart disease population. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of actionable events during CIED surveillance in this population, assess the utility of routine CIED remote monitoring, and assess the potential benefit from more frequent monitoring. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of all CIED patients followed at a pediatric and congenital heart center and enrolled in the Medtronic Carelink system with either (1) a chronic (implanted for >6 months) CIED followed between July 1, 2010, and July 1, 2012, on a bimonthly schedule; or (2) a new CIED (implanted Results Aggregate mean age was 20 ±13.7 years. There were 608 interrogations on newly implanted CIEDs with an actionable event rate of 11 per 100 patient-years. There were 2614 interrogations of chronic CIEDs with an actionable event rate of 22 per 100 patient-years. The odds of an actionable event on an asymptomatic remote monitoring transmission was lower than if symptomatic (odds ratio 0.04, 95% confidence interval 0.03–0.07). Tachyarrhythmia was the most common event. Predictors of actionable events were identified. Conclusion In this population of pediatric and congenital heart disease patients, the rate of actionable events was low, especially on asymptomatic interrogations. Most actionable events were due to tachyarrhythmia. A more frequent than every 90-day monitoring schedule does not appear to be of significant benefit.
Synthetic hydrogen bonding receptors as models of transacylase enzymes

Abstract A family of synthetic receptors has been prepared containing a barbiturate binding site and an appended thiol nucleophile. These are shown to cause large accelerations in the thiolysis reactions of barbiturate active ester derivatives. The size of the acceleration is shown to depend critically on the length and flexibility of the spacer that links the thiol to the receptor.
Partial Relaxed Monotonicity and General Auxiliary Problem Principle with Applications

Abstract First, a general framework for the auxiliary problem principle is introduced and then it is applied to the approximation-solvability of the following class of nonlinear variational inequality problems (NVIP) involving partially relaxed monotone mappings. Find an element x ∗ ϵ K such that 〈T(x ∗ )x−x ∗ 〉+f(x)−f(x ∗ )≧0 ,for all x ϵ K , where T : K → R n is a mapping from a nonempty closed convex subset K of R n into R n , and f : K → R is a continuous convex functional on K. The general class of the auxiliary problem principles is described as follows: for a given iterate x k E K and for a parameter ϱ > 0, determine x k +1 such that 〈T(x ∗ ), x−x ∗ 〉 + f(x ∗ ) ≧ 0, for all x ϵ K , where T : K → R n is a mapping from a nonempty closed convex subject K of R n into R n , and f : K → R is a continuous convex functional of K . The general calss of the auxillary problem principles is described as follows: for a given iterate x k ϵ K and for a parameter ρ > 0, determine x k +1 such that 〉ρT (x k ) + h′ (x k+1 ) − h′(x k ), x − x k+1 〉 + ρ f(x) − f(x k+1 ) ≧ (− φ k ), for all x ϵ K , where h : K → R is m -times continuously Frechet-differentiable on K and σ k > 0 is a number.
Major Advances in the Synthesis of POSS Monomers

Several new methods have been developed for the synthesis of POSS monomers from fully condensed [RSiO3/2]n and [ROSiO3/2]n (n = 6 or 8) frameworks. These methods, which all rely on highly selective base-catalyzed reactions of Si/O frameworks, provide unprecedented access to new POSS monomers and the means for manufacturing useful POSS monomers on a large scale from readily available silane monomers.
Design of an Industrial Process Controller using Neural Networks

There are many problems in industrial process control systems due to a long system response delay, dead-zone and/or saturation of the actuator mechanisms, uncertainties in the system model and/or parameters, and process noise. To overcome these problems, an adaptive controller is designed using neural networks and tested extensively via simulations. One of the key problems in designing such a controller is to develop an efficient training algorithm. Neural networks are usually trained using the output errors of the network, instead of using the output errors of the controlled plant. However, when a neural network is used to control a plant directly, the output errors of the network are unknown, since the desired control actions are unknown. In this paper, we propose a simple training algorithm for a class of nonlinear systems, which enables the neural network to be trained by the output errors of the controlled plant. The only a priori knowledge of the controlled plant is the direction of its output response. A detailed analysis of the algorithm is presented and the corresponding theorems are proved. Due to its simple structure and algorithm, and good performance, the proposed controller has high potential for handling difficult problems in industrial process control systems.
The Arts and Family Social Work: A Call for Advancing Practice, Research, and Education

This brief report serves as a call for creative and artistic works relative to family social work. Recognizing the “art” of family social work, Mazza's (2003) multidimensional poetry therapy practice model is used as a framework for addressing all arts-based approaches to practice and research.
Complications of EUS-FNA

Endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) appears to be a very safe method for tissue acquisition to aid in the diagnosis of lesions in a variety of anatomic sites. The complications of this procedure, when performed by a well-trained endoscopist, appear to be rare. The most common complications include infection, pancreatitis and bleeding.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome and Disordered Swallowing

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an immune-based disorder of the peripheral nervous system. Cranial nerve involvement and dysphagia is experienced by individuals with clinical presentations of GBS....
Resonant tunneling diodes: models and properties

The resonant tunneling diode (RTD) has been widely studied because of its importance in the field of nanoelectronic science and technology and its potential applications in very high speed/functionality devices and circuits. Even though much progress has been made in this regard, additional work is needed to realize the full potential of RTD's. As research on RTD's continues, we will try in this tutorial review to provide the reader with an overall and succinct picture of where we stand in this exciting field or research and to address the following questions: What makes RTD's so attractive? To what extent can RTD's be modeled for design purposes? What are the required and achievable device properties in terms of digital logic applications? To address these issues, we review the device operational principles, various modeling approaches, and major device properties. Comparisons among the various RTD physical models and major features of RTD's, resonant interband tunneling diodes, and Esaki tunnel diodes are presented. The tutorial and analysis provided in this paper may help the reader in becoming familiar with current research efforts, as well as to examine the important aspects in further RTD developments and their circuit applications.
What Do We Mean by "Learning" in the Context of Higher Education?

Instead of the traditional view of learning as acquiring cognitive knowledge or data, the author argues for a broader notion of knowledge that includes emotions, values, intuition, and creativity.
Using probabilistic methods to optimize data entry in accrual of patients to clinical trials

A clinical trial is a study conducted on a group of patients to evaluate a new treatment procedure. Usually, clinicians manually select patients for a clinical trial; the choice of eligible patients is a labor-intensive process, and clinicians are often unable to identify sufficient number of patients, which delays the evaluation of new treatments. We have developed a Web-based system that helps clinicians to determine the eligibility of patients for multiple clinical trials. It uses probabilistic techniques that minimize the amount of manual data entry, by ordering the related data-entry steps. We describe the developed system and give the results of applying it to retrospective data of breast cancer patients at the Moffitt Cancer Center.
Nitric acid loss rates measured in power plant plumes

[1] Measurements of HNO3, NOx, NOy, and CO2 in the plumes from electric utility power plants located in eastern Texas are used to determine the HNO3 loss rates in the planetary boundary layer during plume transport. These 1 Hz measurements were obtained from the National Center for Atmospheric Research Electra aircraft flying on clear afternoons in a well-mixed planetary boundary layer during the Texas Air Quality Study in August and September of 2000. The analysis uses data obtained in 48 crosswind transects of plumes from seven different power plants on six flight days. The NOx lifetime was found to vary from 1.3 to 3.1 hours in these plumes, indicating that the measurements were obtained during periods of rapid photochemical activity. The HNO3 loss rate was 0.45 ± 0.21 hour−1 in power plant plumes that were advected over rural regions. Particle size distributions measured in the plumes indicated that gas phase HNO3 was not lost to particle formation. Meteorological effects and land use were also investigated as possible causes for the observed HNO3 loss rates, which were insensitive to the land cover and measured wind speeds and boundary layer heights. The HNO3 loss rate measured in most plumes was more than 4 times greater than what is calculated from deposition velocities and the measured boundary layer height.
State-plane analysis of a constant-frequency clamped-mode parallel-resonant converter

A novel clamped-mode parallel-resonant converter which operates at a constant frequency and provides a wide output voltage regulation range is proposed and analyzed. Employing graphical state-plane techniques, five circuit operating modes are identified and their mode boundaries defined. Regions for natural and forced commutation of power devices are specified. The DC control-to-output characteristics are derived to facilitate converter design. The predicted operating modes are experimentally verified using a 105 kHz prototype circuit. >
Performance and cost evaluations of synthetic resin technology for the removal of methyl tert-butyl ether from drinking water

This study investigated the performance of synthetic carbonaceous resin technology for the treatment of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) contaminated waters using rapid small-scale column tests (RSSCTs). The RSSCTs were conducted using Ambersorb 563 carbonaceous resin (Rohm and Haas Corp., Philadelphia, Pa.) under multisolute conditions of typical municipal water source, soluble fuel components or additive/by-product, and MTBE. Specifically, one RSSCT column run was conducted with groundwater from Arcadia Wellfield, Santa Monica, Calif., with tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) and MTBE, while the other RSSCT column run was performed with surface water from Lake Perris, Calif., with benzene, toluene, p-xylene (BTX) and MTBE. The results obtained were compared to RSSCTs performed using PCB coconut shell granulated activated carbon (GAC) (Calgon Corp., Philadelphia, Pa.). The adsorbent comparisons indicate that the performance (as characterized by indicators such as carbon usage rates or integrated column capacity) of the Ambersorb 563 synthetic resin in multisolute conditions of TBA or BTEX with MTBE in typical municipal water source is significantly superior to that of the coconut shell PCB GAC. Cost comparison for the coconut shell GAC and synthetic resin system was also performed. Under multisolute conditions of typical municipal water source, flow rates, and influent MTBE concentrations, the cost of the resin system, for most of the scenarios evaluated, is demonstrated to be significantly lower than the complementary GAC system under the costing procedure used. Further, when soluble fuel components such as BTX or fuel additives/byproducts such as TBA were present along with MTBE, the predicted higher adsorbent usage rates for the coconut shell GAC were translated into significantly higher treatment costs relative to the synthetic carbonaceous resin system.
Vitronectin receptor stimulation of remote vascular responses: role of connexin 43

We hypothesize that gap junctional communication along the vascular wall modulates remote responses. To test this, we employed both pharmacologic and genomic approaches to block connexin (C/spl times/)43 transcription, using the remote response to vitronectin receptor (VTR) stimulation as a model response. Arteriolar diameter and red blood cell velocity were determined in the cheek pouch preparation of anesthetized (pentobarbital, 70 mg/kg) hamsters (N=25). LM609 (VTR agonist) was micropipette applied to the termination of the arteriolar network; observations were made 1000 /spl mu/m upstream at the entrance to the network. Control responses consist of an immediate increase in velocity (shear rate) followed by a dilation with a decrease in shear rate. Gap junctions were pharmacologically inhibited with 18-alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid micropipette application to the middle of the network; in a dose dependent fashion, remote dilation was attenuated, but shear rate did not change. Prevention of C/spl times/43 transcription (double strand RNA inhibition) likewise blocked only the dilation in a dose dependent fashion, and not shear. Together this suggests that gap junctions are involved in this response, and that C/spl times/43 is required for flow dependent dilation following stimulation of the vitronectin receptor.
High efficiency power transmitter based on envelope delta-sigma modulation (EDSM)

A delta-sigma modulated Class-E power amplifier is proposed and experimentally developed for high-efficiency and linear applications. The essential idea is based on envelope delta-sigma modulation (EDSM), which combines the Kahn technique envelope elimination and restoration (EER) and the delta-sigma modulated amplifier concept. The EDSM scheme increases the efficiency of the circuit by digitizing the envelope of the signal instead of the original RF signal. In the proposed scheme, the digitized envelope is not filtered as in the Kahn technique; consequently the output signal linearity is not deteriorated by the amplifier nonlinearity. A band pass filter is used only at the output of the system after the Class-E power amplifier to restore the original signal envelope.
Suppression of a differentiation response in MC-3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells by sustained, low-level, 30 Hz magnetic-field exposure.

Abstract McLeod, K. J. and Collazo, L. Suppression of a Differentiation Response in MC-3T3-E1 Osteoblast-like Cells by Sustained, Low-Level, 30 Hz Magnetic-Field Exposure. Extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic fields have been reported to be capable of influencing both tissue remodeling and cell phenotypic expression in culture. However, whether the cells or tissues respond directly to the magnetic flux or to the electric field induced by the time-changing magnetic flux remains a controversial topic. To address this question, we developed an osteoblast cell assay based on the activity of alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme whose activity is up-regulated during the differentiation of bone cells. MC-3T3-E1 cells plated at a confluent density were allowed to proceed through the differentiation process for 3 days, after which they were exposed to a 30 Hz, 1.8-mT r.m.s. magnetic field inducing a spatially varying electric field with a maximum intensity of 0.9 mV/m r.m.s. In situ assays of alkaline phosphatase act...
Polarity of alveolar epithelial cell acid-base permeability

We investigated acid-base permeability properties of electrically resistive monolayers of alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) grown in primary culture. AEC monolayers were grown on tissue culture-treat...
Rapid Plan View Fabrication of Semiconductor Tem Samples for Interface Strain and Grain Size Analysis

This study presents novel methods for chemically preparing back-side and double-side etched, plan-view TEM samples without use of jet thinning instrumentation in order to examine both surfaces and interfaces. Examples are drawn from the semiconductor industry, but this technique can be generalized for use in most materials systems. The methodology for single-sided etching consists of flat lapping and mechanical dimpling followed by material selective chemical etching to electron transparency. Interface defect analysis of heterostructures is achieved via double-sided etching to electron transparency using the proper selective chemical etchants. These techniques are presented not as replacements for conventional cross-sectional preparatory techniques, but instead, as a means for rapid sample preparation for situations where a large number of samples must be analyzed quickly, or in cases where the necessary equipment is lacking for crosssection preparation.
Electrostatic Protein Immobilization Using Charged Polyacrylamide Gels and Cationic Detergent Microfluidic Western Blotting

We report a novel protein immobilization matrix for fully integrated microfluidic Western blotting (WB). The electrostatic immobilization gel (EIG) enables immobilization of all proteins sized using cetyl trimethylammonium bromide polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (CTAB-PAGE), for subsequent electrophoretic probing with detection affinity reagents (e.g., labeled antibodies). The “pan-analyte” capture strategy introduced here uses polyacrylamide gel grafted with concentrated point charges (zwitterionic macromolecules), in contrast to existing microfluidic WB strategies that rely on a sandwich immunoassay format for analyte immobilization and detection. Sandwich approaches limit analyte immobilization to capture of only a priori known targets. A charge interaction mechanism study supports the hypothesis that electrostatic interaction plays a major role in analyte immobilization on the EIG. We note that protein capture efficiency depends on both the concentration of copolymerized charges and ionic strength ...
Optical measurements of low-frequency hemodynamic oscillations in human breast tissue

Induced hemodynamic perturbations in two healthy subjects featured in-phase oscillations of oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations in breast tissue. We present an optical instrument to investigate bilateral hemodynamics in breast cancer patients.
Robust watermarking technique for digital images utilizing the invariant relation of vector quantization indices

AbstractThe digital property of multimedia has received significant attention in recent years. Robust watermarking of digital images and video for copyright protection is an important and challenging topic. In this paper, a watermarking method is presented which is based on vector quantization (VQ). In the proposed method, the watermark is related to the codebook that is permuted by an owner-specific random sequence. Also, the extraction of the watermark does not require the existence of the original image. The proposed method exploits the relation of VQ indices to provide the property of invisibility and robustness for various attacks. The experimental results in this work demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Thermally Functional Liquid Crystal Networks by Magnetic Field Driven Molecular Orientation

Aligned liquid crystal networks were synthesized by photopolymerization of liquid crystal monomers in the presence of magnetic fields. Grazing incident wide-angle X-ray scattering was used to characterize the degree of molecular alignment of mesogen chains and time-domain thermoreflectance was used to measure thermal conductivity. Liquid crystal networks with mesogenic units aligned perpendicular and parallel to the substrate exhibit thermal conductivity of 0.34 W m–1 K–1 and 0.22 W m–1 K–1, respectively. The thermal conductivity and orientational order of liquid crystal networks vary as a function of temperature. The thermal conductivity of liquid crystal networks can be manipulated by a magnetic field at above the glass transition temperature (65 °C) where the reduced viscosity enables molecular reorientation on the time scale of 10 min.
Nonlinear Explanatory Multiple Regression Models

In this chapter, the insights offered by nonlinear regression models built with multiple drivers are examined. In many cases, a dependent variable and its drivers are approximately Normal, with skewness between −1 and +1. Linear regression models often provide good fit for either cross sectional or time series, and are often valid for forecasting in time series. However, the choice of a nonlinear model enables acknowledgement of the interactions inherent in many cases. With nonlinear models, the impact of each driver depends on the values of other drivers. In a nonlinear model, driver influences are multiplicative, which adds an element of realism relative to linear regression models with constant response, and provides richer insights from sensitivity analysis.
LA NACIONALIDAD DE ALEJO CARPENTIER: HISTORIA Y FICCIÓN

Este ensayo parte de una reflexion sobre el descubrimiento de que Carpentier habia nacido en Lausana, Suiza, y no en La Habana, Cuba, como declaro siempre, y el motivo de su mentira. En Carpentier la vida se hizo literatura y la literatura se hizo vida, son invenciones gemelas. La obsesion con su inventado origen surge en textos claves como "Viaje a la semilla", "El derecho de asilo" y "El arpa y la sombra". La angustia existencialista sobre el sentido del nacimiento y la muerte encuentra ironicamente su ultima ratio en la conjuncion de vida y literatura.
Shape Oscillations in Levitated He II Drops

We describe experiments to study the shape oscillations of levitated He II drops. Drops of approximately 0.5 cm diameter are levitated magnetically with a superconducting solenoid, and shape oscillations are induced with an ac electric field. We have measured the damping of shape oscillations as a function of temperature. The damping rate is compared to that predicted by a two fluid, hydrodynamic model, which takes account the effect of the motion in the vapor. The effects of condensation and evaporation on the motion of the drop are also considered.
Student Flow and Success at 2- and 4-Year Broadly Accessible Institutions

This chapter describes student flow among a national cohort of students who transferred to and from institutions of varying selectivity.
On information transfer in discrete dynamical systems

In this paper, we propose a new definition of information transfer in a discrete dynamical system. The information transfer is based on how much entropy (uncertainty) is transferred from state x to state y, as the dynamical system evolves in time. In our previous work, we had provided an axiomatic definition of information transfer where we had considered absolute entropy to define the transfer. Our new definition can be viewed as a natural generalization of directed information from information theory to dynamical systems and is based on transfer of conditional entropy. This new definition also satisfies the properties of a) zero transfer, b) transfer asymmetry and c) information conservation. We start with a definition of one-step information transfer and then generalize this definition to n-step information transfer and average information transfer over infinite time step. We also provide analytical expressions for information transfer for linear systems. Some basic examples are provided to understand the physical meaning of information transfer and how this can be used to infer causality and influence in dynamical system setting.
In situ probing of stress-induced nanoparticle dispersion and friction reduction in lubricating grease

Abstract Particulate additives improve the lubricating performance of oils and greases. Effects of nanoparticles on lubrication are not well understood because it is not possible to see them. In this research, an in situ approach is used to visualize the movement of particulate additives in grease under a shear stress. A model grease in the form of petroleum jelly was mixed with 2.3 wt% α-ZrP nanoparticles. A custom rotating concentric tube device was built to shear and monitor the grease using tomography technique. Through the use of dual edge micro x-ray computed tomography (µ-XCT), the distribution of the particulate additives in the Petroleum jelly were visualized. Results showed that prior to shearing, the α-ZrP nanoparticles were randomly aggregated throughout the annular gap between the cylinders. However, after a shear stress was applied to the grease mixture the additives were shown to evenly distribute throughout the annular gap. The visual results indicate that the α-ZrP nanoparticles tend to separate and re-distribute along the shearing direction, which attributes to friction reduction. The shear-stress enabled uniformity of particle distribution indicate potential benefits and effectiveness using nanoparticle as additives. This research opens windows for future investigation in lubrication.
Transposon mutagenesis of the Zika virus genome highlights regions essential for RNA replication and restricted for immune evasion

The molecular constraints affecting Zika virus (ZIKV) evolution are not well understood. To investigate ZIKV genetic flexibility, we used transposon mutagenesis to add 15-nucleotide insertions throughout the ZIKV MR766 genome and subsequently deep sequenced the viable mutants. Few ZIKV insertion mutants replicated, which likely reflects a high degree of functional constraints on the genome. The NS1 gene exhibited distinct mutational tolerances at different stages of the screen. This result may define regions of the NS1 protein that are required for the different stages of the viral life cycle. The ZIKV structural genes showed the highest degree of insertional tolerance. Although the envelope (E) protein exhibited particular flexibility, the highly conserved envelope domain II (EDII) fusion loop of the E protein was intolerant of transposon insertions. The fusion loop is also a target of pan-flavivirus antibodies that are generated against other flaviviruses and neutralize a broad range of dengue virus and ZIKV isolates. The genetic restrictions identified within the epitopes in the EDII fusion loop likely explain the sequence and antigenic conservation of these regions in ZIKV and among multiple flaviviruses. Thus, our results provide insights into the genetic restrictions on ZIKV that may affect the evolution of this virus.IMPORTANCE Zika virus recently emerged as a significant human pathogen. Determining the genetic constraints on Zika virus is important for understanding the factors affecting viral evolution. We used a genome-wide transposon mutagenesis screen to identify where mutations were tolerated in replicating viruses. We found that the genetic regions involved in RNA replication were mostly intolerant of mutations. The genes coding for structural proteins were more permissive to mutations. Despite the flexibility observed in these regions, we found that epitopes bound by broadly reactive antibodies were genetically constrained. This finding may explain the genetic conservation of these epitopes among flaviviruses.
Collision-free formation and heading consensus of nonholonomic robots as a pose regulation problem

Abstract This paper presents a novel, decentralized control algorithm to address the problem of controlling of multiple, network connected, nonholonomic mobile robots to achieve a collision-free formation and heading consensus simultaneously. Our approach transforms the formation and heading consensus problem to a pose regulation problem. The pose is derived by a virtual graph, which is an isomorphic mapping of the graph of the network connected systems. If the system is holonomic, traditional consensus on the virtual graph can stabilize the real system to the desired formation. In the case of nonholonomic systems, such as mobile robots, each robot’s pose then is regulated to the known consensus pose by a novel smooth and continuous control law. The control law also induces the real robot systems to achieve not only the desired formation but also heading consensus. We prove the proposed control schemes are globally asymptotically stable. Theoretical analysis, several simulations, and experiments have been conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Operative versus non-operative management in the care of patients with complicated appendicitis.

Abstract Background The approach to complicated appendicitis is unclear. We have sought to determine factors which may persuade surgeons to non-operative management and whether such treatment affects outcome. Methods All adult patients admitted over a five-year period 2009–2014 with a diagnosis of appendicitis were reviewed. Patients were grouped into uncomplicated and complicated presentations and stratified by age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and time to presentation. Mortality, morbidity, length of hospital stay (LOS), readmission, and hospital charges were used as outcome measures. Results 611 adult patients were admitted with the diagnosis of appendicitis. Of those 306 patients presented in an uncomplicated manner, and 305 patients were complicated presentations. Selection for non-operative management was significantly correlated with older age and a longer time to presentation. For outcome patients who underwent early surgery experienced a longer LOS (5.8 ± 4.4 days versus 3.4 ± 4.5 days, p Conclusion Surgical treatment of patients presenting with complicated appendicitis is preferable to non-operative, antibiotic oriented treatment in reduction of LOS and need for readmissions.
A model predictive control approach to flow pacing for TCP

A key challenge in the management of Internet traffic is the design of algorithms that complement well-established protocols, such as the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and simultaneously address their limitations. The challenge becomes greater in the context of large so-called “elephant” flows over long paths that often transition from higher to lower bandwidth connections. At these transition points either persistent queues are formed when buffers are over-provisioned or packet loss occurs when buffers are under-provisioned; both cases lead to degraded and/or highly variable end-to-end performance. Ideally, for such scenarios, the source should “learn” and set a pacing rate that matches the lower bandwidth connection. In this paper, we adopt a model-based receding horizon control strategy to design a pacing control method. Each new round-trip time (RTT) measurement is first incorporated into a linear time-varying (LTV) predictive model. Subsequently, we solve a one-step look-ahead optimization problem which finds the pacing rate which optimally trades off RTT, variance in RTT, and throughput according to the most up-to-date model. We implemented our proof-of-concept control strategy on the Linux operating system alongside the existing CoDel queuing discipline (qdisc) and HTCP congestion-control algorithm. Our preliminary results indicate significant reduction in the variances of the RTT and the throughput, resulting in more predictable performance overall.
THE EFFECTS OF ADDING THE CETP INHIBITOR ANACETRAPIB TO STATIN ON URGENT AND ROUTINE REVASCULARIZATION: RESULTS FROM THE HPS 3/TIMI 55-REVEAL TRIAL

Lowering LDL-C with statins prevents vascular events including coronary revascularization (revasc), with benefits proportional to LDL-C reduction. Non-statin trial data suggest a greater benefit for urgent vs routine revasc. The HPS 3/TIMI 55-REVEAL trial assessed treatment with the CETP inhibitor
Identifying Barriers to Access and Utilization of Preventive Health-Care Services by Young Adults in Vermont.

Abstract Purpose The objective of this study was to examine barriers to accessing and utilizing routine preventive health-care checkups for Vermont young adults. Methods A population-based analysis was conducted using aggregated data from the 2011–2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys of Vermont young adults aged 18–25 years (N = 1,329). Predictors analyzed as barriers were classified county of residence, health-care coverage, and annual household income level, as well as covariates, with the outcome of the length of time since the last routine checkup. Results A total of 81.1% of Vermont young adults reported having a routine checkup in the past 2 years. Health-care coverage was a predictor of undergoing routine checkups within the past 2 years, with 85.2% of insured respondents undergoing checkups compared with 56.3% of uninsured respondents (p Conclusions For Vermont young adults, health-care coverage, classified county of residence, and household income level were shown to be indicators of undergoing routine preventive health care more often. Further investigation is needed to examine how these barriers may impede preventive screenings, thereby contributing to the ongoing development of health-care guidelines and policies for young adults in rural settings.
Artificial gravity for human missions.

The author examines the merits and problems associated with full-time rotation and intermittent G stimulation as weightlessness countermeasures during prolonged space flight.
Labor Supply, Household Production, and Common Law Marriage Legislation

Does the availability of Common Law Marriage (CLM henceforth) in the U.S. help explain variation in the labor force participation, hours of work, hours of household production and leisure time of men and women over time and across states? Using Current Population Survey data for the period 1995-2011 this chapter identifies CLM effects on labor supply given that 3 of the 50 states abolished CLM over the period examined, whereas 11 states still had CLM laws as of 2011. Labor supply effects of CLM availability are negative for married women: for instance, weekly hours of work are reduced by almost two weekly hours. This CLM effect is limited to white and Hispanic married women and doesn’t apply to their black counterparts. White married men’s full-time employment is unaffected by CLM but black married men are 10% less likely to work full time if CLM is available. Marriage market analysis based on the concept of Work-In-Household (explained in Chap. 2) helps explain gender differentials in the effects of CLM on labor supply and why for blacks these differentials go in directions opposite from their effects for whites. The abolition of CLM could help explain some of the gender convergence in labor supply that has been observed in recent decades.
Generalized frailty models for analysis of recurrent events

Abstract In this paper, we propose an extension of the frailty modeling to analyze the recurrent events data. We proposed a class of models, based on nonlinear mixed effects modeling, that takes into consideration of the between subject heterogeneity in the model. We propose an estimation method for estimating parameters of the proposed model and their standard deviations. The estimating equations are shown to give consistent estimates under commonly satisfied regularity conditions. A method for consistently estimating the covariance matrix of between subject random effects is also given. We prove the consistency and asymptotical normality of the estimators. We apply the proposed generalized frailty model to the Mammary Tumor data of 48 rats that was previously analyzed by Gail et al. (1980) and Cook and Lawless (2007). We compare the result of the our proposed model with results from the commonly used fixed effect model and frailty model. Both fixed effects model and frailty models result in biased estimates of the variance function for cumulative number of tumors. Simulation results suggest that the proposed generalized frailty model and estimation method is computationally feasible and provides unbiased estimates of the parameters and standard errors of their estimators.
Practical application of laparoscopic oviductal artificial insemination for the propagation of domestic cats and wild felids

AI was first reported in cats almost 50 years ago but, unlike AI in other domesticated animals (e.g. dogs, cattle, horses), has not been widely used for routine propagation by veterinarians or breeders. Anatomical and physiological challenges with cats have hindered the efficiency of AI using standardised transcervical approaches applied to other species. Development of laparoscopic oviductal AI (LO-AI) has helped overcome some of these barriers and, during the past 7 years, produced high pregnancy percentages (>70%) in domestic cats using both fresh collected and frozen-thawed semen and resulted in the birth of full-term offspring in three cat hereditary disease models and six wild cat species (ocelot, Pallas's cat, fishing cat, sand cat, tiger, clouded leopard). The standard approach involves exogenous gonadotrophin treatment (typically equine chorionic gonadotrophin followed by porcine LH) to induce ovarian follicular growth and ovulation, with laparoscopic visualisation of the oviductal ostium for direct intraluminal insemination with low numbers of spermatozoa. Similar ovarian synchronisation and insemination approaches have been used with wild felids, but frequently must be refined on a species-by-species basis. From a practical perspective, LO-AI in domestic cats now has adequate efficiency for applied use as a reproductive service in veterinary practices that possess basic laparoscopy expertise.
Adaptive thermochromic roof system: Assessment of performance under different climates

Abstract Thermochromic materials possess the ability to reversibly change the optical properties in response to the environmental temperature. They have the potential to reduce the energy demand in building operations by modulating the heat transport through the building envelope, i.e., limiting undesired solar heat gain during the hot seasons and increasing solar heat gain during the cold seasons. This is an advantage over conventional cool roof technology. This study aims to evaluating the performance of adaptive thermochromic roof designed by covering regular building roof with thermochromic (TC) coating. TC coating is prepared by incorporating thermochromic pigment and TiO2 nanoparticle is added to enhance its effectiveness. Optical characterisation shows the temperature-dependent solar reflectance of 18–26% for TC coating and 35–59% for TC/TiO2 coating. EnergyPlus analyses is performed to evaluate impact of thermochromic roof on energy performance of the buildings in seven U.S. geographic locations. The simulation results show that compared to common roof (asphalt shingle), thermochromic roof is effective in reducing the building HVAC load demand, which saves up to 40.9% of total energy consumption, 47.7% of energy cost, and 46.7% of energy associated CO2 emissions for the buildings in San Fran., CA. In comparison with conventional cool roof, thermochromic roof demonstrates benefits in reducing the overall energy use of the buildings, which reduces up to 7.7% of total energy consumption, 3.6% of energy cost, and 28.5% of energy associated CO2 emissions. The effectiveness of thermochromic roof depends upon the geographic regions. This work demonstrates that performance of thermochromic roof systems to improve energy efficiency of buildings across different climatic zones.
Implementing a Peer Feedback Intervention within a Community of Practice Framework

ABSTRACTThe study reported used a Community of Practice (CoP) framework to implement a content-based peer feedback intervention. The goal of this work was to investigate the contribution of the pee...
Extended Abstract: Comparison of Peer and Instructor Qualitative Feedback on Presentations

New presentation-feedback technologies enable peers and instructors to provide real-time qualitative feedback on oral presentations. Previous research suggests that summative quantitative ratings of peers and instructors tend to be moderately reliable, but no research exists on how substantive qualitative ratings compare. Analyzing the substantive qualitative feedback from 10 students and 10 instructors on two professional presentations, this study analyzes differences in the message- and messenger-related comments of peers and instructors. Findings suggest that instructors provide proportionally more messenger-related feedback.
QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT IN TAVR FOR LOW-FLOW LOW-GRADIENT SEVERE AORTIC STENOSIS

Quality of life improvement from TAVR for severe aortic stenosis (AS) subgroups are rarely addressed in the literature. We compared improvement in quality of life outcomes after TAVR for Low-Flow Low-Gradient AS, Paradoxical Low-Flow Low-Gradient AS, and High-Gradient AS. This is a single center,
Unveiling diversity of stem cells in dental pulp and apical papilla using mouse genetic models: a literature review

The dental pulp, a non-mineralized connective tissue uniquely encased within the cavity of the tooth, provides a niche for diverse arrays of dental mesenchymal stem cells. Stem cells in the dental pulp, including dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) and stem cells from apical papilla (SCAPs), have been isolated from human tissues with an emphasis on their potential application to regenerative therapies. Recent studies utilizing mouse genetic models shed light on the identities of these mesenchymal progenitor cells derived from neural crest cells (NCCs) in their native conditions, particularly regarding how they contribute to homeostasis and repair of the dental tissue. The current concept is that at least two distinct niches for stem cells exist in the dental pulp, e.g., the perivascular niche and the perineural niche. The precise identities of these stem cells and their niches are now beginning to be unraveled thanks to sophisticated mouse genetic models, which lead to better understanding of the fundamental properties of stem cells in the dental pulp and the apical papilla in humans. The new knowledge will be highly instrumental for developing more effective stem cell-based regenerative therapies to repair teeth in the future.
Water Loss in Aging Erythrocytes Provides a Clue to a General Mechanism of Cellular Senescence

Experimental evidence for age-dependent loss of intracellular water content as a widespread concomitant of cellular senescence is reviewed. Quantitative models are presented, indicating that an age-dependent increase in macromolecular crowding resulting from water loss may be responsible for three observed phenomena: a general age-dependent loss of intracellular protein solubility, a delayed and rapid appearance of high molecular weight aggregates, and an age-dependent transfer of intracellular protein from dilute to concentrated or condensed phases.
The Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TSBO): A Solution to Wisconsin's Fiscal Problems or a Prescription for Future Fiscal Crises?

The author examines a proposed strict tax and spending limitation measure, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), and says it would not be good for Wisconsin. He suggests that it is better for elected officials to make decisions about taxes and spending. If a similar measure had been adopted in 1985, state and local current spending would be much lower now, he writes; he adds that voters do not want a lower level of public services.