cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Climate Change and Sustainable Transportation: The Case of California

California has adopted innovative legislation to tackle climate change. Energy-efficient buildings, lower-emissions industrial processes, and more fuel-efficient transportation vehicles operating on cleaner fuels are among the many strategies that are being implemented. However, to attain the needed reductions, California must find additional strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, especially from the transportation sector, which is a large fraction of the total emissions problem. This paper discusses the efforts that are underway to further increase transportation efficiency, shift transportation to less CO2-intensive modes, and slow or reverse growth in vehicle-kilometers of travel (VKT). The legislative mandate is leading to a new focus on methods for quantifying travel changes and emissions reductions, ranging from spreadsheet approaches to integrated transportation-land use models. It also is renewing interest in travel-demand management and land-use policies that could reduce overall travel. While a number of cities have embraced these strategies, their success in the face of the state’s continuing growth will likely depend on both federal and state policies and funding incentives.
Ivory coast microtektites and geomagnetic reversals

The reported association of the Ivory Coast microtektite occurrence with the onset of the Jaramillo normal polarity subchron has given support to the notion that impact events can give rise to geomagnetic reversals. We re-evaluate the paleomagnetic stratigraphy of two critical deep-sea sediment cores bearing Ivory Coast microtektites (K9-57 and V27-239) and show that this event likely occurred during the Jaramillo subchron approximately 30 kY after its onset and 40 kY before its termination. This new result thus argues against any causal relationship between the Ivory Coast tektite­ producing event and a geomagnetic polarity reversal.
Geology of Devonian Shale Oil and Gas in Pleasants, Wood, and Ritchie Counties, West Virginia

The Upper Devonian shale play of western West Virginia is an area of active development of unconventional oil and gas reserves. It is unconventional in that production is from fine-grained fractured reservoirs. Examination of recent drilling results has led to a more detailed understanding of the structure and stratigraphy of the area, which in turn can explain some of the production trends observed. Areas of greater fracture density and therefore higher productivity are related to areas of shearing motion in the Burning Springs thrust sheet. Open flows after stimulation in these wells can be very high, but first-year decline is rapid. It is uncertain at this time how long a production life these wells will have.
ApoB-100-related peptide vaccine protects against angiotensin II-induced aortic aneurysm formation and rupture.

Abstract Background T cells and macrophages are implicated in the pathogenesis of aortic aneurysm (AA) and atherosclerosis. We recently demonstrated that a vaccine using an apoB-100–related peptide p210 reduces atherosclerosis with favorable modulation of CD8+ T cells in apolipoprotein E–deficient (apoE−/−) mice. Objectives This study hypothesized that a p210 vaccine could reduce AA formation in the angiotensin II (Ang II)–induced AA model. Methods Male apoE−/− mice were immunized with p210 vaccine and implanted with an Ang II–releasing pump for 4 weeks. Flow cytometry assessed T cell activation and phenotype. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) expression were assessed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We used ex vivo aortic explants to test monocyte adhesion and in vitro cocultures to evaluate CD8+ T cell function. Results The p210 vaccine activated CD8+ T cells and reduced AA formation and mortality due to AA rupture, which was attenuated by CD8+ T cell depletion. Vaccination decreased expression of IL-6 and MCP-1 and reduced macrophage infiltration in the aorta. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte assay showed that CD8+ T cells from p210-immunized mice had higher lytic activity against Ang II–stimulated macrophages. The p210 vaccine decreased splenic Th17 cells, and in vitro coculture of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells showed that CD8+ T cells from p210-immunized mice inhibited the polarization of CD4+ T cells into Th17 cells. IL-17A−/− mice infused with a higher dose of Ang II did not develop AA rupture. Conclusions A p210 vaccine protected against Ang II–induced AA formation and mortality by reducing macrophage infiltration in the aorta and decreasing Th17 cell polarization. Our findings provide a potentially novel immunomodulating approach against AA.
Expression of agrin in the developing and adult rat brain

Agrin, a synaptic basal lamina protein, is essential for the formation of the vertebrate neuromuscular junction. Agrin's role in synaptogenesis in the central nervous system has, however, not been elucidated. Therefore, we performed immunohistochemical analysis of agrin localization in adult rat brain using agrin-specific polyclonal antibodies. Our results show that agrin immunoreactivity is detected in neuronal cells throughout the brain, and that agrin is expressed in many morphologically and neurochemically distinct neuronal populations. Within neurons, agrin-immunoreactive material is present in dendrites. To determine agrin isoform expression in the central nervous system, we analysed the pattern of expression of several isoforms during development of the rat brain. Our results indicate that alternative splicing of agrin is specifically regulated in the nervous system; isoforms of the Y=4 (i.e. Ag x,4,0, Ag x,4,8 and Ag x,4,19), Z=8 and Z=19 type are expressed exclusively in the nervous system. Agrin expression precedes synaptogenesis and is developmentally regulated in neural tissues. To evaluate stimuli that may be involved in the regulation of agrin expression, we monitored the patterns of isoform expression following a depolarizing stimulus. Our results show that agrin expression in the adult hippocampus is regulated in an activity-dependent manner, with kinetics of induction resembling a delayed early response gene.
The orientation and polarization of broad absorption line quasars

We present new spectropolarimetric observations of 8 radio-loud broad absorption line (BAL) quasars, and combine these new data with our previous spectropolarimetric atlases (of both radio-loud and radio-quiet objects) in order to investigate the polarization properties of BAL quasars as a group. The total (radio-selected) sample includes 36 (26) high-ionization and 22 (15) low-ionization BAL quasars. On average, we confirm that broad emission lines are polarized at a level similar to or less than the continuum and broad absorption troughs are more highly polarized, but we note that these properties are not true for all individual objects. Of the whole sample, 18 (31%) have high (>2%) continuum polarization, including 45% of the LoBALs and 22% of HiBALs. We identify a few correlations between polarization and other quasar properties, as well as some interesting non-correlations. In particular, continuum polarization does not correlate with radio spectral index, which suggests that the polarization is not due to a standard geometry and preferred viewing angle to BAL quasars. The polarization also does not correlate with the amount of intrinsic dust reddening, indicating that the polarization is not solely due to direct light attenuation either. Polarization does appear to depend on the minimum BAL outflow velocity, confirming the results of previous studies, and it may correlate with the maximum outflow velocity. We also find that continuum polarization anti-correlates with the polarization in the C IV broad emission and broad absorption. These results suggest that the polarization of BAL quasars cannot be described by one simple model, and that the scatterer location and geometry can vary significantly from object to object.
On the Stability of Traveling Waves in Weighted L∞ Spaces

Abstract I present new techniques and results concerning the stability of travelling waves to semilinear parabolic equations. I am concerned with those problems in which the essential spectrum of the linearization about the wave contains λ = 0. In these circumstances, the stability results of D. Henry ( in "Lecture Notes in Mathematics," Vol. 840, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1981) and P. Bates and C. Jones ( Dynamics Rep. 2 (1989), 1-38) are not applicable, as the spectral information does not yield an exponential time decay estimate on the semigroup. I show that under certain (relatively) easily computable conditions the wave is stable in polynomially weighted L ∞ spaces. Furthermore, the rate at which the perturbation decays to the wave as t → ∞ depends on the growth rate of the polynomial near infinity. The method of proof uses the semigroup of the linearized equation, with solutions of the full problem expressed by the variation of constants formula. Estimates for the semigroup are derived through a new technique for estimating the resolvent.
A discrete event simulation model simplification technique

Cycle Time -- Throughput curves (CT-TH), which plot the average cycle time versus start rate for a given product mix, are often used to support decisions made in manufacturing settings, such as the impact of proposed changes in start rate on mean cycle time. Discrete event simulation is often used to generate estimations of cycle time at a significant number of traffic intensities (start rates). However, simulation often requires long run lengths and extensive output analysis. In most manufacturing environments, the time and/or budget available for such simulations is limited. As demands for faster and more accurate results are required, alternative approaches to improving simulation efficiency must be investigated. This research seeks to develop a procedure for simplifying a detailed model into a fast (abstract) simulation model that achieves a statistically indistinguishable level of accuracy and precision. This technique has particular application in the simulation of semiconductor manufacturing facilities.
Preparing secondary school teachers for 1980

Evolution, not revolution, indicated for teacher education. Within functional limits diversity breeds innovation.
An alternative method to model consumer behaviour in call centres, using Linear Expenditure System

The implementation of call centres is becoming a popular strategy to improve organizations' operational performance. The research done in call centres has been concentrated mainly in the operations research field. However, this research has lacked an analytical study of consumers' behaviour along the call centre queue. Consumers, as integrated entities of the call centre system, have an autonomous behaviour that influences the system's performance. Thus, consumer behaviour needs to be studied as part of the call centre queuing system. The purpose of this paper is to explore the possible application of current demand theory as an alternative to study consumers' behaviour as active elements of call centres.
Current burden of sudden cardiac death: multiple source surveillance versus retrospective death certificate-based review in a large U.S. community.

OBJECTIVES We sought to determine the annual incidence of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the general population using a prospective approach. To assess the validity of retrospective surveillance, a simultaneous comparison was made with a death certificate-based method of determining SCD incidence. BACKGROUND Accurate surveillance and characterization of SCD in the general population is likely to significantly facilitate current and future community-based preventive and therapeutic interventions. METHODS We performed a prospective evaluation of SCD among all residents of Multnomah County, Oregon (population 660,486) using multiple sources of surveillance. A comprehensive analysis of circumstances of death, medical records, and available autopsy data was performed. Comparisons were made with a retrospective, death certificate-based determination of SCD incidence using International Classification of Diseases-Version 10 codes and location of death. RESULTS Between February 1, 2002, and January 31, 2003, 353 residents suffered SCD (incidence 53 of 100,000; median age 69 years, 57% male) accounting for 5.6% of overall mortality. Of these, 75 cases (21%) were identified using sources other than first responders. Resuscitation was attempted in 237 cases (67%) and successful (survival to hospital discharge) in 28 (8%). The retrospective death certificate-based review yielded 1,007 cases (incidence 153 of 100,000; median age 81 years, 51% male), and the positive predictive value of this methodology was 19%. CONCLUSIONS Sudden cardiac death accounts for 5.6% of annual mortality, and prospective evaluation in the general population appears to be feasible. The use of multiple sources of ascertainment and information significantly enhances phenotyping of SCD cases. Retrospective death certificate-based surveillance results in significant overestimation of SCD incidence.
Interplay of Late Cenozoic Siliciclastic Supply and Carbonate Response on the Southeast Florida Platform

ABSTRACT High-resolution seismic-reflection data collected along the length of the Caloosahatchee River in southwestern Florida have been correlated to nannofossil biostratigraphy and strontium-isotope chemostratigraphy at six continuously cored boreholes. These data are interpreted to show a major Late Miocene(?) to Early Pliocene fluvial-deltaic depositional system that prograded southward across the carbonate Florida Platform, interrupting nearly continuous carbonate deposition since early in the Cretaceous. Connection of the platform top to a continental source of siliciclastics and significant paleotopography combined to focus accumulation of an immense supply of siliciclastics on the southeastern part of the Florida Platform. The remarkably thick (> 100 m), sand-rich depositional system, which is characterized by clinoformal progradation, filled in deep accommodation, while antecedent paleotopography directed deltaic progradation southward within the middle of the present-day Florida Peninsula. The deltaic depositional system may have prograded about 200 km southward to the middle and upper Florida Keys, where Late Miocene to Pliocene siliciclastics form the foundation of the Quaternary carbonate shelf and shelf margin of the Florida Keys. These far-traveled siliciclastic deposits filled accommodation on the southeastern part of the Florida Platform so that paleobathymetry was sufficiently shallow to allow Quaternary recovery of carbonate sedimentation in the area of southern peninsular Florida and the Florida Keys.
Effect of uncertainty on continuous path planning for an autonomous vehicle

This paper describes one approach to the problem of path planning for an autonomous vehicle (an automaton) moving in two-dimensional space filled with obstacles. The approach is based on continuous processing of incoming local information about the environment. A continuous computational model for the environment and for the vehicle operation is presented. Information about the environment (the scene) is assumed to be incomplete except that at any moment the vehicle knows the coordinates of its target as well as its own coordinates. The vehicle is presented as a point; obstacles can be of any shape, with continuous borderline and finite size. Algorithms guaranteeing reaching the target (if the target is reachable), and tests for target reachability are presented. The efficiency of the algorithms is evaluated in terms of perimeters of obstacles met by the vehicle. It is shown that with the exception of some rather unusual initial positions of the vehicle relative to the obstacles, one of the presented algorithms guarantees an optimal path.
Improving cooperation for communication training

With a few notable exceptions, efforts to foster regional and international cooperation for communication training have been hampered by a variety of obstacles, and yet, as communication needs continue to grow in industrialized nations and Third World countries alike, it is becoming increasingly urgent to develop successful strategies for cooperation. This article identifies what are believed to be two fundamental sources of problems standing in the way of cooperation: firstly, differences in the perceived role and function of journalism, and, secondly, differences in the type of relations that exist between training establishments and the communications industry. As part of a broader study this article analyzes these differences as they exist in four selected countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Denmark, and then proposes areas of common ground on which future cooperation might be built.
Relationship between static muscle strength deficits and spasticity in stroke patients with hemiparesis

The purpose of this retrospective investigation was to determine whether a relationship exists between static strength deficits in the shoulder medial (internal) rotator and elbow flexor muscles and spasticity in these muscles or their antagonists. We reviewed the records of the first 50 stroke patients with hemiparesis who met the entry criteria for the study and who were admitted over a four-month period of time. Static muscle strength was measured by hand-held dynamometry. Spasticity was graded on the Ashworth scale. Kendall's tau correlations were calculated between static muscle strength deficits and spasticity. Static strength deficits of the shoulder medial rotator and elbow flexor muscles were correlated (p less than .01) with the agonist muscles' spasticity, but not with the antagonist muscles' spasticity. Muscle group spasticity and strength deficits, therefore, appear to be covarying manifestations of cerebrovascular accidents. Clinicians, thus, may interpret an agonist muscle's capacity for force production in light of its own tone rather than that of its antagonist.
Simulation of the Airflow Characteristics of a Two-Stroke Natural Gas Engine With an Articulated Crank

The topic of this paper is the simulation of the airflow characteristics of a large bore two stroke natural gas fueled engine. The modeling was performed with the program WAVE, a computer code developed for engine cycle simulations. The engine studied was a four cylinder Cooper GMV engine. This engine has an articulated crankshaft connecting even and odd bank cylinders. Due to the articulation, the even bank cylinders have different piston profiles, port profiles, and compression ratios than the odd bank cylinders. Due to the non-symmetric timing and articulated geometry of the odd and even banks, the gas flow processes are not the same for each cylinder bank. The different manifold and port pressure profiles result in different amounts of trapped mass in the odd and even banks. The even bank is predicted to have a smaller amount of trapped mass and slightly lower trapping and scavenging efficiencies. Finally, the model predicts that the even bank cylinders attain higher maximum temperatures, which would produce increased NOx.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
The Hard Work of Living in the Face of Death

This study examines, from the patient's perspective, the work of trying to live with advanced cancer at the same time as facing the immediacy of death. The findings are part of an exploratory qualitative study that examined the first-hand accounts of seven patients being cared for at an urban cancer research center who were living with advanced disease. Using interpretive phenomenology, a series of in-depth, semistructured interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, coded, and organized into themes. Three subthemes emerged from the data that reflected the hard work that these individuals undertook. These were orientating themselves to the disease and maintaining control, searching for and creating a system of support and safety, and struggling to find meaning and create a legacy. The findings confirm that living with advanced cancer in the face of death involves hard work on the part of the patient.
Field dependence and memory for incidental material.

30 female Ss who had been tested for recall and recognition of social and neutral words that were presented incidentally were administered a group form of the Embedded Figures Test. Both recall and recognition of social words were found to be significantly related to field dependence. No such relationship was found for neutral words. Although field-dependent Ss performed significantly more poorly on the focal task than field-independent Ss, recall and recognition was independent of performance on the focal task. It was also found that field-dependent Ss were able to recall more social visual incidental material than neutral visual incidental material.
Diagnostic yield of stereotactic needle-biopsies of sub-cubic centimeter intracranial lesions

BACKGROUND Stereotactic brain biopsies are widely used for establishing the diagnosis of intracranial lesions. Here we examine whether stereotactic biopsy of smaller brain lesions, defined for this study as being less than 1 cubic centimeter (1 cc) in volume, are associated with lowered diagnostic yield. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of 267 consecutive patients who underwent stereotactic brain biopsy between 2007 and 2011. Lesion volumes were calculated and were stratified by 1 cc. RESULTS A total of 13 of 246 (5.2%) biopsies for lesions >1 cc resulted in nondiagnostic tissue or an incorrect diagnosis. In contrast, 5 of 21 (23.8%) biopsies for 1 cc biopsies (0% and 1%, respectively). CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that stereotactic cerebral biopsy of lesions less than a cubic centimeter in volume results in a lower diagnostic yield versus larger lesions (76.2% versus 94.8%). While auxiliary measures may be taken to improve diagnostic yield, these patients may be best managed in a specialized center with experienced stereotactic neurosurgeons and neuropathologists.
Retinal image registration from 2D to 3D

We propose a 2D registration method for multi-modal image sequences of the retinal fundus, and a 3D metric reconstruction of near planar surface from multiple views. There are two major contributions in our paper. For 2D registration, our method produces high registration rates while accounting for large modality differences. Compared with the state of the art method, our approach has higher registration rate (97.2% vs. 82.31%) while the computation time is much less. This is achieved by extracting features from the edge maps of the contrast enhanced images, and performing pairwise registration by matching the features in an iterative manner, maximizing the number of matches and estimating homographies accurately. The pairwise registration result is further globally optimized by an indirect registration process. For 3D registration part, images are registered to the reference frame by transforming points via a reconstructed 3D surface. The challenge is the reconstruction of a near planar surface, in which the shallow depth makes it a quasi-degenerate case for estimating the geometry from images. Our contribution is the proposed 4-pass bundle adjustment method that gives optimal estimation of all camera poses. With accurate camera poses, the 3D surface can be reconstructed using the images associated with the cameras with the largest baseline. Compared with state of the art 3D retinal image registration methods, our approach produces better results in all image sets.
MORE for multiple organ dysfunction syndrome: Multiple Organ REanimation, REgeneration, and REprogramming.

Those who care for the critically ill and injured rightfully celebrate the advances made by our field over its first 50 yrs. Advances in systems, tissue, and molecular engineering, together defined as "health engineering," will provide unprecedented opportunities to treat multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in the 21st century. In the future, Multiple Organ REanimation, REgeneration, and REprogramming will be responsible for new treatment approaches for those with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome ; several examples are presented here. Thus, as we spent the first 50 yrs of care for the critical ill and injured learning how best to hook humans up to machines, we will spend the next 50 yrs understanding better how to liberate patients from mechanical support. It is difficult to know when these advances will be realized given that the rate of change continues to increase and the seemingly impossible goal of reprogramming fully differentiated cells was accomplished recently by manipulating a few transcription factors. It is not unrealistic to expect that in the next couple of decades that it will be possible to dedifferentiate dysfunctional somatic cells in vivo to a more robust, resistant cell phenotype. Our future should be aimed in part at refining our skill sets and refocusing (even rebranding) critical care as health engineering aimed at Multiple Organ REanimation, REgeneration, and REprogramming.
Intra-Accumbens Amphetamine Increases the Conditioned Incentive Salience of Sucrose Reward: Enhancement of Reward “Wanting” without Enhanced “Liking” or Response Reinforcement

Amphetamine microinjection into the nucleus accumbens shell enhanced the ability of a Pavlovian reward cue to trigger increased instrumental performance for sucrose reward in a pure conditioned incentive paradigm. Rats were first trained to press one of two levers to obtain sucrose pellets. They were separately conditioned to associate a Pavlovian cue (30 sec light) with free sucrose pellets. On test days, the rats received bilateral microinjection of intra-accumbens vehicle or amphetamine (0.0, 2.0, 10.0, or 20.0 μg/0.5 μl), and lever pressing was tested in the absence of any reinforcement contingency, while the Pavlovian cue alone was freely presented at intervals throughout the session. Amphetamine microinjection selectively potentiated the cue-elicited increase in sucrose-associated lever pressing, although instrumental responding was not reinforced by either sucrose or the cue during the test. Intra-accumbens amphetamine can therefore potentiate cue-triggered incentive motivation for reward in the absence of primary or secondary reinforcement. Using the taste reactivity measure of hedonic impact, it was shown that intra-accumbens amphetamine failed to increase positive hedonic reaction patterns elicited by sucrose (i.e., sucrose “liking”) at doses that effectively increase sucrose “wanting.” We conclude that nucleus accumbens dopamine specifically mediates the ability of reward cues to trigger “wanting” (incentive salience) for their associated rewards, independent of both hedonic impact and response reinforcement.
Modular, Reconfigurable, High-Energy Technology Development

The modular, reconfigurable high-energy (MRHE) technology demonstrator project was to have been a series of ground-based demonstrations to mature critical technologies needed for in-space assembly of a high-power high-voltage modular spacecraft in low Earth orbit, enabling the development of future modular solar-powered exploration cargo-transport vehicles and infrastructure. MRHE was a project in the high energy space systems (HESS) program, within NASA's Exploration Systems Research and Technology (ESR&T) Program. NASA participants included Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Glenn Research Center (GRC). Contractor participants were the Boeing Phantom Works in Huntsville, AL, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, CA, ENTECH, Inc. in Keller, TX, and the University of AL Huntsville (UAH). This paper presents an overview of the MRHE Phase I activities at MSFC and its contractor partners. The assembly demonstration in the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (LMATC) Robot-Satellite facility was a major Phase I accomplishment. Three robot-satellites successfully demonstrated rendezvous & docking, self-assembly, reconfiguration, adaptable GN&C, deployment, and interfaces between modules. ENTECH's Phase I technology maturation accomplishments include material recommendations for radiation-hardened Stretched Lens Array (SLA) concentrator lenses, and a design concept and test results for a hi-voltage PV receiver. UAH's accomplishments include Supertube heat-pipe test results, which support estimates of thermal conductivities at 30,000 times that of an equivalent silver rod. MSFC performed systems trades and developed a preliminary concept design for a lOOkW-class modular reconfigurable solar electric propulsion transport vehicle. Boeing Phantom Works in Huntsville performed assembly and rendezvous and docking trades and launch vehicles and orbit analysis. A concept animation video was produced by SAIC, which showed rendezvous and docking and SLA-square-rigger (SLASR) deployment in LEO.
Mu-Calculus Model Checking

The Mu-Calculus [Par74] is a logic based on extremal fixed points that is strictly more expressive than CTL,1 and can also express a variety of properties of transition systems, such as reachable state sets, state equivalence relations, and language containment between automata. A symbolic model checking algorithm for this logic allows all of these properties to be computed using OBDDs [BCM+90].
Role of innate immune factors in the adjuvant activity of monophosphoryl lipid A.

Monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) is a nontoxic derivative of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) that exhibits adjuvant properties similar to those of the parent LPS molecule. However, the mechanism by which MPL initiates its immunostimulatory properties remains unclear. Due to the involvement of Toll-like receptors in recognizing and transducing intracellular signals in response to LPS, the aim of the present study was to determine the ability of MPL to utilize the Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR4. We provide evidence that MPL differentially utilizes TLR2 and TLR4 for the induction of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 10 (IL-10), and IL-12 by purified human monocytes as well as by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Assessment of NF-κB activity demonstrated that MPL utilized TLR2 and especially TLR4 for the activation of NF-κB p65 by human monocytes. In addition, stimulation of human monocytes by MPL led to an up-regulation of the costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86, an effect that could be reduced by pretreatment of cells with a monoclonal antibody to TLR2 or TLR4. Analysis of MPL-induced activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases revealed that MPL utilized both TLR2 and TLR4 for the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, while TLR4 was the predominant receptor involved in the ability of MPL to phosphorylate p38. Moreover, using selective inhibitors for MAP kinase kinase (PD98059) and p38 (SB203580), we show that ERK1/2 exhibited differential effects on production of TNF-α and IL-12 p40 by human monocytes, whereas MPL-induced activation of p38 appeared to be predominantly involved in production of IL-10 and IL-12 p40 by MPL-stimulated monocytes. Taken together, these findings aid in understanding the cellular mechanisms by which MPL induces host cell activation and subsequent adjuvant properties.
Glioma Invasiveness Responds Variably to Irradiation in a Co-Culture Model

Purpose We developed a co-culture system to quantitate the growth and invasion of human malignant gliomas into a background of confluent normal human astrocytes, then used this assay to assess independently the effects of irradiating both cell types on glioma invasion. Methods and Materials Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)–labeled immortalized human astrocytes, human malignant glioma cells, or transformed human astrocytes were focally plated onto a confluent layer of normal human astrocytes, and the invasiveness of EGFP-labeled cells was scored after 96 h. To address the consequences of irradiation on glioma invasion, the invasiveness of irradiated glioma cell lines and irradiated astrocytic backgrounds was assessed. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting was used to quantitate the total number of EGFP-labeled cells. Results Growth in the co-culture assay consistently reflected transformation states of the plated cells. Immortalized, but untransformed human astrocytes failed even to establish growth on confluent normal human astrocytes. In contrast, all malignant human glioma cell lines and transformed human astrocytes demonstrated various degrees of infiltration into the astrocytic bed. Irradiation failed to alter the invasiveness of U87, A172, and U373. A 1-Gy dose slightly reduced the invasiveness of U251 MG by 75% ( p post hoc Neuman-Keuls), without reducing total cell numbers. Independently irradiating the human astrocytic bed did not alter the invasiveness of nonirradiated U251, whereas the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor GM6001 reduced U251 invasiveness in the co-culture assay. Conclusions Growth in the co-culture assay reflects the transformation status and provides a useful in vitro model for assessing invasiveness. Human glioma invasiveness in the co-culture model responds variably to single low-dose fractions. MMP activity promotes invasiveness in the co-culture model. Reduced invasiveness in irradiated U251 appears to be mediated by MMP-independent mechanisms.
Poisoning of Turkey Poults from Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias galioides)

Abstract INTRODUCTION A REVIEW of the literature on milkweed poisoning shows that various species of this plant are known to be toxic for horses, cattle, sheep, goats (Durrell and Newsom, 1939; Fleming and Peterson, 1920; Gates, 1930; Marsh, Clawson, and Couch, 1920; and Muenscher, 1939), and in a few instances for chickens. However, no references to the poisoning of turkeys by milkweed have come to the writer’s attention. The earliest record of suspected poisoning in chickens is given by Pammel (1917), who reported the loss of about 500 chicks, during one season, which fed on young sprouts of Asclepiadacae in the state of New Hampshire. In this instance the owner suspected the milkweed of killing her chicks and they stopped dying when removed from the plant-infested yard. Laboratory investigations were not made to prove the contention that milkweed caused the death loss. In California, observations by Campbell (1931) show that Asclepias . . .
Comparing Support for Income Redistribution between Eastern and Western European Union States

Scholars have argued that Eastern Europe’s communist past drives significant differences in Eastern and Western Europeans’ social justice norms. However, much of this research examined attitudes before the East’s accession to the European Union (EU). Using data from the International Social Survey Project’s 1999 and 2009 Social Inequality surveys, I compare Eastern and Western Europeans’ attitudes toward income redistribution to examine whether EU integration has coincided with a convergence in Eastern and Western social justice norms. I find that although average levels of support for redistribution have remained stable overtime in the East, there have been important changes in ways that Eastern Europeans form opinions about redistribution. First, class status has become more important in shaping Eastern attitudes since the East’s EU accession. By 2009, its effect in the East was not significantly different from its effect in the West. Second, while citizens’ experience under communism significantly affected Eastern attitudes before EU accession, its effect has become insignificant overtime. These findings suggest that the East’s communist past is no longer an important driver of variations in social justice norms across the EU.
High Cervical Spine and Craniocervical Junction Injuries in Fatal Traffic Accidents: A Radiological Study

Postmortem radiographic examinations in 312 victims of fatal traffic accidents were analyzed with respect to injuries to the cervical spine. Most fractures and dislocations in this group were found to involve the craniocervical junction and the upper two cervical segments. Over half were flexion injuries, one-fifth caused predominantly by extension. Flexion and extension views were found to be helpful in demonstrating the instability of many injuries.
Enzyme-Instructed Self-Assembly of Small d-Peptides as a Multiple-Step Process for Selectively Killing Cancer Cells

Selective inhibition of cancer cells remains a challenge in chemotherapy. Here we report the molecular and cellular validation of enzyme-instructed self-assembly (EISA) as a multiple step process for selectively killing cancer cells that overexpress alkaline phosphatases (ALPs). We design and synthesize two kinds of D-tetrapeptide containing one or two phosphotyrosine residues and with the N-terminal capped by a naphthyl group. Upon enzymatic dephosphorylation, these D-tetrapeptides turn into self-assembling molecules to form nanofibers in water. Incubating these D-tetrapeptides with several cancer cell lines and one normal cell line, the unphosphorylated D-tetrapeptides are innocuous to all the cell lines, the mono- and diphosphorylated D-tetrapeptides selectively inhibit the cancer cells, but not the normal cell. The monophosphorylated D-tetrapeptides exhibit more potent inhibitory activity than the diphosphorylated D-tetrapeptides do; the cancer cell lines express higher level of ALPs are more susceptible to inhibition by the phosphorylated D-tetrapeptides; the precursors of D-tetrapeptides that possess higher self-assembling abilities exhibit higher inhibitory activities. These results confirm the important role of enzymatic reaction and self-assembly. Using uncompetitive inhibitors of ALPs and fluorescent D-tetrapeptides, we delineate that the enzyme catalyzed dephosphorylation and the self-assembly steps, together, result in the localization of the nanofibers of D-tetrapeptides for killing the cancer cells. We find that the cell death modality likely associates with the cell type and prove the interactions between nanofibers and the death receptors. This work illustrates a paradigm-shifting and biomimetic approach and contributes useful molecular insights for the development of spatiotemporal defined supramolecular processes/assemblies as potential anticancer therapeutics.
Social Work, Human Rights, and the Migration of Central American Children

ABSTRACTA humanitarian crisis related to an influx of unaccompanied children from Central America arriving in the United States demands a comprehensive approach ensuring appropriate intervention to protect basic human rights. Advocates and policymakers are scrambling to find ways to address the complex needs of these vulnerable children, most of whom are fleeing violence, criminal coercion, and/or extreme deprivation in their home countries. Legislative attempts to guarantee access to due process are threatened by a restrictive ideological stance instead of employing a needs-based strategy for reform. Social workers can play a key role by responding to the crisis in ways that draw from core social work values and contribute to a collaborative, comprehensive solution that addresses the needs of these children.
EFL learners' use of question constructions over time: Patterns and proficiency effects

Abstract A few studies have examined whether second language (L2) learners' lexico-syntactic development followed the predicted path of construction development from relying on formulaic patterns to gradually developing more abstract exemplars, but the results have been inconclusive. This study reports the results of quantitative and qualitative analyses conducted to track the development of English question constructions in EFL learners (N = 7) from lower-, mid-, and higher-proficiency levels. The purpose of the study was to examine if the patterns of the (wh-) aux-do construction used by participants at different proficiency levels became more productive over time. Participants' questions produced over a period of 32 weeks were analyzed using AntConc to identify specific instances of the (wh-) aux-do construction for each participant and each data collection session. The results indicated that while all participants' relied on several frequent patterns when asking questions, learners at the three proficiency levels were at different stages of pattern analysis.
Child abuse and infections.

Although our understanding of sexually transmitted diseases in children is rudimentary, we cannot ignore the long-term consequences that the pathophysiologic process can have. This article reviews the role of the health care provider to the sexually abused child and discusses the documentation and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Language: en
Endogenous pneumoconiosis: Analytical scanning electron microscopic analysis of a case

Pneumoconiosis is often considered a disease of the lung initiated by exposure to dust or other airborne particles, resulting in injury to the lungs. The term "endogenous pneumoconiosis" has been used in the literature to describe the deposition of compounds on the elastic fibers of the lung, usually in the setting of cardiac failure. In the case we present here, the patient aspirated a foreign body resulting in damage to the lung tissue and subsequent deposition of endogenous compounds on the elastic fibers of the pulmonary parenchyma and vasculature. We determined the composition of this mineral and mapped the distribution of elements using a combination of backscattered electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry.
Estimating Performance Measures in Repetitive Manufacturing Environments via Stochastic Cyclic Scheduling

In this paper we review the cyclic scheduling paradigm for repetitive manufacturing environments. System performance is measured by system throughput and job flow time. For a given cyclic job sequence and operation precedence structure, we are interested in the steady-state behavior of these measures when processing times are stochastic. We present an iterative approximation scheme based on Clark’s method to estimate the two-moment behavior of these performance measures. Computational tests demonstrate that the approach is a useful alternative to simulation.
Neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in Texas

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been a successful treatment (80% survival) in over 3,000 neonates with severe respiratory failure (80% predicted mortality without ECMO). ECMO is prolonged extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass achieved by extrathoracic vascular cannulation using a modified heart-lung machine. ECMO as treatment for severe respiratory failure in neonates is currently available in Texas in San Antonio, Galveston, Lubbock, and Dallas. Of 116 Texas neonates treated with ECMO, 74% survived. Because of the distances between ECMO programs in Texas, early communication with the nearest center is highly recommended.
Stabilizability subspaces for linear impulsive systems

In this paper, stabilizability subspaces for linear impulsive systems are defined by the property that not only can trajectories be maintained within the subspace by suitable control signals, they can also be made to asymptotically converge to the equilibrium at the origin. Previous work on state feedback stabilization and the study of controlled invariant subspaces for linear impulsive systems is combined to yield a state feedback characterization of stabilizability subspaces.
Gas Sensing and Signaling in the PAS-Heme Domain of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Aer2 Receptor.

The Aer2 chemoreceptor from Pseudomonas aeruginosa contains a PAS sensing domain that coordinates b-type heme and signals in response to the binding of O2, CO, or NO. PAS-heme structures suggest that Aer2 uniquely coordinates heme via a His residue on a 310 helix (H234 on Eη), stabilizes O2 binding via a Trp residue (W283), and signals via both W283 and an adjacent Leu residue (L264). Ligand binding may displace L264 and reorient W283 for hydrogen bonding to the ligand. Here, we clarified the mechanisms by which Aer2-PAS binds heme, regulates ligand binding, and initiates conformational signaling. H234 coordinated heme, but additional hydrophobic residues in the heme cleft were also critical for stable heme binding. O2 appeared to be the native Aer2 ligand (dissociation constant [Kd ] of 16 μM). With one exception, mutants that bound O2 could signal, whereas many mutants that bound CO could not. W283 stabilized O2 binding but not CO binding, and it was required for signal initiation; W283 mutants that could not stabilize O2 were rapidly oxidized to Fe(III). W283F was the only Trp mutant that bound O2 with wild-type affinity. The size and nature of residue 264 was important for gas binding and signaling: L264W blocked O2 binding, L264A and L264G caused O2-mediated oxidation, and L264K formed a hexacoordinate heme. Our data suggest that when O2 binds to Aer2, L264 moves concomitantly with W283 to initiate the conformational signal. The signal then propagates from the PAS domain to regulate the C-terminal HAMP and kinase control domains, ultimately modulating a cellular response.IMPORTANCEPseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous environmental bacterium and opportunistic pathogen that infects multiple body sites, including the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. P. aeruginosa senses and responds to its environment via four chemosensory systems. Three of these systems regulate biofilm formation, twitching motility, and chemotaxis. The role of the fourth system, Che2, is unclear but has been implicated in virulence. The Che2 system contains a chemoreceptor called Aer2, which contains a PAS sensing domain that binds heme and senses oxygen. Here, we show that Aer2 uses unprecedented mechanisms to bind O2 and initiate signaling. These studies provide both the first functional corroboration of the Aer2-PAS signaling mechanism previously proposed from structure as well as a signaling model for Aer2-PAS receptors.
Authorship Trends of Research Articles Published in Seven Scientific, Technical, Engineering, and Medical (STEM) Library Journals: Analysis of STEM Library Research from 2011–2015

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study is to examine the authorship patterns of research articles published in seven Scientific, Technical, Engineering, and Medical (STEM) library science journals. The following journals—Science & Technology Libraries, Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship, Journal of eScience Librarianship, Journal of Hospital Librarianship, Journal of the Medical Library Association, Medical Reference Services Quarterly, and Health Information and Libraries Journal—were studied by using bibliometric techniques for the five years from 2011 through 2015. Some of the variables we have examined include (1) authorship, (2) affiliation, (3) country of origin, and (4) topic of the research articles. The findings presented a unique opportunity to determine the current state of art in STEM librarianship research by using the data gathered from seven prominent STEM library science journals.