cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corticotropin-releasing factor 1 receptor haplotype and cognitive features of major depression.

Corticotropin-releasing factor signaling through CRF receptor type 1 (CRF1) has been shown to contribute to learning and memory function. A haplotype of alleles T-A-T in a set of common polymorphisms in the gene encoding for CRF1 (CRHR1) has been associated with both depression vulnerability and alterations in cognitive functioning. The present study investigated the relations between the TAT haplotype and specific symptoms of depression, self-reported ruminative behaviors, and neuropsychological performance on a learning and memory task. Participants were adults with major depression with and without psychotic features (N = 406). Associations were examined between TAT haplotype and endorsement of depression symptoms from diagnostic interviews, scores on the rumination response scale (RRS), and verbal memory performance on the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II). All analyses included depression subtype, age, and sex as covariates; CVLT-II analyses also included evening cortisol levels. Across the entire sample, carriers of more copies of the TAT haplotype reported greater endorsement of the symptom describing difficulty concentrating and making decisions. In separate subsamples, TAT homozygotes had higher rumination scores on the RRS, both brooding and reflection subscales, and more TAT copies were associated with poorer CVLT-II performance in both total learning and free recall trials. These data demonstrate that the CRHR1 TAT haplotype is associated with cognitive features of depression including difficulty with decision-making, higher rumination, and poorer learning and memory. It will be important in future research to identify the specific molecular mechanisms for CRF1 signaling that contribute to depression-related cognitive dysfunction.
On Placing Multiple Inductor-Based VCOs on the Same Mixed-Signal Substrate

The effects of placing multiple inductor-based voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) on the same mixed-signal CMOS substrate have been studied, simulated and functionally verified using a prototype test chip. It is concluded that by carefully modeling the varactor as a nonlinear element capable of phase detection, interaction between two RF PLLs may be accurately predicted.
Maladjustment of programmable ventricular shunt valves by inadvertent exposure to a common hospital device.

Background Programmable ventricular shunt valves are commonly used to treat hydrocephalus. They can be adjusted to allow for varying amounts of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow using an external magnetic programming device, and are susceptible to maladjustment from inadvertent exposure to magnetic fields. Case Description We describe the case of a 3-month-old girl treated for hydrocephalus with a programmable StrataTM II valve found at the incorrect setting on multiple occasions during her hospitalization despite frequent reprogramming and surveillance. We found that the Vocera badge, a common hands-free wireless communication system worn by our nursing staff, had a strong enough magnetic field to unintentionally change the shunt setting. The device is worn on the chest bringing it into close proximity to the shunt valve when care providers hold the baby, resulting in the maladjustment. Conclusion Some commonly used medical devices have a magnetic field strong enough to alter programmable shunt valve settings. Here, we report that the magnetic field from the Vocera hands-free wireless communication system, combined with the worn position, results in shunt maladjustment for the StrataTM II valve. Healthcare facilities using the Vocera badges need to put protocols in place and properly educate staff members to ensure the safety of patients with StrataTM II valves.
Projected impact of a multigene pharmacogenetic test to optimize medication prescribing in cardiovascular patients.

Author(s): Dong, Olivia M; Li, Amy; Suzuki, Oscar; Oni-Orisan, Akinyemi; Gonzalez, Ricardo; Stouffer, George A; Lee, Craig R; Wiltshire, Tim | Abstract: AIM:To determine the projected impact of a multigene pharmacogenetic (PGx) test on medication prescribing. MATERIALS a METHODS:A retrospective analysis was conducted with 122 cardiac catheterization laboratory patients undergoing angiography for eligibility of potential PGx-guided interventions that could have occurred if multigene PGx information was pre-emptively available at the time of the procedure. Medication data and presence of actionable at-risk genotypes were used to determine eligibility of a PGx intervention. RESULTS:20% of the study population (n = 24) would have qualified for at least one PGx-based medication intervention per US FDA or Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) guidelines within 6 months of their cardiac catheterization procedure. Commonly encountered gene-drug pairs for these interventions included: CYP2C19 for clopidogrel and antidepressants, CYP2D6 for antidepressants and codeine, SLCO1B1 for simvastatin, and VKORC1/CYP2C9 for warfarin. CONCLUSION:Pre-emptive use of a multigene PGx test in the cardiac catheterization laboratory offers potential to reduce adverse medication outcomes.
A novel noninvasive approach to reducing action hand tremor

Typical noninvasive interventions for action hand tremor are limited to compensatory techniques by using weighted equipment, adaptive equipment, and stabilizing devices. Those approaches provide only temporary effects during patients’ performance of purposeful activities. The five step Stress Reduction Hand Tremor Control (SRHTC) approach demonstrated decreased action tremor in the hands and significant improvement of hand function for daily activities.
Further evidence for a role of isozymes of P450 in the metabolism and toxicity of carbon disulfide (CS2).

CS2 has been shown to undergo sequential desulfuration in the liver to form CO2. Previous work by Neal and his colleagues1,2 has revealed that the initial desulfuration is catalyzed by a cytochrome P450-dependent enzyme system which results in the formation of an electrophilic sulfur atom and carbonyl sulfide (COS). They have further shown3 that the second desulfuration step is catalyzed primarily by a soluble, acetazoleamideinhibitable carbonic anhydrase which results in the formation of CO2 and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) (Figure 1).
Covalent Immobilization of Microtubules on Glass Surfaces for Molecular Motor Force Measurements and Other Single-Molecule Assays

Rigid attachment of microtubules (MTs) to glass cover slip surfaces is a prerequisite for a variety of microscopy experiments in which MTs are used as substrates for MT-associated proteins, such as the molecular motors kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein. We present an MT-surface coupling protocol in which aminosilanized glass is formylated using the cross-linker glutaraldehyde, fluorescence-labeled MTs are covalently attached, and the surface is passivated with highly pure beta-casein. The technique presented here yields rigid MT immobilization while simultaneously blocking the remaining glass surface against nonspecific binding by polystyrene optical trapping microspheres. This surface chemistry is straightforward and relatively cheap and uses a minimum of specialized equipment or hazardous reagents. These methods provide a foundation for a variety of optical tweezers experiments with MT-associated molecular motors and may also be useful in other assays requiring surface-immobilized proteins.
UNUSUAL CASE OF AUTOIMMUNE DIABETES MELLITUS IN THE SETTING OF EXTRA-ADRENAL PARAGANGLIOMA WITH LOSS OF SUCCINATE DEHYDROGENASE EXPRESSION

ABSTRACT Objective: To report a case of a catecholamine-secreting paraganglioma with possible tumor-dependent autoimmune diabetes mellitus. Methods: We present the imaging, laboratory, and pathologic findings and describe the clinical course of a patient with a norepinephrine-secreting aortic paraganglioma with succinate dehydrogenase deficiency who was concomitantly diagnosed with latent autoimmune diabetes of adults at the time of initial diagnosis. We performed immunohistochemistry on the paraganglioma tissue for glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 (GAD65). Results: A 55-year-old man was diagnosed with a retroperitoneal, norepinephrine-secreting paraganglioma. He was concomitantly found to have elevated serum glucose levels and positive anti-GAD65 antibodies, consistent with latent autoimmune diabetes of adults, and was started on a basal-bolus insulin regimen. Surgical removal of the tumor resulted in rapid improvement of his hypertension and glycemic control, eliminating the need for insulin therapy withi...
Revision shoulder arthroplasty: Patient-reported outcomes vary according to the etiology of revision.

Abstract Background The study evaluates patient-reported outcomes in revision shoulder arthroplasty (RevSA) according to etiology. Methods Twenty-three consecutive RevSA (minimum 2-year follow-up) were retrospectively reviewed. Patient-reported outcome (PRO) scores and range of motion were compared by the type of revision procedure and indication. Results EQ5D-QOL, VAS-pain, ASES, and forward elevation improved after RevSA. The infection group had least improvements. Revision to a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) demonstrated the most improvement in VAS-pain, forward elevation, and ASES. Conclusions Revision to RTSA significantly improved PRO scores compared to hemi- or total shoulder arthroplasty. RevSA for infection demonstrated the least improvement in outcomes.
Redefining the “Document”: Social-Media Photographs as Narrative, Performance, Habitude

This chapter takes a closer look at the way in which digital vernacular social-media photographs—the “selfie,” in particular—are used to create and maintain a social persona, and to present a version of the self as the poster/author wants to appear to others. As it is shared online, the selfie often conveys a deceptive sense of closeness between the picture-taker and audience. Selfie-taking, to some staff of the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, also presented an opportunity to co-opt the assumed intimacy of the selfie to appear to connect with millennial voters. This essay examines the manner in which the selfie challenges traditional notions of critical distance between subject and photographer, subject and social-media audience, and between the selfie-taker and the Clinton Campaign.
Simulations of the effect of an oxide on contact area measurements from conductive atomic force microscopy

Nanoscale contact area in conductive atomic force microscopy can be determined by analyzing current flow using electron transport theories. However, it is recognized that native oxides on the conductive tip will reduce current flow, thus degrading the accuracy of the measured contact area. To quantify the adverse effect of an oxide on contact area measurements, we use molecular dynamics simulations of an oxide-coated platinum tip and a crystalline platinum substrate, where both the contact size and conductance can be inferred from the positions of atoms in the interface. We develop a method to approximate conductance based on the distance between atoms in platinum channels across the contact. Then, the contact area calculated from conductance using ballistic transport and tunneling theories is compared to that obtained using the known positions of atoms in the contact. The difference is small for very thin ( 1.0 nm) oxides, where ballistic transport and tunneling theories work well; however, the difference is significant for oxides between these limits, which is expected to be the case for platinum in many practical applications.
Manipulating and Measuring Media Multitasking: Implications of Previous Research and Guidelines for Future Research

ABSTRACTMedia multitasking has been receiving increased attention from communication scholars as well as scholar in other fields, with studies focusing on the prevalence, predictors, behavior, and ...
Finite horizon optimal execution with bounded rate of transaction

In this article, we consider an optimal execution problem with fixed time horizon and bounded transaction rate, which is more natural in practice. We show that, different from traditional stochasti...
A Bivanadyl Capped, Highly Reduced Keggin Polyanion, [PMo(V)(6)Mo(VI)(6)O(40)(V(IV)O)(2)](5)(-).

A bicapped, highly reduced vanadylpolymolybdophosphate Keggin complex [(C2H5)3NH]5[PMoV6MoVI6O40(VIVO)2], (TEA) 1, has been prepared hydrothermally and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR, UV/visible, cyclic voltammetry, elemental analysis, redox titration, and 51V and 31P NMR on its degradation products. The kinetics of decomposition of 1 in aqueous solution under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions is complex.
Decreased Mitochondrial Dynamics Is Associated with Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Rate, and Fitness in African Americans

Context African American women (AAW) have a higher incidence of insulin resistance and are at a greater risk for the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes than Caucasian women (CW). Although several factors have been proposed to mediate these racial disparities, the mechanisms remain poorly defined. We previously demonstrated that sedentary lean AAW have lower peripheral insulin sensitivity, reduced maximal aerobic fitness (VO2max), and lower resting metabolic rate (RMR) than CW. We have also demonstrated that skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiration is lower in AAW and appears to play a role in these racial differences. Objective The goal of this study was to assess mitochondrial pathways and dynamics to examine the potential mechanisms of lower insulin sensitivity, RMR, VO2max, and mitochondrial capacity in AAW. Design To achieve this goal, we assessed several mitochondrial pathways in skeletal muscle using gene array technology and semiquantitative protein analysis. Results We report alterations in mitochondrial pathways associated with inner membrane small molecule transport genes, fusion-fission, and autophagy in lean AAW. These differences were associated with lower insulin sensitivity, RMR, and VO2max. Conclusions Together these data suggest that the metabolic racial disparity of insulin resistance, RMR, VO2max, and mitochondrial capacity may be mediated by perturbations in mitochondrial pathways associated with membrane transport, fission-fusion, and autophagy. The mechanisms contributing to these differences remain unknown.
Is symptom to balloon time a better predictor of outcomes in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction than door to balloon time?

INTRODUCTION Current guidelines for the treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) recommend early revascularization with a door-to-balloon (D2B) time of 90 minutes or less in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). The focus of most studies has been D2B time. Because of the large variability in the time between symptom onset and presentation, we sought to determine the effect of symptom-to-balloon (S2B) time on presentation and outcomes as a potentially more clinically relevant parameter. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study of 106 patients who were diagnosed with an acute STEMI, had a documented S2B time and who underwent a PPCI at a tertiary hospital from the period of January 2014 to December 2014. S2B time was defined as the time interval beginning from the episode of chest pain that led the patient to present to the emergency department to the time of the first balloon inflation. We categorized our patients into 2 main groups depending on whether S2B time was greater or less than 240 minutes. They were further subdivided into 2 groups depending on the site of the culprit lesion (left anterior descending LAD vs. non-LAD). RESULTS There was no difference between the two main groups in regard to the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) on presentation, length of stay, and readmission with heart failure or chest pain. However, when S2B time was greater than 240 min, there was a statistically significant difference in left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) between LAD and non-LAD stenosis with a mean of 38.4% and 49.3% respectively (P=0.01). No relationship was found between S2B time and gender or age. CONCLUSION Although D2B time is a well-established clinical parameter, S2B time may be expected to be a more accurate predictor of outcomes. However, in our study, S2B time of >240 minutes only predicted a significant worse EF (and presumably mortality) when the culprit vessel was the LAD. Further studies are needed to better elucidate the relation of S2B time to clinical outcomes.
Thermonuclear reaction rates V

Abstract Analytic expressions are given for the reaction rates of astrophysically important thermonuclear reactions involving low-mass nuclei (1 ⩽ Z ⩽ 14). Numerical values of the rates are tabulated for the temperature range 106 ⩽ T ⩽ 1010 K. This provides a comprehensive update of our previous publications.
Considerations on computational modeling of concrete structures in fire

Abstract This paper presents an overview of selected issues in computational modeling for reinforced concrete structures in fire. The focus is on current modeling challenges, as well as aspects that are sometimes overlooked yet important for capturing the concrete material and structural behavior at elevated temperatures. Issues addressed include the consequences of realistic thermal exposures with cooling phases on the material properties and deformations, the uncertainties in material and structural response at elevated temperature, and the effect of the tensile fracture energy on the model response. The ability to capture membrane and shear failure modes is analyzed. The modeling of the residual response and potential failure during cooling is discussed. As an example, a five-story RC shear wall-frame building is modeled under natural fire. Finally, the paper ends with a discussion on the limits, research needs and opportunities with respect to computational modeling of concrete structures in fire.
A Dynamic Future for Active Quant Investing

Li and Sullivan believe that active quantitative portfolio management is on the verge of moving toward a more flexible approach capable of capturing dynamics in risk and return expectations across an array of asset classes. In widespread use today, the static quant-driven approach to active management is ill-equipped to deal with market environments that diverge substantially from typical conditions. The authors discuss what changes are needed at this important juncture for the active quant community to maintain relevance and improve the odds of long-term investment success. Active quants must broaden their focus beyond typical systematic bottom-up quantitative inputs to emphasize top-down qualitative evidence. Such a judgment- based, top-down (macro-driven) approach offers the flexibility necessary to achieve investment success in complex, dynamic capital markets.
Novel biogeographic patterns across latitudinal and elevational gradients: A case study with tropical montane epiphytes lends insights to conservation

AIM: While latitudinal and elevational gradients of range size have been thoroughly studied, the ways these gradients might interact with each other to shape species distributions in complex montane environments are not well understood. We examined how elevational and latitudinal gradients interact to structure individual species’ distributions and larger geographic range size patterns. LOCATION: Neotropics. TAXA: Two epiphytic plant genera: Peperomia and Elaphoglossum. METHODS: We compiled 35,382 GBIF records for 505 species, calculated species’ latitudinal and elevational range extents, and examined gradients in richness and range size. For individual species, we analysed the relationship between elevational and latitudinal occurrences. RESULTS: Approximately 50% of species demonstrate a significant, negative relationship between their elevational and latitudinal occurrences; most of these species occupy a non‐random, relatively narrow range of mean annual temperatures across their latitudinal distribution. Across species there is a positive relationship between latitudinal and elevational extent, a phenomenon we hereafter refer to as ‘Stevens’ pattern’. Average latitudinal extent of species’ ranges increased at higher latitudes, in support of Rapoport's rule. Average elevational extent increased with elevation in the global dataset (consistent with Rapoport's elevational rule), but most subsets of the data demonstrated a peak in average extent size at mid‐elevations. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of species with negative elevation‐by‐latitude relationships, along with their non‐random tracking of temperature, suggests that many tropical species with broad geographic distributions are more temperature sensitive than their broad ranges might otherwise suggest. Consequently, even tropical species that occur across a wide range of latitudes and elevations might be threatened by climate change. These wide‐ranging species drive the occurrence of two biogeographic patterns: Rapoport's elevational rule and Stevens’ pattern. Finally, while Rapoport's rule and its elevational corollary were supported in part, the unexpected occurrence of many species restricted to high elevations near the equator suggests a possible focus for conservation effort.
Viruses and Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, a mental illness that affects approximately 1% of the U.S. population, is more common than diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, or AIDS. The cause remains unknown. None of the prevailing theories of etiology—genetic, biochemical, and psychosocial—can fully explain the epidemiology, clinical course, or pathology of the illness. The hypothesis that viruses or virus-like agents may have a role in the etiology of schizophrenia is not a new one. Following attacks of encephalitis lethargica (von Economo’s encephalitis) and influenza in the pandemics following World War I, both European and American psychiatrists reported schizophrenia-like disorders as sequelae in a significant number of cases.1–3 Although no agent associated with these pandemics was isolated, the clinical course and pathological changes in body and brain at autopsy implied that virus infections of unusual virulence had occurred. Cases typical of viral encephalitis accompanied by or followed by schizophrenia-like psychoses have been reported sporadically, but a common agent has not been identified, nor has the considerable effort of many investigators to detect virus or viral “footprints” from brains or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of schizophrenic patients been very fruitful. The majority of patients with schizophrenia do not have a history suggestive of closely antecedent infection.
Polymer actuators for adjustable X-ray optics

The development of thin, segmented, grazing-incidence X-ray optics is the basis of future large-area X-ray missions such as Lynx. Adjustable mirror segments have been proposed to achieve sub-arcsecond angular resolution for mm-thickness segments that will deform during mounting and assembly of the optical system. In this paper, we present the development of a novel class of low-voltage thin-film actuators based on electroactive poly-vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene (PVDF-TrFE) polymer. Fabrication of PVDF-TrFE thin films is a low-cost, scalable technology that can be easily be translated to production by industrial partners. With processing temperatures below 140 C, electroactive polymer films can be deposited on mirror substrates inducing minimal thermal and coating stress. A full characterization of electrical properties, fabrication yields, and influence functions of PVDF-TrFE actuator arrays deployed on flat Si substrates will be presented.
Can Deep Learning Algorithms Help Identify Surgical Workflow and Techniques

Abstract Background Surgical videos are now being used for performance review and educational purposes; however, broad use is still limited due to time constraints. To make video review more efficient, we implemented Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to detect surgical workflow and technical approaches. Methods Participants (N = 200) performed a simulated open bowel repair. The operation included two major phases: (1) Injury Identification and (2) Suture Repair. Accordingly, a phase detection algorithm (MobileNetV2+GRU) was implemented to automatically detect the two phases using video data. In addition, participants were noted to use three different technical approaches when running the bowel: (1) use of both hands, (2) use of one hand and one tool, or (3) use of two tools. To discern the three technical approaches, an object detection (YOLOv3) algorithm was implemented to recognize objects that were commonly used during the Injury Identification phase (hands versus tools). Results The phase detection algorithm achieved high precision (recall) when segmenting the two phases: Injury Identification (86 ± 9% [81 ± 12%]) and Suture Repair (81 ± 6% [81 ± 16%]). When evaluating three technical approaches in running the bowel, the object detection algorithm achieved high average precisions (Hands [99.32%] and Tools [94.47%]). The three technical approaches showed no difference in execution time (Kruskal-Wallis Test: P= 0.062) or injury identification (not missing an injury) (Chi-squared: P= 0.998). Conclusions The AI algorithms showed high precision when segmenting surgical workflow and identifying technical approaches. Automation of these techniques for surgical video databases has great potential to facilitate efficient performance review.
Adolescents' Concerns About School Violence or Shootings and Association With Depressive, Anxiety, and Panic Symptoms.

Importance The prevalence of internalizing problems among US adolescents has risen in the past decade. The extent to which concerns about school violence or shootings are associated with risk of internalizing problems is unknown. Objective To examine the prospective association of concern, worry, and stress related to school violence or shootings with internalizing problems and to examine sex and racial and ethnic differences in the magnitude of the associations. Design, setting, and participants This longitudinal cohort study involved 3 surveys administered 6 months apart (fall of grade 11 [prebaseline]; spring of grade 11 [baseline]; and fall of grade 12 [follow-up]) from 2015 to 2016. Participants included 2263 students from 10 high schools in Los Angeles, California. Analyses were performed from April 29, 2020, to April 8, 2021. Exposures Baseline self-reported level of concern, worry, and stress about shootings or violence at the student's school or other schools, each rated on 5-point scales (ranging from not at all [0] to extremely [4]) with a mean score calculated as a 3-item composite index rescaled into z-score standard deviation units. Main outcomes and measures Surpassing clinically significant or borderline significant thresholds for major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or panic disorder based on symptom ratings on the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale at 6-month follow-up. Results Of the 2263 students included in the analyses (1250 [55.2%] girls; mean [SD] age, 16.5 [0.4] years), appreciable proportions reported being very or extremely concerned (850 0f 2226 [38.2%]), worried (703 of 2209 [31.8%]), or stressed (332 of 2183 [15.2%]) about shootings or violence at their school or other schools. After adjusting for prebaseline covariates, concerns about school violence or shootings were associated with clinically significant generalized anxiety symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 1.31; 95% CI, 1.15-1.50) and panic symptoms (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.05-1.32), but not depressive symptoms (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.99-1.30) at the 6-month follow-up. There was a significant association between concern with school violence or shootings and depressive symptoms for Black youth (OR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.38-7.19) and non-Hispanic/Latinx White youth (OR, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.25-2.09]) but not for youth of other races and ethnicities (OR for Asian, 1.26 [95% CI, 0.86-1.85]; OR for Hispanic/Latinx, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.76-1.16]; OR for other, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.54-1.61]). Sex did not moderate these associations. Conclusions and relevance The findings of this study suggest that concern, worry, and stress related to school violence or shootings may be risk factors for internalizing problems among adolescents, with variation in the strength of the association by race/ethnicity.
Prenatal Diagnosis and Public Policy

Public policy analysis cannot set social values or make the hard choices that spring from them. It can, however, lay out alternatives in a systematic way and can establish a framework for decision through the subsequent ascription of values. Fashioning such a structure for policy determination in prenatal diagnosis is our initial concern. We derive a format recognizing the technical parameters of diagnostic tests and allowing for the appropriate insertion of values by citizens, physicians, and governmental decision makers. Prevailing societal priorities and the trends in them indicate that the consensus will in the contemporary United States is to support and to expand programs of voluntary amniocentesis. We discuss briefly how this might be done.
HIV nuclear import: What's the flap?

Elucidation of the mechanisms behind nuclear translocation of viral nucleic acids will lead to improvements in the design of anti-retroviral drugs and gene therapy vectors that are able to transduce non-dividing cells. A recent study has identified a triple stranded HIV cDNA intermediate of reverse transcription, or a ‘central DNA flap,’ as a component of HIV nuclear import.
Human Trafficking: Protecting Human Rights in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act

Trafficking in persons is the most widespread manifestation of modern-day slavery, with an estimated four million people trafficked worldwide every year. Modern technology and globalization enable networks of criminals to operate internationally and prey upon those who are impoYerished and mlnerable. Craig McGill's book describes the various ways in which countries seek to combat illegal immigration and trafficking by strengthening law enforcement, and suggests that these "solutions~ do not address the source of the problem. This Book Review argues that anti-trafficking strategies must view trafficking not only from a law enforcement perspective directed to the perpetrators, but also from a human rights perspective by adequately protecting and assisting victims of human trafficking. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act recognizes the need to protect the victims' human rights, but fails to offer the comprehensive protection policy necessary to be effective.
Effect of Sequestering Intrinsic Iron on the Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Signals in Powdered Soy Proteins

This investigation examined iron in powdered soy protein products using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and the effect that selectively binding free iron in isolated soy protein (ISP) had on the occurrence of metastable radicals in powdered soy proteins. EPR analyses of soybean defatted flour, commercial ISP and laboratory ISP samples revealed a peak at g = 4.3 characteristic of high-spin ferric iron in a rhombic-coordinated environment. Commercial ISP samples examined contained higher levels of the rhombic ferric iron than laboratory-prepared ISP samples. During the first 6 wk of storage the primary singlet EPR signal at g = 2.0049 in the commercial ISP samples approximately doubled, and the laboratory prepared samples increased by about 9-fold. The EPR signal was initially about 4-times higher in the freshly prepared commercial samples compared to the corresponding laboratory ISP. Laboratory ISP samples prepared with added deferoxamine to sequester endogenous iron exhibited a large increase in the high-spin ferric iron EPR signal at g = 4.3. ISP treated with deferoxamine also exhibited a multiple-line EPR signal at about g = 2.007, instead of the typical singlet signal at g = 2.0049. The power at which the signal amplitude was half-saturated also changed from about 1 mW in the control ISP to about 20 mW in the deferoxamine treated ISP. The multiple-line EPR spectrum from the ISP treated with deferoxamine increased during storage over a 6-wk period by about 6-fold. The observed changes in EPR line-shape, g-value, and power saturation with the deferoxamine treatment indicate that the primary free-radical signal in powdered ISP samples may be from stabilized tyrosine radicals with spin densities distributed over the aromatic ring. Practical Application Levels of metastable radicals in powdered soy protein products typically range from 10 to 100 times greater than the free radicals in other food protein sources. Release of metastable radicals when the powdered protein is hydrated can catalyze degradative reaction in the protein and surrounding molecules. This research examines various compositional and treatment parameters that might be used to minimize the content of free radicals in foods containing soy proteins.
Resource-Bounded information extraction: acquiring missing feature values on demand

We present a general framework for the task of extracting specific information “on demand” from a large corpus such as the Web under resource-constraints. Given a database with missing or uncertain information, the proposed system automatically formulates queries, issues them to a search interface, selects a subset of the documents, extracts the required information from them, and fills the missing values in the original database. We also exploit inherent dependency within the data to obtain useful information with fewer computational resources. We build such a system in the citation database domain that extracts the missing publication years using limited resources from the Web. We discuss a probabilistic approach for this task and present first results. The main contribution of this paper is to propose a general, comprehensive architecture for designing a system adaptable to different domains.
The Information Environment and Cost of Capital

In empirical tests guided by recent theory (e.g., Hughes, Liu and Liu 2007; and Lambert, Leuz and Verrecchia 2011), we examine the joint effects of information precision, information asymmetry and the level of market competition on firms’ cost of equity capital. Consistent with theory, we find that average information precision and the level of market competition reduce the positive effect of information asymmetry but do not eliminate it. Besides examining various aspects of the environment jointly, our study is also unique in that we follow the suggestions of Sheng and Thevenot (2012) for modifying the Barron, Kim, Lim and Stevens (1998) measures of information asymmetry and precision. We find that cost of equity capital varies greatly with the modified measures of information asymmetry and average information precision. For example, our regression estimates suggest that information asymmetry and average information precision are more important than equity beta and firm size in determining firms’ cost of capital, and that such a substantial effect from information asymmetry and information precision is not apparent using unmodified BKLS measures.
Identifying Prospective Sites for Industrial Solar Power Facilities in Eastern Central Florida Using Geospatial Analysis

With a population of over 18 million people, Florida ranks third nationally in total energy consumption. Florida currently generates 1100 megawatts of alternative electric power from various sources including biomass, hydroelectric sources, landfill gas, and municipal solid waste (DEP, 2006). These alternative sources account for less than two percent of Florida's generation capacity. This heavy reliance on imported traditional, finite energy sources such as coal, natural gas, and oil leads to pollution and a lack of energy independence in the state. Cleaner, renewable sources of energy, such as solar power, would allow Florida to gain energy independence and reduce pollution.
Evaluating the input and source of faecal contamination in the cattle farming and forested regions of the Oconee watershed

Sites along Sugar Creek and the Apalachee River were monitored to compare the water quality in cattle farming regions with the forested regions of the Oconee watershed. Dissolved oxygen (6.68 mg/L) and turbidity [23.91 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU)] in Sugar Creek and the Apalachee River were similar. Overall, cattle farming sites along Sugar Creek had higher levels of NO3− and PO4−3 during the summer months. In contrast, the forested sites on the Apalachee River had elevated concentrations of inorganic nutrients only during spring rain events. The concentration of faecal bacteria was greater in the cattle farming areas compared with the level of faecal bacteria in the forested areas, and microbial source tracking with the bovine-associated Bacteroides (BoBac) DNA marker indicated that cattle were the major source of faecal bacteria in Sugar Creek.
MOPEDS: Motorized Objects Propelling Ethanol Drinking Subjects.

Mopeds are not subject to the same laws and jurisdiction as cars or motorcycles, including the requirement of a driver's license. We undertook this study to examine the influence of alcohol (ETOH) on moped crashes. We retrospectively reviewed adult moped injuries compared with motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) and motorcycle crashes (MCCs) from 1995 through 2006. Demographics, severity of injury, mortality, and serum ETOH levels were recorded. Data were analyzed using the Student t test for continuous data and the χ(2) test for proportional data. Motor vehicle crashes accounted for 7186 admissions. MCC and moped crashes numbered 973 and 113, respectively. Although not statistically significant (P = 0.064), moped crashes yielded the highest mortality (9.7%) compared with MCCs (8.5%) and MVCs (6.7%). An increased association of blood ETOH levels with moped crashes, however, was statistically significant (P = 0.004). Serum ETOH levels above 0.05 g/dL were observed in 1681 MVCs (23.4%), 241 MCCs (24.8%), and 44 moped crashes (39%). In this study, we discovered that moped crashes demonstrate a significantly higher ETOH involvement than either MVCs or MCCs representing a previously unrecognized public safety risk. Language: en
Porphyrins within Interstellar Grains

It is postulated that two main chromophores, the tetrabenzoporphyrins MgTBP and H2TBP are situated within interstellar paraffin grain matrices, plus a small amount of pyridine. This hypothesis is supported by an impressive array of lab spectroscopic data, including a total, so far, of 160 lab and DIB coincidences to +/- 1A. The lab data requires no additional matrix shifts or any other theoretical manipulations for fitting the DIB data. In addition, data by Platenkamp and Canters (1981) of MgTBP in a single crystal of n-octane establishes an additional 27 lab and DIB coincidences (to +/- 1A) for the special case of HD29647 and HD21389 respectively. This increases the number of matching lab/DIB data to a total of 187. The outstanding properties of these tetrabenzoporphyrins are (a) thermodynamic stability: more stable than virtually all other microwave interstellar mini-molecules; (b) overall strong absorption features: f values of order unity. Furthermore, they are well shielded within the crystal grains.
Low-power digital filtering via soft DSP

We propose a low-power filtering algorithm developed via the soft DSP framework. Soft DSP refers to scaling the supply voltage of a DSP implementation beyond the voltage required to match its critical path delay to the throughput. This deliberate introduction of input-dependent errors leads to degradation in the algorithmic performance, which is then compensated for via algorithmic error-control schemes. The proposed error-control schemes, based on forward/backward linear prediction, provides improved performance over the ones proposed in the past by exploiting correlation in both leading and trailing samples with a latency penalty. It is shown that (a) the proposed scheme provides 60-80% reduction in energy dissipation over that achieved via conventional voltage scaling and (b) for the same algorithmic performance, the overhead involved in the proposed algorithm is more than 50% smaller than existing schemes for medium bandwidth filters.
Sex-dependent consequences of pre-pubertal gonadectomy: Social behavior, stress and ethanol responsivity

Alcohol consumption can be enhanced or moderated by sensitivity to its aversive and appetitive properties, including positive social outcomes. These differences emerge post-pubertally, suggesting a potential role of gonadal hormones. To determine the role of gonadal hormones in sensitivity to the social impairing and social context-related attenuations in the aversive effects of ethanol, prepubertal male and female rats were gonadectomized (GX) or sham (SH) operated on postnatal day (P) 25, or left non-manipulated (NM). In adulthood (P70), rats were restrained for 90 min prior to challenge with 0.0 or 1.0 g/kg ethanol and social interaction (SI) testing. At P77, groups of 4 same-sex littermates from the same surgical condition were given access to a supersaccharin (SS) solution (3% sucrose, 0.125% saccharin), followed by an intraperitoneal injection of ethanol (0.0, 0.50, 1.0, 1.5 g/kg). Intakes of SS were examined 24h later for expression of conditioned taste aversions. Acute stress prior to SI testing increased frequency of play fighting in both sexes, whereas there were no GX effects on this measure, social investigation nor contact. GX, however, decreased baseline social preference (a social anxiety-like effect) in males, while inducing anxiolytic-like increases in baseline social preference in females. The social drinking test revealed that females developed ethanol conditioned taste aversions at a lower dose relative to males, regardless of surgical condition. These findings suggest a potential role for gonadal hormones in moderating social-anxiety like behaviors but not sensitivity to the social impairing effects of ethanol or ethanol's aversive consequences in a social context.
Vitamin D, Calcium, and Atherosclerotic Risk: Evidence from Serum Levels and Supplementation Studies

Vitamin D and calcium have traditionally been viewed in relation to bone health. However, recent research has suggested relations between these nutrients and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Specifically, evidence from both observational studies and clinical trials suggests that vitamin D may be related to lower risk of CVD. The picture for calcium is more complex. Dietary intake of calcium may be associated with lower CVD risk, while calcium supplementation may elevate CVD risk. In this review, we summarize evidence of these relations, and comment on the recent Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations regarding use of vitamin D and calcium supplements.
Atomistic simulation based prediction of the solvent effect on the molecular mobility and glass transition of poly (methyl methacrylate)

We present an investigation of the retained solvent effect on the glass transition temperature (Tg) of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) through all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. Addition of a weakly interactive solvent, tetrahydrofuran (THF), causes a depression of the PMMA Tg that can be identified through an analysis of the mean squared displacement of the polymer chains from atomistic trajectories. Our results are in very good agreement with an atomistically informed theoretical model based on free volume theory and demonstrate the applicability of molecular simulation to discern solvent effects on polymer thermomechanical behavior in silico.
Kinetic study of heterogeneous reaction of deliquesced NaCl particles with gaseous HNO3 using particle-on-substrate stagnation flow reactor approach.

Heterogeneous reaction kinetics of gaseous nitric acid with deliquesced sodium chloride particles NaCl(aq) + HNO3(g) → NaNO3(aq) + HCl(g) were investigated with a novel particle-on-substrate stagnation flow reactor (PS-SFR) approach under conditions, including particle size, relative humidity, and reaction time, directly relevant to the atmospheric chemistry of sea salt particles. Particles deposited onto an electron microscopy grid substrate were exposed to the reacting gas at atmospheric pressure and room temperature by impingement via a stagnation flow inside the reactor. The reactor design and choice of flow parameters were guided by computational fluid dynamics to ensure uniformity of the diffusion flux to all particles undergoing reaction. The reaction kinetics was followed by observing chloride depletion in the particles by computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (CCSEM/EDX). The validity of the current approach was examined first by conducting experim...
Stocking's Historiography of Influence The `Story of Boas', Gamio and Redfield at the Cross-`Road to Light'

This article is a critical assessment of George Stocking's historiography of influence and his genealogy of Boasian anthropology. Specifically, Stocking argues that Gamio and Redfield and the research projects and forms of anthropology associated with them were influenced by Boas and/or manifested and participated in, what his analyses constitute as, the Boasian school, tradition or paradigm. This contribution to the historiography of the field of anthropology has two objectives. First, the article provides a critique of the attribution of influence, in general, and of Boasian influence in relation to the anthropologies of Gamio and Redfield. Second, the article assesses Stocking's argument for the conceptual unity of the Boasian `tradition' and `paradigm', and suggests an alternative concept, that of disciplinary modality. The article concludes with a discussion of Lomnitz's assessment of the mutual interdependency yet studied blindness between the Mexican and Anglo traditions of North American anthropology.
On two-dimensional fractional Brownian motion and fractional Brownian random field

As a generalization of one-dimensional fractional Brownian motion (1dfBm), we introduce a class of two-dimensional, self-similar, strongly correlated random walks whose variance scales with power law . We report analytical results on the statistical size and shape, and segment distribution of its trajectory in the limit of large N. The relevance of these results to polymer theory is discussed. We also study the basic properties of a second generalization of 1dfBm, the two-dimensional fractional Brownian random field (2dfBrf). It is shown that the product of two 1dfBms is the only 2dfBrf which satisfies the self-similarity defined by Sinai.
Adolescent coitus and infant birthweight.

Seventy-nine percent of a group of adolescent mothers reported coitus during pregnancy. There was a significant difference between the mean birthweight and gestational age of infants born to mothers who reported coitus within 90 days of delivery compared to the mean birthweight and gestational age of infants of mothers who reported no coitus within 90 days of delivery. Thirty-nine percent of the variance in birthweight was explained by maternal factors alone, but only 1.0% of the variance in birthweight was accounted for by the interval between last coitus and delivery. Prepregnancy weight ( r =0.380) and weight gain during pregnancy ( r =0.327) contributed 19.1% and 7.4% of the variance in birthweight, respectively.