cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estrogens and Clotting Factors

We are rapidly approaching a time when, in western countries, young girls will start to take oral contraceptives in their middle teens and continue on such medication throughout their reproductive lives, except for short periods when they discontinue medication in order to become pregnant. They will take estrogens in the years around their menopause and throughout their post-menopausal years. Thus they will live the majority of their lives under increased estrogenic influence. All this time many will be concerned about possible thromboembolic complications, despite the fact that the incidence of thromboembolism, even under these conditions, is very low.
Defining Minority Political Protest

The heart of this volume’s assessment of minority protest comes from the Dynamics of Collective Action database. The DCA includes what is arguably the most extensive existing coverage of collective behavior. It includes data on incidents of protest collected from daily reports of the New York Times from 1960 through 1995, encompassing over twenty-one thousand protest events coded by date, event type, target of protest, grievances expressed, and other contextual information on the protest action (size, organizations involved, contentious actions, and more). This NSF-funded project led by Doug McAdam, John McCarthy, Susan Olzak, and Sarah Soule has been widely used to understand protest behavior. The abundance of information it offers allows me to examine protest actions over a contentious period of time for race relations. It also helps me to explain how government’s response to various forms of political protest has changed in the post–civil rights era. Using the Dynamics of Collective Action dataset, I assemble protest behavior from the following activities: demonstrations, rallies, marches, vigils, picketing, civil disobedience, information distributions, riots, strikes, and boycotts. Second, I focused only on protest events that targeted government. Finally, I declared protest events as minority protest actions based upon the issues that were voiced as opposed to the racial and ethnic identity of the group. The following general issues were used to capture racial and ethnic minority concerns: discrimination, civil rights, voting rights, minority unemployment, welfare, immigration, and education of the underprivileged.
The Tournament Divide and Conquer Technique

If computer science were a country rather than a field, one can well imagine that its motto would be “Divide and Conquer,” which might have edged out “In Polynomial Time We Trust.” Indeed, divide and conquer techniques accompany the computer scientist from the introduction to binary search through the mastery of cutting-edge algorithmic techniques. However, computer scientists do not own the franchise. Divide and conquer techniques are useful in many fields.
Calibration experimental design considering field response and model uncertainty

Abstract Calibration experiment design optimization (CEDO) seeks to identify the optimal values of experimental inputs in order to maximize the obtained information within testing budget constraints. Current CEDO methods only consider observation errors and focus on problems with low-dimensional response variables. This paper proposes a new robust CEDO model for Bayesian calibration with field response and incorporates various sources of model uncertainty such as surrogate model uncertainty, numerical discretization error, and model discrepancy, into CEDO. Since sampling-based methods to estimate the posterior distributions and thus compute the objective function (information gain) are computationally expensive, this paper develops an analytical method to estimate the objective function while accounting for model uncertainty during this process. Based on the evaluation of objective function, a global sensitivity analysis (GSA)-based method is proposed to check the quality of surrogate models used in CEDO, guide the training and improvement of the surrogate models, and thus reduce the effect of surrogate model uncertainty on CEDO. The optimal experimental input settings are obtained using the efficient global optimization (EGO) method. A nonlinear analytical example and a heat transfer example are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Caveolin 1 and G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase-2 Coregulate Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Activity in Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells.

Liver injury leads to a vasculopathy in which post-translational modifications of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) lead to impaired nitric oxide synthesis. We hypothesized that caveolin 1 (CAV1), a well-known eNOS interactor, regulates eNOS activity in sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs) via its interaction with G-protein–coupled receptor kinase-2 (GRK2) that also post-translationally modifies eNOS. Liver injury with portal hypertension was established using bile duct ligation in rats. CAV1 function was modified using a CAV1 scaffolding domain construct and cDNAs encoding wild-type CAV1, and CAV1 phosphorylation was increased in injured SECs, resulting in increased GRK2-CAV1 interaction and decreased eNOS activity. In injured SECs, endothelin-1 blocked CAV1 phosphorylation induced by CAV1 scaffolding domain, indicating that CAV1 interaction with GRK2 is inversely regulated by endothelin-1 and CAV1 scaffolding domain after liver injury. In addition, after transduction with DNA encoding wild-type CAV1 into SECs isolated from Cav1-deficient mice, GRK2 association with CAV1 was evident, whereas transduction with a dominant negative CAV1 mutated at tyrosine 14 reduced the interaction. Finally, isoproterenol-induced GRK2 phosphorylation enhanced CAV1-GRK2 interaction and reduced eNOS activity. Our data suggest a novel mechanism and model in which CAV1 phosphorylation facilitates CAV1 scaffolding and GRK2-CAV1 interaction, thus clustering eNOS within a complex that inhibits eNOS activity. This process takes place in injured, but not in normal, SECs.
MINERALS OF THE WORLD (Princeton Field Guides series). Ole Johnsen.Princeton University Press, 2002, 440 p. $49.50 hardback ($24.95 paperback).

In most respects Minerals of the World is typical of the mineral field guide genre. It presents photographs and descriptions of those minerals that are most commonly encountered by or are of greatest interest to mineral collectors. This publication takes a step beyond the typical, however, through the surprisingly high quality of its production. The first of the book’s three parts, “Mineralogy and Crystallography,” covers basic concepts: “what is a mineral?,” mineral names, crystal systems, crystal growth, and chemical, physical and optical properties. These topics are given very accurate and authoritative treatment by Dr. Ole Johnsen, a curator at the Geological Museum of the University of Copenhagen and a member of the IMA commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names. The text is …
Physician interpretation of genomic test results and treatment selection.

BACKGROUND Genomic testing is increasingly performed in oncology, but concerns remain regarding the clinician's ability to interpret results. In the current study, the authors sought to determine the agreement between physicians and genomic annotators from the Precision Oncology Decision Support (PODS) team at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston regarding actionability and the clinical use of test results. METHODS On a prospective protocol, patients underwent clinical genomic testing for hotspot mutations in 46 or 50 genes. Six months after sequencing, physicians received questionnaires for patients who demonstrated a variant in an actionable gene, investigating their perceptions regarding the actionability of alterations and clinical use of these findings. Genomic annotators independently classified these variants as actionable, potentially actionable, unknown, or not actionable. RESULTS Physicians completed 250 of 288 questionnaires (87% response rate). Physicians considered 168 of 250 patients (67%) as having an actionable alteration; of these, 165 patients (98%) were considered to have an actionable alteration by the PODS team and 3 were of unknown significance. Physicians were aware of genotype-matched therapy available for 119 patients (71%) and 48 of these 119 patients (40%) received matched therapy. Approximately 46% of patients in whom physicians regarded alterations as not actionable (36 of 79 patients) were classified as having an actionable/potentially actionable mutation by the PODS team. However, many of these were only theoretically actionable due to limited trials and/or therapies (eg, KRAS). CONCLUSIONS Physicians are aware of recurrent mutations in actionable genes on “hotspot” panels. As larger genomic panels are used, there may be a growing need for annotation of actionability. Decision support to increase awareness of genomically relevant trials and novel treatment options for recurrent mutations (eg, KRAS) also are needed. Cancer 2017. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Mulches and Subirrigation Control Weeds in Container Production

Abstract Weed control efficacy of organic mulches as well as a copper hydroxide-coated geotextile (fabric) disk was examined using Rhaphiolepis indica L. or Callistemon citrinus [(Curtis) Stapf] growing in containers. Rout (oxyfluorfen plus oryzalin) and corn gluten meal were included as herbicide treatments. In a second experiment, the effect of subirrigation versus surface irrigation and different depths of pine bark mulch on weed control was studied. In the mulch/herbicide studies, all of the mulch treatments, including the geotextile disk, provided broadleaf weed control, but not annual bluegrass control, similar to that of Rout. Broadleaf weeds were not controlled by corn gluten meal. Although though the number of grass seedlings was reduced 49% from that of the control, Rout reduced the number by 89%. In the mulch depth/irrigation study, mulching reduced weed weight by 92% over that of the control (no mulch and surface irrigated) 8 weeks after transplanting. Subirrigation reduced the number of weeds...
Energy Efficient Node Caching and Load Balancing Enhancement of Reactive Ad Hoc Routing Protocols.

Enhancing route request broadcasting protocols constitutes a substantial part of recent research in mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) routing. We suggest a novel approach to modify route request broadcast based on node caching. The intuition behind node caching is that the nodes involved in recent data packet forwarding have more reliable information about its neighbors and have better locations (e.g., on the intersection of several data routes) than other nodes. We cache nodes which are recently involved in data packet forwarding, and use only them to forward route requests. Stopping forwarding route requests from the other nodes considerably reduces routing overhead at the expense of possible destination missing. The suggested node caching techniques can be also viewed as a dynamic implementation of a connected dominating set (CDS). We overcome the known drawback of CDS - overuse of dominating (cached) nodes - by a new load-balancing scheme. Our contributions include: (i) a new energy-efficient node caching enhancement of route request broadcast for reactive ad hoc routing protocols; (ii) an extensive simulation study in NS2 of the novel node caching enhancement of AODV (AODV-NC) showing drastic reduction in overhead, significant improvement of the packet delivery ratio and the end-to-end delay and overhead; (iii) an analysis of the forwarding load distribu- tion and energy consumption, and (iv) an extensive simulation study in NS2 of the novel AODV-NC based routing protocol with adaptive workload balancing (AODV- NC-WLB) showing considerable improvement in throughput, overhead, delivery ratio and delay over the standard AODV for stressed MANETs.
Welfare of Pigs in the Farrowing Environment

In the U.S.A., housing for the lactating sow and her piglets can be divided into five main areas. Total confinement, defined as the farrowing crate, houses the highest number of sows at 83.4 4.0%. Remaining operations house fewer sows with open buildings that have outside access at 12.4 4.1%, open building with no outside access, 2.9 0.5%, lot with hut or no building, 0.6 0.2% and pasture with hut or no building the lowest at 0.7 0.3% (NAHMS, 2000). In the U.K., it is estimated that around 70% of sows farrow in crates, 27% farrow outdoors in farrowing arks and only 3% farrow in loose-housed indoor systems (BPEX, 2004). Farrowing crates have become widely accepted by the industry for numerous reasons: it has made sow management easier, it allows for a higher stocking density of sows/unit of land and it can help to reduce piglet mortality (Fraser and Broom, 1997). However, the farrowing crate has received criticism due to potential detrimental effects it may inflict on the welfare of the sow. The prevalence of decubital ulcers (Davies et al., 1996; Rountree et al., 1997), behaviours considered maladaptive (Cronin and Wiepkema, 1984; Rushen, 1984; Haskell andHutson, 1996), and a limitation on allowing the sow complete postural adjustments are a few considerations. The development of an alternative, economical farrowing system that retains the advantages of the conventional farrowing crate could be beneficial to the industry (Collins, 1987). Alternative outdoor swine operations for the gestating sow are increasing in popularity in some countries. In 1975, only 6% of the U.K.’s national herd was housed outdoors. This trend can be seen in other European countries, France now houses 10% of its herd outdoors, and Denmark and Sweden are conducting feasibility studies to determine if their cooler climates would permit
The Association of Performance Status and Disease Severity in Patients With Chronic Graft-vs-Host Disease

Abstract Objective Determine the relationship between functional status and degree of specific organ involvement, physical performance, and subjective well-being chronic graft-vs-host disease (cGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Design Observational cohort. Setting Outpatient clinic. Participants Adult patients (N=121) with cGVHD with 634 assessments. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS). Skin, fascia/joints, lungs, upper and lower extremity range of motion, liver, eye, mucosal, and gastrointestinal involvement were measured using the National Institutes of Health GVHD scale. Physical performance was assessed with the 2-minute walk test (2MWT) and hand grip strength. Subjective measures were the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) and Lee Symptom Burden (LSB) scale. Results Myofascial (P Conclusions Patients with cGVHD experience multifactorial impairment in function associated with potentially modifiable symptoms physiatrists have the expertise to address to enhance function. More research is needed to determine rehabilitation interventions to mitigate the impact of cGVHD on function.
Consumer Electronic Instrument Search and Seizure at International Borders: New Laws Allow Border Agents to Demand Passwords for Digital Devices

Australia and New Zealand have enacted new laws in 2018 that give border agents the right to demand that travelers entering these countries hand over passwords for their digital devices. This most recent development contributes to a global trend toward the unwarranted search and seizure of devices, raising critical questions about individual privacy, data management, consent, and surveillance.
Dural Arteriovenous Fistulae: Surgical Indications and Technique

Dural arteriovenous fistulae are rare lesions with a wide range of manifestations and clinical courses. Lesions with cortical venous drainage (CVD) have a poor natural history and warrant treatment. Endovascular therapy is a good option for many dAVF, while surgery may be indicated for cases with unsuitable transarterial or transvenous access, perceived risk of neurologic deficits from embolization, and persistence of the fistula after previous embolization attempts. The operative strategy is dictated by whether the lesion involves a dural venous sinus or has solely cortical venous drainage, and the surgical approach is chosen to provide the best exposure to the fistula and its venous outflow.
Radar Cross Section Measurement Comparison of UAVs at C-band and V-band

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being used for civil, industrial, and military purposes. However, UAVs can pose threats when they leave their restricted routes or when they fly without permission. The proliferation of UAVs along with their potential threats raise the need for the development of detection and tracking systems for flying UAVs in predefined flying zones. Characterizing the radar cross section (RCS) signature of UAVs is crucial for the development of such systems. This paper measures angular monostatic RCS using vector network analyzer (VNA) S parameters to characterize a UAV based on its electromagnetic backscattering for both cases of stationary and rotating propellers at different speeds. Measurements were performed in an anechoic chamber and in a lab environment at 5 GHz and 60 GHz center frequencies, respectively.
Detection and Analysis of Ultraviolet Corona Discharge for Earth Switch Grading Ring

The appearance of corona discharge means that the equipment may have defects in insulation. The application of ultraviolet(UV) imaging detection technology can timely find hidden dangers of equipment, evaluate the insulation status of operating equipment, and effectively improve the reliability of power supply. This paper combined with the finite element simulation analyzes the electric field on the surface of earth switch grading ring in a 500kV substation and the simulation results are consistent with the results of ultraviolet detection. Then the effects of operating voltage and relative humidity on the ultraviolet detection results are studied, which provides a reliable basis for the application of ultraviolet detection technology in actual field.
Awareness of and attitudes toward CBT, DBT, and ACT in an acute psychiatric sample.

OBJECTIVE Treatment utilization for psychiatric illness is low, perhaps influenced by limited consumer knowledge of evidence-based psychological treatments (EBPTs). To inform consumer-directed dissemination efforts, we characterized preferences, beliefs, and knowledge about specific EBPTs (cognitive behavioral therapy [CBT], dialectical behavior therapy [DBT], and acceptance and commitment therapy [ACT]); and examined potential sociodemographic and treatment history correlates. METHOD Before receiving treatment at a psychiatric partial hospital, patients (n = 249) completed the Psychological Treatment Consumer Questionnaire. RESULTS Most (75%) patients felt responsible for being aware of psychotherapy options and that it was important to receive research-supported psychotherapy (80%), but were split on whether research (42%) or their provider's recommendation (58%) carried greater decisional weight. Most (93%) patients had heard of CBT (93%) and DBT (71%), but not ACT (35%). Prior exposure to these EBPTs increased the likelihood of recommending them to others. CONCLUSIONS Findings support initiatives to enhance consumer familiarity with these EBPTs and inform dissemination efforts.
SPONTANEOUS CORONARY ARTERY DISSECTION IN A PATIENT WITH RECURRENT ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME AND PRESUMED VIRAL CARDIOMYOPATHY: IS IT MERELY A CO-INCIDENCE OR MISSED DIAGNOSIS

Nonatherosclerotic spontaneous coronary artery dissection (NA-SCAD) is most prevalent in young females and associated with fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) in 70% cases. 51-year-old female with history of non-ischemic cardiomyopathy diagnosed in 2009 and left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) 15%
Jaqal the Quantum Assembly Language for QSCOUT

QSCOUT is the Quantum Scientific Computing Open User Testbed, a trapped-ion quantum computer testbed realized at Sandia National Laboratories on behalf of the Department of Energy's Office of Science and its Advanced Scientific Computing (ASCR) program. Jaqal, for Just Another Quantum Assembly Language, is the programming language used to specify programs executed on QSCOUT. This document contains a specification of Jaqal along with a summary of QSCOUT 1.0 capabilities, example Jaqal programs, and plans for possible future extensions. To learn more about QSCOUT and the Jaqal language developed for it, please visit this http URL or send an e-mail to qscout@sandia.gov.
Parallel studies of mucosal immunity in the reproductive and gastrointestinal mucosa of HIV‐infected women

Problem The effects of HIV on the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), including CD4 depletion, epithelial disruption, and collagen deposition, are well documented and only partially reversed by combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). However, the effects of HIV on the female reproductive tract (FRT) are poorly understood, and most studies have focused on ectocervix and vagina without assessing the upper tract. Here, we investigated CD4+ T-cell frequency, phenotype, and HIV-specific T-cell responses in the endocervix and endometrium of HIV-infected women, comparing these tissues to the GIT. Method of study Mucosal samples and blood were obtained from 18 women: four who were HIV-positive and not on cART for at least 3 years prior to sampling, including two natural controllers (viral load [VL] undetectable and CD4 >350); nine women on cART with low to undetectable VL; and five HIV-uninfected women. Mucosal samples included terminal ileum, sigmoid colon, endocervical cytobrush, endocervical curettage, and endometrial biopsy. T-cell frequency, phenotypes, and HIV-specific T-cell responses were analyzed by multiparameter flow cytometry. Results T-cell activation, measured by CD38/HLA-DR co-expression, remained significantly elevated in endometrium following cART, but was lower in gastrointestinal tissues. HIV-specific CD8+ T-cell responses were detected in ileum, colon, and endometrial tissues of women both on and off cART, and were of higher magnitude on those not on cART. Conclusion Our findings reveal differences in CD4+ T-cell frequencies, immune activation, and HIV-specific T-cell responses between the gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts, and highlight differences between HIV controllers and women on cART.
Chapter 7 – Decimation and Interpolation

Publisher Summary The chapter discusses seven walks through the process of decimation and interpolation in a signal processing system. Various processes are performed using an FIR filter which leads to understanding of reducing and increasing the sample rate. The processes of filtering out of frequencies which are unwanted are explained in detail. It also shows how these are advantageous to the high oversampling of a signal, re-sampling of noninteger value, and the interpolation effect. It touches on the linear factor, the length, and the sample rate which are affecting the FIR filter operations. It ends with where interpolation works better and best practices in those typical situations.
Case Temperature Monitoring-Based Online Condition Monitoring of SiC MOSFET Power Modules using a Radial Basis Function Network

Silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) power modules are being used for high power applications because of their superior thermal characteristics and high blocking voltage capabilities over traditional silicon power modules. This paper explores monitoring the temperature distribution of the baseplate of an SiC MOSFET power module for online condition monitoring of the power module. A radial basis neural network (RBFN) is trained to follow the operational temperature data of a healthy power module. As a module deteriorates the temperature distribution changes as well. Comparing the trained RBFN output and an unhealthy module’s temperature output at the same point, the differences in temperature signify deterioration in the health of the module. The proposed method of online condition monitoring is applied to an SiC MOSFET power module and validated by computer simulations using finite element analysis models for the power module in both healthy and unhealthy conditions.
Assessing the relationship between symptoms and health care utilization in colorectal cancer survivors of different sexual orientations.

The purpose of this study was to determine the association of physical and psychological symptoms with health care utilization in sexual minority and heterosexual colorectal cancer survivors. Four hundred eighteen colorectal cancer survivors who were in remission an average of 3 years after their diagnosis were surveyed about their non-emergency health care visits during the preceding 3 months. Survivors reported whether they had experienced any of 21 symptoms common among colorectal cancer survivors in the past week. The relation between having had two or more health care visits in the preceding 3 months and symptoms experienced was assessed using logistic regression, controlling for cancer registry, sexual orientation, sex, age, race/ethnicity, income, and comorbidities. Of the survivors, 12% reported no symptoms, while 12% reported six or more symptoms. Sexual minority survivors reported significantly more weight concerns and more health-related and general anxiety as well as worse body image than heterosexual survivors. Frequent worrying about weight and experiencing sore skin around the anal area or stoma were the two symptoms that significantly contributed towards explaining survivors’ increased health care utilization. Weight concerns, which are more common among the heaviest survivors, may prompt survivors to seek help from health care providers, which may lead to more frequent visits. On the other hand, some symptoms, despite their prevalence, had no relationship with the frequency of health care visits, raising questions about whether survivors share these concerns with providers.
Quantum phase transitions in algebraic models

The theory of quantum phase transitions (QPT) and excited-state quantum phase transitions (ESQPT) in algebraic models is reviewed. The phase structure and phase diagram of the interacting boson model of nuclei, as obtained both from a semi-classical and a quantal analysis, are discussed. Experimental evidence for QPTs in nuclei is presented. Two-fluid (proton-neutron) and Bose-Fermi sytems are also briefly discussed.
An Ulcerating Perineal Rash in an 8-month-old Girl.

1. Nisha Ganesh, MD* 2. Rena Kasick, MD*,† 3. Emily Graham, MD*,†,‡ 1. *The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 2. †Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 3. ‡The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH A previously healthy 8-month-old female presents to the emergency department (ED) with diarrhea and an unusual diaper rash. Her symptoms began 6 days prior with fever and congestion. She was initially diagnosed with a viral upper respiratory infection and bilateral otitis media and was prescribed cephalexin by her primary care physician. Two days later, she developed diarrhea and a painful diaper rash. Cephalexin was changed to cefdinir due to concern for antibiotic-induced diarrhea. After 5 days of treatment, antibiotics were discontinued. Before this presentation to the ED, she had been evaluated multiple times in the ED for worsening diaper rash and was prescribed a barrier cream, topical antifungal cream, and mupirocin ointment without improvement. Her medical history includes 1 prior episode of acute otitis media. Her immunizations are up to date. She takes no medications. She lives at home with her mother and father. There have been no known sick contacts, no recent travel, no known insect bites, and no animal exposures aside from the family’s pet dog. Her vital signs on presentation are as follows: temperature, 98.6°F (37°C); heart rate, 160 beats/min; respiratory rate, 40 breaths/min; blood pressure, 100/48 mm Hg; oxygen saturation, 95% on room air. Her parents report that she has had profuse watery diarrhea and decreased urine output, and they describe her behavior as fussy and irritable. Her review of systems is negative for vomiting, blood in the stool, abdominal pain or distension, easy bleeding or bruising, weight loss or inadequate weight gain, recurrent infections, and rashes aside from the current diaper rash. On physical examination, she has multiple large areas of ulceration and necrosis surrounded by halos of erythema in the genitourinary region (Fig 1). Her laboratory studies are significant for blood urea nitrogen of 24 mg/dL (8.6 mmol/L), creatinine of 0.73 mg/dL (55.7 µmol/L), …
Healthy (In)Congruence: When Hispanic Identity and Self-Framed Messages Increase Healthier Choices

Health appeals to promote wellness and healthful choices can be framed individually or socially (benefit to self/others). Across three studies, the authors identify the influence of self-construal ...
Acupuncture as a complementary therapy in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

The effect of acupuncture on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting has been studied over the past 20 years, and clinical evidence gathered to date has been favorable. Current practice guidelines recommend acupuncture as a complementary therapy for uncontrolled nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy. Nevertheless, a placebo effect may have been present in studies that had no control group, and unanswered questions remain—particularly since newer and more effective antiemetic medications have become available. A research study employing adjunctive electroacupuncture for both acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is proposed to address some of the unanswered questions.
Hyperemesis Gravidarum and Clinical Cannabis: To Eat or Not to Eat?

SUMMARY Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a debilitating ailment characterized by severe nausea and vomiting, malnutrition, and weight loss during pregnancy, occurs to 1–2% of pregnant women globally. Although the medical community offers clinical and pharmaceutical intervention, the procedures are: (1) partially effective, if at all, (2) costly and unaffordable without health insurance, (3) questionable in their long-term safety for the fetus, as most have not been scientifically tested, and (4) in more severe cases, physically painful and psychologically disempowering for the pregnant woman. This study unveils the deep suffering endured by women undergoing HG from a folkloristic perspective and proposes the use of medical cannabis as an effective natural remedy for the symptoms of HG. Due to the criminalization of cannabis and the stigma of its use during pregnancy, no formalized testing has been conducted, thus far, to investigate such a claim. While a small, underground, pilot study of cannabis treatment f...
Weil-Petersson volumes and intersection theory on the moduli space of curves

In this paper, we establish a relationship between the Weil-Petersson volume Vg,n(b) of the moduli space Mg,n(b) of hyperbolic Riemann surfaces with geodesic boundary components of lengths b1,...,bn, and the intersection numbers of tautological classes on the moduli space Mg,n of stable curves. As a result, by using the recursive formula for Vg,n(b) obtained in [22], we derive a new proof of the Virasoro constraints for a point. This result is equivalent to the Witten-Kontsevich formula.
Frequency-domain observations on how humans learn to control an unknown dynamic system

This paper presents results from an experiment that is designed to explore the approaches that humans use to learn to control an unknown linear time-invariant dynamic system. In this experiment, 10 subjects interacted with an unknown dynamic system 40 times over a 2-week period. We use subsystem identification to model the control strategies that the subjects employ on each of their 40 trials. In particular, we estimate feedback and feedforward controllers used by each subject on each trial. The controllers identified on the 40th trial suggest that the subjects learned to use the inverse plant dynamics in feedforward. Moreover, the identified feedforward controllers converge to the approximate inverse dynamics in fewer trials (i.e., more quickly) at middle frequencies than at low and high frequencies.
Effects of arginine starvation on macromolecular synthesis in infection with type 2 adenovirus: III. Immunofluorescence studies of the synthesis of the hexon and the major viral core antigen (AAP)

Abstract The effects of arginine starvation on the appearance and accumulation of the adenovirus type 2 hexon antigen and the arginine-alanine-rich virus core protein (AAP) antigen were studied at different times after infection by immunofluorescence techniques. Both antigens were detected in arginine-deprived human embryonic kidney cells, although in decreased amounts as compared with cells infected in complete medium. The hexon antigen was inhibited to a greater extent than the AAP antigen at least through 32 hr after infection. The mechanism for transport of the antigens from the cytoplasm to the nucleus was operative in the starved cells since the two antigens were shown to accumulate in the nuclei. Neither the hexon nor the AAP antigen was demonstrable in the presence of cytosine arabinoside. The mature AAP antigen may therefore be considered a late viral protein.
Conditioned and unconditional components of post-shock freezing.

Rats received shocks in one apparatus, and post-shock “freezing” was then assessed in that apparatus or in a different one. The assessment of freezing was made immediately after shock or after a 24-hour delay. Post-shock freezing was reduced when the animals were tested in a different apparatus from that in which shocks had been administered. No reduction in freezing was caused by the 24-hour delay. All the post-shock freezing was therefore attributable to contextual cues and to generalization between contexts. This pattern of results suggests that post-shock freezing is entirely produced by conditioned fear elicited by cues associated with shock and that no part of post-shock freezing is an unconditional response (UR) directly elicited by shock.
Development of an ensemble of digital breast object models

In the investigation of emerging tomographic breast imaging methods using flat-panel detectors (FPDs), digital breast object models are useful tools These models are also commonly referred to as digital phantoms We have created an ensemble of digital breast object phantoms based on CT scans of surgical mastectomy specimens Early versions of the phantoms have been used in our published research Recently we have improved some of our processing tools such as the use of 3-D anisotropic diffusion filtering (ADF) prior to segmentation, and we have evaluated breast object models generated with different methods including power spectral analysis, ROI statistics and an observation study.
Transceiver front-end architectures using vibrating micromechanical signal processors

Transceiver architectures are proposed that best harness the tiny size, zero DC power dissipation, and ultra-high-Q of vibrating micromechanical resonator circuits. Among the more aggressive architectures proposed are one based on a micromechanical RF channel-selector and one featuring an all-MEMS RF front-end. These architectures maximize performance gains by using highly selective, low-loss micromechanical circuits on a massive scale, taking full advantage of Q versus power trade-offs. Micromechanical filters, mixer-filters, and switchable synthesizers are identified as key blocks capable of substantial power savings when used in the aforementioned architectures. As a result of this architectural exercise, more focused directions for further research and development in RF MEMS are identified.
Oxidants and Redox Signaling in Acute Lung Injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) and its more severe form of clinical manifestation, the acute respiratory distress syndrome is associated with significant dysfunction in air exchange due to inflammation of the lung parenchyma. Several factors contribute to the inflammatory process, including hypoxia (inadequate oxygen), hyperoxia (higher than normal partial pressure of oxygen), inflammatory mediators (such as cytokines), infections (viral and bacterial), and environmental conditions (such as cigarette smoke or noxious gases). However, studies over the past several decades suggest that oxidants formed in the various cells of the lung including endothelial, alveolar, and epithelial cells as well as lung macrophages and neutrophils in response to the factors mentioned above mediate the pathogenesis of ALI. Oxidants modify cellular proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and DNA to cause their aberrant function. For example, oxidation of lipids changes membrane permeability. Interestingly, recent studies also suggest that spatially and temporally regulated production of oxidants plays an important role antimicrobial defense and immunomodulatory function (such as transcription factor activation). To counteract the oxidants an arsenal of antioxidants exists in the lung to maintain the redox status, but when overwhelmed tissue injury and exacerbation of inflammation occurs. We present below the current understanding of the pathogenesis of oxidant-mediated ALI.
Functional properties of inter-neuron communication

The functional properties of inter-neuron communication are examined in order to identify the major points of control that influence inter-neuron connectivity, self-organization, and communication. Three mechanisms for inter-neuron communication are discussed: membrane transport communication, gap function communication, and synaptic communication. The discussion begins with a review of biological evidence, and then focuses on a functional analysis of each of the three communication mechanisms. The topics covered are: biological evidence; functional properties of membrane transport communication; functional properties of gap function communication; functional properties of synaptic communication; and comparative analysis of the different communication mechanisms. >
Electronic states in some disordered noble metal—transition metal alloys

It is shown that the coherent potential approximation is capable of explaining the densities of states functions as observed in the photoemission experiment for noble metal rich alloys of CuPd, CuNi and AgPd. The analysis reveals the importance of the separation in energy between the d-scattering resonances associated with each of the constituent atomic species in these alloys. In all of these alloys the separation between the d-scattering resonances is sufficient to render both the rigid band and the virtual crystal approximations in capable of explaining the observed photoemission data.
Iterative design of moth‐eye antireflective surfaces at millimeter wave frequencies

A method for synthesizing broadband antireflective (AR) surfaces at millimeter wave frequencies is demonstrated. AR surfaces were formed by machining a multilayer subwavelength structures into nonabsorptive dielectrics. This created low-reflected energies (<� 25 dB) over large bandwidths and incidence angles. Experimental results are provided demonstrating the validity of the method. V C 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 561-568, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24973
Mixtures of Gaussian wells: Theory, computation, and application

A primary challenge in unsupervised clustering using mixture models is the selection of a family of basis distributions flexible enough to succinctly represent the distributions of the target subpopulations. In this paper we introduce a new family of Gaussian well distributions (GWDs) for clustering applications where the target subpopulations are characterized by hollow (hyper-)elliptical structures. We develop the primary theory pertaining to the GWD, including mixtures of GWDs, selection of prior distributions, and computationally efficient inference strategies using Markov chain Monte Carlo. We demonstrate the utility of our approach, as compared to standard Gaussian mixture methods on a synthetic dataset, and exemplify its applicability on an example from immunofluorescence imaging, emphasizing the improved interpretability and parsimony of the GWD-based model.
Piston-Boss and Wrist-Pin Design

A brief survey is given of previous investigations into piston-boss and wrist-pin design, and it is concluded that although a theoretical stress analysis of the pin is possible, the use of such analysis is limited by assumptions which have to be made regarding the effect of case-hardening the pin surfaces. A description is then given of fatigue tests carried out by the author’s company on wrist pins to determine the effects of various materials and alternative heat-treatments. The result of the investigation enables lower-grade materials and cheaper methods of production to be used, while at the same time enhancing the overall life of the wrist pin. Investigations employing photoelastic and brittle-lacquer stress analysis of piston-boss and boss-support webs are described, leading to recommendations for the detail design of the boss, boss-support, and wrist-pin assembly. In view of the necessity for engine outputs to be increased in the near future, it is considered that there is a need for the wrist-pin assembly to be reconsidered in order to increase the load-carrying capacity. It is concluded that each piston design must be subjected to both rig and engine tests and that continued investigation will eventually lead to improved designs capable of withstanding higher gas loads without a proportionate increase in weight.
Caligula: A Biography

The mystique of absolute power is at the core of the historical figure of Caligula (emperor in the years 37–41 CE) and the connection of his name to bizarrerie and madness. Following his assassinat...
Variational principles for inhomogeneous scattering equations

As a generalization of the Schwinger variational principle (VP), the normalization-independent feature of the VP derived from inhomogeneous scattering equations is studied. An optimum form of the VP is derived which contains the "free" Green's function ${G}_{0}$. Quasipotentials are then introduced to improve the efficiency of the variational procedure. Various extensions are discussed to include the composite-system scattering, multichannel processes, and the exchange effect.
Equivalence of the waveguide invariant and two path ray theory methods for range prediction based on Lloyd's mirror patterns

For shallow, range‐independent environments where the sound is dominated by low‐order modes, the constant which characterizes the modal interference pattern, the waveguide invariant, is approximately equal to one. The speed of a contact which maintains a constant course and speed as it passes through its closest point of approach (CPA) can be determined from the asymptotic behavior of its tonal frequencies from the Doppler shift. This information can be used along with the change in broadband striation frequencies in a Lloyd's mirror pattern over time to extract the range of the contact as it transits through CPA. If instead of using normal mode theory, the Lloyd's mirror pattern is derived as the coherent interference between a straight‐line direct and surface‐reflected path, a relationship between the striation frequencies and time of a crossing contact can also be derived. This relationship can be shown to be identical to the result obtained from the normal mode approach when the value of the waveguide invariant is equal to one. Thus, the same equations can be used to extract range information from a Lloyd's mirror pattern regardless of contact range as long as the environmental conditions support a waveguide invariant close to one.
The role of one-electron reduction of lipid hydroperoxides in causing DNA damage

The in vivo metabolism of plasma lipids generates lipid hydroperoxides that, upon one-electron reduction, give rise to a wide spectrum of genotoxic unsaturated aldehydes and epoxides. These metabolites react with cellular DNA to form a variety of pre-mutagenic DNA lesions. The mechanisms of action of the radical precursors of these genotoxic electrophiles are poorly understood. In this work we investigated the nature of DNA products formed by a one-electron reduction of (13S)-hydroperoxy-(9Z,11E)-octadecadienoic acid (13S-HPODE), a typical lipid molecule, and the reactions of the free radicals thus generated with neutral guanine radicals, G(-H)(*). A novel approach was devised to generate these intermediates in solution. The two-photon-induced ionization of 2-aminopurine (2AP) within the 2'-deoxyoligonucleotide 5'-d(CC[2AP]TCGCTACC) by intense nanosecond 308 nm excimer laser pulses was employed to simultaneously generate hydrated electrons and radical cations 2AP(*+). The latter radicals either in cationic or neutral forms, rapidly oxidize the nearby G base to form G(-H)(*). In deoxygenated buffer solutions (pH 7.5), the hydrated electrons rapidly reduce 13S-HPODE and the highly unstable alkoxyl radicals formed undergo a prompt beta-scission to pentyl radicals that readily combine with G(-H)(*). Two novel guanine products in these oligonucleotides, 8-pentyl- and N(2)-pentylguanine, were identified. It is shown that the DNA secondary structure significantly affects the ratio of 8-pentyl- and N(2)-pentylguanine lesions that changes from 0.9:1 in single-stranded, to 1:0.2 in double-stranded oligonucleotides. The alkylation of guanine by alkyl radicals derived from lipid hydroperoxides might contribute to the genotoxic modification of cellular DNA under hypoxic conditions. Thus, further research is warranted on the detection of pentylguanine lesions and other alkylguanines in vivo.
New Millimetrewave Receivers at NRAO

A new generation of low-noise, dual-polarisation receivers covering the atmospheric windows between 65 GHz and 300 GHz is nearing completion. These receivers use niobium junction SIS mixers which have proven to be very sensitive and reliable. A modular approach has been used and each receiver channel is constructed as an insert which is mounted in a stainless-steel dewar cooled by a closed-cycle 4K refrigerator. Several frequency bands may be accommodated in a single package. Currently, a 65-116 GHz receiver with noise temperatures typically <1OOK SSB, a 130-170 GHz with noise temperatures typically <200K, and a 200-270 GHz receiver with noise temperatures typically <200K SSB are operational. A 260-300 GHz insert is under construction.
InGaP/GaAs HBT/PIN technology for 20 Gb/s and 40 Gb/s OEICs

With increasing demands for wireless data transfer, networking, graphics, and high-speed communications using the Internet, 10 Gb/s and 40 Gb/s are expected to become the standard fiber-optic operating speed for the future data communication and telecommunication systems. In this paper, photo receivers using PIN/HBT are investigated for 20 Gb/s and 40 Gb/s OEIC applications. A 20-Gb/s and a 40 Gb/s short wavelength PIN/HBT photo receivers are presented.
Opinion retrieval from blogs

Opinion retrieval is a document retrieval process, which requires documents to be retrieved and ranked according to their opinions about a query topic. A relevant document must satisfy two criteria: relevant to the query topic, and contains opinions about the query, no matter if they are positive or negative. In this paper, we describe an opinion retrieval algorithm. It has a traditional information retrieval (IR) component to find topic relevant documents from a document set, an opinion classification component to find documents having opinions from the results of the IR step, and a component to rank the documents based on their relevance to the query, and their degrees of having opinions about the query. We implemented the algorithm as a working system and tested it using TREC 2006 Blog Track data in automatic title-only runs. Our result showed 28% to 32% improvements in MAP score over the best automatic runs in this 2006 track. Our result is also 13% higher than a state-of-art opinion retrieval system, which is tested on the same data set.