cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in PM2.5 by microwave assisted extraction-high performance liquid chromatography

Abstract In this article, a method using magnetic stirring and microwave assisted extraction-high performance liquid chromatography has been developed for rapid determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in ambient air. PAHs in PM2.5 captured on glass fiber filters were directly extracted only using 4 mL acetonitrile in a microwave extractor with magnetic stirring. Compared with dozens of minutes reported previously, the extraction time of this work only needs 6 min. After filtered through a hydrophobic membrane, the extract was directly injected for analysis. It also greatly shortened the duration of sample preparation. The operating procedures have been simplified, avoiding loss of analytes and systematic errors resulting from solvent replacement, concentration and nitrogen blowing and thereby ensuring a stable extraction efficiency, accurate and reliable analysis. The 16 PAHs were well separated on a ZORBAX eclipse PAH column using acetonitrile and water as mobile phases and detected by an ultraviolet detector and a fluorescence detector in tandem. Good linearity was demonstrated over the concentration range of 0.025 μg/mL to 5.000 μg/mL, with correlation coefficients being not
Smoking-related weight and appetite concerns and use of electronic cigarettes among daily cigarette smokers.

Weight control is a common motive for cigarette smoking. Some individuals also report using electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) for weight control. This study tested the hypothesis that the tend...
The Obligate Intracellular Bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi Targets NLRC5 To Modulate the Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Pathway.

ABSTRACT Orientia tsutsugamushi is an obligate intracellular bacterium that infects mononuclear and endothelial cells to cause the emerging global health threat scrub typhus. The ability of O. tsutsugamushi to survive in monocytes facilitates bacterial dissemination to endothelial cells, which can subsequently lead to several potentially fatal sequelae. As a strict intracellular pathogen that lives in the cytoplasm of host cells, O. tsutsugamushi has evolved to counter adaptive immunity. How the pathogen does so and the outcome of this strategy in monocytes versus endothelial cells are poorly understood. This report demonstrates that O. tsutsugamushi reduces cellular levels of NOD-, LRR-, and CARD-containing 5 (NLRC5), a recently identified specific transactivator of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) component gene expression, to inhibit MHC-I biosynthesis. Importantly, the efficacy of this approach varies with the host cell type infected. In nonprofessional antigen-presenting HeLa and primary human aortic endothelial cells, the O. tsutsugamushi-mediated reduction of NLRC5 results in lowered MHC-I component transcription and, consequently, lower total and/or surface MHC-I levels throughout 72 h of infection. However, in infected THP-1 monocytes, which are professional antigen-presenting cells, the reductions in NLRC5 and MHC-I observed during the first 24 h reverse thereafter. O. tsutsugamushi is the first example of a microbe that targets NLRC5 to modulate the MHC-I pathway. The differential ability of O. tsutsugamushi to modulate this pathway in nonprofessional versus professional antigen-presenting cells could influence morbidity and mortality from scrub typhus.
Being obese versus trying to lose weight: Relationship with physical inactivity and soda drinking among high school students.

BACKGROUND Among adolescents, physical inactivity and unhealthy dietary habits are associated with being obese. We know little about how those are associated with trying to lose weight. METHODS We analyzed the 2013 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance data (N = 13,583) to examine how obesity and trying to lose weight are associated with: (1) <5 physically active days per week with ≥60 minutes physical activity; (2) playing with video computer games ≥3 hours per day on average; (3) no participation in any sports team in the past year; and (4) drinking soda ≥2 times per day. We applied survey logistic regression adjusting for age and Hispanic ethnicity, stratified by sex. RESULTS Both being obese (13.7%) and trying to lose weight (47.7%) are significantly associated with physical inactivity. Soda drinking was associated with being obese (odds ratio [OR] = 1.34, p = .003 for boys and OR = 1.36, p = .014 for girls); it was inversely associated trying to lose weight among girls (OR = 0.72, p < .001) but not among boys (OR = 1.13, p = .174). CONCLUSION Obesity was associated with physical inactivity and drinking soda in both sexes. Only girls appeared to avoid drinking soda as a strategy for losing weight. Trying to lose weight was associated with a higher likelihood of physically inactive behaviors both sexes. High schools need to develop collaborative strategies for reducing adolescent obesity and supporting students who are trying to lose weight that address physical inactivity and soda intake.
A Framework for Cyber-Physical Model Creation and Evaluation

In power systems, a cyber-physical model can play a significant role in contingency ranking to assist operators with preventive plans for cyber-related contingencies by identifying the most significant ones. Diverse cyber-physical models based on attack trees and graphs, fault trees, Markov state-space etc. have been proposed and are being developed by researches depending on specific objective. However, prior to the deployment of the models in real world, it is essential to evaluate the performance based on their computational bottlenecks, scalability and accuracy. This paper thus introduces a software-based model comparison framework that allows researchers to improve their models and also evaluate new models against existing ones. Additionaly, we present the algorithms of two cyber-physical modeling engines targeted for contingency and critical assets ranking; based on Attack Graph Analysis (AGA) and Markov Decision Process (MDP) and compare their performance. The models are evaluated for three different use cases: IEEE-24, CyPSA 8-substation, and IEEE-300 systems on cyber-physical model parameters such as MDP size, computation time of generation, number of attack paths, etc. This framework will not only allow us to design and validate models but also provide a platform to researches worldwide to test new models. Further an application is developed for visualization with one-line diagram and ranking of contingencies and critical assets.
Genome-wide single-nucleotide resolution of oxaliplatin-DNA adduct repair in drug-sensitive and -resistant colorectal cancer cell lines.

Platinum-based chemotherapies, including oxaliplatin, are a mainstay in the management of solid tumors and induce cell death by forming intrastrand dinucleotide DNA adducts. Despite their common use, they are highly toxic, and approximately half of cancer patients have tumors that are either intrinsically resistant or develop resistance. Previous studies suggest that this resistance is mediated by variations in DNA repair levels or net drug influx. Here, we aimed to better define the roles of nucleotide excision repair and DNA damage in platinum chemotherapy resistance by profiling DNA damage and repair efficiency in seven oxaliplatin-sensitive and three oxaliplatin-resistant colorectal cancer cell lines. We assayed DNA repair indirectly as toxicity and directly measured bulky adduct formation and removal from the genome by slot blot and repair capacity in an excision assay, and used excision repair sequencing (XR-seq) to map repair events genome-wide at single-nucleotide resolution. Using this combinatorial approach and proxies for oxaliplatin–DNA damage, we observed no significant differences in repair efficiency that could explain the relative sensitivities and chemotherapy resistances of these cell lines. In contrast, the levels of oxaliplatin-induced DNA damage were significantly lower in the resistant cells, indicating that decreased damage formation, rather than increased damage repair, is a major determinant of oxaliplatin resistance in these cell lines. XR-seq–based analysis of gene expression revealed up-regulation of membrane transport pathways in the resistant cells, and these pathways may contribute to resistance. In conclusion, additional research is needed to characterize the factors mitigating cellular DNA damage formation by platinum compounds.
Making Global Connections: Critical Pedagogy and the Decolonization of History

This chapter explores the theory and practice of teaching undergraduate courses on Islam and modern Middle Eastern history. General education requirements offer an opportunity to raise open-ended questions about representations of the past and the ways they impinge on the present. Reading religious and transregional history as the practice of critical thinking affords an opportunity to advance analytic techniques in decoding primary sources while questioning the conceptual basis of underlying assumptions. Coursework on the modern Middle East, Muslim Spain and Islam allowed students to sift through the multilayered past and trace the making of the conflicted present. Locating the empty spaces—the unsaid—in dominant narratives enabled a critique of accounts that suggest perpetual conflict rather than common understanding. In reorienting regional geography from fixed categories based on the nation states of West Asia and North Africa, these courses re-envisioned the region from the perspective of the Mediterranean, Arabian and Red Seas, enabling observers to chart the flows of people, goods and ideas. The notion of connected histories, in relation to the reconquista of Muslim Spain and the colonization of the Americas, illuminated how relations of power have impinged on knowledge formation in the transition to “modernity”. The contributions of al-Tabari, Ibn Khaldun and al-Mas‘udi figured as alternative traditions of historical writing that predate colonialism. Al-Jabarti furnishes an example of how an indigenous historian recorded the French presence in Egypt. Finally, examining the Convivencia of Moorish Spain as historical conjuncture raised questions about how the study of history contributes to notions of coexistence. Critical thinking intrinsic to historiography provides a means to reassemble the past and provincialize Europe, while building connections that bridge the knowledge divide.
Student-athletes' dual commitment to school and sport: compatible or conflicting?

Abstract There is general agreement that for collegiate student-athletes to thrive in academics and athletics these individuals must develop and maintain quality commitments to both school and sport throughout college. Yet, limited research has investigated student-athletes’ concurrent negotiation of their discrete commitments to school and sport, and its consequences for these individuals' academic, athletic, and general lives. The purpose of the present study was threefold: (a) identify distinct profiles representing collegiate students-athletes’ dual commitment to school and sport, (b) detect whether these dual commitment profiles demonstrated compatibility versus conflict, and (c) examine the relationships between dual commitment profiles and student-athletes’ academic, athletic, and general life outcomes. A sample of 248 NCAA Division I student-athletes (Mage = 19.87 years, SD = 1.33 years) completed measures of commitment, engagement, and burnout in school and sport, as well as global psychological well-being indices (i.e., life satisfaction and subjective vitality). Using latent profile analyses, results supported a four-profile solution comprising dual commitment profiles with unique configurations of enthusiastic (EC) and constrained (CC) commitment to school and sport: Weak CC-Dominant: School/Strong EC-Dominant: Sport (n = 43), Weak CC-Dominant: School/Strong CC-Dominant: Sport (n = 71), Moderate Commitment: School & Sport (n = 91), and Strong EC-Dominant: School & Sport (n = 43). Dual commitment profiles characterized by enthusiastic-dominant commitment patterns were associated with higher levels of school/sport engagement and global psychological well-being, as well as lower levels of school/sport burnout. Overall, our findings established that collegiate student-athletes are tied to school and sport for various reasons and speak to a potential need for enhanced support networks and services catered to student-athletes’ academic role in the United States.
Influence of design parameters on the effectiveness of friction isolators in mitigating pre-motion friction in mechanical bearings

Abstract Mechanical bearings (i.e., sliding and rolling bearings) are widely used for motion guidance in precision positioning stages due to their low cost, high off-axis stiffness and vacuum compatibility. However, mechanical-bearing-guided stages suffer from the presence of pre-motion (i.e., pre-sliding/pre-rolling) friction which adversely affects their positioning speed and motion precision. Friction isolator has been proposed as a low-cost and robust method for mitigating the undesirable effects of pre-motion friction. It has been experimentally demonstrated that a stage with friction isolator achieves significantly reduced settling times and motion errors in point-to-point positioning and tracking applications, respectively. This paper investigates the influence of design parameters on the effectiveness of friction isolators. Experiments are carried out using three isolators with different parameters to evaluate the settling time and in-position stability during point-to-point motions, and the accuracy and robustness of feedforward friction compensation during circular tracking motions. The experimental investigation is generalized through numerical simulation and frequency domain analysis using a simple model of a friction-isolated stage under the influence of pre-motion friction. Generalized design guidelines are provided based on the observed tradeoffs between different performance metrics (e.g., precision, speed).
DMOG Negatively Impacts Tissue Engineered Cartilage Development.

ObjectiveArticular cartilage exists in a hypoxic environment, which motivates the use of hypoxia-simulating chemical agents to improve matrix production in cartilage tissue engineering. The aim of ...
RADIAL: leveraging a learning management system to support radiology education

Increasing volume and complexity of cases in academic radiology and the drive toward pediatric sub-specialization have threatened knowledge assimilation for radiologists. There is a clear need for a system that retrieves vetted information from the excess available on the internet. Partnered with an interdisciplinary team from the Graduate School of Education, the authors created the first comprehensive learning management system (LMS) for radiology, implemented in the reading room to augment image interpretation and point-of-care education. The LMS supports quantitative analysis using a robust analytics platform to evaluate user statistics, facilitating improved quality of patient care by revolutionizing the way radiologists assimilate knowledge. This integration promises to enhance workflow and point-of-care teaching and to support the highest quality of care.
International convergence in population happiness: evidence from recent data

In the immense literature on convergence of income and many other variables, this is the first study to consider cross-country convergence in population happiness from large international samples b...
A single home visit improves adherence and reduces healthcare utilization in patients with frequent exacerbations of Severe Asthma and COPD

Abstract Background Nonadherence to treatment recommendation, common in patients with COPD and Asthma, leads to poor disease control, frequent exacerbations and emergency room visits. We studied the effect of a single home visit (HV) on adherence and health care utilization in a cohort of non-compliant Asthma and COPD patients. Methods Patients with severe Asthma and COPD with frequent exacerbations deemed non-compliant were subjected to a single home visit by a multidisciplinary team. Adherence to inhalers and office visits, and healthcare utilization were assessed a year prior to and after the home visit. Results A total of 60 patients had an attempted home visit. Contact was made with 36 patients during the home visits and these were subject to analyses. Mean age was 60, and 61% were women. Average FEV1 was 1.56 L (55% predicted). There was a significant increase in compliance with office visits in the year following the HV as compared to the year before HV (87 vs 145 visits post-HV). Similarly, there was a significant reduction in the ER visits (76 visits vs 34 visits post-HV), and hospital admission (39 visits vs 24 post HV) and this was associated with a significant improvement in patient adherence to maintenance inhaler use - 17% (6 of 36) vs 53% (19 of 36). Conclusion In patients with frequent exacerbations of Asthma and COPD with confirmed non-compliance, a single home visit by a multidisciplinary team improved patient adherence to inhalers and office visits and reduced healthcare utilization.
Pet-owner perceptions of laparoscopy in an urban hybrid veterinary practice

OBJECTIVE To investigate owner perceptions of laparoscopic surgery, including attitudes towards paying more for minimally invasive surgery (MIS). STUDY DESIGN Randomized cross-sectional prospective survey. SAMPLE POPULATION One hundred owners presenting at a combined general and specialty practice. METHODS Participants were interviewed using a survey tool to assess prior knowledge of laparoscopic procedures, attitude for or against these procedures, reasons for this attitude, and whether they would pay more for these procedures. Demographic data were collected. RESULTS Fifty-five percent of owners had previous knowledge of laparoscopy. Ninety-two percent of owners would choose laparoscopy over an open procedure for their pet. Reasons given for preferring laparoscopy: less postoperative pain (66.3%), shorter length of hospitalization (26.1%), better cosmesis (20.1%), perception of lower cost (15.2%), faster return to function (14.1%), length of anesthesia (5.4%), and other reasons (26.1%). Ninety-one percent of owners were willing to pay more for MIS. Among owners who indicated they would be willing to pay more, owners presenting with dogs were 2.5 times more likely to be willing to pay at least $1000 more than owners presenting with cats. CONCLUSION The majority of owners surveyed at a large hybrid hospital in an urban setting choose laparoscopic over open procedures and are willing to pay more for them. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The results highlight the importance of client and veterinarian education regarding the options of MIS for pets, as owners who are informed may prefer referral for these procedures. The financial investment to build a MIS practice may be justified.
Scaling DNA data storage with nanoscale electrode wells.

Synthetic DNA is an attractive medium for long-term data storage because of its density, ease of copying, sustainability, and longevity. Recent advances have focused on the development of new encod...
The Apportionment of Direct Taxes Under the Constitution

Under the U.S. Constitution as amended by the Sixteenth Amendment, any federal tax that is a "direct tax" (which is not an "income tax") must be apportioned among the states in accordance with the respective populations of the various states. The purpose of this Article to solve the riddle of what is a "direct tax" that is subject to the apportionment requirement. Since the apportionment requirement can only apply inequitably across the nation, the correct labeling of any federal tax (other than an income tax) as a "direct tax" amounts to the proverbial "kiss of death," as no such tax will be enacted. Recent commentary has staked out positions on this issue that I consider to be incorrect. Bruce Ackerman argues that that the Thirteenth Amendment (abolishing slavery) effectively repealed the apportionment-of-direct-tax clauses. Calvin Johnson argues that "direct tax" means only a tax capable (without effort) of being fairly apportioned among the states in accordance with population, namely, a capitation tax or a tax on the states (a requisition). At the other end of the spectrum, Erik Jensen argues that "direct tax" means any personal tax other than an income tax. I argue, on the basis of constitutional text, the formation of the constitution, post-ratification history, function, historical evolution, and judicial doctrine that "direct tax" encompasses only (1) capitation (head) taxes, (2) requisitions, and (3) taxes on real estate. The apportionment requirement made "political" sense in the Framing period by linking the representation of states with the taxation of states, and also appeared to serve some narrow instrumental concerns. However, the theory is skewed, mainly because states are not really taxed as states, and states (as states) are only tenuously represented in Congress. Also, although apportionment dealt with some instrumental concerns, it aggravated others. I conclude that (apart from requisitions and head taxes), apportionment makes sense only with respect to real estate taxes, which is the nearest tax to a state tax. I also conclude that a real estate tax cannot be bootstrapped into validity as an "income tax." Nevertheless, federal taxes on personal property and imputed income from real estate are constitutional, if endowment taxes are not.
Using Unrestricted Mobile Sensors to Infer Tapped and Traced User Inputs

As of January 2014, 58 percent of Americans over the age of 18 own a smart phone. Of these smart phones, Android devices provide some security by requiring that third party application developers declare to users which components and features their applications will access. However, the real time environmental sensors on devices that are supported by the Android API are exempt from this requirement. We evaluate the possibility of exploiting the freedom to discretely use these sensors and expand on previous work by developing an application that can use the gyroscope and accelerometer to interpret what the user has written, even if trace input is used. Trace input is a feature available on Samsung's default keyboard as well as in many popular third-party keyboard applications. The inclusion of trace input in a key logger application increases the amount of personal information that can be captured since users may choose to use the time-saving trace-based input as opposed to the traditional tap-based input. In this work, we demonstrate that it is indeed possible to recover both tap and trace inputted text using only motion sensor data.
Chapter 29. Transcription of Chromatin with Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Polymerases

Publisher Summary This chapter compares the methods for the cell-free transcription of globin mRNA sequences from rabbit marrow chromatin by bacterial and mammalian RNA polymerases and points out certain problems that have complicated these studies. The approach is to incubate RNA polymerase and chromatin under well-defined conditions to purify the transcript RNA free of DNA, protein, and other contaminants, and to measure the proportion of globin mRNA sequences in the transcript by hybridization to cDNA. RNA transcribed from the DNA strand complementary to the globin gene (antistrand transcript) is detected by hybridization to cRNA. The chapter also describes some preliminary results that examine the symmetry and selectivity of globin mRNA transcription by various preparations of RNA polymerase. In addition, many advances in theory and technique are needed to define the roles of chromatin and polymerase structure in gene transcription and to establish the relevance of cell-free transcription to the study of gene regulation. The reward of such efforts can be an invaluable assay for the fractionation and characterization of native eukaryotic genes.
Two Genes That Confer Ineffective Nodulation in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Caracterisation phenotypique et determinisme genetique de 2 genes recessifs non alleliques conferant une nodulation induite par les rayonnements ineffective chez le pois chiche
Strand-specific community RNA-seq reveals prevalent and dynamic antisense transcription in human gut microbiota

Metagenomics and other metaomics approaches (including metatranscriptomics) provide insights into the composition and function of microbial communities living in different environments or animal hosts. Metatranscriptomics research provides an unprecedented opportunity to examine gene regulation for many microbial species simultaneously, and more importantly, for the majority that are unculturable microbial species, in their natural environments (or hosts). Current analyses of metatranscriptomic datasets focus on the detection of gene expression levels and the study of the relationship between changes of gene expression and changes of environment. As a demonstration of utilizing metatranscriptomics beyond these common analyses, we developed a computational and statistical procedure to analyze the antisense transcripts in strand-specific metatranscriptomic datasets. Antisense RNAs encoded on the DNA strand opposite a gene’s CDS have the potential to form extensive base-pairing interactions with the corresponding sense RNA, and can have important regulatory functions. Most studies of antisense RNAs in bacteria are rather recent, are mostly based on transcriptome analysis, and have been applied mainly to single bacterial species. Application of our approaches to human gut-associated metatranscriptomic datasets allowed us to survey antisense transcription for a large number of bacterial species associated with human beings. The ratio of protein coding genes with antisense transcription ranges from zero to 35.8% (median = 10.0%) among 47 species. Our results show that antisense transcription is dynamic, varying between human individuals. Functional enrichment analysis revealed a preference of certain gene functions for antisense transcription, and transposase genes are among the most prominent ones (but we also observed antisense transcription in bacterial house-keeping genes).
An algorithm to establish FEA zero grid-interval structural responses

Abstract This paper describes an algorithm for evaluating structural responses of zero grid-interval finite element models. It defines the analysis steps for extrapolating response values and for verifying the consistency of these values with assumptions of the procedure. It illustrates the features of the procedure by reporting experience with the algorithm for problems which involve approximating boundary conditions, and the original and deformed geometry. At its best, the algorithm leads to response estimates which have a residual precision commensurate with the calculation round-off error, which penalizes computer resource needs by orders-of-magnitude fewer calculations than direct finite element analysis for refined grids, and which furnishes new analysis methods and results for interpreting the accuracy of finite element analysis.
Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of Flavobacterium meningosepticum glycosylasparaginase: a single gene encodes the alpha and beta subunits.

Abstract A full-length insert for the Flavobacterium meningosepticum N 4 -( N -acetyl-β-glucosaminyl)-L-asparagine amidase gene was located on a 2500-bp Hin dIII fragment and cloned into the plasmid vector pBluescript. DNA sequencing revealed an open reading frame of 1020 nucleotides encoding a putative 45-amino-acid leader sequence and a deduced precursor polypeptide of 295 amino acids. In F. meningosepticum this precursor polypeptide undergoes proteolytic processing by an as yet unknown mechanism to generate an α-subunit and a β-subunit, which constitute the active form of the heterodimeric mature glycosylasparaginase. The Flavobacterium glycosylasparaginase gene was expressed in Escherichia coli and found to be enzymatically active. The recombinant enzyme was purified from crude lysates and shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to consist of the typical α- and β-subunits. The recombinant β-subunit cross-reacted to antibody specific for the rat liver β-subunit, and Edman analysis demonstrated that its amino-terminus corresponded exactly to that of the mature native glycosylasparagine β-subunit. A comparison of the Flavobacterium glycosylasparaginase with a mammalian glycosylasparaginase revealed 30% structural identity and 60% overall similarity between the prokaryotic and eukaryotic forms of the enzyme. Even more striking was the conservation of the amino acid sequence in both proteins where the post-translational cleavage to generate the active enzyme occurs. Our data demonstrate that deglycosylation of asparagine-linked glycans via hydrolysis of the AspNHGlcNAc linkage is an important reaction which has been preserved during evolution.
Crop-Area Estimates from Landsat; Transition from Research And Development to Timely Results

The report describes how NASA earth resources monitoring satellites, Landsat II and III, were used with conventional USDA groundgathered data to estimate planted crop areas for the 1978 Iowa corn and soybean crops. Estimates that used Landsat data and ground data jointly were substantially more precise than those made from ground data alone. These estimates were one of several data sources used in determining the official year end Annual Crop Summary for Iowa issued January 16, 1979, by USDA's Crop Reporting Board. Problems associated with total project cost, timely delivery of Landsat data to the USDA, and cloud cover must be solved prior to any planning for an operational program.
Arthroscopy of the Subtalar Joint: Establishing a Medial Portal

One of the recently introduced procedures for studying the posterior subtalar joint is subtalar arthroscopy. There is no reference in the literature to the possibility of a medial portal that might be used either for arthroscopic insertion, probing, or instrumental manipulation. The two portals mentioned in the literature are the anterolateral and the posterolateral portals. For evaluating the possibility of establishing a medial portal, six embalmed adult cadaver feet were used to study the anatomical relations to the proposed medial portal. The subtalar joints of another six fresh adult cadaver feet were then arthroscoped, after distraction of the joint, using the anterolateral, posterolateral, and medial portals. Findings indicated that the medial portal gives good visualization of the posterior subtalar joint. Clinical application has not yet been assessed.
Applying Satellite Gradient Moisture Information to Local-Scale Water Vapor Analysis Using Variational Methods

Abstract Horizontal shape matching (HSM) is a variational technique used to obtain an analysis that merges the gradient structure from one data source (e.g., satellite) with a background field. This technique is modeled after the variational methods that fall into two general categories: strong constraint and weak constraint. HSM, which is essentially a specialized filter function, falls in the weak constraint category. Here a technique is demonstrated that effectively tunes the filter to the spatial resolution inherent in the data sources rather than on the absolute error of the data. The HSM equation is developed for satellite gradient insertion including a cloud treatment. The filtering properties of the HSM equation are explored using Fourier analysis, and an approximate numerical solution is shown to be viable for operational use. Applying this technique to a dataset spanning more than a year proves the analysis has a positive effect through the statistical significance of a large sample of compariso...
Africa is open for business: A continent on the move

Until recently, it seemed African countries had not been on the radar screen of many non-African companies with global operations, let alone constituted prominent components of their global supplychain networks. While several factors might have accounted for the marginalization of Africa by the global business community, perhaps the most critical was the seemingly incessant unflattering portrayal of the continent by Western media. African governments have been using a slew of tools and strategies to reform their economies and polities and to make the African business environment more business-friendly, and the non-African business community is availing itself of bursting business and investment opportunities in the continent. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Is This Culture Necesasry

The authors investigated the hospital policy of requiring nose, throat, and/or stool cultures on newborn nursery personnel. A questionnaire was sent to 99 hospitals in Michigan to determine how many required cultures, of whom they were required and the effect of cultures on infection rates. The study indicates that there is much variation in policy on cultures and that use of cultures apparently does not affect infection rates within the nursery. Policies governing treatment of a positive culture vary considerably and no pattern of action is emerging. These findings, and a review of government regulations, which neither require nor recommend cultures as a means of infection control, led the investigators to question the rationale for use of routine cultures.
An Iterative Learning Algorithm for Multi-Channel Coherence Analysis

An iterative learning algorithm for multi-channel coherence analysis (MCA) is developed in this paper. MCA is an extension of the well known canonical correlation analysis (CCA) that allows for more than two data channels to be analyzed. The many applications of CCA have motivated this extension to exploit the linear relationship between many data channels. This paper discusses fundamental differences between the two analysis techniques while reviewing the standard method for performing MCA. Discussion on why MCA correlations are not deemed "canonical" as they are in the two-channel case of CCA is also provided. The developed iterative learning for MCA is then demonstrated and its performance evaluated on a synthesized data set.
The embryonic origin of the abdominal (ventro‐lateral) musculature in the albino rat

A study comprising both descriptive and experimental data was undertaken. The descriptive portion utilizes transverse, sagittal, and frontal serial sections of 10 through 20 day old rat embryos. As development proceeds, the somites lengthen along their dorsoventral dimension, and epithelial-lined “buds” (ventral somite buds) extend into the lateral plate somatopleure. Concomitantly epithelium lining the somite “body” is converted to a loosely associated mass of mesenchyme, beginning at the deep medial border and extending around the cephalic and caudal faces of the somite to involve the superficial surface. Lastly, this process transforms the epithelium covering the ventral somite buds into a mesenchymal aggregation. Anlagen of the abdominal ventrolateral muscles arise in the precise position of the mesenchymal aggregation derived from the ventral somite buds. The experimental section tests the development capacities of isolated portions of the trunk body wall when implanted in the anterior chamber of the eye. Grafts of somite material are highly proficient in forming striated muscle, while grafts of somite-free somatopleure have little ability to form striated muscle. Grafts of ventral body wall become more proficient in forming striated muscle with age. The increase in muscle-forming ability correlates directly with the invasion of material from the ventral somite buds into the ventral body wall. It is concluded that the ventrolateral (abdominal) musculature is of somitic origin.
PHARMACODYNAMIC EFFECTS OF ALPHA-METHYL DOPA IN HYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS.

Abstract The decarboxylase inhibitor, alpha-methyl dopa, is a potent antihypertensive agent. The hypotensive action of the drug appears to be due primarily to peripheral arteriolar relaxation. Its ability to reduce renal vascular resistance suggests its potential usefulness in the hypertensive patient with renal functional impairment.
Incremental Prognostic Value of Myocardial Perfusion Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography for the Prediction of Cardiac Death Differential Stratification for Risk of Cardiac Death and Myocardial Infarction

Background—The incremental prognostic value of stress single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for the prediction of cardiac death as an individual end point and the implications for risk stratification are undefined. Methods and Results—We identified 5183 consecutive patients who underwent stress/rest SPECT and were followed up for the occurrence of cardiac death or myocardial infarction. Over a mean follow up of 642±226 days, 119 cardiac deaths and 158 myocardial infarctions occurred (3.0% cardiac death rate, 2.3% myocardial infarction rate). Patients with normal scans were at low risk (≤0.5%/y), and rates of both outcomes increased significantly with worsening scan abnormalities. Patients who underwent exercise stress and had mildly abnormal scans had low rates of cardiac death but higher rates of myocardial infarction (0.7%/y versus 2.6%/y; P<.05). After adjustment for prescan information, scan results provided incremental prognostic value toward the prediction of cardiac death. The identifi...
The Pigmy Mouse in Southeastern Arizona

Recent trapping has resulted in a better understanding of the ecology and distribution of Baiomys taylori in Arizona. This species has been reported from only two localities in Arizona: 5 to 9 miles west of Hereford, Cochise County, where it was collected in “tall grass and weeds” by Phillip M. Blossom in March, 1941, (Blossom and Burt, Occas. Pap. Mus. Zool. Univ. Mich., 465: 1–4, 1942), and 1 ½ miles southwest of Fort Grant, 4,600 ft., Graham County, where it was “taken in a habitat of mesquite, sacaton, yucca, grama, and some other low bushes” (Hoffmeister, Amer. Midland Nat., 55: 257–258, 1956). Specimens reported below indicate that this species is to be expected in local areas of dense grass throughout southeastern Arizona at …
On the distribution of large lunar craters

Abstract The size distribution and location of all the craters of Classes 1, 2 and 3 larger than 25 km in diameter on the front face of the Moon were studied. The diameter distribution of the craters follows approximately the distribution that would be expected from meteoritic impact. Lateral variations in cratering over the lunar surface were determined by dividing the lunar disk into 172 equi-areal zones, each of approximately 76.9 × 10 3 km 2 . The number of craters, their average diameter, and the sum of their diameters were measured in each zone. When these parameters are contoured on the lunar surface, they outline not only the maria but also areas on the terrae otherwise indistinguishable. On the terrae the amount of cratering is not random; highly cratered areas occur clustered together with a correlation coefficient of 0.776. Lateral variations in size distribution were studied by dividing the front face of the Moon into 9 zones, each of which has at least 60 large craters abd follows approximately the physiography. The main variations are due to the maria and terrae distribution; however, differences in the terrae are also indicated. It is concluded that meteoritic impact can not offer all the answers to the origin of lunar craters. Either the craters are predominantly volcanic, or some endogenic control on the size of an impact crater exists.
Mechanical and heat hyperalgesia highly predict clinical pain intensity in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes.

Abstract Multiple abnormalities in pain processing have been reported in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes. These changes include mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia, decreased thresholds to mechanical and thermal stimuli (allodynia), and central sensitization, all of which are fundamental to the generation of clinical pain. Therefore, we hypothesized that quantitative sensory tests may provide useful predictors of clinical pain intensity of such patients. Our previous studies of fibromyalgia (FM) patients have shown statistically significant correlations of quantitative sensory test results with clinical pain intensity, including mechanical spatial summation, number of pain areas, wind-up, and wind-up aftersensations. Although these tests predicted up to 59% of the variance in FM clinical pain intensity, their expense and technical complexities limited widespread use in clinical practice and trials. Thus, we developed practical tests of primary (mechanical) and secondary (heat) hyperalgesia that also strongly predict clinical pain intensity in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain disorders. Thirty-six individuals with FM, 24 with local musculoskeletal pain, and 23 normal controls underwent testing of mechanical and heat hyperalgesia at the shoulders and hands. All subjects rated experimental pains using an electronic visual analog scale. Using either heat or pressure pain ratings as well as tender point counts and negative affect as predictors, up to 49.4% of the patients' variance of clinical pain intensity could be estimated. Results of this study emphasize the important contributions of peripheral and central factors to both local and widespread chronic pain. Overall, measures of mechanical and heat hyperalgesia in combination with tender point and negative affect provided powerful predictors of clinical pain intensity in chronic musculoskeletal pain patients that can be readily used in clinical practice and trials. Perspective Simple tests of mechanical and heat hyperalgesia can predict large proportions of the variance in clinical pain intensity of chronic musculoskeletal pain patients and thus are feasible to be included in clinical practice and clinical trials.
Dynamic compaction of aluminum nanocrystals

The authors investigated shock-compaction behavior of nanocrystalline aluminum (n-Al) powder with an average particle size of about 50--70 nm. The starting powders were analyzed using various analytical tools, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The initial Al particles were found to be coated naturally by a uniform, thin ({approximately}5 nm) near-stoichiometric, amorphous oxide layer. Shock compaction was carried out at 2--3 GPa (20--30 kbars) to obtain high-density disks. The microstructure of samples prior to and after consolidation were both examined. Despite substantial deformation during dynamic compaction, the surface oxide remained intact at the pressures employed and prevented a metallurgical bond between the nano-sized particles. Theoretical simulations of the dynamic compaction of n-Al were also carried out using an Eulerian hydrocode. The results were in good agreement with experimental observations.
Plasma concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin E2 in rabbits bearing the VX2 carcinoma: Effects of hydrocortisone and indomethacin

In rabbits bearing the prostaglandin-producing VX2 carcinoma, the plasma concentration of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGE2 (PGE2-M) was elevated within one week after tumor implantation and preceded the development of hypercalcemia. Both the rate of rise and magnitude of the increase were greater for the metabolite than for PGE2; at the time of peak hyercalcemia (about 4 to 5 weeks after tumor implantation), the increase over basal in plasma PGE2-M was about 75 fold whereas it was previously shown that the increase in PGE2 was less than 2 fold. Indomethacin, which inhibits PGE2 synthesis in VX2 cells in culture, lowered in parallel plasma calcaium and PGE2-M in tumor-bearing rabbits. Administration of hydrocortisone to rabbits bearing the VX2 tumor prevented the development of hypercalcemia when given at the time of tumor implantation and reversed the elevated plasma calcium in previously untreated animals; the steroid hormone also lowered plasma concentrations of PGE2-M. These findings are consistent with our hypothesis that the hypercalcemic syndrome in VX2 tumor-bearing rabbits is due to the secretion of PGE2 by the tumor.
Interviewer laughs: Shared laughter and asymmetries in employment interviews

Abstract Routinely, in a corpus of videotaped employment interviews, the interviewer invites laughter. The interviewee laughs along. The interviewer may produce a next laughable or briefly topicalize the laughable materials, but the interviewee does not do so. Rather, the interviewee will wait for the interviewer to take the lead in returning them to the business of the interview. The asymmetries evident in the sequential organization of these shared laughs show participant orientation to respective institutional roles. These asymmetries are consistent with those identified in previous research examining doctor–patient and survey interviewer–respondent interactions. While laughing together might appear to reduce power distance and bring participants together, the organization and distribution of these shared laughter instances reflect and reinscribe the hegemony of the roles of interviewer and interviewee.
Materials Issues for Advanced Electronic and Opto-Electronic Connectors

Trends of increased speed, density and power of electronic devices and circuitry translate to a need for connector substrate materials with improved form-ability and mechanical stability. Many contact surface requirements will continue to be met by precious metals for low contact force and tin in moderate contact force connectors. However, the demands for lower insertion forces, increased wear resistance, higher operating temperatures and improved corrosion resistance will challenge materials experts and connector designers to develop and utilize cost-effective replacements for tin and gold in electronic connectors. The stability and compatibility requirements of optoelectronic connectors provide challenges over a wide range of materials with the added dimension of accommodating essential optical characteristics.
Acid-sensitive vagal sensory pathways and cough

Acid is an important mediator in the pathogenesis of cough. Inhalation of exogenous acid triggers cough and endogenous acid may contribute to cough in respiratory diseases. Acid directly stimulates vagal bronchopulmonary sensory nerves that regulate the cough reflex. Consistent with their putative role in defence against aspiration and inhaled irritants, Adelta-fibre nociceptors in the large airways are most efficiently stimulated by rapid acidification. In contrast, acid-sensitive properties of the C-fibre nociceptors allow for continuous monitoring of pH which is likely important in inflammation. Acid is also the single most important mediator in the pathogenesis of cough due to gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR). The cough pathways can be sensitized by the sensory inputs from the oesophagus. This sensitization is likely mediated by a subset of the vagal oesophageal sensory nerves distinguished by discriminative responsiveness to noxious stimuli (nociceptors). The receptors underlying acid sensitivity of vagal sensory nerves are incompletely understood. The role of TRPV1 has been established but the roles of acid-sensing ion channels (ASIC) and other receptors await more definitive investigation. Here, we provide a brief overview of the cough-related acid-sensitive sensory pathways and discuss the mechanisms of acid sensitivity.