cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemiological Analysis of Rabies in Wuhua County during 2001—2007

[Objective]To analyze epidemiologic features and influencing factor of rabies and provide scientific evidence for establishing rabies prevention strategy.[Methods]Descriptive epidemiological methods were utilized to statistically analyze the data of the epidemic rabies during 2001—2007 in Wuhua country.[Results]72 cases of rabies were reported,the annual incidence rate was 0.84/100 000,and most of the cases were children,primary and secondary school students and elderly peasants.The incubation period was almost three months.The incubation period of the person whose face was beaten by dog was shortest.The main infection source was dog.The cause of the rabies was that the person did not received proper treatment and vaccination in time after exposure.[Conclusion]The increasing number of dogs,the low dogs' vaccination coverage,uncompleted disinfection,weak awareness of disease prevention,and low immunization rates after exposure are responsible for the long-term and fluctuation epidemic of rabies in WuHua country of GuangDong province.
Early, Aggressive Management of Intraoperative Ureteral Injuries

AbstractMost urologic surgeons prefer proximal urinary diversion as an initial step in the repair of intraoperative ureteral injuries but an early direct attack on the injured area is being attempted more often. Our report concerns 36 ureteral injuries in 24 patients during the last 5 years. In 19 patients 20 injuries were recognized and managed during postoperative convalescence. Repair consisted of ureteroneocystotomy in 8 patients, ureteroureterostomy in 6 and ureteral deligation in J. Ureteral catheter manipulation alone was successful in 2 cases. Satisfactory ureteral repair was achieved in 23 patients. Definitive management was initiated upon diagnosis in all but 1 patient. We recommend an early, direct, aggressive approach to the injured area whenever possible.
Group C Adenoviruses as Vectors for Gene Therapy

Publisher Summary Group C adenoviruses are attractive candidates for use as vectors in gene therapy. Adenoviruses are able to express genes carried on the viral chromosome within nondividing cells such as airway epithelial cells and cells of the central nervous system. The administration of adenovirus to humans also appears to be safe. Adenoviruses have been used to transfer and express a variety of genes in experimental animals, and first-generation adenovirus vectors, which have been rendered replication defective for normal human cells by deletion of their EIA and EIB genes, have been used to deliver the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene to a defined area of the nasal airway epithelium in the human, alleviating the chloride transport defect in the infected cells of patients with cystic fibrosis. The EIA and EIB genes were deleted in these vectors because of their oncogenic potential and to render the vectors replication defective.
Creating a Community of Inquiry in Online Library Instruction

ABSTRACTAccording to the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000), an enriching educational experience online in a collaborative learning environment requires three interdependent elements: social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence. Social presence provides interaction in the online environment that allows students to feel like they are in a supportive and open environment. Teaching presence refers not just to teacher-student interaction during the lesson or course duration, but also to a teacher's ability to design an effective learning environment. Cognitive presence in the CoI model is knowledge generated from collaborative interaction. This model has been well-studied in the literature, and has been shown to be a meaningful framework for course development. However, more exploration of CoI in relation to library distance instruction is needed. This article describes the Community of Inquiry model and provides information about the three presences and how t...
Construction Cost Factors

Rigs are built under a wide variety of designs, specifications and contracts at shipyards throughout the world. Market conditions, material and labor, design class and rig specifications, shipyard, and the time of construction are the primary factors that impact newbuild costs. Contract type, shipyard productivity, and exchange rate fluctuations also influence cost, but their impacts are more difficult to observe. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the factors that impact construction cost and provide empirical evidence to quantify their influence.
The Effect of Processing Parameters on the Physical and Microwave Electrical Properties of Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics

Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC) represent a multilayer electronic packaging technology with the ability to incorporate many electrical components such as conductive, resistive, and dielectric materials, into a single monolithic package. Example devices would include capacitors, inductors, resistors, antennae, transformers, hybrid circuits, etc. In general, the LTCC package consists of a glass/ceramic dielectric and compatible conductive inks (Au, Ag, etc.). The dielectrics and conductors are patterned/laminated to form the desired 3D structure and then co-fired to complete densification. The resulting monolithic block is mechanically robust with a high density of (often buried) electrical components. Typically, LTCC systems have found implementation in circuitry utilizing the RF and microwave frequency ranges. In general, the material design and processing parameters, and knowledge of how these affect the final mechanical and electrical properties of the LTCC package are needed for successful cir...
Current Practice, Attitude, and Knowledge of Oncologists Regarding Male Fertility Preservation

Oncofertility addresses the reproductive needs of patients with cancer facing fertility-threatening treatments. Many patients perceive education about fertility preservation as inadequate and untimely. This notion has been confirmed with several national surveys, which found that health-care providers refer patients to reproductive specialists less than 50% of the time. While both patients and health-care providers believe that discussing fertility preservation is important, barriers exist at the patient, provider, and socioeconomic levels that prevent completion. Barriers include patient psychological distress preventing discussion, provider lack of knowledge and comfort with fertility preservation (FP), lack of institutional resources, and potential costs. Both American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) have developed guidelines regarding fertility considerations and each recommends oncologists discuss treatment-related fertility issues as early as possible with young cancer patients and expedite appropriate referrals for fertility preservation. With increasing cancer survivorship, additional education and resources regarding FP are essential to help improve patients’ long-term quality of life.
Revision of the Mexican and Guatemalan Species of Platanus (Platanaceae)

A taxonomic treatment of the genus Platanus L. in North America is presented, concentrating on the species native to Mexico and Guatemala. Eight taxa are recognized for North America: 3 species with 2 varieties each, and two species without varietal subdivision; all occur in Mexico and/or Guatemala except for one more northern variety. One previously unrecognized species from western Mexico is described, P. gentryi Nixon & Poole. Another species from northeastern Mexico, although often called P. mexicana Moric., represents an undescribed species because the name P. mexicana is correctly applied to a different Mexican species. The resultant new species is P. rzedowskii Nixon & Poole. A new variety, P. mexicana var. interior Nixon & Poole, is described from central Mexico. A key to taxa includes the two Old World species, P. kerrii and P. orientalis, but complete descriptions of the latter species are not given. A discussion of the morphological characters, biogeography, infrageneric phylogeny and speciation of Platanus in North America is presented in light of the greater understanding of the taxa afforded by this study.
Experimental and Computational Study of Effects of Viscosity of the Filter Media in a Developed Particulate Trapping System

A cost effective, portable particulate management system was developed, prototyped, and evaluated for further application and commercialization, which could remove and dispose particulate matter suspended in air efficiently and safely. A prototype of the present system was built for experimental assessment and validation. The experimental data showed that the developed particulate management system can effectively clean the air by capturing the particles inside it. Effects of viscosity of filter medium on the performance of the developed system were also discussed. The present system is very flexible, whose size and shape can be scaled and changed to be fit for different applications. Its manufacturing cost is less than $10. Based on the experimental validation results, it was found that the present system can be further developed, commercialized, and applied for a variety of industries. The experiments and experimental data were simulated and validated using computer fluent dynamics. A relatively good agreement was achieved between the experimental and computational results.
Global urban politics: Informalization of the state, by Julie-Anne Boudreau

How does an increasingly urbanized world affect our politics? In this new book, Global Urban Politics, Julie-Anne Boudreau asserts that urbanization shapes our ways of life, modes of interaction, e...
Quantification of Catechins in Tea Using Cyclic Voltammetry

Flavonoids have been studied extensively for their antioxidant properties. Specifically, the flavonoids in tea, such as catechin and epigallocatechin gallate, have been shown to have positive health effects. These compounds are also oxidizable, so the concentrations of these compounds in a given kind of tea can be determined using cyclic voltammetry. Green, black, oolong, and herbal teas were each diluted using pH 7.0 phosphate buffer, analyzed using cyclic voltammetry, and compared to the standards of epigallocatechin gallate, catechin hydrate, and catechol. The effect of brewing temperature on the concentration of catechins was also examined. Students learned about the common flavonoids in tea and the effect of brewing temperature on the concentration of catechins in solution.
Radiation Exposure in Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: The Effect of the Learning Curve

ABSTRACT Background Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF) has comparable fusion rates and outcomes to the open approach, though many surgeons avoid the technique due to an initial learning curve. No current studies have examined the learning curve of MI-TLIF with respect to fluoroscopy time and exposure. Our objective with this retrospective review was to therefore use a repeatable mathematical model to evaluate the learning curve of MI-TLIF with a focus on fluoroscopy time and exposure. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of single level, primary fusions performed by a single surgeon during his initial experience with minimally invasive spine surgery. Chronologic case number was plotted against variables of interest, and learning was identified as the point at which the instantaneous rate of change of a curve fit to the data set equaled the average rate of change of the data set. Results One hundred nine cases were reviewed. Proficiency in operative time was achieved at 38 cases with the first 38 requiring a median of 137 minutes compared to 104 minutes for the latter 71 cases (P Conclusions Our results demonstrate the most gradual learning occurred with respect to fluoroscopy time and exposure, and operative time improved the quickest. Level of Evidence IV. Clinical Relevance These findings may guide spine surgeon education and training in minimally invasive techniques, and help determine safe case loads for radiation exposure during the initial learning phase of the technique. The model used to identify the learning curve can also be applied to several fields and surgical techniques.
Joint Online Edge Caching and Load Balancing for Mobile Data Offloading in 5G Networks

This paper considers how to cache popular contents and load balancing in 5G networks to minimize the total operating cost. Specifically, popular contents requested by mobile users (MUs) are cached in small base stations (SBSs) to serve them with better quality and lower cost because the SBSs are often much closer to MUs than the base station (BS). Due to limited caching capacity and bandwidth of SBSs, the caching policy and load balancing algorithm need to be carefully designed jointly and dynamically over time. In this paper, we formulate the joint content placement and load balancing by an online optimization problem. This problem is challenging because of the integer constraint in content placement and the lack of future information. We tackle the challenges in two progressive steps. First, we propose a primal-dual algorithm to solve the problem efficiently and prove it always achieves the optimal cost assuming all system information is available. Then we integrate promising online optimization algorithms with the proposed primal-dual algorithm so that only limited short-term predictions are needed. Theoretical performance bounds are also derived. We conduct extensive numerical simulations to evaluate the performance of proposed algorithms. Results highlight that the proposed online algorithms can reduce the system cost significantly (by as much as 27%) compared to the existing solutions and perform similarly to the offline optimal solution.
Forward Osmosis for Ion Exchange Waste Brine Management

For many water systems, ion exchange is the best available technology to meet nitrate, chromium, arsenic, and other inorganic removal requirements. The principal economic, environmental, and opera...
A new Spirodela polyrhiza genome and proteome reveal a conserved chromosomal structure with high abundances of proteins favoring energy production

Abstract Duckweeds are a monophyletic group of rapidly reproducing aquatic monocots in the Lemnaceae family. Spirodela polyrhiza, the Greater Duckweed, has the largest body plan yet the smallest genome size in the family (1C = 150 Mb). Given their clonal, exponentially fast reproduction, a key question is whether genome structure is conserved across the species in the absence of meiotic recombination. We generated a highly contiguous, chromosome-scale assembly of Spirodela polyrhiza line Sp7498 using Oxford Nanopore plus Hi-C scaffolding (Sp7498_HiC) which is highly syntenic with a related line (Sp9509). Both the Sp7498_HiC and Sp9509 genome assemblies reveal large chromosomal misorientations in a recent PacBio assembly of Sp7498, highlighting the necessity of orthogonal long-range scaffolding techniques like Hi-C and BioNano optical mapping. Shotgun proteomics of Sp7498 verified the expression of ∼2,250 proteins and revealed a high abundance of proteins involved in photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism among other functions. In addition, a strong increase in chloroplast proteins was observed that correlated to chloroplast density. This Sp7498_HiC genome was generated cheaply and quickly with a single Oxford Nanopore MinION flow cell and one Hi-C library in a classroom setting. Combining these data with a mass spectrometry-generated proteome illustrates the utility of duckweed as a model for genomics- and proteomics-based education.
Millimeter-Wave Interferometric Radar for Speed-Over-Ground Estimation

In this work we present a V-band interferometric millimeter-wave continuous-wave (CW) radar operating at 42.875 GHz for vehicle speed-over-ground estimation. The system points normal to the road-surface providing a constant target range and radar cross-section (RCS), and thus a deterministic signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared to outward-looking systems. Interferometric processing is performed by correlating the received signal responses from a pair of antennas separated by a baseline of 8⋋. The system is designed with three independent phase-quadrature receive channels to allow for a pair of orthogonal baselines. On-vehicle measurements were performed for a single baseline parallel to the direction of travel and velocity was estimated directly from the received radar spectrum. The estimator consists of a fully-connected feedforward neural network (NN) with smoothing which achieved a root-mean-squared error (RMSE) of 0.204m/s on a 2-minute data capture.
On the Shocking Ignorance of Economists of G. Boole’s Logical Theory of Probability in His 1854 the Laws of Thought: Keynes’s Logical Theory of Probability in the 1921 a Treatise on Probability Is Built Entirely on Boole

Keynes’s logical theory of probability was NOT the first explicit and detailed approach to logical probability. George Boole was the first academic to provide an explicit, systematic and detailed logical probability approach in history. Keynes’s own logical theory was built on both the work of Boole and the work of William E. Johnson. This paper will deal with the fact that there are no economists in either the 20th or 21st centuries who have the slightest inkling about how Keynes built his logical theory of probability and who were the scholars whom Keynes built his approach to logical probability on. For instance, M Friedman thought that Keynes was a subjectivist. This is a common error made on the part of orthodox economists. However, an even greater lacuna occurs among heterodox economists,who are completely ignorant of the role of Boole.
Convergent biochemical pathways for xanthine alkaloid production in plants evolved from ancestral enzymes with different catalytic properties.

Convergent evolution is widespread but the extent to which common ancestral conditions are necessary to facilitate the independent acquisition of similar traits remains unclear. In order to better understand how ancestral biosynthetic catalytic capabilities might lead to convergent evolution of similar modern-day biochemical pathways, we resurrected ancient enzymes of the caffeine synthase (CS) methyltransferases that are responsible for theobromine and caffeine production in flowering plants. Ancestral CS enzymes of Theobroma, Paullinia, and Camellia exhibited similar substrate preferences but these resulted in the formation of different sets of products. From these ancestral enzymes, descendants with similar substrate preference and product formation independently evolved after gene duplication events in Theobroma and Paullinia. Thus, it appears that the convergent modern-day pathways likely originated from ancestral pathways with different inferred flux. Subsequently, the modern-day enzymes originated independently via gene duplication and their convergent catalytic characteristics evolved to partition the multiple ancestral activities by different mutations that occurred in homologous regions of the ancestral proteins. These results show that even when modern-day pathways and recruited genes are similar, the antecedent conditions may be distinctive such that different evolutionary steps are required to generate convergence.
Predictors and outcomes of ischemic stroke in reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome.

The clinical factors predisposing to ischemic stroke in reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) are unclear. In this observational cross-sectional study, we aimed to evaluate the risk factors and clinical outcomes associated with the development of ischemic stroke in patients with RCVS. We utilized the Nationwide Readmissions Database 2016–2017 to identify all hospitalizations with RCVS, with or without acute ischemic stroke. Independent predictors of and clinical outcomes associated with ischemic stroke were analyzed using logistic regression. Among 1065 hospitalizations for RCVS (mean ± SD age 49.0 ± 16.7 years, female 69.7%), 267 (25.1%) had ischemic stroke. Patients with ischemic stroke were more likely to have hypertension (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.51–3.60), diabetes (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.11–2.98), and tobacco use (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.16–2.33) and were less likely to have a history of migraine (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.35–0.90). Ischemic stroke was associated with higher odds of cerebral edema (OR 3.15, 95% CI 1.31–7.57) and respiratory failure (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.28–4.44). Patients with ischemic stroke also had longer hospital stay by a mean duration of 6.7 days, P < 0.001, higher hospital charges by a mean of $72,961, P < 0.001, and a higher likelihood of not being discharged to home (OR 3.57, 95% CI 2.39–5.33). They had higher in-hospital mortality rate; however, the difference was not statistically significant. Ischemic stroke affects nearly 25% of patients with RCVS and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. RCVS patients with cerebrovascular risk factors might have a higher predisposition for developing ischemic lesions during the disease process.
Design and Fabrication of an Industrial-Grade Instrument to Measure Texture and Predict Drawability in Sheet Metal

Texture in sheet metal must be controlled in the rolling process to assure the fabrication properties desired in later manufacturing. Drawability is one of the required engineering properties in a family of applications including beverage cans, propane tanks, and automotive parts.
Puig-Donoso-Ripstein: la historia de un deseo transformado

Se trata de un triangulo laboral entre Jose Donoso, Manuel Puig y Arturo Ripstein con respecto a la adaptacion de El lugar sin limites al cine y, mas adelante, con respecto al dialogo que Puig entabla entre el guion de la pelicula y El beso de la mujer arana. Enfocamos primero la transformacion de la novela de Donoso en manos de Puig y sus sucesivas adaptaciones coetaneas, primero por Ripstein, quien altera el guion de Puig, eliminando de el su aspecto sucio y corporeo, y luego la adaptacion del mismo Puig, quien toma de su guion varias estrategias filmicas que formaran el nucleo de su novela. Basado en materiales descubiertos en el archivo de la familia Puig, el ensayo pone en evidencia los circuitos de deseo de los varios autores y senala la distancia entre el original y la copia, entre lo dicho y lo suprimido, con lo cual la pelicula pasa de ser una performance de baile y seduccion a un arte de contar que definira a los personajes de la novela de Puig.
Complementary strategies for policy analysis: Combining microeconomic and regional simulation models☆

Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the development of policy analysis models by two competing groups of researchers: microeconomic simulation and regional modellers. A brief survey of their separate paths of development suggests that each group has major contributions to make to the other's effort. A modelling effort, the KGB/RESIND model, which attempts to capitalize on this insight by linking an existing microsimulation model with regional model, is discussed. The potential benefits of this approach are illustrated through a simulation analysis of three alternative wage rate subsidy schemes.
Corning: Convertible Preferred Stock (CW)

SUBJECT AREAS: Behavioral finance, Convertible securities, Dividends, Equity capital, Financial strategy, Financing, Preferred stock, Telecommunications. Corning, with large investments in fiber optic technology, was hit particularly hard by the collapse of the telecommunications industry in 2001. With over $4 billion in debt, the firm's survival appears to rest on raising additional equity capital. James Flaws, the chief financial officer, is considering raising $500 million with an issue of mandatory convertible preferred stock.
A new false positive reduction method for MCCs detection in digital mammography

A new mixed feature multistage false positive (FP) reduction method has been developed for improving the FP reduction performance. Eleven features were extracted from both spatial and morphology domains in order to describe the micro-calcification clusters (MCCs) from different perspectives. These features are grouped into three categories: gray-level description, shape description and clusters description. Two feature sets that focus on describing MCCs on every single calcification and on clustered calcifications, respectively, were combined with a back-propagation (BP) neural network with Kalman filter (KF) to obtain the best performance of FP reduction. First, 9 of the 11 gray-level description and shape description features were employed with BP neural network to eliminate all the obvious FP calcifications in the image. Second, the remaining MCCs will be classified into several clusters by a widely used criterion in clinical practice, and then the two cluster description features will be added to the first feature set to eliminate the FP clusters from the remaining MCCs. The performance results of this approach were obtained using an image database of 100 real cases of patient's mammogram images in H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center imaging program.
Corporate Funding of Human Services Agencies

This article reviews national trends in the organization of corporate giving to human services agencies, examines how corporations make funding decisions, and reports the results of a case study of philanthropic giving among 29 companies in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The study found that most corporations use an informal rather than a formal process for making funding decisions, with many firms relying on tradition, social contacts, and intuition to guide allocations. Suggestions that social services administrators can use to enhance development planning at their agencies are provided.
Retinal Rod Photoreceptor–Specific Gene Mutation Perturbs Cone Pathway Development

Rod-specific photoreceptor dystrophies are complicated by the delayed death of genetically normal neighboring cones. In transgenic (Tg) swine with a rod-specific (rhodopsin) gene mutation, cone photoreceptor physiology was normal for months but later declined, consistent with delayed cone cell death. Surprisingly, cone postreceptoral function was markedly abnormal when cone photoreceptor physiology was still normal. The defect was localized to hyperpolarizing cells postsynaptic to the middle wavelength-sensitive cones. Recordings throughout postnatal development indicated a failure of cone circuitry maturation, a novel mechanism of secondary cone abnormality in rod dystrophy. The results have implications for therapy for human retinal dystrophies and raise the possibility that rod afferent activity plays a role in the postnatal maturation of cone retinal circuitry.
Vortex-glass superconductivity: A possible new phase in bulk high-Tc oxides.

The possibility of a new thermodynamic phase in the mixed state of bulk, disordered, type-II superconductors is suggested: a vortex-glass superconductor. This phase lacks conventional off-diagonal long-ranged order, yet is argued to be a true superconductor with vanishing dc resistance. In this phase metastable currents are predicted to decay as (lnt${)}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1/\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}$ with \ensuremath{\mu}(\ensuremath{\le}1) a universal exponent. Relevance to experiments on bulk high-${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{c}}$ oxides is mentioned.
PLVS: a tool for incorporating design into the statistical education of engineers

The Paint Line Videotape and Simulation (PLVS) software package, based on an actual manufacturing process, is used in statistics and quality control classes to design and analyze solutions to quality problems. It has proven effective in adding a design component to homework and laboratory problems by bridging the gap between textbook and real-world problems by enabling engineering students to design solutions, solve, and evaluate results of industrial problems. For example, it has been observed that while students often have no problem solving textbook problems, they at first often lack the ability to apply the techniques to PLVS problems. The manufacturing environment from which PLVS was derived is described, several PLVS-based assignments are listed and discussed, and the advantages of using PLVS are noted. >
Vagueness, tolerance and contextual logic

The goal of this paper is a comprehensive analysis of basic reasoning patterns that are characteristic of vague predicates. The analysis leads to rigorous reconstructions of the phenomena within formal systems. Two basic features are dealt with. One is tolerance: the insensitivity of predicates to small changes in the objects of predication (a one-increment of a walking distance is a walking distance). The other is the existence of borderline cases. The paper shows why these should be treated as different, though related phenomena. Tolerance is formally reconstructed within a proposed framework of contextual logic, leading to a solution of the Sorites paradox. Borderline-vagueness is reconstructed using certain modality operators; the set-up provides an analysis of higher order vagueness and a derivation of scales of degrees for the property in question.
Specificity of Binding of the Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-related Protein to Different Conformational States of the Clade E Serpins Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 and Proteinase Nexin-1

Abstract The low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) is the principal clearance receptor for serpins and serpin-proteinase complexes. The ligand binding regions of LRP consist of clusters of cysteine-rich ∼40-residue complement-like repeats (CR), with cluster II being the principal ligand-binding region. To better understand the specificity of binding at different sites within the cluster and the ability of LRP to discriminate in vivo between uncomplexed and proteinase-complexed serpins, we have systematically examined the affinities of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and proteinase nexin-1 (PN-1) in their native, cleaved, and proteinase-complexed states to (CR)2 and (CR)3 fragments of LRP cluster II. A consistent blue shift of the CR domain tryptophan fluorescence suggested a common mode of serpin binding, involving lysines on the serpin engaging the acidic region around the calcium binding site of the CR domain. High affinity binding of non-proteinase-complexed PAI-1 and PN-1 occurred to all fragments containing three CR domains (3–59 nm) and most that contain only two CR domains, although binding energies to different (CR)3 fragments differed by up to 18% for PAI-1 and 9% for PN-1. No detectable difference in affinity was seen between native and cleaved serpin. However, the presence of proteinase in complex with the serpin enhanced affinity modestly and presumably nonspecifically. This may be sufficient to give preferential binding of such complexes in vivo at the relevant physiological concentrations.
An Empirical Analysis of Fraternity and Sorority Individual-Environmental Interactions With Alcohol

Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze fraternity and sorority individual-environmental interactions for 3,756 Greek undergraduate students at a large public university. Alcohol expectancies were measured with items used to assess the degree to which people believe alcohol has positive effects. For sorority students, expectancies were negatively related to chapter culture emphasizing service and civic responsibility. Expectancies were positively associated with chapter culture emphasizing glorification of alcohol use in both fraternity and sorority chapters. Among sorority students, consumption was predicted by group-level service orientation, holding expectancies constant. The strength of the relationship between alcohol expectancies and consumption level increased among fraternity and sorority members, according to chapters' progressive exaltation of the role of alcohol. The implications of the findings are discussed for observed gender differences, the role of self-selection into these unique student organizations, and current efforts to recalibrate Greek chapters toward greater personal safety and control.
Substance P receptor antagonism: A potential novel treatment option for viral-myocarditis

Viral-myocarditis is an important cause of heart failure for which no specific treatment is available. We previously showed the neuropeptide substance P (SP) is associated with the pathogenesis of murine myocarditis caused by encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). The current studies determined if pharmacological inhibition of SP-signaling via its high affinity receptor, NK1R and downstream G-protein, Ras homolog gene family, member-A (RhoA), will be beneficial in viral-myocarditis. Aprepitant (1.2 mg/kg), a SP-receptor antagonist, or fasudil (10 mg/kg), a RhoA inhibitor, or saline control was administered daily to mice orally for 3 days, prior to, or 5 days following, intraperitoneal infection with and without 50 PFU of EMCV, following which disease assessment studies, including echocardiogram and cardiac Doppler were performed in day 14 after infection. Pretreatment and posttreatment with aprepitant significantly reduced mortality, heart and cardiomyocyte size, and cardiac viral RNA levels ( all, ANOVA). Only aprepitant pretreatment improved heart functions; it significantly decreased end systolic diameter, improved fractional shortening, and increased peak aortic flow velocity ( all, ANOVA). Pre- or posttreatment with fasudil did not significantly impact disease manifestations. These findings indicate that SP contributes to cardiac-remodeling and dysfunction following ECMV infection via its high affinity receptor, but not through the Rho-A pathway. These studies suggest that SP-receptor antagonism may be a novel therapeutic-option for patients with viral-myocarditis.
Scenario-based Modeling Approach and Scatter Search Algorithm for the Stochastic Slab Allocation Problem in Steel Industry

A common problem encountered in steel companies is that of allocating the surplus slabs to customer orders so as to minimize the total cost of production and inventory. Due to many unpredictable events arising in practical manufacture environment, slab yields and customer demands are full of uncertainties. This paper focuses on such uncertainties and studies the stochastic version of the slab allocation problem that has received little attention in the literature. Using a scenario-based approach, we formulate the problem as a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model. To make the MILP model more concision, we reformulate it with less variables and constraints by using a scenarios aggregation approach. The commercial optimization software such as IBM ILOG CPLEX can solve the model to optimality for small and medium scale instances, but fail to solve large scale instances to optimality. Thus, a scatter search algorithm with directed local search based on follow-up technique is proposed to solve the problem approximately. Moreover, we introduce a random perturbation strategy to avoid search process being tapped in local optimum. Computational results on randomly generated instances show that the proposed algorithm is effective.
Molecular pathology of amyloidogenic proteins and the role of vascular amyloidosis in Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Progress in the study of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been spurred by the recent application of molecular approaches in many laboratories. Attention has centered on the nature of the proteinaceous deposits that accumulate progressively both within and outside of cerebral neurons. Evidence reviewed herein suggests that intraneuronal paired helical filaments are distinct from extracellular amyloid filaments and contain altered forms of the microtubule-associated phosphoprotein, tau. Antibodies to tau detect an extensive neuritic dystrophy in AD cerebral cortex that includes aberrant somatodendritic sprouting, suggesting a role for local growth-promoting molecules in the pathogenesis of AD. Perhaps preceding these neuronal changes, deposits of the β-amyloid protein (βAP) occur in a diffuse, nonfibrillar form in AD and Down's syndrome brains in the absence of surrounding neuritic or glial response. Such deposits may represent the earliest structural abnormality yet detected in AD brain. Since the gene encoding the βAP precursor appears to be distinct from a putative familial AD gene defect also localized to chromosome 21 in some families, changes in transcriptional and posttranslational processing of the precursor in aging and AD are being sought. The central and unresolved question of the origin of the βAP molecules deposited progressively in brain is reviewed in detail. In concert with other human amyloidoses, growing evidence points to a blood-borne or vascular source for βAP, although rigorous proof is not at hand. Advances in the molecular analysis of AD brain lesions point to new experimental strategies that should bear directly on unsolved diagnostic and therapeutic issues in the disease.
Comparison of domain reversal and electro-optic properties of congruent and stoichiometric lithium tantalate

A change in the Li/(Li+Ta) ratio in LiTaO 3 crystals from 0.485 (congruent) to ~0.5 (stoichiometric) results in a up to 130 times reduction in coercive fields for domain reversal and an elimination of the internal fields and domain backswitching. Dramatic differences in the fatigue behavior are also observed, that results in an electro-optic effect that is very sensitive to electrodes in stoichiometric compositions and rather insensitive in congruent compositions.
Influence of Substrate Stiffness on Cell Spread Area

It is known that various cell types can sense and respond to the mechanical properties of their microenvironment. Specifically, cells have been known to spread more when cultured on stiff substrates and are able to match their internal stiffness to that of the substrate [1,2]. Building on earlier models [3,4], we present a model to estimate the cell spread area when cells are cultured on substrates of variable stiffness. Our model crucially invokes the ability of some cell types to adapt their internal stiffness and thus shows why stiff and thin substrates encourage some cells to spread more easily and why these cells can match their internal stiffness to external stiffness more efficiently than others.Reference:
Observations of the development of striations in large barium ion clouds

Abstract Striations are observed to develop within large (6–352 kg releases) barium ion clouds in a two-stage process. First the clouds split into sheets commencing at the trailing edge of the cloud. Then distortions or pinching effects within the individual sheets cause the formation of field-aligned raylike structures. In the clouds observed, the individual sheets were 200–1000 m in thickness and were spaced 700–2000 m apart. Quasi-sinusoidal waviness of spatially periodic thickenings exhibited a wavelength typically 700–1000 m. When rod-like structures appeared, these were typically 200–400 m dia and were spaced along the pre-existing sheet at 700–1000 m on centers.
Hemodynamic characteristics and predictors of pulmonary hypertension in patients with sickle cell disease.

Pulmonary hypertension is a common co-morbidity of sickle cell disease with an associated increased mortality risk, but its etiology is not well-understood. To evaluate the hemodynamic characteristics, clinical predictors, and cardiovascular manifestations of elevated pulmonary arterial pressure in this population, we performed noninvasive hemodynamic assessments of 135 patients with sickle cell disease using Doppler echocardiography. A diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension was determined by gender-, age-, and body mass index-specific normal reference ranges for tricuspid regurgitation jet velocities (TRVs). A high TRV was noted in 34 patients (25%). Pulmonary vascular resistance was elevated in only 2 (6%) of the 34 patients with suspected pulmonary hypertension but was significantly greater than in those with normal TRV. On univariate regression, the TRV correlated with age, body mass index, left atrial pressure, and right ventricular stroke volume and was negatively associated with hemoglobin and glomerular filtration rate. The left atrial pressure, right ventricular stroke volume, and hemoglobin remained independent predictors of TRV in a multivariate model. A greater TRV was also associated with larger right ventricular and right atrial chamber sizes and greater N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide levels. In conclusion, our results suggest that the mild elevation in TRV often observed in patients with sickle cell disease is rarely associated with a high pulmonary vascular resistance and that multiple factors—including the compensatory high output state associated with anemia, pulmonary venous hypertension, and pulmonary vasculopathy—can contribute to an elevated pulmonary arterial pressure in these patients.
Articulatory-to-Acoustic Relations in Talkers With Dysarthria: A First Analysis

Purpose The primary purpose of this study was to determine the strength of interspeaker and intraspeaker articulatory-to-acoustic relations of vowel contrast produced by talkers with dysarthria and controls. Methods Six talkers with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), six talkers with Parkinson's disease (PD), and 12 controls repeated a sentence at typical, slow, and fast rates. Tongue displacements and acoustic vowel distances were measured to determine articulatory and acoustic vowel contrasts. Results Interspeaker articulatory-to-acoustic relations were strong for talkers with PD and controls but weak for talkers with ALS and controls. Further, predominantly moderate and strong intraspeaker articulatory-to-acoustic relations were found in response to rate modulations; however, correlation coefficients were significantly lower in talkers with ALS than in controls. Conclusions The findings on interspeaker articulatory-to-acoustic relations suggested that the degree of tongue displacement can be accurate...
Expanded Potential for Recombinant Trisegmented Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Viruses: Protein Production, Antibody Production, and In Vivo Assessment of Biological Function of Genes of Interest

The recombinant engineering of trisegmented lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) to express two genes of interest was recently reported. We used this technology to efficiently express green fluorescent protein (GFP) and the immunoregulatory gene product interleukin-10 (IL-10) in vitro, assess IL-10 function in vivo during viral meningitis, and generate specific, robust monoclonal antibody responses to IL-10. Tripartite viruses were attenuated in wild-type and TLR7(-/-) mice. However, IFNAR1(-/-) mice sustained systemic viral replication when 2 nucleotide substitutions from a persistent LCMV variant were present. These findings demonstrate the utility of tripartite LCMV in vitro and in vivo to study genes in the context of a well-defined model system.
Crime, Incarceration, and Employment in Light of the Great Recession

This paper analyzes the impact of the 2007 recession on the incarceration of African–Americans. It begins with a brief examination of incarceration, followed by a look at the literature on the relationship between work, crime, and incarceration. Finally, it concludes with the implications of these findings for African–Americans as it relates to the current economic crisis.
Water proton relaxation as a monitor of membrane-bound manganese in spinach chloroplasts.

Abstract First measurements of proton relaxation on chloroplast membranes are presented here. Experiments show that the water proton spin-lattice relaxation rate in chloroplast thylakoid membrane suspensions can be used to monitor membrane-bound manganese. The relaxation effect is reduced to 0.4 of its original value upon manganese extraction by washing with either alkaline Tris buffer or NH 2 OH/EDTA solution. Large increases in the proton relaxation rate are measured in the presence of reductants such as tetraphenylboron and NH 2 OH; oxidants such as potassium ferricyanide or 2,6-dichlorophenolindo-phenol lead to a decrease in this rate. These results suggest that maganese exists as a mixture of oxidation states in dark-adapted chloroplasts.
The cost of general aviation accidents in the United States

Abstract Very few studies examine the costs associated with general aviation accidents. Given the large number of general aviation operations as well as the large number of fatalities and injuries attributed to general aviation accidents in the United States, understanding the costs to society is of great importance. This study estimates the costs associated with general aviation accidents in the United States. The direct costs are estimated and the indirect costs are estimated via the human capital approach in addition to the willingness-to-pay approach. The average annual accident costs attributed to general aviation are found to be $1.64 billion and $4.64 billion (2011 US$) utilizing the human capital approach and willingness-to-pay approach, respectively. These values appear to be fairly robust when subjected to a sensitivity analysis.
Long-term haloperidol administration enhances and short-term administration attenuates the behavioral effects of cocaine in a place conditioning procedure.

Many behavioral effects of cocaine are attenuated by dopamine (DA) receptor antagonists. Yet, long-term DA antagonist administration enhances neuronal responsiveness to DA in several pathways, including the mesolimbic system. This study compared the effects of short-term versus long-term administration of the DA antagonist, haloperidol, on cocaine place conditioning. In the short-term study, rats were maintained on haloperidol or vehicle for the 10 days of place conditioning. Place conditioning to moderate doses of cocaine (10–15 mg/kg) was attenuated significantly, consistent with the dopaminergic actions of haloperidol and cocaine. In the second study, rats were administered haloperidol after place conditioning which had no effect on the expression of this behavior. Finally, rats were maintained on haloperidol for 30 days prior to and throughout place conditioning and testing which resulted in significant place conditioning at low cocaine doses (2.5–7.5 mg/kg). Because these cocaine doses do not support place conditioning in vehicle-maintained rats, these data suggest that long-term haloperidol administration enhances the sensitivity to these behavioral effects in contrast to the attenuation seen with short-term haloperidol administration. These results have wide-ranging implications for cocaine abuse treatment, particularly among schizophrenic populations.
A Comprehensive Study of Infrared OH Prompt Emission in Two Comets. II. Implications for Unimolecular Dissociation of H2O

Infrared emission from hydroxyl has been observed in several comets via high-resolution infrared spectroscopy. The principal excitation mechanism for this emission is single-step photolysis of H2O, terminating in OH fragments that are both vibrationally and rotationally excited. Recently reported comet data provide quantitative measures of the rotational distribution of OH*[X2Π; v' = 1] for J' < 17.5. The measured distributions of relative g-factors for OH "prompt" emission, and especially the ratios of the Π(A'') and Π(A') Λ-doubling components, are remarkably similar for comets C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR) and C/2004 Q2 (Machholz). We discuss how these results complement ab initio theoretical studies of water dissociation and those done in terrestrial laboratories.