cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of Ultrasound for Increasing Alkaloid Yield from Datura Stramonium

A new approach is presented for the evaluation of ultrasonic energy when applied to the isolation of alkaloids from Datura stramonium . The method utilized made it possible to study the influence of ultrasound on the maceration process as well as during the actual extraction process. The application of ultrasound during short periods of maceration was effective in producing a greater yield of alkaloids than obtainable by conventional procedures. When applied during the process of continuous solvent extraction, ultrasound proved to be slightly more efficient in liberating the desired alkaloids from the drug. The utilization of ultrasound in commercial extraction procedures and for theoretical experimentation is discussed briefly.
An Empirical Study of Building Compact Ensembles

Ensemble methods can achieve excellent performance relying on member classifiers’ accuracy and diversity. We conduct an empirical study of the relationship of ensemble sizes with ensemble accuracy and diversity, respectively. Experiments with benchmark data sets show that it is feasible to keep a small ensemble while maintaining accuracy and diversity similar to those of a full ensemble. We propose a heuristic method that can effectively select member classifiers to form a compact ensemble. The idea of compact ensembles is motivated to use them for effective active learning in tasks of classification of unlabeled data.
Matrix Analysis as a Complementary Analytic Strategy in Qualitative Inquiry

In the current health care environment, researchers are asked to share meaningful results with interdisciplinary professional audiences, concerned community members, students, policy makers, planners, and financial officers. Emphasis is placed on effective health care outcomes and evidence, especially for underserved and vulnerable populations. Any research strategy that facilitates the clear, accurate communication of findings and voices will likely benefit groups targeted for intervention with scarce resources. In this example, matrix analysis contributes to the display, interpretation, pragmatic evaluation, and dissemination of findings in a study of rural elders. The author proposes matrix analysis as a strategy to advance knowledge and enhance the development of evidence in qualitative research.
Parametric analysis for matched pair survival data.

Hougaard's (1986) bivariate Weibull distribution with positive stable frailties is applied to matched pairs survival data when either or both components of the pair may be censored and covariate vectors may be of arbitrary fixed length. When there is no censoring, we quantify the corresponding gain in Fisher information over a fixed-effects analysis. With the appropriate parameterization, the results take a simple algebraic form. An alternative marginal (“independence working model”) approach to estimation is also considered. This method ignores the correlation between the two survival times in the derivation of the estimator, but provides a valid estimate of standard error. It is shown that when both the correlation between the two survival times is high, and the ratio of the within-pair variability to the between-pair variability of the covariates is high, the fixed-effects analysis captures most of the information about the regression coefficient but the independence working model does badly. When the correlation is low, and/or most of the variability of the covariates occurs between pairs, the reverse is true. The random effects model is applied to data on skin grafts, and on loss of visual acuity among diabetics. In conclusion some extensions of the methods are indicated and they are placed in a wider context of Generalized Estimating Equation methodology.
Delirium classification by the diagnostic and statistical manual – a moving target

The following paper, entitled “A Comparison of Delirium Diagnosis in Elderly Medical Inpatients using the CAM, DRS-R98, DSM-IV and DSM-5 Criteria” by Adamis and colleagues, reports the results of a single delirium assessment of 200 medical inpatients, aged 70 years and older. The aim was to compare the prevalence of delirium using two different diagnostic classification systems (DSM-5 and DSM-IV) and two commonly used research tools (Confusion Assessment Method and the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised ‘98). This editorial focuses on the comparison of the two versions of the DSM. The authors conclude that, while both diagnostic systems identify a core concept of delirium, the DSM-IV criteria are the most inclusive of the four approaches and the DSM-5, the most restrictive, identifying a prevalence of 19.5% and 13%, respectively in this sample. Furthermore, they conclude that these two systems do not appear to detect the same patients: only 14 of 26 (54%) individuals identified as delirious by the more exclusive DSM-5 criteria were also identified as such by DSM-IV.
Activation of visceral afferents by bradykinin and ischemia: independent roles of PKC and prostaglandins

We have shown that the cyclooxygenase (COX) and protein kinase C (PKC) systems both contribute to afferent activation in response to bradykinin (BK) and abdominal ischemia. Because the contribution...
Geothermal source potential for water desalination – Current status and future perspective

Abstract Direct use and power generation based on geothermal sources are growing at a steadfast pace around the world. Although available abundantly in many parts of the world, geothermal energy sources have been under-utilized in desalination applications. Geothermal sources have the potential to serve as excellent heat sources for thermal desalination processes. Since thermal desalination processes require large quantities of heat sources, geothermal based energy source represents a feasible, sustainable, and an environmentally friendly option. The advantage with geothermal source is that it can act as a heat source and a storage medium for process energy utilization. If these water sources have high dissolved solids, then they can serve as feed water for the desalination process. Since external energy consumption is minimized except for the mechanical energy requirements, geothermal enabled desalination processes could have less environmental impacts when compared to other nonrenewable energy driven desalination processes. Cogeneration schemes for simultaneous water and power production are also possible with geothermal sources as well as poly generation with multiple process benefits involving cooling and heating applications. This paper provides the present state-of-the-art of geothermal desalination with discussion on the benefits of geothermal desalination over other renewable and nonrenewable energy driven desalination configurations. Present status of the worldwide geothermal desalination and the potential for future developments in this technological area were discussed in detail with case studies for Australia, Caribbean Islands, Central America (Coasta Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama), India, Israel, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE, USA, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Validity and reliability of a practitioner service tool: potential resource for assessing faculty practitioners.

Agreements between colleges of pharmacy and affiliated practice sites allow faculty members to provide contemporary clinical pharmacy service while educating pharmacy students during pharmacy practice experiences.[1][1] Assessment of the faculty member’s clinical pharmacy service is necessary to
The State of Dyadic Methodology: An Analysis of the Literature on Interventions for Military Couples

ABSTRACTMilitary members and their spouses experience unique stressors compared with civilian couples, making them distinctively vulnerable to a number of marital and mental health concerns. However, the amount and quality of intervention research to guide treatment for military couples are unknown. Therefore, a systematic literature search of interventions for military couples was completed resulting in 10 articles that met the study's inclusion and exclusion criteria. Further, a rubric to assess dyadic methodology was created and utilized to determine the dyadic quality of the methodology of the sampled articles. The results of the systematic literature review revealed that (a) there are few evidence-based interventions for military couples in which both members of the dyad are included and (b) the methodology by which treatments are evaluated largely do not employ systemic or dyadic measures. Recommendations for future research with military couples includes the need for couple-focused interventions us...
Vapor phase growth of Hg 1-x Cd x Te epitaxial layers

Epitaxial layers of Hg1−xCdxTe have been grown on CdTe substrates by a new vapor-phase method which yields compositions covering the entire alloy range (0≤x≤1). Independent control of the four principal parameters that determine the composition — the substrate temperature (400-550‡G) and the partial pressures of Hg, Cd and Te — is achieved in an open-tube system that utilizes separate elemental sources. The choice of growth parameters is discussed in terms of a model that treats the deposition of the alloys as the simultaneous deposition of HgTe and CdTe. In the direction perpendicular to the layer surface there is an initial region of uniform alloy composition, followed by a graded region extending to the substrate. Absorption edge measurements showed the composition parallel to the surface to be quite uniform. All the layers are n-type, with carrier concentrations of 1016-1017/cm3 to a depth of several micrometers, below which there is a region of greatly reduced concentration extending into the substrate.
Development of Periodic Eight-channel Time Controller

This paper introduces the design of multi-channel time controller as well as the method of development. It provides eight channels to work at independently and periodically, It' s designed by SRAM. It can be installed or modified conveniently at any moment and has high precision.
Measurement error and outcome distributions: Methodological issues in regression analyses of behavioral coding data.

Behavioral coding is increasingly used for studying mechanisms of change in psychosocial treatments for substance use disorders (SUDs). However, behavioral coding data typically include features that can be problematic in regression analyses, including measurement error in independent variables, non normal distributions of count outcome variables, and conflation of predictor and outcome variables with third variables, such as session length. METHODological research in econometrics has shown that these issues can lead to biased parameter estimates, inaccurate standard errors, and increased Type I and Type II error rates, yet these statistical issues are not widely known within SUD treatment research, or more generally, within psychotherapy coding research. Using minimally technical language intended for a broad audience of SUD treatment researchers, the present paper illustrates the nature in which these data issues are problematic. We draw on real-world data and simulation-based examples to illustrate how these data features can bias estimation of parameters and interpretation of models. A weighted negative binomial regression is introduced as an alternative to ordinary linear regression that appropriately addresses the data characteristics common to SUD treatment behavioral coding data. We conclude by demonstrating how to use and interpret these models with data from a study of motivational interviewing. SPSS and R syntax for weighted negative binomial regression models is included in online supplemental materials.(c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Aggregate and slag cement effects on autogenous shrinkage in cementitious materials

Abstract This study investigates the susceptibility of cementitious materials to internal moisture condition by the autogenous deformation measurement in the 0.35 water-binder (w/b) ratio systems (paste, mortar and concrete). Autogenous shrinkage is obtained by separating the thermal effects from the measured total deformation using the maturity concept and the coefficient of thermal deformation (CTD). Three factors affecting the autogenous shrinkage are presented, that is the aggregate content, the partial replacement of portland cement with slag cement and of normal weight fine aggregate with lightweight aggregate (LWA). Autogenous shrinkage is clearly reduced by an increasing aggregate content and this effect is predicted by an improved Pickett’s model using a time-dependent aggregate restraining factor. A binary cementitious system of portland cement and slag cement increases the autogenous shrinkage in the long term. Contribution of slag cement can be characterized by the difference in autogenous shrinkage between the binary system and the control system scaled down by the replacement ratio. The negative effect of slag cement can be neutralized by the incorporation of LWA as a partial sand replacement.
Tests of a Model of Food Passage Rates in Hummingbirds

Calcul du taux de passage alimentaire chez 2 especes d'oiseaux apres un repas unique ou une alimentation ad libitum. Etude du taux d'excretion, du taux de vidage du jabot, correlation avec la quantite d'aliment absorbee
Production of Benzene, Toluene, and the Xylenes from Natural Gas via Methanol

Abstract Recently discovered sources of shale gas, coupled with the technological improvements within the shale gas industry, have increased the supply of natural gas in the United States. However, several challenges have emerged due to these developments, a critical one being the proper utilization of this resource into more valuable products via processes that are both economical and profitable. A subset of these valuable products are aromatics, which represent about one-third of the market for commodity petrochemicals. In this work, we introduce the first systematic global optimization based process synthesis framework to determine the most profitable processes to produce aromatics from natural gas. Several novel, commercial, and/or competing technologies are included within the process superstructure, which is modelled as a mixed-integer, nonlinear, nonconvex optimization model. The results presented illustrate promising alternatives for the production of aromatics from natural gas via methanol.
Biomass and Pigment Production in Three Isolates of Azolla I. Response to Water Stress

Two isolates of Azolla Lam. from Colombia, South America, and one from the USA (Florida) were selected for characterization of their growth potentials in certain defined stress environments. These isolates were Amazonian (RAR) and Atlantic coastal (M-3) specimens of Azolla caroliniana Willd and a Floridian variety (LA) of Azolla filiculoides Lam. Osmotic stress (from polyethylene glycol-amended media) and osmotic/salt stress (from sea water-amended media) were the chosen determinants in these trials. Their effects on growth responses were monitored. Initial growth rates of LA and M-3 were stimulated at 1 and 5 ppt seawater salts, relative to growth under control conditions. RAR, however, was generally the most stable isolate in the experiments with seawater-induced ionic stress. LA was most stable in its biomass growth in experiments with polyethylene glycol 6000, but chlorophyll accumulation data were again least affected in RAR. LA survived the longest of the three isolates at a water potential of approximately -10 bars with either seawater (13 ppt salts) or polyethylene glycol (26 per cent). The latter amendment was usually more inhibitory to acetylene reduction rates in RAR and consistently more inhibitory in LA. RAR was tentatively judged by its reactions to water stress to be the superior isolate of the three.
Talent development recommendations for coaches to consider

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to discuss critical issues surrounding talent development, specifically sport specialization, and the implications for coaches to consider. Talent and talent development are defined, as well as factors associated with the merits of sport specialization or diversification. While there is not a one-size-fits-all approach for all athletes in weighing the multitude of personal, environmental, and contextual factors that facilitate athletic development, previous research does provide several guiding principles for coaches. Based on this literature, four recommendations for coaches (evaluate your beliefs, discuss motives with athletes, strive for balance, and create a culture) are proposed to help coaches create a more effective environment for athletes.
Cooperative Vehicle Environmental Monitoring

This chapter reviews cooperative control of autonomous vehicles for environmental monitoring with a focus on methodologies that have been designed, deployed, and proven to provide efficient, reliable, and sustained monitoring of the uncertain and inhospitable ocean environment. Vehicles that communicate their state or measure the relative state of other vehicles in the team can cooperate by using feedback control to coordinate their motion as a mobile, reconfigurable sensor array, responding efficiently to changing signals, scales, and conditions in the environment. In a variety of contexts, a vehicle team with judiciously designed cooperative control can outperform the same team with each vehicle controlled independently. For example, cooperative control methodologies have been developed to improve the richness of information in the data that the vehicles collect, their accuracy in feature detection and tracking, and the robustness of their decisions to uncertainty and failures. The chapter begins with a survey of early work on ocean sampling and environmental monitoring, cooperative control, and collective motion. The theory, methodology, and field deployment are then highlighted for two projects on cooperative vehicle monitoring in the coastal ocean that demonstrated the applicability and associated performance advantages of cooperative control. The chapter concludes with a presentation of more recent developments as well as future directions in cooperative vehicle environmental monitoring.
Accounting for random regressors: a unified approach to multi-modality imaging

Massively univariate regression and inference in the form of statistical parametric mapping have transformed the way in which multi-dimensional imaging data are studied. In functional and structural neuroimaging, the de facto standard "design matrix"-based general linear regression model and its multi-level cousins have enabled investigation of the biological basis of the human brain. With modern study designs, it is possible to acquire multiple three-dimensional assessments of the same individuals -- e.g., structural, functional and quantitative magnetic resonance imaging alongside functional and ligand binding maps with positron emission tomography. Current statistical methods assume that the regressors are non-random. For more realistic multi-parametric assessment (e.g., voxel-wise modeling), distributional consideration of all observations is appropriate (e.g., Model II regression). Herein, we describe a unified regression and inference approach using the design matrix paradigm which accounts for both random and nonrandom imaging regressors.
Certifying microgrid stability under large-signal intermittency

The uptake of high penetrations of renewable energy in microgrids is curtailed by concerns that their intermittency may cause the system to become unstable. The classic approach of small-signal stability analysis may lead to overly optimistic conclusions, because it implicitly assumes that the intermittency is small-signal in nature. Instead, LMI techniques from robust controls can be used to provide large-signal stability guarantees that overcome this limitation. In this paper, we give an illustrative example of a microgrid that is guaranteed to be stable under small-signal intermittency, and show that it can be made unstable when the intermittency becomes large-signal. Instead, we compute more conservative large-signal stability margins using Lyapunov analysis, and show that the small- and large-signal stability margins are related by the maximum allowable slew-rate of the intermittency.
Knockdown (KD) of Mir-126 Expression Enhances Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI)-Mediated Targeting of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) Stem Cells

BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), although highly effective in inducing remission and improving survival in CML patients, fail to eliminate leukemia stem cells (LSC), which remain a potential source of relapse. The long-term goal of our research is to improve the understanding of molecular mechanisms regulating LSC growth and develop effective mechanism-based therapeutic strategies to target LSC in CML. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that regulate translation of target protein-coding messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and levels of the corresponding encoded proteins. Among distinct miRNAs, miR-126-3p (miR-126) is expressed in normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and early hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) and plays a pivotal role in restraining cell-cycle progression of HSC in vitro and in vivo (Cell Stem Cell, 2012). We previously reported that miR-126 expression varies among AML patients; higher level of miR-126 associated with poor outcome, a LSC-associated gene expression signature and increased LSC quiescence; and miR-126 down-regulation decreased LSC self-renewal activity in serial transplant experiments (Leukemia, 2015). Here, we report that the more primitive LSK (Lin-Sca-1+Kit+) from SCL-tTA-BCR/ABL mouse model of CML had higher miR-126 expression compared to more differentiated subpopulations, i.e. common myeloid progenitors (CMP) (3.2 fold) and granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (GMP) (6.4 fold). Among LSK subpopulations, LSC (Flt3-CD150+CD48- LSK) demonstrated the highest miR-126 levels (P Disclosures Stein:Amgen: Speakers Bureau. Snyder:BMS: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Ariad: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees. Forman:Mustang: Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy.
Fundamental Scaling Laws in Nanophotonics.

The success of information technology has clearly demonstrated that miniaturization often leads to unprecedented performance, and unanticipated applications. This hypothesis of “smaller-is-better” has motivated optical engineers to build various nanophotonic devices, although an understanding leading to fundamental scaling behavior for this new class of devices is missing. Here we analyze scaling laws for optoelectronic devices operating at micro and nanometer length-scale. We show that optoelectronic device performance scales non-monotonically with device length due to the various device tradeoffs, and analyze how both optical and electrical constrains influence device power consumption and operating speed. Specifically, we investigate the direct influence of scaling on the performance of four classes of photonic devices, namely laser sources, electro-optic modulators, photodetectors, and all-optical switches based on three types of optical resonators; microring, Fabry-Perot cavity, and plasmonic metal nanoparticle. Results show that while microrings and Fabry-Perot cavities can outperform plasmonic cavities at larger length-scales, they stop working when the device length drops below 100 nanometers, due to insufficient functionality such as feedback (laser), index-modulation (modulator), absorption (detector) or field density (optical switch). Our results provide a detailed understanding of the limits of nanophotonics, towards establishing an opto-electronics roadmap, akin to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors.
Global and regional estimates of warm cloud droplet number concentration based on 13 years of AQUA-MODIS observations

Abstract. We present and evaluate a climatology of cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) based on 13 years of Aqua-MODIS observations. The climatology provides monthly mean 1 × 1° CDNC values plus associated uncertainties over the global ice-free oceans. All values are in-cloud values, i.e. the reported CDNC value will be valid for the cloudy part of the grid box. Here, we provide an overview of how the climatology was generated and assess and quantify potential systematic error sources including effects of broken clouds, and remaining artefacts caused by the retrieval process or related to observation geometry. Retrievals and evaluations were performed at the scale of initial MODIS observations (in contrast to some earlier climatologies, which were created based on already gridded data). This allowed us to implement additional screening criteria, so that observations inconsistent with key assumptions made in the CDNC retrieval could be rejected. Application of these additional screening criteria led to significant changes in the annual cycle of CDNC in terms of both its phase and magnitude. After an optimal screening was established a final CDNC climatology was generated. Resulting CDNC uncertainties are reported as monthly-mean standard deviations of CDNC over each 1 × 1° grid box. These uncertainties are of the order of 30 % in the stratocumulus regions and 60 to 80 % elsewhere.
Twisted gauge theories in three-dimensional Walker-Wang models

Three-dimensional gauge theories with a discrete gauge group can emerge from spin models as a gapped topological phase with fractional point excitations (gauge charge) and loop excitations (gauge flux). It is known that 3D gauge theories can be “twisted,” in the sense that the gauge flux loops can have nontrivial braiding statistics among themselves and such twisted gauge theories are realized in models discovered by Dijkgraaf and Witten. A different framework to systematically construct three-dimensional topological phases was proposed by Walker and Wang and a series of examples have been studied. Can the Walker-Wang construction be used to realize the topological order in twisted gauge theories? This is not immediately clear because the Walker-Wang construction is based on a loop condensation picture while the Dijkgraaf-Witten theory is based on a membrane condensation picture. In this paper, we show that the answer to this question is Yes, by presenting an explicit construction of the Walker-Wang models which realize both the twisted and untwisted gauge theories with gauge group Z_2×Z_2. We identify the topological order of the models by performing modular transformations on the ground-state wave functions and show that the modular matrices exactly match those for the Z_2×Z_2 gauge theories. By relating the Walker-Wang construction to the Dijkgraaf-Witten construction, our result opens up a way to study twisted gauge theories with fermonic charges, and correspondingly strongly interacting fermionic symmetry protected topological phases and their surface states, through exactly solvable models.
Chapter 6 Visual evoked potentials

Publisher Summary Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) are mass responses to light stimuli recorded from electrodes placed on the scalp over the occipital region. They are non-invasive responses with an excellent temporal resolution (in the range of milliseconds) correlating to the processing of visual information as it is transmitted from the retina to the visual cortices. Visual evoked responses are dominated by the fovea, which has a preferential representation and magnification in the primary visual cortex. Visual processing involves not only the occipital lobe, but also large areas of the parietal and temporal lobes; thus, VEPs can be recorded from a large region of the scalp, extending from the vertex to the inion. As the visual system processes information through parallel channels, the manipulation of visual stimuli may be utilized to activate various visual pathways. VEPs follow the fundamental principles of visual processing, namely parallel processing, modular design, functional specialization, and primacy: (1) principle of parallel processing, (2) principle of modular design, (3) principle of functional specialization, and (4) Principle of primacy. This chapter discusses the practical aspects of VEPs as they apply to clinical diagnosis and deals mainly with VEPs elicited by pattern reversal checkerboard.
Citizen Science in the Digital Age: Rhetoric, Science, and Public Engagement, by James Wynn: Tuscaloosa: U of Alabama P, 2017. 207 pp. $49.95 (cloth or ebook)

Recently I was chatting with our environmental science faculty about a monarch butterfly project and the lead scientist exclaimed, “Citizen Science?! That’s a bad phrase around here.” Our conversat...
The effects of time-dependent excitation on the oscillatory motion of viscously damped laminated composite flat panels

Analytical estimates are used to describe the effects of transverse shear deformation, transverse normal stress, damping, and heterogeneity on the dynamic responses of laminated composite structures. The higher-order plate model is delineated with attention given to applications for viscously damped cross-ply symmetrically laminated plates subject to different time-history excitations. These effects are considered in the context of sonic-boom and blast loadings, and comparisons are made between the results of higher-order plate theory, first-order transverse-shear deformation, and classical theory. The results of the present higher-order model are found to be immune to the changes incurred by adding transverse viscous into the analysis. The responses of pulse-loadings due to symmetrical sonic boom and a triangular blast are found to be similar for certain times and pressure fields. It is shown that only the higher-order plate theory permits the accurate evaluation of frequency spectrum and time-history structural response of composite laminates.
Probing the Architecture of Hierarchical Multi-Body Systems: Photometric Characterization of the Triply-Eclipsing Triple-Star System KIC 6543674

It is mainly due to the unknown initial distribution of stellar obliquities that the spin–orbit misalignment cannot be immediately interpreted as a signature of past dynamical interactions. In contrast, the misalignment between planetary orbits in the same system will serve as more direct evidence for the past dynamical event and may also complement the interpretation of obliquity measurements. Indeed, the scenarios for the high-eccentricity migration discussed in Sect. 3.1 all involve the excitation of the mutual orbital inclination. Moreover, these processes themselves are more generic than the hot Jupiter formation and their signature may also be observed in systems without hot Jupiters. Such systems, if identified and characterized in detail, will serve as direct evidence for the dynamical scenario and/or useful test beds for studying how it works in real systems. The high-eccentricity scenario often involves a hierarchical configuration (see Sect. 3.1), where the orbit of an outer planet/star is much wider than that of the inner planet. For this reason, characterization of hierarchical systems will be a key for the purpose described above. As the first step of such an effort, this chapter presents the characterization of a hierarchical triple-star system based on the Kepler photometric data. We determine the three-dimensional orbits and physical dimensions of all three stars in the system by a joint modeling of the eclipse light curves and mutual gravitational interaction: the technique also applicable to a hierarchical planetary system with a massive outer planet. We also discuss the implication for the very close inner orbit of this system, whose origin may be similar to those of hot Jupiters.
Transcriptomic Impacts of Rumen Epithelium Induced by Butyrate Infusion in Dairy Cattle in Dry Period.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of butyrate infusion on rumen epithelial transcriptome. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) and bioinformatics are used to accelerate our understa...
Glucocorticoid signaling regulates cell invasion and migration in the human first‐trimester trophoblast cell line Sw.71

Problem The development of the placenta and its functions are sensitive to infection and stress, which can activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Adrenally produced glucocorticoids are the body's primary mediators of the inflammatory and stress response. Although the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is expressed in all human villous trophoblast tissue, the effect of glucocorticoids on placentation is not well understood. Method of study Using microarray analysis, we identified the glucocorticoid-regulated transcriptional profile in the immortalized first-trimester extravillous trophoblast cell line Swan.71 (Sw.71). Results The synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone significantly regulated 3829 genes, including genes associated with cell movement, growth, and survival. SERPINE1, an inhibitor of trophoblast invasion, was induced by glucocorticoids in Sw.71 cells and is associated with the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Glucocorticoid treatment induced recruitment of activated polymerase II and GR to the SERPINE1 promoter, suggesting a mechanism for transcriptional regulation. Functionally, glucocorticoid treatment inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conclusion These findings suggest that glucocorticoids regulate extravillous trophoblast functions by altering the gene expression profile, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of reproductive disorders such as preeclampsia and IUGR.
Structural Organization of Heterochromatin in the Human Genome

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the structural organization of heterochromatin in the human genome. Heterochromatin represents specific portions of the sex chromosomes as well as autosomes. Heterochromatin can be defined as darkly stained genetic material that is late replicating and genetically inactive and remains in a condensed state or heteropycnotic throughout the interphase. Heterochromatin is subclassified into two types: constitutive heterochromatin and facultative heterochromatin. The constitutive heterochromatin is present in all cells at identical positions on both homologous chromosomes and forms a permanent structural characteristics of a given chromosome pair. The facultative heterochromatin varies in its state in different cell types, at different developmental stages, or even from one homologous chromosome to another, that is, it is heteropycnotic in special cell types or at special stages. In 1949, Barr and Bertram noted a heteropycnotic element in the nuclei of the nerve cells of female cats that was absent in male cats. This has been referred to as sex-chromatin or a Barr body. In the somatic cells of mammals, only one X chromosome is active, while the other one is condensed and appears as sex chromatin in interphase. The inactive X chromosome is a classic example of facultative heterochromatinization.
P093 Next generation sequencing – evolution to a workflow model for exclusive primary HLA typing of hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplantation

Aim Our lab has established the NXType™ kit on the Ion-Chef and Ion-S5 workflow for high resolution HLA typing. This work was aimed to evaluate the analytical performance of the method for accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, reportable range, repeatability, and reproducibility. We also determined optimal run size and workflow within the lab to strike a balance between suitable number of reads per locus and number of samples to avoid low coverage and dropouts. Using NGS as primary typing method for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) and the solid organ (SO) programs was assessed. Methods Class I and HLA Class II were amplified with NXType™ or ALLType™ primer sets. Automated template preparation and chip loading were performed in the Ion Chef™ system and run on Ion S5™. Data was analyzed with TypeStream™ v1.1.0.11 and TypeStream™ Visual NGS Analysis Software. Results We found that the optimal run size was a minimum of 24 samples, a 3-fold increase of previous capacity. To maximize the use of chip space the number of samples/run was increased with confirmatory solid organ typings. We determined that running 24 samples with SSOP or NGS required similar manpower and instrument time. Although lab work was less with SSOP, analysis time and effort was greater than with NGS. After two years of experience with NGS HLA typing (∼1500 samples), we considered using NGS as the primary typing method for the HSC and the solid organ programs. Our historical data showed only 2 cases where NGS gave non-concordant results with SSOP or SSP. However, these samples were flagged by the software and both had associations that were red-flagged during analysis. The repeat rate for SSOP was 2.8% while for NGS was 0.3%. All NGS repeats were technical failures and not ambiguity resolution. We evaluated the ALLtype kit, which includes DQA1 necessary for solid organ initial typing, and a liquid handler for automation of library preparation. In addition, we implemented the TypeStream Visual (TSV) analysis software that includes serological equivalents. Conclusions We confirmed that NGS is a robust methodology for HLA typing. It provides results first time is run, reducing reflex testing. Combining automation with ALLType™ kit and TSV software, the analysis will be used as the primary method and SSOP as a reflex method for HSC and SO.
Atomistic Field Theory for contact electrification of dielectrics

Abstract The triboelectrification of conducting materials can be explained by electron transfer between different Fermi levels. However, triboelectrification in dielectrics is poorly understood. The surface dipole formations are shown to be caused by the contact-induced surface lattice deformations. An Atomistic Field Theory (AFT) based formulation is utilized to calculate the distribution of the polarization, electric and potential fields. The induced fields are considered as the driving force for charge transfer. The simulation results show that a MgO/BaTiO3 tribopair can generate up to 104 V / c m 2 , which is comprable with the data in the published literature.
Are Perioperative Antibiotics Necessary During Direct Microlaryngoscopy

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS There are currently no established recommendations for the use of perioperative antibiotics (PAs) to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs) for direct microlaryngoscopy (DML). This study examined the incidence of SSI in patients undergoing DML with and without PAs. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective, multi-institutional chart review. METHODS A retrospective, multi-institutional chart review was performed at four tertiary referral academic medical centers. Patients undergoing DML from 2010 to 2017 were identified using Current Procedural Terminology codes. Medical records of patients undergoing DML with biopsy, microsurgery, laser ablation, or vocal fold injection who had adequate follow-up were reviewed. Procedures with significant cartilage destruction, concurrent open surgery, or esophageal surgery were excluded. Data recorded included age, gender, pacemaker history, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, wound class, indication for surgery, use of laser, complications, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, pain, fever, and postoperative steroid and antibiotic prescriptions. Presence or absence of SSIs was evaluated by a fellowship-trained laryngologist. RESULTS There were 834 patients who met inclusion criteria. Of those, 698 did not receive PAs and 136 received PAs. The median age of patients was 54 years of age in the PA group and 57.5 years of age in the non-PA group, and all cases were recorded as wound class II. Overall, 58% of surgeries involved use of carbon dioxide or potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser. Only one SSI was reported on follow-up in a patient who did receive PAs. CONCLUSIONS SSIs are exceedingly rare following DML. PA use is not indicated for routine DML. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 128:2838-2843, 2018.
Crowdsourcing inspiration: Using crowd generated inspirational stimuli to support designer ideation

Inspirational stimuli, such as analogies, are a prominent mechanism used to support designers. However, generating relevant inspirational stimuli remains challenging. This work explores the potential of using an untrained crowd workforce to generate stimuli for trained designers. Crowd workers developed solutions for twelve open-ended design problems from the literature. Solutions were text-mined to extract words along a frequency domain, which, along with computationally derived semantic distances, partitioned stimuli into closer or further distance categories for each problem. The utility of these stimuli was tested in a human subjects experiment (N = 96). Results indicate crowdsourcing holds potential to gather impactful inspirational stimuli for open-ended design problems. Near stimuli improve the feasibility and usefulness of designs solutions, while distant stimuli improved their uniqueness.
Automated Closed- and Open-Loop Validation of Knowledge-Based Planning Routines Across Multiple Disease Sites

Abstract Purpose Knowledge-based planning (KBP) clinical implementation necessitates significant upfront effort, even within a single disease site. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate an efficient method for clinicians to assess the noninferiority of KBP across multiple disease sites and estimate any systematic dosimetric differences after implementation. We sought to establish these endpoints in a plurality of previously treated patients (validation set) with both closed-loop (training set overlapping validation set) and open-loop (independent training set) KBP routines. Methods and Materials We identified 53 prostate, 24 prostatic fossa, 54 hypofractionated lung, and 52 head and neck patients treated with volumetric modulated arc therapy in the year directly preceding our clinic's broad adoption of RapidPlan (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). Using the Varian Eclipse Scripting API, our program takes as input a list of patients, then performs semiautomated structure matching, fully automated RapidPlan-driven optimization, and plan comparison. All plans were normalized to the planning target volume (PTV) D95% = 100%. Dose metric differences (ΔDx = Dx,clinical − Dx,KBP) were computed for standard PTV and organ-at-risk (OAR) dose-volume histogram parameters across disease sites. A 2-tailed paired t test quantified statistical significance (P Results Statistically significant organ dose-volume histogram improvements were observed in the KBP cohort: the rectum, bladder, and penile bulb in prostate/prostatic fossa; and the larynx, esophagus, cricopharyngeus, parotid glands, and cochlea in head and neck. No OAR dose metric was statistically worse in any KBP sample. PTV ΔD1% increases in prostatic fossa were deemed acceptable given organ-sparing gains. PTV ΔD1% and internal target volume ΔD99% increase for the lung was by design owing to the prescription normalization variance in the pre-KBP lung sample. Conclusions Our automated method showed multiple disease sites' KBP routines to be noninferior to manual planning, with statistically significant superiority in some aspects of OAR sparing. This method is applicable to any institution implementing either closed-loop or open-loop KBP autoplanning routines.
Use of prescription opioids among patients with rheumatic diseases compared to patients with hypertension in the USA: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective Long-term opioid prescribing has increased amid concerns over effectiveness and safety of its use. We examined long-term prescription opioid use among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS), compared with patients with hypertension (HTN). Methods We used Truven MarketScan, a US commercial claims database (2003–2014) and identified RA, SLE, PsA and AS cohorts, each matched by age and sex to patients with HTN. We compared long-term opioid prescription use during 1 year of follow-up and used multivariable Poisson regression model to estimate the relative risk (RR) of receiving opioid prescriptions based on underlying disease cohort. Results We identified 181 710 RA (mean age 55.3±13.1, 77% female), 45 834 SLE (47.1±13.1, 91% female), 30 307 PsA (49.7±11.5, 51% female), 7686 AS (44.6±12.0, 39% female) and parallel numbers of age-matched and sex-matched patients with HTN. The proportion of patients receiving long-term opioid prescriptions, and other measures of opioid prescriptions were higher among rheumatic disease cohorts and highest in patients with AS. AS was associated with the highest RR of receiving long-term opioid prescriptions (RR 2.73, 95% CI 2.60 to 2.87) versus HTN, while RRs were 2.21 (2.16 to 2.25) for RA, 1.94 (1.87 to 2.00) for PsA and 1.82 (1.77 to 1.88) for SLE. Conclusions Patients with rheumatic disease have higher rates of long-term opioid prescriptions, and patients with AS have the highest risk of receiving opioid prescriptions versus patients with HTN. Further studies investigating the effectiveness of disease-targeted treatments on decreasing opioid use in these four rheumatic diseases may provide strategies for reducing prescription opioids.
Phosphine-Catalyzed Asymmetric Synthesis of β-Lactones from Arylketoketenes and Aromatic Aldehydes.

The reaction is catalyzed by (R)-BINAPHANE to afford the optically enriched β-lactones with high dia- and enantioselectivities.
Commercial PACE Financing and the Special Assessment Process: Understanding Roles and Managing Risks for Local Governments

Author(s): Leventis, Greg; Schwartz, Lisa C | Abstract: This issue brief is for local governments that are well-positioned to participate in a commercial property assessed clean energy (C-PACE) program but are looking to inform a decision about whether to join or create a program. This resource addresses two specific barriers these local governments may face regarding C-PACE programs: (1) uncertainty about the likelihood of tax foreclosure on properties in default of C-PACE payments and the risks local governments bear, and (2) uncertainty about the staff labor commitment associated with administering the program, including the execution of the special tax assessment process.
Adjudicative Competence and the Criminalization of Intellectual Disability

Wood and colleagues effectively argue that Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to securing accommodations for persons with intellectual/disability disorder so that such persons can meaningfully participate in the criminal adjudicative process. This invited commentary further discusses the challenges in identifying, assisting, and fully accommodating persons with intellectual/disability disorder in the criminal justice system. It also highlights ongoing problems with stereotypes within this population, which may affect the outcome of criminal proceedings. This commentary argues that persons with intellectual/disability disorder will likely continue to be treated unequally in the criminal justice system until better supports, treatments, and services are provided in community settings because treatment and placement options are often closely linked with case disposition.