cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
KLF15 is a molecular link between endoplasmic reticulum stress and insulin resistance

Obesity places major demands on the protein folding capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), resulting in ER stress, a condition that promotes hepatic insulin resistance and steatosis. Here we identify the transcription factor, Kruppel-like factor 15 (KLF15), as an essential mediator of ER stress-induced insulin resistance in the liver. Mice with a targeted deletion of KLF15 exhibit increased hepatic ER stress, inflammation, and JNK activation compared to WT mice; however, KLF15 -/mice are protected against hepatic insulin resistance and fatty liver under high-fat feeding conditions and in response to pharmacological induction of ER stress. The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), a key regulator of cellular energy homeostasis, has been shown to cooperate with ER stress signaling pathways to promote hepatic insulin resistance and lipid accumulation. We find that the uncoupling of ER stress and insulin resistance in KLF15 -/liver is associated with the maintenance of a low energy state characterized by decreased mTORC1 activity, increased AMPK phosphorylation and PGC-1α expression and activation of autophagy, an intracellular degradation process that enhances hepatic insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, in primary hepatocytes, KLF15 deficiency markedly inhibits activation of mTORC1 by amino acids and insulin, suggesting a mechanism by which KLF15 controls mTORC1-mediated insulin resistance. This study establishes KLF15 as an important molecular link between ER stress and insulin action.
Reliable broadcasting algorithm for a cube-connected cycles network

An efficient algorithm for broadcasting in a cube-connected-cycles network containing faulty nodes/links is proposed. The algorithm is particularly useful in critical real-time systems that cannot tolerate the time overhead of identifying the faulty processors online. The algorithm delivers multiple copies of the broadcast message through disjoint paths to all the nodes in the system. The salient feature of the proposed algorithm is that the delivery of the multiple copies is transparent to the processors receiving the message and does not require the processes to know the identity of the faulty processors. The processes on nonfaulty nodes that receive the message identify the original message from the multiple copies using some scheme appropriate for the fault model used. The number of steps in which the algorithm completes if it can use all or at most one of its outgoing nodes is determined. >
A genetic polymorphism in the regulatory sequences of human CYP2E1: association with increased chlorzoxazone hydroxylation in the presence of obesity and ethanol intake.

To pursue the hypothesis that differences in the regulatory region of CYP2E1 are partially responsible for the intersubject variation in in vivo CYP2E1 activity, restriction enzyme digestion and Southern blotting of 36 human DNA samples were performed. The fractionated DNA was hybridized with a genomic probe to the upstream region of CYP2E1 from positions -2710 to -580. After digestion with the restriction enzyme XbaI, most subjects (69%) were homozygous for the expected band representing the XbaI fragment from positions -2270 to -408, whereas 31% had an unexpected, slightly larger band. Analyses of Southern blots of the same DNA samples cut by other restriction enzymes were consistent with the larger band containing an estimated 100-bp insertion and localized the mutation to a region from positions -2270 to -1672. To determine the functional significance of this mutation, in vivo CYP2E1 metabolic ability was determined in the same subjects using the 6-hydroxylation of chlorzoxazone as a probe. The presence of the insertion mutation was associated with greater CYP2E1 metabolic ability, but only among individuals who either were obese or had recently consumed ethanol (p < 0.01, both). These data are consistent with a DNA insertion that is associated with altered CYP2E1 induction. The incidence of the mutation was 31% among 65 African Americans and 6.9% among 58 Caucasians (p < 0.01). Thus, this CYP2E1 regulatory polymorphism not only enhances CYP2E1 metabolic ability, but is sufficiently common to impact susceptibility to CYP2E1-related diseases in at least two ethnic groups.
Gas absorption accompanied by instantaneous bimolecular reaction in turbulent liquids

Gas absorption accompanied by instantaneous bimolecular reaction in turbulent liquids (Re > 1200) is treated in terms of an eddy diffusion model. The species balance equations are integrated for the eddy diffusivity varying as the square of the distance from the free surface. Experimental mass transfer coefficients were measured in a wetted-wall column for the absorption of carbon dioxide in aqueous sodium hydroxide solutions. Experimental results were obtained for carbon dioxide partial pressures of 1.0 and 1.5 atm. and for sodium hydroxide concentrations varying between 0.020 and 0.220 N over the Reynolds number range 1400 to 5400. The experimental data showed good agreement with the theoretical calculations, the mean deviation being 8.2%.
Disjoint paths in densely embedded graphs

We consider the following maximum disjoint paths problem (MDPP). We are given a large network, and pairs of nodes that wish to communicate over paths through the network-the goal is to simultaneously connect as many of these pairs as possible in such a way that no two communication paths share an edge in the network. This classical problem has been brought into focus recently in papers discussing applications to routing in high-speed networks, where the current lack of understanding of the MDPP is an obstacle to the design of practical heuristics. We consider the class of densely embedded, nearly-Eulerian graphs, which includes the two-dimensional mesh and other planar and locally planar interconnection networks. We obtain a constant-factor approximation algorithm for the maximum disjoint paths problem for this class of graphs; this improves on an O(log n)-approximation for the special case of the two-dimensional mesh due to Aumann-Rabani and the authors. For networks that are not explicitly required to be "high-capacity," this is the first constant-factor approximation for the MDPP in any class of graphs other than trees. We also consider the MDPP in the on-line setting, relevant to applications in which connection requests arrive over time and must be processed immediately. Here we obtain an asymptptically optimal O(log n)competitive on-line algorithm for the same class of graphs; this improves on an O(log n log log n) competitive algorithm for the special case of the mesh due to B. Awerbuch et al (1994).
Does it matter how you ask? Question wording and males' reporting of contraceptive use at last sex.

This paper reports results from a unique experiment conducted in the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to gauge the effect of question format on men’s reports of contraceptive use at last sexual intercourse. Respondents received separate questions about their own and their partners’ contraceptive use or one combined question about either partner’s contraceptive use. We examine whether receiving separate questions, as opposed to one combined question, is related to higher reports of using any contraceptive method, specific methods, female methods in addition to male methods, and the number of methods reported. We find that reports of any contraceptive use at last sex and use of the most common methods, condoms and the pill, were stable across question formats. However, we find significantly higher reports of withdrawal, combining male and female methods, and multiple method use among men who received the separate-question format. We also find that characteristics of the sexual experience in question condition the effect of question format on men’s reports.
A Comparative Study of the Enantiomeric Separation of Labeled Amino Acids with Cyclodextrins and Mixed Micelles in Capillary Electrophoresis

Enantiomeric separations of fluorescently labeled amino acids are studied by capillary electrophoresis (CE) under a novel variety of experimental conditions. Three different labels are evaluated using two different additives: cyclodextrins (beta- and gamma-) and a dual surfactant system of sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium taurodeoxycholate. Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate is the best label to use in this cyclodextrin-based system, and dansyl chloride is the best label to use in this dual surfactant system. Possible limitations for separation of the enantiomers using the mixed micelle system include the fact that there is little interaction of the solute with the surfactants, the negative charge of the solute is limiting the separation window of the system, and the amount of the chiral phase available for partitioning is limited. The separations using cyclodextrins as a chiral selector show that the label affects migration order of the enantiomers, and the cyclodextrins are very effective in separating numerous enantiomers. Overall, cyclodextrins are the better buffer additive for CE use, and the dual surfactant systems, including sodium taurodeoxycholate, offer future promise.
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Root Exudates Contain Isoflavonoids in the Presence of Rhizobium meliloti.

Root exudates of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) inoculated with symbiotic Rhizobium meliloti bacteria contained three isoflavonoids that were not found in exudates of uninoculated plants. Data from proton nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and ultraviolet-visible absorbance analyses indicated that root exudates of inoculated plants contained aglycone and glycoside forms of the phytoalexin medicarpin and a formononetin-7-O-(6″-O-malonylglycoside), a conjugated form of the medicarpin precursor formononetin. The medicarpin molecules did not induce nod gene transcription in R. meliloti, but the formononetin-7-O-(6″-O-malonylglycoside) induced nod genes regulated by both NodD1 and NodD2 proteins in R. meliloti. Hydrolysis of either the malonyl or the glycosyl linkage from the formononetin conjugate eliminated nod gene-inducing activity. The nod gene-inducing activity of crude root exudates was increased 200 and 65% upon inoculation with R. meliloti or R. leguminosarum bv phaseoli, respectively. When root exudate from uninoculated alfalfa was incubated with R. meliloti, high performance liquid chromatography analyses showed no evidence that bacterial metabolism produced medicarpin. These results indicate that alfalfa responds to symbiotic R. meliloti by exuding a phytoalexin normally elicited by pathogens and that the microsymbiont can use a precursor of the phytoalexin as a signal for inducing symbiotic nod genes.
On the performance of a multicast delivery video-on-demand service with discontinuous VCR actions

In most proposed video-on-demand (VOD) systems, customers are serviced individually by dedicating a transmission channel and a set of video server resources to each customer. We consider a VOD system that uses multicast delivery to service multiple customers with a single set of resources. The use of multicast requires that some interactivity and part of the on-demand nature of the system are sacrificed to achieve scalability and cost-effectiveness. Previous work has considered how VCR actions could be handled in this type of system through the provisioning of set-top box buffering. We consider the provision of discontinuous VCR actions in which the duration of the action is specified in integer multiples of a specified time increment. We evaluate the performance of this system through the use of simulation and compare its performance with an individual delivery (unicast) system and a multicast system with continuous VCR actions.
Biochemical changes in urine and plasma of rats in food chain-mediated cadmium toxicity.

The present study sets out to assess the toxicity of cadmium (Cd) administered via the food chain. The food chain was mimicked by exposing rats to diet containing milled Cd-exposed catfish as the source of protein. The toxicity of Cd was monitored by the determination of indices of oxidative stress and kidney dysfunction in plasma and urine of the rats after 1- and 3-month exposure periods. The results obtained indicate that Cd exposure in the rats was followed by marked accumulation of the metal in the liver and kidney with time. However, the kidney accumulated more Cd relative to the liver after both exposure periods. The levels of glucose, creatinine and lipid peroxidation were significantly (p < 0.05) increased in both plasma and urine of the rats after 1 month of exposure. Conversely, rats fed the test diet for 3 months had significantly (p < 0.05) decreased level of lipid peroxidation in the plasma and urine. However, the plasma and urine glucose concentrations were restored to levels not significan...
A Non-oscillatory Central Scheme for One-Dimensional Two-Layer Shallow Water Flows along Channels with Varying Width

We present a new high-resolution, non-oscillatory semi-discrete central scheme for one-dimensional two-layer shallow-water flows along channels with non-uniform rectangular cross sections and bottom topography. The scheme extends existing central semi-discrete schemes for hyperbolic conservation laws and it enjoys two properties crucial for the accurate simulation of shallow-water flows: it preserves the positivity of the water height, and it is well balanced, i.e., the source terms arising from the geometry of the channel are discretized so as to balance the non-linear hyperbolic flux gradients. Along with a detailed description of the scheme and proofs of these two properties, we present several numerical experiments that demonstrate the robustness of the numerical algorithm.
The longitudinal relationship of clinical symptoms, cognitive functioning, and adaptive life in geriatric schizophrenia

Cognitive dysfunction is increasingly being recognized as a major contributor to the adaptive impairment seen in most patients with schizophrenia. Reported here is a prospective longitudinal evaluation of the relationship between cognitive and adaptive functioning in elderly patients with schizophrenia. It was hypothesized that baseline cognitive and negative, but not positive symptoms, would be predictive of cross-sectional impairment and longitudinal outcome. Subjects were 168 elderly patients with schizophrenia, free of major neurological disorders, who were residents of a long-term psychiatric facility. Subjects were assessed at baseline and again an average of 15months later. The PANSS was used to assess the severity of symptoms of schizophrenia. Cognitive symptoms were assessed using the components of the CERAD cognitive battery. Social and adaptive functioning was assessed using the SAFE scale. Spearman correlations were determined among clinical variables, and the rank ordering of prediction of SAFE scale scores at follow-up was determined using a stepwise regression procedure. At follow-up, adaptive life skills correlated with cognitive performance and negative symptoms (Spearman rho values 0. 41-0.57, all p values <0.0001), but not positive symptoms (r=0.09, n. s.). Among cognitive tasks, verbal learning and memory were most highly correlated with adaptive skills at follow-up. These results confirm and extend previous studies that indicate that cognitive impairments are predictive, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, of adaptive life skills in persons with schizophrenia. Negative symptoms, but not positive symptoms, were correlated with impaired adaptive skills. Taken together, these results underscore the need to develop more effective treatments for cognitive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia.
A hybrid silicon evanescent electroabsorption modulator

A new way to make high speed modulators using Si waveguides is demonstrated. The hybrid silicon evanescent electroabsorption modulator with offset AlGalnAs quantum wells has an extinction ratio over 10 dB and modulation bandwidth over 16 GHz.
The presence and location of epithelial implants and implants with epithelial proliferation may predict a higher risk of recurrence in serous borderline ovarian tumors: a clinicopathologic study of 188 cases.

Summary Serous borderline ovarian tumors have a favorable prognosis, and recurrences are uncommon. The factors influencing recurrence are not fully understood. Epithelial inclusions are identified in serous borderline ovarian tumors and are traditionally referred to as epithelial implants, which often show epithelial proliferation. We investigated whether the presence of epithelial implant and epithelial proliferation portends a higher risk for recurrence of serous borderline ovarian tumors in patients who underwent surgical removal of these tumors. Also examined was whether the anatomical site of epithelial implant and epithelial proliferation was associated with a higher risk of recurrence. One hundred eighty-eight cases of pure serous or predominantly serous borderline ovarian tumors were studied for the presence of epithelial implant and epithelial proliferation, and subsequent recurrences were recorded. The anatomical sites of epithelial implant and epithelial proliferation were compared between serous borderline ovarian tumors with or without recurrence. Statistical analysis was performed using the χ 2 test. Epithelial implant was noted in 106 cases (56%), and epithelial proliferation, in 26 cases (14%). Recurrence was identified in 10.4% cases with epithelial implant and 23% cases with epithelial proliferation. Statistical analyses of patients with recurrence showed significant differences in the following groups: epithelial implant versus no epithelial implant ( P P
Hypothalamic Control of Prolactin Secretion during the Perinatal Period in the Rat

The development of hypothalamic control of PRL secretion in the late prenatal and early postnatal periods i n the rat was studied by employing a static system for incubation of pituitaries. PRL was detected in the incubation medium after incubating fetal pituitaries as early as day 18. A gradual increase i n the amount of hormone released into the medium occurred during development, with the greatest change occurring between days 20 and 21 prenatally. A progressive increase in the pituitary content of PRL occurred during development. The percentage of PRL released from the gland was higher pre- (19–39%) than postnatally (17%). Hypothalamic extracts from fetuses and neonates stimulated the secretion of PRL when coincubated with pituitaries from animals of the same age. However, extracts from 1-day-old neonates inhibited PRL secretion from adult male hemipituitar-ies. Extracts prepared from adult male hypothalami stimulated PRL secretion from neonatal pituitaries from rats at 1 day of age, as did cerebral c...
Reactivity of Malonaldehyde with Food Constituents

SUMMARY Malonaldehyde and/or substances closely resembling it occur in foods as decomposition products of oxidizing polyunsaturated fatty acids. The reaction of malonaldehyde with various food constituents was studied. In the presence of water, malonaldehyde exists mainly as its nonvolatile enolate anion. As such, it can react with amino acids, proteins, glycogen, and other food constituents to form products in which the malonaldehyde exists in bound form. Aqueous malonaldehyde can be converted to its volatile isomer by acidification only but acid and heat are necessary to release malonaldehyde from its bound state in proteins. These combined observations throw light on problems connected with the quantitative recovery of 2-thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances (TBRS) in moist foods. Proteins prepared from frozen tuna fish contained appreciable amount of bound TBRS.
ANÁLISE DA CADEIA DA INDÚSTRIA CRIATIVA NA GERAÇÃO DE EMPREGOS NO COREDE VALE DO RIO DOS SINOS NOS ANOS 2000 E 2010

O crescimento economico de uma regiao inclui o aumento da geracao de excedente, a ampliacao do emprego e da renda local. A regiao do Conselho Regional de Desenvolvimento do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (CONSINOS) no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul se especializou no complexo calcadista, mas ao longo dos anos de 2000 perdeu o seu dinamismo economico e por consequencia o emprego. O acumulo de conhecimento, criatividade, inovacoes e as competencias tecnologicas, presentes na economia local, traduzem a possibilidade de desenvolvimento de outro leque de atividades denominadas: industrias criativas. O objetivo deste trabalho e apresentar o comportamento do emprego formal, nos anos de 2000 e 2010, com dados do Ministerio do Trabalho e Emprego (MTE) e da Fundacao de Economia e Estatistica Siegfried Emanuel Heuser (FEE). Conclui-se que, no periodo estudado, os empregos no CONSINOS se concentraram no sub-grupo criativo das atividades produtivas relacionadas, porem foi nos setores de apoio que ocorreu a maior variacao em todos os seus municipios.
Formation and Properties of Fiber and Film FROM PBZT

Between 1977 and 1985, the Air Force Materials Laboratory funded a series of contracts, whereby Hoechst Celanese Research, formerly the Celanese Research Company, demonstrated and developed processes for the formation of fibers and films from highly viscous, anisotropic dopes of PBZT polymer. Heat treatment of these products was found to have significant effects on the tensile properties, and comparisons will be shown between asspun fibers and ones heat-treated at up to 1335°F (725°C). In the later stages of the program, sufficient materials were produced to permit characterization of a broad range of properties. Some data on environmental resistance will be given. Fibers were incorporated into aerospace- grade epoxy resins for measurement of composite properties. In summary, the results show that PBZT can be processed into fibers and films with improved mechanical properties and environmental resistance compared to aramids. A high degree of orientation of the rigid-rod molecules can be achieved which provides outstanding axial properties but this results in deficiencies in transverse properties and composite compression strength.
Pentose dependence of Lactobacillus gayonii and related species for early growth.

SummaryEvidence has been presented indicating that an appropriate pentose is essential as an energy source for early growth of L. brevis, L. buchneri, L. gayonii, L. lycoper-sici and L. mannitopoeus if passage through a pentose-free glucose-containing medium, which would promote adaptive utilization of glucose is avoided.
Surveillance and Analysis on AIDS and Syphilis of Female Prostitutes in Zhenning County of Guizhou Province

[Objective]To understand the epidemic status of AIDS and syphilis of female prostitutes in Zhenning County of Guizhou Province.[Methods]Female prostitutes in places of entertainment in Zhengning County were investigated,and venous blood was collected to conduct HIV antibody and syphilis detection.[Results]Of 236 female prostitutes,the minimum age was 15 years,and the maximum age was 49 years,with the average age of 27.4 years;228 had junior middle school or lower education;82 were unmarried and 148 were married;191 were floating population;165 never or sometimes used condoms;2 were detected HIV positive and 11 were detected syphilis positive.[Conclusion] The incidence of AIDS related risk behaviors and venereal diseases were higher in female prostitutes,for whom surveillance of AIDS and venereal diseases should be strengthened.Active implementation of propaganda and education of venereal diseases and AIDS knowledge is the important strategy to control and prevent spread of the diseases.
Practice and community: a working group report.

The participants in this working group included, in addition to the authors, Dr. Michele Aerden, Federation Dentaire International and Vice President, Chambres Syndicales Dentaires; Dr. Frida Decaluwe, Flemish Dental Association, Brussels, Belgium; Mr. Robert Johns, Executive Director, National
China’s difficult relations with Japan: Pragmatism, superficial friendship, and historical memories

Starting from an exploration of unsettled historical memories and anti-Japanese nationalism, this article moves on to examine how Chinese pragmatism helped maintain a superficial friendship for sev...
Experimental studies on control of growth interface in MVB grown CdZnTe and its consequences

Control of growth interface has always been a challenging concern for CZT crystal growers because of its poor thermal and melt transport properties. Control over growth interface was achieved for Modified Vertical Bridgman growth of CZT under high (from 5 to 7.5 wt %) initial Tellurium conditions. Although exact point-to-point reproducibility was not achieved but the overall shape consistency was reproduced with an optimally defined set of growth parameters. IR Microscopy was done on the interface morphology to better understand and compare the secondary phase generation phenomena in different kind of interfaces and its consequences. Prominent consistency was observed among the spectral properties of the crystals in all the growths with high initial Tellurium.
Pimavanserin: A Novel Antipsychotic for Parkinson's Disease Psychosis.

Objective: To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety, and place in therapy of pimavanserin for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions of Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP). Data Sources: A comprehensive PubMed search (1966 to January 2017) was conducted using the search terms Parkinson’s disease psychosis, hallucinations, delusions, pimavanserin, and ACP-103. Additional data were obtained from references of identified articles, governmental sources, manufacturer product labeling and website, and Clinicaltrials.gov. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All English-language trials evaluating pimavanserin in PDP were included. Data from review articles were included if relevant to clinical practice. One phase II and 3 phase III trials are discussed. Data Synthesis: Pimavanserin was approved in April 2016 for the treatment of delusions and hallucinations of PDP. One phase II and 2 phase III trials reported no difference for primary outcomes when pimavanserin was compared with plac...
Complete genome sequence of Veillonella atypica OK5, the first transformable strain in the species

ABSTRACT The Veillonella atypica strain OK5 was isolated from a human saliva sample and was the first strain shown to be genetically transformable in the Veillonella genus. Genetic studies using this strain have helped us gain much insight into the ecology of human oral biofilms. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of V. atypica OK5.
Time-delay compensation in array lens antennas

A phased array lens has limited bandwidth due to the phase shifters that collimate and scan the beam. A wideband signal requires time delay units in place of phase shifters. This paper investigates the feasibility of implementing time-delay units in array lens antennas. Time-delay compensation mechanisms for array lens antennas are outlined and investigations are carried to determine the required time-delay for these configurations. We show that time-delay array lens antennas are a practical solution for modern communication and radar systems.
Single-Incision Anatomic Repair Technique for Distal Biceps Tendon Rupture Using Tunneling Device

Abstract Distal biceps tendon ruptures are uncommon and generally occur in men aged 30 to 50 years in their dominant arm as a result of a strong eccentric load. Numerous surgical exposures and methods of fixation exist for repair of a ruptured distal biceps tendon. The goal of surgical management is to restore the anatomic footprint of the biceps tendon on the radial tuberosity to maximize flexion strength, supination strength, and muscle endurance. When compared with 2-incision repair techniques, single-incision repairs historically may not have restored the anatomic footprint of the distal biceps. Single-incision repair with the ArthroTunneler is a safe and effective technique that provides the anatomic restoration of a 2-incision approach with the decreased complication profile of a single-incision approach and does not require suture anchors, buttons, screws, or other implants.
The Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis: a systematic review of prospective studies to determine predictive performance.

Background: predicting the development of severe disease has remained a major challenge in management of acute pancreatitis. The Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) is easy to calculate from the data available in the first 24 hours. Here, we performed a systematic review to determine the prognostic accuracy of the BISAP for severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Methods: major databases of biomedical publications were searched during the first week of October 2015. Two independent reviewers searched records in two phases. Studies that reported prognostic accuracy of the BISAP for SAP from prospective cohorts were included. The pooled area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) was calculated. Results: Twelve studies were included for data-synthesis and methodology quality assessment was performed for 10. All the studies had enrolled consecutive patients, had a broad spectrum of the disease severity, reported explicit interpretation of the predictor, outcome of interest was well defined and had adequate follow-up. Blinded outcome assessment was reported in only one study. The pooled AUC was 0.85 (95% CI 0.80-0.90). There was significant heterogeneity, I2 86.6%. Studies using revised Atlanta classification in defining SAP had a pooled AUC of 0.92 (95% CI, 0.90-0.95), but heterogeneity persisted, I2 67%. Subgroup analysis based on rate of SAP (>20% vs <20%) did not eliminate the heterogeneity. Conclusion: the BISAP has very good predictive performance for SAP across different patient population and etiologies. Studies to evaluate the impact of incorporating the BISAP into clinical practice to improve outcome in acute pancreatitis are needed before adoption could be advocated with confidence.
Flux-corrected transport techniques applied to the radiation transport equation discretized with continuous finite elements

Abstract The Flux-Corrected Transport (FCT) algorithm is applied to the unsteady and steady-state particle transport equation. The proposed FCT method employs the following: (1) a low-order, positivity-preserving scheme, based on the application of M-matrix properties, (2) a high-order scheme based on the entropy viscosity method introduced by Guermond [1] , and (3) local, discrete solution bounds derived from the integral transport equation. The resulting scheme is second-order accurate in space, enforces an entropy inequality, mitigates the formation of spurious oscillations, and guarantees the absence of negativities. Space discretization is achieved using continuous finite elements. Time discretizations for unsteady problems include theta schemes such as explicit and implicit Euler, and strong-stability preserving Runge–Kutta (SSPRK) methods. The developed FCT scheme is shown to be robust with explicit time discretizations but may require damping in the nonlinear iterations for steady-state and implicit time discretizations.
dsmodels: A Little Language for Dynamical Systems

Dynamical systems are used to model a variety of time-dependent systems. Visualizations of dynamical systems can display a large amount of information in a single image, but generating these images requires both mathematical and programming expertise. dsmodels is a domain-specific language (DSL) for visualizing two-dimensional dynamical systems. dsmodels speeds up the process of visualizing a dynamical system by providing primitives to capture models, encapsulate features, and depict the overall behavior of the system. dsmodels can also simulate dynamical systems to compute attractors and their basis of attraction, allowing for rapid prototyping or informal analysis. We present dsmodels using a case study of population models.
Modernizing Library Metadata for Historical Weather and Climate Data Collections

ABSTRACTFor libraries to become more visible and integral within the scientific data ecosystem, they must find ways to connect with external communities, systems, and standards. The National Center...
Biogeochemical Cycling of Carbon and Nitrogen in Chaparral Dominated Ecosystems

The controls and trajectories of biogeochemical dynamics in chaparral dominated ecosystems are highly diverse. This breadth of diversity in chaparral biogeochemical dynamics is caused by a combination of diverse biogeophysical drivers, self-organization, and sensitivity to historical legacies. The high topographic heterogeneity and decoupling of moisture inputs and energy inputs in the winter precipitation dominated climates imposes unique ecohydrologic adaptations that influence plant and microbial metabolic activities and distributions throughout chaparral landscapes. Chaparral biogeochemical dynamics, especially interactions among carbon, nitrogen, and hydrologic cycling, may have important implications for the ecosystem services and disservices provided by these ecosystems, including greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants to air and water, and influence the vulnerability of chaparral biological communities to global change drivers. These ecosystems may have a large capacity for carbon storage and sustained carbon sequestration at rates comparable with those of old-growth forests. In other places, chaparral ecosystems may have low pools of carbon and low rates of sequestration. While commonly considered nitrogen limited, chaparral dominated ecosystems may also have large nitrogen emissions through atmospheric and hydrologic pathways. Future trajectories of chaparral biogeochemical dynamics are also variable. Unprecedented interactions among global change drivers, including climate, nitrogen deposition, fire frequency, and invasion risks, are pushing many of these systems to tipping points of reorganization and type-conversion to grass dominated states with uncertain biogeochemical consequences. Management for maintaining ecosystem services associated with biogeochemical dynamics can be improved with growing opportunities provided by a suite of environmental sensors and next generation modeling approaches.
Huge Capacity Planning and Resource Pricing for Pioneering Projects

Pioneering projects are systems that are designed and operated with new, virtually untested, technologies. Thus, decisions concerning the capacity of the initial project, its expansion over time and its operations are made with uncertainty. This is particularly true for NASA’s earth orbiting Space Station. A model is constructed that describes the input-output structure of the Space Station in which cost and performance is uncertain. It is shown that when there is performance uncertainty the optimal pricing policy is not to price at expected marginal cost. The optimal capacity decisions require the use of contingent contracts prior to construction to determine the optimal expansion path.
FINITE GROUPS OF PSL(2,q)-TYPE: A REPORT ON CURRENT JOINT WORK WITH RONALD SOLOMON

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the problem of classifying all finite groups G such that 0(G) = 1 and such that there exists an involution t ∈ G − Z(G) and a 2-component L of Cg(t) such that L/0(L) ≅ PSL(2,q) with q an odd prime power and CG (L/0(L)) has 2-rank 1. This problem is a minimal configuration that must be treated, in some fashion, in any resolution of both the B-conjecture (or balance conjecture) and the B(G)-conjecture. Current research seems to indicate that the B(G)-conjecture may be derivable from the B-conjecture.
Intracellular Recording of Potassium in Neurons of the Motor Cortex of Awake Cats Following Extracellular Applications of Acetylcholine

Acetylcholine (ACh) is known to affect about half of the neurons of the cat motor cortex by causing an increase in the spontaneous rate of firing and input resistance (Krnjevic et al, 1971; Woody et al, 1976; Woody et al, 1978). These effects can be prevented by local application of atropine, a muscarinic blocking agent (Swartz and Woody, 1979). The cells that respond in this way include pyramidal cells of Layer V, the neurons whose axons form the pyramidal tract (Crawford and Curtis, 1966; Krnjevic and Phillis, 1963 a, b; Naito et al, 1969; Sakai and Woody, 1980; Spehlmann and Smathers, 1974).
Testimony of Kevin Outterson (Boston University School of Law) to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, September 19, 2014

We must act decisively to fix the broken business model for antibiotics and other methods to prevent and treat bacterial diseases. These other methods include vaccines, diagnostics, infection control, and devices. Last year, the CDC issued the first national threat assessment on antimicrobial resistance. The media reported that 23,000 Americans die each year from antibacterial resistance, but the CDC estimated an additional 14,000 deaths per year from a horrible intestinal disease related to antibiotic use, Clostridium difficile. These calculations are conservative and likely undercount the true impact in the US, the equivalent of a 100-passenger jet crashing every day.Antibiotic resistance deaths in Europe are in the same range, but the situation in poorer countries is also dire. Resistant pathogens in low-income countries cause several hundred thousand neonatal sepsis deaths each year. Similar numbers of people die in low-income countries from susceptible bacteria, so we face an antibiotic access crisis in addition to the global problem of resistance. Much of our world lives in a pre-antibiotic era.Future projections are much worse. If we lose antibiotics as a drug class, the social cost may be more than a trillion dollars, shaving several years off life expectancy and making many modern medical procedures either impossible or much more dangerous.The ability to prevent and treat bacterial diseases is a global common pool resource of immense value, akin to fisheries. Exhausting this resource is cheap and lazy; preserving it will take concerted effort and substantial resources. These future expenditures are an investment in the continued effectiveness of one of the greatest classes of drugs ever discovered. Consider this as an “insurance premium,” protecting us against the post-antibiotic era.
Cardiac and behavioral effects of social isolation and experimental manipulation of autonomic balance.

Abstract Improved understanding of how depression and social isolation interact to increase cardiac morbidity and mortality will improve public health. This experiment evaluated the effect of pharmacological autonomic blockade on cardiac and behavioral reactivity following social isolation in prairie voles. Experiment 1 validated the dose and time course of pharmacological autonomic antagonism of peripheral β-adrenergic (atenolol) and muscarinic cholinergic receptors (atropine methyl nitrate), and Experiment 2 used a novel protocol to investigate behavioral responses in the tail suspension test during pharmacological autonomic blockade as a function of social isolation (vs. paired control). Prairie voles isolated for 4 weeks (vs. paired) displayed significantly elevated heart rate and reduced heart rate variability. Autonomic receptor antagonism by atenolol led to exaggerated reductions in heart rate and standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals, and lower amplitude of respiratory sinus arrhythmia in the isolated group (vs. paired). Administration of atropine led to an attenuated increase in heart rate in the isolated group (vs. paired), and similar near-zero levels of respiratory sinus arrhythmia amplitude in both groups. During the tail suspension test, isolated animals (vs. paired) displayed significantly greater immobility. In paired animals, atenolol administration did not influence immobility; atropine administration increased the duration of immobility (vs. vehicle). In isolated animals, atenolol administration increased the duration of immobility; atropine did not influence immobility duration (vs. vehicle). The current study contributes to our understanding of differential effects of social isolation and autonomic imbalance on cardiac and behavioral reactivity.
Statistical state dynamics analysis of buoyancy layer formation via the Phillips mechanism in two-dimensional stratified turbulence

Horizontal density layers are commonly observed in stratified turbulence. Recent work (e.g. Taylor & Zhou, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 823, 2017, R5) has reinvigorated interest in the Phillips instability (PI), by which density layers form via negative diffusion if the turbulent buoyancy flux weakens as stratification increases. Theoretical understanding of PI is incomplete, in part because it remains unclear whether and by what mechanism the flux-gradient relationship for a given example of turbulence has the required negative-diffusion property. Furthermore, the difficulty of analysing the flux-gradient relation in evolving turbulence obscures the operating mechanism when layering is observed. These considerations motivate the search for an example of PI that can be analysed clearly. Here PI is shown to occur in two-dimensional Boussinesq sheared stratified turbulence maintained by stochastic excitation. PI is analysed using the second-order S3T closure of statistical state dynamics, in which the dynamics is written directly for statistical variables of the turbulence. The predictions of S3T are verified using nonlinear simulations. This analysis provides theoretical underpinning of PI based on the fundamental equations of motion that complements previous analyses based on phenomenological models of turbulence.
Adopting bioenergy crops: Does farmers’ attitude toward loss matter?

We apply prospect theory to examining farmers’ economic incentives to divert a share of their land to bioenergy crops (miscanthus and switchgrass in this study). Numerical simulation is conducted for 1,919 rain‐fed U.S. counties to identify the impact of loss aversion on bioenergy crop adoption, and how this impact is influenced by biomass price, discount rate, credit constraint status, and policy instruments. Results show that ignoring farmer's loss aversion causes overestimation of miscanthus production but underestimation of switchgrass production, particularly when farmers are credit constrained and have a high discount rate. We find that establishment cost subsidy induces more miscanthus production whereas subsidized energy crop insurance induces more switchgrass production. The efficacy of these two policy instruments, measured by biomass production increased by per dollar of government outlay, depends on the magnitude of farmers’ loss aversion and discount rate.
Dem Stress davonlaufen

Ist vom sprichwortlichen Hamsterrad die Rede, entstehen vor dem inneren Auge Bilder von einer ewigen Tretmuhle, vom Rennen ohne Ziel, erschopft von Schlafmangel und chronischem Stress. Nach meiner Erfahrung mit Menschen und Ratten sind es eher die Menschen, die sich mit groserer Wahrscheinlichkeit in einer solchen Situation wiederfinden. Das gilt zumindest fur wild lebende Ratten, fur die Energie ein kostbarer Rohstoff ist. Sie verlassen ihren Bau nur aus wirklich guten Grunden, etwa um Partner, Nahrung oder Schutz zu suchen. Eine ziellos umherlaufende Ratte dagegen wurde schnell zur Mahlzeit eines Beutegreifers.
Predictors of Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Patients with Left Bundle Breach Block

Background Left bundle branch block (LBBB) is associated with asynchronous left ventricular (LV) activation, which may lead to left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD). However, it is unknown who among patients with LBBB develops LVSD or the time it takes for LVSD to develop. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors of developing LVSD in patients with LBBB. Methods Using electronic medical records at Metrohealth Medical Center, we identified all patients (age 18 years and older) between 01/01/2012 and 12/31/2012 who had the following: LBBB and 2 separate left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) assessments, with initial LVEF being normal. Using subsequent LVEF assessment (done at least 12 months later) we divided the study cohort into 2 groups (those with LVSD (LVEF Results Among 450 patients identified as having LBBB between 01/01/2012 and 12/31/2012, 143 patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age 65.9 +/- 13.1), 43.56 % were males. There were 64 patients (44.7%) who developed LVSD on subsequent LVEF assessment. The average drop in LVEF was 21.86% from 56.94% +/− 6.59 to 35.08% +/− 8.97. History of Hypertension was significantly associated with increased risk of developing LVSD (Odds ratio 3.2 (CI 1.12 -9.33; P=0.030), while history of coronary artery disease was significantly associated with reduced risk of developing LVSD (Odds ratio 0.23 (CI 0.13 - 0.52; P=0.0001)). Conclusions Our results indicate that a significant proportion of patients with LBBB go on to develop LVSD. We found that hypertension increases the risk of LVSD while coronary artery disease reduces the risk of LVSD in patients with LBBB.
Favourable modulation of osteoblast cellular activity on Cu-containing austenitic stainless steel and comparison with the Cu-free counterpart

In the present study, we describe the favorable modulation of osteoblast functions on Cu-containing austenitic stainless steel in comparison to the Cu-free steel. A series of biological experiments...
Risk of admission to hospital for serious infection after initiating tofacitinib versus biologic DMARDs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a multidatabase cohort study

Summary Background The risk of serious infection is a major concern when prescribing a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) for rheumatoid arthritis. Little evidence exists with regard to serious infection risk associated with tofacitinib, a targeted synthetic (ts)DMARD, compared with biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. We compared the risk of serious infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis initiating tofacitinib versus one of the seven bDMARDs. Methods In this multidatabase cohort study, we identified eight mutually exclusive groups of patients with rheumatoid arthritis initiating tofacitinib or one of the seven bDMARDs using US public (Medicare 20012–15) and private (Optum Clinformatics 2012–18 and IBM MarketScan 2012–17) health insurance programmes. Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older, and had one inpatient visit or two or more outpatient visits (7–365 days apart) for rheumatoid arthritis using International Classification of Diseases 9th and 10th revision codes. The primary outcome was a composite endpoint of admission to hospital for serious infection including bacterial, viral, or opportunistic infection based on the inpatient principal diagnosis code. Secondary outcomes were individual types of serious infections and herpes zoster. We adjusted for more than 60 potential confounders through propensity score-based inverse probability treatment weighting in each database. Database-specific adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were combined using a fixed-effects meta-analysis. Findings We identified 130 718 patients with rheumatoid arthritis across the three databases. During 100 790 person-years of follow-up, 3140 serious infections occurred (crude incidence rate per 100 person-years 3·12, 95% CI 3·01–3·23). The aHR for serious infection associated with tofacitinib was 1·41 (95% CI 1·15–1·73) versus etanercept, 1·20 (0·97–1·49) versus abatacept, 1·23 (0·94–1·62) versus golimumab, and 1·17 (0·89–1·53) versus tocilizumab. The serious infection risk with tofacitinib was similar to adalimumab (1·06, 0·87–1·30) and certolizumab (1·02, 0·80–1·29), and was lower than infliximab (0·81, 0·65–1·00). Tofacitinib was associated with a 2-fold higher risk of herpes zoster versus all bDMARDs. Interpretation This study found potential differences between tofacitinib and several bDMARDs in the risk of admission to hospital for serious infection, as well as herpes zoster, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These results contribute to the evolving understanding of the overall risk-benefit profile of tofacitinib. Funding Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, MA, USA.