cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stratified radiometric means for the evaluation of AIRS and CrIS

There are now five hyperspectral infrared sounders in orbit (AIRS, two CrIS instruments, two IASI instruments). A long-term record spanning these instruments and continuing forward with future instruments holds great promise for the study of weather and climate. This long-term record must separate the effects of instrument artifacts and weather variability. We introduce the “StratRad” stratified radiance means product, containing means of groups of spectra for AIRS on Aqua and CrIS on SNPP. We show how this product can be used both to illuminate instrument artifacts and to study common observations of weather patterns at an accuracy of better than 0.1 K. Radiances are stratified by latitude, longitude, day/night, land/sea, and observation angle.
Improved Structure from Motion Using Fiducial Marker Matching

In this paper, we present an incremental structure from motion (SfM) algorithm that significantly outperforms existing algorithms when fiducial markers are present in the scene, and that matches the performance of existing algorithms when no markers are present. Our algorithm uses markers to limit potential incorrect image matches, change the order in which images are added to the reconstruction, and enforce new bundle adjustment constraints. To validate our algorithm, we introduce a new dataset with 16 image collections of large indoor scenes with challenging characteristics (e.g., blank hallways, glass facades, brick walls) and with markers placed throughout. We show that our algorithm produces complete, accurate reconstructions on all 16 image collections, most of which cause other algorithms to fail. Further, by selectively masking fiducial markers, we show that the presence of even a small number of markers can improve the results of our algorithm.
Social Isolation and Mortality in US Black and White Men and Women

Social isolation is associated with higher mortality in studies comprising mostly white adults, yet associations among black adults are unclear. In this prospective cohort study, we evaluated whether associations of social isolation with all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality differed by race and sex. Adults enrolled in Cancer Prevention Study II in 1982/1983 were followed for mortality through 2012 (n = 580,182). Sex- and race-specific multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated for associations of a 5-point social isolation score with risk of death. Social isolation was associated with all-cause mortality in all subgroups (P for trend ≤ 0.005); for the most isolated versus the least isolated, the hazard ratios were 2.34 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.58, 3.46) and 1.60 (95% CI: 1.41, 1.82) among black men and white men, respectively (P for interaction = 0.40) and 2.13 (95% CI: 1.44, 3.15) and 1.84 (95% CI: 1.68, 2.01) among black women and white women, respectively (P for interaction = 0.89). The association did not differ between black men and black women (P for interaction = 0.33) but was slightly stronger in white women than in white men (P for interaction = 0.01). Social isolation was associated with cardiovascular disease mortality in each subgroup (P for trend < 0.03) but with cancer mortality only among whites (P for trend < 0.0001). Subgroup differences in the influence of specific social isolation components were identified. Identifying and intervening with socially isolated adults could improve health outcomes.
A prospective, randomized trial of intravenous hydroxocobalamin versus noradrenaline or saline for treatment of lipopolysaccharide-induced hypotension in a swine model.

Early, non-clinical studies support the use of hydroxocobalamin to treat sepsis-induced hypotension, but there is no translational, large animal model. The objective of this study was to compare survival in a sepsis model where large swine had endotoxaemia induced with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and were treated with intravenous hydroxocobalamin (HOC), noradrenaline (NA), or saline. Thirty swine (45-55 kg) were anaesthetized, intubated, and instrumented with continuous femoral and pulmonary artery pressure monitoring. Hypotension, predefined as 50% of baseline, was induced with LPS. Animals then received HOC, NA, or saline and monitored for 3 hours. The main outcome was survival to the conclusion of the study. Using a power of 80% and an alpha of 0.05, 10 animals were used per group. Secondary outcomes included: mean arterial pressure (MAP), systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and cardiac output (CO) along with several markers of sepsis. No differences were detected between groups at baseline or after hypotension. The survival distributions of the three groups were significantly different with more HOC animals surviving (10/10) compared with NA (8/10) or Saline (5/10) (log-rank P < 0.03). MAP was found to be higher in both the HOC and NA groups and HOC achieved the highest SVR. In this large animal, translational study of an endotoxaemic model of sepsis, hydroxocobalamin improved survival when compared with saline.
Which one? What kind? How many? Types, causes, and prevalence of disability among U.S. adults

Abstract Background Quantifying the number of people with and types of disabilities is helpful for medical, policy, and public health planning. Objective/Hypothesis: To update prior estimates on types, prevalence, and main causes of disability among U.S. adults using the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) data. Methods We used cross-sectional data from the SIPP 2008 Panel Wave 6 interviews collected May–August 2010. Analyses were restricted to non-institutionalized adults ages ≥18 years (n = 66,410). Disability was ascertained via five non-mutually exclusive components: 1) specific activity difficulties, 2) selected impairments, 3) use of an assistive aid, 4) household work limitations, and 5) paid work limitations. Prioritized main cause of disability was established for the 95% of respondents with a disability type eligible for health condition questions. We generated weighted population estimates (number and percentage, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs)), accounting for the complex sample survey design. Results 50 million U.S. adults (21.8%) experienced a disability in 2010. Mobility-related activity limitations were the most prevalent disabilities across all five components. The most common main causes of disability were arthritis/rheumatism, 9.1 million (19.2%, 95% CI = 18.4–20.0) and back or spine problems, 8.9 million (18.6%, 95% CI = 17.9–19.3). Conclusions A growing population with disabilities has the potential to put considerable and unsustainable demand on medical, public health, and senior service systems. Strengthening clinical community linkages and expanding the availability of existing evidence-based public health interventions to prevent, delay, and mitigate the effects of disability could improve health and outcomes for people with disabilities.
Toward Intelligent Surveillance as an Edge Network Service (iSENSE) using Lightweight Detection and Tracking Algorithms

Edge computing extends the realm of information technology beyond the boundaries defined by cloud computing. Performing computation near the sensors, edge computing is promising to address the challenges in many bandwidth-and delay-sensitive applications. Although recently many smart video surveillance approaches based on Machine Learning (ML) algorithms become available, it is still challenging to efficiently migrate those smart algorithms to edge. In this paper, we propose an intelligent Surveillance as an Edge Network Service (iSENSE), which explores the feasibility of moving ML to the edge by testing two popular human-object detection schemes. Besides, a lightweight Convolutional Neural Network (L-CNN) is introduced to improve computational execution by leveraging the depth-wise separable convolution. To enhance performance on edge, we propose a hybrid lightweight tracking algorithm, Kerman (Kernelized Kalman filter), which is a decision tree based hybrid Kernelized Correlation Filter algorithm designed for human-object tracking. We have implemented both Kerman and L-CNN algorithms on edge by using different types of single board computers. The proposed iSENSE system was validated using both real-world campus surveillance video and open image sets. The experimental results present that the proposed algorithms can track the human objects in real-time with good accuracy with limited resource available in edge devices.
Patient preferences for maintenance PARP therapy in ovarian cancer treatment.

5558Background: Maintenance therapy with PARP inhibitors has become prevalent in treating ovarian cancer. However, the preferences of women with ovarian cancer regarding the risks, side effects and...
Diffractive imaging of single particles

The computational methods and applications of diffractive (lensless) imaging are reviewed. Far-field scattering (e. g., by neutrons, electrons, light, or x-rays) by a nonperiodic localized potential is detected and the phase problem solved using iterative optimization methods, which allows a three-dimensional image of the object potential to be reconstructed without the need for a lens. The history of the subject and its relationship to the crystallographic phase problem are reviewed, together with a summary of theory, algorithms, uniqueness issues, resolution limits, the constraint ratio concept, and coherence requirements. Applications, from various forms of microscopy (electron, optical, and x-ray) to snapshot x-ray laser single-particle imaging, are reviewed. The method of ptychography, which achieves a similar aim, is reviewed elsewhere in these volumes.
T cells modulate IL-4 expression by eosinophil recruitment within decellularized scaffolds to repair nerve defects

Decellularized nerve, or acellular nerve allografts (ANAs), are an increasingly used alternative to nerve autografts to repair nerve gaps to facilitate regeneration. The adaptive immune system, specifically T cells, plays a role in promoting regeneration upon these ANA scaffolds. However, how T cells promote regeneration across ANAs is not clear. Here, we show that T cells accumulate within ANAs repairing nerve gaps resulting in regulation of cytokine expression within the ANA environment. This in turn ultimately leads to robust nerve regeneration and functional recovery. Nerve regeneration across ANAs and functional recovery in Rag1KO mice was limited compared to wild-type (WT) mice. Prior to appreciable nerve regeneration, ANAs from Rag1KO mice contained fewer eosinophils and reduced IL-4 expression compared to ANAs from WT mice. During this period, both T cells and eosinophils regulated IL-4 expression within ANAs. Eosinophils represented the majority of IL-4 expressing cells within ANAs, while T cells regulated IL-4 expression. Finally, an essential role for IL-4 during nerve regeneration across ANAs was confirmed as nerves repaired using ANAs had reduced regeneration in IL-4 KO mice compared to WT mice. Our data demonstrate T cells regulate the expression of IL-4 within the ANA environment via their effects on eosinophils. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The immune system has been emerging as a critical component for tissue regeneration, especially when regeneration is supported upon biomaterials. The role of T cells, and their roles in the regeneration of nerve repaired with biomaterials, is still unclear. We demonstrated that when nerves are repaired with decellularized nerve scaffolds, T cells contribute to regeneration by regulating cytokines. We focused on their regulation of cytokine IL-4. Unexpectedly, T cells do not produce IL-4, but instead regulate IL-4 by recruiting eosinophils, which are major cellular sources of IL-4 within these scaffolds. Thus, our work demonstrated how IL-4 is regulated in a model biomaterial, and has implications for improving the design of biomaterials and understanding immune responses to biomaterials.
Catalytic Methane Pyrolysis with Liquid and Vapor Phase Tellurium

Methane pyrolysis transforms CH4 into hydrogen and solid carbon without a CO2 byproduct. Using a high-temperature liquid catalyst in a bubble column reactor, deactivation from coking is avoided and...
Regeneration of a Peripheral Nerve

Synthesis of a myelin sheath around axons elongating from neurons in culture was observed to occur when Schwann cells were present but not in their absence. Encasement of myelinated axons by basement membrane required the presence of not only the neuron but also laminin, one of the macromolecular components of basement membrane.
Feeding a Thousand Souls: Women, Ritual, and Ecology in India – An Exploration of the Kōlam

Feeding a Thousand Souls is a beautifully written and richly illustrated book with an abundance of color photos befitting the book’s visual subject, the kōlam. Kōlam (called rangōli in northern Ind...
ECM Stiffness Controls the Activation and Contractility of Corneal Keratocytes in Response to TGF-β1.

Abstract After surgery or traumatic injury, corneal wound healing can cause a scarring response that stiffens the tissue and impairs ocular function. This fibrosis is caused in part by the activation of corneal keratocytes from a native mechanically quiescent state to an activated myofibroblastic state. This transformation is tied to signaling downstream of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Here, to better understand how biochemical and biophysical cues interact to regulate keratocyte activation and contractility, we cultured primary rabbit corneal keratocytes on flexible substrata of varying stiffness in the presence (or absence) of TGF-β1. Time-lapse fluorescence microscopy was used to assess changes in keratocyte morphology, as well as to quantify the dynamic traction stresses exerted by cells under different experimental conditions. In other experiments, keratocytes were fixed after 5 days of culture and stained for markers of both contractility and myofibroblastic activation. Treatment with TGF-β1 elicited distinct phenotypes on substrata of different stiffnesses. Cells on soft (1 kPa) gels formed fewer stress fibers and retained a more dendritic morphology, indicative of a quiescent keratocyte phenotype. Keratocytes cultured on stiff (10 kPa) gels or collagen-coated glass coverslips, however, had broad morphologies, formed abundant stress fibers, exhibited greater levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression, and exerted larger traction forces. Confocal images of phospho-myosin light chain (pMLC) immunofluorescence, moreover, revealed stiffness-dependent differences in the subcellular distribution of actomyosin contractility, with pMLC localized at the tips of thin cellular processes in mechanically quiescent cells. Importantly, keratocytes cultured in the absence of TGF-β1 showed no stiffness-dependent differences in α-SMA immunofluorescence, suggesting that a stiff microenvironment alone is insufficient to induce myofibroblastic activation. Taken together, these data suggest that changes in ECM stiffness can modulate the morphology, cytoskeletal organization, and subcellular pattern of force generation in corneal keratocytes treated with TGF-β1.
Comments of Frank G. Colella, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Regulations Governing Practice before Internal Revenue Service REG-122379-02 (December 29, 2003)

In the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued December 29, 2003 (REG 122379-02), the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service ("Service") seek to amend standards governing tax shelter opinions and certain rules governing practice before the Service. With respect to the former, the proposed regulations seek to expand the definition of tax shelter to compass estate and gift tax matters. With respect to the latter, the proposed regulations seek to prescribe certain "best practices for all tax advisors." I support the new Section 10.33, "Best Practices for Tax Advisors" ("best practices"). I believe that a full and meaningful description of the particular elements of due diligence required from all tax advisors engaged in practice before the Service would not only improve the overall quality of work product (whether in compliance or planning matters), but would also markedly improve the confidence level that the public currently has in the tax system. However, the expansion of the definition of a tax shelter to include "any tax imposed by the Internal Revenue Code." Section 10.35(c)(2). This definition is significantly broader than that given in the earlier, now withdrawn, proposed regulations -- which itself had expanded the definition of a tax shelter. The earlier proposed definition was referenced to Section 6662 and applied (as broad as it was) only to the Federal income tax. The currently proposed definition would now include estate and gift taxes. While I do not object to the broader definition, expanding it to encompass estate and gift taxes has been done without providing tax professionals any meaningful opportunity to comment on the impact that such a change would have on estate and gift tax planning and compliance.
Extracting the Unknown from Long Math Problems.

In problem solving, understanding the problem that one seeks to solve is an essential initial step. In this paper, we propose computational methods for facilitating problem understanding through the task of recognizing the unknown in specifications of long Math problems. We focus on the topic of Probability. Our experimental results show that learning models yield strong results on the task, a promising first step towards human interpretable, modular approaches to understanding long Math problems.
Using adaptive comparative judgment to promote the entrepreneurial mindset and visual literacy in the engineering technology classroom

The development of the entrepreneurial mindset is not only important for engineering graduates who desire to start a new company, but also important for graduates who desire to get a job within a company. Multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary engineering graduates can use their entrepreneurial mindset to create optimal designs and bring value to a company, but future employers only pay attention when that value is communicated efficiently. The purpose of this study is to showcase one approach for growing the entrepreneurial mindset and using visual literacy to effectively communicate the value proposition in an engineering classroom using the pedagogical ‘learning by evaluation’ approach of adaptive comparative judgment. The findings show a positive response from student participants. Furthermore, the findings justify actively engaging in and practicing career development techniques throughout the undergraduate engineering learning journey.
Airway Thiol-NO Adducts as Determinants of Exhaled NO.

Thiol-NO adducts such as S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) are endogenous bronchodilators in human airways. Decreased airway S-nitrosothiol concentrations are associated with asthma. Nitric oxide (NO), a breakdown product of GSNO, is measured in exhaled breath as a biomarker in asthma; an elevated fraction of expired NO (FENO) is associated with asthmatic airway inflammation. We hypothesized that FENO could reflect airway S-nitrosothiol concentrations. To test this hypothesis, we first studied the relationship between mixed expired NO and airway S-nitrosothiols in patients endotracheally intubated for respiratory failure. The inverse (Lineweaver-Burke type) relationship suggested that expired NO could reflect the rate of pulmonary S-nitrosothiol breakdown. We thus studied NO evolution from the lungs of mice (GSNO reductase −/−) unable reductively to catabolize GSNO. More NO was produced from GSNO in the −/− compared to wild type lungs. Finally, we formally tested the hypothesis that airway GSNO increases FENO using an inhalational challenge model in normal human subjects. FENO increased in all subjects tested, with a median t1/2 of 32.0 min. Taken together, these data demonstrate that FENO reports, at least in part, GSNO breakdown in the lungs. Unlike GSNO, NO is not present in the lungs in physiologically relevant concentrations. However, FENO following a GSNO challenge could be a non-invasive test for airway GSNO catabolism.
VORTEX: Physics-Driven Data Augmentations for Consistency Training for Robust Accelerated MRI Reconstruction.

Deep neural networks have enabled improved image quality and fast inference times for various inverse problems, including accelerated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reconstruction. However, such models require large amounts of fully-sampled ground truth data, which are difficult to curate and are sensitive to distribution drifts. In this work, we propose applying physics-driven data augmentations for consistency training that leverage our domain knowledge of the forward MRI data acquisition process and MRI physics for improved data efficiency and robustness to clinically-relevant distribution drifts. Our approach, termed VORTEX (1) demonstrates strong improvements over supervised baselines with and without augmentation in robustness to signal-to-noise ratio change and motion corruption in data-limited regimes; (2) considerably outperforms state-of-the-art data augmentation techniques that are purely image-based on both in-distribution and out-of-distribution data; and (3) enables composing heterogeneous image-based and physics-driven augmentations.
Benzodiazepines: Uses, Dangers, and Clinical Considerations.

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are among one of the most widely prescribed drug classes in the United States. BZDs are a class of psychoactive drugs known for their depressant effect on the central nervous system (CNS). They quickly diffuse through the blood–brain barrier to affect the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and exert sedative effects. Related to their rapid onset and immediate symptom relief, BZDs are used for those struggling with sleep, anxiety, spasticity due to CNS pathology, muscle relaxation, and epilepsy. One of the debilitating side effects of BZDs is their addictive potential. The dependence on BZDs generally leads to withdrawal symptoms, requiring careful tapering of the medication when prescribed. Regular use of BZDs has been shown to cause severe, harmful psychological and physical dependence, leading to withdrawal symptoms similar to that of alcohol withdrawal. Some of these withdrawal symptoms can be life threatening. The current treatment for withdrawal is through tapering with clonazepam. Many drugs have been tested as a treatment for withdrawal, with few proving efficacious in randomized control trials. Future research is warranted for further exploration into alternative methods of treating BZD withdrawal. This call to action proves especially relevant, as those seeking treatment for BZD dependence and withdrawal are on the rise in the United States.
Are You Threatening Me? Identity Threat, Resistance to Persuasion, and Boomerang Effects in Environmental Communication

In today’s increasingly polarized political environment, people are becoming resistant to persuasive messages, which creates challenges for those communicating about environmental issues to the pub...
Longitudinal Analysis: Modeling Within-Person Fluctuation and Change

Section 1: Building Blocks for Longitudinal Analysis 1. Introduction to the Analysis of Longitudinal Data 2. Between-Person Analysis and Interpretation of Interactions 3. Introduction to Within-Person Analysis and Model Comparisons Section 2: Modeling the Effects of Time 4. Describing Within-Person Fluctuation over Time 5. Introduction to Random Effects of Time and Model Estimation 6. Describing Within-Person Change over Time Section 3: Modeling the Effects of Predictors 7. Time-Invariant Predictors in Longitudinal Models 8. Time-Varying Predictors in Models of Within-Person Fluctuation 9. Time-Varying Predictors in Models of Within-Person Change Section 4: Advanced Applications 10. Analysis over Alternative Metrics and Multiple Dimensions of Time 11. Analysis of Individuals within Groups over Time 12. Analysis of Repeated Measures Designs Not Involving Time 13. Additional Considerations and Related Models
Initial Conditions Problem in Event History Analysis: An Indirect Inference Procedure

In event history analysis, the problem of initial conditions is associated with the first spells being left-hand censored (LHC). Currently there are two ways of treating the LHC spells: the Bayesian approach and the direct likelihood approach. Both require strong assumptions about functional forms. This paper proposes an indirect inference procedure which uses simple simulation to correct the discrepancy of a maximum pseudo likelihood estimator.
Cleanliness Requirements in the Chemical Industry

Cleanliness has been an attribute of major importance since the beginning of the chemical industry. It affects capital costs, operating costs, and product quality. The importance of cleanliness as well as the required degree of cleanliness has increased as technology has advanced to the point that some products now require expensively constructed and operated clean rooms. When specifying cleanliness requirements, it should be remembered that the word clean, defined as freedom from extraneous matter, has a wide tolerance range and that the cost of cleaning increases exponentially with the degree of perfection specified. In order to ensure the required degree of cleaning at the proper cost level the cleaning procedures should be specified or approved by the purchaser. Many cleaning problems in the chemical industry have been reduced or resolved through the use of stainless steel due to the inherent property of being easily cleaned and its tendency to remain clean. Four classes of cleaning requirements for stainless steels with the related cleaning procedures are described in this paper. In addition, comments are included relative to design considerations.
Strategies for Engaging Difficult-to-Reach, Multiproblem Clients with Substance Use Disorders

The shift toward evidence-based practices in addictions and behavioral health care is long overdue. For too long practitioners in the behavioral health field have been led by what they think works rather than by evidence-based practices. Fifty percent of chemically dependent clients drop out of treatment prematurely. It is difficult to utilize an evidence-based practice unless clients are engaged in treatment first. This article outlines 15 strategies for engaging difficult-to-reach, multiproblem clients with substance use disorders.
Risk aversion and risk vulnerability in the continuous and discrete case

This paper discusses utility functions for money, where allowable money values are from an arbitrary nonempty closed subset of the real numbers. Thus, the classical case, where this subset is a closed interval (bounded or not) of the real line, is included in the study. The discrete case, where this subset is the set of all integer numbers, is also included. In a sense, the discrete case (which has not been addressed in the literature thus far) is more suitable for real-world applications than the continuous case. In this general setting, the concepts of risk aversion and risk premium are defined, an analogue of Pratt’s fundamental theorem is proved, and temperance, prudence, and risk vulnerability are examined.
Impact Response of the Human Thorax

Part I — Biomechanics Response Data — Thoracic impact response data for unembalmed human cadavers previously published by three of the authors are reviewed. These data are then “averaged,” adjusted to reflect an estimate for muscle tensing, and used as the basis for recommended force-deflection corridors to serve as dummy design guidelines. A volunteer study of muscle tensing, as related to thoracic stiffness at low force and deflection levels, is discussed, and comments are made concerning additional response data recently acquired by other investigators. Finally, consideration is given to possible “second order” refinements for future generations of a high fidelity dummy thorax.
Effect of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) and related compounds on gastric secretion and intestinal motility in the dog.

Summary 1.Exogenous serotonin in a dose up to 0.01 mg. per kg. per min. has no significant effect on gastric secretion of acid, but with a dose of 0.04 mg. per kg. per min. the Heidenhain pouch secretion becomes less acid. 2.The stimulus of reserpine to gastric acid secretion does not appear to be mediated by serotonin release. 3.Serotonin in a dose as low as 0.01 mg. per kg. per min. is a potent stimulus to intestinal motility in the dog. This response is characterized by tachyphylaxis and is not blocked by atropine, hexamethonium, or mepyramine. 4.Lysergic acid diethylamide potentiates the intestinal response to serotonin in contrast to an apparent central antagonism.
Postweaning growth and reproduction characteristics of heifers sired by bulls of seven breeds and raised on different levels of nutrition

Heifers produced from sires of seven breeds (Hereford, Angus, Belgian Blue, Piedmontese, Brahman, Boran, and Tuli) and Angus, Hereford, and MARC III (four-breed composite) cows were evalu- ated. Weaned heifers were placed in three treatment groups of moderate nutrition (15.8 Mcal ME/d), 80% of moderate nutrition (12.6 Mcal ME/d), or fed as a mixed-breed group (16.3 Mcal ME/d). Average daily gain (ADG) from 228 d of age through breeding was measured. There was a sire breed × group interaction ( P < .0001) for ADG in the drylot. Sire breeds differed in their 365-d BW ( P < .0001), and 365-d BW of heifers in the low group (315 ± 4 kg) were lighter ( P < .0001) than those of heifers in the high group (346 ± 4 kg). During breeding, heifers that had been in the low group in the drylot had a higher ADG (.58 ± .02 kg/d) than heifers in the high group (.39 ± .03 kg/d). Age of heifers at puberty did not differ ( P = .06) between the low (362 ± 5 d) and high groups (357 ± 5 d). Heifers from MARC III (358 ± 5 d) and Angus (358 ± 6d ) dams reached puberty at a younger age than did heifers with Hereford dams (380 ± 9 d). Age at which puberty was expressed differed with sire breed ( P < .001). The proportion of heifers that were pregnant at palpation (.90) did not differ between sire breeds ( P = .24), dam breeds ( P = .40), or group ( P = .56). Breed differences in postweaning ADG and in the manner in which the population expresses puberty allow for selection of breed types that will optimize cow herd performance.
The effect of prophylaxis on pediatric HIV costs

The objective of this study was to determine and compare the cost to treat HIV(+) and HIV(−) pediatric patients both before and after HIV prophylaxis became the standard of care. Retrospective chart review of a pediatric HIV/AIDS specialty clinic's medical charts was conducted for clinical and healthcare utilization data on 125 children diagnosed from 1986 to 2007. Mean HIV-related costs were compared using bootstrapped t-tests for children born in the pre-prophylaxis (1979–1993) and prophylaxis eras (1994–2007). Patients were also stratified into two categories based on death during the follow-up period. Lastly, national cost-savings were estimated using mean costs, national number of at-risk births, and national perinatal HIV transmission rates in each era. For HIV(+) children, mean annual per patient treatment cost was $15,067 (95% CI: $10,169–$19,965) in the pre-prophylaxis era (n = 40) and $14,959 (95% CI: $9140–$20,779) in the prophylaxis era (n = 14); difference not statistically significant (p > 0...
Frequency division multiplexed microwave and baseband digital optical fiber link for phased array antennas

A frequency-division multiplexed optical fiber link is described in which microwave (1-8 GHz) and baseband digital (1-10 Mb/s) signals are combined electrically and transmitted through a direct-modulation microwave optical link. The microwave signal does not affect bit error rate (BER) performance of the Manchester-coded baseband digital data link. The baseband digital signal affects microwave signal quality by generating second-order intermodulation noise. The intermodulation noise power density is found to be proportional to both the microwave input power and the digital input power, enabling the system to be modeled as a mixer (AM modulator). The conversion loss for the digital signal is approximately 68 dB for a 1-GHz microwave signal and is highly dependent on the microwave frequency, reaching a minimum value of 41 dB at 4.5 GHz corresponding to the laser diode relaxation oscillation frequency. It is shown that Manchester coding on the digital link places the intermodulation noise peak away from microwave signal, preventing degradation of close-carrier phase noise ( >
Ligand-gated ion channels in the enteric nervous system.

There are many cell surface receptors expressed by neurones in the enteric nervous system (ENS). These receptors respond to synaptically released neurotransmitters, circulating hormones and locally released substances. Cell surface receptors are also targets for many therapeutically used drugs. This review will focus on ligand-gated ion channels, i.e. receptors in which the ligand binding site and the ion channel are parts of a single multimeric receptor. Ligand-gated ion channels expressed by enteric nerves are: nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), P2X receptors, 5-hydroxytryptamine3 (5-HT3) receptors, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptors, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors,alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors and glycine receptors. P2X, 5-HT3 and nAChRs participate in fast synaptic transmission in S-type neurones in the ENS. Fast synaptic transmission occurs in some AH-type neurones, and AH neurones express all the ligand-gated ion channels listed above. Ligand-gated ion channels may be localized at extra-synaptic sites in some AH neurones and these extra-synaptic receptors may be useful targets for drugs that can be used to treat disorders of gastrointestinal function.
Chemical and Discriminant Analyses of Augustan Asses

Abstract Sixty-nine Augustan asses from 16 BC to 12 AD were analysed by X-ray fluorescence for the elements, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Ag, Sn, Sb and Pb. The compositions varied significantly year by year. The earliest coins contained relatively high concentrations of Sb, Ag and Ni, whereas the last of these coins had very low antimony and silver contents. Discriminant analyses based on the chemical compositions enabled probable chronologies of most of the issues to be deduced. The chronology proposed in Roman Imperial Coinage was confirmed.
Gender difference in the interaction of smoking and monoamine oxidase B intron 13 genotype in Parkinson's disease

Abstract We tested for gender-specific interactions between smoking and genetic polymorphisms of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) intron 13 (G or A allele), monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) EcoRV (Y or N allele), and dopamine D2 recepor (DRD2) Taq1B (B1 or B2 allele) in a case-control study of 186 incident idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) cases and 296 age- and gender-matched controls. The odds ratios (ORs) for PD risk for ever smokers versus never smokers were 0.27 (95% CI: 0.13–0.58) for men of genotype G, and 1.26 (0.60–2.63) for men of genotype A (interaction χ2=8.14, P=0.004). In contrast, for women, the OR for ever smokers versus never smokers were 0.62 (95% CI: 0.25–1.34) and 0.64 (95% CI: 0.18–2.21) for women of genotype GG/GA and AA, respectively (interaction χ2=0.001, P=0.975). No interactions were detected between smoking and either MAO-A EcoRV or DRD2 Taq1B genotypes. These results suggest that a strong gender difference exists with respect to the modifying effect of MAO-B genotype on the smoking association with PD.
Urban Image Work Official and Grassroots Responses to Crisis in Tijuana

The images people hold about any city affect its ability to attract tourists, shoppers, and investment. This study of urban image in Tijuana examines institutional place promotion efforts in two vi...
Modeling fluid thermomechanical response for immersion lithography scanning

Immersion lithography has been proposed as a method of improving optical lithography resolution to 50 nm and below, by increasing the index of refraction in the space between the lens and wafer by substituting a high refractive index liquid for the low refractive index air that currently fills the gap. During exposure, energy is deposited onto the wafer; there is a temperature rise in the liquid due both to absorption of light in the fluid and to heat transfer from the heated portions of the wafer. This temperature increase can change the liquid's index of refraction, which may lead to optical degradation. In addition, the increased viscosity of the liquid when compared with air results in potentially significant stresses induced on both the lens and the wafer surface. These stresses may, in turn, cause birefringence of the lens elements. Thermal and flow numerical simulations have been used to analyze the liquid heating and predict the normal and shear forces on the lens. Parametric studies have been performed in order to investigate how the fluid properties affect liquid heating and the resultant effects on imaging. Detailed studies of the forces induced on the lens element have been performed, taking water as the immersion fluid.
INTRODUCTION: WATER RESOURCES AND PUBLIC POLICY

Research in water resource policy historically has reflected more general trends in public policy analysis. This symposium focuses more narrowly upon a sample of some contemporary issues.
Puerarin Promotes Overall Health Through Blood Flow and Immune Response within Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Fingerlings

An 8-week study was performed to determine the effects of supplementing puerarin, the most biologically active ingredient present in the roots of kudzu (Puerarin lobata), in diets of farmed chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) fingerlings. Puerarin was given to study fish through supplementation to commercial fish feed. Administration of puerarin reduced cortisol, proteins, and hematocrit levels while improving spleen somatic indices and respiratory burst response compared to fish fed a control diet without affecting growth, and thereby counteracts the negative consequences of stress induced through handling and experienced by fish reared in aquaculture.
Field survival of containerized red and jack pine seedlings inoculated with mycelial slurries of ectomycorrhizal fungi

Red pine and jack pine seedlings growing in styroblocks were inoculated 8 wk after sowing with mycelium/agar slurries of 3 mycorrhizal fungi (Laccaria bicolor, Scleroderma citrinum, and an unidentified basidiomycete), and one suspected mycorrhizal fungus (Cantharellula umbonata). Seedlings inoculated with L. bicolor developed mycorrhizae earlier and in greater numbers than the other inoculation treatments, with red pine out-performing jack pine in both respects. At 34 wk following sowing, seedlings were outplanted on a cleared xeric site in Baraga Co., in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Seedlings inoculated with C. umbonata failed to form mycorrhizae and were not outplanted. Inoculation treatments did not affect shoot or root weight at outplanting. Red pine inoculated with L. bicolor averaged 21% and 19% greater survival compared with control seedlings after one and two years in the field, respectively. Other inoculation treatments failed to increase seedling survival for either tree species. Jack pine demonstrated higher overall survival than did red pine for both years in all corresponding inoculation treatments.
Advanced Stage Endometriosis in Adolescents and Young Women

Abstract Study Objective To describe the prevalence and characteristics of advanced stage endometriosis in adolescents and young women treated in a tertiary referral center. Design Retrospective cohort. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients and Interventions 86 adolescents and young women (≤22 y) who underwent surgery for endometriosis. The operative reports were reviewed for endometriosis stage, surgical findings, surgical procedures, and pathology. Main Outcome Measures Endometriosis stage reported according to the revised American Fertility Society classification. Results Early stage endometriosis (stage I or II) was found in 66 (76%) and advanced stage endometriosis (stage III or IV) in 20 (23%). The surgical findings in the 20 patients with advanced stage endometriosis included ovarian endometriomas in 14 cases, rectovaginal nodule in 1 case, and diaphragmatic and pulmonary endometriosis in 1 case. Women with advanced stage endometriosis were found to be slightly older at time of diagnosis than those with early stage disease (mean age 20.4 ± 1.4 y vs 18.7 ± 2.2 y respectively, P Conclusion In adolescents and young women with endometriosis, advanced stage disease is not uncommon. The main presentation of advanced stage endometriosis in this age group is ovarian endometriomas rather than extensive peritoneal or adhesive disease.
A model that uses the induction phase of lux gene-dependent bioluminescence in Pseudomonas fluorescens HK44 to quantify cell density in translucent porous media.

Abstract A cooled charge-coupled device (CCD) camera was used to follow the kinetics of induction of lux gene-dependent bioluminescence in Pseudomonas fluorescens HK44 held either in aqueous suspensions minus sand, saturated or unsaturated translucent sand (0.348 and 0.07 cm3 H2O/cm3 of sand, respectively), and at cell densities ranging between 1×106 and 8.5×108 cells/ml. Before O2 availability became a limiting factor, the rate of light emission (L) increased with the square of time (t) and linearly with increasing cell density (c). A nonlinear model was developed that contains a “rate of increase in light emission” constant, B′, which is determined directly from the slope of a plot of √L/c against t. The model predicted the behavior of lux induction in HK44 under a variety of conditions. Similar B′ values were determined [49.0–57.6×10−10 light units/(cell min2)] for cell suspensions held in aqueous medium minus sand, in saturated or unsaturated 40/50 grade sand (0.36 mm grain diameter) and in two other textural classes of translucent sand. Although both the growth phase, and the presence of glucose during lux induction affected the first detectable time (FDT) of bioluminescence by HK44 in sand, the kinetics of induction of light emission were similar among treatments (stationary phase cells plus glucose, B′=61.6±3.2, log phase cells plus glucose, B′=63.2±7.2). The potential exists to use a combination of a CCD camera system, an inducible lux gene containing bioluminescent bacterium, and a light transmission chamber to nonintrusively visualize and quantify in real time the interactions between bacterial growth and unsaturated flow of water and solutes in porous media.
The determination of sulfonated azo dyes in municipal wastewater by ion spray liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

A liquid–solid extraction method suitable for rapid screening of sulfonated azo dyes in municipal wastewater has been developed. The dyes (Color Index Acid Yellow 23, Red 14 and Yellow 49) were separated on a short, reversedphase liquid chromatographic column with a water-methanol gradient containing 2 mM sulfuric acid. The column effluent was directed via a split-valve to an ion spray liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) interface to an atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer. The ion spray LC/MS system produced abundant [M – Na]− and [M – 2Na]2− ions according to the number of sulfonic acid substituents. Collision-induced dissociation of the parent ions for the dyes studied gave the SO3−. fragment common to sulfonated compounds plus additional daughter ion fragments characteristic of each dye. The dyes were quantified by monitoring from four to six different daughter ions of each dye. The relative abundances and the sum of the daughter ion current counts were used for confirmation and quantification with external standards. Recoveries of the dyes were in the range of 70–122%, and the relative standard deviation of replicate determinations was 5.4–12%. The method detection limit was three times higher for Acid Yellow 23 compared with the other two dyes, which could be detected down to 50 ppb in municipal wastewater.
Sodium hydrogen diglycolate as a reference buffer

Abstract A 0.2 M solution of sodium hydrogen diglycolate, easily prepared from the commercially available salt, has a pH of 3.40 ± 0.02. The pH of this solution is constant over a wide temperature range. A 0.2 M sodium hydrogen diglycolate solution has a high buffer capacity. The pH is not changed greatly by addition of salt up to a concentration of 0.05 M . Dilution of the 0.2 M solution by a factor of two does not affect the pH more than ± 0.02 pH units. The solution may be stored for considerable time with little variation in pH. Sodium hydrogen diglycolate is non-hygroscopic and available in primary standard grade. Of the common metal ions only Hg 2 2+ is precipitated by the buffer. These properties make sodium hydrogen diglycolate useful as a reference buffer for standardisation of electrode systems, and as a buffer in various analytical and biochemical procedures.
Noise Considerations for Remote Detection of Life Signs with Microwave Doppler Radar

This paper describes and quantifies three main sources of baseband noise affecting physiological signals in a direct conversion microwave Doppler radar for life signs detection. They are thermal noise, residual phase noise, and Flicker noise. In order to increase the SNR of physiological signals at baseband, the noise floor, in which the Flicker noise is the most dominant factor, needs to be minimized. This paper shows that with the consideration of the noise factor in our Doppler radar, Flicker noise canceling techniques may drastically reduce the power requirement for heart rate signal detection by as much as a factor of 100.
A Difference in the Photoelectric Effect caused by Incident and Divergent Light

RECENT investigations have shown that the ionisation produced by the secondary rays arising from a thin metal plate traversed normally by a primary beam of Rontgen or γ rays is greater on the emergent than on the incident side. The present experiments were made to see if a similar effect could be detected with ultra-violet light.
Endogenous time preference and optimal growth

We adapt the classic one-sector optimal growth model to include an endogenous rate of time preference along the lines of Becker and Mulligan (1997). The resulting model is both time-consistent and analytically tractable. Capital sequences are shown to be globally monotone and stable under very general circumstances using lattice programming techniques and value orders. We analyze a series of examples that exhibit a variety of behaviors, including closed-form solutions, unique steady-states, multiple steady-states, and conditionally sustained growth. The endogenous rate of discount preserves monotonicity and stability while allowing for the possibility of non-global convergence.
Changes in the TRMM Version-5 and Version-6 Precipitation Radar Products Due to Orbit Boost

The performance of the version-5 and version-6 Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR) products before and after the satellite orbit boost is assessed through a series of comparisons with Weather Surveillance Radar (WSR)-88D ground-based radar in Melbourne, Florida. Analysis of the comparisons of radar reflectivity near the storm top from the ground radar and both versions of the PR indicates that the PR bias relative to the WSR radar at Melbourne is on the order of 1 dB for both pre- and post-boost periods, indicating that the PR products maintain accurate calibration after the orbit boost. Comparisons with the WSR-88D near-surface reflectivity factors indicate that both versions of the PR products accurately correct for attenuation in stratiform rain. However, in convective rain, both versions exhibit negative biases in the near-surface radar reflectivity with version-6 products having larger negative biases than version-5. Rain rate comparisons between the ground and space radars show similar characteristics.