cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sex Steroid Hormones Enhance Hypotensive Effects of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide in Aged Female Rats

The aim of the present study is to investigate whether vascular protective effects of steroid hormones in aged female rats are mediated through calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a known potent vasodilator. This rat model reflects the postmenopausal state in humans. We examined whether blood pressure lowering effects of CGRP are enhanced in aged female rats when steroid hormone treatments are administered. We observed that 1) continuous infusion of CGRP lowered blood pressures in rats treated with estradiol-17β and progesterone (P < 0.05), 2) acute hypotensive effects of CGRP were significantly (P < 0.05) greater in the presence of steroid hormones than in vehicle-treated groups, 3) blood pressure decreases in response to CGRP are lower in aged female rats than they are in young adult ovariectomized rats, and 4) age-related differences in the hypotensive effects of CGRP were nullified when animals were treated with steroid hormones. These data suggest that female sex steroid hormones may modulate arterial blood pressure by regulating the CGRP effector system in female rats regardless of age.
Multivariate analyses of water chemistry: surface and ground water interactions.

Multivariate statistical methods (MSMs) applied to ground water chemistry provide valuable insight into the main hydrochemical species, hydrochemical processes, and water flowpaths important to ground water evolution. The MSMs of principal component factor analysis (FA) and k-means cluster analysis (CA) were sequentially applied to major ion chemistry from 211 different ground water–sampling locations in the Amargosa Desert. The FA reduces the number of variables describing the system and finds relationships between major ions. The CA of the reduced system produced objective hydrochemical facies, which are independent of, but in good agreement with, lithological data. The derived factors and hydrochemical facies are innovatively presented on biplots, revealing composition of hydrochemical processes and facies, and overlaid on a digital elevation model, displaying flowpaths and interactions with geologic and topographic features in the region. In particular, a distinct ground water chemical signature is observed beneath and surrounding the extended flowpath of Fortymile Wash, presenting some contradiction to contemporary water levels along with potential interaction with a fault line. The signature surrounding the ephemeral Fortymile Wash is believed to represent the relic of water that infiltrated during past pluvial periods when the amount of runoff in the wash was significantly larger than during the current drier period. This hypothesis and aforementioned analyses are supported by the examination of available chloride, oxygen-18, hydrogen-2, and carbon-14 data from the region.
Heart Check Lite: Modifications to an Established Worksite Heart Health Assessment

Abstract Purpose Develop and test a reduced-item version of an established tool to measure employer supports for cardiovascular health. Method A random set of 1000 worksites throughout New York State was surveyed in 1999 with Heart Check, a 226-item assessment of employer supports for cardiovascular health. Correlation, Guttman, factor, and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses were used to identify reduced-item versions. The reduced-item versions were then assessed for their abilities to similarly rank and detect changes in 255 different worksites participating in an intervention program. Regression, correlation, and κ analyses were used. Results Analysis of the Heart Check instrument identified two brief versions with 27 and 55 items. OLS regression of full Heart Check scores for these versions had adjusted R2 of .95 and .97, respectively. Discussion Both reduced-item versions demonstrated a moderate to strong ability to reproduce the results observed with the full Heart Check.
Surface grafting of chitosan shell, polycaprolactone core fiber meshes to confer bioactivity:

Electrospinning of polyesters (e.g. polycaprolactone) is an attractive approach for fabricating meshes with mechanical properties suitable for orthopedic tissue engineering applications. However, the resultant fused-fiber meshes are biologically inert, necessitating surface grafting of bioactive factors to stimulate cell adhesion. In this study, hydrophilic meshes displaying primary amine groups were prepared by coaxially electrospinning fibers with a chitosan/poly(ethylene oxide) shell and a polycaprolactone core. These chitosan–polycaprolactone fiber meshes were mechanically robust (Young’s modulus of 10.1 ± 1.6 MPa under aqueous conditions) with tensile properties comparable to polycaprolactone fiber meshes. Next, the integrin adhesion peptide arginine–glycine–aspartic acid was grafted to chitosan–polycaprolactone fiber meshes. Cell culture studies using bone marrow stromal cells indicated significantly better initial attachment and spreading on arginine–glycine–aspartic acid–conjugated fiber meshes. S...
Systematic Analysis of Active Clock Deskewing Systems Using Control Theory

A formal methodology for the analysis of a closed loop clock distribution and active deskewing network is proposed. In this paper an active clock distribution and deskewing network is modeled as a closed loop feedback system using state space equations. State space analysis allows systematic analysis of any clock distribution and deskewing systems to determine various conditions under which a system can over-compensate and become potentially unstable. Such an analysis can be very useful to designers as they will be able to determine analytically as to how the clock deskewing system behaves. By using the proposed approach, repeated simulations can be greatly limited and maybe entirely avoided. We applied the proposed method to an experimental clock deskewing system to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The proposed approach can be further extended to determine performance of such systems under different configurations.
Osmoadaptation in Archaea

The ability to adapt to fluctuations in external osmotic pressure (osmoadaptation) and the development of specific mechanisms to achieve this (osmoregulation) are fundamental to the survival of cells ([6][1], [16][2], [67][3], [73][4], [76][5]). Most cells maintain an osmotic pressure in the
Challenges in document recognition bottom up and top down processes

Human vision is guided by context but it has been difficult to replicate that process in machine vision. On the other hand bar codes have a precise formal definition so that high level structure (the equivalent) of context is used to guide low level recognition. The paper discusses some of the processes involved in bar code reading and uses them to suggest novel processes for mechanical text reading.
Reproduction in Domestic and Feral Swine. II. Interrelationships Between Fetal Size and Spacing and Litter Size

Fetal and uterine relationships were evaluated and compared in 17 feral-Ossabaw and 12 Yorkshire primiparous gilts slaughtered at 80, 90, 100, or 110 days of gestation. Feral fetuses were smaller than Yorkshire fetuses at all gestational ages examined (P 0.1). the mean length of uterine horn per fetus increased linearly from Day 80 to Day 110 of gestation in the Yorkshire (r = 0.95, P<0.01) and feral (r = 0.90, P<0.01) lines. Uterine horns containing more fetuses were generally longer than horns with fewer fetuses. Total weight of fetuses in the uterine horn was related to the number of fetuses in the horn in both the ferals (r = 0.76, P<0.01) and the Yorkshires (r = 0.57, P<0.01), but individual fetal weights decreased as the number of fetuses in the litter increased. In either line there was no consistent relationship between fetal weight and amount of uterine space available to each fetus, as indicated by distance between adjacent fetuses. These results indicate that the small litter size observed in the feral line is not attributable to a limitation of uterine capacity during late gestation. Further, the uterus of the feral pig may have the capability for greater growth in length during pregnancy than does the uterus of the Yorkshire pig.
Circuit design for built-in current testing

Built-in current (BIC) testing has proven to be useful through a number of IC fabrication experiments. The experience gained from these experiments is summarized. From the information presented, a set of required rules is derived for the design of circuits employing BIC sensors. It is indicated that the system partition is the key design element affecting both the area overhead needed for BIC sensors and the testing clock rate. It is shown that special design rules must be observed during the design in order to avoid abnormally high I/sub ddq/ currents. It is concluded that by using BIC sensors it is possible to build small area overhead, self-testing ICs. >
From shape to cells: mouse models reveal mechanisms altering palate development in Apert syndrome.

Apert syndrome is a congenital disorder characterized by severe skull malformations and caused by one of two missense mutations, S252W and P253R, on fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2). The molecular bases underlying differential Apert syndrome phenotypes are still poorly understood and it is unclear why cleft palate is more frequent in patients carrying the S252W mutation. Taking advantage of Apert syndrome mouse models, we performed a novel combination of morphometric, histological and immunohistochemical analyses to precisely quantify distinct palatal phenotypes in Fgfr2+/S252W and Fgfr2+/P253R mice. We localized regions of differentially altered FGF signaling and assessed local cell patterns to establish a baseline for understanding the differential effects of these two Fgfr2 mutations. Palatal suture scoring and comparative 3D shape analysis from high resolution μCT images of 120 newborn mouse skulls showed that Fgfr2+/S252W mice display relatively more severe palate dysmorphologies, with contracted and more separated palatal shelves, a greater tendency to fuse the maxillary-palatine sutures and aberrant development of the inter-premaxillary suture. These palatal defects are associated with suture-specific patterns of abnormal cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. The posterior region of the developing palate emerges as a potential target for therapeutic strategies in clinical management of cleft palate in Apert syndrome patients.
MVE1, Encoding the Velvet Gene Product Homolog in Mycosphaerella graminicola, Is Associated with Aerial Mycelium Formation, Melanin Biosynthesis, Hyphal Swelling, and Light Signaling

ABSTRACT The ascomycete fungus Mycosphaerella graminicola is an important pathogen of wheat that causes Septoria tritici blotch. Despite the serious impact of M. graminicola on wheat production worldwide, knowledge about its molecular biology is limited. The velvet gene, veA, is one of the key regulators of diverse cellular processes, including development and secondary metabolism in many fungi. However, the species analyzed to date are not related to the Dothideomycetes, the largest class of plant-pathogenic fungi, and the function of veA in this group is not known. To test the hypothesis that the velvet gene has similar functions in the Dothideomycetes, a veA-homologous gene, MVE1, was identified and gene deletion mutations (Δmve1) were generated in M. graminicola. All of the MVE1 mutants exhibited consistent pleiotropic phenotypes, indicating the involvement of MVE1 in multiple signaling pathways. Δmve1 strains displayed albino phenotypes with significant reductions in melanin biosynthesis and less production of aerial mycelia on agar plates. In liquid culture, Δmve1 strains showed abnormal hyphal swelling, which was suppressed completely by osmotic stress or lower temperature. In addition, MVE1 gene deletion led to hypersensitivity to shaking, reduced hydrophobicity, and blindness to light-dependent stimulation of aerial mycelium production. However, pathogenicity was not altered in Δmve1 strains. Therefore, the light-signaling pathway associated with MVE1 does not appear to be important for Septoria tritici blotch disease. Our data suggest that the MVE1 gene plays crucial roles in multiple key signaling pathways and is associated with light signaling in M. graminicola.
Comparison of Simplexa Universal Direct PCR with Cytotoxicity Assay for Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile Infection: Performance, Cost, and Correlation with Disease

Simplexa Clostridium difficile universal direct PCR, a real-time PCR assay for the detection of the C. difficile toxin B (tcdB) gene using the 3M integrated cycler, was compared with a two-step algorithm which includes the C. Diff Chek-60 glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) antigen assay followed by cytotoxin neutralization. Three hundred forty-two liquid or semisolid stools submitted for diagnostic C. difficile testing, 171 GDH antigen positive and 171 GDH antigen negative, were selected for the study. All samples were tested by the C. Diff Chek-60 GDH antigen assay, cytotoxin neutralization, and Simplexa direct PCR. Of 171 GDH-positive samples, 4 were excluded (from patients on therapy or from whom duplicate samples were obtained) and 88 were determined to be true positives for toxigenic C. difficile. Of the 88, 67 (76.1%) were positive by the two-step method and 86 (97.7%) were positive by PCR. Seventy-nine were positive by the GDH antigen assay only. Of 171 GDH antigen-negative samples, none were positive by PCR. One antigen-negative sample positive by the cytotoxin assay only was deemed a false positive based on chart review. Simplexa C. difficile universal direct PCR was significantly more sensitive for detecting toxigenic C. difficile bacteria than cytotoxin neutralization (P = 0.0002). However, most PCR-positive/cytotoxin-negative patients did not have clear C. difficile disease. The estimated cost avoidance provided by a more rapid molecular diagnosis was outweighed by the cost of isolating and treating PCR-positive/cytotoxin-negative patients. The costs, clinical consequences, and impact on nosocomial transmission of treating and/or isolating patients positive for toxigenic C. difficile by PCR but negative for in vivo toxin production merit further study.
Protection mechanisms for application service hosting platforms

The application service hosting platform (ASHP) has recently received tremendous attention from both industry and academia. An ASHP provides a shared high-performance infrastructure to host different application services (AS), outsourced by application service providers (ASP). In this paper, we focus on the protection of ASHP which has inherent requirement of sharing, openness, and mutual isolation. In contrast to a dedicated server platform, which is analogous with a private house, an ASHP is like an apartment building, involving the 'host' - the ASHP infrastructure, and the 'tenants' - the AS. Strong protection and isolation must be provided between the host and the tenants, as well as between different tenants. Unfortunately, traditional OS architecture and mechanisms are not adequate to provide strong ASHP protection. In this paper we first make the case for a new OS architecture based on the virtual OS technology. We then present three protection mechanisms we have developed in SODA, our ASHP architecture. The mechanisms include: (1) resource isolation between AS; (2) virtual switching and firewalling between AS; and (3) kernelized intrusion detection and logging for each AS. For (3), we have developed a system called Kernort inside the virtual OS kernel. Kernort detects network intrusions in real-time and logs AS activities even when the AS has been compromised. Moreover for the privacy of AS, logs are encrypted by Kernort so that the 'landlord' (namely ASHP owner) cannot view them without authorization. We are applying SODA to iShare, an Internet-based distributed resource sharing platform.
Expression and adhesion profiles of SynCAM molecules indicate distinct neuronal functions

Cell-cell interactions through adhesion molecules play key roles in the development of the nervous system. Synaptic cell adhesion molecules (SynCAMs) comprise a group of four immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily members that mediate adhesion and are prominently expressed in the brain. Although SynCAMs have been implicated in the differentiation of neurons, there has been no comprehensive analysis of their expression patterns. Here we examine the spatiotemporal expression patterns of SynCAMs by using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, in situ hybridization, and immunohistological techniques. SynCAMs 1–4 are widely expressed throughout the developing and adult central nervous system. They are prominently expressed in neurons throughout the brain and are present in both excitatory and inhibitory neurons. Investigation of different brain regions in the developing and mature mouse brain indicates that each SynCAM exhibits a distinct spatiotemporal expression pattern. This is observed in all regions analyzed and is particularly notable in the cerebellum, where SynCAMs display highly distinct expression in cerebellar granule and Purkinje cells. These unique expression profiles are complemented by specific heterophilic adhesion patterns of SynCAM family members, as shown by cell overlay experiments. Three prominent interactions are observed, mediated by the extracellular domains of SynCAMs 1/2, 2/4, and 3/4. These expression and adhesion profiles of SynCAMs together with their previously reported functions in synapse organization indicate that SynCAM proteins contribute importantly to the synaptic circuitry of the central nervous system. J. Comp. Neurol. 510:47–67, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
AnnTools: a comprehensive and versatile annotation toolkit for genomic variants

Summary: AnnTools is a versatile bioinformatics application designed for comprehensive annotation of a full spectrum of human genome variation: novel and known single-nucleotide substitutions (SNP/SNV), short insertions/deletions (INDEL) and structural variants/copy number variation (SV/CNV). The variants are interpreted by interrogating data compiled from 15 constantly updated sources. In addition to detailed functional characterization of the coding variants, AnnTools searches for overlaps with regulatory elements, disease/trait associated loci, known segmental duplications and artifact prone regions, thereby offering an integrated and comprehensive analysis of genomic data. The tool conveniently accepts user-provided tracks for custom annotation and offers flexibility in input data formats. The output is generated in the universal Variant Call Format. High annotation speed makes AnnTools suitable for high-throughput sequencing facilities, while a low-memory footprint and modest CPU requirements allow it to operate on a personal computer. The application is freely available for public use; the package includes installation scripts and a set of helper tools. Availability: http://anntools.sourceforge.net/ Contact: ude.mssm@vorakam.rimidalv; ude.mssm@nooy.sirhc Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The Effects of Shared Cognition on Group Satisfaction and Performance: Politeness and Efficiency in Group Interaction

This study investigates the effects of shared cognition on group member satisfaction and group task performance. The hypotheses are that groups who have shared cognition concerning communication rules, such as politeness and efficiency, will be more satisfied with their group processes and will perform a task better than will those in groups lacking shared cognition concerning communication rules. The research involved 67 groups (N = 236) performing a radio assembly task for 20 minutes. Group members in the shared cognition condition received the same instructions to communicate politely (or efficiently). In the non—shared cognition condition, some members in a group received instructions to communicate politely and other members in the same group received instructions to communicate efficiently. The data are consistent with the part of the hypothesis relating to satisfaction but not to the one relating to performance.
Responding to Home Maintenance Challenge Scenarios: The Role of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation in Aging-in-Place

This study examined potential issues faced by older adults in managing their homes and their proposed solutions for overcoming hypothetical difficulties. Forty-four diverse, independently living older adults (66-85) participated in structured group interviews in which they discussed potential solutions to manage difficulties presented in four scenarios: perceptual, mobility, physical, and cognitive difficulties. The proposed solutions were classified using the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation (SOC) model. Participants indicated they would continue performing most tasks and reported a range of strategies to manage home maintenance challenges. Most participants reported that they would manage home maintenance challenges using compensation; the most frequently mentioned compensation strategy was using tools and technologies. There were also differences across the scenarios: Optimization was discussed most frequently with perceptual and cognitive difficulty scenarios. These results provide insights i...
Finding Common Ground? Indian Immigrants and Asian American Panethnicity

The common political usage of the term Asian American includes Indians, but historical, religious, and phenotypic differences among Indians and East and Southeast Asians raise the question of how far the boundaries of Asian American identity extend. Using the National Asian American Survey, I examine whether the forces that propel Indian immigrants toward selecting a panethnic identification are similar to those of other Asian subgroups. I find that for Indian immigrants who live among large non-Indian Asian populations—the setting most likely to encourage panethnicity for other Asians—both immigrant integration and discrimination serve to discourage a panethnic Asian identification. My findings suggest that the boundaries of Asian American identity are not open for many Indian immigrants, and highlight the importance of group relations for understanding panethnic identification.
Age and Intimate Partner Violence: An Analysis of Global Trends Among Women Experiencing Victimization in 30 Developing Countries

Abstract Purpose Young women are at elevated risk of violence victimization, yet generalizable evidence on age at which abuse first occurs is lacking. This analysis provides new descriptive evidence on age and duration into partnership of women's first intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Methods Data come from ever married women ages of 15–49 years in nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys in 30 countries collected from 2005 to 2014 in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Descriptive analysis is performed. Results Approximately 29.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 28.8, 29.3) of women reported any physical or sexual IPV. Among ever married women who first experienced violence post-union, abuse began, on average, 3.5 years (95% CI 3.4, 3.5), after union formation. Approximately 38.5% (95% CI 37.9, 39.0) and 67.5% (95% CI 67.0, 68.1) of those ever experiencing abuse did so within 1 year and 3 years, respectively, of union formation. Regionally, average years into union of abuse initiation showed little variation and average age at first abuse among once married women is 22.1 years. Conclusions Results imply that primary prevention for IPV must take place on average before first union before age 19 years, to capture the most relevant and at risk target population. Resources allocated toward risk factors in childhood and adolescence may be most effective in combating initiation of IPV globally. Despite this finding, there remains a lack of evidence on effective interventions for primary prevention of abuse during women's early years in developing settings.
Variable Resistance to Plasminogen Activator Initiated Fibrinolysis for Intermediate-Risk Pulmonary Embolism.

Background We examine the clinical significance and biomarkers of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)-catalyzed clot lysis time (CLT) in patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE). Methods Platelet-poor, citrated plasma was obtained from patients with PE. Healthy age- and sex-matched patients served as disease-negative controls. Fibrinogen, α2-antiplasmin, plasminogen, thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), plasminogen activator Inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), thrombin time and D-dimer were quantified. Clotting was induced using CaCl2, tissue factor, and phospholipid. Lysis was induced using 60 ng/mL tPA. Time to 50% clot lysis (CLT) was assessed by both thromboelastography (TEG) and turbidimetry (A405). Results Compared with disease-negative controls, patients with PE exhibited significantly longer mean CLT on TEG (+2,580 seconds, 95% CI 1,380 to 3,720 sec). Patients with PE and a short CLT who were treated with tenecteplase had increased risk of bleeding, whereas those with long CLT had significantly worse exercise tolerance and psychometric testing for quality of life at 3 months. A multivariate stepwise removal regression model selected PAI-1 and TAFI as predictive biomarkers of CLT. Conclusion The CLT from TEG predicted increased risk of bleeding and clinical failure with tenecteplase treatment for intermediate-risk PE. Plasmatic PAI-1 and TAFI were independent predictors of CLT.
Engaging Immigrants in American Democracy: Assessing the Civic Implications of Lacking Residency Documentation

Few political scientists would dispute the notion that government policies and administrative practices do much to shape the contours of mass democratic engagement. Yet little is known about how federal regulations concerning migration status in the United States influence the political behavior of the foreign-born. At present, nearly forty million residents of the U.S. emigrated from abroad; over one-fourth of this population is thought to lack residency authorization. Drawing from original surveys of Mexicans in the U.S. and data from the Pew Hispanic Center, we assess the civic implications of undocumentedness. We find that compared to naturalized citizens and legal residents, unauthorized immigrants are less attentive to politics and less likely to participate in electoral campaigns, but are more involved in social movement activity. These distinctions fade, however, in the face of multivariate statistical controls for socioeconomic resources. This suggests that for immigrants today, formal legal barriers to civic incorporation are not as profound as the SES divide.
Use of polynucleotides with seminal antigens to induce isoantibodies and infertility in rabbits.

SummaryInjections of female rabbits with homologous seminal antigens in combination with polyadenylic and polyuridylic acids (0.4-0.5 mg of each per injection) induced antifertility effects and serum titers of specific antibodies. Rabbits immunized with seminal plasma had normal fertility, whereas rabbits immunized with semen and epididymal sperm showed fertilization inhibition after artificial insemination and low embryo and fetal survival after embryo transfer. Immunization with semen induced high serum titers of specific antibodies as determined by passive hemagglutination, sperm agglutination, and sperm immobilization. Epididymal sperm caused moderate hemagglutination titers and high titers of sperm-agglutinating and immobilizing antibodies, whereas seminal plasma induced high hemagglutination titers but low sperm-agglutination titers, and no immobilizing antibody. Sperm-agglutinating and immobilizing titers were highly correlated in rabbits immunized with semen and epididymal sperm.
Hearth & Home: Preserving a People's Culture. By George W. McDaniel. American Civilization Series. Edited by Allen F. Davis. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1982. 297 pp. Hardbound, $25.00.

(1983). Hearth & Home: Preserving a People's Culture. The Oral History Review: Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 135-137.
The Promise of Highly Deformable Soft Optics

Soft material-based, highly deformable optics is rapidly expanding its application scope with advantages like dynamic reconfigurability, wide range modulation, and easy fabrication. This talk outlines the past, present, and future outlook of the emerging field.
Singlet and Triplet Methylene (CH2) Plus P4: A Computational Study

Ab initio studies of the interaction of singlet and triplet methylene with tetrahedral P4 (white phosphorus) are reported in which singlet methylene “reacts”, giving three 1:1 species: a P−P insertion adduct, a cyclotriphosphirene product, and an apex adduct. Examination of the potential energy surface reveals the connection of the three “products” through two transition states. The structures found computationally are compared with products reported in two experimental studies of reactions of P4 and nucleophilic (stable) carbenes. These computational results suggest that simple carbene reactions with P4 need to be explored experimentally. Triplet methylene generally does not interact with P4 to give any bonded structures, with one noted exception.
Epidemiological survey of an outbreak of a water-borne bacterial dysentery in field

Objective To identify the source and factors associated with the outbreak of water-borne dysentery.Methods Identification of suspected cases,probable case clinical diagnosed cases and confirmed cases.Hygienic survey was conducted and the factors associated with the infections were analyzed.Results Totally 48 cases were identified with incidence of 2.3 %.Drinking unboiled water was the risk factors(OR=9.6,95 % CI:2.5-43)and the OR increased from 1.0 to 3.3 to 19 to 87 along with the increase of the rate of drinking unboiled water(P＜0.01,x~2 for trend=40),showing obvious dose-response relationship.Latent in- fection was accounted for 12%.The three schools shared the same well and the total E.coli was＞16×10~4/L in the well water. There was a leakage in the water pipeline and it was contaminated after a big rain three days before the outbreak of the dysentery. Shigella sonnei was detected from the stool of 11 of the 94 students.Conclusion This outbreak dysentery is due to contamination of the drinking water by Shigella sonnei.Effective measures such as repair the pipeline,sterilization of water and drinking boiled water, be taken.
The Debate Over Stratification within Aesthetic Objects

Understanding the aesthetics of Roman Ingarden has been consistently thwarted by his primary interest in the ontology of aesthetic objects. The best known of his “investigations on the borderline between ontology, logic, and the theory of literature,” The Literary Work of Art,1 had to be supplemented with a second, primarily epistemological, text on how literary works of art are cognized — either preaesthetically, aesthetically, or postaesthetically.2 The preaesthetic cognition involves a description of the processes by which a given reader prepares a “concretization” of the multiply stratified work of art, which, as an eidos, is structured phenomenologically by a series of conscious acts founded one upon the other.
Improving Environmental Health Literacy and Justice through Environmental Exposure Results Communication

Understanding the short- and long-term impacts of a biomonitoring and exposure project and reporting personal results back to study participants is critical for guiding future efforts, especially in the context of environmental justice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate learning outcomes from environmental communication efforts and whether environmental health literacy goals were met in an environmental justice community. We conducted 14 interviews with parents who had participated in the University of Arizona's Metals Exposure Study in Homes and analyzed their responses using NVivo, a qualitative data management and analysis program. Key findings were that participants used the data to cope with their challenging circumstances, the majority of participants described changing their families' household behaviors, and participants reported specific interventions to reduce family exposures. The strength of this study is that it provides insight into what people learn and gain from such results communication efforts, what participants want to know, and what type of additional information participants need to advance their environmental health literacy. This information can help improve future report back efforts and advance environmental health and justice.
Public Practice, Private Law: An Essay on Love, Marriage, and the State

Marriage is ordinarily a public practice, supported by, as well as supportive of, society. But it need not fall within the purview of the state. Public Practice, Private Law articulates a conception of marriage as a morally rich and important institution that ought to be subject to private rather than legislative or judicial ordering. It elaborates a robust understanding of marriage that captures what both different-sex and same-sex couples might see as valuable about their relationships. It explains why sexual ethics won't yield a normative model of marriage, and why the kind of marital love worth wanting, can. It goes on to show how an understanding of marriage as rooted in demanding commitments can allow for divorce before arguing that the state should cease to sponsor marriages. It concludes by suggesting that both state and non-state institutions should acknowledge the marriages of same-sex couples.
Electrochemical Modification of the Activity and Selectivity of Metal Catalysts

Publisher Summary The partial oxidation of methane has become a topic of major interest in heterogeneous catalysis. The number of studies on the oxidative coupling of methane has increased tremendously, and interest in other methane partial oxidation reactions (methanol formation, synthesis gas formation) has also increased. As an alternative to conventional catalytic studies, several investigators have recently studied the possibility of oxidizing membranes rather than using gaseous O 2 . In this case, an O − conducting solid electrolyte, such as yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), is used. The possibility of electrochemical dehydrogenation of methane has been recently investigated by using H + solid-state conductors. This chapter presents two solid electrolyte-aided studies of CH 4 —namely, non-oxidative dimerization of CH 4 on Ag with the use of H + conductors and O − aided study of CH 4 conversion to synthesis gas on Fe electrodes. The results seem to confirm two interesting characteristics of solid electrolytes in heterogeneous catalysis: (1) the electrolyte needs not have a specific conducting species by other research groups as well and (2) the one-chamber cell could be easily incorporated into existing industrial reactor designs, as reactants do not have to be separated.
Rapid Induction of Therapeutic Hypothermia Using Transnasal High Flow Dry Air

Early induction of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is recommended in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (CA); however, currently no reliable methods exist to initiate cooling. We investigated the effect of high flow transnasal dry air on brain and body temperatures in adult porcine animals. Adult porcine animals (n = 23) under general anesthesia were subject to high flow of transnasal dry air. Mouth was kept open to create a unidirectional airflow, in through the nostrils and out through the mouth. Brain, internal jugular, and aortic temperatures were recorded. The effect of varying airflow rate and the air humidity (0% or 100%) on the temperature profiles were recorded. The degree of brain cooling was measured as the differential temperature from baseline. A 10-minute exposure of high flow dry air caused rapid cooling of brain and gradual cooling of the jugular and the aortic temperatures in all animals. The degree of brain cooling was flow dependent and significantly higher at higher airflow rates (0.8°C ± 0.3...
Analytical thermal model for silicon-on-insulator MOSFET structures

We present analytical thermal models developed recently for SOI MOSFET structures based on the concept for the SOI film thermal resistance, different from the conventional SOI channel thermal resistance. The models are able to accommodate multiple devices on the same Si island or on separate islands in SOI integrated circuits. Heat flow in interconnects and poly lines can be properly incorporated into these models. The models are verified with 2D device and 3D interconnect simulations.
Molecular characterization of a new soybean-infecting member of the genus Nepovirus identified by high-throughput sequencing.

The complete nucleotide sequence of a new soybean-infecting member of the genus Nepovirus (provisionally named “soybean latent spherical virus” [SLSV]) was identified by high-throughput sequencing of RNAs from soybean leaf samples from North Dakota, USA. The sequences of RNAs 1 (8,190 nt) and 2 (5,788 nt) were completed by rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Each contained a single long open reading frame and a 3’ nontranslated region of greater than 1,500 nt. The predicted amino acid sequences of the two ORFs were most closely related to nepoviruses in subgroup C. Full-length cDNAs of RNAs 1 and 2 were cloned and used to inoculate soybean plants, which did not display obvious symptoms. These results suggest that SLSV represents a new species in the genus Nepovirus.
Hybrid Passive/Active Control Performance in Buildings Using Robust Control Design Approaches

Abstract This paper summarizes experience with the design of robust active control systems employed together with passive control elements in a hybrid system to control the seismic response of buildings. Particular interest is directed to applying an iterative redesign method that first designs the passive control elements using numerical optimization. The active control system is then designed using robust control design methods and the passive system is iteratively redesigned. Simulation results for representative earthquakes are presented, and the interaction between the active and passive control systems is discussed.
Comparing impact on the family and insurance coverage in children with cerebral palsy and children with another special healthcare need.

Background Families and caregivers of children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) often experience financial difficulties, have unmet physical and mental health needs, and are at increased risk of marital problems due to the stress caused by carrying for their child. Within the larger population of CHSCN, young people with cerebral palsy (CP) have more unmet needs due to the complexity and potential severity of the disability. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with differences in insurance coverage and impact on the family of children with CP and other CHSCN. Methods The data were taken from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, which was designed to examine state- and national-level estimates of CSHCN. Three variables examined differences in insurance coverage between those children diagnosed with CP versus all other CSHCN: insurance coverage for the previous year, current insurance coverage, and adequacy of insurance coverage. Four variables representing different indicators of family impact were used to assess differences between children with CP versus all other CSHCN: out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare, family financial burden, hours per week that family members spent caring for the child, and impact on family work life. Results The results of this study showed significant differences between households with a child with CP and a child with another health special need in terms of insurance coverage, indicating a tendency of children with CP to be insured the entire year. As for the impact on the family in households with children with CP versus other CSHCN, there were significant differences in all four variables that were analysed. Conclusions There is limited evidence highlighting differences between the impact of caring for a child with CP and caring for other CSHCN. Caring for a child with CP has a significant impact on the family, despite insurance coverage.
Rate-Determining Factors for Ethanol Metabolism in Vivo during Fasting

Fasting produces a decrease in ethanol elimination rate of as much as 40% in rats and hamsters. In order to identify the biochemical process responsible for this change, the maximal activity of ADH, the cytosolic free NAD+/NADH ratio and the concentration of ethanol and acetaldehyde in liver were measured in both fed and 48 h fasted rats and hamsters after ethanol administration. While the maximal ADH activity of liver decreased 40% or more with fasting, only a small difference in NAD+/NADH ratio was observed between fed and fasted animals both 1 and 2 h following the administration of ethanol. Calculations of the steady-state rates of oxidation of ethanol by rat ADH revealed that the enzyme is rate-limited primarily by the concentration of free NAD+ in cytosol but that the steady-state rates of ethanol oxidation by ADH are 80–90% of the in vivo ethanol elimination rates. With fasting, the percentage decrease in steady-state rates was identical to that for ADH activity and for the in vivo elimination rate. These results indicate that changes in rates of oxidation of NADH and acetaldehyde contribute little toward the decrease in ethanol elimination rate associated with fasting but that the change in liver ADH activity or content is primarily responsible.
Transition From Hospital to Home in Parents of Preterm Infants: Revision, Modification, and Psychometric Testing of the Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Transition from hospital to home in parents of prematurely born infants can be challenging. This methodological study aimed to develop an instrument to measure transitional problems in parents after hospital discharge. METHODS Kenner's Transition Questionnaire was modified based on findings of the literature review and a qualitative study. Content validity of the revised tool was determined by a panel of experts, and field testing was conducted via an online survey of parents of preterm infants (N = 704). Exploratory factor analysis (principal axis factoring and direct oblimin rotation) was performed. RESULTS Results showed four correlated factors in parental transition from hospital to home: Isolation, Worry, Confidence, and Professional Support (17 items total). Factor loadings ranged from .59 to .87, and reliability estimates ranged from .77 to .87. CONCLUSION The revised instrument demonstrated adequate psychometric characteristics; further testingand validation of the instrument is warranted.
Impact of methane energy fraction on emissions, performance and cyclic variability in low-load dual fuel combustion at early injection timings:

This work experimentally examines the effect of methane (a natural gas surrogate) substitution on early injection dual fuel combustion at representative low loads of 3.3 and 5.0 bar BMEPs in a sing...
Electron transport analysis of 4H-SiC with full-band Monte Carlo simulation including real-space Coulomb interactions

4H-SiC has been widely used in many applications. All of these benefit from its extremely high critical electric field with good electron mobility. 4H-SiC possesses a critical field ten times higher than that of Si, which allows high-voltage blocking layers composed of 4H-SiC to be approximately a tenth the thickness of a comparable Si device, thus reducing the device on-resistance and power losses, while maintaining the same high blocking capability. Unfortunately, commercial Technology for Computer-Aided Design tools like Sentaurus and Silvaco Atlas are based on effective mass approximation, while most 4H-SiC devices are not operated under a low electric field so the parabolic-like band approximation does not hold anymore. Hence, to get more accurate and reliable simulation results, full-band analysis is needed. The first step in the development of a full-band device simulator is the calculation of the band structure. In this work, the empirical pseudopotential method is adopted. The next task in the sequence is the calculation of the scattering rates. Acoustic, non-polar optical phonon, polar optical phonon, and Coulomb scattering are considered. Coulomb scattering is treated in real space using the particle–particle–particle–mesh approach. The third task is coupling the bulk full-band solver with a 3D Poisson equation solver to generate a full-band device simulator. For proof-of-concept of the methodology adopted here and for simplicity, a 3D resistor is simulated. From the resistor simulations, the low-field electron mobility dependence upon Coulomb scattering in 4H-SiC devices is extracted. The simulated low-field mobility results are in excellent agreement with available experimental data.
Sign changing pairing in single layer FeSe/SrTiO3 revealed by nonmagnetic impurity bound states

The discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in single layer FeSe epitaxially grown on SrTiO3(001) substrates has instigated extensive debate over whether its pairing symmetry is conventional sign-preserving s-wave or unconventional sign-changing. Here, we probe the pairing state for single layer FeSe/SrTiO3 grown by molecular beam epitaxy using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy. We observe robust in-gap bound states induced by non-magnetic Fe-vacancy defects within the Fe-plane, which exhibit strong spatial electron-hole asymmetry with two-fold symmetry in hole states and four-fold in electron states. The bound states exhibit no energy shift or splitting under an applied magnetic field, consistent with a sign-changing order parameter. This is further confirmed by defect bound state quasiparticle interference that shows a sign-changing behavior with a pair of corresponding peaks at the positive and negative energies near the impurity bound states. Our findings provide unambiguous evidence for a sign-changing pairing symmetry for single layer FeSe/SrTiO3. Monolayer FeSe epitaxially grown on SrTiO3 substrate exhibits one of the highest superconducting transition temperatures of the iron-based superconductors but the origins of its superconductivity are still under debate. Here, the authors investigate the nature of the Cooper pairs using scanning tunnelling microscopy/spectroscopy and reveal evidence which supports sign changing pairing symmetry.
Boundary feedforward and feedback control for the exponential tracking of the unstable high-dimensional wave equation

Abstract The problem of exponential tracking with a unstable high-dimensional wave equation in a cylindrical domain is considered. The signal to be tracked is assumed to be approximated by a Fourier polynomial or a polynomial of any degrees. The feedback controller for the tracking is applied on the top and lateral boundary of the cylindrical domain, while the feedforward controller is applied only on the top. To solve this problem, we introduce a straightforward method of translation of exogenous signal dependent equilibrium to the origin to convert it to a stabilization problem, decoupling the tracking problem into two separate problems: the wave regulator equations and the stabilization of the wave equation. The wave regulator equations are reduced to the classical Helmholtz's equations and then their solutions are explicitly expressed by using the solutions of the classical Helmholtz's equations. The feedforward controller is then synthesized from the solutions. On the other hand, the feedback controller is designed by the method of backstepping with the usual integral transformation used for the unstable heat equation. Since the convergence rate of the error is completely determined by the stabilized wave equation, which is completely decoupled from the wave regulator equations, it is independent of the structures of feedforward controllers. A numerical example is given to confirm our theoretical results.