cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Illicit Retail Methamphetamine Markets and Related Local Problems: A Police Perspective

In this paper we examine whether features of the operation of retail methamphetamine markets affects communities in three domain areas (public safety, health, and economy). We use data from a national survey of law enforcement agencies (n= 1,367) with narcotics officers to examine the operational characteristics of methamphetamine markets. We found that the operational features of a market (the source of methamphetamine and the most common location for selling methamphetamine) can have a significant impact on the types of public safety, health, and economic problems that communities are experiencing. In particular, jurisdictions distinguished by largely semi-private markets (strip clubs and bars) are more likely to be characterized as localities that have a large public safety and health problem. Jurisdictions that are supplied by multiple local and international sources (compared to a single source) were more likely to be characterized as jurisdictions that have problems in the three domains.
Chloroplast-derived vaccine antigens and biopharmaceuticals: expression, folding, assembly and functionality.

Chloroplast genetic engineering offers several advantages, including high levels of transgene expression, transgene containment via maternal inheritance, and multi-gene expression in a single transformation event. Oral delivery is facilitated by hyperexpression of vaccine antigens against cholera, tetanus, anthrax, plague, or canine parvovirus (4%–31% of total soluble protein, TSP) in transgenic chloroplasts (leaves) or non-green plastids (carrots, tomato) as well as the availability of antibiotic free selectable markers or the ability to excise selectable marker genes. Hyperexpression of several therapeutic proteins, including human serum albumin (11.1% TSP), somatotropin (7% TSP), interferon-alpha (19% TSP), interferon-gamma (6% TSP), and antimicrobial peptide (21.5% TSP), facilitates efficient and economic purification. Also, the presence of chaperones and enzymes in chloroplasts facilitates assembly of complex multisubunit proteins and correct folding of human blood proteins with proper disulfide bonds. Functionality of chloroplast-derived vaccine antigens and therapeutic proteins has been demonstrated by several assays, including the macrophage lysis assay, GM1-ganglioside binding assay, protection of HeLA cells or human lung carcinoma cells against encephalomyocarditis virus, systemic immune response, protection against pathogen challenge, and growth or inhibition of cell cultures. Purification of human proinsulin has been achieved using novel purification strategies (inverse temperature transition property) that do not require expensive column chromatography techniques. Thus, transgenic chloroplasts are ideal bioreactors for production of functional human and animal therapeutic proteins in an environmentally friendly manner.
Long-period Milankovitch cycles from the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic of eastern North America and their implications for the calibration of the Early Mesozoic time–scale and the long–term behaviour of the planets

During the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic the Newark rift basin of the northeastern US accumulated in excess 5 km of continental, mostly lacustrine strata that show a profound cyclicity previousl...
Kinetic isotope effects in oxygen in the laboratory dehydration of magnesian minerals.

Laboratory studies of vacuum dehydration of Mg-O-H units in minerals and rocks reveal large kinetic isotope effects in oxygen, with light-isotope enrichment in the liberated water, and concomitant heavy-isotope enrichment in the residual solids. Application of the same techniques to a meteorite assemblage including hydrous magnesium silicates shows a much more complex behavior, probably due to isotopic heterogeneity inherited from processes on the meteorite parent body. Measurements of both the 17 O/ 16 O variations and the 18 O/ 16 O variations confirm theoretical predictions that slopes of three-isotope correlation lines are systematically larger for equilibrium isotope effects than for kinetic isotope effects.
The potential to improve water quality in the middle Rio Grande through effective wetland restoration.

The Rio Grande, which forms the United States—Mexico border for much of its course, receives diverse pollutants from both urban and agricultural areas, most notably in the sister cities of El Paso (TX, USA)—Ciudad Juarez (CHI, Mexico). This study aimed to describe regional trends in water quality in waters near the El Paso–Ciudad Juarez metroplex and to examine the potential for water quality improvement through the use of a created wetland. Very few differences in nutrient chemistry were found among drains, canals and the Rio Grande, with the exception of elevated chloride and lower phosphorus levels found in the drains. Overall, chloride concentrations increased with distance downstream, likely due to concentration of salts via evaporation from irrigated agriculture. A wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) contributed substantially to total phosphorus and nitrate levels, which, together with ammonia, tended to exceed state criteria for water quality downstream of the WWTP outflow. The created Rio Bosque wetlands reduced nitrate concentrations in the water, possibly via denitrification enhanced by algae; algae increased in biomass as water flowed through the wetlands. However, the diversion of water for irrigated agriculture, resulting in the absence of water, and thus aquatic plants, in the wetland in the summer has limited the ability of this wetland to improve regional water quality.
Disorder of Localized Inflammation in Wound Healing: A Systems Perspective

Wound healing is a well-coordinated concerted event in response to injury and its microenvironment, which aims at reinstating normal tissue homeostasis. Being a well-organized reparative biological event, it comprises of a cascade of events, which takes place in a sequential overlapping manner. Reductionism, as a guiding principle, is of great value where a quick and effective solution is required for an isolated problem. Reductionism is less helpful for complex systems such as the process of wound healing where interactions between components decides the final outcome and dysregulation of just one of the components can result in malfunctioning of the entire system. A comprehensive approach is necessary to understand the dynamics and interplay between various components, which shape the fate of the outcome towards a healing or a nonhealing wound. The current review highlights the multidimensional nature of the deregulation of diabetic wound inflammation, making it essential to understand the problems from systems perspective and not in a reductionist approach.
TNF-α inhibits glucose-induced insulin secretion in a pancreatic β-cell line (INS-1)

Recent studies suggest that TNF-α affects various biochemical and physiological processes which may be linked to the etiology of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). For example, TNF-α interferes with the signaling of the insulin receptor and the metabolism of glucose transporters. The possibility that TNF-α might directly reduce glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells was examined by using an established pancreatic β-cell line (INS-1). TNF-α did not affect glucose-induced acute insulin secretion (30 min). However, over a longer time period (24 h), TNF-α decreased glucose-induced insulin secretion without affecting the total amount of insulin in the cell. In the presence of TNF-α levels of 0, 10, 100 and 1000 U/ml, the respective 20 mM glucose-induced insulin secretion was 1.736 ± 0.166, 1.750 ± 0.302, 1.550 ± 0.200, and 1.400 ± 0.112 mU/ml per 3 × 105 cells in 24 h.
Traumatic Optic Neuropathy: An Evolving Understanding

Purpose To critically review the treatment of traumatic optic neuropathy. Design A perspective of clinical and basic science studies related to traumatic optic neuropathy and its treatment. Methods Published clinical and basic science studies on traumatic optic neuropathy were critically reviewed and interpreted. Results Clinical progress in the treatment of traumatic optic neuropathy is limited by small clinical studies lacking appropriate control groups. The Corticosteroid Randomization for Acute Head Trauma (CRASH) trial found an increased rate of death among patients with acute head trauma treated with high-dose corticosteroids compared to placebo-treated patients (21% vs 18%, P = .0001). Recent animal studies also suggest that high-dose corticosteroids are toxic to the injured optic nerve. Conclusions The Corticosteroid Randomization for Acute Head Trauma study is immediately relevant to the treatment of traumatic optic neuropathy as individuals with traumatic optic neuropathy often have concomitant head trauma. High-dose corticosteroids for traumatic optic neuropathy will result in a measurable loss of life in patients who also have a brain injury. Death has never been an endpoint for traumatic optic neuropathy studies. Given human and animal data suggesting that treatment is harmful and the lack of demonstrated clinical efficacy, corticosteroids should not be used to treat traumatic optic neuropathy. The benefit of optic canal decompression is also unclear. There is a need to identify traumatic optic neuropathy soon after injury to further define the natural history of this injury. This information will provide a basis for assessing potential future treatments for traumatic optic neuropathy.
Association of Cannabis Use during Adolescence, Prefrontal CB1 Receptor Signaling, and Schizophrenia

The cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) is the G-protein coupled receptor responsible for the majority of the endocannabinoid signaling in the human brain. It is widely distributed in the limbic system, basal ganglia, and cerebellum, which are areas responsible for cognition, memory, and motor control. Because of this widespread distribution, it is not surprising that drugs that activate CB1R have expected behavioral outcomes consistent with dysregulated signaling from these areas (e.g., memory loss, cognitive deficits, etc). In the context of this review, we present evidence for the role of CB1R signaling in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), an area involved in executive functions, with emphasis on the developmental regulation of CB1R signaling in the acquisition of mature PFC function. We further hypothesize how alterations in CB1R signaling specifically during adolescent maturation might confer liability to psychiatric disorders.
Stress and sex influences on food-seeking behaviors.

Objective: Stress increases the drive to consume calorically dense preferred foods suggesting an exogenous factor that may induce caloric overconsumption and weight gain. As females show heightened stress sensitivity and present with increased rates of obesity, we hypothesized that stress-induced increases in the motivation for preferred foods may be a sex-specific predisposing factor for weight gain. Methods and Procedures: To investigate this hypothesis, we have developed a buried food paradigm that permits the measurement of sex differences and effects of chronic variable stress (CVS) on the latency to uncover and the consumption of a preferred food pellet without the requisite caloric restriction required in traditional operant conditioning tasks. Results: In our studies, females consistently showed latencies that were twice as fast as males to locate the buried pellet in limited access tests. Interestingly, during stress exposure, male latencies decreased to that of control female levels. Male and female mice showed a significant effect of stress, three- and fourfold, respectively, on increased consumption of the preferred food during testing. Discussion: These results support a basal sex difference in behaviors toward a preferred food, and a possible role of stress sensitivity in the drive and intake of such foods. Sex differences in the role stress plays in these behaviors may provide insight into underlying mechanisms related to an increased obesity risk.
Genome-wide association study of body mass index in subjects with alcohol dependence.

Outcomes related to disordered metabolism are common in alcohol dependence (AD). To investigate alterations in the regulation of body mass that occur in the context of AD, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of body mass index (BMI) in African Americans (AAs) and European Americans (EAs) with AD. Subjects were recruited for genetic studies of AD or drug dependence and evaluated using the Semi-structured Assessment for Drug Dependence and Alcoholism. We investigated a total of 2587 AAs and 2959 EAs with DSM-IV AD diagnosis. In the stage 1 sample (N = 4137), we observed three genome-wide significant (GWS) single-nucleotide polymorphism associations, rs200889048 (P = 8.98 * 10−12) and rs12490016 (P = 1.44 * 10−8) in EAs and rs1630623 (P = 5.14 * 10−9) in AAs and EAs meta-analyzed. In the stage 2 sample (N = 1409), we replicated 278, 253 and 168 of the stage 1 suggestive loci (P < 5*10−4) in AAs, EAs, and AAs and EAs meta-analyzed, respectively. A meta-analysis of stage 1 and stage 2 samples (N = 5546) identified two additional GWS signals: rs28562191 in EAs (P = 4.46 * 10−8) and rs56950471 in AAs (P = 1.57 * 10−9). Three of the GWS loci identified (rs200889048, rs12490016 and rs1630623) were not previously reported by GWAS of BMI in the general population, and two of them raise interesting hypotheses: rs12490016—a regulatory variant located within LINC00880, where there are other GWAS-identified variants associated with birth size, adiposity in newborns and bulimia symptoms, which also interact with social stress in relation to birth size; rs1630623—a regulatory variant related to ALDH1A1, a gene involved in alcohol metabolism and adipocyte plasticity. These loci offer molecular insights regarding the regulatory mechanisms of body mass in the context of AD.
Analysis of Load and Speed Transitions in an HCCI Engine Using 1-D Cycle Simulation and Thermal Networks

Exhaust gas rebreathing is considered to be a practical enabler that could be used in HCCI production engines. Recent experimental work at the University of Michigan demonstrates that the combustion characteristics of an HCCI engine using large amounts of hot residual gas by rebreathing are very sensitive to engine thermal conditions. This computational study addresses HCCI engine operation with rebreathing, with emphasis on the effects of engine thermal conditions during transient periods. A 1-D cycle simulation with thermal networks is carried out under load and speed transitions. A knock integral autoignition model, a modified Woschni heat transfer model for HCCI engines and empirical correlations to define burn rate and combustion efficiency are incorporated into the engine cycle simulation model. The simulation results show very different engine behavior during the thermal transient periods compared with steady state. Hot walls advance the ignition timing, while cold walls may result in misfire. Realizable operating regions during the thermal transitions are very dependent on the wall temperatures and are quite different from the steady state. This implies that thermal inertia must be considered in order to fully optimize HCCI engine operation.
Foreign Investment in the Russian Economy

In the period from January through September 2012, the inflow of foreign investment in the Russian economy declined on the previous year by 14.4%, which happened due to a drop in the volume of ‘other’ investments, made on a refundable basis. Their share in the aggregate structure of foreign investment constituted 87.9%. The share of direct investment is estimated to be 10.7%; that of portfolio investment – 1.4%. Industry has become a more alluring target for foreign investors, followed by financial activities and trade. The volume of investment outflow from Russia over the period from January through September 2012 continued to be on the rise, amounting to 95.6% of the total volume of foreign investment inflow over the same period.
Turning Back: An Assessment of Non-Refoulement Under Indian Law

Some have argued that India's laws uphold fundamental refugee law concepts. Specifically, some Indian legal scholars contend that the right of non-refoulement is alive and well in India even without having signed any related international agreements. The prevention of refoulement (translated roughly as the "turning back" of refugees), which includes both the rejection of refugees at the border as well as the deportation of refugees from inside India, lies at the very heart of refugee protection. Unfortunately, the scholars who identify the right of non-refoulement under Indian law overestimate the amount of legal protection for refugees in India. A sober assessment of Indian law reveals that refugees are not entitled to non-refoulement unless India adopts new legal obligations. This paper hopes to ensure that any refugee policies pursued by the government of India are based on sound analyses of existing domestic law vis-a-vis international standards. Otherwise, proponents of refugee rights risk the wrath of legislators who feel betrayed by misleading promises from the scholarly community. Their ire could lead to the repeal of any progressive legislation, as well as a hostile attitude toward further human rights initiatives and the academic community at large. New obligations toward refugees need to be embraced in the typical manner, by engaging policy-makers and their constituents on the realities of the situation. Please note that this version of the article may differ very slightly in content and format from the published piece.
Dostoevsky and English Modernism, 1900–1930: Sympathy, truth, and artlessness: Arnold Bennett

It is popularly assumed, especially in the United States where few read his novels and fewer still his criticism, that Arnold Bennett deserved what he got. The novelist whose earnings enabled him to keep three residences, a mistress, and a steam yacht has always been an easy target for those who judged him a Philistine in the house of fiction. Ezra Pound caricatured him with savage brilliance in “Hugh Selwyn Mauberly,” where Bennett served as the model for Mr. Nixon, who bestows advice on royalties and income and the selling of literature. Virginia Woolf repeatedly attacked Bennett as an obstacle to the liberating experiments of modern fiction, a patriarchal voice of outmoded values and fictional techniques. Her attacks reflect her profound ideological differences with Bennett about the appropriate means of revealing and defining human character. Woolf's tireless and eloquent opposition, however, cannot be separated from her class-bound snobbery: she sought to protect Mrs. Brown from the middle-class vulgarity of Bennett and his Edwardian counterparts. How could a man who stammered with the broad accent of the Potteries (the district in west-central England named for its manufactured products), whose thick lips, coarse presence, and daily word counts gave evidence of his “shopkeeper's view of literature,” be expected to appreciate the subtle, anarchic movements of consciousness? Mrs. Brown, in such hands, would never be freed from the unimaginative restrictions of her class. Those who seek evidence of Bennett's mercantile values and literary compromises will not be disappointed.
Studies on the Genus Forcipomyia 4. Rhynchoforcipomyia, a New Neotropical Subgenus in the Trichohelea Complex (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Rhynchoforcipomyia , new subgenus, in the genus Forcipomyia , with type-species F. messersmitbi , new species, is described from the Neotropical Region. Characters are given to distinguish it from Trichohelea and other related subgenera, and a key is presented to the 7 known species, all of which are described as new: F. brachyrhynchus from Colombia and Trinidad, F. cylindrica from E1 Salvador, F. dorsalis from Mexico to Colombia, F. guamai from Brazil and Panama, F. messersmithi from Jamaica and Mexico to Colombia, F. puracensis from Colombia, and F. zeteki from Panama and Colombia.
Probability Theory and the Lebesgue Integral

(1969). Probability Theory and the Lebesgue Integral. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 42, No. 3, pp. 105-111.
Research Progress of Crime Geography Studies in China

Over the past 30 years, crime geography in China has set out, as the demand for crime prevention increased very rapidly. In order to get an objective and comprehensive understanding of the research development in China, a statistical analysis on crime geography studies was conducted. Taking periodical papers selected from Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), WANFANG DATA, and VIP Database as samples, we retrospect the changes of contents and researchers on crime geography during three periods: 1986~1990, 1991~2000,and 2001~2010. The results show that periodical papers, research organizations and related researchers have expanded greatly in number since mid-1980s, indicating a promising tendency. Core authors, who can motivate more researchers, have emerged in four main research aspects of crime geography: urban crime geography,PGIS, CPTED, and Situational Crime Prevention. In 21stcentury, both new opportunities and challenges come out for crime geography. While more and more mathematical models are employed, the percentage of quantitative researches has declined significantly. It is also the same for case studies. What's more, the study areas constricts to Yangtze River Delta, Beijing-Tianjin region, and Pearl River Delta. With emerging research groups and declining share of core authors, crime geography in China has entered a phase of reorganization. In the future, much more efforts will be needed for the further development of crime geography. We should not only try to synthesize multiple theories and conduct more case studies in the Chinese context, but also pay attention to the unification of research norms and cultivation of next-generation core authors.
Experiment on the cytotoxicity of decolorant gel of dental material with filter diaphragm diffusion test

According to the experimental principle of international biological appraising standard(ISO7405:1997) on medical apparatus and adopting the experimental method on the the cytotoxicity test of decolorant gel of dental material,studied the cytotoxicity of decolorant gel of dental material.It was showed that the materials had mild cell toxicity.
Reversible Toxic Effect of Salicylazosulf Apyridine on Semen Quality

The semen qualities of six patients with salicylazosulfapyridine-treated chronic ulcerative colitis are discussed. Over-all poor parameters were observed during the treatment period. Reduced motility and a shift in morphology were the most significant abnormalities in the specimens. A characteristic megalo cell type occurred in the morphology with a frequency of 3% to 8%. In three patients when no medical contraindication existed, discontinuation of the drug resulted in a dramatic improvement in the semen quality, and all three reported pregnancies within the ensuing 3 months. A possible reversible toxic effect of salicylazosulfapyridine on semen quality is discussed.
Cryogenic Design of the D-Zero Liquid Argon Collider Calorimeter

The D-Zero liquid argon collider calorimeter has been designed for high energy particle physics experimentation as an integral part of the Tevatron accelerator/collider. The high density, hermetic, 125,000 channel calorimeter is an assembly of three axial, cylindrical, 20m3 liquid argon cryostats containing 770 tonnes of calorimeter modules comprised of uranium and copper absorber plates and multilayer signal boards. The 228t end calorimeter cryostats can be moved 1.3m axially, while full and operable, to allow access to a Central Tracker mounted in the warm bore of the central calorimeter. The liquid argon is stored 13m below ground at detector-level in a 76m3 storage dewar. Refrigeration for the argon in the cryostats and the dewar is provided by liquid nitrogen stored in a 76m3 dewar located at ground-level. Special vent and spill sump provisions allow personnel to work within the detector platform below the cryostats and in the accelerator tunnel. After completion of testing in the assembly hall position, the entire 4550t detector is rolled 40m into the collision hall for each running period. Cooldown, warmup, and control and operation of the cryogenic systems of the detector are described.
Quality Improvement Project to Improve Timeliness Between Bronchodilator Treatments from Emergency Department to Medical Wards

BACKGROUND: Quality improvement methodology was applied to study sporadic reports that patients with asthma were not given bronchodilator treatments or assessed within an appropriate time frame when they were admitted from the emergency department to the medical ward. The goal was to increase the number of patients who had an interval between emergency department assessment/bronchodilator treatment and medical ward assessment/treatment of METHODS: A flow chart diagram, a fishbone diagram, data collection, intervention implementation, and data monitoring and analysis were used in this study. Data were collected on a pre-test of change cohort of 227 subjects with asthma from January 2013 to March 2014. A test of change adding a Q2H respiratory therapist assessment and as needed bronchodilator treatment order while the subject was in the emergency department was implemented during May of 2014. These data were compared with a post-test of change cohort of 278 subjects with asthma from May 2014 to July 2015. Data collection for both cohorts included the time from the last assessment/bronchodilator treatment in the emergency department to emergency department discharge, the time from emergency department discharge to assessment/treatment in the medical ward, and the sum of these 2 time periods. Mean times (minutes) were noted, and comparisons were made using 2-tailed independent t tests with significance set at P RESULTS: There was a 124% increase noted in the percentage of subjects who received bronchodilator treatment within 120 min, a 53% increase within 180 min, and a 19% increase within 240 min. The interval time between treatments decreased 21%. CONCLUSIONS: Through quality improvement methodology, the group was able to significantly decrease the time between the last assessment/bronchodilator treatment in the emergency department and the first assessment/treatment in the medical ward for subjects with asthma. Moreover, improvement was seen in all studied parameters despite similar volumes in emergency department visits.
A Tri-Leaflet Nitinol Mesh Scaffold for Engineering Heart Valves

The epidemiology of valvular heart disease has significantly changed in the past few decades with aging as one of the main contributing factors. The available options for replacement of diseased valves are currently limited to mechanical and bioprosthetic valves, while the tissue engineered ones that are under study are currently far from clinical approval. The main problem with the tissue engineered heart valves is their progressive deterioration that leads to regurgitation and/or leaflet thickening a few months after implantation. The use of bioresorbable scaffolds is speculated to be one factor affecting these valves' failure. We have previously developed a non-degradable superelastic nitinol mesh scaffold concept that can be used for heart valve tissue engineering applications. It is hypothesized that the use of a non-degradable superelastic nitinol mesh may increase the durability of tissue engineered heart valves, avoid their shrinkage, and accordingly prevent regurgitation. The current work aims to study the effects of the design features on mechanical characteristics of this valve scaffold to attain proper function prior to in vivo implantation.
E-Tree: An Ever Evolving Tree for Evolving Workloads

We introduce E-tree, a new variant of the family of B-tree indexes, designed for evolving workloads. E-tree reshapes itself to maintain optimal memory layout as the access patterns change, achieved by dropping the requirement of having a fixed, global index design. Instead, E-tree uses different memory layout patterns for different regions of the tree and continuously reconsiders those design decisions as the workload evolves. We describe E-tree, explore heuristics to determine the reshaping patterns, and demonstrate experimentally that it has strong potential by outperforming state-of-the-art fixed designs in evolving workloads.
Singular Perturbation Method for Smart Building Temperature Control Using Occupant Feedback

In this work we propose a framework for incorporating occupant feedback towards temperature control of multi-occupant spaces, and analyze it using singular perturbation theory. Such a system would typically have to accommodate occupants with different temperature preferences, and incorporate that with thermal correlation among multiple zones to obtain optimal control for minimization of occupant discomfort and energy cost. In current practice, an acceptable temperature set point for the occupancy level of the zone is estimated, and the control law is designed to maintain temperature at the corresponding set point irrespective of the changes in occupancy and the preferences of multiple occupants. Proposed algorithm incorporates active occupant feedback to minimize aggregate user discomfort and total energy cost. Occupant binary feedback in the form of hot/cold or thermal comfort preference input is used by the control algorithm. The control algorithm also takes the energy cost into account, trading it off optimally with the aggregate occupant discomfort. For convergence to the optimal, sufficient separation between the occupant feedback frequency and the temperature dynamics of system is necessary; in absence of which, the occupant feedback provided do not correctly reflect the effect of current control input value on occupant discomfort. Under sufficient time scale separation, using singular perturbation theory, we establish the stability condition of the system and show convergence of the proposed solution to the desired temperature that minimizes energy cost plus occupant discomfort. The occupants are only assumed to be rational in that they choose their own comfort range to minimize individual thermal discomfort. Optimization for a multi-zone building also takes into account the thermal correlation among different zones. Simulation study with parameters based on our test facility, and experimental study conducted in the same building demonstrates performance of the algorithm under different occupancy and ambient conditions.
Integrating Guardrail System Preservation Policies into Asset Management Practices: Development of a Performance-Based Model

Asset management provides a strategic framework for infrastructure systems and focuses on getting the most out of their performance with the available resources. To determine future budget needs, h...
Multivariate Regression Methods for the Analysis of Stature

In forensic anthropology the size of “organs” (bones) from the skeletal system is often used to estimate an individual's stature via linear regression of stature onto one or more bones. This type of analysis is the reverse of how one usually studies size and shape in biology, where organ sizes are viewed as being dependent on body size. We show that the multivariate regression of bone sizes onto body size (stature) provides a very general framework for both the estimation of stature and for the presentation of evidence on a putative identification. We further show that using an informative prior for stature from the reference sample is completely equivalent to performing the traditional regression of stature onto long bones, that using a uniform prior for stature gives the maximum likelihood estimator for stature, and that using an informative prior stature distribution from a relevant population provides a “population specific” method.
Effects of feeding corn plant residues during the growing phase on steer growth performance and feedlot economics

ABSTRACT Feeding harvested corn crop residues (CCR) to cattle has become increasingly common; however, the poor quality of mature CCR presents nutritional challenges. Therefore, the objectives of these studies were to evaluate the effects of feeding CCR harvested at 2 maturities and the effects of 2 silage additives, Silage SAVOR Plus (propionic acid-based additive) or Silo-King (lactobacillus-based additive), on in situ fiber disappearance, cattle growth performance and carcass characteristics, and economic traits of growing cattle. A total of 128 Angus × Simmental steers (initial BW = 327 ± 40 kg) were allotted to 20 pens and fed 4 treatments in diets that contained 25% forage: (1) corn stover, wetted to 40% DM and ensiled; (2) corn stalklage, harvested at 40% DM and ensiled (STK); (3) STK plus Silo-King; or (4) STK plus Silage SAVOR Plus. Corn stover was harvested 186 d after planting after harvesting dry corn. Corn stalklage was harvested 158 d after planting after harvesting high moisture corn. Growing diets contained CCR at 25% inclusion (DM basis) and were fed from d 0 to 85. From d 86 to 186, steers were fed a common finishing diet. Corn crop residue samples were incubated in 2 ruminally fistulated steers to determine in situ DM disappearance and NDF disappearance. There were no effects of treatment on in situ DM disappearance (P = 0.40) or in situ NDF disappearance (P = 0.34). There were no treatment effects (P ≥ 0.19) on steer growth performance from d 0 to 85 and from d 86 to 186; thus, there were no effects (P ≥ 0.14) of treatment on overall steer performance, carcass characteristics, and economic traits for the entire 186 d. Feeding mature CCR resulted in similar ruminal fiber degradation, steer growth, carcass performance, and economic traits when compared with immature CCR in diets fed to growing steers, and there was no benefit of additive inclusion.
Platelets and Hemostasis: The Role of Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa in Platelet Aggregation

Platelets play a key role in normal hemostasis and abnormal thrombosis. A glycoprotein (GP) complex, IIb/IIIa, is found in abundance in the platelet cell membrane as a surface receptor. The complex...
Immunohistochemical analysis of RHAMM expression in normal and neoplastic human tissues: a cell cycle protein with distinctive expression in mitotic cells and testicular germ cells

Expression of Receptor for Hyaluronic Acid Mediated Motility (RHAMM) increases cellular motility and RHAMM overexpression promotes invasive phenotype and metastasis of cancer cells. RHAMM has been suggested as a biomarker for poor prognosis in several tumor types, including lung, breast, colorectal, gastric, pancreatic ductal, and ovarian cancers. RNA studies showed restricted RHAMM expression in normal tissues, but its protein expression data in tissues were limited. In light of its potential as a prognostic marker and a therapeutic target, we performed immunohistochemical analysis to systematically characterize RHAMM expression in normal and neoplastic human tissues. Among 29 normal adult tissues, RHAMM protein showed restricted expression and was observed in the thymus, lymph node/tonsil, small intestine, colon, skin, bone marrow, placenta, and testis. The cellular distribution patterns of RHAMM in these normal tissues were consistent with RHAMM being a G2/M cell cycle protein, and this was further supported in comparison to the expression of cyclin B2, another G2/M protein. However, unlike the subcellular localization of cyclin B2, RHAMM decorated mitotic spindles in both anaphase and metaphase. RHAMM expression in tumor tissues is variable; and higher RHAMM protein expression is associated with histologically higher-grade tumors in general. Distinct from its expression in somatic tissues, RHAMM showed diffuse, strong, stage-specific expression in the spermatocyte stage of germ cells in adult testis. The neoplastic counterpart, spermatocytic tumor, also showed strong RHAMM expression. This unique expression in testis suggests that RHAMM may function during normal testicular germ cell maturation.
The benefits of health information exchange: an updated systematic review.

Objective Widespread health information exchange (HIE) is a national objective motivated by the promise of improved care and a reduction in costs. Previous reviews have found little rigorous evidence that HIE positively affects these anticipated benefits. However, early studies of HIE were methodologically limited. The purpose of the current study is to review the recent literature on the impact of HIE. Methods We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to conduct our systematic review. PubMed and Scopus databases were used to identify empirical articles that evaluated HIE in the context of a health care outcome. Results Our search strategy identified 24 articles that included 63 individual analyses. The majority of the studies were from the United States representing 9 states; and about 40% of the included analyses occurred in a handful of HIEs from the state of New York. Seven of the 24 studies used designs suitable for causal inference and all reported some beneficial effect from HIE; none reported adverse effects. Conclusions The current systematic review found that studies with more rigorous designs all reported benefits from HIE. Such benefits include fewer duplicated procedures, reduced imaging, lower costs, and improved patient safety. We also found that studies evaluating community HIEs were more likely to find benefits than studies that evaluated enterprise HIEs or vendor-mediated exchanges. Overall, these finding bode well for the HIEs ability to deliver on anticipated improvements in care delivery and reduction in costs.
The relationship between pulmonary artery wedge pressure and pulmonary blood volume derived from contrast echocardiography: A proof‐of‐concept study

BACKGROUND Pulmonary transit time (PTT) obtained from contrast echocardiography is a marker of global cardiopulmonary function. Pulmonary blood volume (PBV), derived from PTT, may be a noninvasive surrogate for left-sided filling pressures, such as pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP). We sought to assess the relationship between PBV obtained from contrast echocardiography and PAWP. METHODS Participants were adult survivors of childhood cancer that had contrast echocardiography performed nearly simultaneously with right-heart catheterization. PTT was derived from time-intensity curves of contrast passage through the right ventricle (RV) and left atrium (LA). PBV relative to overall stroke volume (rPBV) was estimated from the product of PTT and heart rate during RV-LA transit. PAWP was obtained during standard right-heart catheterization. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between rPBV and PAWP. RESULTS The study population consisted of 7 individuals who had contrast echocardiography and right-heart catheterization within 3 hours of each other. There was a wide range of right atrial (1-17 mm Hg), mean pulmonary artery (18-42 mm Hg), and PAW pressures (4-26 mm Hg) as well as pulmonary vascular resistance (<1-6 Wood Units). We observed a statistically significant correlation between rPBV and PAWP (r = .85; P = .02). CONCLUSION Relative PBV derived from contrast echocardiography correlates with PAWP. If validated in larger studies, rPBV could potentially be used as an alternative to invasively determine left-sided filling pressure.
High-acuity spatial stream segregation.

In a complex auditory scene, location in space is one of several acoustic features that permit listeners to segregate competing sequences of sounds into discrete perceptual streams. Nevertheless, the spatial acuity of stream segregation is unknown. Moreover, it is not clear whether this is really a spatial effect or whether it reflects a binaural process that only indirectly involves space. We employed “rhythmic masking release” as an objective measure of spatial stream segregation. That task revealed spatial acuity nearly as fine as listeners’ discriminations of static locations (i.e., their minimum audible angles). Tests using low-pass, high-pass, and varying-level conditions in the horizontal dimension demonstrated that binaural difference cues provide finer acuity than does any monaural cue and that low-frequency interaural delay cues give finer acuity than do high-frequency interaural level differences. Surprisingly, stream segregation in the vertical dimension, where binaural difference cues are negligible, could be nearly as acute as that in the horizontal dimension. The results show a common spatial underpinning to performance. Nevertheless, a dissociation across conditions between localization acuity and masking-release thresholds suggests that spatial stream segregation is accomplished by brain systems discrete from those responsible for sound-localization judgments.
DNA pooling strategy for saturation mapping in outbred crosses

We present a method to identify molecular markers linked to a genomic interval in outbred pedigrees. Using information from fully informative RFLP markers on a single linkage group containing a quantitative trait locus for wood specific gravity, we constructed four DNA pools from nonrecombinant progeny of a three-generation outbred pedigree. The four pools were screened to identify linked RAPD markers. The phase and zygosity of a linked RAPD marker could be determined directly from the array of RAPD bands present or absent in the four pools. Two hundred fifty-six primers were tested on the four DNA pools, revealing 61 putatively linked loci. Nine RAPD loci were linked to the genomic interval. The approach developed here could be generally applied to saturation mapping in outbred pedigrees where fully informative markers have previously been mapped.
Airborne Fiber Concentrations during Splitting Open and Boxing Bags of Asbestos

Measured airborne concentrations of asbestos are often unavailable to assess different epidemiologic estimates of past personal exposure levels or concentrations near specific operations involving handling asbestos. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential use of a laboratory study in estimating exposure to asbestos in operations that ceased for many years. The asbestos transfer operations were simulated by splitting and boxing 4.5-kg paper bags of chrysotile asbestos in an enclosed chamber ventilated at 28.2 air changes per hour (ACH). Two recirculation fans achieved chamber air mixing. The airborne concentration of asbestos fibers was determined by sampling air through membrane filters at a rate of 10 l/min and by analysing fibers by phase contrast optical microscopy to determine 15-min average airborne concentrations. Samplers were located at four equidistant locations from the operation. Opening a maximum of seven bags in 15 min was associated with an asbestos-in-air concentration of less than 2 x 10(-6) fibers/m3 (f/m3) in splitting open and boxing and less than 0.85 x 10(-6) f/m3 in boxing of pre-split bags. The measured airborne asbestos concentration exhibited a linear trend with the number of bags opened per 15 min. The empirical results were utilised to model fiber concentrations for various ventilation rates. It was concluded that the distribution of the operation within the workday and the ventilation rate are the two most important variables in the determination of the estimated time-weighted average concentration. Splitting open and boxing 32 bags of asbestos over an 8-h period at a rate of 4 bags/h over an 8-h period results in a calculated time-weighted average exposure of about 1 x 10(-6) f/m3 in a work space with 20 ACH and approximately 7 x 10(-6) f/m3 in a work space with 2 ACH. Splitting open and boxing at a rate of 12 bags/h for 2 h and 45 min yielded calculated concentrations less than one-half of the above mentioned values. These results should serve as a useful benchmark for epidemiologists concerned with the magnitude of exposure in historically dusty industrial tasks.
The Synthesis of Homophthalimide and Related Derivatives and Their Hypolipidemic Activity in Rodents

Homophthalimide and a series of N-alkyl-substituted derivatives were investigated to determine their ability to lower serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in mice. At 20 mg/kg/day these agents were equally potent or more potent than clofibrate at 150 mg/kg/day. However, the homophthalimide series was not as active as other hypolipidemic cyclic imides investigated by this laboratory. Compounds that caused a greater than 30% reduction of both serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels after 16 days at 20 mg/kg/day ip include the N-propyl, N-phenyl, 3′-methylphenyl, 3′-methoxyphenyl, 3′-chlorophenyl, and the 3′-ethylphenyl derivatives. Substitutions in the 3′ position of the phenyl group afforded the most active compounds for reducing blood lipid levels in rodents.
Cognitive control and phonological awareness in the acquisition of second language vocabulary within the Spanish-English dual immersion context

Abstract Studies that have examined the role of cognitive control in the acquisition of second language vocabulary in dual language learners are rare. First and second language vocabulary, phonological awareness and cognitive control were assessed in Spanish-English dual language learners (kindergarten-4th grade; half native-English and half native-Spanish) from a Spanish-English immersion program in the US. Children included were from monolingual homes and acquired their second language in school. Children’s first language vocabulary was strongly and negatively correlated with their second language vocabulary. Although performance on the cognitive control task was positively associated with first language receptive vocabulary and phonological awareness, it was children’s sound segmenting skills (i.e. elision) that uniquely predicted both their first and second language vocabulary scores. In addition, mediation regression analyses revealed that the relation between first and second language vocabulary was mediated by phonological awareness. Overall our findings highlight the importance of sound segmenting skills in second language vocabulary acquisition.
Balancing Surface Passivation and Catalysis with Integrated BiVO4/(Fe–Ce)Ox Photoanodes in pH 9 Borate Electrolyte

The performance of oxygen-evolving photoanodes based on bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) is critically determined by the surface coating. While these coatings passivate surface defects, transport photogenerated holes, protect against corrosion, and aid catalysis, their optimal composition changes with operating pH, thus affecting overall performance. We use high-throughput photoelectrochemistry methods to map photoanode performance to enable the discovery of optimal composition and loading of Ce-rich sputter-deposited (Fe–Ce)Ox overlayers on undoped BiVO4 in pH 9 borate buffer electrolyte. The optimal composition is found to be 20% Fe and 80% Ce with an optimal Fe + Ce metal loading of 0.9 nmol mm–2. Analysis of the composition and loading dependence of (i) the photocurrent transients upon illumination toggling, (ii) stabilized photocurrent densities, and (iii) photogenerated hole-transfer efficiency reveals the confluence of phenomena that gives rise to the optimal performance yielding nearly perfect transfer ef...
Adaptive Fault Tolerant Control Design for Actuator Fault Mitigation in Quadrotor UAVs

This paper deals with the design and analysis of an adaptive fault tolerant control approach for a quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) subject to Loss of Actuator Effectiveness (LOE) faults. The FTC approach is based on a Super-Twisting (STW) algorithm with an Integral Terminal sliding mode controller. The controller's parameters were dynamically adapted to ensure proper handling of unmatched perturbations and fault uncertainties. Simulation results were carried out to highlight the controller's ability to mitigate actuator faults without compromising system's performance. Excellent tracking performance and strong chattering attenuation are among the key features of the proposed design.