cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Oxidation of Carbon Material on Suspension Electrodes for Flow Electrode Capacitive Deionization

Flow electrode deionization (FCDI) is an emerging area for continuous and scalable deionization, but the electrochemical and flow properties of the flow electrode need to be improved to minimize energy consumption. Chemical oxidation of granular activated carbon (AC) was examined here to study the role of surface heteroatoms on rheology and electrochemical performance of a flow electrode (carbon slurry) for deionization processes. Moreover, it was demonstrated that higher mass densities could be used without increasing energy for pumping when using oxidized active material. High mass-loaded flow electrodes (28% carbon content) based on oxidized AC displayed similar viscosities (∼21 Pa s) to lower mass-loaded flow electrodes (20% carbon content) based on nonoxidized AC. The 40% increased mass loading (from 20% to 28%) resulted in a 25% increase in flow electrode gravimetric capacitance (from 65 to 83 F g–1) without sacrificing flowability (viscosity). The electrical energy required to remove ∼18% of the io...
Acute stress increases venomotor tone in conscious rats

This study tested the hypothesis that acute psychological stress causes venoconstriction. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were instrumented with indwelling catheters in a femoral artery and vein and a balloon-tipped catheter in the right atrium. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), venous pressure, heart rate (HR), and mean circulatory filling pressure (MCFP) were monitored in conscious rats. Air-jet stress was performed before and after treatment with saline, chlorisondamine, phentolamine, or prazosin. Air-jet stress caused MAP, HR, and MCFP to increase by 10 +/- 1 mmHg, 31 +/- 4 beats/min, and 0.95 +/- 0.09 mmHg, respectively. Treatment with either chlorisondamine or phentolamine was equally effective in abolishing the stress-induced increases in MAP, HR, and MCFP. Prazosin treatment abolished the pressor response to air-jet stress but did not significantly affect the HR and MCFP responses. In contrast, pretreatment with the alpha 2-receptor antagonist rauwolscine hydrochloride abolished both the MAP and MCFP responses to air-jet stress but did not affect the HR response. These findings indicate that venoconstriction is an important component of the cardiovascular response to acute psychological stress. Stress-induced venoconstriction appears to be mediated primarily via the alpha 2-receptor subtype.
Biodegradable polymer microparticles for genetic vaccine delivery

Publisher Summary Genetic vaccines are DNA molecules that, once entering a cell, can generate protein antigens to elicit a beneficial immune response. Despite great potential in improving health care and fighting diseases, clinical implementation of this technology is hampered by the lack of effective means to deliver genetic vaccine to the right cells, at the right time, with the right dose. In recent years, biodegradable and biocompatible polymer microparticles have been investigated for genetic vaccine delivery, some of which have advanced to clinical trials. Yet, there is much to be done to improve these systems and to understand the interplay between the polymer microparticles and their cargo (DNA), and the cells and molecules that constitute the human immune system. This chapter discusses some of the critical issues associated with this application. The future development of polymer microparticles for genetic vaccine delivery is likely to evolve toward designing more sophisticated multi-component, multifunctional devices that are capable of mediating a number of cellular and molecular processes involved in the generation of immunity.
Cassini microwave observations provide clues to the origin of Saturn's C ring

Abstract Despite considerable study, Saturn's rings continue to challenge current theories for their provenance. Water ice comprises the bulk of Saturn's rings, yet it is the small fraction of non-icy material that is arguably more valuable in revealing clues about the system's origin and age. Herein, we present new measurements of the non-icy material fraction in Saturn's C ring, determined from microwave radiometry observations acquired by the Cassini spacecraft. Our observations show an exceptionally high brightness at near-zero azimuthal angles, suggesting a high porosity of 70–75% for the C ring particles. Furthermore, our results show that most regions in the C ring contain about 1–2% silicates. These results are consistent with an initially nearly pure-ice ring system that has been continuously contaminated by in-falling micrometeoroids over ∼15–90 million years, using the currently accepted value of the micrometeoroid flux at infinity of ∼4.5 × 10−17 g cm−2 s−1, and assuming that the C ring optical depth and surface density has not changed significantly during that time. This absolute time scale is inversely proportional not only to the flux at infinity, but also to the amount of gravitational focusing by Saturn the micrometeoroids experience before encountering the rings. We also find an enhanced abundance of non-icy material concentrated in the middle C ring. When assumed to be mixed volumetrically (“intramixed”) with water ice, this enhanced contamination reaches a maximum concentration of 6–11% silicates by volume around a ring radius of 83,000 km, depending on the volume mixing model used. This is significantly higher than the inner and outer C ring. As opposed to an intramixing model, we also consider a silicate-core, icy-mantle model to address the fact that silicates may be present in chunks instead of fine powder in the ring particles. Such a model naturally helps to account for the observed opacity distribution. We propose several models to explain the radially varied non-icy material contamination. Our preferred model is that the C ring has been continuously polluted by meteoroid bombardment since it first formed, while the middle C ring was further contaminated by an incoming Centaur, a rocky object torn apart by tides and ultimately broken into pieces that currently reside in the middle C ring. If correct, the spatial extent of the enhanced non-icy material fraction suggests that the Centaur was likely to be captured and integrated into the rings perhaps as recently as ∼10–20 million years ago.
Cointegrated Sectoral Productivities and Investment-Specic Technology in U.S. Business Cycles

Applying Johansen cointegration test to U.S. annual data constructed from the EU KLEMS database, the paper documents that the productivities of consumption-goods and equipmentgoods sector are cointegrated. It conrms further, using the non-linear cointegration test frame
MPI usage at NERSC: Present and Future

In this poster, we describe how MPI is used at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) NERSC is the production high-performance computing center for the US Department of Energy, with more than 5000 users and 800 distinct projects. Through a variety of tools (e.g., User Survey, application team collaborations, etc.), we determine how MPI is used on our latest systems, with a particular focus on advanced features and how early applications intend to use MPI on NERSC's upcoming Intel Knights Landing (KNL) many-core system1 - one of the first to be deployed. In the poster, we also compare the usage of MPI to exascale developmental programming models such as UPC++ and HPX, with an eye on what features and extensions to MPI are plausible and useful for NERSC users. We also discuss perceived shortcomings of MPI, and why certain groups use other parallel programming models on the systems. In addition to a broad survey of the NERSC HPC population, we follow the evolution of a few key application codes2 that are being highly optimized for the KNL architecture using advanced OpenMP techniques. We study how these highly optimized on-node proxy apps and full applications start to make the transition to using full hybrid MPI+OpenMP implementations on the self-hosted KNL system.
InP thin films with single-crystalline-like properties on flexible metal substrates for photovoltaic application

We demonstrate heteroepitaxial growth of single-crystalline-like InP thin films by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on low-cost flexible metal foils. The epitaxy was enabled by a multilayer oxide buffer made using ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD). The InP films were biaxially textured with sharp in-plane texture and exhibited strong (002) preferential out-of-plane orientation. Strong room-temperature photoluminescence was also observed with band gap of ∼ 1.27 eV. Electron mobility of > 700 cm2/V-s at a carrier concentration of 5 × 1017 cm−3 was obtained. High quality single crystalline-like InP films on low-cost metal substrates may potentially be used in the fabrication of inexpensive flexible InP solar cells.
Atrial Arrhythmias and Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure and supraventricular arrhythmias are common cardiac conditions that often coexist and make the treatment of the other more challenging. Current evidence supports aggressive pursuit of normal sinus rhythm in cases where CHF and LV dysfunction is likely to be acute and directly precipitated by persistent tachycardia. Radiofrequency ablation of the arrhythmia substrate is indicated in most cases of classic SVT including atrioventricular node re-entrant tachycardia, atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardia and focal automatic atrial tachycardia where cure of the arrhythmia is the norm. In cases of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter associated with CHF prevention of thromboembolic complications and adequate rate control is recommended. Patients who do not respond to rate control alone may be treated with alternative therapies including antiarrhythmic drug therapy, catheter or surgical ablation or atrioventricular node ablation with permanent biventricular pacing although the indications and outcomes of these therapies in patients with structural heart disease and CHF are not well investigated.
Conclusions: Toward an Understanding of Participation in and through Technology

This chapter offers a discussion of the findings and their theoretical and practical implications, conclusions, limitations of this project, and thoughts on how future research can advance the ideas raised in this volume. Here, I offer a liberation technology model, based off the four sites under study, that helps us better understand what factors influence alternative media’s use of liberating technologies.
Tissue -specificity of the nonhistone protein that inhibits RNA synthesis in vitro.

Abstract The nonhistone protein which inhibits RNA synthesis in vitro has been isolated from calf thymus chromatin. The calf thymus protein preferentially inhibits transcription of homologous DNA and acts at the initiation step of RNA synthesis, similar to the previously reported Ehrlich ascites tumor inhibitor protein. However, the electrophoretic mobility and subunit composition of the calf thymus inhibitor nonhistone protein differ from those of the tumor protein. These results indicate that the inhibitor nonhistone chromosomal protein is tissue-specific, thus supporting a regulatory role for the protein in gene control.
The Impact of Gut Microbiota on Liver Injury

Alterations in gut microbiota in patients with chronic liver diseases were first noted more than 80 years ago. Increasing translocation of microbial products from the leaky gut is considered one of the major contributors to the onset and the progression of liver disease. With the advancement of next-generation sequencing technology, detailed information about the link between intestinal microbiota and liver disease has been intensively studied in animals and humans. Trillions of bacteria colonize the gut and are in a symbiotic state in healthy subjects. The disruption of this microbiota homeostasis, including certain harmful bacterial overgrowth and reduction of beneficial bacteria, is known as dysbiosis and affects liver health profoundly. Understanding the link connecting the changes in gut microbiota composition and function as well as in liver physiology and pathology will promote the development of strategies for prevention of liver disease and drug target identification. In this chapter, we discuss how microbiota homeostasis is disrupted in liver diseases, focusing on alcoholic liver disease and nonalcoholic liver disease, and we review their treatments.
Responding to policy challenges with research evidence: Introduction to the special issue

In a policy climate where various actors claim to have solutions for the enduring challenges of teacher education, policy deliberations sideline certain voices and omit important perspectives. This special issue brings together scholars who attend to the voices, perspectives, and issues overlooked by teacher education policy debates dominated by market logic and accountability pressures. It highlights debates surrounding teacher performance assessments, teacher candidate selection, value-added assessments, as well as teacher preparation for linguistically diverse learners. The introduction to the special issue explores different dimensions of the relationship between research and practice urging teacher educators to become more proactive in policy debates.
The Impact of Negative Stimuli on Suicidality among Adulthoods: A Mediating Effect of Depression

Suicide is the leading cause of mortality in the world. The major factors of suicidal behavior are depressive symptoms. Using data from the Korean General Social Survey conducted in 2012, this stud...
Blunted vocal affect and expression is not associated with schizophrenia: A computerized acoustic analysis of speech under ambiguous conditions.

Abstract Introduction Patients with schizophrenia are consistently rated by clinicians as having high levels of blunted vocal affect and alogia. However, objective technologies have often failed to substantiate these abnormalities. It could be the case that negative symptoms are context-dependent. Objectives The present study examined speech elicited under conditions demonstrated to exacerbate thought disorder. Methods The Rorschach Test was administered to 36 outpatients with schizophrenia and 25 nonpatient controls. Replies to separate “perceptual” and “memory” phases were analyzed using validated acoustic analytic methods. Results Compared to nonpatient controls, schizophrenia patients did not display abnormal speech expression on objective measure of blunted vocal affect or alogia. Moreover, clinical ratings of negative symptoms were not significantly correlated with objective measures. Conclusions These findings suggest that in patients with schizophrenia, vocal affect/alogia is generally unremarkable under ambiguous conditions. Clarifying the nature of blunted vocal affect and alogia, and how objective measures correspond to what clinicians attend to when making clinical ratings are important directions for future research.
Dynamic Household Vehicle Decision Modeling Considering Plug-In Electric Vehicles:

Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) offer alternatives to traditional vehicles that rely on petroleum-based fuels. While PEV customers can enjoy significant reductions in fuel costs, they incur a larg...
Celebrating Joan Acker: Sociologist, fearless feminist, friend

Joan Acker's life reflects a time when middle‐class women were expected to be satisfied with maintaining the home front, serving husbands and children, not having paid‐work careers. After living “the ideal” for 37 years, Acker took a new path by earning a Ph. D. and producing path‐breaking scholarship that challenged taken‐for‐granted beliefs about gender, family, work, and organizations. Acker spoke “truth to power” and was an academic heroine in posing feminist challenges to injustices involving gender, social class, and race/ethnicity, particularly (but not solely) related to the workplace. This overview lets Joan tell her story and offers reflections on her milestone publications as seen by Pat Martin.
Applications of Anti-Platelet Monitoring in Catheterization Laboratory

Platelet function tests may measure different aspects of platelet function, which include adherence, activation, aggregation and secretion. The goal of platelet function testing in the catheterization lab is to provide information about the platelet contributions to the risk of thrombotic or hemorrhagic events and optimization of anti-platelet therapy for percutaneous interventions (PCI). Important clinical questions prior to coronary interventions are whether an antiplatelet agent is having the desired effect on platelet inhibition (ef~cacy) and whether the patient has suf~cient residual platelet function to avoid bleeding (safety). The role of aspirin and thienopyridines is well established in management of coronary artery disease and in the setting of coronary interventions. The last several years have demonstrated the unequivocal ef~cacy of intravenously administered platelet GPIIb/IIIa antagonists in the management of acute coronary syndromes and in the setting of percutaneous interventions. Twenty-~ve years ago, an important insight into the molecular basis for platelet aggregation was provided by the discovery that two major membrane glycoprotein bands, GPII and GPIII were missing from the surface of thrombasthenic platelets [1]. To date, more than 60,000 patients with ischemic heart disease have been treated in clinical trials with a new class of potent and highly effective antiplatelet agents, speci~cally targeting this IIb/IIIa receptor [2]. Three such drugs have been licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration, and many more GPIIb/IIIa antagonists are in phase II and III trials for a potentially expanding series of clinical indications. Four parenterally administered GPIIb/IIIa antagonists (abciximab, epti~batide, tiro~ban and lami~ban) have been tested for two different clinical indications, percutaneous coronary interventions and acute coronary syndromes. The trials show a drug class effect, with all agents reducing ischemic events.
Spontaneous lymphocyte proliferation in infection reflects preferential activation of CD8 and cell subsets

Abstract Previous studies have shown that lymphocytes from HTLV-infected persons spontaneously proliferate when cultured in vitro. We investigated which cell subsets become activated in this response. Mononuclear cells from 16 HTLV-seropositive former blood donors and 9 seronegative controls were cultured for 7 days; activation was then assessed by measuring DNA synthesis in cultured cells and by monitoring CD25 expression by CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, and CD16 52 lymphocyte subsets. Of the 16 cultures of HTLV+ donor cells, 10 showed spontaneous proliferation (Prol+ group) and 6 did not (Prol - group). Cytofluorometric analysis revealed a significant increase in the fractions of CD8 cells and CD16 56 cells expressing CD25 for the Prol+ group, compared to the Prol- and control groups. Similarly, the fractions of CD25 cells expressing CD8 or CD16 56 were significantly increased in the Prol+ group. Although neither the fraction of CD4 cells expressing CD25 nor the fraction of CD25 cells expressing CD4 were increased for the Prol+ group, the modal fluorescence intensity value for CD25 expression by CD4 cells was increased, suggesting some CD4 cell activation occurred as well. Blastoid cells were, on average, 79% CD25+, whereas the sum of CD4+CD25+ (27%), CD8+CD25+ (30%), CD19+CD25+ (3%), and CD16 56+CD25+ (35%) subsets was 95%; the presence of 17%CD8+ CD16 56+ cells accounted for most of this discrepancy. These findings indicate that spontaneous lymphocyte proliferation in HTLV infection reflects preferential activation of CD8 and CD16 56 cell subsets, apparently including the minor CD8+ CD16 56+ subset.
Applications and mechanisms of colicin E1

To combat the rise of foodborne disease outbreaks in fresh and ready-to-eat (RTE) meats and to reduce further bacterial drug resistance, researchers are looking to natural and chemical alternatives to antibiotics. These alternatives include, but are not limited to, plant and herbal extracts, vaccines, and bacterial proteins. One alternative, bacteriocins, are being used in livestock production, food manufacturing and processing, and retail packaging and sanitization. Bacteriocins are proteinaceous compounds produced by and lethal to bacteria of species similar to the producing strain. Various bacteriocins—including nisin, colicin, pediocin, cloacin, and lactic acid bacterial peptides—have been evaluated for use in food products or animal production as antibacterial strategies. Colicins, specifically, are produced by certain strains of Escherichia coli and like species. Bacteriocins within the colicin family have been shown to have several different killing mechanisms including pore-formation, nuclease activity against the DNA and RNA of target cells, as well as inhibition of protein synthesis. Work presented in this dissertation involves the use of colicin E1, a pore-forming colicin, against E. coli O157:H7, as well as the first documented antimicrobial efficacy of colicin E1 against the gram-positive pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Colicin E1 provided powerful reduction of E. coli O157:H7 as a beef carcass spray intervention. Further testing with this bacteriocin demonstrated its unexpected inhibitory activity against the gram-positive pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. The mechanism of action of colicin E1 against L. monocytogenes was investigated using flow cytometry, spectrophotmetric leakage assays, and both light and transmission electron microscopies. Colicin E1 had direct affinity to several L. monocytogenes proteins. These proteins were discovered using affinity chromatography and identified using MALDI-TOF. These colicin E1-binding proteins
Enteric dysbiosis and fecal calprotectin expression in premature infants.

Premature infants often develop enteric dysbiosis with a preponderance of Gammaproteobacteria, which has been related to adverse clinical outcomes. We investigated the relationship between increasing fecal Gammaproteobacteria and mucosal inflammation, measured by fecal calprotectin (FC). Stool samples were collected from very-low-birth weight (VLBW) infants at ≤2, 3, and 4 weeks’ postnatal age. Fecal microbiome was surveyed using polymerase chain reaction amplification of the V4 region of 16S ribosomal RNA, and FC was measured by enzyme immunoassay. We enrolled 45 VLBW infants (gestation 27.9 ± 2.2 weeks, birth weight 1126 ± 208 g) and obtained stool samples at 9.9 ± 3, 20.7 ± 4.1, and 29.4 ± 4.9 days. FC was positively correlated with the genus Klebsiella (r = 0.207, p = 0.034) and its dominant amplicon sequence variant (r = 0.290, p = 0.003), but not with the relative abundance of total Gammaproteobacteria. Klebsiella colonized the gut in two distinct patterns: some infants started with low Klebsiella abundance and gained these bacteria over time, whereas others began with very high Klebsiella abundance. In premature infants, FC correlated with relative abundance of a specific pathobiont, Klebsiella, and not with that of the class Gammaproteobacteria. These findings indicate a need to define dysbiosis at genera or higher levels of resolution.
Reducing the need for general anesthesia in the repair of choanal atresia with steroid-eluting stents: A case series.

Abstract Introduction Choanal atresia (CA) is a rare pediatric congenital disorder resulting in upper airway obstruction and respiratory distress in the setting of obligate nasal breathing in infants. In 2016, a novel technique was reported in the literature utilizing drug-eluting stents to correct CA. However, 2 out of 3 patients in the study required a second operation under general anesthesia. The repeated visits to the operating room for evaluations and debridement under general anesthesia continues to be a concern for increased morbidity and mortality in infants undergoing repair of CA. Methods A case series of three (3) patients who underwent repair of CA. Outcomes were measured by post-operative, in-office flexible nasoendoscopy. Results Each patient was implanted with mometasone furoate drug-eluting stents at the conclusion of the operation. Post-operatively, patients were instructed to perform nasal saline rinses 3–4 times daily. Outpatient follow-up between 6 and 17 months showed patent nasal passages on nasal endoscopy. There were no post-operative complications. Moreover, patients only underwent a single episode of general anesthesia at time of initial repair. Conclusions In our study, we report successful outcomes using drugeluting stents for one-stage surgical correction of CA, therefore negating the need for children to undergo multiple subjections to general anesthetics.
The Spirit Matrix

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the properties of whisky from a chemical physics point of view. Although our common experience leads us to think of water and ethanol as two perfectly compatible liquids, in fact they make a highly nonideal solution. The microscopic structure of this solution, sometimes referred to as the ‘spirit matrix’, is thought to have significant influence over congener solubility, mouth feel, and the mechanism of ‘mellowing’ with age. While sensory studies associated with the spirit matrix are relatively few, the literature on ethanol–water structures is quite large. This is because of the happy circumstance that ethanol is an amphiphile: it has a hydrophilic hydroxyl group, and a hydrophobic aliphatic end.
Recombinant Tpo Stimulates Maturation of Megakaryocytes Derived from Adult Peripheral Blood- but Not Cord Blood-CD34 + Cells.

Umbilical cord blood (CB) is a valuable source of stem cells for transplantation. However, platelet engraftment is slow, taking approximately 70 days for CB transplants versus 20 days for mobilized adult peripheral blood (PB) transplants. This time is not significantly shortened by the administration of recombinant thrombopoietin (rTpo). The cause for the delay in platelet engraftment following CB transplant is unknown. We hypothesized that developmental differences in size and ploidy of neonatal versus adult megakaryocytes (MKs) contribute to this delay. To mimic these two types of transplant in vitro , we compared CB to PB CD34 + cells cultured in adult bone marrow stromal-conditioned media (CM) or unconditioned media (UCM) for 14 days. Increasing doses of rTpo were added to the CM, and the resulting MK maturation was compared with that of UCM with maximal rTpo concentration. MK number and ploidy were determined by flow cytometry using CD41-FITC and propidium iodide, respectively. Increased ploidy levels were expressed as percentage of MKs with a ploidy ≥ 8N. Results represent an average of three independent experiments. As seen in the figure, PB-derived MKs reached highest ploidy levels in the presence of UCM + 100 ng/ml rTpo. When cultured in CM, they exhibited lower ploidy levels, regardless of Tpo concentration. In contrast, CB-derived MKs exhibited higher ploidy levels in response to CM with either 0 or 0.1 ng/ml (physiologic concentration) of rTpo, as compared to higher rTpo concentrations or UCM + 100 ng/ml rTpo. MK numbers increased in response to rTpo in a dose-response manner, regardless of the source of the MKs (data not shown). These results indicate that intrinsic differences between CB- and PB-derived megakaryocytes exist, and that maturation is regulated differently in neonatal versus adult MKs. While Tpo is a potent stimulator of MK maturation in PB-derived MKs, it appears to inhibit this process in CB-derived MKs. These differences may be relevant to understanding the delayed platelet engraftment following CB transplants.
Tenofovir versus entecavir in prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma and mortality in patients with chronic hepatitis B

We read with interest the study by Lee et al 1 showing no difference in risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and mortality or liver transplantation (LT) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) versus entecavir (ETV). We searched Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane database to identify studies comparing TDF and ETV for prevention of HCC and mortality or LT in CHB patients. A total of 11 studies with 70 860 patients (TDF=20 105 and ETV=50 755) were included in this meta-analysis. We used adjusted HR (aHR) when reported and calculated risk ratios (RR) when adjusted effect sizes were not available. These were pooled separately using random effects model. Six studies compared TDF and ETV in propensity score (PS) matched cohorts (in addition to entire cohorts) which were created by matching two groups based on several variables (table 1) to reduce risk of bias.1–6 We …
Associations between body mass index, physical activity and the built environment in disadvantaged, minority neighborhoods: Predictive validity of GigaPan® imagery.

Abstract Background The built environment has been shown to influence health in studies of disadvantaged populations using different measurement methods. This study determined whether environmental exposures derived from GigaPan® images could serve as valid predictors of body mass index (BMI), walking and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in a longitudinal study of low-income adults living in two primarily African American neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. GigaPan® is a robotic system used to obtain high-resolution, panoramic images of environments. Methods Microscale environmental features along 481 streets were audited in 2015–2016 using an audit form. Environmental exposures were estimated for 731 adult participants, using a sample of street segments within a 0.4 km (0.25 mile) network distance from each participant's residential address. Summary environmental exposures were constructed using factor analysis. We tested associations between participant-level environmental exposures and objectively measured BMI, self-reported walking and objectively measured MVPA in regression models controlling for baseline health and demographic variables. Results Three factors representing participants’ environmental exposures were constructed: pedestrian bicycle-amenities; hilly-vacant-boarded; physical activity-recreation/low housing density. Environments with infrastructure and amenities supportive of walking and bicycling were associated with lower BMI (Coef. = ‒0.47, p = 0.02). Frequent walking was less likely in environments with more physical activity and recreation venues/low housing density (OR = 0.81, 95% CI [0.67, 0.96]). MVPA was not associated with any of the environmental measures and the hilly-vacant-boarded factor was not associated with any of the outcomes. Conclusions Predictive validity was demonstrated for an environmental exposure factor that captured features supportive of walking and cycling in a model predicting BMI, using built environment audit data from GigaPan® imagery. A complementary analysis found lower odds of frequent walking in the neighborhood among participants with exposure to more physical activity and recreational features, but fewer types and lower density of housing.
Collagen IV Exploits a Cl- Step Gradient for Scaffold Assembly.

Collagen molecules are crucial extracellular players in animal tissue development and in functions ranging from ultrafiltration to organism locomotion. Among the 28 types of collagen found in human, type IV collagen stands out as a primordial type found in all species of the animal kingdom. Collagen IV forms smart scaffolds for basement membranes, sheet-like acellular structures that isolate, coordinate, and direct cells during morphogenesis. Collagen IV is also involved in multiple functions in developed tissues. As part of the basement membrane, collagen IV scaffolds provide mechanical strength, spatially tether extracellular macromolecules and directly signal to cells via receptor binding sites. Proper assembly and structure of the scaffolds are critical for development and function of multiple types of basement membranes. Within last 5 years it was established that Cl− concentration is a key factor for initiating collagen IV scaffold assembly. The biological role of Cl− in multiple physiological processes and detailed mechanisms for its signaling and structural impacts are well established. Cl− gradients are generated across the plasma and intracellular organelle membranes. As collagen IV molecules are secreted outside the cell, they experience a switch from low to high Cl− concentration. This transition works as a trigger for collagen IV scaffold assembly. Within the scaffold, collagen IV remains to be a Cl− sensor as its structural integrity continues to depend on Cl− concentration. Here, we review recent findings and set future directions for studies on the role of Cl− in type IV collagen assembly, function, and disease.
Technology-mediated professional development for early intervention service providers: connecting adult learning with caregiver support

High quality, easily accessible professional development is needed to ensure that service providers are well-qualified to facilitate early intervention (EI) that targets caregiver learning during v...
Spatial Transformation: Action Design in the Work of Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental

This paper investigates the work and creation methods of Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental, a six-year-old experimental company based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Bogota, Colombia. Under the direction of Thaddeus Phillips, the company produces ensemble-based work that is rooted in extensive research, dramaturgy, and textual intervention, but is guided by what they call “transformational scenography.” Also dubbed “action design,” the productions’ technical elements go beyond mere aesthetics and focus on the functionality and interactivity of scenography, which forms an essential element of director/designer Phillips’ work, as well as that of the company. Specific attention is paid to the manner in which Phillips creates parallelism between actor-driven character shifts and set/environment transformations. I examine the primacy of innovative design in the company’s work through the lens of their most recent production, “WHaLE OPTICS,” and discuss the trajectory and long-term viability of such work. I also examine the work’s lineage, particularly the influence of Robert Lepage, and the place of this brand of modern experimental work in today’s avant-garde milieu. The design of specific spaces and the multifaceted use of individual scenic elements to effect shifts into entirely new worlds is examined through a lens of visual dramaturgy. Furthermore, the role of international influence and travel as a research methodology is discussed.
Acute effects of D-amphetamine on progressive-ratio performance maintained by cigarette smoking and money.

Psychomotor stimulants often increase cigarette smoking, although the mechanisms responsible for that effect remain unclear. The present study was conducted to extend our investigation of the effects of psychomotor stimulant use on the reinforcing effects of cigarette smoking. A progressive-ratio (PR) schedule was used to examine the acute effects of orally administered d-amphetamine (placebo, 5, 10, 15 mg/70 kg) on the reinforcing effects of smoking (2 puffs/ratio) and money (US $1.00/ratio) in 18 adult smokers. Among the overall sample of 18 smokers, d-amphetamine produced only a modest, non-significant increase in the amount of responding maintained by smoking (PR break point), but effects varied systematically between subjects. d-Amphetamine increased the smoking break point among ten subjects (responders), while leaving unchanged or decreasing the break point in the remaining eight individuals (non-responders). Responders also were more sensitive than non-responders to d-amphetamine's effects on visual-analog ratings of "high", "good effects", "drowsy", and "slurred speech", but not on other subject ratings (i.e., "bad effects", "jittery", "confused") or on any physiological measures (i.e., heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature). d-Amphetamine did not significantly alter PR break point maintained by money. These results provide further evidence that d-amphetamine can increase the reinforcing effects of cigarette smoking, at least among a subset of smokers.
Population Changes in Enteric Bacteria and Other Microorganisms During Aerobic Thermophilic Windrow Composting

Composting of wastes from swine feeding operations was studied. The effects of the frequency of turning the wastes and addition of straw to improve the physical structure were studied to determine the most effective technique to rapidly increase the temperature and, consequently, destroy coliforms and Salmonella. Four different treatments were studied; the results showed that, with addition of 5% (wt/wt) straw and mechanical turning of the compost 20 times per week, the temperature reached 60 C within 3 days and enteric bacteria were destroyed within 14 days.
Influence of Feeding Growing-Finishing Pigs Triticale, Wheat or Maize Based Diets on Resulting Carcass Composition, and on Taste and Quality Characteristics of Pork

A study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack), soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) or maize (Zea mays L.) based diets to growing-finishing pigs (25 to 100 kg) on resulting carcass composition, and on taste and quality of pork. Dietary grain source did not influence (P >.05) carcass lean content or quality characteristics of the longissimus muscle, such as amount of marbling, muscle texture, firmness or color. Slightly lower levels of total (P .10) due to dimly grain source. The feeding of triticale based diets resulted in small changes in carcass fat composition, however, there was no evidence that the taste of broiled loin chops was different from the taste of broiled loin chops from pigs fed maize based diets.
Metal-Site-Controlled Arene Coordination in a Heterobimetallic Bi−Rh Complex with Pyrene

The reactivity of a heterobimetallic Bi−Rh trifluoroacetate paddlewheel complex toward an aromatic substrate has been tested in a solvent-free environment. As a result of the gas phase codeposition...
Low-level environmental tobacco smoke exposure and inflammatory biomarkers in children with asthma.

AbstractObjective: The effects of low-level environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure, on asthma control, lung function and inflammatory biomarkers in children with asthma have not been well studied. The objective of the study was to assess ETS exposure in school-age children with asthma whose parents either deny smoking or only smoke outside the home, and to assess the impact of low-level ETS exposure on asthma control, spirometry and inflammatory biomarkers. Methods: Forty patients age 8–18 years with well-controlled, mild-to-moderate persistent asthma treated with either inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) or montelukast were enrolled. Subjects completed an age-appropriate Asthma Control Test and a smoke exposure questionnaire, and exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), spirometry, urinary cotinine and leukotriene E4 (LTE4) were measured. ETS-exposed and unexposed groups were compared. Results: Only one parent reported smoking in the home, yet 28 (70%) subjects had urinary cotinine levels ≥1 ng/ml, suggesting ETS exp...
Effects of systemic and intra-amygdaloid diazepam on long-term habituation of acoustic startle in rats☆

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of the anxiolytic drug, diazepam, on long-term habituation of the acoustic startle response. The experiments were based upon the hypothesis that manipulations that reduce fear should enhance long-term response decrements by reducing a fear-like sensitization process. In experiment 1 rats given intraperitoneal injections of 0.5, 1.2, or 2.5 mg/kg showed larger decrements of startle amplitude than vehicle-injected controls both over trials within sessions and over days. In Experiment 2 rats injected with 35 μg of diazepam bilaterally into the amygdala showed larger decrements of startle amplitudes over days than vehicle-injected controls. No within-session startle effects were detected in Experiment 2. Freezing behavior was measured in Experiment 2 as an index of fear, and the amygdala injections of diazepam retarded the development of fear in the startle chamber. This index of fear was not possible in Experiment 1 because of the sedating effects of systemic diazepam. We conclude that diazepam, acting at least in part through the amygdala, attenuates the fear-like sensitization process associated with the acoustic startle stimulus. By attenuating sensitization diazepam produces larger than normal reductions in startle amplitudes over trials and days without significantly affecting initial responsiveness.
Protection from Gentamicin Nephrotoxicity by Cephalothin and Carbenicillin

In rats, cephalothin exerts a protective effect upon the nephrotoxicity of gentamicin. To examine the possibility that this effect is also observed with carbenicillin, we gave the following (milligrams per kilogram) to rats daily for 14 days: gentamicin alone, 60; gentamicin plus cephalothin, 100, 500, or 1,000; gentamicin plus carbenicillin, 50, 100, 250, 500, or 1,000. A 500-mg/kg dose of cephalothin afforded significant partial protection from gentamicin nephrotoxicity, as did a 100-mg/kg dose of carbenicillin. Increasing doses of either drug failed to increase protection. The data suggest that in rats not only does carbenicillin afford some protection from gentamicin nephrotoxicity, but also that it does so at a lower dose than cephalothin. These findings may in part explain the divergent observations regarding the nephrotoxicity of cephalothin-gentamicin combination therapy in rats and humans.
Ultrafast detection of charged photocarriers in conjugated polymers

Ultrafast measurements of transient excited-state absorption in the spectral region spanning the infrared-active vibrational active (IRAV) modes in the prototypical luminescent polymers, poly(phenylene vinylene) (PPV) and poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethyl-hexyloxy)-(phenylene vinylene)] (MEH-PPV), reveal charge carrier generation within 100 fs after photoexcitation. The photocarrier quantum efficiency in MEH-PPV is ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{0}\ensuremath{\approx}0.1$ in zero applied electric field. There is no correlation between the temporal behavior of the photoinduced IRAV signals and the exciton lifetime. Thus, carriers are photoexcited directly and not generated via a secondary process from exciton annihilation. Comparison of the recombination dynamics in MEH-PPV and PPV demonstrates the importance of the strength of interchain interaction on the carrier recombination dynamics. The quantum efficiency is the same $({\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{0}\ensuremath{\approx}0.1)$ when the system is pumped either at photon energies well above the first $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{*}$ transition (at 267 nm, 4.7 eV) or when pumped into the first $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{*}$ transition (at 400 nm, 3.1 eV). The carrier lifetime, however, increases at the higher photon energy, providing a natural explanation for the increase in the photoconductivity at photon pump energies above 3 eV.
Human interference and gull predation in cormorant colonies

Abstract The vulnerability of cormorant eggs and nestlings to gull predation is greatly increased by human intrusion into breeding colonies. Observations of the behaviour of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) and king shag (P. albiventer) vis-a-vis the behaviour of great black-backed and herring gulls (Larus marinus and L. argentatus) on the one hand and dolphin gulls (Leucophaeus scoresbii) on the other indicate that certain predictable offensive and defensive interactions occur when breeding birds are disturbed. Knowledge of these behavioural patterns suggests that interference with normal breeding activities and the resulting reduction in productivity of cormorants can be minimised in colonies where human access is carefully regulated.
Biotreatment of Refinery Spent Sulfidic Caustic by Specialized Cultures and Acclimated Activated Sludge

Sodium hydroxide solutions are used in petroleum refining to remove hydrogen sulfide from various hydrocarbon streams. The resulting sulfide-laden waste stream is called spent sulfidic caustic. Two microbial cultures have been investigated to compare their ability to biotreat refinery spent sulfidic caustic. One culture was a specialized flocculated culture of the autotrophic sulifide oxidizer,Thiobacillus denitrificans strain F. The other was an acclimated culture enriched from a refinery-activated sludge treatment system. Both cultures were capable of complete oxidation of caustic sulfides to sulfate at specific activities of 1.0–1.3 mmol sulfide/h/g mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS). However, the enrichment culture exhibited less stable operation in terms of hydrogen sulfide emissions and was less tolerant of reduced temperatures. Use of caustic carbonates as the sole carbon source for sulfide oxidizers and the effect of refinery waste water on spent caustic treatment was also investigated.
Endmember unmixing of compositional data

Abstract Manipulation of the n -endmember mixing equations, appropriate to compositional data, leads to a general method (1) to test hypotheses about endmember compositions and (2) to recover the concentrations of all compositional components in an endmember when the concentrations of n − 1 components are known or measured in that endmember. Additionally, Pearce element-ratio analysis is shown to be a special (and not efficiently posed) two-endmember case of n -endmember unmixing. Information available on Pearce element-ratio diagrams as values of the slopes of lines is contained on Harker diagrams as values of points.
China's exchange rate and the balance of trade

This paper examines the responsiveness of the balance of trade of the People's Republic of China to the real exchange rate. We find that, in both the short-run and the long-run, devaluation serves to improve the balance of trade. Using quarterly data for 1980:I to 1989:IV we show that the bulk of the response to devaluation occurs over a one year period, with noJ-curve effect. These results suggest that the two-tier price system and other measures to liberalize the Chinese economy have made the exchange rate an effective indirect tool for regulating trade.
Sampling theorem, bandlimited integral kernels and inverse problems

We describe a novel approach based on the sampling theorem for studying eigenvalue problems associated with bandlimited integral kernels of convolution type. Two sets of functions biorthogonal to the eigenfunctions, one over the infinite interval and the other over a finite interval, are constructed and several identities satisfied by them are derived. The sampling theorem-based approach to the eigenvalue problem is further extended to construct the singular functions associated with the integral operator. It is shown that for the special case of the sinc-kernel, the eigenfunctions, the two biorthogonal sets and the singular functions reduce to the angular prolate spheroidal functions (or Slepian functions). Two methods are discussed for treating the inverse problem associated with bandlimited kernels—one employing the eigenfunctions and the biorthogonal sets and the other employing the singular functions. Numerical examples are included to illustrate the computation of eigenfunctions, biorthogonal sets and the singular functions and their application to the estimation of inverse solution.