cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biological and molecular epidemiological characteristics of foodborne Staphlococcus aureus from Tongzhou,Beijing,during 2009-2011

Objective To research the food-borne Staphlococcus aureus in Tongzhou Beijing from 2009 to 2011 in regard to their biochemical characteristics,drug resistance and molecular subtypes,and establish the database of relevant information.Methods 32 strains of food-borne Staphlococcus aureus were detected with DNAase test,enterotoxin test,drug resistance test and pulsed-field gel electrophoreiss(PFGE),and the homology of the strains were further analyzed by Bio Numerics.Results Among the 32 isolates,26 strains were positive by DNAase test;29 strains were enterotoxin-producing strains;the isolates producing SEE accouted for 83%;27 strains were drug-resistant strains,accounting for 84%.The total 32 isolates were divided into 17 PFGE patterns.Conclusion The isolated strains in the food from Tongzhou have definite pathogenicity and drug resistance.From 2009 to 2011,there were both repeatedly prevailing homologous strains and newly emerging strains in Tongzhou.This study contributed to the database of biochemical characteristics and PFGE patterns of Staphlococcus aureus,and provided the foundation for the prevention and control of the food-borne illness in future.
Valvular heart disease in pregnancy.

he management of valvular heart disease due to congenital or acquired etiologies in pregnant patients can be challenging. There is an elevated incidence of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes in this patient population. The keys to optimizing pregnancy outcomes are accurate diagnosis of the etiology and severity of valve disease, pre-conception evaluation and counseling, and referral of the highest risk women to centers with expertise in the management of these patients. A multidisciplinary team approach may be warranted, with a cardiologist, obstetrician, and obstetric anesthesiologist. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the management of specific valvular lesions in pregnancy and the role of anticoagulation in pregnancy. An understanding of the normal hemodynamic changes and adaptation of pregnancy is required in order to appreciate the effect of valvular lesions.
Expression of NK-lineage markers on peripheral blood lymphocytes with T-helper (Leu3+/T4+) phenotype in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Heterogeneity within lymphocyte subsets expressing T-helper (T4+/Leu3+) or T-suppressor (T8+/Leu2+) markers was analyzed in 38 patients with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and in 11 age-matched controls. Co-expression of NK-lineage markers (M1, Leu7) on Leu2+ or Leu3+ cells was investigated by two-color immunofluorescence, and the proportion of granular lymphocytes within each subset was determined by cytochemical staining for acid phosphatase. B-CLL patients and normal controls had similar absolute numbers of cells per microL with T- suppressor phenotype. However, the proportion of Leu2+ cells co- expressing the Leu7 antigen was higher in the B-CLL patients than in the control subjects (54 +/- 3% v 27 +/- 4%, P less than .0001). The absolute number per microL of cells with T-helper phenotype was somewhat decreased in B-CLL patients compared with normal subjects (649 +/- 104 v 799 +/- 33, P less than .02), with a consequent decrease of the helper/suppressor ratio. Furthermore, co-expression of the Leu7 and, more strikingly, of the M1 markers was increased significantly on Leu3+ cells from B-CLL patients compared with normal controls (11 +/- 2% v 2 +/- 0.7%, P less than .002 for Leu7 and 40 +/- 5% v 4 +/- 1%, P less than .00001 for M1). Cytochemical studies showed that a large proportion of Leu3+ cells from B-CLL patients were granular lymphocytes, as suggested by the co-expression of natural killer (NK) cell markers. The emergence of a population of Leu3+ granular lymphocytes with NK markers, which is barely detectable in normal subjects, may provide an explanation for the impairment of T cell functions repeatedly described in B-CLL.
Forgotten Waterways: Analyzing Beams From the Wabash and Erie Canal

ABSTRACT The Wabash and Erie Canal system was an important transportation network in the early 1800s prior to the dominance of trains and later automotive transportation. In this work, timbers from Culvert 151 were examined, after they were exhumed during construction of Hwy 641 on the south side of Terre Haute, Indiana. Cross-sections were taken from each of 22 beams and allowed to air dry to determine the stability of the timbers. We examined the wood to determine the genera or species of each sample that was used in this construction project and developed a floating chronology from our white oak group samples. The mix of species present included 11 beams of American beech (Fagus grandifolia), five white oak group (Quercus subgenus Lepidobalanus), and one each of American elm (Ulmus americana), winged elm (Ulmus alata), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), shagbark hickory (Carya ovata), white ash (Fraxinus americana), and black walnut (Juglans nigra). This suggests that the timbers were cut from the available...
The changing geography of Christianity in China, 1918-2004

ABSTRACTUsing systematic provincial level data on the number of Protestant Christians in 1918, 1949, 1997 and 2004, and those on Christian religious venues in 1979, 1997 and 2004, this article analyses changes in the coastal dominance, urban primacy and spatial diffusion of Christian communities in China. Six decades of communist rule eroded the missionary legacy, as Christian communities spread to China’s interior provinces and the rural hinterland, and became more widespread in China by 2004, with the sharpest decline in metropolitan cities and in the Guangdong province, and the fastest growth in the interior and northeast provinces. Ethnographies and case studies suggest that these developments may have resulted from the diminution of the missionary legacy, the relative decline of the institutional churches versus indigenous congregations, the replacement of an anti-state old guard by more pragmatic and compliant church leaders, the rise of the charismatic Pentecostal movement and the evangelism of a n...
BRAINsens: Body-Worn Reconfigurable Architecture of Integrated Network Sensors

Body sensor network (BSN) is a promising human–centric technology to monitor neurophysiological data. We propose a fully-reconfigurable architecture that addresses the major challenges of a heterogenous BSN, such as scalabiliy, modularity and flexibility in deployment. Existing BSNs especially with Electroencephalogarm (EEG) have these limitations mainly due to the use of driven-right-leg (DRL) circuit. We address these limitations by custom-designing DRL-less EEG smart sensing nodes (SSN) for modular and spatially distributed systems. Each single-channel EEG SSN with a input-referred noise of 0.82 μVrms and CMRR of 70 dB (at 60 Hz), samples brain signals at 512 sps. SSNs in the network can be configured at the time of deployment and can process information locally to significantly reduce data payload of the network. A Control Command Node (CCN) initializes, synchronizes, periodically scans for the available SSNs in the network, aggregates their data and sends it wirelessly to a paired device at a baud rate of 115.2 kbps. At the given settings of the I2C bus speed of 100 kbps, CCN can configure up to 39 EEG SSNs in a lego-like platform. The temporal and frequency-domain performance of the designed “DRL-less” EEG SSNs is evaluated against a research-grade Neuroscan and consumer-grade Emotiv EPOC EEG. The results show that the proposed network system with wearable EEG can be deployed in situ for continuous brain signal recording in real-life scenarios. The proposed system can also seamlessly incorporate other physiological SSNs for ECG, HRV, temperature etc. along with EEG within the same topology.
Intolerance of uncertainty: Neural and psychophysiological correlates of the perception of uncertainty as threatening

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) reflects the perception of uncertainty as threatening, regardless of the true probability of threat. IU is elevated in various forms of psychopathology, uniquely associated with anxiety and depression symptoms after controlling for related constructs, and prospectively predicts symptoms. Given the ubiquity of uncertainty in daily life and the clinical implications of IU, recent work has begun to investigate the neural and psychophysiological correlates of IU. This review summarizes the existing literature and integrates findings within a mechanistic neural model of responding to uncertainty. IU is associated with heightened reactivity to uncertainty reflected in greater activity of the anterior insula and amygdala, alterations in neural responses to rewards and errors evident in event-related potentials, a mixed pattern of startle responses to uncertain threat, and deficiencies in safety learning indexed by startle and skin conductance responding. These findings provide evidence of disruptions in several domains of responding to uncertainty, threat, and reward associated with IU that may confer risk for the development of psychopathology. Significant attention is devoted to recommendations for future research, including consideration of the complex interplay of IU with emotion regulation, cognitive control, and reward processing.
The prevalence of obesity and postoperative complications in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center general surgery population.

Patients who are obese are believed to be at greater risk of developing intraoperative and postoperative complications than their nonobese counterparts. Many studies have shown that there is a higher prevalence of obesity among the Veterans Affairs patient population. We performed a retrospective review of 941 patients presenting to a single Veterans Affairs Medical Center. We aimed to determine the incidence of obesity among the Veterans Affairs Medical Center general surgery patient population as well to compare the frequency of postoperative complications between patients who are obese and nonobese patients undergoing elective general surgery. Body mass index was calculated for all patients; of the 941 patients seen in the clinic, 547 underwent elective surgery. Thirty-three per cent of all clinic patients had a body mass index greater than 30 kg/m 2 . Twenty-eight per cent of patients who underwent surgery had a body mass index greater than 30 kg/m 2 . Postoperative complications developed among 5.5 per cent of all surgical patients; 23.3 per cent were obese and 76.7 per cent were nonobese. There was no statistically significant difference between these two groups (P = 0.54). This study illustrates the increased prevalence of obesity among the Veterans Affairs Medical Center general surgery patient population. In addition, our study suggests that obesity is not an independent risk factor for postoperative complications in patients undergoing elective general surgery.
A Doctor's Journey Back to Practice.

Review of a book that reflects on a doctor's journey back to medical practice after performing a difficult delivery that may have contributed to the newborn's cerebral palsy. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Density Functional Theory

The formalism of density-functional theory for electronic structure is reviewed. Simplified proofs of the Hohenberg-Kohn existence theorems are given for ground states by employing the new constrained-search reformulation of density-functional theory. It is brought out that the exact correlation energy is a functional of the Hartree-Fock density. The status of excited-state theories are reviewed with focus upon what is and what is not allowed. The constrained-search approach and coordinate scaling are used to reveal the general form of F[n] which is the universal ground-state functional for the kinetic plus electron-electron repulsion energy for each trial electron density \(n\left( {\vec r} \right)\). The non-interacting kinetic and exchange components of F[n] exhibit homogeneous scaling but the correlation component exhibits complicated scaling. Explicit approximate functionals are displayed and studied. It is then pointed out that an approximate F[n] may yield in principle exact results for a range of external potentials. Finally, the Hartree-like Kohn-Sham equations are analyzed with emphasis on the highest-occupied orbital energy as the negative of the exact ionization energy.
Neurocognitive influences on eating behavior in children

Abstract Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has provided insight about the role of the brain in processing food cues; however, the extent to which these brain responses predict eating behaviors, particularly in children, is unclear. We review what is known about the role of the brain in driving pediatric food intake decisions, with emphasis on the importance of including objective measures of eating behavior to move the field forward. Because children's brains are undergoing developmental changes, pediatric neuroimaging presents challenges for both execution and analysis. Issues pertinent to pediatric samples that can impact scan success include movement, brain anatomy, and body size. We discuss ways in which these challenges can be overcome by conducting prescan training and designing experiments that include relevant indicators of overconsumption in youth (e.g., loss of control, eating speed). Studies that include children should be aware of developmental brain changes that may influence food intake decisions. Brain regions implicated in reward develop earlier than those implicated in cognitive control. For this reason, children are vulnerable to making poor dietary decisions. Future studies could use neurophysiological indicators of overconsumption to develop individualized interventions to prevent obesity.
Der Satz von Riemann-Roch für algebraische Mannigfaltigkeiten

Wir werden im folgenden komplex-analytische Vektorraum-Bundel uber einer komplexen Mannigfaltigkeit V betrachten. Ein solches Vektorraum-Bundel ist zu einem wohlbestimmten komplexanalytischen GL(q, C)-Bundel assoziiert. Die Cohomologiegruppen von V mit Koeffizienten in der Garbe Ω(W) der Keime von lokalen holomorphen Schnitten von W (vgl. 3.5) sollen der Kurze halber mit H i (V, W) bezeichnet werden. Wir werden zeigen, das sie verschwinden, wenn i groser als die komplexe Dimension von V ist. Die H i (V, W) sind komplexe Vektorraume. Wir werden sehen, das H i (V, W) fur kompaktes V endlich-dimensional uber C ist. Isomorphe Vektorraum-Bundel W, haben offenbar isomorphe Garben Ω(W), Ω() und isomorphe Cohomologiegruppen1).
High Lung Allocation Scores Do Not Preclude Improvement in Health-Related Quality of Life after Lung Transplantation

Purpose High lung allocation listing scores (LAS) are associated with higher mortality after lung transplantation (LTx). Whether high LAS is associated with attenuated improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQL) is unknown. Methods In a single-center prospective cohort study from 2010-2017, we assessed HRQL before and through 6-months after LTx. HRQL was assessed by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Physical and Mental Component Summary scales (SF12-PCS, -MCS), the Airway Questionnaire 20-Revised (AQ20R), and the Euroqol 5D (EQ5D) (Table shows measure ranges and minimally clinically important differences). We compared high LAS to low LAS using two grouping approaches. In the first, high LAS was defined as >50. In the second, the cohort was grouped into quintiles by LAS; the highest quintile (LAS >85) was compared to quintiles 1-4. We compared change in HRQL between LAS groupings from before through 6-months after LTx by linear mixed effects models adjusting for age, sex, diagnosis, pre-transplant forced vital capacity , and 6-minute walk distance. Results Two-hundred fifty subjects underwentLTx. In approach one, the high LAS group (>50) generally had worse pre-LTx HRQL (Table, part 1). Generally, the improvements in HRQL after LTx were similar between the high and low LAS groups (Table, part 2). Exceptions included the SF12-MCS and EQ5D in approach 1 and EQ5D in approach 2 in which the high LAS groups experienced greater improvements (approach 1: SF12-MCS difference 2.94 points, 95% CI: 0.36, 5.51; EQ5D difference 0.11 points, 95% CI 0.06, 0.16; approach 2: EQ5D difference 0.16 points, 95% CI 0.10, 0.22). Conclusion LTx recipients with high LAS have similar or greater improvements in HRQL after LTx compared to recipients with low LAS. Despite their increased risk of mortality, patients with high LAS can be reassured that the improvements in HRQL provided by LTx are large and similar to those with lower scores.
Are tiny subterranean ants top predators affecting aboveground ant communities

Ants are a widespread group of ecologically important insects. Therefore, ants that are important predators of other ants are likely to play key roles by changing the abundance and impacts of their prey. Familiar arthropod predators, like army ants, are known for their overwhelming raids on invertebrate prey but are limited to mostly tropical systems. Thief ants (Genus: Solenopsis Westwood) are a cosmopolitan group of mostly subterranean ants found in a wide variety of ecosystem types. They are known for their extremely small sizes and their specialized predation where they stealthily tunnel into the nests of other larger ant species to capture and consume only immature ants (larvae and pupae). Predation of ant colonies by other ants, and specialized predatory behaviors of presumed top ant predators (e.g., army ants) are well known. However long-term predation effects, such as across several seasons, are still poorly understood because of a lack of experimental studies. Here we report results of a ~1.5-year press field experiment where thief ants were reduced in natural ant communities. Potential impacts, such as predator-release, were quantified by sampling the co-occurring ant community. Compared to control plots, overall worker abundance and biomass increased where thief ants were reduced, and effects varied among ant species. Results suggest predator release as select aboveground foraging ant species increased in abundance and that thief ants may act as significant predators. Because thief ants are abundant and widespread, similar predatory effects may occur in many ant communities, and our understanding of important predators may need to adjust to include thieving species as well as army ants. Thief ants are very abundant, tiny, specialized to consume immature life stages, equipped with powerful venom, eusocial, and subterranean. This suite of adaptive traits seems unique to eusocial predators compared to animals, where "thieving" predators are usually larger in size compared to their adult-sized prey. Future work quantifying top-down regulation of prey and cascading consumptive and non-consumptive effects will help to understand thief ant predation and potential effects on ecosystem processes.
Transfer learning for enhanced machine fault diagnosis in manufacturing

Abstract Given its demonstrated capability in pattern recognition, Deep Learning (DL) has been increasingly investigated for advanced manufacturing. One limiting factor for successful DL applications is the availability of sufficient amount of data of relevance to the specific application. A solution is presented in this paper for cross-domain data learning and effective network training, enabled by the generalization of the DL's feature learning capability, which is independent of the specific application domains. The developed method is experimentally verified by transferring a DL model trained by non-manufacturing data to manufacturing machine condition monitoring, and transferring model among different working conditions and machines.
Quinone outside inhibitor-resistant Colletotrichum nymphaeae isolates from strawberry lack mutations in cytb gene

Anthracnose fruit rot is one of the main diseases affecting strawberries especially in warm and humid climates. In commercial settings, producers are relying on fungicides to control the disease. One of the most potent chemical classes of fungicides for anthracnose control are the quinone outside inhibitors (QoIs), but resistance in field isolates due to a point mutation in the target gene cytb has recently been reported in multiple states of the USA. During a routine screening, two Colletotrichum nymphaeae isolates (OH_S1 and OH_S2) obtained from strawberry plants of a commercial field in Marietta-Ohio were found to be resistant to QoI fungicide azoxystrobin. The EC50 values determined in poison agar tests were greater than 100 μg/L. Both isolates were not controlled on detached strawberry fruit treated with label rates of Abound fungicide (a.i. azoxystrobin) and revealed disease severity of 86% and 96% on detached fruit. A baseline isolate (Cn_ebel2) of the same species revealed an EC50 value of 1.2 μg/L and no disease developed on Abound-treated fruit. In contrast to other reports, sequencing of the cytb gene from all three isolates used in this study revealed no amino acid changes in cytb, indicating the existence of a different and still unknown resistance mechanism.
The Impact of Autonomy and Types of Informational Text Presentations in Game-Based Environments on Learning: Converging Multi-Channel Processes Data and Learning Outcomes

Game-based learning environments (GBLEs) focus on enhancing learning by providing learners with various representations of information (e.g., text, diagrams, etc.) while allowing full autonomy, or control over their actions. Challenges arise as research shows that learners inaccurately use cognitive and metacognitive processes when given full autonomy. This study examined 105 undergraduates who were randomly assigned to autonomy conditions (i.e., full, partial, and no autonomy) as they interacted with scientific informational text presentations (i.e., non-player characters [NPCs], books and research articles, posters) during learning with Crystal Island, a GBLE. We assessed how learners’ eye-tracking (e.g., fixation durations on objects) and log-file (e.g., durations of activities) data reflected how learners interacted with text presentations and selected pretest-relevant items (i.e., text providing answers to questions on the pretest). Results showed that participants in the partial autonomy condition (n = 38) demonstrated higher learning gains than those in the full autonomy condition (n = 45). Time spent interacting with all books and research articles within Crystal Island were positively correlated with learning gains. There were significant differences in learners’ duration and fixation duration on informational text presentation interactions between conditions and within types of presentations as well as significant interactions between pretest-relevant items and types of presentations. Overall, autonomy and pretest relevancy impact the time interacting with informational text presentations which influence learning. Implications are provided for applying autonomy during game-based learning, and how this may direct future implementations of AI within GBLEs to provide implicit scaffolding via adaptively limiting learners’ autonomy as they interact with informational text.
Cultural Systems Analysis: An Emerging Science

This chapter explores how systemic approaches to science enable behaviorists and those of other disciplines with whom we collaborate to understand and intervene in larger social and cultural processes. In work with virtually all cultural and community issues, behavior science needs to plan and act in concert with specialists of other disciplines—and with members of, and cooperating and competing organizations within, the community systems involved. Such partnerships with community systems offer unique expertise regarding the variables and ecological conditions that are most involved in community issues—and solutions. This work requires attention to interlocking disciplinary systems, community systems, and their connections in terms of behavioral and cultural systems dynamics. In this chapter, core concepts of systems science as applied to Skinner’s third level of selection, and some of the controversies involved, are introduced and clarified, and examples of cultural (or—as some prefer—“culturo-behavioral”) analysis are provided and explored in depth. This content provides grounding for many of the chapters that follow.
Clinical imaging of marrow adiposity.

Research examining bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) has rapidly expanded during the last two decades, leading to advances in knowledge on the role of BMAT in the pathogenesis of bone loss and endocrine disorders. Clinical imaging has played a crucial role for the in vivo assessment of BMAT, allowing non-invasive quantification and evaluation of BMAT composition. In the present work, we review different imaging methods for assessing properties of BMAT. Our aim is to review conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), water-fat imaging, and single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), as well as computed tomography (CT)-based techniques, including single energy and dual energy CT. We will also discuss the clinical applications of these methods in type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity and anorexia nervosa.
Value of amplitude-integrated electroencephalograph in early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

UNLABELLED To investigate value of amplitude-integrated electroencephalograph (aEEG) in early diagnosis and prediction of long-term prognosis of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), 120 HIE Children were randomly assigned into aEEG group and control group (n = 60 per group). Children in each group were sub-divided into mild, moderate and severe HIE groups (n = 20 per group). 1, 3, 14 and 28 days after birth, aEEG was performed in aEEG group; 3, 14 and 28 days after birth, neonatal behavioral neurological assessment (NBNA) was done in both groups. Children who discharged were followed up at adjusted gestational age of 12 months with Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) and prognosis evaluation. RESULTS aEEG manifestation was positively related to clinical severityb of HIE (r = 0.843, P 0.05), but significant difference in NBNA score was noted on day 28 (P < 0.05). On day 3, 14 and 28, aEEG manifestation was positively associated with prognosis at adjusted gestational age of 12 months (r = 0.832, 0.857, 0.778, 0.743, P < 0.01). In aEEG group, disability rate was 13.8%, which was significantly lower than that in control group (23.2%); cure rate in aEEG group (60%) was significantly higher than that in control group (40%). Moreover, long-term prognosis was also dramatically different between aEEG group and control group (χ(2) = 4.107, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION aEEG manifestation is significantly associated with clinical severity of HIE and may be helpful for early diagnosis of HIE. aEEG may be used to predict long term prognosis of HIE children.
Alanine Aminotransferase II. THE BASIS FOR SUBSTRATE SPECIFICITY

Abstract The substrate specificity of soluble alanine aminotransferase from pig heart was examined. On the basis of competitive inhibition studies it was concluded that, in many cases, the low reactivities of enzyme-substrate analogue complexes were due to the effect of the amino acid side chains on the maximum reaction velocity rather than to a change in the Michaelis constant. Formate was found to stimulate alanine aminotransferase-catalyzed amino transfer from alanine to either pyruvate or α-ketoglutarate, but to inhibit that from glutamate to either α-ketoglutarate or pyruvate. Rates of removal of the α-hydrogen atoms of glutamate and alanine in D2O were affected by formate in the same manner as were the rates of transamination. Other monocarboxylate anions inhibited both transamination reactions. Formate acted as a noncompetitive inhibitor of α-aminobutyrate transamination. Results were interpreted to mean that activation by formate was due to its binding to the site which normally binds the γ-carboxyl group of glutamate. No effect of formate on the spectrum of the enzyme in the presence of an excess of alanine and pyruvate was observed, and its effect on the spectrum of the enzyme in the presence of excess glutamate and α-ketoglutarate was slight. Two other enzymes, d-alanine aminotransferase from Bacillus subtilis and aspartate aminotransferase from pig heart, catalyze amino transfer from alanine to α-ketoglutarate, at rates which are increased by monocarboxylate anions.
DCR Current Sensing Method for Achieving Adaptive Voltage Positioning(AVP) in Voltage Regulators with Coupled Inductors

In microprocessor Voltage Regulators (VRs) with coupled inductors, the conventional DCR current sensing method doesn't work any more because of the current coupling effect among phases. A new DCR current sensing method for achieving Adaptive Voltage Positioning (AVP) in VRs with coupled inductors is proposed in this paper. The proposed DCR current sensing methods in VRs with two types of coupled inductors (integrated coupled inductors and center tap coupled inductors) are analyzed respectively in detail. After that, the current sharing of the coupled inductor VR with the proposed DCR current sensing method is analyzed. Finally, the proposed DCR current sensing method for achieving AVP in coupled inductor VRs is verified by the experimental results.
A multiethnic population-based study of smoking, alcohol and body size and risk of adenocarcinomas of the stomach and esophagus (United States).

Objectives: Since the 1970s incidence rates for esophageal and gastric cardia adenocarcinomas have risen substantially, particularly among white males in the United States. Reasons for the increase of these tumor types are not well understood. We sought to determine the role of smoking, alcohol use, and body size characteristics in the etiology of esophageal, gastric cardia, and distal gastric adenocarcinomas.
Mechanism of action of thrombin on fibrinogen. Reaction of the N-terminal CNBr fragment from the Aalpha chain of human fibrinogen with bovine thrombin.

Abstract The N-terminal cyanogen bromide fragment from the Bβ chain of bovine fibrinogen was isolated, and its molecular weight was estimated to be approximately 14,000–15,500. The ratio of the Michaelis-Menten constants, k cat K m , for its hydrolysis by bovine thrombin was found to be 3 × 10−7 [(NIH unit/liter)s]−1, indicating that the Bβ fragment is a poor substrate for thrombin compared to the corresponding Aα chain fragment. This value of k cat K m is too small to account for the rate of release of fibrinopeptide B from fibrinogen by thrombin. It is suggested that, while the Aα chain contains all of the amino acid residues necessary to interact with thrombin, the Bβ chain does not; i.e., some of the binding sites that are used in the hydrolysis of the Bβ chain are assumed to be located on either the α or γ chains of fibrinogen. An alternative hypothesis is that, after the Bβ chain fragment is removed from the fibrinogen molecule, it does not have the proper conformation to be hydrolyzed by thrombin.
Successful Treatment of Nonhealing Biliar-Cutaneous Fistulas With Biliary Stents

Biliary-cutaneous fistulas occasionally complicate biliary tract surgery. Distal biliary obstruction, extensive loss of bile duct wall, or infection may contribute to the failure of such fistulas to heal. Five cases are reported of high-volume persistent fistulas that healed promptly after placement of endoscopic (4 cases) or percutaneous (1 case) biliary stents. Biliary stent placement eliminated the need for difficult reoperations in these complex patients and offers a promising therapeutic approach to this problem.
Racial/Ethnic and social class differences in preventive care practices among persons with diabetes

Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Persons with diabetes are at increased risk for serious complications including CVD, stroke, retinopathy, amputation, and nephropathy. Minorities have the highest incidence and prevalence of diabetes and related complications compared to other racial groups. Preventive care practices such as smoking cessation, eye examinations, feet examinations, and yearly checkups can prevent or delay the incidence and progression of diabetes related complications. The purpose of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences in diabetes preventive care practices by several socio-demographic characteristics including social class. Data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey for 1998–2001 were used for analyses. The study population consisted of persons who indicated having diabetes on the BRFSS, 35 yrs and older, and Non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White, or Hispanic persons. Logistic regression was used in analyses. Contrary to our hypotheses, Blacks and Hispanics engaged in preventive care more frequently than Whites. Whites were less likely to have seen a doctor in the previous year, less likely to have had a foot exam, more likely to smoke, and less likely to have attempted smoking cessation. Persons of lower social class were at greatest risk for not receiving preventive care regardless of race/ethnicity. Persons with no health care coverage were twice as likely to have not visited the doctor in the previous year and twice as likely to have not had an eye exam, 1.5 times more likely to have not had a foot exam or attempted smoking cessation. This study showed that persons of lower social class and persons with no health insurance are at greatest risk for not receiving preventive services.
Conformational changes, inactivation, and dissociation of pigeon liver fatty acid synthetase complex. Effects of ionic strength, pH, and temperature.

Abstract The pigeon liver fatty acid synthetase complex (s020,w = 14.0 S) is inactivated and dissociated into half-molecular weight subunits (s020,w = 9.0 S) in the presence of low ionic strength buffers. The rates of inactivation and dissociation of the complex are dependent upon the ionic strength, pH, and temperature of the medium. At low ionic strengths (0.01 or less) and mildly alkaline pH (8.35), the rates of inactivation and dissociation of the complex into subunits are coincident and the rate of inactivation is independent of protein concentration over a 62-fold range. At higher ionic strengths (above 0.02) and in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol, active complex, inactive enzyme complex, and inactive subunits are found. Increasing the pH above neutrality at constant ionic strength increases the rate of inactivation as well as dissociation of the complex. The inactivation rate is also increased as the pH is lowered below 7.0, but the rate of dissociation of the complex is quite slow; the enzyme thus exists mainly as inactive complex. Temperature also has a marked effect on the rate of inactivation and dissociation of the complex. The rate of inactivation and dissociation in Tris-glycine buffer, pH 8.35 (µ = 0.008) is nearly 10-fold greater at 0° than at room temperature. The lowest rate of inactivation is found at 18–25°. Above 25° the rate of inactivation again increases as the temperature rises. The fatty acid synthetase complex (s020,w = 14.0 S) appears to undergo a transition to an enzymatically active intermediate at low ionic strength. The "active intermediate" is then further converted to either an inactive enzyme complex or to inactive subunits (s020,w = 9.0 S). There is no requirement for the oxidation of —SH groups of the enzyme prior to its dissociation to subunits. However, the subunits obtained in the presence of dithiothreitol (conditions under which there is no loss of —SH groups of the enzyme) do not transfer the acetyl group from the 4'-phosphopantetheine to the cysteine site. Hence, these subunits have no activity for fatty acid synthesis. The results presented in this paper suggest that hydrophobic forces and a diminution of electrostatic repulsions are factors which contribute to the stability of the complex in high ionic strength buffers at neutral pH. A lowering of the temperature weakens the hydrophobic interactions and a decrease in the ionic strength increases the electrostatic repulsion between the subunits. These cumulative effects lead ultimately to dissociation of the complex to two subunits.
Anatomy of a Linear Program

In this chapter we consider the parts that comprise a linear program and how to use them for effective delineation of rows and columns you might want to see. We begin with the algebraic form, which views the model as a collection of variables related by a system of equations and inequalities with an objective to minimize or maximize some linear form. Beyond the algebra, linear programs have composition rules that comprise its syntax. This is presented with its role in supporting analysis. Finally, the methods of row and column delineation are presented with examples.
An Electroviscous Damper

A new type of vibration damper for rotor systems has been developed and tested. The damper contains electroviscous fluid which solidifies and provides Coulomb damping when an electric voltage is imposed across the fluid. The damping capacity is controlled by the voltage. The damper has been incorporated in a flexible rotor system and found to be able to damp out high levels of unbalance excitation. Other proven advantages include controllability, simplicity, and no requirement for oil supply. Still unconfirmed are the capabilities to eliminate critical speeds and to suppress rotor instabilities.
Grupos organizados y partidos desorganizados: incentivos electorales en Uruguay

This paper extends the study of party organization and legislative voting to factionalize party systems. After developing a typology of factional types, it argues that hierarchically organized factions respond to a competing incentive system. Factions have interests that push them to work together for the good of the party, but at the same time, they have interests in distinguishing themselves for electoral purposes. Further, the electoral cycle drives the weights of these competing pressures, leading factional cooperation to break down as elections near. These patterns and incentives are particularly evident in Uruguay, and the paper uses roll-call data from that country's legislature to test the propositions
Parameterized, concurrent session types for asynchronous multi-actor interactions

Session types have been proposed as a means of statically verifying implementations of communication protocols. Although prior work has been successful for some classes of protocols, it does not cope well with parameterized, multi-actor scenarios with inherent asynchrony. For example, the sliding window protocol is not expressible in previously proposed session type notations. This article defines System-A: a novel session type system, as well the associated programming language that together overcome many of the limitations of prior work. With explicit support for asynchrony and concurrency, as well as multiple forms of parameterization, we demonstrate that System-A can be used for the static verification of a large class of asynchronous communication protocols. Session types offer static guarantees for concurrent code. Benefits of our system include:It can handle a parameterized number of actors (multi-actor programs).It can handle parameterized concurrency.It can handle asynchronous communication.It includes novel parameterized operators, such as one to express atomicity constraints.It deals with a series of cases that prior work could not handle.
Post Classical Political Economy

This paper explores the relationship of Max Weber's "social economics" to the work of the Austrian School of Economics, and in particular the writings of Ludwig von Mises and F. A. Hayek. We argue that the Austrian school scholars complement and extend the work of Weber. The sophisticated form of methodological individualism found in Weber, Mises and Hayek overcomes the shortcomings of traditional economic and sociological analysis and could provide the analytical structure for a post-classical political economy.
Random vortex methods for the Navier-Stokes equations

Two random vortex methods of Runge--Kutta type are presented for solving the two-dimensional Navier--Stokes equations. We intesgitate the accuracy of these methods by considering the model problem of a rotating flow with initial vorticity concentrated uniformly on a disk of finite radius. Functionals of the numerical solution are computed by Monte Carlo estimates with efficient variance reduction, and the results are compared to those obtained from Euler's method. The numerical results show that both the methods produce errors smaller by one power of the time step size than Euler's method, one seemingly even better than the other. These Runge--Kutta methods are derivations of similar schemes proposed by us in an earlier time for solving stochastic differential equations with constant diffusion coefficients. copyright 1988 Academic Press, Inc.
Protecting Privacy and Confidentiality in Environmental Health Research

Environmental health researchers often need to make difficult decisions on how to protect privacy and confidentiality when they conduct research in the home or workplace. These dilemmas are different from those normally encountered in clinical research. Although protecting privacy and confidentiality is one of the most important principles of research involving human subjects, it can be overridden to prevent imminent harm to individuals or if required by law. Investigators should carefully consider the facts and circumstances and use good judgment when deciding whether to breach privacy or confidentiality.
Alternative method for the connectionist learning of k-DNF expressions

We show that the extremely long learning times imposed upon connectionist systems by the use of general learning methods such as back propagation and simulated annealing can be drastically shortened by the use of methods geared toward the problem at hand. In particular, the learning of k-DNF expressions is analyzed and a new, more efficient, algorithm is proposed.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Role of faulty decision making in the satisfaction of search effect in chest radiography.

Rationale and Objectives. The authors performed this study to determine whether defective pattern recognition or defective decision making is more to blame for satisfaction of search (SOS) errors in chest radiography. Materials and Methods. Fifty-eight chest radiographs—half of which demonstrated diverse, native abnormalities—were read by 20 observers. The radiographs were read twice, once with and once without the addition of a simulated pulmonary nodule. Observers provided a verbal account of their focus of attention, indicating suspicious features and regions considered during their inspection of the radiograph. Observers also provided a separate account of the abnormalities they would include in a radiologic report. Results. When the authors considered only those reports that did not refer to the simulated nodules, they found no reduction in the area under the proper receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves in cases that contained nodules. A smaller SOS effect, however, was demonstrated with analysis of events in which the native abnormality was missed in one condition but not the other. Verbal protocols suggested that the SOS errors were mainly caused by recognition failure rather than faulty decision making. Conclusion. Describing their focus of attention may have prompted observers to inspect the radiographs in a more deliberate, systematic way, thus reducing the SOS effect. More residual SOS errors were caused by defective pattern recognition than by faulty decision making.
Resistance to extinction of the CER as a function of shock-reinforcement training schedules

Resistance to extinction of the CER in rats was determined at five shock-reinforcement values (100, 66, 26, 20, and 13%). The percentage of times the US followed the CS during conditioning was approached gradually, starting at 100%, with subsequent reductions to a final schedule that differed for each of the partial groups. The data revealed an inverse-PRE, with greatest resistance to extinction of suppression at 100% shock-reinforcement. An interpretation, relating differences in shock density to the maintenance of generalized suppression, was suggested.
The Zedcotm Rubber Roller Engraving Machine

Lasers, electro-optics and microprocessor electronics have been integrated into a one-step rubber roller engraving process for the flexographic printing trade. For the first time, the high technology electronics of this machine makes several advanced functions available to the engraver. These new functions are two depth engraving, automatic jointing, and step-and-repeat. This machine is in successful operation in Europe with several new installations planned in the U.S. and Japan.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Interferon Inducers in vitro: Difference in Sensitivity to Inhibitors of RNA and Protein Synthesis

Interferon can be induced by diverse agents in a variety of mammalian cell cultures through apparently two mechanisms. One results in an early (2 to 10 hours) appearance of interferon and is relatively resistant to inhibition by actinomycin, puromycin, or fluorophenylalanine. A second mechanism results in a late (18 to 24 hours) appearance of interferon and is more sensitive to inhibition by these inhibitors. The molecular basis for each mechanism is unclear. Since each interferon inducer may have multiple effects on the cell, the differences observed may not necessarily reflect a fundamental difference in the mechanism of interferon stimulation.
Long-Range Effects on Polymer Diffusion Induced by a Bounding Interface

We have measured the diffusion of deuterated polystyrene of molecular weight $90\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{3}$ in various matrices of hydrogenated polystyrene as a function of distance from an attractive interface, oxide-covered silicon. Surprisingly long-range effects are observed. Diffusion rates an order of magnitude slower than bulk persist up to ${10R}_{g}$ (radius of gyration) from the interface of either the diffusant or matrix polymers. The slowdown is independent of matrix molecular weight over a broad range. However, mixing of polymers within the matrix strongly influences the rates of diffusion.
Fractal Features of Surface Morphology of Uneven Eroded Hot-Dip Galvanized Steel

The corrosion surface of hot-dip galvanized steel is regarded to be fractal and contains abundant self-similar information. In most cases, the corrosions of surface are not uniform as considered. For such an uneven eroded surface, regional fractals are introduced here in order to improve the analysis accuracy for local corrosions. Basing on the singular value decomposition of surface image, fractal dimensions of the energy norm along with the energy scale are analyzed. Combining energy norm of singular values and wavelet transform, the corrosion surfaces are described in different scales and decomposed levels.