cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Situ X-Ray Characterization of Isotactic Polypropylene: Dependence of the Crystalline Properties on the Draw Down Ratio

Polymer crystalline regions can be characterized by wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The in-situ study of isotactic polypropylene with measurement of wide angle and small angle X-ray scattering (WAXS and SAXS), at varying distances from the exit of the extruder have been successfully completed using an X-ray system with a standard X-ray source. The processing conditions, used were: 50, 100, 200 and 400m.min-1 for the take up speed, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.2 cm3min-1hole-1 for the melt flow rates, and a spinning temperature of 220°C. These experimental conditions produced draw down ratios ranging from 33 up to 1058. The X-ray characterization was carried in-situ at 15, 30, 45 and 60 cm from the exit of the spinneret and also ex-situ. The results obtained show the crystallinity index and the crystalline orientation to increase for the higher draw down rates, as expected under draw induced crystallization conditions, and a logarithmic relationship was observed within the experimental conditions used in this work. This communication reports the relationship between the crystallinity, crystalline orientation and lamellar long period and draw down ratio along the spin line.
SUPERMAN attenuates positive INNER NO OUTER autoregulation to maintain polar development of Arabidopsis ovule outer integuments

The outer integument of Arabidopsis ovules exhibits marked polarity in its development, growing extensively from the abaxial side, but only to a very limited extent from the adaxial side of the ovule. Mutations in two genes affect this asymmetric growth. In strong inner no outer (ino) mutants outer integument growth is eliminated, whereas in superman (sup) mutants integument growth on the adaxial side is nearly equal to wild-type growth on the abaxial side. Through complementation and reporter gene analysis, a region of INO 5'-flanking sequences was identified that contains sufficient information for appropriate expression of INO. Using this INO promoter (P-INO) we show that INO acts as a positive regulator of transcription from P-INO, but is not sufficient for de novo initiation of transcription in other plant parts. Protein fusions demonstrate nuclear localization of INO, consistent with a proposed role as a transcription factor for this member of the YABBY protein family. Through its ability to inhibit expression of the endogenous INO gene and transgenes driven by P-INO, SUP is shown to be a negative regulator of INO transcription. Substitution of another YABBY protein coding region (CRABS CLAW) for INO overcomes this negative regulation, indicating that SUP suppresses INO transcription through attenuation of the INO positive autoregulatory loop.
Protection against proximal tubule necrosis with 11-deoxy-16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 in vitro.

acute renal failure is a devastating clinical problem with limited preventive modalities. Acute renal failure frequently occurs after ischemic-reperfusion injury, toxic nephropathy, and sepsis ([2][1], [5][2], [12][3], [13][4], [19][5]). The onset of acute renal failure is frequently associated with
A naturalness bias in learning stress

Recent research on the acquisition of natural vs. unnatural phonological processes provides some support for the idea that learning a natural process is easier than learning an unnatural one (Wilson 2003, 2006, Pycha et al.2003, Pater & Tessier 2005). This study extends those findings by comparing the acquisition of two stress patterns that are identical except in naturalness. Learners were native speakers of English, a language with variable stress, and French, a fixed stress language. Both English and French speakers learned the natural pattern significantly better than the unnatural. The artificial languages specifically neutralised the phonetic cues that might have given a perceptual advantage to the natural language. The findings suggest that a naturalness bias aids in the distinguishing and learning of a phonological pattern. To explain the results, I argue for an interaction between a general and a language-specific cognitive mechanism.
Genome Sequence of the Human Abscess Isolate Streptococcus intermedius BA1.

ABSTRACT Streptococcus intermedius is a human pathogen with a propensity for abscess formation. We report a high-quality draft genome sequence of S. intermedius strain BA1, an isolate from a human epidural abscess. This sequence provides insight into the biology of S. intermedius and will aid investigations of pathogenicity.
Cyclic voltammetry studies of Cd2+ and Zn2+ complexation with hydroxyl-terminated polyamidoamine generation 2 dendrimer at a mercury microelectrode

Abstract Cyclic voltammetry was used to determine the stability constants for the complexation of cadmium and zinc ions with hydroxyl-terminated polyamidoamine generation 2 dendrimers with an ethylenediamine core (PAMAM G2-OH) at a mercury ultramicroelectrode. Cadmium and zinc ions were found to form poly-metal complexes through the interactions with interior amino groups rather than hydroxyl groups and the maximum number of metal ions per dendrimer or stoichiometry was 4. Complexation is accompanied by a significant decrease in the limiting current and by measuring the changes in the magnitude of cathodic current with the analytical dendrimer:metal ion ratio and fitting the resulting curves, the four cumulative consecutive complexation constants were determined: 1.3 × 10 5 M −1 , 1.6 × 10 9 M −2 , 3.3 × 10 12 M −3 and 4.6 × 10 14 M −4 for Cd 2+ and 1.0 × 10 6 M −1 , 1.6 × 10 9 M −2 , 4.6 × 10 14 M −3 and 2.6 × 10 17 M −4 for Zn 2+ . The stronger interaction of zinc ions with PAMAM G2-OH compared to cadmium was accompanied with a sharper decrease of the cathodic current with the addition of dendrimer and a larger half-wave potential shift than cadmium. This was rationalized by evaluating the changes of the diffusion coefficients for these two different systems by electrochemical means.
The weakness of strong policies and the strength of weak policies: Law, experimentalist governance, and supporting coalitions in European Union health care policy

The experience of European Union (EU) health care services policy shows the importance of supporting coalitions in any effort to effect policy change and the extent to which the presence or absence of such coalitions can qualify generalizations about policymaking. EU health care services law is substantively liberalizing and procedurally driven by the courts, with little legislative input. But the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has been much better at establishing an EU competency in law than in causing policy development in the EU or member states. Literature on courts helps to explain why: courts are most effective when they enjoy supporting coalitions and the ECJ does not have a significant supporting coalition for its liberalizing health care services policy. Based on interview data, this article argues that the hard law of health care services deregulation and the newer forms of health care governance, such as the Open Method of Coordination and the networks on rare diseases, depend on supporting coalitions in member states that are willing to litigate, lobby, budget, decide cases, and otherwise implement EU law and policy. Given the resistance that the Court has met in health care sectors, its overarching deregulatory approach might produce smaller effects than expected, and forms of experimentalist governance that are easy to deride might turn out to have supporting coalitions that make them unexpectedly effective.
Epsilogaster faviolae , a new species of Mendesellinae from Colombia (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

A new species of mendeselline braconid wasp, Epsilogaster faviolae Valerio and Whitfield, sp. nov., is described and illustrated. This is the first record from Colombia for the subfamily and the genus. An update to the previously published key for the Epsilogaster species is given to aid in identification.
A place and route aware buffered Steiner tree construction

In order to achieve timing closure on increasingly complex IC designs, buffer insertion needs to be performed on thousands of nets within an integrated physical synthesis system. In most of previous works, buffers may be inserted at any open space. Even when there may appear to be space for buffers in the alleys between large blocks, these regions are often densely packed or may be useful later to fix critical paths. In addition, a buffer solution may inadvertently force wires to go through routing congested regions. Therefore, within physical synthesis, a buffer insertion scheme needs to be aware of both placement congestion and routing congestion of the existing layout and so it has to be able to decide when to insert buffers in dense regions to achieve critical performance improvement and when to utilize the sparser regions of the chip. With the proposed Steiner tree adjustment technique, this work aims at finding congestion-aware buffered Steiner trees. Our tree adjustment technique takes a Steiner tree as input, modifies the tree and simultaneously handles the objectives of timing, placement and routing congestion. To our knowledge, this is the first study, which simultaneously considers these three objectives for the buffered Steiner tree problem. Experimental results confirm the effectiveness of our algorithm while it achieves up to 20x speed-up when comparing with the state-of-the-art algorithm (C.J. Alpert et al., 2003).
Ensuring Peace: Foreign-Imposed Regime Change and Postwar Peace Duration, 1914–2001

This research note develops a new explanation of postwar peace duration: periods of peace following wars last longer when the war ends in foreign-imposed regime change. This study tests this hypothesis on a new data set (an expansion of Fortna's ( 2004 ) data) of all periods of peace following interstate war cease-fires, over the period 1914–2001. It also tests for other possible factors affecting postwar peace duration, including international institutions, the revelation of information during war, third-party intervention during war, postwar changes in the balance of power, regime type, past conflict history, and others. The article finds strong support for the central hypothesis that peace lasts longer following wars that end in foreign-imposed regime change. This pacifying effect diminishes over time when a puppet is imposed, but not when a democracy is imposed. There are other results, including that the strength of a cease-fire agreement has almost no impact on peace duration.
Estimating Signals With Finite Rate of Innovation From Noisy Samples: A Stochastic Algorithm

As an example of the recently introduced concept of rate of innovation, signals that are linear combinations of a finite number of Diracs per unit time can be acquired by linear filtering followed by uniform sampling. However, in reality, samples are rarely noiseless. In this paper, we introduce a novel stochastic algorithm to reconstruct a signal with finite rate of innovation from its noisy samples. Even though variants of this problem have been approached previously, satisfactory solutions are only available for certain classes of sampling kernels, for example, kernels that satisfy the Strang-Fix condition. In this paper, we consider the infinite-support Gaussian kernel, which does not satisfy the Strang-Fix condition. Other classes of kernels can be employed. Our algorithm is based on Gibbs sampling, a Markov chain Monte Carlo method. Extensive numerical simulations demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of our algorithm.
The Purification and Characterization of a Human Dual-specific Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase

An expression and purification method was developed to obtain the recombinant human dual-specific protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) VHR in quantities suitable for both kinetic studies and crystallization. Physical characterization of the homogeneous recombinant protein verified the mass to be 20,500 +/- 100 by matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry, confirmed the anticipated NH2-terminal amino acid sequence and demonstrated that the protein exists as a monomer. Conditions were developed to obtain crystals which were suitable for x-ray structure determination. Using synthetic diphosphorylated peptides corresponding to MAP177-189 (mitogen-activated protein) kinase (DHTG-FLpTEpYVATR), an assay was devised which permitted the determination of the rate constants for dephosphorylation of the diphosphorylated peptide on threonine and tyrosine residues. The diphosphorylated peptides are preferred over the singly phosphorylated on tyrosine by 3-8-fold. The apparent second-order rate constant kcat/Km for dephosphorylation of phosphotyrosine on DHTGFLpTEpYVATR was 32,000 M-1 S-1 while dephosphorylation of phosphothreonine was 14 M-1 S-1 (pH 6). The reaction of DHTGFLpTEpYVATR with VHR is ordered, with rapid dephosphorylation on tyrosine occurring first followed by slow dephosphorylation on threonine. Similar results were obtained with F(NLe)(N-Le)pTPpYVVTR, a peptide corresponding to a MAP kinase-like protein (JNK1(180-189)) which is involved in the stress response signaling pathway.
Health Disparities in ARDS

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients occurring in the context of sepsis and other systemic inflammatory disorders. Health disparities correlated with socioeconomic status and health care access disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minorities and lead to differences in prevalence and outcomes of ARDS. In addition, the role of genetic and environmental factors in critical illness outcomes has been examined. Multiple studies have highlighted differences in allelic variant frequencies between European descendant and African descent individuals. These allelic variants play an important role in inflammatory and infectious pathways in conditions that predispose to ARDS. In this chapter, we address race and ethnicity in the context of the complex genetic and environmental interactions that influence disparities in outcomes in ARDS in African American and Hispanic/Latino populations, groups most affected by health care disparities. We postulate that multiple factors contribute to poor outcomes in ethnic and racial minorities with ARDS and that precision medicine can be a realistic approach to overcome those disparities.
Antibacterial Filtrates from Cultures of Aspergillus flavipes.

The production of a powerful, non-toxic antibacterial substance by Penicillium notatum has stimulated search in many quarters for other molds showing similar behavior. In addition to the work with Aspergillus flavus already reported,1 the author has examined about 30 molds. Most of them were aspergilli, obtained from the collection of Dr. Charles Thorn. A number have shown antibacterial activity of varying degree, but one, Aspergillus fiavipes, has been of particular interest. As this work has been interrupted, it seems appropriate to record the results at this time.The mold was designated in the Thom collection “175.4303.46-Texas soil.”as received on an agar slant there was a heavy, tight mycelial growth which could be broken with difficulty, and spores for transfer were not easily obtained from this part of the growth. However, a light sandy area of sporulation was present at the tip of the slant where it was thinnest. This type of growth persisted in subcultures on slants, but by growing on Czapek-Dox ...
Research and Design of Redundancy Method of CAN Bus in MMB System

The redundancy design of CAN bus based on MMB system is proposed. The design includes hardware and software design. The functions of CAN bus monitor, automatic changeover, detection are implemented.
Materials for emergency department laboratory.

SUMMARY Emergency centers with patient volumes in excess of 20,000 visits per year can benefit from a stat laboratory within its area. A stat lab can reduce waiting time for common emergency center tests. This chapter has attempted to present a „how to“ approach in establishing a satellite laboratory in the emergency center. While an expense of $10,000 to $20,000 is minimum for such a laboratory, the authors be-lieve the benefits of improved and timely patient care can offset these costs. With the ever increasing financial burdens of modern hospitals, these recommendations may be too costly for some departments. An alternative to consider is a basic laboratory for physicians maintained by central laboratory. The equipment required is listed in Table 2.
Cost-effectiveness of spinal manipulative therapy, supervised exercise, and home exercise for older adults with chronic neck pain.

Abstract Background Context Chronic neck pain is a prevalent and disabling condition among older adults. Despite the large burden of neck pain, little is known regarding the cost-effectiveness of commonly used treatments. Purpose This study aimed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of home exercise and advice (HEA), spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) plus HEA, and supervised rehabilitative exercise (SRE) plus HEA. Study Design/Setting Cost-effectiveness analysis conducted alongside a randomized clinical trial (RCT) was performed. Patient Sample A total of 241 older adults (≥65 years) with chronic mechanical neck pain comprised the patient sample. Outcome Measures The outcome measures were direct and indirect costs, neck pain, neck disability, SF-6D-derived quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) over a 1-year time horizon. Methods This work was supported by grants from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (#F32AT007507), National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (#P60AR062799), and Health Resources and Services Administration (#R18HP01425). The RCT is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (#NCT00269308). A societal perspective was adopted for the primary analysis. A healthcare perspective was adopted as a sensitivity analysis. Cost-effectivenesswas a secondary aim of the RCT which was not powered for differences in costs or QALYs. Differences in costs and clinical outcomes were estimated using generalized estimating equations and linear mixed models, respectively. Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves were calculated to assess the uncertainty surrounding cost-effectiveness estimates. Results Total costs for SMT+HEA were 5% lower than HEA (mean difference: −$111; 95% confidence interval [CI] −$1,354 to $899) and 47% lower than SRE+HEA (mean difference: −$1,932; 95% CI −$2,796 to −$1,097). SMT+HEA also resulted in a greater reduction of neck pain over the year relative to HEA (0.57; 95% CI 0.23 to 0.92) and SRE+HEA (0.41; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.76). Differences in disability and QALYs favored SMT+HEA. The probability that adding SMT to HEA is cost-effective at willingness to pay thresholds of $50,000 to $200,000 per QALY gained ranges from 0.75 to 0.81. If adopting a health-care perspective, costs for SMT+HEA were 66% higher than HEA (mean difference: $515; 95% CI $225 to $1,094), resulting in an ICER of $55,975 per QALY gained. Conclusion On average, SMT+HEA resulted in better clinical outcomes and lower total societal costs relative to SRE+HEA and HEA alone, with a 0.75 to 0.81 probability of cost-effectiveness for willingness to pay thresholds of $50,000 to $200,000 per QALY.
Culture and the Development of Interpersonal Relationships

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the influence of culture on communication in interpersonal relationships. Initially, research on social penetration and uncertainty reduction processes in ...
Alarm Fatigue: Use of an Evidence-Based Alarm Management Strategy

The purpose of this article is to describe the impact of an evidence-based alarm management strategy on patient safety. An alarm management program reduced alarms up to 30%. Evaluation of patients on continuous cardiac monitoring showed a 3.5% decrease in census. This alarm management strategy has the potential to save $136 500 and 841 hours of registered nurses' time per year. No patient harm occurred during the 2-year project.
Lattice Expansion in Metal Oxide Nanoparticles: MgO, Co3O4, & Fe3O4

Uniform sets of mono-crystalline nanoparticles ranging from 6 nm to over 100 nm were prepared for the MgO, Co3O4, and Fe3O4 oxide systems. The nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). A careful analysis shows increased lattice parameter for smaller nanoparticles of each oxide system: 0.47% expansion from bulk for 7 nm MgO crystallites, 0.15% expansion from bulk for 9 nm Co3O4 crystallites, and 0.13% expansion from bulk for 6 nm Fe3O4 crystallites. The compressive surface stresses and expansion energies against hydrostatic pressure for each oxide system were calculated, respectively, to be 4.13 N/m and 1.8 meV/formula unit for MgO, 3.09 N/m and 0.87 meV/formula unit for Co3O4, and 1.26 N/m and 0.67 meV/formula unit for Fe3O4. The fundamental understanding of oxide nanoparticle mechanics as presented here will facilitate integration of these materials into technological applications in a rationally designed manner.
Toward Carbon Neutrality: The Case of the City of Austin, TX

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the City of Austin's successes and challenges in implementing the Austin City Council enacted the Austin Climate Protection Plan (ACPP) and provides comparisons to other cities that have taken similar action to address climate change. It sets the stage for Austin's and other cities' climate protection efforts and outlines the ACPP. The ACPP provides a viable model for local climate action planning. The plan has found success by leveraging the environmentally responsible mindset of the local community and support of other environmental sustainability programs throughout the City. Austin is on track to meet its bold energy conservation and renewable energy goals, and a solid foundation has been laid for institutionalizing climate protection in the City's operations. The chapter concludes with a forward-looking view of a world in which all cities achieve, or exceed, Austin's goal of carbon neutrality.
Gender-Related Differences in Iliofemoral Arterial Anatomy among Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Patients.

Background Gender-related differences in iliofemoral anatomy are critically important for delivery of modern EVAR devices, however remains poorly characterized in the context of other patient-specific factors. The goal of the present study was to provide a detailed quantification of anatomic differences in iliofemoral anatomy between genders while controlling for height, weight, and vascular comorbidities. Methods Fifty women with computed tomography angiograms for evaluation of abdominal aortic aneurysm between 2000 and 2012 were selected and matched to an equal nonpaired cohort of males with similar age, body mass indices (BMIs), and prevalence of vascular comorbidities (e.g., coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease). A 3-dimensional workstation was used to measure outer and inner diameters at anatomic reference locations at the common iliac (CIA), external iliac (EIA), and common femoral (CFA) arteries. Iliac aneurysms were excluded from analysis. Multivariate analysis-of-covariance models were employed for evaluating CIA, EIA, and CFA diameters as dependent variables. Results Luminal diameters were significantly smaller at the CIA (8.8 vs. 11.8 mm, P P P P = 0.20). Similar statistically significant differences were found between men and women when comparing adventitial diameters ( P P = 0.96]). Female gender was negatively correlated with luminal diameter at the CIA (−2.34 [−3.72 to −0.96]; coef. [95% CI]), EIA (−0.95 [−1.8 to −0.04]), and CFA (−2.61 [−3.51 to −1.71]) arteries. Weight (per 10 kg) was positively correlated with luminal diameters measured at the CIA (0.41 [0.12–0.68]) and CFA (0.35 [0.16–0.53]). No independent relationships between height, vascular comorbidities, and arterial diameters were identified. 24% ( n = 12) of females compared to only 14% ( n = 7) of males in this study would have been ineligible for EVAR with current devices due to poor iliac access criteria. Conclusions Women have significantly smaller iliofemoral arterial systems compared to men, even after controlling for height, weight, and other comorbidities that are known to affect vascular anatomy. This quantifiable difference in arterial anatomy is important to consider when deciding between various open versus endovascular treatment strategies for women.
Parental Feeding Style and Pediatric Obesity in Latino Families

Introduction:Pediatric obesity has become an epidemic in the United States. Previous research has shown that parenting factors related to feeding style affect child weight and that Latino families ...
Microsimulation Travel Models in Practice in the US and Prospects for Agent-Based Approach

The paper summaries author’s view on the Agent-Based Modeling (AgBM) and what it brings to travel modeling in addition to the existing microsimulation techniques already in practice. It provides practical examples where AgBM proved to be useful and looks as a promising way to improve the model structures. The new AgBM features include: (1) making individual agents (households and persons) “intelligent” by having individual memory and dynamic state dependence mechanisms with referencing, (2) ability of individual agents to adapt to the changing environment, when they can change parameters such as Value of Time (VOT), (3) direct interactions between the individual agents and not only with the aggregate environment, (4) learning from others through social and spatial networks, in particular, in the context of “modality”, (5) distinguishing between the planning layer and real-time implementation layer (simulation) in the model system, and (6) explicit competition for a constraint supply of activities, for example, in the context of workplace location choice.
A Contribuição de Louk Hulsman para um Modelo Crítico de Justiça Restaurativa: Breves Apontamentos Teóricos

Se pretende en este trabajo abordar las principales criticas de Louk Hulsman al sistema penal, para despues comprobar si pueden ser considerados importantes tambien para la creacion de un modelo critico de la justicia restaurativa. El objetivo es apuntar asi a la importancia estrategica del pensamiento y la obra de Hulsman para la estructuracion de la justicia restaurativa desde una perspectiva critica, consciente de los conocidos problemas del sistema penal
Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury Due to Acute Flaccid Myelitis: Epidemiology, Clinical Management, and Implications for Rehabilitation

Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a recently described rare syndrome causing spinal cord injury in children. The purpose of this review is to describe the epidemiology of AFM, clinical presentation, and management. We further describe outcomes, rehabilitation strategies, and future directions for this group of children. Outbreaks of Enterovirus D-68 (EV D-68) starting in 2014 coincided with increase in acute flaccid paralysis cases in children which were tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC provided guidelines for identification and management of cases of AFM. Long-term follow-up has not been sufficient but children with AFM have a wide range of presentation and residual disability following the illness. Further studies are needed to assess long-term outcomes and to help prevent AFM. The epidemiology and acute management of AFM is well described in the literature but long-term follow-up and outcomes remain needed, especially regarding long-term disability from spinal cord injury. Additional studies are needed to provide further evidence of best practice and possible prevention.
Hall Probe Calibration System Design for the Mu2e Solenoid Field Mapping System

The goal of the Mu2e experiment at Fermilab is to search for charged-lepton flavor violation by looking for neutrino-less muon to electron conversion in the field of the nucleus. The Mu2e experimental apparatus utilizes a complex magnetic field in the muon generation and momentum and charge selection process. Precise knowledge of the magnetic field is crucial. It is planned to map the solenoid field with calibrated three-dimensional (3-D) Hall probes up to 10−5 accuracy. This article describes a new design of a Hall probe calibration system that will be used to calibrate 3-D Hall probes to better than 10−5 accuracy for the Mu2e solenoid field mapping system.
Neural Circuits Affected by Deep Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders

The neural network that underlies the pathophysiology of several diseases including obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and major depression (MD) centers on the prefrontal–basal ganglia system. The structures most closely associated with these diseases are the anterior cingulate cortex, the orbitofrontal cortex, the ventral striatum, and parts of the thalamus. The most successful deep brain stimulation (DBS) targets for the treatment of OCD and MD are centered in white matter tracts and/or gray matter, chosen for their central location to capture specific prefrontal connections of the subgenual anterior cingulate and orbital cortex. As more knowledge is obtained concerning the details of these connections, more precise targets may be possible. This chapter reviews the connectivities likely to be involved at different DBS sites on the basis of non-human-primate circuitry studies of the ventral anterior cingulate gyrus and orbital cortex.
The Control of Growth by the Synthesis of IAA and Its Conjugation

In many studies of growth the responses of plant tissue to treatments with IAA, gibberellins and phytokinins have been given simplistic interpretations in which the treatment is represented as an aspect of the natural control system. In such interpretations the evidence concerning the internal control of growth by IAA has been minimised or ignored although the measurement of diffusible auxin is the most accurate and realistic indicator of the endogenous control of elongation. The experiments reported here have examined the control of growth by the synthesis of IAA in the plant and the combination of IAA with other substances.
Sclerosing mesenteritis: a comprehensive clinical review

Sclerosing mesenteritis is a rare disease entity initially described in 1924 with a prevalence reported to be less than 1%. Sclerosing mesenteritis is a comprehensive term used to describe three almost similar clinical entities including mesenteric panniculitis, retractile mesenteritis, and mesenteric lipodystrophy which only differ by their histology. The etiology of sclerosing mesenteritis is uncertain, but the disease has been associated with trauma, autoimmune disease, surgery, and malignancy. The typical presenting symptom is the abdominal pain, but sclerosing mesenteritis has a broad constellation of presenting symptoms which often makes consideration of the diagnosis unlikely. Treatment for this little-understood disease ranges from surgical intervention for patients presenting with obstructive symptoms to immunosuppressive medical therapy for patients presenting with pain. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the literature relevant to the diagnosis, etiology, and management of this condition in hopes of making physicians aware of this unique condition.
Estimating the prevalence at death of CTE neuropathology among professional football players.

In July 2017, JAMA published results from autopsies of the brains of 202 deceased American football players.1 Of the 111 participants who had played in the National Football League (NFL), 110 (99%) received a neuropathologic diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with head trauma. This 99% figure received substantial media coverage when the study was published.
Influence of mass and charge disorder on the phonon thermal conductivity of entropy stabilized oxides determined by molecular dynamics simulations

It is shown using classical molecular dynamics simulations that phonon scattering from disorder in the interatomic forces introduced by charge transfer and not from mass disorder is needed to explain the thermal conductivity reduction experimentally measured that accompanies the addition of a sixth cation to the entropy stabilized oxide J14 [(Mg0.1Co0.1Ni0.1Cu0.1Zn0.1)O0.5]. The simulations were performed on five entropy-stabilized oxides, J14, and J14 plus Sc, Sn, Cr, or Ge in equi-molar cation proportions. Comparing the simulation results to predictions from the Bridgman equation using properties from the simulations suggests that despite phonon scattering from disorder in both atomic forces and mass, the thermal conductivity for these systems is still above an analytical limit for an amorphous structure.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae resistance driven by antibiotic use.

A new ecological analysis has shown that antimicrobial consumption is positively associated with decreased antimicrobial susceptibility in Neisseria gonorrhoeae across European countries. Efforts at the policy, provider and community level need to be strengthened to address and help mitigate the continued emergence of antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae.
The Empirical Base for the Implementation of Social Skills Training with Maltreated Children

Social skills are the specific behaviors that an individual exhibits to perform competently on a social task (e.g., active listening skills, reciprocal communication, ignoring, etc.) (Gresham 2002). Deficits in social skills may result from developmental delays in language acquisition or motor performance or from faulty learning. Studies have repeatedly shown that children with social competence deficits are at greater risk for poor school adjustment and adult psychopathology than students who are socially competent. (Moffitt et al., Dev Psychopathol 14:179–207, 2002; Patterson et al., Antisocial boys, Eugene, Castalia, 1992). Social Competence is an evaluative term based on judgments that a person has performed a social task completely (Cook et al., J Emot Behav Disord 16(3):131–144, 2008). Children who fail to respond appropriately in social situations may have been exposed to inappropriate models in their environments; parents of withdrawn children tend to display low rates of pro-social behavior with their children, and parents of aggressive children tend to be aggressive themselves. Further, children with social skills deficits are often reared in dysfunctional families in which members feel isolated and respond to each other in a passive, ineffective fashion. (Webster-Stratton and Reid, J Child Serv 5(1):25–42, 2010).
A Novel Mutation in an NPXY Motif of β Integrin Reveals Phenotypes Similar to him-4/hemicentin.

Integrin, an αβ heterodimeric cell surface receptor for the extracellular matrix (ECM), carries two tyrosine phosphorylation motifs in the cytoplasmic tail of the β subunit. NPXY (Asn-Pro-x-Tyr) is a conserved tyrosine phosphorylation motif that binds to the phospho-tyrosine binding (PTB) domain. We generated a tyrosine to glutamic acid (E) mutation to modify tyrosine (Y) into a negatively charged amino NPXY in the βpat-3 integrin of Caenorhabditis elegans. The transgenic rescue animal displayed defects in gonad migration and tail morphology. Also, the mutant animals produced a high number of males, suggesting that the Y to E mutation in βpat-3 integrin causes a phenotype similar to that of Him mutant. Further analyses revealed that males of pat-3(Y804E) and him-4/hemicentin share additional phenotypes such as abnormal gonad and unsuccessful mating. A pat-3 transgenic rescue mutant with a non-polar phenylalanine (F) in NPXY, pat-3(Y792/804F), suppressed the high male number, defective mating, inviable zygote, and the abnormal gonad of him-4 mutants, indicating that Y to F mutation in both NPXY motifs suppressed the him-4 phenotypes. This finding supports the idea that the ECM determines the activation state in integrin NPXY motifs; him-4/hemicentin may directly or indirectly interact with integrins and maintain the NPXY non-charged. Our findings provide new insight into a suppressive role of an ECM molecule in integrin NPXY activation.
Immediate activation of chemosensory neuron gene expression by bacterial metabolites is selectively induced by distinct cyclic GMP-dependent pathways in C. elegans

Dynamic gene expression in neurons shapes fundamental processes of the nervous systems of animals. But how different stimuli that activate the same neuron can lead to distinct transcriptional responses remains unclear. We have been studying how microbial metabolites modulate gene expression in chemosensory neurons of Caenorhabditis elegans. Considering the diverse environmental stimuli that can activate chemosensory neurons of C. elegans, we have sought to understand how specific transcriptional responses can be generated in these neurons in response to distinct cues. We have focused on the mechanism of rapid (<6 min) and selective transcriptional induction of daf-7, a gene encoding a TGF-{beta} ligand that promotes bacterial lawn avoidance, in the ASJ chemosensory neurons in response to the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Here, we define the involvement of two distinct cyclic GMP (cGMP)-dependent pathways that are required for daf-7 expression in the ASJ neuron pair in response to P. aeruginosa. We show that a calcium-independent pathway dependent on the cGMP-dependent protein kinase G (PKG) EGL-4, and a canonical calcium-dependent signaling pathway dependent on the activity of a cyclic nucleotide-gated channel subunit CNG-2, function in parallel to activate rapid, selective transcription of daf-7 in response to P. aeruginosa metabolites. Our data suggest a requirement for PKG in promoting the fast, selective early transcription of neuronal genes in shaping responses to distinct microbial stimuli in a pair of chemosensory neurons of C. elegans.nnAuthor SummaryThe nervous systems of animals carry out the crucial roles of sensing and interpreting the external environment. When the free-living microscopic roundworm C. elegans is exposed to the pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, sensory neurons detect metabolites produced by the pathogen and induce expression of the gene for a neuroendocrine ligand called DAF-7. In turn, activity of DAF-7 is required for the full avoidance response to the P. aeruginosa, allowing the animals to reduce bacterial load and survive longer. Here, we systematically dissect the molecular pathway between the sensation of P. aeruginosa metabolites and the expression of daf-7 in a pair of C. elegans sensory neurons. We show that the intracellular signaling molecule cyclic GMP is a key signaling intermediate. In addition, we show that there are calcium-dependent and calcium-independent pathways that are both required to engage daf-7 expression, highlighting an organizational principle that allows neurons to distinguish between various stimuli.
Nocturnal foraging by the green heron ( Butorides virescens ) under artificial illumination in Tobago

Abstract: Few details have been published on nocturnal foraging in the Green Heron (Butorides virescens). We report an observation of a Green Heron feeding on frogs under artificial illumination about 90-150 min after sunset at Bon Accord, Tobago, on 19 June 1995. Keywords: Butorides striatus, Green Heron, nocturnal foraging, Tobago Resumen: Forrajeo nocturno en el Chicuaco Cuello Rojo (Butorides virescens) bajo iluminacion artificial en Tobago- Se han publicado pocos detalles sobre el forrajeo nocturno del Chicuaco Cuello Rojo (Butorides virescens). Se relata una observacion de un Chicuaco Cuello Rojo alimentandose de ranas bajo iluminacion artificial aproximadamente 90-150 minutos despues de la puesta del sol en Bon Accord, Tobago, el 19 de junio de 1995.
Recurrent ICD Discharges in a Patient with Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and High Gradients

A 41-year-old female with a history of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, who had an ICD implanted for the primary prevention of sudden cardiac death, presents after recurrent appropriate shocks from her device for ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation which has been refractory to antiarrhythmic medications. Observational studies have shown that LV outflow tract gradient reduction is associated with a decreased incidence of appropriate ICD discharges in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This patient ultimately underwent gradient reduction surgery with septal myectomy and has been free of ventricular arrhythmias in the post-operative period.
Bok Choy, an Asian Leafy Green Vegetable Emerging in Florida

Asian vegetable crops are rapidly expanding in Florida in the last decade due to their health benefits combined with their high profitability. These crops can help increase vegetable growers’ income and diversify Florida’s crop production, and they are new to most Floridians. This new 5-page article provides a general overview of bok choy for vegetable growers, crop consultants, certified crop advisors, Extension agents, and graduate students. Written by Hai Liu and Guodong Liu and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1337
Chute scoring as a potential method for assessing individual differences in arousal among ewes

Abstract Chute scoring has been used among beef and dairy operations as a method to gauge the relative phenotypic characteristics of animals based on response to physical restraint. While elements of the cattle chute score, such as tail flicking, exit speed, and side kicking, have been validated as behavioral indicators of arousal in cattle, a robust and species-appropriate scale has not been developed for sheep. Given that individual monitoring of breeding ewes is growing in the sheep industry, it could be beneficial to develop such a rating system for ewes. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the consistency of chute score values and behavioral measures over repeated trials, (2) provide a subjective scoring system that human observers may use to identify behavioral indicators of arousal in sheep, and (3) determine if there are physiological measurements which are related to subjective chute scores. Twenty-eight multiparous, crossbred ewes from the same breeding group were restrained in a squeeze chute for 10 min, once a week for five weeks. Trained researchers gave each ewe a chute score based on the behaviors observed. A ‘1−3’ subjective scale adapted from cattle literature was used to designate score values to each ewe (with scores increasing relative to observable agitation). Measures of heart rate, respiration rate, and surface eye temperature were collected while ewes were restrained. Video data of restrained ewes were coded for order of entry, step and bleat rate, and, latency to exit the chute. Chute scores were highly consistent within ewes between nearly all trial day combinations. Positive and significant correlations (Kendall’s Tau) were found between the third, fourth and fifth trials for bleat rate (P
Inverse Kinematics Using a Converging Paths Algorithm

This article presents a numerical method for the inverse kinematics of serial chains by utilizing dual quaternion formulation of the robot kinematics within a converging paths algorithm. The method is inspired by iterative techniques such as FABRIK, however adding information on the kinematics of the chain to be solved. The method has been tested with 2R, planar 4R and spatial 4R robots. Future work includes optimizing the method to compare with other fast numeric algorithms for inverse kinematics.
Communication, Marketing Plan, and Strategy

A core tenant of effective and authentic marketing can be summed up by the Shakespearean quote “to thine own self be true.” You cannot communicate about your business until you know about your business, and just as important, authenticity and consistency are critical. Brands that have inconsistent or inauthentic value propositions ring as hollow or feel like a sales con. You do not want your simulation program to fall into this trap. Being thoughtful, authentic, and realistic with your marketing helps ensure future clients become repeat clients.
Military Flights Threaten the Wilderness Soundscapes of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington

Noise from military aircraft over the Olympic Peninsula (Washington, USA), has increased in recent years with changes in operations from nearby facilities. Further increases in training activities are proposed, but lack of any data that describe current noise levels has hindered assessment of impacts on humans and wildlife. Over a one-year period, we monitored three primary and two supplemental sites to document current noise contributions of military aircraft to the soundscape.We found that currently, 88% of audible air traffic is military. Flight training activities were concentrated during weekdays and in daytime hours, with hourly percent time audible averaging 14 to 42%. The duration of time that military aircraft were audible in any hour was correlated across sites up to 51 km apart, and the site outside the operations area experienced substantial noise, signifying a noise footprint extending well beyond the operations area. Maximum loudness of flyover events exceeded 82 dBA (A-weighted sound pressure level), and a median increase of 3 to 4 dBA (i.e., a doubling of existing acoustic energy) from ambient periods was typical in most sites and seasons. Comparison of spectral power densities indicates that military aircraft largely impact frequencies below 1.2 kHz, averaging a 20-dB increase (i.e., quadrupling of loudness) in this frequency range compared with ambient samples. Our results demonstrate that changes in military operations will play a dominant role in dictating the future soundscape of the Olympic Peninsula, and offer an empirical basis for inquiry into how the proposed increases will impact people and wildlife in this region.
Retinal capillary degeneration and blood-retinal barrier disruption in murine models of Alzheimer's disease.

Extensive effort has been made studying retinal pathology in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to improve early noninvasive diagnosis and treatment. Particularly relevant are vascular changes, which appear prominent in early brain pathogenesis and could predict cognitive decline. Recently, we identified platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRβ) deficiency and pericyte loss associated with vascular Aβ deposition in the neurosensory retina of mild cognitively impaired (MCI) and AD patients. However, the pathological mechanisms of retinal vascular changes and their possible relationships with vascular amyloidosis, pericyte loss, and blood-retinal barrier (BRB) integrity remain unknown. Here, we evaluated the retinas of transgenic APPSWE/PS1ΔE9 mouse models of AD (ADtg mice) and wild-type mice at different ages for capillary degeneration, PDGFRβ expression, vascular amyloidosis, permeability and inner BRB tight-junction molecules. Using a retinal vascular isolation technique followed by periodic acid-Schiff or immunofluorescent staining, we discovered significant retinal capillary degeneration in ADtg mice compared to age- and sex-matched wild-type mice (P < 0.0001). This small vessel degeneration reached significance in 8-month-old mice (P = 0.0035), with males more susceptible than females. Degeneration of retinal capillaries also progressively increased with age in healthy mice (P = 0.0145); however, the phenomenon was significantly worse during AD-like progression (P = 0.0001). A substantial vascular PDGFRβ deficiency (~ 50% reduction, P = 0.0017) along with prominent vascular Aβ deposition was further detected in the retina of ADtg mice, which inversely correlated with the extent of degenerated capillaries (Pearson’s r = − 0.8, P = 0.0016). Importantly, tight-junction alterations such as claudin-1 downregulation and increased BRB permeability, demonstrated in vivo by retinal fluorescein imaging and ex vivo following injection of FITC-dextran (2000 kD) and Texas Red-dextran (3 kD), were found in ADtg mice. Overall, the identification of age- and Alzheimer’s-dependent retinal capillary degeneration and compromised BRB integrity starting at early disease stages in ADtg mice could contribute to the development of novel targets for AD diagnosis and therapy.