cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endocrine disrupting chemical-associated hair product use during pregnancy and gestational age at delivery: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND Prenatal endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure has been associated with increased risk of preterm birth. Non-Hispanic Black women have higher incidence of preterm birth compared to other racial/ethnic groups and may be disproportionately exposed to EDCs through EDC-containing hair products. However, research on the use of EDC-associated hair products during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth is lacking. Therefore, the objective of this pilot study was to estimate associations of prenatal hair product use with gestational age at delivery in a Boston, Massachusetts area pregnancy cohort. METHODS The study population consisted of a subset of participants enrolled in the Environmental Reproductive and Glucose Outcomes (ERGO) Study between 2018 and 2020. We collected self-reported data on demographics and hair product use using a previously validated questionnaire at four prenatal visits (median: 12, 19, 26, 36 weeks' gestation) and abstracted gestational age at delivery from medical records. We compared gestational age and hair product use by race/ethnicity and used linear regression to estimate covariate-adjusted associations of product use and frequency of use at each study visit with gestational age at delivery. Primary models were adjusted for maternal age at enrollment and delivery method. RESULTS Of the 154 study participants, 7% delivered preterm. Non-Hispanic Black participants had lower mean gestational age at delivery compared to non-Hispanic White participants (38.2 vs. 39.2 weeks) and were more likely to report ever and more frequent use of hair products. In regression models, participants reporting daily use of hair oils at visit 4 had lower mean gestational age at delivery compared to non-users (β: -8.3 days; 95% confidence interval: -14.9, -1.6). We did not find evidence of associations at earlier visits or with other products. CONCLUSIONS Frequent use of hair oils during late pregnancy may be associated with shorter gestational duration. As hair oils are more commonly used by non-Hispanic Black women and represent potentially modifiable EDC exposure sources, this may have important implications for the known racial disparity in preterm birth.
Partially conserved axial-vector current conditions on strange-particle photoproduction and electroproduction amplitudes

The photoproduction and electroproduction of strange particles on nucleons are studied in the framework of the algebra of currents and the partially conserved axial-vector current. Consistency conditions are derived for the non-Born amplitudes\(\bar A_1^{( \pm ,0)} (0),\bar A_6^{( \pm ,0)} (0)\), in the process γ +N → Σ + K and for the amplitudes\(\bar A_1^{(S,V)} (0),\bar A_6^{(S,V)} (0)\), in the reaction γ +N → Λ + K. Evaluating these amplitudes using low-lying baryon resonant states we calculate the magnetic moments of the Λ, Σ− and Σ0 as well as the Dirac and axial-vector current mean square radii of the baryons. The Λ magnetic moment agrees with the available experimental value. The Dirac mean square radii are found to be in good agreement with theSU3 predictions. The value derived for the β-decay axial-vector mean square radius is found to be consistent with the value obtained from pion electroproduction.
Pro-Tumorigenic Phosphorylation of p120 Catenin in Renal and Breast Cancer

Altered protein expression and phosphorylation are common events during malignant transformation. These perturbations have been widely explored in the context of E-cadherin cell-cell adhesion complexes, which are central in the maintenance of the normal epithelial phenotype. A major component of these complexes is p120 catenin (p120), which binds and stabilizes E-cadherin to promote its adhesive and tumor suppressing function. However, p120 is also an essential mediator of pro-tumorigenic signals driven by oncogenes, such as Src, and can be phosphorylated at multiple sites. Although alterations in p120 expression have been extensively studied by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the context of tumor progression, little is known about the status and role of p120 phosphorylation in cancer. Here we show that tyrosine and threonine phosphorylation of p120 in two sites, Y228 and T916, is elevated in renal and breast tumor tissue samples. We also show that tyrosine phosphorylation of p120 at its N-terminus, including at the Y228 site is required for its pro-tumorigenic potential. In contrast, phosphorylation of p120 at T916 does not affect this p120 function. However, phosphorylation of p120 at T916 interferes with epitope recognition of the most commonly used p120 antibody, namely pp120. As a result, this antibody selectively underrepresents p120 levels in tumor tissues, where p120 is phosphorylated. Overall, our data support a role of p120 phosphorylation as a marker and mediator of tumor transformation. Importantly, they also argue that the level and localization of p120 in human cancer tissues immunostained with pp120 needs to be re-evaluated.
Temperature-Sensitive Virus from Aedes albopictus Cells Chronically Infected with Sindbis Virus

Cultures of Aedes albopictus cells persistently infected with wild-type Sindbis virus (SV-W) give rise to small plaque-forming mutants which are also temperature sensitive. These mutants, designated SV-C, are neutralized by antiserum produced against SV-W. Mutant ts clones were isolated from SV-C by plaque purification. After serial undiluted passage in BHK or mosquito cells, each of the clones gave rise to ts(+) revertants which, however, remained mutant with respect to plaque morphology. Nineteen of 20 clones derived from SV-C were RNA(+), and one was RNA(-) (SV-C-2). The RNA synthesizing activity, once induced in infected cells by SV-C-2, was stable at the nonpermissive temperature (39.5 C). All clones derived from SV-C were inactivated at 60 C much more quickly than was SV-W. It was not possible to demonstrate complementation between any of the SV-C clones.
Becoming Paladin: The Bodily Ground of World Becoming

In this article I will suggest that futures are made as embodied enactments of individuals and collectives. Values and identities are shaped as postures, gestures, movements, and expressions that are in themselves sites of personal and communal meaning. Bodily organizations are ground for senses of self, and the recognition, and reaction to, the otherness of others. Bodily organizations are shaped in encounters in families and social and cultural institutions that they in turn shape. Kinds of bodies and kinds of bodily enactments are cultivated in different communities. They can be sources of conflict or sources of transindividual and transcultural becoming. In this article I look at some ways bodily meanings are developed in both families and communities. I use the image of Paladin, a fictional television gunslinger character in the 1950s, among others, to describe processes of embodied self-formation that are derived from the media and other extra-familial sources. I look at the polycultural organizatio...
Political and Economic Theory

Kames was called a “political economist” by his biographer, as well as lawyer, philosopher and critic — and he might have added “improver.” The term may not have had quite the same connotations then that it has for us today; and even today we do not always distinguish clearly between economic policy and economic analysis in the study of wealth phenomena. But in any event, the term does suggest the propriety of discussing his political theory and his economic theory in the same chapter. While Kames was perhaps more original in discussing the latter than the former, he did indeed give considerable attention to both, in their separate and distinctive character and in their relationship to one another.
The check-in and other go-rounds in group work: Guidelines for use.

A group worker needs effective ways to get a group started and to involve its members. The check-in, an exercise to open group sessions, and other go-rounds which give each member a turn to speak, ...
On the Multiplicity of Solutions Of a Differential Equation Arising in Chemical Reactor Theory

Abstract : Consider the boundary value problem y double prime + 1/x y' + beta exp (- 1//y/) = 0, y'(0) = y(1) = tau where beta > or = 0, tau > or = 0. The authors are concerned with a mathematically rigorous numerical study of the number of solutions in any bounded portion of the positive quadrant (tau > or = 0, beta > or = 0) of the tau, beta plane. These correct computational results may then be matched with asymptotic (beta nears infinity, tau > or = 0) results developed earlier. (Modified author abstract)
Determining the Cost of Producing Ethanol from Corn Starch and Lignocellulosic Feedstocks

The mature corn-to-ethanol industry has many similarities to the emerging lignocellulose-to-ethanol industry. It is certainly possible that some of the early practitioners of this new technology will be the current corn ethanol producers. In order to begin to explore synergies between the two industries, a joint project between two agencies responsible for aiding these technologies in the Federal government was established. This joint project of the USDA-ARS and DOE/NREL looked at the two processes on a similar process design and engineering basis, and will eventually explore ways to combine them. This report describes the comparison of the processes, each producing 25 million annual gallons of fuel ethanol. This paper attempts to compare the two processes as mature technologies, which requires assuming that the technology improvements needed to make the lignocellulosic process commercializable are achieved, and enough plants have been built to make the design well-understood. Ass umptions about yield and design improvements possible from continued research were made for the emerging lignocellulose process. In order to compare the lignocellulose-to-ethanol process costs with the commercial corn-to-ethanol costs, it was assumed that the lignocellulose plant was an Nth generation plant, built after the industry had been sufficiently established to eliminate first-of-a-kind costs. This places the lignocellulose plant costs on a similar level with the current, established corn ethanol industry, whose costs are well known. The resulting costs of producing 25 million annual gallons of fuel ethanol from each process were determined. The figure below shows the production cost breakdown for each process. The largest cost contributor in the corn starch process is the feedstock; for the lignocellulosic process it is the capital cost, which is represented by depreciation cost on an annual basis.
Inquiry Learning and Technology: A Model for Teacher Education Programs

Abstract PT3 implementation grant funds have been used to restructure a teacher education program to meet the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) defined by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). The Brigham Young University PT3 implementation grant supported design teams of teacher education and content area faculty who enriched pre-service teacher education courses and K-12 curricula with inquiry-based technology integration. The teams modeled technology-enhanced instruction to pre-service teachers who then wrote similar lesson plans that they implemented during K-12 field experiences. Technology-enhanced unit plans written by pre-ser-vice teachers were coded to see which NETS were met. A correlation study was done to compare the innovation of the lessons and the NETS standards. The results of this study indicate that, when inquiry-based instruction is a focus of technology integration, learning is collaborative, student-centered, and develops critical thinking skills...
Phoneme recognition using sparse random projections and ensemble classifiers

Speech recognition is among the harderst engineering problems,it has drawn the attention of various researchers over a wide range of fields. In our work we deviate from the mainstream methods by proposing a mixture of feature extraction and dimensionality reduction method based on Random Projections that is followed by widely used non-linear and probabilistic learning method,Random Forests that has been used successfully for high dimensional data in various applications of Machine Learning. The methodological strategy decouples the problem of speech recognition to 3 distinct components: a)feature extraction, b)dimensionality reduction,c)classification scheme,since tackles the problem via Statistical Learning Theory perspective enriched by the current advances of Signal Processing.
A Simple, Scalable, Script-Based Science Processor

In 1999, the impending launch of the Terra satellite, combined with concerns about the ability of commercial software to process its high data volumes, led the Goddard Earth Sciences Distributed Active Archive Center (GES DAAC) to develop a contingency science processing system. Severe time and money constraints forced the GES DAAC towards a minimalist architecture that eventually becomes the Simple, Scalable, Script-based Science Processor (S4P). It was named Simple for its architecture and small size (a few thousand lines of code), Scalable for its ability to scale up to heavy processing loads or down to modest automation tasks, Script-based for its reliance on the Perl scripting language for its infrastructure, and Science Processor for its genesis in running scientific algorithms.
Insight for Building a Successful Academic Journey

The purpose of this paper is to share insight for launching a successful career in an academic institution. The topics addressed are as follows: strategic planning of a career, developing long- and short-term goals, developing a solid research stream, building mentor–mentee relationship, building grantsmanship, becoming a published author, teaching and student advising, networking and being collegial, and promoting one's work-life balance. The interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of academics is emphasized throughout this paper.
Dynamic Response of Materials

The dynamic response of materials necessitates a separate study than that at quasi-static loading rates primarily for two reasons: the mechanics of a dynamic problem in which material inertia has to be accounted for are different than the static case because they allow for traveling discontinuities, stress waves, in the material, and the constitutive response of many materials exhibits rate sensitivity. This rate dependent response can manifest itself as an increase in elastic modulus with increasing strain rate (or decreasing temperature), and/or a change in yield properties such as yield strength and hardening rate. Unlike polymers, it is rare that metals exhibit a strain rate dependence of elastic modulus, but they can have a strong viscoplastic response. Various techniques have been employed to accurately measure rate dependent material response. The main challenge in these techniques is to separate the inertial (i.e., wave propagation) effects from the actual material response. The two most common high rate constitutive measurement techniques are the split-Hopkinson, or Kolsky, bar, and the pressure shear plate impact experiment. Following a short introduction, which describes some fundamental aspects of the mechanics of wave motion in solids, these two experimental techniques are discussed in some detail, and sample results from each are presented. Keywords: dynamic loading; Hopkinson; Kolsky; Bar; plate impact; material response
The 'Silent Springs' of Rachel Carson: Mass media and the origins of modern environmentalism

This essay explores the different meanings of the 1960s' pesticide controversy as conveyed by the multiple representations of Rachel Carsons's Silent Spring (1962). I argue that to understand the impact of Carson's work on a heterogeneous audience in the early '60s, we must move beyond an examination of the book, Silent Spring, to consider its other media manifestations, as a serialization for The New Yorker and as a television expose for "CBS Reports." Each conveyed a unique message stylized for the audience of that particular media. This analysis demonstrates the problems and opportunities for scholars attempting to gauge the influence of a book on the public understanding of science. This argument also suggests that to understand the transition of environmentalism from a grass-roots movement to near universal consensus, we need to examine carefully the role of media in shaping divergent messages for different audiences--a phenomenon that assisted in transforming local environmental issues into a matter of national concern.
Assessing semantic coherence and logical fallacies in joint probability estimates.

A constellation of joint probability estimates is semantically coherent when the quantitative relationship among estimates of P(A), P(B), P(A and B), and P(A or B) is consistent with the relationship among the sets described in the problem statement. The possible probability estimates can form an extremely large number of permutations. However, this entire problem space can be reduced to six theoretically meaningful patterns: logically fallacious (conjunction or disjunction fallacies), identical sets (e.g., water and H2O), mutually exclusive sets (e.g., horses and zebras), subsets (e.g., robins and birds), overlapping sets (e.g., accountants and musicians), and inconsistent overlapping sets. Determining which of these patterns describes any set of probability estimates has been automated using Excel spreadsheet formulae. Researchers may use the semantic coherence technique to examine the consequences of differently worded problems, individual differences, or experimental manipulations. The spreadsheet described above can be downloaded as a supplement from http://brm.psychonomic-journals.org/content/supplemental.
Effects of Hypoxia on the Myocardial Metabolism of Intact Dogs

Coronary blood flow and myocardial oxygen and carbohydrate metabolism were studied in normal intact dogs subjected to different Degreess of hypoxia. Total left ventricular oxygen consumption was maintained during administration of 10 per cent and 5 per cent oxygen owing to increase in coronary flow and myocardial oxygen extraction. Ten per cent oxygen administration had little effect on carbohydrate uptake by the heart. Five per cent oxygen resulted in decreased coefficients of extraction for glucose, lactate and pyruvate, but total utilization was maintained. Complete anoxia resulted in negative arteriovenous differences for lactate and markedly decreased or negative values for pyruvate.
The synthesis of strong ground motion accelerograms from existing records

The paper discusses the synthesis of acceleration time histories primarily for use in structural response estimation. A proposed model for the acceleration time history is based on the summation of dispersive wave modes over the range of frequencies of typical interest to structural response. The values of the modal amplitudes and the travel times (or group velocities) are, for cases examined here, extracted from a target earthquake (or an ensemble of them). The synthetic accelerograms are constructed from these parameters with the inclusion of a probabilistic definition of those or other characteristics of the strong ground shaking and, in particular, the modal phase angle. The probability distributions of the peak acceleration and the integral of the square acceleration of the synthetic records are examined along with comparisons of the pseudo spectral velocity (PSV) response.
Effects of lesions on somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in the rat striatum

Substantial amounts of somatostatin have been demonstrated in the basal ganglia and immunocytochemistry has demonstrated both somatostatin staining neurons and nerve terminals. In order to study possible sources of somatostatin input to the striatum a series of lesions were made. Lesions of the substantia nigra produced with either 6-hydroxydopamine or ibotenic acid and hemisections at the level of the globus pallidus (6.2 mm anterior) had no effect on striatal levels of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI). Similarly dorsal frontal or hemicortectomies had no effect on SLI in the striatum. Kainic acid injected directly into the striatum at 2 dose levels resulted in a 60% depletion of SLI on the ipsilateral side and a 25% reduction on the contralateral side. These results suggest that about half of the SLI in the striatum is localizable to intrinsic neurons; the source of the remaining SLI is presently unknown but does not appear to arise in the dorsal cortex, thalamus or brainstem.
Posterior fossa brain tumors and arterial hypertension

Hypertension caused by arterial compression of the rostral ventrolateral medulla is well described. Much less information is available on the association between neurogenic hypertension and posterior fossa brain tumors. To date, multiple reports have supported the impression that a small subpopulation of patients with posterior fossa tumors can present with arterial hypertension, and many of those patients achieved significant improvement of their hypertension after tumor resection and medullary decompression. To review the relationship between posterior fossa brain tumors and hypertension, we detail the history, basic science, and clinical reports along with an illustrative case regarding this topic.
Microscopic Investigations of the Material Eroded by a High Voltage Spark Discharge

The material eroded by a high voltage spark discharge in a point-to-plane configuration was investigated. Glass microscope slides were used to collect material close to the spark discharge and material which had traveled away from the spark. The effluent was also directed into a microwave discharge, and material from the spark which had traveled through this discharge was collected and inspected. The collected material was visually inspected with a light microscope and with a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Using these microscopes, it was found that the material collected near the spark discharge consisted mainly of very small particles, although some larger droplets were also observed. As the material was collected farther from the spark, larger particles were observed. These were apparently aggregations of the smaller particles observed close to the spark. When these large particles passed through the microwave plasma, some were melted.
Ordering in Lix(Ni0.5Mn0.5)O2 and its relation to charge capacity and electrochemical behavior in rechargeable lithium batteries

Abstract Li(Ni 0.5 Mn 0.5 )O 2 is an exciting new Li-intercalation material for which high reversible capacity in rechargeable lithium batteries has been demonstrated, but whose structure has not been completely determined. We propose a structural arrangement in which cation layers with composition Li 11/12 Ni 1/12 alternate with Li 1/12 Ni 5/12 Mn 6/12 in the octahedral sites of the close-packed oxygen framework. In the layer with composition Li 1/12 Ni 5/12 Mn 6/12 the ions arrange in flower-like patterns, with Li surrounded by a hexagon of Mn, which in turn is surrounded by a larger hexagon of Ni. This ordering is consistent with available experimental information, and first-principles computations indicate that it is degenerate in energy with previously proposed structures. The intercalation potential and Li-site occupancies are calculated within this structure as a function of Li content by combining a cluster expansion with Monte Carlo simulations. Early in the charge cycle, the Li ions that are part of the flower ordering in the transition metal layer are removed, freeing up tetrahedral sites which then become occupied by lithium. Our results indicate that the tetrahedral Li require a high potential to be removed and effectively lower the attainable capacity of the material in practical voltage intervals.
Dynamics and control of spacecraft with retargeting flexible antennas

This investigation is concerned with the dynamics and control of a spacecraft comprising a rigid platform and a given number Of retargeting flexible antennas. The mission consists of maneuvering the antennas so as to coincide with preselected lines of sight while stabilizing the platform in an inertial space and suppressing the elastic vibration of the antennas. The paper contains the derivation of the equations of motion by a Lagrangian approach using quasicoordinates, as well as a procedure for designing the feedback controls. A numerical example involving a spacecraft consisting of a rigid platform and a flexible antenna is presented.
Effects of talker variability on speechreading.

The effects of talker variability on visual speech perception were tested by having subjects speechread sentences from either single-talker or mixed-talker sentence lists. Results revealed that changes in talker from trial to trial decreased speechreading performance. To help determine whether this decrement was due to talker change—and not a change in superficial characteristics of the stimuli—Experiment 2 tested speechreading from visual stimuli whose images were tinted by a single color, or mixed colors. Results revealed that the mixed-color lists did not inhibit speechreading performance relative to the single-color lists. These results are analogous to findings in the auditory speech literature and suggest that, like auditory speech, visual speech operations include a resource-demanding component that is influenced by talker variability.
Altered expression of mitochondrial genes in response to fracture in old rats

Background Old rats require more time for bone to bridge a fracture gap than young rats. To explore possible mitochondrial dysfunction in this delay, we measured levels of mRNA derived from mitochondrial genes in healing fractures of young, adult, and old rats.Methods Diaphyseal femoral fractures were induced in female rats at 6, 26, and 52 weeks of age (young, adult, and old rats, respectively). At baseline, at 3 days, and 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks after fracture, the fracture site was harvested. Total RNA was extracted, and cRNA was prepared and hybridized to 54 Affymetrix U34A microarrays (2 rats/array and 3 arrays/age/time point).Results Radiographic union occurred progressively later with age. Of the 107 mitochondria-related genes reviewed, all 8 located within the mitochondrial DNA and some nuclear genes (of the electron transport chain and tricarboxylic acid cycle) showed a prolonged reduction in gene expression after fracture in the oldest rats, to about half the level of expression detected in young r...
Ab Initio Modeling of Organolithium Equilibria

Experimental ion pair pK's of monomeric contact ion pair lithium salts in THF from our previous studies give good correlations with ab initio calculations at the Hartree-Fock 6-31+g(d) level. PCM methods were found to be inadequate in nonpolar organic solvents, and dielectric solvation was not used in the correlations. Specific coordination of two or three ether solvent molecules with lithium was found to be satisfactory. These correlations include carboxamides, amines, dithianes, sulfones, and sulfoxides, as well as some ketones, beta-diketones, and the lithium salts of dianions.
The role of anions on the crystal structures and electrical properties of the organic metals and superconductors, (BEDT-TTF)2X (X = trihalide anions)

Abstract A systematic study of the crystal structures of (BEDT-TTF) 2 X salts [BEDT-TTF is bis-(ethylenedithio) tetrathiafulvalene, C 10 S 8 H 8 , and X is a linear trihalide anion] reveal that the different packing motifs for the BEDT-TTF molecules are directly related to the electrical properties of these materials. The packing of the organic molecules is influenced by the cation-anion interactions of the -CH 2 …X − type and is observed to change systematically with anion size.
Coupling Boundary Integral and Finite Element Formulations for Nonlinear Halfspace Problems

In finite element applications involving static or quasistatic nonlinear inelastic response in unbounded regions, there is the question of how to truncate the region to be modeled and how to select appropriate boundary conditions to be imposed on the remote boundary. An example of an application in which this problem arises is the determination of the history of the deformation of an underground tunnel due to creep. Typically such problems are modeled by placing the exterior boundary “far enough away” so that the effect of fixing the boundary does not significantly alter the stress and deformation in areas of interest. There are two drawbacks to this approach. First, there is always some effect no matter how far away the boundary is placed, which makes it difficult for the analyst to judge precisely how much effect his choice of the location of the boundary is having on the solution. This is especially true in non- linear problems where intuition often fails. The second and perhaps more important drawback is that the boundary must be placed so far away from regions of interest that an unnecessarily large number of elements must be used, which increases the computational cost of the analysis.
Effect of electron and volume change via Sb(V) doping on the superconducting behavior of K0.4Ba0.6Bi1−xSbxO3

Abstract The effect of Sb-substitution for Bi has been studied in the oxide superconductors K0.4Ba0.6Bi1-xSbxO3 (0 ≤x ≤ 0.4). The compounds are single phase to near x = 0.3. Tc is depressed from 28K for x = 0 to below 2K for x = 0.3. Resistance vs T behavior is semiconductor-like for low x, but becomes metallic-like as x increases. Mossbauer effect measurements show that the valence of Sb is near 5+ for all Sb concentrations to x = 0.4.
Passive acoustic monitoring using random matrix theory

Cross-correlating ocean noise is a potential alternative to using active sources to monitor and study ocean environments. However, directional sources in the medium (usually ships) often introduce a bias in the cross-correlations, making the travel time estimates unreliable. Here, we use recent results in random matrix theory for the eigenvalue density of isotropic noise sample covariance matrices to separate the directional noise from the diffuse noise field. The eigenvalues obtained from ocean data agree well with the theoretical results. Beamforming on the diffuse noise components reveals a fairly spatially isotropic nature for the noise field, which fits the assumption. The cross-correlations using the diffuse noise field alone converge to the expected travel times (i.e., unbiased estimates) and are stable temporally.
Lipid analysis and lipidomics by structurally selective ion mobility-mass spectrometry

Recent advances in mass spectrometry approaches to the analysis of lipids include the ability to incorporate both lipid class identification with lipid structural information for increased characterization capabilities. The detailed examination of lipids and their biosynthetic and biochemical pathways made possible by novel instrumental and bioinformatics approaches is advancing research in fundamental cellular and medical studies. Recently, high-throughput structural analysis has been demonstrated through the use of rapid gas-phase separation on the basis of the ion mobility (IM) analytical technique combined with mass spectrometry (IM-MS). While IM-MS has been extensively utilized in biochemical research for peptide, protein and small molecule analysis, the role of IM-MS in lipid research is still an active area of development. In this review of lipid-based IM-MS research, we begin with an overview of three contemporary IM techniques which show great promise in being applied towards the analysis of lipids. Fundamental concepts regarding the integration of IM-MS are reviewed with emphasis on the applications of IM-MS towards simplifying and enhancing complex biological sample analysis. Finally, several recent IM-MS lipid studies are highlighted and the future prospects of IM-MS for integrated omics studies and enhanced spatial profiling through imaging IM-MS are briefly described. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Lipodomics and Imaging Mass Spectrometry.
An energy ‘sources’ and ‘fractions’ approach to the mechanical energy expenditure problem—I. Basic concepts, description of the model, analysis of a one-link system movement

Abstract Different methods of determining mechanical energy expenditure for human movement are used in scientific research. However, the validity of some of these methods is open to question. The concept of ‘sources’ and ‘fractions’ of mechanical energy is introduced in this paper. Power phenomena in moving a onelink system are analyzed through the use of ‘energy balance equations’. They represent the interrelationships between the powers of the ‘sources’ and the time rate of change the mechanical energy ‘fractions’. Two ways of minimizing mechanical energy expenditure are discussed. They correspond to ‘whip-type’ and ‘pendulum-type’ motion.
Retroperitoneal nodal metastasis in primary and recurrent granulosa cell tumors of the ovary

Abstract Objective. To describe the incidence of retroperitoneal pelvic or paraaortic lymph node metastasis in patients with primary and recurrent ovarian granulosa cell tumors. Methods. At Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, we conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients with ovarian granulosa cell tumors managed as inpatients from January 1991 to July 2005. The initial date of diagnosis ranged from 1971 to 2005. Results. We identified 68 patients with a median age of 49 years (mean, 47.5 years; range, 19–78 years). Sixty-four (94%) patients had adult type and 4 (6%) had juvenile granulosa cell tumors. Fifty-three (78%) patients had their initial surgery at another institution and 55 (81%) were incompletely surgically staged at diagnosis due to the absence of pelvic and/or aortic lymph node dissection. Patients were assigned an International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage that included IA, 39; IC, 15; IIB, 3; IIC, 3; IIIC, 1. In 7 patients, the original stage was not assigned. Only 16 (24%) patients had a pelvic lymph node sampling and 13 (19%) also had a paraaortic lymph node sampling at primary surgery or at restaging surgery performed shortly following initial diagnosis; however, in these cases, lymph nodes were negative for metastasis. The median number of pelvic lymph nodes removed was 10 (mean, 11.6 nodes; range, 0–36 nodes). The median number of paraaortic lymph nodes removed was 4 (mean, 6 nodes; range, 0–19 nodes). Nine of 15 (60%) of patients managed initially at our institution were surgically staged compared to 4 of 53 (7.5%) who were managed initially elsewhere ( P Thirty-four patients with recurrent granulosa cell tumors were managed during the study, 31 (91%) had adult type granulosa cell tumor, and 3 had juvenile histology. Thirty-three of 34 patients who recurred were incompletely surgically staged at the initial operation. Original "clinical" FIGO stage for patients who recurred included IA, 15; IC, 8; IIB, 1; IIC, 3; IIIC, 1; and in 6 patients, the original stage was not available. The median disease-free interval to first recurrence was 63 months (mean,69.4 months; range, 4–170 months). First recurrence sites included pelvis, 24/34 (70%); pelvis and abdomen, 3 (9%); retroperitoneum only, 2 (6%); pelvis and retroperitoneum, 2 (6%); pelvis/abdomen/retroperitoneum, 1(3%); abdomen only, 1 (3%); and bone, 1 (3%). Conclusions. Complete surgical staging was performed in approximately 1/5 women with ovarian granulosa cell tumors; however, in those initially surgically staged, no nodal metastasis was identified. Clinical stage IA disease was the most common original diagnosis in women who recurred, and approximately 15% of first recurrences appear to involve the retroperitoneum.
Particle size analysis of polymer latexes by light scattering. V. The significance of an assumed distribution in the analysis of angular scattering data

In the analysis of light scattering data from polymer latex systems or other systems of spherical particles, it is necessary to assume a particle size distribution function. Theoretical angular scattering functions based on the assumed distribution and representing a wide range of size distribution parameters are compared to experimental data in order to obtain a best fit. In previous work, it has been shown that as the polydispersity increases beyond certain limits the uncertainty in the assignment of the size distribution parameters (i.e., the best fit) increases. This report is concerned with the analysis of angular scattering from unimodal systems and simulated cases where theoretical scattering functions for wide, negatively skewed distributions are used as “experimental data,” are analyzed by utilizing four different distribution functions. These functions represent different degrees of skewness and include negatively, positively, and normally skewed distributions. The results from the use of the various distribution functions are discussed with respect to the uncertainly in the assignment of distribution parameters resulting from the loss of structure in the angular scattering pattern due to increased polydispersity. Scattering data from the bimodal distribution are analyzed by assuming a unimodel distribution, and the consequences of this assumption are assessed.
Inhalation bioassay of cigarette smoke in rats.

Abstract Groups of 80 female rats were exposed to cigarette smoke from three types (code 13 = high tar, low nicotine; code 27 = low tar, medium nicotine; code 32 = high tar, high nicotine) of cigarettes in Maddox-ORNL smoking machines, eight cigarettes per day, 7 days per week, for up to 24 months. An additional group received sham exposures and a fifth group served as untreated controls. The sham-exposed animals had significantly lower body weights than the untreated controls. The smoke-exposed animals had significantly lower weights than the sham-exposed controls; the weights were lower for the code 27 and code 32 animals than for the code 13 animals during the second year of exposure. The survival of the code 13 animals was similar to that for the sham-exposed and untreated control group; survival times of the code 27 and code 32 animals were shorter. Body weight and survival reflected the high- and low-nicotine dose groups indicated by in vivo dosimetry measurements. Smoke-induced histopathologic lesions consisted primarily of pulmonary smoke granulomas; the smoke granulomas were less severe in the code 27 exposure group than in the groups exposed to smoke from code 13 or code 32 cigarettes. Additional changes included pulmonary alveolar epithelial hyperplasia, and squamous metaplasia and basal cell hyperplasia of laryngeal and tracheal epithelium. One primary epidermoid carcinoma was found in the lung of a code 27 rat. The rats tolerated the chronic exposures relatively well and certain of the smoke-induced lesions allowed differentiation between the different types of cigarettes.
Synthesis and characterization of epoxyphilic' montmorillonites

‘Epoxyphilic’ montmorillonites were prepared containing various functional groups which can react with one or both of the components in amine-cured epoxy formulations. The preparation involves the ion exchange of six organic ammonium compounds containing either carboxylic acid, anhydride, phenolic hydroxyl, alcoholic hydroxyl, amide or amine functional groups. X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis and FTIR studies confirm the intercalation of the organic cations to form epoxyphilic montmorillonites. The adsorption behaviour of the modified montmorillonites are compared with the unmodified montmorillonite in an epoxy resin before and after the curing process.
Health-related quality of life in children with hemifacial microsomia: parent and child perspectives.

Purpose To compare health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among children with and without hemifacial microsomia (HFM) as assessed by parents and the children themselves during the elementary school years. Methods One hundred thirty-six children with HFM (49 females, mean age = 6 years, 11.9 months, SD = 1.004) were compared with 568 matched controls (285 females, mean age = 6 years, 10.2 months, SD = 0.998) for parent and child responses on the PedsQL Version 4.0. Results After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, parent-reported summary scores were worse for affected children than control group children for physical (effect sizes [ES] = 0.26, p = .004), social (ES = 0.34, p = .001), and school (ES = 0.32, p = .001) functioning. There were no significant mean differences in summary scores based on children's self-reported functioning. Conclusions Case-control mean differences in HRQOL were more apparent based on parent report, but not child self-report. Summary score findings suggest that case parents have concerns about their child's HRQOL, particularly with respect to their child's physical, social, and school functioning. Additionally, our findings highlight the potential differences between child and parent perspectives and the importance of collecting data from multiple reporters.
Construction and scheduling of extrapolated parity packets for dead reckoning in network gaming

Game update packets of typical First Person Shooting (FPS) network games, small and of delay-sensitive and self-healing characteristics, are disseminated periodically among players for dead reckoning (DR) to predict the current locations of the opposing avatars. To improve delivery of these updates over networks with substantial packet losses and transmission delays, we propose the use of Extrapolated Parity Packets (EPPs). EPPs are application-aware parity packets that can fully recover missing game updates or prediction information. Our proposed scheduling of EPP makes maximal use of the available network bandwidth. Experiments showed noticeable improvements in prediction accuracy at receiver using EPP schemes over non-EPP schemes.
Measurement Differences From Rating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Response to Differentially Distressing Traumatic Events

The authors explored differences in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms as a result of rating symptoms from two separate, differentially distressing traumatic events. In an initial sample of 400 nonclinical participants, the authors inquired through a web survey about previous psychological trauma, instructing participants to nominate their most distressing and second most distressing traumatic events experienced. Using the PTSD Checklist, participants rated their PTSD symptoms separately from these worst and second worst events. Using the four-factor emotional numbing PTSD model in confirmatory factor analysis, results demonstrated evidence supporting separation of PTSD symptom rating sets from two differentially distressing traumas—specifically, the worst and second worst events. Measurement invariance tests revealed that factor loadings did not vary between the worst and second worst event PTSD ratings; item thresholds (indexing symptom severity) differed. Results generally support the recomm...
PEBB System Stability Margin Monitoring

PEBB (power electronics building block) systems are typical nonlinear systems. Under the conventional but still popular linear control design, the system stability margin varies from one operating point to another. This paper introduces a novel approach to monitoring the DC bus stability margin of a PEBB system online. At the steady state of the system, a small-signal perturbation current ip is injected into the DC bus, and the load-side response current iL is measured. By checking the validation |iL (jw)| < |ip (jw)|, the system stability margin can be examined. Experiments on a 48 V DC DPS demonstrate the proposed measurement approach. An implementation approach is also proposed for an 800 V DC PEBB-based testbed system.
A dose-rate effect in UV mutagenesis in neurospora.

Abstract A simple system for screening a large number of genes for recessive lethal mutations has been used to study dose-rate effects on UV-induced mutation. Acute UV produced 4 times as many mutations as did the same dose given at chronic rate. Chronic UV at 0° gave as many mutations as acute UV; this indicates that the prevention of mutation during chronic treatment at 22° results from metabolic repair activities. In a strain which lacked excision repair, acute UV produced twice as many mutations as chronic; this suggests that the dose-rate effect seen in repair-proficient Neurospora results from the action of the excision-repair system as well as from some other repair system.
Aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity in critically iii surgical patients

Abstract A clinical method was sought to differentiate aminoglycoside (AG) damage from the renal damage induced by underlying pathophysiology in critically ill surgical patients. One hundred and fourteen such patients were monitored with daily AG blood levels and serum creatinines (Scr); 24-hr urines for creatinine, β 2 -microglobulin, AG clearances; and urinary cast count and tissue levels of AG when possible. A two-compartment pharmacokinetic analysis of blood levels was used to characterize the rate and extent of AG tissue accumulation, as this parameter offers a quantitative means of evaluating AG-related nephrotoxicity. In 50% of patients a rise in Scr was noted. In deciding whether this rise was due to renal tubule (RT) damage or glomerular filtration shutdown, we employed tests of RT function such as β 2 -microglobulin and cast count to establish tubular damage. The cause of tubular damage was then determined from the pattern of the indices and from the tissue accumulation values. Since not all creatinine rises were AG nephrotoxicity, these drugs should be stopped only in patients with evidence of AG-related RT damage. In contrast, glomerular insufficiency requires only dosage adjustment unless drug-related RT damage also occurs. Employing the criteria above, gentamicin and amikacin were responsible for significantly more AG-related nephrotoxicity than tobramycin ( P
Noncovalent Interactions between Cytosine and SWCNT: Curvature Dependence of Complexes via π···π Stacking and Cooperative CH···π/NH···π

Fragments of C24H12, adapted from a variety of armchair [(n,n), (n = 5, 7, and 8)] and zigzag [(m,0) (m = 8, 10, and 12)] single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT), are used to model corresponding SWCNTs with different diameters and electronic structures. The parallel binding mainly through π···π stacking interaction, as well as the perpendicular binding via cooperative NH···π and CH···π between cytosine and the fragments of SWCNT have been extensively investigated with a GGA type of DFT, PW91LYP/6-311++G(d,p). The eclipsed tangential (ET) conformation with respect to the six-membered ring of cytosine and the central ring of SWCNT fragments is less stable than the slipped tangential (ST) conformation for the given fragment; perpendicular conformations with NH2 and CH ends have higher negative binding energy than those with NH and CH ends. At PW91LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level, two tangential complexes are less bound than perpendicular complexes. However, as electron correlation is treated with MP2/6-311G(d,p) for PW...
Prostaglandin E2 potentiates heat shock-induced heat shock protein 72 expression in A549 cells

Abstract The heat shock (HS) response is an important cytoprotective response comprising the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and orchestrated by the heat/stress-induced transcription factor, heat shock factor-1 (HSF-1). Previous studies suggest that the activation threshold and magnitude of the HS response may be modified by treatment with arachidonic acid (AA). We analyzed the effect of exogenous AA and its metabolites, PGE 2 , LTD 4 , and 15-HETE on HSF-1-dependent gene expression in A549 human respiratory epithelial-like cells. When added at 1 μM, PGE 2 much more than LTD 4 , but not 15-HETE increased activity of a synthetic HSF-1-dependent reporter after HS exposure (42 °C for 2 h), but had no effect in the absence of HS. Exposing A549 cells to HS stimulated the release of PGE 2 and treatment with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, ibuprofen, reduced HS-induced HSF-1-dependent transcription. PGE 2 increased HS-induced HSP72 mRNA and protein expression but EMSA and Western blot analysis failed to show an effect on HSF-1 DNA binding activity or post-translational modification. In summary, we showed that HS stimulates the generation of PGE 2 , which augments the generation of HSPs. The clinical consequences of this pathway have yet to be determined.