cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Morphine modulates migration of monocytes.

Macrophages seem to play an important role in the development of glomerulosclerosis. In the present study we evaluated the effect of morphine, an active metabolite of heroin, on the migration of monoc
Preclinical models for chemoprevention of colon cancer.

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer incidence and death in the USA in 2002. Specific genetic defects have been identified which cause hereditary colon cancers in humans. In addition, a number of intestinal luminal risk factors for colon cancer have been described. This information has been exploited to develop experimental cell and rodent models which recapitulate feature s of human colon cancer. In this chapter, we will discuss the strengths and limitations of these models to further our understanding of basic mechanisms of colon carcinogenesis and to develop strategies for colon cancer chemoprevention.
Preparation of metallic cobalt and cobalt-barium titanate spheres as high temperature media for magnetically stabilized fluidized bed reactors.

Fluidized bed reactors are extremely efficient when mass transfer limitations dominate global reaction rates, such as in combustion or incineration [1, 2]. Because fluidized beds operate using a balance between direct fluid dynamic forces and the gravitational restoring force, the maximum mass transfer rates for a given reactor configuration are limited by gravity. This limitation has been overcome using magnetic fields acting upon magnetically susceptible fluidization media to augment the force of gravity [3–7]. However, the use of magnetically stabilized fluidized beds in high temperature reactions has been limited by the lack of suitable media. Three magnetic properties are required to obtain suitable media: high magnetic susceptibility, high Curie temperature, and low coercivity. Cobalt, with a Curie temperature of 1121 ◦C, meets these requirements. We have investigated the preparation of two forms of cobalt containing spherical fluidization media: metallic cobalt, and cobalt impregnated barium titanate. Novel ferromagnetic media including cobalt impregnated barium titanate and metallic cobalt spheres have been prepared for high temperature application in magnetically stabilized fluidized beds. Spherical polymeric beads were initially formed by gelation of an alginateprecursor oxide suspension. Water was then eliminated from the hydrous gel at low temperature and the organic polymer was removed by oxidation in air. The temperature was then raised and the firing atmosphere changed to a reducing mixture containing hydrogen. Under these conditions, cobalt oxide was first reduced to the metallic form, and at a sufficiently high temperature, densification occurred via sintering. Cobalt impregnated barium titanate was prepared by intimately mixing BaCO3, TiO2, MgSO4, SiO2, and Co3O4 in a ball mill using zirconium oxide milling media, with molar ratios corresponding to one mole of Ba0.95Mg0.05TiO3, 0.064 moles of TiO2, 0.311 moles of Co, and 0.0207 moles of SiO2. The excess TiO2 and SiO2 form a low melting eutectic, predominately BaTiSi2O7, which melts at 1245 ◦C and acts as a sintering aide. The cobalt content corresponds to 10% (w/w) of the resulting BaTiO3. The oxides, carbonates, and sulfates were initially added to 1.4 times their weight
Corrigendum: Neuroinflammation and Cytokines in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Critical Review of Research Methods

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is the label given to a syndrome that can include long-term flu-like symptoms, profound fatigue, trouble concentrating, and autonomic problems, all of which worsen after exertion. It is unclear how many individuals with this diagnosis are suffering from the same condition or have the same underlying pathophysiology, and the discovery of biomarkers would be clarifying. The name "myalgic encephalomyelitis" essentially means "muscle pain related to central nervous system inflammation" and many efforts to find diagnostic biomarkers have focused on one or more aspects of neuroinflammation, from periphery to brain. As the field uncovers the relationship between the symptoms of this condition and neuroinflammation, attention must be paid to the biological mechanisms of neuroinflammation and issues with its potential measurement. The current review focuses on three methods used to study putative neuroinflammation in ME/CFS: (1) positron emission tomography (PET) neuroimaging using translocator protein (TSPO) binding radioligand (2) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) neuroimaging and (3) assays of cytokines circulating in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. PET scanning using TSPO-binding radioligand is a promising option for studies of neuroinflammation. However, methodological difficulties that exist both in this particular technique and across the ME/CFS neuroimaging literature must be addressed for any results to be interpretable. We argue that the vast majority of ME/CFS neuroimaging has failed to use optimal techniques for studying brainstem, despite its probable centrality to any neuroinflammatory causes or autonomic effects. MRS is discussed as a less informative but more widely available, less invasive, and less expensive option for imaging neuroinflammation, and existing studies using MRS neuroimaging are reviewed. Studies seeking to find a peripheral circulating cytokine "profile" for ME/CFS are reviewed, with attention paid to the biological and methodological reasons for lack of replication among these studies. We argue that both the biological mechanisms of cytokines and the innumerable sources of potential variance in their measurement make it unlikely that a consistent and replicable diagnostic cytokine profile will ever be discovered.
Photochemical ring opening of 7-benzoyl- and 7-methoxycarbonyldibenzonorcaradienes. competing 1,2-hydrogen shift and cyclization reactions of 1,3-diradicals.

The UV irradiation of dibenzonorcaradienes bearing an acyl or alkoxycarbonyl substituent in the 7-position results in formation of substituted phenanthrenes, as well as cis−trans isomerization of the starting material. This reaction apparently proceeds via intermediate formation of a short-lived (τ = 1−20 ns) 1,3-diradical, which is produced by photochemical cleavage of one cyclopropane bond, while no evidence of α-carbonylcarbene formation was found.
Planning, time, and self-governance: replies to Andreou, Tenenbaum, and Velleman

ABSTRACTThese are replies to critical discussions by Chrisoula Andreou, Sergio Tenenbaum, and J. David Velleman of my Planning, Time, and Self-Governance: Essays in Practical Rationality (2018). I ...
Advanced separation of concerns and the compatibility of aspect-orientation

The appropriate separation of concerns is a fundamental engineering principle. A concern, for software developers, is that which must be represented by code in a program; by extension, separation of concerns is the ability to represent a single concern in a single appropriate programming language construct. Advanced separation of concerns is a relatively recent technique in software development for dealing with the complexity of systems that contain crosscutting concerns, namely those individual concerns that cut across programs. Aspect-oriented programming (AOP), which is the area of this dissertation, offers a form of advanced separation of concerns in which primary and crosscutting concerns can be separated during problem solving. An aspect gathers into one place a concern that is or would otherwise be scattered throughout an object-oriented program or system. The primary aim of this dissertation—the AOPy project—is to investigate the usefulness of advanced separation of concerns that aspect-oriented programming offers. In other words, the AOPy Project determines whether the potential usefulness of aspect-oriented programming is currently actualized in practice. In determining its current practical usefulness, this dissertation also determines characteristics of and obstacles to usefulness of aspect-orientation in software development. Perhaps the most important contribution to understanding and addressing the problem of complexity in software systems that this dissertation makes is that the AOPy research project establishes a definition of compatibility of aspect-orientation and provides an analysis of sample instances during problem solving that indicate evidence of compatibility between object-orientation and aspect-orientation. Compatibility, as defined by the AOPy Project, exists when aspect-oriented ideas, terminology, and techniques are appropriately employed in the experimental problem-solving session. The primary scientific contribution of this dissertation, therefore, is a narrative description of the actual use of aspect-oriented programming in a series of controlled, problem-solving scenarios. Theories describing the use of aspect-oriented ideas, terminology, and techniques are generated and refined by means of Grounded Theory, a qualitative data analysis technique. Because this dissertation (1) analytically explores areas of compatibility of aspect-orientation with object-orientation and (2) defines areas of compatibility thwarted in practice, this research project can serve as a foundation for the development of aspect-oriented programming-based design methodologies that encourage compatibility and discourage non-compatibility. Therefore, the AOPy Project establishes a foundation for future research in both its methodology and its results and for future software development in practice. By contributing a definition of aspect-oriented compatibility and a framework within which it can be understood, this dissertation fosters the progression toward a seamless use of aspect-orientation between developer and task.
Cardiovascular Toxicities of Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors

There has been a significant shift in the management of B cell malignancies over the past decade. Initial strategies involving the use of systemic chemotherapies have been gradually replaced by more targeted therapies to improve survival and overall tolerability. Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitors are breakthrough drugs that have been approved to treat many B cell malignancies. Despite their demonstrated benefits, unintended events still occur including various cardiotoxicities. In this review, we discuss the rationale behind developing these agents, their common cardiovascular toxicities, and associated management challenges.
Prospective Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of THRIVE for Children Undergoing Airway Evaluation.

Transnasal Humidified Rapid-Insufflation Ventilatory Exchange (THRIVE) is a humidified high-flow nasal cannula capable of extending apneic time. Although THRIVE is assumed to stent upper airway soft tissues, this has not been objectively evaluated. Also, there are no prior studies providing safety and efficacy data for those patients undergoing upper airway evaluation using THRIVE. Methods This report is a prospective study of the safety and efficacy of THRIVE in pediatric patients younger than 18 years old undergoing drug-induced sleep endoscopy. We positioned a flexible laryngoscope to view the larynx, and photographs were taken with no THRIVE flow (control) and with THRIVE flow at 10 and 20 liters per minute (LPM). Upper airway patency was measured using epiglottis to posterior pharynx distance, laryngeal inlet area, and modified Cormack-Lehane score at the trialed parameters. Vomiting and aspiration were our primary safety endpoints. Results Eleven patients (6 women) with a mean age of 5.3 ± 2.1 years (2-8 years; SD, 2.05) were enrolled. Measurements of upper airway patency showed a significant THRIVE flow-associated increase in epiglottis to posterior pharynx distance (105 ± 54 at 10 L/min and 199 ± 67 at 20 L/min; P = 0.007) and nonsignificant increase of laryngeal inlet area (206 ± 148 at 10 L/min and 361 ± 190 at 20 L/min; P = 0.07). Cormack-Lehane score improved significantly at higher THRIVE volumes (P = 0.006). Conclusions THRIVE appears to safely improve upper airway patency during sleep endoscopy in the pediatric patient. In this study, we objectively document the flow-dependent increase in laryngeal patency associated with THRIVE.
A Human-in-the-Loop Evaluation of ACAS Xu

Detect and avoid (DAA) systems provide unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) with an alternative means of compliance with the see-and-avoid requirements associated with operations in the National Airspace System (NAS). Previous studies have examined the efficacy of different DAA alerting and guidance structures and formats. Prior research has also investigated the integration of DAA information with the alerting and guidance generated by the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II). The next-generation replacement for TCAS II – the Airborne Collision Avoidance System X (ACAS X) – includes a variant to be used by UAS (ACAS Xu) that will provide both DAA and Collision Avoidance (CA) guidance. The alerting and guidance issued by ACAS Xu differs from previous DAA and CA systems, a result of new capabilities that were not available to earlier systems. Differences include the removal of warning-level DAA alerting and guidance, as well as the issuance of new types of CA guidance, referred to as Resolution Advisories (RAs). Whereas TCAS II only issues vertical RAs, ACAS Xu adds horizontal and blended (i.e., simultaneous vertical and horizontal) RAs. The current study assessed pilots' ability to respond to and comply with the DAA and RA alerting and guidance generated by ACAS Xu in a human-in-the-loop simulation. Sixteen active UAS pilots participated in the study and were tasked with responding to scripted DAA and RA traffic conflicts. Results showed that pilots were effective at making timely maneuvers against DAA threats. The proportion of losses of DAA well clear against noncooperative intruders was found to be significantly higher than the proportion of losses against cooperative intruders, a result of the limited declaration range of the simulated onboard RADAR. Results also demonstrated that pilots could consistently meet the five second response time requirement for initial RAs. Rapid responses to RAs had the corresponding effect of minimizing the severity of losses of DAA well clear. While pilots complied with initial RAs at a high rate, compliance dropped substantially when the target heading was updated during a horizontal RA. Pilot performance with ACAS Xu will be presented alongside results from prior DAA research.
Modeling the interaction between resilience and ability in assessments with allowances for multiple attempts

Abstract Many computer-based assessments, in particular those administered in learning settings, provide immediate item-level feedback and permit respondents to retry questions following incorrect responses. Doing so supports learning and facilitates the measurement of partial mastery. However, persistence through attempts may introduce new factors, such as resilience, affecting a student's test score. The current study proposes a tree-based approach to jointly model item responses and reattempt decisions in multiple-attempt assessments, allowing for the separate measurement of latent ability and reattempt propensity, or resilience. The proposed model is implemented on two datasets collected from online homework assignments, one from a university for-credit course and the other from a massive open online course. The results shed light on the relationship between resilience and ability both at the individual level and at the item level, where threshold parameters can be interpreted as difficulty and repeatability. Importantly, resilience was found to affect certain commonly used performance scores, such as eventual correctness proportion, posing a validity threat for summative assessment use-cases. The tree-based model not only resolves the problem but also opens the door to ecologically valid measures of resilience that are not reliant on self-reports.
Methylome Analysis of Rare Sinonasal Malignancies: Novel Venues for Clinical Applications.

Purpose/objective(s) Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) and sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) are rare sinonasal cancers with distinct clinical courses. Methylomic differences between these entities have not been previously explored. The aims of this study were to compare genome-wide methylomes of ONB and SNUC, and to explore candidate tissue of origin of SNUC using a comparative methylomics approach. Materials/methods We included a total of 87 sinonasal malignancy samples. Genome-wide methylome data were obtained with an SNP-based human microarray for 71 ONB-like samples (44 "definitive" ONB samples, 27 ONB-resembling samples) and 10 IDH2-mutatnt SNUC samples. RNA sequencing data for a further 3 ONB and 3 SNUC samples were included. Methylomes were compared between ONB and SNUC samples and to publicly available methylation data for 195 tissue samples representing an array of tumors and normal tissues using R. Strict quality control was performed. Results A total of 41 ONB and 9 SNUC samples passed QC and were included in the final analysis. A total of 89,016 differentially methylated probes had adjusted P-value Conclusion ONB and SNUC possess distinct methylomes. PRC2 complex dysregulation may represent a key driver of a genome-wide repressive phenotype in IDH2-mutant SNUC samples leading to a dedifferentiated phenotype and may be a potential avenue for targeted therapies in the future. The presence of T-cell infiltration in both tumors represents a potential avenue for exploration of therapeutic checkpoint inhibition. Genome-wide methylomics suggests SNUC may be derived from neuronal tissue and we are currently involved in further transomic approaches to independently validate this hypothesis.
BOREAS TGB-8 Starch Concentration Data Over the SSA-OBS and the SSA-OJP

The BOREAS TGB-8 team collected data to investigate the controls over NMHC fluxes from boreal forest tree species. This data set includes measurements of starch concentrations in foliar samples at mature jack pine and black spruce sites. The data were collected at the OJP and OBS tower flux locations in the BOREAS SSA. These areas contained mature stands of jack pine and black spruce and were the focal sites in the BOREAS program for studies of biosphere/atmosphere exchange from these two habitat types. The OBS site is situated in a black spruce/sphagnum bog with the largest trees 155 years old and 10-15 m tall. The OJP site is in a jack pine forest, 80 to 120 years old, which lies on a sandy bench of glacial outwash with the largest tree standing 15 m tall. Temporally, the data cover the period of 24-May-1994 to 19-Sep-1994. The data are stored in tabular ASCII files.
The CPCFC cuticular protein family: Anatomical and cuticular locations in Anopheles gambiae and distribution throughout Pancrustacea.

Abstract Arthropod cuticles have, in addition to chitin, many structural proteins belonging to diverse families. Information is sparse about how these different cuticular proteins contribute to the cuticle. Most cuticular proteins lack cysteine with the exception of two families (CPAP1 and CPAP3), recently described, and the one other that we now report on that has a motif of 16 amino acids first identified in a protein, Bc-NCP1, from the cuticle of nymphs of the cockroach, Blaberus craniifer (Jensen et al., 1997). This motif turns out to be present as two or three copies in one or two proteins in species from many orders of Hexapoda. We have named the family of cuticular proteins with this motif CPCFC, based on its unique feature of having two cysteines interrupted by five amino acids (C-X(5)-C). Analysis of the single member of the family in Anopheles gambiae (AgamCPCFC1) revealed that its mRNA is most abundant immediately following ecdysis in larvae, pupae and adults. The mRNA is localized primarily in epidermis that secretes hard cuticle, sclerites, setae, head capsules, appendages and spermatheca. EM immunolocalization revealed the presence of the protein, generally in endocuticle of legs and antennae. A phylogenetic analysis found proteins bearing this motif in 14 orders of Hexapoda, but not in some species for which there are complete genomic data. Proteins were much longer in Coleoptera and Diptera than in other orders. In contrast to the 1 and occasionally 2 copies in other species, a dragonfly, Ladona fulva, has at least 14 genes coding for family members. CPCFC proteins were present in four classes of Crustacea with 5 repeats in one species, and motifs that ended C-X(7)-C in Malacostraca. They were not detected, except as obvious contaminants, in any other arthropod subphyla or in any other phylum. The conservation of CPCFC proteins throughout the Pancrustacea and the small number of copies in individual species indicate that, when present, these proteins are serving important functions worthy of further study.
Characterization And Mechanical Performance Of Ultralight Metallic Lattice Core Composite Sandwich Shell

In this study sandwich-walled cylindrical shells with aluminum pyramidal truss core of constant curvature suitable for functional applications were fabricated employing an interlocking fabrication technique for the metallic core. The skins were made of carbon-fiber reinforced composites and co-cured with the metallic truss core. Thereafter, axial compression tests on some representative samples were carried out to investigate the failure modes of these structures and compared with an analytical failure map developed to account for Euler buckling, shell buckling, local buckling between reinforcements and face-crushing. The experimental data closely matched the analytically predicted behavior of the cylinders. In particular, it was found that local buckling and face crushing modes can exist together and are the most important modes of failure of the fabricated structure. In addition, a study on the bending response of semi-cylindrical samples is also presented using a combination of analytical modeling, three-point bending experiments and finite element (FE) based simulations. The aluminum pyramidal cores of these samples were also constructed using the novel interlocking method before curing them with composite face sheets to fabricate the final structure. A theoretical model was developed to analyze the experiments and develop failure criteria. Three failure modes: i) Face wrinkling, ii) Face crushing, and iii) Debonding between face sheet and truss cores, were considered and theoretical relationships for predicting the collapse load associated with each mode were developed. The experiments were carried out on two sets of specimens with differing face sheet thickness which clearly indicated the important role played by core debonding in determining the peak load of the structure. Localized buckling instabilities were also reported for samples with thinner face sheets. The role of debonding in determining strength was further highlighted by a comparison with FE simulations with suppressed debonding. This study highlighted the superior structural performance and failure properties of these structures thus demonstrating their suitability for their integration into the next generation of ultralight multifunctional systems.
On the Direction of Reading of Bacteriophage T4 Gene 43 (Deoxyribonucleic Acid Polymerase)

Abstract Amber (am) mutants of the two closely linked sites, B22 and C125, in bacteriophage T4 gene 43 [deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase] synthesize in the nonpermissive (su−) Escherichia coli host gene 43 products which are devoid of DNA polymerase activity, but which retain a 3′-exonuclease activity. Diethylaminoethyl-cellulose chromatographic analysis of DNA polymerase and deoxyribonuclease activities from extracts of su− cells infected with single- and double-am mutants of T4 gene 43 showed that the exonuclease activity which is observed with amB22 is not seen with double mutants carrying, in addition to amB22, am mutations which map to the clockwise side of the B22 site on the circular genetic map of T4. Similarly, am mutations which map to the clockwise side of the C125 site abolish the exonuclease activity which is observed with an am mutant (amE4335) of this site. It was concluded that in these double mutants termination signals to the clockwise side of amB22 and amE4335 are encountered before the amB22 and amE4335 signals during translation of the messenger ribonucleic acid from T4 gene 43. Thus, it seems that the T4 DNA polymerase is synthesized in vivo in a direction which corresponds to a counterclockwise reading of gene 43.
Quality of End‐of‐Life Care Among Rural Medicare Beneficiaries With Colorectal Cancer

Background Although previous research has documented rural disparities in hospice use, limited data exist on the roles of geographic access in different types of end-of-life indicators among cancer survivors. Methods Medicare claims data were used to identify beneficiaries with colorectal cancer who died in 2008 (N = 34,975). We evaluated rural-urban differences in ER visits 90 days before death, inpatient hospital admissions ≤90 days before death, intensive care unit (ICU) use ≤90 days before death, hospice care use at any time, and hospice enrollment <3 days before death. Results About 60% of beneficiaries in rural areas lived in counties with the 2 lowest socioecomonic levels compared to only 5.3% of beneficiaries in metropolitan areas. After adjusting for demographic factors and comorbidities, beneficiaries in rural counties had a lower number of ICU days (RR = 0.65) and were less likely to ever use hospice (OR = 0.78) compared to those in metropolitan counties. Beneficiaries from racial/ethnic minority groups, those with lower socioeconomic status, and those with a higher comorbidity index were less likely to ever use hospice but they tended to use ER, inpatient care, and ICU. Conclusions Evidence for disparities due to geographic access and socioeconomic factors warrant increased efforts to remove systemic and structural barriers. Future research should focus on exploring and evaluating potential policy and practice interventions to improve the quality of life among elderly cancer survivors living in rural communities and those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.
State of the science on the Cloud, accessibility, and the future

A state of the science conference on the Cloud, accessibility and the future was held at the University of Wisconsin---Madison on September 21 and 22, 2013. The desired outcomes of the conference were a better understanding of current and emerging issues around digital inclusion, a better understanding of where things are going, and what strategies for effectively addressing inclusion in the rapidly changing world we live in might be. Speaker presentations were pre-recorded and posted on YouTube®. During the conference, participants discussed the issues raised in these presentations and other topics. Topics discussed included the threefold emerging threat to ICT inclusion; the approaching ICT/web/Cloud inflection point--and how it changes existing rules; Cloud-based auto-personalization as an approach to inclusion (concept, status of implementation and plans); security and privacy, risks and options, related to personalization and Cloud-based solutions; non-technical issues and realities in national and global deployment and use of technical solutions; providing the tools necessary for industry to build accessibility into next and next---next generation everyday products; globally realistic/affordable approaches to scaling, sustainability and propagation; impact of digital inclusion on national prosperity, education and literacy; need for Cloud-based solutions in government services, health, voting, education, etc., and the demands these areas may impose on solutions. The summaries for the speaker presentations and recommendations regarding research, policy and education generated during the conference are presented in this paper.
Effects of Residual Exxon Valdez Oil on Intertidal Protothaca staminea: Mortality, Growth, and Bioaccumulation of Hydrocarbons in Transplanted Clams

Abstract Effects of residual Exxon Valdez oil on the intertidal clam, Protothaca staminea , were studied using reciprocal experimental transplants of clams between unoiled and oiled sites. Individually tagged clams were transplanted in 1994 and collected in 1995 and 1996. Mortality, growth, and tissue chemistry data were collected from reference unoiled and oiled clams, clams transplanted from an oiled to unoiled site, and clams moved from an unoiled to oiled site. Greatest mortality occurred in clams originating from the oiled site. Best growth occurred in clams moved from the oiled site to the unoiled area. Largest tissue burdens of hydrocarbons occurred in oiled site clams. There was indication of depuration of hydrocarbons when oiled site clams were transplanted to the unoiled site. Clams transplanted from the unoiled site to oiled site accumulated hydrocarbons after one year. Our results indicate that residual oil, 5–6 years following the EV oil spill, affected survival and growth rates of clams.
Manifestation of Berry's phase in image-bearing optical beams.

We show that optical image-bearing beams manifest a generalized version of Berry's phase. This topological phase results in a rotation, equal to Berry's phase (with an opposite sign), of an arbitrary input optical image. Our method of measuring this phase applies to coherent as well as incoherent illumination, and thus is demonstrated experimentally using an incandescent light bulb. Furthermore, this is one of a few cases where a phase property of an ensemble of ``particles'' is unique, regardless of their energies, momenta, and spins.
Discrete Element Modeling of Rock Fragmentation upon Impact in Rock Fall Analysis

A discrete element code has been used to simulate impact-induced rock fragmentation in rock fall analysis using a simplified impact model inspired by the theory of vibrations for foundations on elastic media. The impact velocity, the angle of incidence, pre-existing fractures, and the ground stiffness all play important roles in impact fragmentation. Based on the simulation results, impact fragmentation occurs locally at the impact zone without generating large fragments for a homogeneous rock block. Large fragments are generated only when there are open pre-existing fractures in the rock block or when there are fully persistent closed fractures. Softer ground tends to reduce the potential for impact fragmentation. Energy transformation and failure occur only during impact including approach and restitution stages. Friction energy loss accounts for most of the energy loss during the fragmentation process, while tensile cracking energy loss is not significant.
Rechargeable lithium ion battery units as supplemental energy in Haiti

An intermittent or non-existent power grid currently plagues most of Haiti. Haitians, therefore, use diesel and/or other forms of power to supplement or replace the grid, often a costly expense. Batteries that charge when power is available are the only option for around-the-clock power on demand. Lead acid battery packs that are environmentally harmful, wastefully large and unreliable are currently the only economically viable battery pack option. The Green Energy Storage Technology (GEST) team has made a preliminary demonstration of a rechargeable lithium ion battery unit that is more environmentally aware, smaller and potentially more reliable than lead acid battery storage units. The parts for such units could be imported to Haiti for local assembly owned and directed by Haitian entrepreneurs while providing much needed local employment. GEST is in the process of determining what type of lithium ion battery will provide acceptable metrics for weight, lifetime, and environmental footprint at acceptable cost. To achieve this goal, GEST is considering a number of emerging battery technologies including lithium iron phosphate and lithium manganese iron phosphate. The GEST team will spend the summer of 2014 validating a value proposition to determine a minimum viable product for the Haitian marketplace.
Repeatability and accuracy of reproductive tract scoring to determine pubertal status in beef heifers

The objective of this study was to compare the repeatability and accuracy of palpation per rectum to transrectal ultrasonography and serum progesterone concentrations for determining pubertal status in beef heifers. One hundred and seventy-four rectal examinations were performed on 29 predominantly Angus heifers by two veterinarians (A and B) and assigned individual reproductive tract scores (RTS) during monthly examinations over a 3-month period. Heifers were examined in the morning by both veterinarians, randomized, and re-examined in the afternoon. The size and location of ovarian structures of each heifer were determined by ultrasonography. Heifers with follicles >10mm in diameter or corpora lutea were classified as pubertal. Serum progesterone concentrations at the time of the examination and 10 days later were determined by radioimmunoassay and used to classify heifers as prepubertal ( or=1 ng/ml). Kappa, which describes degree of agreement beyond chance, was used to determine repeatability of the RTS system. Multicategory Kappa for agreement was 0.64 within veterinarian, 0.46 between veterinarian, and 0.35 between palpation per rectum and transrectal ultrasonography. Sensitivity and specificity of palpation per rectum for diagnosis of pubertal status compared to serum progesterone levels were higher (82 and 69%, respectively) than sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography (79 and 59%, respectively). This study validates the RTS system as a repeatable and accurate screening test to evaluate pubertal status in groups of heifers prior to the onset of the breeding season.
The PP2A-associated Protein α4 Plays a Critical Role in the Regulation of Cell Spreading and Migration

Compared with kinases, the role of protein phosphatases in regulating biological functions is less well understood. Here we show that α4, a non-catalytic subunit of the protein phosphatase 2A, plays a major role in the control of cell spreading, migration, and cytoskeletal architecture. Fibroblasts lacking α4 were impaired in their ability to spread and migrate compared with wild-type cells, whereas enforced expression of α4 promoted cell spreading and migration. These effects were not restricted to fibroblasts. Using a T cell-specific α4 transgenic mouse model, increased α4 expression was found to increase lymphocyte motility and chemotaxis. Elevated α4 expression results in an increase in the GTP-bound state of Rac1, and GTP-bound Rac1 was dramatically reduced in α4-deficient cells. A constitutively active mutant of Rac1 rescued the defects of cell spreading and migration caused by α4 deletion, while inhibition of Rac1 blocked the ability of α4 to promote cell migration. Together, these data define a novel role for the protein phosphatase 2A regulatory subunit α4 in the regulation of cell spreading and migration.
Association of APOL1 variants with mild kidney disease in the first-degree relatives of African American patients with non-diabetic end-stage renal disease

Familial aggregation of non-diabetic end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is found in African Americans and variants in the apolipoprotein L1 gene ( APOL1 ) contribute to this risk. To detect genetic associations with milder forms of nephropathy in the high-risk families, analyses were performed using generalized estimating equations to assess relationships between kidney disease phenotypes and APOL1 variants in 786 relatives of 470 families. Adjusting for familial correlations, 23.1, 46.7, and 30.2% of genotyped relatives possessed two, one, or no APOL1 risk variants, respectively. Relatives with two compared with one or no risk variants had statistically indistinguishable median systolic blood pressure, urine albumin to creatinine ratio, estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR; MDRD equation), and serum cystatin C levels. After adjusting for age, gender, age at ESRD in families, and African ancestry, significant associations were detected between APOL1 with overt proteinuria and estimated GFR (CKD-EPI equation), with a trend toward significance for quantitative albuminuria. Thus, relatives of African Americans with non-diabetic ESRD are enriched for APOL1 risk variants. After adjustment, two APOL1 risk variants weakly predict mild forms of kidney disease. Second hits appear necessary for the initiation of APOL1 -associated nephropathy.
Serological and biochemical characterization of monoclonal antibodies against red cell markers related to expression of lutheran blood group antigens

Monoclonal antibodies to erythrocyte membrane antigens have, prior to this investigation, led to identification of protein(s) which bear the Lub antigen [4] as well as to increased understanding of the effects of the in(Lu) gene [7, 8, 9, 10], a gene which acts in an autosomal dominant fashion to down-regulate expression of all Lutheran antigens as well as numerous other antigens recognized by human and murine monoclonal antisera [1, 2, 5]. This study was therefore designed to determine what, if any, further contribution could be made using the four submitted workshop antibodies toward the understanding of the biochemistry of Lutheran antigens and the mechanism of action of the In(Lu)
980-86 Abdominal Aortic Ultrasound: A Comparison Between Transabdominal and Transgastric Approaches

Transgastric ultrasound may allow enhanced resolution of the abdominal aorta and branches. This study compares the morphological findings of abdominal aortic angiography andlor CT with results of transabdominal and transgastric two-dimensional (2D) and Doppler ultrasound. In 11 patients with abdominal aortic and/or renal artery disease (average age 63 yrs; range 43–75 yrs), preoperative angiography and/or CT, and transabdominal ultrasound was performed followed by transgastric ultrasound. Transgastric ultrasound was performed by manually plating a transesophageal transducer upon the abdominal aorta during reparative surgery. Results Angiography andlor CT Transabdominal Ultrasound Transgastric Ultrasound n = patients Aorta visualized 11 10 11 Aortic Aneurysm 8 8 8 Aortic PlaquelThrombus 7 7 11 Dissection Flap 2 0 2 n = vessels Renal Arteries Visualized 22 6 22 Renal Artery Obstruction 3 0 3 Conclusion This study suggests that transgastric ultrasound offers better visualization of the abdominal aorta and renal artery branches than transabdominal ultrasound. Imagery may be at least as accurate as that obtained with angiography or CT. Fiberoptic guidance for a transesophageal transducer may allow routine abdominal aorta and renal artery imaging from the transgastric approach and reduce the need for angiography or CT.
SST artifacts in coral proxy records produced by early marine diagenesis in a modern coral from Rabaul, Papua New Guinea

[1] We investigated the effects of early marine diagenesis on the skeletal geochemistry of a Porites coral collected live offshore of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. The lowermost 14 cm of the ∼1.9 m coral core contains physical evidence of alteration, which is clearly visible in X-radiograph, SEM and petrography images. Abrupt and significant increases in coral δ18O and Sr/Ca, and decreases in coral Mg/Ca occur at the transition from unaltered to altered skeleton, all of which imply significant SST cooling, if the altered nature of the coral skeleton went unrecognized. Screening for the effects of early marine diagenesis should become a standard procedure in coral-climate studies.
High-speed spectroscopic imaging for cancellous bone marrow R2∗ mapping and lipid quantification

In this work an interleaved multiple-gradient-echo chemical shift imaging (IMGE-CSI) technique was designed, implemented and evaluated at 1.5 and 4T for high-resolution lipid quantification and R(2)* measurement in-vivo. The method is analogous to echo planar CSI but utilizes conventional gradient echoes, exploiting the principle of spectroscopic bandwidth extension by interleaving temporally offset gradient-echo trains. It is shown that IMGE-CSI is able to measure true fat volume fraction in oil/water mixtures with high accuracy, not possible with Dixon-type methods which approximate the spectrum as consisting of only two spectral components. Correlation of the CSI- derived volume fractions with volumetry afforded r(2) > 0.99 with a slope of 0.98. The method is shown to be able to quantify regional variations in bone marrow composition in vivo with a spatial resolution of 2.5 x 2.5 x 5 mm(3.) R(2)* was obtained by multi-line spectral curve fitting. For the measurement of R(2)* in cancellous bone marrow the method is shown to agree well with time-domain fitting techniques but is superior in instances where the marrow has both hematopoietic and fatty constituents. Finally, excellent inter-scan reproducibility (1% coefficient of variation for global means and medians) was achieved, yielding r(2) = 0.98 of the test-retest correlation for three scans in four test subjects. In conclusion, IMGE-CSI is found to enable highly accurate lipid quantification and measurement of cancellous bone marrow R(2)* at spatial resolutions and scan times typical of standard clinical protocols.
Dictionary Compression on the Pram

Parallel algorithms for lossless data compression via dictionary compression using optimal, longest fragment first (LFF), and greedy parsing strategies are described. Dictionary compression removes redundancy by replacing substrings of the input by references to strings stored in a dictionary. Given a static dictionary stored as a suffix tree, we present a CREW PRAM algorithm for optimal compression which runs in O(M + log M log n) time with O(nM2) processors, where it is assumed that M is the maximum length of any dictionary entry. Under the same model, we give an algorithm for LFF compression which runs in O(log2 n) time with O(n/log n) processors where it is assumed that the maximum dictionary entry is of length O(log n). We also describe an O(M + log n) time and O(n) processor algorithm for greedy parsing given a static or sliding-window dictionary. For sliding-window compression, a different approach finds the greedy parsing in O(log n) time using (O(nM log M/log n) processors. Our algorithms are practical in the sense that their analysis elicits small constants.
Uniaxial Strength Behavior of Brittle Cellular Materials

Two types of brittle reticulated materials were evaluated under uniaxial tensile and compressive loading and analyzed in terms of the Gibson and Ashby model for brittle open-cell solids. The samples consisted of an open-cell alumina-mullite material which was tested as a function of density at a constant cell size and a reticulated vitreous carbon tested at one density and two cell sizes. The samples were mounted such that only the loading direction was varied in the tests. A combination of video photography and acoustic emission was critical to interpreting the results. The model assumes that identical deformation modes, bending failure of the struts, are responsible for failure of the bulk foam in tension and compression. The results of this work indicate a significant difference between the density dependence in tension and compression. Tensile failure in both materials appeared to be characterized by the catastrophic propagation of a single crack. Compressive failure was significantly different between the alumina and glassy carbon foams. The alumina foam failed by a damage accumulation process, whereas the carbon foam failed by the catastrophic collapse of a band of cells perpendicular to the loading direction.
Depression movement in family therapy with depressed adolescents

Family therapists presume, observe, and predict that depression can move from member to member in the family system depending upon the dynamics of the system as a whole. When an adolescent who is depressed begins to improve in family treatment, many family therapists have reported that the parents will often begin to experience an increase in their level of depression. This observation has been reported but has not been objectively measured. In this clinical study of four families, adolescent and parental depression during family therapy is measured to determine if depression movement does occur during family treatment. Results indicate that in three of the four families the parents did initially show depression level increases reactive to improvement in the adolescent. Such findings are supportive to the idea that some forms of adolescent depression often do serve a family system function.
Organisation vs. culture: Japanese automotive transplants in the US

It has long been argued that the Japanese production organization is culture-bound and therefore not transferable to other countries. This article examines seven major Japanese automobile assembly plants and over 270 Japanese automotive parts suppliers in the US. The successful transfer of Japanese work and production organization in these ‘transplants’ suggests that Japanese production practices are organizational forms which can be uncoupled from Japanese culture and transferred to other countries.
Correlation decay and deterministic FPTAS for counting colorings of a graph

We construct a deterministic algorithm for approximately counting the number of colorings of a graph. Under the assumption that the graph is triangle-free and the number of colors is at least @a@D, where @a is an arbitrary constant bigger than @a^@?^@?=2.8432...@?, and @D is the maximum degree of the graph, we obtain the following results. For the case when the number of colors is a large constant, we prove the existence of a deterministic FPTAS for computing the total number of colorings. The same deterministic algorithm has complexity 2^O^(^l^o^g^^^2^n^), without any assumptions on the number of colors, where n is the instance size. We further extend our method to the general problem of computing the partition function of a discrete Markov random field (MRF) model. Under certain assumptions relating the cardinality of the alphabet, the degree of the graph and the interacting potentials, we construct a deterministic FPTAS for computing the partition function of a MRF. In contrast to our results, the known counting technique - rapidly mixing Markov chain method - is based on randomization. Thus our result is the first non-trivial deterministic FPTAS for the problem of counting the number of colorings. Our approach builds on a certain statistical physics concept, specifically, the decay of correlation phenomena and its implication for the uniqueness of Gibbs measures in infinite graphs. This approach was proposed in two recent papers by Bandyopadhyay and Gamarnik (2008) [1] and Weitz (2006) [25]. The main distinction of this work is that we establish the correlation decay property on a computation tree arising from a certain recursive procedure, rather than reducing the problem to the one on a self-avoiding tree of a graph, as is done in Weitz (2006) [25]. This lets us deal with problems with more than two colors, which the tree-based approach of Weitz (2006) [25] is not capable of solving.
Is Oral Vitamin B12 Therapy Effective for Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Patients With Prior Ileocystoplasty

Purpose: We previously identified vitamin B12 deficiency as a potential long-term consequence in pediatric patients with prior ileocystoplasty despite adequate preservation of terminal ileum. Vitamin B12 deficiency can result in hematological and neurological deficits, of which some are irreversible. Deficiency discovered after ileocystoplasty is purportedly due to B12 malabsorption since the principal absorption site is ileum. B12 deficiency due to malabsorption is typically treated with intramuscular injection to ensure adequate treatment. We determined whether oral vitamin B12 supplementation could increase serum vitamin B12 in patients with deficiency who underwent ileocystoplasty.Materials and Methods: During followup after ileocystoplasty we identified patients with low (200 pg/dl or less) or low normal (200 to 300 pg/dl) vitamin B12. Oral vitamin B12 was begun at 250 μg. Serum B12 was assessed at 1, 2 and 3-month intervals after beginning therapy.Results: A total of 128 patients with a mean followu...