cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Latent Class Analysis of E-cigarette Use Sessions in Their Natural Environments.

Background Delivery of nicotine and substances from electronic nicotine delivery systems, or e-cigarettes, depends in part on how users puff on the devices. Little is known about variation in puffing behavior to inform testing protocols or understand whether puffing behaviors result in increased exposure to emissions. Methods We analyzed puff topography data collected using a wireless portable use monitor (wPUM) continuously over 2 weeks among 34 current second-generation e-cigarette users in their everyday lives. For each puff, the wPUM recorded date, time, duration, volume, flow rate, and inter-puff interval. Results We defined use session and classes at the session level using multilevel latent profile analysis, resulting in two session classes and three person types. Session class 1 ("light") was characterized by 14.7 puffs per session (PPS), low puff volume (59.9 ml), flow rate (28.7 ml/s), and puff duration (202.7 s × 100). Session class 2 ("heavy") was characterized by 16.7 PPS with a high puff volume (290.9 ml), flow rate (71.5 ml/s), and puff duration (441.1 s × 100). Person class 1 had almost exclusively "light" sessions (98.0%), whereas person class 2 had a majority of "heavy" sessions (60.7%) and person class 3 had a majority of "light" sessions (75.3%) but some "heavy" sessions (24.7%). Conclusion Results suggest there are different session topography patterns among e-cigarette users. Further assessment is needed to determine whether some users have increased exposure to constituents and/or health risks because of e-cigarettes. Implications Our study examines topography characteristics in a users' natural setting to identify two classes of e-cigarette session behavior and three classes of users. These results suggest that it is important for studies on the health effects of e-cigarettes to take variation in user topography into account. It is crucial to accurately understand the topography profiles of session and user types to determine whether some users are at greater exposure to harmful or potentially harmful constituents and risks from e-cigarettes as they are used by consumers.
Trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) promotes anti-diabetic signaling in insulin-secreting cells.

Pancreatic β-cell failure in type 2 diabetes mellitus is a serious challenge that results in an inability of the pancreas to produce sufficient insulin to properly regulate blood glucose levels. Trace amine–associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) is a G protein–coupled receptor expressed by β-cells that has recently been proposed as a potential target for improving glycemic control and suppressing binge eating behaviors. We discovered that TAAR1 is coupled to Gαs-signaling pathways in insulin-secreting β-cells to cause protein kinase A (PKA)/exchange protein activated by cAMP (Epac)–dependent release of insulin, activation of RAF proto-oncogene, Ser/Thr kinase (Raf)–mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, induction of cAMP response element–binding protein (CREB)–insulin receptor substrate 2 (Irs-2), and increased β-cell proliferation. Interestingly, TAAR1 triggered cAMP-mediated calcium influx and release from internal stores, both of which were required for activation of a MAPK cascade utilizing calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), Raf, and MAPK/ERK kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2). Together, these data identify TAAR1/Gαs-mediated signaling pathways that promote insulin secretion, improved β-cell function and proliferation, and highlight TAAR1 as a promising new target for improving β-cell health in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Interactive Statistical Computation with Large Data Structures

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses some of the ways in which interactive computing and data analysis facilities can be used in the statistical analysis of a large database. It presents some data from the Albany Heart Study, with emphasis on how and where the interactive analysis fits rather than on the results of the analysis itself. The chapter also presents examples of exploring and editing data, formulating hypotheses to be investigated, and building up the necessary subprograms to examine those hypotheses. These are the areas in which interactive, online data analysis has marked advantages over the more conventional batch mode. The results of some further analyses are also given in the chapter.
Shared, Subscribed & Supernatural Surface, Surfable - Speculation and Strategy

Many of the decacorn or centicorn companies in this startup world are linked to the shared economy in somehow especially for the ones in the space or mobility industry. Many of the home appliance companies like LG Electronics are trying to integrate their products into furniture, while furniture company is trying to create their own space, and some of the architects are now saying they are creating the part of Nature rather than the artificial construction. As a space itself is being recognized as the business opportunity, the inside of the surfable(interactive) surface could be the canvas of the human imagination where limitless supernatural dreams come true. I will cover the future possibilities of interactive surface and space in today's 5G, AI and connected context.
Using vibration absorber to eliminate vibration for any mass in a harmonically excited chain of oscillators

Vibration absorber, which consists of a spring–mass combination, is an important engineering tool for suppressing excess vibration. It is very effective in reducing undesirable vibration of machine...
Development and Implementation of a Perioperative Blood Glucose Monitoring Protocol for Patients Undergoing Spinal Surgery.

Abstract Purpose Stress-induced hyperglycemia during the perioperative period is associated with adverse outcomes after spinal surgery, which increases both patient-related burden and hospital costs. This quality improvement project describes the development and implementation of a perioperative blood glucose monitoring protocol for patients undergoing spinal surgery. Design An evidence-based perioperative blood glucose monitoring protocol was developed by a multidisciplinary committee of specialists in endocrinology and anesthesiology with utilization of the American Diabetes Association diabetes screening criteria. Methods The protocol was implemented in the perioperative areas of a regional hospital in the Southeastern United States. The project sample included patients with and without a prior diagnosis of diabetes who met protocol inclusion criteria during a 3-month implementation period. Findings Preoperative glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) testing identified more than 54% of previously undiagnosed patients with levels consistent with either prediabetes or diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association criteria for diagnosis. Patients with diabetes and those without diabetes experienced a perioperative increase in blood glucose with levels remaining elevated above preoperative baseline through postoperative day 1. Conclusions A perioperative blood glucose monitoring protocol enables preoperative identification of patients with undiagnosed prediabetes and diabetes, allowing for optimization before elective surgery and establishment of appropriate postoperative follow-up care. In addition, a blood glucose monitoring protocol increases the detection of perioperative hyperglycemia and may lead to a reduction in postoperative complications after spinal surgery.
Pulmonary Artery Pulsatility Index (PAPi) is a Predictor of Right Ventricular Assist Device (RVAD) Use Following HeartMate 3 LVAD Implantation

Purpose Pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPi) recently emerged as a predictor of right ventricular failure after Heartmate II LVAD Implantation. Clinical utility of this marker in Heartmate 3 patients is unknown. We hypothesized that PAPi is a stronger predictor of RV failure compared to central venous pressure to pulmonary artery capillary wedge pressure ratio (CVP/PCWP) or RV stroke work index (RVSWI) in Heartmate 3 population. Methods 175 patients who received a Heartmate 3 LVAD at a single academic center between 2014 - 2019 were included in the study. Primary outcome was right ventricular assist device (RVAD) use following HM3 implant. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined predictors of RVAD use in HM3 patients. Results 55 patients (31.4%) required RVAD following HM3 implantation including 19 percutaneous, 24 paracorporeal, and 2 durable RVADs. Age, gender, and implant strategy were comparable between RVAD and no RVAD groups. Patients requiring RVAD were more likely to be INTERMACS Class I or II (78.2% vs. 56.6%), have a higher WBC count (9.2±3.4 vs. 8.1±2.8) and C-reactive protein (57.7±59.2 vs. 38.4±34.7) prior to device implant (all p Conclusion PAPi is an independent predictor of RV failure in Heartmate 3 patients. Incorporating PAPi in clinical decision-making may improve patient selection and perioperative outcomes in this population.
Distinct Regional Oscillatory Connectivity Patterns During Auditory Target and Novelty Processing

Auditory attention allows us to focus on relevant target sounds in the acoustic environment while maintaining the capability to orient to unpredictable (novel) sound changes. An open question is whether orienting to expected vs. unexpected auditory events are governed by anatomically distinct attention pathways, respectively, or by differing communication patterns within a common system. To address this question, we applied a recently developed PeSCAR analysis method to evaluate spectrotemporal functional connectivity patterns across subregions of broader cortical regions of interest (ROIs) to analyze magnetoencephalography data obtained during a cued auditory attention task. Subjects were instructed to detect a predictable harmonic target sound embedded among standard tones in one ear and to ignore the standard tones and occasional unpredictable novel sounds presented in the opposite ear. Phase coherence of estimated source activity was calculated between subregions of superior temporal, frontal, inferior parietal, and superior parietal cortex ROIs. Functional connectivity was stronger in response to target than novel stimuli between left superior temporal and left parietal ROIs and between left frontal and right parietal ROIs, with the largest effects observed in the beta band (15–35 Hz). In contrast, functional connectivity was stronger in response to novel than target stimuli in inter-hemispheric connections between left and right frontal ROIs, observed in early time windows in the alpha band (8–12 Hz). Our findings suggest that auditory processing of expected target vs. unexpected novel sounds involves different spatially, temporally, and spectrally distributed oscillatory connectivity patterns across temporal, parietal, and frontal areas.
Compound pulse characteristics of a heterogeneous composite scintillator in a gamma-ray field

Abstract An important aspect of radiation detection in scintillators is the time dependence of emitted fluorescence, which results in characteristic measured pulse shape. In some materials, a relatively strong dependence of the scintillation pulse shape on stopping power exists, which can provide reliable identification of the incident particle. An alternative method to realize particle identification is by combining materials with different fluorescence lifetimes into heterogeneous structures. Such composite scintillators derive their properties from both the constituent material characteristics and the geometry of the composite structure. In composite scintillators with a high degree of heterogeneous loading, a superposition of fluorescence contributions originating in multiple materials, which is observed as single waveform with an intermediate pulse shape, may affect its ability to reject γ rays. We measure the time dependence of light output from a scintillator composed of 6 Li-containing glass shards and scintillating polyvinyl toluene and identify events that exhibit such compound behavior when exposed to γ rays and fast neutrons. We develop a modeling and simulation framework that reproduces the pulse shapes in heterogeneous scintillators and use it study the effect that the weight percentage of 6 Li glass has on γ rejection. The modeling framework is applied to the experimentally studied scintillator, finding a good agreement. The developed modeling and simulation approach will help optimize the design of heterogeneous scintillators to meet the desired trade-off between neutron capture efficiency and γ -ray rejection.
High nitrogen flux plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy growth of InxGa1-xN films

Abstract Growth of efficient III-N based light emitting devices by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy has been elusive, even though the technique has attractive advantages in comparison to metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Modern high-flux radio frequency plasma systems could remedy this issue by enabling growth of InxGa1-xN at higher temperatures than previously possible, likely improving the material quality. In this work, active nitrogen fluxes of up to 3.5 μm/h GaN-equivalent growth rate were employed to grow InxGa1-xN alloys. InxGa1-xN growth rates of 1.3 μm/h were demonstrated at growth temperatures of 550 °C and 600 °C with maximum film compositions of In0.25Ga0.75N and In0.21Ga0.79N, respectively. A composition of In0.05Ga0.95N was observed in a film grown at 700 °C with smooth step-terrace morphology.
Characterization and oil recovery enhancement by a polymeric nanogel combined with surfactant for sandstone reservoirs

The characterization and enhanced oil recovery mechanisms of a nanosized polymeric cross-linked gel are presented herein. A negatively charged nanogel was synthesized using a typical free radical suspension polymerization process by employing 2-acrylamido 2-methyl propane sulfonic acid monomer. The synthesized nanogel showed a narrow size distribution with one peak pointing to a predominant homogeneous droplet size. The charged nanogels were also able to adsorb at the oil–water interfaces to reduce interfacial tension and stabilize oil-in-water emulsions, which ultimately improved the recovered oil from hydrocarbon reservoirs. In addition, a fixed concentration of negatively charged surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate or SDS) was combined with different concentrations of the nanogel. The effect of the nanogels combined with surfactant on sandstone core plugs was examined by running a series of core flooding experiments using multiple flow patterns. The results show that combining nanogel and SDS was able to reduce the interfacial tension to a value of 6 Nm/m. The core flooding experiments suggest the ability of the nanogel, both alone and combined with SDS, to improve the oil recovery by a factor of 15% after initial seawater flooding.
Massive Splenomegaly and Pancytopenia: It's a Hairy Situation.

A 33-year-old previously healthy Middle Eastern male presented to the emergency department with four weeks of progressively worsening fatigue, dyspnea on exertion, night sweats, and a 10-pound weight loss after suffering a self-limiting viral upper respiratory illness. He was found to be profoundly anemic and thrombocytopenic with normal white blood cell count with a lymphocytic predominance. His anemia was refractory to red blood cell transfusions, to which he developed hyperbilirubinemia. A CT scan revealed hepatomegaly and massive splenomegaly associated with multi-station abdominopelvic lymphadenopathy. A peripheral blood smear revealed several lymphocytes with hairy cell features and bone marrow biopsy revealed hypercellularity with interstitial infiltration by mature lymphoid cells. Flow cytometry confirmed the diagnosis of hairy cell leukemia (HCL) and this patient was initiated on cladribine chemotherapy. This case illustrates the uniqueness of this patient presenting within a short time course, at an atypical age, and with uncommon features for HCL including lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, and petechial skin rash. This case also highlights an important point regarding the management of severe anemia in the acute setting while undergoing splenic sequestration. His lack of response to red blood cell transfusions highlights the need for more research on the use of transfusions in patients who are not current surgical candidates for splenectomy.
Day-to-day associations between sleep characteristics and affect in community dwelling adults.

Despite the high co-occurrence of sleep and mood disturbances, day-to-day associations between sleep characteristics (sleep duration, continuity, and timing) and dimensions of mood (positive affect and negative affect) remain unclear. The present study aimed to test whether there is a daily, bidirectional association between these sleep characteristics and affective states, while addressing methodological limitations in the extant literature by using actiography and ecological momentary assessment methods. Participants were community dwelling, midlife adults (aged 30-54 years, N = 462, 47% male) drawn from the Adult Health and Behavior Project-Phase 2 study. Participants' sleep patterns were assessed with actiography over a 7-day monitoring period, and on 4 of those days, participants completed an ecological momentary assessment protocol that included hourly assessments of positive affect and negative affect during their wake intervals. Using hierarchical linear modelling, we tested whether participants' sleep characteristics on a given night predicted next-day affect and vice versa. We also explored whether nocturnal sleep characteristics would differentially associate with affect at different times of day (morning, afternoon, and evening) while controlling for multiple health behaviours. We found that when participants reported higher positive affect on a given day, they slept later that night (B = 0.22, p = .010). Although we found no other statistically significant associations in our primary analyses (all p > .05), we found several sleep-affect associations specific to time of day (B ranges: 0.01-0.18, all p ≤ .02), which warrants further study. Overall, our findings suggest that healthy adults may be resilient to daily fluctuations in their sleep and mood.
Filter Representation in Vectorized Query Execution

Advances in memory technology have made it feasible for database management systems (DBMS) to store their working data set in main memory. This trend shifts the bottleneck for query execution from disk accesses to CPU efficiency. One technique to improve CPU efficiency is batch-oriented processing, or vectorization, as it reduces interpretation overhead. For each vector (batch) of tuples, the DBMS must track the set of valid (visible) tuples that survive all previous processing steps. To that end, existing systems employ one of two data structures, or filter representations: selection vectors or bitmaps. In this work, we analyze each approach's strengths and weaknesses and offer recommendations on how to implement vectorized operations. Through a wide range of micro-benchmarks, we determine that the optimal strategy is a function of many factors: the cost of iterating through tuples, the cost of the operation itself, and how amenable it is to SIMD vectorization. Our analysis shows that bitmaps perform better for operations that can be vectorized using SIMD instructions and that selection vectors perform better on all other operations due to cheaper iteration logic.
The use of tocofersolan as a rescue agent in larval zebrafish exposed to benzo[a]pyrene in early development.

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread environmental pollutants created by incomplete combustion. Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), the prototypic PAH, is known to exert toxicity through oxidative stress which is thought to occur through inhibition of antioxidant scavenging systems. The use of agents that reduce oxidative stress may be a valuable route for ameliorating the adverse effects of PAHs on neural development and behavior. This study was conducted to determine if tocofersolan (a synthetic water-soluble analog of vitamin E) supplementation can prevent or reduce neurobehavioral deficits in zebrafish embryos exposed to BaP during early development. Newly hatched zebrafish were assessed on locomotor activity and light responsivity. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to vehicle (DMSO), tocofersolan (0.3 μM–3 μM), and/or BaP (5 μM) from 5−120 hours post-fertilization. This concentration range was below the threshold for producing overt dysmorphogenesis or decreased survival. One day after the end of exposure the larval fish were tested for locomotor activity under alternating light and dark 10 min periods, BaP (5 μM) was found to cause locomotor hypoactivity in larval fish. Co-exposure of tocofersolan (1 μM) restored control-like locomotor function. Based on the findings of this study, this model can be expanded to assess the outcome of vitamin E supplementation on other potential environmental neurotoxicants, and lead to determination if this rescue persists into adulthood.
Spectral Measurement of the Breakdown Limit of β − Ga 2 O 3 and Tunnel Ionization of Self-Trapped Excitons and Holes

Owing to its strong ionic character coupled with a light electron effective mass, $\ensuremath{\beta}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ is an unusual semiconductor where large electric fields (approximately 1--6 MV/cm) can be applied while still maintaining a dominant excitonic absorption peak below its ultrawide band gap (${E}_{g}$ \ensuremath{\sim} 4.6--4.99 eV). This provides a rare opportunity in the solid state to examine exciton and carrier self-trapping dynamics in the strong-field limit at steady state. Under sub-band-gap photon excitation, we observe a field-induced redshift of the spectral photocurrent peak associated with exciton absorption and a thresholdlike increase in peak amplitude at high field associated with self-trapped hole ionization. The field-dependent spectral response is quantitatively fitted with an exciton-modified Franz-Keldysh effect model, which includes the electric-field-dependent exciton-binding energy due to the quadratic Stark effect. Saturation of the spectral redshift with reverse bias is observed exactly at the onset of dielectric breakdown, providing a spectral means to detect and quantify the local electric field and dielectric breakdown behavior in $\ensuremath{\beta}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. Additionally, the field-dependent responsivity provides an insight into the photocurrent-production pathway, revealing the photocurrent contributions of self-trapped excitons (STXs) and self-trapped holes (STHs) in $\ensuremath{\beta}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. Photocurrent and p-type transport in $\ensuremath{\beta}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ are quantitatively explained by field-dependent tunnel ionization of excitons and self-trapped holes. We employ a quantum-mechanical model of the field-dependent tunnel ionization of STXs and STHs in $\ensuremath{\beta}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ to model the nonlinear field dependence of the photocurrent amplitude. Fitting to the data, we estimate an effective mass of valence-band holes (18.8${m}_{0}$) and an ultrafast self-trapping time of holes (0.045 fs). This indicates that minority-hole transport in $\ensuremath{\beta}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ can only arise through tunnel ionization of STHs under strong fields.
Comparison of Polar Motion Results using Lunar Laser Ranging

A comparison of polar motion results from three sources [Bureau International de l’Heure (BIH), Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic/Topographic Center (DMAHTC-Doppler), the International Polar Motion Service (IPMS)] was performed using lunar laser ranging (LLR) data. The rms errors, both of the LLR data and of the determinations of polar motion by the three services, decreased in recent times. The BIH and Doppler polar motion are comparable in quality (12 ± 6 cm for BIH values taken from August 1976 through May 1980, 14 ± 7 cm for Doppler results taken from June 1977 through May 1980). The IPMS errors were substantially larger (33 ± 7 cm for data taken from August 1976 through May 1980). All three analyses give 13 ± 3 cm as an estimate for the combined LLR modeling, fitting, and instrumental error (noise) for the last four years.
Tidal resuspension in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts: I. Seasonal changes in the resuspension of organic carbon and chlorophyll a

Abstract Greater than 50% increases in the amount of particulate organic carbon and chlorophyll a per square meter occurred in a 13-m water column of Buzzards Bay during tidal cycles. The composition and quantity of the resuspended material varied seasonally. Greater percentages of the carbon in the water column were resuspended during the summer and winter months while more resuspension of chlorophyll a occurred during spring and summer. Increases in the amount of primary production in the water column occurred with the resuspension of chlorophyll a , indicating that the resuspended cells were viable. The contribution of this resuspended phytoplankton to the total yearly primary productivity can be significant. The tidal resuspension of phytoplankton and detritus from the mud bottom of Buzzards Bay, if utilized by the zooplankton community, could provide significant food resources for secondary production.
The Epistemology of the Financial Crisis: Complexity, Causation, Law, and Judgment

The focus on complexity as a problem of the financial meltdown of 2008-09 suggests that crisis is in part epistemological: we now know enough about financial and economic systems to be threatened by their complexity, but not enough to relieve our fears and anxieties about them. What marks the current crisis is anxiety that the financial world has evolved to the point that there are hidden structures, like concentrated "too big to fail" institutions and mechanisms, or like credit default swaps, that have widespread and adverse downsides. I propose an analogy between medicine and law in the sense of "regulatory technology." If bubbles are the disease, then the analogy is to bipolar syndrome - exuberance, or even a little hypomania is okay on the upswing, but true mania is bad, as is the resulting swing to depression. Good regulation, then, would be something like lithium, which keeps us on an even keel. There are two questions. The first is really whether we understand the forces well enough to regulate them. Regulation is a function of prediction; prediction is a function of observed regularity; observed regularities invoke the problem of scientific (not legal) causation; causation returns us to the question whether the human system being analyzed is capable of being reduced to helpful predictive models. The second question is who does the understanding. What we are dealing with instead is a crisis of confidence in those who purport to be experts in what we cannot fathom merely through common sense. The conundrum, of course, is that if it takes an expert to see the problem caused by complexity, how are we, possessing merely common sense, supposed to do anything but rely on their judgment? The epistemological crisis arises from our own judgments to rely on, believe in, trust, or have faith in, that judgment.
Gender in Amazonia and Melanesia: An Exploration of the Comparative Method.

Gender in Amazonia and Melanesia: An Exploration of the Comparative Method. Thomas A. Gregory and Donald Tuzin. eds. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001. 392 pp.
ERDA: a user-centered, intelligent tutorial system for educational research in data abstractions

Educational Research in Data Abstractions (ERDA) is an intelligent tutorial system. The system's focus is to present animated and graphical representations of data abstractions and algorithms to supplement CS2 lectures. The authors deal with the research subjects of ERDA which include the following topics: a user-centered, highly portable interface that provides the user with a persistent framework and the ability to initiate nonlinear exploration; object-oriented lesson development techniques; standardization and documentation of lesson features that provides consistency and ensures future portability; and emphasis on interactive, user-directed learning. >
Preparation of an [18F]liposome using a novel ‘click’ chemistry approach

1537 Objectives Several liposome formulations in the size range of 90-100 nm are clinically approved as compositions for chemotherapeutic drug delivery, while PET imaging can provide an effective method of noninvasively tracking and quantifying liposomal biodistribution. Although a number of methods for radiolabeling liposomes with various radionuclides have been developed, the most useful radionuclide for PET imaging is F-18, although it represents a radiolabeling challenge and can be inefficient. Herein, we report a new and efficient approach to F-18 radiolabeling of a preformed liposome using ‘click’ chemistry. Methods We synthesized an F-18 labeled liposome by ‘click’ chemistry using a [18F]23-azido-1-fluoro-3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21-heptaoxatricosane hapten and a dibenzyl cyclooctyne (DBCO)-appended liposome. The DBCO-liposome was first prepared within a limited size range of 80-90nm, and then coupled with the [18F]azide ligand followed by radiolabeled liposome purification using a size-exclusion PD10 column. Results The [18F]azide ligand was synthesized in a 24% (n=12) uncorrected radiochemical yield in 50 minutes. The [18F]azide ligand and the DBCO-liposome were combined at 37°C for 45 min. The uncorrected radiochemical yield was 47% (37%-63%, n=3). The overall uncorrected radiochemical yield was 11% in a 95min synthesis time starting from [18F]fluoride. Conclusions The approach represents a new method for radiolabeling a preformed liposome with F-18. Research Support This work was funded by the intramural program of the National Institutes of Health
Multiple Use and Other Mysteries: Creating the Data Base as a Byproduct of Composition.

L'American Institute of Physics est l'editeur d'une publication dont il extrait les references bibliographiques pour les inserer dans une base de donnee bibliographique, a partir de la bande photocomposee. La structure du systeme mis en place par cet institut specialise en physique et en astronomie et les etapes de conversion de la publication primaire a la base d'informations secondaires sont detaillees
A holistic approach to child maltreatment

Children and adolescents experience more violence, abuse, and criminal victimisation than do other segments of the population. Proper public health attention to this vulnerability is hampered by many things, but one of the most remediable is the fragmentation of the response system. Separate institutions, researchers, and advocacy groups lobby and often compete on behalf of victims of child molestation, rape, exposure to domestic violence, corporal punishment, physical abuse, and bullying. Attention is also hampered by the description of abusive behaviours such as peer violence (including that among siblings) as being part of a 'normal childhood' and by viewing efforts to address such abuse as a sign of overwrought protectionism. Language: en
Twelve Transmembrane Helices Form the Functional Core of Mammalian MATE1 (Multidrug and Toxin Extruder 1) Protein

The x-ray structure of the prototypic MATE family member, NorM from Vibrio cholerae, reveals a protein fold composed of 12 transmembrane helices (TMHs), confirming hydropathy analyses of the majority of (prokaryotic and plant) MATE transporters. However, the mammalian MATEs are generally predicted to have a 13th TMH and an extracellular C terminus. Here we affirm this prediction, showing that the C termini of epitope-tagged, full-length human, rabbit, and mouse MATE1 were accessible to antibodies from the extracellular face of the membrane. Truncation of these proteins at or near the predicted junction between the 13th TMH and the long cytoplasmic loop that precedes it resulted in proteins that (i) trafficked to the membrane and (ii) interacted with antibodies only after permeabilization of the plasma membrane. CHO cells expressing rbMate1 truncated at residue Gly-545 supported levels of pH-sensitive transport similar to that of cells expressing the full-length protein. Although the high transport rate of the Gly-545 truncation mutant was associated with higher levels of membrane expression (than full-length MATE1), suggesting the 13th TMH may influence substrate translocation, the selectivity profile of the mutant indicated that TMH13 has little impact on ligand binding. We conclude that the functional core of MATE1 consists of 12 (not 13) TMHs. Therefore, we used the x-ray structure of NorM to develop a homology model of the first 12 TMHs of MATE1. The model proved to be stable in molecular dynamic simulations and agreed with topology evident from preliminary cysteine scanning of intracellular versus extracellular loops.
Causality, Explanatoriness, and Understanding as Modeling

The paper investigates the question as to which features of hypotheses make them explanatory. Given the intuitive appeal of causal explanations, one might suspect that explanatoriness is deeply connected with causation. I argue in detail that this is wrong by showing that none of the dominant analyses of causation are suited for general accounts of explanatoriness. In the second part, I provide the outlines of an account of explanatoriness that connects it with scientific understanding, which in turn is argued to be analyzable as the cognitive realization of scientific models.
Correlated response of udder dimensions to selection for milk yield in Holsteins.

Response to selection for milk yield in Holsteins was examined by a controlled selection experiment initiated in 1964. Foundation cows were paired by sire and divided randomly into two breeding groups, selection and control. Selection group was mated to four sires each year highest for Predicted Difference milk. Twenty bulls selected in 1964 as near breed average for milk sired all control cows. Milk yield was recorded for each lactation, and height of udder from ground, distances between teats, and perimeter and area bound by the four teats were measured at 30 to 75 days postpartum on 153 selection and 202 control cows over 14 yr. Most estimates of repeatability and heritability of udder dimensions before and after milking were .45 or larger. Correlations with milk yield were negative for udder height and positive for other udder measurements. Selection cows exceeded controls for lactational milk yield. Daughters of high milk bulls had greater distances between teats, greater perimeters, and larger areas of udder floor. Selection cows did not differ from controls in udder height for first parity but were below controls in udder height and had udders that collapsed more for all parities.
State Building for Future Wars: Neoclassical Realism and the Resource-Extractive State

Neorealist theory holds that the international system compels states to adopt similar adaptive strategies—namely, balancing and emulation—or risk elimination as independent entities. Yet states do not always emulate the successful practices of the system's leading states in a timely and uniform fashion. Explaining this requires a theory that integrates systemic-level and unit-level variables: a “resource-extraction” model of the state in neoclassical realism. External vulnerability provides incentives for states to emulate the practices of the system's leading states or to counter such practices through innovation. Neoclassical realism, however, suggests that state power—the relative ability of the state to extract and mobilize resources from domestic society—shapes the types of internal balancing strategies that countries are likely to pursue. State power, in turn, is a function of the institutions of the state, as well as of nationalism and ideology. The experiences of six rising or declining great powe...
On linearity equivalent ideal topologies

A new ring transpormation T ( bA ) (for each non-nilpotent b in a Noetherian ring A ) is introduced and it is shown that T ( bA ) is always a finite A -module and is the largest transformation of its type that has this property. Then, using this transformation on the element u in the Rees ringR( A, I ) of A with respect to an ideal I in A , it is shown that the I-adic topology on A is linearly equivalent to the u -symbolic topology on A ; that is, there exists k ⩾0 such that I n ⊆I [n] ⊆ n − k for all n ≥ k , where I [ n ] = u n T ( u R( A,I ))∩ A . Several corollaries of this are proved, and Cohen-Macaulay rings are characterized in terms of the filtrations I { [ n ] ; n ≥0}, where I is an ideal of the principal class in A .
Absorption of nutrients in lactase deficiency

The influence of malabsorption of lactose, as a result of primary lactase deficiency, on the absorption of the nutrients in milk was tested in four healthy controls and four subjects with lactase deficiency. An ileal perfusion technique was used to quantify arrival in the ileum of nutrients and a nonabsorbable marker (polyethylene glycol, PEG 4000) ingested as a test meal of milk. The meal was 250 ml of whole milk or milk in which the lactose had been hydrolyzed to glucose and galactose. In the fasting state, ileal flow of volume, protein, carbohydrate, and electrolytes was small and not different in controls and lactase-deficient subjects. Ileal flow increased in all subjects after the test meal of milk; more fluid and nutrient was recovered from the ileum in lactase-deficient subjects after whole milk than in control subjects or in lactase deficiency after hydrolyzed milk. Two deficient subjects showed marked malabsorption of lactose (35 and 50%); two did not. Protein, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus were also recovered from the ileum in greater quantities in lactase deficients after whole milk. However, apart from decreased absorption of lactose, the nutritional consequences of malabsorption in association with primary lactase deficiency in adults are probably minimal.
Isotopic and hydrologic responses of small, closed lakes to climate variability: Comparison of measured and modeled lake level and sediment core oxygen isotope records

Abstract Simulations conducted using a coupled lake-catchment isotope mass balance model forced with continuous precipitation, temperature, and relative humidity data successfully reproduce (within uncertainty limits) long-term (i.e., multidecadal) trends in reconstructed lake surface elevations and sediment core oxygen isotope ( δ 18 O) values at Castor Lake and Scanlon Lake, north-central Washington. Error inherent in sediment core dating methods and uncertainty in climate data contribute to differences in model reconstructed and measured short-term (i.e., sub-decadal) sediment (i.e., endogenic and/or biogenic carbonate) δ 18 O values, suggesting that model isotopic performance over sub-decadal time periods cannot be successfully investigated without better constrained climate data and sediment core chronologies. Model reconstructions of past lake surface elevations are consistent with estimates obtained from aerial photography. Simulation results suggest that precipitation is the strongest control on lake isotopic and hydrologic dynamics, with secondary influence by temperature and relative humidity. This model validation exercise demonstrates that lake-catchment oxygen isotope mass balance models forced with instrumental climate data can reproduce lake hydrologic and isotopic variability over multidecadal (or longer) timescales, and therefore, that such models could potentially be used for quantitative investigations of paleo-lake responses to hydroclimatic change.
Levator defects affect perineal position independently of prolapse status

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of levator defects on perineal position and movement irrespective of prolapse status. Study Design Forty women from an ongoing study were divided into 2 groups of 20 women with and without severe levator defects. Prolapse status was matched between groups, with 50% of the women having stage III or greater anterior wall prolapse. Perineal structure locations were measured against standard axes on magnetic resonance scans at rest, maximum contraction (Kegel), and maximum Valsalva maneuver. Differences in location were calculated and compared. Results In women with levator defects, independently of prolapse status: (1) At rest, the perineal body was 1.3 cm, and the anal sphincter was 1.0 cm more caudal ( P ≤ .01); at maximum contraction, the perineal body and the anal sphincter were both 1.2 cm more caudal ( P ≤ .01); with maximum Valsalva maneuver, the perineal body was 1.3 cm more caudal, and the anal sphincter was 1.2 cm more caudal ( P ≤ .01). (2) At rest, the levator hiatus was 0.8 cm larger, and the urogenital hiatus was 1.0 cm larger ( P ≤ .01). (3) At rest, the bladder was 0.07 cm more posterior ( P ≤ .02); with maximum contraction, it was 1.9 cm lower ( P ≤ .02). (4) With maximum Valsalva maneuver, the bladder was 1.5 cm lower and displaced further caudally ( P ≤ .03). Conclusion When we controlled for prolapse, the women with levator defects had a more caudal location of their perineal structures and larger hiatuses at rest, maximum contraction, and maximum Valsalva maneuver.
Nontariff Barriers: Major Problem in Agricultural Trade

Nontariff barriers have become one of the key issues in agricultural trade policy and trade negotiations. Laws and regulations of a country, in addition to being directly protective, often give administrators wide leeway for interpretation which results in restrictive trade flows. The domestic agriculture of most developed countries is protected by one or more of the following: quantitative restrictions, licensing requirements, variable levies, export subsidies, minimum import prices, import calendars, state trading, mixing regulations, health and sanitary regulations, and standards and labelling. Ultimately, nontariff barriers must be negotiated like tariffs and other protective devices.
Gene sharing in lens and cornea: facts and implications.

The major water-soluble proteins (crystallins) responsible for the optical properties of the cellular lenses of vertebrates and invertebrates are surprisingly diverse and often differ among species (i.e., are taxon-specific). Many crystallins are encoded by the identical gene specifying a stress protein or a metabolic enzyme which has non-refractive functions in numerous tissues. This double use of a distinct protein has been called gene sharing. Abundant expression of various metabolic enzymes also occurs in a taxon-specific manner in corneal epithelial cells, suggesting that gene sharing extends to this transparent tissue. It has been proposed that one of the most abundant corneal enzymes (aldehyde dehydrogenase class 3) may protect the eye by directly absorbing ultraviolet light, as well as by providing an enzymatic function. It also seems possible that the high expression of corneal enzymes (5-40% of the water-soluble proteins) may reduce scattering in the corneal epithelium by minimizing spatial fluctuations in refractive index as they do in the lens. Thus, gene sharing may be a widespread phenomenon encompassing the lens, cornea and probably other systems. Lens-preferred expression of crystallin genes is integrated in a complex developmental program utilizing in many cases Pax-6. The differential expression of alpha B-crystallin (a small heat shock protein) in different tissues involves the combinatorial use of both shared and lens-specific cis-control elements. Corneal-preferred gene expression appears to depend in part on induction by environmental influences. Among the implications of gene sharing are that gene duplication is not required for the evolution of a new protein phenotype, a change in gene regulation is sufficient, that proteins may be under more than one selective constraint, affecting their evolutionary clock, and that it would be prudent to consider the possibility that any given gene may have important, unrecognized roles when planning to implement gene therapy in the future.
Alterations in brain lipid composition of mice made physically dependent to ethanol

The ability of chronic ethanol treatment to alter CNS membrane lipids was tested. Adult C57/BL6 mice were given a liquid diet containing ethanol for eight days. This regimen produced strong physical dependence as judged by withdrawal seizures, tremors and concomitant hypothermia. Analyses were performed on cholesterol, total phospholipid content and total phospholipid acyl composition of myelin, crude (P2), light and heavy synaptosomes as well as synaptosomal plasma membranes. Chronic ethanol treatment had no effect on total phospholipid levels nor phospholipid acyl composition in any of the above subcellular fractions. In ethanol dependent mice, significant increases in cholesterol content and cholesterol/phospholipid ratios were observed in synaptosomal plasma membranes.
Perioperative Surgical Care Bundle Reduces Pancreaticoduodenectomy Wound Infections

Background Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is a complex surgical procedure with a historically high morbidity rate. The goal of this study was to determine if the implementation of a 12-measure perioperative surgical care bundle (SCB) was successful in reducing infectious and other complications in patients undergoing PD compared with a routine preoperative preparation group (RPP). Methods In this retrospective cohort study utilizing the HPB surgery database at the Thomas Jefferson University, we analyzed clinical data from 233 consecutive PDs from October 2005 to May 2008 on patients who underwent RPP, and compared them with 233 consecutive PDs from May 2008 to May 2010 following the implementation of the SCB. The SCB was the product of multidisciplinary discussion and extensive literature review. Results The RPP group and the SCB group had similar demographic characteristics. The overall rate of postoperative morbidity was similar between groups (42.1% versus 37.8%). However, wound infections were significantly lower in the SCB group (15.0% versus 7.7%, P = 0.01).The rates of other common complications, as well as postoperative hospital length of stay, readmissions, and 30-d postoperative mortality were similar between groups. Conclusions The implementation of a SCB was followed by a significant decline in wound infection in patients undergoing PD.
The interactive potential of post-modern film narrative - Frequency, Order and Simultaneity

A considerable number of contemporary films are now using narrative models that allow several adaptations on digital and interactive operating systems. This trend is seen in films such as Memento by Christopher Nolan (2000), Irreversible by Gaspar Noe (2002) and Smoking / No Smoking by Alain Resnais (1993), concerning the chronological organization of their narrative parts – here it is a question of order. Or in films such as Elephant by Gus Van Sant (2003), Groundhog Day by Harold Ramis, 1993 and Rashomon by Akira Kurosawa (1950), for the diegetic repetition – a question of frequency. Or even, in films such as Magnolia by Paul Thomas Anderson (1999) and Short Cuts by Robert Altman, 1993 which use the idea of expansion or compression of the narrative – a question of simultaneity. To change the accessibility of the cinematographic experience and to constantly re-evaluate the way in which the narrative tool is used, is from now on considered the interactive potential of the contemporary film narrative.