cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a pharmacist-managed lipid clinic that uses point-of-care lipid testing

Background Hyperlipidemia is a significant, modifiable risk factor for developing coronary heart disease. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal achievement has improved overall, but many high-risk patients remain above the desired LDL-C goals. Published data have demonstrated the ability of pharmacist-managed lipid clinics to improve lipid management in a variety of clinical settings. Objective This observational analysis aimed to report the impact of a newly developed hospital-based, outpatient lipid clinic by the use of point-of-care testing on LDL-C goal attainment. Methods A retrospective, observational analysis was conducted from February 2007 to December 2008. The primary outcome measure was the change in the proportion of patients who achieved their LDL-C goal at the end of the observation period compared with baseline. Results A total of 81 patients met study inclusion criteria. Mean duration of follow-up was 9.0 ± 4.9 (SD) months. At the end of the observation period, 82.9% of patients achieved their LDL-C goal compared with 55.3% at baseline ( P P Conclusion An outpatient hospital-based, pharmacist-managed lipid clinic improved LDL-C goal attainment. Our results are unique in that pharmacists used point-of-care testing to obtain lipid results for making therapy adjustments during the face-to-face visit.
Nuclear Import and Export of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus Nonstructural Protein 2

Many RNA viruses, which replicate predominantly in the cytoplasm, have nuclear components that contribute to their life cycle or pathogenesis. We investigated the intracellular localization of the multifunctional nonstructural protein 2 (nsP2) in mammalian cells infected with Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE), an important, naturally emerging zoonotic alphavirus. VEE nsP2 localizes to both the cytoplasm and the nucleus of mammalian cells in the context of infection and also when expressed alone. Through the analysis of a series of enhanced green fluorescent protein fusions, a segment of nsP2 that completely localizes to the nucleus of mammalian cells was identified. Within this region, mutation of the putative nuclear localization signal (NLS) PGKMV diminished, but did not obliterate, the ability of the protein to localize to the nucleus, suggesting that this sequence contributes to the nuclear localization of VEE nsP2. Furthermore, VEE nsP2 specifically interacted with the nuclear import protein karyopherin-α1 but not with karyopherin-α2, -3, or -4, suggesting that karyopherin-α1 transports nsP2 to the nucleus during infection. Additionally, a novel nuclear export signal (NES) was identified, which included residues L526 and L528 of VEE nsP2. Leptomycin B treatment resulted in nuclear accumulation of nsP2, demonstrating that nuclear export of nsP2 is mediated via the CRM1 nuclear export pathway. Disruption of either the NLS or the NES in nsP2 compromised essential viral functions. Taken together, these results establish the bidirectional transport of nsP2 across the nuclear membrane, suggesting that a critical function of nsP2 during infection involves its shuttling between the cytoplasm and the nucleus.
An event-triggered distributed primal-dual algorithm for Network Utility maximization

Many problems associated with networked systems can be formulated as network utility maximization (NUM) problems. This paper presents a distributed primal-dual algorithm for the NUM problem that uses event-triggering. Under event triggering, each agent broadcasts to its neighbors when a local “error” signal exceeds a state dependent threshold. The paper establishes such state-dependent event-triggering thresholds under which the proposed algorithm converges. The paper gives an upper bound on the largest number of successive data dropouts the network can tolerate while ensuring the algorithm's convergence. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm reduce the number of message exchanges by up to two orders of magnitude, and enjoys much better scalability with respect to the above two measures of network size than commonly used dual decomposition algorithms.
Design and implementation of effective delivery approaches for continuing nursing education

This paper describes the overall principles for designing continuing education courses for adult learners. A three year grant project enabled the University of Washington School of Nursing to design, implement and evaluate three delivery approaches for continuing nursing education in the state of Washington. These delivery approaches included: 1) a teacher "live" class; 2) a teleconference class; and 3) independent study packages for individuals or groups. The purpose of the project was to develop and compare the effectiveness of these three delivery methods for delivering continuing nursing education. Variables examined included demographic data, attendance, attrition, cognitive achievement, attitudes toward the instructional delivery method and course content, and learner satisfaction.
Iodine: deficiency and therapeutic considerations

Iodine deficiency is generally recognized as the most commonly preventable cause of mental retardation and the most common cause of endocrinopathy (goiter and primary hypothyroidism). Iodine deficiency becomes particularly critical in pregnancy due to the consequences for neurological damage during fetal development as well as during lactation. The safety of therapeutic doses of iodine above the established safe upper limit of 1 mg is evident in the lack of toxicity in the Japanese population that consumes 25 times the median intake of iodine consumption in the United States. Japan’s population suffers no demonstrable increased incidence of autoimmune thyroiditis or hypothyroidism. Studies using 3.0- to 6.0-mg doses to effectively treat fibrocystic breast disease may reveal an important role for iodine in maintaining normal breast tissue architecture and function. Iodine may also have important antioxidant functions in breast tissue and other tissues that concentrate iodine via the sodium iodide symporter. (Altern Med Rev 2008;13(2):116-127)
Three-dimensional stress and strain in passive rabbit left ventricle: a model study.

To determine regional stress and strain distributions in rabbit ventricular myocardium, an anatomically detailed fi- nite element model was used to solve the equations of stress equilibrium during passive filling of the left ventricle. Compu- tations were conducted on a scalable parallel processing com- puter and performance was found to scale well with the number of processors used, so that stimulations previously requiring approximately 60 min were completed in just over 5 min. Epicardial strains from the model analysis showed good agree- ment (RMSE50.007332) with experimental measurements when material properties were chosen such that cross fiber strain was more heterogeneous than fiber strain, which is also consistent with experimental observations in other species. © 2000 Biomedical Engineering Society. @S0090-6964~00!00507-5#
Bringing Social Media to the Writing Classroom: Classroom Salon

This article introduces a new IText technology called Classroom Salon. The goal of Classroom Salon is to bring some of the benefits of social media—the expression of personal identity and community—to writing classrooms. It provides Facebook-like features to writing classes, where students can form social networks as annotators within the drafts of their peers. The authors discuss how the technology seeks to capture qualities of historical salons, which also built communities around texts. They also discuss the central features of the Classroom Salon system, how the system changes the dynamics of the writing classroom, current efforts to evaluate it, and future directions.
An analytic solution for the dynamics of a packed adiabatic chemical reactor

Locally linearized equations for dynamic disturbances from a steady state have been solved analytically for an adiabatic chemical reactor with chemically inert packing and a homogeneous chemical reaction. The solutions, in the form of transfer functions, include the effects of heat capacity of the packing and heat transfer between the packing and the fluid, as well as the coupling effects of chemical reaction and the associated heat generation. Several limiting cases of the transfer functions are discussed and the transfer functions are simplified by an approximation of the temperature dependence of the reaction rate. Frequency responses and step responses of the reactor are calculated from the transfer functions.
Eigenspace sparsity for compression and denoising

Sparsity in the eigenspace of signal covariance matrices is exploited in this paper for compression and denoising. Dimensionality reduction (DR) and quantization modules present in many practical compression schemes such as transform codecs, are redesigned to utilize such forms of sparsity and achieve improved reconstruction performance compared to existing alternatives. Relying on training data that may be noisy a novel sparsity-cognizant linear DR scheme is developed to exploit covariance-domain sparsity and form noise-resilient estimates of the principal covariance eigen-basis. Norm-one regularization is used to effect sparsity, while the corresponding minimization problems are solved efficiently via coordinate decent. If data are noisy the sparsity-aware eigenspace estimator can recover a subset of the unknown signal subspace basis support when the noise power is sufficiently low. In the noiseless case the novel estimator is asymptotically normal, and the probability to identify the principal eigenspace support asymptotically approaches one.
Effect of climate-related mass extinctions on escalation in molluscs

We test the hypothesis that escalated species (e.g., those with antipredatory adaptations such as heavy armor) are more vulnerable to extinctions caused by changes in climate. If this hypothesis is valid, recovery faunas after climate-related extinctions should include significantly fewer species with escalated shell characteristics, and escalated species should undergo greater rates of extinction than nonescalated species. This hypothesis is tested for the Cretaceous-Paleocene, Eocene-Oligocene, middle Miocene, and Pliocene-Pleistocene mass extinctions. Gastropod and bivalve molluscs from the U.S. coastal plain were evaluated for 10 shell characters that confer resistance to predators. Of 40 tests, one supported the hypothesis; highly ornamented gastropods underwent greater levels of Pliocene-Pleistocene extinction than did nonescalated species. All remaining tests were nonsignificant. The hypothesis that escalated species are more vulnerable to climate-related mass extinctions is not supported.
Complex game development throughout the college curriculum

This case study discusses the incorporation of game development throughout the Daniel Webster College computer science curriculum. During the freshman year all computer science majors develop complex games in C#.net while participating in an instructional game motif method we call the GM method. This freshman educational method combines agile software engineering techniques with an inquiry based, neo-Socratic classroom. The GM method provides freshmen with the core skills necessary to develop complex games throughout their college career. This freshman program of study is followed by more traditional project courses which begin with an encryption system project in the sophomore year. XNA 2-D and XNA 3-D game development soon follow and a C++ game engine development capstone project is undertaken in the senior year.
Temporal and Spatial Regulation of Gene Expression During Asexual Development of Neurospora crassa

In this study we profiled spatial and temporal transcriptional changes during asexual sporulation in the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa. Aerial tissue was separated from the mycelium to allow detection of genes specific to each tissue. We identified 2641 genes that were differentially expressed during development, which represents ∼25% of the predicted genes in the genome of this model fungus. On the basis of the distribution of functional annotations of 1102 of these genes, we identified gene expression patterns that define key physiological events during conidial development. Not surprisingly, genes encoding transcription factors, cell wall remodeling proteins, and proteins involved in signal transduction were differentially regulated during asexual development. Among the genes differentially expressed in aerial tissues the majority were unclassified and tended to be unique to ascomycete genomes. This finding is consistent with the view that these genes evolved for asexual development in the Pezizomycotina. Strains containing deletions of several differentially expressed genes encoding transcription factors exhibited asexual development-associated phenotypes. Gene expression patterns during asexual development suggested that cAMP signaling plays a critical role in the transition from aerial growth to proconidial chain formation. This observation prompted us to characterize a deletion of the gene encoding a high-affinity cAMP phosphodiesterase (NCU00478). NCU00478 was determined to be allelic to aconidiate-2, a previously identified genetic locus controlling conidiation.
Presence of PSA auto-antibodies in men with prostate abnormalities (prostate cancer/benign prostatic hyperplasia/prostatitis).

Summary Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), produced by the prostate, liquefies post-ejaculate semen. PSA is detected in semen and blood. Increased circulating PSA levels indicate prostate abnormality [prostate cancer (PC), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis (PTIS)], with variance among individuals. As the prostate has been proposed as an immune organ, we hypothesise that variation in PSA levels among men may be due to presence of auto-antibodies against PSA. Sera from healthy men (n = 28) and men having prostatitis (n = 25), BPH (n = 30) or PC (n = 29) were tested for PSA antibody presence using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) values converted to standard deviation (SD) units, and Western blotting. Taking ≥2 SD units as cut-off for positive immunoreactivity, 0% of normal men, 0% with prostatitis, 33% with BPH and 3.45% with PC demonstrated PSA antibodies. One-way analysis of variance (anova) performed on the mean absorbance values and SD units of each group showed BPH as significantly different (P < 0.01) compared with PC and prostatitis. All others were nonsignificant (P < 0.05). Men (33%) with BPH had PSA antibodies by ELISA and Western blot. These discoveries may find clinical application in differential diagnosis among prostate abnormalities, especially differentiating BPH from prostate cancer and prostatitis.
A Multisite Study of Learning in Introductory Psychology Courses

Four hundred and fifty-four students enrolled in introductory psychology at different institutions across the nation participated in a study of factors related to learning. Key measures included an...
Pathways to Aggression in Schizophrenia Affect Results of Treatment

Schizophrenia elevates the risk for aggressive behavior and violent crime, and different approaches have been used to manage this problem. The results of such treatments vary. One reason for this variation is that aggressive behavior in schizophrenia is heterogeneous in origin. This heterogeneity has usually not been accounted for in treatment trials nor is it adequately appreciated in routine clinical treatment planning. Here, we review pathways that may lead to the development of aggressive behavior in patients with schizophrenia and discuss their impact on treatment. Elements in these pathways include predisposing factors such as genotype and prenatal toxic effects, development of psychotic symptoms and neurocognitive impairments, substance abuse, nonadherence to treatment, childhood maltreatment, conduct disorder, comorbid antisocial personality disorder/psychopathy, and stressful experiences in adult life. Clinicians’ knowledge of the patient’s historical trajectory along these pathways may inform the choice of optimal treatment of aggressive behavior. Clozapine has superior antiaggressive activity in comparison with other antipsychotics and with all other pharmacological treatments. It is usually effective when aggressive behavior is related to psychotic symptoms. However, in many patients, aggression is at least partly based on other factors such as comorbid substance use disorder, comorbid antisocial personality disorder/psychopathy, or current stress. These conditions which are sometimes underdiagnosed in clinical practice must be addressed by appropriate adjunctive psychosocial approaches or other treatments. Treatment adherence has a crucial role in the prevention of aggressive behavior in schizophrenia patients.
Localization of smooth muscle actin in the iridocorneal angle of normal and spontaneous glaucomatous beagle dogs.

Purpose To date, our knowledge of the canine trabecular meshwork (TM) with regard to contractility is incomplete. It is important to understand the potential contractile capability within the TM and possible changes associated with spontaneous hypertensive glaucoma. To that end we have examined the presence of actin, including smooth muscle (SM) actin, in the normal and glaucomatous canine iridocorneal angle (ICA) morphologically and immunohistochemically. Methods Sections from the ICAs of 12 Beagles with inherited glaucoma (3 months to 6 years old) and age-matched normal Beagles were treated with target retrieval, protein and power blocked and sequentially incubated with the primary antibody (rat anticanine SM actin) and the secondary antibody (rabbit antirat immunoglobulin), followed by peroxidase labeled streptavidin and incubation with substrate-chromogen solution (AEC). Smooth muscle fibers that lined an artery within canine heart tissue were used as positive controls. Separate specimens were prepared for ultrastructual observation. Results Ultrastructurally, cells within the inner, posterior region of the corneoscleral TM and outer, posterior region of the uveal TM contained many microfilaments, 6 nm in diameter (i.e. actin). Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that cells within these regions possessed SM actin, having been greatest posteriorly, but extended anteriorly to a lesser extent. In the preglaucomatous affected dog the localization pattern for SM actin was identical to that seen in the normal dogs. With the progression of the disease the pattern disappeared. Conclusions The interior presence of myofibroblastic cells within the canine ICA suggests that these cells and the smooth muscle cells of the ciliary body along the same plane of orientation function to facilitate the removal of aqueous humor and are likely to be influenced by vascular mediators. The contractile apparatus for the ICA in the dog with inherited glaucoma appeared identical to that of the normal dog prior to expression of the disease, but weakened as the disease progressed.
Expanding the foraging history of juvenile Pacific salmon: combining stomach‐content and macroparasite‐ community analyses for studying marine diets

Stomach contents and macroparasites were examined from the same fishes collected off Oregon and California in June and August of 2000 and 2002 to provide a more comprehensive description of the diet of juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch during their first few months at sea. Temporal and spatial similarities of the two data sets were assessed using multivariate analyses. Both stomach contents and macroparasite communities indicated that fishes, euphausiids and hyperiid amphipods were consumed by both salmonid species, although their relative contribution to each species diet was highly variable. In June, the greater abundances of parasite species in Chinook salmon compared to coho salmon suggested that Chinook salmon consumed more infected intermediate hosts (crustaceans or larval fishes) shortly after ocean entry (April and May). Although the macroparasite analysis lacked the specificity of stomach analysis in identifying prey, macroparasites can provide a longer term history of feeding and diet information for fishes with empty stomachs.
Oryctonema genitalis gen. et sp. nov., (Rhabditidae; Nematoda) from the Genital System of Oryctes monoceros Ol. (Scarabaeidae: Coleoptera) in West Africa

A new nematode, Oryctonema genitalis gen. et sp. nov., which possesses features of both the Rhabditidae and Angiostomatidae, is described from the genital system of the dynastid beetle, Oryctes monoceros O1. in West Africa. Multiplication of O. genitalis occurs in the bursa copulatrix of female beetles and the nematodes sustain themselves for long periods in the numerous aedaegal ducts of the male beetle. The possible influence of these nematodes on host viability is discussed.
System Safety Performance Metrics for Skeletal Structures

A system safety performance metric is a tool to quantify the degree of safety of a structural system for a given performance objective. Classically, safety of skeletal structure as a complete system, designed by member-based structural codes, was evaluated by checking for system stability. Reliability oriented research has focused on ultimate strength and probability of failure as system safety performance objectives, whereas earthquake engineering evaluations have considered displacement as the performance objective. This paper explores and clarifies the connection between system safety and structural redundancy concepts, provides alternative interpretation of structural system redundancy, and proposes two nondimensional system safety performance metrics for skeletal structures with stability as the performance objective. The proposed structural system safety performance metrics conveniently range from 0 to 1, and use algebraic properties of stiffness matrix to (1) measure the minimum distance of stiffness matrix from a set of singular matrices; and (2) quantify the degree of linear dependency of column vectors of the stiffness matrix, respectively. Also, approaches for identifying critical structural member and quantifying failure path importance are addressed.
SynConSMutate: Concolic Testing of Database Applications via Synthetic Data Guided by SQL Mutants

Testing techniques for database applications typically include generation of database states (synthetic data) along with automatic generation of test cases. The quality of such test cases is evaluated on the basis of structural coverage of the host language (e.g., Java), whereas, the quality of test cases for the embedded language (e.g., SQL) is evaluated separately using mutation testing. In mutation testing, several mutants or variants of the original SQL query are generated and mutation score is calculated. It is the percentage of mutants that can be differentiated in terms of their results using the given test cases. Higher mutation score indicates higher quality of the test cases. In existing approaches the generated test cases achieve high structural coverage with respect to the generated synthetic data, but suffer from low mutation score with respect to the same data. We present a novel framework called \textit{SynConSMutate} for test case and synthetic data generation for database applications. The generated test cases with respect to the newly generated synthetic data ensure high quality not only in terms of coverage of code written in the host language, but also in terms of mutant detection of the queries written in the embedded language.
Remotely-delivered cognitive remediation in multiple sclerosis (MS): protocol and results from a pilot study.

Background: Cognitive impairment represents a critical unmet treatment need in multiple sclerosis (MS). Cognitive remediation is promising but traditionally requires multiple clinic visits to access treatment. Computer-based programs provide remote access to intensive and individually-adapted training. Objective: Our goal was to develop a protocol for remotely-supervised cognitive remediation that enables individuals with MS to participate from home while maintaining the standards for clinical study. Methods: MS participants (n ¼ 20) were randomized to either an active cognitive remediation program (n ¼ 11) or a control condition of ordinary computer games (n ¼ 9). Participants were provided study laptops to complete training for five days per week over 12 weeks, targeting a total of 30 hours. Treatment effects were measured with composite change via scores of a repeated neuropsychological battery. Results: Compliance was high with an average of 25.0 hours of program use (80% of the target) and did not differ between conditions (25.7 vs. 24.2 mean hours, p ¼ 0.80). The active vs. control participants significantly improved in both the cognitive measures (mean composite z-score change of 0.46±0.59 improvement vs. � 0.14±0.48 decline, p ¼ 0.02) and motor tasks (mean composite z-score change of 0.40±0.71improvement vs. � 0.64±0.73 decline, p ¼ 0.005). Conclusions: Remotely-supervised cognitive remediation is feasible for clinical study with potential for meaningful benefit in MS.
Pinterest or Thinterest?: Social Comparison and Body Image on Social Media:

Social media have become increasingly popular mechanisms for communication. Past research suggests a link between using social media, upward social comparison, and negative affect. This online experiment of US women (N = 118) takes a media psychology approach to understanding how fitness images on the social networking website Pinterest contribute to social comparison as well as intentions to engage in extreme weight-loss behaviors. Findings suggest that individuals who follow more fitness boards on Pinterest are more likely to report intentions to engage in extreme weight-loss behaviors. Additionally, endorsement of an ideal female body type was positively related to both social comparison and intentions to engage in extreme weight-loss behaviors. Findings are discussed in light of social comparison theory, and suggestions are made are made for future experimental work.
Activity of Penicillinase in Staphylococcus aureus as Studied by the Iodometric Method

Among naturally occurring strains of Staphylococcus aureus, resistance to penicillin G is observed only in those that produce penicillinase [1]. Strains lacking this enzyme are invariably highly sensitive to the action of penicillin. Elaboration of penicillinase thus appears to be the only clinically important mechanism of resistance to penicillin in these organisms [2]. A test for the activity of penicillinase that is rapid and simple enough to be employed in the clinical bacteriology laboratory would be useful as a guide to antibiotic therapy, since it would detect the substance actually responsible for resistance to penicillin. Several tests for detection of penicillinase have been devised [3-14], but most of them are too cumbersome or too time-consuming for routine hospital use. A simple plate test based on the iodometric assay originally described by Ferret [10] circumvents most of the disadvantages inherent in other methods. This test has been used by Anderson and Lewis in the investigation of resistance to ampicillin in Salmonella typhimurium [15], and by Novick and Richmond in genetic studies on S. aureus [16], but to our knowledge has not been employed for routine work in hospital bacteriology. This study was undertaken to investigate the usefulness of this test in the evaluation of strains of
Design in Pakistan

This article reports a recent visit of the author to Pakistan, where he taught graphic design, a subject barely established and under threat. The author regrets the tendency to borrow Western styles of graphic design and emphasises the importance of appreciating and developing the local visual culture, a particularly rich and ancient one in the case of Pakistan.
POST-EXERCISE HYPOTENSION: MARKER OF SIGNIFICANT CAD?

Hypotension during exercise stress test (ETT) is a high risk marker associated with severe CAD. Good exercise capacity portends a favorable prognosis. However, exaggerated post-exercise hypotension and its significance with excellent exercise capacity is poorly understood. 55 year old male with
Attitudes and Perceptions of U.S. Dental Students and Faculty Regarding Dental Licensure

The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes and perceptions of U.S. dental students and faculty members about National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) pass/fail reporting, an Integrated NBDE, clinical examinations, licensure process and strategies, and validity of licensure. A survey instrument consisting of ten statements with response options on a five-point Likert scale and a free-text comment section was developed and distributed through SurveyMonkey. A total of 411 students and 186 faculty members from ten U.S. dental schools participated, with an estimated response rate of 17%. Faculty and student responses were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. These students’ and faculty members’ attitudes and perceptions were similar. Both groups showed mixed attitudes about NBDE scores as pass/fail, rather than numerical scores. The Integrated NBDE solicited mixed opinions and concerns that it would be complicated and stressful because students would be challenged to memorize information from earlier years. However, a single national clinical examination was highly preferred by both groups, preferably with simulated rather than real patients. Other strategies, such as background checks and continuing education requirements, were supported by both groups. Most of the licensure process strategies and policies were supported by both student and faculty respondents in the dental schools surveyed.
Induction of Adventitious Buds from Strawberry Leaves of "Quanmingxing"

Adventitious buds were induced from strawberry leaves of "Quanmingxing" to establish the basis for regeneration system of strawberry and genetic transformation.By adding different concentrations of 6-BA and IAA to the MS basic medium to control leaf differentiation to adventitious buds and select the most suitable medium: MS+2.0 mg/L,6-BA + 0.3 mg/L,IAA+3%,sugar+0.65% and agar,and the adventitious differentiation rate reached 53% under this conditions.
Bounds on the Zeros of the Derivative of a Polynomial with All Real Zeros

(2008). Bounds on the Zeros of the Derivative of a Polynomial with All Real Zeros. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 115, No. 2, pp. 145-147.
Steroids and plasminogen activator concentrations in follicular fluid of gilts at first and third estrus.

An experiment was conducted to determine whether morphological and functional characteristics of follicles differed at a similar stage of pubertal (first) and third estrus in the same gilts. Nine prepubertal gilts were checked three times daily for estrus and laparotomized 6 h after detected first and third estrus. Samples of vena cava and ovarian venous blood were collected, follicle numbers and diameters were recorded, and follicular fluid (FF) was aspirated from all follicles 8 to 12 mm in diameter. Sera and(or) FF were analyzed for progesterone (P4), estradiol-17 beta (E2), testosterone (T), androstenedione (A4), 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), plasminogen activator (PA), and plasmin (PLM). Overall mean number of follicles > or = 8 mm in diameter did not differ between gilts at first and third estrus (P > .05) but gilts at first estrus had more follicles 4 to 8 (P .05). Mean concentrations of E2 in systemic and ovarian venous sera were also greater in gilts at third than at first estrus (both P .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The solubility of hydrogen in Fe3Al-intermetallics

Abstract Measurements of the H-solubility in Fe 3 Al containing 28 at.% Al have been carried out at a constant H 2 gas pressure of 1.01 × 10 5 Pa in the temperature range 529–1373K. The solubility isobars have been used to determine the partial molar enthalpies and excess entropies of the H-atoms in the high-temperature α BCC phase and the ordered B2 and DO3 intermetallics.
Utilizing a Computerized Video Poker Simulation for the Collection of Data on Gambling Behavior

The current paper presents data collected utilizing a computerized video poker simulation that was published in Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers by Dixon, MacLin, and Hayes (1999). To date no published studies have demonstrated the utility of the simulation or presented the possible data that may emerge from using the program. Eleven undergraduates played the simulation for 100 trials each for course extra-credit and the opportunity to win additional monetary compensation. Results suggest that there are regularities within and across participants on both temporal and subjective dependent variables during their play of the video poker game. These variables included response latencies, decision-making times, and subjective probability estimations. Implications of these data for the successful treatment of pathological gamblers and suggestions for further behavioral research on gambling are discussed.
Vibrational spectra and nonlinear optical coefficients of rhombohedral CsGe X 3 halide compounds with X = I , Br, Cl

The zone-center phonons are calculated for rhombohedral $\mathrm{CsGe}{X}_{3}$ compounds with $X=\mathrm{I}$, Br, Cl using density functional perturbation theory in a plane-wave pseudopotential method. The infrared absorption and reflection spectra are simulated and show that the absorption has a strong contribution from the LO as well as TO modes. Both the lowest and highest IR active modes have strong oscillator strengths for each symmetry (${A}_{1}$ and $E$) and correspond to motions of either the Cs or Ge ions relative to the halogen ions. respectively. The intermediate modes have low oscillator strength because their mode pattern shows less clearly a dipole pattern. The polarization dependent Raman spectra for various backscattering configurations are simulated. Only the highest modes of each symmetry have a strong Raman intensity. The results for the Raman spectra are found to be in good agreement with the available experimental data for polycrystalline films when averaging over directions. The Born effective charges and high and low frequency dielectric tensors as well as the second-order nonlinear optical coefficients are calculated. The ratio of the static to the high-frequency dielectric constants are extremely high and analyzed in terms of the contribution of each mode to the Lyddane-Sachs-Teller relation. The nonlinear optical coefficients decrease strongly from I to Br to Cl in reverse order of the band gaps and are found to be consistent with available experimental results.
The Syrian Civil War, sectarianism and political change at the Turkish–Syrian border

The Syrian Civil War has displaced millions of Syrian citizens since March 2011 and has drastically changed the lives of those in the Turkish–Syrian borderlands. Antakya (Hatay), which was annexed by the Republic of Turkey from Syria under the French Mandate in 1939, is a border province that hosts tens of thousands of Syrian refugees today. Although the province has long been renowned for its ethnic and religious diversity, the influx of Syrian refugees and Turkey's Syria policy have created new ethno-religious conflicts and have shifted the dynamics of everyday life in Antakya. Drawing on micro-historical approaches towards boundary-making and state formation, this ethnographic study focuses first on how the Syrian Civil War has transformed urban everyday life in this border city and has redefined ethno-religious boundaries and locals’ relationships to the state since 2011. Second, this article investigates the ways in which ‘sectarianism’ is implicated in the Turkish regime's approach to the Syrian Civil War and how sectarian discourses have shifted the political landscape in Antakya. This project suggests that in international conflicts between neighbouring states, the spatial, political and social divisions in border cities will increase as ethnic and religious identities become more politicised.
A tunable SIW integrated filter/antenna

A tunable 3-D filter/antenna integration implementation is presented herein. The tunable integrated device consists of a tunable coaxial substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) resonator coupled to a tunable cavity-backed slot antenna. The filter/antenna synthesis presented in this work follows closely with traditional filter synthesis with the antenna coupling energy to free space used as the second external coupling port of the device. The filter/antenna is frequency tunable from 1.71–2.88 GHz (51%) with a fractional bandwidth range of 2.90–8.10%, gain of −3.14–2.61 dBi, overall efficiency between 26.3 and 82.6%, and cross polarization level better than 20 dB in all cases.
R&D for Clean Energy Production Through Responsible Utilization of Various Feedstocks Including Coal, Biomass, and Hydrocarbons

Coal, natural gas, and oil account for close to 90% of the energy consumed globally. The significance of these crucial feedstocks to key global economies cannot be overstated, and despite growing concerns related to Climate Change, reliance on these fuels is not going away any time soon.
Macrophage oxidative metabolism: a defense mechanism against virus infection?

There is ample evidence that macrophages (M0) are intrinsically resistant to infection by a number of viruses in vitro and are important in providing resistance to virus infection in vivo (1). In neither case are the mechanisms of viral resistance engendered by macrophages understood at the molecular level.
The Growth of International Joint Ventures

Although not a new phenomenon, joint venture activity has seen tremendous growth in the international business scene during the past decade. Companies from particularly the industrialized nations have led the way in international business partnerships, motivated by a variety of reasons. By way of reviewing recent developments, this discussion paper addresses three issues: What are the long-term implications of joint ventures for national industry structures? How will the gradual move from a spirit of competition to one of collaboration affect established patterns of international competition? What types of competitive realignments between nations are likely to affect the success of current joint ventures?
Teaching Respect in the Classroom: An Instructional Approach

Teachers frequently are asked to address misbehavior in the classroom. To minimize the negative effects of reactive, punishment-based classroom management strategies, proactive instructional approaches are recommended. The Cool Tool is a social skills strategy designed to teach and encourage prosocial behaviors in the classroom and larger school environment. This case study utilized the Cool Tool with 26 middle school students across two classroom settings to teach “Respect to Adults” and “Respect to Peers.” A decrease in inappropriate behaviors was observed across both settings when the Cool Tool was initiated. Decreased rates of inappropriate behavior maintained for two months. Implications, limitations, and recommendations are discussed.
The Philosophy of History in Hegel, Heidegger, and Jaspers

I am concerned to explore the ways in which some major European philosophers, particularly Hegel, Heidegger, and Jaspers have reflected both upon their time and upon the meaning of History itself. My purpose is to encourage a similar reflection among contemporary philosophers regarding our current early twenty-first century era and the spiritual future it may portend. An underlying assumption is that Hegel was right in claiming that philosophy is both the child of its time and should also be its time comprehended in thought. However future oriented, Heidegger believes the same and embodies the nostalgic urge for a return to origins and thereby an escape from the corrosive effects of modernity. By contrast Hegel represented a sense of his particular time as a celebratory consummation of essential trends from the spiritual past. Jaspers, in turn, displays far more caution and a wise uncertainty regarding these matters. Through this stance he provides more realistic promise than either of those of his major predecessors whom I consider in these reflections. (This essay was previously published in Existenz, Vol. 1, Nos. 1–2, Fall 2006, pp. 31–36. An earlier version was published in International Readings of Theory, History and Philosophy of Culture, 21: “Dynamics of Values in Contemporary Culture,” pp. 191–200, UNESCO-EIDOS publication, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2006.).
RISK ANALYSIS OF RAILROAD FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION DISASTERS

Abstract A risk analysis is performed of the potential for disastrous freight train derailment accidents in the U.S. involving the release of bulk shipments of hazardous materials. The risk is expressed as the probability of any number of fatalities in each accident and as the probability of any number of fatalities per year. Models for these risk profiles are formulated and then restructured to permit computer calculations using numerical methods. Particular attention is given to the computation of low probabilities associated with high consequences. Taking into account the impacts on both the general population and on-scene professional personnel, the risk is found to be lower than for other familiar safety problems.
Inhibiting pyrimidine biosynthesis impairs Ebola virus replication through depletion of nucleoside pools and activation of innate immune responses

Specific host pathways that may be targeted therapeutically to inhibit the replication of Ebola virus (EBOV) and other emerging viruses remain incompletely defined. A screen of 200,000 compounds for inhibition of an EBOV minigenome (MG) assay that measures the function of the viral polymerase complex identified as hits several compounds with an amino-tetrahydrocarbazole scaffold. This scaffold was structurally similar to GSK983, a compound previously described as having broad-spectrum antiviral activity due to its impairing de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis through inhibition of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). We generated compound SW835, the racemic version of GSK983 and demonstrated that SW835 and brequinar, another DHODH inhibitor, potently inhibit the MG assay and the replication of EBOV, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and Zika (ZIKV) in vitro. Nucleoside and deoxynucleoside supplementation studies demonstrated that depletion of pyrimidine pools contributes to antiviral activity of these compounds. As reported for other DHODH inhibitors, SW835 and brequinar also induced expression of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs). ISG induction was demonstrated to occur without production of IFNα/β and independently of the IFNα receptor and was not blocked by EBOV-encoded suppressors of IFN signaling pathways. Furthermore, we demonstrated that transcription factor IRF1 is required for this ISG induction, and that IRF1 induction requires the DNA damage response kinase ATM. Therefore, de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis is critical for the replication of EBOV and other RNA viruses and inhibition of this pathway activates an ATM and IRF1-dependent innate immune response that subverts EBOV immune evasion functions.
Poecile atricapillus (Black-capped Chickadee) Feeding Catharus guttatus (Hermit Thrush) Nestlings

We describe what we believe to be the first recorded instance of an adult Poecile atricapillus (Black-capped Chickadee) feeding the young of a different species. On 25 June 2017, we observed a Black-capped Chickadee feeding 3 Catharus guttatus (Hermit Thrush) nestlings. We recorded a video of this behavior the following day, in which the adult Black-capped Chickadee delivered food to the Hermit Thrush nestlings 12 times in 105 min of continuous recording. The Black-capped Chickadee also removed fecal sacs from the nest. At the end of this video, 1 of the nestlings fledged. We did not observe an adult Hermit Thrush feeding the nestlings during the entire recording. The considerable differences in body size, nesting strategy, and nestling growth rate between these 2 species comprise a unique instance of interspecific parental feeding that resulted in successful fledging.
Selection for postweaning gain in rats: I. Correlated response in feed utilization and body composition.

Response to selection for up (U) and (D) 3- to 9-wk gain in rats on average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADI), gain/feed (G/F), body composition (BC), fasting metabolic rate per unit metabolic size (MR) and partial efficiency of weight gain (ADG/Fg) was evaluated after 34 generations of mass selection. At 3-wk weaning, 120 litters representing F1 crosses of two replicates within each of the U, D and control (C) selection lines were divided within sexes between bulk-feeder and tube-feeder cage types for recording feed intake until 9 wk of age. Rats from tube-feeder cages representing 16 litters/line were utilized for MR and BC data. Response in ADG was asymmetrical; 16% higher for U line but only 8% lower in D line, compared with C line. Correlated responses were positive and significant in both U and D lines for ADI (6% and -3%) and G/F (5% and -5%). Line differences in MR were not significant but both selected lines were slightly higher than C line in MR at 6 wk of age, and the reverse at 9 wk of age. Over the period of 6 to 9 wk of age, maintenance requirements per unit metabolic size and ADG/Fg were 1 and 5% above for the U and -1 and -4% for D lines, relative to C line. Females of both selected lines were fatter than C line (P less than .05) at 9 wk of age, but only D line males were fatter than C line.
Which NDI domains best predict change in physical function in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Physical function is a critical aspect of patient-reported outcomes and is measured by multiple instruments. While the Neck Disability Index (NDI) is a popular and widely validated outcome measure in cervical spine disease, to what extent its individual domains predict changes in physical function remains unknown. PURPOSE To examine the impact of individual NDI domains on changes in physical function in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Prospective cohort study. PATIENT SAMPLE Adult patients undergoing cervical spine surgery, excluding those undergoing surgery for instability due to trauma. OUTCOME MEASURES Absolute change in outcome measures (PROMIS PF, SF-36 PCS, NDI) from pre- to postoperatively, correlation of NDI individual domains with PROMIS PF and SF-36 PCS (preoperatively, postoperatively, and change from pre- to postoperatively). METHODS Patients undergoing cervical spine surgery between 2016-2018 were prospectively enrolled. Patients completed questionnaires (NDI, SF-36 PCS, and PROMIS PF) preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively. Patient demographics, including age, body mass index (BMI), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and underlying diagnoses were collected. Comparisons between NDI scores preoperatively versus postoperatively were conducted using Student paired t-test. Correlations of NDI individual items and PROMIS/SF-36 were assessed using Pearson correlation. A stepwise linear regression analysis was performed to identify NDI items that are independently predictive of PROMIS PF and SF-36 PCS. RESULTS A total of 137 patients were included in the study, with mean age 56.9 years (range, 24.4-84.9). Each of the NDI domains as well as PROMIS PF and SF-36 PCS demonstrated significant improvement following cervical spine surgery (p CONCLUSIONS All NDI domains improve significantly after cervical spine surgery and demonstrate significant correlation with changes in PROMIS PF and SF-36 PCS. The work, recreation and pain intensity domains were the only independent predictors of physical function changes postoperatively. Our findings highlight the importance of considering changes in individual NDI domains in addition to the total score. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs.