cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predatory Impacts of Two Introduced Crab Species: Inferences from Microcosms

We utilized microcosms that mimicked the rocky intertidal community to examine the predatory impacts of two introduced crab species, Carcinus maenas and Hemigrapsus sanguineus, on naturally occurring assemblages of organisms on rocks in the laboratory and in the field. The two crab species had similar consumption patterns causing significant declines in Semibalanus balanoides (barnacles), juvenile Mytilus edulis (mussels), Spirorbis sp. (polychaetes), and ephemeral algae. In both two-day and fourteen-day field experiments, the decline in S. balanoides in the H. sanguineus treatments was significantly greater than in the C. maenas treatments suggesting that H. sanguineus may have a higher per capita impact on barnacles than C. maenas. As H. sanguineus increases in abundance in northern New England, it may have greater impacts on prey species than C. maenas did when it became established.
Human monoclonal IgM autoantibodies with restricted antigenic specificity for myelin express unrelated idiotypes

Idiotype-specific polyclonal antisera were prepared against myelin-binding human IgM paraproteins with specificity for the myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG). Eight anti-idiotypic sera (6 against one monoclonal IgM and 2 against another) were tested by gel precipitation, immunoradiometric and ELISA assays for binding to the myelin-binding IgM paraproteins from 12 patients with demyelinating peripheral neuropathy. Anti-idiotypic antibodies bound only to the MAG-specific IgM used for immunization; there was no evidence of idiotypic cross-reactivity between the different IgM paraproteins.
Clementine Observations of the Aristarchus Region of the Moon

Multispectral and topographic data acquired by the Clementine spacecraft provide information on the composition and geologic history of the Aristarchus region of the moon. Altimetry profiles show the Aristarchus plateau dipping about 1 degrees to the north-northwest and rising about 2 kilometers above the surrounding lavas of Oceanus Procellarum to the south. Dark, reddish pyroclastic glass covers the plateau to average depths of 10 to 30 meters, as determined from the estimated excavation depths of 100- to 1000-meter-diameter craters that have exposed materials below the pyroclastics. These craters and the walls of sinuous rilles also show that mare basalts underlie the pyroclastics across much of the plateau. Near-infrared images of Aristarchus crater reveal olivine-rich materials and two kilometer-sized outcrops of anorthosite in the central peaks. The anorthosite could be either a derivative of local magnesium-suite magmatism or a remnant of the ferroan anorthosite crust that formed over the primordial magma ocean.
Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 antagonist-induced stimulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity: interaction with serotonergic systems.

The mGluR5 antagonist 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl) pyridine (MPEP) produces anxiolytic or antidepressant effects in several rodent models through incompletely described mechanisms. Anxiolytics and antidepressants share several neuroendocrine features, including acute activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis, desensitization of neuroendocrine responses with repeated dosing, and desensitization of the HPA axis to 5-HT1A agonist stimulation. We characterized these neuroendocrine parameters in rats treated systemically with MPEP and compared them to those induced by the anxiolytic buspirone. Acutely, MPEP dose-dependently (0.1-10 mg/kg i.p.) increased plasma corticosterone concentrations. These responses were blocked by 50% with the 5-HT1A antagonist WAY100635. The corticosterone responses to both 3 mg/kg MPEP and buspirone were decreased by 80% after 5 days of twice-daily injections. Repeated injection with MPEP decreased HPA-axis sensitivity to buspirone challenge by 75%. This desensitization was not associated with changes in mGluR5 or 5-HT1A receptor binding properties, expression of G-protein subunits coupled to these receptors, or in 5-HT-stimulated binding of [(3)H]-GTPgammaS to membranes. We conclude that MPEP acutely disinhibits the HPA axis, in part through uncharacterized changes in serotonergic signaling. Desensitization of 5-HT1A responses after repeated MPEP administration may indicate that, like other anxiolytics and antidepressants, plasticity in 5-HT signal transduction pathways has occurred.
Behavior and Personality Changes in Emotionally Disturbed Children Enrolled in a Psychoeducational Day Treatment Center

Abstract Data describing personality and behavior characteristics of emotionally disturbed children during and following treatment in a psychoeducational day treatment center are presented. Positive changes in social interactions, academic performance, intellectual performance, and self-esteem were documented after approximately 2 years of day treatment. These gains were for the most part maintained at the time of the first follow-up at 3 to 6 months following discharge and the second follow-up at 18 to 24 months following discharge. The discussion focuses on the process of change over time and on the interrelationships of the changes that occurred.
Histological manifestations of feeding polyoxyethylene monostearates. to weanling hamsters.

SummaryA histological study of the duodenum, ileum, rectum, liver, kidney, testis and bone marrow of weanling hamsters fed on a basal diet containing 5 or 15% polyoxyethylene monostearates (Sta-soft or Myrj) soft after 2-10 weeks on experiment. Histological changes observed in the small intestine, particularly the ileum, consisted of a severe erosion of the mucosa. Necrosis of the liver, decreased spermatogenetic activity of the testis, and tubular degeneration of the kidney were also observed.
Organic random lasers in the weak-scattering regime

We used the ensemble-averaged power Fourier transform (PFT) of random laser emission spectra over the illuminated area to study random lasers with coherent feedback in four different disordered organic gain media in the weak scattering regime, where the light mean free path, $\ensuremath{\ell}*$ is much larger than the emission wavelength. The disordered gain media include a $\ensuremath{\pi}$-conjugated polymer film, an opal photonic crystal infiltrated with a laser dye (rhodamine 6G; R6G) having optical gain in the visible spectral range, a suspension of titania balls in R6G solution, and biological tissues such as chicken breast infiltrated with R6G. We show the existence of universality among the random resonators in each gain medium that we tested, in which at the same excitation intensity a dominant random cavity is excited in different parts of the sample. We show a second universality when scaling the average PFT of the four different media by $\ensuremath{\ell}*$; we found that the dominant cavity in each disordered gain medium scales with $\ensuremath{\ell}*$. The excellent agreement obtained with computer simulations using a distribution of random microdisks, each contributing a number of longitudinal whispering gallery modes within the gain spectrum, unambiguously shows that random lasers in the weak scattering regime cannot be described by gain amplification of localized photon states.
Enhancement of NKT Cells and Increase in Regulatory T Cells Results in Improved Allograft Survival

Background Natural killer T (NKT) cells can serve as regulatory cells important in peripheral tolerance. In an experimental colitis model, it was shown that FK506 enhances the tolerizing effect of regulatory NKT cells induced by oral tolerance. We explored whether a subtherapeutic dose of FK506 could enhance the tolerizing effect of NKT cells induced by oral administration of donor spleen cells (SCs) in the pre-transplant period to prolong heart allograft survival. Methods Heterotopic heart transplantation was performed from BALB/c to B6 mice. The B6 recipients were pre-treated with either BALB/c SCs (2 × 107/mouse), or FK506 (1.0 mg/kg/d), or BALB/c SCs + FK506 by gavage every other day for a total of five feedings before transplantation. Results Heart allograft survival was only significantly prolonged in the BALB/c SC + FK506 pre-fed mice. This was associated with a marked increase of NKT cells in both the liver and spleen of the recipients, and most importantly, 7 days after transplantation, an increase in CD25+CD4+ T cells expressing CTLA4 in the spleen. Conclusions In our model it appears that a subtherapeutic dose of FK506 enhanced the tolerizing effect of NKT cells induced by oral tolerance, prolonging allograft survival by generating CD25+CD4+ CTLA4 T cells. This appears to be an excellent in vivo model to generate regulatory T cells to allospecific transplant antigens.
Word comprehension and production asymmetries in children and adults.

Two studies investigated differences in the comprehension and production of words in 2-year-old children and adults. Study 1 compared children’s speaking and understanding of the names of 12 novel objects presented over three weekly sessions. Study 2 tested adults’ performance under similar training and testing conditions over two sessions. The findings indicated a comprehension advantage for both age groups. A fine-grained temporal analysis of individual words revealed that acquisition does not resemble a linear stage-wise progression from comprehension to production. Rather, dimensions of lexical knowledge develop at different rates, with words acquired, lost, and maintained over the course of learning. The findings support a dynamic and graded view of lexical processing and have implications for understanding what it means to know a word.
Cluster analysis of 13C chemical shift tensor principal values in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

This paper presents a hierarchical cluster analysis of the principal values of the 13C chemical shift tensors encountered in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Because of the limited set of experimental data presently available, the analysis was performed using chemical shifts tensors calculated using the DFT (B3PW91) GIAO method with a D95 basis set on optimized molecular geometries obtained using the CVFF force field and the DISCOVER routine in MSI's InsightII package. The good correlation observed between the calculated and the available experimental values supports the use of calculated values in the analysis. The hierarchical cluster analysis was performed for two data sets of increasing size and the classification was found independent of the size of the sample, leading to the conclusion that the results presented here are valid for the types of PAHs reported. The classification of the tensors using hierarchical cluster analysis produces classes of chemical shift principal values that can be a...
A vadose zone water fluxmeter with divergence control

Unsaturated water flux densities are needed to quantify water and contaminant transfer within the vadose zone. However, there are few reliable and accurate methods available for direct measurement. A water flux meter was designed, constructed and tested to directly measure drainage fluxes in field soils. The flux meter consists of collector, designed to minimize divergence, which concentrates flow into a narrow sensing region filled with a fiberglass wick of known hydraulic properties. The wick applies suction, equal in magnitude to its length, to the collector to passively drain the meter. The meter can be easily installed below the root zone in augured borehole. Water flux through the sensing region can be determined from the time-of-flight measurements or with a self-calibrating tipping bucket. In this study, sensitivity of the tipping bucket was 0.167 mm per tip. Laboratory measurements confirmed predictions of a 2-D numerical model, which showed for optimal performance, precise control of the ratio of the collector height (H) to its width (W) and collector surface area to that of sensor region is required. In sandy soils, a H/W ratio of 1.5 to 2.0 reduced divergence to less than 10% of the applied flux for all fluxes above 10 mm more » yr{sup -1}. Because greater divergence can expected in fine-textured soils, larger H/W ratios will be required to achieve a similar levels of performance. The water flux meter is simple in concept, inexpensive, easy to install, and provides continuous and reliable monitoring of unsaturated water fluxes ranging from less than 10 mm yr{sup -1} to more than 1000 mm yr{sup -1}. « less
Ring Compression Test for High‐Temperature Glass Using the Generalized Navier Law

Glass-forming processes such as high viscosity extrusion and Precision Glass Molding take place at temperatures where slip between the glass and mold/die surfaces is known to occur. Characterization of the frictional forces that accompany interface slip are essential in computational simulations of these processes for prediction of pressing time or force, distortion of the part and possible wear of expensive mold surfaces. In this study, the generalized Navier law, where the interface shear stress, τ, is related to the relative sliding speed of the glass on the mold surface, vs, by τ = kvse, is used in simulations of the ring compression test to produce friction calibration curves. Contrary to the nonlinear form of the Navier law, the linear form, just like the Coulomb friction model, leads to calibration curves that are loading rate and material behavior independent. This independence is achieved by normalizing the Navier friction coefficient with the viscosity. Friction calibration curves for the normalized coefficient are characterized for the full range of interface conditions from no-slip to no friction. The results showed an approximate one-to-one correspondence between the normalized Navier coefficient and the Coulomb friction coefficient for the full range of axial deformation in the ring compression test.
Nonlinear Dynamical Multi-Scale Model of Associative Memory

How can we get such reliable behavior from the mind when the brain is made up of such unreliable elements as neurons? We propose that the answer is related to the emergence of stable brain states and we offer a model that illustrates how such states could arise. We discuss a new ab initio nonlinear dynamical multi-scale model that will serve as the foundation for an associative memory. Scale 0 consists of spiking Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) neurons. Scale 1 consists of components that are made up of large populations of HH neurons whose topological structure evolves according to a Hebbian-plasticity rule based on synchronous firing. The component's state is captured by the variance of phase synchrony for the population. Many such components are sparsely connected to form a large network, whose state can be captured by the n-tuple consisting of the individual states of each member component. Scale 2 takes the state of the overall network and upon examining the particular interrelationships of each component (determining how the state of one component affects the state of others) is able to generate a class of trajectories that is multistationary and stable periodic. Such a class we consider a memory, the encoding of many such memories leads to the creation of a robust associative memory. The details of the different scales are examined.
The USA and the Rise of East Asia since 1945: Dilemmas of the Postwar International Political Economy

Acknowledgements - Introduction - The Reorganisation of the Postwar World System and the Imposition of 'Benevolent' Hegemony - The International Environment and the East Asian Export-oriented Economies - International Political Economy in the Twilight Zone - Perspectives - Bibliography - Index
The UCLA compact high brightness electron accelerator

We report the characteristics and performance of the UCLA S-band compact electron accelerator, consisting of a high brightness, 8 cm long, photo-injector with a copper cathode, followed by a 42 cm long plane wave transformer accelerating structure, delivering a beam energy of 10 MeV. The photo-electrons are produced by a 266 nm laser pulse of less than 4 ps in duration. Over time the laser induced electron emission decreases and the emission from the cathode surface becomes structured. Measurements of the quantum efficiency for Cu before and after this degradation are presented along with images of the non uniform electron emission.
Herpesviruses in Abscesses and Cellulitis of Endodontic Origin

Acute apical abscesses and cellulitis are severe endodontic diseases caused by opportunistic bacteria with possible coinfection with latent herpesviruses. The objectives of this study are to identify herpesviruses, including human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), and Varicella zoster virus (VZV) in patients (n = 31) presenting with acute apical abscesses and cellulitis of endodontic origin. Primary and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted using virus-specific primers and DNA isolated from cell-free abscess fluid. From patients exhibiting concurrent spontaneous pain (n = 28), nine abscesses contained HCMV, two abscesses contained EBV, one abscess contained HSV-1, and no abscesses contained VZV. Control PCR using genomic or recombinant templates showed detection limits to a single genomic copy of HCMV, 100 genomic copies for EBV, and 1 to 10 copies for HSV-1 with no cross-amplification between herpesviral DNA targets. Nested PCR was required for detection of herpesviral DNA in the abscess specimens, indicating that these viruses were present in low copy number. Filtration of abscess specimens and virus transfer experiments using human fibroblastic MRC-5 cells confirmed the presence of HCMV particles in several abscess specimens. We conclude that herpesviruses are present but not required for the development of acute apical abscesses and cellulitis of endodontic origin.
Comparative serological study of Leptospira serovar hardjo genotypes for use in the microscopic agglutination test.

A comparative serological study was conducted using the Leptospira microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Genotypes hardjoprajitno (HP), hardjo-bovis A (HA), and hardjo-bovis B (HB) were compared to determine which best detects hardjo antibody in cattle serum. A total of 2,431 cattle sera were tested. Sera were collected from 4 geographic regions of the United States. Samples were obtained without knowledge of breed, age, vaccination history, or herd health status. Of the sera collected, 60.7% (1,475) were negative at the 1:100 dilution for all three genotypes. Serological reactivity at the 1:100 dilution was identified in 956 (39.3%) of the sera tested. Considering the 956 positive sera, 941 (98.4%) reacted to HP, whereas the remaining 15 sera (1.6%) reacted to only HA and/or HB. A total of 394/941 (41.9%) HP positive sera failed to react to HA or HB. The results of this study support the conclusion that HP antigen was most sensitive in detection of hardjo antibody.
Safe transition to surgery: working differently to make blood transfusion process safer for elective surgery

BACKGROUND Our institutional policy allows patients who are scheduled for elective surgery with no history of a pregnancy or blood transfusion in the preceding 3 months to have a presurgical sample (PSS) collected and tested up to 56 days before their scheduled surgery; however, our PSS TS completion rate in eligible patients before the morning of surgery was 83%. In 2011, a team was charged to develop a standardized process along with other process improvements while ensuring no increase in transfusion-related events. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS The team followed the DMAIC framework in appraising the effectiveness and efficiency of the current state process including baseline data collection such as PSS TS completion rate, number of eligible patients needing a PSS TS on the day of surgery, benchmarking, SSBO utilization, and future state mapping. RESULTS First quarter (Q1) 2011 versus Q1 2012 postimplementation results showed significant improvements of the process including a 53% decrease in PSS TS on the day of surgery; a 13% increase in PSS TS completion before the morning of surgery; a 26% reduction in total XM RBCs; and a 58.8% reduction in XM RBCs not issued, plus a 47% decrease in RBC wastage. Q1 2011 versus Q1 2013 showed a 41% reduction in total XM RBCs and an 88.4% reduction in XM RBCs not issued but overall RBCs issued versus returned increased slightly and represents a future opportunity for improvement. CONCLUSIONS The redesigned, transformational process eliminated SSBO and improved ordering process and PSS TS completion rate as well as blood product ordering and utilization.
Bénard Convection in the Presence of Vertically Varying Exchange Processes.

Abstract The Benard convection problem is examined using a geophyisical model in which the eddy coefficients of viscosity and heat conductivity vary linearly with depth. For variations corresponding to measured coefficients, the temperature difference over the fluid layer necessary for thermal instability decreases by up to 40% of that needed when the coefficients remain constant. The first unstable mode is affected very little by the coefficient variation. The position of the lower oceanic boundary of a convective layer is discussed briefly.
Penalty and Barrier Methods

Penalties and barriers feature prominently in two areas of modern optimization theory. First, both devices are employed to solve constrained optimization problems [96, 183, 226]. The general idea is to replace hard constraints by penalties or barriers and then exploit the well-oiled machinery for solving unconstrained problems. Penalty methods operate on the exterior of the feasible region and barrier methods on the interior. The strength of a penalty or barrier is determined by a tuning constant. In classical penalty methods, a single global tuning constant is gradually sent to ∞; in barrier methods, it is gradually sent to 0. Nothing prevents one from assigning different tuning constants to different penalties or barriers in the same problem. Either strategy generates a sequence of solutions that converges in practice to the solution of the original constrained optimization problem.
Quantitative Multiscale Cell Imaging in Controlled 3D Microenvironments

The microenvironment determines cell behavior, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood because quantitative studies of cell signaling and behavior have been challenging due to insufficient spatial and/or temporal resolution and limitations on microenvironmental control. Here we introduce microenvironmental selective plane illumination microscopy (meSPIM) for imaging and quantification of intracellular signaling and submicrometer cellular structures as well as large-scale cell morphological and environmental features. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by showing that the mechanical properties of the microenvironment regulate the transition of melanoma cells from actin-driven protrusion to blebbing, and we present tools to quantify how cells manipulate individual collagen fibers. We leverage the nearly isotropic resolution of meSPIM to quantify the local concentration of actin and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling on the surfaces of cells deep within 3D collagen matrices and track the many small membrane protrusions that appear in these more physiologically relevant environments.
Revisiting and Reimagining the Notion of Responsibility in German Foreign Policy

This article traces the evolution of a postwar leitmotif of German foreign policy, Verantwortungspolitik (politics of responsibility), first articulated by Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher in 1975. In its original Genscher formulation, Verantwortungspolitik emphasized several important features of German behavior on the world stage, including restraint, multilateralism, and humanitarianism. Since the end of the Cold War, German foreign policymakers have steadily revised and reimagined the leitmotif, stressing the importance of Germany’s international responsibilities and the need to close the gap between Germany’s power (capabilities) and willingness to assume a more prominent international role, including a readiness to use force, particularly when human rights are at stake. Although articulation of the norm is fairly persistent, its meaning has changed as Germany confronts new challenges on the global stage. This has important implications for how, where, and when Germany engages internationally and the instruments it utilizes to achieve its foreign policy objectives.
A plaque assay for rubella virus based upon hemadsorption.

SummaryA plaque assay for rubella virus was developed using hemadsorption of pigeon erythrocytes to demonstrate foci of infected cells. Tests conducted by this method can be completed more rapidly than previously-described plaquing procedures based upon a cytopathic effect of the virus, and they are not beset with the variables inherent in interference technics. The number of plaques demonstrable by hemadsorption was proportional to the concentration of virus used to infect the cells, indicating that each plaque was produced by a single infectious particle. Infectivity titers of rubella preparations obtained by plaque assays were comparable to those obtained by the interference technic. Rubella antibody could be assayed by a plaque reduction technic, and plaque production could be used to detect small amounts of virus at low passage levels of field strains of rubella virus.
THREE-CLONE DIDYMIUM IRIDIS CROSSES AND PLASMODIAL INCOMPATIBILITY PHENOTYPE

Heterokaryon formation between diploid plasmodia ofthe myxomycete Didymium iridis is controlled by a number of incompatibility loci. Normally, only plasmodia phenotypically identical for these loci will fuse to form a heterokaryon. Also, multiple myxamoebal (gametic) crosses which produce a number of plasmodia of different incompatibility phenotypes usually result in the final production of only a single phenotype (that displaying the strongest incom? patibility reaction). However, if late log phase myxamoebae are crossed in specific proportions novel phenotypes can be obtained for a number of gametic combinations. These phenotypes are apparently the combined expression of two normally incompatible phenotypes.
Thin to Thick, Short to Long: Spectral Properties of Gold Nanorods by Theoretical Modeling

Recent advances in gold nanorod colloidal synthesis demand a theoretical model capable of predicting the spectral characteristics of gold nanorods with dimensions outside the realm of consideration of previous models. We employ the discrete dipole approximation to calculate the spectra and extinction intensities of a series of gold nanorods in water, with sizes ranging from 3 × 6 to 15 × 90 nm. We then present models to relate the plasmon resonant wavelength and extinction intensity to the nanoparticle aspect ratio and volume, respectively. These relationships will allow for facile determination of the dimensions necessary to generate the desired characteristics for applications of gold nanorods in medicine and energy.
Inner shells do not cause grave difficulties in resonance studies for atoms with the direct complex-coordinate method

Many papers in the 1970s and 1980s state that inner shells cause considerable difficulties in resonance studies with the direct complex-coordinate method, especially for high-$Z$ systems. However, our studies show that after rotating the Hamiltonian into complex space, inner-shell orbitals for atoms are not highly oscillatory. Because of an overall exponential decay, they do not cause grave difficulties in resonance studies. The results depend greatly on the choice of basis set. To demonstrate this, the doubly excited 2${s}^{2}$ ${}^{1}S$ states of He and He-like Ne (Ne${}^{8+}$) are examined with a complex-scaled multireference configuration-interaction method.
Neighborhoods, Cities, and Economic Mobility

Most of the research literature explaining the level of economic mobility in the United States focuses on characteristics of individuals or families. This article expands the focus beyond the individual and the family to consider features of communities and cities. Although evidence is strong that features of neighborhoods and cities have causal effects on individual economic mobility, there is much less evidence on the most relevant mechanisms. The article reviews the available evidence at both levels of analysis before concluding with a discussion of the implications for social policy.
Resistance of mosquito,fly to common used insecticides in luoyang and sanmenxia city.

Objective To study the mosquito musca to the commonly used pesticide antibiotic condition,provides the scientific basis for the science reasonable use pesticide.Methods The light color culex mosquito uses the immersion law,the housefly uses the micro spot-out method.Results The light color culex mosquito to DDVP,the malathion,the bromine cyanogen chrysanthemum ester,chlorine cyanogen chrysanthemum ester's LD50 respectively was 10.48,1.10,15.26,10.67 has had the resistance,was highest to the chrysanthemum ester medicine antibiotic nature,the resistant multiple has achieved 15.26 times.The housefly to DDVP,the bromine cyanogen chrysanthemum ester,the chlorine cyanogen chrysanthemum ester,phenyl-dichloride ether chrysanthemum ester's LD50 respectively was 18.58,0.41,9.47,33.85 has had the resistance,was highest to the bromine cyanogen chrysanthemum ester antibiotic nature,the resistant multiple has achieved 33.85 times.Conclusion The mosquito,the musca the high resistance which produces to the commonly used pesticide have caused the pesticide to extinguish the effect seriously to reduce,developed for our province extinguishes the mosquito,the musca work to increase the difficulty.In order to enable the pesticide resistance development to obtain the alleviation,needs to further strengthen the mosquito,the musca to the pesticide resistance monitor,insists year to year to carry on,according to the resistant change,selects discretely has had the high resistant pesticide type
Association between caffeine consumption and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systemic review and meta-analysis

Objectives:Caffeine consumption is reported to be associated with reduced hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the ...
Theory of unconventional metamagnetic electron states in orbital band systems

We extend the study of the Fermi surface instability of the Pomeranchuk type into systems with orbital band structures, which are common features in transition metal oxides. Band hybridization significantly shifts the spectral weight of the Landau interactions from the conventional $s$-wave channel to unconventional non-$s$-wave channels, which results in anisotropic (nematic) Fermi surface distortions even with ordinary interactions in solids. The Ginzburg-Landau free energy is constructed by coupling the charge-nematic, spin-nematic, and ferromagnetic order parameters together, which shows that nematic electron states can be induced by metamagnetism. The connection between this mechanism and the anisotropic metamagnetc states observed in ${\text{Sr}}_{3}{\text{Ru}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{7}$ at high magnetic fields is studied in a multiband Hubbard model with the hybridized quasi-one-dimensional ${d}_{xz}$ and ${d}_{yz}$ bands.
The Political Economy of a Transnational Elite in the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

Transnational elites are sometimes considered a dominant political and economic force in shaping the global economy. Their impact, however, may differ from one region to another. This article analyzes the transnational elites in the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in order to determine the regional and global significance of their political and economic power. Three factors are important in this regard. The first is the significant role played by petrodollars controlled by the GCC’s transnational elite. The second factor is the visible participation of the Western educational system in the GCC. The third factor is the presence of a transnational working class in the Persian Gulf. Finally, the article will conclude with a brief discussion of how the GCC national economies are integrating into the global economy through the transnational accumulation of capital in the region.
Mesa Verde Subsistence Patterns from Basketmaker to Pueblo III

ABSTRACTPrehistoric use of flora and fauna in the Mesa Verde area is examined by coprolitc, flotation, pollen, and faunal analyses. Data from Basketmaker III (A.D. 470) to Pueblo III (A.D. 1250) are used to illustrate several trends through time in the changing exploitive pattern of the Anasazi. The major dietary trends are increase in use of seed crops and plants and animals common to disturbed areas, and the decrease in use of squash, pinyon nuts, and animals common to climax forests. These shifts in the subsistence strategy are attributed to population pressure and human caused ecological disturbance from swidden farming methods.
Effect of salt and NAPL on electrical resistivity of fine-grained soil-sand mixtures

Electrical resistivity of soils are very important for various engineering projects, for example, subsurface transmission of either heated fluids or high-voltage buried power cables; storage and contamination of radioactive waste. Electrical resistivity mainly depends on the type of soil and its water content or saturation. The present study measures the electrical resistivity of commercially available kaolinite clay mixed with various percentages of sand & tried to establish a relationship between electrical resistivity and water content of the soil mixtures. Also, electrical resistivity has been measured with the addition of salts and non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) contamination into the kaolinite and/or kaolinite–sand mixture. The results show that electrical resistivity reduced drastically with the addition of salt but the resistivity increases with the addition of NAPL for kaolinite and kaolinite–sand mixtures.
HDL Cholesterol Story Is Dead: Long Live HDL!

It is a great irony that the earliest discovered lipoprotein is also the least well understood. In 1929, Michel Machebouef at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, using salt precipitation techniques, isolated a lipoprotein particle from horse serum composed predominantly of an α-globulin (59%), which we now know to be high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (1). Epidemiological studies in the 1970s, including the Framingham Heart Study, established the strong inverse relationship between HDL cholesterol concentration (HDL-C) and both the incidence and prevalence of coronary artery disease (2,3). The resulting belief about the cardioprotective effects of high HDL-C led to many therapeutic efforts to raise HDL-C using pharmaceutical agents such as niacin, fibrates, and cholesterol ester transfer protein inhibitors that have been largely disappointing (4,5). This has led to a shift in focus from HDL-C to assessment of HDL function, primarily its role in reverse cholesterol transport (4). As many experts have stressed (5), the cholesterol in HDL does not (and cannot) protect, but this does not necessarily reflect on its functional intricacies and importance. Recent evidence does indeed support this greater emphasis on HDL functionality (6) to assess risk for major cardiovascular events, but even this would be a narrow focus. Cholesterol constitutes less than …
RELAXATION OF RESIDUAL STRESSES AN OVERVIEW

This paper reviews the various sources for relaxation of residual stresses by thermal and mechanical means. Since residual stresses induced during manufacturing can be detrimental to the integrity and service behaviour of a component, stress relief operations are an integral step in many production sequences. The basic principles of thermal, mechanical and vibrational methods of stress relief are outlined. Beneficial residual stress distributions can relax during service by these same mechanisms, leading to loss of their worth. Special emphasis is placed on fatigue-induced relaxation. A review of the literature shows a copious supply of data with few comprehensive models for predicting specific effects.
Call-by-name extensionality and confluence

Designing rewriting systems that respect functional extensionality for call-by-name languages with effects turns out to be surprisingly challenging. Simply interpreting extensional laws like η as reduction rules easily breaks confluence. We explore these issues in the setting of a sequent calculus. Building on an insight that appears in different aspects of the theory of call-by-name functional languages—confluent rewriting for two independent control calculi and sound continuation-passing style transformations—we give a confluent reduction system for lazy extensional functions. Finally, we consider limitations to this approach when used for strict evaluation and types beyond functions.
MINIMALLY INVASIVE CABG REDUCES TARGET VESSEL REVASCULARIZATIONS IN COMPARISON TO PCI WITHOUT INCREASED MAJOR ADVERSE EVENTS: A META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED TRIALS

Background: The trials comparing Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (MIDCABG) with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) for proximal Left Anterior Descending Artery (LAD) stenosis show conflicting results. Methods: The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of
Defining and Designing Responsive Online Professional Development (ROPD): A Framework to Support Curriculum Implementation

Teacher professional development programs typically do not meet teachers' ongoing, long-term needs that arise. In this chapter, the authors forward a systematic framework called responsive online professional development (ROPD) that can be used by instructional designers to provide continuous, online PD for teachers in the service of curriculum implementation fidelity. The systematic process afforded by the ROPD framework promotes teachers' reflection on their individual classroom practice as they implement new curricula or standards and provides support to teachers as they are implementing new curricula, standards, and pedagogies. Design elements of the proposed ROPD framework are discussed by the authors, and an illustrative example of the implementation and observed outcomes of a previously enacted ROPD Program (GE2PD) are discussed. When compared to conventional PD programs, professional growth from ROPD is emphasized during the implementation process through a systematic approach that intentionally connect teachers with the instructional designers of a curriculum.
Lobeline attenuates ethanol abstinence-induced depression-like behavior in mice.

Abstract Evidence indicates that the brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChRs) ligand lobeline reduces depression-like behaviors, ethanol drinking, and nicotine withdrawal-induced depression-like behaviors. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of lobeline on ethanol abstinence-induced depression-like behavior and associated neuroadaptive changes in mice. Adult C57BL/6J male mice were allowed to drink 10% ethanol for 4 weeks using a two-bottle choice procedure. Mice were tested after 24 h and 14 days of ethanol abstinence in a forced swim test (FST), a measure for depression-like behavior. Acute lobeline treatment (1 mg/kg) significantly reduced immobility time compared to controls after 24 h and 14 days of abstinence. In addition, abstinence from chronic ethanol exposure reduced serotonin levels in the hippocampus, which was reversed by acute lobeline treatment. Repeated lobeline treatment (1 mg/kg, once daily) for 14 days during ethanol abstinence also significantly reduced FST immobility in mice exposed to ethanol. Chronic ethanol exposure significantly reduced the number of 5-bromo 2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-positive cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, indicating decreased hippocampal cell proliferation. Abstinence from chronic ethanol exposure also decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the dentate gyrus and CA3 region of the hippocampus. In contrast, repeated lobeline treatment significantly increased both BrdU- and BDNF-positive cells. Taken together, our results indicate that lobeline produced antidepressant-like effects, likely by targeting brain β2-containing nAChRs, serotonergic neurotransmission, and/or hippocampal cell proliferation. Therefore, lobeline may have therapeutic utility to treat alcohol abstinence-induced depression.
eProcurement for Industrial Maintenance Services

E-procurement solutions can deliver great cost-saving potential for purchasing. But services have not generally been considered as a part of these cost-saving measures. The process of service procurement is often argued to be more complex and less standardized than material procurement. In this paper we propose solutions and standards for service procurement.
Fe(II) reduction of pyrolusite (β-MnO2) and secondary mineral evolution.

Iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) are the two most common redox-active elements in the Earth’s crust and are well known to influence mineral formation and dissolution, trace metal sequestration, and contaminant transformations in soils and sediments. Here, we characterized the reaction of aqueous Fe(II) with pyrolusite (β-MnO2) using electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, aqueous Fe and Mn analyses, and 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy. We reacted pyrolusite solids repeatedly with 3 mM Fe(II) at pH 7.5 to evaluate whether electron transfer occurs and to track the evolving reactivity of the Mn/Fe solids. We used Fe isotopes (56 and 57) in conjunction with 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy to isolate oxidation of Fe(II) by Fe(III) precipitates or pyrolusite. Using these complementary techniques, we determined that Fe(II) is initially oxidized by pyrolusite and that lepidocrocite is the dominant Fe oxidation product. Additional Fe(II) exposures result in an increasing proportion of magnetite on the pyrolusite surface. Over a series of nine 3 mM Fe(II) additions, Fe(II) continued to be oxidized by the Mn/Fe particles suggesting that Mn/Fe phases are not fully passivated and remain redox active even after extensive surface coverage by Fe(III) oxides. Interestingly, the initial Fe(III) oxide precipitates became further reduced as Fe(II) was added and additional Mn was released into solution suggesting that both the Fe oxide coating and underlying Mn phase continue to participate in redox reactions when freshly exposed to Fe(II). Our findings indicate that Fe and Mn chemistry is influenced by sustained reactions of Fe(II) with Mn/Fe oxides.
The economy of nature: the structure of evolution in Linnaeus, Darwin, and the modern synthesis

We argue that the economy of nature constitutes an invocation of structure in the biological sciences, one largely missed by philosophers of biology despite the turn in recent years toward structural explanations throughout the philosophy of science. We trace a portion of the history of this concept, beginning with the theologically and economically grounded work of Linnaeus, moving through Darwin’s adaptation of the economy of nature and its reconstitution in genetic terms during the first decades of the Modern Synthesis. What this historical case study reveals, we argue, is a window into the shifting landscape of the explanatory and ontic uses of structural concepts. In Linnaeus, the economy of nature has both ontic and explanatory import; in Darwin the ontic and explanatory aspects start to come apart (with the explanatory aspect being foregrounded); and finally, in the Modern Synthesis, the economy of nature is replaced by the conceptual toolkit of population genetics, the structural elements of which are nearly entirely explanatory. Having traced a historical trajectory of structural concepts that moves from an ontic formulation to an increasingly explanatory one, we conclude by outlining some insights for structural realism.
Tense and Temporal Adverbials in Simple Sentences

Let us start with a simple question. What does a tensed sentence mean? What is the semantic contribution of tense morphemes? Consider (1) first.
Activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade by pertussis toxin-sensitive and -insensitive pathways in cultured ventricular cardiomyocytes.

The involvement of pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive and -insensitive pathways in the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade was examined in ventricular cardiomyocytes cultured from neonatal rats. A number of agonists that activate heterotrimeric G-protein-coupled receptors stimulated MAPK activity after exposure for 5 min. These included foetal calf serum (FCS), endothelin-1 (these two being the most effective of the agonists examined), phenylephrine, endothelin-3, lysophosphatidic acid, carbachol, isoprenaline and angiotensin II. Activation of MAPK and MAPK kinase (MEK) by carbachol returned to control levels within 30-60 min, whereas activation by FCS was more sustained. FPLC on Mono Q showed that carbachol and FCS activated two peaks of MEK and two peaks of MAPK (p42MAPK and p44MAPK). Pretreatment of cells with PTX for 24 h inhibited the activation of MAPK by carbachol, FCS and lysophosphatidic acid, but not that by endothelin-1, phenylephrine or isoprenaline. Involvement of G-proteins in the activation of the cardiac MAPK cascade was demonstrated by the sustained (PTX-insensitive) activation of MAPK (and MEK) after exposure of cells to AlF4-. AlF4- activated PtdIns hydrolysis, as did endothelin-1, endothelin-3, phenylephrine and FCS. In contrast, the effect of lysophosphatidic acid on PtdIns hydrolysis was small and carbachol was without significant effect even after prolonged exposure. We conclude that PTX-sensitive (i.e. Gi/G(o)-linked) and PTX-insensitive (i.e. Gq/Gs-linked) pathways of MAPK activation exist in neonatal ventricular myocytes. FCS may stimulate the MAPK cascade through both pathways.
Simulation of instabilities in a boundary layer with a roughness element

The computational procedure which involves the multidomain method was successfully used to study the spatial development of instability waves in the presence of a two-dimensional, isolated roughness element.
Impact of lenalidomide use among non-transfusion dependent patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

Chemotherapies approved for defined subgroups promise personalized oncologic care, but their off-label impact is unclear. Lenalidomide is approved for lower-risk, transfusion-dependent (TD) myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with del(5q), but frequently used in MDS outside this indication. We characterized lenalidomide use and outcomes among non-TD patients with MDS. Patients 65 or older diagnosed with MDS between 2007 and 2013 were identified using SEER; linked Medicare claims were evaluated for transfusions, lenalidomide use, and incident toxicities. TD was ≥2 transfusion episodes within an 8-week period; responses were transfusion independence (TI) and ≥50% transfusion reduction (minor response). We compared overall survival for non-TD patients receiving lenalidomide versus those not receiving lenalidomide, matched on disease and patient characteristics. We identified 676 patients who had received lenalidomide, including 275 (40.7%) TD and 401 (59.3%) non-TD; 18.5% (125/676) had zero claims for RBC transfusion prior to receiving lenalidomide. Incident toxicities among patients prescribed lenalidomide were similar in TD and non-TD groups, except incident thromboembolic events were higher among non-TD patients (10.8% vs. 6.0%, P = .04). Comparing 191 non-TD patients receiving lenalidomide within 6 months of MDS diagnosis to risk-matched MDS controls, lenalidomide was not associated with improved OS (P = .78). Among TD patients (n = 275), 31% achieved TI, and 30% achieved minor hematologic response, with a median time to TI of 4.1 weeks. In conclusion, we confirmed the benefit of lenalidomide among TD patients with MDS; however, many non-TD patients also received lenalidomide. These patients experienced accompanying toxicity without evidence of benefit in terms of transfusion needs or overall survival.