cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spinal nicotinic receptor activity in a genetic model of hypertension.

Intrathecal cytisine, a nicotinic receptor agonist, elicits greater dose-dependent increases in blood pressure, heart rate and nociceptive responses in SHR than normotensive rat strains. Similar to adult rats, cardiovascular and nociceptive responses were augmented in prehypertensive SHR than age-matched WKY. While hydralazine or captopril pretreatment significantly lowered blood pressure in both SHR and WKY rats, responses to i.t. cytisine were still greater in SHR. By contrast, i.t. cytisine elicited responses were not exaggerated in DOCA-salt hypertensive WKY rats. Pressor and irritation responses to i.t. cytisine can be divided into a transient, initial and persisting, late phases. Both are augmented in SHR. In F1 rats, only the late phase pressor and pain responses to i.t. cytisine are similar in magnitude to those observed in SHR suggesting a possible dominant trait in the SHR. Overall, our findings suggest that hyper-responsiveness in nociception and pressor activity to spinal cytisine in SHR may be pathogenetically associated, but not a consequence, of hypertension.
Kinetics of dye decolorization in an air–solid system

Abstract The photocatalytic decolorization of adsorbed organic dyes (Acid Blue 9, Acid Orange 7, Reactive Black 5 and Reactive Blue 19) in air was examined, applicable to self-cleaning surfaces and catalyst characterization. Dye-coated Degussa P25 titanium dioxide (TiO2) and dye-coated photo-inert aluminum oxide (Al2O3) particles, both of sub-monolayer initial dye coverage, were illuminated with 1.3 mW cm−2 of near-UV light. Visual evidence of color removal is reported with photographic images. Two methods, Indirect and Direct Analysis, were employed to quantitatively examine the decolorization kinetics of dyes using UV–visible transmission and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, respectively. A decrease in dye concentration with time was observed with near-UV illumination of dye-coated TiO2 powders for all dyes. Dyes did not photodegrade significantly on photo-inert Al2O3. UV–visible spectroscopy data was used to model the kinetics of the photocatalytic degradation. Two first-order reactions in series provided the most convincing rate form for the photodegradation of dyes adsorbed to TiO2, with a first step the conversion of colored dye to colored intermediate, and the second the conversion to colorless product(s). The first rate constant was of similar magnitude for all dyes, averaging k1 = 0.13 min−1. Similarly, for the second, k2 = 0.0014 min−1.
PERFORMANCE OF FREE VERSUS TOTAL CORTISOL FOLLOWING COSYNTROPIN STIMULATION TESTING IN AN OUTPATIENT SETTING.

ABSTRACT Objective: Free cortisol (FC) is potentially superior to total cortisol (TC) measurements in selected clinical settings; however, the advantages of uniform use of FC in outpatient settings are unclear. The objectives of this study were to describe the dynamic response of FC during cosyntropin stimulation testing (CST) compared to TC and to determine the rates of discordance. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 295 stable patients who underwent CST in an outpatient Endocrine Testing Center. The main outcome measures were TC and FC measurements during CST. Results: The mean age of the 295 subjects was 49.1 (16.9) years. Of 218 females, 43 were taking estrogen therapy (ET) at the time of testing. Adrenal insufficiency (AI) was diagnosed in 41/295 (14%) patients. The FC concentrations were associated with TC concentrations at baseline (R2 = 0.77, P<.001), 30 minutes (R2 = 0.87, P<.001), and 60 minutes (R2 = 0.90, P<.001). The FC cutoffs for AI were 873 and 1,170 ng/dL at 30 and 60 minutes, re...
Linking Landscape Characteristics to Mineral Site Use by Band-Tailed Pigeons in Western Oregon: Coarse-Filter Conservation with Fine-Filter Tuning

Abstract Mineral sites are scarce resources of high ion concentration used heavily by the Pacific Coast subpopulation of band-tailed pigeons. Over 20% of all known mineral sites used by band-tailed pigeons in western Oregon, including all hot springs, have been abandoned. Prior investigations have not analyzed stand or landscape level habitat composition in relation to band-tailed pigeon use of mineral sites. We used logistic regression models to evaluate the influence of habitat types, identified from Gap Analysis Program (GAP) products at two spatial scales, on the odds of mineral site use in Oregon (n = 69 currently used and 20 historically used). Our results indicated that the odds of current use were negatively associated with non-forested terrestrial and private land area around mineral sites. Similarly, the odds of current mineral site use were positively associated with forested and special status (GAP stewardship codes 1 and 2) land area. The most important variable associated with the odds of mi...
Multilayer-coated diffraction gratings: differential method of Chandezon et al. revisited

I report significant improvements to the differential method of Chandezon et al. [ J. Opt. Soc. Am.72, 839– 846 ( 1982)]. The R-matrix propagation algorithm is used to remove completely the previously existing limitations on the total coating thickness and on the total number of coated layers. I analyze the symmetry properties of the eigenvalue problem that arises in the differential formalism and use them to speed up the numerical computation. The time needed for computing the eigensolutions of coated gratings in a conical mount is reduced to little more than what is needed for gratings in a classical mount. For gratings with dielectric coatings or gratings with symmetrical profiles the need to invert certain matrices appearing in the formalism is eliminated. Numerical results show that it is possible to make nearly 100% efficient surface-relief reflection gratings in a Littrow mount by the use of dielectric materials only.
Internal Carotid Artery Balloon Test Occlusion Does Require Quantitative Assessment of CBF

At our institution intra-arterial balloon test occlusions (BTOs) in combination with Stable Xenon enhanced CT (Xe/CT) cerebral blood flow (CBF) studies prior to radiological or surgical treatment have been performed in more than 400 patients since 1985 in order to evaluate the risk of temporary or permanent internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion. We reviewed studies of 156 patients who passed the clinical BTO and underwent a Xe/CT CBF study in combination with a second BTO. The quantitative CBF data were analyzed for absolute changes as well as changes in symmetry. Fourteen patients showed CBF values between 20 and 30 cc/100g/ min, an absolute CBF decrease, and a significant asymmetry in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory during BTO. These patients were considered at high risk for cerebral infarction following ICA occlusion. With one exception they belonged to a group of 61 patients at increased stroke risk who showed a bilateral or ipsilateral CBF decrease and a significant asymmetry with lower flow on the side of occlusion. The other 95 patients who showed a variety of CBF response patterns including ipsilateral or bilateral CBF increase, in our eyes, were at moderate or low stroke risk. In contrast to this, an exclusively qualitative CBF analysis lacks sensitivity and specificity to identify the patients at high risk. Thus, by an integration of a thorough analysis of quantitative CBF data before and during BTO we achieved a hemodynamic related overall stroke rate of 10% in 33 patients who underwent permanent clinical ICA occlusion.
Three-Dimensional Low-Thrust Trajectory Optimization, with Applications

A new orbit-averaged optimization code for EP trajectories has been developed. Previous work in our laboratory has yielded robust trajectory optimizers for the frequent case when the nodal and apsidal axes coincide throughout, and this has been also combined with chemical stage performance data to derive end-to-end mission optima for mixed Chemical-Electrical launches to GEO. In the presence of eclipsing and perturbations, the coincidence of axis, which is otherwise optimal, is disturbed. The new code removes this restriction and tracks all orbital elements (in non-singular equinoctial coordinates). Sample calculations are presented to illustrate (a) The eect of starting the EP leg with the line of apsides misaligned with respect to the line of nodes, and (b) The eect of eclipsing on the optimal trajectory and its cost.
Effects of dazomet, metam sodium, and oxamyl on Longidorus populations and loblolly pine seedline production

Dazomet, metam soditlnz, and o,camyl were evaluuted for nematode control and productiorz of loblolly pine seedlings in asfield infested by a Longidorus sp. Fumigation with dazonzet or rnetam sodium reduced population densities of Longidorus to nondetectable levels early in the groniing season but population densities subsequently increased to levels found in rmtreated control plots by the end of the growing season. Oxnmyl Izad no ejfect on Longidorus population densities. Seedlings in dazomet-~reated plots had significantly greater root and slzoot weights tlzaiz seedlings in control and oxamnyl-treated plots witlziiz 6 roeeks of seed sowiizg. At ihe end ofthe growing season, seedlings in the control and oxamyl plots were very stunted wit11 poorly developed root systenzs. Seedling shoot length and root collar diameter in dazonzet-treated plots averaged 27.4 cin and 4.0 nznz, respectively, but in nonftimigrzted control plots these variables averaged 10.5 and 2.5 nznz, respectively. Altlzozlgh dazomet and metarn soditlrn were effective in redzicirzg Longidorus pc)pulutions for the ,firsst seedling crop after fi~migation, production of a second crop without additional treatment would be inadvisable bused on the increased population of Longidorus by the end of the .first growing season. Soutlz. J. Appl. For. 29(3):117-122.
Internal ring occlusion and floor support: a novel technique for inguinal hernia mesh repair.

Tension-free, open-mesh, inguinal herniorrhaphies have gained wide acceptance. Current mesh techniques reinforcing the internal ring do not provide a comfortable lay to the mesh. To address this, w...
Role of Inflammation in Suicide: From Mechanisms to Treatment

Suicidal behavior is complex and manifests because of a confluence of diverse factors. One such factor involves dysregulation of the immune system, which has been linked to the pathophysiology of suicidal behavior. This review will provide a brief description of suicidality and discuss the contribution of upstream and downstream factors in the etiology of suicidal behavior, within the contextual framework of inflammation. The contribution of inflammatory conditions such as traumatic brain injury, autoimmune disorders, and infections to neuropsychiatric symptoms and suicidality is only beginning to be explored. We will summarize studies of inflammation in the etiology of suicide, and provide a neurobiological basis for different mechanisms by which inflammation might contribute to the pathophysiology. Finally, we will review treatments that affect upstream and downstream pathways related to inflammation in suicidality.
Moderating effects of positive symptoms of psychosis in suicidal ideation among adults diagnosed with schizophrenia

Abstract Background Suicide is among the leading causes of death for adults diagnosed with schizophrenia, with risk estimates being over eight folds greater than the general population. While the majority of research to date focuses on the role of symptoms of depression in suicide risk, there is a lack of consensus and understanding of the relationship between positive symptoms of psychosis and both suicidal ideation and attempt. The current study examined pathways of influence between symptoms of depression, positive symptoms of psychosis (i.e. hallucinations and delusions), hopelessness, and suicidal ideation among a population of adults diagnosed with schizophrenia. Methods Data were obtained from the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE; n = 1460) at baseline. Suicidal ideation, hopelessness, and symptoms of depression were measured by the Calgary Depression Scale (CDRS) and hallucinations and delusions by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Data were analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using Mplus 7. Results Symptoms of depression, positive symptoms of psychosis, and hopelessness independently predicted suicidal ideation. Hopelessness significantly mediated the relationship between symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. Lastly, positive symptoms of psychosis were found to moderate the relationship between symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. Conclusions The current study provides evidence for the role that positive symptoms of psychosis (specifically hallucinations and delusions) play in suicidal ideation, pointing towards the implication that beyond symptoms of depression, positive symptoms must be evaluated for and treated.
Microstructural Investigation of YBa2Cu3O7-δ Films Deposited by Laser Ablation from BaF2/Y2O3/CuO Targets

Soon after the discovery of the high temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-δ, it was realized that thin films of this compound could have significant technological applications. Within several months, many research groups had succeeded in fabricating good quality films by evaporation, sputtering, and laser ablation.1 This last process holds much hope for commercial application and has received a great deal of attention. The first samples were ablated from a bulk YBa2Cu3O7-δ target, and post-deposition annealing in oxygen at 900°C was used to produce the superconducting phase. The best films fabricated by this method exhibited good superconducting transitions with zero-resistance temperatures (Tc0) in the range of 80–88 K, but they consistently had low critical current densities (Jc).2 These results were only achieved through accurate control of all aspects of the laser deposition process. The film composition, in particular, is strongly dependent on the uniformity and energy density of the laser beam. Heating the substrate to high temperatures (over 650°C) during the deposition has resulted in much improved values for both Tc0 and Jc, but the inherent sensitivity to the deposition parameters is still the overriding consideration.3–5
Coping with Change and Improving Intergroup and International Relations in the Americas: Applications of Mestizo Psychology

The fact that this continent is divided among Anglo-Saxons and Latins should be looked upon then as a blessing; because we all long for a higher, richer spiritual world, and it is only through the work of singularly gifted groups of people that a true all-comprehending type of civilization may come to life.
On the Microtheoretic Foundations of Cagan’s Demand for Money Function

An extensive literature, both theoretical (see for instance, Bruno and Fischer (1990), Calvo and Leiderman (1992), Friedman (1971), Goldman (1974), Sargent and Wallace (1973)) and empirical, (see for instance, Aghevli and Khan (1977), Anderson, Bomberger, and Makinen (1988), Babcock and Makinen (1975), Cagan (1956), Christiano (1987), Easterly, Mauro, and Schmidt-Hebbel (1995), Engsted (1993), Metin and Maslu (1999), Michael, Nobay, and Peel (1994), Pickersgill (1968), Salemi and Sargent (1979), Taylor (1991)) has arisen around the special semi-logarithmic demand for money function introduced by Cagan (1956). Cagan’s motivation behind the demand for money function was mainly in terms of transactions costs and its relationship to the consumer’s ability to affect the real value of cash balances. Cagan argued that the real cost of holding cash balances fluctuates widely enough to account for the dramatic changes in the holding of cash balances observed during hyperinflation. He hypothesized that during periods of hyperinflation the demand for money is almost entirely explained by the variation in the expected rate of change in prices and that changes in expected inflation have the same effect on real balances in percentage terms regardless of the absolute amount of initial cash balances. In other words, during hyperinflations, the demand for money takes the special form: m= ke−λπ , where m is the real demand for money, π(e) is the expected rate of inflation and k, λ are positive constants. The theoretical papers using Cagan’s functional form have been written largely in the monetarist tradition, analyzing hyperinflation and the associated problem of “inflation tax.” (See, for instance, Calvo and Leiderman (1992), Friedman (1971), Sargent and Wallace (1973).) The use of Cagan’s demand for money function has, however, been “adhoc” and no attempt has been made to rationalize the function
Cytokine-Dependent Imatinib Resistance in Mouse Bcr-Abl(+), Arf-Null Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Abstract Retroviral vector-mediated transduction of the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase into Arf-deficient mouse bone marrow progenitors allows rapid ex vivo outgrowth of pure pre-B cell populations that induce a highly aggressive form of ALL when inoculated intravenously into healthy syngeneic mice. These leukemias resist therapy with the BCR-ABL kinase inhibitor imatinib, and surprisingly, drug resistance is non-tumor-cell autonomous. We now demonstrate that expression of the p185 BCR-ABL isoform (hereafter p185) in Arf-null pre-B cells is sufficient to generate polyclonal populations of leukemia-initiating cells (LICs), only 20 of which induce fatal, imatinib-resistant disease within one month after infusion. These p185+ Arf-null LICs are pre-B cells by immunophenotypic criteria, lack evidence of myeloid and stem cells markers, exhibit immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangements and random proviral insertions, and are almost universally capable of initiating lethal, transplantable leukemias in healthy syngeneic recipient mice. Therefore, these LICs do not represent rare ‘cancer stem cells'. Resistance to targeted therapy with imatinib in this model system is not dependent upon mutations within the BCR-ABL kinase domain, but, rather, is mediated through interactions between the LICs and the host environment. While cytokines like IL-7 are dispensable for the efficient generation of p185+, Arf-null cells, these LICs remain IL-7-responsive and are significantly protected from imatinib-induced cytostasis by IL-7 in vitro. Introduction of p185 into Arf-null hematopoietic progenitors that also lack the common gamma chain (γc) for cytokine receptors bypasses their cytokine requirements and permits pre-B cell development. These p185+, Arf-null, γc-null LICs also initiate ALL but exhibit much greater sensitivity to imatinib in vivo, allowing a significant fraction of treated mice to sustain long term remissions even when therapy is discontinued. Therefore, salutary cytokines expressed in the hematopoietic microenvironment facilitate leukemic proliferation and confer resistance to targeted therapy. Not surprisingly, single agent therapy with dasatinib, a second generation BCR-ABL kinase inhibitor, is dramatically more efficacious in this pre-clinical Ph+ ALL model, although some recipient mice still succumb to disease despite continuous drug treatment. Using vectors co-expressing p185 and luciferase, we are now initiating dasatinib therapy when recipient animals have detectable disease burdens, thereby permitting a more dynamic assessment of therapeutic response and subsequent failure. We speculate that in human Ph+ ALL, the frequent deletion of the INK4A-ARF locus (∼50% of cases at diagnosis) might help to maintain LIC survival in the face of targeted therapy and so facilitate the emergence of drug-resistant BCR-ABL variants. As such, INK4A-ARF deletion might prove to be a poor prognostic indicator.
Gene Expression in the Mammalian Brain

We present an update in our ongoing studies to describe the structures of rat brain mRNAs, elucidate the mechanisms of their tissue-specific control, and identify and characterize their protein products. Here we discuss 1) mRNAs encoding a probable precursor of a neurotran-smitter that functions in olfactory, somatosensory, limbic, auditory and motor systems, 2) mRNAs encoding myelin proteolipid protein, and 3) a polymorphic family of 88 mRNAs transcribed from a single gene. We show that primate and rodent share many brain proteins and that approximately 5,000 to 10,000 genes are first expressed after birth. The developmental regulation of these genes may be controlled by identifier sequences, a neuronal enhancer.
Legal Issues: Patenting Price Gouging

Price gouging is not a new phenomenon by any means. Wikipedia describes it as a reaction to a “supply shock” that goes beyond what is “considered reasonable or fair.” Many states–particularly those in the hurricane belt–have laws against price gouging during states of emergency, such as those typically issued during and after hurricanes. Economists see those laws as double-edged swords, recognizing on the one hand the impact of price-gouging on consumers in times of high need and stress, but also suggesting that anti-price gouging laws can make bad situations worse by discouraging conversation and discouraging suppliers to bring in needed goods and services by limiting the basic “supply and demand” incentive to do so. The car service company Uber has found itself within a price-gouging storm with its unashamed practice of “Surge Pricing.” Surge Pricing provides that during times of high demand, such as bad weather, sports events, holidays, etc., Uber has filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to patent surge pricing. In an application filed in March 2013 and published in September, Uber seeks to patent a “System and Method for Dynamically Adjusting Prices for Services.” (United States Patent Application number 2013/0246207). The patent, if granted, would give Uber exclusive rights to its “System” through at least the year 2032.
Finite-size radiation force correction for inviscid spheres in standing waves

Yosioka and Kawasima gave a widely used approximation for the acoustic radiation force on small liquid spheres surrounded by an immiscible liquid in 1955. Considering the liquids to be inviscid with negligible thermal dissipation, in their approximation the force on the sphere is proportional to the sphere's volume and the levitation position in a vertical standing wave becomes independent of the size. The analysis given here introduces a small correction term proportional to the square of the sphere's radius relative to the aforementioned small-sphere force. The significance of this term also depends on the relative density and sound velocity of the sphere. The improved approximation is supported by comparison with the exact partial-wave-series based radiation force for ideal fluid spheres in ideal fluids.
A non-invasive immune therapy for cancers resistant to conventional treatments

6030 Although the immune system is capable of recognizing tumor cells, it has been shown that effective anti-tumor immunity does not occur to any significant level in most advanced-stage diseases. Failure of the host to raise a successful immune defense may be attributed to insufficient and/or ineffective immune stimulation. In the present study, a potent priming antigen from Streptococcus pyogenes , Emm55, was utilized to initiate a therapeutic, neuroblastoma-specific immune response in syngeneic A/J mice. Two groups of 72 mice were inoculated with various doses of wild-type Neuro-2a cells and Neuro-2a cells transfected with emm55 (Neuro-2a/55), respectively. Of the72 mice inoculated with Neuro-2a, 64 developed tumors. Of the 72 mice inoculated with Neuro-2a/55, 2 developed tumors, but these tumors regressed completely. In a further study, 36 mice vaccinated with either 3x10 6 or 1x10 6 Neuro-2a/55 were subjected to challenge with 3x10 6 Neuro-2a. Of these, 8 mice developed tumors, but 2 of these tumors regressed completely. Of the 18 control mice inoculated with 3x10 6 Neuro-2a alone, 17 developed tumors. Immunological studies on sera and spleen cells from Neuro-2a/55-vaccinated mice showed antibody production to both Emm55 and Neuro-2a. Cell mediated Neuro-2a-specific responses were also detected. In follow-up studies, 112 syngeneic A/J mice were inoculated with 1x10 6 Neuro-2a. These mice were divided into 7 treatment groups. Sixteen mice received no treatment. The remaining 96 mice were divided into 6 groups of 16. Three of these 6 groups received either 1, 2 or 3 inoculations of 3x10 6 irradiated Neuro-2a/55 on days 3, 8 and 13, respectively. The other 3 groups received either 1, 2 or 3 inoculations of 1x10 6 irradiated Neuro-2a/55 on days 3, 8 and 13, respectively. Two control groups of 7 mice were given 3 doses of either 3x10 6 or 1x10 6 irradiated Neuro-2a/55 on days 3, 8 and 13. All mice receiving Neuro-2a alone developed tumors by day 15. No tumors were evident by day 83 in mice receiving Neuro-2a/55 alone. Of the 3 groups of mice receiving 3x10 6 irradiated Neuro-2a/55, 9 of 48 mice developed tumors (19%), whereas, 17 of 48 (35%) receiving 1x10 6 irradiated Neuro-2a/55 developed tumors. Thus, the Neuro-2a/55 vaccine conferred a significant therapeutic benefit to mice with this aggressive cancer. The Emm55 antigen is highly antigenic but not superantigenic or rheumatogenic like other streptococcal proteins. Its expression in the tumor cells used in this study did not produce unwanted side effects or an overblown immune response when administered to mice. It is therefore postulated that autologous human cells from tumors resistant to conventional treatments engineered to express the Emm55 antigen will not only favor a specific anti-tumor immune response but because Emm55 is a common antigen, a vaccine constructed in this way may offer the added benefit of an anamnestic response without evoking an adverse autoimmune reaction.
Becoming a Christian Consciously versus Nonconsciously

The religious devotion of nonconscious, sudden, and gradual believers in a sample of 107 undergraduates was examined. Participants responded to three questionnaires exploring their conversion, inve...
Sleep Apnea and Heart Failure With a Reduced Ejection Fraction Among Persons Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

Background:Sleep apnea (SA) is common and has prognostic significance among broad groups of patients with heart failure (HF). There are no data characterizing the presence, associations, and prognostic significance of SA among persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) with HF. Methods:We conducted a single-center study of PLHIV with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF; left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] <50%) and analyzed the relationship of SA with 30-day HF hospital readmission rate. Results:Our cohort included 1124 individuals admitted with HFrEF; 15% were PLHIV, and 92% were on antiretroviral therapy. SA was noted in 28% of PLHIV and 26% of uninfected controls. Compared to uninfected controls with HFrEF and SA, PLHIV with HFrEF and SA had a lower body mass index, lower LVEF, a higher pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), were more likely to have obstructive rather than central SA (P < .05 for all). In a multivariable model, PASP, low CD4 count, high viral load (VL), and SA parameters (apnea-hypopnea index, CPAP use and duration) were predictors of 30-day HF readmission rate. Each 1-hour increase in CPAP use was associated with a 14% decreased risk of 30-day HF readmission among PLHIV. Conclusions:Compared to uninfected controls, PLHIV were more likely to have obstructive SA than central SA. Apnea severity, low CD4 count, high VL, and cocaine use were positively associated with 30-day HF hospital readmission rate, whereas CPAP use and increased duration of CPAP use conferred protection.
Coupled Cyber and Physical Systems: Embracing Smart Cities with Multistream Data Flow

Information and communications technology has been widely used in grid modernization to facilitate the vision of smart cities. However, it has also opened up a new frontier of cybersecurity. Recent government reports and other literature indicate that the cyberthreats targeting electric grids continue to grow significantly in number and sophistication. However, unlike conventional Internets that rely on commercial off-theshelf security techniques, the electric grid is a cyberphysical system, so applying these methods dedicated to Internet applications cannot achieve effective and efficient attack-resilient solutions. Instead, the cyberphysical properties of electric grids should be integrated to design a cross-layer framework that considers the characteristics and resources of both the communication network and power-application layer.
The evolving social geography of blogs

A blog is a frequently updated webpage, typically consisting of brief entries presented and archived in reverse chronological order. Blog posts are primarily textual, but many include photos, and other multimedia content. Most blogs are interlinked in that they provide links to each other as well as other sites on the Internet. Many are interactive since they act as communication channels between the author and readers of the blog. They are the fastest form of online communication resulting in the rapid formation of new virtual communities. Blogs have gained enormous popularity during and after the 9/11 event. As of July 2005, Technocrati reports that there are 14.2 Million Blogs. A new blog is created every second and 80,000 blogs are created daily (Source: Technocrati, 2005). The focus of this chapter is understanding how blogs are leading to the formation of new cyber societies, with a specific objective of uncovering the spatiotemporal structure of two representative blogospheres. It takes a spatial science perspective to examine the growth and evolution of blogs using Hagerstrand’s time geographic framework (Hagerstrand, 1970). Two types of blogs are analyzed. In the first type of blogs, communities coalesce around special interests such as politics, law, technology, gadgets, religion, etc., (for example, Instapundit, Boing Boing). The second type of blog is influenced by geography and is set up for local action as in political campaigns (for example, Moveon.org’s Operation Democracy). Influential leaders, message content, external links, time, actors (bloggers) and other variables of the diffusion process are analyzed in both contexts. The results are visualized using UCINET 5 and Pajek. This research will ultimately help us explore how new communication channels are affecting the social geography of the Internet and how virtual communities are linked to local or regional geography.
Changing Concepts in the 1970s and 1980s: The Overlap of Symptoms and Course Between Schizophrenia and Psychotic Mood Disorders

During these two decades, the number of publications that reported overlap and similarities in phenomenology between patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and psychotic mood disorders increased progressively. Also, by inference, these works questioned the Kraepelinian dichotomy and the validity of schizophrenia as a disease separate from psychotic mood disorders. There were at least 25 publications, one of which reviewed 166 other publications prior to 1978 (Pope and Lipinski 1978). However, this literature that documented the occurrence of hallucinations, delusions, disorganization, and chronicity in severe mood disordered patients appeared to have minimal, if any, impact upon academic psychiatry or the subsequent DSM’s attention to the redundant diagnostic criteria between schizophrenia and psychotic mood disorders. Psychoses and chronicity continued to be considered diagnostic of schizophrenia despite being common in psychotic mood disorders. The works of several of these authors are summarized in this chapter and in selected quotes that are given in Tables 1.1 and 10.1.
On the Design and Analysis of a Resilient Transport Protocol

We present the design and simulation analysis of ResTP, a multipath-capable configurable and adaptive transport-layer protocol developed for Future Internet resilience and survivability. ResTP is distinct from the conventional transport protocols such as TCP, UDP, and MPTCP by the flexibility in its design so that it can satisfy the requirements of various traffic classes, application types, and taking into account the underlying network characteristics, and its emphasis on achieving resilience, an essential property that is unfortunately lacking in the current Internet system. In this paper, we perform a simulation evaluation of ResTP, with the focus on its single-path mode, in comparison with TCP and UDP under various network conditions to show that ResTP can be used in place of these standard protocols with no performance loss. In some scenarios, ResTP outperforms the standards due to its flexibility in adopting the appropriate set of algorithms for specific application needs and network conditions.
Development and Validation of a Model to Predict Growth of Potentially Antibiotic-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacilli in Critically Ill Children With Suspected Infection.

Background Risk-based guidelines aid empiric antibiotic selection for critically ill adults with suspected infection with Gram-negative bacilli with high potential for antibiotic resistance (termed high-risk GNRs). Neither evidence-based guidelines for empiric antibiotic selection nor validated risk factors predicting high-risk GNR growth exist for critically ill children. We developed and validated a model for predicting high-risk GNR growth in critically ill children with suspected infection. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study involving 2 pediatric cohorts admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) with suspected infection. We developed a risk model predicting growth of high-risk GNRs using multivariable regression analysis in 1 cohort and validated it in a separate cohort. Results In our derivation cohort (556 infectious episodes involving 489 patients), we identified the following independent predictors of high-risk GNR growth: hospitalization >48 hours before suspected infection, hospitalization within the past 4 weeks, recent systemic antibiotics, chronic lung disease, residence in a chronic care facility, and prior high-risk GNR growth. The model sensitivity was 96%, the specificity was 48%, performance using the Brier score was good, and the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) was 0.722, indicating good model performance. In our validation cohort (525 episodes in 447 patients), model performance was similar (AUROC, 0.733), indicating stable model performance. Conclusions Our model predicting high-risk GNR growth in critically ill children demonstrates the high sensitivity needed for ICU antibiotic decisions, good overall predictive capability, and stable performance in 2 separate cohorts. This model could be used to develop risk-based empiric antibiotic guidelines for the pediatric ICU.
Trade Flows and Marketing Practices within the California Nursery Industry—Survey Results from 1988 and 1993

Abstract Nurseries were surveyed nationwide in 1989 and 1994 to collect information on products, customers, and business practices during the previous year. California's nursery industry is the lar...
Experiencing Mathematics Abroad

Study abroad experiences have been recognized as providing students with valuable opportunities to work with individuals and groups different from themselves, to incorporate diverse viewpoints into their work, and to engage in meaningful experiences outside their culture. This article focuses on one of the mathematics courses in Belmont University’s study abroad program that was designed to synthesize course content and authentic learning experiences in order to address the diverse set of student learning outcomes. While improved student engagement in cultural understanding and the promotion of intellectual diversity took on a central role in the course design and assessment, a secondary goal was an improved student perception of mathematics and its application. We examine the course in action by looking at three example assignments, followed by their connections to program experiences, and how these things coordinate to meet the student learning outcomes.
Production of Thermal Wall Insulation from Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia cressipes) and Cogon Grass (Imperata cylindrica)

Water hyacinth (E. cressipes), and Cogon Grass (Imperata cylindrica) fibers have long been used for different purposes such as paper, crafts, and insulation because of their abundances as pest plants and the fibers’ characteristics (Bhuvaneshwari, 2016; Kassim et al., 2015). Previous studies have investigated and assessed water hyacinth regarding thermal insulation. However, cogon grass has not yet been studied regarding its insulating characteristics. Both plants may be used as eco-friendly materials in replacement of the synthetic fibers used in thermal insulation. In this study, the insulation panels were made in different compositions to test effectivity among the different samples in terms of insulating heat and compatibility among the fibers. Five compositions of panels were made: 100% hyacinth only, 75% hyacinth 25% cogon, 50% hyacinth 50% cogon, 25% hyacinth 75% cogon and 100% cogon. Fibers were obtained by boiling, trimming, and blending the stalks and leaf blades. The panel boards were formed and shaped according to the stipulated ratios in metal trays separated by sheets of aluminum foil. The heat test was conducted under the sun from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm to simulate the heat from the peak of the day’s heat on thermal insulation. A heat test, density test, ANOVA, and T-test were conducted. Since the F comp value was greater than the critical value, ANOVA results showed that panels with 25% cogon and 50% cogon compositions may have been effective in insulating the heat surrounding them and all were comparatively in line with standard thermal insulation may it be synthetic or hyacinth insulation from other studies. The comparison of hyacinth insulation and all the other panels utilized a two-way t-test, the 50:50 hyacinth-cogon composite was still the best performing panel in insulating heat due to the balance of qualities possessed by cogon and hyacinth fibers. Although this paper shows the compatibility of these natural components as thermal insulation, there may still be many characteristics regarding insulation to be tackled and improved upon. Further studies should be done on different types of local pest plants for thermal insulation testing and prototype development.
A new Laplace-type fractional derivative

In this paper, we present a new derivative via the Laplace transform. The Laplace transform leads to a natural form of the fractional derivative which is equivalent to a Riemann-Liouville derivative with fixed terminal point. We first consider a representation which interacts well with periodic functions, examine some rudimentary properties and propose a generalization. The interest for this new approach arose from recent developments in fractional differential equations involving Caputo-type derivatives and applications in regularization problems.
Road Vulnerabilities to Projected Sea-Level Rise by County: North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia

Sea level rise and sinking land surface means that the coastal areas in the South Atlantic are very likely to experience a relative sea level rise of one to four feet in the coming century. Many communities are already experiencing impacts of recurrent, sometimes called nuisance flooding, associated with “king tides” and meteorological events. For the state and county and local governments, sea level rise and increased flooding pose a significant, costly, and persistent threat to roads and highways. These natural disasters and chronic flood damages will inevitably encourage decision-makers to reconsider the status quo of road maintenance and repair. Under projected sea level rise, repetitive or severe damages will lead to tough decisions about whether to abandon existing roads, decrease routine maintenance, or transfer control of the roads to different government authorities. To begin to understand the potential scope of the problem, this white paper presents an analysis of roadways in coastal cities and counties in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia vulnerable to sea level rise under one-, two-, and three-foot scenarios, using sea level rise data from NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management Sea Level Rise Viewer Data Download.
Evaluation and Mitigation of AC Losses in a Fully Superconducting Machine for Wind Turbine Applications

A significant challenge in the design of fully superconducting (SC) machines is managing ac losses in the SC armature. Recent developments in MgB 2 superconducting conductors promise low ac loss conductors suitable for fully SC machines. This paper presents an optimized design targeting low losses and low weight for a 10-MW fully SC generator suitable for offshore wind turbine applications. An outer rotor air-core machine topology is investigated to optimize the design with low weight and low losses. An active shielding concept is used to minimize the pole count without adding excessive weight. This enables a reduction in the electrical frequency for a practical design by a factor of 4 to 5 over current designs, driving ac losses and active components weight lower by an order of magnitude. In this study, armature current is varied to control electrical and magnetic loading in order to minimize losses. A pole count study is conducted to identify the design space suitable for MW scale machines. A comparison is made between active shield, passive shield and a hybrid topology to address the benefits of an active shield for weight reduction. Results suggest that low-pole-count designs with MgB 2 conductors will enable machines with less than 1 kW of ac losses.
Nano-bioink solutions for cardiac tissue bioprinting

Abstract The ability to design and develop tissue and organ-specific bioinks with tailored biophysical and chemical properties has the potential to advance 3D bioprinting applications from the basic science realm to a truly clinical suite of bioengineering tools. In the field of cardiovascular tissue engineering, such bioinks could be used to improve cardiac disease treatment outcomes, serve as functional implantable tissues to restore lost function in the heart and/or the vasculature, as well as the next-generation drug screening platforms. Specifically, design and fabrication of nanomaterial-enhanced cardiac bioinks can facilitate the design and fabrication of novel biocompatible materials which are tailored to specific organ and pathologies. Using various nano-biomaterials, specific chemical and mechanical properties of natural and synthetic bioinks can be tailored to generate complex structures which resemble the structural hierarchy and chemical composition of the native heart tissues. Versatile and tunable bioinks that can support advanced construct design through functionalization with nanomaterials and other small molecules will have important implications for next-generation bioprinting and biofabrication of cardiovascular tissues. Here, we cover some of the more promising aspects of nanomaterial-functionalized bioinks, targeted specifically toward cardiovascular applications.
Single-Cell Transcriptomics Identifies Dysregulated Metabolic Programs of Aging Alveolar Progenitor Cells in Lung Fibrosis

ABSTRACT Aging is a critical risk factor in progressive lung fibrotic diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Loss of integrity of type 2 alveolar epithelial cells (AEC2s) is the main causal event in the pathogenesis of IPF. To systematically examine the genomic program changes of AEC2s with aging and lung injury, we performed unbiased single cell RNA-seq analyses of lung epithelial cells from either uninjured or bleomycin-injured young and old mice. Major lung epithelial cell types were readily identified with canonical cell markers in our dataset. Heterogenecity of AEC2s was apparent, and AEC2s were then classified into three subsets according to their gene signatures. Genes related to lipid metabolism and glycolysis were significantly altered within these three clusters of AEC2s, and also affected by aging and lung injury. Importantly, IPF AEC2s showed similar genomic programming and metabolic changes as that of AEC2s from bleomycin injured old mouse lungs relative to controls. Furthermore, perturbation of both lipid metabolism and glycolysis significantly changed progenitor renewal capacity in 3-Demensional organoid culture of AEC2s. Taken togather, this work identified metabolic defects of AEC2s in aging and during lung injury. Strategies to rectify these altered programs would promote AEC2 renewal which in turn improves lung repair. One sentence summary Metabolic defects of alveolar progenitors in aging and during lung injury impair their renewal.
A novel transillumination meibography device for in vivo imaging of mouse meibomian glands.

Abstract Purpose While mouse models of dry eye disease (DED) have been developed, studies evaluating the role of the meibomian glands limited by the inability to temporally document changes. In this report we describe the development of a novel mouse transillumination meibography device and assess the ability of this device to detect age-related changes in the meibomian glands of young and old mice. Methods The mouse meibography device was comprised of a 3 mm wide right angle prism attached to broad spectrum light source by an optical fiber. Eyelids were then pulled over the prism using double tooth forceps and imaged using a stereomicroscope and low light level camera. Meibomian glands from four young and four old male, BALB/c mice were then imaged and analyzed using ImageJ. Results In young mice, meibography documented the presence of 7–8 meibomian glands appearing as black and distinct eyelid structures with the length shorter in the lower eyelid compared to the upper eyelids. Eyelids of old mice showed apparent dropout of meibomian glands along with smaller and more irregularly shaped acini. The mean acini area of one meibomian gland was 0.088 ± 0.025 mm2 in young mice and 0.080 ± 0.020 mm2 in old mice (p = 0.564), but the Meibomian gland density was significantly lower in older mice (41.7 ± 6.4%, 27.3 ± 4.2%) (p = 0.021). Conclusion We have developed an in vivo meibography device that may prove useful in sequentially documenting changes during development of meibomian gland dysfunction and following treatment.
Phase II study of enzalutamide in androgen receptor positive, recurrent, high- and low-grade serous ovarian cancer.

Abstract Objectives We sought to determine the safety and efficacy of the oral androgen receptor antagonist enzalutamide in patients with previously treated, recurrent, AR-positive (AR+) ovarian cancer. Methods This was a single-institution phase II study of patients with AR+ ovarian cancer with measurable disease with 1–3 prior lines of chemotherapy; patients were screened for enrollment from 11/2013–7/2018. Following consent, archival tissue was evaluated for AR+. Enrolled patients received daily enzalutamide 160 mg until progression of disease or treatment discontinuation. Adverse events were graded by CTCAE v4.0. Co-primary endpoints were 6-month progression-free survival (PFS6) and overall response rate (ORR) by RECIST 1.1 criteria. Results During the study period, 160 patients were screened and 59 (45 high-grade serous [HGS] and 14 low-grade serous [LGS]) consented to treatment on study. There was 1 confirmed and 1 unconfirmed partial response. The ORR was 1.7% (90% CI: 0.2–100%). The overall PFS6 rate (as binary) was 22% (90% CI: 15.1–100%). The 6-month PFS rate (as time to event) was 19.8% for HGS patients (90% CI: 12.7–100%) and 38.5% (90% CI: 21.7%–100%) for LGS patients. Grade 3 toxicities occurred in 6 patients (one toxicity (Grade 3 rash) was considered a dose-limiting toxicity). One patient died of cardiac arrest after 42 days on treatment of a cardiac arrest not attributed to study drug. Conclusions The study met its primary endpoint, with a PFS6 rate of 22% (n = 13); however, the overall response rate was low. Enzalutamide was well tolerated and may be a potential treatment option in select patients.