cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Associations between serum lipids and hepatitis C antiviral treatment efficacy

Approximately one half of patients who undergo antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection will not respond to treatment. African Americans (AAs) are less responsive to treatment than Caucasian Americans (CAs) and the reasons for this disparity are largely unknown. Recent studies suggest that serum lipids may be associated with treatment response. The aims of this study were to evaluate baseline and changes in serum lipids during therapy, determine if serum lipids are associated with virological response, and assess if these measures explain the racial difference in efficacy. Participants were from Virahep-C, a prospective study of treatment naive participants with type 1 HCV infection who received peginterferon alfa-2a (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin therapy for up to 48 weeks. Fasting serum lipids were analyzed at baseline, during, and after therapy in 160 AAs and 170 CAs. A relative risk (RR) model was employed to evaluate characteristics associated with sustained virological response (SVR). Antiviral therapy was associated with changes in serum lipids during and after antiviral therapy, with the changes differing by race and the amount of PEG-IFN taken. Baseline lipid measures independently associated with a higher rate of SVR were lower TG and higher LDLc, with an interaction between high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) and gender. Lipid measures did not contribute significantly to explaining the racial difference in SVR. Conclusion Lipid levels are associated with SVR, although lipid parameters did not explain the racial difference in treatment response. Results are compatible with proposed biological mechanisms of HCV entry, replication, and secretion, and may underscore new potential therapeutic targets for HCV eradication.
Calculation of multiconductor microstrip line capacitances using the semidiscrete finite element method

In this analysis partial finite-element discretization of the Poisson equation is implemented. The governing partial differential equation is thus reduced to a coupled set of ordinary differential equations, which is solved analytically. Formulation of the solution with this technique is more general and versatile than with the method of lines. The method of lines is derived as a special case of the semidiscrete finite-element method. >
Issues and approaches to coarse-grain reconfigurable architecture development

Although domain-specialized FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays) can offer significant area, speed and power improvements over conventional reconfigurable devices, there are several unique and unexplored design problems that complicate their development. One source of these problems is that the designers often opt to replace more universal, fine-grain logic elements with a specialized set of coarse-grain functional units to improve computation speed and reduce routing complexity. One issue this introduces is that it is not obvious how to simultaneously consider all applications in a domain and determine the most appropriate overall number and ration of the different functional units. In this paper, we illustrate how this problem manifests itself during the development of an encryption-specialized FPGA architecture. We present three algorithms that solve this problem by balancing the hardware needs of the domain while considering performance and area requirements. We believe these concerns need to be addressed by future CAD tools in order to develop more sophisticated application-specialized reconfigurable devices.
Sensor planning and control in a dynamic environment

This paper presents an approach to the problem of controlling the configuration of a team of mobile agents equipped with cameras so as to optimize the quality of the estimates derived from their measurements. The issue of optimizing the robots' configuration is particularly important in the context of teams equipped with vision sensors since most estimation schemes of interest will involve some form of triangulation. We provide a theoretical framework for tackling the sensor planning problem and a practical computational strategy, inspired by work on particle filtering, for implementing the approach. We extend our previous work by showing how modeled system dynamics and configuration space obstacles can be handled. These ideas have been demonstrated both in simulation and on actual robotic platforms. The results indicate that the framework is able to solve fairly difficult sensor planning problems online without requiring excessive amounts of computational resources.
In Situ TEM Investigation of Abnormal Grain Growth in Nanocrystalline Nickel

In situ transmission electron microscopy was used to show that nanocrystalline nickel produced by pulsed-laser deposition undergoes abnormal grain growth at moderate temperatures (225-400°C). The growth rate was found to increase with thickness for the three film thicknesses examined, 50, 80 and 150 nm. The abnormal growth proceeded in an irregular manner: initiation sites and growth direction were unpredictable, and the grains exhibited no preferred orientation. Some abnormal grains show internal boundaries such as twins, while others exhibited lattice misalignments across the grain body. The grains contain many defects, including dislocations, stacking faults and surprisingly, stacking fault tetrahedra. The stacking fault tetrahedra are not a result of quenching nor of electron irradiation-induced lattice displacements; they instead are thought to form from vacancies trapped in the growing grain as it incorporates lower-density material at the high-angle grain boundaries in the nanocrystalline matrix.
On the Examination of Test Unidimensionality

Weber (1977) contends that the use of Rasch analysis, principal components analysis, and classical test analysis shows that an in strument designed to measure a "bilevel dimensionality" in proba bility achievement (Levin, 1975) in fact measures a single latent trait. This article questions that interpretation and the use of Rasch and classical analysis to establish unidimensionality.
Particle size reduction by breakage in biological wastewater treatment

Floc breakup in biological wastewater treatment occurs in response to hydrodynamic stresses imposed by aeration, recirculation, and mixing. This size reduction is of particular concern because it leads to solids carry-over and adversely affects process controllability. A laboratory study of floc size reduction has shown how the hydrodynamic environment causes breakup and the extent to which it proceeds at particular levels of dissipation. The structure of jet flows was found to be well-suited for the reduction of floc size.
Olfactory foraging by Antarctic procellariiform seabirds: life at high Reynolds numbers.

Antarctic procellariiform seabirds forage over vast stretches of open ocean in search of patchily distributed prey resources. These seabirds are unique in that most species have anatomically well-developed olfactory systems and are thought to have an excellent sense of smell. Results from controlled experiments performed at sea near South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic indicate that different species of procellariiforms are sensitive to a variety of scented compounds associated with their primary prey. These include krill-related odors (pyrazines and trimethyl- amine) as well as odors more closely associated with phy- toplankton (dimethyl sulfide, DMS). Data collected in the context of global climatic regulation suggest that at least one of these odors (DMS) tends to be associated with predictable bathymetry, including upwelling zones and sea- mounts. Such odor features are not ephemeral but can be present for days or weeks. I suggest that procellariiforms foraging over vast distances may be able to recognize these features reflected in the olfactory landscape over the ocean. On the large scale, such features may aid seabirds in navi- gation or in locating profitable foraging grounds. Once in a profitable foraging area, procellariiforms may use olfactory cues on a small scale to assist them in locating prey patches.
Instigating Fundamental Change through Experiential Inservice Development.

In this article, we call for a rethinking of inservice education for teachers of children with disabilities as well as an investment in experiential modes of teacher renewal. We present examples of two applications of short-term internships where teachers are immersed in the successful use of exemplary practices by host teachers in early education and school-to-adult life transition settings. We conclude with a description of the implications of these experiential approaches for promoting systemic change and for the redesign of inservice education formats.
Simultaneous switching noise analysis using application specific device modeling

In this paper, we introduce an application-specific device modeling methodology to develop simple device model that accurately tracks the actual device I-V characteristics in relevant but bounded operating regions. We have specifically used a simple MOSFET model to precisely analyze the switching noises generated on a chip due to simultaneous driving of chip output pads by bulky buffer gates. Previous works in analytical modeling of simultaneous switching noises employed long-channel and /spl alpha/-power law transistor models; however, these models led to complex circuit equations that on truncation caused poor matching between manual analysis and actual simulation results. Also, in order to retain the simplicity of manual analysis, previous researchers ignored the parasitic capacitances of the bonding pads. This paper demonstrates that by using a simple application-specific transistor model, circuit equations can be solved precisely without requiring any gross approximations or model truncations, even when the inductance effects of bonding wires are simultaneously considered along with parasitic capacitances of the output pads. The analytical results derived in this paper tally with HSPICE simulation values within 3% deviations.
Abundant b-Type Ions Produced in Electron Capture Dissociation of Peptides Without Basic Amino Acid Residues

We have investigated electron capture dissociation (ECD) of doubly protonated peptides with few or no basic amino acid residues (BAARs). For peptides containing one His, abundant b-type ions were only found when His was located adjacent to the N-terminus. Interestingly, b-type ions, particularly b5+, were found to be the dominant product ions in ECD of peptides without BAARs. Fragmentation patterns of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) and vasopressin (VP), containing one Arg and one His, respectively, were compared to those of Q8-LHRH and oxytocin (OT) in which the BAAR is replaced with a non-BAAR. More b-type ions were found for Q8-LHRH and OT than for LHRH and VP. We also performed ECD of melittin and found no b-type ions from ECD of the 4+ charge state; however, many low abundance b-type ions were produced in ECD of the 5+ charge state. Possible mechanisms for the formation of b-type ions are discussed and we propose that such ions are formed as a consequence of protons being located at backbone amide nitrogens.
The Role of Actin in Spindle Orientation Changes during the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cell Cycle

In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae , the mitotic spindle must align along the mother-bud axis to accurately partition the sister chromatids into daughter cells. Previous studies showed that spindle orientation required both astral microtubules and the actin cytoskeleton. We now report that maintenance of correct spindle orientation does not depend on F-actin during G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Depolymerization of F-actin using Latrunculin-A did not perturb spindle orientation after this stage. Even an early step in spindle orientation, the migration of the spindle pole body (SPB), became actin-independent if it was delayed until late in the cell cycle. Early in the cell cycle, both SPB migration and spindle orientation were very sensitive to perturbation of F-actin. Selective disruption of actin cables using a conditional tropomyosin double-mutant also led to de- fects in spindle orientation, even though cortical actin patches were still polarized. This suggests that actin cables are important for either guiding astral microtubules into the bud or anchoring them in the bud. In addition, F-actin was required early in the cell cycle for the development of the actin-independent spindle orientation capability later in the cell cycle. Finally, neither SPB migration nor the switch from actin-dependent to actin-independent spindle behavior required B-type cyclins.
Tumor necrosis factor-α in ischemia and reperfusion injury in rat lungs

The effects of both recombinant rat tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and an anti-TNF-α antibody were studied in isolated buffer-perfused rat lungs subjected to either 45 min of nonventilated [ischem...
Biological and physical effects of non-native earthworms on nitrogen cycling in riparian soils

Global nitrogen cycling is being altered by anthropogenic disturbances including invasion by non-native species. European and Asian earthworms have invaded northern temperate forests in North America with dramatic consequences for litter thickness, forest floor plant diversity, and soil nitrogen cycling. Invasive earthworms present at the boundary of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (i.e., riparian zones) may alter the flux of nitrogen into adjacent aquatic ecosystems. We examined how nitrogen cycling in riparian soil responds to amendments of invasive earthworms or artificial earthworm burrows. In earthworm-free riparian plots (0.25 m 2 ), we established treatments of invasive earthworms (60 g fresh mass$m �2 ), artificial burrows (120 m �2 ), or control plots and sampled the plots after 30 days. Before and after treatment
Use of Nutrition to Prevent Stress-induced Immunosuppression in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Clinical Trials Minefield

utrition measures intended to prevent stressinduced, immunosuppression-related morbidity in critically ill patients are receiving increased attention. Supplements such as glutamine, arginine, ω-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, zinc, and others have become candidates for such prophylaxis. Infections, especially sepsis, which occur all too commonly, are targets of these interventions. The mechanistic foundations on which these interventions are based are largely derived from studies of highly stressed animals and from cell cultures. These studies have provided a strong rationale for several treatments, especially glutamine supplementation. Furthermore, several single-center studies as well as meta-analyses of these studies in critically ill adults reveal a significant benefit of glutamine supplementation on mortality, length of stay, and infectious morbidity. Glutamine supplementation has become standard of care in certain populations. Randomized, multicenter clinical trials using glutamine as both nutrition replacement and pharmacologic intervention, independent of nutrition needs, are ongoing in adults. In this issue of the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (JPEN), Carcillo and colleagues 1 propose a multicenter randomized trial of glutamine, zinc, selenium, and parenteral metoclopramide, titled prevention of Critical Illness Stress-induced Immune Suppression (CRISIS) in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and present the plan for this trial. The trial is designed to determine whether this intervention prolongs the time until onset of nosocomial infection or sepsis and secondarily decreases the rate of nosocomial infection or clinical sepsis per 100 PICU days; the trial also will determine the number of antibiotic-free days, the incidence of prolonged lymphopenia, and all-cause 28-day mortality.
CAMEO APPEARANCES: THE DISCOURSE OF JEWELRY IN MIDDLEMARCH

I N RECENT TIMES , the covert yet insistent relation between aesthetics and political economy has claimed significant critical focus, for these two discourses have implicated and complicated each other in puzzling ways. 1 In offering some background to this relation, Mary Poovey has traced the modern history of aesthetics and political economy to a common origin within the eighteenth-century field of moral philosophy. 2 As a study in search of cultural cohesion, moral philosophy drew together a wide-ranging set of critiques including ethics, aesthetics, economics, and government. Then, in the second half of the eighteenth century, the field branched, Poovey tells us, shaping new categories of knowledge through such works as Edmund Burke’s Enquiry (1757) on aesthetics and Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations (1776) on political economy. As these divisions in knowledge became further refined through discursive practice in the Victorian Age, aesthetics and political economy appeared to have little to do with each other; however, Poovey argues that “one way to remember the originary relationship between these two discourses — and to measure the toll exacted by their division — is to tease from each its past and present entanglements with gender” (“Aesthetics” 8). In this essay, I take up her call by examining the relation between aesthetics and political economy, as they inscribe their mediations on gender roles in George Eliot’s Middlemarch .
Performance of maximal-ratio diversity systems in a correlated Nakagami-fading environment

The bit error rate (BER) performance of an M-branch maximal-ratio combiner (MRC) for the detection of signals in a correlated Nakagami-fading channel is analyzed. Coherent and incoherent detection of frequency shift-keying (FSK) and phase-shift keying (PSK) signals are considered. It is assumed that the fading parameters in each diversity branch are identical. The effect of correlation is studied by assuming two types of correlation among the quadrature components of the signals in each diversity branch. Outage probabilities are also calculated for the digital radio communication systems via the correlated fading channel. >
Real-time Image-Based Guidance Method for Lung-Cancer Assessment

The assessment of lung cancer involves off-line threedimensional (3D) computed-tomography (CT) image assessment followed by live bronchoscopy. While standard bronchoscopy provides live video of information inside the lung airways, it does not give any information outside the airways. This results in a low procedure success rate. The success rate can be improved if the physician receives 3D CT-based image guidance. We describe a fast robust method that provides 3D CT-based image guidance during live bronchoscopy. The method enables a continuous registration between the 3D CT image space and the real bronchoscopic video. At a top level, it involves an interleaving of continuous video tracking and CT-video fine registration. During video tracking, the bronchoscopes 3D motion is estimated using a point-based 3D-2D pose estimation method. Registration is performed via a warpingbased Gauss-Newton method that uses a normalized crosscorrelation- based cost for measuring similarity between the bronchoscopic video and CT image data. The method operates at a real-time rate of 10 frames per second, which is over an order of magnitude faster than past approaches. This real-time performance enables live guidance during a procedure. The method is incorporated into a computerbased system for image-guided bronchoscopy and has been applied to human lung-cancer patients. Results are presented for a phantom and lung-cancer patients. Keywords: 3D medical imaging, video tracking, image registration, virtual endoscopy, image-guided surgery
Profiling the reproductive toxicity of chemicals from multigeneration studies in the toxicity reference database.

Multigeneration reproduction studies are used to characterize parental and offspring systemic toxicity, as well as reproductive toxicity of pesticides, industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Results from 329 multigeneration studies on 316 chemicals have been digitized into standardized and structured toxicity data within the Toxicity Reference Database (ToxRefDB). An initial assessment of data quality and consistency was performed prior to profiling these environmental chemicals based on reproductive toxicity and associated toxicity endpoints. The pattern of toxicity across 75 effects for all 316 chemicals provided sets of chemicals with similar in vivo toxicity for future predictive modeling. Comparative analysis across the 329 studies identified chemicals with sensitive reproductive effects, based on comparisons to chronic and subchronic toxicity studies, as did the crossgenerational comparisons within the multigeneration study. The general pattern of toxicity across all chemicals and the more focused comparative analyses identified 19 parental, offspring and reproductive effects with a high enough incidence to serve as targets for predictive modeling that will eventually serve as a chemical prioritization tool spanning reproductive toxicities. These toxicity endpoints included specific reproductive performance indices, male and female reproductive organ pathologies, offspring viability, growth and maturation, and parental systemic toxicities. Capturing this reproductive toxicity data in ToxRefDB supports ongoing retrospective analyses, test guideline revisions, and computational toxicology research.
Ability of Resident Ants to Destruct Small Colonies of Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The ant Solenopsis invicta Buren has spread across the United States and is reported to have significantly reduced the diversity of the native ants. Much of this spread is occurring on land that has been repeatedly disturbed by continually changing land use practices. S. invicta seems to outcompete and eliminate other resident ant species. However, this inference may not be true because several resident native ant species are known to persist in S. invicta-infested areas. Thus, in this study, we analyze the aggressive interaction between selected resident ants and S. invicta by evaluating whether some of these ants are capable of attacking small worker-defended S. invicta colonies or are instead attacked by the S. invicta colonies. Our results suggest that the native ant species Monomorium minimum (Buckley), Pheidole dentata Mayr, and Solenopsis molesta (Say) and exotic tramp ants Tetramorium bicarinatum (Nylander) and Monomorium pharonis (L.) do interact with the S. invicta and will attack and eliminate worker-defended S. invicta colonies of varying sizes ranging from 30 to 480 workers. M. minimum, P. dentata, S. molesta, T. bicarinatum, and M. pharonis also were observed to prey upon S. invicta brood once most of the defending workers were eliminated. The native species Forelius sp. was not observed to invade the S. invicta colonies; instead, it prevented S. invicta workers from leaving their nest to forage, which may have contributed to the decline of S. invicta colonies of up to 60 workers over time.
Irrigation Development in a Subhumid Area

Complete investigations and proper planning criteria are necessary in order to achieve a successful irrigation development, especially in a subhumid area. System capability for water delivery is greater in a subhumid area because needs are intensified for a shorter irrigation period. To date (1964), system operating conditions show satisfactory assumptions. Successful irrigation agriculture requires extensive knowledge of soil factors to assure sustained production. Yield results indicate conservatism of predictions. Changing agricultural economic conditions require flexible cropping patterns to assure maximum farm income. Prices received are most important factors for a successful farming venture. Irrigation permits greater crop diversification and thus assures a more stable income. Experience indicates that novel construction procedures develop to assist in reducing costs.
The Democratic Function of EDC Librarians

The European Union has taken many measures to assure its legal transparency. This article concludes that of these various measures, European Documentation Centres, because they are staffed by information professionals and are financially independent from the EU, are uniquely placed to assure unbiased and comprehensible transmission of EU legal information.
Oil Film Thickness in a Bearing of a Fired Engine Part II: The Bearing as a Capacitor

Epaisseur du film d'huile dans un palier de moteur en fonctionnement. Utilisation du palier comme capacite
Effect of protein-load proteinuria on glomerular polyanion.

SummaryProtein-load proteinuria was induced in rats by either intraarterial infusions lasting 1 1/2 hr or by 4 daily, intraperitoneal injections. Control rats were given medium molecular-weight dextran to assess the effect of colloid osmotic load. Glomerular polyanion was reduced histochemically in animals with proteinuria. Reduction of glomerular polyanion and epithelial foot process fusion both may be secondary to proteinuria. Eidence that the negatively charged sialoprotein may be responsible for maintenance of epithelial foot processes is discussed.
Polydispersity for tuning the potential of mean force between polymer grafted nanoparticles in a polymer matrix

We present an integrated theory and simulation study of polydisperse polymer grafted nanoparticles in a polymer matrix to demonstrate the effect of polydispersity in graft length on the potential of mean force between the grafted nanoparticles. In dense polymer solutions, increasing polydispersity in graft length reduces the strength of repulsion at contact and weakens the attractive well at intermediate interparticle distances, completely eliminating the latter at high polydispersity index. The reduction in contact repulsion is attributable to polydispersity relieving monomer crowding near the particle surface, especially at high grafting densities. The elimination of the midrange attractive well is attributable to the longer grafts in the polydisperse graft length distribution that introduce longer range steric repulsion and alter the wetting of the grafted layer by matrix chains. Dispersion of the grafted particles is stabilized by increased penetration or wetting of the polydisperse grafted layer by the matrix chains. This work demonstrates that at high grafting densities, polydispersity in graft length can be used to stabilize dispersions of grafted nanoparticles in a polymer matrix at conditions where monodisperse grafts would cause aggregation.
Simulation of damage in composites based on solid finite elements

Solid finite element‐based techniques are attractive for simulation of the matrix-dominated failure modes in composites. This work shows the ability of such techniques to capture the initiation and growth of matrix ply cracks and delaminations in carbon/epoxy laminates. Three-dimensional (3D) finite element models for open-hole tensile test articles are developed. Such models account for the micromechanical damage in the matrix through nonlinear interlaminar stress‐strain relations. Stress-based and fracture mechanics‐based failure criteria are used to predict the matrix-dominated failures. Material stiffness loss consistent with the failure criteria is implemented in the 3D solid finite element material definition procedure forsimulationofthematrix-plycracks.Initialdamageandapredefinedpatharenotrequired.Also,cohesive-zonemodelsare used to capture delamination. Damage initiation and growth simulations for the open-hole tensile articles are accomplished. Damage sequence, surface strains, and failure loads are verified with tests.
Alpha1-antitrypsin Quantitation and Pi Typing of Stored Postmortem Blood

Correlation of necropsy findings with protease inhibitor levels and phenotype is sometimes desirable. This study was designed to determine the feasibility of postmortem protease inhibitor assessment. One hundred fifteen consecutive postmortem samples, stored at -20 C for 24 to 53 months, were analyzed. The time from death to necropsy, storage time, and the p H values of the sera were correlated with alpha1-antitrypsin levels, trypsin inhibitory capacity, and P i typability. The alpha1-antitrypsin level and trypsin inhibitory capacity were not significantly correlated with morgue time, serum storage time, or p H, and mean values were within the expected ranges. A significant decrease in Pi typability occurred when pH was less than 7.0. Moreover, while most (86%) of the sera stored for 2 to 2½ years were typable, only 30% of those stored for more than four years were typable. Determination of alpha1-antitrypsin and trypsin inhibitory capacity are possible with the use of stored postmortem blood. P i typing is usually possible, provided sera are not acidic and are examined within 2½ years.
Effect of the acetophenide derivative of 16α, 17α-dihydroxyprogesterone and estradiol on the skeletons of rats and mice

The skeletal development of young growing female rats and mice injected with large doses of a long-acting pure progestogen 16α, 17α-dihydroxyprogesterone acetophenide (Deladroxone) alone or in combination with estradiol (Deladroxate) has been followed by histologic, histochemical, x-ray, and autoradiographic techniques. Radiostrontium was also used to assess the effect of the hormones on mineral metabolism. The progestogen did not affect linear growth of bone in rats and mice, but fewer trabeculae than normal formed in the metaphyses. In rats, Deladroxate treatment depressed linear bone growth, impaired endochondral bone formation and resorption, and decreased the skeletal retention of radiostrontium. In mice, Deladroxate stimulated endosteal bone formation, and, in very large doses, inhibited proliferation of cells in the epiphyseal cartilages. The effects of Deladroxate appeared due to its estrogen component.
Mitral valve replacement in elderly patients: encouraging postoperative clinical and hemodynamic results.

Increasing longevity in man will make cardiac surgery more common in elderly patients. This report compares the results of isolated mitral valve replacement (MVR) in older and in younger patients. Forty-three patients aged 60 years and older (average. 65) were compared to 167 patients under 60 years of age (average, 46), all of whom underwent isolated MVR for similar operative indications. Eighty-one percent of both groups returned for catheterization 5 to 8 months after operation. Hospital mortality rate was 10 percent in younger patients and 14 percent in the older patients. Long-term follow-up averaged 60 months in the younger group and 54 months in the older patients. Both populations were divided into patients with pure or predominant mitral stenosis (MS) or pure or predominant mitral regurgitation (MR). There was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) in the preoperative and postoperative values of pulmonary artery pressure, left atrial pressure, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, mitral valve mean gradient, or cardiac index in the younger vs. the older patients in either the MS or the MR subgroup. There was no significant difference in symptomatic improvement in the younger vs. older patients with MS. However, the younger patients with MR improved by 1.2 functional classes while the older patients improved by 2.0 classes. It is concluded that MVR is associated with the same low risk and brings about a similar hemodynamic improvement in left ventricular pump function in patients older and younger than 60 years.
Late Ordovician (Ashgill) Foliomena fauna brachiopods from northeastern Maine

Foliomena folium (Barrande) and other very small, thin-shelled brachiopods from the Pyle Mountain Argillite in Aroostook County, Maine, provide the only record of the presence of the Foliomena fauna in North America. Associated fossils include numerous small trilobites and a few specimens of other groups. An Ashgill age is established by the presence of graptolites of the Climacograptus spiniferous Zone in the underlying Winterville Formation.Most of the 190 specimens are small strophomenaceans and plectambonitaceans. One of the most numerous is the christianiid Nubialba forbesi n. gen. and sp. that has ribs and elaborately developed internal features. In the absence of evidence to contradict previous interpretations that the Foliomena fauna records cold-water environments, the presence of one or more deep basins along the southeastern margin of the trans-equatorial North American paleoplate occupied by cool peri-Gondwanan waters during a short segment of Ashgill time is implied.
Unfractionated Heparin and Enoxaparin for the Management of Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes

Unfractionated heparin (UFH) and low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) are antithrombin agents used to treat patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE ACS). Among LMWH agents, enoxaparin has the strongest evidence for use in NSTE ACS. While heparins were the only antithrombin drugs recommended for NSTE ACS treatment during the last decade, new developments in antithrombotic drugs – particularly bivalirudin and fondaparinux – have broadened the list of agents from which physicians may choose.
Press-pulse interactions: effects of warming, N deposition, altered winter precipitation, and fire on desert grassland community structure and dynamics.

Global environmental change is altering temperature, precipitation patterns, resource availability, and disturbance regimes. Theory predicts that ecological presses will interact with pulse events to alter ecosystem structure and function. In 2006, we established a long-term, multifactor global change experiment to determine the interactive effects of nighttime warming, increased atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition, and increased winter precipitation on plant community structure and aboveground net primary production (ANPP) in a northern Chihuahuan Desert grassland. In 2009, a lightning-caused wildfire burned through the experiment. Here, we report on the interactive effects of these global change drivers on pre- and postfire grassland community structure and ANPP. Our nighttime warming treatment increased winter nighttime air temperatures by an average of 1.1 °C and summer nighttime air temperature by 1.5 °C. Soil N availability was 2.5 times higher in fertilized compared with control plots. Average soil volumetric water content (VWC) in winter was slightly but significantly higher (13.0% vs. 11.0%) in plots receiving added winter rain relative to controls, and VWC was slightly higher in warmed (14.5%) compared with control (13.5%) plots during the growing season even though surface soil temperatures were significantly higher in warmed plots. Despite these significant treatment effects, ANPP and plant community structure were highly resistant to these global change drivers prior to the fire. Burning reduced the cover of the dominant grasses by more than 75%. Following the fire, forb species richness and biomass increased significantly, particularly in warmed, fertilized plots that received additional winter precipitation. Thus, although unburned grassland showed little initial response to multiple ecological presses, our results demonstrate how a single pulse disturbance can interact with chronic alterations in resource availability to increase ecosystem sensitivity to multiple drivers of global environmental change.
Integrating an intelligent interface with a relational database for two way man-machine communication

The design of a system capable of handling ad hoc user responses to system-initiated questions is considered. An approach called the expectation-driven response understanding paradigm was developed. In this paradigm, it is assumed that each system-generated question is accompanied by an expectation of what the user should respond. The system attempts to link this expectation with the user's response in order to quantify its appropriateness in relation to the system's original question. A prototype system based on this paradigm has been implemented and integrated with the INGRES database system. >
National Rates and Patterns of Depression Screening in Primary Care: Results From 2012 and 2013

Objectives:Despite high prevalence rates of depression in primary care, depressive symptoms are often undetected by physicians. Screening for depression is now recommended as a part of routine primary care; however, recent estimates of rates and patterns of depression screening are lacking in the literature. This study examined national rates and patterns of depression screening among visits to office-based primary care physicians.Methods:A secondary analysis of data from the 2012 and 2013 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey was conducted. The sample consisted of 33,653 physician-patient encounters.Results:The overall rate of depression screening was 4.2%. African Americans were half as likely to be screened compared with whites, and elderly patients were half as likely to be screened compared with middle-aged patients. Patients with a chronic condition were more likely than patients without a chronic condition to receive depression screening, and the likelihood of being screened increased with each a...
A curious trajectory of interrace relations: the transformation of cosmopolitan Malay port polities into the multiethnic divisions of modern Malaysia

This article aims to examine several interrelated issues pertaining to the historical development of pluralism in areas forming today´s Malaysia. Firstly, it intends to analyze the transformation o...
Horizontal gene transfer is not a hallmark of the human genome.

Crisp et al. recently reported that 145 human genes have been horizontally transferred from distant species. Here, I re-analyze those genes listed by Crisp et al. as having the highest certainty of having been horizontally transferred, as well as 17 further genes from the 2001 human genome article, and find little or no evidence to support claims of horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Please see related Research article: https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-015-0607-3
Acute pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis with atrophic desmosis of the colon in a child

Acute pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) has been described after bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Several case series have demonstrated successful conservative treatment of PCI in children. We present a child with Fanconi anaemia, who developed severe graft versus host disease of the gastrointestinal tract, skin and liver after BMT and an acute, severe form of PCI. Our case report illustrates the complexity of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in PCI in immunocompromised children.
Binding of Alkali Metal Ions with 1,3,5-Tri(phenyl)benzene and 1,3,5-Tri(naphthyl)benzene: The Effect of Phenyl and Naphthyl Ring Substitution on Cation-π Interactions Revealed by DFT Study.

The effect of substitution of phenyl and naphthyl rings to benzene was examined to elucidate the cation−π interactions involving alkali metal ions with 1,3,5-tri(phenyl)benzene (TPB) and 1,3,5-tri(naphthyl)benzene (TNB). Benzene, TPB, and four TNB isomers (with ααα, ααβ, αββ, and βββ types of fusion) and their complexes with Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+ were optimized using DFT approach with B3LYP and M06-2X functionals in conjunction with the def2-QZVP basis set. Higher relative stability of β,β,β-TNB over α,α,α-TNB can be attributed to peri repulsion, which is defined as the nonbonding repulsive interaction between substituents in the 1- and the 8-positions on the naphthalene core. Binding energies, distances between ring centroid and the metal ions, and the distance to metal ions from the center of other six-membered rings were compared for all complexes. Our computational study reveals that the binding affinity of alkali metal cations increases significantly with the 1,3,5-trisubstitution of phenyl and ...
Antarctic environments as models of planetary habitats: University Valley as a model for modern Mars and Lake Untersee as a model for Enceladus and ancient Mars

The worlds in our Solar System of interest for the search for a second genesis of life are Mars, and oceans beneath the icy surfaces of the moons of the outer Solar System, in particular Enceladus....
Using Citation Analysis to Identify Research Fronts: A Case Study with the Internet of Things

As the traditional role of academic subject librarian evolves to that of a partner in research and innovation, citation analysis and visualization studies are emerging as a valuable contribution to...
Amending the Marriage Contract

Catholics dealt with conflicts between religion and gender in relationship with one another, most frequently within marriage. They sifted through competing priorities and dealt with the interpersonal, religious, and societal tensions they caused. Both husbands and wives questioned boundaries of marital and gendered authority, obligation, and obedience. They tested a variety of options and compromises. Some spouses valued their faith but upheld traditional marital roles and priorities rather than rock the boat and challenge social expectations. Other husbands and wives prioritized the demands of faith over gender and began to share authority within marriage in new ways to meet religious needs. Some spouses deceived, argued with, or abandoned one another, especially in situations where gendered social norms were pitted against the health of souls. These models existed side by side, revealing how marital, gendered, and religious relationships can evolve as a largely unintentional by-product of religious conflict.
Effective object detection from traffic camera videos

The Nvidia AI City Challenge[1] is a recent effort to materialize the potential benefits of actionable insights in current traffic systems by utilizing both large amount of richly annotated traffic camera video data captured by growing number of cameras, and advanced technologies developed in recent years in image and video recognition and analysis. In this work, we will compare the AI City dataset with other existing vehicle detection datasets, and illustrate the details of the solution of our winning entries to the 1st Nvidia AI City Challenge. Our code and models are also available at https://github.com/NVIDIAAICITYCHALLENGE/AICity_Team24.
Inter-Laboratory Quality Control Program for IgG Subclass Protein Immunoassays in North America

Abstract We have established a quality control program for laboratories in North America that measure IgG subclass protein in human serum. Inter-laboratory agreement between IgG subclass protein levels measured in 4 sera in the first quarterly cycle is described
Catechin-mediated restructuring of a bacterial toxin inhibits activity.

Abstract Background Catechins, polyphenols derived from tea leaves, have been shown to have antibacterial properties, through direct killing of bacteria as well as through inhibition of bacterial toxin activity. In particular, certain catechins have been shown to have bactericidal effects on the oral bacterium, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, as well as the ability to inhibit a key virulence factor of this organism, leukotoxin (LtxA). The mechanism of catechin-mediated inhibition of LtxA has not been shown. Methods In this work, we studied the ability of six catechins to inhibit LtxA-mediated cytotoxicity in human white blood cells, using Trypan blue staining, and investigated the mechanism of action using a combination of techniques, including fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy, confocal microscopy, and surface plasmon resonance. Results We found that all the catechins except (−)-catechin inhibited the activity of this protein, with the galloylated catechins having the strongest effect. Pre-incubation of the toxin with the catechins increased the inhibitory action, indicating that the catechins act on the protein, rather than the cell. The secondary structure of LtxA was dramatically altered in the presence of catechin, which resulted in an inhibition of toxin binding to cholesterol, an important initial step in the cytotoxic mechanism of the toxin. Conclusions These results demonstrate that the catechins inhibit LtxA activity by altering its structure to prevent interaction with specific molecules present on the host cell surface. General significance Galloylated catechins modify protein toxin structure, inhibiting the toxin from binding to the requisite molecules on the host cell surface.
An Examination of Gender Differences in Accounting Students’ Values at Two Points in Time

Gender differences in values have a significant impact on the accounting profession with female accountants exhibiting more diligence, higher levels of accuracy for more complex judgments, and less acceptance of unethical behavior (O’Donnell and Johnson, 2001; Chung and Moore, 2001; Pierce and Sweeney, 2010). This study examines gender differences in accounting students’ values to gain an understanding of the differences that exist in future accountants. The study examines gender differences in value types and higher order values – as defined by the Schwartz (1992) survey – and the change in these values between 2004 and 2010. The findings of this research suggest that accounting students tend to embrace a desirable set of values – conservatism and self-transcendence – necessary for the development of the accounting profession. This is mainly due to significant increase in conservation values adopted by female students such as conformity, tradition, and security between 2004 and 2010. Contrary to male accounting students who choose openness to change as their most preferred set of values, female accounting students continuously rank self-transcendence as their most important one. The outcome of this study raises the question of whether the set of values adopted by female students make them more prepared for a career in accounting.
Mortality From Heart Failure and Dementia in the United States: CDC WONDER 1999-2016.

ABSTRACT Background Heart failure and dementia are diseases of the elderly that result in billions of dollars in annual health care expenditure. With the aging of the United States population and increasing evidence of shared risk factors, there is a need to understand the conditions’ shared contributions to nationwide mortality. The objectives of this study were to estimate the burden of mortality from heart failure and dementia and characterize the demographics of affected individuals. Methods and Results This retrospective study used National Vital Statistics Data from 1999 to 2016 provided by the Centers for Disease Control and International Classification of Diseases (10th edition) codes for heart failure and dementia as defined by the Medicare Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse. From 1999 to 2016, deaths contributed to by both heart failure and dementia totaled 214,706 and constituted 4.00% of all heart failure deaths and 9.04% of all dementia deaths. Women were more affected than men, with higher age-adjusted mortality rates (per 1,000,000 person-years): 38.67 (95% confidence interval [CI] 38.47–38.87) versus 32.90 (95% CI 32.65–33.15; P Conclusions This study provides insight into temporal trends and nationwide mortality rates reported for heart failure and dementia. Our results suggest a disproportionate burden on populations over 85 years of age, whites, and women.
Blurred Lines: The Home Front, the Battlefront, and the Wartime Relationship Between Citizens and Government in the Republic of Vietnam

In the Republic of Vietnam, the blending of the home and battle fronts shaped the relationship between citizens and their government. Civilians viewed the national government as the institution res...