cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional Responsibilities of Municipalities Database

This paper examines the assignment of functional responsibilities to municipalities, contributing conceptualization and measurement for the analysis of breadth of those responsibilities across the American states. It also investigates determinants of functional breadth, guided by an institutional perspective: three alternative explanations are derived and explored in an empirical analysis of municipalities in metropolitan areas. Using data from the 2012 Census of Governments, two measures of functional breadth are reported, thus evaluating the reliability of the research findings across alternative measurements of functional responsibility. Main findings are that a diverse scope of functional responsibilities is prevalent across American municipalities and that the institutional environment of municipalities influences those diverse functional responsibilities. Additional findings are that some institutional factors differentially affect the scope of functional responsibilities, according to an analysis of quantiles on the dependent variable’s distribution. Although its primary contribution is to the literature on functional responsibilities of municipalities, also the paper builds on theories of institutional structure, alternative provision of services, and programs of assistance to municipalities in federalism.
Immoderate Investigations : Heresy, Knowledge, and the Culture of Suspicion in Richard Rolle's Latin texts

ABSTRACTThis essay examines the response by the fourteenth-century English hermit Richard Rolle to the ‘investigative’ thought that characterized late-medieval penitential and academic cultures. I argue that a more thorough and nuanced understanding of Rolle’s critique of intellectual inquiry serves to elucidate what was for him a kind of model for penitential and mystical spirituality – a model that amounted to a cogent critique of late-medieval academic inquiry and its potential to lead Christians into theological error. For Rolle, the human determination to inquire into the divine nature stood in strong opposition to a mystical-penitential commitment to God’s ultimate unknowability. Instead of producing knowledge about God, the investigative intellect that marked academic practice amounted to the aggrandizement of human over divine judgment and, as a result, contributed to a culture of suspicion.
Disgust, Delight, and In-Between

ABSTRACTMuriel Dimen showed us how disgust and delight live around the corner from each other. Disgust is a central affect that powerfully determines human behavior, often unconsciously. Politicians have evoked the power of disgust to unite people irrationally against a purported common enemy. Disgust for bitter and sour taste is inborn. Disgust with excreta is acquired by acculturation. Many forms of disgust are overcome and transformed by sexual desire during puberty. Psychotherapists need to monitor their own disgust reactions and differentiate between their reactions of disgust and erotic fascination as well as those of their patients.
Abstract #2411: Blockade of PD-L1 enhances antigen-specific CD8+ Tcell activation and delays tumor growth in mice bearing pancreatic tumor

Interaction between the programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor on T cells and its ligand PD-L1 plays a crucial role in inhibiting T cell responses and maintaining peripheral tolerance. PD-L1 expression can lead to down-regulation of antigen-specific T cell responses in both viral infection and tumor settings. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of blocking PD-L1 signaling on the induction of anti-tumor immunity. PD-L1 is highly expressed on murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DC) and Panc02 pancreatic cancer cells. We first examined the effect of blocking PD-L1 expression on DC. DC were treated with anti-PD-L1 or normal rat (Nr)IgG antibody, pulsed with OVA SIINFEKL peptide and co-cultured with OVA-specific CD8 + T cells. Stimulation of OVA-specific CD8 + T cells by DC treated with anti-PD-L1 antibody led to enhanced IFN-gamma production (6,470 pg/ml) compared to those stimulated with (Nr)IgG treated DC (2,535 pg/ml; p 51 chromium cytoxicity assay. Blocking PD-L1 expression on Panc02 cells increased target cell killing to 23±6% from a baseline of 9±2%. We next examined the effect of anti-PD-L1 antibody treatment on antigen specific CD8 + T cell activation induced by in vivo vaccination with dendritic cells (DC) pulsed with OVA SIINFEKL peptide. After 2 vaccinations at 7 day interval, draining lymph nodes (DLN) were collected and CD8 + OVA-tetramer + T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. In the DLN of vaccinated mice treated with anti-PD-L1 88% of CD8 + T cells were OVA-tetramer + compared to 71% in the (Nr)IgG control group (p 2 vs 187mm 2 respectively, p 2 vs 159 mm 2 , p + T cell activation and tumor growth inhibition in mice with pancreatic cancer. Studies to optimize combination therapy using anti-PD-L1 antibody and DC-based vaccines are ongoing. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 2411.
Temperature dependent infrared nano-imaging of La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 thin film

We investigate the temperature dependence of infrared properties at nanometer length scales in La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) thin film with a thickness of 47 unit cells grown on SrTiO3 substrate. The infrared nano-imaging experiments were performed using a near-field optical microscope in conjunction with a variable temperature heating stage. The near-field infrared data is consistent with the bulk of the LSMO film undergoing the thermally-driven non-percolative second-order transition from a metallic, ferromagnetic phase to an insulating, paramagnetic phase. We find persistent infrared contrast on the nanoscale that is independent of temperature and which we attribute to two novel phases with different conductivities coexisting in the vicinity of the film-substrate interface. These two coexisting phases at the film-substrate interface do not undergo the metal-insulator transition (MIT) and hence are different from the metallic, ferromagnetic and insulating, paramagnetic phases in the bulk of the film. At temperatures approaching the nominal MIT temperature, repeated scans of the same microscopic area at constant temperature reveal bimodal fluctuation of the near-field infrared amplitude. We interpret this phenomenon as slow, critical fluctuations of the conductivity in the bulk of the LSMO film.
Pharmacodynamics of fentanyl citrate in patients undergoing aortocoronary bypass

The pharmacodynamics of fentanyl citrate were studied in two groups of patients. One group underwent surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and the other group had surgery without CPB; the latter group represented the controls. Apneic periods were considerably longer (2.70 ± 0.90 hr) for the CPB patients than for the control patients (1.75 ± 0.75 hr). The total plasma fentanyl concentration at which apnea ceased was not statistically different between the two groups. Minor differences were attributed to the massive dilution of plasma proteins after the adding of priming fluid to the heart-lung machine. This prolongation of apnea is of considerable clinical importance because it means that CPB patients must remain mechanically ventilated for longer periods.
Metabolomics-Guided Discovery of Microginin Peptides from Cultures of the Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa.

We report a mass-spectrometry-based metabolomics study of a laboratory-cultured strain of Microcystis aeruginosa (UTEX LB2385), which has led to the discovery of five peptides (1–5) belonging to the microginin class of linear cyanopeptides. The structures and configurations of these peptides were determined by spectroscopic analyses and chemical derivitization. The microginin peptides described herein are the first reported derivatives containing N-methyl methionine (1, 5) and N-methyl methionine sulfoxide (2–4). The two tripeptide microginin analogues (4, 5) identified represent the smallest members of this peptide family. Their angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity was also investigated. Microginin 527 (4) was the most potent of the group, with an IC50 of 31 μM.
Generating User Stories in Groups with Prompts

Communicating about system requirements with user stories is a distinctive feature of Agile Software Development methods. While user stories make system requirements intelligible to both customers and technical developers, they also create new challenges for the requirements elicitation process such as personal bias and requirements coverage. In this study we propose that when elicited from groups instead of individuals, and with prompts, the number of stories generated and comprehensiveness of the stories is likely to increase. A lab experiment was conducted to examine these hypotheses is delineated in this paper. We found that prompting significantly increased the number of user stories generated as well as the comprehensiveness of the stories generated. We did not find a difference in user stories generated or comprehensiveness of stories generated by groups and individuals.
Effects of Fiber on Plasma Lipoprotein Composition

Elevated plasma cholesterol levels have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Because of this association, considerable research effort has been focused on elucidating dietary factors that may be associated with lower plasma cholesterol levels. Reduction of plasma cholesterol by drug intervention has recently been associated with reduced risk of heart disease. Vegetarian diets and diets rich in plant foods relative to animal foods have been associated with lower plasma cholesterol and there is some evidence that vegetarianism may be associated with protection from heart disease (Burr and Sweetnam, 1982; Phillips et al., 1978). Several aspects of a diet rich in plant foods may be protective, including amount and type of fat, protein, and fiber. This chapter will focus on the potential effects of dietary fiber on plasma lipids and lipoproteins.
Efficient Conversion of Aqueous-Waste-Carbon Compounds Into Electrons, Hydrogen, and Chemicals via Separations and Microbial Electrocatalysis

Valorization of waste streams is becoming increasingly important to improve resource recovery and economics of bioprocesses for the production of fuels. The pyrolysis process produces a significant portion of the biomass as an aqueous waste stream, called bio-oil aqueous phase (BOAP), which cannot be effectively converted into fuel. In this report, we detail the separation and utilization of this stream for the production of electrons, hydrogen, and chemicals, which can supplement fuel production improving economics of the biorefinery. Separation methods including physical separation via centrifugal separator, chemical separation via pH manipulation, and electrochemical separation via capacitive deionization are discussed. Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) including microbial fuel cells (MFCs), microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) and electro-fermentation processes are reviewed for their potential to generate current, hydrogen, and chemicals from BOAP. Recent developments in MECs using complex waste streams and electro-active biocatalyst enrichment have resulted in advancement of the technology towards performance metrics closer to commercial requirements. Current densities above 10 A/m2 have been reported using BOAP, which suggest further work to demonstrate the technology at pilot scale should be undertaken. The research on electro-fermentation is revealing potential to generate alcohols, diols, medium chain fatty acids, esters, etc. using electrode-based electrons. The ability to derive electrons and chemical building blocks from waste streams illustrate the advancement of the BES technology and potential to push the frontiers of bioenergy generation one step further towards development of a circular bioeconomy.
Literacy development: the 21st century bilingual immersion classroom

ABSTRACTReading and writing translate to centuries of shared knowledge and can be expanded upon with the ability to acquire multiple tongues. In response to today’s most widely spoken languages, Chinese/English and Spanish/English dual language immersion programs continue to grow across the United States. Unfortunately, the lack of uniformity in the structure and implementation of national bilingual programs is as prominent as bilingual educators’ concerns on how to best support emergent bilinguals in their development of biliteracy, while meeting state and national standards in both English and the partner language. Immersion classrooms will benefit from practical and effective ways to inform instruction for increased student engagement, greater access to bilingual education resources, and support to deliver content area instruction in the target language to both native and non-native English-speaking students.
Peptidomimetics Targeting Protein-Protein Interactions for Therapeutic Development.

Background Interactions between proteins play a key role in nearly all cellular process, and therefore, its dysregulation may lead to many different types of cellular dysfunctions. Hence, pathologic Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs) constitute highly attractive drug targets and hold great potential for developing novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of incurable human diseases. Unfortunately, the identification of PPI inhibitors is an extremely challenging task, since traditionally used small molecules ligands are mostly unable to cover and anchor on the extensive and flat surfaces that define those binary protein complexes. In contrast, large biomolecules such as proteins or peptides are ideal fits for this so-called "undruggable" sites. However, their poor pharmacokinetic properties have also limited their applications as therapeutics. In this context, peptidomimetic molecules have emerged as an alternative and viable solution to this problem, since they conserve the architectural and structural features of peptides and also exhibit substantially improved pharmacokinetic profiles. Conclusion In the last decades, a wide array of chemical approaches granting access to conformationally constrained peptides with substantially improved pharmacokinetic profiles have been described, with a special focus on those affording stapled peptides and allowing large-scale macrocyclizations. These peptidomimetic molecules have been successfully applied to target a plethora of biological hosts, which highlights their promising future as novel therapeutics for the treatment of incurable human diseases.
Motivational and affective engagement in learning Spanish with a mobile application

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine whether any changes occurred in students' motivational and affective engagement in L2 after participating in game-like activities with a grammar-focused mobile application in Spanish courses. The motivational and affective engagement of a total of 82 U.S. students was examined. Paired-samples t-tests showed that students improved significantly in intrinsic goal orientation, beliefs about controlling their learning, and self-efficacy for learning after participating in game-like activities with a grammar-focused mobile application. Students' enjoyment of learning in Spanish courses also increased; furthermore, students positively evaluated the game-like activities with a grammar-focused mobile application. Interview data reveal features of the activities with a mobile application that facilitate university students’ engagement. A discussion of motivational and affective engagement and the use of a grammar-focused mobile application in the classroom is included.
DRD2 methylation and regional grey matter volumes in young adult offspring from families at ultra-high risk for alcohol dependence

Abstract Dopaminergic alteration is a prominent feature in those with AD and may influence brain development in those with a family history of AD. MRI scans (3T) from 43 HR offspring (27.4 ± 3.6 years) and 45 controls (24.5 ± 4.1 years) provided whole brain (WB) and region of interest (ROI) analyses. The VBM8 toolbox was used for WB analysis (threshold p
Self-Confidence in Endotracheal Intubation Among Pediatric Interns: Associations With Gender, Experience, and Performance.

Abstract Background and Objective Supervisors’ decisions regarding procedural readiness are influenced by resident confidence. Confidence is a valuable metric if we understand how it correlates with trainee characteristics and procedural competence. Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between self-reported confidence in endotracheal intubation (ETI) and pediatric interns’ characteristics (gender, prior intubation experience) and performance (airway management knowledge, demonstrated skills on airway trainers). Methods This was a secondary analysis of a randomized, controlled trial of an airway management curriculum. Gender and prior intubation experience were reported on a preparticipation questionnaire. Interns’ performance was measured 1) using a 14-item knowledge-based assessment of airway management and 2) as time to successful intubation across 4 simulated intubation scenarios. After completing the curriculum and assessment, interns reported retrospective precurriculum and current postcurriculum confidence with ETI using a 10-point Likert scale. Results Forty-nine interns participated, of whom 16 (33%) were male. Eleven (22%) had ≥1 previous successful intubation. Median [interquartile range] pre- and postcurriculum confidence scores were 3 [2, 5] and 6 [5, 8], respectively. Male interns reported higher precurriculum confidence than females (median difference: 2.0; 95% confidence interval: 0.1, 3.9); postcurriculum confidence among males was also higher but not statistically significant. There was no correlation between self-reported precurriculum confidence and prior experience. There was no correlation between pre- or postcurriculum self-reported confidence and performance on the knowledge-based assessment or time to successful intubation on airway trainers. Conclusions Male pediatric interns self-report higher initial confidence in ETI compared to females. Self-reported confidence did not correlate with prior experience, airway management knowledge, or intubation performance on airway trainers.
ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING POLYMERS

Most polymers are insulators, with desirable properties such as lightweight, processability, durability, and low cost. By designing the molecular structures of polymers, chemists have developed new materials that exhibit electrical conductivities comparable to metals while retaining the advantages of polymers. There are three approaches to making conducting materials: pyrolysis to produce a conducting residue (mostly carbon); producing a composite structure from a conducting material and an insulating organic polymer; and making organic conjugated polymers This chapter addresses the third approach. Generally, these electrically conducting polymers are composed of conjugated polymer chains with π-electrons delocalized along the backbone. In the neutral (or undoped) form, the polymers are either insulating or semiconducting. The polymers are converted to the electrically conductive, or doped, form via oxidation or reduction reactions that create delocalized charge carriers. Charge balance is accomplished by incorporating an oppositely charged counter ion into the polymer matrix. The main purpose of these investigations was to synthesize and study new materials combining the electrical properties of metals or semiconductors and the mechanical properties of plastics. These conjugated materials also give highly nonlinear optical response, either for second-order or third-order effects. Although it is difficult to evaluate the technogical significance of such a new field, the research has established a foundation of materials and fundamental scientific principles ready to be cleverly applied.
Vision in an abundant North American bird: The Red-winged Blackbird

Avian vision is fundamentally different from human vision; however, even within birds there are substantial between-species differences in visual perception in terms of visual acuity, visual coverage, and color vision. However, there are not many species that have all these visual traits described, which can constrain our ability to study the evolution of visual systems in birds. To start addressing this gap, we characterized multiple traits of the visual system (visual coverage, visual acuity, centers of acute vision, and color vision) of the Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), one of the most abundant and studied birds in North America. We found that Red-winged Blackbirds have: wide visual coverage; one center of acute vision per eye (fovea) projecting fronto-laterally with high density of single and double cones, making it the center of both chromatic and achromatic vision; a wide binocular field that does not have the input of the centers of acute vision; and an ultraviolet sensitive visual system. With this information, we parameterized a Red-winged Blackbird-specific perceptual model considering different plumage patches. We found that the male red epaulet was chromatically conspicuous but with minimal achromatic signal, but the male yellow patch had a lower chromatic but a higher achromatic signal, which may be explained by the pigment composition of the feathers. However, the female epaulet was not visually conspicuous in both the chromatic and achromatic dimensions compared with other female feather patches. We discuss the implications of this visual system configuration relative to the foraging, antipredator, mate choice, and social behaviors of Red-winged Blackbirds. Our findings can be used for comparative studies as well as for making more species-specific predictions about different visual behaviors for future empirical testing.
Acquisition of 500 English Words through a TActile Phonemic Sleeve (TAPS)

Recently, a phonemic-based tactile speech communication system was developed with the goal to transmit speech through the skin for people with hearing impairments and those whose auditory and visual channels are overloaded or compromised. The display, called the TActile Phonemic Sleeve (TAPS), consisted of a 4-by-6 tactor array worn on the dorsal and volar surfaces of the forearm. Earlier work showed that people were able to learn the haptic symbols for 39 English phonemes and reach a mean phoneme recognition rate of 86% correct within one to four hours of training. The current research evaluated the acquisition of up to 500 words using TAPS. A total of 51 participants were trained and tested in three studies with increasing number of phonemes and vocabulary sizes. Individual achievements varied, but the results clearly demonstrate the potential of transmitting any English word using TAPS within a reasonable period of learning. Future work will include increasing the speech transmission rate with TAPS by improving the phonemic codes and reducing the inter-phoneme intervals, addressing the reception of words and sentences composed of strings of tactile phonemes, and assessing the performance of TAPS as a speech communication system for people with severe hearing impairments.
Non-circular CT orbit design for elimination of metal artifacts.

Metal artifacts are a well-known problem in computed tomography - particularly in interventional imaging where surgical tools and hardware are often found in the field-of-view. An increasing number of interventional imaging systems are capable of non-circular orbits providing one potential avenue to avoid metal artifacts entirely by careful design of the orbital trajectory. In this work, we propose a general design methodology to find complete data solution by applying Tuy’s condition for data completeness. That is, because metal implants effectively cause missing data in projections, we propose to find orbital designs that will not have missing data based on arbitrary placement of metal within the imaging field-of-view. We present the design process for these missing-data-free orbits and evaluate the orbital designs in simulation experiments. The resulting orbits are highly robust to metal objects and show greatly improved visualization of features that are ordinarily obscured.
PM 2.5 and Emergency Calls for Health with Respiratory Diseases in Chengdu in 2017

Objective To determine the association between daily particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) mass and emergency calls for help with respiratory diseases. Methods Semi-parametric generalized additive model was established to determine the association between daily PM 2.5 and emergency calls for help with respiratory diseases in 2017 in Chengdu, after adjustments for time trend and variations in the days of the week and weather conditions. Results In 2017, a total of 9 309 emergency calls for help with respiratory diseases were recorded in Chengdu: on average 26 calls a day. Over the year, Chengdu reported a mean PM 2.5 mass concentration of 53.6 μg/m 3, an average temperature of 16.6 ℃, and an average relative humidity of 81.2%. The single pollutant model with lag time effect showed that a 10 μg/m 3 increase in PM 2.5 was associated with an increase of 1.26% (95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.56%-1.97%) emergency calls for help with respiratory diseases. The exposure-response was almost in a direct line. The dual pollutant model found that O 3 8-hour sliding average (O 3-8 h) enhanced the effect of PM 2.5 on emergency calls for help with respiratory diseases. Conclusion Outdoor PM 2.5 is a significant predictor of emergency calls for help with respiratory diseases in Chengdu.
Medical Conditions Linked to Atherosclerosis Are Associated With Magnified Cortical Thinning in Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorders.

AIMS Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies report widespread cortical thinning in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD), but did not consider potential effects of pro-atherogenic conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hepatitis C seropositivity and hyperlipidemia on cortical thickness. The conditions are associated with regional cortical thinning in those without AUD. We predicted that individuals with concurrent AUD and pro-atherogenic conditions demonstrate the greatest regional cortical thinning in areas most vulnerable to decreased perfusion. METHODS Treatment-seeking individuals with AUD (n = 126) and healthy controls (CON; n = 49) completed a 1.5 T MRI study. Regional cortical thickness was quantitated via FreeSurfer. Individuals with AUD and pro-atherogenic conditions (Atherogenic+), AUD without pro-atherogenic conditions (Atherogenic-) and CON were compared on regional cortical thickness. RESULTS Individuals with AUD showed significant bilateral cortical thinning compared to CON, but Atherogenic+ demonstrated the most widespread and greatest magnitude of regional thinning, while Atherogenic- had reduced thickness primarily in anterior frontal and posterior parietal lobes. Atherogenic+ also showed a thinner cortex than Atherogenic- in lateral orbitofrontal and dorso/dorsolateral frontal cortex, mesial and lateral temporal and inferior parietal regions. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate significant bilateral cortical thinning in individuals with AUD relative to CON, but the distribution and magnitude were influenced by comorbid pro-atherogenic conditions. The magnitude of cortical thinning in Atherogenic+ strongly corresponded to cortical watershed areas susceptible to decreased perfusion, which may result in morphometric abnormalities. The findings indicate that pro-atherogenic conditions may contribute to cortical thinning in those seeking treatment for AUD.
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in children and adults: A focused review emphasizing new developments

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) was originally described in the medical literature more than 200 years ago. However, consensus clinical diagnostic criteria are less than 15 years old. A...
Comparing Return to Sports After Patellofemoral and Knee Arthroplasty in an Age- and Sex-Matched Cohort.

Background:Return to sports is an important outcome in ensuring patient satisfaction after knee-replacement surgery. However, few studies have directly compared unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (...
Are Donations Bigger in Texas? Analyzing the Impact of a Policy to Match Donations to Texas’ Emerging Research Universities:

We examine the impact of the Texas Research Incentive Program (TRIP), a state policy that offers matching funds to incentivize private-sector donations to certain public universities. We use a nati...
Learning Control for Voltage and Frequency Regulation of an Infinite Bus System

A new learning methodology in terms of a discretization of a so-called Chen-Fliess series of a control affine nonlinear system was recently proposed, in part, for the purpose of systematically including system structure and expert knowledge into control strategies. The main objective of this paper is to appropriately embed this learning unit as a supporting predictive controller for power dynamical systems. In particular, an infinite bus system is used for the prototype design of a smart and active control policy to regulate voltage and frequency. It is demonstrated by simulation how a controller employing a Chen-Fliess learning unit can recover from a fault and address modeling mismatch.
Retail Shelf Space Planning – Differences, Problems and Opportunities of Applied Optimization Models

Shelf space optimization models receive high attention among researchers for years. The allocation of different products with a certain number of facings (a facing corresponds to one visible unit of the product on the shelf) to a limited shelf space is a catchy example of applying operations research methods for a practical use case. Some approaches are more of a generic kind in order to create a basic understanding of the possibilities of decision support models while others aim to investigate specific impacts of different factors (e.g., cross-space elasticity, cost functions). Further a set of approaches provide applicable decision support tools which can be used to determine (almost) final planograms for retail stores. Beside a lot of improvements provided by latest research retailers are subjected to a continuous development. The requirements for shelf space planning in practice are increasing with new technologies (e.g., planning software, data availability) and impacts from different research fields (e.g., marketing, food chemistry, logistics). When shelf space models are created these specifications should be considered closely in order to provide beneficial solutions. Indeed the intention of researchers and retailers doing shelf space planning might differ in many cases. During a collaborative research project with one of Europe's biggest food retailer over three years a lot of experience could be achieved and intensive comparisons between scientific work and practical requirements could be fulfilled. Based on the experiences made during our collaboration where several optimization models were developed and whose results were actually applied to stores, in this paper the key findings from the related processes shall be shared. The goal is to provide insights from practice and point to unnoticed problems in order to let both groups, retailers and researches, gain valuable information and simultaneously improve their work. Finally some rather unattended, but crucial, aspects of shelf space allocation are mentioned suggesting further areas of research.
Intact synapse structure and function after combined knockout of PTPδ, PTPσ and LAR

It has long been proposed that Leukocyte common Antigen-Related Receptor Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases (LAR-RPTPs) are cell-adhesion proteins for the control of synapse assembly. Their synaptic nanoscale localization, however, has not been established, and the fine structure of synapses after knockout of the three vertebrate genes for LAR-RPTPs (PTP{delta}, PTP{sigma} and LAR) has not been tested. Here, we find that PTP{delta} is precisely apposed to postsynaptic scaffolds at excitatory and inhibitory synapses using superresolution microscopy. We generated triple-conditional knockout mice for PTP{delta}, PTP{sigma} and LAR to test whether they are essential for synapse structure. While mild effects on synaptic vesicle clustering and active zone architecture were detected, synapse numbers and their overall structure were unaffected, membrane anchoring of the active zone persisted, and vesicle docking and release were normal. We conclude that LAR-RPTPs, despite their localization at synaptic appositions, are dispensable for the organization and function of presynaptic nerve terminals.
Digital and Supervisory Control Systems

Central supervisory control systems allow one person, at a central location, to monitor and control the operation of up to several thousand elements of the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems in the building or the complex. The addition of alarm circuits and audio or audiovisual communications improves security as well as simplifying and improving the degree of control that can be maintained. The additional first cost of these systems sometimes can be amortized in a few years by more efficient maintenance and operation. Where many tenants are involved, the increased tenant satisfaction may be sufficient justification for the added cost.
Characterization of anisotropy in the permeability of organic-rich shales

Abstract Accurate determination of permeability is essential and challenging in organic-rich shales due to the tight and heterogeneous nature of shale formations, the presence of lamination as well as induced or natural fractures and the sensitivity of fracture permeability to stress. The tight nature of shale formation makes the traditional steady-state method not to be practical. Therefore, unsteady state methods such as pulse decay or crushed-sample have been practiced for shales. However, the pulse decay method can be still time consuming and the crushed-sample method is size-dependent as our numerical simulations show. As an alternative method, the results of complex transient method are presented. Moreover, the presence of lamination and fractures causes directional dependency of permeability. To characterize this type of anisotropy, three-plug method is usually applied. However, the variation of permeability with location causes this method to be unreliable in heterogeneous formations. Similarly, the presence of artificial micro-fractures affects the reliability of the permeability measurement in shales. Using variety of methods to measure permeability, the effects of these anisotropic and heterogeneous features under stress are discussed.
Modeling temperature and humidity profiles within forest canopies

Abstract Physically-based models are a powerful tool to help understand interactions of vegetation, atmospheric dynamics, and hydrology, and to test hypotheses regarding the effects of land cover, management, hydrometeorology, and climate variability on ecosystem processes. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate recent modifications and further refinements to a multi-layer plant canopy model for simulating temperature and water vapor within three diverse forest canopies: a 4.5-m tall aspen thicket, a 15-m tall aspen canopy, and a 60-m tall Douglas fir canopy. Performance of the model was strongly related to source strength and profile stability within the canopy. Root mean square deviation (RMSD) between simulated and observed values tended to be higher for the summer periods when there was much more heat and vapor added to the canopy space due to solar warming and transpiration. Conversely, RMSD for vapor pressure was lowest for the winter periods when vapor additions within the canopy space were minimal. RMSD for temperature ranged from 0.1 °C for the top of the 15-m aspen canopy during the winter to 1.6 °C for the bottom of the 4.5-m aspen thicket during the summer period. RMSD for vapor pressure ranged from 0.002 kPa for the top of the 15-m aspen canopy during winter to 0.141 kPa for the bottom of the 4.5-m aspen thicket during the summer. Unstable profile conditions were simulated better by the model than stable conditions for all sites. RMSD for temperature at the bottom of the 4.5-m aspen, 15-m aspen and 60-m Douglas fir were 0.89, 0.77, and 0.85 °C, respectively, for unstable conditions compared to 1.44, 0.89 and 1.16 °C for stable conditions. Stable profiles are more challenging to accurately simulate because dispersion within a stable profile is lower thereby creating larger gradients. Temperature differences between the bottom and above canopy sensors were within 3 °C for unstable conditions for all sites, but were as much as −10 °C under stable conditions. The model exhibited the greatest discrepancies relative to measurements in the 4.5-m aspen thicket under stable conditions, likely due to horizontal ejections from this relatively small patch of vegetation that could not be addressed by the one-dimensional model. At each site, the model performed best near the top of canopy where the air was well mixed and gradients between it the meteorological conditions above the canopy used to force the model were minimal.
Visual Tracking for Teams of Miniature Robots

This paper describes an experimental visual tracking system for cameras mounted on miniature mobile robots. The localization of the moving target robot is done in two steps: (i) extracting boundary marks representing the target robot within the image, and (ii) reducing its projected position and orientation errors across images. Background segmentation is especially difficult in this problem, as there is no calibration with respect to the scene from the mobile camera. Further difficulties arise with the constrained motion of mobile robots and performing the analysis in real-time. We also address an action selection scheme based on error reduction as a solution for visual tracking from moving platforms. Experiments utilizing multiple miniature robots are presented to illustrate how this system can be used for following the leader, platooning, and target interception behaviors.
Evidence for Multiple Forms of Isocitrate Lyase in Neurospora crassa

The effect of carbon source on isocitrate lyase formation was studied in a wildtype strain of Neurospora crassa and in a uridine-deficient mutant. A constitutive level of the enzyme was produced in a casein hydrolysate medium. The enzyme was repressed by glucose, although the two strains varied with respect to the degree of glucose repression. Acetate strongly stimulated isocitrate lyase formation. The enzyme formed in the presence of acetate differed in several respects from that formed in glucose-grown cells. Differences were found in pH-activity curves, Km values, and in sensitivity to phosphoenolpyruvate inhibition. Diethylaminoethyl cellulose chromatography allowed separation of two enzymatically active components which showed different rates of heat inactivation. These data indicate the presence of multiple forms of isocitrate lyase in Neurospora.
Factors associated with delay to pituitary adenoma diagnosis in patients with visual loss.

Object The duration of visual symptoms associated with a nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (NFA) is a predictive factor for chances of visual improvement. The authors investigated factors associated with increased duration of visual symptoms in patients with NFAs. Methods The authors retrospectively reviewed NFAs resected at their institution between 2004 and 2010 for duration of visual symptoms, postoperative improvement, and associated factors. Results Seventy-five patients underwent NFA resection with a median visual symptom duration of 6.5 months (range 1 week–15 years). A multivariate logistic regression showed that duration of symptoms (p = 0.04), but not age at surgery (p = 0.2), predicted postoperative normalization of vision. Univariate nonparametric analyses investigating age at symptom onset, sex, race, insurance type, ophthalmological conditions, income, marital status, emergency department admission, language, and medical provider found that age was the only variable significantly prolonging s...
The use of 50% albumin/plasma replacement fluid in therapeutic plasma exchange for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Background: Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is caused by a deficiency of von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease (ADAMTS13) and is often associated with the presence of an antibody inhibiting the activity of the protease. Typically, 1–1.5 plasma volume exchanges are performed daily until symptoms have resolved and the platelet count exceeds 150,000/µl. Plasma is the usual replacement fluid as it provides a source of functional ADAMTS13, thus exposing patients to large volumes of plasma. Historically, Puget Sound Blood Center (PSBC) has performed therapeutic plasma exchange (TPEs) for TTP using 5% albumin for the first half of the procedure followed by plasma for the remainder. We sought to assess the efficacy of this approach. Study Design and Methods: All TPEs performed for the diagnosis of TTP by the PSBC apheresis service from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2011 were reviewed. Response time, remission rates, relapses, and adverse events were evaluated for those patients with documented ADAMTS13 levels ≤10%. Comparisons were made with published data on TTP patients treated using 100% plasma replacement. Results: Twenty-one patients required a median of 11 TPEs. Median time to response was 14 days. Ninety percent of patients responded to TPE. Among patients achieving remission, 53% relapsed. Out of 283 total procedures, there were 74 procedures with a documented adverse event (26%), mostly mild allergic reactions. Conclusions: TPE with an albumin/plasma replacement is safe and well-tolerated. Remission and relapse rates were comparable to those reported using 100% plasma replacement. J. Clin. Apheresis, 28:416–421, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The role of sexual selection in the loss of sexually selected traits in the swordtail fish Xiphophorus continens

Swordtail fish have been studied extensively in relation to several exaggerated male traits that have evolved due to sexual selection. However, one species of swordtail fish, Xiphophorus continens, lacks all of these traits. Males in this species are relatively small, lack swords and do not possess any of the pigment patterns found throughout the swordtails and platyfish. In this study we compared the mating behaviour of X. continens to the mating behaviours of other swordtail fish to determine whether a relaxation of sexual selection may have played a role in the loss of large male size and the pigment pattern vertical bars. We found that X. continens lacked the courtship behaviours present in other swordtail species, and that female mating preference for male size and male response to the pigment pattern vertical bars were significantly weaker than in other swordtails we have tested. In addition, results of staged male–male interactions suggested that neither male size nor vertical bars are under strong selection due to male–male competition. However, we did detect a polymorphism in female preference for vertical bars, suggesting that the response of female X. continens to vertical bars has been evolutionarily retained even though the trait was lost. Based on what is known about female preference for body size and bars, and male response to body size and bars across the northern swordtails, we hypothesize that the loss of large male size was due to a relaxation of sexual selection, whereas the loss of vertical bars was not.
Interaction of Natural Products with Medication and Nutrients

Discuss the current regulations concerning the manufacturing and marketing of dietary supplements in the United States. Discuss the prevalence of dietary supplement use. Describe the most common dietary supplements with a potential for having an interaction with a medication based on the current clinical and scientific literature
Octreotide-Induced Hyperkalemia

A 68-year-old woman was admitted with numerous injuries after being hit by an automobile. On day 16 of hospitalization octreotide was started for treatment of a pancreatic fistula, and within 2 days the patient's serum potassium increased. By the third and fourth days of octreotide therapy the level had increased to the point at which it required treatment. The patient was asymptomatic, however, and had normal renal function. Octreotide was discontinued on the fifth day of the course, with a subsequent decrease in serum potassium. Two days later, one dose of the drug was given; serial serum potassium levels were measured before and after the dose, and increased after the rechallenge. Octreotide was not administered for the remainder of the patient's hospitalization, and hyperkalemia did not recur.
Aβ Vasoactivity in Vivo

Bilateral temporoparietal hypoperfusion has been frequently observed early in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) process. The beta-amyloid (A beta) peptide is believed to play a central role in the pathogenesis of AD. In vitro experiments have shown that freshly solubilized A beta enhances constriction of cerebral and peripheral vessels. We proposed that in vivo, A beta would also have vasoactive properties. To test this hypothesis, we intraarterially infused freshly solubilized A beta 1-40 in rats and observed changes in peripheral blood pressure, cerebral blood flow, and cerebrovascular resistance. We found that infusion of A beta in vivo significantly increased the blood pressure in hypotensive rats but not in normotensive and hypertensive rats. Moreover, A beta infusion also resulted in a decreased blood flow and increased vascular resistance specifically in cerebral cortex but not in heart or kidneys. These data suggest that A beta has a direct and specific constrictive effect on cerebral vessels in vivo, which may contribute to the cerebral hypoperfusion observed early in the AD process.
Erythroblastosis fetalis. II. Prognosis in relation to history, maternal titer and length of fetal gestation.

The prognosis of erythroblastosis fetalis has been studied in relation to maternal history, maternal titer of Rh antibody, and length of fetal gestation. The outlook for recovery of the first Rh-positive infant born to a mother after sensitization to the Rh factor occurs is good. About 30% of such infants have no clinical disease. Few are stillborn. Subsequent affected babies have a less favorable prognosis. Stillbirths become common (about 40%) and are related to the fact that the maternal titer is likely to be high throughout a large part of pregnancy. The authors have not seen a general tendency to increasing severity of erythroblastosis after the second affected baby. The prognosis of erythroblastosis fetalis in live born infants is more closely related to maternal titer than to family history of affected infants, with high titers carrying increased risk of kernicterus. Immaturity in a live born baby with erythroblastosis fetalis carries an increased risk of unfavorable outcome, particularly with respect to kernicterus.
Delta factor increases promoter selectivity by Bacillus subtilis vegetative cell RNA polymerase

Summary The role of delta factor has been investigated by analyzing its effect on initiation and transcription by sigma-containing Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase. Delta factor reduced transcription from various plasmid and chromosomal DNA templates, but had very little effect on RNA polymerase activity with phage DNA as templates. Delta factor increased the specificity of promoter selection and initiation when Hind III restriction fragments of phage 029 DNA were used as templates. These data indicate that the presence of delta factor favors transcription from efficient promoters and coordinates initiation of transcription with the sigma factor.