cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal plasma amyloid beta in Alzheimer's disease clinical trials

Abstract Introduction Little is known about the utility of plasma amyloid beta (Aβ) in clinical trials of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods We analyzed longitudinal plasma samples from two large multicenter clinical trials: (1) donezepil and vitamin E in mild cognitive impairment (n = 405, 24 months) and (2) simvastatin in mild to moderate AD (n = 225, 18 months). Results Baseline plasma Aβ was not related to cognitive or clinical progression. We observed a decrease in plasma Aβ40 and 42 among apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 ( APOE e4) carriers relative to noncarriers in the mild cognitive impairment trial. Patients treated with simvastatin showed a significant increase in Aβ compared with placebo. We found significant storage time effects and considerable plate-to-plate variation. Discussion We found no support for the utility of plasma Aβ as a prognostic factor or correlate of cognitive change. Analysis of stored specimens requires careful standardization and experimental design, but plasma Aβ may prove useful in pharmacodynamic studies of antiamyloid drugs.
Power transfer capability of HVAC cables for subsea transmission and distribution systems

This paper provides a methodology to estimate power versus distance envelops of High-Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) transmission system for subsea applications. AC technology is mature and proven for land-based applications and relatively short off-shore tiebacks. However, for long tiebacks, due to increased conductor capacitance, large reactive power needs to be supplied, leading to higher cable current rating, losses, and expensive umbilical. Subsea AC cables are limited in their capability to transmit power beyond a certain distance, depending on cable characteristics, installation conditions and system operating mode. Power transfer boundary charts for AC technology based on analytical methods are presented. Analytical calculations and computer simulations of HVAC power cables were performed on more than 30 cables with rated voltage between 35 and 150 kV and cable cross-sections between 95 and 400 mm2. Effects of reactive compensation on system tieback distance have been analyzed, as well as low frequency transmission and different modes of system operation. Cable models employing multiple pi-sections and distributed parameters were used. Well-known power flow and simulation tools were used for validation. AC transmission boundaries were estimated based on the voltage and current limits for various cables under various operating modes.
Analysis of biomolecular interactions using affinity microcolumns: A review

Affinity chromatography has become an important tool for characterizing biomolecular interactions. The use of affinity microcolumns, which contain immobilized binding agents and have volumes in the mid-to-low microliter range, has received particular attention in recent years. Potential advantages of affinity microcolumns include the many analysis and detection formats that can be used with these columns, as well as the need for only small amounts of supports and immobilized binding agents. This review examines how affinity microcolumns have been used to examine biomolecular interactions. Both capillary-based microcolumns and short microcolumns are considered. The use of affinity microcolumns with zonal elution and frontal analysis methods are discussed. The techniques of peak decay analysis, ultrafast affinity extraction, split-peak analysis, and band-broadening studies are also explored. The principles of these methods are examined and various applications are provided to illustrate the use of these methods with affinity microcolumns. It is shown how these techniques can be utilized to provide information on the binding strength and kinetics of an interaction, as well as on the number and types of binding sites. It is further demonstrated how information on competition or displacement effects can be obtained by these methods.
Learning Bayesian network classifiers by maximizing conditional likelihood

Bayesian networks are a powerful probabilistic representation, and their use for classification has received considerable attention. However, they tend to perform poorly when learned in the standard way. This is attributable to a mismatch between the objective function used (likelihood or a function thereof) and the goal of classification (maximizing accuracy or conditional likelihood). Unfortunately, the computational cost of optimizing structure and parameters for conditional likelihood is prohibitive. In this paper we show that a simple approximation---choosing structures by maximizing conditional likelihood while setting parameters by maximum likelihood---yields good results. On a large suite of benchmark datasets, this approach produces better class probability estimates than naive Bayes, TAN, and generatively-trained Bayesian networks.
Virtual attractive-repulsive potentials for cooperative control of second order dynamic vehicles on the Caltech MVWT

We consider a motion planning method based on cooperative biological swarming models with virtual attractive and repulsive potentials (VARP). We derive a map between the model and fan speeds for the Kelly, a second order vehicle on the Caltech multi vehicle wireless testbed. The motion planning map results leads to the development and implementation of a point to point controller which is subsequently used as part of a cooperative searching algorithm. The VARP control method is scalable and can be used to organize a swarm of robotic vehicles.
Depression Treatment Uptake in Integrated Primary Care: How a “Warm Handoff” and Other Factors Affect Decision Making by Latinos

Objective:Integrated behavioral health care has the potential to reduce barriers to mental health treatment among low-income and minority populations. This study aimed to identify predictors of Latino patients’ decision to follow through with referrals to depression treatment in an integrated primary care setting, including type of referral (a “warm handoff” from a primary care provider [PCP] to a behavioral health care provider or a prescribed referral).Methods:The authors conducted a sequential medical record review of 431 patients referred for depression treatment in integrated behavioral health services followed by qualitative semistructured interviews with a subsample of 16 patients.Results:English-speaking Latinos were four times less likely to attend an initial visit within two months of a referral if they received a warm handoff rather than a prescribed referral. The strength of the patient-provider relationship and the quality of the referral experience, including whether the PCP addressed patien...
Rapid and efficient preparation of free amino acids from strong acid salts on columns of crosslinked poly-4-vinylpyridine

Abstract Acidic and neutral amino acids were recovered from their strong acid salts or from large excesses of strong acids by passage through columns of crosslinked poly-4-vinylpyridine. Basic amino acids eluted as the monoacid salts. High recoveries were possible with submicromolar samples.
Allografting older patients--myths and realities.

Other vulnerable populations that need special consideration include older age patients. Because of toxicity and nonrelapse mortality (NRM), allografting with conventional myeloablative conditioning is rarely performed in patients older than 50 years of age, and autografting in patients over the age of 65 years is performed in only a few centers. Both single-institution and registry analyses show that older age is associated with a higher incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and NRM [1-3]. The biologic basis underlying the increased incidence of NRM in older patients is not well understood, although most studies show a relationship of acute GVHD (aGVHD) with age [4]. Improvements in supportive care and the use of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC), together with improved HLA typing technology, have improved transplant outcomes in younger patients [5]. Although some centers have shown that conventional allografting can be successful in patients over the age of 55 years, the number of patients over 55 years who had until recently undergone allografting was extremely small [6,7]. The change in age distribution of transplant recipients over the last 20 years is summarized in Figure 1A and B. Transplanting older patients has unique challenges; not only are comorbidities more common, but in some instances the risk-benefit ratios favor a more conservative approach when compared to younger patients with the same disease. What is surprising, however, is the number of instances in which aggressive therapy is actually indicated and appropriate for older patients. In this section, we will review some of the current studies regarding stem cell transplant (SCT) in older patients. In the last section we will discuss the comorbidity index and its applicability to high-risk patients.
Chronic Heart Failure Does Not Attenuate the Total Activity of Sympathetic Outflow to Skin During Whole Body Heating

Background—Previous studies show that the rise in skin blood flow and cutaneous vascular conductance during heat stress is substantially attenuated in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. The mechanisms responsible for this finding are not clear. In particular, little is known regarding the responses of skin sympathetic nerve activity (SSNA) that control the skin blood flow during heat stress in CHF patients. We examined the effects of a modest heat stress to test the hypothesis that SSNA responses could be attenuated in CHF. Methods and Results—We assessed SSNA (microneurography) from the peroneal nerve and skin blood flow (forearm laser Doppler) in 9 patients with stable class II–III CHF and in matched healthy subjects during passive whole-body heating with a water-perfused suit. Whole-body heating induced similar increases in internal temperature (≈0.6°C) in both groups. Whole-body heat stress evoked similar SSNA activation in CHF patients (Δ891±110 U/min) and the control subjects (Δ787±84 U/min; P=0....
Fail-Safe Asynchronous Machines with Multiple-Input Changes

Several synthesis methods for fail-safe asynchronous sequential machines have been reported recently. All of these methods solve the race problem by using noncritical race state assignments. This approach generally results in large number of state variables, relatively complicated design, and the limitation of single-input change.
Intravascular Ultrasound-guided Direct Intrahepatic Portacaval Shunt: Description of Technique and Technical Refinements

PURPOSE This is a prospective study designed to demonstrate the safety and feasibility of creating a direct inferior vena cava (IVC)–to–portal vein shunt with use of a new type of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to guide the puncture and completing the shunt with the use of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-covered stent graft. MATERIALS AND METHODS IVC–to–portal vein shunts were created in 31 sequential patients for ascites ( n = 31) or bleeding ( n = 8). Transfemorally placed IVUS transducers were positioned in the IVC to guide the puncture from the IVC to the portal vein, which was performed from a transjugular approach with a modified Rosch–Uchida liver access set. A 9-MHz axial imaging IVUS system was used for the first 11 patients, and a variable 5–10-MHz sagittal IVUS imaging system was used for the next 20 patients. The shunts were completed with the use of single ( n = 11) or overlapping ( n = 20) PTFE-covered Palmaz stent-grafts, deployed primarily at a diameter of 8 mm. Patients were followed clinically and with US, venography, and inspection at liver transplantation to establish 30-day patency rates. RESULTS All direct intrahepatic portacaval shunts (DIPSs) were created successfully. Both IVUS systems were able to adequately guide the portal vein puncture. Resolution and operator confidence were subjectively superior with the sagittal IVUS imaging system compared to the axial IVUS system. Two extrahepatic portal vein punctures occurred during the procedures. Both were controlled by the placement of sheaths and subsequent placement of stent-grafts. Both patients remained asymptomatic, although one required transfusion of blood products. The mean portosystemic gradient was reduced from 24 mm Hg before DIPS creation to 10 mm after DIPS creation. Embolization of varices was also performed in eight patients with history of recent gastrointestinal bleeding. Two patients died in the first week of acute liver failure. Two patients with hepatocellular carcinoma refused further follow-up. Of the 27 remaining patients, patency was demonstrated in all DIPS at 30 days by US, venography, or direct inspection at liver transplantation. CONCLUSIONS IVUS-guided direct IVC–to–portal vein shunts may be created successfully with minimal complications. The use of a stent-graft is recommended for this procedure. Modifications of current technique and IVUS systems are described.
Social Cleavages and the Number of Parties How the Measures You Choose Affect the Answers You Get

This article explores the issues surrounding the operationalization and measurement of social cleavages in a large-N context from the perspective of the party systems literature. It first highlights the difficulty of measuring the concept, which it argues has impeded hypothesis testing, and suggests strategies for improving upon existing measures. It then demonstrates that the conclusions we draw about well-known hypotheses linking social cleavages to the number of electoral parties in legislative elections depend upon the measure we employ. Hence, the article makes the case that how we measure social cleavages matters.
Neuromodulation of delay discounting, the reflection effect, and cigarette consumption

Cigarette smokers and substance users discount the value of delayed outcomes more steeply than non-users. Higher discounting rates are associated with relapse and poorer treatment outcomes. The left dorsolateral prefontal cortex (DLPFC) exerts an inhibitory influence on impulsive or seductive choices. Greater activity in the prefrontal cortex is associated with lower discounting rates. We hypothesized that increasing activity in the left DLPFC with high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF rTMS) would decrease delay discounting and decrease impulsive decision-making in a gambling task as well as decrease cigarette consumption, similar to other studies. In this single-blind, within-subjects design, smokers with no intention to quit (n = 47) and nonsmokers (n = 19) underwent three counterbalanced sessions of HF rTMS (20 Hz, 10 Hz, sham) delivered over the left DLPFC. Tasks were administered at baseline and after each stimulation session. Stimulation decreased discounting of monetary gains (F([3,250]) = 4.46, p < .01), but increased discounting of monetary losses (F([3,246]) = 4.30, p < .01), producing a reflection effect, normally absent in delay discounting. Stimulation had no effect on cigarette consumption. These findings provide new insights into cognitive processes involved with decision-making and cigarette consumption and suggest that like all medications for substance dependence, HF rTMS is likely to be most effective when paired with cognitive-behavioral interventions.
Three-Dimensional Structure of the Wind-Driven Circulation in the Subtropical North Pacific

Abstract The subduction rate is calculated for the North Pacific based on Levitus climatology data and Hellerman and Rosenstein wind stress data. Because the period of effective subduction is rather short, subduction rates calculated in Eulerian and Lagrangian coordinates are very close. The subduction rate defined in the Lagrangian sense consists of two parts. The first part is due to the vertical pumping along the one-year trajectory, and the second part is due to the difference in the winter mixed layer depth over the one-year trajectory. Since the mixed layer is relatively shallow in the North Pacific, the vertical pumping term is very close to the Ekman pumping, while the sloping mixed layer base enhances subduction, especially near the Kuroshio Extension. For most of the subtropical North Pacific, the subduction rate is no more than 75 m yr−1, slightly larger than the Ekman pumping. The water mass volume and total amount of ventilation integrated for each interval of 0.2σ unit is computed. The corre...
Further observations on season and parturition.

Abstract A study has been made of some United States national statistics relating to death within 24 hours following birth. Taken together with other data, this suggests that fetuses in almost any stage of development are at greater risk of being expelled from the uterus during summer than during winter months.
Optimization of the Choquet Integral Using Genetic Algorithm

Decision making in an unavoidable part of out daily lives. Many decisions are straightforward, but others require careful consideration of each alternative and many attributes characterizing each alternative. If these attributes are mutually dependent, the Choquet integral is a technique often used for modeling the decision making problem. With a large number of attributes to consider, decision making becomes an optimization problem that requires huge computational resources in order to be solved exactly. Instead of using a large amount of these resources, heuristic techniques have been used to speed the computations and find a suboptimal decision. Yet, these heuristic methods could be improved to find better approximation with minimal increase in required computational resources. Genetic algorithm has been used in many situations as a heuristic optimization technique. In this paper, we present some modifications to the genetic algorithm that allow more precise optimization.
Why Cooperate? Cooperation Among Environmental Groups in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany

*This study asks under what domestic conditions environmental groups in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany will overcome the collective action, resource, and ideological impediments to cooperative activity. A political opportunity structure (POS) approach is employed which looks at the relationship between elite alliances and domestic cleavages and the choice to engage in domestic as well as transnational cooperation. Using data gathered through content analysis over a nearly twenty-five year period, I find that changes in domestic opportunities influence the choice of environmental groups to engage in cooperative activities. An open POS is found to depress both domestic and transnational cooperation, while a closed POS increases cooperative activities.
Vile vigilance: An integrated theoretical framework for understanding the state of Black surveillance

The family is the principal source of socialization and protection against racism for many Blacks. Transmitting values, norms, morals, and beliefs (i.e., racial socialization) to successive generations is done to promote racial awareness and to prepare an individual to survive in racist environments. Further, developing a sense of security, resiliency, and cultural pride provides psychological protection against racial prejudice and discrimination. Protective socialization is even more critical when it becomes the difference between life and death at the hands of law enforcement-a fate faced by too many Black males as a result of racist policing practices, including the over-patrolling of Black communities. Because discriminatory surveillance and over-patrolling can incite a number of social, physical, and mental health issues, a holistic approach to understanding the interaction between Blacks and law enforcement is critical. This article reviews the Mundane Extreme Environmental Stress (MEES) model, racial socialization theory, and Family Stress Model in the development of a theoretical framework for understanding the patterns of interactions between Blacks and law enforcement, the immediate and long-term effects of unjustified shootings on Black families and communities, and the response of sociopolitical systems. The new theoretical framework will be used to inform the work of human service providers and practitioners by identifying targets for interventions to improve relations and trust between Black communities and law enforcement institutions.
Kinetics and Energetics of Producing Animal Manure-Based Biochar

Pyrolysis of animal manure produces biochar with multiple beneficial use potentials for improving soil quality and the environment. The kinetics and energetics of pyrolysis in producing manure-based biochar were reviewed and analyzed. Kinetic analysis of pyrolysis showed that the higher the temperature, the shorter the reaction time was needed for thermal decomposition and carbonization of animal manure. This kinetic information can assist in producing biochar with a desired proximate composition. Biochar with lower volatile matter (VM) content can be produced with either higher pyrolysis temperature or longer reaction time. Energetically, pyrolysis of wet manures is not sustainable due to high energy needed for drying moisture. However, co-pyrolysis with other high energy density wastes such as agricultural plastic wastes would produce not only energetically sustainable biochar but surplus energy as well. This could be used for local power generation.
Modified magnetic ground state in NiMn2O4 thin films

We demonstrate the stabilization of a magnetic ground state in epitaxial ${\text{NiMn}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{4}$ (NMO) thin films not observed in their bulk counterpart. Bulk NMO exhibits a magnetic transition from a paramagnetic phase to a collinear ferrimagnetic moment configuration below 110 K and to a canted moment configuration below 70 K. By contrast, as-grown NMO films exhibit a single magnetic transition at 60 K and annealed films exhibit the magnetic behavior found in bulk. Cation inversion and epitaxial strain are ruled out as possible causes for the new magnetic ground state in the as-grown films. However, a decrease in the octahedral ${\text{Mn}}^{4+}:{\text{Mn}}^{3+}$ concentration is observed and likely disrupts the double exchange that produces the magnetic state at intermediate temperatures. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism and bulk magnetometry indicate a canted ferrimagnetic state in all samples at low temperature. Together these results suggest that the collinear ferrimagnetic state observed in bulk NMO at intermediate temperatures is suppressed in the as grown NMO thin films due to a decrease in octahedral ${\text{Mn}}^{4+}$ while the canted moment ferrimagnetic ordering is preserved below 60 K.
Educational Value of a Medical Student-Led Head and Neck Cancer Screening Event.

ObjectiveTo evaluate improvement of medical student knowledge of head and neck cancer (HNC) through participation in HNC screening fairs run by medical students.Study DesignProspective cohort study...
Disorders of water metabolism in children: hyponatremia and hypernatremia.

1. Michael L. Moritz, MD* 2. Juan Carlos Ayus, MD† 1. *Assistant Professor of Pediatric Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 2. †Professor of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the clinical manifestations of hyponatremic encephalopathy. 2. Identify the risk factors for developing hyponatremic encephalopathy. 3. List the risk factors for developing cerebral demyelination following the correction of hyponatremia. 4. Characterize the clinical manifestations of hypernatremia. 5. Identify patients at greatest risk for developing hypernatremia. In conjunction with the tremendous medical advances of the past century, an increasing number of hospitalized patients are dependent on parenteral fluids. Caring for children who have complex medical conditions has resulted in new challenges for prescribing parenteral therapy to maintain sodium and water homeostasis; most electrolyte disturbances occur in the hospital. Although the kidneys play an important role in the development of disorders in water handling, most of the morbidity and mortality results from central nervous system dysfunction (Table 1). This review discusses common disorders of water metabolism, emphasizing the neurologic sequelae. View this table: Table 1. Abnormalities of Water Metabolism Leading to Brain Damage Hyponatremia is defined as a serum sodium level less than 135 mEq/L (135 mmol/L). It is one of the most common electrolyte disorders encountered in hospitals, occurring in approximately 3% of hospitalized children. The cause usually is identified easily, and the condition rarely is fatal, but sometimes the cause can be elusive and mortality can result from inappropriate therapy. ### Pathogenesis Under normal circumstances, the human body can maintain plasma sodium levels within the normal range (135 to 145 mEq/L [135 to 145 mmol/L]), despite wide fluctuations in fluid intake. The body’s primary defense against developing hyponatremia is the kidney’s ability to generate dilute urine and excrete free water. The primary reasons that children develop hyponatremia encompass underlying conditions that impair the kidney’s ability to excrete free water (Table 2). Hyponatremia usually occurs in the setting of excess water intake, with or without sodium losses, in the presence of impaired …
Assessment on effects of continuous heavy hazy episode on health among residents in Jinzhou district of Dalian city

Objective To assess the effects of continuous heavy hazy weather occurred in December 2012 and January 2013 on daily life and health of residents in Jinzhou district of Dalian city and to provide reference for making intervention measures. Methods A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted among 2 163 residents aged over 18 years selected with stratified cluster random sampling in Jinzhou district of Dalian city. Results For the 2 163 participants during the heavy haze episode,58. 8% and 57. 7% reported decreased outdoor activity and physical exercise; 19. 5% and 21. 7% reported irritation of the throat and cough; 11. 2% and 10. 4% reported taking medicine and visiting a doctor due to respiratory illness; 9. 7% and 8. 6% reported taking medicine and visiting a doctor because of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases; and 20. 1% reported closing the windows. The scores of the heavy hazy infulence on perceived affection on daily life,irritation symptoms,medical consultation or medicine use,and coping behaviour were 2. 54 ± 1. 91, 0. 98 ± 1. 11,0. 40 ± 1. 03,and 1. 59 ± 0. 75,respectively,with positive relationships among these scores based on the results of partial correlation analyses( correlation coefficients : 0. 080 – 0. 403. P 0. 001 for all). Conclusion Continuous heavy hazy episode increases the incidence of respiratory and other mucosa irritating symptoms significantly and the patients with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases are more vulnerable to heavy air pollution.
Regulation of cell-substrate adhesion by the lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase branches of arachidonic acid metabolism.

Adhesion of cells to an extracellular matrix (ECM) is involved in a number of biological phenomena including wound healing, embryogenesis, blood coagulation, and metastasis’. Cell-substrate adhesion has four phenotypically distinct and sequential stages: attachment, spreading, migration, and/or immobilization. We previously demonstrated that during integrin-mediated attachment of HeLa cells to a substrate made of collagen or fibroblasts to fibronectin, integrin receptors were clustered by the substrate leading to the phosphorylation and translocation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) to the membrane to catalyze the release of arachidonic acid (AA)2-4. The liberated AA serves as a substrate for lipoxygenases (LOs) leading to the formation of leukotrienes (LTs) and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs). This results in the production of diacylglycerol (DAG) to activate protein kinase (PKC) by translocation to the membranes. The result of PKC activation is polymerization of actin to facilitate cell spreading’.
Monasticism in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Republics

Monasticism in Eastern Europe and Former Soviet Republics: An Introduction Ines Angeli Murzaku PART I: Monasticism in Eastern - Central Europe 1. Monasticism in Bulgaria Daniela Kalkandjieva 2. Croatian Monasticism and Glagolitic Tradition: Glagolitic Letters at Home and Abroad Julia Verkholantsev 3. Monasticism in Slovakia and Slovak National Development Stanislav J. Kirschbaum 4. Catholic Monasticism, Orders, and Societies in Hungary: Ten Centuries of Expansion, Disaster, and Revival James P. Niessen 5. Religion and Identity in Montenegro Jelena Dzankic 6. Relations between the Holy Mountain and Eastern Europe c.1850-2000 Graham Speake 7. Roman Catholic Monasticism in Poland Krystyna Gorniak-Kocikowska 8. Orthodox Monasticism and the Development of the Modern Romanian State from Dora d'Istria's Criticism to Cyclical Reevaluation of Monastic Spirituality in Contemporary Romania Antonio D'Alessandri 9. Monasticism in Serbia in the Modern Period: Development, Influence, Importance Radmila Radic 10. The Church and Religious Orders in Slovenia in the Twentieth Century Kolar Bogdan 11. Between East and West: Albania's Monastic Mosaic Ines Angeli Murzaku PART II: Monasticism in Russia and Former Soviet Republics 12. Monasticism in Modern Russia Scott Kenworthy 13. Monasticism in Russia's Far North in the Pre-Petrine Era: Social, Cultural, and Economic Interaction Jennifer Spock 14. Abbots and Artifacts: The Construction of Orthodox-Based Russian National Identity at Resurrection "New Jerusalem" Monastery in the Nineteenth Century Kevin Kain 15. Monasticism and the Construction of the Armenian Intellectual Tradition Sergio La Porta 16. Monks and Monasticism in Georgia in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Paul Crego 17. Greco-Catholic Monasticism in Ukraine: Between Mission and Contemplation Daniel Galadza
Early Mesozoic (Late Triassic-Early Jurassic) Tethyan brachiopod biofacies: possible evolutionary intra-phylum niche replacement within the Brachiopoda

Distributions of brachiopods from low-latitude paleogeographic settings, primarily in the Tethyan Ocean of southern Europe, with additional data from North America allow some observations on the bathymetric distribution of early Mesozoic brachiopod orders. Norian and latest Triassic (Rhaetian) brachiopod biofacies are dominated in shallowest waters by short-looped tere- bratulids (Terebratulidina) while spire-bearing athyrids (Athyrida) are common components of deeper-water environments in the latest Triassic. In the late Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian), shallow- water brachiopod faunas are dominated by rhynchonellids, short-looped terebratulids are commoner in relatively deeper shelf waters, and spiriferids and long-looped terebratulids (Terebratellidina) are abundant in deeper-water shelf environments. Following the end-Triassic extinction event there appears to be niche-replacement in deep-water shelf environments of Late Triassic athyrids by spiriferids and long-looped terebratulids in the Early Jurassic. Rhynchonellids appear to have diversified into shallowest water environments; specialized short-looped terebratulids may have occupied deeper-water niches that resulted ulti- mately in the success of the enigmatic Pygopidae later in the Jurassic and Cretaceous.
Civilian Correspondence: Families and Love Letters

This Manly article, number XI (the number appears to be out of sequence), is on the interception and decipherment of civilian letters. At 1785 words, this is by far the shortest of the Manly articles. An interesting note is Manly’s observation that there is apparently a large amount of innocent correspondence by civilians that is normally sent in code or cipher. The war just allowed that correspondence to be made visible because the postal censorship office was intercepting it. In this article, Manly exhibits a dry sense of humor at the expense of the lovers writing letters to each other in cipher.
One-Dimensional SDEs and Diffusions

Removal of drift, weak existence and uniqueness, path-wise uniqueness, weak and strict comparison, hitting times, scale function, speed measure, time-change reduction, Green function, accessible and reflecting boundaries, entrance and exit boundaries, entrance laws and Feller properties, ratio ergodic theorem, recurrence and ergodicity, strong ergodicity, positive recurrence and invariant distribution.
Heterodimerization of Kinesin-2 KIF3AB Modulates Entry into the Processive Run

Mammalian KIF3AB is an N-terminal processive kinesin-2 that is best known for its roles in intracellular transport. There has been significant interest in KIF3AB to define the key principles that underlie its processivity but also to define the mechanistic basis of its sensitivity to force. In this study, the kinetics for entry into the processive run were quantified. The results show for KIF3AB that the kinetics of microtubule association at 7 μm-1 s-1 is less than the rates observed for KIF3AA at 13 μm-1 s-1 or KIF3BB at 11.9 μm-1 s-1 ADP release after microtubule association for KIF3AB is 33 s-1 and is significantly slower than ADP release from homodimeric KIF3AA and KIF3BB, which reach 80-90 s-1 To explore the interhead communication implied by the rate differences at these first steps, we compared the kinetics of KIF3AB microtubule association followed by ADP release with the kinetics for mixtures of KIF3AA plus KIF3BB. Surprisingly, the kinetics of KIF3AB are not equivalent to any of the mixtures of KIF3AA + KIF3BB. In fact, the transients for each of the mixtures overlay the transients for KIF3AA and KIF3BB. These results reveal that intermolecular communication within the KIF3AB heterodimer modulates entry into the processive run, and the results suggest that it is the high rate of microtubule association that drives rebinding to the microtubule after force-dependent motor detachment.
Portrait of justice: The spirit of Chinese law as depicted in historical and contemporary drama:

Some scholars doubt whether China has much of a legal tradition, and others have opined that China lacks legal subjectivity from a Western legal perspective. However, various dramas have delineated...
Performance evaluation of a hybrid-excited flux-switching PM motor for traction applications

The need for high energy density and high efficiency electrical machines and drives for road traction applications is growing rapidly, due to their environmental benefits compared to traditional internal combustion propulsion systems. The demanding specifications defined by the US Drive 2020 program make the design of high-performance traction motors a challenging task. In particular, providing high torque and achieving a wide constant power speed range often represent a compromise in the design phase. Hybrid-excited flux-switching permanent magnet machines have been proposed as good candidates for road traction applications due to their desirable characteristics of design flexibility and control simplicity. This paper aims to investigate the design and performance of hybrid-excited flux-switching permanent magnet machines with particular interest in flux-regulation capability.
Monolithic integration of hybrid perovskite single crystals with heterogenous substrate for highly sensitive X-ray imaging

Hybrid perovskite crystals are integrated onto silicon wafers enabling fabrication of an X-ray linear detector array. High sensitivity may reduce patient dose in medical imaging applications.
Parental Secondary Stress: The Often Hidden Consequences of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Youth

Objective This study aims to deepen understanding of the effects on parents of having a self-injuring child by (a) analyzing differences in dimensions of caregiver strain between caregivers of youth with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI+) and parents of youth with no known mental health history (MH−); (b) identifying factors that contribute to caregiver strain; and (c) examining parent outcome expectancies. Method Participants were 196 NSSI+ parents and 57 MH− parents. Quantitative measures of psychosocial variables, parent mental health and support variables, and child self-injury characteristics were assessed in relation to caregiver strain, and NSSI+ parental expectancies were assessed via mixed methods. Results Parents with a NSSI+ youth were more likely to exhibit all forms of objective and subjective strain than parents of youth with no mental health challenges. Despite this, many parents expressed beliefs that their child would experience personal growth as a result of their NSSI experience. Conclusion Findings reveal the important role of mindful parenting practices and informal social support.
Facility location using GIS enriched demographic and lifestyle data for a traveling entertainment troupe in Bavaria, Germany

Abstract This paper presents the development and subsequent application of a facility location methodology for selecting good show locations for a traveling entertainment troupe in Bavaria, Germany. The troupe is headquartered at a theater in Munich and wishes to expand its audience by offering traveling shows to select sites across Bavaria. A spatial analysis of the region is completed via classic location theory modeling techniques, leading to the development of a multi-criteria facility location approach for application. Additionally, we use location analytics techniques on demographic and consumer spending data extracted from the Business Analyst Web App (BAWA) system for each of the 95 districts in Bavaria. This data is integrated into a decision support system to weight consumer demand values with district lifestyle population patterns aggregated at the postal code level. Lifestyle-weighted demand is then used to identify locations that maximize the amount of customers within a given travel distance to a show while maintaining dispersion of selected facilities.
Epstein-Barr virus and rheumatoid arthritis.

The immune system of patients with RA does not react normally to EBV infection. The control mechanisms that limit the effects of EBV infection are blunted in RA and, perhaps because of that, antibody responses to gBV-induced cellular antigens are significantly higher than in healthy individuals. There is little reason at present to suggest that EBV is a causative agent in RA. In fact, the recent studies by Sih,erman and Schumacher [9] of 12 patients with very early (less than 6 weeks) RA showed that they did not differ significantly from healthy controls in their antibody titers to VCA or EBNA, and none of them had detectable antibody to EA. Using immunofluorescence to detect anti-RANA, those investigators found a 70% incidence in their normal controls and a similar incidence in the patients with early onset RA. Thus, although patients with chronic RA exhibit abnormal serologic responses to EBVrelated antigens, those abnormalities do not appear to be a characteristic feature early in the disease, and the absence of antibodies to EA suggests that primary EBV infection or reactivation of latent infection is not a direct cause of RA.
Quantitation of DNA Methylation by Quantitative Multiplex Methylation-Specific PCR (QM-MSP) Assay.

The defining feature of the Quantitative Multiplex Methylation-Specific PCR (QM-MSP) method to sensitively quantify DNA methylation is the two-step PCR approach for a multiplexed analysis of a panel of up to 12 genes in clinical samples with minimal quantities of DNA. In the first step, for up to 12 genes tested, one pair of gene-specific primers (forward and reverse) amplifies the methylated and unmethylated copies of the same gene simultaneously and in multiplex, in one PCR reaction. This methylation-independent amplification step produces amplicons of up to 109 copies per μL after 36 cycles of PCR. In the second step, the amplicons of the first reaction (STEP 1) are quantified with a standard curve using real-time PCR and two independent fluorophores to detect methylated/unmethylated DNA of each gene in the same well (e.g., 6FAM and VIC). One methylated copy is detectable in 100,000 reference gene copies. Methylation is reported on a continuous scale. For the gene panel, the highest level of normal DNA methylation above which a sample would be called positive is derived by using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC), maximizing assay specificity and sensitivity to distinguish between normal/benign versus tumor DNA. QM-MSP can be applied to clinical samples of fresh or fixed ductal cells, ductal fluid, nipple fluid, fine needle aspirates, core biopsies, and tumor tissue sections.
An e-Transformation Study Using the Technology–Organization–Environment Framework

Aviation information in the cockpit and on the ground was almost entirely paper based until a decade ago, when a digital future became apparent. This digital future requires industry transformation, which is influenced by the technological, organizational and environmental (TOE) context. This study uses an adapted e-business TOE framework to analyze drivers, facilitators, inhibitors and benefits of e-transformation and also presents challenges and key lessons learned.
Investigating the depth-sensitivity of laser speckle contrast imaging in flow phantoms

Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) is a wide-field, optical technique capable of assessing changes in flow rates of scattering fluids. In biomedical applications, LSCI has been used to quantify changes of blood perfusion in various tissue. One limitation of LSCI is its limited depth sensitivity- it can only sense blood flow in superficial layers of tissue. The goal of this study was to experimentally investigate the depth-sensitivity of LSCI for detecting fluid flow embedded in a turbid optical phantom. LSCI was used to image a flow channel buried by the scattering medium at incremental depths ranging from 0 mm to 2.4 mm. The flow measurements were successively repeated using two illumination wavelengths, 633 nm and 785 nm. Images were captured with and without flow present through the phantom for each wavelength and analyzed to develop a flow-sensitivity parameter. This provided a metric of LSCI’s ability for detecting flow as a function of channel depth. At a depth of 1.5 mm, the flow sensitivity decreased by 80% with the 633 nm illumination and 65% for the 785 nm illumination relative to a depth of 0 mm. The results demonstrate that the flow sensitivity of the 785 nm source diminished at a slower rate as the buried depth was increased than the sensitivity of the 633 nm source. This study suggests that the flow depth and illumination wavelength should be considered while using LSCI.
The Theory-Practice Gap as Generative Metaphor

The theory-practice gap is a well-known concept in HCI research. It provides a way of describing a space that allegedly exists between the theory and practice of the field, and it has inspired many researchers to propose ways to "bridge the gap." In this paper, we propose a novel interpretation of the gap as a generative metaphor that frames problems and guides researchers towards possible solutions. We examine how the metaphor has emerged in HCI discourse, and what its limitations might be. Our examination raises concerns about treating the gap as given or obvious, which could reflect researchers' tendencies to adopt a problem-solving perspective. We discuss the value of considering problem setting in relation to the theory-practice gap, and then explore Derrida's strategy of "reversal" as a possible way to develop new metaphors to capture the relationship between theory and practice.
Neuronal Network Mechanisms—Sex and Development

The brain is organized into neuronal networks, many of which have a specific task and function. Neuronal networks are further modified through cross-interactions among them but also with other systems, biologic or experiential factors, in a manner that allows their progressive maturation and adaptation. As a result, age and sex are pivotal factors that determine network response and function. Here, we will describe some of the basic features and advances made in our understanding of basal ganglia, hippocampal, and corticothalamic networks, and we will discuss their implication in certain disease processes, such as epilepsy, and some of the known mechanisms underlying the age- and sex-specific adaptation of these networks.
RAT HEPATOCYTES IN PRIMARY MONOLAYER CULTURE: A TOOL FOR INVESTIGATING THE REGULATION OF CARCINOGEN METABOLISM

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a tool for investigating the regulation of carcinogen metabolism. Most environmental carcinogens are inert as they exist in nature. Before biological damage can be affected, it is necessary that these compounds be enzymatically converted to highly reactive electrophilic reagents. Most studies of carcinogen metabolism have been conducted with liver because this tissue contains the highest levels of drug-metabolizing enzymes. The development of methodology for maintaining non-proliferating monolayer cultures of hepatocytes from adult rats offers a potential new dimension to this research area because architectural features unique to the whole liver cell can be preserved while at the same time, experimental manipulation, including effects of culture medium and cell density, is facilitated. The chapter discusses recent experiments designed to characterize activation of the potent hepatocarcinogen aflatoxin B1 for bacterial mutagenesis by primary monolayer cultures of adult rat hepatocytes.
Long-Term Impacts Of Tillage, Fertilizer, And Crop Residue On Soil Organic Matter In Temperate Semiarid Regions

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews past progress toward enhancing the level and quality of organic matter in soil. Annual cropping replaced fallow in many areas, which has reduced organic matter loss from soil. Greater fertilizer use and varietal improvement increased cereal grain yield and straw production, which raised the level of C return to the soil. Carbon input has shown to have a significant impact on the organic matter level. Stubble-mulch and no-till systems conserved up to 2% more organic matter per year in surface soil than plowing. Crop rotation, green manuring, and reduced tillage practices have lost some of their glamour with the advent of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and many of the long-term experiments have been discarded for more pressing research. Fertilizer and tillage research has expanded, and crop improvement has received new impetus. Less reliance on crop rotation and green manure has beenpartially responsible for increasing use of inorganic fertilizer. Soil erosion tends to increase with less crop rotation and greater reliance on mechanical tillage and clean fallow.
Nature and Life in the Later Husserl: Instinct and Passivity

The theme of Husserl’s breakthrough to nature and life in his later work is challenging and multifaceted. One aspect of considerable interest is that of animality as revealed by a focus on instinct. It is an issue that takes on more centrality and even urgency today because of heightened concern for the environment that we share with the non-human animal. Traditionally, of course, our picture of sharing the world with animals of other species has an escape clause, viz., rationality or language, by which we claim to transcend this realm — a claim that some consider valid and others not. In other words, the continuity (or discontinuity) between humans and other animals, particularly in the light of evolution, can be seen as a major aspect of the unity of life and one that centers on the nature and role of instinct.
Further Processing of Poultry

The concept of further processing of chicken meat is relatively new, and success in this venture requires an understanding of two diverse but overlapping activities. One of these is the work with the meat itself: retrieval, formulation, processing, preserving and handling of chicken meat products. The other broader, and somewhat separate activity, is the complex undertaking of product development. One can view the ‘hands-on’ work with the meat itself as a segment or stage of product development. While the work with the meat may seem to be of greater importance and more urgent concern to poultry producers and processors, an understanding of the total development process is vital to the successful introduction of any new product.