cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of combinations of interferons with tumor specific and nonspecific monoclonal antibodies as therapy for murine B- and T-cell lymphomas.

Two murine models, C3H 38C13 B-cell lymphoma and AKR SL2 T-cell lymphoma were used to determine the efficacy of three different interferon preparations, recombinant human hybrid interferon-alpha A/D, recombinant murine interferon (rMIFN)-gamma, and natural MIFN-alpha/beta (greater than or equal to 85% beta), alone and in combination with tumor specific and nonspecific monoclonal antibody therapy. All three interferon preparations have direct in vitro antigrowth activity for 38C13 and SL2. All three interferons have direct antitumor activity in vivo for 38C13 lymphoma at high doses; however, none of these interferons has independent antitumor activity for SL2 in vivo. These data indicate that there is no relationship between in vitro growth cytostasis/cytolysis and in vivo antitumor response. All three interferon preparations will potentiate both tumor specific and nonspecific monoclonal antibody therapy. Natural MIFN-alpha/beta and recombinant human hybrid interferon-alpha A/D, which should share a common cell surface receptor, had similar antitumor activity in both models. Combining recombinant human hybrid interferon-alpha A/D and rMIFN-gamma therapy was not additive for 38C13 lymphoma and a three-way combination with antiidiotype was not significantly more effective than combination therapy with one interferon type. In general, rMIFN-gamma was more effective in in vivo combination therapy against the s.c. T-cell lymphoma than against the i.p. B-cell lymphoma and was more synergistic with anti-Thy1.1 than with antiidiotype.
Teacher Preparation in Career and Technical Education: A Model for Developing and Researching Early Field Experiences

Experiential learning has been a hallmark of career and technical education (CTE). It has allowed CTE educators to utilize constructivist and contextual learning approaches, which help students integrate new knowledge and experience with previous knowledge in a real-world manner (Gordon, 2008). The same philosophical approach occurs collegiately in professional programs like law, medicine, business, and teaching (Darling-Hammond, 2006). Teacher education programs, especially CTE teacher education programs, have incorporated this philosophy as a means of putting ideals into action. EFE is an experiential component of preservice teacher education, which offers career exploration and later teacher development.
Knowledge representation for investment strategy selection

A hybrid knowledge representation for the problem of investment-strategy selection is described. This representation scheme is efficient in knowledge organization and inference performance. The types of knowledge required to support the selection process are identified. The interrelationships among these different types of knowledge are represented in a frame abstraction, and a frame-slot structure in clausal form is described. Knowledge acquisition, consistency, and completeness checks are shown in terms of sample Prolog rules. >
Seizures induced by carbachol, morphine, and leucine-enkephalin: A comparison

The electrical, behavioral, and pharmacological properties of seizures induced by morphine, leucine-enkephalin, and the muscarinic cholinergic agonist carbachol were examined and compared. Low-dose carbachol given intracerebroventricularly (ICV) produced seizures similar electrically to those produced by ICV morphine and leucine-enkephalin, although there was some difference in site of subcortical origin of onset. Carbachol and morphine were similar in that they had the same anticonvulsant profile, produced similar behavioral changes, caused generalized absence seizures in low doses and generalized convulsive seizures in high doses, and were capable of chemical kindling. However, opiate-induced seizures were not overcome by cholinergic antagonists, nor were carbachol seizures blocked by opiate antagonists. These data suggest that there may be a common noncholinergic, nonopiatergic system involved in mediating carbachol- and morphine-induced seizures but not enkephalin seizures.
Specialization of the specialized in features of external human brain morphology

Recent studies have shown brain differences between professional musicians and non-musicians with respect to size, asymmetry or gray matter density of specific cerebral regions. Here we demonstrate: (1) that anatomical differences in the motor cortex can already be detected by coarse visual inspection; and (2) that within musicians, even a discrimination of instruments with different manual dominance is possible on a gross anatomical scale. Multiple raters, blinded for subject identity and hemisphere, investigated within-musician differences in the Omega Sign (OS), an anatomical landmark of the precentral gyrus associated with hand movement representation. The sample of 64 brains comprised matched groups of 16 expert string-players, 16 expert pianists and 32 non-musicians. Ratings were analysed by means of kappa statistics. Intra- and interobserver reliabilities were high. Musicians had a more pronounced OS expression than non-musicians, with keyboard-players showing a left and string-players a right hemisphere advantage. This suggests a differential brain adaptation depending on instrument played.
MEASUREMENTS OF THE NEAR INFRARED OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF COAL SLAGS

The spectral complex refractive index has been measured over the wavelength range of 1 μm to 12 μm for three coal ash samples. The measurements were conducted by making spectral transmittance and near-normal reflectance measurements on thin, homogeneous slag wafers prepared from the ash samples. The imaginary part of the refractive index k exhibits a large peak near 9 μm, attributable to Si-O vibrational absorption. Three smaller peaks in the k spectra were observed at 1·2μm, 1·8 μm, and 2·8 μm, which have been identified as due to absorption by the ferrous iron ion Fe2+ and the hydroxyl group OH. The dependence of the ash optical properties on ferrous iron content in the wavelength range of 1 μm to 5 μm suggests that both the total iron content of the ash and the ash oxidation state may affect the contribution of ash to radiative heat transfer in coal combustion systems.
Incentive Mechanism Design for Production Economies with Both Private and Public Ownerships

In this paper we dealwith the probl em of incentive mechanism design which yields efficient allocations for general mixed ownership economies when preferences, individual endowments, and coalition patterns among individuals are unknown to the planner. We do so by doubly implementing the proportional solution for economies with any number of private sector and public sector commodities and any number of individuals as well as the coexistence of privately and publicly owned firms with general convex production possibility sets. Furthermore, the mechanisms work not only for three or more agents, but also for two-agent economies. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C72, D61, D71, D82. © 2000 Academic Press
Failure of sputum eosinophilia after eotaxin inhalation in asthma

Background: Eotaxin is a chemokine specific for eosinophils and may play an important role in eosinophil recruitment in asthma. The effects of eotaxin inhalation on sputum and blood eosinophils, exhaled nitric oxide (NO), and bronchial responsiveness were determined. Methods: Eotaxin was administered by nebulisation to asthma patients in three studies: (1) an open dose finding study with eotaxin (5, 10 and 20 µg) to two asthmatic subjects; (2) a randomised placebo controlled study with 20 µg eotaxin to five asthmatic subjects and five normal volunteers; and (3) a randomised placebo controlled study with 40 µg eotaxin to nine asthmatics. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), exhaled NO, and blood eosinophils were measured before and hourly for 5 hours after nebulisation and at 24 and 72 hours. Methacholine bronchial challenge and sputum induction were performed before and at 5, 24, and 72 hours after nebulisation. Results: In the two placebo controlled studies there was no change in sputum eosinophil count and sputum eosinophilic cationic protein concentration after eotaxin inhalation compared with placebo. FEV1, exhaled NO, and methacholine PC20 did not change. However, high dose eotaxin (40 µg) induced an increase in sputum neutrophil count compared with placebo (p<0.05). Conclusions: Inhaled eotaxin up to 40 µg induced no changes in sputum eosinophil count but at 40 µg it increased the sputum neutrophil count. The significance of this finding is unknown.
Emergency Neurological Life Support: Traumatic Spine Injury

Traumatic spine injuries (TSIs) carry significantly high risks of morbidity, mortality, and exorbitant health care costs from associated medical needs following injury. For these reasons, TSI was chosen as an ENLS protocol. This article offers a comprehensive review on the management of spinal column injuries using the best available evidence. Though the review focuses primarily on cervical spinal column injuries, thoracolumbar injuries are briefly discussed as well. The initial emergency department clinical evaluation of possible spinal fractures and cord injuries, along with the definitive early management of confirmed injuries, are also covered.
The interrelated effects of body size and choroid rete development on the ocular O2 partial pressure of Atlantic (Gadus morhua) and Greenland cod (Gadus ogac)

The interrelated effects of body size and choroid rete development on the ocular partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) of the mainly temperate Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, and the exclusively polar Greenland cod, G. ogac, were investigated using micro-optode O2 sensors. Due to a difference in geographical distribution, it is hypothesized that G. ogac will possess features favouring visual-metabolic processes in a cold, dark environment. The relative size of the eye was identical between species and exhibited negative body-size scaling. The oxygen-secreting retia of both gadid species are extremely well developed and, although variable, recordings of ocular PO2 were consistently and often greatly in excess of atmospheric pressures (27.7–138.3 kPa). The choroid rete was slightly more developed in G. ogac, but ocular PO2 was not significantly different between the two species. Choroid rete development scaled isometrically with body size in both species and may explain why differences in body size did not account for any of the variation in ocular PO2 measures. The hypothesis that polar-fish species exhibit marked visual-metabolic adaptations as a result of their cold, dark environment is not wholly supported by the current data.
Bose-Einstein condensate as a nonlinear Ramsey interferometer operating beyond the Heisenberg limit

We show that a dynamically evolving two-mode Bose-Einstein condensate (TBEC) with an adiabatic, time-varying Raman coupling maps exactly onto a Ramsey interferometer that includes a nonlinear medium. Assuming a realistic quantum state for the TBEC that has been achieved experimentally, we find that the measurement uncertainty of the ``path-difference'' phase shift scales as the standard quantum limit $(1/\sqrt{N})$, where $N$ is the number of atoms, while that for the interatomic scattering strength scales as $1/{N}^{7/5}$, overcoming the conventional Heisenberg limit of $1/N$.
The Length Dependence of the PolyQ-mediated Protein Aggregation *

Polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat disorders are caused by the expansion of CAG tracts in certain genes, resulting in transcription of proteins with abnormally long polyQ inserts. When these inserts expand beyond 35–45 glutamines, affected proteins form toxic aggregates, leading to neuron death. Chymotrypsin inhibitor 2 (CI2) with an inserted glutamine repeat has previously been used to model polyQ-mediated aggregation in vitro. However, polyQ insertion lengths in these studies have been kept below the pathogenic threshold. We perform molecular dynamics simulations to study monomer folding dynamics and dimer formation in CI2-polyQ chimeras with insertion lengths of up to 80 glutamines. Our model recapitulates the experimental results of previous studies of chimeric CI2 proteins, showing high folding cooperativity of monomers as well as protein association via domain swapping. Surprisingly, for chimeras with insertion lengths above the pathogenic threshold, monomer folding cooperativity decreases and the dominant mode for dimer formation becomes interglutamine hydrogen bonding. These results support a mechanism for pathogenic polyQ-mediated aggregation, in which expanded polyQ tracts destabilize affected proteins and promote the formation of partially unfolded intermediates. These unfolded intermediates form aggregates through associations by interglutamine interactions.
Techniques for holmium laser lithotripsy of intrarenal calculi

Objective To describe specific techniques of holmium laser lithotripsy for intrarenal calculi based on characteristics of the stone. Methods The dancing, chipping, fragmenting, and popcorn techniques are used to ablate stones ureteroscopically with the holmium laser. Results All techniques lead to successful stone ablation, with the different techniques being applied preferentially to stones with different characteristics. Conclusion Honing precise techniques of ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy can lead to more efficient lithotripsy.
Practices of traditional birth attendants in Sierra Leone and perceptions by mothers and health professionals familiar with their care.

Study Purpose: Describe practices of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in assisting women in childbirth and the perceptions of TBAs by mothers and health professionals familiar with their work. Methodology: Qualitative design using focus groups conducted in urban and rural settings in Sierra Leone. Separate audiotaped focus groups conducted for each group of participants lasting between 45 and 90 minutes. Participants: Purposive sample of 20 TBAs, 20 mothers, and 10 health professionals who met the following criteria: (a) at least 18 years of age, (b) TBAs currently practicing, (c) mothers who delivered at least one child assisted by a TBA, and (d) health professionals currently practicing in the hospital and familiar with TBA practices. Findings: TBAs are valued by mothers, health professionals, and the community because they provide accessible and affordable care to mothers who may otherwise have no access to health services. TBAs need training, supervision, and resources for effective referral of mot...
Mechanism of fracture in glassy polymers. IV. Temperature rise at the tip of propagating crack in poly(methyl methacrylate)

The temperature rise at the moving crack tip in poly(methyl methacrylate), resulting from the dissipation of the energy of crack propagation has been calculated. At velocities below 1 cm./sec., conduction of heat away from the crack plane into the bulk polymer appears to prevent any appreciable temperature increase.
Mechanism of origin of conduction disturbances in aging human atrial bundles: Experimental and model study

Background Aging is associated with a significant increase in atrial tachyarrhythmias, especially atrial fibrillation. A macroscopic repolarization gradient created artificially by a stimulus at one site before a premature stimulus from a second site is widely considered to be part of the experimental protocol necessary for the initiation of such arrhythmias in the laboratory. How such gradients occur naturally in aging atrial tissue is unknown. Objective The objective of this study was to determine if the pattern of cellular connectivity in aging human atrial bundles produces a mechanism for variable early premature responses. Methods Extracellular and intracellular potentials were recorded after control and premature stimuli at a single site in aging human atrial bundles. We also measured cellular geometry, the distribution of connexins, and the distribution of collagenous septa. A model of the atrial bundles was constructed based on the morphological results. Action potential propagation and the sodium current were analyzed after premature stimuli in the model. Results Similar extracellular potential waveform responses occurred after early premature stimuli in the aging bundles and in the model. Variable premature conduction patterns were accounted for by the single model of aging atrial structure. A major feature of the model results was that the conduction events and the magnitude of the sodium current at multiple sites were very sensitive to small changes in the location and the timing of premature stimuli. Conclusion In aging human atrial bundles stimulated from only a single site, premature stimuli induce variable arrhythmogenic conduction responses. The generation of these responses is greatly enhanced by remodeling of cellular connectivity during aging. The results provide insight into sodium current structural interactions as a general mechanism of arrhythmogenic atrial responses to premature stimuli.
Morphological effects of pulsed ultrasound in the lung

Abstract We have previously described the induction of subcapsular hemorrhage in the murine lung by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy at exposures of 2 MPa (Hartman et al. 1990) and pulsed ultrasound (Child et al. 1990). Since extravasation of erythrocytes and alveolar flooding are prominent, we proposed to determine whether or not the injury was progressive, by continuing to develop following termination of exposure, and by localizing where the injury was developing. Mice were exposed to 10 us impulses at 1.6 MPa for 3 min and sacrificed either immediately or 5 min following exposure. When observed with both light and transmission electron microscopy, there was no gradation in lung injury, with a sharp demarcation of the hemorrhagic area. Moreover, both type I pneumocytes and capillary endothelial cells were injured, causing direct continuities between vessel lumina and alveolar spaces. In the absence of extravasation, the tissue appeared normal. There was no evidence that injury increased in severity during the first 5 min after exposure.
Interview: Encouraging collaboration in cure-focused research

Camillo Ricordi is the Stacy Joy Goodman Professor of Surgery, a Professor of Medicine, a Professor of Biomedical Engineering and a Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Miami, FL, USA. At this institution, he also serves as the Director of the Diabetes Research Institute and the Cell Transplant Center. Dr Ricordi is also the Responsible Head of the NIH-funded Human Cell Processing Facility and has been chairing the Dean’s Research Cabinet at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine (FL, USA), since 2006. Camillo Ricordi is an acclaimed scientist in diabetes cure-focused research. He is well known for developing the procedure for isolating and extracting human islet cells from the pancreas and he performed the first series of successful clinical human donor islet transplantations. Dr Ricordi is also currently researching methods for transplanting cells and organs without the continuous requirement for antirejection drugs. Over the years, Dr Ricordi has received numerous h...
Cine MPR: interactive multiplanar reformatting of four-dimensional cardiac data using hardware-accelerated texture mapping

Four-dimensional (4-D) imaging to capture the three-dimensional (3-D) structure and motion of the heart in real time is an emerging trend. We present here our method of interactive multiplanar reformatting (MPR), i.e., the ability to visualize any chosen anatomical cross section of 4-D cardiac images and to change its orientation smoothly while maintaining the original heart motion. Continuous animation to show the time-varying 3-D geometry of the heart and smooth dynamic manipulation of the reformatted planes, as well as large image size (100-300 MB), make MPR challenging. Our solution exploits the hardware acceleration of 3-D texture mapping capability of high-end commercial PC graphics boards. Customization of volume subdivision and caching concepts to periodic cardiac data allows us to use this hardware effectively and efficiently. We are able to visualize and smoothly interact with real-time 3-D ultrasound cardiac images at the desired frame rate (25 Hz). The developed methods are applicable to MPR of one or more 3-D and 4-D medical images, including 4-D cardiac images collected in a gated fashion.
Short-term growth analysis of ‘Lovell’ and ‘Nemaguard’ peach rootstocks

SummaryA 14-week study was conducted to investigate differences in growth characteristics between cvs Lovell and Nemaguard peach rootstocks. Nemaguard exhibited a higher absolute growth rate, and had significantly greater values for leaf weight ratio and leaf-root dry weight ratio as compared to Lovell. Significant differences were detected between the two cultivars for root-shoot ratio and fresh weight-dry weight ratio. Nemaguard had a significantly greater root-shoot ratio early in development but exhibited a lower ratio for the final four harvest dates. The fresh weight-dry weight ratio showed a similar pattern. No significant differences in relative growth rate, unit-leaf rate or leaf area ratio were detected.
A Revision of the Genus Lachesilla North of Mexico (Corrodentia: Caeciliidae)

The family Caeciliidae (according to Chapman's classification, but with the addition of more recent records) contains at least thirty-nine previously described Nearctic species. The genus Lachesilla is one of nine genera in the family Caeciliidae and contains ten previously described species for this region. This study treats twenty-four species, twelve that are new to science, one that is here transferred to this genus, one that was previously considered a variety and is here elevated to species rank, and the ten species previously placed in Lachesilla .
Study on Using Behaviors of Pesticides among Greenhouse Fruit and Vegetable Planters in A Suburb District of Shanghai City

[Objective]To understand the knowledge,attitude and behavior of greenhouse fruit and vegetable planters towards pesticides use,and provide evidence for safe,effective and rational using behaviors of pesticides.[Methods]A total of 70 people from the villages with more greenhouses of 4 counties were selected for questionnaire survey which included social demographic characteristics,knowledge,attitude and practice about using behaviors of pesticides.[Results]A total of 274 valid questionnaires were collected in the investigation.The awareness of pesticides purchase and safely using requirements was high(73.89%) among planters,but the attention was insufficient during applications,the rate of pesticides using based on safety isolation period was 61.68%,about 42.7% planters didn't record the using situation of pesticides.Only 23.36% respondents stored pesticides correctly.86.13% threw away the packaging after use of pesticides.87.96% respondents primarily considered the prevention and cure effect of pesticides during purchase.66.42% respondents could prepare pesticides according to the manual;there were differences on personal protection during the use of pesticides,85.77% respondents would wear long-sleeved clothes,but the wearing rate of hat,masks and protective glasses was low(29.2%.24.09% and 10.58% separately).86.41% respondents thought they needed training about knowledge of pesticides.The agricultural experts and pesticide salesman had great impact on greenhouse fruit and vegetable planters[Conclusion]It is necessary to promote the building and training of agricultural technique team and marketing salesmen.And based on the above platform,the knowledge of safe use of pesticides and safety protection against pesticides was adopted as training and popularization contents,so as to promote occupational safety of agriculture and occupational health of peasants,and guarantee agricultural products safety and sanitation.
Dendritic Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment

The tumor microenvironment is the key regulator of carcinogenesis that controls the sequence of tumor development and progression, as well as the tumor response to different types of treatment. The initiation, development, and progression of tumors are highly dependent on interactions between the cancerous and nonmalignant cells in the tumor microenvironment. Among the immune cells, dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in the induction and maintenance of antitumor responses owing to their abilities for antigen presentation and activation of lymphocytes that target neoplasic cells. Tumor-infiltrating DCs have been found to be clinically significant in many human malignancies such as colon, hepatic, stomach, lung, breast carcinoma, melanoma, and other tumors. However, the tumor microenvironment can polarize DCs, transforming them into immunosuppressive regulatory DCs, which directly and indirectly limit functional activity of effector T cells and support tumor progression. Thus the balance between immunogenic and tolerogenic DC subpopulations, as well as between resident DCs and administered DC vaccines, is an important player controlling tumor regression and progression. A better understanding of how the tumor microenvironment affects the differentiation, function, survival, and polarization of DC subsets in different cancers will expedite development of more effective DC-based cancer vaccines and other immunotherapeutic approaches.
Analysis of Workflow Variability's Impacts on Trade and Project Performance

Abstract Variability, defined as the deviation of production capacity from an expected average, has a negative impact on the productivity of downstream trades and the entire system. It increases project duration, lost capacities and inventory of the downstream trades. This paper, using Parade Game Simulation, aims to identify the key trade(s) of a single-line production system that contribute(s) the most in reducing/increasing the project duration, total lost capacity and total inventory buffer. The simulation model includes seven trades with two different variability levels. A cooperative game theory was utilized to investigate how the productivity of downstream trades and the entire system is affected by the location of variability. This research revealed the key trades and strategic assignments of trades to maximize the trade and system performance. The findings are beneficial to construction managers as it helps them to manage the workflow efficiently by focusing on the key trades.
Granular Cell Tumor of the Glans Penis

AbstractWe report a rare case of granular cell tumor of the glans penis. The surgical management and clinical implications are described.
La mesa está servida: comida y vida cotidiana en el México de mediados del siglo XX

The aim of this article is to analyze the meaning and significance of food in post-revolutionary Mexico. In order to do so, I explore the changes in cooking and eating practices in the 1940s and 1950s based on the life stories of women who were born between 1917 and 1945, and who lived most of their life in Mexico City and Guanajuato. Although culture and geography affected eating habits in both cities, this work reveals that cooking and eating practices were determined mainly by social class. Oral history is complemented with the analysis of advertisements, medical discourses and census data.
HISTORY AND LITERATURE: Macaulay

[Thomas Babington Macaulay’s (1800–1859) gifts were perfectly attuned to the possibilities of his age. Ambitious, self-confident, and deeply patriotic, Macaulay moved with ease from the House of Commons, to the Supreme Council of India, and finally to the Cabinet. His History of England from the Accession of James II (5 vols. 1849–1861) brought him uncommon fame and rewards throughout the English-speaking world. For this history of the Glorious Revolution and the years immediately following he was admirably prepared by his extensive research, his remarkable memory, and his wide general reading. The enthusiastic reception of the History can be attributed to its tone of untroubled certainty about the merits of the age—the triumph of liberty and wealth in England and the triumph of England in the world—and to the utterly lucid style which Macaulay had wrought with great pains so that the pages would “read as if they had been spoken off, and may seem to flow as easily as table talk.” Later critics boggled at the shallow assurance of his judicial pronouncements on men and events, but only after the success of the novel “Whig interpretation” had become firmly established, a historical force itself.
Biomass Production and Soil Respiration in Experimental Riparian Grass Filter Strips

Introduction Grass filter strips established between cropped fields and streams have many potential conservation benefits, including trapping sediments and runoff, providing wildlife habitat, transforming nitrogen in runoff waters, sequestering soil carbon, and enhancing soil tilth. In this study, we compared five species of grasses with respect to aboveground biomass production and soil respiration (i.e., CO2 flux), the latter being a robust measure of total soil biological activity. The information may help landowners select the best grass species for planting in streamside filters and buffer strips.
Big mechanisms for processing big data in medical informatics

Unprecedented volumes of clinical data, both in structured and unstructured formats, as well as in multimedia format, give rise to new mechanisms of capitalizing the biomedical data. In order to capture the complex, causal and explanatory models of medical data and to facilitate retrieval of relevant information, big mechanisms operating on this medical big data need to be developed. This talk presents such a big mechanisms facilitated by a MapReduce implementation which generates automatically a Qualified Medical Knowledge Graph (QMKG) which can be used for retrieving patient cohorts with higher precision than state-of-the-art methods.
Poly(lactic acid)/montmorillonite blown films: Crystallization, mechanics, and permeation

The study focuses on the development and characterization of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/montmorillonite (clay) nanocomposite films. Samples of 0%, 1%, 3%, and 6% (by weight) clay were shear-mixed, melt-blended, and blown-film processed. Afterward, the effects of clay on the kinetics of cold-crystallization, mechanical properties, and the oxygen barriers are investigated using differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analyzer, and permeation tester, respectively. Through the traditional Avrami analysis, clay is found to accelerate the crystallization process with a higher crystallization rate constant. The Avrami exponent obtained for composites is higher than the neat PLA although all samples show a decreased Avrami exponent with increase of the crystallization temperature. At the same time, the clay exhibits reinforcement effects on the glassy modulus of the composites and influences the cold-crystallization event, similar to the calorimetric results. In addition, the oxygen permeation slightly decreases on adding the clay. With 3% clay concentration, the permeation coefficient is reduced by 24%. The implication of the results is discussed in the article. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45260.
A comparative assessment of projected meteorological and hydrological droughts: Elucidating the role of temperature

Abstract The changing climate and the associated future increases in temperature are expected to have impacts on drought characteristics and hydrologic cycle. This paper investigates the projected changes in spatiotemporal characteristics of droughts and their future attributes over the Willamette River Basin (WRB) in the Pacific Northwest U.S. The analysis is performed using two subsets of downscaled CMIP5 global climate models (GCMs) each consisting of 10 models from two future scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) for 30 years of historical period (1970–1999) and 90 years of future projections (2010–2099). Hydrologic modeling is conducted using the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) as a robust distributed hydrologic model with lower computational cost compared to other models. Meteorological and hydrological droughts are studied using three drought indices (i.e. Standardized Precipitation Index, Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index, Standardized Streamflow Index). Results reveal that the intensity and duration of hydrological droughts are expected to increase over the WRB, albeit the annual precipitation is expected to increase. On the other hand, the intensity of meteorological droughts do not indicate an aggravation for most cases. We explore the changes of hydrometeolorogical variables over the basin in order to understand the causes for such differences and to discover the controlling factors of drought. Furthermore, the uncertainty of projections are quantified for model, scenario, and downscaling uncertainty.
Supertough PLA-Silane Nanohybrids by in Situ Condensation and Grafting

Brittleness is a key barrier for poly(lactic acid) (PLA) toward broader applications. Supertough PLA was achieved by simply mixing a low amount (0.5–1 wt %) of organoalkoxysilane with PLA. Three organosilanes, (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), 3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl isocyanate (ICPTES), and trimethoxymethylsilane (MTMS), were selected for this study to understand how the functional group on a silane affects the behavior of the PLA-silane hybrids. Remarkable improvements in ultimate tensile strain (up to 12 folds) and tensile toughness (up to 10 folds) were observed in APTES- and ICPTES-modified PLA without any loss in tensile strength and modulus. Glass transition temperatures measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) did not show any obvious decrease. We propose that in situ condensation of organosilane and grafting of PLA to form a silica-PLA core–shell nanocomplex may be the reason for the improved mechanical properties. Scanning electron microsco...
Optimizing outpatient appointment system using machine learning algorithms and scheduling rules

Developed prescriptive analytics framework to schedule patients in real-time.Used machine learning to classify patients based on their no-show risk.Proposed scheduling rules by simultaneously considering multiple design decisions.Results provide insights on patient sequencing and overbooking decisions.Helps clinicians to move towards customized, patient-centered care. In the US, the demand for outpatient services is expected to increase, while the supply of physicians to provide the care is projected to decrease. Besides, inefficiencies in the appointment system (AS) and patient no-shows (patients who do not arrive for scheduled appointments) reduce provider productivity, timely access to care, and cost the U.S. healthcare system more than $150 billion a year. To handle increasing demand and compensate for patient no-shows, outpatient clinics tend to overbook appointments. The current scheduling practice at most clinics and majority of the scheduling rules proposed in the literature assume all patients are equally likely to miss an appointment. Further, most scheduling rules in the literature do not make use of the available data, such as electronic health records, when scheduling patients. This paper proposes a prescriptive analytics framework to improve the performance of an AS with respect to patient satisfaction (measured using average patient waiting time and number of patients unable to get an appointment for the day under consideration) and resource utilization (measured using average resource idle time, overflow time and overtime). In the proposed framework, patient-related data from various sources are used to develop predictive models that identify the risk of a patient no-show. Different scheduling rules, that leverage the patient-specific no-show risk is then proposed. A case study, with real data from a Family Medicine Clinic in Pennsylvania, is used to show the feasibility of the proposed framework. The effectiveness of the proposed scheduling rules is evaluated by benchmarking it with three rules adapted from the literature. The results indicate that the proposed scheduling rules consistently outperform the benchmark rules for all the clinic settings tested. Further, the proposed framework is generic and can be adopted by any outpatient clinic characterized by occurrences of no-shows and appointment-based customer arrivals.
Predator–prey dynamics mediate long-term production trends of cisco (Coregonus artedi) in a northern Wisconsin lake

We quantified production, biomass, and production to biomass (P/B) ratios for cisco (Coregonus artedi) in Trout Lake, Wisconsin, USA (2001–2015). Across all years, annual production, biomass, and P...
Enhancement Mechanism of Nonlinear Optical Response of Transparent Conductive Oxides at Epsilon-Near-Zero

Transient nondegenerate nonlinear refraction of Indium Tin Oxide has been characterized in the near-infrared using femtosecond Beam-Deflection with independently tuned excitation and probe. ENZ enhancement depends more strongly on the probe wavelength than the excitation.
Simplified FDTD model of electromagnetic wave propagation in magnetized plasma

A new finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) model of electromagnetic wave propagation in magnetized ionospheric plasma is presented that is simple to implement. This new anisotropic model permits the use of two time steps, one for Maxwell's equations and the second for the Lorentz equation of motion. This is particularly useful for scenarios in which a high collision frequency or a high background magnetic field intensity is present, in which case the Lorentz equation of motion may require a significantly smaller time step than Maxwell's equations. A major advantage of this algorithm is its ability to update the current density equation with a single update even when the current density time step increment is smaller than the time step increment for Maxwell's equations.
Adoption in Clinical Psychology: A Review of the Absence, Ramifications, and Recommendations for Change

Practicing clinical psychologists reported that 5 to 10% of their patients are adoption triad members (Sass & Henderson, 1999) and yet recent studies concluded that the majority of psychologists are not being taught about adoption-related issues in their preservice raining (Post, 1999; Sass & Henderson, 1999). This article discusses the need for training on adoption in the context of the APA Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology; Domain D, which states that programs must “provide students with relative knowledge and experiences about the role of cultural and individual diversity in psychological phenomenon as they relate to the science and practice of professional psychology” (1996, p. 15), the omission of adoption from curricula, and potential ramifications of this absence.
Smoke-Free Medical Center Policies: A Process in Evolution

In the United States in the last several years, smoke-free policies have been implemented in medical centers throughout the country. Beginning with facilities in the Indian health services, smoke-free policies have been implemented in academic medical centers, veterans administration medical centers, and in private institutions.(Welty 1987; Joseph and Korn, 1988; Becker 1989; Hudzinski and Frohlich, 1990; Stillman 1990; Hurt 1989; Hurt, 1990) Since the first Surgeon General’s report in 1964 linking smoking and disease, there has been an increasing awareness of the inconsistency of allowing smoking in medical facilities in the face of the known hazards of smoking.(US Public Health Service, 1964) More recently, the Environmental Protection Agency has evaluated environmental tobacco smoke and determined that it is a class A carcinogen, which further emphasizes the need to eliminate smoking indoors.(Environmental Protection Agency, 1992) In response to requests by a number of interest groups and the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations adopted a standard requiring that organizations seeking accreditation in the United States must have a smoke-free policy (Table 1).(JCAHO, 1991) This has apparently had a strong effect on the implementation of smoke-free policies, at least in one American city. (Kales, 1993) The new standard is intended to restrict smoking to a minimum in hospitals with the eventual goal of establishing a smoke-free environment.(JCAHO, 1991)
Use of Transgenic and Gene-Targeted Mice to Study K+Channel Function in the Cardiovascular System

A large number of K+ channel genes are expressed in the mammalian heart (for reviews, see Chandy and Gutman, 1995; Deal et al., 1996; Yost, 1999). The diversity of channel expression is enhanced further by coassembly of subunits encoded by different genes to form heteromeric channels, interaction of α-subunits with β-subunits, alternative splicing of K+ channel genes, posttranslational channel modifications, and factors that control insertion and clustering of channels on the cell membrane (Po et al., 1993; Morales et al., 1995; Kim et al., 1996; London et al., 1997; Zhou et al., 1998). This marked diversity leads to a complex array of K+ currents within the heart that varies among species and changes during development.
Engaging African American Women in Community-Based Health Promotion Programs: Key-Informant Recommendations.

ABSTRACTThis explorative qualitative study describes the lived experiences of urban-dwelling African American (AA) women who participated in a nurse-led community-based health-promotion program for up to 20 years. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analyzed using a phenomenological approach. Two central themes arose, the program facilitated behavior change and supported retention and recruitment. The findings suggest that AA women will attend classes and invite other participants when facilitators embed relevant community-engaged principles in the program. The participants recommended essential elements that supported the longevity of the program. Future studies may determine if these suggestions resonate with other AA women.
P095 Antibodies to human platelet antigens: when do they cause an incompatible crossmatch

Aim Our center evaluates approximately 100 platelet refractory patients each year. Previously, we have correlated single antigen bead MFI with platelet crossmatch results in an effort to optimize our process for selection of HLA-compatible platelets. However, we continue to struggle to appreciate when antibodies to human platelet antigens (HPA) are also contributing to the platelet refractory state. In this study, our aim is to understand the relationship between HPA antibody testing (PakPlus, Immucor) and platelet crossmatch (CaptureP, Immucor). Methods One patient sample with a singular & strong specificity, HPA-1a, was identified based on PakPlus testing. This sample was also negative for HLA antibodies based on PakPlus testing. The plasma was then diluted and the PakPlus result, optical density (OD), was determined at each dilution. Ten antigen-positive platelet units were crossmatched with the battery of plasma dilutions. The strength of the platelet crossmatch was graded by one technologist, blinded to the dilution, with 4+ being strong positive to negative. Results The patient sample demonstrated a fairly linear dilution of HPA-1a, beginning with a neat result of OD 1.33. All 10 antigen-positive platelet units were positive at OD 0.42 or greater, yet negative at OD 0.04. There was platelet-specific variability between OD 0.3 and OD 0.06 (see Table 1). Conclusions These results demonstrate that HPA antibodies cause crossmatch positivity at low OD. The variability seen may be due to homozygosity versus heterozygosity of antigen expression. These initial results suggest that a PakPlus result as low as OD 0.06 may cause incompatibility in the platelet crossmatch and could be considered when selecting platelets for the platelet refractory patient. Download : Download high-res image (413KB) Download : Download full-size image
The Management of Pistachio Gummosis by Biocontrol Strategies

Crown and root rot of pistachio trees is a serious disease in pistachio orchards that is induced by Phytophthora species. Due to the harmful effects of chemical compounds on the environment and human health, great emphasis has been placed on the biocontrol of plant diseases, in recent years. Some plant growth promoting microorganisms, such asrhizobacteria (PGPR) and fungi (PGPF), suppress plant pathogens by various direct and indirect mechanisms, including colonization, antibiosis, production of lytic enzymes and volatile compounds (VOCs), as well as induced systemic resistance (ISR). From among beneficial microorganisms, Bacillus and Pseudomonas strains and Trichoderma species have been used as biocontrol agents in many studies, due to their strong biocontrol effects on a wide range of plant pathogens. In recent years, many studies have been done on the biological control of crown and root rot (gummosis disease) of pistachio trees. In the current study, the biocontrol efficacy of soil microorganisms antagonistic to Phytophthoracrown and root rot of pistachio trees has been evaluated.
Efficient Verification of Network Fault Tolerance via Counterexample-Guided Refinement

We show how to verify that large data center networks satisfy key properties such as all-pairs reachability under a bounded number of faults. To scale the analysis, we develop algorithms that identify network symmetries and compute small abstract networks from large concrete ones. Using counter-example guided abstraction refinement, we successively refine the computed abstractions until the given property may be verified. The soundness of our approach relies on a novel notion of network approximation: routing paths in the concrete network are not precisely simulated by those in the abstract network but are guaranteed to be “at least as good.” We implement our algorithms in a tool called Origami and use them to verify reachability under faults for standard data center topologies. We find that Origami computes abstract networks with 1–3 orders of magnitude fewer edges, which makes it possible to verify large networks that are out of reach of existing techniques.
Identifying High-Impact and Managing Low-Impact Assessment Practices.

Those in pharmacy education who are tasked with assessment may be overwhelmed by deadlines, data collection, and reporting, leaving little time to pause and examine the effectiveness of their effor...
Piketty on Capitalism and Inequality: A Radical Economics Perspective

Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-first Century has focused attention on the dramatic rise in economic inequality that has occurred in the United States and Europe over the past four decades. This paper argues that his account of the mechanisms that determine the distribution of income and wealth in a capitalist economy is unconvincing, for it rests on a tautology and on a spurious hypothesis about how the savings rate, the growth rate, and the capital/income ratio are connected.