cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alterations in bone characteristics associated with glycemic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Objective To determine whether bone characteristics in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) are influenced by blood glucose regulation and disease duration. The subjects were adolescents with type 1 DM (n = 55) recruited from the University of Utah's Primary Children's Pediatric Diabetes Treatment Center. A reference database consisting of 95 healthy adolescents from the same geographic area was used for comparison. Study design Measurements of the tibia by peripheral quantitative computed tomography were made to assess cortical and trabecular bone characteristics. Hip, spine, and whole body characteristics were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Height, weight, health histories, Tanner stage, disease duration, insulin regimen, and glycosylated hemoglobin values were recorded. Results Age, maturation, and body size and composition values were similar between the subjects with type 1 DM and reference. Subjects with type 1 DM had lower tibia trabecular and femoral neck density and whole body mineral content and density. The mean glycosylated hemoglobin value was inversely related to tibia trabecular bone density (R2 = −0.30) and whole body bone mineral content (R2 = −0.25) and accounted for 3.0% to 8.9% of the variance. Conclusions Altered bone mineral acquisition in adolescents with type 1 DM may limit peak bone mass acquisition and increase the risk of osteoporosis in later life.
Low resistivity hafnium nitride thin films as diffusion barriers for Cu interconnects

In this paper, HfN on Si(100) has similar growth quality and electrical resistivity as HfN on MgO(100) (~30 muOmega-cm ), The resistivity values for HfN films on both substrates are much lower than that of TaN and TiN. Preliminary Cu diffusion test along with its low resistivity suggest that cubic HfN can be a promising candidate for Cu diffusion barriers.
Erythromycin treatment hinders the induction of oral tolerance to fed ovalbumin.

The mucosal immune system is constantly exposed to antigen, whether it be food antigen, commensal bacteria, or harmful antigen. It is essential that the mucosal immune system can distinguish between harmful and non-harmful antigens, and initiate an active immune response to clear the harmful antigens, while initiating a suppressive immune response (tolerance) to non-harmful antigens. Oral tolerance is an immunologic hyporesponsiveness to an orally administered antigen and is important in preventing unnecessary gastrointestinal (GI) tract inflammation, which can result in a number of autoimmune and hypersensitivity diseases. Probiotics (beneficial intestinal bacteria), T regulatory cells (Tregs), and dendritic cells (DCs) are all essential for generating tolerance. Antibiotics are commonly prescribed to fight infections and often necessary for maintaining health, but they can disrupt the normal intestinal probiotic populations. There is increasing epidemiologic evidence that suggests that antibiotic usage correlates with the development of atopic or irritable bowel disorders, which often result due to a breakdown in immune tolerance. This study investigated the effect of the antibiotic erythromycin on oral tolerance induction to ovalbumin (OVA). The results demonstrated that antibiotic treatment prior to exposure to fed antigen prevents tolerance to that antigen, which may be associated with a reduction in intestinal Lactobacillus populations. Furthermore, antibiotic treatment resulted in a significant decrease in the tolerogenic CD11c+/CD11b+/CD8α- MLN DCs independent of tolerizing treatment. These results provide evidence that antibiotic treatment, potentially through its effects on tolerogenic DCs and intestinal microflora, may contribute to autoimmune and atopic disorders via a breakdown in tolerance and support prior epidemiologic studies correlating increased antibiotic usage with the development of these disorders.
Uncertainty and variability in accounting for grid electricity in life cycle assessment

The generation and distribution of electric power is enormously important in both economic and environmental terms. However, despite the obvious importance of electricity for life cycle assessment and policy analysis, accounting for the environmental emissions associated with electricity remains an uncertain task. In this analysis we examine the different methods available for electricity greenhouse gas emissions accounting, and show that different standards, protocols, and reporting organizations can lead to considerably different estimates of emissions associated with purchased electricity. We discuss the implications of this uncertainty and list recommendations for electricity emissions accounting in the world of incomplete and uncertain information.
Genetic and Fitness Changes Accompanying Adaptation of an Arbovirus to Vertebrate and Invertebrate Cells

The alternating host cycle and persistent vector infection may constrain the evolution of arboviruses. To test this hypothesis, eastern equine encephalitis virus was passaged in BHK or mosquito cells, as well as in alternating (both) host cell passages. High and low multiplicities were used to examine the effect of defective interfering particles. Clonal BHK and persistent mosquito cell infections were also evaluated. Fitness was measured with one-step growth curves and competition assays, and mutations were evaluated by nucleotide sequencing and RNA fingerprinting. All passages and assays were done at 32°C to eliminate temperature as a selection factor. Viruses passaged in either cell type alone exhibited fitness declines in the bypassed cells, while high-multiplicity and clonal passages caused fitness declines in both types of cells. Bypassed cell fitness losses were mosquito and vertebrate specific and were not restricted to individual cell lines. Fitness increases occurred in the cell line used for single-host-adaptation passages and in both cells for alternately passaged viruses. Surprisingly, single-host-cell passage increased fitness in that cell type no more than alternating passages. However, single-host-cell adaptation resulted in more mutations than alternating cell passages. Mosquito cell adaptation invariably resulted in replacement of the stop codon in nsP3 with arginine or cysteine. In one case, BHK cell adaptation resulted in a 238-nucleotide deletion in the 3′ untranslated region. Many nonsynonymous substitutions were shared among more than one BHK or mosquito cell passage series, suggesting positive Darwinian selection. Our results suggest that alternating host transmission cycles constrain the evolutionary rates of arboviruses but not their fitness for either host alone.
A New Map Location for the ilvB Locus of ESCHERICHIA COLI

We isolated, in E. coli K12, new alleles of the ilvB locus, the structural gene for acetolactate synthase isoenzyme I, and showed them to map at or near the ilvB619 site. The map position of the ilvB locus was redetermined because plasmids containing the ilvC-cya portion of the chromosome did not complement mutations at the ilvB locus. Furthermore, diploids for the ilvEDAC genes formed with these plasmids in an ilvHI background facilitated the isolation of the new ilvB alleles. The ilvB locus was remapped and found to be located at 81.5 minutes, between the uhp and dnaA loci. This location was determined by two- and three-point transductional crosses, deletion mapping and complementation with newly isolated plasmids. One of the new alleles of the ilvB gene is a mu-1 insertion. When present in the donor strain, this allele interferes with the linkage of genes flanking the mu-1 insertion, as well as the linkage of genes to either side of the mu-1 insertion.
PKC-mediated GABAergic enhancement of dopaminergic responses: implication for short-term potentiation at a dual-transmitter synapse

Transmitter-mediated homosynaptic potentiation is generally implemented by the same transmitter that mediates the excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs), e.g., glutamate. When a presynaptic neuron contains more than one transmitter, however, potentiation can in principle be implemented by a transmitter different from that which elicits the EPSPs. Neuron B20 in Aplysia contains both dopamine and GABA. Although only dopamine acts as the fast excitatory transmitter at the B20-to-B8 synapse, GABA increases the size of these dopaminergic EPSPs. We now provide evidence that repeated stimulation of B20 potentiates B20-evoked dopaminergic EPSPs in B8 apparently via a postsynaptic mechanism, and short-term potentiation of this synapse is critical for the establishment and maintenance of an egestive network state. We show that GABA can act postsynaptically to increase dopamine currents that are elicited by direct applications of dopamine to B8 and that dopamine is acting on a 5-HT3-like receptor. This potentiation is mediated by GABAB-like receptors as GABAB-receptor agonists and antagonists, respectively, mimicked and blocked the potentiating actions of GABA. The postsynaptic actions of GABA rely on a G protein-mediated activation of PKC. Our results suggest that the postsynaptic action of cotransmitter-mediated potentiation may contribute to the maintenance of the egestive state of Aplysia feeding network and, in more general terms, may participate in the plasticity of networks that mediate complex behaviors.
Kinetics of Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 Gene Expression following Infection of Murine Cells in Culture and in Mice

A model system to study the pathogenesis of gammaherpesvirus infections is the infection of mice with murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68). To define the kinetics of infection, we developed an RNase protection assay to quantitate gene expression from lytic (K3, Rta, M8, DNA polymerase [DNA pol], and gB) and candidate latency (M2, M3, M9, M11, ORF73, and ORF74) genes. All candidate latency genes were expressed during lytic infection of 3T3 cells. Four kinetic classes of transcripts were observed following infection of 3T3 cells: immediate-early (K3, Rta, M8, and ORF73), early (DNA pol), early-late (M3, M11, and ORF74), and late (M2, M9, and gB). To assess the kinetics of viral gene expression in vivo, lungs, spleens, and mediastinal lymph nodes (MLN) were harvested from MHV-68-infected mice. All transcripts were expressed between 3 and 6 days postinfection (dpi) in the lungs. In the spleen, K3, M3, M8, and M9 transcripts were expressed between 10 and 16 dpi when latency is established. The K3, M3, M8, M9, and M11 transcripts were detected in the MLN from 2 through 16 dpi. This is the first demonstration of MHV-68 gene expression in the MLN. Importantly, our data showed that MHV-68 has different kinetics of gene expression at different sites of infection. Furthermore, we demonstrated that K3, a gene recently shown to encode a protein that downregulates major histocompatibility complex class I on the surface of cells, is expressed during latency, which argues for a role of K3 in immune evasion during latent infection.
Dosimetric Verification of the Dynamic Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy of 92 Patients

Abstract Purpose: To verify that optimized dose distributions provided by an intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) system are delivered accurately to human patients. Methods and Materials: Anthropomorphic phantoms are used to measure IMRT doses. Four types of verification are developed for: I) system commissioning with beams optimized to irradiate simulated targets in phantoms, II) plans with patient-optimized beams directed to phantoms simulating the patient, III) patient–phantom hybrid plans with patient-optimized beams calculated in phantom without further optimization, and IV) in vivo measurements. Phantoms containing dosimeters are irradiated with patient-optimized beams. Films are scanned and data were analyzed with software. Percent difference between verified and planned maximum target doses is defined as "dose discrepancy" (Δ vp ). The frequency distribution of type II Δ vp from 204 verification films of 92 IMRT patients is fit to a Gaussian. Measurements made in vivo yield discrepancies specified as Δ ivp , also fit to a Gaussian. Results and Discussion: Verification methods revealed three systematic errors in plans that were corrected prior to treatment. Values of |Δ vp | for verification type I are vp | vp | >5% arise from differences between phantom and patient geometry, and from simulation, calculation, and other errors. Values of |Δ vp | for verification III are less than half of the values of |Δ vp | for verification II. A Gaussian fit of Δ ivp from verification IV shows more discrepancy than the fit of Δ vp , attributed to dose gradients in detectors, and exacerbated by immobilization uncertainty. Conclusions: Dosimetric verification is a critical step in the quality assurance (QA) of IMRT. Hybrid Verification III is suggested as a preliminary quality standard for IMRT.
SWAT Operations and Deadly Force: A Comparison of National Data withthe Dorner Case

This study examines the case of ex-Los Angeles Police officer Christopher Dorner comparing it with national data on Special Weapons and Tactic (SWAT) operations. Emphasis is on the final confrontation between Dorner and SWAT. The inquiry seeks to expand what is known on SWAT use of deadly force. Qualitative data from media accounts and a law enforcement dispatch log is fused with quantitative data on SWAT from both the Multi-Method Study of Police Special Weapons and Tactics Teams in the United States, 1986-1998 and a related report to the U.S. Department of Justice. Chi-square tests of significance were applied. Results found Dorner possessed and used weapons common to SWAT suspects, SWAT and Dorner used deadly force, he was barricaded, and he committed suicide. Statistical significance was found for the following; SWAT uses deadly force more often than suspects, narcotics warrant suspects are fired upon by SWAT more than in other types of incidents, and hostage takers are fired upon less than in other types of incidents. Aspects of the case share commonalities with SWAT incidents nationally. Analysis of SWAT use of deadly force found narcotic warrant suspects are at risk for being fired upon by SWAT with hostage-takers less so.
Mixed convection laminar flow and heat transfer of liquids in isothermal horizontal circular ducts

Abstract Numerical analysis of thermally developing and simultaneously developing mixed convection flow and heat transfer with variable viscosity in an isothermal horizontal tube has been carried out. Parametric computations were performed to investigate the effect of inlet Prandtl number, inlet Rayleigh number, wall-to-inlet temperature difference, and inlet axial velocity profile on the Nusselt numbers and apparent friction factors for both heating and cooling conditions. The results indicate that the effect of variable viscosity is more pronounced on the friction factor than on Nusselt numbers. In addition, the effect of inlet Rayleigh number and inlet velocity profile on the Nusselt numbers and friction factors exists only in the near-inlet region. A parameter found by scaling analysis was used to empirically correlate the computed Nusselt number and the friction factor data and the available experimental Nusselt number data for both thermally developing and simultaneously developing flow and heat transfer. The developed correlations are more accurate, have wider ranges of applicability than those available in the literature, and should be of much use to designers.
Anti-VEGF Pharmacotherapy as an Alternative to Panretinal Laser Photocoagulation for Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy.

From 1976 to 1981, the results of the Diabetic Retinopathy Study identified that panretinal laser photocoagulation (PRP) for high-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) reduced the rate of severe visual acuity loss by more than 50% compared with the natural history of the disease. 1,2 The Diabetic Retinopathy Study identified 4 key risk features of PDR (retinal neovascularization [NV]; NV within 1 disc diameter of the optic disc [NVD]; severe NV [NVD >¼ to ⅓ disc diameters or NV elsewhere >½ disc diameter]; and preretinal or vitreous hemorrhage) and indicated that the presence of 3 or more risk factors constituted high-risk characteristics for developing severe vision loss. 3 The results of the Diabetic Retinopathy Study have served as the basis for the accepted standard of care in the management of PDR for decades. In this issue of JAMA, the investigators from the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network (DRCR.net) present the results of a clinical trial comparing PRP and intravitreous ranibizumab among patients with PDR. 4 This noninferiority study included 305 adults with PDR, including 89 participants who had both eyes enrolled, for a total of 394 study eyes. Patients in the ranibizumab group (n = 191 eyes) received intravitreous ranibizumab (0.5 mg) (and PRP if treatment failed) and received ranibizumab as needed for diabetic macular edema, whereas patients in the PRP group (n = 203 eyes) re
Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of a tridentate Schiff-base ligated Fe(II) complex

Abstract The structural and electronic properties of an Fe(II) Schiff-base complex, [Fe(N2S)2][ClO4]2 (N2S = 2-pyridyl-N-(2′-methylthiophenyl)methylenimine), are described and compared to an analogous Ni(II) species known to degrade to a H2-evolving electrocatalytic film. Although structurally similar, the two complexes exhibit stark differences in their electrochemical and optical properties, and decompose via different pathways under reducing potentials. At potentials negative of the Fe(II/I) reduction wave, the complex degrades to a species that weakly adsorbs to the electrode surface. Prolonged electrolysis leads to the deposition of an Fe-containing film on the electrode.
The Political Construction of Human Rights in the United States

American constitutional scholarship was inspired but seriously sidetracked by the Warren Court, which was viewed as a lonely warrior battling intolerant majorities on behalf of the powerless. History and empirical evidence have defeated this romantic view. In fact, the modern Court is less likely to support human rights in the face of public opposition and as compared to Congress and, in any case, its effectiveness in doing so is limited. Recent scholarly developments - the popular constitutionalism and regime politics movements - properly recognize that human rights are politically constructed and dependent on popular and elite support. Empirical evidence, such as that offered here, more specifically reveals that the Supreme Court’s propensity to favor rights claims is strongly influenced by the partisan identity of both its members and the president making recent appointments. Thus, when it comes to rights, elections matter immensely. Courts nonetheless contribute importantly and uniquely to the ongoing and multi-party American dialogue over its constitutional values.
Correlation between Laboratory and Road Rubber Wear Tests

Abstract The wear resistance ranking of three rubber compounds A, G and K measured in the laboratory at medium to high slip on sharp silicon carbide (SiC) grinding wheels was similar to that determined by road tests at Pecos, Texas. The wear resistance ranking of the three compounds changed on blunt alumina grinding wheels compared to wear resistance rankings on sharp SiC grinding wheels. The change was most probably due to a change of mechanism from mainly cutting on sharp surfaces to predominantly fatigue on blunt surfaces. For these three compounds a change in the ambient temperature from 23 to 75°C during laboratory testing had no effect on the wear resistance ranking. The wear of the rubber compounds on the abrasive grinding wheels and during road tests followed Zapp's relation in which the wear is proportional to the ratio of dynamic modulus to rupture energy.
Selecting Stochastic Climate Realizations to Efficiently Explore a Wide Range of Climate Risk to Water Resource Systems

AbstractThere are significant computational requirements for assessing climate change impacts on water resource system reliability and vulnerability, particularly when analyzing a wide range of plausible scenarios. These requirements often deter analysts from exhaustively identifying climate hazards. This technical note investigates two approaches for generating a subset of stochastic climate realizations that efficiently explore a range of risk to water supply systems. In both methods, a large ensemble of stochastic weather time series is generated to simulate the natural variability of the local climate system, and a selected subset of these sequences is used in the impacts assessment. Method 1 selects the subset by first passing the entire ensemble through a rainfall-runoff model and then screening the hydrologic sequences using the sequent peak algorithm. Method 2 selects a subset of climate sequences based on climate statistics alone, prior to hydrological modeling. Both methods provide insight for i...
Quantum theory of self-phase modulation

The time-dependent Hartree approximation discussed by Lai Haus [ Phys. Rev. A40, 844 ( 1989)] is used to investigate the effects of self-phase modulation on a beam of finite transverse extent propagating through a Kerr nonlinear medium. For a thermal field the photon statistics can greatly alter the spatial frequency spectrum in comparison with that for a coherent field. This suggests the use of self-phase modulation as a probe of field photon statistics.
Open-loop organization of thalamic reticular nucleus and dorsal thalamus: a computational model

The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) is a shell of GABAergic neurons that surrounds the dorsal thalamus. Previous work has shown that TRN neurons send GABAergic projections to thalamocortical (TC) cells to form reciprocal, closed-loop circuits. This has led to the hypothesis that the TRN is responsible for oscillatory phenomena, such as sleep spindles and absence seizures. However, there is emerging evidence that open-loop circuits are also found between TRN and TC cells. The implications of open-loop configurations are not yet known, particularly when they include time-dependent nonlinearities in TC cells such as low-threshold bursting. We hypothesized that low-threshold bursting in an open-loop circuit could be a mechanism by which the TRN could paradoxically enhance TC activation, and that enhancement would depend on the relative timing of TRN vs. TC cell stimulation. To test this, we modeled small circuits containing TC neurons, TRN neurons, and layer 4 thalamorecipient cells in both open- and closed-loop configurations. We found that open-loop TRN stimulation, rather than universally depressing TC activation, increased cortical output across a broad parameter space, modified the filter properties of TC neurons, and altered the mutual information between input and output in a frequency-dependent and T-type calcium channel-dependent manner. Therefore, an open-loop model of TRN-TC interactions, rather than suppressing transmission through the thalamus, creates a tunable filter whose properties may be modified by outside influences onto the TRN. These simulations make experimentally testable predictions about the potential role for the TRN for flexible enhancement of cortical activation.
The Interfering Effects of Processing Code on Visual Memory

The possibility of reducing task interference in complex aviation environments by taking advantage of the verbal-spatial short term memory dichotomy is explored in a dual-task paradigm. Eighteen subjects performed verbal and spatial retention memory tasks concurrently with intervening verbal and spatial cognitive tasks. Both number and processing code of the intervening tasks were manipulated. Support was found for code-specific interference such that concurrently performed tasks of the same code disrupted performance more than concurrent tasks of different codes. In addition spatial memory was found to be more fragile than verbal memory. Implications of the findings to mental workload reduction include task scheduling, presentation format, and assignment.
Study on the Vortex Wake of an Airfoil Equipped with Flexible Trailing Edge Fringes

With the inspiration of owl’s silent flight, a traditional airfoil S833 equipped with flexible fringe as an extension to the trailing edge is investigated through the experimental study in a wind tunnel and the numerical simulation. The newly constructed airfoil is modeled, manufactured and investigated. In the experimental study, a high-resolution Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system is employed to make detailed flow field measurements to quantify the generation and the shedding of the trailing edge vortices at various AOAs. In the numerical simulation, an incompressible, 2D and viscous flow solver in the CFD software FLUENT is utilized to conduct the numerical simulation on the vortex feature in the wake of the airfoil. Both experimental results and numerical results reveal that the existence of trailing edge fringe can reduce the strength of the shedding vortex, create more vortices with smaller gap in between and smaller size in scale at AOA=9 degree. It is also found in the experimental study that the existence of flexible trailing edge fringe can help break the large-scale swirls into small-scale weak swirls for relatively large angle of attack, while the motion of the fringe might induce additional Reynolds stress at lower angle of attack.
Effects of Dietary Phenylalanine on Activity of Phenylalanine Hydroxylase from Rat Liver.

SummaryThe activity of phenylalanine hydroxylase from livers of young, male rats fed L-phenylalanine is suppressed by as little as 1% of the amino acid fed for 2 weeks. Larger amounts and a longer period of feeding result in further decreases in measured activities whether animals are pair-fed or fed ad libitum. Growth is depressed also with high levels of phenylalanine in the diet. The lowered activity of the hydroxylase may be attributable, at least partially, to a real suppression of enzyme synthesis.
Isolation, Fragmentation and the Detection of Listeria DNA from Ground Beef

Listeria is a gram-positive, rod shaped food borne bacterial pathogen with a mortality of 20-30% of those who get infected. People with a compromised immune system and pregnant women are more likely to suffer effects of Listeriosis.[1] Listeria bacterium can grow under extreme conditions such as low pH and high temperatures. Places that are most likely to transmit the bacterium are food processing plants during any food processing step. Once Listeria is contracted in the human body, it can cross in to the blood, through the blood brain barrier, and into the cerebral spinal fluid. Current detection such as PCR methods are slow and costly and the extraction methods to see if Listeria is present is blood work, spinal tap, or a biopsy of the placenta.In this paper we show that Listeria DNA can be efficiently and rapidly extracted from ground bovine meat and lysed. Our microwave based lysing approach[2] has particular advantages in that it can fragment the Listeria genome to smaller DNA fragments, which is ideal for rapid detection using the MAMEF (Microwave-Accelerated Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence) platform[3], as well as diminishing the effects of DNases due to the elevated lysing temperatures.1.Painter J et. al, Listeriosis in humans. In: E. T. Ryser & E. H. Marth., editor. Listeria, Listeriosis and Food Safety 3rd ed Boca Raton, Florida: Taylor and Francis Group; 2007. p. 85-110.2.Melendez, J.H., et. al, (2013). Blind Evaluation of the Microwave-Accelerated Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence Ultrarapid and Sensitive Chlamydia Trachomatis test by use of Clinical Samples, Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 51(9), 2913-2920.3.Joshi, T., et. al, (2014). Extraction and Sensitive Detection of Toxins A and B from the human pathogen Clostridium difficile in 40 seconds using Microwave-Accelerated Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence, Plos One, 9,8,e104334.
3D printing of fiber-reinforced soft composites: Process study and material characterization

Abstract Fiber-reinforced soft composites (FrSCs) are composites that are made up of polymeric fibers with specific material properties and hierarchical length-scales, embedded within another soft-polymer matrix. This paper is aimed at systematically studying the effect of key processing parameters viz., fiber mat alignment, area coverage, and surface energy of the fiber carrier substrate, on the tensile properties and failure mechanisms seen in 3D printed FrSCs. A novel electrospinning-based “direct-write” system is used for creating the aligned and random nylon fiber mats. The fiber mats are then characterized for their diameter distributions, effective area coverage, number density, and tensile properties. The surface energy of the fiber carrier substrate is found to be critical to the fiber transfer efficiency of the stamping operation used in the 3D printing process, with polytetrafluoroethylene-coated aluminum films being more effective due to their low surface energy. Tensile testing results show that depending on the extent of alignment and the fiber content present in the 3D printed composite, it can have a 40–260% improvement in the elastic modulus over that of the base UV-curable polymer. The composites also show evidence of characteristic failure mechanisms seen in the domain of nanocomposite materials, viz., fiber-induced local plastic deformation (crazing), crack arrest and deflection, fiber strengthening, and fiber pull-out. The evidence of fiber pull-out also points to the formation of an interfacial polymer sheath around the fibers. The elastic modulus of this sheath is estimated to be an order of magnitude higher than the base polymer.
Early hypothermia is not directly related to mortality in traumatic hemorrhagic shock patients

Objective To evaluate the relationship of early hypothermia to mortality in traumatic hemorrhagic shock patients after ruling out the confounding factor of MODS.Methods Totally 170 patients who were diagnosed with traumatic hemorrhagic shock in the Emergency Center,the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University in 2011 were enrolled into the study.Early hypothermia was defined as a registered temperature of less than 35°C within the first 8 hours after arrival to the trauma center.Comparisons between groups were utilized to analyze the effect of hypothermia on MODS and mortality.Results Hypothermia was very common in this study of patients,accounting for 31.8%.Hypothermic patients were 2 times more likely than normothermia patients to develop MODS and death(P0.05).Whatever MODS is developed,mortality of hypothermic patients had no significant difference between normothermia patients in stratified analysis(P0.05).Conclusion Early hypothermia is not directly related to mortality in traumatic hemorrhagic shock patients.Hypothermia is directly related to MODS and MODS is related to mortality.If MODS is not developed,hypothermic patients will not have an increased incidence of mortality.
Quantitative Style Investing

I introduce a systematic portfolio choice solution that significantly beats a benchmark market portfolio by an average of 34.2% per year after transaction costs. The corresponding annual Sharpe ratio is 1.97 per year compared to 0.42, over 4.7 times the size of the benchmark. A more conservative sample that excludes micro cap stocks yields an annual Sharpe ratio 2.18 times the benchmark. I construct my solution by applying multivariable cross-sectional regressions of six key stock characteristics, to aggregate forecasting signals from multiple sources. I apply simple filtering techniques to reduce estimation and sampling error, use only information known at time t, and predict expected returns. I validate the procedure by achieving commensurate results as prior studies when forming portfolios from decile sorts. However, by sorting stocks by expected returns into more extreme portfolios, i.e. 25 and 50 portfolios, I am able to further enhance performance gains over existing works.
Strengthening Family Relationships (Session 11 of the Treatment Manual)

This session focuses on strengthening family relationships. This particular topic was included in the adapting CBT for Chinese Americans treatment manual because many clients from Asian heritage backgrounds seek help for parent–child relationship difficulties. These problems are particularly salient among immigrants because in addition to normative developmentally related issues that family members typically must work through, acculturative forces and immigrant-related stressors shape and influence family relationships and dynamics. Inclusion of this topic is an important cultural adaptation.
Molecular variants of cholecystokinin after endogenous stimulation in humans: a time study.

The time-dependent release of molecular variants of cholecystokinin (CCK) into the circulation was studied before and 1, 2, and 4 h after a test meal in six healthy volunteers. At each time period,...
Mechanistic evidence of enhanced production on artificial reefs: A case study in a Bahamian seagrass ecosystem

The attraction-production question, i.e., do artificial reefs support new fish biomass or instead primarily attract fishes from other areas, is one of the most nuanced in coastal marine conservation. Here we provide a novel perspective on this issue, specifically regarding the nutrient dynamics of biogeochemical hotspots that develop following artificial reef construction. Fishes can translocate nutrients (i.e., nitrogen and phosphorus) from the surrounding seascape and concentrate them around artificial reefs, often increasing localized primary production. We discuss an example of this in a seagrass ecosystem, using a case study demonstrating the specific mechanism by which aboveground primary production is enhanced. Namely, when nutrient supply exceeds an ecological threshold, non-linear shifts in nutrient allocation occurs to aboveground tissues, serving to increase localized primary production. Identifying such ecological thresholds in resource allocation provides a powerful predictive tool in the context of fishery management. We suggest that such an ecosystem-level perspective should become more prominent in discussions regarding the attraction-production question of artificial reefs.
What has Changed about Vaginal Douching among African American Mothers and Daughters

Objectives: To explore African American mothers' and daughters' practices and influences related to vaginal douching. Design and Sample: Our overall study used a sequential mixed-method design with 3 phases. Phase 1, the focus of this report, used grounded theory methods and in-depth, semistructured individual interviews. Two generations of African American girls and women: 24 girls (“daughters”) aged 14–18 and 17 women (“mothers” or “mother figures”) aged 22–43, recruited from 1 adolescent health clinic in Baltimore, MD. Measures: In-depth interviews were taped and transcribed and data analysis used the constant comparison method. Results: Daughters were much less likely to douche or to have been exposed to douching information than mothers. Many mothers and daughters were influenced by health care providers and/or family members to not initiate, to decrease, or to stop douching. Women who currently douche often do so because of the perception of improved smell and cleanliness around menstruation and sexual intercourse. Conclusions: These data indicate that although some women continue to believe that vaginal douching has therapeutic value, others have been influenced to stop or not start douching by family and health care providers. Health care providers should continue efforts to educate patients on the risks of vaginal douching.
Breaching the Borders between Research and Practice: Development NGOs and Qualitative Data

The challenge of dealing with qualitative data is becoming ever more important for development organisations, as they strive to reflect critically on both their own practice and the work of others. They are under growing pressure to account for their actions to donors, to demonstrate their impact and to provide evidence as the basis for their policy decisions. This pressure arises from donors, states, the media and from the communities among whom they work.
The prevalence and risk factors associated with osteoradionecrosis of the jaw in oral and oropharyngeal cancer patients treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT): The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center experience

Abstract Objective To determine the prevalence and correlation of various risk factors [radiation dose, periodontal status, alcohol and smoking] to the development of osteoradionecrosis (ORN). Patients and methods The records of 1023 patients treated with IMRT for oral cavity cancer (OCC) and oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) between 2004 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients who developed ORN. Fisher exact tests were used to analyze patient characteristics between ORN patients with OCC and OPC. Paired Wilcoxon tests were used to compare the dose volumes to the ORN and contralateral non-ORN sites. To evaluate an association between ORN and risk factors, a case-control comparison was performed. One to 2 ORN-free patients were selected to match each ORN patient by gender, tumor site and size. General estimation equations models were used to compare the risk factors in ORN cases and matched controls. Results 44 (4.3%) patients developed ORN during a median follow-up time of 52.5 months. In 82% of patients, ORN occurred spontaneously. Patients with OPC are prone to develop ORN earlier compared to patients with OCC (P = 0.03). OPC patients received a higher Dmax compared to OCC patients (P = 0.01). In the matched case-control analysis the significant risk factors on univariate analysis were poor periodontal status, history of alcohol use and radiation dose (P = 0.03, 0.002 and 0.009, respectively) and on multivariate analysis were alcohol use and radiation dose (P = 0.004 and 0.026, respectively). Conclusion In our study, higher radiation dose, poor periodontal status and alcohol use are significantly related to the risk of developing ORN.
A comparison of inverse transform and composition methods of data simulation from the Lindley distribution

This study compares the inverse transform and the composition methods for generating data from the Lindley distribution. The expression for the inverse of the distribution function for the Lindley distribution does not exist in closed form. Hence, authors of many empirical studies on the Lindley distribution used methods for generating Lindley variates other than the inverse transform. We generated data from the Lindley distribution using the inverse transform approach by obtaining the Lindley variates numerically; we also generated data from this distribution using the composition approach. Following the generation of the Lindley variates using these two methods, we compare some statistical properties of the estimates of the Lindley model parameters based on the generated data. We conclude that the two methods produce similar results.
Watchful Waiting As Initial Management of Advanced-Stage Follicular Lymphoma in the Rituximab Era: Analysis of the National Cancer Data Base

Abstract Introduction: National guidelines recommend observation without active therapy ("watchful waiting", WW) for follicular lymphoma (FL) presenting in advanced stage with low burden of disease and without symptoms. The national LymphoCare registry study reported that 17.7% of all FL patients in the United States (US) are initially managed with observation (Friedberg et al., J Clin Oncol 2009). Some recent trials suggest that early therapy with rituximab in this setting may have benefits, but this strategy remains highly controversial (Ardeshna et al., Lancet Oncol 2014). It is unknown whether socioeconomic or health care related-factors affect the decision how to manage FL. The aim of our study was to evaluate trends in the use of WW as initial management strategy for FL in the US, and associated factors. Methods: We selected stage III/IV FL patients diagnosed in 2004-2012 from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB)-an oncology outcomes data base capturing >70% of incident cancers in the US. We excluded cases with B-symptoms, medical contraindications to chemotherapy or radiation, unknown treatment status, or Results: The analytic cohort of 18,783 advanced-stage FL patients without B symptoms or medical contraindications to treatment had median age at diagnosis of 63 years (range, 18 to 90), with 52% women and predominantly white non-Hispanic ethnicity (82%). In this population, 31.4% were initially managed without active treatment. This proportion remained unchanged between 2004 and 2012 (annual percent change, -0.3% per year, P = 0.23). Among patients who received chemotherapy (which in 75% was multi-agent), 89% started it within 100 days of diagnosis, and 94% within 6 months. Patient-related factors significantly associated with WW included: age >65 years (OR, 1.23 versus Conclusions: Despite guidelines,only one third of patients with advanced-stage FL in the US are managed by WW. Patient selection appears to primarily occur on clinical grounds, as indicated by the association with grade and stage (factors correlating with disease burden). However, significant variation by region and hospital, and higher rate of WW in academic hospitals suggests that decision-making may be influenced by physician expertise or payment models in oncology practices, offering an opportunity for education or improved health care policy. However, considering lack of direct clinical assessments of tumor burden, cytopenias and symptoms in the NCDB, evaluating this requires further research. Clinical trials are unlikely to detect a survival difference between WW and active treatment in FL within 5 years of follow-up. Disclosures Olszewski: Genentech, Inc.: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc.: Consultancy.
Social Cost Bias, Probability Bias, and Self-Efficacy as Correlates of Behavioral Action in Social Anxiety:

The present study investigated the role of social cost bias, probability bias, and self-efficacy as correlates of behavioral action in a nonclinical sample of 197 individuals, using a series of vignettes and self-report measures. The findings indicated that, as hypothesized, social cost bias, probability bias, and self-efficacy were associated with social anxiety. While social anxiety was associated with behavioral action, the three cognitive factors were associated with behavioral action above and beyond the contribution of social anxiety. However, contrary to the hypothesis, self-efficacy was the only cognitive factor directly associated with behavioral action when all variables were in the model. This information has implications for potential methods and target mechanisms for increasing client engagement with exposures and behavioral experiments in treatments for social anxiety.
Absence of first order electronic transitions in liquid metals

Abstract High pressure shock wave data on a wide variety of metals indicates that electronic transitions are continuously distributed in the liquid phase and accompanied by melting maxima. A qualitative explanation for this behavior is suggested.
Adrenal Chromaffin Cells Exposed to 5-ns Pulses Require Higher Electric Fields to Porate Intracellular Membranes than the Plasma Membrane: An Experimental and Modeling Study

Nanosecond-duration electric pulses (NEPs) can permeabilize the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), causing release of Ca2+ into the cytoplasm. This study used experimentation coupled with numerical modeling to understand the lack of Ca2+ mobilization from Ca2+-storing organelles in catecholamine-secreting adrenal chromaffin cells exposed to 5-ns pulses. Fluorescence imaging determined a threshold electric (E) field of 8 MV/m for mobilizing intracellular Ca2+ whereas whole-cell recordings of membrane conductance determined a threshold E-field of 3 MV/m for causing plasma membrane permeabilization. In contrast, a 2D numerical model of a chromaffin cell, which was constructed with internal structures representing a nucleus, mitochondrion, ER, and secretory granule, predicted that exposing the cell to the same 5-ns pulse electroporated the plasma and ER membranes at the same E-field amplitude, 3–4 MV/m. Agreement of the numerical simulations with the experimental results was obtained only when the ER interior conductivity was 30-fold lower than that of the cytoplasm and the ER membrane permittivity was twice that of the plasma membrane. A more realistic intracellular geometry for chromaffin cells in which structures representing multiple secretory granules and an ER showed slight differences in the thresholds necessary to porate the membranes of the secretory granules. We conclude that more sophisticated cell models together with knowledge of accurate dielectric properties are needed to understand the effects of NEPs on intracellular membranes in chromaffin cells, information that will be important for elucidating how NEPs porate organelle membranes in other cell types having a similarly complex cytoplasmic ultrastructure.
South Asia and the Challenge of Intimacy in the “Global War on Terror”

(2007). South Asia and the Challenge of Intimacy in the “Global War on Terror”. South Asian Review: Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 68-86.
Significance of Eosinophils in Promoting Pancreatic malignancy.

Background Several reports indicate that eosinophils are induced in chronic pancreatitis including patients with pancreatic malignancy. However, significance of eosinophilic pancreatitis (EP) is poorly understood and unexplored. Aim Accumulation and degranulation of eosinophils promote pancreatic fibrosis and malignancy. Method Human pancreatic tissue biopsy samples including chronic pancreatitis (n=3), malignant (n=4), non-malignant (n=3), and normal (n=3) were used for H&E, anti-MBP staining, anti-tryptase staining, anti-IgE staining and Mason's trichrome staining. Results We show induced eosinophils and degranulated eosinophils indicated by the presence of anti-MBP stained extracellular granules in the malignant pancreatic (pancreatic cancer) and non-malignant human pancreatic tissues. A comparable number of eosinophils were observed in non-malignant and malignant pancreatic tissue sections, but the sections differed in degranulated eosinophils and the presence of extracellular granules. Additionally, induced mast cells and tissue-specific IgE positive cells were also detected in the tissue sections of malignant pancreatitis patients compared to non-malignant human pancreatic patients. Tissue-specific IgE induction is critical for the degranulation of eosinophils and mast cells that may lead to increased accumulation of collagen in malignant compared to non-malignant human pancreatic tissue samples. We show a large number of anti-tryptase stained extracellular granules in the tissue sections of malignant pancreatic cancer patients. Both IgE and eosinophil major basic proteins (MBP) are reported for the activation and degranulation of mast cells in tissues. Conclusion Taken together, our investigation concludes that eosinophils and mast cells accumulation and degranulation are critical in promoting pancreatitis pathogenesis that may lead to the development of pancreatic fibrosis and malignancy.
The Aging Population and the Relevance of Vascular Dementia

Changes occur in nearly every body system with advanced age. Many adults successfully negotiate these transitions; nevertheless, physiologic changes and disease processes emerge with longer lifespan. Numerous age-related changes in physical and psychological conditions can be addressed with advances in medical procedures and pharmacological treatment; however, there are inevitable consequences of prolonging life and the immediate effects on individuals extend to their families, the healthcare system, and society at large. In short, increased longevity introduces several financial and medical challenges and has ramifications for quality of life in a large proportion of the world population.