cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diffusion of Paraffin, Cycloparaffin and Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water and some Effects of Salt Concentration

Diffusion coefficients for five paraffin, three aromatic and three cycloparaffin hydrocarbons in pure water have been measured, starting with essentially saturated solutions, at temperatures ranging from 2° to 60 °C and using the capillary-cell method. Measurements have also been made with benzene in pure water at different initial concentrations at temperatures ranging from 2° to 60 °C, and on four paraffin hydrocarbons in solutions with two different concentrations of NaCl (2.6 and 5.3 g · mole/liter at 22 °C) at temperatures ranging from 10° to 40 °C.
Hypothalamic hypothyroidism and XXY/XY sex chromosome mosaicism. Report of a case.

Schreiber, Douglas, Palutke, Waldemar, and Cohen, Margo P.: Hypothalamic hypothyroidism and XXY/XY sex chromosome mosaicism. Report of a case. An 18-year-old boy with clinical features of Klinefelter’s syndrome in whose case the buccal smear was chromatin-negative and chromosomal analysis of peripheral blood revealed 46 XY karyotype is described. Diagnosis was confirmed by demonstration of an XXY cell line in cultured skin fibroblasts. Low circulating thyroxine levels were found despite absence of clinical hypothyroidism, and TSH was barely detectable. The studies are consistent with an isolated deficiency of thyrotropin-releasing hormone in a patient with XY/XXY mosaicism.
Maternal parity and perinatal cortisol adaptation: The role of pregnancy-specific distress and implications for postpartum mood

Abstract Introduction Compared to women who have given birth before (i.e., multiparas), those giving birth for the first time (i.e., primiparas) show higher cortisol levels. Psychological factors may play a role; hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activation is a well-described stress response. Primiparity also predicts greater risk for postpartum depression, which may be related to greater correspondence between cortisol and mood following prenatal cortisol elevations. The current study examined associations among parity, perinatal cortisol adaptation, pregnancy-specific distress, and postpartum mood. Methods This longitudinal study assayed serum cortisol levels among 137 women at early, mid-, and late pregnancy and postpartum. Pregnancy-specific distress and depressive symptoms were assessed. Maternal age, race, body mass index, sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and sampling time of day were statistically controlled. Results Primiparous women showed higher cortisol levels than multiparous women during mid- (χ2 = 11.8, p Discussion Cortisol levels and pregnancy-specific distress are higher in primiparas versus multiparas, with pregnancy-specific distress partially mediating the association between parity and cortisol levels. Cortisol levels and mood display correspondence at postpartum in primiparous but not multiparous women. While observational studies must be interpreted with caution due to potential unmeasured confounders, these findings suggest that future studies examining mechanisms underlying perinatal and postpartum hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal perturbations and designing interventions aimed at preventing related complications should carefully consider potential differences by parity.
Efficient utilization of adversarial training towards robust machine learners and its analysis

Advancements in machine learning led to its adoption into numerous applications ranging from computer vision to security. Despite the achieved advancements in the machine learning, the vulnerabilities in those techniques are as well exploited. Adversarial samples are the samples generated by adding crafted perturbations to the normal input samples. An overview of different techniques to generate adversarial samples, defense to make classifiers robust is presented in this work. Furthermore, the adversarial learning and its effective utilization to enhance the robustness and the required constraints are experimentally provided, such as up to 97.65% accuracy even against CW attack. Though adversarial learning's effectiveness is enhanced, still it is shown in this work that it can be further exploited for vulnerabilities.
Abstract 036: Interference With PPARγ in the Endothelium Produces Endothelial Dysfunction in the Cerebral Circulation in Response to Activation of the Endogenous Renin-Angiotensin System

Low salt diet (LSD) is beneficial in salt-sensitive hypertension but may provoke cardiovascular risk in patients with heart failure, diabetes, or other cardiovascular abnormalities because of renin...
¿Qué hacen los estudiantes mientras planean una tarea? Los efectos de diferentes tiempos en una tarea oral

The aim of this study is twofold. First, it quantitatively analyzes the effects of three different planning lengths on fluency, complexity, and accuracy in an oral production task. Second, through a questionnaire, it qualitatively explores the allocation of linguistic resources in the same task. A total of 38 Spanish college students were randomized to one of 3 time conditions. A 2 × 3 study design considered two proficiency levels (intermediate and advanced) and three planning conditions (0, 2, 5 minutes). Each sample was transcribed and analyzed according to four dependent variables: pause length, speech rate, amount of subordination, and percentage of on-target verbal morphology. The hypotheses, which predicted that planning time and proficiency level would positively affect task performance, were confirmed in general terms. Planners performed better than non-planners in speech rate, amount of subordination, and percentage of on-target verbal morphology. To note, 5-minutes planning yielded better results. As regards overall proficiency level, advanced-level students benefited the most from planning.
Japan’s robotic future

Jennifer Robertson begins her book, Robo Sapiens Japanicus with her childhood memories of living in Kodaira, a suburb of Tokyo, in the 1960s, where she grew up watching anime shows featuring robots...
The Costs and Benefits of Early Sport Specialization: A Critical Review of Literature

ABSTRACTThere is a growing trend toward specialization in American youth sport, evident in the number of elite youth competitions and position statements from major medical organizations. Despite g...
The Role of Complete Posterior Cruciate Ligament Release in Flexion Gap Balancing for Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background The sequence of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) release in posterior-substituting designs, when performing gap balancing in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), is variable. We hypothesize that early complete PCL release during knee exposure will change the flexion balance to result in a uniform medial-lateral flexion gap symmetry at the time of implant placement. Methods Ten cadaveric knees were prepared for TKA using standard medial parapatellar approach. Medial and lateral flexion gaps were measured in the conditions of intact, partial (50%) resection, and full resection of PCL. Measurements were performed with both surgical navigation and a caliper. Flexion gap distances were reported for medial and lateral compartments in the 3 PCL conditions. Results Medial flexion gap increased after only complete release of the PCL (mean 3.94-5.05 mm). The lateral flexion gap increased as well (mean 4.17-4.67 mm). Complete PCL release resulted in a statistically significant increase in medial flexion gap compared to intact (P = .013) and partially released (P = .012) specimens. No significant differences were noted in lateral flexion gap change. Notable change in medial versus lateral gap (flexion gap symmetry) relationship occurred after just partial PCL release (P = .018). Conclusion Among the 3 PCL states, changes in flexion gap distance were most conspicuous in the medial compartment. This suggests gap balancing performed with incomplete PCL release will not accurately reflect gap distance after eventual PCL removal, thus supporting the hypothesis. It is recommended that the PCL should be released to the fullest extent possible before ligament tensioning for femoral component rotation in posterior-stabilized TKA.
Enhancing Cultural Heritage Experiences with Smart Technologies: An Integrated Experiential Framework

The paper addresses how smart technologies can be used to enhance cultural heritage experiences at tourism destinations. As its main contribution, it presents a framework to leverage the potential of multiple smart technologies throughout the visitors’ experience at cultural heritage sites. The proposed framework builds on the theoretical foundation of the experience economy and the results of an analysis of best practices of smart technologies applied to cultural heritage sites. The analysis examines the capability of these technologies to intensify the four experience dimensions identified by Pine and Gilmore (1998) – Entertainment, Esthetic, Education and Escapism - in relation to an extended perspective of the visitors’ experience including the three stages of the visit. The pilot testing of the framework provides insights into the opportunities to use a combination of applications for facilitating and enriching the cultural visit at the destination according to a multi-stage and multi-dimensional perspective of the heritage experience. The integrated perspective proposed in the paper provides a contribution to advance theory and practice, based on the more comprehensive view of the potential role of smart technologies’ in heritage experiences deriving from an integrated multi-stage and multi-dimensional analysis.
Voice enactment: linking voice with experience in high reliability organizing

ABSTRACTCurrent high reliability organization theorizing explains how members manage equivocality stemming from emergent environments and organizational complexities, but it does little to explain ...
What the Group Threat Hypothesis Notes About States’ Medicaid Spending

This secondary data analysis examined the relationship between state Medicaid spending in 2000–2014 and the perspective of the group threat hypothesis. The hypothesis posits that as any racial minority group grows in size, the increase is perceived by the racial majority group to threaten its dominant status. The employed data described states’ Medicaid spending, racial makeup, and poverty and unemployment rates and came from reports compiled by several federal agencies. It was processed first in 2 discrete date-based groups. Results with 2000–2009 data showed states’ per capita Medicaid spending to be associated negatively with their racial makeup. Specifically, states with proportionally larger Hispanic populations appeared to spend less on Medicaid versus states with fewer Hispanic residents, as did states with proportionally larger other non-African American minority populations (versus states with fewer such residents). Our findings with 2010–2014 data indicated no association between Hispanic population and states’ per capita Medicaid spending. Combining data from both periods, we observed no significant association between state Medicaid spending and each of the following: proportion of African Americans in state population, poverty rate, and unemployment rate. In general, state Medicaid spending increased gradually throughout the years studied. Policy implications are discussed.
Using Finite Difference Approach to Model Nitrate Contaminant Transport to a Contaminated Well

Many developing countries, and some developed countries, experience groundwater pollution. This problem is increasing in all areas of the world including Lebanon. Many factors have contributed to the groundwater pollution problem in Lebanon, some unique to the area (e.g., refugees, reliance on private wells) and others similar to those around the world (e.g., climate change, increased use of fertilizers). Efforts are being made to identify the contributing factors and find solutions. This study attempts to determine the nitrate contaminant transport to a contaminated public well in Chadra, Lebanon. MODFLOW software, a U.S. Geological Survey modular finite-difference flow model, is used to model the polluted well with its surrounding pollutant sources. Samples are collected from the well and tested in the laboratory using ASTM standard methods. A 3D model of the well was created and used to study the effect of porosity, time and well abstraction rate on the contaminant's path. Findings showed that the distance is inversely proportional to porosity and proportional to time and abstraction rate. Moreover, the software model results matched testing outcome of the nitrate concentration detected in the subject well.
Notes on Geoplasticity

This book is about geoplasticity, solid mechanics of rock, jointed rock and soil beyond the domain of a purely elastic deformation. Plastic deformation is irreversible and begins at the limit to elasticity with any attempt at further loading. Stress at the limit to elasticity is "strength" which is described by a functional relationship amongst stresses, that is, by a yield function or failure criterion. Mohr-Coulomb, Drucker-Prager and Hoek-Brown criteria are well-known examples in geomechanics. Beyond the elastic limit, but still within the realm of small strain increments, a total strain increment is the sum of an elastic increment and a plastic increment. The elastic increment is computed through an incremental form of Hooke’s law, isotropic or anisotropic as the case may be. Computation of the plastic part is at the core of any plasticity theory and is approached through the concept of a plastic potential. The plastic potential is a function of stresses and perhaps other material parameters such as plastic strain and temperature. Derivatives of the plastic potential with respect to stress lead to the plastic part of the total strain increment. If the yield criterion and plastic potential are the same, then the plastic stress-strain relationships are "associated rules of flow" and follow a "normality" principle. Normality is in reference to a graphical portrayal in principal stress space where the plastic strain increment is perpendicular to the yield surface. If the plastic potential and yield criterion are different, as is often the case in geoplasticity, then the rules of flow are "non-associated". Drucker’s famous stability postulate implies normality at a smooth point on the yield surface, convexity of the yield function and other important features of plasticity theory in geomechanics. However, there is no point to proceeding to theoretical analyses without physical justification. Hence, the physical foundations for application of plasticity theory to rock, jointed rock and soil are examined in Chapter 2 of this book. A brief review of continuum mechanics principles is given in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 focuses on plane plastic strain and "sliplines". The technical literature is replete with numerous diagrams of sliplines, especially in discussions of foundations on soils, but the relevant mathematics is often lacking and with it genuine understanding. Examples illustrate application of theory to traditional geomechanics problems such as computation of retaining wall forces in soils, foundation bearing capacity of soil and rock, wedge penetration of rock under confining pressure and others. Brief discussions of anisotropy, visco-plasticity and poro-plasticity are presented in Chapters 6, 7 and 8. This book will be of interest to civil, geological and mining engineers, particularly those involved in reliable design of excavations and foundations beyond elasticity, especially in jointed rock.
The Impossibility of Teaching Cultural Studies

As my title suggests, this essay argues that it is not possible to teach people how to do cultural studies. There are three major obstacles that matter here. The first is cultural studies’ status as a political project (rather than just an intellectual one) and the concurrent difficulties inherent in trying to teach students how to be politically engaged. The second involves the institutional pressures toward professionalization that currently dominate universities (at least in the US) and the impact those pressures have on graduate curricula and mentoring. The third involves a more general (albeit often unacknowledged) problem of teaching anyone anything: that is, the fact that most institutional forms of pedagogy are characterized by a kind of failure since most of our students are unlikely to take up whatever projects and dreams we may be trying to put into our teaching.
Bank Audit Systems

The majority of banks and financial institutions find the bank auditing procedure a strenuous experience; nonetheless, it is one of the most important procedures that must be completed periodically. Banks should have an internal audit function with sufficient authority, stature, independence, resources and access to the board of directors. The audit Committee should have the primary responsibility for approving, or recommending to the board of directors for approval, the appointment, reappointment, removal and remuneration of the external auditor. The external auditor of a bank should respond appropriately to the significant risks of material misstatement in the bank’s financial statements.
Antitrust Reform: Implications of Prospective Threats by Digital Platforms to Relocate Abroad

Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Alphabet (Google) are four of the world’s most expansive business empires, both in terms of public visibility and market value. This paper examines a hypothetical scenario. If Congress introduced a bill to enact new antitrust regulations over digital platforms, what would happen if these companies responded by threatening an expatriation of some or all of their U.S. business assets? It is argued in this paper that if these companies threatened a costly and unpopular expatriation of business, that the U.S. Congress will capitulate to their demands. If true, these companies have reached a critical threshold of market concentration that poses a threat to democracy because domestic governance and control cannot rein them in. Further, it suggests that the global span and prodigious growth of these companies has dwarfed the ability of political institutions to hold them to account. The paper ends with a proposed solution using Google as a case study example. The proposal calls for the implementation of a corporate monitor program pursuant to a deferred prosecution agreement between the Department of Justice and Google.
Social networks and college performance: Evidence from dining data

Abstract We investigate the effect of friends in class on academic performance in college using unique data on dining card swipes at a medium-sized public university. We define friendships by academic quarter as repeated meetings among students in the same dining hall. To identify the impact of having a friend in class, we employ models with student- and class-level fixed effects and find having a friend in class has large and positive effects on grades. Our analysis of heterogeneous friend effects reveals that the positive friend effect exists across all types of friend characteristics, suggesting the unconditional importance of social connections.
Disorders/Differences of Sex Development (DSD)

Disorders of sex development (DSD), sometimes called differences of sex development are conditions that affect reproductive organs and can include alterations of chromosomal, metabolic, gonadal or anatomical function. Some of the conditions result in genital ambiguities that are noted in newborns and some are not discovered until adolescence. There have been rapid shifts in the understanding of these conditions with strong support from advocacy organizations allowing more self-direction from patients affected by DSD. A multidisciplinary team is essential to the comprehensive care these patients will need over their lifetime and the team should include psychosocial providers, endocrinologists, geneticists, gynecologists, social workers and surgeons. Peer support is also a key part of the care, especially during adolescence, and attention to age-appropriate education and cultural sensitivity can customize the care for each individual patient and their needs. Fertility issues should be a part of the discussion from an early age, especially when decisions are being made about irreversible surgery and/or gonadectomy. Shared decision making tools have been developed to help address all of these issues for individuals affected by DSD.
Sympathetic stimulation increases serum lactate concentrations in patients admitted with sepsis: implications for resuscitation strategies.

Diametrically opposed positions exist regarding the deleterious effects of elevated lactate. There are data suggesting that it is a detrimental proxy for tissue hypoperfusion and anaerobic metabolism in sepsis and an alternative viewpoint is that some of the hyperlactatemia produced maybe adaptive. This study was conducted to explore the relationship between serum lactate levels, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), and sympathetic stimulation in patients with sepsis. Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected clinical data from four community-based hospitals and one academic medical center. 8173 adults were included. Heart rate (HR) was used as a surrogate marker of sympathetic stimulation. HR, MAP, and lactate levels were measured upon presentation. MAP and HR interacted to affect lactate levels with the highest levels observed in patients with low MAP and high HR (3.6 mmol/L) and the lowest in patients with high MAP and low HR (2.2 mmol/L). The overall mortality rate was 12.4%. Each 10 beats/min increase in HR increased the odds of death 6.0% (95% CI 2.6% to 9.4%), each 1 mmol/L increase in lactate increased the odds of death 20.8% (95% CI 17.4% to 24.2%), whereas each 10 mmHg increase in MAP reduced the odds of death 12.3% (95% CI 9.2% to 15.4%). However, HR did not moderate or mediate the association between lactate and death. In septic patients, lactate production was associated with increased sympathetic activity (HR ≥ 90) and hypotension (MAP < 65 mmHg) and was a significant predictor of mortality. Because HR, lactate, and MAP were associated with mortality, our data support the present strategy of using these measurements to gauge severity of illness upon presentation. Since HR did not moderate or mediate the association between lactate and death, criticisms alleging that lactate caused by sympathetic stimulation is adaptive (i.e., less harmful) do not appear substantiated.
Effects of anaerobic HRT and VFA loading on the kinetics and stoichiometry of enhanced biological phosphorus removal.

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) can recover significant quantities of wastewater phosphorus. However, this resource recovery process realizes limited use largely due to process stability concerns. The research evaluated the effects of anaerobic HRT (τAN ) and VFA concentration-critical operational parameters that can be externally controlled-on EBPR performance. Evaluated alone, τAN (1-4 h) exhibited no statistical effect on effluent phosphorus. However, PHA increased with VFA loading and biomass accumulated more phosphorus. Regarding resiliency, under increasing VFA loads PAOs hydrolyzed more phosphorus to uptake/catabolize VFAs; moreover, PHA synthesis normalized to VFA loading increased with τAN , suggesting fermentation. Kinetically, PAOs exhibited a Monod-like relationships for qPHAAN and qVFAAN as a function of anaerobic P release; additionally, qPAE exhibited a Monod-like relationship with end-anaerobic PHA concentration. A culminating analysis affirmed the relationship between enhanced aerobic P uptake, and net P removal, with a parameter (phosphorus removal propensity factor) that combines influent VFA concentration with τAN . PRACTITIONER POINTS: Evaluated alone τAN exhibits no statistical effect on effluent phosphorus in an EBPR configuration. Increased PHA synthesis, associated with increased VFAs and/or extended τAN, enhances aerobic phosphorus removal. PHA synthesis normalized to VFA loading increased with τAN , suggesting fermentation in the EBPR anaerobic zone. Aerobic phosphorus uptake increases linearly with anaerobic phosphorus release, with the slope exceeding unity. Increased VFAs can be substituted for shorter anaerobic HRTs, and vice versa, to enhance EBPR performance.
The Geographic Availability of Certified Cleft Care in the United States: A National Geospatial Analysis of 1-Hour Access to Care.

Purpose Children with cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) require longitudinal multidisciplinary care. Travel distance to comprehensive cleft centers may be a barrier for some families. This study evaluated the geospatial availability of certified cleft teams across the United States. Materials and Methods A geographic catchment area within a 1-hour travel radius of each American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association–certified cleft center was mapped using TravelTime distance matrix programming. The proportion of children located within each catchment area was calculated using county-level data from the National Kids Count Data Center, with aggregate estimates of patients with CLP based on state-level data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One-hour access was compared across regions and based on urbanization data collected from the US Census. Results There were 182 American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association–certified centers identified. As per study estimates, 28,331 (27.3%) children with CLP did not live within 1-hour travel distance to any center. One-hour access was highest in the Northeast (84.2% of children, P Conclusions Travel distances of more than 1 hour may affect more than 25,000 (1 of 4) CLP children in the US, with significant variation across geographic regions. Future studies should seek to understand the impact of and provide strategies for overcoming geographic barriers.
Creative Industries in Macau Innovation and Tradition at USJ

The Creative Industries in Macao: From an Industry Cluster to the Academia Macau is one of the regions in China with the fastest growing economy, heavily based on an entertainment, gaming and tourism industry, and that is developing a sustainable model that articulates complementary sectors within the cultural and creative industries. In South China, the Pearl River Delta is in itself a strong hub in the Creative Industries, in which Macau has to articulate itself with stakeholders like Hong Kong, ShenZhen, Guangzhou and Zhuhai. In this context the development of Higher Education has a crucial role. In this presentation we will introduce recent academic developments in Macau in the field of fashion, communication & media, design and architecture, as well as research in interactive media technology, urban soundscapes, virtual reality immersive audiovisual environments and digital fabrication, that are leading the way for an emerging Industry Cluster.
A single mutation weakens symbiont-induced reproductive manipulation through reductions in deubiquitylation efficiency.

Animals interact with microbes that affect their performance and fitness, including endosymbionts that reside inside their cells. Maternally transmitted Wolbachia bacteria are the most common known endosymbionts, in large part because of their manipulation of host reproduction. For example, many Wolbachia cause cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) that reduces host embryonic viability when Wolbachia-modified sperm fertilize uninfected eggs. Operons termed cifs control CI, and a single factor (cifA) rescues it, providing Wolbachia-infected females a fitness advantage. Despite CI’s prevalence in nature, theory indicates that natural selection does not act to maintain CI, which varies widely in strength. Here, we investigate the genetic and functional basis of CI-strength variation observed among sister Wolbachia that infect Drosophila melanogaster subgroup hosts. We cloned, Sanger sequenced, and expressed cif repertoires from weak CI–causing wYak in Drosophila yakuba, revealing mutations suspected to weaken CI relative to model wMel in D. melanogaster. A single valine-to-leucine mutation within the deubiquitylating (DUB) domain of the wYak cifB homolog (cidB) ablates a CI-like phenotype in yeast. The same mutation reduces both DUB efficiency in vitro and transgenic CI strength in the fly, each by about twofold. Our results map hypomorphic transgenic CI to reduced DUB activity and indicate that deubiquitylation is central to CI induction in cid systems. We also characterize effects of other genetic variation distinguishing wMel-like cifs. Importantly, CI strength determines Wolbachia prevalence in natural systems and directly influences the efficacy of Wolbachia biocontrol strategies in transinfected mosquito systems. These approaches rely on strong CI to reduce human disease.
Joint Planning of Electricity Transmission and Hydrogen Transportation Networks

The abundance and uneven distribution of renewable energy might cause congestion and curtailment in electric power systems. Transmission expansions can potentially alleviate transmission congestion and reduce renewable energy curtailment. On the other hand, with the substantial cost reduction of electrolyzer technology and the continuing rise of hydrogen demand, converting surplus renewable energy to hydrogen provides synergistic benefits to electric grid and hydrogen system, but consequently requires joint planning of the two systems. To this end, we propose a joint planning approach for power transmission and hydrogen transportation networks to coordinately optimize the investment and operation of power and hydrogen infrastructure. In our proposed model, detailed truck routing, pipeline, and hydrogen storage are formulated to quantify the hydrogen transportation system flexibility. A robust joint planning approach is also proposed to address various uncertainties from renewable energy, electric load, and hydrogen demand. Our numerical simulation shows the proposed joint planning model can save the total system cost, reduce renewable energy curtailment, and increase the utilization level of transmission lines.
High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation Can Correct Hypovitaminosis D Prior to Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND Vitamin D deficiency in the perioperative surgical period is associated with inferior surgical outcomes. There are no established preoperative supplementation regimens in the orthopedic literature. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy between 2 different supplementation regimens of vitamin D prior to total knee arthroplasty. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of 174 patients identified as vitamin D deficient (25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL) who received one of 2 vitamin D supplementation protocols: (1) daily supplementation with D3 on a sliding scale from 1000 to 6000 IU or (2) a loading dose of 50,000 IU D3 weekly for 4 weeks then 2000 IU/d. Serum vitamin D levels were measured at 3 months and 1 month preoperatively. RESULTS Mean patient age was 65.5(±8.6) years, and 54.6% were female. Deficiency was corrected in 73.3% of patients in the loading dose group and 42.4% of patients in the daily, low-dose group [χ2 (1, N = 174) = 16.53, P < .001]. Patients in the loading dose group also achieved a greater average correction in vitamin D levels. CONCLUSION This is the first study to compare preoperative vitamin D supplementation protocols. A loading dose regimen of 50,000 IU weekly for 4 weeks followed by a maintenance dose of 2000 IU/d more effectively corrects vitamin D deficiency compared to a low-dose, daily regimen among total knee arthroplasty patients. We recommend this regimen for deficiency correction in patients who have been screened to be deficient in vitamin D preoperatively.
In Vitro and Preliminary in Vivo Studies of Compounds which Induce the Differentiation of Friend Leukemia Cells

The progeny of normal hematopoietic stem cells ultimately become mature functional cells through a process involving both cell replication and differentiation. The proliferative aspect is limited and in fact as full maturation is approached the cells lose their proliferative potentital. Built into the process of differentiation is an inherent limitation of the life span of the maturing cells. In essence, acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) results from a disruption of the normal maturation process. Leukemic stem cells proliferate without normal constraints and their progeny for the most part remain at the stem cell level. This latter phenomenon results in the cells retaining their proliferative potential and endows the cells with a life span which is longer than that of normal cells. The resulting increasing mass of leukemic cells, through an as yet undefined process, interferes with the proliferation and maturation of normal myeloid elements ultimately causing the pancytopenia which is directly responsible for the morbidity and mortality which accompanies AML.
Integrated survey designs: A framework for nonresponse bias reduction ∗

The quality and data content of household specific health surveys are often enhanced through integrated designs which include the conduct of follow back surveys to medical providers and facilities that have provided care to household respondents. In terms of data quality, household reported medical conditions can be evaluated for accuracy relative to provider specific records on medical conditions for the same patient and specific health events. With respect to health care expenditures collected from household respondents for their reported health care events, available linked medical provider level data is a more accurate source of information. The availability of such supplemental data on use and expenditures allows for the conduct of methodological studies to evaluate the accuracy of household reported data and informs adjustment strategies to household data in the absence of provider specific data to reduce bias attributable to response error. In this paper, the capacity of integrated survey designs to achieve reductions in bias attributable to survey nonresponse is discussed. Examples are drawn from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), an ongoing longitudinal panel survey designed to produce estimates of health care utilization, expenditures, sources of payment, and insurance coverage of the US civilian non-institutionalized population.
Adsorption-induced scission of carbon–carbon bonds

Covalent carbon-carbon bonds are hard to break. Their strength is evident in the hardness of diamonds and tensile strength of polymeric fibres; on the single-molecule level, it manifests itself in the need for forces of several nanonewtons to extend and mechanically rupture one bond. Such forces have been generated using extensional flow, ultrasonic irradiation, receding meniscus and by directly stretching a single molecule with nanoprobes. Here we show that simple adsorption of brush-like macromolecules with long side chains on a substrate can induce not only conformational deformations, but also spontaneous rupture of covalent bonds in the macromolecular backbone. We attribute this behaviour to the fact that the attractive interaction between the side chains and the substrate is maximized by the spreading of the side chains, which in turn induces tension along the polymer backbone. Provided the side-chain densities and substrate interaction are sufficiently high, the tension generated will be strong enough to rupture covalent carbon-carbon bonds. We expect similar adsorption-induced backbone scission to occur for all macromolecules with highly branched architectures, such as brushes and dendrimers. This behaviour needs to be considered when designing surface-targeted macromolecules of this type-either to avoid undesired degradation, or to ensure rupture at predetermined macromolecular sites.
THE MENTAL HEALTH OF VULNERABLE YOUTH AND THEIR TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD: EXAMINING THE ROLE OF THE CHILD WELFARE, JUVENILE JUSTICE, AND RUNAWAY/HOMELESS SYSTEMS*

The Add Health study sample used in this study consisted of youth in grades 7th through 12th in Waves 1-3 (n=14,322). The study found that only 10% of the full sample had any contact with the three service systems examined. Of these youth, approximately one in five were involved with multiple service systems. Youth who had contact with a service system compared to those youth who were at low risk for such contact were more likely to be classified by the researchers as “troubled” youth, the “alcohol interference” youth profiles, and the “depressed” and “delinquent plus” profiles than those youth in the “non-troubled” youth profile. The study also found that youth with poorer mental health during the transition to adulthood faced difficulty on other young-adult experiences. Those youth in contact with a public service system had more difficult experiences when transitioning to adulthood than those youth at low risk for contact. In addition, the study found that adolescents who had any service system contact were significantly more likely to report receiving counseling, with 13.4% reporting counseling in the 12 months prior to Wave 3. Youth who reported spending at least one day in a mental health facility varied greatly by level of service system contact. Youth who had contact with multiple public service systems were more likely to have ever received mental health services in the four categories investigated. The strengths and limitations of the study methodology are discussed, along with discussions for future research.
Classification of Vibrio cholerae (Vibrio comma), Including El Tor Vibrios, by Infrasubspecific Characteristics

Feeley, John C. (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.). Classification of Vibrio cholerae (Vibrio comma), including El Tor vibrios, by infrasubspecific characteristics. J. Bacteriol. 89:665-670. 1965.-A study of the properties of 220 serotype O group I vibrios indicated striking similarity in most of their properties. However, by using four tests often applied in the identification of the El Tor vibrio, five types were identified and characterized as follows: type 1 strains, phage IV-sensitive, nonhemolytic by tube and plate methods, unable to agglutinate chicken red cells (CCA), and Voges-Proskauer (VP) negative or weakly positive at 22 C; type 2, same as type 1 except for CCA; type 3, phage IV-resistant, CCA and VP usually positive, and strongly hemolytic by tube and plate methods; type 4, same as type 3, except hemolytic only by plate method unless culture has undergone pronounced rugose variation; and Type 5, same as type 3, except stably nonhemolytic. Type 1 and type 3 strains possess the characteristics usually ascribed to classic cholera vibrios and El Tor vibrios, respectively. Geographical and chronological distribution of the types is discussed. The thesis is presented that it is invalid to recognize two species, V. cholerae and V. eltor, because alleged differences are infrasubspecific. Recognition of a single species, V. cholerae, consisting of several types, is recommended.
Polarization quantum beat spectroscopy of HCF(Ã1A″). I. 19F and 1H hyperfine structure and Zeeman effect

To further investigate the 19F and 1H nuclear hyperfine structure and Zeeman effect in the simplest singlet carbene, HCF, we recorded polarization quantum beat spectra (QBS) of the pure bending levels 20n with n=0–7 and combination bands 10120n with n=1–6 and 20n301 with n=0–3 in the HCF A1A″←X1A′ system. The spectra were measured under jet-cooled conditions using a pulsed discharge source, both at zero field and under application of a weak magnetic field (<30 G). Analysis yielded the nuclear spin-rotation constants Caa and weak field Lande gaa factors. Consistent with a two-state model, the majority of observed vibrational levels exhibit a linear correlation of Caa and gaa, and our analysis yielded effective (a) hyperfine constants for the 19F and 1H nuclei (in MHz) of 728(23) and 55(2), respectively. The latter was determined here owing to the high resolving power of QBS. The vibrational state selectivity of the 19F hyperfine constants is discussed, and we suggest that the underlying Renner-Teller inte...
Assembly of the Drosophila phototransduction cascade into a signalling complex shapes elementary responses

The subcellular compartmentalization of signalling molecules helps to ensure the selective activation of different signal-transduction cascades within a single cell. Although there are many examples of compartmentalized signalling molecules, there are few examples of entire signalling cascades being organized as distinct signalling complexes. In Drosophila photoreceptors, the InaD protein, which consists of five PDZ domains, functions as a multivalent adaptor that brings together several components of the phototransduction cascade into a macromolecular complex. Here we study single-photon responses in several photoreceptor mutant backgrounds, and show that the InaD macromolecular complex is the unit of signalling that underlies elementary responses. We show that the localized activity of this signalling unit promotes reliable single-photon responses as well as rapid activation and feedback regulation. Finally, we use genetic and electrophysiological tools to illustrate how the assembly of signalling molecules into a transduction complex limits signal amplification in vivo.
Implantable cardiac arrhythmia devices--part I: pacemakers

Implantable cardiac devices have become firmly entrenched as important therapeutic tools for a variety of cardiac conditions. The first part of this two-part review will discuss the contemporary use and follow-up of pacemakers, while the second part will address the use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators and implantable loop recorders. Pacemakers are the only available treatment for symptomatic bradycardia not due to reversible causes. Large randomized studies have demonstrated a small but statistically significant reduction in atrial fibrillation associated with pacing modes that maintain atrioventricular synchrony. In contrast, pacing mode appears to have a less dramatic effect in patients with atrioventricular block. Cardiac resynchronization with specialized left ventricular leads has been shown to reduce symptoms and improve survival in patients with symptomatic heart failure, systolic dysfunction, and widened QRS complexes. For all patients, careful follow-up is necessary to ensure optimal therapeutic benefit of pacing systems.
A simulation study to assess SVD encoding for interventional MRI: Effect of object rotation and needle insertion

Singular value decomposition (SVD) encoding offers great promise to provide high spatial and temporal resolution required for interventional MRI (I-MRI) (1). This study investigates its efficacy when (a) objects are rotated and (b) a small device (ie, a needle) is moved within anatomic structures. It was found that SVD-encoded MRI is biased toward the reference from which encoding vectors are derived, thus providing a potential limitation under conditions in which the object has undergone significant global change. Reference images with partial device insertion may be needed to accurately resolve the device or track the object motion. Theoretically, the differences between the reference and the object being imaged suggest that SVD encoding is suboptimal (in a minimum mean squared error sense). Other encoding/reconstruction algorithms may come closer to achieving the desired advantages in spatial and temporal fidelity.
Mitochondrial size distribution analysis in the soleus muscle of trained and aged rats

Analyse par microscopie electronique du muscle jambier posterieur chez des rats âges de 50 jours, adultes, avec ou sans entrainement physique et âges de 720 jours. Les resultats laissent supposer l'existence d'une taille optimum pour les mitochondries de meme que la presence de mitochondries avant-courrieres.
Electric microfield distributions in plasma with long-range correlations

Collective and individual particle correlations affect the probability distribution P(E) of the electric microfield in a stationary, turbulent plasma. Extending previous work to include long-range correlations but not dynamics over lengths ⪢λD yields a characteristic distribution P(E) ∝ Ed−1 exp (- E2〈E2〉), with d the dimensionality of the electric field. Here 〈E2〉 is proportional to the square of the correlated particle density. Short-range particle interactions are the usual screening over scales ≲ λD. By ad hoc assumption, long-range correlations arise from strong turbulence which produces a maximally entropic, thermal-like wave distribution of elevated temperature. This leads to 〈E2〉 determined by the amplitude and scale of long-range correlations.
Cosmogenic Ages for Earthquake Recurrence Intervals and Debris Flow Fan Deposition, Owens Valley, California

Model exposure ages (beryllium-10, aluminum-26) of boulders on an offset debris flow fan yield an earthquake recurrence interval between 5800 and 8000 10Be:26Al years for a strand of the Owens Valley fault in California, which last ruptured in an earthquake of moment magnitude >7.5 in 1872. Cosmogenic age estimates for this and several nearby fan surfaces flanking the eastern Sierra Nevada are consistent with stratigraphic relations and suggest that these surfaces were abandoned after 1000, 8000, and 21,000 10Be:26Al years ago. The wide scatter and nonconcordance of 10Be:26Al ages on an older fan surface suggest that boulder erosion and lowering of the fan surface there have influenced apparent exposure ages.
Fair and efficient router congestion control

Congestion is a natural phenomenon in any network queuing system, and is unavoidable if the queuing system is operated near capacity. In this paper we study how to set the rules of a queuing system so that all the users have a self-interest in controlling congestion when it happens.Routers in the internet respond to local congestion by dropping packets. But if packets are dropped indiscriminately, the effect can be to encourage senders to actually increase their transmission rates, worsening the congestion and destabilizing the system. Alternatively, and only slightly more preferably, the effect can be to arbitrarily let a few insistent senders take over most of the router capacity.We approach this problem from first principles: a router packet-dropping protocol is a mechanism that sets up a game between the senders, who are in turn competing for link capacity. Our task is to design this mechanism so that the game equilibrium is desirable: high total rate is achieved and is shared widely among all senders. In addition, equilibrium should be reestablished quickly in response to changes in transmission rates. Our solution is based upon auction theory: in principle, although not always in practice, we drop packets of the highest-rate sender, in case of congestion. We will prove the game-theoretic merits of our method. We'll also describe a variant of the method with some further advantages that will be supported by network simulations.