cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Food Reinforcement in Food Selection, Energy Intake, and Diet Quality

Eating occurs for many reasons. In some cases, eating is driven by physiological signals, such as low blood sugar or hunger pains. More often than not, eating is driven by other, non-homeostatic factors. For example, school-aged children and many adults who have a fixed work schedule eat at a specific time of day, regardless of hunger or when and what was eaten previously. Another example of this is consumption of dessert, which typically occurs at the end of a meal, when hunger is diminished. In the current obesogenic environment, the list of non-homeostatic drivers of food intake is long and increasing, while the physiological mechanisms that regulate food intake remain stable and may be becoming less relevant for humans. This chapter will explore the factors that drive non-homeostatic feeding, why high-fat/high-sugar foods are more liked and more reinforcing, how factors that influence motivation to eat are measured, and how the current empirical research may be used to make positive changes in eating behavior and diet quality.
Experimental economics in anthropology: A critical assessment

In recent years, well-funded cross-cultural economic experiments have received considerable publicity in science journals. The anthropologists conducting these experiments have made ambitious claims about the value of their research, saying that their findings “illuminate the nature of human nature” and the “appropriateness of the assumption of self-interest that underpins much of social science.” The publication of a new book, Foundations of Human Sociality, provides an opportunity to assess these claims. The findings reported in the book are consistent with long-accepted ideas in sociocultural anthropology. The book's contributors are often insufficiently critical of theoretical assumptions in economics, psychology, and biology and pay insufficient attention to relevant theory in economic anthropology. In particular, the evolutionary psychology paradigm accepted by many anthropologists conducting economic experiments does not aid in understanding their findings.
Wearable phased arrays for sound localization and enhancement

We present the idea of a flexible phased array of microphones for wearable computers. We show how such an array can be used for both source localization and signal enhancement. As a result, it can help to solve two fundamental problems for audio input to wearables: determining who is speaking when (user commands vs. nearby speech, who is speaking in a conversation, etc.) and obtaining high-quality audio without the use of a headset microphone. We describe methods for learning the mapping between phase delays and world coordinates without specifying the array geometry and requiring minimal effort from the user. Last, we describe an implementation we have built of such an array using low-cost microphones and show some preliminary results for source localization and speaker-change detection.
Simulating Microstructural Evolution and Electrical Transport in Ceramic Gas Sensors

An integrated computational approach to microstructural evolution and electrical transport in ceramic gas sensors has been proposed. First, the particle-flow model and the continuum-phase-field method are used to describe the microstructural development during the sintering of a prototype two-dimensional film. Then, the conductivity of the sintering samples is calculated concurrently as the microstructure evolves, using both resistor lattice models and effective medium theory for electrical transport in porous aggregates of lightly sintered particles. This approach, when combined with the modeling of resistivity at the grain‐ grain contacts as a function of neck geometry, ambient gas concentration and temperature, could facilitate the development and optimization of novel microstructures for advanced ceramic gas sensors. T
Cardiovascular Pharmacogenomics: Current Status and Future Directions—Report of a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Working Group

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) convened a Working Group on January 7, 2011, at George Washington University in Washington, DC, to provide recommendations to the NHLBI that would guide informed decisions on research directions and priorities in the field of cardiovascular
"Ability" Biases in Schooling Returns and Twins: A Test and New Estimates.

Abstract Identical twins have been used to control for “ability” in efforts to obtain unbiased estimates of the earnings impact of schooling and of biases in estimates that do not control for earnings endowments. This study (1) presents new estimates of schooling returns and of “ability” bias using a new twins sample, (2) develops and applies a test of the significance of that bias, and (3) demonstrates that there may be “ability” bias even if the genetically-endowed component of ability does not affect schooling decisions directly if this component of ability is correlated with other family characteristics such as income that do affect schooling. It is thus not possible to identify the separate contributions of family constraints and individual ability to “ability” bias. The basic empirical result is that, net of measurement error, upward “ability” bias is statistically significant in OLS estimates, causing an overestimate of the schooling impact of 12%. [ JEL I21, J24]
Fusion of multiple-look synthetic aperture radar images at data and image levels

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) have proven capabilities for non-cooperative target recognition (NCTR) applications. Multiple looks of the same target (at different aspect angles, frequencies, etc.) can be exploited to enhance target recognition by fusing the information from each look. Such fusion can be performed at the raw data level or at the processed image level depending on what is available. At the data level, physics based image fusion techniques can be developed by processing the raw data collected from multiple inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) sensors, even if these individual images are at different resolutions. The technique maps multiple data sets collected by multiple radars with different system parameters on to the same spatial-frequency space. The composite image can be reconstructed using the inverse 2-D Fourier transform over the separated multiple integration areas. An algorithm called the matrix Fourier transform (MFT) is proposed to realize such a complicated integral. At the image level, a persistence framework can be used to enhance target features in large, aspect-varying datasets. The model focuses on cases containing rich aspect data from a single depression angle. The goal is to replace the datapsilas intrinsic viewing geometry dependencies with target-specific dependencies. Both direct mapping functions and cost functions are presented for data transformation. An intensity-only mapping function is realized to illustrate the persistence model in terms of a canonical example, visualization, and classification.
The regulation of organ size in Drosophila : Physiology, plasticity, patterning and physical force

The correct regulation of organ size is a fundamental developmental process, the failure of which can compromise organ function and organismal integrity. Consequently, the mechanisms that regulate organ size have been subject to intense research. This research has highlighted four classes of mechanism that are involved in organ size regulation: physiology, plasticity, patterning and physical force. Nevertheless, how these mechanisms are integrated and converge on the cellular process that regulate organ growth is unknown. One group of animals where this integration is beginning to be achieved is in the insects. Here, I review the different mechanisms that regulate organ size in insects, and describe our current understanding of how these mechanisms interact. The genes and hormones involved are remarkably conserved in all animals, so these studies in insects provide a precedent for future research on organ size regulation in mammals.
Regulatory T cells resist virus infection-induced apoptosis

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are important in the maintenance of self-tolerance, and the depletion of Treg cells correlates with autoimmune development. It has been shown that type I interferon (IFN) responses induced early in the infection of mice can drive memory (CD44hi) CD8 and CD4 T cells into apoptosis, and we questioned here whether the apoptosis of CD44-expressing Treg cells might be involved in the infection-associated autoimmune development. Instead, we found that Treg cells were much more resistant to apoptosis than CD44hi CD8 and CD4 T cells at days 2 to 3 after lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection, when type I IFN levels are high. The infection caused a downregulation of the interleukin-7 (IL-7) receptor, needed for survival of conventional T cells, while increasing on Treg cells the expression of the high-affinity IL-2 receptor, needed for STAT5-dependent survival of Treg cells. The stably maintained Treg cells early during infection may explain the relatively low incidence of autoimmune manifestations among infected patients. IMPORTANCE Autoimmune diseases are controlled in part by regulatory T cells (Treg) and are thought to sometimes be initiated by viral infections. We tested the hypothesis that Treg may die off at early stages of infection, when virus-induced factors kill other lymphocyte types. Instead, we found that Treg resisted this cell death, perhaps reducing the tendency of viral infections to cause immune dysfunction and induce autoimmunity.
Was the Iraq War a Humanitarian Intervention

Abstract This article assesses whether the 2003 invasion of Iraq can be justified as a humanitarian intervention. Because of the potential loss of life inherent in any military action, the author contends that a threshold test of a humanitarian intervention is whether it is necessary to stop ongoing or imminent mass slaughter. Although that test might have been met, say, at the time of the 1988 genocide against the Kurds, there was no ongoing or imminent mass slaughter in Iraq in March 2003. That lack is decisive in undermining claims that the invasion of Iraq was a humanitarian intervention. Apart from this threshold test, the author also considers several secondary factors: whether force was the last resort, whether the invasion was guided primarily by a humanitarian purpose, whether it was conducted with maximum respect for international human rights and humanitarian law, whether it was likely to produce more good than harm, and whether, ideally though not necessarily, it was endorsed by the UN Securit...
Quantitative Proteomics Reveals Protein–Protein Interactions with Fibroblast Growth Factor 12 as a Component of the Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel 1.2 (Nav1.2) Macromolecular Complex in Mammalian Brain*

Voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav1.1–Nav1.9) are responsible for the initiation and propagation of action potentials in neurons, controlling firing patterns, synaptic transmission and plasticity of the brain circuit. Yet, it is the protein–protein interactions of the macromolecular complex that exert diverse modulatory actions on the channel, dictating its ultimate functional outcome. Despite the fundamental role of Nav channels in the brain, information on its proteome is still lacking. Here we used affinity purification from crude membrane extracts of whole brain followed by quantitative high-resolution mass spectrometry to resolve the identity of Nav1.2 protein interactors. Of the identified putative protein interactors, fibroblast growth factor 12 (FGF12), a member of the nonsecreted intracellular FGF family, exhibited 30-fold enrichment in Nav1.2 purifications compared with other identified proteins. Using confocal microscopy, we visualized native FGF12 in the brain tissue and confirmed that FGF12 forms a complex with Nav1.2 channels at the axonal initial segment, the subcellular specialized domain of neurons required for action potential initiation. Co-immunoprecipitation studies in a heterologous expression system validate Nav1.2 and FGF12 as interactors, whereas patch-clamp electrophysiology reveals that FGF12 acts synergistically with CaMKII, a known kinase regulator of Nav channels, to modulate Nav1.2-encoded currents. In the presence of CaMKII inhibitors we found that FGF12 produces a bidirectional shift in the voltage-dependence of activation (more depolarized) and the steady-state inactivation (more hyperpolarized) of Nav1.2, increasing the channel availability. Although providing the first characterization of the Nav1.2 CNS proteome, we identify FGF12 as a new functionally relevant interactor. Our studies will provide invaluable information to parse out the molecular determinant underlying neuronal excitability and plasticity, and extending the relevance of iFGFs signaling in the normal and diseased brain.
Measurements of photoelectron angular distributions by single-photon detachment of Al − , Si − , and P − at visible photon wavelengths

The spectral dependence of the angular distributions of photoelectrons produced by the single-photon detachment of ${\mathrm{Al}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}},$ ${\mathrm{Si}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}},$ and ${\mathrm{P}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ ions has been measured at five discrete photon wavelengths ranging from 457.9 to 647.1 nm (2.71\char21{}1.92 eV) using a crossed laser-ion beam apparatus. Values of the asymmetry parameter have been determined by fits to the photoelectron yield as a function of the angle between the laser polarization vector and the linear momentum vector of the collected photoelectrons. The experimental results for ${\mathrm{Al}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ are compared with a recent theoretical calculation [C. N. Liu and A. F. Starace, Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 42, 1026 (1997)] and are found to be in good agreement.
Incompatible blends: Thermal effects in a model system

There has been a growing interest in compatible blends in which one of the polymers is crystallizable. At appropriate compositions some of this polymer will crystallize, the remainder forms a compatible blend with the other polymer component; attempts have been made to relate melting point depression of the crystalline component to diluent effects, i.e., polymer/polymer interactions. Melting point is also a function of lamella thickness, the determination of which is very difficult in such systems. It is assumed in this type of study that the melting point of a crystal in an incompatible matrix will be unchanged. In an attempt to test this assumption we have determined the melting behavior of isothermally grown, single crystals of polyethylen (from the same preparation) embedded in a variety of incompatible matrices. The matrices used were polybutadiene, polystyrene, and polyphenylene oxide. This work shows that polymer single crystals embedded in an incompatible polymer matrix can show apparent melting point depressions of up to 5°. This size of depression represents a significant part of that reported for compatible systems.
Epidemiology of Group B Streptococcal Disease in the United States: Shifting Paradigms

Since its emergence 25 years ago, group B streptococcus has become recognized as a cause of serious illness in newborns, pregnant women, and adults with chronic medical conditions. Heavy colonization of the genital tract with group B streptococcus also increases the risk that a woman will deliver a preterm low-birthweight infant. Early-onset infections (occurring at
Applying the Theory of Work Adjustment to Latino Immigrant Workers An Exploratory Study

Blustein mapped career decision making onto Maslow's model of motivation and personality and concluded that most models of career development assume opportunities and decision-making latitude that do not exist for many individuals from low income or otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds. Consequently, Blustein argued that these models may be of limited utility for such individuals. Blustein challenged researchers to reevaluate current career development approaches, particularly those assuming a static world of work, from a perspective allowing for changing circumstances and recognizing career choice can be limited by access to opportunities, personal obligations, and social barriers. This article represents an exploratory effort to determine if the theory of work adjustment (TWA) might meaningfully be used to describe the work experiences of Latino immigrant workers, a group living with severe constraints and having very limited employment opportunities. It is argued that there is significant conceptual convergence between Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the work reinforcers of TWA. The results of an exploratory, qualitative study with a sample of 10 Latino immigrants are also presented. These immigrants participated in key informant interviews concerning their work experiences both in the United States and in their home countries. The findings support Blustein's contention that such workers will be most focused on basic survival needs and suggest that TWA reinforcers are descriptive of important aspects of how Latino immigrant workers conceptualize their jobs.
Quantitative Use of the Food Guide Pyramid to Evaluate Dietary Intake of College Students

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the usefulness of the Food Guide Pyramid as a quantitative tool for assessing nutritional adequacy and quality. Design One-day food records (n=2,489) were assigned food group scores (1 through 5) by two systems. System 1 recorded the number of food groups on a given record that included the minimum number of servings suggested by the Food Guide Pyramid. System 2 recorded the number of food groups in the Food Guide Pyramid for which at least one serving was included. The food records were further evaluated by mean adequacy ratio (MAR) for iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, and vitamin B-6 (MAR-5 score) and percentage of energy contributed by fat and sugar. Sensitivity and specificity of the food group scores to predict nutritional inadequacy were determined. Subjects College students (n = 2,489) attending introductory nutrition, foods, and health-related courses at a mid-western university. Statistical analyses Student's t test, χ 2 test, Dunnett's multiple mean comparison test. Results A food group score of 5 was given to 11% and 35% of the diet records by systems 1 and 2, respectively; MAR-5 scores of 75 or greater were given to 70% of the records. Only 4% of the diets contained both 30% or less and 10% or less of energy from fat and sugar, respectively. Both scoring systems can be used as a quantitative tool for screening nutritional inadequacy with high sensitivity (correctly classifying nutritionally inadequate diets) but with a moderate to low specificity (correctly classifying nutritionally adequate diets). J Am Diet Assoc. 1996; 96:453-457 .
Perturbations in bouncing and cyclic models

Being able to reliably track perturbations across bounces and turnarounds in cyclic and bouncing cosmology lies at the heart of being able to compare the predictions of these models with the cosmic microwave background observations. This has been a challenging task due to the unknown nature of the physics involved during the bounce as well as the technical challenge of matching perturbations precisely between the expansion and contraction phases. In this paper, we present some general techniques (analytical and numerical) that can be applied to understand the physics of the fluctuations, especially those with ``long'' wavelengths, and apply our techniques to nonsingular cosmological models such as the bounce inflation and cyclic inflation.
Modeling sub-sea permafrost in the East Siberian Arctic Shelf: the Dmitry Laptev Strait

The present state of sub-sea permafrost modeling does not agree with certain observational data on the permafrost state within the East Siberian Arctic Shelf. This suggests a need to consider other mechanisms of permafrost destabilization after the recent ocean transgression. We propose development of open taliks wherever thaw lakes and river paleo-valleys were submerged shelf-wide as a possible mechanism for the degradation of sub-sea permafrost. To test the hypothesis we performed numerical modeling of permafrost dynamics in the Dmitry Laptev Strait area. We achieved sufficient agreement with the observed distribution of thawed and frozen layers to suggest that the proposed mechanism of permafrost destabilization is plausible.
Engaging students via failure case studies and problem-based learning

It is widely known that nearly 50% of engineering students either switch majors or drop out within the first couple of semesters upon enrollment. Research has revealed that a combination of poor teaching and mentoring, difficulty of the curriculum, and lack of belonging are among the reasons for high attrition. Over the years, educators have developed a wide range of techniques to address the attrition issues mentioned above. There have been many teaching and learning centers established across campuses to improve pedagogies to help enhance student learning. In addition, freshman and sophomore curricula have been revamped to incorporate more design projects, problem-based learning (PBL), etc. Better mentoring and engaging students in engineering activities and research have also helped students feel they belong in engineering. All along, one of the challenges has been to introduce new courses and additional units in an already jam-packed curriculum. The authors have been incorporating failure case studies...
Mapping pigment distribution in mud samples through hyperspectral imaging

Mud samples collected from bodies of water reveal information about the distribution of microorganisms in the local sediments. Hyperspectral imaging has been investigated as a technology to identify phototropic organisms living on sediments collected from the Texas Coastal Bend area based on their spectral pigment profiles and spatial arrangement. The top pigment profiles identified through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) have been correlated with spectral signatures extracted from the hyperspectral data of mud using fast Fourier transform (FFT). Spatial distributions have also been investigated using 2D hyperspectral image processing. 2D pigment distribution maps have been created based on the correlation with pigment profiles in the FFT domain. Among the tested pigments, the results show match among four out of five pigment distribution trends between HPLC and hyperspectral data analysis. Differences are attributed mainly to the difference between area and volume of scale between the HPLC analysis and area covered by hyperspectral imaging.
Rules, Standards, and Experimentation in Appellate Jurisdiction

The current system of interlocutory appeals in federal court has long been criticized for its complexity and unpredictability, and federal courts scholars have long debated how best to reform it. But much of this discussion occurs at an abstract level. Scholars debate the effects of potential reforms — such as whether a particular reform will increase the number of interlocutory appeals — and these arguments have a substantial empirical element. They are often based, however, on implicit theories of judicial and litigant behavior, not empirical evidence. All of these arguments contain plausible positions on the potential effects of particular reforms. And therein lies the problem; there is no way to evaluate such arguments other than to agree or disagree with the logic and normative commitments at their core. Some empirical evidence could go a long way toward breaking the current stalemate in interlocutory appeal reform.This article offers a means of using experimentation, initiated and overseen by judges, to generate evidence about the consequences of different approaches to interlocutory appeals. Under this experimental approach, the Courts of Appeals would be permitted to take differing positions on the appealability of particular orders; repeated application of these different rules would then illustrate their effects. The courts could reassess these different rules in light of their observed consequences. Although such experimentation (sometimes called "percolation") is controversial, it could work in the interlocutory appeals context. As a specific means for facilitating such experimentation, this article looks to the choice between rules and standards and suggests the modest and feasible reform of making the current collateral order exception more standard-like. In so doing, this article shows how standards can facilitate rapid and fruitful experimentation in a hierarchical judiciary, something the literature on rules and standards has often overlooked.
Sex, lies and gender

Browne1 ( this issue ) argues that what may appear to be a benevolent practice—disclosing the sex of a fetus to expecting parents who wish to know—is in fact an epistemically problematic and, as a result, ethically questionable medical practice. Browne worries that not only will the disclosure of fetal sex encourage sex-selective abortions (an issue we will not take up here), but also that it will convey a misleading and pernicious message about the relationship between sex and gender. More specifically, she contends that the practice of disclosure is problematic because (1) it purports to establish the gender of the developing baby based on information about the baby's sex, whereas this is not a warranted inference because while sex is determined by biological factors, gender is determined by social factors and (2) it conflates (biological) sex with (social) gender or encourages such conflation or reduction and thereby promotes ‘essentialistic’ thinking about gender that is closely linked to sexism and social injustice. If (1) is true, then disclosing fetal sex amounts to misinforming or misleading prospective parents—and since misinforming patients is wrong, the act of disclosing is also wrong. However, beyond the wrongs of misinforming patients, the practice also perpetuates the harms associated with a rigidly gendered society through endorsing the message in (2), thus lending the authority of the medical profession to the gender-essentialist ideas that have underpinned, and continue to drive, sexism and social injustice. This analysis leads Browne to recommend that clinicians be prohibited from informing parents about the sex of their developing fetus. We agree with Browne that gender essentialism—the notion that ‘femaleness’ and ‘maleness’ carve out distinct natural classes with innate, immutable properties—is not only a false metaphysical thesis, but also a pernicious idea insofar as the sexist attitudes it fosters motivate policies that systematically violate …
Perceived Health Outcomes of Recreation Scale (PHORS): Reliability, Validity and Invariance

ABSTRACTThis study examined the psychometric properties of the Perceived Health Outcomes of Recreation Scale (PHORS). Data for PHORS were collected from three different trail sites (Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and First Landing State Park) during three separate time periods, allowing for cross-validation and invariance testing. Exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analyses, and invariance testing procedures were conducted. The results indicate that PHORS, with 13 items across three underlying factors, showed high reliability and strong evidences of validity. Full configural and metric invariance indicated the factor loading pattern. The measurement properties of PHORS were generally invariant across recreation participants using different trails, situating PHORS as a potential instrument that can be used in various outdoor recreation trail settings.
Presentation of the KERENA™ Reactor

The KERENA reactor is an evolutionary generation III+, mid-size Boiling Water Reactor developed by AREVA on the basis of former German BWR models. In addition to optimizing systems already present in current BWRs, the KERENA design is characterized by an innovative approach that entails active safety features combined with redundant and diverse passive safety systems.Designed to meet the needs of electric utilities with preference for boiling water technology, the KERENA reactor offers economic competitiveness and flexibility in operation. Thanks to the optimized balance between well proven active and innovative passive safety features, the KERENA reactor combines maximized operational performance with outstanding safety.
Deep-UV interference lithography combined with masked contact lithography for pixel wiregrid patterns

Pixelated wiregrids are of great interest in polarimetric imagers, but there are no straightforward methods available for combining the uniform exposures of laser interference with a masking system to achieve pixels at different rotational angles. In this work we demonstrate a 266nm deep-UV interference lithography combined with a traditional i-line contact lithography to create such pixels. Aluminum wiregrids are first made, following by etching to create the pixels, and then a planarizing molybdenum film is used before patterning subsequent pixel arrays. The etch contrast between the molybdenum and the aluminum enables the release of the planarizing layer.
Ancient Integrals and Modern Numerics - Where's the Physics?

It is proposed that engineering educators should carefully consider the use of modern numerical solution techniques as outright replacements for traditional analytical solutions in many applications. Examples are given from the field of aerodynamics, specifically thin airfoil and finite wing theory. It is shown that an arguably more useful solution can be obtained more easily, and with a more direct connection to the underlying physics of the problem, using numerical approaches.
Action of Curare on Temperature Changes in the Brain in Combination With Pentobarbital Narcosis

SummaryCurare, which affects the electrical activity of the brain has also a distinct effect on the temperature in the brain in combination with pentobarbital narcosis. These temperature changes in the brain indicating changes of oxidation processes are increased by curare under light pentobarbital narcosis, and decreased under deep pentobarbital narcosis. This latter central action may be involved in the synergistic narcotic effect.
pH- and Ion-responsive Membranes from Self-Assembly/Sintering of SiO2@Au Core-Shell Nanospheres

We prepared colloidal crystals by self-assembly of gold-coated silica nanospheres, and formed free-standing nanoporous membranes by sintering these colloidal crystals. We modified the nanopore surface with ionizable functional groups, by forming a monolayer of L-cysteine or by surface-initiated polymerization of methacrylic acid. Diffusion experiments for neutral and cationic dyes showed that transport through these surface-modified Au-coated colloidal membranes can be controlled by pH and presence of metal cations.
Smart surface for elution of protein-protein bound particles: nanonewton dielectrophoretic forces using atomic layer deposited oxides.

By increasing the strength of the negative dielectrophoresis force, we demonstrated a significantly improved electrokinetic actuation and switching microsystem that can be used to elute specificall...
Intended and Unintended Consequences and Applications of Unnatural Interfaces: Oligo p-Phenylene Ethynylene Electrolytes, Biological Cells and Biomacromolecules

This short review focuses on an extended study of synthetic oligomericphenyleneethynylene (OPE) electrolytes that have been investigated for both their antimicrobial activity and their fluorescence sensing properties. In both cases, interfaces between these synthetic electrolytes and naturally occurring materials such as proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and cells are critical to their function or activity. The review contains a general overview with a focus at the end on three recent examples including biological and chemical sensing, induction of spore germination and fluorescent detection of amyloid protein aggregates.
Effect of fluor protector on demineralization of primary teeth enamel in acidic milk beverages

AIM: To study the effect of fluor protector against demineralization of deciduous teeth enamel surface in acidic milk beverages. METHODS: Enamel blocks from 30 caries-free primary central incisors were prepared and randomly divided into 3 groups( n = 10). The samples in group A were immersed in 10 mL artificial saliva for4 days at 37 ℃,in group B in 10 mL acidic milk beverages for 3 times each day( total immersion duration for every time was 10 min) for 4 days. In group C The samples were painted with 0. 1% fluor protector twice and then received the same treatment as those in group B. The surface morphology of the enamel blocks was observed by scanning electron microscope( SEM) and spectrum analyzer. Calcium,phosphorus concentration values and calcium / phosphorus ratio were analyzed by SPSS11. 5 software. RESULTS: Enamel Ca2 +and P3 +content of the samples in group B decreased significantly( P 0. 05). 0. 1% fluor protector treatment singnificantly reduced the demineralization effects of acidic milk beverage( P 0. 05). SEM observation showed that deciduous teeth enamel surface in group C had less demineralization than in group B. CONCLUSION: Acidic milk beverages can cause demineralization in deciduous teeth enamel surface. Fluor protector can inhibit the enamel demineralization effect of acidic milk beverages.
An Abnormal Plasma Distribution of Protein S Occurs in Functional Protein S Deficiency

Protein S is a natural anticoagulant present in the plasma that serves as a cofactor for activated protein C. Patients deficient in protein S are subject to recurrent venous thrombotic disease. Protein S deficiency differs from other plasma protein deficiencies in that deficient patients often have normal or only mildly reduced levels of protein S in their plasma as detected by conventional immunologic methods but have markedly reduced functional protein S levels. This apparent discrepancy is due to the presence of two forms of protein S in plasma. The protein S is present free and in a complex with C4b-binding protein. The free form is functionally active, whereas the bound form is not. Examination by crossed immunoelectrophoresis of 31 functionally protein S-deficient individuals from seven families reveals that 29 of the 31 have all or most of their protein S complexed to C4b-binding protein with little or no free protein and have correspondingly low levels of protein S functional activity (type I deficiency). Two related protein S-deficient individuals show a different type of distribution with little or no protein S, either bound or free (type II deficiency). The detection and classification of protein S-deficient individuals requires the application of both a functional assay and an assessment of protein S distribution between bound and free forms.
Muscle length alters geometry of arterioles and venules in hamster retractor

We investigated how changes in muscle length (Lm) would alter the geometry of arterioles and venules and whether such an effect would depend on the orientation of microvessels to muscle fibers. The...
The Timing and Role of Nontransplant Surgery in Management of Variceal Bleeding

Non-transplant surgery for variceal bleeding includes surgical shunts and devascularization procedures. The indication for such operation are good risk (Childs’ A/B) patients who have failed endoscopic therapy. Undecided is the issue of TIPS versus surgical shunt.
Effect of alcohol consumption on all-cause and liver-related mortality among HIV-infected individuals.

Objectives The aim of the study was to examine the association between levels of past and current alcohol consumption and all-cause and liver-related mortality among people living with HIV (PLWH). Methods A prospective cohort study of 1855 PLWH in Baltimore, MD was carried out from 2000 to 2013. We ascertained alcohol use by (1) self-report (SR) through a computer-assisted self interview, and (2) medical record abstraction of provider-documented (PD) alcohol use. SR alcohol consumption was categorized as heavy (men: > 4 drinks/day or > 14 drinks/week; women: > 3 drinks/day or > 7 drinks/week), moderate (any alcohol consumption less than heavy), and none. We calculated the cumulative incidence of liver-related mortality and fitted adjusted cause-specific regression models to account for competing risks. Results All-cause and liver-related mortality rates (MRs) were 43.0 and 7.2 per 1000 person-years (PY), respectively. All-cause mortality was highest among SR nondrinkers with PD recent ( 6 months ago showed similar rates of liver-related mortality (HR = 1.06 and 2.00, respectively). Conclusions Any heavy alcohol consumption was associated with all-cause mortality among HIV-infected individuals, while only recent heavy consumption was associated with liver-related mortality. Because mortality risk among nondrinkers varies substantially by drinking history, current consumption alone is insufficient to assess risk.
Stimulus-Bound Behavior and Biological Self-Regulation: Feeding, Obesity, and External Control

One challenge of contributing to this series is that it provides the incentive to try to reconceptualize work on the eating behavior of humans in terms of consciousness and self-regulation. In animals, eating is one behavioral component of long-term weight regulation and energy balance and, as such, is part of an exquisitely precise biological feedback system. However, in humans, eating often occurs for reasons other than the regulation and maintenance of body weight, and thus the biologically determined system can be overcome or at least disturbed. For example, people often overeat when food is plentiful; they take dessert when there is no longer a physiologic need; they eat at certain times of the day whether or not there is actual depletion. If biological regulation is disturbed by the impact of these external stimuli upon feeding, how do people actually regulate their body weight? The answer is that many do not, and some become overweight.
Fatigue of titanium weldments: S-N testing and analysis for data transferability among different joint types

Abstract Fatigue testing of both TIG and MIG welded titanium components were first carried out using fillet welded cruciform specimens. A mesh-insensitive traction structural stress method is then introduced for establishing data transferability from one joint geometry to another and one base plate thickness to another. In addition, available test data from literature are also analyzed using the traction stress parameter proposed. Major findings are: (a) There exist no noticeable differences in S-N curve behaviors between Ti-CP and Ti-6-4 weldments. (b) The proposed traction stress parameter with a thickness correction term can be used to effectively correlate lab specimen test data in the form of a single S-N curve with a narrow scatter band regardless of joint types and base plate thicknesses, which has been demonstrated for both MIG and TIG welded specimens. (c) By using both the S-N curve and traction stress parameter developed, satisfactory fatigue life estimates for a series of full-scale MIG-welded structural component fatigue tests have been achieved.
Refractive outcomes of intraoperative wavefront aberrometry versus optical biometry alone for intraocular lens power calculation

Purpose: To compare the outcomes of intraoperative wavefront aberrometry versus optical biometry alone for intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation in eyes undergoing cataract surgery with monofocal IOL implantation. Methods: Preoperative data were obtained with the IOLMaster. Intraoperative aphakic measurements and IOL power calculations were obtained in some patients with the optiwave refractive analysis (ORA) system. Analysis was performed to determine the accuracy of monofocal IOL power prediction and postoperative manifest refraction at 1 month of the ORA versus IOLMaster. Results: Two hundred and ninety-five eyes reviewed, 61 had only preoperative IOLMaster measurements and 234 had both IOLMaster and ORA measurements. Of these 234 eyes, 6 were excluded, 107 had the same recommended IOL power by ORA and IOLMaster. Sixty-four percent of these eyes were within ±0.5D. 95 eyes had IOL power implantation based on ORA instead of IOLMaster. Seventy percent of these eyes were within ±0.5D of target refraction. 26 eyes had IOL power chosen based on IOLMaster predictions instead of ORA. Sixty-five percent were within ±0.5D. In the group with IOLMaster without ORA measurements, 80% of eyes were within ±0.5D of target refraction. The absolute error was statistically smaller in those eyes where the ORA and IOLMaster recommended the same IOL power based on preoperative target refraction compared to instances in which IOL selection was based on ORA or IOLMaster alone. Neither prediction errors were statistically different between the ORA and IOLMaster alone. Conclusion: Intraoperative wavefront aberrometry with the ORA system provides postoperative refractive results comparable to conventional biometry with the IOLMaster for monofocal IOL selection.
Suburbanization and shale gas wells: Patterns, planning perspectives, and reverse setback policies

Abstract From 2002 to 2015, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (DFW) experienced high population growth rates and booming shale gas production via hydraulic fracturing of the Barnett Shale. In response, DFW municipalities adopted gas well drilling ordinances and enacted setback distance policies to regulate the proximity between new gas wells and homes. However, landscape and planning impacts arising from subsequent development of homes around hydrocarbon extraction sites are unknown. Here, we use quantitative and qualitative methods to 1) quantify spatial and land-use effects of gas well production sites, 2) identify municipal staff perspectives on overlapping gas well and suburban landscapes, and 3) evaluate municipal governance strategies for dealing with subsequent development of homes around production sites. Our results show that production sites occupy approximately 3000 ha in DFW and nearly 2% of surface areas in some high growth municipalities. Over time, developed land covers increasingly surrounded gas production sites. We identified three statistically significant social perspectives among municipal officials, two indicating concern with how gas wells impede future urban development. The majority of municipal governments place the onus on homebuyers to decide whether to live near gas wells, though a few municipalities require notification of their presence. The parallel pressures to develop surface and mineral interests by two powerful industries – property developers and oil and gas operators, respectively – create a complex regulatory and planning environment for municipalities where protections of resident health, safety, and welfare are left to the discretion of corporate entities and social licenses.
Incarcerated Plantar Dislocation of the First Metatarsophalangeal Joint: Reduction Using Intra-articular Saline Injection.

Plantar dislocation of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint is exceedingly rare, and in prior reported cases, simple closed manipulation easily enabled reduction. We present here the first rep...
Endoscopic Management of Bronchopleural Fistulas

A bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is an abnormal communication between the airway and the pleural space. It most commonly occurs after pulmonary resection but may be a result of multiple benign and malignant diseases. Patients with BPFs may present with a variety of symptoms, but they typically include fatigue, cough, dyspnea, and/or purulent sputum. In the acute setting, symptoms may be life threatening as a tension pneumothorax can develop. Bronchopleural fistulas may be treated surgically or semi-invasively using endoscopic techniques. Endoscopic therapies for closure of a BPF include various sealants and glues, one-way endobronchial valves, and airway stents to cover the defect. Although there is a general consensus that endoscopic therapies are safe and well tolerated in a majority of patients, there are no large series or randomized trials exploring specific therapies or patient outcomes. The choice of therapy (endoscopic vs. surgical) is highly dependent on individual patient situation and physician preference. These techniques are not mutually exclusive, and combination therapies should be explored.
Is Dendritic Proliferation of Surviving Neurons a Compensatory Response to Loss of Neighbors in the Aging Brain

The plastic capacities of the developing brain are well known, and it is the young brain that usually is emphasized when considering neuronal plasticity. The view taken here is that the plastic capacity of the developing brain does not suddenly cease as some developmental landmark is reached but that some degree of residual plasticity is maintained to the end of the developmental continuum (death). Functionally, this residual plasticity may be manifested in a variety of ways, including (1) recovery from strokes and lesions and (2) compensatory responses to the degenerative phenomena of the aging brain. We define neuronal “plasticity” as the adaptive response(s) of neurons to perturbations in their local environment. The perturbations may be in the chemical composition of the neuron’s immediate surround, its afferent supply, its targets, or in its neighboring neurons and glia. The plastic response(s) to such perturbations may include alteration in dendritic and/or axonal morphology, in synapses, receptors, metabolism, even in genetic expression (e.g., Black et al., 1984: Davis et al., 1986).
MOLECULAR SELF-ASSEMBLY AND MICROMACHINING

We are developing molecular self-assembly as a strategy for the fabrication of nanostructures. We have used self-assembled monolayer films formed by the chemisorption of organic molecules onto gold substrates, in combination with micromachining, (i) to pattern gold surfaces with well-defined regions of SAMs with contrasting properties, (ii) to transfer these patterns to the underlying gold film using SAMs as nanometerthick chemical resists for wet etching, (iii) to construct microelectrodes by taking advantage of the dielectric barrier properties of SAMs, and (iv) to create contamination-resistant films on the surfaces of metals that are otherwise highly susceptible to contamination by adventitious molecular adsorbates and particles.
Some Recent Developments on Real Multivariate Distributions

Publisher Summary Multivariate distribution theory plays an important role in drawing inference from multivariate data. Distributions of certain functions of the eigenvalues of various random matrices are useful in applying various multivariate test procedures. These test procedures arise in the analysis of the data that arise in social, behavioral, medical, physical, engineering, and other sciences as well as other disciplines. This chapter reviews some of the developments on the distribution problems connected with the eigenvalues or certain functions of the eigenvalues of real random matrices and discusses their applications in areas such as pattern recognition, principal component analysis, canonical correlation analysis, covariance structure analysis, and simultaneous test procedures. The chapter discusses the evaluation of some integrals that arise in multivariate distribution theory. It reviews the joint distributions of the eigenvalues of random matrices. The chapter describes the distributions of the individual roots of a wide class of random matrices and presents the distributions of the ratios of the roots of the Wishart matrix and multivariate beta matrix.