cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genomic and metabolic profiling of nonulosonic acids in Vibrionaceae reveal biochemical phenotypes of allelic divergence in Vibrio vulnificus

Nonulosonic acids (NulOs) encompass a large group of structurally diverse nine-carbon backbone α-keto sugars widely distributed among the three domains of life. Mammals express a specialized version of NulOs called sialic acids, which are displayed in prominent terminal positions of cell surface and secreted glycoconjugates. Within bacteria, the ability to synthesize NulOs has been demonstrated in a number of human pathogens and is phylogenetically widespread. Here we examine the distribution, diversity, evolution, and function of NulO biosynthesis pathways in members of the family Vibrionaceae. Among 27 species of Vibrionaceae examined at the genomic level, 12 species contained nab gene clusters. We document examples of duplication, divergence, horizontal transfer, and recombination of nab gene clusters in different Vibrionaceae lineages. Biochemical analyses, including mass spectrometry, confirmed that many species do, in fact, produce di-N-acetylated NulOs. A library of clinical and environmental isolates of Vibrio vulnificus served as a model for further investigation of nab allele genotypes and levels of NulO expression. The data show that lineage I isolates produce about 20-fold higher levels of NulOs than lineage II isolates. Moreover, nab gene alleles found in a subset of V. vulnificus clinical isolates express 40-fold higher levels of NulOs than nab alleles associated with environmental isolates. Taken together, the data implicate the family Vibrionaceae as a "hot spot" of NulO evolution and suggest that these molecules may have diverse roles in environmental persistence and/or animal virulence.
Subinvolution of the Placental Site

Subinvolution of the placental site is characterized by the abnormal persistence of low-resistance widely dilated uteroplacental arteries in the absence of substantial amounts of retained products of conception. It is an important cause of secondary postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) that can result in considerable morbidity and mortality. Sonographically, subinvolution of the placental site manifests as increased vascularity within the myometrium in the location of the prior placental implantation site with increased low-resistance flow. Methods for treating patients with subinvolution of the placental site include conservative medical therapy, hysterectomy, and fertility-sparing percutaneous embolotherapy.
Correct and Robust Programs

The design of programs which are both correct and robust is investigated. It is argued that the notion of an exception is a valuable tool for structuring the specification, design, verification, and modification of such programs. The syntax and semantics of a language with procedures and exception handling are presented. A deductive system is proposed for proving total correctness and robustness properties of programs written in this language. The system is both sound and complete. It supports proof modularization, in that it allows one to reason separately about fault-free and fault-tolerant system properties. Since the programming languages considered closely resembles CLU or Ada, the presented deductive system is easily adaptable for verifying total correctness and robustness properties of programs written in these, or similar, languages.
Social housing and pregnancy outcome in captive pigtailed macaques.

We present a retrospective analysis of 30 years of breeding records from a colony of pigtailed macaques at the University of Washington’s Regional Primate Research Center, specifically examining the effects on pregnancy outcome of sire presence, presence of other pregnant females, group stability, overall group size, and dam age and parity. Data on 2,040 pregnancies (1,890 live births) of socially housed pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) were obtained from the Washington Regional Primate Research Center’s animal colony records from 1967 to 1996. Our results suggest that the presence of the sire and other pregnant females, fewer moves, and lower parity increases the probability of a viable birth. In viable and nonviable births, gestation length was positively related to contact with the sire and other pregnant females, number of moves, and dam age. Once the effect of gestational age was taken into account, birthweight increased with increasing parity and decreased with dam age. Clinical treatment of the dam decreased as sire presence and group size increased and number of moves decreased. The length of treatment was dependent on the number of moves experienced by the dam, with more moves associated with longer treatments. Sire presence was the single most important factor in nearly all measures of reproductive outcome. Am. J. Primatol. 47:153‐163, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
In search of French planning: Ideas and history at work

La France restauree, 1944–1954. By Francois Bloch‐Laine and Jean Bouvier with prologue by Jean‐Pierre Rioux. Paris: Fayard, 1986. Pp.338 with appendices and index. De Monnet a Masse: Enjeux politiques et objectifs economiques dans le cadre des quatre premiers Plans (1946–1965). Edited by Henry Rousso. Paris: Editions du CNRS, 1986. Pp.245 Index. Les comptes de la puissance: Histoire de la compatibilite nationale et du plan. By Francois Fourquet. Paris: Editions Recherches, 1980. Pp. 462, notes, index and bibliographies. Le Prince et la conjoncture. By Alain Siaens. Paris: Duculot Perspectives, 1985. Pp. 189 with appendices.
Subsidiaries and knowledge creation: the influence of the MNC and host country on innovation

This paper studies the influence of external knowledge on innovation in subsidiaries of multinational firms. The focus on subsidiaries is especially interesting since they are simultaneously embedded in two knowledge contexts: (a) the internal multinational corporation (MNC) comprised of the headquarters and other subsidiaries; and (b) an external environment of regional or host country firms. We develop hypotheses to suggest that the extent of influences of these contexts on subsidiary technological innovation depends on the characteristics of the knowledge network (technological richness and diversity) and the knowledge linkages of the subsidiary with other entities. The study uses patent citation data pertaining to innovations by foreign subsidiaries of U.S. semiconductor firms to test these hypotheses. The paper finds that (a) the technological richness of the MNC, (b) the subsidiary's knowledge linkages to host country firms, and (c) the technological diversity within the host country have a positive impact on innovation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stem Cells as Hormone Targets That Lead to Increased Cancer Susceptibility

Major advances during the past decade have permitted a clearer understanding of processes that regulate stem cell self-renewal and lineage commitment toward differentiated progeny that populate all tissues. Considerable evidence has also accumulated to indicate that aberrations in the stem and progenitor cell populations can lead to increased cancer risk in specific organs systems. It is long recognized that environmental factors play a major role in cancer etiology, and emerging data suggest that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may contribute to an increased cancer risk. Using the prostate gland as a model system, the present review highlights recent data that find that estrogens and EDCs can reprogram prostate stem and progenitor cell populations, leading to increased cancer susceptibility. We propose that stem cell programming during early development in hormone-regulated tissues may lead to heightened sensitivity to early-life EDC exposures and that aberrant stem cell reprogramming by EDCs may contribute to the developmental basis of adult cancer risk.
Improving feasible interactions among multiple processes

Hierarchical testing requires the verification of individual processes followed by the verification of the interactions among processes. The large number of potential interactions between processes must be managed in order to make the testing process tractable. Fortunately, many potential interactions are actually infeasible and should be ignored during the verification process. Data dependency between processes indicates the potential for a feasible interaction but absolute feasibility can only be determined by evaluating control-flow paths across interacting processes. We propose a method to identify feasible interactions for testing through static analysis combined with the use of a constraint satisfaction programming (CSP) solving engine.
Development of an Instrument to Measure Consumer Satisfaction in Vocational Rehabilitation

Although state agencies are required by law to assess their consumers' satisfaction with vocational rehabilitation (VR), each state uses its own instrument to measure satisfaction. This not only ma...
Streaming video with transformation-based error concealment and reconstruction

Real-time video streaming over the Internet requires robust delivery mechanisms with low overhead. Traditional error control schemes are not attractive because they either add redundant information that may worsen network traffic, or rely solely on the inadequate capability of the decoder to do error concealment. As sophisticated concealment techniques cannot be employed in a real-time software playback scheme, we propose a simple yet efficient transformation-based error concealment algorithm. The algorithm applies a linear transformation to the original video signals, with the objective of minimizing the mean squared error if missing information were restored by simple averaging at the destination. We also describe two strategies to cope with error propagations in temporal differentially coded frames. Experimental results show that our proposed transformation-based reconstruction algorithm performs well in real Internet tests.
Rheumatoid arthritis pathophysiology: update on emerging cytokine and cytokine-associated cell targets

Biologic therapies that target pathogenic cytokines such as TNF, IL-1β or IL-6 have greatly improved the treatment of RA. Unfortunately, not all RA patients respond to current biologic therapies and responses are not always maintained, suggesting that there are alternative drivers of RA pathogenesis that might serve as promising therapeutic targets. Discovery of the new Th17 subset of Th cells, and their role in autoimmune disease development, has implicated the proinflammatory IL-12 and IL-17 families of cytokines in RA disease pathogenesis. Members of these cytokine families are elevated in the blood and joints of RA patients and have been shown to remain elevated in patients who do not respond to current biologics. In addition, these cytokines have been shown to play roles in joint destruction and erosion. A new subclass of biologics that target the IL-12 and/or IL-17 signalling pathways are under development. Here we review evidence for a role of Th17 cells as well as IL-12 and IL-17 cytokines in RA pathogenesis as the rationale for a subsequent discussion of the ongoing and completed clinical trials of newly emerging biologic therapies directed at IL-12 or IL-17 pathway inhibition.
Automated test case generation for spreadsheets

Spreadsheet languages, which include commercial spreadsheets and various research systems, have had a substantial impact on end-user computing. Research shows, however, that spreadsheets often contain faults. Thus, in previous work, we presented a methodology that assists spreadsheet users in testing their spreadsheet formulas. Our empirical studies have shown that this methodology can help end-users test spreadsheets more adequately and efficiently; however, the process of generating test cases can still represent a significant impediment. To address this problem, we have been investigating how to automate test case generation for spreadsheets in ways that support incremental testing and provide immediate visual feedback. We have utilized two techniques for generating test cases, one involving random selection and one involving a goal-oriented approach. We describe these techniques, and report results of an experiment examining their relative costs and benefits.
Cellular elements of the subarachnoid space promote ALL survival during chemotherapy

CNS infiltration by leukemic cells remains a problematic disease manifestation of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Prophylactic regimens for CNS leukemia including intrathecal chemotherapeutics have decreased CNS involvement in ALL, but are not without toxicities. Using co-culture models, we show that astrocytes, choroid plexus epithelial cells, and meningeal cells protect ALL cells from chemotherapy-induced cell death using drugs included in prophylactic regimens—cytarabine, dexamethasone, and methotrexate. Understanding how ALL cells survive in the CNS remains invaluable for designing strategies to prevent CNS leukemia and minimizing the need for treatment in this sensitive anatomical site where treatment-induced toxicity is of significant concern.
Emergency preparedness law and willingness to respond in the EMS workforce.

Introduction For effective responses to emergencies, individuals must have the ability to respond and also be willing to participate in the response. A growing body of research points to gaps in response willingness among several occupational cohorts with response duties, including the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workforce. Willingness to respond is particularly important during an influenza or other pandemic, due to increased demands on EMS workers and the potential for workforces to be depleted if responders contract influenza or stay home to care for sick dependents. State emergency preparedness laws are one possible avenue to improve willingness to respond. Hypothesis Presence of certain state-level emergency preparedness laws (ie, ability to declare a public health emergency; requirement to create a public health emergency plan; priority access to health resources for responders) is associated with willingness to respond among EMS workers. Methods Four hundred twenty-one EMS workers from the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians’ (NREMT's) mid-year Longitudinal EMT Attributes and Demographics Study (LEADS) were studied. The survey, which included questions about willingness to respond during an influenza pandemic, was fielded from May through June 2009. Survey data were merged with data about the presence or absence of the three emergency preparedness laws of interest in each of the 50 US states. Unadjusted logistic regression analyses were performed with the presence/absence of each law and were adjusted for respondents’ demographic/locale characteristics. Results Compared to EMS workers in states that did not allow the government to declare a public health emergency, those in states that permitted such declarations were more likely to report that they were willing to respond during an influenza pandemic. In adjusted and unadjusted analyses, this difference was not statistically significant. Similar results were found for the other state-level emergency preparedness laws of interest. Conclusion While state-level emergency preparedness laws are not associated with willingness to respond, recent research suggests that inconsistencies between the perceived and objective legal environments for EMS workers could be an alternative explanation for this study's findings. Educational efforts within the EMS workforce and more prominent state-level implementation of emergency preparedness laws should be considered as a means to raise awareness of these laws. These types of actions are important steps toward determining whether state-level emergency preparedness laws have the potential to promote response willingness among EMS workers. Rutkow L , Vernick JS , Thompson CB , Pirrallo RG , Barnett DJ . Emergency Preparedness Law and Willingness to Respond in the EMS Workforce. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(4):1-6 .
Amount and timing of permafrost carbon release in response to climate warming

The thaw and release of carbon currently frozen in permafrost will increase atmospheric CO 2 concentrations and amplify surface warming to initiate a positive permafrost carbon feedback (PCF) on climate. We use surface weather from three global climate models based on the moderate warming, A1B Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emissions scenario and the SiBCASA land surface model to estimate the strength and timing of the PCF and associated uncertainty. By 2200, we predict a 29–59% decrease in permafrost area and a 53–97 cm increase in active layer thickness. By 2200, the PCF strength in terms of cumulative permafrost carbon flux to the atmosphere is 190 ± 64 Gt C. This estimate may be low because it does not account for amplified surface warming due to the PCF itself and excludes some discontinuous permafrost regions where SiBCASA did not simulate permafrost. We predict that the PCF will change the arctic from a carbon sink to a source after the mid-2020s and is strong enough to cancel 42–88% of the total global land sink. The thaw and decay of permafrost carbon is irreversible and accounting for the PCF will require larger reductions in fossil fuel emissions to reach a target atmospheric CO 2 concentration. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.2011.00527.x
The “Newton Challenge”: Kinetic aspects of forced magnetic reconnection

[1] Conventional magnetic reconnection flows are envisioned to be driven from outside the current sheet, typically owing to large-scale MHD stresses. In the present work a two-dimensional electromagnetic particle-in-cell code is used to study a standard reconnection problem (the “Newton Challenge”) involving the transition from a moderately thick current sheet to a thinner sheet induced by a temporally limited, spatially varying, inflow of magnetic flux. The external forcing produces a small electron temperature anisotropy T⊥/T∥ ≲ 1.1 and an embedded electron current layer on a scale below that of the ion inertia length. The reconnection involves a two-stage process with an initial fast (cEy/vAB0 ∼ 0.1) phase followed by a second slow stage in which the O line structure of the magnetic island is established. For weak values of the flux inflow, these two processes occur on a common slow timescale. With an open geometry along the magnetic field line direction, the reconnection rate is increased and no island structure is formed; the plasma is simply expelled from the system. In the presence of an initial finite normal magnetic field component, the fast reconnection occurs only after the normal field is driven locally through zero and the electron stabilization effect is removed.
Using Interaction Analysis to Reveal Self-Regulated Learning in Virtual Communities

Aim of this paper is to analyse whether Interaction Analysis can help investigate the practice and development of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) in Virtual Learning Communities (VLC). Interaction analysis is increasingly used to study learning dynamics within online activities. It proceeds by searching expressions that reveal the aspects under study in the written messages exchanged by the learners. To this end, we devised and classified a number of indicators suggesting the existence of self-regulated events, and tested this approach on the online component of a blended course for trainee teachers. We analysed the messages exchanged by a group of learners in two modules of the course and compared the results with those of a previous study carried out with more traditional methods. The similarity of the results obtained by the two approaches suggests that Interaction Analysis is an effective, though rather labour-intensive, way to study SRL in VLCs.
CREB mediates the insulinotropic and anti-apoptotic effects of GLP-1 signaling in adult mouse β-cells

Abstract Objective Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) plays a major role in pancreatic β-cell function and survival by increasing cytoplasmic cAMP levels, which are thought to affect transcription through activation of the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor CREB. Here, we test CREB function in the adult β-cell through inducible gene deletion. Methods We employed cell type-specific and inducible gene ablation to determine CREB function in pancreatic β-cells in mice. Results By ablating CREB acutely in mature β-cells in tamoxifen-treated Creb loxP/loxP ;Pdx1-CreERT2 mice, we show that CREB has little impact on β-cell turnover, in contrast to what had been postulated previously. Rather, CREB is required for GLP-1 to elicit its full effects on stimulating glucose-induced insulin secretion and protection from cytokine-induced apoptosis. Mechanistically, we find that CREB regulates expression of the pro-apoptotic gene p21 ( Cdkn1a ) in β-cells, thus demonstrating that CREB is essential to mediating this critical aspect of GLP-1 receptor signaling. Conclusions In sum, our studies using conditional gene deletion put into question current notions about the importance of CREB in regulating β-cell function and mass. However, we reveal an important role for CREB in the β-cell response to GLP-1 receptor signaling, further validating CREB as a therapeutic target for diabetes.
Statins as potential therapeutic agents for healing disorders

Statins, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are common cholesterol-lowering drugs. Recent studies suggest that statins may have potential as novel treatments for diverse conditions, ranging from sepsis and inflammatory diseases to chronic wounds and bone fractures. The diverse pleiotropic actions of statins are probably related to reduced isoprenylation of downstream targets of the mevalonate pathway and their binding to several nuclear hormone receptors. Statins exert their anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the release of C-reactive peptide, chemokines, cytokines and adhesion molecules, which may make them a powerful addition to the dermatologic anti-inflammatory medication arsenal. Along with reducing inflammation, statins have the potential to heal chronic wounds by decreasing farnesyl pyrophosphate, facilitating vascular relaxation, promoting neovascularization and reducing bacterial load. A review of the literature elucidates that route of administration, dose and type of statin appear to impact the ...
The continuing role of material factors in child maltreatment and placement

This article constitutes a 20-year update to a previous publication (Pelton, 1994), which showed that there is overwhelming evidence that poverty and low income are strongly related to child abuse and neglect. Subsequent evidence shows that the relationship continues to be strong. In addition, there is further evidence since the 1994 publication that this relation is not substantially due to class bias. Yet it is suggested that class bias does exist within the system. There is also further evidence that decreases in child maltreatment follow increases in material supports, and that job loss bears a complex relationship to child maltreatment. Findings pertaining to racial bias within the child welfare system continue to be mixed, but leave no doubt that racial disproportionalities within the system are overwhelmingly related to racial disproportionalities in the poverty population. There is continuing evidence that children placed in foster care are predominantly from impoverished families, and that changes in the level of material supports are related to risk of placement. It is suggested that the fact that there are nearly one million children in out-of-home placement (foster care and child-welfare involved adoption, combined) is indicative of the continuing dysfunction of the child welfare system, and that the differential response paradigm has not altered this dysfunction. A proposal for a fundamental restructuring of the child welfare system is recommended and restated here. Prospects for such change are briefly discussed. Also, to reduce poverty, a previously proposed universal social dividend and taxation system is briefly discussed and recommended.
Prediction of effluent biochemical oxygen demand in a dairy plant SBR wastewater system

The effluent from a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) that was used to treat waste water from a fluid milk processing plant was utilized in this study. After analyzing the waste water for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solids (TS), total suspended solids (TSS) and pH, a prediction equation for BOD was calculated. This prediction equation can be used for BOD at the 95% confidence interval in this particular waste water.
Internal Auditor Objectivity: In-house versus Outsource

The internal audit (IA) function is evolving from its traditional oversight function to one that includes a broader advice and consultation role. On one hand, internal auditors are becoming more involved in a wider spectrum of activities to add value to their organizations. On the other hand, economic pressures have forced many companies to consider outsourcing as an alternative. While the internal audit function is changing, accounting firms are expanding the the types of services they offer to clients. With this expansion, however, comes a concern regarding the potentail lack of objectivity for both internal and external auditors. This exploratory study examines whether outsourcing of the internal audit function is susceptible to client advocacy vis-a-vis in-house auditing, which itself may be sensitive to an employer advocacy. Advocacy implies that an auditor will be partial to its client's interest, especially if these interests are specifically known. The study further examines whether advocacy is mitigated by the experience of internal auditors, and whether their judgments are influenced more by ethical or by economical concerns. For this research, sixty-six practicing members of the Institute of Internal Auditing completed a case study involving a corporate acqusition scenario. Of the 66 participants, 35 were from corporations (in-house), while the remaining 31 were from the Big 5 accounting firms (outsource). Advocacy was manipulated by asking participants to assume the role of internal auditor for either the buyer or the seller of a target division. Results indicate that significant advocacy existed in the judgments of both in-house and outsource auditors. However, the extent of advocacy was less severe in the case of outsource auditors. This is understandable since outsource auditors considered the threat of malpractice litigation to be the most important factor in making IA judgments, while the in-house auditors considered the employer's best interest to be most important. The participants' experience and ethical/economical inclination were not significant factors. Also, regardless of whether participants themselves made ethical or economical choices, they seemed to believe that most people, in general, are motivated by economic rather than ethical considerations.
Physicochemical Approach to Water and Wastewater Filtration

A conceptual model has been developed for the depth filtration of water and wastewater using granular beds considering the effect of gravity, interception, hydrodynamic forces, London attraction and Brownian diffusion for systems with negligible double layer forces. The ultimate capture of particles in a packed bed is determined not only by the transport mechanisms but also by the short-range surface forces which play a dominant role in their attachment to the media grains. The experimental data obtained for the filtration of secondary effluents using a polymer-coated sand bed were in good agreement with the predictive model for systems where the effluents were preconditioned using polymeric aids to reduce the double layer forces to a minimum.
Non‐technical skills and health care provision in low‐ and middle‐income countries: a systematic review

Context Health care workers must possess high levels of medical knowledge, technical skills and also non-technical skills (NTS) in order to provide safe, effective and patient-centred care. Although there has been a recent proliferation of NTS assessment and training tools developed in high-income countries, little is known about NTS in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which face a variety of provider-level and system-level challenges. The aim of this study was to identify the NTS used by providers in LMICs that have been studied, describe how they are assessed and taught, and explain the contextual factors in LMICs that affect their use. Methods We conducted a systematic literature review in accordance with preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines for primary research publications from January 1994 to December 2013 on evaluation or teaching of NTS used by health care workers in LMICs using MEDLINE, Embase, CIHHAL and Web of Science. Bibliographies of relevant manuscripts were also hand-searched to identify all potentially eligible manuscripts. Results We identified 21 manuscripts from 17 LMICs involving eight types of health care providers and trainees. These studies covered five NTS categories: decision making, communication, teamwork, leadership and stress management. The most commonly used methods were questionnaires, interviews and observations, and 43% (n = 9) scored > 10 points using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument. Although many studies highlighted the ways in which overburdened health care systems, lack of provider empowerment and deficiencies in provider training had an impact on providers’ use of these NTS, no context-specific assessment or educational tools were identified. Conclusion There is growing worldwide interest in understanding and teaching critical non-technical skills to health care providers. This review highlights several studies describing a variety of important non-technical skills. However, these skills must be further characterised in order to develop context-specific tools for assessing and teaching NTS that are sensitive to the local challenges that are common across a variety of LMIC contexts.
Infrared Photoconductivity and Photoluminescence from InAs/Ga1−xInxSb Strained-Layer Superlattices

We have examined spectrally resolved photoconductivity and photoluminescence from InAs/Ga1−xInxSb strained-layer superlattices, which have been proposed as infrared detectors in the 8–14μm region. Our measurements indicate that the energy gaps of the strained-layer superlattices are substantially smaller than those of InAs/GaSb superlattices with similar layer thicknesses, in agreement with previous theoretical predictions. Measurements on InAs/Ga1−xInxSb superlattices with x=0 and 0.25 and layer thicknesses of 25–45 A indicate superlattice band gaps of 3–15 μm, in excellent agreement with gaps calculated by a two band k · p model. Our results demonstrate that far-infrared energy gaps are compatible with the thin layers necessary for strong optical absorption in type-IT superlattices, and suggest that InAs/Ga1−xInxSb superlattices are promising candidates for far-infrared detection.
We are family: Family History of Diabetes among African Americans and its Association to Perceived Severity, Knowledge of Risk Factors, and Physical Activity Levels

This cross-sectional study sought to describe an association between family history of type-2 diabetes and the awareness of risk factors, perceived threat and physical activity levels in African Americans. With a prevalence of 11.8%, African Americans remain disproportionately affected by the epidemic of diabetes. A risk factor that cannot be modified, but is important and closely linked with diabetes expression, family history, can be a considerable tool in promoting behavior change and reducing the risk of developing the condition in African Americans. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 133 church going African Americans, with 55 of them with a positive family history of type-2 diabetes (41.4%) and 78 (58.6%) without. None of the participants had been previously been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. The results from the study indicated that African Americans with positive family history had a greater knowledge of risk factors, were more likely to indicate that their concern about the disease influences their eating habits and physical activity, and engaged in significantly more physical activity than those with no family history.
‘Men of iron will’: Idealized gender in Christian heavy metal:

The borders between sacred and secular music are often believed to be fixed and impenetrable. However, when a secular musical genre is reworked for consumption by religious audiences, a space is created where the sacred meets the secular, and this can be used to examine the variety of ways in which cultural norms, values, and ideologies fluctuate and converge between the religious and temporal spheres. In this article, the author looks at the overlapping of Christian and secular heavy metal music, focusing on the ways gender is described, celebrated, and normalized in the lyrics of Christian metal. After analyzing the lyrics of 351 Christian heavy metal songs, she conducts an in-depth analysis of three sets of lyrics. Despite the obvious antithesis between the worlds of heavy metal music and evangelical Christianity, her analysis highlights one avenue where the sacred and secular merge. The display, production, and management of gender can be viewed as a common trope that links Christian metal to secular ...
The Role of Lexical Stress on the Use of Vocal Fry in Young Adult Female Speakers.

Summary Objectives Vocal fry is a voice register often used by young adult women for sociolinguistic purposes. Some acoustic correlates of lexical stress, however, appear incompatible with the use of vocal fry. The objective of this study was to systematically examine the role of lexical stress in the use of vocal fry by young adult women. Study Design This is a semi-randomized controlled laboratory study. Methods Fifty female undergraduate students were recorded repeating one-, two-, three-, and four-syllable nonwords that conformed to English phonotactics. Nonwords were presented in order from shorter to longer lengths, with stimuli randomized within syllable length. Perceptual analyses of recordings were augmented by acoustic analyses to identify each syllable in which vocal fry occurred. Results Eighty-six percent of participants produced at least one episode of vocal fry. Vocal fry was more likely to occur in unstressed than stressed position, and the likelihood increased as distance from the stressed syllable increased. There was considerable variability in the use of vocal fry. Frequent and infrequent users varied on the degree to which they used vocal fry in single-syllable nonwords. Conclusions Vocal fry use persists among young adult women even in the absence of syntactic and pragmatic influences. Lexical stress appeared to dramatically reduce the use of vocal fry. Patterns of vocal fry use appeared to be different for frequent and infrequent users of this vocal register.
Emerging concepts regarding pannexin 1 in the vasculature

Pannexin channels are newly discovered ATP release channels expressed throughout the body. Pannexin 1 (Panx1) channels have become of great interest as they appear to participate in a multitude of signalling cascades, including regulation of vascular function. Although numerous Panx1 pharmacological inhibitors have been discovered, these inhibitors are not specific for Panx1 and have additional effects on other proteins. Therefore, molecular tools, such as RNA interference and knockout animals, are needed to demonstrate the role of pannexins in various cellular functions. This review focuses on the known roles of Panx1 related to purinergic signalling in the vasculature focusing on post-translational modifications and channel gating mechanisms that may participate in the regulated release of ATP.
Investigation on the epidemic characteristics of Brucellosis in Xinxiang from 2005 to 2011

Objectives To analyze the epidemic characteristics of human brucellosis in Xinxiang city and provide basis for control and prevention.Methods Based on the China information system for disease control and prevention and brucellosis cases questionnaire,the data of patients were statistically analyzed.Results There were 186 reported cases from 2005 to 2011 in Xinxiang city.11 counties throughout the province have reported the case.The cases were concentrated in 5 counties,such as Huojia,Huixian et,accounted for 86.56% of the total cases.The highest incidence was from April to July,accounted for 59.68% of the cases in whole year.Incidence in the age group 25 to 65 was the highest,accounted for 83.33%.The incidence in males was higher than that of females.AS for occupation,Peasants,slaughter,breeding and livestock processors were reported to have higher incidence.Conclusion There is increasing trend of human cases year after year in Xinxiang city.The focal epidemic was diverted from traditional herdsman to farmer with approaching to town and city.In order to control the brucellosis epidemic,the connection of departments including health and animal husbandry should be improved,surveillance on high-risk exposure groups should be guaranteed,the health education and behavior intervention should be carried out thoroughly and deeply.
Teaching Social Determinants of Health in an Undergraduate Elective Course on Public Health Through Peer Wellness Coaching, Documentaries, and Self-Reflection:

Although there has been a surge of recommendations and best practices for developing undergraduate public health curricula, nascent research and national recommendations provide limited concrete gu...
Religious Outliers: Professional Knowledge Communities, Individual Conscience Claims, and the Availability of Professional Services to the Public

Clients typically consult professionals because they want to access a useful body of knowledge professionals possess in order to solve an individual problem. To achieve that goal, the client depends on accurate and comprehensive professional advice. But professionals sometimes depart from or do not deploy the full range of professional knowledge. The professional might have a political, philosophical, or religious disagreement with her profession. Or she might have a scientific disagreement with the profession. This chapter examines justifications for departure from core professional knowledge. This chapter conceptualizes conscience claims of professionals as claims of outliers that may place them outside of their professional knowledge communities. It focuses on the religiously based outlier status of professionals providing health services. This chapter analyzes the tension among individual conscience claims, professional duties, and the availability of professional services to the public. Closer consideration of stakeholders’ duties to one another permits a normative reevaluation of such claims. Understanding the professions as knowledge communities and investigating professionals’ attendant duties sheds new light on these tensions and points toward a conceptual solution.
An Assessment of Diarrhea among Long-Distance Backpackers in the Sierra Nevada

Introduction Diarrhea is a common problem among long-distance backpackers, ranging in overall incidence from 11–56% as reported by previous studies on the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail. Differences in age, sex, and regularity of standard backcountry hygiene recommendations and practices have been shown to significantly affect the incidence of diarrhea. No study to date has investigated these trends among long-distance backpackers on the John Muir Trail (JMT) in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California. Methods Retrospective analysis of online survey data gathered from long-distance backpackers who attempted a JMT trek in 2014. Data were assessed for the significance of variables that might contribute to the incidence and severity of on-trail diarrhea. Results Of 737 valid responders, 16.4% reported experiencing diarrhea (82% with minimal/mild severity; 18% with significant severity). Regular hand sanitizer use was significantly correlated with more severe diarrhea ( P Conclusions JMT backpackers have a comparatively lower incidence of diarrhea than backpackers on other major long-distance backpacking routes in the United States. Most JMT backpackers follow standard backcountry hygiene recommendations, including regular filtration or treatment of drinking water. No statistical significance was found between the incidence of diarrhea and compliance with standard hygiene recommendations. Regular hand sanitizer use was significantly correlated with more severe diarrhea but was not associated with incidence. There was no significant difference in compliance with standard backcountry hygiene practices between regular and infrequent hand sanitizer users.
An integrated Multi-Regional Input-Output (MRIO) Analysis of miscanthus biomass production in France: Socio-economic and climate change consequences

Abstract Several European policies have been designed over the last decades to address the challenge of climate change and several measures have been put in place to accelerate the development and deployment of cost-effective low carbon technologies. The domestic nature of the resource and its great potential availability in Europe make biomass conversion technologies relevant mitigation options to be considered. In this context, the project “Logistics for Energy Crops Biomass (LogistEC)” aims to develop new or improve technologies of biomass logistics chain. In this project, the sustainability of different types of biomass is analysed in terms of environmental, economic and social impacts, based on the supply chain of two existing plants. The objective of this paper is to present the main results obtained in the socio-economic analysis of the French case and its climate change consequences. The Input-Output Analysis (IOA) has been seen as the most appropriate method to estimate these impacts using a Multiregional Input-Output Table from the World Input-Output Database project. Socio-economic effects have been estimated in terms of additional economic activity, added value and job creation. By extending the IOA with environmental accounts, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have also been estimated. Additionally, the most stimulated sectors have been identified. Results highlight the importance of biomass at a national level.
1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D inhibits de novo fatty acid synthesis and lipid accumulation in metastatic breast cancer cells through down-regulation of pyruvate carboxylase

Both increased de novo fatty acid synthesis and higher neutral lipid accumulation are a common phenotype observed in aggressive breast cancer cells, making lipid metabolism a promising target for breast cancer prevention. In the present studies, we demonstrate a novel effect of the active metabolite of vitamin D, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)₂D) on lipid metabolism in malignant breast epithelial cells. Treatment of MCF10CA1a breast epithelial cells with 1,25(OH)₂D (10 nM) for 5 and 7 days decreased the level of triacylglycerol, the most abundant form of neutral lipids, by 20%(±3.9) and 50%(±5.9), respectively. In addition, 1,25(OH)₂D treatment for 5 days decreased palmitate synthesis from glucose, the major fatty acid synthesized de novo (48%±5.5 relative to vehicle). We have further identified the anaplerotic enzyme pyruvate carboxylase (PC) as a target of 1,25(OH)₂D-mediated regulation and hypothesized that 1,25(OH)₂D regulates breast cancer cell lipid metabolism through inhibition of PC. PC mRNA expression was down-regulated with 1,25(OH)₂D treatment at 2 (73%±6 relative to vehicle) and 5 (56%±8 relative to vehicle) days. Decrease in mRNA abundance corresponded with a decrease in PC protein expression at 5 days of treatment (54%±12 relative to vehicle). Constitutive overexpression of PC in MCF10CA1a cells using a pCMV6-PC plasmid inhibited the effect of 1,25(OH)₂D on both TAG accumulation and de novo palmitate synthesis from glucose. Together, these studies demonstrate a novel mechanism through which 1,25(OH)₂D regulates lipid metabolism in malignant breast epithelial cells.
Modeling depression in animal models

Animal models and preclinical tests have played large roles in the development of antidepressant drugs and are likely to continue to play important roles. In the present communication, the main animal models of depression have been described and reviewed. These models include the Flinders sensitive line (FSL) rat, the Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rat, the fawn-hooded (FH) rat, and the learned helpless (LH) rat. In addition, the materials used to assess the behavior of these rats, including swim tanks, drinking tubes, and an open field apparatus, have been discussed. Finally, the methods used in collecting the relevant behaviors in the animal models are described. These include the procedures used in the forced swim test and chronic mild stress protocols, including the sucrose preference test. It is concluded that the behavioral tests used to infer depressed-like behavior in rats will continue to provide useful data if the appropriate animals and proper methods are used.
EXIT procedure for fetal mediastinal teratoma with large pericardial effusion: a case report with review of literature.

Background: Large mediastinal teratomas in the fetus are rare and can present with direct compression of intrathoracic structures as well as pericardial and pleural effusions. Mediastinal fetal ter...
Emerging Control Technologies: What Does the Future Hold?

Abstract There is increasing emphasis today on higher autonomy and intelligence in control systems that is driven by ever more demanding control requirements and fueled primarily by recent significant advances in sensor, actuator, computer and computer network technologies. Distributed control methodologies and coordination of interacting intelligent systems over networks will bring sophisticated control and decision methodologies where the needs are. We are at the dawn of a new era in control and decision systems which has the potential to significantly benefit agriculture. Highly demanding control requirements in production and processing of agricultural products coupled with the complexity and uncertainty of the models require the use of sophisticated control methods. Areas that stand to benefit from the use of advanced methods include the control and management of greenhouses, water resources, energy etc as well as all areas of processing and distributing agriCUltural products.
The H2O Helix: The Chiral Water Superstructure Surrounding DNA

Chiral vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy reveals a chiral water superstructure surrounding DNA and suggests that new biophysical insights are just around the bend.
Balancing Performance Measures in Classification Using Ensemble Learning Methods

Ensemble learning methods have recently been widely used in various domains and applications owing to the improvements in computational efficiency and distributed computing advances. However, with the advent of wide variety of applications of machine learning techniques to class imbalance problems, further focus is needed to evaluate, improve and balance other performance measures such as sensitivity (true positive rate) and specificity (true negative rate) in classification. This paper demonstrates an approach to evaluate and balance the performance measures (specifically sensitivity and specificity) using ensemble learning methods for classification that can be especially useful in class imbalanced datasets. In this paper, ensemble learning methods (specifically bagging and boosting) are used to balance the performance measures (sensitivity and specificity) on a diabetes dataset to predict if a patient will be readmitted to the hospital based on various feature vectors. From the experiments conducted, it can be empirically concluded that, by using ensemble learning methods, although accuracy does improve to some margin, both sensitivity and specificity are balanced significantly and consistently over different cross validation approaches.