cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Hedgehog Signaling in Adult Lung Regeneration and Maintenance

As a secreted morphogen, Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) determines differential cell fates, behaviors, and functions by forming a gradient of Hedgehog (Hh) activation along an axis of Hh-receptive cells during development. Despite clearly delineated roles for Hh during organ morphogenesis, whether Hh continues to regulate cell fate and behavior in the same fashion in adult organs is less understood. Adult organs, particularly barrier organs interfacing with the ambient environment, are exposed to insults that require renewal of cellular populations to maintain structural integrity. Understanding key aspects of Hh’s ability to generate an organ could translate into conceptual understanding of Hh’s ability to maintain organ homeostasis and stimulate regeneration. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge about Hh signaling in regulating adult lung regeneration and maintenance, and discuss how alteration of Hh signaling contributes to adult lung diseases.
Design of an ASTM E119 Fire Environment in a Large Compartment

Structural fire protection design in the United States is based on prescriptive fire-resistance ratings of individual load-bearing elements which are derived from standard fire testing, e.g. ASTM E119. In standard fire testing, a custom-built gas furnace is traditionally used to heat a test specimen by following the gas temperature-time curve prescribed in the ASTM E119 standard. The span length of the test specimen seldom exceeds 6 m due to the size limitations of available furnaces. Further, the test specimen does not incorporate realistic structural continuity. This paper presents a basis for designing an ASTM E119 fire environment in a large compartment of about 10 m wide, 7 m deep and 3.8 m high constructed in the National Fire Research Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Using the designed fire parameters which include heat release rate curve and opening condition (size and configuration), a full-scale experiment was carried out on December 20, 2018. The measured average upper layer gas temperature curve was consistent with the E119 fire curve. The maximum difference between the measured curve and the E119 fire curve towards the end of the test was about 70$$^\circ \hbox {C}$$ (7%). The study indicates that by proper design and control, the time-temperature curve for the standard fire testing may be approximated in a real compartment.
Improved Assessment of Hepatic Steatosis in Humans Using Multi-Parametric Quantitative Ultrasound

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects ~25% of the world population. Confounder-corrected chemical-shift-encoded MRI-derived proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) is an established quantitative noninvasive biomarker of hepatic steatosis but has limited availability. There is a clinical need for more practical and accessible methods to noninvasively assess hepatic steatosis. Previous work has shown that two quantitative ultrasound (QUS) biomarkers - attenuation coefficient (AC) and backscatter coefficient (BSC) - are correlated with hepatic steatosis. Examining a broad range of QUS biomarkers, this study aims to develop an improved, multi-parametric QUS-based approach to diagnose NAFLD and quantify hepatic fat, with MRI-PDFF as the reference standard. 102 participants recruited from the UCSD NAFLD Research Center underwent QUS exams on the right liver lobe with an Acuson S3000 ultrasound scanner and the 4C1 and 6C1HD transducers. Seven QUS biomarkers - AC, BSC, three Lizzi-Feleppa parameters (slope, intercept, midband), and two envelope parameters (k and μ) - were derived from ultrasound radiofrequency data. Two multivariable models were developed based on QUS biomarkers: a generalized linear regression model to predict hepatic PDFF using stepwise regression for biomarker selection and a regularized logistic regression model to classify NAFLD (MRI-PDFF>5%, N=78/102) versus no NAFLD (MRI-PDFF≤5%) using LASSO regularization for biomarker selection. Leave-one-out cross-validation was performed. The final regression model selected the midband and k-parameter. The cross-validated predicted PDFF values were correlated with the reference MRI-PDFF values (Spearman ρ = 0.82 and Pearson’s r = 0.76). In comparison, Pearson’s r was 0.59 between AC and MRI-PDFF and 0.58 between BSC and MRI-PDFF. The final classifier model selected the midband, k-parameter and μ-parameter, achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.88. In comparison, AUROC was 0.83 using AC and 0.84 using BSC. The results suggest that multi-parametric QUS can improve the quantification of hepatic steatosis and diagnosis of NAFLD.
Determining the optimal dosing of a novel combination regimen of ceftazidime/avibactam with aztreonam against NDM-1-producing Enterobacteriaceae using a hollow-fibre infection model

Background MBL-producing strains of Enterobacteriaceae are a major public health concern. We sought to define optimal combination regimens of ceftazidime/avibactam with aztreonam in a hollow-fibre infection model (HFIM) of MBL-producing strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Methods E. coli ARLG-1013 (blaNDM-1, blaCTX-M, blaCMY, blaTEM) and K. pneumoniae ARLG-1002 (blaNDM-1, blaCTXM-15, blaDHA, blaSHV, blaTEM) were studied in the HFIM using simulated human dosing regimens of ceftazidime/avibactam and aztreonam. Experiments were designed to evaluate the effect of staggered versus simultaneous administration, infusion duration and aztreonam daily dose (6 g/day versus 8 g/day) on bacterial killing and resistance suppression. Prospective validation experiments for the most active combination regimens were performed in triplicate to ensure reproducibility. Results Staggered administration of the combination (ceftazidime/avibactam followed by aztreonam) was found to be inferior to simultaneous administration. Longer infusion durations (2 h and continuous infusion) also resulted in enhanced bacterial killing relative to 30 min infusions. The rate of killing was more pronounced with 8 g/day versus 6 g/day aztreonam combination regimens for both tested strains. In the prospective validation experiments, ceftazidime/avibactam with aztreonam dosed every 8 and 6 h, respectively (ceftazidime/avibactam 2/0.5 g every 8 h + aztreonam 2 g every 6 h), or ceftazidime/avibactam with aztreonam as continuous infusions resulted in maximal bacterial killing and resistance suppression over 7 days. Conclusions Simultaneous administration of aztreonam 8 g/day given as a continuous or 2 h infusion with ceftazidime/avibactam resulted in complete bacterial eradication and resistance suppression. Further study of this combination is needed with additional MBL-producing Gram-negative pathogens. The safety of this double β-lactam strategy also warrants further study in Phase 1 clinical trials.
Fitspiration on Instagram: Identifying Topic Clusters in User Comments to Posts with Objectification Features.

This study aimed to examine features of objectified images in popular fitspiration accounts on social media, identify the most prevalent user discussion topics about these images, and investigate t...
Wide variation in inpatient opioid utilization following hepatopancreatic surgery.

Abstract Background Inpatient opioid utilization following major surgery remains relatively unknown. We sought to characterize inpatient opioid consumption following hepatopancreatic surgery and determine factors associated with the variability in opioid utilization. Methods Adult patients who underwent hepatopancreatic surgery at a single institution were identified. Multimodal pain management strategies assessed included opioids (oral morphine equivalents, OME), acetaminophen, ibuprofen and ketorolac. Results Among 2,054 patients, the median total OME utilized was 465 (129–815) during a patient's hospitalization following hepatopancreatic surgery. The interquartile range for total OMEs administered following hepatopancreatic surgery was as high as 940 OMEs (125 oxycodone-5mg pills) following a pancreaticoduodenectomy versus 520 OMEs (69 oxycodone-5mg pills) following a hemi-hepatectomy. Despite relatively high use of acetaminophen post-operatively (n = 1,588, 77.0%), multimodal pain control with acetaminophen and ibuprofen was infrequent (n = 175, 8.5%). Furthermore, individuals with high opioid utilization used on average 147 OMEs (20 oxycodone-5mg pills) the day before discharge versus 44 OME (6 oxycodone-5mg pills) among patients with expected opioid utilization. Conclusions Marked variability in inpatient opioid consumption following hepatopancreatic surgery was noted. Future work is necessary to decrease the variability in inpatient opioid prescribing practices to promote the safe and effective management of pain.
Childhood abuse and internalizing symptoms: Exploring mediating & moderating role of attachment, competency, and self-regulation

Abstract Childhood abuse is a prevalent problem that can lead to internalized symptoms. The ARC framework (attachment, regulation, and competency) is a lens that can be used to reduce the negative effects of abuse. The primary aims of this study included examining the concordance between adolescent and caregiver reports on ARC variables and internalizing behaviors as well as evaluating both reports of ARC concepts as both a mediator and moderator on internalizing behaviors. Data from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect were used. The analytic sample (N = 1067) included adolescents who responded to the self-report measures relating to experiences of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and/or psychological abuse and ARC variables around age 12 (M = 12.40, SD = 1.22) and internalizing symptoms around age 16 (M = 16.34, SD = 0.43). The sample was predominantly African American/Black (48.2%) and female (50.2%). SPSS was used to run all analyses. Results indicated low concordance between adolescent and caregiver reports of attachment, behavioral self-regulation, social competency, and internalizing symptoms. There were significant interactions between abuse and adolescent reports of attachment and social competency. Adolescent reports of behavioral regulation significantly mediated the relationship between abuse and internalizing symptoms. Caregiver reports of attachment and behavioral regulation significantly mediated the relationship between abuse and internalizing symptoms. This study provides insight into the concordance between caregiver and adolescent reports and offers an important first glance at how the concepts in the ARC framework are associated with internalizing symptoms for adolescents who have experienced abuse.
Identification of Translational microRNA Biomarker Candidates for Ketoconazole-Induced Liver Injury Using Next-Generation Sequencing

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a leading cause of acute liver failure. Reliable and translational biomarkers are needed for early detection of DILI. microRNAs (miRNAs) have received wide attention as a novel class of potential DILI biomarkers. However, it is unclear how DILI drugs other than acetaminophen may influence miRNA expression or which miRNAs could serve as useful biomarkers in humans. We selected ketoconazole (KCZ), a classic hepatotoxin, to study miRNA biomarkers for DILI as a proof of concept for a workflow that integrated in vivo, in vitro, and bioinformatics analyses. We examined hepatic miRNA expression in KCZ-treated rats at multiple doses and durations using miRNA-sequencing and correlated our results with conventional DILI biomarkers such as liver histology. Significant dysregulation of rno-miR-34a-5p, rno-miR-331-3p, rno-miR-15b-3p, and rno-miR-676 was associated with cytoplasmic vacuolization, a phenotype in rat livers with KCZ-induced injury, which preceded the elevation of serum liver transaminases (ALT and AST). Between rats and humans, miR-34a-5p, miR-331-3p, and miR-15b-3p were evolutionarily conserved with identical sequences, whereas miR-676 showed 73% sequence similarity. Using quantitative PCR, we found that the levels of hsa-miR-34a-5p, hsa-miR-331-3p, and hsa-miR-15b-3p were significantly elevated in the culture media of HepaRG cells treated with 100 µM KCZ (a concentration that induced cytotoxicity). Additionally, we computationally characterized the miRNA candidates for their gene targeting, target functions, and miRNA/target evolutionary conservation. In conclusion, we identified miR-34a-5p, miR-331-3p, and miR-15b-3p as translational biomarker candidates for early detection of KCZ-induced liver injury with a workflow applicable to computational toxicology studies.
The Prescription Drug Violator

Want some penicillin? How’s about a shot of insulin for the likes of you? Can you go to the store and buy some? Well, yes. But first you have to get permission from one of your betters, a physician.
BREAKOUT GROUP: Successful Strategies To Support Educational Outcomes For Veteran And Military Students

Session LOCATION: George's (3rd floor of Johnson Center) The Metropolitan D.C. and Northern Virginia region is home to one of the largest veteran populations in the nation â men and women striving to live productive lives following their service, to provide for their families, and many seeking a college education to achieve their goals. As a public institution of higher education in this region, George Mason University is committed to and has a distinctive opportunity to serve our nationâs veterans. Currently, more than 3,700 men and women, nearly 10% of Masonâs student body, are veterans, active duty members or dependents. Veterans transitioning into higher education constitute a unique student population. The vast majority are over the age of 21, and more than half are, or have been married, many are parents. George Mason University has been repeatedly recognized among one of the most veteran friendly universities in the nation. Masonâs Office of Military Services provides a wide range of vital services and support assistance to student veterans that enables and sustains their efforts to obtain a college education. Services include admissions counseling, mentoring, referrals to local agencies, assistance seeing tutoring, personal and family counseling, emergency funding, a small veterans lounge and computer access area, and one-to-one support services. Through engagement and education, Mason faculty can gain a better understanding of the unique needs of the military related student and make a commitment to activities that will contribute positively to the overall educational experience and quality of life for our military and veteran students and their family members.
Modeling of reconfigurable manufacturing system architecture with geometric machines and in-stage gantries

Abstract Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMSs) are well recognized by their capability to achieve high responsiveness and flexibility and are receiving increasing interest in today’s versatile manufacturing environment. This paper aims to develop methods to study the performance of RMS architecture consisting of machines and in-stage gantries whose time to failure and time to repair follow geometric distributions. A discrete-time Markov chain model is built to perform an exact analysis for two-stage-one-buffer systems. A decomposition method is developed to analyze multi-stage systems. Moreover, both time-dependent failure and operation-dependent failure modes are considered. Numerical studies that compare the calculated production rate and work-in-process to the simulation results demonstrate that the proposed methods can provide accurate results, especially for balanced systems and for systems with a small number of stages. The impact of different parameters (e.g., buffer capacity, machine/gantry reliability) on the production rate of the two models is also studied. Finally, examples on the applications of the models in the manufacturing systems design and operations are presented.
Listeria meningitis complicating alemtuzumab treatment for multiple sclerosis (P3.265)

Objective / background: Alemtuzumab, an antibody directed against CD52, is approved for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in Europe. Potential side effects include an increased infection rate. Methods:We describe a patient, who developed Listeria monocytogenes meningitis few days after receiving the first alemtuzumab infusions. Results: First MS symptoms in the 43 years old, female Caucasian patient occured in February 2014 with thoracal myelitis resulting in a progressive deterrioration of gait with loss of the ability to stand without assistance. A cranial and thoracal MRI revealed multiple lesions, some of them with gadolinium enhancement. Repeated glucocorticosteroid pulse therapies, followed by immune adsorption resulted in a relevant, however incomplete recovery. In May 2014 the second relapse occured with swallowing difficulties. Repeated cranial and spinal MRI controls revealed new and / or active lesions at each examination. Due to the high disease activity, in June 2014 the patient received alemtuzumab 12 mg daily over 5 days. Treatment was well tolerated apart from an exanthema. On the fourth day after the last infusion the patient developed fever until 104,7 °F. At admission CRP was 16,7 mg/dl (normal range 0-0,5), urine analysis as well as a CT-scan of the chest and abdominal ultrasound did not reveal an underlying cause. Empircally an antiinfective treatment was initiated. Eight days after the last alemtuzumab infusion, the patient developed headache and meningism. The cerebrospinal fluid revealed a pleocytosis of 195 leucocytes/µl, predominantely neutrophils (72[percnt]), in CSF and blood cultures Listeria monocytogenes could be detected. The patient was treated with ampicillin and gentamycine for 3 weeks. The patient´s condition improved rapidly and she finally recovered completely. Conclusions:To our knowledge this is the third case of a Listeria meningitis after alemtuzumab treatment worldwide. Physicians and patients should be aware of this serious, but treatable complication. Disclosure: Dr. Bayas has received personal compensation for activities with Merck Serono, Biogen Idec, Novartis, and Sanofi, and Genzyme as a consultant and/or speaker. Dr. Rank has nothing to disclose. Dr. Naumann has nothing to disclose.
Increased Putrescine Biosynthesis through Transfer of Mouse Ornithine Decarboxylase cDNA in Carrot Promotes Somatic Embryogenesis

Carrot (Daucus carota L.) cells were transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains containing 3[prime]-truncated mouse ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) cDNA under the control of a cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. A neomycin phosphotransferase gene linked with a nopaline synthase promoter was used to select transformed cell lines on kanamycin. Although the nontransformed cells contained no ODC, high amounts of mouse-specific ODC activity were observed in the transformed cells. Transgenic cells showed a significant increase in the cellular content of putrescine compared to control cells. Spermidine, however, remained unaffected. Not only did the transformed cells exhibit improved somatic embryogenesis in the auxin-free medium, they also regenerated some embryos in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. These cells acquired tolerance to [alpha]-difluoromethylarginine (a potent inhibitor of arginine decarboxylase) at concentrations that inhibit growth as well as embryogenesis in nontransformed carrot cells, showing that the mouse ODC can replace the carrot arginine decarboxylase for putrescine biosynthesis in the transgenic cells.
High performance integrated circuit packaging

A tutorial overview is provided of high-performance integrated-circuit packaging. The approach is to (1) present the current trends in circuit performance, (2) discuss their impact on current packaging methods, and (3) present packaging concepts that are being offered as potential solutions. Particular emphasis is placed on design guidelines and material requirements. >
Chemotactic peptide induces cAMP elevation in human neutrophils by amplification of the adenylate cyclase response to endogenously produced adenosine.

Abstract The transient increase in human neutrophil cAMP levels induced by the chemoattractant N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (FMLP) is shown to be caused by amplification of adenylate cyclase response to endogenously produced adenosine. The FMLP-stimulated increase in neutrophil cAMP was potentiated markedly by a nonmethylxanthine cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor (Ro 20-1724). By inhibiting the degradation of newly formed cAMP, Ro 20-1724 rendered the FMLP-induced cAMP elevation persistent rather than transient. The role of endogenously produced adenosine in this phenomenon is demonstrated by the ability of either adenosine deaminase or theophylline, an adenosine receptor antagonist, to prevent FMLP-stimulated cAMP elevation. The general nature of the FMLP-potentiated cAMP response is indicated by the finding that FMLP-treated neutrophils, in the presence of exogenously supplied adenosine deaminase, exhibited augmented cAMP generation in response to three different types of receptor agonists: 2-chloroadenosine, prostaglandin E1, and L-isoproterenol. Moreover, like the neutrophil cAMP increase caused by FMLP alone, the ability of FMLP to augment cAMP response to 2-chloroadenosine in adenosine deaminase-treated cells was short-lived and declined after 1.0 min of exposure to FMLP. Preincubation of neutrophil suspensions with the adenylate cyclase inhibitor SQ 22,536 completely prevented FMLP-induced cAMP generation. Furthermore, when neutrophil suspensions were preincubated with concentrations of Ro 20-1724, which apparently maximally inhibit cAMP phosphodiesterase, a 30-s incubation with FMLP still resulted in substantially elevated cAMP levels. It therefore appears that FMLP raises cAMP by activating adenylate cyclase rather than inhibiting cAMP phosphodiesterase.
Efficient runtime policy enforcement using counterexample-guided abstraction refinement

Stateful security policies--which specify restrictions on behavior in terms of temporal safety properties--are a powerful tool for administrators to control the behavior of untrusted programs. However, the runtime overhead required to enforce them on real programs can be high. This paper describes a technique for rewriting programs to incorporate runtime checks so that all executions of the resulting program either satisfy the policy, or halt before violating it. By introducing a rewriting step before runtime enforcement, we are able to perform static analysis to optimize the code introduced to track the policy state. We developed a novel analysis, which builds on abstraction-refinement techniques, to derive a set of runtime policy checks to enforce a given policy--as well as their placement in the code. Furthermore, the abstraction refinement is tunable by the user, so that additional time spent in analysis results in fewer dynamic checks, and therefore more efficient code. We report experimental results on an implementation of the algorithm that supports policy checking for JavaScript programs.
A modified feed-forward technique for mixer linearization

The technique of feed-forward correction for increased linearity is commonly used in amplifier design, especially in commercial cellular systems where there are strict requirements on intermodulation performance for multi-carrier signals. This paper introduces a modified version of the original feed-forward concept that can be applied to mixer design. A 2 GHz mixer designed and fabricated using this new technique showed a 33 dB reduction in the intermodulation products when the feed-forward system was activated. With the same levels of feed-forward performance common in today's amplifiers, this technique can be used to significantly lower the intermodulation products of a mixer.
Mutational Analysis of the Gal4-Encoded Transcriptional Activator Protein of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

The GAL4 protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae binds to DNA upstream of each of six genes and stimulates their transcription. To locate regions of the protein responsible for these processes, we identified and characterized 88 gal4 mutations selected in vivo to reduce the ability to GAL4 protein to activate transcription. These mutations alter two regions of GAL4 protein: the DNA binding domain, and the transcription activation domain. Some mutations in the DNA binding domain that abolish the ability of GAL4 protein to bind to DNA in vitro change amino acid residues proposed to form a zinc finger, confirming that this structure is indeed involved in DNA binding. Four different amino acid changes in the zinc finger appear to reduce (but not abolish) the affinity of GAL4 protein for zinc ions, thereby identifying some of the amino acids involved in forming the zinc-binding structure. Several other mutations that abolish the DNA binding activity of the protein alter the 20 amino acids adjacent to the zinc finger, suggesting that these residues are part of the DNA binding domain. Two amino acid changes in the region adjacent to the zinc finger also appear to affect the ability of GAL4 protein to bind zinc ions, suggesting that this region of the protein can influence the structure of the zinc binding domain. The transcription activation domain of GAL4 protein is remarkably resistant to single amino acid changes: only 4 of the 42 mutations that alter this region of the protein are of the missense type. This observation is consistent with other lines of evidence that GAL4 protein possesses multiple transcription activation domains with unusual sequence flexibility.
Exact linearization of nonlinear systems by time scale transformation

The problem of exact linearization of nonlinear systems with single input via time scale transformation (TST) is considered in this paper. If the distribution G/sub r-1/ for a given nonlinear system is involutive but G/sub r/ is not, then the conditions under which the distribution D/sub r/ is involutive for the new system after TST are obtained. Also, the PDEs for obtaining the time scaling function are derived. The multi-step procedure for linearization by TST is also given.
The Effect of Telephone Appointment-Reminder Calls on Outpatient Absenteeism in a Pulmonary Function Laboratory

BACKGROUND: Absenteeism from outpatient appointments is common. Telephone appointment-reminder calls reduce outpatient-appointment absenteeism in many clinic settings. OBJECTIVE: To determine if telephone appointment-reminder calls reduce outpatient absenteeism at a hospital-based pulmonary function laboratory. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of our pulmonary function laboratory9s outpatient appointment records from April to November 2004. Data were collected from consecutive outpatient appointments, including patient age, sex, whether a telephone appointment-reminder call was successfully made, and whether the patient showed up for the scheduled test. We performed 3 analyses. Differences in absenteeism between the groups was the primary outcome measure. First, appointments were separated into 2 groups: (1) appointments for which a reminder call was attempted (“called” group) and (2) appointments for which a reminder call was not attempted (“not-called” group). The appointments were then separated into 2 further groups: (1) the reminder call was successfully achieved (“contacted” group) and (2) the patient either was not called or was called but could not be reached (“not-contacted” group). Finally, the contacted group was separated into 2 further groups: (1) reminder calls that resulted in direct conversation with an appropriate person at the patient9s listed telephone number, and (2) reminder message left on an answering machine. RESULTS: Data were collected from 515 consecutive outpatient appointments; 45 (8.7%) of these patients did not show up for testing. The absentee rate was 4.7% (n = 10) in the called group and 11.6% (n = 35) in the not-called group (p = 0.0066). In the called group, 6.5% (n = 14) could not be reached. The absentee rate was 4% (n = 8) in the contacted group and 11.7% (n = 37) in the not-contacted group (p = 0.0021). We found no difference in absenteeism between patients who received reminders via direct conversation (4.2%) and those who had a reminder message left on an answering machine (3.7%) (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A policy of reminding outpatients of their appointments via telephone reduces absenteeism at a hospital-based pulmonary function laboratory. We found no difference in absenteeism between communicating the reminder via direct conversation versus via leaving a message on an answering machine.
Bilinearly Generated Near-Algebras

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the bilinearly generated near-algebras. A bilinearly generated near-algebra is logically between a near-algebra over a near-ring and algebra over a ring. The chapter presents some theorems concerning these bilinearly generated near-algebras. A distributively generated near-ring can be derived as a special case of a bilinearly generated near-algebra. It is shown that the endomorphisms of a near-module generate a bilinearly generated near-algebra. The chapter defines the notions of a near-ring, a near-module over a near-ring, and a near-algebra over a near-ring and presents some examples of each. The relations of these algebraic structures to each other and to the well-known structures of a ring, a module over a ring, and algebra over a ring are explained.
The histology of posterior regeneration in the polychaete Chaetopterus variopedatus

After amputation, the wound is closed by the protrusion and lateral expansion of the alimentary canal over the cut muscles and its final fusion with the epidermis laterally after about twenty-four hours. Associated with the expansion is a divergence of the two adjacent halves of the ventral nerve cord in the last remaining segment. As a result, the whole of the new regenerated lobe behind the ring of the cut epidermis is interneural; i.e., it is an enlargement of the normally small area separating the two nerve cords. Undifferentiated cells, or neuroblasts, are normally located interneurally, and during regeneration these neoblasts proliferate throughout the enlarged interneural zone of the papilla and migrate throughout the lobe. At first the neoblastic mesenchyme filling the lobe is loose and homogeneous, but as the cells settle down against the outer wall they replace the old intestinal cells and assume the characters of new epidermis. Internally, the mass acquires paired cavities, while the cells surrounding the cavities differentiate into muscle, peritoneum, etc. Thus one type of cell gives rise to the whole of the regenerated papilla. These cells are also the mother cells of the gametocytes.
Collective Interaction in a Linear Array of Supersonic Rectangular Jets: A Linear Spatial Instability Study

A linear spatial instability model for multiple spatially periodic supersonic rectangular jets is solved using Floquet-Bloch theory. It is assumed that in the region of interest a coherent wave can propagate. For the case studied large spatial growth rates are found. This work is motivated by an increase in mixing found in experimental measurements of spatially periodic supersonic rectangular jets with phase-locked screech and edge tone feedback locked subsonic jets. The results obtained in this paper suggests that phase-locked screech or edge tones may produce correlated spatially periodic jet flow downstream of the nozzles which creates a large span wise multi-nozzle region where a coherent wave can propagate. The large spatial growth rates for eddies obtained by model calculation herein are related to the increased mixing since eddies are the primary mechanism that transfer energy from the mean flow to the large turbulent structures. Calculations of spacial growth rates will be presented for a set of relative Mach numbers and spacings for which experimental measurements have been made. Calculations of spatial growth rates are presented for relative Mach numbers from 1.25 to 1.75 with ratios of nozzle spacing to nozzle width ratios from s/w(sub N) = 4 to s/w(sub N) = 13.7. The model may be of significant scientific and engineering value in the quest to understand and construct supersonic mixer-ejector nozzles which provide increased mixing and reduced noise.
Interference Rejection to Enhance the Acquisition of a Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Waveform

During the process of acquisition, a spread spectrum system is at its most vulnerable stage, since it has no processing gain working in its favor. In this paper, a narrowband interference suppression filter is used to enhance the performance of a serial search acquisition scheme for a direct sequence spread spectrum receiver. An analytical expression for the probability of error is presented, and numerical results are used to illustrate the sensitivity to various system parameters.
Numerical Diagnosis Using ``Statrules''

In some cases disease causes widespread changes in a number of physical and chemical indexes, without any one index being grossly altered. The difficulty inherent in evaluating numerous small changes may obscure the diagnosis, even though it is conclusive. We show that subtle patterns of change may be recognized using marked cards. These consist of a ``patient data card'' on which is typed a number of scales, each representing one of the measurements, and a ``statrule'' card which contains the statistics for these measurements for the diseases of concern. These cards implement procedures often used in studies of numerical diagnosis made with digital computers. The statistical basis of statrules is discussed in the first part of the paper using primarily a geometric point of view. The second part of the paper shows how to use and construct statrules.
High-power passively mode-locked Er-doped fiber laser with a nonlinear optical loop mirror.

We report the generation of pulses having a duration of 1 ps and a pulse energy of 280 pJ directly from a passively mode-locked Er fiber laser. The laser uses a nonlinear optical loop mirror at high switching threshold in an all-optical fiber resonator. Stable pulse trains are produced at the fundamental repetition rate of the resonator, 3.8 MHz.
Religiosity and the Transition to Nonmarital Parity.

Nonmarital parity is associated with several negative outcomes, including health problems, educational problems, and poverty. Understanding the risk and protective factors associated with nonmarital parenthood can inform policy and interventions, reducing both the incidences and associated consequences. The current study focuses on how intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity (the degree to which individuals or groups employ religious ideology in forming values and making decisions) are related to the timing of nonmarital parity using discrete time hazard modeling of a nationally representative sample of adolescent females (N = 7,367) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The majority of the sample (86 %) claimed a religious affiliation and almost a third (32 %) had a nonmarital birth during the study. Even though the majority of the sample is White (67 %), Black and Hispanic females were more likely to experience a nonmarital birth. Results indicate that intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity and religious affiliation assert protective effects for some populations while religious affiliation increases risk in the full model. Recommendations for policy, intervention, and future research are offered.
Effect of intravenous injection of oxidized methyl esters of unsaturated fatty acids on chick encephalomalacia.

SummaryCerebellar disorders developed in chicks 1-5 hours after intravenous injection of 10 mg of the hydroperoxide of methyl linoleate or of linoleic acid emulsified in 1 ml of serum. No cerebellar disorders were noted, after injection, in birds kept on an identical diet but supplemented with 8 mg % α-tocopherol. Injection of reduced hydroperoxide, methyl 12-oxo-cis-9-octadecenoate or fresh methyl linoleate caused no cerebellar disorders indicating only lipohydroperoxide initiated symptoms. The severity of cerebellar disorders induced by injection of lipohydroperoxide was greatly influenced by dietary pretreatment. The cerebellum of chicks which had been kept on high protein, high fat, Vit. E deficient diets was damaged more extensively by injection of lipohydroperoxide than the cerebellum of chicks kept on adequate diets. These data suggest that nutritional encephalomalacia may be initiated by accumulation of sufficient, though still immeasurable, levels of lipohydroperoxide in vivo.The authors wish to ...
Dispersion relations and causality: does relativistic causality require that n(ω) → 1 as ω → ∞ ?

In this paper it is shown that if the refractive index, or rather, [ n(ω) -1 ] satisfies the dispersion relations then, it is implied by Titchmarsh's theorem that, n(ω) → 1 as ω→ ∞. Any other limiting value for n(ω) would violate relativistic causality, by which is meant not only that cause must precede effect but also that signals cannot travel faster-than-c, the velocity of light in a vacuum.
Response of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) to biological treatment in dairy lagoon water.

To explore the response of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) to biological treatment, dairy lagoon water was incubated anaerobically or aerobically at 20 °C or 4 °C. Three conditions were compared: Antibiotic (Ab) Spiked, Ab Spiked and Killed, and Background (unamended). For Ab Spiked conditions, oxytetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, tylosin, and monensin were each added at 20 mg/L. Antibiotics and ARG were monitored using high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Biological degradation of antibiotics in all treatments and varied responses of different ARG was observed. Aerobic versus anaerobic treatment had no effect on tet(W), with an overall pattern of increase in the presence of antibiotics followed by decrease to initial levels. tet(O) responded differently under aerobic versus anaerobic treatment, increasing to highest levels at 4 °C under aerobic treatment and at 20 °C under anaerobic treatment before returning ...
Seasonal variation of mesopause region wind shears, convective and dynamic instabilities above Fort Collins, CO : A statistical study

Abstract One thousand three hundred and eleven 15-min profiles of nocturnal mesopause region (80–105 km) temperature and horizontal wind, observed by Colorado State University sodium lidar over Fort Collins, CO (41°N, 105°W), between May 2002 and April 2003, were analyzed. From these profiles, taken over 390 h and each possessing vertical resolution of 2 km, a statistical analysis of seasonal variations in wind shears, convective and dynamical instabilities was performed. Large wind shears were most often observed near 100 km and during winter months. Thirty-five percent of the winter profiles contained wind shears exceeding 40 m/s per km at some altitude. In spite of large winds and shears, the mesopause region (at a resolution of 2 km and 15 min) is a very stable region. At a given altitude, the probability for convective instability is less than 1.4% for all seasons and the probability for dynamic instability (in the sense of Richardson number) ranges from 2.7% to 6.0%. Wind shear measurements are compared with four decades of chemical release measurements, compiled in a study by Larson [2002. Winds and shears in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere: results from four decades of chemical release wind measurements. Journal of Geophysical Research 107(A8), 1215]. Instability results are compared with those deduced from an annual lidar study conducted with higher spatial and temporal resolution at the Starfire Optical Range (SOR) in Albuquerque, NM, by Zhao et al. [2003. Measurements of atmospheric stability in the mesopause region at Starfire Optical Range, NM. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 65, 219–232], and from a study by Li et al. [2005b. Characteristics of instabilities in the mesopause region over Maui, Hawaii. Journal of Geophysical Research 110, D09S12] with 19 days of data acquired from Maui Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (Maui MALT) Campaign . The Fort Collins lidar profiles were also analyzed using 1-h temporal resolution to compare instances of instabilities observed on different time scales.
Humoral control of pre-oviposition behaviour in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti

Abstract Pre-oviposition behaviour, the attraction of mosquitoes to oviposition-site stimuli, is induced by a haemolymph-borne substance. A large proportion of gravid mosquitoes was attracted to a solution of methyl propionate in a laboratory olfactometer, but non-gravid females were also attracted if they were first injected with haemolymph from gravid females. Ovariectomized blood-fed mosquitoes failed to respond, but the reimplantation of denervated ovaries or as few as six mature follicles still triggered pre-oviposition after a blood meal.
Laser-Assisted Poling of Binary Chromophore Materials†

Binary chromophore systems represent a new and very promising class of organic second-order nonlinear optical (electro-optic) materials, where favorable intermolecular electrostatic interactions lead to significantly enhanced electro-optic coefficients and to other favorable physical properties such as low optical loss and improved stability. In this report, laser-assisted poling of a binary chromophore system consisting of a photoaddressable chromophore host (DR-1-co-PMMA) containing a non-photoaddressable guest chromophore (YLD_124) is demonstrated. A factor of 2.5 enhancement in poling efficiency of the guest chromophore (compared to simple conventional electric field poling of the same material) is observed when polarized light is used to selectively enhance the order of the host chromophores. These results further emphasize the importance of favorable intermolecular interactions thought to exist between guest and host chromophores in binary chromophore containing materials. Thin-film samples were pro...
Chiral Lagrangian Model of Single-Pion Photoproduction

We have constructed a chiral-invariant Lagrangian model for single pion photoproduction. We have used this Lagrangian to calculate threshold values for the differential cross sections. These threshold results were found to be in reasonable agreement with recent current-algebra calculations. For the cases where data were available, the comparison with experiment was favorable.
Immuno-Localization of CD44 and Osteopontin in Developing Human Kidney

CD44 is observed in ureteric bud structures and is implicated in branching morphogenesis during early mouse renal development. Healthy adult kidney demonstrates minimal CD44, but CD44 is up-regulated in renal diseases. CD44 may mediate binding of calcium oxalate crystals to tubular epithelia via the ligands osteopontin (OPN) and hyaluronan. Because 15% of premature infants develop nephrocalcinosis, developmental tubular CD44 expression might promote nephrocalcinosis. We studied CD44 and OPN immuno-localization in developing human kidney by immunohistochemical analysis. Human renal tissue between 18 and 40 wk of gestation showed CD44 immuno-localization in ureteric buds, with staining decreasing with increasing gestational age; CD44 was rarely observed in developing renal tubules. OPN was diffusely observed in proximal tubules, rarely observed in distal tubules, ureteric buds or metanephric structures. These data support the role of CD44 in early human nephron formation and branching morphogenesis. Rare CD44 staining in developing tubular epithelium suggests no role for CD44 in promoting calcium oxalate adherence to tubular epithelia in premature infants. Immuno-localization of OPN in tubules supports its role in tubular differentiation, but OPN does not seem to be necessary during early nephron formation.
AGG interruptions in (CGG)(n) DNA repeat tracts modulate the structure and thermodynamics of non-B conformations in vitro.

The trinucleotide repeat sequence CGG/CCG is known to expand in the human genome. This expansion is the primary pathogenic signature of fragile X syndrome, which is the most common form of inherited mental retardation. It has been proposed that formation of non-B conformations by the repetitive sequence contributes to the expansion mechanism. It is also known that the CGG/CCG repeat sequence of healthy individuals, which is not prone to expansion, contains AGG/CCT interruptions every 8−11 CGG/CCG repeats. Using DNA containing 19 or 39 CGG repeats, we have found that both the position and number of interruptions modulate the non-B conformation adopted by the repeat sequence. Analysis by chemical probes revealed larger loops and the presence of bulges for sequences containing interruptions. Additionally, using optical analysis and calorimetry, the effect of these structural changes on the thermodynamic stability of the conformation has been quantified. Notably, changing even one nucleotide, as occurs when C...
A meta-review of lifestyle interventions for cardiovascular risk factors in the general medical population: lessons for individuals with serious mental illness.

Objective Individuals with serious mental illness die years younger than members of the general population, with cardiovascular disease and related risk factors accounting for the majority of deaths. Lifestyle interventions targeting these risk factors have begun to be developed for those with serious mental illness, but they have largely been created de novo rather than with information from work already done in the general population. This review aims to synthesize for a mental health audience the common factors for success in nonpharmacologic lifestyle interventions and identify specific considerations in adapting these models for those with serious mental illness. Data sources We searched the PubMed and Cochrane databases for English-language reviews from 2003 to 2013. The search employed combinations of the following terms: diabetes, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, dyslipidemia, obesity, mental illness, schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar disorder, lifestyle intervention, non-pharmacologic intervention, lifestyle modification, and weight gain. Study selection We identified 8,147 review articles from the PubMed and Cochrane databases. 123 articles were selected. The selected articles were reviews of dietary, behavioral, or exercise interventions that focused on obesity and related cardiometabolic risk factors. Data extraction We undertook a qualitative "review of reviews" focusing on nonpharmacologic interventions for obesity and related cardiometabolic risk factors. Results Effects of interventions in the general population were meaningful but generally modest. Specific elements of diet, exercise, and behavioral therapy produced larger effects. Additionally, successful programs employed multiple components, personalization, longer duration, more frequent contact, and trained treatment providers. Interventions addressing these risk factors in people with serious mental illness typically incorporated some, but not all, of the elements demonstrated to be effective in general medical populations. Conclusions Studies from the general medical literature demonstrate considerable promise in addressing lifestyle risk factors. Existing programs will require tailoring to address the needs of those with serious mental illness and may be harder to implement given the challenges faced by this population. However, successful lifestyle interventions for those with serious mental illness can make a significant impact on the health and well-being of this vulnerable population and may inform future strategies for other underserved groups.
Impact of Hurricane Allen on the morphology of Padre Island, Texas

During the night of August 9, 1980, Hurricane Allen crossed Padre Island, Texas, causing a variety of morphological changes The extent and form of changes appear to have been influenced by man-made structures on the more heavily developed portions of the island Future development and planning activities must recognize the dynamic nature of a barrier island subject to periodic hurricane influence in order to minimize property damage