cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A New Wavelet Denoising Method for Experimental Time-Domain Signals: Pulsed Dipolar Electron Spin Resonance.

We adapt a new wavelet-transform-based method of denoising experimental signals to pulse-dipolar electron-spin resonance spectroscopy (PDS). We show that signal averaging times of the time-domain signals can be reduced by as much as 2 orders of magnitude, while retaining the fidelity of the underlying signals, in comparison with noiseless reference signals. We have achieved excellent signal recovery when the initial noisy signal has an SNR ≳ 3. This approach is robust and is expected to be applicable to other time-domain spectroscopies. In PDS, these time-domain signals representing the dipolar interaction between two electron spin labels are converted into their distance distribution functions P(r), usually by regularization methods such as Tikhonov regularization. The significant improvements achieved by using denoised signals for this regularization are described. We show that they yield P(r)’s with more accurate detail and yield clearer separations of respective distances, which is especially importan...
Paying for School Choice: Availability Differences among Local Education Markets

On the grounds of the school zone discontinuity by parents’ educational level, housing price, and household income, empowering parents to choose children’s schools with their own hands has the potential to improve overall access to education by weakening geographical advantages, or disadvantages, and opening up invisible boundaries between communities. Though recent school choice proposals seem aligned with issues of access to education, little research has paid attention to potential access to and actual utilization of the federal government-initiated choice program in competitive markets. This paper explores whether or not the markets for the public school choice provision under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 are ready to serve students at chronically underperforming schools, by representing the geographic distribution of choice availability in a segregated metropolitan area. This study finds that the public school choice provision under the NCLB builds unequal choice settings between school districts.
Cortical microstructure compensates for smaller bone size in young Caribbean Hispanic versus non-Hispanic white men

Hispanic men have smaller bone size but thicker and denser cortices compared to white men, leading to similar mechanical competence. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in vBMD and microarchitecture in young Caribbean Hispanic (n = 30) and non-Hispanic Caucasian (n = 30) men. We measured areal bone mineral density (aBMD) at the spine, total hip (TH), femoral neck (FN), and forearm by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and bone geometry, mass, microarchitecture, and mechanical competence by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HRpQCT), individual trabecula segmentation (ITS), and finite element analysis (FEA). Hispanic men were slightly older, shorter, and heavier and had higher BMI compared with white men. aBMD, measured by DXA, did not differ at the spine, TH, or forearm before or after adjustment for age, height, weight, and the interaction of height and weight. At the FN, marginally significant higher BMD in Hispanics prior to adjustment was attenuated and no longer differed after adjustment for covariates. Adjusted HRpQCT indices indicated smaller total and trabecular area at the radius but greater total volumetric density and cortical thickness in Hispanic versus white men. The adjusted difference in cortical density at the radius was of borderline significance. Trabecular and ITS microstructure tended not to differ at the radius. At the tibia, results were similar. Bone size tended to be smaller and covariate-adjusted cortical density and cortical thickness were greater in Hispanic versus white men. Additionally, cortical porosity was lower at the tibia in Hispanic compared to white men. Stiffness and failure load did not differ at either skeletal site by ethnicity. In conclusion, greater cortical thickness and density as well as lower cortical porosity tend to compensate for smaller bone size in Hispanic men, leading to similar mechanical competence compared with white men.
EFFECT OF ECONOMIC GROWTH ON BONDS PRICES

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of economic growth on bond price.Methodology: The research used an explanatory research design. 65 bonds listed in 23 categories at the NSE. The study used secondary data collected from NSE and the (KNBS) Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. A sample of 10 bonds was selected as these bonds were issued in the January 2008 and were still not mature by the 31st December 2012. Standard deviations were calculated for all the variables in the study. Further statistical analysis was carried out by use of correlation and regression analysis where bond prices were regressed against inflation, exchange rates and economic growth measured using the Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product growth. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17 was used to conduct the analysis. The findings were presented in form of tables and figures.Results: Results on correlation revealed that there was a positive and insignificant relationship between GDP and the bond price and this was confirmed by the regression results which indicated that the inverse of GDP is positively related to bond prices.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that investors who are looking to invest into bonds should consider government policies as this determines the bond prices. It is recommended that economic growth should be enhanced through the pursuit of expansionary monetary and fiscal policies. The use of expansionary monetary policy would be to reduce the interest rates and this would increase the access to finance. These would ensure that more factors of production are put into productive use and thus increasing the national income. Expansionary fiscal policies should include an increase in government spending.
Nonpreference of Ceratomia catalpae (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) to Invertebrate Predators

Aposematic traits such as bright contrasting coloration and gregarious feeding are often signals to predators that a potential prey is unpalatable. Larvae of Ceratomia catalpae (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), the catalpa sphinx, show aposematic traits and sequester catalpol, a secondary compound from their host plant Catalpa spp. (Bignoniaceae). Catalpol sequestration by other caterpillar species has been shown to deter both invertebrate and vertebrate predators, but the palatability of C. catalpae has not been explicitly tested. Choice tests were performed with spiders (Hogna carolinensis Walckenaer, Araneae: Lycosidae) and predatory hemipterans (Podisus maculiventris [Say], Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). These tests showed that predators naive to both C. catalpae and the alternate prey Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Manduca sexta (L.) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) preferred the alternate species, and that P. maculiventris that were exposed previously to T. ni also preferred T. ni. In nonchoice tests, P. maculiventris grew significantly more slowly upon C. catalpae compared to M. sexta. These results suggest that C. catalpae, like other caterpillars that sequester catalpol, is less palatable to invertebrate predators compared to nonsequestering caterpillar species.
Regulation of Oocyte Maturation

Publisher Summary Oocytes have proved to be an optimal experimental system for several lines of investigation. One such line encompasses the biochemistry of cell division, in particular the relationship of calcium and cyclic nucleotide levels to the regulation of this process. Oocytes are an attractive model for studies in this area because borders of the oocyte maturation process are physiologically arrested states of cell division, and after exposure to progesterone progress between these borders occurs in 3-5 hours without interphase. This time span and perfect physiological synchrony are useful for examining different stages in the cell division process, especially using the tool of microinjection. This ability to make additions of biochemically defined components to a single dividing cell using microinjection techniques is of special value for studies of cell division because no cell-free system exists that can carry out any of the processes involved, with the partial exception of microtubule polymerization. Another line of investigation that has increased interest in the oocyte system concerns posttranscriptional effects of steroid hormones.
Preoperative anterior thigh temperature does not correlate with perioperative temporal hypothermia during cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia: Secondary analysis of a randomized control trial

Abstract Background Core-to-peripheral redistribution of heat, secondary to sympathetic-mediated vasodilation, is the major mechanism leading to early perioperative hypothermia after neuraxial anesthesia. The study aim was to determine if preoperative anterior thigh (peripheral lower extremity) temperature predicted perioperative temporal (core) temperature decrease during cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia. Methods Secondary analysis of data derived from a prospective, randomized study of 46 healthy women undergoing scheduled cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia was performed. Anterior thigh temperature was measured preoperatively prior to spinal anesthesia. The primary outcome was maximum perioperative temporal temperature decrease. Secondary outcomes included incidence of temporal hypothermia (temperature Results There was no correlation between preoperative anterior thigh temperature and maximum perioperative temporal temperature decrease (r=−0.049, P =0.751). The mean±standard deviation preoperative anterior thigh temperature of women who developed temporal hypothermia compared to those who did not was 32.4±0.8°C versus 32.4±0.70°C respectively ( P =0.995). Preoperative anterior thigh temperature did not correlate with the incidence of shivering (r=0.267, P =0.080) or thermal comfort scores (r=0.233, P =0.129). Conclusion Preoperative anterior thigh temperature does not correlate with the degree of perioperative temporal temperature decrease, likelihood of developing hypothermia, shivering, or thermal comfort during cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia. Although core-to-peripheral redistribution of heat after neuraxial anesthesia is a major mechanism of perioperative heat loss, a lower extremity temperature prediction hypothesis was not confirmed in this population.
Use of Intravitreal Bevacizumab for the Treatment of Secondary Glaucoma Caused by Metastatic Iris Tumor.

Purpose The purpose of this article was to report the efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab to resolve secondary angle-closure glaucoma caused by biliary tract carcinoma metastasis to the iris. Materials and methods A 52-year-old white woman who was under systemic chemotherapy for biliary tract carcinoma presented with a metastatic tumor in the left iris. At presentation, her visual acuity was at the 20/50 level. The tumor was occupying the nasal half of the iris, and had already occupied 5.5 clock hours of the angle, resulting in intraocular pressure elevation to 34 mm Hg. Several small clumps of tumor seeds were also observed on the iris and along the angle. Her intraocular pressure remained high despite full medical therapy with dorzolamide, timolol, brimonidine, and oral acetozolamide. Because of the vascularized nature of the tumor, antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment with 3 repeated injections of bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 mL) was applied 1-month apart. Bevacizumab treatment resulted in an abrupt decrease in tumor mass and disappearance of tumoral seeds from the anterior chamber. The patient's vision improved to 20/20, and intraocular pressure decreased to normal levels. Conclusions Anti-VEGF treatment with intravitreal bevacizumab can restore sight and achieve intraocular pressure control in metastatic iris tumors complicated with secondary glaucoma. Anti-VEGF drugs are viable alternatives for the treatment of secondary angle-closure glaucoma induced by metastatic iris tumors and can prevent enucleation of these eyes.
EGFR Amplification as a Target in Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma: Do Anti-EGFR Therapies Deserve a Second Chance?

Anti-EGFR therapies have failed to improve survival for unselected patients with metastatic gastroesophageal cancer, but in a subset of patients, EGFR amplification may predict treatment benefit. Maron and colleagues report the clinical activity of anti-EGFR therapies in a cohort of patients with EGFR-amplified metastatic gastroesophageal cancer and utilize serial blood and tumor tissue collection to identify molecular drivers of treatment sensitivity and resistance. Their insights offer a path to overcome technical limitations associated with EGFR amplification and facilitate molecularly targeted therapeutic strategies. Cancer Discov; 8(6); 679-81. ©2018 AACRSee related article by Maron et al., p. 696.
Adaptive hexapod gait control using anytime learning with fitness biasing

Adaptive learning systems that generate control programs for robots with varying capabilities is of importance in the implementation of autonomous robots. Learning done continuously with the best possible control program running the robot (anytime learning) can achieve the adaptability desired when implemented using some form of evolutionary computation. The difficulty with this method is that autonomous robots often lack the computational power required to run evolutionary computation along with their control program. In addition, anytime learning usually requires input from internal sensors, which are not often available in small autonomous robots, to make adjustments for capability changes. In this paper, we propose an anytime learning system that employs off-line learning, using evolutionary computation, with the control program being downloaded to the on-line controller. The off-line learning does not require internal sensors but uses global observation (external overhead camera) to make the required adjustments to guide the evolutionary computation. The results of periodic tests, done on the actual robot, are used to bias the fitnesses calculated by the evolutionary computation, which uses a model of the robot. Experiments reported in this paper use a simulation of the actual robot (a more accurate model), while construction of the actual learning system is in progress.
Cyclic activation and inactivation of brain vessels involving inflammatory mediators — implications for stroke

Endothelium has until recently been viewed by members of the stroke community as a relatively bland tissue that serves as an inert coating for the vascular tubes. Recent studies of endothelial cells in culture systems have proven these simplistic notions untenable and have shed light on the manifold functions of the endothelium under normal as well as pathological conditions. Endothelium can be characterized as a dynamic, heterogenous, disseminated organ [1] that possesses vital secretory, synthetic, metabolic, and immunologic functions. Endothelial cell surface covers an area of 1 to 7 square meters and weighs about 1 kg [1]. Endothelial cells are heterogeneous [2]. They exhibit organ-specific specialization along with differences in function. It is less well known that endothelial cells express different phenotypes along different segments of the same vascular tree or even within neighboring cells. This variability in phenotype and the existence of subtypes enables endothelial cells to upregulate or downregulate surface proteins in response to local microenvironmental conditions and quickly and efficiently integrate multiple extra-cellular signals to serve the needs of the underlying tissue.
NEW SOURCE OF GEOSPATIAL DATA: CROWDSENSING BY ASSISTED AND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract. The ongoing proliferation of remote sensing technologies in the consumer market has been rapidly reshaping the geospatial data acquisition world, and subsequently, the data processing as well as information dissemination processes. Smartphones have clearly established themselves as the primary crowdsourced data generators recently, and provide an incredible volume of remote sensed data with fairly good georeferencing. Besides the potential to map the environment of the smartphone users, they provide information to monitor the dynamic content of the object space. For example, real-time traffic monitoring is one of the most known and widely used real-time crowdsensed application, where the smartphones in vehicles jointly contribute to an unprecedentedly accurate traffic flow estimation. Now we are witnessing another milestone to happen, as driverless vehicle technologies will become another major source of crowdsensed data. Due to safety concerns, the requirements for sensing are higher, as the vehicles should sense other vehicles and the road infrastructure under any condition, not just daylight in favorable weather conditions, and at very fast speed. Furthermore, the sensing is based on using redundant and complementary sensor streams to achieve a robust object space reconstruction, needed to avoid collisions and maintain normal travel patterns. At this point, the remote sensed data in assisted and autonomous vehicles are discarded, or partially recorded for R&D purposes. However, in the long run, as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication technologies mature, recording data will become a common place, and will provide an excellent source of geospatial information for road mapping, traffic monitoring, etc. This paper reviews the key characteristics of crowdsourced vehicle data based on experimental data, and then the processing aspects, including the Data Science and Deep Learning components.
Evaluation of adhesion properties of blends of cottonseed protein and anionic water-soluble polymers

There is increasing interest in agro-based, biodegradable and eco-friendly wood adhesives as partial replacements for petroleum-based adhesives. In this work, we studied the adhesion of cottonseed ...
Gain, SFDR and NF for Analog Links with with Arbitary Transfer Functions

We present general expressions for RF gain, spurious free dynamic range and noise figure for analog links with arbitrary transmittances. We apply these to links comprised of simulated and fabricated integrated modulators.
Inferring sleep stage from local field potentials recorded in the subthalamic nucleus of Parkinson's patients.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is highly comorbid with sleep dysfunction. In contrast to motor symptoms, few therapeutic interventions exist to address sleep symptoms in PD. Subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) treats advanced PD motor symptoms and may improve sleep architecture. As a proof of concept toward demonstrating that STN-DBS could be used to identify sleep stages commensurate with clinician-scored polysomnography (PSG), we developed a novel artificial neural network (ANN) that could trigger targeted stimulation in response to inferred sleep state from STN local field potentials (LFPs) recorded from implanted DBS electrodes. STN LFP recordings were collected from nine PD patients via a percutaneous cable attached to the DBS lead, during a full night's sleep (6-8 hr) with concurrent polysomnography (PSG). We trained a feedforward neural network to prospectively identify sleep stage with PSG-level accuracy from 30-s epochs of LFP recordings. Our model's sleep-stage predictions match clinician-identified sleep stage with a mean accuracy of 91% on held-out epochs. Furthermore, leave-one-group-out analysis also demonstrates 91% mean classification accuracy for novel subjects. These results, which classify sleep stage across a typical heterogenous sample of PD patients, may indicate spectral biomarkers for automatically scoring sleep stage in PD patients with implanted DBS devices. Further development of this model may also focus on adapting stimulation during specific sleep stages to treat targeted sleep deficits.
LEFT VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHIC NONCOMPACTION: A GENETIC OVERLAP

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and LV noncompaction (LVNC) are two primary, phenotypically distinct cardiomyopathies which occur as a result of a genetic abnormality affecting the myocardium. Both entities have been widely accepted as distinct cardiomyopathies, however, recent literature has
Using Children's Literature to Teach Problem Solving in Math: Addressing the Standards for Mathematical Practice in K–5

Learn how children’s literature can help K–5 students see the real-life applications of mathematical concepts. This user-friendly book shows how to use stories to engage students in building critical reasoning, abstract thinking, and communication skills, all while helping students understand the relevance of math in their everyday lives. Each chapter is dedicated to one of the eight Standards for Mathematical Practice, and offers examples of children’s literature that can be used to help students develop that practice. You’ll find out how to: Encourage students to persevere in solving mathematical problems and use multiple approaches to find the answer; Help students reason abstractly with the aid of concrete objects and visuals; Guide students in constructing arguments to explain their reasoning and engage in critical discussion with their peers; Teach students to recognize mathematical patterns and use them to solve problems efficiently; And more! The book offers activities for beginners as well as for more advanced problem solvers. Each chapter also provides guidance for ELLs and students with special needs, so no matter your classroom environment, you’ll be able to use these strategies to make math class more dynamic, engaging, and fun.
Student Perspectives Regarding Specialty Pharmacy Within Doctor of Pharmacy Curricula.

BACKGROUND: The rapid growth of the specialty pharmacy industry will require many pharmacists with experience and/or training in specialty pharmacy practice (SPP). Unfortunately, there is no standa...
The Sacred Bharatanatyam Dance: Transcendental Aesthetics

The present study demonstrates how the application of Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth Model reveals powerful contributions to the social, cultural, and emotional development of Asian India...
Positive correlations in species functional contributions drive the response of multifunctionality to biodiversity loss

Changes in biodiversity can severely affect ecosystem functioning, but the impacts of species loss on an ecosystem's ability to sustain multiple functions remain unclear. When considering individua...
Fused Low-Earth-Orbit GNSS

In addition to Internet service, new commercial broadband low-Earth-orbiting (LEO) satellites could provide a positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) service far more robust to interference than traditional Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Previous proposals for LEO PNT require dedicated spectrum and hardware: a transmitter, antenna, and atomic clock on board every broadband satellite. This paper proposes a high-performance, low-cost alternative which fuses the requirements of PNT service into the existing capabilities of the broadband satellite. A concept of operations for so-called fused LEO GNSS is presented and analyzed in terms of the economy of its use of constellation resources of transmitters, bandwidth, and time. This paper shows that continuous assured PNT service over $\pm$60° latitude (covering 99.8% of the world's population) with positioning performance exceeding traditional GNSS pseudoranging would cost less than 0.8% of downlink capacity for the largest of the new constellations, SpaceX's Starlink.
The Oxford Handbook of Law and Humanities: Ed. Simon Stern, Maksymilian Del Mar, and Bernadette Meyler, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020, ISBN 9780190695620, Price £125 & $175, ix-892pp

Reviewing the new, vibrant, and nearly 900-page Oxford Handbook of Law and Humanities is no easy task. As seasoned editor-scholars Simon Stern, Maksymilian Del Mar, and Bernadette Meyler acknowledg...
Synthetic approaches for thin-film halide double perovskites

Summary Inspired by the fascinating class of hybrid organic-inorganic halide perovskite materials, halide double perovskites have emerged as non-toxic Pb-free contenders for application as active layers in optoelectronic devices. Heterovalent substitution of Pb2+ by non-toxic metal cations yields the double-perovskite structure, which allows for compositional flexibility. In fact, the compositional space is large, given that multiple cations and halides can be combined, resulting in >106 perovskite combinations. A starkly increasing number of stable halide double-perovskite compositions are theoretically predicted. The synthesis, however, lags behind, and many double perovskites are primarily synthesized as powder samples instead of thin films. The latter, however, are needed for thin-film devices such as solar cells, light-emitting devices, and thin-film transistors. Comparing the synthetic approaches successfully applied to hybrid perovskites to methods used for the fabrication of double perovskites, the latter are clearly in their very infancy. The question is whether solution engineering and compositional modification strategies can be exploited to match the exceptional optoelectronic properties of hybrid perovskites. This review is motivated by a text mining effort that illustrates not only the prevalence of powder over thin-film synthesis but also the discrepancy between the number of compositions experimentally realized and studied and the many predicted compositions. Here we summarize the synthesis aspects of halide double perovskites, and in particular of thin films, including deposition techniques and synthetic modifications to alter film properties.
The Opoly Number

We propose a slight modification to the Herfindahl-Herschman Index of market concentration, resulting in a formula that indicates the number of firms dominating a market. We call this metric the opoly number because it has a value of 1 for a monopoly, 2 for a duopoly, etc.
Characterization of Ceramic Matrix Composite Tubes Under Uniaxial/Biaxial Monotonic and Cyclic Loading

A method for testing ceramic matrix composite (Almax fiber-reinforced alumina matrix) tubes under monotonic and cyclic loads (tensile/compression, torsional, and biaxial) is described. A data interpretation method is developed to determine ply-level elastic properties from elastic response of the tube measured under monotonic loadings. Monotonic tests were carried out at room temperature to determine the tensile and torsional strengths. Fatigue behavior under tension-tension, torsion-torsion, and biaxial cyclic loads was studied. Damage and failure modes of the tubes under these test conditions are described in detail.
Disparities in health, health care access, and life experience between American Indian and White adults in South Dakota

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to investigate the factors associated with depressive symptoms and chronic illnesses in American Indians compared with White adults born in the post-World War II period, 1946 to 1964, and living in South Dakota. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design of American Indian and White adults aged 50 and older in South Dakota (Brookings, Vermillion, Sioux Falls, and all others areas of South Dakota) between January 2013 and May 2013 was used. American Indian and White adults (born between 1946 and 1964; N = 349). Data included sociodemographic factors and measures of chronic physical health condition, health care access, adverse childhood experiences, body mass index (BMI), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Technology Acceptance Model, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and Depressive Symptoms. RESULTS: American Indian adults reported more chronic diseases and conditions, a lower self-perceived physical health, were more likely to be overweight or obese, had more adverse childhood experience (ACE), and reported a lower level of alcohol intake compared to White adults. BMI was significantly associated with an increased number of chronic conditions for both groups, and American Indians' better perception of their physical health was significantly associated with lower total number of chronic conditions. Self-perceived mental health, a better level of access to health care, and a higher degree of social support were significantly inversely associated with the number of depressive symptoms for American Indian adults, while a greater level of ACE was significantly associated with an increased number of depressive symptoms for this group. CONCLUSION: The current study not only support previous studies but also contributes to understanding the disparities in and risk factors potentially impacting American Indians' physical and mental health. Our findings highlight the need to investigate the American Indians' perceptions and knowledge about health care accessibility including availability as well as perceived barriers including social sensitivity and trust. Health professionals might need to pay attention to BMI, ACE, and social relationship among American Indian adults to improve physical and mental health. Language: en
21 LOW ICF-I LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH HEMOGLOBINOPATHIES. SOURCES AND FOLLOW-UP

Politransfused patients show low IGF–I levels. They could be adscribed to growth hormone (GH) deficit, hypothyroidism, malnutrition or reduced hepatic secretion. To determine their origin and evolution we studied patients politransfused for hemoglobinopathies when entering the study, time I,n=25 (TI) and after 1 year of follow up, time II, n=23 (TII). Both at TI and TII we measured height, weight, total proteins, albumin, gamma globulin, transferrin and IGFI; at TII we also evaluated T3, T4, TSH and the GH response to 2 standard stimuli (normal=GH > 10 ng/ml). Only one patient (at TI) had weight below 85% of normal, and 50% of the whole population had weight peroentile > height peroentile. Low IGF–I was found in 64% of TI patients and in 73.9% of TII patients. IGF–I logarithmic deviation showed a significant reduction (TI X:-2.55, TII X:-3.34, p 0.01,*). Total proteins and albumin also decreased significantly (TI X:7.45 vs TII X:6.93, gr%, p 0.01,*,TI X:4.22 vs TII X:3.84, gr%, p 0.02,*, respectively). Both at TI and TII IGF–I logarithmic deviation showed a significant correlation with transferrin (TI r:0.419, TII r:0.481, p 0.05 and gamma globulin (TI r:-0.489, TII r:0.416, p 0.05). GH secretion was evaluated in 17 patients; 70.6% (12/17) had low IGF–I levels. One of them (1/12) showed GH deficit and low T3 an T4 levels, other five (5/12) showed GH deficit alone. The other six patients (6/12) had a GH response > 10 ng/ml and normal T3, T4 and TSH.
The Cuprate Pairing Mechanism

More than a decade after the discovery of the high-transition temperature superconducting copper oxides, the microscopic mechanism that enables the lossless conduction of current is unknown. In his Perspective, Scalapino discusses results reported in the same issue by Dai et al . that indicate the importance of magnetic interactions in these materials. Although the results do not single out a particular mechanism, they do greatly narrow the range of choices.
Effect of Early Exposure on Reproductive Outcomes

Exposures of children to environmental toxicants during critical stages of reproductive system development can have serious and long-lasting effects. Reproductive system development takes place both during pre- and postnatal life, and is under extensive hormonal control. Therefore, the opportunities for disruption of normal processes of structural and functional development of this system, particularly from endocrine-disrupting chemicals, are extensive. Clinical and epidemiological evidence exists that early-life exposures can result in such adverse outcomes as alterations in the timing of puberty, polycyclic ovary syndrome, premature ovarian failure, testicular dysgenesis syndrome, congenital defects and cancers of the pelvic reproductive organs, and breast cancer. Evidence from laboratory animal studies indicates the probability of an even broader array of adverse effects on human reproductive health from early–life-stage exposures to environmental toxicants. Included in this list are altered cyclicity and fecundability, disruptions of uterine development, endometriosis, uterine fibroid tumors, disorders of implantation, alterations in breast development, decreased duration of lactation, and incidence of prostate cancer. The assessment of reproductive risk from exposures to children includes the careful conduct and consideration of epidemiological data, the use of standardized animal testing paradigms, and the judicious application of primary research efforts, which are all complementary and important aspects of the process.
A SysML Framework for Modeling Contingency Basing

Contingency basing presents a planner with numerous design decisions driven by multiple design criteria such as the number of soldiers, base permanency, base location, and other factors. The operational environment of the base is not static either; design requirements change as the mission changes. In this work, we introduce a model-based systems engineering approach to elicit design and operational needs while dealing with the design complexity of constructing a contingency base. The model includes the key facility types that can make a contingency base, interactions between facility types, and required utilities for each facility type. The model elements are kept at an abstract level so the details can be altered as required by the customer needs. Pairing the model with an external analysis tool allows for quick development and testing. Properties of the facility types can be altered either in the model or the analysis tool, and reflected in both. Using the model- based systems engineering concepts of reusability, these elements can be saved and re-used in future base designs allowing for a rapid and adaptable design process. In addition, the sharing of information visually with Object Management Group's Systems Modeling LanguageTM diagrams enhances the ability to collaborate with nonengineering subject matter experts within the design domain. By graphically showing the conditions and layout of the proposed contingency base, Department of Defense personnel not trained in modeling and simulation were able to interact with the engineering designs and identify gaps in the proposed architecture.
Archaeal Means and Extremes

The discovery of single-celled bacteria that live in the extreme temperatures of hydrothermal vents deep in the ocean or in hot springs on land led to the discovery of a third branch of life--the Archaea. In his commentary, DeLong summarizes new evidence showing that Archaea are not confined to extreme living conditions but can be found in abundance as planktonic organisms in cold ocean waters below 100 m. Their occupation of this enormous habitat qualifies these organisms as one of the most abundant prokaryotes on Earth.
Development of the thirst distress scale.

This article describes the development of a 6-item instrument that measures thirst distress. Items were developed following open-ended interviews with 10 subjects, a literature review, and development of a conceptual definition of thirst. A panel of experts established content validity. A convenience sample (N = 247) of adults receiving outpatient hemodialysis completed the scale. A panel of experts was used to assess content validity. Item analysis was used to select unrelated or redundant items for deletion. Cronbach's alpha was .78. Construct validity was supported by confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. Positive relationships between thirst distress and, respectively, thirst intensity and interdialytic weight gain provided additional evidence of construct validity. Overall, these preliminary data indicate that the thirst distress scale has sufficient reliability and validity for use in clinical studies.
Let us go shopping: exploring Northwest Chinese consumers' shopping experiences

With economic development and improvement of living standards, China has become an important and competitive consumer market. It becomes critical to understand Chinese consumers' shopping behaviour, especially that of largely neglected Northwest Chinese consumers. This study explores Northwest Chinese consumers' shopping experiences. The in-depth interview revealed key retail factors that affect local consumers' shopping experiences, including atmospherics, store design, social environment, customer services and merchandise elements. The findings suggest that Northwest Chinese consumers have become more westernized, and the shopping experience has become important for local consumers. The study contributes to the literature by providing valuable insights for retailers aiming to expand to the large retail market in Northwest China.
Proton-Proton Interactions at 200 and 300 Gev/c.

The reactions pp $Yields$ pp $pi$$sup +$pi$sup -$ and pp $Yields$ pp$pi$$sup +$$pi$$sup -$$pi$$sup +$$pi$$sup -$ at 200 and 300 GeV/c were investigated using the Fermilab 30-inch hydrogen bubble chamber and downstream wide-gap spark chambers. This analysis is based upon approximately 9500 4- pronged and 6-pronged events. The cross sections were consistent with pomeron dominance for these reactions. The final state pp $pi$$sup +$$pi$$sup -$ is dominated by single diffractive dissociation, whose features are quite similar to those observed at low energy. A strong signal for double excitation was seen in the pp $pi$$sup +$$pi$$sup -$$pi$$sup +$$pi$$sup -$ final state and pomeron factorization was found to be satisfied. In the pp $pi$$sup +$$pi$$sup -$ final state, 66 events passed the criterion of double pomeron exchange defined by D. M. Chew. However, these events were found to be severely contaminated by diffractive events. The two-particle exclusive azimuthal correlations agreed well with the prediction of a photostatistical model. (auth)
The impacts of the Lacey Act Amendment of 2008 on U.S. hardwood lumber and hardwood plywood imports

Abstract The Lacey Act of 1900 was amended on May 22, 2008, to prohibit the import of illegally sourced plant materials and products manufactured from them into the United States and its territories, and to similarly ban their interstate transport. Trade theory suggests that the effect of the new law would be to reduce the flow of illegally sourced fiber into the United States, increasing prices. Monthly U.S. import data on tropical lumber (January 1989–June 2013) and hardwood plywood (January 1996–June 2013) quantity and unit value were used to estimate alternative statistical models that quantify the impact of the 2008 Lacey Act Amendment on import prices and import quantities of products from potential source countries. Results show that the Amendment's quantity effects are generally negative and double in magnitude in percentage terms than the price effects, consistent with expectations of the effects of a backwards shift in foreign supply against an elastic import demand. Models indicate that there have been double-digit percentage increases in prices and decreases in quantities of tropical lumber imports from Bolivia, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Peru. Similarly large changes in hardwood plywood import prices and quantities from Brazil, Indonesia, and Malaysia have occurred, while smaller, and in some cases statistically insignificant, changes have been observed for hardwood plywood imports from China, Ecuador, and Taiwan.
Morphology, optical properties, charge transfer, and charge transport in nanocrystalline quantum dots

Structural, optical and electrical studies of several hybrids of organic and inorganic nanostructures as well as core shell nanocrystalline structures will be presented. The effects of thermal annealing on the morphological and photoconductive properties of cadmium selenide quantum dots coreshell quantum dots together with indicate that there are collective events happening due to annealing. Two different types of hybrid structures will be discussed. Optical and electrical experimental results in semiconductor nanostructures in conductive polymers as well as those that were integrated into the organic photosystem I (PS1), as part of an artificial light harvesting complex (LHC) will be presented.
Scheduling computations on a software-based router

Recent efforts to add new services to the Internet have increased the interest in software-based routers that are easy to extend and evolve. This paper describes our experiences implementing a software-based router, with a particular focus on the main difficulty we encountered: how to schedule the router's CPU cycles. The scheduling decision is complicated by the desire to differentiate the level of service for different packet flows, which leads to two fundamental conflicts: (1) assigning processor shares in a way that keeps the processes along the forwarding path in balance while meeting QoS promises, and (2) adjusting the level of batching in a way that minimizes overhead while meeting QoS promises.
Safety and yield of diagnostic ERCP in liver transplant patients with abnormal liver function tests.

Background. Abnormal liver enzymes postorthotopic liver transplant (OLT) may indicate significant biliary pathology or organ rejection. There is very little known in the literature regarding the current role of diagnostic ERCP in this scenario. Aim. To review the utility of diagnostic ERCP in patients presenting with abnormal liver function tests in the setting of OLT. Methods. A retrospective review of diagnostic ERCPs in patients with OLT from 2002 to 2013 from a prospectively maintained, IRB approved database. Results. Of the 474 ERCPs performed in OLT patients, 210 (44.3%; 95% CI 39.8–48.8) were performed for abnormal liver function tests during the study period. Majority of patients were Caucasian (83.8%), male (62.4%) with median age of 55 years (IQR 48–62 years). Biliary cannulation was successful in 99.6% of cases and findings included stricture in 45 (21.4 %); biliary stones/sludge in 23 (11%); biliary dilation alone in 31 (14.8%); and normal in 91 (43.3%). Three (1.4%) patients developed mild, self-limiting pancreatitis; one patient (0.5%) developed cholangitis and two (1%) had postsphincterotomy bleeding. Multivariate analyses showed significant association between dilated ducts on imaging with a therapeutic outcome. Conclusion. Diagnostic ERCP in OLT patients presenting with liver function test abnormalities is safe and frequently therapeutic.
Storage water activity affects flavor fade in high and normal oleic peanuts

Abstract Studies were conducted on roasted high oleic (HOP) and normal oleic peanuts (NOP) to investigate the effect of storage water activity on flavor changes. Peanuts were stored for 0–7 weeks at 0.19 and 0.60 water activities ( a w ). Volatile flavor compounds were analyzed using solid phase microextraction–gas chromatography. HOP had better oxidative stability compared to NOP, which had peroxide values 7–10 times higher. Sensory evaluation showed HOP retained roasted peanutty characteristics and resisted off-flavor development during storage better than NOP. Pyrazines remained at higher levels after storage in HOP, which also formed lower levels of aldehydes. Oxidation and sensory changes were higher at low a w .
Fish diversity as a determinant of ecosystem properties across multiple trophic levels

Biodiversity has been established as a potential determinant of function in many ecosystems; however, previous research has mostly focused on primary producers and effects at a single trophic level. A broader perspective that considers multiple components of food webs is necessary to understand natural systems. In particular, consumer diversity needs to be more thoroughly examined as trophic interactions and indirect effects can alter ecosystem properties. We test the potential for consumer diversity (fish richness and composition) to govern food web dynamics at two levels of environmental complexity (mesocosms and experimental ponds) and explore the consequences of removing individual species of fish on lower trophic levels. In mesocosms, both the richness and density of zooplankton were reduced when more fish species were present. No effects from the fish treatments were found on phytoplankton, but phosphorus levels increased with higher fish richness. Removing either generalist or specialist fish species increased the richness and density of zooplankton and the amount of phytoplankton, whereas all fish species had redundant effects on nutrients. In ponds, a dominant fish species (specialist shiner) determined the richness and density of zooplankton. In contrast, phytoplankton and nutrients were reduced by higher fish richness in the fall and spring. Overall, the specialist shiner had unique effects on the pond food web suggesting the key to understanding function is the presence of a dominant species and their biological interactions. Differences between mesocosms and ponds are likely due to increased heterogeneity of resources in the ponds allowing species to specialize on different prey. Our study links the biodiversity ecosystem function paradigm with food web concepts to improve predictions for conservation and management actions in response to changes in biodiversity.
Moraxella catarrhalis uses a twin-arginine translocation system to secrete the β-lactamase BRO-2

Moraxella catarrhalis is a human-specific gram-negative bacterium readily isolated from the respiratory tract of healthy individuals. The organism also causes significant health problems, including 15-20% of otitis media cases in children and ~10% of respiratory infections in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The lack of an efficacious vaccine, the rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance in clinical isolates, and high carriage rates reported in children are cause for concern. Virtually all Moraxella catarrhalis isolates are resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, which are generally the first antibiotics prescribed to treat otitis media in children. The enzymes responsible for this resistance, BRO-1 and BRO-2, are lipoproteins and the mechanism by which they are secreted to the periplasm of M. catarrhalis cells has not been described. Comparative genomic analyses identified M. catarrhalis gene products resembling the TatA, TatB, and TatC proteins of the well-characterized Twin Arginine Translocation (TAT) secretory apparatus. Mutations in the M. catarrhalis tatA, tatB and tatC genes revealed that the proteins are necessary for optimal growth and resistance to β-lactams. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to replace highly-conserved twin arginine residues in the predicted signal sequence of M. catarrhalis strain O35E BRO-2, which abolished resistance to the β-lactam antibiotic carbanecillin. Moraxella catarrhalis possesses a TAT secretory apparatus, which plays a key role in growth of the organism and is necessary for secretion of BRO-2 into the periplasm where the enzyme can protect the peptidoglycan cell wall from the antimicrobial activity of β-lactam antibiotics.
Optimality functions in stochastic programming

Optimality functions define stationarity in nonlinear programming, semi-infinite optimization, and optimal control in some sense. In this paper, we consider optimality functions for stochastic programs with nonlinear, possibly nonconvex, expected value objective and constraint functions. We show that an optimality function directly relates to the difference in function values at a candidate point and a local minimizer. We construct confidence intervals for the value of the optimality function at a candidate point and, hence, provide a quantitative measure of solution quality. Based on sample average approximations, we develop an algorithm for classes of stochastic programs that include CVaR-problems and utilize optimality functions to select sample sizes.